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Katy North Edition VOLUME 12, ISSUE 4 DEC. 21, 2023 JAN. 29, 2024
Helping vulnerable populations
Assistant Branch Manager Georgina Boardley sorts donations at Clothed by Faith in Katy. The Katy nonpro t provides clothing bags for Houston-area individuals through agency partners such as ACCESS Harris County, which received funding from federal relief dollars.
KELLY SCHAFLER COMMUNITY IMPACT
Harris County launched ACCESS Harris with ARPA funds, now must allocate remaining before deadline
“There’s multiple reasons why somebody could need that help, and so we’re here to help them when they need it,” she said. With federal funding ending, counties must determine which grants and programs will receive more funding.
health services, $25.1 million went to launch ACCESS Harris County, which partners with Houston-area organizations to provide vulnerable populations comprehensive services. With the partnership, Katy nonpro t Clothed by Faith has given clothes to about 200 people through ACCESS Harris since April, said Melinda Stephenson, executive director of Clothed by Faith.
BY KELLY SCHAFLER
As counties approach the December deadline to obligate any remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds, a look back shows Fort Bend County focused on maintaining the business economy while Harris County invested heavily in health initiatives. Of the $141.5 million Harris County has allocated to
CONTINUED ON 15
Also in this issue
Impacts: Buzz & Bites o ers dinner at Katy location (Page 6)
Education: KatyISD names new high school (Page 11)
Events: 7 things to do in the Katy, Fulshear area (Page 16)
Community: Woman-owned farm sustains 100 years (Page 17)
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KATY NORTH EDITION
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Impacts
GEORGE BUSH PARK 5 Cheba Hut The shop’s menu features more than 30 sandwiches, various Rice Krispy treats, salads and snacks. • Opened Nov. 13 • 4846 FM 1463, Ste. 100, Katy • www.chebahut.com 6 Sun Auto Tire & Service The shop has 14 service bays and employs eight technicians. The tire retail and auto service brand plans to open two more locations by the end of the year in Spring and Missouri City. • Opened Oct. 30 • 2807 W. Grand Parkway N., Katy • www.sunautoservice.com spiced sugar rim. • Opened Dec. 11 • 27120 Fulshear Bend Drive, Ste. 100, Katy • www.firstwatch.com 4 Fat Boys Pizza Fat Boys pizzas come in either 16-inch or 30-inch whole pizzas, or as individual slices. Its menu includes a variety of different pizza toppings, as well as chicken wing combos, mozzarella logs and meatball sliders. • Opened Dec. 12 • 23333 Grand Circle Blvd., Ste. 150, Katy • www.eatfatboyspizza.com gingerbread spice doughnuts; cinnamon chip pancakes; and a citrus hibiscus punch made with tea, cranberry, orange, pineapple, lemon and ginger with a cinnamon- 7 Calor This customizable footwear brand offers customers made-to-order shoes and a chance to create their own designs using an online 3D constructor tool. Owner Ksennia Kondrat relocated to the Houston suburb from Ukraine, where she ran a similar business. • Opened Nov. 9 • 6734 Westheimer Lakes North Drive, Ste. 107, Katy • www.calorshoe.com 8 Charleys Philly Steaks The cheesesteak sandwich shop based out of Ohio has over 700 locations across 46 U.S. states and 17
BARKER CYPRESS RD.
