HOUSTON – Mayor Sylvester Turner announced today that he has directed the Houston Police Department to issue warnings and citations to anyone not wearing a face mask or face covering required by the state’s mandatory mask order. Police will not ticket those who are not wearing a mask if they meet the exemption criteria. The citation carries a $250 fine.
“We know that wearing a mask or face-covering in public is one of the most effective methods to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “Lives are at stake, so I am taking this step to save lives and slow the virus from spreading in August.”
Smoke filled the air as the colony rushed home to save their family and treasure. The queen was rushed off to a safe location, and the soldiers stood guard over her, each willing to give their life to protect her. As the intruder breached the outer defenses, there was a swarm of activity inside their fortress. It seemed like their world would soon come to an end, but in reality, it was just Jennifer Scott, the Bee Wrangler, going about her work removing an unwanted hive from the wall of a home. They would soon be relocated to a farm on the outskirts of town to live happily ever after.
“Spring is the busiest time to remove colonies,” Scott commented, as she carefully removed the siding covering the bee’s elaborate home. “I’m booked up three weeks in advance right now.”
For her, bee removal was not just a job, it was a calling. Saving wild colonies and moving them to remote areas where they can thrive is saving what may become an endangered species.
(AUSTIN) — With the Texas economy slowly awakening from effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Comptroller Glenn Hegar reminds shoppers they can save money on clothes and school supplies during the state’s sales tax holiday on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 7-9.
The law exempts sales tax on qualified items — such as clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks — priced below $100, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. The date of the sales tax holiday and list of tax-exempt items are set by the Texas Legislature.
“Even though significant uncertainty remains for our public and private schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sales tax holiday is a perfect opportunity to save money on school supplies and other tax-free items at a time when many Texans are carefully monitoring their family finances,” Hegar said. “Online shopping is covered, so I encourage all Texans to shop online or practice social distancing when making in-store purchases. We want folks to stay safe while saving money.”
Plan will cause Seven years of noise, dust, truck traffic
HIGHLANDS – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just released many volumes of reports from the GHD Consulting Engineering firm, detailing their ideas for how to remove the toxic wastes from the North and South Impoundments along the San Jacinto River, known as the Superfund Site.
The report is extremely long and detailed, consisting of 10 volumes of information for the Northern Impound Site, and Two volumes for the Southern Impound Site. In total, there are many thousands of pages with data, drawings, boring logs, and most important a Work Plan on how to remove the waste material, and how it will impact the environment around the communities of Highlands and Channelview.
The engineers have proposed excavation within “cells” on the Northern site, encompassed by sheet piling, and on the Southern site removal without the piling enclosures. The full extent of the work includes driving piles to form five cofferdams, dewatering the soil, excavating the material, and hauling it away to licensed landfills approximately 100 miles away. They envision one year of preparation, five years of excavation, and one year of clean-up and restoration, for a total of seven years of work.
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott announced that the grade promotion requirement related to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test for students in grades 5 and 8 has been waived for the upcoming school year. Typically, school systems must take into account a student’s score on the STAAR test to determine whether the student can be promoted to the next grade level. The traditional A-F rating system will remain in place, albeit with certain adjustments due to COVID-19.
Typically, students enrolled in grades 5 and 8 are required to re-take a STAAR test late in the school year, and sometimes again in the summer, if they do not meet grade level when taken during the spring. With this waiver, there will only be one administration of the STAAR grades 5 and 8 mathematics and reading assessments for the 2020–21 school year. The test will be administered in May to coincide with the administration of other STAAR grades 3-8 assessments.
“As always, our goal is to provide a high quality education for every Texas student,” said Governor Abbott. “This will be a uniquely challenging school year, therefore, this year is about providing students every opportunity to overcome the disruptions caused by COVID-19. By waiving these promotion requirements, we are providing greater flexibility for students and teachers, while at the same time ensuring that Texas students continue to receive a great education — which we will continue to measure with high quality assessments.”
January 2018 – the late Congressman John Lewis gave a rousing speech while in Houston attending a Criminal Justice forum aimed at improving the nation’s Criminal Justice System. Lewis emphasized the need to never use acts of violence to accomplish one’s goal. John Lewis said, “The best non-violent action we can take to correct the unfair Criminal Justice System is to VOTE! Vote like you’ve never voted before. Get everyone to VOTE!” (Photo by Allan Jamail)
By Allan Jamail
It was January 24, 2018 at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Houston’s Fifth Ward. As a photojournalist for the North Channel Star, I got to meet Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. I was there covering the Criminal Justice Forum (CJF) spearheaded by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
The North Channel Star put on its front page my article and photos of Lewis and the CJF. You can still read the article by going to www.northchannelstar.com. (Search for “crime forum.”) Hundreds gathered at the church to hear Lewis’s speech. Here’s part of it:
“You must find a way to get in the way. You must find a way to get in trouble, good trouble, and necessary trouble.”
“I’ve been arrested about 50 times for getting into good trouble.”
“Use what you have to help make our country and make our world a better place, where no one will be left out or left behind… It is your time.”
After the event I made it a point to meet Lewis. I wanted to have a few words with him. As we shook hands and exchanged a few words, I told him he delivered a good speech. And I told him how I respected and admired him for his achievements and his relentless effort to make improvements in civil rights, voting rights and criminal justice reforms. I told him how I hoped my article would help his efforts; he thanked me. Before parting, I then told him I’d be praying for him, and he thanked me again.
