Bay Area Observer June 23, 2011

The Bay Area Observer Community News For The Galveston Bay Area VOLUME 2, NO. 25

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

Judge Joe Pirtle Receives Recognition For Years of Service To The City of Seabrook

By The Bay Seaside Garden Club Seabrook Carother’s Coastal Gardens

Third Wednesday 12:30 p.m.

Seaside Garden Club meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 12:30 pm at the beautiful new Carother’s Coastal Gardens Wedding and Event location, 502 Pine Gully Rd in Seabrook.

Next meeting: July 20th Attend Seaside Garden Club’s presentation on attracting butterflies to your Seabrook garden. TishReustle, Galveston County Master Gardener, will teach us how to create a butterfly friendly habitat garden on Wednesday, July 20th, 2011, at 12:30 pm at Carother’s Coastal Garden. For more information call 281-474-4825.

Seabrook: Wednesday Night Sailboat Racing on Clear Lake Every Wednesday Every Wednesday evening from April until October, professional and amateur sailors get together for a friendly sailboat race on the waters of Clear LakeTime: 6:30 pm. Villa Capri Italian Restaurant at 3713 Nasa Parkway, Seabrook, Phone: 281-468-6909.

Web: www.clearlakeracing.com

Terrific Tuesdays Every Tuesday In June Bayshore Baptist Church Hey Kids! Sign up today for Terrific Tuesdays – field trips for kids in Kindergarten through 5th grades – hosted by Bayshore Baptist Church. We will be going to Lil’ Jacks, Old McDonald’s Farm, Sylvan Beach and Palm Beach at Moody Gardens.

Field trips take place every Tuesday in June. The cost is $32 for all four trips! For more information, call the church office at 281-471-0332 or email us at vrigsby@bayshorebc.org

By Rebecca Collins editor@bayareaobserver.com

On Tuesday night the city of Seabrook and Mayor Glenn Royal presented a proclamation from the City of Seabrook expressing gratitude to Municipal Court Judge Joe Pirtle for his 42 years of dedicated service to the city of Seabrook Mayor Royal said “A proclamation is a small token. I don’t know how you can truly honor a man who’s done as much as you have for the City of Seabrook”.

Judge Pirtle who was born in Hazen, Arkansas, served in the United States Marine Corps for 28 months during WWII where he saw action in Saipan Okinawa and Nagasaki He married in 1964 and moved to Seabrook Wildwood Subdivision where he and his wife raised his children and are now proud grandparents of three.

Pirtle worked as a investigator general for the United States Civil Service Commission and in various capacities at the Manned Space Craft Center, now known as Johnson Space Center.

Judge Pirtle’s long list of services to the City of Seabrook include his elected council seat in 1969 and subsequently in 1970 and 1972.

After serving on council he was appointed Municipal Court Judge from 1974 to 1977 and was again elected to city council in 1977 and then Mayor of Seabrook in 1978 for a two year term.

Bayshore Baptist Church

July 25-29 - Noon to 3

LPFD to Fill the Boot La Porte Corner of Underwood and Spencer June 25 8:00am to noon The La Porte Fire Fighters will be gearing up to fight neuromuscular diseases by participating in Fill the Boot Saturday, May 25th, from 8 am until about Noon, at the intersection close to the station, on Spencer Hwy. Proceeds from Fill the Boot benefit research and local Continued on page 2

...

INDEX

Community..........................2 Crossword............................2 Local News..........................3 Juneteenth...........................4 Education............................6 Classifieds............................7 In The Garden....................8 Cuisine.................................8

Judge Joe M. Pirtle Receives A Plaque In Appreciation of His Many Years Of Service From Seabrook’s Mayor Glenn Royal After serving as Seabrook’s Mayor, Pirtle was once again appointed municipal court judge in 1980 where he stayed for the next 31 years.

While serving his time on the bench, Pirtle also served on the board of the Texas Municipal Court Association for 23 years, He served two terms as president of the board where he conceived and helped obtain passage of the Texas Municipal Court

Beneteau Rendezvous Slated For July 8-10

Vacation Bible School

All children, ages 4 through 5th grade, are invited to join us at Bayshore Baptist Church July 25-29 from noon to 3:00 pm for VBS 2011, the Big Apple Adventure. There will be inspiring Bible stories, challenging crafts, exciting music, yummy snow cones, & thrilling recreation.

A lunch will be served before VBS at 11:30 am every day for registered VBS kids. Reservations for lunch MUST be made

by July 18. Cost for lunch is $5 per child for the entire week. All other VBS activities are free.

Sign up online today at www. bayshorebc.org or contact the church office at 281-471-0332 for more information. We hope to see your kids at the Big Apple Adventure: Where Faith and Life Connect!

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

Education Act of 1983 which provides funding for training of judges, prosecutor and court clerks throughout Texas. He has had a private law practice for over 30 years and serves as the Presiding Judge in Nassau Bay. Mayor Royal proclaimed June 21, 2011 as Joe M. Pirtle Day in Seabrook.

Judge Pirtel thanked all those who have worked with him, but he said, "I want to

thank most of all my wife Sherry. Most of you know me as Judge Pirtle, but far more know me as Sherry Pirtle’s husband. For every successful man there’s a strong-willed woman standing behind him saying ‘Are you going to wear that stupid bow tie’”? Judge Pirtle also said that he was touched by the gesture.

