KATY EDITION
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 10 JUNE 18JULY 22, 2020
ONLINE AT
Experts: Uninsured population could ‘skyrocket’ after COVID19 HEALTHCARE EDITION
BY NOLA Z. VALENTE
The number of uninsured patients in the Katy area will continue to increase in the upcoming months, said Marlen Trujillo, the CEO of Spring Branch Com- munity Health Center in Katy, a nonprot servicing uninsured communities. “Regardless of how many individuals are unin- sured or underinsured in the Katy area, we are de- nitely going to see an increase in individuals needing CONTINUED ON 20 About 15% of Katy residents are uninsured, which is lower than the state average of 18% . Below is the percentage of uninsured people in 2018 in ZIP codes covering the Katy area. 62,515 Katy-area residents did not have insurance in 2018. UNINSUREDRATES Percentage of uninsured residents
Katy areamarches for justice, equality Brian Middleton, Fort Bend County district attorney, speaks to a crowd of demonstrators at the Katy for Black Lives Matter Protest on June 4 at Katy Park. (Jen Para / Community Impact Newspaper)
Local residents stand together against police brutality
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the coronavirus from spreading make it easier to judge people by only skin color and size, she said. “They just see his skin color and his height ... and he can t any prole,” Al Talib said. Coordinated by three Katy ISD students, the Katy for Black Lives Matter Protest was one among a series of rallies and marches occurring across the U.S. protesting police brutality and racial inequal- ity following the death of George Floyd, a Hous- tonian who was killed while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25. “At this point, everyone is screaming worldwide
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77449
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18.7%
14.5%
19.4%
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BY JEN PARA AND NOLA Z. VALENTE
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Katy-area resident Amani Al Talib was one of about 2,000 demonstrators who attended the Katy for Black Lives Matter Protest held June 4 at Katy Park. She came with her three daughters and said she is worried for her 21-year-old son enrolled in col- lege in California. The coronavirus pandemic has amplied tensions, and the masks worn to prevent Please join your friends and neighbors in support of Community Impact Newspaper ’s legacy of local, reliable reporting by making a contribution. Any amount matters. Together, we can continue to ensure our citizens stay informed and keep our local businesses thriving. Become a #CommunityPatron
77450
77494
3.2%
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3.4%
SOURCES: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, COMMUNITY HEALTH CHOICECOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
CONTINUED ON 22
HEALTH CARE EDI T ION 2020
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KATY EDITION • JUNE 2020
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
THIS ISSUE
CONTENTS
HIGHLIGHTS FROMTHISMONTH
IMPACTS
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Now Open, Coming Soon &more
MARKET TEAM GENERAL MANAGER Susan Rovegno, srovegno@communityimpact.com EDITOR Jen Para REPORTER Nola Z. Valente GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jose Dennis ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Tracy Drewa METRO LEADERSHIP PUBLISHER Jason Culpepper ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Kristina Shackelford MANAGING EDITOR Marie Leonard ART PRODUCTIONMANAGER Tessa Hoee SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Anya Gallant CORPORATE LEADERSHIP PUBLISHERS AND FOUNDERS John and Jennifer Garrett GROUP PUBLISHER Traci Rodriguez EXECUTIVE EDITOR Joe Lanane CREATIVE DIRECTOR Derek Sullivan SALES DIRECTOR Tess Coverman WHOWE ARE John and Jennifer Garrett began Community Impact Newspaper in 2005 in Pugerville, TX. The company’s mission is to build informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Today we operate across six metropolitan areas, providing hyperlocal, nonpartisan news produced by our full-time journalists in each community we serve. BECOMEA#COMMUNITYPATRON
FROMSUSAN: Welcome to our annual Health Care Edition! During this time of pandemic, access to health care has never been more important. In our front-page story, we take a look at how local organizations are providing care to the uninsured and underinsured. Susan Rovegno, GENERALMANAGER
FROM JEN: A national conversation about racial inequality following George Floyd’s death was made local when three Katy ISD students organized the Katy for Black Lives Matter Protest. People of all ages and colors marched and spoke at the event, which was peaceful. Learn more on Page 22. Jen Para, EDITOR
TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES 11 Upcoming and ongoing projects
HealthCareEdition
HEALTH CARE SNAPSHOT County health statistics INSIDE INFORMATION
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THIS ISSUE BY THE NUMBERS
Developing vaccines PEOPLE
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Local sources 24
New businesses 11
7
Katy-area hospital beds 635
Local nurses reect on COVID19
Community events
REAL ESTATE
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Residential market data IMPACT DEALS
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CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE All content in this print publication, both editorial and advertisements, was up to date as of the press deadline. Due to the fast-changing nature of this event, editorial and advertising information may have changed. Please visit communityimpact.com and advertiser websites for more information. CORRECTION: Volume 8, Issue 9 Page 13: Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties saw a 16.5% decrease in inmate population since March.
