Bay Area Houston Magazine July 2015

LEADING AND INFORMING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1999

July 2015 www.BayAreaHoustonMag.com

San Jacinto College Builds a 45,000-Square Foot Maritime Technology Training Center

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WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN PARTY TIPS & IDEAS PETROCHEMICAL & MARITIME OUTLOOK CONFERENCE

pmoc 2015

features

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ON THE COVER Representing San Jacinto College from left, Rear Adm. William Pickavance, Maritime Program Transition Director; Dr. Sarah Janes, vice president of Continuing and Professional Development; Logan Sackett maritime student and Jeffrey Parks, Dean of Business and Technology. Photo by Brian Stewart

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President & Chairman Rick Clapp Publisher & Editor in Chief Mary Alys Cherry Executive Vice President Patty Kane

Graphic Designer Kelly Groce

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Digital Strategy Consultant Pierr Castillo

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Distribution Shinkle Distribution 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.

281.474.5875

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Dental Health

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Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership

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Maritime & Petrochemical

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San Jacinto College

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Leaders in Our Community

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BayTran Luncheon

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Lunar Rendezvous Festival

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CCISD News

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New Space Center Houston Exhibit

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New Rehab Hospital in Webster

Do I have enough bone for dental implants?

BAHEP space travelers set record Conference looks at expanding energy opportunities Training today’s mariners Women of the Economic Alliance TxDOT executive director keynotes Royal court to be presented at ball Dee Scott retires, Robonauts are world champs Space: A Journey to Our Future Medistar completes construction

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Movers & Shakers

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Clear Lake Chatter

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Lakewood Yacht Club News & Events

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In Wheel Time

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The Admiral’s Log

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Home Sweet Home

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Texas Meditations

Carl A. Joiner Assistance League Brunch, Galaxy Gala Bay Cup II BMW 2 Series Coupe, Mercedes-Benz E400 The effects of spring floods on summertime fishing Celebrate with a garden party La Vie Dansante

28 CLICK! Clear Lake Chamber business and wellness expo

Please address all correspondence to: Bay Area Houston Magazine P.O. Box 1032 Seabrook, TX 77586 www.BayAreaHoustonMag.com R.Clapp@Baygroupmedia.com

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School celebrates 50 years

columns

Editorial Don Armstrong Lainey Black Mary Alys Cherry Rod Evans Michael Gos Capt. Joe Kent Betha Merit Cathy Osoria Pat Patton

Photography Mary Alys Cherry Brian Stewart

Clear Lake City Elementary’s Anniversary

55 What is a STEMI Heart Attack?

ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Vice President & Creative Director Brandon Rowan

Sales & Marketing Shannon Alexander Lainey Black Debbie Salisbury

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

Main Events Calendar of events for Bay Area Houston

JULY 2015 Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

Clear Lake City Elementary Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Students entertain the crowd with songs after unveiling of sculptures.

Principal Jepsey Kimble addresses the large crowd assembled for the 50th anniversary celebration.

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huge crowd of students, staff and alumni of Clear Lake City Elementary School gathered outside the front doors on Friday, May 22, 2015 to celebrate the campus’ 50th Anniversary. Principal Jepsey Kimble led the festivities with entertainment provided by the Clear Lake City Elementary 4th Grade Choir and Thunderbird Spirit Squad.

“Twenty-five years ago our school had a totem pole sculpted to celebrate our Silver Anniversary,” Kimble explained to the audience.

“That totem pole still stands proudly today on the playground used by our younger students, on the Fairwind Road side of our building. As we reached the half-century mark we commissioned another totem pole and a series of sculptures designed to reflect who we are: Our character, our history, and our future.”

Designed and made by Russell Ramirez, the new sculptures will serve as another daily reminder of the importance of the school’s Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. They are

Russell Ramirez stands by sculptures representing the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship -- which he designed for the Clear Lake City Elementary 50th anniversary celebration.

Clear Lake City Elementary -- still standing strong after 50 years of service to the Clear Lake City community.

represented by the six schools in the Clear Lake City Elementary School’s Pre-K - 12 Community: the

elementary schools created from our area’s continued growth, and the two intermediate schools and the

one high school to which the CLCE Thunderbirds will fly once they leave the CLCE nest.

Superintendent Dr. Greg Smith was on hand to help mark the golden anniversary and to announce that May 22, 2015 was proclaimed as Clear Lake City Elementary Day in Houston, Texas by Houston Mayor Annise Parker. Former Superintendent Dr. Sandra Mossman also was in the crowd.

However, the school’s most famous alumna, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, was absent from the celebration. Her schooling began at Clear Lake City Elementary in 1974 and 1975 when her father, John Dalgleish Donaldson, a professor of applied mathematics, worked at the Johnson Space Center. Today, she is busy raising four young children, while also attending to her royal duties.

CLCE is truly a school where, as their founding Principal Kenneth Royal said, “Children are Welcome, Wanted, and Worthwhile.” The campus is selling legacy bricks to fund an annual scholarship, the first of which was awarded to Kaitlyn Auger, Class of 2015 at Clear Lake High School.

CLCE is the second CCISD campus to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Earlier, Ed White Elementary in El Lago marked its 50th anniversary.

Both campuses opened soon after the opening of NASA’s Manned Space Center to serve space agency employees and their families.

JULY 2015 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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Six Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Contractor When you’re ready to remodel, make sure you’re hiring the best contractor. Here are six key questions to ask.

1. Can you itemize your bid?

Some contractors like to give one total price for the project. Always ask for an itemized bid with costs for all elements of the jobdemolition, framing, plumbing, electrical, materials, and such.

This helps with comparing bids and lets you see options for cutting costs. If you decide not to do part of the job, it shows how much you should be credited for eliminating that work.

2. Is your bid a fixed price or an estimate?

With an estimate, the final bill can wind up higher, so always ask for a fixed price bid. If the contractor hesitates because there are too many unknowns, try to get the answers. Open a wall to check the structure, or ask for more detailed design plans. If unknowns persist, ask the contractor for project specs, describing what will be done. If more work is needed later, get a mini-bid for the new items.

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3. How long have you been in business here?

You should hire someone who’s been working in your town 5 to 10 years. They’ll have a local reputation to uphold, plus a good network of subcontractors and suppliers. Avoid hiring contractors from out of the area.

4. Can you include some of your earliest clients as references?

This verifies the contractor has been in business for a while and tells you how the work stands up.

5. Who are your suppliers?

Get their names and call them.

Ask what customers think of the contractor, how promptly they pay their bills, and if you should hire them.

6. Can I meet the job foreman?

Some contractors aren’t there running the job every day. Find out who that will be and ask to meet them, ideally at a job site.

This is the most important person on your team.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

DENTAL HEALTH

DO I HAVE ENOUGH BONE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS? Dental implants have undoubtably revolutionized the field of dentistry.

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one are the days of grinding two or more healthy teeth to replace missing teeth with fixed bridges.

Removable appliances such as partial denture or flipper, while preserving adjacent teeth from unnecessary drilling, have their own complications.

The most common complaint that I hear from people who wear them is; they don’t feel comfortable, or that they hurt to chew with. More than half of partial denture wearers (including my father) take their appliance out to eat and only use them for cosmetic reasons. Looking back, it is clear that dentistry did not have a practical answer for tooth loss until the development of dental implants.

Today, dental implants have secured their place in our field as standard of care for replacing one or multiple missing teeth. The general public is now familiar with Dental implants and ask their dentist for them specifically. Dental implants are very similar to natural teeth in shape and function. They can be covered with “Today, dental typical porcelain crowns just like natural teeth. On the other hand, implants they require a certain volume of have secured bone to seat securely in the jaw.

Unfortunately long term gum disease their place in and accidental loss of natural teeth leads to loss of bone. Did you know our field as that 3 out of 4 teeth are lost due to standard of care chronic gum disease, not cavity?

Obviously, if there is not enough for replacing bone to support a natural tooth, one or multiple dental implants can not be placed in that space either. even worse, in the missing teeth.” absence of stimulation provided by normal chewing, jaw bone further resorbs. It is broken down into its mineral components, which are dissolved into the bloodstream. I have written and published several articles on the phenomenon of “disuse osteoporosis”.

Naturally, many people either assume, or are told by their dentist that they are not a candidate for dental implants because they don’t have enough bone. What they don’t know (or are not told) is that bone can be regenerated. We now are able to grow new bone in places where it had previously been lost, either due to chronic gum disease or disuse. In fact bone regeneration is high on the list of the most extraordinary medical breakthroughs of twenty first century.

In the case of missing upper back teeth, many people who wanted dental implants in the past were told that their maxillary sinus has expanded and consequently they had to get removable appliance instead. But now a new outpatient surgical procedure called maxillary sinus lift (or sinus augmentation) can trigger your body to regenerate new bone to securely host the dental implants. Sinuses are air spaces in the skull, which are lined with a thin membrane.

In the past we had to harvest patient’s own bone from other parts of the mouth or iliac crest to insure integration. We are now able

to accomplish the same objective using demineralized freeze dried cadaver bone with the help of titanium mesh and titanium fixation screws. There is no longer a need for harvesting patient’s own bone and creating a secondary surgical site. All grafting materials used today are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and must be prepared according to their guidelines. They are specially treated to render them completely safe for human use.

Lower lost jawbone can also be replaced with similar technique.

After the surgery, most patients report little or no discomfort. They are usually surprised that bone regeneration and implant placement is less painful than extracting a tooth or even root canals. Of course not everyone is a candidate for bone and gum tissue regeneration. As with any other invasive surgical procedures, certain general health guidelines must be met. However, If you have been told that you are not a candidate for dental implants because you don’t have enough bone, before choosing an alternative plan, please contact our office at 281-332-4700 and schedule a complimentary consultation with me. I might be able to help.

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.

JULY 2015 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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Movers &Shakers Name: Carl A. Joiner Occupation: President/CEO – Joiner Partnership, Inc. – Architects and mayor of Kemah Hometown: Lakin, Kansas Current Home: Kemah Family: I have been married to my wife Colene for 40 years. We have a daughter, Merika, and a son, Chad. They both live an hour away in Atascocita. Our 9 grandchildren range in age from 4 to 18. This includes a set of triplets! These grandchildren are the light of our lives.

My favorite writer is: The late Zig Ziglar.

Someone I’d like to meet: The royal family, including William and Kate.

If I could switch places with someone for just one day, I’d choose: I am happy where I am at in life, so I don’t really have a desire to switch.

My favorite performers are: The Beatles.

I like to spend my leisure time: Spending time with family and friends, playing with the grandchildren, and boating.

If I could travel to any place, I’d go to: I had always wanted to visit the Taj Mahal.

As an architect people are always telling me “do not give me the Taj Mahal.” Colene and I made a trip to India about two years ago. Mark that one off the bucket list. I do like to travel the world, and Colene and I try to take a trip overseas once a year.

My favorite meal is: Lunch at the Flying Dutchman, so I can have their terrific homemade potato chips!

As a youngster, I wanted to grow up to be: A farmer like my Dad. My Dad did not think the family farm would support two families, so he told me I had other talents and I should use them. He wanted me to pursue being an architect – so off I went to the University of Kansas, where I received my Bachelor of Architecture degree.

You’ll never catch me: On Facebook or Twitter. I am not one to easily change.

The thing that bugs me most is: Negative people.

My favorite movie is: Tommy Boy. It is always great for a lot of laughs.

Few people know: I went to a two-room country school house grades one through eight. My teacher in the 7th grade thought I should be an architect – so here I am!

