Imperial associates, retirees and community leaders took part in a variety of events, including tours of the new facility, community service events and a celebratory dinner.

Imperial Sugar’s Port Wentworth refinery will soon operate at full capacity in the coming weeks, boasting state-of-the-art technologies that provide a competitive edge and what the company calls “an exemplary model for safety.”

Innovations include modernized packaging machines, dustless loading devices, and X-ray detectors.

“Imperial Sugar is standing tall and poised to move into the future as an agile and flexible company that exceeds our customers’ expectations,” Imperial President and CEO John Sheptor said. “We will lead with innovation, technology and bold strategy to solidify our position at the top of the sugar industry. Our efforts will be fueled by the same spirit and drive that has been the company’s mantra for over one hundred years.”

He went on to praise the work of company employees, their families, emergency responders and the Savannah and Port Wentworth communities.

“This day is not only a celebration of our extraordinary associates and a milestone for the company, but an opportunity to give back to the Savannah community which has whole-heartedly supported Imperial Sugar throughout the last two years,” Sheptor said.

As part of the activities, many Imperial Sugar associates, retirees and their family members participated in a day of service today to express their appreciation to the community organizations that offered their support. Several projects were held to benefit the Salvation Army, United Way, Habitat Savannah and the Red Cross.

“The outpouring of support and kindness I’ve seen from the Savannah community and from the Imperial Sugar family is humbling,” Sheptor said. “For each and every kind act, whether big or small, I, and many others, remain eternally grateful.”

“BE A SANTA TO A SENIOR” – Nevelynn Melendy, Katy Home Delivered Meals; Susan Ayling, Home Instead Senior Care and Sybil Westerhaven of Katy Home Delivered Meals were all part of the “Be a Santa to a Senior” Kick-Off Breakfast at The Concierge Wednesday morning. The 2009 campaign benefitting area senior citizens begins next Monday.

Local volunteers, nonprofit organizations, senior agencies, businesses and community groups are again joining forces to brighten the holidays for forgotten seniors throughout Katy and Fort Bend County. 

Sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care, the program provides gifts and companionship to socially isolated or financially in-need seniors.

Beginning next Monday through Friday, Dec. 4, shoppers can select ornaments from “Be a Santa to a Senior” trees at such locations as the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce, Carriage Inn, Sunrise Senior Living and Christus St. Catherine’s Hospital. Other locations are expected to be added.

Shoppers can then purchase items listed on the ornaments and return them unwrapped to the tree location, along with the ornament affixed to the bag.  Home Instead Senior Care will enlist community volunteers to gather and wrap the gifts. 

Deliveries will begin the week of Dec. 14 with assistance of Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce and other area agencies and volunteers.

Often, businesses, churches and other organizations adopt groups of seniors.  Those interested in adopting or volunteering are encouraged to contact Home Instead Senior Care at 832-379-4700. 

Police were called to the 1700 block of Pamela around 7:10 p.m. Thursday after a resident heard a car alarm go off outside her house. The witness told police she saw someone running from the car, through the neighbor’s yard, dropping a green duffle bag and a skateboard along the way. The witness followed him around the corner, then picked up the property and took it to the house with the car alarm sounding.

When the witness got there, the owner came outside and saw that two of his cars had been burglarized. While police were looking for the suspect, they received a call from a resident about a block away, reporting a strange man sitting on the porch.

Police approached the boy, who said he was waiting for a ride. The suspect matched the description of the burglar, and seemed intoxicated. The officer asked the boy if he was intoxicated, and according to reports, the boy said he had been smoking marijuana.

The teen was taken to the victim’s house, and the witness identified him. He was arrested for burglary of a motor vehicle. The victim identified the green duffle bag and skate board as his property.

Past meetings were held according to residential districts, this year the meeting is open and relevant to all residents of Rosenberg.

Those in attendance will receive information on how to stay safe during the holiday season. Officers will be present to provide residents with tips on personal safety while shopping, steps to take to keep their vehicles safe while shopping and many other tips.  

This meeting is open to the public.  All of the residents of Rosenberg are encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion.     

TOP MARKETING AWARD – Heather Gould, marketing director for Cinco Ranch and Telfair, has won the 2009 Star Award for “Marketing Professional of the Year” from the Texas Association of Builders.

 
Held Oct. 30 in Dallas, the Star Awards included contestants from Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
 
Gould directs marketing for the 7,600-acre Cinco Ranch community in Katy and the 2,018-acre Telfair community in Sugar Land.
 
Both communities were ranked among the top 10 communities in the nation for 2008 new-home sales in a study by RCLCO, a national real estate consulting firm. Cinco Ranch ranked second in the nation for sales, while Telfair ranked sixth.

