Bay Area Houston Magazine August 2017 by Bay Group Media

AUGUST 2017

features

ON THE COVER Marta Molina, MD, Hong Le, MD and Falanda Limar-Troutman, DO, MS of Houston Methodist Primary Care Group.

No shelter is needed in Clear Lake

Clear Lake Homeless Shelter

Author Dayna Steele and Former mayor Jon Powell

The doorway to your body

By Pastor Brad Heintz

It took 100 years but Ellington has finally arrived

How sweet it is! LaDeDa’s sweet sixteen

Pros and cons

Galveston native is no stranger to title business

Growing hand-in-hand

Two new candidates for 36th Congressional Seat Dental Health Staying Connected Celebrating Ellington Field’s 100th Anniversary LaDeDa Fine Lingerie Turns Sixteen Laser Hair Removal vs. Shaving and Waxing Stewart Title’s Anne Victor Houston Methodist and the Bay Area

28 Healthcare Memorial Hermann taps Stokes for presidency

President & Chairman Rick Clapp

The oldest newspaper in Texas celebrates

Publisher & Editor in Chief Mary Alys Cherry

Educational leaders share invaluable life lessons

Vice President & Creative Director Brandon Rowan

The sky will darken on Aug. 21

Graphic Designer Kelly Groce

LSVT therapies

Sales & Marketing George Dismukes Judy Gaines Amber Sample Robyn Weigelt

Long NASA career comes to a close

Ellis sees life through a colored filter

Bayus Ghost Gourmet Reviews

Grazia’s Italian Kitchen

Editorial Don Armstrong Mary Alys Cherry Rod Evans Michael Gos Capt. Joe Kent Betha Merit

Distribution Shinkle Distribution

Administration Lillian Harmon Tammy Lipsey Bay Area Houston Magazine is produced monthly. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission. Advertising rates are available upon request. Please address all correspondence to: Bay Area Houston Magazine P.O. Box 1032 Seabrook, TX 77586 www.BayAreaHoustonMag.com r.clapp@baygroupmedia.com

281.474.5875

Galveston Daily News Celebrates 175th Birthday Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership America to Experience Total Solar Eclipse PAM Rehab Battles Parkinson’s Disease Astronaut Rick Mastracchio Retires Artist Ted Ellis Bay Area Houston Restaurant Reviews Bay Area Houston Magazine Cover Party

48 Education Clear Lake Area Chamber gets update on education

Photography Hal Bushnell Mary Alys Cherry Brian Stewart

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

columns 14

Jill Reason

Movers & Shakers

Ike Dike on top of Mayor Turner’s to do list

Brother-sister team to vie at National Championships

GMC Acadia, Land Rover Discovery

The Galveston Bay complex revival

Friends of the heart

Clear Lake Chatter Lakewood Yacht Club and Events In Wheel Time The Admiral’s Log Texas Meditations

No homeless shelter needed in Clear Lake By Mary Alys Cherry In recent weeks a woman, believed to be an area resident, has been attempting to find a place to open a homeless shelter in Clear Lake City. Not off in a unpopulated area but right in the heart of downtown Clear Lake City on one of the area’s prettiest boulevards – El Camino Real – about a block from Bay Area Boulevard and just two blocks from dozens of homes. The site formerly housed a Oriental restaurant. Her plan, reportedly, is to have the shelter operate only at night, leaving the homeless to wander the streets during the day. And, the shelter would be within a half mile

of an elementary school, hundreds of townhomes and apartments, Camino South and Oakbrook subdivisions with about 2,400 homes, Kroger and HEB grocery stores, CVS and Walgreen’s Pharmacies, Chase Bank and Clear Lake City Recreation Center with its numerous day camps for children during the summer, to name a few. When word of her plans got out, around 200 residents gathered at the Clear Lake Library to register their disapproval. So many, in fact, that all could not attend. Most of those attended a second meeting a few days later in Friendswood when the woman explained her plans at a Friendswood church. Joining the opposition group was Houston

City Councilman Dave Martin, who explained the complicated process of getting permits for such a shelter and said no application for a permit had been submitted. A few days later, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, when told of the idea of a proposed homeless shelter at a luncheon here, indicated that he opposed the idea and said the city had been working feverishly to get the homeless in housing in Houston, not in area shelters. We all feel sorry for the homeless, but along with those feelings, we have to be practical and realize that some are criminals, drug addicts, have bad mental problems, and shouldn’t be loitering along streets where children walk to schools – and

most Clear Lake City children walk to school as they live within two miles of their schools -- and their mothers shop for groceries. We saw a good example of how the beggars conduct themselves the other day when a man, who appeared to be both dirty and homeless, was begging at the intersection of Bay Area Boulevard and Highway 3. When he left, he left all his trash behind. Days later, his litter was still strewn across the grass. We don’t mind helping people, but not at the expense of our safety or destroying our community. So, it is to be hoped this woman will drop this idea and find other ways to help the homeless.

Broadcast personality running for 36th District seat in Congress

Former Taylor Lake mayor running for District 36 Congressional seat

Best-selling author, speaker and broadcast personality Dayna Steele has announced her candidacy for Texas’ 36th Congressional District. Speaking in the ballroom of the Hilton NASA Clear Lake, the businesswoman and Texas Radio Hall of Fame inductee acknowledged her status as “the most unlikely candidate for Congress,” as she addressed a standing-room only crowd of press, family, friends and supporters. Expressing her commitment to campaign duties and the office she seeks, Steele assured the assembled crowd that “My heart is true, my passion is strong and, most importantly -- have no doubt about it -- I am a serious candidate and plan to be the first congresswoman for the 36th Congressional District of Texas.” To clearly communicate the essential elements of her campaign, the candidate has identified a simple equation that she hopes will resonate with constituents throughout her district: Healthcare + Education = Jobs “Healthy people with education and training have an easier time finding work,” observes Steele, “and working people are the backbone of our district. If we can make healthcare and education available to all, economic prosperity is a natural result.” The candidate has further pledged to protect the interests of the elderly, the young, the poor, veterans, women, the disabled, the LGBTQ community and others whom she feels are not adequately served by the current administration. Steele has also expressed concern over the future of the Johnson Space

“We need a representative who actually works for the people.” With that observation, Jon Powell, former mayor of Taylor Lake Village, announced his run for Congress to represent all of the 36th Texas Congressional District. Powell, a geologist and small business owner, has a long career working with energy and chemical companies to improve their environmental performance and operations safety. People tell him, he said, that the residents of CD-36 and the country need a representative who uses facts and reason to direct America’s resources and programs to benefit everyone. “I will be that representative,” he said. In announcing he will run, Powell said he will work so that we:  All have access to affordable health care.  Have a thriving public education system that prepares students for challenges of the future and provides competent workers to employers.  Ensure clean air, water and a safe environment for our families.  Invest in public works to create opportunity and enhance protection from natural disaster. ”The southeast Texas coast needs hurricane storm surge barriers to protect our national economic security.”  Refuse to accept discrimination against any group. Treat everyone with dignity and respect. “My past public service and solid professional technical experience are proof that I’ll hit the ground running for voters across Southeast Texas, from our small towns all the

Center, which she feels is a source of pride, inspiration and economic strength for the Bay Area. The 36th Congressional District runs from the Clear Lake area to Toledo Bend, from Lake Livingston to the Louisiana border, encompassing the southeastern portion of Harris County as well as the entirety of Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Polk and Tyler Counties. The expansive district notably includes NASA and the Johnson Space Center, as well as the Big Thicket Natural Preserve. Steele is a native Texan and has lived in Seabrook for over 27 years. She has been married to NASA Research Pilot and author Charles Justiz, Ph.D., for over 25 years, and the pair have raised three sons. The eldest, Cris, is married and now resides in Colorado with his wife, Elizabeth. Middle son Dack is a college student, currently participating in an internship program in New York, while his younger brother, Nick, is a high school senior. The family includes three rescue dogs and one rescue cat. Additional details on the Dayna Steele for Congress campaign are available at www.DaynaSteele36.com, including information for volunteers and donors. Steele’s Wikipedia profile is also available online there.

way to Houston,” Powell said, adding that he has begun visiting towns and meeting with residents through all CD-36 counties, listening to voters and organizations to understand their concerns and needs. When elected he plans to continue frequent public meetings to understand evolving issues and serve as the residents’ voice in Washington. Powell said he knows our country was founded to provide for the common good of all citizens, and he will work to invest in our future – for our kids and grandkids – not only to help Texas’ 36 Congressional District, but the country as a whole. Powell and his wife, Cindy, have two sons. He served for a decade as an elected official in Taylor Lake Village, first as a city councilman, then as mayor. He also participates in the community advisory panel that serves as forum for residents and local industry and volunteers for numerous school and community committees and working groups. “I am motivated to run because democracy is too important to allow the incumbent to continue to vote for laws that are harmful to residents of the District and our nation. I am practical and focused on our community. I will hear what you have to say. I will be here for you,” he said. For more information about Powell, visit his website at www. jonpowellforcongress.us

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

DENTAL HEALTH

The Doorway to Your Body

Want to protect your heart and body? Start with your gums. Recent studies also point to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke in people with gum infections.

