bay area houston magazine may 2013

May 2013

P R O U D T O S U P P O R T S E C O N D C H A N C E P E T S

www.BayAreaHoustonMag.com

Leaders from industry, the city, schools and Lee College step forward to address challenges of a booming economy.

features

11 Dental Health Don’t settle for half

16 UHCL Honors Chamber 2013 report at Lakewood Yacht Club

26 Bay Area Houston Elections Voters head to the polls May 11

30 Baytown the Epicenter of Growth Economic boom coming to the Texas Gulf Coast

33 Let Us Entertain You Your entertainment guide to the Bay Area Houston

40 Baybrook Mall Hosts Night Out for Moms Thursday, May 9 from 5 to 8 p.m.

44 Rotarians Get Update From city, council officials

44 Webster Eyes State Funds For NASA Parkway link

46 Novel Offers Look Inside Astronaut Family Keeper of the Flame

46 Butler Longhorn Museum Chronicles unique part of Texas’ history

48 Finance Seven money habits to curb now

columns

14 Clear Lake Chatter Springtime means party time in the Bay Area

18 The Admiral’s Log Fishing for sharks

20 In Wheel Time Sun, sand and sedans

22 Texas Meditations Our birthright

24 Nourishing the Mind Once is more than enough

39 CLICK! Cock and Bull British Pub cover party

in each issue

10 Advertiser’s Index

17 Lakewood Yacht Club News and Events

28 Education News

50 Business Buzz

58 Main Events

President & ChairmanRick Clapp

Publisher & Editor in ChiefMary Alys Cherry

Executive Vice PresidentPatty Kane

Vice President & Art DirectorBrandon Rowan

Director of Graphics MediaVictoria Ugalde

Sales & MarketingShannon Alexander

Patty BederkaNatalie Epperley

Ashley KarlenDebbie Salisbury

Amber Sample

EditorialDon Armstrong

Mary Alys CherryMichael Gos

Capt. Joe KentBetha Merit

Pat PattonDr. Edward Reitman

PhotographyMary Alys Cherry

Brian Stewart

DistributionChris MirkaTim Shinkle

Community Affairs DirectorLillian Harmon

Bay Area Houston Magazine is produced monthly. All rights reserved. Material may not

be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission. Advertising rates are available upon request.

Please address all correspondence to:Bay Area Houston Magazine

P.O. Box 1032Seabrook, TX 77586

[email protected]

281.474.5875

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ON THE COVER

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | MAY 2013 8

(From left to right) Stephen DonCarlos, Mayor of Baytown, B.J. Simon, Baytown-West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation, Dr. Dennis Brown, Lee College President, Van Long, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company Cedar Bayou Plant Manager,

Joe Blommaert, Baytown Chemical Plant Manager, Dr. Salvador Cavazos, Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District

Superintendent and Ray Herrick, Bayer Plant Manager. Photo by Brian Stewart.

MAY 2013

MAY 2013 | Bay Area Houston Magazine 9

Good roads and infrastructure that enhance area mobility is the mission of the Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership and the dream of most residents.

Unfortunately, the money to build and maintain the Texas highway system comes from the Legislature and the

outlook for additional funding this session is not encouraging.Harris County Judge Ed

Emmett said as much when he addressed the 2013 BayTran State of the Counties Luncheon at the Downtown Aquarium.

“It looks like any effort to significantly improve funding for TxDOT is dead this session,” Emmett said. “That’s a shame, and I’m going to be real blunt, people have got to start paying a political price for not funding transportation,” he said. “For too long we’ve kinda played nice because no matter what plans are developed, if there’s no money to pay for them, they’re not going to be built.”

We sincerely hope Judge Emmett’s forecast is wrong or we all will be paying a price.

Even Governor Perry has suggested turning to the Rainy Day Fund for help improving Texas roads.

Texas Association of Business CEO Bill Hammond is even more adamant. Soon “the state will have exhausted its funds for new roads, with only enough to maintain the roads we already have.” And, he predicts the state will soon run out of money to do even that.

“A recent report from a national transportation research organization, TRIP, found that traffic congestion, damage to cars and trucks from bad roads and accidents resulting from poor roadway safety features cost every Texas motorist $2,000 a year,” he pointed out.

Which begs the question: How can Texas continue to attract business with broken down roads and infrastructure?

Meanwhile, transportation funding has been creeping along at about $2.4 billion a year while House Transportation committee Chairman Larry Phillips (R-Shetman) thinks from $7 to $9 billion is needed “to really be successful.”

He has filed a bill that would dedicate future motor vehicle sales taxes to road construction rather than sending it to the state general fund, which can be used by all state agencies. But filing a bill is one thing with actual passage of the measure not guaranteed.

Locally, the expansion of State Highway 146 and many other projects are dependent upon adequate funding for TxDOT. Consequently, we would hope our local legislative representatives will work to get the transportation agency more funding to carry out its work.

Meanwhile, a postcard from their Bay Area constituents suggesting more money for good roads wouldn’t hurt.

State Rep. John DavisP.O. Box 2910Austin, TX 78768

State Rep. Greg BonnenP.O. Box 2910Austin, TX 78768

State Sen. Larry TaylorP.O. Box 12068 Capitol StationAustin, TX 78711

Outlook for more road funding looking bleak

O N M Y M I N D

“A postcard from their

Bay Area constituents

suggesting more money

for good roads wouldn’t hurt.”

Mary Alys CherryPublisher

MAIl YOur thOughts tO:

Advertiser’s Index


Alan’s Swampshack Catering Page 35 www.theswampshack.comAmadeus Page 34Assistance League Page 52 www.bayarea.assistanceleague.orgBattleground Golf Course Page 49 www.deerparktx.gov/battlegroundBaubles and Beads Page 47Bay Area Kitchens Page 41 www.bayareakitchens.comBayway Homes Page 22 www.baywayhomes.comBest Publications Page 12Big Splash Web Design Page 6 www.bigsplashwebdesign.comCabo Page 36 www.caboclearlake.comCity of Dickinson Page 12 www.redwhiteandbayou.comClear Lake Cuban Fest Page 23Coastal Plastic Surgery Page 54 www.tadammd.comCock & Bull British Pub Page 34 & 35 www.thecockandbullbritishpub.comCullen’s Page 32 www.cullenshouston.comDana Philibert Page 25 www.danaphilibert.comDickinson BBQ Page 20 www.dickinsonbbq.comDon Julio’s Page 38 www.donjulios.comDr. J. Derek Tieken Page 7 www.tiekensmiles.comEncore Resale Shop Page 52Fatty’s Page 34Floyd’s Cajun Seafood Page 4 www.floydsseafood.comFondren Orthopedic Page 2 www.fondren.comFrank’s & Sons Jewelry Page 21 www.fsjewelry.comGina’s Italian Kitchen Page 36 www.ginasitaliankitchen.comGinger Snaps Page 47 Glass Mermaids Page 47 www.glassmermaids.comGreen Links Page 13 www.greenlinksinc.comGulf Coast Palapas Page 24 www.gulfcoastpalapas.comHouston Technology Center Page 51 www.houstontech.orgIsland Furniture Page 16 www.islandfurniture.netJeter Memorial Funeral Home Page 12 www.jeterfuneralhome.comJohnny White, State Farm Page 26 [email protected] Boardwalk Page 57 www.kemahboardwalk.comKimberly Harding Page 40 www.kimberlyharding.comLas Haciendas Page 34 www.lashaciendasgrill.comMamacita’s Page 13 www.mamacitasmexicanrestaurant.comThe Man Cave Page 37 www.tmc-cigars.comMarine Max Page 19 www.marinemaxseabrook.comMary Mlaker Page 52 [email protected] Staffing Page 42 www.meador.comMediterraneo Market & Cafe Page 38Memorial Hermann-SE Page 5 www.memorialhermann.orgThe Meridian Page 26 www.themeridiangalveston.comMiss Kemah 2013 Page 56 www.misskemahpageant.comNora’s Professional Cleaning Page 52 [email protected] Frede Chevrolet Page 28 www.fredechevrolet.comOasis Salon and Medispa Page 45 www.oasisclearlake.comOpus Bistro Page 36 www.opusbistro.net Orient Cafe Page 35 www.orientcafe6.comPasadena Strawberry Fest Page 27 www.strawberryfest.orgRon Carter Clear Lake Page 3 www.roncartercadillac.comSalon La Rouge Page 16 www.salonlarouge.orgSan Jacinto Harley Davidson Page 43 www.sanjacintohd.comSchlitterbahn Page 55 www.schlitterbahn.comSmoothie Shoppe Page 12Space Center Auto Page 41 www.spacecenterautomotive.comStar Toyota Page 59 www.startoyota.comStylin’ With Linda Page 12 www.stylinwithlinda.comSunsation Tanning Page 52 www.clearlaketanning.comSupreme Lending www.supremelending.comTexas Chiropractic College Page 49 www.txchiro.eduTexas Coast Yachts Page 16 www.texascoastyachts.comTexas First Bank Page 48 www.texasfirstbank.comThe Hop Page 35Unicare Dental Page 60 www.drnoie.comWolfies Page 38 www.wolfiesusa.com

Recently I was talking to a friend about his daughter’s upcoming

cochlear implant surgery. He had some real concern about the decision of the insurance company to only fund placement of one cochlear implant as opposed to two.

Even though I completely understood his frustration, I also knew how important it is for him that she can hear and be able to distinguish and understand the meaning of various sounds before entering Pre-K. I decided to play devil’s advocate and stress the importance of time that would be wasted in the process. He replied that he is also very concerned about the time factor but he said, “The bottom line is that I don’t want my daughter to settle for half. She deserves better.” I couldn’t argue with that. He was right. If technology can help restore the full function of a lost body part, settling for half is not ethically justifiable.

Hours later, while reviewing my conversation, I discovered the parallel analogy between this concept and replacement of missing teeth. As we all know, conventional dentistry did not have a solution for replacement of a missing tooth that would allow restoration of the full range of functions that our teeth provide us, as opposed to addressing only their cosmetic and digestive consequences. Just because we don’t see something, it does not mean that it does not exist or is less significant. After all, we don’t need to see the roots of a tall oak tree to know they are there and extend far beyond the boundaries of the tree’s hole in the ground. The same analysis holds true for replacing missing teeth. We can’t deny existence of roots because without them our teeth would not stay in our mouth. But is it really necessary to replace them? Well, they are as necessary to longevity of our dentition as a strong foundation is to any building or load bearing architectural structure.

Aside from providing surface area to chew our food and the cosmetic and sociological effects of having all our teeth, our teeth also provide mechanical stimulation for the neighboring jawbone, jaw muscles, salivary glands, and gums. This simultaneous stimulation in turn keeps the jawbone dense and strong, the jaw muscles stimulated and

toned, and salivary gland stimulated, allowing the presence of ample saliva to help break down food chemically and neutralize the billions of pathogens that invade our oral cavity every single day.

There is little argument in the professional community that the dental implant is the most suitable replacement for our natural dentition. It addresses and replaces all the functions that were performed by the tooth that it replaces. Other traditional options may fill the space but they come at a cost. They have to sit on top of the gum. Imagine replacing a load bearing column in your house with a new post that is not even planted in the ground. It is just being held in place by other posts. It may look identical to the way it did before but there is little question that it is not providing the same function. Luckily, thanks to dental implants, when it comes to our oral health and smile, we don’t have to settle for half of what we deserve.

