march 2013 - pearland focus magazine - people • places • happenings

MARCH 2013

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Home Transformations

Designing with Dina

+ OUT & ABOUTin the Heart of Pearland

High School Hot Shot

COLTON TADLOCK

Getting Graduates

PISD'S Student Outreach

HOME Is Where

the Heart Is

OB/GYNcare for

everywoman.

Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women has opened its first communityOB/GYN practice, bringing its renowned expertise to the Pearland area.Women will have access to advanced and comprehensive care close tohome from Baylor College of Medicine physicians who provide routine andsubspecialty services. Plus, all our mothers-to-be gain instant entry todeliver at the Pavilion for Women, where they and their baby have access to a full range of specialized care all in one location. Already amember of your community through Texas Children’s Pediatrics, we’reexcited to expand our care for women and children with OB/GYN services.To schedule an appointment, call 281-412-4335.

Visit women.texaschildrens.org/pearland to learn more.

Obstetric and gynecOlOgy Outpatient services nOw in pearland.

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Primrose Schools® Summer Camp – Passport to Adventure!

From the great outdoors and virtual travel to

music and dance, Camp PrimroseSM is your

family’s passport to adventure and fun this

summer! Exciting fi eld trips, creative activities

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Join Primrose Schools’ summer camp for a chance

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Each Primrose School is a privately owned and operated franchise. Primrose Schools and The Leader in Educational Child Care are trademarks of Primrose School Franchising Company. ©2012 Primrose School Franchising Company. All rights reserved.

Primrose School of West Pearland 713.436.0404 | PrimroseWestPearland.com

Primrose School of Pearland Parkway281.997.8855 | PrimrosePearlandPkwy.com

Primrose School of Pearland713.436.4120 | PrimrosePearland.com

pearland magazine • March 2013 2

ON THE COVER:Dina Holleron

Photo by Lana Rawlinson

Photography

4 PUBLISHER’S PREVIEW

12 SEEN ON THE SCENEPhotos from Pearland charitable events

26 OUT & ABOUT IN THE HEART OF PEARLAND

A few snapshots of people, places and happenings

31 COMMUNITY EVENTSFun events the whole family will enjoy

I N E V E R Y I S S U E

9 RIBBON CUTTINGS

30 BUSINESS BRIEFSPearland ChamberHosts Day in Austin

M E D I C A L & B U S I N E S S

10 FOCUS ON FINANCEWith Investments, Diversifying Is Key

14 FOCUS ON COMMUNITYOn the Go

29 HIGH SCHOOL HOT SHOTColton Tadlock: Developing Character and Leadership

32 LIVING THE SWEET LIFEChallenge Number Two: Write Love on Your Heart!

C O L U M N S

CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Covault Texas Community Referral NetworkPage 1414

Linda K. EavesWriterPage 29

29

FEBRUARY 2013 I VOLUME 4 I NUMBER 3

6 HOME TRANSFORMATIONS:DESIGNING WITH DINA

C O V E R S T O R Y

Meet Pearland’s own “Design Diva” Dina Holleron. Dina absolutely loves transforming home interiors into HGTV worthy spaces while retaining clients’style and comfort.

12 BRAZORIA COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY Reaches Out and Saves Lives

N E W S W O R T H Y

Dina Holleron. Photo by Lana Rawlinson Photography.

F E AT U R E S

15 HOME IS WHERE THE HEART ISFind your home and make it your own! These resources will help you turn your house into your dream home.

24 STUDENT OUTREACH KEEPS STUDENTS ON DIPLOMA TRACK Since 2007, Pearland Independent School District’s Student Outreach and Attendance Office has been helping at-risk students change their minds about the value of education.

Nick Nicholson Entertainment EditorPage 28

28

Sally MercerOut & About in the Heart of PearlandPage 2626

28 BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

F I L M R E V I E W

Courtney Bajusz WriterPage 24

24

Alisa Murray Alisa Murray PhotographyPage 3232

EMERGENCIES ARE UNPREDICTABLE.YOUR CHOICE OF AN ER SHOULDN’T BE.

Community Emergency Center

generated at BeQRious.com

Emergencies are never convenient. Neither is deciding where

to go for emergency care. When choosing where to go, choose

St. Luke’s Community Emergency Center – Pearland. This

free-standing emergency department of St. Luke’s Episcopal

Hospital has board-certified physicians who provide the care you

may need. So, don’t wait for an emergency to find us.

For more information, visit StLukesEmergency.com.

11713 Shadow Creek Parkway

Pearland, TX 77584

713-793-4600


P ublisher’s Preview

Dear Pearlanders,

I am so excited to be the new publisher for Pearland Focus. I can’t believe that it has almost been two years since I began working with this wonderful family-owned company. It is my pleasure and honor to be a part of such professional and award winning publications. Pearland Focus has been publishing in Pearland for three years – 2013 started our fourth year. Jessica Kij has been the publisher for Pearland from the beginning and has been a wonderful role model for me as I take over the reins.

Pearland Focus is growing. As you know, we are now monthly. As we grow and continue to support local businesses and people, we need your help. I’m calling all Pearland writers. If you like to write as a hobby or are a professional writer, we need you! If you like to be out and about in Pearland and know what’s going on in our community, we need you! If you are a mom, grandmother, aunt, uncle, father or grandfather who wants to share all of the awards and achievements of your children, we need you! Please submit items for our Out & About pages.

We also want to partner with local businesses. We are everywhere, because we are your source for information covering people, places and happenings.

Pearland Focus is the voice of Pearland. When you have an event, invite us to it! If you have something going on with your business, send me a press release. We offer so many avenues for residents and business owners to share your information. We are community focused, and we want to hear from you!

Send me an email, I’d love to hear about you!

Happy spring, everyone!

Susie [email protected]

4655 TECHNIPLEX DR. STE 400STAFFORD , TX 77477

281-690-4242WWW.PEARLANDFOCUS.COM

Pearland Focus Magazine is published by absolutely! focus media, 4655 Techniplex Dr., Ste. 400, Stafford, TX 77477. Copy-right © 2013 by absolutely! focus media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Pearland Focus Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial, nor do the publishers assume responsi-bility should such advertising or editorial appear. Pearland Focus Magazine welcomes editorial submissions from its readers.

MARCH 2013Vol. 4 No. 3

Subscription requests are free to all Pearland and Friendswood addresses. Annual paid subscription of $25is required outside the Pearland and Friendswood areas.

E X E C U T I V E P U B L I S H E R SMichael & Lisa Fredrickson

E DI TOR- I N - C H I E FPatti Parish-Kaminski

P U B L I S H E RSusie Ainsworth

AC C OU N T E X E C U T I V E SMelissa Huckabee

Jessica Kij

C O N T R I BU T O R SCourtney Bajusz

Brian Covault Linda K. Eaves Sally MercerAlisa Murray

Nick Nicholson

A RT DI R E C TORGrace Belleza

G R A P H IC DE SIG N E R SChris Hernandez

Jesse McPeek

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S C O O R D I NAT O R

Sarah Greeson

A DM I N I ST R AT I V E DI R E C TORErin Sanders

P H O T O G R A P H E RLana Rawlinson Photography

W E B D E S I G N E RJoey Belleza

(Jobpagegraphics.com)

I N Q U I R I E S 281-690-4242

T O L L F R E E 1-888-430-7469

E D I T O R IA L SU B M I S S I O N [email protected]

Pearland Focus publisher Susie Ainsworth.

Publishedby

Submit your news and events to [email protected].

ATTENTION COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

www.pearland .com • March 2013 5

713-436-368812015 Broadway St., Pearland, TX 77584

www.krkshadowcreekranch.com

281-412-47771820 Pearland Pkwy., Pearland, TX 77581

www.kidsrkidspearland.com

713-433-54372430 County Rd. 90, Pearland, TX 77584

www.krk13pearland.com


W e have all watched the HGTV shows like Proper-ty Brothers, Love it or List it, Design on a Dime, Kitchen Cousins and now, Cousins on Call, and

they make home renovations and upgrades seem so simple and easy that anyone can do them. But, the fact is, home remodeling jobs, whether it’s a kitchen, bathroom or a master bedroom, take both a long time to do and the right people to do them to ensure that your house turns out like the ones you see on HGTV. What we don’t see is the effort that goes into transforming those homes on shows off camera. It is significant.

