* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. YOU KNOW, REBECCA HOUSTON [00:00:01] HAS SUCH A RICH HISTORY. IT REALLY DOES. AND YOU CAN WALK PAST IT AND NOT EVEN REALIZE EVERY DAY, LIKE, LIKE THE JULIE ADDISON BUILDING ACROSS FROM CITY HALL TRAVIS. YO, YOU KNOW WHAT'S WILD? WHAT'S THAT? YOU BROUGHT UP THE JULIA IEN. THAT'S RIGHT, RIGHT HERE. GOT A FUN FACT FOR YOU. ALL RIGHT, LAY IT ON ME. IT WAS BUILT IN 1926, SO THAT WOULD MAKE IT A CENTURY OLDS. YES. AND DO YOU KNOW THAT THIS LIBRARY WAS THE MAIN LIBRARY FOR 50 YEARS? I DID NOT KNOW THAT. SO MUCH HISTORY. SO MANY FUN FACTS. BUT LET'S GET INTO OUR CITY POST HEADLINES. THE HOME OF THE HOUSTON ROCKETS IS GETTING AN UPGRADE. MAYOR WHITMEYER, ALONG WITH THE TEAM OWNER AND THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY, HAVE JUST ANNOUNCED A 180 MILLION INVESTMENT IN UPGRADES TO ENSURE THE ARENA CAN CONTINUE TO HOST GAMES, EVENTS AND CONVENTION RELATED BUSINESS. TAXPAYERS WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE RENOVATIONS. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS TAKING OVER. THERE'S NO BETTER EXAMPLE THAN APPROVAL OF AI POWER TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT 10 INTERSECTIONS NEAR NRG STADIUM TO REDUCE TRAFFIC DELAYS AND IMPROVE SAFETY CONCERNS, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS WILL INSTALL AND SUPPORT THE PLATFORM AT DESIGNATED LOCATIONS. MAYOR WHITMEYER IS ALL ABOUT GETTING RESULTS BECAUSE OF HIS INITIATIVE TO END STREET HOMELESSNESS. THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT CAME TO HOUSTON TO TOUR THE NEW LIVING RESOURCE CENTER. THIS IS A SITE WHEN OPERATIONAL WILL BE HOLISTIC. IT'LL PROVIDE HEALTHCARE EVALUATION, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT. IT'LL JUST BE A WIN-WIN FOR THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON HOMELESS POPULATION. WE'RE GONNA NETWORK WITH THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY, THE PHILANTHROPIC, THE MED CENTER INSTITUTIONS OR ACADEMIC. I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS WE WANT THE ADMINISTRATION AND SECRETARY TURNER TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE VERY EFFECTIVE AND WE, WE WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO FAIL. AND, UH, WE WANT YOU TO, TO TAKE THIS MODEL AS YOU SEE FIT AS, AS Y'ALL HEARD THE MAYOR, UH, JUST SAY, WE JUST FINALIZED A 314 MILLION IN, UH, OUR C-D-B-G-D-R GRANT AGREEMENT. AND THAT MONEY'S GONNA BE GOING TO THINGS LIKE THIS, THIS PLACE HERE, WHICH WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT AS A, AS A MODEL. UM, WE WANT PEOPLE TO GET THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO, TO GET IN HERE, GET THE HELP THEY NEED, AND THEN GO HAVE PURPOSE, UH, WITH THEIR LIVES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY GET OFF THE STREET, UH, SO THEY CAN LIVE THEIR LIVES AND DO WHAT GOD INTENDED THEM TO, TO DO. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE DAY ONE AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OVER A YEAR AGO TO ACQUIRE THIS. WE HAD TO PUT FUNDS TOGETHER TO DO IT, BUT THE MISSING PIECE, THAT SECRETARY IS HUD'S PARTICIPATION IN THAT FUNDING FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS. SO I THINK LONG BEFORE THE THREE YEARS GETS HERE, WE'RE GONNA SEE ALL TYPE OF PARTNERS. DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SUCCESS. NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS. SO, UH, WE HAVE, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL HEAD TEAM MEMBERS COMING HERE, I BELIEVE NEXT WEEK, UH, MEETING WITH YOUR STAFF, WHICH YOUR, YOUR STAFF'S BEEN INCREDIBLE WORK WITH STEVEN AND THE CHIEF