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99 TOLL 2 Doneraki This Mexican restaurant has tacos, chimichangas, burritos, nachos, and other Tex-Mex-style options. • Opened Nov. 13 • 24205 Katy Freeway, Katy • www.doneraki.com 3 First Watch The breakfast and brunch cafe’s winter menu highlights flavors reminiscent of the holidays—including
Now open
1 Fulshear Branch Library Fort Bend County Libraries announced a library replacing the Bob Lutts Fulshear and Simonton Branch Library—which closed officially on May 13. The $14 million project has been five years in the making. • Set to open Dec. 18 • 6350 GM Library Road, Fulshear • www.fortbend.lib.tx.us O
359
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
BY ASIA ARMOUR, SHAHERYAR KHAN & KELLY SCHAFLER
countries. The new Richmond franchise serves the signature sandwich, chicken wings, loaded fries and a variety of flavored lemonades. • Opened Dec. 10 • 26750 FM 1093, Ste. 140, Richmond • www.charleys.com 9 Steadfast Primary Care The clinic offers annual wellness visits, same-day sick visits, chronic care management, sports physicals and medical exams for patients age 5 and older. The owner plans to open another clinic in Fulshear in spring 2024. • Opened Dec. 4 • 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Ste. B200, Katy • www.steadfastprimary.com 10 Honey Pig The Korean barbecue spot specializes in popular Korean dishes, such as bibimbap, kimchi pancakes, bulgogi and a range of meats for barbecue. • Opened Nov. 22 • 23119 Colonial Parkway, Ste. A-16, Katy • www.honeypigbbq.com 11 Dirty Dough The Utah-based cookie store known for its wide selection of stuffed treats offers weekly special menu cookies, such as an assortment of its signature sugar cookies and stuffed cookies. • Opened Nov. 18 • 6920 S. Fry Road, Katy • www.dirtydoughcookies.com
Now open
Now open
13 Buzz & Bites The Katy location mixes a coffee shop atmosphere with a new dinner menu and beer and wine. In addition to specialty toasts, sandwiches and paninis, salads, and burgers, the new dinner menu includes pasta dishes, surf and turf, New York steak, and filet mignon street tacos. • Opened Sept. 26 • 23445 Kingsland Blvd., Ste. 100, Katy • www.buzzandbites.com
16 Kennedy’s Pet Services The grooming business offers pet shampoos, hair cuts, ear cleaning, brushes and nail trimming for small to extra large dogs and cats in the Katy area. Pets must be vaccinated for rabies and bordetella to receive services. • Opened Dec. 9 • 3014 Barker Cypress Road, Ste. 200, Houston • www.kennedyspetservices.com
14 Katy Gaston Business Park This commercial development will have nine buildings designed for light industrial, assembly, storage or recreation. The first tenant will be Katy Indoor, a multiuse facility featuring pickleball, basketball and volleyball.
products and services—including an AI-based back- office system to help promote local companies. • 29818 FM 1093, Ste. 108, Fulshear • www.fulshearkaty.com 17 Terrata Homes New designs from homebuilder LGI Homes Inc. became available in November within Katy’s Sunterra community. The Terrata Homes brand offers six home designs with one- and two-story floor plans.
Coming soon
12 Pace Pickleball Club A new indoor pickleball facility will feature seven indoor pickleball courts available for open play, lessons, clinics, leagues and private instruction. The facility will also have a red-light therapy room for recovery, according to a news release. • Opening late December • 830 Katy Fort Bend Road, Ste. 100, Katy • www.pacepickle.com
• Opening late December • 11555 Gaston Road, Katy
In the news
• 5011 Canyon Grove Drive, Katy • www.terratahomes.com/sunterra
15 Katy Fulshear Area Chamber The chamber was established Dec. 4, 2013, to represent business owners in Fulshear and Katy. It offers marketing, networking, advocacy and a suite of
MARKETING VS LISTING Don’t be fooled, a ‘For Sale’ sign in your front yard is not a marketing plan and neither is just listing your home on HAR. The difference between listing a home and marketing a home is critical to the overall success of selling it. As a successful real estate agent, I specialize in real estate marketing and will create a comprehensive customized plan to showcase your home. CALL US FOR A COMPLIMENTARY MARKET ANALYSIS OF YOUR HOME
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KATY NORTH EDITION
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Government
BY MELISSA ENAJE & JAMES T. NORMAN
Harris County approves $11.3M jail contract Harris County Commissioners Court approved an $11.3 million contract to outsource a number of county inmates to a private correctional facility in Mississippi at a November meeting. The details Harris County Administrator Diana Ramirez led a November presentation to address challenges within the jail, including the department’s monthly initiative to provide updates, analyses, data and staff-level actions at Commissioners
911 network’s $55.6M budget approved Harris County and Houston officials approved on Oct. 31 the Greater Harris County 911 Emergency Network’s $55.6 million budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The network processes emergency calls within Harris and Fort Bend counties. The breakdown The budget includes a 3%-5% salary increase for the GHC 911 staff as well as increased pay and health insurance costs. • $28.6 million in call center operation costs, including call center employees • $7.6 million for network services • $6.2 million for the 289 staff salaries • $4.8 million in contract services • $8.4 million in other general expenses
Harris County inmate population snapshot, November 2023 Inmate populations reached above 90% of jail capacity at these six Texas and Louisiana facilities.
