
02/03/2023
Hope to see you at Glenshire Park in District K on Saturday. Let’s make 2023 Arbor Day a memorable one.
Houston City Council Member representing District K, from the edge of the Texas Medical Center to th
Serves on the following committees:
Quality of Life (QoL)
Budget and Fiscal Affairs (BFA)
Ethics, Elections and Council Governance (EECG)
Transportation, Technology & Infrastructure (TTI)
Housing, Sustainable Growth and Development (HSGD)
Finance, Administration, and Intergovernmental Relations Steering
Operating as usual
Hope to see you at Glenshire Park in District K on Saturday. Let’s make 2023 Arbor Day a memorable one.
I’m super excited about my appointment to the National League of Cities’ Transportation and Infrastructure Services Committee.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Services (TIS) Committee is responsible for leading NLC’s policy development and advocacy on transportation for communities of all sizes. The committee advocates for federal funding opportunities for cities and towns, improving safety and connectivity, and leveraging innovation for all types of transportation. With the passage of historic bipartisan federal infrastructure programs, TIS is focused on the intergovernmental partnership needed to utilize direct competitive federal transportation programs, improve safety on our roads and sidewalks, and enhance the connectivity of regions with shared rail, transit and aviation options.
Here’s the press release announcing my appointment. I look forward to serving alongside other elected officials from around the country. https://bit.ly/NLCPressRelease013023
📚Did you know the Houston Public Library is now Fine Free, meaning no more late fines? Along with this change, we want everyone to have a Fresh Start.
From now until February 18th, visit a Houston Public Library location in person, bring back overdue items, and ask for your account to be cleared. We will clear any late fines and fees for lost or damaged items. To find the closest Library, anyone can visit houstonlibrary.org or call 832-393-1313 for more information.
“The only thing you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” -Albert Einstein 📚
Congratulations to the South Houston Concerned Citizens Coalition on their 30th Anniversary and 8th Annual Awards Banquet. The foundation this organization has laid in our neighborhoods was felt in this room filled with community giants. Representing such dedicated constituents inspires me daily. We are better because of your continued community advocacy. Keep soaring!
‼️Shred Day in District K‼️ You still have time to come to Ridgemont Community Center, 5107 Ridgecreek Circle, and get your sensitive documents shredded safely. We will be here today until noon. Hope to see you soon!
If you missed it last weekend you have another opportunity to shred your sensitive documents this Saturday in Fort Bend Houston. Bring your items to Ridgemont Community Center from 9am - 12 noon. See you there!
Our first PIP meeting of 2023 was outstanding. Thanks HPD for inviting me to update our constituents on projects and programming happening throughout District K. Violent Crime is down 15% in District K. Make sure you are receiving our District K newsletter for community updates. See you next month!
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=EFqoV4sltEWlGclsdyEJTNnBsLjFg4JBk7K
Let’s talk about safety in our community tonight. See you there!
Y’all help me wish the incomparable Barbara Hite a very happy birthday! I am the fourth council member that Barbara has worked with. She is a wealth of knowledge and continues to be such a dedicated Director of Constituent Services for our District K community. I am honored to work alongside such an inspiring servant. Here’s to another great year, Barbs! 🎉🎂🎁
‼️It’s Shred Day in District K‼️ Don’t forget to bring your sensitive items to shred today! You don’t even have to get out of the car. Our volunteers will grab your items and you are on your way! We’ll be at Westbury UMC and New Faith Church on W Fuqua until noon!
Thank you Tristen Sutton for the stellar training for our District K Team and partners. As we continue striving to restore people’s faith in government we must be able to effectively engage with them.
“We never stop learning because serving our constituents, never stops teaching.” -mct💚
REMINDER: District Community Shred Day January 21, 2023 & January 28, 2023 (Fort Bend Houston)
Rain or shine the Shred Days in District K are happening! Let’s start the new year off shredding unwanted documents and making space for new business. It’s important that we properly dispose of docume
‼️This Saturday‼️
Don’t let the anticipated rain stop you from planning to drop off your sensitive items for shredding on Saturday from 9-12.
