Bay Area Houston Magazine April 2021 by Bay Group Media

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April 2021 Pictured from left to right: Scott Gordon, Evelyn Timmons, Gary Garnett, Tomy Hamon, Paul Merryman, Tom Collier, and Dennis Stetzel. Bob Fuller is seated.

MAY 1-2, 2021

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ON THE COVER Pictured from left to right: Scott Gordon, Evelyn Timmons, Gary Garnett, Tomy Hamon, Paul Merryman, Tom Collier, and Dennis Stetzel. Bob Fuller is seated. Chairman Rick Clapp

President Amber Sample Publisher & Editor in Chief Mary Alys Cherry Editor Alisa Star Vice President & Creative Director Brandon Rowan Sales & Marketing Jason Allcorn Amber Sample Bill Sloan Alisa Star Robyn Weigelt

Editorial Patty Andrew Don Armstrong Mary Alys Cherry CoCo Critelli Michael Gos Alisa Star Photography GH Andrew Mary Alys Cherry CoCo Critelli NASA

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson

Space Age Pioneer Dies

Business Buzz

Astronaut Mark Vande Hei

Trunk Show: Creations by Nikki Lassiter

L. Russell Records’ ‘Spies Like Us’

Keels & Wheels

Gulf Coast Mariner Boating & Fishing

League City Caps Water Rate

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo

The Best Bites of the Bay

A Unique Boutique By Jeanette Fashion Show

Yachty Gras

Lunar Rendezvous Festival Dining Night

40 Acres of New Oyster Habitat

The Webster community is in good hands Biden picks Nelson Celebrating Glynn Lunney Barrios gets new president Joining Russian space station crew Featuring Blaine Beauty & Shehla Rana Author presents to LYC book club The tradition rolls back in! The big chill For use during the winter storm Honors keep coming for county judge Restaurant and entertainment guide At Lakewood Yacht Club America’s largest Mardi Gras boat parade Scheduled for May 3 Created in Galveston Bay

Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Effects of the pandemic challenge economy

columns

Please address all correspondence to: Bay Area Houston Magazine P.O. Box 1032 Seabrook, TX 77586 Earth, The Solar System

281.474.5875

Celebrating Our Healthcare Heroes

45 Education CCISD Science and Engineering Fair

www.BayAreaHoustonMag.com r.clapp@baygroupmedia.com

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

Movers and Shakers

Clear Lake Chatter

In Wheel Time

Rick at Nite

Coming Events

Faces & Places

Lakewood Yacht Club GM Kelly Holst Nauti Fashion Show brings out the ladies SUV Surprises Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Bay Area Houston calendar of events By Alisa Star

Movers &Shakers Name: Kelly Holst Occupation: Lakewood Yacht Club general manager Hometown: Deer Lodge, MT Current home: El Lago Family: Wife, daughter, three cats and two dogs My favorite writer is: Bill Bryson Someone I’d like to meet: Richie McCaw

If I could switch places with someone for just one day, I’d choose: Elon Musk My favorite performers are: AC/DC I like to spend my leisure time: With family, traveling and playing rugby If I could travel any place, I’d go to: Huilo Huilo Montana Magica Lodge in Chile My favorite meal is: Steak au Poivre

Chillax with Ned!

The Dress at the Ball To compliment the magnificent The Women’s Council of Realtors - Bay Area Houston Masquerade Ball, Sukii - a young Houston designer, created the perfect ball gown in honor of the extravagant award ceremony worn by Cosette “CoCo” Critelli. Sukii’s inspiration for the dress was drawn from a classic pair of dark, rose threaded pantyhose and the beautiful gold and black mask from CoCo’s home collection of costume pieces. As CoCo wore the ball gown, she humbly accepted the honorable compliments and proudly expressed, “The dress was designed by my great friend, Sukii.” We are looking forward to seeing more of Sukii’s elegant designs in the future.

TOP: CoCo Critelli in a dress by Houston designer Sukii. RIGHT: The sketch that inspired the design.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

As a youngster, I wanted to grow up to be: A pilot You’ll never catch me: Wearing skinny jeans The thing that bugs me the most is: Mediocrity My favorite movie is: Step Brothers Few people know: I enjoy long distance hiking. I have hiked Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Olympus in Greece and about 250 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Do you like meditation and yoga? Perhaps you like to chill out and would like a feline companion to help you achieve that peaceful state of tranquility. If so, you must meet Ned, the “King of Calm.” With Ned you’ll never need to take deep breaths to relax. Just gaze into his gorgeous blue eyes and all your stress will disappear. Pick him up and you will be lost in the lushness of his fur as he cuddles up to receive your attention. This amazing docile boy adores belly rubs and has a penchant for cat nip which takes him from chill to chill squared. Easy going, charming, sweet - a must meet! The shelter is closed except by appointment due to the Coronavirus, but you can fill out an application on our website www. bayareapetadoptions.org. Once approved, you will receive a phone call to set up an appointment so that you can meet and get to know each other. If you have any questions you can call us any day except Wednesday between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 281-339-2086.

CALLED UP TO THE MAJORS By Brandon Rowan For over a decade, it has been my absolute honor to work with Rick Clapp, Mary Alys Cherry and the countless amazing people associated with Bay Area Houston Magazine. It is a bittersweet thing to announce that this issue will be my last as Creative Director. I have accepted a position as a photographer/designer for Major League Fishing and will continue my lifelong...well, obsession with fishing. Thank you for reading Bay Area Houston! I know this publication will continue to grow, excel and reflect this wonderful community.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

Lakewood Yacht Club Ladies Association 2021 officers greet the arriving crowd for their spring fashion show luncheon. They are, from left, President Janelle Leistad, Vice President Linda Weidmann, Treasurer Linda Elting, Fleet Capt. Ann-Marie Doolin and Secretary Barbie Breaux.

Julie Howell, Sue Broughton and Joy Edwards, from left, prepare to welcome the arriving crowd to the Lakewood Yacht Club Ladies Association’s spring fashion show luncheon at the club in Seabrook.

‘Nauti’ Fashion Show brings out the ladies at Lakewood Yacht Club LAKEWOOD YACHT CLUB had hardly opened its doors for the Ladies Association’s “Nauti” Fashion Show and Luncheon Friday, March 5 than the crowd began arriving, all wearing masks and happy to be mingling with friends once again. Leona Pleasant was among them, as were Alice Thomas, Joy Edwards, Sandy Lewis, Rosebud Caradec, Marcia Smith, Joyce Lindsay, Rosemary Bettis, Nicole Shields and Elizabeth Koster. On hand to greet them were members of the Ladies Association Executive Board – President Janelle Leistad, Vice President Linda Weidmann, who was chairman of the event; Secretary Barbie Breaux,Treasurer Linda

MARY ALYS CHERRY

Elting, Fleet Capt. Ann Marie Doolin and Parliamentarian Judith Shaw, as Julie Howell, Sue Broughton and Joy Edwards signed them in, along with Marion DeHart, Marsha Smith, Sue Collier, Mary Moorehead, Pamela Dickinson, Terrilee Maudlin, Janine Sutter, Phyllis Davis, Louise Toole, Susie Cunningham, Evey Leavens,

Ashley Boyd, Jen Gerdes, Natalie Henrichs and Anne Kemberling, from left, wear big smiles as they join the crowd at the Lakewood Yacht Club Ladies Association “Nauti” Fashion Show Luncheon March 5.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

Valerie Shows, Jane Downs, Gayle Loyd, Julie Osburn, Sue Collier and Edna Rice. Wasn’t long before Evelyn Baldwin walked in, quickly followed by Cynthia McMahan, Natalie Henrichs, Cheryl Baron, Beverly Persse, Janet Southard, Patricia Macaluso, Sherri Romer, Sherri Anderson, Nicole Shields, Rosalind Clayton, Vivian Tomlinson, Anne Kemberling, Marsha Smith, Chris Christianson, Valeria Shows, Jen Gerdes, Tammy Severance, Elizabeth Maxwell, Kathy Hall, Alex Paulea, Carolyn Lightfoot, and Carla, Scott and Allison Sharples. And, as they caught up on each other’s news, fashion models Johnette Norman, Ashley

Boyd, Evelyn Baldwin, Marsha Taylor, Catherine Klemowits, Rubye Garrett, Stacy Covington, and LYC First Lady Jane Downs were busy backstage getting ready to show off “Nauti” (nautical) fashions and accessories from Jeanette Faulkner’s A Unique Boutique and the LYC Ship’s Store, chaired by Amy Dunphey, many might like to wear to the Blessing of the Fleet and the Commodore’s Dock Party. Joining them in both modeling and assisting the models were Commodore Michael Downs, former Commodores Tom Taylor and Jack Thomas, plus Scott Covington, Lou Marinos, Keith Klemowits and Ronald Leistad.

Nassau Bay First Lady Sue Warters, standing, stops to say hello to, from left, Kathy Hall, Marcia Smith and Chris Christianson, as the Lakewood Yacht Club Ladies Association fashion show luncheon gets underway.

Photos by Trisha Gunn and Mary Alys Cherry

BOWA President Pat Adams, right, is happy to see Eileen Hult, Susan McCoy and Carol Bobo, from left, as they arrive at the monthly luncheon.

BOWA Gala theme will be ‘A Black and White Affair’

BAY OAKS Women’s Association board members are busy these days making final plans for their annual gala, “A Black and White Affair,” which was rescheduled from this past November because of the pandemic. It’s on the calendar for Saturday, April 10 at Bay Oaks Country Club. Actually, Chairman Terri Steinkamp tells us most of the planning was done months ago before the pandemic got out of hand. She and Co-Chairman Jordan Quillen are keeping their fingers crossed that most local residents will have their vaccines and worries about COVID-19 will be mostly a thing of the past by the time the crowd begins arriving for the elegant evening. The fun begins at 6:15 p.m. with music by the Main Street Band. Dress is black tie optinal. Terri, who served as co-chairman of the last BOWA gala, is planning a delightful menu, plus a casino. That was all the talk at BOWA’s most recent monthly luncheon Thursday March 4, which drew Mary Keathley, Cheri Burke, Susan McCoy, Eileen Hult, Urmila Kadam, Mary Colombo, Betty Woodhouse, Sue Laabs, Darla McKitrick, Terri Steinkamp, Carol Bobo, Elizabeth Fredericks, Trisha Gunn and Valerie Bloomfield to the get-together. Others in the crowd included Debbie Roan, Ruth Beecher, Sheryl Lane, Tara Viswanath, Susan Franklin, Debbie May, Julie Ellis, Stephanie Mitzner, Barbara Conway, Chris Howland, Marcus Peavler, Lana Leslie, Raji Shankar, Nikole Kempnich, Barbara Miller and President Pat Adams.

