Myth Busters is dedicated to clarifying misinformation or rumors that often circulate in the district or community.

“Our hope is that parents, staff, and members of the community will turn to this resource not only to validate information but as a way to ask questions about what they are hearing,” said Chief Communications Officer Aggie Alvez. This feature on our website will allow us to make sure everyone has the facts.”

The “HISD Myth Busters” page already resolves two myths; one regarding a reduction in special education teacher positions and the other regarding funding for summer school, prekindergarten and the Apollo 20 project.

The city-wide event provides diners with the opportunity to sample special menus at Houston’s restaurants, while helping fight hunger in Houston.

“Houston Restaurant Week offers an inspired opportunity to take action on behalf of families and individuals who suffer from hunger,” said Brian Green, CEO of the Houston Food Bank. “Each diner at a participating restaurant will provide 15 meals for a hungry child or adult in southeast Texas.  Those meals are provided each week to 137,000 individuals who turn to food pantries, senior centers, soup kitchens and shelters for nourishment.”

This year, Houston Restaurant Week will showcase more than 100 restaurants, spanning popular favorites to new hotspots. All participating restaurants will offer a prix fixe, three-course gourmet dinner menu for $35 per person, with $5 of each dinner sold benefiting the Houston Food Bank. New to Houston Restaurant Week 2010, select restaurants will also offer two-course lunch menus for $20, donating $3 of each lunch sold to the Houston Food Bank. All Houston Restaurant Week meals exclude beverages, tax and gratuity.

Houston Restaurant Week was established in 2003 by restaurant journalist Cleverley Stone, host of “The Cleverley Show” on CNN 650 Radio News and contributor to Fox 26 Morning News. To date, the event has raised more than $356,000 to fight hunger in Houston.

“Houston Restaurant Week is a great occasion for Houstonians to experience our impressive array of dining options at prices that won’t break the bank, all while helping to fight hunger,” said Cleverley Stone, founder and chair of the event. “Last year, we raised a record-breaking $240,000, with 100 percent of funds raised donated to the Houston Food Bank. We hope to raise even more this year to support the Houston Food Bank in their mission to provide food for the hungry in 18 southeast Texas counties.”

The event is by reservation only. Reservations can be made throughout Houston Restaurant Week. For the latest Houston Restaurant Week information, including restaurant listings, menus, sponsor information, and reservations, visit www.HoustonRestaurantWeek.com.

Last week, prices increased 3.5 cents per gallon to an average $2.53 per gallon as of yesterday.

This compares with the national average that has increased 2.4 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.74 per gallon, according to gasoline price website HoustonGasPrices.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Bellaire during the past week, prices yesterday were 23.0 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago, but 2.7 cents per gallon lower than a month ago.

The national average has decreased 0.5 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 25.5 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

Tickets are on sale now at the Recreation Center for $2 a person. Children one and under are free.

Residents are encouraged to bring their own dinner, blankets and lawn chairs.

Alcohol and glass containers are not permitted.

For more information contact the Recreation Center at 713-662-8280.

Elephant Open House

What does a 10,000 pound animal eat for breakfast?  How do you give an elephant a pedicure?

Meet the Houston Zoo’s elephants Methai, Tess, Tucker, Shanti, Baylor, and Thai and the Houston Zoo elephant care team on July 31 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and learn about elephant diets, care, training, and more at the July Elephant Open House.

Tour the state-of-the-art elephant barn at the Houston Zoo’s McNair Asian Elephant Habitat.  Each elephant “bedroom” in the barn will highlight a different aspect of elephant care.  The Elephant Open House also includes a continental breakfast.

Have your picture taken with one of the Houston Zoo’s elephant herd for $25 per sitting.  Photos will be printed on-site, and make a great memento of your morning with the elephants.

For more information or to purchase tickets on line, visit http://www.houstonzoo.org/elephant-open-house/.    Tickets are $65 per person, non-member and $55 per person for Zoo members.  Children UNDER 4 years of age are free.  Capacity is limited to 100 guests.