Judge Pirtle received a standing ovation from the

crowd. Among the many supporters who where in council chamber to support Judge Pirtle where former mayors Bob Robinson, Robin Riley, Gary Renola as well as former council members and former city manager Mark Neff.

A reception in his honor was held in the lobby before the regular council meeting continued.

La Porte Will Recount The Votes For Position At Large “B” The City of La Porte will hold a recount of the votes for the At Large “B” city council poistion.

Dottie Kaminski won the race by 5 votes, but the count was so close that candidate Rick Guzman called for a recount. The recount will take place on Friday, June 24, 2011 starting at 8:00 a.m.

There will be one counting team and each

of the candidates can have two appointees to watch. The recount should take several hours to hand-count approximately 1400 or more ballots. The results should be available later that afternoon.

If the recount is correct, Dottie Kaminski will be sworn in on June 27th, 2011 during the regular council meeting.

Danielle Sowell Crowned Miss Juneteenth 2011 Sea Lake Yacht Sales and Lakewood Yacht Club are hosting a Beneteau Owners Rendezvous at Lakewood over Fri., July 8 through Sun., July 10.

“If you are a proud owner of a fine Beneteau yacht – sail or power, you will not want to miss this fun-filled, interactive and educational event!” related Doug Hughes of Sea Lake Yacht Sales who is co-chairing the event with Steve Hegyesi of Lakewood.

The cost will be $75 per person to help cover the facility, food and drink. The Inner Harbor slip fee for non-members will be $30 per night which includes electricity.

Friday evening, July 8, a Beneteau “Party on the Patio” event is slated to take place at 5:30 pm with snacks and adult beverages.

Registration and check-in will be held Sat. morning from 8 to 9 am. Generous Skippers bags with raffle tickets will be given to all participants while a Continental breakfast is served in the ballroom.

The educational agenda for Sat., July 9, includes learning about new cruising destinations in Galveston Bay, maintenance tips from Dave Whelan of Gulf Coast Composites, a guest speaker from West Marine demonstrating some new and innovative products for boaters, tips for living aboard from the authors of the Texas Cruising Guide, and information on electronics and refrigeration.

Following the seminars, boaters will hold an “open house” on their Beneteau where drinks, snacks, and much visiting will take place.

Dinner will be held in the ballroom at 6:30 pm where the “Best Beneteau Award” will be presented along with many other prizes and awards.

The 2011 Beneteau Unruly Regatta will be held on Sunday with the start on Galveston Bay at the Clear Lake Entrance Markers #1 and #2 precisely at 11 am with a 13.3 mile course. PHRF ratings, sailing course and guidelines will be the same as the Galveston Bay Cruising Association Saturday night Rum Races. Racers should return to Lakewood Yacht Club for the trophies presentation and final raffle prizes around 4 pm.

Registration forms can be obtained by contacting Hughes at doug@sealakeyachts.com, or Hegyesi at shegyesi@comcast.net

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From Left To Right Miss Juneteenth 2011 Danielle Sowell, First Runner-up Kadedra Wooley and Second Runner-up Shareka Woods Juneeteenth is always a time for celebration and rememberance, and although this year’s festivities in La Porte were met with record temperatures, a great turn-out of locals were ready to mix and mingle, watch a parade and crown new pageant winners.

Miss Juneteenth for 2011 is Danille Sowell, with first runner-up Kadedra Wooley and second runner-up Shareka Woods.

Juneteenth organizer Sherry Lowe said. “I would like to thank everyone who helped make the celebration a great success”. Sponsors included Buffalo Marine Services, City of La Porte, Beacon FCU, Beth Brady Insurance, Fred Gintry Allstate, Morning Kolaches, Compton’s Florist, Southern Ionics, Air Products and a special thanks to The Beat 7.13 radio station.

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PAGE 2

THE BAY AREA OBSERVER

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

COMMUNITY La Porte Blue Santa Program To Hold Big Parking Lot Sale June 25 The La Porte Police Department and the La Porte Citizens Alumni Association are having a Garage Sale on Saturday June 25, 2011 from 8 am to 3pm. This is a good chance to clean out the garage/closet and donate items for a good cause. Items can be delivered to the Police Department Parking Lot at 3001 North 23rd street. Someone will be there on Friday 24th from 9am to 3pm to collect items you would like to donate. All monies will be used to help purchase toys, and distribute through our Blue Santa Program for the

Big Parking Lot Sale La Porte Police Department 3001 North 23rd St. La Porte Texas 77571 June 25, 2011 Saturday 8am to 3pm Benefit for our Blue Santa Program to help make sure all children of La Porte will enjoy Christmas

Southwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center To Present At La Porte Main Street Morning Brew - June 29 The June Main Street Morning Brew, presented by the City of La Porte, will feature a presentation by the Southwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center about their program designed to help US manufacturing firms hurt by foreign competition. The June Main Street Morning Brew will be at Reliks & Repeats, 321 W. Main Street in La Porte on Wednesday, June 29, from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The Southwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (TAAC) assists U.S. manufacturing and service firms hurt by import competition to regain profitable growth. The Southwest TAAC helps its clients document their technical needs; then plan, implement and pay for the highest quality technical assistance available. The Southwest TAAC is staffed by full time professionals with hands on manufacturing experience who are employees of The University of Texas at San Antonio through a cooperative agreement funded by the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

Main Street Morning Brew is a monthly program designed to introduce La Porte business owners and tenants to each other, and to educate them on the fundamentals of economic development in the community. The hour-long gathering includes coffee, refreshments, and a short presentation about topics pertinent to La Porte’s economic development, which has a major focus in the Main Street district in La Porte. All La Porte business owners and tenants are welcome to attend.

