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Goblins and witches, pixies and superheroes enjoyed playing games, sampling treats and visiting with all types of animals on October 27 at the W.G. Jones State Forest on FM 1488 near Magnolia and The Woodlands. The site was the scene of the Friends of Texas Wildlife (FTWL) "Owl-O-Ween" fundraiser, which had more than 2,000 visitors. Not only did visitors come in costume, but several of the volunteers dressed as their favorite forest creature in honor of the occasion.

Highlights of the event included an hourly raffle, bungee-bounce jump, free photos with a larger-than-life raccoon, and a chance to hold snakes that were only too happy to stay wrapped around a warm wrist on the cool autumn afternoon. The Houston Zoo brought a real owl to the event - it was injured and not able to be returned to the wild, so it has a permanent home at the zoo. The owl is a perfect example of what FTWL is working for.

The FTWL is Montgomery County's only wild animal rehabilitation organization, and it depends entirely on donations and volunteers to help thousands of orphaned and injured animals every year.  The organization conducts fundraisers such as this one to operate its Magnolia wildlife care facility and to teach community residents about the perils that wild animals face trying to survive in an increasingly urban environment.

Founded by Janette Winkleman in 1993, FTWL utilizes trained volunteer "rehabbers" to care for animals in their homes or at the FTWL Intake Center on Highland Boulevard in Magnolia. Rehabilitation includes feeding, often around-the-clock in the case of very young animals, veterinary care and training the animals how to obtain food for themselves. The goal is to release them into "safe" wild areas.

Often animals that appear to be abandoned are actually not left behind, and a caring parent is close by. Concerned citizens can do more harm than good by picking up wild animals and attempting to take care of them. Knowing what to do when encountering a wild animal that appears injured or orphaned is the best way for citizens to combat the devastation of wildlife.

"This was the best-attended event our organization has had. We are pleased that so many families in Magnolia and The Woodlands turned out for our fundraiser," said Winkleman, who is the president of FTWL.  "It's important to educate young people about how they can co-exist with the wildlife in our community, and events like this provide knowledge they will carry with them into adulthood"

Several vendors provided games and crafts for sale. The Texas A&M Forest Service offered families a close-up view of some forest animals, and 911 Wildlife, a humane wildlife management organization, provided free photos with Rocky, the giant raccoon.

Besides raising much-needed funds, Friends of Texas Wildlife recruited new volunteers to help with animal care, fundraisers and activities. Their next event is called "The Enchanted Forest" and will be an educational hayride for all ages Dec. 1. It will again be held at the W.G. Jones State Forest.

FTWL's trained rehabbers have received permits from either Texas Parks and Wildlife or U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Rehabbers often begin training with someone who is already permitted and then take the training classes themselves. People who are interested in volunteering or donating should visit the website: www.ftwl.org.

A rollover crash on Nichols Sawmill, killed two people Oct. 26 and injured two more. Police say alcohol was a probable factor in the crash. The crash involved multiple ejections from a white pickup truck.

Tabor Tory, 19, of Magnolia was pronounced dead at the scene, while Kevin Hansen, 20, also of Magnolia was pronounced dead at Tomball Regional Medical Center. The driver of the truck, Brian Goetz, 20, was admitted to Northwest Hospital, while passenger Audrey Trent, 19, was life flighted to an area hospital in stable condition.

When emergency workers arrived on scene they initially thought there were only three victims, but later found a fourth victim 12 feet in the woods. With so many victims the Montgomery County Hospital District called in Northwest EMS for assistance.

Troopers said that Trent was sitting in the middle of the front seat and was the only person wearing a seatbelt.

The Montgomery County Police Reporter reports that Goetz was driving the truck north on Nichols Sawmill when he came to a curve in the road. The Police Reporter stated that DPS officials believe he left the pavement at a high rate of speed, overcorrected, crossed the road and flipped the vehicle at least twice. The truck then hit a fence before slamming into a tree.

One of the victims clothing was found 12 feet high, stuck in a tree.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office assisted at the scene as well.

No charges have been filed as of press time.

Magnolia city officials have entered the beginning stages of a new comprehensive plan, which will give the city a roadmap for planning the next 15-20 years. Residents will have a chance to hear about the new plan during the city council meeting Nov. 13.

Magnolia Economic Development Coordinator Deborah Rose Miller said the plan is long overdue. The city's last comprehensive plan was developed in 1999.

"It was time for an update," she said. "We had outgrown our previous plan. It wasn't as encompassing as we want to make this plan."

Miller said the new plan will be able to allow the city to do more things to plan for the future, such as possibly adding planning and zoning down the road.

