bay area observer 4-7-2011
DESCRIPTION
Bay Area Observer 4-7-2011TRANSCRIPT
By Rebecca [email protected]
During Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, the Cities of Seabrook and El Lago hon-ored the many first respond-ers, organizations, businesses and citizens who helped dur-ing and after the disasterous fire at Emerald Shores Apart-ments. Most notable was the honor bestowed upon Valerij Alyohin, who bravely sacri-ficed himself to save others from the fire that occurred on February 26th of this year. Val, a 34 year old native of Russia ran door to door warn-ing other residents of the dan-ger. Without regard to his own safety, he continued until ev-eryone was safe. His bravery saved the lives of those resi-dents, but ultimately, Val lost his battle for life due to the se-vere injuries sustained during the fire. He passed away a few short weeks later. Val leaves behind his mother and sister, who live in California. The cities of Seabrook and El Lago coauthored a proc-lamation in dedication to Val Alyohin, and Seabrook Mayor Gary Renola read the procla-mation presented to Val Alyo-
hin’s family. Part that procla-mation read “ On behalf of the Cities of Seabrook, and City of El Lago City Councils and our citizens We recognize and honor the exceptional hero-ism and sacrifice of Val, and further that this official cita-tion be given to the family of Val with our heartfelt gratitude
and sympathy”. More than 30 presentation were given in thanks for their service. Some of those includ-ed: Boondoggles, Coffee Oa-sis, Mike Giangrosso, Greystar Management Company, Island Furniture, Julie Laverell, Ma-rio’s Flying Pizza, Maverick Remodeling, Dr. Tony McCol-
lum, Citizens Emergency Re-sponse Team (CERT), Clear Lake Emergency Management Corp., Galveston County Of-fice of Emergency Manage-ment, Harris County Home-land Security Emergency Management, Salvation Army Canteen Services, Stewart El-ementary School, Texas De-
partment of Emergency Man-agement, Texas Department of Transportation, Bacliff Volunteer Fire Department, Deer Park Fire Department, Forest Bend Fire Department, Friendswood Volunteer Fire Department, Kemah Fire De-partment, Lakeview Police Department, La Porte Fire Department, League City Volunteer Fire Department, Nassau Bay Volunteer Fire Department, Pasadena Volun-teer Fire Department, Webster Fire Department, Seabrook Community Development De-partment, Seabrook Office of Emergency Management, Sea-brook, Public Works Depart-ment, and Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department, Seabrook Police Department and many others. Robert Cook, Fire Chief of Seabrook Volunteer Fire De-partment said, “ What Val did prior to us getting there saved a lot of lives., and for that we’re ever grateful, and recognize that sacrifice that was made, however, when you look at just the number of people that re-sponded to this event, not just the fire departments, not just the EMS, the community came together”. “I’m grateful for what everyone did,” he said. The outpouring of support from the Seabrook, El Lago and surrounding communi-ties has been overwhelming. B.J. Stampley of Maverick Remodeling told the Bay Area Observer “We filled an 80ft. x 80ft. warehouse twice”. According to Rusty Cates, owner of Coffee Oasis, his business took in approximate-ly $4000, one of which was an anonymous donation for $1000. Donations are still needed, and the St. Stephens Outreach Ministry of the Seabrook United Methodist Church are still accepting and distribut-ing to those in need. They can be reached by contacting Julie Laverell, Director of the So-ciety of St. Stephen Outreach Ministry at 281-326-1970.Office Hours are 9:30am – 5:00pm, Tuesday thru Thursday only. Appointments scheduled: from 9:30 am – 12 noon.
By The BayGumbo Geaux GeauxLandolt Pavilion in Clear Lake Park.April 9th, 2011
Please join Seabrook Rotary for a day of family fun at the Gum-bo Geaux Geaux 2011 on April 9th at Landolt Pavilion in Clear Lake Park. This will be a fun event with zydeco music by the Diva of Zydeco, Lady D and the Zydeco Tornadoes. In addition, there will be a gumbo cook off and crawfish plates available. We will also have vendors for your shopping pleasure.Please support Seabrook Rotary and its work by helping us get gumbo teams and vendors. To make things interesting, we will set aside $1 for every $8 gumbo tasting cup we sell for a cash prize for the peoples choice gumbo award. Prizes will also be awarded from a judging panel for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place gumbo teams. Contacts are: Tim Trahan, Gumbo Cooking Teams, (713) 203-0685, Lisa Cook, Vendors, (281) 474-2528, Glenn Royal, General Ques-tions, (281) 703-3442. Laissez le Bon temp rouler!
The 15th Annual Great Texas Birding ClassicApril 9 – April 17, 2011
Registration for the 15th Annual Birding Classic is only open for another week! Registration is still available with a late fee. If you have further questions, go online to www.birdingclassic.org. See you on the coast!
Beginning Basket Weaving WorkshopUniversity of Houston/Clear Lake CampusApril 10, 2011April 10, 2011 9 am-5pm Cost: $25 (for materials) Held at Uni-versity of Houston-Clear Lake Learn to weave an Easter Basket. Sponsored by Clear Lake Bas-ket Weavers Guild, and taught by Stewart McGowan, with the assistance of other Guild mem-bers. To register, contact Stew-art McGowan, 281-242-5677 by April 5, 2011. For Guild in-formation, contact Gale Brom, 281-557-7572 / [email protected] or website http://www.clbwg.org. University of Hous-ton/Clear Lake Campus, 9 am - 5 pm. Contact Person:Stewart McGowan at 281-242-5677
The 19th Annual Ed Brandon Cenikor Golf Tournament Bay Oaks Country Club May 9, 2011
Did you know that, accord-ing to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 23.1 million Americans age 12 and up suffer from some type of substance abuse or chemi-cal dependency? Did you know one of the most researched pro-grams in the nation operates within your backyard? Cenikor has been helping people change since 1967. We would love to discuss how you and/or your business can help make the Greater Houston area a health-ier and more productive place to live and work. Cenikor is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and appreciates your help in getting this message to others. For More Information Contact: Roni Archer [email protected]. Sponsorship information available
INDEX
Community..........................2Crossword............................2Local News..........................4On The Water......................4Arts & Entertainment........5Education............................6Classifieds............................7Cuisine.................................8
VOLUME 2, NO. 14 LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011
The Bay Area ObserverCommunity News For The Galveston Bay Area
Continued on page 2
Pasadena Plumbing Services, Inc.
“For All Your Plumbing Needs”
281-487-4688
Smart Shoppers Browse In Santa Fe...But Buy It At The World Famous
CROW’S NEST ART GALLERY
230 JeffersonLa Porte, Texas 77571
281-471-4371
The
Onsite or In-House - 2 LocationsLa Porte - 281-867-0429 Webster - 713-893-8920
Business-Residential PC-Laptop-ServerNetworks - Xbox-TV Repairs-Security Camera
Home Theater Installs
ABC COMPUTER SERVICES - 24 X 7
Continued on page 3
Cities of Seabrook and El Lago Honor The Memory of Valerij Alyohin And Others For Emerald Shores Heroism
Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department From Left To Right: Chief Ray Cook, Trish Cook, Chris Carranza, Hollie Carranza, Debbie Rogers, Elizabeth Fry
The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority awarded a $33.2 million construction contract to Satterfield & Pontikes Con-struction, Inc. for the Phase 3 entry and exit gate at the Bayport Terminal and authorized a $1.1 million amendment to the Port Au-thority’s contract with Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. for Bayport Terminal, among several matters approved during the April 5 meeting. In his monthly report, Chief Executive Officer Alec G. Dreyer noted that February was a tough month with significant fog-related impacts throughout the port, including 11 consecutive days when port activities were adversely affected by fog delays or were shut down entirely. “Coming out of this lengthy fog slowdown, the Houston Pilots handled a record 95 vessels in one day, a testament to their com-mitment to keeping the Houston Ship Channel open for business,” Dreyer said. In spite of the fog conditions, steel had an excellent month in Feb-ruary, as the Port Authority handled more than 230,000 tons as com-pared to 125,000 tons in February 2010, an 84-percent increase. “Year to date, steel is up 740,000 tons or 69 percent over last year, giving us a nice boost going into the strong summer season,” Dreyer said. “Turning Basin revenue for the first two months is up some 23 percent, which is directly related to the strong increase in steel.” TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) volumes were down 6 percent, but container tonnage was down only 2 percent in February ver-sus last year. Dreyer also noted that year to date, TEU volumes are flat compared to last year, while container tonnage is up 2 percent overall. Container volumes for March looked reasonably strong through the first three weeks of the month, and Dreyer predicted a return to a stronger growth mode by month’s end.
