HOUSTON, We Have Problems
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History Map of the Houston Region George P
1836 1890 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 1519 -1685, 1690-1821 1685 -1690 1821 -1836 1836 -1845 1861 -1865 1845 -1861, 1870 Six Flags Over Texas 1974 2010 + 1904 1970s - 80s 2001 Sept 2005 Spain France Mexico Republic of Texas Confederate States of America The Woodlands founded by 1836 United States of America 1893 1895 Conroe founded 1969 Houston Downtown Tropical Storm Allison Hurricane Rita Houston Regional Growth History Map of the Houston Region George P. Mitchell 1999 population 2.1 Million; Galveston incorporated 1861 Pasadena founded Friendswood founded Kingwood tunnel system constructed 1993 1846 1930 1933 1968 Greater metropolitan area Planning and 1837 - 1840 Houston and 1894 1940s 1945 1948 1955 1959 founded Houston surpasses LA The SJRA 1976 Citywide referendum; population 6M Texas becomes Harris County 1870 Houston most populous city in Texas Humble founded Houston carries out Baytown Houston metro area Sugar Land in ozone readings Infrastructure Houston is the Capital of Pearland founded 1900 Katy 1962 (San Jacinto River Authority) Greenspoint 1983 Houston again rejects zoning the Republic 28th State vote to secede Texas readmitted 292,352 annexation campaign founded population 1 Million founded 1890s founded Houston voters reject proposed began construction of development begins Economic Development from the Union to the Union The Great Storm 1929 1935 to increase size Hurricane Sept 12, 2008 1837 Clear Lake 1955 zoning ordinance Lake Conroe pursuant to 1989 Aug 30, 1836 against Sam Population 9,332 City planning commission -
Lawsuit Seeks to Address an Appalling Violation of the Law: the Persistent and Intentional Failure to Test Thousands of Sexual Assault Evidence Kits (So Called
Case 4:17-cv-02859 Document 1 Filed in TXSD on 09/24/17 Page 1 of 45 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS HOUSTON DIVISION DEJENAY BECKWITH § on her Own Behalf and § Others Similarly Situated § § Plaintiffs, § § VS. § CIVIL ACTION NO. 4:17-cv-2859 ____________ § CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, § Mayor Sylvester Turner, Police § Chief Art Acevedo, Houston § Forensic Science Center, Peter § Stout, § § And Former Mayors of the § City of Houston § in their individual capacities: § Annise Parker, § Bill White, § Lee P. Brown, § Bob Lanier (deceased), and § Kathy Whitmire. § § And Former Police Chiefs of the § City of Houston § in their individual capacities: § Charles McClelland, § Harold Hurtt, § Clarence Bradford, § Sam Nuchia, § Elizabeth Watson, § Lee P. Brown. § § Defendants. § Jury Trial Requested 1 Case 4:17-cv-02859 Document 1 Filed in TXSD on 09/24/17 Page 2 of 45 ORIGINAL CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT TO THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF THIS COURT: NOW COMES, Plaintiff, DEJENAY BECKWITH, who on her own behalf and on behalf of others similarly situated (hereinafter, collectively “Plaintiffs”), file this, Original Class Action Complaint against the CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Police Chief Art Acevedo, the Houston Forensic Science Center, Peter Stout, CEO of the Houston Forensic Science Center as well as Former Mayors of the City of Houston: Annise Parker, Bill White, Lee P. Brown, Bob Lanier (deceased), and Kathy Whitmire in addition to Former Police Chiefs of the City of Houston: Charles McClelland, Harold Hurtt, Clarence -
Newman Elected As Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Volume 35, Spring 2008 PENSIONPENSION PRESS PRESS The Newsletter of the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System www.hmeps.org Newman Elected as Chairman of the Board of Trustees If you had asked Roderick (Rod) Newman 30 years ago what he would be doing today, he wouldn’t have said still working for the City of Houston or serving as Chairman of the Board of HMEPS. But he’s glad things worked out like they did. When Newman began working for the City’s Human Resources Department, he thought it would be a short- term job on the way to the corporate world. “But then I woke up one day and I had been in Human Resources for 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, 25 years and now 30 years,” says Newman, who is Division Manager over the Selection Services and Employee Relations Division. “I just realized along the way that I like helping people - that’s what HR is about. It’s a people profession and I HMEPS’ newly-elected Chairman Roderick J. Newman (center) addresses staff members in the Human Resources Department. love interacting with people.” Rod was elected as the first African-American to serve Annual Statements – Mailing Dates on the HMEPS Board in 1992, and was elected Secretary It’s time for Annual Statements to be mailed from the HMEPS (Continued on Page 7) office. See Page 3 for more details on when yours will arrive. ➧ Mose Honored to Serve as Secretary At the February Board meeting the Board of Trustees elected Sherry Mose as Secretary. -