For additional information about Main Street Morning Brew, please contact Stacey Osborne, Main Street Coordinator, at 281470-5017. You can also find information online at the Main Street section of the City of La Porte website, www.laportetx.gov.

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Kemah’s Independence Day Parade To Kick Off The 4th of July Activities Kicking off the Independence Day Celebration activities is the Kemah 4th of July Parade, Monday, at 11:00 a.m. with the Children’s Parade starting at 10:30 a.m. The parade line up is behind the Kemah Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. with the parade route travelling along the Kemah Lighthouse District.

The theme for the patriotic parade this year is “The Spirit of Volunteerism”. Floats, cars, trucks, golf carts and bicycles will be decorated in patriotic themes. The parade is open to all and easy to enter with no registration fee. Come see the fun and catch the beads, candy and prizes. The July 4th Parade Awards will be given by Mayor Bob Cummins at the ‘After Parade Party’ immediately after the parade at T-Bone Toms at 707 Hwy. 146 in Kemah. Prizes, live music and entertainment for the whole family will take place.

Monday evening is the July 4th Kemah Boardwalk Fireworks, “Star Spangled Skies” extravaganza. From the Kemah Boardwalk and surrounding areas all will be able to see the fantastic light show over Galveston Bay. The annual fireworks display scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m.

Don’t miss out on these fun and exciting Kemah events! For more information on these activities or lodging needs contact the Kemah Visitor Center at 281-334-3181 or log on to www.

Kemah–Tx.gov or email visitkemah@kemah-tx.com.

City Of La Porte 4th of July Festivities The Annual 4th of July Parade kicks off the holiday festivities, beginning at 10:00 a.m. on the corner of South Broadway and Main Street (5 Points Plaza). The parade will travel south on South Broadway and end at Fairmont Parkway. Confederate Jazzmen will kick off the concert at 5 Points Plaza from 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. and Austin Allsup will end the show, performing from 7:45 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. The finale will take place at Sylvan Beach, with a fireworks display over Galveston Bay. All events are free to the public. It is recommended to bring lawn chairs and bug spray. For more information, visit City of La Porte website at www.laportetx.gov.

By The Bay Continued from page 1 services for the Houston/Gulf Coast chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Fill the Boot takes place throughout the United States annually and has been raising money for families served by MDA for more than 50 years. Proceeds raised during the campaign will help support MDA services and research programs, including MDA’s outpatient clinics at Texas Children’s Hospital and The Methodist Neurological Institute. Fill the Boot also sends young people, ages 6 - 17 and living with neuromuscular diseases, to MDA Summer Camp at “Camp For All” in Burton, Texas. For more information, please contact MDA Fundraising Coordinator Julianne at 713-5221426 or jrichards@mdausa.org.

Evelyn Meador Library Grand Opening June 28th 10:00 A.M. Save the date! The beautiful new Evelyn Meador Branch Library will open on Tuesday, June 28th at 10:00 AM. Stop by and take a tour of the new facility or check out some of the new library materials. The Friends of the Evelyn Meador Library will sponsor entertainment and activities for all ages following the opening ceremony hosted by Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman. For more information, please call 713-749-9000.

July 4th Kids Parade Seabrook Meador Park 9:45 a.m.

Children are invited to participate in our Independence Day Parade on Monday, July 4th. Come by Meador Park by 9:45 a.m. on July 4th dressed in red, white and blue or in your Scout or baseball uniforms.

The parade will follow the trail around Meador Park from 10 a.m.

-noon. There will be a Moon Walk and hotdogs for everyone after the parade. Don’t miss out! Mark your calendars for this event.

Celebrate America’s Birthday With The Farmers’ Market At Clear Lake Shores The Farmers’ Market at Clear Lake Shores will celebrate America’s birthday from 8 am to noon Saturday, July 2, with free cake, a free raffle of fabulous prizes from Market vendors, free balloons and children’s activities, and free entertainment by local artist Pamela Saxon!

Market customers can jump start their Fourth of July celebrations and get in the patriotic spirit while eating red, white, and blue cake and shopping at a true neighborhood farmer’s market.

The Market will donate a portion of the day’s proceeds to the Clear Lake Shores Civic Club Scholarship Fund to support its annual Independence Day fundraising efforts.

A popular feature of the Market is the activity tent where kids can enjoy free arts and crafts, games, balloons, and goodies courtesy of local business sponsors. Bank of America will sponsor the tent on July 2.

Every Saturday in July, Market patrons can enjoy live music while browsing and sampling the vendors’ wares. Performing July 9 will be Mickey Hobbs; July 16 is Cap’n Rick; Michael Orta will perform July 23, and JT on July 30.

The Farmers Market is run by an all-volunteer steering committee of Clear Lake Shores residents. Conceived as a small market with high standards for vendors and products, the Market has maintained those standards and its small town charm. As a Texas Certified Farmers’ Market, it features homegrown, homemade, natural and organic products, live music and local vendors.