Congressman Lewis served Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death Friday, July 17, 2020, at age 80. Known as a civil rights icon, he was one of the giants in the historic struggle for equal rights in America.
His death came seven months after his public announcement in late December 2019 after a routine examination he had been diagnosed with advanced stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He said then, “I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now.”
Harris County, Texas – July 24, 2020, Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Executive Director of Harris County Public Health (HCPH) and Local Health Authority for Harris County, and David Persse, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, Local Health Authority for the Houston Health Department, signed a joint public health order requiring all public and nonreligious private schools in Harris County to remain closed to in-person instruction until at least September 8. The start of on-campus instruction and activity may be delayed further based on ongoing monitoring and assessment of public health mitigation conditions.
The order follows the release of a provision from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) permitting schools to delay in-person instruction and a letter sent to local school districts from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Dr. Shah on July 20 strongly urging schools to delay in-person instruction given the ongoing public health crisis. Over the past several weeks, Harris County authorities have consulted with local school officials, parents, teachers, and other public health and safety experts on reopening plans and the most responsible path forward regarding school operations.
“In order for students to be able to learn and grow, they must also be healthy and safe,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. “Right now, we continue to see a severe and uncontrolled spread of this virus and it would be self-defeating to reopen schools as usual for in-person instruction. We are all desperate to move on from this crisis and get life back to normal. September 8 is still likely too soon, but the truth is, the fastest way we can all work together to bring this virus under control, the sooner we will be in a position to reopen again for the long term.”
Houston, TX. – July 28, 2020 – Harris County’s Clerk’s office has promoted Teneshia Hudspeth to Chief Deputy. Hudspeth became the first African American to this position.
Harris County’s elected Clerk Diane Trautman resigned May 31st due to her health concerns. Months before Trautman resigned, in January 2019 she appointed Hudspeth as her 2nd in command. Trautman in a telephone interview with North Channel Star writer Allan Jamail said she promoted Hudspeth because she was “exceptionally qualified to run the Clerk’s office in my absence should the need arise.”
Harris County is the third largest county in the nation; this gives Hudspeth the responsibility of administering all the duties of County Clerk’s office. Such as: supervising the Administrators of all departments and locations of Commissioners Court, Elections, County Civil Courts, Probate Courts, Personal Records, Real Property, Information/ Records Archives, and Annex Offices in operational planning, human resources, financial, advocacy, community relations and risk management.
Hudspeth a 15-year member of the Harris County Clerk’s Office, served under three Administrations, she has held a variety of positions that have provided the extensive knowledge necessary to serve the public well, including Administrative Aide of Public Affairs, Special Projects Coordinator, Voter Outreach Coordinator, Public Information Officer, and Administrator of Communications & Voter Outreach.
One Thing I Didn’t Expect About Motherhood: How much I would think about bodies. My body. My children’s bodies. The way they grow, stretch, scar and heal. Their softness and their strength. Through pregnancy, birth and recovery, I’ve become more forgiving toward my body, though it hasn’t always felt like mine. Its changes aren’t easy to accept, nor are the demands to share it so frequently. I marvel at my children, so awkward and elegant. Why are we drawn to embrace so often? Why does touch offer such comfort? I am not religious, but since becoming a mother, I have learned to worship. Our bodies are holy.
This piece was originally published in the New York Times in July 2020 as part of their “Modern Love: Tiny Love Stories” series. Reprinted with permission.
Kristan Hoffman is the daughter of this newspaper’s publishers, an author, and a columnist for this newspaper.
At the July 14 school board meeting, Sheldon ISD trustees voted to cancel the November 3 bond election due to the continued effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The bond was originally called by the school board for the May election, but in March trustees unanimously voted to postpone the election due to COVID-19 virus.
The Awards Presentation was held last Thursday, at the Rotary Pavilion on Wallisville Road. Seen above are club president Ryan Dagley, and (not in order) scholarship recipients Stephannie Villanueva, Aaron J. Daniels, Xenia Garcia, Emely J. Melendez, Alessandra Camarillo Morales, Yuleima Zamora, Sofia Garcia Bucio, Olivia B. Kirby, and Xavier K. Crawford. The students were from C.E. King High School, Channelview High School, and North Shore High School.
Nine graduating seniors receive $40,000 total
NORTH SHORE – The Rotary Club of North Shore held their regular weekly meeting last Thursday, and presented scholarships to nine graduating seniors, and achievement awards to 13 Rotary club members.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club has been meeting in an outdoor setting at the pavilion behind the Wallisville courthouse. This allows them to maintain social distancing.
Scholarship awards were three types. Four year scholarship, amounting to $2500 each of 4 years, were presented to Stephannie Villanueva of C.E. King high school, Aaron J. Daniels of Channelview high school, and Xenia Garcia of North Shore high school.
A scholarship of $2500 was presented to Emely J. Melendez of North Shore high school.
Five scholarships of $1500 each were presented to the following: Alessandra Camarillo Morales, North Shore high school; Yuleima Zamora, C.E. King high school; Sofia Garcia Bucio, C.E. King high school; Olivia B. Kirby, Channelview high school; and Xavier K. Crawford, Channelview high school.
The occasion also was the venue for achievement awards to club members who had actively helped the organization through the 2019-2020 Rotary year. These were presented by outgoing president Ryan Dagley.
