South Belt-Ellington Leader (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 7, 1994 Page: 1 of 12
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SJC drama department
schedules comedy
Page 3A
Dobie‘s Lady Longhorns
remain unbeaten
Page 1B
7 CCISD science projects
advance to state contest
Page 5A
ourth Gelt-fEllington Leaner
April 7, 1994
"The Voice of Community-Minded People
Vol 19 Number 8
SJC fun run April 16
Early registration is now being conducted for the April 16 5-K (3.1 miles)
fun run held every spring at San Jacinto College South. Applications for the Minds
on the Move Fun Run are available at the office of the event’s sponsor, the South
Belt-Ellington Chamber of Commerce (481-5516), or at the college gym. An ap-
plication also appears on Page 2B. Those registering before race day will pay $15.
On race day, the cost jumps to $18.
The 5-K run will begin at 8 a.m., and the 5-K walk will start at 8:05. The
top three male and female finishers in each age group will receive trophies. All
participants receive a T-shirt and goody bags and are eligible for door prizes, which
include round-trip air fare for two to anywhere Southwest flies.
Proceeds will benefit educational programs in the South Belt area.
Brio emergency drill Saturday
A Brio Superfund site mock emergency drill will be held sometime Saturday,
April 9. Due to the nature of the drill, exact times will not be released ahead of time.
The purpose of the drill is to test response capability of emergency responders.
The drill is expected to last a minimum of 2% hours. Residents should not
be concerned if they see emergency vehicles around the Brio site.
Heavy trash pickup set
Today is heavy trash pickup day for city of Houston residents who live in
the South Belt area south of Fuqua. Those living north of Fuqua will have their
heavy trash picked up on Monday, April 11. Crews sometimes run a day or two
behind schedule. For further information, call 551-7320.
Car washes Saturday
Fuqua will be the site of two car washes Saturday. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
Beverly Hills Intermediate eighth-graders will be washing cars at the Whataburger,
with proceeds benefiting their dance. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Dobie baseball
booster club will sponsor a car wash at the Fuqua Taco Bell.
Thompson dance April 15
Tickets ($15) for the Thompson Intermediate School eighth-grade dance will
be sold at lunch today (April 7). The dance will be held Friday, April 15, from
8 p.m. to midnight at the Golfcrest Country Club in Green Tee.
The decorating committee will meet Monday, April 11, from 6 to 10 p.m.
at the Kirkmont utility building to make decorations for the dance. All interested
parents are asked to attend. For information, call Donna Willingham at 485-6996
or Diane Roberts at 485-0557.
Spring show at Dobie this weekend
The Dobie Lariaettes will present their spring show “All in the Family” at
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the school’s gym. Advance tickets sell for $5
and will sell for $6 at the door. Children 5 and under will be admitted free.
Sagemont Park meeting Tuesday
City Councilman Joe Roach will speak at Tuesday’s (April 12) meeting of
the Sagemont Park Community Improvement Association. The meeting is set for
Judge Howard Wayland’s court, at the northwest corner of Scarsdale and Beamer,
at7:15p.m.
The annual election will be held at the meeting. Those who wish to be placed
on the ballot are asked to call current board members Charlie Wilkerson at
481-8762, Bill Hudson at 481-4595 or Vernon Rush at 484-1306. Nominations
will also be accepted from the floor. Board member Channing Burton has been
inactive during the past year.
Civic club meetings next week
The Sagemont and Kirkwood civic clubs will hold their regular monthly
meetings next week. The Sagemont Civic Club will meet Tuesday, April 12, at
7:30 p.m. at the Parker Williams Library. The Kirkwood Civic Association will
meet at the home of Leonard and Mary Root, 11518 Kirkmeadow, at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 14. Neil West will speak about the South Belt Security Alliance
and its involvement with gang activity in the area.
Diamond Club meeting changes
The Dobie Diamond Club (baseball boosters) will meet Thursday, April 7,
at 7 p.m. at Stuchbery Elementary. A covered-dish dinner will be served and var-
sity coaches and players will be introduced.
Happening in April at library
The following activities are planned for the Parker Williams Library during
April:
Wednesday storytime
Storytime for preschoolers is held at 10:30 a.m. each Wednesday.
Immunizations
On the third Friday of each month, the Harris County Health Department will
offer immunizations from 1 to 4 p.m. Call 471-4202 for information. This month’s
date is April 22.
Free fine week
During National Library Week April 18 to 23, any overdue books may be
returned with fines forgiven.
Food drive
Also during National Library Week, food will be collected for the local food
bank.
Teen job seminar
The Texas Employment Commission will conduct a seminar for teens on the
employment process April 20.
Holocaust exhibit
Throughout April a sample of photos from the Houston Holocaust Museum
will be exhibited.
AARP meets Friday
The South Belt chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons will
meet Friday, April 8, at 10 a.m. at the Kirkwood South Christian Church on
Kirkfair. Marlene Wolverton will speak on getting started on conducting family
geneology research.
Membership is open to all senior citizens in the South Belt area.
