Bay Area Edition | May 2023

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BAY AREA EDITION

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 10 MAY 31JUNE 27, 2023

The Houston Spaceport along Space Center Boulevard will soon expand and attract more aerospace companies. Part of the planned upgrades is the Aerospace Institute, where local college students will be able to learn how to work aerospace industry jobs. READY TO LAUNCH

Lone Star Flight Museum opens space exhibit

Return of lighthouse landmark unclear

ReformHer Pilates oers low-intensity workout

Stomp’s brings fresh burgers to Bay Area

RENDERING COURTESY HOUSTON SPACEPORT

Houston Spaceport, museum plan expansions as astronauts prep lunar mission

Pull the newest teaser from CC Libraries

BY JAKE MAGEE

Hammock Koch as well as Cana- dian Space Agency astronaut Jer- emy Hansen are those picked to y around the moon during the Arte- mis 2 mission, which will make way for humans’ return to the lunar sur- face and, eventually, Mars. But as the world looks to the stars,

plenty of space-related develop- ments are occurring on Earth in the Bay Area as well. The Houston Spaceport along Space Center Boulevard in Clear Lake is on the verge of expansion as it lls with aerospace companies. The CONTINUED ON 20

Over 50 years since mankind last walked on the lunar surface, the world now knows the names of the four astronauts who are set to visit the moon in late 2024. NASA astronauts Reid Wise- man, Victor Glover and Christina

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THIS ISSUE

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 Papar Faircloth SENIOR EDITOR Jake Magee GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jesus Verastegui ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Adrianne Smith METRO LEADERSHIP PUBLISHER Jason Culpepper MANAGING EDITOR Kelly Schaer COPY EDITOR Adrian Gandara SENIOR ART PRODUCTION MANAGER Kaitlin Schmidt CONTACT US 16300 Northwest Freeway Jersey Village, TX 77040 • 2814696181 CI CAREERS communityimpact.com/careers PRESS RELEASES baynews@communityimpact.com ADVERTISING bayads@communityimpact.com Learn more at communityimpact.com/advertising EMAIL NEWSLETTERS communityimpact.com/newsletter PODCAST communityimpact.com/podcast 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 PAPAR: There are a variety of reasons why the Bay Area continues to appeal to families and homeowners, one of those being the highly desirable public schools in Clear Creek ISD. Elected ocials have several bills pertaining to education this legislative session that could change public school systems, from funding to security and even teacher retention. Our story on Page 11 focuses on school choice legislation lawmakers worked on this legislative session. Papar Faircloth, GENERAL MANAGER

FROM JAKE: Space sure is cool, huh? It’s even sweeter now that we know the astronauts who will y on the Artemis 2 mission to the moon next year. But there’s plenty of space- related news happening on Earth, too, such as planned expansions to the Houston Spaceport—a hub designed for local aerospace companies—and planned upgrades to Space Center Houston, a local museum that gives visitors a closeup look at the Johnson Space Center. Check out our front-page story this month to learn more about all the exciting advancements coming to the area. Jake Magee, SENIOR EDITOR

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BAY AREA EDITION • MAY 2023

IMPACTS

Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding

5 Dave’s Hot Chicken will open at the in- coming Easteld at Baybrook development near the H-E-B at 18611 Easteld Drive, Webster. An opening date has not been de- termined, but work on the 30,000-square- foot, multitenant retail center is underway. Dave’s Hot Chicken, which has locations across the country, serves chicken ten- ders and sliders at various spice levels. www.daveshotchicken.com 6 Twin Liquors will open at the incoming Easteld at Baybrook develop- ment near the H-E-B at 18611 Easteld Drive, Webster. An opening date has not been determined, but work on the 30,000-square-foot, multitenant retail center is underway. Twin Liquors—which sells wine, spirits, beer and other alco- hol—began in Austin in 1937 and now has locations across Texas, including Pearland and Baytown. www.twinliquors.com 7 The Bridge for Kids will have a grand opening 5-7 p.m. June 8 at 685 W. Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena. Part of The Bridge Over Troubled Waters nonprof- it, The Bridge for Kids will double the existing facility’s capacity, enable all youth programming and services to be delivered in a single centralized location, allow The Bridge Over Troubled Waters to increase adult capacity by making space in existing buildings, and provide dedicated spaces for children to gather and engage. The Bridge Over Troubled Waters provides support to those facing violence, sexual assault and other forms of abuse. 713-472-0753. www.tbotw.org 8 Cafe Express will open at 144 El Dorado Blvd., Ste. 201, Webster, site of the incoming Easteld at Baybrook development near the H-E-B. An opening date has not been determined, but work on the 30,000-square-foot, multitenant retail center is underway. Cafe Express serves soups, salads, sandwiches, seafood and dessert. The restaurant has three Houston locations and one in The Woodlands. www.cafe-express.com 9 Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse will open at 144 El Dorado Blvd., Ste. 240, Webster, site of the incoming Easteld at Baybrook development near the H-E-B at 18611 Easteld Drive, Webster. The business expects to open sometime this summer, and work on the 30,000-square-foot, multitenant retail center is underway.