This Photograph of the Gulf Freeway Overpass At
Where it all began: This photograph of the Gulf Freeway overpass at Calhoun shows the exact location of the dedication ceremony for the first freeway segment in Houston, which took place on September 30, 1948. This photograph was taken one month later on November 3, 1948. (Photo: National Archives 30-N-48-1436) Building the System It was a warm autumn evening in late September 1948. A crowd of politicians, dignitar- ies, guests, and curious onlookers began to congregate at an unusual location—a place most had never been before. Many surely sensed it was an important event for Houston, but few realized how dramatically it would transform the way they lived and the way their city would grow and sprawl. It was the introduction of a new concept in transportation that had been tried elsewhere and had now reached Texas, and in the spirit of Texas was declared to be done bigger and better than anywhere else. On that night, the crowd gathering on the freeway overpass would witness the dedication and official opening of the first segment of the Gulf Freeway. After the usual statements by the officials, Mayor Oscar Holcombe threw a circuit breaker to illuminate the freeway lighting, and a brand-new stretch of freeway emerged from the darkness. The scene was rife with symbolism, as the freeway would light the way to a new future for Houstonians. Just eight years before, the very location of the freeway had been an electric railway providing transit service for Houstonians. Now private automobiles lined up for a half-mile in both directions from the dedication point, awaiting the official green light to proceed on the freeway. -
The Mother of All Freeways: Maintaining the Status Flow On
10 Cite Spring 1992 Joiu. W A R R E N BARNA MAINTAINING THE STATUS FLOW residential areas, and all predate the West ON HOUSTON'S WEST LOOP Loop, it was the proximity of these top- dollar demographic swatches, in tact, that made the Galleria, precociously conceived Hl- "Uptown" section of the Not so the West Loop, the flagship of United States and is expected to double i n as specialty retail on a quasi-Luropean West Loop, a 4.1-mile-long Houston's head-over-wheels embrace of worker population over the next 20 years. theme, Houston's special contribution to stretch ol Loop 610 between the automobile age. By a happy coinci- high-speed consumer-urbanism. Interstate 10 and U.S. 59 that is dence of its birth - an engineering decision Best of all, the West Loop joins what is Tthe heart of post-downtown, perpetually that reportedly ratified a deal cut in perhaps the most exquisitely symbolic Stands of old trees and the topographical smog-bound Houston (and until recently Houston City Council in the 1950s to pairing in the American landscape. On the variations afforded by Buffalo Bayou (its was destined to become the widest Ircc- benefit R. K. "Hob" Smith, then a major west side, shielded by scraggly pines within waters laced at the Loop only with effluent way in the world) has always enjoyed a financial backer of Mayor Roy Hofheinz - a gated sports-and-health center for from the nascent communities of the pine certain apartness among Houston's major the West Loop passes through the western strcsscd-out executives (which recently forests and prairies to the west) were traffic arteries. -
J. Kent "Kenny" Friedman Oral History Interview and Transcript
Houston Jewish History Archive at Rice University Interviewee: J. Kent "Kenny" Friedman Interviewer: Dr. Joshua Furman Date: December 28, 2020 J. Kent Friedman has recently retired as the General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer of Morae Legal Corporation, an international legal consulting firm. He grew up in Biloxi, Mississippi, and received a B.B.A and a LL.B. degree from Tulane, as well as a LL.M. degree in Taxation from Boston University. Kenny has served as president of the Mickey Leland Kibbutzim Internship Foundation, president of the Southwest Region of the American Jewish Committee, and chairman of the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, among many other positions in Jewish communal and Houston lay leadership. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the Leon Jaworski Award from the Houston Bar Association Auxiliary and the Max Nathan Award from the American Jewish Committee. He is married to Dr. Ann Friedman, and has five children and eight grandchildren. In this interview, Kenny speaks of his childhood and family history, and the role Judaism had in each. He discusses his secondary education and career, exploring how his Jewish identity adapted to and influenced his development as a lawyer and prominent community leader. Kenny speaks of his move to Houston and his involvement with the city’s political and social organizations, especially the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority. He discusses his son Andrew Friedman’s distinguished career in baseball, including stints as the general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers, and describes what it was like to have competing rooting interests during the now-controversial 2017 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers. -
