Council Member Dave Martin's

District E Newsletter

Issue 32

August 2015 

 

 

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

 

Jessica Beemer
North Sector Manager

 

Katherine Cunningham 

Administrative Assistant

City Contacts
City of Houston 311
(713) 837-0311

Mayor's Citizens Assistance Office
(832) 393-0955

   Kingwood 
Community Center
District E Community Contacts



 
 

Northshore Super Neighborhood Council

Meadowbrook/Allendale Super Neighborhood Council


Clear Lake Super Neighborhood Council 

Residents of District E,

 

As we begin the month of August, a much-debated and controversial item will be placed back before the city council body: the equal rights ordinance known as HERO. Since passing by an 11-6 vote last year, the legality of the ordinance has been questioned and in the court's hands. On July 24, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that Houston City Council must repeal the ordinance or place it on the November ballot.  Since first being introduced, I have voiced my opposition to the HERO ordinance and steadfastly believe it is a decision that belongs to the people to decide and that the legislative power of the citizens of Houston needs to be upheld. I anticipate a long and heated debate again at council on Wednesday, August 8 when we will collectively decide the ordinance's fate. If placed on the ballot, I have requested that the mayor make the ballot language as simple and easy to read as possible to eliminate any confusion at the polls. My office will keep the district updated with what is decided on Wednesday.

 

Additionally, my staff has been hard at work in coordinating the annual round of fall town hall meetings in the district. I invite you to save the date for the following two meetings that will be held:

 

Southeast Houston/Clear Lake

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Space Center Houston

1601 NASA Parkway

Houston, TX 77058

 

Kingwood

Tuesday, October 13

6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Kingwood Community Center

4102 Rustic Woods Drive

Houston, TX 77345

 

As always, I have extended the invitation to several city departments including Public Works and Engineering, Houston Parks and Recreation and the Houston Police Department as well as a variety of community speakers. In Kingwood, we will have the opportunity to hear from Lovett Development who is constructing the new multi-use center at the corner of Kingwood Drive and West Lake Houston Parkway in addition to Stan Sarman, the chair of the TIRZ 10 board. Mr. Sarman will be able to provide information on a variety of projects including the Kingwood Area Mobility Study and the status of area developments. 

 

In Clear Lake, we have invited the folks from Trendmaker Homes and Fidelis Realty to provide another update on their respective developments at the corner of Clear Lake City Boulevard and El Dorado Boulevard. An invitation has also been extended to General Growth Partners, who are coordinating the expansion of Baybrook Mall. 

 

We look forward to hearing these updates and learning of the community's questions, comments and concerns. If you have never been before, it is the perfect opportunity to be engaged in your community and have your questions answered. We hope you will join us. Please feel free to invite a neighbor, friend or colleague! Everyone is more than welcome to attend.

 

This year is also an election year, and I encourage everyone to register to vote. If you are not already, you can register online by visiting VoteTexas.gov or by visiting the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector's office, which has many branches across the city. I am proud to announce that I formally submitted my paperwork to run for a second term for the District E City Council position. Thank you to all who have supported me thus far and for the privilege to serve. I feel honored and blessed to have had the opportunity and hope to be able to continue to represent the constituents of District E for another two years.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Dave Martin

 

Kingwood July 4th Parade

On Saturday, July 4 staff from Council Member Martin's office participated in the annual Kingwood July 4th Parade where Council Member Stephen Costello (At-Large 1) and Council Member Michael Kubosh (At-Large 3) were present as well as Houston Mayor Annise Parker.  The parade, which began at Creekwood Middle School and ended at Kingwood High School, featured floats from various community groups from the Lake Houston area, and thousands of patriotic Houstonians were in attendance.

 

Council Member Martin thanks the Kingwood Civic Club for its effort in organizing the successful annual event.

 

Northeast Christian Academy Tour

Council Member Martin and staff joined Brad Baggett and Jim Savage of the Northeast Christian Academy (NCA) on Monday, July 13 for a tour of the school's new Upper Campus located at 3939 Glade Valley Drive near Kingwood Park High School. The new campus, which is scheduled to open on August 19, will house approximately 60-70 7th-12th grade students in its first year.

