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		<title>Blog entries tagged community</title>
		<description>Blog entries tagged community</description>
		<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com</link>
		<lastBuildDate>Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:57:37 +0100</lastBuildDate>
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			<title>Citywide Little League Parade and Celebration Set for Saturday, September 11 at 10 am</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/citywide-little-league-parade-and-celebration-set-for-saturday-september-11-at-10-am.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;A parade honoring the Pearland Little League All Stars is set for  Saturday, September 11, starting at 10 a.m. at the corner of FM 518  (Broadway) and Pearland Parkway.&lt;br /&gt; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt; The team recently won the Southwest Little League Regional championship,  and went on to play in the Little League World Series in Williamsport,  Pennsylvania.&amp;nbsp; The team earned the distinction of making it all the way  to the United States Championship game, claiming the rights to &amp;ldquo;one of  the top four (4) teams in the world.&amp;rdquo;&lt;br /&gt; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt; The parade route will travel east on Broadway, turn south onto Liberty  Drive, ending in front of Pearland City Hall, where Pearland Mayor Tom  Reid and members of the City Council will honor the team and acknowledge  their accomplishments.&lt;br /&gt; &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt; For questions, please call 281-412-8900.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Cheryl Boe</author>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:11:23 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>sports</category>
 <category>community</category>
 <category>City of Pearland</category>
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		<item>
			<title>Plan to Shop Tax Free at Pearland Town Center August  20th – 22nd </title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/plan-to-shop-tax-free-at-pearland-town-center-august-20th-22nd-.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;As you begin to plan your back to school shopping strategy, don&amp;rsquo;t forget to  include a trip to the Pearland Town Centers big Tax Free Event! On August  20, 21 and 22 Texas shoppers will get a break from paying state and local  sales taxes on this popular annual tax holiday. And, lay-away plans can be  used again this year to take advantage of the sales tax holiday.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;With many popular youth stores including Aeropostale, American Eagle,  Hollister, and Forever 21 you can&amp;rsquo;t go wrong for the kids on your list. And,  many school supplies, books and calendars will be available at Barnes &amp;amp;  Nobles!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wondering what&amp;rsquo;s included in the tax free holiday? The law exempts most  clothing and footwear priced under $100, which saves shoppers approximately  $8 per $100 they spend! For more information on the annual tax free holiday  and a detailed list of exempt items, visit the Texas State website here.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Joseph Leon</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:16:03 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>tips</category>
 <category>shop</category>
 <category>Pearland</category>
 <category>community</category>
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			<title>Visit the Pearland Old Townsite Farmers Market at Zylinski Park  </title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/visit-the-pearland-old-townsite-farmers-market-at-zylinski-park-.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/old_town_pearland.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;Perfect for those weekend backyard parties, the new - and very popular - Pearland Old Townsite Farmers Market now offers local produce to area residents. All produce, as well as products such as honey and crafts, must be made from local ingredients and created within 150 miles of the city.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Each market day has turned out a variety of &amp;nbsp;vendors including Fusion Beans, a specialty coffee roaster based out of Webster, Texas; Edible Earth Resources, which helps their customers with composting, rain water harvesting, herb and vegetable gardens; Proverbs Farm and Soap Shoppe which sells handmade goat milk soaps, lotions and cheese and many more!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;According to the market managers, Cassie and Ron Mitchel, &amp;ldquo;It seems to me that over time Pearland seems to have lost a sense of itself as a community. That is what the market is about, trying to bring that sense of community back to Pearland.&amp;rdquo; We want to support local farmers and local families, at the Grand Opening, we saw families coming out together and kids playing in the park,&amp;rdquo; she said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Pearland Old Townsite Farmers Market is held at Zylinski Park located at 2243 Grand Blvd. The next market will be held Saturday, July 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. *Weather permitting; the market will be open every second and fourth Saturday until the end of November.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information, visit the market&amp;rsquo;s website at PearlandOldTownSiteFarmersMarket.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Daphne Hager</author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:37:30 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>events</category>
 <category>community</category>
 <category>City of Pearland</category>
 <category>business</category>