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KATY EDITION • JUNE 2020
IMPACTS
Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding CLAY RD.
hot chocolate. The first location of Black Pearl is at 11920 Westheimer Road, Ste. H, Houston. 281-401-9195. www.blackpearltx.com 5 Burn Boot Camp debuted its Cinco Ranch-area location Feb. 3 at 23930 Westheimer Parkway, Ste. 111, Katy, said Trish Marino, the franchise partner of the location. However, the location had to temporarily close due to the coronavirus pandemic March 17. Under the governor’s reopening plan, the gym reopened with a limited capacity May 23. The chain provides 45-minute cardio and strength- based workouts for all fitness levels as well as one-on-one fitness and nutrition training. Many of these services are available online for members during the coronavirus pandemic. There are three other locations of Burn Boot Camps in the Greater Houston area. 832-345-5440. www.burnbootcamp.com/locations/ cinco-ranch-tx/ 6 CBD Plus USA opened a new store in early May at 1420 W. Grand Parkway S., Ste. 200, Katy. The chain sells products such as lotions, gummies and bath salts with CBD. There are eight CBD Plus USA locations across the Greater Houston 7 JW Family Medicine began seeing patients June 1 at 6230 FM 1463, Ste. 800, Fulshear, office mananger Andres Cortes said. The practice provides general medicine, physicals and chronic disease management. JW Family Medicine is also working to set up vitamin drip services and a platelet-rich plasma service. With about 20 years of experience, Jose W. Aguirre is the physician of the practice, and he speaks English and Spanish. JW Family Medicine accepts Medicare and other insurances such as United Health- care. There are finance plans available if a patient needs assistance. 281-346-8485. www.jwfamilymedicine.com 8 Studio 6 opened to guests May 7 at 1332 Katy Fort Bend Road, Katy, spokes- person Sheena Lu said in an email. Sharin Patel and Ripan Modi are the owners and operators of the hotel, which has 63 suites, according to a press release. The new Katy location features a new design from G6 Hospitality, the parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands, area. 346-307-7664. www.cbdplususa.com
that includes modern design elements, such as wood-effect flooring and a new color scheme. The rooms at the Studio 6 include kitchenettes with a minifridge, a stove-top and a microwave. Free Wi-Fi is also available. 281-665-3551. www.staystudio6.com 9 Danny Casino and Lori Pope, who are siblings, opened Harvest Kitchen & Bak- ery June 10 at 21971 Katy Freeway, Katy, said Pope, who is the chef de cuisine. The restaurant serves a breakfast and lunch menu with items such as chicken and waffles; pork belly huevos rancheros; and acai, oatmeal and yogurt bowls. All items—such as the artisan bread, waffles and tortillas—are made from scratch. Harvest Kitchen & Bakery also offers a vegetarian menu and can adapt recipes to adjust for dietary restrictions. Eventually, the restaurant will expand to offering private chef dinners for specialty diets, including keto, vegan, sugar free, gluten free and vegetarian. 281-396-4727. www.harvestkitchenbakery.com 10 Kelsey-Seybold Clinic will open a new two-story clinic June 15 in Katy in Grand Morton Town Center at the inter- section of Grand Parkway and Morton Ranch Road. The new clinic will have spe- cialists in cardiology, dermatology, family medicine, pediatrics and sports medicine. 713-442-0427. www.kelsey-seybold.com 11 Previously expected to open in November, Souq International Market opened its Katy-area location in early June at 1525 S. Mason Road, Katy. The grocery store sells Chinese, Middle East- ern, Hispanic and American food items. 832-680-2888. 12 Taste Buds Cereal Bar , located at 1801 N. Mason Road, Katy, will have a soft opening June 19. The Katy area’s first cereal bar will serve 30 different kinds of cereal as well as cereal-infused smoothies and cake. Limited menu options will be available during the soft opening. Around July, birthday party packages will be available with customizable cereal bowls, a personalized cereal box and retro video games. A phone number has not yet been connected. www.tastebudscerealbar.com www.souqmarkets.com COMING SOON