 

Council Member Martin thanks Mr. Baggett and Mr. Savage for the tour of NCA's new campus and facilities. For more information on Northeast Christian Academy, please visit www.nca-kingwood.org.

 

Forest Cove Public Meeting

On Tuesday, July 28 Council Member Martin hosted a public meeting which he called to address ongoing drainage concerns among the residents of Forest Cove in Kingwood. At the meeting, representatives from the city's Public Works and Engineering Department (PWE) gave a presentation about the current issues and steps that can be taken to mitigate these concerns. The District E office will continue to work towards a feasible solution with PWE and the residents of Forest Cove. If you were unable to attend or would like a copy of the materials presented at the public meeting, please contact our office at (832) 393-3008 or districte@houstontx.gov.

Severn Trent Contract Renewal

At its regularly-scheduled session on Wednesday, July 22 Houston City Council renewed the contract between the City of Houston and Severn Trent Environmental Services, Inc. for Operation and Maintenance Services for the Greater Northeast Houston Service Area (GNEHSA) Water and Wastewater Utilities and Facilities. The GNHESA encompasses Kingwood, Forest Cove, Harris County MUD No. 48, Harris County MUD No. 58, Lake Houston, Belleau Wood, District 73 and District 82, Plantation Hills, Eisenhower Park, the Water Well site at Cedar Bayou and Harris County MUD 450.

 

The new contract with Severn Trent, which provides a maximum amount of $30,329,077, will enable the city to continue to ensure that GNEHSA facilities and utilities are operated and maintained within the optimum efficiencies as required to protect the public's health and the city's assets. Under the agreement, Severn Trent will continue to manage water and wastewater within the service area seven days per week, 24 hours per day over the next three years, with two subsequent one-year options to extend the contract to a total of five years.

 

HPD Lake Patrol Jet Ski Lifts

Last month, the Houston Police Department's (HPD) Lake Patrol Division installed new jet ski lifts with surplus funds Council Member Martin provided out of his Fiscal Year 2015 council office budget. The new lifts will save Lake Patrol officers several crucial minutes in responding to water emergencies, which could potentially result in lives saved. 


The funds donated to the division by Council Member Martin were also used to purchase the jet skis which the new lifts will service. Lake Patrol officers have utilized these watercraft since the donation to respond to emergencies and patrol Lake Houston.

 

2015 Lake Houston 10K 5K

At 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 22 the 2015 Lake Houston 10K 5K will take place at Kings Harbour in Kingwood. The event, organized by the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce and presented by Memorial Hermann Northeast and the Texas Emergency Center, will feature a 10K and 5K race followed by an award ceremony at which prizes will be awarded to the top overall male and female contestants in each race.

 

During the event, the northbound lanes of West Lake Houston Parkway from Kings Parkway to Kings Crossing will be closed from around 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., and the southbound lanes will be reduced to two.  Police officers will be stationed at all intersections to help with traffic flow.  


For additional information or to register for the 2015 Lake Houston 10K 5K, please click here.

 

Save the Date: South Shaver Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

At 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 22 Council Member Martin will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the $13.5 million South Shaver Street reconstruction project which was initiated by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in the summer of 2013. The event will take place at Iglesia Cristo de Poder, located at 5300 South Shaver Street, and representatives from the City of Houston's Public Works and Engineering Department (PWE) as well as TxDOT have been invited to give remarks. The District E office will provide additional information closer to the scheduled date, and Council Member Martin invites all interested residents to attend.

 

Construction on the South Shaver Street reconstruction project, which is providing much-needed improvements to the condition of the street, is currently scheduled to be substantially complete by early August.

