BPHA Calendar of Events
April and May
Mon / Apr 4 / JUNK Heavy Trash (east of St Link)
Thurs / Apr 7 / Recycle-South of Brays Bayou
Tues / Apr 12 / Recycle-North of Brays Bayou
Wed / Apr 13 / BPHA GENERAL MEETING
Mon / Apr 18 / BPHA BOARD MEETING
Mon / Apr 18 / Sentinel Deadline for May
Thurs / Apr 21 / Recycle-South of Brays Bayou
Fri / Apr 22 / BPHA OFFICE CLOSED
Tues / Apr 26 / Recycle-North of Brays Bayou
Thurs / Apr 28 / JUNK Heavy Trash (west of St Link)
**** / ***** / *****************************
Mon / May 2 / TREE Heavy Trash (east of St Link)
Thurs / May 5 / Recycle-South of Brays Bayou
Tues / May10 / Recycle-North of Brays Bayou
Thurs / May12 / BPHA BOARD MEETING
Thurs / May19 / Recycle-South of Brays Bayou
Mon / May23 / Sentinel Deadline for June
Tues / May24 / Recycle-North of Brays Bayou
Thurs / May26 / TREE-Heavy Trash (west of St Link)
Mon / May30 / BPHA OFFICE CLOSED
Tues / May31 / NO TUESDAY GARBAGE PICK UP
Wed / June 1 / TUESDAY Garbage pick up

BUILDER’S PLEDGE OF MAINTENANCE

Last month, the builders listed below agreed to participate in BPHA’s Construction Guidelines and Pledge of Maintenance while constructing and remodeling homes in our area. By signing the pledge, these companies agree to follow a number of guidelines that make their construction site more “neighbor friendly”. We appreciate the builders’ commitment to our neighborhood!

Braeswood Place Sentinel *April 2011 * Page 1

  • 3301 AberdeenWeekley Homes
  • 3635Blue BonnetCovington Homes
  • 4111TurnberryWeekley Homes

Braeswood Place Sentinel *April 2011 * Page 1

Braeswood Place Sentinel *April 2011 * Page 1

Braeswood Place Sentinel *April 2011 * Page 1

SECURITY UPDATE

by Janet Maxian

Recently, HPD arrested people who are believed to be responsible for the rash of home burglaries in our area. The suspects would watch a house, familiarize themselves with the residents’ schedules and then strike. HPD feels that these suspects are part of a burglary crew that has targeted these mostly high-end homes, 30 – 40 homes in a two month period. The areas most affected were West University Place, Southampton, Bellaire, and Boulevard Oaks.

Police tell us that more burglars are caught by vigilant, observant residents than by police cruising the streets. We blend in more than a police cruiser. We also know our streets better than anyone. We generally know who should be here and who should not. For anything suspicious in our neighborhood, members of the Constable Patrol can call the Precinct 1 Dispatcher. If you are not a member or you see something suspicious outside of our area, you can report this to HPD by calling the nonemergency number 713-884-3131. Do not hesitate to share your suspicions.

We are often approached by people at our homes who offer services - tree trimming, lawn care, painting curb numbers, various types of home repairs. We are urged to be cautious in these situations. As a rule, the deputies advise you to not use strangers for these jobs. Recently, in West University Place, a man posing as a tree trimming contractor intimidated the homeowner and forced the person to surrender an object from the home. The man got away. Fortunately, the homeowner was not physically hurt. If you are a member of the Constable Patrol, call the deputy to check out a solicitor. Be advised that Houston City Council no longer requires solicitors to be permitted. The deputy can check them out to ensure they do not pose a threat to you or anyone else.

Spring is here. We will all be enjoying the outside – doing yard work, riding our bikes. The thieves will be out also – watching for valuables left unattended. Alert any people doing work for you of this also.