Port Commission Approves Nearly $35 Million in Contracts
For Bayport Container Terminal Improvements
Members of CERT from left to right back row: Ronica Hall, Debbie Rogers, John Dolan, Elena Dolan, Tom Diegelman, Faye Edwards, Debbi Searls, Nettie Warren,
Don Holbrook, Trisha Barton. Front row: Pat Farrell, Jenna Contenta
Continued on page 3
2,000 Year-Old Deep-Sea Black Corals Call Gulf of Mexico Home
Courtesy of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Geological Survey
For the first time, scientists have been able to validate the age of deep-sea black corals in the Gulf of Mexico. They found the Gulf is home to 2,000 year-old deep-sea black corals, many of which are only a few feet tall. These slow-growing, long-living animals thrive in very deep waters—300 meters (984 feet) and deeper—yet scientists say they are sensitive to what is
happening in the surface ocean as well as on the sea floor. “The fact that the animals live continuously for thou-sands of years amazes me,” said Dr. Nancy Prouty of the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, who analyzed the coral samples that were collected by the USGS and colleagues as part of several ongoing deep-sea coral ecosystem studies between 2003 and 2009. “De-spite living at 300 meters and
deeper, these animals are sen-sitive to what is going on in the surface ocean because they are feeding on organic matter that rapidly sinks to the sea floor. Since longevity is a key factor for population maintenance, recovery from a disturbance to these ecosystems, natural or manmade, may take decades to centuries.” Reliably age dating the cor-als, as done in the recent study, is a critical step in using them as natural archives of environ-
These orange-colored, black coral trees growing in the Gulf of Mexico are among the oldest living organisms on Earth
Despite Fog Impacts in February, Steel Up 84 Percent Over 2010, CEO Dreyer Reports
See more photos on page 3
PAGE 2 THE BAY AREA OBSERVER THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011
COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY EVENTS
Administrative Professionals Celebration MeetingHilton Garden Inn, WebsterApril 18, 2011, 5:45 p.mOn Monday, April 18, 2011, the Clear Lake/NASA chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals will be celebrating Administrative Professionals Day at this meeting. The speaker, Sophia Matthews, will present “We Need to Talk – Having a Crucial Conversation.” This program will help you learn how to achieve dialogue at all levels of your organization; learn new tools to resolve disagreements; speak persuasively and foster teamwork. The meeting/dinner will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn – Clear Lake/NASA in Webster, TX beginning at 5:45 p.m. All administra-tive professionals throughout Houston and the surrounding areas are welcome. Please make your reservations to attend this meeting by April 14, 2011. For reservations and more information on this chap-ter, please visit www.iaap-clnac.org or contact 281-910-2297.
Continued from page 1
P.O. Box 305 • Seabrook, Texas 77586Phone: 281-907-3140 • Fax: 866-596-8973
Email: [email protected]
Opinions in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the newspaper. Any erroneous statement which may appear will be correct-ed if brought to the attention of the publisher. Liability for errors is limited to the reprinting of the corrected version. Submissions are encouraged by mail, by fax, or by email to [email protected].
Editor & Publisher.....................................Rebecca [email protected]
Associate Editor.........................................Carolyn [email protected]
Arts & Entertainment Reporter...................Mason [email protected]
Sales Representative..............................Beverly LawrenceLa Porte Area • 281-793-7961 • [email protected]
Sales Representative...................................Charlotte HornSeabrook, Kemah Area • 281-507-8257 • [email protected]
The Bay Area ObserverEstablished in 2006
Serving the communities along Galveston Bay.
Grand Opening of Carothers Gardens
The Drusilla Carothers Coastal Gardens, located at 502 Pine Gully in Seabrook, will officially open in Seabrook on Saturday, April 9. There will be a ribbon cutting at noon, followed by an Open House until 4:00 p.m. The public is invited. The Open House will showcase Seabrook’s newest and much an-ticipated 8.5-acre park which boasts a lovely mission-style home, beautiful gardens and a waterfront view of Galveston Bay. The fa-cility is an extension of and located adjacent to Pine Gully Park in northeast Seabrook. The property was acquired by the City of Seabrook through a 2007 public referendum. The property was home to the late Drusilla (“Dru”) Dickson, née Carothers, who served on the Seabrook Parks Board some twenty years ago and was instrumental in the develop-ment of the city’s prized network of hiking and jogging trails. The house and grounds are the perfect venues for weddings, so-cial, corporate, or civic functions. It is also suitable for exhibitions, small-scale conferences, and environmental education activities. “Seabrook has never had a park property of this kind,” said the city’s Open Space Committee Chair Dori Nelson. “It enriches what our park system offers in exciting new ways. Everyone is invited to come and see the house, walk the grounds, and stroll down to the bay.” Nelson noted that visitors seeing the place for the first time often comment that they feel as if they have left town: “The spacious gar-den with its wooded boundaries creates a wonderful sense of seclu-sion. It makes a most inviting event venue.”
The La Porte Community Civic Club will be sponsoring a Spa-ghetti Dinner on Friday, April 8, 2011 at the Jennie Riley Center from 6:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. The members will be serving up Meat Ball Spaghetti, Ground Meat & Spaghetti, Italian Spaghetti and Shrimp Spaghetti with Green Salad, French bread, tea and peach Cobbler. You don’t have to cook, just come on out to Jennie Riley Center at 322 North 4th Street. Sample one of all Spaghetti for a $7.00 donation. Monies will help sponsor the Scholarship fund and Juneteenth activities. For information call Mary Gay at 281-471-3259 or Daisy Roscoe at 281-471-4740.
Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser, April 8th at Jennie Riley Center
Seabrook Gears Up for Nation’s Largest Classic
Car and Wooden Boat Show Seabrook is a community best known for its beautiful waterfront property and miles of scenic nature trails. The city also plays host to one of the region’s most popular events, Keels & Wheels Concours d’Elegance, now in its sixteenth year. Held at Lakewood Yacht Club, the event attracts more than 15,000 visitors from across the globe. Approximately 300 classic cars and boats from around the United States are on display, showcasing some of the most interesting vehicles seldom seen traversing the roads or cruising the shores these days. Other vintage vehicles will be avail-able for sale during the event’s Houston Classic Auction. The City of Seabrook and the Seabrook Economic Development Corporation are proud supporters of the event. “Keels & Wheels is a great endeavor that brings tremendous economic value to the local economy and the Seabrook community,” stated Ernie Davis, Presi-dent of the Seabrook EDC. “LYC Concours Corporation, the com-pany that operates Keels & Wheels, also generously contributes to various local charities, such as Boys and Girls Harbor.” As a result of their contributions to the community and the organi-zation’s philanthropic spirit, LYC Concours Corporation was chosen as the 2010 Business-of-the-Year by Seabrook EDC. “We are thrilled to have been selected for this great honor,” said Bob Fuller, Chair-man and co-founder of Keels & Wheels. “We have another amazing weekend planned that is expected to top prior attendance records, so we encourage the community and any car or boat enthusiasts to join us for exceptional displays, fun performances and one of the largest auctions in the nation of its kind.” The award was presented to both Fuller and co-founder Paul Merryman at the annual Economic Alli-ance Houston Port Region awards banquet. Keels & Wheels will be held this year from April 30 - May 1. Attendees can view nearly 200 cars and more than 100 boats on dis-play, enjoy festive music and stroll along the marina of Lakewood Yacht Club. This year’s theme pays tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, and will feature previously raced Indy cars, such as the 1935 Miller-Ford, and pace cars.
The Farmers’ Market at Clear Lake Shores will celebrate its second anniversary this month with a birthday bash Saturday, April 16, from 8 a.m. to noon. To celebrate this milestone the Market will offer special ac-tivities and free giveaways to its loyal customers. The first 200 customers that morning will get a free reusable, environmen-tally friendly market bag bearing the Farmers’ Market logo. Pa-trons can also pick up a free ticket for door prize drawings held throughout the morning for goodies donated by Market vendors. Many Clear Lake Shores residents who worked so tirelessly to start the Market two years ago will join in the celebration. Lo-cal artist Mickey Hobbs will serenade the crowds; cooking dem-onstrations by Mellies Happy Bellies will make mouths’ water, and Stewart Elementary PTA volunteers will help kids discover horticulture. Bay Area Turning Point will host a bake sale and a raffle for a Weber grill that morning to benefit the program’s new resale shop in Seabrook. Resale shop proceeds help Turning Point shel-ter and support battered/abused women and their families as they struggle to restart their lives. The Farmers Market at Clear Lake Shores was begun in April of 2009 as a civic project of the city of Clear Lake Shores. Con-ceived as a small market with high standards for vendors and products, the Market has maintained those standards as it has ma-tured. It is a neighborhood market, a non-profit project run by a committee of dedicated volunteers that has maintained its small town charm and standards. As a Texas Certified Farmers’ Market, it features homegrown, homemade, natural and organic products, live music and local vendors. At the birthday bash April 16, Market patrons can win one of many door prizes being donated by vendors. The list of prizes includes:
• Two Meals – Mellies Happy Bellies• 8” New York Cheese Cake – Catering by Renee• A Piece of Delafield Pottery• An Easter Basket full of Goodies – Organo Gold• Indian Cuisine – Nishias• Custom Designed Creation – Ergo Jewelry• Ceramic Tortilla Warmer – Celebrating Home• Basket of Fresh Baked Goods – Angela’s Oven• Fruit and Veggie Basket – Frobergs Fruit & Vegetable Farm• 2 lbs. Ground Beef – Law Cattle Company• Assortment Organic Spices – Salt, Spice and More • Flourless Cake - J&S Desserts • 1 lb. Each Ground Beef, Pork, Lamb & Chicken Breast – Georgia’s Grass Fed Beef and Natural Meats • Goat Cheese – Water Oak Farm• 6-Pack of Olive Oil – The Spice Lady • Potted Fruit Tree – Faith’s Garden • 1 lb. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee – Imagine Coffee• 2 CDs by the one and only Mickey Hobbs
The Farmer’s Market at Clear Lake Shores is located at 1020 Marina Bay Drive (FM 2094) between Clear Lake Road and Skipper’s Restaurant, across from the Marina Bay RV Park. Look for the lot full of white tents, ample convenient parking off Clear Lake Road, and hoards of happy people enjoying a fun, flavorful morning at the market! For more information visit the market’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/farmersmarketatclearlakeshores, website at http://sites.google.com/site/farmersmarketatcls/, or contact Mar-ket Manager Charlie Hester at [email protected].
