Newsmakers for June 25: Emergency management, Emancipation Park and Alzheimer's disease

Tropical Storm Cindy heightened the regions’ awareness about being prepared for hurricane season. Francisco Sanchez Jr. is the public information officer for the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and says Cindy was the closest call we’ve had since Hurricane Ike.

He says the massive influx of new people made this week’s increased readiness very important.

“It’s been quite a while, going on ten years almost,” he said. “We’ve had new staff. Our emergency management partners have had new staff. There are new people to the region, so it was a really good time to test those plans, put people in a real world scenario that they hadn’t been in a while and do that in a real life scenario.”

Also

State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, and his family have lived in the Third Ward since 1912 which makes the recent dedication of the renovated Emancipation Park very special.

It was the first public park in Houston and was founded by slaves who had been freed seven years after being freed seven years earlier. Coleman talks about the historical significance of the park then and now, and about his opposition to most of the legislation scheduled for the upcoming special legislative session.

And

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. Richard Elbein is the CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association of Houston and Southeast Texas and says it is very important for all of us to recognize Alzheimer’s as a disease and to take the appropriate steps when needed.

”When people see changes in a loved one where they’re changing their cognitive abilities. They’re forgetting things, maybe they’re confused about time and place or getting lost they shouldn’t just assume that’s what happens when people get old.” Elbein says that while there is no cure, there are things that can be done to maintain a healthy brain and talks about them on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall.

More info

  • Francisco Sanchez, Jr., 713-426-9577, www.readyharris.org
  • Garnet Coleman, (D) State Rep. Dist 147,  713-520-5355 , www.garnetcoleman.com http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=147
  • Richard Elbein, CEO Alzheimer’s Association, Houston/Southeast Texas , 800-272-3900 www.alz.org