My latest, for @san.com:

When social media cries serial killer: The case of Houston’s bayou bodies There's been a startling number of bodies pulled from the bayous in Houston, Texas this year. But what's fact, and what's fiction?

What happens when our true-crime obsessed society decides there's something worth investigating?

My latest story for Straight Arrow News looks into the mystery and misinformation surrounding the bodies in #Houston's bayous:

san.com/cc/when-soci...

As the school year starts earlier, AC systems struggle to keep up Millions of students attending schools with mounting air-conditioning concerns are more likely to be exposed to excessive heat.

For my latest Straight Arrow News report, I sifted through thousands of AC maintenance requests filed with #Houston ISD in recent summers to understand what happens when kids return to schools with struggling AC systems during the hottest days of summer.

san.com/cc/as-the-sc...

'Green' burials are helping restore Texas land. Not everyone digs the trend. A growing number of Americans are choosing “green” burials – in biodegradable coffins or burial shrouds, in low-density cemeteries.

For my latest story, I ventured out to a new "green" cemetery west of Houston. Green burials have been steadily increasing in popularity for the past several years.

But what are they? Why would you want one? And what is it about them that can make neighbors get so prickly?

san.com/cc/green-bur...

What happens when a city’s recycling program stops working? Residents in Houston have been waiting for weeks for their recycling to get picked up. What’s behind Houston’s total breakdown of recycling?

What happens when a city’s recycling program stops working?

A deep dive into #Houston's recycling woes, and what they could mean for our future.

san.com/cc/what-happ...

Food banks across the nation seek volunteers as food insecurity grows Food insecurity is growing while federal funding for food banks is being cut. Here’s how food banks are confronting these challenges.

Did you know the #Houston Food Bank hosts 90,000 volunteers a year? Not 90,000 volunteer shifts - 90,000 actual people.

More on their need for volunteers & how Houstonians can help, in my latest story. (Along with photos from the one & only @antotavitian.bsky.social!)

san.com/cc/food-bank...

A student’s death reshaped Texas school safety, but many states lack similar laws A Texas student's death while at school is triggering changes to state law surrounding emergency responses and AED training.

New from the one-and-only @mirandadunlap.bsky.social:

san.com/cc/students-...

The Montrose library has been closed beyond 30-day limit. Why does the city still own it? Houston Public Library holds one event every 30 days at the former Freed-Montrose branch to avoid giving ownership to the University of St. Thomas.

When I returned from maternity leave, I assumed the Montrose Library now belonged to St. Thomas, due to its closure.

Nope.

My latest for @houstonlanding.bsky.social dives into the "frustrating" behind-the-scenes process to secure the building's future.

houstonlanding.org/houston-publ...

Her Make-A-Wish dream? Plant 1,000 trees across Houston and watch hope grow from the dirt. When Aria Momin watched trees fall at her home during Hurricane Beryl, she dreamed of bringing them back. Now she is, with Make-A-Wish.

A sweet one for y'all this morning: houstonlanding.org/her-make-a-w...

I am just a girl, staring at a new social media platform, wondering what the *$&#* I have to do to make this one do for me & my journalism what Twitter used to do back in the day.

Houston is experiencing a 'reading renaissance' as small bookstores open across the city Houstonians' desire to shop local and an emphasis on representation have created a perfect market for small bookstores.

What's better than coming back to work after several months away? Spending your first few weeks back hanging at local bookstores, that's what.

My latest for @houstonlanding.bsky.social, out this morning, is a good news piece for all you bookworms out there:

houstonlanding.org/houston-is-e...

Happy birthday!

What stories has the news missed about maternal, pediatric or women's health?

www.instagram.com/stories/mage...

New York Court Blocks Texas From Filing Summons Against Doctor Over Abortion Pills The showdown catapults the interstate abortion wars to a new level.

Breaking News: A New York state court blocked Texas from filing a summons against a New York doctor for prescribing and sending abortion pills to a Texas woman.

Endometriosis ravaged my body and life. Why did it take so long to get a diagnosis? I am one of roughly 182,000 Harris County women living with endometriosis. It takes most women four to 11 years to get a diagnosis.

Endometriosis ravaged my body and life. Why did it take so long to get a diagnosis?

An important story from my colleague and friend, @mackoxenden.bsky.social

houstonlanding.org/endometriosi...

Harris County’s routinely long Commissioners Court agendas are often short on details Of the cities and counties in the Houston area, Harris County is among the worst at providing background information with Commissioners Court agendas.

New from me: I reviewed 49 cities and counties in the Houston region to see what details are publicly provided and posted when it comes to agenda items for public meetings.

The findings?

Harris County is among the worst.

I had hints of optimism about the Astros season despite the turnover, and this kind of sealed it for me.

So, like, would now be a good time for me to get a Signal number for reporting or .... ?

For an upcoming @houstonlanding.bsky.social story: Looking to talk to #Houston residents who are hunting for a new apartment to rent. Reach out here, or at maggie (at) houstonlanding(dot)org!

Houston City Council meets when many people cannot attend. Should the city change that? Then-candidate John Whitmire had criticized City Council meeting times on the campaign trail in 2023, but as mayor has yet to make any changes.

Houston City Council meets when many people cannot attend. Should the city change that? houstonlanding.org/houston-city...

Shout out to the group of young women I spotted this morning, stuffing my @littlefreelibrary.bsky.social with books and taking selfies of their act of kindness!

This happens every once in a while and absolutely makes my day.

What do parents of very young children need to know about measles vaccines? @magegordon.bsky.social has the scoop, including insight from the Harris County Public Health immunization team.

More info including pop-up vax locations:

More than 60K Harris County babies are too young for measles vaccines, worrying parents As measles spread in Texas, Houston parents worry about infants' lack of vaccines and what that could mean for children's health.

My first @houstonlanding.bsky.social story since returning from maternity leave is live today:

More than 60,000 #HarrisCounty babies are too young for #measles vaccines. Their moms are worried.

houstonlanding.org/more-than-60...

Now that I've done my first source phone call in the day care parking lot since returning from maternity, I finally feel like I am truly back at work for real.

"Mr. Trump was an executive producer of the show, and as a result he would almost certainly receive compensation from the new deal with Amazon."

I'm looking to talk to #Houston area moms with kids under the age of 1 for a story. If that's you, and you're willing to talk to a reporter (who also happens to have two kids under the age of 1), please reach out: maggie@houstonlanding.org.

A couple years ago, I was asked some questions specifically about the Channelview area, and hopefully I was able to contribute positively to this investigation.

Does "no gifts" really mean "no gifts" for a 3-year-old's birthday party? I feel weird just, like, not bringing anything with us for one of my kid's classmates this weekend.

Received my first stack of FOI responses back today.

I guess it's good to know that while my life changed so much while on maternity leave, the rest of the world is exactly the same as I left it.

I have a small cache of unopened infant formula powder to donate. My doctor sent me home with it after I had the twins, before we knew whether I would have enough milk to feed them both.

What's the best Houston nonprofit for me to drop this off with?