F ORT B END FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. ww ww w.fbindependent.com .fbindependent.com P.O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2011 VOL 4 No. 1 Phone: 281-980-6745 Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor 10701 Corporate Drive, #282, Stafford, TX 77477 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, TX 77487 www.fbindependent.com 281-980-6745 Fort Bend Independent, (USPS 025-572) is published every Wednesday (for a subscription rate of $20 per year) by Fort Bend Independent, LLC., 10701 Corporate Dr., #282, Stafford, Texas 77477. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stafford, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487. Official newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Sugar Land By BARBARA FULENWIDER Heard the story about the city council member who ap- plied for unemployment bene- fits after she lost the election? It’s a story more compli- cated and it pits former Coun- cilmember Cynthia Lenton Gary against Missouri City. The story began in 2008 when Gary, who taught at Prai- rie View A&M, left that school and was halfway through her first two-year term as a Mis- souri City council member. In 2008 Gary applied for and received unemployment benefits from Prairie View. In June 2010 Gary was dis- qualified for receiving ben- efits because she voluntarily resigned from the city council without good cause connected with the work. The no payment period began May 2, 2010. Before Gary filed a contin- ued claim for unemployment benefits on May 8, 2010, Gary had last ‘worked’ from July 2, 2007 through May 8, 2010 as council member. She received a monthly stipend of $600 and $150 a month for transporta- tion from the city. When her unemployment benefits were stopped by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) after she quit the city council, Gary appealed the de- cision. When someone applies for benefits the TWC conducts an analysis. The first level determines if there is a discharge or resig- nation. If it’s a discharge, the commission does an analysis as to whether there was mis- conduct or no misconduct as- sociated with that discharge. In a resignation or a quit situation, they look at whether the employee had good cause connected with the work for quitting or whether there was none. So an employee may get benefits or not either in a dis- charge or resignation. The issue for Gary was whether it was constitutional for Missouri City, which is a home rule city, to have codes which require an elected offi- cial to resign from their office in order to run for another of- fice. Missouri City’s charter says that when an official files to run for another office that trig- gers the official’s automatic resignation, which is effective on date of the next election. When Councilmember Gary filed to run for mayor of Mis- souri City in 2010 she triggered her automatic resignation. The issues on the appeal before the commission was whether Gary was “separated from her work on city council as a result of a discharge based on work connected misconduct or a voluntary quit without good work connected cause” and if Gary was entitled to ex- tended benefits. Here the TWC treats Gary as an employee of the city, though technically she is not. Neither is the city an employer. The TWC merely takes into account the work performed by Gary and the compensation she received for the work, without ruling on the issue if Gary was a city employee. The TWC conducted the ap- peal hearing on Oct. 13, 2010, via conference calls that in- cluded Elaine Turner, hearing officer, Caroline Kelley, Mis- souri City attorney, Robert Williams, TWC hearing repre- sentative, and Gary. All parties were on the phone at the same time in re- gard to Gary’s appeal. The findings of fact in the hearing show that Gary filed a continued claim for unem- ployment benefits with the ef- fective date of May 8, 2010 and last worked from July 2, 2007 through May 8, 2010 as an elected member of Mis- souri City council, which is her named employer and is a home rule city. The hearing officer’s deci- sion regarding Gary’s appeal says that Gary “argued that she did not resign.” Even though Gary “knew that the city charter said her action would be treated as res- ignation, she did not believe the city had the power to enact such a provision and therefore she could not be treated as hav- ing resigned.” Both sides cited the same ar- ticles and sections of the Texas Constitution but the hearing officer disagreed with Gary’s argument that Missouri City’s charter was unconstitutional. At the hearing Kelley also pointed out that there is an at- torney general’s opinion that says “A home rule city charter providing for the automatic resignation of a mayor or coun- cil member serving a two-year term of office is not inconsis- tent with the Texas Constitu- tion.” In the end Gary lost her ap- peal so she won’t receive any unemployment benefits until she has returned to employ- ment and either worked six weeks or earned wages at least equal to six times the claim- ant’s weekly benefits amount. The hearing office found that Gary “resigned when she chose to run for mayor. She knew that her action would be treated as a resignation under the city charter, but chose to take the action. She effectively resigned to seek another posi- tion, which she preferred. That was not good cause connected with the work for resigna- tion.” After the hearing, Kelley said, “The TWC looks at the last work and they also use the term last employee unit but they also mean an outfit that provided work. In this par- ticular case, they did not get to whether this was the type of work that qualifies. They just looked at where they worked, which was the city and the nature of the work separation from the city.” What the TWC looks at “is governed by the state labor code,” Kelley said. Gary said she did not file unemployment claim against the city, but appealed when her benefit was denied as a result of her quitting an elected of- fice. Gary said she is now “cur- rently teaching on-line for the University of Phoenix.” Gary Councilmember loses unemployment benefit following resignation Girl Scouts newest cookie, Shout Outs, is a Belgian- style caramelized cookie that has zero grams of trans fat per serving, no hydrogenated oils, no arti- ficial colors or preserva- tives, and no high fruc- tose corn syrup. Girl Scout Cookie Season starts January 8. The program is considered to be the largest girl-led business in the coun- try and generates over $700 million for girls and communities nationwide. “Just like mom would make,” says Selena Sanderson, Senior Vice President at Interbake Foods, whose ABC Bakers divi- sion bakes Girl Scout Cook- ies. “We un- derstand that consumers are making a concerted effort to eat more simply, and Shout Outs! reflect that, “she explained, saying that the average serv- ing size is four cookies totaling 130 calories. New “Shout Outs!’ Girl Scout Cookies are sensibly Sweet Sugar Land City Manager Allen Bogard will stay with the city, after all. Bogard was recruited to apply for city manager position with Corpus Christi and Plano. Corpus Christi Caller- Times last week listed Bog- ard as one of the 53 appli- cants for the post. Bogard was among the short-listed finalists, but on Monday he withdrew his applictaion. Following a conversa- Sugar Land City Manager will stay Bogard tion he had with Sugar Land Mayor Jimmy Thompson, on Monday Bogard decided to withdraw his name from consideration with Corpus Christi and Plano. Sugar Land City Council Fort Bend Education Foun- dation Gala. The Fort Bend Education Foundation will hold its 18th annual gala at the Sugar Land Marriott Ho- tel on Feb. 26. This year’s theme is “A Tea Party in Won- derland.” FBEF Gala 2011 committee members seated L to R; Sue Chiang, Namita Asthana, Manmeet Likhari, Nappinnai Natarajan, Brenna Smelley, FBEF Executive Di- rector, Gabriella Cone, Gala Co-Chair; Laura Winters, Gala Co-Chair; Jessica Kij, Sonal Bhuchar, Terrie Gor- ney, Mary Ahner. Back Row; Violet Robertson, Shawn Ow- ens, Namita Patel, Tracey Lisse, Terri Wang, Yolanda Humphrey, Lynn Halford, Jacquie Chaumette, Melissa Cruz, Chris Berger and Shaelyn Neal. Visit www.fortbendisd.com/foundation. recently recognized Bog- ard for 15 years of service to Sugar Land. Thompson praised Bog- ard for numerous city ac- complishments that oc- curred during his tenure.
Transcript
FORT BEND
FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE.
wwwww.fbindependent.com.fbindependent.com
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2011
Fort Bend Independent, (USPS 025-572) is published every Wednesday (for a subscription rate of $20 per year) by Fort Bend Independent, LLC., 10701 Corporate Dr., #282, Stafford, Texas 77477. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stafford, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487.
Offi cial newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Sugar Land
By BARBARA FULENWIDERHeard the story about the
city council member who ap-plied for unemployment bene-fi ts after she lost the election?
It’s a story more compli-cated and it pits former Coun-cilmember Cynthia Lenton Gary against Missouri City.
The story began in 2008 when Gary, who taught at Prai-rie View A&M, left that school and was halfway through her fi rst two-year term as a Mis-souri City council member.
In 2008 Gary applied for and received unemployment benefi ts from Prairie View.
In June 2010 Gary was dis-qualifi ed for receiving ben-efi ts because she voluntarily resigned from the city council without good cause connected with the work. The no payment period began May 2, 2010.
Before Gary fi led a contin-ued claim for unemployment benefi ts on May 8, 2010, Gary had last ‘worked’ from July 2, 2007 through May 8, 2010 as council member. She received a monthly stipend of $600 and $150 a month for transporta-tion from the city.
When her unemployment benefi ts were stopped by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) after she quit the city council, Gary appealed the de-cision.
When someone applies for benefi ts the TWC conducts an analysis.
The fi rst level determines if there is a discharge or resig-nation. If it’s a discharge, the commission does an analysis as to whether there was mis-conduct or no misconduct as-sociated with that discharge.
In a resignation or a quit situation, they look at whether the employee had good cause connected with the work for quitting or whether there was none. So an employee may get benefi ts or not either in a dis-charge or resignation.
The issue for Gary was whether it was constitutional for Missouri City, which is a home rule city, to have codes which require an elected offi -cial to resign from their offi ce in order to run for another of-fi ce.
Missouri City’s charter says that when an offi cial fi les to run for another offi ce that trig-gers the offi cial’s automatic
resignation, which is effective on date of the next election.
