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1-12-16 TWIH City news, features, and updates January 12, 2016 Th i s W e e k i n H u n t s v i l l e Just a reminder...City facilities, including the library, will be closed Monday, January 18, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We’ll see you at the parade! Guest Pledgers Local Youth Make Meetings More Special! January 5th was the first regular City Council meeting of the new year and the first over which Mayor Andy Brauninger presided in its entirety. He also had the pleasure of continuing the tra- dition of having a guest pledger to the flags. Since former Mayor Mac Woodward suggested it in December 2011, a member of the public, usually a youth, has attended most of the Council’s regular meetings to lead the pledges to the United States and Texas flags. Pledgers as young as six years old have come from groups such as the Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, HISD, AKAdemy Emerging Young Leaders, homeschool groups, and other local youth organizations. Holly Munson of Huntsville High School was asked to perform this special service at the most recent meeting, after Assistant Principal Demeka Simmons learned about the procedure. “Thank you all for the opportunity to involve our stu- dents in community business,” Ms. Simmons emailed later. “[Holly] was very thrilled to be there and her mom could not stop talking about it.” Holly was nervous about standing at the podium alone, so on the spur of the moment, she en- listed the help of her friend Payola Lopez to join her, and the two did a great job. Mayors and Councilmembers have also enjoyed this chance to involve community youth, often helping spread the word. Councilmember Humph- rey has posted links online to video of the pledg- ers, and Councilmember Montgomery was instru- mental in connecting Elaine Smith and the young ladies of AKAdemy Emerging Young Leaders. “We are always happy to hear of students interest- ed in being guest pledgers,” Councilmember Montgomery said. “It’s wonderful for them to come to City Hall and have a role in assisting our local leaders at City Council meetings.” Mayor Andy Brauninger and guest pledger Holly Munson. Former Mayor Mac Woodward with guest pledger Isabell Saumell. Mayors Make Good on Wager Mayor Andy Brauninger and former Mayor Mac Woodward filmed a short video of good-natured congratulation before Tues- day's City Council meeting, wishing the Jacksonville State University Gamecocks well in their upcoming playoff game. Mayor Woodward had accepted a chal- lenge from Jacksonville, Alabama Mayor Johnny L. Smith on the SHSU-JSU game (won by JSU on December 19). The Mayors had agreed that the winning City's mayor would supply the losing City's mayor with a jersey to be worn during the first City Council meeting in January. Watch the Mayors' full message online at https://youtu.be/v0I3go6Pdj4 Save the Date - Authors are headed to town! For a third year, the National Book Foundation returns to Huntsville in the springtime with the National Book Awards Festival. This budding literary occasion brings recent National Book Award Finalists to town for three days of events. It's an outreach program that exists to promote reading and American literature on the SHSU campus, in the community, and in the public schools, with the goal of bringing books (and the worlds contained within them) to people who might not otherwise have access to them. The 2016 guests will be Fiction Finalist Angela Flournoy, Finalist in Young People's Literature Noelle Stevenson, and Poetry Finalist Ada Limòn. The main event on Friday, March 18th, will be held in the Concert Hall of the Gaertner Center for Performing Arts with Steph Optiz, for- mer literary director of the Texas Book Festival and fiction co-chair of the Brooklyn Book Festival in New York, serv- ing as the moderator for the onstage interviews. There will be other opportunities to meet and interact with the authors and learn more about their books and the Na- tional Book Foundation during this free festival, including activities at the Huntsville Public Library and the Wynne Home. Stay tuned for the full schedule and social media updates! WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE Potable water for people, pets, and portables The City of Huntsville’s Water Division has just completed installation of its first water bottle filling station, located in Eastham-Thomason Park near the disc golf course/exercise area. Water Services Superintendent Joyce Hubbard had seen the unique and multifunctional water units and felt they would be a good addition in our public parks. “The station includes a water bottle filling tap, a drinking fountain, and a bowl at the base for the four-legged friends,” Hubbard said. “We look for- ward to the community utilizing the new station and welcome any feed- back. Look for the second station to be installed soon.” The stations are not only convenient, but also encourage park patrons to use refillable water bottles, thus re- ducing recyclable containers (plastic bottles or cans) being disposed of. Right - The next installation, at Rather Park, is already under- way! Yoga Class at the Library Are you looking for a convenient way to try yoga for the first time? Try attending our free Adult Yoga Pro- gram for Beginners at the Huntsville Public Library each Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. It’s the perfect opportunity to learn and practice yoga techniques with other enthusiasts. All we ask is for you to bring your own mat or towel. The program will take place in the Library’s Community Room on January 14 and 21. Please consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program. Registration