Posted by Susan On August 26, 2009
HISD is planning on making H1N1 vaccines available tomorrow at six school locations…10-thousand of the vaccines will be given from 9 until noon tomorrow…They will be at Wheatley High School, Yates High School, Westside High School, Forest Milby High School, Woodson Middle School, Jane Long Middle School,
The Space Shuttle Atlantis astronauts got to sleep in a bit this morning because in the middle of the night – they were startled awake… NASA says the shuttle and Space Station crews were startled by what flight controllers quickly concluded was a false alarm indicating a sudden depressurization. But, The false alarm caused ventilation fans to shut down, resulting in a fire alarm - that’ll get you wide awake!
Need a holiday job?! There’s a list of companies hiring locally listed on the Houston Chronicle this morning….Macy’s is hiring in Texas city, Friendswood, Sugarland, Baytown and Houston.
Get ready for it….Oprah Winfrey is leaving the airwaves. A letter sent to her staff yesterday said the talk show host will announce an end date for “The Oprah Winfrey Show” on today’s episode. The letter reads, quote, “The sun will set on the ‘Oprah’ show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011.”
The Space Shuttle Atlantis crew got to sleep in this morning after being unexpectedly awakened in the night. NASA says the shuttle and International Space Station crews were startled by what flight controllers quickly concluded was a false alarm indicating a sudden depressurization.
Houston SPCA officials say 61 purebred dogs will be readied for adoption after a breeder turned the animals over to the shelter. Officials say costs associated with caring for the huskies, golden retrievers and German shepherds apparently became overwhelming for the owner in Waller County. Pictures of the dogs will soon be posted at www.HoustonSPCA.org.
Texans are paying lower prices at the gas pump. Triple-A Texas spokesperson Sarah Schimmer says gas prices across the state dropped this week…just it time for over the river and through the woods ..
Google isn’t just a search engine anymore, it’s getting set to take on Microsoft. The company has officially shown the world its computer operating system dubbed Chrome. The Chrome code for the operating system will be completely open something that is NOT a feature of Microsoft.
Posted by Susan On July 17, 2009
This breaks my heart – please be praying for the family and care-giver – a little nine month old boy with flu symptoms has succumbed to his illness – Little D’Aaron Javon Morris had suffered with bronchitis and asthma…and was showing flu symptoms – please pray for everyone involved!
This is cool – Houston police will host a roundtable discussion today to educate people about domestic violence…HPD officers, victims, survivors and experts will be available to answer questions from the audience….October is Domestic violence Awareness Month and it’s part of an on going effort by HPD to educate people about the issue…It begins at noon at U of H main campus…in the University center underground!!
I used a place like this when I was struggling!! So if you are working hard to stretch your food money – here’s an idea - There are Salvage Groceries in almost every city – including ours! they offer salvaged and surplus food items, including shipments of food that have been in accidents on freeways. Nothing is damaged inside the packages, though shoppers may see some dented cans or ripped labels there. Sometimes the store will sell items from other stores that close or from manufacturers who have changed package labels. In some instances you can save as much as five dollars on things like Benadryl that’s been in a crashed!
Wall Street is watching and waiting today – will they do it again!? Yesterday the Dow closed above the ten thousand mark for the first time in more than a year! Investors yesterday were reacting to positive earnings reports from Intel and J.P. Morgan Chase.
Ah oh….get ready for a big winter in part of the country…cold temperatures in the south lots of snow in the New England area…it’s all because of El Nino the weather pattern…
Overnight construction could cause problems for motorists near Memorial Park. Houston TranStar officials are telling us that the westbound lanes of Memorial Drive will be closed for construction starting last night at 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. today. The lanes will also be closed during those times through Saturday.
The combination of beans, rice and a tortilla has lead to one teenager’s arrest. According to Florida’s abcactionnews.com, a 15-year-old boy was arrested after he threw his burrito at a passing car. John Addie was driving his vehicle through Hernando Beach, Florida when he saw someone lean out of the approaching car and throw something. Before he could react, Addie says his windshield was cracked and covered in beans. Addie turned around and followed the car while calling for police assistance. Authorities eventually caught up to the 15-year-old who subsequently confessed to the act. The teenaged burrito bomber was arrested on the felony charge of throwing a deadly missile. He was eventually released to the custody of his father.
