Don't call them jellyfish! Portuguese man o war have been washing ashore on Galveston Island in recent weeks in "above average" numbers. The unique creatures are grabbing a lot of attention and ending up on social media platforms. That's where we spotted photos that prompted this story. At first, my photog and I didn't really seem them on the beaches UNTIL we got closer. The greenish bottle-like organisms, which can sting you like jellyfish, were everywhere. It's still unclear why they wash up occasionally in large numbers.
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
All senior members of Houston ISD school band get college scholarships
Worthing High School's "Marching Pride of Sunnyside" is particularly proud of all nine senor members. They received college scholarships to Langston University, an HBCU in Oklahoma, following a recent tryout. Several will be the first members of their families to attend college. I got this story idea from a Houston ISD blog post and the district set up a time to interview several of the seniors. We even convinced them to play some music for us.
Friday, December 3, 2021
20th anniversary of the Enron collapse
Enron's collapse in 2001 made international news for being the biggest bankruptcy EVER. The Houston-based energy company's failure, due in large part to fraud, cost thousands of jobs and billions in loses. We did a number of stories regarding the 20th anniversary of Enron's demise. I reached out to a former company VP credited with being the "whistleblower" in the case. Sherron Watkins now teaches business ethics at Texas State University. I fronted this piece outside the former Enron headquarters in downtown Houston.. Now home to Chevron.
Friday, September 10, 2021
Houston area school official recalls being with President Bush on 9/11
I deal with communications folks from the various Houston area school districts on a regular basis. I didn't know about this story until the week of 9/11. Spring Branch ISD's Terry Abbott served as chief of staff to the US Secretary of Education (a former Houston ISD superintendent) during the first year of George W. Bush administration. He was with Bush and many others at a school in Florida the moment the President learned that a second plane struck the second World Trade Center tower. They were in FL for an education-related press event. I spoke with Abbott about a day he says he vividly remembers.
Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Back to school in Texas's largest district
Houston ISD started its new school year with a mask mandate. That decision was in defiance of a state order STILL being hashed out in court as of this posting. HISD is the largest district in Texas. Its new superintendent toured multiple campuses as students and staff got back to business in what will be another challenging year. We caught up with the superintendent and others at an elementary school. I also touched on the first day in the state's third largest district, Cy-Fair ISD, located in suburban Houston. CFISD decided to keep masks optional yet strongly encouraged.
Monday, August 2, 2021
To mask or not to mask
I've been doing LOTS of back-to-school stories as we get closer to what will likely be another interesting year thanks to COVID. Texas public school districts are very limited when it comes to enacting face covering and other mandates thanks to state guidelines. Right now, wearing a mask will be optional. But private schools are able to do whatever they feel is best. This story explores that after The Village School in Houston decided to follow CDC guidance.
Tuesday, July 20, 2021
TSU Museum partners with Smithsonian
I take every opportunity to pitch a story if it means simultaneously satisfying a personal interest.. Like art. In this case, Texas Southern University let me know about a new partnership with the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC. It will mean educational opportunities and funding for outreach and other things. Luckily, TSU's University Museum was open on a Friday when I was given the go-ahead to do this piece.
Friday, July 2, 2021
4th grader aces STAAR test
I did a couple of stories on dismal STAAR test results across Texas before this one cropped up. A Fort Bend ISD mom emailed us about her son scoring a perfect 100 on the math portion. I thought it was a perfect counterbalance to all of the negative testing news. It didn't hurt that 4th grader Omar Kabalan was so cute and talkative. Photog Ralph Nickerson and I met Omar and his mother at the school where he's attending summer camp.
Friday, June 18, 2021
Juneteenth federal holiday reaction from where it all began
Texas slaves first learned of their freedom on June 19, 1865 on Galveston Island. What's now known as Juneteenth was born. I went to the island to get reaction as the longtime observance became a federal holiday. I had nothing set up when the day began. But, fortunately, the Galveston Historical Commission was able to connect me with a women who's long pushed for recognition and had a great-great-grandmother who lived through emancipation herself. We also got video of a new mural dedicate to telling the story of Juneteenth.
