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Bellaire Meyerland West University Edition VOLUME 6, ISSUE 5 SEPT. 6 OCT. 3, 2024
Funds for the force Bellaire budget focuses on public safety while city calls bond for water projects
Bellaire Police O cers Chase Liccketoo, left, and Edmund Rumman, conduct a tra c stop in the city. Funding for the police department is a top priority in Bellaire's scal year 2024 25 budget.
CASSANDRA JENKINS COMMUNITY IMPACT
and delay additional items to the future. While city o cials will not be asking residents to approve a higher tax rate this scal year, a $70 million bond referendum is on the ballot this November to help fund water, wastewater and stormwater projects.
highest rate allowed before o cials would have to host a tax rate election. However, council members did contemplate raising taxes above the voter-ap- proval rate to fund more city initiatives. During budget workshops Aug. 12-16, council members decided instead to focus on top needs
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
Bellaire City Council adopted a $28 million budget Aug. 19 for scal year 2024-25 focused on safety ini- tiatives like police and emergency medical services. City Council also adopted the voter-approval property tax rate of $0.4333 per $100 valuation, the
CONTINUED ON 10
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Transportation: TxDOT nishes ramp project at I 69, Loop 610 interchange (Page 8)
History: Poor Farm Ditch traces back to county- owned farm for low-income population (Page 17)
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BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION
Impacts
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6 Ri ce Nex us The new makerspace by Rice University aims to bridge the gap between university staff, students and key partners. It will showcase technologies invented by Rice faculty and students, and provide lab and office space. • Opening fall 2024 7 Hudso n Hou se The eatery specializes in East Coast comfort food like oysters, cheeseburgers and martinis. Oysters are flown in fresh daily, while other menu items will include fried chicken, lobster rolls, fish tacos, sushi and steak frites. • Opening date TBD • 2400 University Blvd., Houston • www.hudsonhousehp.com • 4201 Main St., Houston • www.innovation.rice.edu 8 Jeni’s S plendid Ice Creams The chain offers artisanal ice creams, including gluten- free options. • Opening date TBD • 5511 Morningside Drive, Houston • www.jenis.com
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coffees, matcha lattes and lemonades. Food options include toasts and pastries. Brand merchandise, including cups, shirts and caps, are also sold. • Opened July 13 • 3502 S. Shepherd Drive, Houston • www.lalalandkindcafe.com 4 Always Best Care Personal care services include 24-hour supervision with bathing, grooming and dressing, meal preparation, laundry services, and transportation. Specialized services include cancer care and recovery, rehabilitation, and surgery recovery. • Opened Aug. 1 • 5555 W. Loop South, Ste. 435, Bellaire • www.alwaysbestcare.com/houstonmetro 5 HearUSA The business provides premium hearing care and participates with most insurance plans. Licensed hearing aid specialists provide no obligation, no charge hearing
Now open
1 Pho Ben The Vietnamese restaurant offers pho, banh mi sandwiches, spring rolls and vermicelli noodle bowls. • Opened July 24 • 5422 Bellaire Blvd., Ste. C, Bellaire • Instagram: pho_ben_bellaire 2 The Crumby Bakeshop The shop specializes in bespoke cakes while also offering coffee, breakfast pastries, brownies, cookies and cupcakes, among other options. • Opened Aug. 31
• 4530 Beechnut St., Houston • www.crumbybakeshop.com
Relocation
3 La La Land Kind Cafe The coffee shop serves organic craft drinks, such as
9 Dyslexia Sc hool of Houston The school relocated from University Boulevard to a
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BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF
12 Wier Pa rk After undergoing roughly $1 million in improvements, the park reopened June 29. Upgrades include fencing and bollard lighting at gate entries, connective pathways and shade structures, and a gathering area for residents. • 3012 Nottingham St., West University Place • www.westutx.gov
new, larger space. It offers literacy-based tutoring and dyslexia therapy for students. • Reopened Sept. 3
Now open
• 2016 Bissonnet St., Houston • www.dyslexiahouston.org
Expansion
10 Chil dren’s Museum Houston The museum’s Fiddle Stick Toys store is expanding, and its Secret Spy Experience is undergoing a total makeover with both updates set to be unveiled in December. The museum will also add a box office to streamline entry. • Expansion to be completed in December
Closed
13 PNC Ba nk The Rice Village location closed in May, bank officials confirmed. Another PNC branch located nearby can be found at 4555 Bissonnet St., Houston. • Closed May 17 • 2401 University Blvd., Houston • www.pnc.com 14 Mo Li Hua The Chinese eatery has closed temporarily and is undergoing a reconceptualization, restaurant officials said. • Closed early August
• 1500 Binz St., Houston • www.cmhouston.org
15 Jano Latin K itche n and Bar The Latin American eatery serves cuisines from across Central America. Menu items include Venezuelan cheese sticks called tequenos, as well as empanadas, ceviche, carne asada and tres leches. • Opened Aug. 3 • 5506 Bellaire Blvd., Ste. C, Houston • www.janolatinkitchen.com
In the news
11 James A very Artisan Jewelry The jewelry chain’s 70th anniversary traveling trunk show allows customers to visit a local James Avery retail store from Sept. 27-30 to try on and purchase 23 exclusive designs. • 660 Meyerland Plaza, Houston • www.jamesavery.com
• 7118 Bertner Ave., Houston • www.molihuahouston.com
Learn More
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BELLAIRE - MEYERLAND - WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION
Education
BY WESLEY GARDNER & HANNAH NORTON
TEA blocked from issuing 2023-24 A-F ratings For the second year in a row, a Travis County judge blocked the Texas Education Agency from releasing its A-F accountability ratings for Texas school districts and campuses Aug. 12. The case echoes a 2023 lawsuit from over 100 school districts, which alleged the TEA’s revamped system was “unlawful” and would unfairly harm school districts. The agency was set to release ratings for the 2023-24 school year on Aug. 15. What’s happening In a lawsuit filed Aug. 12, five public school districts—Pecos-Barstow-Toyah, Crandall, Forney, Fort Stockton and Kingsville ISDs—said the TEA has not been transparent about changes to its system and failed to fix “mistakes” made last year. Plaintiffs also expressed concerns that “it is not mathematically possible” for many schools to receive an A rating under the new system.
HISD places $4.4B in bonds on ballot Voters within Houston ISD’s boundaries will decide the fate of a $4.4 billion bond referendum following a unanimous vote by the district’s board of managers to place the bond on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. The overview The bond will largely focus on upgrading and improving more than 270 campuses throughout the district. Voters will consider two separate bond propositions during the Nov. 5 election, including: • Proposition A: $3.96 billion to address aging infrastructure • Proposition B: $440 million for technol- ogy infrastructure and upgrades
How it works Texas’ A-F system, designed in 2017, gives parents insight about the quality of their children’s schools. If a campus or district receives a failing grade for several years in a row, the state can intervene. Among other factors, ratings are based on:
Student performance on standardized tests
Academic growth
High school graduation rates
Closing achievement gaps
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Zooming in Travis County District Judge Karin Crump sided with the school districts in an Aug. 12 order, tem- porarily blocking the TEA from issuing new ratings while litigation continues. TEA officials said they are reviewing the filing to determine next steps.
