Fall 08
Vol. 13 No. 4
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Department
News
Affirmative Action
Welcome Joyce Foster, Stacey Littleton and Timika Prudhomme. – Patsy Jackson
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Aviation
City Star Executive announced the first business-only service between Houston and Aberdeen. The new service is scheduled to take off in January. City Star Executive joins 17 other foreign carriers offering access to more than 70 direct international destinations from George Bush Intercontinental Airport … The Snowbirds, Canadian Forces’ 431 air demonstration squadron, took center stage at Ellington Field during Wings Over Houston Oct. 6-7. Other attractions included civilian aircraft, World War II reenactments, an autograph-signing tent with aviation legends, a children’s carnival, food, and live music … William P. Hobby Airport has a new state-of-the-art United Service Organizations facility.
Darth Vader, a royal imperial guard and a Jedi knight were among the Star Wars characters who transported Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber through William P. Hobby Airport on its way into space aboard the space shuttle Discovery.
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Located inside the Central Concourse’s secure area, the multiple-room, 1,000-square-foot USO lounge offers more space and amenities for sailors, soldiers, marines, and airmen. All the facility’s contents were donated … Characters from the Star Wars universe crowded Hobby’s central concourse awaiting the flight carrying Luke Skywalker’s Jedi lightsaber. Southwest Airlines, Space Center Houston and Lucasfilm sent the famous movie prop into space with the crew of the space shuttle Discovery in October. Back from the trip, the lightsaber will be displayed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center before returning to Lucasfilm … This year’s CMC runway race at Bush was renamed the Mutt Strut & Runway Race and benefited the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Houston SPCA added a one-mile mutt strut to the Oct. 20 outing. Prizes were awarded in several categories including best-dressed, best kisser, and best owner-pet look alike. Since 2001, the annual event has raised more than $200,000 in donations for community and charity groups … On Aug. 29, the department rolled out the red carpet to dozens of companies and businesses at the Humble Civic Center. The all-day event provided opportunities to network and to get a contract at one of Houston’s airports. Supply, purchasing, planning, architecture, electrical, construction, retail, and food and beverage contracts are available with the airport system … According to July figures, international air cargo traffic increased by 11 percent, and international passenger traffic climbed 3 percent compared to 2006. Total air cargo traffic for the Houston Airport System increased by 10 percent during July over July 2006. More than 30 million passengers had been served by Houston’s airports through July … On Oct. 16, the 16th annual IAH Charity Classic Golf Tournament took place at the Cypresswood Golf Club benefiting the interfaith chapel inside of IAH Airport at Terminal C. Each year the chapels at Bush and Hobby airports donate $1,000 - $5,000 to needy individuals and organizations and offer $6,000 in college scholarships for area students. – Juan Alanis
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City
Council
No submission from this office.
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City
Secretary
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Controller's
Office
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Convention
& Entertainment
Martha Garza, Reginald Randolph, and Melonie Curry were honored in the department’s monthly recognition program … Former mayor Bob Lanier, Jeff Bagwell, Zina Garrison, Charles W. Duncan Jr. and James DeAnda became the newest members in the Houston Hall of Fame at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The hall now numbers 28 honorees … Welcome aboard Cheryl Ross, Tony Rodriguez, Susan Tucker, Bryan Allison, DeShondra Hansford, Kelly Hart, Homer Denson Jr., Yolanda Wright and Carol Herrera … Goodbye and best wishes to Russ Clark. – Pete Radowick
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Finance
& Administration
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Fire
The department hosted an open house at Fire Station 26 Aug. 4, and another at Fire Station 67 Sept. 22. Several hundred residents attended the events, which featured free smoke detectors and fire safety information, balloons, Capt. Elmo the Fire Safety Robot, and more … More than 50 employees were recognized during the promotion ceremony Sept. 18 … On September 11, all stations simultaneously commemorated the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At the Houston Fire Museum, “In the Line of Fire,” was dedicated. The bronze statue by official Texas state sculptor Edd Hayes honors firefighters while supporting public art in Houston. More than 600 H.E.B. employees from more than 69 stores volunteered for a service project called “Helping Heroes.” They visited local stations Sept. 11 to help for the day and served breakfast and lunch. At One Allen Center, Brookfield Properties exhibited “9/11 Salute to the Houston Fire Department,” featuring photos of the department by Houston Innerloop Photo Club, The Salvation Army and the Houston Fire Department. The free display ran though Oct. 5 … On Sept. 8, the department, local emergency response team members, the Citizens’ Fire Academy Alumni Association, and community leaders conducted a smoke-alarm installation in southeast Houston. Volunteers met at Station 35, 5535 Van Fleet, and installed more than 100 alarms between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. … Emergency medical squad personnel and a 911 call-taker held a reunion with a 71-year-old cardiac arrest survivor and her family … The department received a locomotive prop to be used for derailment training at the HFD academy … During an Aug. 23 press conference at Fire Station 11, the Fire, Police, and Parks & Recreation departments and the Houston Independent School District addressed back to school safety. – Alicia Whitehead