By Jeff Suggs, Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of La Porte
Depending on the flavor of dictionary or online reference of your choice, the word “volunteer” has basically the same mean-ing. “To give of one’s time”, is the overall gist of the meaning. Volunteers are everywhere. We see them every day and generally do not think twice about them, the function they are perform-ing or the random act of kindness that goes along with being a volunteer. We recently saw the heroic act of a young man who saved many lives during an apartment fire in the Seabrook area. He gave his life to save others. Over 90% of our fire departments in the Bay Area are volunteer fire departments. Every day they get in a large truck and move down the road to face a situation that most people can’t comprehend. Why would they do such a thing? If you ask most volunteers in the community why they volunteer their ser-vices, time and efforts, the resounding message will be “it’s the right thing to do”. During this same apartment fire did you know that the Bay Area CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) jumped into ac-tion? Many citizens on this team responded to help shelter, feed and comfort those who had lost or were in the process of losing all of their belongings. This was a Saturday folks and a pretty one at that! Why would someone stop the yard work, cookout plans and fishing trips just to help their fellow citizen? Again ask them, “It’s the right thing to do”. We are blessed in the Bay Area to have so many good people who are willing to help each other out. We saw this during the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. We see it every day with City Coun-cils, firefighters, Citizen Police Academy’s and individuals who just feel the need to give back to the community. One special individual from La Porte was recently the recipient of a presti-gious award. Barbara Norwine of La Porte was recently awarded the Presi-dential Volunteer Service Award for all of her efforts in helping the community as a volunteer. Ladies and Gents, they just don’t give these kinds of awards out for random press opportunities. You really have to work to get something like this. We at La Porte OEM have known Barbara for years. We have seen the things she has done with youth groups, churches and women’s shelters to know she has definitely put the time in to receive such an award. Thanks Barbara, for all you do. If there is one thing we should all take from volunteers like Barbara, it should be their compassion. The compassion these individuals feel for their fellow citizens allows them to act in order to alleviate the pain and suffering of those in need. Let’s all make the effort to thank a volunteer even if we can’t find the time to do what they do. Pat them on the back, shake their hand or just drop them a note and let them know they are appreciated. As the springtime gives way to a few storms and hurricane season nears, please focus on your plans, your family actions and how you too can make a difference in someone’s life by being a volunteer. Call us here at La Porte OEM if you need information on be-ing a volunteer, emergency management related issues or if you just need someone to listen. Above all, smile…it’s contagious. La Porte OEM: (281) 470-0010.
Farmers’ Market at Clear Lake Shores Turns Two!
Barbara Norwine Of La Porte Awarded The Presidential Volunteer Service Award
Congressman Ted Poe and Barbara Norwine
The City’s 50 Anniversary Celebration is upon us! Saturday, April 16th is promising to be a day full of fun, toys, cars, music, BBQ and (of course) adult libations! Don’t forget to come by City Hall to purchase your El Lago proud customized package deal or BBQ ticket ahead of time. The package deal includes a reusable grocery bag, 20 oz. water bottle, coozie, cool carabineer bottle holder, Astronaut house map,T-shirt and BBQ meal ticket - what a deal, all for only $15.00! Single BBQ tickets are also available for $5.00 each. Package deals and BBQ tickets will be available the day of the event, but no promises that we won’t run out, so purchase early to guarantee a day of fun. Here’s the schedule of events:
9:00 a.m. - 5K Space Run – Starts and ends at McNair Park
10:30 a.m. - Annual Easter Egg Hunt
1:00 p.m. - Antique Car Show
BBQ Cook-off Judging
BBQ Meal
Kids Toys/Attractions
Local Bands on Stage
4:00 p.m. - 1960’s Tribute Band “Cartoon Sky”
ALL EVENTS WILL BE AT MCNAIR PARK!
City Celebration on April 16th will commemorate El Lago’s
50th Anniversary
21620 Gulf FreewayWebster, Texas 77598
281-332-3111 • Fax: 281-332-7696
Ye Olde Clocke ShoppeExpert Repair of Fine Clocks & Watches
Unique Gifts, Clocks, Watches & JewelrySales & Service
281-554-2781 • 800-606-TIMEFax: 281-557-2431
1405 West Main (518)League City, TX. 77573
Hours:Tues - Fri • 10-6
Sat • [email protected]
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011 THE BAY AREA OBSERVER PAGE 3
La Porte Fire Marshall’s Office Reminds Citizens to BBQ Safely
With summertime upon us, it is important to focus on safety when it comes to back yard bar-bequing. Hazards associated with barbeques include: propane, hot coals, lighter fluid, and matches. Used charcoal is a common ig-nition source for many trash can and dumpster fires. When using charcoal in barbeques, it is im-portant to ensure that all coals are completely extinguished before discarding. Carelessness with hot coals rou-tinely causes fires, often resulting in a response by the Fire Depart-ment. These responses take fire apparatus out of service to deal with easily avoidable fires. Be-fore discarding used charcoal, ensure that the coals are com-pletely extinguished by soaking them in water or allowing them to burn themselves out over a 24
hour period. When using char-coal, never spray lighter fluid onto coals that are hot or burning, as it may cause severe injury. Another hazard associated with back yard barbeques is matches and lighters. Many grills require
matches and lighters to ignite lighter fluid, charcoal, or pro-pane. It is important to remember to secure matches and lighters after use. Matches and lighters in the hands of a child remains a very common cause of residen-tial fires; one that can easily be avoided. Propane is also a very common fuel in back yard grills. Cylinders should be turned off when not in use and should never be stored near heat sources or in vehicles. Heat sources include: hot water heaters, electrical equipment, stoves, ovens, and fire places. La Porte’s Office of the Fire Marshall extends good wishes to all citizens hosting a backyard barbecuing event. By following these simple tips, residents can ensure that their experience is a safe one.
LOCAL NEWS
Paul Barnes, 77, of La Porte passed away Tuesday March 29, 2011. He was born June 16, 1933 in Sulphur, Okla-homa to Lillie Mae and Virgil Barnes. He is survived by his wife Kylene Barnes, daugh-ters Paula Bauer, Pam Davis and husband Steve, sister Jean Storseth and husband Bill, and grandchildren Nikki Bauer, Kacey Bauer, Shellie Bauer, Joni Bauer, Jonathan Davis, and Kimberly Davis.Visitation will be held Fri-day April 1, 2011 at 5-7PM at Paul U. Lee La Porte Funeral Home Chapel. Services will be held Saturday April 2, 2011 at 10AM at First United Method-ist Church of La Porte.
Jackie Gresham was born Au-gust 26, 1955 in Pasadena, Texas to Doris(Wallace) and Jack Gresham. She is preceded in death by her father Jack and sister Donna Lynn McBride. Jackie is survived by her lov-ing mother Doris Gresham, brother in law Bill and Sharon McBride, nieces and nephews Jay and Magda McBride, Jack and Debbie McBride, Krista and Chester Labus, Will Co-canougher, great nieces and nephews Jake McBride, Jett McBride, Chester Labus, Ian Labus, Jack McBride, and nu-merous Aunts, Uncles, and other family members.Visitation will be held Wednes-day April 6, 2011 at 6-8PM at Paul U. Lee La Porte Funeral Home Chapel. Services will be held Thursday April 7, 2011 at 2PM at La Porte Community Church.