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Real estate
Median sale prices rose in four of five local ZIP codes when comparing data from July 2024 with July 2023, including by more than 50% in 77005 and 77025. Residential market data
Number of homes sold
July 2023
July 2024
-13.04%
+4.76%
-37.5%
-13.79%
-4%
59
77005
77025
77030
77096
77401
77005
77401
77030
Median home sales price
77025
610
July
2023
2024
77096
$1,358,154 $490,000 $820,000 $397,700 $1,342,443
$2,099,500 $764,030 $910,000 $410,000 $1,266,680
77005
90
288
N
77025
Homes sold by price point
77030
July 2024
77096
45
77401
$1,000,000+
8
$750,00-$999,999
19
Average days on market +115%
$500,000-$749,999
+166.67%
-6.12%
-27.69%
+26.79%
23
$250,000-$499,999
1
<$250,000
MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY ALINA ROGERS SPARROW REALTY • 281-961-2944 WWW.SPARROW-REALTY.COM
77005
77025
77030
77096
77401
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BELLAIRE - MEYERLAND - WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION
Transportation
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & CASSANDRA JENKINS
TxDOT finishes work on I-69, Loop 610 connector ramp widening project A Houston-area project meant to improve safety and mobility on what officials called the most congested road in Texas wrapped up Aug. 1 with roads now completely open to drivers. The big picture The $259 million project by the Texas Depart- ment of Transportation, which started in 2017, involved widening all connector ramps between Loop 610 and I-69 in southwest Houston from one to two lanes. It also involved the reconstruction of the 610 West Loop main lane bridges with new shoulders and the construction of new access ramps. Interchanges were upgraded to current design standards with changes made to reduce the need for drivers to weave, a term referring to the quick
First part of I-45 work to begin in October The Texas Department of Transportation will begin work on the first segment of an I-45 expansion project expected to run through 2038. The entire $11 billion project, called the North Houston Highway Improve- ment Project, involves adding two managed lanes to I-45 between Downtown Houston and Beltway 8 North. The first segment to go under construction involves making drainage improvements around St. Emman- uel Street and will run through 2027.
W. ALABAMA ST.
ICHMOND AVE.
69
69
610
Houston
N
back-and-forth movement between lanes. The project involved building two detention ponds under the interchange in coordination with the Harris County Flood Control District. What they’re saying Texas Highway Commissioner Bruce Bugg said he believes the project was critical to accommo- date the growing population in Houston. “We have to keep our transportation system ready to meet the goals of, not only today, but we’re constantly looking forward,” Bugg said.
Houston
45
BUFFALO BAYOU
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USDOT grant to fund study on vehicle tech, safety The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration awarded a $19.2 million grant Aug. 9 to study safety technology. The full story
Specific details Testing in Texas will start with the Greater Houston region and the city of College Station, USDOT officials said. The project will leverage nearly 1,000 existing Signal Phase and Timing installations in Houston, and equip another 30 intersections with the
people and roadside infrastructure, according to USDOT information. The grant will advance testing technology that could enable cars to tell drivers about: • The changing of traffic signals • If someone is in the car’s turn path • If there are slow-downs ahead • Dangerous road and weather conditions
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Environment
BY MELISSA ENAJE
Hurricane Beryl’s impact left around half a million CenterPoint customers without power for at least five days after the hurricane landed on July 8. Eight Harris County fatalities were attributed to heat exposure due to power outages, according to July 24 data from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. From July until December, investigations and formal hearings are ongoing into CenterPoint Energy and other Greater Houston-area utility providers’ emergency response and preparedness efforts for the storm. Meanwhile, a new 13-member Texas Senate Special Committee was formed July 17 and tasked with studying power companies’ hurricane and storm preparedness. The committee first met July 29, asking why more than 2 million Houston-area residents lost power and why it took weeks to restore it. The hearing was held as Texas policymakers continued investigations into how various utility companies performed not only in the wake of Beryl, but also the derecho wind storm that hit Houston in May, knocking out power for nearly 1 million CenterPoint customers. While appearing in front of Texas public utility commissioners on July 25, CenterPoint Energy executives laid out a three-phase resiliency plan with details and deadlines as early as Aug. 1. CenterPoint’s plan focuses on three priorities: • Customer communications • Resiliency investments • Strengthened partnerships CenterPoint releases resiliency plan after Beryl
The action taken
