02.25.06
Posted in News at 11:35 pm by Paloma Cruz
Poll: 52% of Texans would pay more for schools
– reported by KHOU CBS Channel 11
The majority of Texans, despite being tax leery and skeptical of government spending, are willing to open their wallets to provide more money for public education, according to a new statewide survey.
A poll conducted for The Dallas Morning News shows that 52 percent of Texans say they would pay more in state taxes if the money went to schools, while 39 percent oppose an increase.
[snip]
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02.24.06
Posted in News at 11:09 pm by Paloma Cruz
In TX, One Book, One County, One Controversy
– reported by the Library Journal
Friendswood, TX, a small town outside Galveston, has joined in the Galveston County Reads collective plan to read Mark Haddon’s novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. But the Friendswood mayor isn’t completely happy. On January 23, Mayor Kim Brizendine’s office issued a proclamation at the request of the Friendswood Library director Mary Booker Perroni, encouraging “all citizens, teens to seniors” to read this book. But several community members criticized the profanity in the book, and even the book’s attitudes toward religion. So Brizendine issued a new statement: “[I]t is not my intention to endorse this readership [??] for our younger readers, and it is my belief that this discretion should be left to the parents of our youth. I am personally concerned over some of the substance in this book, and I regret endorsing this text to younger teens. After this proclamation was issued, the Director of the Friendswood Library Services informed me that it was never her intent to recommend this book for younger teens as well.”
One city council member told the Galveston County Daily News that the city “shouldn’t be using taxpayers’ dollars promoting and purchasing a book the community wouldn’t approve of.” However, Perroni told LJ that that the county reading program was funded by private donations. As of the mayor’s statements, most of the 15-plus copies of the book in the Friendswood collection were in the hands of city council members. One writer to the newspaper, the president of the Friends group at the nearby Helen Hall Library, denounced the book’s “very offensive language.” Sandra Sullivan, a member of the Galveston County Reads Project, commented, “Although my use of profanity has not increased since reading the book, my awareness of the labels I use to describe people different from me, and my humanity toward those people, has increased.”
Wow! Who decides what the community would or would not approve of?
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02.23.06
Posted in News at 2:06 am by Paloma Cruz
I’m always amazed by the unique and innovative programming that are held around the corner on a regular basis. Pasadena Public Library is a small system, and they still manage to do some very nice things. Here’s just one.
Library gears up for annual appraisal fair
– reported by the Pasadena Citizen
The “Antiques Road Show” is coming to 1201 Jeff Ginn Memorial Drive.
Well, not quite - but the Pasadena Public Library’s third annual Appraisal Fair on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m. will be close.
[snip]
For those uninitiated to the world of antique collecting, an appraisal fair determines the monetary and historical value of items. From family heirlooms to things culled from a trash bin, people wait in line for qualified appraisers to determine the value each item.
“They take in items and they have to have some idea of what the value of it is for insurance purposes,” said Henderson. “People like Finder’s Keepers (a company specializing in antiques) - they bring along their tools too, they have particular books they use to asses the value of something so they will bring theirs and we will have ours out - so it’s the combination of the two.”
[snip]
In a culture that makes way for the future by removing its past, the fair, said Henderson, could send a more important message to people - to not simply determine a monetary value on an item, but to recognize the historical and emotional value of personal possessions - especially in an unpredictable economy.
[snip]
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Posted in News at 2:01 am by Paloma Cruz
Volunteers needed for city appraisal fair
– reported by the Pasadena Citizen
Volunteer Pasadena, Pasadena’s volunteer organization which has staffed hundreds of community events with volunteers, is currently looking for individuals to help with the city’s appraisal fair which will be held Feb. 26.
[snip]
Those interested in volunteering can contact Peckham at (713) 475-7259.
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02.19.06
Posted in News at 8:24 pm by Paloma Cruz
Fire leaves more than 20 homeless
– reported by KHOU CBS Channel 11
A little girl playing with a lighter is likely what started a Sunday morning apartment fire that left more than 20 people homeless. While only three units of the Texas City apartment complex were damaged in the blaze, the remaining residents were forced to vacate when the electricity to the complex was ordered cut off.
Firefighters were called to the Rancho Santa Maria apartments in the 1600 block of Texas Avenue about 7:45 a.m. Sunday.
Texas City Fire Marshal Kelly Rothrock said the initial investigation indicated a 5-year-old girl was playing with a cigarette lighter on a couch in the apartment living room where the blaze began. The child’s parents were asleep at the time the fire broke out said Rothrock.
[snip]
The City of Pasadena offers education programs to help prevent these kinds of fires.
Public Fire Education Programs can be arranged for speakers and fire apparatus to come to your school, organizational meeting, homeowners’ association, etc., and speak on fire safety. Contact Robert Brown, Fire Education Specialist at 713. 475.4942 to arrange a program.
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Posted in News at 2:41 pm by Paloma Cruz
A few options in Houston to help you on your road to self-improvement, to improve your business or your career (from the Houston Chronicle):
Small Business Development Center
Provides counseling and training to new and established businesses. For events at other locations, contact the sponsoring college for reservations or details. The University of Houston Small Business Development Center, 2302 Fannin, Suite 200, 713-752-8488.
Computer training
Computer skills for business: getting started. Eight-session course beginning Feb. 20: Mondays and Thursdays, noon-3 p.m., or eight-session course beginning Feb. 21, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m., Brazosport College, 120 Circle Way, Lake Jackson. Cost: $79. Registration: 979-230-3600.
Planning
Startup fundamentals module 5: technology. Monday, 6-9 p.m., UH SBDC. Cost: $45.
Do you have what it takes to start a business? Thursday, 6-7:30 p.m., UH SBDC. Cost: no fee.
