Bay Area Edition | March 2025

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Bay Area Edition VOLUME 7, ISSUE 8 MARCH 20APRIL 16, 2025

2025 Camp Guide

Homeowners reel at insurance hikes Clear Lake homeowner Bob Dempsey learned in 2023 that his home insurer Kemper was leaving his area. Dempsey signed up for a new policy with SageSure—at more than double the cost of his previous policy. Keeping up with rates

counties covered by Texas Windstorm Insurance Association 14

+23% Texas insurance

2,300 rate lings reviewed by Texas Department of Insurance in 2024

premiums increased from 2022 to 2023

“The rising insurance premiums are a big problem, and there’s no explanation from companies about why they aren’t covering my area.” BOB DEMPSEY, CLEAR LAKE HOMEOWNER

INSIDE

JAMAAL ELLISCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Also in this issue

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Government: Learn about what comes next for League City City Council following the resignation of Justin Hicks (Page 8)

Education: Read about what Clear Creek ISD’s expanded transfer policy could mean for the district’s enrollment (Page 21)

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In addition to more physicians and expanded specialty care, our Bay Area Campus features more advanced diagnostic imaging, on-site labs, a Kelsey Pharmacy with drive-thru services, and free parking. It will also be home to a new nationally recognized Kelsey-Seybold Cancer Center and a new Outpatient Surgery Center, both opening in 2025. Discover exceptional care at our new Bay Area Campus.

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A variety of health care services for you and your family are always close by. Our Convenient Care Centers offer a 24/7 ER, primary care, imaging and physical therapy. Schedule an appointment today. memorialhermann.org/ccc 24/7 ER and routine care near you.

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity. About Community Impact

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Jovanna Aguilar Asia Armour Angela Bonilla Melissa Enaje Valeria Escobar Wesley Gardner Rachel Leland Emily Lincke Ryan Reynolds Nichaela Shaheen Jessica Shorten Haley Velasco Aubrey Vogel Kevin Vu Graphic Designers Richard Galvan Ellen Jackson Matt Mills

Papar Faircloth General Manager pfaircloth@ communityimpact.com

Martha Risinger Jesus Verastegui Taylor White Ronald Winters Account Executive Anita Orellana Senior Managing Editor Matt Stephens Senior Product Manager Kaitlin Schmidt Quality Desk Editor Sierra Rozen

James T. Norman Editor jnorman@ communityimpact.com

Jason Culpepper Houston Market President jculpepper@ communityimpact.com

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BAY AREA EDITION

Impacts

ARMAND BAYOU NATURE CENTER

Coming soon

Seabrook

9 HOTWORX The business will offer 24-hour access to its infrared sauna studio and workouts that are instructed virtually. These workouts include isometric and high-intensity interval training sessions. • Grand opening March 29 • 4550 W. League City Parkway, Ste. 160, League City • www.hotworx.net 10 Courtside Fitness This fitness center will feature a cryotherapy and recovery center, two full basketball courts, a studio for group workouts, a cafe and smoothie bar, and a drop-in day care center. • Opening mid- to late-April • 386 S. Egret Bay Blvd., League City • www.courtsidefitness.com 11 Rotolo’s Craft & Crust The pizza chain will serve a number of different toppings, such as bacon, vegetables and pesto, among many others. It will also offer appetizers such as meatballs. • Opening in the spring • 4550 W. League City Parkway, Ste. 100, League City • www.rotolos.com 12 Saunawelt European Saunahouse The business is based on Finnish and German sauna culture and will include a steam room, cool mist room, cold water bucket shower, infrared loungers and a Finnish event sauna, among other services. • Opening in the spring • 18313A Egret Bay Blvd., Houston • www.saunawelt.com 13 Ambriza Social Mexican Kitchen The eatery will open its fourth Houston-area location in Webster, offering authentic Mexican dishes such as mestizo rice, enchiladas, chicken mole and quesabirria. • Opening in the summer • 110 Osprey Drive, Webster • www.ambriza.com

2351

CLEAR LAKE

146

GALVESTON BAY

BAYBROOK MALL DR.

Y D R

Nassau Bay

518

CIEN RD.

528

SOUTH SHORE BLVD.

Webster

OSPREY DR.

PARK AVE.

518

League City

646

517

9 11

517

5 Costa Oil The business offers an 18-point service checklist for oil changes, which are performed in under ten minutes. The company offers just oil changes with no other mechanical services. It has more than 30 locations but expects to have 100 total spots soon. • Opened Feb. 7 • 1580 FM 518, League City • www.costaoils.com 6 Barcenas Mexican Grill The restaurant offers an assortment of nachos, tacos, burritos, tamales, enchiladas and quesadillas, among other items. The business offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and has other locations in Friendswood, La Marque and Pearland. • Opened Feb. 14 • 2660 Marina Bay Drive, Ste. 125, League City • www.barcenasmexicanrestaurant.com 7 Bojangles The restaurant will serve Cajun-seasoned fried chicken sandwiches, biscuits and breakfast. The new Webster location is one of four new ones opening up in the Greater Houston area. The other locations are in Spring, Richmond and Tomball. • Opening Feb. 18 • 510 W. Bay Area Blvd., Webster • www.bojangles.com 8 Delta Chiropractic & Wellness The business offers chiropractic care and helps treat conditions such as back pain, neck pain, migraines, sciatic pain, sports and auto injuries, among other conditions. It also offers pediatric care and prenatal care. • Opened March 5 • 211 FM 646 Road W., Ste. B, Dickinson • www.deltachirotx.com