Clear Lake High School graduate enlists in U.S. Air Force to study medicine

Attendees of the luncheon include from left, Lowell Stanton, Finance Vice President; Dan Newman, CEO; Thea Lockett, Concussion Center and Spine Program Coordinator; Monica Martinez, Director of Orthopedics & Sports Medicine; Jessica Morales, Clear Falls High School Athletic Trainer; Kristin Salinas Clear Lake High School Athletic Trainer; Dana Tegeler Clear Creek High School Athletic Trainer; Mayra Reed, Clear Springs High School Athletic Trainer; David Silva, Hitchcock High School Athletic Trainer and Athletic Trainer Coordinator.

Houston Methodist St. John Hospital Orthopedics & Sports Medicine partners with six Bay Area school districts

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ouston Methodist St. John Hospital Orthopedics & Sports Medicine is providing athletic trainers to 10 high schools. The hospitals licensed experts care for student athletic injuries and offer immediate care, evaluation and treatment. This year marks the 24th year of the program, which started in

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CCISD but now includes Texas City, Santa Fe, Friendswood, Dickinson and Hitchcock ISD’s. For the second year, Houston Methodist St. John Hospital Orthopedics & Sports Medicine sponsored the CCISD Annual Athletic Scholarship Luncheon held at South Shore Harbour Country Club in League City.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

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nna Leigh Baker, daughter of Allen and Myrna Baker, has graduated from Clear Lake High School and enlisted in the United States Air Force.

Anna graduated a full year early and will enter Clear Lake High School graduate Anna Leigh the Air Force with E2 rank Baker, with TSgt William P. Coleman, enlists in after earning 24 college the U.S. Air Force with 24 college credits and credit hours through her will pursue a career in medicine. dual-credit studies.

“Anna is the perfect example of who the Air Force wants on our team,” said TSgt William P. Coleman with the 341st Air Force Recruiting Squadron. “Not only has Anna shown a high level of academic performance; her qualifications reflect a person of sound moral character.”

This summer, Anna will attend Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. “I have been working out to prepare for the physical challenges of basic training and I am excited about the adventures that lie ahead,” Anna says. “I will be earning college credit while in the Air Force, and then I plan to attend the Air Force Academy and work toward a career in medicine.”

Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

Well, dahling, come and join us, Kathleen Courville says while offering a welcoming smile to Assistance League members arriving for “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” at Bay Oaks Country Club.

Vice Presidents Carol Latimer, Gail Ashby, Sara Foulds and Ann Marie Doolin, from left, stop for a photo at the Assistance League May installation luncheon at Bay Oaks Country Club.

New Assistance League officers get together for a photo op as a new year begins. They are, from left, Secretary Ginger Darnell, President Peggy Clause, President-elect Dee Cover, Treasurer Jane Sweeney and Parliamentarian Sharon Dillard.

Assistance League ends year with snazzy brunch WELL, DAHLINGS, if you missed the Assistance League’s May luncheon, you missed one of the snazziest events of the spring – “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

Ladies in little black dresses, white gloves and hats combined with little blue Tiffany boxes, and dainty flowers and desserts everywhere you looked – all of which added up to a great morning for some of the hardest working volunteers in our community.

A number won awards with Carol Latimer the recipient of the Sue Holstein Award and Kim Barker taking home the Sue Brady Award and also winning an ABCD Award along with Katy Bastedo and Valerie Piercy. The Glass Slipper Award went to the St. Bernadette Catholic Church Christian Action Committee.

Outgoing President Brunella Altemus used candy bars and some well-chosen words to introduce

Citation Award winners Jill Reason, left, and Ellen King wear big smiles after receiving their Clear Lake Panhellenic awards at this year’s May luncheon.

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to another busy, busy year of helping the not-so-fortunate in our Bay Area community.

MARY ALYS CHERRY

and install each new officer for 2015-16. They are President Peggy Clause, President-elect Dee Cover, Vice Presidents Ann Marie Doolin, Sara Foulds, Carol Latimer and Gail Ashby, Secretary Ginger Darnell¸Treasurer Jane Sweeney and Parliamentarian Sharon Dillard.

Lisa Holbrook was elected Assisteens coordinator, Arlis Miles as education chairman, Ronda Wegman as marketing chairman and Ann Hammond as strategic planning chairman. All are looking forward

Clear Lake Panhellenic gets ready for new year A FEW DAYS later, Clear Lake Area Panhellenic was also busy preparing for the coming year and awarding scholarships to some deserving area high school Award winners at the Assistance League May graduates. luncheon included, from left, Valerie Piercy, Carol Latimer, Kim Barker and Katy Bastedo.

Kay Lee Benoit is Panhellenic’s Carol Latimer won the Sue Holstein Award while new president, serving with Kim Barker won the Sue Brady Award and an First Vice President Jill Reason, ABCD Award. Katy Bastedo and Valerie Piercy Second Vice President Ellen King, were recipients of the ABCD Award.

Treasurer Michelle Richardson, Secretary Cheryl Williams, Jo Along with the winners of $8,000 Cat Bruce, Corporation, and college scholarships -- Natalie Parliamentarian Kim Barker.

Barringer, Camille Camavata, Megan Some of the biggest smiles of the Conley, Michelle Tran and Alice Yau. day were worn by Ellen King and Jill Reason, both winners of the Citation Award.

New Panhellenic officers line up for a photo at the 2015 installation luncheon. They are, from left, JoCat Bruce - Corporation, Treasurer Michelle Richardson, Secretary Cheryl Williams, Second Vice President Ellen King, First Vice President Jill Reason, President Kay Lee Benoit and Parliamentarian Kim Barker.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

Panhellenic’s 2015 scholarship recipients are, from left, Alice Yau, Camille Camavata, Natalie Barringer, Megan Conley and Michelle Tran. Kelsey Cavallaro, who is not pictured also was a scholarship recipient. Each is receiving an $8,000 scholarship.

Photos by Michelle Watson

A distinguished panel of astronauts shared stories about their time in space at Space Center Houston’s inaugural Galaxy Gala.

The panel included, from left, astronaut Mark Kelly, former astronaut and now director of Johnson Space Center Ellen Ochoa, and astronaut Gene Cernan, who was the last man to walk on the moon. Former CNN anchor Miles O’Brien, right, was master of ceremonies and led the panel discussion.

Space Gala nets over $1 million SPACE CENTER Houston’s hugely successful Galaxy Gala raised more than $1 million for the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation with Alice and Keith Mosing chairing the inaugural event.

The pre-gala area showed historic films about the space program and displayed artifacts from Space Center Houston, an educationally focused, nonprofit space museum. Included in the exhibit were space suits, items brought back from several space missions and the presidential podium from which John Kennedy made his historic speech announcing the goal of landing a man on the moon.

As guests entered the main dining area, huge screens from corner to corner gave them the sensation of

Jo Lynn and Gregg Falgout, members of the Host Committee, arrive at Space Center Houston’s inaugural Galaxy Gala.

floating in zero gravity. Countdown to start the evening filled the room with the roar of the blast off from a rocket launch. Sending everyone into orbit, a message from astronaut Terry Virts Jr., currently aboard the International Space Station, greeted the 700 guests.

A special treat was Gena and Chuck Norris’ introduction of the gala cochairs.

President and CEO of Space Center Houston Richard Allen Jr. applauded the leadership for the evening and the impact the funds will have on the nonprofit’s largest and most ambitious exhibit ever built. Opening later this year, the new exhibit, “Independence Plaza,” will feature a high-fidelity space shuttle replica, the Independence, mounted on the historic NASA 905 shuttle carrier aircraft. Only at Space Center Houston will visitors be able to go inside both the shuttle and the airplane. Most importantly, the shuttle

Space Center Houston President and CEO Richard Allen Jr. applauded the supporters and donors who helped raised more than $1 million for the new exhibit, “Independence Plaza,” opening later this year.

complex and surrounding exhibits will expand and enhance Space Center Houston’s award-winning educational programs that motivate students to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

The evening featured a top-flight keynote panel including astronaut Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman to go into space and director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center; astronaut Gene Cernan, who flew three historic space missions and was the last man to walk on the moon; and astronaut Mark Kelly, shuttle commander and husband of former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona.

Award-winning science journalist and former CNN correspondent and anchor Miles O’Brien was master of ceremonies and led the panel discussion. The audience gave a standing ovation to these distinguished speakers.

Developer Fred Griffin. left, a Manned Space Flight Education Foundation board member, and his assistant, Heather Waters, meet award-winning actor Gary Sinise at Space Center Houston’s inaugural Galaxy Gala.

Guests filled the dance floor and grooved under the stars to the sounds of the Lt. Dan Band led by awardwinning actor Gary Sinise, who starred in the film “Apollo 13.” People stood in front of the stage and sang while cell phone cameras flashed throughout the night to capture the fun.

Star-studded guests included Jo Lynn and Gregg Falgout, Susie and Pat Cunningham, Betsy and Fred Griffin, Kim and Dan Tutcher, Jeanne and Richard Filip, Martha and James Madget, Paula McCann Harris, Cyndy and Thomas Roberts, Leslie and Adam Schneider, Mo and Ric Campo, Bobbie and John Nau, John Poindexter, Winell Herron, Ileana and Michael Trevino, Debbie and John Daugherty, Yvonne and Walter Johnson, Trini Mendenhall and Kyla and Ron Kapche.

NASA Associate Administrator for and astronaut John Grunsfeld, center, is inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Shaking his hand is Dan Brandenstein, chairman of the board of directors for the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, as former NASA astronaut Steve Hawley looks on.

JULY 2015 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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2015 Bay Cup Series SAILORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY INVITED TO BAY AREA HOUSTON THIS FALL When the weather turns cold in most parts of the country, sailboat racers store their boats for the winter and begin the long wait for spring. But there is a better choice: The racing season on the Gulf Coast and Galveston Bay is in full swing through the end of the year.

“With the temperate climate in our area we have very active sailboat racing year-around” explains Bay Area Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau President Pam Summers. “We are well prepared to host racers who trailered their boats south to enjoy the extra months of racing and spending time on the water” adds Lakewood Yacht Club Fleet Captain Ash Walker.

The area clubs are making provisions for free boat storage between events for racers’ convenience. For details, please check the website or contact the hosting club. The area has quick access to air travel and in many cases the local hotels offer special event rates.

The 2015 Fall racing season offers the following events: • HOOD Regatta September 19-20 www.houstonyachtclub.com • J/22 North American Championship September 30 – October 4 www.houstonyachtclub.com

A Weekend of Summer, Sailing and Fun

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akewood Yacht Club

and Bay Access will present Bay Cup II, part of the 2015 Bay Cup Series Saturday, Aug. 1 on Galveston Bay. the 2015 Bay Cup II Regatta will be held .

In announcing the regatta, Fleet Capt. Ashley Walker said the one-day event will once again showcase a full spectrum of sailboats competing in distance racing and is an excellent way to enjoy a beautiful summer day -- an amazing experience for both sailors and spectators alike. “Make a weekend of it and bring family and friends and enjoy your evenings at one of the fine hotels in Seabrook,” suggested Bay Cup II Regatta Chairman Dwight Bengtson.

While here, families can also enjoy local entertainment that includes inspiring the mind at Space Center Houston, relishing a stroll through Armand Bayou, enjoying the many rides at Kemah Boardwalk and hiking one of the numerous nature trails in the city of Seabrook.

