Bay Area Houston Magazine October 2014

LEADING AND INFORMING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1999

October 2014 www.BayAreaHoustonMag.com

Today’s Lee College Training skilled workers for great careers on the Texas Gulf Coast

In this issue:

100 Years of The Houston Ship Channel Maritime Education at San Jacinto College Remodeling with the Power of Paint Fighting Against Breast Cancer Panhellenic Style Show Marks 30 Years

features

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ON THE COVER A panoramic view of Baytown, where Lee College is meeting the workforce challenge created by a fast growing economy.

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President & Chairman Rick Clapp Publisher & Editor in Chief Mary Alys Cherry Executive Vice President Patty Kane Vice President & Creative Director Brandon Rowan Graphic Designer Kelly Groce Sales & Marketing Shannon Alexander Debbie Salisbury

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Editorial Don Armstrong Mary Alys Cherry Rod Evans Michael Gos Capt. Joe Kent Betha Merit Cathy Osoria Pat Patton Jarred Roberts Dr. Edward Reitman

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Distribution Tim Shinkle Company 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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NASA Awards Contracts

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It’s Almost Time to Vote

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Abdul Al-Sahli

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100 Years of the Houston Ship Channel

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Today’s Lee College

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2014 Petrochemical & Maritime Outlook Conference

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Super Chef David Coffman

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Fighting Breast Cancer

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Space Center Rotary’s Shrimporee

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UHCL Austim Center Offers Hope

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Main Events

Our roads need your vote The white coat syndrome Boeing, SpaceX win commercial crew contracts Get your ducks in a row before Nov. 4 League City resident runs for City Council Numerous achievements in commerce and development Building a pipeline to great careers

Robust economic growth forecasted Coffman now at Cullen’s in Houston Stand up for breast cancer awareness Rotarians cook up a feast Oct. 25 CADD aids parents of autistic children Premier events in Bay Area Houston this month

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Movers & Shakers

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Clear Lake Chatter

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Texas Meditations

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The Admiral’s Log

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Home Sweet Home

Mayor Timothy Paulissen Panhellenic style show to mark 30th year On language Changing weather patterns and fishing The power of paint

50 CLICK!

Trop Rock House Concert

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

On My Mind

columns

Digital Strategy Consultant Pierr Castillo Photography Mary Alys Cherry Brian Stewart

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

OCTOBER 2014

Our roads need your vote

Education Foundation plans to honor Jamieson Mackay as Citizen of the Year

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he Clear Creek Education Foundation will honor an elite group of individuals who continually serve and represent the Clear Creek ISD at its 2014 gala.

The annual gala will be held Saturday, Nov. 1, at South Shore Harbour Resort in League City.

Executive Director Kaci Hanson said the Foundation considered numerous nominations from the community in selecting this year’s award winners.

All have accepted and plan to attend the CCEF gala. The winners are: n George B. Carlisle Distinguished Service Award for consistent demonstration of commitment to CCISD over time: • Dr. Sandra Mossman

By Mary Alys Cherry

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exas is growing by leaps

and bounds – 1,200 people each day – and our roads are not keeping pace. In fact, the Texas Department of Transportation is $5 billion short of what it needs annually.

That’s where you come in. Texas needs your approval of Proposition 1 when you vote on Nov. 4.

What is Prop 1? It’s a state constitutional amendment approved by the Texas Legislature that would authorize disbursement from the state’s oil and gas production tax collections to the state highway fund. An estimated $1.7 billion would be transferred in the first year alone, according to the state comptroller. A few facts you should know about Prop 1:  The funds can only be used for new construction and preservation of the Texas highway system.  The funds cannot be used for toll roads.  Prop 1 will not raise taxes or fees on citizens or businesses.  It will reduce congestion.  It will create more jobs.  It will improve safety.  It will not create any new debt.  Prop 1 also requires TxDOT to identify $100 million in savings.  It begins to pay down the state’s debt.

The funds, distributed annually, will help TxDOT provide infrastructure to

maintain a strong business climate and keep up with the growing population, job creation and economy — providing a critical first step in addressing Texas’ transportation needs.

The state gas tax is 20 cents per gallon. That has not changed since 1991 and 5 cents of that goes to education. As motor vehicles get better and better gas mileage, the amount of gas tax funds has dwindled as the cost of building roads has doubled.

The 2030 Committee – a group of business, academic and civic leaders – determined that the state needs to invest $315 billion over the next 20 years just to keep up with current congestion and maintenance levels.

Based on its current funding levels, the transportation agency has indicated it is $5 billion short in trying to meet the state’s needs. This despite the fact the average Texas driver pays $9.52 a month in state fuel taxes and another $50-$55 in registration fees.

Meanwhile, voter-approved financing of roads through bonds is nearing capacity, and the state is working hard to reduce public debt.

Your help is needed – your approval of Prop 1, which you’ll find at the end of your Nov. 4 ballot.

Mary Alys Cherry Editor in Chief

n Distinguished Alumni Award, presented to CCISD alumni who are now accomplished professionals: • Catherine A. Sliva • Dr. C. Lynn Davis, DDS • Caycee Black • Case Scaglione n Valor Award in honor of a public servant (military, police, fire, etc.) who has gone above and beyond the call of duty: • Col. Eugenia K. Guilmartin n CCISD Superstar Award, bestowed on individuals who support and enhance CCISD whether alumni or not: • Melinda and John Wycoff • Dr. Cynthia Castille, DDS n Dennis Johnson Memorial Small Business Award, presented to a small business owner within CCISD who demonstrates an unwavering commitment to the district through active participation in multiple activities: • Sharon and Tony Bloomfield – Texas Roadhouse, Friendswood. n Citizen of the Year recognized by the CCISD Board of Trustees and CCEF goes to an outstanding member of the community who consistently demonstrates commitment to CCISD and excellence in public education through volunteer efforts: • Jamieson Mackay The theme of CCEF’s 2014 gala is “You’ve Gotta Have Heart: A Salute to the Heart of Our Community.” Attendees will have the opportunity to visit with the award winners, learn more about the Foundation’s initiatives to support CCISD and enjoy gaming activities.

For more information about the Nov. 1 gala or to purchase tickets to attend, visit the CCEF website or contact Kaci Hanson at 281-284-0031.

Established in 1992, the Clear Creek Education Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization composed of volunteers with a passion for excellence in education and raises funds to enrich academic achievement within CCISD. While the Foundation operates independently of the school district, it is aligned and collaborates closely with CCISD to promote excellence in education.

OCTOBER 2014 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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Market Update

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ew Home Sales are still up 12.3% over a year ago. Other positive notes included the median price of new homes sold was up 2.9% versus a year ago and the average price, up 2.9%. The inventory of new homes grew by 8,000 during the month, still low, but better than it’s been.

The housing recovery is intact, but there are fits and starts we have to be ready for, given that the overall economy forges forward at such a plodding pace.

Mixed news continued with home prices. The FHFA index of prices for homes financed with conforming mortgages was up 0.4% in June and is up 5.2% versus a year ago. But the Case-Shiller home price index for 20 metros was off 0.2%, its first overall dip since early in 2012.The index, however, is still up 8.1% in the past year. More good news: the National Association of Realtors Pending Home Sales index shot up 3.3% in July, hitting its highest level since August 2013.The NAR’s chief economist put this higher contract activity to more favorable housing conditions. He said: “Interest rates are lower than they were a year ago, price growth continues to moderate, and total housing inventory is at its highest level since August 2012.”

Wall Street felt comfortable enough to drive the broadly-based S&P 500 up 3.8% for the month, marking the index’s best

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August since 2000. The Dow was up 3.2% for the four weeks and the tech-heavy Nasdaq jumped 4.8%, showing investors were as upbeat as the surprisingly pleasant summer days.

Durable Goods Orders, excluding transportation, and Personal Spending contracted. Pending Home Sales, Chicago PMI Manufacturing, and Michigan Consumer Sentiment all handily beat expectations. And the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge, Core PCE Prices, was up just 0.1%. Finally, the GDP-2nd Estimate said the economy grew at a 4.2% annual rate in Q2. But it shrank 2.1% in Q1 and just 3% growth is forecast for Q3 and Q4, so economists see only a tepid 2% growth rate for the year.

The bond market is where you found all the investors who thought the negatives coming out of Europe outweighed the U.S. economic positives and dictated a safe-haven bid. The 30YR FNMA 4.0% bond we watch finished the week up .05, to $105.30.

Following the mixed housing news, Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey reported national average fixed mortgage rates little changed for the week ending August 28. Remember, mortgage rates can be extremely volatile, so check with your mortgage professional for up to the minute information.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

DENTAL HEALTH

By Farid Noie DDS, DICOI, FAGD, AFAAID

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hroughout my 20 years of practicing

dentistry, I have encountered numerous cases of fear of dentist. I have eye witnessed the onset of “white coat syndrome” phobia.

Naturally, I have become curious and, at the same time, amazed by this protective mechanism.

A legit fear is a powerful and vital primitive human emotion that plays an important role in keeping us safe. It helps us get out of situations that can potentially harm us. Fear can be classified into two types, biochemical and emotional. The biochemical response is universal, while the emotional response is highly individualized.

