Jacinto City, TX. — On October 4, 2022, the City of Jacinto City joined in the nation’s National Night Out (NNO) to help fight to lower crime.
Jacinto City’s Mayor Ana Diaz said, “Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to cut back the past two years on having very many neighborhood locations.”
Hopefully the city’s police department will actively begin recruiting the neighborhood get-togethers all over the city for next year because that’s the concept of the NNO event.
Located at the JC Police Department, City Manager Lon Squyres said, “The city furnished hot dogs, cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn & cold drinks. Children enjoyed the inflated bounce house with a slide.”
Police were present passing out crime prevention information and meeting and getting to know citizens.
LEFT: DIANE SHERIDAN, CIP Facilitator reporting on local area cities emergency notification systems. She also reported on how citizens can report strange odors and receive emergency warnings. See article details. (Photo by Allan Jamail) RIGHT: ALEX RENDON, Director of Operations, Kinder Morgan (KM) Galena Park Terminal Presents to CIP meeting attendees a report on the types of products KM either stores and/or transports through the Galena Park KM terminal. See article details. (Photo by Allan Jamail)
By Allan Jamail
Jacinto City Town Center – August 4, 2022 the CIP meeting was hosted by Kinder Morgan Inc. Diane Sheridan, CIP Facilitator called the meeting to order and GP-JC CIP Secretary Kristin Gauthier took the roll of members present and minutes of the meeting.
Alex Rendon, Director of Operations, for Kinder Morgan (KM) Galena Park Terminal gave the following information to the attendees.
50% of all motor oil on the Gulf Coast is either stored and/or transported through the KM Galena Park Clinton Drive Terminal.
Medical disinfectant, rubbing alcohol, nail polish, paint solvent, detergent, adhesives and other lubricants proponents are stored and/or transported through KM’S Galena Park Terminal.
Galena Park Library Staff L-R: Sisi Medina, Branch Manager Librarian, Nancy Vela, Cindy Castro, Venezia Gallardo & Silvia Romo-Duarte. (Photo by Allan Jamail)
Pandemic and Burst Pipes had caused closure
By Allan Jamail
Galena Park, TX. – July 26, 2022 – All of the Harris County Public Library (HCPL) Branches were closed to the public due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic from March 2020 to May 2021. From June 2020 to May 2021, many of the HCPLs, including the Galena Park branch, offered virtual programs and curbside pickup for library materials and activities for all ages.
Ms. Sisi Medina, Galena Park’s Branch Manager, said they also continued to connect with the local schools with Crafts To Go during summer school in 2021. In addition, she said they offered some one-on-one English as a Second Language (ESL) and U. S Citizenship classes via online teaching sessions.
Galena Park’s Branch closed indefinitely due to damages caused by a broken pipe during the statewide killer freeze of February 2021. The branch went through renovation until Fall 2021 but continued to serve the public in a limited capacity. They offered online programs, and continued ESL and Citizenship classes. Local users were redirected to Jacinto City’s Library.
Medina said they held weekly Pop Up Library with their Curiosity Cruiser from May 2021 to December 2021 in the library parking lot, and hosted their two annual celebrations in the parking lot as well: Booapalooza for Halloween, and Curbside Posada for winter holiday celebrations. Finally in December 2021, they partially opened using just their lobby to members providing laptop and printer services again.
Teens and young adults using free adult computers. All ages can read on-line books or check out books for points to win many different prizes and an engraved metal Reading Medallion with lanyard. Library members can sign-up to win 4 Houston Astros tickets, for more details visit: hcpl.beanstack.org. (Photo by Allan Jamail)
They reopened to the public on January 3, 2022 with new extended hours. With a small collection of books on shelving carts, borrowed furniture, and equipment they offered some normalcy back to the community. They now have children and adult computers available for research, gaming, and school class assignments connected to printers. Medina said, “We have the largest collection of Spanish books in both fiction and non-fiction in the entire county.”
Medina said, “We’re still not fully furnished, but we’ve been able to resume in-person programs and some services. We have our full collection of books on new shelving and new computer equipment. Our Summer Reading Program events have been well attended and we look for ward to having new furniture soon. We hope to be able to resume in-person ESL and Citizenship classes in the fall 2022.”
July 4, 2022 – Galena Park and Jacinto City had their annual 4th of July celebration at a safe location between the two cities. The thousands of celebrants were allowed to get as near as safely possible to watch the display. Lon Squyres, Jacinto City’s City Manager said this year’s fireworks show cost twenty-two thousand dollars ($22,000) with both cities splitting the cost.
Galena Park Police Chief Richard Wagner (left) and Galena. Galena an AKC registered one year old English Bulldog has won the hearts of the police department’s personnel. She goes office to office getting all the love and attention and healthy treats a one year old could hope for. Her name on her registered paper is Galena, but the personnel have tagged her several other nicknames, Boo Boo and Lena short for Galena. (Photo by Allan Jamail)
By Allan Jamail
Galena Park, TX. – July 4, 2022 – Galena Park Police Chief Richard Wagner and Jacinto City Police Chief Joe Ayala and their officers will be keeping a careful watch for possible dangers or difficulties the city’s pets may encounter this hot summer.
Chief Wagner said, “If people would test their own foot to the temperature of where their pet’s paw is on then they’d understand the pain their pet is being exposed to. If it’s too hot for your foot, it’s too hot for their paw.”
