The San Antonio Museum of Art is excited to host Matisse: Life in Color this summer. The opening date is June 14th and tickets are available now. The exhibit includes various paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the Baltimore Museum of Art’s permanent collection.

SAMA hopes to see Matisse take San Antonio by storm. Twenty businesses and organizations are partnering with the museum to provide food, displays, events and other promotions to help make the exhibit a big hit.

During a press conference on Tuesday, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro expressed his excitement about the exhibit. “San Antonio is a city on the rise. It’s a city with a very clear vision, [and] at the heart of all of it is the kind of work the museum is doing to make our city a culturally vibrant place.”

Events like this will continue to boost the city’s ever-growing reputation of being culturally rich and diverse.

Matisse: Life in Color will be on display from June 14th through September 7th. Every half hour, groups of 80 will tour the exhibit to promote an intimate viewing experience. SAMA will also host events throughout the summer, allowing enthusiasts to further explore Matisse’s creative process. To find out more about tickets, click here.

This past weekend was the City of Katy’s annual Paws in the Park Spring Fling. Paws in the Park is a fun event that allows pet owners to enjoy katy’s dog park while also giving them the opportunity to register their pets.

If you’ve been holding off from getting your pet registered, there may be a few things you haven’t considered.

Fun things you can do once you register your dog:

• Compete in dog shows.
• Breed a litter of puppies.
• Board your dog while out of town.
• Go to the dog parks (dogs must be registered to visit parks).

If your dog ever goes missing, registration tags:

• Show that your dog isn’t a stray.
• Prove he/she has been vaccinated for rabies.
• Allow your pet to receive emergency medical treatment if needed.
• Make it easy for whoever finds your pet to quickly contact you.

Registering your pet is easy and can be done by mail, phone or online. For more information or to register online, click here.

Whether this is your first year at Fiesta or you’re a seasoned vet, you won’t want to miss this week’s most anticipated events:

NIOSA: A Night in Old San Antonio

This four night celebration features tasty international food, live music on themed stages and great street vendors.

Tuesday-Friday, 5:30-10:30 p.m. daily

La Villita, 210-226-5188

Cornyation

Get rowdy at this wild event known for political satire that supports local HIV/AIDS foundations as well as scholarships in theater arts.

Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 and 10 p.m.

Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, 226 N. St. Mary's St.

Taste of the Northside

Enjoy fine food and drinks from more than fifty local restaurants at the Club at Sonterra. In addition to a new beer garden, this year’s event will also have a fireworks display to celebrate its 15th anniversary. Proceeds from the event benefit the Brighton Center.

Wednesday, 5:30-10:30 p.m.

Club at Sonterra, 901 Sonterra Blvd.

Coronation of the Queen of the Order of the Alamo

Come see the presentation of the duchesses, queen and princess of this year’s Court of the Order of the Alamo. After the grand presentation of the court, musicians will entertain both the audience and royalty.

Wednesday, 8 p.m.

Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St.

For more information about this week’s events go to www.fiesta-sa.org.

Students choose their major in college based on a variety of reasons. Some choose what interests them the most, others choose what’s easiest, and a few forward-thinkers might even choose based on opportunity the degree provides. But what about pursuing a profession to help people like your dad?

That’s exactly what Kallie Velasco did.

Velasco is a Kingwood High School senior who made the decision to become a nurse after her father was diagnosed with cancer. She wanted to become someone who helped others in need. And Randall Reed from Planet Ford in Humble was there to encourage her every step of the way.

On April 4th, Velasco and her parents were called up to the school where she was surprised by Reed and the team from Planet Ford who presented her a $5,000 scholarship toward her education at Texas State University.

“This is amazing; I was not expecting this at all,” said Velasco after being presented the check.

This is Reed’s first year granting scholarships to deserving students in Humble Independent School District. Forty-seven students applied for the scholarship with Reed pouring through every essay to choose the most compassionate, most driven student to receive the scholarship.

In addition to the initial scholarship, Reed sweetened the deal by telling Velasco as long as she maintains a 3.7 GPA, they will give her $5,000 for all four years of college.

“This will help us tremendously,” Kathy Velasco, Kallie’s mom, said. “We had no clue why we were asked to come to the school. We are so proud of Kallie. This scholarship is huge especially with everything going on and the medical bills. I feel such a sense of relief.”

Viva Fiesta! One of the largest and longest-running festivals in the United States is set to kick off in San Antonio April 10th. It lasts for eighteen days and is jam-packed with dance, music, food and fun.