Posted by Susan On July 10, 2009
It’s going to be even hotter today than yesterday! And With a dangerously high heat index expected , a heat advisory has been issued for the Houston area. The high is expected to hit 100 but when you factor in the humidity, it is forecast to feel like 108 to 111. So, please avoid outdoor activity, especially in the mid to late afternoon and early evening. Drink plenty of water and make sure the kids, the pets and your neighbors are too!
Houston Mayor Bill White wants an independent group to come in and investigate the latest allegations of racism and harassment at the Fire Department. The mayor is still supporting the chief though – he says he’s done a better job of diversifying the FDP.
There’s another memorial service for Michael Jackson today – this one is in his hometown of Gary, Indiana.
The President and the Pope. President Obama and his family will be at the Vatican today to meet with Pope Benedict the 16th. The president is bringing a present – a stole that once draped around St John Neumann In Philadelphia.
There will be a new General Motors – the company is emerging from bankruptcy today with the government hanging on to 60 percent of the company. While the President isn’t running the company – the government is deciding who will.
Some local schools have found a way to make money – and lots of it! It’s coming from cell phones – students who are being fined for chatting and texting in the classroom. Some of the fines are being used to reward honor roll students and to pay for classroom pizza parties. So, wondering how much we’re talking about? Klein ISD has collected over 100-THOUSAND dollars in cell phone fines over the past two years!
This may sound like one of those Captain Obvious things to say – but Doctors are saying If you’re sick, stay home from work! They say people think the heroic thing to do is go in and “ work through the pain” but the truth is even aside from the fact that you could make others sick – you’re likely to hinder more than help your company! Stay home and get better.
Posted by Susan On April 15, 2009
Industry claims that bottled water is better than tap water are all wet, according to a report by the investigative arm of Congress. The bottled water may not be as safe as tap water, because bottled water is not tightly regulated. Tap water, on the other hand, must meet strict federal health guidelines. Bottled or tap – you need plenty of it in the kind of heat we’re experiencing this summer….so drink up!
Baby floats are being recalled – if you have young children who swim or they come visit you – there’s a recall you need to know about. 4 million inflatable baby floats are being pulled off the shelves. The floats were made by Aqua Leisure Industries – they come in a lot of different shapes and forms – but the problem is the same….the leg straps in the seat can tear and cause the baby to fall through. The floats were sold for between 8 to 15 dollars in all kinds of stores.
High School students are getting a break – they will be able to take more electives and fewer required subjects under a new bill approved by the legislature They don’t have to take two semesters of computer technology any more – don’t have to take a semester of health education either. And PE is reduced from three semesters to two. The new graduation standards are part of an accountability bill lawmakers approved during the regular season. It gives students more course options to prepare for college or training programs.
Bad weather could delay Saturday’s scheduled launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Florida’s regular late-day summer storms are the biggest threat to an on-time launch. Endeavour is launching its seven-member crew on a 16-day mission to the International Space Station.
Have you heard of the Baby Bonus? Senator Charles Schumer is saying the government should give every child born next year a 500 dollar bonus – the program is designed to help people save money for things like college, a home or retirement from the moment they are born.
– Jury service just got more bearable. Harris County District Clerk Loren Jackson announced yesterday there will now be public wireless Internet in the county jury assembly room. Residents can now bring their laptop, PDA or other wireless-ready gadget to access the Internet while they wait out the jury selection process.
A theme park is set to come to Tomball. It’s a 100-acre, Texas-themed park with rope course, zip lines, catch and release fishing, a giant maze and obstacle courses. Developer Monty Galland says he’ll break ground this fall, with a tentative opening next spring. The new park is expected to bring about 200 jobs to Tomball.
Construction of the Sam Houston Tollway’s northeast section will begin this week. It’s the final 13-mile stretch of the system and will connect U.S. 59 North and U.S. 90 East, to complete the 75-mile loop. The project is expected to be complete by spring 2011, and the segment of the tollway will provide three lanes in each direction.
Houston City Council has voted to refund a local company over one-million dollars for an erroneous water bill. Council members determined yesterday the city overbilled Valero Refining by more than one-point-two-million dollars for water that was never used. The miscalculation began when the city stopped regularly reading Valero’s meter and instead estimated water usage. After ten months, a city inspector discovered the poor judgment last September. The refund comes at a time when other city departments are struggling with cut costs, including health care, police and transportation.
