Near capacity parking lots were visible all weekend.
NORTHEAST HARRIS COUNTY– Last weekend’s sales tax holiday found concurrence in nine out of ten respondents that it isn’t measuring up, with the other 10% either very much in favor of the tax break or didn’t know or care about it.
However, stores in Crosby were packed as parents endeavored to get ready for school to start today.
Shoppers and store workers in Crosby and Baytown were asked about what their reaction to the Back to School Sales Tax Holiday was, and their response was educational. Few wanted to be responsible for their opinions or photographed.
One store worker volunteered that the notebooks she was standing near for $2.48 had been $2.20 regular price last week. On the other hand, notebooks that were regular 79¢ were on sale for 50¢. “They move prices, locations and stuff around a lot,” she said.
A grocery store manager in Crosby said, “What do I care about a sales tax free weekend, anymore? We used to carry items for each school in packages, specific to every school, but now only big box stores do that. It encourages their monopoly.”
Commissioner Adrian Garcia speaks at the Chamber luncheon about his plans for Pct. 2.
By Gilbert Hoffman
Speaking last week at a North Channel Chamber luncheon, Harris County Pct. 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia covered a wide range of topics related to his concepts of improving conditions for all the residents.
Garcia said that his focus at all times is on Precinct 2, and what he can do to better conditions there. He said a fundamental change in how the precinct is run is his emphasis on spending county money to hire companies and workers that are located in the precinct. He introduced his purchasing director, Jose Jimenez, saying he was they key to implementing the new plan.
Garcia reflected on his first seven months in office, and how it seemed like an unending string of catastrophes. He noted that his term started the first week with an ExxonMobil fire in the refinery in Baytown, and currently was ending the period the same way with the same disaster. He noted that the refineries in Precinct 2 have a history of violations of air and water pollution, and vowed that the county would implement new procedures to minimize these. Because of the large number of petrochemical plants in his district, he said that environmental concerns and safety would be a primary concern that he would focus on.
Garcia noted that his precinct has the lowest household income in the county, and related to that is the lowest home ownership percentage. He noted how important this is, related to other problems of educational achievement and crime rates.
He said a priority is to raise the level of educational achievement, and as a start he has partnered with HCDE, the Harris County Department of Education, to provide free SAT college preparation for about 200 motivated students that need help to pass the college entrance tests. This is a four week course for high school students, and if successful will be repeated for more. Garcia noted that passing the SAT will open more educational opportunities, and result in more job and career choices and opportunities.
Garcia told the students, “Go on to succeed, but come back to Precinct 2 and Give Back.”
Garcia said that healthcare was a major concern, and noted that he had started the first “food pantry” at a Clinic in the district, to provide more healthy food to clients. He noted that other factors affecting access to good healthcare included transportation, which is being provided.
New Educator’s Luncheon is fast approaching the Chamber, scheduled for August 14th at Crosby Church, located at 5725 HWY 90 in Crosby and will begin at 11:30am.
This is our Monthly Member Luncheon where we host a lunch to WELCOME all New Educator’s to our Crosby and Huffman School Districts. This year’s luncheon will be Presented by United Community Credit Union.
The Chamber will give every New Educator a goody bag full of items donated by our business members to Welcome them to our towns. We also do a drawing and gift the teachers door prizes donated by our members.
We are asking for 150 goody bag items and we would like to be able to give every New Educator a door prize. This is a great opportunity for you to showcase your business and help Welcome our New Educators to these great Communities!
Please contact Chamber Office at 281-328-6984 or email us at chamber@crosbyhuffmancc.org for more information.
Project Recovery Harvey is open to Homeowners affected by Hurricane Harvey, or, depending on the program, the floods of 2015, 2016, & 2017, who are U. S. Citizens and Permanent Legal Residents.
The first step is to complete the pre-application to determine which program you may qualify for by visiting www.HarrisRecovery.org.
After you complete the pre-application, you should receive an email verifying that your information has been recorded. Help is available by calling 832-927-4961 or stop in to speak with an intake specialist at any location listed here.
Raising funds to build a memorial in Crosby Park or wherever they can get the public land and host a celebration of veterans on Veteran’s Day, the Eastside Veterans’ Celebration hosted a car show last Saturday, July 13 at the Crosby American Legion Post 658. Out front as President Bob Ward, Karen Foster and Betty Michelsky in the far background are the fundraiser pigs Freedom and Justice with entertainer, Eddie Foster. The top twenty show vehicles received trophies for their participation and there was a Best of Show and Judge’s Choice Award along with a 50/50 jackpot won by lucky Mrs. Betty Michelsky. The Eastside Veterans also host a trip to Coushatta Casino Resort in Kender, LA. each month. The Eastside Veterans’ Celebration has a website and a facebook page that interested locals can follow.
Judge’s Choice award went to Bruce Meyer with a 1969 Cobra GT, here awarded by judge Trystan Anderson, an automotive detailer in Crosby.
Don Housley won Best of Show here with Eddie Foster, MC and event entertainer. Don brought a 1948 Ford Truck that wowed everyone.
Sales Manager David Mendez with Robert Turner, owner of Turner Chevrolet, here winning Business of he Year from the Crosby-Huffman Chamber of Commerce in 2016, being awarded here by Macie Shubert then of Community Resource Credit Union, now of the West Chambers County Chamber of Commerce. Local charities including the upcoming Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Memorial Fund August 17, the Crosby Fair & Rodeo, Bras for the Cause, the Jamail Memorial Fund, the Barrett Station Civic League and others find support at Turner.