ver the last few weeks

I have noticed a heightened interest in the link between oral health and overall general health. It appears that this renewed interest stems from a recent discussion on the Dr. Oz program as well as a number of new studies that have discovered a more solid link between oral infection and its direct effect on our overall well being. That’s why I decided to expand on this topic and highlight some of these concerns. Healthcare professionals began to pay closer attention to what is going on in the mouth because there may be present early signs of several serious health issues such as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, and many others. For example, saliva, very similar to blood and urine, is now being used to detect and measure many

components of the body function. Saliva could potentially replace blood testing for diagnosis and monitoring of diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, alcoholic cirrhosis, and many infectious diseases. An article in Web MD points out that if you’re worried about heart disease, you can easily spend thousands of dollars each year trying to prevent it, paying hand over fist for prescription medicines, shelves of healthy cookbooks, fitness machines for your home, or a gym membership; or maybe not. It adds that a number of recent studies suggest that you may already have a cheap and powerful weapon against heart attacks, strokes, and other heart disease conditions. It costs less than $2 (or get it for free as a routine re-care patient at our office) and is sitting on your bathroom counter. It is none other than the humble toothbrush. So, can preventing periodontal

disease, a disease of the gums and bone that support the teeth, with brushing and flossing prevent heart disease? The evidence is intriguing. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to have coronary artery disease (also called heart disease). And one study found that the presence of common problems in the mouth, including gum disease (gingivitis), cavities, and missing teeth, were as good at predicting heart disease as cholesterol levels. The Center for Disease control (CDC) has released a report that states the human mouth is home to millions of microorganisms, most of them harmless. Aside from the fact that some of these bacteria can cause oral infections such as tooth decay or gum disease, oral bacteria may also enter the blood stream if normal protective barriers in the mouth are breached. If the immune system is weakened by disease or medical treatments, however, oral bacteria can cause infection in other parts of the body. Infective endocarditis (Infection of the heart) and oral complications of cancer treatments are examples. According to the CDC, recent studies point to associations between oral infections – primarily gum infections – and diabetes; heart disease; stroke; and preterm, low-weight births. Gum infections have been called “the sixth complication of diabetes,” because people with

diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease. Researchers are exploring a possible twoway connection between the conditions. People with adult onset diabetes are encouraged to take particularly good care of their oral health by adopting an effective daily hygiene regimen as well as routine periodic (once every three months) visits to their dentist. Such attention to oral health is shown to improve diabetic control. Recent studies also point to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke in people with gum infections; the risk increases with the severity of the oral infection. Even though more study is needed to establish oral infection as an independent risk factor for heart disease or stroke, there is little doubt among health care professional about the link between the two. Several studies have found that mothers of preterm, low birth weight infants tend to have more severe gum disease than mothers of normal birth weight babies. According to a recent study published in Journal of American Dental Association (JADA), pre-existing periodontal disease in the second trimester of pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth. The same study also strongly recommends that risk factors such as smoking or gum disease (modifiable risk factors) be eliminated or greatly reduced by either the patient or the clinician as a “minimum standard of care.”

Dr. Noie has been in private practice in the Bay Area since 1996. He is a Diplomate of Int’l Congress of Oral Implantologists, Fellow of Academy of General Dentistry, and Assoc. Fellow of American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He has completed his surgical training at New York University as well as Medical University of South Carolina, Temple University, and Wright state University School of Medicine. He completed his oral Anesthesiology training at University of Alabama in Birmingham. He is a member of American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Movers &Shakers Name: Jill Reason Occupation: Executive director Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre; Am also president of Clear Lake Panhellenic, Lunar Rendezvous Advisory Board chairman and Clear Creek Education Foundation chairman- elect Hometown: Gainesville, Ga. Current home: League City Family: Husband Dan Reason, Children: Dalton (23) Ashton (21), Sydney and Savannah (19) My favorite writer is: Ronda Rich, Lewis Grizzard

By Pastor Brad Heintz

ummer is such a wonderful time

for making connections and spending time with family and friends. The schedules shift, lighten and loosen up, so that we can spend time together. For once we can eat a meal, take a trip or spend a day with those we love. School is starting and everything with it can challenge the connections we have made this summer. Work, school, sports, and activities can pull us in so many directions. It seems like we almost meet ourselves coming and going. In Genesis, God did his creative work in six days and then rested. Genesis 2:2-3 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

Someone I’d like to meet: Ellen Degeneres or Oprah (Maybe both at the same time) If I could switch places with someone for just one day, I’d choose: Donald Trump…it said for ONE day! My favorite performers are: Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan I like to spend my leisure time: If I had leisure time, I’d love to be on a beach with my family If I could travel any place, I’d go to: Bora Bora

seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. God is God. He didn’t need to rest, but chose to rest. Later when he gathered His people, he established a day of rest from work, school and activities to reconnect with Him and one another through worship. Exodus 20:10 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Today, it seems as if we have forgotten and don’t have time to rest anymore. We are working, playing sports and doing all kinds of activities on Sundays. I encourage you to choose to rest in order to reconnect with God and one another. It will make all the difference in your busy lives. How do we stay connected and on the same page once school, sports and activities start for the fall? Live out the three “Stay Connected” principles: • Choose to connect with God and others; • Center your rest time around God, family and friends; • Create “Common Ground” by spending time together doing the same thing.

My favorite meal is: Grilled salmon As a youngster, I wanted to grow up to be: Happy and busy -- Oh, and a brain surgeon and the winner of a grand slam tennis tournament You’ll never catch me: Sitting still The thing that bugs me the most is: People who don’t choose happiness My favorite movie is: Gone with the Wind Few people know: That I have a shoe closet and I LOVE photography!!

For example: • Share a meal together around a table or with all the electronics off. • Have fun together around a game or common activity. • Pray together and read the same Bible Verse or story together. Ten years ago our family stepped out to start Living Word Church. A number of families, through the summer, joined us in the cause of growing people, transforming households and reaching neighbors with the Living Word through faith in Jesus Christ. One Sunday, we were visiting a local church. Everyone jumped out of the car and went to their worship or Sunday school experience. Everyone had a great time and then when we jumped in the car to head home we realized the only thing we had in common was we traveled together to church in the same car. From this experience emerged Living Word’s value of “Common Ground.” “Common Ground” is being on the same page spiritually. The way we live out this value at Living Word Church is through our Sunday Morning Experience. We all worship together as one big family. Then we have a memorable teaching moment for everyone to learn the big idea and Bible verse. Then our children, youth and adults go to their age appropriate learning experiences. When our families jump in their cars after worship, they can not only say they worshiped together but they have learned the same Bible story and are on the same page spiritually. Just because summer is ending doesn’t mean that our times to connect with one another need to end. In fact, engage the three “stay connected” principles and you will see a significant difference in your life. May we all stay connected this fall! Pastor Brad Heintz is the founding pastor of Living Word Church in Seabrook, a vibrant family-style, non-denominational gathering of believers who take a pure, simple and real approach to faith and life. www.LWCBA.org

Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

Jordan McGinty, right, of Councilman Dave Martin’s office, stops to chat with Dawn McDonald of State Rep. Dennis Paul’s office at the Clear Lake Area Chamber Government Affairs Committee meeting.

There was no shortage of folks on hand to greet Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner when he arrived at Bay Oaks Country Club in Clear Lake for the Clear Lake Chamber Government Affairs Committee meeting. With him are, from left, League City Mayor Pat Hallisey, Chamber President Cindy DeWease, Kemah Mayor Carl Joiner, Miss Texas USA Nancy Gonzalez and State Rep. Dennis Paul.

Kathi Bell, left, and Mitzi Romanko join the crowd at the Clear Lake Area Chamber meeting at Bay Oaks Country Club.

Ike Dike at the top of Mayor Turner’s to do list THE CLEAR LAKE Area Chamber’s Government Affairs Division drew quite a crowd when members held their quarterly meeting at Bay Oaks Country Club. Little wonder they did. They had Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner as their speaker and invited Miss Texas USA Nancy Gonzalez to introduce the mayor. Early arrivals included State Rep. Dennis Paul, League City Mayor Pat Hallisey, Kemah Mayor Carl Joiner, who is also the chamber chairman, Houston City Councilman Dave Martin, Chamber President Cindy DeWease and Vice Chairman Brian Freedman. The mayor discussed a variety of subjects, initially letting the crowd

MARY ALYS CHERRY

know how lucky this area is to be represented by Councilman Martin and Representative Paul and how he has enjoyed working with them in the past and how he looks forward to working with them in the future. Especially so on the Coastal Spine – commonly referred to as the Ike Dike – which he said “is at the top of my to do list.” After praising San Jacinto College

Ashlea Quinonez and Rebecca Lilley of Memorial Hermann, from left, follow Madison Polston of State Sen. Larry Taylor’s office as they look for a table at the Clear Lake Chamber legislative meeting.

for its workforce readiness programs and all it has been doing to put students in jobs and help industry fill jobs, he noted that there are six million jobs in the U.S. that cannot be filled because applicants do not have the proper training. That led into a hot topic for Clear Lake City, where a woman wants to put a homeless shelter on El Camino Real in the heart of its downtown area and only two blocks from homes. The mayor, who first heard about it from TV, wanted his audience to know that the city had nothing to do with it, that no permits had been obtained and it is not a simple process. “It is not a city deal,” he said, adding the he did not think shelters

Others there to greet Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, second from left, on arrival for the Clear Lake Chamber meeting were, from left, San Jacinto College Vice Chancellor Teri Crawford, Houston City Councilman Dave Martin and Clear Lake Shores Mayor Pro Tem Amanda Fenwick, who is also vice president of marketing at San Jac.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

were the answer. “The best way to respond to homelessness is to put people in housing, not shelters. Please, please know that is not something that is on the drawing board, and there is no funding for it,” he cautioned. Turning to the national infrastructure program proposed by President Trump, the mayor thought the Coastal Spine project should be included. Meanwhile he said, he had learned that Washington is toying with ideas on how to pay for all the proposed projects. Among a number of thoughts he shared with the crowd, he said he thinks we need a theme park that is uniquely us — a fun and amusing park but unique to our region.

