On page 2 of the June 1, 2023 edition of the Leader we incorrectly stated that an email had been sent Bernie. It had actually been sent to Frank. The correction is noted in the online version. We appoligise for the error.
Pony League threatened with lawsuit
Parent alleges funds mishandled, fields subleased
A local parent is threatening legal action against the newly formed South Belt Baseball League and its president Johnny Ramirez, alleging the league was founded by siphoning funds from the competing South Belt Little League and deliberately misleading parents into signing up for the new league. The draft lawsuit further alleges Ramirez subleased the South Belt Baseball League’s fields without proper authority for personal gain.
Tommy Breen said when he signed up his 3-year-old son for T-ball in December 2022, he believed he was joining the South Belt Little League, a tradition dating back roughly 25 years in Breen’s family. Breen, however, had unknowingly signed his son up for the South Belt Baseball League, a new area league begun by Ramirez after he resigned as president of the South Belt Little League Dec. 31, 2022.
“It has come to my attention that the president of the league, Johnny Ramirez, recently left a competing league, South Belt Little League, after resigning from the previous position he took the funds from their account without proper legal authority (See related editorial on Page 2.). Furthermore, there are concerns about unauthorized field subleasing,” Breen recently wrote in a letter to the South Belt Baseball League board of directors. “This letter serves as notice of our intent to initiate a lawsuit against Johnny Ramirez and the South Belt Baseball League board if these matters are not promptly resolved.”
Breen said he speaks on behalf of more than two dozen area parents who share his concerns, adding that many are too intimidated by Ramirez to speak out.
“He’s created an atmosphere of fear,” Breen said. “He calls the police and has parents removed from the fields, or he’ll take it out on the kids and not let them play.”
Breen said the community deserves answers.
“The community has questions that need to be addressed,” Breen said. “We deserve accountability and transparency. I want to know where the money is.”
Breen said he intends to file the lawsuit in the next week if the issues in question are not immediately addressed.
Summer begins for South Belt students
The 2022-2023 school year has come to a close, with all local high schools celebrating the graduations before the Memorial Day holiday.
For Pasadena ISD students, summer school will be broken into two sessions with the first session taking place from June 5 to June 12 and the second taking place from June 13 to June 20. Summer school graduation dates had yet to be determined at press time.
STAAR retesting will take place for Pasadena ISD students June 21 -23.
Several local Pasadena ISD campuses are offering free meals through much of the summer as part of the 2023 as part of the federal Summer Food Service Program.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this program will provide free breakfast and lunch to children ages 18 and younger at participating schools.
Local schools participating in the program include Moore Elementary, 8880 Southbluff; Melillo Middle School, 9220 Hughes Road; Beverly Hills Intermediate, 11111 Beamer; Thompson Intermediate, 11309 Sagedowne; and Dobie High School, 10220 Blackhawk.
Moore will serve breakfast from 7 to 7:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:55 to 11:20 a.m. Dates are Monday through Friday, June 5 through June 29.
Melillo will serve breakfast from 8:40 to 9:05 a.m. and lunch from 11:15 to 11:40 a.m. Dates are Monday through Friday, June 5 through June 23.
Beverly Hills and Thompson will serve breakfast from 7:30 to 8 a.m. and lunch from 11:15 to 11:40 a.m. Dates are Monday through Friday, June 5 through June 16.
Dobie will serve breakfast from 7:50 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dates are Monday through Friday, June 5 through June 20.
Meals will be provided on a first-come first-serve basis.
For more information or for a complete list of times and locations, visit www1.pasadenaisd.org/about/news/current_news/2023_summer_food_service_program_schedule.
Clear Creek ISD
Clear Creek ISD will also provide free meals to children ages 18 and younger at participating schools this summer as part of the federal Summer Food Service Program.
Participating campuses include Stewart Elementary, Clear Creek Intermediate and Clear Creek High School. Like Pasadena ISD, both breakfast and lunch will be served.
For a complete list of dates and times, visit https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1685468131/ccisdnet/dqpfeufhh7pblr9qbolv/CCISD_SummerMeals_2023_English.pdf.
On its website, Clear Crek ISD has a list of summer enrichment acivities for district students. To see the list, visit www.ccisd.net/summer.
Harris County Public Library
Harris County Public Library also has a list of summer activities and reading assignments for area students. To see a list of summer activities, see Page 4 or visit hcpl.net/locations/PW.
Swimming pools
While several subdivisions in the South Belt area have already opened their swimming pools for the summer, the City of Houston had yet to announce its 2023 summer plans at press time, leaving the status of both the Sagemont and Beverly Hills pools unknown.
During the 2022 summer season, most of the city’s swimming pools were closed due to a nationwide lifeguard shortage. The nearest pool to be open in the South Belt area was at Wilson Memorial Park, located at 100 Gilpin near Highway 3 and Edgebrook.
E-mail mynews@southbeltleader.com with news items of interest.