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I AM TRAVIS LEMONS AND YOU ARE WATCHING CITY PULSE ONLY ON HOUSTON TELEVISION.
FOR OUR LAST PROGRAM, I OPENED A SHOW TALKING ABOUT A FIRE DEPLOYMENT TEAM HEADING TO CALIFORNIA TO BATTLE THE WILDFIRES.
SINCE I'VE BEEN GONE, THE CITY WENT THROUGH A PERIOD I LIKE TO CALL SNOWMAGEDDON.
HOUSTON GOT COVERED IN SNOW AND RESIDENTS WERE URGED TO STAY HOME AS MILLIONS KEPT WARM.
MAYOR WHITMEYER AND FIRST RESPONDERS KEPT WORKING AT THE HOUSTON EMERGENCY CENTER.
DO NOT LET THE CLEAR SKIES FOOL YOU.
THE NEXT 24 HOURS WILL BE OUR MOST DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF THE MELTING SNOW.
WE'LL TURN TO ICE AS SOON AS THE SUN GOES DOWN.
IS HE AWAKE RIGHT NOW? YES, SIR.
YOU'RE IN TRANS FOR ONE MOMENT THAT LIKE EVERYONE'S BEEN TOLD TO LIKE STAY HOME HAS REALLY HELPED US.
OUR OPERATORS, OUR DISPATCHERS ARE THE NERVE CENTER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
DURING THE FREEZE IN 2024, WE WERE BOMBARDED AND WE DIDN'T HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE DO NOW IN 9 1 1.
YOU NEED MEDICAL POLICE OR FIRE.
HEAR ME? WE GET IN TROUBLE EVERY NOW AND EVERYBODY NEEDS HOUSTON FIRE MEDICAL CITATION AT THE EMERGENCY.
WHAT IS THE ADDRESS PLEASE? WHAT IS THE CLOSEST CROSS STREET, MA'AM? IS THIS ON OR OFF THE FREEWAY? OKAY.
IS THIS A HOUSE, APARTMENT, OR BUSINESS? DOES ANYONE NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION? THEY'RE THE HEART OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE COULD NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM.
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE GREAT.
WE CAN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT THEM, BUT THEY DEPEND ON THE DISPATCHERS AND THE OPERATORS.
SO I'VE SEEN HOW HARD THEY WORK.
IT'S EMOTIONAL, TAKES 'EM AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY FOR MANY HOURS.
I'M LOOKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN SHOW OUR APPRECIATION THIS MAYOR AND THIS CITY APPRECIATES THEM BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST EMOTIONAL, TOUGH JOBS IN THE CITY.
THERE GOOD NEWS FOR OUR VIEWERS DOWN IN MYLAND.
IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE BRAS BY GREENWAY ARE ON THE WAY.
OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD IS CONSTRUCTING THREE CONNECTED PROJECTS, INCLUDING A NEW MEMORIAL PLAZA.
COMMISSIONER BRION HAS CALLS ME.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING GOOD TO THE FIFTH GRADERS.
I HOPE IT'S JUST LIGHTS, A LITTLE FIRE IN YOU, BUT YOU'LL GO BACK AND TALK WITH YOUR TEACHER AND YOUR FAMILIES ABOUT WHAT WERE ALL THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS? WHAT WERE ALL THOSE PUBLIC OFFICIALS DOING OUT THERE? THIS IS HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS.
MOST DAYS I DEAL WITH PROBLEMS. MOST DAYS I'M AT CITY HALL WORKING WITH COUNCILMAN CAYMAN AND OTHER COLLEAGUES TO FIX THINGS.
WELL, TODAY WE'RE NOT FIXING ANYTHING.
WE'RE CELEBRATING, CELEBRATING THE COMPLETION OF PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER.
NOT ONLY SPECIFIC THE NONPROFIT, BUT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
AND SOMEONE A MOMENT AGO MENTIONED HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR THIS COMPLETION OF THE RAISED BIO PROJECT.
I KNEW THE ANSWER HAVING SPENT MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE IN PUBLIC SERVICE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
IT'S CALLED LEADERSHIP, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS IS JUST THE START.
COMMISSIONER BRIANIS AND HER TEAM ARE CAN DO, CAN DO PUBLIC OFFICIALS, AND I'M SO PROUD THAT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY ARE COMING TOGETHER.
IN FACT, THE STATE RELEASED THIS WEEK ABOUT $30 MILLION IN URBAN PARK FUNDING MASON PARK, AND HOUSTON'S GONNA GET ITS $3 MILLION.
SO I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW WE'RE FIRED UP.
