Sen. Ted Cruz/Beto O'Rourke debate for the first time

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/texas/cruz-orourke-debate-in-dallas/285-8259529

Texas Senator Ted Cruz took on challenger Beto O'Rourke for the first time this election season.  KHOU decided to send me to cover it.  It took place on the campus of SMU in Dallas.  My photographer and I drove up early on a Friday and did a couple of preview stories leading up to the actual debate.  Debates are always challenging to present in a 1:30 or so story.  I tried to touch on some of the more crucial exchanges.  Fortunately, people could also watch the debate in its entirety online.  It was one of three debates between the pair in one of the nation's most-watched races.

Houston getting its first In-N-Out Burger and SOME people are excited

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/in-n-out-burger-arriving-in-stafford-soon/285-8261568

You'd think In-N-Out is the end all be all burger based on the opinions of some of my KHOU colleagues (from the west coast).  We've been following rumors of Houston's first In-N-Out since I've been here.  Now we know it will be part of a massive mixed-use development in Stafford (a suburb).  I had fun with this story by getting some opinions at a nearby Whataburger.  For those who don't know.. Whataburger is sacred to most Texans. 

Texas's longest-serving mayor talks to me about nearly 50 years on the job

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/longtime-stafford-mayor-in-office-since-1969-plans-to-run-again/285-598042630

This is a story I kind of happened upon.  Obviously, the people of Stafford, TX (a Houston suburb) know of Leonard Scarcella's long tenure as mayor.  But not everyone does.  I interviewed him about a major new development coming to the city and chatted with him afterward.  He told me he was first elected in 1969.  I thought "wow."  I pitched that as a story the next day.  Turns out, Scarcella is Texas's longest-serving mayor and he may be the longest-serving mayor nationwide who is still alive.  And he plans to run again next year.

New home's flood-tolerant features include water-storing driveway

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/home-designed-to-prevent-flooding/285-8251987

I've done countless follow up stories in the wake of Hurricane Harvey's historic flood.  Those have included stories about new post-flood construction.  In this case, I noticed a new home advertised in a hard-hit area includes an interesting driveway that's capable of temporarily holding a bunch of water underneath it.  It's simply a new measure meant to ease the burden on storm drains and bayous in a heavy rain event.  As you might imagine, the home's builders were more than happy to show it off.

District considers rule change after boy wears makeup to school

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/alvin-isd-considers-change-to-dress-code-after-male-is-student-disciplined-for-wearing-makeup/285-8249633

This is a good example of a story coming together over several hours after getting an assignment.  All I was told is that someone posted on social media that a boy was suspended from a high school in Alvin ISD (a Houston-area school district) for wearing makeup to classes.  I started by going to Alvin High School on a hunch that it might have happened there.  It didn't.  That's something I learned from a district official who also agreed to talk about the issue on camera.  I eventually made contact with the boy via Twitter and we followed up with him the next day.

Non-profit still works to replace trees killed by Harvey

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/nonprofit-working-to-replace-scores-of-trees-killed-by-hurricane-harvey/285-589707672

It's been more than a year since Hurricane Harvey wiped out thousands of trees in the Houston area.  In many cases, it's take months for them to die.  Some will take even longer.  A local group called Trees For Houston works to replace damaged trees at little or no cost to parks and other entities.  I got to tour one of its farms for this story.  A quick trip to a couple of places that were under water a year ago revealed numerous dead or dying trees.