7-1-16 TWIH
City news,
features,
and
updates
July 1,
2016
Street Conversion Underway
Construction is underway converting two street
segments around SHSU to 1-way traffic. The City is
working with Sam Houston State University on this
project to provide safer, slower one-way traffic on the
designated segments. The construction is scheduled
to be finished by mid-July. The below street segments
have changing street patterns:
A) Bearkat Boulevard (from University Avenue to
Bobby K. Marks Drive) - traffic will be restricted
to eastbound only.
B) Bobby K. Marks Drive (from Bearkat
Boulevard to Bowers Boulevard) - traffic will be
restricted to southbound only.
In addition to converting from 2-way traffic
movement to 1-way traffic movement, paid parking
spaces will be provided along these two street
segments. The contractor has begun installing the
necessary traffic poles and is beginning the process
to re-stripe the road.
The conversion to 1-way traffic including pavement
striping and traffic sign installation is expected to be
complete by mid-July.
4th of July Celebration
Join the City of Huntsville Parks and Leisure Department at Kate Barr Ross Park to celebrate the
4th of July with family entertainment and a large-scale fireworks show.
The celebration will be a fun and safe
event for the entire family. Family
entertainment will commence at 4
p.m. with the fireworks show
beginning at 9 p.m. or at dark,
weather permitting.
Enjoy family entertainment including
a rock wall, face painter, air brush
artist, leather crafts, bounce houses,
and karaoke. The Patriot Guard
Riders (sponsored by the H.E.A.R.T.S.
Museum) will ride their motorcycles
through the park around 5:30 p.m.
Attendants, please note: no alcohol or glass bottles will be allowed on the premises.
For more information call 936-294-5708 or visit our website at www.huntsvilletx.gov. You can
also visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/COH-recservices.
The City wants to see your pictures from summer events. Share your celebration using the
hashtag #homesweethuntsville.
Location: 300 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Picnics in the park are what summer is all about! The
City of Huntsville is the proud home to Emancipation
Park, the perfect spot for an afternoon picnic.
This park features a full size basketball court, playing
fields, a covered pavilion, playground equipment, grills,
an enclosed restroom facility and the City’s very own
orchard!
Emancipation Park is home to the Martin Luther King
Jr. Recreational Center. The Center is available for
rental by calling 936-294-5708.
We would love for you to share your photos with us on
social media using the hashtag #homesweethuntsville.
July’s Park Spotlight is Emancipation Park
According to City ordinance, it is not permitted to
possess, use, transport or purchase fireworks within
City limits.
Violators will be charged with a Class C
misdemeanor, which carries a fine not to exceed
$500.
The exceptions are fireworks available for purchase
at retail department stores, commonly referred to as
"poppers." These products contain an amount of
black powder below the regulated amount.
Parties interested in holding their own fireworks
show must apply for, receive and adhere to the
permit requirements from the State Fire Marshal's
Office.
Please keep this in mind while planning for the
Fourth of July, New Year's Eve and any other major
event which traditionally integrates fireworks
displays.
For more information or clarification, contact the
City of Huntsville Fire Department at (936) 291-
3047.
Reminder - No Fireworks
within City limits City Facility Closures on July 4
City Hall, the City Service Center, Municipal
Court, the Public Library, and other City
facilities will be closed on Monday, July 4, in
observance of Independence Day. Please see
below on Solid Waste and Recycling Services
and facilities. Have a safe and happy Fourth!
The City of Huntsville Solid Waste and Recycling
Department will run regular residential RECYCLING and
commercial garbage pick-up routes on Monday, July 4,
2016, the Fourth of July.
The Transfer Station and Scale
House will be open on Monday, July
4, 2016.
For more information, contact the
Solid Waste Transfer Facility, or the
Recycling Drop-Off Center at 936-
294-5712.
City of Huntsville
Solid Waste & Recycling Services
Reminder - No Fireworks
within City limits
Huntsville Recycles!
Hopefully you have heard of the Electronic Recycling Day hosted every year by the Recycling Division. If you haven't,
now is the time to learn about the great benefits this program has brought to the City. Solid Waste/Recycling
Superintendent Esther Herlotz told us about where the idea started and how successful the program has become over
the years.
