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At last week’s North Shore Rotary luncheon, held in the Monument Room of San Jacinto College North, the audience had the opportunity to meet and hear from the head football coaches at each of the high schools in the area.
ABOVE, Rotary president Shawn Silman, center, with coaches (L to R) Spiro Amarantos, GALENA PARK; Averion Hurts, CHANNELVIEW; Jon Kay, NORTH SHORE; and Derek Fitzhenry, C. E. KING/SHELDON.
SHELDON – The Sheldon Community Fire & Rescue department held a traditional “push-in” ceremony last Sunday at Station 2 on the Beaumont Highway. The occasion was the start of service for their newest fire engine, a specially designed high-water truck by W. S. Darley & Co. of Itasca, Illinois.
In addition, the event included the “pinning” of two probationary fireman to full status in the department. These new firemen are Joshua Simmonds and Diego Villarreal. Four junior firemen were also promoted at this time.
Chief Sidney Webb explained to the invited crowd that the department had four of the new specially-designed high water trucks on order, and due for service in the next month. One each will be assigned to the existing stations on C.E. King Parkway, Beaumont Highway, South Lake Houston Parkway at Beltway 8, and the new station scheduled for Uvalde at Kinsman.
Chief Webb announced that the new station would break ground this month, will include administration offices as well as firefighting equipment, and would be about 21,900 sq. ft. and costing about $14 million dollars. It will go into service by November 2022.
As the Sheldon area has grown quickly over the past few years, the SCF&R department has grown also, and is now responsible for an area of about 60 square miles, with 175,000 residents.
HOUSTON — (July 6, 2021) — Harris County Transit Plus begins its inaugural on-demand transport service today for residents living in the Generation Park-area of Precincts 1, 2 and 4.
This affordable service allows residents to schedule transportation from point A to point B, within two established zones, running along the Northeast quadrant of Beltway 8. The service provides a faster trip and enhanced passenger experience through areas of the county that are less densely developed.
The fare to ride is $1 for adults and 50 cents for children, seniors and those with disabilities. Cash, transfers from other buses and the METRO Q® Fare Card are acceptable forms of payment.
The North Zone runs along Beltway 8 between Highway 59 and the northeast portion of Beltway 8. The South Zone runs between the northeast portion of Beltway 8 to Wallisville Road. The transit zone also includes the area within three-quarters of a mile in either direction of these sections of Beltway 8.
East Harris County, Texas —East Harris County Empowerment Council (EHCEC) received a $200,000 grant from the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund. The Fund is led by the Greater Houston Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Houston to support vulnerable households throughout Harris and Montgomery counties.
East Harris County households have been impacted in various ways from the novel Coronavirus known as COVID-19. As schools remain closed and the true toll remains unclear, families are looking for help. “We are so grateful that the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund has trusted us to support our neighbors during this time,” says Terence Narcisse, Executive Director. “We hope that this emergency financial assistance will help families keep the lights on and food on the table.”
This program is available to the Channelview, Crosby, Galena Park, Jacinto City, Northshore, and Sheldon communities. EHCEC is currently accepting applications for the COVID-19 Neighbor Assistance Program on the website at www.ehcec.org/covid19.
SHELDON – The C. E. King High School FFA held their Annual Livestock Show and Sale last Saturday, Jan. 18. Students exhibited a total of 41 animals, and bidding from Buyers was lively. The event was held at the Agriculture barn on Old US90, the Beaumont Highway.
According to FFA adviser Robyn Jones, the bids totaled $32,650 and after add-ons the show raised a total of $44,120 for the students, who use the money for scholarships and costs of raising the animals.
By Gilbert Hoffman
Sheldon Community Fire and Rescue, and Harris County Emergency Services District #60, opened an impressive new fire station, and training tower last Thursday morning.
The 15,000 sq. ft. fire station is the third station in the ESD#60 District, and with expansive growth of the area, the plan is to build two more and another to replace the existing station on C.E. King Parkway, according to Fire Chief Sydney Webb.
Webb presided over the grand opening ceremonies, and the ceremonial ribbon cutting and hose uncoupling for the two buildings.
