Dave Martin

Council Member

District E 

Contact:

900 Bagby

First Floor

Houston, TX 77002

17629 El Camino Real

Suite 415

Houston, TX 77058

Office: (832) 393-3008

Fax: (832) 393-3279

districte@houstontx.gov 

Lauren Laake

Chief of Staff 

Evan Austin

South Sector Manager

Will Fischer

Intern

Residents of District E,

Last month, my office successfully hosted two fall town hall meetings in the council district. Over 200 people attended these meetings and heard a variety of community and city updates from the Solid Waste Management Department, Department of Neighborhoods, Public Works and Engineering Department, the Houston Police Department and the Houston Fire Department. We had productive discussions with many of the residents in attendance, and I thank those who came out to the meetings for continuing to be actively involved in District E.

Sincerely,

Dave Martin

A Local Drainage Project was initiated by the City of Houston's Public Works & Engineering Department in early October 2014 along Lila Lane in the central portion of District E. The project will provide improvements to address localized storm water drainage issues in the area. This approximately $55,000 project, located at the 12,000 block of Lila Lane, is anticipated to be complete in early December 2014.

A Local Drainage Project is a small scale project that strives to optimize the existing drainage system with repairs and enhancements. This may include the repair, removal and/or replacement of storm sewers, manholes, and inlets; as well as roadway pavement, curbs, sidewalks and access ramps.

The ReBuild Houston Initiative is the City of Houston's voter approved pay-as-you-go plan to rebuild drainage and street infrastructure. Its goal is to improve quality of life and mobility for residents through the reconstruction and proper maintenance of drainage and street improvements. The Local Drainage Project at Lila Lane is an active example of ReBuild Houston at work to better serve you.

On November 1 and 2, the 30th Annual Wings Over Houston Airshow will take place at Ellington Airport. One of the largest civic events in the greater Houston region, Wings Over Houston features flying demonstrations from a variety of modern and historic military aircraft as well as special shows and exhibits for the whole family. Returning to headline this year's event will be the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, a military demonstration team comprised of six supersonic F/A-18 Hornet planes which missed last year's show due to sequestration. Also featured this year will be a special Vietnam War demonstration including aircraft from a variety of local flight museums and a ground troop reenactment.

Gates will open at 8:00 a.m. on both November 1 and 2 with no admittance for the airshow being allowed after 3:00 p.m. For information on tickets, this year's performers, and the history of the Wings Over Houston Airshow, please visit www.wingsoverhouston.com.

On Friday, October 3 Council Member Martin attended the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's 52nd Annual Chairman's Ball held at the South Shore Harbour Resort, a yearly event event which serves as an opportunity for attendees to congratulate outgoing members of the chamber's board of directors and welcome new board members and division chairs. Honored this year was outgoing Chairman Jamieson Mackay of the Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union. Also recognized was the chamber's new Chairman, Sharon Proulx of Hope Village. Council Member Martin congratulates the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's outgoing board members and division chairs on a job well done and looks forward to working with Ms. Proulx and all of the chamber's incoming officers.   

On Friday, October 17 staff from Council Member Martin's office participated in a tree planting ceremony at Oak Meadows Park to celebrate TXU Energy's donation of eight 15-gallon Crape Myrtle trees to the Oak Meadows community. To coordinate the event, Council Member Martin's office worked with representatives from TXU, the Houston Parks & Recreation Department's Urban Forestry team, and community leaders from the Oak Meadows Civic Club.

Through its "Committed to Community Growth" program, TXU Energy works with the Texas Trees Foundation to provide trees to neighborhood associations, schools, nonprofit organizations and municipalities to enhance quality of life and prevent soil erosion in communities throughout Texas. TXU also maintains the TXU Energy Urban Tree Farm and Education Center, the largest nonprofit urban tree farm in the United States. More information on TXU's "Committed to Community Growth" program can be found at www.txu.com/about/community/community-growth.aspx.

Council Member Martin thanks Colette Vallot with TXU and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department for their work coordinating the event. He also thanks Michelle Miranda and the members of the Oak Meadows Civic Club for their volunteerism and dedication to improving the Oak Meadows community.