is required. Sign up at the library, online at www.myhuntsvillelibrary.com, or call Mary Kokot at 936-291-5471. Essential Oils Classes are back! Essential oils teacher, Melissa Gonzalez, returns to the Huntsville Public Library for an all new series of classes to discuss new topics on the use of essential oils. The first class will be held January 11 from 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. in the Library’s Community Room, and February’s class will be on February 8. Learn how essential oils can encourage greater success in keeping New Year's resolutions. No registra- tion required and classes are open to all. Check the library calendar at www.myhuntsvillelibrary.com for future class times. Call Mary Kokot (936) 291-5471 for more information. Pilates for Everyone Beginning January 26, from 5:45-6:45 p.m., Pilates student teachers from the SHSU Department of Dance will lead a weekly class in Pilates in the Community Room at the Huntsville Public Library. Pilates builds strength, flexibility, and lean muscle tone, with an emphasis on lengthening the body and aligning the spine. Please bring your own towel or mat. Please consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program. The Huntsville Public Library is partnering with the SHSU Center for Community Engagement for this pro- gram. Register online at www.myhuntsvillelibrary.com or call Mary at (936)291-5471 for more infor- mation. Master Gardeners and Spring Veggies at the Library The Huntsville Public Library is pleased to host the Walker County Master Gardeners annual spring plant- ing workshop, “Starting Your Spring Vegetable Garden,” on Monday, February 15, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. in the library’s Community Room. The Master Gardeners will discuss different gardening styles, soil preparation, planting time, fertilizers, watering, drip irrigation, pest control, and more. Those who feel they lack sufficient space to plant will be delighted to learn that gardening is not necessarily confined to plants in the ground. With creativity, imagi- nation, and expert guidance from the Master Gardeners, attendees will leave with the knowledge of how to turn almost anything into an overflowing container garden. Texas Master Gardeners are members of the local community who have been accepted into the Master Gardener training program in Walker County, have attended 50 hours of instruction and have committed 50 hours of volunteer service to Walker County’s Texas Cooperative Extension program in order to attain certification. The group is committed to educating others in the community about a variety of horticulture -related topics. Their workshops and presentations are presented in an engaging manner that is condu- cive for learning. To learn more about the Master Gardeners, visit their website at http://txmg.org/walker Register online for this free workshop at www.MyHuntvilleLibrary.com Door prizes will be awarded. Contact Mary Kokot at the library at 936-291-5471 with questions or for additional information. Children and Youth Library Events & Classes Mother Goose Lapsit - This new program is designed for parents and infants aged birth to 24 months, and features songs, toys, and stories on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. – Jan. 25, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Story Time - Every Wednesday and Friday at 10:45 a.m. Parents and their children are invited to enjoy songs, stories, and crafts with a new theme each session. Jan. 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29, Feb. 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26 Lego Club - An elementary-aged building program on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays of the month from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Legos are supplied and participants are encouraged to build themed crea- tions. Jan. 21, Feb. 18 Family Movie Night - Doors to the Community Room open at 5:00 p.m., with the movie beginning promptly at 5:30 p.m. Family Movie Night is sponsored by the Texas Children’s Health Plan Pro- gram. Complimentary drinks and popcorn are served and all viewers are encouraged to bring a pillow or blanket. To get the title of the movie being shown each month, contact Children’s Coor- dinator Rachel McPhail at 936-291-5910. Feb. 12 Wii Friday - An exciting new program for elementary through high school-age students to enjoy the library’s Wii system. From 4:00-6:00 p.m. Jan. 22, 29, Feb. 19 Read with the Dogs - The monthly Read with the Dogs program is held with help from Huntsville Pets Helping People. Children are invited to read to trained therapy dogs in 15-minute seg- ments. Participants also receive a sticker with a picture of the dog they read to. Sign up for a session is available beforehand, but not required. 4:00-5:30 p.m. Feb. 15 For more information about any Children’s programs at the Huntsville Public Library, please con- tact Children’s Coordinator Rachel McPhail at 936-291-5910; for adult programs, contact Adult Services Coordinator Mary Kokot at 936-291-5471; for teen programs, contact Teen Services Coordinator Ashley Newsome at 936-291-5912. Free Spanish classes at HPL The ever popular free Spanish classes are returning to the Huntsville Public Library! Instructor Beth Williamson will teach on Tuesdays in the Community Room. The 14- week program begins February 2, and materials are provided. Register now to reserve a spot (35 students maximum for each class). Beginning classes will meet from 1:00 pm. to 3:00 p.m. and advanced classes from 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Register online at www.myhuntsvillelibrary.com or call Mary at 936- 291-5471 for additional information.