The Farmer’s Market at Clear Lake Shores is located at 1020 Marina Bay Drive (FM 2094) between Clear Lake Road and Skipper’s Restaurant, across from the Marina Bay RV Park. Look for the lot full of white tents with ample convenient parking off Clear Lake Road.

For more information visit the market on Facebook at facebook.com/farmersmarketatclearlakeshores, the website at http:// www.farmersmarketatcls.com, or contact Market Manager Charlie Hester at charlie@charliehester.com.

Art Walk By The Bay Spurs Main Street Economic Development The Main Street Business Alliance in La Porte, Texas is seeking new artists to participate in the monthly Art Walk in the newly revitalized downtown La Porte. The Art Walk by the Bay is the first Friday of every month from 6 – 9 p.m. The next event will be on July 1, and like the others it will feature the works of local and regional artists displayed at six different businesses in Main Street district. Artist works are displayed and for sale at the businesses throughout the following month. Information and artists applications are online at www.artwalkbythebay.com.

The new event, which began on May 6, has thus far has proven to be a success for the Main Street business owners, driving additional traffic to the area and attracting new customers, many of whom are attracted to the area by Harris County’s Sylvan Beach Park. Several hundred visitors come to the beach each week, and traffic increases significantly over the summer. The City’s economic development department has been putting forth efforts to draw the beach traffic to the rest of the City, and while the Art Walk is not a City event, the City is helping to promote it because of its value for economic development.

Economic Development Coordinator Stacey Osborne said that the Art Walk is an important part of the Main Street revitalization efforts. “A lot of exciting new businesses have come to La Porte and set up shop on Main Street, and we are really excited at this opportunity to welcome visitors who may be coming to enjoy Sylvan Beach to take a walk up Main Street and see what our great merchants have to offer.”

For additional information about the Art Walk by the Bay, please call (281) 470-5017 or send an email to markacaffey@ gmail.com. Artists and patrons can also visit the website www. artwalkbythebay.com.

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The Bay Area Observer Established in 2006 Serving the communities along Galveston Bay.

Editor & Publisher.....................................Rebecca Collins editor@bayareaobserver.com

Associate Editor.........................................Carolyn Collins carolyn@bayareaobserver.com

Sales Representative..............................Beverly Lawrence 281-793-7961 • blawrence506@msn.com

Sales Representative...................................Charlotte Horn 281-507-8257 • charlottehorn53@yahoo.com

Opinions in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the newspaper. Any erroneous statement which may appear will be corrected if brought to the attention of the publisher. Liability for errors is limited to the reprinting of the corrected version. Submissions are encouraged by mail, by fax, or by email to editor@bayareaobserver.com.

P.O. Box 305 • Seabrook, Texas 77586 Phone: 281-907-3140 • Fax: 866-596-8973 Email: editor@bayareaobserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

THE BAY AREA OBSERVER

PAGE 3

LOCAL NEWS OBITUARIES Hugh Pfeiffer

Gladys Irene Moreland

Hugh Pfeiffer, 72, of La Porte passed away in Pasadena Friday June 17, 2011, Born in Houston, Texas July 7, 1938. Graduated from La Porte School District and attended Texas A & M University, An Electrical Contractor in the Houston, Galveston, and Freeport areas for over 40 years, was also a member of the La Porte Lions Club.

Survivors include his wife Donna Pfeiffer of La Porte, Children Robert Pfeiffer of La Porte, Jennifer Erman of Rockdale, Tx., Michael Howell of California, Lori Craft and husband Joe of Houston, Lisa Howell of Houston, One Sister Mary Ann Woodard of Houston, One Brother Eugene J. Pfeiffer and wife Shirley of Highlands, Sister In Law marzee Pfeiffer of La Porte, Grandchildren are Nicolas Erman, John Paul Erman, Amanda Craft, Kristin Craft, Courtney Craft.

Services 10:00 A M Tuesday at Paul U. Lee La Porte Funeral Home Chapel with Interment to Follow at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery With Rev Andrew Payne Officiating. Family will reBorn on March 26, 1918 in ceive Friends at the Funeral Home from 6 – 8 P M Monday.

Freeman, ND and died at the age of 93 on June 12, 2011.

She is preceded in death by her husband Walter and granddaughter Rebecca Logue. Her survivors are her children: Jack Bastian, Mary Lou Chandler and Jim, Charlie Bastian, Linda Logue, Wally Moreland

WEDDINGS Rushing - Purlee

efforts, several additional La Porte Officers will be assigned specifically to DWI patrol duty, while Harris County PCT 8 and members of the Department of Public Safety will also be in the city looking for DWI offenders. What’s more, there will be numerous other agencies patrolling throughout southeast Harris County with a specific focus on DWI offenders. Outside agencies making their DWI arrests during the “No Refusal” program will bring those offenders to the La Porte Police Department for their processing as well. This is especially satisfying, as every additional, targeted, arrest made outside of La Porte keeps the same offender from driving along the shared roadways within our neighboring communities and thus prevents these offenders from causing additional harm.

