Katy News & Commentary

Firethorne Breaks Ground on 430-Acre Firethorne West; Katy/Fulshear Community Exceeds New Home Sale Records in 2010
Katy/Fulshear – Sept. 7, 2010. . . . Firethorne, which in 2010 has exceeded all of its previous January-to-July new home sales records, has broken ground on its newest section, Firethorne West. The development’s westward expansion comprises 430 acres within the 1,400-acre master-designed community in Katy/Fulshear.
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Katy Instructor Carol Meyer to Give Free GYROTONIC Demo
Tuesday, September 14 at Firethorne Community Center Katy, TX--Sept. 7, 2010. . . Carol Meyer, one of the Katy area’s first certified GYROTONIC® instructors, will offer a free GYROTONIC® demonstration Tuesday, September 14, 10 a.m. at the Firethorne Community Center. 28128 N. Firethorne Road.
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18th Annual Katy Triathlon Set for Sunday, Oct 24
Katy/Fulshear, TX – Sept. 7, 2010. . . The 18th Annual Katy Triathlon at Firethorne, the third largest co-ed triathlon in Texas, will be held Sunday, October 24, 7:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., in and around the 1,400-acre Firethorne residential community.
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September is National Preparedness M
posted ~3 days ago. September is National Preparedness Month, to encourage individuals to have an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan, and get involved in preparing their communities for emergencies.

HCC "Glee" To Hold Auditions September 11, 2010
HOUSTON, TX (September 3, 2010) - Auditions for Houston Community College performance group, HCC Glee, will be held Saturday, September 11 at the Performing Arts Center of the Spring Branch campus, 1060 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. N., 77043.
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6 Easy Steps to Energy Efficiency
Saving energy at home can enhance your comfort, help the environment and may reduce your utility bills. Try these six common tips for reducing your home's carbon footprint.
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Open Auditions for Improv Comedy Actors
Katy, Texas (August 23, 2010) - Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center (KVPAC) is holding auditions for a new, professional Improv Comedy Show that will debut at KVPAC this fall season.
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Long-Term Cars
Cars last longer than ever. The median age of cars on U.S. roads was 9.2 years in 2007, according to R.L. Polk & Co. Car payments also last longer than ever. Some companies are even beginning to offer 84-month (7-year) loans. However, with that
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Garage Door Safety Smarts
Weighing up to several hundred pounds, the garage door is the heaviest moving item in your house. To avoid garage door injuries and help ensure safe, reliable operation, follow these tips from Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association International and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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Keys to Safe Carpooling
You know the main benefits of carpooling: cleaner air, lower fuel costs and reduced wear and tear on roads. Here's another that you might not know: Carpooling is safer. "As more people carpool, we're taking cars off the highway and reducing the number of crashes, injuries and fatalities," says Jack Hanley, executive director of the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS). "That's one benefit that tends to be overlooked."
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Extended Mall Hours for Tax Free Shopping at Katy Mills Mall
Families will have even more time to shop and save at Katy Mills during Texas’s Tax Free Holiday, as Katy Mills will extend its mall hours on Friday and Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Regular mall hours will remain on Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
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KVPAC Theatre Production Camp Hits a High Note!
Summer Broadway Series Presents the Original Little Mermaid Story called Once On This Island Katy, Texas (August 17, 2010) - Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center (KVPAC) proudly wraps up a wonderfully successful summer of theatrical production camps with the much anticipated Once On This Island. This family friendly musical is based
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TAX FREE HOLIDAY THIS WEEKEND REMINDER!
Tax Free Holiday Weekend is back! The annual tax-free shopping weekend in Texas has been moved to the third weekend of August this year, due to a later school start date. That means beginning Friday, August 17 at midnight and ending at Sunday, August 19 at midnight, there will be no sales tax on clothes and shoes and a variety of items in order to help families prepare for the approaching school year.
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Tax Resources for High School Students
High school students who are working summer jobs or plan to work during the school year may need to file a tax return. See Tax Resources for High School Students on IRS.gov to find out what records to keep and to learn about taxable income.
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KVPAC Performs at Young Audiences of Houston Showcase
Books Alive! Touring Company Presents The Three Nasty Gnarlies at High School for Performing and Visual Arts Katy, Texas (August 12, 2010) - Join Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center's (KVPAC) Books Alive! Literacy Through the Arts Program for a full day of visual
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HCC Wins Center of Excellence Award
Houston Community College won one of the three annual Center of Excellence Awards this year from the New Media Consortium, an international consortium of colleges, universities and museums. HCC is only the second community college to be so honored (Maricopa is the other). There are over 200 universities and colleges in the NMC.
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Steak 'n Shake coming to Katy
posted ~24 days ago. Freshly-made steakburgers, golden-fried onion rings and hand-dipped shakes will soon be a reality for the Katy area. Steak 'N Shake, a popular diner "Famous for Steakburgers," is being built at the corner of Westgreen Boulevard and the Katy Freeway at the Gardens at Westgreen plaza.

KISD board to talk about budget
posted ~24 days ago. Katy Independent School District officials have presented a $561.9 million preliminary budget for the 2010-11 school year with the same tax rate as last year.

The whole family pitches in for backyard camping trip
posted ~24 days ago. When it comes to camping out, sometimes there's no place like home. At least that's what the Cashin family of Mount Laurel, N.J., found.