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			<title>Free Summer Crafts and Activities at the Bass Pro Shop</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/free-summer-crafts-and-activities-at-the-bass-pro-shop.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/BassProShopsLogo.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;Starting last weekend, the Bass Pro Shop at Hwy 288 and the Beltway in Pearland will be hosting Family Summer Camp events from June 5 through July 11. The shop has activities planned ranging from arts and crafts to fishing, shooting arrows, and even Saturday evening Smore&amp;rsquo;s roasts. So plan to bring your little adventurers out for one or all of these exciting events!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;On Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 2 PM, and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5 PM, kids will get to enjoy free crafts while supplies last. The crafting activity schedule for the Pearland Bass Pro Shop is as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Create your own canvas backpack: June 5-6, 8 &amp;amp; 10&lt;br/&gt;Make your own leather keychain (especially for Dad): June 12-13, 15 &amp;amp; 17&lt;br/&gt;Paint a wooden wiggle fish: June 19-20, 22 &amp;amp; 24&lt;br/&gt;Make a camping photo frame: June 26-27, 29 &amp;amp; July 1&lt;br/&gt;Paint an animal track: July 3-4, 6 &amp;amp; 8&lt;br/&gt;Design your own birdhouse: July 10-11&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information, visit their website at BassPro.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Daphne Hager</author>
			<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:14:03 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>sports</category>
 <category>Pearland</category>
 <category>events</category>
 <category>community</category>
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		<item>
			<title>Pearland 4th of July Celebration of Freedom</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/pearland-4th-of-july-celebration-of-freedom.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/fireworks.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;Lakes of Savannah residents are invited to join the City of Pearland&amp;rsquo;s 4th of July Freedom Celebration! This year, the program will celebrate our country&amp;rsquo;s birthday with a program guaranteed to explode with Patriotic excitement!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;On Sunday, July 4, the concert and fire work extravaganza will be held at Pearland Junior High Stadium and seating will begin at 6:30 p.m. FREE shuttle services will also be available beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Pearland High School. The night&amp;rsquo;s festivities will kick off with a military salute, followed by the announcement of this year&amp;rsquo;s &quot;Let Freedom Sing&quot; talent search winner, who will then lead the crowd in the National Anthem.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;The opening entertainer will be Zona Jones, a talented new Country recording artist. And, at the close of another beautiful Texas sunset, you and your family will be treated to a spectacular, 20 minute fireworks display.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Food is available for purchase at the concession stands or you may bring your own. Just remember - NO alcohol or glass containers are prohibited inside the stadium. Activities including face painting, inflatables and more will also be onsite. The concert, parking and seating are free of charge.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;In addition to the Sunday concert and fireworks event, the city is hosting a full-blown carnival Friday, July 2 through Sunday, July 4 and is sure to be full of family fun! Tickets can be purchased for the carnival rides onsite.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more details, visit PearlandParks.com/July4th or contact Pearland Parks and Recreation at (281)652-1673.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Daphne Hager</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:49:54 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>events</category>
 <category>community</category>
 <category>City of Pearland</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Pearland Parks &amp; Recreation Receives Golden Pear Award</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/pearland-parks-recreation-receives-golden-pear-award.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/golden_pear.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;Each year, the Stella Roberts Golden Pear is awarded to the person or organization that has demonstrated exemplary efforts in keeping with the city's environmental efforts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;This year&amp;rsquo;s winner, the Pearland Parks and Recreation department, led by their Executive Director Michelle Smith, was honored at the Keep Pearland Beautiful Awards Dinner for all their hard work and extra green efforts her team members implemented to make Pearland a more beautiful and environmentally friendly city.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;This is in line with the Pearland City Council&amp;rsquo;s set of goals. I really appreciate Keep Pearland Beautiful&amp;rsquo;s recognition,&amp;rdquo; Pearland Assistant City Manager Jon Branson said. &amp;ldquo;The Parks and Recreation Department has worked hard to earn this award.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;With so many successful community activities held each year by the Parks and Recreation Department, centered on eco consciousness, it&amp;rsquo;s no wonder they would win this conservation based award. All you need to do is attend an event or visit one of their many parks, hike and bike trails or splash pads to see all their efforts at work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information, or to become a member of Keep Pearland Beautiful, visit KeepPearlandBeautiful.org.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Daphne Hager</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 26 May 2010 01:38:23 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>community</category>
