Many readers have written to inquire about my lack of regular posting recently. No, I have not been sick. No, I have not been discouraged. And no, I have not given up the fight. But I have been distracted … in a most pleasant way. By the marriage of my son Kevin to Dr. Aylin (pronounced Eileen) Ulku, a professor of medicine at the University of California. You could say that I’ve been grappling with a different kind of flood, a flood of emotions. But these are all positive.
Dr. Aylin Ulku and Kevin Rehak exchange wedding vows and rings near Santa Cruz, CA.LTC Julian Benton, USAF, officiated.
Two Met in Kigali
In 2010, Aylin began work in Kigali, Rwanda, as an Assistant Clinical Professor for the Yale School of Medicine. Her mission: to assist in medical-education capacity-building within the National University of Rwanda (NUR) School of Medicine. Her work included teaching and supervising Rwandese medical students and residents in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She also revised undergraduate and graduate curricula and training programs. Her interests focus on global health education and training in non-communicable diseases in limited-resource settings. And did I mention? In addition to her MD, this brilliant humanitarian also has a PhD.
Aylin and my son met at an embassy party in Kigali. Kevin was there on a Peace Corps assignment. As he tells the story, he saw her from across the room and made a beeline toward her. They started dating in Rwanda, got engaged in San Francisco, and over the Labor Day weekend, they got married. It was a story-book wedding. On a mountain top near Santa Cruz, among sequoias, flowers, families and friends.
Residing in San Francisco
The two plan to continue living in San Francisco for now. Dr. Ulku’s research and teaching interests take her back to Africa several times each year. Kevin works as a supply chain management consultant in Silicon Valley.
When they’re not traveling for business, Kevin and Aylin travel for pleasure. The two are avid outdoors people. They have hiked the remote reaches of six continents. I could not be happier for these two wonderful people. May they always walk in beauty.
Now…back to the news. And there’s plenty of it.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/10/2019
742 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IMG_0306-e1568149385246.jpeg?fit=1500%2C952&ssl=19521500adminadmin2019-09-10 15:50:162019-09-10 16:11:00A Flood of Emotions
A new video taken by Elm Grove resident Jeff Miller from Webb Street in Porter shows that the Woodridge developer has not yet begun excavating detention pond N1. The area has been cleared and grubbed since long before the May 7th rain that flooded more than 200 homes in Elm Grove and Porter.
Video courtesy of Jeff Miller shows the area within Woodridge Village where detention pond N1 should be.Taken 9/5/19.
This is for the historical record in case any of those tropical depressions brewing in the Gulf or the Atlantic meanders this way. It seems we’ve been here before. Detention Pond S2 had not yet been excavated when the May 7th flood hit. These Perry Homes folks are certainly connoisseurs of edge work.
Posted by Bob Rehak with video from Jeff Miller on 9/6/19.
738 days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/N1.jpg?fit=1500%2C802&ssl=18021500adminadmin2019-09-06 09:23:292019-09-06 09:24:17Miller Video Shows No Construction Progress on Woodridge N1 Detention Pond
My last update on Woodridge construction was 18 days ago and little has changed since then according to Elm Grove resident Jeff Miller who tracks construction progress on the site.
The culvert under the street that connects the northern and southern portions of Woodridge Village is now complete. But the street itself has no concrete or curbs.Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.
According to Miller, “The culvert across Taylor Gully and cement structure around it are complete and ready for the road crew to pave over it.”
The trees that used to separate the northern and southern halves of the development are gone.Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller.
“The clearing continues in the northern section. More trees are laying down and turning brown. I have seen some activity like preliminary marking of the future detention pond N1,” says Miller.
The overflow channel between Taylor Gully and detention pond S2 just north of Village Springs in Elm Grove is being lined with rocks and concrete.Video courtesy of Jeff Miller.Looking west and panning north. This clip shows that the construction company has hydromulched the berm that separates Woodridge Village from Elm Grove. Video courtesy of Jeff Miller.
“The berm, swale and backslope interceptor structures seem to be complete on the southern border with Elm Grove,” continued Miller. “They have sprayed the slopes with a green fertilizer/seed mixture.”