On Monday, October 27 staff from Council Member Martin's office attended a press conference at Ellington Airport promoting the upcoming relocation of the Lone Star Flight Museum (LSFM) from Galveston to a $35 million, 130,000 square foot facility on the grounds of Ellington. Lone Star Flight Museum President Larry Gregory reported the successful completion this summer of a $25 million fundraising campaign and announced a new $10 million effort, for which $3 million has already been raised. Houston Mayor Annise Parker also spoke at the event after taxiing in on a vintage WWII PT-17 Stearman biplane, and discussed the important contribution the museum will make to Houston's history of aviation.

Earlier this year, Houston City Council approved a 40-year contract to accept the relocation of the Lone Star Flight Museum from Galveston to Ellington Airport.  More than 40 historically significant aircraft will be housed at the museum's new location, joining vintage aircraft owned by the Collings Foundation-Houston and a number of historic military aircraft owned by the Texas Flying Legends Museum to give Ellington one of the finest aviation collections in the United States. Currently, the Lone Star Flight Museum is expected to break ground in the spring of 2015 with an anticipated opening in 2016.

For more information on the Lone Star Flight Museum, please visit www.lsfm.org. Council Member Martin's office will keep the public updated on the progress of this exciting addition to Ellington Airport within District E.

In April of this year, Council Member Martin participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for Exploration Green, a 200-acre storm water detention, recreation and conservation space in the Clear Lake area.  Recently, the project reached an additional milestone as the Clear Lake City Water Authority signed a conservation easement agreement with the Galveston Bay Foundation. The agreement, which protects and conserves Exploration Green from commercial development in perpetuity, represents an important step in the Exploration Green Conservancy's ultimate goal to provide the Clear Lake area with public green space to alleviate flooding, promote conservation, clean water run-off and provide recreational opportunities for all.

The construction of Exploration Green is currently in phase 1, which involves the conversion of the area surrounding the Clear Lake Recreation Center and includes the removal of 400,000 yards of soil to create the flood detention zone. The first phase of the five step project will also include the construction of a main entrance to the space, an eight acre lake, a one mile hike and bike trail, a walking path, forested areas, athletic fields and a parking lot. Phase one is expected to be complete in 2-3 years.

For more information on the Exploration Green project, please visit www.explorationgreen.org. 

October was the "month of firsts" at Space Center Houston as the center has become the first Smithsonian Affiliate in the city. The new status grants access to the national archive of more than 138 million artifacts, specimens and works of art, as well as entree to more than 50 traveling exhibitions developed by the Smithsonian Institution.

The national recognition and exposure for Space Center Houston is expected to increase annual visits, boosting the center's current $45 million annual impact on the greater Houston area. In addition, Houstonians can look forward to Smithsonian exhibitions and programs. 

With 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoological Park, the Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum and research complex. For more information on the new partnership, and to learn more about Space Center Houston's "Next Giant Leap" 2014-15 exhibit season, please visit www.spacecenter.org.

Armand Bayou Nature Center features 2,500 acres of preserved wetlands prairie, forest and marsh habitats surrounding Armand Bayou and is home to more than 350 species of animals. In October, the center celebrated its 40th anniversary, having been established in 1974 by the late local environmentalist Armand Yramategui. Since its founding, Armand Bayou Nature Center has benefitted from the hard work of innumerable naturalists and volunteers who have helped restore 600 acres of tall grass prairie and 30 acres of marshland. In turn, Houstonians have been able visit the Clear Lake area preservation to learn about a variety of plant and animals, bird-watch, hike and experience numerous other recreational and educational opportunities.

For more information on Armand Bayou Nature Center, please click here.

In February 2014, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ #10) undertook a comprehensive traffic study in Kingwood. Following the completion of the study, engineers with Gunda Corporation, LLC and a Steering Committing consisting of community members began to review the data collected to develop strategies to mitigate traffic in the area. To share concluding results with Kingwood residents, a public meeting was held on October 14 at which approximately 100 constituents were able to review maps and final data used in the traffic mitigation design process.

