大侠行天下日记 我见我闻我思 0415

為国际区新开商店剪綵

祝贺年轻朋友创业

在休斯敦国际区发展, 是我们努力之重要目标, 随着疫情之渐缓, 社区餐饮生意正在不断復甦之中。

今天我和德州州议员何伯，市议员托姆斯共同代表国际区来到百利大道為雪莉小姐独资开办之法式茶餐室剪綵， 欢迎她参加到国际区大家庭， 雪莉自休斯敦大学毕业之后， 因对饮食文化之热爱， 决定创业开设首家法式餐厅， 她的梦想终于在今天实现。

二十年前， 国际区位於休斯敦西南区可谓一片荒芜之地， 有鍳於新移民之大量涌入， 我和何伯议员发起成立国际区以争取在百利大道及週边各大街道方圆十三哩之地方，向州议会申请為国际区， 当初我们挨家挨户向商家说明， 如果我们要美化街道， 加强治安， 自立更生 ，并希望大家支持成立国际区管理委员会， 要求政府拨出特别预算， 当时在州议会中有许多人反对 ，但経过冗长之讨论终於在一年后通过， 并得到州长及市长之签署而正式成立徳州休斯敦国际区， 每年近一百七十万元之预算， 进行各项加强治安， 改善环境， 招商等工作。

十多年过去了， 今天我和何伯州议员再度在国际区百利大道上為许多新店剪綵， 回首当年我们的艰辛努力，把荒地变成商塲和店家， 心中有无限的安慰和感触 ，虽然我们并未撑握整治国家之大计， 区区一个国际区也算是小兵成大功，為社会尽一份薄力了。

We Cut The Ribbon In The International District

We were so happy to join the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of the Baguette & Tea store on Bellaire Blvd. in the International District yesterday.

Joining us were State Representative Hubert Vo and City Councilwoman Tiffany Thomas and a representative from Commissioner Cagle’s office.

Congratulations to our younger generation for starting a new business after the pandemic. We are seeing that the economy is constantly recovering.

Shirley is the owner of the business. She told me that after she graduated from the university, because she loves the food culture, she decided to open the restaurant and her dream   finally came true today.

Twenty some years ago this location in the southwest part of the city was described as a “deserted place.”   There was a large influx of new immigrants there that had moved in. State representative Hubert Vo and many community leaders initiated the effort to establish a special international zone to promote businesses in the area. After we visited many businesses door-to- door, we got enough petitions to support the international zone. Hubert finally sponsored a bill in the Texas House. After almost one year, we finally got the bill approved to establish the International Management District. Since then, we had a more than $1.7 million dollars budget to strengthen the public security, improve and beautify the streets and attracted more businesses to our district.

Almost twenty years later, Hubert and I walked along the International District again. We felt so proud and comfortable in our hearts. We are like the small soldier trying to build a small community. We saw many people with smiles on their faces in the district. We hope for them the best of success.