The Bay Area Observer Community News For The Galveston Bay Area
VOLUME 2, NO. 37
By The Bay LPHS Reunion, 64-69 Mamacitas Ballroom Sept, 17, 2011 • 6 - 1 La Porte Alumni from 1964-69 are gathering for a reunion on Friday, Sept. 16 and Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011. The information for registration, the event schedule, and tickets is online at: lphsreunion.org. This an exciting opportunity to share memories, stories and hugs with your fellow classmates. Register soon!’ Linda Webb Craft, 281-391-8438
FUMC Fall Festival First United Methodist Church - La Porte Saturday, October 1 9 a.m. to 4 p.m Craft Show, Silent Auction , Kids activities. Contact Rebecca Dudley at 281-478-4673 or dudleytrio@ comcast.net
2nd Annual Saltwater Derby Sept. 30, 2011 • 6 a.m. Outriggers Restaurant Seabrook Fish Times: The tournament will start at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, September 30, 2011 there is NO early check-in or captains meeting. You may be on your spot anytime before 6:00 a.m. The fishing will end no later than 3:00 p.m. You may launch from any public ramp on the boundary waters. You can enter and pay online at http://www.ci.seabrook.tx.us. Rules are on the City of Seabrook website also, or enter and pay at Outriggers restaurant in Seabrook.
GriefShare Recovery Seminar
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
Kevin Black Hosts “Reeling It In For Rett” Registration Celebration In Seabrook at Conroe’s Crighton Theatre beginning at 7PM, featuring two-time Male Vocalist of the Year Clint Black and his band,
By Connie Strong The “Reeling It In For Rett” Registration Celebration was held in Seabrook on Saturday, kicking off the upcoming three-day “Spending Time Ending Rett” event that will be held in October, hosted by Kevin Black. The tournament, taking place in Galveston Bay, is the first of several events scheduled for October 21, 23 and 24 during Kevin and brother Clint Black’s annual fundraiser benefitting the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF). “Reeling It In For Rett” begins at 5:00AM, Friday, October 21 with the awards ceremony following at Outriggers. Delicious food, live music from Kevin and his son, Coleton Black, and plenty of door prizes will be enjoyed at the awards gathering.
“What better place if you’re gonna go bay fishing, than Galveston Bay!” Kevin Black
“We need to work together to try to end Rett; anytime we can end a disease or disorder, we all benefit. We are proud to be a part of this.” Mayor Glen Royal
Bayshore Baptist Church
La Porte Sundays at 5:45p.m.
GriefShare recovery seminar and support group meets at Bayshore Baptist Church in La Porte Sundays at 5:45Pm beginning September 11, 2011. The church is located at 11315 Spencer. GriefShare is a 13-week program featuring nationally recognized experts on grief and recovery topics. Seminar sessions include the Journey of Grief; The effects of Grief; When your Spouse Dies; Your Family and Grief; and Stuck in Grief. For more information call Bayshore Baptist Church at 281-471-0332/www.bayshorebc. org. Please feel free to contact if you have questions or would like more information.
CERT Training Class La Porte Police Station September 29, 2011 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training begins September 29, 2011 at the La Porte Police Station. Training sessions cover disaster preparedness, fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, team organization and terrorism. With this training, CERT teams played a vital role in providing support to jurisdictions throughout the region following Hurricane Ike in 2008. If needed following a disaster, these citizen-responders use their training as part of a neighborhood or workplace team to help others when first responders are overwhelmed or not immediately available. CERT members provide immediate assistance to victims in their area, organize spontaneous volunteers who have not had the training, and collect disaster intelligence that will assist first responders with prioritization and allocation of resources when they arrive. The training is hosted by the La Porte Office of Emergency Management and will begin Thursday, September 29, 2011 for eight weeks. The Seabrook and La Porte CERT teams recently joined together to form BayCERT in order to help increase awareness of CERT in the Bay Area. For more information about the upcoming class contact the La Porte Office of Emergency Management (281) 470-0010, www. lpoem.org or Ronica Hall 281-3265644 ronicahall@hotmail.com Continued on page 2
INDEX Community......................2 Local News.....................3 Sports..............................4 Education........................4 Arts & Entertainment.....5 Classifieds......................7 In The Garden.................8 Cuisine............................8
Kevin and Clint are no strangers to fishing. Growing up near Buffalo Bayou allowed the boys to experience nature in true boys-will-be-boys fashion. Clint states, “I was playing around in the Bayou [as a child], catching snakes, catching fish with my hands— ‘noodling’ they call it now.”
Although recent experiences at Fayette County Lake have made a bass fisherman out of Kevin, he still loves to salt water fish and does it every chance he gets. The popular singer/songwriter looks for-
ward to the Seabrook tournament. “What better place—if you’re gonna go bay fishing— than Galveston Bay!” In addition to the fishing tournament, included in the three-day event will be the
La Porte City Council Proclaims A “Moment of Rememberance”, Adopt 2011-2012 Proposed Budget
La Porte Mayor Louis Rigby, Fire Chief Mike Boaze, Chief of Police Ken Adcox and EMS Chief Ray Nolen
On Monday night, during the La Porte City Council meeting a proclamation for “Moment of Remembrance of September 11, 2001” was given by Mayor Louis Rigby, Fire Chief Mike Boaze, Police Chief Ken Adcox and EMS Chief Ray Nolen. The proclamation read: The City of La Porte Joining the National Moment of Remembrance of the 10th Anniversary of September 11th WHEREAS, the governing body of the City of La Porte expresses its support of the United States Senate regarding coming together as a Nation and ceasing all work or other activity for a moment of remembrance beginning at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on September 11, 2011, in honor of the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks committed against the United States on September 11, 2001; and
WHEREAS, at 8:46 a.m., on September 11, 2001, hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the upper portion of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City, New York; and WHEREAS, 17 minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center; and WHEREAS, at 9:37 a.m., the west wall of the Pentagon was hit by hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, the impact of which caused immediate and catastrophic damage to the headquarters of the Department of Defense; and WHEREAS, at approximately 10:00 a.m., the passengers and crew of hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 acted heroically to retake control of the airplane and thwart the taking of additional American lives by crashing the airliner in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and, in doing so, gave their lives to save countless others; and WHEREAS, in September 2009 and 2010, Continued on page 3
“Stroll Across Texas” strollathon in Conroe on October 23, followed by the Young Singer/Songwriter Showcase at Founders Plaza. The main event will be the “Spending Time Ending Rett” Concert
with brothers Kevin and Brian and nephew Coleton Black. The “Tee It Up For Rett” golf tournament on Monday, October 24 at Magnolia’s High Meadow Ranch Golf Club will be the final event for this year’s benefit. Kevin lost his 16-year-old daughter, Cortney, to the devastating neurological disorder and since that time, Kevin and Clint have been dedicated to helping find and fund a cure for the syndrome. Seabrook Mayor Glenn Royal says, “We need to work together to try to end Rett; anytime we can end a disease or disorder, we all benefit. We are proud to be a part of this.” Brent Jones, coordinator for the fishing tournament says, “Everyone is invited and should join us ‘Reeling It In For Rett.’ With fishing, food, and music, we truly have something for everyone. In fact, if you don’t want to fish, you can still come join us at the awards celebration for lots of fun and great music for only $30.00. One-hundred percent of the proceeds goes to IRSF.” For more information and to register for the tournament, visit www.SpendingTimeEndingRett.com.