When Councilmember Gary fi led to run for mayor of Mis-souri City in 2010 she triggered her automatic resignation.
The issues on the appeal before the commission was whether Gary was “separated from her work on city council as a result of a discharge based on work connected misconduct or a voluntary quit without good work connected cause” and if Gary was entitled to ex-tended benefi ts.
Here the TWC treats Gary as an employee of the city, though technically she is not. Neither is the city an employer.
The TWC merely takes into account the work performed by Gary and the compensation she received for the work, without ruling on the issue if Gary was a city employee.
The TWC conducted the ap-peal hearing on Oct. 13, 2010, via conference calls that in-cluded Elaine Turner, hearing offi cer, Caroline Kelley, Mis-souri City attorney, Robert Williams, TWC hearing repre-sentative, and Gary.
All parties were on the phone at the same time in re-gard to Gary’s appeal.
The fi ndings of fact in the hearing show that Gary fi led a continued claim for unem-ployment benefi ts with the ef-fective date of May 8, 2010 and last worked from July 2, 2007 through May 8, 2010 as an elected member of Mis-souri City council, which is her named employer and is a home rule city.
The hearing offi cer’s deci-sion regarding Gary’s appeal says that Gary “argued that she
did not resign.” Even though Gary “knew
that the city charter said her action would be treated as res-ignation, she did not believe the city had the power to enact such a provision and therefore she could not be treated as hav-ing resigned.”
Both sides cited the same ar-ticles and sections of the Texas Constitution but the hearing offi cer disagreed with Gary’s argument that Missouri City’s charter was unconstitutional.
At the hearing Kelley also pointed out that there is an at-torney general’s opinion that says “A home rule city charter providing for the automatic resignation of a mayor or coun-cil member serving a two-year term of offi ce is not inconsis-tent with the Texas Constitu-tion.”
In the end Gary lost her ap-peal so she won’t receive any unemployment benefi ts until she has returned to employ-ment and either worked six weeks or earned wages at least equal to six times the claim-ant’s weekly benefi ts amount.
The hearing offi ce found that Gary “resigned when she chose to run for mayor. She knew that her action would be treated as a resignation under the city charter, but chose to take the action. She effectively resigned to seek another posi-tion, which she preferred. That was not good cause connected with the work for resigna-tion.”
After the hearing, Kelley said, “The TWC looks at the last work and they also use the term last employee unit but they also mean an outfi t that provided work. In this par-ticular case, they did not get to whether this was the type of work that qualifi es. They just looked at where they worked, which was the city and the nature of the work separation from the city.”
What the TWC looks at “is governed by the state labor code,” Kelley said.
Gary said she did not fi le unemployment claim against the city, but appealed when her benefi t was denied as a result of her quitting an elected of-fi ce.
Gary said she is now “cur-rently teaching on-line for the University of Phoenix.”
Gary
Councilmember loses unemployment benefi t following resignation Girl Scouts newest cookie,
Shout Outs, is a Belgian-style caramelized cookie that has zero grams of trans fat per serving, no hydrogenated oils, no arti-fi cial colors or preserva-tives, and no high fruc-tose corn syrup. Girl Scout Cookie Season starts January 8. The program is considered to be the largest girl-led business in the coun-try and generates over $700 million for girls and
communities nationwide. “Just like mom would
make,” says Selena Sanderson, Senior
Vice President at Interbake Foods,
whose ABC Bakers divi-sion bakes Girl Scout Cook-ies. “We un-derstand that c o n s u m e r s are making a concerted effort to eat
more simply, and Shout Outs!
refl ect that, “she explained, saying
that the average serv-ing size is four cookies
totaling 130 calories.
New “Shout Outs!’ Girl Scout Cookies are sensibly Sweet
S u g a r Land City Manager A l l e n B o g a r d will stay with the city, after
all.B o g a r d
was recruited to apply for city manager position with Corpus Christi and Plano.
Corpus Christi Caller-Times last week listed Bog-ard as one of the 53 appli-cants for the post. Bogard was among the short-listed fi nalists, but on Monday he withdrew his applictaion.
Following a conversa-
Sugar Land City Manager will stay
Bogard
tion he had with Sugar Land Mayor Jimmy Thompson, on Monday Bogard decided to withdraw his name from consideration with Corpus Christi and Plano.
Sugar Land City Council
Fort Bend Education Foun-dation Gala. The Fort Bend Education Foundation will hold its 18th annual gala at the Sugar Land Marriott Ho-tel on Feb. 26. This year’s theme is “A Tea Party in Won-derland.” FBEF Gala 2011 committee members seated L to R; Sue Chiang, Namita Asthana, Manmeet Likhari, Nappinnai Natarajan, Brenna Smelley, FBEF Executive Di-rector, Gabriella Cone, Gala Co-Chair; Laura Winters, Gala Co-Chair; Jessica Kij, Sonal Bhuchar, Terrie Gor-ney, Mary Ahner. Back Row; Violet Robertson, Shawn Ow-ens, Namita Patel, Tracey
Lisse, Terri Wang, Yolanda Humphrey, Lynn Halford, Jacquie Chaumette, Melissa Cruz, Chris Berger and Shaelyn Neal. Visit www.fortbendisd.com/foundation.
recently recognized Bog-ard for 15 years of service to Sugar Land.
Thompson praised Bog-ard for numerous city ac-complishments that oc-curred during his tenure.
Page 2 • INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 5, 2010
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Old Orchard 1,900 - 4,000 sq. ft. (281) 277-18002,600 - 4,400 sq. ft. (281) 265-4555
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River Park West2,200 - 3,300 sq. ft. (832) 222-2804
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Six and seven year olds can take a magical journey through music!
Music Magic, an enrich-ment program, is for six and seven year old boys who like
music and singing and want to learn more!
The eight-week program brings music alive for the boys through the use of movement, singing, musical games, and
Aggie Moms will hold on Monday, Jan. 10 an evening of Bunco, prizes, and refreshments. Have fun and get to know other Aggie moms! The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Sugar Land Community Center, 226 Matlage Way. For more information contact Debbie Cortez, [email protected].
Ladies of The Fort Bend Ju-nior Service League (FBJSL) are hard at work preparing for Charity Ball and Casino ~ Vintage Vegas, planned for Saturday, March 5, 2011 at the Sugar Land Marriott Town Square.
Proceeds from the event, presented by Sterling McCall Lexus, benefi t the Fred and Mabel R. Parks Youth Ranch and the FBJSL Community
Assistance Fund. In addition, the Ball will be part of a year-long celebration of FBJSL’s tenth anniversary of serving the Fort Bend community.
Emcees for the event will be Sugar Land City Council Member Jacqueline (Jacquie) Baly Chaumette and KPRC Local 2 Sports Director Ran-dy McIlvoy.
Guests will experience an unforgettable evening,
complete with a magnifi cent seated dinner, casino games, a fabulous live auction lead by Commissioner James Pat-terson, a big board and silent auction. Then they can dance the night away to the sounds of the Collaboration Band.
Presenting sponsor Sterling McCall Lexus, has lead the way for the growing number of individuals and businesses eager to take part.
A variety of sponsorship and underwriting opportuni-ties are available ranging from $500 to $10,000. Individual tickets are $125. For more in-formation on sponsorship op-portunities or to purchase tick-ets, visit the FBJSL website at www.fbjsl.com or contact Charity Ball Co-Chairs Rob-in Alston, Shannon Bloesch, Jenn Marker or Shayne New-ell at [email protected].
FBJSL 2011 Charity Ball and Casino ~ Vintage Vegas plans in full swing!
First Row L to R: KK West, Shayne Newell, Charity Ball Co-Chair, Shannon Bloesch, Charity Ball Co-Chair, Pam Spencer, FBJSL President, Robin Alston, Charity Ball Co-Chair, Kathy Minter, Yolanda Celestine, Raquel Smith, Charity Ball Board Liaison; Second Row L to R: Brigit Engleman, Tammy Su, Cynthia Guerra, Tin Salas, Kristen Morelius, Chi Duvan; Third Row L to R: Kavita Self, Tanya Pal, Airraca Hughley-Bell, Jenny Nelson, Shirley Merriett, Debbie Buckner, Nichole Snow, Jennifer Blackmer, Audra O’Neal; Forth Row L to R: Erin Baker, Betsy Zapalac, Jennifer Belt, Erica Tinker, Karyn Pannell, Robin Lourie, Markisha Venzant-Sampson, Kelly Williams, Soni Karamchandani.
Music Magic strikes a chord with 6- and 7-year-old boys
Aggie moms’ meet
Music Magic pals from the Spring 2010 class – Travis Winkle and Benjamin Fletcher.
other child-centered activi-ties.
Boys develop better large muscle coordination, pitch matching, increased focus, rhythm awareness and musi-cianship.
Because this class is so much fun for the boys, they will learn quite a bit and make new friends as well!
The Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas, world renown for their positive, proactive mu-
sical education of boys, ad-ministers the Music Magic program.
Sara Ward, a staff member of the organization for over twenty years, serves as the Music Magic director.
Music Magic will continue its 14th season on Tuesday evenings at the First United Methodist Church of Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City, from 6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. beginning Jan. 18
and ending March 8. The cost for the course is $80 and no auditions are required for this class.
