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District K
Contact Information
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| 900 Bagby, First Floor Houston, TX 77002 Main Office: 832-393-3016 Office 832-395-9410 Fax Satellite Office: 832-393-4203 Office 832-395-9410 Fax District Email: DistrictK@houstontx.gov Website: Click here Archived Newsletters: Click here Facebook: Click here |
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Hiram Clarke
Wild Heather Park Ribbon Cutting
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On Saturday, September 10, 2016, Council Member Larry V. Green along with Council Member Mike Knox, Constable May Walker, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, 5 Corners Management District and residents of Wild Heather neighborhood celebrated the highly anticipated ribbon cutting in Wild Heather Park. The newly imagined park is located at 14900 White Heather Dr. The total project cost, including design and construction was $1,663,016.00. The park improvements include a half-mile long jogging trail, pavilion for family gatherings, exercise equipment for adults and a splash pad and playground for children. We were also super excited to have a District K favorite, Honey's Sno-Balls on location to keep us cool and provide our guests with some of the best sno-balls in Houston.
"It was extremely joyous to watch the children, as they played in the splash pad. Knowing that our neighborhood families have great amenities near their homes is what keeps neighborhoods vibrant", states Council Member Green. "The residents of Wild Heather neighborhood have been persistent in asking for an upgraded park and it is an honor to have this project come to fruition, Council Member Green adds.
Hosting the Ribbon cutting and opening the improved Wild Heather park further supports the importance of community residents and the city working together for the greater good.
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Senior Crime Prevention and Resource Fair
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 On Monday, October 10, 2016, Council Member Larry Green, HPD officers from the Houston Police Department's Community Services Unit, community agencies and businesses, teamed up to help senior citizens prevent home burglaries. The teams provided home security surveys as well as crime prevention brochures and tips.
The event was held at the Hiram Clarke Multi Service Center, located at 3810 W. Fuqua. During the resource fair, senior citizens were encouraged to sign up for free home security surveys that will be provided by a certified HPD officer.
These security upgrades will be installed, free of charge.
This event was one of four home security survey initiatives provided to elderly residents throughout the city who need help making their homes secure. Citizens on Patrol and the Police and Clergy Alliance were also available to speak with and provide resources to the residents in attendance.
District K salutes the following sponsors for making this event a huge success: Allstate, African American Police Officer League, Chick Fil A, Crime Stoppers of Houston, Harris County Area on Aging, Harris County Precinct 7, Houston Citizen's Police Academy Alumni, Houston Fire Department, Houston Health Department, Houston Ministers Against Crime, Houston Police Federal Credit Union, Houston Police Officer's Union, Police and Clergy Alliance, The Home Depot, and Youth-Police Advisory Council. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
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Know Your Rights Workshop
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 Constitutional rights are not effective if you don't know what they are. We rely on the police to keep us safe and treat us all fairly regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin or religion. On Tuesday, September 13, 2016, Council Member Larry V. Green along with Attorney Jolanda Jones co -sponsored a very informative "Know Your Rights" workshop at the Hiram Clarke Multi Service Center. The workshop was held to help residents understand what rights they do and do not have when interacting with an officer of the law.
"We are constantly working with the police officers in our area to increase effective community policing. I want our residents to know the officers that work in our neighborhoods as well as know their rights if ever faced with interacting with a police officer", states Council Member Green. "We all recognize the need for effective law enforcement, but we should also understand our own rights and responsibilities", Green adds.
The workshop included specific cases, videos of police encounters and helpful advice when facing police interaction at your home, in your vehicle and in general. Attorney Jones and Council Member Green concluded the workshop with a question and answer session. Knowing your rights as an individual and practicing lawful behaviors when interacting with police can help an attorney provide you with effective counsel should you ever find yourself in a tough situation.
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Headline: Five Corners Community hosts Public Safety Meeting
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 Law enforcement agencies, local community groups, and citizens came together Tuesday, Oct. 11 at the Hiram Clark Multi-Service Center to discuss public safety issues.
Co-sponsored by the Five Corners Management District, Houston City Councilman Larry Green's District K office, and the South Houston Concerned Citizens Coalition, the event drew about 100 attendees.
As moderator, Green introduced the panel and presented questions crafted by community leaders first. He also offered statistics for District K showing a 5.9 percent overall drop in crime from September 2015 to the same month in 2016.