Either way, when danger is detected, our brain releases a powerful hormone called Adrenaline into our circulatory system which induces a wide array of responses such as sweating, increased heart rate, and muscle contraction.

This physical response is sometimes known as the “fight or flight” response, in which the body prepares itself to either enter combat or run away. This biochemical reaction is an autonomic response and is crucial to survival. Fear is usually based on a negative personal experience with the matter in question. Sometimes fear is learned from someone else, such as a child who is afraid of the dentist because of his parents’ or friends’ reactions.

While a legit fear is induced by a clear and present danger, emotional fear is normally triggered by perceived or probable danger. This type of fear is not as straight forward as legit fear.

Probable fear is subject to personal interpretation, which is heavily influenced -- not necessarily by facts -- but often by our unique perception of fact. Under normal circumstances, fear can be managed through reason and logic. It will not take over our lives or cause us to act irrational.

While it is useful to drive defensively to avoid accidents, it is harmful to be so worried about getting in a car accident to avoid driving all together. At some point any legit fear can becomes irrational. Many people get nervous at the thought of needles in their mouth. Others shriek at the sight of a mouse. Still some others get woozy when they see blood. Most people learn to manage these fears. But a phobia is an intense emotional fear of something that, in reality, poses little or no actual danger.

Some of the common phobias include fear of dentist, closed-in places, heights, highway driving, flying, insects, snakes and needles. Most phobias develop in childhood, but they can also develop in adults. Many confuse the phobia with the silly and senseless fear and view it in a negative way. This common belief has caused many with phobia to feel ashamed of their condition and either avoid or deny it.

In case of a dental visit, even if you go through with it, you will sweat, shake, cry or have other serious physiological responses. You will likely be miserable during the entire appointment. If your phobia is more severe, you will simply be unable to go. You will go far out of your way to avoid a dental office.

It is important to consider the source. If you have a simple fear, you will not spend much time thinking about that fear. It will only affect you when you are forced to confront it. If you have a phobia, you are likely to develop a fear of fear itself. You may begin to worry that something will happen to trigger your fear. You may start to change your daily routine in an effort to avoid any possible triggers. If you know that you have an upcoming appointment with your dentist, you will likely dwell on it, perhaps obsessively.

You may have trouble sleeping or focusing on important tasks, particularly as the day of

appointment draws closer.

These emotional fears or phobias are highly personalized. Repeated positive exposure to situations that normally lead to phobia, gradually changes the perception of them. This greatly reduces both the fear response, and, over time, results in elation. It also forms the basis of some phobia treatments, which depend on slowly minimizing the fear response by making it feel safe.

In case of phobia of dentist, I have found that performing the necessary dental work under deep conscious sedation can achieve that goal. Many of my patients with severe phobia were able to overcome their emotional fear after several dental treatments under the positive experience of I.V. Sedation.

If you or your loved one is avoiding routine dental check up and essential treatment due to fear of dentist please contact my office at 281-3324700 and schedule a complimentary consultation to determine if I.V. Sedation dentistry is right for you.

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.

OCTOBER 2014 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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Movers &Shakers Name: Timothy Paulissen Occupation: Publisher, League City mayor Hometown: League City Current home: League City Family: Wife, two kids My favorite writer is: No clear favorites

10th Annual Nun Run Coming Up on Oct. 24

By Mary Alys Cherry

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he date has been set for the 10th annual Nun Run from Houston to Galveston, and already dozens are making plans for the annual charity ride benefitting the Christus Foundation on Saturday, Oct. 24, rain or shine.

The run begins at the St. Austin Center, 2002 S. Wayside Drive in Houston and ends at the Lone Star Flight Museum, 2002 Terminal Drive in Galveston. The registration fee is $50 and includes a T-shirt. Sponsors include JSC Space Riders, The Blue Knights, Retreads Motorcycle Clubs and Christian Motorcyclists Association.

The 50-mile, Blue Knights escorted, charity motorcycle ride benefits children from low-income families who are in need of health care. Last year, 15,000 children received medical care from one of the many Christus Foundation for HealthCare programs and clinics that have the mission to Keep Children Healthy.

Registration and breakfast are at 9 a.m. Oct. 24 in Houston with entertainment by Easy Money, followed by the Blessing and Kick Stands Up at 10:30 a.m. Lunch and an awards party are planned at the Flight Museum at noon.

For information and sponsorships, go online to christusfoundation.org

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Someone I’d like to meet: George Bush If I could switch places with someone for just one day, I’d choose: Rick Perry My favorite performers are: Carrie Underwood, Colin Raye

My favorite meal is: Steak As a youngster, I wanted to grow up to be: An architect You’ll never catch me: Skydiving

I like to spend my leisure time: Sailing or wake boarding

The thing that bugs me the most is: The state of the national government

If I could travel any place, I’d go to: New Zealand

My favorite movie is: Dirty Dancing Few people know: I teach Jazzercise

Boeing, SpaceX win Commercial Crew contracts

By Mary Alys Cherry

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ASA took another step toward ferrying its astronauts to the International Space Station Sept. 16, announcing that it was awarding the Commercial Crew contract to two American companies -- Boeing and SpaceX. Boeing was given a $4.2 billion contract and SpaceX was awarded a $2.6 billion pact, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden told the assembled crowd at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 crew capsules will launch from KSC and eventually put an end to the space agency’s reliance on Russia and the $71 million cost per seat.

“From day one, the Obama Administration made clear that the greatest nation on Earth should not be dependent on other nations to get into space,” Bolden said. “Thanks to the leadership of President Obama, the hard work of our NASA and industry teams, and support from Congress, today we are one step closer to launching our astronauts from U.S. soil on American spacecraft and ending the nation’s sole reliance on Russia by 2017.

“Turning over low-Earth orbit transportation to private industry will also allow NASA to focus on an even more ambitious mission – sending humans to Mars,” he added, apparently hopeful they could meet the November 2017 deadline when the current contract with Russia expires.

“Boeing has been part of every American human space flight program, and we’re honored that NASA has chosen us to continue that legacy,” said Boeing Space Exploration Vice President and General Manager John Elbon.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk added, “SpaceX is deeply honored by the trust NASA has placed in us. We welcome today’s decision and the mission it advances with gratitude and seriousness of purpose.”

In making the announcement, NASA officials said the contracts include “at least one crewed flight test per

Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

company with at least one astronaut aboard to verify the fully integrated rocket and spacecraft system can launch, maneuver in orbit, and dock to the space station, as well as validate all its systems perform as expected.”

Once the tests are successfully completed and certified by NASA engineering experts, each contractor will conduct at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the space station. These spacecraft also will serve as a lifeboat for astronauts aboard the station, officials added.

“We are excited to see our industry partners close in on operational flights to the International Space Station, an extraordinary feat industry and the NASA family began just four years ago,” said Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

“This space agency has long been a technology innovator, and now we also can say we are an American business innovator, spurring job creation and opening up new markets to the private sector. The agency and our partners have many important steps to finish, but we have shown we can do the tough work required and excel in ways few would dare to hope.”

NASA said the companies will own and operate the crew transportation systems and be able to sell human space transportation services to other customers in addition to NASA, thereby reducing the costs for all customers.

Why the difference in amounts given the companies?

They were given the amount listed in their proposals, the amount each company felt their system would cost, a spokesman said.

Blue Origin and a Sierra Nevada/Lockheed Martin partnership also competed for the awards.

Photos by Emmeline Dodd and Mary Alys Cherry

Fashion Show Chairman Judge Holly Williamson, right, goes over plans for the Oct. 24 Panhellenic luncheon with Co-Chairman Sandy Records.

Panhellenic members Kathryn Vernau, Sue Ellen Jennings and Karen McCorkle, from left, say they can hardly wait until their Oct. 24 Fall Fashion Show while enjoying their annual Fall Friendship Tea.

Debby Reichert, from left, model coordinator for Clear Lake Panhellenic’s Fall Fashion Show Oct. 24, talks about plans for the event with Decorating Committee members Jill Reason, Michelle Richardson and Ellen King while at the Panhellenic Fall Friendship Tea.

Panhellenic style show to mark its 30th year NOTHING BRINGS out the ladies or gets their attention quite like a fashion show luncheon and one of the Bay Area’s biggest is coming up this month – Clear Lake Panhellenic’s 30th annual fall fashion extravaganza, “Flashback 1964: 50 Years of Style.”

It’s on the calendar for Friday, Oct. 24, at South Shore Harbour Resort.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., guests will gather for a champagne reception to salute Panhellenic’s 50 years of service to the Clear Lake community.

Besides the fashion show, under the direction of Lenny Matuszewski and Panhellenic members showing off fashions by Dillard’s at Baybrook, there also will be a live and silent auction and raffle opportunities.

MARY ALYS CHERRY

Judge Holly Williamson is chairman of the event with Sandy Records as co-chairman and Connie Zieba, Kathryn Vernau, Greta Mee, Laurie Vaughn, Debby Reichert, Claire Peters, Katy Wiley, Diane Overman, Lisa O’Brien, Sue Broughton, Barbara Dickey, Kelli Baliker, Judy Raiford, Michelle

Hostess Jenny Frantz, center, welcomes Lisa O’Brien, left, and Ondi Lyon to her home for the annual Clear Lake Panhellenic Fall Friendship Tea, kicking off the Bay Area’s social season.