This will be Fiesta’s 123rd year to celebrate the brave heroes of the Alamo and Battle of San Jacinto. The festival represents authentic San Antonio culture and is known for an incredible array of street dancing, lively music and beautiful art.

Fiesta’s impact on the local economy, however, is commonly overlooked. The city-wide party injected some $284 million into the local economy in 2007 and employs local services to help run the event. Tickets just went on sale -- you can buy them online or drop by the Fiesta Store located at 2611 Broadway in San Antonio.

Fiesta San Antonio has offered family-friendly for over one century. From parades to carnival rides, there’s something for everyone -- so bring the whole family!

Fiesta San Antonio is waiting for you!

Standard & Poor’s Rating Services recently conducted a review of the City of Tomball and increased its long-term rating from “AA-” to “AA+.” This marks a major accomplishment for Tomball and provides great optimism for the city’s future.

The rating increase relates to the City of Tomball’s existing general obligation debt and was based on several factors, including:

• A strong economy.
• Strong budgetary flexibility, with reserves above thirty percent of expenditures for the past several years.
• Adequate budgetary performance.
• Very strong liquidity.
• Very strong management conditions and financial practices.

Tomball’s growing economy and close proximity to the Houston metropolitan area are other key contributors to the exemplary rating. The rating reinforces the City of Tomball’s stable future outlook and would be welcome news for cities of any size.

For more information about Tomball, visit them on the web.

On Wednesday, Google revealed plans to bring super-fast Internet to San Antonio. How fast you ask? Try 100 times faster than standard broadband.

“We know that consumers want high-speed internet,” said Google Fiber General Manager Kevin Lo. “In fact, most of the things we do today require a lot of bandwidth. Nobody likes it when websites buffer, when videos that we’re trying to watch don’t load properly.”

According to the Google Fiber blog, the company has identified San Antonio as one of nine major metropolitan areas to host its services in the near future. Google Fiber is currently up and running in Kansas City and Provo, Utah with Austin underway.

This futuristic Internet uses fiber-optic cable to facilitate data transmission at incredible rates; a customer could download a feature-length film or an entire music library in a matter of seconds. This type of service could bolster the already strong economy in San Antonio, luring tech startups and other business to the city.

“There’s no question that there’s a certain cachet that comes with being a Google Fiber city,” said Mayor Julián Castro. “I look forward to working to make San Antonio one of those cities.”

To follow this story, check out San Antonio Express-News’s coverage here.

Score another point for Greater Houston’s acclaimed medical industry -- the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons has granted a three-year accreditation to the cancer program at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital. Earning CoC accreditation is quite an achievement. In addition to excellent patient care, there are thirty-four quality standards Memorial Hermann Katy’s cancer program is required to meet in order to maintain their standing. These standards are reevaluated every three years. “We are committed to providing the communities we serve with the best possible cancer care,” said Scott Barbe, Chief Executive Officer at Memorial Hermann Katy. “Our staff is committed to continually improving and this achievement demonstrates the results of that dedication.” The CoC was founded in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons for one reason: To improve the quality of life for cancer patients. By setting standards, leading research and monitoring the care cancer patients receive, they are helping each patient live longer, healthier lives. For Memorial Hermann Katy, the CoC accreditation allows greater opportunities to improve its already stellar patient care. For more information, visit Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital on the web here.

On February 2nd, Centro Cultural Aztlan is showcasing an art exhibit commemorating the 1848 signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This year’s theme honors the Soldadera -- female soldiers who fought bravely alongside men during the Mexican Revolution. The event runs through March 29th and is open Monday through Friday from 9AM to 5PM.

Centro Cultural Aztlan was founded in 1977 and has long championed the empowerment of Latino culture in San Antonio. The organization continually hosts programs, exhibits and other avenues of Latin cultural expression. As a beacon of honor, beauty and creativity, the Soldadera provides the perfect inspiration for artists celebrating Segundo de Febrero.

El Segundo de Febrero is an annual event hosted by Centro Cultural Aztlan since 1978. Check out their website to learn more.

For nearly a decade, Texas has been considered the most popular state for relocation. According to the annual Allied Van Lines Magnet States Report, Texas is the “most inbound state.”

"We've seen newcomers from every area of the country find a home in Texas, whether it's for the weather, business or retirement,” says Randy Moore, president of All Points Pioneer. Enumerating the point, Texas had a net gain of 1,914 families in 2013. Other popular magnet states include Arizona, Oregon and Colorado. On the other side of the coin, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Jersey saw the most departures.

San Antonio is a Texas city on the rise, ranked sixth in inbound college-educated adults from ages twenty- five to thirty-nine years old. For more information on how San Antonio is growing, see their year in review annual report.