Statement from San Jacinto College Head Men’s Soccer Coach and South Campus Athletic Director, Dr. David Santesteban
This morning we lost a friend and fellow athlete, José Perez. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones. We are all devastated by this accident. José is from the Dallas area and was a member of the FC Dallas Youth Academy. He was selected as a member of the U.S. under-17 national team and was part of the national team residency program. I worked for a little over a year to get him to play for San Jacinto College. I was ecstatic to have such a great player join our team. He was a quiet guy but someone you could joke with. His teammates respected him from the moment he stepped on the field. We all knew he would impact the team in a positive way… we had high hopes. Although he had other offers, he chose to come here to play with a good team and get an education, with goals for a degree and to become a pro-
fessional soccer player so he could provide for his family and future child. He was one of those kids who just loved soccer. If the ball was rolling, he wanted to be there with it… he was a playmaker. There’s just no explaining this type of thing. Our team is grieving, and for right now, we are suspending play. We will still honor our conference games, and our team is united in its passion to honor José, his memory, his competitive spirit, and his life. We will carry the torch of José, and this year will be in honor of him. San Jacinto College statement regarding tragedy involving San Jacinto College students On the way to San Jacinto College (SJC) soccer practice this morning, four SJC soccer student-athletes were involved in a car accident. Sadly, one of them lost his life. The young man from Dallas was a freshman at the College. The other three players suffered minor injuries. At this time, the investigation is still ongoing by the Harris County Sherriff’s Department. Counselors will be provided at the counseling center at South campus for students who may need their services to help them get through this time of sadness and grief. Our hearts go out to this young man’s family, friends, soccer teammates and coaching staff.
ABC COMPUTER SERVICES - 24 X 7 Business-Residential PC-Laptop-Server Networks - Xbox-TV Repairs-Security Camera Home Theater Installs
Onsite or In-House - 2 Locations
La Porte - 281-867-0429 Webster - 713-893-8920
812 S. 8th St. La Porte, TX. 77571
281-471-1430
PAGE 2
THE BAY AREA OBSERVER
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
COMMUNITY Seabrook Association Invites New Members President of the Seabrook Association Marcy Fryday has announced that their organization is asking businesses and residents to attend a membership invitational event on Wed., Sept. 21, 6 to 8 pm at the Seabrook Community Center on Anders St. just off 2nd Street. “Our organization has been trying for over 30 years to make the city a better place to work, live, and play. We are emphacizing the promotion of local businesses in order to strengthen our economy,” Fryday related. Attendees will enjoy hearing about the history, vision, and goals of the Seabrook Association. Charter members will be on hand to answer questions and relay interesting stories about past Seabrook Association events and its citizens. Several Seabrook restaurants will provide refreshments along with some adult beverages. Last year at such an event, the Seabrook Association gleaned about 20 new members thanks to its enthusiastic board which consists of Past President Patty Kane, Vice President Jenny Arunyon, Secretary Charlotte Gioannetti, Treasurer Jean Platzer, Membership Chair Diane Royal, and member at large Andrea Mason. There will be applications for membership which costs annually $30 for a resident, $40 for a business. The Seabrook Association meets monthly on the third Wednesday evening of the month, 5:30 – 7 pm, at Lakewood Yacht Club’s ballroom. Several ongoing projects of the organization include the annual Pelican Ball which is raising funds for a Veterans’ War Memorial, the Pelican Path with 6’ tall fiberglass pelicans placed throughout the city in front of businesses, and plans for some property on Red Bluff Rd. which has been leased from the Port of Houston Authority.
City Of La Porte Photography Contest Deadline Oct. 14 at 5p.m. The City of La Porte Parks and Recreation Department is again sponsoring a Photography Contest that is open to any citizen of La Porte. There is no charge to enter the contest and the winning pictures will be featured in the City’s 2012 Municipal Calendar. This year’s calendar theme is “food,” and participants are encouraged to submit appealing and eye catching photos of their favorite dish along with a titled recipe. The contest is based on the food presentation and photographs, not the recipe. However, the recipe may be printed on the website and/or in the calendar, depending on space. Photographs should be technically well done. Photos entered should have good composition, excellent color and contrast, sharp focus, and a captivating background. They should also be submitted in landscape format and must not contain a time/date stamp, caption, etc. There have been several participants in the past and the City hopes for the same this year. Please keep in mind that with many participants and photos entered, only a small number can be exhibited in the calendar, but if you are a professional photographer, do it as a hobby, or a total amateur, and would like to enter, please do not hesitate. You never know, your photo may be chosen. All entries must be submitted to City of La Porte Parks and Recreation Department by 5:00 pm, October 14, 2011 to qualify for consideration. Please visit the City of La Porte Website at www.laportetx.gov to get a complete copy of the rules and entry form or you may pick up copies at the Parks and Recreation Department office at 1322 S. Broadway in La Porte. You may also call 281-470-7275 for additional information.
Sundays in Nature Series at Armand Bayou Nature Center Join us on September 18th from 1pm – 3pm for our “Sundays in Nature” Series, “Your Place in the Water Shed”. This series focuses on what a watershed is, its importance and what we need to do to protect it. Join us in visiting the hands on displays and activities. Admission to Sundays in Nature is $4 for adults and $2 for children 4-12 and seniors 60 and older; For more information, phone 281-474-2551. Sundays in Nature is sponsored by Chevron Phillips Chemical Co.