List of Mayors, Council Members and City Controllers from 1958 to 2012
LIST OF MAYORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY CONTROLLERS FROM 1958 TO 2012 1958 – 1959 Lewis Cutrer - Mayor George P. Montgomery - District A Bill Ragan - District B Lee McLemore - District C Lou Hassell - District D W. H. Jones - District E Louie Welch - At Large Position #1 Garth Bates - At Large Position #2 Johnny Goyen - At Large Position #3 Roy B. Oakes - Controller 1960 – 1961 Lewis Cutrer – Mayor Robert S. (Bob) Webb – District A Bill Ragan – District B Lee McLemore – District C Bill T. Swanson – District D W. H. Jones – District E Louie Welch – At Large Position #1 Frank E. Mann – At Large Position #2 Johnny Goyen – At Large Position #3 Roy B. Oakes – Controller 1962 – 1963 Lewis Cutrer – Mayor Robert S. (Bob) Webb – District A A. L. “Curly” Miller – District B Lee McLemore – District C Bill T. Swanson – District D W. H. Jones – District E (4-3-63 – Frank O. Mancuso appointed to District E due to the death of Mr. Jones) Lou Hassell – At Large Position #1 Frank E. Mann – At Large Position #2 Johnny Goyen – At Large Position #3 Roy B. Oakes – Controller LIST OF MAYORS, COUNCIL & CITY CONTROLLERS – PAGE 2 1964 – 1965 Louie Welch – Mayor Robert S. (Bob) Webb – District A A. L. “Curly” Miller – District B Lee McLemore – District C Homer L. Ford – District D Frank O. Mancuso – District E Bill Elliott – At Large Position #1 Frank E. Mann – At Large Position #2 Johnny Goyen – At Large Position #3 Roy B. Oakes – Controller 1966 – 1967 Louie Welch – Mayor Robert S. (Bob) Webb – District A A. L. “Curly” Miller – District B Lee McLemore – District C Homer L. -
In the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Case: 18-20611 Document: 00515160896 Page: 1 Date Filed: 10/16/2019 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS United States Court of Appeals FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Fifth Circuit FILED October 16, 2019 No. 18-20611 Lyle W. Cayce Clerk DEJENAY BECKWITH, on her Own Behalf and Others Similarly Situated; BEVERLY FLORES, on her Own Behalf and Others Similarly Situated, Plaintiffs - Appellants v. CITY OF HOUSTON; MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER; POLICE CHIEF ART ACEVEDO; HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER; PETER STOUT; ANNISE PARKER; LEE P. BROWN; KATHY WHITMIRE; CHIEF CHARLES MCCLELLAND; CHIEF CLARENCE BRADFORD; CHIEF SAM NUCHIA, Defendants - Appellees Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. 4:17-CV-2859 Before BARKSDALE, STEWART, and COSTA, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* This case is a putative class action based on claims by Plaintiffs Dejenay Beckwith and Beverly Flores that the City of Houston and individual city policy makers failed to test Sexual Assault Kits (“SAKs”) following Plaintiffs’ * Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4. Case: 18-20611 Document: 00515160896 Page: 2 Date Filed: 10/16/2019 No. 18-20611 sexual assaults by non-party perpetrators. Plaintiffs filed suit against the following Defendants: the City of Houston, Texas; Dr. Peter Stout, the 2017- appointed CEO of the Houston Forensic Science Center; the former Mayors of the City of Houston, Annise Parker (2010-2016), Bill White (2004-2010), Lee P. -
Houston Teachers Institute
A Call For Dreamers Carolyn Walker Contents of Curriculum Unit General Information Narrative Discourse Unit Goals Lesson I: Introduction Lesson II: The Outrageous Dreamers, Part I (1836-1899) Lesson III: The Outrageous Dreamers, Part II (1900-1980 Lesson IV: The Next Generation of Dreamers, The Urban Dream, 1981-Present Lesson V: A Call For Dreamers, Creating A Dream For Our Own Community General Application This curriculum unit is designed to be used in an English, Leadership, Vocational Construction, or Social Studies class, grades 10-12. It may also be used as a co-curricular unit. The entire unit may be completed in a minimum of six weeks. If students are allowed to work on projects in class, it may take longer. The unit requires three field trips. If these are not possible, speakers may be used to provide the information that may be obtained on these trips. Narrative Discourse In a December 27, 1998 article titled “Houston Needs Dreamers,” Douglas Milburn stated how Houston from the very beginning has been blessed by dreamers--people of vision whose dreams in many cases seemed “beyond the limits of rational possibilities.” (Milburn 1) His partial list of dreamers included: Sam Houston, William Marsh Rice, the 1900 business community, Miss Ima Hogg, Jesse Jones, M. D. Anderson, John and Dominique de Menil, Judge Roy Hohfeinz, and Gerald Hines. He points out that there are still people in the city doing “new and creative things,” however, these things are small, fragmented--not the typical grand scale projects that were typical of the pre-1980s oil bust visionaries. -
The West Loop: One of the Most Impressive Instances of an “Edge City” Has Risen Along the West Loop