Now open

1 Success on the Spectrum The clinic provides therapy in the form of direct therapy, social skills instruction, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Success on the Spectrum works with children from ages 18 months to 18 years. It has nearly 20 locations in the Greater Houston area. • Opened Jan. 20 • 3033 Marina Bay Drive, Ste. 310, League City • www.successonthespectrum.com 2 CrabMee Arcade The entertainment venue has multiple claw machines filled with plushies and gachapon capsule toys, which are either filled with collectible figures or treats. CrabMee also offers anime figurines, rare merchandise and exclusive items from different anime series. • Opened Jan. 25 • 19014-A Gulf Freeway, Friendswood • www.crabmee.com 3 Sanabreh Mediterranean The restaurant serves Mediterranean dishes, such as kebabs, shawarmas and salads, among other menu items. • Opened in February • 487 Bay Area Blvd., Houston • www.sanabreh.com 4 Clear Falls Animal Hospital Billed as a “full-service” practice, the business offers vaccines, annual medical checkups, pet surgery, spay and neuter, and dental cleanings. Grooming and pet supplies, as well as preventative services, are available as well. • Opened Feb. 3 • 3881 E. League City Parkway, League City • www.clearfallsanimalhospital.com

Relocations

14 Elle’s Unique Touch The hair salon opened in Kemah in December and offers hair coloring and cutting services. Before coming to Kemah, the business was in Pasadena for 18 years. • Relocated in December 15 Devil and the Deep Brewery The Galveston-area brewery closed to open a new location in League City. The brewery’s menu is inspired by Belgian and American craft-style beers. • Relocating in the spring • 203 W. League City Parkway, League City • www.devilandthedeep.com • 601 Cien Road, Ste. 140, Kemah • Facebook: Elle’s unique touch

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

In the news

Now open

Coming soon

16 League City Garden Club The Garden Club celebrated 75 years toward the end of 2024 and was presented a proclamation by the city in January. The club has 90 members and hosts educational programs, provides scholarships and beautifies the area.

• 144 Park Avenue, League City • www.leaguecitygardenclub.org

17 Johnson Space Center The center, which is one of 10 under the umbrella of NASA, announced Feb. 24 it will have a new acting director. Stephen Koerner will take over for Vanessa Wyche, who was promoted to a new role within NASA at

its headquarters in Washington D.C. • 2101 E. NASA Parkway, Houston • www.nasa.gov

19 Pillo’s Mexican Grill The restaurant serves enchiladas, menudo, quesadillas, flautas, burritos, combination plates with meats such as steak or chicken, fish, street tacos and a breakfast menu, among other menu items. The business also offers a bar menu with margaritas and a happy hour menu. • Grand opened March 11 • 1740 W. Main St., League City • https://linktr.ee/pillosmexicangrill

20 Zero Latency VR With locations in over two dozen countries, this virtual reality entertainment cafe will offer food and immersive gameplay experiences for up to eight players at a time. Games offered include cooperative, adventure, puzzle solving and zombie-based survival, among others. • Opening April 5 • 20801 Gulf Freeway, Ste. 5, Webster • www.zerolatencyvr.com

18 Cicis Pizza The Texas-based pizza buffet chain celebrated 40 years in March. Originally opening in 1985 in Plano, the business now has 23 locations across the Greater Houston area. In addition to pizza, the business offers different sides, a salad bar and desserts, among other items. • 2980 Gulf Freeway S., League City • www.cicis.com

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BAY AREA EDITION

Government

Justin Hicks resigns from City Council

Timeline of Hicks’ resignation

January

January: Police respond to call of domestic disturbance at Hicks’ home Feb. 22: Hicks allegedly requests police chief not follow up on investigation related to call Feb. 24: Hicks allegedly requests city sta violate rules related to public information requests March 1: Hicks resigns March 11: City Council calls for special election to ll new vacancy *CITY DOCUMENTS NOTE THE FEBRUARY DATES ARE “ON OR ABOUT” AND MAY NOT BE EXACT. SOURCE: LEAGUE CITYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Justin Hicks, League City City Council member, resigned his seat March 1 following a dispute made public between him and the city related to what city documents described as a “domestic disturbance” call made to his home in January. The resignation leaves a vacancy on City Council, which has to be lled with a special election, accord- ing to city code. City Council called for an election to ll the vacancy at its March 11 meeting. What you need to know Following a meeting scheduled for March 5 that would have seen Hicks either resign or have a censure vote against him, Hicks tendered his resignation March 1, according to a copy of Hicks’ resignation letter provided by the city. According to the proposed censure resolution, Hicks potentially interfered with a criminal investigation into a domestic disturbance call at his home in January and requested city sta vio- late rules related to public information requests.

