NEAR NORTHWEST COMMUNITY JOB FAIR CONNECTS HOUSTON EMPLOYERS WITH LOCAL JOB SEEKERS

HOUSTON, May 2, 2012 –  In response to the growing need for more skilled and entry level labor, the Near Northwest Management District is partnering with The WorkFaith Connection to host the 7^th Near Northwest Community Job Fair to connect job seekers with companies who seek their talents. On Wednesday, May 9, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Advent Lutheran Church, 5820 Pinemont Drive, more than two dozen local employers will meet and interview hundreds of job seekers.

“The goal of our job fair is to build community,” said Ruby Glass, Project Liaison for the Near Northwest Management District.  “We want to offer local employers the opportunity to hire local job seekers, so our community can grow as a whole.”

For the Near Northwest Management District, the Community Job Fair is part of a larger effort to rebuild the area and to revitalize it to become a thriving economic business and residential community.  The WorkFaith Connection is partnering with the District once again to help job seekers gain meaningful employment with employers who have job openings.

Participating employers will seek to fill hourly positions ranging from entry-level to management across a variety of industries such as customer service, hospitality, sales, skilled and unskilled trades, transportation, security and more. Workshops on effective resumes and interview strategies will be offered to help job seekers build their skills to secure employment.

Participating employers include: AFLAC, Aldine ISD, Allied Barton Security, Avon, Carlton Staffing, David McDavid Auto Group, Harris County, Hospitatlity Staffing solutions, Forklift Services LLC, H & R Block, Manpower, MEMCO Staffing, National Oilwell Varco, Princeton Review, Plastipak Packaging, Scentsy @ 31, Staff Force, Workforce Solutions, The Greensheet, TNT direct Sales, HighTech Sales.com and more. 

 “We are here to help men and women in our community who have struggled to find employment succeed in not only finding a job, but keeping that job and adding value to their employer.  We believe this job fair is an important event to help revitalize our community, which will ultimately stabilize families and our society,”  said Sandy Schultz, President/CEO, The WorkFaith Connection.   

Job seekers can learn more about jobs available in northwest Houston on the District’s Jobs Page:  www.nearnorthwestdistrict.com/Programs/JobFair.shtml.

Local employers should contact Ruby Glass at 713.895.8021 to reserve a space.

What:   Near Northwest Community Job Fair

When:  May 9, 2012

10am – 1pm

Where:                Advent Lutheran Church, 5820 Pinemont Drive, Houston, TX 77092

About the Near Northwest Management District

The Near Northwest Management District was created by the Texas Legislature to promote and coordinate economic growth for businesses and improve the quality of life for everyone in Northwest Houston.  The District, which covers an area bounded by T.C. Jester Boulevard on the east, Pinemont Drive on the south, Hollister Drive projected to State Highway 249 on the west and 249 on the north, has developed a detailed service plan to address issues important to commercial property owners in the area including security and public safety, planning and urban design and development.

For more information, go to www.nearnorthwestdistrict.com or become a fan of our Facebook page.

Contact:

Melanie Fahey

713-895-8021

melfahey@nearnorthwestdistrict.com

About The WorkFaith Connection

The WorkFaith Connection is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006 to assist men and women in finding and keeping meaningful full-time employment. Funded completely by private donations, foundation grants and partnering churches in the local faith community, its comprehensive job readiness training and support program empowers people to provide for themselves and their families. The WorkFaith Connection has achieved a 78% employment rate among its 1,500 graduates. Over 1,000 Houston area employers have hired graduates from The WorkFaith Connection. To learn about volunteer opportunities, enrolling in the free job readiness program, or hiring graduates, please visit www.workfaithconnection.org.

Contact:

Renee Wong

The WorkFaith Connection

1500 N. Post Oak Road, Suite 150, Houston, TX 77055

Office: 713.984.9611/Cell: 281.704.5224

rwong@workfaithconnection.org

Livable Center Plan Implementation: White Oak Station Subcommittee Meeting

Meeting held April 25, 2012 at the District offices.

Thanks to you all attendees!

Attendees:
Bill Odle
Dorothy Miller
Marlene Gafrick
Kim Slaughter
John Sedlak
Wayne Norden
Melanie Fahey

Who else should be on the committee?

• Jeff Weatherford from Public Works – Having members from Public Works, METRO and Planning may facilitate funding. Marlene will reach out to him. 

Discussion of METRO Plans 

• Antoine route has a high ridership, We need to look at the numbers. Kim will pull. 
• Does METRO have demographics for area, peak time? Kim will get METRO tracking info. May have to survey the route. 
• We know people walk and use bus, also is regional use potential to serve people from 249 and beyond. We have a parking lot, can we turn it into a park and ride? 
• Interesting to know use of Pinemont Park & Ride and Seton Lake Park & Ride on 249 – Pinemont not heavily used 
• How would METRO look at WOS location and consider it? METRO has to look at land use and costs. 
• Would be nice to know where people who use Pinemont are coming from and Antoine riders final destination. METRO has done an origin destination survey last year. Looking for similarities. Get METRO info and share with subcommittee members. 