In what may be the first staff action related to Beryl, Lynnae Wilson, CenterPoint’s senior vice president of electric business, is no longer with the company as of July 29, according to an email from CenterPoint media officials. In a July 28 publicly advertised letter, CenterPoint CEO Jason Wells apologized for falling short of customer expectations during times of emergency. Wells also outlined immediate actions to improve not only future response and restoration efforts, but
also customer and public-facing communications. CenterPoint Energy’s resiliency plan includes prioritizing power restoration and temporary generator deployment for critical facilities. The top five general priority levels for mobile generator deployment include: • Hospitals • Emergency services & Houston airports • Cooling centers • Senior/assisted living facilities • Small emergency rooms
CenterPoint Energy's 3-phase timeline to implement resiliency improvements*
Completed
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Immediately
By Aug. 15
By Dec. 31
Prioritize restoration and temporary generation deployment for critical facilities, including critical care facilities, water utilities
Harden nearly 350 distribution line miles to the latest extreme wind standard; CenterPoint is replacing wooden towers with steel and concrete towers
Complete all aerial imagery and visual inspections on all overhead distribution circuits affected by Beryl to identify equipment or vegeta- tion-related issues that could impact future outages Informed by the Texas governor’s office, CenterPoint will execute identified repairs based on risk Increase call center capacity by 165% for storm events with a standard average answer speed of 5 minutes or less
Launch initial public communi- cations earlier in the storm cycle
Hire two new senior leaders: one for emergency preparedness and response and one for communications
By Aug. 1
By Aug. 31
By June 1, 2025
Launch a new cloud-based
Leverage AI and implement changes to accelerate dispatch of vegetation crews to immediately ad- dress higher-risk vegetation issues through Dec. 31 Remove 100% of vegetation from the 2,000 incremental distribution lines considered to be at a higher-risk due to vegetation Deploy 300 automated devices to reduce sustained interruptions and reduce restoration time By Sept. 30 Select sites for up to 10 donated backup generator facilities
Install donated backup generator facilities
storm outage tracker
Increase mobile generators
from four to 13 units
Adopt a daily press briefing policy before and during a named storm and daily restoration updates during the press briefing
By Aug. 9
Coordinate more closely with local, county and state officials as well as emergency management personnel to align response efforts
*LIST IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE SOURCES: CENTERPOINT ENERGY, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SMART GRID CENTER/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
Number of customers without power 2.5M CenterPoint Energy Hurricane Beryl outages
What to expect
Impact , CenterPoint did not provide information on how much the new plan will cost the company and its customers. The state could take action on energy legislation next legislative session as Senate committee members on July 29 looked into what new regulations or legislation they can enact to keep similar circumstances from happening again. While no further Senate committee meetings on hurricane preparedness are scheduled for this year, the PUC’s final investigation report will be delivered to the governor and Legislature for review by Dec. 1.
CenterPoint originally filed a $2.2 billion-$2.7 billion resiliency plan with the PUC for its long- term sustainability efforts on April 29, prior to the derecho and Beryl outages. Internal July 24 communication between Wells and Gov. Greg Abbott indicated Wells enacted stricter deadlines to CenterPoint’s original resiliency plan, which required refiling with the PUC in order to meet the new strategies, Wells said. By Aug. 1, the company withdrew its PUC filing and announced it needs to complete a broader assessment of additional resiliency opportunities. In an email with Community
2.2M
2M 1.5M 1M 500K 0
4,713
Hurricane Beryl lands
9
BELLAIRE - MEYERLAND - WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION
Funds for the force From the cover
The overview
In the budget
Removed items City Council removed several items from the budget to set a lower tax rate, such as:
A large portion of this year’s budget will fund items related to public safety, including:
Priorities in the 2024-25 budget are hiring new police officers, funding a crime victim specialist, adding paramedics and purchasing flock safety cameras, City Manager Sharon Citino said. “I’m happy to see that the new officers were included in the budget,” Police Chief Onesimo Lopez said. “This shows that the City Council as a body is responsive to citizen concerns and is committed to public safety in Bellaire.” Mayor Gus Pappas said Bellaire will likely need to raise taxes to fund the items that were left off of the FY 2024-25 budget, which included capital improvement projects and hiring city personnel. A city must get voter approval for its tax rate if revenue raised from existing property would increase by more than 3.5% from the previous year. “In the current climate, ... we have to make a lot of tough trade-offs,” Pappas said. “It’s very difficult to operate inside the 3.5% revenue cap in the environment we are in. If we can’t get what we need inside the voter-approval rate, then we will need to go to the voters to raise taxes in the future.”