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WEBSTER

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MOPAC

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PERKINS AVE.

146

EASTFIELD DR. 8 9

646

LEAGUE CITY

517

NOW OPEN 1 On March 10, Tyger i Consulting Group had a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new location in Nassau Bay’s Space Park at 1100 E. NASA Parkway, Ste. 110, Houston. Tyger i aims to be a partner and resource for health care providers looking to improve careers, stang and facilities. The consulting group uses its experience, network and technology to help clients advance patient care. 281-640-2122. www.tygericonsulting.com 2 Salad and Go opened April 2 at 1930 W. League City Parkway, League City. The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch, and oers drive-thru and pickup services. Its menu includes salads, wraps, breakfast burritos and various drinks. Salad and Go also has a location at 2590 E. League City

Parkway along with three others across the Greater Houston area. Another four are planned to open in the area in the coming months. 480-400-0634. www.saladandgo.com COMING SOON 3 The Clear Lake City Water Author- ity will celebrate the completion of Exploration Green along Space Center and Bay Area boulevards in Clear Lake with a grand opening and volunteer appreciation day at 10 a.m. Sept. 30. All 13 partners who joined together to make the project a huge success will partic- ipate in the event. Special recognition will be given to the 1,500 volunteers who have donated over 15,000 hours planting trees and wetland grasses, operating nurseries for both the trees

and wetland grasses, planning commu- nity events such as the Glow the Green, and seeking donations and grants for the amenities that will enhance the project. Exploration Green is a former golf course converted into a series of detention ponds the protect hundreds of surround- ing homes from ooding during storms. 281-317-7535. www.explorationgreen.org 4 Originally expected to open this spring, the Tesla dealership under construction at 400 Gulf Freeway S., League City, will not open until later this year. According to League City o- cials, due to permits Tesla has led, the dealership’s construction is estimated at about 50% complete. The rst permit was led in September. The dealership will replace a former BMW dealership at the location. Tesla is a manufacturer of electric vehicles. www.tesla.com

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Parry’s will feature New York-style pizza, wings, calzones, sandwiches, wraps, salads, pasta and at least 80 craft beers. www.parryspizza.com RELOCATIONS 10 Main St Bistro on the weekend of April 8 opened at the Walding Station at 100 Perkins Ave., League City, which corners Main Street. The restaurant’s original location at 615 Main St., League City, closed after Feb. 24 pending the relocation. Main St Bistro serves various foods such as tuna poke, fried pork chops and chicken Parmesan sandwiches. 281-332-8800. www.facebook.com/ mainstbistroleaguecity IN THE NEWS 11 From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 30 through June 1, the Vessel Turn-in Program event will take place, allowing Harris County residents to turn in old boats that no longer operate. The event will be held at the park- ing lot of the Clear Lake Park Community Center, 5002 NASA Parkway, Seabrook. Residents can bring their old boats to be veried for eligibility. Boats must be clear of trash and debris. Since it began in 2015, the program has hosted 33 events, removing a total of 1,267 derelict boats measuring 21,058 feet, according to the release. 713-274-2222. www.glo.texas.gov CLOSINGS 12 Pappas Restaurants , which has served guests at William P. Hobby Airport at 7800 Airport Blvd., Houston, for over 20 years, will close airport operations as a result of Houston City Council’s March 8 decision to award hospitality group Areas with a 10-year contract to open 10 new restaurants at the airport. These would replace existing concepts Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappasito’s Cantina, Pappas Burgers and Pappas Bar-B-Q. The transition will take place over the next two years. www.pappas.com 13 Einstein Bros. Bagels at 923 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, permanently closed earlier this year. Einstein Bros. sells ba- gels, schmears and breakfast sandwiches. www.einsteinbros.com

Salad and Go

COURTESY SALAD AND GO

On April 14, Lone Star Flight Museum, 11551 Aerospace Ave., Houston, opened its new permanent exhibit, Space Gallery.

