The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is taking measures to increase access to capital among the smallest of businesses. Effective October 1, 2022 thru September 30, 2023, there will be zero SBA guaranty fees on 7(a) loans of $500,000 or less. For SBA 7(a) loans, the guaranty fee is assessed on the portion of the loan that the SBA guarantees. Normally, this fee can be up to 2.77% for loans of $500,000 and less. The move […]
Sugar Land
Harmony To Offer Free And Reduced-Price Meals To Eligible Students
Harmony Public Schools announced its policy today for providing free and reduced-price meals for children served under the attached current income eligibility guidelines. Each school/site or the central office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by anyone on request. Starting on Aug. 1, 2022, Harmony Public Schools will begin distributing letters to the households of the children in the district about eligibility benefits and any actions households need to take to […]
Houston-area teachers receive pay increase from Harmony Public Schools
Harmony Public Schools teachers in Houston, Cypress, Katy and Sugar Land will receive an increase in base salary next year. The Harmony Executive Board earlier this summer voted unanimously to provide a a $1,000 pay increase for all Houston-area employees currently on the teacher pay scale, as well as an additional $500 increase for those with an existing teacher certification. The move increases the minimum salary for certified Harmony teachers in Greater Houston to $59,000. […]
Texas Sales Tax Holiday is Aug. 5-7
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding shoppers they can save money on clothes and school supplies during the state’s sales tax holiday on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5-7. State law exempts sales tax on qualified items — such as clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks — priced below $100, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. The dates of the sales tax holiday and list of tax-exempt items are set by the […]
First Community Credit Union Partners with NYDIG to Launch Cryptocurrency
Rapidly-growing credit union enhances the member experience by offering Bitcoin services. First Community Credit Union (FCCU), located in Houston, TX, has partnered with NYDIG, a leading Bitcoin company, to provide members a trusted, safe and secure solution to buy, sell and hold bitcoin within their mobile app and online banking platform. First Community Credit Union (FCCU) leads the way as a high-tech, high-touch credit union and continuously remains on the cutting edge of technology while maintaining the security […]
Don’t Forget to Give Your Child a Boost!
Booster seats help children fit adult seat belts With so many more stresses added to daily life it is important not to forget that children who are too small to fit the vehicle seat belt are at risk and need to ride in booster seats. The seat belt that is designed to save an adult’s life in a crash does not fit a young child and the poor fit of the seat belt can actually […]
Texas Game Wardens Advise Texans to “Stay Dry” While Boating This Fourth
Alcohol, Drug Abuse Contributes to Fatal Boating Accidents in Texas The slips and boat ramps of Texas will soon buzz with activity as Fourth of July weekend approaches. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) reminds boaters to follow basic safety precautions while on the water. Game wardens will join the United States Coast Guard and thousands of law enforcement officers on heightened alert for violations as part of Operation Dry Water, a nationally coordinated enforcement campaign […]
Houston-Area Teachers Receive Pay Increase From Harmony Public Schools
Harmony Public Schools teachers in Houston, Cypress, Katy and Sugar Land will receive an increase in base salary next year, following a weekend vote by the Harmony Public Schools Executive Board. The board on Saturday voted unanimously to provide a a $1,000 pay increase for all Houston-area employees currently on the teacher pay scale, as well as an additional $500 increase for those with an existing teacher certification. The move increases the minimum salary for […]
Cornyn’s Juneteenth Resolution Passes Senate
U.S. Senator John Cornyn’s (R-TX) resolution honoring Juneteenth passed the Senate last week. Text is below, and you can view the full resolution and a list of cosponsors here. Designating June 19, 2022, as “Juneteenth National Independence Day” in recognition of June 19, 1865, the date on which news of the end of slavery reached the slaves in the Southwestern States. Whereas news of the end of slavery did not reach the frontier areas of […]
Virtual school option announced for 2022-23 school year by Harmony Public Schools
Harmony Public Schools will offer a full virtual learning option to students in kindergarten through Grade 12 this fall. Harmony will, of course, also continue to offer in-person learning at each of its 58 campuses for the majority of its 38,000 students across Texas. The virtual school, however – known as Harmony Virtual Academy – is intended for those families who either still need or prefer to learn online. “We’ve learned during the pandemic that most students still learn […]