Starting a business. Thursday, 6-9 p.m., San Jacinto College SBDC, North Campus, 5800 Uvalde. Cost: no fee. Registration:
281-485-5214.
SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business
Live your dream workshops. SCORE and Houston Business Development will present free seminars to help people learn about starting or expanding businesses. Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., Palm Center, 5330 Griggs Road. Information: 713-773-6565 or score37@scorehouston.org.
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Posted in News at 11:32 am by Paloma Cruz
A few listings of activities worth the drive into Houston, from the Houston Chronicle:
Tuesday
After Hours Network — Meeting. 6-8 p.m., Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel, 5353 Westheimer. Speaker: Moritza Day. Topic: Top job-hunting secrets. Cost: $10. Information: Jon King, 713-981-9595 or www.afterhoursnetwork.com.
Houston Area Apple Users Group — Meeting. 7-9 p.m., Montgomery College, 3200 College Park Drive, Conroe. Topic: The Woodlands-area Mac SIG. Cost: Free. Information: www.haaug.org or 713-559-6912.
Thursday
Greater Houston Partnership — Luncheon. Noon-1:30 p.m., Hilton Americas-Houston, 1600 Lamar. Speaker: Harris County Judge Robert Eckels. Topic: State of the county. Cost: $50-$100. Information: Jill Reese, 713-844-3682 or www.houston.org.
Houston Downtown Alliance — Luncheon. 11:30 a.m., Houston Club, 811 Rusk St. Speaker: Kinky Friedman. Topic: 2006 Emerging Leaders Vision luncheon. Cost: $35-$45. Information: 713-658-8938 or www.downtownhouston.org. Lucrezi, 713-973-9936.
Saturday
American Association of University Women — Conference. 8 a.m.-3:15 p.m., The Rice School, La Escuela Rice, 7550 Seuss Drive. Speaker: Beverly Begay, Harris County medical examiner’s office. Topic: Expanding your horizons in science and mathematics. Cost: $6. Information: www.aauw-whc.org.
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02.18.06
Posted in General at 12:09 pm by Paloma Cruz
Monument closed for renovation
The San Jacinto Monument, the world’s largest memorial column, standing 15 feet taller than the Washington Monument, has been undergoing heavy renovations since September to bring the area up to current safety codes and is temporarily closed.
– reported by the Pasadena Citizen
[snip]
n June of 2005, a $2.14 million appropriation was appropriated by the Texas Legislature in order to perform the necessary repairs on the monument, a structure towering over La Porte, Deer Park and Pasadena at 570 feet tall.
Among the things that are set to be repaired is the sprinkler system, upgrading the elevator safety equipment, creating a fire shelter on the observation deck, making safety improvements on the main stairway, and installing fire barriers and doors on the administrative floors.
As the monument, library and theater are all under renovation, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, who manages the monument and the Historic Park grounds, are overseeing renovations to the park that are not covered in the appropriation. Museum staff saw the time opportune to make several upgrades, as the monument could not service guests for months
[snip]
These side renovation projects will include the conservation of specific historical items and about $500,000 in exhibition and display renovation, $10,000 for a computer server, a $13,500 theater screen replacement, and $34,500 worth of additional security measures to protect these priceless Texas collections as well as the guests of the museum and park.
While renovations are underway and expected to be completed in the spring of 2006, the offices for the monument and museum have temporarily moved to the Manlove Marketing and Communications headquarters in Pasadena.
Because the renovations were started in December of 2005, they are expected to be completed in time for the San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Reenactment, which is scheduled for April 22.
[snip]
Though the staff has temporarily moved, they can still be reached via the main office number at (281) 479-2421.
For information on donating to the extra projects to be undertaken at the Monument, contact Spasic at the main office number.
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Posted in News at 12:05 am by Paloma Cruz
M.D. Anderson to open satellite facility in Clear Lake
– reported by the Houston Business Journal
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is planning to open an onsite radiation treatment satellite facility at Christus St. John Hospital in Clear Lake.
The facility is slated to open this fall.
[snip]
The new treatment center will be incorporated into Christus St. John’s recent multimillion-dollar expansion project and will be staffed by M.D. Anderson employees, who are trained and receive professional development from the main campus.
This not the first satellite center for M.D. Anderson. The institution also has remote facilities in Bellaire, The Woodlands, Fort Bend and Lake Jackson, according to a spokeswoman. This will be the first M.D. Anderson facility to serve the Bay Area/Galveston communities.
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02.17.06
Posted in News at 10:06 am by Paloma Cruz
Southmore art students make local, state, national spotlight
– found at Pasadena ISD
Southmore Intermediate School advanced art students recently claimed all of the top spots in the
Texas and Houston-area Ford Motor Company Fund 2005 Hispanic Heritage Art Contest, as well as one student’s artwork advancing to the national competition in Detroit.
Southmore’s Sergio Gutierrez collected the first-place prize in Houston and at the state competition, and William Rojas received second place in both competitions. Ivet Gonzalez was awarded third place in the Houston competition, and Ivan Sanchez claimed fourth place among the Houston winners and received third in the state competition.
Gutierrez advanced to the national competition for placing first in the state. His prize for advancing was an all-expense paid trip to Detroit for he and his parents to attend the awards ceremony as well as to tour the Ford plant and museum.
[snip]
Each fall, The Ford Motor Company Fund and the Houston Chronicle sponsor the Hispanic Heritage Art Contest to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Thecontest is open to fourth through eighth grade students who are asked tosubmit a drawing or painting they feel represents a positive, influential Hispanic along with a short essay describing why they chose that person. The top four artworks in the Houston area are chosen and are placed in competition with the winners from the Dallas and San Antonio areas. Each winner received a Ford Hispanic Heritage Award and Certificate of Merit at a special reception.
[snip]
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