trymahjong

On 3/16/2024 at 7:39 PM, hindesky said:

That blue backdrop seems the perfect place for a new Mural!

Gotcha

i have that same problem with the pro- trees =>anti 10 ft sidewalk posters of the Montrose Blvd proposal. 
 

Geez, like counting hens teeth  to try and present facts to them-- lots of knee jerk snipe shots my way as I seem to be in their cross hairs-- just because, I came to a different conclusion after I read all they had to post but just didn't agree with them.

It didn't seem to take much for those Nextdoor discussion threads to turn dark.

Neartown brought in three "knowledgeable" people from Metro to explain what could be expected on their Westheimer (610 to Man street)upgrade. Attendees really only interested in Shepherd to Bagby. 
First  off, as far as I could tell, the Mayor demanded, his view on changes be incorporated in ; Metro complied. It is mostly, just a "redo" of street surfaces around ( scraped down then spread)18" deep- this might be fine but if unearth concrete is cracked, this won't work so well- double down that it might not work at all if underlying brick street is uncovered from Montrose to Bagby. New curbs cut in driveways- commercial driveways 8"----private driveways 6". LED lights within bus shelters, but no "green" nor artificial shade for bus stops without shelters.

Buses on route 82 will remain same width (wider than current lane width) and same weight ( the weight that has torn up that part of lower Westheimer in first place)

A little something interesting-- the original research and plan of the lower Westheimer approvements, weren't viewed or reviewed by Metro--- just the Mayor saying "Do this now!"

Yes there will be sidewalks tweaks, more handicapped cuts at curbs and distance between bus stops will be increased slightly so improve "speed" that is currently around 18 miles per hour. There was no mention of moving current bus stops that are located just before an intersection to beyond the intersection; that would allow traffic to right turn behind buses so traffic flows more efficiently.

 Don't really have a crystal ball, but think after this " lick and a promise" is completed" any chance at meaningful improvements for lower Westheimer will be gone forever. 
 

sigh

10 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Yeah maybe 6ft is you're standing shoulder to shoulder. Who walks like that though? 

Walking shoulder to shoulder?

For the most part, I find myself walking hand in hand with grandkids on either side who are probably yammering to hold the hand of someone on the other side or the leash of the dog or the handle bars of trainingwheeled bike etc etc etc- you get the idea

10' sidewalks solve a lot of potential walking configurations.

4,017 - Total of sex crime reports reviewed.

399 - Number of forensic interviews scheduled with survivors.

1,767 - Officer visits to last known address of victims.

91,824 reviewed of 264,000 - Department-wide incident reports reviewed.

1/3 - Reports that have been reviewed within eight weeks.

3,462 - cases that have been cleared, suspended or inactivated, mostly due to no additional leads.

“The remaining reports are being investigated. Any incident will be reopened should a complainant contact us and provide additional information or evidence,” Finner said.
 

That very last thing made my stomach sink.....what would  it take out of a person, who had suffered the trauma of enduring rape, realizing HPD had shelved that complaint, understood that after " investigation" HPD had closed it, then finally knowing it would would be up to the victim to get it up and going again.

Yup! Side by Side

is a concept that people escorting preschool bike riders know the importance of.

I have a 3 wheeled electric bike - one of the grandkids has tiny pedal bike  with train8ng wheels, but you can't forget the double wide stroller that usually comes along to sort of act as guard on the other side for pedal bike........if we all go side by side we take up more than 6 feet wide-- at 10 feet wide, there is possibility of someone else either going in our direction or the opposite direction can also use sidewalk.

This seems to be a hard concept for people to understand.

I think I still have a lot of questions

CitizensNet Newsletter: PUBLIC SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY | 04-19-2024

Wow so many typos- sometimes my rants affect my typing-- apologies.

but a few hours have calmed me a bit to understand that going to those silly council meetings might be my new best step forward-

sigh😶

I think Montrose /Neartown is Superneighborhood 24

i think it predates the label "Superneighborhood" 

I am getting the notion that Mayor Whitmire has fallen victim to the myth of Montrose-- what that preconceived notion is that Montrose has plenty of stuff of 🥵 doesn't need to improve upon any of its other stuff😡 so why bother approving any CIP projects. 
I don't mean to be naive nut there are streets that don't have usable side2als @nd places where there ar3 no sidewalks, plus the open ditch draining and th3 crater pot holes yadayada

when Harvey came through there was flooding--- surely my family wasn't the only one experiencing 5hat. I have se3n flooding at Fairview and Montrose, Montrose and Westheimer, Westheimer and Stanford...... those are own observations because that is our usual path to walk.....when I post that experience on other sites-- people yell at me "I'm Crazy" in all caps😣

Im really trying to post what I know.......