A ranking card was also created and distributed to record constituent preferences among the solutions that were presented. To complete your ranking card, please click here and follow the instructions listed. A website with more information on the traffic study and the traffic mitigation design process can be viewed here. All ranking cards must be completed and returned by Tuesday, November 4. Ranking cards may be emailed to KingwoodMobility@gundacorp.com or mailed to:

Houston, Texas 77036

Council Member Martin's office will continue to update the public as the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ #10) and the Steering Committee reviews all resident input and incorporates information gathered into a final traffic mitigation proposal. No additional public meetings have been scheduled at this time. Please contact Council Member Martin's office at (832) 393-3008 with questions and concerns.

On October 21, Council Member Martin attended the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's monthly Third Tuesday Luncheon at the Humble Civic Center. At this month's luncheon, Council Member Martin presented certificates of recognition to 65 Lake Houston area teachers honored by the chamber as 2014-2015 Teachers of the Year. All teachers recognized at the event were also provided with certificates from the offices of Congressman Ted Poe and State Representative Dan Huberty. Humble ISD Superintendent, Dr. Guy Sconzo, and Spring ISD Superintendent, Dr. Rodney E. Watson, also recognized the teachers honored from their respective school districts for their outstanding commitment to education. Representatives from Lone Star College-Kingwood were present to similarly congratulate educators from the college recognized at the luncheon.

As a former Humble ISD school board member, Council Member Martin congratulates all of the teachers recognized at the event, and thanks them for their dedication to providing quality education to students throughout the Lake Houston area. 

On Friday, October 31 Council Member Martin attended an event at the headquarters of Joseph Chris Partners in Kingwood to honor veterans injured in the line of duty and raise awareness for the services offered by the Wounded Warrior Project. The event, hosted by Joseph Chris Partners and Team Pinnacle Society, featured remarks from Wounded Warriors who shared their post-war experiences, the support experienced from the Wounded Warrior project and the difficulty of returning from conflicts prior to September 11, 2001 with no support other than the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Council Member Martin thanks the Wounded Warriors in attendance for their brave service to our country. For more information on the Wounded Warrior Project, please visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.  

On Wednesday, October  8 staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the monthly meeting of the Kingwood Service Association's Public Safety Committee, held in the South Woodland Hills Community Room in Kingwood. At the meeting, the Kingwood Service Association presented the Kingwood Division of HPD with a brand new golf cart that will be used to patrol the Green Belt and trails in the Kingwood Community. Captain Mark Fougerousse and Sergeant Dwayne Ulrich then provided an update on police activity in the area. While there was no unusual criminal activity reported, HPD continues to advise residents to report suspicious activity as it occurs to the Kingwood Substation at (281) 913-4502. 

On Tuesday, October 21 the Memorial Hermann Medical Group along with Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at their brand new office located at 2855 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Suite 101, Kingwood, Texas 77339. The new clinic has been helping the community since opening its doors on September 15. District E North Sector Manager, Jessica Beemer, presented Memorial Hermann Medical Group with a proclamation from the City of Houston and welcomed them to the community. Proclamations were also presented at the ribbon cutting by Congressman Ted Poe and State Representative Dan Huberty.

On Saturday, October 25 Council Member Martin and the City of Houston's Solid Waste Management Department, in coordination with Keep Kingwood Green, held a successful Batteries, Oil, Paint (latex only) and Antifreeze (B.O.P.A.) mobile collection event at the Kingwood Metro Park & Ride. The event, which was free and open to all City of Houston residents, collected a total of 21,042 lbs. of discarded material from 381 vehicles, or an average of roughly 55 lbs. per vehicle.

The Solid Waste Management Department provides solid waste service to the citizens of Houston through the collection, disposal and recycling of discarded material in a manner that is safe, efficient, environmentally sound and cost-effective. For additional information regarding how to dispose of hazardous materials, residents may call the City of Houston Environmental Service Center South at (713) 551-7355, check online at www.houstonsolidwaste.org or call 3-1-1, the City of Houston's Customer Service Hotline. 