What they said Mayor Nick Long told Community Impact on March 3 he wishes Hicks the best and thanked him for his service. Hicks in his resignation letter said the decision to resign his seat stemmed from his “focus on navigat- ing this challenging time in my life and prioritizing my family and personal well-being.” Hicks added he doesn’t believe anyone in his household broke any laws or procedures. What’s next? The resignation leaves a vacancy on the council. City code states a vacancy created with more than a year left in a term by law must be lled with a special election. The term expires in 2028. The council called a special election at its March 11 meeting. The race will appear on the May 3 ballot. Those interested can le for the position from March 12-24.

February*

March

April

“Serving our community has been a rewarding experience, and I am grateful for the support and camaraderie of my

fellow council members and all of you. I cherish the progress we’ve made for our great city.” JUSTIN HICKS, FORMER LEAGUE CITY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

BY RACHEL LELAND & JAMES T. NORMAN

Seabrook voters to consider $22M bond

League City OKs study for new re station League City is making progress on its eorts to add two new re stations to the city’s western side, starting with a feasibil- ity study for Fire Station No. 7. The gist League City City Council at its Feb. 11 meeting voted unanimously to award a $24,000 feasibility study to Houston-based BRW Architects to determine whether an area south of Muldoon Parkway on the city’s west side is suitable for building the city’s seventh re station. The cost The station’s planning and design phase is expected to cost $2.25 million, while construction and equipment are projected at $15.65 million, documents show.

Seabrook 2025 bond For community pool

Among several City Council positions, vot- ers on May 3 will have the chance to vote on $22 million in bonds that the city of Seabrook is pitching for a new pool and police station. The overview The vote to call for a bond election occurred during City Council’s Feb. 4 meeting. If both propositions pass, it would raise tax rates by $0.05510 per $100 valuation of a home starting in scal year 2025-26, city documents show. Ocials estimate an increase of roughly $132 annually on a tax bill for a $300,000 home if both are approved. Increases vary if just one proposition is approved. Remember this? Community Impact previously reported City Manager Gayle Cook said the city needed to relocate the current police station, which was built in 1996, due to ood risk.

For police station

$4M

$18M

LAKESIDE DR.

Potential sites for new police station

REPSDORPH RD.

146

Current Seabrook Police Station

GALVESTON BAY

SOURCE: CITY OF SEABROOKCOMMUNITY IMPACT

“The majority of [Seabrook residents] know that we have to spend money. In order to get the services that they want, we do have to acquire debt.” THOM KOLUPSKI, SEABROOK MAYOR

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

DETOURS: An El Paso Refuge CRITTER: American Bumblebee OUT THERE: Meanwhile, in Texas

MADE IN TEXAS: A Leathermaking Legacy FEATURE PREVIEW: Where to Eat Now

Above: The Ysleta Mission, in El Paso.

BAY AREA EDITION

DETOURS

A Tribal Sanctuary On a Sacred Trail

Location: eleven miles southeast of downtown El Paso. BY JOSH ALVAREZ

CRITTER

American Bumblebee

The bumblebee does something most bees don't: buzz pollination, which involves gripping the plant with its legs and vibrating its whole body. If you eat blueberries, potatoes, or tomatoes— all of which rely on buzz pollination— you’ve got a bumblebee to thank. WHY IS IT SO BIG? The better to collect all that sweet pollen to feed its young. That fuzz is actually densely packed hairs, or setae, that trap pollen as the bumblebee floats from flower to flower. Its large body likely evolved to provide even more surface area.

DOES IT STING? Only if you mess with its nest.

HOW MANY SPECIES ARE THERE? Texas has between seven and eleven types. The most common is the American bumblebee, found statewide. North Texans might spot the brown-belted bumblebee, while those in the west are likely to see the Sonoran variant. The gentle giant is in trouble, though: Since 1974, popula- tions across North America have fallen by 46 percent. SCIENTISTS KEEP TABS, RIGHT? Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is one of several Texas orga- nizations partnering with Jacqueline Staab, the owner of Darwin’s Bee Dogs. Her German shorthaired pointers are trained to sniff out bumblebee nests for population surveys. “If we lose bees,” says Staab, “we lose Texas ecosystems.” —Rose Cahalan

INSIDE THE ADOBE walls of the Ysleta Mis- sion are clues to a deep history of acculturation that characterizes El Paso to this day. The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribe, more commonly known as the Tigua, established the mission in 1682, making it one of the oldest in Texas (much of the current structure was built in 1851). The Tigua arrivedherefromNewMexico,whichtheyfled after the Pueblo Indians there overthrew the

Spanish colonial system, in 1680, forcing Span- iards and Christianized Pueblos to seek safety elsewhere. The Tigua dedicated the mission to Anthony of Padua, patron saint of things that have been lost, whose figure stands atop the entrance; inside are blankets dyed in brilliant blues and reds and a statue of Kateri Tekakwitha, the Catholic Church’s first Native American saint. The structure, part of the El Paso Mission Trail, holds a mass every day. If you can, plan your visit for June 13, when the Tigua celebrate Saint Anthony with traditional dancing.