Posted by Susan On April 14, 2009
The number of confirmed swine flu cases at a single Houston elementary school doubled yesterday. Twenty-four students at Travis Elementary have tested positive for the virus. The inundation of affected children makes the Heights neighborhood campus the nation’s second largest outbreak in a single setting. The only location with more confirmed cases is a school in New York City with 59 sick children. Travis Elementary is closed until May 26th.
NASA is thrilled with what Atlantis’ crew has done with the Hubble…they’re ready to release the school bus sized telescope back into space…and scientists say now with all the work they’ve done on it…it’s actually 90 times more effective than when it was originally launched 19 years ago!
It’s a treasure chest – but not money – the life treasures of a family along the coast. Officials near Galveston found a chest full of photographs and other memorabilia last week…they believe it’s from someone’s home that was damaged or destroyed during Hurricane Ike last September. The name Donald Pickard from Oklahoma was on some of the items inside.
I love Star Trek – the movie was amazing…but this may be a bit too far even for me! A British man has turned his entire apartment into the Star Trek Voyager – it includes a voice activated computer system, flrorescent tubes and a replica of the Beam me up Scottie transporter…He started the project to relieve stress while going through a divorce…He says it’s helped and it’s really his only vice in life!
The President wants new fuel efficiency and emissions standards for our cars and trucks today. He’s expected to propose new changes that will include a requirement for 42 miles per gallon in 7 years…
Credit Card companies are about to feel the belt tighten – the Senate will vote today on a bill that would protect those of us who use the plastic – protecting us against sudden spikes in interest rates, hidden fees and other strong-arm marketing tactics!
Please be praying for the family of a man who has disappeared after he and his children were involved in a boating accident while they were fishing…their boat capsized near an oil rig off the coast of Port O’Conner. The teenaged children were rescued by workers on the rig…their father floated out of sight. The Coast Guard is searching for the man.
Sleep may be a big factor in weight loss. A study of nurses at Walter Reed Army Medical Center found that those who slept less tended to have a higher body mass index than those who slept more. Doctors believe getting less sleep may disrupt natural hormonal balances and increase stress.
What will be the one millioneth word in the English language?! It’s expected to be added officially June 10th around 10:22 am. So what is the word? It could be defollow – noob or defriend…I didn’t even know what these were – so I looked em up! Noob is someone who’s new but doesn’t want to do the work to learn to do well at what they are new to…defollow is to stop following someone – on twitter…defriend is just what it sounds like! Ouch!
Posted by Susan On April 9, 2009
This is normally the section where you get the news of the day…but I want to share with you the best news ever!
They’d followed him for years, believed he was the Messiah, the one that was going to save them all and build His new Kingdom. Now, he’s dead…they watched him die a horrible death on the cross. They saw him beaten, his beard plucked from his face…by the time he was hanging on the cross you could no longer recognize him as Jesus! He’d suffered for hours until finally he spoke…”It is Finished” and it was over…He was dead. They’d even helped to take him down and lay him in his tomb. He was dead…their hope was buried in a borrowed tomb with a stone holding his body inside. Days passed…they met alone, afraid, away from crowds and officials hiding to regroup and decide what to do now that it’s over.
They prayed and they waited until the day the women would be able to prepare his body for permenant burial. Finally the Passover was done and they could finish the job of burying their Jesus. . .
Early morning, the women take their jars of spice and cloths to cover him properly and head to the garden where the tomb held him in death. But something was wrong…. the stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty. The first thought, ’someone must have stolen him’…but there was a man, an angel, telling them He is not here. He is not dead. He is risen! Jesus is alive! He is Risen!
I wonder what that must have felt like for the women who first heard it…”He is not here, He is risen! ” How that must have felt strange to their ear and their heart! It must have been unbelievable to hear those words that morning. I think my heart still would have skipped a little…hope springing back to life - needing to believe my loved Savior was alive again! Imagine what it must have been like to rush back to the men coming…to shout He is Risen!
Peter ran ahead to get to the tomb before any of the others…and there it was, the napkin that had been on Jesus face was folded and laid aside..the grave clothes empty. He IS RISEN! He said he would rise and now…He has done it! He is RISEN! The very creation must have shouted it! He is Risen!!
Thousands of years ago, it was the best news ever…Jesus The Christ, The Son of the Living God was dead and buried and now is RISEN!! It is still the best news ever and it is still true. Jesus is Risen! He lives!
