Dr. Parker to address Men's Prayer Breakfast at St. Francis

The men of St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Prairie View will host its monthly Men’s Prayer Breakfast on November 23 at 8:30 a.m. at the church on 204 Dooley Street. The speaker for the event is Dr. William H. Parker, professor in the Whitlow Green College of Education and former Dean of the graduate school at Prairie View A&M University. The free event is open to all men of the community. The public is also invited to Friday Night Bible Study at the church 7:00 p.m. Come out and enjoy the fellowship and the word. For information call 936-857-3272 or write stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net.

Friday, November 22 marks the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas. Kennedy was 46 years old, the youngest person elected to the position. Kennedy is remembered for championing several civil rights foreign relations efforts. We ask that you turn on your headlights during the day in memoriam to President Kennedy.

The Prairie View City Council will host its monthly meeting on November 26 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Chambers on US 290 Business. Mayor Frank D. Jackson and Council invite the citizens to come out and let their voices be heard.

The men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity are gearing up to celebrate the 107th Anniversary of the founding of the fraternity at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York on December 4, 1906. The event is set for 5:00 p.m. December 8 at the Johnson Phillip All Faiths Chapel, with Congressman Al Green as the featured speaker. Green represents Texas Congressional District Texas 9 in Houston. District Director Terrance Robinson will also address the audience. The event is hosted by District Area IX, which includes Epsilon Tau Lambda and Eta Gamma Chapters. For information, write unitancommunications@yahoo.com.

The Ann Preston Unit, Prairie View Retired Teachers and Educational Personnel Association hosted its monthly meeting on November 20 in the Parish Hall of St. Francis of Assisi in Prairie View. Mr. Christopher Cotton, Program Specialist with the Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension Services was the featured speaker, along Miss Jasmine Wiggins, graduate assistant. Mr. Cotton shared the various services available to the members. For information on Extension Services, contact Mr. Cotton at crcotton@pvamu.edu or 936-261-5107. Mrs. Joyce Thornton is the president. The next meeting of the association is December 18 at 1:00 p.m.

The Prairie View Federal Credit Union is gearing up for some new services and training of its members. On November 13, several members of the board and credit committee participated in a training session on Collections, Marketing and Management. Mrs. Linda Milton, president and CEO of Team Financial Credit Union was the trainer. The credit union recently received approval for expansion of its membership. Stay tuned . . . more to come!

The staff and students of Radio Station, KPVU FM 91.3 at Prairie View A&M University invite the community listeners and supporters to participate in its 32nd Anniversary Fund Drive, now in progress. KPVU had its debut on November 26, 1981 and is still the only electronic media in the Waller County – Tri City area. Station General Manager, Cheryl Granger Brooks welcomes your support. For information, contact cdbrooks@pvamu.edu or 936-261-3750.

Your prayers and encouragement are welcomed for the health and well-being of Esel Bell, Ernestine Carreathers, Irene Davis, Cheryl Edmond, Thetis Edmond, B. J. Freeman, Lula Kinney, David Kirkpatrick, James Poindexter, Willie Singleton, Willie Smith, Mary Ann Stubblefield, March Tramble, Ella Weaver and Douglas Woolfolk. Happy November Birthdays: Larry Hickman (20), William ‘Trey’ Reid (20), Gwendolyn Carter (21), Eichele Shafer (21), Kevin Tompkins (21), Cleola Walker (21), Samuel Montgomery (23), Priscilla Yell (23), James Jacob Boyer (26), Irma Kendrick (26) and Charles McClelland (26).

More than 250 guests and friends attended the Black Tie Scholarship and Power 100 Awards Gala on November 16 hosted by the Collegiate 100 and 100 Collegiate Women of America’s at Prairie View A&M University. The honorees were Texas State Representatives Alma Allen and Sylvester Turner, Dr. George Brown, Dr. Kelvin Kirby and members of the Prairie View A&M University Women’s Volley Ball and the Track Teams. Dr. Allen electrified the audience with her message of hope, education and young people remembering their heritage. The Collegiate 100 chapters are sponsored by the 100 Black Men of Metro Houston, Inc. Also, forty-eight new members were formally pinned at the gala. For information, go to web: http://collegiate100pvamu.com.

A VIEW FROM THE HILL: On November 22, folks will descend on Prairie View A&M University for the Comedy Roast and Toast to Dr. George C. Wright, commemorating his ten years as President of the university. The event begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Willie A. Tempton, Sr. Memorial Student Center Ballroom. All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Rebecca E. Wright Scholarship Fund. For information, log onto www.pvamu.edu.

November 16 was a great day for athletics for at Prairie View A&M Department of Athletics with the groundbreaking ceremony focusing on the construction of the new Panther Baseball Field. Construction will include covered grandstands with 512 total seats along with bleacher seating, concession stands and press boxes. Construction is slated for 2014 completion. Officials participating were senior All-SWAC First Baseman Dominiq Harris, Athletic Director Ashley Robinson and President Dr. George C. Wright; and Mr. Roy G. Perry of the PVAMU Foundation.

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. E. Joahanne Thomas-Smith is purportedly stepping down after 18 years in the office of Academic Affairs at Prairie View A&M University. Smith has a long tenure at the university which began in 1968 when then an instructor of English. (Resume')Thomas Smith will become the new Institutional Accreditation Officer and return to the classroom, effective August 31, 2014. Thomas Smith served in several capacities, including director of the honors program, head of the Department of English and Foreign Languages, associate provost and director of Title III and provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. She also managed the University’s accreditation processes, new degree programs and services, conceptualized and established the student success programs including the highly touted iREAD Progam for the freshmen.

Until next week, in the words of Maya Angelo, remember that "The horizon leans forward, offering you space to place new steps of change. Keep the news, achievements and recognitions coming to prairieviewtoday@iwon.com, or P. O. Box 2906, Prairie View, Texas 77446.