[City Pulse]
[00:00:30]
WE ARE ENTERING THE SEASON OF THE WITCH AS SPIRIT HALLOWEEN TAKES OVER ABANDONED STORES AND SOCCER MOMS PUT PUMPKIN SPICE ON EVERYTHING.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
LAST MONTH, MAYOR WHITMEYER VISITED POLICE CADETS AND MADE A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WILL IMPACT THEM AND FUTURE OFFICERS.
WHY THAT GREAT FOR ME TO BE HERE AND GET TO WITNESS 46 OUTSTANDING CADETS THAT ARE JOINING THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND IT WAS A REAL PLEASURE, WONDER, ENJOYABLE DAYS OF MY ADMINISTRATION TO COME.
LET THESE YOUNG CADETS KNOW THAT INSTEAD OF THE $42,000 THEY'RE MAKING AS A CADET, THE CITY'S GOING TO GIVE THEM A $10,000 RAISE.
SO THEY WILL IMMEDIATELY GO TO $52,000 A YEAR.
THEY'LL STILL GET THEIR 5,000 INCENTIVE, UH, PAID WHEN THEY BECOME A CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICER.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITMENT.
I WANTED THEM TO KNOW THAT, UH, THEY'RE MAKING HISTORY AS WELL BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SIXTH CLASS CADET CLASS THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS YEAR.
SO I ALSO ASK THEM TO HELP ME RECRUIT ADDITIONAL CADETS.
YOU KNOW, THE MORALE IN HPD IS REALLY ON THE RISE.
THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT MY ADMINISTRATION.
THE OFFICERS ARE EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY TO MAKE HOUSTON SAFER.
SO I THINK THIS GROUP OF OUTSTANDING YOUNG PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH NOW WE DO NOT HAVE THAT AGE LIMIT THAT WE USED TO.
WE WANT MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET.
WE WANT OFFICERS IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES TO FOLLOW THEIR TRAINING, FOLLOW THE LAW, AND WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR CAREER AT HPD.
THANK JOB SPREADING ACROSS SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH BEARS QUITE THE DISTINCTION.
EACH YEAR, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS CELEBRATE THE HISTORIES, CULTURES AND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY CITIZENS WHO HAVE COME TO THE US FROM SPAIN, MEXICO, PLUS LATIN AND SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES.
HERE'S CITY CONTROLLER CHRIS HOLLINS ON HOW THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AT CITY HALL.
SO TODAY WE CELEBRATED HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WITH A CELEBRATION RIGHT HERE IN CITY HALL IN THE LEGACY ROOM WHERE WE HAD PERFORMANCES BY WONDERFUL ARTISTS AND DANCERS AND MUSICIANS.
BUT WE ALSO PAID, UH, TRIBUTE, UH, TO SOME LIVING LEGENDS RIGHT HERE IN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY, INCLUDING, UH, FIRE CHIEF SAM PENA, UH, SHEP HUGO ORTEGA, JOSE ALTUVE FROM THE HOUSTON ASTROS AND LABOR LEADER, UH, ELSA FLORES.
THESE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHO ARE PART OF THE STRENGTH AND THE FABRIC OF, OF WHAT HOUSTON'S MADE OF.
AND SO WE WERE HONORED TO TO CELEBRATE THEM TODAY.
BUT WE'RE ALSO HONORED TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE CONTRIBUTION THAT ALL OF THE 2.8 MILLION, UH, HISPANIC RESIDENTS OF THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA HAVE MADE.
AND WE ARE THRILLED TO BE HERE TODAY AND ALWAYS HAPPY TO RECOGNIZE, UH, SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
LAST YEAR, THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM RECEIVED THE 2023 COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND TRANSPORTATION IMPACT AWARD FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
MORE RECENTLY, HOUSTON AIRPORTS AWARDED AGENCIES AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT CONTINUE TO EDUCATE AND LEAD EFFORTS IN FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
SO WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE AIRPORT SYSTEM WORKED WITH A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO RAISE SOME FUNDS TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT PREVENT, UH, HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
OUR GOAL WAS ALWAYS TO GET THE DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS AND, UM, AIRPORT SYSTEMS AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE MAYOR'S PURVIEW AND GET THEM ENGAGED IN TRAFFICKING.
THERE'S NO NEIGHBORHOOD VOID OF TRAFFICKING.
[00:05:01]
AWARENESS AND EDUCATION WE CAN RAISE, THE BETTER.AND THAT'S A PART OF PREVENTION WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT NO MORE YOUTH OR INDIVIDUALS BECOME TRAFFICKED.
IT IS CRUCIAL FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE THAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING TAKES PLACE.
HOW BIG OF A HUB HOUSTON IS IN THE COUNTRY, HOW MANY HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS ARE TRAFFICKED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE AWARE.
WE'VE TRAINED 60,000 AIRPORT EMPLOYEES NOW ON HOW WE RECOGNIZE HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT.
WE'RE JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR HOUSTON AIRPORTS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO BE A PART AND A PARTNER AND TO BE RECEIVING THESE FUNDS, WHICH WILL MAKE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF SURVIVORS.
AND IT MEANS A LOT TO US WITH THE TRAINING THAT WE'VE DONE, WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME SAVES AT THE AIRPORT.
AND SO THAT'S THE SATISFYING PART.
IT'S JUST AMAZING TO SEE WHAT THIS HAS GROWN INTO.
IT'S JUST BEEN A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN THIS WAY.
ALL RIGHT, WE NEED TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, BUT WHEN WE RETURN, OUR FRIENDS AT SPECTRUM FUSION SPEAK WITH A PARTICIPANT AT THIS YEAR'S PARALYMPIC GAMES AND WE UPDATE AN ONGOING BUFFALO BAYOU PARKS PROJECT.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE CITY PULSE.
SHAKE UP YOUR EVERYDAY AND COME EXPLORE DOWNTOWN.
FROM NEW ART INSTALLATIONS TO FAMILY FUN SWEAT SESSIONS AND MOVIE NIGHTS, WE'RE KEEPING HOUSTON INSPIRED AND ENTERTAINED.
DOWNTOWN IS AN ART LOVER'S DREAM.
WITH MORE THAN 65 PIECES OF PUBLIC ARTS, HOUSTON 3 1 1.
NOW AVAILABLE AS A MOBILE APP.
TAKE A PHOTO, ENTER YOUR LOCATION REPORT AN ISSUE, THE QUICK AND EASY WAY TO REPORT NON-EMERGENCY ISSUES OR REQUEST CITY SERVICE INFORMATION.
DOWNLOAD TODAY ON THE APP STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY METRO IS HERE FOR YOU EVERY DAY, PROVIDING SAFE, RELIABLE TRAVEL OPTIONS.
WE TAKE YOU TO CELEBRATIONS AND HELP DURING EMERGENCIES.
WE'RE ALWAYS LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE MANAGE TAXPAYER DOLLARS RESPONSIBLY.
AND THANKS TO OVERWHELMING VOTER APPROVAL, WE'RE BUILDING TRANSIT FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW SO THAT YOU CAN DRIVE LESS AND DO MORE.
YOU KNOW THIS YEAR'S PARALYMPIC GAMES IN PARIS REACH A RECORD 15.4 MILLION VIEWERS FOR NB CUNI UNIVERSAL WITH MORE EYES ON THE GAMES AND MEANT MORE EYES TO SEE HOUSTONIAN MARK BEAR MEDAL DOZENS GATHERED TO WELCOME HOME TEAM USA, INCLUDING SPECTRUM FUSION.
AND THEY SPOKE WITH MARK ABOUT HIS JOURNEY TO GET TO THE PARIS GAMES.
I'VE BEEN TRAINING FOR PAIR OF TRIATHLON SINCE 2012.
IT WAS, UH, MY FIRST PAIR OF TRIATHLON EVENT 2012 IN AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.
SO 12 YEARS LATER, I'VE BEEN TRAINING CONTINUOUSLY THIS ENTIRE TIME AND FINALLY REACHED MY PEAK IN, UH, IN PARIS.
UM, QUALIFYING FOR PARIS IS, UH, KIND OF COMPLICATED IF TO RACE, UH, FOR MULTIPLE YEARS AND KEEP YOUR WORLD RANKING UP HIGH ENOUGH.
SO TO BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE GAMES WAS A FEAT IN OF ITSELF.
AND THEN BEING ABLE TO GO AND RACE IN PARIS, SWIM IN THE SCENE, SUPER ICONIC COURSE.
UH, IT WAS A HUGE HONOR REPRESENTING USA, WATCHING THE OLYMPICS, UH, AHEAD OF TIME AND GETTING A FEEL FOR THE COURSE AND EVERYTHING THEIR COURSE WAS, OR THEIR EVENT WAS DELAYED FOR THE MEN.
UM, AND THAT SAME THING HAPPENED TO US FOR A PARA TRIATHLON.
OUR, OUR RACE WAS DELAYED FOR A DAY WHILE WE WAITED FOR THE WATER QUALITY TO IMPROVE.
AND I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF A UNIQUE ASPECT THAT EVERYONE WAS TRYING TO CAPTURE WITH THE RACE IN PARIS WAS THE WATER QUALITY AND, AND THE SWIM COURSE AND EVERYTHING WITH THE CURRENT.
UM, SO THERE WAS A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS PRE-RACE, UM, BUT ONCE THE GUN WENT OFF, IT WAS, UH, ALL SYSTEMS GO AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, ATHLETES WITH DISABILITY HERE IN HOUSTON.
UH, WE HAVE A NON-PROFIT CALLED CATAPULT, WHICH HELPS ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, I TRAIN WITH A LOT OF THEM, RUN ALONGSIDE A LOT OF THEM, SWIM, BIKE, AND RUN WITH THEM.
AND SO HOPEFULLY, UH, MY PERFORMANCE THERE AND THE PERFORMANCE OF OTHER ATHLETES FOR USA AND AROUND THE WORLD HELPS INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION TO, UH, PURSUE TRIATHLON AND, AND PARALYMPICS FOR LA 2028.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME TIME OFF, SPEND SOME TIME WITH FAMILY.
I GOT A 10 MONTH OLD AT HOME THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SEE FOR THE LAST MONTH WHILE I'VE BEEN OVER IN FRANCE, SO SUPER EXCITED TO GO SEE HIM.
UM, SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE WIFE AND SPENT A LOT OF, UH, TIME AND ENERGY TOWARDS TRIATHLON.
SO JUST TRYING TO GET SOME BALANCE BACK INTO REGULAR LIFE HERE.
HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION CONTINUES TO BE HARD AT WORK AT TRAIL EXPANSION.
HERE IS MATT MUSEL CATCHING UP WITH DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN AFTER A LOCAL EVENT AT JAPI CREEK PARK.
THIS IS MATT MUSEL, ALONG WITH KENNETH ALLEN, THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION.
AND KENNETH, YOU JUST GOT BACK FROM A GREAT EVENT OVER AT JAFFET CREEK PARK THAT WAS SPECIAL.
[00:10:01]
HAVE THE COMMUNITY OUT, UH, TO ENVISION AN OVERALL PLAN THAT'S TAKEN PLACE IN TRANSFORMATION OF THAT BUFFALO BIO EAST PROJECT AND STARTING WITH JAPI CREEK AS A COMPLETION OUTSTANDING EVENT.WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT AN OVERALL $310 MILLION PROJECT, THIS INVESTMENT, IT TOOK A LOT OF PLAYERS TO ACCOMPLISH JUST THE START OF THIS PROJECT WITH A $3.5 MILLION RENOVATION OF JAPI CREEK PARK.
UH, WE HAVE PARTNERS, THE BUFFALO BIO EAST, UH, DIRECTED BY ANN OLSON, MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THIS PROJECT.
UH, THEIR, THEIR TITLE, OVERALL SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR, RICH AND NANCY KINDER FROM THE KINDER FOUNDATION.
WE HAD COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS AND COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA ALSO INVOLVED, AND A SLEW OF OTHER, UH, PEOPLE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROJECT.
I AM HONORED AND I AM PROUD TO SHOW THIS GREEN SPACE AS WE RIBBON CUT TODAY.
AND YOU EVEN HAVE THE WHEATLEY BAND OUT THERE.
THIS IS A MUCH NEEDED GREEN SPACE FOR FIFTH WAR.
YOU KNOW THAT GREEN SPACE, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S A VALUABLE PIECE OF LAND, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME SIT AND ENJOY.
SO HAVING A, A NICE PIECE OF PARK LAND AND SPACE TO RELAX, UH, IT ADD IT ADDS VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY, THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE.
THAT'S WHY THAT THAT LAND IS SO IMPORTANT THERE.
AND THIS IS JUST THE START, KENNETH? ABSOLUTELY.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT GREEN SPACE, THERE IS A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE THAT CONNECTS THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
SO THE CONNECTIVITY ALONG BUFFALO BAYOU EAST FROM DOWNTOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE PORT.
JUST ONE MORE REASON WE LIKE TO SAY HOUSTON PARK PARKS AND REC, WHERE YOU BELONG.
OUR LAST STORY RECOGNIZES THE WAYS IN WHICH OUR DIRECTOR, TED IRVING AND HOUSTON TELEVISION HAVE STRIVED TO OFFER INCLUSIVITY TO THOSE WHO VISIT OUR OFFICES.
SPEAKING AS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES THAT EVERYBODY COUNTS OR NOBODY COUNTS, TED IRVING SHOWS THAT BEING INCLUSIVE MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
TODAY WE ARE EXCEPTIONALLY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO STAND TOGETHER TO PRESENT THE 2024 HOUSTON CIVIC AWARD FOR DISABILITY INCLUSION TO DIRECTOR TED IRVING.
WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TODAY TO BE HONORING DIRECTOR TED IRVING WITH HOUSTON TV FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO FURTHER INCLUSION IN, IN HIS SPACE, SO THAT HE SERVED AS A MENTOR.
HE SERVED AS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S CHAMPIONED ACCESSIBILITY.
I'M, UH, IT'S GLAD TO TO RECEIVE AN HONOR, BUT IT'S ALSO A LOT BETTER TO HAVE OUR ENTIRE TEAM RECEIVE AN HONOR DIRECTOR.
IRVING HAS DEMONSTRATED HIS COMMITMENT TO DISABILITY INCLUSION THROUGH INVESTING IN AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENERS THROUGHOUT HTV, INCLUDING THE RESTROOMS AND ALL OF THE STUDIOS.
AND HE MENTORS AND EMPOWERS THE STAFF TO ENHANCE THEIR SKILLS AND CREATIVITY TO FOSTER A COLLABORATIVE AND INCLUSIVE WORK CULTURE.
WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED OUR HEALTH, OUR LEGS, OUR, OUR VISION, OUR HEARING.
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT OTHER PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE ALL THE TOOLS, THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THESE STUDIOS.
DIRECTOR IRVIN, JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS, YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THIS AWARD, I THINK IS, IS FITTING FOR THE RIGHT PERSONS.
SO IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THIS AWARD TO DIRECTOR IRVING FOR YOUR DEDICATION YEAR COMMITMENT TO FURTHER INCLUSION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
BECAUSE YOU CAN BE DISABLED, YOU CAN HAVE ANY DISABILITY AND ACTUALLY BE A CREATIVE, YOU CAN BE A CONTENT CREATOR, YOU CAN WORK IN A STUDIO.
AND SO THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS A PUBLIC FACING DIVISION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHICH HTV IS IMPORTANT, THAT WE HAVE ACCESS FOR ALL CITIZENS.
OKAY, THAT'S GONNA DO IT FOR ME.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAD FUN AND LEARNED A THING OR TWO, PERHAPS YES TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND NO TO PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES FOR HTV HOUSTON TELEVISION AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UNTIL YOU SEE ME AGAIN, REMEMBER ALWAYS TO DO BETTER AND BE KIND.