We have our own “Design Diva” right here in Pearland, some-one who can change a room in your home within budget and make your jaw drop at the end of the project. She is Dina Holleron, own-er of The Designer’s Niche. Dina has been an interior designer for 14 years, and she absolutely loves taking a space, improving and updating it and incorporating your style and comfort.

COVER STORYBy Susie Ainsworth

Phot

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Home TransformationsDesigning with Dina

Shellie Davis and Dina Holleron work on a design project.

These statement chairs were already owned by the client, but she wanted to feature them in her home’s entry for pizzazz and a punch of color.


Testimonials

What Dina Holleron’sClients Say About

“W orking with Dina was a great experience that relieved me from the stress of my move when I downsized. To know you have

someone with the talent to work in your best interest was amazing, and she improved my home through her vision, talent and ability to arrange my existing furniture and accessories to make it warm, comfortable and beautiful. And, by doing all of the work herself, Dina was affordable. If additional items were needed to complete my décor, she bought it and gave me her discount price and travels around looking for the perfect piece. Dina saved me both time and money. I just cannot say enough about Dina and The Designer’s Niche. I would highly recommend Dina for any job you have. Every time someone comes to my little home, many compliments come with them!”

– Wilma Couch

“D ina comes into your home with such enthusiasm and love of her work. I’m not sure she even considers this a job at times.

Her ‘can-do,’ positive attitude is so contagious! Dina used most of my own items but re-positioned them. That was incredible! She doesn’t concentrate on selling you her items; rather, she concentrates on being creative and has her own unique style of making your home look like a show home. One of the most remarkable techniques that she has is her ability to use paint colors, shading and stenciling to completely alter the look of your home. I continue to use Dina because of her experience, skill and creativity – she has a designer’s eye.”

– Adrienne Davis

“Too many people have called me af-ter trying their own ‘as seen on HGTV’ designs, and they are very frustrated because they cannot seem to achieve the look they want, even with inspirational pictures and shows,” explained Dina. “Design goes deeper and is much more time consuming than a 30 minute inter-val on TV. It requires knowledge of scale, placement and use of color to achieve depth in a room along with lots of time and budgeting. That is what I’m trained to do on all levels, and we also have teams of people to help get the job done.”

Dina graduated with honors from the Art Institute of Houston. You can see some of Dina’s most recent work in the Pearland/Houston area on both her Facebook page and on her website www.thedesignersniche.com. From her work, you will see Dina’s expertise as a designer and notice that her rooms look as good as the ones seen on HGTV.

Defining the Need

Dina’s first priority is to listen to her client’s needs and budget. “I enjoy the challenge of making things work if the client asks me to, even if I don’t particu-larly love a piece,” she said. Dina recog-nizes that need for her client’s stamp on the room and tries to ensure that hap-pens every time. “I hear too often that, designers will insist a client start from scratch, making them spend a lot more money than they ever planned, or the client’s personality is not in the finished composition of the room,” she explained. “I’ve personally inherited disgruntled cli-ents like this and have managed to make their space theirs. I do not force my own design style on clients. I use my style to help enhance theirs.”

All remodeling jobs require some money to accomplish their goals. To stay on budget, clients may have to pick and choose the most important items on a wish list. Another way to reduce a budget is to help out by painting walls or other tasks that the client can handle. “But, don’t take on jobs that are out of your ca-pabilities; get the experts for the difficult jobs,” said Dina.

Dina helps clients stay on budget by proposing items within her client’s level of spending, and she gives the client com-plete control over what they are ready to

A client wanted to liven up her living roomwith high style. Dina used fabrics, colorand furniture pieces to achieve this look.


purchase and when. She also said that the client is in control of the amount work she does for them, so they can budget her services into their project.

Comprehensive Services

Dina’s services include complete décor and design, consulting by the hour, cus-tom millwork, custom windows and up-holstery, faux finishing for walls, ceilings, cabinets and furniture, new construction and remodeling specification, painting and handiwork services and one-day makeovers. “We do so many things that we are pretty evenly dispersed with re-models and updates both large and small, décor and drapery, and painting and faux,” she said.

One of her favorite projects to do is one-day makeovers, which would be per-fect for getting your home ready for a party. “They tend to be popular because

we can usually get a room decorated to at least 90 percent completion on a shop-ping spree, and some clients have so much stuff, they don’t need us to shop. We just stay at their home for the day and refresh everything they already own, making everything feel new.”

In Dina’s experience, the most common rooms that are remodeled are kitchens and baths or powder baths with adding hard-wood floors as a close second. “Times and styles change, and if something begins to look old and worn out, even if it’s still func-tional, it begins to feel undesirable,” Dina explained. “There are a lot of materials out there that look new and fresh that don’t cost a lot that give a home a fresh, 10-plus years of ‘newness,’ which in turn appeals to more people and adds value.”

How can Dina help you? She has the resources to get any job you want done without you having to research everything yourself. She saves clients time and effort,

so they can focus on what is most impor-tant for them. She can bring a team to-gether who can transform an entire house or just one room. She can update your master bedroom, game room, family room or any room that needs attention. She can also update draperies or help with colors to make your home look amazing.

In the end, when the project is com-plete and her clients are satisfied, it’s the relationship that Dina builds with clients that is most precious to her. “I want my clients to completely love their transfor-mation, and I want them to feel like they had a blast working with me and know that I worked very hard for them.”

Dina’s biggest compliment is referrals, which she gets often. But she also enjoys seeing “clients’ faces when they finally see a room pulled together. Their expressions are priceless to me. I love when they trust me to the end and are completely blown away with the results.”

For more information

about Dina Holleron or

The Designer’s Niche,

call 281-323-3630 or visit

www.thedesignersniche.com

The Designer’s Niche refaced cabinet doors and added granite and fixtures to give this kitchen a fresh yet timeless feel.

A client wanted to transform her unused formal dining area into a cozy reading room that she could enjoy regularly.

A client wanted to lighten and brighten her bedroom to make it highly transitional and elegant. Custom bedding and headboard were also created to accent the room.


and the Jessicas. And the Victors, Michelles and Davids. We believe a bank is only as successful

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BUSINESSBRIEFS


on Finance

Provided by Texas First BankBy Jason Alderman

With Investments, Diversifying Is Key

Advertorial

Ever wonder why Mom and Pop stores sell wildly unrelated prod-ucts side by side, like umbrellas

and sunglasses, or Halloween candy and screwdrivers? Customers probably would never buy these items on the same shop-ping trip, right?

That’s exactly the point. By diversify-ing their product offerings, vendors reduce the risk of losing sales on any given day, since people don’t usually buy umbrellas on sunny days or sunglasses when it rains.

The same diversification principle also applies in the investment world, where it’s referred to as asset allocation. By spreading your assets across different investment classes (stock mutual funds, bonds, money market securities, real estate, cash, etc.), if one category tanks temporarily you may be at least partially protected by others.

You must weigh several factors when determining how best to allocate your assets:

Risk tolerance. This refers to your appetite for risking the loss of some or all of your original investment in exchange for greater potential rewards. Although higher-risk investments like stocks are potentially more profitable over the long haul, they’re also at greater risk for short-term losses. Ask yourself, would you lose sleep investing in funds that might lose

money or fluctuate wildly in value for several years, or will you comfortably risk temporary losses in exchange for poten-tially greater returns?

Time horizon. This is the expected length of time you’ll be investing for a particular financial goal. If you are de-cades away from retirement, you may be comfortable with riskier, more volatile in-vestments. But if your retirement looms or you’ll soon need to tap college savings, you might not want to risk sudden down-turns that could gut your balance in the short term.

Diversification within risk cat-egories. From a diversification stand-point, it’s not prudent to invest in only a few stocks. That’s why mutual funds are so popular: They pool money from many investors and buy a broad spectrum of se-curities. Thus, if one company in the fund does poorly, the overall impact on your account is lessened.

Many people don’t have the expertise – or time – to build a diversified investment portfolio with the proper asset mix. That’s why most 401(k) plans and brokerages offer portfolios with varying risk profiles, from extremely conservative (e.g., mostly treasury bills or money market funds) to very aggressive (stock in smaller business-es or in developing countries).