Donuts and Dinosaurs

This summer, dinosaurs are making a comeback at the Houston Zoo.  On July 31 the Zoo gates open early at 8:30 a.m. for an early morning tour of the Houston Zoo DINOSAURS! exhibit, followed by donuts, of course, and a special dinosaur lecture and presentation in the Zoo’s Brown Education Center by Dinosaurs Rock of Texas.  Touch real dinosaur eggs and dino poop and dig for fossils.

Register and purchase your tickets on-line at http://www.houstonzoo.org/donuts-and-dinos/.  Tickets are $21 for member adults, $16.50 for member children (ages 2-12), $25 for non-member adults and $20.50 for non-member children (ages 2-12).  For further information or if you have questions, call Group Tickets at 713-533-6754 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Donuts and Dinosaurs Schedule

8:30 – 9 a.m. Gates open, check-in/registration, access to Dinosaurs! before the Zoo opens.

9 – 9:30 a.m. Continental breakfast inside the BEC Auditorium

9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Dinosaurs Rock of Texas presentation and Fossil Dig

According to preliminary reports, the child was in her harness and found hanging over the side of the recliner, caught between the Nap Nanny and the crib bumper.

Additionally, there is one other incident in which an infant became entrapped when the Nap Nanny was used in a crib, contrary to the product instructions. In that incident, the infant fell over the side of the Nap Nanny, despite being harnessed in, and was caught between the baby recliner and the side of the crib.

The child sustained a cut to the forehead.

CPSC and the company have received 22 reports of infants, primarily younger than five-months, hanging or falling out over the side of the Nap Nanny despite most of the infants being placed in the harness. One infant received a bruise as a result of hanging over the side of the product.

Infants can partially fall or hang over the side of the Nap Nanny even while the harness is in use. This situation can be worse if the Velcro straps, located inside the Nap Nanny cover are not properly attached to the D-rings located on the foam, or if consumers are using the first generation model Nap Nanny that was sold without D-rings.

In addition, if the Nap Nanny is placed inside a crib, play yard or other confined area, which is not a recommended use, the infant can fall or hang over of the side of the Nap Nanny and become entrapped between the crib side and the Nap Nanny and suffocate.

Likewise, if the Nap Nanny is placed on a table, countertop or other elevated surface and a child falls over the side, it poses a risk of serious head injury. Consumers should always use the Nap Nanny on the floor away from any other products.

The Nap Nanny is a portable recliner designed for sleeping, resting and playing. The recliner includes a foam base with an inclined indentation for the infant to sit in and a fitted fabric cover and a three point harness.

The first generation model of the Nap Nanny can be identified by the absence of D-rings in the foam base. In second generation models, the harness system has D-rings in the foam base and Velcro straps inside the fitted fabric cover.

The recalled Nap Nannys were sold at toy and children’s retail stores nationwide and online, including at www.napnanny.com, from January 2009 through July 2010 for about $130.

The recalled product was manufactured in the United States and China.

Consumers with a first generation Nap Nanny models without D-rings should stop using the recalled baby recliners immediately and contact the company to receive an $80 coupon towards the purchase of a new Nap Nanny with free shipping.

Consumers with a second generation Nap Nanny model, with D-rings, should immediately stop using the product until they are able to visit the firm’s website to obtain new product instructions and warnings. Consumers can also view an important instructional video to help consumers ensure the harness is properly fastened.

Those who are unable to view the video or new instructions online should contact the firm to receive free copies by mail.

A toll-free number is available for Nap Nanny customers who want more information. The number is 888-240-4282 and is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Easter Time, Monday through Friday.

More information is also available at the company’s website, www.napnanny.com/recall.

Joni Rodgers is a cancer survivor and author of "Bald in the Land of Big Hair."

Two Houston women – one an actress, the other a New York Times bestselling author – will cross paths July 31, during a production of “Bald in the Land of Big Hair.”

“Bald in the Land of Big Hair” will be performed at 7 p.m. at the Main Street Theater, 4617 Montrose Blvd., on Saturday.