New ambulance: $364,000
Feld Park lighting and netting: $270,000
Updated 10-year parks master plan: $150,000
Four marked patrol cars: $353,000
Deputy city clerk: $86,000
Three new police officers: $318,000
New fire marshal: $70,000
Crime victim specialist: $23,000
Risk manager, safety and training specialist: $58,000
Four flock safety cameras: $14,600
Gear for officers: $10,800
Consultant for economic development: $50,000
SOURCE: CITY OF BELLAIRE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Police, fire response over the years
Zooming in
Key
Calls for service
Average response time
answering calls for service. Lopez said his officers are in the 70%-80% range. That time is expected to drop between 50%-60% with the new hires, Lopez said. This will allow officers more time for proactive policing such as traffic stops and active patrol, he said. Four stationary flock cameras will also assist with traffic and crime enforcement, Lopez said. The devices are used to read license plates and capture images of vehicles, according to the Flock Safety website, the manufacturer of the cameras. Emergency medical services will also see a boost in personnel with a handful of part-time paramedics added in the budget to staff a second primary ambulance. Bellaire Fire Chief Deacon Tittel said, for the past 3-5 years, the fire department has seen an increase in call volume and has had to receive aid from neighboring cities. With the additional paramedics and second ambulance, he said the fire department will be able to reduce the use of mutual aid and provide better service for residents. Paramedics will be used primarily during peak hours Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tittel said the goal is to start recruiting in Sep- tember with a potential start date in early 2025.
City Council wanted to focus on public health and safety, City Manager Sharon Citino said. “Creating the budget is about being fiscally responsible and we were able to do that this year,” she said. “Policing and medical services... are the main priorities for the city right now.” Chief Lopez said Bellaire residents have been calling for additional police visibility in the com- munity for the past few years believing there to be a rise in crime in the city. While he said he doesn’t believe there has been a surge in crime, according to the police depart- ment’s year-in-review reports, there has been an uptick in calls for service since 2019. Response times have also increased. The average response time in 2021 was two and a half minutes, according to police reports. In mid-2023, it grew to between four and five minutes, where it has remained since. Lopez said he would like to see that average response time reduced to two and a half minutes with the arrival of the new hires. Additional personnel could also help lessen the amount of time officers are responding to calls. According to a police staffing report by the Inter- national City and County Management Association for Public Safety Management in 2021, officers should not spend more than 60% of their time
2019
32,168
4 minutes 27 seconds
2020
30,007
3 minutes 14 seconds
2021
29,094
2 minutes 28 seconds
2022
31,764
4 minutes 53 seconds
2023
38,043
5 minutes 06 seconds
2024*
25,537
4 minutes 55 seconds
*DATA IS AS OF 3 P.M. AUG. 21
SOURCES: CITY OF BELLAIRE, BELLAIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT/COMMUNITY IMPACT NOTE: CALLS FOR SERVICE AND RESPONSE TIMES REFLECT DATA FROM BOTH THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
10
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
In other news
Important dates to know Sept. 16: Sept.
“Rain events are more frequent and intense,” Jones said. “As a result, what our infrastructure was designed to do many years ago is not up to standard anymore.” If the bond is approved, Chief Financial Officer Terrence Beaman said staff will account for it in FY 2025-26. He said the bond could be paid by either ratepayers through drainage fees or an increase in the tax rate. Drainage projects could also be a priority this year with a monthly fee potentially being added to resident bills. City officials proposed the addition of a stormwater drainage utility fee in July to create revenue for drainage and infrastructure projects. The proposed flat rate monthly fee for residential owners is $6. According to city officials, the fee will cover operations and maintenance expenditures such as personnel, equipment, infrastructure and drainage projects.
