South Belt-Ellington Leader, Thursday, July 25, 2019
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4343 yearsyears ofof coveringcovering SouthSouth BeltBelt Voice of Community-Minded People since 1976 Thursday, July 25, 2019 Email: [email protected] www.southbeltleader.com Vol. 44, No. 26 Parade winners named The winners of the 32nd annual South Belt Fourth of July parade have been announced. Pasadena ISD names new administrators The award for the most patriotic commercial entry went to Precinct 2 constable candidate By Reesha Brown trict Board of Trustees. ton Intermediate family,” Swenson said. “SHI is Swenson started her educational career in Jerry Garcia. The prize for the most patriot- Pasadena ISD Communications A former South Belt resident and 1997 Dobie a school with deep roots, fun traditions and a fo- 2001 as a teacher in Pearland ISD. In 2003, she ic noncommercial entry was awarded to the Former South Houston Intermediate Principal graduate, Swenson is replacing Gomez, who was cus on student safety and learning. I’m excited joined the Pasadena ISD family as a journalism H-Town Cookers. Taking home the trophy for Laura Gomez turned over the keys to the campus recently promoted to principal at Pasadena High about working with the teachers, students and teacher at Dobie High School. In 2010, she was the most original noncommercial entry was as Jessica Swenson was named SHI’s new prin- School. parents to continue the momentum of success at promoted to assistant principal at Miller Inter- the Dobie FFA group. cipal by the Pasadena Independent School Dis- “I feel blessed to be a part of the South Hous- SHI.” mediate before being named assistant principal Having served in education for nearly 20 at Memorial High School. Leader seeks vacation pics years and as Pasadena Memorial High School’s Swenson holds a master’s degree in educa- assistant principal since 2013, Swenson brings a tional management from the University of Hous- The Leader is seeking readers’ 2019 vaca- wealth of knowledge and experience to her new ton-Clear Lake and a bachelor’s degree in jour- tion photos. First-, second- and third-place priz- Gomez welcomes Swenson role. nalism from Texas A&M University. es of Schlitterbahn tickets will be awarded for the best submissions July and August. Submis- sions should include where and when the pho- to was taken, details about the trip and first and Dixie Farm land sale may go forward last names of each person in the photo. All pho- The Harris County Flood Control District’s mal settlement documents,” said Jeffry Abrams tos must be high resolution. Email photos to my potential purchase of a controversial piece of in a letter fi led July 8 in the 125th District Court. [email protected]. See this week’s va- property on Dixie Farm Road at Blackhawk will The specifi cs of the arrangement were not re- cation photos on Page 6A. likely move forward after an agreement was leased to the public. reached between the landowner and a developer The mediator was appointed back in April Gulf Freeway closures set that had initially intended to utilize the site. when the two parties, John Carlew and Reming- At least one lane on the northbound frontage In a July 8 fi ling, a court-appointed mediator ton Homes, could not reach an agreement as how road of the Gulf Freeway from FM 517 to FM told a Harris County district court judge that the best to divide the money from the potential sale 518 in League City will be closed daily from 9 two parties had agreed on how to split proceeds of the land. a.m. to 3 p.m. through Wednesday, July 31. from the sale of the property. The 50-acres site was originally to be devel- At least one northbound and one southbound “I am pleased to report that the parties have oped into a 60,000-square-foot retail center and main lane and frontage road lane on the Gulf now settled all issues in the case and signed for- Continued on Page 4A Freeway from NASA Bypass/NASA Road 1 to SH 96/League City Parkway will be closed daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and nightly from 9 p.m. to Precinct 2 deputies battle area crime 5 a.m. through Tuesday, Dec. 31. Alternate en- trance and exit ramps will be closed. Deputies from the Harris County Precinct 2 Anthon Escalera, 44, was charged with felony The northbound exit ramp on the Gulf Free- Constable’s offi ce have kept busy this past week forgery and misdemeanor theft. way between SH 96/League City Parkway and battling crimes ranging from credit card abuse to Police chase FM 518 will be closed continuously through 9 bank “jugging.” A police chase on Friday, July 19, ended with