How can we begin to implement some of the plan recommendations?

• Can we use Kroger parking lot for events, like the airline flea markets, Kroger property for sale, property ownership: http://mycity.houstontx.gov/public/?sid=1 
• Could consider a park & ride at conference center, land we control, annex parking has 80 spaces 
• 4 bus shelters at Antoine & Tidwell, Kim looking at routes to provide more details on plan. 
• Overflow parking at WOCC could be a van pool location starting out. 
• Funding to support through HGAC, METRO does all matching for the things they will need. 
• Could District do a survey? “If we provided a van pool would you participate and where are you going” METRO can help right and distribute via Survey Monkey. District can distribute through GIP and have volunteers canvas community at grocery stores. 
• Don’t need large volumes of people for a van pool, people drive, METRO provides the Van. 
• Pinemont location, could we do joint development like Skinner road location as mixed use location 
• Need to look at what TXDot is doing, there are plans to not continue the T ramp from park and ride to 290, under negotiation to keep, planning three reversible lanes down the middle. Marlene meeting with TXDot next week, will learn more. 

Is rail possible for area?

• Group examing high speed rail very interested in Burlington Northern line, space for a commuter rail is in realm of 2040 plans 
• Near-term reality, must plan around METRO use of current facilities and usage, improve current ridership 
• BLINK willing to put in two EV stations at conference center 

How does METRO look at establishing Quickline services?

• Based on volume of riders and volume of similar origins and destinations. 

Is there a way to take four corners to clean up, fresh shelters, signage, bring character?

• Building at 5801 Antoine, what is it? Marlene checking. We need to sign up for E-permit report that comes out every Monday. 
• Need people to adopt stops. 
• Need public works to improve sidewalks. 
• What capital investment could the District to put into new bus shelters? Regular shelters cost $20,000. 
• Put in a fresh clean look to increase community pride and visibility will send criminal element elsewhere 
• 2 step process- clean-up what exists, partner with existing vendors- Q-star program, get area vendors signed up, then move on to signature look 

Next steps:

• Kim collecting data 
• Wayne and Metro need to work together on van pool 
• Antoine improvements, Jeff can give us idea of improvements planned on Antoine and Tidwell
• Monthly meeting for the next three months, 4th Wednesday-May 23, June 27, 8:30 – 10 am

NNWMD & Treesearch Farms holding Plant Sale to Raise Funds for White Oak Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden

The Near Northwest Management District and Treesearch Farms will hold a Plant Sale to raise funds to plant the White Oak Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden. The Sale will take place March 31 at the White Oak Conference and Community Center beginning with a 9 am presentation by Heidi Sheesley, owner of Treesearch Farms, on plants to attract wildlife after which the sale will begin at 10:15 am.

“The Plant Sale is one more piece of the community revitalization puzzle,” said Wayne Norden, President/CEO of the Near Northwest Management District. “Adding gardens in the area, both public and private, is one extremely visible way that we can make our community more attractive and inviting.”

Vision for Gardens at White Oak
The White Oak Conference Center is being created on the grounds of the former Inwood Forest Golf & Country Club. The District plans to develop the White Oak Conference Center Botanic Demonstration Garden to inspire and educate businesses and residents to improve their properties with adaptive trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses, to attract visitors from throughout the region who will be customers of local businesses, to begin the changes that will lead to the revitalization of the White Oak area community, to inspire community garden programs, to provide habitat for butterflies and hummingbirds, and to beautify the entrance and grounds of the White Oak Conference Center.

The White Oak Conference Center Botanic Demonstration Garden (the Garden) has three components: (1) adding understory trees that add spring blooms, fall color and winter berries to the stand of towering pines at the entrance, creating “The Grove”, (2) creating a butterfly and hummingbird garden full of flowering plants in the space anchored by the historic Inwood Pine, a very large and gnarled specimen that has been in place since the site was a dairy farm, and (3) beginning a demonstration community garden program that will provide education opportunities for gardeners, will foster gardeners working together, and will add interest and beauty to areas around the Conference Center buildings. The project has been conceived by District Board of Directors member Heidi Sheesley and Dr. Joe Novak, a recently retired horticulture professor from Texas A&M University who created their holistic garden program.

Future additions to the White Oak Complex include a demonstration garden, the addition of native grass prairie areas and hike and bike trails. The improvement of the White Oak Conference Center grounds is the first step in changes to transform the Antoine Corridor and is being supervised by Heidi Sheesley of Treesearch Farms, a long-time business owner in the area who is passionate about sustainable, usable public gardens.

Call for Volunteers
Community Volunteers are needed to make this event a success. We will need strong backs to help move the plants for set-up and moving sold plants to cars, plant enthusiasts to help with sales and a few people handy with making change to serve as cashiers. All volunteers will have the opportunity to purchase plants at discounted rates commensurate with the time committed. To volunteer, contact Melanie Fahey at 713-895-8021 or melfahey@nearnorthwestdistrict.com.


