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Examining the neighborhoods
A look at some of the top stories in nearby communities.
Residents of West University Place have formed two political action committees on opposite sides of a $13.8 million bond referendum on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.
The bonds, which would be used to pay for renovations at the Recreation Center, Colonial Park, the Community Building and the Senior Center, have been the subject of local debate since voters rejected a $25.6 million parks bond proposal in 2006.
Opponents of the parks bonds last week formed a political action committee, or PAC, under the under the name “Citizens for Responsible Spending for Better Parks.”
Susan Ohsfeldt filed the paperwork, designating Steve Malashock as treasurer.
“Our purpose is to apply common sense to the budget for parks and recreation,” Ohsfeldt said.
“I believe that a majority of citizens are unaware there is going to be a bond proposal on the ballot. They are too busy working, going to soccer practice with their kids and other stuff.”
She said her group wants to educate voters about the bond proposal and how it is going to be spent.
“We think it can be done a lot cheaper and more economically, and we should be getting into debt for $13.8 million,” Ohsfeldt said. “That’s a lot of money.”
Another group, named “Yes for West U Parks” was formed Aug. 14. The treasurer is Ray Schutter.
Committee member Janine Schueppert said, “A lot of people have been asking how they could help and get involved in the process. So, we set up the political action committee.”
The group’s website is www.yesforwestuparks.org. Schueppert described it as an easy way to get accurate information.
In addition to Schueppert, the PAC’s supporters are the other members of a Parks Board advisory committee which made recommendations, and fine-tuned, the parks bond plan. They are Russ Schulze, John Neighbors and Mardi Turner. The PAC also includes chairman Charles Nelson, treasurer Schutter and Linda Day.
Day was against the parks bond proposal in 2006.
“This time around, I think they’ve done a wonderful job in trimming back the bond proposal,” Day said.
The “Yes for West U Parks” website has detailed information about the parks plans, pictures of people using West U’s recreation facilities, and a “coming soon” page that will list endorsements by other residents.
There is also a section on frequently asked questions about the parks bonds, which provides a detailed explanation about how the $13.8 million would be spent.
Ohsfelt said the “Responsible Spending” committee, in addition to getting its website ready, is planning to distribute fliers and yard signs opposing the bond proposal.
“We are going to buy yard signs, letting people know there are neighbors who oppose going into debt for $13.8 million,” Ohsfeldt said.
Members of the group plan to go “door to door” with fliers explaining their views on the parks bonds, Ohsfeldt said.
“Some of us are not in agreement about what to put in the fliers. I’m for brevity ... so we still working on those,” she said.
Ohsfeldt said she wants all West U voters to make an informed decision. She points out that not all residents read the City Currents publication provided by the city..
“I think, if they know how much is being proposed on Colonial Park and the Rec Center, they can make a decision on whether it’s too much. They can make a decision for themselves, but it should be an informed decision,” Ohsfeldt said.
Examiner staff reports
For the last several weeks, representatives from the H-E-B Bunker Hill Market, scheduled to open Nov. 7, have been meeting with Memorial neighborhoods.
A team of H-E-B staff has made presentations to the city councils of Bunker Hill, Hedwig and Spring Valley villages, and will continue until they have met with all six Memorial villages.
“We’re very big about community,” said John May, the store’s general manager, at a meeting of Hedwig Village City Council on Aug. 14. “We want everybody to know who we are and recognize our faces so that if you need anything you can approach us knowing we’re here to help.”
At 128,000 square feet, Bunker Hill Market will be the second largest H-E-B in the Houston region. The store will have its own gas station and car wash, as well as a cafe that will feature live bands on weekends.
“We’re bringing the best of H-E-B and the best of Central Market, all under one roof,” said Cyndy Garza-Roberts, community relations coordinator.
Garza-Roberts said Bunker Hill market is different than other H-E-B because it will carry items offered by both H-E-B and Central Market, its sister store.
“It’s also going to have five extra aisles of international products that aren’t offered at any of our other stores,” May said.
Russ Hammond, “perishable leader,” said he runs the most exciting part of the store — the produce, market, deli, seafood and bakery sections.
“The produce department alone will have over 900 varieties of fruits and vegetables from all over the world,” Hammond said. “Our deli department will have over 400 varieties of cheeses from all over the world, and we’ll have over 75 varieties of fresh seafood.”
Mike Kohleffel, center store leader, said the store will carry more than 2,000 types of wine at any given time, and there will be extended cooking and grilling sections.
“Our goal is to get you excited about coming and maybe even tempt you to shop here every day for every meal,” Kohleffel said.
He added there will be a huge organic section and nut grinder, so customers can make their own fresh peanut butter.
