LA VENTANA DEL LAGO - EarthLink

Volume 38 Number 1 A Newspaper for El Lago February 2019

LA VENTANA

DEL LAGO

February 2019 La Ventana Del Lago Page 1

May 4, 2019 City of El Lago Election & Dates of Interest Jeff Tave

The candidate line-up for the May 4th election is as follows:

Mayor John Skelton (incumbent)

Position 1 Jeff Tave (incumbent) Shawn Findley

Position 2 Jeff Michalak (incumbent) Katie Richey

Key dates are as follows:

• March 20th - 1st day for Early Voting ballots to be mailed

• April 4th - Last day to submit voter registration application in time to vote.

• April 23rd - Early voting begins in person at City Hall ( 9 AM - 5 PM)

• April 23rd - Last day to receive application by mail for ballot to vote by mail by 5 PM

• April 23rd - Early voting begins in person at City Hall ( 9 AM - 5 PM)

• April 24th - 25th - Early voting continues in person at City Hall ( 9 AM - 5 PM)

• April 26th - Early voting continues in person at City Hall ( 9 AM - 12 noon)

• April 29th - 1st day City Hall opens 7 AM - 7 PM as required for early voting

• April 30th - 2nd day City Hall opens 7 AM - 7 PM as required for early voting

• April 30th - Last day for early voting in person at City Hall

• May 4th - Election Day, polls open from 7 AM - 7 PM

• May 15th - Election Canvass at 7 PM City Council Meeting. New officials take oath of office

SH 146 Updates: TXDoT Announces Modified Traffic Changes Jeff Tave Traffic shift on the existing SH146 bridge over Clear Creek Channel: Concrete barriers will be placed on the bridge and the bridge will be re-striped to shift traffic to the west. Two lanes will be maintained in each direction. This traffic shift will create a work zone on the east edge of the bridge which will be used for widening (adding 1 new lane and 1 bicycle lane). The timeframe is as follows:

• The barrier placement and striping will take place on the nights of 2/25/19 through 3/1/19, from 9 PM to 5 AM each night. During this time, there will be alternating lane closures on the bridge.

• The barriers will remain in place until the northbound bridge widening is complete in approximately 15 months.

• The connector ramp to Shipyard Drive (on the east side of the bridge) will be closed until completion of the northbound bridge widening.

Full closure of the south U-turn/access road under the bridge in Kemah: The south U-turn/access road will be fully closed beginning on 2/25/19 at 9 PM. 3rd Street, 4th Street, and 5th Street will no long-er be accessible from this access road during this closure. To reach 3rd Street, 4th Street, and 5th Street, traffic will turn east on 6th Street, then immediately turn north onto Texas Avenue. This clo-sure is necessary for the northbound bridge widening, for utility work, and to reconstruct the access road. The closure will remain in place until the northbound bridge widening is complete in approxi-mately 15 months. Sign up for updates here [https://www.sh146.com/sign-up/]

City Switches Electric Providers: TXU Replaces Green Mountain Energy Jeff Tave At the February 20th E Lago City Council meeting, Council unanimously voted to sign a new contract with TXU as the City’s electricity provider. The current contract with Green Mountain Energy (GME) had expired previously and the City was going month-to-month

until a new contract was initiated. Councilman Kris Kuehnel completed a lot of research and obtained the best rates for 100% renewa-ble energy options, and the choice was between TXU, Reliant Energy, and the city’s current provider, GME. TXU offered the best rate

for the longest duration and a 99-month fixed-rate contract was selected with an annual projected cost of $30,123. The best deal offered by Reliant Energy was $31,854/yr for an 88-month fixed-rate contract. GME’s best offer was $32,221/yr for 52 months. The savings

over 99 months by selecting TXU over GME (assuming fixed GME rates in months 53 – 99 at the same rate as in month 52) is $17, 308.The savings of selecting TXU over Reliant was $12,111. This savings was too large to overlook even though TXU does not offer any discounts to residents who also select TXU. Both GME and Reliant offered 5% discounts to residents who also selected the same

provider as the city. Unfortunately, residents who current have GME and are signed up for the 5% CAP discount will likely lose that discount at the next billing cycle after the City switches to TXU. Notices informing citizens of the impending switch will be posted to

the city’s website [www.ellago-tx.gov] and announced on social media platforms.

Published monthly by the first Saturday

EDITOR: GENERAL REPORTERS: Jeff Tave (281-326-5098) Brenda Klingle, Donna Ward, email: [email protected] Jeff Tave ADVERTISING/FLYERS: LAYOUT & DESIGN: Jeff Tave (281-326-5098) Laurie Fuller (281-513-4833) email:

[email protected] BUSINESS MANAGER: CIRCULATION: Carolynn Stanley (281-326-5066) Kimberly Campos (832-232-2672) email: [email protected] FACEBOOK GROUP : Windy Langley email: [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS: Bill Cooke, Sabrina Herod, G. Howard, Jeannie Kubricht, Shirley Leago Moore, Sara Prekosovich, Katie Richey, Sandie Stephenson

Issue To Editor (electronic) Earliest

La Ventana Delivery

March February 28 March 9

April March 26 April 6

May April 30 May 11

La Ventana Del Lago Page 2

ADVERTISING POLICY

La Ventana will accept personal ads from City teenagers for lost and found items at no charge. Commercial ads must be camera ready or an additional charge will be added to the prices below: Business card ad (3 1/2” X 2”)…………..….$43 1/8 page (3 1/2 X 2 1/2”) …………………….$50 1/4 page (3 1/2” X 5”)……………….……….$55 1/2 page (7 1/2” X 5”)………………………..$68 1/2 page (3 1/2” X 10”)………………………$68 Full page (7 1/2” X 10”)……………………...$110

Classified ad charges are: $5 for the first three lines; $1 each additional line. Flyers will be inserted and delivered for $90. Full year paid in advance discount: 2%.

Deadline for the ads is the 19th of the month. For further information, call: Advertising/Flyers: 281-326-5098. La Ventana is distributed monthly except January, July and August by the first Saturday of the month, with a circulation of 1030.

In this Issue… El Lago Elections………………….……………………..Page 1 SH 146 Update………………………..………….………Page 1 Electricity……………………………………………… Page 1 From the Editor………..……………...………………….Page 2 Advertising Policies………………………………...……Page 2 Article Deadlines………………………………………...Page 2 ELCC Workshop and Meeting 08/01/2018……………...Page 3 Luminarias Thanks…...………..…………………..…….Page 4 Meals on Wheels………………………………………...Page 4 Tennis Courts……………………………………………Page 5 Classifieds………………………………………..……...Page 5 NeighborLine…………………………………………….Page 5 Coyotes…………………………………………………..Page 6 Freeman Library Teens…………………………………..Page 6 Trowels and Tribulations…………………..…….……....Page 7 402 Cedar Lane…………………………………………..Page 7 WCID No. 50 12/12/2018……………………………….Page 8 From the Mouths of Babes………………………………Page 9 LPD Stats and Cases…………………………………….Page 10 Cul-de-sac vs. Through Road……………………………Page 11 Letter to the Editor and Response……………………….Page 12 ELCC Minutes 08/15/2018………………………………Page 13 McNair Restrooms…...…………………………………..Page 14 ELCC Minutes 09/05/2018………………………………Page 15 Dig and Design………………………………………......Page 16 Freeman Library Children……………………………….Page 17 Freeman Library Adults………………………………….Page 18 Word Search ……………………………………………..Page 19

From the Editor Dear Readers –

The La Ventana staff & I welcome everyone back from the holidays. For those that supported the the paper by purchasing a

set or two of luminarias, we thank you! For those individuals who supported us by way of a monetary donation, we appreciate your

generosity!

The community is starting to get ramped up for election season and we hope things are more harmonious this year as opposed to

last. We’re all neighbors in this small little ‘burb and while it is okay to disagree, there is absolutely no reason for ugliness, bully-

ing, and intimidation! Let’s be civil, shall we?

The La Ventana del Lago Newspaper FaceBook Group is operational (access via individual request). To join, send a request to the FaceBook Group: La Ventana del Lago Newspaper. You will be admitted on a temporary basis, and a request for you to complete the subscription form (on the Group page). Please complete the form (basic contact info and survey) and send it to [email protected] within two weeks. Do note that all info collected will be for La Ventana use only and not disseminated in any other way. Once your completed subscription form has been received & confirmed, your request to join the Newspaper group on a permanent basis will be approved. Non-submittal of the completed form will lead to the suspension of your temporary access. GroupMaster Windy Langley has been faithfully populating the page with relevant local news.

The latest issue of the La Ventana is available for electronic

download at: <http://home.earthlink.net/~laventana/lvweb.html>. The file is in pdf format (you will need Acrobat Reader, a free

utility already installed on most computers). Just click on the “Current Issue” button and the file will be downloaded (or dis-played if you have an Acrobat Reader plug-in installed in your

web browser application). A link to the La Ventana location has also been provided on the City’s website <www.ellago-tx.com>,

via a text link at the bottom of the home page in the QuickLinks section.

By the way, if you ever have any issues with the delivery of your

paper, whether it be late, lost, found in the gutter, etc., please be sure to contact our Circulation Coordinator, Kimberley Cam-

pos. We are only able to correct problems if we are aware of them.

Please support your community newspaper! How? Volunteer

some time to write an article or two. We’re in need of general

reporters to cover miscellaneous El Lago and community

activities. Another way is to give us some feedback. What do you like? What are some suggestions for improvement? This is your paper; help us satisfy your needs. Thanks for reading ...

Jeff Tave

mailto:[email protected]


Significant Items from the Minutes of the El Lago City Council Workshop & Meeting on August 1, 2018 Jeannie Kubricht and Jeff Tave Direct excerpts from the official minutes deemed to be of interest and edited for space. Full minutes available on the city website <www.ellago-tx.gov>. Call Workshop to Order Discuss maintenance plan for 98 Lakeshore Discuss FY19 Proposed Budget & Tax Rate Update Rules of Procedure Council discussed the above listed items only but no decisions were made in this Workshop. Adjourn Workshop Call Regular City Council Meeting to Order Citizen Comments

• A resident of Bayview stated that the baby swings for Witty and McNair Park were stolen and wanted to know if they would be replaced and City Secretary Jeannie Kubricht stated that they were already ordered.