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

Richadson, Jill Reason, Ellen King and Jennie Hampton as their top lieutenants.

Many made plans for the event as they gathered Sept. 7 to kick off Clear Lake’s social season at Panhellenic’s annual Fall Friendship Tea at the home of Jenny Frantz.

Fashion show proceeds benefit the Crawford-Zbanek Scholarship Foundation, which awards scholarships to women from local high schools attending Texas universities. The profits also fund the Reba Crawford Scholarship for adult women returning to college.

Additionally, money is sent to many local high schools so girls can attend Texas Bluebonnet Girls’ State. Over

$440,000 has been distributed to area women.

Reservations are $100 for a runway seat and $75 for general seating. For information on seating, e-mail Kelli Baliker at clearlakeareapanhel@gmail. com or call her at 281-488-3943. Make your reservation check out to C-Z Scholarship Foundation and mail to P.O. Box 58355, Webster, Texas 775988355. Seating is limited, so make your reservations early.

Bay Oaks Women kick off season MANY GOT a look at the latest styles Sept. 9 when Bay Oaks Country Club Women’s Association members

Betsy Lake, center, welcomes Houston Symphony League-Bay Area President Jim Moore and Carolyn Murphy to her Brook Forest home in Clear Lake for the wine and cheese reception for prospective members.

Nina McGlashen, left, and Carolyn Stanley were among the many at the Houston Symphony League-Bay Area reception.

Angela Bivens helps her Yorkie buddy get used to the crowd before they modeled in BOWA’s Fall Fashion Show.

kicked off the season with their annual Fall Fashion Show Luncheon.

Among the smiling faces we spotted were Jacque Daley, Lucille Terraso and her daughter, Gia Warner, Mary Callier, Melissa McKinnie, Sue Ellen Jennings, Marilyn Lunney, Jo Nell Hunter, Carol Bobo, Jennie Hampton, Diane Konick, Kay Lee Benoit, Courtney Atchley, Judy Ferguson, Danette Spriggs, Joan Wade and Jennifer Simmons.

As they were all abuzz over the upcoming style show, Hospitality Chairman Carlene Langford and President Annette Dwyer were busy welcoming Mary Smith, Diane Overman, Chris Howland, Amy Schweers, Rita Johnson, Betsy Salbilla, Karen Reed, Erin Melillo, Nan Kimball, Nancy Sanders, Sharon Phelps,Lisa Ramsey, Sue Laabs, Betty Woodhouse, Sandy

Bay Oaks Women’s Association Secretary Sue Broughton, left, and Past President Janet Greenwood, right, are happy to see new mom Jennifer Simmons, also a past president, as they enjoy the Fall Fashion Show Luncheon.

Lantz and Bobbie Moutz while Sharon Dillard, Eileen Hult, Sharon Christman and Ruth Beecher signed them in.

BOWA Vice Presidents Becky Hensley and Cambry Rogers chaired the event which included fall fashions from six area boutiques -- Back Bay Boutique, Casanova’s Downfall, Melinda’s Boutique/Grand Central Station, The Clothes Horse, Adelaide’s and Christina Marie’s – modeled by a number of pretty models, including Lelia Sprague, Grace Cameron, Veronica Hernandez, Mary Colombo, Jennifer Simmons, Lea Bodie and her daughter, Olivia.

ALBA welcomes new members ASSISTANCE LEAGUE members welcomed four new prospective members when Jill Williams

Lammers hosted a reception at her Bay Oaks home.

Jill, who is the new member chairman, and Peggy Heinrich, her co-chairman, joined President Brunella Altemus and President-elect Peggy Clause in welcoming everyone to the event.

Former CL resident on Best Dressed List WHILE MANY Bay Area residents are among Texas’ Best Dressed, none have ever made the International Best Dressed List – that is until a famous former resident did.

She is Her Royal Highness Princess Mary of Denmark, who attended Clear Lake City Elementary School years ago when her father, John Dalgleish Donaldson, came here from Australia to work at the Johnson

Prospective new members of the Assistance League, from left, Cheryl Widner,Valerie Staples, Doreen Nall and Sharon Shung, get together for a photo during reception in their honor at the home of New Member Chairman Jill Williams Lammers.

Model Lelia Sprague tries out the runway at the Bay Oaks Women’s Association’s Fall Fashion Show, in which she later modeled.

Space Center.

The princess, nee Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, is married to Prince Frederick of Denmark and lives in Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.

They have four children including 3-year-old twins.

Good Skipper Luncheon Oct. 3 Boys & Girls Harbor will host its Good Skipper Luncheon at noon Friday, Oct. 3, at Lakewood Yacht Club to honor the 2014 “Good Skippers” -- Keels & Wheels Chairman Bob Fuller and CoChairman Paul Merryman. Tickets for the luncheon are $75 per person or $600 for a table of eight guests.

For more information contact the Harbor Director of Development and Communications Richard Gruen at 713-688-6262, ext. 301.

Assistance League President Brunella Altemus, left, and President-elect Peggy Clause, right, get a warm welcome from hostess Jill Williams as they arrive at her Bay Oaks home in Clear Lake for the league’s new member party.

OCTOBER 2014 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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Gets your ducks in a row: It’s almost time to vote League City Position 1 Dan Becker Jay Ewend Position 2 Tommy Cones Phillip W. Morris

By Mary Alys Cherry

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ircle Nov. 4 on your calendar – the date of the local, state and federal elections.

We all joked in the spring about getting “to vote early and often.” Not so much now. You will still be able to vote early, starting Oct. 20, but only once, unless there is a runoff.

Besides picking a U.S. senator, a new governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general and other state offices, Bay Area voters have a number of local and area elections for legislators, congressional representatives, judges, justices of the peace and other county and city officials.

Voters also will determine the fate of Proposition 1, the constitutional amendment approved by the Legislature which will authorize annual disbursements from the state’s oil and gas production tax collections to the State Highway Fund for badly needed transportation projects.

Both League City and Baytown will be holding city elections Nov. 4. League City Mayor Tim Paulissen is unopposed but each of the four council seats up for election have at least two candidates. None of the three candidates in Baytown have opposition.

Both Seabrook and Pasadena ISD Seabrook have bond propositions on the ballot.

Seabrook’s four bond proposals total $8.5 million and include requests for a new fire engine, technology improvements, parks and recreation improvements with the largest proposal for a Public Works facility and animal shelter. A slight tax increase will be required.

PISD proposes a $175.5 million bond with a zero tax rate increase to expand its Early College High School at Pasadena High to four more high schools – Dobie, Sam Rayburn, Pasadena Memorial and South Houston – graduating about 500-600 students annually with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree.

Early Voting by Mail Ballot began Sept. 5 and ends Oct. 24. Applications must be received and not merely postmarked by this date. Early Voting by Mail applications are requested from and returned to the County Clerk of the county in which the voter is registered.

For a complete list of candidates and issues, visit the websites www.harrisvoterinfo. com or www.galvestonvoterinfo.com or brazoriavoterinfo.com Here’s some of the area’s contested races:

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

Position 6 Keith A. Gross Jason Long Joanna Dawson Position 7 Nick Long Abdul Alsahli County commissioner Precinct 4 Ken Clark (i) – R Robert Hutchins – D State Board of Education, Dist. 7 David Bradley (i) R Kathy King – D Brazoria County Judge Robert Pruett – D Matt Sebesta - R Galveston County Judge Mark Henry (i) William F. Young – I Harris County Judge David B. Collins - G Ed Emmett (i) - R Congress – Dist. 14 Donald Brown – D Randy Weber (i) – R John Wieder – L State Rep. – Dist. 23 Susan Criss – D Wayne Faircloth- R Congress, District 29 Gene Green (i) - D James Stanczak – L Congress, District 36 Brian Babin - R Michael K Cole - D Hal J. Ridley Jr - G Rodney Veach - L State Rep., District 128 Ken Lowder - L Wayne Smith (i) - R State Rep., District 129 John Gay - D Dennis Paul – R State Rep., District 144 Gilbert Pena – R Mary Ann Perez (i) - D

Abdul Al-Sahli for League City’s City Council.

A

bdul Al-Sahli is ready to give

also important to Abdul. Throughout the years he’s assisted and donated to several school functions and part of “paying it back” to League City is Abdul aiming to increase teacher pay.

Another issue important to Abdul is the water shortage. To remedy this Abdul presses teaching basic water conservation and building another water tower, which League City will need to grow.

While Abdul says city council is his chance to “pay it forward,” he’s already been helping out for years. During the month of Ramadan, Abdul puts his previous work experience as a chef to work. He gets up before dawn and cooks for the needy the entire month. With help from his fellow mosque goers from the Islamic Center they feed over 200 to 500 people.

Between family, work and God, Abdul wants to continue the betterment of League City, both new and old. He is a member of the Historical Society of League City, and wants to use his remodeling experience to conserve and restore buildings in the historical area

back to League City and his first step is to join the city council.

Resident of League City since 1997, Abdul is director of Residential and Commercial Remodeling at DE Flooring Granite Remodeling, where he works with his wife, Cindy.

“The city has been great to us and now we need to do our civic duty,” Abdul says.