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NOWOPEN 1 Dance Vision Studios opened June 8 at 4020 FM 1463, Ste. 105, Fulshear, said Andreas Koenigsberger, who owns the business with his wife, Mary Beth Koenigsberger. The dance studio offers group and private instruction in a variety of dance styles including ballroom, Latin, country western and swing. A free open house dance party for adults age 18 and up is planned for 8-10 p.m. June 27 with food, drinks, performances and dancing. Guests must register in advance for the event. A grand opening is planned for the fall. 281-396-4350. www.dancevisionfulshear.com 2 Kona Reserve Coffee , located at 4020 FM 1463, Ste. 100, Katy, opened May 21. The coffee shop also offers smoothies, gelato, iced blended drinks,
tea lattes and tea. 281-665-7036. www.facebook.com/konareservefulshear 3 Minuti Coffee opened a new location May 25 at 814 Katy Fort Bend Road, Ste. 100, Katy. The cafe offers specialty drinks such as nitro cold brew, lattes, Italian hot chocolate, Italian iced coffee, blended drinks, tea, smoothies and affogato. It also serves gelato, sandwiches and pas- tries. 281-394-9997. www.minuticoffee.com 4 Black Pearl began soft-opening events May 10 at 1223 Grand West Blvd., Ste. B-109, Katy. The establishment offers a food menu of crawfish and snack foods such as popcorn chicken, fries and jalapeno poppers. The drink menu includes tea, milk tea, and smoothies that can be topped with boba, jellies or salted cheese. It also serves coffee drinks and
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
COMPLIED BY JEN PARA & NOLA Z. VALENTE
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Minuti Coee
Burn Boot Camp
COURTESY MINUTI COFFEE
COURTESY BURN BOOT CAMP CINCO RANCH
Chuckwagon BBQ & Burgers (Courtesy WaseemHilal)
13 A new location of Restore Hyper Wellness + Cryotherapy will open July 6 at 23116 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy. The health care business offers services that include cryotherapy, IV drip and other therapies such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and compression therapy. Two other locations of Restore are within the Greater Houston area in Sugar Land and in the River Oaks area. 832-305-7573. www.restore.com NEWOWNERSHIP 14 Texas Star Grill Shop purchased Westside Grill and Fireplace’s retail store at 22010 Highland Knolls Drive, Katy, in early April, store manager Peter DeSan- tis said. The location has been open for customers since the ownership change, and a grand opening celebration was held
May 16. Texas Star offers a selection of grills, outdoor kitchen components and accessories such as meat rubs, spices and barbecue tools. It also sells built-in kitchens and houses a meat case that will offer Texas Wagyu beef, or Akaushi. There are two other locations of Texas Star Grill in Houston and in Spring. 832-913-6310. www.texasstargrillshop.com 15 Kirivuth Sann and his wife became the new owners of Franz Donuts at 22450 Franz Road, Katy, in March, Sann said, adding he hopes to have a grand opening soon. The cafe makes doughnuts and kolaches from scratch, and it serves Columbian coffee. Sann said he remod- eled the store and updated the recipes, and he owns two other doughnut shops in Magnolia. Franz Donuts does not have a website. 281-578-7725.
FEATURED IMPACT ANNIVERSARY Chuckwagon BBQ & Burgers, 4031 FM 1463, Ste. 50, Katy, celebrated its one-year anniversary under new ownership by chef and owner Waseem Hilal in May. Over the past year, Hilal said he made several recipe, seasoning and menu changes. Chuckwagon oers burnt ends, a dino beef rib, Reuben sandwiches and a smoked pastrami brisket brined in-house for 12 days. “My recipes reect whatever is innovative,” Hilal said.
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Hilal was raised around Texas barbecue and cooked with his father, he said. He bought Chuckwagon after several years in high-dining establishments in the Greater Houston area. 281-394-7784. www.chuckwagonbbqburgers.com
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KATY EDITION • JUNE 2020
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The Lone Star Flight Museum invites you to take part in recognizing this landmark anniversary and honoring those that served and supported the U.S. during WWII.