LAREDO’S TEX-MEX CAFE Serving homemade Mexican food in the Bay Area since 1969
Homemade Tortillas Fresh Local Seafood Old Family Recipes
2119 Bayport Blvd.
For To-Go Orders Call 281-291-8080
Hours: Monday - Saturday 10:30 - 8:00 Sunday - Closed
(Hwy. 146)
Seabrook, Tx. 77586
www.eatatlaredos.com
El Jardin BAYFEST 2011 Come Join The Fun October 2nd At The Beachfront Park In El Jardin! Rodeo Committee • Lots Of Great Food Cheap Beer • Kids Games • Raffle Helicopter Rides • Live Music Fun For Everyone Of All Ages! For Directions And More Information Please Visit
www.eljardindelmar.org
CERT Training Class Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training begins September 29, 2011 at the La Porte Police Station. Training sessions cover disaster preparedness, fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, team organization and terrorism. With this training, CERT teams played a vital role in providing support to jurisdictions throughout the region following Hurricane Ike in 2008. If needed following a disaster, these citizen-responders use their training as part of a neighborhood or workplace team to help others when first responders are overwhelmed or not immediately available. CERT members provide immediate assistance to victims in their area, organize spontaneous volunteers who have not had the training, and collect disaster intelligence that will assist first responders with prioritization and allocation of resources when they arrive. The training is hosted by the La Porte Office of Emergency Management and will begin Thursday, September 29, 2011 for eight weeks. The Seabrook and La Porte CERT teams recently joined together to form BayCERT in order to help increase awareness of CERT in the Bay Area. For more information about the upcoming class contact the La Porte Office of Emergency Management (281) 470-0010, www.lpoem.org or Ronica Hall 281-326-5644 ronicahall@hotmail.com
Public Service Announcement:
Fair Housing, It’s the Law To promote fair housing practices, the city of Seabrook, Texas encourages potential homeowners and renters to be aware of their rights under the National Fair Housing Law. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended, prohibits discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin in the sale or rental of units in the housing market. For more information on fair housing or to report possible fair housing discrimination, call the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-669-9777.
J/Fest Southwest Expands Sponsors And Participants
By The Bay Continued from page 1
Gardeners By The Bay Fall Schedule Gardeners of all levels are invited to attend the Gardeners by the Bay meetings held the first Wednesdays of each month, from September to May, at University Baptist Church (Great Room on 2nd floor) located at 16106 Middlebrook Drive. Members and guests enjoy a light brunch from 9:00 to 9:30 AM. A brief business meeting is then held prior to the main program. Guest speakers present timely programs of interest to all gardeners. Anyone interested is welcome to visit or join. Our membership includes novice gardeners as well as certified Texas Master Gardeners who are eager to share their expertise and knowledge in response to questions and concerns. Local trips are planned each year to gardens or other places of interest to gardeners. Visit us at http://gbtb.org. FALL PROGRAMS: Oct. 5, 2011 - “Blue Berries in the Backyard” with Dr. David Cohen Nov. 2, 2011 - “What’s Blooming in the Lazy Gardener’s Garden with Brenda Beust Smith, Editor of the Lazy Gardener Dec. 7, 2011 - “Amaryllis” with Betty Lenderman, owner of Enchanted Forest Nursery. FALL TRIPS: October, Wed. 26 or Thurs. 27: Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park in Houston. It is a tour of 5 houses of the Victorian era so there will be some walking involved. We will eat at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Bus Donation: $3.00 per person*, Fee for Tour: Senior (65+) $8.00, (Below 65) $10.00. Lunch is $8.00 which includes drinks and food. November 10 or 17 Thurs: All day trip to Ellison’s Greenhouse in Brenham. Bus Donation: $3.00 per person* December 19 or 20: Heritage Garden Club – Christmas House Tours in Friendswood. Private Car Pooling Please call Joanne at 281-286-4938 for information.
TotalBodyWork Our 8th Anniversary, Your Patient Appreciation Day Tuesday, September 20th 2011 All of the following services will be provided FREE in exchange for a box or two or more of macaroni that will be donated to Interfaith Caring Ministry’s food pantry * FREE adjustments for current patients * FREE re-exams & x-rays (if needed) for patients who haven’t been in the office for over 3 months * FREE new patients, bring your mom, bring your brother, bring your friends, bring your boss!! * RAFFLES & GIVEAWAYS * FUN, MUSIC, FOOD & DRINKS Just our way of saying THANK YOU! Call today and schedule, space is limited totalbodywork 1018 Hercules Ave., Houston, TX, 77058 281-480-7000 www.tbodywork.com
Iris Blue First Baptist Church La Porte September 24h & 25th, 2011 Mark your calendars! Sept. 24th & 25th, 2011 Iris Blue will be at First Baptist Church of La Porte, TX to give her testimony. If you are not familiar with her story, we encourage you to read “Iris: Trophy of Grace”. It is an amazing story that can touch every generation. Iris Blue, her husband Duane and their son Denim will each have a blessing to share with you. You and your family are encouraged to attend Saturday, Sept. 24th at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 25th starting with Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. We will be accepting love offerings. For more information please call 281-471-0338.
NASA Area African Violet Society Clear Lake Park Building (lake side) Wednesday, October 5 • 7:30PM Would you like to learn about African Violets? Do you have one with problems? Bring it and join us for an informative program and refreshments. We meet the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30PM. Clear Lake Park Building (lake side). Anne Greer - (281) 326-5843
The 2nd Annual J/Fest Southwest Regatta will be bigger and better than ever as forecast by Lakewood Yacht Club’s Race Committee Chairman Dwight Bengtson. “Through working with Scott and Terry Spurlin of J Boats Southwest in Austin, we are promoting this regatta throughout all of the Gulf Coast States. In fact, we have a racing contingency coming from Dillion Yacht Club in Colorado!” he explained. At least 70 boats from all over the country are expected to participate in this regatta. Hosted by Lakewood Yacht Club, this national regatta will be held on Galveston Bay on Sat., Oct. 29 and Sun., Oct. 30. With racers coming to Bay Area Houston from numerous locations, many will be staying in our local hotels. Keeping this in mind, the city of Seabrook has stepped up to the plate for the second year as the regatta’s Platinum sponsor with monies from the hotel/motel tax. Through the hard work of Rear Commodore Carl Drechsel and his J/Fest Committee, there are three Silver level sponsors: J/Boats Southwest, Parkway Chevrolet, and J/World Annapolis. Bronze level sponsors are Waterline Works, Gary Trinklein Photographs, John Lacy Photographs and Harken. Copper sponsors include Hall Spars and Riggings, North U., the Nassau Bay Hilton, Blackburn Marine Supply, West Marine, and UK Halsey. The focus of J/Fest Southwest Regatta is to provide a venue that is all inclusive to J/Boat owners, their family, and friends. While the racers are on the water, their family and friends can enjoy the numerous activities in the area using materials provided by the Bay Area Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau. One design fleets slated for the J/Fest Southwest Regatta are J/22, J/24, J/80, J/105 and the J/109. It will be a circuit stop for the J/24’s and the J/80’s. All J/Boats are welcome to race in the PHRF classes and in the J/Cruise class. Any J/Boat is eligible to participate and the regatta organizers intend to offer several exciting formats for the non One Design racers. The Skippers’ Meeting will be held in the ballroom of Lakewood Yacht Club on the evening of Fri., Oct. 28, 6:30 pm for check-in, meeting, and refreshments. A pool party with live music and dinner are planned after the races on Saturday and the Awards Ceremony will take place on Sun., Oct. 30, after the races. For further information or questions, please go to the website www. lakewoodyachtclub.com or www.JfestSouthwest.com.
