Southampton Civic Club

Rice Blvd. ticketing & Patrol Service aprehends bike thief

2010-09-02T13:29:13Z

SOUTHAMPTON PATROL APPREHENDS BIKE THIEF

Forwarded message from the SOUTHAMPTON/BOCA Patrol Service:

At 3:00 a.m. yesterday morning (090110) Officer Joe Mabasa received a call regarding a suspicious male peering into cars in the 1300 block of Banks. When he arrived he found a male pushing a bike with flat tires in the 1000 block of Banks. Seeing the approaching Patrol vehicle the suspect pushed the bike to the side of the road to conceal it. Officer Mabasa detained and interviewed the suspect and arrested him. Officer Mabasa had heard a burglary call in the 2400 block of North Blvd. a few hours earlier. He contacted the investigating HPD unit and learned that the bike stolen from the resident's garage also had flat tires. He then loaded the suspect and bike into the Patrol truck and headed to the 2400 block of North where the bike owner made a positive identification. The suspect is now in the city jail.

It was later discovered through interview that the suspect, who had numerous prior burglary and theft arrests, was responsible for a significant number of recent bike thefts and auto burglaries in Southampton and Boulevard Oaks, Rice University, West U, and other nearby neighborhoods. As it turned out, the suspect was providing the bikes to a partner who was then reselling them on ebay.

Joe Mabasa is a great officer who always does his job well and with a great attitude. He alone stopped a major crook who is probably single-handedly responsible for the many bike thefts we have suffered in recent months, as well as auto burglaries.

Way to go, Officer Joe!

SPEED ENFORCEMENT ON RICE BLVD.

HPD will be ticketing this week along Rice Blvd. between Ashby and Shepherd where the digital speed feedback wagons are situated. Rice University requested temporary placement of these devices to help control traffic speeds. Please remember to obey all posted regulations in order to avoid being ticketed.

------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

Waterline project begins this week for Dunstan, Bolsover & Rice Blvd.

2010-08-24T13:10:38Z

Dear Neighbor:

Construction of Phase 2 of the Water Line Replacement in Southampton (Dunstan, Bolsover & Rice Blvd.) will begin today, August 24th and should be completed in time for the Christmas holidays. The contractor, Scohil Construction Services, LLC, plans to begin work at Ashby and Dunstan and will head west to Greenbriar. As part of the project, dump trucks operated by Lopez Brothers Trucking (LBT) will be in the neighborhood. Please be aware that residential water service may be affected for short durations during construction. Advance notice of water outages will be given whenever possible.

Scohil says "the safety of homeowners, business owners, pedestrians and motorists is of the utmost importance. Our goal is to protect private property and street trees and limit the inconvenience or disruption of daily activities of the residents during the completion of this project."

Tentative schedule (subject to change):
Aug. 24 - Dunstan (working east to west from Ashby to Greenbriar)
Sept. 20 - Bolsover (working east to west from Ashby to Greenbriar)
Oct. 20 - Rice Blvd. (working east to west from Ashby to Greenbriar)
Nov. 20 - Kent, Wilton, Hazard

Work on each street should last approximately one month. There will be some overlap with service reconnections and restoration. Scohil will distribute letters to each block a couple of days in advance of construction to inform residents when work will commence on your block, to give you an opportunity to move vehicles etc. Scohil will provide schedule updates regularly.

If you need additional information or have questions regarding this project, please contact Cirinio Rivera at the number listed below.

Owner:           City of Houston Public Works and Engineering
Contractor:    Scohil Construction Services, LLC.
Main Office: 15821 FM 529, #116
                            Houston, Texas 77095
Phone:           281-955-8375
Fax:                    281-955-0570

Field Office: 713-838-8350*
Fax: 713-838-9432

Project Superintendent: Cirinio Rivera*
Project Manager: George Scoular

---------------------------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

RECYCLING & LOWER TRASH RATES COMING TO SOUTHAMPTON!!!

2010-08-20T09:45:57Z

Recycling & Lower Trash Rates coming to Southampton!!!

Dear Southampton Neighbors,

Great news! After extensive research on behalf of the SHCC trash and recycling committees and an open bid review, our trash-hauling fee is going down and recycling service is included in the new price! The Southampton Civic Club has signed a new three year contract with WCA and our solid waste service costs are going down to $46.79 per quarter starting with this current billing. This is $3.44 less than our previous quarterly rate of $50.23 and includes alley collection “no-sort” recycling services. The lower rate will take effect on September 1 and is reflected in your current WCA invoice. Recycling collection will begin Friday, November 5, 2010.

WCA will be delivering a new 48-gallon grey wheeled and lidded recycling cart (pictured above) to each home during the month of October. Every Friday, a separate truck designated for recycling will service your recycling carts in the alley behind your home. Instructions for requesting the smaller, 18-gallon plastic bins (pictured above in blue) and for returning unwanted carts, will also be delivered in the coming weeks.