Part of that duty is to keep the money of League City’s residents within League City. Abdul enjoys going out with his family, but realized he has to spend money Candidate Abdul Al-Sahli with family. out of his town to do so.

Often described as a bedroom community, Abdul doesn’t think League City has to restrict itself. To create more local jobs, revenue and excitement, known as “old League City.”

Abdul will use his business background, building know how and industry “If you forget the past, how can you move forward?” Abdul says. contacts to bring in commercial businesses and streamline the approval process.

It’s partly due to his diverse activities and background that Abdul thinks he It’s not only entertainment Abdul wants to introduce. He wants to increase is a good fit for city council, that he reflects League City. the amount of medical care in the area so citizens don’t have to travel to Clear “We are a very diverse community and we can use these differences to Lake, Pearland, Galveston or Houston. strengthen the city.”

To those who think new businesses could clutter League City Abdul replies, Regardless of who you vote for, Abdul wants everyone to be involved in their “when all that revenue comes in we can aim to lower taxes.” city’s affairs and hopes everyone goes out to vote next month. For more info on With three kids having graduated in Clear Creek School District, education is Abdul check out www.voteabdulalsahli.com

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

TEXAS MEDITATIONS

By Michael Gos

On Language

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

Uvalde, Texas

I

was in Uvalde to watch the World

Gliding Championships. It is a rare opportunity as the championships are held in America only about once every ten years. Lately, when it is in the U.S., it is in Uvalde. I guess it has something to do with the perpetually clear skies, the abundant updrafts caused by the billowy white clouds, and maybe just because Uvalde is big enough to have lots of recreational options for the pilots and crews. With Garner State Park, Leakey and Utopia close by, there is even a lot to do if you want to get out of town. But in spite of all that, Uvalde has a small town feel that make you feel comfortable almost upon arrival. The people are among the friendliest in Texas. I’m proud to call several people there friends.

Watching the gliders cut free from their tow planes and then ride in large circles, climbing higher and higher, I couldn’t help but puzzle over just how they do that. But by the end of the day, I was tired of thinking and famished so I headed to Oasis for dinner. Oasis is a strange combination of a ranch supply store and restaurant and I love the salad bar there. After I filled my plate and sat back down, the waitress brought me my usual pitcher of water (the perfect

antidote to a day in the summer sun) and I thanked her.

Her response: “No problem.”

I thought about that for a while. I can’t count the number of times I have heard that from wait staff in the last year or two. When did this start?

And why? Unlike the traditional and innocuous “thank you,” her response carries a very different, perhaps darker connotation. If you think about it a minute, you realize that it suggests that my request for water may have in some way been problematic. Frankly, it makes me uncomfortable—like I’ve gone beyond the realm of what is a polite request, beyond the normal boundaries of civility. I’m sure that wasn’t what she meant. At least I hope it wasn’t.

Language is a tricky business. The whole concept is a kind of Mobius strip where a language develops as a reflection of the way a society thinks, yet at the same time, language also limits the way in which its speakers can think. Confusing? Let’s take those one at a time.

The Yup’ik Eskimos have 40 words for snow; the Inuits have 53. Those words are not synonyms. Snow is a major part of their lives and those words each identify a different kind of snow. We can see this same

phenomenon on a smaller scale closer to home. I ask students in my Humanities and Linguistics classes to tell me the difference between sleet, hail and freezing rain. Students who have lived in northern latitudes are asked to sit quietly. The native southerners make several guesses, for the most part incorrect, and finally acknowledge that they aren’t sure there even is a difference. Ask the same question to any 12 year old in Michigan or Minnesota and you’ll get the right answers. Why? Because these weather phenomena are not a big issue here in the south. Up north, they are a common part of everyday life.

So our language reflects our lives, our environment and the way we think, but at the same time, it also serves the seemingly contradictory purpose of limiting the way members of society can think. Consider for a minute the placement of adjectives in English and some other languages. In English we put our adjectives before the noun (red wine). In French and Spanish, just to name a couple, that order is reversed (vin rouge).

Try this: Low, long, wide, black, curvy, shiny…

As a listener, I have to remember each of those words until the speaker

decides to give me the noun they modify. And, I have to hope my memory doesn’t fail me before that happens. In French, the process would be very different. I get the noun first—car. Then, when the speaker adds “low,” as the listener, I change the picture in my head to a low car. When the speaker adds “long,” I again modify the picture.

There is nothing to remember and the list of adjectives can go on forever; in these languages the listener just continues modifying the picture in his mind. In English, the length of that list of adjectives is governed by the listener’s memory.

So how does this control our thinking? As speakers of English, we cannot use as many adjectives in our speech. In essence, our language prevents us from being as descriptive, as emotional, as detailed as those who speak French or Spanish. Our language limits our thinking.

Languages are always changing.

If you’ve tried to read Chaucer in Middle English you probably found it hard to pick out even a word or two, and Old English is completely indecipherable to most of us. Could it be that the waiter’s use of “no problem” is just the first stages of an evolution from “you’re welcome?”

That’s a possibility, but if so, I find it interesting to contemplate how such a change reflects the thought processes of our culture today. What does it say about the way we view the world? To say “no problem” suggests that my request for water was, or should have been, problematic, but I was being assured it didn’t turn out that way.

What a relief!

As a culture, have we come to a time where a request for water is unreasonable, or perhaps where a waiter is no longer expected to comply with a reasonable request—

where those requests are a problem?

I’m not sure I like that option.

Instead, I decided I would hope that “no problem” is just a passing fad that will die out under the weight of its own silliness, as have previous common phrases like “you know,” John Denver’s “far out,” and using “like” every fourth word. I’d really hate to think that this bit of language is indeed a reflection of our culture and the way we think.

By the way, I left the waitress a 25 percent tip. I was grading on her service—not her speech impediment.

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Flounder are masters of camouflage but can be spotted in the shallows at night with a lantern or underwater LED light.

They usually make their beds on sand or mud near shell and grass. However, they have been known to lie directly on shell. If you’re gigging this October be sure to use some muscle and hold down firmly if you encounter a flatfish on shell.

Changing Weather Patterns and Their Effects on Fishing

By Capt. Joe Kent

If you have fished

the Galveston Bay Complex as long as I have, some 50-plus years, no doubt you have seen changes in our weather patterns and have experienced the effects they have had on fishing.

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wo noticeable changes have been in the overall increased water temperatures and the resulting delay in fish migration patterns.

Several decades ago soon after Labor Day we began seeing fall fishing patterns set in. The shorter days along with cooler temperatures sent a signal to fish that it was time to think about winter. This brought about an increase in feeding in order to put

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on extra layers of fat for the long winter and cold months ahead.

Trout and flounder were and still are the most notable examples of the effects of preparing for winter.

Flounder begin to think of their annual migration to the deeper waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which used to begin as early as late September and run through mid-November. By the middle of November several strong cold fronts had usually passed through.

Those cold spells would empty the marshes and lower the water temperature, two key elements to get the flatfish to moving.

In recent years we have had an ongoing delay in this pattern due to fewer cold fronts passing through from mid-September through October and for the last few years the flounder run has not hit full stride until November.

In earlier years, by the end of November most of the flounder were out of the bays; however, in recent times it has been well into December when the majority of the fish have left for the Gulf.

A prime example of the delay in migration patterns came when

Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department extended their November flounder regulations well past Dec. 1.

When the regulations were enacted, reducing the flounder

limit was extended for two weeks.

Flounder gigging continues to resume on Dec. 1.

Another example of the effects of the changing weather patterns concerns the number of flounder that remain in the bays and do not participate in the run.

While not all flounder take part in the run to the Gulf, more and more are choosing to stay behind as food supplies remain adequate and the water temperatures are tolerable.

Two years ago while fishing for trout during mid-January I caught my first flounder ever during that month. What a surprise to land a flat fish that time of year.

Trout on the other hand do not migrate to the Gulf and remain in the bays year-round.

October used to be one of the best months to find trout schooling in the bays and aggressively feeding on shrimp and small baitfish.

While this pattern continues, most of the fishing guides have noticed that the schooling action is starting later and lasting longer.

A few years ago I had one of my best trout fishing days the week before Christmas. It took place in Trinity Bay and came about as a

“A few years ago I had one of my best trout fishing days the week before Christmas.” daily bag limit from 5 to 2 and prohibiting gigging for a month, November was considered the prime time for the flounder run to reach its peak.

Before this year’s extension, the special rules ended Dec. 1 and the 5-fish limit returned along with gigging. A survey indicated that an excessive number of flounder were taken during the early part of December and the November bag

result of one of the fishing guides telling me that the action was unbelievable for that late in the year. I found out that he was right!

So, what does all of this mean to the average fisherman? The main thing is to not put up your fishing equipment for the year too soon.

If this pattern continues, some excellent fishing may be in store for late season anglers.

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Achievements in commerce and economic development mark the 100th anniversary of the Houston Ship Channel This year the Houston Ship Channel celebrates 100 years as a deepwater port and one of the regions most important economic assets.