AND EVERYONE. SO, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO, TO BEING BACK HERE SOON. THE RESOURCE LIVING CENTER AT FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION AVENUE IS QUITE THE INVESTMENT BY THE CITY. AND SPEAKING OF INVESTMENTS, THE STATUE WE ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF NOW HONORS A WOMAN OVERLOOKED IN THE HISTORY OF HOUSTON. UM, HOW'S THIS FOR YOU? DID YOU KNOW? MM-HMM. THE ALLEN BROTHERS, AUGUSTUS AND JOHN KIRBY ARE CITED AS THE CO-FOUNDERS OF HOUSTON, BUT THAT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT CHARLOTTE BALDWIN ALLEN, THE FUNDER OF HOUSTON. THAT'S RIGHT. HER INHERITANCE HELPED SECURE PART OF THE LAND THAT WOULD BECOME HOUSTON AS WE KNOW IT TODAY. SO LET'S FLASH BACK AND LOOK AT THE STATUES UNVEILING AND HERE FROM OUR CITY LEADERS. WOO. YOU BROUGHT THE IDEA OF THE STATUTE OF MS. ALLEN. UH, WE NEED TO SPREAD THE WORD TO ALL HOUSTON. Y'ALL TALK ABOUT IT IN OUR CLASSROOMS. IT OUGHT TO BE SOMETHING THAT MOTIVATES YOUNG WOMEN ACROSS OUR GREAT CITY. AND IT WAS CHARLOTTE'S INHERITANCE THAT WAS USED TO PURCHASE THE LAND THAT BECAME HOUSTON. WHEREAS ON MARCH 19TH, 2026, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUDLY CELEBRATES THE UNVEILING OF A BROWN STATUE [00:05:01] DEPICTING CHARLOTTE MARIE BALDWIN ALLEN, THE MOTHER AND CO-FOUNDER OF HOUSTON IN THE GARDEN OF THE HISTORIC JULIA IEN BUILDING OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY. IT'S BEEN A A LOT OF FUN, UH, A LOT OF HISTORY. I LEARNED A LOT. SHE'S THE MOTHER OF HOUSTON AND, UH, SHE STAYED HERE AND ACTUALLY HELPED CREATE THE SOCIETY AND BUILD UP HOUSTON AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. THEREFORE, I, MARTHA CASTEX TATUM MAYOR PRO TIMM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ALONG WITH AMY PECK, VICE MAYOR, PRO TIMM OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND EACH OF THE 10 WOMEN ON CITY COUNCIL, ALONG WITH JOHN WHITMEYER, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 19TH, 2026 AS CHARLOTTE MARIE BALDWIN ALLEN DAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. AND THERE ARE JUST SO MANY HOUSTONIANS THAT I COULD RECOGNIZE AND THE ONES THAT ARE MAKING SUCH A STRATEGIC DIFFERENCE. UH, AND THIS IS WONDERFUL TO COME HONOR A HOUSTONIAN THAT REALLY MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE. TRAVIS, I THINK YOU WERE UNDERSELLING THE SERVICES FOR THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY'S TECH LINK. OH, REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE TELLING ME ABOUT HOW YOU COULD CONVERT VIDEOTAPES? YEAH. RIGHT, RIGHT. LISTEN, SO MANY AMAZING LOCATIONS, YOU HAVE FOUR LOCATIONS HERE IN THE CITY. LET'S CHECK OUT THE DIXON LOCATION AND WHAT THEY DO THERE. OKAY. ISN'T THIS PLACE BEAUTIFUL? IT'S BEAUTIFUL. SO MANY LOOK AT THE CAR. SO TECH LINK IS A INITIATIVE AND DIVISION OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM WITH THE SERVICES WE OFFER. WE ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY. WE HAVE A MULTIMEDIA CENTER WITH ALL OF THE ADOBE SUITE OF SOFTWARE. WE HAVE MUSIC STUDIOS, VIDEO STUDIOS, PODCAST STUDIOS, EMBROIDERY MACHINES, LASER CUTTERS, 3D PRINTERS, DYE CUTTING MACHINES, DIGITIZATION EQUIPMENT. WE HAVE WIDE FORMAT PRINTERS. WELL, THERE'S ESSENTIALLY THREE STEPS BEFORE YOU'RE ABLE TO COME IN. THE FIRST IS TO ACQUIRE A HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD AT ANY OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY BRANCHES. THE SECOND THING IS TO COMPLETE A BRIEF ORIENTATION, WHICH TELLS YOU ABOUT THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF TECH LINK. AND THEN THE THIRD STEP IS TO ATTEND