Chamber members learn how to deal with trauma

AS CLEAR LAKE Chambers members gathered for a hybrid meeting at Landry’s at Jimmie Walker’s in Kemah, some probably wondered how many chamber luncheons had been held in that building over the past century, and, while no one probably has a record, no

Debbie May, President Pat Adams and Darla McKitrick, from left, standing, swap ideas for the BOWA Gala with Mary Colombo, seated, at the BOWA luncheon.

doubt it’s quite a few, and always enjoyable. Chamber President Cindy DeWease and Vice President Shari Sweeney joined Chairman Robert Davee and Vice Chairman Jonathan Cothrell in welcoming the happy crowd – some no doubt just happy to have some place to go and mingle with friends. Among the early arrivals, you might have spotted Past Chamber Chairmen Jamieson Mackay and Richard Simmons stopping to say hello to Kevin Venable, Debbie Simmons, Genie Hayes, Mandy Knight, Amber Blake, Mark Ortiz, Deeann Duckworth, Brian Rothermel, Brie Little and Daniel Legnion as they made their way through the arriving crowd. Wasn’t long before they found themselves in the company of Elizabeth Smith, Hillary Gramm, Richard Law, Heather Tonnessen, Gayle Nelson, Scott Stillman, Darmie and Karen Rudisill, Shelly Dyer, Twila Lindblade, Mackenzie Walker, Rebecca Martinez, Jacob Bigger, Cathy McLarty, Tracy Daily, Julia Gallagher, Lauri Coppock, Vickie Delbello, Sandra Lambert and Vanessa Bartholomew. Guest speaker Sharon Bayus, president and CEO of Innovative Alternatives, turned the crowd’s attention to trauma – such as many Texas families have been having to deal with during the recent ice storm and the pandemic, focusing on ways employers can support their employees who are dealing with trauma, which can also come from crime, accidents and illnesses – even elections. Then it was time to say good bye for Lydia Cook, Greg Sharp, Rachel Tyrrna, Emily Cegelski, Sarah Ferguson, Fay Picard, Julie Lambert, Alice McCalla, Stephanie Tunchez, Brad Flesher, Brenda Mireles, Krystyna Fennelly, Leah Sikes, Jack Kaiser, Amy Doherty, Ashley Martinez, Lana Lagunas, Vickie Delbello, Joe Applewhite, Denise Nelms, Mark Ortiz, Ed Klein, Adelina Abshire, Brad Bricker and Chris Premont and head back to work.

Clear Lake Chamber officials in the crowd at the monthly luncheon at Landry’s on the Kemah Boardwalk included, from left, Past Chairman Richard Simmons, President Cindy DeWease, Chairman Robert Davee and Past Chairman Jamieson Mackey.

Colene and Carl Joiner, center, luncheon sponsors, stop for a photo with their luncheon guests, Clear Creek Education Foundation Executive Director Deborah Laine, right, and BayTran President Theresa Rodriguez.

Chamber Vice President Shari Sweeney, from right, and Vice Chairman Jonathan Cottrell assist Donna Orozco as she joins the crowd at Landry’s on the Kemah Boardwalk.

Innovative Alternatives President and CEO Sharon Bayus, right, visits with Twila Lindblade.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Biden picks Bill Nelson as NASA administrator By Mary Alys Cherry

ne of only three U.S. congressmen to have flow in space, former Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida has been selected by President Biden to become the next NASA administrator. Nelson, who spent six days in space aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in 1986, will replace Jim Bridenstine, who resigned after the recent presidential election to make way for the new president’s appointee. Bridenstine will be a tough act to follow. Although his appointment was widely criticized because of his background as a congressman and lack of qualifications in science and engineering, he won over his former critics. Before long, he was drawing kudos for getting the commercial crew program off the launch pad and his management of the Artemis return to the moon program. Biden announced on Friday, March 19 that he was nominating Nelson for the top NASA post as the space agency is working furiously to put “the next man and the first woman” on the moon for the first time in more than 50 years and also land astronauts on Mars.

NASA PLEASED

married Grace Cavert, with whom he had two children.

TRAINED AT JSC

After serving in the state legislature from 1973 to 1979, he was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House, and served six terms representing Florida’s 9th and 11th congressional districts – including Kennedy Space Center -- along Florida’s Space Coast from 1979 to 1991. It was while in the House, serving as chairman of the House Space Subcommittee, that Nelson began his astronaut training at Johnson Space Center in Houston’s Clear Lake area for his 1986 journey into space – one of three sitting members of Congress to fly on the space shuttle -- after Congressman Jake Garn in 1985 and before Sen. John Glenn, a former astronaut, returned to space in 1998. Nelson was recognized as the leading space program advocate in Congress and also was a vocal proponent for STEM career training and education programs. In his 1988 book, Mission, Nelson wrote, “If I was going to speak about the space program accurately in Congress, I wanted to feel what the astronauts felt.” So he began preparing by running four miles a day and working out in the gym. He also had a jet fighter pilot take him up and introduce him to lower space. Nelson represented Florida for three terms in the U.S. Senate, from 2001 to 2018 -- before then-Gov. Rick Scott defeated him in 2018 -- serving as the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. “Most every piece of space and science law has had his imprint, including passing the landmark NASA bill of 2010,” the White House said in a statement. “That law set NASA on its present dual course of both government and commercial missions.”

Acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk released the following statement about the “Nelson, who still must win Senate Nelson’s nomination to serve as the 14th confirmation, would assume the post at NASA administrator: “I’m pleased President Biden has a critical juncture for the space agency, nominated former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson to which is working to put humans back on lead our agency. Bill has a proven history the moon for the first time since 1972.” of supporting our work here at NASA, and has helped advance America’s position in human exploration, science, aeronautics, and NASA and the programs supported by the technology. While the Senate must confirm the Johnson Space Center including the International nomination, I look forward to continuing to work ‘TRUE CHAMPION’ Space Station, Space Launch System, Orion, and with Bill and the Biden-Harris administration to On May 28, 2019, he was appointed to serve on NASA’s commercial Crew & Cargo programs. carry out NASA’s many critical missions in the NASA’s advisory council, which advises the space He has worked across the aisle to get results years to come. agency on all major program and policy issues. and can balance the needs of the NASA centers, “The men and women at NASA are an incredible His appointment was praised by then NASA industry, Congress, and the Biden Administration. national asset and will continue to take on the most Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who said that We look forward to working with him upon his pressing issues facing our country. As we look to “Nelson is a true champion for human spaceflight confirmation.” the future – and with Bill at the helm – we will and will add tremendous value as we go to the continue to take on and find solutions to problems Moon and on to Mars.” YALE GRADUATE once thought unsolvable, and educate and Nelson, who still must win Senate confirmation, Born in Miami on Sept. 29, 1942, Nelson is a inspire the next generation of American scientists, would assume the post at a critical juncture for fifth generation Floridian whose family came to engineers, and workers.” the space agency, which is working to put humans Florida in 1829. He grew up in Melbourne, Fla., Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership back on the moon for the first time since 1972 and, graduating from Melbourne High before attending President Bob Mitchell also was quite pleased: later, to land astronauts on Mars. Its back-to-thethe University of Florida and then earning a B.A. in “I have worked with Senator Nelson and his moon program comes as other nations, particularly Political Science from Yale University in 1965 and staff for years. His passion and support for human China, have been increasingly building their space a Doctorate of Law (J.D.) from the University of spaceflight is reflected in his life’s work. His programs. Virginia School of Law in 1968. selection as NASA administrator will ensure we Bridenstine, a former Republican congressman After being admitted to the Florida Bar that year, stay the course with the current scope of work from Oklahoma, was confirmed by the Senate in he served in the U.S. Army Reserve for six years, including the Artemis program.” 2018 amid objections from both Nelson and initially two on active duty, and earned the rank of captain. Clear Lake Area Chamber President Cindy GOP Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. “The head of He started his law practice in Melbourne in 1970 DeWease was equally pleased: NASA ought to be a space professional, not a and soon began his political career, first working “We are excited to hear that Bill Nelson has politician,” Nelson said. Despite that opposition, as a legislative assistant to Gov. Reubin Askew been nominated as the next NASA administrator. Bridenstine chose Nelson to join the NASA in 1971 and successfully running for the Florida Senator Nelson has a long history of supporting Advisory Council in 2019. House of Representatives in 1972, the same year he

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

Space age pioneer Glynn Lunney dies

n engineer who was

involved from the start in NASA’s efforts to launch the first astronauts into space and who later led Mission Control through some of its most challenging and triumphant hours, Flight Director Glynn S. Lunney has died at the age of 84. A family friend said Lunney died in his sleep March 19 after a long illness. “Glynn was the right person for the right time in history,” Johnson Space Center Director Mark Geyer said in a statement. “His unique leadership and remarkably quick intellect were critical to the success of some of the most iconic accomplishments in human spaceflight. While he was one of the most famous NASA alumni, he was also one of the most humble people I have ever worked with. He was very supportive of the NASA team and was so gracious in the way he shared his wisdom with us.” said Geyer. Lunney was working for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics as a co-op student in 1958, when he was recruited by the newly-formed NASA at the age of 22. The youngest member of the Space Task Group, he and his colleagues at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., were charged with figuring out how to send the first astronauts into space.

FLIGHT DIRECTOR

In 1964, as the Gemini program was getting underway, Lunney was

during which he oversaw the ascent from the moon and rendezvous with the command module in lunar orbit. “Great time. I was — how old was I? I was 32, I guess, at the time we landed on the Lunney (top moon. I’d been left) with John doing this for eight Hodge and years or so before Jones Roach that time, but — during Gemini 3. Photo: NASA yes, I was kind of young at the time. We were all fired up, of course, the whole time, but events like that just supercharged that sense of energy and excitement about it. It was really powerful. Great stuff,” he said. It was his next mission as flight director, though, that Lunney called the best of his career. Lunney and his team were just about to begin the evening shift on April 13, 1970, when the Apollo 13 crew radioed, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.”

BEST WORK EVER

“For me, I felt that the team shift immediately after the explosion and for the next 14 hours was the best piece of operations work I ever did or could hope to do,” Lunney said in his oral history. “It posed a continuous

transportation operations. Lunney then returned to Houston to become shuttle program manager before retiring from NASA in 1985. Glynn Stephen Lunney was born in Old Forge, Pa., on Nov. 27, 1936. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Detroit in 1958, when he saw his first drawing of what would become the Mercury capsule, igniting his desire to join NASA.

JOINS ROCKWELL

After his 27 years at the space agency, Lunney went to work for Rockwell, overseeing the division of the company building Global Positioning System satellites. He then worked on the space station before returning to the shuttle, becoming vice president and program manager for United Space Alliance, a company equally owned by Rockwell (later, Boeing) and Lockheed Martin, that supported NASA’s spaceflight operations contract. For his service to the U.S. space program, Lunney was honored with the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal and was awarded the

“I have always been so very proud to have been part of this Apollo 13 team, delivering our best when it was really needed.”

Glynn Lunney in 1993.

selected to become a flight director – along with Chris Kraft, John Hodge and Gene Kranz -- one of the first four people to lead Mission Control at NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center (known today as the Johnson Space Center) for the Gemini 9 mission in 1966. As NASA’s focus turned to the moon and the first Apollo mission, Apollo 7; the first mission to orbit the moon, Apollo 8 (and, at around the same time, Lunney was named chief of the flight director’s office); the dress rehearsal for the first lunar landing, Apollo 10; and then the historic first landing, Apollo 11,

demand for the best decisions often without hard data and mostly on the basis of judgment, in the face of the most severe in-flight emergency faced thus far in manned spaceflight.” “We built a quarter-million mile space highway, paved by one decision, one choice, and one innovation at a time — repeated constantly over almost four days to bring the crew safely home. This space highway guided the crippled ship back to planet Earth, where people from all continents were bonded in support of these three explorers-in-peril,” he said. “It was an inspiring and emotional feeling, reminding us once again of our common humanity. I have always been so very proud to have been part of this Apollo 13 team, delivering our best when it was really needed.” Lunney led his final shifts as a flight director during the Apollo 14 and Apollo 15 missions, before heading to Washington to serve as deputy associate administrator for spaceflight and acting associate administrator for space