"We can't do zoning without a comprehensive plan, if we decide to do that," she said. "We will be able to do many things as a city, but to do those things, the law requires that we have a comprehensive plan."

The plan, being developed by officials with the help of Kendig Keast Collaborative, starts off by focusing not just on the city, but the entire area around Magnolia and its explosive growth.

"Magnolia benefits from the regional employment centers and mixed-use amenities of The Woodlands, Conroe and Tomball," the plan's introductory statement says. "This has translated into local growth, as Magnolia has experienced a 25 percent population increase over the last 10 years and a 50 percent increase in commercial permits over the last year."

Among the goals of the plan are establishing a community-supported vision and guiding principles that steer future growth and enhancement, providing short, mid-term and long-term growth strategies and providing greater predictability for residents, land owners, developers and investors.

Members of the plan's steering committee have gone over the first three chapters of the plan, which will be presented to the city council Nov. 13, for discussion.

"It's part of the process," Miller said. "We want to make sure each chapter builds on the others and make sure everyone is on the same page."

The second chapter of the plan deals with the area's land use and character.

"The city must play to its strengths by maintaining a high quality of life and niche appeal that compliment the big city amenities of neighboring jurisdictions," the plan states. "As the community grows and matures, land use and character planning will be central to protecting its highly valued identity, while guiding the pattern, appearance, quality and sustainability of new growth."

The third chapter to be discussed at the meeting deals with growth management and capacity.

"Like many small, bedroom communities, Magnolia lacks a critical mass of taxpayers that wholly fund the infrastructure and social services that are expected of a metropolitan suburb," the plane states. "As the city pursues an aggressive growth trajectory to overcome this imbalance and achieve home rule authority, its long-term financial health and sustainability will be contingent on its restraint, as much as it opportunism."

The city has taken steps to build a committee to look into the benefits and concerns of zoning, which the council will discuss at the meeting as well.

"If the council approves the committee, its charter will be to investigate the pros and cons of implementing zoning," Miller stated.

The council meeting starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 18111 Buddy Riley Blvd.

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A young boy was found dead by Magnolia firefighters, after a large house fire Dec. 8.

Fire officials identified the boy as Dakota Myers, 3, of Magnolia. He was found in a back bedroom of a travel trailer that had been converted into a permanent residence.

The fire started at the home on Todd Road, just after 1 a.m. Firefighters responded within minutes and tried to rescue the boy, but heavy fire conditions forced them out of the residence. Family members had also tried to rescue the boy, but were unable due to heavy smoke and fire.

The travel trailer had a wooden addition built onto it.

A 10-year-old boy and an adult were treated at the scene by Montgomery County Hospital District emergency workers for smoke inhalation.

“The first arriving Magnolia Fire Department units found that the fire had fully engulfed the travel trailer and addition built on to it,” a Montgomery County Fire Marshal press release stated. “The fire was so intense that no search was possible until it was brought under control.”

The 10-year-old boy was sleeping when the fire broke out. He told fire investigators that he woke up to find the fire in an area where Dakota Myers has been sleeping.

The boy’s mother stated that she was outside of her next door neighbor’s home with several other people when they saw the fire. Family members and neighbors ran to the home, but were unable to get inside. The 10-year-old boy was able to escape the home.

Fire officials said the investigations into the cause of the fire and Myers cause of death are still ongoing. They are awaiting additional test results.

They have yet to find evidence that the home was equipped with working smoke detectors.

“Each year approximately 3,000 lives are lost to fire in the United States with 85 percent of the deaths occurring in home fire,” fire officials stated. “The common theme in nearly all fatal fires is that they break out while the residents are asleep and there are no working smoke detectors.”

Although Montgomery County averages five to six fire deaths a year, this is the first fire fatality of 2012.

Parents of students in Magnolia were a bit on edge last week, after receiving a phone call from the district stating that a student had brought a weapon to school.

Magnolia ISD officials said that they received information that a student at J.L. Lyon Elementary was in possession of a weapon, Jan. 9.

"Staff quickly recovered an unloaded firearm without incident," the district said in a written statement. "No ammunition was found in the student's possession nor was there any evidence of intent to use the weapon on campus."

School officials would provide no other information besides what was contained in the statement. The Tribune put in a public information request asking the district to release what punishment the student will face, without identifying the student. Magnolia ISD was still examining that request as of press time.

Parents at the school said the incident was disturbing.

"I got a phone call, it was a recording, telling me a kid had a gun on my daughter's campus," said Cathy House. "I was talking about it with my mother and my daughter came in. She had no idea that it happened while she was at school."