On Monday, October 27 staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the 30th Annual Mayor's Proud Partner Awards Luncheon at the Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel. At the luncheon, recipients of this year's Mayor's Proud Partner Awards were honored by Keep Houston Beautiful for their outstanding work improving Houston's landscape through environmental and beautification projects. Among the honored was Hal Opperman and Keep Kingwood Green,  a 501(c)(3)  grassroots environmental group focused on recycling and beautification efforts in the Kingwood area.

Additional recipients of the awards within District E included Rebuilding Together, Houston for its De Zavala Park Playground Replacement Project, the Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition for its project at Thomas Bell Foster Park, and the Texas Conservation Fund/Houston-Galveston Area Council for their River, Lakes, Bays N' Bayous Trash Bash. 

To view all of the 2014 Mayor's Proud Partner Award winners, please click here.

On Thursday, October 9 the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee (BFA) of Houston City Council held the first of 19 Core Services Workshops to take place through January 2015. The workshops, which will be led by Council Member Stephen Costello, Chair of BFA, are aimed at establishing a definition of "core services" within the City of Houston and identifying these essential services within the city's numerous departments to assist members of City Council in establishing the city's budgetary priorities for the coming fiscal year. To achieve this goal, each workshop will highlight a single department and will feature a presentation by that department's director or a departmental representative on which of the department's services are core to the City of Houston.

All Core Services Workshops are open to the public and will be held in the Mayor's Basement Conference Room, City Hall, 901 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002. A complete schedule of the workshops can be found here.

Council Member Martin, Vice-Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, is looking forward to participating in what he hopes will be an informative and productive process. 

On Wednesday, October 29, Mayor Parker announced that she was withdrawing the subpoenas that had been issued to several pastors who have filed suit against the city in August relating to the Equal Rights Ordinance. The lawsuit deals with the validity of signatures on a petition that would repeal the recently passed Equal Rights Ordinance and place it on the November ballot for the voters to decide on. The subpoenas had called for the pastors involved in the lawsuit to submit all sermons and correspondence dealing with homosexuality, gender identity and the city's Equal Rights Ordinance.

Council Member Martin voted "no" when the ordinance was originally proposed at the council table and has since voiced his disapproval of what was requested through the subpoenas and discovery process. Council Member Martin stands with local pastors and believes it is imperative to let the law and people decide on at the polls regarding what is in the best interest of the city.

The lawsuit is scheduled for trial in January 2015.

On Thursday, October 30 Council Member Martin attended the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee held in the Council Chamber in Houston's City Hall. At the meeting, City Attorney David Feldman offered a presentation on the timeline and process for introducing amendments to the City of Houston's City Charter in addition to potential charter amendment revisions. Attorney Feldman's presentation was followed by questions from council members in attendance. Topics discussed at the meeting included the city's policy on executive sessions held by the governing body, the potential amendment of the city's term lengths, which currently stand at two years per term, and the appropriate timeline for charter amendments to appear on the ballot for voter approval.

More information on the City of Houston's Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee, including meeting agendas, can be found online here. A full videotaped version of the meeting can also be found online along with all public City of Houston meetings at www.houstontx.gov/htv/index.html.  

In response to growing concerns over the recent cases of Ebola in Dallas and across the country, Houston Mayor Annise Parker addressed the City of Houston's preparedness for the virus in her Mayor's Report at the regularly scheduled meeting of City Council on October 15. Joining the mayor to discuss the matter was Stephen Williams, Director of the City of Houston Health and Human Services Department, as well as Dr. David E. Persse, Director of City of Houston Emergency Medical Services. Topics covered during the report included city efforts to reach out to hospital officials in the area, interview and quarantine procedures for those potentially in contact with Ebola, and preparatory drills conducted by the Houston Fire Department.