The church interior at the Ysleta Mission, in El Paso.

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MADE IN TEXAS

He Goes With the Grain Clint Wilkinson carries on his grandfather’s leatherworking legacy out of the same downtown Denton storefront. BY PAUL L. UNDERWOOD

OUT THERE

Meanwhile, In Texas

After the San Antonio Zoo announced the birth of Tupi, the first capybara born there since 2000, it had to clarify to X users that it was “not associated with or benefiting from” a crypto- currency named after the baby animal. The number one item on the TSA’s top ten list of the most unusual airport confiscations in 2024 was a gun tucked into the back of a baby stroller at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport. The Texas State Aquarium, in Corpus Christi, released into the Gulf of Mex- ico some 270 green sea turtles it had rescued when they became hypother- mic during a recent cold snap. A Temple woman was sentenced to felony probation for theft after with- drawing money from a GoFundMe account created for her after she lied about a cancer diagnosis so that her friends “would like her more.” A Bexar County jail officer was arrest- ed and fired after allegedly giving an inmate food from Whataburger . After the Houston Police Department announced plans to clean up its prop- erty warehouse, authorities revealed that rats had possibly compromised ongoing cases by eating mushrooms and other drugs stored as evidence. A man stole a pickup truck and led police on a chase to the Midland airport, where he drove through the perimeter fence and onto the runways before abandoning the vehicle. —Meher Yeda

George W. Bush and Fort Worth soul star Leon Bridges, as well as Stetson and 7-Eleven. Wilkinson works out of the downtown cor- ner storefront once owned by his grandfather Weldon Burgoon, who opened Weldon’s Sad- dle Shop & Western Wear in 1957. Burgoon, who helped cover the cost of Clint’s birth, in 1982, by giving a saddle to the obstetrician, taught his grandson the craft. Wilkinson started an e-commerce site for the shop and, with his grandfather’s encour- agement, began branding his own handsewn leather goods with his name. In 2019, a year after Burgoon died, Wilkin- son reopened the shop, which he renamed Wilkinson’s Fine Goods. He’s known for his leather tote bags, belts, and wallets, and he sells wares from other brands, like Nocona- based Fenoglio Boot Company. He’s also de- veloping a line of leather-crafting supplies. The intention, he says, is to create “a way that I can still be in the leather community when I’m seventy-five years old and can’t make anything anymore.”

LAST SUMMER, WILKINSON’S FineGoods, in Denton, received its biggest online order to date. Owner Clint Wilkinson was intrigued by his new client, who purchased a massive array of custom desk mats, bootjacks, and cherrywood boxes with hand-tooled leather accents. “I was just like, ‘Holy crap,’�” Wilkin- son recalls. “He must be a politician or lawyer or something.” Not quite. Wilkinson looked up the buyer, a Utah resident named Austin Post, and re- alized that he was doing business with Post Malone, the rapper who was raised in nearby Grapevine. Wilkinson emailed him to explain that fulfillment would take some time be- cause every item would be handmade. The two now exchange texts about everything from the order’s progress to the woes of their be- loved Dallas Cowboys. Eventually Wilkinson’s client list would include former President

Clint Wilkinson and Charlie Talkington in the Wilkinson’s Fine Goods workshop, in Denton.

BAY AREA EDITION

2025

Join us for the ultimate celebration of Texas’s best tacos!

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Japanese hand rolls, sashimi, and sushi and en- joy the restaurant’s excellent vinyl collection. What does all this say about dining in Texas as weapproachtheendofthefirstquarterofthe twenty-firstcentury?Maybejustthis:Weneed to make room for more fun. The hospitality industry knows hard times all too well, with the ever-rising costs of raw ingredients and labor and the hollowing out of once vibrant restaurant-centric neighborhoods. Given all that, who wouldn’t opt for a break from the real world? It was in the same spirit that we selected the ten best new restaurants in Texas, along with a handful of honorable mentions. So get out there. Ask some friends to dinner; try some wild and crazy dishes; visit a place not on your radar. Life is serious enough—live a little. And eat a lot. To read the list of the best new restaurants in Texas, please subscribe to Texas Monthly .

IS IT OUR imagination, or are Texas restau- rants more, well, imaginative than ever? On our visit to an idiosyncratic spot in the Gulf Coast town of Kemah, we were treated to bil- lowing dry ice, a blowtorch, and a pasta cre- ation that was a dead ringer for a coral snake. In Dallas, we settled into a long, narrow dining room that looked as if it had been uncoupled from the Orient Express. In Fort Worth, we were sure that characters in The Crown would have felt right at home in a convincing replica of a posh London townhouse. Of course, not everything we loved this past year was stagy. One of our favorite venues was a comfy lit- tle place in Houston where guests can order

FEATURE PREVIEW

Where to Eat Now Dining in Texas has been one big experiment this year. Dry ice. Pasta snakes. Whey foam. Corn bubbles. (That’s right: corn bubbles.) Our best new restaurants want you to have a meal you’ll never forget.