Agencies represented on the panel included the Houston Police Department (HPD), Houston Fire Department (HFD), METRO Police, Houston Independent School District Police, S.E.A.L. Security Solutions, Harris County Constables Precinct 7, and City of Houston Municipal Courts.
HISD Police Chief Robert Mock assured the audience that "our first priority is to keep the kids safe." That means the majority of their focus is on-campus, but officers have the authority to go off-campus to make arrests, break up fights, or address other problems that occur near the school, he said.
"These kids know their officers and the officers know their kids," Mock added, emphasizing the importance of maintaining those relationships.
Gwendolyn Goins, public information officer for the Municipal Courts, talked about truancy issues and, specifically, the Juvenile Case Manager Program that puts a licensed social worker in the schools to work with students who are repeatedly truant and those at risk for truancy problems. Houston has the largest municipal court system in the state and the third largest in the nation by volume of cases, Goins added.
METRO Police Chief Vera Bumpers said her department covers 10,000 bus stops in 1,285 square miles and four counties.
"We do our best to cover the area wherever METRO goes," she said.
HFD Chief Rodney West tried to answer why so many emergency vehicles often show up for calls regarding seniors and medical issues.
"The hardest thing to do is answer questions when you're having an emergency," he explained. Triage, which is the prioritizing of the caller's needs by asking questions, is the only way to find out the level of response needed.
"Proper triage should give you the proper response," he added.
Many of the questions from the community involved traffic issues such as street racing, people running stop signs, bike lanes, school drop-off and pick-up traffic, and large commercial trucks tearing up neighborhood streets.
Constable May Walker addressed the truck question by advising that trucks weighing over a ton can be ticketed for a $1,000 fine if they violate areas marked with "No Through Trucks" signs.
Walker explained that constables are "the county's police department," covering 97.4 miles of patrol territory with a limited staff.
"We do what HPD does. We're just a little smaller," she said. "Some people call us both to see who gets there first."
 HPD Interim Police Chief Martha Montalvo responded to the question about street racing.
"We try to address those situations because they are a nuisance and they are dangerous," she said.
Walker added to the chief's answer by recommending that citizens try to capture a license plate number whenever possible. With regard to stop sign violations, Walker also said that a deputy can be dispatched to watch a specific location if there is a persistent problem.
Reverend Ray Washington asked about police response times because a local business owner had reported a 45-minute wait before officers showed up in response to people shooting at the building. Montalvo explained that such a call would be designated a less urgent Code 2 if the offending parties had already left the location and no one was reported injured.
Another citizen asked about the response to a couple of homeless people living in a parked car in their neighborhood, coinciding with a rise in the number of break-ins in the neighborhood and a lot of debris left lying around the car. Police had responded to many calls, the questioner said, but told residents of the neighborhood there wasn't much they could do as the couple drove away for short periods of time when asked to do so. They always returned, he added.
Montalvo conceded that the officers could have checked the car's license plate number to determine who owned it and whether or not it was stolen.
"We should have responded better," she added.
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District K Students Participate in a Weekend of Sports Events
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 On Sunday, August 28th , over 65 students from District K participated in a Texans tradition of Flag Holding. The Flag Holders had the great opportunity of holding our Texas State Flag on-field as part of the Texans pre-game show during the playing of "Deep in the Heart of Texas".
Council Member Green is a big supporter of the non-profit organization, World Youth Foundation, Inc. As a gesture of appreciation, District K students were able to participate in a double header for the weekend. Over 30 students from District K also attended the Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays game, held at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, August 27, 2016. Thank you to Blue Cross Blue Shield for sponsoring the great seats for the game.
Students from TEEROC, Designed 2 Dance and Fort Bend Dance Academy along with their chaperones and Council Member Green were honored to participate in the pre-game show by holding the Texas flag on the NRG stadium field. "Seeing the excitement on the student's faces and watching them execute their role perfectly was a proud moment, states Council Member Green. " It was amazing watching them see themselves on the jumbotron and enjoying all the excitement that comes with Texans football". Thank you to Image Net All stars for the t-shirts and the opportunity to enjoy the game. The Astros and the Texans each won their games that weekend too. Go Astros and go Texans!
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Sims Bayou Greenway Initiative Finally Breaks Ground!
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Exciting news! The Houston Parks Board has begun construction on a new 1.8-mile segment of
Sims Bayou Greenway. The project picks up where an existing hike-and-bike trail leaves off, at Heatherbrook Dr. and extends west to Hillcroft Ave.