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
TODO LIST
June and July events
COMPILED BY NOLA Z. VALENTE
JUNE 27
BUY FRESH PRODUCE THE FULSHEAR FARMER’S MARKET
JULY 10
GO TOA LIVEMUSIC SHOW THE WILDCATTER SALOON
The Fulshear Farmer’s Market oers organically grown fruit and vegetables, grass- fed beef, eggs, salsas, cold-pressed juices and local honey every Saturday. Vendors also sell coee, plants, soaps and toiletries. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free entry. 9035 Bois D’Arc Lane, Fulshear. 713-703-4129. www.fulshearfarmersmarket.com/about-us
The Wildcatter Saloon will host David Allan Coe, an American singer and songwriter. The event for ages 21 and older will have tables available for reservation. 6-11:30 p.m. $15 (early bird tickets), $25 (general admission). 26913 Katy Freeway, Katy. 281-392-2337. www.wildcattersaloon.com
COURTESY FULSHEAR FARMER'S MARKET
COURTESY DAVID ALLAN COE
20 JOINA LIVEMUSIC SHOW Katy Food Vibes: Real Food Real Entertainment will host a DJ night while observing social distancing on June 20. The event venue will cap access at 50% capacity. All employees will wear masks. 9 p.m.-midnight. Free entry. 24757 Katy Freeway, Katy. 832-437-2807. www.katyvibes.com 25 EXPERIENCE ART The Art Museum TX is hosting a reception to introduce Paola Isola’s
JUNE 18 NETWORK IN THE COMMUNITY Red Lion Realty will host a networking event open to the public at Bar Louie. This event takes place monthly on every third Thursday. Masks are optional, but there will be a limited number of people at each table. 5:30- 7:30 p.m. Free entry. 2707 Commercial Center Blvd., Bldg. M, Katy. 832-646- 2886. www.redlionrealtygroup.com
JULY 01 LEARN SELFDEFENSE Precision Yoga and Fitness will teach oensive and defensive techniques to defend against physical and verbal threats. Topics covered include counter home invasion, tactical rearms training as well as hand versus knife, stick and gun. 8 p.m. $25. 15015 Westheimer Road, Ste. J, Houston. 281-606-0905. www.youryogatness.com
photography highlighting the Katy rice dryers. Free. 6-9 p.m. 2717 Commercial Center Blvd., Ste. D150, Katy. www.artmuseumtx.org 27 LEARN TOMANAGE ADVERSITY Aloft Hotel is hosting The Power of Hope conference featuring six speakers: LaSandra Collins, Eleanor Ward, Evarista Burroughs, Melanie Bazile, Michelle Saxton and Camillia Reed. $25. 25330 Kingsland Blvd., Katy. 281-688-2555. www.lasandracollins.com
Find more or submit Katy-area events at communityimpact.com/event-calendar. Event organizers can submit local events online to be considered for the print edition. Submitting details for consideration does not guarantee publication.
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KATY EDITION • JUNE 2020
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©2016 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens ® is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Franchise is Independently Owned and Operated. If your property is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers.