COURTESY LONE STAR FLIGHT MUSEUM

FEATURED IMPACT NOW OPEN Residents now have a new place they can learn about outer space. On April 14, Lone Star Flight Museum , 11551 Aerospace Ave., Houston, opened its new permanent exhibit, Space Gallery. The exhibit features the NASA Crew Compartment Trainer-2, EVA Airlock System, Space Shuttle Motion Base Simulator, a rover and other NASA artifacts, all with the goal of giving visitors a deeper understanding of astronaut training and the concept of living and working in space. The equipment is on loan to the museum from the Johnson Space Center. The new gallery also marks an expanded view of the museum’s content showing the evolution from aviation to aerospace. Many astronauts began their careers as pilots and have backgrounds in military and STEM elds, which the museum already showcases, according to a museum news release. The new exhibit focuses on each of the training systems and how they were used to train astronauts who have been to space. The gallery features

the personal journeys of pilots who became astronauts. The exhibit also includes displays of medical kits, shuttle tools, an astronaut sleeping bag and other items that show what life is like in space, and the gallery also features personal items from retired NASA astronauts, such as Friendswood Mayor Mike Foreman. Finally, Space Gallery includes three touchscreens that show the anatomy of a shuttle; a virtual tour of the Crew Compartment Trainer, which also can be viewed in person; and the history of space shuttle missions. 346-708-2517. www.lonestar ight.org

Dave’s Hot Chicken

COURTESY DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN

The Bridge for Kids

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COURTESY PARRY'S PIZZERIA & TAPHOUSE

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TRANSPORTATION UPDATES League City Parkways intersection improvements near completion

COMPILED BY BY JAKE MAGEE

UPCOMING PROJECTS

INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS

Three major intersection projects along League City Park- way are complete or expected to wrap up this summer. The intersections received trac signals and various turn lanes.

Improvements to major intersec- tions along League City Parkway are set to be completed this summer. Traditionally, Landing Boulevard, Magnolia Meadow Lane and Bay Area Boulevard have intersected with League City Parkway with four-way stop signs. These are being replaced with trac signals to reduce trac delays and prepare for the city’s future growth, city ocials said. While existing trac counts don’t necessarily require the city to replace the stop signs with trac signals, League City is growing, as is its trac, Project Manager Susan Oyler said. With the Grand Parkway coming in eventually, city ocials want to be “forward thinking,” which is why the city is upgrading the intersections now, she said. “We have limited east-west corridors for trac, so we know League City Parkway will become a pretty heavily used thoroughfare,” she said. Despite trac counts not being as heavy now as they will be, residents will still see an immediate benet with the signals, said Ron Bavarian, executive director of capital projects. “We have had residents really complain about the four-way stops becoming very chaotic [during] … evening hours. … The signals … are going to control the ow of trac much, much better than a four-way stop,” he said. Besides the trac signals, the intersections are getting various turn signals to help trac ow smoother. Each intersection’s turn lanes were designed independently

I T Y P K W Y .

LANDING BLVD.

Bay Area Boulevard Project nishes June 2023

League City Parkway right-turn lane An extended eastbound right-turn lane for League City Parkway is under design. The turn lane will begin about 450 feet west of Butler Road and tie into the existing right-turn lane at I-45. Timeline: construction begins in 2023 Cost: $1.5 million Funding sources: Galveston County, city of League City

MAGNOLIA MEADOW LN.

Landing Boulevard Project nished May 2023

Total cost: $1.7 million

Magnolia Meadow Lane Project nished April 2023

SOURCE: CITY OF LEAGUE CITY COMMUNITY IMPACT

based on the intersections’ needs, ocials said. “Each intersection had its own unique design,” Bavarian said. Finally, the project also includes improvements to the Gilmore Ele- mentary School driveway opposite Magnolia Meadow Lane. The way the driveway was origi- nally constructed, vehicles entering and exiting the school’s property used the same road, leading to congestion. The upgraded driveway has two lanes in each direction along with a turn lane from the driveway onto League City Parkway, Oyler said. Ocials will wait until school is out before activating the signals at Magnolia so as to not disrupt the established ow of trac right at the end of the school year, she said. In the fall, the signals will be activated. Intersection work at Landing has also been completed, and the inter- section work at Bay Area Boulevard

CLEARCRE E

LANDING BLVD.