Former Lakewood Yacht Club Commodore Bob Fuller visits with Edie Houlder as they await the arrival of the Houston mayor at the Clear Lake Chamber legislative event.

Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

Angie Weinman, Phil and Ginger Pampolina and Gene Hollier, from left, make quite a colorful sight as they compare their outfits.

Dr. Mike Romanko and his wife, Mitzi, give the peace sign so popular in the 60s at the Lunar Rendezvous Splashdown Party.

Lunar Rendezvous Festival Chairman Dinah Matthews and her husband, Joe, left, stop for a photo with Ch. 13 TV News Anchor Tom Koch and his wife, Brenda.

Splashdown Party draws happy crowd

Jon and Kristy Tankersley greet the arriving guests at the Lunar Rendezvous Splashdown Party.

Festival Chairman Dinah Matthews, right, and Vice Chairman Tisa Foster prepare to greet guests.

Mercedes-Benz Dealer Jerry Foyt and his wife, Kate, left, welcome Ann and Dr. Jim O’Malley to the July 1 Lunar Rendezvous Splashdown Party at his dealership in League City.

BACK IN THE SIXTIES, a coveted invitation got one into a Splashdown Party when friends and neighbors welcomed astronauts back from journeys into space. Fifty years later, the tradition goes on. Except this time it was, well, a little different. Co-Chairmen Kristy Tankersley, Renee Ditta and Linda DeMasie wanted this Lunar Rendezvous Splashdown Party to be a night of fun – a night to remember. And, that it was. It also kicked off the Festival’s string of July activities, which include a 5K fun run and walk, fashion show, religious service and the Coronation Ball. Most dressed in 60s attire and flashed peace signs as they danced to the music of Phil Pampolina with the co-chairmen and their husbands – Jon

Judge Louie Ditta and his wife, Renee, join the crowd at the Lunar Rendevous Splashdown Party.

Tankersley, Judge Louie Ditta and Michael DeMasie -- leading the way as Mercedes-Benz dealer Jerry Foyt and his wife, Kate, hosted the event at the dealership in League City. Both Festival Chairman Dinah Matthews and Vice Chairman Tisa Foster were there to welcome Michael and Ann Wismer Landolt, Tom and Gloria Wong, Ann and Dr. Jim O’Malley, Ron and Pat Biddle Karl, Angie and Matthew Weinman, Gene Hollier, Phil and Ginger Pampolina, Alice and Lou Marinos, Mary Ann Shallberg and Mitzi and Dr. Mike Romanko, to name a few. Special guests were Ch. 13 ABC News Anchor Tom Koch and his wife, Brenda. Great way to kick off the string of festival events.

Tom and Gloria Wong arrive in 60s attire for an evening of fun at the Lunar Rendezvous Splashdown Party.

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

It took 100 years, but Ellington has finally arrived By Mary Alys Cherry

llington International Airport came from rather humble beginnings, but you could say, with all honesty, this airport knows a thing or two about survival. It has survived an entire century of ups and downs. At one time – after a fire – Ellington was nothing but a sea of grass and a couple concrete slabs. After helping our country fight five different wars, it was almost abandoned a time or two. Yet today business is booming and it is on the way to becoming one of the nation’s 10 spaceports as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. Most likely there will be no more ups and downs. After Orville and Wilbur Wright ushered in the aviation era in December 1903 at Kitty Hawk, N.C., and the policy wonks in Washington finally realized that the airplane could be a good military tool, would be pilots began practicing on the land that eventually became Ellington Field. In August 1914 war broke out in Europe and soon consumed the entire continent. Then in 1917, America entered the war. As the nation suddenly needed hundreds of pilots, it began building training fields all over the nation.

Curtiss JN-4 Jennys at Ellington Field

Ellington Field in 1918

NAMED FOR PILOT

One of these was about 25 miles south of Houston on some 1,280 acres the U.S. Government purchased because it offered weather conditions deemed necessary for flight training. The Secretary of War announced that the new base would be named for Lt. Eric Lamar Ellington, a young army pilot who had been killed in a training flight four years earlier on Nov. 24, 1915 at the U.S. Army Signal Corps aviation training school near San Diego, Calif. Construction began in September 1917 and most of the base was completed in two months. By December, a number of young aviators were transferred here, and planes were shipped in by rail. A few days after their arrival, the first planes at Ellington flew over Houston for a Red Cross benefit, according to a history on file at the Johnson Space Center: “A flight of ten JN-4s took off from grass runways and followed the interurban tracks stretching north . . . to Houston. Throngs of men, women, and children watched in amazement as the JN-4s flew overhead.” Although work on the base was finished by December, Ellington had only 220 men stationed at (Continued on page 21)

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

the airfield and had such as shortage of skilled employees such as painters, cooks, mechanics and accountants that the War Department allowed officials to use what was called “direct enlistment” of men to fill the jobs.

DEACTIVATED

In 1919, with World War I over, Ellington was deactivated as an active duty airfield with only a small caretaker unit assigned to the facility. With the return of peace, military training bases were considered unnecessary and the base became

pasture for the next dozen years, according to newspaper accounts. Then in 1940, with much of the world involved in war, and the value of the airplane in winning battles quite obvious, the United States greatly increased its military and greatly needed trained pilots for its expanded Army Air Force. Before long, Ellington Field was resurrected and Tellepson Construction Co. of Houston was busy constructing five control towers, two 45,000 square foot steel hangars in which to store aircraft, 160 buildings, including a 250-bed

and the U.S. Air Force Reserve were not enough to cover maintenance expenditures and declined. Over the next few decades, Ellington AFB played a variety of roles as the United States participated in the Cold War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, most often training pilots and protecting the Gulf Coast. In 1958, a special visitor arrived at Ellington -- Mrs. Ellington-Hocutt, the sister of Eric Lamar Ellington. Since the opening of Ellington Air Force Base 40 years earlier, Air Force officials had never received a visit from a member of his immediate

“In August 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration granted a spaceport launch site license to Ellington as America’s 10th spaceport.” a practice facility for Army pilots stationed at Kelly Field in San Antonio to practice touch and go landings. In May 1923, after the War Department first ordered the Ellington caretaker force to dismantle the base, it did an about face shortly thereafter, reactivating Ellington as a reserve base and authorizing the Texas National Guard to establish an aviation squadron there – which also provided Houston with an airfield and began a long relationship between the city and the Guard. By 1927 the facilities at Ellington Field were obsolete and neither the Texas National Guard nor the War Department had the funds to renovate Ellington Field, so the Guard’s 111th Observation Squadron had to sign a long-term lease with the new Houston Municipal Airport – which we know today as Hobby Airport -- and then moved into new facilities at the airfield.

SEA OF GRASS

By 1928, most of its buildings had been disassembled and Ellington was described as “a sea of tall prairie grass.” In February, a fire engulfed the entire airfield and all the remaining structures were consumed. All that remained were concrete foundations and a metal water tower so the War Department leased out the vacant land to local ranchers for

hospital for the new airfield, which also was getting six concrete runways to accommodate the larger military aircraft of the 40s that were later needed when America entered World War II. As construction neared completion, several area garden clubs planted flowers, shrubs and trees on the base. Before long, more than 350 training aircraft were stationed at Ellington to provide for the U.S. Army Air Corps’ pilot training.

family. In 1959 Ellington Air Force Base shifted from an active duty base to an Air Force Reserve facility, and the number of personal dropped from 5,000 to around 200. With all Air Force flying squadrons transferred to other bases, only a small housekeeping unit remained at the base for administrative purposes. From then on, Air National Guard and USAF Reserve units conducted all flight operations at Ellington.

THOUSANDS TRAINED

When NASA came to town in the early 1960s, Ellington became a “space base,” with the space agency using its facilities for astronaut training. As the home for all astronaut flight training, Ellington Air Force Base played a vital role in the success of the U.S. space program. Then in 1976, Ellington Air Force Base was officially deactivated and all Air Force Reserve air squadrons were transferred to other USAF facilities with only a Air Force caretaker unit overseeing base maintenance. Texas Air National Guard flight operations, however, continue to this day. In 1984 the city of Houston purchased Ellington Air Force Base to use as a third civil airport and renamed it Ellington Field, which went on to become part of the Houston Airport System and serve as a crossroads for all aspects of aviation in south Texas.

