The Sounds of the Big Band Coming to Katy
By: Dr. Michael Guevara, Manager of Cinco Ranch Conservatory of Music
What comes to mind when you hear the names Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Harry James, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw and the like? More than likely, those names instantly conjure up images of a bygone era, when the sounds of the big band ruled the dance floors and the radio stations across the country! Read more
Local Hero Keeps Woman Alive Mid-Flight
Katyites are often quick to cite one of the most beneficial aspects of living in West Houston as being our close proximity to a world-class healthcare community. We see it in the growing number of hospitals spilling into our hometown, and can’t help but wonder whether we might one day need their services.
One lucky woman received the benefit of a Houston area doctor’s knowledge on Southwest Flight #262 from Houston to Oakland:
Southwest Flight #262 was anything but routine Friday, July 10. About two hours into the flight the question came over the intercom “Is there a physician on board?” Read more
Katy Coogs & KCM School Supply Drive
By Rom Crespo.
The Katy Coogs of the University of Houson Alumni Association, in Conjuction with Katy Christian Ministries, will be collecting school supplies for Katy ISD students in need on Saturday, August 8, 2009 from 8am-5pm at Johnny Carino’s Italian Restaurant Parking Lot: 21875 Katy Fwy, Katy, TX 77450 (281) 398-5646 .
All who donate will receive a coupon that can be used at the new KCM Superstore Grand Opening. Please come out and donate school supplies so all of our children can be successful. For more information, please visit our site: www.katycoogs.com Read more
Katy Mills X Games BMX Jams Tour
Be at Katy Mills on Sunday, August 2nd from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. when Simon dTOUR Live® welcomes School Boy Humor and X Games BMX Jams Tour, brought to you by ABC Family.
See live music performances by hot acts and check out the extreme BMX bike demos by the XGames BMX Jams Tour. Everyone who comes to the event will have the chance to participate in games, contests and give-a-ways. Read more
Help Katy School Children by Contributing to Operation Backpack
For the fifth consecutive year, “YMCA Operation Backpack” joins the forces of 38 YMCAs, local churches and other partners to touch the lives of tens of thousands of Houston area children and families this school year.
Thousands of school supplies will be collected for children who might otherwise go back to school unprepared.
Through Aug. 16, YMCA Operation Backpack will collect brand new backpacks filled with school supplies and distribute them to children in 31 Houston area school districts. Read more
Job Ministries Help the Unemployed find Work
By Melissa Santos
Because of the lessons learned in the 1983-1987 recession, Houston has stayed comparatively dry in today’s recession storm, but there is concern for those who have suffered. After the recession in the 80’s, Houston diversified from the dominating oil industry by adding more than 680,000 jobs, almost 50% expansion, in an array of fields outside the oil industry. Although our city and surrounding areas has been weathered by the recession, we can be grateful to our politicians in the 90’s for giving Houston an umbrella of job diversity which gives Houstonians some protection from the storm the entire country is in now. Read more
“HOPE” Day at New Hope Presbyterian Church
By: Mary Jane Selle
“HOPE” Day is an acronym for “Help Others Prepare for Education” Day. A variety of organizations will be present during that time to help families in need whose children will be entering local school districts this year.
Vouchers for free school immunizations will be handed out by Christ Clinic of Katy as well as coupons for a discounted school outfit at Katy Christian Ministries Resale shops for those children receiving the immunizations. A school lunch kit and dental care kit also will be available. The number of vouchers and kits is limited to 100 and will be given out on a first-come, first served basis. Registration information for Katy Independent School District and Cy-Fair Independent School District will be available.
The Katy/West Houston community is encouraged to stop by the church and drop off school supplies that will be distributed through Katy Christian Ministries. Items such as notebook paper, pencils, plastic folders, 24-box of crayons and ziplock bags are needed. For examples of school items needed, go to http://www.katyisd.org/parents/Pages/SchoolSupply.aspx or http://www.cfisd.net/aboutour/supplies/supplies.htm.
Fun, games and a puppet show will be available for the children and a hot dog lunch will be served by the church’s Men’s Group.
For more information or to volunteer, contact the church at (281) 492-8520.
Books Alive! Casting Call for KVPAC
The Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center’s (KVPAC) Books Alive! Literacy Through the Arts Program is set to produce a musical adaptation of If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. Auditions for this touring show are on August 11 at 7:00pm, with call backs slated for August 13 at 7:00pm.
Books Alive! is an all-professional touring company who performs adaptations of popular children’s books throughout the greater Houston area. All acting positions are paid. Actors must be available between the hours of 6:30am and 3:00 pm on either Monday/ Wednesday or Tuesday/ Thursday/ Saturday during the month of October. Rehearsals will be held Monday through Thursday, beginning Sept 21 to Oct 1st from 9am-1pm. For more information contact Kristin Miller for an audition slot at 281-829-2787 Ext 122.
Read more
Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center Expands
On Saturday, July 18, from 10:00am-1:00pm, join the Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center for an enormous artful celebration. We have doubled our size, and yet kept the same address at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center Complex. Located at 2501 S. Mason Rd, # 290, we have so much room now to celebrate, we will need YOUR help to party. There will be entertainment by Books Alive! and live Prince & Princess Characters walking about from your favorite classic fairytales. Join the Queen Mother as she holds court at her Royal Tea party. Or visit with the mighty Pirates as they search for buried treasure! There will also be face painting and a Special Appearance by Bailey (the KVPAC Wonder Dog). And KVPAC Members may have FREE family photos taken the same day by our friends at Visage Photography!!
Come meet our NEW PreK & Visual Arts Directors and visit the newly renovated PreK & Visual Arts Building courtesy of Meridian Constructors, LLC. Enroll in The PreK @ KVPAC Program on this day and receive a special SIGN UP GIFT. Enjoy all the free family-time fun festivities we have planned just for YOU! Arts & crafts, food, prizes & surprises!! Raffle Prizes presented by KVPAC, BounceU & SeekingSitters!
Our entire Grand Opening is sponsored by our KVPAC Membership Partners Visage Photography, The Bug Reaper, BounceU, Hasta La Pasta & SeekingSitters!! Food & Ice Cream generously provided by our friends at Chick-Fil-A & Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream!!
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, KVPAC annually serves more than 25,000 children, youth and adults through its outreach programs, ARTS for ALL! events, tuition-based classes, and adult community theatre. It is our privilege to serve you, your family and friends everyday. So grab the kids, get out of the heat and celebrate Katy’s only Visual & Performing Arts Center. Come share the magic with us … it is in the air at KVPAC.
What Ever Happened to The Rock-afire Explosion?
Remember the good old days, when the king of pizza was a rocking gorilla instead of a skateboarding mouse? The place where a kid could be a kid was called Showbiz Pizza Place, and the band that shook the house day after day was known as the Rock-afire Explosion.
On Wednesday, Aug 19th at 7:30 p.m., the Alamo Drafthouse will feature a documentary of the story behind the Showbiz concept. It will answer questions you may have never asked about one of the worlds greatest animatronic rock bands in history. In traditional Alamo Drafthouse “movie theme” fashion, they will be serving all-you-can-eat pizza while you watch the movie. Read more
Baseball Great Larry Dierker to Feature in HCC Musical
Former Houston Astros ace pitcher, broadcaster and winning manager Larry Dierker will make a star appearance in his new musical, Old Stories – A Tale of Baseball and Love this summer at the HCC Spring Branch Campus.
Written by Larry Dierker, Dr. Aubrey Tucker and Paul English, Old Stories is a fun, frolicking romp about the mythical Washington Capitols and their quest for the National League championship in 1970. “King” Cole, the Caps’ long-time home run hitter, meets and falls in love with Cindy, the cousin of a friend, and the complicated rest is – musical theater! Read more
Don’t Do It! Don’t Cut Up Those Credit Cards!
The financial counselors tell us we should get rid of our credit cards. Don’t use our credit cards!
Others wisely tell us to keep our current credit timely, to use our credit cards regularly, but to pay off each balance monthly. The latter is the way to go if you ever want to buy a house. That is, if you need a mortgage to purchase.
Credit ratings can be addressed even in these times of tight money. No credit rating, due to being a cash-for-everything purchaser, is a brake-slam in the home buying process. No credit equals no mortgage.
Unfair as it sounds, it’s exactly the burden currently facing clients of mine. These are hard-working, hard-saving, productive members of our society. No good, the American way is to use credit. Credit equals the ability to get more credit. Read more
Video: Books in Bloom at LaCenterra
Check out this video, created by Mayde Creek Senior Emily Pitter, covering the Books in Bloom event at LaCenterra on May 9th. It was a celebration of reading to benefit literacy programs and increases awareness of free public programs available through LCFBC. Programs benefiting from book sales include basic literacy, English as a Second Language, GED preparation classes, US Citizenship preparation classes, numerous computer classes, Badges & Books, Baskets and Books, and Job Readiness workshops.
Igloo Cooler Sellathon & Community Event Day
You may not have known this (or maybe you did), but an interesting fact about Katy, TX is that it is home to the Igloo Products Corp. Worldwide Headquarters. If you continue West on Highway 90 past Katy High School, you will soon find yourself passing the Igloo building – appropriately located at 777 Igloo Road. While the headquarters may be here, you may have never thought you would have a reason to stop by. Well, now you can check out the Igloo headquarters Read more
Celebrant Singers Concert at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church
By John Rucker:
An internationally known Christian music group, Jon Stemkoski’s Celebrant Singers, will appear in a free concert on August 2nd at 6:30 PM. at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, 5356 11th. Street Katy, Texas.
Since 1977, the California-based Celebrant Singers have crisscrossed the globe with multiple troupes of 10 singers, live orchestra, lights and sound, presenting thousands of concerts featuring their signature close, energetic vocal harmonies in an eclectic blend of contemporary, liturgical, praise and worship and gospel music. Read more
Vida Loca Mexican Bar & Grill
Know the building at Kingsland and Mason that has been home to restaurant after restaurant over its lifetime? Is it the location that can’t keep the tenants open? What made Las Rosas close their doors? Well, whatever has kept them all out before sure doesn’t scare Vida Loca Mexican Bar & Grill. You can visit this fairly young restaurant at 21810 Kingsland Blvd. Sunday – Wednesday 11 am – 11 pm or Thursday – Saturday 11 am – 2 am. Read more
Country Star Katie Armiger Live at Katy Mills Mall
Houston area country music fans are invited to check out the chart-climbing music of Katie Armiger, who will perform songs off her critically acclaimed second album “Believe” during a live performance on the Simon dTOUR Live – Country Music Tour. The 24 city tour is presented by Simon Property Group, Cold River Records, Great American Country (GAC) and F.Y.E., and is headed to Katy Mills.
Katie has set several records for the highest chart numbers ever seen by an independent female artist on R&R and Music Row. Katie also recorded one of the highest download weeks ever seen by a country Discovery Artist on iTunes. Read more