Boys will receive a free Mu-sic Magic T-shirt after classes start.
Classes are limited in size, so call the choir offi ce at 281- 240-3800 to pre-register or visit their website at www.fb-bctx.org.
You can also check out their fan page on Facebook.
FREE SEMINARSWith over 16 topics addressing specifi c elementary and middle school student issues, these free seminars will be held on the cam-pus of Fort Bend Baptist Acade-my, 1201 Lakeview, Sugar Land. This event is for parents and edu-cators, but register so that semi-nar materials may be prepared for you! Look over the schedule and seminar topics at www.fbba.org/IndependentLearner and reg-ister. For more information, con-tact Julia Janz, 281-263-9100.
JANUARY 5, 2011 • INDEPENDENT • Page 3
Suzette Peoples ABR, GRI , E-Pro, 21 years Professional
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NEW LISTINGFIRST COLONY/SUGAR LAND! 1/4 ACRE ON OYSTER CREEK! Over 4100sqft! CUSTOM home on culdesac lot. RARE fi nd! Built in 2000! Over $80K in improvements too. 4/5 bedrooms, both formals & study. Priced to go fast!
REDUCEDFIRST COLONY/SUGAR LAND! Adorable 1-story home on cul de sac street. No neighbors behind you! 3 bedrooms & study or formal living. Open fl oor plan. Detached garage! Upgraded Kitchen! $210,000.
Riverstone. Pool, Spa, Waterfall. Built 2003. Trendmaker beauty. Over 4,700 sqft. 5 BR 4.5 baths. 3 car, 2 masters. Rare fi nd on huge oversized cul de sac lot. No neighbors next to you. Up-grades galore. Zoned to Clements. Priced in the $500’s.
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WHARTON • SUGAR LAND • RICHMOND • BAY CITY EL CAMPO • PALACIOS
wcjc.edu1-800-561-WCJC
WCJC is an E.O.E. institution.
Winter Mini-Term begins December 20(Register November 1 through December 16)
Spring semester classes begin January 18, 2011(Register November 1 through January 16)
Even in the face of a chal-lenging economic climate, the Central Fort Bend Cham-ber Alliance has remained a strong, viable growth engine for area businesses.
That is in large part due to the volunteerism and commit-ments made by its members.
The Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance will proud-ly recognize several of those members at its 2010 Annual Awards Luncheon.
The event will be held Fri-day, Jan. 14, 2011, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Safari Tex-
as Ranch Magnolia Room, 11627 FM 1464, Richmond. Event sponsors are Allen Boone Humphries Robinson, LLP, Amegy Bank, Fort Bend Toyota, JE Dunn Construction and SouthWest Water Co.
The categories to be hon-ored for 2010 include: Busi-ness Person of the Year (won in 2009 by Ron Ewer, Legacy Ford Lincoln Mercury), Cor-porate Partner of the Year (won in 2009 by Silver Eagle Distributors), Volunteer of the Year ~Raymond Saage Award (won in 2009 by Cliff Terrell,
Wharton County Junior Col-lege), Committee Member of the Year (shared in 2009 by Frank Gracely, Perdue Bran-don Fielder Collins Mott, LLP, and Elliot Wood, Silverstream Southwest), Ambassador of the Year (won in 2009 by Georgia Flynn, Avant-Garde Solutions, Inc.) and Board Member of the Year (won in 2009 by Tom Crayton, CPA.).
Reservations for the lun-cheon are $30 for Chamber members and $40 for prospec-tive members and guests.
After January 11 at noon, a
$10 late fee will be added. Cancellations less than
72 hours in advance and “no shows” will be charged.
For reservations or more information call the Chamber at 281-342-5464 or email [email protected].
The American Red Cross Super Ball X committee has kicked off the new season with an exciting addition to their team roster.
Ron and Juliana Ewer will serve as the Honorary Chair-men for this year’s tenth an-niversary event scheduled for Saturday, January 22, 2011 at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond.
The Ewers, owners of Legacy Ford Lincoln Mer-cury located in Rosenberg, have been long-standing supporters of the American Red Cross.
As community leaders and employers in Fort Bend County, Ron and Juliana rec-ognize the importance of the life-saving training that the American Red Cross pro-vides and have invested re-sources in not only support-ing the American Red Cross Super Ball, but in ensuring that their staff are trained to save lives and prevent ill-ness.
The Ewers have been ac-tive community partners since they came to Fort Bend just a few years ago, and their support has made a substantial impact on the community.
“Ron and Juliana are al-ways among the fi rst to step up to the plate when we kick off Super Ball each year, and with this being our 10th anni-versary event, we are pleased to honor the Ewers’ as this year’s Honorary Chairmen,” said Sandra Startz, Manag-ing Director of the American Red Cross.
The American Red Cross Super Ball X Honorary Chairmen Juliana and Ron Ewer along with Head Coach May W. Tape, DDS, American Red Cross Managing Director Sandra Startz and Head Coach Cindy Reaves gear up for the tenth anniversary of the best tailgate party in Fort Bend County – Super Ball X! The tenth anniversary event benefi ting the American Red Cross is scheduled for Saturday, January 22, at Safari Texas Ranch. Tickets and information are available by calling 281-342-9480 or by e-mailing [email protected].
“We are delighted to recog-nize them for their commit-ment and support of the Amer-ican Red Cross’ mission.”
This year’s proceeds from the American Red Cross Su-per Ball X will support ser-vice delivery, program op-erations and general operating needs for the American Red Cross Southwestern Branch and sponsorships range from $1,000 to $10,000.
In addition to receiving tickets to the event, sponsors
at the $2,500 and above level receive Standard First Aid with Adult CPR Courses for their employees.
Sponsorship levels outlin-ing benefi ts and forms are available online at www.hous-tonredcross.org/super-ball or by contacting the American Red Cross offi ce at 281-342-9480.
Serving in their second sea-son as Head Coaches for the tenth anniversary event are May W. Tape, DDS, Cindy
Reaves and Carol Whiley-man. All three coaches are long-time supporters of the American Red Cross.
To purchase tickets to the American Red Cross Super Ball X, to serve as a commit-tee volunteer, donate an auc-tion item or to participate as a sponsor to the event, con-tact the American Red Cross Southwestern Branch at 281-342-9480 or e-mail [email protected].
The American Red Cross Super Ball X
Chamber to recognize members at January awards luncheon
A joint Eagle Court of Honor was held recently at First Colony Conference Center for Warren Chan, Daniel Kau, Justin Lam, and Oliver Mao for their journey to the rank of Eagle Scout.
The journey began when they joined Boy Scout Troop 1631 in 2004.
Troop 1631 was the fi rst troop to be established in First Colony over 25 years ago.
For Warren’s Service Project, he planned and led a crew to lay down several dif-ferent eco-friendly layers of materials to stabilize part of a rain storm channel leading to Buffalo Bayou for Hous-ton Arboretum, an urban na-ture sanctuary providing a natural environment for na-tive plants and animals.
For Daniel’s Eagle Proj-ect, he designed and built shelves for Fort Bend Chi-nese Church in order to help organize music equipment in the back and the lost and found behind the receptionist desk.
For Justin’s Eagle Project, he planned and executed a plan to replace the shelving in the Clements Orchestra room where delicate violins are stored.
Each of the 6 shelves were divided into four sections. Each shelf had to be sturdy
enough to fi t and hold a teen-ager.
For Oliver’s Eagle service project, he planned and led a team of Scouts and volunteers from the Houston Chinese Community Center to create and landscape a 135 sq. ft. fl o-ral bed along the property line and lay mulch over the Com-
munity Center’s landscaping totaling over 765 sq. ft.
The four Eagle Scouts would like to thank the scouts and adult leaders from Troop 1631 for everything they have done for them. They couldn’t have made it this far without their support and guidance on the Trail to Eagle.
First Colony Eagle Scouts
The Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees will hold a Work-shop to discuss zoning bound-aries for high schools, mid-dle schools and elementary schools on Monday, January 10 at 6:00 p.m. The workshop will be held in the Board Room of the Fort Bend ISD Admin-istration Building, located at 16431 Lexington Blvd., in Sugar Land. The public is in-vited to attend.
School zoning workshop
Fort Bend ISD’s desperate plans toward optimum uti-lization of school buildings and the consequent closure of some campuses has given rise to a storm of protest. But, the district is looking at sev-eral stratagies to mitigate the fi nancial crisis.
How many of you know that just by increasing the class size in K-4 grades just by one student, a school dis-trict may save as much as $1 million?
This startling number was disclosed by local superinten-dents at a legislative retreat hosted by the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council at Lost Pines Resort near Austin recently.
FBISD Superintendent Tim Jenney, Lamar CISD Superin-tendent Thomas Randle and Stafford MSD Superintendent H.D. Chambers made a pre-sentation on the 2011 legisla-tive initiatives.
One of the initiatives is to remove the mandate that re-stricts the class size to 22 students in grades K-4.
The state legislature made this rule in 1984 to improve public schools.
If this mandate is removed and the districts are allowed to enroll up to 24 students per teacher, it would provide a vi-able solution during the cur-rent school funding crisis.
It will also help reduce fa-cility needs and enhance the utilization of available staff.