 <category>City of Pearland</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Pearland Town Center Rescue Pet Weekend</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/pearland-town-center-rescue-pet-weekend.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/pet-rescue.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;This Saturday, May 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., volunteers from Annie's Angels Animal Rescue will be at the Event Pavilion with loveable, furry friends, available for adoption. This highly regarded animal rescue organization is made up of a close-knit group of volunteers who foster all the animals within the organization. Taking in large dogs, small dogs, puppies and senior dogs, and having the dog vetted prior to a behavior evaluation enables Annie&amp;rsquo;s Angels to find the best family match for each dog.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Even if you are not able to attend, or just need a little extra time to make the decision to adopt, you can visit their website for each pet&amp;rsquo;s biography or to fill out an adoption contract and adoption application. And, if approved, you can look forward to bringing your new friend home.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;The adoption fee is $125.00 which helps to pay for spay/neuter, vaccinations, heartworm test and microchip for all of Annie's Angels animals.  If the animal is too young to be spayed/neutered, a spay/neuter contract will have to be signed. A volunteer will follow up with you when the animal reaches the appropriate age. The goal is for both you and your new furry friend to be absolutely happy!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Annie&amp;rsquo;s Angels is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt animal rescue group.  Donations are tax-deductible. For information visit Anniesangelsrescue.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Greg Rivera</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 May 2010 02:07:52 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>community</category>
 <category>charity</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Taste of the Town at Pearland Town Center</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/taste-of-the-town-at-pearland-town-center.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/delicious_food.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;Whether you're a resident of Pearland, or just visiting for the day, Pearland is home to more than 140 restaurants and some of the finest retail stores and unique boutiques - so you&amp;rsquo;ve come to the right place.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;After a long day of shopping and playing, grab a napkin and get ready to sample some of the city&amp;rsquo;s finest foods in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Your taste buds will thank you for it!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thursday, May 6 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., plan to treat yourself to delicious food from local Pearland favorites including: BJ's Restaurant &amp;amp; Brewhouse, Mimi's Caf&amp;eacute;, Red Robin, Fish City Grill, Freebirds, Gringos Mexican Kitchen, Pei Wei Asian Diner, Paciugo Italian Gelato, Cinnabon, Swirll and the Great American Cookie Co.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Enjoy a taste of Pearland Town Center restaurants, fashion show, and live entertainment. Tickets are only $15 per adult and $10 per child age 5-11 (children 4 and under free). Tickets will be available at the Town Center Customer Service booth. All proceeds benefit the local and international projects supported by 288 Corridor Rotary.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Greg Rivera</author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 May 2010 18:34:02 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>events</category>
 <category>community</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Lakes of Savannah – Bunny Breakfast at Pearland Towne Center</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/lakes-of-savannah-bunny-breakfast-at-pearland-towne-center.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/easter-bunny.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;Lakes of Savannah residents are welcome to bring their families and enjoy a special breakfast with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, April 3 from 10a.m. to 11 a.m. The special Easter event is being held at the Sparks Energy Pavilion in the heart of the Pearland Town Center outdoor shopping complex just minutes from the community!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tickets for the event are only $5 and include pictures with the Easter Bunny and the kids can decorate their own 4 x 6 frame to place it in. The delicious breakfast menu consists of 2 warm pancakes, fluffy eggs, 2 sausage links and apple juice or coffee. And, the proceeds from the event will support the ministries of the local One Life Church.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Additional activities at the Sparks Energy Pavilion will be available until 1 p.m. including photos with the Easter Bunny, faced painting, balloon art, egg decorating, music, dancing and more. So bring the whole family for a day of Easter fun! For tickets and additional information contact One Life Church at 713-340-0704&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Source: One Life Church&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Greg Rivera</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:33:41 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>community</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Pearland “Wheels &amp; Waves” Benefit for Forgotten Angels</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/pearland-wheels-waves-benefit-for-forgotten-angels.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/forgotten-angels.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;The spring break kickoff event &amp;ldquo;Wheels &amp;amp; Waves&amp;rdquo; will be held at Pearland Town Center on March 13th. This exciting event&amp;rsquo;s proceeds will benefit Forgotten Angels, a Pearland-based non-profit organization dedicated to the care of adults with developmental disabilities.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Events &amp;amp; Features&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Fish-Out on the first day of the event starting at 10:00 a.m. Sports Authority fishing experts will be on hand to assist young fishermen bait, cast, hook, and unhook their fish. Anglers (children and adults) should bring poles, tackle and a cooler for their take-home catch, as a limited number of loaner poles and tackle will be available. &lt;br/&gt;Classic Corvette Auto Show &lt;br/&gt;Art &amp;amp; Craft booths &lt;br/&gt;Inflatable Park &lt;br/&gt;Food vendors &lt;br/&gt;Live entertainment by Nash 3 and other local bands &lt;br/&gt;Radio Disney will broadcast from Town Center Pavilion from noon until 2:00 p.m.