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he road to development

took enormous public support and perseverance, The U.S.S. Houston maneuvers through the and the investment has Houston Ship Channel in 1929. paid off handsomely for Houston, surrounding cities and Texas. ship channel needed the capacity to In the early days of Houston, handle large ships. the shallow draft of Buffalo Bayou Ball proposed a revolutionary to the foot of Main Street was concept by suggesting that Houston sufficient. Cargo from larger ships share the cost with the federal was offloaded near Galveston onto government for dredging the deepbarges. water channel. The Congressional Local Houston business leaders Rivers and Harbors Committee decided there was a financial chairman, D.S. Alexander, and other necessity for having a ship channel congressional committee members and began sending a steady stream of information to their representatives in Washington.

During the 1890s, U.S. Rep. Tom Ball, for which the community north of Houston is named, spent hours trying to convince his congressional colleagues to support a deep-water port for Houston. Then in September 1900, a devastating hurricane slammed into Galveston and created one of the worst disasters in American history. .

Ball’s arguments for a protected port took on greater meaning. With the discovery of oil at Spindletop in 1901 and crops such as rice beginning to rival the dominant export crop of cotton, Houston’s Port of Houston opening celebration in 1914.

were amazed by the bold proposal from Houston but voted to accept the idea.

The Harris County Houston Ship Channel Navigation District was formed, and a campaign was launched to persuade voters to approve $1.25 million in bonds to pay for the District’s share of the waterway. Houston voters carried the measure by a majority of 16 to one.

Now the bonds needed to be sold.

Enter Jesse H. Jones, who took it upon himself to ask Houston banks to accept the bonds. In just 24 hours, he persuaded each bank to buy its share.

Work on the deep channel commenced in 1912. There were similar precedent-setting maritime projects of the time such as the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and the 51-mile long Panama Canal. On the morning of September 7, 1914, the dredge Texas signaled by whistle the completion of the channel and a celebration was planned.

A parade was held in downtown Houston and 40 blocks were strung with a new invention: incandescent lights. A ceremony to open the channel was held Tuesday morning, November 10, 1914.

Thousands of people attended the ceremony, which was marked by a 21-gun salute. From his office in Washington, D.C., President Woodrow Wilson fired a canon via remote control to officially mark the channel as open for operation.

A band played the National Anthem from a barge in the center of the Turning Basin while Sue Campbell, daughter of Houston Mayor Ben Campbell, sprinkled white roses into the water from the top deck of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Windom.

HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL FIRSTS

The first federal project to have a local funding match; a model used for other federal navigation projects since that time.

The first direct shipment of cotton to Europe embarked from the Houston Ship Channel.

Synthetic rubber was mass produced for the first time at ship channel-area plants and shipped through the port during World War II.

The world’s first container ship was unloaded at the Houston Ship Channel.

NASA selected Houston as its first choice for its new headquarters in 1961 largely due to the waterway’s ability to transport bulky space vehicles.

Since then, the growth of Houston’s port has been phenomenal. The Houston Ship Channel is recognized as a feat of civil engineering. More importantly, it connects Houston and surrounding communities to the world and the port remains the nation’s leader in terms of foreign tonnage, and 2nd in overall tonnage.

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Students from 9 community colleges who received petrochemical scholarships from the Community College Petrochemical Initiative are shown with ExxonMobil President Steve Pryor.

Today’s Lee College: Building a pipeline to great careers In terms that might be found in a farmer’s almanac, today’s Texas Gulf Coast economic expansion is at flood stage.

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xxonMobil’s announcement

on Aug. 22 of a multi-billion dollar build-out at its Olefins plant in Baytown drove home the point that much anticipated petrochemical expansions are now going full throttle.

To date, petrochemical companies have announced more than $40 billion in capital investment. Major expansions are also underway or about to begin at Chevron Phillips Chemical Cedar Bayou, LyondellBasell, Enterprise Products, and Dow Chemical of Freeport.

These projects alone are expected to create 30,000 construction jobs and more than a thousand permanent jobs.

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Toss in necessary expansions at the Port of Houston, increased storage and warehouse facilities up and down the Houston Ship Channel, and a surge of activity in barge, railroad, pipelines and other modes of transporting products and raw materials, and the economic outlook is bright for the next 10 – 15 years, industry leaders say.

Rep. Gene Green of the Texas 29th Congressional District says today’s economic expansion surpasses even the 1970s.

“This expansion is happening both up and downstream,” he said.

“It’s creating jobs in every sector.”

Rep. Randy Weber, of the Texas 14th Congressional District, echoes

Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

Van Long, plant manager at Chevron Phillips Chemical Cedar Bayou, signs a check which provides scholarship funds for students preparing for careers in the petrochemical industry.

the point. “If young people today are paying attention and setting their priorities for the future, this area of the Gulf Coast, is a great place to be. After the expansion of the Panama Canal, we want the Texas Gulf Coast to be the gateway to America.”

Yet high on the list of concerns for industry leaders is the need for qualified workers, an issue Lee College and other area community colleges are taking seriously.

The build out of petrochemical

expansions, plus the replacement of retiring workers, will require as many as 50,000 individuals with skills over the next five years.

There is also a large demand for workers trained in logistics, warehousing and maritime occupations, such as tank and barge operators.

Also in short supply are welders, analyzer technicians, instrumentation technicians, pipefitters, and maintenance operators, among others.

“If this economic engine is going to continue to grow,” says Todd Monette, plant manager for LyondellBasell, “we’re going to have to have a workforce that can build these plants and run them” well into the future.

“I’m not talking about a labor pool,” Monette affirms. “The skills required today are technical skills.

That’s why the work Lee College is doing to position the curriculum and build those skills fits perfectly with what we’re doing in our industry.”

Lee College of Baytown is going all out to address today’s workforce training challenges.

The college ranks fourth in the nation for science technology degrees, sparked in large part by graduates entering careers in refineries and chemical plants.

The college has perhaps the most complete inventory of programs for the petrochemical and construction trades industries in the region, counting Analyzer Technology, Computer Maintenance, Computer-Aided Drafting and Design, Electrical Technology, Engineering, Fieldbus Technology, Instrumentation, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Machine Technology, Millwrighting, Pipefitting, Process Technology, Production Technology, and Welding among them.

Energy Venture camps introduce middle school students to careers in the petrochemical industry.

Lee College takes a multi-faceted approach to training the large number of workers needed for these expanding industries.

The college works with its industry partners such as ExxonMobil, Chevron Phillips, Enterprise and Bayer to provide internships for students. Internships help students work in “real world” situations and conditions, and “shore up” the training they receive in college classrooms and labs. In many cases, students who do well in an internship hire on with the company they work with.

The college is extending its acclaimed petrochemical training

New Chevron Phillips Cedar Bayou employees train at Lee College’s outdoor Pilot Plant facility.

into dual credit courses at area high schools Barbers Hill, Liberty, Hargrave, Crosby and Anahuac, and is planning a Career and Technical Education High School in the near future. Students now have the ability to graduate from high school nearly ready to enter lucrative careers in local industry.

With the average salary in the petrochemical industry at $99,700 annually, classes fill up quickly.

Even so, the workforce needs of industry are greater than any one college’s ability to provide them.

Lee College is the lead institution in the Community College Petrochemical Initiative (CCPI), which started with a $500,000 grant from ExxonMobil in 2013 to attract and train workers for the petrochemical and construction trades industries. The grant grew to $1 million with an additional gift by ExxonMobil in March 2014.

CCPI brings together the nine community colleges of the Texas Gulf Coast to share best practices and resources and recruit the next generation of petrochemical students. The group made its first concerted recruitment effort earlier this year at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and plans to return in 2015.

CCPI colleges recognized 31 students with scholarships at ExxonMobil’s expansion announcement on Aug. 22. “This diverse group from communities across the region will receive scholarship funds for programs that prepare them for petrochemical careers.”

Lee College and San Jacinto College host summer Energy Venture Campus, funded by ExxonMobil, Shell and other industry partners. These weeklong day camps help “demystify” the petrochemical industry and introduce its career fields to middle school students.

And Lee has worked with Chevron Phillips and Junior Achievement to bring 4,000 eighth graders to the campus for career explorations and discussions with business and industry leaders.

Certainly, another critical element in filling the pipeline to tomorrow’s careers is qualified instructors, which are in short supply.

“We are looking for experienced, talented individuals who are perhaps nearing retirement at a plant, and asking them to ‘re-tool’ for the classroom,” says Debi Jordan, executive director of the college’s premier Center for Workforce and Community Development.

Advanced degrees and teaching experience are a plus, but not required for adjunct instructional positions in technical programs or industrial training, she says.

“Students respond to individuals who know the subject well, who can bolster their training with personal stories of real-life situations.“ “These are golden days for Harris and West Chambers counties,” Jordan added. “To keep moving forward requires qualified workers.

Lee College and other community colleges are doing their part by ‘building a pipeline’ through training to these great careers.

There’s never been a better time to live and work along the upper Texas Gulf Coast.”