Bay Cup II is the second in a series with Bay Cup I having been raced in March. It is open to the public with a $75 registration fee. This includes the Skipper’s Meeting Friday, July 31, at 7:30 p.m. in Lakewood’s ballroom,

• LYC J/Fest Southwest October 10-11 www.jfestsouthwest.com • J/80 North American Championships October 9-11 www.jfestsouthwest.com • LYC Harvest Moon Regatta October 22-24 www.harvestmoonregatta.com • HYC Turkey Day Regatta November 21 www.houstonyachtclub.com The first race of the New Year starts on the first Saturday of the year!

All races except the Harvest Moon Regatta are held on Galveston Bay. The Harvest Moon Regatta is a 150 mile distance race in the Gulf of Mexico. For specific regatta information including Notice of Race, please check the respective organizations’ websites listed above.

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

along with a steak dinner and two drink tickets for the Saturday night party, which includes live music.

Racers can register now online by clicking HERE! “Bay Cup II will feature distance racing in Galveston Bay,” Bengtson explains, “with multiple legs for a total of about 15 – 25 nautical miles, depending upon wind conditions. This should be a navigational challenge for racers as well.”

Classes include PHRF Spinnaker, PHRF Non-Spinnaker, Cruising Spinnaker, Classic Canvas, Multihull, SOS and others.

The Awards Ceremony will be held in Lakewood’s lounge on Saturday night, Aug. 1, following the dinner. Awards will be presented to Bay Cup II winners, as well as over-all winners of the

Bay Cup Series. Skippers will also get to enjoy rum drinks provided

by Don Q. Sponsors helping to ensure that the Bay Cup II is once again an amazing event this year include: Don Q Puerto Rico’s Premier Rum, the City of Seabrook, Alliant Marine and Energy Insurance, Little Yacht Sales, The Yacht Sales Company, Blackburn Marine, Rejex.com, OJ’s Marine, The Yacht Service Company and True North Marine. Proceeds from the Regatta benefit Bay Access, a not for profit charitable organization fostering amateur racing and sailing on Galveston Bay. For overnight accommodations, check the website www.seabrooktx. gov. For questions regarding Bay Cup II, contact Lakewood Yacht Club’s office at 281-474-2511.

Linda Wischnewsky of Bayway Lincoln (Bayway Auto Group) presents the keys to a 2015 Lincoln MKC to Keels & Wheels raffle winner Cindy Clugy of Houston, right, as her fiancé, Raymond Alderete, looks on. At left are Keels & Wheels Concours d’Elegance Chairmen Bob Fuller and Paul Merryman. The new Lincoln was donated by Lincoln Motor Co. as the Title Sponsor of the 20th Annual Keels & Wheels.

Proceeds from the raffle benefit Boys & Girls Harbor.

JULY 2015 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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Luxurious Summer Rides Cruising the Bay Area German style

By Don Armstrong

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he war between two of Germany’s hottest manufacturers have ringside fans cheering for more, but the real winners are you and I. Here are two models that will have you running to dealers.

BMW 2 Series Coupe

You probably haven’t seen many BMW 2 Series in showrooms because dealers sell them before they even hit the lot. The BMW 228i made its U.S. debut last year, and its popularity

among college grads and emptynesters is huge.

This 2-door sub-compact touts seating for four but, like most in this category, lacks backseat legroom.

The interior is highquality with a driver-focused cockpit and an understated elegance.

The iDrive interface is standard and includes a 6.5 inch display. Because space is at a premium, it’s nested between driver and passenger atop the center dash.

Our 228i comes with a twinscroll I-4 with a respectable 240 horsepower and an 8-speed automatic

Choose your shade. The BMW 2 Series Coupe shown in glacier silver and melbourne red.

or 6-speed manual. The twin-scroll design eliminates turbo lag, so power is delivered to the rear wheels immediately.

You may have heard about the unique BMW ride. Although the 2 is tiny when compared to the 5 or 7 Series, that famous suspension can still be enjoyed even at this level.

The best part is the price; it starts at $33,900.

Mercedes-Benz E400 Cabriolet

Finally, a convertible that follows the roofline of its coupe counterpart.

The Mercedes-Benz E400 Cabriolet is among the elite in the highly competitive mid-size luxury class and this year’s iteration is better than ever.

What can be said about the M-B interiors that hasn’t been said before?

Here is the pentacle of automotive materials, style and function. Add a

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

splash of color – red – and you’ve got a car for the Astronaut Wives Club circa 2015.

The big news this year is the allnew 3.0-liter bi-turbo V-6 engine that delivers 329 horsepower and 354-lb-ft of torque through a buttery smooth 7-speed automatic transmission. Shift paddles are standard.

A $2,800 must-have option is the Driver Assist Package and the $875 Lane Tracking Package. Other option packages you’ll want to investigate include Premium (with built-in neck warmers), Parking Assist and Sport.

Ride and handling characteristics are neck-and-neck with the BMW and are some of the most soughtafter features that competitive manufacturers try to emulate. The Sport Package up’s the ante another notch.

Pricing begins at $61,350.

The effects of the spring floods on our summertime fishing

By Capt. Joe Kent

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ardly anyone around

the Galveston Bay Complex escaped the effects of this year’s spring floods, especially those taking place during May. That month ended up being the wettest May on record and, while the floods caused a lot of damage, there are some long term benefits that will come from the deluge of fresh water that poured into Galveston Bay. Spring floods used to be common in this area; however, with the onset of the lengthy drought that recently ended, it has been a number of years since Galveston Bay virtually turned fresh.

As a long-time angler, I had an eye-opening experience when I realized that a high number of our current adult fishermen have never experienced a major flood around the Galveston Bay Complex.

You may recall that a number of articles written in the recent past have dealt with concerns over the long drought and the high salinity levels it was causing in our bay systems.

Now, all of a sudden, the tide has turned, no pun intended, and the salinity levels in the bays have become quite low.

What will be the short term and long term effects of this? The short answer is both benefits and detriments.

Certain species of finfish and shellfish are very sensitive to salinity levels and two of our most popular species are speckled trout and oysters.

The low salinity levels and silt flowing into the bay systems from rain swollen rivers likely will take its toll on the already threatened oysters.

Speckled trout have migrated from the upper parts of Galveston and

Trinity Bays and a large number of other fish have joined them. Young fish can tolerate lower salinity much more than the mature stocks, so if I had to guess what will be available before the water quality settles I would say smaller fish, both trout and other species.

Crabs are fairly resilient so they likely won’t be affected as much.

For fishermen, the fresh water has driven trout and other fish to saltier waters in the surf and around the jetties. The passes into the Gulf, the

“The fresh water has driven trout and other fish to saltier waters in the surf and around the jetties.” same ones where flounder stack up during the fall, should be holding a lot of those fish.

Eventually the fish will return to their original habitats; however, it could be a number of weeks before the water improves and they make it back.

On the positive side, the influx of fresh water and the associated nutrients will be a shot in the arm to the marshes and estuaries.

The flushing effects will benefit this breeding ground for fish, crustaceans and other wildlife which is where the food chain begins. The nutrients and fresh water will promote the growth of vegetation, especially grasses, where the recently hatched marine life seeks protection.

While we do not want to discount our summer fishing, if no further floods of major proportion occur, fall fishing should be outstanding.

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DESIGN

Home Sweet Home Celebrating with a garden party

By Cathy Osoria

S

ummer is all about

soaking up the sun outdoors while creating fun memories with family and friends.

This year makes a get together extra

special by choosing a party theme and running with it. Garden party is a colorful, fun creative theme that all ages can enjoy.  It can be used for a baby shower with the invitation saying: Welcome BEE-utiful baby (using more bees than butterflies in the decorations).  It's perfect for a bridal shower, mother's day, lady's birthday or even tweaked a bit to focus more on vegetables and grilling for men.

 A whimsical garden party (using gummy worms and crushed oreos for dirt) can be fun and creative for a children's birthday party or graduation.  Using crystal stemware and china, this can be transformed to a dressier ladies' luncheon. It does not matter if the gathering is formal or informal.

There are plenty of adorable readymade invitations that pair with a garden theme.

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To begin decorating for this garden party, think large. It is better to have fewer larger decorations that make a dramatic statement for guests than lots of little things that seem cluttered and jumbled. The main centerpiece can be a colorful, blooming pot plant. Inexpensive flowering plants are a great way to stretch your decorating budget and can be enjoyed long after the party has ended.

Painted clay pots or watering cans in bright colors with multicolored blooming flowers can be scattered on the tables and throughout the party space. These potted flowers or herbs also make great party favors.

Serving utensils can be actual potting tools. Salad can be served with potting rakes and a trowel can be utilized as a large pie server or spoon. Clay pots in various sizes lined with wax paper are great for serving food or sorting the forks, knives and spoons. A wheel barrel makes a great drink server.

Just add ice and waters or sodas and roll outside to make another drink station.

Simple white cafe lights strung in the trees work to create either a casual or dressy setting. Sheet moss is sold at craft stores in flat rolls and can be cut into shapes and used for table runners, placemats, trivets for hot food or to keep the drink tub sweat contained. Cupcakes, cookies or cake balls can be created to resemble flowers, bees or bugs. Craft stores also sell packages of realistic looking butterflies and bees.

Using removable glue dots, those insects can be placed all around the party area, on cabinets or chairs or on serving dishes. Lay brown craft paper across a table with chalk for a casual look, giving guests a creative outlet for writing and drawing that cleans up fast and easy. Sheet moss can be hot glued to a flat large piece of plywood or thick foam core and flowers added to create a photo backdrop for guests to take memorable pictures. All the photo props can be garden related -- watering can, frame covered in flowers, gardening hat or large bugs or butterflies.

In a cute basket, be sure to put sunscreen and insect spray for guests if insects or sun is a party issue. Be creative and have fun decorating.

Guests will appreciate all the extra effort that was taken to make the party so special.

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TEXAS MEDITATIONS

La Vie Dansante

By Michael Gos

Hondo, Texas While some people know

Hondo, Texas, as the birthplace and childhood home of Luckenbach’s Hondo Crouch, most of us know it because of the rather famous signs along highway 90 at either end of town. And it is probably a good bet that if you don’t live in the area, your only experience with Hondo is as a milestone on the way to Garner State Park.

I was passing through town, not on my way to Garner but rather to Marathon in Big Bend country, when I decided to stop at the Sonic to share a couple of cheeseburgers and a diet cherry limeade with my everhungry running buddy, a Labrador retriever. We were sitting outside at a picnic table and eavesdropping on a family sitting nearby. Apparently the parents were trying to convince

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their thirty-something son that he should move back home to San Antonio. Through the conversation, I was able to determine that he lived there in Hondo and worked as a night produce manager at the local HEB. His parents seemed disappointed at both his choice of job and home.

They said he should be able to do much better than that given he had a college degree, and they practically begged him to come back to the city where good jobs were more plentiful.

He replied that he wanted to live in Hondo because from there it was a short trip to both Concan and Bandera, two places he seemed to be rather fond of. They kept reminding him of the fact that he could probably find a better job in the city. The repetition became tedious even for me. I could only imagine what he must have felt and how many times he had heard this before.

Failing to get through to him with

Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

their first ploy, they even tried asking him to consider taking a job in the city and commuting the 45 minutes or so to and from work. He balked at the idea of giving up an hour and a half of his day driving to work. He said that was time he could spend in much more pleasant endeavors.

As my dog and I were leaving, I heard him say that he would rather work in a grocery store the rest of his

life than live in the city. For me, the conversation was mercifully over. I’m sure he wasn’t so lucky.