The Bay Area Observer Serving the communities along Galveston Bay.
Editor & Publisher.....................................Rebecca Collins editor@bayareaobserver.com
Associate Editor.........................................Carolyn Collins carolyn@bayareaobserver.com
Contributing Writer.........................................Jay Dunham dataz33@yahoo.com
Sports Writer.....................................................Keith Schul lpbulldogblog@yahoo.com
Aerospace Writer...........................................Robert Swain rswain91@yahoo.com
Sales Representative..............................Beverly Lawrence 281-793-7961 • blawrence506@msn.com
Sales Representative...................................Charlotte Horn 281-507-8257 • charlottehorn53@yahoo.com
Opinions in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the newspaper. Any erroneous statement which may appear will be corrected if brought to the attention of the publisher. Liability for errors is limited to the reprinting of the corrected version. Submissions are encouraged by mail, by fax, or by email to editor@ bayareaobserver.com.
P.O. Box 305 • Seabrook, Texas 77586 Phone: 281-907-3140 • Fax: 866-596-8973 Email: editor@bayareaobserver.com
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
THE BAY AREA OBSERVER
PAGE 3
LOCAL NEWS Nassau Bay Resident Named To Board Of Directors Of The Lighthouse Of Houston
La Porte City Council ..... Continued from page 1
President Obama issued Proclamation 8413 and Proclamation 8559 proclaiming September 11, 2009, and September 11, 2010, respectively, as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance; and WHEREAS, September 11 will never be just another day in the hearts and minds of all people of the United States; BE IT RESOLVED that on the 10th anniversary of this tragic day in our Nation’s history, the governing body of the City of La Porte remembers and honors those who perished in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and encourages this remembrance in the hearts and minds of all citizens of the City of La Porte, the State of Texas, and the United States of America. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Louis R. Rigby, Mayor of the City of La Porte, do hereby encourage “Observance and Remembrance of September 11, 2001.”
Safety Town
The Lighthouse of Houston, which serves blind and visually impaired people throughout the Houston metropolitan area, has named Nassau Bay resident Rebekah Reed to its Board of Directors. Dr. Reed is Deputy CIO and Deputy Director of the Information Resources Directorate at the NASA Johnson Space Center, where she has worked since 2003. She began her federal service in 1996 at the Department of Agriculture and joined NASA in 2000, serving in a series of progressively more responsible positions at the agency. Dr. Reed holds doctorate and master’s degrees from Georgetown University, and a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of San Francisco. She is currently in the process of completing her J.D. at the University of Houston Law Center, where she is a member of the Houston Law Review and the nationally-ranked Moot Court Team. “We are delighted to have someone with Rebekah Reed’s background and ability as a member of our board of directors,” said Gibson M. DuTerroil, president of The Lighthouse of Houston. “We look forward to a long and productive relationship.” Established in 1939, The Lighthouse of Houston is a private, nonprofit education and service center dedicated to assisting blind and visually impaired people to live independently. The Lighthouse is a United Way of Greater Houston agency. For more information, visit www.houstonlighthouse.org
During the Public Hearing portion of the meeting, several citizens spoke for and against the proposed “Safety Town. Ted Powell and Kathryn Aguilar both spoke out against the project. Powell opposed government “taking over the teaching of children”, and believes that this is an opportunity for our children to be exposed to a teaching environment without parental oversight. Aguilar said that Safety Town “appears to be more of a marketing effort by industry”, and “I think it’s time we had a true Town Hall meeting”. Safety Town is a project being proposed by the police, fire, EMS, emergency management, parks and public works departments as a privately funded educational facility to teach the children of La Porte and surrounding communities about safety issues. The facility would demonstrate proficiency in Fire Prevention, Bicycle Safety, 911 Training, Stranger Danger, Internet Safety, Home Hazards, Severe Weather and Shelter In Place procedures. LPISD students will have first priority and other districts can utilize as scheduling permits. It is also proposed that Safety Town would provide other special events such as special summer safety programs, Friday night family nights and Halloween safety night. The structure of Safety Town is expected to be a 6000 square foot facility and would require 2 to 3 acres of land. According to the presentation available on the City of La Porte’s website, Safety Town would look like a mini-La Porte. The whole village will be a 5/8 scale replica of local businesses, industry, landmarks, homes and historical buildings. It will have streets with traffic lights and crossings, and a toll plaza. Representations of local transportation industry, such as railroad and tugboats, chemical industry structures, Police, Fire, EMS and City Hall buildings would also be incorporated into the layout. Among the sites being look at are Central Park in the 600 block of San Jacinto, the former Texas Air National Armory at 10800 Spencer Highway and the Union Pacific property in the 2700 block of Sens Road. According to Police Chief Ken Adcox, Safety Town has received interest and support from the LPISD School Board, the Chamber of Commerce, the Plant Management Group and the Local Emergency Planning Committee. City Council discussed, but took no action regarding Safety Town and directed organizers to spend more time studying costs and additional potential properties for the project.
Consent Agenda and Authorizations Approval to repeal Ordinance 3366 relating to the appointment of citizens to city boards, committees and commissions. Approval of an ordinance vacating, abandoning, and closing the 7,600 square-foot alley in Block 187, La Porte; and authorization of the execution and delivery of a deed to the adjoining landowner, Victory Tabernacle. Approval to renew the operator’s agreement between the City of La Porte and the La Porte Area Water Authority. Approval of the La Porte Area Water Authority Board to authorize the General Manager to execute an agreement with the City of Pasadena. Approval to authorize the City Manager to implement the bidding, negotiation, construction and the operational phases of the previously executed agreement with Ray & Hollington Architects for design of the New Fire Station No. 1 and the Fire Administration Building, and authorize the City Manager to increase the professional services reimbursable account. Authorizations were given by City Council to appoint or reappoint members to various boards, commissions and committees. Council appointed Martha Gillett as a regular member. The alternate position she held is now vacant. Council also voted unanimously to nominate Ed Heathcott for re-election to the Harris County Appraisal District. Approval was given to authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with Klotz Associates, Inc., for the Preliminary Engineering Design of Battleground Estates and with Civil Tech Engineering for the Preliminary Engineering Design of Shady River.
