Episodes

If you live in West U, you already love Little Matt's — but the story behind it might surprise you. In this episode of The 005, Natalie talks with owners Cindy and Bill Lillard and longtime general manager Tim Myers about how a former auto shop became one of West University Place's most beloved gathering places. They dig into the real reason it's called "Little Matt's," the charitable mission that ties the restaurant to Texas Children's Hospital, taking over just months before COVID and the w...

If you live in West U, you almost certainly know the West U Information Exchange — the invite-only Facebook group where neighbors find plumbers, reunite lost pets, rally around families in crisis, and occasionally deal with controversy like the infamous thong post and lemon-stealing nanny. In this episode, Natalie sits down with the woman behind it all: Mariana Pope, who started the group in 2014 and has quietly run it as a volunteer ever since — all while working full-time as a healthcare compl...

Natalie Crossley sits down with West U's Chief of Police Gary Ratliff to talk about what it really means for a community to have its own dedicated police department — and the people working behind the scenes to keep West U safe. Chief Ratliff brings nearly four decades of law enforcement experience to West U, having built his career in League City before stepping out of retirement to lead the department here. In this conversation, he reflects on the path that brought him to West U, what surpr...

In the very first episode of The 005, Natalie Crossley sits down with West University Elementary Principal, Principal Scott Disch, to talk about what makes West University Elementary School — and the West U community itself — such a special place. As West University Elementary School celebrates its 100th anniversary, Principal Disch reflects on the history of the school, the incredible level of parent involvement that continues to shape it today, and the traditions that generations of families ...