The 44th Original MLK Day Parade and Festival

The City of Houston and The Black Heritage Society honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr with a parade led by this year’s Grand Marshall, Vanessa Wyche, Johnson Space Center Director.

When: Monday, January 17th, 10:00am

Where: Hermann Square Park, 900 Smith St.

 
 

Houston’s Hobby Airport Achieves Coveted
5-Star International Rating!!

The City of Houston now boasts the only 5-Star rated airport throughout the state of Texas and North America after William P. Hobby Airport achieved a 5-Star Airport status in the Skytrax World Airport Star Rating for 2022. “As the chairperson of the COH Economic Development Committee, I couldn’t be more proud of the tremendous efforts of our Houston Airport Team,” said Vice Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex Tatum.
 
Airports are rated between a 1-Star and 5-Star level following a detailed audit analysis of facilities and staff service to customers across all front-line areas of the airport environment. Hobby Airport excelled in all 29 rating categories, achieving the highly coveted 5-Star rating!
 
The international rating organization also highlighted the airport’s “wide range of substantial guest experience upgrades to the terminal interiors, passenger facilities, and customer service initiatives.” Recent improvements include a new children’s play area, state-of-the-art restroom facilities, modern signage and information systems, a prayer room and a new stage for live music performances, to highlight just a few. Hobby Airport becomes one of just sixteen 5-Star Airports across the world.
 
“The entire Houston Airports team has worked tirelessly toward reaching this accomplishment at Hobby Airport,” Director of Aviation Mario Diaz said. “Providing the highest quality of customer service, exceptional amenities and cutting-edge facilities has earned us five stars at Hobby Airport. and an improved 4-Star rating at Bush Airport, and now we owe it to our passengers to continue delivering excellence at every step of the airport experience.”
 
 

Thank You for Attending the
District K Community Shred Event!

 
District K residents showed up and took advantage of the free Community Shred Day event on January 8th and 15th. We received overwhelming gratitude for this opportunity to properly dispose of sensitive documents. Over 14,000 pounds of paper was collected making recycling so much easier.
 
Thank you to the phenomenal volunteers at all 3 District K locations for braving the rain and cold temperatures while helping us ensure every constituent was taken care of.
 
  • Brentwood Baptist Church – 6300 pounds
  • Westbury United Methodist Church – 7500 pounds
  • Ridgemont Community Center- TBD
 
 
District K residents,
I have heard and read your messages concerning your services from the solid waste department. I know many of you are experiencing delays with your recycling, junk waste and regular trash pick-up. I understand your frustration and have been working with the solid waste department to try to get to your neighborhoods as soon as possible.
 
Also, if you have not downloaded the Solid Waste Management mobile app, HTX Collects, please do so, for access to collection schedules, service alerts, and proper disposal instructions. Follow this link to download the app.
 
The Solid Waste Management Facebook page @houstonsolidwaste and Twitter page @HoustonTrash are other ways the department communicates with Houstonians. You can email the department directly at [email protected] and call 311, the City of Houston’s Customer Service hotline. Also feel free to email us at [email protected] and our constituent directors will communicate with Solid Waste management to get you updates as soon as we can.
 
Today, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, all garbage, tree waste and recycling will be on their regular schedule. The drop off facilities and administrative offices will be closed.
 
We appreciate your patience as the COH is dealing with hundreds of drivers out with COVID in addition to numerous driver vacancies. The crews are working 12 hour days and 6 days a week to service all of Houston. If you know anyone with a CDL or that may be interested in working with the solid waste team, please have them apply here. The Solid Waste Department is offering $3000 signing bonuses to attract more drivers.
 
Depositories and Recycling Information
 
 
Neighborhood Depository/Recycling Centers Locations
 
Take advantage of the District K Recycling Center:
South Post Oak Recycling
 
HOURS
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Closed Sunday
 
 
 

District K Sidewalk Improvements!

 
The safe sidewalk program project is underway in Gessport neighborhood on Vinkins Rd.and Rylander Circle has been initiated by District K and the Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities (MOPD). The project is currently in progress and is expected to be completed late January 2022. We are looking forward to the improved sidewalks throughout this area for residents to walk safely.
 
 

Congratulations Cindy Chapman!

