Tomball teens among seven arrested in sexual assault
case
By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff
Three Tomball teenagers were among seven area residents
arrested last week in connection with a sexual assault and
aggravated robbery of two Spring women, according to the
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Gagandeep Singh, an 18-year old white male, Brian
Wingerter, an 18-year old white male, and Steven Ramos, an
18-year old black male, all of Tomball, are believed to have
taken part in an incident which occurred Aug. 15 at
approximately 2 a.m. that ended in the sexual assault of two
women at gunpoint.
Steven Ramos
Also arrested were Travis Morris, an 18-year old black
male, Brad Gould, an 18-year old black male, James Curley, a
21-year old black male, and Vashawn Henry, a 20-year old
black male, all of Houston.
At press time last week, only Gould had been charged with
sexual assault.
According to Lt. Joe Sclider of the Montgomery County
Sheriff’s Office, the men followed two women from “an
entertainment business” to a residence in Spring.
When the women arrived at the residence, “the men robbed
and sexually assaulted both at gun point,” the Sheriff’s
Office said.
Gagandeep Singh
Singh was arrested for aggravated robbery and given a
$100,000 bond; Wingerter was arrested for credit card abuse
and given a $30,000 bond; Ramos was arrested for aggravated
robbery and given a $250,000 bond; Morris was arrested for
aggravated robbery and given a $100,000 bond, Curley was
arrested for aggravated robbery and credit card abuse and
given a $180,000 bond; and Henry was arrested for credit
card abuse and given a $4,000 bond.
While Gould is the only one to have been charged with
sexual assault, the Sheriff’s Office plans to file
additional charges.
Sclider also said the men are suspects for more robberies
and sexual assaults in the Houston area.
Sclider said the men robbed the women of their credit
cards and later used them to make purchases.
Brian Wingerter
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County
Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigators located forensic
evidence that linked several of the men to the case. The
Houston Independent School District Gang Task Force, the
Klein ISD Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection
Service assisted detectives in locating several of the
suspects.
Sclider said the victims reported the incident
immediately.
Police are asking anyone with more information of this
crime or any crime related to it call Crime Stoppers at
1-800-392-7867 or the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
Detective Division at 936-760-5876.
Former Cougar Kainer has successful kidney transplant
By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff
Carson Kainer has cleared a major hurdle in his quest to
finally be healthy. Kainer, the former Tomball Cougar and
current Texas Longhorns outfielder, recently underwent a
successful kidney transplant, one that he knew he would need
since he was a child, at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Kainer’s father, Ron, donated the kidney during a
combined eight hours of surgery, according to the hospital.
Now Kainer expects to be back on the playing field when the
season starts in February. Even though he knew he would
eventually need the surgery, the timing proved to be a test
of fortitude for Kainer.
After a highly successful junior year at Texas, Kainer
was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 14th round of the
amateur draft in June. The day before he was to sign his
first professional contract, Kainer was told his kidney was
functioning at 13 percent and that he needed the transplant
immediately.
Rather than sign the contract, Kainer elected to undergo
surgery and put off his dream of playing professional
baseball another year. “It was disappointing to take a step
back from my dreams for a little bit, but I’m excited that I
get to go back to college and play my senior year at Texas,”
Kainer said. “I’ll be much closer to finishing my degree and
I’ll have this over with before I start professional
baseball.” Kainer will be eligible to be drafted by any team
again in June.
Dr. Eileen Brewer, chief of Texas Children’s Renal
Center, has been Kainer’s physician since he was 6 years
old, the hospital said. “We’ve tried to educate him about
his disease as he grew up, so he could take care of himself
on and off the field,” she said.
Despite the faulty kidney, Kainer went on to excel at
Tomball High School and was offered a scholarship to play
for the University of Texas, where he was later a member of
the 2004 National Championship team. “Even though Carson was
playing baseball very well, he could not have gone on much
longer without dialysis or a transplant,” Brewer said.
Now Kainer credits the hospital as key to his success.
“The people at Texas Children’s have gotten me this far,”
Kainer said. “They’ve kept me in the game all the way up
into college baseball. I know they’re going to get me back
on the field.”
Following a six-week recovery period in Houston, Kainer
will return to Austin, the hospital said.
Annual Marine Corps toy drive gets early season kick-off
By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff
If it seems the Christmas season starts sooner every
year, it’s not just a perception. The United States Marine
Corp’s Toys for Tots program is joining forces with the
famous Goodson’s Cafe for an early season toy drive which
organizers hope will maximize donations.
From left to right, Brenda Mixon, Jimmy Fogarty, Debbie and
Jerry Reed drop toys in a donation bin at Goodson's Cafe for
the Toys for Tots kick-off program, which runs through Oct.
31.
The drive began Sept. 28 and will conclude Oct. 31. The
drop box will be located inside the restaurant.
Drive Coordinator Donnie Mixon said he contacted
Goodson’s about holding the drive because it was a
well-known and central location.
