Inside District I Newsletter

Greetings!

With the opening of the new light rail lines on May 23rd, I'd like to take a moment to remind motorists and pedestrians to watch for trains.

Light-rail trains are being tested along Rusk, Capitol, Hamilton and Texas on the downtown section, and Harrisburg and Scott in the southeast section of the new East End (Green) and Southeast (Purple) lines.

A few things to remember:

Don't walk on tracks, except when crossing at crosswalks
Obey all traffic signs and signals around tracks
Light-rail trains are quiet. Stay alert
Never walk in front of, behind or between trains
Trains can move fast, but they can't stop fast
Watch for trains
Respect red lights
Listen for horns, whistles and signal bells
Follow lane markings in lanes shared by cars

In addition, construction of the Harrisburg overpass will begin Monday, May 11th. The overpass is the final piece that will fully connect downtown to the Magnolia Transit Center.

Metro officials and the contractor, McCarthy Building Companies Inc., will work with property owners and businesses along the construction zone to ensure that the work causes as little inconvenience and disturbance as possible.

Construction will commence on the outer traffic lanes and sidewalk. Traffic will be directed to single-lane traffic in each direction on the center of Harrisburg. Once that phase is complete in four to six months, traffic will be rerouted back to the outer lanes so that work can begin on the overpass on the center of Harrisburg. Customers will be able to access businesses in the construction zone all times.

Metro expects the overpass to be completed and open in September 2016.

Best wishes,

Robert Gallegos

Houston Council Member

District I

Botanic Garden Meeting - May 12th

Please join city officials and the design team, West 8, to provide input on the creation of the new Houston Botanic Garden.

The meeting will be held at Park Place Elementary, 8235 Park Pl Blvd, 77017. Parking is available at Park Place Elementary and Park Place Library. For more information visit www.houstonbotanicgarden.org.

Cine at the Park - Family Movie Night - May 15th

Join Council Member Robert Gallegos for a fun filled evening and FREE movie night on Friday, May 15th. THE SANDLOT will play on the big screen at Austin High School (football field) beginning at 8 p.m.

There will be entertainment for the whole family, including face painting, raffle prizes, a moon walk, static displays from the Houston Police and Fire Department, food and refreshments for sale, and free snacks as well. The event time is 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and the movie starts at 8 p.m. Bring the family and enjoy a night outdoors! Don't forget your lawn chairs or picnic blankets!

What: Movie Night, featuring "The Sandlot"

When: Friday, May 15th, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Movie begins at 8 p.m.

Where: Austin HS (football field), 1700 Dumble St., 77023

Sunday Streets in the East End - May 17th

Houston Sunday Streets

Cigna Sunday Streets kicks off its 3rd event in 2015 season by going back to the East End on Sunday, May 17th. With no cars on the road, you'll be able to walk, run, dance, bike or play in the streets with friends, family and neighbors.

Cigna Sunday Streets is not just a street festival, it is a FREE family-friendly opportunity to be physically active and enjoy active transportation, as well as connect with neighbors in your community. Sunday Streets will take place along Navigation Blvd. between Jensen and Lockwood.

FREE Spay/Neuter, Pet Wellness Services this month

BARC's "Healthy Pets, Healthy Streets" initative is back! Beginning Saturday, May 9th, the effort will move to neighborhoods in District I.

This initiative offers free spay/neuter and wellness services to pet owners in neighborhoods with a large number of stray animals and dog bite complaints.

Each pet that participates will receive free spay/neuter surgery, a rabies vaccination, a one-year city license, a microchip with lifetime registration and flea treatment. More healthy and sterilized pets also mean healthier and safer streets and sidewalks.

Residents must take a current ID or documentation such as a utility bill that has the pet owner's name and current City of Houston address. No appointment necessary. Check-in will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. Residents can bring their pets to the SNAP mobile clinic on the following dates and locations:

Saturday, May 9th

Magnolia Multi-service Center

7037 Capitol St, Houston, TX 77011

Monday, May 11th

Community Family Centers

7524 Avenue E, Houston, TX 77012

Tuesday, May 12th

Reflections of Christ's Kingdom

9312 Edgebrook Dr, Houston, TX 77075

Wednesday, May 13th

North Shore Community Fellowship of Faith

444 Maxey Rd, Houston, TX 77013

Thursday, May 14th

Park Place Regional Library

8145 Park Place Blvd, Houston TX 77017

Friday, May 15th

Magnolia Multi-service Center

7037 Capitol St, Houston, TX 77011

The simplest, but most powerful thing you can do to help BARC, and pets throughout our community, is to talk to your friends, neighbors, and family about caring for pets responsibly. For more information on this initiative call the District I office at 832-393-3011.

City of Houston Summer Jobs Program

This summer, city departments are opening their doors to provide opportunities for you to earn while you learn about what it takes to serve the residents of the nation's 4th largest city. Most positions are for 32 hours per week, at $7.25 per hour.

To be eligible to participate in the program, you must be between the ages of 16 and 21 by June 15th, and live in the City of Houston. Opportunities will be available in a variety of City departments.

Applications are being accepted through May 8th.

Emancipet Houston Spay/Neuter Clinic is Open

Emancipet Houston, the new clinic offering low cost spay/neuter and preventive veterinary services, is now open in a 48-foot trailer in Houston's East End, where the stray animal situation is the most dire.

Houston City Council helped Emancipet open its first Houston clinic with a $260,000 investment. The partnership was spearheaded by Council Member Robert Gallegos and made possible thanks to the support of Mayor Annise Parker, Council Members Ed Gonzalez, and Oliver Pennington.

The clinic is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Spay/neuter services are available by appointment by calling 866-441-9248 or online at www.emancipet.org/houston. Preventive pet care including vaccinations, microchipping, and flea and heartworm prevention is available on a walk-in basis. A grand opening event will be held this June, date to be announced.

Emancipet is a rapidly expanding nonprofit network of spay/neuter clinics, with a mission to make spay/neuter services and preventive veterinary care affordable and accessible to all pet owners. The clinic will be able to spay/neuter about 7,000-8,000 animals per year, and provide approximately 10,000 preventive care visits.

After six to nine months of operation, Emancipet will move into a brick-and-mortar space in the same neighborhood, and move the semi-permanent trailer to a new location. By 2017, depending on the success of fundraising efforts, Emancipet plans to have three permanent locations in underserved areas of Houston