Greetings!
Last week's winter weather storm we now know as Uri challenged us all. Your Precinct 4 Road & Bridge crews and Community Service Department worked night and day to keep your 300 plus bridges and 2,700 miles of roads safe. Millions of Texans went without electricity and water during one of the coldest weeks in Texas history. We lost neighbors from hypothermia and from carbon monoxide poisoning while attempting to stay warm without power. Many of our neighbors suffered burst pipes and property damage. We still contend with a need to boil water, a lack of running water, and scarce plumbing supplies in many parts of our precinct.
Although Winter Storm Uri took its place in our history books, we will feel its impacts long into the future. To assist with recovery efforts, your Precinct 4 team offered non-potable water and a limited number of water bottles the first week after the disaster. We also opened a self-help debris drop-off site at 13928 Humble Road in Tomball for demolition material related to burst pipes. I encourage those affected by the storm to take advantage of this free resource to avoid paying commercial rates. I also want to give a special shoutout to your Road & Bridge team. They worked before, during, and after the storm to ensure other first responders and essential workers could navigate icy roadways. Without them, the wintry weather may have claimed more lives.
As recovery continues, please watch out for scammers. Only trust information posted on official websites and verify all information. If you suspect disaster fraud, please contact the FEMA Fraud Investigations & Inspections Division at FEMA-OCSO-Tipline@fema.dhs.gov or 1-866-223- 0814. If you are one of the many residents affected by excessively high electrical bills, please know that Gov. Greg Abbott instructed the Public Utilities Commission to suspend electrical disconnections due to nonpayment until the state looks into the matter.
At the county level, we remain committed to serving the public until this crisis passes. We continue to post information about relief efforts online at our website, www.hcp4.net, and on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HCPrecinct4. Stay tuned for details. In the meantime, I encourage you to check out the resources and articles below.
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Debris Drop Off Site Opens in Tomball |
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Precinct 4 Commissioner R. Jack Cagle has established a storm debris drop off site for the public at 13928 Humble Road in Tomball. The site will be open Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and opened Feb. 20.
Residents may drop off such demolition and construction debris as sheetrock, insulation, and flooring related to water damage from burst pipes due to the recent severe winter weather. Household hazardous waste and large appliances with Freon are not allowed. No contractors are allowed.
For questions or more information, please contact Precinct 4's Community Assistance Department at 832-927-4444.
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Answers to Your FAQs: What is Chat? |
When it comes to preventing icy roadways, every jurisdiction is different. Some use sand, salt, and chemicals to keep ice at bay. Precinct 4 uses chat.
This nature-friendly rock provides better traction for vehicles and prevents icy buildup by lowering the freezing point of water. Made of crushed rocks, chat doesn't melt and leak harmful chemicals into the environment like some de-icing chemicals. It's also recyclable. Once it does its job, Precinct 4 crews sweep it up and save it for the next ice event.
There's a catch, though. When our crews are spreading chat, make sure to stay back and do not pass Precinct 4 trucks to avoid paint damage.
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Harris County Precinct 4 Donates
$25,000 to Crime Stoppers
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Harris County Precinct 4 is proud to support the Crime Stoppers of Houston Safe Community Program with a $25,000 donation.
Donations like these help Crime Stoppers support crime-prevention services across the region and advocate for survivors and victims of violent crime.
Precinct 4 has provided annual donations to the Crime Stoppers Safe Schools Program since 2016. Because of public safety concerns related to bail revisions, Commissioner R. Jack Cagle directed his staff to donate to Crime Stoppers' Victims Services and the Safe Community programs in 2020 and 2021.
His concerns stem from the 2019 settlement of a federal lawsuit over Harris County's bail system, which barred Harris County from requiring cash-bail for some misdemeanor offenders. The same plaintiffs have said they now plan to challenge the county’s felony bond system as well.
Andy Kahan, Crime Stoppers’ director of Victim Services, noticed that defendants charged with murder qualified for bail after committing multiple felonies, missing court dates, and paying no cash bail.
Using court records to track murder cases in mid-March 2020, he found that each suspect met one or more of the following criteria:
- was a defendant released on multiple felony bonds
- had a bond forfeiture reinstated
- had a motion to revoke bond denied
- was released on a PR bond, meaning cash bail was not required.
Crime Stoppers released Kahan's report in January, outlining 90 people killed by suspects released on bond, including felony and personal bond from Harris County. This report includes victim names, photographs, and manner of death. View the report.
"Crime Stoppers of Houston wants to make it perfectly clear: We support misdemeanor bond reform," said Kahan. "What we don't support is when public safety is placed at a higher risk when career habitual offenders are continuously released back to the community only to re-offend time after time again."