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General Services
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Health &
Human Services
The Healthy Families Healthy Futures Program is improving parenting skills and strengthening family bonds. The program targets first-time mothers in their first trimester or those who have given birth within the past 60 days. Public health professionals serve as family support workers who conduct weekly home visits to focus on promoting positive parent and child interaction, healthy child growth and development, and decreasing child abuse and neglect. Visits gradually decrease in frequency as families progress through three years of the program. Two families recently completed their first year and are now visited every other week. The team consists of Nancy Busby, parent resource coordinator; Ana Benavides, Renee Robinson and Sarita Verdinez, family support workers; and Maria Cisneros, program supervisor. The program is housed at the Southwest Multi-Service Center, 6400 High Star. Referrals can be made at 713-778-6507. – Porfirio Villareal
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Housing
& Community Development
On Sept. 12, the Knowles family, Beyoncé, Solange, Mathew, and Tina, joined Kelly Rowland and City Council members Ada Edwards, Carol Alvarado, and Roland Green at the ground-breaking of the Knowles-Rowland Temenos Place Apartments, 1719 Gray St. The Housing and Community Development Department provided $2.6 million in tax-increment reinvestment zone funds for the 43-unit, single-occupancy apartments. The development is designed for people taking significant steps to improve their lives after personal and natural disasters. Rent is projected to be about $533 per month, including utilities … On Aug. 30, Director Richard Celli and councilman Adrian Garcia led community leaders and affordable housing experts on a tour of Near Northside, Denver Harbor and Second Ward. The tour identified possible future affordable housing projects that are consistent with the existing neighborhoods and support the existing communities … Celli joined Mayor Bill White and councilwoman Ada Edwards Sept. 8 and Sept. 15 for “District D Rap Up.” At the community meetings, more than 180 constituents were in attendance as department directors or appointees made presentations highlighting completed or pending projects in the area … On Aug. 30, residents Juron Culbreath, Gwynletha Robinson, and Belen Hall participated in a triple play ribbon cutting ceremony on Comal Street in the Sunnyside community. Each resident had received $30,000 in down payment assistance. In Acres Homes, White and HAP manager Juan Chavez welcomed Harriet Day to her new home, also bought with down payment assistance from the HAP program. – Lester Whiteing
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Houston
Emergency Center
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Human Resources
Human Resources employees enjoy a break and lunch during the annual agency fair for the Combined Municipal Campaign. Pictured are, clockwise from bottom front, Jillian McKenzie, James Garza, Dana Doan, Sylvia Torres, Maria Cortes, Paul Garza, Andrea Areanes, and Chas Smith.
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More than 70 charities participated in the Combined Municipal Campaign agency fair Sept. 28 at Tranquillity Park. Visitors met agency reps, got lots of free giveaways, enjoyed lunch and had a chance to find out how their CMC donations help others … Safety supervisor Ted Low and safety officers James Garza and Bobby Hawkins completed 311 customer-service-request training for hurricane evacuation assistance … Congratulations on promotions to Janice Melton, to Housing & Community Development, and Gracie Mendiola, to Parks & Recreation … Welcome back Tracey Norman, and welcome Susan Waters, Andrea Banks, Kendra Banks, Angelina Rodriguez, Maryam Sharif and Latashia Wesley … Farewell Chris Brennan. – John Perry
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Information
Technology
Thank you and farewell to our 2007 Empowering Future Minds student interns: Chris Alanis, Rita Bravo, Jabrelle Lipscomb, Xavier Neal, Krystal Moore, Leonard Parker, Arif Sunesara, and Katina Williams. For six weeks, these high school and college students got exposure to careers in city government with an emphasis on technology. – Bob Nowak
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Legal
Welcome Tom Allen, Kristy Orr, Candice de la Garza, Omar Izfar, Kary L. Gregg, Denise Miller, Michael Whitlock and Aisha Adams … Celebrating milestones are Cynthia King, 25 years; Lisa Hargrove, 15 years; Jaqueline Leguizamon and Brenda Terry, 10 years; and Judith Benton, and Nerissa Jewett, five years. – Vachel Henry
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Library
The department opened the new Looscan neighborhood library, 2510 Willowick. The 20,000-square-foot building, Houston’s first “green” library designed using sustainable construction and operating methods to improve environmental quality, replaces the original 1956 facility, and provides more than double the space. It features additional public access computer workstations, conference and meeting rooms, an Internet café, and separate areas for library materials and reading spaces, including The Marsha Moody Children’s Reading Room, a teen reading area, and a comfortable adult periodical reading room with an expansive outside view.