I think most of us understand that millennials, those reaching adulthood around the turn of the century, think differently than the baby boomers or generation X-ers who came before them. While we older ones work long

hours and often take our work home with us, millennials give a good eighthour effort and then, when the day is over, it’s over. Work is completely out of their minds. There is a total separation between work and life.

We boomers went where the jobs were—lived where we had to live to get those jobs; the millennials decide where they want to live and then find a job there. They feel that life is too short, or too important, to let work dominate or dictate major life decisions.

I would imagine that this pattern of questioning the values of a younger generation is not unique to boomers and gen X-ers. Throughout history, each generation has looked at the ones coming up after them and seen young people who they view as somehow inferior. Most of the time they have been wrong. I think my generation might be the exception. As boomers, our parents were from what is often called “the greatest generation.”

Perhaps they were right in their view of us. While they went down in history as the greatest, we boomers are likely to go down in history as the most pathetic generation. Look

at how we have taken the world we were given in the fifties and early sixties and changed it into the world we see today. History will not look kindly on us for that. But even in spite of our own shortcomings, like all generations before us, we tend to see the millennials as lazy and prone to making irrational decisions. We

“I wonder if we should be thinking less about tomorrow and more about tomorrow’s yesterday.” think they should spend more time and effort bettering themselves and planning and preparing for their future.

Personally, I have mixed feelings on this. There are times when I lament time I have wasted. I wish I had begun earlier with savings, retirement planning and home ownership. I’m sure that would have made my

parents rest easier. It certainly would have made retirement more realistic.

But then, at other times, I think about the time I spent in Guadeloupe, Martinique, London, Paris, Oxford and Cozumel and wish I had done more of that.

But you can only dwell on the past for so long. Eventually you have to think about the future—and the diminishment it will bring. I already see signs of it physically. I am beginning to realize that things I used to do easily are becoming more and more difficult. I did the South Rim hike in a single day in my 40s and 50s. Today, I’m not sure I could do that, even if I didn’t have to carry a backpack. I know it is probably inevitable that, should I be fortunate to hang around the planet long enough, I will no longer be able to keep living in my house and keep all of the many things I love. My library alone would over-fill most apartments in “senior living” complexes. As we begin the downward slope on the bell curve that is life, it is only natural to ask if it was worth all that effort we put in to gather all this “stuff.”

The French have a philosophy

called La Vie Dansante. There is no equivalent phrase in English, probably because English-speaking people just don’t think this way.

Language always reflects the thinking of a culture. A word-for-word translation is “the dancing life” though it has nothing to do with dancing. The closest equivalent I have been able to come up with is something like “life is too short to spend any part of it doing anything other than having a good time.”

I’m beginning to think the French, and that young man at Sonic, may have had the right idea. When you think about how short our time here is and the way it will ultimately end, I wonder if we should be thinking less about tomorrow and more about tomorrow’s yesterday. All things considered, La Vie Dansante may be the wiser choice in the long run.

That young man will probably continue dancing his way through life and be no worse off for it—and we boomers will probably continue to see him and others of his type as irresponsible and poor decisionmakers.

And we will probably be wrong.

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Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

BAHEP space travelers set record with 376 visits

N

ot only is space

Over the course of two days, 95 Citizens for Space Exploration travelers made a record 376 congressional office visits. Shown are Sherri McCoy, Minnesota Rep. Rick Nolan, James Oman, and Seabrook Councilman Robert Llorente.

BAHEP President Bob Mitchell, left, and Moody National Bank President Victor Pierson, right, who is also chairman of the BAHEP board of directors, are shown during a visit with Texas Sen. John Cornyn at the senator’s office.

Conference room renamed during emotional ceremony

I

n an outpouring of love, respect and memories, the large conference room of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership was renamed the David Braun Conference Room in a dedication ceremony held June 9. Braun served as BAHEP’s aerospace marketing manager from 2005 until his death Feb. 21, 2015, but he was so much more to his family, his BAHEP family, and the community.

Braun was a Nassau Bay councilman for eight years and mayor pro-tem for four years. Several elected

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Angela Braun, wife of David Braun, gets a hug from State Sen. Sylvia Garcia during BAHEP ceremony June 9.

officials attended the ceremony for “one of their own” and to present resolutions to Braun’s widow, Angela, and his son, Michael. Braun’s

Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

exploration big business for Bay Area Houston, it’s very important business for a number of reasons.

Every year for the past 24 years, the Citizens for Space Exploration (CSE) group has traveled to Washington, D.C., to advance support for NASA and to educate members of Congress and their staff about a number of key points including support for NASA’s human space exploration portfolio and NASA’s role in supporting American leadership, education, innovation, health care, and quality of life for less than half of one percent of the budget.

Talking points this year also included concern about Russia and the increasing importance of a well-funded NASA in uncertain geopolitical times.

A total of 95 CSE travelers spent two days -- May 19-21 -- on Capitol Hill, demonstrating the existence of a large, grassroots constituency for space exploration. Their 376 visits set the all-time record in the number of actual office visits.

The diverse group of travelers included 32 university students majoring in engineering or related technical fields of study, industry representatives, community leaders, and elected officials. The local elected officials were League City Mayor Tim

sister, Kathy McHale, was also in attendance.

Sen. Larry Taylor and Sen. Sylvia Garcia presented a resolution from the Texas Senate, while Rep. Greg Bonnen and Rep. Dennis Paul presented a resolution from the Texas House of Representatives.

Jay Guerrero, representing U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, called Braun the “epitome of servant leadership,” and presented the Braun family with a U.S. flag which was “flown over the United States Capitol in honor of David Braun.”

Kelly Waterman, representing U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, credited Braun with giving the congressman a personal perspective on NASA and its importance to the country even before his election to Congress. Rep. Babin honored Braun by having a tribute to him entered into the Congressional Record. The entry stated in part that “David’s passion for public service

Rep. Randy Weber, BAHEP President Bob Mitchell, and Rep. John Culberson, from left, are shown following remarks by the Texas lawmakers during the Congressional Reception.

Paulissen, and City Council Members Dave Martin of Houston, Jonathan Amdur of Nassau Bay, Dr. Pat McGinnis of Friendswood and Robert Llorente of Seabrook.

The Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership is the home of Citizens for Space Exploration Texas.

BAHEP President Bob Mitchell explained, “The value of these ‘sitdown’ visits is significant. Although there is considerable support in Congress for NASA, we are told year after year that NASA and the aerospace industry will have to continuously make the case for the value of human spaceflight. As long as NASA, Citizens for Space Exploration, and BAHEP exist, we will keep doing just that.”

and community involvement was fueled by his devotion to God and his church and to his community.”

On behalf of Rep. Randy Weber, Janet Rizzo read a Letter of Recognition from the congressman.

Nassau Bay Mayor Pro-tem Sandra Mossman, on behalf of Mayor Mark Denman, proclaimed June 9 as David Braun Memorial Day in Nassau Bay. Houston Councilman Dave Martin, on behalf of Mayor Annise Parker, proclaimed June 9 as In Memoriam David Braun Day in the City of Houston.

Followed by warm applause and many smiles, BAHEP President Bob Mitchell also announced that NASA’s Johnson Space Center would be planting an oak tree on its campus in October in honor of Braun’s many years of service to the aerospace community.

Market Rebound August conference features look at expanding opportunities in energy industry

By Rod Evans

T

he evidence has been

impossible to ignore. From widespread layoffs to the dramatic drop in oil prices, it’s obvious that the past several months have not been exactly robust for the energy industry in Texas, but Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton says a deeper look at the market, specifically in Texas, reveals reasons for optimism for the remainder of the year.

Sitton, a Friendswood resident who was elected head of the statewide regulatory agency in 2014, believes that despite the recent downturn in the industry, the state of the energy sector in Texas remains strong and he believes a bounce back is in the offing.

“Over the last eight years or so, the oil and gas industry in the state

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has more than doubled and we’ve seen oil and gas production in the state triple,” Sitton said. “Natural gas production has doubled and we are seeing a fundamental shift in the economic landscape around the oil and gas industry due to what’s happening in Texas production.”

When the Pasadena Convention Center hosts the Petrochemical & Maritime Outlook Conference on Aug. 27, Sitton, along with Port of Houston Authority Executive Director Roger Guenther, will be one of the featured speakers. The conference will include discussion of a wide range of topics, including updates on congressional activity, petrochemical plant production, industrial workforce expansion, transportation and logistics. In his address, Sitton says he plans to discuss how advances in the technology of energy exploration and product acquisition are helping to make Texas a global energy leader again.

“During the late 1990s and early 2000s, advances made in the accuracy and capabilities of directional drilling,

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coupled with hydraulic fracturing (fracking) have opened up reserves that were previously thought to not be economically developable,” Sitton said. “Now, we have double and triple the oil capacity out of those reserves. But the other thing that has driven this increase is global demand.

When you look around the world, from 2008 through 2015, we’ve seen oil demand and usage grow from 85 million barrels per day to 92 million per day. We’ve seen an increase in demand at the same time that Texas has been opening up new reserves, so Texas is filling the gap and becoming a bigger supplier to the rest of the nation.”

Sitton says the Houston Ship Channel and the Port of Houston are playing huge roles in strengthening the energy sector, particularly in supporting the production of natural gas and the numerous ancillary products and services that are derived from this “feed stock” resource. He says the increased production of natural gas, made possible in large part due to the increased use of the controversial fracking technique, is driving renewed investment in Texas Railroad manufacturing of Commissioner Ryan Sitton plastics such as polyurethane and polyethylene at facilities located along the Ship Channel. Because American manufacturers are now selling these products oversees in ever increasing amounts, the ability to get those products into the marketplace via the Ship Channel is helping the state of Texas and the U.S. as a whole become a provider on a global scale.

But with the average price of a barrel of crude oil trading at around $59 as of mid-June, the effects of the downturn in the energy industry are still being felt.

“The fairly substantial downturn in prices is certainly having an impact on the industry,” Sitton says, “but most of the layoffs we’ve seen have been in service companies. Most of the operators have been able to weather the storm and maintain their headcounts and operational capabilities and assets even while a lot of their capital allocations and investments have been scaled back for this year due to cash flow. Our production is still holding strong even with half the drilling rigs running that were running a year ago. But we have seen some growth over the last couple of quarters and I think we’ll see a leveling out as operators get more efficient and will be looking to drill only the most profitable wells.”

Sitton says while hydraulic

fracturing is a technology that dates back to the 1940s, technological advances that have made the practice—consisting of injecting fluids into rock formations hundreds or thousands of feet below the surface in order to extract oil or natural gas reserves at increased levels—more efficient have helped to make it a more widely used technique.

That increase in prevalence has also brought concerns about the environmental safety and impact of the procedure, but Sitton and other supporters of fracking maintain that it is safe for both the environment and residents in areas where it is being utilized.

“It’s been proven to be a safe technique. Even the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) of all agencies, released a statement recently that said based on their research there is virtually no evidence of contamination of water sources caused by fracturing. There have been a number of studies done that say fracking has nothing to do with the number of earthquakes recorded,” Sitton said. “Because of the quick growth of the use of fracturing over the past 10 years, it’s bringing the activity closer to home for a lot of people and they are asking questions.”

When Sitton delivers his address at the upcoming conference—of which Bay Group Media is a presenting sponsor—he plans to discuss the role the Ship Channel complex has played in helping to reverse trends of the past 30 to 40 years that have seen the U.S. buying more of its energy from sources abroad and manufacturing operations move to other countries.

