Welcome to the West Ranch Community News section. Here you will find frequently updated Southeast Houston and Friendswood news regarding the community as well as model homes, events, and projects in and around West Ranch.
Feel free to share your thoughts and comments, as we join together with the Houston area communities and citizens in building an interactive relationship!
Last week, the Friendswood City Council unanimously voted FOR the FM 528/Moore Road site as the new home of the city’s animal shelter.
The new Moore Road facility will be built at a cost of no more than $1 million, and will replace the current shelter located on Deepwood. The current shelter’s history of flooding was a key factor in the citizen argument against a remodel and an obvious consideration by all council members.
“A lot of work has gone into this and it’s time we make a decision,” council member Mike Barker said before council voted 6-0 for the FM 528 site.
Deepwood’s condition and accessibility issues were also mentioned because, although it had passed their last state inspection conditionally, the state had an understanding that the city was going to take action and build an up-to-date facility.
“What really causes the problems down there is the creek flooding,” Friendswood Police Chief Robert Weiners said.
This year's 4th of July Celebration, "Red, White and Blue Go Green, Keep Friendswood Beautiful" will be a two day event! The celebration will be jam-packed with entertainment, food and fun for the entire family.
The celebration will kick off Sunday night with the concert and fireworks extravaganza beginning at 7 p.m. at Friendswood's Centennial Park. Popular entertainer Rick Trevino will headline the evening’s entertainment. The fireworks will light up the sky beginning at approximately 9:20 p.m. “The fireworks will be choreographed to patriotic music and are guaranteed to be one of the best fireworks displays in the Houston area,” state public officials.
Public parking will not be available at Centennial Park for the Evening Program. Free shuttle service will be available from Clear Brook High School and from Friendswood Community Church, on 2821 Parkwood Ave. Shuttle services will begin running at 6:30 p.m.
On Monday, July 5th The Grand Parade will travel down Friendswood Drive. The parade will begin at 10 a.m., at the corner of FM 518 and Heritage Drive, and will feature over 100 entries from Friendswood and around the State of Texas. The parade will conclude at Stevenson Park where rides, games, food, live entertainment and fun for the entire family will take place. The Zydeco Dots will be the featured entertainment along with a variety of patriotic performances throughout the day. The activities will begin shortly after the conclusion of the parade.
Throughout the year, the Friendswood Public Library has activities and story time for children. During the hot summer months, they offer an extensive schedule of FREE programs for children, teens and adults that include craft classes, movies, music and movement as well as reading clubs and more. Here are just a few of the activities for June:
June 15, 16 and 18
Toddlertime for babies from birth to 3 years
Time: 10:10 a.m. (every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from June 1 – July 30)
The recently completed Veterans Memorial was unveiled in a morning ceremony last Monday on Memorial Day. This newest addition to the beautiful community areas, including Stevenson Park and Friendswood City Hall, includes an eight by sixteen foot steel flag, created by local resident Jay Horecky, in honor of the sacrifices so graciously made by Friendswood veterans.
The granite base of the flag is inscribed “Honor, Gratitude, Respect and Remembrance to the Men and Women who served in the Armed Forces of the United States”. And, the flag is elegantly flanked by two stately columns, etched with the three military branch insignias, topped by an eagle statue and a large world globe.
A small meditation area is set up around the memorial including benches, lighting, serene landscaping for those seeking a moment of silence or prayer area.
Thank God for our great community who still practices the faith that our city was founded on!
Friendswood was among many towns across our great nation that celebrated the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 6, 2010, led by Mayor David Smith. The ceremonies were held at Friendswood’s Stevenson Park Pavilion and included prayer and scripture reading. Music was performed by Sound Principle under the direction of Ellen Cullins, from Bay Area Christian School.
The Continental Congress established the National Day of Prayer in 1775 and the annual event was signed into law by President Harry S. Truman in 1952 through a joint resolution of the United States Congress. President Ronald Reagan amended the Day of Prayer in 1988 by designating it as the first Thursday of May each year.