Posted by Susan On March 31, 2009
A burn ban remains in effect for unincorporated Harris County. Outdoor burning is only allowed in an enclosure that contains all flames and sparks, and in other approved activities including prescribed welding and non-commercial cooking. County officials urge residents to comply with the ban after a two-acre grass fire in northwest Harris County threatened a shopping center on FM 2920 Monday afternoon. Gusty winds and dry vegetation create perfect fire conditions, and that is why the county has recommended keeping the burn ban in place.
The following two stories are of a sensitive nature and may not be appropriate for little ears….
There has been an 8th mass shooting in California…the eighth shooting in the country in a month. This time at least four people have been wounded or did not survive. It happened at a Korean religious retreat. Please be praying for all of those affected by this latest tragedy..
Vermont became the fourth state in the nation to allow same gender marriage yesterday. The state legislature voted to override a veto by Republican Governor Jim Douglas, who nixed a measure allowing the unions Monday. It marks the first time in the history of the U.S. that it has been approved by state lawmakers.
Easter is Sunday…but today..Passover begins for jews around the world. It begins at sundown tonight. It’s one of the most commonly observed jewish holidays - On the first night of Passover a special family meal, called a “seder,” and filled with ritual is observed to remind the family of the significance of the holiday. Many Christians choose to observe seder services to commemorate the last supper.
So how many hurricanes are expected next season? They’re figuring that out this week in Austin. The team of forecasters say it’s going to be an average hurricane season this year – so what’s average? They say 12 named storms will form…six probably will become hurricanes and two of those could get to category 3 status or higher.
Police say they’ve broken a ring of thieves that were targeting cars at the airport! They’ve burglarized nearly one hundred of them at Bush airport since January. Please be praying about this…all of the five suspects are teens.
This is interesting…Ford has decided to do a sort of on line reality show for people driving 2thousand 11 Ford Fiestas…they are going to follow the adventures of a hundred people on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube to let the company and others follow the life and times of the Ford Fiestas.
Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber have new owners. Franklin-based Big Idea, Incorporated, has been purchased. The company produces the Christian-themed “Veggie Tales” and “3-2-1 Penguins!” television shows. It’s now owned by two previous private owners, Their new company is named Boomerang Media - The purchase leaves the fate of Veggie Tales uncertain. But, Boomerang Media officials say they plan to invest up to two-hundred-million-dollars in its franchises. And they say Veggie Tales will be a key brand in their global portfolio.
Posted by Susan On March 23, 2009
The President held his second news conference during prime time last night and he says the nation is making progress in our economy and although he says it’s a long and rough road ahead, we’re moving in the right direction.
He’s been a cop in Conroe for more than 20 years but this week, he’s facing that long in prison. A Veteran cop in Conroe has been charged with bank robbery. He allegedly robbed the bank where he worked as a Security Guard on his off days. Co-workers recognized him.
the shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station are separating this afternoon after 8 days of being docked as astronauts build new solar power arrays on the station and they even did some plumbing – repairing the wastewater system.
The Red light cameras have been clicking away and there is more than 40 million dollars that has come in over the past two years…Houston is leading the way for all of the cities with the cameras…BUT that money was supposed to help regional trauma centers and it’s still not been spent. There’s some red tape at the legislative level that has held up the transfer of the money to the hospitals.
The Art of Harmony — Eco Project is looking for Houston and Southwestern Texas high school artists and the deadline to enter is next Tuesday. High schools have already received entry applications. The competition is for ninth through 12th graders and will offer prizes of savings bonds and money. A dozen winning entries will go on public display including at malls, museums and libraries. Wal-Mart stores have more information or call 1-800-556-6754.
The Texas Board of Education will vote this week on new science curriculum standards that could change how evolution is taught in schools. The school board will hear from the public today on amendments passed in January that would require teachers and textbooks in the Lone Star State to teach the “weaknesses” or “insufficiency” of the theory of evolution. A final vote is expected Friday.
It may help some high school students get into the University of Texas..there’s a new bill that would help those students NOT in the top 10 percent of their graduating class…the senate voted to let universities limit admissions under the top ten percent law to just 60 percent of their incoming freshman class…that way they’d have more control over the other 40 percent of the incoming class.
You’ve heard there is an Iphone ap for anything…this proves it!!
