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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 10 FEB. 23 MARCH 21, 2023
SKY HIGH TRAINING
United Airlines plans to ramp up hiring with the January opening of its new Global Inight Training Center at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, which more than doubles the size of its previous facility with new classrooms, an aquatic center and additional cabin and door training stations.
Mercer Botanic Gardens Visitor Center reopens Harris County
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approves 10% toll road rate discount
United Airlines ocials project its Houston-based Global Inight Training Center, which opened Jan. 17, will result in: 15,000 individuals trained and hired in 2023 600 ight attendants trained per month 1,800 new jobs created in the Greater Houston area in 2023 $1.2B of annual economic activity estimated in Greater Houston
Transportation Updates
9
SOURCES: UNITED AIRLINES, COMPASS LEXECON, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMUNITY IMPACT
PHOTO BY WESLEY GARDNER COMMUNITY IMPACT
United Airlines, IAH continue projects despite setbacks United Airlines opened a new training center at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, or IAH, in January that will train 600 new ight attendants per month as Houston Air- port System ocials continue work on IAH’s $1.36 billion International Terminal Redevelopment Program. airline industry nationwide as of November, marking an 18.6% increase from May 2020, according to data pro- vided by the U.S. Department of Transportation. United Airlines ocials said its newly expanded 56,000-square-foot Global Inight Training Center at IAH will train and hire 15,000 workers and create 1,800 BY WESLEY GARDNER
Juicy Heads & Spicy Tails puts spin on crawsh boils
10
Following mass layos due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 784,000 individuals were employed in the
CONTINUED ON 15
County jail population, deaths swell in 2022
In 2022, the Harris County Jail recorded the highest number of in-custody deaths since 2006, and the population surged to numbers not seen since 2011. Harris County’s overburdened jail
Lake Houston dam design receives favorable rating
12
BY RACHEL CARLTON
The Harris County Jail was pushed to its limits in 2022: the average daily population in the third quarter of the year rose above 10,000 people for the rst time since 2011, according to the county’s jail population dashboard. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards also found the jail out of compliance twice in the lat- ter half of 2022: once Sept. 7 for
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in-custody deaths in Harris County Jail in 2022 27
average jail population in third quarter 2022, the most since 2011 10,033 of inmates on Aug. 1 were incarcerated pretrial, up from 58.8% in August 2012 84.9%
approved by Commissioners Court to outsource inmates to other jails in 2022 $34.89M
SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, TEXAS COMMISSION ON JAIL STANDARDSCOMMUNITY IMPACT
CONTINUED ON 17
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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
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ABOUT US Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today. We have expanded to include hundreds of team members and have created our own software platform and printing facility. CI delivers 35+ localized editions across Texas to more than 2.5 million residential mailboxes. MARKET TEAM GENERAL MANAGER Kim Giannetti EDITOR Hannah Brol REPORTERS Wesley Gardner, Emily Lincke GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ronald Winters ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Richard Hernandez METRO LEADERSHIP PUBLISHER Jason Culpepper MANAGING EDITOR Matt Stephens COPY EDITOR Adrian Gandara ART PRODUCTION MANAGER Ethan Pham CONTACT US 16300 Northwest Freeway Jersey Village, TX 77040 • 2814696181 CI CAREERS communityimpact.com/careers PRESS RELEASES lhknews@communityimpact.com ADVERTISING lhkads@communityimpact.com Learn more at communityimpact.com/advertising EMAIL NEWSLETTERS communityimpact.com/newsletter SUPPORT US Join your neighbors by giving to the CI Patron program. Funds support our journalistic mission to provide trusted, local news in your community. Learn more at communityimpact.com/cipatron
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH
FROM KIM: It’s ocially crawsh season! These tiny lobster-like creatures, also referred to as mudbugs, live in freshwater like marshes and rivers. This time of year, you can nd numerous crawsh festivals all over Texas to celebrate these slightly salty, slightly sweet crustaceans. Located in Humble, check out our dining feature this month, Juicy Heads & Spicy Tails, which serves up Cajun dishes including crawsh. We’ve even included a step-by- step guide on how to eat these tasty mudbugs (see Page 10). Kim Giannetti, GENERAL MANAGER