Using a 23 to 1 student-teacher ratio, Lamar CISD, for example, could save the dis-trict annually from $750,000 to $1.3, which is equivalent to more than 20 teachers.
In a typical LCISD elemen-tary campus, there are 39 class rooms.
At 22:1 ratio, the school capacity will be 858 and 23:1, the capacity will increase to 897. This means the need for two additional classrooms is eliminated.
The savings will be further amplifi ed if seen in the light of the cost of a classroom. The average cost of a por-table classroom building is $150,000 to $200,000.
The State Comptroller has found that for each school not built, conservatively estimat-ed savings are $15 million.
Sharing facilities also could result in other savings, such as reduced debt, utility and grounds maintenance costs.
The local school districts say there has been no study to prove that the magic number of 22:1 is a panacea for aca-demic achievement. Why not 20 to 1 or 25 to 1?
In fact, the school districts say they are not opposed to the 22 to 1 mandate and they are even willing to go for low-er student teacher ratio if the state is willing to support it.
Adopting an alternative staffi ng plan that gives each campus the ability to aver-age the student-teacher ratio in grades K-4 not to exceed 24 students per teacher in any classroom is a viable solu-tion.
Parents who want to help the school districts should raise their voices as much in support of this initiative by the local school districts as they do during rezoning dis-cussions.
Revamping the elementary class size requirement was the biggest cost-saving recom-mendation in Texas Comp-troller Susan Comb’s report, called the Financial Alloca-tion Study for Texas 2010.
Of course increasing the class size would mean reduc-ing the number of teachers, as many as 12,000 in the state and obviously, the teachers’ unions oppose any such pro-posal.
Another demand of the school districts is to equalize the funding formula and take away the inexplicable inequity in funding of various schools.
There is no rhyme or rea-
son why FBISD should get $20 million less than Lamar CISD or why FBISD’s per student revenue should be $5,234, LCISD’s per student revenue be $5,686 and that of SMSD $5,451?
While the school boards ask for more from the state, they have to do some home-work and see where they can tighten the bellt. The recent State Comptroller’s Financial Allocation Study for Texas 2010 throws some glaring light on this subject.
Texas public education spending nearly doubled dur-ing the last decade, increas-ing from $28 billion to nearly $55 billion since the 1998-99 school year. Even after taking enrollment growth into ac-count, spending per-pupil rose by 63 percent.
Thus, the charge that state is starving school districts is not an entirely valid criticism.
In the 2008-09 school year, Texas school districts reported about $13 billion in non-instructional expendi-tures. These districts would save an estimated $130 mil-lion for every 1 percent reduc-tion in non-instructional costs achieved through purchasing cooperatives.
In the last 11 years, the ra-tio of teachers to administra-tors in Texas declined from 13.8 to one in the 1998-99 school year to 13.0 to one in 2008-09.
From 1998-99 to 2008-09, the number of teachers in Texas rose from 256,276 to 325,809, a 27.1 percent in-crease.
During the same period, the number of administrators rose from 18,531 to 25,130, a 35.6 percent increase.
Texas would have to elimi-nate 1,571 administrative po-sitions to reach the 1998-99 ratio again.
Based on a weighted av-erage administrators’ salary of $73,255 in 2008-09, the elimination of 1,571 positions would reduce district spend-ing by $115.1 million annu-ally in salaries alone; reduced benefi t costs would raise the total savings substantially.
By RUSSELL C. JONES Frequent readers know
that this column often quotes politicos of every stripe, fre-quently to prove a point or to show an individual’s moti-vation. The year just ended produced many memorable comments. Many times they reveal more about the speak-er than the substance of any issue. A quick review of the year’s highlights allows a number of conclusions to be drawn.
Who could ever forget Obama’s characterization of the political opposition just before the November elec-tion? Addressing a Latino crowd, he demonized Repub-licans: “. . . Latinos [should say], ‘We’re gonna punish our enemies and we’re gonna reward our friends . . . Those aren’t the kinds of folks who represent our core American values.”
If that was not clear enough, he then told a Rhode Island audience how he really feels about bipartisanship: “We don’t mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back.”
Democrats were giddy about passing Obamacare. At the bill’s signing ceremony, Biden whispered to Obama: “This is a big f...ing deal!”
Pelosi could not curb her enthusiasm either. Answer-ing a reporter’s question about the substance of the bill which was about to be voted upon, she gushed: “We have to pass the bill so that you can fi nd out what is in it.”
Republicans were not im-mune to memorable state-ments about Obamacare. Af-ter its passage Palin came out with fi ghting words: “Don’t retreat. Instead -- reload!”
Several Tea Party candi-dates will be remembered as well, although what they said may explain why some
were not elected. Christine O’Donnell, who lost her Del-aware bid for the Senate, de-fended herself with: “I am not a witch. . . I’m you.” Later she asked a debate moderator: “Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?”
Sharron Angle, who came close to defeating Reid in the biggest race of the year, said what many probably thought, but were afraid to say: “If this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amend-ment remedies. They’re say-ing: . . . what can we do to turn this country around?”
Local candidates can be as much fun as those on the national scene. In a debate among candidates for gov-ernor of New York, one was direct about his concerns: “Some say I am a one issue candidate. But it all boils down to one thing: rent. It’s too damn high.” The only fe-male in the same race claimed special qualifi cations for the job: “The career politicians in Albany are the biggest whores in this state. I might be the only person sitting on this stage with the right expe-rience to deal with them.”
Even Sugar Land politi-cians say more about them-
selves than they realize. One former local offi cial was re-cently quoted: “Give me a microphone, a stage and a thousand people and I’m very content. During the last sev-eral years I have sung, danced and emceed this event . . . . Any time I can make a fool of myself . . . I’m your guy.”
Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time was not the sole province of politicians. At the height of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, BP’s top offi cial in the U.S. was clear on his priorities: “Nobody wants this thing over more than I do. I would like my life back.” After that offi cer was relieved of his duties, in part for his lack of sensitivity to the situation, the head of BP in the U.K. tried to express his concern: “We care about the small people.”
Wikileaker Julian Assange, showing sympathy for–or perhaps threatening--his next victim, speculated to be Bank of America, seemed to offer some kind of a deal: “We don’t want the bank to suffer unless it’s called for. But if its management is operating in a responsive way there will be resignations.” Later, after being arrested on charges not related to his real crimes, he told a reporter of his actual problem: “I am not promis-cuous. I just really like wom-en.”
Finally, the award for the most memorable comment of the year goes to John Tyner. Inspiring T-shirts and bumper stickers, the airline passenger told a TSA employee: “If you touch my junk, I’m gonna have you arrested.”
Jones is a member of the Sugar Land City Council, having been fi rst elected in 2003. He owns a law fi rm and a title insurance com-pany in Sugar Land.
By JANICE SCANLAN On New Year’s Eve, I over-
heard two women talking about New Year’s Resolutions. One of the women had obviously not thought about her resolutions, but started making some up on the spot. Those who resolve to achieve a goal versus those who are making resolutions are very different. Making resolutions is an activity. Resolve is a com-mitment. Which one do you think gets done?
In December I visited with Fort Bend Precinct 2 County Commissioner Grady Prestage. I’ve known him since before Ronald Reagan was elected President, and he was a young engineer at a gas pipeline com-pany who was dabbling in poli-tics. For the past 20 years, he’s served as Commissioner.
In watching Grady over the years, he’s shown the resolve to get things done. He has the abil-ity to mount a new idea and get other Commissioners on board. He initiated the development of the Fort Bend Toll Road Au-thority, the Fort Bend County Community Development De-partment, the Fort Bend County Housing Finance Corporation, and the Fort Bend County Parks and Recreation Department.
Yes, Kitty Hollow Park in Missouri City was our fi rst Fort Bend County Park.
He is also responsible for building two public-owned and private-operated Boys and Girls Clubs and for making signifi cant staff and capacity upgrades to the County Health Department.
The latest addition is Fort Bend Family Health Services in Missouri City. It was the reason I went to visit Commissioner Prestage. As with many of his initiatives, there’s a public/pri-vate aspect to that endeavor with the Fort Bend County providing the facility, but Family Health Services, a non-profi t health or-ganization actually running the facility.
If you’ve have the old ste-reotype of a public health facil-ity with hours of waiting, de-pressing physical facilities, and stretched-too-thin staff, the Mis-souri City Health facility is one of a growing trend in health care,
where uninsured and insured use the same facility because all pa-tients get excellent care as well as support their community.
It’s by appointment only and geared to everyday family pre-vention and care issues of pedi-atric and adult non-emergency medicine and designed to lower costs without compromising care.
Because the sliding scale of payment is easy on the pocket book whether you are uninsured or under-insured for medicines, it keeps people out of expensive emergency room visits. It has a pharmacy that stocks common-ly-prescribed, generic medi-cines at low prices so people can maintain good health. It offers in addition to sick care, annual physicals and pre-natal services that are cornerstones of well-ness.
With family-friendly hours, it’s also very convenient for Missouri City and east end resi-dents being in the New County Annex on Texas Parkway near Highway 90. I was extremely impressed. Call for an appoint-ment at 281 969-1800.
Commissioner Prestage is proud of the challenge of pro-viding quality at low cost. He is also proud of championing community amenities . . . and his resolve made another addi-tion to the Eastside of Fort Bend
Come and Experience the Diff erence!Come and Experience the Diff erence!