“Over the last decade, we’ve been talking about the U.S. re-taking a leadership position by developing more of our energy and products to the point where now we’re talking about the U.S. becoming a global provider,” he said. “If we’re going to compete on a global scale to sell our products, you have to have shipping capabilities, and investing in infrastructure across the board, including roadways, ports and airports, is a fundamental piece of that equation,” Sitton said.

In addition to addresses by Sitton and Guenther, the conference is scheduled to include appearances by U.S. Reps. Gene Green and Dr. Brian Babin, as well as by representatives of Chevron Phillips Chemicals, Dow, BASF and many others. The Economic Alliance Houston Port Region is serving as the coordinating agency for the conference. For more information, visit Allianceportregion.com/pmoc.

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Leaders In Our Community Women of the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region

By Kaitlyn Conner

L

ast month, the Economic

Alliance Houston Port Region (Economic Alliance) hosted the Women’s Leadership Luncheon at Cullen’s restaurant.

Women of various industries met and mingled about their successes and strengths in the workforce, how to stay motivated, past and present challenges, and the life events that have led to their success. Three women in leadership roles at the Economic Alliance provided me the opportunity to interview them about their accomplishments. #EAWomen

inspiring points. The first was to, “Encourage others and find your passion.” Women should encourage one another to stay motivated and find what they love in their work. In doing so, women in the workforce can become leaders for future generations.

The second point was, “Where you begin your journey may not be where you complete your journey.”

She reminded us that it is easier to resist change than to accept it, but over the long term, change may make the greatest impact in one’s life. By embracing change, we as women become powerful individuals that are able to take on the world.

She concluded her presentation noting that, “Change creates choices for all of us.” By branching out and remaining open to new ideas, we create a vulnerable yet powerful side to ourselves.

Throughout her encouraging presentation, Dr. Hellyer reminded us that although it isn’t always easy, we should stay consistently focused on the end goal of who we ultimately want to be.

2004. She achieved the role of vice president of business development at the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region in 2007, where she markets the Houston Ship Channel region to international and domestic businesses.

Ms. McDermott reminds us that staying interested is the key to successful relationships by saying, “Economic development is my passion – I have done economic development for the State of Texas, two different regions, and a city. I enjoy working with people that are pleased to take me into their businesses and show me around their facilities. They love their businesses, and I love learning from them.”

When asked about the struggles she has faced in the workforce, she said that her perspective has changed over time. When she was younger, there weren’t very many noticeable challenges that really stood out to her; now that she is older, she has greater perspective. “I prefer women that just move ahead,” McDermott says, encouraging women not to be concerned about their differences.

In addition to her positive outlook, Ms. McDermott’s education has also prepared her well for her role. She says, “I utilize finance in my projects, and I am always seeking international projects. One reason I have worked in the Houston Port Region is that many firms have global headquarters here.”

Dr. BRENDA HELLYER Past Chairman (2012-2013) In 2009, Dr. Brenda Hellyer was appointed Chancellor of San Jacinto College, Texas’ seventh largest community college. Prior to the position of chancellor, Dr. Hellyer served in many executive positions at San Jacinto College, including: executive vice president for resource development, vice chancellor for fiscal affairs, chief financial officer, and executive vice chancellor.

Dr. Hellyer addressed over 35 women during the June Women’s Leadership Luncheon. During her presentation, she shared three

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MARIE McDERMOTT VP of Business Development Marie McDermott has over 30 years of experience in economic development. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business and Finance. In 1997, Ms. McDermott received her Economic Developer Certification from the International Economic Development Council and became Chairman of the Texas Economic Development Council in

Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

KAREN GREGORY Chairman (2014 – 2015) Karen Gregory joined the Economic Development team on behalf of CenterPoint Energy in 2007. Her career with the company has spanned more than 26 years. In addition to developing the northern region of the service area, she is responsible for developing projects and relationships in the distribution and logistics market.

“Thank you to our Economic Alliance Women we appreciate everything that you do for our organization and our region.”

Ms. Gregory, a curious person by nature, says one of the best ways to stay motivated is to constantly be learning new things. However, according to Gregory, you also need, “personal time, time to just shut down from work, and take a step away from the phone and emails.” Gregory says, “It’s easy to get burnt out. When you’re so focused on going, going, going, and you never stop to take a breather, you can run yourself into the ground.”

When asked how she stands out from the rest of her team, Ms. Gregory laughed, “Well, I kind of have a loud voice,” she said. On a more serious note, she answered, “Honestly, the best thing to do is to find your niche or an area of interest that you invest time and studies into for the benefit of educating other employees.” She was known as the “Lighting Expert” for a while due to her expertise in that area.

Ms. Gregory has worked her way up during her career at CenterPoint.

“I came out of college at 22 years old ready to set the world on fire, wanting to find something cool do to with my life,” she says. “I thrived at work and eventually my personality fit into what I was doing here at CenterPoint.”

Ms. Gregory recently returned from Wisconsin, where she received her Certified Economic Developer designation, a national recognition that denotes a mastery of principal skills in economic development, professional attainment, and a commitment to personal and professional growth.

Thank you to our Economic Alliance Women we appreciate everything that you do for our organization and our region.

For more about the Economic Alliance visit. www.allianceportregion.com Kaitlyn is a senior at Sam Houston State University, graduating in May 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations.

This summer, she is participating in an internship at the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region.

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Economic Alliance Houston Port Region

PMOC 2014 Images from last year’s Petrochemical & Maritime Outlook Conference For information on sponsorships, booths and registration at this year’s conference, please contact Jerilyn Hansen at jerilyn@allianceportregion.com or 281-476-9176 ext 4 John Cornyn, U.S. Senator

Silvia de Marucci, Manager of the Market Analysis and Forecasting, Panama Canal Authority

Lori Ryerkerk, Executive V.P. Global Manufacturing, Shell Oil Company

Lawrence Waldron, Global Account Director, Vopak

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Dr. Bryan Shaw, Chairman TECQ

Chad Burke, President & CEO, Economic Alliance Houston Port Region

Janiece M. Longoria, Port Commission Chairman

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Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

TxDOT Executive Director Lt. Gen. Joe Weber, center, talks with Kemah City Administrator Rick Beverlin, left, and Seabrook Mayor Glenn Royal after addressing the Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership luncheon at Cullen’s Upscale Grille.

State Rep. Ed Thompson, center, stops for a visit with Port of Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther, left, and the Port’s Director of Governmental Relations Spencer Chambers, a BayTran Board member, at the BayTran monthly luncheon at Cullen’s.

TxDOT executive director keynotes BayTran luncheon

By Mary Alys Cherry

B BayTran President Barbara Koslov and Chairman Jon Branson, right, welcome State Rep. Dennis Paul to the June 18 monthly luncheon at Cullen’s Upscale Grille.

Kim Morrell, right, chats with Dale Conger at June 18 BayTran luncheon.

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ay Area Houston Transportation Partnership was in for a rare treat this past month when the head of the Texas Department of Transportation, Executive Director Lt. Gen. Joe Weber was the keynote speaker for its monthly luncheon.

He drew quite a crowd of state, county and city officials, anxious to hear his opinion.

Among them were State Reps.

Wayne Faircloth, Dennis Paul and Ed Thompson, all just back from the legislative session in Austin; Galveston

Galveston County Commissioner Ken Clark and United Way Executive Director Melinda Garcia,

Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

County Commissioners Ken Clark and Joe Giusti, former Commissioner Kevin O’Brien; Mayors Tim Paulissen of League City, Glenn Royal of Seabrook and Louis Rigby of La Porte; Pearland City Manager Clay Pearson, Kemah City Administrator Rick Beverlin, Webster Economic Development official Karen Coglianese, Galveston County Engineer Mike Fitzgerald and Seabrook City Councilman Robert Llorente.

He told of taking over his job in April 2014 and trying to patch Texas roads with insufficient funds as container traffic continued to grow, putting more trucks on the state’s roads, and even more expected with the opening of the rebuilt Panama Canal.

“We can’t build our way out of this,” he thought to himself, he said. “We have to think our way out.” So far, if the November ballot item passes, TxDOT has about $4 billion coming its way, which will not meet all the state’s need but should be a help.

State Rep. Wayne Faircloth and Dennis Paul, from left, talk about the recent legislative session with TxDOT Executive Director Lt. Gen. Joe Weber during the Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership’s monthly luncheon June 18 at Cullen’s.

Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

Dining Event Chairman Tisa Foster and Co-Chairman Tracy Clause plan to say “Cheers to 50 Years” at the buffet dinner at Tommy’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar Sunday, July 12.

Michelle Holland, left, and Debby Reichert are co-chairing the big 50th anniversary Lunar Rendezvous Fashion Show Tuesday, July 21 at the San Luis Convention Center in Galveston.

Royal Court to be presented at ball

By Mary Alys Cherry

T

he biggest and most

anticipated event of the Lunar Rendezvous Festival is always the Coronation Ball, which will be held Saturday, July 25, starting at 5 p.m. at the San Luis Convention Center in Galveston.

Not only is a new queen crowned, a queen alternate is also introduced, and fathers and mothers get to step into the spotlight with their young princesses and lieutenants, little ladies in waiting and pages – an evening all will remember the rest of their lives.

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Elizabeth Olin is chairman of the 50th annual Coronation Ball with Katie Jones as co-chairman.

Court Co-Chairmen Melanie Lovuola and Kathie Panneton, who, incidentally, are not only long-time festival volunteers but also mothers of former festival queens, are looking forward to the vote by the royals, when one of the young women will be crowned 2016 queen, another queen alternate, and one of the young men will be elevated to the rank of captain.

And, the youngsters will charm the audience.

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Members of this year’s court and their parents are: Sophie Marie Baillargeon, Gwen and Jacques Baillargeon; Amy Barnes, Karen and John Barnes; Grace Ann Binger, Carrie and John Binger; Bailey Mariue Breaux, Jeanne and Brent Breaux; Meaghan Elizabeth Bryan, Bernadette and John Bryan; Brooke Loren Camet, Sherry Camet and Michael Camet; Sabrina Alyse Carver, Jacqueline and James Carver; Madeline Elisa Castillo, Megan and Joseph Castillo; Alexis Christiansen, Pam and Toby

Christiansen; Samantha Lee Cilento, Susan and Richard Cilento; Morgan Cook, Ronda and Randy Cook, Sadie Alise Crumbley, Karen and Russell Crumley; Briana Diaz, Toni and Frank Diaz; Madison Ditta, Renee and Louis Ditta; Grace Elizabeth Ehmling, Kari and Lee Ehmling; Kelly Franklin, Tami and Scott Franklin; Halasi Frohling, Cyndi and Kyle Frohling; Caylin Jean Gibson, Angela and William Gibson; Jade Allison Graham, Leslie and Jerry Graham; Annie Hall, Leslie Hall and Jack Hall; Elizabeth

(Continued from page 44)

