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.
Saturday, February 27, 2021
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.