What You can buY during tax-Free Weekend

Ihesitate to say this, but the time has come for back-to-school shopping. I can already hear the credit cards crying from the depths of parents’ wallets all across the Branch. If you enjoy saving your hard-earned dollars like I do, you’ll appreciate the upcoming tax-free weekend in Texas, typically geared toward back-to-school clothing, shoes, supplies, and other related items. This year’s tax holiday weekend is August 11-13 (ending at midnight) and any individual item purchased must be less than $100 to qualify — but your total can be well over $100 — which we all know is very easy to hit. I’ve included items below from the state comptroller’s website; for more detailed lists, please visit comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/98-490.

Qualifying items include almost all footwear and clothing (too many to list here), as well as disposable and cloth masks, with the exception of:

• Items sold for $100 or more

• Clothing subscription boxes

• Specially designed athletic activity or protective use clothing or footwear

• Clothing or footwear rentals, alterations, and cleaning services

• Items used to make or repair clothing

• Jewelry, handbags, purses, briefcases, luggage, athletic/ duffle/gym bags, computer bags, umbrellas, wallets, watches, and other accessories

• Computers

• Software

• Textbooks

By Liz Clearman

School supplies, of course, make the grade and include:

• Binders

• Blackboard chalk

• Backpacks and book bags

• Calculators

• Cellophane tape

• Compasses

• Composition books

• Crayons

• Erasers

• Folders (expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila)

• Glue, paste, and paste sticks

• Highlighters

• Index cards and index card boxes

• Kits (taxability depends on the value of exempt or taxable items in it; if the value of exempt items is more than the taxable items, the kit is exempt)

• Legal pads

• Lunch boxes

• Markers

• Notebooks

• Paper (loose leaf ruled notebook paper, copy paper, graph paper, tracing paper, manila paper, colored paper, poster board, and construction paper)

• Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes

• Pencil sharpeners

• Pencils and pens

• Protractors

• Rulers

• Scissors

• Writing tablets

What Would You take iF You had to leave?

By Liz Clearman

Li ving in Houston — or really, anywhere within spitting distance of the Gulf Coast — means that you have to be prepared in a moment’s notice to evacuate due to flooding, high winds, and hurricanes. While you’ve hopefully got a solid emergency kit at your house, it’s equally critical to have a “go bag” that you can grab for each member of your family, as well as a go-to spot for any sentimental or important items that you would be devastated to lose in the event of a natural disaster and can grab quickly. Hurricane season officially started in June and lasts until November, but we usually see the most activity in August and September. Now is the perfect time to evaluate what you already have at home and then make a list of what you still need. I’ve listed what the American Red Cross and Ready.gov have as part of their evacuation essentials, but I’m also including some items I’ve purchased over the years to make sure we’re prepared — just in case.

• A three-day supply of water (don’t forget the pets!); plan on one gallon per person per day

• Nonperishable, easy-to-prepare food items (plan on at least three days of food per person plus snacks for an evacuation. If you end up not using your stash, just keep it until next hurricane season; once food gets close to its expiration date, if you haven’t eaten it, donate it to a local food bank)

• Flashlights

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio with NOAA Weather Radio, if possible

• Extra batteries

• A fully stocked first aid kit

• A seven-day supply of any prescription medications for everyone in your family (including pets), as well as any extra over-the-counter meds/ medical supplies you might need (contacts, hearing aids, glasses, etc.)

• A multipurpose tool (Leatherman or Swiss Army are great options)

• Sanitation and personal hygiene items

• Copies of important documents (medication lists, pertinent medical information, the deed/ lease to your home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)

• Cell phones and other devices with chargers

• Family and emergency contact info

• Extra cash

• Emergency blankets

• LifeStraw (filters contaminants from water): lifestraw.com

• Pet supplies (pet carriers, travel/ disposable litter boxes, travel food bowls, collars, leashes, toys, etc.)

• Activities for kids

• Extra set of keys (car and house)

• Manual can opener

• Camping stove with canned fuel

• Two-way radios/walkie talkies

• Matches

• Towels

• Rain gear

• Work gloves

• Blankets and sleeping bags

• WaterBOB emergency water storage: waterbob.com

• Valuable/sentimental items: photos, artwork, stuffed animals, jewelry, etc. Sources:

• Battery operated fans

back to school!