BY COURTNEY BOND AND PATRICIA SHARPE

A scallop dish from Ishtia, in Kemah; smoked king salmon crudo at the Chumley House, in Fort Worth; sabering a bottle of wine at Isidore, in San Antonio.

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BAY AREA EDITION

Development

Transportation

BY RACHEL LELAND

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Harris County ocials on Feb. 11 broke ground on a new $5 million project at Challenger 7 Memo- rial Park in League City. The full story The project, according to county documents, will take place in three dierent areas: • Boardwalk area , which will include replacing the current boardwalk with a new, improved one • Trailhead and boat ramp area , which will include installing a new trailhead and repurpos- ing the existing boat ramp • Playground , which will include renovating the current playground with new equipment Diving in deeper The cost for the project totals $5.3 million, Challenger 7 park to get $5M revamp

FM 518 intersection to undergo improvements League City City Council approved Feb. 25 mov- ing forward with improvements at the intersection of FM 518 and Bay Area Boulevard. What you need to know City Council voted unanimously to award around $149,000 to Houston-based EHRA Engi- neering for the design, bidding and construction services for intersection improvements at Bay Area Boulevard and FM 518. Documents from the city’s capital improvement plan show the project will consist of adding a long southbound right-turn lane and extending the northbound left-turn lane. The new southbound lane will also involve relocating a signage pole. The agreement with EHRA will go into eect on March 3, according to agenda documents. City documents show the project will run around $628,000 but does not provide a timeline.

City lowers school zone speed limit League City City Council voted Feb. 25 to establish a lower speed limit for a school zone near Clear Creek High School. The full story The speed limit on FM 518 from roughly St. Christopher Avenue to Louisiana Avenue will be lowered to 25 miles per hour when the speed limit sign light ashes—down from 30 mph. The new speed limit will go into eect as soon as the sign is installed.

Existing trail New trail and drainage improvements A look at Challenger 7 Memorial park

W. NASA RD.

518

Existing amenities

Existing amenities receiving improvements

1 Challenger 7 Memorial 2 Pond 3 Memorial Knoll 4 Wetlands 5 Learning center

6 Mother Earth Eco Sculpture 7 Playgrounds

RUSTIC OAKS PARK

8 Boardwalk 9 Boat ramp

CLEAR CREEK

Also of note At the same meeting, City Council approved Longfellow Drive as the name for a future road on the city’s west side, documents show. That future road is expected to connect Ervin Street and Muldoon Parkway and is one of many new roads slated to be built out on the city’s developing west side. The street was originally identied as Emerson Drive in the city’s 2024 mobility plan.

SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

which will be paid for by the county with the help of a $1.5 million grant from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Alonzo Guadarrama, special projects specialist for Harris County Precinct 2, said in a Feb. 11 email. The rest, $3.8 million, will come from the county. Ocials expect construction to begin in the rst quarter of 2025 and take about a year to complete, county documents show.

Clear Creek High School

518

ST. CHRISTOPHER AVE.

A new trailhead is among the many upgrades coming to Challenger 7 Memorial Park.

BAY AREA 1033 Bay Area Blvd (281) 486-9558 LEAGUE CITY

KEMAH 243 FM 2094 (281) 538-9095 SEABROOK 3126 Nasa Pkwy (281) 326-5127

196 Gulf Fwy S (281) 316-2140

Events

BY ASIA ARMOUR

• 1150 Ballpark Way, League City • Facebook: League City Market Days at the Ballpark

April

Swing For A Cause The League City Chamber of Commerce hosts this benefit golf tournament at Top Golf Webster to raise money for Family Promise of Clear Creek, a nonprofit that helps families avoid homelessness. • April 3, 10:45 a.m.-3 p.m. • $75-$150 • 21401 Gulf Freeway, Webster • business.leaguecitychamber.com Clear Creek ISD Job Fair The second-largest employer in the Clear Lake area is offering job opportunities for educators, administrators and operational support staff. • April 5, 9 a.m.-noon • Free (admission) • Clear Springs High School: 501 Palomino St., League City • www.ccisd.net Spring Sip & Stroll League City Market Days starts off with this event at the Ballpark of League City, which features shopping, face painting and Easter Bunny photo ops. • April 12, noon-5 p.m. • Free (admission)

Crawfish & Zydeco Festival Celebrate Louisiana culture by listening to Zydeco tunes and cracking open boiled crawfish on Kemah Boardwalk. • April 12, 1-10 p.m.; April 13, noon-9 p.m. • Free (admission) • 215 Kipp Ave., Kemah • www.kemahboardwalk.com The Bay Area Chorus of Greater Houston The organization is celebrating 60 years at its annual gala, which will act as a fundraiser for its scholarships. • April 12, 6-10 p.m. • $100 (per ticket) • Lonestar Flight Museum: 11551 Aerospace Ave., Houston • www.bayareachorus.org/current-events Easter Family Fun Texas Avenue Community Church in League City invites residents out for an Easter egg hunt. • April 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. • Free (admission) • 320 Texas Ave., League City • www.txavcc.org