City Council voted Aug. 19 to place the $70 million bond package on ballots Nov. 5, separated into two ballot items, including: • A $30 million bond for water and wastewater improvements • A $ 40 million bond for stormwater improvements Beth Jones, assistant city manager and city engineer, said the bond will fund the widening of Cypress Ditch, demolishing Bellaire’s wastewater treatment plant and connecting the city’s wastewater system to a city of Houston wastewater treatment plant. Jones said connecting to Houston’s wastewater treatment plant was the cheaper of three options the city explored. It would cost $100 million to rebuild Bellaire’s plant or $71.5 million to rehab it, whereas connecting to Houston’s plant would cost around $30 million.
Public hearing and final council vote on stormwater drainage utility fee Oct. 1: Stormwater utility fee could be implemented
Oct.
Oct. 7: Deadline for voter registration
Nov.
Nov. 5: Voters consider bond package as part of general election
Dec.
SOURCES: CITY OF BELLAIRE, U.S. VOTE FOUNDATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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Government
BY MELISSA ENAJE & CASSANDRA JENKINS
Harris County approves $10M for criminal courts An estimated $10 million comprehensive reform initiative aimed at advancing quality and e ciency within Harris County’s district criminal courts was unanimously approved by county commissioners at an Aug. 6 meeting. The plan, spearheaded by Precinct 4 Commis- sioner Lesley Briones, will invest in ve areas,
Voter registration initiatives approved By a vote of 4-1, Harris County commis- sioners approved a voter registration pilot program aimed at increasing total voter turnout numbers at elections, including among marginalized and working-class communities. Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey cast the dissenting vote at the Aug. 6 court meeting. The breakdown Carried out across multiple county depart- ments, the program includes: • Developing an unregistered voters map • Hiring a vendor to assist with voter outreach e orts • Implementing a text-to-register program and other registration pilot programs
West U holds record vote on tax rate Members of the West University Place City Council held a record vote Aug. 12 on a proposed property tax rate of $0.241930 per $100 valuation. The rate will come back to the council for adoption Sept. 23, and the Council can choose to adopt a lower rate. Going forward A public hearing date for the city’s 2024-25 budget is scheduled for Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m. West U’s budget will be presented to the council at a Sept. 23 meeting for adoption.
New police, re chiefs take over in Houston Houston Mayor John Whitmire named a new re chief in late July and a new police chief in early August, and both appointments were approved by Houston City Council at an Aug. 14 meeting. The big picture Thomas Muñoz, the city’s former coordinator for the O ce of Emergency Management, took over as the city’s new re chief. He replaced Sam Peña, who served as re chief since 2016. Muñoz holds a master’s degree in emergency management and a master’s degree in homeland security. He also served the Houston Fire Depart- ment for 24 years, earning the title of assistant chief of homeland security and planning in 2017. Also of note J. Noe Diaz, a former Texas Ranger and police chief for the city of Katy, was named the new
including updating court technology and further reducing the criminal court backlog, while also providing bilingual assistance and mental health support services to defendants. Funding for the project will come from a combination of capital improvement, general and American Rescue Plan Act funds, according to Briones’ o ce. Expanding mental health support along with the jail-based competency restoration program will result in jail population reduction, District Court Judge Lori Gray said in a news release.
Thomas Muñoz
J. Noe Diaz
chief of police for the Houston Police Department. Diaz worked for over 10 years on various public corruption investigations, maintains top-secret clearance as a task force o cer for the Federal Bureau of Investigations and is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Diaz replaced interim Police Chief Larry Satter- white, who held the position temporarily since former Police Chief Troy Finner retired in May. As the new chief, Diaz said he will focus on issues such as recruiting younger o cers, dealing with public corruption and enhancing technology within the department.
Harris County criminal district court active cases
While the number of criminal district court cases have decreased since 2022, the new investments are meant to further the momentum and address justice barriers that could delay the life cycle of cases.
0 50K 40K 30K 20K
49,513
Property tax rates by year
Fiscal year 2023-24
**Property tax levy: $21M
*$0.26084
29,579
Potential FY 2024-25
Jan.
Dec.
Jan.
Dec.
Jan.