WE'VE GOT CHALLENGES, BUT WE'RE MEETING THEM AND WE HAVE A GREAT CITY, GREAT PEOPLE, AND WE'RE MEETING OUR CHALLENGES.
HOUSTON CITY HALL IS THE NERVE CENTER FOR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW IS THAT IT ALSO DOUBLES FOR ONE OF THE HOUSES AT HOGWARTS.
[00:05:01]
CITY HALL BECAME THE HOUSE OF SLITHERIN AS IT CELEBRATED THE LUNAR NEW YEAR FOR 2025.IT IS THE YEAR OF THE WOOD SNAKE.
I'M FROM THE MALAYSIAN SINGAPOREAN ASSOCIATION.
I'M THE PRESIDENT FOR THIS ASSOCIATION IN HOUSTON.
TODAY WE'RE CELEBRATING LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS AT, UH, CITY HALL.
WE GET TO LIKE, CELEBRATE AND LIKE WATCH THE LION DANCES AND THE UM, FIREWORKS.
WE REPRESENT THE SHA AND TEMPLE CULTURAL CENTER.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? UH, LIKE THE SODA
DEFINITELY GETTING RED ENVELOPES.
SNACK TO ME MEANS, UM, WISDOM, UM, SMART AND KIND OF, UM, I THINK OUTGOING TOO.
UM, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
WHEN CITY PULSE RETURNS, IT'S OFF TO THE RACES FOR HOUSTON'S BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT.
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 THIS 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.
NOW YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION THAT'S ABOUT AS MUCH FUN AS WATCHING PAINT DRY.
AM I RIGHT? YOU WANT SOME REAL FUN TRY WATCHING GRASS GROW, MATT MUSEL TAKES A STROLL WITH HOUSTON PARKS AND RECS, NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER, KELLY ANDRE SICK.
SHE HAS BEEN OVERSEEING THE GROWTH OF THOUSANDS OF SEEDLINGS IN AN EFFORT TO RESTORE THE COASTAL PRAIRIE HABITAT.
UH, THIS IS A MAPLE, THEY LIKE IT WET ALSO.
AND THEIR EARLY SUCCESSIONAL TOO.
KELLY ANDRE IS THE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER FOR HOUSTON PARKS AND REC.
SHE OVERSEES APPROXIMATELY 17,000 ACRES OF NATURAL AREAS AROUND HOUSTON.
KELLY HAD BROUGHT US TO SYLVAN RODRIGUEZ PARK.
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES BECAUSE IT HONORS MY LATE FRIEND SYLVAN RODRIGUEZ, THE FORMER NEWS ANCHOR AT CHANNEL 11.
BUT YOU'VE TOLD ME BEFORE, THIS IS YOUR FAVORITE PARK IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
WHY IS THAT? IT'S MY FAVORITE PARK BECAUSE THIS ACTUALLY STARTED OUT AS CHINESE TALLOW FOREST AND INVASIVE TREE.
UM, AND WE HAVE SPENT YEARS DOING HABITAT RESTORATION TO RESTORE IT TO THE HISTORIC HABITAT, WHICH IS COASTAL PRAIRIE HABITAT.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST TURNED OUT AMAZING.
EVERYONE, THE GENERAL PUBLIC MAY NOT GET EXCITED ABOUT WATCHING GRASS GROW, BUT KELLY DOES.
SO THIS IS BUSHY BLUE STEM AND, UM, USUALLY THE WIN THE FALL WINTER IS THE BEST TIME, UM, FOR SEEDING OF GRASSES AND, AND FOR COLLECTING THEM.
SO WE'VE ALREADY COME OUT HERE AND COLLECTED A BUNCH OF THE SEEDS OUT HERE.
KELLY AND HER NATURAL RESOURCES TEAM OVERSEE THE GROWTH OF GRASSES AND TREES OF ALL TYPES.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE TEAM PLANTED SEEDLINGS ALONG THE BAYOU IN MILBY PARK.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR RIPARIAN RESTORATION SITES.
AND RIPARIAN HABITAT IS THE HABITAT ADJACENT TO A WATERWAY.
UM, AND SO WE CAME INTO MILBY PARK AND WE DID A HUNDRED FEET FROM THE BAYOU AND PLANTED TREES EVERY 10 FEET ASSOCIATED WITH OUR RIPARIAN RESTORATION INITIATIVE.
WE'RE GOING INTO EVERY PARK THAT'S ADJACENT TO A WATERWAY AND INSTALLING THESE FORESTED BUFFERS, WHICH, WHAT WOULD HAVE EXISTED HERE HISTORICALLY? I MEAN, HONESTLY, THESE ARE BUSHES.