Planet Earth Celebration Space Center Houston in Webster celebrates Earth Day with exclusive activities and activations, as well as education on sustainability, conservation and preservation efforts of the planet’s natural resources. • April 26-27, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. • $24.95-$39.95 • 1601 E. NASA Parkway, Houston • www.spacecenter.org

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Education

BY HALEY VELASCO

Clear Creek ISD expands limited open enrollment program

The impact

Superintendent Karen Engle said the expanded policy will help the district with its enrollment, which has declined in recent years. As part of this, more students are graduating high school than are entering kindergarten. “[This] proposal ... would enable us to increase enrollment and maximize revenue,” Engle said at the Feb. 24 meeting.

and discipline record, officials said. If that criteria was met, a student’s parent or guardian also needed to meet one of the following requirements: • Be a nonresident peace officer who lives within 10 miles of the district • Be a nonresident military service member who live within 10 miles of the district • Be a nonresident federal employee who lives within 10 miles of the district • Be a grandparent who lives within CCISD and has a grandchild who lives outside CCISD • Be a nonresident CCISD employee The change will now only require potential students to meet the first set of criteria. However, officials said they will give preference to those who meet the other criteria too.

More families could qualify to attend Clear Creek ISD after the board of trustees approved expanding the district’s limited open enrollment program at its Feb. 24 meeting. The expanded policy will give the superintendent authority to accept or reject out-of-district transfer requests, subject to policy and administrative regulations, according to district agenda documents. Prior to the approval on Feb. 24, the district’s limited open enrollment program allowed students who reside outside of the district’s attendance boundaries to attend CCISD schools if they met certain criteria, according to district documents. Students needed to meet two sets of criteria, documents show. The first was based on a student’s previous academic history, attendance

Clear Creek ISD's 10-year enrollment forecast

Enrollment

Projected

40K 50K 30K 20K 10K 0

40,737

35,830

SOURCE: ZONDA EDUCATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Percentage of students who are transfers Compared to surrounding school districts, CCISD has a lower percentage of its overall enrollment come from students who transfer into the district.

Clear Creek ISD

Dickinson ISD

Friendswood ISD

Pasadena ISD

Pearland ISD

Looking ahead

0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5%

4.1%

Officials said March 12 they are working on the policy’s regulations and will provide the public with updates at a later time. More information is available on the district’s website. In the meantime, officials said they could eventually launch an online dashboard that tracks current available openings at each campus.

2.3% 2.48% 2.48% 2.82% 1.09%

2.71% 1.85% 1.58% 0.77%

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

BAY AREA EDITION

Community

Camp Guide

2025

Sea Campus Kids Students can participate in half-day or full-day sessions centered around marine biology, mammals, extreme environments and pirates, among other topics. Type: academics / day Ages: 6-11 Dates: June-August Cost: $140-$215 • 200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston • www.tamug.edu

Dates: June-July Cost: $220 (full week), $160 (full week with half days), $55-$70 (full day), $35-$45 (half day) • 395 Columbia Memorial Parkway, League City • www.attunedschoolofmusic.com

Clear Lake

Explorer Camps Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake offers a variety of different camps that include several types of activities and focuses, such as Mars or rockets. Registration for summer camp opens March 31. Type: academics / day Ages: 4-11 Dates: Through April Cost: $74.95-$299.95 (based on camp) • 1601 E. NASA Parkway, Houston • www.spacecenter.org KidsU Summer Camps University of Houston Clear Lake offers camps centered around science, math, reading, literacy, technology and culture, among other topics. Type: academics Ages: K-12th grade Dates: June-July Cost: $180 per session ($170 for early bird until March 23) • 2700 Bay Area Blvd., Houston • www.uhcl.edu Camp Clear Lake Children who attend this camp will get to participate in archery, arts and crafts, hikes, swimming and outdoor

Bay Area Arts Conservatory Summer Workshops

Students who attend will participate in workshops centered around various shows and themes, including “Seussical Jr.,” “Peter Pan Jr.,” “Beetlejuice Jr.” and

“Annie Jr.” Type: arts Ages: 6-18 Dates: June-August Cost: $699 per workshop • 400 Hobbs Road, Ste. 203, League City • www.baactx.com

Houston

Ecologist School Houston This camp offers lessons in science, technology, math and engineering topics, as well as outdoor skills and leadership. Type: academics / science Ages: Pre-K-fifth grade Dates: June 9-Aug. 1 Cost: $325, $275 (per week plus $25 registration fee)

Camp Invention: Discover This camp will focus on projects related to science, technology, math and engineering, including several different experiments and challenges to solve. Type: academics

• 913 Oakgrove Drive, Houston • www.ecologistschoolhtx.com

Ages: K-sixth grade Dates: June 16-20 Cost: $295 • 3700 FM 518 Road E., League City • www.invent.org

Lobo Active Learning & Gymnastics Summer Camp

Children who attend will learn skills such as rolling, handstands, cartwheels, moving forward and backward, among other skills. Each day has a theme with a focus on one or several skills. Type: sports / day Ages: 3-12 Dates: May-August Cost: $250 (full day), $175 (half day)

activities, among other activities. Type: academics / arts / sports Ages: 6-11 Dates: June-August Cost: $160 (residents), $200 (nonresidents) • 16511 Diana Lane, Houston • www.clcca.org

