Katy Track & Field Hero Scott Sellers at the Summit of his College Career
Former Katy High School high-jump sensation Scott Sellers has made history as he finishes up his incredible college sports career at Kansas State. The humble high-jumper has become the first athelete in K-State track and field hsitory to be an All-American every year, indoor and outdoor, in one event. His coach, Cliff Rovelto, is now arguing that he could be considered the greatest Track & Fields athelete in K-State history: Read more
Katy Charity Brings Bears to Sick Children
Joseph David Ordaz, a Katy resident, was only 24 when he passed away from Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia in March 2009. When he was alone or scared, Joe had a teddy bear that he held onto for comfort and courage. The Joe Joe Bear Foundation, a Katy-based charity, was created in loving memory of Joe.
The Joe Joe Bear Foundation is an organization, (awaiting its non-profit status), that collects new teddy bears and donates them to area hospitals for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Like Joe, they can have something to hold unto when they are frightened or on their own. (The bears must be new as the children have weakened immune systems.) Read more
William Shine: Reminiscing on Broadway’s Heyday
It’s about twenty-three minutes past 6 pm. The apartment is lit with natural light from the partially opened blinds. William Shine, 82, is sitting in front of his Mac computer in his kitchen table that doubles as a desk, watching television.
We exchange formalities and he makes his way from the kitchen to his recliner, two steps away, and he dives into it.
“Well first of all, I have a Master’s degree in music,” he says; Shine attended the Manhattan School of Music. “A hard school to get into and an easy one to get thrown out of.” Read more
“Tortoise & Hair” Run/Walk to Benefit Katy Child Residents
Two Katy families touched by an autoimmune disease that causes severe hair loss have teamed up to chair Houston’s first-ever “Tortoise & Hair” 5K & 1 Mile Run/Walk benefiting the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF.) Set for Saturday, June 27, 8 a.m., for the one-mile walk and 8:30 a.m. for the 5K, the event will begin at Wortham Center’s Ray C. Fish Plaza, 500 Texas Avenue, downtown. Read more
Fallen Veterans Honored on Memorial Day
On Monday, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9182 (Katy, Texas) honored fallen servicemen and women with a taditional Memorial Day ceremony held at Magnolia Cemetery. The ceremony started with a flag raising and speeches given by Katy Mayor Don Elder, Jr. and congessman Michael McCaul. Speeches were followed by a wreath-laying ceremony and 21-gun salute. Taps was played on the bugle at the end of the ceremony. Get more information on VFW Post 9182 here.
Video: Katy Relay for Life 2009 Highlights
The 2009 Katy Relay for Life, held on March 27-28th, raised over $90,000 to help fight cancer. The Katy community race ranked 5th in the nation for total dollars raised. This video, artfully shot and produced by the talented Sandy & Janet Buller of Sweet Spirit Productions, highlights the good times and captures the spirit of the event. Sweet Spirit productions is an established local video production company in Katy, Texas. For more information on the relay, visit www.relayforlifekaty.org Read more
Katy Chamber of Commerce Honors 2009 Teachers of the Year
By Ann Hodge.
The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce’s Monthly Membership Luncheon held on Tuesday, May 12 honored the 53 2009 KISD Teachers of the Year. The keynote address was given by Giff Nielsen, sports personality.
Each teacher was presented a silver clock with a frame on each side engraved to commemorate the occasion. The gifts for the teachers also included a cash gift from Chamber members as well as a gift bag filled with gifts donated by the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce members. Read more
The Artistic Expressions of Wendy Wagner
Wendy Wagner represents the superlative of creativity in Texas. This Austin native and Houston resident has entrapped “cuteness” and pushed it to the extremes! Her paintings resemble dreams and her mini ceramic sculptures make for an incredible collection. Wagner’s soft sculptures inspire hugs of every size! What is Wendy doing? She created the future of “cute”! Qwerkys! Read more
HCC Faculty Member Receives Second Fulbright Scholarship
Bryant Evans, a Houston Community College geography professor, will travel with thirteen others from across the country to the Middle East this summer as a recipient of the Fulbright-Hays Scholarship. The Fulbright-Hays travel seminar is a short-term study abroad program for primary through postsecondary instructors. Mr. Evans, who has taught at HCC for six years, is expected to depart in mid-June for Washington D.C. where he will undergo an orientation to the Middle East prior to departing to Oman and Jordan. Read more
Student Excellence Award Winners Announced
Katy ISD has announced 73 winners of the 2009 Student Excellence Award for 2009, the district’s highest award for graduating seniors. Award winners are selected by their individual high schools, with 12 students each from the six four-year schools and two students from Miller Career & Technology Center. Each student names an outstanding teacher, who has served as a special mentor, supporter and inspiration to him or her. The Class of 2009 winners, the area they represent and their outstanding teachers (in parentheses) are: Read more
2009 Katy ISD Teachers of the Year
What do a visit to the zoo by a group of teenagers and a “mini-marathon” run by a group of elementary students have in common? They are two of the strategies that Katy ISD’s 2009 Teachers of the Year use to provide hands-on learning and teach life lessons to their students.
The two districtwide Teachers of the Year, announced on May 9, are Carol Rogers, science department chair at Katy High School (secondary), and Courtney Calfee, fifth grade reading teacher at Williams Elementary School (elementary). Read more
Local Homeless Web Celebrity Tim Edwards Returns Home from Treatment to a New Life
If your daily commute to or from work involves the intersection of Highway 6 and the Katy Freeway, you may be familiar with Tim Edwards. He was the guy standing on the corner holding a sign for a very long time. He called the overpass home, and was a part of thousands of commuters daily lives. He wasn’t making much progress in his own life until he was approached by the creators of PimpThisBum.com, who converted him into a walking billboard. He advertised a website that enabled people to donate to help get him and other homeless people off the streets and on the road to a better life. Read more
Celtic Collaboration: An Interview with Katy’s Hugh Morrison of The Lone Star Stout
This year the Houston International Festival, better known as iFest, will pay homage to the country of Ireland. Katy residents have an incentive to attend this year as one of their own will join the roster.
Hugh Morrison from the trio, Lonestar Stout will join his band mates, Mason Brown and Jed Marum to perform Celtic tunes. Morrison, a native of Scotland, is excited to perform in honor of Ireland. Generally, Celtic music brings thoughts of men in kilts striding in unison, gusting on bagpipes. And yes, traditionally those thoughts are correct, but Lonestar Stout takes it up a notch combining banjos with harmonicas and has been known to collaborate with rock bands. Read more
HCC Faculty Member Tom Haymes Photo featured in Popular Photography Magazine
Houston Community College invites you to check out the April issue of Popular Photography to see Urban Canyon on page 68. This unique shot of the Pennzoil Place was taken by Tom Haymes, Director of Technology and Instructional Computing for both the Katy and Town & Country Campuses.
Tom Haymes has been doing fine art photography for over 25 years. He graduated from the High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas with a certification in Media Arts (photography and writing) and subsequently spent six years doing professional photographic sales. Mr. Haymes has two Master’s Degrees from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s from UT Austin. Read more
Local Education Advocate & Public Policy Researcher Takes on Katy ISD
Whether you are examining economics, media, government, or technology, anyone can see that changes are happening at a rapid pace on a global scale. With our latest fixation on finances and government spending, people are demanding “transparency” and “accountability” at every level. We have national reporters and widespread support for keeping the national government in check, but what about the local level?
One Katy citizen has taken matters into his own hands. With a blog and a laser-focused passion, George Scott takes on Katy Independent School District to uncover, analyze, publicize and criticize its policies, curriculum, and spending habits using his website, GeorgeScottReports.com. Read more
Profile: Disc Jockey Maziel Rodriguez
The face, or voice of the disc jockey has come a long ways since its birth in the 19th century. In retrospect, the disc jockey also known as a d.j has been a driving force in music since the debauchery and excess of the Studio 54 days to the rags-to-riches origins of rap. The d.j is not exclusive to radio anymore, some superstar d.j.s spin for trust fund 20-somethings in the Hamptons during the summer and rub elbows with European glitterati on their yearlong pilgrimage to make people dance.
Katy Resident Sandy Horton Named Top Sales Consultant of the Year
Katy resident Sandee Horton, Senior Sales Consultant for David Weekley Homes in Firethorne, was named Top Sales Consultant of the Year in Houston for David Weekley Homes for the second consecutive year. Firethorne is a 1,400-acre master-designed community in Katy/Fulshear. Read more