BARNES GRESHAM
OBITUARIES
mental change. Like shallow-water coral reefs, deep-sea coral-reef ecosystems are among the most diverse and productive communities on Earth, providing shelter and feeding grounds for commercial and non-commer-cial fish species and their prey, as well as breeding and nursery areas. Activities that affect both the seafloor and the surface ocean, such as certain methods of petro-leum exploration and commercial fishing, can impact these ecosystems. “We used a manned submersible, the Johnson-Sea-Link, to go to the sea floor and specifically collect certain samples using the sub’s manipulator arms,” said Prouty. “Deep-sea black corals are a perfect example of ecosystems linked between the surface and the deep ocean. They can po-tentially record this link in their skeleton for hundreds to thousands of years.” The skeletons that these animals secrete continuously over hundreds to thousands of years offer an unprecedented window into past environmental conditions. Age dating used in combination with emerg-ing technologies, such as sampling skel-etal material with a laser to determine its chemical composition, enables scientists to reconstruct environmental conditions in time slices smaller than a decade over the last 1,000 to 2,000 years. Black corals grow in tree- or bush-like forms. Scientists confirmed that black cor-als are the slowest growing deep-sea cor-
als. They grow 8 to 22 micrometers per year as compared to the shallow-water reef-building coral, typically found in tropical areas like Hawaii, which grows about 1 mm per year, or 65 times as fast as black coral. Human fingernails grow about 3 mm per year, or 200 times faster than black coral. Because black corals get their food from sinking organic matter instead of from symbiotic algae, like their shallow-water counterparts, they need skeletons that are flexible but strong enough to withstand currents that transport food to the colo-nies. In addition to a constant flow of water bringing them food and oxygen, the corals require a stable substrate, such as volcanic or calcareous rock, or even a shipwreck or oil rig that can serve as a platform for the corals to settle on and build their skel-etons. Black corals can capture and record in their skeletons the history of changing concentrations of carbon in surface wa-ters and the atmosphere. Unlike the skel-etons of most shallow-water corals, which consist of calcium carbonate, black coral skeletons are composed mainly of organic matter: successive layers of protein and chitin (a long molecule containing carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen) glued to-gether by a cement layer. These skeletons are very similar to insect cuticles in that they are quite flexible and can thus bend in water currents.
“The flexibility and shiny luster of black coral have made it a precious commodity in the coral jewelry trade and international trade is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,” noted Prouty. “In fact, black corals have been harvested for centuries to create charms; the scientif-ic name of the order to which black corals belong, ‘Antipatharia,’ comes from Greek roots meaning ‘against suffering.’” Like trees, black corals exhibit radial growth, with the oldest skeletal mate-rial found in the center and successfully younger material building out toward the edge. Viewed in a horizontal cross section, the black coral’s growth bands resemble tree rings. USGS scientists and their colleagues, for example, are measuring trace metals and stable isotopes in the black coral skel-eton that are related to nutrient supply in surface waters, which in turn may reflect the amount of runoff from nearby land surfaces. With a proper understanding of how these chemical constituents vary over time, scientists can reconstruct a record of environmental changes, such as changes in land-based sources of nutrients and nat-ural variations in climate. For more information on black coral found in the Gulf of Mexico go to the USGS website. http://www.usgs.gov.
2000 Year-Old Black Coral....Continued from page 1
La Porte Police Report Low Crime in City for 2010
As part of the requirements set forth by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Police sub-mit monthly tallies of their crime statistics, according to the re-quirements aligned with the FBI’s National Uniform Crime Report (UCR). While the 2010 annual release of the DPS official report, “Crime in Texas,” will not be available for several months, re-sults obtained from various local agencies are comforting for the residents of the City of La Porte. The evaluation of initial 2010 crime percentages obtained from neighboring communities showed that the City of La Porte enjoys a much lower rate than a vast ma-jority of area communities.
Last year’s 2009 “Crime in Tex-as” report reflected that La Porte remains one of the safest cities of its size in the State of Texas and the same results are expected in the fall of this year. For compari-son purposes, the national average in 2009 for cities with a popula-tion of 25,000 to 49,999 (790 cit-ies reporting), reflected the City of La Porte as being lower than the national average in each crime category of, murder, rape, rob-bery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Information published toward the end of 2009 by the State of Texas regarding these same crimes showed that the city of La Porte had the least number of total of-fenses when compared in ranking order to nearby cities such as Deer Park, Webster, South Houston, Texas City, League City, Galves-ton, Baytown, and Pasadena. Initial figures collected from neighboring police agencies indi-cate the crime rate of La Porte re-mains the lowest when compared to the same neighboring cities for 2010 as well. A current com-parison with the crime percent-ages received from the immediate
neighboring cities of Baytown, Pasadena, and Deer Park alone reveal crime rate percentages of 6.00 percent, 5.13 percent, and 3.51 percent, respectively, while a citizen of La Porte had only a 2.84 percent chance of being effected by these crimes for the 2010 cal-endar year. The La Porte Police Department also reported making strides in keeping the roadways of La Porte safe, citing traffic safety as a high priority for the community. In 2010, the agency logged a 51.16% increase in arrests for Driving While Intoxicated, a 77.91% in-crease in Commercial Motor Ve-hicle (CMV) inspections, and a 117% increase in overall CMV citations. All of these factors contributed to a 15.7% decrease in motor vehicle collisions within the City of La Porte. For more information on Uni-form Crime Reporting statistics in Texas, log onto the Texas DPS website at www.txdps.state.tx.us. Additionally, a link to Uniform Crime Reporting information for the City of La Porte and its neigh-boring communities can also be found at www.ci.laporte.tx.us/gov/police/ucrstats.
Tony McCollum, Sr. Pastor, Seabrook United Methodist Church and Julie Laverell, Director of the Society of St. Stephen Outreach Ministry
B.J. Stampley and Kaysie Stampley, Owners of Maverick Remodeling and Rusty Cates Owner of Coffee Oasis
Councils Honor Heroes....Continued from page 1
Engineering & Real Estate
(Agenda H5) The Port Commission approved a $1.1 million amendment to the Port Authority’s contract with Lockwood, An-drews & Newnam, Inc. for Bayport Terminal Complex Phase I Program Management. The contract has been amended annually to provide for specific tasks scheduled for the upcoming year. Pro-posed Year Ten services will include design management for gate expansion, security and railroad signal projects. Also included will be construction management and inspection for security, multiple Bayport buildings and gate expansion contracts. (Agenda H6) The Port Commission awarded a $33.2 million con-struction contract to Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc. for the Phase 3 entry and exit gate at the Bayport Terminal. The gate provides for permanent inbound and outbound lanes, support build-ings, canopies and associated infrastructure to support operations through ultimate buildout of the container terminal. Satterfield & Pontikes’ proposal was determined to offer the best value to the Port Authority of the six competitive sealed proposals received. As a separate item, at its meeting today, the Board of Directors of the Port of Houston Authority International Corporation (POHAIC) agreed to terminate the 2010 Memorandum of Understanding be-tween POHAIC and Libya and to dissolve POHAIC in its current form.
Port Commission....Continued from page 1
The Honorable (Representatives Name and Title)House Committee on Environmental Regulations (must be the heading)
Member of the HouseP. O. Box 2910
Austin, 78768-2910
Chair: Rep. Wayne Smith (Baytown) ph. 512 463 0733 fax 512 463 1323Vice Chair: Rep. Jessica Farrar (Houston) ph. 512 463 0620 fax 512 463 0894Members: Rep. Jose Aliseda (Beeville) ph. 512 463 0645 fax 512 463 0559
Rep. Lon Burnam (Ft.Worth) ph. 512 463 0740 fax 512 463 1075Rep. Warren Chisum (Pampa) ph. 512 463 0736 fax 512 463 0211
Rep. Kelly Hancock (N.Richland) ph. 512 463 0599 fax 512 463 0751Rep. Ken Legler (Pasadena) ph. 512 4630460, fax 512 463 0763
Rep. Lanham Lyne (Wichita Falls) 512 463 0543, fax 512 463 8161Rep. Ron Reynolds (Missouri City) 512 463 0494, fax 512 463 1403
Texas Bottle Bill assigned to the Environmental Regulations Committee and Finance Committee
The Texas. Bottle Bill, HB 2114 and SB 1119, has been assigned to the Environmental Regula-tions Committee in the House of Representatives and the Finance Committee in the Senate. The Environmental Regulations Commit-tee hearing for HB 2114 MAY be scheduled for Wed. April 13.; if not on the 13th, likely Wed. April 20th. A plastic water bottle lodged in the pelvic bones of a Brown Pelican skeleton on the North Jetty on Bolivar, Galveston County is one isolated but representative example of the damage beverage containers can do when left in the environment. HB 2114 and SB 1119 will create the incentive to put these items back into the raw materials and economic system where they belong. Please help keep beverage containers out of the natural environment, roadways, parks, streams, rivers, bayous, bays and Gulf by contacting the House Committee on Environmental Regula-tions. Strong opposition to HB 2114 from the bev-erage industry and retailers is likely. Citizens voicing their support of HB 2114 to their legisla-
tors is the best and only means for our legislators to know that their voting constituents are in favor of HB 2114. Even better, if one of the committee members is your representative! It is imperative that HB 2114 make it past the Committee on Environmental Regulations. Your voice to the Chair and Vice Chair will prove to be very powerful. Please take time this week to contact one or both by phone, letter (best meth-od), email, and/or fax. Of course contacting all of the members is even more effective.
Here is the contact info. (Note that 5 of the 9 members are located in high density bird and voter areas.)
Got A News Tip?