IPhone users everywhere can now enjoy famed US Airways pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger on their phone. According to The Unofficial Apple Weblog or, www.tuaw.com, Apple’s iPhone has added an application that will allow users to reenact “Sully’s” heroic plane landing after the plane’s engine malfunctioned when it struck a flock of birds. Just like that memorable day in January, the app will allow iPhone owners to “land a plane” in New York’s Hudson River with simulated conditions. The simulation even features the actual audio communication between US Airways Flight 1549 and air traffic control. The “Sully” application can be purchased for just 99-cents.
Posted by Susan On March 17, 2009
It’s the first day of Spring!!AND it’s FRIDAY!
We’re Number one, We’re Number one! The state of Texas is being ranked as the top state for job growth and business development for the fourth year in a row. CEOs were surveyed by “Chief Executive Magazine” to evaluate states on issues including tax policies, education, quality of living and infrastructure. Governor Rick Perry says being recognized by the magazine proves what millions of Texans already know, that there is simply no better place to live, work and raise a family than the Lone Star State.
Baby “Mia” found abandoned earlier this week is going to be placed with a foster family. The mother and father have not come forward. Please be praying for little Mia and for her foster family….and pray for her biological mother too.
Today, astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station will deploy the new solar arrays that were attached during yesterday’s spacewalk. Lead ISS Flight Director Kwatsi Alibaruho [[ ah-lee-bah-ROO-ho ]] says mission managers will be looking for signs that the huge arrays could get stuck together as they open up. In another part of the station, astronaut Sandy Magnus will replace key components of a processing machine that turns wastewater into drinkable water.
Broadway theaters dimmed their lights yesterday in honor of the late Natasha Richardson. The 45-year-old Tony award winning actress died on Wednesday after sustaining a head injury earlier this week in a skiing accident in Canada. Natasha Richardson is survived by her husband, fellow actor Liam Neeson, and the couple’s two sons.
The House has approved a bill slapping a 90-percent tax on executive bonuses at AIG and other bailed-out companies. New York Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney says the bill sends an important message that the game is over and the “casino is closed.”
Metro still hasn’t voted on the idea of tolls for solo drivers on what they are calling high occupancy toll lanes on five area freeways. The vote set for Thursday was postponed and now probably won’t happen til next month. HOT lanes as they will be called would allow people who ride by themselves to pay to be on the lanes that have been designated as HOV lanes.
In Galveston local medical leaders want the legislators to treat a major trauma center at UTMB…they say with the closure of the level one trauma at UTMB after Hurricane Ike…the people that normally would have gone to that ER are flooding other hospitals ERs and it’s overwhelming! There’s 150 million in the fund to build new traumas.
There’s a bride in court to stop people from showing the photo of her in her wedding dress…the picture was taken while she waited to be charged with intoxication..the picture is posted on a bunch of internet sites and the bride doesn’t like it! She’s taking it to court because she says she was humiliated and the picture has been used to make her a poster child for the sting. No comment so far from officials.
Posted by Susan On March 6, 2009
The Space Shuttle Discovery blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center Sunday in a rare nighttime launch. The seven-member crew of one Japanese and six American astronauts will spend 13 days at the International Space Station. Their mission is to install additional solar panels and a 300-million-dollar electrical module to power the ISS.
President Obama has developed relationships with several evangelical leaders and pastors for prayer sessions on the telephone and for conversations regarding religion’s role in politics. “The New York Times” reports these relationships developed after the President cut ties with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright Jr. during the presidential campaign. The Christian leaders involved are the Reverend Otis Moss Jr., a participant in the civil rights movement, Bishop T.D. Jakes, and Houston’s own the Reverend Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, who served as occasional spiritual advisor to President George W. Bush.
Small business will get their share of the economic stimulus soon. President Obama is slated to announce later on today a rough outline of how small business owners can take advantage of some 730-million dollars of stimulus funds. The idea is to boost loan guarantees and cut lending fees to ease the credit crunch on the little guy.
Two different editions of “The Love Dare” by Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick continues hold the number one and number two spot on the Top 10 Inspirational book list for March. At number 3 is “My Utmost for His Highest” from Oswald Chambers, edited by James Reimann, number 4 is “Multiple Blessings” from Jon & Kate Gosselin and at number 5 is “Come to the Cross Lent 2009″ by John Indermark.
Things got ugly this weekend for thousands of women hoping to land a spot on “America’s Next Top Model.” An open audition for the CW show had to be cancelled Saturday after a riot broke out. Six women were injured in a stampede that started when several people in the already out-of-control crowd yelled there was a bomb.