If you would like to support Crime Stoppers of Houston, click here.
Photo Caption: Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner R. Jack Cagle makes a $25,000 donation to the Crime Stoppers Safe School Program in 2017.
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Harris County Pets Achieves 98.8% Live Release Rate in 2020 Amid COVID-19 Pandemic |
There may be one silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic. As people spend more time at home, demand for pets has increased, giving more shelter animals a chance at a new life. It's a welcome change for Harris County Pets, which was at double its capacity in summer 2019 because of an influx of surrendered pets.
When the COVID-19 outbreak began, staff and volunteers rallied. Thanks to their efforts, Harris County Pets achieved an unprecedented live release rate of 98.8 % in 2020. The live release rate, or save rate, is the percentage of animals that are adopted, transferred to other life-saving organizations, or returned to their owners within a facility.
HCP's live release rate has steadily improved each year from a low of 15.5% in 2012. The shelter achieved "no-kill" status for the first time in 2019, with a live release rate above 90%, despite the abundance of owner surrenders during the summer.
"The success of our live release rate is attributed to our adopters, fosters, rescue groups, partners, staff and volunteers who have rolled up their sleeves in these challenging times to save our pets and ensure they find a forever home," said Dr. Michael White, the director of Harris County Veterinary Public Health, which runs Harris County Pets.
Achieving "no-kill" status is difficult for open-intake facilities like Harris County because it is required to accept all dogs and cats regardless of breed, temperament, or health condition.
For more information on monthly and annual live release statistics at Harris County Pets, as well as adoption and wellness clinic hours, visit www.CountyPets.com.
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Spring Creek Park Campground Wins 2020 Campers Choice Award |
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Looking for a five-star campground close to home? Precinct 4's Spring Creek Park is one of 36 Texas campgrounds to win the Campendium's Campers Choice Award.
Campers Choice Award Winners include RV parks and campgrounds that received the most five-star reviews in 2019 from the Campendium community and maintain a rating above five stars.
The 114-acre park offers access to the Spring Creek Nature Trail, sports fields, an archery range, picnic areas, and more. Overnight camping is provided at no cost to public RV and tent campers at Spring Creek Park.
Click here to read why campers love Spring Creek Park.
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Beware of Online Seeds Scams |
Winter Storm Uri devastated yards and gardens across Harris County, leaving many nature lovers desperate for spring blooms. With spring on the way, those in the market for new seeds may be a target for online scammers hawking bogus, photoshopped plants.
In some instances, shoppers receive seeds that turn out to be weeds. The deception doesn't become apparent until months or even a year later when plants mature.
Want to avoid becoming a victim? Check out tips from Jacob Martin, Mercer's greenhouse manager, here.
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Winter Storm Uri Resources |
Were you affected by Winter Storm Uri? Help is available. Check out the resources below to find food, water, help with home repairs, and more.
Water
Food Assistance
Find a Houston Food Bank partner near you by clicking here or by calling the Houston Food Bank helpline at 832-369-9390. Please call in advance.
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Support for Seniors
Crowdsource Rescue provides transportation and delivers food, water, and supplies to seniors and the disabled. Apply for assistance here.
FEMA Recovery Resources
Federal assistance is available to those who suffered uninsured property damage from Winter Storm Uri. Register online at http://DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 TTY.
Harris County Home Repair Program
Low to moderate-income homeowners who are elderly or have a disability can apply for Harris County's Home Repair Program by clicking here or by calling 832-927-4957.
Fraud and Price Gouging
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Follow this guide to avoid home-repair fraud.
- Report disaster-related fraud to the FEMA Fraud Investigations & Inspections Division by contacting FEMA at FEMA-OCSO-Tipline@fema.dhs.gov or 1-866-223-0814.
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Is your plumber licensed? Check here.
For a full list of resources from the Harris County Office of Emergency Management, click here. For a list of resources provided by the Houston-Galveston Area Council, click here.
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Join Harris County Precinct 4 for a day of outdoor adventure and fun with wildlife during NatureFest on Saturday, March 6, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center. Come face-to-face with hawks, owls, and other native wildlife. Enjoy guided walks, a catch-and-release fish tank, educational exhibits, and a variety of other activities. Learn about local environmental organizations, outdoor activities, and native plants and wildlife throughout the day. For more information, click here.
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March Mart Virtual Plant Sale at Mercer Botanic Gardens |
Shop a wide selection of plants online during Mercer Botanic Gardens' March Mart Virtual Plant Sale on Saturday, March 20, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Members of The Mercer Society can shop early starting Friday, March 19, at 4 p.m. and will receive a discount code via email the week before the sale.
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