Tokyo Steak & Sushi – A Pleasant Surprise
Back in April, I shared about my experience with H.B. Japanese Steak & Sushi. Today I’m excited to let everyone know that I have great things to say about Tokyo Steak & Sushi, a smaller (or cozier?) hibachi and sushi restaurant located at 22762 Westheimer Parkway, Suite 420 in the Villagio at Cinco Ranch.
I’m a fairly frequent visitor to the Villagio Read more
Advent Conspiracy: Give the Gift of Presence
Last year, Carson shared on How to Purify Christmas. This season, even more churches and communities across the nation are joining forces with Living Water International, a non-profit water well-building organization, in an attempt to spread the message of Jesus’ life: one of pure selflessness and giving. Read more
2nd Annual Katy Holiday Fun Festival
Katy’s Second Annual Katy Holiday Fun Festival will commence on the weekend of December 11th – 13th, and we are an anticipating an event to surpass the success of last year’s festivities!
The event will have 30,000 lbs. of snow for children to play, a 10 foot snow slide, a skating rink, Santa Claus, pictures with Santa, Christmas tree lighting, food booths, craft booths, business booths, non-profit booths, games and other activities, and a fireworks display! There will also be carnival rides and a petting zoo.
This great event will be held Friday, December 11th from 5 pm to 12 am; Saturday, December 12th from 10 am to 12 am; and Sunday, December 13th from 10 am to 9 pm at 21703 Kingsland Blvd. at Park Grove in Katy.
Admission is free with a non-perishable food item, new toy or clothing item, or a cash donation.
Texas PTA 100 Year Celebration
The Katy Kids Festival being held at the Villagio Town Center in Cinco Ranch on October 24th will be the site of a Texas PTA Centennial celebration. Texas PTA is celebrating a milestone birthday…100 years of making every child’s potential a reality.
It was in 1896, that Mrs. Ella Caruthers Porter established the first “Mother’s Club” in Hillsboro, Texas; a club designed to bring mothers together to share ideas. ”When I was little more than a child myself, I found myself the mother of three precious little girls,” Mrs. Porter said. Read more
Texian Market Days Festival
Texas’ 26th Annual Texian Market Days Festival will be taking place on October 23rd & 24th. Katyites are invited to bring the whole family and explore over 100 years of Texas history through a living-history festival that includes hands-on activities, Civil War camps and battle reenactments, historic home tours, food, archaeological digs, live entertainment, and more activities being planned daily! The event will take place at George Ranch Historical Park in Richmond, TX. Read more
MRHS Maverick Update
Morton Ranch High School has started the Fall Semester off right with an array of activities finding their way into the Katy community. From entertainment to sports to the arts, it’s clear that the MRHS staff is encouraging activities that go above and beyond your typical homework assignment. OnlyKaty is consistently receiving updates from MRHS; the following are some of the latest developments in goings-on with the school: Read more
“Turkey Dash” Fun Run Thanksgiving Day
Anticipating the guilt of indulgence this Thanksgiving season? A great way to cancel out those extra calories this Turkey Day is to participate in a fun run or walk! The Katy YMCA and the Fellowship at Cinco Ranch will be holding the 7th Annual Turkey Dash on Thanksgiving Day, 2009. The day will consist of three competitions: a chip timed 5k run, a 1 Mile Kids Race, and a 1 Mile Family Walk/Run. Read more
Kosmos Coffee: A Café with a Cause
Kosmos™, a new non-profit coffee shop located in the Fellowship at Cinco Ranch, is opening its doors to the Katy community with good intentions at heart. The café’s tagline, “Coffee – Community – Cause” exudes its commitment to “…changing the world one cup at a time.” All profit made on your purchase at Kosmos™ will benefit humanitarian organizations both locally and globally. Read more
“Little Tweet Nothing” Love Letter Writing Contest
Katyite writers have the opportunity to show their talent at wooing with words. The twist in this particular competition is the option of handwriting in 150 words or of “tweeting” your love in 140 characters. While this is an international competition, we thought it would be neat to share. More details:
In celebration of the release of Jane Campion’s Bright Star and as an homage to the love affair passionately captured in heartfelt correspondence between a then unknown poet John Keats and his stylish “minx,” Fanny Brawne, Apparition has launched a national online user-generated contest for the most romantic love letter or “Little Tweet Nothing” presented by A Diamond is Forever (ADIF) and Montblanc. Read more
Response to Duck Drama by State Game Warden
In the midst of high media attention regarding the duck removal at Mary Jo Peckham Park, one curious constituent (not myself) contacted the Texas Game Warden to inquire about the legality of duck removal by Commissioner Steve Radack. The Game Warden’s response is below, and I thought it might be interesting to those following the story:
I am responding to a complaint that was filed with the Operation Game Thief for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department regarding the removal of protected migratory waterfowl species from a Harris County Park in Katy. The issue of duck removal from the Harris County Park system in Katy has been addressed from a very proactive standpoint with personnel from Harris County Precinct 5. Several years ago this issue arose out of concern for health and safety for people fishing, the welfare of migratory waterfowl and concerns involving invasive exotic duck species in Mary Jo Peckham Park, a Community Fishing Lake. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is partnered with Harris County to create an environment that is conducive to family outdoor recreation in county parks by participating in a fish stocking program that promotes recreational fishing. I, State Game Warden Kevin Malonson, have worked very close with Harris County personnel to ensure that any removal of ducks from the park is guided by the laws of the State of Texas and federal guidelines. After careful observations of the waterfowl species present in this park, it was determined that the vast majority of these ducks were an exotic species known as Muskovy ducks. There have been several ducks that have appearances very similar to protected species however through hybridization these ducks bear Muskovy characteristics. The removal of Muskovy or Muskovy hybrids, lethal or not, is lawful for depredation reasons whereas these particular ducks are causing problems at this facility. There have been many instances where ducks have become entangled in fishing lines of recreational fisherman, also. These ducks present a potential health hazard to humans, as determined by the Health Department, with regard to their waste or feces in the water of this contained pond since people eat these fish. Provisions for ducks that cannot be differentiated from wild species involve transplanting them to Mason Creek Park. For further information regarding the Muskovy duck I’ve included some factual data from Wikipedia:
“In the US, Muscovy Ducks, like other domestic animals, are considered private property. An owner may do with the birds as he or she pleases, so long as laws regarding animal cruelty are not violated. Similarly, if the ducks have no owner, no US state or federal law prohibits their capture. This can be a last resort to resolve a nuisance problem.
The Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) is a large duck which is native to Mexico, Central and South America. A small wild population reaches into the US in the lower Rio Grande River basin in Texas. This is a somewhat aggressive duck; males often fight over food, territory or mates. There also are feral breeding populations in North America in and around public parks in nearly every state of the USA and in the Canadian provinces; feral populations also exist in Europe. Feral Muscovy Ducks can breed near urban and suburban lakes and on farms, nesting in tree cavities or on the ground, under shrubs in yards, on condominium balconies, or under roof overhangs. Some feral populations, such as that in Florida, have a reputation of becoming nuisance pests on occasion (For more information, read ?Florida’s Introduced Birds: Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)”). At night they often sleep at water, if there is a water source available, to flee quickly from predators if awoken. A small population of Muscovy Ducks can also be found in Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK, where they are considered a pest and culled by the local council.”
Sincerely,
Kevin Malonson, State Game Warden
10101 Southwest Frwy, #206
Houston, TX 77074
713-779-8977
Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscovy_Duck
I found Mr. Malonson’s response informative, helpful, and respectable. It shed light on health concerns (no one had previously clarified that it had to do with water – not picnic tables) and state law concerning the treatment of waterfowl. I’m still a little lost on what Radack meant when he said ducks were being eaten, but it is comforting to know actions were investigated.
What does everyone else think?
Sales Tax Holiday in Katy
Next weekend marks a highly-anticipated holiday for shoppers across the State of Texas. The Tax-Free weekend, or Sales Tax Holiday will take place on August 21, 22, and 23 and will give shoppers a break from sales and use tax on most clothing and footwear priced under $100, including backpacks.
Newly featured in this year’s tax holiday are additional items added by the 81st Texas Legislature passed in HB 1801 which include an array of school supplies – exactly what parents like to hear right before 2009-2010 school year begins. Read more
Where Did All the Ducks Go?
Edit: Story covered at KHOU.com.
I’m mad. Why am I mad? Because someone decided to complain about one of the most beloved features of the City of Katy and then a group of equally useful people decided it would be a great idea to listen. One decides for all… some democracy? Katyites now have Harris County to thank for stripping Mary Jo Peckham Park of its most charming and treasured feature – the ducks.
Several weeks ago, some men in uniforms were seen forcing ducks into trucks in order to take them away from their habitat permanently (and do what only God knows to them thereafter). Why? Strands of rumors here and there blame sanitation, but I have seen no statement given by Harris County regarding the removal. Read more
Cinco Charities: A Night in Italy
Interested in great food, great wine, and helping others? Then you may want to join Cinco Charities for A Night in Italy this Friday, August 14th from 7 to 11 pm at the Golf Club at Cinco Ranch. The event will mark Cinco Charities’ “dedication to providing fundraising events to accomodate a multitude of interests.”
The event will feature wine from Vino 100 and excellent Italian food from Carino’s Italian Grill, Hasta la Pasta, and 3 Olives, and music. Read more
ADA Tour de Cure: Katy’s Inaugural Ride
The American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure will be coming to Katy for our city’s inaugural ride on September 19th, and there are many ways you can help! The Tour de Cure will need sponsors, riders, teams, volunteers, and donations to make the ride a success. Your help will contribute to the ADA’s mission: To prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. 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
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
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