Let Us Know At The
Bay Area Observer
281-907-3140or email us at
PAGE 4 THE BAY AREA OBSERVER THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011
www.eatatlaredos.com
Homemade TortillasFresh Local SeafoodOld Family Recipes
For To-Go Orders Call
281-291-8080
2119 Bayport Blvd.(Hwy. 146)
Seabrook, Tx. 77586Hours:
Monday - Saturday10:30 - 8:00
Sunday - Closed
Serving homemade Mexican food in the Bay Area since 1969
LAREDO’STEX-MEX CAFE
ON THE WATER
Lakewood Yacht Club’s new Sous Chef James Masters comes to us with a wealth of restaurant experience. From a chef in the Army to the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston, James agrees that his “learning by doing” goes way beyond cooking lessons in the classroom. Born in Seattle, Washington, James lived there for his first 11 years before the Masters family ventured to the Dallas area of Texas. Later, they migrated south to Pasadena where he gradu-ated from Pasadena High School before joining the Army. He served for three years as a chef at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Upon returning to Texas, James attended and graduated from San Jacinto College before entering the working world as a cook at the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston where he worked for three years. His next chef’s position was at the popular Charlie’s 517 in the theatre district. After Charlie’s 517, for ten years James was a corporate chef for the Stanford Financial Group where he prepared vegetable dishes and mostly fish for the healthy-eating president and CEO Robert Stanford. Moving on to Pearland where he and wife Maly now live, he became Chef De Partie for a bistro called Vineyard on the Square.James returned to the Four Seasons for a year as their Sous Chef before joining Lakewood’s kitchen staff as Sous Chef in early March. James acquired an interest in cooking while in high school. “My grandma was a very good cook, and although I didn’t spend much time with her when I was a teenager, she was my inspira-tion for becoming a chef,” he related. His favorite type food to prepare is Mexican. “I like both tra-ditional Mexican and Tex/Mex, but I especially enjoys prepar-ing fish tacos tempora style and mole’ sauces for meat,” James added. James likes the atmosphere here at Lakewood as well as the friendly people. He and wife Maly enjoy traveling in their free time.
James Masters Joins Lakewood Yacht Club
As New Sous Chef
Lakewood Yacht Club Race Committee Chairman Dwight Bengtson has announced that the Sea Lake Yacht Sales Shoe Re-gatta will be held over the weekend of May 21 & 22. In 1982, Lakewood hosted the first Shoe Regatta, and now the club is the organizing authority. Bay Access, a not for profit organization that supports amateur racing, is the host. The Regatta, which is open to the public, is a favorite among local racers because each crew member of the winning boat in each class is awarded a West Marine gift card. The Shoe Regatta is for one-design, handicapped, and cruis-ing sailboats over 20 feet in length and with a cabin. There will be three race courses set on Galveston Bay: a windward/leeward course for the One Design classes; a windward/leeward course for handicap rated boats; and a third triangular course to pro-vide a long race for handicap rated spinnaker and non-spinnaker boats. PHRF Certificates are not required for Cruisers. The Skippers Meeting will be held on Fri., May 20, 7:30 pm in the ballroom of Lakewood Yacht Club, 2425 NASA Parkway, Seabrook, TX. “We urge all skippers to attend this important gathering so that they can take full advantage of all aspects of this weekend regatta,” related Bengtson. In addition to the title sponsor Sea Lake Yacht Sales, other sponsors this year are Banks Sails as the Gold Sponsor, Mount Gay Rum as the Silver Sponsor and Bay Access as the Bronze Sponsor. The Saturday evening party will have live entertainment, food, and beverages. The awards ceremony will follow the last race on Sun., May 22, and will be held in the ballroom of Lakewood Yacht Club. Participants can register on line at www.lakewoodregatta.com For questions, please contact Lakewood Yacht Club at [email protected] or call the office at 281-474-2511.
Sea Lake Yacht Sales Shoe Regatta Slated For May 21 & 22
Keels & Wheels Earns Business Of The Year Award
The Port of Houston Economic Alliance honored Lakewood Yacht Club’s Keels & Wheels event as the Business of the Year for Seabrook. Nominated by the Seabrook Economic De-velopment Council, the recipi-ents of the award were Keels & Wheels Founder and Chairman
Bob Fuller and Co-Founder Co-Chairman Paul Merryman. Seabrook Mayor Gary Re-nola related that the Keels & Wheels, also called the Con-cours d’Elegance, is the largest classic automobile and wooden boat show in the country. It’s economic impact to the Bay
Area each year is over four mil-lion dollars. “Keels & Wheels is also the largest event hap-pening in our city with a draw of over 12,000 people during the first weekend in May,” Re-nola related. The awards ceremony was held at the Pasadena Conven-
tion Center at the end of last year. Fuller related that there were over 600 attendees at the banquet where all the member cities of the Port of Houston Economic Alliance awarded their own Business of the Year. At a Keels & Wheels volun-teer committee meeting, Fuller announced the Business of the Year Award to over 75 volun-teers in attendance. This an-nual event involves at least 30 subcommittees all working to make the show a success. The 16th Annual Keels and Wheels will be held on the grounds and in the harbor of Lakewood Yacht Club, 2425 NASA Park-way, Seabrook, TX, on Sat., April 30 and Sun., May 1. This is the only time that Lakewood Yacht Club is open to the pub-lic. Tickets can be purchased on line at www.lakewoody-achtclub.com under the Keels & Wheels button. This year’s theme is Indianpo-lis racing cars celebrating their 100th anniversary. Of special note on the boating side, Cen-tury Boats will be honored featuring Merryman’s Century Gold Wing Sabre which is the last wooden Sabre boat pro-duced by the company in 1967. He will also have on display one of only six Century Gold Wing fiberglass Sabres built in 1976 to commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary of building boats.
Keels & Wheels Chairman Bob Fuller (left) and Co-Chairman Paul Merryman showed Keels & Wheels volunteers the Business of the Year Award they earned for the city of Seabrook, presented to them by
the Port of Houston Economic Alliance late last year. Approximately 75 volunteers were meeting in the ballroom of Lakewood Yacht Club, host of the upcoming 16th Annual Keels & Wheels.
2nd Annual J/Fest Southwest Slated For Oct. 29-30
Lakewood Yacht Club (LYC) Race Com-mittee Chairman Dwight Bengtson has announced that the club will be hosting its 2nd Annual J/Fest Southwest Regatta on Sat., Oct. 29 and Sun., Oct. 30. Open to the public, races will be held on Galveston Bay. The City of Seabrook is the Plati-num Level Sponsor. Last year was the inaugural run of a J/Fest Regatta in Texas although such re-gattas have been held for over 25 years in Annapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, New Orleans and Seattle. “This will be another great opportunity for Lakewood to promote and support a national caliber event,” remarked Bengtson. The focus of this J/Fest Southwest Re-gatta is to provide a venue that is all in-clusive to J/Boat owners, their family, and friends. While the racers are on the water, their spouses, children, family and friends can enjoy a myriad of activities and tourist attractions in the Bay Area Houston arena.
Goodie bags for skippers will contain cou-pons for family fun. “Since Seabrook is the title sponsor for our regatta, we hope that visiting racers will book accommoda-tions at our fine Seabrook motels,” added Rear Commodore Carl Drechsel who was instrumental last year in acquiring regatta support from the city’s hotel/motel tax marketing fund. J/Fest Southwest is invit-ing J/boat owners from all over the nation to bring their J/Boats to Seabrook and to participate in fall/winter sailing at J/Fest Southwest and other local regattas. One design fleets slated for the J/Fest Southwest Regatta include J/22, J/24, J/80, J/105 and the J/109. It will be a cir-cuit stop for the J/24’s and the J/80’s. All J/Boats are welcome to race in the PHRF classes and in the J/Cruise class. Any J/Boat is eligible to participate and the re-gatta organizers intend to offer several exciting formats for the non One Design racers.
The pre-regatta Skippers’ Meeting will be held in the ballroom of LYC on the evening of Fri., Oct. 28, 6:30 pm for check-in, meeting, and refreshments. A pool party and dinner are planned after the races on Saturday. The Awards Ceremony will take place on Sun., Oct. 30, after the races. At least 70 boats from all over the coun-try are expected to participate in the J/Fest Southwest Regatta. J/Boats Southwest’s Scott Spurlin and wife Terry of Austin, TX have been instrumental in spreading the word about the event. It is a collab-orative effort between J/Boats Southwest and Lakewood Yacht Club, located on Clear Lake in Seabrook, TX. A myriad of sponsorship opportunties are available by contacting Scott Spurlin at [email protected]. For fur-ther information, please go to the website www.JfestSouthwest.com
Light it. Let it liquefy. Blow it out.
Moisturize your skin!
Joyce O. Ferguson(281) 914-2323
Buy 3 @ $24.99
Get 1 FREE
“Every time I go to work, I end up at a Spa Party!