Percentage of beds occupied Available space
700 N. San Jacinto St. Occupancy at Harris County jail facilities 711 N. San Jacinto St.
701 N. San Jacinto St.
92%
93%
91%
Occupancy at non-Houston facilities (contract jails)
Court meetings. By the numbers
Jefferson County (Beaumont, TX)
La Salle Correction Center (Louisiana)
Dalby Correctional Facility (Post, TX)
Harris County’s 9,300-plus inmate population is housed throughout detention centers in Texas and Louisiana, not including the number of inmates who will be transferred to Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in Mississippi.
95%
99%
100%
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
City of Katy, mall amend agreement The city of Katy is amending a mainte- nance agreement with Katy Mills Mall that will see the city take ownership of the vari- ous irrigation systems in the area, according to city documents. The gist The agreement covers an area surround- ing the shopping center on the south side, according to maps from the city. Specifically, the amended agreement will see the water meters and other irrigation facilities transferred from the shopping center to the Katy Management District, according to city documents. A map of the area shows there are about eight meters surrounding the shopping center. The city’s maintenance agreement with Katy Mills Mall dates back to 1999, according to city documents. In 2021, there were amendments made to the agreement. The agreement approved Nov. 13 is a further amendment to it.
Harris County leads country in gas-powered lawn pollution An Oct. 30 report by research center Environ- ment Texas found gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment is putting residents’ health at risk. Experts said volatile ozone compounds can bypass lung defenses, damage one’s immune system and even cause premature deaths. Harris County is leading the charge of producing the most pollution from lawn equipment nation- wide, according to the report. What the experts say “It’s a dangerous and deadly pollution,” Environ- ment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger said. To lessen pollution, Metzger said landscaping businesses and homeowners could consider switching to cleaner, quieter electric lawn equip- ment. He also encouraged local governments to provide incentives for businesses and residents to purchase electric lawn equipment. Benefits of using the electric equipment include reducing noise pollution, emitting zero emissions into the air and saving money over
Gas-powered pollution In 2020, Harris County produced as much pollution from gas-powered lawn equipment as 3.8 million cars, leading other large counties.
4M
3M
2M
1M
0
Los Angeles County, California
Harris County
Cook County, Illinois
SOURCE: ENVIRONMENT TEXAS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
time due to lower fuel and maintenance costs, officials said. On the other hand Texas passed Senate Bill 1017 in 2023, prohib- iting cities and counties from banning the use of equipment based on its fuel source.