Salem International Salem International Christian CenterChristian Center14056 Southwest Fwy #118 14056 Southwest Fwy #118
(In the FedEx Bldg. in front of (In the FedEx Bldg. in front of Holiday Inn Express)Holiday Inn Express)
Sugar Land, TX 77478Sugar Land, TX 77478
www.salemic.orgwww.salemic.org
Services: Sunday
8:30 a.m.
Wednesday
7 p.m.
In tough economic times, families are setting budgets and tightening expenses. But there’s one area you shouldn’t trim: preventive health care.
Even if your family is healthy now, skipping preven-tive health care can cost you in the long run.
“Routine screenings and exams can help fi nd health problems in the early stages when they are often easier to treat,” says Mickey Bush, M.D., board certifi ed in fam-ily medicine with Method-ist Primary Care Associates. “This can save you money — not to mention help prevent serious health problems — in the long run.”
Dr. Bush recommends the following preventive health steps:
Check your numbers. High cholesterol and blood pres-sure levels can lead to serious illnesses, including heart dis-
ease and stroke. With the help of a diet and
exercise plan and/or medica-tion, risk factors may be con-trolled. Preventive steps for heart health cost signifi cantly less than emergency care or surgery.
Schedule regular screen-ings. The best way to identify risk factors and fi nd certain illnesses is through regular
screenings. Cancer, for instance, is most
treatable in its earliest stages, so be sure to be checked regu-larly.
Stay up-to-date on shots. Both kids and adults should keep up with vaccinations. Immunizations have been shown to be effective in reduc-ing certain diseases, including fl u, pneumonia, hepatitis B, chickenpox and tetanus.
Want to reduce your risk for future illness?
Following a healthy living plan might be your strongest defense. •Eat a healthful diet low in fat and cholesterol.•Don’t smoke. •Limit alcohol consumption.•Exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week.•Wear sunscreen.
Help keep your family healthy and happy — even
Keeping your family healthy saves money
Bush
County possible. DeWalt Heritage Center and
Dew Historic Home will provide a new museum and community venue for Fort Bend. Its Grand Opening is Sunday the 9th from 2 to 5 p.m. in, where else, Kitty Hollow Park. See you there!
Adding one student to a classroom can save a million
in more challenging times — by continuing to follow your preventive care plan.
To schedule a visit with Dr. Bush at Methodist Primary Care Associates, call 888-225-4912.
For a family physician re-ferral in your area, call 281-274-7500 or visit www.Meth-odistSugarLand.com.
JANUARY 5, 2011 • INDEPENDENT • Page 5
News
Eat with Pete set for Jan. 9With the New Year comes the second annual “Eat with Pete”
- the Repeat -, set for Sunday, Jan. 9, from 3 - 5 p.m. at the Sugar Creek home of Judy and Doug Bacon. “Eat with Pete” is an offi cial event of “Taste of Sugar Land”, and will benefi t the partners in our community, Fort Bend Family Promise, and East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry (the Food Pantry and other services). For more informaton call event chair at 281-437-8881, or e-mail [email protected] Reservations are limited at this festive event.
NEWAssociate of Applied Science degree inConstruction ManagementBe the first to enroll in the new WCJC Construction Management programInterested in engineering, architecture and construction? Then the new construction management program at our Sugar Land campus may be just for you! In just two years, you can earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Construction Management and join this fast-growing field. In addition to general education courses, you’ll take classes in the following areas:
• Construction Materials• Estimating• Scheduling• Basic AutoCAD• Project Management• Mechanical & Electrical Systems Planning• Construction Documents
Program graduates are eligible to transfer to the University of Houston to pursue a bachelor’s degree in construction management technology. Job OutlookEmployment of construction managers is projected to grow faster than average as population and business growth, plus emphasis on energy efficiency, requires new and renovated construction of residences, hospitals, schools and more.* Salary PotentialIndividuals with a bachelor’s degree in construction management received job offers averaging $53,199 annually according to a 2009 NACE survey. $500 Scholarship Available to current WCJC students, enrolled full-time and enrolled in ENGR 1304 for Spring 2011. Visit www.wcjc.edu for more information.
Classes Start Jan. 18
Register through Jan. 16 at www.wcjc.edu or call 979.532.6339
Sugar Land Campus14004 University Blvd @ U.S. Highway 59281.243.8447 or 979.532.6339
* U.S. government Occupational Outlook Handbook
Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace, Pct 1, Place 1, Gary D. Janssen will honor the legacy of his colleague, retired Judge Gary Geick, by continuing Judge Geick’s annual tradition of offering weddings on February 14, of every year, without charge to the participants. For more information about the “free weddings”, call Judge Janssen’s offi ce at 979 793-3403 or 281 342-7807.
The Sugar Land Democrats Club is hosting Environmental Forum and the featured speaker is Matthew Tejada, Executive Director of Air Alliance Houston. The meeting will be on Jan. 8, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the Eldridge Park Confer-ence Center, 2511 Eldridge Road (just north of West Airport) in Sugar Land.
Contact Deron Patterson /Co-Chair at 281-841-0829 or email [email protected] for more information. Tejada will present a state of our local environment. Topics addressed will be air quality, pollutants, greenhouse gas emissions, Texas Legislative issues, and how Air Alliance Houston is working for the betterment of our environment. Come learn how you can participate and advocate for a healthier environment.
Sugar Land Democrats Club hosts environmental forum
Sugar Land will partner with the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce to present a State of the City Address focusing on the City’s 2010 accom-plishments. This is the third year that the City has pre-sented an annual summary of activities to citizens.The community is invited to attend the program to be held Friday, Jan. 14 at the Sugar Land Marriott Hotel and Con-ference Center, located at 16090 City Walk at the corner of U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 6. Breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m., followed at 8 a.m. with a dynamic pre-sentation of 2010 Sugar Land achievements and a look at exciting activities on the ho-rizon. Register at www.fort-bendchamber.com. A preview of accomplish-ments for 2010 follows:•The Sugar Land Police De-partment’s annual report was presented in April. It showed that violent crime in Sugar Land decreased 11 percent during 2009 and investigative clearance rates improved by 4.7 percent, according to the Sugar Land Police Depart-ment’s 2009 Annual Report.•During 2010, Sugar Land was again named among America’s safest cities, a dis-tinction based on an analysis of FBI crime statistics. The distinction made Sugar Land the safest city in Texas. •To ensure the distribution of accurate, timely information, SLPD focused additional re-sources toward the better dis-tribution of crime data through direct communications with homeowner associations, SLtv 16, e-policing and the Crime Prevention Division.•In FY2010, SLFD completed
an exhaustive audit, inspec-tion and replacement of all fi refi ghter bunker gear, an effort intended to ensure the safety and effi cient operation of personnel. •Flood plain management pro-grams that addressed potential fl ood concerns helped Sugar Land citizens obtain reduced fl ood insurance policies. The insurance policies are avail-able from FEMA due to Sugar Land’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a program that requires the adoption and enforcement of minimum cri-teria to reduce potential fl ood-ing in local communities. •Phase 1 of the Ditch H ex-tension project was complet-ed in 2010; this involved a bridge opening along Union Pacifi c Rail Road right-of-way. Phase 2, currently under construction, will divert water from Oyster Creek to Ditch H and ultimately to the Brazos River. A key objective of the project is to lower elevations in Oyster Creek during ex-treme rainfall events and al-leviate potential fl ooding. •Drainage improvements tar-geting sections 2 and 3 of Sugar Mill began in June 2010 and are expected to be com-pleted by December 2010. Re-lief storm sewers are being in-stalled along Greenbelt Drive that outfall into Ditch A-22 to alleviate fl ooding problems within these sections. •Sugar Land began construc-tion of a Surface Water Treat-ment Plant. Oyster Creek will provide raw water to the new plant that will be capable of producing 9 million gallons per day. Located in the Gan-noway Lake area, the plant will include state-of-the-art
water processing equipment and will be online in late 2012.•Sugar Land and Fort Bend County Water Control & Improvement District No. 1 worked toward the dissolu-tion of WCID No. 1, an ac-tion intended to transfer lo-cal water rights from WCID #1 to the City of Sugar Land through legislation. Both agencies have been working for several years to protect local water rights and ensure an adequate supply of water for future needs. The City’s future surface water treatment plant will treat water from Oyster Creek.•Sugar Land reconfi gured the southbound U.S. 59 approach to S.H. 6 to include triple turn lanes that enable more cars to quickly access S.H. 6. As part of the improvements, a dy-namic message sign and LED lights installed in the pave-ment were intended to guide motorists more effi ciently through the intersection. This was the fi rst triple-left turn lane in Texas. The intersec-tion provides access to a criti-cal transportation corridor used by motorists traveling to First Colony Mall, Sugar Land Town Square and many more retail stores and restau-rants in the area.•City traffi c technicians re-confi gured key intersections along S.H. 6 near U.S. 59 to keep traffi c moving. New spe-cialized computer equipment utilizes vision techniques that accurately tracks vehicles and enables the traffi c signals to be adjusted in real-time to better handle traffi c demand. •Traffi c signal timing along U.S. 90A was upgraded to allow for two separate tim-
ing operations, one for longer trains and another for shorter trains (i.e., trains that pass in less than two minutes). This allowed for a quicker transi-tion back to normal traffi c signal coordination between signals. Approximately 40 trains of varying length pass through Sugar land each day. •Sugar Land City Council ap-proved on Sept. 7 a $282.2 million budget for fi scal year 2010-11. The budget was based on a tax rate of 30 cents per $100 valuation, which maintained the same tax rate since 2007.•Sugar Land City Council ap-proved on Oct. 5 Lease and Development Agreements with Opening Day Partners, LLC to bring professional mi-nor league baseball to Sugar Land. ODP -- an experienced community-focused operator that emphasizes year-round community events and ac-tivities at their stadiums -- will own and operate Sugar Land’s baseball team. ODP will be the owner of an Atlan-tic League expansion team in Sugar Land.•State and federal grants total-ing $4 million were awarded for a pedestrian and bicycle project in the Town Center area. The project is intended to provide safe, convenient access for pedestrians and bi-cyclists within Sugar Land’s business district, eventually connecting to a larger hike and bike trail system through-out the City.•An international bond rating agency raised Sugar Land’s credit rating to the highest possible rating, a signal of strong fi scal management and city planning. Fitch Ratings assigned Sugar Land’s gen-
HIMSS Analytics recent-ly announced that three of the 11 Memorial Hermann Healthcare System hospitals -- Memorial Hermann Katy, Sugar Land and Southeast -- have achieved Stage 6 on the EMR Adoption ModelSM (EMRAM).