On Nov. 23, 1940, personnel from the 276th Quartermaster Company arrived in Houston to coordinate the opening of the base. Soon officers and enlisted personnel of other squadrons were transferred to Ellington Field to conduct flight training at the USAAC Advanced Flying School. Once pilots acquired flying proficiency, they received either a fighter or bomber assignment. Over the course of the war, thousands of young men got their flight training at Ellington. After the war, in 1947, Houston officials discussed leasing or purchasing Ellington Field from the government, thinking the field could become a second airport. The USAAF offered Ellington to Houston for a dollar a year rent plus all maintenance costs. While city officials were tempted, they decided that rental fees from the National Guard

“SPACE BASE”

More name changes followed; in 2009 the Houston City Council approved the name Ellington Airport, going on to rename it Ellington International Airport in August 2011.

TASK FORCE NAMED

That was about the time Congress began closing down air bases around the country. But before they could shut Ellington down, business and community leaders took action, with the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership forming the Ellington Field Task Force and taking their fight to Washington, where U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas was more than happy to help them in their fight to save Ellington. They also invited local branches of all military reserve units to move their offices from Old Spanish Trail to Ellington and form a joint reserve training base and allow Ellington to maintain its active status. They were more than happy to do so. The Coast Guard showed up big time, building a four-story $55 million regional headquarters at Ellington; the others soon followed. The fighter jets may have flown away, but today Ellington has the rare distinction of not only being a joint reserve base that is home to all five branches of the U.S. Department of Defense -- the Army, Navy and Marine Reserve units, Army and Air Force National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard – but also NASA flight training operations, all on one base.

FLIGHT MUSEUM

Then came news that Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston was moving its world class collection of World War II aircraft to Ellington to avoid possible hurricane damage and was building a $17 million structure here with plans to open in 2017. “We went from having 1,500 (military personnel) at Ellington to zero to now more than 7,000,” John Martinec, president of the Ellington Field Task Force, told the Galveston Daily News. “I think everyone agrees that what we pulled together to keep the F-16s here was the catalyst for the strong military presence we have there now.” In April 2014, the Sierra Nevada Corp. signed an agreement with Houston Airport System to explore development of Ellington as a commercial Spaceport, so as to use Ellington as a landing site for the company’s Dream Chaser space plane. Then came the show stopper. In August 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration granted a spaceport launch site license to Ellington as America’s 10th spaceport.

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

How sweet it is! LaDeDa Fine Lingerie turns Sweet Sixteen

aDeDa Fine Lingerie in Webster has just turned Sweet Sixteen. And, from the time LaDeDa was the brainchild of Charleen Kimball, the goal was to help women. Help them be comfortable and feel good about themselves. In 2001, Charleen invited Andrea Kruger to join her in her dream. They had, for many years, worked together in a high end lingerie store in Houston. Charleen was the district manager and Andrea was in merchandising and buying. Together they developed and shared the same passion in serving women in this area of lingerie. They both live in the Bay Area and knew that women needed, and certainly deserved, the same care, love and expertise of a custom bra fitting boutique. Charleen is from Los Angeles and has a long and successful background

in retail corporate management. She even has a history of nursing. That was one of the key factors that brought her to wanting to do a “healthy” thing. Andrea is a native Houstonian and has a background in art and fashion. Together they wanted to build a serious and health conscious business. LaDeDa feels very fortunate, they say, to work with some of the finest doctors and health spas in helping educate women in the proper and healthful way to wear a bra. “Physicians and health professional refer us because it is truly an issue of dire importance. Over 90 percent of women are unfortunately wearing the wrong size bra. This can contribute to many painful and dangerous breast issues,” Charleen explained. “Bras are much like clothing, with different cuts and manufacturers all sized differently. You are never one size in bras. One could easily wear

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

five different sizes depending on the fit. LaDeDa takes that dreaded headache away making your bra fitting experience a pleasant and positive one. Our well trained LaDeDa team is always excited to do just that. With sizes ranging from 30A to 52N, we offer comfort for every woman,” she added. “Do not worry if you are in between sizes, we offer expert alterations as an option and solution for that custom fit,” says Andrea Kruger. LaDeDa also realizes that cancer survivors and mastectomy patients have limited choices for beautiful bras. They can have a prosthesis pocket sewn into any bra, they pointed out. They also have slimming

foundations, postsurgical and liposuction garments, sports bras, nursing bras, waist cinchers and trainers to name just a few of other items carried. LaDeDa has developed and expanded the store into a very special clothing boutique. Their very beautiful and unique items are mostly European, coming from Paris and Milan. Most are exclusive and not available elsewhere. To add to the styles they offer beautiful and special accessories and jewelry. “LaDeDa wants to be your ‘one stop shopping spot!’” Andrea said. Gift certificates are always available. Finally, “We thank our loyal valued customers for their support over the past 16 sweet years,” Charleen added with a smile.

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Laser Hair Removal vs. Shaving and Waxing By Roxanne Hurtado Comparing Laser Hair Removal to other hair removal methods is like comparing RIPE oranges to BAD apples. Other hair removal methods just do not hold up to hair removal services at The Art of Aesthetics.

Pros

Cons

(Lasers)

(Waxing and Shaving)

• • • • • •

• • •

Permanent Gets rid of ingrown hairs Improves skin tone and texture Some sessions as short as 15 min. Fewer sessions (every 6 weeks) Do not need to grow hair before treatment Helpful for some skin conditions such as Keratosis Pilaris Long term more affordable Strong reduction after 2 treatments

• • •

Temporary Causes ingrown hairs Strips off skin cells and can cause darkening and lightening of the skin. Purchase and apply expensive creams for pre/ post treatments. Must grow hair out 1 week before treatment Long term more expensive

Paired with the right equipment and professional laser hair removal is a safer and more effective way to remove stubborn unwanted hair. The Art of Aesthetics has invested in the safest, fastest, and only dual wave length laser on the current market to help meet and exceed all of their clients expectations. Call us today at 281-993-3545 for a complementary consultation or shop by 400 W. Parkwood in Friendswood for a chat.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

Stewart Title’s

Anne Victor

nne Victor is no stranger

to the title business or the area for that matter. A Galveston native, Anne has been with Stewart Title since 2013. She first started at the historical Downtown Galveston Branch, where she worked in customer service and order entry. Today, she is the business development officer for Stewart’s

Friendswood and League City offices. Anne is very excited to take her knowledge of real estate and the title industry with her into her new role of marketing and business development. Anne’s commitment to professionalism, outstanding organizational skills and a strong desire to increase the effectiveness of her associates and clients are unmatched. She consistently goes above and beyond for everyone she comes into contact with and strives to put her client’s needs first. Those qualities make her a perfect match for business development and allow her to bring value to you and your clients as you navigate the purchase and sale of real estate. When Anne is not working, in her down time she loves relaxing on the beach with family, friends and her two pups Winston (French Bulldog) and Rylee (Chihuahua). She and her fiancé Trey Pruitt enjoy living an active lifestyle, if they are not biking down the seawall, you can definitely find them at local Crossfit Box. If you would like your business or self profiled in one of our issues, please submit your photo and profile to art@ baygroupmedia.com or call 281-4745875.

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

[HEALTHCARE]

Trio of OB-GYN doctors join Houston Methodist St. John

Memorial Hermann taps Stokes for presidency

harles D. Stokes, who has been serving as interim president of the Memorial Hermann Health System, has been appointed president. In addition to his role as executive vice president and chief operating officer, Stokes had been serving as interim president and CEO following the departure of Dr. Benjamin K. Chu, who left the organization in June to pursue his passion in public and health policy. As COO, Chuck Stokes, as he is widely known, was responsible for overseeing operations for the system, which has 17 hospitals, more than 200 outpatient clinics, 25,000 employees and 5,500 affiliated physicians. Stokes, who began his career as a registered nurse, is a well-respected industry veteran with nearly four decades of leadership experience. Prior to joining Memorial Hermann as COO in 2008, Stokes served as president of North Mississippi Medical Center, a 650bed tertiary hospital and a 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient. He previously served as COO for three other health systems and as vice president of operations for St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital/ Texas Heart Institute in Houston. Stokes, who is board certified in Healthcare Management as an ACHE fellow, earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss., and a master’s degree in hospital and health administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is married to Judy Liswood Stokes and has three adult children. He was recently listed among the Top 25 COOs in healthcare by Modern Healthcare, a list that recognizes high-achieving leaders across the industry and the increasingly demanding roles they play. He also serves as the chairman of the Board of Governors for the American College of Healthcare Executives, an organization of more than 48,000 healthcare executives working together to improve care delivery and the education of healthcare leaders.

Dr. Shree Visaria

Dr. Patricia Choy

ouston Methodist Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates at St. John proudly welcomes boardcertified obstetrician-gynecologists from the Webster-based practice, Women, M.D. Drs. Peggy Taylor, Patricia Choy and Shree Visaria will begin seeing patients at their new office, at 2060 Space Park Drive, Suite 410, on Dec. 1. They will deliver babies at the Childbirth Center at Houston Methodist St. John.

