For West University Place residents, Tuesday’s trash, recycle, and yard waste collection is scheduled to be collected on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Bellaire residents, meanwhile, can expect recycling for sections A, C, and D, and limbs and brush for section B to be collected as scheduled.
In the Meyerland area, the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston, which announced it would close its facilities through Tuesday, Sept. 14, will reopen on Wednesday, Sept. 15.
UPDATE (11:10 a.m., Sept. 14): The cities of Bellaire and West University Place continue to keep their facilities closed for non-essential services through Tuesday, Sept. 14, according to morning updates from the city websites.
Meanwhile, staff from each city are assessing the damage left by Hurricane Nicholas.
West University residents are urged to call the city's non-emergency phone line for reports of debris in the roadway blocking lanes of traffic or sidewalks at 713-668-4441. Bellaire residents are urged to call the city's police department non-emergency line at 713-668-0487.
Nicholas was upgraded from a tropical storm to a category one hurricane late on Sept. 13 but was later downgraded back to a tropical storm by the National Weather Service. According to CenterpointEnergy's online tracker, over 377,000 customers still remain without power.
(5:34 p.m., Sept. 13): The cities of West University Place and Bellaire have closed all public city facilities and canceled their Monday, Sept. 13, City Council meetings, ahead of anticipated heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Nicholas.
Both cities closed their facilities at 2 p.m. on Sept. 13 for nonessential services through Tuesday, Sept. 14, and they each also canceled City Council meetings that were both scheduled for 6 p.m., according to the cities’ websites.
Both cities have also suspended solid waste services for Tuesday, Sept. 14. Services like these are scheduled to resume on Wednesday, Sept. 15, though this might change depending on the residual effects of the tropical storm.
Meanwhile, the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston also announced it would close its facilities at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 13, with closures extending through Tuesday, Sept. 14. The facilities are scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, Sept. 15.
The Texas Department of Transportation is also urging motorists to avoid travel if conditions worsen with the tropical storm. The department has been clearing drain inlets, checking fixed water pump stations, and working with all project contractors to make sure inlets are cleared and equipment, materials, and traffic control devices are secured.
"We are encouraging all motorists to maintain weather and situational awareness, not just today, but throughout the duration of this year’s active hurricane season,” said Raquelle Lewis, Southeast Texas communications and public information director for the Texas Department of Transportation, in a Sept. 13 news release. “Please avoid unnecessary travel if conditions worsen, drive to conditions by slowing down and driving carefully, and avoid high water.”
The closures come as Tropical Storm Nicholas is expected to drop between 6-12 inches of rainfall in the area, with a moderate risk of flash floods, according to the National Weather Service.