CORRECTION: Volume 7, Issue 9 On Page 12, the address for Firecraft BBQ was incorrectly listed as 2665 Royal Forest Drive, Ste. 810, Kingwood. The correct address is 2665 Royal Forest Drive, Ste. B10, Kingwood. FROM HANNAH: When the COVID-19 pandemic rst hit the Greater Houston area in 2020, air travel slowed resulting in employment at airports nationwide plummeting, including at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Three years later, however, air travel has picked back up along with employment locally, and IAH ocials are moving full-steam ahead with its $1.36 billion International Terminal Redevelopment Program. To learn more about the latest happenings at IAH, see our front-page story which continues on Page 15. Hannah Brol, EDITOR
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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
IMPACTS
Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding
NOW OPEN 1 Jet’s Pizza opened Dec. 17 at 2611 Mills Branch Drive, Ste. 100, Kingwood. The Michigan-based chain oers subs, salads and a variety of pizza options, including Detroit-style deep dish, hand- tossed round, thin crust and gluten free. 281-888-8825. www.jetspizza.com 2 HotTailz Crawsh N’ Seafood opened Feb. 11 at 23325 Owens Road, Porter. The food trailer oers crawsh, snow crab, shrimp and sausage. 832-606-3334. https://bit.ly/3l90lUs 3 Paige Lynn & Co. opened Jan. 28 at 1714 Roman Forest Blvd., Ste. A, New Caney. The boutique oers women’s clothing, including tops, bottoms and dresses, as well as plus-size options, shoes, accessories and home decor. 281-937-4306. www.paigelynnandco.com 4 Carter’s opened its co-branded concept with OshKosh B’gosh on Jan. 3. Located at 11985 N. Grand Parkway E., Ste. 21559, New Caney, the store specializes in children’s clothing for newborns up to 14-year-olds. 281-226-9229. www.carters.com, www.oshkosh.com 5 Charmed Stones opened Nov. 11 inside Deerbrook Mall, 20131 Hwy. 59 N., Humble. The cart is located in the mall’s common area between Express and Bath & Body Works and sells a variety of crystal and stone jewelry. 281-446-6626 6 Kanga’s Indoor Playcenter opened Feb. 8 at 5366 FM 1960, Humble. The facility is geared toward children ages 1-11 and features a multilevel indoor playground, in¡atable bouncy attractions, ball pools, a dedicated toddler area, party rooms and a cafe. 281-570-4638. www.facebook.com/kangas.atascocita 7 Cosmic Air Adventure Park opened Feb. 3 at 256 FM 1960 Bypass Road E., Humble. The adventure park features a variety of attractions, including trampolines, obstacle courses, a zip line, rope courses and a trampoline basketball
Humble. The indoor playground is geared toward children age 8 and younger and features soft play centers, pretend town centers and an indoor sensory gym. 281-741-8685. www.imagineuhtx.com 9 Healthy Cubs Pediatrics opened in November at 16430 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Ste. 400, Houston. Led by Dr. Hilary Neufeld, the new clinic oers pediatric health care services for infants, children and teens. 281-519-3826. www.healthycubspediatrics.com 10 Memorial Hermann-GoHealth Urgent Care opened Jan. 23 at 30129 Rock Creek Drive, Ste. 200, Kingwood. The new center oers a wide array of services for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries for patients as young as 6 months old. 346-477-8144. www.gohealthuc.com/memorialhermann Arquella Hargrove announced the launch of her new business and sales coaching company, The Growth Coach of Northeast Houston , via a news release Jan. 30. The business oers leadership training and one-on-one coaching for sales professionals, managers, management teams and self-employed 11 Hella Bubble is planning to open a new location at 2714 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Ste. 158, Kingwood. This will be the third location for the Houston- based business, which oers fruit teas, milk teas, lattes, brewed teas and smoothies, with toppings such as boba and homemade milk foam. A projected opening date had not been announced as of press time. www.hellabubble.com 12 Construction has begun on a new PetSuites of America resort at 25748 Loop 494, Kingwood, o¢cials with the East Montgomery County Improvement District conrmed Jan. 19. PetSuites of America oers pet boarding, day care, grooming and training services for dogs and cats. A projected opening date for the new location had not been announced as of press time. www.petsuitesofamerica.com 13 Rogers Premier Salon Suites is anticipated to open a new location professionals. 281-755-2100. www.thegrowthcoach.com/ northeast-houston COMING SOON
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court. 281-694-5000. www.cosmicairpark.com
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8 Imagine U opened Oct. 8 at 9506 N. Sam Houston Parkway E., Ste. 250,
MAP NOT TO SCALE
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N . L A K E H O U S T O N P K W Y .
Find one in your neighborhood.
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COMPILED BY HANNAH BROL, WESLEY GARDNER & EMILY LINCKE
in September at 22186 Market Place Drive, New Caney, according to Total PR. The business will provide beauty services, such as hair care, massages, skin treatments and nail care. www.rogerspremiersalonsuites.com 14 Construction on a new CareNow Urgent Care location is expected to begin in March or April at 11985 N. Grand Parkway E., New Caney, according to Total PR. CareNow oers adult and pediatric primary care as well as urgent care services. As of press time, an opening date had not been announced for this location. www.carenow.com 15 The Trail of Lakes Municipal Utility District will be opening a 4-acre dog park at 16323 Woodland Hills Drive, Humble, on March 4. The outdoor park space will have areas for small and large dogs and features such as a covered pavilion, walking paths, a splash pad, seating and dog play zone. 832-490-1500. www.trailofthelakesmud.com 16 National retailer Popshelf is projecting an April opening for its new location at 20845 Hwy. 59 N., Humble. The retailer will sell a variety of items at discounted prices, including home decor, beauty items, gifts and toys. 833-377-4353. www.popshelf.com RELOCATIONS 17 Kingwood Montessori opened Jan. 3 at its new location at 3933
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The Mercer Botanic Gardens Visitor Center has reopened to guests after sustaining damage from Hurricane Harvey in 2017, according to a Jan. 19 news release.
Jet’s Pizza
COURTESY JET’S PIZZA
COURTESY HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT 3
FEATURED IMPACT RENOVATIONS After being damaged during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the newly renovated Mercer Botanic Gardens Visitor Center is now open, according to a Jan. 19 news release from Harris County Precinct 3. The 3,100-square-foot visitor center— which will be used to host educational gardening activities and events—cost $875,000 to renovate. The space now features new ¡ooring, windows, storage space and an updated kitchen. “Mercer Botanic Gardens is one of the crown jewels of our park system in Harris County. ... It’s been quite the journey to get to this point, and we strive to build on the legacy of this park and create
Woodland Hills Drive, Kingwood. Previously located at 2510 Mills Branch Drive, Ste. 10, Kingwood, the school oers education for students 18 months old to 12 years old. 281-548-1452. www.kingwoodmontessori.com ANNIVERSARIES 18 The Summer Creek Memorial Hermann Convenient Care Center , located at 14201 E. Sam Houston Parkway, E., Houston, celebrated its 10-year anniversary in January. The 30,000-square-foot facility, which opened in 2013, features an emergency room that is open 24/7 and also oers primary care and imaging services. 281-436-8800 (ER), 281-436-8888 (Primary Care), 713-512-6040 (Imaging Center). www.memorialhermann.org
spaces people can visit and peacefully enjoy,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey said in a statement. The visitor center originally opened in 1986 and is located at 22306 Aldine Westeld Road, Humble. 713-274-4160. www.pct3.com/mbg
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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
9am - 12pm
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
TRANSPORTATION UPDATES
COMPILED BY HANNAH BROL & EMILY LINCKE
Harris County authorizes 10% toll rate cut, free EZ tags A Harris County Toll Road Authority program that will reduce the cost of tolls by 10% was approved unanimously by Harris County commissioners Jan. 31. EASING THE BURDEN The 10% toll rate discount—which will go into eect by Sept. 4—will apply to motorists driving two-axle vehicles on toll roads managed by the Harris County Toll Road Authority.
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The discount will represent $894 million in discounts over the course of 10 years, or about $90 million in savings per year, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey said Jan. 31. “This gives us condence in what the [Harris County] Toll Road Authority’s doing,” Ramsey said. “When you look at the consistent revenues that they generate, when you look at their ability to cover what they do—I think we are, in many ways, an envy of the state in terms of how well we run our toll road authority.” The rate reduction will go into eect by Sept. 4. HCTRA will also provide up to eight free EZ tags per household as part of the program. The proposal was initially presented at a Jan. 24 news conference. HCTRA Director Roberto Treviño said the 10% discount would apply to those driving two-axle vehicles, which he said make up 95% of HCTRA’s transactions. He added that drivers can choose to apply the discount on each individual transaction or after aggregating transactions on a monthly basis. As part of the transition to all-electronic tollways, the county will also be phasing in several options for residents to obtain EZ tags at retail stores, open cash- backed accounts and pay at EZ TAG retail stores, Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said during the
GREENS RD.
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF FEB. 14. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT LHKNEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. Timber Forest Drive bridge Dec. 27. The new four-lane bridge over the Union Pacic Corp. railroad tracks provides an alternative route for motorists to and from Centennial Elementary School, and includes 8-foot-wide sidewalks for pedestrians and cyclists. Timeline: rst quarter 2021- Dec. 27, 2022 Cost: $6.67 million Funding source: Harris County Precinct 3 Timber Forest Drive bridge Harris County Precinct 3 ocials announced the opening of the new
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Jan. 24 news conference. In response to a question at the Jan. 24 news
conference about losing 10% of revenue from 95% of the customer base, Treviño said the population growth in the region will correspond to increased demand and use of the toll road systems. Rachel Carlton contributed to this report.
