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Posts published in “Day: May 9, 2019”

Voters approve Channelview ISD Bonds, elect 2 in Galena Park ISD

May 9, 2019
Channelview ISD voters approved the $195.4 million bond package to address growth and program expansions, campus renovations, safety and security, technology, land purchases and buses. Preliminary election results from Harris County indicate that 75 percent of voters approved the bond package.

NORTH CHANNEL – On Election Day, May 4, only 554 voters or 3.43% of eligible voters determined that Channelview ISD could proceed with their $195.4 million bond package. And in Galena Park ISD, only 639 voted for new school board members. Jeff Miller was elected with 408 votes, and Ramon Garza with 454 votes. Herbert Sanchez had 107, Randy Orr 120 for Position #3, and Kristina Zatopek had 145 and Andrea Henry had 39 votes for Position #4.

Voters in Channelview ISD approved the school district bond proposition on the May 4 ballot. Unofficial results from Harris County indicate that 75 percent of voters approved the bond package.

With the passage of the bond election, the district now has authorization for $195.4 million to address growth and program expansions, campus renovations, safety and security, technology, land purchases and buses.

“This is an exciting day for Channelview ISD and the future of our school district,” said Channelview ISD Superintendent Greg Ollis. “I am so thankful for the support from our community members, staff, parents and school board members who took time out of their busy schedules to vote.”

Bridge repairs completed, westbound lanes re-open

May 9, 2019

Westbound lanes of the I-10 bridge over the San Jacinto River were reopened in their normal state on Monday morning of this week. In addition, the entry ramp from Crosby-Lynchburg Road was reopened, and the temporary traffic signals at 4 Corners were removed. Motorists had been inconvenienced with traffic restrictions since a barge hit and seriously damaged a supporting column on February 11th. Contractors had to install two new steel columns in place of the concrete column that was split into two pieces.

EPA HOLDS UPDATE MEETING

May 9, 2019
GARY BAUMGARTEN, EPA project manager

Almost a hundred area residents braved a heavy rainstorm and sharp lightening, to attend a meeting with EPA officials from Dallas regarding the Waste Pits in the San Jacinto River. The meeting took place last Tuesday, May 7 at the Highlands Community Center.

Gary Baumgarten, the new project manager in charge of the Superfund site clean-up, showed a series of slides that outlined activities that were taking place in the present time.

A consent order was signed by the PRP (Potentially Responsible Parties) in April 2018, and Remedial Design has been underway since that time. This phase of the work may take as much as 2-1/2 years, he said.

Baumgarten said that the next steps in the Remedial Design were investigations of data, study of the treatability of the on-site materials, and construction plans.

He displayed a slide that showed recent borings, and a depth scale that indicated some had acceptable material, and some had toxic material.

Baumgarten discussed some of the problems with the maintenance of the site. In July 2018 and November 2018 repairs to the Cap were required. He said that the red marker buoys had also moved, and studies were underway to relocate them at the edge of the cap.

Janetta Coats of EPA talked about her work with the community, through the CIP or Community Involvement Plan. She said that the group had determined that the main community concerns were Health, Clean-up, Community Involvement, Wildlife, and Watershed.

Health concerns included impacts of remaining material, and recreation, after the cleanup.

Cleanup concerns included how floods and hurricanes might affect the sediments.

Rotary’s annual Fish Fry and raffle set for May 18

May 9, 2019
Your choice of two boiled crawfish or fried catfish dinners and all the fixin’ with your raffle ticket.

North Shore Rotary’s famous Catfish Fry & Crawfish Boil will take place on Saturday, May 18th at the Rotary Pavilion behind the courthouse on Wallisville Road.

Fish Fry chairman Ryan Dagley and club president Bill Bowes report that tickets for the event are selling fast, and may even sell out completely this year. A $100 ticket entitles the holder to a chance to win a new Toyota truck or car (winner’s choice of model and color) as well as two great fish dinners. Tickets are available from any Rotarian, or call 281-685-1000 if you need help purchasing a ticket. Serving time for the dinners is 11am to 3pm, but come early so that they don’t sell out. Individual meal tickets are $15 at the door, $12 presale.

This is the 44th Annual Fish Fry, according to Dagley. Each year the club nets about $300,000 and in turn uses the money for projects that benefit the community, including scholarships, recreational programs, and many school and organizational events.

Rep. Sylvia Garcia and House Judiciary Committee hold Hearing in Houston on the Voting Rights Act

May 9, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May, 3, 2019 – Rep. Sylvia Garcia and members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties held a hearing in Houston on the enforcement of the Voting Rights Act in the state of Texas. The subcommittee gathered testimony from voting rights scholars and practitioners from throughout the state on barriers to exercising the right to vote in Texas.

“For all the modern successes within our wonderful Texas heritage, we also know Texas is failing many of our communities by denying them their constitutional right to vote,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “Texas continues to show a widespread pattern of discrimination against minorities at the ballot box. The testimony here today has shown that. And this testimony has also shown that together, we must work to ensure that this fact becomes a thing of the past.”