OCTOBER 2014 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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Photos by Mary Alys Cherry

Todd Monette, chairman of East Harris County Manufacturers Association, said projections are that the region can expect more than $35 billion in plant expansion in the next several years – generating as many as 100,000 skilled construction jobs during the next three to five years, according to industry sources.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, Congressmen Gene Green and Randy Weber, as well as Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Chairman Dr. Bryan W. Shaw told the audience that they would be vigilant in overseeing the regulatory environment and ensuring that unduly burdensome regulation does not dampen the energy renaissance in the U.S. “Over the last 100 years, the Houston Port region has been transformed into a true global entity and economic powerhouse,” Senator Cornyn said. “The communities and businesses that make up the Economic Alliance have played a key role in that growth, helping to make this region a symbol of economic dynamism, entrepreneurial energy, and upward mobility.”

Rep. Green brought some good news, noting that “every dime we spend on the Harbor Maintenance Fee has been going into general revenue. We generally send about $120 million and get back $31 million – less than half what the Port needs for maintenance, that is until a bill was recently passed sending the Harbor Maintenance Fee to the Corps of Engineers, to spend on maintenance and dredging.”

Solutions to address the shortage of qualified workers were discussed during the outlook conference.

State Reps.

John Davis, Ed Thompson and Wayne Smith, from left, have a small reunion while attending the 5th Annual Maritime & Petrochemical Outlook Conference at the Pasadena Convention Center Sept. 4.

Robust economic growth forecast amid resurgent energy renaissance

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eaders from the petrochemical,

maritime, logistics and transportation industries delivered robust economic forecasts for the Houston Ship Channel region during the 5th annual Economic Alliance Houston Port Region Petrochemical & Maritime Outlook Conference at the Pasadena Convention Center Sept. 4.

More than 650 people listened to encouraging news about expansion plans amid a resurgent energy renaissance in Texas and the U.S. The Port of Houston Authority and the Panama Canal Authority gave presentations recognizing their growth as 100-year anniversaries are being celebrated for both the canal and the Houston Ship Channel.

Port of Houston Authority Commission Chairman Janiece Longoria outlined capital investments that will help the Port Authority meet demand of regional expansion, calling it “an exciting time for business growth at the Port” and noting how

Sen. John Cornyn addresses the crowd at the Maritime & Petrochemical Outlook Conference at the Pasadena Convention Center.

the century-old “Houston Ship Channel has played a pivotal role in the economic health of our city and region.” Panama Canal Authority Market Forecasting Manager Silvia deMarucci addressed the status of the Panama Canal lock expansion, reporting that the project is back on schedule.

Economic Alliance President and CEO Chad Burke, right, welcomes Congressmen Gene Green, left, and Randy Weber, speakers at the 5th Annual Maritime & Petrochemical Outlook Conference at the Pasadena Convention Center.

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

Michelle Hundley, left, vice president of public affairs for the Economic Alliance, takes Sandy Cornyn to her seat.

Through a collaborative effort by the Economic Alliance, industry organizations and local community colleges like San Jacinto College and Lee College, a critical shortage of skilled workers is being addressed through “fast-track” certification programs. The Economic Alliance testified and supported recent changes in education to allow high school students to take specific curriculum to prepare them for high-paying middleskills jobs.

Exciting times

“I agree with Chairman Longoria,” Economic Alliance CEO Chad Burke said. “These are exciting times to be a partner with the Port of Houston Authority and the Houston Ship Channel refining and petrochemical industry. The energy industry’s resurgence due to abundant, affordable natural gas is good for U.S businesses,” said. “We are working to help our members expand their facilities, bringing in new companies and new projects.

“We have helped our region prepare for this renaissance by working with industry trade groups and our legislative members to provide our school districts and colleges the tools to better prepare our residents for the high-paying industry jobs,” Burke added. “We started an initiative more than two years ago to address a shortage of skilled workers. We have led a collaborative effort of business, industry, education and economic development groups to provide our residents skills needed for new jobs in the region.”

The Port of Houston Authority is the presenting sponsor of the Petrochemical & Maritime Outlook Conference. Shell Oil Company, San Jacinto College and Bay Group Media are gold level sponsors. Another 40 companies sponsored at silver and bronze levels.

Congressman Pete Olson, left, and former Deer Park Mayor Jimmy Burke listen as U.S. Sen. John Cornyn addresses the crowd at the Maritime & Petrochemical Outlook Conference.

DESIGN By Cathy Osoria Photos: Macy Osoria

Home Sweet Home The Power of Paint

One of the most rewarding and cost-effective household projects is reviving an old piece of furniture with a fresh coat of paint.

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se an existing piece of furniture that is around your home or head to a local thrift shop and search for a piece to refurbish.

The newly painted piece will be a one of a kind and can be a perfect “pop” of color. With so many colors to choose from, one should be able to coordinate with an existing color scheme. When choosing the piece to paint, consider that some furniture can be used in many different rooms and with multiple purposes.

An example of this is a wood buffet. A buffet can be a storage dresser in a bedroom, an entry piece with a lamp, a sideboard in a kitchen, a television stand, and maybe used as a baby changing table if the legs are shortened. Choosing a color can be the most creative part of the process.

Brighter colors and colors that contrast sharply with the walls and other furnishings will draw attention to a piece and make it the focus of the room, while lighter colors will help a piece blend in.

Preparing the piece to paint is important in order for the paint to adhere and last longer. First, remove any necessary hardware from the furniture. Patch any holes, chips or seams in the wood with wood fill.

Sand the surface of the furniture with fine grit sandpaper or liquid sander deglosser. Wipe sanding dust with a

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

clean cloth. Prime the piece using a brush or spray paint.

Not all pieces need primer. If you want a distressed look, then primer may not be necessary. After the piece is primed, lightly sand again, then start painting using the chosen color.

Scrubable latex paint is a good choice because clean up can be with soap and water; dry time is faster than oil based paint, and there is no or low odor.

Amy Howard is a paint that is found in specialty stores (Ooh’s and Aah’s in Webster), and it comes in fantastic colors and requires no primer and not much preparation.

This paint can also be used to paint fabric. To paint fabric, the paint is diluted in half and brushed onto fabric then lightly sanded with fine grit paper. The results are amazing and worth trying before money is spent to reupholster the piece.

Multiple colors of paint may be used to create interest on a piece or to

accent trim or doors. The outside of a hutch can be one color and the inside an accent color. A pattern can be painted or new hardware added to make the furniture more appealing.

A dresser can be spruced up with bright chalk board paint (chalk paint now comes in many colors, not just black). When the dresser is completed, then take chalk and write on the drawer fronts what’s located in that drawer. Kids love this idea which also encourages organization.

A traditional carved brown wood coffee table can be painted a bright color like royal blue. The unexpected color is a fun contrast to its otherwise traditional lines. Paint is inexpensive -- the worst that could happen is sanding may be needed if drips occur. Or you can repaint the piece entirely if the color isn’t satisfactory.

Don’t be afraid to just jump into a paint project. The product can be a unique piece with a little time and effort and not much money.

OCTOBER 2014 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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Super Chef David Coffman Now At Cullen’s

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evin Munz, the developer/restaurateur who brought world – class dining to the Bay Area with Cullen’s American Grille, is once again raising the community’s culinary bar with the addition of kitchen master David Coffman to his staff.

Coffman, the self-taught chef who has blazed his way through some of Houston’s most imaginative restaurant operations, has taken command of the kitchen at Cullen’s American Grille.

In September, Munz, Cullen’s owner, and his General Manager Ryan Roberts finalized their agreement with Coffman and placed him in charge of their restaurant, catering and banquet operations as Executive Chef.

Coffman will also assist with the development of Bravissimo!, a new Italian cuisine concept conceived by Munz and Roberts which is scheduled to open in a space adjacent to Cullen’s this fall.

Munz, whose Clearpoint Crossing development has brought new construction and a dozen new businesses to the land adjacent to Cullen’s, hopes local residents will regard him and his enterprises as neighbors.

“My wife Sandra and I made a commitment to this community a long time ago,” Munz observes.

“We were both raised in this area, our kids grew up in this neighborhood, and we want to see it prosper. We like doing things in a big way, and the addition of David Coffman to our team is just the latest in a series of enhancements we’ve recently made to the Cullen’s complex.”

In the last twelve months, Munz and Roberts have upgraded and expanded the restaurant’s meeting and conference space, renovated the main dining area, and established a world class bar whose selection of hundreds of bourbons and scotches has earned it a listing on Great Bourbon Bars of America.

Ryan Roberts shares Munz’ enthusiasm for Coffman, whose culinary pedigree boasts service at Houston restaurants including Katsuya, Benjy’s, 17 Restaurant in the Hotel Alden, The Tasting Room and Goro & Gun.

“This move should pique the interest of foodies across the Gulf Coast,” says Roberts, who has directed the Cullen’s operation since its launch over six years ago. “With David’s vision and experience, we’re going to make big things happen. Very big things.”

The Dallas-born Coffman says he is ready to take Cullen’s to the next level.

“This is an amazing facility, with one of the best equipped kitchens I’ve ever seen, and a solid track record,” observes Coffman. “Some very talented people—like Matt Womack, Paul Lewis, and Joe Stachiche—have all served on staff here and told me great things about the owners and management. Ryan and I had been talking, so once I met Kevin, the decision was easy.”

While the chef whose exploits have been chronicled in Forbes and Texas Monthly magazines is keeping his plans for the Cullen’s menu under wraps for the moment, he makes no secret about his passion for farm to table produce and ingredients.

