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Posts published in April 2022

East Aldine releases JFK Statue renderings

April 26, 2022
ABOVE: Artists concept in rendering furnished by the Engineering Consultant shows a granite base for the statue, and extensive landscaping, paving, and lighting developed in the esplanade.

Installation scheduled for this year on JFK Boulevard

EAST ALDINE – The East Aldine District Arts Committee, with Carlos Silva as chairman, has released new artist’s renderings of the proposed memorial statue that will be mounted in the esplanade of JFK Boulevard, at the Arline-Bender intersection.

Silva reported to the East Aldine board recently that the statue, which is a bust of the late president John F. Kennedy, is scheduled for construction and installation later this year. However, the consulting engineers, CobbFendley, reported that the cost for the granite base and the surrounding landscaping and pavement development had exceeded the budget, and they were working on a redesign that would cost less money.

A huge bust statue of the late president John F. Kennedy will soon mark the northern edge of the District, and greet travelers arriving from Intercontinental Airport.

ABOVE: The artist’s rendering shows detail of the JFK bust statue and the inscribed signage on the statue’s granite base. Lettering is in bronze, embedded into the granite. All renderings furnished by the East Aldine District and CobbFendley.

The Art Committee of the East Aldine District has recommended to the board the purchase and installation of a unique statue of JFK, sculpted by famed artist David Adickes. Adickes is known for the towering statue of Texas hero Sam Houston, which sits along the highway I-45 in Huntsville. The board agreed, and last year approved the purchase and the cost of engineering the installation.

The statue would be located in the median between the northbound and southbound lanes of JFK Boulevard, at the intersection with Aldine Bender.

Continue reading...East Aldine releases JFK Statue renderings

Early Voting starts April 25; Election Day May 7

April 26, 2022

HARRIS COUNTY – The Municipal and Local primary election will take place on Saturday, May 7 with a low voter turnout expected by authorities. No major candidates are on the ballot, only two state constitutional amendments and a number of bond issues for local districts, and local candidates.

Early voting will start on Monday, April 25 and continue through May 3. Hours in general are M-S 7am – 7pm, Sun 12pm – 7pm. Hours on Election Day are 7am – 7pm.

Polling places for Early Voting in this area are BakerRipley campus, Acres Homes Community Center, and Houston Community College North Forest Campus.

Since the main issues on the ballot have to do with two Constitutional Amendments that may lower your taxes, State Senator Paul Bettencourt has issue the following analysis (edited) to aid all voters:

Continue reading...Early Voting starts April 25; Election Day May 7

New campus manager for BakerRipley East Aldine

April 26, 2022
ROSIE HERNANDEZ, BakerRipley Manager

By Rocio Witte

EAST ALDINE – BakerRipley has announced that Rosalva “Rosie” Hernandez is the new Manager of Community Development for our BakerRipley East Aldine Campus!

Rosie has been with BakerRipley since 2017. She started off in our Youth Program as a Community Youth Assistant at Gulfton and then got promoted to a Community Resource Specialist working with the Community Center team at Gulfton in 2018. Rosie transferred over to East Aldine in 2019, which is where she grew up and has lived her whole life. She spent some time on our Rental Assistance Team as an Intake Eligibility Specialist for about a half year during the pandemic. Rosie has always stood out as a leader in all the roles mentioned. Her dedication and passion for serving the community has always been exemplary. She takes the time to listen and take proactive action. This combined with her in-depth knowledge of and connections with the community, is what made her the best choice for Manager of Community Development for the BakerRipley East Aldine Campus.

Continue reading...New campus manager for BakerRipley East Aldine

MacArthur Soccer team Goes on Historic Run in Playoffs

April 26, 2022

The MacArthur High School Generals soccer team had a playoff run for the ages this season.

The Generals, who finished second in District 14- 6A, won four straight playoff games and were one game away from qualifying for the Class 6A State Soccer Tournament when their historic run was cut short with a 2- 1 loss to The Woodlands in the Region II Finals on April 9 in Austin.

The Generals opened the postseason with a bi-district win over College Park, then defeated Tomball in the area round, Klein in the third round, and No. 10-ranked Duncanville in the Region II Semifinals before dropping a hard-fought contest to The Woodlands.

The 2022 Generals made history by going further in the playoffs than any previous MacArthur soccer team. While head coach Salvador Fernández was sad to see the season end, he was incredibly proud of how his young team performed in the postseason and is excited about the future.

“I am very proud of the team,” Fernández said. “We overcame a lot of adversity together. The team fought hard in every game this season and became a solid unit.”

Continue reading...MacArthur Soccer team Goes on Historic Run in Playoffs

Jazz Fest set for Town Center on April 23

April 19, 2022

East Aldine Town Center will host a free Jazz Fest and Concert on Saturday, April 23rd, from 3pm to 7pm, with local and featured performers. The event will take place in the Park and Amphitheater at the new Town Center on Aldine Mail Route. The public is invited to attend any or all of the performances.

