First post in a while! Just when I said to myself I was going to pay more attention to this. Anyway.. I've been designated KHOU's "education reporter" and most of my stories lately are associated with districts going back to school, COVID measures, remote v. in-person instruction. The attached story is also related to this. However, it's a positive feature too. Aldine ISD (a Houston area district) schools created teams to go out and encourage students in person as they learn remotely. They deliver support, food, awards, etc. It was a fun ride along.
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
"It's like a dream you can't wake up from." Families remember City of Houston employees who've died from COVID-19
https://www.khou.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/family-remembers-houston-public-works-employee-who-died-from-covid-19/285-acdeebed-91ef-4cf1-839b-57dfa02086e7
At least three City of Houston employees died from COVID-19 complications in a matter of days. One was a longtime Houston Fire Department captain. Two others were Houston Public Works employees. They're essential workers too. I used some old school reporter techniques (the white pages) to locate the sister of one of the public works employees. She agreed to do an interview with me from her home in San Antonio. She said she never imagined COVID would impact her inner family. Her sister, who struggled with asthma her entire life, died within a very short time after being tested for COVID following the apparent diagnosis of a supervisor at work.
On the back-to-school beat
https://www.khou.com/article/news/education/tea-guidelines-commissioner-on-new-guidance-for-texas-school-districts/285-b3417c32-a3ba-44cc-b6b1-1b409cc1b544
COVID-19 continues to impact daily life in many ways. And it's definitely impacting the way children will learn in the coming school year. School districts across the Houston area (and many around the nation) continue to tweak plans to include mostly online/remote learning. Here in Texas, districts waited for weeks for new guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). This story capsulizes highlights of the new guidance. I used a TEA YouTube clip for my soundbite and later got a one-on-one interview with the commissioner to use in later newscasts. KHOU reporters continue to work mostly from home.. But I was able to meet up with my photographer near my place to shoot stand-ups.
COVID-19 continues to impact daily life in many ways. And it's definitely impacting the way children will learn in the coming school year. School districts across the Houston area (and many around the nation) continue to tweak plans to include mostly online/remote learning. Here in Texas, districts waited for weeks for new guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). This story capsulizes highlights of the new guidance. I used a TEA YouTube clip for my soundbite and later got a one-on-one interview with the commissioner to use in later newscasts. KHOU reporters continue to work mostly from home.. But I was able to meet up with my photographer near my place to shoot stand-ups.
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
Galveston beaches close on July 4th weekend
https://www.khou.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/our-hope-is-that-people-will-just-comply-galveston-island-beaches-officially-close-for-july-4th-weekend/285-f2f3976a-f23c-43bb-9546-347a15f086ed
I've been doing a LOT of Zoom interviews lately. That includes the one I did for this story on beaches being closed on Galveston Island over the July 4th holiday weekend. I did it from home. The chief of the island's beach patrol agreed to Zoom with me and a couple of our photographers went down and shot some b-roll (both ground video and drone video). It's part of the way we continue to do things at KHOU amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We do still get out and actually cover events in person on occasion. As for the story.. closing beaches was fairly controversial given the fact that it means so much money for businesses and so much fun for visitors.
I've been doing a LOT of Zoom interviews lately. That includes the one I did for this story on beaches being closed on Galveston Island over the July 4th holiday weekend. I did it from home. The chief of the island's beach patrol agreed to Zoom with me and a couple of our photographers went down and shot some b-roll (both ground video and drone video). It's part of the way we continue to do things at KHOU amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We do still get out and actually cover events in person on occasion. As for the story.. closing beaches was fairly controversial given the fact that it means so much money for businesses and so much fun for visitors.
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
COVID patient returns home after 50+ day hospitalization
https://www.khou.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/im-a-survivor-local-covid-19-patient-tied-to-egyptian-river-cruise-released-from-hospital-after-more-than-50-days/285-67407db9-685d-45e3-8971-8fcf53f499b4
We've covered a LOT of negative news as it relates to COVID-19. But this was a positive story. Belinda Galindo of Pearland, TX finally returned home after spending more than 50 days in either hospitals or rehab centers. She was among a cluster of positive cases traced back to an overseas trip, including a Nile River cruise in Egypt. Sadly, Galindo's brother-in-law lost his battle with the same illness. But his son and wife joined others in welcoming Belinda home.
Friday, May 8, 2020
Deputy dies from COVID-19
https://www.khou.com/article/news/prayers-turn-to-tears-as-officers-mourn-death-of-hcso-deputy-who-died-from-covid-19/285-b83718ea-0bdf-49d7-bee4-21f4155f397b
COVID-19 has touched many lives across the nation and here at home in Houston. The Harris County Sheriff's Office has reported a number of positive cases among its ranks. But Sgt. Raymond Scholwinski was the first casualty. The 70 year-old deputy had been with HCSO since 1979. I was assigned to cover his death and wasn't sure which direction I'd go. I got word that some of his colleagues would gather at the substation where he worked. One of them was particularly emotional as she recalled Sgt. Scholwinski.
COVID-19 has touched many lives across the nation and here at home in Houston. The Harris County Sheriff's Office has reported a number of positive cases among its ranks. But Sgt. Raymond Scholwinski was the first casualty. The 70 year-old deputy had been with HCSO since 1979. I was assigned to cover his death and wasn't sure which direction I'd go. I got word that some of his colleagues would gather at the substation where he worked. One of them was particularly emotional as she recalled Sgt. Scholwinski.
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Texas beaches reopen after COVID-19 closures
https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/galveston-beaches-reopen-with-covid-19-recommendations-in-place/285-78edf926-ba08-4d56-a497-db3667c6b62a
Texas beaches reopened on the first day of May as the fight to contain COVID-19 continued. Recommendations were in place to help keep things in check. And tourism officials were ready to get things moving again, to some degree. Covering the reopening provided my photographer and me a chance to get out and about for the first time in a while. We spent a gorgeous day on Galveston Island. And beach visitors wasted no time hitting the surf and sand. Time will tell if the decision to reopen the beaches was too soon.
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