Congratulations Cindy! The Super Neighborhood Alliance members unanimously elected Cindy Chapman to serve as Chair of the Super Neighborhood Alliance for 2022-2023. We are excited to see our District K resident and Westbury Civic Club president, take the helm of this organization comprised of the presidents and chairs of super neighborhood councils that serves as a formal advisory board to the Mayor and city government on community matters.
 
We look forward to working with President Chapman as she leads the organization once again, along with the other newly elected members of The Alliance.
 
 

District K’s Minchen Park Named Part of
Mayor Turner’s 50/50 Park Initiative

 
Thank you to the Houston Parks Board team and dedicated community members who have shared their ideas for our new and improved park space located at 4900 W Fuqua St., Houston 77045. We are working hard as a community to re-brand this park so our families can enjoy this amazing green space. We need more partners to help make this park one we can all be proud of! Complete the park survey and share your ideas here.
 
 

District K Mega Covid-19 Site Now Open

 
The Houston Health Department and United Memorial Medical Center opened a new mega Covid-19 testing site at Butler Stadium located at 13755 South Main St. The testing site has a capacity for approximately 1,000 daily tests and operates Mondays through Saturdays from 8am to 4pm.
 
Getting tested or vaccinated at health department-affiliated sites is free, and does not require proof of residency, citizenship, or insurance.
 
Appointments are not required but available by calling 1-866-333-2684 or logging on to https://bit.ly/3pWqk1j.
 
For more info: HoustonHealth.org
 
 

Free Spay/Neuter Services For Pets

 
Beginning January 9, 2022, BARC, the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, and Houston PetSet, a nonprofit with the mission to end the homelessness and suffering of companion animals, are partnering to offer free spay/neuter surgeries for the pets of City of Houston residents. 
 
This partnership, funded by the City of Houston, is available to Houston residents only. To find out if you’re eligible, please click this link and enter your address before registering: https://bit.ly/HoustonSpayNeuter. Services will include spay or neuter surgeries for owned cats or dogs, routine vaccinations, and a microchip.
 
“Houston PetSet is excited about this collaboration with the city of Houston,” says Tama Lundquist, Houston PetSet Co-President. “With thousands of homeless pets in our streets and moving through our shelters, it’s important to provide this resource to the community. We know that the service is not only needed, but wanted. The response to preliminary announcements has been overwhelming. We know that working together makes us more efficient and more effective. Spay and neuter is a big part of solving the animal homelessness crisis in Houston, and we look forward to adding more programs with the city in 2022.”
 
Learn more about the benefits of spaying and neutering your pets: https://bit.ly/BARCspayneuter
 
 

PIP Meeting Update

Due to the rising Covid positive cases in our communities, the HPD Citywide PIP and Divisional PIP meetings scheduled for January will be canceled. This includes in-person and on-line meetings. HPD will continue to monitor the effects of the pandemic and make adjustments accordingly. The Citywide and Divisional PIP Officers are still providing the same level of services in our community. 
 
 

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarship Applications

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) awards hundreds of scholarships to graduating seniors who plan to attend an accredited university in Texas. The scholarship application is currently open and closes on February 1, 2022. Applicants do NOT need prior affiliation with HLSR programming. Click here for details and to open an application

 
 

Houston Citizens’ Police Academy

The Houston Citizens’ Police Academy (CPA) is currently accepting applications for the Spring Session that begins on March 22nd.

The academy offers citizens the opportunity to learn about the internal operations of the Houston Police Department. The CPA speakers, (mostly Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice experts in their fields), provide lectures, demonstrations, tours, and hands-on activities for Academy participants.

Find out more about the Houston Citizens’ Police Academy and apply here.

 
 

Together We Can End
Child Abuse and Neglect

 
 

Solid Waste Management
Christmas Tree Recycle Program

 
Monday, January 31st, is the last day to recycle your live Christmas tree. SWMD has 24 residential Christmas tree drop-off recycling locations throughout the City of Houston. Click on the link below to find a list of recycling locations.
 
Prior to recycling a live Christmas tree, residents are required to remove all lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments, nails, stands, and other non-organic decorative materials that are not part of the original tree. Flocked, artificial, or painted trees will NOT be recycled. Artificial trees can be disposed of on your scheduled junk waste collection day.
 
Additional opportunities to recycle live Christmas trees are also available through the city’s yard waste curbside collection program on scheduled residential tree waste service days.
 
All trees collected for recycling will be re-purposed into rich mulch and made available in bags or in bulk directly from Living Earth and other participating local area retailers.