PISD early dismissal April 15
Students in the Pasadena school district will get out three hours early next
Friday, April 15.
Genoa anniversary next week
Tomorrow, April 8, is the last day to RSVP to attend the 100th anniversary
celebration of Genoa Elementary School on April 16. Written RSVP should be
sent to the school, 12900 Almeda Genoa Road, Houston, TX 77034.
Opening Little League season
County Commissioner El Franco Lee (left photo) speaks at opening ceremonies
of the Sagemont-Beverly Hills Little League, and former city Councilman Frank
Mancuso throws out the ceremonial first pitch Monday evening.
Photos by Steven Thomson
Schneider’s salary $108,50
after PISD board meeting
A near-perfect rating from the seven- • made the new high school grade point studies, including one community residents work, prompting EPA to recommend
member school board resulted in approval average calculation method retroactive to requested and EPA paid for. enclosures include not only the pits but also
of a $7,500 raise for Pasadena school last summer. Not so this time. the areas around the pits.
Superintendent Rick Schneider, bringing • approved summer swimming lessons Federal EPA officials spent a year study- • The community had been denied access
his salary, including car expenses, to for district pools. ing the Brio site and also reviewed other to monthly Brio meetings conducted by the
$108,500 annually. The action came at the • accepted the low bid of $17,305 to studies done on Brio by the University of Brio Site Task Force.
regular monthly board meeting March 29. California Pool Repair and Service Co. for Texas School of Public Health, the U.S. “The South Belt community has made
In other action at the meeting, trustees: resurfacing Dobie’s pool. Work is expected Geological Survey, the Agency for Toxic significant contributions to understanding
• approved applying to the Texas Educa- to begin immediately. Substances and Disease Registry and the the nature of the issues associated with the
tion Agency for the following four addi- • received an update on a proposed site,” Saginaw said.
tional staff development days in the highly structured alternative high school for In fact, South Belt activist Marie Flick-
1994-95 school year:' Oct. 3 and 4 and Feb. students in the Pasadena, Galena Park and The Brio site presents unique inger initially petitioned for the Brio review
2 and 3. Sheldon districts as well as the Harris 1.71 t last May.
County Department of Education. There is chatenges to the . Flickinger said the report shows the
Ginerintendent t a need for the school to serve students who —Jane Saginaw government’s willingness to protect the
P . • have been returned to campuses via the EPA Region VI administrator community.
On cheerleader tryout grievance courts or to serve students on the verge of 5 She still has significant concerns that Brio
being expelled, but no location has been__can even be cleaned up, and she advocates
Pasadena school superintendent Rick identified. plunging slurry walls up to 60 feet deep
Schneider said he will announce a decision • heard an update by John Moon, chair- study conducted by Dr. Joel Hirschhorn for around Brio and Southbend (after making
Friday on the grievance filed by the parents man of the Facilities Steering Committee, the community with a technical assistance Southbend part of the site) to prevent
of a Thompson Intermediate seventh-grader Moon said the first phase, now complete, grant from EPA. Those four studies were migration of contaminants, fencing the site
who was barred from cheerleader tryouts, dealt with identifying the process. The cur- highly critical of the Brio site work. and covering it with several feet of im-
If he rules against the Davises, they can rent phase, expected to be complete in three “We appreciate the significant contribu- permeable material to prevent emissions,
take their petition to the board. weeks, will identify needs. tions which the community has made to Flickinger said many people contacted
understand the nature of the issues of the her after the unprecedented report, in-
Ae 111 • 1 1 Brio site,” Martin said, eluding environmental activist Hollywood
2 vinyl chloride releases Environmental
. •— • j 1 1 Brio report, nearly 10 years of site work Weekly, Toxic Chemical News and the
TATAAT°T G QT K 0 I 1C VW0a 7 by the Brio Site Task Force may all be for Washington Post will be doing articles
ICOH DA UAL WYCCAL naught. See Elected officials Page 2 A.
Two releases of cancer-causing vinyl tered high vinyl chloride readings at the 10 — 1T 4%1l - niftmoA
chloride from the Brio Superfund site have same time. 12 - V cal -00 CllLCCIy HIDUL
been reported in the past week to the En- Bauer said the Brio Site Task Force • •
vironmental Protection Agency. believes the alarm is a “false positive,” in wr 9 1 a • m AT* P a 1 tw Qv%
Brio project manager Walter Bauer meaning that vinyl chloride may not be the I COAX CL DUCICH 9 WCHL W •
reported the releases as being slightly above chemical triggering the alarm.
the 35 parts per billion standard over a A local teen-ager remains in critical con- television Sunday night.
