Northeast News • 5906 Star Lane, Houston, TX 77057 • Phone: 713-266-3444 • Fax: 713-977-1188 • Email: nenewsroom@aol.com
By Anne Marie Kilday
East Aldine residents, businesses and friends are invited to participate in three exciting celebrations this month at the expanding East Aldine Town Center at 2800 Aldine Mail Route Road.
The dynamic, free events show the growth, hard work and colorful makeup of East Aldine and the enrichment of the area by the East Aldine Management District.
By Gilbert Hoffman
PCT 2 HARRIS COUNTY – Last Thursday, Oct. 14 Commissioner Adrian Garcia presented the completed Parks and Trails Plan to the community. This plan is not only meant to enhance the physical environment of the various parks and neighborhoods in Precinct 2, but also to weave a cohesive relationship between different neighborhoods through the precinct. The Commissioner has initiated an ambitious project, to study each community and present a Comprehensive Master Plan for enhancing the physical and quality of life aspects of its features. This includes roads, drainage, and other amenities as well as the park system.
The presentation of the Parks and Trails Final Plan was made through ZOOM, to an audience that totalled almost 100 participants. The presentation was made by Katie Coyne, project manager for the landscape planning firm AsakuraRobinson. It was monitored by Jorge Bustamante, planning manager of Precinct 2.
After over a year of meeting with community stakeholders, the Precinct 2 Parks and Trails Plan is complete. Through a collaborative process involving in-depth community engagement, research, and analysis, the Precinct 2 Parks and Trails Plan outlines how the parks and trails system will best serve the diverse communities in Precinct 2. The Plan will guide the Commissioner and the Precinct 2 team in prioritizing investments, incorporating best practices for programming and design, and help create and maintain the best parks and trails for the Precinct 2 community.
In his welcoming remarks, Commissioner Garcia called parks “A Place to Celebrate Community.” He said Parks and trails in Precinct 2 provide opportunities for communities to safely come together, play, exercise, and connect with nature. Now more than ever, parks are a vital resource for all residents.
(All photos courtesy of Marina Sugg and Veronica Sanches)
By Anne Marie Kilday
EAST ALDINE – The 38th annual celebration of National Night Out backed by the East Aldine Management District reflected a conscious effort to build trust between law enforcement and the community — a key to improving public safety.
Dozens of area families turned out for the Oct. 5, 2021 event at the District’s new Town Center great lawn and amphitheater for the celebration.
There were fire engines, ambulances, high water rescue equipment, a surveillance helicopter, law enforcement officers, free library books, college catalogues, free Frisbees and coloring books, whistles and plastic firefighter hats, along with raffle prizes, music, dancing girls, good food and two bouncy houses.
It was an opportunity for kids to see that flashing red lights and sirens are not automatically threatening or scary. And it was a chance for law enforcement officers to joke with pom-pom waving teenagers and toss Frisbees with young boys.
The 7th Annual Jensen JUBILEE Fall Festival will return to the Jensen area next Saturday, October 16 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. The event will take place in Shady Lane Park, on Parker Road.
The event is free to the public, and will include Food, Entertainment, Health Screenings, a Kids Zone/Area de Ninos, and much more according to the organizers, the Houston Northeast CDC and Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson, District B. Mayor Sylvester Turner will lead a delegation of officials and sponsors on the event stage.
Platinum Sponsor is UTHealth, and UT Physicians, who operate the Clinic on Jensen at Crosstimbers.
The public is invited for a day of fun, food and games with their neighbors.
By Alan Bernstein
The identity of Alwiene S. “Sophie” Goerlitz Weise was never in doubt.
She was born in the Austin area, during the Civil War, on Dec. 23, 1863. Among her parents and siblings, she was the only American from first breath. The rest of the Goerlitz family had come from Germany.
She married freight hauler Ephraim Weise, had at least four children, died of pneumonia at age 41 and was buried near McDade, Texas, 134 miles west-northwest of Aldine.