“I’m on the lookout for farmers and suppliers in the Cullen’s area who can deliver the quality and freshness I depend on, “says Coffman. “I’m ready to create the best food in the Bay Area and beyond, and I’ll welcome a call from anyone who can help me do that!”

Fighting Breast Cancer What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer develops in the

breast tissue, primarily in the milk ducts (ductal carcinoma) or glands (lobular carcinoma). The cancer is still called and treated as breast cancer even if it is first discovered after the cells have travelled to other areas of the body. In those cases, the cancer is referred to as metastatic or advanced breast cancer.

Breast cancer usually begins with the formation of a small, confined tumor (lump), or as calcium deposits (microcalcifications) and then spreads through channels within the breast to the lymph nodes or through the blood stream to other organs. The tumor may grow and invade tissue around the breast, such as the skin or chest wall. Different types of breast cancer grow and spread at different rates -some take years to spread beyond the breast while others grow and spread quickly.

Some lumps are benign (not cancerous), however these can be premalignant. The only safe way to distinguish between a benign lump and cancer is to have the tissue examined by a doctor through a biopsy.

Fortunately, breast cancer is very treatable if detected early.

Localized tumors can usually be treated successfully before the cancer spreads; and in nine out of 10 cases, the woman will live at least another five years. However, late recurrences of breast cancer are common.

Once the cancer begins to spread, treatment becomes difficult, although treatment can often control the disease for years. Improved screening procedures and treatment options mean that at least seven out of 10 women with breast cancer will survive more than five years after initial diagnosis and half will survive more than 10 years.

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Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

Breast cancer facts •

Two-thirds of women with breast cancer are over 50, and most of the rest are between 39 and 49.

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A woman whose mother, sister, or daughter has had breast cancer is two to three times more likely to develop breast cancer.

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According to the National Cancer Institute, white, nonHispanic women have the highest overall incidence rate for breast cancer among U.S. racial/ethnic groups, while native Americans and native Alaskans have the lowest rate.

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Women who drink a glass or two a day face a 21% increased risk of breast cancer.

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Men can get breast cancer, too, but they account for just one percent of all breast cancer cases.

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Among women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths after lung cancer.

Donate to research

Research is the only way to to get real results for the cure of breast cancer. Here is a list of research foundations you can donate to.

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Breast Cancer Research Foundation

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Edith Sanford Breast Foundation

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Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund, Inc.

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The Avon Foundation for Women

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Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation

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The Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation

OCTOBER 2014 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

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Rockin’ Resilience Luncheon helps Houston women in tough times

By Jarred Roberts “To provide Houston area women and girls with the tools they need to be advocates for their health,” is The Women’s Fund’s mission statement and one of those tools is resilience, the ability to persevere through difficult times.

Almost 20 years ago local friend Tamara Vogt gave birth to conjoined twins Katherine Elaine Hope and Kathleen Elizabeth Faith, who sadly passed away shortly after birth.

Inspired by her daughters, she co-founded the Wee Care Infant Loss Support group with Tami Prangle in 2000, to help women with similar hardships and is the co-chair with Stephanie Tamburello of the The Women’s Fund 4th Annual Rockin’ Resilience Luncheon on Sunday, Oct.26 at the Hilton Houston Post Oak. Owner of Mario’s Flying Pizza, Heaven on Earth Historical Event Venue and Grand Finale Catering, Tamara knows the meaning of resilience.

She will share her experience during the education panel with her good

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friends, conjoined sisters Abby and Brittany Hensel, who show her how her daughters would have lived.

Tamara met the sisters years ago after seeing their story on television and writing a 10 page letter to the Hensel family, “more than anything in life I just want your daughters to know that God made other daughters just like them,” she passionately wrote. In a crazy coincidence, Tamara had family only 20 miles away from them and they’ve been friends ever since.

“We have both been a big support group for each other. It’s important to me, not just as a mother of daughters that are similar, but as an advocate of reaching out to others at every level,” Tamara says.

Tamara is generously donating the grand prize drawing of the Rockin’ Resilience Lunchen, an all inclusive wedding or party of dreams at her event venue, which can be seen at www. heavenwedding.com, valued at $50,000.

The raffle tickets are one for $100 or three for $250. Go to www.womensfund. org to purchase raffle tickets or seats at the luncheon.

The luncheon will also feature Elizabeth McIngvale as the keynote speaker. Elizabeth founded Peace of Mind, a non-profit to help people with OCD, which she was diagnosed with at age 12.

For more information on The Women’s Fund and the Rockin’ Resilience visit www.womensfund.org

Rotarians cooking up a feast for your palate

By Mary Alys Cherry

Y

earning for some

big ole Gulf shrimp?

Yummy Texas barbecue and beans?

Fun? If so, you’re in for a treat, and you’ll want to circle Saturday, Oct. 25, on your calendar.

That’s the date the Bay Area community will gather at Clear Lake Park’s Landolt Pavilion on NASA Parkway for Space Center Rotary’s big Shrimporee Chairman John Branch, right, shares a light moment Shrimporee and with fellow Rotarians Bill Taylor, left, and Darryl Smith as they plan Auction – the club’s the annual feast for the community Oct. 25 in Clear Lake Park. big fundraiser of the year. hair spray, and fingerprint ID cards And, you just might win a $5,000 prepared by Constable Sandlin’s shopping spree at Lewis Diamonds officers. and Timepieces, donated by Slade This year’s 41st Annual Lewis. Rotarians are currently selling Shrimporee will be from 11 a.m. to raffle tickets and if you win, you get 4 p.m., and Chairman John Branch, to take your pick from a selection of who is also the club’s presidentthe best timepieces or your personal elect, predicts it will be the best ever, diamond piece from the beautiful with lots of food and beverages, items available in the Webster store. good music, live and silent auctions, You do not have to be present to win, entertainment and fellowship. but wouldn’t that be fun if you were?

“Wanna have fun? Come Oct. 25, Raffle Chairman Nancy Anderson that’s the place to be,” Branch added. is currently offering tickets at special For meal tickets, contact John “pre-event” pricing – 6 tickets at $50 Branch at johnbbranch@yahoo.com or a Baker’s Dozen (13 tickets) at or any Space Center Rotarian. Tickets $100. also will be available at the event.

Besides shrimp and barbecue, Club members are inviting all the there’ll be corn on the cob, beans, surrounding Bay Area communities bread and drinks. Plus, an array of to come out and join the fun. desserts cooked up by the Bay Area This year’s primary beneficiaries Women of Rotary. Admission to the are the EarlyAct FirstKnight program popular event is free, but the cost of at Whitman Elementary School, the the meal is $15 with a small charge Harris County Youth Village Literacy for the desserts. Hot dogs, popcorn, Project and 50 Random Acts of cotton candy, snow cones, chips, Kindness. bottled water and soft drinks will be Key coordinators for the $1 each with beer and wine on sale Shrimporee include Jerrold for $3 each.

DeWease, Alan Wylie, Brian Ellis, And, while mom and dad and Ralph Kramer, Jorge Hernandez, their friends are chowing down and Paul McLarty, Bob Anderson and taking part in the auction, which Marc Schneider with Ken Gurry, will be conducted by NASA’s Jack Don Metzler, Steve Kirk and Bill Bacon as emcee, and Judge Holly Geissler cooking shrimp; Jim Saxe, Williamson, Constable Phil Sandlin, Dr. Vissett Sun, Kristyan DeHoyas and former Port Commissioner and Dick Hergert slicing brisket; Steve Phelps as auctioneers, the Dr. Ted Cummings, Phil Harris, Dr. wee set will be enjoying an array of Jean Walker, Bob Richmond and games and interactive attractions Dr. Carl Stockton on bean duty and that will intrigue kids and educate Teri Crawford in charge of the silent parents. There will be inflatable auction. bounce houses, face painting, color

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University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities has been helping families affected by autism spectrum disorder since it opened its doors in 2008. Pictured is CADD Director and UH-Clear Lake Professor of Psychology Dorothea Lerman (seated middle) with center staff, which includes graduate students from the Applied Behavior Analysis program.

disorder, which is approximately 30 percent higher than the estimate in 2008.

Research collected and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics estimates that the cost of supporting someone with an autism spectrum disorder across a lifespan is approximately $1.4 million. If the person has intellectual disabilities, the cost is closer to $2.4 million.

“Most treatments can be very expensive, so parents should determine if their insurance will cover the costs,” says Lerman.

Funding from the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), private foundations, and individual donors provides some financial relief for parents who bring their children to the center. But more financial assistance is always welcome.

The center, known generally as CADD, serves about 60 families each year, and if school districts that receive assistance from CADD are also counted, they serve about another 60 children.

Ariana Ruiz’s four-year-old son Aven started getting muchneeded help for her son this March when a spot opened at CADD. Diagnosed through the Early Childhood Intervention services by the Pasadena Independent School District when Aven was just 2 ½, Ruiz feels lucky to have found out early. The Pearland resident is pleased that her son seems to be improving. Her advice to parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder is similar to Hall’s.

“Do research and find a place that offers the help your child needs,” Ruiz states.

Like Ruiz, Hall is very pleased even though it has only been a short while.

“Since starting at ABA-SkIP, Jeren has more eye-to-eye contact and his communication has already increased 50 percent,” adds Hall She cannot emphasize enough how important early intervention is.

