In the first of an occasional series spotlighting influential Houstonians, the Houston Chronicle's housing reporter Rebecca Schuetz profiles Wayne Dolcefino.
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Thursday, March 26, 2026
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Houston Children’s Charity Makes History with Largest-Ever “Chariots for Children” Van Distribution
Houston Children’s Charity made history by awarding 98 fully loaded, wheelchair-accessible vans to local families during its annual Chariots for Children Van Distribution event on March 23, 2026 at The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston - a signature moment in the organization’s 30th anniversary year.
Valued at $5.39 million, the record-breaking distribution is the largest single-day donation of its kind in the organization’s history - and is widely recognized as the largest program of its kind in the country, with no comparable initiative at this scale.
The milestone builds on last year’s total of 66 vans and was made possible through Houston’s remarkable spirit of giving - including a transformational gift of 30 vans from local philanthropists Richard and Jana Fant. Additional generous contributions included 10 vans from The Mo Aziz Family, 8 vans from The Guill Family, and 7 vans from the Petersen Family Foundation.
Families arrived early and filled the grand ballroom, creating an emotional scene as they prepared to be recognized for this life-changing moment. Laura S. Ward, President and CEO of Houston Children’s Charity, spoke passionately about the program’s transformative impact, celebrating 30
years of helping children overcome barriers and experience the world in new, meaningful ways. She thanked the organization’s generous philanthropic donors, whose extraordinary support made the historic distribution of 98 vans possible.
Houston City Council Member, At-Large Position 3, Twila Carter addressed the crowd, celebrating this unprecedented philanthropic milestone as a transformative moment for Houston’s children and a powerful demonstration of the city’s generosity and commitment to supporting families with disabilities. She then formally read a proclamation issued by Houston Mayor John Whitmire declaring March 23, 2026, as “2026 Chariots for Children Day,” marking a significant recognition of the program’s impact.
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“Houston Children’s Charity represents the very best of Houston—neighbors stepping up for neighbors, making sure no child is left behind. Their impact is real, their reach is wide, and their heart for this city is unmatched,” says City Council Member Twila Carter.
During the ceremony, families were called on stage to be personally recognized, then walked outside alongside their sponsors to receive the keys to their vans. Smiles were big, hearts were full, and the gratitude in the air was palpable - creating powerful, photo-ready moments that captured the life-changing impact of the day.
Each specialized van serves children experiencing mobility limitations due to conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Rett Syndrome, Spina Bifida, paraplegia, Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, and other chromosomal disorders. For recipient families, these vehicles provide safe, reliable transportation to medical appointments, therapies, school activities, and everyday outings that would otherwise be extremely difficult - and in some cases impossible.
With wheelchair-accessible vans typically costing between $60,000 and $100,000 or more, the financial barrier is simply out of reach for many families - making programs like Chariots for Children not just helpful, but essential.
One family shared, “This gift is truly transformational for our family. It gives us freedom, independence, and the ability to safely get our child everywhere they need to go. We are so grateful to Houston Children’s Charity, the sponsors, and everyone who made this possible.”
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“This is truly a life-changing day for these families and a meaningful moment in our 30-year history,” said Laura S. Ward, President and CEO of Houston Children’s Charity. “Each van represents freedom, access, and hope. As we celebrate three decades of service, we remain committed to meeting the growing needs of children and families across our community.”
Families from across Greater Houston, including Richmond, Katy, Conroe, Pearland, Spring, Cypress, Sugar Land, League City, La Porte, and surrounding areas, gathered to receive their vehicles in an emotional ceremony filled with gratitude, celebration, and new beginnings.
Since its founding in 1996, Houston Children’s Charity has awarded 538 wheelchair-accessible “Chariots” to agencies and families in need. The growing applicant list reflects the urgent and expanding demand for this critical program.
As rows of 98 vans filled the venue’s parking lot, the scale of the day’s impact was unmistakable - 98 families now equipped with the mobility, independence, and opportunity they need to navigate daily life.
