Blog entries - July 2009

Alvin Hike and Bike Trail to Expand

Daphne Hager — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Good news for Lakes of Savannah outdoors lovers: the hike and bike trail from the Bob S. Owen Aquatic Center in Alvin will soon be extended to South Street.

The $575,000 renovations of the trail, approved by City Council earlier this month, are anticipated to heighten the quality of life and pleasure in the Alvin area.

About the Construction

The new section will be constructed on the West side of Mustang Bayou, and will be slightly longer than half a mile and will be combined with the existing stretch from Alvin's historic train depot to the aquatic center, making the finished trail 1.35 miles. Hikers and Bikers can expect a 10-foot wide trail with 2-foot buffers on each side.

The project is being funded through a Texas Department of Transportation grant from the Intermodal Surface Transportation and Efficiency Act of 1991 and Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. Alvin applied for the grant in 1999.

Construction of the trail will only add to Lakes of Savannah's convenient access to numerous greenbelt trails, parks, and various amenities. As the season finally cools down into the Autumn months and training for marathons and bike rides commence, these newly paved paths will soon be dotted with Houston area athletes!

Back to School in Alvin I.S.D

Daphne Hager — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Lakes of Savannah parents will soon have school on their mind, as the Alvin ISD 2009-2010 school year kicks off on August 25th. We hope to bring our community a bundle of resources for the new school year:

New Students/Enrollment

If your child is new to Lakes of Savannah and Alvin ISD, registration is an easy process. Simply assess which school your child will attend (Lake of Savannah students attend Savannah Lakes Elementary, Nolan Ryan Junior High, and Manvel High School), and call that particular school's registrar to set up a registration appointment.

Savannah Lakes Elementary: 281-245-3214
Nolan Ryan Junior High: 281-245-3221
Manvel High School: 281-245-2272

New registrants must have shot records and a previous transcript/report card or birth certificate bearing the county clerk's seal for Kindergartners.

More information on PreK and Kindergarten Round Up can be found here.

Bus Schedules

To find your child's bus stop, use this online Alvin ISD Bus Finder.

School Supplies

View the Elementary School Supply List.

Secondary students do not have a required list, as their study habits and preferences should be developing. They are expected to be prepared, and it is suggested that they wait until after the first day of school to make an assessment on what each teacher will need.

School Calendar

Most importantly, parents need to know when students will be in and out of school. View the Alvin ISD 2009-2010 school year calendar.

Good luck to all Lakes of Savannah students and parents; the community wishes you a productive, fun-filled year!

Lennar Summer Promotion

Cheryl Boe — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Lennar is making summer home buying a little bit more exciting with a special incentive that enables buyers to choose between three generous options when purchasing their new home.

For a limited time, Lennar is offering buyers th e opportunity to choose one of the following:

$3,000 in closing costs paid by Lennar;A Rainbow Play System in their backyard, or A front load washer and dryer

A part of the summer promotion, “There’s No Place Like Lennar” the builder is offering this in all of its Houston area communities including master-planned Lakes of Savannah.

The offer applies to Lennar homes that sell between July 6, 2009 and July 19, 2009 and close by August 31, 2009. Lennar New Home Consultants have complete details on the promotion. Visit any Lennar model and sales office in any Friendswood Development Company or Trailwood community. Model homes and sales offices are open daily.

ACC offers classes for Pearland/Alvin residents of all ages

Cheryl Boe — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Kids College Activities Set

The Pearland Center of Alvin Community College, located close to home for residents in Lakes of Savannah, is offering a full slate of summer classes and activities that will appeal to everyone from kids to seniors. Following is a list of scheduled activities an d classes:

Alvin Community College will be hosting Busy Bodies Kids’ College at the Pearland Center on July 20-23 at the center, 2319 N. Grand Blvd. Children entering kindergarten through the sixth grade for the 2009-10 school year are eligible to participate in numerous classes.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn skills in art, sports, investigation, cheerleading, history and social interaction.Registration is held Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the new Enrollment Services Center on the main campus in Building A. Deadline to register for each sessi on is four working days prior to the first day of the session. Registration must be done in person.The cost per child is $95 per session and T-shirts can be purchased for $10 each while supplies last. For more information, call special events coordinator Rhonda Myers at 281-756-3729.

Life story writing class offered to older adults
Area residents who are 50 and older can learn how to write their life’s story with a class offered by the college starting July 15.

The class will be held at the main campus 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through July 29. The cos t is $20. To register, call 281-756-3787.

The college will host its annual new student orientation July 30. It will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the gym. Speakers will provide tips and advice for making the most of college, advisers will be available and tours of the campus will be given. For more informati on, call 281-756-3531.

Digital photography course scheduled
The college’s continuing education department is offering a class in digital photography.

It will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 21 and July 28 at the main campus, 3110 Mustang Road. The cost is $60. To register, call 281-756-3787.

Learn to research family roots
Learn the basic concepts of researching a family tree, including identifying the techniques and sources for the compilation and preparation of family trees and records, with a class offered at the college.

The class will meet Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. from July 28 to Aug. 11.
To register, call 281-756-3787.

Lakes of Savannah Residents Have Alvin Aquatics Club Close to Home

Cheryl Boe — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Close to home for residents in Lakes of Savannah is the Alvin Aquatic Club which recently wrapped up another successful summer season, with plans in place to launch the fall season. A part of the Coastal Cities Aquatic Association league, the Gators continue to build on their growing program and are sending a number of swimmers to the upcoming regional and state meets.

Practices are held indoors at nearby Alvin High School. The organization, which offers swimming, diving and water polo, is open to all ages.

