Chemical plant explosion rocks SE Texas town

http://www.khou.com/video/news/local/officials-lift-evacuation-order-in-port-neches/285-2c201f23-9f2a-445f-9fb1-c82b76bcd1c2?jwsource=cl

I spent Thanksgiving Day and the day after in Port Neches, TX.  The town near Beaumont was rocked by a chemical plant explosion.  The blast and its resulting shockwave caused significant damage to the facilities and surrounding homes and businesses.  I put this story together on the day residents were allowed to return to their homes after an evacuation order was lifted.  Port Neches is more than a 1 1/2 hour drive from Houston.. So, we didn't have too much time to gather material for a 5:00 story.  Luckily, we found people willing to speak on the first two streets we checked.  I delivered the story from just outside the plant, which was still burning.

Texas voters pass K-9 retirement law

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/i-couldnt-imagine-losing-him-local-deputy-praises-passage-of-k-9-retirement-law/285-274d86b1-8b47-4094-b691-b736f96b7dba

Any story that allows me to hang out with animals is always fun.  In this case, the story was about the passage of a law that allows retired K-9s to live with their handlers.  Believe it or not, under Texas law, they previously had to be sold or even put down (depending on their health).  I reached out to a number of law enforcement agencies in order to help with a follow-up story.  The Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office allowed us to come by and interview a deputy who works and lives with his K-9 named "Cactus Jack."  I asked if I could pet him and was told "you better not."     

Quirky landmark building facing wrecking ball

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/landmark-to-be-demolished-as-highway-146-expands/285-544595b7-4ae3-4c4e-9afa-1b0e1527bca2?jwsource=cl

This is a good example of how drone video can really help a story pop.  The story is about a quirky old building in Seabrook, TX that is known to anyone who's been through the Galveston County city.  A massive TxDOT widening project requires the building's demolition.  I interviewed the former owner about the loss and touched on the overall project too.  Fortunately, one of our photographers, who is a certified drone operator, was available to get some good shots of the building.

Apollo 11 inspired park in need of a makeover

https://www.khou.com/video/tech/science/aerospace/apollo-11/rescue-mission-for-park-honoring-apollo-11/285-3505dc16-0ec8-4411-a82d-e70c69e41e83?jwsource=cl

This is a story prompted by my own observances.  Tranquility Park (named after the Moon's "Sea of Tranquility") is in my neighborhood in downtown Houston.  I've noticed its disrepair.. Particularly since Hurricane Harvey.  It became a story worth pitching even more as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.  What better excuse for a makeover?  A friend of the original architect was among those who shared concerns about the park with me.

Presidential hopefuls in Houston, again

https://www.khou.com/video/news/politics/10-democratic-presidential-hopefuls-address-educators-at-downtown-houston-forum/285-32cd8a71-fc70-4ad9-9a1a-ce279440d1d5?jwsource=cl

It's not surprising that 10 of the Democratic candidates running for president would jump at the chance to appear before the nation's largest labor union.  The National Education Association held its annual convention in Houston this year.  Part of the days-long event was a forum with the candidates.  This is the second such forum featuring a number of Democratic candidates that I've covered here in recent months.  Many expect other visits by Democratic candidates as Texas turns more and more purple.

Road rage murder victim's widow speaks about crime

https://www.khou.com/video/news/crime/we-werent-finished-living-our-lives-together-widow-talks-about-deadly-road-rage-shooting-in-katy/285-680a82f4-1264-4c7e-a1b6-9e66d8fd10ad?jwsource=cl

Getting exclusive interviews is always a goal when you know it's a story other stations are also working.  But there's a fine line between getting an interview and exploiting a very sad situation.  In this case, the family of a road rage murder victim wanted to share their thoughts about the father, husband, and son.  The man's widow got very emotional during the interview.. understandably.  It makes for powerful TV.  I just hate that we have to cover such senseless stories.

Split shift Saturday

https://www.khou.com/video/news/crime/two-deadly-shootings-involving-officers-in-houston-area/285-8a1dff69-ed29-439b-9d03-ae1e0c0dd9b2?jwsource=cl

This is just a quick clip of me anchoring during a split shift Saturday.  I was filling in for the normal anchor and it's a looooong day.  It means anchoring a two-hour morning show from 7:00a-9:00a and then returning later in the day for 6:00p and 10:00p newscasts.  The good thing is that it's guaranteed overtime for me.  The regular anchor gets a three-day weekend in exchange for working it. 

Going back in time at NASA's Johnson Space Center

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/mission-control-renovated-to-look-like-moon-landing-era/285-04c409e2-48bb-49cb-be80-cfa67456bb50?jwsource=cl

I always like nerding out at NASA.  In this case, it was to cover the unveiling of a major restoration project at Johnson Space Center in Houston.  The historic Apollo Mission Control Center was refurbished to look as it did during the first moon landing in 1969.  The years-long project was completed in time for the 50th anniversary.  This is the room where the Apollo missions were managed.  But it fell into disrepair following its closure in the 1990s.  Most of the money spent on painstaking renovation came from donations. 