To view video of the mayor's October 15 report on Ebola, please visit www.houstontx.gov/htv/index.html then click on the yellow "HTV for live stream" box. Once at the archived video index, click on the "City Council" tab, open the video from October 15, 2014 and finally select the Mayor's Report in the "Meeting Index" tab.

For more important information on the Ebola virus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, click here. 

At the following session of council on Wednesday, October 8 City Council unanimously approved an additional measure revising Chapter 28 of the city's Code of Ordinances to prohibit the use and/or sale of illicit synthetic drugs in the City of Houston. The revisions, which clearly define illicit synthetic drugs and stipulate a fine of up to $2000 per unit possessed, are meant to combat a reported increase in the use of dangerous and previously legally synthetic drugs, most notably synthetic marijuana or "kush." 

For more information and applications, please visit www.afterschoolzone.org or call (713) 696-1331. Please note that the application deadline is November 10.

Coastal Resiliency Panel and Community Dialogue

Monday, November 10, 2014

6:00 p.m.

George R. Brown Convention Center

The AIA Houston Urban Design Committee and the Houston Galveston Area Council will host a panel discussion and community dialogue on coastal resiliency. Representatives from Texas A&M University in Galveston, the SSPEED Center at Rice University, and the Gulf Coast Community Protection and Recovery District will discuss their research and proposed solutions for storm surge protection in the region. Tom Colbert, AIA, and Chuck Wemple, HGAC, will moderate the panel in a collaborative conversation to include a Q&A session with the audience.

The event will take place Monday, November 10 at the George R. Brown Convention Center beginning with a reception at 6:00 p.m. and program at 6:30 p.m. Opening remarks will be given by Houston Mayor Annise D. Parker and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.  

This event is free and open to the public. Meeting room and parking details will be posted online at www.aiahouston.org the week prior to the event.

The event is sponsored by the American Institute of Architects Houston Chapter, Houston Galveston Area Council, American Planning Association Houston Section, Center for Houston's Future, City of Galveston, Office of Council Member Dave Martin, Office of Council Member David W. Robinson, the City of Houston and the Shell Center for Sustainability. Please contact Rusty Bienvenue at rusty@aiahouston.org if you would like to be a partner city, organization or sponsor of the event. 

Council Member Martin invites residents of District E and all Houstonians to show support for our Armed Forces at the annual "Houston Salutes American Heroes" Veterans Day on Celebration, Tuesday, November 11. The festivities will begin at Houston City Hall, 901 Bagby, Houston 77002, with the AT&T Veterans Job & Resource Fair and Walgreens Veterans Health Fair, which will be open from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  A ceremony will follow on the steps of City Hall from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. The American Heroes Parade, sponsored by H-E-B, begins at 11:30 p.m. at Dallas and Bagby.

To learn more about the City's Office of Veterans' Affairs (HCOVA) and its services, please visit www.houstontx.gov/vetaffairs.

During this fall and the upcoming holiday season, the Kingwood and Clear Lake divisions of the Houston Police Department are implementing crime prevention initiatives to reduce and deter crime throughout District E. Starting in Kingwood on October 21 through the beginning of January 2015, the department is increasing overtime to allow officers to implement extra patrols in crime hotspots and areas where officers see crime increasing. HPD's Kingwood Division is also stepping up traffic enforcement during this time period to target DUI & DWI offenses.

In HPD's Clear Lake Division, a similar patrol overtime initiative is being implemented to saturate targeted "hotspot" locations at specific times with uniformed police units. The Clear Lake division is also continuing a burglary initiative in the southern portion of the patrol district which utilizes the Divisional Gang Unit (DGU) and the Divisional Tactical Unit (DTU) to flexibly deploy undercover surveillance as needed by current crime trends. HPD Clear Lake is additionally utilizing a new Differential Response Team (DRT) Squad to focus on nuisance abatement programs. The squad will be conducting inspections and enforcement of Chapter 10 property codes in targeted apartment complexes, as well as spot inspections to address game room-related issues and increased enforcement of panhandling problems which have previously occurred after the traditional hours of enforcement during the dayshift.

Council Member Martin's office will continue to keep the public updated on the latest crime prevention initiatives undertaken by the Houston Police Department throughout District E.