The “No Refusal” Operation will be held at the La Porte Police Department on Friday, July 1st and the Pasadena Police Department will hold another Operation the following night on Saturday July 2nd. During the evening where Pasadena PD hosts the “No Refusal” event, LPPD officers will be allowed, in reciprocal fashion, to take their arrested DWI offenders to the Pasadena jail for suspect processing. This local-agency cooperation effort not only serves as a method of increasing DWI enforcement along area roadways, but also builds additional relationship in-roads among the neighboring agencies.

Members of the La Porte Police Department express a desire for their citizens to experience the safest July 4th weekend possible. Therefore, the message in La Porte mirrors the message being promoted state-wide - If you chose to drink and drive, you will be taken to jail. If you have any questions about La Porte PD’s “No Refusal Weekend”, please contact the agency at 281-471-2141.

Police Blotters Seabrook Police Department

See You At 5 Points!

6/17/11 – 6/20/11

Sell Your Home or Find A New One !

The Bay Area Observer Classifieds!

281-907-3140 or email us at

editor@ bayareaobserver .com

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La Porte Police Engage In Another Annual DWI Campaign

In preparation for the upcoming 4th of July holiday period, the La Porte Police Department is taking proactive steps to ensure the safety of the travelling public by hosting its third “No Refusal” DWI campaign. The “No Refusal” operation is one of the many tools credited in decreasing the number of drunk-driving incidents along area roadways. During the previous year, LPPD exhibited a significant increase in DWI arrests (+ 51%) and the increase is believed to have been due, in large part, to the proactive efforts of the officers who detect and apprehend those who chose to drink and drive.

Under the “No Refusal” program, when a suspected offender is arrested for DWI they are given an opportunity to provide a specimen of their breath and/or blood.

Should the offender choose not to Aggie and Harry Rushing (Grandparents) proudly announce the provide a specimen, officers will have a Harris County District Atengagement and marriage of Sarah Rushing of La Porte and Neal torney on site to draft a search warPurlee of Fruitland Park, Florida. Their engagement took place rant in order to obtain the desired July 30, 2010 in Florida. Neal and Sarah both live their life for specimen. A La Porte municipal Christ and attend Grace Tabernacle in Wildwood, Florida. judge is also present at the City Neal is planning on becoming a children’s pastor and Sarah of La Porte’s Police Facility to plans to minister along side of Neal and serve God in whatever validate the warrant. This validation process ultimately allows for way he wills. the collection of a specimen by a “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be qualified representative from local united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh”. Ephesians Bayshore Hospital. Such a process gives officers and prosecu5:31. tors the physical evidence needed to successfully convict those who “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of choose to drink and drive. the church, his body, of which he is the Savior”. Ephesians 5:23. To maximize police enforcement

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”. Ephesians 5:25.

and Cathy, her brother: Norris Hauge, her nephew: Rick Hauge, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren: Jeff Chandler and Linda, Jill Cole, Debbie Miller and Ron, Kelleen Bridgman, Larry Bastian and Ann, Connie and Mark, Carla and Scott, Kent and Katie, John Logue, and Heather Megyesi.

Services Friday 10:00AM at Paul U. Lee Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow at LaPorte Cemetery.

Family will receive Friends at the Funeral Home Thursday Night from 5 – 9 P M.

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Assaults....................................................................................2 Burglary.......................................................................................6 CVE Citations.............................................................................6 Disturbances................................................................................8 Domestic Violence......................................................................2 DWI/DUI.....................................................................................1 Public Intoxication.......................................................................1 Traffic Accidents ........................................................................9 Traffic Citations/Arrest.............................................................56 Welfare Concerns........................................................................1

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PAGE 4

THE BAY AREA OBSERVER

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

30TH ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS

Morning Coffee

Betty Moore and Family

Gabriel Lewis and Friends

Parade

Patt Scott and Her Nephew Milton Scott

Mary Gay, Lola Phillips, Ann Malone, and Diana Sutherland

Miss Juneteenth Pageant

Bluesman Morris “Dan-O-Mite” Manuel

Sherry Lowe Hands Out Apprciation Awards

For more Juneteenth Photos Go To www.bayareaobserver.com and look for the photo gallery for Juneteenth 2011

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THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

THE BAY AREA OBSERVER

PAGE 5

PAGE 6

THE BAY AREA OBSERVER

La Porte ISD Announces New Principals For Baker, Rizzuto

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

EDUCATION CCISD Taks Scores Above State Average

Marcus D. Wiley Speaks At Juneteenth Celebration

The Clear Creek Independent School District is pleased to release preliminary 2010-2011 TAKS scores. “I am proud of our students and staff. The performance results and commended scores are significantly above the state average,” said Greg Smith, Superintendent of Schools. “I often tell parents and community members the TAKS test is only one indicator of how we are doing as a school system and the true indicator of success is how we are preparing children for college and the workforce. Ninetyfive percent of our students complete high schools, 91% of those students have plans for higher education, and a record number of students are receiving workforce certifications in nursing, culinary arts, and more.”

Deon Williams

Camilla Whitlock

La Porte ISD has announced two new principals for the 20112012 school year. Camilla Whitlock will be the new principal at Baker Sixth Grade Campus, and Deon Williams will be the new principal at Rizzuto Elementary School.

“We were very pleased to announce the selection of Mrs. Whitlock and Mrs. Williams as our district’s new principals at the June 14 meeting of our Board of Trustees,” said Lloyd W. Graham, LPISD superintendent of schools. “Both have been respected educators in our district for many years, and they are devoted to the needs of La Porte ISD students and their families.”