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF MAY 2. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT BAYNEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. Boulevard to I-45 and alleviate FM 518 trac. Sidewalks, a median, a round- about and two bridges are included in this project. The extension was 100% designed as of January. Timeline: bidding in 2023 Cost: $49.5 million Funding sources : federal govern- ment, city of League City North Landing Boulevard extension About 1.7 miles of a four-lane road will be constructed to connect Landing

Crews are upgrading three intersections along League City Parkway.

COURTESY CITY OF LEAGUE CITY

is scheduled to wrap up by June, ocials said. Overall, the project cost $1.7 million. It began in June 2022 but will take until this summer to complete due to supply chain issues, ocials said. In the past, it would take 14 to 16 weeks to order and install new trac signals, but now it can take up to a year, Bavarian said.

Kimberly Harding, Broker/Owner 281-554-7653 Kimberly@KimberlyHarding.com 2490 Calder Dr, League City, TX 77573 www.TheKimberlyHardingGroup.com

BAY AREA EDITION • MAY 2023

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EDUCATION School choice bill raises debate over public school funding

FUNDING EDUCATION IN TEXAS With a budget surplus of over $32 billion, public education advocates are calling on state lawmakers to invest more in public schools. Legislators could pass a school choice bill this session to provide families with funds to leave public schools and enroll in private schools.

Last year, Clear Creek ISD eliminated 76 teaching positions and transferred money from its contin- gency fund to pass a balanced fiscal year 2022-23 budget. The district is facing an $18 million deficit for the FY 2023-24 budget and over $28 million for FY 2024-25. “We are taking proactive measures to mitigate this challenge through our newly formed Budget Sprint Team,” Superintendent Karen Engle said in an email to Community Impact . “A team of staff, school board members, parents and business leaders met over the course of two days [the week of May 1]. This group’s work continues, and I anticipate a report with considerations the district can take to increase revenue and reduce expenditure.” Engle said district officials want any funding increases to go toward the basic allotment. “The cost of operating a school district has increased significantly; however, the per-student allotment has not since 2019,” she said. Engle did not comment specifically on SB 8 or HB 100 as the district’s policy is to “generally remain neutral on pending legislation.” Debating the bill Statewide public education advocacy nonprofit Raise Your Hand Texas was founded 17 years ago primarily to push back against the voucher move- ment happening in the Texas Legislature at the time, Senior Director of Policy Bob Popinski said. “You are taking money and diverting it from public schools to a private school or vendor that does not have to offer the same accountability as a public school,” he said. Popinski said the program would also nega- tively affect public schools financially, as the state funding they receive is based on students’ average daily attendance. Michael Barba, K-12 education policy director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Austin, argues that data from comparable programs across the country shows a minimal impact on public school attendance. He said similar programs nationally show less than 3% of eligible students use the program in the first five years after its inception, which would amount to about 60,000 students transferring in Texas. Barba said he believes school choice programs can lead to improved public school systems, and families choosing alternative options acts as a signal to districts to design their programs to better suit families’ needs. “When you give families choices, the school districts also improve, and that improves educa- tion for every child in the community,” he said. Popinski said the money would be better spent increasing the basic allotment. “Instead of spending dollars on a new ... program for private schools and vendors, ... why not use that general revenue to actually bolster public education and get them more resources for teacher pay raises, for new programs, for expand- ing the things that work?” he said.

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

CLEAR CREEK ISD Average per-student spending

A proposal to use state money to help parents pay for private schools is pending, setting off a debate about how public schools are funded across the state. Senate Bill 8, filed by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would create an education savings account program, also known as private school vouchers. As of mid-May, the bill was left pending in committee, shifting the conversation to House Bill 100, which has House approval and is going through the Senate as of press time. Under HB 100, parents who pull their children out of public schools could receive $8,000 per stu- dent for private school tuition. The money would come from education savings accounts, similar to the voucher program. The effort is one of Gov. Greg Abbott’s seven emergency priorities for the 88th legislative session. “My job is to make sure we get across the finish line a piece of legislation that will return mom and dad to being in charge of their child’s educa- tion,” he said during a visit to Cypress Christian School on March 21. State spending The Legislative Budget Board reported the voucher program, which would have offered residents the same amount as education savings account program, would cost the state over $531 million through August 2025. While the program would not use funds allocated for public schools, opponents of the legislation have expressed concerns that more funding is needed in public schools, which could lose more money if their students leave to attend private schools. The basic allotment—the amount school districts receive from the state per student to provide a basic level of education—has been set at $6,160 per student since 2019-20. Texas ranks No. 42 nationally in per-student spending, according to Education Week’s 2021 School Finance Rankings. The Texas comptroller of public accounts reported a $900 increase would be needed just to keep up with inflation; however, based on the legislation moving through the Texas House as of press time, legislators were looking at a $140 increase. In 2019, House Bill 3 included a $1,020 increase in the basic allotment. “We are begging for any morsel of additional funding for public schools, and where vouchers come in is they do the opposite,” said Laura Yeager, director of Just Fund It TX, a nonpartisan organization for public school funding.