• A resident of Confederate Way stated concerns about the proposed Mutual Aid Agreement between the City of El Lago and WCID 50 and communication and cooperation between the two entities. She asked the City Council to extend an invitation to WCID 50 to attend City Council meetings to better relations between the two entities.

Councilperson Vernon acknowledged the concerns and Mayor Skelton stated he would invite WCID 50 to attend meetings. Councilmember Reports Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Clark

• Fire Department - Councilperson Clark stated he would attend the next SVFD meeting and that the SVFD Chief was excited to work with a City liaison.

• EMS - No report given.

• Emergency Management - Councilperson Clark stated that he and Art Richard to prepare a committee to get the City Storm Ready Certified.

• Solid Waste & Recycling - No report given. Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Vernon

• WCID No. 50 - Councilperson Vernon reported details that included WCID 50 reluctance to sign the proposed Mutual Aid Agree-ment with WCID 50 and the City, the Water District would prefer more of a one-time agreement in order to receive reimbursement from the City for Hurricane Harvey clean-up through FEMA funds and details involving a sewer leak repairs on Lake Bluff and Whitecap.

• Streets & Sidewalks - Councilperson Vernon reported that CRC will be mudjacking streets and quotes will be presented tonight.

• McNair Park Restrooms - Councilperson Vernon reported details that included several utilities quotes were received, drawings for the bathrooms haven’t been signed, and concerns about the removal of the drain.

• Police Commission - Councilperson Vernon reported details that included the procedures of the LPD new hires, new Explorer out-fitted, handheld ticket writers saves time and confusion, surplus to LPD budget will be designated to projects, increasing financial efficiency using Quickbooks, and Officer Stilwell is employee of the month (July) due to eliminating some drug activity in McNair Park.

Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Tave

• Mobility (146 Expansion, Stanley Dr Extension) - Councilperson Tave’s report included details about meetings between CCISD and Harris County to discuss the Stanley Drive Extension and holding a future public hearing for citizens to discuss their opinion of the two options.

• Parks Board - Councilperson Tave gave details of the last Parks Board meeting on July 25, which included maintenance oversight, entrance maintenance, FY18 unexpected expenses, FY19 budget, and the next meeting being August 22.

• HCFCD - Councilperson Tave stated that he could not attend a meeting for the Harris County Flood Control District, but that citi-zen Bob Kosar attended. Additional discussion included the upcoming bond election.

Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Michalak

• Financial - No report given

• Website Committee - No report given Mayor’s Reports Liaison Reports - Mayor Pro Tem gave the following reports:

• Utilities (Electric, Gas, & Cable) - No report given.

• Grants - Mayor Skelton reported that the City received approval from FEMA for the 402 Cedar grant, the contract is pending, the City will be asking for half of funds as an advance with TWDB, further expenses will be reimbursed at a later date and additional water grants are available. continued on page 4


Bay Area Meals on Wheels Bill Cooke

Are you searching for a suitable volunteer opportunity? If so, consider volunteering with Bay Area Meals on Wheels. Since 1982 we have been delivering hot meals and lunches to those in need in our community. Not only that, we bring a friendly smile and word to those who may have little or no contact with others during the day. We deliver meals Monday through Friday, in-cluding holidays. You can begin as a substitute driver, where you accompany a regular driver for a couple of hours on a day of the week that fits your schedule. You will discover that it’s very rewarding and doesn’t demand a lot of your time.

Please check out our website at bayareamealsonwheels.com, and also take a look at our Facebook page at www.bayareamealsonwheels. You can also call us at 281-326-3336, or call our Volunteer Coordinator at 281-406-4961.

continued from page 3

• Events Committee - Mayor Skelton reported that Shulie Barbe is the new Events Committee representative and that additional volunteers are needed.

• HGAC (Houston-Galveston Area Council) - No report given.

• BAYCAP - No report given.

• Pool Supplies Update - City Secretary Jeannie Kubricht reported that the pool supplies order was cancelled due to the high unex-pected freight costs and discussion included looking into the HGAC Buy Board.

Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes

• Minutes from the Council Meeting June 6, 2018 - Councilperson Tave motioned to postpone until August 15th Council meeting due to the minutes not being available. Councilperson Vernon seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

Old Business

• Discuss/Action to Approve maintenance plan for 98 Lakeshore - Discussion included developing a maintenance plan for 98 Lakeshore based on the engineer’s report and Mayor Skelton taking the lead to begin the bidding process in FY19. Councilperson Tave motioned to approve a $52K plan ($42K court building + $10K storage building)and Councilperson Vernon seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

New Business

• Discuss/Action to Approve Mayoral Appointment for Council Position 4 - Mayor Skelton stated that he had a candidate in mind but wasn’t able to send out information to Council members prior to meeting. Councilperson Vernon motioned to postpone until the August 15th Council meeting and Councilperson Clark seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve Appointment of Mayor Pro Tem - Mayor Skelton nominated Councilperson Ann Vernon to be Mayor Pro Tem. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Financial Report: Discuss/Discuss/Action to Approve Check Detail - Discussion between Council and the City Secretary includ-ed checks written for the City’s webmaster, event room projector adapter, legal fees, fitness equipment repairs, business cards, fit-ness class instructor, and mosquito spraying chemicals. Councilperson Vernon motioned to approve and Councilperson Clark se-conded with the exception of check 10107. Two (Clark, Vernon) voted in favor and one (Tave) voted against thus the motion passed.

• Financial Report: Discuss/Action to Approve June City Credit Card - Councilperson Vernon stated the City should never pay late charges. Councilperson Clark motioned to approve and Councilperson Vernon seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve Concrete Raising Corporation to mud jack city streets as listed in the quotes for the amount quoted - Councilperson Vernon gave details of streets that need mudjacking, quotes received by CRC, being pleased with CRC’s work thus far. Discussion included street repairs needed along the school zone. Councilperson Vernon motioned to approve (total = $11,977.56 + $18,563.16) and Councilperson Tave seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve for City Secretary to attend 2018 TML Annual Conference - Mayor Skelton stated that the City Secretary should focus on getting certification instead of attending this conference. No action.

• Discuss/Action to Approve Contract with TWDB for 402 - Mayor Skelton gave details on the template contract between El Lago and TWDB and the process of continuing with grant. Discussion included possible additional expenses incurred. Councilperson Clark motioned to approve and Councilperson Vernon seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve waving event room fees for Bay Area Sharks up to 5 times per year - Discussion included con-cerns of traffic issues and speeders during Bay Area Sharks events, suggestions to solve traffic problems, and number of member-ships. Councilperson Vernon motioned to approve use for up to 4 times per year with stipulation of John Carr as management of Bay Area Sharks and Councilperson Clark seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

Future Agenda Item Requests - Coffeehouse project, FY19 budget workshop, HCFCD bond, and an executive session. *** To listen to full audio of the August 1, 2018 City Council Meeting, please go to the City’s website at www.ellago-tx.gov, under the “Agenda Center.” ***

Luminarias – Thanks for the Support! Jeff Tave

I just wanted to thank all the luminaries elves for their assistance in procuring, assembling, and selling the sets this year. Kudos to Chief Elf Mistress Linda Schoene for coordinating all the efforts along with her dedicated “sidekick,” Charles. I appreciate the following families for hosting the sales at their homes: the Broad-foot, Fernandes, McGahas, Schoenes, Toennies, and the Tullys. Gracias to Lindsey & Jeannie at El Lago City Hall and Erika & Sabrina at the WCID No. 50 office. And thanks to all the resi-dents who bought sets to support our community paper! Unfortu-nately sales were down this year so to conserve budget, this Feb-ruary issue is just being distributed electronically. We hope for improved participation and sales next year. If you have any com-ments and/or suggestions with regards to the luminaries/fundraising effort, please let me or Linda know.


Lakeview Police Dept Statistics

Classified*Classified*Classified

• Join the El Lago Baby-sitting Co-Op. It’s a great way to exchange baby-sitting at no cost. We just exchange tickets; for example,two tickets pays for 1 hour of baby-sitting. Plus, we have monthly kid and parent fun activities. Please join us or call Peta at (281) 326-1340 for more information.

• Join the La Ventana Team! We are looking for an Adver-tising Director. Call Jeff Tave at (281) 326– 5098.

• Baby-Sitting 14 year-old who loves kids. Call Alicia (281) 291-0942.

• Residential House Cleaning - Thorough & in-depth clean-ing. Move-outs and make readies; references available. Crystal Angel Cleaning Service. Call Linda (281)-922-0044 & (713)-947-8930.

El Lago NeighborLine Jeff Tave

Here again is the updated El Lago Neighbor Business Line, a list of business owners who desire to promote their services to fellow El Lagoans. The La Ventana in no way endorses these businesses, ra-ther we are reporting their availability. With that in mind, here is our current list by type to date. If you are interested in adding your name/business to the list, please contact Jeff Tave (281-326-5098 or via email: [email protected]) by February 25th (for the March issue). The listing fee is $4.50 per issue or $35 for a full year (9 is-sues). All fees go towards supporting the operations of your commu-nity newspaper.

Academia/Craft Classes · Borde, Jenny: Alpha-Montessori School (1908 Hialeah), toddlers, pre-school, elementary, summer camp, before/after school. We match prices. Call 281-474-2222. Visit <www.alphamontessoriseabrook.com>. · Patrick, Michele: Mosaics by Michele, El Lago resident since 2008. Fun mosaic classes as well as summer camps. For info call or visit 713-828-1603 or <www.mosaicsbymichele.com>.

Fitness/Pilates · Campos, Kimberly: MEbody Studio, Pilates, Adult Ballet and tap, barre360, Gyrotonic, body rolling, and more. Come and move with us! ALL bodies welcome. Contact us at <www.themebody.com> or 281-984-7325.