Of course not all patients are medically fit to receive dental implants. To find out if you are a suitable candidate, please call Dr. Noie at 281-332-4700 to schedule a one-on-one complimentary consultation with him.

Dr. Noie has been in private practice in the Bay Area since 1996. He is a Diplomate of Int’l Congress of Oral Implantologists, Fellow of Academy of General Dentistry, and Assoc. Fellow of American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He has completed his surgical training at New York University as well as Medical University of South Carolina, Temple University, and Wright state University

School of Medicine. He completed his oral Anesthesiology training at University of Alabama in Birmingham. He is a member of American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

DENTAL HEALTH


Don’t Settle for Half

“After all, we don’t need to see the roots of a tall oak tree to know they are there and extend far beyond the boundaries of the

tree’s hole in the ground.”

M A R K E T P L A C EBay Area Houston Magazine | MAY 2013 12

M A R K E T P L A C E MAY 2013 | Bay Area Houston Magazine 13

MARY ALYS CHERRY

Springtime means party time in the Bay Area


LUNAR RENDEZVOUS launched its 2013 festival with a kickoff party that featured the introduction of its new king and royal court and a roomful of smiles – one of two big spring celebrations.

During a gathering in the UH-Clear Lake Bayou Building atrium that drew several hundred, the crowd cheered as Clear Creek ISD Superintendent and Texas Superintendent of the Year Dr. Greg Smith was introduced as the 2013 Lunar Rendezvous king. He was introduced by the 2012 king, Jay Gurry.

He will join Queen Caitlan Huston, Queen Alternate Kristen Ann Bush, Capt. John Thomey and the royal court of princesses, lieutenants, little ladies in waiting and pages in reigning over the summer extravaganza which includes eight events – golf and tennis tournaments, a dining event, fashion show,

sponsor appreciation party, religious service, 5K fun run and a coronation ball.

Festival General Chairman Terri Dieste and Vice Chairman Jana Miller joined Kickoff Party Chairman Kimberley Weathers and Co-Chairman

Donna Anderson in greeting the arriving crowd and introducing them to many of the event chairmen who had set up exhibits promoting their event and were busy signing up volunteers.

Board of Directors Chairman Michael Landolt, Advisory Board Chairman Mike Reeves and Terri Dieste all welcomed the crowd when the program got under way.

This year’s events, some of which were held last month, and their chairmen include:

Golf Tournament April 12 at Magnolia Creek Country Club with Tricia Totten as chairman;

Tennis Tournament April 26, at South Shore Harbour, Kevin and Ruth Duke co-chairmen;

Honeywell Fun Run June 20 at Space Center Houston, Jay Lee as chairman;

Past Festival Kings Jim Hargrove, Tom Wong and John Wilkins, from left, join Past Festival Chairman Gloria Wong for a photo during Lunar Rendezvous Kickoff Party.

Photos by J. Pamela Photography

Lunar Rendezvous Festival General Chairman Terri Dieste, left, and Vice Chairman Jana Miller, right, join Festival Queen Caitlin Huston in congratulating Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Greg Smith on being chosen king of this year’s summer extravaganza.

Coronation Ball Chairman Georgette Curran, right, and Co-Chairman Marla Magness Myers invite those attending to sign up to work on the final Lunar Rendezvous Festival event.

Kickoff Party Chairman Kimberley Weathers, left, and Co-Chairman Donna Anderson wear big smiles as they greet the arriving crowd at the Lunar Rendezvous Festival kickoff at UH-Clear Lake.

Princess Sofia Escalante has a hug for her mother, Julie Escalante, right, and her grandmother, Marcy Kirks, as they enjoy the Lunar Rendezvous Festival Kickoff Party at UH-Clear Lake.


Dining Event June 23, Bay Oaks Country Club, Tisa Foster chairman and Tehren Webb, co-chairman;

Sponsor Appreciation Party June 26 at Lexus Clear Lake with Jerry and Kate Foyt as co-chairmen;

Sunset Service July 21 at University Baptist Church with Kathy Arnold as chairman;

Fashion Show Luncheon July 23 at the San Luis Convention Center in Galveston with Cindy Lewis as chairman and Lori Tieken as co-chairman;

Coronation Ball July 27 at the San Luis Convention Center with Georgette Curran as chairman and Marla Magness Myers as co-chairman.

Others with key roles in this year’s festival include Treasurer Kelli Byrd; Court Chairman Angie Weinman with Ava Galt as co-chairman; Royals, Chairman

Belinda Scheurich; Little Court, Chairman Denise Sanders; and Jill Smitherman, publicity chairman.

Also assisting with the festival are Dinah Matthews, Lea Bodie, Lisa Holbrook, Jenny McCorkle, Marie Sharp and Sandi Quillen.

Partying ‘Under the Sea’TALK ABOUT a smashing evening and you’d be

talking about the Assistance League’s big Under the Sea Gala.

It had a little of everything to keep the crowd in awe from the time they arrived on deck, then as they dined in the Hobby Marriott Ballroom in an “under the sea” setting – think Aquarium – and danced the night away to the music of Andy and the Dreamsicles until it was

time for anchors up.But that’s just the

way Gala Chairman Kathleen Courville and Vice Chairman Dee Cover planned it. They could hardly quit smiling as their husbands, Mike Courville and Stan Hermann, joined them and President Lisa Holbrook and President-elect Kim Barker in welcoming Jason and Lea Bodie, Keith and Elizabeth Clemente Nelson, Sheila Cooper and her husband, Dwayne Picou, Sue Ellen and Dr. John Jennings and Rob and Jennie Hampton.

Sharon and Dr. Howard Dillard were among other early arrivals, as were Susan and Shawn Bailey, Diane and Deed Vest, Becky Reitz and John Gay, Tog and Suzie Rogers, Jason and Jenny McCorkle, Raleigh and Rita Johnson, Linda and Einar Goerland, Cynthia and Andrew Avrill, John and Georgia Piwonka and Badiha and Dr. John Nassar.

They had hardly had time to take in all the nautical splendor when in walked Sheree and Norman Frede, Rob deCardenas and his wife, Dr. Heather Lindsay, Neerja and Rakesh Bhardwaj, Dan and Joan Burt, Drs. Gerry and Cindy Castille, Rick Lammers and his wife, Jill Williams, Ann Hammond, Sandra Sellers, Bob and Judy Raiford, Charles and Joy Smitherman and John and Jill Smitherman.

Quickly followed by Curt and Vicki Tallman, Heather and Mike Rossiello, Linda and Pat McCormack, Dr. Melissa Sommers and her husband, Kevin Katz, John and Yvonne Bish, Russell and Sandy Vail, James and Peggy McBarron, Eric and Julie Pizzeck, Andry and Lisa Delhomme, Anita Fogtman, Jennifer Maxwell, Jenny Verghese, Gail and Stephen Ashby, Traci and Richard Dvorak, John and Suzanne McMannis and Baxter and Kathleen Killeen.

Wasn’t long before you might have spotted Matthew and Angie Weinman, Thomas and Ann Marie Doolin, Mary and Bob Franklin, Pat Monks and his wife, Annette Dwyer, Stan and Cindy Senger Lewis, Kathleen and Thomas Pollard, Pat and Susan Lavergne, Mary and Nelson Fox and Tricia and Jeff Totten enjoying the yummy Grilled Filet stacked with Jumbo Citrus Shrimp, followed by Pam Culpepper, who came with her husband, Peter Cronk, conducting the live auction.

And, so it went – just a delightful evening with proceeds to benefit the league’s philanthropic projects that have come to mean so much to the Bay Area Houston community.

Photos by Jenny Verghese

Gala Chairman Kathleen Courville, left, and Vice Chairman Dee Cover take a last quick look at the Hobby Marriott Ballroom as they crowd begins arriving for an evening “Under the Sea.”

Assistance League President Lisa Holbrook, left, and President-elect Kim Barker check out the decorationsas they prepare to greet the arriving crowd for the Under the Sea Gala at the Hobby Marriott.

Charles and Joy Smitherman enjoy the league’s Under the Sea benefit gala.Drs. Gerry and Cindy Castille take their seats at the Assistance League gala.


By Mary Alys Cherry

It was a time for both looking back and peering into the future when

UH-Clear Lake hosted its 2013 Report to the Community Breakfast at Lakewood Yacht Club.

Besides updating the audience on achievements of the past year and its future goals, the university honored the Clear Lake Area Chamber as its Community Partner of the Year.

Topping the university’s agenda for the next few months will be preparations for the transition from an upper-level to a four-year university, UHCL President Bill Staples told the crowd of community leaders, adding that with the goal of admitting freshmen and sophomores for the Fall 2014 semester, the application process will begin this fall.

“During the past year, we have had a steering committee plus six special purpose committees doing extensive planning in key areas including curriculum, enrollment management, student services, learning resources, facilities and financial resources,” he said.

“Our legislative agenda for the current 2013 legislative session includes (1) an increase in formula funding, (2) start-up funding for our Four Year Initiative, and (3) Tuition Revenue Bonds for new facilities with our top priority being a Science and Academic Support Building.”

Noting that the transition “will be the second most significant development in UHCL’s history---second only to the opening of UHCL in Fall 1974,” Dr. Staples said the university owed many of its successes to partnerships it has developed with corporations, individuals, alumni, cities, foundations and its own employees.

“The University of Houston-Clear Lake has positioned itself as a partnership-oriented and community-minded university. This is a role for UHCL that we take very seriously. One of the many ways we implement this philosophy is to recognize our community partners with the UHCL Community Partnership Award which was first awarded in 2001.

“This year we are very pleased to present the UHCL Community Partnership Award for 2013 to an

organization that has made significant contributions to the success of both UHCL and our entire community . . . the Clear Lake Area Chamber,” which just recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

The chamber has been supportive of the school from the university’s opening in 1974 up to the present, he said. “In 1974, the chamber had 592 members and today they have 1,000. In 1974, UHCL started with 1,069 students and today we have over 8,000. The chamber and UHCL have grown and prospered together.”

The chamber’s support of UHCL’s efforts to get legislation passed in the 2011 session of the Texas Legislature for its transition from an upper-level to a four-year university was very important and impactful and the end result was the passage of Senate Bill 324, he pointed out as hr presented the award to Chamber President Cindy Harreld and Chairman Mike Furin.

“We are so fortunate to have a university the caliber of University of Houston-Clear Lake in our area --which makes us the envy of many communities across the state and nation,” Harreld responded.

“Our chamber’s vision is to have a dynamic business organization providing leadership and service to a prosperous and vibrant community. A major component to a prosperous and vibrant community is the ability to offer quality education. I’ve heard Dr. Staples say on many occasions that educated communities succeed, and having the University of Houston-Clear Lake connected with our business community adds to the economic dimension and diversification helping us achieve our vision for the Clear Lake Bay Area Houston region.”

UHCL honors chamber

UHCL President Bill Staples, right, welcomes Clear Lake Area Chamber President Cindy Harreld and Chairman Mike Furin to the university’s Report to the Community Breakfast at Lakewood Yacht Club.

News & Events


Lakewood Yacht Club Race Committee Chairman Gerhard Wittich has announced that the 31st Annual Shoe Regatta will be held over the weekend of

May 18-19. In 1982 Lakewood hosted the first Shoe

Regatta, which was originally sponsored by Foley’s Department Store and Sperry Top-Sider Shoes. Bay Access, a not-for-profit organization that supports amateur racing, is the organizing authority of the race. Sponsors include Mount Gay Rum and West Marine.