Typically, each portfolio is comprised of

various investments that combined reach the appropriate risk level. For example, one moderately conservative portfolio of-fered by Schwab consists of 50 percent interest-bearing bond funds, 40 percent stocks and 10 percent cash equivalents. Usually, the more aggressive the portfolio, the higher percentage of stocks it contains (i.e., higher risk/higher reward).

401(k) plans and brokerages. With these, you choose the fund closest to your planned retirement date and the fund manager picks Another possibility is the so-called “targeted maturity” or lifecycle funds offered by many an appropriate investment mixture. As retirement ap-proaches, the fund is continually “rebal-anced” to become more conservative.

Although convenient, this one-size-fits-all approach may not suit your indi-vidual needs. For example, you may want to invest more – or less – aggressively, or may not like some of the funds included.

These may seem like complicated concepts, but the Security and Exchange Commission’s publication, “Beginner’s Guide to Asset Allocation, Diversifica-tion and Rebalancing,” does a good job explaining them at www.sec.gov.

This article is brought to you by a partnership between Visa and Texas First Bank and was authored by Jason Alderman, who directs Visa’s financial education programs. For more informa-tion, follow Texas First Bank on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube or visit us at www.texasfirstbank.com.

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Visit mhmg.memorialhermann.org to watch videos of our doctors, and to schedule your appointment!

Mathews Ninan, M.D.Family Medicine

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Margo Green & Joan Moody

Angie & Jazzlyn Vargas

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Corks & Canvas Event Benefiting The Visual & Performing Arts in Pearland

Brazoria County Humane Society Reaches Out

and Saves Lives

The Brazoria County Humane Soci-ety (BCHS) is a no-kill, non-profit animal rescue organization dedicated to saving animals. They receive no federal, state or local funds. They rely solely on donations, volunteers and foster families.

Shirley Tinnin began rescuing animals in December 2004 and has assembled a small group of volunteers to help make BCHS work. There is also a network of foster families that house and care for some of BCHS animals.

NEWSWORTHY


Jimmie Sue Siptak & Nathan ReynoldsElla, Cynthia & Jenna Stanaland Alison Klein

Cindy Sosbee, Naomi Stevens, Peggy Paul, Phyllis Chaney & Mayor Tom Reid Fay & David Watson

January 12, 2013 • Pearland Recreation Center

The animals in their adoption program come from death row at area kill animal shelters. They also take in animal cruelty/neglect cases. Many of the intake animals require costly medical care to restore them to health. To help cover these costs, they depend on the public for donations.

Every shelter dog and cat has a story. Most animals in shelters are simply there because of a little bad luck, usually as a result of “people problems” like divorce, foreclosure and lifestyle changes. As you read this, thousands of dogs and cats of all breeds, sizes, ages and personalities are waiting for new homes to start a new chapter in their lives.

Since the start of Brazoria County Humane Society, thousands of rescued animals have been adopted and placed in wonderful, loving homes. BCHS wants to continue their dedicated work but the economy has taken a toll on the organization and has made it difficult. There are a few key ways that you can help keep their cause and passion a reality:

1. Volunteer: this is the foundation of the organization. 2. Sponsor a pet. 3. Be a foster parent. 4. Donate monthly. Brazoria County Humane Society’s shelter is located at 6219

FM 1128 in Manvel. Visit www.brazoriacountyhumane.org or call 281-489-3000. Their off-site adoptions are held every Saturday and Sunday at Pearland’s Petsmart and Petco stores.

BCHS’s motto is “Saving animal lives one adoption at a time.” They invite the public to get involved in any way they can. Please come by and visit the wonderful animals and see if that special pet is there awaiting you and your family.

First Christian Academy

281-412-51824205 W. Broadway, Pearland, TX 77581

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• Quality College Prep Curriculum & Small Classes,Degreed Teachers

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Preregistration for 2013 -14 School Year

FOCUS ON COMMUNITY

On the Go

It seems like we are always on the go, and conve-nience plays a bigger part in our lives now more than ever before. In fact, we live in a world of

“now.” The ability to get things quickly and when we want them holds more significance in our day-to-day ac-tivity. Because so many subscribe to the philosophy of “easier is better,” Texas Community Referral Network is answering the call.

By Brian CovaultFounder and

President of TCRN

Simply visit the app store, hit search, type in TCRN and then go. You can install your free app and have the power of TCRN at your fingertips 24/7. The app makes it quicker and easier for people to access the community website they live in or one of the other seven TCRN divisions. It is very easy to navigate and has a mobile version of our websites to display infor-mation in a better format for your handheld device.

On the app you will find our dynamic Business Di-rectories for each TCRN division, which feature only trusted businesses that you can rely and depend on to provide the best products and services. Browsing the directory is simple, as is browsing other features like community events.

The TCRN Preferred Customer Card will be phased out because the free mobile app can be used to take advantage of Preferred Customer offers. No more worrying about stopping by somewhere to get a card, replacing a lost one or forgetting it. Now it

will be right on your phone all of the time. You can get the app anytime, anywhere! For those who already have a card, cards will still be ac-cepted, but TCRN businesses will no longer have the cards. New users can download the free app.

To use your app and get unlimited savings that do not expire, each participating TCRN business has an “offer” icon next to their list-ing on the mobile app. Just click the business listing, click “offer” at the top of your screen, and the TCRN logo and the offer for that particular business is ready to show. You can even click “I just used this offer!”

TCRN is committed to bringing you the best your community has to offer and con-nect you with savings opportunities and family events, making it fun and easy. Have a great March!

Smart phones make up more than 70 percent of the cell phone market, and it is said that, within the next two years, non-smart phones will no longer be manufac-tured. This predicted outcome is a result of low demand, the costs associated with man-ufacturing these phones and a shrinking market share. Everyone seems to be gravi-tating toward smart phones because of the vast amount of information they provide and all of the capabilities that go along with them.

New to the Android and Apple app mar-kets is the free, downloadable TCRN app!


HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Advertorial www.pearland .com • March 2013 15

The Buzz OnInterest Rates

An exciting secret is spreading like wildfire throughout the housing market. This secret has prompted many perspective buyers to take interest in purchasing homes that were not options before, all because of their price point. The secret is that interest rates have dropped to a his-torical low. Now, qualified buyers are able to purchase their dream home at a very attractive rate. These his-torically low prices will benefit those who decide to invest in this wonder-ful opportunity.

Homeowners have a tremendous advantage. The money received from selling their homes could prove to be very prosperous for them. This money can be used as an in-vestment to purchase an exclusive property. Regrettably, some believe that they are losing when they sell their home, but in fact they are win-ning. This approach gives the seller an opportunity to be in the perfect position to purchase a better home with a much lower interest rate. Fur-thermore, none have guaranteed that these low rates will remain. This knowledge has alerted many ag-gressive buyers to invest.

These impressive interest rates coupled with Louis Vargas’ successful sales techniques have given buyers a unique opportunity. Vargas works tirelessly to ensure his client’s ex-pectations are exceeded.

To find out more about how Louis Vargas can help you buy your dream home or sell your current home, call ReMax Top Realty at 713-876-1706. Don’t miss this opportunity! Louis Vargas

[email protected]

• One hour design and staging consultation at no cost to you

• Professional Photography and Videography

• Custom Brochures and Flyers of your Home

• Custom Website Designed for your Listing

RECEIVE $500 IN CASH if your home does not sell in 90 days

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Foreclosure SpecialistCall for Foreclosure Listings


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Five Star Floors

Your home says a lot about you, and your floors are the stage where your family’s life plays out. What do your floors say about you? At Five Star Floors, helping you select the perfect flooring is a passion. “When decid-ing on flooring, it’s important to con-sider your lifestyle,” said owner Mike El Kilani. “If your children have left home, you might not want the same floor as a couple who’s just starting their family.”

Many things should be considered. Do you want to make a dramatic state-ment in your foyer or have a tranquil look in your bedroom? Are you look-ing for the permanence of stone for your outdoor kitchen? Where should the carpet end and the hardwood floor begin? What about your tub surround in the powder room? What will it cost?

Whether your design ideas are etched in stone or just a general notion of what you like, whether you’re reno-vating or building from scratch, the ex-perts at Five Star Floors will take time to listen to your ideas. They will ask ques-tions about your needs, your vision and your budget then present you with choices. Finally, they will follow through with quality workmanship and attention to detail and back it all up with their own one-year installation warranty on top of the manufacturer’s guarantees.

“Customer service is our hall-mark,” Mike said. “We know you have a choice when it comes to floor-ing companies. That’s why we go the extra mile to make sure we sell you a floor you can love now and for years to come at a price you can feel good about later.” Bring your dreams and let the Five Star team help you make them a reality. “We’ve been told that we pamper our customers,” Mike said. “Once someone comes in with an idea, we search local design cen-ters until we find all the choices they might like. Then, we walk with them through the design process.” For more information, call 832-736-9595 or visit www.fivestarfloors.com.

See ad on Inside Back Page.


Named Best Pest Control

Company2010 & 2011

by Pearland JournalLike Us

with this ad Good on initial pest or termite service only.

Offer expires March 31, 2013

Killum Pest Control

$20 OFF

A termite is an insect with six legs and a three segmented body: a head, thorax and abdomen. When an infested piece of wood is broken open, you will see what looks like a maggot with legs.

Termites can be categorized into two groups by their nesting sites. The most common here is the earth-dwelling termites that make tunnels in the ground or build tubes above the earth, called subterranean ter-mites. Termites are most abundant in the south and southwest parts of the country. The Gulf Coast is known as the “termite belt.”

Since termites try to avoid light and open air spaces, termites and the de-struction they cause can be undetected. Termites destroy over five billion dollars in property annually, which equates to over two million homes across the U.S.

Termites are destructive because

Protecting Your Most Valuable Investment

they live long lives, their colonies are self-repeating, and they have a constant sup-ply of food. Subterranean termite season begins in March, which means it’s time to have your home checked.

Conducive conditions for termites to infest buildings include:

• Wood to ground contact• Foundation cracks• Uneven drainage• High landscaping covering slab• Debris against the house• Joints between porches and foundations• Pipes and insulation By inspecting your home or property

at least once a year, you can hopefully prevent costly damage. Set up an ap-pointment for Killum Pest Control to check on your most valuable asset- your home! Contact Eric Melass at [email protected] or 888-297-9993.


Advertorial

You’ve got a family doctor and a family attorney.

But do you have a family insurance professional?

Craig Slater Agency281-997-7575

The time to choose the right insurance professional is before you need one. Call Craig today

and experience his unique brand of personalized service that has made

him one of Pearland’s leading agents.

Treating Customerswith Care and Respect

A-Better Plumbing Company, lo-cally owned and operated, is guided by one key business factor: “Servic-ing customers as if they will be our long term client.” That is why when a customer calls for the first or the tenth time, A-Better Plumbing Com-pany treats them with the same care and respect. They believe that every time they have contact with the pub-lic, they are placing their name and reputation on the line.

So what does this mean to you as a potential customer? It means that you will receive the fairest pric-ing for the services that you require, you will be dealing with qualified and licensed individuals and you will be able to count on a timely completion of services promised.

Just as you trust your doctor for your health needs and condition, A-Better Plumbing Company wants customers to trust them with their plumbing needs.

Here are some tips A-Better Plumbing Company gives residents:

Water – Keep your water and gas service line entries watered to pro-tect from cracks, especially during drought conditions.

Irrigation Systems – All back-flow preventers should be tested an-nually to avoid cross contamination.

Efficiency – Test your toilet tank water by adding red food coloring to check for any leaks, ensuring its ef-ficiency and saving you money.

A-Better Plumbing Company received the 2011 and 2012 An-gie’s List Super Service Award. For more information on services or if you need a free estimate, call 281-692-1684 or find A-Better Plumbing Company on Angie’s List.

See ad on page 23.

Things are Replaceable,You are Not

Most of us readily purchase insurance to cover our cars and our homes. But what about insuring ourselves? Life insurance is probably the most overlooked insurance product there is and by far the most important when the need arises. Read on to learn the most common reasons we hear why people think they don’t need life insurance, and why it may be wise to think again.

I have it through my employer. Be sure to read your policy. Some employer provided policies cover only accidental death or may have very low limits of coverage. And, if you find yourself unemployed at some point, you may lose your coverage altogether. Life insurance is typically less expensive and easier to obtain if you’re healthy. Purchasing permanent life insurance can alleviate the worries of being tied to a job to maintain your coverage and more importantly, maintain your insurability.

I’m single or my kids are grown now. Singles and empty nesters often think they don’t need life insurance, and sometimes they’re right. But if you have peo-ple who depend on you or don’t want to burden anyone with your final expenses, you should consider it.

It’s always difficult to lose someone you love – financial worries make it worse. Although life insurance can’t replace us, it can help our loved ones cope while going through a difficult time and help those left behind maintain the family’s quality of life.

For more information on Craig Slater Agency, contact 281-997-7575.



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• Residential / Commercial• Offices• Commercial Lawn Services• Complete Floor Care• Commercial Windows• Extensive Training & Quality Control

Members of Pearland & Alvin Manvel Chamber of Commerce

281.489.8614

$20 OFF 2nd Cleaning$10 OFF Referral Fee

$30 OFF FIRST CLEANING With Coupon

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2010 Recipient of Blue Ribbon Award(US Chamber of Commerce)

2004 Business of the Year

(Pearland Chamber of Commerce)

HomeTown Bank:Where Dreams Are Built

Are you looking to purchase a new home? Is it time to refinance? Are you dreaming of a home renova-tion? With money to loan and the will to help, the best place to borrow is right at home! At HomeTown Bank, dreams are built — one family at a time.

HomeTown Bank offers an exten-sive variety of loans to fit your needs including commercial property, sin-gle family homes, condo loans, con-struction loans, property-rehabili-tation loans, investment properties, second homes, home equity loans, home improvement loans, lot loans and a first-time homebuyers pro-gram that only requires a 10 percent down payment.

Customers can always count on experiencing the advantage of local focus that a community bank takes pride in embracing. All loan deci-sions, underwriting and servicing aspects of the loan are maintained right here, close to home. “Other banks make their decisions about loans, for example, in headquarters far from the people they serve, but HomeTown bankers make those de-cisions based on their knowledge and needs of the nearby communi-ty,” said President and CEO, Jimmy Rasmsussen.

Our newest branch in Pearland is open daily to answer any questions you may have about the loan pro-cess. Sean Murphy, Vice President and Branch Manager, began his banking career in 2003. Donna Riz-zo, a veteran of over three decades in banking, has just recently joined the HomeTown team as Vice Presi-dent. HomeTown Bank is a member of FDIC and is an Equal Housing Lender.

Visit HomeTown Bank today at 2651 Pearland Parkway. Call 281-412-8000 or visit www.htbna.com and dis-cover the HomeTown Advantage!

A & A Cleaning Services

When Mona Chavarria first started A & A Cleaning Services, her mission was clear: provide quality residential cleaning services that exceed customer expec-tations. Almost fifteen years later, A & A has expanded its wide range of services to include residential cleaning services, commercial cleaning services, janitorial supplies, professional commercial lawn care services, window cleaning and car-pet cleaning for both residential and commercial businesses.

Locally owned and operated, A & A Cleaning Services is highly invested in the Pearland community. “I believe it is important to give back to the community that has given so much to me,” says owner Mona. “That’s why I give so much of my time and money to various local organizations in community service.”

One of the many organizations that A & A supports is the Adult Reading Cen-ter in Pearland, which provides instruction to adults with low literacy skills. Mona is a board member and a past Chairwoman of the Annual Red Hat Literacy Lun-cheon, which raises money for the center.

A & A Cleaning was awarded the Business of the Year by the Pearland Cham-ber of Commerce. In 2010, A & A received the prestigious Blue Ribbon Small Business Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A & A was recently pre-sented a resolution by the State of Texas House of Representatives for demon-strating the degree to which a successful business can make a positive differ-ence in the community it serves.

To find out more about A & A, visit www.aacleaningservices.com.



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If you’re looking to buy a home or sell your property, we invite you to visit us online at www.GaryGreene.com or give us a call.

281.819.92002251 County Road 94, Suite 101

Pearland, TX 77584

Diane MirelesPearland Branch Manager

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Diane Mireles Tapped as Manager of Better Homes and Gardens

Real Estate Gary Greene Pearland Office

Diane Mireles, a top-producing Re-altor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene’s Friend-swood office, has been tapped as manager at the company’s Pearland office. “We are pleased to have Diane Mireles lead the team at our Pearland office. She is successful, experienced and has a solid reputation,” said Mark Woodroof, partner with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene.

With 20 years of success in resi-dential real estate, Mireles said she is looking forward to her new posi-tion and working with the Pearland real estate agents. “My goal for the

Continued on page 21



Advertorial

Brown Interiors:More Than Just a Home Furnishings Showroom

Brown Interiors provides a com-plete interior design and home deco-rating service for Pearland/Houston residential properties. Their services save you time and money, because all of the stress and work of sourcing and organizing your project is taken care of by the designers at Brown Interiors.

Brown Interiors specializes in unique, charming accessories and beautiful, custom designed rooms. Their goal is to work with you to cre-ate an atmosphere that reflects your personal style and respects your budget.

With long-established relation-ships with 75 vendors, Brown Interi-ors chooses only to work with man-ufactures that are reliable, produce quality product and offer premium collections of home goods.

Brown Interiors invites you to stop by their local showroom to be ex-posed to a wide selection of lighting, furniture and home accessories that will transform your home or business into a space that is uniquely yours.

Services include new home con-struction consultation, faux painting, custom draperies, space planning, finish selections in remodels, bed-ding and home furniture and fur-nishings. Clients who want superior service and quality products choose Brown Interiors for all their design needs.

Discover Brown Interiors, where design is more than a process; it’s a unique experience. For more in-formation, visit www.browninteriors.com or call 281-412-5305.

Need an Update or an Upgrade?

Wondering what to do about your tired old flooring? In need of a fresh new look for your home? Floor Gallery of Pearland has the answers! With 20 years of experience, Floor Gallery of Pearland can show you how to improve the look of your home.

Floor Gallery of Pearland opened its doors in the summer of 2005 with the vision of providing the highest quality flooring materials at an affordable price. Floor Gallery is a place where you can explore a vast array of carpet, ceramic, granite, laminate and wood flooring options in a comfortable and informative en-vironment. Whatever your flooring fantasy, release your inhibitions and let Floor Gallery take you there.

Floor Gallery can help you start every day off in style. Let your inner chef explore new cooking techniques on our fascinating array of granite and Sile-stone countertops. Cozy up to the heartwarming elegance of beautiful hardwood floors, or snuggle up on down-soft carpets. Imagine escaping to your spa bath, newly restyled in natural stone or expertly installed porcelain tile.

If your deepest desires send you spiraling in the direction of a new staircase, then wind your way to Floor Gallery at 10621 Broadway St. Suite 109 in Pearland next to Panera Bread Company. For more information, call 713-436-7051 or visit www.floorgallerypearland.com.


Full Service Interior Design Showroom

281.412.5305 • www.browninteriors.com2640 E. Broadway, Ste. 114 • Pearland, Texas 77581

• Interior Design Consultations• Space Planning• Color Selections

• Finish Selections in Remodels

• Furniture• Home Furnishings/Accessories• Faux Painting


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Floor Gallery

713.436.7051Mon - Sat 10am - 7pm

10621 Broadway St., Ste. 109 • Pearland at 288 & 518 (Next to Panera Bread)

Carpet$1.69 sq. ft.

Installed 1/2” padding, moving

furniture and takeaway old

carpet included.

Certified Installers & Free In-Home EstimatesCustomer Satisfaction Guaranteed

Immediate Installation & References Available

Hand Scraped Wood Floors$4.99 sq. ft.

Installed with Molding

LaminateFloorsStarting at

$2.99 sq. ft.Installed All

Trims Included

Wood$4.99 sq. ft.

3/8” Installed All TrimsIncluded

GraniteCounter Tops

$33 sq. ft (includes 1/2” bullnose)

FREE stainless steel sink with 60 sq.

feet or more.

Tile$3.49 sq. ft.

Installed.12x12, 13x13.Sun

12pm - 5pm

Continued from page 19

New Horizons Roofing Specialists: Committed to Excellence

New Horizons Roofing Specialists, a local family-owned company, has been servic-ing the roofing needs of Pearland and surrounding area residents and business owners for 18 years. They have earned a reputation over the years as one of the best roofing companies in the area. With an experienced, professional staff who is fully-insured and manufacturer’s certified, New Horizons Roofing Specialists is qualified to address any roofing issue.

Proudly specializing in hard to find roof leak repairs, New Horizons Roofing Special-ists offers guaranteed quality products and service. They are committed to getting your

office is expansion. I have seasoned agents who are dedicated and suc-cessful at what they do,” Mireles said, “and I’ll be looking for more team members who can help us in-crease our market share in the area.”

Mireles said the office will focus on building relationships in the com-munity and raising awareness of the office as the place to go for acquir-ing new properties, selling homes and delivering superior service.

The Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene Pearland office is located at 2251 County Road 94, Ste.101 in Pearland, and their phone number is 281-723-2888. Mireles and her team can be reached at 281-819-9200. For more information about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene, visit www.GaryGreene.com.

Continued on page 22


Celebrating 35 Years of ServiceProtect your most

precious assets and discoverThe Mercer difference.

Auto • Home • Life • Business • Recreational

281.485.2471 • MercerInsuranceAgency.com


Advertorial

roofing project done right the first time and to provide quality work, so they of-ten develop long-term relationships with customers. New Horizons Roofing Spe-cialists provides all labor, material, tools, equipment and the proper insurance for all roof repairs, re-roofs and roof main-tenance.

Services include tear-offs/re-roofs/new installations, repairs and mainte-nance, replacement/installation of skylights and solar power ventilation, repairs/installation of siding-plank and gutters and 24/7 emergency service.

New Horizons Roofing Specialists is a member of the Better Business Bureau, Pearland Chamber of Com-merce, Roofing Contractors Associa-tion of Texas and GAF Certified Weath-er Stopper Roofing Contractor.

Let a representative from New Ho-rizons Roofing Specialists come meet with you and show you how a commit-ment to excellence has earned them a fantastic reputation as one of the best

Continued from page 21


We Specialize in Hard to Find Leaks

New Horizons Roofing Specialists

Re-RoofsNew ConstructionEmergency RepairsMaintenance

281.489.1717Pearland, Texas 77581 • www.nhrsroofing.com

Serving the community Since 1996

FREE DAMAGEINSPECTION& ESTIMATES

Fully InsuredCertified Contractor

Patio Covers • Outdoor Kitchens • Screened PorchesDecorative Patios • Sunrooms • And More!

Your New Outdoor Living Room!

281-265-1994TexasCustomPatios.com

Call today to schedule a free design consultation.

If youwant it in

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Licensed & insured, MPL#18439

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A-Better Plumbing Company“Serving and saving your community for 19 years”

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Sergio Reyes Law Office: Helping with LegalMatters Since 1992

Sergio Reyes Law Office is a Pear-land general practice law firm serving Brazoria, Galveston and Harris coun-ties. Sergio Reyes, Jr., has been in the private practice of law since 1992. Prior to starting his practice, Reyes was an Assistant Regional Counsel for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While in private practice, he served as Assistant County Attorney in Matagorda County and was ap-pointed as Associate Municipal Judge for the City of Bay City. From time to time Reyes was appointed as Special Judge to preside over the Matagorda County Court. His experience in public service as well as private practice has served to provide experience in dealing with different areas of the law. Areas of practice include:

• Criminal Law• Personal Injury (Accidents)• Family Law• Immigration• Will and ProbateLicensed in 1991, Sergio Reyes, Jr.,

has over 21 years experience handling legal matters in Brazoria, Matagorda, Galveston and Harris Counties. Sergio Reyes Law Office prides themselves in always keeping their client’s best inter-est in mind and going the extra mile to procure the best outcome for clients. Let Sergio Reyes Law Office help you with your legal concerns. Their job is to give you peace of mind while dealing with overwhelming legal issues.

Sergio Reyes Law Office is conve-niently located at 3528½ E. Broadway Street in Pearland, across from the old Pearland High School. Call 281-485-3600 to schedule an appointment.

roofing companies in the area. Call New Horizons Roofing Specialists today at 281-489-1717 to schedule your free, no obligation roof damage inspection and estimate.


Serving our clients’ legal needs for over 20 years.

3528 1/2 E. Broadway, Pearland, TX 77581Not Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

281-485-3600Fax: 281-485-5553 • E-mail: [email protected]

• Criminal

• Personal Injury

• Family

• Immigration

• WillsAttorney Sergio Reyes, Jr. with his staff.

SERGIO REYES, JR.ATTORNEY AT LAW


T he numbers speak for them-selves: A high school comple-tion rate increased from 94.1

to 97.4 percent. Approximately $500,000 was saved in classroom funding through increased attendance. More than 1,000 student conferences were held and nearly 500 homes were visited in 2011 and 2012 to reach at-risk students.

But, the results are far more than fig-ures on a page. The 563 recovered stu-dents represented by these percentages and dollars – students helped by Pearland Independent School District’s Student Outreach and Attendance Office – now have the chance to land solid jobs and se-cure promising futures.

Established in 2007, Student Outreach has not only turned students’ lives around but has also freed administrators and teachers to do what they do best: focus on classroom instruction. “Students win be-cause they are learning. Teachers win be-cause they are teaching. And parents win because their children will be on the path to graduation and ultimate success in life,” Susan Holloway, Student Outreach coordinator, said.

How does Student Outreach help Pear-land ISD? Because Texas school funding

is tied to daily attendance, schools win through financial stability. “And the com-munity wins by having access to an edu-cated workforce,” Holloway said.

A National andLocal Challenge

According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, about 7,000 students nation-wide drop out of school every day. With-out a diploma in hand, these individuals will earn about $260,000 less than a high school graduate in their lifetime.

Not only does dropping out impact a student’s career potential, but it also impacts society. The impact of dropouts trickles down to every student at every desk. In Texas, school budgets are based on average daily attendance, and schools with low attendance receive less money for classroom needs.

Who are these at-risk students? Often, they are teens who have difficulty transi-tioning to high school or simply students who are disengaged socially and academi-cally. Whatever the case, they don’t see the long-term rewards of completing their high school education before earning a paycheck.

A Mission toRemove Barriers

Student Outreach summarizes its mis-sion in four words: “Don’t let students leave.” It supports student engagement and academic success by working with campuses to monitor attendance – one of the clearest early signs of at-risk students. “Disengagement starts in middle school, but we look at attendance beginning in elementary,” Holloway said.

After observing telltale frequent ab-sences and/or failing grades, Holloway and her crew of three – Anthony Vereen, Robert Galan and Robin Berryhill – col-laborate with counselors and other school staff to discover the root of the disengage-ment. The reasons for disengagement are as diverse as students themselves. Some-times students need clothes, school sup-plies, tutoring intervention or even a tank of gas to get to school. Recently, the team took turns driving to and from Rosenberg, transporting a student to school to earn her last remaining credits.

In some cases, students may drop out to support a financially strapped family.

“They see the short-term reward – earning money now – rather than what it

Student OutreachKeeps Students on

By Courtney Bajusz Susan Aguilar, a student helped by Student Outreach, accepts her diploma during a graduation ceremony at the PACE Center in May 2012. Photo by Courtney Bajusz.

Diploma Track


means long-term not to earn a diploma,” Holloway said.

Homelessness also plays into the pic-ture. In 2011-12 alone, Student Outreach reached out to approximately 113 home-less and unaccompanied Pearland stu-dents who needed the “four R’s”: reading, writing, arithmetic and a roof.

Once critical needs are met, barriers to attendance are often removed as well. “We use different methods to reach different students. We take all the barriers away that prevent students from attending and finishing school,” Holloway said.

Door-to-Door Recovery

Student Outreach is unique in that it combines homeless education, attendance and dropout prevention/recovery under one roof. The team’s efforts compare to those of Houston ISD’s Grads Within Reach program, which sends out commu-nity members each fall to visit potential dropouts at their homes. Unlike HISD, however, Student Outreach Office staff visit homes themselves, building relation-ships with students and their families.

The search often begins by contacting community members, other school dis-tricts and law enforcement agencies to find the at-risk students. Crisscrossing Pearland in a district van, the team vis-its homes to check on students who have missed school frequently. They also look for students out and about in the commu-nity from 9 am to 2 pm – daytime curfew.

In 2011-12, Student Outreach conduct-ed more than 1,000 student conferences and nearly 500 home visits, mostly within the 180-day school calendar. During that time, the team also participated in 100 court hearings. The hearings, another dropout prevention tool, address students who fail to attend and parents who con-tribute to their absence. According to the state’s compulsory attendance law, “fail-ure to attend school” means absence on 10 or more days (or parts of days) within six months, or three or more days (or parts of days) within four weeks.

After a court hearing, the local justice of the peace may order attendance, coun-seling, parenting workshops or other mea-sures for students and parents. “We use court as an intervention resource. In some

situations, it even assists with runaways as a legal method of getting students to return,” Holloway said.

Faces of Success

Although Student Outreach’s inter-vention methods vary, the individual sto-ries often have the same ending: success. Mickenzie Rapp is one such success story. During her senior year at Pearland High School (PHS) in 2009-10, Mickenzie was facing trouble at home because of her par-ents’ divorce. At her wit’s end, she decided to quit school and run away.

Her grandparents, living in Florida at the time, intervened. “We picked her up, but we had no idea what to do, nobody to help us,” Don Rapp, Mickenzie’s grandfa-ther, said. “We were just lost. I told her, ‘You have to finish. You can’t get any-where without a high school education.’”

Directionless, they wound up in Stu-dent Outreach, where Holloway suggest-ed the PLATO® (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations) credit recovery program, a challenging but flex-ible computer option for students needing to earn their last few credits.

The Rapps bought a home in Pearland, and Mickenzie dived headfirst into PLA-TO®, supported throughout by Student Outreach and PHS staff. In spring 2010, she earned her diploma with the rest of her class. “Without the program, Kenzie would probably be on the street. Student Outreach has been a life changer for us,” her grandfather said.

As members of the Pearland ISD Student Outreach team, Robert Galan, Susan Holloway and Anthony Vereen help to keep students engaged in school. Photo by Exie Rosas.

Now living with her grandparents in Florida, Mickenzie has earned a commu-nity college license in daycare work and been working at a daycare for the last year. “Thank you for putting me on the program and helping me graduate. If I didn’t have a diploma, it would be hard for me to get a job,” Mickenzie said.

Zachary Novark, another at-risk stu-dent, shuffled from home to home after starting his senior year at PHS. After a number of unfortunate events, Zachary found himself at the home of Advanced Academics director Margo Gigee and her husband. Gigee referred him to Student Outreach, and together Gigee and Hollo-way helped Zachary get school clothes and new glasses.

A competitor on PHS’s Academic De-cathlon team, Zachary continued to take regular and Advanced Placement courses, bumping up his grades to mostly A’s and B’s during his final semester. He gradu-ated in June 2011.

Today, Zachary has completed his freshman year at the University of Hous-ton and is planning to become a high school history teacher. “I’m exceptionally grateful for all Pearland ISD did to help me through admittedly one of the hardest years of my life. My diploma means a lot to me, because it represents monumental effort put forth not just by myself but by several Pearland ISD employees. These individuals are dedicated to providing ed-ucational opportunities to every student in the district, even those who have fallen off the beaten path,” he said.

Mission Possible

Student Outreach measures its suc-cess not by the miles added to the van’s odometer but by interventions with stu-dents like Mickenzie and Zachary – in-terventions that have motivated students to return to class, engage in learning and embrace a brighter future.

Over the last five years, hours of hard work have resulted in 563 at-risk stu-dents deciding to complete their educa-tion, choosing diplomas over dropout sta-tus. For Holloway, changing minds begins with reaching hearts. “The kids are our customers. We are only as successful as our students,” she said.


IN THEHEART

P E A R L A N D

OUT&ABOUT

Barbara Mercer and Dale Pillow enjoyed a Sunday afternoon by playing Bunco with dozens of other ladies for the annual Bunco event hosted by the Women in Leadership Society of Pearland.

Dawson High School’s Lauren Hubbard recently won a $7,500 Dr. Pepper scholarship by creating a video that included a Dr. Pepper bottle along with her career goals. As one of five finalists in the competition, Lauren traveled to North Carolina for the finalist competition at the ACC Championship Bowl, where each student threw footballs from five yards away into an eight-foot Dr. Pepper can. Although Hubbard did not win the finalist competition, the scholarship committee tripled her award because judges were impressed with her video, which showcases her work with the DHS Eagle Television program and her dreams of becoming a news anchor. Pictured is Lauren with her mother, Mary Hubbard.

Professional Women Business Club held its social at Panera Bread

Company this past January. On hand were

Mary Margaret Eberhart, Kirra

Randolph, Kristin Novilla, Patrice

Thurston, Susan Chapman, Renita

Scroggins, Sally Mercer,

Vickie Elizardo and Mary Yost.

Mardi Gras: Bunco on the Bayou was the theme for Women in Leadership Society’s January 20th Bunco event. These women spared no expense to get into the spirit. Contest winners were Robbie Crump, Yvonne Guy, Carole Durham, Sandi Miller, Julia Rhodes, Sarah Deterling, Mindy Jo James and Terri Turbeville.


The Silverlake Wal-Mart, a Campus Education Improvement Council business partner, recently awarded $1,500 to Challenger Elementary through its Local Community Contribution Grant Program. The funds will help update playground equipment. Pictured are Wal-Mart Manager David Frederick, Principal Lisa Nelson and Assistant Principal Brooke Newell.

The Pearland Lady Oilers Varsity Basketball team went undefeated in the 2012 Lady Gander Tip-Off Classic in Baytown. Great job Lady Oilers! Pictured are Jasmine Butler, Elyse Bell, LaNeetra Guillory, Savannah Kuon, Kaila Chizer, Head Coach Donna Vacek, Sierra Morish, Stacey Barnett, Alexis Rodriguez, Journey Hawkins, Taylor James, Assistant Coach Andre Stokes, Miranda LeJune, Chelsea Cervantes, Keara Hudnall and Nikki Valencia.

SUBMIT NEWSWORTHY E-mail [email protected] story and a photo with complete names of people pictured.

The Pearland Lady Oilers Junior Varsity basketball

team took first place in the Sam Rayburn Junior Varsity

Tournament in January. They defeated Baytown Sterling in the championship game 52-24. Pictured are Coach

Victoria Robinson, Alyssa Nicholas, Payton Long,

Meredith Bell, Alyssa Denham, Ashley Draper,

Dara Hoffpauir, Shelby Moore, Ibe Ugo, Loreal

Preze, Kayla Copeland and Emareya Lyles.

Nick Nicholson is the Film and Entertainment Critic for CNN Radio, the Fort Bend Star and absolutely! focus media. In addition, his reviews can be seen and heard in numerous other print/media outlets in Texas and Oklahoma. Mr. Nicholson is in great demand as a speaker to both public and civic organizations on the subject of film and the entertainment industry. He is the co-founder of the Houston Film Critics Society and is currently the President of the organization.

Beautiful CreaturesStarring: Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert & Jeremy IronsDirector: Richard LaGraveneseCompany: WarnerNow Showing: In Local TheatresMPAA Rating: PG-13Grade: A-

Photos Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

FILM REVIEW

By Nick Nicholson

Alden Ehrenreich as Ethan Wate and Alice Englert as Lena Duchannes in Beautiful Creatures.

Jeremy Irons as Macon Ravenwood and Viola Davis as Amma.

changes and nothing ever hap-pens. Trapped at home with a father who has completely with-drawn since the sudden death of Ethan’s mother, Ethan yearns for a life he can only read about in books.

But Ethan’s mundane world is shaken with the arrival of Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert), the beautiful and enigmatic niece of Macon Ravenwood (Jeremy Irons), the reclusive owner of gothic Ravenwood Manor. Ethan finds himself immediately drawn to Lena, even though destruction seems to inexplicably follow her and it becomes apparent that she is a Caster, with powers beyond her control. The town, led by con-servative Mrs. Lincoln (Emma Thompson), wants her banished. Even Gatlin’s all-knowing li-brarian, Amma (Viola Davis), is afraid history may repeat itself – a history of family secrets and a curse that looms for Lena – as

she approaches her 16th birthday. It is that time when a Caster is chosen by the forces of either the Light or the Dark. But Lena’s fate may already be sealed by the curse that draws both herself and Ethan into a tangled web of spells and peril from which there may be no escape.

R ichard LaGravenese is back in the director’s chair helming the supernatural love story Beauti-

ful Creatures, the first novel from the best-selling series of the same name by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. The film opens up with its teen star, Ethan Wate (Alden Ehrenreich), suffering from the same recurring dream. A young woman is waiting for him on a Civil War battlefield. As he desperately attempts to reach her, he is killed by a lightning bolt crack ala Groundhog Day…over and over again. The danger of this strange dream world, however, is preferable to Ethan’s waking existence in Gatlin, South Caro-lina, a small, conservative Southern town that hasn’t caught up to the 21st century. It is a place where nothing ever

At first glance, Beautiful Creatures seems quite similar to a number of the tweener film series that have hit the big screen, most notably that of the Twilight genre. Yes, there are similarities, but one could come to expect that with a film fo-cusing on young requited love. The direc-tion of the film and pacing was sufficient, but what stood out more than anything was the chemistry of the cast. With the leads being such young performers (Eh-renreich and Englert), it makes perfect sense to throw the brilliant Jeremy Irons into the fray. The cinematography is re-ally quite lush, and I found the action sequences to be more than enough to keep those in the audience interested.The story is fresh and should make for the perfect date movie.



HOT SHOTHigh School

Colton Tadlock:Developing Character and Leadership

By Linda K. Eaves

Colton Tadlock serves as com-pany first sergeant (C/1SG) for the Pearland High School

Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) and has won many awards. Colton has known since junior high that he wanted to go into the mili-tary, so joining JROTC seemed like a natural fit for him.

Colton is most proud of the first place he earned in the Cadet Chal-lenge Medal, an annual physical fit-ness competition among all the cadets. “I worked really hard for this, work-ing out every day trying to get my run down and increasing my pushups. This was my favorite competition.”

JROTC participates in many com-munity service projects around the

Pearland area. Once a year they pick up trash on their assigned street. They help with parking at the Brazoria County Fair and other events in the area. “As a mem-ber of the Color Guard, we have organiza-tions that call on us to present the flag at their parties and different functions. It’s really cool,” said Colton.

Since joining JROTC, Colton has grown as leader. “Starting from fresh-man year, I was put in charge of people I didn’t always know, and that can be kind of nerve-wracking, having people look up to you and expect you to know how to do stuff. You just have to stick with what you know and do your best. That was really tough – coming out of my shell and learn-ing to help other people and lead them,” he said.

“C/1SG Tadlock is an outstanding member of the Pearland High School JROTC,” said Pearland High School JROTC instructor Sgt. Major Bruce Grant. He is in his third year in the program, and he has served as squad leader and platoon sergeant in his first and second year in the program.

“C/1SG Tadlock has distinguished himself as a leader academically, physi-cally and within the context of JROTC. He has earned numerous awards and decorations for academics to include the Honor Roll Ribbon and the Academic Dis-tinction Ribbon. Fitness awards include JROTC Athletics Ribbon, Raider Team Ribbon and the National Fitness Award.

“He has also earned the SAI Leader-ship Ribbon, Summer Camp Ribbon, Ca-det of the Marking Period Ribbon and the

Pearland Service Ribbon. C/1SG Tad-lock is a member of the Color Guard and the Raider Team and has par-ticipated with both in numerous drill meet competitions.

“C/1SG Tadlock is dedicated to the program and his education. He is a motivator in his class and on the teams. He is dependable and respon-sible, always willing to get the mission accomplished.”

Colton would like to attend Texas A&M University and join the Corps of Cadets, then commission as an officer in the military. He is the son of Buck and Shawn Tadlock.

Colton

“Colton is a motivator in his class and on the teams. He is dependable and responsible, always willing to get the mission accomplished.”