Budget City Council voted unanimously to adopt the FY2012 Budget. The budget proposes no increase in the city’s property tax rate, with revenues for all funds projected to total $64.54 million, and expenses to total $69.57 million, with more than $5 million to be drawn from working capital for the expenses over revenues. The budget will include a one-time salary enhancement for fulltime employees of the city, with a lump sum of $1,000 to be paid in November and May. The establishment of a 2011 tax rate of $0.71 per $100 valuation was tabled by council until the September 26 meeting. The proposed tax rate includes $0.605 designated for maintenance and operations of the city, leaving $0.105 for payments on the city’s bond issues. The city’s 2011 effective tax rate is $0.716 per $100 valuation. The effective tax rate is the amount the city would need to levy to draw revenues equal to the previous budget year.
Other Items The city council voted 6-3 to increase the monthly residential dwelling solid waste fee. The increase will total $1.50 per month per customer, resulting in a total fee of $18 per month. Dottie Kaminski, Tommy Moser and John Zemanek opposed the increase. City council discussed a report by the Redistricting Committee concerning a plan for the redistricting of the city’s single-member council districts. Staff was directed to amend and return to council for approval. All members were present.
New Wetlands Area Will Provide Habitat For Fish And Wildlife
Volunteers from University of Houston-Clear Lake, the Galveston Bay Estuary Program, UH-Clear Lake’s Environmental Institute of Houston, the Armand Bayou Nature Center, Master Naturalists and UH-Clear Lake Environmental Science program students gathered at UH-Clear Lake on Aug. 27 to help prepare a new wetland area at the university. This included planting vari-
Salon Rouge Salon La Rouge
Lisa K. Cook: Owner/Master Stylist 281.474.2528 • 902 Hardesty • Old Seabrook
ous varieties of wetland plants. The new wetland will provide habitat for fish and wildlife and treat storm water runoff entering Horsepen Bayou, a tributary to Armand Bayou. Funding for the project came from the Galveston Bay Estuary Program. A ribbon cutting will be held in late September.
Support Continuing Efforts To Protect Texas Rivers & Bays Ask Your Legislators To Support The Texas Bottle Bill In 2013 Visit www.TexasBottleBill.com or www.BottleBill.org
Gourmet Coffees & Teas Micro-Brewery Ales & Beers Boutique Wines
Hair, Nail, Massage & Facials
Let me design you a new look for Summer!
Fresh Baked Breads, Muffins, and Cupcakes
Come Relax With Friends In La Porte’s Historic Main Street District! 1520 S. Shaver • Pasadena, Texas 77502
713-472-0997
Store Hours: Tuesday -Thursday 8:30 - 5:30 • Friday & Saturday 8:30 - 6:00 • Closed Sunday & Monday
www.pasadenahabitat.org
www.mainlydrinks.com
Wi-Fi Hours of Operation
Mon. – 6am to 5pm Tue - Thu – 6am to 9pm Fri. & Sat. – 6am to Midnight
223 West Main Street • La Porte,Texas 77571 • (281) 867-1700
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PAGE 4
THE BAY AREA OBSERVER
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
SPORTS La Porte Orange & White Report Final Klein Forest 19 La Porte 10 Postgame Analysis By Keith Schul
The much hyped match-up of La Porte’s Defense against Klein Forest and Senior Texas A&M recruit Quarterback Matt Davis lived up to expectations in a hard hitting battle. Klein Forest pulled out the victory 19-10 avenging last season’s loss in La Porte. In the first quarter the Bulldogs jumped out fast, moving the ball into the Golden Eagles territory. After stalling out Junior Kicker Eric Medina hit a 46 yard field goal to put La Porte up 3-0. Klein Forest would answer as Matt Davis scrambled around like a video game quarterback with the Bulldogs all over him and found a wide open receiver for a 75 yard touchdown on a broken coverage. In the second quarter La Porte would answer with a great 21 yard run by Sophomore running back Jonathan Lewis moving the Bulldogs inside the ten yard line. Sophomore Hoza Scott would finish off the drive with a 8 yard touchdown run around the left side and put La Porte up 10-6. The defenses battled back and forth until the clock was running down in the half. Klein Forest managed to get deep into La Porte territory on a few scrambles and some penalties with 5 seconds left in the half. Davis dropped back, ran around for a while and threw the ball into the end zone where it bounced off the pads of his receiver and landed in the hands of another Golden Eagle in the back off the end zone. The 10 yard touchdown would take the teams to the locker room with Klein Forest leading 12-10. The second half was a defensive struggle as neither team could get any offense going at all.
La Porte completely shut down the Golden Eagle offense until the 4th quarter. La Porte decided to go with the wishbone offense at the end of the 3rd and start of the 4th and moved the ball down field with great efficiency and purpose. However Klein Forest came up with two big stops on 2nd and 3rd down with La Porte at the Klein Forest 35 yard line. On 4th and short the referees called the Bulldogs for offsides and La Porte decided to punt. Josh Vidales was set for the punt, but the snap skied over him and deep into La Porte territory where Vidales fell on the ball at the La Porte 25. The deflated Bulldogs gave up a quick running touchdown to Davis and Klein Forest went up 19-10 where the score would stay. The Bulldog defense put up a great performance holding Davis to 3.3 yards per carry and only 38% of his passes were completed. They bottled him up in the backfield all night and had four sacks. Great defensive performance from Corey Lee, Chad Sutherland, Hoza Scott, Cameron Whilley, Aaron Nance-Garrett and Malik Graves to name a few that stood out. Klein Forest won this game by committing no turnovers and playing stingy defense. The Golden Eagle defense had a big size advantage on the La Porte offense and played a very physical game. There were many big hits from both sides. La Porte’s youth on the offensive side of the ball showed with mix ups on hand offs and overall confusion sometimes. The Bulldogs will hit the film room and get the kinks out with two more games to go until district play begins. This week another long drive to Turner Stadium to play Atascocita.