Whitlock, who has been the assistant principal at Baker this past year, has 10 years of experience as a campus administrator in LPISD. She joined the district as an assistant principal for both Lomax and College Park elementary schools and remained the assistant principal at College Park for five years.

She then moved to Bayshore Elementary School, where she served as assistant principal for two years and was housed at Rizzuto Elementary with two grade levels of Bayshore students following Hurricane Ike. She was then named assistant principal at Rizzuto, where she served for two years before moving to Baker.

Whitlock began her career in Pasadena ISD, where she taught at Atkinson Elementary School for 12 years.

She is a graduate of PISD’s Dobie High School. She earned her associate degree at San Jacinto College South and her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at University of Houston-Clear Lake. She also earned her master’s degree in educational management at UH-Clear Lake.

Whitlock and her husband, Gary, a graduate of La Porte High School, have two children—Alissa, 16, and Brandon, 12. In addition to working with students, she enjoys attending her children’s sports activities.

“I am very excited to be the new Baker principal,” Whitlock said. “Baker is a great place with an outstanding staff that is dedicated to helping students make the transition from elementary to junior high. I look forward to continuing our journey with great success.”

Williams, who has served as assistant principal at Bayshore Elementary for the past two years, began her educational career in La Porte schools. After student teaching at Baker, she was hired at Lomax Elementary, where she taught math, science and writing.

After several years at Lomax, Williams served as the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) specialist for Lomax and College Park elementary schools and instructional technology specialist for Lomax. She was then named assistant principal at College Park, where she served for three years, before moving to Bayshore.

Williams attended LPISD schools, including Baker Elementary, Baker Junior High and LPHS, and graduated from high school in Ohio. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in mid-management from the University of HoustonClear Lake.

She and her husband, Neal, have three sons—Sean, Cody and Austin—as well as a grandson, Taylor. Cody is a 2011 graduate of LPHS, and Austin will be a junior at LPHS next year. She and her family enjoy a number of outdoor activities in their spare time.

“It is my honor and privilege to join the Rizzuto family,” Williams said. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve our students, parents and community as the principal of Rizzuto Elementary and look forward to an outstanding 2011-2012 school year. Go Rockets!”

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CCISD scores across the board are above the statewide passing rate. Listed below are the TAKS scores for CCISD by grade level and subject area.

CLEAR CREEK ISD THIRD GRADERS READING 2011: 94 percent passed. 50 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 89 percent MATH 2011: 93 percent passed. 44 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 87 percent CLEAR CREEK ISD FOURTH GRADERS READING 2011: 94 percent passed. 49 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 85 percent MATH 2011: 95 percent passed. 48 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 88 percent WRITING Marcus D. Wiley, of Praise 92.1 FM, speaks to the audi2011: 94 percent passed. 36 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 90 percent ence at the College of the Mainland’s annual Juneteenth CLEAR CREEK ISD FIFTH GRADERS Celebration on June 15.

READING 2011: 96 percent passed. 53 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 87 percent MATH 2011: 94 percent passed. 55 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 86 percent SCIENCE 2011: 94 percent passed. 58 percent were commended.

Lisa K. Cook: Owner/Master Stylist Statewide passing rate this year: 87 percent 281.474.2528 • 902 Hardesty • Old Seabrook CLEAR CREEK ISD SIXTH GRADERS Hair, Nail, Massage & Facials READING Let me design you a 2011: 93 percent passed. 52 percent were commended. new look for Summer!

Statewide passing rate this year: 84 percent MATH 2011: 92 percent passed. 42 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 83 percent CLEAR CREEK ISD SEVENTH GRADERS READING 2011: 95 percent passed. 46 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 86 percent Serving homemade Mexican food in the Bay Area since 1969 MATH Homemade Tortillas 2119 Bayport Blvd.

2011: 93 percent passed. 40 percent were commended.

Fresh Local Seafood (Hwy. 146) 2010: 93 percent passed. 41 percent were commended.

Old Family Recipes Seabrook, Tx. 77586 Statewide passing rate this year: 81 percent Hours: For To-Go Monday - Saturday WRITING Orders Call 10:30 - 8:00 2011: 98 percent passed. 54 percent were commended.

281-291-8080 Sunday - Closed Statewide passing rate this year: 94 percent www.eatatlaredos.com CLEAR CREEK ISD EIGHTH GRADERS READING 2011: 97 percent passed. 63 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 89 percent MATH 2011: 92 percent passed. 39 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 80 percent SOCIAL STUDIES 2011: 99 percent passed. 61 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 95 percent SCIENCE 2011: 92 percent passed. 50 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 79 percent CLEAR CREEK ISD NINTH GRADERS Would you like to talk to someone READING who can explain your options and 2011: 95 percent passed. 45 percent were commended. help you get an elevation certificate?

Statewide passing rate this year: 89 percent MATH Let’s see if your premium can be reduced?

2011: 87 percent passed. 44 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 70 percent CLEAR CREEK ISD 10TH GRADERS ENGLISH 2011: 96 percent passed. 25 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 91 percent MATH 2011: 87 percent passed. 30 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 74 percent SOCIAL STUDIES 2011: 98 percent passed. 63 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 93 percent SCIENCE 2011: 90 percent passed. 33 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 76 percent CLEAR CREEK ISD 11TH GRADERS ENGLISH 2011: 98 percent passed. 37 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 95 percent MATH 2011: 96 percent passed. 42 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 90 percent SOCIAL STUDIES 2011: 100 percent passed. 75 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 99 percent SCIENCE 2011: 98 percent passed. 48 percent were commended.

