Methodist Sugar Land Hospital welcomes Dr. Liliana Diaz, Pulmonary Medicine & Sleep Disorders Specialist

SUGAR LAND—(May 16, 2012) — Liliana Diaz, M.D., has joined the The Methodist Hospital Physician Organization and is affiliating her pulmonary and sleep medicine practice, now named Methodist Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Specialists, with Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

Dr. Diaz has a long and distinguished history of treating pulmonary and sleep medicine issues in Houston and Sugar Land and is the medical director of numerous sleep labs in the area. She is board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, critical care medicine and sleep medicine. Her practice provides a wide range of advanced pulmonary, asthma and allergy and sleep disorder services, including:

• Comprehensive pulmonary testing

• Testing and individualized treatment for allergies

• Critical care and hospice-related services

• Sleep medicine services

"I chose pulmonary medicine as a specialty because it presents me the opportunity to make a critical difference for people in significant need," says Dr. Diaz. "It is vitally important to be able to breathe well, and when you have a breathing difficulty, it is severely limiting. My goal is to reduce those limitations and improve my patients' quality of life."

Dr. Diaz takes great pride in providing compassionate, individualized care, built on careful evaluation of each patient's unique diagnoses and challenges.

"I work hard to develop trusting relationships with my patients so that together, we can design and implement customized care plans that directly address their needs," she said.

Methodist Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Specialists will play an important role in the hospital's service to the Fort Bend community. "We are thrilled to have Dr. Diaz join the Methodist family," said Chris Siebenaler, CEO of Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. "Her practice provides a full range of services in the rapidly growing fields of pulmonary care and sleep medicine with a focus on personal care and attention that fits perfectly with our approach."

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Diaz, call Methodist Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Specialists at 281-325-0005. For more information about Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit MethodistSugarLand.com.

SUGAR LAND – The Business and Professional Division of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce will host a lunch and learn seminar on The Latest Mobile Marketing Tips, Tools and Trends and Why Mobile Marketing is Important to Your Business. The seminar will be held at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, 445 Commerce Green Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas on Tuesday, June 12, 2012 from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm.

Hear from Howard Spencer, Managing Director of The Marketing Department, and his team of experts as they share leading edge mobile marketing strategies to amplify your company's message and drive sales to your business, define who mobile consumers are, and which technologies to consider for your company.

The Business & Professional Division is committed to helping Chamber members achieve their professional goals by offering business-oriented programs, roundtables and encouraging participation in other Chamber functions.

Individual Member Reservations are available for $25 - Non-Member Reservations are available for $35 – At the door $40. Lunch and materials are included. Register today at www.FortBendChamber.com. For more information contact Lea Ann Gibson info@fortbendcc.org, 281-491-0277.

"The Advocate for business excellence in Fort Bend County"

End of Life Education Seminar to be held at U of H School of Nursing

The University Of Houston School Of Nursing and the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Healthcare Division will host an End of Life Education Seminar and Luncheon on Thursday, May 25, 2012 from 11:30 am- 1:00 pm at the University of Houston School of Nursing, Room 103B, 14000 University Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas 77479.

Communication in end of life care has ethical implications. The content, timing of conversations and how to present difficult news pose dilemmas for providers helping both patients and their families make decisions. This End of Life Education Seminar will feature the topic of Communication Ethics: What to Say, When to Say It, How to Say It and Who Says It. Seminar speakers include: Sandra McNeely, Assistant Professor of Nursing, University of Houston-Victoria; Nancy Wells, Practice Administrator and Sanjay Sethi, MD, both of the Texas Oncology Cancer Center Sugar Land.

The focus of the Fort Bend Chamber Healthcare Division is to attract and develop the highest quality healthcare services for the Greater Fort Bend County Area. This initiative develops a network of healthcare providers, educates them to enhance their professional and business development, identifies and promotes economic initiatives and innovations in healthcare which benefit the membership and the community at large.

Sponsor tables available for $500 - Corporate tables available for $250 - Individual Member Reservations available for $25 - Non-Members available for $35 – At the door $45. Register today at www.FortBendChamber.com or contact Lea Ann Gibson info@fortbendcc.org, 281-491-0277.

"The Advocate for business excellence in Fort Bend County"

For the second consecutive year, Jennifer Weaver, with RE/MAX Southwest, has been selected as a 2012 FIVE STAR Real Estate Agent from the Houston Region. This award is based on the results of surveys of Jennifer's past clients, industry experts, and others in real estate related fields. Evaluations were based upon nine criteria: customer service, communication, finding the right home, integrity, negotiation, marketing the home, market knowledge, closing preparation, and overall satisfaction.

The resulting list of FIVE STAR Real Estate Agents is a select group, representing less than 2% of licensed agents in the Houston Region. Jennifer has been a Realtor serving the Fort Bend County and surrounding areas over 32 years. She will be featured as a 2012 FIVE STAR Real Estate Agent in the June issue of Texas Monthly.

Towne Lake hosts a Memorial Day Lantern Launch on Monday, May 28 from 7:30-10:30 p.m. in memory of loved ones lost. Attendees will have the opportunity to dedicate a lantern for someone special. At dusk, the area will be illuminated as five hundred lanterns are released to float around the lake.

This event is free and open to the public. Spectators can meet at the Towne Lake Community Center located at 9214 W. Bridgeport Pass Circle, Cypress, Texas, 77433.

For those unable to attend the ceremony on May 28, but wish to dedicate a lantern, please visit the Welcome Center from May 20-27 to sign a lantern that will be launched at the event. The Welcome Center is located at 18915 San Saba Creek Circle.