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Twenty dollar tickets are being sold for the grand prize, a $500 shopping spree at Pearland Town Center and a 4-passenger electric golf car that can be driven on city streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less. The car features custom paint, striped seats, enclosed dash, black metal trim, flip back seat, retractable seat belts lift kit, headlights, tail &amp;amp; brake lights, horn, blinkers, tinted folding windshield and cool chrome D.O.T. tires. The golf car was specially built for M.A.P. Golf Cart Services based in Pearland for Forgotten Angels. To purchase a grand prize tickets call 281-412-6435 ext. 136.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit ForgottenAngles.org for more information about the charitable organization.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Greg Rivera</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:44:20 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>community</category>
 <category>charity</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Alvin I.S.D Mustang Bayou Turtle Race</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/alvin-isd-mustang-bayou-turtle-race.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/turtle-race.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;The 9th Annual Mustang Bayou Turtle Race took place on February 6, 2010 and was a huge success due to the great response from the community parents, students, ad teachers. The Alvin I.S.D. Education Foundation hosts the race each year, with this year&amp;rsquo;s funds reaching almost $50,000 in grants and scholarships.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;A total of 9,587 turtles were adopted, an Lakes of Savannah&amp;rsquo;s own Manvel High School adopted the most turtles at $7,360, followed by Alvin High School&amp;rsquo;s $6,430 and Alvin Primary&amp;rsquo;s $4,300.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;About the Alvin I.S.D. Education Foundation:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Alvin ISD Education Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization formed in 1998 for the benefit of the students and teachers of the Alvin ISD. The Foundation shares a vision of enhancing education in the Alvin ISD, works to increase support for educational activities in the Alvin ISD, benefits students and staff by supporting activities not funded by tax dollars, fosters creative approaches to education through grants and involvement, and awards funds through a volunteer Board of Directors made up of business, community, parent and educational leaders. For more information about the Foundation, contact Coordinator Melinda Purcell at 281-331-2586.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Congratulations to the turtle race winners, donors, and supporters!&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Greg Rivera</author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:33:49 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>community</category>
 <category>Alvin ISD</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Keep Pearland Beautiful – Arbor Day Celebration</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/keep-pearland-beautiful-arbor-day-celebration.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/arbor-day.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;Keep Pearland Beautiful always seeks to help Pearland citizens enhance their community environment and for Arbor Day they are giving 800 tree seedlings to residents of the Pearland community, while teaching them to plant and prune existing trees, to beautify their yards and neighborhoods. Each year people around the U.S. and the world celebrate Arbor Day &amp;ndash; a holiday where groups and individuals are encouraged to plant and care for trees. Generally celebrated on the last Friday in April, in Texas this holiday is celebrated early thanks to the warm climate that can grow lush varieties of plants.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;For Texas this is an excellent time of year to plant trees that will grow from seeds into saplings and into gorgeous trees under which families can enjoy good times in the shade. You can celebrate Arbor Day in a personal way by planting a tree or helping to care for existing trees. This can be done as an act of optimism, a labor of love and a commitment to stewardship.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pearland will celebrate Arbor Day on January 15 from 8am to 5:30pm, and on January 16 from 9am to 1pm, at the Stella Roberts Recycling Center, 5800 Magnolia. Pearland&amp;rsquo;s Urban Forrester, John Walters, will be demonstrating proper tree planting and pruning techniques for trees on January 16 at 10am. There will be a tree seedling give-away with 800 seedlings available which include Live Oak, Eastern Redbud, Red Maple, and Texas&amp;rsquo; State Tree &amp;ndash; the Pecan tree. There will also be educational handouts including Trees For Pearland Tree Guide.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is day to learn about trees, the environment and more about the community. Take some time to learn about different types of trees, or just take some time to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Whatever way you choose to celebrate Arbor Day, enjoy the day.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you have questions or would like to know how to volunteer for Arbor Day please contact Keep Pearland Beautiful at 281-652-1659.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Greg Rivera</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:16:44 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>environment</category>
 <category>community</category>
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		<item>
