Ktex

According to a reserach article on pubmed.gov, approximately 125 people die each year in the US due to peanut allergies.

Other adolescent death stats:

Motor vehicle accidents 100,00+ per year.

Drug abuse: 19,103 per year

Alchol abuse: 19,171 anually

Flu: 63,730 annually

Infectious diarrhea: 3,100 deaths

Suicide: 29,199

While I sympathize with parents who have lost children to peanut allergies, I'm much more concerned about the above stats. How many students did KISD lose last year alone? Lets see, I can recall two deaths for certain due to suicide. How many student athletes did we lose due to heart problems in the last year? Now, how many students have we lost due to peanut allergies in the past decade? Numbers I'd really like to know.

I sent an email to the County Commisioners regarding this issue and received the below response earlier today.

Your message to the Harris County Budget office regarding Toll Road Authority rate increases was forwarded to our offices for reply.

As you know, the vote approving a 25-cent system-wide toll increase and Westpark Tollway-only $2.50 time-of-day increase passed on Tuesday. Just yesterday, after many citizens voiced their opinion to our department, County Judge Emmett and the Commissioners, the plan for Westpark will be changed. When Commissioners Court meets on July 10, it will propose to drop the plan to double the tolls during peak hours on the Westpark. It stands to reason, that if you want to reduce traffic congestion on that road plans must be made to accommodate that traffic. At this time there is no viable alternative.

Let me assure you that the entire plan to increase toll rates was the result of a year-long study looking at the transportation and mobility needs of Harris County. Conservative estimates put costs for construction of new roads at over $30 million per mile. Six new toll projects identified for Harris County total $4.5 billion. Furthermore, the costs for maintaining existing toll roads are increasing. The system-wide rate increase was necessary to meet these needs. These are Harris County roads and are not eligible for federal or state funding.

In reviewing the Westpark Tollway congestion Judge Emmett has announced a three point plan that would replace the time-of-day pricing. First, Commissioners Court, in consultation with Toll Road Authority executives will determine a realistic completion date for construction along the I-10 corridor. Second, planners will look at possible improvements on other roads that could also serve as an alternative route to the Westpark Tollway. Finally, the group will study creative partnerships with METRO to enhance commuter service in that corridor. This could be as simple as designating additional Park & Ride routes or providing non-revenue EZ TAGs for buses to use the tollway. Planners will also examine ideas and incentives to encourage people to pool together in higher occupancy vehicles.

Certainly, I hope this answers your question and concerns. Again, we appreciate your ideas and comments. Please feel free to contact this department if you have any other questions.

Regards,

D. Page Rander

Communications Coordinator

Communications Office

Harris County Toll Road Authority

(832) 601-7932

Merrill was a proponet of the TIRZ given to the Mills Group back in the late 90s, despite opposition. If my memory serves me correctly this is where the funding for bond payments on the Merrill Center comes from. If they cannot meet the obligation, whose responsibility will it be to pay for the Center? Can someone with knowledge of this type of financial arrangement explain this to me?

I cannot not help but wonder if this issue plays a role in his decision to "retire"?

According to news reports, Leonard Merrill has prostate cancer and is one reason he is stepping down. As a person, I wish this on no one and hope that he can recover.

As a superintendant, GOOD RIDDANCE!!!! Now that he's put our district into a financial hole worth nearly a billion dollars, he high tails it out of dodge!

Kam's on Montrose is handsdown the Best in Houston. IMHO

The cost as it sits now from the Grand Parkway on to the end of the Westpark is $4.60 each way, $9.20 daily. Of the $4.60, $3.60 goes to the Harris County Toll Road Authority with the remainder going to the Fort Bend Toll Road Authority.

I think one section that was not given much thought and is the cause for most of the congestion on the Westpark is the Beltway Exit. Commuters are lined up there for miles trying to exit onto the Beltway. Then there is the 59 exit which also forces a back up but not near as bad at the Beltway exit.

When the Westpark was built, it was to be the be all and end all for Katy Commuters however most of us knew it was going to be too small.

It seems to be progressively getting worse, taking as much as an hour to get downtown. Heck, if it's going to be an hour communte, we all may as well stay on I-10 into town. It just irks me to be paying top toll dollars to SIT still on the Westpark. Me thinks they made some mistakes with this road.

What are your thoughts...could they have done anything differently to have avoided these congestion problems?

Just throwing something out there for discussion.

This place is taking longer to open than any restaurant I have ever seen. It's been done forever, permits should not be an issue at this point, my goodness it's brand new. I sure hope for the owners sake that he gets open soon, he's got a fortune put into this place already with build out and rent, he really needs to get some cash flow going.

I hope for the owners sake that this place works out.

Well??????????????????////

I'm good with Hooters...my teenager likes the wings and the, well...uh...you know. Wife even likes going to Hooters...how cool is that??? :-)

A friend of mine, Bob Ginsberg, owns this place. Some of you may remember Bob's old place on Shepherd, Dick Heads. He told me last week that he plans to open on October 16. He said he won't open until the cooks have the menu down pat, so that explains some of the wait. Also, the usual problems with subcontractors has delayed things, too.

The inside is really nice. Nothing at all like his old joint. This will be very clean and new. And Bob knows Cajun food! If anyone makes it in before I do, gives us a review.

Well there you have it...opening the day after tomorrow.

This restaurant looks like alot of fun. I love cajun food. This is opening along the Grand Parkway.

www.swampyscajunshack.com

The big question, when are they opening. Website says "Opening Soon". The place has been built out and ready to go for at least 2 months, if not more. I'm starting to wonder if they're ever going to open.

I believe the crossroad is FM 2855. Take HWY 90 west out of Katy. Go past Pederson Road and it should be the next main road to your right. The airport will be on your left. Go straight to Morton Road and turn left. This is the north boundry of the airport. Then, turn left at the next road. This is where you can best see the progress.

Hope that helps. I went looking for it one day myself and had a hard time at first. Almost missed it on 2855 until I caught a glimpse of something in the distance.

hopefully it will be. what schools in katy are private anyway? (besides for the forementioned Catholic high school)

is there a catholic elementary or junior high in katy?

...thats something that katy could think about- private schools. Imagine schools even better than KISD

Pope John XX!!! is the private high school. www.pj23.org

I think that in a couple of years North Katy will become more affluent that South Katy, because of the whole Grand Mall project at I-10 and Grand Parkway. All low-income homes will be taken down,and they will be replace by new homes. Or either the small homes will increase their prices because they are going to be near the new mall.

Ekarl...with all due respect...you are kidding right? There is no way that houses are going to be torn down on the north side. The smaller houses may increase in value slightly but that isn't going to happen any time soon. Not when you have new subdivisions selling brand new houses for under 100K in the general area. Like it or not, economic boundries have been set in the Katy area. Do a search on HAR and it'll become painfully clear.

Trae...you are the man with the info about Katy...bravo!

I'm a little suprised with all the replies thus far wishing for more chain restaurants. Personally, I hate chain restaurants and would prefer more "mom and pop" kind of places. One of a kind restaurants. Chain restaurants combined with mall shopping makes an area look like so many others. Personally, I would love to see a one of a kind steak house, one where I know that each time I go there I'm in for a treat. One where you see the owner at the store, an owner who really cares about his customers. One where the servers are not like robots.

Too bad we don't have more places like this...really a shame.

Yeah, Cinco Ranch did good with planting all of those trees, but they need to add more around Katy, so someday, Katy will look forested. I saw the trees under the Grand Parkway at Highland Knolls a while back, so they will probably start planting those soon. Then, it will move on to IH-10.

Take another look at the Grand Parkway/Kingsland intersection. They planted a lot of trees over the past week. I mean A LOT. Not sure how good it's going to look to be honest, but I don't think they were planted for aesthetics. I think it's intended to be more of a sound barrier with as many as they planted.

Time will tell. Hopefully they'll do something with Highland Knolls soon.

Thanks for your comments. Your points are well taken and I appreciate your response.

My earlier post was not meant as a personal attack but an effort to "light a fire" in you so I could understand your comments/opinion on Dr. Merrill. I have attended zoning meetings (some full of fire) and I have always been impressed with Dr. Merrill (my opinion). Our school district is ranked one of the highest in Texas for large school districts and Dr. Merrill is a part of that (again my opinion). I just didn't understand why you think his job performance warrants that he should go. My opinion is that he is doing an excellent job in driving our wonderful school district. Thanks!

No blood, no foul. Glad to know that we are ALL entitled to our opinions and I would never suggest otherwise. I'd likely respond a little more in detail but am heading out to a football game in a few minutes.

Trae...you're right, WMJH does need rezoning but it will likely never happen. Those that are in the CRJH attendance zone would never allow it to happen.

Do your homework and understand the projected growth in KISD over the next 10 to 20 years. How is the future of KISD going to handle this growth. We have a top notch school district when compared to other large school districts and we want to keep it that way. Can you also please expand on your comment on Dr. Merrill (you need to stop watching those Taco Bell commercials and read a book)? I don't quite get it. Thanks!

My point is that failing to maintain what we currently have will end up costing the district more money down the road, not a great stewardship of taxpayers money. I hear talk of closing this school or that school by many different people. Is that the right solution...close a building down to build new? Absolutely not and anyone who believes otherwise is foolish. People today are so into the biggest, best and newest that it becomes a problem. Take West Memorial Junior High for example. We have a school that is obviously under capacity and will continue to decline in capacity over time. The district won't be able to rezone any neighborhood into WMJH because parents will complain to high heaven until the district caves. Eventually, enrollment will get so small that it will be suggested that WMJH close. Heaven forbid people send their little babies to such a "ghetto" school afterall!

My comments on Leonard Merrill stand. From personal interaction with him, attending school board meetings and discussions with those inside the district, this is my opinon of which I am entitled. Maybe you should should stop berating people and attend a school board meeting for yourself. Not sure why you felt obligated to stoop to personal attacks with your comments but it really wasn't necessary. Your suggestion that I should read a book was ignorant at best. You may want to go back and check your own posts before you suggest someone stop watching Taco Bell commercials.

This could be very interesting. Just about every day, we see something new going up in Katy and wonder what's next. What would you like to see in Katy? Try to be specific, instead of more shopping, say that you would like to have a store like Macys for example.

Let's hear it...what would you like to see open up in Katy?

What do we have enough of already?

it wasnt that long ago that it was katy elementary.

This may be true, however I was in that building last night and I can tell you that it needs help. If that building was anywhere else within the district, the high and mighty would be bitching to high heaven about the condition in which their babies are subjected to. Honestly, I don't see a need to build anything new at KHS, but they do need to do some updating in the worst kind of way.

BUT, the parents of KHS kids obviously aren't bitching enough to get anything done. This is why I for one, will not vote for a bond election. My feeling is that if the district can't or won't maintain what they have, why should we give them more money to build more buildings that they won't/can't take care of down the road. Prove to me you can handle what you have and then they'll get my vote.

That...and get rid of Leonard Merrill and we're good to go!

Well, here is the story about the bond:

Katy I.S.D. Bond Election

Section from the article:

What do you all think about this? I wonder where the new high school would be? Probably in northern Katy.

Another story about this:

Katy I.S.D. Bond Approval

It's also nice to see Katy I.S.D. growing. This district will be built out soon, and it is a good idea to buy the land for the schools now, like they are doing.

I hadn't seen where they rejected KHS West Campus renovations, what a shame. Seems to me those on the bond committee have never stepped foot inside KHS west campus which means that those bond committee members are from the newer schools. KHS is a fantastic school but it needs some work. That is my biggest problem with the bond, the district continues to spend money to build new but never has any money to take care of what we already have. Don't believe me? Take a ride out to Katy and take a look at the KHS West campus...take a look at West Memorial Junior High (which is well under capacity), take a look at McDonald Junior High.

And for the record, the west campus of Katy High School was originally an elementary school...WAY back in the day.

I am a new home buyer and looking to buy in Katy. Looking at the listings, can anyone tell me about Lakeville or Brenwood? Both have homes that are 2 yrs. old or newer and affordable.

Any idea on where they're located? I've never heard of either.

Checked out the sign and it is a Chili's.

I will edit my original post...

GREAT...yet another mediocre chain restaurant...I can hardly wait!!

Yep, it sucks for sure. This is a classic case of Government wins at all costs, damn the citizenry! I just love seeing HPD running traffic on I-10 at Grand Parkway writing tickets but yet they don't have to patrol or answer emergency calls. Not that I would want them too, way too corrupt.

Houston gets all the tax benefits without the responisbility of having to provide for us, plain and simple. Now bend over and take it like a man...."Thank you sir, may I have another!"

That Panda on Westheimer Parkway and Mason is real good!

Good to know Trae...haven't tried it yet, was waiting for someone else to take one for the team! LOL

I actually forgot about the one on Westheimer and Mason so I doubt this place is the same. What other fast food type joint sells alcohol...James Coney Island and ???

There is a new structure going up behind the almost completed Wachovia bank on the southwest corner of Westheimer Parkway @ Hwy 99 across the street from Target and CVS. Looks like some type of fast food, but it appears there is TABC alcoholic beverage permit posted on the site, but can