The play is based on the book by Joni Rodgers, a Houston resident, who wrote about her personal experience with cancer.  Rodgers will be in the audience during the performance.

Lisa Hamilton, a Clear Lake resident, will portray Rodgers in the production of “Bald in the Land of Big Hair.” Hamilton has performed at the Alley Theater and other local venues.

Steve Ford, son of the late President Gerald Ford, will be a featured guest at the event in honor of his mother, Betty Ford, who fought breast cancer in 1974.

A panel discussion with Steve Ford, Joni Rodgers, Co-founder and CEO of The Rose Dorothy Weston Gibbons and Founder Survivor of Pink Ribbons Project Susan Rafte will follow the production.

Pink Ribbons Project, a nonprofit organization that supports the fight against breast cancer, is presenting the event, which will benefit The Rose, a 24-year-old nonprofit breast cancer organization that provides screening, diagnosis and access to treatment for all women, regardless of their ability to pay.

Houston-based Hope Tree Home Loans and KUHF-FM, Houston Public Radio, are major sponsors of the event.

Tickets are available for $100. Sponsorship opportunities are available starting at $1,000.

To purchase tickets or learn about sponsorship opportunities, call Michelle Hansen at The Rose, 281-464-5165.

Frozen chicken nuggets sold in Bellaire area Wal Mart stores are being recalled because they may have been contaminated by small pieces of plastic.

The chicken nuggets were sold under the brand name “Great Value.”

The company that produced the nuggets, Perdue Farms, voluntarily recalled 91,872 pounds of the fully cooked frozen chicken product.

The product is sold at Wal Mart stores across the nation, including those in the Bellaire area.

The recall involves only Great Value chicken nuggets with a “Best If Used By Date” of June 9, 2011 and the numbers “89008″ followed by the letter “A” and the numbers “0160″ printed on the backside of the package. The package also bears Establishment number “P-33944.”

No other Great Value-branded chicken products or Perdue products are involved in the recall.

There have been no reports of injury associated with the recalled nuggets and Perdue Senior Vice President for Food Safety and Quality Bruce Stewart-Brown stressed the likelihood of contamination was low.

“We determined the likely source was a small plastic ring that got into the raw material before the nuggets were formed,” Stewart-Brown said. “This would have resulted in a minimal amount of consumer packages potentially containing nuggets with the plastic, which is bright blue in color. However, out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to recall all 50,688 packages of nuggets produced in the same product run.”

Consumers with the recalled product should immediately return it to the retailer for a full refund.

Perdue Farms also issued an apology for any “inconvenience” the recall may cause.

The night includes unlimited bowling for 2 hours (6 p.m. to 8 p.m. or 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.), a BFR 2010 event bag and free shoe and ball rental.  Tickets are $25 per person for adults and $10 per person for children ages 5 to 12.  Non-bowling tickets are available; $10 for adults and $5 for children. Visit http://www.houstonzoo.org/bfr for more details.

For more information about Bowling for Rhinos and to make reservations, visit www.houstonzoo.org/bfr or call 713-533-6500.  Reservations may be made in advance or at the door; but, advanced reservations are recommended because of limited bowling spaces.

Donations can be sent to: The Houston Zoo, Attn:  Bowling for Rhinos, 1513 Cambridge, Houston, TX  77030. Make checks payable GHCAAZK (Greater Houston Chapter of American Association of Zoo Keepers) and note: BFR 2010.

About AAZK

This year, 60 AAZK chapters across the nation will participate in BFR.  The chapters will add to the more than $3.7 million BFR has raised since its inception in 1990.   One-hundred percent of all donations benefit the Bowling for Rhinos Foundation and its work to preserve and protect Rhinos and their habitats.  BFR supports three sanctuaries that protect rhinos and their unique ecosystems: Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, Africa; the Bukit Barisa Selatan National Park in Java, Indonesia; and Ujung Kulon National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia.

