By Allan Jamail
Houston, TX – February 20, 2019 — Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia held her first Community Safety Meeting and reported how she’s doing in her new role representing the 29th District. She said one of her first things to do was to go visit the Texas Republicans serving in the House and to let them know she wanted to work in a by-partisan way on issues that’ll help Texas. She said she felt they’ll have a good working relationship on many issues such as the Port of Houston, NASA, hurricane surge protection and disaster relief. But on the more hard-line tough issues like immigration and the border wall the Republicans are dug-in and determine to hold their position and not eager or willing to compromise.
The Congresswoman expressed dissatisfaction that President Trump’s immigration policy at the border is separating very young immigrant children from their parents and in one place 140 kids are kept confined in a small room using bunk-beds. Garcia said the recent President’s government shut-down hurt everyone and she was working with legislatures to try to get legislation approved which would prevent a shut-down from any future President just because they didn’t get their way on issues that Congress wouldn’t approve for them.
Lt. Adrian Rodriquez gave the January 2019 Crime Statistics report for HPD’s Northeast Command Station, District 9. He said District 9 covers Clinton Park community, Pleasantville community, Denver Harbor community, IH 610 West to McCarty Drive and the IH 10 East Freeway Corridor along the feeder (both north and south side) to Uvalde Road. “Overall crime is down compared to 2018, but there’s an increase in vehicles being stolen and broken into,” he said.
Officer Rodriquez warned of the WHITE VAN SCAM where scam artist drive through strip centers or shopping centers offering shoppers great bargains on electronics like new televisions, stereos, home theaters, woofers and boom box speakers. The scammers put very cheap low grade merchandise in name brand boxes and the victim buyer doesn’t discover they’ve been ripped off until they try to use the equipment. He said, “If you’re offered a deal that sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn’t true.”
Maria Pilar Aponte, an engineer with the Texas Department of Transportation, said progress is being made on the new sidewalk project north of IH 10 East Freeway from Normandy street going west along the feeder to Maxey Road (FM 526) and then going north up past Woodforest Blvd. to Nola Court.
Lisa Kasianowitz, Outreach Manager for the Houston Parks Board, said the Bayou Greenways 2020 project is making good progress with the planned 150 miles of new hike and bike trails with new parks many in the North Channel area.
Participants present included Joaquin Martinez, Director of Constituent Services for District I Houston Councilman Robert Gallegos, Linda Jamail, Community Liaison of State Rep. Ana Hernandez office, Northeast Houston Advisory Council, North East Partners In Power, Inc, North Channel Network/ Houston Responds and Greens Bayou Coalition.