To celebrate the start of construction, Council Member Green, the Houston Parks Board, and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department hosted a groundbreaking event on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016 at the Windsor United Methodist Church, 6000 Heatherbrook Dr.
Upon completion, this first segment of Sims Bayou Greenway will give the public and nearby communities unprecedented access to greenspace along the bayou via 1.8 miles of 10-foot wide hike-and-bike trails. A notable feature of this new greenway will be a trailhead, which will include parking, signage and seating at the future Blue Ridge County Park, as well as new tree plantings.
Construction of this segment of Sims Bayou Greenway will be completed mid-2017. Residents should be mindful of the active construction site along the bayou where construction vehicles will be entering and exiting, and residents/the public should not enter areas with orange construction fencing.
Sims Bayou Greenway is part of a larger project called Bayou Greenways 2020, which is being led by the Houston Park Board. Bayou Greenways 2020 will create a continuous parks system along Houston's major waterways, transform more than 3,000 underutilized acres along the bayous into linear parks and connect 150 miles of hike-and-bike trails. It's a great time for District K residents to purchase new bicycles and walking shoes. See you all on the trails soon.
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Westbury
Neighborhood 101 Workshop: Department of Neighborhoods
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The residents of District K came out in record numbers to meet the new director of the Department of Neighborhoods, TaKasha Francis on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at Westbury High School. TaKasha L. Francis was appointed by Mayor Sylvester Turner and unanimously confirmed by City Council as director of the Department of Neighborhoods on March 25, 2016. Director Francis introduced her management team and shared the mayor's vision and important information on the programs and services of the Department of Neighborhoods. The department's programs and initiatives focus on city code enforcement and compliance, citizen assistance, gang and juvenile delinquency prevention and public awareness, youth leadership development, volunteerism, international communities and the needs and concerns of people with disabilities.
 "Hearing Director Francis share the mission and enthusiastically talk about the level of service she expects from her team was quite refreshing," states Council Member Green. "We have a great relationship with our district inspectors and wanted our residents to get know the men and women who work with us as we continue improving our neighborhoods and quality of daily life throughout our district," said Green.
The workshop participants were delighted to hear why the DON is S.U.P.E.R! Director Francis unveiled DON's mascot and their new motto. SUPER stands for Service, Unified, Professional, Excellence and Responsive. These are the traits Director Francis expects from her management team and inspectors as they serve the residents of Houston.
If you missed the workshop or want to offer any feedback to the Department of Neighborhoods please visit their website at www.houstontx.gov/neighborhoods. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
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Westbury Civic Club Prepares for 60th Anniversary Celebration
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The Westbury community is poised to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their civic club. Since 1956, the Westbury Civic Club has been an active voice for this growing residential bedroom community built on the prairie land of southwest Houston.
The Westbury Civic Club is inviting all Westbury residents and outside the community to join in their celebratory event. A celebration party is scheduled for Saturday, October 15 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Westbury Baptist Church gymnasium, 10425 Hillcroft Ave. "This is a great time to meet the past presidents of the Westbury Civic Club, current board members, visit with neighbors, and learn more about our great neighborhood," states Becky Edmondson, Westbury Civic Club President. The Westbury Civic Club will be giving away 60 free trees, commemorative t-shirts, food, and door prizes. There will be games for children and special interest booths and much more!!!
"I encourage all to join me with celebrating 60 wonderful years of Westbury," states Council Member Green.
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Mayor Turner Visits the Westbury Civic Club Annual Meeting
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 Earlier this month, the Westbury Civic Club hosted their annual meeting at Westbury Baptist Church to a crowd exceeding 200+ attendees. The special guests that evening included Council Member Green, At-Large Council Members Amanda Edwards and David Robinson and HISD Trustee Wanda Adams. The highlight of the evening was the featured speaker, Mayor Sylvester Turner. A meet and greet preceded the annual meeting where residents were able to talk with the Westbury Area Patrol constable deputies, the Westbury Civic Club board members, and participating neighbors.