It’s important that we properly dispose of documents to protect our privacy and to maintain adequate security when handling sensitive information. Did you know shredding documents also makes recycling easier?
Box up those documents to bring to one of 3 District K Shred Day locations.
January 21st 9am to 12 noon we will be at Westbury United Methodist Church and New Faith Church (small electronics will be accepted at New Faith Church).
January 28th from 9am to 12 noon we will be in Fort Bend Houston at Ridgemont Clubhouse.
Set your reminders and let’s start 2023 off without all those piles of paper!
Congratulations United on the opening of the new $32M Inflight Training Center in Houston! The new center doubled the size and added new classrooms, additional cabin and door trainers and an aquatic center that features a 125,000-gallon pool and mock fuselage to practice water-related drills.
United expects to train 4,000 new United flight attendants in this facility in 2023 before they take to the skies!
District K January 2023 Newsletter
Happy New Year! Solid Waste Management Department Collection and Facility Schedule for Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday The Solid Waste collection schedule will be modified in observance of the Martin
Thank you Chief Finner and HPD for the public safety presentation during city council meeting today. Significant reductions were reported in almost every category of violent crime in 2022 as compared to 2021. Violent crime is down 15% in District K in 2022. Let’s keep working to keep our community safe, clean and better everyday. I’ll link the entire report in our next District K newsletter.
This MLK Day I hope you will consider a day on instead of a day off. There are several opportunities to serve throughout our city. The YMCA in District K is one place your service is needed. If you are a student in need of community service hours, here is a chance to earn those hours.
Our District K Saturday Sweep was a big success. Our HOT Team concentrated on small dump sites to prevent them from growing into bigger dump sites. Trash begets trash. They picked up tires, mattresses, contractor material, bags of litter in esplanades, appliances and of course those dang bandit signs. We are constantly striving for a safer, cleaner district that we can all be proud of.
Our HOT Team members rock and I appreciate their diligence in keeping our community clean.
Love this memory photo! It has been my extreme honor serving as the Vice Mayor Pro Tem of our great city these past three years. Thank you all for the support and engagement. 2023 will be a year of celebrating our successes and opportunities to continue making the City of Houston and District K better together.
‼️Back by popular demand- Shred Days in District K‼️
Let’s start the new year off shredding unwanted documents and making space for new business. It’s important that we properly dispose of documents to protect our privacy and to maintain adequate security when handling sensitive information. Did you know shredding documents also makes recycling easier?
As we begin 2023 make sure you box up those documents to bring to one of 3 District K Shred Day locations.
✅January 21st from 9am to 12 noon we will be at New Faith Church and Westbury United Methodist Church. New Faith Church location will accept small electronics and paper.
✅January 28th from 9am to 12 noon we will be in Fort Bend Houston at Ridgemont Clubhouse.
Mark your calendars and let’s start 2023 without all those piles of paper!
Happy New Year!
Celebrate the New Year Responsibly Celebrate the New Year Responsibly District K Residents and Friends, As we prepare to enter 2023, it important to remind each other to do so safely. Please do your p
Merry Everything! Be kind to yourself and each other. ❤️
District K December 2022 Newsletter
District K December 2022 Newsletter District K Friends, Happy Holidays! It's hard to believe it's already December and we are heading into the year 2023. Thank you to all of the neighborhood groups th
It’s city council break week, however the work continues. We will continue working with our legislative partners to ensure Houstonians can have the best quality of life in our great city. The 88th Legislative Session begins next month and we anticipate an active session as bills are filed that affect cities. I’ll be following several bills that directly affect our communities.
Last session, the Texas legislature filed a combined 9,999 bills and resolutions. According to the Texas Legislative Reference Library, 4,581 of those passed.
