Fall 07
Vol. 12 No. 4

Welcome to the Council

On June 27, Melissa Noriega was sworn in to City Council’s At-Large Postion 3 seat. Noriega, who has long served as a Houston Independent School District special projects manager, won the right to fill Shelley Sekula-Gibb’s unexpired term during a special election. The term runs through the end of the year.
Noriega, the wife of Rep. Rick Noriega, has said she wants to increase the number of police officers, address chronic flooding and preserve dwindling green space. She also supports drug courts, affordable housing and better schools as cost-efficient ways to prevent crime.

Expo for people with disabilities

On Sept. 22, the Mayor ’s Office for People with Disabilities and other community partners will sponsor the Housing, Employment, and Resources Expo. People with disabilities can participate in housing and employment workshops and meet prospective employers, representatives from housing-related entities and other resource agencies. They will also receive help with their resumes and interviewing skills. The expo will be 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Hall A. Citizens can register at www.cohdisabilitiesexpo.com. For more information, call (713) 837-9013.

An evening to say thanks
Fire’s annual Medal Day Ceremony is 6 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briarpark. More than 150 firefighters will be honored for their dedication, service and valor at this annual event. Dinner starts at 7 p.m. For ticket information and more, visit
www.houstontx.gov/fire/events/medalday.html.

Muster up the energy to attend FireFest
The 2007 FireFest, also known as the Fire Muster, will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 27 at the training academy, 8030 Braniff. This fun-filled event is open to the public, with free admission and parking. For more information, visit www.houstonfiremuseum.org

Hispanic Heritage celebrations
Library branches will commemorate Hispanic Heritage during September and October with educational programs and entertaining activities for the family. All events and programs are free. To find books, ebooks, audiobooks, and electronic resources about the contribution of Hispanic-Americans throughout history, visit www.houstonlibrary.org or call (832) 393-1313.

Share a good book
Each September and October, Books on the Bayou: Houston Reads Together brings Houstonians together by presenting a novel for everyone to read and discuss. This year, that book is Rudolfo Anaya’s “Bless Me, Ultima.” The program runs Sept. 8 through Oct. 28. Customers can check out English or Spanish copies of the book at a nearby library or visit www.houstonlibrary.org and reserve it. For more information, call (832) 393-1313.

Library assistance in the comfort of your home
Now you can get assistance from reference librarians even if you can’t make it to the library. Librarians are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through the new INFO 24/7 online reference service.
Anyone needing help finding information can submit questions through a link at www.houstonlibrary.org. Questions will be answered by HPL staff or another participating librarian. The new INFO 24/7 cooperative chat service is sponsored by the Houston Area Library System and is administered and staffed primarily by librarians at Houston Public, Harris County Public, and Fort Bend County libraries.

Employment Workshops
Free employment workshops are held 1-3 p.m. the first Friday of each month at the Pleasantville neighborhood library, 1520 Gelhorn. Skill training techniques include resume writing, completing online employment applications, and navigation of The Work in Texas database. For more information, call (832) 393-2330.

Sporting discounts
Public Service Recognition Week was in May, but you can feel the love all year. The Astros, Comets, Dynamo, Houston Ballet, and Museum of Natural Science, among others, offer city employees discounted tickets to selected events. For more information, visit www.houstontx.gov/hr/psrwpages/sports.htm.

Read a book with your eyes shut
Use your PowerCard to access downloadable, unabridged audiobooks and music from the Houston Public Library. To access them, log on to www.houstonlibrary.org, click on “eServices,” and under “HPL Searches” click on “Electronic Book Collection.”

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