 

Arlington Heights Quarterly Civic Club Meeting

On Tuesday, July 14 Council Member Martin spoke to members of the Arlington Heights Civic Club at their regularly scheduled quarterly meeting. In his remarks, Council Member Martin provided residents with an update on the Arlington Heights Drainage Project scheduled for construction in Fiscal Years 2017-2019, which will improve drainage infrastructure in the neighborhood and also bring aged sidewalks up to current City of Houston standards. Council Member Martin also gave an overview of the recently-passed Fiscal Year 2016 Budget and Fiscal Year 2016-2020 Capital Improvement Plan before taking questions from those in attendance. Harris County Precinct 8 Constable Phil Sandlin also spoke at the meeting to inform Arlington Heights residents on a number of topics related to public safety and crime awareness.

 

Council Member Martin thanks Arlington Heights Civic Club President Steve Canniff for the opportunity to speak to the residents he proudly represents in the Arlington Heights community.

 

Fire Station 53 Improvements

Council Member Martin and the District E staff visited Houston Fire Station 53 in the North Shore area on Friday, July 17 to view repairs recently made to the station using some of District E's Council Service Budget funds from Fiscal Year 2015. Improvements completed include new carpet, new kitchen cabinets and counters, patches for leaks in the roof and new flooring to cover several holes.

 

In Fiscal Year 2015, Council Member Martin also allocated council service budget funds to other fire stations across the district to fund the purchase of two new booster trucks, the installation of new bulletin boards, the construction of new watch offices, the conversion of appliances to natural gas and the purchase of new supply hoses.

 

Council Member Martin thanks the crew at Station 53 for visiting with him and is proud to be able to help support the brave fire fighters who protect the residents of District E.

 

South Belt-Ellington Chamber Shirt Donation

Since its establishment in 2012, the South Belt-Ellington Chamber of Commerce's Education Outreach Committee has organized volunteer efforts to support underprivileged students in the community so that all have the opportunity to pursue a quality education. One such effort is an annual initiative donating polo shirts to elementary students in the Pasadena Independent School District (PISD) who lack the means to acquire clothing for school uniforms. To support this year's donation, staff from Council Member Martin's office joined members of the Education Outreach Committee and other community volunteers on Friday, July 17 to fold and prepare the shirts to be delivered to PISD schools including Genoa Elementary in District E. Thanks to the efforts of the chamber and participating businesses such as the Texas Bay Area Credit Union, 1,500 shirts will be delivered this year.

 

Oak Meadows Civic Club Meeting

At a meeting of the Oak Meadows Civic Club on Tuesday, July 28 longtime president Michelle Miranda stepped down after serving in the role since helping the club reactivate in 2009. To honor her dedicated leadership in the community, staff from Council Member Martin's office attended the meeting and presented Ms. Miranda with a certificate of special recognition. Council Member Martin thanks Ms. Miranda for her hard work for the betterment of Oak Meadows, and looks forward to working with the civic club's new president Yvette Hernandez.
 
Allen-Genoa Road Panel Replacement Project

During the week of July 20, the City of Houston's Public Works and Engineering Department (PWE) completed a localized concrete panel replacement project on Allen-Genoa Road to alleviate hazardous conditions on the thoroughfare's outside southbound lane.

 

As a result of constituent input and feedback, Council Member Martin's office has identified Allen-Genoa Road as one of the major thoroughfares within District E in most need of repairs. To address its condition, a comprehensive assessment of the road was completed by the city in the spring of 2015, and the Public Works and Engineering Department is currently completing further analysis for a comprehensive panel replacement project. The District E office will continue to keep the public informed on the status of future repairs to Allen-Genoa Road. 

 

Lunar Rendezvous Festival 50th Anniversary Proclamation

Since its founding in 1965, the Lunar Rendezvous Festival has served as a yearly celebration of the numerous accomplishments made in the space sciences in Houston's Bay Area and has funded scholarships for many graduating seniors in the community as well as other charitable causes. To highlight the festival's 50th anniversary this year, Council Member Martin presented a proclamation to several members of the Lunar Rendezvous Festival Board of Directors at the public session of City Council on Tuesday, July 7. At-Large Council Member Michael Kubosh joined Council Member Martin in the presentation as did Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who proclaimed July 7, "Lunar Rendezvous Festival Day" in the City of Houston.