Galena Park Officer E. Reyna said people take their pets out for a walk without concern for their need of water or about the scorching pavement on their paws. He said if they’d imagine their dog asking, “What would it be like if you walked a mile in my paws on the hot pavement and without water?”
Galena Park, TX. – June 28, 2022 – The Galena Park Police Department is asking for assistance in providing information on the whereabouts of three fugitives wanted for violating their terms of probation by failure to report their whereabouts to a law enforcement agency.
All three of the fugitives were convicted of violations of the Texas Penal Code of Indecency with a Child by Contact. Warrants have been issued for their arrest on failure to report under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Title 1, Chapter 62 – Sex Offender Registration Program as follows: Registered sex offenders are required to periodically report to the local law enforcement authority to verify the accuracy of the registration information and to promptly report certain changes in the information as those changes occur. A sex offender who fails to comply with any registration requirement is subject to felony prosecution.
David Clark, U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary showed how he stops bringing home restaurants plastic or Styrofoam food containers from leftover meals when eating out. He takes his own reusable take-home container to restaurants to bring leftovers home. If more people would take their own reusable containers when eating out this can save lots in the waste landfills. (Photo Allan Jamail)
By Allan Jamail
Galena Park, TX. – Thursday, June 2, 2022 at the Alvin Baggett Community Building, 1302 Keene Street, the first in-person Community-Industry Partnership (CIP) took place since the COVID-19 Pandemic forced meetings to take place via Zoom. The meeting was hosted by Hosted by Houston Cement.
Facilitator Diane Sheridan opened the meeting, and introduced Glenda Squyres as the Secretary, and said that CIP celebrated its 10th Anniversary in 2021. Its formation began in October 2010 with a team of community members and plant representatives who developed ground rules and selected the core membership.
Sheridan explained the following topics:
• Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products. (EPA)
• When we refer to recycling, we often mean avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• Recycle is the last step before disposal in the waste hierarchy.
Plant members, CIP cities, individuals, and the Harris County representatives attending presented what they do in recycling and what they recycle.
Galena Park, TX. – June 8, 2022 – The Galena Park Police Department is asking for assistance in identifying, providing information and or any leads of who the suspect (see sketch) is who committed a Sexual Assault of a Child back in 2021.
Detective Jessica Bolanos and the police department received a report on November of 2021 of a sexual assault victim in Galena Park. During the investigation the victim made an outcry of being sexually abused by an unknown male (see sketch).
The suspect is a Hispanic male, approximately 25 – 30 years of age, average built, with very short black hair. He has tattoos on his forearms.
If you have information about the suspect contact the Galena Park Police and or Detective Bolanos at 713-675-3471.
A Texas town, and a nation, mourn for the senseless killings of 21 victims in Uvalde.
By Allan Jamail
Galena Park, Texas ~ Sunday, May 29, 2022, over 300 family members and friends of Archie Bourgeois turned out to help him celebrate his 100th birthday. Galena Park’s Mayor Esmeralda Moya presented him a Proclamation honoring his birthday, and Pct. 2 Constable Jerry Garcia made a congratulatory speech.
Each of his children took to the stage and made personal comments about their upbringing and fond memories of their beloved dad. Guests enjoyed live music and refreshments of bar-b-q, birthday cake and other goodies. His family members wore tee shirts with Archie’s favorite saying printed on them, EVERYTHING’S LOVELY.
2514 Fourth Street in Galena Manor a subdivision of Galena Park, Texas. Scene of a May 17th triple shooting 1 dead and 2 wounded. (Photo by Allan Jamail)
By Allan Jamail
GALENA PARK – Tuesday, May 17th, in the Galena Manor subdivision, in the quiet hours just before midnight, neighbors were awoken by loud gunshots, causing them to panic and duck for cover.
According to Willie Willis and her daughter Nadine Huff, the shots rang out so loud as if they were coming into their home from across the street at 2514 Fourth Street. Willis said it was just before midnight on the 17th, she was watching her favorite religious program, when all of a sudden she said she heard, “pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow sounds coming from a gun. I was so scared I got on my hands and knees and crawled to my bedroom and lay down on the floor praying I’d not be shot.”
According to Harris County Sheriff Office, the Galena Park police and fire departments were dispatched to the scene about midnight. Upon arrival, police and rescue personnel located two women, a 47 and 23 years old, and a man about 50 years old, with gunshot wounds. The man was the shooter and he died from his injuries, which they later discovered were self-inflicted. A family friend said the shooter was the mother’s ex-boyfriend.
Rep. Ana Hernandez (photo left w/white shirt), volunteers and District Director Adriana Aguirre Hernandez and Community Liaison Linda Jamail (photo right w/white shirts). (Photo by Allan Jamail)
By Allan Jamail
Jacinto City, TX. – Saturday, April 9, 2022 – District 143 State Representative Ana Hernandez had another successful food distribution event where hundreds of vehicles, many with more than one family in them, lined up to get help. Hernandez is known throughout the North Channel area for spreading help to the needy.
State Representative Hernandez’s staff, District Director Adriana Aguirre Hernandez and Community Liaison Linda Jamail, created a well-organized event which included over fifty volunteers from Galena Park High School and other organizations, who moved hundreds of vehicles through the line quickly so that volunteers and Rep. Hernandez could load the commodities into their vehicles.