Handling over 1 million civil and criminal cases per year, the City of Houston Municipal Courts is the largest municipal courts system in Texas and among the 10 largest nationally. To serve the residents of District E who are interested in paying a fine or exploring other options for the adjudication of City of Houston citations, the Municipal Courts Department operates convenient satellite facilities in District E in both Kingwood and Clear Lake.

Kingwood Municipal Court Annex

Kingwood HPD Substation

3915 Rustic Woods Drive, Houston, Texas 77339

Open every Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

(Closed 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. for lunch)

Clear Lake Municipal Court Annex

Clear Lake HPD Substation

2855 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77058

Open every Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

(Closed 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. for lunch)

In addition to offering staffed hours once a week at its two annex locations, the Municipal Courts Department recently expanded its traffic ticket payment kiosk service to both the Clear Lake and Kingwood municipal court locations. These kiosks, conveniently open to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, will allow residents to pay traffic tickets without having to drive to the municipal courts location downtown. The court kiosks will handle open and delinquent traffic citations and will accept credit card transactions only. Users will be assessed a $2.00 convenience fee per session. No juvenile case payments will be accepted by the kiosks.

For more information regarding the Houston Municipal Courts and its satellite facilities, please visit the department's website at www.houstontx.gov/courts. Those interested may also call the city's Helpline at 3-1-1 or (713) 837-0311 if outside of the City of Houston.

On the evening of Tuesday, October 7 communities across the City of Houston participated in National Night Out, a national crime-prevention initiative founded in 1984 to further police-community partnerships, foster neighborhood camaraderie and deter criminal activity. Council Member Martin and staff visited a number of neighborhoods in District E throughout the night and met with community members to discuss City of Houston initiatives in the area and offer assistance on any local city-related projects or concerns.

Members of the Houston Police  Department also visited communities throughout the night to meet residents within their patrol areas; a list of all HPD Substations with contact information can be found here.  

Council Member Martin thanks all those throughout District E who hosted neighborhood events and participated in National Night Out.

On October 1, Council Member Martin attended a Houston First reception welcoming the Texas Municipal League's 102nd Annual Conference and Exhibition to Houston. Each year, the Texas Municipal League (TML) brings together more than 3,000 local government leaders from 300 cities across the State of Texas at its Annual Conference and Exhibition. This year's conference, held at the George R. Brown Convention Center from September 30 - October 3, featured a number of informational sessions on a variety of topics related to governance and public policy, as well as hundreds of exhibitors displaying the services they offer to municipal governments across the state.

On Thursday, October 2 Council Member Martin attended the Greater Houston Partnership's inaugural State of Energy event held at the Hyatt Regency Downtown. The event, which drew over 900 attendees, featured a keynote address from Rex W. Tillerson, Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobile Corporation, who discussed the future of the energy industry and how it will shape the greater Houston region. The Greater Houston Partnership plans to make the State of Energy an annual event going forward to provide Houstonians with the latest insights into the region's largest industry. 

On Thursday, October 2 staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the Mobility Matters Symposium hosted by the Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership (BAYTRAN) and the Transportation Advocacy Group (TAG) Houston Region. Highlighting mobility-related issues across the greater Houston region, the symposium featured a panel of local government leaders and transportation officials including Janiece Longoria, Chair of the Port of Houston Authority; Jack Morman, Harris County Commissioner for Precinct 2; Lawrence Olson, Executive Vice President of Texas Good Roads; and John Thompson, Polk County Judge and Chair of the Alliance of I-69 Texas.

Following the panel discussion, keynote speaker Jeff Moseley, member of the Texas Transportation Commission, addressed the crowd with an update on transportation initiatives underway or planned for the Houston region including the construction of the Grand Parkway and the widening of Interstate 45. Commissioner Moseley also discussed Proposition 1, the statewide proposition on the ballot in November to transfer funding into Texas' State Highway Fund.