			<title>Pearlands 14th Annual Winterfest</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/pearlands-14th-annual-winterfest.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;right-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog//pearland_city_seal.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;It&amp;rsquo;s winter time as the recent record breaking snowfall announced to the Houston area, and Pearland is taking time to celebrate with their 14th Annual Winterfest. Lakes of Savannah and Pearland residents can get ready for a fun filled day on January 9, 2010 as Independence park becomes a winter wonderland with snow tubing, skating, carnival rides and games, live entertainment and delicious food. This year, Winterfest is proud to be a &amp;lsquo;Green Event&amp;rsquo; with the Recycle Snowman Contest along with eco-friendly entertainers and vendors.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;This truly is fun for the whole family with a Toddler zone for the little ones, an exotic petting zoo, face painting, pony rides and educational entertainment for all kids to enjoy with a debut by Wendy Whitten &amp;lsquo;The Singing Scientist&amp;rsquo; and her sidekick Flumpa the Frog. Wendy and Flumpa bring science to life with music, fitness and fun; they perform at schools, public events and through educational books, cd&amp;rsquo;s and tapes. Adults and kids of all ages will enjoy skating, snow tubing on 200,000 pounds of snow, carnival rides and midway games, a circus thrill show, a rock climbing wall and much much more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Children age 2 and under are free, with people over 17 years being only $4, and kids between the ages of 3 to 16 are $10. You are welcome to bring a canned good for a discount of $2 off per admission (limit one discount per ticket). The canned items will be donated to the Pearland Neighborhood Center.  In 2009 over 6,400 lbs of food were donated &amp;ndash; almost twice as much as in 2008. Your donation will help make this year even better and help the center restock their shelves for people in need this year.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;All rides and entertainment are free with admission but be sure to bring money to purchase some of the wonderful items that craft vendors will be selling or to buy some of the delicious food ranging from BBQ, burgers and turkey legs to funnel cakes, chocolate covered cheesecake and kettle corn.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are the details so you can mark your calendar:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Date: Saturday, January 9, 2010 Rain Date: Sunday, January 10, 2010 Location: Independence Park, 3919 Liberty Drive Time: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (opens at 9am for special needs individuals to enjoy activities and rides without crowds) Parking: Free Parking at Pearland High School, 3775 South Main with Free Shuttle service to and from Winterfest. Call for handicapped parking information&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;But that&amp;rsquo;s not all &amp;ndash; this year Winterfest is hosting The Recycle Snowman Contest which is offered to families, school classes, or clubs and challenges each group to construct a snowman out of recyclable products. This is a fun, hands on way to educate local children about the benefits of recycling. To enter this contest there is a $5 entry fee per snowman due by January 5, 2010 and groups must pre-register for this event. Awards will be given for the Best use of Recyclables, Best Winter Theme and for the Best Overall.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information on Winterfest please call 281-652-1673.  Winterfest would not be possible without the help of hundreds of volunteers who dedicate their time and skills to making this day one to remember. If you&amp;rsquo;re interested in volunteering for Winterfest please contact Pearland Parks and Recreation at 281-652-1673.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to be a vendor at Winterfest, applications are accepted on a first-come first-served basis. For more information on being a vendor or a sponsor of Winterfest, please contact Angie Sanders at 281-652-1775.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Greg Rivera</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:53:29 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>Pearland</category>
 <category>community</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Let your Christmas Tree Be a “Double” Blessing</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/let-your-christmas-tree-be-a-double-blessing.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;Again this year, Pearland area residents have an alternative option for recycling their Christmas tree.&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;All area residents can take &amp;ldquo;cleaned&amp;rdquo; trees to the Stella Roberts Recycling Center, 5800 Magnolia, from December 26 thru January 21, Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.&amp;nbsp; Please do not leave any trees when the center is closed.&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;On Thursday, January 21, these trees will be taken to the beaches of Brazoria County for the Dunes Day Project, and used to rebuild the sand dunes and restore the beaches.&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;To volunteer for the Dunes Day Project, call the County Extension office at (281) 756-1564, ext. 116&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;Source: City of Pearland&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Cheryl Boe</author>
			<pubDate>Sat, 19 Dec 2009 04:36:31 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>environment</category>
 <category>community</category>
 <category>City of Pearland</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Sign up for City of Pearland Alerts and Information</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/sign-up-for-city-of-pearland-alerts-and-information.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;Lakes of Savannah residents can sign up to receive email announcements regarding City of Pearland news, road construction, job postings city council agendas and more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;While Lakes of Savannah is not located within Pearland City limits, but rather the extra-territorial jurisdictions (ETJ), city news is important and helpful to all areas surrounding the city limits.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visitors may select their own choice of topics for alerts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;To Sign up visit www.cityofpearland.com/signup or contact the City&amp;rsquo;s public affairs dept at Dschielke@ci.pearland.tx.us&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Cheryl Boe</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:16:56 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>community</category>