Presidential Medal of Freedom as a member of the Apollo 13 mission control team. In 2005, Lunney was presented the National Space Trophy from the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation. Lunney is a co-author of the 2011 book, “From the Trench of Mission Control to the Craters of the Moon,” which he wrote with his fellow members of the Gemini and Apolloera flight dynamics branch. He wrote his own book, “Highways Into Space” in 2014. He was portrayed on screen by actor Marc McClure in the 1995 feature film “Apollo 13” and by actor Jackson Pace in the National Geographic series “The Right Stuff” for Disney+. Lunney appeared as himself in the 2017 feature-length documentary, “Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo.” Lunney is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marilyn Kurtz, and their four children, Jennifer; Glynn Jr., Shawn and Bryan. The latter, Bryan, is NASA’s first second-generation flight director.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Barrios gets new president Leadership transition maintains the family connection

arrios Technology ,

one of Houston’s largest woman-owned businesses and a NASA prime contractor, has named Kelly Page as the company’s new president. While Kelly assumes majority ownership interest in the family-owned business, Sandy Johnson, Kelly’s mother and one of the founders of Barrios, remains as CEO, chairman of the board, and a major shareholder. A minority interest in the company is held by Lori Mallini, Kelly’s sister – continuing Barrios’ legacy as a family

BUSINESS BUZZ NASA picks Barrios to manage contract Barrios Technology has been selected to perform the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Consolidated Program Support Services Project Coordination Contract. This is Barrios’ first prime contract at MSFC after providing support services as a subcontractor for more than 25 years. The performance-based, firmfixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract has an initial mission services value of $67.9 million with a maximum potential value of $160 million. The contract period of performance is eight years, including the base year and seven one year options. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to build on our 25+ year presence at MSFC by establishing ourselves as a prime contractor in Huntsville with this award. Our team looks forward to delivering extraordinary value to NASA with the important work performed by the

and woman-owned business. Kelly joined Barrios full-time in 2006, after earning her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston. She started her aerospace career supporting the International Space Station Program in numerous technical roles including console support for space shuttle and space station missions. Her NASA customer recognized her with the prestigious Silver Snoopy award for her leadership of the Crew Time Working Group, resulting in record-breaking hours devoted to research onboard the orbiting laboratory. Kelly’s performance led to increasing levels of management

employees on the CPSS PC contract,” Barrios CEO Sandy Johnson said. Barrios began phase-in activities on March 1 with a contract start targeted for April 16. Hargrove Engineering leases space in area Hargrove Engineering + Constructors, which has offices in Houston and Philadelphia and over much of the South, is expanding its presence in the Houston area by leasing 18,900 square feet in the Bay Area from Gemini Rosemont Commercial Real Estate at 12000 Aerospace Ave., near Ellington Airport. Hargrove was ranked No. 47 in Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms in 2020, is ranked No. 1 in the chemical sector in the Engineering News Record Sourcebook, and is one of the Top 10 Fastest Growing Engineering Firms listed by Inc. 5000 for 11 years. Chevron Refinery named 2021 Industry of the Year The Pasadena Chamber has

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

responsibility, including Manager of Mission Analysis and Integration, leading her team to achieve continued excellent performance ratings from NASA. She successfully added Artemis Program work to Barrios’ prime contract scope. In 2019 Kelly joined the Barrios Executive Leadership team, focusing heavily on Business Development, winning key captures for the company and establishing New Barrios Barrios’ commercial Technology space division, President Kelly Stellar Access. Page, left, with As president, her mother, Barrios CEO Kelly is Sandy Johnson. responsible for the implementation of Barrios 2025 – the company’s strategic vision for the future. She also provides overall direction and day-today leadership of Barrios’ operations, corporate administration, and business development functions, each led by a vice president direct report. Kelly is active in her community, supporting United Way of Greater Houston and underprivileged students in local schools. Away from the office she can be found enjoying the local parks with her husband and three young sons and traveling with her family. According to Sandy Johnson, “Keeping Barrios within the family was always my goal and I was so happy when Kelly decided to join the company after her initial career

in the hospitality industry. She exceeded even this proud mother’s expectations by excelling in her technical and management positions. After leading Barrios for three decades, the time is right for me to pass the torch to my daughter and allow her to set the vision for our future. I look forward to seeing where Kelly takes the company.” Kelly adds, “I am excited for this opportunity to lead the Barrios Team to continue to achieve great things. I look forward to expanding into commercial space and new markets while sustaining the level of excellence our employees, customers and community have grown to expect. It excites me to lead Barrios in what we have established as our purpose; passionately advancing humanity, on and off the planet, with innovative technology integration solutions.” Robert McAfoos, who served as president for a number of years during the leadership transition from Sandy to Kelly, remains with Barrios as vice president of Engineering Technical Services. In this role, Robbie provides executive leadership to the program and project management teams responsible for delivery of products and services to aerospace prime contractors. He is also the executive sponsor of Barrios› systems engineering services provided to industries outside of the aerospace market.

announced that Chevron Pasadena Refinery is the recipient of the Industry of the Year Award recipient for 2021. Former recipients of the Industry of the Year Award gather annually to review organizations that exemplify characteristics of involvement in charitable organizations, community projects, and that place emphasis on safety, environmental and quality control standards in their respective industry. Chevron Pasadena Refinery exemplifies all of these characteristics and more, it was decided. “Not only are they great community partners here in Pasadena, but very supportive and involved in the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce as well,” the chamber added.

Distillation Lab at San Jacinto College in Pasadena. The lab, located in the LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology (CPET) at San Jacinto College, is a scaled model distillation plant which shows the chemical and physical processes that take place within a chemical plant. It is designed to be a hands-on training tool for the next generation of operators, teaching process technology and instrumentation. San Jacinto College students will have a unique perspective on how a distillation unit operates since the glass structure of the unit allows them to peek inside and see how it works. “The LyondellBasell Glass Distillation Lab is an innovative educational tool which gives our future workforce hands-on experience before they step foot on a manufacturing site,” LyondellBasell Senior Vice President of Americas Manufacturing Michael VanDerSnick said.

LyondellBasell, SJC open new training lab Employees from LyondellBasell and San Jacinto College, along with a small group of elected officials and community partners, gathered on Friday, March 5, for a ribbon-cutting for the new LyondellBasell Glass

Mark Vande Hei to join Russian space station crew

ASA has assigned astronaut Mark Vande Hei to an upcoming mission to the International Space Station as a flight engineer and member of the Expedition 64/65 crew. Vande Hei, along with cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, are scheduled to launch Friday, April 9, on the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Vande Hei will work on hundreds of experiments during his mission to benefit life on Earth and learn more about living in space. The space station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of longduration spaceflight and those insights gained will help send humans to the Moon and eventually to Mars. Among the science the crew will conduct during Vande Hei’s mission are studies on cotton root systems and Alzheimer’s disease, and a technology demonstration of a portable ultrasound device. NASA selected Vande Hei as an astronaut in 2009 and he completed his first spaceflight in 2018 as an Expedition 53/54 crew member. He launched

34th annual Space Awards Gala is rescheduled for Sept. 3

By Mary Alys Cherry The 34th annual Space Awards Gala, originally planned for April 2020 and rescheduled for April 2021, has been rescheduled again for this September by the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation (RNASA) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The gala will honor former Johnson Space Center Director Dr. Ellen Ochoa with the 2020 National Space Trophy and NASA Senior Photographer Bill Ingalls with the 2020 Space Communication Award. In addition, Stellar awards will be presented to individuals and teams.

Sept. 13, 2017, and spent 168 days in space, during which he conducted four spacewalks, totaling 26 hours and 42 minutes, before his return to Earth Feb. 28, 2018. Highlights from the research his crew conducted include investigations into the manufacturing of fiber optic filaments in

“As the (April) date approaches,” RNASA President Rodolfo Gonzalez explained, “the RNASA Foundation has evaluated the current status of COVID-19 cases and restrictions, and has decided to move the event, for what we hope is the final time, to Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. With the vaccine becoming more widely available, it is projected that by Sept. 3 we will be in a much better position to host this meaningful event for a large number of people.” The event will still be held at the Houston Hyatt Regency. The RNASA Foundation will restart the RSVP process for all attendees in the June 2021 timeframe, Gonzalez said. “Looking ahead, the 35th annual event is still scheduled for April 29, 2022,” Gonzalez said. “We will be sending the next call for nominations for that event in September 2021, per the usual cycle.”

microgravity, improving the accuracy of an implantable glucoses biosensor, and measuring the Sun’s energy input to Earth. Born in Virginia and raised in New Jersey and Minnesota, Vande Hei is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., and a Master of Science in Applied Physics from Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif. He was commissioned in the Army through the ROTC program and served as a combat engineer. In 1999, he became an assistant professor of physics at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., before his selection as an astronaut. For more than 20 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked on the space station, testing technologies, performing science and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. As a global endeavor, 242 people from 19 countries have visited the unique microgravity laboratory that has hosted more than 3,000 research investigations from researchers in 108 countries and areas. Through NASA’s Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the surface of the Moon, with eventual human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery. Follow Vande Hei on Twitter throughout his mission and get the latest space station crew news, images and features on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Planning a space station visit This foursome is busy these days preparing for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission on a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station April 22 -- the second crew rotation flight with astronauts on the Crew Dragon spacecraft and the first launch with two international partners as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. They are, from left, NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, who will serve as pilot; Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and European astronaut Thomas Pesquet, serving as mission specialists; and the mission commander, NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough. After successfully docking at the space station, the astronauts of Crew-2 will join the Expedition 65 crew aboard the orbital outpost, including the Crew-1 astronauts still aboard. The Crew-1 astronauts are targeted for return in late April or early May. APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

“I’ve actually known Nicole for 5 years now. She was actually my mentor and coach for my pageants. She’s trained me all the way from my first pageant until I won. [Miss Houston] She’s been a big inspiration and role model in my life. Throughout the years, I’ve seen her host many trunk shows. I’m excited and honored she invited me to be a part of it.”

Trunk Show: Creations by Nikki Lassiter featuring Blaine Beauty & Shehla Rana By CoCo Critelli laine Beauty participated in its first Trunk Show! As a new business, this is such an honorable step forward. Documenting her experience, Miss Houston Blaine Ochoa humbly answered a few questions for the magazine.

“What is a Trunk Show?” A Trunk Show, also called a Trade show, is an event where vendors show their new products to a group of people, friends, and family along with an experience of human connection such as a cocktail party surrounded by beautiful products to admire together and purchase. “Who hosted this event?” Former Miss Texas, Nicole O’Brian Lassiter, hosted The Creations by Nikki Lassiter Trunk Show celebrating the arrival of the Spring Fashion Season. She displayed her beautiful handbag and accessory creations alongside Blaine Beauty’s make-up collection and Shehla Rana designs to showcase their businesses together. It was a lovely way to empower themselves and encourage others to start their own business as well. They invited friends and family to chat and shop at their trunk show. More about each business below. “How did you meet Nicole O’Brian Lassiter, owner of Creations by Nikki Lassiter?” Nicole is a close friend, mentor, and beauty pageant coach for Blaine Ochoa. Through the hard work and everything Nicole has taught Blaine, she cherishes the friendship they have. It has impacted their lives in many ways. Blaine explains,

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

“What propelled the vision of Blaine Beauty?” “Honestly,” Blaine expressed, “I’ve been submerged in the beauty industry for about 10 years and I’ve just learned so much about the industry. Throughout the years, I’ve seen a lot of the good that it brings. I’ve learned how makeup can help empower people and bring out the best in me. Makeup boosts self-esteem and is a positive form of human expression.” “About 2-3 years ago,” she continued to tell the story of Blaine Beauty, “a girlfriend of mine, Aubrie Layne, owner of Lucky Cat Beauty, named a lipstick after me as a part of the Texas Treasures Icons Collection.” The “Blaine” Lipstick is a luxury matte true red lipstick. Facebook @luckycatbeauty “So, I was honored to be part of her collection.” She continued, “I began to think about how I would love to sell these. I brought the idea to Aubrie, she was on board and it was an ongoing success! About, 6 months to a year after that, I was inspired to create my own cosmetics company, ‘Blaine Beauty.’ I just had such passion for it and I felt like I could help others through my business by donating to charities as well. I founded the company Spring 2020, then the pandemic hit. We safely persevered and came out with my first product in the fall of 2020. I’m excited to see it grow and celebrate Blaine Beauty soon-to-be sold at 3 locations this year!” “Why is it important to you to participate in these Trunk Shows?” “Well honestly, I love supporting other entrepreneurs and empowering each other. I think it’s beautiful how we can do this and lift each other up. Nicole is one of my best friends, I support her business and it’s fun to do business in this way. It’s a great experience to enjoy all of the beauty products as a collective and to be surrounded by supportive friends, family, and meet new people that are all like minded individuals. It’s so much fun and also a beautiful way to give back to the community through the profits we make individually.” “What would you say to someone who wants to start a business?” “If you’re passionate about something then go for it! Don’t let fear get in the way because you learn as you go. That’s something that has always been significant to me is to just start and to educate yourself to become very knowledgeable about whatever it way be. Most importantly, trust that you will learn as you go. So, I say do it. Go for it!”