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KATY NORTH EDITION
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Education
BY DAVE MANNING & HANNAH NORTON
Board approves name of High School No. 10 The Katy ISD board of trustees voted to approve naming the district’s 10th high school “Freeman High School” at the Nov. 13 board meeting. Multiple community members voiced support for naming the high school in honor of the Free- mans during the public hearing Nov. 8 at the KISD Education Support Complex. The KISD board received a recommendation from the Naming Advisory Committee in the work study session held Nov. 6 to name the district’s 10th high school in honor of the Freeman family. The new school will open in fall 2024 at 7800 Katy Hockley Road, Katy. The backstory The Freemans settled in Katy in the late 1800s. Five generations of Freemans have graduated from KISD schools, and members of the sixth generation are enrolled in the district’s schools,
Private school voucher bill rejected The Texas Legislature wrapped up its fourth special session Dec. 5 with Gov. Greg Abbott’s top request, private school vouch- ers, once again unful lled. The Republican-led Legislature approved two bills aimed at curbing illegal immi- gration during the 30-day special session. Other legislative priorities, including teacher pay raises and school safety funding, fell victim to a growing rift between top Texas Republicans. The impact With an 84-63 vote Nov. 17, House lawmakers approved an anti-voucher amendment that killed the chamber’s sweeping education proposal. All House Democrats and 21 Republicans voted for the amendment.
LOGENBAUGH RD.
FREEMAN RD.
N
according to a KISD statement. O cials said the Freeman family has been inte- gral in the development of the Katy community for over a century. Family members have served the city in various roles, including: • Katy mayor
• Katy City Council member • Volunteer re department • School board trustee
Cardiac screenings o ered for KISD student athletes Katy ISD will be able to o er students and sta electrocardiogram screenings during physical exams beginning in February, according to a district news release. early detection of potential cardiac issues. What they’re saying
“This initiative underscores our commitment to harness state-of-the-art tools for health monitor- ing, providing valuable insights into cardiac health for early detection,” Lance Nauman, KISD director of risk management, said in the news release.
The optional screenings will take place during University Interscholastic League physicals and will allow district sta to proactively monitor student athlete cardiovascular health when participating in school sports programs, enabling
Aetna, the health care insurance provider, donated 10 medical devices to Katy ISD to use on student athletes.
COURTESY KATY ISD
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11
KATY NORTH EDITION
Transportation
BY HANNAH NORTON & KELLY SCHAFLER
Katy-area roadways ranked among 100 most congested in statewide report
Katy’s congested roads
I-10 from Sam Houston Tollway West to Loop 610 • Ranked 21st • Drivers delayed for combined 2.72 million hours • 301,156 vehicles daily I-10 from Grand Parkway to North Eldridge Parkway • Ranked 34th • Drivers delayed for combined 2.92 million hours • 218,384 vehicles daily I-10 from North Eldridge Parkway to Sam Houston Tollway West • Ranked 16th • Drivers delayed for combined 1.69 million hours • 298,110 vehicles daily Grand Parkway from South Fry Road to Morton Ranch Road • Ranked 79th • Drivers delayed for combined 1.08 million hours • 77,056 vehicles daily Hwy. 6 from I-10 to Westpark Tollway • Ranked 84th • Drivers delayed for combined 744,551 hours • 64,674 vehicles daily
Several roadways in the Katy area were among the 100 most congested in the state in 2022, according to an annual report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. The data also shows congestion has worsened on most of the Katy-area roadways since the 2021 rankings were released last year. Each year, the TTI measures congestion on over 2,100 road segments, or about 10,000 miles of Texas roads. The Texas Legislature directed the TTI to begin conducting the annual study in 2009 due to growing urban road congestion. The details The ranking worsened for four out of the five local road segments, with the Grand Parkway segment from South Fry Road to Morton Ranch Road being
the only one where its congestion ranking improved year over year. What they’re saying Researchers found in 2022, drivers across Texas spent 7% longer in traffic than the year prior. How- ever, traffic delays remained below prepandemic levels, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Transportation. “It’s encouraging to see the impact our work is having on Texas roads throughout the state to help ease congestion,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said in the release. “But our work isn’t done. As more and more people move to Texas, we need to keep moving forward with projects that address traffic congestion and improve safety in areas that need it most.”
SOURCE: TEXAS A&M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Real estate
Number of homes sold
November 2022
November 2023
Residential market data
9 2
165 233
-77.78%
+41.21%
77094
77493
Katy-area ZIP codes saw an overall increase in the number of homes sold this November compared to November 2022. However, three of the six local ZIP codes saw fewer homes sold.