What a sale! Texas icon Whataburger sold to a Chicago company

https://www.khou.com/video/money/consumer/whataburger-buyout-should-not-be-surprising/285-36d09dc3-51ec-46ce-b1eb-0143c21c11a2?jwsource=cl

Texans love their Whataburger.  But the family-owned Texas-based chain has been sold to a Chicago investment firm.  The news broke as I waited on a call back on another story.  I was switched around 1:00p.  They wanted a hit at 4:00p!  That means making things happen quickly.  We found a Whataburger location and got some quick interviews with customers.  Fortunately, a retail expert at the University of Houston was also available on short notice.  I deserved the milkshake I used in my tag.

Students spend summer repairing Harvey homes

https://www.khou.com/video/news/investigations/stands-for-houston/teens-spend-summer-break-rebuilding-homes-damaged-by-harvey/285-62bb4db7-0864-4b12-a1b6-c204d3292ef7?jwsource=cl

I can't believe August will mark two years since Hurricane Harvey destroyed much of Houston.  Many people are still recovering.  But overdue repairs on some homes are finally getting done with help from students who come to town from all over Texas.  I did a number of stories with BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery in the months after Harvey.  I was able to catch up with a new group of kids for this story on repairs being made to a Navy vet's home. 

Music video remake gives missing girl's mom hope for new leads

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/i-have-to-have-hope-mother-still-searching-for-daughter-9-years-after-teen-went-missing/285-d262968e-50b2-4fd8-b1e3-78ae7922831c?jwsource=cl

Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train" was one of my favorite songs back in the day.  The original video featured missing children.  Some of them were found as a result of the exposure.  A new video has been produced for the song's 25th anniversary.  A Houston area missing teen is featured in the new video.  Her mother was elated about the new exposure.  She hopes thousands, if not millions, of views on YouTube and other platforms will help drum up new leads.  I interviewed the mother in her daughter's bedroom.. Which she's left unchanged for nearly a decade.

Missing Houston girl gets national attention

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/new-photos-released-of-car-maleah-davis-stepfather-was-driving-before-alleged-abduction/285-d3b314d5-cc37-44a7-a9b3-63e7916782fa?jwsource=cl

This is a story that touched a nerve in the Houston area and beyond.  It concerns four year-old Maleah Davis.  Her step-father claimed she was kidnapped during an attack after a flat tire.  It's a bizarre story and detectives said it didn't add up.  Several volunteer search groups stepped up in the days after an Amber Alert was issued.  I covered the story from multiple angles.  This is one of my reports.  Maleah was still missing and no charges had been filed at the time of this posting.

Democratic presidential candidates descend on Houston

https://www.khou.com/video/news/politics/national-politics/eight-democratic-presidential-hopefuls-speak-at-tsu/285-7a916f61-77fc-4228-bc83-89eff2c13e03?jwsource=cl

Houston became the center of the early presidential campaign on this day.  Eight Democratic contenders participated in a forum at Texas Southern University.  Bernie Sanders also held a big rally in a downtown park.  I "fronted" my story from the Sanders rally and focused on those attending the forum.  It was meant, primarily, for minority women.  Many of them and others were excited about the opportunity to hear from so many candidates.

James Bond wannabe uses device to avoid paying tolls

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/mom-speaks-out-after-son-accused-of-using-device-to-deceive-tolls/285-9e3e06da-e001-4ebe-bc67-36f79513eddf?jwsource=cl

This story got a lot of traction on our social media platforms.  A Houston-area guy was caught with a "license plate flipper" on his car.  He was charged with using it to avoid paying tolls.  It looks like the one used in at least one old James Bond movie.  In this case, investigators say the guy covered the tag when he approached toll plazas.  I went by his house to get his side of the story.  He wasn't home.  But his mother was.  Luckily, she agreed to speak with me. 

Petrochemical fire prompts health concerns

https://www.khou.com/video/news/health/hundreds-seek-health-screenings-in-deer-park-again-after-itc-fire-reignites/285-95dd16bb-be16-4b71-b373-9b5f16cb975b?jwsource=cl

A fire at a petrochemical storage facility near Houston kept us busy for a full week.  It's smoke cloud billowed for days.. Then flared up two more times.  Meanwhile, a benzene leak prompted shelter-in-place orders in two neighboring towns.  I was at or near the site a number of times.  At several points, KHOU management suggested we relocate because of the potential health concerns.  This story failed to make air because of breaking coverage of the last flare-up (which my photographer first spotted from our location five miles away).  The story was posted to the web and shared on social media.  It primarily features people in the Deer Park, TX area taking advantage of free health screenings.

Anchoring again (and doing webcasts)

https://www.facebook.com/KHOU11/videos/1489873231147999/

I'm glad I'm a go-to guy when the main anchors are off.  In this case, I held down the fort on the weekend again.  Our 6:00p newscast was preempted by basketball.  But we still did a webcast for digital platforms, including Facebook.  Increasingly, we're being judged on our digital contributions.  Doing special things for the website, app, and social media platforms is more important every day.