The West Loop: One of the most impressive instances of an “edge city” has risen along the West Loop. This view looks north along the West Loop with the Southwest Freeway interchange in the foreground. (Photo: September 2002) The Loops In his 1992 book, Edge City: Life on the New Frontier, Joel Garreau documents the rise of new urban centers on the fringes of the nation’s cities. These edge cities included not only the traditional elements of suburbia—homes and shopping malls—but also the means of creating wealth—jobs. Garreau identifies 123 edge cities around the nation but makes no effort to rate or rank them by any criteria. After all, the edge city is a somewhat amorphous entity, evolving to meet the needs of the new information economy. But Gar- reau leaves us with a few hints that perhaps there is one edge city that towers over all the rest, both literally and figuratively, an edge city that stuns the sense of sight by the immense scale of its signature structure. That edge city is the Uptown Houston district located on the West Loop. Just off the West Loop is the 64-floor, 899-foot-tall (274 m) Williams Tower, an architecturally distinctive structure that is made even more striking by its dominating presence over an otherwise impressive landscape of mid-rise office towers. It was the loop freeway, of course, that propelled Uptown Houston to become one of the most impressive edge cities in the United States. The circumferential freeway bypass has become a standard fixture in the freeway sys- tems of many cities, both in the United States and Europe. -
APPENDIX TABLE of CONTENTS Opinion of the United States Court
APPENDIX TABLE OF CONTENTS OPINIONS AND ORDERS Opinion of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (October 16, 2019) .................. 1a Order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (July 31, 2018) ...... 17a Order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas Granting Motion for a Stay (March 2, 2018) ................................ 44a App.1a OPINION OF THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT (OCTOBER 16, 2019) IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT ________________________ DEJENAY BECKWITH, on her Own Behalf and Others Similarly Situated; BEVERLY FLORES, on her Own Behalf and Others Similarly Situated, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. CITY OF HOUSTON; MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER; POLICE CHIEF ART ACEVEDO; HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER; PETER STOUT; ANNISE PARKER; LEE P. BROWN; KATHY WHITMIRE; CHIEF CHARLES MCCLELLAND; CHIEF CLARENCE BRADFORD; CHIEF SAM NUCHIA, Defendants-Appellees. ________________________ No. 18-20611 Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas USDC No. 4:17-CV-2859 Before: BARKSDALE, STEWART, and COSTA, Circuit Judges. App.2a PER CURIAM: This case is a putative class action based on claims by Plaintiffs Dejenay Beckwith and Beverly Flores that the City of Houston and individual city policy makers failed to test Sexual Assault Kits (“SAKs”) following Plaintiffs’ sexual assaults by non- party perpetrators. Plaintiffs filed suit against the following Defendants: the City of Houston, Texas; Dr. Peter Stout, the 2017-appointed CEO of the Houston Forensic Science Center; the former Mayors of the City of Houston, Annise Parker (2010-2016), Bill White (2004-2010), Lee P. -
Downtown Development
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT This list provides details on all public and private sector construction projects in Downtown Houston since 1995. Costs are estimated or otherwise not available. Under Construction 1001 Fannin Renovation of the main lobby in the 49‐story, 1.3 million SF‐square‐foot building to the tunnel level with updates to an 8,000‐square‐foot fitness center and adjacent tenant lounge with areas for entertainment, seating and gaming. The renovations are slated for completion in mid‐2020, with a building conference center to follow in 2021. Address 1001 Fannin Developer FC Tower Property Partners LP Estimated cost $20 million Est. completion 2022 Website 1001 Fannin 1810 Main – Fairfield Residential Development of a new 10‐story, 286‐‐unit Class A residential building. Address 1810 Main Developer Fairfield Residential Estimated cost TBD Est. completion 2022 Website Fairfield Residential Heritage Plaza Redevelopment of 53‐story, 1.1 million‐SF office tower to include the addition of a new glass curtain wall at the corner of Dallas and Brazos street, refinishing main lobby and 13th floor sky lobby. Address 1111 Bagby St. Developer Brookfield Properties Estimated cost $10‐$15 million Est. completion January 2021 Website Heritage Plaza Wyatt Square (Jones Plaza) Renamed Lynn Wyatt Square For The Performing Arts. 1.5‐acre renovation to include a 4,000 SF restaurant. Address 600 Louisiana St. Developer Downtown Redevelopment Authority, Houston First Corporation Estimated cost $29 million Est. completion Mid‐2021 Website Wyatt Square (Jones Plaza) TC Energy Center Renaming and renovation of 56‐story, 1.26 million‐SF former Bank of America Center.