New home sales in both communities are also up for the first nine months of 2009 –8 percent in Cinco Ranch and 12 percent in Telfair.
 
“In a market where new home sales are generally down, Cinco Ranch and Telfair have posted sales increases under Heather’s marketing direction, and we are very pleased that the Texas Association of Builders has recognized her achievements,” said Jennifer Taylor, vice president of marketing for Newland Communities.
 
Taylor added that Gould oversaw marketing for a new 2,400-acre phase of development that opened at Cinco Ranch last year, introducing a Model Home Village with 31 models, a 76-acre recreation complex, and an innovative storefront information center called Simply Cinco.
 
At Telfair, Gould directed the launch of a new website and oversaw the introduction of new homebuilders. She also worked with the Houston Museum of Natural Science on the grand opening of its new Sugar Land branch, located in a historic Telfair building donated by Newland Communities.
 
Also at the Star Awards, Newland Communities won in the “Best Sales Brochure – Developer” category for a piece created for Eagle Springs, a 1,360-acre community in Humble.

The Olson-Dent amendment would extend the current CFATS regulations for an additional three years to provide DHS the time to properly develop and implement a common sense, risk-based chemical facility security policy, according to Olson.

“The current standards should be extended and fully implemented to ensure comprehensive safety measures before we can assess the need for any adjustments,” said Olson, a member of the Homeland Security Committee. “Proper chemical security can be achieved without taking two years of hard work – and a meticulous, risk-based approach to security – and throwing it out the window.  Ensuring the safety and security of chemical facilities is important, but excessive regulations that add burdensome costs and regulations onto businesses are not the answer.  We need common sense chemical security that will keep Americans safe from terrorists, while sustaining our economy.” 

“As of last week the Department of Homeland Security had still not reviewed two-thirds of the more than six thousand security vulnerability assessments submitted by regulated facilities based on regulations issued in June 2007,” said Dent, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection. “With the addition of drinking water and wastewater facilities, this bill would double the security vulnerability assessments already required by DHS.  We are asking too much of the Department, and in return, we may see breaches in security – the very issue we are trying to deter through the current CFATS regime.”

Chemical facilities impacted by this legislation in TX-22 include chemical plants in Pasadena, La Porte and Sugar Land.  

Teykl

This is the second time Teykl has been nominated by the Texas High School Coaches Association for this honor. This award is the AFCA’s highest honor bestowed on a high school football coach.

 “This is an award given to a high school head football coach based on the power of influence throughout their career,” said Grant Teaff, AFCA executive director. “The criteria for receiving this award are not necessarily based on how many games are won. We have found that coaches who positively influence their coaches, players and community have longevity and thus win many games.”

Teykl was nominated for the award by Cliff Odenwald, director of athletics for the University Interscholastic League.

 “Your service to the state of Texas has not gone unnoticed, and we are very proud to have positive role models, like yourself, impacting our student athletes,” Odenwald said in a letter to Teykl. “As a finalist for this award, you have proven that you serve your team, school, community and the state of Texas with integrity, excellence and pride.”

Lamar CISD Director of Athletics Mike Rice said Teykl is an outstanding spokesperson for athletics.

 “Tim typifies professionalism in athletics because of his passion, not only for the sport, but passion for the administrators, the coaches and his players,” Rice said. “He promotes them through the coaches’ association, both here and on a national level. This is a great honor for Tim and the District.”

Individuals serving on the board of directors for the AFCA Foundation make up the final selection committee. The AFCA and the AFCA Foundation will present the award at their annual Coach-of-the-Year dinner, Jan. 12, in Orlando, Fla.

The Houston CPA Society has rescheduled its 20th Annual Golf Classic and auction benefitting Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana, for Nov. 16, after a downpour rained out the original event on Oct. 26.  The rescheduled event will be at Sweetwater Country Club, 4400 Palm Royale Blvd., Sugar Land, with registration for the Florida scramble format beginning at 9:30 a.m., followed by lunch, and a shotgun start at noon. The auction dinner begins at 5 p.m.

Houston Astros’ hitting coach Sean Berry has reconfirmed he will help the Houston CPA Society as celebrity host.  The event will be held in memory of Wish Child DeAndre who lost his battle with cancer a few weeks ago.

An emerald-cut three-diamond ring with a center stone of more than one karat and a 1966 turquoise Thunderbird coupe have been donated for the live auction that follows the golfing.   Numerous other items will be available in the silent auction.

The tournament is limited to 288 amateur players, but spots are available. Player spots begin at $250 and the auction dinner tickets are $40 for those not playing golf.  Sponsor packages begin with autographed pin flags at $500, though smaller donations are accepted.   For tournament information, call 713-622-7733.