The Regatta, which is open to the public, is a favorite among local racers because, in the past, each crew member of the winning boat in each class was awarded a certificate for a pair of Sperry deck shoes; hence the name of the Regatta.

The Shoe Regatta is for one-design, handicapped, and cruising sailboats over 20 feet in length and with a cabin. There will be two windward/leeward courses for One Design Classes and PHRF Spinnaker boats and an additional Distance Course.

The Skippers Meeting will be held on Friday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. in Lakewood’s ballroom, 2425 NASA Parkway, in Seabrook. “We urge all skippers to attend this important gathering

so that they can take full advantage of all aspects of this weekend regatta,” related Wittich.

The Saturday evening party will feature music by “Crossroads” and a dinner of chicken-fried steak. The Awards Ceremony will follow the

last race on Sunday, May 19, and will be held in the Lakewood Yacht Club ballroom.

Sponsors who make the Shoe Race possible include the following: Nautic, Bay Access, Little Yacht Sales, Hayes Insurance, OJs Marine, Sea Lake Yacht Sales, Sail with Scott and Mount Gay Rum.

Participants can register on line at www.lakewoodyachtclub.com For questions, contact Lakewood Yacht Club at [email protected] or call the office at 281-474-2511.

31st SHOE REGATTA

Slated for May 18-19

“there will be two windward/leeward courses for One Design Classes and PhrF spinnaker boats and an additional Distance Course.”

/Fest Southwest Committee Chairman Al Goethe has announced that Lakewood Yacht Club will be hosting its 4th Annual J/Fest Southwest Regatta on Saturday, November 2 and Sunday, November 3.

“We wanted to get a ‘save the date’ message out to racers now as formerly the regatta has been held in October,” Goethe explained. The regatta is open to the public and all races will be held on Galveston Bay.

J/Fest regattas have been held for over 28 years in Annapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, New Orleans and Seattle. The focus of the J/Fest is to give J/Boat racers a chance to compete in one-design races.

“Our J/Fest Southwest will be another great opportunity for Lakewood to promote and support a national caliber event,” added Goethe.

With the City of Seabrook again being the primary sponsor of the event, the overall theme of the J/Fest Southwest Regatta is to provide a venue that is all inclusive to J/Boat owners, their family and friends. While the racers are on the water, their spouses and family can enjoy a myriad of activities and tourist attractions in and around the Bay Area Houston arena.

One design fleets slated for the J/Fest Southwest Regatta include J/22, J/24, J/70, J/80, J/105, and the J/109. It will be a circuit stop for the J/24, J/70, J/80, J/105 and J/109 classes. Race tracking will be available to the one-design classes and can be observed live on large screen TVs in the clubhouse.

Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Scott Spurlin at [email protected] or Al Goethe at [email protected] For further information and to register to race, please go to the website www.JfestSouthwest.com

4TH ANNUAL J/FEST SOUTHWEST SLATED FOR NOVEMBER 2-3


While we do not want to lead you to believe that this aggressive fish is harmless, we do want

to emphasize that respect and common sense are the keys to enjoying their surroundings with them.

Following the 1970’s movie “Jaws”, recreational shark fishing took off. Shark tournaments became popular and the goal of many visitors to the Galveston Bay Complex was to catch a shark, especially a big one.

Today, I get many e-mails and calls from vacationers to our area asking about where to fish for sharks, how to fish for them and what baits to use. So, if you are interested in hooking up with one of the feared creatures of the sea, let’s take a look at some pointers on where to go, when and how to fish for them.

Sharks of all sizes roam the Galveston Bay Complex and small sand sharks and bonnet heads are common all over Galveston Bay. Most of the small sharks are caught by anglers targeting other fish such as reds and trout and are considered a nuisance.

If your goal is a large shark, one four feet long or larger, then several tips can increase your odds of accomplishing that objective.

While large sharks are caught in the bays, the odds increase significantly as you get closer to the Gulf.

Several areas are known for producing large bull sharks, blacktips, sharpnose and others. The passes into the Gulf are full of sharks during the warm months. April through November, the channel side of Bolivar’s North Jetty is one of the more popular spots. San Luis Pass and the Gulf side of Rollover Pass are top spots as well.

Several fishing guides, who offer special shark fishing trips, say that the beachfront from Crystal Beach to San Luis Pass from close to shore up to about eight miles out is prime territory for large sharks. Often huge sharks are landed within sight of swimmers and wade fishermen.

John Sabo, a long-time shark fisherman, told me that his favorite spot is approximately three to five miles out of San Luis Pass. Sabo and others find that the best times to find large sharks is from dusk to dawn with the time frame from

approximately three hours prior to dawn to just after sunrise being the best.

The top baits are bloody baits with large pieces of cut bonito being at the head of the list. Stingrays are excellent for the really big sharks. Other baits that work well are the same as those used by recreational offshore anglers targeting other pelagic fish.

The larger the bait, the larger the shark is the motto here.

Wire or coated wire leaders along with a strong hook are a must if you want to land your fish.

Sharks have to continuously be moving in order to pass oxygen into their systems. As a result sharks are caught at all depths. Suspended baits, those drifted behind a boat with little or no weight, will attract the larger sharks. The smaller

ones tend to be caught at lower depths around structure.

According to data from the fisheries management groups, sharks are being over-fished. Today, there are a large number of species of sharks that are prohibited to retain while those that can be kept have a stingy bag limit of one fish per person per day.

Sportsmen today are practicing CPR when it comes to sharks. That is Catch, Photo and Release.

Before embarking on your first shark-fishing trip, it is imperative you check out the regulations. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website offers a complete set under “Bag and Size Limits for Saltwater Fish.”

This is the second of a two-part series on sharks and shark fishing. Last month we discussed the phobia associated with sharks and the fact that the scary looking fish has similar feeding habits to most other pelagic fish.

F I S H I N G F O R By Capt. Joe Kent

“stingrays are excellent (bait)

for the really big sharks.”

in wheel t ime By Don Armstrong


2014 Mazda 6Not only has that silly, smiling grille been toned

down, but the Mazda 6 has a new swagger about it that pleases the styling palette of everyone we’ve talked to including us. Here is new sheet metal straight out of the wind tunnel with curves and creases all in the right place.

The 6’s interior mirrors that of the exterior; sleek, flowing and almost elegant in nature.

Just last month the Mazda 6 was named to Wards Auto Worlds 10 Best Interiors list.

Mazda advertising touts its SkyActive Technology. It is a melding of design, and technology in an energy efficient package. We’d say, “Give us more, please.”

The naturally aspirated 2.5-liter I-4 feels like a powerful V-6 but gets a remarkable 26 mpg-city and 38-highway, is smooth through the entire power band and unbelievably quiet.

Here is a car we’d love to take on a road trip. The ride is smooth on the highway, yet has a sport car-like feel around city corners.

Pricing begins at $20,880

2013 toyota AvalonThe completely new 2013 Avalon is proof that Toyota

does have a pulse and can still build an attractive four door sedan that is relative to today’s buyer. Let’s face it; the outgoing model was deceased the moment it left the factory.

What will appeal to those in the market for a full-size ride is that it smacks of all-things Toyota; tasteful styling, exceptional build quality, attention to detail and (we assume) years of low maintenance dependability.

The dash’s multi-tier design offers visual appeal and functionality and touches on Lexus-style and beauty. Seating is nicely bolstered and comfortable, ready to absorb what few bumps make there way into the cabin.

With the new design comes a stiffer chassis, which allows for better control and handling. This isn’t Grampa’s ride anymore.

The Avalon is powered by Toyota’s stalwart 3.5-liter V-6 that quietly produces 268-horsepower while getting a respectable 21 mpg-city and 31-highway.

Just as appealing is the starting price; $32.598.The fight for full-size Bay Area buyers just got a new

heavyweight contender, the 2013 Toyota Avalon.

Mid-size car sales increased 1.2 percent last year, proving that it’s not always about SUV’s. With summer

road trips becoming top-of-mind, it’s good to know that the sedan is more popular than ever. This month BAHM takes a look at a couple of all-new four-door rides you must check out.

“the Avalon is powered by toyota’s stalwart 3.5-liter V-6 that quietly produces 268-horsepower while getting a respectable 21 mpg-city and 31-highway.”

Since 1933, Frank’s & Sons Jewelry, Inc. has provided our customers with exquisite jewelry for every occasion

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Memorial Hermann Health System has a long

and valued relationship with Medical Bridges, a Houston-based nonprofit organization that recovers medical surplus and redistributes it to hospitals, clinics and healthcare providers in underserved countries in an effort to combat the healthcare gap. Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital continued the partnership by donating x-ray equipment through Medical Bridges to Babcock University.

James Makinde, Ph.D., President/Vice Chancellor of Babcock University, was at the hospital to collect the donated x-ray equipment. He is joined by staff at Medical Bridges and Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital. (Pictured from L-R: George Bolettieri, Sales & Operations Consultant, Medical Bridges; James Makinde, Ph.D., President/Vice Chancellor of Babcock University; Yetunde Makinde, Ph.D., Babcock University Faculty; Oyeleke Owolabi, Ph.D., Babcock University Board Chair; Dorothy Bolettieri, President & CEO Medical Bridges, Inc.; Jeremiah Judkins, Procurement Manager Medical Bridges; Sunil Sharma, President Sunbelt Medical; Jillian Chanaba, Memorial Hermann Southeast; Gwendolyn Champagne, Manager Imaging Services Memorial Hermann Southeast; Al Carrasco Director of Operations, Medical Bridges; Kyle Price, COO Memorial Hermann Southeast.)

Find Fine Jewelry and Watches at Frank’s & Sons

Memorial Hermann Southeast Donates Medical Equipment

Abilene, TexasI was at Abilene Christian University

to address a gathering of two organizations of English professors. I attended the obligatory Thursday night

cocktail party for just a few minutes, met a few dignitaries and a few old friends, and then snuck out to get dinner at Joe Allen’s Bar-b-que. It was my first time in Abilene and the place came highly recommended.

I eat alone frequently when I’m traveling and don’t mind it at all because it gives me a good opportunity for thinking about things. I occasionally see other men dining alone, but I was surprised when the hostess sat a lone woman at the table next to mine. She sat on the side opposite me so we were almost facing each other. It was awkward at first, but I suppose it was inevitable; before long we were talking.

She came to Abilene to see a motivational speaker that she had heard about. He was at the university for a few days and was giving a seminar. She said she was always looking for someone who might have the answers to the big questions in life.

She told me she tried the religion route. She had been in various Bible study groups and had even spent a week at a monastery in New Mexico just thinking and meditating—but never speaking.

She said she read and listened to CDs of several self-help gurus. Some, like Depak Chopra and Tony Robbins, I had heard of. Others were completely foreign to me. She also tried a book circle that specialized in philosophy. They had

read all the biggies: Augustine, Spinoza, Rousseau, Nietzsche. She tried a lot of modern writers as well. She mentioned David Cook (Seven Days in Utopia) and Richard Bach (Illusions). Now, she said, she was pushing 40 and was starting to suspect that some of us just weren’t meant to find the answers.

Our dinners arrived and the conversation pretty much ended there. I don’t allow much to distract me from a slab of ribs, and she seemed to share that sentiment. When I was finished with dinner, I said goodbye and told her I hoped she’d find the answers this time. She thanked me and I left. To be honest, I was virtually certain that in a few weeks, if not sooner, she’d be off looking for answers somewhere else. I knew it because I’ve been there.

