Mark your calendar for our monthly Eastside P.I.P. meeting on Monday, June 15.  The meeting begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at the HPD Eastside Station located at 7525 Sherman.

Dear Neighbors,

The 84th session has kicked off in Austin, Texas and we have a new state representative for District 144. State Representative Gilbert Peña is now representing our district and we hope he can help the community with our streets. I have updated the contact list with State Representative Peña’s office contacts. If anyone has questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact their office at the following number (512) 463-0732. I have already submitted pictures of our streets to their office but, if more constituents report the problem it would be helpful.

Sincerely,

Yvette Hernandez

A tree planting ceremony was held this morning hosted by TXU for the Oak Meadows Civic Club. Eight crape myrtle trees have graciously been donated to the civic club to help beautify the entrances to the neighborhood located on Allen Genoa & Ahrens St. and Michael & Howard. Through its Committed to Community Growth Program, TXU Energy works with the Texas Trees Foundation to maintain the TXU Energy Urban Tree Farm and Education Center, the largest nonprofit urban tree farm in the nation. Never before since the neighborhood was created in 1952 had there ever been trees in both side of the entrances which will add to the beauty of the neighborhood and enhance our area.  This took quite some time in planning and I would like to “Thank” the following person(s) who diligently worked together with me towards this event.

• Colette Vallot with TXU
• Councilman Dave Martin staff Lauren Laake and Evan Austin
• Victor Cordova- Houston Parks and Recreation Department
• Mary Lou DelaFuente – Parks and Recreation Department
• Pam Wiley – Dept. of Neighborhoods
• Hernaldo Rivera – Civic Club 
• Lupe Alonso – Civic Club 
• Jocelyn Alonso – Civic Club
• Juan Garcia – Civic Club
• Angela DeLaCruz – Civic Club

On Friday, October 17 staff from Council Member Martin’s office participated in a tree planting ceremony at Oak Meadows Park to celebrate TXU Energy’s donation of eight 15-gallon Crape Myrtle trees to the Oak Meadows community. To coordinate the event, Council Member Martin’s office worked with representatives from TXU, the Houston Parks & Recreation Department’s Urban Forestry team, and community leaders from the Oak Meadows Civic Club.

Through its “Committed to Community Growth” program, TXU Energy works with the Texas Trees Foundation to provide trees to neighborhood associations, schools, nonprofit organizations and municipalities to enhance quality of life and prevent soil erosion in communities throughout Texas. TXU also maintains the TXU Energy Urban Tree Farm and Education Center, the largest nonprofit urban tree farm in the United States. More information on TXU’s “Committed to Community Growth” program can be found at www.txu.com/about/community/community-growth.aspx.

Council Member Martin thanks Colette Vallot with TXU and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department for their work coordinating the event. He also thanks Michelle Miranda and the members of the Oak Meadows Civic Club for their volunteerism and dedication to improving the Oak Meadows community.

The 8 donated trees can be seen located at the median’s at the entrance of Ahren’s at Allen Genoa and Michael St. and Howard.

Congressman Gene Green’s 
Summer Town Hall Meeting and Events

Open House on Memorial Park Priorities

The Memorial Park Conservancy and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department invite you to join the Memorial Park planning team for a PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE

Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 Time: 6:30 p.m. Location: High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, 4001 Stanford, Houston, TX 77006.

Learn about findings from the public input process and share your feedback! Participation is free and open to the public. Visit http://memorialparkmasterplan.mindmixer.com/ for details.

For more information on the Memorial Park Conservancy, visit www.memorialparkconservancy.org or contact Suzanne Landau at 713.863.8403 extension 2.

For more information on Memorial Park and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, visit www.houstonparks.org or write to Askparks@houstontx.gov.

Graduation Game Plan 

Mentor Program

The Mayor’s Office of Education Initiatives and the Houston Public Library are partnering with the Graduation Game Plan mentor program.  This free program connects students to resources that help prepare them to achieve their academic and career goals. Mentors meet with a small group of students for an hour and a half a week for four consecutive weeks. The Spring 2014 program will begin this March 24, 2014 and lasts until April 17, 2014.

Students who participate will receive guidance and support to graduate high school, prepare for life after high school, acquire workforce skills and manage their time effectively.  Working with mentors and the resources made available through the program, students create short-term and long-term education and career goals. To participate in the Graduation Game Plan mentor program, sign up at one of the libraries listed below:

• Park Place Regional Library: 8145 Park Place Boulevard Houston 77017 Mondays, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. (March 24, March 31, April 7 and April 14)
• Carnegie Neighborhood Library: 1050 Quitman Street Houston 77009 Mondays, 3:30 -5:00 p.m. (March 24, March 31, April 7 and April 14)
• McGovern-Stella Link Neighborhood Library: 7405 Stella Link Road Houston 77025 Mondays, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. (March 24, March 31, April 7 and April 14)
• Smith Neighborhood Library: 3624 Scott Street Houston 77004 Thursdays, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. (March 27, April 3, April 10 and April 17)
• Shepard-Acres Homes: 8501 West Montgomery Houston, TX 77088 Saturdays: March 29 (2:30p-4:00p) April 5 (11:00a-12:30p) April 12 (11:00a-12:30p) April 19 (1:30p-3:00p)
• Stanaker Neighborhood Library: 611 S-Sgt. Macario Garcia Drive Houston 77011 Tuesdays,    5:00 – 6:30 p.m. (March 25, April 1, April 8 and April 15)

Volunteers will be provided with resource materials to guide a small group of students through the basic steps of high school graduation and preparing for college and/or careers.  Any adult who is interested in helping Houston students prepare for their futures are encouraged to become a mentor. Spanish and bilingual speakers are needed at many locations around the City. Learn more or sign up to become a mentor here. We still need volunteers at the following locations:

• Park Place Regional Library: 8145 Park Place Boulevard Houston 77017 Mondays, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. (March 24, March 31, April 7 and April 14)
• Carnegie Neighborhood Library: 1050 Quitman Street Houston 77009 Mondays, 3:30 -5:00 p.m. (March 24, March 31, April 7 and April 14)
• Shepard-Acres Homes: 8501 West Montgomery Houston, TX 77088 Saturdays: March 29 (2:30p-4:00p) April 5 (11:00a-12:30p) April 12 (11:00a-12:30p) April 19 (1:30p-3:00p)
• Stanaker Neighborhood Library: 611 S-Sgt. Macario Garcia Drive Houston 77011 Tuesdays, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. (March 25, April 1, April 8 and April 15)

 To volunteer, sign up at:  http://www.houstontx.gov/education/mentor/index.html

 For more information or to place your child on the participants list, contact:

Aarik Mickens-Dessaso, Office of Education Initiatives at

Aarik.Mickens-Dessaso@houstontx.gov or 832.393.0993 (office)

  The “After School Zone with the Graduation Game Plan” Mentor Program is a partnership between the City of Houston Department of Neighborhoods and the Houston Public Library.

To learn more about the Office of Education Initiatives, visit www.houstontx.gov/education

To learn more about the Department of Neighborhoods, visit www.houstontx.gov/neighborhoods

Additional volunteer opportunities in the City of Houston can be found at www.houstonservice.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 17, 2014