During February, our Nation has been celebrating Black History Month. We are fortunate to live in a diverse City with many terrific local contributions to the rich history of African Americans in our Country. Here in District H, we are home to Independence Heights, which in 1915 became the first African American Municipality in Texas. It is a community that prides itself in its past and is working extremely hard to continue to improve and redevelop the neighborhood. I also want to encourage all of our citizens to visit and support the Houston Museum of African American Culture at their new home located at 4807 Caroline. For more information, please contact the museum at 900 Bagby, 1st Floor • Houston, Texas 77002 • P: 832-393-3003 • F: 832-393-3224 districth@houstontx.gov

DISTRICT H

Tonight at 6:30PM, LULAC Council 402 is hosting their 11th Annual Scholarship Gala at Brady’s Landing, located at 8508 Cypress. I am humbly accepting an award and am pleased to be a part of this effort and wonderful organization. For those that would like to attend, please contact our good friend and community leader, Ms. Carmen Nuncio at 713-695-9144. LULAC Council 402 has awarded over $340,000 in scholarships to deserving students since 2002 and are aiming to raise another $50,000 tonight. This dedication to our children is commendable and will certainly make an impact in shaping our future leaders.

Ed

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What is ‘Pop Off?’: ‘Pop-Off’ occurs at the end of each City Council Agenda Meeting. At this time, each council member is given the opportunity to discuss happenings in their district, congratulate constituents and share relevant information with the Council and the public. All City Council meetings can be watched live online.

Before getting into politics, Councilmember Ed Gonzalez was a Houston police officer for 18 years.

He’s used that experience to launch an idea that would change how the Houston Police Department responds to people who are publicly intoxicated.

photo courtesy of KUHF

“The City of Houston basically incarcerates about 19,000 people like that, 19,000 people per year.”

That number does fluctuate a bit from year to year. In 2010 it was 19,000 but in 2011 it was down to 15,000.

Still with as many as 140,000 people going through the city’s jail system every year, Gonzalez says diverting public intoxication arrests to a sobering center would ease the strain on the jails in a time when the police force is short on money and officers.

“In many ways a sobering center, to put it in very basic terms, would basically be a drunk tank. It would just be a simple opportunity to allow them to sleep it off. It would be a low amount of time that they’re in there, it’s not an extended period. And an opportunity I hope we could insert in the process is at least creating a point of access for recovery services as well.”

“It takes a police officer, when they take a person to jail, two hours or longer depending on the circumstances of the individual. It takes about 15 minutes to turn them over to a sobering center.”

That’s Leonard Kincaid with the Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston. Kincaid actually spent the night in a sobering center in San Antonio to experience it for himself.

“I chose a Friday night because we understand that the peak hours of use is Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday night. And so I was there from roughly nine o’clock at night until about four o’clock in the morning. And what I saw was waves of people coming through. It was like a group that came through around 11:00, another group that came through 2:00, another group that came through around 3:30 or so.”

Kincaid says he saw a broad spectrum of people that night, from working girls and homeless men to college students and the bar and club crowd. Many of them had mental health problems and some had other substance abuse issues.

“Recovery is a long-term process. What the sobering center has an opportunity to do is to be one of the first points of intervention where you begin to offer and encourage the person take another path.”

Kincaid says it sometimes takes three or four stays in a sobering center before someone accepts help. But it’s an intervention they’ll never get if they’re simply sent to jail. Councilmember Gonzalez says HPD and the mayor are working with him to launch such a center in Houston before the year’s end.

Secretary Chu will tour the control room of the Thermal Energy Corporation at the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical center. With the support of $10 million in federal funding, last year Thermal Energy Corporation completed a 48 megawatt combined heat and power plant that is expected to save approximately $11 million in energy costs per year.

The visit builds on the President’s State of the Union address last week, where he presented a new era for American energy and outlined a blueprint for an American economy built to last, based on American-made energy resources and clean energy innovation. He called for “an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy,” including natural gas and renewable energy resources. The President also highlighted the importance of energy efficiency in saving money for families and businesses and making American companies and industries more competitive.

Tour of Thermal Energy Corporation at the Texas Medical Center

WHO:
Dr. Steven Chu, U.S. Under Secretary for Energy
Ed Gonzalez, Houston Mayor Pro Tem
Richard Wainerdi, President and CEO of the Texas Medical Center

WHEN:
Thursday, February 2, 2012
10:45 AM CST

*Press availability to follow

WHERE:
Thermal Energy Corporation
1615 Braeswood Blvd.
Houston, TX 77030

RSVP: News media interested in attending should RSVP by contacting Linda Irby at lirby@teco.tmc.edu or (713) 791-6719.