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES
COMPILED BY JEN PARA
Texas Heritage Pkwy. breaks ground June 10 After at least 15 years of planning, con- struction on the Texas Heritage Parkway is beginning. The approximately $55 million project’s funding is split 50-50 with 11 landowners and public entities, including Fort Bend County, Waller County, the city of Katy and the city of Fulshear. The landowners paid 100% of the design costs, provided the land for the parkway, and will also contribute $2 million for a trail system that will be 10 feet wide alongside the parkway and have crossings under the roundabouts for uninterrupted pedestri- an and bike movement, per a June 2 email from the Fort Bend County precinct 3 commissioner’s oce. A groundbreaking ceremony for the proj- ect was held June 10 at the intersection of FM 1093 and the future parkway. The design plans for the Texas Heritage Parkway involve building a 6.4-mile, 200-foot-wide thoroughfare with two lanes in either direction and a median, per the commissioner’s oce. Construction will last about 14 months. This new north-south road will have a total of 10 roundabouts and two trac lights from I-10 at Pederson Road to McKinnon Road just south of FM 1093
PARKWAY PLANS
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Construction will last about 14 months. (Jen Para/Community Impact Newspaper)
near downtown Fulshear, per the com- missioner’s oce. The road is expected to help improve north-south trac and bring trac relief to the Grand Parkway and FM 1463, per the commissioner’s oce. Additional benets will include quicker emergency response times once it opens. Residential, commercial and public development, such as a Texas Heritage Marketplace and a new library for the city of Fulshear, is expected to follow the completion of the parkway. Project construction is split among three sections, and Section 3 has been split into three additional sections as 3A, 3B and 3C, per the commissioner’s oce. Con- struction for the three phases will occur
simultaneously and will have limited to no eect on existing trac. The construction contract for Section 1, which begins at McKinnon and runs north for about 2 miles, was awarded to Allgood Construction Co. Inc. R Construction Co. will oversee construc- tion for Section 2, which begins where Section 1 ends and runs north to about 1.8 miles south of Kingsland Boulevard. Harris Construction Co. Ltd. was awarded the contract for sections 3A and 3B, which begin at about 1.8 miles south of Kingsland Boulevard to Kingsland. Section 3C—from Kingsland to the I-10 frontage road—will be bid for construc- tion in a few months, per the commis- sioner’s oce.
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FM1093widening project in Fulshear ‘basically done’ Only a few minor activities remain for the nal phase of widening FM 1093 between an upcoming intersection with the Texas Heritage Parkway and James Lane, said Trent Kubena, a general supervisor with the Texas De- partment of Transportation, in a May 27 interview. “The project is basically done,” he said, stating that strip- ing, U-turns, shaping of medians and clean-up remains. Timeline: December 2018-June 2020 Cost: $19.8 million Funding sources: TxDOT, Fort Bend County, FBC Toll Road Authority, FBC Assistance District No. 1
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KATY EDITION • JUNE 2020
EDUCATION BRIEFS
News from Katy ISD
Katy ISD meets the fourth Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m. The next meeting is June 22. Board Room, Education Support Complex, 6301 S. Stadium Lane, Katy 281-396-6000 • www.katyisd.org MEETINGSWE COVER COVID-19’s effect on the budget At a May 18 Katy Area Chamber of Commerce webinar, Superinten- dent Ken Gregorski spoke about how the district’s budget could be affected by the coronavirus. “I’m not so concerned about our current budget,” he said. “Only time will tell to see how much that impacts any future budgets.” At the May 26 meeting, Smith said there are still too many uncertainties to predict how the pandemic will affect the district’s future budgets. Additionally, with a slow economy, state funding for school districts could be lower, Smith said. However, Smith noted KISD’s finances are in a good spot. 3
3 things to knowabout the 2020-21 Katy ISDbudget KATY ISD Chief Financial Officer Christopher J. Smith provided a 2020- 21 budget update to the Katy ISD board of trustees at the regular May 26 meeting. KISD will approve the 2020-21 budget in August, when a public hearing will be held. Here are three things to know about the proposed budget: BY JEN PARA 1% Estimated annual employee salary increase for 2020-21 Katy ISD employees
SOURCE: KATY ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER Staff salaries to increase Smith said the 2020-21 budget includes a 1% annual salary increase as well as a 1% lump sum payment usually given to staff in December. The increase and lump sum are for both teachers and nonteachers. Smith recognized this is a much smaller salary increase compared to the one given for the 2019-20 school year, when some staff members could earn as much as an 8% compensation increase. A performance incentive is also included in the 2020-21 budget, Smith added. 2
1
Property tax rates to decrease Because of House Bill 3—a school finance reform law passed during the 86th Texas legislative session— property owners in KISD will see a lower property tax rate, Smith said. The amount the tax rate will drop depends on property value growth: the more growth, the lower the rate, Smith said. KISD’s taxable value is estimated to grow about 5.44% to $44.1 billion for fiscal year 2020-21, per Smith’s presentation. Because this value growth is more than 4.5%, KISD will have to lower its tax rate by more than $0.015, he added. The district’s total FY 2019-20 adopted tax rate is $1.4431 per $100 in valuation.
HISTORY OF TAX RATES After a few years of no change, the Katy ISD tax rate decreased in fiscal year 2019-20. It will likely decrease again in FY 2020-21.