But the shadowy fate of her narrow, marble gravestone — 2 feet, 9 inches high and engraved with German words — created a decades-long mystery.
The 101-pound stone was found more than 20 years ago on land in East Aldine, where seemingly no one knew who she had been — or how, or why, or when, the object bearing her name came to rest on the northeast edge of Houston.
Back at the Three Oaks Cemetery near McDade, which is marked by a Texas Historical Commission plaque, all that was visible on Sophie’s burial plot, at Row F of Lot F 2, was the base that had held the stone. It says “Weise.” Next to it was, and is, the gravestone identifying one of her daughters, who died at age 3 or 4.
The story goes that one day around 2001, an East Aldine man hefted Sophie’s stone into what was then office of the Northeast News at Aldine Mail Route Road and U.S. 59/69. He said he had found the stone in the neighborhood — he may have said it had turned up on his property — and was hoping the newspaper could help find out where it belonged.
After the newspaper changed locations, the stone remained in place to be “inherited” by the staff of the East Aldine Management District, which took over the office space following its formation in 2001.
The tale of the well-traveled tombstone stayed hazy until a few weeks ago, as the District staff moved into the District’s new Town Center office building on Aldine Mail Route Road.
ALDINE – The November Election will include a ballot choice for 3 seats on the Aldine ISD school board. Incumbents will have challengers in each of the three positions, an unusual situation in most election years.
Early voting will start on October 18, through October 29. On Tuesday, the polls will be open 7am to 7 pm. You may vote at any Harris County location, see HarrisVotes.com for more information.
The MacArthur Generals varsity football team took a large step toward redeeming their reputation last Saturday, Oct. 2 at Thorne Stadium, defeating the Aldine Mustangs 48-6.
After a 24-10 victory in the first game of the season, the Generals have struggled with their offense, and have not scored any points in the last 2 games. They lost to Nimitz on Friday, Sept. 24 with a score of 3-0. The game had ended in a 0-0 tie, but the Cougars managed to win the game in OT with a field goal.
In this week’s game, the General offense came alive, with daring plays well executed. In the 3rd quarter QB #5 Darius Hicks completed a 74 yard pass to #1 Kendrik Dennis for a TD that brought the score to 41- 0. Then #1 Jason Crampton rushed 65 yards for another TD.
AUSTIN – Governor Abbott today issued a proclamation announcing that he will convene a third special legislative session at 10 a.m. on Monday, September 20, 2021. The proclamation identifies 5 agenda items for the third Special Session.
“The Texas Legislature now has the opportunity to redraw legislative and congressional districts in accordance with the new census numbers,” said Governor Abbott. “In addition to redistricting, there are still issues remaining that are critical to building a stronger and brighter future for all Texans.”
Agenda items for the third Special Session will include:
EAST ALDINE – The community is in anticipation of a big National Night Out on Tuesday, October 5th, since the event was unable to be held last year due to the Pandemic.
Festivities will start at 6:00 pm and continue until 9:00 pm and will take place at the new East Aldine Town Center, directly behind BakerRipley on Aldine Mail Route.
Organizers say that activities will include a chance to meet your neighbors, and public safety officials such as the Sheriff’s deputies, fire department personnel, and EMS. There will also be booths from many civic and educational organizations, such as the Green Forest Civic Club, Castlewood Civic Club, Lone Star College, Aldine ISD, and other organizations and businesses.
Kids can enjoy games and adults will have a live DJ and dancing, food, and other fun activities.
HOUSTON – One officer is dead and another is injured after a shooting in northeast Harris County.
The incident happened around 7:30 a.m. at the Timber Ridge Apartments on Aeropark Drive near Crosswinds Drive, authorities said.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said William “Bill” Jeffrey and Sgt. Michael Vance with the HPD Major Offenders Unit were serving a high-level felony arrest warrant at the location.
When they arrived, Finner said a woman believed to be in some sort of relationship with the suspect answered the door. At that point, Finner said the suspect immediately came out and opened fire on the officers.