STREET RECONSTRUCTION

by Jack Stopnicki

Here is the April update on the various construction projects in our neighborhood. The Academy North project has made great progress since the cold weather of early February and the current very dry spring that we are experiencing. All major construction has been completed in the 4100 block streets except for sod placement in a few spots and streetlights. There are still a few minor details that will be completed during the punch list phase of construction at the very end of the project. The contractor is now focusing on completing all remaining work in the 4000 block streets. Most streets are in various stages of construction with the exception of Turnberry and Dumbarton. These two streets should be under construction toward the end of the month. This project is on schedule with a completion date of early July.

The South Braeswood Project is also moving along smoothly. The majority of work is now being centered on the south side of the street next to the homes that front South Braeswood. The contractor is currently working between Link Pass and Ilona and will be moving past Ilona toward the end of the month. On the northside of the street,everything is complete between Buffalo Speedway and Stella Link and the section between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway has a small piece remaining. This project is running slightly ahead of schedule with a completion date of January 2012.

The much anticipated Buffalo Speedway Project has begun in the past week. Currently, the work zone runs between Bellefontaine and North Braeswood. Please be aware of the traffic switch in this area. Once the school year for St. Vincent de Paul is complete, the construction zone will expand all the way to Holcombe Blvd. For pedestrians that use Buffalo Speedway to walk or jog, please be careful in the construction zone and use the east side of the street. The bridge at Poor Farm Ditch is being replaced and the only access will be on the east side of the street. This project has a completion date of July 2012 and I will keep you updated as this project has just begun.

As always, your questions and concerns are welcome at or 713-299-5556.

BRAYS BAYOU and FLOOD CONTROL

by Billy Pilgrim

Brays Bayou Association: The Association met on March 21at the Gathering Place. Guest speakers were City of Houston Council District C Representative Ann Clutterbuck and Ian Aitken and Shawna Morris representing The Menninger Clinic. Council Representative Clutterbuck presented an overview of the City of Houston Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the Renew Houston (Proposition 1) program, pending redistricting and a number of other efforts she has been performing for District C during her term in office. She is term limited and a new District C council representative will assume her seat when she leaves office. Ian Aitken is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Menninger Clinic. Shawna Morris is the Chief Operating Officer of that organization. The Menninger Clinic was established in 1925 in Topeka, Kansas. In 2002, it partnered with Baylor College of Medicine and the Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center to treat severe mental illness. The Clinic is in the process ofconstructing a 40+ acre campus south of U. S. Highway 90A near South Post Oak.

Project Brays: It was reported in the March issue of the Sentinel that President Obama had submitted the FY2012 Federal Budget to Congress on February 14. At that time it wasnot known what level of funding for Project Brays was included in the budget. Jack Peterson, Harris County Flood Control District Federal Liaison, has since reported that the President has requestedfunding for Project Brays for FY2012 in the amount of$3 million. The FY2012 budget only includes two flood control project requestsfor Texas for construction. While $3 million is not a large enough request to keepProject Braysgoing at the optimal rate, it at least keeps the project funded at a time when the Corps of Engineers budget is the leanest it has been in many years. There is a possibility, althoughsomewhat slim, that additional funding can be obtained through a method called "plus up". That is a method whereby a funding request can be amended to include a larger allocation for a specific project such as Project Brays. Efforts to receive a higher appropriation for FY2012 must now be concentrated and directed toward our congressional delegation. The Energy and Water Development Subcommittees in the House of Representatives and the Senate will now look at the President's request and determine what appropriation amount should be given to the project(s) he supported. Using the "plus up" method, the subcommittees, with the support of the full Appropriations Committees and of the House and Senate, can increase the level of funding for Project Brays.

If there is a ray of good news in this, it is that there are invoices pending for reimbursement for Project Brays work which has met the required milestones and has been completed. When HCFCD receives those reimbursements, those funds will be channeled (no pun intended) into the continuation of the project. For example, if the District were to receive a reimbursement of $5,000,000, that amount would be added to the amount appropriated by Washington and work would continue at a pace dictated by the amount of money on hand. Itextremely important for those of us who live in the Brays watershed to continue to write letters to our Congressional Delegation toenlist their support for this vitally important project for our area. By doing so, our voices will be heard by our elected officials whose help we need now and in the future to bring the project to completion.