 

The 2015 Lunar Rendezvous Festival, "Golden Jubilee" took place throughout the month of July and featured a number of family-friendly charitable events which concluded with the Coronation Ball on Saturday, July 25. Council Member Martin congratulates all involved with the festival this year and over its successful 50-year history. More information on the Lunar Rendezvous Festival can be found online here.

 

BAHEP's 84th Legislative Session Update

On Wednesday, July 15 Council Member Martin attended an update on the 84th State Legislative Session hosted by the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership's (BAHEP) Political Protocol Committee. At the event, a panel comprised of eight state legislators representing Houston's Bay Area provided an overview of key legislation passed during the 84th session and answered questions on topics of importance to the region. On the panel for the event were State Senators Larry Taylor (District 11) and Sylvia Garcia (District 6) as well as State Representatives Wayne Smith (District 128), Greg Bonnen, M.D. (District 24), Ed Thompson (District 29), Wayne Faircloth (District 23), Dennis Paul (District 129) and Gilbert Peña (District 144). Education, transportation, tax reform, border security and coastal storm surge protection were among the policy areas discussed.

 

For a number of reports on bills filed and/or passed during this year's 84th session of the Texas Legislature, please visit

www.capitol.state.tx.us/Reports/General.aspx.

 

El Dorado Overpass Reconstruction Project

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) closed the El Dorado Boulevard overpass at I-45/Gulf Freeway for reconstruction on Friday, July 10. The overpass will remain closed until late November 2015.

 

The existing overpass will be demolished and a new at-grade intersection will be constructed.  Once complete, the I-45/Gulf Freeway mainlanes will go over the El Dorado Boulevard intersection replacing the current overpass structure.  This new configuration will improve mobility and enhance safety for the traveling public.

 

During the reconstruction, motorists traveling east on El Dorado to I-45 will be detoured onto the southbound frontage road to Nasa Road One and u-turn and enter I-45 northbound mainlanes and exit and turn right  to access El Dorado.

 

Vehicles traveling west on El Dorado to I-45 will turn right on the I-45 northbound frontage road and u-turn at Dixie Farm/FM 1959 to access I-45 southbound and exit and turn right on El Dorado.

 

The El Dorado overpass reconstruction is part of the $93 million construction project on I-45 from FM 2351 to Medical Center Boulevard. The project will also widen the existing six mainlanes to ten and replace the Bay Area Boulevard overpass.  The entire project is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2017.

 

For more information on scheduled lane closures in TxDOT's Houston District, contact the TxDOT Public Information Office at (713) 802-5076 or follow the office on Twitter @TxDOTHoustonPIO.    

 

El Dorado Park & Ride Update

On Thursday, July 23 the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve a contract with Spawglass Civil Construction, Inc. for the construction of the El Dorado Park & Ride project, which will join the existing Bay Area Park & Pool and Fuqua Park & Ride to accommodate demand for METRO commuter bus service along the Gulf Freeway Corridor to downtown Houston.

 

Construction on the El Dorado Park & Ride is currently expected to commence in fall 2015, with service anticipated to begin in January 2017. Once completed, the 23.8-acre project located at El Dorado Boulevard and Glenwest Drive will feature over 1,200 parking spaces and a canopied bus platform with three bus bays. Council Member Martin's office will continue to keep residents updated as this exciting new transit project in District E further develops.

 

9/11 Heroes Run 2015


On Tuesday, July 14 staff from Council Member Martin's office attended a planning meeting for the 9/11 Heroes Run 2015, which will be held at Ellington Airport on Saturday, September 12 at 7:30 a.m. The District E team encourages all residents to participate in this special annual event, which is held across the country to honor the sacrifices made by the veteran, first responder, civilian and military heroes of September 11th, 2001 and the wars that have since followed.