Mayor Turner
was welcomed by the enthusiastic crowd and addressed 5 major issues impacting the Westbury community: flooding, widening of Hillcroft, panhandlers in the area (Civility Ordinances), other infrastructure (potholes), and education. There is a conceptual plan to mitigate flooding for both the Westbury and Meyerland community via the proposed 2015 Disaster Recovery Plan that has been submitted to the US Dept. of Housing & Urban Development for review. Mayor Turner expressed his support of this very important piece of flood mitigation. Mayor Turner also spoke at length about panhandling and homelessness and the proposed civility ordinance for District K. It is a city-wide problem without an easy answer or solution. The Mayor asked Houstonians to stop giving money to panhandlers as it simply exacerbates the problem. He suggests we give to charities that provide for the basic needs of those who are truly homeless. The subject of a proposed Hillcroft expansion to six lanes was discussed and ended with a large round of applause when Mayor Turner reiterated his commitment to protecting neighborhoods. Mayor Turner took questions from the audience on subjects ranging from speeding to illegal game rooms.
Council Member Green ended the meeting by also fielding a few questions from the audience. Everyone who attended the annual meeting left with a sense that the City is in good hands.
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Willow Waterhole 1st Annual "Carpathon" Event
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 Last month, the first annual invasive species "Carpathon" tournament was held at the Willow Waterhole Greenspace to remove invasive species from the Brays Bayou watershed. Over 100 fishermen of all ages signed up to participate.
I want to thank Howard Sacks, Chairman of the Friends of Levitt Pavilion Houston, and Ralph Reiger, President of the Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conversancy, for co-sponsoring this First Annual Brays Bayou Invasive Fish Round-Up and Carp-a-Thon event," states Council Member Green.
Invasive species are a growing ecological and economic threat in the Houston area, as they are nationwide. These are species that have been introduced from ecosystems from other states, countries, and continents and have established so effectively that they are altering our ecosystems and impacting native species, often negatively.
This event was conceived by a coalition of local and state governments, angling clubs and non-profit agencies who have become increasingly concerned about the impact invasive fish species are having in the Houston-area waterways. It is only through community involvement, knowledge, and action that we have a hope of reducing these invaders' impacts and preventing future invasive species. This event, and the groups that contributed to it, are firsts of their kind in Texas. They are laying the path towards improving aquatic and wetland habitats for everyone in Houston. This event's goal was to not only remove invasive species from our waters through the fishing tournament, but to also educate the community about the threat of invasive species and bring everyone together to help preserve the waters that make Houston the Bayou City.
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Brays Oaks
Northfield I & II Protected By Minimum Lot Size Area Ordinance
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Earlier this summer, the Northfield I & II neighborhood was approved by City Council to establish a special minimum lot size area
(MLSA) ordinance pursuant to Chapter 42 (City of Houston land development ordinance).
The Northfield I & II MLSA application submittal resulted in the Planning and Development
Dept. and the Houston Planning Commission recommendation that City Council adopt an ordinance establishing a
MLSA of 7,870 square feet for the 372 residential lots.
"The Northfield I & II HOA has worked extremely hard with their MLSA application to meet their minimum 55% threshold for approval," states Council Member Green. "We still have a few more District K neighborhoods that need to apply for this special development tool in order to preserve the traditional character of their residential community."
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District K Celebrates Expanded Parking Lot of the South Gessner HPD Substation
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 This past August, Council Member Green, along with the South Gessner Substation police officers celebrated a long awaited event. "We are excited to FINALLY celebrate the ribbon cutting of the expanded parking lot of the South Gessner HPD Substation," states Council Member Green.
Nearly 5 years ago, the South Gessner HPD Substation celebrated its grand opening as a new police station for Beat 17, which meanders from the Gulfton area to the greater Brays Oaks community. The facility opened in October 2011 with a total of 134 secured spaces for HPD assets and 9 public parking spaces located at the front of the station. As time progressed, there was indeed a need to expand the available parking spaces for this facility - both for HPD and the general public.
In July 2013, the City of Houston purchased 3.3 acres across the street along Westplace Dr. for the purpose of supplementing the needed parking. This expansion project will provide 113 additional parking spaces making a total of 247 secured parking spaces for HPD assets. The expanded lot will augment 29 additional public parking spaces, bringing the total to 38 spaces for the general public.
"Now that the City had acquired the property for the expanded parking lot, my job as the newly elected district council member was to secure funding to complete the project. This wasn't an easy task, but I was able to secure a total of $1.3 million to appropriate for this project which was inclusive of design and construction costs."
The key participants who played a vital role with this construction project included the Houston Police Dept., Design Team - BRAVE Architecture, General Contractor - P2MG, and the project managers of the General Services Dept.