The Brays Bayou meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend. They are held at the Gathering Place, 5310 South Willow at 7:30 pm on the third Monday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 18. Guest Speaker will be Carl Woodward, Planning Department Manager for the Harris County Flood Control District. He will discuss the role the Planning Department plays in HCFCD activities and will relate the activities that will affect Project Brays. Construction of The Willow Waterhole Greenspaceis also a part of Project Brays. The Greenspace Conservancy and the Brays Oaks Management District hostedtheir spring general meeting on March 31 at Westbury High School. The purpose of the meeting was to update the membership and attendeeswith regardto the current status of Willow Waterhole construction.

City of Houston Council Committee on Flooding and Drainage: The Committee meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month in City Hall chambers. The Committee canceled its’ March meeting. Thenext meeting is scheduled for April 26 at 10am. Members of the public are encouraged to attend these meetings and if so desired, schedule to speak before the Committee.

Continued on next page…

BRAYS BAYOU AND FLOOD CONTROL, continued…

Seasonal Drought Outlook: The latestdrought tendencyfor the period of March-May of 2011 shows that drought conditions for a large portion of East Texas will persist. ThesoutheasternTexas Coast, including the Houston area,south to Brownsville will likely see drought conditions increase. Predictions are that ENSO-neutral, or La Nina, conditions are equally likely in theMay-June time period. The CPC monthly and seasonal outlooks indicate enhanced odds for below median precipitation.Above median temperatures are forecast for those timeframes. With the onset of the 2011 Hurricane Season just two months away, let's hope that drought relief doesn't come in the form of a tropical system.

Braeswood Place Sentinel *April 2011 * Page 1

TRASH AND RECYCLING PROGRAM

by Cathie Partridge

Braeswood Place Sentinel *April 2011 * Page 1

Thank you to BraesHeights neighbor, Laura Pilgrim, for sharing the following information regarding bottle caps. To read the entire article, go to you recycle bottle caps which usually do not have numbers on them? YES! And did you know….

Plastic bottle caps are one of the top 10 items found during marine debris beach clean-ups and are the second most littered item after cigarette butts?

Many cities donot accept caps for recycling?

Houston accepts empty #1-5 & 7 plasticlids and asks that lids and bottle caps be removed from the bottle. Also, be sure to rinse before tossing them into the bin.

To acquire a small green recycling bin OR get an extra one, stop by 3742 Drummond. No need to call. Bins are located inside the wooden gate on the west side of the house.

QUESTION: Now that I have a 90 gallon recycling cart, what can I do with my 18 gallon bin?

If it is clean and in good shape, bring it to my house (3742 Drummond) and I will pass it onto other residents.

Leave it out on Recycling day and put a sign on it asking the City of Houston workers to take it. Otherwise, they will probably ignore it.

Take it to any Recycling Center (i.e. West U. Recycling Center at Westpark near Kirby).

For any other questions, call Cathie Partridge at 713-218-9459 or e-mail .

GARDEN CLUB

by Celeste Mead, Co-President

The Braeswood Place Garden Club will meet on Monday, April18at 7pm at 4139 Blue Bonnet Blvd. The program is to be arranged. All are welcome.

At its last meeting on March 21, the Braeswood Place Garden Club members constructed hypertusa plant containers. Hypertusa containers were made of mixed Portland cement, peat, and perlite. The mixture was prepared and patted inside a plastic mold. Drainage holes were made in the bottom. Each member constructed a container and took it home allowing it to cure for 48 hours. The finished product has a beautiful stone-like quality and lasts for years in the garden housing a favorite plant. Refreshments followed the construction of the hypertusa containers.