State of the Union Town Hall at Houston Community College

WHO:
Energy Secretary Steven Chu

WHEN:
Thursday, February 2, 2012
12:00 PM CST

WHERE:
Houston Community College – Spring Branch Campus
1010 W. Sam Houston Parkway N.
Houston, TX 77043

RSVP: News media interested in attending should RSVP by contacting Lesa Spivey
at lesa.spivey@hccs.edu or (713) 718-5438.

IntraCare, a mental health hospital in the Medical Center closed down yesterday. This facility represented 35 beds and hundreds of daily patient visits. The care provided ranged from basic counseling to comprehensive mental evaluation, rehabilitation, and hospitalization. Mental care facilities alleviate the burden of our jail system, they proactively treat individuals who may otherwise end up on our streets or permanently incarcerated. I am committed to finding alternate solutions and innovative ways to provide mental care within our City. This commitment will ensure continued best practices in relation to public safety, fiscal management, and social responsibility.

United Way and Neighborhood Centers will be offering free tax preparation services throughout the City for families earning up to $50,000/year and individuals earning up to $30,000/year. In District H, tax services will be hosted at Ripley House. Preparation, E-Filing and Direct Deposit of your refund are all done free of charge. This is an important resource for our communities and I hope that many of our citizens use this service. Dial 2-1-1 for more information or head to FreeTaxCenters.org.

On Tuesday, February 21, Project GRAD will be hosting their 8th Annual Parent Convention at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business on the Rice University Campus. I encourage our parents to participate as we continue to focus on making sure all of our kids are college-bound. For more information, please dial 832-325-0367 or go to www.projectgradhouston.org. I’d like to thank community leader, Hugo Mojica, for sharing this information.

Ed

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What is ‘Pop Off?’: ‘Pop-Off’ occurs at the end of each City Council Agenda Meeting. At this time, each council member is given the opportunity to discuss happenings in their district, congratulate constituents and share relevant information with the Council and the public. All City Council meetings can be watched live online.

This is the second system to hit us this month. During the storm two weeks ago, the Houston Fire Department rescued over 100 people from flood waters and responded to over 1000 calls. Let’s make sure that all of us are prepared the next time hard rains and flooding strike our city:

• If your car becomes caught in deep water get on the roof and call 911.
• Do not attempt to swim in floodwaters as currents are deceptively strong and often hidden with ants, snakes, and dangerous hidden obstacles. As little as 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.
• Stay away from power lines and electrical wires. Electrical current can travel through water. Report downed power lines to CenterPoint by calling 713-207-2222.
• Look before you step. After a flood, the ground and floors are covered with debris including broken bottles and nails. Floors and stairs that have been covered with mud can be very slippery.
• Insure your home in a flood prone area. Ask your insurance agent about flood insurance. Homeowner’s policies do not cover flood damage.

I fully intend for the Public Safety Committee to work closely with the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to ensure that we are doing all we can to look out for and protect Houstonians.

My City Council office is prepared to keep you informed of potential emergency situations. To do so, we’ve made it possible for you to receive important alerts and information via text message.

Let’s Stay Safe! Sign Up to Receive Text Alerts »

Together, we can do our part to ensure safety for our families, neighbors, and our City by staying alert, informed, and prepared.

Ed

SNAP will be providing free spay and neuter services for your own cats and dogs in the Lindale Park area next Tuesday, January 31st. Make your way to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church located at 1300 Moody, arrive early as spots will fill quickly! Services will commence at 6:30AM, for more details, please contact SNAP at 713-522-2337.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, as well as the countless volunteers who participated in the City’s Arbor Day Tree Planting events. Over 23,000 trees were planted and 5,800 hours of volunteer labor donated. I know my colleagues, Council Member Cohen and Council Member Christie teamed up out in the field, and I think this was a fantastic effort to revitalize our green space.

I would like to congratulate Lieutenant Harry Zamora on his retirement, he served HPD for 32 years and we sincerely thank him for his dedication to our City’s Public Safety.

Ed

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What is ‘Pop Off?’: ‘Pop-Off’ occurs at the end of each City Council Agenda Meeting. At this time, each council member is given the opportunity to discuss happenings in their district, congratulate constituents and share relevant information with the Council and the public. All City Council meetings can be watched live online.

I relate this story to remind the residents of District H that as Mayor Pro-Tem and as your representative on the Houston City Council, my office and I are here to help you. Was your garbage not picked up as scheduled? Have you seen evidence of illegal dumping? Is there an abandoned or unsafe property in your community? Is speeding a problem in your neighborhood?

We have a great working relationship with the Houston Police Department, which allows us to quickly help address public safety needs. We can help with major main breaks, leaks and water and sewer issues. If there are stray dogs wandering about, we are happy to follow up with BARC and formally request a sweep.

In need of assistance and wondering where to turn? Please save the contact information below.