98 115
40 80
+17.35%
77494
+100%
77441
87 71
45 29
529
-18.39%
-35.56%
77449
77450
6
99 TOLL
10
1093
Median home sales price
N
2022
2023
2022
2023
77094
77493
+36.49%
-7.29%
$603,290
$345,000
$442,000
$372,140
77449 77493
77094 77441 77450 77494
77441
-16.79%
77494
$475,545
$571,500
-7.02%
$424,900
$456,987
77449
77450
-1.75%
+12.14%
$280,000
$392,500
$285,000
$350,000
MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY CHARLIE RUSSO RE/MAX SIGNATURE 713-851-4871 WWW.CHARLIERUSSOREALTY.COM
FRY ROAD NORTH 3811 N Fry Rd (281) 578-0916 MASON ROAD 1640 S Mason Rd (281) 395-6262
FRY ROAD 1743 Fry Rd (281) 579-7004 KATY MILLS 24417 Katy Fwy (281) 394-5780
News
BY MELISSA ENAJE & SHAHERYAR KHAN
Native seed mix could reduce storm damage in Gulf Coast region A newly formed coalition announced on Nov. 29 the availability of a new Southeast Texas native seed mix that was developed to improve and combat storm and drought impacts in the Gulf Coast and surrounding region. Explained Experts from the Houston Wilderness orga- nization said invasive turf grasses, such as the St. Augustine and Bermuda, have shallow roots that don’t hold sediment from eroding into the waterways during major rain events. The mix of 12 native seeds are scienti cally determined to yield a set of grasses and owering plants that together provide a turf-style landscape that can be used in place of nonnative grasses throughout the region.
“We have something that we say in the city of Houston: ‘You either go big, or go home.’ Today, with United [Airlines], we are choosing to go big.” SYLVESTER TURNER, HOUSTON MAYOR Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the redevelopment project will bring nearly 3,000 new jobs to Houston. Mario Diaz, executive director of the Houston Airport System, said that by 2024, IAH will be opening Terminal DWest Pier with six international gates. United Airlines’ $2.6B expansion underway United Airlines o cials announced a $2.6 billion renovation and expansion plan for George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s Terminal B on Nov. 30.
Tony Falk, Texas Native Seeds Program director, spoke to event guests Nov. 29 about how the native seeds program will bene t Greater Houston.
MELISSA ENAJE COMMUNITY IMPACT
What the experts say Houston Wilderness CEO Deborah
January-Bevers said she forecasts that the region could see a demand of at least 28,000 pounds of the new seed mix. She said native seed growers are recognizing that this new mix is going to be worth their money, time and e orts when it comes to not only environmental sustainability, but also storm and drought resilience.
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14
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
From the cover
BY MELISSA ENAJE & JESSICA SHORTEN CONTRIBUTED BY KELLY SCHAFLER
ARPA funds go to vulnerable populations
Two-minute impact
ARPA funding allocations
Allocated*
Unallocated
*AS OF NOVEMBER
Harris County
Montgomery County
Fort Bend County
Local governments are now looking to obligate and use any remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds before an upcoming December 2024 federal deadline. Counties received lump distributions of federal funding in 2021 to ll public revenue losses, invest in broadband and other infrastructure projects, and provide additional pay for essential workers, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury in a news release. Three of the counties which received funding in the Houston area include: • Harris: $915.5 million • Fort Bend: $157.6 million • Montgomery: $117.9 million Any funding not obligated by December 2024 and spent by the end of 2025 must be returned to the U.S. Treasury. County o cials must decide how to use remaining funding and continue supporting pandemic-era programs and employees. Counties such as Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery could also be faced with absorbing several million in additional costs or eliminating jobs or programs.
