Precinct Four Announces Resurgence of Phone Scam Alert

  The recent resurgence in the Star-7-2 telephone scam has prompted the Department to issue the following warning:

  

The Star-7-2 scam involves the victim receiving a call from a stranger posing as telephone technician or a person in a desperate situation such someone who has been arrested.  The caller attempts to invoke a sense of urgency with the victim that requires the victim’s immediate assistance.  The victim is prompted by the caller to forward the call by pressing star-7-2 and entering a number provided by the caller.  The caller may advise that he is not allowed make another call, children are involved and need to be picked up, or any number of similar tactics to convince the victim to participate.  If the victim complies, the victim’s calls are forwarded to another number where the caller’s partner in crime can accept collect calls and third party calls which are all billed to the victim’s telephone phone.  The victim is usually not aware of the scam until he or she receives their phone bill.  

 

If you receive a call from an unknown person similar in nature to the one described above beware.  Advise the caller that you are not willing to participate and hang up the phone.  

Deputy Contracts for Neighborhood Security Will No Longer be Honored

According to a recent story on ABC13 neighborhood associations will no longer be able to procure additional patrols for their community from the harris county law enforcement agencies as the result fo meeting vote by County Commissioner’s Office.

Article reads as follows:

HOUSTON (KTRK) — Homeowners in Harris County are no longer allowed to hire extra deputies to patrol their neighborhoods.

County commissioners voted yesterday to no longer honor deputy contracts, at least until they completely review the program. Email obtained by 13 Undercover revealed the sheriff’s office was cutting into taxpayer patrols, so it could sign new contracts. That essentially benefited only neighborhoods who could afford the service.

Commissioner Sylvia Garcia says deputies should instead provide quality service to the entire county.

“Because what you do then is create the have and the have nots. People who have money can pay for contract deputy service. People who can’t afford it don’t get the deputies,” she said. “It’s absolutely, patently unfair.”

County commissioners will revisit the issue in September.

What are your thoughts?

ExploreSpring.com and HoustonWAHMS Annouce August Photo Contest - Mommy & Me

Spring, TX (ExploreSpring.com) July 28, 2008 - Explore Spring, which hosts monthly online photo contests for Spring TX, announces the “Mommy and Me Photo Contest.” This month’s contest, which is sponsored by Houston Work at Home Moms (HoustonWAHMS), encourages entrants to “break out their cameras” and become their own “personal photographer.”

The contest is all about spotlighting the relationship between a mother and her child(ren). What makes your relationship unique? Do you and your child(ren) look amazingly alike? Do you and your child(ren) have the same quirky habits? Explore Spring and Houston WAHMS wants to know–and see–the dynamics behind you and your children.

Houston WAHMS Founder Holly Munsinger and her children

August 1 through August 31, 2008, mothers and kids of all ages will be able to enter the Explore Spring/Houston WAHMS Mommy & Me Photo Contest for a chance to win a $35 Visa Gift Card and a Explore Spring personalized shirt(s) for each member in the photo. The winner is chosen by Explore Spring online viewers. Entries and voting take place online. The entry with the most online votes at the end of the month wins the prizes.

“The Mommy & Me Contest gives kids and moms the opportunity to showcase their relationship and really have some fun,” says Holly Munsinger, Houston WAHMS Founder. Photo entries may be from anytime and anyplace or can be taken specifically for the Mommy & Me Contest. For more details about the Explore Spring/Houston WAHMS Mommy & Me Photo Contest, please visit the Explore Spring website. If it’s about Spring Texas it’s on Explore Spring.

About Explore Spring
Explore Spring Texas is a locally owned and operated online city guide and business directory for Spring TX. Here you can find all kinds of services - from restaurants and automobiles to shopping and home services. ExploreSpring.com provides a central online location 24 hours a day to find information relevant to the Spring TX Community. The web site is located at http://www.explorespring.com.