$9,018

How much school districts receive from the state per student to provide a basic level of education Amount families would receive per child for education-related expenses under House Bill 100

$8,000

$6,160

House Bill 100 proposed a $140 increase in the basic allotment over the next two years as of press time.

HOW TEXAS COMPARES After factoring in additional allotments for special educa- tion, bilingual, gifted and talented, and other programs, the state spends $9,369 per student on average.

In per-student spending by state, Texas ranks

#42

U.S. average $13,679

Difference per student $4,310

Texas average $9,369

Expenses in Clear Creek ISD have continued to increase since 2018-19 while the state’s basic allotment has remained stagnant at $6,160 per student since 2019-20. Inflation has risen by about 17% on average since the start of the 2019-20 school year. RISING SPENDING Expenditure changes at Clear Creek ISD 2018-19 2022-23 Clear Creek ISD

$377.84M $346.6M

Revenue ratio

Clear Creek ISD

24% State revenue 76% Local property tax and other revenue

SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, EDUCATION WEEK’S 2021 SCHOOL FINANCE RANKINGS, SENATE BILL 8, HOUSE BILL 100, CLEAR CREEK ISD/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

BAY AREA EDITION • MAY 2023

DEVELOPMENT

Return of lighthouse landmark unclear The iconic lighthouse that once stood on Clear Lake’s shores in League City is now completely gone, and it’s unclear when or if it will return. “Because of the extent of the corrosion, ... we took down the shell of it for safety reasons,” he said. The lighthouse was not an actual, functioning lighthouse but a decora- tion, though it did feature a light at the top. Webb said he has heard of groups wanting to rebuild it. BY JAKE MAGEE

The metal panels that made up the 120-foot-tall landmark were removed about a year ago due to extensive corrosion that made the structure unsafe. The remaining pole that made up the core of the struc- ture was nally removed earlier this year, ocials said. Scott Webb, assistant vice pres- ident of real estate for American National Insurance, said a subsidiary of American National Insurance moved the lighthouse in 1983 to where it traditionally stood. The subsidiary bought the lighthouse from another location around Clear Lake for the residential development of South Shore Harbour, he said. The subsidiary took down the lighthouse when it was apparent it could not be repaired, Webb said.

“The community got to know it,” Webb said. “It was part of the com- munity, and ... we did not make the decision lightly of tearing it down.” American National Insurance looked into rebuilding it, but estimates were $2 million or more. The company investigated dierent ways to build the lighthouse, such as using dierent materials, but to be built at its former height while meeting windstorm requirements, the engineering would have been extensive, Webb said. League City ocials said some people, including Council Member Sean Saunders, are looking for ways for the city to help pay for the construction of a new lighthouse.

The lighthouse along Clear Lake has been completely dismantled after its metal panels corroded. Some residents are looking into ways of building a replacement.

COURTESY CITY OF LEAGUE CITY

Saunders did not respond to requests for comment. Mayor Nick Long said he does not want the city footing the bill for such a project, though he said he’s not opposed to the city helping out in other ways, such as by providing expertise on the project. “It’s a private structure on private land, so if the developer ... wants to rebuild it, I’m all for it,” Long said. “I don’t think it’s a great use of taxpayer money.”

