Atascocita growing by leaps and bounds!

Business Week:

Tired of reading about how rotten the real estate market is? Here's some good news that shows that even during the worst of the recession plenty of American cities, towns, and suburbs continue to grow.

One such place is Atascocita, Tex. A mostly residential community 20 miles from Houston, it gained more than 1,800 households in 2009, an 8% year-over-year increase, according to new data from Little Rock-based data firm Gadberry Group. Over the decade, amenities that have helped attract residents to this wooded locale include Lake Houston, just east of the city; the school district; and proximity to the city of Houston. With new roads in the area under construction, "we're starting to see major industry start to take a look at the area," says Mike Byers, president of the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce.

Migration levels nationwide stayed low last year as homeowners saddled with pricey mortgages stayed put—but there are some positive trends. Research by the Gadberry Group shows that some areas, resisting the effects of the recession, continue to attract both domestic and foreign migrants and, as an effect, bring in new businesses to provide services. While other cities across the U.S. have contracted, these have continued to grow.

Some states are better off than others, though. As thousands of people left places such as New Orleans and Flint, Mich. (the country's two fastest-shrinking cities), in the last decade, communities with the best mix of economic activity, proximity to job centers, and a good environment for families continued to grow. While not entirely spared by the economic downturn (some homes in these areas are now in foreclosure), people continued to move in during 2009.
Texas Grew the Most

Texas came out on top of Gadberry's survey, with four high-growth cities: Atascocita, Katy, Mansfield, and Wylie. The report only included areas larger than 10,000 occupied households that met requirements for growth rate, household income, length of residence, and other factors.

Larry Martin, principal of the Gadberry Group, says many of the places with the biggest housing growth at the beginning of the last decade, such as Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, also saw the biggest drop-off since the economy sank. Texas, however, enjoyed relatively strong housing and job markets over the last 10 years, thanks in large part to the presence of major employers in the robust energy business. As of December, the state unemployment rate was 8.3% (lower than the national rate of 10%), according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It also had the largest state population growth between July 2008 and July 2009, according to a December release by the Census Bureau. "New homes are still being built and people are still moving into these homes" in Texas, says Martin.

Part of the state's strength, says Mark Mather, a demographer at the Population Reference Bureau in Washington, D.C., is its diversified economy. Main industries include petroleum refining, chemical production, aerospace, and information technology.

Meanwhile, areas that depended on the housing boom are now dealing with high foreclosure rates. Places such as Summerlin South, Nev., which appear in Bloomberg BusinessWeek's slide show of fast-growing cities, gained population but, like the rest of the state, may be dealing with high mortgage default rates.

"If you live by migration, you also die by migration," says Kenneth Johnson, senior demographer at the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute. "It doesn't guarantee continued growth."
New Business Opportunities

Migration is typically highest among people in their 20s seeking jobs near large urban cores, but employment opportunities are not the only draw. "Amenities are also important in migrational decisions," says Johnson. Many families consider factors such as schools and recreational amenities like scenic areas and parks.

This is a consideration now in Spring Hill, Tenn., which gained 7,645 households since 2000 as many young families moved to the town for affordable housing and work at the General Motors plant, which is now idle. Dustin Dunbar, chairman of the Spring Hill Economic Development Commission, says this has created demand and opportunity for businesses that provide youth activities and entertainment. "We hope to recruit some businesses to cater to our largest demographics," he says.

While migration in 2010 may remain sluggish, "we'll see a continuation of urban sprawl once the economy bounces back," says Mather.

Dr. Conrad Murray to surrender today.

Dr. Conrad Murray is expected to surrender to authorities in Los Angeles this week on charges related to Michael Jackson's death, according to The Associated Press and CNN. Murray arrived in Los Angeles recently from Houston in anticipation of a decision from the district attorney's office, spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik told the AP..

"Dr. Murray is in Los Angeles for a dual purpose — on family business and to be available for law enforcement," Sevcik told the AP. "We're trying to be as cooperative as we can."

"Dr. Murray is more than ready to surrender and answer to any charges," Ed Chernoff, one of Murray's lawers, told CNN, adding that prosecutors have not announced any charges, and Murray has not been told how or where he should surrender.

No official comment has been made about when charges might, come; David Walgren, the deputy district attorney handling the case, declined to comment to the AP on Tuesday (February 2).

Law enforcement officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the AP that Murray is likely to be charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's June 25 death from an anesthetic overdose. Murray has denied criminal wrongdoing.

"We continue to maintain that Dr. Murray neither prescribed nor administered anything that should have killed Michael Jackson," Sevcik said.

Earlier this year, TMZ reported that the Los Angeles Police Department had completed its investigation into Jackson's death and was preparing to send the case to the DA's office within weeks.

