Blog entries - June 2009

Pearland Plans Trip to China

Melissa Burnham — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Have you always wanted to travel and explore the world, but never got around to it? Well, now is your chance.

The Pearland Chamber of Commerce is planning a nine-day business and culture field trip to China, and anyone who is interested is welcome to come.

The trip, which isn’t until November 14th, was organized as an opportunity for members of the Chamber of Commerce and any Pearland residents to learn about the Chinese culture and its business practices. “The world has become smaller with many companies doing business internationally, and China is an important and recently opened market,” said Chamber President, Carol R. Artz.

Many fun, exciting adventures are planned, including visits to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Shanghai and much more. For more business applications, a conference is scheduled as well as the opportunity to meet Chinese business owners. If anyone is interested in a particular Chinese business or industry, arrangements can also be made to learn more information.

The total price for the trip is $1,899 for chamber members and $1,999 for all other travelers. Included in the list price is round-trip airfare from Los Angeles International Airport (transportation to and from the airport is each person’s responsibility), five- and four-star hotel accommodations, three full meals a day, daily sightseeing tours, deluxe bus transportation, English-speaking guides, admission to tourist attractions and all airport taxes.

Although the trip is still five months away, the chance to visit a new and exciting place will not last forever. If you are interested attending, and wish to register or learn more about this opportunity, please call 281-485-3634, email carolartz@pearlandchamber.org or visit the chamber website at www.pearlandchamber.com.

Source: Houston Chronicle

Pearland Goes Pink

Daphne Hager — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

If you see a hot pink toilet in your front yard, don’t worry; it’s not a prank. It’s the ‘mascot’ for Pearland Neighborhood Center king and queen candidates Lisa Vitalle and Christian Corl’s charity fundraiser, “Royally Flushed.”

The fundraiser works like this: whoever finds themselves as the lucky person with a pink toilet in their yard can then pay to have it moved to any other yard in the Pearland community. The proceeds are donated to The Pearland Neighborhood Center, which operates the “Head Start Program” and local food pantry along with several other social services for those in need and less fortunate in the Pearland area. The other candidates are Judy and Chris Berno and John and Dana Hundley.

The candidate’s efforts to raise funds go towards becoming the next Pearland king and queen. The winners will be coronated at the 10th annual PNC ball this August on the 21st at the ZaZa hotel. Don Nelson of ABC 13 News will host the event as the MC.

Who knows? Maybe the next yard to go pink will be in the Lakes of Savannah community. For more information, visit www.pncball.com.

Article and Image Source: Pearland Journal

Texas Highway 6: How do You Want it to Look?

Daphne Hager — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Lakes of Savannah Community residents will have a rare opportunity to put in their own thoughts about the upcoming redesigning of Texas 6 around Manvel. Although the improvements will originate in the Manvel area, the impact of the road extends beyond and will have an impact on residents living in and around Manvel.

The city will be hosting an open house and survey this Thursday, June 11th to gather input on the new development planned for the highway. The information will be used to help create a general overlay district for the roadway, which is planned for a specific area and supersedes the existing zoning regulations.

The expansion of the roadway extends beyond the Manvel area, fronting the Lakes of Savannah community. “We’re very happy that the Manvel City government is just as concerned with the opinions and feedback from residents living in Lakes of Savannah, who use the road daily,” said Misty Watkins, Marketing Director for Lakes of Savannah.

Marsh Darcy Partners, Inc., the Houston-based planning, development, and real estate services firm will be organizing the event, led by senior planner David Jones and Manvel Mayor Delores Martin.

Residents who attend will be asked to take part in a ‘visual preference survey’ where they will view several categories of pictures each representing different developmental plans, such as building placement, sidewalks, signage, color pallets and park locations. The survey will be able to give more concrete direction for Marsh Darcy when beginning the development, since the area has ‘unlimited potential.

“The reason you care as a resident is because you get to take part in ensuring that the city maintains your values,” Jones said. “You get to help facilitate change in a direction that maintains the vision that you have for your city. Instead of just having hap hazard type development come in and different types of development with different materials that aren’t very aesthetically pleasing, you get to have a say in that.”

Mayor Martin asks: “How do you want it to look? Set it now. Don’t wait until it comes and then say you don’t like it. [It’s] your choice.”

The meeting will last from 7pm to 9pm at the Church of the Harvest on 7505 Wilson Drive in Manvel. View the full article at Houston Chronicle for more information.

HUD Secretary Donvan Unveils New Details on Home Buyer Tax Credit

Cheryl Boe — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

In a recent speech before the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Board of Directors, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan today unveiled new rules that will help spur the housing market by allowing consumers to use the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit to help cover the costs of closing on an FHA-insured home.

“We believe this is a real win for everyone,” said Donovan. “Today, the Obama Administration is taking another important step toward accelerating the recovery of the nation’s housing market. Families will now be able to apply their anticipated tax credit toward their home purchase right away.”

“With the spring home buying season in full bloom, Secretary Donovan’s move to enable buyers to access the tax credit at the time of closing could not have come at a better time,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. “This new rule will further encourage state housing finance agencies to develop programs to monetize the tax credit.”

source: The National Association of Home Builders

Alvin ISD Student Makes Pearland Proud at Scripps National Spelling Bee

Cheryl Boe — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Alvin Independent School District has another reason to be proud. Recently one of its students earned local and national attention at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

Aditya Chemudupaty from Pearland is a student at Nolan Ryan Junior High in the Alvin Independent School District. He was one of 41 semifinalists in the spelling bee and when eliminated, was just one of 11 spellers who remained in the competitions. Rankings indicate that he is tied for 12th in the country. After competing against hundreds of students from around the county, Chemudupaty, Speller No. 255, got stuck on the word 'grenache' and spelled it incorrectly as 'granache'.

Chemudupaty was one of 41 semifinalists in the spelling bee. When he was eliminated, there were only 11 spellers left. Rankings indicate that he is tied for 12th in the country.

His fellow classmates, educators in the Alvin district and the Houston area are proud of his accomplishments. Chemudupaty is an accomplished seventh-grader just for making it to the competition, which only accepted 293 contestants. The purpose of the spelling bee is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabulary, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.

His school, Nolan Ryan Junior High, is one of three outstanding schools that serve children living in Lakes of Savannah, located just minutes from SH 288 in the Pearland area. New homes by top Houston builders are priced from the $140,000s to the $300,000s and new models are now open in the community. Visitors can tour beautifully decorated model homes by Lennar, Brighton Homes and J. Patrick Homes.

In addition to Nolan Ryan Junior High, students in Lakes of Savannah students attend Savannah Lakes Elementary, which is right in the community and Manvel High School. All three schools are among the newest in the TEA Recognized Alvin Independent School District.