About Rhinos

The rhinoceros has been on earth for over 50 million years, and it is believed that over 100 separate species existed.  Today, only five species of rhino survive: White, Black, Indian, Sumatran and Javan.  Only the white rhino with a population of 4,600 seems to be somewhat safe from extinction. In 1960, 60,000 black rhinos roamed Africa. Today only 2,500 remain in isolated populations. On the Asian continent, the Indian population remains at 2,000. The Sumatran rhino population is believed to number 200 and the Javan species is the most endangered with only 47 animals surviving.

Bellaire residents Amaris Salgado, Natalia Salgado and Julián Salgado built a lemonade stand, which they sold in Loftin Park to benefit the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging.

The idea came about when Amaris, 8, saw someone asking for money to buy something to eat. She wanted to know why the person did not have money or food to eat.

Amaris recruited her sister Natalia, 10, and brother, Julián, 10, to help build the lemonade stand.

The Salgado’s sold lemonade, water bottles and homemade cookies in Loftin Park on July 17.

They made $24. 25 and plan on doing it again.

The Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve (SINERR) offered the training as part of its teacher training series. Participants in the training investigated Georgia’s coastal systems with an emphasis on estuarine and marine ecology, coastal species identification and adaptations, commercial and recreational fisheries and management.

Activities and topics included beach, dune, and low tide ecology; mapping and GPS use; tides and sea level rise, and late-night turtle walks. Researchers working at the University of Georgia Marine Institute (UGAMI) on the island, presented their projects and initial results to the teachers. The final activity was a visit to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources office in Brunswick for a discussion of commercial and recreational fisheries management and Conservation and a trip with fisheries biologists on the Research Vessel Anna.

“Darlene and I do a lot of workshops together,” said Davis. “We enjoy the ocean, and last year we got a grant to go to the West Coast, so this year, we wanted to see the East Coast. We have never been to Georgia before.”

“We teach the children about the different coastlines. So, we’ll bring this all back to the kids,” Varga said. “We already mailed back a box with sand in it, because Karin makes a beach bucket with things in it from each of the beaches, so the kids can actually compare them and see how different they are from one another.”

Both women said that the highlight of their trip was witnessing a loggerhead sea turtle crawl up the beach to nest.

“Last year, I had a bulletin board, and it was literally up all year because they wouldn’t let me take it down,” said Varga. And it’s not just the kids who get excited about these strips to the coast, “We had a parent come up to us and ask, ‘Where are y’all going this summer?’”

The Rape Aggression Defense System is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women. The R.A.D. System is a women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training.  R.A.D. is not a Martial Arts program.  The main objective of R.A.D. is to develop and enhance the options of self defense, so they may become viable considerations to the woman who is attacked.

The classes will be held in the Centerpoint Energy community room, 7001 5^th St. from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The second set of three classes start July 26 and end July 29. The registration deadline is July 26 by noon.

The starting age for women who are interested in taking the class is 14 years old with a parent or guardian who also attends the class.  Women over 18 years of age do not have to take the class with a parent or guardian.  Officer Tracie Mathews and Officer Andre Porter with the Bellaire Police Department will instruct the class.

Contact Officer Tim Quimby to register for the class at 713-662-8103 or email him at tquimby@bellairepolice.com.

Bienvenu’s idea for her new cookbook, Cooking up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans, was inspired by Hurricane Katrina and the recipes lost during the disaster.

Bienvenu is the author of “Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic and Can You Make a Roux?” and co-author of four cookbooks with Emeril Lagasse.

In her new cookbook, Bienvenu compiled 250 authentic recipes along with the stories about how they came to be and who created them.

Bienvenu grew up in southern Louisiana and had worked with working with Ella Brennan and Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse at Commander’s Palace.

She’ll discuss her experiences in New Orleans and will demonstrate how to cook these dishes:

• Roosevelt Hotel Shrimp Remoulade

• Masson’s Oyster & Artichoke Soup

• My Mama’s Crab Chops with Tartar Sauce served with Café Degas’ Stuffed Red Peppers & Toasted French Garlic Bread

• Chocolate Pot de Crème

The class costs $65. To register, click here.