On the plus side, maybe the grass will help prevent more erosion.
Posted by Bob Rehak with help from Jeff Miller
735 Days since Hurricane Harvey and almost 4 months since the Elm Grove flood
The thoughts expressed in this post represent my opinions on matters of public policy and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP statute of the great state of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Culverts-NS-Street-Woodridge.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2019-09-03 10:08:052019-09-04 04:32:53Woodridge Village Construction Near Standstill
A Flood of Emotions
Many readers have written to inquire about my lack of regular posting recently. No, I have not been sick. No, I have not been discouraged. And no, I have not given up the fight. But I have been distracted … in a most pleasant way. By the marriage of my son Kevin to Dr. Aylin (pronounced Eileen) Ulku, a professor of medicine at the University of California. You could say that I’ve been grappling with a different kind of flood, a flood of emotions. But these are all positive.
Two Met in Kigali
In 2010, Aylin began work in Kigali, Rwanda, as an Assistant Clinical Professor for the Yale School of Medicine. Her mission: to assist in medical-education capacity-building within the National University of Rwanda (NUR) School of Medicine. Her work included teaching and supervising Rwandese medical students and residents in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She also revised undergraduate and graduate curricula and training programs. Her interests focus on global health education and training in non-communicable diseases in limited-resource settings. And did I mention? In addition to her MD, this brilliant humanitarian also has a PhD.
Aylin and my son met at an embassy party in Kigali. Kevin was there on a Peace Corps assignment. As he tells the story, he saw her from across the room and made a beeline toward her. They started dating in Rwanda, got engaged in San Francisco, and over the Labor Day weekend, they got married. It was a story-book wedding. On a mountain top near Santa Cruz, among sequoias, flowers, families and friends.
Residing in San Francisco
The two plan to continue living in San Francisco for now. Dr. Ulku’s research and teaching interests take her back to Africa several times each year. Kevin works as a supply chain management consultant in Silicon Valley.
When they’re not traveling for business, Kevin and Aylin travel for pleasure. The two are avid outdoors people. They have hiked the remote reaches of six continents. I could not be happier for these two wonderful people. May they always walk in beauty.
Now…back to the news. And there’s plenty of it.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/10/2019
742 Days after Hurricane Harvey
Miller Video Shows No Construction Progress on Woodridge N1 Detention Pond
A new video taken by Elm Grove resident Jeff Miller from Webb Street in Porter shows that the Woodridge developer has not yet begun excavating detention pond N1. The area has been cleared and grubbed since long before the May 7th rain that flooded more than 200 homes in Elm Grove and Porter.
This is for the historical record in case any of those tropical depressions brewing in the Gulf or the Atlantic meanders this way. It seems we’ve been here before. Detention Pond S2 had not yet been excavated when the May 7th flood hit. These Perry Homes folks are certainly connoisseurs of edge work.
Posted by Bob Rehak with video from Jeff Miller on 9/6/19.
738 days after Hurricane Harvey
Woodridge Village Construction Near Standstill
Construction progress on the Woodridge Village site has nearly ground to a crawl. After:
…Perry Homes should rename Woodridge Village the Village of the Damned (after the 1960 horror movie). What possesses these people!
Construction Update
The development is reportedly still months behind schedule. That may have something to do with more than 200 lawsuits against the developer.
My last update on Woodridge construction was 18 days ago and little has changed since then according to Elm Grove resident Jeff Miller who tracks construction progress on the site.
According to Miller, “The culvert across Taylor Gully and cement structure around it are complete and ready for the road crew to pave over it.”
“The clearing continues in the northern section. More trees are laying down and turning brown. I have seen some activity like preliminary marking of the future detention pond N1,” says Miller.
“The berm, swale and backslope interceptor structures seem to be complete on the southern border with Elm Grove,” continued Miller. “They have sprayed the slopes with a green fertilizer/seed mixture.”
On the plus side, maybe the grass will help prevent more erosion.
Posted by Bob Rehak with help from Jeff Miller
735 Days since Hurricane Harvey and almost 4 months since the Elm Grove flood
The thoughts expressed in this post represent my opinions on matters of public policy and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP statute of the great state of Texas.