Our Trash Collection Committee Chairperson, Margaret Justus, made a video of a WCA recycling truck and crew in action in another neighborhood. If you have any questions, comments, or complaints regarding your garbage or recycling services, please contact WCA at (281) 368-8397, or visit http://www.wcawaste.com/Houston.

Recyclable Materials

When you receive your new recycling cart, you may place the following materials in it for collection (no sorting required).

Paper: Newspaper, Magazines, Catalogs, Junk Mail and Envelopes, Office Paper, Construction Paper, Colored Paper, Folders, Paper Bags, Phone Books, Holiday & Greeting Cards
Cardboard: Corrugated Cardboard Boxes, Paperboard Boxes (cereal boxes, soda/beer boxes, shoe boxes, etc.)
Containers:
*Aluminum Cans, Tin Cans, Steel Cans, Glass Bottles, Glass Jars, Empty Aerosol Cans, Aluminum Foil
*Plastics #1-#7 (milk, soda, water, juice, liquor, shampoo, detergent, pool supplies, pet food, etc.)
* Metal Pots and Pans, Copper, Scrap Metal (nails, screws, gutters, etc.)

The Following Items are NOT Recyclable: Plastic Bags, Styrofoam, Pizza Boxes, Coat Hangers, Paint and Solvent Containers, Light Bulbs, Mirrors, Windows, Dishes and Cups, Wet or Soiled Paper, Paper Towels, Facial and Toilet Tissue, Disposable Plates and Cups, Milk and Juice Cartons (wax-board containers), Wrapping Paper

Southampton Trash Collection Schedule
Household and yard waste - Tuesdays & Fridays
Heavy Trash (furniture, appliances, etc.) - Tuesdays & Fridays
Recycling - every Friday beginning November 5, 2010
(Place trash and recycling along alley by 7 a.m. on the scheduled collection day)

For future reference, Southampton trash collection information is posted online at http://www.southamptoncivicclub.org/waste.html.

---------------------------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

Golden Retriever Found

2010-07-27T10:24:00Z

DOG FOUND

Pure-bred golden retriever found near Shepherd and Albans this morning. No tags or collar. For more information call Rhonda or Ed Tuffly at 713-523-1498.

------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

Bike thefts in Southampton

2010-07-16T12:08:29Z

Dear Southampton Neighbors,

Please be aware that there has been a string of bicycle thefts in the neighborhood from late June through mid-July. Please take these steps to better secure your bicycles and other property in garages or other out-buildings such as washrooms, storage rooms, etc.:

Always close your garage door or garage access door when not in use, especially at night.
Close and lock all out-buildings where you temporarily or permanently store your bike and/or other readily taken items.
Keep these areas well lit at entry points -- doors, windows and alley accesses.
Be aware of your surroundings, and aware of people you don’t know in the alley who don’t appear to have legitimate business there.

And, as always, call the SOUTHAMPTON/BOCA Patrol Service at 713-825-5555 any time day or night to report anything that causes you concern.


----------------------------------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX  77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org
http://www.southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

3rd of July Parade, 10 a.m. in the Village

2010-07-02T20:42:30Z

3rd of July Parade
Happy 4th of July weekend! If you're looking for some local fun this Satruday, head to the Village at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 7/3/10, for the first annual kids sidewalk parade. Meet at Kahn's Deli, 2428 Rice Blvd.
Prizes, special discounts and fun family activities.

------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

Status of Sunset Esplanades

2010-06-28T19:14:30Z

June 28, 2010

Dear Southampton Neighbors,

The monkey grass in the Sunset Boulevard esplanades between Kent and Greenbriar sustained serious damage during the Southampton Water Line Replacement Project. Acting as liaison with the City on behalf of the residents of Southampton, Southampton Civic Club (SHCC) is pressing for the restoration of the esplanades to their preconstruction condition.

Although the Contractor was asked repeatedly to stay off the esplanades and retain as much of the lush and healthy monkey grass as possible, existing thick plantings were destroyed and healthy topsoil was removed by heavy earth-moving vehicles, leaving an unhealthy top layer of clay and debris. New monkey grass placed on top of this uneven surface was left to “melt into” the beds, leaving their root systems unprotected. Sink holes and a variety of other problems have developed, including the unsightly weeds that have sprung up due to improper preparation of the beds. Too-wide spacing of new plantings and the application of fertilizer in absence of pre-emergent herbicide also contributed to the explosive weed growth.