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Freedmen's Town becomes Houston's first "heritage district"
Freedmen's Town is an area in Houston where recently freed slaves settled after news of their emancipation spread across Texas. The week of Juneteenth observations brought news from the Houston City Council that the neighborhood would become the city's first "heritage district.." Allowing groups to preserve, maintain and highlight history in public rights-of-way. The designation is in addition to existing historic landmark statuses or other recognitions. Brick streets laid by descendants of Freedmen's Town founders may be the first restoration project.
Cafeteria workers find pay cut hard to swallow
There was good news recently for many Houston ISD employees when the board of trustees approved pay bumps for teachers. But some food service employees learned days later that their hours would be reduced next school year. The district blamed reduced meal participation rates and a shorter school calendar. But workers were immediately concerned given the hard work put into helping to feed students and families amid the pandemic. One longtime cafeteria worker shared her concerns with me.
Monday, June 7, 2021
Using the drone to cover potential flooding
Two big reservoirs in the Houston area were being watching closely amid weeks of rainy weather. I was tasked with telling the story of how rising levels may impact surrounding roadways. We decided to use "Drone 11" to help keep some good video of the reservoirs. I also did a standup using the drone. It really does add an interesting perspective when it comes to these types of stories. We found a road already covered by water as a place to go live.
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Monitoring the unofficial start of summer on Galveston Island
Galveston Island is our go-to for anything beach-related. More than 60% of island visitors come from the Houston area. In this case, Memorial Day provided an opportunity to see how crowds would be during the first big holiday weekend since mask rules and other COVID measures were relaxed. Galveston didn't suffer as much as many other beach towns.. But businesses and tourism officials certainly anticipate a surge this summer. The return of cruise ships will be a major part of that.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
New leader for Texas's largest school district
I've covered schools and education this entire school year. COVID-related issues have gotten tons of attention. But Houston ISD's search for a new superintendent is another big story. It's the largest school district in the state and is often plagued by problems. But it's a job that attracted 60+ applicants during a nationwide search. Trustees finally revealed that Millard House II of Tennessee was their lone finalist for the position. I had a 12 hour workday the night before this story as trustees conducted final interviews and discussion.
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
High school senior overcomes brain tumor to finish 8th in his class
As if the pandemic wasn't enough of a challenge for school kids this year. An Aldine ISD senior also dealt with a life-threatening diagnosis. But Jonathan Johnson persevered through two brain surgeries and ongoing therapy to finish in the top 10 of his class.. Although he had to give up playing basketball which earned him a letter jacket. This story started with a pitch from the district. I was happy to be able to share it with our audience.
Monday, May 17, 2021
Convention comeback in Houston as pandemic eases
I pitched this story after reading an article by news partner Houston Business Journal on the number of upcoming conventions. They include the NRA's annual convention set for September in Houston. The organization confirmed to me that it expected 70,000+ attendees and has already contracted 7000 rooms in 40 hotels. I recently noticed a new Hyatt Place downtown that opened during the pandemic. It was happy to contribute to the story as well. I also reached out to the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) which attracts tens of thousands every year.
Friday, May 14, 2021
Two Spring ISD students accepted to all Ivy League colleges between them
This story originated with a press release. It was about a Spring ISD senior accepted to all eight Ivy League colleges and his decision to attend Harvard. One of the district's media contacts got word of a second senior in a nearly identical position while I was in touch with her about the first one. I got Zoom interviews with the two students on a day they were taking finals.. Which are very important to them. Both will be in Boston next fall and want to pursue medical research professions.
Principal/assistant principal dead after suspected murder-suicide
Reports of domestic violence have risen dramatically in many areas amid the pandemic. There's still a lot to learn from this deadly incident. But we quickly discovered that a murder-suicide in League City, TX (a SE suburb of Houston) involved a principal and her assistant principal husband. Police said he killed her before killing himself while two young children were also at home. The couple worked for different school districts from which I got statements regarding their deaths and a photo of the principal. I later went to their neighborhood for reaction from neighbors and friends.
Monday, May 10, 2021
Checking out one of the Houston area's oldest surviving homes
A house believed to be the oldest in the Klein community will soon be on the move. An effort is underway to relocate the Martin Frank home to nearby Wunderlich Farm Interactive History Park. I pitched the story thinking I wouldn't necessarily get to do it. But I'm glad I did. Fortunately, the folks behind the project were willing to meet me on a Sunday afternoon in order to talk about it. Klein ISD (which is connected to the group seeking to move the home) even provided some drone video. It's always fun for this History major to get an assignment like this.