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Willow Meadows/Willowbend
Greater South Post Oak/West Bellfort Coalition Starts Petition Drive for a Civility Ordinance
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 Earlier this Spring, Council Member Green facilitated a community meeting with the surrounding civic associations around the West Bellfort/South Post Oak Rd. intersection to strategize and address the aggressive panhandling occurring at this location. Relative to this community forum, the District K office coordinated a surveillance camera to be installed at the Chase Bank strip center location to keep an eye on the panhandling situation.
In addition, Council Member Green provided a strategy that the area civic associations can collectively collaborate on a grassroots initiative to suppress the panhandling situation. He provided information about a civility ordinance that is currently occurring in six (6) locations throughout the city of Houston. This civility ordinance involves creating a zone that will help reduce the aggressive panhandling though a required petition process.
Fast forward, the civic associations within this general vicinity have formed a grassroots coalition to address this chronic panhandling problem. "This civility ordinance process will involve everyone coming together toward working as a grassroots coalition," states Council Member Green. "Through this process, the District K office will work through the leadership of the area civic club presidents which includes the Willow Meadows Civic Club, Willowbend Civic Club, Precinct 287 Civic Association, Westwood Civic Club, Westbury Civic Club, and the Meyerland Community Improvement Association."
Below is the collective message these civic associations are expressing among their residents and the surrounding business community:
What You Can Do to Help Combat Aggressive Panhandling
Do not give money directly to those panhandling on the street
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Give to organizations like SEARCH (http://www.searchhomeless.org/) or (http://www.homelesshouston.org/), to ensure your money goes to those that need help and not to professional panhandlers.
Report aggressive behavior and drug use to the Houston Police Department non-emergency line at 713-884-3131
Report loitering, littering, drug use and aggressive behavior at Metro stops to the Metro Police line at 713-224-2677
Contact 311 to report littering and damage to city property
Sign the petition to create a zone that would prohibit sleeping on the street during daytime hours.
Join your local civic association to help in their efforts to beautify the esplanades and make them locations that are not conducive to aggressive panhandling.
The Greater South Post Oak/West Bellfort Coalition has begun
collecting signatures for this petition. Below are some pointers relative to the petition drive:
- One name per petition (a husband and wife can each sign as residents, but must sign individual petitions)
- Ask if a resident is a homeowner or renter, make sure the proper box(es) are checked on the document
- Fill in the HCAD parcel number where possible.
"This petition drive is about helping to reduce aggressive panhandling, drug use, crime, and helps beautify our communities," states Steven Paletz, Willow Meadows Civic Club President and co-coordinators. "We will need approximately 300 homeowners to commit in order to reach our land goal so please begin collecting as soon as possible!"
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Braeswood
$500K in Parks and Recreation Dedication Funds Earmarked for Linkwood Park
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The Friends of Linkwood Park are excited to announce construction plans are underway at Linkwood Park! Earlier this year, Director Joe Turner authorized the use of $500,000 from the Parks and Recreation Dedication for the Linkwood Park Playground renovation project.
It was the support of the community, shown through donations to the project and active use of the park, as well as the support of Council Member Green, that encouraged Director Turner to allocate additional funding to complete the project. Thanks to the advocacy of the Friends of Linkwood Park, Council Member Green has also provided monetary support for this project by funding the master plan through his Council District Service budget.
The Houston Parks Board is providing project management services and has contracted Lauren Griffith Associates, a Landscape Architectural and Planning Firm, to lead the design effort. Over the course of a few meetings, Ms. Griffith led a presentations and discussions on design options for the park. The original master plan developed by the Friends of Linkwood Park and the Houston Parks Board was a starting point. The revised master plan will be used as a guide for the playground redevelopment project. The estimated timeline for the project is one year for survey/design and one year for construction.
"The Friends of Linkwood Park would like to thank the neighbors of this amazing Braeswood community, Council Member Green and the District K staff for the ongoing support of Linkwood Park that has made these next steps possible," states Jenna Arnold, The Friends of Linkwood Park board member.
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Fort Bend Houston
FM2234 Roadway Planned from Ft. Bend Tollway to FM 521
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On August 29, 2016, the District K office facilitated an informational meeting at Christa McAuliffe Middle School to inform the Fort Bend Houston residents about Phase II of the FM 2234 roadway planned from the Ft. Bend Tollway to FM 521 (Almeda Rd.). The TxDOT project managers and the project construction team provided an overall project scope and timeframe for Phase II of this roadway project.