 <category>City of Pearland</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Outdoor Ice Skating in Pearland!</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/outdoor-ice-skating-in-pearland.html</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/ice-skating.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;Lakes of Savannah residents can enjoy a taste of winter at Pearland Town Center!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;5,000 square feet of frozen ice will flank Pearland Town Center&amp;rsquo;s square from December 3 through January 10, 2010.  10 miles of cooling tubes, 200 tons of refrigeration and 3 inches of ice  are maintained at a chilly 22 degrees to create an outdoor ice rink.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ice skating at Pearland Town Center is available as follows:&lt;br /&gt;School days&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 4 pm &amp;ndash; 10 pm&lt;br /&gt;Holidays&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 11 am &amp;ndash; 10 pm&lt;br /&gt;Saturdays&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 11 am &amp;ndash; 10 pm&lt;br /&gt;Sundays&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; noon &amp;ndash; 8 pm&lt;br /&gt;Christmas Eve&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 11 am &amp;ndash; 8 pm&lt;br /&gt;Chirstmas day&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 4 pm &amp;ndash; 8 pm&lt;br /&gt;New Years Eve&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 11 am &amp;ndash; 8 pm&lt;br /&gt;New Years day&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 11 am &amp;ndash; 10 pm&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit www.PearlandIceSkating.com for more information.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pearland Christmas festivities&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;The City of Pearland&amp;rsquo;s Park and Recreation Department will host a fun filled weekend December 5 &amp;ndash; 6, 2009 at Pearland Town Center.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;On Saturday, December 5 the center will feature a gift market and food vendors from 10 am &amp;ndash; 10 pm, live music from 4-7 pm, a &amp;ldquo;movie under the stars&amp;rdquo; viewing of Polar Express at 7:30 pm and horse drawn carriage rides from 7 &amp;ndash; 10 pm&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sunday, December 6 brings cookies and milk with Santa at 1 pm, a meet and greet with Frosty the Snowman and a gingerbread man from 2-4 pm, live music from 2-3:30 pm featuring Mary Sarah and a live concert from 4-6 pm featuring Silverlake Elementary &amp;amp; Kids Backporch Productions&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visitors can also register to win an 8 ft toy filled stocking!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information visit www.PearlandParks.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Greg Rivera</author>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:49:42 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>events</category>
 <category>community</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Third Annual Bay Area Houston Art Festival </title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/Third-Annual-Bay-Area-Houston-Art-Festival-.html</link>
			<description>&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog//third-annual.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;p&gt;  The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake (TAACCL) is hosting its Third Annual Bay Area Houston Art Festival November 6-7. The event debuted in October of 2007, and in 2008 ushered in a variety of artists, music, dance and food, with performances and activities for the whole family. It is a way to &amp;ldquo;bring the arts together&amp;rdquo; for the community and visitors across the state and country.  Last year&amp;rsquo;s event was attended by over 1,300 patrons and this year they hope to double attendance!  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; This year&amp;rsquo;s expansion includes a series of &amp;ldquo;stages&amp;rdquo; or different venues throughout the bay area where patrons can go to experience a variety of &amp;ldquo;fun and enlightening&amp;rdquo; activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to view and purchase original works from a variety of area artists and craftsmen. Designer and woodworker Jeremy Grubbs is bringing his tools along to give his patrons a hands-on woodworking presentation, and to demonstrate how he creates each unique piece of furniture from nature. &amp;ldquo;It has to have feel and touch, and if the woodworker hasn&amp;rsquo;t made you want to do that, he hasn&amp;rsquo;t done his job,&amp;rdquo; he said.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; To draw you in each venue will offer unique artwork, food and entertainment, as well as hands on activities to keep children of all ages engaged, including a moonwalk and rock climbing at the Arts Alliance Venue. The event will take place at The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake, 2000 NASA Pkwy, Nassau Bay; Sundance Grill at Waterford Harbor, Kemah; and Mediterraneo Market and Caf&amp;eacute;, Nassau Bay. The cost is $3 per person with children under age 12 entering free. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; For more information please visit www.taaccl.org &lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Greg Rivera</author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>community</category>
 <category>activities</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Cardiovascular Systems Inc. Brings Jobs to Pearland Area</title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/Cardiovascular-Systems-Inc.-Brings-Jobs-to-Pearland-Area.html</link>
