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."
SJC unveils new health sciences expansion at Central
From left, Brandon Meyers, project manager, SpawGlass; Calvin Powitzky, principal, Bay Architects; Brad Hance, member, San Jacinto College (SJC) Board of Trustees; Jay Guerrero, regional director - Southeast Texas, representing Sen. John Cornyn; Dr. Brenda Hellyer, SJC Chancellor; Louis Rigby, mayor, City of La Porte; Dr. H. Neil Matkin, president, SJC Central Campus; Dr. Barbara Hanson, vice president for learning, SJC Central Campus; Veronica Jammer, dean of health sciences, SJC Central Campus; Edna Robinson, former interim dean of health sciences, SJC Central Campus; Tim Culp, president and CEO, Deer Park Chamber of Commerce; Tony Vistein, design manager, Tech Knowledge; and Dr. Ron Rucker, co-owner, Rizzo & Associates. Photo by Jeannie Peng-Armao, San Jacinto College marketing department.Members of the San Jacinto College community recently toured the new 35,000-square-foot health sciences expansion during a grand opening at the Central Campus.
Funded by the 2008 bond referendum to construct, renovate and expand facilities at all three SJC campuses, the $11 million expansion is equipped with the latest in health care technology and facilities to simulate real patient environments. The building houses an eye care suite, dental assistant laboratory, sonography suite, and a simulation center.
"This new facility will provide an environment that simulates actual clinical and patient care opportunities in a chosen discipline," said Veronica Jammer, dean of the health sciences division at SJC Central. "Additionally, this building will provide an avenue for new health science programs to be brought to the forefront so that San Jacinto College can remain competitive and retain its status as a leader of health science education in this region."
DPPD's lock box program offers peace of mind to families
The Deer Park Police Department is offering a new service to help senior citizens when no one else is around.
Through the residential lockbox program, first responders can quickly and safely gain access to senior adults locked in their homes during medical or other emergencies. The lockbox program reduces the likelihood of property damage caused by first responders forcing entry into a home in response to an emergency call.
The residential lockbox program is open to all Deer Park residents who either live alone or must be left alone on a regular basis and are age 65 and above, or are under 65 with a major medical issue that could render them incapacitated or unconscious.
Upon completion of an application, the resident is given a lockbox, similar to those used by real estate agents to leave keys at a home for show. Applications are available at DPPD, 2911 Center St. or can be obtained from individual officers.
Once the application is approved, the sector officer assigned to the resident's area, will contact the participant at their home to explain the program. At that time, the participant will provide a spare house key to the officer, who will place the key inside the lockbox and set the combination.
DPHS students reach out to learn about the long arm of the law
Students from the criminal justice program visit several police departments including Pasadena Police Department and Deer Park Police Department. Officers from the departments show the students various equipment they use during investigations.Knowing the difference between right and wrong is instilled into most people at a young age. The criminal justice program and Deer Park High School South teaches students how to take those morals to the next level.
The program, taught by Dan Rosenberg, a 24-year veteran of the South Houston Police Department, began as a way to encourage students to take the criminal justice program at San Jacinto College.
"I began at SJC more than 15 years ago," Rosenberg said. "We had one course here at South and it got more popular."
What began as one course now includes six classes and about 150 students in the program.
The program is broken down into two classes. The first-year class learns the history of criminal justice as well as the court system and penal code. The second-year class takes that knowledge and applies it with hands-on training.
"The second year is the one the students all kind of strive to get into," Rosenberg said.
Ruptured pipe causes sink hole near waste water plant
Breakage in a gravity feed sewer line led to City Council posting an emergency meeting between its workshop and regular meeting that night.
According to Public Works Director Bill Pederson, a 24-inch gravity feed sewer line broke near the northwest corner of the wastewater treatment plant. The breakage caused a 12-foot and four-foot deep sink hole at the break site.
Council unanimously passed a measure to fix the pipe, and repairs could start as early as today, said City Manager Jay Stokes.
The breakage and sinkhole was discovered Tuesday by a citizen who was four-wheeling on the property.
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