Purple Iris Yard of the Month

by Jackie Addington Glover, Program Coordinator

The BHPA Garden of the Month for April is located at 3115 Aberdeen. The beautifulmature trees frame this home which was built in 1950 and for the past 26 yearshas been the home of Jessica and Louis Roddy.

One has to love Houston in April with the beautiful azaleas and this home has themin abundance. The home and garden take up almost two lots and with large windowson every side, Jessica described the garden as, “providing the feel of an expansion ofthe home’s living area”. If you don’t have an occasion to drive through this lovely curved street across BuffaloSpeedway, make a special effort to do so while the azaleas are still in bloom!!

BRAESWOOD PLACE MOTHERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN (BPMOYC)

by Amanda Murray

Our next meeting is Tuesday, April 12 at the home of Tasha Hudson, 3843 Merrick. Our own BPMOYC resident “Foodie” Elizabeth Escobedo will present “Summertime Treats to Make with your Kids”! We will also be collecting toiletry items for the Ronald MacDonald House at Texas Children’s Hospital. Please bring a snack or drink to share.

Stork Report:

  • Congratulations to the Reynolds Family! Benjamin Gene Reynolds arrived on Saturday, March 12 at 10:49am. Baby Ben is welcomed by parents Nicole and Jason and big brothers Alex and Henry.

MARK TWAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

by Sarah Callahan Baker, Christina Kouzounis & Deanna Sheaffer

On Friday, February 11, the Crowne Point Reliant Ballroom was transformed into the hottest 1970’s discotheque for Mark Twain's annual Huckleberry Bash. "Friday Night Fever" was a great time and a tremendously successful fundraiser. Many thanks go to Chairs Shelley Rota and Dawn Koenig and the entire event committee for months of hard work. The generous support of Mark Twain's donors and underwriters is also greatly appreciated.

Saturday, March 12 was a landmark day for many Texas schoolchildren, including a group from our community. The Twain Team, comprised of forty Mark Twain parents and students proudly carried banners and signs created with schoolmates in a march through the streets around the state capital in Austin. They joined 10,000 other parents and children in a rally outside the capital in an organized event to communicate to legislators the importance of public education. Despite hours of walking and standing in the hot sun, the children’s take-away was, “We got to make OUR voices heard.” This Twain Team gained a great deal from the experience, namely that education is of paramount importance worthy of planning, effort, an early rise, a long drive, and being one voice contributing to a chorus of those wanting to save public school programs.More importantly, they learned that their actions and voices are valued. In addition, many Mark Twain parents returned to Austin the following Monday to meet with legislators.

Please mark your April calendars for the following events and refer to Twain Times for details:

  • Tuesday, April 5 - PTO Meeting at 6:30 pm in the library. All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. Childcare is provided.
  • Friday, April 8 – Mark Twain Spring Movie Night
  • Tuesday, April 12– Spirit Night at Papa John’s.20% of the night’s proceeds will go to MTE.
  • Wednesday, April 20 – Mark Twain Fiesta Night at Los Tios from 4-8pm. Gather up a group of families and join the fun at this popular Meyerland restaurant! Mark Twain will receive 20% of the proceeds from the night, excluding alcoholic beverages. Forms will be provided in Twain Times and at your table to be submitted when paying your bill.

Kindergarten Round –Up

Kindergarten Round-Up will be held on Thursday, May 5 at 8:30 am. At this time, you are encouraged to register your child for the Fall 2011 school year. Your children will have an opportunity to visit a Kindergarten classroom and get acquainted with the school while you meet with Mark Twain staff members. We will mail Kindergarten round up information to people who have attended our informational coffee or a school tour. Please help us by sharing round up information with other zoned families coming to Mark Twain this fall that we may have missed. If you know any families who are consideringMark Twain but are still unsure about their decision, please ask them to contact Jennifer Castillo at or 713.661.0770. We can arrange a special school tour just for them and let them speak to faculty members to answer any questions they may have. We want everyone to know about our great neighborhood school.For enrollment information and required documentation, please go to marktwainpto.org.