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EDUCATION BRIEFS

News from Clear Creek ISD

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS CLEAR CREEK ISD On April 24, the CCISD board of trustees unanimously approved three items that will address fencing, doors and intercom systems. The district will use $72,000 worth of 2013 bond moneys to install 6-foot-tall ornamental fencing around the Clear Lake High School courtyard. The district will also use $180,000 worth of 2017 bond moneys to replace damaged exterior doors at Clear Brook and Clear Creek high schools, Brookside and Clear Creek intermediate schools, and Greene Elementary School. Finally, the district will use another $120,000 worth of 2017 bond moneys to add an intercom system to the district’s Central Support Facility, Technology Learning Center and Challenger Columbia Stadium Field House. Adding the system to the building will allow messages to be relayed to those inside the building in case of evacuation. Clear Creek ISD board of trustees will meet at 4:30 p.m. June 12 for a workshop and 6 p.m. June 26 for a regular meeting at the Education Support Center, 2425 E. Main St., League City. Meetings are streamed at www.ccisd.net/thestream. MEETINGS WE COVER

Incumbent, newcomer win seats on district board

BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & JAKE MAGEE

ELECTION RESULTS

An incumbent and a newcomer won their bids for the Clear Creek ISD board.

*Incumbent Winner

CLEAR CREEK ISD With all votes counted in Galveston and Harris counties, final results show Jamie- son Mackay winning a narrow race against Glencora Rodgers in the race for District 2 on the Clear Creek ISD board of trustees. Rodgers led the race as of 11 p.m. on election night by 18 votes, but the remaining votes to be counted in Harris County gave Mackay a lead of 49 votes, according to vote results. Mackay earned 715 votes, or 51.8% of the overall share, to Rodgers’ 666 votes. Meanwhile, Arturo Sanchez won his re-election bid for District 3 on the board with 58.6% of the votes, or 1,785 votes. His opponent, Peter Lauzon, earned 41.4% of the votes, or 1,263 votes. In a Q&A with Community Impact , Mackay said his first priorities on the board would be to “listen and learn.” “The various stakeholders have a lot to offer when it comes to input

DISTRICT 2

DISTRICT 3

Jamieson Mackay 715 Glencora Rodgers 666

Arturo Sanchez* 1,785 Peter Lauzon 1,263

51.77%

58.56%

48.23%

41.44%

SOURCES: GALVESTON COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

on how our local school district can better serve students,” he said. He also said the district should focus on programs that engage students, parents and the overall community. “We need to make sure that all students are receiving a world-class education that prepares them to become productive citizens whether they plan to attend college or go straight into the workforce,” he said. Meanwhile, Sanchez said he would remain committed to the

board’s decision-making in an effort to bolster student achievement. “I will build on my six years of board experience to support the district’s long-range planning [and] ensure CCISD provides multiple pathways for students to explore and learn,” he said. He also said Vision 2030, which is a plan to bolster the district within the decade, will focus on aging facilities, campus renovations and security enhancements. Votes were canvassed May 17.

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BAY AREA EDITION • MAY 2023

CITY & COUNTY

News from League City, Houston & Galveston County

League City City Council will meet at 6 p.m. June 13 and 27 at council chambers, 200 W. Walker St., League City. Meetings are streamed at www.facebook.com/leaguecitytexas and http://leaguecitytx.wagit.com/ live-chambers. MEETINGS WE COVER HIGHLIGHTS LEAGUE CITY City Council on April 26 unanimously approved a $1.62 million contract with T-Construction to replace about 1,500 feet of an 18-inch sewer with a 21-inch line and about 1,800 feet of a 12-inch sewer with a 15-inch line. At least part of the work will take place around Willow Branch Drive. The city identified the project as part of its 2018 Wastewater Master Plan. In the city’s 2023- 27 capital improvement plan, construction of the new sanitary lines was budgeted at $1.21 million with a final engineer’s estimation of cost at $1.39 million, according to agenda documents. T-Construction was not the lowest bidder for the project; Roman Emperors Roads bid the project at $1.46 million, but city staff recommended T-Construction due to the company’s greater experience and capital, the documents read.

Texas Southern University to open aviation facility at spaceport

Council approves EMS raises LEAGUE CITY Beginning July 3, some League City emergency med- ical services and similar employ- ees will receive a pay increase of $3 an hour. BY JAKE MAGEE

Galveston County judge prioritizes property assessment reform, mental health during State of the County

"WE RUN THE WORST MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC IN THE COUNTY. IT'S CALLED THE COUNTY JAIL." MARK HENRY, GALVESTON COUNTY JUDGE

two paramedics scheduled to start July 3 and one paramedic slot waiting to be filled would be adjusted. How we got here: On April 11, council considered pay increases but postponed the vote to allow city staff to find ways to adjust the budget to afford the pay increases. On Sept. 27, City Council granted raises to 347 city employees at a cost of $1.26 million. About $134,000 of that amount was for further City Council-proposed raises of $3 an hour for EMS and telecommunication employees. However, under the pay increases passed Sept. 27, an EMS employee hired just before City Council’s vote would be locked into a lower rate than someone hired just after the vote, meaning an employee who had been with the city longer could be making less than a fresh hire. The resolu- tion aimed to fix that.

