Deer Park News
Taste of Italy event to help children with brain tumors
On Thursday, area residents can taste authentic Italian recipes without ever leaving town.
The fourth annual A Taste of Italy wine pairing event March 15 will be at the Republic Grill. The epicurean event is from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and is a fundraiser for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. In just its fourth year, A Taste of Italy has outgrown two venues.
"And that's a good problem to have," said event organizer Maggie Sims.
The menu features authentic Italian dishes and deviates from the popular mozzarella and tomato sauce entrees. Dress is business casual.
"Our menu is a little more rustic. We will have a pasta dish and we will also have an Italian brisket for our guests to sample with our wines. It's not the same as the Texas-style smoked brisket we love here," she said.
Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. If participants choose, they can purchase their tickets via a check made out to Maggie Sims. Tickets purchased in this manner will have their donation matched by Spectra Energy where Sims is employed.
"If you feel comfortable with writing a check to me, I can provide a receipt and everything for you. Spectra Energy will match every dollar that I turn in," she said.
DPJH unveils enrichment program to Rotary
A pilot program at Deer Park Junior High will pair ambitious students with community leaders and mentors who can give real-world insights to careers, hobbies and other interests.
Dr. Tiffany Regan, DPJH principal, presented an overview of the proposed curriculum to the Deer Park Rotary Club Wednesday. The program, known as BIG RED – Building Innovation Growth and Rigor through Enrichment at DPJH, focuses on the strength, nature and needs of the gifted and advanced academic population of the school, Regan said.
BIG RED is made up of advanced-level, advanced-technology mini-courses that encompass each six-week grading period. Students will be able to choose their courses from a catalog, similar to course selection in high school and college.
Council to examine several repair and maintenance items at meeting
City Council's agenda for Tuesday's meeting includes a recommendation to enter a contract for preventative roof maintenance. The workshop begins at 6:30 p.m. while the regular meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. Both take place in Council Chambers at 710 W. San Augustine.
Council previously has hired Tremco for preventive maintenance of the roofs of city-owned structures. Renewal of the contact was not included in the 2011-2012 budget. If the city authorizes a new contract, it would be funded with available contingency funds at a cost of $39,463.42, which includes coverage for 24 city facilities. The program covers preventative maintenance issues and leak response whereby small leaks are fixed at no cost while larger leak repairs are eligible for discounted prices.
Also on the agenda is an authorization to seek bids for repairs to the signature bridge at the Battleground at Deer Park Golf Course. In December, Council hired Klotz Associates for design and engineering work for repairs to the bridge. Now that the initial work has been completed, the project is ready to begin receiving bids for these repairs. The engineer's estimate of construction cost is $273,134. The 2011-2012 budget contains $300,000 of hotel occupancy tax funds to make these repairs.
Police Report: 02-20-2012
The following is a list of arrests filed by the Deer Park Police Department from Feb. 13 through Feb. 20. The information was retrieved from P2C. All locations are posted as blocks. Suspects are innocent until proven guilty. Court decisions are not reflected in this report.
Feb. 13
6:50 a.m. Public Intoxication, 9025 Spencer Hwy.
9:26 p.m. Possession of marijuana, 100 W. First St., two arrests
Feb. 14
5:04 p.m. Possession of a substance in Penalty Group 3, 7300 Carrie Ln.
7:34 p.m. Possession of a substance in Penalty Group 4, 1100 Ivy Ave.
Lubrizol donates $3K to Deer Park Opportunity Center
Chris Hext presents a check on behalf of the Lubrizol Corporation to members of the Deer Park Opportunity Center, including Chad Burke, Tim Culp, Hext, Bennie Boles, Liz Guyon Sherri Dial and Jerry Mouton. Photo by Bobby Vasquez.
Wednesday morning, the Lubrizol Corporation donated $3,000 to the Deer Park Opportunity Center, an entity tasked with helping unemployed or impoverished persons get the assistance they need to become viable contributing members of the community.
The Deer Park Opportunity Center is in the process of charting a course to meet the needs of individuals by becoming a unique resource that encourages individual economic sustainability and personal growth.