A WORKSHOP IN PERSON. AND THOSE WORKSHOPS GIVE YOU BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE TECHNOLOGY, AND THEN THE STAFF WILL SHOW YOU A SAMPLE PROJECT TO ACTUALLY USE THE EQUIPMENT. ONCE YOU'VE DONE THOSE THREE STEPS, THEN YOU CAN BOOK A TWO HOUR SESSION. YOU'RE ALLOWED ONE TWO HOUR SESSION AT A TIME. UM, ONCE YOU FULFILL THAT SESSION, THEN YOU CAN BOOK FURTHER SESSIONS. ANOTHER SERVICE THAT WE OFFER IS TINY TEXT, WHICH PROVIDE HANDS-ON LEARNING IN STEM 3D PRINTING A LOT OF SIMPLE CONCEPTS, BUT TO ACTUALLY COME IN AND USE ANY OF THE EQUIPMENT, IT'S ALL FREE. SO, REBECCA, YOU KNOW, AFTER THAT, THAT VIDEO, I'M THINKING OF SIGNING UP FOR A LASER CUTTING WORKSHOP. I THINK YOU'LL BE GREAT. FROM PRINTING SERVICES AND TECH LINK, THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY IS MORE THAN JUST BOOKS. IN FACT, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RENT SPACE HERE AT THE JULIE ADDISON. BEAUTIFUL. BUT THAT'S A STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY. MORE CITY POSTS RIGHT AFTER THIS. ST. ARNOLD TEXAS'S OLDEST CRAFT BREWERY SHIPPED THEIR FIRST KEG OF BEER IN 1994. HOUSTON HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER IS LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC JULIA IEN BUILDING. OUR MISSION IS TO COLLECT, PRESERVE, AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO HOUSTON AND TEXAS HISTORY IN THE FORM OF PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, BOOKS, BUSINESS AND PERSONAL PAPERS AND ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS. TAKE A TOUR OF OUR BEAUTIFUL BUILDING AND DON'T MISS OUR DOROTHY KNOX. HOW H READING ROOM OR OUR GALLERIES SUCH AS THE NEW DR. JAMES AND BETTY KEY MAP ROOM COME. CURIOUS, LEAVE INSPIRED. HISTORY IS WAITING FOR YOU. HOUSTON 2026 IS MORE THAN A TOURNAMENT. IT'S A MOVEMENT, A CELEBRATION OF EVERYTHING THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER. COME READY TO PLAY. COME READY TO CELEBRATE AS HOUSTON WELCOMES THE WORLD IN 2026. SHAKE UP YOUR EVERYDAY AND COME EXPLORE DOWNTOWN. FROM NEW ART INSTALLATIONS TO [00:10:01] FAMILY FUN, SWEAT SESSIONS AND MOVIE NIGHTS. WE'RE KEEPING HOUSTON INSPIRED AND ENTERTAINED. JOIN US. WE ARE DOWNTOWN. SO HERE WE HAVE A REPRESENTATION OF THE VENUS DE MILO. OKAY, HOUSTON, THE, THE HOUSTON EDITION. WE'LL TAKE IT. YES. UH, WELCOME BACK TO CITY PULSE. THIS NEXT STORY COMES FROM HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION, AND TIES INTO HOUSTON'S HISTORY AND ART. AS YOU CAN SEE, THOUSANDS OF US TROOPS TRAINED AT MEMORIAL PARK DURING WORLD WAR I AND THIS NEW 100 ACRE PROJECT WILL HONOR THE PAST. WHILE INSPIRING THE FUTURE, WE COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED TO, UH, HAVE YOU ALL HERE TO HELP US OFFICIALLY BREAK GROUND. THE MEMORIAL GROVES GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY WAS A CELEBRATION. VERY EXCITING. THIS IS WONDERFUL. A CELEBRATION OF WHAT IS ABOUT TO COME, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF THIS HALLOWED GROUND. WE'RE JUST SUPER, SUPER EXCITED. THIS PROJECT, WHILE THE HISTORY AND THE STORYTELLING IS A, IS A MAIN COMPONENT, IT'S STILL A PARK AND THERE'S GOING TO BE ACTIVE RECREATION, UH, PICNIC PLAY, AND IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY, REALLY A TREMENDOUS, UH, NEW EXPERIENCE IN MEMORIAL PARK FOR HOUSTONIANS. HOUSTON IS MY TALENT, AND, UH, I WAS GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TODAY TO HONOR AND, UH, AND YOU KNOW, TO REPRESENT MAYOR JOHN WHITMAR, WHO'S DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB. OUR MAYOR IS, IS A VISIONARY, AND, UH, AND THIS SETS THE TONE IN TERMS OF WHAT HOUSTON'S