HIMSS Analytics is a wholly owned not-for-profi t subsidiary of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
As the largest not-for-profi t healthcare system in Texas, Memorial Hermann supports a 5,000 member clinical staff and treats more than 1.4 mil-lion patients annually.
HIMSS Analytics devel-oped the EMR Adoption Model in 2005 as a method-ology for evaluating the prog-ress and impact of electronic medical record systems for hospitals in the HIMSS Ana-lytics™ Database.
Tracking their progress in completing eight stages (0-7), hospitals can review the im-plementation and utilization of information technology applications with the intent of reaching Stage 7, which represents an advanced elec-tronic patient record environ-ment. Stage 6 hospitals
• Have made signifi -cant executive commitments and investments to reach this stage.
• Appear to have a signifi cant advantage over competitors for patient safety, clinician support, clinician recruitment, and competitive marketing for both consum-ers and nurse recruitment.
• Have almost fully au-tomated/paperless medical re-cords when they have imple-mented their IT applications across most of the inpatient
care settings.• Are either starting to
evaluate their data for care de-livery process improvements or have already documented signifi cant improvements in this area. • Have made invest-ments that are within reach of most hospitals and recog-nize the strategic value of im-proving patient care with the EMR.• Have begun to create strategic alignments with their medical staff to effectively utilize information technol-ogy to improve the patient safety environment• Are well positioned to provide data to key stake-holders, such as payers, the government, physicians, con-sumers, and employers, to support electronic health re-cord environments and health information exchanges. Stage 6 hospitals also have achieved a signifi cant ad-vancement in their IT capa-bilities that positions them to successfully address many of the current industry transfor-mations, such as meaningful use criteria in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, claims attachments for the Health Insurance Por-tability and Accountability Act, pay for performance, and government quality reporting programs. In the last 5 years, Me-morial Hermann has created a single electronic medical re-cord across its (11) hospitals, and these three hospitals—Memorial Hermann Katy, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land, and Memorial Hermann Southeast—have utilized the most advanced capabilities with complete digital imag-ing, voice recognition for physician reports, bar coding medication administration,
computerized physician order entry, and clinical decision support. These advanced features have resulted in improvements in operational effi ciency, clini-cal quality and patient safety.
“A critical aspect of our success to date has been the fact that implementing an electronic medical record is not really a goal by itself,” said Robert Murphy, MD, Chief Medical Informatics Offi cer.
“We see our EMR as a tool to help create the best patient outcomes. We have respond-ed to the medical and clinical staff leadership in our hos-pitals to fi nd ways in which technology can help them de-liver outstanding and effi cient care.”
As an example of this, the three hospitals that have at-tained the Stage 6 designation have achieved “closed-loop” medication management.
Physicians use computer-ized order entry with clinical decision support to ensure correct medication dosing and prevention of drug inter-actions.
Pharmacists receive these orders without having to deci-pher handwriting, and use au-tomated dispensing systems to have individual medication doses available on nursing units.
Finally, nurses use bar coding technology to confi rm the correct medication for the correct patients, and the com-puter checks all of this with the original physician order.
“Each component is an important step in improving medication safety, ‘said Dr. Murphy. “But it is the fi nal culmination of having all as-pects in place that creates a highly reliable process for pa-tient safety.”
eral obligation bonds an AAA rating, an increase from the previous rating of AA+. The AAA rating is assigned to the best quality organizations, those considered reliable and stable. Aviation International News again rated the Fixed Based Operator (FBO) at Sugar Land Regional Airport as the Western Hemisphere’s best operation. The publica-tion’s 2010 FBO Survey com-pares fi xed-based operators in the western hemisphere. The survey is completed by pilots and other corporate aviation
experts who rate facilities in categories such as pilot ame-nities and services, line ser-vice, passenger amenities and facilities.• Sugar Land broke ground on Feb. 27 for its newest address -- 234 Mat-lage Way -- the future site of the City’s new Recreation Center. At more than 17,000 square feet, facilities at the center will include a full gymnasium, exercise room, two multi-purpose rooms and a patio/garden area.
Sugar Land to address 2010 accomplishments, vision for the future
HIMSS Analytics honors Memorial Hermann with Stage 6 recognition
Free weddings on Valentine’s DayFree weddings on Valentine’s Day
Legal Notices
Page 6 • INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 5, 2010
News
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Sealed submittals (1) one original and (7) seven copies, addressed to the City Secretary Offi ce of the City of Sugar Land, Texas, will be received until 3:00 o’clock p.m., Thursday
January 13, 2011 for:
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS NO. 2011-10
MATERIAL TESTING SERVICES
CITY OF SUGAR LAND SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT
Submissions shall be appropriately marked in the upper left hand corner as follows:
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS NO. 2011-10
MATERIAL TESTING SERVICES
CITY OF SUGAR LAND SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT
Signed and sealed submittals shall be delivered to the City Secretary’s Offi ce on or before 3:00 o’clock p.m., Thursday, January 13, 2011, City of Sugar Land, City Hall, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479. All submissions received after the appointed time shall be returned to submitter unopened. Notice of the award of contract shall be given by the City within one hundred and twenty (120) days following the date for the opening of submittals.
The City reserves the right to revise or amend the specifi cations prior to the date set for opening of submittals. Such revisions or amendments, if any, will be announced by addenda or addendum to the specifi cations. Copies of such addenda so issued will be furnished to all prospective submitters and may or may not aff ect the submission opening date.
The City of Sugar Land reserves the right to reject any and all submissions and to waive informalities in submittals received. The award will be made based on a panel evaluation of submittals received.
RFQ documents may be secured from City of Sugar Land City Secretary Offi ce, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, or by registering on https://www.bidsync.com. Registration is free. All documents, amendments and other information relating to the submittal will be posted at this site.
For questions regarding this request for qualifi cation, please contact Jason Poscovsky, Contract Administrator, Telephone (281) 275-2302 or email [email protected].
Glenda Gundermann, TRMC, CMC, AAECity Secretary
CITATION BY PUBLICATIONDIVORCE
The State of TexasTO: Ana Lourdes Tully Mexico or wherever she may be found, and to all whom it may concern, RespondentGREETINGS: You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do not fi le a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 AM on the Monday next following the expiration of twenty (20) days after you were served this citation and petition, a default judgment may be taken against you. The Original Petition for Divorce of Charles Craig Tully was fi led in the 387th Judicial District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas, on June 23, 2009 against Ana Lourdes Tully, being numbered 09-DCV-172853 and entitled In the Matter of the Marriage of Charles Tully and Ana Tully and in the Interest of Sebastian Chabrier Tully, Giselle Etienne Tully and Adrian Bernard Tully, Children. The suit requests that the bonds of matrimony be dissolved.The court has authority in this suit to enter any judgment or decree dissolving the marriage and providing for the division of property which will be binding on you.The Court has authority in this suit to enter any judgment or decree in the child(ren)’s interest which will be binding upon you, including the termination of the parent-child relationship, the determination of paternity and the appointment of a conservator with authority to consent tothe child(ren)’s adoption.Issued and given under my hand and seal of the said Court at Richmond, Texas, on this the 27th day of December, 2010.Petitioner’s Attorney:Myrna Davila Gregory
1225 North Loop West Ste 1108
HOUSTON TX 77008
713-861-1293
DISTRICT CLERK ANNIE REBECCA
ELLIOTT
FORT BEND COUNTY
Deputy District Clerk Herlinda Nanez281-633-7626
Notice of Public Meeting
Presentation of Draft Recommendations for Public Review and Comment
City of Sugar Land Comprehensive Mobility Plan
A public meeting will be held to give residents of Sugar Land and Sugar Land Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction an opportunity to provide input on the draft recommendations for the City of Sugar Land Comprehensive Mobility Plan. The City of Sugar Land Comprehensive Mobility Plan is intended to develop an implementation plan for the City’s long-range vision for mobility in Sugar Land. The Plan will consider the potential for all modes of transportation, including commuter transit and commuter rail, freight rail, intra-city transit, walking, biking, air travel, and automobile. A copy of the draft recommendations in presentation slide format is available on the City website http://www.sugarlandtx.gov/transportation and in the City Secretary Offi ce, City of Sugar Land City Hall, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479.