For more information, visit HCAhoustonhealthcare.com/er-24-7 Emergency care close to home. Now open. SHr oeoorumvsi nt pogrnot hHv ieed aFi nl atglhl ccCaa rrr eee efKkoi ncr oga mwl l tomyopudne, si itsyo ,af Hca Coc unAtv eHe nioni uej usn rtt iol eyns l oEa cnRadt2 ei4l dl /n,7e, f suasl dle- ses . ep ra vr i tcme ee nmt eor fg He nCc Ay ••• SOA tcnac-es pi ettdes lwma bi tohts etbsmot ianarjgdo -racni endrstui imr iaeandgci pen hgpyl as inc si a n s • AsimplialetiaonndwsietahmHlCesAs Houston Kingwood makes direct admission
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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
DINING FEATURE
BY WESLEY GARDNER
TWIST AND PEEL While staring down a pound of crawsh can be intimidating, here are step-by-step instructions for peeling and extracting the meat.
STEP 1 Holding the head rmly in one hand and the tail in the other, twist and pull to separate.
The seafood platter ($17.95) is comprised of fried sh, fried shrimp, Cajun popcorn and fries.
COURTESY JUICY HEADS & SPICY TAILS
STEP 2 For the brave, sucking the meat out of the head contains the most avor.
While the price varies depending of the market value of the boiled crawsh, turkey necks can be purchased at Juicy Heads & Spicy Tails for $7.95 per half-pound and $12.95 per pound.
Owner Andrew Landry opened Juicy Heads & Spicy Tails in April 2022.
COURTESY JUICY HEADS & SPICY TAILS
WESLEY GARDNER COMMUNITY IMPACT
STEP 3 Remove the rst couple of tail shell segments, and pinch the tail end with one hand before pulling out the meat.
Juicy Heads & Spicy Tails Humble eatery serves up variety of Cajun-inspired dishes A ndrew Landry had been impressing his family and friends with his unique
“We have the special blend, which is full of avor with a little kick for the people who really don’t like the spice but love crawsh,” Landry said. “Then, we have the spicy, which is nose-running, lips- burning, eyes-watering.” While the eatery does not have a liquor license, patrons are allowed to bring their own drinks and can enjoy complimentary margaritas and daiquiris, Landry said. The restaurant also serves as a space for members of Landry’s nonprot—Where Men Hurt—to meet and hold conferences. The nonprot, which launched in 2018, is designed to give men a platform to talk about life issues in a safe, nonjudgmental setting.
“We look at the places where men hurt—mental health, nances, relationships,” Landry said. “We talk about those issues of life, and we give them advice or interact with them so that they can gure out what plan works best for their situation.” While Landry said he has already had a lot of requests to expand the business to dierent areas, he would need to wait a little longer before making any decisions. Nearly one year later, Landry said he has found more than enough to be happy about with his rst restaurant. “My favorite part is watching people leave happy,” Landry said. “When people come, they’re going to have a great time, and that’s what we’re here for.”
SOURCE: FOOD NETWORKCOMMUNITY IMPACT
Juicy Heads & Spicy Tails 1502 First St. E., Ste. G, Humble 832-802-9024 www.juicyheadsspicytails.com Hours: Tue.-Thu. and Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., closed Mon.
spin on crawsh long before he decided to venture into the restaurant industry. “I’ve cooked crawsh for well over 20 years,” Landry said. “Every week, we would do crawsh, and the whole neighborhood would come over. Even back then, they would say, ‘Man, you need to get a restaurant.’” After a rst-place nish at a local crawsh competition in 2021, Landry nally took their advice. Landry opened Juicy Heads & Spicy Tails in Humble in April 2022. The eatery serves up Cajun staples, including catsh, gumbo, etouee, frog legs and, of course, crawsh.
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
BUSINESS FEATURE
BY WESLEY GARDNER
Fetch Pet Resort owner Norma Munoz (right) assists in a grooming session.
A pair of pups eagerly await a Frisbee during their play time at Fetch Pet Resort’s doggy day camp in Humble. (Photos by Wesley Gardner/Community Impact)
The outdoor play area features a machine that produces bacon-avored bubbles.
Fetch Pet Resort Humble pet resort oers boarding, day camp, grooming services N orma Munoz’s love of animals largely decided her rst venture into
Munoz also said the business has a machine that produces bacon-avored bubbles, which she said the dogs enjoy According to Assistant Man- ager Dakota Yaktus, dog owners interested in leaving their pups at the business’s day camp are required to bring the animal in for an evaluation before they are allowed to join the fun. “First, they have to be spayed and neutered, and [they have to] have gone through our program to see if they interact well with all of our regular dogs,” Yaktus said. “We do mingle all of our dierent sizes, so we have as big as a Great Dane that comes in all the time to as small as a little Yorkie mix.” Munoz noted boarding services are oered for both cats and dogs, with prices varying depending on the size of the space the animal stays in and the number of animals staying overnight. Additionally, Fetch Pet Resort oers grooming services for dogs that include baths, nail trimming and ling, and tooth brushing. Ten years later, Munoz said kindness has been key to the success of Fetch Pet Resort. “One of the things that I really key in on is kindness toward everyone,” Munoz said.
