jessica – Page 17

Eco-Friendly Lawn Care Tips and Automated Recycling

With the oil spewing out of the BP well in the Gulf, it is hard to talk about anything else about the environment. However, since that is really out of our hands, I would like to share a few bits of information with you. I was reading my Sierra Club magazine and found out that using pesticides on our lawns can kill birds – not just the long term consequence of soft shells in their eggs, but an immediate toxic affect.

Check out this PDF about toxicity of pesticides. I did and got an Audubon Chart which I plan to use. Several of these pesticides are dangerous for humans, pets, fish, and bees as well as birds. Also, go to http://bit.ly/lawncare for help in learning to care for gardens with minimal or no use of pesticides.

Also, if you need to find a local recycler for something, go to earth 911.com. Type in the item that you want to recycle and give your address. Then you’ll get the nearest recycler. Now, it gives recyclers within 25 miles and sometimes there is not a recycler of that item within 25 miles. But, its another good tool for when you want to recycle something.

As my husband and I walk in the neighborhood, it seems that we have fewer people putting out their green bins. Please let me know if you need any information or help. The next recycling opportunity for neighborhoods in Houston is to get Automated Recycling. It is only in a few neighborhoods, but the ones who have it have recycling participation rates of over 50 %. Increasing our participation rate would, therefore, not only be better for the environment, and save money for the City (and therefore ourselves), but would also be a possible step in getting this new style of recycling. The carts that are used are 96 gallon green bins similar to the garbage cans that we have. All the recyclables would go into it and we could recycle glass in these bins if we were chosen for this program. Please, let me know what I can do to help you recycle.

Jaycee Park Update

Around the Neighborhood, General News

It has been exactly one year since we had the big public hearing with the city and Houston Parks Board. One of the facilities many people said they would really love to have is a water sprayground at the park so that they could enjoy the park in the summer with their kids. HEB chose to donate a sprayground to Jaycee Park! This was a $250,000 donation to our park and it will be ready for Spring 2011!

The second big announcement is that we just received a $25,000 donation from the Mendenhall Foundation to renovate the basketball court! This will be over two years (June 2010, June 2011), so the construction would begin after receipt of the second payment.

The Party for a Playground held May 8th was a really great time and raised approximately $10,500! Thanks to all who came out to the festival and to Hartman & Associates’ Carolyn Bryant and Marshall Hartman for underwriting this event. Thanks to Queen Burger for donating the hotdogs, condiments and chilling our cases of water overnight, the Porch Swing Pub for donating ice and a cooler to keep it frozen, and Tecate Mexican Restaurant on Ella for donating the queso. Thank you to Lazybrook Baptist Church for letting us borrow the tables and chairs and for setting them up and taking them away. Thanks to Bill Morfey and Jubilee & Bayou Banjo Bands for the great music and their time. Thanks to Payless Insulation, United Refrigeration, Dewalch and Goodman for agreeing to let us use their parking lots. Also, thanks to all the ExxonMobil employees and retirees that came out to set up and run the silent auction. An especially big thanks goes to all of the people that volunteered to deliver fliers before the event and all that worked at the event.

We have more good corporate neighbors to recognize! Payless Insulation on Seamist just made a $1500 donation to sponsor a bench. Their company is located directly across the street from the park and does home and business insulation. Francesca’s Collection, which has boutiques in 28 states and has their headquarters on 12th St near Ella just made a $5000 donation to sponsor a table. Their company specializes in women’s clothing, jewelry and handbags. National Bronze & Metal, located on the corner of 12th Street and Ella, has also made a $1500 donation to sponsor a bench. They are a manufacturer and master distributor of brass, bronze and copper alloys. Thanks to these businesses for giving back to the community in which they do business.

We will continue looking for sponsorship of the walking/jogging trail ($200,000), tennis court renovation ($100,000), playgrounds ($125,000 for the 2-5 year old’s playground, $100,000 for the 5-12 year old’s playground). If you know of a company, individual or foundation that is interested in a recognition opportunity through sponsorship of one of these facilities, please let us know. It is through our community’s network that we can continue to make big things happen at the park.

Ileana Desalos
Friends of Jaycee Park
713-922-6742

Yard Recycling on Esplanades

General News

Yard recycling to Lazybrook esplanades has stopped for the summer. Please stop dropping your grass/leaves bags at the esplanades for Nancy to empty at the trees. Summer is here and it is TOO HOT to have her continue this effort for us thru the summer. We will start back up in the late fall with the bagged leaves. If you want to put your yard waste on the esplanade plants, please feel free to do so yourselves. Place the mulched leaves/grass on top of existing areas and take your empty trash bags back to your garbage cans at your home. Thank you all in advance for your cooperation.