Each year, during Houston Hispanic Heritage Month, members of the Mayor's Hispanic Advisory Board encourage the recognition of five Houstonians who have made the city a better place. On Tuesday, October 7 Council Member Martin was in attendance as five such individuals were recognized during the 2014 Mayor's Hispanic Heritage Awards Ceremony at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. This year's honorees were Professor Richard Tapia of Rice University, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award; Demetrius Navarro, who received the Community Activist Award; Professor Michael Olivas of the University of Houston, who received the Education in the Community; Maria Costillo Valle, who received the Youth Activist Award; and Jose Antonio Diaz, who received the Arts in the Community Award.

More information on the 2014 award winners and their contributions to the City of Houston can be found at

www.houstontx.gov/specialevents/hispanicheritage2014.html. 

The Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and to celebrate the milestone the partnership honored members of the state legislature who have represented the Houston region for over 25 years at its Texas State Regional Delegation Dinner on October 22. The elected officials recognized included: Senator John Whitmire; Senator Rodney Ellis; Representative Senfronia Thompson; Representative Harold Dutton; and Representative Sylvester Turner. 

On Tuesday, October 28 Council Member Martin attended the Greater Houston Partnership's State of the Senate Address. Providing this year's address was Senator John Cornyn, the senior United States Senator from Texas and the Senate's Minority Whip, who discussed a variety of topics including Houston's economic and quality of life advantages, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposal to tighten federal ozone standards, and alternative educational approaches to workforce development, among others. 

More information on the GHP's State of the Senate Address can be found at www.houston.org. To view the partnership's live tweets of the speech, search #StateofSenate on Twitter.

On Thursday, October 30 Council Member Martin attended the Crime Stoppers of Houston 2014 Gala at the Omni Hotel. The event celebrated the mission of Crime Stoppers to further safety and crime prevention in the Houston community, and featured a keynote address from journalist John Stossel. 

Since 1981, Crime Stoppers of Houston has operated the famed tip line (713) 222-TIPS.  Known world over as a leader in crime prevention resources, Crime Stoppers of Houston's tip line program has paid over $10 million in cash rewards, solved over 30,000 felony cases, and arrested nearly 25,000 felony fugitives. Through innovation and expansion, Crime Stoppers strives to engage the community in important conversations about crime, public safety and the protection of society's most vulnerable citizens.  

For more information on Crime Stoppers Houston, please visit: 

Each year, Scenic Houston celebrates individuals and organizations who fight visual blight in the city and improve the appearance of the city's streetscapes to enhance the aesthetic, recreational, and natural aspects of Houston. On Thursday, October 30 Council Member Martin attended the 2014 Scenic Houston Dinner at the Houston Country Club. At the event, Richard Campo, Chairman of the Houston First Corporation Board of Directors and CEO of Camden Property Trust, received Scenic Houston's "Scenic Visionary Award." Also honored at the event was Margaret Lloyd, who was awarded Scenic Houston's "Scenic Hero" recognition.  

The City of Houston's Administration and Regulatory Affairs Department (ARA) and BARC, the city's animal control and adoption agency, are excited to invite Houstonians to BARC's very first fundraiser Thursday, November 6th from 6:00 p.m - 7:30pm at Saint Arnold's Brewery supporting the agency's brand new spay & neuter clinic: Fixin' Houston. 

Opening this November, the Fixin' Houston clinic will allow BARC to provide in-house spay & neuter services for the first time. BARC's goal for the clinic is to offer services to as many pets as possible.  All proceeds from the event will support the Fixin' Houston clinic and help provide spay & neuter services for those who cannot afford to pay but understand the importance of responsible pet ownership.

For more information, and to buy tickets for the event, please visit: www.barchoustonblog.com/fixin-houston-fundraiser. 

Upcoming Events 

 

Southeast Houston/Clear Lake    

November 1

2014 Clear Creek Education Foundation Gala  

November 6
Greater Houston Partnership's State of the Port 

November 8

Compucycle Electronic Recycling Event

November 10

Houston Ship Channel's 100th Anniversary Historic Rededication Ceremony 

November 18

Clear Lake PIP