Wonder Camp - Perry Family YMCA in League City YMCA Wonder Camp offers themed weeks that combine outdoor activities with hands-on science activities, water activities, creating and performing arts, and field trips. Type: academic / arts / day / sports Ages: 5-15 Dates: May 27-Aug. 1, 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Cost: $200 per week, $45 registration fee • 1700 League City Parkway, League City • www.ymcahouston.org/programs/childcare-and- camps/summer-camp

• 2500 Falcon Pass, Houston • www.lobogymnastics.com

Galveston

Kemah

Pyramid Kids Camps at Moody Gardens This annual camp at Moody Gardens offers a week for each camp, with each session unique and offering different themes and activities. Type: academics / arts Ages: K-eighth grade Dates: May-August Cost: $250 (members), $275 (nonmembers) • 1 Hope Blvd., Galveston • www.moodygardens.com/plan-event/camps Texas A&M Sea Camp These camps are a week long and cover specific topics, such as sharks, coastal ecology, fishing camps, ocean conservation, sea turtles and ocean careers, among other topics. Type: academics Ages: 10-18

Above the Bar Camps include weekly themes focused on ninja warrior, trampoline, tumbling, inflatables and games, among other focuses. Type: sports Ages: 5-13 Dates: May-August Cost: $260 (per week) • 431 Columbia Memorial Parkway, Kemah • www.abovethebargym.com/camps

Webster

Changing Stories Autism Services This camp, called Around the World in 5 Days Camp for Children with Autism, will include various parts of the facility being decorated as a different part of the world, with activities for each area. Type: academics Ages: 5-12 Dates: July 21-25; 4-6:30 p.m. Cost: $150 (for the week) • 17170 Mill Forest Road, Webster • www.changingstories.net Kids R Kids Learning Academy Summer Camp Children who attend will get to explore weekly themes, as well as field trips and other recreational activities. Type: academics

League City

Attuned School of Music This business offers a variety of camps for different ages, such as Jam Camp for those 12 and up, Circus Camp, Instrument Safari and Video Games Piano Camp, among other options. Type: arts Ages: 4-13 (12+ for Jam Camp)

Dates: June-August Cost: $995-$3,100 • 200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston • www.tamug.edu

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BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Ages: K-fifth grade Dates: June-August Cost: $225 (per week) • 151 W. Texas Ave., Webster • kidsrkids.com

Pasadena

Webster

Kids Scuba Camp Kids Scuba Camp offers educational experience leading to open water self-contained underwater breathing apparatus certification. Information is presented in written, video and lecture formats, which are practiced in a pool and open water environment. Type: sports Ages: 10-plus Dates: June-August Cost: $695 (per week) • 20814 Gulf Freeway 60, Webster • sportdivers.com/courses/scuba-camp Summer Warrior Camp This camp offers interactive classes for kids to do martial arts, science, technology, engineering and math activities, arts and crafts, movement and field trips. Type: academics, arts, sports Ages: 5-14 Dates: June-August Cost: $119-$199 (per week), $75 (registration fee) • 15230 Highway 3, Webster • www.summerwarriorcamp.com This list is not comprehensive.

School of Rock Clear Lake Camps From the basics of playing instruments, to songwriting or learning classic songs, this business offers a number of various camps for different age groups. Type: arts Ages: 4-17 Dates: June-August Cost: $199-$449 (per camp) • 1020 W. NASA Parkway, Ste. 146, Webster • www.schoolofrock.com

Armand Bayou Nature Center - EcoCamp EcoCamp offers active outdoor experiences, such as fishing, canoeing, pond exploration, insect collecting, bird watching, hiking and dip netting.

Type: day Ages: 4-13 Dates: June-August Cost: $170-$330 (per week) • 8500 Bay Area Blvd., Pasadena • www.abnc.org

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BAY AREA EDITION

Keeping up with rates From the cover

The conditions

The background

Home insurance rate changes

from 2020 to 2023

In Texas, 160 companies offer homeowners insurance policies as of 2025, which has remained steady since 2022 and is a 20% increase compared to a decade ago, according to the TDI. In 2023, insurance companies sold more than 8.7 million policies in Texas—up 35% from 2013. Still, insurance companies are struggling in Texas, according to filings from multiple insur- ance companies. In 2022, the San Antonio-based United States Army Automobile Association, or USAA, reported its first loss in its 102-year history, according to the insurer’s 2022 annual report. Other insurance companies are limiting the policies they write in Texas, filings show. “Our advice to consumers is to keep shopping,” TDI Communications Specialist Ben Gonzalez told Community Impact in an email. Texas insurance profitability Three times in the past decade, insurance companies in Texas paid out more money than they collected, resulting in a loss in certain years.