Honoring school nutrition employees for work during pandemic
Folks who keep kids fed during school days have worked overtime amid the pandemic. They still provided meals even when physical schools were closed. This year's "School Lunch Hero Day" was a way to honor them. Houston ISD surprised some of its employees with a special proclamation. My photographer and I visited one of the district's big food distribution sites in order to capture the moment and some of the work that's ongoing.
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Bringing COVID vaccinations to high school campuses
I've been following the vaccination effort in relation to education since vaccines started rolling out. Many teachers have been vaccinated at hub sites and even at school facilities. Some districts are now prioritizing students. Cy-Fair ISD, Texas's third-largest district, partnered with Harris County Public Health to bring the Pfizer vaccine to high school campuses. It's the only vaccine currently authorized for people under 18 (16 and 17 year-olds). The problem I ran into with this story was getting video of the vaccination event inside a high school in time to include it in my 4:00p story. Fortunately, CFISD has a very good video production department which helped me with b-roll.
Monday, May 3, 2021
Galveston Island anticipates cruise ship return
I was dispatched to Galveston Island upon hearing that two Carnival cruise ships were heading back in order to prepare for voyages that could begin as soon as this summer. Thousands of jobs are tied to the cruise industry on the island. I didn't set any interviews up before leaving Houston. But I did reach out to a number of potential interviewees. I always say you shouldn't wait on return phone calls. Fortunately, we had a lot of luck by just dropping by a longshoremen's union hall and local shops. We also randomly met a Royal Caribbean employee who agreed to do an interview.
Friday, April 23, 2021
Summarizing ExxonMobil's plan to capture carbon along the Houston Ship Channel
ExxonMobil unveiled an ambitious plan the week of Earth Day. It calls for a $100 billion carbon capture and storage hub along Houston's Ship Channel.. Home of the world's largest collection of petrochemical plants and refineries. It's a complication proposal that I had to capsulize in a less than two-minute news story. I decided to use the San Jacinto Battleground Monument, which stands along the ship channel, to add some color.
Friday, April 16, 2021
Tracking down Daunte Wright's family in Houston
Many of us in the news business in Houston often comment about how events nationwide and even worldwide often have ties to our area. That includes the recent police-involved killing of a Minnesota man named Daunte Wright. The officer reportedly fired a gun she mistook for a taser. We heard that family members, including a great-grandmother, lived in Houston. An advanced name search revealed possible addresses and phone numbers.. The latter of which were out of service. So my photographer and I did old fashioned "door knocks" and located Wright's great-grandmother. Turns out, she's a retired law enforcement officer herself.
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Class of 1946 member finally receives diploma in 2021
93 year-old Pat Moore was a half semester short of graduating from Alvin High School when the Army drafted him in 1946. Getting a diploma took a back seat to a crop-dusting career and raising a family. But he finally got his diploma, a new letter jacket and lots of accolades after reaching out to the district. Alvin ISD helped me get in touch with Mr. Moore and it was a pleasure speaking with him about this long overdue achievement. It comes just a couple of months before one of his great-granddaughters graduates from Alvin High.
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
A Houston high school ends up with NINE valedictorians
We got a tip about a unique situation at Houston ISD's Bellaire High School before the district confirmed it. The Class of 2021 has nine valedictorians, including twin sisters. Having two or even three valedictorians isn't necessarily unheard of.. But HISD said this made history. All nine seniors ended up with 5.0 grade point averages. I reached out to the district in hopes of interviewing some of the students. I even located a cell number for one of the twins. Both responded and I got her and her sister to talk about this very unusual yet cool coincidence.
Revisiting Prince Philip's last Houston visit
This was a local reaction piece to Prince Philip's passing. I read that a 1991 royal visit to Texas included a stop at Houston's Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attended a performance by a number of church choirs. I called the church to see if anyone was willing to speak about the visit. I usually don't wait around for return phone calls.. Which is my advice to other reporters. My photographer and I dropped in at the church and met the pastor and even a 75-year church member. We ended up with a pretty cool story.