Independent Electrical Management Solutions
WWW.ELECTRICALMANAGEMENTSOLUTIONS.COM
713-459-6675LICENSED & INSURED
TECL #27798 TMEL #233562
Residential • Commercial • IndustrialNew Construction • Remodels • Repairs • Panel Upgrades
Maintenance • Emergencies • Generators • Wastewater
Through the Bay Access charitable association, four sailing scholarships are being offered this year to area youth sailors. The scholarships will fund a one week long sailing camp us-ing the facilities at Lakewood Yacht Club, 2425 NASA Parkway, Seabrook, TX, 77586. Bay Access will also furnish the sailboats and other equipment needed for the selected children. The first camp is the Seahorse Camp which runs from June 6 – June 10 and is for 6th, 7,th, and 8th graders, ages 11 – 14. This is a stay-over-night camp in Lakewood’s clubhouse where meals and daily instructions will be provided. The second camp is a day camp called Opti Camp named for the type of boat, an Optimist, that the younger children use. It is from 9 am to 5 pm, June 13 - 17 for children in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, with parents providing transportation for the sailors to and from the club. A mandatory applicant profile form must be completed in or-der to apply for the scholarship. These can be picked up, mailed, faxed, or e-mailed from Lakewood’s clubhouse office and then returned to the office by Fri., April 8th. Prerequisites for a child applying for a scholarship include letters of recommendations from friends or a pastor with at least one from a teacher; a grade point average of C+ or better; and the
ability to pass a swimming test. In addition, the child should have a high degree of interest in learning how to sail, but no experience is needed. The child must also submit a 100-200 word essay on one of the following sub-jects: why he or she would like to learn to sail or why he or she would want to go to sailing camp, or on a topic related to the en-vironment or concerns regarding the Galveston Bay ecosystem. Letters of reference and the essay must be submitted no later than Fri., April 8th, to Bay Access, % Lakewood Yacht Club’s address, or dropped off at the Front Gate at the club’s entrance. Applicants will be notified by Fri., April 22nd, of the scholarship decisions at which time those selected must be willing to com-plete Lakewood’s sailing camp application including a waiver of liability. Bay Access is a not-for-profit organization that fosters amateur boating and sailing activities in the Clear Lake area. It was also formed to promote the conservation and use of our oceans and bays with a special emphasis on Galveston Bay. For further information or questions on the Bay Access scholar-ship program, please e-mail the club at [email protected] or call 281-474-2511.
Bay Access To Offer 4 Sailing Scholarships
Free to the public. Bring your lawn chair, mosquito spray, & cooler (no glass). For more information call 281-470-7275.
Registration begins at 9:30am. Donations excepted. Proof of vaccination required. For more information call 281-470-7275.
La Porte Parks & Recreation Department Presents
Jake Hooker & the Outsiders April 15, 2011 7pm- 9pm
5 Points Town Plaza, 201 S. Broadway in La Porte
Best Dog Gone Dog ContestApril 16, 2011 7pm- 9pm
5 Points Town Plaza, 201 S. Broadway in La Porte
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011 THE BAY AREA OBSERVER PAGE 5
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
CMR Jewelers8610 Spencer Hwy. Ste. C • La Porte, Texas 77571
281-470-8282We will be conducting daily business such as jewelry & watch repairs by appointment for your convenience.
Please call us at the above number or email [email protected] for arrangements.
Behind every “I do”there’s a great jeweler...Come see our extensive Bridal jewelry selection and
remember if we don’t have what you are looking for our “great jeweler” can make it!
Grand Relocation Opening March 2011….
La Porte artist, Brian Sterling, exhibited several of his works at Watson Gallery’s “March Mad-ness Art Show” on March 30th in Houston. The show featured noted artists Jim Phillips, Paris Holt, Scott G, Michelle Huff, Tracey Bautista, SG Abstract, Ernest Lizcano and Mina Agah among others. Brian’s exhibition featured his most popular paintings as well as his latest project, “Paris”, com-missioned by Mrs. Marlene Rigby. His artwork is often premiered and featured at Watson Gallery events throughout the year. The gallery is located at 716 W. Alabama St. in Houston. For more information on certain shows and exhibitions, contact The Watson Gallery at [email protected] or call (585) 737-9524.
Local Artist Brian Sterling’s Work On Display At Watson Gallery
Marlene Rigby and Artist Brian Sterling With“Paris”, Sterling’s Latest Commission.
PAGE 6 THE BAY AREA OBSERVER THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011
LPISD District Calendar4/7/11 to 4/13/2011
4/7/2011College Park Elementary - PaPa John’s Pizza Night
La Porte Elementary - Kindergarten & 5th Grade Graduation Pictures
Jennie Reid Elementary - 5th Grade Bay Smart field trip
Rizzuto Elementary - Chili’s Give Back Night
LPJH & LXJH - Boys Tennis District Tournament - Deer Park North Campus
LPJH & LXJH - Girls Tennis District Tournament - LPHS
LPHS - Tennis @ District Tournament LPHS - Varsity Boys Track - Texas Relays - Select Athletes
LPHS - NHS Meeting - 6:50 AM - Lecture Hall
LPHS - Orienteering/Adventure Racing Practice - 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
LPHS - Project Graduation meeting - 6:00 PM - Student Center
LPHS - Soccer Booster Club Meeting - 6:30 PM - Cafeteria
4/8/2011
Bayshore Elementary - Perfect Attendance Popcorn Celebration - 2:00 PM
Jennie Reid Elementary - Awards Assembly - 8:15 AM - 4th Grade; 9:15 AM 5th Grade
LPJH & LXJH - Boys Tennis District Tournament - Deer Park North Campus
LPJH & LXJH - Girls Tennis District Tournament – LPHS
LPHS - Varsity Boys Track - Texas Relays - Select Athletes
LPHS - UIL Area One Act Play Competition - 4:00 PM - Event begins at 4 PM. LPHS will be the last to perform at approximately 9 PM. Admis-sion is $10 - San Jacinto College Central
LPHS - Baseball vs. Baytown Sterling - 4:30 PM - Sophomore; 7 PM - JV
LPHS - Girls Softball @ Channelview - 5:00 PM - JV; - 6:45 pm Varsity
LPHS - Sophomore Girls Softball @ Deer Park - 6:00 PM
LPHS - Varsity Baseball @ Baytown Sterling - 7:00 PM
4/9/2011College Park Elementary - Family Fun Run - 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
LPJH & LXJH - Boys Tennis District Tournament - Deer Park North Campus
LPHS - Varsity Boys Track - Texas Relays - Select Athletes
4/11/2011Bayshore Elementary - Tutoring - 3:10 PM - 4:30 PM
Bayshore Elementary - Art After School - 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Bayshore Elementary - Spanish Club - 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
LPHS - Sophomore Girls Softball vs. Pearland - 6:00 PM
LPHS - Student Council (STUCO) Meeting - 6:00 PM - Lecture Hall
LXJH - March of Dimes Fund Drive
LXJH - High School Counselors presentation to 8th Grade - 9:15 AM - 10:00 AM
4/12/2011Heritage Elementary - Kindergarten PLC Day - modified schedule LPJH - Rock Solid - Christ on Campus - 7:45 AM - Choir Room
LXJH CPOC Meeting - 4:00 PM
LPHS - Baseball vs. North Shore 4:30 PM - Sophomore; 7 PM - JV
LPHS - Chatos Booster Club Meeting - 6:30 PM - Lecture Hall
LPHS - Girls Softball @ Sterling - 5:00 PM - JV; - 6:45 pm Varsity
LPHS - Varsity Baseball @ North Shore - 7:00 PM
LPHS - Varsity Boys Track - District Meet - North Shore
School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM - LPISD Admin Bldg. Board Room
4/13/2011Bayshore Elementary - Art After School - 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Bayshore Elementary - Chess Club - 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Bayshore Elementary - Drama Club - 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
College Park Elementary - Pre-K field trip to Bayou Wildlife Park
College Park Elementary - Robotics Club - 3:10 PM - 4:30 PMScience Lab
Heritage Elementary - PTO Gringo’s Night
Jennie Reid Elementary - CPOC meeting - 3:15 PM
Rizzuto Elementary - JSC Savings Day
LPHS - Varsity Boys Track - District Meet - North Shore
LPHS - Choir performs national anthem at Houston Astros Game - 7:05 PM - Game start time - National anthem will be performed immediately prior to start of game - Minute Maid Park
LPHS - Mr. All That - 7:00 PM - Sonja Angelo Theater
San Jacinto College And La Porte ISD Opens Dual
Enrollment Center For High School Students
La Porte community members received a glimpse of the new La Porte Independent School District (LPISD) San Jacinto College Center for dual enrollment high school students during an open house on Thursday, March 31, 2011. The Center, located at 732 South Broadway in La Porte, was once the LPISD administration building and is now home to six classrooms and an office. San Jacinto College (SJC) and La Porte ISD partnered together to customize the dual credit curriculum, which includes instruction by SJC faculty and support from the La Porte center coordinator Judy Flynn. Lloyd W. Graham, La Porte ISD superintendent of schools, said the Center paves the way for first-time college students by encouraging them to pursue their journey in higher education. “The opportunity to attend classes in an authentic college envi-ronment while still in high school helps demystify the experience and alleviate any apprehension they may feel with regard to mak-ing this transition,” said Graham. “It is our hope that this low-risk exposure to higher-level instruction will yield a lifetime of return for our students.” COMPASS® or TAKS test scores are evaluated to determine if a student is eligible for dual credit status. Once accepted, a student’s tuition and books are paid for by La Porte ISD. Ap-proximately 200 students have already enrolled through SJC at La Porte High School (LPHS). Scheduling for LPHS dual credit senior students remain similar to what is already in place at their school, complete with opportunities to fully participate in extra-curricular activities. “We are delighted to partner with LPISD and work to build a college going community in La Porte,” said Dr. Neil Matkin, president of the San Jacinto College Central campus. The La Porte dual enrollment program through SJC will expand in Fall 2011 to include qualified juniors who will take history and psychology or sociology dual credit courses.