The store will have 26 check-out counters.
“We’ll be able to get folks in and out quickly, even with the amount of volume we’re going to have,” said Lori Gilmore, operations manager.
Gilmore oversees a program called Cooking Connection, in which professional chefs give recipes and cooking demonstrations, and share their culinary expertise.
“We’ll have a community room where we’ll do cooking classes,” Gilmore said. “Anyone interested in reserving the room will be able to do so.”
H-E-B has already held several on-site and off-site job fairs. May and his team has been working with the Spring Branch Independent School District to recruit area high school students.
“We want to build a solid partnership with the community,” May said.
The store’s grand opening Nov. 7 will feature live music, free food and activities for all ages.
“We want the community to come see the store, inside and out,” Garza-Roberts said.
So far, May said, local councils have responded positively to the presentations.
At a meeting this week, however, Mayor Michael Andrews of Spring Valley Village voiced concerns about parking and traffic.
“Parking won’t be a problem,” May said. “We have about 370 spots out in the front of the building, which is much more than at any of our other stores.”
Cooking up a place
After more than a decade as executive chef at Tony’s, Olivier Ciesielski left Aug. 28 to pursue a life-long dream of having his own restaurant.
Known by many as “Chef Olivier” (or just Olivier), Ciesielski said he has a concept but no immediate plans for a place of his own. In the interim, he’ll resume with restaurant consulting, catering and services as a private chef.
During his tenure at Tony’s, Ciesielski’s cuisine brought the restaurant national accolades, including Esquire’s “Best New Restaurant” in 2005 and Wine Spectator’s “Best Restaurant in Texas.”
As chef, he especially enjoyed the culinary challenges of customers who had a hankering for a type of food and asked him to prepare something, be it snapper or simply green beans.
For the 2005 rebirth of Tony‘s, Ciesielski developeded a collaborative European menu that married his French roots with modern Italian and even Asian inspirations.
Ciesielski perfected his craft as the sous chef of Michelin three-star restaurant Bernard Loiseau, in the kitchens of France’s leading pastry chef Yves Thuries, and at the celebrated Le Crillon in Paris. He was also personal chef to the Onassis family in Switzerland.
A native of Burgundy, France, he arrived in the U.S. in 1991, where his Houston career began as executive chef at La Colombe D’Or.
Intrigued by the ever-expanding culinary landscape it offers, Ciesielski will continue to make Houston his home.
Residents of West University Place have formed two political action committees on opposite sides of a $13.8 million bond referendum on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.
The bonds, which would be used to pay for renovations at the Recreation Center, Colonial Park, the Community Building and the Senior Center, have been the subject of local debate since voters rejected a $25.6 million parks bond proposal in 2006.
Opponents of the parks bonds last week formed a political action committee, or PAC, under the under the name “Citizens for Responsible Spending for Better Parks.”
Susan Ohsfeldt filed the paperwork, designating Steve Malashock as treasurer.
“Our purpose is to apply common sense to the budget for parks and recreation,” Ohsfeldt said.
“I believe that a majority of citizens are unaware there is going to be a bond proposal on the ballot. They are too busy working, going to soccer practice with their kids and other stuff.”
She said her group wants to educate voters about the bond proposal and how it is going to be spent.
“We think it can be done a lot cheaper and more economically, and we should be getting into debt for $13.8 million,” Ohsfeldt said. “That’s a lot of money.”
Another group, named “Yes for West U Parks” was formed Aug. 14. The treasurer is Ray Schutter.
Committee member Janine Schueppert said, “A lot of people have been asking how they could help and get involved in the process. So, we set up the political action committee.”
The group’s website is www.yesforwestuparks.org. Schueppert described it as an easy way to get accurate information.
In addition to Schueppert, the PAC’s supporters are the other members of a Parks Board advisory committee which made recommendations, and fine-tuned, the parks bond plan. They are Russ Schulze, John Neighbors and Mardi Turner. The PAC also includes chairman Charles Nelson, treasurer Schutter and Linda Day.
Day was against the parks bond proposal in 2006.
“This time around, I think they’ve done a wonderful job in trimming back the bond proposal,” Day said.
The “Yes for West U Parks” website has detailed information about the parks plans, pictures of people using West U’s recreation facilities, and a “coming soon” page that will list endorsements by other residents.
There is also a section on frequently asked questions about the parks bonds, which provides a detailed explanation about how the $13.8 million would be spent.
Ohsfelt said the “Responsible Spending” committee, in addition to getting its website ready, is planning to distribute fliers and yard signs opposing the bond proposal.
“We are going to buy yard signs, letting people know there are neighbors who oppose going into debt for $13.8 million,” Ohsfeldt said.