For more information, visit www.TowneLakeTexas.com or call (281) 256-2772.

About Towne Lake

Towne Lake is a master-planned community located in the Cypress-Fairbanks area of northwest Houston, Texas. Caldwell Companies began development of Towne Lake in 2006. At the finish of construction, the community will cover 2,400 acres and feature a 300-acre centerpiece lake, boardwalk, marina, waterfront mixed-use development featuring Class A office space, and lakeside living. Homebuilders include Coventry Homes, David Weekley Homes, Newmark Homes Houston, Plantation Homes, Ryland Homes, Trendmaker Homes, Village Builders, Jaeger Homes, Goshy Homes, and Westin Homes. Towne Lake is located in Harris County, Texas and is zoned to Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. Towne Lake is on Facebook and Twitter.

Pearland Homeschool Alliance student Macy Patric, 12, of League City, uses a pottery wheel to make a bowl on Friday, February 24 at the Alvin Community College art building.

The Alvin Community College Art Department will have many of opportunities this summer for students and adults to learn about shaping pottery, taking photographs and making jewelry.

Pottery Workshops:

    There will be several pottery workshops for both kids and parents starting on June 9. Children as young as 8 can work alongside their parents to spin pottery at the ACC ceramic studio.

     Each workshop is four hours and will be in one day or two-day sessions. Classes will be on June 9, 13-14, 27 and 28. Workshops in July will be on 11-12, 25-26 and 28. The last of the summer workshops will be August 8 and 9. Costs for the pottery classes are $50 per person plus a $5 lab fee for those who live in district and $70 for those who live outside the district. Start times for the workshops vary from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Photography Workshops:

Photography workshops are June 4-6, June 26-28 and July 23-25 for students ages 8-16. The sessions will cover working in a dark room, using a film camera and developing negatives and prints. The workshop will be in B-215 at ACC and will cost $100 per student for students in the district and $120 for those outside the district.

     On June 11-12 and July 9-10, there will be a workshop on digital photography. Students will learn more about making images with computer software, making an animated drawing and altering images with filters. Cost for the digital workshop is $50 for students in the district and $70 for students who live outside the district. Classes will be at D-113 at the ACC Campus. All photography classes will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Jewelry Workshop:

Jewelry worshops are offered through the Art Department's Enrichment Workshop Program. The course is for students who want to learn about how to make jewelry or jewelry artists who want to enhance their metalsmithing skills.The jewelry course will focus on soldering and how to make repairs. It also will give quick exercises to build soldering ability.

     The workshop is open to all ages and levels of experience. The five and a half week course will be June 11 through July 18 and classes will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost will be $250 and those interested should register before May 21. The course is limited to 12.

     For more information about any of the art summer programs, call 281-756-3605 or e-mail crichey@alvincollege.edu.

Faith West Academy sisters Madison Emery (10th grader) and Erika Emery (senior) breezed past New Braunfels Christian in straight sets to take the TAPPS 3A State Championship doubles.  "The matches (6-2 & 6-0) were actually closer than the score reflected," said Erika of the state finals.  "TheWarren sisters (Janae and Kendall) are good players.  I have played Kendall in competitive leagues and she had me worried.  Faith West fans got behind us and that made it wonderful.  It gave us the edge.  Even our principal, Mrs. Strickland, was there with a sign."

The Emery sisters had an impressive season going undefeated in all sets of every match played.  They have been dubbed the "Super Champs" in the tennis circuit.  "Our dream had always been to play doubles together at State," said Erika of her experience.  Erika and Madison have been playing tennis since they were 8 and 6 year-olds respectfully. When the Emery sisters were younger they said they were inspired by the Williams sisters. They understood from these athletes that it would take determination and practice to excel in the sport.  They practiced over 20 hours a week under the direction of Peter Farrell of Willow Fork Tennis Shop to achieve their goal.

Erika and Madison are daughters of Rocky and Julie Emery of Katy.  They have a seventh grade brother, Rocky Jr., who plays football and not tennis.

Erika Quick Facts

Favorite Television Show: One Tree Hill

Favorite Movie: Transformers

Favorite Music: Country-Taylor Swift

Favorite Sport: Tennis

Attends Church: Grace Fellowship United Methodist Church

Madison Quick Facts

Favorite Television Show: Vampire Diaries

Favorite Movie: Avengers

Favorite Music: Country-Taylor Swift

Favorite Sport: Tennis

Attends Church: Grace Fellowship United Methodist Church

Caption: Pictured left to right is Erika and Madison Emery.

The City of Pearland will celebrate its first Annual Bike to Work Day, Thursday, May 17, by encouraging City employees and community members to leave their cars behind in favor of finding more sustainable ways to get to work.

     May has been designated National Bike Month by the League of American Bicyclists and the City of Pearland will observe the month by meeting at 7 a.m. on Thursday, May 17 to take a bike ride from the Recreation Center & Natatorium, 4141 Bailey Road, Pearland, Texas 77584, to Pearland City Hall at 3519 Liberty Road, Pearland, Texas 77581.

     "Recognizing National Bike to Work Month and encouraging City of Pearland employees to bike to work is an easy win for us. We are supporting green initiatives, promoting active lifestyles, and generating employee engagement," said City Manager Bill Eisen.

     Bike to Work Day is part of a national effort, endorsed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, to highlight the benefits of bicycling, and to prove to people that it is feasible to leave the car at home for some journeys. The campaign is being promoted by the League of American Bicyclists, the national organization of bicyclists founded in 1880 to advance and defend the rights and interests of cyclists.