Week 3 La Porte at Atascocita Preview By Keith Schul
The La Porte Bulldogs travel north again this Friday at 7pm to face the Atascocita Eagles at Turner Stadium 1700 Wilson Rd, Humble, TX 77338. Both teams enter the game with 2-1 records and both teams had their first loss last week. La Porte fell to Klein Forest 19-10 while Atascocita fell to Hightower 31-14. Both teams stepped up in competition last week compared to the first two weeks. Last season the Bulldogs blew out the Eagles 35-0 in a game that was over by halftime. Atascocita only managed 23 total yards and 4 first downs for the entire game. The Eagles will be looking to avenge that loss with home field advatage this season. Highlights: http:// lpbulldogs.blogspot.com/2010/09/la-porte-vsatascocita-highlight-video.html On offense Atascocita is lead by Junior running back Elijah Merchant (30 carries 264 yards). He is a small back that is very quick. At quarterback the Eagles have used a couple with Sophomore Greg Campbell more of a running threat and Junior Grant Ashcroft more of a passing threat. Against Hightower last week they could not get anything going on the ground. I expect they will need to pass to get anywhere against the Bulldogs D. The Atascocita defense has been better against the run than against the pass. They are led by Senior Safety Brandon Gamble (6-2, 205). La Porte will be trying to get their ground game back on track. La Porte’s offense has featured many ball
carriers. Sophomore Jonathan Lewis (174 yards on 21 carries) leads the Bulldogs in rushing with Junior Keith Whitely (167 yards on 42 carries) right behind him. Senior Aaron Nance-Garrett (8 catches 118 yards) leads all receivers. Senior Quarterback Josh Vidales (225 passing yards, 2 TD’s) features a mix of passing and running while Sophomore QB Vic Holmes (117 yards on 20 carries) is more of a running QB. La Porte on defense has been very impressive and they are gaining notoriety around the area and state after their performance last week albeit a losing effort. This week they wont have a dynamic player to stop, but they will have to worry about 2-3 dangerous players. I believe they will come out with a chip on their shoulder to shut down the Eagles. Keys to The Game: - Get the offense going. Deer Park is next week and they will have a tough defense. Exchanges between QB/RB need to be on the same page this week. - Complete some passes downfield to open up the running game. - Really this is the last pre-season game and a time to work on different things. Deer Park week is just as important as a district game. We could see experiments on the offensive side of the ball to see what works. Once again the game will be broadcast online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com.
Keith Schul is the owner and writer for La Porte Bulldog Football Blog at http://lpbulldogs.blogspot.com. You can also follow along on Twitter @lpbulldogblog
EDUCATION College of the Mainland Student Receives Top Honor in Girl Scouts
Christine LaFoy, College of the Mainland Collegiate High School student, displays her Girl Scout Gold Award. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award the organization bestows.
College of the Mainland Collegiate High School student Christine LaFoy, of League City, recently received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award the organization bestows. According to Girl Scout statistics, only five percent of all eligible Girl Scouts actually receive the Gold Award. “When I realized what it means to receive the award I was determined to complete it,” said Christine. As Christine’s Gold Award Project, requiring 65 volunteer hours, she planned, organized, and implemented the creation of 32 scrapbooks for Alzheimer patients at The Cottages in Clear Lake. She put together a group of people, that included church members, friends, family and other scouts, to help with the scrapbooks. The group worked closely with each patient to put their photos, letters and mementos into a scrap-
book. The project was meaningful to her because her grandfather, who had Alzheimer’s, was a resident at the facility. “I picked this project because it was a way to give back to the facility that had taken care of my grandfather,” said Christine. Christine is an 11-year member of Senior Girl Scout Troop 1009 led by her mother Martha LaFoy. Christine started Girls Scouts as a Brownie in first grade and loved the trips, camping, earning badges and other experiences. “My mother was my troop leader when I was in Girl Scouts and I was happy to be Christine’s leader during her experience with Girl Scouts,” said Martha. As a teen it was hard to stay involved with Girl Scouts. It wasn’t the cool thing to do but Christine stuck with it and is proud to have received the Gold Award. “In the end you don’t look at all the people who made fun of you. You realize you are in the top five percent of Girl Scouts who get this. It set you apart from everybody,” said Christine. Five years ago Martha took the Girl Scouts to the Luke Society Clinic, a street ministry in Galveston. The clinic provides medical assistance to more than 100 homeless patients every Saturday. Christine has been going to help with the ministry every Saturday since, and has been instrumental in gathering supplies, from blankets to toothbrushes, to give out to those in need. One of her favorite projects was helping take care of the animals at the SPCA in Houston. Christine currently works three days a week as a junior volunteer in the Institute for Living at Mainland Medical Center in Texas City. She passes out food trays, takes orders, sits in on therapy sessions and enjoys talking to the patients. She recently finished an eight-day internship with UTMB in Galveston. The internship allowed students, who are interested in the medical field, to see different departments of the hospital and day-to-day operations. Christine is a collegiate high school student at COM and will graduate next May. Last year she took 47 hours of college credit and has a 4.0 GPA. She is also an active member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and Nu Psi Collegiate High School Club. With a career goal of being a doctor, Christine plans to attend University of Houston–Clear Lake for her undergraduate degree in biology and then attend medical school at UTMB or Texas Tech. As a doctor Christine wants to be able to help others.
Kemah Aquarium Delivers Learning Fish Tank To La Vace Stewart Elementary
The Kemah Aquarium recently delivered a learning fish tank to La Vace Stewart Elementary to kick-off their partnership in the School Adoption Program. With the help of experienced biologists and hands-on activities, students will learn how to run and maintain their school aquarium. This new partnership will make for an exciting year of field trips, school programs, concerts and fundraisers at La Vace
Pre-K Tuition Openings At Some CCISD Campuses League City – Tuition-based pre-kindergarten is an optional program for children whose parents want to them to attend pre-kindergarten in Clear Creek ISD to prepare them for kindergarten. CCISD offers tuition-based pre-kindergarten to children who are 3 or 4 years old on or before September 1st based on space available. Currently, there are openings for tuition-based Pre-K. Tuition for the half-day program for the school year will be $400 per month. Tuition for the extended-day program will be $600 per month. Tuition-based pre-kindergarten in Clear Creek ISD offers quality early learning: • Child-centered curriculum based on the Texas pre-kindergarten guidelines • Comprehensive early language and literacy program designed
to prepare children for success in kindergarten • Integrated technology with opportunities throughout the day for children to use computers and interactive boards to increase their learning • Highly qualified and certified teachers in every classroom. Early Childhood teachers in Clear Creek ISD are certified to teach Early Childhood, English as a Second Language and Special Education. • Both half-day and extended day programs available • Accredited by the Texas Education Agency Please call or email for more information: (281) 284-0330 or at PK@ccisd.net.
Stewart Elementary. Students will have unique opportunities to meet animals from around the world; enjoy visits from Sharkey at pep rallies and special functions; earn certificates of achievement through various tasks; and benefit from educational tours. I’ve attached photos of the Kemah Aquarium delivering the fish tank to the elementary school.
Little Blessings Preschool Now enrolling for the school year 2011-2012
Openings available for all ages starting at one year and going until they are ready for kindergarten.
For more information please call
281-930-1823
Support Continuing Efforts To Protect Texas Rivers & Bays Ask Your Legislators To Support The Texas Bottle Bill In 2013 Visit www.TexasBottleBill.com or www.BottleBill.org
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
THE BAY AREA OBSERVER
PAGE 5
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Gulf Coast Film Festival Sept. 22, 23, 24 & 25
Award Winning Actress Marsha Mason to Appear
The City of Kemah presents the 13th Annual Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival will be September 22, 23, 24, 25, 2011. This film festival was established 13 years ago and has gained international recognition in the Independent Film Community. Every year the festival has celebrities in the film and video industries and presents a Lifetime Achievement Award. This year’s special guest that is scheduled to appear will be four time Academy Award Nominee and Golden Globe winner, Marsha Mason. Marsha Mason’s most popular works include Cinderella Liberty, Goodbye Girl, Only When I Laugh and Heartbreak Ridge. Ms. Mason is to receive this award at the Cascade Banquet & Award Gala on September 24 at the South Shore Harbour Resort in the Crystal Ballroom, 2500 South Shore Blvd. in League City starting at 6:00 pm. September 23, is the Opening Mixer &
Reception where Ms. Mason will be available to meet guests at Kemah’s newest restaurant, The Tabella at Clear Creek Winery at 709 in Harris at 7:00 pm. Film Screenings will be all day Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25 at the Kemah Holiday Inn in Kemah on Harris Street. A new feature added to this years’ festival is the “Producers & Directors Forum” Thursday, Sept 22 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Jimmy Walker Kemah Community Center on Hwy 146. During these events there will be opportunities for the festival attendees to meet with actors, producers and directors in the film and television industry. The Gulf Coast Film and Video Festival is the creation of Founding Director, Hal Wixon, an actor himself and his wife Karen have been in the film industry for many years. Mr. Wixon’s mission was to encourage the
work of the independent filmmakers and to promote the art and put budding filmmakers in the spotlight. “This festival was created to showcase the discovery of new and emerging artists,” states Wixon. “The goals for this fun and educational event are to encourage the works of independent filmmakers and promote the concept of film as art and offering awards as means of educational outreach and expand the awareness of independent film.” Filmmakers from all over the world submit their films and it is known internationally as a juried film festival. The festival also showcases Houston and the Clear Lake/Bay Area Houston as a location for future films while promoting tourism. The festival’s title sponsor is the City of Kemah and is supported by the City of League City and the City of Houston. Tickets are available for all social events and individual film screenings and the social events. Packages are detailed on the festival’s website. Tickets will not be available at the door for the Cascade Banquet & Award Gala. Discounts for the movie passes at the Kemah Holiday Inn are available for the military, students and AARP members, with ID or card. Donations for the silent auction during the Gala are being accepted now, with proceeds going to the Kemah Citizens’ Police Academy. For more information on donations for the auction contact the Kemah Visitor Center at 281-334-3181. For ticket prices and additional sponsor information, log on to www.gulfcoastfilmfest.com. For tickets or information call (281)333-5804 or email at whiteriverrock@web.tv. For lodging in Kemah, log on to www.Kemah-tx.gov or call the Kemah Visitor Center at 281-334-3181. That’s a wrap!
La Porte Paramedic Association Raffle All proceeds will fund a scholarship for a LPHS student
Tickets are $5/each or 6 tickets for $20 Two prizes are being raffled: 1) A remington 870 12g shotgun 2) A guided one person dove hunt for 2012-2013 season. Tickets are availiable at:
10428 Spencer at front desk from 8-5, M-F Raffle will be drawn at the LPPOA Golf Tournament on 10/1
For more info call 281-739-4582
Bay Area Artist Leona Pleasant To Exhibit At 14th Annual Artoberfest October 15th & 16th In Galveston Award winning Kemah and former Galvestonian, Artist and Photographer Leona Biering Pleasant will exhibit original watercolor, acrylic paintings and mixed media art at the 14th Annual ARToberfest , 2201 Postoffice Street, Saturday October 15th 10am - 6pm and Sunday October 16th - 10 am - 5pm in Galveston, Texas. Original paintings of pelicans, blue crabs, boats, beach houses, colorful fish, tropical floral, beaches, ever popular Beach Divas, will be featured in her exhibit. Images of dancing palm trees, colorful fish, all hand painted on salvaged wood from fallen Hurricane Ike Galveston destroyed trees will be featured. Original colorful hand painted canvas wall hangings and table runners will be exhibited for the first time this year at ARToberfest. Leona currently exhibits at The Emporium at Eiband on Postoffice Street. For further information contact artist Leona Biering Pleasant 281-535-2749.
Imagination Station Resumes At The Arts Alliance
2011 LPPOA
Charity Golf Tournament October 1, 2011 1:30pm ~ Shotgun Start Bay Forest Golf Course 201 Bay Forest • La Porte, Texas 77571
Tournament Format
Clear Lake City Elementary first grade artist Harrison Muncrief carefully plans and sketches his project at The Arts Alliance Center’s popular Saturday Imagination Station workshop for kids. Each second Saturday of the month, kids create an “out of the box” project instructed by TAACCL Board member, Dr. Rosalind Perez. September’s class, entitled “Egg Yolk Paint and Fresh Flowers,” had the youngsters making the paint as well as the art. To reserve a spot for your 5-12 year-old artist, call 281-335-7777. The program is free of charge.
Four-Person Scramble (best ball). Cost includes: Green Fee, Cart, Range Balls, BBQ Dinner, Goodie Bags & Drinks. Trophies given out for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd places and for Hole Challenges.
Raffle
We are having a Raffle for golfers on the day of the event. If you would like to donate a service, goods, tickets, or other items to promote your business, give Kenny Martin a call.