My thirties were a decade of searching. As my twenties came to a close I started to recognize that I was a kid with an attitude problem and sorely in need of some learning. We tend to judge ourselves against the rubric of the other people in our lives and my best friend, though eight years younger, was decades

By Michael Gostexas meditat ions



ahead of me in both maturity and understanding. Watching him made it clear that I had a lot to learn. It was under those circumstances that I began my quest.

From what I could tell, her journey paralleled mine. I too had teachers; I studied philosophers, explored religions and read every New Age philosophy book I could get my hands on. Sufi, Ayurveda, Native American, Japanese, Taoism—I devoured them all. I learned something from each of them, I suppose and today I

recognize that some of them proved really valuable in helping me along the road. But still, as the decade drew to a close, I found I still didn’t have the answers I was searching for. Don’t get me wrong—life improved tremendously, but to say I had even begun to figure it all out would be a lie.

Then came the night of the Great Weiner Wonderment. I was sitting in

front of an illegal fire I had built on Jamaica Beach, roasting a cheddarwurst I impaled on a stick I had sharpened with my Swiss Army knife. I watched the flames and lamented the fact that I had found none of the answers I had sought. Then, for no apparent reason, (well, maybe gravity had something to do with it) the sausage started to slide slowly down the stick toward the fire. I lunged for it in an attempt at the save, but my movement only served to accelerate the sausage slippage. Having failed at that,

in hopes of reversing the direction of the slide I quickly jerked the stick upward in the manner of a fisherman trying to set a hook. However, with more than half the wiener now off the stick and the rest going fast, the jerking motion provided a kick that sent the sausage flying into the air where it turned a beautiful 5.6 degree of difficulty double flip and stuck a perfect belly-flop landing onto the

coals. Of course I still hadn’t given up. I tried to pick it up with my fingers. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! But it was just too hot. I tried stabbing it with my roasting stick, but the repeated jabs only served to turn it into loose pork and burning cheese. The smell of sausage and cheese cooking reminded me of pizza. I gave up and decided I would go to the Italian restaurant across the road.

As I got up to douse the fire, something clicked. I saw two truths. First, when your dinner destiny is pizza,

the universe will not let you settle for a cheddarwurst. Second, and probably more important, I realized I had been searching in all the wrong places. Years ago, I came to the conclusion that I don’t believe in a God who answers my prayers—I believe in one who gave me the means to answer my own. Only now was I able to apply that understanding to this bigger question in life. The answers

weren’t “out there” to be searched for; they were “in here,” waiting to be seen.

In our quest for understanding what is important and meaningful in life, every man (and woman) stands alone and is an equally qualified seeker of truth. It is our right—and our responsibility —as humans to strive to find this wisdom. For a decade I found no answers because I looked to others for them. But another’s answers couldn’t possibly satisfy my needs. We all need to find the answers that fit our own personal natures.

As humans, our birthright is this ability to find our own answers. Understanding is not a divine privilege reserved only for a few special, advanced souls. It is a right created for the divine that lives inside each and every one of us.

I gave my lecture at the university the next morning, had a chance to meet some really nice people, and then packed up and headed for home. As I drove along I-20, I thought about the woman in the restaurant again, and I had to smile because I had absolute confidence that she would figure it all out.

We all can—it’s just a matter of when.

We all need to find the answers that fit our own personal natures.As humans, our birthright is this ability to find our own answers.


Nourishing the MIND By Dr. Ed Reitman

There is a joke a friend of mine tells which, even as he tells it, causes him to break out in laughter. I find the joke tremendously humorous and he and I together, no matter

how many times we’ve heard it, can’t help but be amused by it. On the other hand, his wife and mine look at us as if we’re idiots and find no comedy in this joke at all. I’d like to share it with you, because it has great meaning for me. Far more so than just a humorous intercourse between two people. There’s a lesson to be learned from it.

The story goes like this: There is a man who wants to go on a cruise. After perusing the travel section of the newspaper, he sees a small ad that says, “You pick the cruise from any cruise line and we’ll get it for you for 25% of their advertised cost.” He immediately called the number listed in the paper and was told that if he’d go to a certain address and bring cash, they would book the trip and send him on his way. He followed their directions, only to find himself in a very seedy part of town, entering a building that had long since seen its prime. He found himself in a darkened room where

three men pounced on him, beat him unconscious and stole his money.

When he finally regained consciousness, he found himself tied to a log, floating in the Gulf of Mexico. He looked around and discovered there was another man tied to another log, floating beside him. He turned to the individual on the other log and asked, “Do they feed you on this cruise?” The man responded, “They didn’t last year.”

Even as I write this, I can’t help but be amused. It’s apparent that the second individual had responded a


second time to the same ad and found himself in the same situation as the year before.

As a joke it’s humorous. As an example of reality-based behavior, it’s pitiful, self-destructive and sad. Yet, it occurs far more frequently than you might ever imagine. If that weren’t so, Alcoholics Anonymous would not have included in their Big Book that, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. It’s readily apparent that, if you’re an alcoholic and you go into a bar, saying to yourself, “I’m not going to drink”, by the end of the evening, you’re going to find yourself drunk out of your mind, driving under the influence of alcohol and, very probably, involved in an accident that injures or kills yourself and someone else.

But, what about cases where you marry the same kind of individual time and time again and continue to do so, expecting the next one to be different? Or where you overreact to situations, demonstrate hundred dollar behaviors to ten dollar problems, and find yourself involved in conflictual relations with co-workers, partners or spouses, all of whom are provoked by your excessive reactions and accuse you of being a hostile, emotionally abusive person who intimidates others? You retort, “You drive me to it.” My answer is, possibly so, but why is it that you repeatedly seek out people who “drive you to it”?

Lydia is a quintessential example of this problem. Ask her and she’ll tell you, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Every man I’ve ever been attracted to or become involved with is a loser, a taker, selfish, controlling and uncaring.” Lydia isn’t saying, “I’m responsible for the

people I pick.” Instead, she’s saying, “The fickle finger of fate continuously finds me, and I become the victim to people who don’t care, don’t know how to care, and take advantage of me.” It shouldn’t surprise you that her mother was a highly egocentric, narcissistic individual whose personal desires governed her behavior, with little regard for her husband or her children. She was a person with expectations, who demanded that people yield to her demands, respond to her needs, and agree with her despite their own beliefs, which readily explains Lydia’s behavior. Time and time again, she sets out,

albeit unconsciously, to find someone similar to her mother, who she expects to behave differently from her mother. She is in search of a mother figure who will love, sacrifice, support and care for her, but the people she becomes involved with, by definition, are individuals who can’t do that. Intellectually, she understands this. If you were to ask her, she would say, “I don’t want that kind of person.” But emotionally, she searches out that person in order to see if this time, “mother will love me instead of herself.”

Similarly, you’ve heard of, and probably know, individuals who repeatedly become involved in business relationships with people who take advantage of them, embezzle from them, manipulate them, and in any number of ways cause them financial and emotional

problems. You might say they’re self-destructive individuals and truly, it does explain their behavior. In most instances, when you speak to these individuals, they’re aware of their behavior. In fact, they lament it, and describe themselves as victims to it, but rarely take responsibility for it. The reason? Every one of them is two people who, if they behaved in accordance with what they know, and took responsibility for what they did, would never behave in an “insane” manner. Sadly, their behavior is totally motivated on the basis of a five year old’s emotions, instead of on their intellect, insight

and awareness. If you’re one of those individuals, or

you know one of them, it will not only help you to understand, but will explain your or their self-destructive behavior by aiding you to recognize that the person controlling and determining how you behave is a five year old child. This child knows that taking candy from a

grocery store is a no-no, but he or she behaves on the basis of what he feels and wants, not on what he knows. As a result, you will hopefully discover that you’re not a bad person. Instead, you’re a person who lets your child control you. However, in the future, you need to take responsibility for the child inside you. You need to recognize what motivates him and, despite his driving forces, lovingly set limits for him, so that, in the future, after he puts his fingers in an electric socket once, pays to go on a cruise tied to a log, marries a manipulative, unloving individual, or damages his or her life because of alcohol or drug use, he learns never to do it again.

To learn more about Dr. Reitman, read more of his articles, or to obtain copies for family or friends, please visit his website, dredreitman.com.


Voters from one end of the Bay Area to the other will head to the polls Saturday, May 11, to elect several mayors and city

councilors, school board trustees and to decide the Clear Creek ISD bond referendum. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting started April 29 and continues until May 7.

In most instances, both early voting and voting on Election Day in municipal elections will be at each town’s city hall. However, this does not apply in all cities, so voters should visit their city’s website or contact their city officials to determine polling places.

Early voting in the CCISD elections to fill two trustee seats and vote on the proposed $367 million bond referendum to rebuild and upgrade dozens of schools will be held at Clear Lake Intermediate, 2903 Falcon Pass in Clear Lake

City; Clear Brook High at 4607 FM 2351, Friendswood; and Clear Creek Intermediate at 2451 E. Main St. in League City.

In order to reach more voters, CCISD is holding early voting at each of its schools at least one day during the early voting period. Polling places for both early voting and Election Day are listed on the CCISD website.

Some cities such as Baytown, League City and Houston hold their city elections in November.

In some instances where candidates have no opposition, an election will not be held.

After the election, Taylor Lake Village’s City Council will have the job of filling the post of mayor following the April 2 death of Mayor-elect Lilian Norman Keeney.

(List of candidates on next page.)

Voters face many decisions May 11

By Mary Alys Cherry


Clear Creek ISD Dist. 1 – Gary RenolaDist. 1 – John P. HermannDist. 1 – Laura DuPontAt-Large B – Ann Hammond (i)At-Large B – Nick Long

Pasadena ISDPos. 1 -- Fred Roberts (i)Pos. 2 – Mariselle Quijano-Lerma (i)Pos. 3 – Nelda Sullivan (i)Pos. 4 – Jack Bailey (i)Pos. 5 – Wade CookPos. 5 – Jerry Speer (i)

Deer Park ISDPos. 4 – Lynn Kirkpatrick (i)Pos. 5 – Ken Donnell (i)

Dickinson ISDPos. 5 – Patty Halter (i)Pos. 6 – J.T. Floyd (i)Pos. 7 – Linda L. Butler (i)

Clear Lake ShoresMayor -- Vern Johnson (i)Mayor – Anthony BerryCouncil – Jan BaileyCouncil – Debbie SmithCouncil – Travis CroftCouncil – Al Burns (i)

Deer ParkMayor – Jeff PoundMayor – Jerry MoutonMayor – Larry CernosekPos. 1 – Bennie BolesPos. 1 -- Sherry GarrisonPos. 2 – Thane Harrison (i)Pos. 3 – Chris Richey

DickinsonPos. 2 – Bruce HendersonPos. 2 – Louis GillPos. 4 – Mark Townsend (i)Pos. 4 – Wally DeatsPos. 6 – William H. King III (i)Pos. 6 – Carol L. DeanPos. 6 – Greg Bridges

El LagoMayor -- Robert White Pos. 1 – Robert KumarPos. 2 – Mitch Youts

FriendswoodPos. 4 – Patrick J. McGinnis (i)Pos. 4 – Jim BarrPos. 6 – Carl GustafsonPos. 6 – Tawni Slaughter

KemahMayor -- Bob Cummins (i)Mayor – Matt Wiggins Pos. 2 – Pat Buchanan (i)Pos. 2 – Wanda ZimmerPos. 4 – Wayne RastPos. 4 – Robin Collins

Nassau BayPos. 1 – David Braun (i)Pos. 3 – John P. MahonPos. 5 – Jonathan Amdur (i)

PasadenaMayor -- Johnny Isbell (i)Mayor – Gilbert PenaDist. A – Ornaldo Ybarra (i)Dist. A – Bruce WaltersDist. B – Richard SernaDist. B – Bruce LeamonDist. B – Barbara LeglerDist. C – Don Harrison (i)Dist. C – Rick Guerrero Dist. D -- Pat Van Houte (i)Dist. D – Ronald WhitleyDist. E – Leroy Stanley (i)Dist. E – Cody Ray WheelerDist. F – Phil CaytenDist. G – Steve CoteDist. H – Darrell Morrison

PearlandPos. 1 – Tony CarbonePos. 1 -- Gary MoorePos. 1 -- Quentin WiltzPos. 5 – Greg Hill (i)Pos. 5 – Yvonne DurbaPos. 5 – Mark Solano

Taylor Lake VillageMayor – Lilian Norman KeeneyPos. 2 – Doug BlanchardPos. 2 – Mike RobertsonPos. 4 – Einar Goerland

WebsterPos. 3 – Mel Donehue (i)Pos. 3 – Lawrence TostoPos. 4 – Carlos VillagomezPos. 4 – Doug NorthPos. 5 – Natalie Dolan

THE CANDIDATESVoters face many decisions May 11

Education

More than a dozen Clear Creek ISD teachers have joined the ranks of

the nation’s most accomplished teachers. Each has received National Board Certification.