Esther Hart, Sue and Jim Hart; Jessica Carol Hembree, Laurie and Mike Hembree; Jessica Lynn Hoff, Kimberly and Danny Hoff; Lillian Kristine Hromadka, Gina Rico and Paul Hromadka; Claire Elizabeth Hughes, Holly and Vance Hughes; Nicole Anne Kayser, Dawn and John Kayser; Kaitlyn Shane Kimbrough and Taylor Lindsay Kimbrough, Robbie and Shane Kimbrough; Barrett Baker Langford, Amy and Gregg Langford; Bonnie Joy LeBlanc, Joy and Andy LeBlanc; Kalin Elizabeth LaPlace, Malin Scott LePlace; Emma Kathleen Lynch, Jeanne and William Lynch; Kaleigh Marie Lyon, Elizabeth Lyon and Scott Lyon and Stacy Davis; Nicole Anne Matthys, Barbara and Glenn Matthys; Mariska Valerie Mes, Brenda and Rudolf Mes; Jessica Michelle Monnett, Terri and Todd Monnett; Jerssica (???) Rose Nifong, Wendy and Craig Nifong; Grace O’Heeron, Angela and Pete O’Heeron; Susi Olano, Sofia and Juan Olano; Helen Claudine O’Sullivan, Joan and Rick O’Sullivan; Rachel Marie Pfeifer, Lisa and John Pfeifer; Savannah Paige Reason and Sydney Peyton Reason; Jill and Dan Reason; Caroline Catherine Reed, Rosemary Reed and Steven and Marylyn Reed; Mari-Tate Roush, Stephany and Kenneth Roush; Audrey Sebald, Cindy and Mark Sebald; Louisa Smitherman, Marijane and Barry Smitherman; Emily Marie Stelly, Pamela and Mark Stelly; Madelyn Grace St. Germain, Kelly and Donnie St. Germain; Kathryn Audrey Tanzberger, Elizabeth and Eric Tanzberger; Haleigh Nicole Tieken, Lori and J. Derek Tieken; Sophia Louise Tolman, Lisa and Cyrus Tolman; Nicole Tran, Kim and Joseph Tran; Grace Adams Turley, Lu Ann and Wendal Turley; Ali Watson, Dede and Paul Watson; Jenna Morgan Westall, Domineque and Eric Westall; Rayne Lea Williams, Brook and Forest Williams; Mary Claire Williamson, Melissa and Peter Williamson; Samantha Lynn Willis, Vicky and Willie Willis; Claire Wilson, Suzie Wilson and Mark Wilson; and Cassidy Diana Wolfer, Andie and Eric Wolfer.

The 2015 lieutenants and their parents are: Gregory Scott Bookover, Michelle and Michael Brookover; Joseph Patrick Chuoke, Ellen and Joe Chuoke; Joseph Michael Corrao, Brandie and Joe Corrao; Tanner Coulson, Mandi and Kevin Rouhselang; John Patrick Culbertson, Cynthia and David Culbertson; Collin Anthony Davis, Katherine and Tony Davis; Zachary Bennett DeVries, Amanda and Chris DeVries; Ben LeBlanc, Joy and Andy LeBlanc; Paxton Leboe, Sheri and David Leboe; Jonathan Paul Peck, Thu Hong and Gregory Peck; Kyle J., Ruszkowski, Stacey and Kevin Ruszkowski; Zachary Edward Schneider, Paula and Trey Schneider; John Sinor and Michael Sinor, Jenny and Mark Frantz and Keith and Rae Sinor; Hayden Carlisle Smith, Melanie and Carlisle Smith; Andrew Lee Sterling, Delinda and Michael Sterling; Evan Michael Walker, Michele and James Walker; and Zachary Clemons Walker, Stephanie and Gordon Walker.

Six Lunar Rendezvous Festival Golden Jubilee Events in July

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he excitement of the

Photo by J. Pamela Photography

Lunar Rendezvous Festival Golden Jubilee will come to a pinnacle during July. This month is full of events, and there is something for the entire community.

All tickets are available for purchase at www.lunarrendezvous.org You may also contact lrfgoldenjubilee@ gmail.com for more details. Clear Lake Lunar Rendezvous Festival is a 501c3 organization dedicated to providing community based support including scholarships for higher education, youth development and educational programs, funding for the arts and historical preservation in the Bay Area Houston/NASA area.

The Dining Night will be Sunday, July 12. “Let’s Say Cheers to 50 Years,” will be held at Tommy’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar at 2555 Bay Area Blvd. This unique dining event will feature a buffet, cash bar and silent and live auctions beginning at 5 p.m. Ticket prices begin at $75.

The Honeywell Fun Run will be Saturday, July 18, starting at 7 a.m.

The Fun Run will start at Space Center Houston and winds through NASA’s JSC Campus. The run is Look for plenty of excitement at the Lunar Rendezvous Coronation Ball a 5K that is fun for all ages and when a new queen is crowned. Here, 2014 Queen Sydney Schroder, right, abilities. Led for years by Jay Lee, shares the exciting moment with 2015 Queen Allison Maureen Powell this is a long standing festival event and one that has helped generate thousands of dollars over the years service projects. Admission is free and the entire for our community. Registration forms are available community is welcome. at www.lunarrendezvous.org or at On the Run in Clear Lake. The entry fee is $20 a person. “They can The Festival’s Fashion Show, “Solid Gold buy tickets online at the Lunar Rendezvous Website Couture,” will be Tuesday, July 21 beginning at and they can call me directly if they have any 10:30 a.m. at the San Luis Convention Center, 5600 questions at 281-414-8268,” Lee says.

Seawall Blvd in Galveston. The fabulous Lenny Matuszewski, Jr. will once again be producing The Spa Gold Event is on the calendar for the most anticipated fashion show of the year.

Thursday, July 16 beginning at 6 p.m. at Oasis Various local boutiques including: mommie chic Salon and Medispa at 1015 Medical Center Blvd. in & me, Clotheshorse, Adelaide’s, Tootsies, Dillard’s Webster. Tickets are limited, and this is expected to and Jill’s Fashions, Lewis Jewelers and Tina’s on be a sold out event. Classic Treatment tickets begin the Strand will feature the latest fashions. Tickets at $100 and VIP tickets are $300. Only 25 VIP tickets begin at $75 and can be purchased at www. will be sold. Tickets may be purchased at www. lunarrendezvous.org. lunarrendezvous.org The Coronation Ball will be held Saturday, The Sunset Service Saturday, July 19 at 6 p.m., July 25 beginning at 5 p.m. also at the San Luis will be held at the Clear Creek Community Church Convention Center in Galveston, where a new at 16743 Diana Lane in Clear Lake City. Festival Lunar Rendezvous queen will be crowned. Tickets King Jerry Ross will be the guest speaker for this begin at $125 and can be purchased at www. special event. The Lunar Rendezvous Golden lunarrendezvous.org.

Jubilee Court members also will be presenting their JULY 2015 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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The Clear Creek ISD Robonauts celebrate after winning the 2015 World Championship.

CCISD Robonauts are World Champs

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ore than 18,000 students from around the globe traveled to St. Louis, Mo., to put their engineering skills to the test at the annual FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship including a high school team representing Clear Creek ISD. When the final competition was done April 25, CCISD’s Robonauts and their robot “Empire” along with their Alliance partners from Davis, Clovis, and Palmdale, Calif., won the

coveted FIRST Robotics Competition Championship and were crowned Alliance World Champs.

This year’s challenge, “Recycle Rush,” was to build a robot that could lift boxes onto each other and top it off with a recycling bin while students tried to have their robot throw pool noodles at the opposing teams’ robots.

Competing Alliances scored points by stacking totes on scoring platforms, capping those stacks with recycling containers, and properly disposing of pool noodles, representing litter. The

CCISD Board Trustee Dee Scott Retires

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ongtime Clear Creek School

Board Trustee Dee Scott decided not to run for re-election for the seat she held since 2005. “It has been an honor to serve this exceptional school district where every child matters and every voice is heard,” she said. “I leave with wonderful memories and plan to still be heavily involved in our community’s education of children.”

In her nearly a decade on the school board, Scott has been instrumental in spearheading community service

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

four-day event came down to a heartpounding conclusion Saturday night in front of a roaring crowd of more than 40,000.

CCISD students and staff along with NASA-Johnson Space Center mentors worked late nights perfecting their winning strategy. The team with students from Clear Brook, Clear Creek, Clear Falls, Clear Lake and Clear Springs High Schools and Clear Horizons Early College High, pulled together with passion, enthusiasm, and vision. After being seeded first

projects to benefit the district’s most at-risk students, whether it was the launch of the highly successful Leaders Make Readers program at League City Elementary, Ross Elementary and Stewart Elementary School or drumming up dollars to ensure students at Clear View High School had graduation gowns for the special day.

Since her election in 2005, Scott has supported the need for new school buildings to house a growing population, voted for innovative programs to meet the workforce needs in this community and across the globe, and created and nurtured relationships with local and state elected officials to develop educationfriendly policy.

and winning the Newton division, the Robonauts headed into Einstein (final round) with teams 1678, the Citrus Circuits, 1671, the Buchanan Bird Brains, and 5012, the Gryffingears as alliance partners.

On arrival back home, Clear Creek ISD officials congratulated the Robonauts on “a fantastic season and for winning the 2015 World Championship.”

During her last general school board meeting on April 27, fellow school board members and the superintendent recognized and thanked Dee Scott for leading the way in CCISD. She told the crowd that while she will no longer be technically on the school board, she will still be heavily involved in the schools.

“The Clear Creek Independent School District Board of Trustees is a cohesive group of men and women committed to serving the needs of children and dreaming big for the future. While each school board member has their strengths, I think we would all agree Dee was our team mom,” Superintendent of Schools Greg Smith said.

Jay Cunningham and Trent Martin ran for the District 5 trustee position.

TAKE HOME TIMBER TODAY!

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ay Area Pet Adoptions

presents three-year-old shepherd-mix Timber. His handlers call him “Mr. T” because he’s solid, strong and has a heart of gold. Timber LOVES to fetch tennis balls and values them more than any treat! Romping in the water is a lot of fun for him, too. Timber is a quick learner and has mastered basic leash walking, sit and stay. Given his strength, his ideal forever family would be empty-nesters who love big dogs as he is too powerful for children. Naturally, Timber would prefer to be the only pet!

Check out all the deserving dogs

and cats available for adoption at www.bayareapetadoptions.org or visit the facility at 3000 Avenue R, San Leon. The shelter is open every day except Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Some adoptable cats can be seen daily at League City’s PetSmart (1921 Gulf FWY South in Dickinson). Dogs and more cats are shown at PetSmart on Saturdays 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sundays noon - 4 p.m. Bay Area Pet Adoptions is this area’s only nonprofit, No-Kill shelter, pet rescue, and adoption organization. Please visit our website if you wish to donate or volunteer.

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Photo by Mary Alys Cherry

New Exhibit Challenges Visitors with Race into Deep Space

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rain for a mission to Mars, maneuver a rover and catch a star in Space Center Houston’s summer exhibit, “Space: A Journey to Our Future,” which will be here through Sept. 7.

“Visitors will walk inside a ‘Mars base camp’ and build their own first human colonies,” said Richard Allen Jr., president and CEO of the nonprofit, educationally focused space museum. “This immersive summer exhibit will bring visitors from humanity’s past heroic achievements through today’s exciting discoveries and on to the excitement of Mars exploration.”

Mars is a rich destination for scientific discovery. Visitors will learn about NASA’s plans to send humans and robots into deep space to the Red Planet through hands-on

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interactive displays, including how to plan, design and even pack for a trip to Mars. Visitors can touch a Mars rock and train like an astronaut in the exhibit, which is produced by Evergreen Exhibitions and presented

Visitors will discover new facets of the galaxy in the interactive game, “Shooting Stars.” Using laser technology, they can explore the universe with a hand-held telescope and learn about the next-generation

“In this exhibit, visitors will meet today’s explorers who seek to understand more about our planet and discover what life may exist beyond Earth.” in educational collaboration with NASA. Astronauts are required to exercise at least two hours a day in space to prevent muscle and bone loss due to microgravity on long missions. Guests will experience space exercise through a spin on a centrifuge that is powered like a bicycle.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope.