Pet Fetch Resort sells a variety of treats and pet products.
the pet care business in Humble in 1990, but the working hours required did not hurt. “My next-door neighbor was a [pet] groomer, and she would leave in the morning and be home by 1 o’clock in the afternoon,” Munoz said. “I thought, ‘Wow, those are good hours.’ I didn’t want to spend a lot of time away from my little girl and my boys.” After nearly two decades in the pet grooming and boarding industry, Munoz opened Fetch Pet Resort in Humble in 2013. The business oers boarding for both cats and dogs, as well as day camp and grooming for dogs. Munoz said the day camp allows dog owners to drop their animals o in the morning and pick them up by 6 p.m. She noted the dogs are allowed plenty of time to play in resort’s outdoor area. “Most of yards are turf, meaning arti cial grass, so no muddy dogs if it rains,” Munoz said, noting the largely shaded space features a miniature water park with a re hydrant and several spouts that shoot water for the dogs to run through.
Shaggy dog to classy paws While grooming prices vary depending on the size, coat condition and temperament of the dog, full-service grooming includes a bath, haircut, nail trimming, ear cleaning and blow dry. Small (Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Maltese): Starts at $55 Medium (bichon, schnauzers): Starts at $65 Large (Aussies, Labs, Airedales): Starts at $80 Extra large (standard poodles, doodles): Starts at $95
Fetch Pet Resort 5533 FM 1960, Humble 281-852-2400 www.fetchpetresort.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 4-6 p.m.
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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
ENVIRONMENT New $200M Lake Houston dam project design needs additional funding feet per second. In January 2022, Houston ocials said a previous design for the dam improvement project BY WESLEY GARDNER
ENVIRONMENT
Flood Control District recommends $28.2M drainage project for Taylor Gully
BY WESLEY GARDNER
Forest subdivisions,” HCFCD’s Engineering Division Manager Melissa Meyer said. According to Meyer, the recommended improvements would include a concrete-lined, low-ow channel within the existing channel to expand conveyance from 350 feet downstream of Creek Manor Drive to 1,500 feet downstream of Mills Branch Drive. Additionally, the project would include an estimated 413-acre-foot detention basin on the northern portion of the site, which Meyer said would be necessary to complete the improvements to Taylor Gully. Meyer noted the project is estimated to remove approximately 116 acres—including 276 structures and 8 miles of roadways—from the 100-year ood plain. HCFCD ocials noted once preliminary engineering is completed on the project, ocials will begin the process of acquiring the necessary right of way.
FLOWING DOWNSTREAM Lake Houston receives runo from rivers and streams in Walker, San Jacinto, Grimes, Montgomery, Waller, Liberty and Harris counties, which can quickly overwhelm the lake’s current dam structure, according to Houston ocials.
DIRECTING DRAINAGE Harris County Flood Control District’s recommended $28.2 million Taylor Gully drainage project includes 2 miles of improvements to the existing channel as well as the addition of a new 413-acre-foot detention basin.
A new design for the Lake Houston Spillway Dam Improvement Project has been determined to have a favorable benet-to-cost ratio, removing a barrier that had kept previous design options from moving forward, city of Houston ocials announced in a Dec. 7 news release. According to Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin, the roughly $200 million new design would entail 11 gates being built into the existing embankment on the east side of the Lake Houston Spillway Dam. “Building the new gate structure in the east embankment removes the high-construction risk of modifying the existing gate structure, allows continued use of the existing gate structure during construction and eliminates the need for a coerdam in the lake,” Martin said in a statement. As of Feb. 3, ocials said the city is still awaiting approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the new design. Ocials said the city has been working to add gates to the Lake Houston dam since Hurricane Harvey hit in August 2017, noting the dam was overwhelmed with water being discharged at a rate of 425,000 cubic feet per second. The dam’s current structure can release water at a rate of 10,000 cubic
Harris County Flood Control District ocials are recommending an approximately $28.2 million drainage project aimed at reducing ooding around Taylor Gully—a channel in northeast Kingwood credited with exacerbating area ooding twice in 2019. Ocials noted the project is being funded through the district’s $2.5 billion ood bond, which was approved by Harris County voters one year after Hurricane Harvey in August 2018. HCFCD ocials outlined the aected area during a Dec. 14 public input meeting, noting the channel ows from west to east, bordering Montgomery County to the northwest and running east toward Mills Branch and Caney Creek in Harris County. “This area is mostly developed and primarily comprised of single-family residences within the Elm Grove, Mills Branch and North Kingwood
that would have added 1,000 feet of modern oodgates to the existing structure was put on hold because the projected cost signicantly exceeded the approximately $48 million FEMA grant awarded for the project. Ocials noted the previous design was given a benet-to-cost ratio of 0.48, well below the range of 0.75-1 needed to justify the project. The current design, however, received a benet-to-cost ratio of 2.88, ocials said. While the current design’s cost of roughly $200 million also exceeds the funds allocated in the FEMA grant, Martin said city ocials are working with state and federal legislators to secure the additional funding needed to move forward. He noted his oce was committed to ensuring the cost of the Lake Houston Spillway Dam Improvement Project is fully funded before he leaves oce in December. “The city of Houston [is] feeling very comfortable with this new [design], working with federal, state and local partners toward nalizing this integral project to fortify the Lake Houston area,” Martin said in a statement.
