Guiding Lights

Ray Andrews
Mayor’s office
Ray Andrews’ time and effort greatly contributed to making the Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena Red Ribbon Rally and the Community Stars program a success, wrote James D. Craig, an agent with the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Red Ribbon Rally hosted 1,200 students who staged the passing of an anti-drug bill on the legislative floor of the state Capitol. The Community Stars program recognized six community organizations that work to educate youth and to prevent, treat and eradicate drug use.

Andrews is director of Houston Crackdown. His participation shows how dedicated he is to substance-abuse prevention and treatment, Craig wrote.

Betty Rice, Courtney Osbourne
Solid Waste Management
Sometimes tree limbs and other yard debris piled at the curb without bags are removed, and other times they’re not, Michele Matthews noticed.

Because of the inconsistency, Matthews piled tree limbs away from the bagged yard waste, holding it back for heavy trash collection.

Then Betty Rice and Courtney Osbourne came through on their trash removal route. After removing the yard clippings at the curb, they spotted Matthews’ small pile of separated debris at the opposite corner of her property and picked up that pile, as well, Matthews wrote.

“Thanks to Ms. Rice and Mr. Osbourne displaying self-motivation, accountability, good service and extra effort, the debris was removed and the street left in good shape,” Matthews wrote. “Hopefully, other employees will follow their example.”

Muzaffar Siddiqi
HPD
The tsunami that ripped through South Asia in December was half a world away, but Officer Muzaffar Siddiqi helped repair its damage. Siddiqi became an important and active member of the relief team that raised funds for victims, wrote Benny Permadi Suryawinata, an Indonesia consul general.

“On behalf of myself and the entire Indonesian community, especially the Indonesian Muslim community, I’d like to express our deepest gratitude and highest appreciation for the active and diligent participation of Muzaffar Siddiqi,” Suryawinata wrote.