From left to right: Dr. Neil Matkin, San Jacinto College Central campus presi-dent; Dr. Ruede Wheeler, San Jacinto College Board of Trustees member; John Moon Jr., San Jacinto College Board of Trustees member; Marie Flickinger, San Jacinto College Board of Trustees chair; Dr. Brenda Hellyer, San Jacinto College chancellor; Lloyd W. Graham, La Porte Independent School District (ISD) superintendent of schools; Dr. Joanne Kolius, La Porte High School principal; Dee Anne Thomson, La Porte ISD Board of Trustees member; Bill Snead, La Porte ISD Board of Trustees president; Lee Wallace, La Porte ISD Board of Trustees member; Virginia Pierson-Turner, La Porte ISD Board of Trustee member; Charlcya Wheeler, La Porte ISD Board of Trustees secretary; Craig Hulcy, La Porte ISD Board of Trustees vice president; and Kathy Green, La Porte ISD Board of Trustees member. Photo credit: Jeannie Peng-Armao, San Jacinto College marketing department.
EDUCATION
Kindergarten in the Clear Creek Independent School District is a full-day program and all students attend from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. All kindergarten students will be enrolled on their home campus during “Kindergarten Roundup” in May. To enroll their child, parents will need to bring the following:
• Two Proofs of Residency in the Clear Creek Independent School District: (Current Deed to a house in the name of the Adult seeking to enroll a child, or Current mortgage or payment book, Signed apartment lease in the name of the adult seeking to enroll a child, AND A copy of a current electric bill, or Water utility bill for the address identified.) • An official birth certificate. You may now request one from the state online at the following website: https://txapps.texas.gov/tolapp/ovra/index.htm• The student’s social security card. • Proof of current immunizations.
For more information, please call 281-284-0114 or email [email protected]. Kindergarten Round Up dates and times for each cam-pus are below.
Clear Creek ISD once again received the Super Show Hall of Fame award presented to school districts that score highest in cooperative participation in the Houston Rodeo School Art Program. School districts are judged on how well the rules and regulations are followed, the overall quality of the district show, display and set up of the artwork, enthusiasm for the program, return of all required forms, timely pick up of student artwork, and attendance by a responsible representative of the school district at Open Houses. The following students received awards at the recent Houston Rodeo School Art award ceremony.
On Saturday, April 9 from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, members of James F. Bay Elementary PTA will join forces with employees from Lyon-dell Bassel to break ground on the first phase of construction for the school’s outdoor classroom and nature center. Lyondell Bassel has generously donated $2500.00 toward materials and employee volunteers as part of their Global Care Day. Bay PTA members, teachers, parents, and students will be on-site to help build the garden beds for each grade level, storage shed, a handicap acces-sible crushed granite walkway, compost and irrigation. The kids will build bird houses, hummingbird feeders, plant markers and signs. Bay PTA board member, Karen Rompot, is currently seeking dona-tions of materials, funding, and volunteers to help see the project to completion. For more information on how you can help Bay Elemen-tary students build their Outdoor Classroom and Nature Center, please contact Karen Rompot at [email protected].
The San Jacinto Community College District will cancel its elec-tion for three Board of Trustees positions originally scheduled for Saturday, May 14, 2011, due to each position being unopposed. Board of Trustees Positions 1, 2, and 7 were to be filled in the May election. The candidates who filed for those positions will be sworn in at the June board meeting. Mr. Brad Hance, 64, will fill Position 1 for a six-year term. A resident of Pasadena, Texas, he is president and CEO of MECO Inc. He has served on the Board of Directors for the San Jacinto College Foundation for four years, and currently holds the office of chairman of the board. Mr. Ben Meador, who has opted not to seek re-election, currently holds position 1. Dr. Ruede Wheeler, 76, currently holds Position 2 on the San Ja-cinto College Board of Trustees. He resides in La Porte, Texas, and is a retired dentist. He was first elected to the College board in 1986, and will fill Position 2 for another six years. Mr. Keith Sinor, 42, will fill Position 7. A resident of Deer Park, Texas, he is co-owner of Sinor Engine Company, Inc., and a former San Jacinto College student. Position 7 is a four-year unexpired term that was vacated in December 2010 upon the retirement of longtime board member Mr. C. Wayne Slovacek. Elections for the San Jacinto College Board of Trustees occur every two years, in odd numbered years. The Board is elected in numbered at-large positions, 1 through 7.
San Jacinto College Cancels Board Of Trustees Election
James F. Bay Elementary PTA And Lyondell Bassel Join
Forces Volunteers To Begin First Phase Construction of Outdoor Classroom and Nature Center
Art Students Honored At Houston Rodeo Awards Ceremony
CCISD Kindergarten Round Up Begins In May
New Robinson Elementary Principal Named
The Clear Creek Indepen-dent School District is proud to announce Yolanda Jones is the new principal of G. W. Robinson Elementary School. She has been with CCISD for 12 years. For the past 6 years
Jones has served as principal of Landolt Elementary School in Friendswood. “The 2008 CCISD Elemen-tary Principal of the Year will be a tremendous addition to the Robinson team,” said Super-intendent Greg Smith, “I have no doubt she will be greatly missed at Landolt Elementary. I would also like to thank Robin-son’s Assistant Principal Donna Hartness and temporary Princi-pal Carole Streiff for their lead-ership during this transition.” The former principal of the ex-emplary campus, Jim Stephens, retired in December with more than 40 years of service with CCISD. A search is now under-way to find a replacement for Jones at Landolt Elementary.
Salon La RougeHair, Nail, Massage & Facials
Salon La Rouge
Let me design you a new look for Spring!
Lisa K. Cook: Owner/Master Styl ist281.474.2528 • 902 Hardesty • Old Seabrook
ANCHOR REAL-ESTATE
NEW OFFICE OPEN IN SEABROOK
PROFESSIONAL REAL-ESTATE SERVICES
5% LISTINGSFREE BUYER & SELLER HOME WARRANTY
IN HOUSE MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICER
1717 2nd St. Suite BSeabrook, Texas 77586
Buyer & Seller Representation • Investment & Property Management
Office 281-942-9312Cell 832-435-0001
WE’VE GOT THE HOTTEST BRANDS OF SUNGLASSES, GLASSES & CONTACT LENSES
www.laportevision.com
Helping You And Your Family See Into The FutureDeborah S. Bernay, O.D. • Andreane B. Fagala, O.D.
Patricia A. Galos, O.D.401 West Fairmont Parkway, Suite A • La Porte
281-471-6546
La Porte Vision Center
With A New Pair of Sunglasses
To Protect Your Vision From The
Summer Sun!
Visit us on the web at www.bayareaobserver.com
of join us onFACEBOOK
COMPANY DRIVERS! REGIONAL Southwest up to .36¢ per mile. Class A-CDL. 1 year OTR required. Steady freight, exceptional benefits. Apply today! 1-888-440-2465 or www.nationalcarriers.com
DRIVERS- 100% Tuition paid CDL training! No credit check, no experi-ence required. Trainers earn 49¢/mile. 1-888-417-7564, CRST EXPEDITED, www.JoinCRST.com
DRIVER- DAILY OR weekly pay. Single source dispatch, No tractor older than 3 years Safety bonuses paid quarterly. CDL-A, 3 months recent OTR expe-rience. 1-800-414-9569, www.driveknight.com
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011 THE BAY AREA OBSERVER PAGE 7
ALL CLEAN LAUNDRY
1109 S. BROADWAY
LA PORTEWASHATERIA
DROP OFF SERVICE
AVAILABLE
OPEN DAILY 5AM - 9PM
“Come Clean With Us”
SERVICES
HELP WANTED
REAL ESTATE
CLASSIFIED ADSCLASSIFIED DISPLAY RATE...........................................$8.50 p.c.i.(Classifieds display ads can contain a border and bolded letters)
CLASSIFIED LINER ADSFirst 20 Words (initial insertion)......................................................$7.50 First 20 Words (subsequent insertions)............................................$4.50Additional Words.................................................................10 cents each
Classified deadlines are 10 a.m. each Monday
Victoria Lake
APARTMENTS281-333-2510
$199.00Total Move In!*
$500 - Studio All Bills Paid*
$555 - One bdrm All Bills Paid*
www.victorialakenasa.com (restrictions apply)
APARTMENTS
For Sale or Lease to OwnLovely 4-2.5 home w/pool
New paint & carpet 2500 sq ft
Clear lake Forest Sub
$1800 month + deposit. $225,000 to purchase. Call 832 303-4880
Lot For Sale
75 x 110On The 16th
Green - Wild-wood Resort. 18 Hole Golf Course, 360
Acre Lake, 24 Hour Security.
$8,000281-793-7961
LOTS & ACREAGE
HOMES
WINDSAIL BAY
APARTMENTS3141
S. BROADWAYLA PORTE
281-471-3061ONE BEDROOM
ONE BATHTWO BEDROOM
11/2 BATH
Bayshore Humble Construction
Building, Remodeling & Repairs
Handicap tile, shower, bath with tile seats.