Members of the group plan to go “door to door” with fliers explaining their views on the parks bonds, Ohsfeldt said.
“Some of us are not in agreement about what to put in the fliers. I’m for brevity ... so we still working on those,” she said.
Ohsfeldt said she wants all West U voters to make an informed decision. She points out that not all residents read the City Currents publication provided by the city..
“I think, if they know how much is being proposed on Colonial Park and the Rec Center, they can make a decision on whether it’s too much. They can make a decision for themselves, but it should be an informed decision,” Ohsfeldt said.
Examiner staff reports
For the last several weeks, representatives from the H-E-B Bunker Hill Market, scheduled to open Nov. 7, have been meeting with Memorial neighborhoods.
A team of H-E-B staff has made presentations to the city councils of Bunker Hill, Hedwig and Spring Valley villages, and will continue until they have met with all six Memorial villages.
“We’re very big about community,” said John May, the store’s general manager, at a meeting of Hedwig Village City Council on Aug. 14. “We want everybody to know who we are and recognize our faces so that if you need anything you can approach us knowing we’re here to help.”
At 128,000 square feet, Bunker Hill Market will be the second largest H-E-B in the Houston region. The store will have its own gas station and car wash, as well as a cafe that will feature live bands on weekends.
“We’re bringing the best of H-E-B and the best of Central Market, all under one roof,” said Cyndy Garza-Roberts, community relations coordinator.
Garza-Roberts said Bunker Hill market is different than other H-E-B because it will carry items offered by both H-E-B and Central Market, its sister store.
“It’s also going to have five extra aisles of international products that aren’t offered at any of our other stores,” May said.
Russ Hammond, “perishable leader,” said he runs the most exciting part of the store — the produce, market, deli, seafood and bakery sections.
“The produce department alone will have over 900 varieties of fruits and vegetables from all over the world,” Hammond said. “Our deli department will have over 400 varieties of cheeses from all over the world, and we’ll have over 75 varieties of fresh seafood.”
Mike Kohleffel, center store leader, said the store will carry more than 2,000 types of wine at any given time, and there will be extended cooking and grilling sections.
“Our goal is to get you excited about coming and maybe even tempt you to shop here every day for every meal,” Kohleffel said.
He added there will be a huge organic section and nut grinder, so customers can make their own fresh peanut butter.
The store will have 26 check-out counters.
“We’ll be able to get folks in and out quickly, even with the amount of volume we’re going to have,” said Lori Gilmore, operations manager.
Gilmore oversees a program called Cooking Connection, in which professional chefs give recipes and cooking demonstrations, and share their culinary expertise.
“We’ll have a community room where we’ll do cooking classes,” Gilmore said. “Anyone interested in reserving the room will be able to do so.”
H-E-B has already held several on-site and off-site job fairs. May and his team has been working with the Spring Branch Independent School District to recruit area high school students.
“We want to build a solid partnership with the community,” May said.
The store’s grand opening Nov. 7 will feature live music, free food and activities for all ages.
“We want the community to come see the store, inside and out,” Garza-Roberts said.
So far, May said, local councils have responded positively to the presentations.
At a meeting this week, however, Mayor Michael Andrews of Spring Valley Village voiced concerns about parking and traffic.
“Parking won’t be a problem,” May said. “We have about 370 spots out in the front of the building, which is much more than at any of our other stores.”
Cooking up a place
After more than a decade as executive chef at Tony’s, Olivier Ciesielski left Aug. 28 to pursue a life-long dream of having his own restaurant.
Known by many as “Chef Olivier” (or just Olivier), Ciesielski said he has a concept but no immediate plans for a place of his own. In the interim, he’ll resume with restaurant consulting, catering and services as a private chef.
During his tenure at Tony’s, Ciesielski’s cuisine brought the restaurant national accolades, including Esquire’s “Best New Restaurant” in 2005 and Wine Spectator’s “Best Restaurant in Texas.”
As chef, he especially enjoyed the culinary challenges of customers who had a hankering for a type of food and asked him to prepare something, be it snapper or simply green beans.
For the 2005 rebirth of Tony‘s, Ciesielski developeded a collaborative European menu that married his French roots with modern Italian and even Asian inspirations.
Ciesielski perfected his craft as the sous chef of Michelin three-star restaurant Bernard Loiseau, in the kitchens of France’s leading pastry chef Yves Thuries, and at the celebrated Le Crillon in Paris. He was also personal chef to the Onassis family in Switzerland.
A native of Burgundy, France, he arrived in the U.S. in 1991, where his Houston career began as executive chef at La Colombe D’Or.
Intrigued by the ever-expanding culinary landscape it offers, Ciesielski will continue to make Houston his home.
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