In an effort to reduce the number of incidents, CPSC is bringing together Safe Kids USA and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) to launch a kids safety education program as the newest initiative in its national Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives campaign.

The centerpiece of the kids safely program is a new online game activity and educational video that will be released at 1 p.m. on July 23 at the Weekley Family YMCA, 7101 Stella Link Blvd.

Inez Tenenbaum, chairman of the CPSC, Mitchell R. Stoller, president and chief executive officer of Safe Kids Worldwide, Kim Tyson, president of NDPA, and Judge Ed Emmett, the Harris County official responsible for public safety, will join together to announce the Pool Safely campaign’s kids safety education effort on Friday.

The Pool Safely campaign is CPSC’s national information and education program to support the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (P&SS Act), a federal child safety act. The Pool Safely campaign is designed to raise public awareness, support industry compliance and improve safety at pools and spas.

The CPSC estimates that nearly 300 children younger than five drown in swimming pools and spas each year and more than 3,200 that age go to hospital emergency rooms due to non-fatal submersion injuries. An unknown number of these hospitalizations result in permanent disability, including brain damage.

The Pool Safely campaign aims to remind the public that drowning deaths and injuries among young children are preventable.

Gas prices fell by 0.9 cents to an average of $2.49 per gallon on Sunday.

This compares with a national average that increased 0.5 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.72 per gallon, according to gasoline price website HoustonGasPrices.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Bellaire during the past week, prices yesterday were 24.7 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago. The average is also 3.6 cents per gallon lower than one month ago.

The national average has decreased 1.6 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 26.0 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

This is the seventh time in the last nine years that MD Anderson has ranked number one in the annual listing. Since the survey began in 1990, the institution has been ranked one of the top two cancer hospitals in the United States.

Five subspecialties at MD Anderson also were singled out for high rankings, including ear, nose and throat (6); urology (10); gynecology (11) and gastroenterology (19). MD Anderson’s ranking in diabetes and endocrinology jumped to number 21 this year, up from 41 last year and unranked the year before.

In a separate survey of pediatric hospitals, published by U.S. News & World Report last month, MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital was ranked 12th in the nation.

“We are proud to be ranked again as the top cancer center – an honor that reflects the expertise and accomplishments of our outstanding physicians, researchers, nurses, staff and volunteers, all focused on reducing the burdens of cancer for patients here and everywhere,” said John Mendelsohn, M.D., president of MD Anderson. “The last decade of cancer research has yielded real benefit for patients worldwide, with declining death rates and improving five-year survival rates. To hasten our progress, the need for collaboration among the fine cancer programs recognized by U.S. News & World Report is greater than ever, and we must broaden our cooperation internationally and with government, industry and patients.”

REALTOR MEETING – Leaders of Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors recently met with key representatives of the National Association of Realtors at the Prudential Gary Greene corporate offices to discuss the Houston real estate market. Shown at the gathering are, front row from left, Dana Dicker, sales manager, Gibraltar Mortgage Services; Nikki Owen and Tracy Bogiel, branch managers; Marilyn Eiland, partner and Toni Nelson, director strategic initiatives, with Prudential Gary Greene; back row, George Cooley, president, Gibraltar Insurance Services; Tom Abbate, consultant; Mark Woodroof, partner, Prudential Gary Greene; Ken Trepeta, director of real estate services for NAR; Brad Viator, NAR political representative; John Stoever, CFO, Prudential Gary Greene and Jamie Gregory, deputy chief lobbyist for NAR.

The meeting took place last Tuesday at Prudential Gary Greene’s corporate offices in Houston.

Mark Woodroof, partner with Prudential Gary Greene and a National Association of Realtors director, set up the meeting to provide an opportunity for key company representatives to collaborate with the NAR and update one another on local and national industry issues.

The Gulf oil spill and the future of NASA were among the key issues identified as impacting the real estate industry in the region.