Computers/Networks & Home Automation · Wohrer, Rob: OutBackRob.Com, Owner & El Lago resident. We can fix things the Friends & the Geeks can’t. Over 30 years in the business. We come to you! Call 713-OUT-BACK

CPA · Coggin, John: John F. Coggin CPA PLLC, El Lago Resident

since 1985. Full service CPA firm offering individual/corp. taxes, bookkeeping, payroll & monthly financial statements. Offices at

2600 NASA Pkwy Ste 202, Seabrook, TX, 713-408-1318 or

[email protected].

Home Improvement · Lehnertz, Tim: Rugmasters Carpet & Floors, Visit our showroom at 4903 NASA Parkway (across from Clear Lake Forest). Family business, 30+ yrs. @ the same location. 281-326-1724.

Realty Services · Musgrave, Patricia: Edmondson & Associates, will meet all your real estate needs with excellency, El Lago residence since 1967, 281-326-5544 (w), 713-206-3375 (cell), 281-326-1763 (h).

Sailing School, Kayaking, Standup Paddleboards · Coggin, Laurie: Let's Go Sailing Sailing School and Kayak/

Standup Paddleboard rentals. Offices at 2600 NASA Pkwy Ste

202, Seabrook, TX. El Lago Resident since 1985. For info, call 281-

532-1518, [email protected].

Resurfaced City Tennis Courts Jeff Tave Check out the newly resurfaced city tennis courts next to City Hall at 411 Tallowood Drive! The City successfully pursued and ob-tained a US Tennis Association grant which covered half the cost (approx. $9000) of the project which included better handicap ac-cess (2 gates and ramps added) as well as “short” lines for youth-sized courts. The courts look great! Thanks to City Secretary Jean-nie Kubricht, resident (and local tennis legend) Al “Rafa” Ong, and local pro/instructor Chris Hoffman for their efforts in pursu-ing the grant, selecting potential contractors, and helping to audit the work.

Upcoming City Events

April 5 - Senior Cafe

April 13 - Annual Easter Egg Hunt (Witty Park)

April 13 - Annual City Celebration (McNair Park)

Please look for the latest info on the City website [www.ellago-tx.gov]

http://www.ellago-tx.gov/

http://www.ellago-tx.gov/


CoyotePalooza! Jeff Tave

• Don’t leave your pets out (especially unattended and especially smaller pets) • Remove food sources

• Don’t leave pet food out for your pets Fluffy and Bowser • Don’t leave food out for strays/feral animals • Secure trash can lids • Compost piles with food scraps are an easy food source

• Who walking Bowser on a lead type leash, keep him close and it’s preferable to use a thicker, more visible leash

• Limit den sites: clear brush/debris piles • Dehabituate: hazing & harassment (e.g. If you see something, say something (loud) or make noise.)

Also, coyote rabies is “extremely rare” and attacks on humans are “extraordinarily rare.” Once a city plan is established (incorporating the above methods), EVERYONE needs to stick to that plan. If all else fails, roadrunners may need to be deployed. Beep! Beep!

A Town Hall discussion concerning urban coyotes was held on February 11th. Dr. John Tomacek of the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service made an interesting presentation on dealing with the issue (a replay is available at [https://tallywhoa.wixsite.com/website] and you’ll find it under resources. The interactive map of coyote sitings is also at this website (curated by Amy Ellison). Here’s the relevant lessons learned on how to discourage coyotes from our community that I took away from Dr. Tomacek’s pitch:

Freeman Library Teens Activities for February/March Sara Prekosovic

Teen Craft – Buttons - Monday, February 4 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Teen Zone - Come on by and make something! We’ll be using the button maker to create wearable custom buttons.

Gamers Unite! – Electronic Edition - Thursday, January 7, 14 and 28 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Teen Zone - Join us in the Zone for videogames. Have a favorite game? Feel free to bring it with you to share.

Learn! To Make Videogames - Saturday, February 9 at 10:30 AM - Second Floor Teen Zone. Do you enjoy playing videogames? Ever thought of trying to make them? Come learn Scratch, a software that can easily be used to make simple videogames.

Movie Monday - Monday, February 11 and 25 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Teen Zone - Start the beginning of your week by watching a great movie and enjoying snacks!

Anime Club - Wednesday, February 13 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Teen Zone - Come watch an episode or two of Anime and discuss favorite series and Manga with fellow fans.

Teen Craft – Perler Beads - Monday, January 18 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Teen Zone - Come on by and make something! We’ll be making creations out of Perler beads.

Culinary Creations - Thursday, February 21 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Teen Zone - Each month we'll be trying out a new food item! This month we'll be jellybean bracelets.

Gamers Unite! – Tabletop Edition - Wednesday, February 27 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Teen Zone - Join us in the Zone for tabletop games. Have a favorite game? Feel free to bring it with you to share.

Let’s Learn! to Make Videogames - Saturday, March 2 at 10:30 AM - Second Floor Computer Lab - Do you enjoy playing video-games? Ever thought of trying to make them? Come learn Stencyl, a software that can make simple videogames.

Vinyl Cutter Cosplay - Part 1 – Monday, March 4 at 4:30 PM in the Second Floor Computer Lab - Part 2 – Tuesday, March 5 at 4:30 PM in the Second Floor Innovation Lab - Learn to make vinyl creations for your clothes! In this first session, we'll focus on getting digital designs ready for vinyl cutter software. Registration is required (deadline Wednesday, February 27). Please see a staff member to register.

Gamers Unite! Electronic Edition - Thursday, March 7 & 14 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Teen Zone - Join us in the Zone for video games. Have a favorite game? Feel free to bring it with you to share.

Teen Movie Monday - Monday, March 11 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Teen Zone - Start the beginning of your week by watching a great movie and enjoying snacks!


Trowels & Tribulations In a Suburban Garden Donna J. Ward, Certified Texas Master Gardener There's something relaxing about spending your day curled up on the couch looking through gardening catalogues and planning for spring's burst of green and the end of gray, dismal days. Our New Year Resolutions are a vague memory by now and we need a new direction in which to channel our efforts. Start by tossing out all of the catalogs which arrived in

December and January from the East Coast and the upper Midwest. No matter how enticing the descriptions and photography may be in these publications – much of it won’t grow here. Stick with your local, reputable nursery for plants suitable for our locale. Many of the large big box stores in our area also have a nursery department, but be aware that their home office is in another part of the country, and they may be buying similar nursery stock for all of their stores regardless of location. So before purchasing, be sure that tree or shrub will flourish in your neighborhood. The Galveston AgriLife office gets a multitude of calls each year at this time asking "Will (fill in the blank) grow in my yard?" Drive around your neighborhood, and if you don't see any of your desired specimens growing there, they probably won't. But if they will, February is the time to get them planted and developing a strong root system before Mother Nature makes demands to produce blooms or leaves. I can't emphasize enough how important it is that your newly planted tree or shrub become established before its first summer in your landscape. Since this is the ideal time to add trees to your landscape, I'm going to very briefly touch on that subject. As you drive around our neigh-borhood, pay attention to the number of trees on front lawns that have been planted under other trees! Did the person doing the planting not think that the top of the newly planted tree was eventually going to reach the lower branches of the existing tree? Ideally trees need sun to thrive, but some varieties can adapt to moderate shade, and these are classified as "understory." A few to consider would be Jap-anese maple, fringe tree, American holly, and sweetbay magnolia. My preference though would be to plant some shade-loving flower-ing shrubs. Azaleas come to mind first, as they do wonderfully in the shade, particularly the shade of pine trees. They thrive in an acid soil, and those falling pine needles are an epicurean delight to an azalea. Camellias also enjoy similar conditions. Other shade-lovers to consider might be Oregon grape holly, mock orange, sweet pepper bush, Virginia sweetspire, and hydrangea. A variety of gingers would love a home in the shade of your trees. But before you part with any money, do some research - how tall, how wide is your cho-sen plant(s) eventual size? You don't want to be in the same situation as some of your neighbors who eventually will need to call a tree removal service. Remember those plumerias that you dug up and stored in the garage over the winter? Well, it’s time to repot them and put them outside on mild days. Be careful though, they are true tropicals, and will succumb to a cold snap. Be prepared to bring them back into a shel-tered area should less than acceptable temperatures be predicted. I guess everybody knows that February 14th is the traditional day to prune roses. Prune all floribunda, grandiflora and hybrid teas on this date. Don’t get over anxious to trim up the climbers – wait until after they have finished their bloom cycle. Fertilize later this month and continue every 30 days through June. Keep the soil moist; spray for aphids, mildew and blackspot every 10 days to 2 weeks. And don’t forget a good top dressing of mulch. Roses take a lot of TLC, but that fragrant bouquet on your kitchen table makes it all worth while. Sooner or later warm temps will awaken the St. Augustine, so be ready. Take the lawn mower now to have the blades sharpened. A sharp blade cuts, while a dull blade tears; that's not a good look for your lawn. You've always had a hankering to live on a small farm, and your thoughts these days lean toward diggin’ some dirt – the vegetable gar-den variety of course. Build that raised bed that you didn’t get around to building last spring. Was one of your New Year resolutions a commitment to eat healthier? You're in luck. February is a prime month to put in a vegetable garden, and you can’t get much healthier than your own vegetables - picked at their prime and eaten before the vitamins and minerals dissipate and the sugars turn to starch. I don’t have to tell you just how much better they taste than those picked too early, trucked across country, gassed, waxed, refrigerated, and generally abused. So get to the closest seed rack, and pick up a package of beets, collards, kohlrabi, mustard, lettuce, radish, and spinach. Mid-February has always been the best time to put in seeds of sweet corn. Plant a few of your seeds in each hill. A corn bed needs to be planted in a square configuration. Long skinny rows don’t pollinate very well. By planting early, you get the corn before the worms do. For broccoli and cabbage you'll need transplants. So put down those catalogues, put on your overalls, pick up the spading fork - it's time to get diggin'............................. Trowels & Tribulations is published on the city site (www.ellago-tx.com) on the first day of each month of publication. Place your cur-sor on OUR COMMUNITY and on the drop-down menu you will find Trowels & Tribulations listed under Gardening in El Lago.