-1% or less

0% to 19%

20% to 39%

40% to 59%

60% to 80%

Since 2003, Texas has used a file-and-use system for home insurance, which allows insurance companies to issue higher rates without state approval so long as they notify the state, according to the Texas Department of Insurance, or TDI. These are referred to as “drive-by-filings,” said Ware Wendell, executive director of Texas Watch, which is an organization that monitors insurance practices in the state. “They could just slide an envelope across the desk at [Texas Department of Insurance] and tell them, ‘This is what we’re charging,’ and then put that into practice immediately,” he said. It’s incumbent upon the TDI to challenge hikes that don’t comply with state law, Wendell said. Of the more than 2,300 rate filings the TDI reviewed in 2024, none were disapproved, according to the TDI. From 2022 to 2023, insurance premiums in Texas increased by 23%, marking the highest rise in the nation in that timespan. This compared to the national average increase of 11%, according to a report from S&P Global, a company that specializes in information and analytics around finance and business. John Cobarruvias, a consumer advocate and Clear Lake homeowner, said he feels price increases from contractors are a cause for rising insurance costs for policyholders. Costs of repairing items such as roofs or other structural aspects of a home have risen over the past decade, he said, which in turn drives up the costs of insurance. “The roofing company charges that large amount, the insurance company pays that

No data available

Brazoria County: +24% Fort Bend County: +47% Galveston County: +24% Harris County: +28%

SOURCE: NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH/COMMUNITY IMPACT

large amount and then we get charged for it in their premiums,” he said. To help solve the issue, the state is looking at some bills in the ongoing legislative session, such as House Bill 2067 from Rep. Dennis Paul, R-Clear Lake, which would require insurers to provide a reason for when they decline, cancel or don’t renew a policy. Other help comes through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, or TWIA, which is a state- sponsored insurance provider for homeowners who can’t obtain a policy from private insurers. The number of polices written for homeowners in Brazoria and Galveston counties through TWIA has increased by at least 36% in each county dating back to 2019, according to TWIA data.

150% Years with a profit

Years with a loss

100%

50%

*PERCENTAGES ARE BASED ON DIVIDING TOTAL EXPENSES BY REVENUE, RESULTING IN ANYTHING UNDER 100% BEING CONSIDERED PROFITABLE. SOURCE: AM BEST/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Nonrenewal rates by county

How it works

Throughout the Greater Houston area, more homeowners have opted to not renew their insurance polices year-over-year since 2021.

Final takeaways

Insurance companies have stated in recent news releases they’re facing many risks, such as natural disasters and the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lumber and building costs. Issues related to Hurricane Beryl, which caused billions of dollars in damage, as well as Winter Storm Uri in 2021, are creating upward pressure on premiums, said Stephanie Montiel, a Pearland resident and insurance broker at TWFG Insurance. Higher premiums resulting from those issues are causing nonrenewal rates to climb in recent years, Montiel said. In December, the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget published a report that compiled nonrenewal rates across counties in all 50 states. The data confirms that the states and counties most vulnerable to climate-related risks, such as wildfires or hurricanes, have the highest nonre- newal rates and the most significant increases in these rates. Coastal counties such as Brazoria and Galveston counties fall into this camp, according to the report.

0% 2018 2019 2020 2021

2022 2023

Following Hurricane Beryl, TWIA officials asked to increase their rates by 10%, but the TDI blocked it, according to TWIA’s website. In a December report, TWIA officials stated they expect Beryl’s claims could fully deplete the organization’s $450 million catastrophic reserve trust fund. TWIA’s website states the organization hopes to discuss in the 89th legislative session some potential changes in how it pays for storm losses. Still, Cobarruvias said he is worried the TWIA is becoming the only insurance option for some homeowners. “That was supposed to be the insurance of last resort,” Cobarruvias said. In addition to his bill and others proposed, Paul gave some ideas for lowering rates. Those include fortified home perks, which would offer discounts for people who upgrade their homes to protect against disasters. The state could consider group insurance options to lower rates as well, he said.

0.5% 1%

1.5%

Brazoria

Fort Bend

Galveston

Harris

SOURCE: U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Bills to watch

TWIA policies written in 2023

Paul said he hopes HB 2067 will help hold insurance companies to account while also helping the state gather information as to why companies are dropping customers. Some, such as Cobarruvias, said they don’t feel this approach will help because it doesn’t directly deal with rate increases. However, Paul said the state is limited in how it can address the issue.

Paul said he feels the state needs to incentivize competition to bring in more insurance compa- nies, which he said would spread out the risk and therefore potentially lower rates. He said he believes the state setting direct rates or limiting increases could cause companies to leave. “Having government interference come in and set a rate is a total disaster,” he said.

Galveston County

78,237

36% increase since 2019

Brazoria County

45,478

45.8% increase since 2019

SOURCE: TEXAS WINDSTORM INSURANCE ASSOCIATION/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

Benefiting CASA of Galveston County The Bryan Museum Conservatory 1315 21st Street, Galveston Master of Ceremony Gina M. Spagnola President & CEO, Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce

HELP US STRIVE FOR A CASA FOR EVERY CHILD!

Visit our website today to learn more.

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$100 per individual ticket Includes lunch & champagne bar Silent Auction

CASA of Galveston County casagalveston.org

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