This TxDOT highway project includes the widening of FM 2234 from 2 to 4 lanes with a raised median, new paved concrete street, and water lines replacements. The entire project is scheduled to take 506 days with an estimated completion time in Spring 2019. This reconstruction project is 100% funded by the Texas Dept. of Transportation. The current project cost is estimated at $31 million.
As part of this roadway project, new traffic signals will be installed at the FM 2234 intersections of Blue Ridge Rd., Chimney Rock Rd., fronting Blue Ridge Elementary School, South Post Oak Rd., Park Manor Dr., and Hiram Clarke Rd. Also, TxDOT is proposing the construction of sound walls at various locations along the construction corridor. The proposed sound walls will be at a height of 8 feet. The project will not include additional street lighting or sidewalks.
Project construction will occur Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Any actual lane closures will occur during the non-peak hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Work done before or after that will occur behind barrels. The project will occasionally have some night and weekend work, excluding Sundays. The existing speed limit of 55 mph will be reduced to 45 mph in the work zone areas.
For details regarding the specific locations and design of the sound walls contact the Brazoria Area Office at (979) 864-8500. For more information about this project, access the web-link to DistrictK@houstontx.gov and click the FM 2234 Reconstruction Project link to download the FAQs.
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Willowridge Wall of Honor, Inc. Celebrates 10 Years
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 The Willowridge High School Wall of Honor was organized in the spring of 2006 to
honor persons whose contributions have enriched Willowridge High School's academic and
athletic programs. This past month, the Willowridge High School Wall of Honor, Inc. celebrated its 10th year as a non-profit organization that strives to support the education, and direction of Willowridge High School administration, faculty, and students.
 The purpose of the Wall of Honor is to recognize Willowridge's academic and athletic graduates, whose accomplishments during and after their high school careers have brought positive recognition and honor to the school; recognize those individuals who have demonstrated successful roles in public and/or private life after leaving Willowridge High School; recognize teachers, coaches, counselors, and administrators who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of the students of Willowridge High School; and recognize those graduates and community residents who have worked tirelessly and continually volunteering and serving in the communities in which they live and work.
 The Willowridge High School Wall of Honor, Inc. celebrated their 10th anniversary with a banquet held at the Power Center. This year's inductees to the Willowridge High School Wall of Honor included five outstanding alums and the Willowridge High School 1994 State Basketball Champions.
"I was honored to recognize the Willowridge High School Wall of Honor, Inc. for 10 outstanding years as this group continues to honor and recognize accomplished alums," states Council Member Green. Proceeds from the event were used for scholarships to be awarded to the 2017 Willowridge High School seniors.
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General District K News
Council Member Green Neighborhood Sightings (late September- mid October)
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Council Member Green made his rounds to discuss District K initiatives. Listed below are community meetings Council Member Green and the District K staff have attended during late August through mid-October:
August 15 - Brays Bayou Association meeting
August 16 - TIRZ #9 Board meeting
August 16 - Brays Oaks Management District Board meeting
August 16 - Braeburn PIP meeting
August 18 - Disaster Recovery 2015 Flood Funds Public Hearing
August 18 - South Houston Concerned Citizens Coalition meeting
August 19 - Fort Bend Houston Bridging the Community Divide meeting
August 19 -- Five Corners Management District Board meeting
August 20 - District K Back to School Event
August 22 -- Transportation, Technology, & Infrastructure Committee meeting
August 22 - 7655 South Braeswood Homeowners Association meeting
August 23 - Mayfair Park Civic Club meeting
August 26 -- Hiram Clarke Bridging the Community Divide meeting
August 26 -- South Gessner HPD Substation Parking Lot Ribbon Cutting Event
August 27 - Green Valley Estates Community End-of-the-Summer Celebration
August 29 - FM 2234 Reconstruction Informational meeting
August 30 - Pct. 287 Civic Association Annual meeting
Sept. 1 -- TIRZ #25 Board meeting
Sept. 3 - Constable Ruben Davis Community Prayer Breakfast event
Sept. 6 -- Brays Oaks SNC meeting
Sept. 8 - Fort Bend Houston SNC meeting
Sept. 10 - Wild Heather Park Ribbon Cutting event
Sept. 12 - Special-Called Transportation, Technology, & Infrastructure Committee meeting
Sept. 13 -- Know Your Rights Workshop