Existing channels
Caney Creek 1
Luce Bayou 5 San Jacinto River 6 Peach Creek 4
LAKE HOUSTON STATE PARK
Recommended channel improvements Recommended detention basin
Spring Creek 2
WHITE OAK CREEK
West Fork of San Jacinto River
3
MILLS BRANCH
2
3
5
4
1960
1
TAYLOR GULLY
6
W. LAKE HOUSTON PKWY.
N O R T H P A
Lake Houston Dam
BEN'S BRANCH
59
GREEN TREE DITCH
N
N
SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTONCOMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICTCOMMUNITY IMPACT
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s $1.36 billion Terminal Redevelopment Program is composed of two large projects making up the International Terminal Complex along with several smaller projects that will also include construction. ADDITIONS AND RENOVATIONS
D West Pier
1
Includes the construction of a new international concourse
September 2023
International Arrivals Corridor
2
New construction
Renovation
Projected completion
Includes the construction of a new arrivals facility
GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT
3
June 2024
4
Mickey Leland International Terminal North Concourse
3
1
Includes the refurbishment of the existing Mickey Leland International Terminal
2
5
May 2023
Baggage Screening Building
4
Includes the construction of new facility aimed at expanding capacity and reliability of baggage handling system
uninterrupted despite challenges posed by the pandemic. Stephanie Wiggins, chief economic
June 2023
development ocer for Partnership Lake Houston, touted the eect the airport has had on the area. “Airports provide local businesses with access to the global market ... [and] enable the movement of people and goods,” Wiggins said, noting Houston airports contribute more than $36 billion annually to the city’s economy. “Because of this asset, the Houston region ... is able to retain and attract businesses to the region and our community, which brings jobs and economic growth.” Global Inight Training Center United Airlines ocials said the new training center more than doubles the size of their previous facility with the addition of new classrooms, training stations and an aquatic center featuring a 125,000-gallon pool that will allow ight attendant trainees to practice safe evacuation strategies in the case of a water landing. With the training center’s opening, Grith said the company is in position to continue hiring new employees following the company’s heavy work- force losses during the pandemic. United Airlines lost nearly 29,000 employees nationwide from November 2019 to November 2020, U.S. Department of Transportation data shows, representing roughly 31.6% of its national workforce. “With an increased eet and renewed travel demand, the airline hired 15,000 people in 2022 and is on track to add another 15,000 in 2023 networkwide,” Grith said. Grith also noted United Airlines’ $100 million early baggage system facility at IAH is slated to be completed this fall. The new facility is designed to temporarily store individual bags that arrive early until their specic departure. While the new baggage system facility is not a part of the Houston Airport System’s $1.36 billion International Terminal Redevelopment Program, Grith said the facility will be connected to the new lobby included in that project. Terminal redevelopment program Work on the International Terminal Redevelopment Program, which has been under construction since 2019, continued largely unimpeded throughout the pandemic, according to
International Terminal
5
CONTINUED FROM 1
Includes the construction of a new Central Processor facility and renovations to the Federal Inspection Service building
jobs in the Greater Houston area in 2023. According to Phil Grith, vice president of operations for United Airlines at IAH, the air travel provider has continued work on several projects through the pandemic, including the $32 million training center and a roughly $100 million early baggage system facility. “Given our decisions made during the pandemic, the airline is in a unique position as it relates to hiring and job growth,” Grith said. While those projects were not included in IAH’s International Terminal Redevelopment Program— which aims to overhaul the airport’s international terminal complex—Houston Airport System ocials said the project has continued largely PANDEMIC EFFECT ON AIRLINES While most of these jobs have since been recovered, the airline industry lost nearly 75,000 employees, or about 10% of its workforce nationwide, from November 2019 to November 2020. Southwest Airlines MAJOR AIRLINE EMPLOYMENT NATIONWIDE American Airlines Delta Air Lines United Airlines
June 2024
SOURCE: HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEMCOMMUNITY IMPACT
Augusto Bernal, director of communications for the Houston Airport System. The project, which is on track to be largely completed by late 2024, will include an overhaul of the international terminal complex that will accommodate more than 15 international carriers. Ocials noted the scope of the program is com- posed of two large projects. The North Concourse Project includes the refurbishment of the existing Terminal D facility and the demolition and con- struction of the new Terminal D West Concourse. Additionally, the Central Processor and Federal Inspection Services Project includes the demolition of the existing Terminal D¢E parking garage, roadway modications, construction of the new International Central Processor building and modications to the existing Federal Inspection Services building. While Bernal said the Houston Airport System did not have to reduce or furlough any staff members due to the pandemic, he noted the cost of its $1.36 billion terminal redevelopment has risen by roughly 1.7%, or about $22 million. Bernal said the cost increases included additional scope within the project, such as a new detention pond, restroom renovations and additional investment in trac mitigation measures. He noted ocials were able to absorb about $6 million in rising costs within the budget by ordering materials in advance and storing them for later use. “We are thrilled with the management of the budget on this project as so many others across the country have been impacted at a much greater scale,” he said.