BY LEAH FOREMAN

BY RACHEL LELAND

HOUSTON At Houston City Council’s meeting May 3, council members approved an agenda item to enter into an agreement with Texas Southern University, leasing space to the school for the creation of an aviation education facility at Ellington Airport. The breakdown • This agreement between the city and TSU will last five years. • Houston Airport Systems will invest up to $5 million under a separate contract to develop the facility. • The aviation education facility will include 22,000 square feet of aircraft hangar space, 7,200 square feet of office and training/class- room space, and 20,000 square feet of aircraft apron. It will total approximately 2 acres. • HAS will charge TSU a reduced

AEROSPACE AVE.

GALVESTON COUNTY During an April 19 State of the County address, County Judge Mark Henry laid out the county’s 2023 agenda, which included continuing to press the state for “meaningful property assessment reform” and funding mental health care in the county. “We have been trying to work together to get the state to first take ownership of the system,” Henry said after explaining property assessments are run by Texas, not local government. “They do a very good job of saying it’s a local thing. The tax rate is a local thing; that’s a true statement. The assessment is not a local thing.” Henry also touched on the county’s efforts to build and maintain infrastructure for responding to mental health crises in Galveston County. “I’ll say this: Whether you know it or not, you know somebody who has a mental health problem. It may be somewhere between mild [and] manageable to requiring medication, but you know somebody with a mental health problem,” Henry said. Henry said the county had made strides to build more infrastructure to respond to mental health crises, includ- ing establishing a specialty court to process mentally ill

Ellington Airport

Current situation: On May 9, League City City Council voted unanimously to approve the pay rate increase for EMS employees. The move will cost $27,053 this budget year and $108,212 in future years, according to city documents. Under the resolution, the $3-an-hour increase applies to all emergency medical technician pay scales. According to city documents, this move would accomplish three things: • One recently promoted shift com- mander below the new minimum would be raised to the minimum. • Five EMTs and seven paramedics would receive increases based on their tenure. • The pay for two EMTs and

defendants, but he believes more can be done, including building an extended observation unit. According to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, extended observation units provide up to 48 hours of emergency services to individuals in a mental health crisis who risk harming themselves or others. Felicia Jeffrey, CEO of the Gulf Coast Center, a mental health service provider for Galveston and Brazoria counties, said there is a plan to build an extended observation unit for Galveston County that will likely be completed by 2024. “One thing that we have really tried to take lead on is mental health funding, and it’s unfortunate that the state has kind of walked away from that, but we’re going to do the best we can to fill the gap,” Henry said. Henry said county officials had asked state officials if they would commit to helping the county run an extended observation unit if the county built the infrastructure. “We run the worst mental health clinic in the county,” Henry said. “It’s called the county jail.”

DIXIE FARM RD.

annual rent of $60,000, or $5,000 per month, during the initial five years of the lease term. If the lease is extended for the five-year option period, full market rate rent will be charged. Quote of note: “The city of Houston is proud of its partnership with Texas Southern University, and we are excited to witness the aviation students’ education and careers take flight,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

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AT THE CAPITOL House passes bills to improve teacher retention and increase school funding

News from the 88th legislative session

“ON BEHALF OF ALL OUR FAMILY QUOTE OF NOTE

KEEPING STAFF The Texas Teacher Vacancy Task Force issued a report in February. House Bills 11 and 100, which passed April 27 in the Texas House, respond to the task force’s recommendations:

NUMBER TO KNOW That’s how much the Texas Senate has set aside to expand access to mental health services and construct new mental health facilities across Texas. $2.3B INCREASE THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR PEOPLE WHO MANUFACTURE OR DISTRIBUTE FENTANYL MEMBERS WHO HAVE DIED INNOCENTLY BY TAKING MEDICATION LACED WITH FENTANYL ... WE’RE HERE TODAY TO TELL THE PEOPLE WHO DEAL THAT DRUG: WE’RE GOING TO PASS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION. WE’RE COMING AFTER YOU.” REP. CRAIG GOLDMAN, R-FORT WORTH, BEFORE THE HOUSE PASSED HOUSE BILL 6, WHICH WOULD