If you are interested in following what is happening during the 88th Legislative Session here is a great site. https://capitol.texas.gov/
District K - Prepare for Cold Weather
Before Freezing Weather Info Prepare for Cold Weather! District K Residents and Friends, Let's make sure we are all prepared for the freezing temperatures expected to arrive in Houston, Thursday, Dece
It’s hard to describe in one post how much joy we experienced on Friday as we shared holiday turkeys with the seniors in District K. When I found out how much the turkeys would cost this year (almost double the regular price) I almost didn’t host the event. I’m so glad there are caring partners in our community that joined our effort to keep our holiday tradition going. The smiles, hugs and touching stories made all the extra coordinating we had to do so worth it. One senior told me because of this gift she would now be able to invite her children over for Christmas. Several others talked about the cost of groceries and how thankful they were to receive the turkeys.
HPD Storefront Association(Southwest Command Station) Blueridge Transportation Group-BTG, CareSource Bayou Place, Union Pacific, NRG and Lemond Kitchen your contributions to our event made all this joy possible.
The District K Staff and HOT Team, New Faith Church volunteers, college volunteers from UofH and Xavier University, JP Tatum and Alyce Coffey helped to execute the distribution flawlessly; while my dad helped with recycling the cardboard boxes.
Special thanks to George Nwanguma and the meat manager and staff at Fiesta on W Bellfort for ordering the turkeys and making them available even during the shortage.
Craig DjTricky C Porter kept us in the holiday spirit as he played all of our favorite tunes. We even got in a few line dances during the event breaks.
This holiday season I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our city and our community. 2022 has been a phenomenal year and I’m looking forward to more great times filled with sharing and serving together.
Pick Up Your Turkey Today at 10 AM - 12 PM
District K Friends,
We can't wait to see you today from 10am to 12pm. If you have registered for your family turkey, there is one waiting for you.
Special thanks to our sponsors who have helped make this drive possible. I'm so happy that the District K office has so many amazing community and business partners that are willing to join me in spreading some holiday cheer.
See you at 10 am to 12 pm as you drive through at the Fountain Life Center. There will be music, holiday fun and of course, your turkey. The turkeys are our gift to District K residents. You must currently live in District K and have registered to reserve your turkey. After 12 noon today, if there are any turkeys that have not been picked up or left over, we are happy to share with other residents.
We can't wait to see you.
In service,
Martha
CenterPoint Energy Safety Meeting is tonight @ 6:00pm
Join the Safety Discussion with CenterPoint Energy Reps CenterPoint Energy Safety Discussion with Southwest Crossing Residents and Community Members District K Residents, This is a reminder for the Ce
Thank you Pastor Brandon Washington of Word Of Faith Community Church for delivering the invocation at today’s Houston City Council Meeting. Your diligence and commitment to our community is value added and appreciated. It was my pleasure to host you and Deacon Terrell Prothow, Jr. 🙏🏾
District K - Vice Mayor Pro Tem's Annual "Turkey Gift-Away"
District K - Register Today! Vice Mayor Pro Tem Castex-Tatum's Annual Share A Holiday Meal District K Friends, WOW, we are thrilled with the number of residents that have already signed up to come by
Special thanks to the Houston Library Foundation for joining me in sharing my love of reading with students at the Briargate Gents and Gems Holiday Party. Growing up, my mother always made sure we got to pick out books we wanted to read during the summer and winter breaks. I hope they enjoy every adventure.
There are many little ways to enlarge a child’s world. The love of books is one of the best of all. -Jacqueline Kennedy
📚
CenterPoint Energy Safety Meeting is December 14, 2022 @ 6:00pm
Join the Safety Discussion with CenterPoint Energy Reps CenterPoint Energy Safety Discussion with Southwest Crossing Residents and Community Members District K Residents, Please mark your calendars fo
Our seniors asked and we’re bringing back the turkeys and holiday cheer. Thanks to our generous community partners we are planning our District K Senior Turkey Gift Away again this year. Pick up will be easy and fun. Just drive thru and enjoy the holiday sights and sounds with our volunteers and District K Team. Call or email us to reserve one for your family. See you on December 16th from 10-12!