Creations By Nikki Lassiter:

Creations by Niki Lassiter started out when I was unable to find a handbag that matched a costume and decided to make my own. Since that time, I’ve been creating new bags and items weekly to share with others. As a person who struggles with multiple forms of autoimmune diseases, crafting has proved to be therapeutic for my invisible illnesses. I donate a portion of proceeds back to the Arthritis Foundation. Facebook @creationsbynikilassiter

Shehla Rana Design Studio:

Shehla Rana Design studio is based in Houston. Shehla’s goal is to put fun in functional Fashion. At Shehla Rana Design studio we know that looking stylish can make your whole day better, that’s why we are committed to being your source for newest trends. We design clothing you love, so you can focus on looking great. Shehla’s collection is unique, elegant and one of a kind with beautifully hand -crafted embroidery and embellishments made with extra ordinary details by artisans in Dubai. Visit our website www.shehlaranadrsignstudio.com Facebook @Shehla Rana Design Studio

Blaine Beauty By Blaine Ochoa:

Blaine Beauty’s purpose is to empower and elevate. Each product Blaine Beauty offers is uniquely and specially curated. Blaine Beauty was founded in 2020. Blaine Ochoa is no stranger to the beauty industry. She has always had a passion and appreciation for beauty and aesthetics. Blaine is an actress, singer, and the reigning Miss Houston USA 2019 & 2020. Blaine is also a published writer and columnist. Her column, Beauty with Blaine has been featured for magazines, radio, and has been seen on TV. Blaine wanted to utilize her expertise and knowledge of the beauty industry and create a cosmetics and skincare line that empowers women and men to be their most confident and feel their most beautiful. Blaine Beauty donates 10% of sales to child international relief efforts, including child hunger and education initiatives. Facebook @blainebeautyofficial

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The Goal - What do they want to do in life? What is their dream? The Conflict - What is the issue they face? What stands in their way of their path? When & how did they find out about this problem? How serious is it? The Layout - What is the plan they develop to work around, work through, or resolve this conflict in order to achieve their goal? How will they step-up to this conflict? The Bad Guy - A person who doesn’t want the protagonist or supporting character to succeed. How do they consistently interfere with the protagonist’s plan of action? The Climax - The final straw, the last milestone. The goal achieved or failure resulting in epiphany. The Ending - Perhaps a moral of the story is metaphorically presented through the protagonist or by a cliff hanger to continue on.

L. Russell Records presents ‘Spies Like Us’ and the two minute novel writing lesson By CoCo Critelli

he Lakewood Yacht Club Book Club welcomed L. Russell Records as he presented his first spy-thriller novel “Spies Like Us.” The members of the club were thrilled to ask questions about their favorite characters and hear about his journey as author as well as some helpful knowledge on writing. “[A story usually] starts off with the idea that there’s a young hero. [Male or female] There’s going to be a protagonist in his normal life and he’s doing his normal things. Then what happens is there’s this challenge that gets presented to him.” Records explains, “In a lot of cases he’ll deny the challenge; he won’t do it. Then later on something happens and usually it’s with a group of people or his mentors or maybe even animals, or friends that come in to convince him to take on the challenge. So as they get in the challenge, they face the conflicts and they get deeper and deeper to it until it’s actually the bottom of the pit where have basically been pushed into the darkness, you might say, and they’ve got to find their way back out of it again by rising again, by learning, by ‘using the force’ for instance. [Then] coming back to the point where [they’re] now a new person. [They’re] the same person but have new skills and [they] basically are completely reformed. Records goes on to use a very familiar example, “If you think of the story of ‘Star Wars.’ :The original ‘Star Wars.’ [The creators used this concept] completely in every aspect of it. This was actually developed originally by a philosopher, Joseph Cambel (1904-1984) He wrote a book about it called ‘The Hero’s Journey’. He documents his 12 steps that actually every story goes through. This goes back as far as ‘The Odyssey.’ Ulysses [Odysseus] went through the same thing. He was a hero. He was a prince. [The story goes] he won the

battle, then goes through the trip to come back and to win his wife back again. So, it’s a very old method of how stories are made. You’ll find that in almost every movie, in every other book, even short stories.” To encourage the audience to use this method in their own writing adventures, he performs The 2 Minute Novel Writing L. Russell Records answers questions on his novel “Spies Like Us” from Lesson. “This is for someone who wants the Lakewood Yacht Club Book Club. to start a novel but doesn’t know how to get started or who has an idea for it but doesn’t know how to put it together exactly.” Records has given a guideline to begin a story The Two Minute Novel that is easy to build off of and the possibilities are • The Character - A person in their normal life, endless. He explains that once you have a person in anyone mind to create their life and what goals they want • The Location - Where are they right now? to achieve, it becomes seamless to put conflicts and Where do they live their life? Where do they figure out their path. Therefore, tells a story. spend their time? Author of ‘Spies Like Us’, L. Russell Records, meets Executive Chef, Ted Ghigleri at LYC’s Book Club. Chef Ghigleri was fascinated by ‘Spies Like Us.’ The spy-thriller series inspired the appetizer and entree served at L. Russell Records’s presentation. Records states “Nigerian food is a very common food. It’s usually made in a big community pot with a charcoal fire underneath with beans in it or rice, possibly both sometimes. It’s just like a big jambalaia. It tastes like a big jambalaya with vegetables, rice, seafood of some sort.” Chef Ghigleri served crab bisque soup as the appetizer, a stew of vegetables over potatoes,and a creamy mousse dessert topped with fresh berries. In the book, there’s a significant scene where this meal is elegantly presented to the characters in the book. The members of the book club experienced a taste of the culture where the book took place.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

S U V Su r p r i s e s By Don Armstrong

hether you’re out

to impress the neighbors with beauty or show them who’s boss on the boat ramp, we’ve found a couple of nameplates that offer a bit of both.

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 53 Here is luxury and performance rolled into one eye-catching SUV, the M-B AMG GLE 53 Coupe. Our definition of a coupe is two doors, this one had 4, but it does have the sloping roof. One out of two isn’t bad but the optional 3rd row of seating suffers in headroom. This Benz has a big, toothy grille with a ginormous Mercedes emblem in the middle of it, one you cannot miss. Techno-wizardry abounds in the GLE. Its foot-long instrument/ infotainment screen should give you a hint. The steering wheel has two thumb-controlled mouse pads on it. Another lurks on the center console. And, yes, it lives up to the AMG

performance title, delivering 429-horsepower from a 3.0-liter, inline, 6-cylinder, gasoline engine. The super smooth 9-speed automatic transmission can be shifted from paddles on the steering wheel. What a rush. The adaptive air ride suspension allows for a limo-like ride to racetrack madness, and everything in between. Pricing starts at $77,750. Take the test drive, but only after studying how to navigate the cockpit controls. The tech may make you feel very inadequate. Chevrolet Tahoe After testing hundreds of cars over the years, it takes a lot to impress us, yet the all-new Chevrolet Tahoe RST has done just that.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

The completely redesigned 2021 Tahoe is bigger in every way and that has allowed its comfort level to rise significantly. Despite its body sculpting, it still has truck bones so it hasn’t lost any of its capability. And with the new diesel engine option, not only can you tow more, but you can also do it while getting better fuel mileage. The new dash design incorporates a big display with GM’s Infotainment 3 system, it’s easy to use and works well. Our RST, which stands for Rally Sport Truck, had the all-new 3.0-liter, inline 6-cylinder diesel engine option,

connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission. As quiet as one of Chevy’s gasoline engines, it makes 277-horsepower and 460-lb.-ft. torque. What gives the Tahoe its limo-like ride is the all-new independent rear suspension. Optional air ride or magnetic ride control are icing on the cake. Built in Arlington, Texas, the new 3-row Tahoe starts at $52,135.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Keels & Wheels The Tradition Rolls Back In

lassic car and

wooden boat enthusiasts are gearing up for the 25th Annual Keels & Wheels Concours d’Elegance event on Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2, 2021 at the Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook, TX. Keels & Wheels began as a dream where current Concours Chairman, Bob Fuller envisioned a world-class boat show that also included classic cars. In his dreams, he saw beautiful vintage automobiles parked along a

tree-lined road leading to the old entrance of the Yacht Club, where classic boats would fill the water. Fuller pitched this idea to fellow Yacht Club member and Co-Founder, Paul Merryman and the board of Lakewood Yacht Club, and the first ever-event of its kind was held in 1996. Since its inception, the Keels & Wheels event has become the nation’s largest classic car and vintage wooden boat show, displaying over 200 automobiles and 100 boats, brought from all over the world, and attracts more than 10,000 spectators from the

K EELS & W HEELS P R O U D L Y S U P P O R T S T HESE C H A R I T I ES

The Texas Lighthouse Foundation’s (DBA Lighthouse Charity Team) mission supports nonprofit organizations in their fundraising efforts by preparing and serving food at cost and providing volunteers and equipment at no charge; helping those less fortunate by cooking at fundraising events to raise funds for medical necessities; and helping the community and first responders during times of natural and manmade disasters such as hurricanes, explosions, shootings, and more. The foundation will provide volunteers, fundraising support, food and beverages, and more at the 2020 Concours. For more information, visit lighthousecharityteam.com

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

For more than 70 years, Today’s Harbor for Children has served as a force of change in addressing the facets of abuse and neglect for children in crisis. The Harbor gives their kids a home and community that cares for them. Each child is placed in a cottage on campus with parents that champion their success and support their future. The children have playmates, chores, a regular dinnertime and a charter school on campus for elementary and middle school. Today’s Harbor provides more than shelter – they give kids a place to belong. For more information, visit todaysharborforchildren.org.

The Cole Gordon Helping Hand Foundation is a non-profit organization, inspired by the late Cole Gordon, dedicated to uniting people through livestock projects and encouraging selfless giving so that we may achieve purpose greater than ourselves. We strive to support youth through FFA, Animal Science, Food Safety and Event Planning. Our purpose is to provide some financial assistance to those where money may be an obstacle to them by involving them livestock, providing food education and food safety to those interested in working in restaurants and entertainment industry, giving them a head start in the business world, and educating youth with event planning like what is needed to plan and execute a successful event from 50-500 people. Learn more at colegordonfoundation.com.

PHOTOS: GH ANDREW

Bob Fuller, left, and Paul Merryman.