“The Childbirth Center at Houston Methodist St. John offers many benefits for our patients – from the compassionate and welcoming environment to the Level II neonatal intensive care unit staffed around-the-clock by neonatologists from Texas Children’s Hospital,” said Dr. Taylor. “We are thrilled to be joining the hospital team and look forward to delivering lots of babies here.” The recently renovated

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

Houston Methodist St. John cancer team gets new doctor

Dr. Jitesh Joshi

r. Jitesh Joshi recently joined Houston Methodist St. John hospital, advancing the hospital’s growing cancer program. Joshi is board certified in both medical oncology and hematology and is a member of the Houston Methodist Cancer Center. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Joshi lead our oncology team at Houston Methodist St. John in developing a highly advanced and collaborative cancer program that ensures local residents have a close-to-home option for their care,” said Dan Newman, CEO of Houston Methodist St. John Hospital. “Houston Methodist hospitals across Houston are doing fantastic work in cancer prevention and treatment and St. John will serve to expand and strengthen that network.”

Dr. Peggy Taylor

Childbirth Center offers new moms and families many amenities and extra-large labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum suites that allow moms and babies to stay in one room throughout their time in the hospital. Visit houstonmethodist.org/ stjohn/childbirth to learn more about the Childbirth Center and the obstetricians at Houston Methodist St. John.

The multi-disciplinary cancer care team at Houston Methodist St. John includes: • Board-certified physicians • Hematologists and oncologists • Pathologists • Dedicated breast radiologists • Specialized surgeons • Patient navigators • Case managers “I’ve seen and heard so many positives about Houston Methodist Cancer Center and Houston Methodist St. John Hospital, and I am very excited to be a part of this elite team,” said Dr. Joshi. “We have an incredible patient-centric program in a convenient location that can help to reduces stress for both patients and their family members, allowing them to focus on beating cancer.” For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 832.783.1190.

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Brother-sister team earns chance to vie at National Championships

akewood youths Paul & Celia Houston earned the opportunity to compete for the coveted Bemis Trophy as the LYC Youth sailors traveled to Rush Creek Yacht Club June 3-4 to race in the Chocopalooza Regatta, which was the Bemis Area F Qualifier. “After two days of very light winds in Dallas, Celia and Paul earned a second place at the Area F Qualifier for the Bemis Trophy,” said Lakewood Sailing Director Watt Duffy. This trophy is a U.S. Sailing National Championship for youth sailors in a double-handed boat. Sailors from all over the country pursue this trophy through regional qualifiers. This year non-LYC members Yumi Yoshiyasu and Kara Scully from Houston Yacht Club and Texas Corinthian Yacht Club finished first and LYC’s Celia and Paul Houston finished second. Both teams qualified to move on to the final round in New Jersey later this summer. Coach MacKenzie McGuckin coached five LYC teams at the eliminations and reported light oscillating winds that challenged the competitors consistency and resolve. “The competition is the highest honor for double-handed teams awarded by U.S. Sailing and with it comes great recognition, added Duffy. “Many Olympic sailors begin their strive for gold competing for the Bemis Trophy.”

Paul & Celia Houston, in white shirts, were second place winners.

LYC members dominating East Coast sailing circuit

akewood Yacht Club members Chris and Karen Lewis have

been displaying their sailing prowess on their J/44 Kenai along the East Coast sailing circuit. Kenai’s signature Texas flag is hard to miss on the horizon. In a record-breaking heat, the Lewis couple, along with LYC crew members Al Goethe, Bill Zartler and Mike McGagh, won the IRC2 Class and took third overall in the IRC Fleet in the “Granddaddy of Ocean Races,” the 37th biennial Marblehead to Halifax race on July 9. Kenai also took home the coveted Chelsea Clock Trophy for best-combined results in the Marblehead to Halifax and Annapolis to Newport races. Kenai placed second in the IRC2 Class in the Annapolis to Newport Race. Together with the Lewises, Zartler and J.D. Hill crewed Kenai to a win first out of the bay but were narrowly beaten by Orion, which was navigated by Libby Greenhalgh, who was also navigator for the allwomen Volvo Ocean Race Team. Kenai also won best combined score for Annapolis to Newport and Newport Chris and Karen Lewis with their to Bermuda races. Marblehead to Halifax First Place trophy. Photo by Al Goethe.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

In the 163rd Annual New York Yacht Club Regatta, the boat was switched to the One-Design configuration, and the Lewises and their talented LYC crew of Susan and J.D. Hill, McGagh and Kevin Hayes won the J/44 Class, competing against six identical J/44s. The J/44s held their North American Championship as part of the Block Island Race Week. Kenai won the event in dramatic fashion, making up a deficit of five points on the last day of racing and finishing in a tie. Kenai took the win over Challenge IV because she had more first-place wins. Earlier this year, in only their second Southern Ocean Racing Conference event, the Lewises took First Place in ORC in the Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race. They also won the best performance award for any boat over 25 years old. The team made up of local and east coast sailors finished 27 minutes ahead of the second-place finisher.

B AY A R E A C O M M U N I T Y C E N T E R ’ S

Rolling Luxury

The bells-and-whistles infotainment system is easy to use and includes all the connection options we now expect in new rides. Base price starts at $29,995, Denali bling brings it to $46,390.

Land Rover Discovery By Don Armstrong

uxury SUV’s come in many forms, but no matter which you choose, it really boils down to personal taste and the vehicle’s agility. This month, Bay Area Houston Magazine looks at two examples, one American and one British, either of which would have the neighbors talking it up.

GMC Acadia Unlike most revamped models being built today, the all-new GMC Acadia bucks the “make it bigger” trend with a significant reduction of overall dimensions and a 700-pound weight loss. The Acadia now rides and handles better than before and still does all the things you buy an SUV for. We drove the upscale Denali version with a 3.6-liter V-6 that delivers 301 horsepower to a 6-speed automatic transmission, ours had optional 4-wheel drive. Like most other midsize crossovers, it is capable of off-road duty but, let’s face it, 4-wheel drive would most likely be utilized mainly at the local boat ramps. We love the exterior design with its squinty, new headlights and big rectangular chrome grille. The interior is what we like to call, “business luxury.” GMC’s “Professional Grade” applies to the brand’s take on upscale.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

Gone is the boxy, outdated look of the LR4. Welcome the all-new 2017 Discovery to the Land Rover lineup. Like the GMC Acadia, the Discovery has also gone on a diet, weighing a half-ton less than the old LR4 which it replaces. With its tighter beltline comes a svelte new body with a raked grille, a more rounded look and a much-needed overall modern exterior design. There are three trim levels; SE, HSE and HSE Lux. We had the HSE. What do you envision the Discovery interior to be like? How ‘bout leather everywhere with contrasting stitching that’s well-done and not over-the-top. It’s from the UK, remember? Yes, there is a third-row seating option but we wouldn’t recommend it. The touch screen infotainment system takes some getting used to but once mastered, you’ll probably like it. The heart of any Land Rover is its off-road agility but explaining it would take more room than we have here. Get schooled at your dealer because you’ll want to test how far it will really take you. Pricing starts at $68,153.

THE GALVESTON BAY COMPLEX REVIVAL By Capt. Joe Kent

or years now almost everyone associated with the Galveston Bay Complex has had few good things to say about our fishing. There certainly was good reason to complain, as the quality of the water was driving finfish and crustaceans away. Old timers, those who fished all around the complex during the 1940s and 50s, would tell of catches of fish that we just do not see today. Also, they would brag about the quantities of fish they would catch and give away, fish they would sell to seafood markets, or worse use for fertilizing their plants. During that time it seemed that there was an endless bounty of seafood for the taking all over the area. Families would find good crabbing along the Houston Ship Channel as far upstream as the where the Battleship Texas is located. Nice catches of trout, croaker and other fish would come from the same area. At some point during the 1960s it became apparent that something was happening to our stocks of crab and finfish in upper Galveston Bay and along the shores adjacent to the Houston Ship Channel. This did not get any serious attention by our legislators until well into the 60s when quality analysis showed the water was polluted with contaminants from industries along the channel. Further evaluations revealed that

some of the rivers, bayous and creeks flowing into the bay system were bringing unacceptable amounts of contaminants in the forms of metals and sewage. It did not take long for everyone to realize that famous phrase “Houston we have a problem.” During that era my family and I fished out of Seabrook almost exclusively as the fishing was great and about half the distance to Galveston. Two of the more popular and productive spots out of Seabrook were Scotts Reef, an easy run from the bait camps along Toddville Road, and the spoil banks along the Houston Ship Channel which we referred to as the Bulkheads. Kemah, across the channel was home to a party boat called the Texas Clipper and for $5.00 the boat would take anglers, or anyone just wanting an outing on the water out to the ship channel for a half-day of fishing. On weekends, the boat would make morning and afternoon trips and

anglers always caught a variety of pan fish with an occasional speckled trout or red mixed in. The fishing out of the Seabrook/ Kemah area turned off toward the end of the 60s and by the early 1970s anglers were moving closer to Galveston to find fish. That is when I began fishing the jetties by boat. At that time, more restrictions were being placed on dumping into Galveston Bay. As the environmental regulations were increasing, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department began noticing a serious decline in our stocks of fish and began setting size and bag limits for certain species. Additionally, efforts began to start educating fishermen that there was a finite supply of fish and that good stewardship of our resources was needed to aid the recovery and provide fish for future generations. All of this has been a slow process; however, progress has been made. Our fishing regulations go beyond