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
When you shoot most of a story on your iPhone
COVID protocols have kept me out of our newsroom for more than a year now. I generally meet up with photographers at a location rather than meeting at the station first. In this case, I needed to get down to Galveston Island ASAP in order to get video of teachers and others getting COVID vaccinations on campuses for the first time. The issue was that a photog had yet to be assigned. So I hit the road and ended up shooting most of what you see in this story with my iPhone. I used a lavalier microphone plugged into the phone in order to get interviews. The photog later shot my in and out (where you see me) and edited the piece. I think it turned out well and is an example of the way technology can help tell stories these days.
Monday, March 22, 2021
Journalist and TV host Roland Martin gives back to Houston alma mater
Houston ISD put out a press release announcing that journalist and TV host Roland Martin would be establishing two new scholarships at his alma mater, Jack Yates High School. I didn't realize Martin was from Houston or went to Yates (from where a number of notable folks graduated). I reached out to Martin via social media and caught up with him while he happened to be in town for an event. We met outside the school where a number of passers-by stopped to take photos with him after we chatted about the reasons why he wanted to give money to communications students and others.
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Vaccination volunteers play big role in getting shots into arms
I was looking for stories to do during Spring Break (since most education/school-related stories wouldn't easily come together) and discussed this story with a producer. She knows a nurse who works a regular job at a hospital before volunteering at one of the Houston area COVID vaccination sites. I got in touch with Harris County Public Health which has a team of volunteers helping out. The agency hooked me up with a certified EMT who donates his time giving shots and doing whatever else is needed. The process would move a lot more slowly without the assistance of volunteers.. Both those with or without medical backgrounds.
Friday, March 12, 2021
Jobless claims dip as vaccinations and re-openings rise
I sort of became the unemployment reporter back when COVID really took hold of the economy. I've since become my station's education-focused reporter. But this story provided an opportunity to revisit jobless issues thanks to the latest US Department of Labor report showing claims reaching a four-month low. My photographer and I hit up a local unemployment office and found a man still struggling to find work.. And found another man at a business next door who'd landed on his feet. His boss also explained how she's hiring. I also interviewed a suburban school district about jobs it's hoping to fill. Education is among the sectors seeing job growth.
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Restaurants divided on protocols as statewide COVID mandates end
This week brought big news in Texas. Statewide mandates regarding mask requirements and occupancy levels in restaurants (and other businesses) ended. I was tasked with finding restaurants on both sides of the issue since many remain committed to COVID protocols. One with whom we've visited before said he's received threats over the issue. Meanwhile, I found a restaurant in the suburb of Pearland that decided to do what it's now allowed to do.. Scrap mask requirements and open with 100% occupancy.
Saturday, February 27, 2021
Lease dispute puts landmark River Oaks Theater in jeopardy .. again
The iconic River Oaks Theater in Houston is my personal favorite place to see a movie. It dates to 1939 and is like going back in time. I knew it had been in jeopardy before due to redevelopment all around it. Now a lease dispute between the theater operator and building's owner threatens it once again. I was able to get an interview with the theater operator who said business dropped 95% during the pandemic and paying rent at the same level isn't possible. The owner said the theater hasn't paid rent since March of 2020. Meanwhile, Preservation Houston, which helped save the theater years ago, is willing to launch a similar effort to try and preserve it again. Unfortunately, demolition isn't prohibited even as a designated City of Houston landmark.
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Katy ISD holds livestock show despite COVID and cold weather setbacks
I take any chance I get to hang out with animals. In this case, it was a story about Katy ISD's (large suburban Houston school district) annual livestock show. It had to be adapted due to COVID and was pushed back a week because of the freak winter storm. The rodeo component was scrapped. But 500 students vying for awards, including money, weren't dissuaded. I got to interview a few of them.. Including a young lady with a pig named "Georgia." This Georgia native quickly became a fan.
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
School districts among those dealing with ruptured pipes after winter weather event
As if power outages and a lack of water wasn't enough to deal with.. the weird winter weather that struck Texas also resulted in a wave of ruptured pipes. Leaks erupted in thousands of homes, businesses and institutions. Those include school districts who had to scramble to make repairs so campuses could reopen. Cy-Fair ISD (Texas's third largest district) showed me around one of more than 60 campuses that suffered some sort of damage. We noticed an extremely long line outside a plumbing supply store on our way to the school. We circled back and weaved that into this story as well.