Paul Merryman

Antique Boats Docking Soon! U.S. and Europe. Over the years, some of the most notable cars that have partaken in this truly unique event included Pre-War Packards, Corvettes (1953-1972), Bentley’s, Duesenberg, American Muscle Cars, Porsche (1948-1973), Super Cars, Shelby’s and Vintage Motorcycles. The event has also featured Century Boats, Yellow Jacket Boats, and Chris Craft Racing Runabouts. Headlining the event this year will be the cars featured and used in the movie, “Ford v. Ferrari.” Depicting the journey to the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans in France when a trio of Ford GT40’s claimed victory over a previously dominant Ferrari team. Both the Ken Miles Hero GT40 Mark II and the Ferrari 330 P3 #27 will be available for spectators to view at Lakewood Yacht Club. While Keels & Wheels draws in vintage car and boat lovers alike, they have raised more than $1.8 million for local charities. This year, Fuller hopes that the program will be able to increase that number to $2 million, with the Lighthouse Charity

Team, Today’s Harbor for Children, and the Cole Gordon Helping Hand Foundation benefiting from their efforts. Fuller’s passion for these finer things in life can be seen throughout the show, and with it being the 25th anniversary, is excited to grow participation and share this with the next generation of classic car and boat lovers. “This is truly a unique and wonderful experience where spectators can see some of the rarest cars and boats ever produced.” You can purchase tickets at https://keels-wheels.com/tickets or get more information about the event at www.keels-wheels.com.

By Patty Andrew

hen Paul Merryman,

the captain of the Keels, looks back on 25 years, he is amazed that it is now so much bigger than he ever imagined. This idea that started as a brainstorm with Bob Fuller over a bottle of scotch, has developed into a show with a national following and renown recognition for its antique cars and boats. “Most shows have a typical run of 15 to 18 years. We’ve survived for twenty-five!” Paul mused. Paul, a native Houstonian, grew up coming to Seabrook to boat and fish almost every weekend with his family as a youngster. He remembers the excitement of watching Holmes Boat Yard off Harrisburg building his family’s boat over several months until they could finally launch it on Easter in 1955. His admiration for the fine craftsmanship and meticulous construction sparked his love for being on the water and the beautiful vessels that carry him there. He still owns this treasured boat, a true one-of-a-kind from a time when they were built with handtools and mettled know-how with a legacy to last forever. Paul has guided Keels & Wheels to expand their definition of antique boats to include old fiberglass boats, too. Many of today’s boat owners were born after a time when the wooden classics ruled the waters and have fond memories of skiing behind the modern ones from the 1970’s. He stresses the importance of including them just like the Wheels part of the show includes the muscle cars from the 1960’s. Making

these changes can draw in a larger audience who can see vehicles they remember from their childhood plus create a new appreciation for those from earlier decades in the 1900’s. “I have heard people say they didn’t know that they used to build boats out of wood,” Paul laughed. Most of owners of the older boats at Keels & Wheels have restored them personally. When spectators take the time to ask about the restoration process, they will learn that each of these boats are unique because they were built by hand. One side might be deeper or longer than the other, joints may not match exactly, or old motors may need specially built parts because they just aren’t available any more. Paul restores his own boats and says he can easily lose track of time in his shop while he replaces boards or ribcages. Boat restoration is definitely a labor of love as these projects can take years before completion. Plus, Paul admits to being a perfectionist, wanting the boat to looks just like it did when it originally came out of the factory. Paul encourages everyone to come and enjoy the weekend at Keels & Wheels. He emphasizes that this is a great family event where the kids (and some adults!) can learn about history, old vehicles, and antique boats. “Expose the youngsters to the ways people used to build things with just the tools that were available. Let them see how it was done before technology and computers,” Paul advises. He hopes that this great event will continue well into the future while he and the Keels & Wheels Board works to update and improve this fabulous show.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

www.gulfcoastmariner.com

The Big Chill By Capt. David C. Dillman galvestonbaycharterfishing.com (832) 228-8012

e entered the

year of 2021 with high hopes and expectations. The so called “roaring 20’s” was anything but that, and we all longed for a return of normalcy. We eased into the year with little fanfare, no large New Year’s celebrations or fireworks displays. Pretty tame, just like the winter weather on the coast of Texas, or so we thought! The first two weeks of February was typical; colder temperatures and drizzly dreary days. Then the talk of a Arctic front by weather forecasters began Valentine’s weekend. We have heard the doom and gloom forecast before, and most often they never pan out. Talk went from the coldest possible temperatures ever recorded along with major snowfall and ice. They back peddled on the forecast a little, but not enough to stop the panic buying in the grocery stores. I was cautious of the predictions but not to the extreme. My wife and I did the best to prepare for the event. On Monday morning the 15th, we lost power in the house at 2 a.m. We covered up with more blankets and fell back to sleep. I, the early riser, awoke around 7 a.m to still no power and glanced outside. A little snow and sleet had fallen, but nothing that seemed catastrophic. Thinking to myself, “we should get power back fairly soon,” boy was I wrong! It wasn’t just our little part of the island without power but all of Galveston Island. Early Tuesday morning the temperature in our house dropped to below 40 degrees and even lower on Wednesday along with our water being shut off. We finally had enough and evacuated to a friends’ house in Spring, taking our dog and bird with us. Our friends lost power for only 4 hours, go figure. I will say that hot shower I took upon arrival was the best ever! I remember three other major Winter storms in my life, 1983, 1989 and 2011. During the freeze of 1983 the thermometer hit 11 degrees on December

Snow and ice down on Galveston island during the February freeze.

25 in Houston, along with 11 straight mornings of below freezing temperatures. Four straight days the air failed to crack the above freezing mark. In 1989, December the 12 and 13 the lows were 25 and 19 respectively. Then on December 16 the temperature dropped to 19. Then came the big chill from December 22 through 24 with the lows of 13, 7 and 11 degrees. In 2011, during the month of February we experienced another Winter weather event. We had 5 straight days from the 1st-5th with lows in the 20’s and four more days of the same on the 9th through the 12th. While these winter storms are not normal, they

are not abnormal. Have game fish suffered from these events? Yes, 1983 was bad and 1989 was devastating. This past freeze event was anything but devastating. Some area of the coast suffered losses of game fish but it was isolated. Galveston Bay fared well and one may ask why? The answer is in the timing of when the freeze event took place. Both major fish kills in my lifetime happened during the month of December. Fish in the bay system have not acclimated into their Winter pattern. Also during these kills the weather was quite a bit warmer and the cold air hit so abruptly. It created a situation where the fish got trapped, thus nowhere to escape to the confines of deep water. When freeze events happen towards the latter part of Winter the chances of game fish losses lessen, especially in Galveston Bay. This was the case for this years freeze, not even close to the events in the 80’s. God has a way of caring for everything He created. Before long the freeze of 2021 will just be a memory. Fish stocks will rebound quickly as they have in the past. May God Bless each and everyone.

RAPALA X-RAP TWITCHIN’ MULLET SPECIFICATIONS WEIGHT: 5/16 oz. (model 06) | LENGTH: 2.5 inches

This smaller size of the Rapala X-Rap® Twitchin’ Mullet is an excellent choice when trout and redfish are feeding on small or newly hatched baitfish. A common phenomenon during the spring. This subsurface hardbait sinks to a depth of 1 -2 feet and can be retrieved at a moderately fast pace for a subsurface walk-the-dog action, or twitched and paused to entice sow trout. This is also a great lure for shallow marshes and grass flats. The inline VMC hooks produce good hook-up ratios and reduce fouling from vegetation.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

COLOR: Gold Olive (Available in 16 other colors)

www.rapala.com

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

www.gulfcoastmariner.com

Lakewood Youth Sailor Noah Zittrer Takes on New and Exciting Challenges

hile COVID 19 has

presented all of us with difficulties, setbacks and losses, it has also opened our eyes to different ways to approach our lives and our work. Noah Zittrer, a Lakewood Seahorse, decided not to attend traditional high school this year (his Senior year), which has permitted him to dedicate a significant amount of time to his favorite pursuits – kiting and sailing. After the Optimist, Noah found

himself without a boat to compete in. Not satisfied with sailing 420s, and not being large enough to competitively race lasers, he taught himself to kite. Ultimately, he turned his skills to Formula Kite, the newest of the Olympic sailing disciplines to be incorporated into the 2024 Paris Olympics. He and his best friend, also named Noah, taught each other how to fly ram air kites and ride carbon fiber foils. Both have recently caught the attention of U.S. Sailing and are

now a regular part of the Olympic Development Squad for Formula Kite. But kiting is not quite enough for Noah, and he has also elected to sail 29er skiffs and the venerable Snipe. Because he can take his school on the road, Noah has spent much of his winter in Florida sailing. In mid-January he traveled to St. Petersburg, Florida to participate in a kite Olympic Development Program (ODP) clinic, coached by two-time Olympic medalist Charlie McKee, and two formula kite regattas. After four days of coaching and training with the best U.S. Formula Kite sailors, Noah finished the first 2-day event hosted by the St. Pete’s Yacht Club in 5th place overall, and first in the U18 category. Four days later, Clearwater hosted one of six Olympic Class Regatta events that will be held this year. Conditions were variable over the four days of racing. Noah put his sailing and tactical training to use, selecting the right sails, getting good starts and sailing the breeze given, and ultimately finished 4th overall. Two days later, Noah moved over to Miami and spent two days training in the 29er in preparation for the 29er Midwinters East event held the weekend of February 13-15. Noah is relatively new to the 29er and, since December, has paired with

Clark Morris of the American Yacht Club for three events, with Clark as skipper and Noah as crew. Years of foiling seem to have prepared Noah well for an easy transition to being 29er crew. Clark and Noah led the first two days of the event but going into the third day were in second place after losing a protest made by the second-place boat. Clark and Noah came out swinging on the first race of the final day of racing, finishing the race more than a minute ahead of the second-place boat. This tied them for first. On the second and last race of the regatta, the boys were pushed into a poor start by successful match race maneuvering of the team with whom they were tied. They got pinned on the left side of the course and rounded the top mark near last. However, the boys slipped away from their rivals on the first downwind leg, and ultimately passed eight boats to secure 6th in the race, winning the regatta with a two-point lead. On March 1, Noah headed to La Ventana, Mexico to again train with the other U.S. Formula kite sailors for 10 days. In April, he will go back to Miami to continue training in the Snipe, sailing in the Don Q Snipe Regatta first, and then on the following weekend, sailing the last 29er event of the spring season. Wish Noah good luck!

Houston Yacht Club names Ernie Brauner as new GM

eteran hospitality and club

management professional Ernie Brauner has been named general manager of Houston Yacht Club, considered one of the nation’s leading yacht clubs, nestled on the western shore of Galveston Bay. Brauner comes to Houston Yacht Club after almost 25 years in management positions for luxury hotels and clubs including Four Seasons Hotel Houston, the prestigious Dallas Country Club and Fort Worth’s Diamond Oaks Country Club, one of the area’s most sought-after golf club experiences. “Houston Yacht Club has a wonderful history and a great membership,” says Brauner. “I’m certainly looking forward to enhancing the club’s experience while embracing the traditions that have made it popular with families for so many years.” Among his priorities as new general manager, Brauner plans to enrich the club’s food and beverage offerings, create more family-friendly events and expand

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

its sailing camps and instruction. “It’s all about a commitment to cultivating the next generation of sailors,” he adds. Coming back to Houston is a bit of a homecoming for Brauner, who grew up in Fort Bend County and later graduated from the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management. “Returning to the Houston area and a one-of-a-kind club is really a dream come true,” he says. With immediate access to Galveston Bay, Houston Yacht Club features a 185boat harbor, historic clubhouse, marina, family pool and guest rooms for overnight lodging. Comfortable indoor areas host dining, weddings, private parties and social events. Nationally recognized as a home for top-level racing, the club offers an unrivalled junior sailing program, Women’s Sailing Association, kayaking, fishing and ‘learn-tosail’ opportunities for all ages. For membership information, go to www. houstonyachtclub.com

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Golf tourneys Communities in School Keep Kids in School Golf Tournament Hosted by CIS-Bay Area Monday, April 19, 2021 Bay Oaks Country Club 14545 Bay Oaks Blvd. Team of Four $1,500 Registration/breakfast 9 a.m. Putting contest at 9:30 a.m. Shotgun start at 11 a.m. Award ceremony 5:15 p.m. Email Kaelei@cisba.org