More information about the plant sale is available at: http://www.nearnorthwestdistrict.com/Programs/WOCC.shtml


About the District
The Near Northwest Management District was created by the Texas Legislature to promote and coordinate economic growth for businesses and improve the quality of life for everyone in Northwest Houston. The District, which covers an area bounded by T.C. Jester Boulevard on the east, Pinemont Drive on the south, Hollister Drive projected to State Highway 249 on the west and 249 on the north, has developed a detailed service plan to address issues important to commercial property owners in the area including security and public safety, planning and urban design and development.

For more information, go to www.nearnorthwestdistrict.com or become a fan of our Facebook page.

Arbor Day Tree Planting First Step in Creating Livable Center in White Oak Community

The Near Northwest Management District, Treesearch Farms and Forged Products are commemorating Arbor Day with a planting of 10 trees at the White Oak Conference Center. The new trees will be planted in and around a stand of pine trees including the historic Inwood Pine to create The Grove, a wooded area of native trees that are the first step in creating the Botanical Gardens outlined in the Livable Centers Plan for the Antoine Corridor.

The new trees will be celebrated in a brief ceremony on Monday, January 23 at 12:30 p.m. at the White Oak Conference Center, 7603 Antoine, which will include remarks by Wayne Norden of the Near Northwest Management District as well as representatives from Forged Products and Treesearch Farms and visioning tours of the conference center grounds for interested community members.

“The District is changing thanks to business owners like Forged Products and Treesearch Farms who have a passion for making our community a better place to live,” said Wayne Norden, president/CEO of the Near Northwest Management District. “Their commitment and vision is helping the communities along White Oak Bayou to once again become a place in which we can all be proud to live and work.”

The creation of The Grove is the first step to create a public greenspace that can be enjoyed by all Houstonians. Future additions to the complex include a butterfly garden, a demonstration garden, the addition of native grass prairie areas and hike and bike trails. The improvement of the White Oak Conference Center grounds is the first step in changes to transform the Antoine Corridor and is being supervised by Heidi Sheesley of Treesearch Farms, a long-time business owner in the area who is passionate about sustainable, usable public gardens.

Livable Centers Plan
The Livable Centers Plan includes recommendations to improve the Antoine Corridor, rechristened the White Oak Quarter, into a walkable mixed-use place that provides multimodal transportation options, improves environmental quality, and promotes economic development.

A copy of the Livable Centers Plan is available on the District Web Site at www.nearnorthwestdistrict.com/programs/livablecenters .

Houston growth contributing to growth of Near Northwest District

The revitalization efforts for Near Northwest Houston are spurred by the growth of the city as a whole. As prices for homes and apartments climb in the remainder of the city the value that our area has to offer becomes more apparent. The Livable Center Plan is a road map for the changes to come in the Near Northwest District.

Visit http://www.nearnorthwestdistrict.com/Programs/LivableCenters.shtml to learn more about it.


Houston ranks as North America's fastest-growing metro area
Houston Business Journal
Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 6:32am CST

Houston not only beat every other large metropolitan area in the U.S. in terms of the world's fastest-growing economies, but it also topped all other large metropolitan areas in the eastern hemisphere, according to a report from the Brookings Institution released on Wednesday.

Houston ranked No. 19 on Brooking' s Global MetroMonitor report, which analyzed large metropolitan areas' gross domestic product, employment, income and population rates.
Although Houston fared well -- the report found income increased 5.5 percent and employment increased 2.5 percent since 2010-- almost all other North American markets fell in the rankings.

This is part of a worldwide trend, as more market growth shifts to developing economies in Asia and Eastern Europe, the report found. Surprisingly, half of the 40 weakest metropolitan markets were either in the U.S. or the U.K. Dallas was the only other U.S. market to get a strong economic growth ranking at No. 36.

The other markets that beat Houston were mainly in China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which all had multiple cities in the top 10 ranks.

Walmart opens in Near Northwest District

Near Northwest Houston welcomes the opening of Walmart on Highway 249. This new business is now hiring 300 new positions which will contribute to the revitalization of Near Northwest Houston. For information on other jobs in and around the Near Northwest District go to http://www.nearnorthwestdistrict.com/Programs/JobFair.shtml.

New Walmart Store Hiring 300 Associates
Construction is complete on the new Walmart store at 13003 Tomball Parkway at the intersection of Highway 249 and Smiling Wood Lane and the retailer is spending the next few weeks transforming the empty building into a store complete with a full line of groceries and a wide assortment of merchandise and time-saving services.

They are in the process of hiring 300 full and part-time associates for its opening this month to work in all areas of the store.

According to a representative for Walmart, the company currently employs 152,902 people in Texas. As of October 31, 2011 (End of Q3), the average wage for regular, full-time hourly associates in Texas is $12.19 per hour (Walmart Discount Stores, Supercenters, and Neighborhood Markets). Additionally, eligible associates receive an annual incentive based on the company performance.

Interested applicants should apply online at http://walmartstores.com/Careers.

Read this week's Leader article about changes coming to Antoine Corridor:

http://ping.fm/rvanf

Take the District's Online Participation Survey:

http://ping.fm/smbnD