House said her daughter told her she saw police at her school.

"It's scary, especially with what happened in Connecticut," House said.

Cpt. Glenn Arnold with the Montgomery County Pct. 5 Constable's Office, the agency responsible for school security, said students were not in danger.

"(The gun) was unloaded, recovered and secured within moments of being notified," he said. "It wasn't anything with a malicious intent; the kid was just trying to show off as kids sometimes tend to do."

The district added that they are "committed to providing a safe environment for all students and will continue to work with parents and law enforcement to achieve this goal."

The student was transported to a juvenile facility, where he was expected to see a judge last Friday, according to Arnold.

The City of Magnolia recently implemented its first comprehensive plan, while also growing and expanding its boundaries in 2012. With that plan now in full swing and money problems a thing of the past; the city hosted a review of the past year, Magnolia on the Move, Jan. 8.

"Getting this plan was huge," Magnolia's Economic Development Coordinator Deborah Rose Miller said. "It gives us a roadmap for the future, taking into consideration the entire infrastructure, along with desires of our community partners."

Miller presented the program, along with Paul Mendes, Magnolia's city administrator.

The pair talked about the city's recently expanded extra-territorial jurisdiction, along with the recent triple-a-minus bond rating from Standard & Poor, as well as the city's budget surpluses, saying that it all was proof that Magnolia was clearly focused on the future and putting issues of the past in the rearview mirror.

The number one priority for the city in the future will be transportation and connectivity. Because transportation and connectivity are crucial to the city, its participation in the year-old 249 Partnership, a regional coalition dedicated to the improvement of SH 249, was also highlighted. Mendes was recently named vice chair of the coalition.

The comprehensive plan also outlines a new town center, which Miller said points to continued growth in Magnolia, adding that after the recent Walgreen's opening, more chain stores are expected to follow.

Kendig Keast Collaborative, an urban planning firm in Sugar Land, has been working with the city on its comprehensive plan for a year. Capturing more than five miles in the city's ETJ was just one parallel goal of the plan.

Other accomplishments reviewed at Magnolia on the Move included the utility relocation project along FM 1774, which has readied the city for roadway expansion by the Texas Department of Transportation in progress now, and the fly-over at FM 1488 and FM 149 that is expected to be under construction in 2014. In addition a fly-over at FM 1774 and FM 1488 is expected to be completed in 2015.

Lastly, the report congratulated the Magnolia Community Foundation on giving the city an annual  "branding" event, the Magnolia Love Bug Festival. The June festival along with events on the Magnolia Stroll was praised for bringing visitors to the city throughout the year. Moreover, the city's partnership with the Texas Renaissance Festival, now in its second year, was credited with filling Magnolia motels for more than nine weeks last year.

Last year was the second time that Magnolia High School Principal Jeffrey Springer was selected as a regional winner for the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) Principal of the Year award -- but this time it was different. This time he was also chosen as 2013's Principal of The Year for Texas, which means that of more than 1,000 school districts in the state, Springer was rated the top secondary school principal. This honor makes him eligible for the national award in 2014.

"This award is not about me," stated Springer. "This is a celebration of our community, teachers and students. In fact, as soon as I heard I won, I called a meeting so I could tell my staff that the data that resulted in this honor is about them and their students. I didn't want this to just be a title, but to inspire us to work together to live up to the expectations of our state's educators."

Springer strives to create an environment at Magnolia that is a place where lives can be transformed and characters developed. He wants to reinforce the feelings of family - with all that entails, such as togetherness, compassion and pride.

"Our school is not perfect -- it has a way to go, we all do," he explained. "Public education has something of a black eye right now, but we want to change that. We are on a quest from excellence to eminence. We want people to say that Magnolia ISD has great programs and is an academic success."

Springer, a Magnolia resident, has been an educator for more than 30 years. He was selected the Region Six Secondary Principal of the Year in 2006 and received that honor again in 2012. A former teacher and high school football coach, Springer received his B.A. in teaching from Sam Houston State and a Master of Sports Administration from the U.S. Sports Academy.

The TASSP recognizes outstanding secondary school principals annually, as part of its mission to facilitate learning through best practices in school administration. The organization was established in 1922 to build a network of Texas educators that wanted to take responsibility for the quality of school leadership. TASSP is comprised of more than 5,000 secondary campus administrators and is an affiliate of the national organization (NASSP). It is committed to increasing public awareness about the critical problems facing educational leadership and engaging partners from business, government and community groups to tackle these issues and improve public schools in Texas.