CROSBY – A local Chevrolet dealership has established itself as one that believes in giving back to the community in a way that benefits the community at large.
It began with a simple concept from the local family owner, Robert Turner: “Our People Make the Difference.” Robert Turner made his home in Dallas, owner/operating a couple of dealerships before purchasing John Keating Chevrolet in Crosby. He knew he needed an involved sales manager and when one of the leading applicants had an e-mail address listed as crosbychevyman@aol.com, he figured that was a good clue. The dealership at the corner of FM 2100 and US 90 established themselves as being far better than their predecessor at getting involved with the community and local people. Mr. Turner made a diligent search for the right people to run this dealership and made their motto, “Our People Make the Difference.”
Pictured L to R: Kami Whitten, Deputy Richard Whitten, and Rep. Brian Babin.
DEER PARK, TX – U.S. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) released the following statement after visiting Liberty County Sheriff’s Deputy Richard E. Whitten and his wife, Kami, at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Houston Medical Center on Monday. Deputy Whitten has been in recovery since he was critically injured after being shot in the line of duty on May 29, 2019.
HIGHLANDS ROTARIANS gathered at the Boat Club in Highlands, for the installation banquet and awards ceremony last Friday night. Pictured are Front Row: Sheila McDonald, incoming president, and Betty Brewer, Membership and PIE chair; Back Row: Denise Smith, outgoing president, Charlie Ward, Foundation Chair, Patricia Scott, Treasurer, Johnny Gaeke, Sergeant at Arms, Gilbert Hoffman, Program Chair, Weston Cotten, International Services, and Dr. Larry White, Scholarship Chair. Not Pictured: Andy Scott, president-elect, Teresa Martin, Secretary, Diana Weaver, Community Service & Polio Plus chair.
HIGHLANDS – The Rotary Club of Highlands held their Installation and Awards Banquet last Friday night at the Boat Club on Clear Lake Road.
Present were about 40 persons, including new officers and board members, family and friends, and invited guests. Emcee of the evening was outgoing president Denise Smith.
The theme for 2019- 2020 for Rotary International is “Rotary Connects the World” an acknowledgement of the presence and activities of Rotary in almost all the countries of the world.
Small clubs like Highlands are actually part of the much larger organization, first the District 5890 with 3000 members in greater Houston, then the national Rotary organization in the United States, and finally part of Rotary International, with 35,000 clubs worldwide, and 1.2 million members. Highlands Rotarians are welcome at all these clubs.
CROSBY – At the June 17 meeting of the Crosby ISD Board of Trustees meeting, Lisa Jones gave a report of the 2019-2020 Budget, including how the school district expects that House Bill 3 will effect that budget.
The school is going to hold an open meeting next Monday, June 24, 7:00 p.m., to discuss the budget with any of the public that might make it into the new Administration Building, known as the bus barn or old HEB. The purpose is to adopt the 2019-2020 budget based on the old law. The tax rate will go into effect in September or October. The budget will be amended when the new HB 3 is better understood.
“With a measure of caution and a great deal of thanksgiving and hope, take this report we are giving tonight,” said Superintendent Scott Davis.
HB3 requires increased compensation to full time personnel, such as 75% for teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians, and prioritizing differentiated compensation for classroom teachers with over 5 years of experience. Regarding salaries, Davis said, “The thing I am most excited about is that those that decided to stay with this district are the winners.”
Tough Enough to Wear Pink awarded $130,000 to Pink Heals Foundation Houston Methodist Baytown Cancer Center and $42,000 to Houston Candlelighters from funds raised from Bras for the Cause held last February at last Saturday’s event filled Crosby Fair & Rodeo. Tough Enough to Wear Pink is a Committee of Crosby Fair & Rodeo dedicated to helping those fighting cancer in the surrounding community. The Pink Heals is a national foundation active in many cancer centers devoted to helping cancer fighters handle the day to day struggles.
The old Administration Building for Crosby ISD was to be a new DHS school to keep disciplinary challenged students in the district. Dilapidation and a moldy interior presented health problems and called for demolition.
CROSBY – Superintendent Scott Davis has visited multiple civic organizations over the last month communicating the state of the school and his vision for where the school district ventures from here.
Davis will be first to say that Crosby ISD isn’t completely recovered from the financial emergency in which he had to lay off teachers in midyear but the “worst is over and now we can begin to move forward.”
By now many have figured out that the 2017 – $109 .5 Million bond might be called the C.Y.A. bond in that the driving factor behind it was that cost overruns and change-orders had made the 2013 bond for $86.5 Million short about $16.5 Million in Covering Yon Assets, about $6 Million more than it could receive with no reserves to cover the shortfall. Back then, the district had allowed about $10.9 Million to cover past overruns from the newer bond.
Davis’s voice reflected the stress of the financial emergency that has now been attended. He expressed regret that it was necessary to make Pre-K a half day.
In the 2017 Bond, the old administration building was to be made into a school for kids with disciplinary problems, so that they would not have to be moved out of the district. So it was said, then it would be noted that the expense would be prohibitive and the funds applied elsewhere.