Ballet Folklorico dancers from Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts helped kick off the Houston Public Library’s annual Big Read Books on the Bayou: Houston Reads Together. This year’s book was “Bless Me Ultima,” by Rudolfo Anaya.
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The works of recognized artists enhance the facility, including a large art mural by Bert Long Jr. and sculptural benches by Kelly Gale Amen. Looscan’s interior features warm woodwork, coffered ceilings, a mix of traditional and contemporary furnishings and lighting, and a stainless steel staircase … The Southeast Coalition of Civic Clubs presented a $60,000 check to enhance the materials collection and technology at the Johnson neighborhood library. The donation is the culmination of an ongoing fundraising effort by the community, which included everything from barbecue dinners to foundation proposals. More than $10,000 has been allocated for books and DVDs, and nearly $50,000 has been allocated for the purchase of laptops, computers and computer monitors … Councilman M.J. Khan presented a $20,000 donation to Library and the Houston Public Library Foundation to benefit the world languages collection. The money will be used to expand materials in Urdu, Arabic, Japanese, and Korean … Welcome Debra Stewart, Susasn Peterson, Stephen Colvin, Tunu Le, Twila Rose, Jonathon Bisso, Cicely Taylor, Allen Westrick, Erica Young, Jason Kyles, Tiffany Gonzalez, Danny Safady II, Rosie Perry, Gwendolyn Williams, Maria Garcia, Brendan Lynch, Julia Pike, Caroline Brooks, Sara Pope, Ashley Riggenbach, Dacia Clay, Eric Wilbourn, Laura Montegrande, Paula Anicete, Mary Foy, Amber Evans, Esmeralda Gil, Alvia Hubbard and Alice Alves … Congratulations on well-deserved promotions to Sarah Bates, Lenore Wood, Jonathan McFarland, Donna Roy, Roosevelt Weeks, Meller Langford, Pedro Mosquera, Stephen Hill, Brandon Pope, Michelle Goodwyn, Kerby Valladares, Gary Lackey, Willie Dunn, Sandra McDaniels, Justine Basha, Audrey Ellison, Onda Githoro and Vanessa Smith … Happy retirement and best wishes to Debra Allen and Connie Rose. – Blanca Quezada
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Mayor's
Office
U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, state Rep. Sylvester Turner, HISD Superintendent Abe Saavedra, left to right, and nearly 2,000 volunteers joined Mayor Bill White, right, during the Reach out to Dropouts walk.
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On Sept. 8, nearly 2,000 volunteers joined Mayor Bill White and his wife Andrea for the 4th annual Reach Out to Dropouts walk. Houstonians walked door-to-door trying to convince dropouts to return to school. Teams of volunteers received maps and resource materials to guide dropouts and their family members to city, school district, and community social services to address the root causes of dropping out. This year, walkers visited 3,463 homes in Houston ISD, Aldine ISD, Alief ISD, and Spring Branch ISD. Nearly 900 committed to returning to school. In four years, more than 4,000 students have returned and almost 500 have graduated thanks to the help of 6,600 volunteers … Welcome aboard Shameka Midell, Debra Dunlap and Veronica Mosley. – Debra Veal
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Municipal Courts Administration
No submission from this office.