$1.5166
$1.4431
$2
$1
$0
SOURCES: KATY ISD, HARRIS COUNTY/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
CITY& COUNTY
News from Katy, Fulshear & Harris County
Katy City Council meets the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 6:30 p.m. The next meeting is June 22. Katy City Hall, 910 Ave. C, Katy 281-391-4800 www.cityoaty.com Fulshear City Council meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. The next meeting is July 21. Irene Stern Community Center, 6920 Katy Fulshear Road, Fulshear 281-346-1796 www.fulsheartexas.gov Harris County Commissioners Court usually meets Tuesday mornings twice a month. The next meeting is 10 a.m. on June 30. 1001 Preston Ave., Ste. 934, Houston 713-755-5000 www.harriscountytx.gov Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meets at 1 p.m. the rst, second, and fourth Tuesdays of the month. The next meeting is June 23. 401 Jackson St., Richmond 281-342-3411 www.fortbendcountytx.com MEETINGSWE COVER
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The Katy re station is closed for repairs. (Nola Z. Valente/Community Impact Newspaper)
Fire stationmold to be removed KATY Fire Station No. 1 has tempo- rarily closed due to mold, Mayor Bill Hastings conrmed. Fireghters at the station have more mold appeared this January. Hastings said there will be a project manager handling the rebuilding of the re station, which is estimated to cost about $500,000. BY NOLA Z. VALENTE
been relocated after a local physician told Fire Chief Russell Wilson that everyone in the building was in danger, Hastings said. The re station was temporarily closed in 2017 for the same issue while renovations were made, but
“This was not a budgeted item,” Hastings said. “With our sales tax revenue being so far o, it’s taking us a while to gure out the funding.” No timeline has been set, but the project will take three to four months once it begins, Hastings said.
Fulshear police to add license plate readers
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BOND PROJECTS AS OFMARCH 2020
With hurricane season underway, Harris County ocials rework ood bond plans SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICTCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER active 136 completed 8 to start between November 2020-July 2021 19 to start between July 2021-March 2022 18
BY JEN PARA
Call for a private tour: 346-998-8000
FULSHEAR As in the city of Katy, Fulshear will soon install license plate readers across the city and surrounding communities. At the May 19 regular council meeting, Fulshear Police Chief Kenny Seymour said his goal is to install 25 license plate readers to help his department solve burglaries and break-ins as only about 15%-20% of those cases are ever solved. “Now, we have something that we can document on the streets [and] refer back to when the ocers are not present or the citizen doesn’t capture it,” he said. Seymour said the readers will be installed at most major intersections over the next several weeks. FPD has had ve readers on a trial basis for six months, he said. “This is basically a force multiplier for us,” Seymour said at the meeting. Each reader costs about $2,000 annually, and three Fulshear-area municipal utility districts will lease 10 while the city leases 15. Funding is from the capital improvement program.
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as it is available. We intend to build every project originally included on the bond project list. Going forward, we will update this list semiannually.” The district opted to merge projects in some instances. Twenty watershed storm repair projects were merged into one project, as were 17 projects to buy and clear ood prone properties and 16 proj- ects involving subdivision drain- age. The merges are intended to help make the project management process more ecient, according to the May 20 release. The district has spent $257 million in local money while securing $678 million in partner funding, mainly from the federal government.
HARRIS COUNTY The Harris County Flood Control District announced an update May 20 on plans for $2.5 billion in bond fund- ing for ood mitigation projects. In addition to merging several projects and reworking cost esti- mates, district ocials announced four new projects, including water- shed-spanning implementation plans in Cedar and Halls bayous. “With hurricane season around the corner, we know the public is interested in tracking the progress on the 2018 bond program,” HCFCD Executive Director Russ Poppe said in a statement. “Our intent in updating the bond project list is to be transparent about our work and include more detailed information
Katy Office: 346-998-8000 Bellaire Office: 713-630-8000 Josie Lin | 832-618-5898 Josielinteam@gmail.com
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KATY EDITION • JUNE 2020
Virtual and in-person DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS We’re still here for you Even during these challenging times, Houston Methodist doctor offices are open and seeing patients who need our care. Though your appointment may not look like a typical appointment, our providers may see you via video visit, telephone or in person, when needed. Rest assured, we are taking every precaution to ensure we can safely see you and meet all your health care needs.