Sept. 13 - Bethany United Methodist Church Community meeting
Sept. 14 -- Westbury Area Improvement Corporation/Westbury SNC meeting
Sept. 15 -- Willow Meadows/Willowbend/Westwood Area SN Informational meeting
Sept. 15 -- South Houston Concerned Citizens Coalition meeting
Sept. 16 -- Fort Bend Houston Bridging the Community Divide meeting
Sept. 16 -- Five Corners Management District Board meeting
Sept. 17 -- Willow Waterhole "Carpathon" event
Sept. 19 -- Transportation, Technology, & Infrastructure Committee meeting
Sept. 19 -- West Place Green HOA Annual meeting
Sept. 20 -- Brays Oaks Management District Board meeting
Sept. 20 -- Braeburn PIP meeting
Sept. 21 -- Westbury Civic Club Annual meeting
Sept. 23 -- Hiram Clarke Bridging the Community Divide meeting
Sept. 24 -- District K Neighborhood 101 workshop -- Dept. of Neighborhoods
Sept. 27 -- SH 288 Express Toll Lanes Open House
Sept. 29 - TIRZ #9 Board meeting
Sept. 29 - TIRZ #24 Board meeting
October 4 - National Night Out
October 6 - TIRZ #25 Board meeting
October 8 - District K Neighborhood 101 workshop -- Houston Arts Alliance
October 10 - District K Senior Crime Prevention Resource Fair
October 11 - Hiram Clarke Community Public Safety Forum
October 13 - Sims Bayou Greenways Groundbreaking event
October 13 - Fort Bend Houston SNC meeting
October 15 - Cambridge Village Community Annual Reunion
October 15 - Westbury Civic Club 60th Anniversary Celebration
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| District K Hosted Another Neighborhood 101 Grants Workshop |
 Earlier this month, the District K hosted another Neighborhood 101 workshop that addressed the Houston Arts Alliance Grants Program at the South Gessner HPD Substation. As a recap, the Houston Arts Alliance is conducting grants workshops in city council districts across the city this fall. Individual artists, arts or cultural organizations, community centers, and community-based organizations with arts and culture programming were invited to attend this workshop in Council District K.
Pre-Incubator Grant / Letter of Intent Due: August 2, 2017; Full Application Deadline: September 20, 2017
"I appreciate the Houston Arts Alliance for taking the time to facilitate another grant workshop within District K. Past attendees informed me how interactive and informative the workshop material was toward implementing a grant application through the Houston Arts Alliance, "states Council Member Green.
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| CASE Grant Awards Announced |
CASE for Kids City Connections is an initiative funded directly by the City of Houston to support nonprofit organizations that address the need for youth services outside the school day.
Council Member Green is excited to announce the following organizations have been awarded funding for afterschool programming throughout District K:
Brentwood Community Foundation- Afterschool program at Brentwood Life Long Learning Center
Bridging the Digital Divide- Windsor Village Park Computer Lab
Houston Area Urban League-Angel Lane Programs
JJ's I'm Me Foundation- Christa McAuliffe Middle School Girls Program
Mufasa's Pride Rites of Passage- The Kingdom Builders Center
SEWA- Aspire San Marcos/ Aspire Los Arcos
Teaching Education Enrichment Recreation Outreach Center (TEEROC)- Afterschool programs
World Youth Foundation- Madison High School college readiness
YMCA Greater Houston- Hines Caldwell Elementary
"I am ecstatic that we are able to provide over $70,000 this cycle to support our neighborhood afterschool programs." The programs will run from October 31, 2016 through March 31, 2016. "After-school hours are a critical time of day and we want to make sure our students are learning and safe, while most parents are still working," states Council Member Green.
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National Night Out was a BIG Hit in District K
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National Night Out is scheduled every first Tuesday in October. It was a beautiful evening for meeting new neighbors. The District K civic associations worked hard at organizing and coordinating big and small National Night Out events this month. The mission of National Night Out is to encourage community involvement and build safer and better neighborhoods.
"I want to thank all of the District K neighborhoods that reached out to the council office to attend their block and neighborhood parties," states Council Member Green. "This event offered neighbors an opportunity to meet the folks down the street, and next door as well as
celebrate the positive initiatives of your civic association and provide important information about public safety and security concerns
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Super Bowl Host Committee Announce Additional Touchdown Tour Dates
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 Council Member Green in partnership with Mayor Turner and the City of Houston
, the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee announced a slate of upcoming event dates for the one-of-a-kind fan experience: the
Touchdown Tour. The first of the 11 dates was held on October 8, at Mason Park in the East End.