GONNA LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE. A TOTAL OF 70,000 TROOPS SPENT TIME HERE AT MEMORIAL PARK DURING WORLD WAR I FROM 1917 TILL THE END OF THE WAR IN 1919. AND MEMORIAL GROVES WILL BE PAYING TRIBUTE TO ALL WHO SPENT TIME HERE. THIS I WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE AS THE MOST ARCHEOLOGICAL FINES FROM CAMP LOGAN. AND SO THIS IS THE SPOT THAT, UH, SOLDIERS, NURSES, DOCTORS LIVED, WORKED, AND TRAINED FOR WAR IN THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE BACK IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS TO THIS POINT, TODAY, IT'S JUST SIGNIFICANT OF WHERE WE COME. UH, A STORY OF TRAGEDY TO A STORY OF TRIUMPH THAT WE CAN ALL CELEBRATE. THE MEMORIAL GROVE SECTION IS LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF MEMORIAL PARK AND IT WILL COVER 100 ACRES. SO THERE'S THE HISTORY THAT WE'RE HONORING, BUT THE HISTORY THAT WE'RE MAKING, AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE THIS EMERALD IN OUR CITY FOR THE COUNTRY AND EVEN THE WORLD. PEOPLE THAT COME TO VISIT TO ENJOY. THANKS TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MEMORIAL PARK CONSERVANCY AND ITS GREAT SPONSORS. THE MEMORIAL GROVES PROJECT IS BECOMING A REALITY AND IT'S SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY LATE NEXT YEAR. IT'S JUST ONE MORE REASON WHY WE LIKE TO SAY HOUSTON PARKS AND REC, WHERE YOU BELONG. HI GUYS. I'M OFFICER NELSON WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND WE'RE OUT HERE AT DISCOVERY GREEN WITH OUR MARCH ON CRIME SPRING FESTIVAL. WE HAVE GAMES. YES, I WON. WE HAVE ARTS AND CRAFTS, WE HAVE RESOURCE TABLES. ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS IS OUT HERE AS WELL. WE TRY TO HELP COMMUNITIES COMBAT ILLEGAL DUMPING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON. AND PART OF WHAT I DO IS TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO REPORT THEM. AUTO THEFT IS OUT HERE. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, GETTING SOME STEERING, WHEEL LOCKS, SOME TRACKERS, AND UPGRADING YOUR ALARM SYSTEMS. A CHANCE FOR LIKE THE DEPARTMENT TO COME OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND JUST FREE AWARENESS ABOUT DIFFERENT CRIME TOPICS DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH. OH YEAH. WHEN YOU COME AND MEET THE PEOPLE LIKE THIS ON THEIR LEVEL, IT, IT BRINGS A WHOLE NEW PERSPECTIVE TO THE COMMUNITY. I JUST CAME TO DISCOVER GREEN AND I SEEN THIS AND WE GOT HOT DOGS, WE GOT CHIPS. I MEAN, THEY'RE GIVING, LOOK AT HER. SHE'S GOT TOYS. I THINK IT'S AMAZING. I THINK IT'S GREAT. AND I'M SO HAPPY THEY'RE DOING IT. I LOVE IT. I THINK IT SHOWS THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE WILLING TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY. THEY'RE NOT JUST HERE TO POLICE PEOPLE, MEANING THEY'RE NOT HERE TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT NOT TO DO, BUT TO LIVE LIFE WITH THEM. THIS EVENT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT ALL OF YOU GUYS, THE BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. SO STAY TUNED FOR OUR NEXT EVENT AND I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME. TRAVIS, THIS WAS FUN. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHERE WE GO NEXT. IN HOUSTON. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS FOR HT V. HOUSTON TELEVISION, HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION, AND MY CO-HOST REBECCA WILLIAMS. THIS IS TRAVIS LEMON SAYING YOU CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER AND KINDNESS IS FREE. BEAUTIFUL. THIS THE ARCHITECTURE. SO. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.