$158M
$7.4M
$40M
$915.5M Total
$117.9M Total
$157.6M Total
$757M
$110.5M
$117.3M
Jobs and education Housing Health Justice and safety
County operations
Remaining
$227.3M
$192.8M
$141.5M
Harris County
$147.5M
$47.5M
$158M
$39.8M
$42.4M
$2.9M
Montgomery County
$13.2M $11.6M
$7.4M
County o cials divided ARPA funding to meet the prioritized needs of each county.
$56.3M
$27.7M
Fort Bend County
$31.8M
$1.4M
$40M
NOTE: SOME ALLOCATIONS MAY NOT EQUAL THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE TO ROUNDING. SOURCES: HARRIS, MONTGOMERY, FORT BEND COUNTIES COMMUNITY IMPACT
Zooming in
What the experts say
Stay tuned
One of the major expenses counties may need to cover are employees funded by ARPA. In all three counties, a number of employees were hired for positions on mental health teams, law enforce- ment and general infrastructure projects, such as a $21 million contract in Montgomery County to reopen a Tri-County Behavioral Healthcare center and a contract to expand the Harris County jail- based competency restoration program. During scal year 2023-24 budget workshops, all three counties outlined how to spend the remaining funds on new projects and infrastruc- ture e orts, while also considering the salaries which may need to be absorbed by the counties or eliminated once funding is depleted. According to o cials in each county, Harris County’s remaining funds are being targeted toward additional a ordable housing e orts. Montgomery County reserved roughly $2 million to fund another year of salaries for ARPA-based employees. Fort Bend County pushed to help additional small businesses with employee funding and grants.
James Thurmond, professor at Hobby School of Public A airs, said the one-time federal payout was historic for counties and provided an easy way to ll budget holes without requesting additional tax dollars. While ARPA funding was intended to help replace lost public sector revenue to counties, the responsibility of monitoring any budget de cits with county funds fell to the counties themselves.
During the FY 2024-25 budget workshops next year, o cials with Harris and Montgomery counties said they will need to discuss employee and program needs to determine whether positions and programs have to be cut or if they can be sustained on county budgets or grants.
ARPA funding deadlines
December 2024: Deadline to allocate remaining funds December 2025: Deadline to spend remaining funds December 2026: Deadline to have all unused funding returned to Treasury
“You just need to be aware when you create a new demand or a new service, is it sustainable with your
current revenue? If it’s not sustainable, then what do you cut?“ JAMES THURMOND, PROFESSOR, UH HOBBY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY COMMUNITY IMPACT
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KATY NORTH EDITION
Events
BY ASIA ARMOUR
December
The Party at Nakatomi This event will borrow a theme from the 1988 action ick “Die Hard,” which is set at a Christmas party. Event goers are encouraged to wear argyle sweaters or participate in a “Die Hard” costume contest. It will feature live music from the Homebrewed Brass Ensemble in the early evening, a photo booth, Party at Nakatomi merchandise and a showing of the classic lm. Plus, food from the TX Birria Boyz food truck will be available. • Dec. 21, 6-11 p.m. • Free • 5351 First St., Katy • www.facebook.com/nolabelbrewing Painting with a Twist Anyone over 12 years old can get artistic at this event that will o er attendees a canvas to paint a portrait of Santa Claus and make their own candle from scratch. Event goers will be allowed to bring their own food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages. The venue will provide cups, plates, napkins and bottle openers. • Dec. 23, 3-5 p.m. • Tickets start at $37 • 2020 S. Fry Road, Ste. E, Katy • www.paintingwithatwist.com/studio/katy New Year’s Masquerade Party A decorative mask and upscale attire is the dress code for this New Year’s Eve celebration at Katy Vibes, which also includes a champagne toast and a balloon drop at midnight to usher in 2024. Guests can expect music from dueling DJs and a wide selection of food and drinks. • Dec. 31-Jan. 1, 8 p.m.-2 a.m. • Free • 24757 Katy Freeway, Katy • www.katyvibes.com