Where’s the Home at 402 Cedar Lane? Jeff Tave What happened to the house at 402 Cedar Lane? Well, the City applied for a FEMA grant to purchase the property and demolish the house as it had repetitive flood history (6 claims). The process was initially spear-headed by former Mayor Mark Briggs, former City Councilman Jim Kelly, and City Secretary William Grigsby. The process was picked up by current Mayor John Skelton and City Sec-retary Jeannie Kubricht, submitted, and brought to a close. Prior to demolition, the City permitted the Seabrook Volunteer Department to conduct valuable training exercises over a couple weeks. The bare site will be owned by the City with use-restrictions imposed by FEMA (basically no structures to be rebuilt there). Stay tuned for the determination of final use (likely green space at this time).


WCID No. 50 Minutes for the December 12th Board Meeting Sabrina Herod & Jeff Tave The following are highlights of the minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors that took place on December 12, 2018. Complete minutes are available at the District office at 1122 Cedar Lane, and on the WCID No. 50 website at www.wcid50.com. Citizen Comments – Mr. Bob Kosar inquired about possible storm drain inlet repairs near Whitecap and Loch Lake; the drainage mod-el; and provided data (attachment) relative to heavy rain event near the Broadreach Apartment complex. Mrs. Janice Makinen Gray addressed the meeting regarding the model status. El Lago (EL) City Councilwoman Ann Vernon inquired about the planned Ground Storage Tank No. 2 replacement project and its proximity to City Hall. District personnel thanked EL City Councilwoman Vernon for her role relative to reimbursement for Harvey expenses incurred by the District on behalf of EL. Engineer’s Report – Ron Anderson presented the report and some of the items discussed were: a) Calibration of the storm sewer model with received existing slab elevations is underway. b) Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation – 2018 Phase II contract documents, bonds, and insurance have been reviewed by the District’s attorney and are ready for approval. A motion to execute the contracts was made by J. L. Restivo. The motion was seconded by George Shea and approved by a unanimous vote. c) Smoke Testing of Sanitary Sewer Lines is proposed upon completion of the project to include the entire District. The project is planned for the summer months when the ground is dry. A Job Assignment Proposal for it will be presented at the next meeting. A notice when commencement is imminent will be includ-ed with the spring and/or summer bills. d) GST No. 2 Replacement contract, documents, bonds, and insurance have been reviewed by the District’s attorney and are ready for approval. John Riley has requested an overflow hatch be included in the project. Mr. Anderson stated that one is already included. A motion to execute the contract was made by Sheila Brown. The motion was seconded by M. B. Eisenbarth and approved by a unanimous vote. Superintendent’s Report – John Riley presented the report and some of the items discussed were: a) Repaired water main breaks at 226 and 302 Bayou View Dr. b) Cleared a site for installation of the Pollinator Habitat on District grounds adjacent to Witty Park. c) Rebuilt the float switch to the sludge return pumps at the sewer plant. d) Waste Management removed 40 yards of sludge from the sew-er plant. e) Built and Installed storage racks in the cargo box to hold retired files. f) Met with the representative from Schier Construc-tion Company, Inc. regarding the replacement of Ground Storage Tank No. 2 (GST No. 2). g) Replaced the north sludge return pump motor at the sewer plant. h.) Repaired the dropped tap connection at the sanitary sewer plant manhole servicing 1618 Fairoaks Street. Sheila Brown congratulated John Riley on behalf of the Board on the occasion of his 25th anniversary with the District and thanked him for his outstanding service. i) John Riley proposed an electronic meter pilot program. Samples of such meters will be obtained along with specifications for Board review. Office Manager’s Report – Sabrina Herod presented the report and some of the items discussed were: a) The Financials are circulating for review, discussion, and approval (Item 4). b) Debris awareness in and around storm a drain was requested. A resident reported see-ing a ripped bag of leaves placed on top of a storm drain during the heavy rains. c) A review of the frequency of delinquent accounts has shown that an increase in door hanger fees needs to be considered due to repetitive occurrences. d) Annual Review of the Contribu-tion to Texas County District Retirement System (TCDRS); a copy of the current contribution rate along with proposed increases is at-tached. A change has not been implemented since 2016. A brief discussion was held. A motion to increase the contribution rate to a total of 9% (8.68% Employer Contribution Rate + 0.32%.Term Life Rate) was made by J. L. Restivo. The motion was seconded by George Shea. The motion passed with a vote of 4 for and 1 abstention (Eisenbarth). The new Rates will go into effect on January 1, 2019. e) Luminarias have been delivered for sale at 30 for $17. Funds from such sales support publication of the La Ventana communi-ty newspaper. Sand for luminarias will be available at McNair Park during the holidays. Separate motion to purchase Dinner hams for employees for the holidays and to implement the recommendations made during Executive Session were made by Sheila Brown. The motions were seconded by M. B. Eisenbarth and approved by a unanimous vote. Rate Order – Mr. Bonham presented the current rate order along with the suggested revisions proposed by District personnel. Revi-sions to include a delinquent letter fee of $10 per occurrence; a door hanger fee of $35 per occurrence; a Returned Electronic payments (any form) of $35 per occurrence; and two returned payments for any reason within a 6 month period will require the consumer to be placed on a certified funds status for a one year term. A motion to approve the rate order with the changes was made by M. B. Eisen-barth. The motion was seconded by George Shea and approved by a unanimous vote.. Authorize Eminent Domain Annual Report – Mr. Bonham addressed the meeting with regard to the filing of this report. A brief dis-cussion was held. A motion to approve the filing of the Eminent Domain Report was made by J. L. Restivo. The motion was seconded by Sheila Brown and approved by all. Mr. Bonham will complete and file the report as required. The District did not exercise the power of Eminent Domain during the prior year. Items for inclusion on Board’s Next Agenda – Electronic Meter Pilot Program.

Pending Business – Mr. Bonham addressed the meeting with regard to its claim filed directly with Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) for expenses incurred by the District on behalf of the City of El Lago during Hurricane Harvey. Concurrently, the City of El Lago approved the District’s claims and reimbursed the District as the expenses were included in its FEMA claim. A mo-tion to withdraw the District’s direct claim with FEMA was made by George Shea. The motion was seconded by M. B. Eisenbarth and approved by a unanimous vote.


“From the Mouths of Babes” Part III Katie Richey

It is my opinion children are some of the most intelligent people among us; certainly the most forgiving and creative. They possess a natural curiosity for the unfamiliar, causing their minds burn with activity and contemplation. And, unfortunately for the babysitter plagued with acne, kids are usually the most vocally observant members of our society. Children breathe new life into familiar con-cepts, and continually dust off the precedents limiting an adult’s way of thinking. They are also the reason parents typically don’t have nice things...but that’s a discussion for another time.

I have begun interviewing the young citizens of El Lago so I can share with you their thoughts and feelings about the significant, but seemingly mundane, aspects of their lives. Please speak with your kids about this idea, and contact me if your children have any recom-mendations for this part of the La Ventana. Similarly, please contact me if your kids have a particular topic in mind for potential inter-views. Parents, please note: Our children’s safety is paramount, therefore all interviews will be conducted with your permission and in your presence unless you have communicated otherwise in writing.

Meet Sophia Bernal!

Miss Sophia, daughter of Sarah and Andrew Bernal, is an exuberant 6 year old student attending Ed White Elementary, and is entering

the 1st grade in the fall.

The new school year makes me feel: EXCITED! My favorite class is: Math, math, math; especially addition and working with math tools. My favorite lunch on the school menu is: Grilled cheese sandwiches My favorite thing to do after school is: Playing computer games The worst thing I have to do after school is: Cleaning, and naps! My favorite colors are: “Purple...and rainbow.” My message to incoming Kindergarteners: “I want to compliment you. I like your shirts...and everything!”


911 HANG UP 3 HARASSMENT 1

ABANDONED VEHICLE 4 ID THEFT 2

ACCIDENT MAJOR 2 INTOXICATED DRIVER PERSON

7

ALARM BURGLAR 34 LOUD MUSIC NOISE 12

ALARM HOLD UP 1 LOST MISSING RECOVERED ABDUCTED

7

ALARM PANIC 3 MINOR ACCIDENT 5

ANIMAL CONTROL PROBLEM

43 PARKING VIOLATION 12

ASSAULT 3 PRISONER PROCESS 2

ASSIST BY LAW 42 PROPERTY LOST RECOVERED 3

ASSIST CITIZEN 33 RECKLESS DRIVER CONDUCT 12

BURGLARY 6 SUICICE ATTEMPT / PSYCHIATRIC

1

CIVIL PROBLEMS STANDBY 7 SUSPICIOUS PERSON VEHICLE 77

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 4 THEFT 13

DISORDERLY CONDUCT 1 THREAT TERRORISTIC 2

DISABLED VEHICLE 9 TRAFFIC HAZARD 6

DEATH INVESTIGATION 2 TRAFFIC STOP 979

DISTURBANCE 20 TRESPASS 3

FLAGDOWN 1 VIOLATION CITY ORDINANCE 14

FOLLOWUP 3 WARRANT SERVICE 1

FRAUD 6 WELFARE CONCERNS 17

LAKEVIEW POLICE ACTIVITY November 2018 - January 2019

1330

Lakeview Police Department Cases (El Lago) Nov-Dec 2018 & Jan 2019

Date Location Type Offense 11/17/2018 300 Lakeview Circle Burglary – Motor Vehicle Resident’s father reported that an unknown suspect broke into his vehicle during the night and stole $200 in cash from a purse that was left in the center console. Nothing else was taken from the unlocked vehicle. No suspects.

11/19/2018 4011 NASA Parkway Burglary – Motor Vehicle Resident reported toolbox and cleaning supplies stolen from the bed of her pick-up truck in the parking lot area in front of the Yacht Club Condos during the night. The suspect is the ex-husband of the complainant’s niece, who has done this type of thing before. Investigation is in progress. The same suspect is possibly involved in Case on 11/19/2018 below.

11/19/2018 4101 NASA Parkway Burglary – Motor Vehicle Resident reported that her ex-husband had stolen $100 cash from her vehicle during the night by using the PIN pad on the driver’s door to make entry to the locked vehicle. Complainant stated that she called the suspect and he did admit to taking the $100 bill from her vehicle. She does not wish to file charges.