“We were particularly honored to have Steve Brown, the NAR large firm liaison, present for our meeting,” Woodroof said. “Steve shared a comprehensive report on NAR’s current initiatives and focus on large broker issues. It appears Steve will be nominated as first vice president later this year and will be NAR president in 2014.”

After a brief overview and history of Prudential Gary Greene, members of the firm’s core services group gave a summary of their operations and offered their perspective on current issues.

Additionally, Jamie Gregory, deputy chief lobbyist with NAR, and Ken Trepeta, director of real estate services for NAR, presented a legislative and regulatory update. Trepeta also presented an update on various NAR programs as well as a market update. Brad Viator, political representative for NAR, covered NAR field operations and upcoming political races that may impact the protection of private property rights, the free and easy trade of real estate and undue regulation and taxation on real estate.

There were also discussions of how legislative or regulatory issues could impact the local firm, the local market and the real estate industry as a whole.

“At Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors, we want to maintain and improve the standards of our company as well as the industry and believe we share that responsibility with our national association,” Woodroof said.

On July 22, Central Market, 3815 Westheimer, will be cooking up food from Down Under for $40 a person.

The menu for July 22:

• Smoked Salmon “Summer Roll” with Herbed Cucumber Salad & Soft Goat Cheese

• Beetroot & Rockette Salad with Aussie Blue & caramelized Macadamia Nuts

• Chilled Celeriac Soup with Apple Slaw & Lemon Yogurt Drizzle

• Yabbies on the barb with Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Bake and OZ Pink Salt Crust

• Grilled Lamb Chops with Grilled Summer Vegetables

• Cheeses from Australia with Wild Honey, Australian Damper Bread, Lavosh, Water Wheel Crackers & Dried Fruits

• Wattleseed Crème Brulee, Lemon Myrtle Pound Cake with Quandon (Peach) Compote & Berry Pavlova

The wines are (may vary depending on availability):

• Yalumba Riesling

• Oxford Landing Viognier

• ShooFly Buzz Cut White

• Yalumba Sangiovese Rose

• The Wishing Tree Shiraz

• Betts and Scholl OG Grenache

• The Chook Sparkling Shiraz

To register, click here.

They are looking for tutors who meet these qualifications:

• has a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• possesses strong math skills
• enjoys working with young people

Tutors will receive:

• A $20,000 salary for 10 months of service
• Benefits, including health-care coverage
• Performance and attendance bonus of up to $5,000

For more information, visit www.houstonisd.org/Apollo20Tutor.

Davila was first elected to the board in November of 2003. The board will decide, at a future date, whether to appoint a replacement to fill out the term through November 2011 or hold a special election to fill the vacancy.

In other action, the board approved the following measures:

Expanded access to popular Grad Lab courses

HISD will amend its contract with Apex Learning Inc., to accommodate an increase in demand for online credit recovery through HISD’s Grad Lab program.

Nearly 5000 students have utilized the Grad Labs since they were launched in mid-January. A total of 2053 students have completed at least one course.  All together, 3161 credits have been recovered. The average time to complete a course is 61 days with a “B” average. Graduation Coaches report that 441 students graduated in May thanks to Grad Labs and another 209 are on track to graduate in August.

Access to Advance Placement (AP) online courses will also be expanded, as well programs for alternative education, dropout prevention, pre-AP, middle-school transition, and TAKS preparedness.

Acceptance of funds for Algebra I readiness program

This $1.8 million dollar grant will be used to implement programs at nine schools to increase the preparedness of middle-school students to succeed in Algebra I.

Acceptance of funds for ninth-Grade transition and intervention program

This $258,381 grant will be distributed to fifteen high schools to aid in the successful transition of middle school students to high school.

Approval to use capital funds on emergency basis for Lee High School

The board decided to use capital funds on an emergency basis to pay for engineering and consultation services as well as construction and contractual work to repair structural damage at Lee High School

Approval of contract to create new college readiness measurement tool

The board approved a $30,000 contract with the College Board to develop a measurement tool with HISD that will diagnose a middle school’s capacity to build a foundation that prepares its students for college readiness.