“Contributions to Make-A-Wish are down 20 percent this year in the current economy and so far the CPAs have raised $113,400 toward our goal of $200, 000,” said William J. McGinnis, CPA, Spring Branch, chairman of the Society’s Annual Golf Classic Committee and controller for Swanberg, USA. 

Last year, the Houston CPA Society was the largest donor to the local Make-a-Wish organization, funding 350-400 wishes.  Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children under 18 with life-threatening medical conditions.  The cost of the average wish is $6,000, and no wish is less than $1,000.

The Sam & Ada Petro Foundation is returning as the underwriting sponsor of the tournament. 

“The Foundation has generously agreed to cover the expenses of the tournament, so that all sponsorships and donations will support Make-A-Wish directly,” McGinnis said.

Among the larger sponsors to date are Continental Airlines, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Larry Reimert, Administaff, Ernst & Young LLP, Houston Casualty/HCC Holdings, T.F. Hudgins, Inc. Fox 26 TV is the electronic media sponsor. 

This golf tourney has netted more than $2 million for Make-A-Wish over the past 19 years, including $176,500 in the 2008 effort.

Patients donated more than 17 lbs. of Halloween candy in a buy-back program held by Cashion & Cody Dentistry on Hwy. 6. Candy that was bought buy the pound will be sent to American troops overseas for Veteran’s Day. Shown are Johanna Avila and Donna Moore of Cashion & Cody Dentistry.

The “MS Word Survival Basics” class will take place at 10 a.m. Nov. 12, and the “MS PowerPoint Survival Basics” class will take place at 10 a.m. Nov. 19.

The classes are free and open to the public. Seating is limited, however, and reservations are required. To register online at the library’s website, http://www.fortbend.lib.tx.us/, click on “Calendar,” select “Mamie George/Stafford,” and find the program. Participants may also register by calling the library at 281-238-2880, or by visiting the library.

Many of the intricately-folded paper creations are set in diorama scenes, such as sea creatures in an underwater setting, farm animals in a barnyard setting, and dinosaurs in a prehistoric setting. The display also includes a short pictorial history of the basic Japanese tsuru (cranes).  

A resident of Sugar Land, Jastram grew up in Japan as the daughter of missionary parents. She began folding origami while attending first grade there. In 2006, a collection of her origami works was put on display at the International Cultural Center at Texas Tech University. The exhibit was so popular that she decided to create a traveling display that could be shown in libraries throughout the Houston area.

The exhibit may be viewed during regular library hours. For more information, call the libraries’ Public Information Office at 281-341-2677.           

Pictured are teachers Kylara Parker, Larry Wilson, Barbara Berezoski, and Linda Littleton; Elia Eccleston, assistant principal; Toni Mamula, Quail Valley Fund trustee; Sheila Emery, principal; and teachers Gertrude Simmons, Rachel Schweigert and Sarah Dutchin.

Quail Valley Fund also plans to donate instructional material to other Quail Valley area schools, including Quail Valley Elementary, Quail Valley Middle School and Elkins High School in the near future.

The event includes students from Calvary College Prep, the Fort Bend Independent School District, the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, the Needville Independent School District and the Stafford Municipal School District.

Teen band Paradox Lost will perform from 3-5 p.m.

Each team of students will be sculpting cans for prizes as well as participating in interactive activities with those who bring donations. Food can also be dropped off from 9a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Minute Maid lobby.

Area residents are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate the East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry, Rosenberg-Richmond Helping Hands and Katy Christian Ministries. Items most needed include canned green beans, canned peas, canned soup, canned tomato sauce, canned peaches, canned tuna, canned sweet potatoes, canned chili, canned beans, canned pears, canned fruit cocktail and boxes of mashed potatoes.

During Operation Thanksgiving- “Stuff the Squad Car,” police will also offer fingerprinting for children and car seat safety inspections/ installations.

The event will be held from 6 a.m.-noon Nov. 20 in the parking lot of the Missouri City Police Department at 3849 Cartwright Rd in Missouri City.

For more information visit http://www.missouricitytx.gov/ and also find the department on Facebook, where police are trying to reach 5,000 fans.  

The men and women of the Missouri City Police Department are asking for help to stuff a squad car with canned food and non-perishable food items all of which will be donated to local area food pantries to help feed those in need during the holiday season. Join the police department for Operation Thanksgiving- “Stuff the Squad Car” from 6 a.m.-noon Nov. 20 in the parking lot of the Missouri City Police Department at 3849 Cartwright Rd in Missouri City.

According to the district, the case was filed by Kempner campus officer Vincent Simple, who is investigating the matter. FortBendNow.com has filed an open records request to obtain more details.

According to sources, the money was raised through a recent cookie dough fundraiser for the volleyball department. Sources say checks were turned in, but more than $1,000 in cash is unaccounted for.