Participating in the ceremonies were members of the ESD#60 board, with Helen Lauersdorf, president; and Fire E-board members, with Curtis Roane, president. Also speaking were “Pistol Reed” the son of Paul V. Reed, whom the training center is named for, and Judge Joe Stephens.
The Training Center is a tall 5-story building, to be used to train firefighters in multi-story rescues and fires. The fire station has room for six vehicles in three drive-thru bays. It also has offices, sleeping rooms, training and exercise facilities, and a day room with kitchen and TV.
Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, Sheldon ISD will be opening its first ever STEM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) at each of their middle schools.
What is STEM? STEM education is an approach to teaching and learning that integrates the content and skills of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Both C. E. King Middle School and Null Middle School will host a cohort group of (60) 7th graders each to start the academy. Students and their parents completed an application and were drawn from a lottery to be accepted. The school district plans on adding one more grade level a year to complete the middle school academy and progress into the high school academy in the future.
Students in this STEM academy will be given a challenging schedule next year that focuses on Project Based Learning in all of its core classes as well as an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) class, a STEM Lab class, and two other elective classes that they choose. This challenging, yet supportive schedule is designed to not only prepare the students by supporting them with college readiness standards daily, but it will allow them to learn through experiences with hands-on projects, field trips, STEM career guest speakers and after school STEM activities.
SHELDON – Monday morning of this week, fire department officials, ESD board members, and the family of the major founder gathered on a construction site on the Old Beaumont Highway, just east of Sheldon Road and west of the Sheldon ISD agriculture barns.
Construction has started on a new fire station for the Sheldon Community Fire & Rescue, and will include a new station, offices for ESD#60 officials, and a training facility.
The building will be 15,000 square feet in size, and include 3 truck bays, 2 vehicles deep, so that a total of six vehicles can be accommodated. At first it is planned to house four pieces of equipment: a fire engine, a tanker, a brush truck, and a rescue squad. The project cost for the facility is about $10 million dollars, which is being furnished by ESD#60.
Fire Chief Sheldon Webb acting as emcee of the dedication ceremonies, and groundbreaking. He gave a short history of the department, tracing its origins to the Beaumont Fire Department started in 1955 by J. W. Perryman, and the Sheldon Fire Department, started by Paul V. Reed in 1965. In 1996 the two departments were merged. The new facility is named in recognition of Paul V. Reed, and members of his family, including his son Paul Reed, were on hand for the ceremony.
Members of the Sheldon ISD School Board unanimously approved North Shore Assistant Head Football Coach Derek Fitzhenry as the new C. E. King High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach in a special meeting Tuesday evening at the Ney Administration Building.
Fitzhenry is replacing outgoing Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Don Price who will be retiring this year following 41 years of service as an educator and coach.
“Coach Fitzhenry is the ideal candidate to fill this position,” Sheldon ISD Superintendent King Davis said. “He is passionate about his players – both on and off the field – and he wants to see each of them succeed in life.”
The North Channel Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Salute event for military, veterans, and first responders last Thursday. They were honored for their service with a special program and free lunch. Also participating were local service club, Rotary, and the Pilot Club, who conducted their official meetings.There was also a health fair with free health screenings, flu shots at low cost, giveaways and prizes.
All local school districts: Channelview, Sheldon and Galena Park ISD as well as local businesses, hospitals and health care providers had a booth with useful information and giveaways.
Nearly 40 members of the Sheldon ISD family attended last Thursday’s North Channel Area Chamber “Salutes” Luncheon and Exposition in Channelview. This event honored both active and retired military personnel. The district’s JROTC students presented the colors during the program, and more than 20 veterans who now work for Sheldon ISD also took part in the festivities.
Superintendents of the three school district in the North Channel area were the featured speakers last Friday at the Chamber’s monthly luncheon.
Emcee for the luncheon, held at the San Jacinto College student union, was former Chamber chairman Charles Grant. He is now heading up a membership drive for the chamber, entitled Forty for Forty in Four. This is a reference to the 40th anniversary of the chamber, and the goal of adding 40 new members in four weeks. With a sly sense of humor, Grant has offered to “Kiss A Pig” if the chamber board and members meet this goal.
Grant was followed by each of the superintendents of the three school districts, and they exhibited a tongue-in-cheek rivalry in their remarks.