“This rigorous and intense two-year program is considered the gold standard in education,” Dr. Greg Smith said as he prepared to introduce the 15 teachers to the school board at a recent meeting.

“The educators you are about to meet sought this certification because they knew it would only benefit children. Their desire to improve is intrinsic and their love for children is evident in all they do, every day,” he added.

They are:• Toni Bourg of Ross

Elementary;• Amanda Bowers,

special education team leader at Robinson and Ed White Elementary Schools;

• Dustin Cornelius, Clear Springs High engineering and computer science teacher;

• Andrea Donovan, Mossman Elementary art teacher;

• Trudi Frankel Best, Robinson Elementary librarian;

• Lisa Frase, Wedgewood Elementary teacher who also has been named Texas Council Teachers of English Elementary Teacher of the Year;

• Kimberly Harris, Advanced Academics specialist at both Armand Bayou and Clear Lake City Elementary;

• Karen Hearn, Robinson Elementary literacy coach;

• Holly Kincaid, Space Center Intermediate art teacher;

• Chris Lowe, Seabrook Intermediate science teacher;

• Christopher Rafalik, Creekside Intermediate science teacher;

• Tonia Roque, Landolt Elementary teacher;

• Amy Russell, League City Elementary science coach;

• Elizabeth Scully, Clear Spring High teacher;

• Anne Smith, elementary science coordinator for the school district.

By Mary Alys Cherry

Clear Creek ISD teachers and staff who had to go without a raise for two years when the Texas Legislature cut local funding by some $23 million are getting

a three percent raise next year.CCISD trustees approved the increase at their

March meeting, along with an increase in the district’s contribution to its health care plan.

“We asked our employees to do more with less and forego a well deserved salary increase for two years while they worked tirelessly to ensure our children are prepared for their future,” said Dr. Greg Smith, superintendent of schools.

“While they selflessly rose to the challenge and helped us weather the financial storm surrounding public education, we also recognize that we must

improve our salary structure if our community wants to retain the very best in education.

“Teachers and staff did receive a one-time, three percent payment this year. This move by the school board will sustain the raise for next year.”

CCISD’s health care contribution was raised from $225 per month to $265 per month, Communications Director Elaina Polsen said. “TRS-Active Care, the health insurance used by 90 percent of Texas school districts, has raised its premiums rates for the second year in a row. This increase in employer contribution will help offset the impact on CCISD teachers, staff and their families.”

In October 2012, trustees set out a specific goal for the superintendent to develop and implement a long-range compensation plan. The superintendent outlined the plan on March 5.

In total, Clear Creek ISD has reduced $12.8 million in expenditures over two years and it has been successful in rolling forward general funds not used in the prior year, Polsen said. The three percent raise will cost $6 million.

Two Bay Area students – rather than one – will represent the Houston area in the

Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., this spring.

The two, who tied in the 2013 Houston PBS Spelling Bee are:

Syamantak Payra, 11, of Westbrook Intermediate in the Clear Creek ISD;

Shobha Dasari, 12, of Leon Sablatura Middle School in Pearland ISD.

They won the Houston crown after competing on the stage of a broadcast studio at the University of Houston.

The Houston PBS draws the best spellers from more than 1,000 schools in 42 counties – awarding the winner $40,000 in cash and prizes, along with a trip to the nation’s capital to compete in the National Spelling Bee May 26 through June 1.

Payra was last year’s runnerup.

Syamantak Payra of Westbrook Intermediate shows off the trophy he won at the Houston Spelling Bee.

Area students win trip to spelling Bee

CCIsD teachers earnNational Board Certification

3 percent pay hike aheadfor CCIsD teachers, staff

Education

UHCL mascot introducedUniversity of Houston-Clear Lake welcomed its new costumed mascot – the UH-Clear Lake Hawk –during the 24th Annual UHCL Chili Cook-Off. The Hawk was named as the official mascot in 2012 after a five-phase mascot search process that began in 2010. This marked the first official appearance of the UHCL Hawk, which was brought in by a flight crew comprising alumni and students and pictured at the Cook-Off with UHCL President William A. Staples.

Amid the blowing dust of a massive construction site, with a backdrop of rumbling dirt-haulers,

Pasadena ISD officials joined with community leaders in breaking symbolic ground for a sixth high school -- the most unconventional high school in Pasadena history.

More than 100 spectators braved the wind gusts to witness the groundbreaking of the Career and Technology High School, scheduled to open for classes in August of 2014.

The $37 million campus, approved as part of a 2011 bond vote, will accommodate between 1,500 to 1,700 students in Grades 9-12. The school will provide district students with a comprehensive curriculum designed to accommodate career training goals not served by traditional college programs.

The 246,000 square-foot facility is located just off the Sam Houston Parkway at Genoa-Red Bluff Road.

“We’re going to have the full gamut of educational opportunities for our kids,” Dr. Kirk Lewis, Pasadena ISD superintendent of schools, said in his opening remarks.

“I am so excited about this,” said Marshall Kendrick, president of the Pasadena ISD Board of Trustees.

“I’ve been on the board 25 years and I don’t think I’ve ever been a

part of something as exciting as this.”

The new campus will be a school of choice for all district high school students interested in career and technical studies on a full-day basis. Students will retain a home campus designation for the purpose of athletics and fine arts participation.

The curriculum is being developed in partnership with San Jacinto College. Students will have the opportunity to earn college hours and professional licenses and certificates while in pursuit of their traditional high school diploma.

“We look forward to that first day when the buses and cars will roll in with students excited about coming to a school they have chosen and a pathway in which they are interested,” said Steven Fleming, named last year as the CT High School’s first principal. “We are preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that haven’t yet been invented, in order to solve problems that we don’t even know are issues today.”

Academies will be offered in the fields of Business and Public Service, Health, Agriculture, Transportation, Construction and Manufacturing, and Technology. The campus site also allows for future expansion. The campus is being designed by Bay ISI Architects with Dyad Construction as general contractor.

The University of Houston-Clear Lake will celebrate its spring 2013 commencement Sunday, May 19, at Reliant Arena in Houston.

Graduates from the School of Human Sciences and Humanities and the School of Science and Computer Engineering will cross the stage at noon, with keynote speaker Professor of Psychology Dorothea Lerman.

Commencement for the School of Education and School of Business will be held at 5 p.m. and the speaker will be Professor of Bilingual and Multicultural Education Laurie Weaver.

Approximately 976 of the 1,171 graduating students will participate in the ceremony. Of these, 535 will be awarded degrees in the first ceremony and 441 in the second ceremony.

Commencement Kick-Off, open to

graduating students, their families and friends, is scheduled for Friday, May 17, 5:30 – 7 p.m., in the university’s Bayou Building, Atrium II. This event offers music, food and fun for soon-to-be-alumni and is sponsored by the university’s Office of Alumni and Community Relations. Tickets are required, but three free tickets will be given to each graduate. Additional tickets will be $2 each.

For information regarding the Commencement Kick-Off and to pick up free tickets, call the Office of Alumni and Community Relations at 281-283-2021 or email Coordinator of Outreach and Communication Mindi Funderburg at [email protected].

For additional information, call UH-Clear Lake’s Office of Academic Records, 281-283-2525, or visit www.uhcl.edu/records/Commencement.

Pasadena IsD breaks ground on Career and technology high school

uhCl lists plans for May graduation


Plant expansions, the retirement of long-time employees, growth in healthcare and the maritime industry are pushing

Baytown to the forefront as one of the nation’s fastest growing and most prosperous regions.

According to B.J. Simon of the Baytown-West Chambers Economic Development Foundation, new construction and expansion projects in Baytown and Mont Belvieu represent $10 to $13 billion of capital investment that will create nearly 22,000 construction jobs and add 1,100 permanent jobs over the next decade. These numbers do not take into account the number of openings due to retiring baby boomers or the increased workforce required for plant maintenance and turnarounds.

The region is facing a similar situation in the healthcare industry. According to the Community College Times, the demand for healthcare support paraprofessionals will increase by 30 percent by 2020. More than 40 percent of these jobs require a postsecondary vocational certificate or associate degree. Reports say healthcare is poised to be the largest industry in the Greater Houston area.

Similar challenges exist in maritime and logistics. With the completion of the expansion of the Panama Canal in 2014, the Port of Houston is projected to grow exponentially and continue to attract new business to the region.

technology Driving the Petrochemical Industry

For Baytown, the dynamic is petrochemical plant expansions, caused by advances in fracking technology which allows companies to recover more oil and gas from fields where drilling was once not economically feasible.

New fracking processes have reduced the cost of feedstock, the raw materials a company has to buy to make its products. With the decrease, worldwide attention has moved to building new facilities in the United States, where it had previously been in the Middle East or China.

The result is almost a revolution in the energy market and the overall petrochemical industry in the United States.

Producers get the MessageBaytown petrochemical facilities are

adding capacity to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by new technology.

Already ExxonMobil and Bayer of Baytown, and Chevron Phillip Chemical Cedar Bayou have announced major additions, and more are soon to follow.

Van Long, plant manager of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company was first to announce plans to build an ethane cracker on the Texas Gulf Coast; its U.S. Gulf Coast Petrochemicals Project includes a new ethylene unit at the Cedar Bayou facility in Baytown, and two new polyethylene units near the Sweeny facility on Old Ocean, Texas.

The project is expected to create 400 long-term direct jobs and 10,000

temporary engineering and construction jobs, with about half at the Cedar Bayou plant. At the peak of construction, Cedar Bayou expects up to 4,000 contract workers at its site.

In addition, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company expects to open a new 1-Hexene unit at Cedar Bayou in 2014.

ExxonMobil’s proposed expansion would create 10,000 construction jobs and add around 350 permanent jobs to the company’s workforce of 6,500 full-time and contractors in the Baytown area. The company will await the results of the permitting and environmental impact studies before making a final decision whether to proceed.

Baytown is at the Epicenter of New growthThere’s an economic boom coming to the Texas Gulf Coast, and Baytown is the epicenter.

“lee College is taking a multi-faceted approach to training the large number of workers needed for these expanding industries.”


According to Baytown Chemical Plant Manager Joe Blommaert, the effect could mean an additional 3,800 jobs in the local community, and an increase in regional economic activity by $870 million per year. The plan has filed permits for construction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in anticipation of a 2016 start-up.

Bayer has already completed various upgrades and expansions to many of its units in Baytown at a cost of about $140 million, says Plant Manager Rod Herrick. The result is more than 1,400 short-term assignments and support of the existing 1,000-employee workforce.

From Challenges Come Opportunities

The forecast has regional leaders working together to address the challenges of sudden and expansive growth. A Workforce Preparedness Partnership, composed of industry, city, college and public school leaders, has been meeting for more than eight months to develop plans to meet the challenge.

The influx of workers will require housing for their families, schools for their children, grocery stores, entertainment outlets, and more.

Improved roads, too. Imagine several thousand more cars traversing Baytown’s already packed Garth Rd. every day.

And new skills. Lee College is taking a multi-faceted approach to training

the large number of workers needed for these expanding industries. Because there is a shortage of skilled workers for the petrochemical industry — and

tremendous competition for workers across the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast — the college is “thinking locally” to inform and train a new generation of workers already living in the area.

Many of Lee’s technical programs are now at capacity for evening classes, even turning away students because of limited classroom and lab space. Such programs are process technology, instrumentation, electrical technology, welding, pipefitting, drafting, engineering technology, and industrial systems technology (machining and millwright).

Using existing resources as well as funding from grants, the college is expanding these in-demand credit programs. In addition, there are opportunities to expand non-credit training and services to business and industry. Services will include short-term, targeted training for incumbent workers, non-credit, industry recognized certificates/credentials, internships, assessments, pre-employment testing, and consulting.

In 2012, Lee College announced the opening of its new Center for Workforce and Community Development. The center brings together existing programs that have a rich history of service to business and industry. This streamlined, efficient approach to workforce training will help the college better attract potential workers and provide relevant skillsets for existing employees.

Updating facilities and expanding capacity for training was the primary reason regents placed a $40 million bond

referendum before voters in May. Likewise, Goose Creek Consolidated

Independent School District placed a $240 million referendum on the May ballot, primarily to add new schools and update existing facilities in anticipation of a huge influx of new families.

Bracing for ProsperityWhen will the wave of new workers hit

Baytown? Already the pressure is being felt as new construction jobs are posted and young graduates enroll in college workforce classes. But the region will look entirely different in another 12 to 18 months when thousands of construction workers will be hard at work changing the footprint of some of the largest and most productive petrochemical plants in the nation, located in Baytown.

It will be Baytown’s “day in the sun,” with opportunities for prosperity and growth that are sure to transform the region’s landscape for generations to come.

“the effect could mean an additional 3,800 jobs in the local community, and an increase in regional economic activity by $870 million per year.”


Las Haciendas’ free mini buffet at happy hour, Monday through Friday!

Ladies night at The Hop on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Come enjoy great times at Crazy Alan’s Swamp Shack and see live music on the weekends. Kid friendly!

The parking lot party at Floyd’s Cajun Seafood and Texas Steakhouse was a great success. See you next year!


Steak Night at Cabo every Thursday!

Find great ambience, drinks and dinner at the Cock and Bull British Pub in Seabrook.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | MAY 2013 38 Bay Area Houston Magazine | MAY 2013 38

The best crawfish on the bay can be found at Wolfies!

Come enjoy great bands and crawfish on Sundays at Fatty’s!

Visit Orient Cafe for some of the finest Chinese cuisine in the bay area.


Moms deserve a night out! In celebration of Mother’s Day, Baybrook Mall hosts Mom’s Night Out on Thursday, May 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be fashion, fun and freebies.

The evening will focus on fashion and personal style, makeup, hair and more, including gifts, refreshments, giveaways and special offers designed to pamper Mom.

Mom’s Night Out is sponsored by Caps & Corks, which will be opening at Baybrook Mall in July. Locally owned, Caps & Corks will serve samplings of its favorite wines to guests over 21 and take an informal poll of moms to determine favorite wines to serve when it opens. “Mom’s Night Out is an opportunity for us to introduce ourselves to shoppers and find out exactly what kinds of wines they prefer,” says Merlina Porter, longtime area resident who owns Caps & Corks with her husband. “When we open in a few months, customers will be able to shop, then sit and relax with a glass of wine.”

The evening begins at 5 p.m. when guests check in at the Mom’s Night Out table under the skylight near the fountain. Each adult over 21 will receive a wristband for complimentary wine tasting. While supplies last, each guest will receive fun fortune cookies and a VIP tote bag.

The highlight of the evening will be the opportunity to meet with body specialists who will offer five-minute assements so guests can learn the right clothes for their body types. The stylist will measure and determine body type, according to a shape analysis model. She will have apparel from mall retailers to demonstrate which fashions complement the guest’s body type.

Throughout the evening, makeup professionals will offer Moms mini makeovers. Representatives will have tips for looks for everyday or special occasions. Guests can also consult with stylists who will demonstrate new hair looks and suggest styles to flatter each face type.

Adding style to Mom’s Night Out, models sporting fashions will wear the latest looks from Baybrook Mall retailers. For a little pampering, guests can enjoy a relaxing moment with a personal hand massage. Center restaurants will treat guests to samplings from their menus.

As an additional reward, shoppers who spend $100 or more during Mom’s Night Out will receive a spa kit, while supplies last. Packed in a metal carrying case, the kit is brimming with all sorts of pampering luxuries, such as massage roller, body lotion, fragrance products and more. Receipts must be dated Thursday, May 9 and presented to the Mom’s Night Out registration table before the event ends at 8 p.m.

Become a fan of Baybrook Mall on Facebook. Baybrook Mall is located in Friendswood at I-45 south and Bay Area Boulevard. For directions, call (281) 488-4627 or visit www.baybrookmall.com.

Fun and Fashion, Makeup and Modeling – Plus Wine Tasting – from 5 to 8 p.m.

Baybrook Mall hosts special Night Out for Moms thursday, May 9


The firm places employees in positions ranging from the entry level to the executive level, and also has a temporary help service that is one of the largest in the Houston area.

Meador Staffing is a family-owned and operated business that prides itself in service to the many communities where the company has locations. Many of the Meador employees are involved in organizations that voluntarily contribute time and resources to helping others where they live, work, and serve. This attitude of community and giving back has been a priority and philosophy of the company since the company was founded.

A commitment to provide world-class service has earned the firm a distinctive trademark as a supplier of quality personnel for almost five decades. All employees realize that the success of our business depends on the quality of the relationships that we have with those that we serve.

Employees are provided with the latest in technology, data systems, phone systems, candidate recruitment systems, and other tools that provide the competitive advantage that clients require. It is nice to have these resources but the greatest advantage of Meador Staffing is the tenured employees who have an impressive record

of years and experience with the firm. The average length of service the 85 employees have is over 10 years. The nine-member management team has an average of 27 years of experience with Meador Staffing Services. This is an envious record that few firms can match.

Being known for innovation and creativity and having a vision for the future, Meador has recently embraced two areas that are becoming more prominent in the workplace. The firm has created, developed, nurtured, and maintains a successful social media presence. Over the past four years, the company has interacted on each of their social media platforms that have engaged them with a broad audience, helping to enhance market presence and branding. In addition, Meador recently established a corporate wellness program that they envision will readily become a very high priority in the life of our company. The company values the health of all employees and their families, and desires to provide them will all of the advantages that contribute to improved health and wellness. Director of Corporate Wellness, Ryan Meador, will be working with employees and also with clients on request to accomplish that objective.

Meador Staffing Services has offices conveniently located for those seeking employment and is well-

positioned to serve companies who desire to hire candidates. The company headquarters is in Pasadena, Texas, with five other offices located in Austin, Clear Lake, Pearland, and The Woodlands. Meador occupies three office buildings on Fairmont Parkway. The corporate operations are located at 722A Fairmont Parkway, the accounting staff is based at 1107 Fairmont Parkway, and another contract affiliate company has offices at 3622 Fairmont Parkway.

For additional information about Meador Staffing Services, please visit our website at www.meador.com. Find us on our Talent Network, Facebook, Twitter (@MeadorStaffing), LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, and the Meador Blog.

the Meador storyMeador Staffing Services was founded in 1968 and has grown over the past 45

years to become one of the largest privately owned staffing services in the country.


anet Slocum loves a challenge. Not only is she employed at MD Anderson, she’s co-owner of the Second Chance Saloon and La Porte Towing.

“I’m a girl that will do anything!” she acknowledged.

One role she would have easily said “no” to however, is breast cancer patient.

But even that obstacle turned into an opportunity as she now adds “survivor” and “philanthropist” to her ever growing list of “been there, done that.”

Before she was even 50 years old, she discovered she had the disease. Diagnosed in October of 2006, she now lives cancer-free and supports organizations like The Rose, a nonprofit breast health organization.

When she and her husband Bobby took over the Second Chance Saloon in Pasadena, Janet knew she had a ready-made fundraising venue.

“My goal was $5,000,” Janet said of the October 2012 event she sponsored at the bar which raised $15.000. “After doing that, I said, ‘Ok, I’m doing this every year!’”

The donation puts Janet and Bobby in a fundraising category created just for them – Leaders of the Pack. Joining them as other 2013 sponsors are San Jacinto Harley-Davidson, The Greensheet, Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, Grayco Communications, Pipefitters Local Union 211, IBEW LU 66, Buffalo Flange, Inc.,

La Porte Towing, Inc., MDN Enterprises, Novus Wood Group, and Waltech Co., Inc.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with San Jacinto Harley Davidson for The Rose’s 5th Annual Bikers Against Breast Cancer ride,” said D’Etta Casto DeLeon, an assistant vice president at Grandbridge Real Estate Capital and the founder and committee chair for BABC. “They have supported us from the beginning and with the selection of the BABC ride as a feature of their annual open house, we could see more than double the attendance we’ve had in years past.”

Other highlights include: an online opportunity for riders and “ghost riders” (registered participants who enjoy the festivities but do not ride) to raise funds as teams or individuals and additional live entertainment from The Slags and popular radio personalities Dean & Rog.

The 5th Annual Bikers Against Breast Cancer is scheduled for May 11 at (San Jacinto Harley Davidson 3636 E. Sam Houston Parkway South Pasadena) with registration open at 8:30 a.m. and Kickstands Up at 10:30 a.m. Participants can register online and create a fundraising page at www.TheRose.org. Cost to register is $30 Rider; $40 Rider + Passenger and $30 Ghost Rider. To find out more, call 281.464.5165, email [email protected].

Breast Cancer survivor Becomes ‘leader of the Pack’for Bikers Against Breast Cancer’s 5th ride

Both Harris County Commissioner Jack Morman and Houston City Councilman Dave Martin updated Space Center Rotary in recent days on current city and county projects.

Both brought good news for the area.Martin briefed Rotarians on the large new Clear

Lake City development Trendmaker Homes and Fidelity Partners are planning just east of Space Center Boulevard near the intersection of Clear Lake City and El Dorado Boulevards -- 700 new homes on 372 acres, plus some 300,000 square feet of high-end retail on 50 acres at the front entrance.

“The area will include swimming pools, parks, walking and jogging trails and a dog park,” Martin said, adding that the groundbreaking is scheduled for later this year.