1 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “the croods: a new age” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am tuesday nights @ the library: Mending with embroidery @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 7 pm

2 cinemark Summer Movie clubhouse: “lyle, lyle, crocodile” @ Cinemark Memorial City, time TBA

Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “the croods: a new age” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am baby time! @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 10:15 am Fandom party! @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 2 pm

3 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “the croods: a new age” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am toddler time @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 10:15 am energy corridor Farmers Market & More @ 1520 Eldridge Pkwy, 4 pm teen chess club @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 4:30 pm

Yoga for beginners @ VFW Post 8790, 5 pm

Spring branch Super neighborhood central meeting @ 1560 Foley St., 6:30 pm

4 Friday Movies @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 2 pm

3d printer orientation @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 4 pm Steak night @ VFW Post 8790, 6 pm

5 Second anniversary Sidewalk Sale @ Freedom Floral, time TBA hotel Zaza’s pup palooza @ The Lawn at Memorial City, 8 am

Memorial villages Farmers Market @ First Congregational Church, 9 am american Shuffleboard tournament & Queen of hearts drawing @ VFW Post 8790, 2 pm

Queen of hearts game @ VFW Post 8790, 5:30 pm

7 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “kung Fu panda”

@ SMG CityCentre, 10 am

Seminar: “bond investments in this high interest rate environment” presented by oppenheimer & co. @ Trini Mendenhall Community Center, 1:30 pm preschool Story time @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 2:15 pm

8 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “kung Fu panda” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am page turners book club @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 6:15 pm

“ain’t too proud: the life and times of the temptations” @ The Hobby Center, 7:30 pm

9 cinemark Summer Movie clubhouse: “puss in boots: the last Wish” @ Cinemark Memorial City, time TBA

Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “kung Fu panda” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am baby time! @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 10:15 am

“ain’t too proud: the life and times of the temptations” @ The Hobby Center, 7:30 pm

10 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “kung Fu panda” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am toddler time @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 10:15 am energy corridor Farmers Market & More

@ 1520 Eldridge Pkwy, 4 pm

Summer Socials @ CityCentre, 5 pm

Yoga for beginners @ VFW Post 8790, 5 pm toastmasters @ VFW Post 8790, 6:30 pm

“ain’t too proud: the life and times of the temptations”

@ The Hobby Center, 7:30 pm

11 Tax-free weekend!

“ain’t too proud: the life and times of the temptations”

@ The Hobby Center, 8 pm

12 Tax-free weekend!

Memorial Market @ The Lawn at Memorial City, 9 am

Memorial villages Farmers Market @ First Congregational Church, 9 am coffee and coloring @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 10 am

“hope for our Future” back 2 School Spring branch community event @ Splat Zone, 12 pm

“ain’t too proud: the life and times of the temptations” @ The Hobby Center, 2 pm & 8 pm american Shuffleboard tournament & Queen of hearts drawing @ VFW Post 8790, 2 pm

Queen of hearts game @ VFW Post 8790, 5:30 pm

13 Tax-free weekend!

“ain’t too proud: the life and times of the temptations” @ The Hobby Center, 2 pm & 7:30 pm

14 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “Sing 2” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am tech help hour @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 2 pm

15 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “Sing 2” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am

16 First day of school for SbiSd students!

Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “Sing 2” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am

17 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “Sing 2” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am energy corridor Farmers Market & More @ 1520 Eldridge Pkwy, 4 pm

Yoga for beginners @ VFW Post 8790, 5 pm Spring branch Super neighborhood east meeting @ 1414 Wirt Rd., 7 pm

18 parachute play time @ CityCentre, 9 am parents’ night out @ Splat Zone, 5:30 pm hamburgers & hot dogs @ VFW Post 8790, 6 pm

Jazz+: a Summer Sunset Series @ The Lawn at Memorial City, 7 pm

19 Spring branch american legion post 654 75th anniversary celebration @ Post 654, time TBA

Memorial villages Farmers Market @ First Congregational Church, 9 am american Shuffleboard tournament & Queen of hearts drawing @ VFW Post 8790, 2 pm

Queen of hearts game @ VFW Post 8790, 5:30 pm

21 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “Spirit untamed” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am

22 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “Spirit untamed” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am

23 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “Spirit untamed” @ SMG CityCentre, 10 am

24 Studio Movie grill Summer Series: “Spirit untamed”

@ SMG CityCentre, 10 am energy corridor Farmers Market & More @ 1520 Eldridge Pkwy, 4 pm advanced gmail @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 4:30 pm

Summer Socials @ CityCentre, 5 pm

Yoga for beginners @ VFW 8790, 5 pm toastmasters @ VFW Post 8790, 6:30 pm

25 blood drive @ Memorial City Mall, 1 pm

26 tax Free Weekend @ Freedom Floral nosegay Floral Workshop @ Freedom Floral, time TBA

Memorial villages Farmers Market @ First Congregational Church, 9 am paws for literacy @ Spring Branch Memorial Library, 2 pm american Shuffleboard tournament & Queen of hearts drawing @ VFW Post 8790, 2 pm

Queen of hearts game @ VFW Post 8790, 5:30 pm

28 SbiSd board of trustees regular meeting @ Wayne Schaper Sr. Leadership Center, 6 pm

31 energy corridor Farmers Market & More @ 1520 Eldridge Pkwy, 4 pm