Statewide passing rate this year: 91 percent

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PAGE 7

LOCAL SERVICE DIRECTORY

If you’re looking for good service, please visit these local businesses!

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M-F • 9:00 - 6:00 • SAT. • 9:00 - 1:00

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CLASSIFIED DISPLAY RATE......................$8.50 p.c.i.

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Bayshore Humble Construction Building, Remodeling & Repairs Handicap tile, shower, bath with tile seats.

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now $79,995. Oneida lake proximity 16 Acres, $29,995. Over 100 new properties offered, Call 1-800-229-7843 or visit www.LandandCamps.com $106 MONTH BUYS land for RV, MH or cabin.

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LaPorte Vintage bay home recently remodeled huge custom island kitchen.

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Online bidding available; Saturday, June 11 at 10 am Carencro, LA; www.hendersonauctions.com, 1-225686-2252 Lic #136

FINANCIAL CASH NOW! CASH for your structured settlement or annuity payments.Call J.G.Wentworth. 1-866-4949115. Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau.

FOR SALE STEEL BUILDINGS 2010 INVENTORY - Must go! Steel buildings at blow out prices, easy payments.

Act now! 1-800-991-9251, www.usbuildingsystems. com

Shoppers with a nose for bargains head straight for the Classifieds.

In the Classifieds, you can track down deals on everything from cars to canine companions. It’s easy to place an ad or find the items you want, and it’s used by hundreds of area shoppers every day.

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THE BAY AREA OBSERVER

Lantana

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

IN THE GARDEN

Hot Colors For Hot Weather Gardens

Plants Teach Humans a Thing or Two About Fighting Diseases

How does a drought tolerant, heat loving, low maintenance plant with beautifully colored flowers sound? It sounds great for any time of year and especially for the hot summertime. As hot as our weather is right now, even die-hard gardeners need to spend more time indoors. If you have lantana in your garden, you have nothing to worry about. Lantana is very good in our coastal landscape because it is not only salt tolerant but can handle a wide range of environmental conditions including high humidity as well as drought.

Once lantana is established in the garden, you should only need to

Texas Flame aka Dallas Red deep water it every two to three weeks.

Lantana is a member of the verbena family and is native to the Tropics and Subtropics of the Americas. This includes South Texas. Lantana horrida, so named because of the pungent smell of its leaves, grows as a wild weed in some parts of Texas. Birds are fond of Lantana’s small juicy fruits and have been responsible for the spread of the plants seeds. Butterflies are very attracted to lantana’s colorful flowers.

Wild lantanas are hairy and somewhat prickly-stemmed. Verbenalike clusters of brightly colored reddish orange and yellow flowers form at the ends of the branches.

In recent years French plant breeders have developed dwarf varieties of lantana to be sold in nurseries as bedding plants. Lantanas are long blooming perennials, continuously showing color in the garden from spring until frost. The wild variety of lantana is tall, lanky, and is normally used as a background plant in the landscape.

The new varieties developed for bedding plants are dwarfing, spreading, and bushy in their growth habit. They flower almost continually in a variety of colors from pure white through yellow, orange to deep red, hot pink and purple.

New Gold Lantana -Texas Superstar

This wheat crop’s ability to survive and fend off disease is teaching researchers about immune systems in ways that could be adaptable to human science. (Texas AgriLife Communications photo)

By Kathleen Phillips Texas AgriLife

Avoiding germs to prevent sickness is commonplace for people. Wash hands often. Sneeze into your elbow. Those are among the tips humans learn.

But plants, which are also vulnerable to pathogens, have to fend it alone.They grow where planted, in an environment teeming with microbes and other substances ready to attack, scientists note.

Now, researchers are learning from plants’ immune response new information that could help them understand more about humans’ ability to ward off sickness and avoid autoimmune diseases.

This week’s journal Science reports findings by Texas AgriLife Research scientists of a “unique regulatory circuit” that controls how a plant turns on and off its immune sensor.

“Plants and animals live out their lives mostly in good health, though they may have been subjected to a lot of pathogenic microbes,” said Dr. Libo Shan, AgriLife Research plant molecular biologist and lead author for the journal article. “Scientists all around the world have been interested in how a healthy host can fend off invasions of pathogens and turn off the defense responses promptly once the intruder risk factors are decreasing.”

The research team found a “unique regulatory circuit” in which BAK1, a protein involved with cell death control and growth hormone regulation, recruits two enzymes -- PUB12 and PUB13 -- to the immune sensory complex and fine-tunes immune responses.

Basically, the surface of plant cells has sensors that sense microbial invasion. One of the best-understood plant receptors is FLS2, found in the common laboratory plant Arabidopsis.

Berries on the wild lantana need to be removed to encourage new flowers. The new varieties have been developed to be sterile so there are no berries that must be removed before new flowers will form. I personally like the berried forms because they encourage birds to visit the garden.

Some of the new varieties of lantana available in local nurseries are: New Gold - One of the Texas SuperStars. Like all lantanas, it is drought tolerant and low maintenance. It has golden yellow flowers and grows to about two feet tall and four feet wide. New Gold needs full sun and good drainage.

FLS2 could sense the bacterial flagellin, which is a part of the flagellum, or tail-like projection on cells which help it to move.

When FLS2 perceives flagellin, a series of “evolutionary conserved immune responses” is activated to fend off bacterial attack, Shan said.

But the immune response cannot stay activated or the plant will stop growing and producing. “To avoid detrimental effects of long-lasting immune activation, plant and animal hosts need a way to switch the activation off,” she noted. “How that can be has been a mystery to scientists.”

The team discovered that the flagellin perception recruited PUB12 and PUB13 to the receptor FLS2 complex. Those two enzymes could add a biochemical signature tag, ubiquitin, to the FLS2 receptors, which inform cells to degrade the immune sensors, she added.

As a result of these actions, immune signaling decreased.

Knowing how immune signaling works may help researchers devise ways to help plants and animals – including humans – regulate their immune systems.

Shan said the mechanism her lab discovered is very broad in that it can be found in both plants and animals. “We needed to understand the mechanism so that we can regulate it better,” she said. “The host needs to know when the signal is triggered (to fight off a pathogen). Then the immune response needs to go quickly up and then back down when it is no longer needed.”

Shan believes that this ability could lead to cures, rather than medical relief, from an assortment of ailments including allergies and autoimmune diseases. “Plants have figured out how to survive in terms of disease and pest resistance,” she added.

“And what we learn from them at the molecular level might help us understand animal pathogens better.”

CUISINE

Watermelon Smoothie

Ingredients • 3 cups of frozen watermelon (seedless works well) • 1 cup cold watermelon juice • Agave syrup or any sweetener of your choice to taste • Juice of 1/2 large lime • 1 large banana

Weeping Lavender – Has fragrant lavender colored flowers and a low spreading habit. It can tolerate some shade and more moisture.

It still needs good drainage.

Directions Blend all ingredients in a strong blender.

Serve immediately with a wedge of lime.

Weeping White – Can handle the same conditions as Weeping Lavender and also has a low spreading habit. Its pure white flowers are also fragrant.

Suggestions:

Pinkie – Has a pink and cream bicolor flower. It is an extremely compact plant, which never needs cutting back.

1. Cut the watermelon in small chunks and freeze on a cookie sheet so it doesn’t all stick together. Then throw it into baggies when frozen. ( about 8 hours). Otherwise it may freeze in one large clump and that could be very hard on your blender. Melon balls are cute too.

2. When cutting the watermelon, reserve the watermelon juice in a jar and keep it in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Don’t skip the banana. The banana really adds a great taste to the drink.

4. Add some rum if you desire. This makes one refreshing and delicious cocktail for a party!

This recipe is vegan, dairy free, and gluten free.

Texas Flame – aka Dallas Red has beautiful orange, yellow, and red tricolor blooms that turn deep red as they mature. It is a very compact bush with the reddest lantana bloom available.

Samantha – aka Lemon Swirl has bright yellow blooms on a lovely variegated compact bush.

If you have a hot, dry area in your garden that needs color, then lantana is for you. If you love to have butterflies visit your garden, then lantana is for you. If you want to spend just a bit more time indoors under the air conditioner while your garden continues to flourish and add beauty to your yard, then lantana is for you.

Drought Promotes Good Crop Of Grasshoppers

By Robert Burns AgriLife Extension Service

While drought is bad for practically everything else that grows, it does often promote a good crop of grasshoppers, according to Texas AgriLife Extension Service experts.

“Grasshopper populations are normally maintained at lower levels by natural controls, including diseases,” said Dr. Chris Sansone, AgriLife Extension entomologist, San Angelo. “The main disease is a fungus, and most fungi do better during cool wet conditions. Since we didn’t have cool, wet conditions in the spring, the fungus isn’t thriving, and since the fungus isn’t thriving, we’re having higher populations of grasshoppers.”

There are also some effects with bare ground warming up faster in the spring that favors grasshopper outbreaks, he said. Despite the drought, grasshopper reports from AgriLife Extension agents were sketchy across the state, but seemed to be more common in East Texas

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Differential grasshopper, Melanoplus differentialis, is one of the most common grasshoppers in Texas.

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and South Texas around San Antonio.

The hit-and-miss outbreaks are most likely due to there being other factors involved, Sansone said. “This year has been interesting because the drought has been so severe,” he said. “If people haven’t had any showers at all -- even those late afternoon showers of a tenth or twotenths of an inch -- we’re not seeing any grasshopper outbreaks.”

Sansone said this is probably because there’s not enough food in pastures and rangeland to sustain even a grasshopper population. “These areas that have been catching afternoon showers are seeing the worse outbreaks.”

More information on grasshoppers can be found at in the AgriLife Extension publication “Grasshoppers and Their Control,” available at http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/publications/epubs/e-209.cf More information on the current Texas drought and wildfire alerts can be found on the AgriLife Extension Agricultural Drought Task Force website at http://agrilife.tamu.edu/drought.

P.J. Mock, Jr. M.D. Family Medicine • American Board of Family Medicine

1200 Highway 146, Suite 250 La Porte, Texas 77571 E-mail: pjmlptx@aol.com

Phone: (281) 471-0130 Fax: (281) 867-9241

281-667-7758

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