Percentage changes from 2019-20 due to COVID-19
0 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000 90,000 110,000 100,000
-10%
-30.7% -31.6%
-6.4%
Nov. 2017
Nov. 2018
Nov. 2019
Nov. 2020
Nov. 2021
Nov. 2022
Sign up for email newsletters at communityimpact.com for daily local updates.
NOTE: THE FOUR AIRLINES SHOWN REPRESENT THE FOUR LARGEST MAJOR AIRLINES OPERATING OUT OF GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT. SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT
15
LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
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The Harris County Jail population has been trending upward since May 2020, rising above 90% capacity in August 2022. According to Brandon Wood, director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, counties aim to keep their capacities under 90%. Wood said a county’s jail population will vary seasonally, rising throughout the summer months into the end of the year. TCJS reports after August were not available as of press time. Tracking Harris County’s jail capacity
120%
Oct. 1, 2006 : Jail population reaches 102.3% of jail’s capacity
March 11, 2020 : County Judge Lina Hidalgo issues disaster declaration at start of COVID-19 pandemic
Nov. 1, 2017 : Jail population drops to 75.4% of jail’s capacity
100%
County jails aim to keep capacities below 90%
80%
June 1, 2017 : Jail population climbs to 88.7% of jail’s capacity
Aug. 1, 2022 : Jail population rises to 91.4% of jail’s capacity, the rst time it exceeds 90% since 2016
July 10, 2007 : Commissioners
Dec. 18, 2007 : Commissioners renew previous outsourcing contract, bringing the total appropriation to $9M and the number of inmates to 600
60%
approve an estimated $4M to outsource 400 inmates to Louisiana
Aug. 25, 2017 : County Judge Ed Emmett declares state of disaster following Hurricane Harvey
0
SOURCES: COMMISSIONERS COURT ARCHIVES, TEXAS COMMISSION ON JAIL STANDARDS, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT
Expected to take eect in April, the program will provide services to indi- viduals found incompetent to stand trial—typically due to an active mental illness or intellectual disability. “There are too many folks with men- tal health issues stuck in jail for too long,” County Judge Lina Hidalgo said at a Feb. 9 news conference. Commissioners approved close to $35 million in 2022 to send inmates to two private facilities in Louisiana and Post, Texas. Commissioners have also approved nearly $40 million in fed- eral American Rescue Plan Act fund- ing since 2021 as of October to tackle the court case backlog, according to the O ce of County Administration. County Administrator David Berry said at a July 19 meeting that using the fed- eral funds was not sustainable. In 2021, the Texas Legislature created the 482nd District Court, the rst new criminal district court in the county since 1984. But Megan LaVoie, the administrative director for the Texas O ce of Court Administration, said during her Dec. 9 testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Criminal Justice that, based on case lings, the county could need as many as 41 more district courts, which cost between $500,000- $1 million each to create. Jovanna Aguilar contributed to this report.
organization advocating for jail reform, said in a statement she believes state and local policies have contributed to the growing pretrial percentage. Gundu said she believes the jail’s issues are the result of “accountability ping-pong” but also cited Senate Bill 6 as a reason for the rise in the jail pop- ulation. The bill, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2021, bans cashless bail for people charged with a violent oense as well as those charged with committing a felony while out on bail or community supervision following a previous violent oense charge. A path forward The county has had to address high jail populations before. The jail was over 90% capacity for much of 2005- 09, TCJS data shows. According to archived agendas from the clerk’s o ce, commissioners approved $9 million to outsource 600 inmates to Louisiana on Dec. 18, 2007. In addition, Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said at a January 2022 Commissioners Court meeting that when he became sheri in 2009, his o ce also created programs to allow inmates to build credit toward earlier releases and to keep people with men- tal health conditions out of jail. How- ever, he said most people in the jail had been charged with low-risk oenses. Commissioners Court approved a $645,000 expansion of the Har- ris Center for Mental Health and IDD’s Jail-Based Competency Resto- ration Program at its Jan. 31 meeting.