p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31. Little League theft a crash that closed the entire westbound side of Drivers traveling north on the main lanes will A warrant was fi led on a former board mem- Beltway 8. continue to NASA Road 1, exit, then U-turn and ber of the Sagemont-Beverly Hills Little League According to Precinct 2 offi cials, the chase come back to FM 518. Former South Houston Intermediate Principal Laura Gomez (left) is shown above handing for allegedly stealing from the organization. began in League City when League City police The closures are associated with ongoing con- over the keys to the campus to Jessica Swenson, who was recently named principal of the Paul Rodriguez was charged with credit card attempted to pull over a group of three bank jug- struction to widen the freeway from three to fi ve school. Gomez will now serve as principal of Pasadena High School. A former South Belt abuse, a state jail felony. ging suspects. When the suspects refused to pull lanes in each direction and the frontage roads resident and 1997 Dobie graduate, Swenson most recently served as assistant principal of According to investigators, Rodriguez had re- over, a chase ensued, traveling north on the Gulf from two to three lanes in each direction. Pasadena Memorial High School. Photo submitted cently resigned from the board but had continued Freeway and then west on Beltway 8. to use the group’s credit card use for personal ex- The chase came to a close when the suspect Beltway closures planned penses. vehicle crashed between the Pearland Parkway/ The eastbound and westbound U-turn lanes Rodriguez avoided arrest by proactively post- Monroe exit and the SH 35/Telephone Road exit. at Beltway 8 and Beamer will be closed con- Weber to fill Reed’s CCISD position ing a no-arrest bond. He now remains out on Paramedics responded to the accident, but none tinuously through 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 22. bond while awaiting trial. of the suspects were seriously injured. There will be a total closure of the west- Win Weber, a longtime Clear Creek Indepen- record of exemplary service to the CCISD com- A similar incident took place last year with The tollway was temporarily closed while bound Beltway 8 frontage road at SH 288 dent School District Board of Trustee and friend munity.” the former president of the Dobie High School crews cleaned up the area. Precinct 2 and Pre- nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the of Chris Reed, will fulfi ll the District 2 term fol- Weber is a criminal defense lawyer in the baseball booster club. In that case, Christopher cinct 8 deputies assisted in the chase. morning of Friday, July 26. lowing his unexpected passing in June 2019. Clear Lake Area, a mother of two Clear Creek Both northbound and southbound U-turn The school board took action on Monday, July ISD graduates and a longtime resident of Nassau lanes at Beltway 8 and Crenshaw will be 22, to appoint Weber to the position. Reed was Bay. Weber joined the CCISD school board in closed daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Fri- elected to District 2 in May 2017 following We- 2008 and became the vice president in 2013 and Reed files to challenge Olson ber’s retirement from the board. then president in 2014. Weber returned to private day, Aug. 16. Pearland City Council Member Derrick Reed city council since winning his seat in a runoff in Both northbound and southbound U-turn “By appointing Win to the District 2 board life in 2017 and supported Reed in his election. seat, we are honoring the legacy and service of The school board’s appointment of Weber is has announced he is running for Congress in 2015 and is now term limited. He was the fi rst lanes at Beltway 8 and Preston will be closed Texas House District 22, a seat held by Rep. Pete nonwhite city council member in Pearland his- daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday, Chris Reed through someone who represents effective immediately in accordance with state Chris’ values, integrity, servant leadership and law. Weber will serve in this position through Olson. tory. Former Council Member Tony Carbone has Aug. 2. Reed will be the third Democrat to challenge announced that he will be running for Reed’s va- Both northbound and southbound U-turn focus on children,” said Dr. Laura DuPont, May 2020, when the District 2 seat is up for elec- CCISD board president. “Win also has a solid tion. Olson, a Republican. Also vying for the posi- cant council position. lanes at Beltway 8 and Vista will be closed tion are Democrats Sri Kulkarni and Nyanza Historically a GOP stronghold, Texas House daily from 7 a.m.