Tessa Barrera to leave Houston Life
Tessa Barrera is leaving her co-host position for KPRC 2’s 1pm afternoon lifestyle show, Houston Life, after three years.
The announcement was made at the beginning of Wednesday's edition of Houston Life with Barrera, essentially saying she will be more available to her family and will determine her next chapter.
Here is a portion of what Barrera said on-air:
"So I want to reset and, you know, my life and the way I came to Houston. You know, my family has kind of just rallied around me, and they've always been there to support me and worked around my schedule.
It was the priority, which is like kind of nice, but I feel like at this point, I feel like it's my time to be a better community member. Do you know what I mean? Because you want you want community. But at some point you have to be a good community member. And I think right now is a really good time for me to reevaluate. Stop. Help out my family when they need it and just be, you know, maybe more of like a free agent.
And that means hopefully that I'll get to see you. I'll, I can pop in and out of here every time. You know, you need someone or need something. I'd like to still be involved in the show in some capacity. I mean, not immediately. I do want some time off."
Co-host Derrick Shore says Barrera still has more time on the show. A source tells mikemcguff.com that Barrera's last day will be March 31, 2026.
I had a chance to be a guest on Houston Life after Barrera was hired for Runaway Radio. She seems just as nice off camera, and she and Shore appeared to have great chemistry even off camera. I'll add that the show is very well run and produced, and it has a nice vibe for its daily guests.
Also, I recently heard that Barrera has a podcast, so keep an eye out for it.
- Owen Conflenti after KPRC 2 Houston
Barrera, a Corpus Christi native, joined Houston Life in July 2023 alongside Shore after several months of guest co-hosting following Courtney Zavala’s departure.
She originally came to Houston in 2019 after being selected through a nationwide search to join 94.5 The Buzz KTBZ’s “The Rod Ryan Show.”
For more than a year, Barrera worked on both radio and TV, but in December 2024, she left The Buzz morning show to concentrate full-time on Houston Life.
Before arriving in H-Town, Barrera worked in Los Angeles as a news anchor and executive producer at KFI AM 640.
Before transitioning to radio, Barrera built her career in television news in Corpus Christi at KRIS 6 and KZTV Action 10 News, where she made history as the first Latina sports anchor in South Texas. She covered a wide range of teams, including the Corpus Christi Hooks, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders, Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas, and area high school sports.
In addition to her broadcasting career, Barrera appeared on CMT’s Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge in 2014.
* Post updated with what Barrera said on Houston Life
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Telemundo 60 San Antonio Wins 2026 Gracie Award for “Bajo Mi Propia Piel”
SAN ANTONIO – March 24, 2026 –Telemundo 60 San Antonio / KVDA, part of NBCUniversal Local’s Telemundo Station Group, was recognized with a 2026 Gracie Award for Bajo Mi Propia Piel (Under My Own Skin), a special report by meteorologist Lilian Pérez.
Presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, the Gracie Awards honor individual achievement and exemplary programming created by, for and about women in media. KVDA was recognized in the Television Local – Non-English Program – Women’s Health category.
Bajo Mi Propia Piel (Under My Own Skin)features Pérez sharing her personal experience living with vitiligo and revealing a part of her life she had kept private for years. Through the story, she offers viewers a message of self-acceptance, awareness and empowerment while helping foster a broader conversation around confidence, identity and women’s health.
“Lilian’s story is a clear example of the power of local storytelling at its best, personal, authentic, and deeply connected to the community we serve,” said Delines Alonso, VP of News for Telemundo 60. “This recognition speaks to her courage in sharing her experience and to the impact meaningful journalism can have when it informs, connects and empowers our audiences.”
The Gracie Awards recognize national and local media professionals across news, entertainment and other programming categories. Local television winners will be honored at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 16 in New York City.
Click here to watch Bajo Mi Propia Piel.
Priscilla Meza leaves News Channel 6 KAUZ Wichita Falls
Priscilla Meza joined FOX61 Connecticut News WTIC as a multi-skilled journalist in the summer of 2025.