Goodson’s will be the only Tomball location for the
kick-off drive, Mixon said.
Organizers are asking for toys for children of any age.
The gifts should be boxed and unwrapped. They are also
asking no stuffed animals be donated.
“When the stuffed animals sit before we donate them, they
collect dust,” Mixon said. “And if a child has allergies,
they can have a reaction to the dust.”
Program volunteer Jerry Reed said that many of those who
donate tend to think more about young children rather than
older children, who are more likely to go without gifts for
Christmas.
Mixon said popular and appropriate CDs and DVDs are good
gifts, as are cash donations.
Checks may be made payable to the United States Marine
Corps.
Every gift donated, Mixon said, will then be given to a
local child and credited to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine
Regiment located in Houston.
“The toys that are donated in the drive will stay in this
area,” he said.
The drive rarely accumulates enough toys for every needy
child, Mixon said.
Last year was especially difficult, due to the influx of
Hurricane Katrina evacuees to the area in the months before
the Christmas holidays, Brenda Mixon said.
The historical kick-off for the Toys for Tots campaign is
typically around Thanksgiving, which again will be the case
this year, which Goodson’s will again take part in.
The Toys for Tots program began in 1947 when Major Bill
Hendricks and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles
collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children,
according to information published on the organization’s Web
site. Over the 59-year history of the program, Marines have
distributed more than 332.5 million toys to 158.7 million
needy children.
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Magnolia council passes 2006-07 budget amid debate
By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff
A difference of opinion among city officials was apparent
in regards to proposed 2005-06 budget amendments as well as
a new budget for the 2006-07 fiscal year during a special
Magnolia City Council Meeting held Sept. 28. Council members
heard from residents while elevated discussions were held
between staff and council members in an effort to pass a
balanced city budget.
Residents Jody Sanders and Jo Anne Windham expressed
alternate views at the outset of the meeting with Sanders
congratulating the council for work well done and Windham
defending the citizen’s rights to object through due process
to the potential decisions of council.
Council member David Sutherland had his own objections to
the various budget proposals offered by City Manager Roger
Carlisle and the city staff over the past month. Sutherland
voiced concern over “inflated budget figures” in the 2005-06
proposed amendments. Additionally, he objected to the
“depreciation of city water and sewer” facilities in the
form of a real value cash pool transfer in the proposed
2006-07 budget. Sutherland requested that any budget
amendments to the 2005-06 budget be suspended until a
scheduled audit in September.
Council members eventually approved the budget for fiscal
year 2006-07 by a vote of 4-1. Sutherland was the lone
dissenting vote.
The councilman expressed the concern of residents for
funds to be transferred directly out of the water and sewer
funds for salary increases and budgeted personnel, which
would prohibit a future rate reduction to residents.
Additionally, Sutherland was hesitant to approve a
financial officer for the city considering the current staff
level. “I do not see a need for one at this time,” he said.
Sutherland also voiced concern that a depreciation value
of $75,000 for each of the water and sewer facilities
appeared in the new approved budget as a real cash value.
“Put it in the bond reserve fund to pay for the note,” he
said.
He summed up by saying, “There is no ill-intent here. I
think that we do not see things the same way. This is a
relatively good budget that we have passed. We gave a 5
percent cost of living raise and approved two new people. I
do not feel the water and sewer is grossly inflated in this
newly-approved budget.”
Additionally, council members unanimously passed a new
tax levy in Ordinance 2006-097 providing for a rate of
$0.0792 for debt service and a tax rate of $0.4055 to fund
maintenance and operations, for a total ad valorem tax of
$0.4847 per each $100 of property valuation.
High adventure awaits new youth group activities
By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff
Teenagers looking for something different to do with
their time, where opportunity for high adventure awaits and
youth members run the activities, will find a new Venturing
Crew is in town.
Pictured left to right are Crew President Siobhan Killalea
and members Colin Stadler, Chase Hiett, Tim Killalea.
Pictured in the back row is advisor Raborn Reader
“We do anything we want. Activities include all the
things that Boy Scouts can do and so much more. Scuba
diving, ice-skating, theatre, camping,” said Venturing
President Siobhan Killalea, a freshman at Tomball Community
College. She is preparing for a career in pre-dental. “I’m
majoring in biology and I work at the Firehouse Music in
Tomball as a piano teacher.”
The group is open to youth aged 14 to 20 years. Youth
turning 21 roll out of membership and leave the group.
Members meet twice a month to plan activities, said Killalea.
“Venturing Crews are affiliated with Boy Scouts of
America,” said church member John Phillips. “Boy Scouts of
America created another level that combines boys and girls
together to get involved at an older age to keep the
momentum of what they learned in scouting going forward.
That’s why we have the Venturing Crew.”
“It’s an adventure,” said member Colin Sadler.
Member Chase Heitt says it’s a more casual, less
disciplined environment than Boy Scouts and girls can join,
as well.
