WEDNESDAY TOP NEWS LINKS:
Video: City demolishes Fifth Ward public
housing complex apartments damaged
by Hurricane Ike (KHOU 11 News)
Efforts to renew Houston’s neighborhoods, by tearing down abandoned and storm damaged property are part of a weeklong campaign to address city beautification and revitalization. But along the way, officials hope to honor some forgotten Houston history.
Florian Martin, KUHF Radio
Throughout this week, six Houston neighborhoods are seeing an increased effort in beautification and cleanup projects. They are part of a citywide revitalization initiative.
The city is partnering with “Loving Houston,” a faith-based initiative that aims to revitalize some Houston neighborhoods with the help of volunteers. All week, volunteers are tackling about 100 different projects in Acres Home, Independence Heights, Fifth Ward, Denver Harbor, Third Ward and Sunnyside.
A special project is at Olivewood Cemetery, Houston’s first incorporated African American graveyard located in the Heights. Graves here date back to 1865, but it’s in dire need for clean-up.
Margott Wood is the founder of the Descendants of Olivewood. For the last five years, her group has been working on restoring the cemetery. It was completely overgrown by weeds and bushes and has fallen victim to vandalism and erosion. About half of the 7.5 acre property is still overgrown, so Wood says she’s excited about the help from the initiative.
“They will be in the back moving a lot of the debris into the gully area, the trees and the brush in the gully area. It will be a more greener way to addressing the erosion. And they will be working on the top part of the erosion where a lot of the remains have been washed away.”
Read and hear the full story at KUHF Public Radio
ALSO: Houston mom’s request gets mayor to tear down scary building (Chron.com)
LOCAL AREA HEADLINES:
- Houston dentist forms team to show community support for fallen firefighters (KHOU 11 News)
- Police Chief says beating gave HPD a ‘black eye’ (Chron.com)
- ABC13 resolves brain cancer patient’s insurance flap (KTRK 13 News)
- Superintendent: Pending Education Bill Could Impact Summer Courses (KUHF Public Radio)
- What Will Houston Children Need To Compete In The Future? (KUHF Public Radio)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield, Memorial Hermann squabbling over contract (Chron.com)
- Lawsuit: Lone Star College voting system hurts minorities (Chron.com)
- DPS Troopers Target Unsafe Trucks On Houston’s Roadways (KUHF Public Radio)
STATE HEADLINES:
- State fire marshal asks firefighters to review safety (Chron.com)
- Flood damage tops $10 million in San Antonio area (My SanAntonio)
- Jasper officers fired after video shows woman slammed on counter (Chron.com)
- The Toxic Risk When Hurricanes Hit the Texas Chemical Coast (State Impact Texas)
NATION & WORLD:
- Cornyn Wants Border Security Added to Immigration Bill (Texas Tribune)
- 50 years later, Medgar Evers’ widow feels anger anew (USA Today)
- Bill to Alter Bush-Era Education Law Gives States More Room (New York Times)
- Water Treaty Concerns Trigger Calls for Changes (Texas Tribune)
- James Holmes pleads not guilty by reason of insanity in CO theater massacre (AP)