The company reported that all granulated refined sugar packaging lines were now installed and operating. Imperial also confirmed that brown and powdered sugar lines are expected to complete installation and commissioning later this month.

The refinery, which began shipping bulk sugar in late July, operated at about 55 percent of normal capacity in October as it continues to ramp up production with the installation of new lines.

John Sheptor, Imperial’s President and CEO, said the effort to bring the Port Wentworth facility back to full production was going well.

“We continue to make good progress toward restoring the Port Wentworth refinery to its full capacities this fall. I’m proud of the manner in which our team has worked through the start-up challenges which are inevitable in a project of this size and complexity,” Sheptor said. “To complete the construction project in just over a year’s time is a testament to the skill and dedication of our associates and contractors.”

Additionally, Imperial’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per common share.

Imperial reported that through October 31, it had spent approximately $182 million of the estimated $210 million to $225 million construction costs. The company received $19 million of advances under the property insurance policy in September and an additional $6 million in October, bringing the total advances under the claim to $300 million.

The sugar producer also said that as of Oct. 31, it had cash balances of $73 million and available, undrawn revolving credit capacity of $18 million, after deducting $60 million of borrowings and $7 million of letters of credit outstanding under that facility.

Missouri City police are looking for two men and the car they stole from a man waiting to give his sister-in-law a ride home from a business in the 1900 block of Texas Parkway.

Around 9:30 p.m. Monday, Nov.2, the victim pulled into the parking lot of the strip center to wait for his sister-in-law. While he was waiting he got bored, got out of his car and was checking a taillight. According to police, two men came up to him shouting obscenities and forced him into the backseat of his own car at gunpoint.

One of the suspects got in the backseat with the victim while the other drove the car to the intersection of Ruppstock and Pryor in the Briargate area of Houston, about a mile from where the victim lives. The suspects searched the victim for a wallet and property and after finding nothing told him to get out of the car and run.

According to police, the victim “immediately followed their directions,” ran home and called police.

Police are looking for two clean-shaven black men. The first suspect is described as 6’3” and about 180-190 lbs. wearing dark clothing with a hooded sweater and carrying a large gun. The second suspect is described as 5’10” and 190-200 lbs. also wearing dark clothes with a hooded sweater.

The stolen car is a tan, 2005 Toyota Camry with 17-inch chrome wheels and a chrome exhaust tip. The license plate number is NNF-316.

Anyone with information about the suspects should call their local police department. Anyone who sees the car should also call their local police department and not touch the vehicle.

Arlington County, Va., experienced the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment among the largest counties in the U.S., with a gain of 2.6 percent.

Elkhart County, Ind., located about 100 miles east of Chicago, posted the largest percentage decline, with a loss of 23.4 percent over the year, compared with a national job decrease of 4.2 percent. Nearly 80 percent of the employment decline in Elkhart occurred in manufacturing, which lost 22,100 jobs over the year.

The statistics for Fort Bend County show 1,500 jobs were created, an increase of 1.2 percent.

“That shows you Houston suburbs are still strong…and Fort Bend County is among the leaders,” said Jeff Wiley, president of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council. “I think we have predicted for a long time that we would be the last end of the recession. I think that’s certainly showing to be true here. We were certainly affected, but we were one of the last in, primarily because of the strong energy pricing of last year’s markets that carries into this market.”

Wiley says a strong belief in public/private partnerships has helped job growth in the county, as well as “aggressive outreach” and tax incentives provided by local cities. He noted the lack of property tax in the city of Stafford as well as the tax rate in Sugar Land.

“Our objective has been for people to look at us as a better part of the Houston market,” said Wiley. “We have a growing business district and out own presence in the Houston region that gives everyone everything they want in terms of a live, work, play environment, which is our ultimate objective.”

Wiley named Sugar Land, Katy, Cinco Ranch and “in the future” Sienna Plantation as strong draws to the region.

Job creation in the engineering field related to the energy sector played a role in the increase, but Wiley says some of those jobs will be under pressure later this year as a result of the worldwide economy.

Recently Fluor Corporation in Sugar Land, which has about 3,500 employees, announced the planned layoff of as many as 500 after Fluor’s role in a large overseas energy and chemical project was narrowed.

“Even among the layoffs announced by Fluor, over the last two or three years we have had a significant increase of employees that work at Fluor,” said Wiley. “While we have had the layoffs announced, that’s a blip on otherwise improving employment records for some of our largest employers in the county.”

Wiley says they are keeping a “strong eye” on economic indicators such as natural gas prices, but that the county doesn’t depend on the energy sector alone.

“That’s been proven by the attraction of Minute Maid,” said Wiley, referencing the companies recent move to Sugar Land. “We have an eclectic attraction for opportunities of employers across different business sectors.”