Activities include music, face painting, food trucks, a petting zoo, and more.

Sponsors of the event are the Texas Commission on the Arts, the East Aldine District, and the Diaz Music Institute. See page 8 of this issue for more information.

East Aldine Jazz Fest is featuring Guest Artists Britney Bloom, Robert Chapa, Felix Deleon, James Murphy, and Ernesto Vega.

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Continue reading...Jazz Fest set for Town Center on April 23

Annual Family Day fun at Turner Park

April 19, 2022
Mayor Sylvester Turner tries his hand at the Washboard during Family Day.

The 14th Annual Family Day was held from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at Sylvester Turner Park, 2800 West Little York. Area residents gathered for games, music and free food, courtesy of the sponsors and the City of Houston. And many politicians were present, to greet and talk with their constituents, including Mayor Sylvester Turner, State Rep. Armando Walle and Ana Hernandez, and many others.

Family Day featured three stages with music and other entertainment. J. Paul Jr. and the Zydeco Nubreeds, Carver High School Performing Arts Students, Tiger Rock Martial Arts, Operation Get Fit and more performed throughout the afternoon.

Continue reading...Annual Family Day fun at Turner Park

Sales Tax Holiday April 23- 25 for Emergency supplies

April 19, 2022

(AUSTIN) — As we enter severe weather season, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar reminds Texans they can purchase certain items tax-free during the state’s sales tax holiday for emergency preparation supplies, which begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, April 23, and ends at midnight on Monday, April 25.

“Whether it’s fires, freezing temperatures or tornadoes, severe weather conditions can strike at any time, so it is important that families, homes and businesses have the supplies they need to face these and other emergencies,” Hegar said. “This tax holiday can help Texans save money while stocking up for emergency situations.”

The Comptroller’s office estimates shoppers will save more than $1.5 million in state and local sales taxes during the tax holiday, which was approved by the Texas Legislature in 2015.

There’s no limit on the number of qualifying items you can purchase. These include:

Continue reading...Sales Tax Holiday April 23- 25 for Emergency supplies

Flying the Friendly Skies

April 19, 2022

This Easter week was especially pleasant around our house, because we had a visit from our grandkids. Since they live in Ohio, we don’t see them as often as we would like. Iris is 5 years old now, and Reed is 2. Like the plants they are named for (maybe), they grow up fast and we need to keep track of them on a regular basis.

GRANDKIDS IRIS AND REED, AT IAH AIRPORT

Although our daughter and their mother, Kristan, grew up in Houston, when they visit they explore wonders that seem very special to this city and different from their snowy climate in Ohio. And they keep us busy with their activities. Almost every day we spent time at an outdoor swimming pool, visited Hermann Park and Zoo, splash pad and train, played at Levi Park near Greenway Plaza, ate their favorite Chinese food in Bellaire Chinatown, visited the Childrens Museum, and more.

The trip to Houston is very special to the grandkids, and they look forward to the flight as well as the fun they have while they are here. But this trip, they had a unique experience that most of us, kids or adults, would be thrilled with.

Continue reading...Flying the Friendly Skies

Walle says to Concrete Plant: GET OUT OF HERE!

April 12, 2022
PROTEST GROUP participants post for a photo after the contentious TCEQ Hearing on the Proposed Concrete Plant in Aldine. The group included EAD’s Joyce Wiley, State Rep. Armando Walle, Pct. 2 Selina Valdez, Rocio Witte of BR, Marina Sugg of GFCC, Sergio Hernandez representing State Sen. Carol Alvarado.

Hundreds of Angry Residents attend TCEQ Hearing

Commissioner Garcia offers to buy property

By Gilbert Hoffman

ALDINE – Residents of this community are up in arms over the announcement of another proposed concrete plant within their neighborhood.

A public hearing was held last Thursday evening, at the offices of the East Aldine District, and hundreds of residents, government officials, educators and health professionals turned out to voice their opposition to the proposed plant.

Speaker after speaker told the representatives of TCEQ, the state agency that must approve the application for air quality, that they suffered from asthma and other health conditions caused by eight existing concrete plants within a five mile radius of Aldine.

Many of the speakers pointed out that the site for the concrete plant couldn’t have been a worse choice, since it is next to residential homes, a new all-inclusive county parks for immunocompromised children and adults, and within a close distance to an elementary school, with children walking there every day.

PRECINCT 2 COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA addresses the 200+ attendees about the dangerous affect on health that concrete plants cause. He opposes the location of the plant next to the All-Inclusive James Driver park that he just completed. In a dramatic move in the middle of the meeting, he offered to buy out the plant location from the owner, who responded “It’s not for sale.”
Continue reading...Walle says to Concrete Plant: GET OUT OF HERE!