Here's my latest conundrum since May Whitmire took over ( my own first hand observation) 

when trying to raise awareness of a problem, I think is worthy for COH to take a look at:

long time knowledgeable COH department heads seem to have retired and been replaced with younger, enthusiastic but not very knowledgeable campaign supporters. Those nice young people cheerfully look me straight in the eye after pointed out they are the doorkeeper of that problem  I've described and explainer--- they cheerfully  acknowledge 

they will have to get back to me after that problem has been researched and questions on there side must be answered and solved.......... then....THEN

With great good humor.....invite me to speak in front of city council meetings as that is Mayor's favorite public discourse in these situations.

so I'm trasported back in time to when I had to go to city hall hours before (hopefully get parking space) to stand in line to sign up to speak so I might get to be number 21 or 22nd to speak and not number 56 or 57 to speak wait my time (hopefully get a seat so I don't have to stand the whole time) then I get my three ( sometimes only 1 minute) minutes, to explain, then reexplain, who I am and how COH can address this problem--- only (most times anyway) to have a newly elected COH person or newly appointed aide to Mayor over talk me pointing out I need to contact ( inserts name of the original person, I just established contact with) speak to that person instead of discussing at current council meeting.😩

so okay-- Mayor Whitmire likes to side with the little guy? I guess I know what my Tuesday will be folding into.😥

T he federal $ for second phase went away-

I'm fairly sure the Mayor can't "reuse" the TIRZ $ for something else-

why exactly did the Mayor choose to side with saving compromised  60 year trees

( historic?) that are constantly v cut, root bound and never watered? 

I wonder what % of HPD officers engage in non beat cop/ patrol cop duties?  Could a different set of people do those jobs? A different set, vetted, set; that was trained for that sort of duty....routing calls? Answering telephone, filing, directing parking lots exits? Monitoring continuous public TIRZ meetings? We've all seen those officers. ....could that new set of people perhaps with a salary, compared to new teacher position, or just 30% of a new officer....is that something that might work?

So from someone from the outside looking in-- my quasi qualified opinion came up with....   🧐 A 3 able bodies for the price of one officer.......maybe money found thru grants or even corporations.....does any of that sort of pie-in-the-sky/outside-of-the-box sort of thinking ever take place? Does any brain storming to find a useful solution ever go on over at COH and HPD? All that talk from Mayor Whitmire of finding extra men to assist HPD sounded plausible; is that suggestion viable? Is there a certain specific  position at COH/HPD dedicated to  actual intelligent thought to finding a solution to so few officers in such a big city?  Just wondering.........

Okay here goes.......

I'm posting the CWPIP meeting.

I think this is how accountability might start. You go to one of these hosted community meetings. You look around but noone looks familiar. The room will be full of blue uniforms. You notice, there is no section of the meeting labeled Q&A, instead, you are told when the meeting is over, you are to find your local HPD and. Ask questions " one on one. "You aren't really there for the chosen topic, that will be presented. 

Instead you quietly stand and raise a hand, you reasonably address the Houston Chief of Police, Identify yourself and ask what happened to allow 4,000+- rape cases to be shelved. You respectably, ask that the number of cops on street was the exact reason-- you explain that 20 years is enough for that remain the reason --- change is needed and change is needed now.

I will stand up and support you.

Ill post in announcements  also.

I know it must be a mega-odious option but why is it no one ever brings up a sale tax?
not a huge increase, perhaps a fraction of a penny.

why do I go there you ask?

I'm stuck in a mindset that increasing my already high property tax, might get me more police (but HPD has always been 1uick to point out HPD police response is gauged towards the # of calls made from certain part of town-HPD/PIP is always telling me Montrose residents don't make a huge number of those calls)

but will not get me a 

=>better street outside my house

=>closing the open ditch drainage next to my crap  sidewalks,

=>Replacements for crumbling curbs, not to mention the need for more handicap cut outs at  street intersections in my neighborhood of aging residents

=>more water pressure, from the remaining 100 + years old pipes

=>better garbage and recycle pick up

that just the start- geez, if it wasn't for my great neighbors and the opportunity to live the myth of the Montrose-- those property taxes would drive you out of town🫤😶🧐😵‍💫

Geez

I am gobsmacked at that notion

I saw the Fox News report on Chief Finners news conference concerning the rapes this morning.

a reporter pointed out that =>we're not talking about vagrancy, BMV, or robbery..... there was DNA evidence....still got shelved......how does that happen?

Finner replied... We're all frustrated ......not enough police for a city this size

I got Deja vu

that response was so  similar to the the responses I received 2hen I began trying to raise awareness at COH 

Honestly, I had wrote to my District C, and all the at large .....when I did get a response- it was so mealy mouth everyone else? Crickets!

Honestly- no outrage - no brainstorming -no potential problem solving solutions.

Just how long will all the muckity-mucks keep shielding themselves behind =>not enough cops on the street? Geez I've been hearing that for 20 years now- surely there is solution.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/police/2024/04/09/482951/forensic-review-of-suspended-sex-assault-reports-finds-links-to-other-cases-houston-police-chief-says/

I've been waiting to post this picture for a few years now......really thought there might be some sort of "improvement" at this intersection......

I've been in Manhattan for a few weeks so of course my pie-in-the-sky meter of what public art could and should be is soaring.......

now with COH broke......new administration disinterested....Metro renovation of Westheimer will be done as cheaply ( code for very little soul nor flair)......I'll post just as a conversation starter.

BTW-- it's no secret I miss the old "M" statue ( I think COH lost it) and the original Obedience Smith tiles ( yup again lost by COH)

Is this the only update?

I thought there would be more push back ( maybe even street protests) to the 4000 Rape cases HPD shelved.  Was the number of Murder cases shelved ever mentioned? What was public's reaction to that?