11/23/2018 4001 NASA Parkway Burglary – Building Resident reported that an unknown suspect had broken into his garage area parking storage unit and stole two bicycles by slip-ping the passage lock on the door. The two bicycles were valued at $1,610. No suspects. Bicycles entered into TCIC/NCIC as sto-len property. 11/30/2018 400 Shadowcreek Drive Burglary – Motor Vehicle Resident reported a 45 caliber pistol was stolen from his un-locked vehicle during the night by an unknown suspect. The com-plainant was unable to provide the serial number for the pistol which was valued at $600. The investigation is in progress. 11/30/2018 400 Hickory Ridge Drive Burglary – Motor Vehicle Resident reported that an unknown suspect broke into his un-locked vehicle during the night and stole a Sig 9 MM pistol from the console area. The pistol was not loaded and had no magazine with it. The pistol’s value is $400. No suspect. Stolen pistol was entered into TCIC/NCIC. 12/04/2018 418 Lakeshore Drive Burglary – Motor Vehicle Resident reported that while she was at McNair Park in the after-noon her vehicle in the parking lot was broken into, and her purse was stolen from the front seat. The unknown suspect had broken out the driver’s side window on the vehicle and reached in to remove the purse from the front seat at sometime between 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM. The purse contained a women’s gold watch, a wallet with $500 cash, credit cards and a driver’s license in it. Investigation is in progress. No suspect. Total value of stolen items was $961. 12/06/2018 600 Bayview Drive Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle Resident reported that her daughter’s boyfriend, who has a sub-stance abuse problem, took her Honda Accord vehicle without her permission and drove to League City to pick up a friend. Af-ter six hours, when he had not returned, the complainant started calling around to police stations to find him and discovered that he was in jail in League City along with another male subject, but the police did not tow her vehicle when he was arrested. Since the boyfriend had not returned her car she wanted to report it as sto-len so it could be found. The boyfriend would not tell the com-plainant where he had left the car. The report was taken and the car was entered into TCIC/NCIC. 12/06/2018 300 Shadowcreek Drive Fraud - Credit Abuse Resident reported that he was alerted by his credit app on his phone that an unknown subject had just opened two credit ac-counts in his name in Webster, Texas and bought merchandise at the retail stores. The complainant stated that he was alerted to $ 5,825 in credit charges at the Best Buy and the Apple Store in Webster, Texas were made that day, and his identifying infor-mation was used to open the credit accounts. The complainant contacted the fraud departments of both of the retailers and re-ported the accounts were frauds and he did not open them. Fraud cases were started and the information was taken to provide the complainant with a case number for the retailer’s customer ser-vice departments. The investigation is in progress to identify the suspect by the store surveillance video, if possible. continued on page 11


LPD Cases, continued from page 10

12/15/2018 4300 NASA Parkway Arrest – False Report Officers received a call through dispatch that a caller in a grey Dodge pickup truck was east bound on NASA Parkway from Webster and he was fol-lowing a female driver who was intoxicated and swerving all over the road. The caller stated that he had his flashers on and the Tacoma truck he was following has a broken taillight on the passenger side. The officers waited and saw the reported vehicles in the 4300 block of NASA Parkway and be-gan to pursue them to get the Tacoma stopped. The vehicle was stopped in Seabrook just off of NASA Parkway at Blue Dolphin Marina. Upon the officers contacting the female driver it was determined that she was not intoxicated at all and had just been out to dinner at a restaurant in Webster with a male friend and they had not been drinking any alcohol. Investigation of the taillight damage determined that it was fresh and had been purposefully done. The female driver stated that the subject who called was likely her estranged husband who was stalking her and they were going through a heated divorce. She suspected that her ex-husband was also the person who broke out her taillight. As they were leaving the scene, the officers noticed the following vehicle parked across the street from the stop and they contacted the caller and iden-tified him. As it turned out, he was the ex-husband of the female driver that they had stopped. He had numerous items in his vehicle that he was using to conduct surveillance on her with including video and digital still cameras, a GPS tracker, and printed pictures of his ex and her friends. After the officers interviewed him, he admitted that he was following her and had damaged the taillight in the truck that belonged to both of them and that he had made the report that she was driving drunk just to get her stopped by the police to cause her the inconvenience. After recording that information, the officers placed him under arrest for making a false report to police. He was taken to jail and charges were filed through the District Attorney’s office. His trial is pending. 01/19/2019 418 Lakeshore Drive Theft Complainant reported that while he was playing basketball at the courts at the park at about 8:45 PM, one of the subjects that had been playing left the game early and stole his wallet from his shoes that were sitting beside the court. The wallet contained $10 in cash and a driver’s license, credit card, and other identifying information. The value of the wallet and contents is $64.. The suspect immediately went to Arlen’s Market on NASA Parkway

and used the $10 in cash and the credit card to purchase a $50 gift card. The value of that purchase was $50.77. The investigation is in progress. 01/30/2019 1600 Lake Arbor Drive Theft

Resident reported that he had two playground swing sets stolen from the backyard of his house, which is under construction at the time for remodel-ing, at sometime during the month of January. The value of the two swing sets is 800. No suspects.

El Lago Public Forum Outbrief - Cul-de-sac .vs. Through Road Jeff Tave The summary outbrief of the November 14, 2018 Public Forum regarding potential road improvements in the school zone that was pre-sented to El Lago City Council on January 16, 2019 is reprinted below for your convenience. It is also available on the city’s website <www.ellago-tx.gov

Response to Letter to the Editor Below Jeff Tave, Editor

In response to the letter below, here are some facts. Please keep these in mind as you read the letter below: 1) The La Ventana del Lago newspaper complies with the IRS regulations applied to 501C-3 organizations with respect to political promo-

tion. We treat all candidates equally and any candidate may advertise at the going advertising rates (listed on page 2 in every issue) given available space. The IRS allows this per Rev. Rul. 2007-41 Business Activity. In-line political advertising is labeled as such. Candidates may also supply add-on flyers that are inserted during the circulation process; these flyers are also inserted at the prevailing rate as above. The candidate is responsible for the content of these flyers.

2) All El Lago election candidates are provided a La Ventana Candidate Statement form (usually hard copy and soft/electronic version) for them to complete and have published typically in the April issue. This is done to inform El Lago citizens about candidate qualifications and goals/objectives/accomplishments, and all candidates are treated equally. As this space is given at no charge to all candidates, and space is not unlimited, they may be asked, on occasion, to re-edit their submission if excessive and/or unrelated information is provided.

3) The Mayor, City Staff, and any El Lago Councilman may submit articles of interest for inclusion for each issue and all attempts will be made to include them in their entirety, although we may have space constraints that could lead to minor editing. Historically, we have re-ceived “From the Mayor’s Desk” items from the Mayor and “City Beat” articles from the City Secretary although those submissions have become less frequent. Both are pulsed for input on occasion.

4) This is a community paper that requires input FROM THE COMMUNITY. If citizens have items of interest, they are encouraged to submit them each month (see “From the Editor” on page 2 of each issue) by the established deadlines also on page 2. In the absence of citizen, submission (and the El Lago Events Committee is frequently pulsed for input), attempts are made to include relevant information.

5) Citizens may submit “Letters to the Editor” expressing anything they so desire that is relevant to the community and which are republished as submitted (assuming they do not contain profane content) as space is available.

6) Subsequent to Ms. Stephenson’s comments at the November 19, 2018 El Lago City Council meeting during the Citizen’s Forum, Council-man Tave reached out to Ms. Stephenson via the NextDoor messaging system (as he did not have her email address) that same night and offered to meet with her in person to discuss her concerns and perhaps correct any misconceptions. She declined. He requested that she provide evidence of her allegations via “specific examples of poor performance in my various roles” in a follow-up NextDoor message, but there was no response from her. Contrary to her statement below, nothing was stated by Councilman Tave following her Citizen’s Forum statement as that is a one-way communication period.

7) There has been no “self-promotion” of candidate Jeff Tave in the La Ventana except for the Candidate Statement form provided by him (and other election candidates — see item 2 above).

8) Subsequent to item 6 above, Ms. Stephenson sent an email message to all El Lago officials outlining perceived violations which consisted of campaign solicitations from various years (2014, 2016, 2017) originating from his personal email address. There was no endorsement by the La Ventana del Lago. His role with the La Ventana was stated in one message that re-printed his information from the La Ventana Can-didate Statement form. Also included were various reprints of items that appeared in the La Ventana that abide by the aforementioned IRS regulations or were submitted as general interest items by elected officials. Nothing was inappropriate in these submissions.