			<description>&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/cardio.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;188&quot; height=&quot;250&quot; /&gt;New businesses are continuing to make their way to the Pearland area, home to Lakes of Savannah. The Pearland Journal reports that through financial incentives offered by the Pearland Economic Development Corporation and the State of Texas, Cardiovascular Systems Inc, a publicly traded medical device company based in St. Paul, Minn. has a new 10 year lease for large manufacturing facility to be located in Pearland.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Journal also cited city leaders&amp;rsquo; hopes that the new plant will create more than 100 jobs in the near future and possibly as many as 500 jobs over the next five years.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Texas&amp;rsquo; business climate has been key in attracting new business to the state and the Houston area and Texas Governor Rick Perry was quote in the Journal article as stating that the CSI expansion is further proof that Texas remains the best state in the nation for business. &lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;According to the Journal, the governor assisted Pearland in the process by offering , Inc. $600,000 from the Texas Enterprise Fund in business incentives for the 46,000 sq. ft. facility and the Pearland Economic Development Corporation owned the facility land and has already made a significant financial investment in the construction of the plant&amp;rsquo;s outer shell. The manufacturing plant is located south of Beltway 8 and west of Highway 288. The PEDC has also agreed to offer additional financial incentives to Cardiovascular Systems Inc. in the future based on the successful creation of new jobs and other collaborative business goals.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Pearland facility represents the second operations plant for the company. The first is located in St. Paul, where it currently employs 100 workers. For more information, visit the company&amp;rsquo;s website at www.csi360.com.</description>
			<author>Cheryl Boe</author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>Pearland</category>
 <category>economy</category>
 <category>community</category>
 <category>business</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Alvin ISD Bond Election </title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/Alvin-ISD-Bond-Election-.html</link>
			<description>&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog/alvinisd.png&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;p&gt;Residents in Lakes of Savannah will have the opportunity to vote on bond elections benefiting Alvin I.S.D. on November 3, 2009.&amp;nbsp; Early voting is open from October 19 through October 30, 2009.&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;The bonds, if passed, will help to purchase new school locations, build new campuses and update older schools.&lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;General facts and information are provided below to help voters make an educated decision regarding this election.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;click here to download Facts and Figures information&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;click here to download information on What's Included in the bond&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;click here to download information on regular and early voting &lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Cheryl Boe</author>
			<pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>Education</category>
 <category>community</category>
 <category>City of Alvin</category>
 <category>Alvin ISD</category>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Local Business Preference Program Keeps Business Alive in Pearland  </title>
			<link>http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/blog/Local-Business-Preference-Program-Keeps-Business-Alive-in-Pearland-.html</link>
			<description>&lt;img class=&quot;blog-img&quot; src=&quot;http://www.lakesofsavannah.com/images/stories/blog//pearland_city_seal.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pearland Community local businesses will now have an advantage in winning city contracts thanks to a proposal by City Council members Woody Owens and Kevin Cole. They proposed the &amp;lsquo;Local Business Preference Program&amp;rsquo; in June in hopes of offering Pearland businesses every advantage offered by state law. Mayor Reid was supportive in hopes that the program could help save jobs as well as keep local businesses open.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The program was approved by city council and will help local vendors win contracts of less than $100,000. Local vendors are defined as businesses that have established their primary business location within city limits. With the program a local business is automatically awarded the city&amp;rsquo;s contract as long as their bid is no more than 5% higher than the next most competitive bid for contract amounts from $50,000 to $100,000. For contract amounts between $3,000 and $50,000 a local business will automatically get the contract as long as their bid is no more than 3% higher than the next highest bid.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;gt;Local Pearland Community business owners are already thankful. Owner and operator Ray LeBous of Dream Theaters said he appreciates the efforts, &amp;ldquo;If we live here and work here, it helps keep money in the local business economy.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;They are local businesses, hiring local residents and paying taxes the City is spending every day to provide city services,&amp;rdquo; Owens said. Pearland residents can be thankful that the council is doing &amp;ldquo;everything possible to keep our local businesses in business.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Lakes of Savannah entrepreneurs (future and present) should be encouraged by the City of Pearland's enthusiasm and support!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Source: www.hconline.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<author>Daphne Hager</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
		<category>Pearland</category>
 <category>community</category>
 <category>business</category>
		</item>
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