Galveston Daily News celebrates 175th birthday By Mary Alys Cherry

he Galveston Daily News

is celebrating a special birthday this year – its 175th. You read that right, 175 years and counting. And besides being nearly two centuries old, it is the oldest newspaper in Texas. The very first issue of the Daily News was published on April 19, 1842, and through the years its staff has kept the community up to date on all the news – national headlines, weddings, births, crime, hurricanes, sports, elections, etc. To celebrate, the League City Chamber

just size and bag limits and are a major contributor to the return of healthy stocks of fish. The controls over dumping of wastes into the water have resulted in better quality of water in much of upper Galveston Bay. Still, there are a number of areas, especially along the upper reaches of the Houston Ship Channel, that carry consumption advisories for both crabs and certain finfish. A list of those locations can be found on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website. Now for the good news, which is that most of the fishing guides, including myself, are finding a wider variety of nice quality fish this year. A recent report of a snook being caught at the Galveston Jetties is a first in years. Red snapper, lane snapper, ling, mangrove snapper and king mackerel are catching the attention of anglers in lower Galveston Bay. The periodic rains this year have helped balance the salinity in the water and at this point the outlook is looking good. We cannot let our guard down however and anglers need to increase their practice of conservation by employing catch and release of fish and retain only what they will eat for a meal or so. Also, continuous monitoring of our water quality is imperative. All in all, our programs are working and the Galveston Bay Complex is experiencing a revival. That is good news for today’s anglers and for generations to come.

joined Daily News staffers at a reception at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center in League City July 13 and invited the community to meet the newspaper staff, including Editor Michael Smith, who thanked the community for all its support through the years, as did Managing Editor Laura Elder. To add to the celebration, the Daily News had large posters made of some of its front pages that focused on big events -- such as the flooding during Allyson and the massive destruction of Hurricane Ike -- and placed them throughout the room. As a thank you for citizen support through the years, each person attending received a gift bag that included a collection of notable front pages of the paper through the years and a beautiful Hurricane Ike commemorative book filled with more than a hundred pages of color photographs of the awful destruction and the cleanup.

Editor Michael Smith and Managing Editor Laura Elder greet the crowd at the Civic Center.

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Friends of the Heart By Michael W. Gos

Palisades, Texas like old things. That’s good because I’m no spring chicken myself. I love old furniture, old books and especially old cars. But most of all, I like old buildings. I once gave a lecture in an Oxford dining hall that was built in 1090 A.D. I can’t begin to tell you what a thrill that was. When I travel in Texas, I prefer historic hotels, but the ultimate thrill for me is to stay in a Civilian Conservation Corps building. If you’ve ever been to a state or national park anywhere in the U.S. that opened prior to the 1940s, you’ve probably seen the work of the CCC. You can’t miss the style: gray limestone rocks stacked flat and a wood-shingled roof. Since they are generally located in the woods, each wall, building or stair set looks like it grew naturally out of the forest floor. We were in Palisades, a tiny village of 325 people a few miles south of

Amarillo and east of Canyon. The area was an early Texas state park located at the north end of Palo Duro canyon. It was later replaced by a much larger and better-located park a few miles to the south. The entire area of the old park then passed into private hands. The CCC building that used to be the park headquarters has been divided into two cabins and turned into a B&B that was our home for the next four days. We were here to meet my best friend, Kevin and his wife, who came down from Indiana to join us for a few days in canyon country. I left Indiana 25 years ago this month and even though Kevin and I see each other only about once a year, we always pick up right where we left off without missing a beat. It is uncanny. When I first saw him drive up in his rental car, it was like we were together just yesterday. A long time ago, a wise man explained to me that there are two

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

kinds of friends you will have in your life, and it is important to know the difference. Now, I’m not talking about that absurd notion of “friend” pushed by Facebook (400 people you wouldn’t recognize if you saw them on the street). I’m talking about real world, flesh and blood human beings.

The first variety is “friends of the road.” These are people we meet and get close to because we share with them a portion of our lives. They are people we work with, know from a club, hobby or other social situation, or that we live near. These people are important to us because they share

category is, eventually we part ways. Someone changes jobs, drops a hobby or moves away. We stay in contact for a while, but over time, the relationship fades away. Even if we had been friends for years, the separation in space creates the inevitable result. That is not to say these friends are less important. Quite the contrary, they are indispensible. They make life worth living. But eventually, our roads do part.

miles apart. The connection switches from one of proximity to one of souls—not souls in a religious sense, but more like a matter of our essence. We often hear the term “soul mate” used in reference to a romantic relationship. Some argue that two souls travel lifetime after lifetime together. Others claim we each have only half a soul and our soul mate is the one whose half soul fits ours perfectly, forming one complete. I find this view a bit more reasonable

“The connection switches from one of proximity to one of souls.”

an important chunk of the journey of our lives. We share our thoughts, feelings and free time with them. In many cases, they provide the fun in our lives. In others, they are the only thing that gets us through the hard times. The problem with friends in this

The other group of friends, those “of the heart,” are different. While they always start out as friends of the road, somewhere along the way, something changes. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out what the change is and how it happens. I still haven’t figured it out completely, but I have some ideas. At some point in the relationship, geography ceases to be a factor. It doesn’t matter if the two of you live next door to each other or a thousand

but still not quite right. My problem with both notions is that they assume we all have but one soul mate. I know that can’t be right because I’ve had five: my wife, my best friend and over the last 40 years, three dogs. Each of them completed me. I think the reason that removal in time and space doesn’t affect friends of the heart is because they are operating on a plane where time and space just don’t work the way they do in “normal” reality. Just as

the DVD of a two-hour movie defies our idea of time and space because it holds every scene, every place and every second of the movie on that one disk at the one instant, friends of the heart transcend the traditional linear views of time and space as well. They just are. When Kevin and I were discussing this, he added another, slightly different view of friends of the heart. It has to do with what he called “refrigerator rights.” The friend of the heart is someone who can, at any time, go into your refrigerator, look through it and take out anything he wants and no one thinks anything of it. After some thought, I began to measure each of my “soul mates” against his rubric, starting with him. When he comes down here, he of course has full refrigerator rights. He also has free range of the wet bar and the liquor cabinet where I keep the good stuff. That may be even more important. He clearly passes the refrigerator test. We’ve now been best friends for 37 years. For 25 of them, we’ve lived over a thousand miles apart. It hasn’t made a difference. Like I said, I like old things— especially friends.

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

[BAY AREA HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP]

Educational leaders share invaluable life lessons By Kathryn Paradis

few of the region’s educational institutions have seen or are about to experience a change in leadership. This “changing of the guard” offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the skills that made these leaders so successful. Members of the Education and Workforce Development Committee of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership recently sat down with Trish Hanks, newly-retired superintendent of Friendswood Independent School District, Kirk Lewis, Ph.D., who retired as superintendent of Pasadena Independent School District in January 2016, and William A. (Bill) Staples, Ph.D., who will retire as president of the University of Houston-Clear Lake at the end of the summer. They offered a few invaluable life lessons that they garnered over of decades of service.

Trish Hanks Trish Hanks retired at the end of the 2017 school year after a 40-year career in education, 32 of which were spent at Friendswood Independent School District. She served as superintendent for 15 years and offered the following sage advice. “Take care of yourself. You have to take care of yourself in order to take care of others. In order to lead, you have to be fit. You have to take care of yourself mentally, emotionally, socially, physically, in every way. No matter what you’re doing, if you’re really passionate about it, it can be all-consuming. It’s really important to put some boundaries up to be able to take care of yourself properly.”

Kirk Lewis Dr. Kirk Lewis spent 30 years in the Pasadena Independent School District, the last 10 as superintendent. He offered, “It didn’t take me long to learn that every action that I took or didn’t take impacted lives, either the lives of the kids that we were responsible for or our staff in some way. I couldn’t make a flippant or a snap decision. Sometimes you have to, and you do your best under those circumstances. “With any major decision, you better think it through, because it’s going to impact somebody in an adverse way from their standpoint.

Three who made a difference. Trish Hanks, immediate past superintendent of the Friendswood Independent School District, shares her thoughts on life lessons as Dr. William A. (Bill) Staples, president, University of Houston-Clear Lake, left, and Dr. Kirk Lewis, immediate past superintendent of the Pasadena Independent School District, listen attentively.

You want to make sure that you’re impacting the greater life of the kids that you’re responsible to serve. “Also I learned pretty quickly to check your ego at the door. You have to listen to others, take their input, and use it to make an idea better. Don’t surround yourself with YES people who are just going to agree with everything you say. It’s infuriating sometimes, but if you have that different input, you’re going to make better decisions. “Finally, always have the big picture in mind where you’re heading down the road. That’s hard for a lot of people, particularly when they like to stay in a comfort zone. It’s hard for them to see a bigger picture as to why a change needs to be made.”