Many non-profit organizations are already involved in these activities. DPOC organizers feel by combining services and creating a seamless, single place to process citizens' needs, Deer Park can develop a model center that ensures a healthy, thriving community in the long-term.
SJC theater presents Houston area premiere of 'A Clockwork Orange'
Juvenile thug Alex (Alec Trevino, from Pasadena) receives radical behavioral treatment from Dim (Jason Broussard, from Dickinson, left) as the Chaplin (Sean Carter, from Baytown, right) protests, in San Jacinto College’s production of “A Clockwork Orange.” Photo by Rob Vanya, San Jacinto College marketing department.
San Jacinto College Central's department of theatre and film will perform "A Clockwork Orange," a graphic science fiction play adapted from a novel by Anthony Burgess. The controversial and visually stunning film of the same title, released in 1972 by Stanley Kubrick, was based on Burgess' novel.
Performances are set for Feb. 24 and 25, March 1, 2 and 3 in the Jerry Powell Arena Theatre, located at 8060 Spencer Hwy. in Pasadena. The curtain will be 7:30 p.m. for each show.
The show is rated R for graphic stage and video violence, language and adult content. SJC's theater adaption of the novel will be a premiere for the Houston area, according to Jerry Ivins, producer for the show. The production is directed by Mark Adams, guest artist and artistic director for the College of the Mainland.
Armand Bayou offers free admission for 'Sundays in Nature' event
The Armand Bayou Nature Center will host Sundays in Nature events on the third Sunday of each month in 2012. This program encourages outdoor family activities and participation. Photo provided by Armand Bayou Nature Center
Families who visit Armand Bayou Nature Center Sunday, Feb. 19 will be admitted free, thanks in part to a contribution from The Dow Chemical Company's Houston area manufacturing sites. Dow is underwriting the Sunday in Nature program and free admission every third Sunday throughout 2012 to encourage outdoor family activities and participation in Armand Bayou's unique nature programs.
On the third Sunday of each month throughout 2012, a new program will reconnect visitors to nature with a different educational topic and activities designed to engage and entertain the entire family. Most activities are scheduled between 1-3 p.m. Learn about native plant gardening from ABNC's WaterSmart garden expert, Chris LaChance Feb. 19. Visit the gardens at ABNC and discover how to transform a yard. Take a hike and meet the trees of ABNC. Plant a seed to take home and enjoy.
Police Report: 02-13-2012
The following is a list of arrests filed by the Deer Park Police Department from Feb. 6 through Feb. 13. The information was retrieved from P2C. All locations are posted as blocks. Suspects are innocent until proven guilty. Court decisions are not reflected in this report.
Feb. 6
8:41 p.m. Driving while license invalid, 1300 W. Thirteenth St.
Feb. 7
1:35 p.m. Driving while license invalid, 115 W. Thirteenth St.
4:13 p.m. Driving while license invalid, 4500 Durant
9:31 p.m. Possession of a substance in Penalty Group 1, 7000 SH 225
SJC gala celebrates 50 year anniversary, benefits SJC foundation
Nearly 300 guests are expected to attend the San Jacinto College Foundation 50th Anniversary Gala celebration, co-chaired by Melvin Cowart, David and Marie Flickinger, and John and Rose Moon, Sr., slated for Friday, May 4, 2012, from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., at Space Center Houston.
The gala will culminate a year of celebrations and activities on each of San Jacinto College's three campuses, as the College community celebrates 50 years of educational excellence in East Harris County. Erik Barajas, KTRK ABC 13 anchor and San Jacinto College alumnus, will emcee the event, which will feature dinner, dancing, and a live and silent auction. All proceeds benefit the San Jacinto College Promise for Their Future scholarship fund to help students pursue degrees and careers in the arts and sciences.
"We are embarking on another 50 years of educational excellence that will open new chapters of helping students achieve their dreams of a college education," said SJC Foundation Executive Director Ruth Keenan. "I invite our community to be a part of that dream by lending its support to our mission of seeking new partnerships and enriching existing ones. These partnerships make dreams come true."