The Touchdown Tour, designed to bring the excitement of the Super Bowl to the Houston area as the region prepares to Houston Super Bowl LI in February, will feature interactive games, a Houston Texans mobile locker room, special photo booths, giveaways, music and more. Food and beverage will be available for purchase. The Host Committee will also engage the community through a combination of its Touchdown Houston legacy initiatives regarding education health and community enhancement.
Out of the 11 selected locations, Blue Ridge Park, 5600 Court Road, Houston, TX 77053 in Fort Bend Houston was selected as the designated locale within District K on December 10, 2016.
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Houston Police Department Positive Interaction Program (PIP) meetings
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District K has three (3) active PIP meetings administered by the Houston Police Department. All PIP meetings are open to the public; regardless of where you live.
Westbury PIP Meeting (every 4th Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.) 
Aramco Building
9009 West Loop South Freeway
Houston, TX 77096
For more information, please contact the HPD Westbury Storefront at 713-726-7126. The Westbury HPD Storefront hours are 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Hiram Clarke/Fort Bend Houston PIP Meeting (every 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m.)
Hiram Clarke HPD Storefront
4363 West Fuqua St.
Houston, TX 77053
For more information, please contact the HPD Hiram Clarke Storefront at 713-433-2720. The Hiram Clarke HPD Storefront hours are 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Brays Oaks PIP Meeting (every 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.)
Braeburn HPD Storefront
7576 West Bellfort Ave.
Houston, TX 77071
For more information, please contact the HPD Braeburn Storefront at 832-394-7555. The Braeburn HPD Storefront hours are 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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Any Annual Civic Association Meetings Planned on the Horizon?
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The Spring and Fall season is the time of year a significant number of civic associations host their annual civic association meetings. Since coming into office, Council Member Green has continued to make a commitment to visit every civic association within the District. If you are receiving this e-newsletter and Council Member Green has yet to attend your annual civic association meeting, please contact the District K office at 832-393-3016 or districtK@hosutontx.gov to schedule an appointment.
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Has Your Civic Association Been Updated with the District K Council Office?
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 Update your civic association contacts with the District K council office. If your civic association has recently elected new officers, changed the primary contact person, new e-mail address, new contact number and/or new or changed meeting location, time, and date, please take a moment to update your contact info with the District K council office.
Periodically, the District K office sends pertinent information about District K news and City of Houston topics of information relating to your neighborhood and neighborhood association. To ensure you and your civic association receives this information, we need you to update your contact info. Thank you for your help and your interest in District K.
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General City of Houston News
SPARK Park Program Receives Record Donation of $5 million to Invest in "Park Deserts" throughout the Houston Region
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 The SPARK Park Program, a Houston-based non-profit organization that develops neighborhood parks on school grounds, received a record $5 million donation from Houston Endowment and Kinder Foundation to increase park equity in the greater Houston region. The City of Houston is committing an additional $450,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding over the next three years for qualifying schools.
Nine schools have been identified and additional schools will be vetted and selected. Out of the nine selected schools, two of the schools are located in District K as Re-SPARK projects -- Petersen Elementary and Milne Elementary.
"I am extremely excited the SPARK Park Program received this generous donation. This program will further transform schools within District K into recreational greenspaces that can be enjoyed by all residents in the neighborhoods," states Council Member Green.
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Express Toll Lanes Planned for SH 288
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 SH 288 is expected to start construction this month on an express toll lane that will involve the construction of four new tolled lanes within the existing median, eight new tolled direct connectors providing connectivity with the Sam Houston Tollway, new tolled direct connectors connecting SH 288 to Holcombe Blvd. near the Texas Medical Center and the reconstruction of eight direct connectors at I-610.
When this $815 million construction project is complete, motorists will have the option to use the Express Toll Lanes for a faster, more reliable commute, or the free general purpose lanes along 10.3 miles between US 59 and Harris/Brazoria county line at Clear Creek.
The SH 288 expansion will include three major interchanges:
Beltway 8, which will include (8) direct connector/ramp bridges
Loop 610, which will include (8) direct connector/ramp bridges
The Texas Medical Center, which will include (2) direct connector/ramp bridges
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), with SH 288 Express Toll Lane Project team developer Blueridge Transportation Group (BTG) and project contractor team Almeda-Genoa Constructors (A-GC), will oversee the construction of this highway project. The project is expected to be complete in mid/late 2019.
For more information about this highway project,
contact Raynese Edwards at
raynese@btg288.com.
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Keep District K Clean - Klean it Up Green it Up
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