OUR TOP FIVE STORIES FOR 2017 THE ROSES…NOT THE THORNS

#5 THE WARMING OF THE OCEANS IS SAID TO HAVE
HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON THE STORMS WE EXPERIENCED
IN 2017. SO HERE IS OUR NUMBER 5 STORY:
OCTOBER 23, 2017
WHOI Led Research Team Receives Funding to Develop
Ocean Temperature Forecast System
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)
was awarded a competitive federal grant from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
to develop a forecast system that will predict seasonal
and year-to-year changes in ocean temperatures on the
Northeast U.S. Shelf. Other institutions involved in this
project include Stony Brook University (SBU) and the
Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) in Woods
Hole.
Editor’s Note: With Knowledge Comes Understanding. This
system will allow us coastal dwellers to be better prepared
for the next time around! From all of us on land and at
sea, THANK YOU for your ongoing support of Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution and our mission to uncover new
truths about the ocean.
#4 ASTROS “PROCEED” TO BECOME WORLD SERIES
CHAMPIONS. IN 2014 RODGER SHERMAN
POSTED A LITTLE STORY ON SBNATION.COM
THAT WENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
“The Houston Astros lost 106 games in 2011. They lost
107 games in 2012. They lost 111 games in 2014. They’re
on pace to lose *only* 95 this year, which buries them
down in last place in the AL West, but it’s progress!
This is called rebuilding, which is a process. A good fan
of a team going through a rebuilding process accepts it
— better times are ahead, and you have to live through
the yuck now. And you might not want to buy shirts that
say “process”:
WHO WOULD WEAR THIS? It’s not even, like, optimistic.
It’s the word ‘process,’ which is actively referring to
the drudgery of crappy baseball. We salute you, Astros
fans. We hope you soon have opportunity to buy less
depressing shirts. “
Editor’s Note: Well, they definitely got a much better t-shirt
in 2017. But perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from the
Astro’s slow and steady march to becoming World Champions,
n’est ce pas?
#3 “IN ORDER FOR SIGNIFICANT LEARNING TO
HAPPEN, THERE MUST BE A SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP”
:
We went to help hand out meals and gifts but we received
a huge helping of food for thought and the best
gift of all – HOPE for the future. At Calvin Vincent Early
Childhood Center, it is all about relationships. “Blowing
Bubbles” and “Criss Cross Applesauce” are examples
of how this incredible team of educators, led by Susan
Wilson, Principal, educate themselves to educate their
students; by delving in to and understanding, each child’s
life circumstances in order to bring each child to a mental
and physical state of learning.
Editor’s Note: keep an eye out for Susan’s Column which will
be a regular monthly feature of our Sunday issues in 2018.
#2 A STINGAREE GIVES BACK & BECOMES FIRST:
2017 was a year for appreciation; appreciation for our educators,
appreciation for our civil servants and appreciation
for our community. One name in particular though,
stands out – mostly because of what she most recently
accomplished. Manda Serenil is one of the Texas City
Police Officers we interviewed in 2017. This highly focused,
disciplined officer told us that she loved being
an ID officer because she wanted to be “the first on the
scene.” So imagine my surprise when I heard Manda
has become Galveston County’s first female SWAT team
member! Congratulations Galveston County!
Editor’s Note: Manda is also a mom who believes in “structure,
detail and discipline”. Watch this space for more on
Officer Serenil and many other Galveston County Civil Servants.
#1 BEING PREPARED PAYS OFF:
Our number one story for 2017, has to be The Office of
Emergency Management and it’s Dynamic Duo, Tom
Munoz and Bryan Rivera, who put together a Town Hall
Meeting on June 22nd, 2017, to begin preparing our community
for a hurricane whose devastation we would not
even begin to realize for months to come.
They stressed the importance of having a plan in place
should disaster strike. They also put together a workshop
for Nursing Home Caregivers to prepare them to be fully
prepared to care for their all too vulnerable charges – the
infirm and the elderly.
Editor’s Note: Not only did Munoz and Rivera Volunteers
Becky Hoke & Jakerrin Price prepare all of us for the coming
disaster, Munoz was called to help out in Puerto Rico as
a Coast Guard Reserve Office, leaving Rivera to continue to
coordinate Harvey aftermath activities.
2018 is gearing up to be a year full of promise with an
economy and job market in better shape than we have
seen in years. It also comes in at a time when, across
the globe, we see anger, desperation, suspicion and fear.
The good news is here at home, we stay pretty busy honoring
educators, civil servants as well as religious, business
and civic leaders who continue to tirelessly step up
to the plate to do much, much more than they are asked
to do in order to keep our communities safe, our children
learning, and our hearts and minds full and ready to
serve whenever the next call comes.
Editor’s Note: Be sure to visit us online to see Galveston
County 2017 in pictures. And please, while you’re there,
SUBSCRIBE. $25 of each annual subscription will go to your
choice of Foundation for the Future or Galveston County
Food Bank. HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL OF US TO
ALL OF YOU!
One More Thing…it looks like our “feel good’ positive approach
to news is catching on! TIME Magazine’ latest issue
is all about Optimism. Guest Editor Bill Gates helped
to create an augmented, reality-enhanced issue. To see
more and experience a Gates approach to magazine editing
take a peek at: http://time.com/5084021/optimismar/