Deep freeze hits the Lone Star State
What a difference a week makes. It'll be in the mid to upper 70s today. It felt like 15 this time last week. A deep freeze hit Texas and dumped snow and ice on areas that haven't seen it in decades. Sub-freezing temps also overwhelmed the state's power grid and left millions without power, water and with nowhere warm to stay. This is among the stories I filed from Fort Bend County (where my photographer and I spent four days chronicling how that area coped). I found a woman, her daughter and two grandchildren sleeping in the lobby of our hotel. They agreed to be part of the story.
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Teachers still pushing for COVID vaccine prioritization
This story started with a pitch from the National Education Association (NEA). That's the nation's largest teachers union. The organization's president was being made available for one-on-one interviews regarding the results of a nationwide survey of members. Most said they want the COVID vaccine but had no access to it. Many states, including Texas, did not include teachers in the first phases of vaccine distribution. I reached out to local teachers in order to compliment the story and decided to feature one who DID get the vaccine thanks to pre-existing medical conditions. She said she wishes all of her colleagues could get the vaccine since she considers them frontline workers.
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Two UH Air Force ROTC cadets "launching" careers with U.S. Space Force
This story started when I spotted a University of Houston social media post. Two Air Force ROTC cadets are set to be the first from UH to join the U.S. Space Force. A darling of the Trump administration appears to be safe under the Biden administration. I did a joint Zoom interview with both cadets who were excited about the prospects of working for the nation's newest military branch. We used USSF video to help tell the story.
Monday, February 1, 2021
Principal retires after 55 years with Houston ISD
I first met Atherton Elementary School principal Dr. Albert Lemons last year when I profiled him for a National Principals Month piece. He'd been with Houston ISD for more than 50 years and principal of Atherton for 30. He's a legend in the local education community known for his love of kids and dapper clothing. He told me at the time that he planned to retire in early 2021. This story if from a drive-through retirement celebration held outside the school. We used the drone to do a standup in the middle of the story.
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Helping a student fulfill his musical dreams
Digital first! We hear that a lot in the news business these days since so many stories are broken on social media and the web before they ever hit TV. Sometimes stories that make digital platforms never make air on TV. I kept that in mind when I pitched this feature about 5th grader Jaron Collins getting a brand new trumpet from an anonymous Spring ISD (a suburban Houston school district) employee. The kid had been noticed on social media by his music teacher pretending to play using toys. His dream is to play trumpet for the Southern University marching band.. One of the premier HBCU bands in the nation. The college reached out to me after seeing the story I wrote up for our website and shared on Twitter. The attached story aired on TV after the band offered an honorary membership.
Monday, January 25, 2021
Second "cancer cluster" concerns Houston neighborhood
I first met Barbara Beal in the Kashmere Gardens area of Houston around this time last year. Her neighborhood had just been included in a newly-identified "cancer cluster" where health officials reported higher-than-normal rates of adult cancers. The Texas Department of State Health Services just revealed information about a second cluster regarding childhood cancers in the same area. I went back to the neighborhood for Ms. Beal's reaction. I also reached out to Union Pacific Railroad.. The entity blamed by many for causing the health issues via a longtime creosote facility that operated across the street from Ms. Beal's home.
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Looking back at Presidential Inaugurations
I was a History major and always jump at the chance to do a History-related story. In this case, it was looking back at inaugurations of the past as we approached Joe Biden's big day. Boiling down so many swearings-in to a 1:45 story was difficult. But I tried to hit interesting highlights.. From those who skipped their successor's inaugurations to some of the more unique ones thanks to national tragedies. A UH History professor helped take me through the timeline and offer insight.
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Putting faces to COVID cases
COVID continues to surge across the nation, including here in Houston. This story was about a Cy-Fair ISD (Texas's third largest district) teacher's aide who died after contracting the virus. Her daughter agreed to speak with us during a funeral visitation. It was heartbreaking hearing her describe her mother's last moments as family members watched via Zoom. Daily COVID stats become white noise after a while. It's important to tell the stories behind the numbers.
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