Visit www.laportepoa.com for entry forms For more information contact :
Kenny Martin at 713-213-6083 or email kmartin.lppoa@yahoo.com A Very Special Thank You To Our 2011 Sponsors
Visit us on the web at www.bayareaobserver.com or join us on FACEBOOK
PAGE 6
THE BAY AREA OBSERVER
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
THE BAY AREA OBSERVER
PAGE 7
LOCAL SERVICE DIRECTORY
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PAGE 8
THE BAY AREA OBSERVER
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
IN THE GARDEN
AgriLife Extension Horticulturists Offer One More Beautiful Hot Weather Tips on Landscape Drought Recovery Plant- Hamelia Patens
Esperanza and Pride of Barbados Are Two Texas Superstars By Paul Schattenberg –AgriLife News
While the drought may seem as if it will go on forever, lower temperatures and rain will eventually return, and South Texas residents can apply lessons learned to the recovery and re-establishment of their landscape, said Texas AgriLife Extension Service horticulturists. Now is a good time to rethink landscaping for next spring. “As conditions improve for replacing or planting bushes, turf grass, ornamental plants and other landscaping, there is a real opportunity for people to rethink things and possibly choose materials that are more drought-tolerant and require less maintenance,” said David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture, Bexar County. “It’s also a good time to be thinking about how, what and how much you’re going to plant in case you’re considering a vegetable, herb and flower garden.” Rodriguez said landscaping decisions should follow the four P’s of success: planning, preparation, purchase and planting. “Planning means picking the right location and knowing the dimensions and scale of what you’d like to do,” he said. “Preparing means getting the soil ready by composting and mulching, as well as assessing the soil type and depth, and amount of sun available for the material you’ll plant. Be sure to purchase the right material for the location by using the informational resources available to you. Plant only healthy, good-quality plants and make sure the holes dug for them are the right depth and diameter.” Rodriguez said AgriLife Extension has many free horticultural informational resources available through the Texas AgriLife Extension Bookstore, http://agrilifebookstore.org and in the Lawn and Garden section of the Aggie Horticulture website, http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu. He added that individuals can also call the Master Gardener hotline, a service available in most AgriLife Extension offices in metropolitan areas, for additional information and advice. “There are also many excellent landscaping professionals who you can work with and who can advise you about the right materials to use for your landscape,” he said. When cooler and wetter weather arrives this fall, this also will be an excellent time to “revitalize or rejuvenate your lawn, trees, shrubs and flowers so they may store up energy and be ready for next spring,” Rodriguez said. “In particular, people should be considering increasing the use of drip irrigation, which is a more efficient and effective means of delivering water to the landscape,” he said. “Take this opportunity to fertilize and apply compost and mulch, and think about replacing dead or dying shrubs and ornamentals with attractive native or adaptive species that do well in heat and with less moisture. “Just as any other time of year, lawns need to be watered through the fall and winter if there’s no rain,” said Daphne Richards, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture in Travis County. “Don’t wait until the grass comes out of dormancy to water.” She added that mid-September to early October is also a good time to aerate the lawn and fertilize.“Around this time of year is the most beneficial time to fertilize and prepare your soil for the spring,” Richards said. “And now would also be a good time to aerate your lawn in antici-
pation of the fall and winter rain to prepare it for receiving and absorbing moisture so it can have a jump-start in the spring.” Rodriguez and Richards both recommended the use of native or adaptive materials to replace less drought-tolerant plants, and Rodriguez added that “wildscaping,” such as making a butterfly garden using plant materials known to attract them, might also be of interest. They said shrubs and bushes such as yaupon holly, vitex, beautyberry, Texas mountain laurel, Turk’s cap, crape myrtle, Earth-Kind roses and ornamentals such as esperanza (yellow bells), plumbago, fire bush, bougainvillea, Pride of Barbados and Moy Grande hibiscus, are among the attractive, drought- and heat-tolerant materials suitable for the region. “Looking for materials with the Texas Superstar designation will make it easier to find plants that meet both aesthetic and hardiness criteria,” Rodriguez said. Fall is also a time for planting vegetable, herb or flower gardens, they said. “Now is a good time to be thinking about what and where you want to plant,” Rodriguez said. “And if you’re planting a vegetable garden, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, beets, cauliflower and radishes are among the winter veggies you should be considering.” Richards recommended adding compost to garden soil and mixing them together, along with making sure the soil is watered prior to planting, as this will help with water retention throughout the fall and winter. As far as trees are concerned, those that have fared best during drought are mid-maturity trees with well-established but not widespread root systems like those in older trees,” Rodriguez said. “If a tree has a large cavity, has been severely damaged or has lived out a normal life span, it may be difficult to justify the expense and labor necessary to save it.” Richards added that people often forget to water trees and shrubs during the fall and winter months.“Even if you’ve given up on watering your lawn during fall and winter, remember to water your trees and to prune off any dead growth to help them survive,” she said. Dr. David Chalmers, AgriLife Extension state turf grass specialist in College Station, suggests early fall is also a good time to try and assess whether or not lawns may survive the winter and recover in the spring. “Lawns have what we call growing points or crowns near the surface. While non-irrigated lawns may have browned off, regrowth is possible from those growing points,” he said. “Those who have chosen not to irrigate through the drought and allow their lawns to go into the winter dry and brown, seriously reduce the chance of their lawn rebounding in the spring.” Chalmers said the typical South Central Texas turf grasses – St. Augustine, zoysia, Bermuda grass and buffalo grass -- are resilient and his own studies show they are capable of surviving 60-day drought conditions. “Lawn sites are quite variable, and over longer drought periods and without adequate soil quality, irrigation and fertilization, some grass will not endure,” he said. “But consistent mid-September through October irrigation accompanied by a fertilizer application can encourage new growth in dormant turf grass. This will take a few weeks to notice and you’ll need to differentiate between grass and weed growth. If there’s no sign of recovery, you’ll have to decide if you want to try and re-sod before winter or wait until the spring to re-establish your lawn.” Chalmers said the AgriLife Extension publications “Keep Your Lawn Alive During Drought,” publication B-6126; “Turf Grass Selection for Texas,” publication L-5519; and “Lawn Fertilization for Warm-Season Grasses,” publication number E-437, provide more information and advice on grass selection and care. These and other materials on turf grass, trees, vegetables, herbs, flowering plants and other ornamentals can be found at the AgriLife Bookstore website. AgriLife Extension also has a new website called Water Education in Texas, located at http://agrilife.org/drought/, which includes information on optimizing lawn and garden water use.
Hamelia patens, commonly known as firebush or hummingbird bush, is another in the group of plants designated as Texas Superstars. These are plants that, through extensive testing by the Horticulture Extension Service at A & M, have proven themselves to be “Texas tough.” Hamelia patens is heat and drought tolerant, adapts to most soils as long as they are well drained, and blooms from June to November. It thrives especially well here in the southern part of Texas. It is described as a large shrub or small tree native to Mexico. It is a neat, noninvasive plant that fits in well with any native Texas landscape. The mounding shrub averages a height of about five feet, although it has been known to reach fifteen feet tall. Fast growing and dependable, it can freeze down during a bad winter and sprout right back up in the spring. The oval shaped, whorled leaves have beautiful reddish veins and terminal clusters of bright orange red tubular flowers. Hummingbirds have been observed staging huge battles over this
Photo by Jack Scheper
showy plant. Butterflies are also very attracted to Hamelia patens. It can be used in hedges or mixed with other shrubs. It also looks good against a fence or just standing alone in the yard.
CUISINE
Cucumber Mint Agua Fresca Ingredients • 1 pound cucumbers, cubed • 6 cups water, divided • 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves • 1/2 cup sugar • 2 tablespoons lime juice • Ice • Garnish: Mint leaves and cucumber slices
Directions - Yield: 4 servings 1. Combine cucumbers, 2 cups of water and chopped mint leaves into a blender. Blend until cucumbers are liquefied, and let blender sit for 5 minutes to allow mint leaves to steep. 2. Strain puree into a 2 quart pitcher. Add remaining 4 cups of water, sugar, lime juice and ice. Stir to combine and taste, adding more sugar if needed. 3. Portion agua fresca and ice into four glasses and garnish with mint leaves and cucumber slices. Serve immediately. Recipe and photo by Cynthia Furey from the Furey & The Feast website and food blog.
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