and Community Center, which is home to the city of Katy’s senior services’ day activities and community tness classes. • Jan. 5, 11:30 a.m.-noon • Free • 443 Danover Road, Katy • www.cityofkaty.com/government/city-departments/ senior-services Aggie Business, Beer & Bones The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce will host a group of Texas A&M University alumni at Katy’s Little Woodrow’s sports bar for an evening of brews, cocktails, dominoes, bar games and ball games. It serves as a way to build a network of Aggie professionals across industries. • Jan. 11, 5-9 p.m. Magical Winter Lights This lantern festival boasts over 60 displays of intricate designs. Attendees can walk through a Space Maze, explore Dino Land or stick to the winter wonderland theme with towering Christmas trees. The event also features a carnival, food trucks, and
live shows and performances. • Dec. 20-Jan. 7; 5-10 p.m. (Sun.-Thu.), 5-11 p.m. (Fri.-Sat.) • Admission starts at $18; carnival wristbands are $25
• 5000 Katy Mills Circle, Katy • www.magicalwinterlights.com
• Free • 22225 Katy Freeway, Katy • https://business.katychamber.com/events
Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration To honor the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., Central Green Park encourages Katy residents to gather for a celebration of his life. The event will feature live music from the Endurance Quartet, and Ronnie Colman and Merlot; a DJ; a community art project; crafts; giveaway booths; and a recounting of King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. • Jan. 13, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • Free • 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy • www.centralgreenpark.com/event/ martin-luther-king-celebration
January
Beginner’s Line Dancing Instructors will teach the basic steps and adjust to any skill level at this afternoon event at Woodsland Park
4747 FM 1463, Suite 1000 Katy, TX 77494 713.852.6700 TexasBayCU.org
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Community
BY ASIA ARMOUR
The Beckendor -Swords produce cattle and hay on the family’s land within the city of Katy.
The agriculture on the land has gone through several iterations over the last century.
Beckendor -Sword Home Place has been owned by the same family since 1922, Kay Beckendor -Sword said.
PHOTOS BY ASIA ARMOUR COMMUNITY IMPACT
Beckendor -Sword Home Place gains state award
Maintaining 22 acres of farmland in the middle of Katy, a city that’s expanding residentially and commercially, is an expensive feat, said Kay Beckendor -Sword, whose family has owned the land for more than 100 years. Every day, she said she receives texts, emails and phone calls from developers attempting to purchase the remaining acreage. But her goal is to keep this piece of her family’s legacy for its future generations. “I want it for my kids,” Beckendor -Sword said. “I’ve tried to instill in them their roots in this com- munity. I’m fth-generation Katy, my kids are sixth, and my grandkids, who are grown now, are seventh. And just to me, that’s important.” The past Beckendor -Sword Home Place won the 49th Family Land Heritage Award from the Texas Department of Agriculture in October. Its require- ments include 100 years of ownership by the same family, land that’s never been leased out and continual agricultural production. Today, they farm hay and produce cattle. Beckendor -Sword credits her great-grand- mother, Margaret Heseltine Davis, for having the foresight to purchase the original 320-acre tract of land in 1922—a decision that imprinted her family’s name in the fabric of the city of Katy, she said. “I’m also very proud that—with the exception of nine years—this property was owned by women,
which is very rare,” she said. “Especially since married women couldn’t even own property until 1967 in this state.” The present The name “Beckendor ” can be seen on the city’s street signs and a junior high school within Katy ISD. School district o cials have said they have some of the “biggest, strongest and deepest” roots in the community, and called them a “Katy pioneer family whose legacy is our future.” Beckendor -Sword agreed that her legacy runs deep. She said her ancestors rode horseback to Har- ris County to get the land set aside for Katy ISD and even established the church she and her husband, Perry Sword, attend still 125 years later. “Those things to them were just routine goals that they wanted to accomplish for themselves and for their children,” she said. “People just don’t have those kinds of goals now, and I’m not talking about building the buildings. I’m talking about actually establishing things that live for over 100 years.” The future Aside from passing on the land as part of her family’s legacy, Beckendor -Sword also emphasized the role of agriculture to sustain humanity. “We have to understand that [through] agricul- ture, we feed the entire world,” she said. “If we don’t continue to develop new ways to do that, we’re not gonna be able to feed the world or even ourselves.”
