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Posts published in “Community”

Three incumbents returned to AISD Board; Randy Bates elected to Position 1 seat

November 12, 2019

Voters in Aldine ISD went to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5 and returned incumbents Dr. Kimberley Booker, Dr. Viola M. Garcia and Paul Shanklin to their respective seats on the Aldine ISD Board of Education and elected Randy Bates to the Position 1 seat.

Bates, an attorney, defeated Jamail Johnson by 28 votes (3,168 votes to 3,140 votes) to claim the Position 1 seat that was previously held by Patricia Ann Bourgeois. Bourgeois did not seek re-election. Candidate Steve Moore garnered 2,213 votes and Jimmy Morales received 1,875 votes in the Position 1 race. Aldine’s school board election follows plurality rules and candidates with the most votes wins the election. There were 10,396 votes cast in the Position 1 race.

Shanklin ran unopposed and was returned to the Position 2 seat. He received 8,156 votes.

Dr. Booker received 6,881 votes and defeated Danny Spears (1,925 votes) and Rickey Tezino (1,235 votes) in the Position 6 race. There were 10,041 votes cast in the Position 6 race.

Dr. Garcia received 4,668 votes and defeated Terkara Cormier (2,983 votes) and Nico Matthews (2,510 votes) in the Position 7 race. There were 10,161 votes cast in the Position 7 race.

All four will be sworn in at the Nov. 19 board meeting. The results will be official once the votes are canvassed on Nov. 18.

Crowds enjoy East Aldine Fall Festival

November 5, 2019
Crowds lined the pavement to watch the colorful Flamenco Dancers from Aldine ISD. Music and Dance, food and fun were spread through the day.

EAST ALDINE – The Annual Fall Festival, hosted by the East Aldine District, attracted a large crowd of adults and children, enjoying music and dancing, contests and raffles, and lots of exhibits and information booths from local agencies and organizations.

The Festival took place at Town Center this year, next to BakerRipley campus. The theme for the event was observance of “Dia De Los Muertos” and there were lots of costumes and face painting with that theme.

Costumes and make-up highlighted the theme of Dia de los Muertes. Contests included the Sugar Skull Face competition, above, and a Kids’ Dance Contest.

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Dia de los Muertos observed at Brookside

November 5, 2019

Hundreds celebrated Dia do Los Muertos at Brookside Funeral Home and Memorial Park last Saturday.

Festivities included a Celebration of Life, Costume contest, Games, Raffles, Face Painting, Ballet Folklorica, Mariachis, and crafts and vendors. Prizes were awarded in a raffle, including bicycles for kids and a television for adults.

Father Villareal gave a message on the meaning of the day, and blessed the altar with family remembrances.

See more photos of Day of the Dead on page 8 of the print or PDF edition.

Community Engagement Meeting for Halls Bayou Tributaries

November 5, 2019

The Harris County Flood Control District will hold a Community Engagement Meeting for Tributaries P118-23- 00 and P118-23-02, located west of Hardy Toll Road and south of Halls Bayou, and Tributaries P118-25-00 and P118- 25-01, located west of Hardy Toll Road and north of Halls Bayou, as pictured.

The purpose of this meeting is to inform residents about the status of the feasibility level alternatives analyses completed for these tributaries and to gather public input on the recommended project alternatives that will progress into the next stage of the project lifecycle.

The tributary projects mentioned here focus on reducing flooding risk by identifying options to improve the channel conveyance capacity and provide additional stormwater detention basin storage within the project area communities.

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East Aldine Native dedicates career to serving community

October 29, 2019
Deputy Jesse Leal, left.

By Christina Autry

As a native of East Aldine with 29 years of experience in the police force, Deputy Jesse Leal now serves the community at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office storefront in the East Aldine District. This storefront is an easy contact point for people to quickly seek assistance, or ask questions, as an alternative to contacting a police station. With his deep understanding of the area and a passion for helping the community, Jesse Leal is a great resource for both adults and youth in East Aldine.

Leal’s enthusiasm about connecting with the community allows him to support individuals in more ways than with just criminal matters. “I answer all kinds of calls in the district,” says Leal. “Some people ask how to register their kids for school, or how to get a Gold Card for healthcare. I determine whether their need is a criminal or civil issue, and I connect them with the appropriate services,” he explains.

From day to day, Leal does everything from helping victims of domestic violence, to helping a new mother install a car seat. “In domestic situations, I take everything into consideration. I determine if they need a shelter, or other resources around the city,” he explains. Leal works with the non-profit Safe Kids to provide parents with free car seats and installation. Individuals can simply stop by the storefront if they are in need of help regarding car seats.

Free movie nights, laser tag, or school presentations organized through the Community Relations Department of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) are just some of the relationship-building activities that Leal, an Aldine ISD graduate, participates in with the youth of East Aldine. “The kids realize that we’re not robots,” he laughs. “We’re human; we laugh, cry, and get scared just like they do.”

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Jensen Jubilee Parade & Festival

October 22, 2019
The Jensen Jubilee supporters included these speakers: L to R, Mike Knox, Armando Walle, Carol Alvarado, Karla Cisneros, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Sylvia Garcia, Yuroba Harris, and Pastor David Smith, NECDC president.

NORTHEAST HOUSTON – Warm sunny weather brought out hundred of people from the Northeast Houston community, to view the parade and take part in the festivities. The weather was a marked contrast to last year, when heavy rain dampened everyone’s spirit.

The parade consisted of floats, marching units, and several equestrian groups. Units were from local schools, churches, the police, sheriff, and Houston fire department, and local politicians. The terminus of the parade was Shady Lane Park on Parker Road, where free food, and information booths from local service agencies were set up under the roofed pavilion.

After a round of welcoming speeches highlighted by Mayor Turner, who voiced his commitment to the Jensen neighborhood, and Pastor David Smith, head of the NECDC who organized the parade, the main sponsor U.T. Physicians took the stage. Andrew Casas, COO of U.T. Physicians, presented $2000 scholarships to two high achieving students from Sam Houston high school. Receiving the awards were DeAnn Mendoza, and David Gone.

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Jensen Jubilee Oct. 19

October 15, 2019

This year’s Jensen Jubilee Parade starts at 10am Saturday on Jensen, and ends in Shady Lane Park on Parker. Fun, food, music, kids zone, scholarships, health screenings and more.

$28M flood damage reduction pilot program includes Greens Bayou

October 15, 2019

The Harris County Flood Control District and one of its federal partners, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), signed a partnership agreement for flood damage reduction improvement projects in the Armand Bayou, Greens Bayou, and White Oak Bayou watersheds. The agreement will fund a $28 million pilot project to restore the natural floodplain and to reduce flooding risks in the project areas.

“Through our conservation programs, NRCS can help communities address serious and long-lasting damages as a result of natural disasters,” said Kristy Oates, NRCS acting state conservationist for Texas. “This pilot project allows NRCS and the Harris County Flood Control District to cooperatively restore floodplains while mitigating flood risks.”

The agreement was approved by Harris County Commissioners Court on October 8, 2019 and jointly signed thereafter.

“This partnership is yet another important step we are taking to build a more resilient Harris County,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. (more…)