July
**Property tax levy: $20.6M
*$0.24193
2022
2023
2024
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT COURTS COMMUNITY IMPACT
* PER $100 OF VALUATION. **ESTIMATED SOURCE: CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE COMMUNITY IMPACT
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Events
BY ASIA ARMOUR
to sit on and can purchase concessions, including fresh popcorn, candy and drinks. The code “TMC3” can be used to validate two hours of parking.
September
Moody’s Tent Series Reception Houston-based artists Lorena Molina and Sindhu Thirumalaisamy are celebrated with an opening reception for their murals. Part of the Moody’s Center for the Arts tent series, the murals are meant to engage local talent to provide cultural commentary through art. • Sept. 11, 5-7 p.m. • Free with registration • Loop Road across from Herring Hall, Rice University • https://moody.rice.edu Brew at the Zoo The Houston Zoo hosts this 21-years-and-older event, which allows attendees to experience the new Birds of the World exhibit that opens Labor Day weekend. The event also features live music from bands and beer tastings from several breweries. • Sept. 13, 6-10 p.m. • $35-$49 • 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston • www.houstonzoo.org Movie Night in Helix Park The Texas Medical Center hosts a showing of “Pitch Perfect” at Helix Park. Families can bring a mat or towel
• Sept. 20, 7 p.m. • Free (admission) • 1885 Old Spanish Trail Road, Houston • www.helixpark.com/events
The University Run This 10K, 5K, family and Kids K event hosted by Rice University Athletics invites students, alumni and fans to represent the school. Participants are encouraged to represent their favorite college in a sprint through Rice University. • Sept. 22, 7:30 a.m. • $20-$65 2024 Bellaire Foodie Fest Located in Bellaire Town Square, this food festival provides unlimited food and drink samplings, live entertainment and cooking demonstrations. Proceeds benefit the Bellaire Police & Fire Foundation. • Sept. 28, 5-8 p.m. • $20 (children ages 12 and under); $35 (adults) • 6100 Main St., Houston • www.houstonrunning.co
Viet Cultural Fest 2024 This event at NRG Center highlights Vietnamese heritage through cultural entertainment, traditional games, competitions and authentic cuisine. It features a pho-eating contest, a free health fair, and a showcase of local, Vietnamese- owned businesses and restaurants. • Sept. 14, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. • $10 • 1 Fannin St., Houston • www.vietculturalfest.org
• 7008 S. Rice Ave., Bellaire • www.bellairefoodiefest.com
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Nonpro t
BY LIZZY SPANGLER
Kids’ Meals helps feed children across Harris, Montgomery counties Kids’ Meals, a nonpro t delivering food to preschool-aged children in Harris and Montgomery counties, is on a mission to wipe out childhood hunger in Houston, Chief Operations and Program O cer John Day said. “That’s our No. 1 goal, and that’s something that I strive for every day,” Day said. The big picture The nonpro t, which started in 2006, has a 56-ZIP code service area, Day said. During the school year, Kids’ Meals generally serves children ages 0-5, and when school is out or during the summer break, all children ages 0-18 are fed. To qualify for meal delivery, families must have a child between 0-5 years old and also meet the requirements for the National School Lunch Program. Day said the nonpro t can typically get a family on a route within two days of an application being lled out. Each meal, which has an all-in cost of $2, includes a sandwich, a snack, a fruit and a drink, Day said. Kids’ Meals serves around 15,000 kids a day. Looking ahead This past June, the nonpro t broke ground on a new 50,000-square-foot building in Harris County that will provide additional warehouse and volunteer space. The building is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2025, Day said. “We’ve got to be there to support [these kids] and ensure that we are taking care—every single day—of our future,” Day said. “That’s what we’re doing.”
Across Harris and Montgomery counties, Kids’ Meals made 1.47 million meals and served 9,334 children in the rst and second quarters of 2024.
COURTESY KIDS’ MEALS
Kids' Meals impact, rst and second quarter of 2024
W. CROSSTIMBERS ST.
Harris County Montgomery County
1
GARDEN OAKS BLVD.