Being selected Principal of the Year is a great honor for Springer, and for Magnolia ISD in general -- it shows that the district promotes leadership above just "management," which is a big step toward achieving the "eminence" that Springer is talking about, district officials said.

Harris County Commissioners have agreed to a proposal to help Montgomery County build its portion of the SH 249 toll road.

The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by commissioners, states that Harris County will lend up to $20 million to develop SH 249 from Spring Creek to FM 1774.

"To understand this you have to go back about 10 years when the Westpark Freeway and the Ft. Bend Highway was going in," said Harris County Pct. 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle. "There were concerns that Harris County was going to spend a lot of money on our side and then have to wait for Ft. Bend County to catch up."

So Harris County eventually agreed to lend Ft. Bend County $15 million to complete their portion, according to Cagle.

"That success is the model for our partnership with Montgomery County," he said.

Cagle said that while Montgomery County could ultimately afford the project on its own, the length of time it would take would slow the project.

"It could delay it, even by several years," he said.

Cagle said the speed with which Harris and Montgomery counties have come together to start the project has caught the attention of state officials.

"TxDOT has now committed to extending the Aggie Freeway all the way out to highway 6, once it is complete to 1774," he said.

The first phase of the project will be Harris County's, where they will expend 249 from Spring Cypress Road to FM 2920. Construction on that is expected to begin this fall. The second phase, from FM 2920 to FM 1774, will begin about a year later. Cagle said TxDOT will follow a year after that, beginning work on the extension to SH 6 in Navasota.

Cagle praised Montgomery County Commissioner Craig Doyal for his hard work and cooperation on the issue.

"He (Doyal) definitely understands that a rising tide floats all ships," he said.

Cagle said the loan will be at a standard commercial rate, which Montgomery County will pay back once they secure revenue bonds, which will then be paid off using toll revenues.

"This area is so congested that it has hindered its growth," Cagle said. "This is akin to taking the locks off this area and allowing business to just flow in."

"With the 249 project and Grand Parkway coming soon as well, I see this area becoming a prime attraction for business and growth, not just regionally but nationally as well," he added.

Magnolia Chamber of Commerce Chairman Barry Tate knows this development is important to the area and its businesses.

"We want to be sure our chamber members are informed about the SH 249 road project, because we feel this project could really impact them, both during construction and after the road opens," Tate said. "That is why we are devoting our February luncheon to this topic, and have invited quest speakers to be sure everyone has a chance to get their questions answered."

Magnolia began as a tiny sawmill town in the 1800’s, and its population had barely reached 25 by the time 1900 rolled around. A new railroad soon brought a steady stream of new residents and businesses into the town.

Today Magnolia is a progressive community that offers families small-town ambiance, peacefulness and friendliness. But, once again, improved transportation is expected to bring in more people and some residents are asking themselves, "How much longer will we be able to enjoy our quiet town?"

TxDOT is finalizing plans to complete several new roads around the Magnolia area that will move more vehicles easier and faster than ever before. Over the next three years, road improvements are expected to enhance traffic flow in and around the town.  FM 1774 will be widened from The Lakes of Magnolia to 10th Street. This project has already started. As part of the widening of FM 1488 to the Waller County Line, two fly-overs at Spur 149 near Magnolia High School and over 1774 at 10th Street will ease congestion at already busy intersections.

In addition, the construction of the Grand Parkway south of Magnolia will offer an easy pathway from Katy to east of The Woodlands, which will bring visitors into the area. The planned SH 249 toll expressway will improve traffic flow not just between Tomball and Magnolia, but all the way up to Bryan/College Station. 

Facing an easier commute, more families are sure to move into the area. With an increased population, Magnolia is expected to become a business and shopping destination.
Magnolia is less than 35 miles from the burgeoning metropolis of Houston, and the area's current population of 138,000 (as of 2011) seems small compared to a growth movement that has already started to engulf the entire northwest Houston area. But the Magnolia city government and chamber of commerce are working hard "to help this growth work for us rather than against us," as Economic Development Coordinator Deborah Rose Miller put it.

City leaders say they are planning ahead to ensure that the charm of Magnolia remains, even after the new roads are built and the people keep coming.

Paul Mendes, city administrator, says he has tried to make sure the infrastructure keeps up with the expected population growth.

"The developers already have purchased large tracts of land," said Mendes. "We are preparing now for the water and sewage capacity we will need. We hope to have zoning laws in place to protect Magnolia residents and to manage the growth."

Mendes helped Miller create a comprehensive plan to help Magnolia grow as effectively and painlessly as possible.

