The Friendswood Library board presented an annual update on how the library fared to Friendswood City Council at its June 1 meeting. 

Highlights included an annual 5% increase in visitors to the library and an annual 11% increase in items circulated last year. 

Quote of note: “We like to think we’re the heart of the community,” board Vice Chair Jo-Beth Brizendine said. “When you look at items of circulation, you look at patrons [who] come through the door, you know that everyone in Friendswood acknowledges the power and friendliness of the Friendswood Public Library.”

Looking ahead: The Friends will host a “Bet on the Library” Gala, a casino night, on Sept. 26. Monies raised help support library outreach, services and programs. 

Looking for something to do in Pearland, Friendswood and Manvel this weekend, June 5-7? Check out this weekend's guide. All events are subject to change, and this list is not comprehensive.

Pearland Concerts in the Park
The Pearland Concerts in the Park series continues June 5 with a performance by the Girl Can't Help It Tribute Band. 

• June 5, 7-9 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• Independence Park, 3449 Pearland Parkway, Pearland

• June 5, 5-5:30 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• 416 S. Friendswood Drive, Friendswood

• June 6, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• Redeemer Church Manvel, 18218 Hwy. 6, Manvel

As extreme weather events become more frequent, CenterPoint Energy announced June 1 that it is expanding its storm preparedness efforts through a partnership with Technosylva, a provider of weather, wildfire and flood modeling software.

Quote of note: “Preparing for extreme weather today requires earlier insight and better coordination than ever before,” said Jason Wells, chair, president and chief executive officer of CenterPoint Energy. “Our goal is to build the most resilient coastal grid in the nation to benefit our customers and communities.”

The overview: Technosylva's platform combines outage forecasting, storm modeling, flood risk analysis and wildfire monitoring into a single system. According to a news release from CenterPoint, the platform helps teams track weather conditions several days in advance, position crews and equipment before storms arrive and improve restoration planning. The National Weather Service forecasts eight to 14 named storms in the Atlantic basin this season, including three to six hurricanes, according to CenterPoint.