Meza was previously the morning anchor for News Channel 6 KAUZ Wichita Falls, starting in July 2024. She joined KAUZ as a multimedia journalist (MMJ) in 2022.
Originally from Conroe, north of Houston, MEza is a proud first-generation college graduate of Texas State University.
Monday, March 23, 2026
Lauren Margolis joins FOX 35 Orlando
Lauren Margolis joined the FOX 35 Orlando WOFL team in September 2025 as a feature reporter for The 407.
Prior to returning to Central Florida, Margolis joined KBTX Bryan-College Station in September 2023, where she served as co-host and anchor of the station’s lifestyle program, The Three, airing weekdays at 3 p.m.
Earlier in her career, Lauren worked as an anchor and reporter at KETK and Fox 51 News in Tyler. During her two-and-a-half years in East Texas, she anchored morning, midday, and evening newscasts and frequently hosted the station’s lifestyle show, East Texas Live.
A native of Hollywood, Florida, Margolis earned a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Central Florida in 2020. While at UCF, she reported for UCF Knightly News and NSM Today, and interned at WKMG News 6, the CBS affiliate in Orlando.
- Former Houston met on air as tornado hits FOX 35 studios
Friday, March 20, 2026
Nicole Nielsen joins KPRC 2 Houston
Nicole Nielsen has joined KPRC 2 in Houston as a multimedia journalist (MMJ), mikemcguff.com has confirmed.
“As if I wasn’t far enough South, you’ll now find me on @KPRC2 in Houston,” Nielsen posted on social media.
While Nielsen let us know about the KPRC move publicly, I have confirmed she will serve in an MMJ role.
Earlier this week, I reported that Nielsen departed her position at CBS News Texas (KTVT) in the Dallas-Fort Worth market in early March 2026, where she worked as a reporter, multi-skilled journalist (MSJ), fill-in anchor, and traffic anchor.
Nielsen joined the CBS 11 news team in June 2020.
A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Nielsen earned her degree summa cum laude. During her time there, she served as a Journalism School ambassador and contributed to the university’s daily newscast. She also received multiple awards for her on-air presence and reporting from the Broadcast Education Association and the National Broadcasting Society.
Nielsen’s previous experience includes internships with CBS News Texas, WFAA 8, CheddarU, and a news apprenticeship with News 9 KWTV in Oklahoma City.
As if I wasn’t far enough South, you’ll now find me on @KPRC2 in Houston. 🤍 pic.twitter.com/dvd3H4ddqW
— Nicole Nielsen (@NicoleNielsen) March 20, 2026
Owen Conflenti after KPRC 2 Houston
What has Owen Conflenti been doing after leaving KPRC 2 Houston?
I have been receiving many questions from TV viewers on what former KPRC 2 morning anchor Owen Conflenti has been up to since leaving the station in October 2025. In fact, I just let down one of Conflenti's loyal viewers this very week with a reply of "not sure what he is doing."
Here is where I can redeem myself.
"After 20 years on the air, my biggest takeaway has been the people," Conflenti told mikemcguff.com. "Since the morning I left, the outpouring of support and love has been truly humbling. The connections mean more to me now than ever. And on a personal note, I’m so happy I’m able to spend quality time with my family that was too easily pushed aside when I was on the air."
And according to one of his latest Instagram updates, Conflenti has been very busy.
Conflenti recently began producing a podcast with Houston Mayor John Whitmire, which is expected to be released soon.
He has also taken on production work with Houston First, helping promote the city, while continuing to lend his voice to various projects in the voiceover booth.
In addition, Conflenti has been involved in producing a podcast titled “Courtside,” hosted by Houston Rockets superfan Mark Israel, who is known for his courtside presence and antics.
Beyond media, Conflenti has officially entered the real estate industry after earning his license. He is now working with a group focused on helping agents refine and strengthen their personal brand and voice to better connect within their neighborhoods and niche markets.
He is also collaborating with the Houston Jazz Collective on several upcoming projects, including performances featuring trombonist Andre Hayward.
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