Sitting down with the U.S. Secretary of State

https://www.khou.com/article/news/us-secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo-discusses-global-concerns-border-wall-and-more/285-a81f8176-8111-4ccd-b27e-636ae7e68d61

Houston is America's energy capital.  And the world's largest energy industry conference takes place here this time every year.  It's called CERAWeek.  One of the speakers this year was U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.  The State Department gave media outlets the opportunity to conduct sit down interviews with him.  My managers chose me to do it.  At first, we thought there would be parameters on what we could discuss.  However, there was no mention of that before we sat down.  I only got five minutes.  But we covered a variety of topics.. Including energy, Venezuela, global politics, and the 2020 election. 

Saddling up for a live shot

https://khou-vh.akamaihd.net/i/video/fb95337e-14b0-4743-95fd-a12f43766411/fb95337e-14b0-4743-95fd-a12f43766411_,350,640,1000,2000,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8

The Houston Livestock Show & Radio is the biggest annual event in these parts.  It proves that Houston is definitely still part of Texas.  Trail rides (cowboys and cowgirls who ride into town on horseback or in wagons) kick off the three week-long event every year.  I caught up with the different groups as they arrived at Memorial Park.  I even mounted a horse for the live shot in the attached clip.  As you can see, I needed some guidance. 

Inside the new KHOU

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-khous-new-station/285-4e5a5c55-0655-4bd4-b8ea-1d4e72dc550b?jwsource=cl

It's been 18 months coming.  We're finally in the process of moving into brand new post-Hurricane Harvey studios.  The historic flood destroyed our old station on Allen Parkway.  We're been sharing space with Houston Public Media ever since.  It hasn't been ideal.  But, after months of nonstop work and construction, we'll soon all be under one rood again.  I did a story when we originally announced our new location.  I got to do this follow up as the first phase of the move-in began.  The new digs far exceeded my expectations.

Unloading Astroworld memorabilia

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/astroworld-on-the-auction-block/285-a6c226e7-58ae-4d5c-b26a-e52d76105fda?jwsource=cl

Ever heard of Astroworld?  Me either before I moved to Houston.  It was a much-loved theme park built adjacent to The Astrodome and later operated by Six Flags.  It closed in 2005.  One lady spent a lot of money over the years buying up pieces of memorabilia related to the defunct park.  I did this story as she prepared for an auction to try and get rid of much of her collection.  People were already submitting bids.

So many stories during the government shutdown

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/longtime-nasa-worker-says-shes-never-seen-a-government-shutdown-like-this/285-89042a04-dc6c-4e49-b21d-d4ab6e281b2e?jwsource=cl

The recent partial government shutdown provided so many personal stories.  Fortunately, federal workers were willing to talk with us as the inconvenience dragged on.  I happened to run into the woman in this story while staking out a restaurant that was providing free food for furloughed workers and others.  She's worked at NASA for more than 30 years.  I also liked how my live shot turned out at Johnson Space Center. 

Officer shot four times shares thoughts on latest HPD shooting

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/hpd-veteran-shot-in-the-line-of-duty-is-praying-for-fellow-officers/285-3d7b9ff1-bf09-40be-92aa-c2ceec48b747?jwsource=cl

Multiple Houston Police officers were shot this week while serving a warrant.  TV stations, including us, immediately went into full coverage mode.  That means we do "sidebar" stories in addition to reporting the ongoing investigation.  I was able to get an interview with an HPD vet who was shot four times nearly two years ago.  He still can't walk.  I met Ronny Cortez and his wife, Sheri, on their way into his latest MRI appointment.  They wished the injured officers well as their roads to recovery begin.

Stray bullet strikes Cypress family's home

https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/stray-bullet-narrowly-misses-cypress-father/285-6fe08f10-9d5a-424c-9dd7-cdca76611a56?jwsource=cl

This was a frightening story.  One of our producers first spotted it on Facebook.  A woman shared the details there.  Basically, a stray bullet struck her family's home and barely missed her husband's head.  The neighbor's house was shot as well.  My photographer and I went out and interviewed the family.  They showed us where the bullet went through a fence, the exterior wall of their home, an interior wall, and a bathroom door.  It finally struck a tile shower liner and landed in the bathtub.

Houston native killed in Kenya terror attack

https://www.khou.com/video/news/jason-spindler-was-destined-for-greatness-parents-say/285-fb6cca99-05f3-43f6-af96-66eb3645e933?jwsource=cl

This story started after we heard the only American killed in a Nairobi, Kenya terror attack had ties to Texas.  We quickly learned that Jason Spindler grew up in Houston.  My mission was to track down any friends or family willing to speak about the tragedy.  We gathered lots of stuff via social media.  Then we figured out Spindler's father is a local doctor.  I called his practice and his receptionist was willing to share Dr. Spindler's phone number.  He and his wife welcomed us into their home during this difficult time.  They wanted to make sure Jason's legacy was shared.. And not just the way his life ended.