Jail snapshot Among the county jail’s population on Jan. 23:
were charged with violent or serious crimes
of inmates had a mental health indicator
79%
61%
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY JAIL POPULATION DASHBOARDCOMMUNITY IMPACT
Commission on Jail Standards, said counties aim to keep their jails under 90% of capacity because jail operations become di cult above that level. The commission’s most recent report shows Harris County’s jail was at 91.36% of the total capacity on Aug. 1. Spencer said a conuence of factors, including a rise in crime nationally during the pandemic, has contributed to the high jail population, but he believes each entity needs to evaluate where it could improve. “The bottom line is, are we keeping everyone safe in the jail?” Spencer said. “We have to do better.” In terms of the district attorney’s role in the jail population, Communi- cations Director Joe Stinebaker said in a statement judges determine who is detained pending trial. He said reduc- ing the court backlog would “remain a top priority” for the DA’s o ce. Unlike a state prison, the Harris County Jail is lled mostly by people awaiting trial—80.5% of the jail population on April 1 was pretrial, the second-highest rate in the state behind Travis County, according to American Civil Liberties Union data. Krishnaveni Gundu, executive direc- tor for the Texas Jail Project, a nonpro t
CONTINUED FROM 1
keeping 64 inmates in temporary hold- ing cells for longer than 48 hours, and again Dec. 19 for failing to provide an inmate insulin. Jason Spencer, spokesperson for the Harris County Sheri’s O ce, con- rmed 28-year-old Matthew Shelton died March 27 of diabetic ketoacido- sis. Shelton was one of 27 people who died in Harris County in the custody of the HCSO last year, the most since 23 deaths in 2006, according to data from nonpro t Texas Justice Initiative. County o cials and criminal justice advocates oered varying explana- tions for the jail’s problems. “It’s not any one thing. The backlog of cases, the amount of time that peo- ple are spending in jail. … People who are coming into jail are coming in fre- quently with pre-existing health condi- tions,” Spencer said. The county has dealt with high jail populations before, and along with hir- ing a new head of detentions following Shannon Herklotz’s resignation Jan. 9, o cials could take action this year. ‘Accountability ping-pong’ Brandon Wood, director of the Texas
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
17
LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
REAL ESTATE
Featured Neighborhood Featured neighborhood
CYPRESSWOOD POINT, 77338 Located near the intersection of Cypresswood Drive and FM 1960 East, Cypresswood Point comprises 687 single-family homes and is zoned to Aldine ISD.
YEAR OVER YEAR MARKET DATA: JANUARY Data shows all seven Lake Houston- area ZIP codes had fewer homes sell in January than did in January 2022. 1314 99 TOLL
77365
77338
Meanwhile, the median home sales price rose across four of the area’s seven ZIP codes with 77338, 77345 and 77396 experiencing declines.
77339
77345
Homes on the market* 24 Median home value $392,241 Homes under contract* 4
CYPRESSWOOD DR.
1960
77346
59
LAKE HOUSTON
77396
1960
77044
N
NUMBER OF HOMES SOLD
N
77044 77338 77339 77345
77346 77365
77396
Year
Build-out year: 2004-23 HOA dues (estimated): $310 annually Schools: Cypresswood Elementary School, Jones Middle School, Nimitz High School Property taxes (in dollars): Aldine ISD 1.2217 Harris County 0.34373 Harris County Flood Control District 0.03055 Port of Houston Authority 0.00799 Harris Health System 0.14831 Harris County Department of Education 0.0049 Lone Star College System 0.1078
2022 2023
72
31
44
25
108
63
31
30
26
31
9
60
37
23
Average days on the market* 85 Median annual property taxes $8,117 Median price per square foot $137.46
MEDIAN PRICE OF HOMES SOLD
WITH YEAROVERYEAR PERCENTAGE CHANGE
2022
2023
77044 77338 77339 77345
77346 77365
77396
Sale price
$450K $400K $350K $300K $250K $200K $150K $100K
+22.58%
+17.31%
+2.54%
+7.1%
0.61%
3.63%
NEIGHBORHOOD DATA PROVIDED BY DEBORAH ROSE MILLER BROKERAGENT WITH ROSE REALTY 281¡380¡0332 DEBORAHROSEREALTOR¢GMAIL.COM 2022¡24 CHAIR OF HUMBLE ISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION 2023 FIVE STAR PROFESSIONAL
Harris County Emergency Services District No. 10 Hunters Glen Municipal Utility District Harris County ESD No. 11 Total (per $100 valuation)
0.09831
12%
0.66
0.02934 2.65263
$50K $0
*AS OF FEB. 1
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