Murray has told investigators that he administered the surgical anesthetic propofol, as well as other tranquilizers, to Jackson several times in the hours leading up to his death, and the coroner has ruled the singer died of lethal levels of the drug. Involuntary manslaughter charges would require prosecutors to show that Murray engaged in gross negligence in his actions but did not intend to cause harm or death to Jackson.

Cleanup under way in 462,000-gallon oil spill off Port Arthur

CNN) -- Crews removed about 46,000 gallons of oil from waters near Port Arthur, Texas, on Sunday, roughly 10 percent of the oil spilled a day earlier when a tanker collided with two barges, a U.S. Coast Guard officer said.

An estimated 462,000 gallons of crude oil leaked from barrels aboard the tanker, forcing the closure of the port in southern Texas, Petty Officer Larry Chambers told CNN. The Sabine Neches Waterway near Port Arthur also was closed. It was unclear Sunday when the port, about 100 miles east of Houston, Texas, will reopen or when crews will finish the cleanup, he said.

"We certainly want it to be done as soon as possible, but with that said, safety is the main issue," Chambers said. "We're not going to open the port until it's determined that vessels can pass through cleanly, safely and not cause any further damage."

No injuries were reported when the Exxon Mobile-chartered tanker -- the 807-foot Eagle Otome -- collided Saturday with two barges being towed by a tug boat. The tanker was carrying about 570,000 gallons of crude oil to Exxon's Beaumont refinery when it crashed, Exxon Mobile spokesman Kevin Allexon told CNN. The cause of the crash was unknown, but is under investigation, he said.

"We are very concerned about how this could have happened," Allexon said. "We are very concerned about the impact to the environment, to the community. No one wants to see this happen."

The port is primarily for industrial use, but it is not far from wetlands. None of the nearby marshes or sensitive wildlife were adversely affected, Chambers said, but one heron was "oiled." The bird was alive and undergoing treatment, he said.

An evacuation order that was imposed in a 50-block area around the port after the collision was lifted. That area was evacuated Saturday out of caution, as the tanker was carrying a type of oil containing sulfide.

Fifteen skimming vessels sailed the area recovering the oil and workers dropped more than 45,000 feet of boom -- fencing-like material -- to keep the oil from spreading, Chambers said. More than 500 people were involved in containing and cleaning the spill, said Darrell Wilson, spokesman for Malaysia-based AET Tanker Holdings, the owner of the tanker.

The biggest oil spill in U.S. history occurred in 1989 when the Exxon Valdez ran aground on a reef in the Gulf of Alaska, resulting in the spill of 11 million gallons of crude.

Committee discusses farmers market improvements

By JENNIFER SUMMER
Updated: 01.19.10
To accommodate the vendors and guests at the Humble Farmers Market, the Lake Houston Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee is making a few changes to the hours of operation and expanding to Kingwood.

The committee approved the decision to make the hours of operation for the market every Wednesday from 3 until 7 p.m at the group’s monthly meeting Jan. 11.

When the weather is warmer, the committee knows there will be more vendors and guests than there currently are.

“Despite the weather, we have great vendors and the community is very receptive to the farmers market. In the spring, we will have even more vendors and more people visiting the market so we are very excited about what is to come for the Humble Farmers Market,” Tom Cook, chairman of the committee, said.

The Beautification Committee recently hired Lois Bean as the market manager and she is responsible for making sure the market runs smoothly and everything is set up properly.

The committee also discussed the possibility of expanding the farmers market to include a second location in Kingwood.

Tony Austin of the Town Center Park Association talked about the second location of the farmers market being held in Town Center Park in Kingwood.

According to city of Houston laws and regulations, the farmers market vendors must be set up on pavement, so the committee is going to look into how they may be able to work out the farmers market for it to be held in Town Center.

“What we are trying to figure out is what constitutes as pavement and what are our options for us to have the farmers market here,” Cook said.

“The idea for having a farmers market in Kingwood is not to hurt the market in Humble but to offer a place for Kingwood residents, who may not be able to get to Humble, a place where they can buy fresh produce and other items.”

The Beautification Committee and Austin will work together to figure out if it will work out for the farmers market to be held in Town Center Park in Kingwood every Thursday.

If the Kingwood farmers market is approved and the plans are worked out, the market would not be started until the weather was warmer around March.

Additionally, the committee is working on banners for the farmers market which will give it more publicity and remind the community when the market is held.

In other business, the Lake Houston Chamber’s Beautification Committee will partner with Keep Kingwood Green in recognizing businesses in the Humble, Kingwood and Atascocita areas who are “green” and eco-friendly.

Keep Kingwood Green would recognize “green” businesses in the area while the Beautification Committee would hand out awards for the most eco-friendly businesses.

The two groups will develop the requirements and list of businesses which fit in this category.

The next meeting of the Lake Houston Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee will be Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. at the chamber offices.

For more information, call 281-446-2118.