 

To register for Houston's 9/11 Heroes Run 2015, please click here. Proceeds from this year's event will go to three local first responder charities which support the brave men and women who serve and protect all Houstonians.

 

At the planning meeting, the event's organizers also shared an inspiring new PSA released by the Travis Manion Foundation.

 

 

Founded in honor of 1st Lt. Travis Manion, who gave his life while serving in Iraq in 2009, the Travis Manion Foundation supports American veterans and the families of the fallen in addition to organizing a number of charitable initiatives including the 9/11 Heroes Run.  For more information on the foundation, residents can visit www.travismanion.org.

 

The organizers of Houston's 9/11 Heroes Run 2015 are also looking for volunteers to assist prior to and during the event. If you or someone you know may be interested in contributing time to help this year's run succeed, please contact Officer Kelly Huff at kmbenjamin@gmail.com or the District E office at (832) 393-3008 or districte@houstontx.gov.

 

College Football Playoff Site Visit

On Tuesday, July 7 Council Member Martin joined representatives from the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA) as well as other area elected officials and business leaders to welcome a delegation of staff members from the College Football Playoff, which is considering Houston as a host for playoff games in the coming years.

 

As a former HCHSA board member and a current ex-officio board member for the Houston First Corporation, Council Member Martin is actively engaged in efforts to promote the City of Houston as an event and tourism destination. If the College Football Playoff chooses Houston as a host city, it will join a list of upcoming sporting events in the city which include the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four and Super Bowl LI in 2017.

 

Houston Dash in Women's World Cup

Council Member Martin congratulates Houston Dash players Morgan Brian, Mehgan Klingenberg and Carli Lloyd on winning the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup after the U.S. Women's National Team beat Japan in the World Cup Final on Sunday, July 5. Lloyd received the Golden Ball Trophy as the best player in the tournament and scored three goals in the first 16 minutes of the title game to give the U.S. a commanding lead. Three Dash players also participated in the World Cup for the Canadian team: Allysha Chapman, Erin McLeod and Lauren Sesselmann.

Founded in 2013, the Dash compete in the National Women's Soccer League (NSWL) as Houston's professional women's soccer team. For more information on the Houston Dash, please visit

HPD Headquarters Naming Ceremony

On Monday, July 27 Council Member Martin attended a ceremony held to officially rename HPD's headquarters at 1200 Travis Street the "Houston Police Department Edward A. Thomas Building." Houston City Council had previously voted to approve the name change on June 24. Senior Police Officer Thomas, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, Houston Police Chief Charles A. McClelland, Reverend William Lawson and Officer Thomas' family all attended the event to celebrate Officer Thomas' 63 years of exemplary service and dedication to the department.

Retired Senior Police Officer Thomas served HPD from January 12, 1948 until his retirement on July 23, 2011.  During his service, Officer Thomas received numerous awards, commendations and letters of appreciation. He was one of the first African American police officers to integrate into HPD, though he had served nearly 20 years with HPD prior to the Civil Rights Movement. Officer Thomas' more than six decades of hard work and courage paved the way for African American and minority officers at the Houston Police Department.


 

To view video of the ceremony on HPD's YouTube channel, please click here.

 

Electronic Recycling Program Reminder

Reminder: the Solid Waste Management Department's (SWMD) monthly electronic recycling events in Kingwood and Clear Lake have been put on hold as the City of Houston negotiates the contractual structure of its electronic recycling program. SWMD placed a sign at the Kingwood electronic recycling drop-off site to notify the public of this service change, and a similar sign will be placed at the Clear Lake electronic recycling drop-off site the first week of August.

 

The District E office will keep residents updated on the contract reevaluation process and will inform the public when electronic recycling service is expected to be restored. In the meantime, a variety of alternative methods exist for the recycling of electronic goods. Best Buy accepts many types of electronics, including TVs, at no cost and offers pickup programs for items too large to easily transport. More information on Best Buy's electronic recycling services can be found here

 

Goodwill Houston additionally accepts scrap electronic equipment including TVs, computers, DVRs, etc. in any condition. Information on Goodwill Houston's electronic recycling program can be found on its FAQ webpage here

 

Residents can also click here to find information on other ways to recycle various types of electronic goods in Texas.