BY HANNAH NORTON

The minimum salary for a beginning Texas teacher is $33,660 for the 2022- 23 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency. HB 100 also adjusts the basic allotment—or how much state money schools receive per student—by $140 over the next two school years. The basic allotment is set at $6,160. It would go up to $6,250 during the 2023- 24 school year and $6,300 in 2024-25. The Texas Education Agency in March 2022 reported teacher depar- ture rates to be 11.57%. That rate is the highest it’s been since the agency started collecting data beginning in the 2007-08 school year. “House Bill 100 is a historic bill that is infusing an estimated $4.5 billion into public education while making policy shifts that will support critical increases in teacher pay and greater predictability,” King said. Both bills are now headed to the Texas Senate.

In an attempt to reduce the high rate of turnover among public and charter school staff, the Texas House passed two bills April 27 that are aimed at increasing school funding and provid- ing more support for teachers. House Bill 11, by Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, would provide additional funding for teacher residency and mentorship programs, which help aspiring and early-career teachers. The proposal also increases the Teacher Incentive Allotment, a program designed in 2019 to give “outstanding” teachers added pay. “This bill ultimately provides ... an opportunity for all of our schools—all five and a half million students in Texas to get a better quality educa- tion,” Dutton said. HB 100, by Rep. Ken King, R-Ca- nadian, would raise the minimum salaries for teachers, librarians, nurses and counselors based on experience.

Raise overall teacher compensation

Give teachers additional benefits and support

Increase help for special education teachers

Improve training for aspiring teachers

Expand teacher mentorship programs

Increase access to high- quality teaching materials

Extend teacher planning periods

Provide additional sup- port for staff

SOURCE: TEXAS TEACHER VACANCY TASK FORCE AND TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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BAY AREA EDITION • MAY 2023

FIRST LOOK BUSINESS

ReformHer Pilates opened in February and oers classes for men and women.

Owner Kelsey Parker poses with her dog, Dudley.

PHOTOS BY SAAB SAHICOMMUNITY IMPACT

BEGINNER PILATES FORMS These are a few basic forms ReformHer Pilates owner Kelsey Parker recommended for beginners.

ReformHer Pilates Recently opened Pilates studio oers low-intensity workout P assion for teaching drives Kelsey Parker, who went from teaching elementary school students to instructing clients on the forms of Pilates at her recently opened ReformHer Pilates studio in League City. BY SAAB SAHI

Teaser: a form that focuses on balance and working out the core Plank & Pike : two related forms that respectively transition into each other and work out the core Bridging: a form that works out the glutes, hamstrings and core

because rather than a high-intensity set of repe- titions, it was a low-impact workout that she said allowed for more of a mind-body connection and was meditative. Her classes run for about 50 min- utes, and students utilize a variety of equipment, including reformer machines and Pilates towers with adjustable resistances. Opening her own studio and teaching Pilates has aected Parker’s life in a lot of ways, such as reduc- ing her hours and nding purpose in her clients’ journeys, she said. Even though she works fewer hours than when she was an elementary school teacher, she said that the hours she does work are far more intense. “People come to me crying and thanking me that [Pilates] really changed their lives,” Parker said. “I’ve watched them grow, not only in their practice, but just in general in their lifestyle outside of the studio as well.” Parker said she has plans and hopes to grow the business beyond one studio under the “Her” brand umbrella. She said she is glad to see a community has built up and is grateful for local community resources, such as the University of Houston’s Small Business Development Center, that helped advise her on how to start her own local business.

Parker named the business after the equipment used in reformer-based Pilates and a desire to create a women-friendly space, though the studio is open to men as well. “This is the perfect way that I could continue teaching and working with other people in an environment that’s so much more calming, and it’s really been so much more fullling than I ever would have imagined,” Parker said. Parker rst learned Pilates when she was younger as a supplemental exercise for gure skating. However, she fell in love with the exercise and kept practicing it on the side until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to rethink her work-life balance. “I loved what I did, [and] I loved my kids, but I was working probably 60 hours a week and not having time for myself, my mental health and my physical health,” she said. Pilates kept Parker interested over the years

ReformHer Pilates 501 E. Main St., Ste. 6, League City 470-737-6437 www.reformherpilates.com Hours: Mon.-Fri. 6-10 a.m., closed Sat.-Sun.

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