The public meeting will be held as follows:
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
6:00 PM
Cane Room Number 161
Sugar Land City Hall
2700 Town Center Boulevard North
Sugar Land, Texas 77479
Comments may also be sent by January 19, 2011, to the City of Sugar Land Transportation Department, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479 or P.O. Box 110, Sugar Land, Texas 77487-0110. Residents may fax their comments to the City at (281) 275-2771.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this facility is wheelchair accessible and accessible parking spaces are available. Requests for special accommodations or interpretive services must be made at least 48 hours prior to this meeting. Please contact City Secretary, Telephone 281-275-2730 or FAX 281-275-2293.
Note:
Merry Ministries (www.merryministries.com) invites women of all ages to join in a study of the fi rst book of the Bible, Genesis.
This class provides mem-bers with a time of praise and worship, teaching from Mary Willis, prayer, and fel-lowship with other women in the community.
Genesis is a book of be-ginnings. It addresses the beginnings of life, marriage, family, work, church and friendships. Merry Minis-tries study, “New Year. Fresh Start,” will help members learn more about the Word of God and how it applies to their daily lives.
“Everybody loves a fresh start,” says Teacher Mary Willis.
“The study of Genesis will show women they have the opportunity for a new begin-ning and a better understand-ing of God’s purpose for our lives in 2011.”
The goal of Merry Min-istries is to provide a place for women to grow in Bibli-cal knowledge, learn how the
Bible applies to us today, and to start or strengthen a rela-tionship with God that will change our lives forever.
Mary Willis has been teach-ing the Bible for 20 years and does not claim to have all the answers, but she will share her insights and possible in-terpretations.
Register to attend Merry Ministries today at www.mer-ryministries.com or through Sugar Land First United Methodist Church at 281-491-6041.
The class is free of charge. There is no homework, but members are encouraged to read their Bibles regularly.
Evening Classes: Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m., starting Jan. 11; Morning classes: Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m., staring Jan. 12.
Willis
Merry Ministries’ Bible classes
The “Show Me City” has important news for current and future residents: Effec-tive January 1, 2011, Missouri City ordinance no longer re-quires an inspection when a change of occupancy occurs for an owner occupied home.
The revision removes regu-lations for change of occupant inspections, sellers’ disclo-sure notice requirements, and all associated fees.
The City has historically required individuals mov-ing into a home to obtain an inspection of the residence prior to having utilities turned
on or moving in. The chang-es, approved by City Council on Dec. 20 also include re-fi ning the rental registration program by removing the 12-month inspection exemp-tion for units that have passed an inspection within that time period. The City has imple-mented the changes to im-prove the inspection process and make it possible for new residents to move into their homes sooner.
The amendments will allow Staff to focus more resources on the Rental Registration Program and other inspec-
tions citywide. “The revisions will help
our City to maintain strong property values and high-standards of living for all resi-dential properties in the com-munity,” City Manager Frank Simpson said.
For updates, watch Coun-cil “Agenda & Minutes” on the City’s website, www.mis-souricitytx.gov; and Missouri City Television (Channel 16 on Comcast and Channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse). For ques-tions, please contact the Plan-ning Department at 281-403-8600.
From left to right, Dan Flagg, Missouri City Police Department’s Community Liaison Offi cer, Captain Mike Berezin, Hunters Glen I & II HOA President James Bell, Hunters Glen Crime Watch coordina-tor Gene Rasbury, Councilman Bobby Marshall, Sgt. Daryl Smith and Councilman Don Smith.
Hunters Glen I and II resi-dents and Missouri City of-fi cials came out recently in support of a new Community Crime Watch program for the subdivisions.
The program enlists citi-zen volunteers to patrol the area and keep watch out for suspicious activity.
“This is an opportunity for residents to be the ‘eyes and ears’ for the police de-partment and help out,” said Hunters Glen I and II Crime Watch coordinator Gene Ras-bury, who asks that interested neighbors contact him about the program at [email protected].
All citizens in HG I&II are encouraged to participate in the prevention program and will need to pass a back-ground check and undergo training sessions with the Missouri City Police Depart-ment.
For more information on starting a crime watch pro-
Residents watch out for crime
gram in the City, visit the City’s website at www.mis-
The Fort Bend CORPS is a 501 c (3) nonprofi t corporation. The CORPS was established in 1999 and has completed home repairs on over 1100 homes within Fort Bend County.
All repairs are provided free of charge with no obligation. This assistance is made possible by grants, monetary dona-
tions, in-kind donations, as well as the unselfi sh and tireless work of hundreds of volunteers.
The need for this program is great; there is currently a six month long waiting list of important and worthwhile projects within Fort Bend County.
Fort Bend CORPS will hold its Steel Toe & Stilettos Ball to raise funds for the organization on Friday, Feb. 11 at the Safari Texas Ranch.
The Austin based band “Groove Knights” will perform. Wonderful items will be available on the bid board as well
as a raffl e. If you are unable to attend the Ball you can still help raise
money for this organization by purchasing one of the 100 for $100 raffl e ticket items.
This year the CORPS is honored to have Mrs. Kay Slack-Beard as its honorary chair.
Kay has been a tireless volunteer for the CORPS for several years and recently took charge of a project with the CORPS to build a cottage for an underprivileged family in Fort Bend County. She worked with the Dulles High School PALS Pro-gram to make this project a reality. Kay says, “I have been blessed beyond imagination in my life time and it brings me great joy to witness young people being able to experience grat-ifi cation and caring.”
Fort Bend CORPS’ Steel Toe & Stilettos Ball
FORT BEND FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. Fort Bend Friends and Neighbors’ February luncheon will feature a Mardi Gras theme on February 17, 2011 at Braeburn Country Club, 8101 Bissonnet, Houston, TX. Beginning at 10:30 a.m. every-
one will be jazzing it up at the Bourbon Street Shopping Ex-travaganza!
Wear your favorite Mardi Gras attire and come enjoy signature Creole cuisine while shouting “Throw me some beads, Mister!” at the razzle dazzle style show parade.
Cost for members is $30 and non members, $35. For more information, email [email protected] or see the web page at fbfn.org.
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
Notice is hereby given of a Special Meeting of the Planning & Zoning
Commission to be held on Wednesday, January 12, 2011, at 6:00 p.m. at: City
Hall; 2nd Floor Council Chambers, 1522 Texas Parkway, Missouri City, Texas,
for the purpose of considering the items listed below.
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. DISCUSSION
(a) Zoning Text Amendments Workshop
•Private Utilities
•Outside placement of materials, merchandise, and equipment (MME)
3. ADJOURN
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Missouri
City will provide for reasonable accommodations for persons attending
Planning and Zoning meetings. To better serve you, requests should be
received 24 hours prior to the meetings. Please contact Betty Collins,
Administrative Secretary, at 281-403-8541.
SUGAR LAND 4B CORPORATION
PUBLIC NOTICE
As required by the Development Corporation Act of 1979, the Sugar Land 4B Corporation gives notice that it intends to undertake the following project:
Land, buildings, equipment, facilities, and improvements found by the Board of Directors to be required or suitable for use for professional and amateur sports and entertainment and tourist purposes and events, including stadiums, ball parks, auditoriums, amphitheaters, concert halls, parks and park facilities, open space improvements, and exhibition facilities; and related store, restaurant, concession, automobile parking facilities, area transportation facilities, roads, streets, water and sewer facilities, and other related improvements that enhance any of the items described herein.
If you desire further information on this project, please call the City of Sugar Land (281) 275-2322.
JANUARY 5, 2011 • INDEPENDENT • Page 7
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A herniated disk sounds like an excruciating injury, some-thing that happens after falling from a roof or getting kicked by a horse. Painful as it is, the condition is typically caused by long-term overuse or re-petitive injury – simple move-ments like lifting, bending, reaching and twisting – not a single fall or impact.
“A herniated disk is often the result of a gradual wear and tear called degeneration of the disks,” explains Anthony J. Muffoletto, M.D., board-certifi ed orthopedic surgeon specializing in diseases and deformities of the spine with Methodist Orthopaedic Spe-cialists of Texas (MOST). Herniated disks are most com-mon in middle age, especially from age 35 to 45.
“As you age, the spinal disks become less fl exible and more prone to injury,” Dr. Muffolet-to adds. The spine is cushioned by disks with gel-like centers, and a disk becomes herniated when pressure causes the soft material to protrude out of a tear in the disk.
Depending on the location and severity of the herniated disk, you may feel severe back pain or no pain at all. Pain is
Herniated disk: Treatment provides reliefcaused when a herniated disk (also called a slipped or rup-tured disk) irritates a spinal nerve nearby.
Signs and symptoms in-clude:
• Radiating pain or tingling that extends down one leg (called sciatica).