9) I have one personal email address ([email protected]) that is used for all personal correspondence including La Ventana communica-tion. I try to label email subject headers to indicate topic. For official city communication, citizens are encouraged to use my city council email address ([email protected]) which is listed on the city’s website. I do try to use appropriate footers/email signatures in “significant” communication.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor, Councilperson Tave, Citizens of El Lago, I recently sent a letter to the Mayor and Council providing evidence of my assertion that Councilperson Tave has violated Ethics (and perhaps) other laws of our state in the administration of his dual duties as editor of the La Ventana and as Councilperson of our city. An IRS tax exempt organization (501C3) is prohibited from participating in any campaign activity, for or against political candidates, which I assert he has done numerous times as the editor of the La Ventana. I spoke about my concerns at a recent council meeting, in which Councilperson Tave asked me to provide examples of “poor performance in my various roles”. I did exactly this in my Letter to the Mayor. Councilperson Tave, as editor, Nextdoor (El Lago) lead, and Councilperson wears many hats, but the problem is that the “council hat” never comes off while he serves this city. I allege that he disagrees with this statement. Promoting himself in elections, and promoting certain political views and candidates for elections is all expressly prohibited by the IRS code for 501c3 organizations. Using his position as editor of La Ventana for his own gain is especially problematic. Why am I bringing this up? I recently moved to El Lago, just before the last election. I love this city and I would have moved here long ago but I had been unable to find the right house. I am proud to be your neighbor. Frankly, I was shocked when I came here and saw the issues surrounding the last election, and the La Ventana being right in the middle of it. I want positive change for us, a fair and honest system, and a La Ventana that represents the best of our city, not a tool used to divide the citizens and cause our neighbors to be at odds with one anoth-er. What is at stake? Well, for one, if the IRS wants to get involved, the La Ventana could lose its tax exempt status. I think this would cause our great paper to cease to be published. What can we do about this? Ask Councilperson Tave to pick – report the news, or make the news – not both. Ask Council and the Mayor to adopt the long discussed communication policy that sets the rules on how certain platforms are used for city communications, and what can be discussed (or not) in these forums, and who has censoring capability on social media sites. Request the city host a town hall with the NextDoor (El Lago) leads so that they can address the citizens concern about censorship. Ask that the La Ventana form an editorial board that does not include any councilpersons or candidates for city elected office to guide the content to ensure it is not publishing politically influenced con-tent. Ask that the La Ventana not accept any paid political advertising or publish content in violation of the 501c3 rules. Request the La Ven-tana create (and adhere to) guiding principles in what content will be published and how to ensure that the content serves the community of El Lago, and not the political agenda of Councilperson/Editor/Nextdoor Lead Tave. In closing I would like to say, we have so much that we could be sharing about what is going on in our little community. Examples that come to mind. The house on Cedar and how it was used for training of our Volunteer Fire Department. Or sharing the wonderful community events with pictures. Positive NEWS without a political agenda. Thank you for your time, I am proud to be a resident of El Lago! Respectfully , Sandie Stephenson


Significant Items from the Minutes of the El Lago City Council Meeting on August 15, 2018 Jeannie Kubricht and Jeff Tave Direct excerpts from the official minutes deemed to be of interest and edited for space. Full minutes available on the city website <www.ellago-tx.gov>. Citizen Comments

• A resident of Bayview stated that an 8-week Emergency Response Training will begin Sept. 11, 2018, details pertaining to the train-ing, and BAYCAP information will be given to the City Secretary.

City Official, Board, Commission, Committee and/or City Service Reports

• Lakeview Police Chief Monthly Call Report - Chief Savage reported details regarding the increased attendance and traffic con-cerns for both Ed White Elementary and Odyssey Academy, the July call report, which included a terroristic threat, and details of National Night Out, the 1st Tuesday in October October 2nd from 7-9 PM).

• SVFD Chief Andy Gutacker Monthly Calls Report - Assistant Chief Andy Castiglio reported details from the July call report for Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department, which included 7 calls (5 medical and 2 smoke), the average response time is 2 minutes 51 seconds, and a medical call received on August 3 for a choking baby.

Councilmember Reports Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Clark

• Fire Department - No report given.


• Emergency Management - Tom Merchant, Emergency Management Coordinator, reported that he met with Councilperson Clark to discuss emergency management operations and future priorities for the City. Priorities included a debris removal contract, identi-fy an operations center, organize procedures, generator for City Hall, Storm Ready Certification, mitigation action plan updated, NIMS updated, a town hall meeting for storm preparedness, Council training, ordinance for emergency management, El Lago Storm Preparedness Booklet updated, limitations of El Lago’s emergency management, and the need for a full time Emergency Manage-ment Coordinator.

• Solid Waste & Recycling - No report given. Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Vernon

• WCID No. 50 - Councilperson Vernon gave details of pending lawsuit with Condos for bulkhead, completion of model, survey sent to citizens, encourages participation to validate model, and data needed to reimburse WCID for Hurricane Harvey expenses through FEMA.

• Streets & Sidewalks - Councilperson Vernon gave details of the completion of mudjacking to streets, quotes needed from contrac-tors and processes to seal cracks in streets.

• McNair Park Restrooms - Councilperson Vernon stated that the City was still waiting on the drawings for the bathrooms before moving forward.

• Police Commission - Councilperson Vernon stated that the Police Commission meeting was focused on discussing personnel. Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Tave

• Mobility (146 Expansion, Stanley Dr Extension) - Councilperson Tave gave details of a meeting regarding the Stanley Dr. Ex-tension, CCISD’s preference, and holding a future town hall meeting to discuss citizen preferences.

• Parks Board - Councilperson Tave reported the next Parks Board meeting is August 22, Witty Park sprinklers are fixed, and con-cerns for entrance maintenance.


• Financial - No report given

• Website Committee - No report given Mayor’s Reports

• Liaison Reports - Mayor Pro Tem gave the following reports:

• Utilities (Electric, Gas, & Cable) - No report given.

• Grants - Mayor Skelton reported an Implementation Plan will be submitted to TWDB and brought before Council for 402 Cedar.

• Events Committee - Mayor Skelton stated that Shulie Barbe, the Events Committee coordinator, will be reporting on events from now on.

• HGAC (Houston-Galveston Area Council) - No report given.

• BAYCAP - No report given. Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes

• Minutes from the Council Meeting June 6, 2018 - Councilperson Tave motioned to approve and Councilperson Michalak second-ed. Mayor Pro Tem Vernon suggested some changes and motioned to postpone until September 5 Council meeting so the City Sec-retary can listen to recording once more to clarify. Councilperson Tave seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

continued on page 14


McNair Park Restrooms Jeff Tave

So you’re wondering about the piles of dirt, which have come and gone, and the bare dirt area by the north end of the McNair Park parking lot? And where did the concrete water fountain go?

Councilperson Ann Vernon, the Parks Board, and city staff have been working the details with Harris County Precinct 2 to close on our new bathroom facility in the Park. Councilperson Vernon has been the key contact with the County these last several months and has facilitated with contractors to make ready the site (site prep, tree trimming/removal, running electrical, water, and sewer connections to the pad, etc.) for the County contractor to build the pad and install the pre-constructed building). The new facilities have been a long time in coming and although the building installation has slipped from its end of January goal, we’re hoping the building will be in place by the end of March and usable by the City Celebration. The building is being built elsewhere, will be transported to the park via truck, and then a crane will lift and place the building on the pad. The building will have new, exterior water fountains so don’t fret. Keep your fingers crossed that we’ll have our new bath-rooms soon!


Old Business

• Discuss/Select bid from tennis court resurface company for resurfacing tennis courts - Citizen Al Ong gave information re-garding the conditions of tennis courts, the requirements to apply to the USTA grant, and the three bids received to resurface tennis courts. Councilperson Tave motioned to approve American Sports & Concrete to resurface tennis courts (bid total = $14K + $900 lines + $1950 gates), Councilperson Michalak seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve application for USTA Grant with the selected bid from above - Discussion included application questions. Mayor Pro Tem Vernon motioned to approve and Councilperson Tave seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve Paul Engineering Invoice #1879 - Discussion included whether or not the requested work was com-pleted for the total amount invoiced. Councilperson Vernon motioned to negotiate with Paul Engineering to pay half of invoice. No second, motion died. Councilperson Tave motioned to pay invoice in full. No second, motion died. No action. Mayor Skelton stat-ed this item would be put on the Sept. 5 meeting after doing some research.

• Discuss/Action to Approve appointment of Council Position 4 - Mayor Skelton gave his recommendation for Council Position 4, Kris Kuehnel. Discussion included questions to Mr. Kuehnel about his interest in joining the City Council. All voted in favor thus the appointment was confirmed. Mayor Skelton gave Kris Kuehnel the Statement of Office then the Oath of Office.

New Business

• Financial Report: Discuss/Discuss/Action to Approve Check Detail - Discussion included checks written for election flash card, lifeguards for water aerobics, pool party expenses, and chlorine expenses. Mayor Pro Tem Vernon motioned to approve and Coun-cilperson Tave seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve Parking Variance for 714 Whitecap - No action taken.

• Discuss/Action to Approve bid for new computers and Microsoft Office software for City Hall - Discussion included infor-mation about City Hall’s current systems, details of the three bids provided to the Council, recommendations from Mr. Schubert, the City’s IT representative, and Office 365. Councilperson Michalak motioned to approve bid for two Dell desktops, two Dell lap-tops, and docking stations (approx. $6K) for City Hall and Municipal Court, Councilperson Kuehnel seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed. Microsoft Office 365 licenses pending head count confirmation.

• Discuss/Action to Approve replacement of City Hall firewall with CradlePoint firewall - Councilperson Michalak motioned to approve (total = $1253 + up to $500/labor) and Mayor Pro Tem Vernon seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve bid for tree trimming services for City streets using mobility funds - Southern Cowboy Tree Ser-vices - NO BID - Discussion included concerns of losing the City’s tree canopy, the need for more specifics on bids, actual height as specified by City ordinance, and appropriateness of spending tax payers money to trim citizen/privately owned trees. No action taken.

• Executive Session: Adjourned to Executive Session - Discuss City office staff, maintenance staff, and key roles.

• Future Agenda Item Requests - Paul Engineering invoice #1879, Mayor appointments, FY19 budget, FY18 Budget adjustment, schedule of agenda, summary of exercise classes, contracts with exercise instructors, street repair contracts, and server for City Hall.

*** To listen to full audio of the August 15, 2018 City Council Meeting, please go to the City’s website at www.ellago-tx.gov, under the “Agenda Center.” ***


Significant Items from the Minutes of the El Lago City Council Meeting on September 5, 2018 Jeannie Kubricht and Jeff Tave Direct excerpts from the official minutes deemed to be of interest and edited for space. Full minutes available on the city website <www.ellago-tx.gov>. Citizen Comments

• Chief Savage of Lakeview Police Department shared traffic safety concerns for the school zone and proposed for Council to change the ordinance to allow one way (northbound) traffic on Les Talley from 7:30-8:00 AM to prevent cars from backing up onto Repsdorph. This would allow each school to have a dedicated lane.

• A resident of Confederate Way requested the City Attorney and METRO representative to attend the next Council meeting to dis-cuss use of METRO funds.

• A resident of Bayou View introduced herself to Council and gave details of her request listed on the agenda under new business and appreciated the Council considering her request.