24-hour average at one of Brio’s seven air But no one seems to know what chemical dition at Ben Taub hospital following an ac- The former Atkinson Elementary student
monitoring stations. is causing the alarm. cident on Beltway 8 at Beamer in the early launched his acting career with the role as
However, vinyl chloride readings at one ' No work had to be curtailed at the site morning of March 29. a Mouseketeer. He moved from the area
station topped out at 406 ppb at 5 a.m. because no site work was being conducted Since the teen had a California driver’s when he was 13 and appeared as a regular
April 2 and were extremely high from late at the time of the releases. license, it was at first thought no local in Hallmark Hall of Fame.
evening until morning. The fact that no site work was being done residents had been involved in the early
The highest readings came from an air at the time of the release has alarmed resi- morning wreck. He also played a comatose teen-ager in
monitoring station on Brio North. In fact, dents who realize readings increase during But Shawn Phelan, 19, had recently the movie “Miles From Nowhere” with
'two other Brio North monitors also regis- site activity. returned to his mother’s Kirkwood home Rick Schroeder and James Farantino.
after a successful acting career in That role strongly parallels Phelan’s cur-
Hollywood. rent struggle. He has remained in ICU in
In fact, Phelan’s guest appearance in a coma since the accident and has suffered
“Murder She Wrote” was broadcast on pneumonia and a collapsed lung.
Parents to hear congressman,
other local elected officials
Any local parent who is worried about juvenile gangs.
gang problems in the South Belt area is • Pasadena school trustee Fred Roberts. I
urged to attend tonight’s meeting ofCom- Following recommendations of CTC, the 1
munity Taking Control, set for 7:30 p.m. Pasadena school district in January adopted
at the Sagemont Youth Building on Hughes tough measures to keep schools safe, in-
Road at Beltway 8. eluding the purchase of video surveillance
The following elected officials will ad- equipment, hand-held metal detectors and
dress gangs and the juvenile problem as it a strict dress code preventing ill-fitting ’
relates to their special area: clothes that could conceal weapons.
Also at tonight’s meeting, board member ,
• Congressman Tom DeLay, Republican Ken DeWitt will give an update on CTC’s -
representative for District 22. activities.
• State Sen. Jerry Patterson, Republican CTC has been investigating how com- -
representative for District 11. munities across the country have dealt with
• Houston city Councilman Joe Roach, gang problems and possible solutions.
District E. Roach is the only rookie coun- Over 100 local residents belong to CTC.
cilman appointed by Mayor Bob Lanier to Memberships are $10 annually and are still
head a committee, that of looking into available.
Fire destroys ‘vandals’ house
A fire which destroyed the house at 9207 Association, unable to contact the owners,
Kirkmont the afternoon of March 30 may has boarded up the house before, but van-
have been a blessing in disguise for Kirk- dais removed the boards.
mont residents.
The house had stood vacant for acouple Joe Bennett, a director of the home-
of years and was an eyesore to the com- owners association, said they even had
munity as well as a gathering place for police monitor the house.
vagrants and pranksters. Now, the association will be able to level
The Kirkmont Section II Homeowners the house.
Brio report could
halt incineration
By Cheryl Bolen BSTF spokesperson J.J. Goldman said
An unprecedented Environmental Protec- she had no comment until she meets with
tion Agency report on Brio released Fri- representatives of Monsanto and the 10
day not only pulls the carpet from under other companies which comprise the task
the feet of remediators but is expected to force.
impact Superfund sites around the country. Friday’s report cited the following prob-
The report from EPA’s Superfund lems with the Brio remediation plans:
Revitalization Office was much stronger • Some contaminated pits at the former
than the draft report released in November, Brio refinery are not scheduled for cleanup,
most notably for withholding support for • Disturbed pit areas can be a source of
the planned remediation at the Brio Super- significant emissions.
fund site. • Contamination beyond the site needs
That support was present in the Novem- to be evaluated.
ber draft. • Tests for metals contamination need to
“The region welcomes the contribution be conducted, and if warranted by the
which the report makes to the cleanup results, calculate risk- and health-based
strategy at the site,” said Region VI ad- levels. Metals are
not destroyed by
ministrator Jane Saginaw. “The region . . . incineration.
will provide a cleanup which is protective • Cleanup does not address styrene tars
of human health and the environment.” that are located in the subsurface of the pits
Improper site characterization, remedy not scheduled for cleanup.
implementation, health and safety and com- • The Brio site had not been sampled for
munity involvement were problem areas cancer-causing dioxins.
identified by the federal officials. • Air monitoring has been unreliable.
“The community raised meritorious • Many traffic accidents have occurred
issues which we addressed in the final on Dixie Farm Road between Brio North
report,” said EPA Ombudsman Robert (which comprises 84 percent of the site) and
Martin, who authored the report. Brio South (where the incinerator is
In the past, community activists say, located). Local residents question what
EPA has been more responsive to the would happen if a wreck involved a truck
chemical companies responsible for clean- of toxic waste being transported for
ing up the site than to the community, incineration.
Relying on site studies paid for by the • Brio is the source of contaminants in
chemical companies (Brio task force), EPA adjacent Mud Gulley.
region officials had discounted other site • Air releases have occurred during site
Vacant house burns
Southeast firemen make sure the fire is out March 30 at a vacant house on Kirk-
mont that suspected gang members frequented.
Photo by Marie Flickinger
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South Belt-Ellington Leader (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 7, 1994, newspaper, April 7, 1994; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1693497/m1/1/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .