05.08.06
Posted in General at 3:34 pm by Paloma Cruz
Texas searches for The Texas 2006 outstanding older worker
– reported by North Texas e-News
Experience Works, the nation’s largest training and employment organization for mature workers, is searching for the Texas outstanding older worker. Outstanding older workers from every state; the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico; America’s Oldest Worker; and outstanding employers of older workers, will be honored in Washington, D.C., and in their home states for their contributions to the workforce and local communities.
Experience Works Prime Time Awards program is part of Experience Works’ national effort to raise awareness of the contributions made by older individuals and to break down barriers associated with the hiring of older workers.
Texas is currently soliciting nominations from businesses and individuals.
Applicants must be 65 years of age or older, a resident of Texas, currently employed, and working at least 20 hours each week for pay. The honoree must be willing and able to travel to Washington, D.C., in September for the Prime Time Award events.
The visit will include meetings with congressional representatives, a tour of the city’s landmarks, and the awards banquet and ceremony. Applicants who are part of a subsidized employment program funded by the local, state or national government are not eligible for this award.
Official nomination forms may be obtained from Experience Works, Inc., 801 Washington Ave., Waco, Texas, 76701 phone 877-781-9953 or 903-327-8417. An online nomination form or a printed nomination form can be accessed online at www.experienceworks.org.
The deadline for nominations is May 31, 2006. A search for America’s Oldest Worker for 2006 is also under way. Last year, 100-year-old Dwight Hauff, owner of Hauff Sporting Goods in Sioux City, Iowa, was named America’s Oldest Worker.
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05.07.06
Posted in News at 2:57 pm by Paloma Cruz
Consumer Confidence Sinks As Gas Prices Soar
– reported by Click2Houston.com
Consumer confidence sank to a seven-month low as sticker shock from rising gasoline prices made Americans anxious about the economy’s prospects and the strain on their own budgets.
The RBC CASH Index, based on results from the international polling firm Ipsos, showed confidence at 67.1 in early May. That marked a big deterioration from 89.4 in April.
The new confidence reading was the lowest since October, when the country was still reeling from the devastation and fallout wrought by the Gulf Coast hurricanes, including high energy prices.
[snip]
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Posted in News at 2:24 pm by Paloma Cruz
Business owners have positive 2006 outlook, study finds
– reported by the Houston Business Journal
A study conducted by a Houston-based human resources firm shows that a large majority of company owners have a positive business forecast for the remainder of 2006.
In addition, a majority of business owners are either meeting or exceeding growth estimates this year, according to the Business Confidence Survey from Administaff Inc. (NYSE: ASF). A total of 86 percent of survey respondents said their businesses have been growing at expected rates or better-than-expected rates since the beginning of the year.
At least 31 percent of respondents think they will exceed their initial expectations for the year, while 61 percent said they expect their business growth to be on target for the remainder of the year.
A total of 79 percent of those surveyed said they feel positive or mostly positive about business conditions for the balance of 2006. Nearly 18 percent were neutral in this category.
Of the respondents, 44 percent plan to hire more workers in 2006 than they did in 2005, and 63 percent said overtime is likely to remain the same through the end of the year.
[snip]
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Posted in News at 5:54 am by Paloma Cruz
White gets award for Katrina leadership
– reported by the Houston Chronicle
ouston Mayor Bill White said he was grateful for the public service award he received here on Thursday for helping victims of Hurricane Katrina — especially since he was girding to meet with federal officials about hurricane aid.
The American Jewish Committee granted the award at its annual conference. White was warmly introduced by Houston civic leader and former committee board member Jack Lapin.
[snip]
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05.06.06
Posted in News at 10:05 pm by Paloma Cruz
Rapes, homicides up in 2005
– reported by the Houston Chronicle
The number of homicides and rapes increased in Texas in 2005, but the state’s overall major crime rate dropped 3.5 percent, according to figures released Friday.
The Uniform Crime Reporting statistics released by the Texas Department of Public Safety tracks crime rates per 100,000 residents.
And while crimes categorized as “major” were down overall, Texas had 1,405 homicides, an increase of 3.4 percent from 1,359 in 2004.
Texas authorities also reported 8,505 rapes, up 1.2 percent over the 2004 figure of 8,401.
[snip]
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Posted in News at 2:52 pm by Paloma Cruz
Gasoline prices finally take a dip
– reported by the Houston Business Journal
After eight consecutive weeks of increases, the average price of gasoline in all Texas cities surveyed dropped slightly this week, according to AAA Texas.
In Texas, the current average is $2.86 a gallon — a weekly decrease of 3 cents. Houston’s average daily price for May 4 was $2.91 per gallon, a drop of 1.4 cents from a week ago.
[snip]
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Posted in General at 5:28 am by Paloma Cruz
Special thanks to Metroblogging for posting this info:
The 6th Annual Houston Dragon Boat Festival is this Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm at Allen’s Landing in Downtown Houston. Organized by the Texas Dragon Boat Association, the races will feature traditional Hong Kong style BuK Dragon Boats measuring 40 feet in length, 4 feet in width, and carring 20 paddlers, 1 drummer, and 1 steersperson. On average, these boats weigh 500 pounds. Come out and watch up to 30 paddling teams competing for the Dragon Boat Championship Cup!
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05.05.06
Posted in General at 11:20 pm by Paloma Cruz
Houston housing market could float above economic bump, economist says
– reported by the Houston Business Journal
Houston is positioned to escape most of the negative economic consequences that a number of housing markets throughout the nation will feel as a result of a predicted correction of the nation’s housing market, a Houston economist said Tuesday.
University of Houston economist Barton Smith, who spoke to more than 1,000 people Tuesday at his real estate-focused program, “The Housing Bust: How Soon? How Bad?,” says Houston will be cushioned by a housing market that is still very affordable and a regional economy that is reaping the benefits of high energy prices.
[snip]
During his annual real estate symposium, Smith pointed to excessively high prices and extremely low affordability in about a quarter of the nation’s housing markets as well as a dangerous rise in sub-prime lending that is already producing high levels of foreclosures.
He pointed out that local foreclosures are three times higher than they were just three years ago.
[snip]
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Posted in News at 5:08 am by Paloma Cruz
New Orleans evacuation plan focuses on buses, trains
– reported by the Houston Chronicle
[snip]
The new plan will take effect for any storms stronger than a Category 2, which have sustained winds of 111 mph or higher. An alternate plan for smaller storms, relying on temporary shelters in the city, is being devised for those now living in FEMA trailers. Most trailers become unstable once wind speeds surpass 45 miles per hour, which would be a weak tropical storm.
The plan also addresses specific problems that arose during Katrina, such as tourists being stranded in hotels and looting.
“By default, whether we like it or not, we are the most experienced in this in the United States,” New Orleans homeland security Director Terry Ebbert said.
People with special medical needs and the elderly would be picked up by city, school and church buses and taken to the train station or evacuated by bus to shelters.
For security, 3,000 National Guard troops could be stationed with police throughout the city prior to a storm, and a dusk-to-dawn curfew would be in place once the evacuation was over, Police Superintendent Warren Riley said.
[snip]
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05.04.06
Posted in News at 11:25 pm by Paloma Cruz
Monday, May 14, 2007 * 7:30 PM
Meadow Wood Elementary School
14230 Memorial Drive * 77079
The Houston Public Library invites the community to a public meeting to discuss the concepts for a new Kendall Neighborhood Library.
Residents will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed
facility, as well as priorities in services and programs for that
location.
The Kendall Neighborhood Library is currently located at 14330 Memorial Drive, 77079.
For more information, please call 832-393-1313 or visit www.houstonlibrary.org.
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