The Friendswood Journal stated the community “joined in prayer for our nation and our leaders, to thank God for His blessings upon this land and our city, to seek God’s intervention in the problems we face, and seek His guidance for our nation’s and city’s government and community leaders.”
Exemplary Friendswood ISD intermediate schools were recognized on April 8, as Galveston County Health District observed National Public Health Week and National Immunization Week.
Bales and Windsong Intermediate cafeteria staffs were honored with the Gold Ribbon Award for Excellent Food Service Operators during a ceremony at the Wayne Johnson community center in La Marque. Galveston county commissioners Stephen Holmes and Brian Lamb were present to congratulate the 66 award recipients.
On Saturday, April 18, 2009, the Friendswood Historical Society in conjunction with the Friendswood Chamber of Commerce will be holding our annual F.I.G. (Friendswood Is Great) Festival at Stevenson Park.
Last year was the Historical Society’s second year to work with the Chamber of Commerce at their annual car show. This year, we are expanding our craft show and are able to have more space available for vendors or crafts and other items of interest. Historical sites will also be open to the public for tours.
The Friendswood Chamber of Commerce will host their annual “Spring Sparkle” event Saturday, April 10, 2010 from 8.00am-2:00pm .This annual event allows Friendswood residents the opportunity to dispose of large trash items such as tree limbs, old appliances and old furniture. Some household hazardous waste is not accepted. The event will be held near West Ranch at Centennial Park, 2200 S. Friendswood Dr. For more information, please contact the City of Friendswood Community Services department at 281-996-3220.
With the recent progress in the direction of mixed use real estate development and the recent un-doing of the “dry city” status, it’s no surprise that the arrival of a “Big City” chain coming to Friendswood has created quite an exciting buzz in our wonderfully quaint town of Friendswood, Texas!
So, with great pride, I can confirm that Birraporetti’s Restaurant is coming to Friendswood. "We're very excited about it," Donna Huckleberry, an office manager in their Houston office said. “Crews are preparing the eatery, which formerly housed Babbo Bruno's. But officials have not pinned down an opening date yet,” according to Huckleberry. Locals can already see the transformation beginning, with fresh exterior paint and a flurry of contractors working inside and out.
That is a big statement for a building, but that is exactly how The Friendswood Park Plaza office building at 907 S. Friendswood Drive is being described. Right across the street from City Hall this building is now a staple location in Friendswood offering office space in 100% of its 20,400 sq ft of space.
Offering 100% of floor space to offices would not have been possible with the original zoning of the building as Neighborhood Financial which limited office space to 60% of gross floor space. In order to make this change happen Crystal Creek Developers requested a zoning re-classification for which the Friendswood City Council was pleased to accept. “They didn’t have to do that,” shared Jim Barr, Friendswood City Council member, “They’re doing this at their own expense to make it more attractive for the people of Friendswood. I think it’s impressive what they’ve done.”
This year's 4th of July Celebration, "Red, White and Blue Go Green, Keep Friendswood Beautiful" will be a two day event! The celebration will be jam-packed with entertainment, food and fun for the entire family. 
Throughout the year, the Friendswood Public Library has activities and story time for children. During the hot summer months, they offer an extensive schedule of FREE programs for children, teens and adults that include craft classes, movies, music and movement as well as reading clubs and more. Here are just a few of the activities for June:
Thank God for our great community who still practices the faith that our city was founded on! 
On Saturday, April 18, 2009, the Friendswood Historical Society in conjunction with the Friendswood Chamber of Commerce will be holding our annual F.I.G. (Friendswood Is Great) Festival at Stevenson Park.
With the recent progress in the direction of mixed use real estate development and the recent un-doing of the “dry city” status, it’s no surprise that the arrival of a “Big City” chain coming to Friendswood has created quite an exciting buzz in our wonderfully quaint town of Friendswood, Texas!
That is a big statement for a building, but that is exactly how The Friendswood Park Plaza office building at 907 S. Friendswood Drive is being described. Right across the street from City Hall this building is now a staple location in Friendswood offering office space in 100% of its 20,400 sq ft of space.