Meals made and delivered
81,365
1,391,662
N
Preschool- aged children served
602
8,732
1488
Families supported Value of in-kind donations Volunteer shifts Volunteer hours
477
5,402
GREENFIELD FOREST DR.
$17,420
$1,086,297
2
1,459
12,174
N
1 330 Garden Oaks Blvd., Houston; 2 5517 FM 1488, Ste. E, Magnolia www.kidsmealsinc.org
36,522
4,377
SOURCE: KIDS' MEALS COMMUNITY IMPACT
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History
BY MELISSA ENAJE
An African American male sits on a porch in what seems to be Harris County’s Poor Farm or Home for the Aged.
COURTESY HARRIS COUNTY ARCHIVES
Poor Farm Ditch traces back to county-owned farm African American residents sit at housing at the Harris County Home for the Aged. In 1921, Harris County commissioners used $80,000 to purchase 100 acres of land to build facilities for both white and African American low-income seniors. COURTESY HARRIS COUNTY ARCHIVES
Poor Farm Ditch runs through Southside Place and West University Place, and was built in the 1950s.
Poor Farm Ditch has a paradoxical name. The human-made ditch, built in the 1950s, runs through the a uent cities of Southside Place and West University Place. However, the ditch’s name harkens back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, a time when the area served as a farm for low-in- come and senior individuals. Taking a step back In Harris County’s early days, county commis- sioners purchased land to create “poor houses,” where lower income populations could live. On May 12, 1894, commissioners purchased 200 acres of land for the county’s second poor farm. The property extended north of Bellaire Boulevard to somewhere north of present-day Bissonnet Street. Its eastern boundary line is where the pres- ent Poor Farm Ditch can be found. The poor farm’s location also includes West University Place. A newspaper article from the Houston Daily Post published July 25, 1915, described the Poor Farm as being surrounded by chinaberry, cottonwood and live oak trees. The grounds were lled with owers, white buildings and “nothing like the home of the poor.” The farm was well-managed and comfortable for those who were old and alone. At the time the article was published, the farm had 68 residents, and functioned with acres of corn, a vegetable garden, at least 400 chickens, and numerous cattle, pigs, ducks and geese.
Looking back The farm took a turn in the 1920s when develop- ers began buying property and selling homesites on land adjacent to Poor Farm. Harris County commissioners at the time noted how the property value had gone up exponentially and decided to sell the property and disband the green pastures. Yet it wasn’t the end for the residents who called Poor Farm home. By 1921, county commissioners, led by County Judge Chester Bryan, used $80,000 to purchase 100 acres in eastern Harris County. There, they built facilities for low income and senior populations, both white and African Amer- ican. By March 1922, 75 eligible residents were transferred to the new facility, which was called Harris County Home for the Aged. The rising property value in the former site of the county’s Poor Farm became of interest to developers in the 1920s. On Oct. 1, 1923, the county sold the land to Charles Wood. Wood and two other developers began developing what is now Southside Place and West University Place. Drainage in the land became a problem as the lots ooded during rains in the area. A.D. Foreman became the exclusive agent for developing West U and worked with county commissioners for three years to create a solution to the problem. By 1923, Drainage District No. 12 was created. A bond issue was approved, and Brays Bayou was deepened, widened, straightened, and dredged in 1928.
SHAWN ARRAJJ COMMUNITY IMPACT
610
BUFFALO SPEEDWAY
W. HOLCOMBE BLVD.
Poor Farm Ditch
90
288
BEECHNUT ST.
N. BRAESWOOD BLVD.
BRAYS BAYOU
610
N
Current situation While ooding was a problem for West U and Southside Place, infrastructure and drainage investments addressed stormwater capacity. Jack Stopnicki serves as the Brays Bayou Associ- ation vice president and said he gives credit to the Harris County Flood Control District for improve- ments and rehabilitation to Brays Bayou. “It’s made a big di erence. Even after we just had Hurricane [Beryl], within an hour after the rain stopped, the water was already going down. It was incredible to see how fast the water drained o ,” Stopnicki said.
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