• Pain, numbness or weak-ness in your lower back and one leg, or in your neck, shoul-der, chest or arm.
• Low back pain or leg pain that worsens when you sit, cough or sneeze.
Treatment depends on a va-riety of factors, including your symptoms, age, activity level and worsening conditions. “Conservative treatments re-lieve symptoms in about nine out of 10 patients,” Dr. Muffo-letto says. “Doing stretches and exercises while also managing pain with medication helps the body heal on its own, usually within one or two months.”
Conservative treatment may include rest and activity modifi cation, a light exercise routine designed for stability and strength, avoiding sitting for extending periods of time, applying mild heat and ice for
20 minutes at a time and tak-ing anti-infl ammatory medica-tions.
Physical therapy can be useful for both pain relief and rehabilitation. Ultrasound and electrical stimulation may be used to relieve pain, while ex-ercises improve core strength to prevent future injury.
Surgery may be recom-mended in rare cases if the pain is severe or an abnormal disk is causing a neurologi-cal problem. Surgical options to remove the herniated por-tion of the disk and relieve pressure on the nerve include diskectomy and microdiskec-tomy. This is usually an outpa-tient procedure and pain relief is typically immediate.
A Healthy Back Starts Here
It’s time to see a doctor if your back pain:
• Is disabling for more than one week.
• Interferes with your nor-mal activities for one to three weeks.
• Has not improved signifi -cantly after four to six weeks.
While not all pain can be cured, it can be managed — especially if back or neck pain is keeping you from taking part in everyday activities. Our team of pain special-ists at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Spine Center will perform a thorough evaluation and formulate a treatment plan specifi c to your condition.
The new Spine Center is lo-cated on the Methodist Sugar Land Hospital campus with easy access off Town Center Boulevard. Patients with pri-mary care physician referrals, as well as those without refer-rals, are welcome. For more information or to schedule an appointment at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Spine Center, please call 281-313-BACK (2225).
Muffoletto
One of the classics. You know what they say about the classics. I didn’t think you knew either because I don’t have a clue.
Here is the good news: many of the 12-year olds in my audience screamed with laughter. Bad news: I did not so much as chuckle; not even a smile. I did nod off.
What’s wrong with you Larry H. the Scrooge from Sugar Land? Bah Humbug! I just calls ‘em like I sees ‘em.
This version of Gulliver was in 3D and I still like wear-ing the funky glasses. Please see photo at www.larryhmov-iereviews.com. I chose Gul-
liver because I’d seen all the important movies and I just couldn’t make myself see “Little Fockers.” Choices and consequences.
I make the tough calls about which movie to see all year and then I get to the end of the year and I’m stuck with the crumbs. The only movie I haven’t seen that has a shot at an Oscar is “County Strong” starring Gwyneth Paltrow; it opens January 7th.
Jack Black plays Lemuel Gulliver who works for the “New York Tribune” as a lowly mailroom guy that has a crush on Darcy (Amanda Peet) the travel writer. Gul- Larry H. with 3D glasses
liver does not have the guts or the “stature” to ask Darcy for a date so he does the only decent thing he could do - lie. The lie lands him an assign-ment and a boat ride to write about the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle and poof he ends up on the beach of the island of Liliput.
Our hero, the 41 year old Jack Black, in cutoffs and t-shirt is a giant among the citizens of Liliput so he is no longer the mailroom guy. And the rest is history and not very entertaining.
Black is his usual charming and comedic character that we expect and he will survive this disaster without hurting his ca-reer but this is no “Nacho Li-bre” 2006. This is a movie for
kids plain and simple. Take a kid to this fl ick, just leave me out of it.
Highlights: as I walked in the AMC First Colony the-atres, I ran into two childhood friends, Joey and Nancy S., who have been married for over 40 years and have six grandkids. They are a hand-some couple and two of the winners from the Bay City Blackcats. And as I sat down in Theatre 21 during the trail-ers and quickly put on my 3D glasses, I ducked as a soccer ball came off the screen and came directly at my head. Love a good 3D effect.
continues to blend the best of both luxury and utility. For the 2011 model year it comes in all-wheel drive and front wheel drive, is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 275 horsepower and includes smart stop technology as stan-dard equipment.
The third-generation RX 350 continues to raise the bar in the luxury crossover seg-ment it created in 1998. One way is with smart stop tech-nology. It enhances the brak-ing system by automatically reducing engine power when the brake pedal and accelera-tor pedal are applied simulta-neously under certain driving conditions.
The Lexus RX 350 teams a 3.5-liter V6 engine with a six-speed multi-mode automatic transmission that also shifts manually without a clutch. Ninety percent or more of the 256 lb.-ft. of peak torque is available from 2,300 to 6,100 rpm.
Lexus offers its RX luxury utility models with a choice between front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD). Active Torque Con-trol AWD uses an electronical-ly controlled coupling ahead
of the rear differential to vary torque distribution anywhere from 100:0 to 50:50 front to rear. When accelerating on a low-grip surface, torque is quickly provided to all four wheels.
A key factor in the RX’s handling agility is the unique-ly designed double-wishbone rear suspension. Another benefi t of the rear suspension is that the packaging yields greater cargo area room. The front suspension geometry was optimized with a thick stabilizer bar.
The RX stops with the help of two-piston front cali-per brakes and runs on stan-dard 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Optional 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with
235/55R19 tires are available.The Vehicle Dynamics Inte-
grated Management handling technology, which anticipates loss of vehicle control in many directions, is available on the RX 350. It governs the anti-lock braking system, brake assist, vehicle stability control and traction control. It also interfaces with the electronic throttle control system.
All RX models are equipped with the SmartAccess key-less entry with push-button start, power tilt and telescopic steering column. The three-part (40/20/40) rear seats can slide fore and aft, recline, and fold down using the one-touch levers mounted in the luggage compartment.
The RX can accommodate
a variety of music sources, providing auxiliary and USB inputs, Bluetooth® Audio wireless connectivity and a standard integrated XM Radio receiver (complimentary 90-day trial subscription includ-ed). The RX continues offer-ing the Lexus premium audio system as standard equipment, in this case a nine-speaker sys-tem with a six-disc changer.
Lexus used human-machine interface (HMI) studies to en-hance occupants’ interaction with all controls. The three innovations to come from the HMI studies include the multi-information switch on the steering wheel, the op-tional heads-up display and my favorite, the remote touch console mounted navigation controller.
The attribute that most dis-tinguishes Lexus’ navigation controller from other devices in other luxury models is its available “haptic”-feedback technology, which provides a tactile response to the hand. As the user operates the con-troller near a screen icon, the cursor is pulled to that icon with feedback from a servo-motor in the device enabling the user to feel it “click” into place.
The driver or passenger
makes a selection by press-ing the side thumb button on either side, and the feedback servo is adjustable for sensi-tivity. The system then con-fi rms the action with a subtle sound. Remote Touch inte-grates the functions of seven hard switches used with the previous touch screen, helping users to operate those func-tions with reduced effort and distraction.
The RX is Lexus bestseller and has been since it was fi rst introduced as a luxury cross-over vehicle in 1998. I always
look forward to test driving an RX because it is so refi ned, comfortable, handles so well and is as utilitarian as it is lux-urious. The fi ve-door RX 350 retails for $37,975 with all standard equipment. Optional equipment added more than $12,000 to that and topped out the price at $49,459.
The Lexus RX is one sweet crossover that glides over bumpy streets, has plenty of power and good looks and lots of thoughtful creature com-forts.
Page 8 • INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 5, 2011
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1945 Lakeside Plaza Drive,
Sugar Land, TX 77479
Kevin Kline, local morn-ing radio host on The New 93Q, attempted something very few people have done. Starting at 12 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2010, he ran for 24 con-tinuous hours perched inside the display window at Re-public Harley Davidson in Stafford. At 12 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2011 Kline descended the display window and then ran 13.1 miles into Texas Chil-dren’s Cancer Center. Kline’s effort will raise awareness and $50,000 for the Snow-drop Foundation.
“The goal, fi rst and fore-
most, is to symbolically show the monotony, isolation, bore-dom and discomfort (or pain) kids with cancer go through during their fi ght. Also, the run will be a tiny reminder that, for kids fi ghting cancer, it is a continuous battle, they don’t get to stop until they are clear and free of their dis-ease and that doctors don’t get to stop working for a cure until they’ve found one,” said Kline.
Kline is also the president and co-founder of the Snow-drop Foundation, which raises money for Texas Chil-
dren’s Cancer Center. Foun-dation funding supports the Cancer Center’s cutting edge work in pediatric cancer re-search, provides twice annual weekend Gulf excursions for patients and awards college scholarships to pediatric can-cer patients and childhood cancer survivors.
“Kevin’s tireless passion and commitment to Texas Children’s Cancer Center is so apparent in every venture he takes on and every effort he makes to create aware-ness about pediatric cancer. We feel so fortunate to have someone as tremendously de-voted as Kevin is as our friend and supporter,” said Dr. Da-vid Poplack, director of Texas Children’s Cancer Center.
Since establishing the Snow-drop Foundation in 2006, the Foundation has donated over $300,000 to Texas Children’s Cancer Center and awarded 61 college scholarships to pa-tients and survivors.
Treadmill run and half marathon for children’s cancer center