“Electronics Recycling Day was an idea inspired by hearing what other cities do with electronics at a Houston-
Galveston Area Council quarterly meeting. We reached out the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Wynne
Unit Computer Recovery Program and together we developed a plan which included many staff volunteers from both
TDCJ and the City, non-profit organization volunteers, the Walker County Jail and even Texas A&M student volunteers
visiting their families in Huntsville for the holidays. We decided to hold the event after Christmas since many people
receive electronics as gifts and then may have old electronics which are no longer used or non-functional. Our
advertisement efforts in the Huntsville Item and on K-SAM radio and the City webpage along with posted fliers, yielded
271 visitors and over 20 tons of electronics at the January 2008 initial event.”
“Beginning with the fourth annual event, we partnered with Technocycle of Houston
which is a U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) certified. This certification is intended
to protect individuals from identity theft and prevent transportation of collected
materials to third-world countries.” Herklotz added.
Since beginning the partnership with Technocycle in 2011, the City of Huntsville has
collected and recycled almost 58 tons of electronic recycling. Through the help of
our community we have been able to make a positive impact in the environment.
Keep a watch for the next E-recycling Day and hang on to your old electronics until
then to dispose of them in a correct and responsible way!
3 Actions to Take Now to Be Prepared
It’s Hurricane Season, but we are not powerless against the threat of these disasters.
1) Know your evacuation zone. Evacuation zones are areas that may be impacted by hurricane flooding. Many communities have
designated evacuation zones and routes to get citizens to safety. This information can often be found on the websites of your state,
county, or town emergency management offices. If a hurricane threatens your community and local officials say it's time to evacuate,
don't wait.
2) Download the FEMA app. With the FEMA smartphone app you’ll have all the information you need to know what to do before,
during, and after a hurricane. You can also receive weather alerts in your area from NOAA’s National Weather Service, find lifesaving
safety tips, and have access to disaster resources should you need them. You can download the app from the Apple App store or the
Google Play store. The FEMA app is also available in Spanish.
3) Make a plan and build a kit. When a hurricane hits, communications systems can go out, transportation can be limited, and it
could be days before emergency responders are able to reach your community if you need help.
Making a plan - and practicing that plan - helps to ensure you and your family are safe and ready
for these challenges. Your plan should include:
-Family communication plan: Talk with your family members about how you will contact
one another in an emergency. Know how you will check in with family members in different
locations, how you will care for children or members with access and functional needs, and how
your family will get in touch if cell phone, internet, or landlines don’t work.
-Emergency Supply Kit: A ‘go kit’ is a bag that contains basic items you and your family
may need during an emergency. Kits should contain non-perishable food, water, and other
supplies, such as flashlights, local maps, and a battery-powered radio, to last you and your
family for at least 72 hours. Visit Ready.gov for a complete list of items.
-Pets: Many local shelters do not permit pets, but laws require them to accept service
animals. Know what you will do with your pet if you need to evacuate.
We want everyone to enjoy the summer without having to worry about what to do when severe
weather threatens. The best way to do that is to prepare now. Planning ahead gives you more options and better control over
situations that could become chaotic at the last moment if you’re not ready. To learn more about how to prepare for a hurricane
visit www.ready.gov/hurricanes.
Start celebrating America’s Independence Day early at the Huntsville Public Library on
Friday, July 1 at 12:00 p.m. in the Community Room. Noted author, historian, and
speaker Dr. Caroline Crimm will explain the sequence of events that resulted in the
American Revolution. Do you know the difference between the Boston Massacre and
the Shot Heard ’Round the World? Was that shot the beginning of the war? Is it time
to go back and relearn our beginnings? See you at the library!
Make plans to attend an informative session about G-BOMBS+T with Doctor Kathy
Bottroff, who will speak about nutrition. She will be focusing on the benefits of a
nutrient-dense, plant-rich (NDPR) diet based upon the research of Dr. Joel
Fuhrman. The lecture will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13 in the Huntsville
Public Library Community Room. For more information, please contact Mary Kokot
at 936-291-5472.
The Huntsville Public Library continues its Brown Bag Lecture Series at
11:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 28th. The lecture will be presented by
Pamela Zelbst, who will speak about Medical 3D Printing. Lunch time
begins at 11:30 a.m. (attendees may bring a brown bag lunch) and the
lecture will begin at noon.