Besides the expansion at Ellington Airport, other good news included:

A proposed new fire station for El Dorado Boulevard, north of Clear Lake City Boulevard, will have to go to City Council for approval and be included in the city’s five-year plan;

NASA has secured the 747 that flew the Shuttle Endeavor into Houston and plans to move it to Space Center Houston, where the mock shuttle will be mounted on top of it;

A $13.5 million update is planned for South Shaver, which connects to I-45 just north of Ellington Field.

Commissioner Morman provided an update on how his office has dealt with what he called “a dire budget situation” when he took office two years ago and “how we can do what we need to do with what we have.” Despite having to do more with less, “we always find novel ways to get things done,” he said.

“Infrastructure is the No. 1 job for a county commissioner, and that’s where our focus is,” he explained, telling how his office is restoring Sylvan Beach Park and making lots of improvements to Clear Lake Park and Bay Area Park.

“We’re also working to build a brand new boardwalk at Armand Bayou Nature Center.

Also, he said his office is:• Working with the state to make sure Highway

146 stays on tract;• Hoping to resurface Kirby Drive;• Working to keep the high tech people here;• Planning a $400 million Beltway 8 bridge over

the Ship Channel and resurfacing various streets and reconstructing concrete curb and gutters in Seabrook and Nassau Bay.

Rotarians get updatefrom city, county officials

Space Center Rotary President Marilyn Musial, second from left, and President-elect Sheryl Berg welcome Harris County Commissioner Jack Morman, left, and Houston City Councilman Dave Martin to club luncheon at Bay Oaks Country Club. Morman, speaking at one meeting and Martin at another, updated Rotarians of city and county work in the community.

By Mary Alys Cherry

By Mary Alys Cherry

Webster has taken the first steps toward what it hopes will be shared bike and

pedestrian paths linking NASA Parkway to Henderson Road along the east side of FM 270 – applying for some $1 million in state transportation funds.

Webster Economic Development Director Dr. Betsy Giusto said the Texas Department of Transportation has recently authorized $70 million in funding for transportation enhancement projects with the state paying 80 percent of the costs of eligible projects by using federal funds.

Webster’s part of the cost will be $184,000, she said, adding that a portion of the project (20 percent) would be funded by the city’s Street Construction Fund.

Giusto said the project cost consists of all construction costs, including paving and drainage, to build the 10- to 12-foot wide shared use path from NASA Parkway to Henderson Road with TxDOT overseeing construction, as well as fully funding all design work and any required right-of-way acquisition at no cost to the city.

“TxDOT engineers have committed to performing the design work, and an Advanced Funding Agreement between TxDOT and Webster would be executed at the time of project selection,” she explained.

FM 270 is a seven-lane major north-south roadway with an average daily traffic count of 27,900 vehicles and a speed limit of 45 mph.

Webster eyes state fundsfor NASA Parkway link



By Nina Cortez

When you think of Texas, and you think of Longhorns. Yet few Texans realize that not so many years ago, Longhorns were on the verge of extinction and by the mid-1920s

were outnumbered by buffalo. Today their unique history is chronicled in a Bay Area

attraction – League City’s Butler Longhorn Museum, which is just getting its bearings in the tourism world.

A visit to the museum takes one back in time to 1854 when George Washington Butler moved his family from Louisiana to Texas and established a ranch on Clear Creek, where he and his son, Milby Butler, became the most successful cattle ranchers in the state and their Butler Longhorns became a household name.

“Texas Longhorns are very exceptional animals,” said Maudeen Marks of the Cattlemen’s Texas Longhorn Registry. “They are very strong and their small ears are protected by their famous horns, while their long tails are good for swattin’ flies.”

It is no surprise that Milby Butler became renowned all around the county for his and his father’s one of a kind Texas Longhorns. At the time, the mother cows were carefully selected and placed in the same pasture with the father bull, so the new breed of Longhorn would be born with the correct shape of horn and genes.

Some of the red steers’ horns measured up to seven feet, tip to tip, at only 11 years of age with hair as soft as a feather and abilities as good as the king of the gods, Zeus. These were true genuine Texas Longhorns.

The Longhorn thrives today due to the efforts of pioneer breeders such as the Butlers and a few far-sighted federal employees who refused to allow these animals to become extinct.

The Butler Longhorn Museum, built in 2002 inside the newly renovated former home of famous Bay Area banker Walter Hall and tells the story of the breed’s amazing comeback. The League City Parks and Recreational Department created it as a way a preserve history and recognize the first established family in League City.

The museum on Coryell Street is filled with fascinating educational and entertaining possessions and belongings

from the Butlers and other cowboys – such as Walter Osterman, who worked on the ranch. There are also many pieces of exceptional artwork done by area artists such as Kelly Halbach and Tim Miller and even a hometown personality, Jimmy Phillips. Newest additions to the museum are photographs of Butler Longhorn Cattle from the Johnson brothers and some old barbed wire from a local resident.

“My favorite exhibit has to be Ol’ Classic Ace,” said Bette Specion, museum president since 2006. Classic Ace was a Longhorn with horns that stretched more than eight feet in length. “But, I’d have to say our most popular exhibit is either Mrs. John Wayne or The Sunset Coral.”

Mrs. John Wayne is a shoulder mount head of the star Longhorn from the movie, The Alamo, while the Sunset Corral is a current exhibit, where visitors can walk through and see the Longhorns and other animals in action while listening to real noises from the great outdoors as the museum tells a compelling chapter in the history of the American West.

Funds that keep the museum up and running come from its accommodating sponsors and members who attend frequent fundraisers.

Specion says her biggest achievement is that they’re open. “We started out in the back building, went through two renovations and then Hurricane Ike,” she said. “It warms my heart when I hear the complements coming from people about the museum’s beauty.

The Butler Longhorn Museum has a lot to offer including tours, corporate events, weddings, art exhibits, and much more. In addition, it has an enchanting western dance hall and dance floor and a picturesque landscape with pecan and grapefruit trees.

“A lot of young couples get married on the garden grounds,” Museum Director Monica Hughes sayds. “We have a beautiful vegetable garden and an outside bar. And, let’s not forget the Texas-size barbecue pit.”

George and Milby Butler are remembered as two extraordinary men and cattle ranchers by a delightful museum that offers an incredible journey through history.

Those who would like to become a member or volunteer or tour the museum should contact Better Specion at 281-332-3961.

Longhorn Museum chronicles unique part of Texas’ historyEver wonder what it might have

been like to be part of an astronaut family during the Apollo days?

JoAnn Carr of El Lago, who was formerly married to Apollo and Skylab astronaut Jerry Carr, gives us a fictional inside look at what it is like being married to an astronaut, offering the feminine view of the space race – something that has never been done before by an insider – in her new novel, Keeper of the Flame.

Jennifer Davis, though she has ambitions of her own, supports her husband as he focuses exclusively on getting to the moon. She pushes the traditional envelope of her life as best she can, much to NASA’s displeasure, in what is a very interesting read.

In spite of Jennifer’s conventional upbringing, an intense relationship with a television director, Mason Sears, who is filming a documentary on her family, threatens to become intimate during her husband’s one month stay on the moon. An emergency on the lunar surface, endangering the crew, causes her to re-examine her core values and she meets the touch choices that face her head on.

Born and raised in Orange County, in Southern California, the author – who lives in El Lago -- graduated from California State at Long Beach and married her high school sweetheart who became a pilot in the Marines and was later named to the 1966 astronaut class.

She raised her six children amidst the backdrop of the Gemini, Apollo and Skylab programs. She completed her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree at the University of Houston in 1978 with all six children still at home, was divorced and then practiced law for 30 years – serving as counsel for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and for Star Station One, a 501c3 devoted to space education for children.

Copies may be purchased through Pay Pal at Carr’s website, KeeperoftheFlameNovel.com or with a credit card at Amazon.com

New novel offers look inside astronaut family


Often, we simply “accept” our bad habits without thinking about how they may actually be standing in

the way of us living our lives as we want to. When it comes to making the most of your money, consider curbing some of these actions that may be taking a toll on your wallet.

Ignoring your bills: Just because you don’t look at them

does not mean they don’t exist. Mail has this unfortunate way of piling up very quickly, so take a few minutes every day to sort through your papers to make sure you don’t miss bills or other important paperwork. Setting up automatic payments through your bank can make this process easier.

Maxing out your credit cards: When used correctly, credits cards are

an effective and useful tool in helping you to make big purchases and build a good credit history. The key is paying off your balance every month. Be wary of spending up to your credit limit and just paying off the minimum amount each month. That is one way people fall easily into debt.

Not contributing to your 401k plan:

It may feel like you have absolutely no money to spare, but investing in your company’s retirement plan is crucial to building a nest egg for the future. Start by talking to the HR person at your company and learning about your benefits. Then, try to contribute as much as your company matches since it is essentially free money towards your personal savings.

spending blindly: It’s important not to be oblivious to

how much money you spend on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. All of those receipts for gas, snacks, soft drinks and

restaurants add up very quickly if you are not aware of how much you are spending every day. You can use this calculator to create a budget for your daily expenses.

Not having an emergency fund:Whether your car breaks down, you

chip a tooth eating, or you get laid off – unexpected events can wreak financial inconvenience and havoc. Save regularly for a rainy day (experts recommend having 3–6 months worth of living expenses saved) so you will be covered if the unexpected happens.

living beyond your means: With so many temptations from

new electronic equipment, to new fashion every season, to “big” sales every other day at your favorite department store, it is easy to fall into the habit of constantly buying new things. Becoming a financially disciplined person is simply learning how to resist the urge to spend what you don’t have. You can use this Saving for a Goal calculator to set aside money for something special.

stop playing money mind games: What we say to ourselves and to

others about our finances can have a big impact on how we interact with money. Watch out for statements like, “I’ve never had money, and I will never make any money,” “Shopping is my therapy,” and “But, I’ve always let my partner take care of our finances.” Be aware of excuses and negative talk that may keep you from feeling confident about being able to manage your finances.

This article is brought to you by a partnership between Visa and Texas First Bank and was authored by Jason Alderman, who directs Visa’s financial education programs. For more information, follow Texas First Bank on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube or visit us at www.texasfirstbank.com.

Seven Money Habits to Curb Now

Whether it is biting our fingernails, losing track of house keys or procrastinating; we all have some bad financial habits that we’d like to break.


Project Blue Golf TournamentProject Blue will have a golf tournament on May 8th at South Shore Harbour Golf Course in League City starting at 8:30 a.m. 100% of the proceeds will benefit Seabrook Police Officer Leon Waltman who has been diagnosed with cancer is currently in treatment. For more information, visit www.project-blue.org or call 832-767-8535.

Judge Holly Williamson Hawaiian Golf TournamentThe Judge Holly Williamson Justice of the Peace Pct 8 Place 1 Hawaiian golf tournament and luau dinner will be held on May 10th at the Battleground Golf Course in Deer Park. Registration is at 10:30 a.m. and the shotgun start is at noon. The luau dinner and awards will immediately follow after the tournament. For more information, call 281-478-2079.

SUPPORTS CHARITY GOLF


BAYToWN GETTiNGSTEEL PiPE PLANT

Turkish steel manufacturer Borusan Mannesmann Pipe plans to expand its manufacturing operations to the U.S. with a steel pipe plant in Baytown, creating 250 jobs and $148 million in capital investment.

In making the announcement, Gov. Rick Perry said the state is providing $1.6 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund to close the deal.