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Representatives of the Pearland Chamber, city leaders, concerned business owners and citizens

traveled to Austin on February 27th and 28th to meet with members of the state legislature and key state agencies to ask for support on issues affecting the city’s rapid growth. The legislative program, which seeks to educate and involve the local citizenry regarding the activities of the Pearland Day in Austin Commit-tee and of legislative actions that affect the community, was coordinated by the Pearland Area Chamber of Commerce.

This year marked the 6th event and focused on seven specific issues affect-ing our community, including transpor-tation/infrastructure, tax policy, natural resources, healthcare, education, eco-nomic development and catastrophic insurance. The Pearland delegation pre-sented these Pearland specific issues to Gulf Coast legislators as well as to state agencies.

The mission of the Pearland Day in Austin event has remained the same over the years and is to increase the general awareness among state legisla-tors, agencies and staff about Pearland as a large, fast-growth community in the Houston metropolitan area; establish two-way positive working relationships with them; communicate needs and is-

sues of particular interest affecting the Pearland community and educate and involve the local citizenry regarding the activities of the committee and legis-lative actions that affect the commu-nity. This event has been successful in achieving success since 2007.

Safety and mobility messages are continually expressed by the citizens of Pearland; therefore, one of the key del-

Members of the Pearland Day in Austin Committee John Hoss, Commissioner Port Freeport; Jim Johnson, Pearland Chamber; Walt Sass, Weisser Engineering & Surveying Co and 2013 Chairman of Pearland Day; Charles Eastland, Cobb, Fendley & Assoc. Inc.; Woody Owens, City of Pearland; Gary W. Bucek, San Jacinto SBDC; Ravi Raj Yanaman-dala, Geotest Engineering, Inc. and Julio Vazquez, Third Coast Terminals; Cheryl Kepp, Pearland Chamber; Felicia Harris, F. Harris & Associates, PLLC; Carol Artz-Bucek, Pearland Chamber; Mary Starr, Prudential Real Estate and Nancy Dalton, Pearland Chamber.

Pearland Chamber Hosts Pearland Day In Austin

egation visits was to the Texas Trans-portation Commission. Delegates also called on administrators and staffers in the Office of the Governor for Economic Development and Tourism, Secretary of State, Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Department of Insurance.

This legislative program has pro-duced some remarkable results in the five years since its inception due to determined business leaders and local residents interested in a better commu-nity and who are willing to participate by taking Pearland’s concerns to Austin. The Pearland Chamber takes pride in advocating for the members of the or-ganization as well as for business and industry in the community. Thankful for those community leaders who take time out of their busy schedules to help take our message to Austin, citizens interest-ed in the Chamber’s legislative program may call the chamber at 281-485-3634 for more information.


March 2nd, 6 – 8 pm Daddy Daughter Date NightPearland Parks and Recreation invites princesses ages 4 to 14 and their fathers to a night of dancing, photos and dessert at A Princess Ball, held on Bailey Campus, 4717 Bailey Road. Tickets are $30 per royal couple and $10 per additional sibling. Space within the kingdom is limited. Register at www.pearlandparks.com or call 281-412-8900.

March 4th, 12 pm Young Life Golf TournamentRegister now for Young Life Brazoria County’s 9th Annual Golf Tournament at Golfcrest Country Club in Pearland. Hosted by Kenny and Linda Crockett, the tournament will include opportunities to win $15,000 cash, a set of Cleveland Irons and more. Following the tournament will be a silent auction and dinner. Visit www.brazoriacounty.younglife. org or call 281-997-0200 to register.

E V E N T S• • • • • • • • • • • • •

March 30th, 1 – 3 pmEaster Egg DiveChildren ages 3 to 10 will splash around for eggs at Pearland’s Recreation Center and Natatorium Activity Pool Easter Egg Dive! Floating eggs will fill the pool, and prizes will be given to all participants. Registration is limited for each age group. Visit www.pearlandparks.com.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

March 9th and 23rd, 8 am – 12 pmPearland Old Townsite Farmers MarketSupport local families by browsing local produce and products such as honey, coffee, salsa, tea and soaps at Zychlinski Park, 2243 Grand Boulevard in Pearland. Visit www.pearlandoldtownsitefarmersmarket.com.

March 23rd and 24th, 10 am – 4 pm 19th Annual Paws in the ParkMan’s best friend is sure to enjoy this paw-some event! Join Pearland Parks and Recreation at Pearland’s Independence Park, 3919 Liberty Drive for the H-E-B Plus! Pet and Owner Fun Run followed by the national Dock Diving competition. Demonstrations planned throughout the weekend include fly ball, agility, obedience and grooming. Call 281-412-8900. Find event details at www.pearlandparks.com.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS E-mail [email protected] the event date, time, location and a short description of the event.

(281) 485-93005001 West Broadway, Suite B

Pearland, Texas 77581www.Facebook.com/LanaRawlinsonPhotography

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As we are working on being the best we can be this year together, I have broken

down three ways I see people liv-ing. One is to live a life filled with panic and anxiousness, stirred by worry and stemmed from not loving oneself and trusting that each of us has a true purpose. The second is to live life filled with a reflection of what we want the world to think we have and to say what we think oth-ers want to hear instead of finding one’s true path. The last way is to love oneself and to love one anoth-er, and in doing so, everything else will indeed turn out right.

cont inuum of this love/ hate thing that I finally under-stood why people make bad choices. Most of the time, we are confused about only one thing: ourselves. This explains murders, wars and the way we as humans walk away from each other in need and act as if bad things don’t exist.

I believe that if I ever were to get the chance to sit and talk to all the people who have done really bad things, that the one thing I would find as a common denominator would be self-hate. There is no other explanation for all the wrong in our world. To me, this makes perfect sense. The answer to all the evil in our world is that at the deepest point in the heart of a soul, something changes and in that transformation, the soul has truly turned in on itself.

So one asks, “How do we change it? How do we begin again with re-newal of our spirit and fill ourselves with hopes and dreams and love?” The answer is that it starts with you.

As we look to a new year, a new Valentine, a year filled with so much, we should feed our spirits with love. Take time for yourself to be in the moment, and think on who the most important people are in your life. Are you loving them? I’m not asking if you are you pro-viding for them, disciplining them and getting along with them. Doing all of those things is what is expect-ed. I am asking you to actively find a way that is absolutely nothing more or less a way to show them love. It is a contagious thing.

Perhaps Father Mike stated it best in a sermon I was attending over the holidays concerning rules

and following a life in Christ. He

explained that in the Bible, there are

over 700 laws and rules for us to follow.

Going even further, the word “heart” is mentioned

over 800 times. Father didn’t think that this was a coincidence,

and neither do I. The idea that one follows the law and has hate in one’s heart is a fake kind of love…a Phari-see kind of love. God never wants us to follow a law only because failing to do so creates a consequence. Rather, we should as humans desire to be-come transformed and want to do good towards one another because it is the right and just thing to do. Fa-ther Mike explained that our spirit fills and is at home in our hearts. “Live a life that transforms you; it spreads and transforms humanity. We all desire to see a world trans-formed through mercy received and given, grace received and given, and of course, love received and given. All of these things are done by the heart in our daily lives and through our interactions with one another. The spirit lives in the heart and that is the place where life with God begins.”

Simply put, living a life in Christ is to do so with a consciousness to-wards love. The road to a world filled with love starts with each of us first loving ourselves so that we can see goodness and grace and mercy and love back. If you write love on your heart, you will reflect love on others. You cannot do this fully until you can love yourself, and then as you give love, all of the rest will take care of itself. Finding your purpose and pas-sion in life first starts with love.

Take Care of You!

Living the Sweet Life:

Challenge Number Two –

By Alisa Murraywww.AlisaMurray.com

Nationally recognized portrait artistand award-winning columnist.

Father Mike and Alisa Murray.

Write Love on Your Heart!

The facts are in, folks. We live in a world that is full of both good and evil and somewhere in between. I know it, you know it and even ani-mals know it. Hate is a powerful thing. Hate is evil. The opposite of hate, of course, is love, and there is a sinister dichotomy to the ebb and flow of the universe that literally sways and lies in the arms of these two ways of life.

It was when I discovered the


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