 

Houston Fire Department's Immunization Extravaganza

The Houston Fire Department (HFD) and The Care Van Program have teamed up once again to provide free childhood immunizations in time for school. The "Immunization Extravaganza" will offer free vaccinations for uninsured or medicaid children 4 through 18 years of age in preparation for the upcoming school year that starts August 24, 2015. 


The 2015 "Immunization Extravaganza" will take place on Thursday, August 20, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at HFD's Val Jahnke Training Facility located at 8030 Braniff Street, Houston, Texas 77061.

 

Please note that no children with insurance, including CHIP insurance, will be serviced. Parents or guardians must accompany their children and provide current immunization records. Children receiving their vaccinations will receive a free ice cream treat while supplies last.

 

For more information on HFD's "Immunization Extravaganza" please visit www.houstontx.gov/fire/2015freeimmunizations.pdfFor information in Spanish, click here

 

For questions,  please contact Paul Box with the Houston Fire Department at (832) 394-6636 or via e-mail at paul.box@houstontx.gov.

 

311 Nextdoor Announcement

Last month, the City of Houston's non-emergency help and information service, 311, announced that it will be utilizing the website Nextdoor to share information on service outages, safety and public events.

 

Please note that this initiative will not infringe on the privacy of Nextdoor users: Houston 311 staff will NOT be able to see any of the content on neighborhood sites except for the direct replies to their posts.

 

Nextdoor is not the appropriate way to request non-emergency services, emergency services or police services, nor to report criminal or suspicious activity, file a report, etc. If you require emergency services, or wish to report suspicious activity, please call 911. For non-emergency services and information, please contact 311 at (713) 837-0311, via the City of Houston's 311 mobile application or online here.

 

Historic Preservation Ordinance Changes

The City of Houston's Planning and Development Department has released proposed changes to Chapter 33 of the city's Code of Ordinances, the Historic Preservation Ordinance, for public comment. The changes, which were crafted during months of public meetings held by the Historic Preservation Ordinance Review Committee, reflect Houston Mayor Annise Parker's charge to correct and clarify targeted items and create greater consistency for applicants and for the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission (HAHC).

 

The proposed changes will provide applicants with additional options for streamlined approval, provide HAHC with improved guidance on which to base its decisions and create a more efficient and user-friendly process. The proposed changes and the information related to this process can be found online here.

 

A public hearing on these changes was held on Wednesday, July 22 after the conclusion of the HAHC's regularly scheduled meeting. Comments from the public may also be submitted by calling (832) 393-6556, via email to historic.ordinance@houstontx.gov or by mail to HPD Review, Planning and Development Department, P.O. Box 1562, Houston, Texas 77251-1562.

 

HAHC will review all comments and consider final action at its August 27, 2015 meeting. The commission's recommendation will then be forwarded to the mayor and City Council for consideration.

 

CenterPoint Street Light Outage Resources

CenterPoint Energy, which maintains street lights throughout the greater Houston region, has various online tools which residents can utilize to report street light outages. To report an outage, residents can click here and fill out the form at the bottom of the page. Please note that when reporting street light outages, residents must have the pole numbers for the non-functioning lights (a pole number should be visibly printed on the side of each street light pole). Contact information for the individual reporting the outage is also required, and CenterPoint requests an email address be provided to enable follow-up regarding the status of a repair.

 

Residents can also report street light outages using CenterPoint's map reporting tool here, or over the phone at (713) 207-2222 or (800) 332-7143. CenterPoint additionally maintains an outage tracking map, which residents can view by clicking here.

 

As announced by Houston Mayor Annise Parker last year, CenterPoint energy is additionally replacing all 165,000 street lights in the City of Houston with more efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lights over the next several years. Once completed, the switch is expected to save the city $28 million in electricity costs over 10 years. Please be advised that these new LED street lights will emit bluish light rather than the yellowish light emitted from the sodium, mercury vapor and metal-halide lights being replaced.