William A. (Bill) Staples Dr. Bill Staples joined UHCL in 1979 and became the fourth president of the university in 1995. He emphasized the value of teamwork stating, “I always say to our internal leadership group in our leadership training program, ‘If you get the right people with you, you can do a lot of

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

things.’ “One of the great quotes I like is by Jim Collins, who wrote many years ago in From Good to Great that everything else changes. Markets change. Products change. Technology changes. The constant is your ability to attract and retain enough of the right people. If you can build that team and keep it together, it just makes a huge difference. “Also, I had to make a really tough decision about 14-15 years ago. I was at home on a Saturday morning, drinking coffee, sitting on the sofa trying to make a decision. I didn’t know what I was going to do. “Then a thought hit me like a bolt of lightning. The bolt of lightning was that I only had to answer one question. That one question was, ‘What is in the best interests of the University of Houston-Clear Lake?’ Not whether it was easy or hard, short-term or long-term, not whether it was good for Academic Affairs or Administration or Finance, but what’s in the best interests of the University of Houston-Clear Lake? “The moment that thunderbolt hit me, the decision fell out in two

seconds. That is something I’ve gone back to time and time again. That’s the question as CEO of the university that I have to answer. “Finally, I would offer, manage for today, but lead for tomorrow. A good manager keeps the train on the tracks, but if all you’re doing is keeping the train on the tracks, you’re probably not really moving that institution, university, company to the next stage. “You have to have enough of a good team that you can manage the day-to-day operations really well or as well as can be expected. Then you have to have some time to think about how to change the organization to be better than it is right now.”

Experience as teacher Experience is a great teacher but often a hard task master. Sometimes fortune smiles on us, and we are given the gift of learning life lessons the easy way. BAHEP expresses its sincere gratitude to Trish Hanks, Kirk Lewis and Bill Staples for sharing their life lessons, some of which were undoubtedly learned the hard way.

celestial event, along with coverage of activities in parks, libraries, stadiums, festivals and museums across the nation, and on social media. “Never before will a celestial event be viewed by so many and explored from so many vantage points – from space, from the air, and from the ground,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “With our fellow agencies and a host of scientific organizations, NASA will continue to amplify one key message: Take time to experience the Aug. 21 eclipse, but experience it safely.”

Viewing safety

America to experience total solar eclipse Aug. 21

or the first time in 99 years, a total solar eclipse will occur across the entire continental United States, and NASA is preparing to share this experience of a lifetime on Aug. 21. Coast to coast, from Oregon to South Carolina, 14 states will – over a span of almost two hours – experience more than two minutes

of darkness in the middle of the day. When the moon completely blocks the sun, day will turn into night and make visible the otherwise hidden solar corona, the sun’s atmosphere. Bright stars and planets also will become visible. Using specialized solar viewing glasses or other equipment, all of North America will be able to view at least a partial eclipse lasting two to four hours.

Other states will see the eclipse but will not be in total darkness. The Houston area will have only 60 percent of darkness.

Wealth of images Viewers around the world will be provided a wealth of images captured before, during, and after the eclipse by 11 spacecraft, at least three NASA aircraft, more than 50 high-altitude balloons, and the astronauts aboard the International Space Station – each offering a unique vantage point for the celestial event. NASA Television will air a multihour show, Eclipse Across America: Through the Eyes of NASA, with unprecedented live video of the

The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun. In the 70-milewide swath of the country that will experience a total eclipse, it’s safe to look at the total eclipse with your naked eyes only during the brief period of totality, which will last about two minutes, depending on your location. An alternative method for safe viewing of the partially-eclipsed sun is with a pinhole projector. With this method, sunlight streams through a small hole – such as a pencil hole in a piece of paper, or even the space between your fingers – onto a makeshift screen, such as a piece of paper or the ground. It’s important to watch the screen, not the sun. For more information on viewing safety, visit: https://eclipse2017.nasa. gov/safety

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Astronaut Rick Mastracchio retires after long NASA career

eteran NASA astronaut

Rick Mastracchio has retired from NASA; his last day with the space agency was

June 16. “Rick is a classmate and a friend and he has done great work for NASA, both in space and on the ground,” said Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester, who was selected as an astronaut in the same class as Mastracchio. “His breadth of experience over three decades in human spaceflight will serve him well as he moves on to his next endeavor.” Beginning in 1987, Mastracchio worked first with Hamilton Standard and then with Rockwell Shuttle Operations Co. before coming to NASA in 1990 as an engineer. He worked in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory on space shuttle flight software, and in the Astronaut Office on ascent and abort procedures for crew members. From there, he became a Guidance and Procedures Officer flight controller, working in mission control for space shuttle ascents and entries, before being selected as an astronaut in 1996. As an astronaut, Mastracchio logged 228 days in space on three space shuttle missions and one longduration stay at the International Space Station. His first flight, STS106, came in 2000, on board space shuttle Atlantis, when he and his crewmates worked to prepare the space station for its first expedition crew. He returned aboard space shuttle Endeavour for STS-118 in 2007, when as lead spacewalker, he participated in three spacewalks to install a new truss segment, a new gyroscope and a new spare parts platform on the space station’s exterior.

Cyndi Lyons, OTR; Jennifer Deans, PTA; Christine Ross, PT, DPT; Jessly Lopez, PT, DPT; Noah Gregorio, PT; Lyn Williams, M.S., CCC-SLP

In 2010, Mastracchio was part of the STS-131 crew of space shuttle Discovery. He performed another three spacewalks and helped deliver 27,000 pounds of hardware, including three experiment racks and new sleeping quarters for the space station. He was then able to put the hardware to use in 2014, when he spent 188 days in space as part of the Expedition 38 and 39 crews. During that stay, he performed three more spacewalks, leaving him with a total of 53 hours spent outside the space station on nine spacewalks. Mastracchio was born in Waterbury, Conn. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Connecticut, and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Physical Science, from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., and University of Houston-Clear Lake, respectively.

Mercury Orchestra returning Aug. 31 to UHCL theatre Mercury: The Orchestra Redefined returns to UH-Clear Lake’s Bayou Theatre Thursday, Aug. 31 for the first of four appearances during the 2017-18 season, with a Bach and Piazzolla concert. Other appearances are Oct. 6, Mendelssohn’s 5th; April 13, Italian Baroque Masters; and a special Mother’s Day Matinee of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on May 13. For more information and to buy a season pass, visit www.uhcl.edu/bayoutheater

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

PAM Rehab Battles Parkinson’s Disease with LSVT therapy

AM Rehabilitation Hospital of Clear Lake is committed to facilitating functional improvement in its patients. To address the needs of patients with Parkinson’s Disease and other neurological conditions, its therapist has undergone certification in Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) LOUD and BIG. As Parkinson’s disease progresses, individuals often exhibit reduced loudness, monotone speech, a hoarse vocal quality. Individuals frequently report “people can’t hear me on the phone” or “my family say they cannot hear me.” Slowed movement, rigid muscles, unstable balance, and a “shuffling gait” are also noted with Parkinson’s Disease. These symptoms may cause frequent falls and overall decreased mobility. LSVT LOUD was developed in 1987 and is the first speech treatment with level one evidence and established efficacy for treating voice and speech disorders in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. This treatment protocol improves vocal loudness by stimulating the muscles of the voice box (larynx) and speech through an organized hierarchy of exercises. LSVT LOUD is facilitated by a certified Speech Language Pathologist over 16 sessions. Patients are required to attend four individual 60 minute sessions per week for one month.

In order for a patient to receive LSVT LOUD treatment, they must have the following: • •

Physician order for a LSVT LOUD evaluation Comprehensive examination with an Otolaryngologist

The principles of LSVT LOUD were also applied to limb movement via LSVT BIG, which aims to generalize limb speed, balance, and quality of life via repetitions of core movements that are used in daily living. This treatment is directed by a certified physical or occupational therapist. Like LSVT LOUD, it is administered in 16 sessions over a single month. Patients are required to attend four individual 60 minute sessions per week. PAM Rehabilitation Hospital of Clear Lake presently has 6 therapists certified in the LSVT treatment programs. Therapists underwent a two day course in order to obtain certification. Each therapist is required to complete a renewal course every two years in order to ensure compliance with the most current advances and research. Anyone interested in these treatment protocols is encouraged to contact PAM Rehabilitation Hospital of Clear Lake at 832-224-9500 with any questions they may have.

deep in his heart with colors as vibrant as the events themselves. Although Ellis has many paintings of the AfricanAmerican experience, he also has a knack for capturing life’s every day mundane moments. A picture of an old Southern woman with a hat and an apron, hanging clothes on a clothesline comes to life right away. A woman holding a quilt represents the generations of African American farm workers with the brightly colored cloth stitched together like the threads of time interpreting African American life. None are more important to him than a 10-foot by two-foot horizontal commemorative painting of the historical moment of 150 years ago documenting

houses perhaps his most famous painting; the five-foot by three-foot portrait of President Barack Obama painted for his exhibit in Washington D.C. presented during the inauguration at the French Embassy. “That was the highlight of my life,” he said . “To be a part of the inauguration of the first African American president, well it has set the bar so high. I don’t think it gets any better than that. I painted a portrait of him all in blues just from my imagination. It actually looks like he is crying, while the painting I took to the inauguration is like a rainbow of colors because I wanted it to express my vision of people of all colors working and living together.” Ellis is devoted to sharing his talent with children. Many programs with kids have set him apart from other artists. Perhaps none is more impressive than his work with MHMRA, the Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County. He worked with a handful of children who will never attend school

June 19, the day the slaves were freed. Included in the painting is the proclamation itself. Even though slaves had been freed two years before in 1863, it took that long for the slaves of the south to receive the news of their freedom in 1865. It seems only fitting that this month Houston has just completed and opened Emancipation Park in honor of the $33 million refurbishing of the park created for $180 in 1870. “I love that painting and the fact that my town is just now celebrating such a monumental event in history. My painting and what is happening in our world today coincide almost colliding in a nostalgic moment in history. “The colors have changed and become very sophisticated creating even more dynamic colors. Nothing is new in painting, it is all a matter of how you use the paints.” The second floor in the home

other than the one at MHMRA. Some were deaf, some were blind, some suffered from both, along with other disabilities. Ellis gave each child a paper plate with tiny blobs of paint on them. He had a canvas at the front of the room. Each student approached the canvas, and painted a few brush strokes, as he turned the canvas around between students. What was up was now down. “You see how pretty this is, he said. “It doesn’t matter how you turn it or how you paint it. There is nothing incorrect in art. There is no wrong way in art. You are all artists.” And the looks on their faces said it all. The little canvas looked like a Picasso, a beautiful abstract that they had done. “Their happiness was infectious,” he said. “We see so much ugliness today and so much violence. We need beauty and joy, that is all.”