We have urgently requested, on behalf of the residents of Southampton, that the Contractor be held accountable for proper restoration of the esplanades, including the weed situation. Although the weeds must be dealt with immediately, the issue of the bad soil must also be resolved and we trust that the Contractor will be held to proper restoration of the soil and the beds. SHCC has conferred with an experienced landscaper and recently submitted recommendations to the Contractor and the City for remediation of the weeds. Absent a copy of the actual contract between the City and the utility installation contractor, SHCC cannot determine the standard to which the contractor will actually be held. Our neighborhood, therefore, is awaiting the final verdict on this point. We will keep you posted on the outcome of our efforts.

This update is also included in the Southampton Newsletter that will go to every home in Southampton this week.

Sincerely,

Southampton Civic Club

------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

Water Line Project Completion Pending

2010-06-09T10:41:58Z

Water line project completion pending. Report unresolved problems immediately!

The Southampton* Water Line Project (Phase 1) is wrapping up this week, now that final restoration has been completed. Please contact Michael Barrette at 281-974-8231 to report any remaining problems. For tracking purposes, please also let us know if you have an unresolved issue by replying to this message.

(* Phase 1 includes all streets in Southampton except for Dunstan, Bolsover or Rice Blvd. Work to replace water lines on those streets is scheduled to begin in July.)

------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

McAfee Case Update

2010-05-19T12:55:57Z

McAfee Case Update

We were shocked and saddened to learn of the killing on May 8 of Southampton resident Janet McAfee. Neighborhood anxiety surrounding this occurrence and its aftermath have been communicated to our elected officials; it is our belief that the District Attorney’s office is fully aware of our collective concerns and will take appropriate actions to assure the safety of our neighborhood. This being said, what the judge actually decides about Mr. McAfee’s release will be based on what the District Attorney’s office requests and on the evidence that is put before the court at the bail hearing.

If anyone in the neighborhood believes that they have important information that may not yet be known by the District Attorney’s office, the prosecutor responsible for this case is Assistant District Attorney Kevin Petroff, chief prosecutor in the 339th criminal court. He can be contacted at (713) 755-7784 and/or at http://www.justex.net/courts/Civil/CIVILCourt.aspx?crt=47. It is our further understanding that there are a number of petitions now circulating in the neighborhood concerning Mr. McAfee’s possible bail and release conditions. As noted, however, the neighborhood’s concerns have already been communicated to the District Attorney’s office as well as other elected officials multiple times by many different residents, and we have received some feedback that communications on this subject that are merely additive may be taking time and focus away from our public servants as they work to determine the best way to proceed in this matter.

--------------------

John Thompson, President
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

Black Lab Found

2010-05-16T19:26:20Z

Black Lab Found

Black lab or lab mix male dog, young and friendly with collar but no tags, found this afternoon in the alley between the 1900 blocks of Bissonnet & Wroxton. Please contact David at 713-520-7136 or 713-822-2571(cell) to claim him.

------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below:

Southampton eNews: May 14, 2010

2010-05-14T12:36:52Z

Southampton eNews: May 14, 2010

Rice commencement activities and Fireworks tonight, Friday, 5/14/10
If you hear the sound of loud explosions around 10 p.m. tonight, fear not. It's just the annual Rice commencement fireworks. All Southampton residents are invited to attend the Presidential Concert on the Rice campus in Stude Concert Hall (in the Alice Pratt Brown Music Building, 6100 Main St.) from 8:30 to 9:45 p.m. The concert will be followed by a champagne reception and fireworks. The concert, reception, and fireworks are all FREE! Parking in the Greenbriar lot is only $1. Closer parking is also available in the lot near Stude Hall for an additional fee. Parking can take a little extra time so plan to arrive a little early.

Poe Elementary Clean-up this Saturday -- Volunteers needed!
Looking for a way to help your community this Saturday morning? Poe volunteers are organizing a workday to clean up the school's perimeter in preparation for the grand reopening of the Poe Spark Park on May 21st. The workday will begin at 8 a.m. (tomorrow, Saturday, 5/15/10). Please come and help out, even if you can only stay a few hours. Lunch will be served, and kids can either help with the clean-up or play on the playground. Please bring shovels, gloves, wheel barrows, brooms etc. Clean up activities that are planned include removal of the oak leaves that have been composting in the gutter for several months. This rich compost will enhance any garden, so come and get it! For more information, contact Ron Kahanek at rkahanek@pdq.net.

Our very own Southampton neighbor Janet Peters chaired the effort to raise over $200K for the improvements to the Poe grounds. Please congratulate Janet on her efforts when you see her in the 'hood!

Dog Found on Rice Campus
A Pomeranian-mix dog, with collar but no valid tags, was found near the Rice campus Thursday morning. For more information, please contact Carolyn at 713-523-0156.

------------
Southampton Civic Club Inc.
PO Box 540331
Houston, TX 77254
713-523-SHCC (7422)
info@southamptoncivicclub.org

Subscribe to Southampton Civic Club via email by entering your email address below: