On joining the Katy Times

By George Slaughter, News Editor
Posted 12/30/21

Katy has a bright future ahead. Here's looking forward to sharing those stories with you.

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On joining the Katy Times

Posted

In 2016, I started a freelance copywriting business in Cinco Ranch. Among my assignments was to cover the opening of the new Katy City Hall for the Covering Katy website.

I did, of course. Little did I know that this assignment would start me back into journalism. Nor did I realize that one day it would lead me to the Katy Times as news editor and senior reporter.

Returning to one’s professional roots

I grew up in the Spring Branch area of Houston. I began my career as a newspaper journalist in Lufkin and then San Antonio. My career then took a 30-year detour in technical and corporate writing. During those years I wrote a book on the history of Spring Branch. I also wrote articles for the Handbook of Texas Online, published by the Texas State Historical Association.

I didn’t expect to return to journalism. Yet my freelance reporting led to more assignments for Dennis Spellman at Covering Katy and Pat Wilson at the Katy News. Some of my work appeared in the Times earlier this year.

After years of engineering meetings, I found it refreshing to cover a variety of broader public interest topics. Public safety. Education. Local politics. Dealing with severe weather and the fallout from that. Cultural attractions and events. Public transportation. Community service groups and leaders. Local artists. New businesses and economic development.

And, of course, Katy-area high school football, among other sports.

Reporting on these topics enabled me to meet many interesting people. Readers would recognize most of the names. I’ve enjoyed getting to know them and learning new things from them. Sometimes we've learned things alongside each other. And I’ve enjoyed sharing those things with readers.

One thing about being a journalist: You don't have to know everything. But you must know how to learn everything you must know about your topic on short notice.

Through these experiences, I saw something that many readers know: the Katy area has much going for it.

It also has its challenges. How Katy manages its growth while cherishing its small-town heritage might be the biggest one.

It will be interesting to see the response.

A new face joins a Katy institution

The Times has been around for over a century and is a Katy institution. It came along before the Katy residents incorporated the city in 1945. (The city was first platted in the 19th century.) The focus on community journalism runs strong here.

In joining the Times, I follow in the footsteps of two respected peers and friends. R. Hans Miller has returned to Washington state with his family. Claire Goodman continues to cover area news.

I look forward to working with publisher Susan Rovegno, sports editor Tyler Tyre, and office manager and bookkeeper Debbie Prejean. I also look forward to working with Brandi Chionsini and Scott Coleman, who own the Times’s parent company, Fenice Community Media.

Katy has a bright future. Here’s looking forward to sharing its stories with you.