InstantNewsWestU.com

West U. Doctor Accused Of Prescription Drug Dealing

A doctor who lives in West University Place allegedly accepted $14,000 per month to sign pads of blank prescriptions that authorities say were used in a “pill clinic” drug-dealing operation, according to court documents.
Dr. Christina Joy Clardy, who lives in a $1.6 million house in the 6600 block of Sewanee Avenue, now faces a felony [...]

White Talks To Bellaire Rotarians About Border Security, More

As the FBI yesterday searched for El Paso gang members to gather clues about the weekend murders of three Americans in Mexico, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White gave his opinions on drug violence and border security to a small group of Bellaire residents in an intimate setting.
White talked to about 40 members of the Bellaire/Southwest [...]

Houston Cancer Prevention Groups Get $3.5 Million

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) awarded $3.5 million to five Houston area organizations to fund cancer prevention programs that will reach under-served populations and geographic areas of Texas.
Rep. Ellen Cohen, D-West University Place, served as the House sponsor of the bill creating the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.
“Seeing the [...]

Gas Prices Rose Nearly 7 Cents Last Week

Average retail gasoline prices in the Houston area have risen another 6.8 cents per gallon over the past week, now averaging $2.62 per gallon.
This compares with the national average that has increased 3.8 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.78 per gallon, according to gasoline price website HoustonGasPrices.com.
Including the increases during the past [...]

After 10 Years, Parks Fundraiser Group Changing Leaders

A community leader who for 10 years has lead the charge to revitalize parks in West University Place will step down from her position within the next few months, handing the reigns to another woman whom friends describe as a passionate parks supporter.
Joni Hruska Fichter has been the face of the Friends of West University [...]

HISD Plans Expansion For Virtual School

The HISD Board of Education voted last week to expand the Texas Connections Academy to include 9th and 10th grades for the next school year. TCA is a partnership between HISD and its virtual school partner, Connections Academy.
The Texas Connections Academy at Houston began operating a free, full-time, statewide virtual school [...]

2009 Crime Dropped Overall, But Some Types Increased

An analysis of 2009 crime in West University Place shows an overall decrease compared to 2008, but some individual categories like vehicle thefts, car burglaries and non-residential building burglaries saw increases.
InstantNewsWestU requested copies of the West U. Police Department’s 2008 and 2009 Uniform Crime Reports, which contain statistics that local police departments submit to the [...]

Crimewise, Quiet Week Passes In West U.

The West University Place Police Department was fairly quiet last week, with the most excitement coming from assisting Friday’s gas-tanker accident in Bellaire. Besides that incident, there were few crime reports.
The incidents reported to West U. police from March 7 to 15 include:

On March 7, a resident found a bicycle in the 3700 block of [...]

Road-Raged Man Points Gun After Tanker-Truck Traffic

After road rage spiraled him out of control during Friday’s massive traffic snarl, a Bellaire man faces two to 20 years in prison for allegedly pulling a gun on another driver who made him angry.
“We’re just glad no one was injured and we were able to get him in custody without him [...]

Commission Smiles On Shipley Rezoning Request

With the two most hesitant members absent and another voluntarily recusing himself for conflict of interest, those remaining on the West University Place Zoning and Planning Commission on Thursday voted 4-0 to give preliminary approval on a rezoning application for the Shipley Donuts site on Kirby Drive.
The commission’s recommendation to approve the rezoning application is [...]

Loop 610 Closed After Gas Tanker Flips, Leaks

The Bellaire Police Department is warning the public to avoid driving through Bellaire near Loop 610 after a gasoline tanker carrying 7,200 gallons of fuel overturned late this morning, causing emergency personnel to close all northbound and southbound lanes.
“A random spark or anything could cause an explosion or pretty major fire,” said Bellaire’s Assistant Police [...]

Harris County Wins State, National Awards For Financial Openness

In the past week, Harris County has won state and national awards that commend it for making county financial information freely available on the Internet.
First, the county learned the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts awarded Harris County the Gold Leadership Circle Award for efforts to make its finances open and accessible to county residents. Next, [...]

Flood Control District Fights Release Of Bellaire Bridge Drainage Study

A drainage study about the impact of more flood water coming from the new-and-improved drainage systems in West University Place and Bellaire Boulevard “should be withheld from public disclosure,” according to a memorandum brief by Assistant Harris County Attorney Mitzi Turner.
InstantNewsWestU requested a copy of the drainage study from the Harris County Flood Control District [...]

West U. Researcher Identifies Cost-Effective Cancer Test

A researcher from West University Place recently co-author a study that identifies the most cost-effective method of detecting bladder cancer, which could decrease costs and cut the number of false positives that sometimes result in emotional distress and unnecessary procedures.
Dr. Ashish Kamat lives in the 2900 block of Tangley Road and works as an associate [...]

Safety Tips During Census Time

With U.S. Census questionnaires set to begin arriving in mailboxes early next week, Harris County officials want to ensure that residents know what to expect as the 2010 Census gets fully under way. Several tips will help residents avoid becoming the victims of potential scams.
“As the third-largest county in the nation, our communities stand to [...]