Artist Ted Ellis sees life through a colored filter By K. Pica Kahn

or some, a man’s home is his castle. For artist Ted Ellis, his home is his canvas. Walls filled with his paintings line the walls including those cascading down the wooden staircase. Once a chemist, Ellis realized his passion for art had to be expressed, and he switched from mixing chemicals to mixing paints. “I saw the world through the eyes of an artist, and I had to fulfill that desire.” “I have made a living creating art for decades now, and I couldn’t be happier,” he said. Seeing life through the colored filter of his imagination, his vision of the world translates to the canvas as naturally as wildflowers to a field. The giant canvas of his home, draws the eye upward upon entering the foyer, with blues and greens and sunlight yellows splashed calculatingly on each piece. Dedicated to representing life through the ages, Ellis documents cultural expression of a past way of life. With the soul of an artist, Ellis creates each piece from somewhere

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

AUGUST 2017 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

[ LET US ENTERTAIN YOU! ]

Bayus Ghost Gourmet Reviews

together. Absolutely fresh ingredients. Crisp salads; awesome Chicken and Filet Mignon shish Kabos. Plate with rice and sautéed tomato green beans. All seasoned gently with turmeric. Try Their Kibbi, Fallafel; and their favorite lunch dish is the Gyro Salad. Also, you cannot beat Baklava made from scratch. Say hello to Abdul!

SNO BALL HUT

NOLA POBOYS Cruising Bay Area Blvd. and craving , I mean really craving an authentic Nawlins Treat! This place is a must. POBOYS Galore! The Nawlins Style BBQ Shrimp Boy is the way to go. Throw a few fresh oysters on top. C’est tres tres bon! Also salads, Gumbo, Red Beans, Boudin Balls and more. Tell Meeka we sent you!

SAWA The word SAWA in Arabic means together. And YES, this Mediterranean Bistro has it

The place for the dawg days of summer! Great festive place for an afternoon picker upper and a treat for the kids! Stop in for a chilly cool New Orleans Style Sno Ball with over 100 freshly made flavors. My Summer Specials includes Blackberry Lemonade, Mango, Watermelon or a good old standard Wild Cherry! They feature sugar flavors as well plus all types of fun candy and fresh popped popcorn. Beat the heat at the Sno Ball Hut! Tell them we sent you!

NOTHING BUNDT CAKES Got a sweet tooth or a special occasion coming up? This spot is the ticket! This sweet venue offers a large variety of well packaged nice tasting delightful bundt cakes. Not to be confused with your grandmother or aunt’s bundt cakes from a box. These babies come in a variety of flavors and taste as good as they look! Try their fresh lemon raspberry, pecan praline or my fave the chocolate chip. The price is right too! Tell the ladies we sent you!

BAY AREA HOUSTON MAGAZINE

COVER PARTY

Grazia’s Italian Kitchen | Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

Nadine and George Dismukes.

Bay Area Houston Magazine Chairman Rick Clapp and Bay Area Regional Medical Center Marketing Director Abbey Lee, left, welcome the magazine’s July cover girl, Nicole Beene, to Cover Party at Grazia’s Italian Restaurant in Clear Lake.

Grazia owner Adrian Hembree, Gene Hollier and Grazia’s Director of Operations Andrew Howell.

Bruce and Michaele Bell.

Ruth Keenan, Gene Hollier and Melissa Peters.

Early arrivals at the Cover Party at Grazia’s in Clear Lake included Erica Balaban, Frances Coursey and Tina Copenhagen.

Ava Sloan and Cathy Cheatham.

Mike Critelli of Silver Eagle Distributors stops to say hello to Hillary Gramm of CIS-Bay Area at magazine’s Cover Party.

Robyn Weigelt with Anne Victor of Stewart Title.

Mickey Matthews with Dr. Don Whited.

Mary Harbeson, Marlena Jansen and Tiffany Edward.

John White and Rick Lawrence.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

[ LET US ENTERTAIN YOU! ]

Photos by Mary Alys Cherry Dr. Greg Smith, Clear Creek ISD superintendent, San Jacinto College Vice Chancellor Teri Crawford and UH-Clear Lake President Dr. Bill Staples, from left, presented an update on education when they addressed the Clear Lake Area Chamber luncheon at Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook.

economically disadvantaged. Today that total is 27 percent.” Teri Crawford proudly told the crowd that San Jac had recently been awarded a $100,000 prize as it was recognized as a Top Five Community College in the Nation and was a finalist for the third time for the coveted Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence for “achieving

Clear Lake Area Chamber gets update on education

Technology on the Central Campus with the North Campus getting a Cosmetology and Culinary Center. Dr. Smith opened his comments by praising Dr. Staples for all his work and noting that he was instrumental in launching and Dual Language Immersion Program at McWhirter Elementary and how proud all were as the first bilingual class graduated. “The program continues to thrive and has expanded to four other schools.” After noting that a record number of seniors had graduated this past June, and reporting on remodeling work at both Clear Lake and Clear Creek High Schools, he went on to tell of several students who had

By Mary Alys Cherry

e try not to brag but

how many communities have education facilities on a level of those in the Clear Lake Chamber’s membership area? Not many, we all know, and each year when education officials update the chamber membership, the news just gets better and better. UH-Clear Lake President Dr. Bill Staples, San Jacinto College Vice Chancellor Teri Crawford and Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Smith were back for the second year in a row with some of the year’s highlights and what’s ahead at the chamber luncheon at Lakewood Yacht Club. As he nears retirement, Dr. Staples reported that UHCL’s two new buildings on the Clear Lake campus will open in Fall 2018 with the new classroom building on the Pearland campus to open in Spring 2019, going on to praise Dr. Smith and San Jac

Eva deCardenas, left, CCISD assistant marketing director chats with SAIC Communications Director Joyce Abbey.

Clear Creek ISD Trustee Chris Reed, left, Kimberly Fleming of MaximGroup Insurance and former CCISD Trustree Dr. Glenn Freedman.

President Dr. Brenda Hellyer. “You should be proud to have them heading their respective institutions,” he said. And, as UHCL thrives as a fouryear university and he completes his final year there, he said he got quite a thrill to see the students who initially started the bilingual classes years ago at McWhirter Elementary School – a UHCL/CCISD joint venture -graduate this past June. He also took time to remind the community that “we must address the number of economically disadvantaged students. In 1995, 11 percent of the students were

strong student success outcomes in learning, marketing and equity.” This year, San Jac has 30,741 students enrolled – 6,598 full time and 22,400 part time – and awarded 4,139 degrees and 2,881 certificates. And, UHCL is not the only one undergoing new construction. Seven new buildings are underway at San Jac, she said, including a Engineering and Technology Center, a Cosmetology Center and expansion of the Fire House on the South Campus and a classroom building, Welcome Center and Center for Petrochemical, Energy and

MaximGroup Insurance President Ron Masters, left, says hello to UHCL Bayou Theatre Managing Director Alex Malone.

overcome incredible problems to become a success. “We work to instill a set of core values in our students. To be respectful, trustworthy and understand what it means to roll up your sleeves and give back.” In his closing remarks, he had some very good news for taxpayers: Instead of a 4.5 cent tax increase for the year because of the recently passed school bond, “due to property value growth, it looks like we will not need to increase the tax rate for the year.” That brought smiles all around the ballroom.

Sydnie Cooper latest recipient of Ron Carter Scholarship Ron Carter Cadillac Hyundai Genesis is proud to honor and support area seniors by awarding five college scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each. The latest recipient is Sydnie Cooper, who will be attending Texas State University in San Marcos beginning in the fall of 2017. Sydnie plans to major in Animal Sciences. While at Clear Creek High School, Sydnie excelled and completed 18 college hours and earned membership in Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society of two-year colleges. Sydnie was a cheer captain and was an avid

Bay Area Houston Magazine | AUGUST 2017

volunteer throughout the community.. “I have an innate love for animals,” said Sydnie, adding “Since the age of seven I have dreamed of being a doctor for animals.” The scholarship is open to high school seniors in Clear Lake, CCISD and surrounding districts. Recipients are chosen on academic achievement, character, leadership and community service. Scholarship applications and detailed instructions can be found by clicking on the “Community Involvement” tab and following the links at www.roncarterclearlake.com.