Venturing Advisor Raborn Reader explained that advisors
are there to help with reservations and scheduling, not much
else. The coed organization requires both a male and a
female advisor as chaperones and is charted by the United
Methodist Church of Magnolia.
“An organization like the United Methodist Church takes
on the responsibility of the charter so that BSA knows that
there is an overseeing body that’s looking after it. As a
result we (the church) have chartered Boy Scouts, we just
charted Cub Scouts and now Venturing Crew. Any organization
still needs to go through BSA to form this type of a group,”
Phillips said.
“Merit achievements are available, but optional and
include a bronze, gold and silver level,” said Reader. “The
silver level is equivalent to the Boy Scout Eagle, but girls
can earn it. There’s also a Ranger achievement. Ranger is a
separate outdoor award associated with camping, hiking, and
high adventure activities. The bronze level includes any one
of five categories such as sports, religious life, arts and
hobbies, outdoor and Sea Scout. Only one must be achieved to
earn gold and silver.”
“The purpose is to develop youth through leadership
skills,” said Killalea. “We pick out our activities, how we
do things, our bylaws, our dues, set our own agenda and run
the meetings. We have guidelines, and an oath, which we can
add to or subtract from. And we pick our own uniform, if we
want one.”
The group had its first outing recently. “We went to the
Aerodome Sunday before last. That was our first outing,”
said Reader. “We had ten participate, including seven
members and three visitors.”
For more information e-mail Killalea at pianomonky@sbcglobal.net
or Reader at rlreaderjr@sbcglobal.net or call the business
office of the United Methodist Church at 281-259-0189.
Meetings are held in the Springer building at 419 Commerce
Street on the second and fourth Sunday afternoon of each
month.
For information on establishing a Venturing Crew in the
region contact
www.venturingbsa.org or
www.polarisbsa.org,
www.bsa.org .
JROTC at WHS a welcome curriculum, a long time in coming
By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Ed O’Dell was pleased that
several members of the newly established Junior Reserve
Officers Training Corp (JROTC) at Waller High School
participated in the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude
Battery (ASVAB) test held Sept. 27. The test is the initial
screening to qualify for any branch of military service.
Pictured left to right performing color guard service at the
Sept. 14 Waller High School Homecoming parade are JROTC
Cadet 2nd Lt. Lauren McKee as guard, Cadet 2nd Lt. Whitney
Distolle, Cadet 2nd Lt. Kayla Howard, Cadet Major Chelsea
Mikus as Squadron Commander and Cadet 1st Lt. Amanda Torres.
Students who participate in JROTC are not in any way
obligated to military service, nor is JROTC a recruiting
effort of the Air Force; however, students who complete two
or more years of service reap benefits at both college and
military career levels. Air Force JROTC college scholarships
and college AF ROTC credits, as well as select military
academy application and higher pay entitlements for those
who do enlist, are just a few.
O’Dell facilitates the curriculum of the program at WHS,
which includes the History of Aerospace Science covering
astronomy, the frontiers of aviation, science of flight, the
exploration of space and global studies. He is a retired Air
Force officer of 26 years and was certified into the JROTC
program last summer at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.
Senior Master Sgt. Charles Brannon retired from the Air
Force with 21 years of non-commissioned service. Brannon has
been facilitating JROTC programs across the country for 19
years focusing on Air Force tradition, citizenship,
character, communication, leadership and management
principals. He will retire from the program this year.
The desire to have an ROTC unit in Waller ISD came to
fruition after many years, said WHS Assistant Principal
Terry Kelly. Assistant Superintendent Denny Twardowski
visited several branches of the service, Kelly said. All had
expansion limitations relative to the number of units being
placed in the area.
“The Army is on our campus a lot, but had a waiting list
of seven years. The Navy toured our facilities, but their
waiting list was three years. The expansion plan for the Air
Force included 45 units for this year, 75 for 2007 and 95
for 2008. We were granted an Air Force unit at the end of
last year,” Kelly said.
“The amount of space the district has provided for the
program is very generous,” said O’Dell.
Because of the expansion bond for the high school, the
contractor was quickly able two create an appropriate space
for the unit, Kelly explained.
He added that the high level of pride in the Waller
community for veterans has been a boost to the program. A
membership of 65 students if virtually unheard of at the
onset of a new program, Kelly said. “Students on campus have
shown a great deal of respect for those in their uniforms.”
Upcoming events for the unit include color guard,
regulation, free-style and rifle drill team competitions, a
visit to the 147th Fighter Wing, Texas Air National Guard,
and a summer leadership school at Prairie View A&M Campus.
The heritage of Air Force JROTC began in 1911 with Army
Lt. Edgar R. Steevers who envisioned a volunteer cadet corps
comprised of high school students. The Air Force initiated
its ROTC program with a start of 20 units in 1966. The
program has expanded to 794 units with 102,000 cadets and is
now worldwide.
The Air Force core values of “integrity first, service
before self and excellence in all we do” supports the JROTC
mission statement whereby the program will “develop citizens
of character dedicated to serving their nation and
community.”
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