Center offers hope to parents of children with autism

C

aring for family

members with autism spectrum disorders often requires a lot of patience and special care. Just ask Tracey Benson Hall whose six-year-old son Jeren was diagnosed with autism at the early age of three when he could not speak. Since then, Hall has been trying to find as much information as she can about autism as well as what assistance might be available to help her son.

Her research brought her to University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

Housed within the Psychological Services Clinic in the university’s Arbor Building South, the center has grown to include specialized services through its Severe Behavior Disorders Research Clinic, Verbal Behavior Clinic and the Applied Behavior Analysis-Skills Intervention Program (ABA-SkIP) and more.

After being on the waiting list for almost three years, Hall finally received the call for which she had been hoping.

“Many parents may feel overwhelmed when they start looking at possible services to help their child,” says CADD Director Dorothea Lerman, a professor of psychology at the university. “It is important that they research their options carefully and choose

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Six-year-old Jeren joined University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities this summer.

Applied Behavior Analysis graduate student Stephanie Smothermon works with Jeren every weekday morning to strengthen his speech skills and more.

interventions that are backed by science.”

In the sample collected by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network in 2014 from 11 states, one in 68 children were identified with autism spectrum

Bay Area Houston Magazine | OCTOBER 2014

Like other parents at the center, she receives assignments also from the graduate students of the university’s Master of Arts in Behavior Analysis.

In Hall’s case, she receives her suggestions from grad student Stephanie Smothermon, who has been assisting Jeren with his potty training.

For those waiting to get their children in the center or just wanting assistance for their own home care, CADD presents a popular speaker series. Lerman says that approximately 60-80 people attend the events that are held each month during the academic year. Supporters of the series include Hegwood and Associates P.C., JSC Federal Credit Union, Spectrum of Hope/Basis, Susie Bean Gives and Including Kids Inc. Other financial support in 2014 has been received from such organizations as the George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation who provided $10,000 earlier this year to CADD for a graduate student trainer and supporting materials to support the center’s “Vocational Training Program for Adults with HighFunctioning Autism.” The center also received $10,000 from the Fred and Mabel R. Parks Foundation to assist in CADD’s Verbal Behavior Clinic. Finally, more recently, the Organization for Autism Research awarded Lerman and Assistant Professor of Behavior Analysis Jennifer Fritz $29,996 so that CADD can evaluate a parent-to-parent mentoring model.

Established in 2008, CADD was created to support research on autism and developmental disabilities, train current and future professionals and provide services to children and their families through partnerships with community organizations.

Because diagnoses are coming earlier, Lerman believes that those seeking assistance will continue to grow in number and that CADD and other centers face keeping up with the needs. But, CADD is doing what it can.

For more information about CADD, visit http://hsh.uhcl.edu/CADD, email AutismCenter@uhcl.edu or call 281-283-3437.

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Theatre at UH-Clear Lake. Curtains are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday with 2 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday. For tickets, which are $25-$35, call 281-480-1617 or visit www. bahbt.org.

Genealogical Society meets Oct. 24. Bay Area Genealogical Society will meet Friday, Oct. 24, at University Baptist Church, 16106 Middlebrook Drive, in the 2nd floor Great Room at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.TxBayAreaGen.org or call Kim Zrubek at 281-992-2636. The public is invited.

Rotary Shrimporee Oct. 25. Space Center Rotary will host its annual Shrimpree and Auction from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Clear Lake Park’s Landolt Pavilion. Admission is free with the shrimp and barbecue dinner for $15 and hot dogs for $1. The public is invited.

Baytown

Grito Fest Oct. 4. The Baytown Grito Fest will be held Saturday, Oct. 4, starting with Mariachi Los Gallitos at 4:30 p.m. and continuing to 10:30 p.m. at Bicentennial Park, 1001 Market St.

Clear Lake

Clear Lake Chamber gala Oct. 3. The Clear Lake Chamber will host its annual Chairman’s Ball at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, at South Shore Harbour Resort to honor its outgoing chairman. For ticket information, call the chamber, 281-488-7676.

E-Waste Collection Oct. 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. 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.

Deer Park

Nelson Madrigal and Natalie Zundel in the Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre’s production of Sleeping Beauty.

Sleeping Beauty Oct. 17-19. Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre will present the classic ballet, Sleeping Beauty, to open its 2014-15 season Friday, Oct. 17, in the Bayou

Golf Tourney Oct. 4. The Space City Corvette Club is hosting its inaugural golf tournament benefitting the Sheila Fichtner Memorial Award that goes to a University of Texas Medical Branch senior medical resident in his/her pursuit of cancer treatment and research. This year’s golf tournament will be played Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Battleground Golf Course in Deer Park. For online registration or monetary donations go to www.BattleGroundGolfCourse.com and click “Buy Online” then “Tournaments.”

For questions, contact Tournament Chairman John Bargerstock at 713-292-6667 or by email at AV8trPA@yahoo.com

Dickinson

At the Playhouse Oct. 20. Bay Area Harbour Playhouse, 3803 Highway 3, will hold open auditions Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 20-21, at 7 p.m. for Christmas Belles, which runs Dec. 4-21 on Thursdays-Sundays, call 381-337-7469 for more information or ticket reservations.

Friendswood

Chamber Luncheon Oct. 2. The Friendswood Chamber will host its monthly luncheon Thursday, Oct. 2, from 11:30-1 p.m. at the Green Event Center, 2000 W. Parkwood, Suite 200. Cost is $20 for members and $25 for non members. Reservations required. Call 281-482-3329.

League City

Imagination Celebration Oct. 18. Clear Creek ISD’s Education Village will come alive for one day with the sound of music and the arts Saturday, Oct. 18, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Imaginations will soar as students get the chance to make their own works of art at more than a dozen Creation Stations in the Education Village Commons, 4380 Village Way. Sponsored by the CCISD Department of the Visual and Performing Arts, the will be filled with activities for elementary-aged children and their families. Visitors are asked to park in front of Clear Falls High’s Performing Arts Center.

Fall fashion show Oct. 24. Clear Lake Panhellenic will host its annual fall fashion show luncheon at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24, at South Shore Harbour Resort. Reservations are $100 for a runway seat and $75 for general seating. For information e-mail Kelli Baliker at clearlakeareapanhel@gmail.com or call her at 281-488-3943.

Nassau Bay

HSLBA to hear pianist Oct. 8. Pianist Richard Dowling will be the guest performer for the Wednesday, Oct. 8 meeting of the

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Houston Symphony League Bay Area at 10 a.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 18220 Upper Bay Road.

Enjoy Dracula starting Oct. 17. Clear Creek Community Theatre will present Dracula Oct. 17 through Nov. 2 with curtains at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m.

Sundays. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. For reservations, call 281-335-5228.

Symphony concert Oct. 24. The Clear Lake Symphony will present a Concerto for 2 Pianos at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 18220 Upper Bay Road at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24.

Pasadena

Mystery opens Oct. 17. The Agatha Christie mystery, The Mousetrap, opens Friday, Oct. 17, at the Pasadena Little Theatre, 4318 Allen-Genoa Road, with curtains at 8 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. 00Sundays through Nov. 2 as the theatre celebrates its 60th season. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. For reservations, call 713-941-1758 or reserve online at www. pasadenalittletheatre.org/

Pearland

Computer hackers Oct. 14 target. The Pearland Chamber will host a luncheon, “Don’t be a Target for Computer Hackers” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the Pearland Chamber Commerce Center, 6117 Broadway St. Cost is $25.

Chamber luncheon Oct. 16. Pearland Chamber members will meet for their monthly luncheon Thursday, Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to hear an update on the Prop 1 constitutional amendment on the Nov. 4 ballot. For information and reservations, call the chamber, 281-485-3634, or visit its website.

SEabrook

Good Skipper Luncheon Oct. 3. Boys & Girls Harbor will host its Good Skipper Luncheon at noon Friday, Oct. 3, at Lakewood Yacht Club to honor the 2014 “Good Skippers” -- Keels & Wheels Chairman Bob Fuller and Co-Chairman Paul Merryman. Tickets for the luncheon are $75 per person or $600 for a table of eight guests. For more information contact the Harbor Director of Development and Communications Richard Gruen at 713688-6262, ext. 301.

Rotary Shrimporee Oct.25. Space Center Rotary will host its annual Shrimpree and Auction from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Clear Lake Park’s Landolt Pavilion. Admission is free with the shrimp and barbecue dinner for $15 and hot dogs for $1. The public is invited.

Music at the Museum Oct. 28. The Houston Symphony League Bay Area and Bay Area Museum Guild will host Music at the Museum from 6:30 – 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, at the museum, 5000 NASA Parkway, where attendees will enjoy wine and hors d’oeurves and a concert by Houston Symphony Woodwind Trio -- Colin Gatwood (oboe), Christian Schubert (clarinet) and Jeffrey Robinson (bassoon). Tickets are $30. Call-281480-2930 for reservations.

webster

Fall Clean Up Oct. 17-18. Webster will have a Fall Clean Up from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday, Oct. 13-17 with free curbside pickup of trash, furniture, appliances, tree limbs and a Citywide Garage Sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. For details, visit www.cityofwebster.com