Council Member Ed Gonzalez
Call 832.393.3003
Email districth@houstontx.gov
Touch base on Twitter or Facebook

For most issues that you might face in your community, we are happy to assist or at the very least, help you find the proper solution. Constituent services is a source of pride for myself and our team. It’s our way of working with you, hand in hand, to make District H an even better place for our neighbors, friends and families.

Ed

I would like to thank the East Sunset Heights Association for coming out in full force last night; I want to thank Mayor Parker as well for attending. There was a lot of discussion and there were good takeaways and good next steps to address many of the concerns in the community. I would like to note that we did not have any negative comments about Solid Waste; I want to thank Director Hayes who was at the meeting and received positive words from neighbors regarding the quality of service. In particular, I want to acknowledge the employees at the Buchanan Center for their commitment to excellent service in this community.

I want to congratulate once again our Houston Texans on their tremendous victory over the Bengals this past weekend, it was our first playoff game in franchise history and we delivered. As we head to Baltimore for the Divisional Round of the playoffs, I am expecting another big win in what promises to be an exciting game. Once again, go Texans! I am encouraging my District H team to honor the Texans by wearing gear this Friday.

Sunday marks the first BARC & SNAP Spay and Neuter event of 2012 for zip codes 77011 and 77023 in District H. In partnership with our neighbors, hundreds of feral cats were spayed or neutered in 2011. Please head to Ripley House – located at 4410 Navigation starting at 7:30AM on Sunday. Traps and training are provided, for more information, please contact Susan Lamb at 713-661-3565.

Ed

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What is ‘Pop Off?’: ‘Pop-Off’ occurs at the end of each City Council Agenda Meeting. At this time, each council member is given the opportunity to discuss happenings in their district, congratulate constituents and share relevant information with the Council and the public. All City Council meetings can be watched live online.

As we kick off our second term in the District H office, I am committed to continuing to forge partnerships with our communities in order to keep our neighborhoods safe, clean, and positive environments for our neighbors and friends. I encourage all District H residents to reach out to our team here at City Hall with any questions, concerns or comments. We can be contacted via phone at 832-393-3003 or via email at DistrictH@houstontx.gov.

I am very proud of our hometown Houston Texans as they host their very first playoff game right here at home on Saturday. I look forward to a victory over the Bengals with 70,000 screaming fans on hand. It has been a tough year for the Texans but they have showed grit and determination while battling multiple injuries. Go Texans!

Ed

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What is ‘Pop Off?’: ‘Pop-Off’ occurs at the end of each City Council Agenda Meeting. At this time, each council member is given the opportunity to discuss happenings in their district, congratulate constituents and share relevant information with the Council and the public. All City Council meetings can be watched live online.

The police chief and mayor will announce our streets are safer than they’ve been in a long time. No one can say for sure why, but we might as well celebrate.

“I do love this city,” said Mayor Annise Parker at the 2012 City of Houston Inaugural Ceremony.

Mayor Parker kicked off the year 2012, but in Houston it might as well be the good old days.

FOX 26 first told you a month ago that the city was on pace to finish the year with the lowest number of total murders since 1965. Now, the preliminary numbers are in, and there were 198 murders in Houston for 2011.

Houston hasn’t finished below 200 murders in almost 50 years, not since Lyndon B. Johnson was president and the “Sound of Music” won the Oscar for best picture.

“Well, it’s good news,” said Houston City Councilman Ed Gonzalez.

Gonzalez worked a dozen years in homicide, starting in the mid-1990s.

“I remember stories of some of the veterans talking about how common it was to go out and respond to one murder scene and by the end of the shift respond to a second. It was that busy,” he said.

Today’s numbers are part of a nationwide trend. The decline is striking given Houston’s population growth and the assumption crime would increase during a recession.

“There’s never an easy answer. I think one thing is that we do have fairly good ties between the police and community so you get a lot more participation from people willing to give information,” said Gonzalez.

Everyone would like to take credit for the plunge. Perhaps it’s because violent criminals are being locked up longer or maybe our medical center is keeping more people alive? Criminologists point to the book, “The Great American Crime Decline” for other theories.

“One is there are just normal fluctuations in crime overtime. Another explanation would be the baby boom generation aging out of the crime prone age range which is 15-29. Also, the drug of choice from the 1980s and 90s changed from crack to marijuana, and it’s stated that’s a less violent type of drug,” said Dr. Emily Berthelot, Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Houston Downtown.

HPD’s homicide captain attributes the decline to the department’s crime reduction unit which saturates high crime areas with officers.

“They’ve done a heck of a job, put a lot of people in jail, disrupted a lot of criminal activity and had a big impact, I think, on the crime rate,” said Cpt. David Gott.

Whatever the reason, let’s hope the trend continues.