"The plan, to be completed in March, will be a starting point that will be continually modified as we go along. We believe improving the roads will improve our city's lifestyle in the end," he said.

Updates, such as "Magnolia on the Move," are being provided to the city council each month.

"The city of Magnolia is being proactive, and we've already started our planning and zoning commission," said Miller. "The comprehensive plan we have developed is pivotal to our city's future."

Barry Tate, Chairman of the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce, feels the anticipated population growth will help businesses that are already here to expand, and will bring new ones to the area.

"Business is good for the town," Tate said. "We will have a larger tax base, so that will enable us to provide more and better services. Any road improvements will ultimately make it easier to live out here. People will want to put their businesses in our community because their customers can get to them easily."

Tate feels the growth of the western side of Montgomery County will be compared to the growth of the eastern side of the county in a few years. He believes current businesses will welcome the road improvements, although there will likely be challenges during the construction phase. He hopes planning ahead can help businesses overcome difficulties during that time.

"The Chamber wants to keep our members as informed as possible. Our goal is to maintain Magnolia's small-town feel and still allow for growth," he said.

The new roads are coming. The growth of Magnolia, along with the growth of the entire eastern half of Montgomery County, is inevitable. But the small-town way of life may remain for future generations to enjoy, if the current city leadership has anything to do with it.

A few months ago Magnolia was planning to build a recreation center in Unity Park that would house both tennis courts and a public pool. Since then, plans have been scaled back to only include the tennis courts. But the good news for Magnolia residents is that a new public pool may still be built, just not in Unity Park.

Economic Development Coordinator Deborah Rose Miller explained the change.

"After careful consideration, the city determined that maintaining a public pool is cost prohibitive at this time," she said. "In addition, there is limited land in the part available and it made more sense to use it for the tennis courts. What we hope will happen is to expand the current Magnolia natatorium next to Magnolia High School and create an outdoor pool there."

Terry Jones has been the director of the Michael D. Holland Aquatic Center (the Magnolia natatorium) since it opened in 2003. Under his direction, the center has shaped many high school all-state swimmers and divers and the open-to-the public Magnolia Aquatic Club has produced both state and national champions. He does, however, see a tremendous need to expand the current center.

"We would like to see construction of an outdoor 50 meter pool," Jones said. "With two high schools and a larger population, our district has outgrown the present facility. We are continuing to grow, so we need to get the community behind this effort as soon as possible. We are at capacity for swim events right now and a new larger pool would allow us to accommodate more events and long course competitive swimming events. When you have 300 or 400 people involved in two-day swim events, it is an economic boon to the town."

Like many similar venues, the Olympic-sized "long course" pool could be used year-round, even in cold weather, by maintaining the water at a constant temperature and utilizing a "thermal blanket" to retain heat when the pool is not being used.

"Maintenance on an outdoor pool is actually less expensive than on an indoor one," said Jones.

Jones feels money would be saved by building a new pool next to the existing one.

"The location next to Magnolia High is very central for our district and the existing high school parking lot would accommodate all the cars that would accompany large meets," he added. "Much of the current infrastructure is already in place at the current natatorium, which would reduce operating costs."

He sees a big advantage for the community is the fact the pools would be used by both MISD and Magnolia residents.

"Right now the aquatic center is being used by the public for learn-to-swim programs, junior swim teams, masters' swim programs and recreational swimmers," said Jones. "With another, larger pool, even more people could benefit."

Many residents are excited about tennis courts at Unity Park - especially since four of the courts are planned as smaller "quick start" courts which are used for teaching children under 10 tennis skills.

Randy Ortwine is the citizen co-chair of the Magnolia Community Foundation and a past president of the Houston Tennis Association. He believes there is a great demand for the opportunity to learn tennis in Magnolia. 

"We want to have the courts open by the end of summer," he said. "We plan to have four full-size lighted courts and four 'quick start' courts, which will be some of very few in the county."

Ortwine has heard from kids and their parents who can't wait for courts to be available. And many adults who enjoy playing in tennis leagues have been asking about the courts.  The courts will also provide a great opportunity for Magnolia ISD students to develop tennis aptitude.

"I am confident that in just a short time Magnolia will have its own tennis association, like many larger towns do," he said.

In the meantime, Magnolia ISD and the Community Foundation will share in managing the courts.

Miller stated that bids are going out right now for construction of the Unity Park tennis courts. She believes there will be further opportunities to develop the park in the future.
"Right now we need more land, not only for this park but for others in the community," Miller said. "We hope to uncover land purchase opportunities below market value, which happens if land is less desirable for building, or to locate donors who want to leave a legacy for future generations."