When community partners like NRG WA Parish Power Plant heed the call to donate hygiene items to students at Briargate Elementary School, you get these amazing photos that amplify the joy of giving. Thank you to FBISD Board Members, Principal Sutton, other elected officials and volunteers for joining Pastor David L Sincere Jr and me in this phenomenal community service venture.
There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.-Nelson Mandela
History will write about what we do with the challenges of our community and there are model stories of optimism, hope and resiliency among us. When I created the District K Kudos Award last year I wanted to highlight those exceptional stories and people. Kudos is an expression of approval and acclaim. Help me celebrate only the 2nd District K resident to receive the KUDOS Award, for his extraordinary work at Briargate Elementary and throughout Fort Bend, Houston.
Pastor David L Sincere Jr is the founder of the Gents and Gems program where he works with students afterschool building their self esteem, and providing fun learning opportunities. Through his work at the school, he recognized a need for hygiene items for students and their families, and pulled together a host of partners to help collect items for our students. The response was tremendous and so many students and families will be blessed by this community effort led by Pastor Sincere. For his diligence and service, join me in congratulating our latest KUDOS Awardee, Pastor David Sincere, Jr!!!!
Big shout out to the Houston Humane Society for partnering with my office today as we helped over 60 pet families in our community with pet food, in an effort to keep pets in their loving homes.
Congratulations Director Murray and The Office of Business Opportunity team for executing another impactful“Meet the Buyer Procurement Forum.” Small business owners in Houston were able to have direct contact with public and private sector businesses looking to diversify contracting opportunities. The “What to Know When Doing International Business” and the “Supplier Diversity Solutions” Panel were great opportunities to hear from others who are successfully navigating these spaces. If you are a business owner in Houston, make sure you stay engaged with OBO for more business opportunities.
Thank you Lauren Morton for you dedicated service to the District K office as our University of Houston Civic Houston Intern. Your diligence, professionalism and genuine heart for service has been so inspiring. We have enjoyed having you work alongside us for the past 8 weeks. We wish you tremendous success and I know we’ll all be voting for you someday soon. Keep soaring!
District K - Vice Mayor Pro Tem Castex-Tatum and the Houston Humane Society Host a Pet Pantry
District K - Vice Mayor Pro Tem Castex-Tatum and the Houston Humane Society Host a Pet Pantry Vice Mayor Pro Tem Castex-Tatum and Houston Humane Society Host a Pet Pantry Vice Mayor Pro Tem Castex-Tat
Hope to see you here on Thursday! I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned from traveling with small business owners on trade missions this year.
There are many opportunities for small businesses to do business outside of the country. Learn more at our International Business Panel at Meet the Buyer on Thursday, Dec. 1. Register at tinyurl.com/2022MTB or scan the QR code.
900 Bagby Street
Houston, TX
77002
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Out with the old and in with the new! I’m ecstatic to see demolition taking place at 5505 Belrose in Westbury. The old post office is gone and we are one step closer to our new library in District K. The Dr. Shannon Walker Neighborhood Library is coming soon! 🎉 #DistrictK #HPL
The Panama Canal is a wonder! This 51 mile waterway connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit for maritime trade. One of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken, the Panama Canal shortcut greatly reduces the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, enabling them to avoid the lengthy, hazardous Cape Horn route around the southernmost tip of South America via the Drake Passage or Strait of Magellan and the even less popular route through the Arctic Archipelago and the Bering Strait. The cost for ships to travel through the canal is $100K while the cost to travel around runs over $1M. 35 ships a day pass through the Panama Canal, taking 8-10 hours. Monday, August 15, marked 108 years of operation, and the Panama Canal continues to show its commitment to the country and international trade. The record figures achieved in recent years, as well as constant maintenance to its structures and preservation of the water resource confirm the efficiency of the fascinating canal. #PANMATradeMission2022 #EconomicDevelopment
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