[City Pulse]
[00:00:17]
HIGHLIGHT REEL OF ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS FOR SEATED DEPARTMENTS AND HOUSTON AS A WHOLE.
THE LAST TIME WE WERE TOGETHER, WE HAD JUST STARTED THE SEASON OF THE WITCH, BUT INSTEAD OF FALL WEATHER, WE WERE MET WITH A RECORD HIGH OF 96 DEGREES IN OCTOBER.
SUCH TREATMENT SHOULD BE A CRIME.
SPEAKING OF CRIME, A SPECIAL UNIT OF THE HOUSTON POLICE WAS THE SUBJECT OF A DOCUSERIES ON A AND E HPDS CHICANO SQUAD WOULD BE THE FIRST ALL LATIN HOMICIDE UNIT IN AMERICA, AND THEY WOULD CLEAR MORE THAN 40 HOMICIDE CASES IN 1979 ALONE.
IN THE 1970S, HOUSTON WAS KNOWN AS THE MURDER CAPITAL OF THE NATION.
THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST FULLY BILINGUAL SPANISH SPEAKING DETECTIVE SQUAD IN THE COUNTRY.
WE HAD TO PROVE OURSELVES IT WAS SINK OR SWIM.
IN ONLY THREE MONTHS, THE MCCONNELL SQUAD CLEARED 40 HOMICIDES.
THE CHICANO SQUAD HAD AN IMPOSSIBLE JOB TO DO.
WE STARTED AS FIVE OFFICERS, AS A PILOT GROUP.
WE DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WOULD SUCCEED.
AT THAT TIME, THE THE HOMICIDE CASE WERE VERY HIGH BACK THEN.
WE WERE ABLE TO, TO BREAK IT DOWN, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS TO GET THE BUILD UP, THEIR CONFIDENCE TO TRUST US AS POLICE OFFICERS, WHICH WE WORKED AT REAL HARD.
OKAY? WE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU.
IF YOU'RE A VICTIM OF A CRIME, I'M GONNA SPEAK FOR YOU AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU A STORY WHENEVER I GO TO TRIAL.
SO, TO THEM, THAT MEANT A LOT.
THEY HAD FANTASTIC, UH, SOLVE RATES ON THEIR HOMICIDES IN THE PAST.
SOME HOMICIDES DID NOT GET INVESTIGATED BECAUSE NO ONE COULD SPEAK TO THE WITNESSES.
THEY CAME IN AND MOST OF 'EM WERE OVERWORKED, AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
UH, TRUE PEOPLE THAT WERE DRIVEN BY PURPOSE AND NOT ATTENTION.
A LOT OF THESE CASES THAT WERE COMING IN, AS THEY WERE, THEY WERE WHO DONE AS.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEY WERE.
THEY WENT TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY DIDN'T, UH, A LOT OF DETECTIVES DIDN'T SPEAK SPANISH.
WE SPOKE TWO LANGUAGES, ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
TWO, THE, THE WORK OF TWO PEOPLE.
UH, SO IF I CAN HAVE THE, THE MEMBERS OF THE CHICANO SQUAD COME UP, WHOEVER CAME UP WITH THIS CONCEPT, WHICH ONE OF YOU, OR COLLECTIVELY, I KNOW YOU DID IT FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS.
YOU LOVED POLICE WORK, I THE BAD GUYS, BUT YOU LOVED YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND I CAN'T EMPHASIZE MEMBERS THE LANGUAGE SKILLS.
WHEN THE TEAM ACHIEVED A 91% HOMICIDE CLEARANCE RATE IN 1997, IT RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION.
THESE, THESE GENTLEMEN BROUGHT, I DON'T KNOW, HUNDREDS, MAYBE THOUSANDS OF MURDERERS TO JUSTICE IN HOUSTON.
OUR CITY WAS MADE A HELL OF A LOT BETTER BECAUSE OF EACH OF YOU.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE.
IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE RECOGNITION GIVEN TO THE CHICANO SQUAD HERE AT CITY HALL.
UM, KNOWING THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WERE MADE, UH, TO THE CITY AND TO OUR HISTORY AND OUR CULTURE THAT CONTINUE TO HAVE AN IMPACT EVEN TODAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT NOW BECAUSE OF THEM.
SO I'M VERY, VERY GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO HAVE BEEN HERE A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL DAY.
THANKS TO THIS NEW LATINO CHIEF OF POLICE THAT'S GONNA WORK WITH OUR DEPARTMENT.
COLLECTIVELY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SAFER CITY.
SO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
FROM THE CHICANO SQUAD TO RUNNING FOR A CAUSE, OCTOBER'S BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, AND OUR PARTNERS WITH SPECTRUM FUSION WE'RE ON HAND TO CHECK OUT THIS YEAR'S RACE FOR A CURE.
WE'RE SO EXCITED TO BE A PARTICIPANT AND A SPONSOR OF THE KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE.
I DECIDED TO GET UP VERY EARLY AND COME DOWN AND VOLUNTEER FOR THIS CAUSE I'M EXCITED TO SEE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, ALL WALKS OF LIFE COMING TOGETHER FOR A CAUSE THAT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT.
[00:05:01]
EVERY YEAR AS MUCH AS I CAN.I ALWAYS WANTED TO ATTEND THIS WALK.
TODAY IS ABOUT CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FOUGHT BREAST CANCER.
SO THESE EVENTS ARE VERY SPECIAL AND PERSONAL FOR ME, AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS, FOLKS WHO ARE FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT TODAY, AND HONESTLY CELEBRATING PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TO BREAST CANCER.
SO TODAY I DECIDED TO VOLUNTEER FOR MY GRANDMA.
SO WE'RE JUST OUT SUPPORTING AND JUST BRINGING LIGHT TO THE, UH, TO THE CAUSE.
THIS YEAR IS JUST REALLY SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE MY MOM WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPREAD THE WORD SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN TALK TO US, AND YOU ARE LOOKING LIKE EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE, THAT MAKES YOU MORE APPROACHABLE.
AND THAT WAY YOU ARE ABLE TO GET INFORMATION.
WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO WHAT, WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THE, UH, RESEARCH AND THE STAFF HERE FROM COLEMAN.
SO THEY LET US COME OUT AND WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WHEN CITY POST RETURNS HOUSTON PARKS HITS A MILESTONE, AND WE HIT YOU WITH SOME KNOWLEDGE WHEN IT COMES TO GOING GREEN.
YOU COULD EAT EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK IN HOUSTON AND ONLY SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUISINES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
THE BEST WAY TO TAKE IT IS ITS NEIGHBORHOOD AT A TIME.
EACH NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ITS OWN SPECIALTY, AND THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO LEARN.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT FOOD IS THAT YOU CAN NEVER LEARN AT ALL BACK FROM THE BREAK.
AND I HAVE TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE BEEN RE-ACCREDITED BY THE COMMISSION OF ACCREDITATION OF PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES.
CAPRA FOR SHORT, THE DEPARTMENT EVEN RECEIVED THE PERFECT SCORE FOR THE STANDARDS MET.
HERE'S COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR MATT MUSEL HIGHLIGHTING PARKS AND RECREATION AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE US.
HOUSTON, TEXAS IS A GREEN CITY WITH AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE OF PARKS AND OPEN SPACE, A CITY KNOWN NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY FOR MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
HOUSTON IS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS STRONG BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, YET IT ALSO POSSESSES MANY CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT ATTRACTIONS.
AS THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION, HOUSTON HAS SEEN SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH THAT IS PROJECTED TO CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
THIS GROWTH INCLUDES A DIVERSE POPULATION THAT DEMANDS ATTENTION TO QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVES.
IT IS WITH THIS IMPETUS THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONTINUES TO EXAMINE ITS PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM TO STRENGTHEN ITS VISION FITTING OF A WORLD CLASS CITY.
THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, OR HAR ENJOYS A WIDELY RESPECTED BRAND FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION.
ITS DEVELOPMENT OF STATE-OF-THE-ART PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES, AND PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
IN ADDITION, PARK USERS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS HAVE A DEEP LOYALTY AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE SYSTEM, WHAT IT CAN DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND THE BENEFITS IT PROVIDES TO THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
THE HAR MASTER PLAN APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 19TH OF LAST YEAR, PLACES EMPHASIS ON FINANCING A NETWORK OF PARKS, FACILITIES, AND PROGRAMS TO ACHIEVE EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON PARK SYSTEM.
IT RECAPTURES THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES, ELEVATING THE SYSTEM UP TO A GREAT PUBLIC ASSET.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN WILL CREATE A SUSTAINABLE PARK SYSTEM FOR ALL HOUSTON RESIDENTS FOR TODAY AND FOR YEARS TO COME.
IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS SINCE WE PAID A VISIT TO STEVE STELZER.
HOUSTON'S GOING GREEN GURU HERE.
HE IS LITERALLY BREAKING DOWN THE WAYS IN WHICH COMPOSTING HELPS MAKE A SUSTAINABLE DIFFERENCE.
NOW, COMPOSTING IS NATURE'S RECYCLING.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR MILLIONS
[00:10:01]
OF YEARS.WHAT WE HAVE IS IN NATURE, WE HAVE MICROBES.
THEY'RE EC WEENIE AND THEY LIKE TO COMPOST FOOD WASTE AND PLANT WASTE BASICALLY INTO, UM, TINY MICROBES THEMSELVES THAT CAN THEN HELP THE SOIL BE INCREDIBLY HEALTHY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE TIME IN MEMORIAL WHEN WE HAD HAD PLANTS, YOU KNOW, AND THE PLANT KINGDOM STARTED EVOLVING ON PLANET EARTH.
OKAY? SO THAT IS A FANTASTIC STORY.
UM, THERE IS A BIT OF AN ART TO COMPOSTING FOOD WASTE.
YOU NEED TO, UH, MIX IT UP SO THAT THE, UH, MOTHER NATURE'S NI MICROBES, UM, CAN DO IT, UH, QUICKLY AND EASILY.
OR YOU CAN JUST THROW BIODEGRADABLE MATERIAL ON THE GROUND LIKE MOTHER NATURE DOES WHEN LEAVES FALL AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WILL DECOMPOSE THE WAY MOTHER NATURE'S DONE IT AGAIN.
SO IF YOU WANNA DO IT FASTER AND IN A MORE, UM, CONTAINED METHOD, YOU COMPOST.
OTHERWISE, YOU JUST HAVE MOTHER NATURE DECOMPOSING, RIGHT? SO THIS IS A NICE COMPOST BIN HERE.
THIS IS SOME EXAMPLE OF, UH, MULCH AND LEAF MOLD COMPOST.
SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THE COMPOST KIND OF LOOKS LIKE DIRT.
THIS IS A KITCHEN CADDY, FOR INSTANCE.
YOU WOULD PUT YOUR FOOD WASTE IN THERE.
AND KITCHEN HERE IS A CONTAINER FOR IF YOU DON'T WANT A COMPOST AT YOUR HOUSE, IT CAN GET PICKED UP ON THE CURB AND TAKEN TO AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE COMPOSTING FACILITY WHERE A PROFESSIONAL WOULD TAKE FOOD WASTE AND YARD WASTE AND MAKE IT INTO COMPOST IN MUCH BIGGER BAGS THAN THIS, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT IT CAN BE DONE IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD.
ONCE YOU KIND OF, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET ON YOUTUBE, PUT IN BEGINNER'S COMPOSTING, OKAY? OR I, I'VE GOT A YOUTUBE THAT I'VE DONE ON THE GREEN BUILDING RESOURCE CENTER WEBSITE.
AND SO THERE'S, YOU CAN GET GOOD AT THIS AND YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF IN YOUR BACKYARD.
BUT WHAT IF YOU LIVE IN AN APARTMENT THAT'S NOT SO GOOD? THAT'S WHEN THE IDEA OF HAVING SOMEONE PICK IT UP IS A MUCH BETTER IDEA, OKAY? SO YOU CAN, UM, HAVE IT PICKED UP FOR THE PROFESSIONALS TO DO, OR YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO DIY AND, UM, IT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA.
AS YOU CAN SEE, LIVING IN A CITY IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY.
MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IS ROUGHLY 25% BIO.
AND SO WE HAVE 12.5% FOOD SCRAPS AND 12.8% YARD TRIMMINGS.
SO THE MORE OF THAT THAT YOU CAN DECOMPOSE AND MAKE INTO, UH, FERTILIZER IN YOUR BACKYARD, THE BETTER.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT THAT TYPE OF PERSON, IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO DIVERT THAT FROM THE LANDFILL, BECAUSE IN THE LANDFILL IT MAKES METHANE, WHICH IS 25 TIMES WORSE THAN CARBON DIOXIDE GETTING INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
OKAY? SO THERE'S THE BENEFIT OF TRYING TO PUT A LITTLE ENERGY INTO COMPOSTING FOOD WASTE, NEARING THE HOME STRETCH OF CITY PULSE.
WE WANT TO TAKE YOU ON AN ARTISTIC JOURNEY.
AROUND 300 ARTISTS TOOK PART IN THE BIANNUAL BAYOU CITY ARTS FESTIVAL.
OUR PHOTOG, LEO BETTEN COURT DIDN'T HAVE AN EASEL, BUT HE DID HAVE HIS CAMERA AND HE CAPTURED THESE HIGHLIGHTS.
SO WE'VE GOT BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL AT MEMORIAL PARK.
WE ARE CELEBRATING THE ARTS WITH 300 ARTISTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SHOWCASING 19 DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES OF ART, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT.
WE HAVE TWO STAGES, UH, FULL OF DIFFERENT MUSIC LIKE JAZZ, LATIN POP COUNTRY.
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.
THERE'S GONNA BE GIANT BUBBLES, HULA HOOPERS, AND STILT WALKERS, AND WE HAVE A PUTT PUTT GOLF HOSTED BY HOLY MOLY.
I DO THE POP STYLE WITH A OLD HOLLYWOOD STYLE, AND I CREATE LAYERS AND LAYERS INCLUDING COLLAGE, SILK SCREEN, HAND PAINTED, AND MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY.
AND THIS STYLE HERE IS VERY COLORFUL, MODERN, AND WHIMSICAL.
THEN I DO ANOTHER STYLE THAT'S MORE SPIRITUAL WITH BUTTERFLIES, WOMEN, AND SHEET MUSIC.
OKAY, THAT WILL DO IT FOR CITY PULSES THIS WEEK, FOR HTV HOUSTON TELEVISION AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UNTIL YOU SEE ME AGAIN, REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DO BETTER AND BE KIND.