About Houston WAHMS
Houston Work at Home Mom is a networking organization for mothers who are striving to open, grow or establish a home-based business. Launching in January 2007, this local organization is for those in business for themselves. After several months of being up and running, our membership has grown to 44 members from different direct sales and work from home companies. The web site is located at http://www.houstonwahms.com.

Libra of Spring Texas Safe in First Round of Big Brother 10

While, I have never watched Big Brother before, I tuned in (a little late in the show I might add) to see how our local Spring native faired one show, and she is safe through the next round. Discuss your thoughts the show and on Libra. Visit Spring’s Online Forums to discuss the show.

Explore Spring Texas Launches Series of Videos About Spring on YouTube

ExploreSpring, launched a series of videos about Spring Texas today on YouTube. Visit today and share you thoughts and comments if you really like them Digg It or Bookmark them on your favorite bookmarking site.

Spring Named One Of The Nations Most Affordable Places To Own A Home CNNMoney.com America’s Best Places to Live

Money Magazine features photo submitted by ExploreSpring.com (Spring TX Premier on line Community) of Old Town Spring in Where Homes are Affordable List as Spring makes its first appearance on the list. While its first formal appearance on a national ranking, Spring began its emergence last year making contender lists on CNN Money and U.S. News and World Reports

Spring, TX, July 17, 2008. ExploreSpring.com is proud to announce that Spring has been selected as being one of the most affordable cities in the nation for home ownership. 2008 is Spring’s first year on Money Magazine’s Top 25 “Best Places to Live: Where Homes are Affordable” ranking, released this month. While this is Spring’s 1st year as an official list maker, in 2007 it was a contender on Money Magazine’s Best Places to Live List and U.S. News and World Report’s Best Places to Retire.

Spring’s family purchasing power and median home price were factors that helped make Spring a top Money Magazine pick. According to Money Magazine, “residents who buy real estate in these 25 growing cities see their incomes go the furthest”. The Where homes are affordable list featured 6 Texas cities, 2 of which are in the North Houston Metropolitan area –Spring at #15 and Atascocita at # 19.

The Top 25 Where Homes are Affordable cities as determined by criteria developed by Money Magazine are: 1.Nicholasville, KY - Median home price: $70,000, Median family income: $53,505; 2. Watauga, TX - Median home price: $117,040, Median family income: $73,203; 3. Redan, GA - Median home price: $115,000, Median family income: $71,466; 4. Franklin, IN - Median home price: $103,000, Median family income: $63,555; 5. Clay, NY - Median home price: $124,000, Median family income: $72,488; 6. Plainfield, IN - Median home price: $124,000, Median family income: $72,282; 7.. Marion, IA - Median home price: $131,500, Median family income: $76,576; 8. Omaha, NE - Median home price: $113,000, Median family income: $65,611; 9. Clinton, MI - Median home price: $132,318, Median family income: $76,643; 10. Bellevue, NE - Median home price: $120,000, Median family income: $69,192; 11. Russellville, AR - Median home price: $85,000, Median family income: $48,589; 12. Mission Bend, TX - Median home price: $133,000, Median family income: $75,974;

13. Arnold, MO - Median home price: $119,600; Median family income: $68,165; 14. Des Moines, IA - Median home price: $105,000, Median family income: $59,724; 15. Spring, TX - Median home price: $131,005, Median family income: $74,298 16. Lake Jackson, TX - Median home price: $149,426, Median family income: $84,069; 17. Janesville, WI - Median home price: $124,700, Median family income: $69,706 18. Beavercreek, OH - Median home price: $168,000, Median family income: $93,540; 19. Atascocita, TX - Median home price: $171,462, Median family income: $94,508; 20. West Des Moines, IA - Median home price: $161,500, Median family income: $88,096; 21. Pearl, MS - Median home price: $100,000; Median family income: $54,471 22. La Porte, TX - Median home price: $136,990, Median family income: $74,478; 23. Westerville, OH - Median home price: $184,950, Median family income: $100,385; 24. La Vergne, TN - Median home price: $127,000, Median family income: $68,590; 25. Papillion, NE - Median home price: $169,000, Median family income: $90,921.