Landowner Kay Beckendor -Sword is proud the land was purchased by her great-grandmother.
Kay Beckendor -Sword’s husband, Perry Sword, said, “If you eat, you’re involved in agriculture.”
She said she wants newer generations to under- stand and respect where their food, clothes and everyday essential items come from. “They know you go to the grocery store, and there it is on the shelves already produced, already packaged, and you bring it home and prepare it,” Beckendor -Sword said. “But if we run out of farmland, or we get to where the taxes are so high we can’t produce, ... we [will] lose a little bit more every year.”
17
KATY NORTH EDITION
State
BY RACHEL LELAND & JESSICA SHORTEN
More than 60 Community Impact journalists across the state cover wide-ranging issues for local readers, delivering news to over 2 million mailboxes monthly and more than 100,000 inboxes daily. The stories below were curated for this community because of their impact in Texas.
Vehicle inspection to no longer be required by 2025
Texas food banks face growing need As a number of pandemic-era supplemental food programs and benefits were discontinued in early 2023, food banks have struggled meeting demand. “There’s even some people who weren’t on [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits and weren’t benefiting from those extra allotments who we’re now seeing in our lines because they’re simply not able to make ends meet,” said Celia Cole, executive director of Feeding Texas. Several related bills went into effect in September, including House Bill 1287, which provides a threshold on vehicle value for SNAP applicants, and HB 1743, allowing inmates to apply for SNAP before parole.
Beginning in 2025, Texas drivers will no longer need to get their vehicles inspected. The framework On Aug. 5, Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3297 into law, which eliminates mandatory vehicle safety inspections for noncommercial vehicles. Drivers must still pay the annual inspection fee of $7.50 but will no longer need to take their vehicle in for inspection prior to registering it. If a vehicle was not previously registered, drivers will pay $16.75 instead and won’t be required to pay the $7.50 fee for the next registration year for the same vehicle. The 17 Texas counties that require annual emissions tests—including Dallas, Harris and Tra- vis counties, along with several counties around Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston—will continue to do so. Only 13 other states have mandatory vehicle inspections since the federal government ended
Inspection program replacement fee The $7.50 fee supports the following funds:
Texas mobility fund ($3.50): Finances the construction, reconstruction, acquisition and expansion of state highways
General revenue fund ($2): Serves as Texas’ primary operating fund
Clean air account ($2): Safeguards Texas’ air resources, recovers the costs of permitting new or modified emission sources and recovers the costs of permit reviews and renewals
SOURCES: TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
2023 Texas SNAP benefits applications
the program requirement in 1976. According to the professionals
“I just think it defies logic,” said Larry Harris, owner of Larry’s Auto Inspection in Houston. “If nobody is making sure the vehicles are safe, there’s going to be some unsafe vehicles on the street.” Larry Harris said he was particularly concerned about people being able to drive without their steering wheel, brakes or tires up to standard.
While proponents—such as state Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, who filed the bill—have argued mandatory vehicle inspections are unnecessary, one vehicle inspector said he worries doing away with the requirement could put drivers’ safety at risk and threaten the survival of his business.
SOURCE: TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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KATY NORTH EDITION
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KATY NORTH EDITION
HOUSTON METHODIST LEADING CARE where you need us
Convenient, easy-to-access locations for primary, specialty and emergency care in Katy and West Houston We offer a full spectrum of care, including: • Primary care physicians for you and your family, providing personal care and service • Specialists with innovative treatments and customized programs • Collaborative teams of experts using the newest technologies and latest research
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