Borusan Mannesmann is a leader in steel pipe production for a variety of industries, including oil and gas drilling and transmission. The proposed Baytown plant plans to produce casings used to secure oil wells and tubing to extract gas and oil from the ground, adding 300,000

tons of manufacturing capacity.“This investment will establish

Borusan as a local manufacturer in the U.S. market,” Borusan Chairman A. Ahmet Kocabıyık said in a statement. “This investment is the beginning of a new era, not only for economic relations between the U.S. and Turkey, but also for our steel sectors.”

NASSAu BAY WiNSNATioNAL AWARD

The City of Nassau Bay has been awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association.

The national award, based on policy document, financial plan, operations

guide and several other categories, was presented to the Nassau Bay Finance Department.

“This is the city’s first ever award, and along with our second Transparency Award (presented earlier) shows that our elected officials and staff work very hard to produce a budget and financial records that are transparent and accountable to our taxpayers,” City Manager Chris Reed said.

BoEiNG CoMPLETES PRELiMiNARY REViEW

The Boeing Co. of Houston, a NASA Commercial Crew Program partner, has successfully completed a preliminary design review of the component that would connect the company’s new crew capsule to its rocket.

The review is one of six performance milestones Boeing has completed for NASA’s Commercial Crew Integrated Capability initiative, which is intended to make available commercial human spaceflight services for government and commercial customers. The company is on track to complete all 19 of its milestones during CCiCap.

WoRK BEGiNS oN uTMB ExPANSioN

The University of Texas Medical Branch has begun work on its $90

million building expansion project at Victory Lakes in League City that will include an emergency department and beds to accommodate patients requiring overnight stays.

The project will create 142,000 square feet of clinical space, allowing for the addition of 39 patient beds and inpatient stays of up to 72 hours in order to better serve its patients. In a related project, UTMB will build a central-plant facility to provide utilities to its 62-acre Victory Lakes campus.

The clinical space project on its 62-acre Victory Lakes campus is scheduled for completion in February 2015 and will provide 39 inpatient beds for up to 72-hour stays, 17 emergency/urgent care treatment rooms, four operating rooms, endoscopy rooms and 25,000 square feet of shell space for future development.

B U S I N E S S B U Z Z

Science Applications International Corp. was recognized for excellence in safety by Johnson Space Center Director Dr. Ellen Ochoa at the recent Contractor Safety Forum at JSC.

SAIC provides safety, reliability, maintainability and quality for the space

shuttle, International Space Station, payloads and other items prepared for flight at JSC. SAIC also supports the White Sands Test Facility near Las Cruces, N.M. -- work is performed under SAIC’s Safety and Mission Assurance Support Services Contract.

For the second consecutive year, the team was awarded the JSC Contractor Safety Forum Safety and Health Excellence Award – “Super Nova” – in recognition of excellence in safety, as well as the OSHA Region VI Star Among Stars “Star of Excellence” award, which will be formally presented to SAIC at the Region VI Voluntary Protection Program Conference in May. “Star of Excellence” awardees must be 90 percent or more below the national average for OSHA Days Away Restricted Time cases and Total Cases Incidence Rates for their industry.

To earn the “Super Nova” award, SAIC performance was assessed in three areas: OSHA performance rates, safety meeting

participation, and safety and health best practices, innovation or service. SAIC was also recognized at the forum with a “Safety Innovation Award” for the

development and implementation of an interactive chemical hygiene plan refresher training module that was based on a popular game show at JSC’s Receiving, Inspection and Testing Facility last year, and for the 2012 “Summer Safety Olympics,” which focused on five areas of Safety & Health.

SAIC Program Manager and former astronaut Ken Cameron, from left, joins SAIC employees Liz Hartley, Lisa Ewing, Pete Gerac, Pat Farrell, Peggy Anderson and Paula Klewer, Johnson Space Center Associate Director Melanie Saunders and Deputy Director of Safety & Mission Assurance Vincent Watkins as they show off the safety award.

NASA recognizes SAIC at Safety Forum

$129,097 pledged at Barrios: For the fourth year Barrios Technology has presented a check to the non-profit organization that exceeded the $100,000 level. At the close of its 2013 workplace campaign, 43 percent of Barrios employees pledged $129,097 to show their commitment to building a stronger tomorrow. Pictured, from left, are this year’s United Way Chairman for Barrios Tracey Escamilla, Barrios President and CEO Sandy Johnson, United Way of Greater Houston President and CEO Anna Babin and Director of Donor Relations of United Way of Greater Houston Yvonne Thornburg

LyondellBasell continued its support of the UH-Clear Lake Environmental Institute by presenting a $5,000 check for the WaterSmart Demonstration School Habitat Lab and the Texas Envirothon, an annual high school environmental competition. Participating in the presentation are Environmental Institute of Houston Habitat Curriculum Specialist Sheila Brown and Executive Director George Guillen; LyondellBasell Regional Public Relations Manager Gayden Cooper and Bayport Site Manager Walter Pinto; and Texas Envirothon Coordinator and Environmental Education Program Coordinator Wendy Reistle.


With support from the community, local businesses and the City of Seabrook, the

Bay Area Veterans Memorial has been completed. The public is invited to attend the dedication on Saturday, May 25 at 1106 Second Street in Seabrook. The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m.

Jenny and Bruce Arunyon were the driving force behind the memorial. Their dedication to this project has brought it to fruition. Bruce and Jenny said they want to thank everyone who contributed to making their vision come true -- especially the City of Seabrook for donating the land for the memorial.

The city’s donation provides a beautiful setting for the public to visit and honor all those who fought and served the United States of America.

The festivities at the dedication will include the unveiling of the bronze Fallen Soldier Sculpture. Other activities include a bagpipe performance, food, music, speakers and a display of military vehicles.

The community and especially veterans are invited to attend and enjoy this historic event.

Volunteers who would like to help with the dedication should contact Jenny Arunyon at [email protected]

Many who worked and contributed to the completion of the Bay Area Veterans Memorial recently gathered for a pre-dedication photo.

Veteran’s Memorial Dedication Slated for May

Miso is a 3-year-old Russian Blue male who needs an agent because he’s so gorgeous! He’s a big boy, very affectionate, loves other kitties plus everyone he meets - AND he’s a lap cat! He was adopted out and then sadly, returned to Second Chance Pets with lesions all over his head. He was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disorder called Pemphigus Foliaceus, which without daily treatment causes his skin to break-out in scabs. However when given the inexpensive drug prednisone daily he has perfect skin! For more information email [email protected] or go to www.secondchancepets.org. SCP shows its pets each Saturday at the Clear Lake Petco, Bay Area Blvd. at Space Center Blvd. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. SCP also shows its pets every Fourth Friday at JSC Federal Credit Union, 1330 Saturn in Clear Lake from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. SCP is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit animal welfare organization. All donations are tax deductible.

Bay Area Houston Magazine’s Brandon Rowan and Victoria Ugalde had quite the surprise when visiting the company’s storage in Kemah. Upon opening the

unit they found four black newborn kittens abandoned in a box under a shelf! Unsure on what to do, they took them to Clear Creek Animal Hospital on NASA Parkway. Fortunately, they had a client, Marisa Instone, owner of a mama cat, Pixie, who had just finished nursing her litter. Pixie took to the kittens right away and tried to nurse them but her milk already dried up. The Staff at Clear Creek Animal Hospital came into contact with Donetta Hernandez, a local animal emergency worker, who offered to hand raise them! If you are interested in adopting one of these lucky kittens please email [email protected] or call 281.474.5875.

Also please know that even though Clear Creek Animal Hospital was gracious enough to provide help they do not accept kitten litters as they do not have the means to care for them. A huge thank you to all those involved with helping these kittens!


By Mary Alys Cherry

Harris County residents are making final plans now for the 40th annual Pasadena Strawberry Festival Friday through Sunday May 17-19 with the big annual parade kicking off festivities Saturday,

May 11.The parade will start at 10 a.m. at the corner of Spencer

and Shaver and continue one mile down Spencer to Burke, ending at the Memorial Stadium parking lot.

When the festival begins May 17 at 3 p.m. at the Pasadena Fairgrounds, it will feature a full schedule of entertainment, a barbecue cookoff, helicopter rides, mutton bustin,’ jugglers, wild west show, motorcycle stunt show, teen karaoke contest, duck races, racing pigs, plus lots of great entertainment on stage and the World Largest Strawberry Shortcake.

Festival hours are from 3 p.m. to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, rain or shine.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for seniors and children 5-11.

The festival is put on by San Jacinto Day Foundation to encourage and promote the observance of San Jacinto Day and produce one of the largest fund raising events in the state of Texas.

The festival dates back to 1974 when a small group of enthusiastic Pasadena citizens gathered in a tent on a football practice field for the opening of the Pasadena Historical Museum and celebrated San Jacinto Day with the very first Strawberry Festival.

Strawberries, famous for their size and sweetness, were the first big business in Pasadena. As many as 28 train carloads of strawberries a day left Pasadena loading sheds going as far north as Chicago and Kansas City. These strawberries not only brought premium prices, but also earned Pasadena the coveted title “Strawberry Capitol of the South.”

Today, with more than 500 volunteers, the Pasadena Strawberry Festival continues to celebrate Pasadena’s heritage on the 106-acre Pasadena Convention Center and Municipal Fairgrounds complex and attracts over 45,000 visitors.

Officials cautioned that some items will not be allowed at the festival -- bicycles/glass bottles/beverages/coolers/scooters/skateboards/food /Frisbees/rollerblades/flyers/signs/weapons/pets and radios.

The festival goes on rain or shine, officials said. If weather forecast calls for rain, those attending should bring rain gear, umbrellas and mud boots. The festival will not refund or exchange tickets due to inclement weather. Some performances might be delayed or cancelled due to inclement weather.

To reach the fairgrounds from I-45, take Beltway 8 east, exit Genoa Red Bluff (last free exit) and turn right on Genoa Red Bluff. When Genoa Red Bluff runs into Red Bluff turn left, fairgrounds on your right.

Pasadena Strawberry Festivalkicks off with May 11 parade

It’s time once again for Ron Carter Clear Lake Cadillac Hyundai to step up and acknowledge the future leaders from the Greater Clear Lake Area High School community.As in the past, Ron Carter Clear Lake is proud

to honor and support these seniors by awarding five college scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each. One outstanding student will be selected each month beginning in April and ending in August. Applications will be accepted March 1st, 2013 through July 31st, 2013.

The scholarship is open to high school seniors

in Clear Lake and surrounding areas of Clear Creek ISD, Alvin ISD, Deer Park ISD, Pasadena ISD, Dickinson ISD, LaPorte ISD, Pearland ISD and Friendswood ISD. Students from parochial and home schools within the boundaries of these districts are also eligible.

Recipients will be chosen based on academic achievement, character, leadership and community service. Scholarship applications and detailed instructions can be found by clicking on the “Community Involvement” tab and following the links at www.roncarterclearlake.com.

Ron Carter Clear Lake Cadillac Hyundai to Again Provide Scholarships for Seniors

Lucky Kittens Looking for Homes

New hanger at EllingtonSouthwest Airport Systems broke ground recently on a 7th hangar at Ellington. Taking part in the ceremony were, from left, Dan Seal, Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership; Craig Miller and Jim McCutchen, Memorial City Bank; Ian Wadsworth, Houston Airport Systems; William King, Southwest Airport Systems CEO; Dick Clark of NASA and Bob Rada of Southwest Airport Systems.

University Communications Director Theresa Presswood, right, and Assistant Director Karen Barbier greet the arriving crowd at the UHCL Community Breakfast at Lakewood Yacht Club.

UHCL 2013 Report to the Community Breakfast

bay area houston magazine may 2013

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