Clean or re-grout tile walls & floor.
New stainless steel grab bars installed.
Ray Garcia281-471-4947
Shoppers with a nose for bargains head straight for
the Classifieds. In the Classifieds, you can track
down deals on everything from cars to canine companions. It’s easy to place an ad or find the items you
want, and it’s used by hundreds of area shoppers every day.
NOW $7.50 buys 20 words
Go with your instincts and use the Classifieds today.
The Bay Area ObserverP.O. Box 305 • Seabrook, Texas 77586
281-907-3140
Sell Your Home or Find A New One !
TheBay Area Observer
Classifieds! 281-907-3140
or email us at [email protected]
Having A Garage
Sale?
Advertise It The
Bay Area Observer281-907-3140
LOCAL SERVICE DIRECTORY
&
Rick 281-773-4822
Se Habla Espanol
Sales, Service & Installation
In Business Over 20 Years
Specializing in
Boats & RV’s
Commercial / ResidentialIf your contract is up or
you have a new HDTV and need an update reciever call for a free quote and survey
www.paululee.com281-471-0123
Paul U. LeeFuneral Home
Family Owned & Operated
Sign up for updates
52 Issues a YearPaid subscribers receive the Bay Area Observer by mail.
FOR ONLY PER YEAR
Fill out the information below and mail in with your payment in the amount of $25.00 made payable to:
The Bay Area Observer • P.O. Box 305, Seabrook, TX. 77586
281-907-3140Name:_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________________________________________________
City:_______________________________________________ State:__________________ Zip:_____________________
Phone:_______________________________________________________________________________________________
VISA MASTERCARD
Credit Card #:__________________________________________ Exp. Date:_______/_______ CVV #:______________
Signature:_____________________________________________________________ Date:_________________________
3 digit code on back of card
$25
SUBSCRIBE
BAY AREA OBSERVER
TO THE
Fischers Hardware
We have a large selection of plants
and flowers for your spring garden.
Come in and let us recommend
something to make your
garden beautiful!
1012 S. Broadway • La Porte • TX • 77571(281) 470-0171OPEN 7 DAYS
A WEEK
Mon.-Fri • 7:30 to 7Sat. • 8 to 6Sun. • 9 to 5
Fischers Truly “Does It Best”
Spring Is Here!and we have what you need for a beautiful garden!
Kitchen • Bath • Closets • Countertops • Floors3130 E. Nasa Parkway Seabrook. TX 77586
Call Now! 281.326.1902Show Room: Monday-Friday 10a.m.-7p.m. • Appointments: Sat. 9a.m. -2p.m.
If you’re looking for good service, please visit these local businesses!
The 2011 Camp Lotta Bright Hope, a weekend retreat for children ages 7 to 12 who have been diagnosed with diabetes, will be held April 30th – May 1st. The camp was established in 1959 by local resident and founder of the Baytown American Diabetes Association Ernestine Bright. Mrs. Bright started the camp after both of her sons were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Originally the camp was for children with type 1 diabetes; in recent years due to the increase in type 2 diabetes in children the camp is open to children with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The camp provides activities such as arts and crafts, swimming, a campfire, team sports, canoeing and horseback riding. The camp is two days and volunteers and campers stay in cabins. Diabetes staff members, from San Jacinto Methodist Hospital, St. Joseph Medical Center, Texas Children’s Hospital® along with volunteers from other medical facilities, participate in a planning committee for the camp, which is held in May, and support the diabetes management/medical needs for the campers during their stay. “For many campers they’ve never been able to stay away from home before. Camp Lotta Bright Hope allows children with diabetes to be independent from their families for a weekend. In addi-tion it gives those families/parents peace of mind while their child is away. The Diabetes Depart-ment staff has a wonderful time and we look forward to it every year,” says Kathy Husband, Direc-tor Education and Diabetes Self-Management Program San Jacinto Methodist Hospital. For more information on Camp Lotta Bright Hope call San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Self-Management Diabetes Program at 281-420-8525. Applications are being issued now.
Baytown Chapter of the American Diabetes Association to Host Camp Lotta Bright Hope,
Retreat for Children with Diabetes
FOR SALE
Cemetary Lot
Grandview Cemertary
Deer Park/La Porte
$3000Call
281-471-4577 or
281-414-2895
GARAGE SALES
Garage &
Estate Sale 10226
Carlow Lane Fairmont Park
Furniture, jewelry,
household items & moreApril 15th 8am - 4pm
PAGE 8 THE BAY AREA OBSERVER THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011
“We Bring The Shop To You”
MOBILE MECHANIC SERVICE
AUTO, TRUCK & TRAILER
24 HOUR SERVICE
291-991-7572 • 832-657-9383James G. Kopeck
www.azinductriesllc.com
AZ INDUSTRIES
P.J. Mock, Jr. M.D.Family Medicine • American Board of Family Medicine
1200 Highway 146, Suite 250La Porte, Texas 77571E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (281) 471-0130 Fax: (281) 867-9241
Uphill’s Liquor
1021-A S. Broadway • La Porte281-471-2132
“Come To Uphill’s For Your Spirit”
CUISINE
Friday, April 15, 2011
3rd Annual Tax Day Tea Party in the Park
The Job is not over!Looking to 2012!
Don’t forget your lawnchair
Speakers:
Ted CruzUS Texas Senate Candidate 2010
Paul BettencourtThe Tax Man
Jack MormanHarris County Commissioner Pct. 2
Location: Clear Lake Park
5001 Nasa Pkwy., Seabrook, TX.Date/Time:
Friday, April 15, 2011 at 6:00 PM E-Mail: [email protected]: www.ClearLakeTeaParty.com
Clear Lake Tea
Party
Texas Red VarietalsMalbec
Complex, tannin-laden red with lush fla-vors of plums, berries and spice. Pair with beef dishes, turkey and hearty stews.
TempranilloLush, smoky red with a hint of vanilla and rich, dark fruits. Pair with pizza, cabrito and tamales.
Syrah
Smokey red with soft tannins, toasted oak, berries and plums. Pair with beef stew, grilled meats, pizza and wild game.
SangioveseSmooth-textured red varietal spiced with wild raspberries and licorice. Pair with beef, pork, pasta dishes and cheese.
ZinfandelFull-bodied, bold and fruity red bursting with berries and spice. Pair with BBQ, red pasta sauce and pizza.
MerlotMedium-to-full bodied red with a subtle, herbaceous flavor and soft tannins. Pair with meatloaf, grilled tuna and eggplant parmesan.
Cabernet SauvignonComplex, hearty red with bold flavors of cherry, cedar and chocolate. Pair with rack of lamb, T-bone steak and wild game.
Pinot NoirRich, smooth red with delicate notes of black cherries and cloves. Pair with duck, salmon and turkey.
LenoirDeep, dark red with notes of raspberry, cinnamon, cherry-chocolate, clove and brown sugar. Pair with raspberries and chocolate, as well as duck, venison and brisket.
Texas White VarietalsChardonnay
Clean, crisp, well-balanced white with big flavors of citrus and oak. Pair oak-aged with light beef with cream sauces or smoked chicken; unoaked with lobster and veal.
Blanc du Bois
Light, fresh-finished white with notes of grapefruit and apples. Pair with fish with lemon butter sauce, pasta Alfredo and pineapple chicken.
Pinot Grigio
Creamy, slightly perfumed white with rich color and a fresh palate. Pair with TexMex, gulf fried shrimp and oysters.
Viognier
Intense, slightly spicy white with notes of floral, peach and apricot. Pair with lettuce wraps (Chinese), white fish with mango
salsa and paella.
Riesling
Crisp, unobtrusive white accented by rich, fruit flavors and a floral bouquet. Pair with Indian cuisine, Greek salad and Jamaican pork.
Sauvignon Blanc
Silky smooth white with floral, grassy and delicate herbal properties. Pair with fish, shrimp, cream soups and veggies.
Chenin Blanc
Delicate, floral white with a dry, well-balanced finish. Pair with cheese crepes, quiche and Waldorf salad.
Orange Muscat
Fruity, sweet white with notes of goose-berry and orange peel. Pair with ice cream, dark chocolate and smoked salmon.
Muscat BlancLight, fragrant white accented by cori-ander, peach and citrus flavors. Pair with fish, pasta, raw vegetables and soups.
Muscat Canelli
Fresh, fruity white retaining the zesty flavors of the grape. Pair with chocolate, fresh fruit, fish and pasta.
GewurtztraminerFull-bodied, pungent white characterized by fruity, nutty flavors. Pair with BBQ, sushi and blackened fish.
SemillonBold and oaky, this sweet white carries hints of honey and figs. Pair with fried catfish, olive tapenade and fried chicken, as well as blue cheese or crème brûlèe.
For more Texas Wine Basics, go to www.gotexanwine.org
Texas Wine Basics
Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio go great with crawfish. When you pick up your boiled crawfish at the Crawfish Drive-In, stop by your favorite beverage store and make your crawfish experience extra special!F
YI