The Alvin Aquatic Club’s competitive swim team is open to swimmers of all ages. The youth team is designed for swimmers ages 5 to 18 and the adult team is for those swimmers 19 and up. Anyone can participate as long as they are able to swim 25 yards un-assisted. The program is designed to develop the skills necessary for competitive swimming in a fun and cha llenging environment. Swimmers will be taught all 4 strokes: backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, freestyle, as well as, proper starts and flip turns.

The club also offers athletes the opportunity to play in a competitive water polo league as well as springboard diving clinics.

Located minutes from home for Lakes of Savannah residents, the Alvin Aquatic Club is one of many events and activities that take place in the surrounding Pearland/Alvin area. For more information on the club and to check upcoming events, visit www.alvinaquaticclub.org.

Pearland Welcomes Another New Hotel

Cheryl Boe — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

The growth of the Pearland area is evident in the increase number of new businesses including another new hotel just off SH 288, minutes from Lakes of Savannah. Sleep Inn & Suites Pearland celebrated its grand opening recently with a ceremony hosted by General Manager Neil Bhakta and attended by Pearland Mayor Tom Reid and numerous representatives from area businesses and the Pearland Chamber of Commerce.

Sleep Inn & Suites Pearland, a 66-room facility located a 1908 Country Place Parkway near the Highway 288 McHard exit, offers 24-hour front desk service, complimentary breakfast, complimentary local and long distance calls, high-speed internet access (both wired and wireless) and free parking.

The facility has conference rooms, laundry facilities, a pool, spa and exercise room. A high-ceiling lobby and adjacent breakfast area were designed for the business or leisure traveler.

Sleep Inn & Suites is a three-story hotel with single and double occupancy and suites as well as handicap-access rooms or rooms with the business traveler in mind replete with multi-line phones and desks. Rooms are equipped with 32-inch flat screen televisions, MP3 alarm clocks, refrigerators and microwaves.

Sleep Inn & Suites is the latest hotel chain to open a facility in Pearland in the last six years, joining Hampton Inn, Spring Hill Suites by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and La Quinta Inn.

The growth along SH 288 has provided a number of added conveniences for residents of Lakes of Savannah, located off SH 288 at SH 6. Now, residents are minutes away from world class health care facilities, retail centers, restaurants and recreation.

Pearland Plans for New Senior Living Center

Melissa Burnham — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

A local Friendswood company has officially declared the development of a new senior living facility in Pearland. Trinity Terrace will be built on the old Jamison Farm property, and will be completed by the spring of 2010.

TrinityCare Senior Living, Inc., developer of Trinity Oaks, a sister facility in Friendswood, decided to build a second care facility due to the high demand in the area. Trinity Oaks is classified as a Type A facility where residents remain physically and mentally capable of taking care of themselves, but the new Trinity Terrace will be a Type B facility. Residents of Trinity Terrace will be provided with the extra care they cannot maintain for themselves. A dedicated memory center will be established within the facility for those residents who have early dementia issues and Alzheimer’s, said Donald W. Sapaugh, Chairman and Chief Executive of TrinityCare Senior Living, Inc.

Trinity Terrace will be an 87-unit, $10 million facility and will employ about 40 full-time staff members when completed. The 62,000 square feet facility will sit on just over five acres approximately 250 feet from FM 518. The Fort Worth firm of GHLA architects, designers of over 50 senior living facilities, have also designed Trinity Terrace. Sapaugh is in the process of evaluating bids from three area construction firms. He expects the funding to be in place in 90-120 days followed by nine months of construction.

TrinityCare Senior Living develops, owns, and manages quality senior living facilities that focus on enriching the faith of the residents and providing state-of-the-art independent living, assisted living, memory care and adult day care services in a single location. The Company partners with local churches and developers for each facility and offers a wide range of both community and personal services to residents. TrinityCare is a rapidly growing company with three successful facilities currently operating in Texas and Tennessee.

"We've been in Pearland/Friendswood since 1980 and we feel very comfortable that this facility will provide needed services and jobs to the area," Sapaugh said.

Source: Pearland Journal

Twitter Cities

Melissa Burnham — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Social networking has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years, a technological testimony to the new generation’s “need-to-know-it-now” philosophy. But this trend is no longer only for the young and restless. Businesses and cities across the nation have decided to take advantage of the information messaging power these networks harbor.

One city in particular is Manvel, which has recently added a Twitter account within their information technology department. The 140 max character text-based updates allow the city to keep citizens and residents better informed of city news, road closings and public safety. Posting each Tweet takes mere seconds and allows people to remain constantly updated on community events.

Pearland had also made moves to follow this trend, with their own Police Department steadfastly using Facebook and MySpace primarily to help recruit new officers.

“Just posting a flyer up in a police academy is just not able to reach as many people as we’d like,” said Pearland police Lt. Onesimo Lopez, who oversees the police department’s administrative services division. “By using the Internet, we’re able to reach thousands of people all across the country.”

“We’re aware that we’re in a technologically advanced society,” he continued. “We’re just trying to utilize some of that technology for our own benefit.”

Ethan Bell, the innovator of Manvel’s Twitter account, drew his inspiration from neighboring Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, which uses the network service to provide critical information to its residents, namely to alert people of emergencies like recent swine flu outbreak or an approaching hurricane.

The benefits of social networking within governmental networks are noteworthy, which may lead to more city departments creating their own Twitter or Facebook accounts.

“Anything that gives you an advantage or at least keeps you even with the competition is something that’s got to be a good thing,” said Pearland City Manager Bill Eisen.

Source: Houston Chronicle