Newsletter Article Deadline

Events, General News

July 5th is the upcoming deadline for the printed newsletter. Please get your articles and any pictures to me by that time. If you cannot make the deadline, PLEASE email me to let me know so that I can save space for you in the layout.

Thanks
Crystal

June Security Update

Security

Citizens on Patrol Hours Logged

April 2010 – 53.75
May 2010 – 54

I appreciate the continued support of our patrollers and the interest from new patrollers that have completed the training course. Thank you very much for keeping a watchful eye on the neighborhood.

Crime in the Neighborhood

5/4 Burglary 1800 block of Willowby
5/27 Burglary from 2 vehicles 1800 block of Widdicomb
6/12 Burglary 2200 block of Brooktree
6/13 Theft 2000 block of Millwood

Please call HPD to report all crimes and get a case number, this is how we are assigned manpower from HPD.
HPD Dispatch 713-884-3131

Crime Statistics
The latest crime statistics are posted on the web at: http://mycity.houstontx.gov/crime/

Burglary Prevention Tips from HPD

Know who belongs in your neighborhood.
Report suspicious persons immediately.
Be alert in protecting not only your home but your neighbors as well.
Don’t tell a stranger that your neighbor is not at home or volunteer any personal information about your neighbor.
Never leave notes on your door that reveal that your home is not occupied.
Join a neighborhood watch group.
Help keep your neighborhood clean.
Acknowledge all callers through locked doors.
Keep doors, windows and garage doors closed and locked even when at home.
Draw all curtains or shades at night to prevent viewing from the street.
Never leave a house key in an obvious place such as a mailbox, under plants, or a doormat.

Citizens on Patrol
Since we are experiencing a rise in criminal activity we are in need of more neighbors actively patrolling our streets to help curb this trend. I urge everyone to contact me so that I can schedule a COP training class for you. Just a few minutes a week can really make a big difference in keeping Lazybrook safe. Patrolling is as easy as driving or riding a bike through the neighborhood with a cell phone and calling in any suspicious persons or activities. We will train you, the hours are flexible to fit any schedule, and you are reimbursed for the cost of gas. Please email lazybrook.security@gmail.com to let me know if you are interested.

Lazybrook Email Network
We have over 315 neighbors signed up to receive email updates. If you are not currently receiving the email you can join by emailing: lazybrook.security@gmail.com
If you change your email address please drop me a line so I can make the change and keep the list current.

Yard of the Month – June 2010

Yard of the Month

Joshua and Rachel Hopson at 1707 Haverhill have lived in Lazybrook for four years. For June we were hoping to find a yard with a beautiful Crepe Myrtle. When we drove by this lovely yard we saw two large beautifully shaped Crepe Myrtles. The Crepe Myrtle on the right front corner of the Hopson’s yard is a pale pink and is surrounded by a triangular bed with curved corners. The bed is outlined with moss rock and in the bed in addition to the large Crepe Myrtle we saw Irises, Society Garlic with blue blooms, Lirope and dwarf Zinnias.

Near the front of the property a beautiful Silver Maple which is about 5 years old is surrounded by a neatly trimmed bed of Asian Jasmine. Josh said the previous owners had this tree planted as part of a program sponsored by the city where homeowners could make a donation and the city would get rid of a trash tree, in their case an Ash, and plant a good tree.

On the other side of the yard near the driveway and walkway to the front door, the other Crepe Myrtle is also pink but a darker color than the first. This Crepe Myrtle is the focal point of another roughly triangular bed. Standing out in this bed right now are the brightly colored orange and red Daylilies. The bed also includes Variegated Aztec Grass, blooming Society Garlic and Giant Liriope. One edge of the bed is created by the curving sidewalk which begins at the driveway and leads to the front door. The sidewalk is made of concrete but does not appear so because of the design which includes markings that give it the appearance of stone. The sidewalk is very attractive. Behind the bed described above are some large Azaleas. They are dark green and appear very healthy.

On the other side of the sidewalk the Hopsons’s have placed a large glazed pot about 18 inches tall. In the turquoise/blue mottled pot they have planted pink Petunias and a Yellow Bulbine.

At the base of the pot the Hopson’s planted some pale pink Rain Lilies. There are many Rain Lilies and they were blooming on the first of June when we looked at the yard. This big splash of color really added quite a spectacular display and even though the blooms will not last throughout the month, they are indeed beautiful.

Across the front of the house there are several Giant Liriope and in front of them are some dark pink petunias that are now blooming. Finally, the Hopson’s have selected a beautiful glazed pot for the front porch and have planted a red Gerber Daisy which is blooming now.