Judge Holly’s Golf Tournament Monday, May 3, 2021 Bay Oaks Country Club 14545 Bay Oaks Blvd. Registration at 10:30 a.m. Shotgun start at noon Lunch, dinner and prizes $150 individual, $650 for team

Space Center Rotary Fore the Troops Charity Golf Tournament Benefitting Camp Hope Bay Oaks Country Club Monday, May 17 Registration 9 a.m. 11 a.m. tee time Individual $150 Team of four $600 To register, email Tim Kropp -- TCKropp@mricompany.com

League City caps rate for water use in storm

eague City Council on March 9

unanimously approved a resolution that will help ease the burden on residents who experienced broken water pipes during the winter storm or who ran their water continuously to prevent pipes from bursting. League City customers use about 10 million gallons of water a day. During the winter storm, that increased to a peak of nearly 25 million gallons in a single day.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

As part of the resolution, League City utility billing customers will see a rate for their February water usage that is capped at the second of four price tiers regardless of whether they used enough water to move them to a more expensive tier. Due to League City’s delayed billing cycle, customers will not see this rate cap reflected until they received their statements in late March or April. Customers with billing cycles 3,8,5 and 10 will see the increased water consumption on their statements printed at the end of March, due in April. Cycles 4,1,7,6,9 and 2 will see it on their April statements due in May.  League City water customers are billed a flat amount plus an amount based on their water use.The first tier is $2 per 1,000 gallons for the first 3,000 gallons; the second is $5.61 per 1,000 gallons for use between 3,000 and 10,000 gallons; the third is $7.14 per 1,000 gallons for use between 10,001 and 25,000 gallons; and the fourth is $8.67 per 1,000 gallons for use of 25,000 gallons and above. As a way to keep costs down for customers who ran their faucets or experienced pipe breaks, the council voted to cap all residential customers at the second tier even if they used more than 10,000 gallons in February. In addition, for customers who experienced broken pipes, League City has an ordinance that includes a leak adjustment process. Under the ordinance, customers who present proof that a leak was repaired may be eligible for a reduction to their utility bill. Proof can include pictures, receipts, and bills of service. The ordinance allows the League City Utility Billing Department to provide a bill adjustment once every 12 months per customer. Customers seeking leak adjustments to their bills can visit www.leaguecity. com/leakadjustment for more information.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo

Honors just keep coming for Harris County judge By Mary Alys Cherry

arris County Judge

Lina Hidalgo is only 30 years old but is raking in achievements usually saved for those far older. In September, she was named to Fortune magazine’s “40 Under 40” list; now she has been named to Time magazine’s prestigious “Next 100 Most Influential People” list. In an article for Time by former Democratic senatorial candidate and Congressman Beto O’Rourke, she is praised for her «persistence, tenacity and intelligence.” Hidalgo, when she was just 27, was elected to be the chief executive of a county that is the third largest in population in the country. O’Rourke notes, “She is doing an incredible job as judge, as evidenced by her efforts to quickly respond to COVID-19.” Among her responsibilities is her job of serving as presiding officer on the Harris County Commissioners Court, overseeing a $4.3 billion budget, county infrastructure and setting tax rates. O’Rourke thinks she has really distinguished herself. “That’s what leadership looks like,” he adds. “It’s hard to imagine a tougher set of circumstances to confront in your first term in office, but [Hidalgo]

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

has really distinguished herself and makes us proud—not just as Democrats but as Texans,” O’Rourke wrote of his fellow Texas Democrat. This is what he wrote for Time: “Lina Hidalgo’s persistence, tenacity and intelligence were clear from the moment I met her on the campaign trail in Texas in 2017. At the time, she was running for Harris County judge, and I was running for the U.S. Senate. I soon realized that she also had an extraordinary level of humility that is rare to find in somebody pursuing public office.” “At 27, Hidalgo was elected to be the chief executive of a county that has more people in it than in the state of Nevada. Now 29, she is doing an incredible job as judge, as evidenced by her efforts to quickly respond to COVID-19—Harris County announced a mask mandate in April 2020, but a statewide policy didn’t follow until July—as well as to expand her constituents’ access to the ballot box. Early-voting sites offered by the county nearly tripled last year.” “It’s hard to imagine a tougher set of circumstances to confront in your first term in office, but she has really distinguished herself and makes us proud—not just as Democrats but as Texans. That’s what leadership looks like.”

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

146

Sokols Greek

Sawa

Dan’s

Americano Cafe c

OG Express Masa Sushi

Pappa’s Delta Blues BB’s El Tiempo

Boondoggles

r l e a

Opus

Mediterraneo Franca’s Noon & Mirch

Scotty’s

Cabo

Sundance

Ocean Sushi

Pomodoro’s

Nobi Las Haciendas

l a k e

A GUIDE TO THE BEST BITES AND BREWS IN THE BAY

Tookie’s Seafood

Hubcap Grill

888 Chinese Angelo’s Escalante’s

Habanero’s

Chelsea Wine Bar

Crazy Alan’s Bakkhus

g a l v e s t o n

b ay

Skallywag’s

Schafer’s

T-Bone Tom’s

Jackie’s Brickhouse Kemah Cafe

MichiRu

Red River Cantina

Floyd’s

Red River BBQ

Gilhooley’s

AMERICAN ASIAN BBQ CAJUN ITALIAN MEDITERR. MEXICAN PUB/FUSION SEAFOOD

Pier 6 Red Oak Cafe

Marais

Dickinson BBQ

Gio’s

AMERICAN 1. Jackie’s Brickhouse 1053 Marina Bay Dr, Kemah, TX (832) 864-2459 jackiesbrickhouse.com 2. Red Oak Cafe 6011 W Main St a106, League City, TX (832) 905-3150 redoakcafe.com 3. T-Bone Tom’s 707 TX-146, Kemah, TX (281) 334-2133 tbonetoms.com 4. Cabo Bar & Grill 2513 NASA Rd. 1, Seabrook, TX (281) 532-2691 caboclearlake.com 5. Hubcap Grill 1918 E NASA Pkwy, Seabrook, TX (281) 339-7116 hubcapgrill.com 6. Opus Bistro & Steakhouse South Shore Blvd, League City, TX (281) 334-5225 opusbistro.net 7. Americano Cafe 2900 E NASA Pkwy Suite 310, Seabrook, TX (281) 957-7830 americanocafe.us ASIAN 1. 888 Chinese 16744 El Camino Real, Houston, TX (281) 990-8888 888chinesetx.com 2. Masa Sushi 977 E NASA Pkwy, Webster, TX (281) 486-9888 masasushitexas.com

3. Michiru Sushi 20911 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX (281) 338-9988 michirusushi.com 4. Noon & Mirch: Cuisine of India 505 E NASA Pkwy, Webster, TX 5. Ocean Sushi 3020 Marina Bay Dr Suite A2, League City, TX (281) 957-9122 oceansushigrill.com 6. Kemah Cafe 1201 TX-146, Kemah, TX (281) 535-9405 kemahcafe.com 7. Oriental Gourmet Express 1354 NASA Road 1, Houston, TX (281) 335-4567 orientalgourmetexpresstogo.com BARBEQUE 1. Dickinson BBQ 2111 FM 517 Rd E, Dickinson, TX (281) 534-2500 dickinsonbbq.com 2. Pappas Delta Blues 19901 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX (281) 332-0024 www.pappasdeltablues.com 3. Red River BBQ 1911 E Main St Suite B, League City, TX (281) 332-8086 CAJUN

(281) 332-7474 floydswebster.com

(281) 333-3180 mediterraneomarket.com

3. BB’s Tex-Orleans 1039 Bay Area Blvd, Webster, TX (281) 767-9644 bbstexorleans.com

3. Sawa Mediterranean 16608 El Camino Real, Houston, TX (281) 990-0817 sawarestaurantgrill.com

4. Marais 2015 FM 517 Rd E, Dickinson, TX (281) 534-1986

4. Sokols Greek Deli & Cafe 2410 Bay Area Blvd, Houston, TX (281) 286-2989 sokolsgreekcafe.com

I TA L I A N

MEXICAN/TEX MEX 1. Angelo’s Pizza & Pasta 400 Bay Area Blvd A, Webster, TX (281) 332-2404 angelospizza-pasta.com 2. Gio’s Flying Pizza & Pasta 650 FM 517 W. Dickinson, TX (281) 337-0107 giosflyingpizza.com 3. Franca’s Real Italian 1101 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX (281) 488-2207 francasrealitalian.com 4. Dan’s Pizza 15148 TX-3, Webster, TX (281) 480-9700 danspizzaco.com 5. Pomodoro’s Cucina Italiana 2700 Marina Bay Dr. League City, TX (281) 334-5950 pomodorosonline.com MEDITERRANEAN

1. Crazy Alan’s Swamp Shack 310 Texas Ave, Kemah, TX (281) 334-5000 crazyalanswampshack.com

1. Bakkhus Taverna 605 6th St, Kemah, TX (281) 538-1800 bakkhustaverna.com

2. Floyd’s Cajun Seafood 20760 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX

2. Mediterraneo Market & Cafe 1400 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX

Bay Area Houston Magazine | MARCH 2021

1. El Tiempo Cantina 20237 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX (713) 802-1580 eltiempocantina.com

2. Scotty’s Pub 3202 Marina Bay Dr, League City, TX (281) 339-7474 m o s e s l a www.scottyspubhouston.com 3. Skallywag’s 600 6th St, Kemah, TX (281) 538-8877 4. Boondoggles Pub 4106 E NASA Pkwy, El Lago, TX (281) 326-2739 boondogglespub.com 5. Chelsea Wine Bar 4106 E NASA Pkwy f, El Lago, TX (281) 326-5282 chelseawinebartexas.com SEAFOOD

2. Habanero’s Tacos 1908 Hialeah Dr #2, Seabrook, TX (281) 474-4400 habanerostacos.com

1. Gilhooley’s Oyster Bar 222 9th St, San Leon, TX 77539 (281) 339-3813

3. Las Haciendas 1020 W. Nasa Rd 1, Webster, TX 77598 281-557-3500 lashaciendasgrill.com

2. Tookie’s Seafood 1106 Bayport Blvd, Seabrook, TX (281) 942-9445 tookiesseafood.com

4. Red River Cantina 1911 E Main St Suite A, League City, TX 77573 281-557-8156 redrivercantina.com

3. Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House 113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539 (281) 339-1515 pier6seafood.com

5. Escalante’s Fine Tex-Mex & Tequila 1043 W. Bay Area Blvd, Webster, TX 77598 281-316-6980 escalantes.net

4. Sundance Grill II 800 Mariners Dr, Kemah, TX (281) 535-5350 sundance-grill.com

PUB/BAR/FUSION 1. Nobi Public House 241 E NASA Pkwy, Webster, TX (832) 932-5111 nobipub.com

5. Schafer’s Coastal Bar & Grille 1002 Aspen Rd, Clear Lake Shores, TX (281) 532-6860 schaferscoastalbarandgrille.com

k e

By Rick Clapp

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

A Unique Boutique By Jeanette Fashion Show By CoCo Critelli At the Lakewood Yacht Club, Jeanette and friends put on a lively fashion show embracing the arrival of spring. With bright colors on the beautiful and handsome models, Jeanette proudly announced each model as they walked the runway. Facebook @auniqueboutiquebyjeanette