Two students hospitalized after stabbing at Humble High School

By STEFANIE THOMAS
Updated: 01.12.10
Two Humble High School students were hospitalized after a stabbing that occurred on school grounds around 4 p.m. Jan. 12.

According to Karen Collier, spokeswoman for Humble Independent School District, a 15-year-old girl attacked a 17-year-old fellow student with a double-edged cutting instrument, inflicting injuries to the victim’s face and upper torso and cutting her own hands in the process.

“It appears [the suspect] used a double-sided razor implement, something you might use to cut carpet or sheet rock,” Collier said. “I think this is something the student may have brought from home. There is no indication at this time that she got it at school.”

Collier said the two students had problems in with each other in the past but the reason for the stabbing is presently unknown.

According to Collier, the victim was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital downtown, while the juvenile suspect is being treated at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital. The victim’s condition is unknown at this time.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim tonight. It is a shock for everyone at a campus when violence occurs because students and employees see it as a protected environment,” Collier said. “Sadly, that was not the case today. I want to urge students to tell an adult when they have conflicts because help is available.”

Collier said there are no metal detectors at Humble High School to deter students from bringing weapons to school, but a police officer is on site during school hours as a safety precaution.

District says list is unfair

Four Humble ISD schools were included on a list of the “worst schools in Texas” released by the Texas Education Agency Dec. 15.

North Belt, Park Lakes and Whispering Pines elementaries and Humble High School were listed on the report released by the state agency. All four are campuses where half or more of the student population failed the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests. TAKS is the statewide test to measure competencies in a number of subject areas. The list, the 2010-2011 Public Education Grant List, shows all schools in Texas with 50 percent or less of the students passing any reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, or science TAKS test, were rated “academically unacceptable” in 2007, 2008 or 2009.

Humble ISD Superintendent Dr. Guy Sconzo defended the district’s placement on the list and explained contextual inaccuracies.

“I think it was the most ridiculous and totally unfair headline and article I’ve ever seen,” Sconzo said of a blog entry on Chron.com.

“Any campus that has been identified as ‘academically unacceptable’ in one of any of the past three years is on that TEA list. Hence, I see no reason for anyone to put any credence in the article. We actually have campuses on that list that were ‘academically recognized’ since Park Lakes’ rating for 2009 increased to ‘acceptable’ and Whispering Pines has progressed to ‘recognized,’” Sconzo explained. The 2009 ratings for North Belt Elementary and Humble High School were ‘unacceptable.’ Students at North Belt fell below the state standard in one of 25 scores, and therefore failed to meet state ratings. Humble High School failed to meet the standard due to a completion rate, rather than test scores. Results of the Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, which were released in August, indicate that the district as a whole has met the required federal criteria and was rated ‘acceptable.’

Established in 2001 under the No Child Left Behind Act, all public schools are evaluated for annual progress. Federal regulations are based on participation and passing rates on state math and English tests, high school graduation rates and attendance rates from elementary and middle schools.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Lufkin hit by tornado.

By Whitney Grunder -
LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - Severe storms ripped through parts of East Texas Wednesday evening. Some Lufkin neighborhoods sustained extensive damage from a possible tornado.

Among them is the Lufkin VFW, which is now gone. The damage comes right after 10,000 dollars worth of recent tile work. A check for the construction was written Wednesday, before the storm hit.

One resident living near Gipson Funeral Home on Chestnut Street even reported seeing caskets in his backyard.
Jakoia Grimes and her children were happy to have made it safely out of their Lufkin apartment, before their entire roof collapsed. "I looked up and I just saw the light from outside and I had my girls come and sit by the door, and within minutes the entire roof caved in," said Grimes, who is now staying with family members.
Jennifer Mays watched the tornado touch down right outside Stephens Court Apartments. She described it as "massive." She said, "I couldn't believe it was so powerful to the point that it just opened up my door."
Next door, owners sifted through what remained of their welding business, part of Lufkin for 25 years. Max's Welding Shop on Denman Avenue was completely destroyed.
Owners said they can't blame God for the severe weather, and that fortunately another shop behind the building stands untouched by the storm.

"I think we're going to be able to salvage some of our equipment. I think we're going to be alright," said co-owner Betty Purgahn.
Cheddars employees also witnessed a tornado touch down in the middle of the Olive Garden parking lot. "I heard a bunch of commotion and they were talking about the patio chairs were nearly about to hit some cars so we ran to try to help," said Cheddars employee Brad Barrow.

According to witnesses, other than damaging a few of the vehicles parked in the Olive Garden parking lot, the tornado did not affect any of the buildings. The Department of Public Safety reported that the tornado lifted back up, and did not cause any injuries.
Utility crews were also working to remedy power outages caused by toppled power poles. Thursday morning, thousands of residents were without power. An Oncor spokesperson said approximately 2,500 customers were without power in the Lufkin area.

So far no severe injuries have been reported.