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER IS PROUD TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR HEALTH CARE EDITION SPONSORS
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Houston Methodist West Hospital is a full-service, acute care hospital committed to leading medicine in the Katy and West Houston communities. Houston Methodist West is a recent honoree of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®, which recognizes health care organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. Additionally, the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit received a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for exceptional patient care.
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During this time The Katy Excel Center continues our commitment to serving behavioral health needs of the community on an outpatient basis. Most insurances accepted for treatment and the assessments are no-cost. Reach out today. Children, Tweens, Adolescents & Adults 281-647-0020
HEALTH CARE SNAPSHOT KATY AREA
The Katy area spans portions of Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties. When it comes to physical environment rankings, which accounts for air pollution, Harris County ranks last statewide.
C OMPA R I N G C O U N T I E S : PHYSICIANS ANDNURSES Home to the Texas Medical Center, Harris County hosts thousands of physicians and nurses.
COMPILED BY NOLA Z. VALENTE
HOWHEALTHY IS YOUR COUNTY?
290
PHYSICIANS
REGISTEREDNURSES
45
Harris County Fort Bend County Waller County
Total physicians
Total registered nurses
99 TOLL
These rankings are updated annually but include data from previous years. There are other factors included that are not listed below.
10
4,122
488
3 5 5
43,487 44,782 45,946
5,271 5,628 6,009
72 73 77
2017
2017
610
4,209 4,303
517 519
2018
2018
69
HEALTH OUTCOMES INCLUDE:
2019
2019
N
• LENGTHOFLIFE • QUALITYOFLIFE , such as the number of poor mental and physical health days reported
Per 100,000 residents
Per 100,000 residents
2020 STATEWIDE HEALTH CARE RANKINGS (out of 244 counties) HEALTH OUTCOMES 32 4 52
89
62
5.7 9.1
938.5 949.5 940.1
669.8 686.6 741.3
135.6 133.5 154.2
2017 2018 2019
2017 2018 2019
HEALTH FACTORS INCLUDE:
89.2
63.1
• HEALTHBEHAVIORS , such as smoking, obesity, physical activity, excessive drinking, alcohol-impaired driving deaths, sexually transmitted infections and teen births • CLINICALCARE , including health insurance coverage; number of physicians, dentists and mental health providers; preventable hospital stays; and u vaccinations • SOCIOECONOMICFACTORS , such as educational attainment levels, children in poverty, income inequality and violent crimes • PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTFACTORS , such as air pollution, drinking water violations, housing problems and long commutes
23 2
27
Length of life
88
64
10
72 4 195 151 7 184 68 22 140
Quality of life
State rank
State rank
Health behaviors HEALTH FACTORS
21 23 33
61
223 216 217
27 27 30
61
241 243 239
2017 2018 2019
2017 2018 2019
60 64
60 64
Socioeconomic 190 14 128 Physical environment 244 182 197 Clinical care 64 13 202
SOURCES: ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN POPULATION HEALTH INSTITUTE, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES, COUNTYHEALTHRANKINGS.ORG, HARRIS COUNTY, FORT BEND COUNTY, WALLER COUNTYCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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KATY EDITION • JUNE 2020
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
HOSPITALS
Health Care Edition 2020
Information on local hospitals in Katy
635 total hospital beds
4,199
Total hospital employees
COMPILED BY JEN PARA
• Trauma level: IV • NICU level: III • Total number of employees: 1,031 • Number of beds: 208 • New programs or expansions: Memorial Hermann Sports Park 4 MD Anderson West Houston 13900 Katy Freeway, Houston 7135639600 www.mdanderson.org/about-md-anderson/ our-locations/west-houston.html • Trauma level: N/A • NICU level: N/A • Total number of employees: 250 • Number of beds: 0 (strictly an ambulatory center) • New programs, expansions: The center opened in June 2019. 5 Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus 18200 Katy Freeway, Houston 8322271000 www.texaschildrens.org/departments/ texas-childrens-hospital-west-campus • Trauma level: IV • NICU level: N/A • Total number of employees: 980 • Number of beds: 86 • New programs, expansions: sleep medicine program expansion
1 Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital 701 S. Fry Road, Katy 2815995700 www.houstonmethodist.org/locations/long- term-acute-care/continuing-care/ • Trauma level: N/A • NICU level: N/A • Total number of employees: 270 • Number of beds: 102 • New programs, expansions: none 2 Houston Methodist West Hospital 18500 Katy Freeway, Houston 8325221000 www.houstonmethodist.org/locations/ katy-west/ • Trauma level: N/A • NICU level: III • Total number of employees: 1,668 • Number of beds: 239 • New programs, expansions: gastroenterology services, valve clinic and accreditation from National Accreditation Program for Breast Cancer Centers 3 Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital 23900 Katy Freeway, Katy 2816447000 www.memorialhermann.org/locations/katy
SOURCES: HOUSTON METHODIST, MEMORIAL HERMANN, MD ANDERSON, TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
SAUMS RD.
