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Rice

Military

NewsletterJune 2010

your source for

neighborhood news

Quarterly Meeting

Presentation on

Super Neighborhood 22

Transportation Master Plan

along the

Washington Avenue Corridor

Wednesday, July 14

7 pm

St. Luke Baptist Church

714 Detering St.

Native Garden Plantings at The WOW Roundabout

by Phyllis Thomason

On a clear, cool, and brightSaturday morning in April, a group of

Rice Military neighborhood volunteers

met to plant the initial offering of our

native garden species as we enter the

second phase of plantings at The WOW

Roundabout! While The WOW

Roundabout furnished the plants, eachneighborhood surrounding the

roundabout was responsible for planting

and will be responsible for watering the

new plants by hand until they are

established. By using plants native to

our area, hand watering will only be

necessary during extensive dry periods.

With gloves and shovels inhand, Paul Hesson, Joe McKee, B. J.

Smith, and Patrick McIlvain (he says his

roots are still in Rice Military!) joined

me for a couple of hours as we designed

and installed the first phase of the Rice

Military Native Garden at The WOW

Roundabout. A big thanks goes to these

ladies and gentlemen who gave their

time and energy to the neighborhood!

I invite you to take some time,walk over to the roundabout, and enjoy

the changes that have taken place.

The WOW Roundabout board isnow moving forward with a capital

campaign to complete the project with

the installation of the light sculpt

created by local artist Tim Glover.

works grace some of Houstons f

public venues, including his Hea

Nature at University of Hous

Recreation and Wellness Center. Gl

teaches at the High School for

Performing and Visual Arts and board member of Buffalo

ArtPark.

Glovers Light Gardconsists of three light towers org

and tree-like with intertwined,

reaching brushed steel arms capped

glowing LED orbs. With this dram

up-lighting, the structures at night

create a tiara of light above

roundabout, visible from

approaches. With this artwork in p

and the continued addition to the

native gardens, The WOW Rounda

will be one of Houstons m

recognized landmarks.

Funding for this project cofrom charitable organizati

corporations, community busine

and individuals like you and me.

WOW Roundabout is seeking

generous arts benefactor for

sculpture as well as small and l

donations for paving bricks, bould

landscaping, and perpetual care. If

or someone you know might

interested in contributing to

completion of this beautification pro

please email info@wowroundabout

If you wish to receive fur

information on our Naming Ri

P r o g r a m , e m a

pt@wowroundabout.org.

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Rice Military Civic Club 2010 Membership Form

$20 Household Membership $5 Senior Membership

$30 Business Membership I would like to donate $____ extra for community outreach!

Name ____________________________________ Address _____________________________________

Telephone _________________________________ Email _______________________________________

Contact me about local volunteer opportunities Send me the newsletter by email only

Mail this form to PO Box 130311, Houston TX 77219 or pay online at www.RiceMilitary.org

by Christopher McCarty

We often hear on the news

ground-level ozone warning and

eldom pay attention. What is

ground-level ozone? Where is it

ound? What causes it? How does it

ffect us? What can we do to help

educe it?

Ozone is a colorless gas that is

variety of oxygen. Oxygen consists

of two oxygen atoms while ozone

onsists of three. Ground-level ozone

s one of the main components of

mog, which is formed by the

nteraction of hydrocarbonsunburned or evaporated gasoline)

nd nitrogen oxides in the presence of

unlight.

Stratospheric ozone (in the

upper atmosphere) is known as the

ozone layer and protects our health by

hielding us from the sun's damaging

ultraviolet rays. However, ground-

evel ozone (tropospheric ozone) is a

pollutant with highly toxic effects. It is

health hazard causing damage tohuman health, the environment,

rops, and a wide range of natural

nd artificial materials.

Ground-level ozone comes

rom the breakdown (oxidation) of

volatile organic compounds found in

olvents. It is also a product of

reactions between chemicals that are

produced by burning coal, gasoline,

other fuels, and the chemicals found

in paints and hair sprays. Oxidation

occurs readily in the presence of

sunlight. Motor vehicles and

industries are major sources of

pollutants that cause ground-level

ozone. Ozone that is close to theground can cause eye irritation,

headaches, coughing, impaired lung

function, and eye, nose, and throat

irritation. Asthmatics and children are

most at risk. The chance of

experiencing adverse health eff

from elevated ozone levels incre

during heavy exercise or outd

activity. Ground-level ozone can

damage trees, plants, and redvisibility.

Here are some things you do daily to help reduce ozone lev

Try to incorporate them into y

daily life, especially on ozone warn

days which are most often days w

temperatures above 90 degrees:

avoid idling your motor veh

excessively;

conserve energy and recycle;

do not refuel your vehicle or lmower on ozone warning day

you must refuel, do so after d

remember that sunlight as

ozone-forming reactions;

keep your vehicle well tuned;

limit driving: carpool, walk, ri

bicycle, and combine trips;

start charcoal with an ele

lighter or a newspaper-fu

"chimney" instead of lighter flu

use public transportation.

Understanding ground-lozone and incorporating sm

changes to our daily lives can not o

help us protect ourselves but

reduce unhealthy levels of ozon

our environment.

Ground-Level Ozone Safety Awareness

http://www.ricemilitary.org/http://www.ricemilitary.org/http://www.ricemilitary.org/http://www.ricemilitary.org/http://www.ricemilitary.org/

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by Monica Savino

Houstons rapidly changingbuilt environment is something we

ll are reminded of each time weeave town for a week or so. Weeturn and sometimes dontecognize our own neighborhoodbecause a new building suddenlyppeared or disappeared while we

were gone. It does seem that re-development occurs very quickly,

nd while we acquire something inhe newness, we have also lost aremendous amount of history in

he neighborhoods alongWashington Avenue. The latestpotential victim to rapid re-development is the Doris MillerCenter at 5216 Feagan Street,ormerly Doris Miller Elementary

School. Seemingly contemporary,he school is historic on manyevels.

Designed by architectRobert Talley and built in 1957 by

HISD, the school is a wonderfulnd compact example of late 1950snternational Style. Innovative at

the time, the structural system ismade of poured in place concreteframe, with natural and glazedbrick infill walls and an articulatedroof edge. The style was commonduring the 1950s as constructionin the state boomed and Texasschool districts built many newschools for black students duringthe finals years of segregation after

Brown vs. Board of Education.These schools were small, this one

designed for no more than students because they wereserve only the African-Amerstudents in the neighborhood.

The Doris Miller Centcomplex of classrooms, entry, cafetorium are a neat compositioasymmetric yet balanced volumThe entry is open and welcomas nature almost enters the build

with a planting wall and exten

The Built Expression of Our Modern History: The Doris Miller Center

continued on p

Share Your News We welcome your news, photosand editorials. We reserve theright to edit for clarity, style, andlength. Send questions andc o n t r i b u t i o n s t o

News@RiceMilitary.org. Articlesand ads do not necessarily reflecthe views of the Rice MilitaryCivic Club, nor does the CivicClub take responsibility forerrors of fact that may beexpressed by the writers andadvertisers.

Wendy Wilkinson,

editor

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roof frame. Modern schools arehighly legible meaning that theexterior gives us clues to theprogram within. For example,one readily identifies thec l a s s r o o m w i n g , t h eadministration areas, as one canidentify the assembly wing at theelementary school.

Many schools built duringthis time were expressions of ourmodern, post-war ideals as theyprovided greatly improvededucational