In this exhibit, visitors will meet today’s explorers who seek to understand more about our planet and discover what life may exist beyond Earth. Visitors will engage in problem-solving skills and will be reminded that through dreaming

“Space: A Journey to Our Future” is the name of the new Space Center Houston exhibit, which will be here until Sept. 7. Guests experience space exercise through a spin on a centrifuge that is powered like a bicycle.

and exploration, we can expand our presence in the universe.

Later this year, the next landmark event at the nonprofit is the opening of the shuttle carrier aircraft and shuttle replica exhibit complex, “Independence Plaza.” The new complex will be the only one of its kind with educational displays focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Tickets at the door range from $18.95 for children to $23.95 for adults with discounts for seniors and active military. Purchase a Space Center Houston membership for as little as $26.95 and return free as often as you like during the year with free parking, special events and much more. For more information on Space Center Houston, visit www.spacecenter.org

Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Scott Bockart, from left, announces that the CCISD Secondary Volunteer of the Year is Debbie Davis of Bayside Intermediate as teachers Marie Yancey and Julie Edwards and Bayside Principal Joey Thomas add their congratulations.

CCISD honors community volunteers

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s the school year drew to

a close, the Clear Creek School District brought together hundreds of community partners and volunteers who dedicate their time, talent and treasure to boost and support the district’s more than 41,000 students throughout the year. Space Center Houston was the perfect setting for the breakfast celebration to honor a community of volunteers that goes Above and Beyond in all that they do for the region’s future leaders.

Superintendent Dr. Greg Smith opened the program by sharing a community impact report which highlighted successes achieved throughout the year in CCISD, many of which were made possible by businesses, mentors and volunteers. He then announced the 2015 Community Partner of the Year, the CCISD Automotive Technology Advisory Board.

“The district’s Automotive Technology Program is a shining example of success in reaching our goal of ensuring our students are college and/or career ready by the time they graduate,” he said, going on to explain how Advisory Board members lend their experience, resources and, most importantly, real-world opportunities to students, building the bridge from high school to a career.

Automotive Technology Advisory Board members also invested countless hours to help the program acquire and maintain the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation certification, mentoring students in their businesses, and providing input on best practices to bring the curriculum to life.

Members also offer paid internships for students, and in some cases, have even provided assistance with college tuition.

The following are members of the CCISD Automotive Technology Advisory Board who were recognized: Automotive Youth Education Systems: Ric Menard Clear Lake Body Shop: Charlie Ruhl McRee Ford: Tedio Alameda, and Tim Allen Meeks Outboard Service: Steve Hicks Norman Frede Chevrolet: Chance Cartwright, Clarence Sklenarik, Dan Kennedy, Eddie Cox, Joan McKinney, John Barrow, Lawrence Sklenarik, Steven Stacy, and Trever Craigie Ron Carter Autoland: Donna CanalesSchaffner, Alan Martin, Bill Sexton, Kevin Smith, and Larry Volkman Ron Carter CJD: Lance Lurker Ron Carter Clear Lake: Jeff Dach San Jacinto College: Mark Deschner, Matt Hardy, and Tom Hameka Snap On Tools: Benjy Lapp Taylor Automotive: Cindy Taylor and Frankie Taylor UYL: Larry Bruggman CCISD Transportation: Dean Lewis, Robert Frieda, and Mike Le Grand CCISD Instructor: Mike Hedger CCISD Career Specialist: Kathleen Gandin The Elementary and Secondary Volunteers of the Year were then announced from a pool of 44 campus volunteers who were each nominated by the school they primarily support.

North Pointe Elementary School was named the Volunteer Champion Campus as it collectively logged the most volunteer hours in CCISD this school year.

Assistant Marketing Director Eva de Cardenas, from left, North Pointe Campus Volunteer of the Year Kirsten French and Principal Kelly Mooney celebrate North Pointe Elementary School’s selection as the Volunteer Champion Campus while they collectively logged the most volunteer hours in CCISD this school year.

CCISD Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education Holly Hughes, from left, announces that Norma Herrera of McWhirter Elementary is the Elementary Volunteer of the Year as McWhirter Principal Dr. Michael Marquez looks on.

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Young Cooks Bring Gourmet Food to Clear Creek ISD Food Challenge

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he culinary classroom

at Victory Lakes Intermediate was a flurry of activity as elementary, intermediate and high school students joined together for the first ever Clear Creek ISD Food Challenge. The event was not only a way for students to show off their cooking skills, but an opportunity for them to cooperate with students outside their own school.

After watching the Food Network with his family, Victory Lakes Intermediate Principal Adam Douglas thought that a food event would be a great collaboration between the schools that comprise his campus’ PK-12 Community. After consulting with Vocational Instructor Darlene Schlitzberger and discussing the idea with culinary students, the CCISD Food Challenge was born.

Schlitzberger contacted Victory Lakes’ feeder elementary schools, Bauerschlag Elementary and Parr Elementary, as well as the Culinary Arts program at Clear Springs High School. Each school chose six students to participate. The students met to determine the two teams, each with three sections consisting of an elementary, intermediate and high school student, and the menu for the competition.

Teams were tasked with preparing an appetizer, entrée and dessert, all with an Italian theme. After their recipes were created, the students met again to practice cooking their meals

in the allotted time.

“The teams created their different plates and we all had a great time tasting the end products,” Schlitzberger said. “They learned that time management was very important.”

On the evening of the event, family and friends gathered to watch the contest. The stage was occupied with five “celebrity” judges: Jeanette Johnson, Space Center Intermediate culinary instructor; Ann Martinez, Victory Lakes Intermediate science teacher; Chef Kathleen Roussel, Clear Springs CCISD students Colt Schultz, Ihsaan Muhammod and Avery Douglas, from left, team up to High School culinary create a tasty culinary delight. instructor; Marty Stout, Johnson & Wales University admission culinary expertise. “The most obvious CCISD’s PK-12 Communities representative; and Fred Walker, thing they gained was teamwork,” is a program, comprised of both CCISD Director of Child Nutrition Schlitzberger said. “Skills such as elementary and secondary campuses, Services. cutting herbs, combining ingredients designed to encourage cooperation Each offering was presented to the and using appliances were secondary and strengthen connections between judges by the students who prepared to the strong bonds made between all schools. These communities, based it and was critiqued on taste, plating, the students.” on feeder patterns and the larger cooking skills demonstrated and The event was a hit with students, communities that are served by these creativity. In the end, Team Awesome parents and teachers. Plans are schools, communicate and collaborate edged out Team Buongustaio for the already underway for next year’s with each other regarding school inaugural title. event and the organizers hope to activities and programs, shared events While the students, ranging in age include more schools and community and possible partnerships. from 8 to 18 years, enjoyed their time partners. in the kitchen, they learned more than

UHCL Doctors of Education The UH-Clear Lake’s School of Education awarded 16 Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership degrees during its May Commencement Ceremony at NRG Arena. The candidates were members of the seventh cohort to graduate since the Educational Leadership doctoral program launched in January 2007. Pictured are Nicole Zwahr, Linda Corbin, Nancy Allen, Romulo Crespo, Vicki Villarreal, Sharon Kempf, William Rhodes, Sanee Bell, Kristine Kimbark, Alejandro Gonzalez, Robert Lawing, Tiffany Unruh, Cephas Archie, Edith Milovanovic. Not pictured: Antonio Corrales and Kathy Dupree.

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Number of CCISD grads climbs pass 3,000 mark

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total of 3,047 students

graduated from Clear Creek ISD schools this June with Clear Lake High having the largest graduating class -638 receiving diplomas -- and Clear View the smallest with 75 graduates.

Clear Horizons Early College High School presented diplomas to 92 seniors, most of whom also received their associate’s degree after completing two years of college at San Jacinto College while still in high school.

• • • • • • • •

Clear Horizons High Clear View High Clear Brook High Clear Creek High Clear Falls High Clear Lake High Clear Springs High Total CCISD grads

92 75 585 566 575 638 516 3,047

Top 2015 graduates at each school were:  Clear View High: Valedictorian, Sarah Smith; Salutatorian, Conrad Restemyer.  Clear Springs High: Valedictorian, Sarah Smith; Salutatorian, Kunqian Li.  Clear Horizons High: Valedictorian, Rama Imad; Salutatorian, Trong Nguyen.  Clear Falls High: Valedictorian, Griffin Glenn; Salutatorian, Lyndsey Reynolds.  Clear Creek High: Valedictorian, Ashton Duke; Salutatorian, Jenan Taha.  Clear Brook High: Valedictorian, Christine Tang; Salutatorian, Cynthia Chu  Clear Lake High: Valedictorian, Denise Kwong; Salutatorian, Perry Alagappan.

ATHENA LEADERSHIP AWARDS Athena Leadership Award winner Anita Fogtman, right, is presented the trophy by League City Regional Chamber Chairman Bonnie Lem during the annual luncheon at Lakewood Yacht Club. Other nominees for the award were Johnnie Schaper, Sue Rightly, Jill Kaiser, Doreen Hughes, Jean Foty and Teri Goodman.

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New Bay Area Rehabilitation Hospital in Webster.

Medistar Completes Construction of Rehabilitation Hospital in Webster

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edistar Corporation

has completed construction of the new Bay Area Rehabilitation Hospital in Webster. Located on the southeast corner of Medical Center Boulevard and Highway 3, this 53,514 square foot, 45-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility complements the full-service medical and surgery services provided by Bay Area Regional Medical Center.

Further enhancing the City of Webster as “the Medical Center of the South,” Bay Area Rehabilitation Hospital is operated by Post Acute Medical, headquartered in Enola, Pa. Led by President and CEO Anthony F. Misitano, PAM is a leading provider nationwide of health and patient services for Long-Term Acute Care, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Outpatient Rehabilitation, Residential Brain Injury and Comprehensive Wound Care.

In addition to comprehensive inpatient and outpatient physical therapies, the new rehabilitation hospital features a specially designed unit for the treatment needs of individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injury, stroke or neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease.

“Integral to all facets of our operations is strong physician leadership, which drives quality in all

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

aspects of patient care,” Misitano said.

The completion of the rehabilitation hospital continues Medistar’s longstanding partnerships with operators of modern post-acute healthcare facilities, including the recently completed Heartland Rehabilitation Hospital (45-bed IRF in Overland Park, Kan.) and Landmark Hospital of Savannah (50-bed longterm acute care hospital in Savannah, Ga.).

“Providing quality post-acute care for Bay Area seniors is the highest priority for Mr. Misitano and his organization. With the opening of Bay Area Rehabilitation Hospital, the best and most modern resources are available to PAM to deliver unparalleled levels of care and service,” said Medistar’s founder and CEO, Monzer Hourani.

Cobalt Medical Development co-developed the real estate with Medistar and is co-owner of the operations with Post Acute Medical.

Medistar is a full-service medical real estate development company that primarily specializes in the design, development, financing, acquisition and construction of acute care hospitals, post-acute care hospitals, medical office buildings and related facilities for the healthcare industry nationwide. For more information, visit www.MedistarCorp.com

An Unlikely FatherSon Adventure

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heart attack was the last thing on their list of family fun Jerry Brawner woke up at 3 a.m. on a Monday with what felt like severe indigestion.

By the time 4 o’clock rolled around, it had only gotten worse, and he knew something was wrong. A single father, he woke his 9-yearold son, Jesse, and told him to pack a backpack while he called an ambulance “Come on, buddy, we’re going on an adventure,” he said.