 

31st Annual Mayor's Proud Partner Awards Application Extension

The deadline for the submission of applications for the 31st Annual Mayor's Proud Partner awards has been extended. Groups that have worked to support the city through volunteer beautification, neighborhood cleanups or conservation activities may now submit an application online here through Monday, August 10 at 5:00 p.m. 

 

Eligible entries include any program, project or individual effort, big or small, carried out and substantially completed during the last year to create a cleaner more beautiful environment. Examples include beautification and landscaping installations, neighborhood cleanups, environmental education programs, volunteer park improvements, murals (graffiti abatement), waste minimization efforts, litter prevention programs and similar service projects.

 

Sponsoring groups may include businesses, nonprofit and civic organizations, garden clubs, youth groups (including classroom projects), universities, government agencies, religious institutions, medical institutions and individuals.

 

For more information, please contact Keep Houston Beautiful at 

ebarlow@houstonbeautiful.org.

 

To learn more about the City of Houston's sustainability efforts, residents can visit www.greenhoustontx.govwww.codegreenhouston.org and

www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste.

 

METRO New Bus Network Information Sessions

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) is holding several customer information sessions in August to update riders on its New Bus Network. See below for more information on the sessions, which are being held across METRO's service area:

Saturday, August 1, 2015                                  J.W. Peavy Senior Center
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.                                                  3814 Market Street
                                                                             Houston, Texas 77020   
Monday, August 3, 2015                            Sunnyside Multi-Service Center
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.                                                    9314 Cullen Street
                                                                             Houston, Texas 77051

Tuesday, August 4, 2015                       Hiram Clarke Multi-Service Center
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.                                               3810 W. Fuqua Street
                                                                             Houston, Texas 77045

Wednesday, August 5, 2015                      Southwest Multi-Service Center
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.                                                 6400 High Star Drive                                                                              Houston, Texas 77074

Friday, August 7, 2015                                                                 METRO
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.                           1900 Main Street (1st Floor Lobby)
3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.                                              Houston, Texas 77002

Saturday, August 8, 2015                             Magnolia Multi-Service Center 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.                                                 7037 Capitol Street
                                                                             Houston, Texas 77011                                            
At the information sessions, METRO staff will be on-hand to provide trip-planning assistance and answer specific rider questions on the New Bus Network, their routes and bus stops.

 

Click here for a printable map of METRO's New Bus Network. Route maps can also be accessed here, and videos of more complex routes are viewable here. METRO will also be offering free rides on all local bus routes and METRORail from August 16-22.

 

Upcoming Events 

 
Please refer to Council Martin's District E website for location, time and more event details. Email the District E office if you would like us to include your upcoming event in future newsletters! 

 

City Wides

August 7-9
Texas Back to School Tax-Free Weekend

August 15
Mayor's Back to School Fest

August 18-19
Council Break Week

Kingwood
August 6
Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's BizCom - Kingwood

August 6
Kingwood Service Association's Parks Committee Meeting

August 12
Kingwood Service Association's Public Safety Committee Meeting 

August 18
Kingwood PIP

August 18
Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce's "Focus of the Federal Government" Luncheon

August 19
Kingwood Super Neighborhood Meeting

August 22
Lake Houston 10K 5K

Southeast Houston/Clear Lake    

August 9

St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church's Grand Opening Ceremony

 

August 13

49th Annual Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's New Teachers' Luncheon

 

August 18

Clear Lake PIP

 

August 24

Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership's Monthly Luncheon featuring Congressman Pete Olson

 

August 26

Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership's General Membership Meeting featuring Congressman Brian Babin

 

August 26

Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's General Membership Luncheon featuring Congressman Brian Babin and Congressman Randy Weber

 

August 27

Economic Alliance Houston Port Region's 2015 Petrochemical & Maritime Outlook Conference