Pictured left and on CNNMoney.com is The Happy Peddler boutique in Old Town Spring, submitted to Money Magazine by request from ExploreSpring.com. “Spring is a premier City in Texas. We’ve got it all! We’ve got great weather, a low crime rate, low unemployment, blazing growth, terrific schools, proximity to major attractions, all in a wonderful small town,” commented Elle Carnes.

Spring has experienced impressive growth over the last five years. This is reflective of Spring’s affordability, thriving economy, and great schools. Spring ranked as number 15 out of 25 top ranking affordable cities in the nation. Anyone who would like more information regarding this prestigious recognition please go to Spring’s community web site (www.explorespring.com) or Money Magazine’s website.

About ExploreSpring.com
Explore Spring Texas is a locally owned City Directory for Spring, Texas where you can find all kinds of services - from restaurants and automobiles to shopping and home services. ExploreSpring.com provides a central online location 24 hours a day to find information relevant to the Spring Community. The web site is located at (http://www.explorespring.com.

Spring adds Miniature Golf to its List of Things to do.

Spring, TX. A few weeks ago in Early June, Spring, opened its 1st and only miniature golf course and automated driving range—Choice Tee. It “is the first fully automated driving range to swing into Texas” (Choicetee.com)! Choice Tee provides a fun and family-friendly activity for the residents of Spring and the surrounding area. Located at 708 E. Cypresswood Drive, across the street from Cypreswood Lakes. Choice Tee provides entertainment for the child as well as the adult. Whether you are a novice or more experienced golfer,  you can improve your game in of Choice Tee’s 30 covered, climate controlled bays regardless of weather.  To learn more about Spring and things to do in around Spring, TX please visit us online at www.explorespring.com.

ExploreSpring.com Announces Spring TX June 2008 Monthly Photo Contest Winner

Spring, TX. Each month Spring’s online community holds an online photo contest where members can submit photos in online photo contest for a chance to win a prize. Registered ExploresSpring.com User badgergraphics is the June Photo Contest Winner with their swim with the stingraysl.

Photo caption read “Swimming with the Stingrays!”. The winner of the contest wins a $10 Visa Gift Card, and a custom ExploreSpring.com T-Shirt with the winning photo on it. Go online now to enter your photo in this month’s cuteste pet photo contest for a chance to win 2 days free lodging for your pet with Pets Are Inn and a pet gift pack from ExploreSpring.com.

Why Sign the Spring-Klein Cityhood Petition?

A lot of us are unaware of what risks we face by not being an officially incorporated city. Some of us new to the area, may even assume that we are incorporated because Spring has multiple Zip Codes, Multiple Post Offices, and at first glance all the earmarks of a city. But….if you look up Spring, Texas or Spring, TX on YAHOO or Google Search Engines, what you will find is mostly business listings and links to Old Town Spring. However, one item did stand out in particular, the listing on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, it defines Spring Texas as “a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated community located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in northern Harris County, Texas and southern Montgomery County, Texas.” So what is a Census-Designated Place you ask? Again, Wikipedia explans that “A census-designated place (CDP) is a type of place (a concentration of population) identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages. CDPs are communities that lack separate municipal government, but which otherwise physically resemble incorporated places. CDPs are delineated to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state in which they are located. The boundaries of a CDP have no legal status.” Therefore according to the government and its definition of our beloved home and community it is only recognized for census purposes and falls under the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston and has no legal protection of a government to exercise authority within its boundaries.

The 2000 Census cites the population of Spring Texas CDP as 36,385 people and 3,400,578 people for Harris County. According to Census projections, the 2006 population of Harris County was 3,886,207 people. According to a recent speech by Precinct 4 Constable Ron Hickman, Spring TX makes up 54% of all growth in Harris county. So you figure if in 2000 Spring had 36,385 people and we make up 54% of the estimated growth in Harris County, then Spring has grown 720%!!!!!, THAT WOULD MAKE US THE LARGEST GROWING CITY IN TEXAS AND THE 8TH LARGEST CITY, behind Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, and Arlington respectively. That’s larger than Tallahassee, FL or Tacoma, WA and comparable to cities like Arlington, VA or Birmingham, AL.