A R K
2
5
4
3
10
10
10
CENTRAL PARK WEST BLVD.
99 TOLL
MERCANTILE PKWY.
L
1
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
OU T PA T I EN T B EHAV I ORAL HEAL T H S E RV I CE S
The Excel Center is dedicated to meeting the needs of adults and adolescents. Telehealth services are also available. • No-cost assessments • Assessments available within 24 hours Monday through Friday • Licensed treatment team including physicians • Most insurances accepted • Serving children (ages 6-11), tweens (ages 9-12) and adolescents (ages 13-18) If you or someone you know is struggling, we are here for you. Call 281-647-0020 or for more information, visit westoakshospital.com/outpatient.
(Children ages 6-12, adolescents and adults) 2900 Commercial Center Blvd. Suite 102, Katy, TX 77494 281-647-0020
For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website. With limited exceptions, physicians are not employees or agents of this hospital. Model representations of real patients are shown. Actual patients cannot be divulged due to HIPAA regulations. 202727-3605 6/20
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KATY EDITION • JUNE 2020
INSIDE INFORMATION
COMPILED BY BEN THOMPSON
A PATH TO PROTECTION
As worldwide health care experts work to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus, one health care company in The Woodlands continues work on its own vaccine.
Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, spoke with Community Impact Newspaper about vaccine development and the medical community’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. DR.MARIAELENABOTTAZZI Q&A WITH
HOWMUCH IS THE TESTING PHASE EXPECTED TO BE SPED UP NOW?
HOWARE VACCINES PRODUCED?
The rst thing you need to do is identify what within the pathogen is important enough you want to interfere with. ... Everyone is talking about inter- fering with the virus to be able to enter the human cells. And therefore we know the element within the virus that is essential for this activity to happen is this “spike” protein. ... A very small domain of that spike protein [is] enough for us to build a vaccine. And then what you do is you replicate that protein. ... When your body sees this foreign protein, the body knows it’s a foreign entity, and then we have an immune response. ... When you vaccinate, you’re vaccinating with something that resembles a very important piece of the pathogen. ... We then eventually get the virus, we remember they’re a foreign entity, and we already have an army ready to respond.
Because it’s not business as usual, the regulatory bodies are evaluating how they can allow certain things to maybe be done in parallel rather than sequentially. ... It’s going to be very dicult to skip a step. I don’t think that’s really going to be able to be done, but at least steps can be shortened by sharing the information just in time even though there are risks.
WHAT ARE SOME RISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH ACCELERATED VACCINE DEVELOPMENT?
You are pressuring those who have to evaluate to make decisions that in a normal way of business you wouldn’t because you have more time. ... I trust 100% [in] our regulatory bodies. The people who conform the teams within the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration], for example, are teams that operate with their mission to ensure that their decisions are based on robust and strong scientic evidence. Not hearsay, not because they have to go fast. So I trust that process and that system. It’s challenging that they have to make this in an accelerated manner, but I think we as people have to trust at some level that they’re experts.
WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK ON THE PRODUCTIONOF A COVID19 VACCINE?
I think it’s clear that there are many vaccines that are hopefully going to be evaluated soon. ... It’s good to have a robust pipeline, meaning we’re not just assuming that one [vaccine] is going to be the only one that’s going to be a solution for all. Vaccines certainly have a high rate of failure due to the nature of how you develop them and what the expectation of a vaccine [is], which of course is a preventative measure.
SOURCES: DR. MARIA ELENA BOTTAZZI, VGXI INC.COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER To read more about vaccine development at communityimpact.com READ MORE
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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