The lecture series is planned for the fourth Thursday of each month and
will explore interesting and novel topics of general appeal. Beverages will
be provided and admission is free. For more information, please contact
Mary Kokot at 936-291-5472.
Brown Bag Lecture Series
Let’s Talk About Nutrition
Independence Day at the Huntsville Public Library
Come to Story Time, a fun early literacy program for kids 5 and under. Join us for interactive stories, songs,
rhymes and crafts. The early literacy programs featured each week help build the foundation for a lifelong
love of reading and learning. For parents and caregivers, story time offers an opportunity to experience
early literacy programs in action, discover great books and resources for home use and socialize with
other parents after Story Time. Each session has its own theme. Story Time is sponsored by Amerigroup
and sign-up is not required. Story Time is held on Wednesday and Friday at 10:45 a.m. July dates are the
1st, 6th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 20th, 22nd, 27th and 29th.
It’s a Duplo Party at 11:30 a.m. (after Story Time Wednesdays) at the Huntsville Public
Library, for ages 5 and under. This program encourages hands-on and imaginative play and
early learning through building with large blocks. Sign-up is not required.
Do you have children ages 2 or under? Then Mother Goose Lapsit is a story time designed for you! Each
Monday at 10:30 a.m. enjoy a half hour of developmentally appropriate play featuring stories, songs and
rhymes. This program introduces little ones to the story time experience and is perfect for their language
development and developing vocabulary. Sign-up is not required. July dates are the 11th, 18th, 25th.
Beat the heat by coming to our Elementary Craft time for ages 5 - 12. Make a craft to take home and
enjoy. Sign-up is not required. July Elementary Craft days are the 1st, 5th, 14th, 21st and 26th at 3 p.m.
Children 5 and under are invited to Crafts for Tots, an enrichment craft hour on select Tuesdays at 11:15
a.m. Sign-up is not required but supplies are limited. Dates for this program are July 5th, 12th, 19th and
26th.
Camp Invention is coming back to the Huntsville Public Library at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, July 18th for a
second exciting program called “Gassy Experiments.” Camp Invention is a nationally recognized multi-day
summer program focused on creativity, innovation, real-world problem solving and the spirit of invention.
These programs challenge the creativity of young minds. Sign-up is not required but supplies are limited.
This program is best suited for ages 5-13.
Wild about Birds! Join Huntsville Audubon members to experience Birds in Our
Backyard at 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 12th. Learn how to identify birds by their different
sizes and shapes, colors, sounds, and behaviors. This program is best suited for
elementary-aged students through adult.
Readers 13 years old and younger—don’t forget! Turn in your current 2016 Summer Reading
Program log now for your first prize pack, sponsored by local businesses. Turn in your final reading
log the week of July 18th - 22nd to receive your second prize pack. Those who complete the
program may enter the Huntsville Public Library’s Grand Raffle. Raffle winners will be announced
the week of July 25th - 29th.
For more information, please contact Rachel McPhail at 936-291-5472.
July Library Events
New Economic Development Page is
Helping Huntsville Grow!
Watch Huntsville Live!
The Wynne Home Summer Session of Art
Classes will begin July 11 and end July 23.
There will be two separate weeks of Art
Camps for ages 6-13. The first week of Art
Camp will be Monday July 11- Friday July
15 from 9am-noon, the second week will
be Monday July 18 - Friday July 22 from
9am-noon.
Additionally there will be some classes
offering programs for adults and teens.
Registration is now open!!! For more info
about this or any of the programming
please call 936-291-5424 or
email lpease@huntsvilletx.gov.
Summer Art Classes
Did you know you can watch meeting videos live as they happen or for up to a year
after they occur?
If you cannot make it to a City Council meeting but still want to be an informed
Huntsville resident you can do that right from the City’s homepage. Access it at
http://huntsvilletx.gov/550/Watch-Meeting-Videos or follow these instructions.
1) Go to Huntsvilletx.gov and click
on the fifth blue button that says
Meeting Video.
3) The next tabs will be the
archived videos from all recorded
meetings. The links to each video
will be archived for one year after
being recorded.
2) The first screen of video is the
live streaming of meetings. Tune in
here during a scheduled time of a
City Council or Planning and Zoning,
meeting to be able to watch them
live.
Wynne Home Summer Sessions