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

YachtY Gras By CoCo Critelli Yachty Gras is America’s Largest Mardi Gras Boat Parade with waves of electrified fun, bright lights, and enthusiastic people. The passionate “Krewes” on the boats traditionally threw beads and gifts as the crowd cheered along the Kemah BoardWalk. Kids, families, and couples gazed in awe at the beautiful boats who lit up the water as gracefully as the Northern Lights.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Festival Dining Night scheduled for May 3

fter suspending

events for their 2020 season due to COVID-19, Lunar Rendezvous Festival officials plan to hold their 56th Annual Dining Night Monday, May 3 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Marais, located at 2015 FM 517 Road E in Dickinson. Dining night chairman Mandie McMillan invites the community to join the fun. Aside from Cuban and Caribbean inspired fare, activities will include a live and silent auction, raffle, and live art painting by local artist Debi Starr. Funds raised at Lunar Rendezvous Festival’s Dining Night help provide community based support including scholarships for higher education, youth development and education programs, and funding for the arts and historical preservation in the Bay Area Houston/NASA area. Tickets for general admission are $100 and

includes open seating, dinner and 2 drink tickets for house beer or wine. All VIP tables have been sold. If you purchased a ticket for the dining night event that was postponed this winter, your ticket is still valid. If there are any questions or concerns with previously purchased tickets, contact Penny Brockway at lunarrendezvousfestivalchair@ gmail.com by April 15. Tickets may be purchased at www.lunarrendezvous.org. This event will be touchless ticketing and all will be checked in upon arrival. The Lunar Rendezvous Festival is made possible by its generous donors and sponsors. Those wishing to be an In-Kind Sponsor, or would like to be a Corporate Sponsor, are asked to visit the festival’s sponsorship page at www. lunarrendezvous.org/sponsorship.php

Man sought in League City stabbing

eague City

Police Department detectives have identified a suspect in the March 17 stabbing of a Jack in the Box manager. Officers are actively searching for James Schulz, 46, who is believed to be a transient. An arrest warrant has been issued for Schulz, who is suspected of stabbing the manager at the Jack in the Box restaurant located at 1503 W. League City Parkway on Wednesday, March 17. The incident began when the suspect refused to cooperate with a store policy to wear a face mask. After confronting employees, the suspect attacked the restaurant

manager with what appeared to be a pocketknife. The manager was stabbed three times in the arm and upper torso. Employees intervened to defend their coworker and then the suspect fled the scene. Officers searched the area around the scene with a K9 unit. The suspect was not located however, several pieces of evidence were recovered. Officers believe the recovered property was discarded by the suspect as he fled the area on a bicycle. The injured employee was transported to a nearby hospital and was treated and released. Anyone with any information is asked to call 281332-2566.

Help for the homeless - Assistance League officials stand in front of the Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery storage tanks in Texas City as they proudly show off a $5,000 check they received from Marathon Petroleum to provide school appropriate clothing for homeless children who attend schools in Texas City ISD. They are, from left, Marketing Vice President Jill Smitherman, President Brooks Cima, Operation School Bell Chairman Sarah Foulds and Grants and Foundations Chairman Ann Halligan.

Coming events Bay Oaks Women’s Association members will host an evening of dining and dancing at their annual gala Saturday, April 10 at Bay Oaks Country Club, starting at 6:15. Lakewood Yacht Club will host its annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremonies at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon, April 11. Bay Area Welcome Neighbor Club will present its Spring Fashion Show Tuesday, April 15 at Bay

Oaks Country Club with fashions by Moxie District 31 Boutique. Mask wearing social begins at 10 a.m. with program at 10:30 a.m. For luncheon reservations, email Bonnie Rimmel, bonnier0512@iclooud.com San Jacinto College opens registration for the fall semester on Monday, April 19. The Clear Lake Symphony will present its sixth and final season concert on Saturday, April 24, which is free and will be streamed

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

online on the symphony’s YouTube site. Visit clearlakesymphony. org for additional information. Clear Lake Area Chamber members will gather at La Brisa on the Creek at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 28 to hear new Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Dr. Eric Williams their hybrid monthly luncheon. For reservations, call the chamber, 281488-7676.

Galveston County Judge Mark Henry will present the League City Regional Chamber’s State of the County address Friday, April 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, 400 W. Walker St., League City. Lunar Rendezvous will hold its 56th Annual Dining Night Monday, May 3 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Marais, located at 2015 FM 517 Road E in Dickinson.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY By Alisa Star

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

The Power of Friendship By Alisa Star

riendship is one of the

oldest parts of our culture and our humanity. Friendship is a very powerful meaningful relationship between people. It’s a social relationship that has no physical ties but binds people together into a strong emotional bond. Friends help us grow, learn, give us support, and strength. This power of a friend can be shown by phone or in person. Friendship doesn›t matter the distance between two people. It’s always present at any time of need. This infuses the power of friendship with positivity and staves off any corruption or toxicity. A true friend will defend you if you are not there, have your back so to speak. They will listen to all your worries with an open mind and never give judgement, just good advice and help you get through a difficult time and try to help make things better. True friendship thrives on trust, inspiration, confidentiality and

“The friends we choose to bring into our lives will show us how to forgive, laugh from the soul, and be the best you can be.” comfort. The power of friendship is that real friends stick around, they want to inspire you, help you excel and go above and beyond your expectations, they admire your success and never be jealous of it Friendship knows no boundaries and exists beyond gender, race, and creed. There are always two things present in friendship: There is a sense

of security and there is a scene of belonging. The people with whom you surround yourself with have an enormous impact on your life. In many ways they help shape it. During a difficult time they are your shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen. Help us in career choices, to encourage us to go for that job

Chicken Florentine By Alisa Star

hicken Florentine is

the perfect comfort food for late fall or a cold day. It looks like it takes a lot of time but it is actually easy to prepare and cook. This recipe only takes 30 minutes and is rich and creamy with tons of flavors. When serving this meal I would pair it with a light white wine. Riesling is a semi sweet wine with honey and peach flavors that would pair well. If you’re a Chardonnay lover, Kendall Jackson or Edna Valley will pair well with the light oak flavors. Ingredients: • • •

4 boneless chicken breast 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp olive oil

Dredge chicken • 1/2 cup flour

or make decisions you were unsure of and try to lead you in the right direction. Two options are always better than one! True life long friendship is becoming extinct. If you have more than 2-3 lifelong friends that are still a part of your life after 20 years, you are blessed and apparently loved and have found your “friend-soulmate”. One of the most overlooked benefits of friendship is that it helps keep our minds and bodies strong, it’s as important as eating well and keeping fit. Friends help us deal with stress, make better lifestyle choices that keep us strong and healthy. Positive friends actually changes our outlook for the better. That means we’re happier when we choose to spend time with happy people. All the more reason to leave that toxic friendship behind. The friends we choose to bring into our lives will show us how to forgive, laugh from the soul, and be the best you can be. Friends are like your backbone, they are always there for support, so be there for each other. Friendship is a two way street, always give your all because it takes two people to create a friendship. There are friends, there is family and there are friends that become family. Cherish your friends and hold them close, a good friend is like a four leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have.

• • • • •

1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 2 tsp italian seasoning 1/4 cup parmesan 1 tsp garlic powder

Florentine sauce • 4 cloves garlic minced • 1 1/2 cups white wine/chicken broth • 1 cup half and half • 1/3 cup soft cream cheese • 3 cup fresh spinach Pound chicken with meat tenderizer to 1 inch thick. Dredge chicken in the dredge mixture. Sear in butter and olive oil over medium heat, 4-5 minutes per side. Set aside Add garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add wine or chicken broth and reduce by half. Slowly stir in the half and half and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer stir in the cream cheese until dissolved and add the spinach. you can add lemon juice if desired. Add chicken back in the pot and let simmer in the mixture, about 20 minutes. Garnish with parmesan and parsley.

APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

40 acres of new oyster habitat created in Bay

ome 40 acres of new oyster habitat

were recently constructed in the Upper Galveston Bay/Trinity Bay area -- the first restoration project of its kind in Galveston

Bay. The partnership project between conservation organizations Galveston Bay Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department aims to demonstrate the Bay’s oyster population can be sustainably managed without

completely restricting commercial harvest. After a two-year closure to allow oysters to populate the reefs, 25 acres of reef will be open for commercial harvest while the other 15 acres will be preserved as a brood stock sanctuary reef to provide larvae to the harvestable sites and a sustainable approach to commercial oyster harvest. “In the past, reefs have been restored either to enhance oyster harvest or to enhance the ecological benefits of oysters and their habitats,” at Texas Parks and Wildlife Coastal Ecologist Bill Rodney said. “The combination of both concepts in one project is a novel approach that few other states have tried.” Project partners established the sanctuary reef as a larval source reef between the two harvestable sites. The sanctuary reef will function as a larvae factory, delivering high-density larvae clouds to the adjacent harvestable reefs via prevailing tidal currents -- which were measured and then modeled by the Texas Water Development Board. This will help the harvestable reefs recover more quickly from the effects of oyster harvest activities. To maintain a high-density population of large oysters on the sanctuary reef, this section was constructed out of larger materials that are resistant to the effects of oyster dredges, another novel aspect of the project’s design. “Oysters are a vital component of a healthy estuary and we are particularly excited that this innovative reef will provide ecosystem service

Give Yourself A Raise By Pastor Brad Heintz

an you imagine walking

into your boss’s office, the board room or your partner’s office and being told that you can give yourself a raise? I bet you would feel like you just hit the lottery or begin wondering what’s the catch or worse. According to Lottery. net, $2.8 billion dollars in lottery winnings went unclaimed in 2017. A lot of Christians are living their lives just like a lottery winner who for whatever reason never collects their prize, gives themselves the raise that Jesus has earned for them on the cross and through the grave. Why is that? This April we who believe in Jesus, celebrate His resurrection. God’s Word says that “He (Jesus) Has Risen.” (Mark 16:6 New International Version). One of the basic tenants of our faith is that Jesus gave his life for us and then victoriously rose from the dead. God’s Word says, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-12 New International Version). If that is the case, then why are so many

Christian walking around selfdefeated, discouraged and not giving themselves the raise earned by Jesus on the cross and through the grave? Why don’t more believers rise to new life, overcome their obstacles and live victoriously in the hope of the resurrection? I believe there are four reasons why people don’t give themselves a raise. • • • •

It’s not what we expect It takes trust It’s too much It takes others

First of all, no one expects to walk into their boss’s office and get a raise, let alone give themselves one. Nevertheless, that is what God does spiritually. Jesus paid the price and we get the benefits of forgiveness, life and salvation. Yet, when Jesus’ resurrection raises us to new life, often is not what we expect. It takes trust on our part. It is can be too much to handle and takes others to help make it happen. Take for example, the resurrection story of Lazarus in John 11. It wasn’t what they expected. Jesus’ good friend Lazarus was sick. Jesus’ friends expected Jesus to heal him. But Jesus didn’t. Most new believers expect miraculous healing from most if not

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

benefits to Galveston Bay and also sustainably support our commercial fishing industry,” said Galveston Bay Foundation President Bob Stokes. The new oyster habitat in the 40-acre reef complex will help filter coastal waters, enhance water quality, and provide food and shelter for over 300 different species of fish, shrimp and crabs, and other invertebrates. Although oysters provide a wealth of benefits, approximately 50 percent of the oyster reefs in Galveston Bay have been lost due to pressure from commercial fishing combined with extreme weather events, such as Hurricanes Ike and Harvey. The Nature Conservancy completed a similar project in Matagorda Bay with RESTORE Act funding in 2014. Today, the reef is teeming with marine wildlife and oysters can be found on 70 percent of the reef’s surface. It has also become a hot spot for anglers and has helped to generate an additional $1.27 million in annual economic activity for the state of Texas through tourism, fishing guide excursions and recreational fishing. The Trinity Bay project team hopes to see similar results in the coming years. “Funding for the Galveston Bay Sustainable Oyster Reef Restoration Project was provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. Texas Water Development Board provided additional support for this project.