So back to my original question, Why sign the petition?

1. Because we are unicorporated and have no control over what types of businesses go where. I remember just over 3 years ago a tar factory intended to build next to Northgate Crossing and right behind Old Town Spring. And while they followed the letter of the law in posting notifications, they undermined the spirit of the law by posting notifications in the Southern half of Harris County and smaller print newspapers. It wasn’t until Rep. Riddle held a town hall meeting that residents of Spring became aware of this and protested, and was able to shame the company into changing its plans. We need our own zoning committee!
2. Because we could we are growing faster than any other city in Texas and need to protect our schools and our children. 
3. Because we run the risk of slowly being chopped off in bits and pieces as our extraterritorial jurisdictor sees fit. I don’t know this for a fact, it was told to me that the FM 1960 area West of I-45 was once a Spring zip code, which would explain why we are often clumped in with that area as North or Northwest Houston and as you can see it now has a Houston Zip Code.
4. So we can have our community services, police department, water department, community center, hospitals, and fire departments. I know we have some of these services in place, but we are subject to other taxes that do not pour directly into our community, but are dispursed throughout the county.
5. So we can have some say over our property and sales tax.
6. JUST SO WE CAN HAVE A VOICE!

I don’t know about you, but I am getting tired of being considered a no mans land. Its like we don’t exist. We are home to the only Amusement Park in the Houston Metropolitan Area, have a historical landmark in Old Town Spring, libraries, museums, and excellent schools. We need to keep Spring a beautiful and wonderful residential community. But if we don’t stand up and speak out, we will soon lose our voice because we risk becoming a small part of a much bigger city. Now I don’t know if that is on the table at the moment or not. But Kingwood probably wasn’t expecting it when it hit them either. Let’s be proactive!. Let’s make our position known. We are Spring-Klein Texas and we want to control our future! So please sign the petition, pass the word and if you’d like to host a copy on your site. Post a comment here and I’ll be more than happy to send it to you.

Spring Klein Petition

Enter your name:

Display as “Anonymous”

Click here to read this petition.

Newest 10 of 10 signatures

10	bertha brantley	6/30
9	Samantha Weesner	6/25
8	Karen Krieger	6/23
7	Paul Proske	6/23
6	Anonymous	6/21
5	Anonymous	6/20
4	Staci Polonski	6/19
3	Anonymous	6/19
2	Clark Blair	6/19
1	dayakar moparty	6/19

To sign the petition in person visit one of these locations:

* Accelerated Paint and Body, 21714 I45 North, 77373
* Najjias Fine Furniture (6526 FM2920)
* Templeton Insurance Agency, 21120 Spring Towne Drive, Spring, 77388
* Alexander’s Academy, 625 Brandt (Old Town Spring), 77373
* Smoothie Factory(2920/Kuykendahl, Chase bank parking lot)
* Spinzers Corner Store (Kuykendahl/Willow Forest)

Petition powered by ThePetitionSite.com

Sources:

http://factfinder.census.gov

 

 

http://factfinder.census.gov

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring%2C_Texas  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterritorial_jurisdiction  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census-designated_place

New Location Added to Sign Spring-Klein Cityhood Petition

The businesses and residents of the Spring and Klein Chamber of Commerce have add Templeton Insurance Agency to the list of locations you can sign the petition.

●   Najjias Fine Furniture (6526 FM2920)

●  Smoothie Factory(2920/Kuykendahl, Chase bank parking lot)

●  Spinzers Corner Store (Kuykendahl/Willow Forest)

●  Alexander’s Academy, 625 Brandt (Old Town Spring), 77373

●  Templeton Insurance Agency, 21120 Spring Towne Drive, Spring, 77388

●   Online at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/spring-klein-petition#signatures.

If you are a business owner and would like to host a petition signing, please email the Spring-Klein Chamber, at info@springkleinchamber.org.