City Official, Board, Commission, Committee and/or City Service Reports

• SVFD Chief Andy Gutacker Monthly Calls Report - Chief Andy Gutacker gave details of the August call report which included 12 calls (average response of 2 minutes and 33 seconds); 8 calls were first responder and 4 were medical (baby choking, possible stroke, drowning, and unconscious person). Chief Gutacker also gave details of SVFD upcoming elections and FY19 budget with no changes.

• Events Committee Report for Upcoming Events - Events Committee representative Shulie Barbe thanked past events committee members, introduced new members Anne Selcer, Andrea Meloni, and Amy, and briefly discussed ideas for upcoming events.

Councilmember Reports Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Kuehnel

• Utilities (Electric, Gas, & Cable)

• HGAC

• Mayor Skelton assigned new liaison responsibilities to Councilperson Kuehnel. No reports given. Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Clark

• Fire Department - Councilperson Clark reported SVFD having upcoming election.


• Emergency Management - Councilperson Clark reported that he met with Tom Merchant, the City’s Emergency Management Coordinator, to discuss the City being storm ready and plans to meet with Art Richard soon.

• Solid Waste & Recycling - No report given.

• Presentation from TML Newly Elected City Officials’ Orientation Training - Councilperson Clark gave a presentation of the TML Newly Appointed Officials Training he attended in San Antonio with included TML legal, citizen comments, Council mem-ber voting, virtual attendance of meetings, Roberts Rules of Order, Mayor & Council handbook, funding for technology, grants, interactions with the media, and networking.

Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Vernon

• McNair Park Restrooms - Mayor Pro Tem Vernon reported she received a second plumbing bid for the McNair Park bathrooms from Able Plumbing.

• Streets & Sidewalks - Mayor Pro Tem Vernon reported she hasn’t heard from companies to fill cracks and recommended remain-ing FY18 funds for streets and sidewalks be designated in FY19.

Liaison Status Reports from Councilperson Tave

• Mobility (146 Expansion, Stanley Dr Extension) - Councilperson Tave reported he would ask to meet with Matt Paulson, Ed White Elementary Principal, to attend a public discussion.

• Parks Board - Councilperson Tave reported the Parks Board being two members short, the next meeting is Sept. 26, 2018, FY19 budget submitted, and baby swings are ready to install.


• Financial - Councilperson Michalak reported that he will be signing up for the financial training online.

• Website Committee - Councilperson Michalak reported he will be meeting with his committee soon. Mayor’s Reports

• Liaison Reports - Mayor Pro Tem gave the following reports:

• Grants - Mayor Skelton reported the City is still waiting on funds for 402 Cedar grant, no other grants are pending but there are grants available to apply.

• BAYCAP - No report given.

• METRO - Mayor Skelton reported the City is required to submit annual financial reports to METRO on how funds are expended but the City hasn’t sent reports in many years and he plans to start sending them this year.

continued on page 16


Dig and Design Garden Club Shirley Moore Leago

Dig and Design is having a field trip, March 14, 2019 to Buchanan’s & Joshua’s Nurseries. The club will be stopping for lunch. For more information on this trip please call Bernie Eisenbarth for reservations. The club meets every 2nd Thursday of each month September through May. We happily welcome visitors and anyone who would like to attend. Come visit with the gracious gar-deners who will be happy to assist you with any questions that you might have in your gardening and enjoy the field trip. which promises to be lots of fun. Who knows you may go home with a plant that you have been looking for and haven’t been able to find. For additional information call Bernie Eisenbarth a 281-326-2666 for reservations.


Old Business

• Action to Approve Minutes from the Council Meeting June 6, 2018 - Mayor Pro Tem Vernon motioned to approve and Coun-cilperson Clark seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve Paul Engineering Invoice #1879 - Mayor Skelton gave details of his discussion with Paul Engineer-ing regarding Invoice #1879. Discussion included concerns of paying an invoice without requested work being completed, not pay-ing the invoice and the City’s possible vague request for the work. Councilperson Tave motioned to approve and Councilperson Clark seconded. Three (3) voted in favor (Tave, Clark, Kuehnel) and two (2) voted against (Vernon, Michalak). With a majority vote, the motion passed.

New Business

• Financial Report: Discuss/Discuss/Action to Approve Check Detail - D Discussion included clarification for checks written for lawn service for sprinkler repair, new computers, chlorine and printing charges. Councilperson Tave motioned to approve and Mayor Pro Tem Vernon seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Financial Report: Discuss/Action to Approve Credit Card Statement - Councilperson Michalak stated that there is no need to approve the statement since the check was approved in the check detail. Discussion included charges for City cell phones and Drop-box.


• Discuss/Action to Approve Reimbursement for Hurricane Harvey Building Permit Fees for 414 Bayou View residents - Citi-zen Shannon Caldwell asked Council to reimburse building permit fees incurred from Hurricane Harvey home damage and Council discussed concerns for repercussions for reimbursement, after research setting a policy to waive building permit fees in emergency situations, such as hurricane damage. Mayor Pro Tem Vernon motioned to postpone to future agenda until City Secretary can gath-er necessary data for Harvey related permits and a draft policy can be presented. Councilperson Michalak seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.


• Discuss/Action to Approve Lakeview Police Dept. FY19 budget - Discussion included concerns for traffic safety. Discussions regarding the FY19 LPD budget (3.35% increase over last year’s approved budget) included long term employment salary increas-es, fringe benefits, vehicle maintenance, dispatching costs, FY18 budget, underemployment, capital expense for equipment, and replacement equipment, alarm permits, and overages for FY18. Councilperson Michalak motioned to approve and Councilperson Clark seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Approve 2018 Certified Appraisal Roll with a total appraised value of $234,825,520 - Discussion included appraisal values increased from 2017. Mayor Pro Tem Vernon motioned to approve, Clark seconded. All voted in favor thus the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve proposed Budget for FY19 in a total expense of $2,105,028.10 and a total income of $2,156,833.93 - Mayor Pro Tem Vernon motioned to approve a preliminary net zero budget (income & expense = $2,105,028.10) based on an estimated ad valorem tax rate of $.517034 per $100 valuation, Councilperson Kuehnel seconded. Four (4) voted in favor (Michalak, Vernon, Clark, Kuehnel) and one (1) opposed (Tave). With a majority vote, the motion passed.

• Discuss/Action to Approve proposed tax increase for 2018 with a proposed rate of $.528070 per $100 taxable values - Mayor Skelton presented a proposed tax rate increase to offset the expected increase costs for the FY19, additional discussion included items for the proposed budget for FY19 and the tax rate schedule. Councilperson Clark motioned to approve a proposed tax in-crease for 2018 with a proposed tax rate of $.517034 per $100 valuation and Councilperson Kuehnel seconded. Four (4) voted in favor (Vernon, Michalak, Clark, Kuehnel) and one (1) opposed (Tave). With a majority vote, the motion passed.

• Executive Session: Adjourned to Executive Session - Discuss City office staff, maintenance staff, and key roles

• Future Agenda Item Requests - Close out of FY18 budget, FY19 budget, bond rate for FY18. *** To listen to full audio of the September 5, 2018 City Council Meeting, please go to the City’s website at www.ellago-tx.gov, under the “Agenda Center.” ***


Freeman Library Children’s Activities for February/March Sara Prekosovic Baby Butterflies - Mondays at 11:15 AM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Storytime recommended for babies that are walking independently up to 2 years old. This class focuses on early literacy skills through age appropriate stories, songs and rhymes. Tickets are required. They are free and available starting 30 minutes before the program begins at the Children’s Information Desk. Due to space limitations, each child may be accompanied by only one adult. Limited to 40.

Baby Caterpillars - Wednesdays at 10:15 AM and 11:15 AM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Recommended for newborns, crawlers and those walking with assistance along with a caregiver. This class includes age appropriate stories, rhymes, bounces and songs that are a foundation for reading. Children will also develop sensory, fine motor and social skills through playtime. Tickets are required. They are free and available starting 30 minutes before the program begins at the Children’s Information Desk. Due to space limitations, each child may be accompanied by only one adult. Limited to 40.

Bluebonnet Booktalk - Thursday, February 21 and 28, March 7 at 4:30 PM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Weekly discussion of Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees. Recommended for children ages 8-12 years old. Tickets are required. They are free and available starting 30 minutes before the program begins at the Children’s Information Desk. Due to space limitations, each child may be accompa-nied by only one adult. Limited to 24.

Toddlers in Motion - Friday, February 25 at 10:15 AM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Recommended for children 18 months to 3 years and their caregivers. This program focuses on learning through movement and includes free play with age appropriate toys that emphasize creativity and movement. Tickets are required. They are free and available starting 30 minutes before the program begins at the Children’s Information Desk. Due to space limitations, each child may be accompanied by only one adult. Limited to 60.

Maker Mondays - Mondays at 4:30 PM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Recommended for children 5-12 years old. These programs are designed to engage children in creative Maker activities including Straws and Connectors, Marble Runs, Legos, and Crafts. Tickets are required. They are free and available starting 30 minutes before the program begins at the Children’s Information Desk. Due to space limitations, each child may be accompanied by only one adult. Limited to 24.

Pajama Storytime - February 21 at 6 PM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Recommended for all ages. This storytime includes stories, songs, and activities. Children are invited to wear their pajamas and bring a favorite blanket or stuffed animal. Tickets are re-quired. They are free and available starting 30 minutes before the program begins at the Children’s Information Desk. Due to space limi-tations, each child may be accompanied by only one adult. Limited to 50.

Preschool Storytime - Mondays at 10:15 AM and Wednesdays at 1:30 PM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Recommended for children 3 to 5 years old. This program is designed for children who are ready to sit and listen to stories in addition to enjoying songs, fingerplays and action rhymes. Tickets are required. They are free and available starting 30 minutes before the program begins at the Children’s Information Desk. Due to space limitations, each child may be accompanied by only one adult. Limited to 60.

Toddler Time -Tuesday at 10:15 AM and 11:15 AM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Recommended for children 18 months to 3 years and their parents or caregivers. This program features books, songs, finger plays, music and movement. Tickets are required. They are free and available starting 30 minutes before the program begins at the Children’s Information Desk. Due to space limitations, each child may be accompanied by only one adult. Limited to 60.