SO WE COULD PUT THESE HERE AND IT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
[00:10:01]
HER TEAM EVEN HAVE A GREENHOUSE.TO GROW ALL OF THE NATURAL SPECIES OF GRASSES, TREES, AND BUSHES THAT THEY THEN TRANSPLANT INTO HOUSTON PARK.
THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE THOUSANDS OF SEEDLINGS THAT THEY PUT IN THE GROUND ARE ALWAYS FULLY HEALTHY.
IF YOU HAVE THE SATISFACTION METER, YOU WOULD BE PEGGING IT OVER HERE TO YEAH, THIS, THIS ONE'S REALLY GOOD.
THIS IS OUR OLDEST RIPARIAN SITE.
SO THESE TREES HAVE HAD A LONG TIME TO ESTABLISH AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF, OF WHAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN IN OTHER AREAS.
LET'S HAVE THEM DO THE STUFF THAT'S CLOSE TO THE TRAIL.
AND THIS STUFF MAYBE, AND THEN Y'ALL START BACK THERE.
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER, KELLY ANDREY.
JUST ONE MORE REASON WHY WE LIKE TO SAY HOUSTON PARKS AND REC, WHERE YOU BELONG.
THE CHEVRON HOUSTON MARATHON HAS BECOME ONE OF THE BEST MARATHONS IN THE COUNTRY.
IT IS ALSO THE BIGGEST SINGLE DAY SPORTING EVENT THE CITY PUTS ON EACH YEAR.
THOUSANDS OF RUNNERS AND SPECTATORS.
SO DID OUR COLLABORATORS WITH SPECTRUM FUSION.
HERE THEY ARE, WITH THE HIGHLIGHTS.
IT'S A LITTLE COLD, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AWESOME TO SEE EVERYBODY OUT HERE CELEBRATING AND, UH, HAVING FUN RUNNING THE RACE.
THERE WAS GREAT ENERGY, A LOT OF CROWDS AND MUSIC PLAYING THE WHOLE TIME AND REALLY FAST HORSE.
UM, I RAN FASTER THAN I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA RUN, SO IT WAS REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE OVERALL.
I'VE ATTEMPTED A MARATHON IN THE PAST AND I'VE GOTTEN HURT IN THE PAST TRAINING, AND SO FOR ME IT'S REALLY ABOUT, UH, SEEING HOW FAR I CAN PUSH MYSELF, UH, AND DOING THE BEST THAT I CAN.
WELL, I'M HERE TODAY WITH, UM, A GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOLERS, UM, AND THEY ARE, UH, THEY'RE RUNNING IN, UH, THE HOUSTON HALF MARATHON.
AND SO, UM, I'M REALLY THANKFUL TO ALL THESE COMPANIES WHO GIVE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN THE FULL OR THE HALF MARATHON.
AND I'M JUST OUT HAPPY TO BE OUT HERE WITH A COMMUNITY, A MIXED POPULATION.
WE'RE ALL OUT HERE JUST HAVING FUN, TRYING TO DO BETTER AND DO IT FOR A GOOD COST.
I'M A PHYSICIAN WORK AT TEXAS HOSPITAL, SO THAT'S VERY CLOSE TO ME.
UH, SO OFTEN I DEDICATE MY RUN TO MY PATIENTS EVERY YEAR.
WE'RE TEAMMATES FOR TELOS AND MY COACH STEVE SISSON SAID, COME RUN THIS RACE.
THE COURSE AND THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE PEOPLE CHEERING AND THE CREATIVE SIGNS THAT MAKE YOU SMILE WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING.
SO IT WAS PERFECT MY FIRST TIME RUNNING THIS HALF.
THAT'S REALLY EXCITING SEEING EVERYBODY.
YOU KNOW, WHO'S BEEN OUT THERE ALL DAY PLUGGING AWAY.
WE'VE BEEN BEFORE THE MUSIC, THE EXCITEMENT.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY AMAZING WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE FOR THEM.
GO HOUSTON, TEXAS IN THE WHEELCHAIR CATEGORY EXPECTING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES COMING DOWN, HOUSTON IS A FOOTBALL TOWN, BUT IN 2026 IT WILL BE A FOOTBALL CITY.
THE COUNTDOWN IS ON AS THE CITY PREPARES TO HOST GAMES FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP SEVEN MATCHES OVER 20 DAYS.
HOUSTON, CAN YOU KICK IT? YES, YOU CAN.
THAT'S GONNA DO IT FOR CITY POLLS FOR HTV HOUSTON TELEVISION AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, JUST REMEMBER, WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER AND KINDNESS IS FREE.