Once the paramedics arrived, Jerry explained, “They hooked me up and said, ‘yeah, you’re having a heart attack.’” At 45, Jerry didn’t expect anything like this on what should have been just another normal Monday morning. “What’s scary,” he continued, “is that as soon as they tell you that, you know, your life flashes in front of your eyes and your adrenaline starts pumping. I’ve got a 9-year-old …There’s nobody else who lives down here with me. I’ve got nobody for him.”

Jesse rode along in the front seat of the ambulance as his father was attended to in the back. When they arrived at Houston Methodist St. John Hospital, Jesse waited with the ER staff as the doctors saved his dad’s life.

WHAT HAPPENED? Jerry had suffered a STEMI, or ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. This potentially lethal

type of heart attack occurs when a blood clot cuts all or part of the heart off from its blood supply. The lack of oxygen in the heart can cause muscle injury or death. STEMIs strike a quarter-million people every year.

STEMIs typically present initially as heartburn, and the pain may radiate outward from there. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, lightheadedness, nausea, weakness and palpitations.

WHAT CAUSES STEMIS? Dr. Palur Balakrishnan, who treated Jerry, said, “Myocardial infarctions can result as complications from other infirmities, including diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. Smoking, lack of exercise and even stress can also precipitate a STEMI.” He continued, “Due to the nature of these causes, many STEMIs can be prevented with a healthy diet and exercise.”

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Jerry has been making an effort to adopt a healthier lifestyle and has been back to Houston Methodist St. John as he gets healthier. Jesse said, “I feel like my dad is a new person now. He eats a lot healthier, and he doesn’t eat as much, and he’s losing weight.”

With the help of the team at Houston Methodist, Jerry is on the road to recovery and a healthier lifestyle.

Jerry Brawner and his son, Jess.

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Oasis Salon & MediSpa Hosts Lunar Rendezvous Spa Night 2015 Thursday, July 16 6:30 - 9 p.m.

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asis Salon and MediSpa

celebrated its four year anniversary last month and has dominated the Bay Area market for the past three years, collecting Best of the Bay Awards in both Salon and Spa services.

Oasis has made its mark by honing in on one-stop-shop mentality by meeting the demands of all clients.

They have always understood the importance of modeling a business plan that would take care of everyday beauty needs, as well as medical grade beauty treatments.

Todd W. Adam, M.D. and Melissa Adam are the founders and owners of Coastal Plastic Surgery and Oasis Salon and MediSpa. They have taken customer service to another level by saturating the everyday spa experience with a medical precision that exudes luxury with top notch bed side manner. Oasis turns clients into a friends that then become family.

One of the biggest assets of Oasis is the wonderful ambiance created by salon, spa and skincare staff that are passionate about their trade. This year, Oasis is excited to announce that it will host its second annual Lunar Rendezvous Spa Night in July. Spa Night was introduced in Lunar’s Calendar of Events in 2014 and is well on its way to becoming

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

a Festival event favorite. Spa Night offers the Bay Area community the opportunity to gather together and indulge in pampering services such as manicures, massages, make up consultations, as well as VIP medical grade services.

To learn more or inquire about the list of services that Oasis Salon and Medi Spa offers, visit them at www.oasisclearlake.com or call 281.316.8888. For Spa Night info visit, www.lunarrendezvous.org/ events.php This event sells out quickly and this year will be no exception. Come join in the fun and help raise money that is distributed back into the Bay Area community!

Advertise in the Bay Area’s most widely seen and read publication:

281-474-5875 •r.clapp@baygroupmedia.com JULY 2015 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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B AY A R E A H O U S T O N M A G A Z I N E

C OV E R PA RT Y May 21, 2015 Amadeus Italian Restaurant & Piano Bar Photography by Hal Bushnell

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San Luis Resort. For tickets, which are $75 and up, visit the website, lunarrendezvous.org

CLEAR LAKE UHCL registration open. The University of Houston-Clear Lake is currently holding open registration for new and returning students with late registration Aug. 22-31 for the fall 2015 semester. Classes will begin Aug. 24. Find course schedules by visiting www.uhcl.edu/academics and following the “Class Schedule” tab.

On July 17 and 25, 10 a.m. – noon, the university will host a Hawk Adventure in the Student Services and Classroom Building Lobby -- an admissions event designed for prospective freshman and sophomore students that features informational sessions about financial aid, course registration and academic expectations and a tour of the 524-acre campus. To register, call the Office of Admissions at 281-283-2500 or visit www.uhcl.edu/hawkadventure E-Waste Collection July 11. The City of Houston will hold its monthly collection of electronic waste for Clear Lake City residents from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at Ellington Field. Items accepted include computers, servers, keyboards, mice, laptops, game consoles, monitors, printers, copiers, scanners, fax machines, car batteries, telephones, cell phones, cords cables, cameras, etc.

Festival Dining Event July 12. Lunar Rendezvous will host its annual Dining Event Sunday, July 12, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Tommy’s, 2555 Bay Area Blvd.

For tickets, which are $75 for open seating and $100 for VIP seating, visit lunarrendezvous.org Welcome Neighbors July 16. The Bay Area Welcome Neighbors Club will host its monthly program and luncheon Thursday, July 17, at Bay Oaks Country Club. Established in 1978, the club, which meets for lunch on the third Thursdays of each month, has 13 interest groups for members, such as Bridge, Bunco, Dining Divas, Book Club and Movies, to name a few.

To join the fun, contact Nancy Guthrie at 281-333-3055 or visit the website, www.bawnc.org Honeywell 5K Run July 18. Lunar Rendezvous’ annual Honeywell 5K Run/Walk will start at 7:30 a.m.

Saturday, July 18, at Space Center Houston with packet pickup at 7 a.m.

Entry fee is $20. Visit the website lunarrendezvous.org to register. For more information on sponsorship or

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underwriting this event, call Chairman Jay Lee at 281-480-5388.

Sunset Service July 19. The Lunar Rendezvous Festival Sunset Service will be held Sunday, July 19, at 6 p.m. at Clear Creek Community Church, 16743 Diana Lane. The King, astronaut Jerry Ross, will be the guest speaker and the Lunar Rendezvous Golden Jubilee Court will present their service projects. Admission is free and the entire community is welcome.

Chamber luncheon July 29. Pct.8 Constable Phil Sandlin and Capt. Jeff Lamar will be the speakers for the Clear Lake Area Chamber Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 29 at Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook.

Their topic will be “What it Takes to be a Cop.” For reservations, call the chamber, 281-488-7676.

Genealogical meeting July 31. Bay Area Genealogical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Friday, July 31 on the Second Floor of University Baptist Church, 16106 Middlebrook Drive to hear Michael McCown discuss research strategies using DNA test results.

A seminar also is scheduled July 11.

For more information, visit www.

TxBayAreaGen.org or call Kim Zrubek at 281-992-2636. The public is invited.

DICKINSON At Harbour Playhouse. The musical comedy Little Mary Sunshine is next up at the Bay Area Harbour Playhouse, 3803 Highway 3, with curtains at 8 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays and matinees at 2:30 p.m. Sundays starting Friday, July 10 and continuing through Sunday, Aug. 2. Tickets are $17 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. For reservations, call 281-337-7469 or email www.harbourplayhouse.com

GALVESTON Sinbad at The Grand July 11. The internationally acclaimed actor, comedian and author Sinbad, will take the stage at The Grand 1894 Opera House at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11, for his hilarious performance. For tickets, call 800-821-1894 or visit www. thegrand.com Fashion extravaganza July 22. The 50th annual Lunar Rendezvous Festival Fashion Show will start at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 21, at the Galveston Island Convention Center at the

Bay Area Houston Magazine | JULY 2015

Coronation Ball July 25. The 2014 Lunar Rendezvous Festival will conclude with the 50th annual Lunar Rendezvous Coronation Ball, starting at 5 p.m. and featuring the crowning of a new festival queen at the Galveston Island Convention Center at the San Luis Resort overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. For tickets to the black-tie ball, which are $125, visit the website, lunarrendezvous.org Patti LaBelle at The Grand Aug. 2.

The long-awaited debut of An Evening With Patti LaBelle will be Sunday, Aug. 2, at 7 p.m. For tickets, call 800-821-1894 or visit www. thegrand.com

LEAGUE CITY Museum gala July 11. Butler Longhorn Museum will host its 5th annual fundraiser, the “Boot Scootin’ Longhorn Social,” at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at South Shore Harbour Resort with proceeds benefitting the museum.

The event will include various entertainment, live and silent auctions, dancing, live music, plus a casino.

Tickets are $60 until July 6, when they become $75. Tickets and sponsorships are available by calling the museum, 281-332-1393. Volunteers are needed.

NASSAU BAY July 4 celebration. Nassau Bay’s Fourth of July celebration for residents is scheduled from 6 to 10 p.m. and will include a parade and fireworks.

Shakespeare in the Summer. The Clear Creek Community Theatre continues its “Shakespeare in the Summer” series with a modern retelling of The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, which opens July 23 at the theatre on Upper Bay Road. For tickets, call the CCCT reservation line, 281-3355228.

PASADENA Saturday Breakfast on the Bayou.

Enjoy a leisurely morning breakfast of pastries, juice and coffee while cruising down the bayou from 8 to 9:30 on Saturdays during Armand Bayou Nature Center’s Breakfast on the Bayou. The nature center’s pontoon boat will pick you up at the Bay Area Park boat launch, 7500 Bay Area Blvd. (not at the nature center). Reservations required. Ages: 5 – Adult. Cost is $25 for adults, $20 for children and seniors; $5 less for members. Call 281-474-2551 for reservations.

PEARLAND Chamber party July 10. Pearland Chamber members and their families will gather for a Party on the Patio in

their honor from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at The Commerce Center, 6117 Broadway St. Free. For additional information, contact Jim Johnson, 281485-3634.

UHCL Open House July 11. UHClear Lake’s Pearland Campus, 1200 Pearland Parkway, will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 11, for prospective students to learn about its academic offerings. For more information or to register, call the admissions office, 281-283-2500 or visit www.uhcl.edu/ pearlandopen

SEABROOK July 4th parade. Seabrook will host its annual 4th of July Kid’s Parade at Meador Park Saturday, July 4th, starting at 10 a.m. Kids of all ages are invited to walk the Meador Park Trail wearing their red, white and blue. After the parade, there will food and games for the entire family. Kids who attend will receive a free Pelican Bay pool voucher good for the rest of the day.

Christmas in July on tap. The annual Christmas in July Holiday Antiques, Arts and Crafts Market will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, July 10, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, where Rudy’s barbecue will be offered and a kid’s zone. For information, call 281-3262955.

Communities That Cook July 21.

Instead of Men Who Cook, the League City Regional Chamber will host Communities That Cook Tuesday, July 21 at Lakewood Yacht Club, from 6 to 9 p.m., allowing both men and women to cook. Tickets to the event are $30. For details, call the chamber, 281-338-7339.

TEXAS CITY Musical comedy at COM July 16.

College of the Mainland Community Theatre, 1200 Amburn Road, will present Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown July 16 – Aug. 2 with performances at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m.

Sundays. Tickets, which range in price from $11 to $23, may be reserved by calling 888-258-8859, ext. 8345.

WEBSTER July 4 celebration. Webster residents will gather at Texas Avenue Park, 17100 N. Texas Ave., at 5 p.m. to celebrate the 4th. Activities will include a veterans ceremony, Webster Police Dept. K-9 demos, Taekwondo demos, laser tag, bingo, entertainers, inflatables, concessions, games, and free watermelon and snow cones, plus a riveting fireworks show at 9:15 p.m.

Alcohol and dogs are not allowed in the park.