Martial Arts Performance - Saturday, February 23 at 3:00 PM - First Floor Meeting Room - All ages are welcome to join us to celebrate Chinese New Year by watching this amazing show. An exciting traditional Korean Martial Art Demo by KUK SOOL WON Clear Lake.

STEAM Tween - Wednesdays at 4:30 PM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space_ Recommended for children 8 to 12 years old. These programs are designed to engage children in STEAM activities and change on a monthly basis. Tickets are required. They are free and available starting 30 minutes before the program begins at the Children’s Information Desk. Due to space limitations, each child may be accompanied by only one adult.

Family Storytime - Saturday, March 2 at 11:00 AM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Recommended for all ages. This program features books, songs, and action rhymes suitable for the young and young-at-heart. This program does not require tickets.

Baby Playtime - Friday, March 8 at 10 AM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - Recommended for infants up to 18 months along with a caregiver. This program includes free play with an assortment of engaging, age-appropriate toys as well a bubble time. This pro-gram does not require tickets.

Marsha’s Petting Zoo - Monday, March 11 at 2:30 PM - Kick off your Spring Break by petting adorable animals such as deer, goats, and rabbits! No tickets are needed for this program that is held on the Diana Lane side of the library parking lot. We'll line up on the porch and take people through in groups of 25-30 to see and pet animals. Please bring hats, sunscreen, water and anything else you may need in order to comfortably spend time outdoors. Thank you to the Friends of Freeman Library for supporting this week of fun pro-grams through the years.

Crafta-palooza!! - Tuesday, March 12 at 2:00 PM - For children of all ages. We're clearing out our crafts closet! We'll have pieces of previous crafts and odds and ends that children can craft into a new creation! This is a drop-in event, no tickets required. Thank you to the Friends of Freeman Library for their generous support for crafts supplies throughout the year.

Face Painting, Balloon Animals and a Dinosaur! - Wednesday, March 12 at 2:30 PM - First Floor Children’s Activity Space - For children of all ages. Join us we celebrate spring and books by having fun getting our face painted and picking out a balloon animal. We'll also have a visit from a dinosaur! No tickets are required for this program, just a bit of patience for waiting in lines. Thank you to the Friends of Freeman Library for supporting this fun program through the years.


Freeman Library Adult Activities for February/March Sara Prekosovic

TGIF Programs (Fridays at 10:15 AM)

• February 22 – Friday Film Series – The TGIF Programs Friday Film Series celebrates African-American History Month on Friday, February 22 at 10:15 AM. We look forward to showing “To Sir, With Love,” a 1967 British drama film that deals with social and racial issues in an inner city school. This un-rated film, which stars Sidney Poitier, Christian Roberts, Judy Geeson, Suzy Kendall and singer Lulu, lasts 105 minutes. The Friends of Freeman Library provide light refreshments for this event. This free program requires no registration.

• March 01 – Technology Series – Technology Q&A by Freeman Staff - Let’s talk about the technology issues concerning you! People from Freeman Li-brary will be here to address questions about desktops/laptops, smartphones, digital tablets, HCPL eMedia, and more. The Friends of Freeman Library support “Technology Q&A.” This event is free to attend but registration is encouraged. To register, please call the library at 832.927.5420 and ask for the Reference Desk. Walk-ins are welcome.

• March 8 – March Movie Madness – Event #1 - TGIF Programs invites adults of all ages to join us for our March Movie Madness on various dates throughout the month. These free events require no registration.

• March 8 - “Rebecca,” the 1940 Alfred Hitchcock film adaptation of the Daphne Du Maurier novel about a self-conscious bride tormented by the memory of her husband's dead first wife. This unrated film which lasts 130 minutes, stars Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, and George Sanders. The Friends of Freeman Library provide light refreshments. Please contact the Clear Lake City - County Freeman Branch Library at 16616 Diana Lane, Houston, TX 77062 or at 832.927.5420 for further information.

• March 15 - “Julius Caesar,” the 1953 film adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy about the conspiracy to assassinate ambitious Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. This unrated film which lasts 120 minutes, stars Louis Calhern, Marlon Brando, and James Mason.

Color Me In - Fridays at 2 PM - Second Floor Conference Room - Join us to color and relax at this adult coloring program! Use our materials or bring your own. Supplies donated by the Friends of Freeman. Now with a Jigsaw Puzzle to assemble!

FamilySearch Genealogy Introductory Series - Fridays in February at 3:45 PM - Second Floor Computer Lab - Learn how to use the free Family Search website (www.familysearch.org) to research your family history. FamilySearch is a nonprofit family history organization dedicated to connecting families across generations and is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services each year to learn more about their family history. February 22 – Part 2: Attachments/Merging and Finer Features

United Way Bay Area THRIVE Financial Education Classes - Wednesday, February 20 & March 6th at 3 PM & First Floor Meeting Room - United Way THRIVE helps families just like yours along the path to financial stability. In their February classes at the Freeman Branch Library they will be discussing financial education. Topics will include: Reducing debt, Increasing credit scores. - Starting a savings plan, Managing bills, And Learning how to budget.

Freeman Needlecrafters - If you knit, crochet or do any other form of needlecraft please join us for the Freeman Needlecrafters. While attendees are happy to help others through the difficult parts of a project, this club is not intended as a class for instruction. Needlecrafters is held every other Tuesday in the second floor Conference Room at 10 AM. Needlecrafters will be held on February 26th & March 12th.

DID You Know? – An HCPL Info Series, Tuesdays at 4:30 PM @ Second Floor Computer Lab You can use your Library Card to do practical and fun things? Find out how! Register online or by giving the Reference Desk a call @ 832-927-5420. February 26 – How to use HCPL Databases or “Research and learn something new”.

Green Thumb Lecture Series: Spring Vegetable Gardening - Thursday, February 21 at 6:30 PM; First Floor Meeting Room - The Texas AgriLife Exten-sion Service and the Harris County Master Gardeners are pleased to offer the Green Thumb Gardening Series of lectures at the Freeman Library from January to October of 2019. Lectures will be held on the third Thursday of every month on a variety of topics. These Lectures are

WikiTree Genealogy Class - Thursday, February 21 at 7 PM - Second Floor Computer Lab - Come learn WikiTree, a free, collaborative, source/documentation based online single family tree. Whether you are already a seasoned re - searcher or just interested in starting your family tree research, Wik-iTree has something for everyone and this class will help you get started and learn how to build and add to your family history using WikiTree.

SCORE Small Business Counseling - Whether you are just starting a business or expanding an established business, SCORE counselors are here to help you succeed. Meet with a business counselor to develop your business plan, discuss a new idea or tackle a business problem. Sessions are by appointment only. To schedule a session call the library (832)927-5420 or register online http://goo.gl/QSZ76H. For additional dates and times: Evelyn Meador Library (Seabrook, TX) — (281) 474-9142; SCORE Houston Headquarters (Gessner) — (713) 487-6565

Blogging on WordPress.com for Beginners - Monday, March 4 at 7 PM - Second Floor Computer Lab Have you always wanted to express yourself by writing a blog but don’t know where to begin? Are you in need of a homepage to promote yourself? In this class, we will learn how to create a basic website using WordPress.com. No prior blogging or web design experience is needed. Note: You must have access to an email address to create a blog. Also, we will be using the FREE version of Word-Press.com, which means your site will end in *.wordpress.com, on their domain, and will feature occasional ads. Registration is recommended for this program.

Digital Media Lab Orientation - Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30 PM - Second Floor Computer Lab This is a prerequisite course for all patrons interested in using the Digital Media Lab (DML). The course will review lab policies and provide an overview of the technology available in the DML. Due to lab size, space is limited and registration is required.

Photo Restoration - Epson Perfection Scanner - Friday, March 8 at 3:30 PM - Second Floor Computer Lab - Come learn how you can restore and digitize old photos and film using our Epson Perfection Scanner in the Jocelyn H. Lee Digital Media Lab. The Digital Media Lab Orientation is not a prerequisite for this course, but patrons will still need to have taken it to reserve time with equipment in the Lab. Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcomed if there are still spaces available. All children under the age of 16 will require an adult to be present with them.

Did You Know? Introduction to Google Drive - Saturday, March 9 at 10:30 AM - Second Floor Computer Lab - Do you have Gmail? Did You Know that you also have access to online storage, plus a lot more? This class will introduce you to what you can access with a Gmail account. Register by visiting or calling the Adult Services Reference Desk. 832-927-5420

Photo Restoration - Epson Perfection Scanner - Friday, March 8 at 3:30 PM - Second Floor Computer Lab - Come learn how you can restore and digitize old photos and film using our Epson Perfection Scanner in the Jocelyn H. Lee Digital Media Lab. The Digital Media Lab Orientation is not a prerequisite for this course, but patrons will still need to have taken it to reserve time with equipment in the Lab. Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcomed if there are still spaces available. All children under the age of 16 will require an adult to be present with them.

Did You Know? Introduction to Google Drive - Saturday, March 9 at 10:30 AM - Tuesday, March 26 at 4:30 PM - Second Floor Computer Lab - Do you have Gmail? Did You Know that you also have access to online storage, plus a lot more? This class will introduce you to what you can access with a Gmail account. Register by visiting or calling the Adult Services Reference Desk. 832-927-5420 continued on page 19


LA VENTANA HAS ROUTES OPEN FOR NEW CARRIERS

CONTACT KIMBERLY CAMPOS

832-232-2672

The La Ventana staff & I would like to thank the following for their generous end of year dona-tions: All the folks who donated change from their luminaries purchases back to the paper, Shawn & Sally Harrison, and Jeff & Ellen Tave.

Continued from page 18

Detox Your Mind through Meditation - Wednesday, March 13 at 6:30 PM - First Floor Meeting Room Many people are seeking wellness and participate in detoxification regimens that cleanse the body by eliminating toxins. Detoxing has become mainstream. While we tend to our physical well-being and we often overlook the health of our mental or inner well-being. By detoxing our mind we can improve our thought patterns which in turn will calm the mind and bring about mental wellness and inner peace. Join Daya Sharma, a long time meditator, and learn how to implement a simple yet very powerful meditation technique that can be life changing.


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