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Municipal Courts Judicial
The presiding judge and the chief clerk of San Antonio municipal courts visited Houston’s municipal courts July 24. They met with Presiding Judge Berta Mejia and Sahira Abdool, Municipal Courts Administration director, toured the facility and were given a demonstration of the ICMS system … Congratulations to Margaret Tristan, promoted to evening shift lead bailiff … Welcome new bailiffs David Castillo, David Streeter and John Castillo … Manuel Barrera, Robert Hinojosa, Don Byrnes, Gerardo Cantu, Sylvia Castillo, Jose Lopez and Beverly Spencer were appointed by Mayor Bill White and confirmed by City Council as adjudication hearing officers for the Photographic Traffic Signal Enforcement Program … Judge Leigh Saint-Germain played Judge Elvira in the Houston Bar Association’s night court musical comedy, “DRACULAW” in June. Her character was loosely based on Judge Seidlin, the Florida judge involved in the Anna Nicole Smith cases. This is her 15th year participating in the Houston Bar Foundation fundraiser. Judge Howard Speight, also a veteran of numerous shows, participated this year as Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. – Lilly Warden
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Parks & Recreation
The department is proud of the aquatics division for keeping Houstonswimmers safe and happy all summer … City and Houston Parks Board funds were used to buy 22-acre Hackberry Park, a formerly abandoned par-3 golf course on South Dairy Ashford in the Alief area. Development plans are in the works … Residents offered their ideas for the next five years of park developments during a series of meetings in October. The Parks Master Plan, which will guide the department through the near future, is being updated according to public input … The exercise trail at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center is due for a massive redo thanks to a $100,000 National Recreation Trails grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant gives the department an opportunity to rebuild the trail with new pavement and features that will let people with disabilities challenge themselves, including a better facility for wheelchair skill training … The staff at Lake Houston Park is thrilled to show off the park’s new nature center. Unveiled Oct. 6, the center offers educational displays, a reference library, and live amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. The park’s naturalist already offers a series of guided park adventures … Check out the Fall Activities in the Park catalog, available at www.houstonparks.org and at community centers … Farewell to longtime Web master Lionel Christopher Pinon, who transferred to Public Works & Engineering. – Don Whitaker
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Planning & Development
Gavin Dillingham, a staff analyst, defended his dissertation in political science land use and urban policy at Rice University. His candidacy for the doctoral degree has been approved. – Patricia Benavides
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Police
No submission from this office.
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Public Works & Engineering
The new Corral the Grease campaign educates residents about the harmful effects of pouring grease down drains, which causes blockages in sewer pipes. Blockages can cause sanitary sewer overflows that can back up into your home. The new campaign encourages residents to collect the grease in jars and then throw them in the trash after the grease has hardened … Anticipating a wave of managerial retirements, the department created the Leadership Institute Program to prepare future leaders to take over the reigns of top managers. LIP provides training, helps them develop effective communication skills, and allows them to tackle issues they could potentially face as managers. There are three classes: front line supervisors, middle managers, and executive managers. The program addresses supervisory needs of all divisions for the next five years, and the selection process identifies employees who show great leadership potential. Fifty candidates are selected by division deputy directors to undertake a one-year training effort. The executive manager’s class is organized through the Executive Certified Manager Program sponsored by Sam Houston University. The other two classes will be organized through training classes conducted at the E.B. Cape Center … On Sept. 6, best-selling author Chin-Ning Chu discussed several topics, including the personal rejuvenation of your mind and how to unlock your full potential. Chu, one of the foremost speakers on the practical application of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” and a promoter of strategic thinking as the core competency among leaders of government and corporations, spoke during a presentation sponsored by the department and E.B. Cape … On Aug. 16, construction began on the exterior features of the WaterWorks Museum + Education Center, which will open in late 2008 at the city’s Northeast Water Purification Plant near Lake Houston. The exhibits and programming will make the subject of water and the wonders of water science an educational experience.
Public Works and Engineering employee Gregory Furlow is interviewed after keeping a paralyzed man from floating down Brays Bayou. Furlow went into the water and held onto the man until police officers arrived to pull him out.
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The museum is a joint project between the city and the Houston Area Water Corporation … After spotting a man floating in Brays Bayou on Sept. 13, Gregory Furlow, who works for the right-of-way and fleet maintenance division, sprang into action. The man was paralyzed from the waist down and had floated toward the middle of the bayou. Furlow went into the water and grabbed the man by the arm, keeping him afloat until more help arrived. A strong current kept Furlow from pulling the man out of the bayou and started carrying both downstream. Police officers reached the man, so Furlow let go and climbed back out of the water. The officers pulled the man out of the water … A public service announcement has been produced to help residents understand how they can control their water bills. – Alvin Wright
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Solid Waste Management
No submission from this office.
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