all of their problems, but it doesn’t always happen that way. Then we get discouraged or disappointed. Where are you disappointed in God? What is discouraging you? Just give it to God. Let Him handle it. You might be more surprised and amazed then if He had done it your way. Secondly, it takes trust. When Jesus finally gets to Lazarus’ home. He is dead. His sisters and friends are grief stricken. To Martha he gives theology lesson and to Mary he offers his tears. In both we see the importance of trusting Jesus to be present and respond to our pain. Martha must put her faith into action. Mary needs a compassionate God who is there for her. They get what they need because they put their trust in Jesus along the way. How about you? Thirdly, it’s too much. This is probably my favorite part of the story. Jesus is going to raise Lazarus from the grave but there are two things in the way. One is the large stone in front of the opening of the tomb and the other is that “He stinkith much!” (John 11:39). That’s according to the King James Version. For us to rise to new life there is often obstacles that we on our own can’t move or our old stinkin’ thinkin’ gets in the way. Common stones that keep us from living victoriously are: Anxiety and isolation Guilt & shame Unhealthy habits or addictions What is in the way of you fully

embracing the victorious life Jesus has earned and wants for you? Finally, it takes others to help. You can’t move the grave stone in front of the tomb from in the inside. You need friends to help take off the grave clothes. What if you don’t? You either don’t get out or get tripped up! It was Lazarus’ friends who removed the stone. Jesus told his friends to remove the clothes wrapped around him. How about you? Do you have friends who can help? Yes, then ask them. Don’t have friends? Find them in your church, your recovery group, your neighborhood, workplace or activity center. Look for people who want to help, are being victorious in their lives and believe Jesus can give you the raise He has earned and wants for you! Remember that a real raise is possible with Jesus. It will take trust and at times be too much, but with the help of Jesus and your Christian friends, you will exceed your expectations! Pastor Brad Heintz is the founding pastor of Living Word Church in Seabrook, Texas, a vibrant family-style, nondenominational gathering of believers who take a pure, simple and real approach to faith and life. www.LWCBA.org

[EDUCATION]

CCISD Science & Engineering Fair a virtual success 152 Students advance to Science & Engineering Fair of Houston Several months of hard work on independent research projects paid off for students who advanced to the District Science & Engineering Fair. The future scientists and engineers quickly adjusted to this year’s virtual fair environment and in the end, there were 224 secondary students and 113 elementary students whose projects placed in the 61st Annual CCISD Science & Engineering Fair Awards Program held virtually this year. Sponsored by long-time Science & Engineering Fair supporter, SAIC, the 2021 fair was the first in CCISD history where an intermediate

school student won a Grand Award. Brookside Intermediate’s Ella Schreiter won the Jesse A. Dorrington 2021 Grand Award for her project on a wearable metronome. Last year, Schreiter placed first in the Junior Division of the Science & Engineering Fair of Houston and was the 3M Young Scientist Lab State Merit Winner for Texas. In the video awards program, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Eric Williams directly addressed the student competitors in his opening remarks. “Your passion for science and engineering shined even in an all-virtual environment this year,” he said. “I wish we could call you to the stage this evening and hand you your well-deserved ribbons, medals and trophies with your family and teachers in the audience. But while this format may be different this year, our pride and Brookside Intermediate heartfelt congratulations Science Magnet are just as sincere.” Liaison Joey Segura Even the judging and Brookside Scientific Research occurred remotely for the teacher Tammie 2021 event. Clear Creek LaBiche presenting ISD is grateful for the Ella Schreiter with her Grand Award for her more than 150 volunteer project on a wearable judges who generously metronome. shared their time and expertise. After they received the student projects via email, judges had several days to pre-evaluate the students’ work. Judges then gathered together in a virtual meeting platform for final judging and placements. The District announced that 152 students in grades 7-12 qualified to advance to the Science & Engineering Fair of Houston. The 2021 CCISD Science & Engineering Fair Grand Award Winners are:  Jesse A. Dorrington 2021 Grand Award Life Science Brandon Moree, Clear Lake High School Exploring Alternative Method for Pipeline Leak Detection   Jesse A. Dorrington 2021 Grand Award  Life Science Runner Up Melina Kumar, Brookside Intermediate School Reducing the Risk of Diabetes: A Novel Approach for the Development of a Sensitive Glucagon ELISA

Jesse A. Dorrington 2021 Grand Award Engineering Ella Schreiter, Brookside Intermediate School A Wearable, Silent, Dynamic Device Controlled by a Conductor’s Movements   Jesse A. Dorrington 2021 Grand Award  Engineering Runner Up Emmy Li, Clear Lake High Highly Porous Materials for C02 Capture – Absorption and Desorption  2021 iYar Fine Arts Award: Sound Music through Science – Universal Peace through Music  Senior Division: Sulochana Pattabhiraman Award David Corvaglia, Clear Springs High  What are the best materials for the sound dampening of various frequencies found on the violin?  Junior Division: Pattu Rajagopalan Award Ella Schreiter, Brookside Intermediate  A Wearable, Silent, Dynamic Device Controlled by a Conductor’s Movements Clear Creek ISD also recognizes and congratulates students who committed to completing a science fair project every year of their K-12 education journey: 13-Year Science Fair Participants: Rachel Passantina, Clear Creek High Joelliance Langevine, Clear Lake High Anna Pinchen, Clear Brook High Muhammad Zain, Clear Brook High Melvin Briscoe IV, Clear Creek High

Brookside Intermediate cheerleaders and campus staff host a Science Fair Parade for students to pick up their medals, ribbons and trophies.

RN license lapsed? UHCL offers help

Ron Carter accepting scholarship applications from area high school seniors

Registered nurses with lapsed licenses can easily find their way back into the workplace. The Continuing Education program through University of Houston-Clear Lake’s College of Human Sciences and Humanities is offering courses that will help nurses who have been away from a medical work setting for four years or more to reactivate their RN license and relaunch their careers. “These courses are designed to give registered nurses updated knowledge in theory and clinical practice to meet the Texas Board of Nursing requirements for reactivation,” said Assistant Professor of Nursing and Nursing Program Director Karen Alexander. “This course not only reactivates the license, it returns highly qualified nurses into the workplace,” adding that it is not possible for a registered nurse to reactivate his or her license without these courses.

It’s time once again for Ron Carter Hyundai to identify and recognize the future leaders from the Greater Clear Lake Area High School community. Now in it’s 9th year, this scholarship is proud to honor and support these seniors by awarding five college scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each. Applications will be accepted through June 30th, 2021. This scholarship is open to high school seniors in Clear Lake and surrounding areas of Clear Creek ISD, Alvin ISD, Deer Park ISD, Pasadena ISD, Dickinson ISD, LaPorte ISD, Pearland ISD and Friendswood ISD. Students from parochial and home schools within the boundaries of these districts are also eligible. Recipients will be chosen based on academic achievement, character, leadership and community service. Scholarship applications and detailed instructions can be found by at www. roncarterhyundai.com/giving-back.htm APRIL 2021 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

[BAY AREA HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP]

been lost. As of January 2021, only 55.6 percent or 12,321,000 have been recouped. However, there are U.S. employment forecasts that predict very strong job growth this year. Jankowski doesn’t entirely agree with the predictions which are based on past recessions. He believes that there have been structural changes in the economy and that a lot of the jobs won’t come back, or they will come back in a different form citing retail jobs as a classic example. With people’s ability to purchase things online and have them delivered, he

“The hardest hit were those who could least afford it – the hourly workers – 59 percent of all U.S. workers.” Patrick Jankowski, senior vice president, research, Greater Houston Partnership, left, with Bob Mitchell, president, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, at a 2020 meeting. Photo by Mary Alys Cherry

Effects of the pandemic on Texas now a challenge to its economy By Kathryn Paradis “This has been a monumental health crisis and collapse of the economy. It has really upended the way we think about a lot of things,” said Greater Houston Partnership Senior Vice PresidentResearch Patrick Jankowski as he opened his virtual presentation on the Houston Economic Outlook to members of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership on Feb. 25, 2021. As of Feb. 23, 2021, Jankowski noted that there have been 525,483 reported cases of coronavirus in the nine-county area of Metro Houston with 6,780 deaths. That translates to one in every 13 residents has come down with coronavirus, and one in every 1,042 residents has died. He spoke of herd immunity, which is the point when enough people are immune to the virus that it can no longer spread through the population. He said that once we reach that point we can expect to see the economy really open

up. Jankowski related that herd immunity depends on … n How quickly we roll out the vaccines n How long immunity lasts nThe rise of new variants n Effectiveness of current vaccines on new strains

JOB LOSSES

Jankowski felt confident that the U.S. would reach herd immunity by late summer, but he was concerned about what might happen outside of the U.S. He said that globally we may not reach herd immunity until sometime next year or even the year following. “This will have a weight on the economy, especially since so much of Houston’s economy is tied to global trade,” he stated. “At the point,” he continued, “we reach herd immunity, there will be a lot of pent-up demand released, and growth will really take off. Until then there will be lukewarm growth but not the kind of growth that we really need.” He said that due to the pandemic, 22.1 million jobs have

Bay Area Houston Magazine | APRIL 2021

feels that many retail jobs are never coming back. He added, “What we don’t understand is how many of our behaviors, changed to adapt to the pandemic, will be permanent. It will take two years, if not more, from that start of the pandemic to recover all of the jobs that have been lost. The GDP will recover before that, but the jobs will take longer.” Unemployment claims have dropped substantially, but they are still two to three times higher than they should be. There are major economic drivers that will help support job growth. These include: n Fiscal stimulus package n Record low interest rates n Successful vaccine rollout n Pent-up demand

IMPACT ON REGION

Jankowski reported that in Houston, 350,200 jobs were lost in March and April 2020. This was the equivalent to approximately five years’ worth of job growth. Restaurants, bars, construction, energy, wholesale trade, and manufacturing are struggling. Houston vehicle sales are down. Home sales have hit a record partly due to low interest rates. The U.S. rig count remains even lower than it was at the worst part of the fracking bust. This will continue to affect oil field services, oil field equipment manufacturing, wholesale

trade which supplies the oil and gas industry, and exploration and production. Oil prices are up, but Saudi Arabia has announced that it is going to put some oil back on the market to take advantage of that. “Saudi Arabia, OPEC, and OPEC Plus will probably benefit from the higher oil prices more than we will,” he said. Jankowski also noted that Houston is definitely overbuilt in office, industrial, and multi-family, and Houston metro construction projects are down a bit. The good news, Jankowski added, is that business and professional services, finance and insurance are the type of businesses that can be done remotely. These include high-paying jobs that are doing well and are good for the economy on many fronts.

LONG-TERM IMPACTS

Jankowski then changed topics to the impact of the recent record cold weather. He emphasized that the economic impact to Houston could in no way be compared to that of Hurricane Harvey in 2017 as some people have suggested. As of Feb. 25, the date of the presentation, it was too soon to assess the actual damage caused by the weather. He did say that the hardest hit were those who could least afford it – the hourly workers – 59 percent of all U.S. workers. In Houston, there are 1.8 million hourly workers, approximately 700,000 households, many of whom did not collect a paycheck because their workplace was closed or they could not get to work. Refineries, chemical plants, and food processors were affected, as well, from loss of electricity, natural gas, and water. Refineries only operated at 62.8 percent of capacity. During the worst of the pandemic thus far, refineries got down to 66 percent of capacity, Jankowski reported. He also said that inbound truck traffic to Texas was down by almost 47 percent on Feb. 17th, and outbound traffic was down by almost 47 percent the following day. Texas, Jankowski added, has long been known for its exceptionalism with its wonderful business climate and low regulation resulting in a strong economy. Nationally, Texas is now being challenged. He declared, “We have image repair that we need to do, and we have to figure out what we need to do to fix the infrastructure. It’s going to take a long time, but we have to get it fixed.”