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Employees at Pct. 5 Justice of the Peace Carolyn Cox’s
office enjoyed dressing up on Halloween. Pictured from left
to right are Diane Mendez, Evelyn Butler, Judge Carolyn Cox,
Susanna Barton and Deanna Hartman.
Decker Hills property owners in dispute over $12,000 in
missing funds
By Cari Herr
Tribune News
Residents of the Decker Hills Property Owners Association
(DHPOA) voiced concerns at an Oct. 24 DHPOA meeting about
the removal of an estimated $12,000 from the DHPOA bank
account.
Some believe the association’s secretary is using those
funds for personal use. However, Secretary Cheryl Patat said
she and Vice President Michelle Beauchamp removed the money
to secure it in a DHPOA account at another bank.
Initially, President Bill Edwards and Treasurer Amy
Powell transferred those funds on Oct. 9 to new accounts to
secure the funds and gain access to them, Edwards said. Bank
records reflect the money was then removed from the account
on Oct. 10.
Prior to the meeting residents voiced concern over the
history of violence, profanity, and lack of communication
exhibited at previous meetings. They cited an incident,
which occurred at an Oct. 21 emergency DHPOA meeting as an
example. Residents said board members detained Patat by
blocking her exit from the building, shouting obscenities,
and insisted Patat turn over her keys.
Patat and Beauchamp called the meeting in an effort to
provide banking documents and answer resident’s questions
regarding accusations in an attempt to find common ground,
Patat said.
On Nov. 1 Patat was still emotional about the incident
saying, “It’s more than hurtful when you’re not allowed to
move around a table. It’s more than hurtful when you’re not
allowed to leave the room, or you are grabbed.”
Residents on both sides of the dispute have their issues.
DHPOA members in the Patat/Beauchamp camp claim Edwards
and Powell illegally moved themselves into officer positions
following a July 27 election and should step down, claiming
Edwards and Powell should not have moved DHPOA funds and
should not have stopped Patat from receiving mail.
Accusations, heated words and “flyers” attempting to sway
resident’s opinions have come from both sides.
In the Edwards/Powell camp residents wanted to appoint a
committee to count the election votes and are angry over
Patat’s refusal to provide a list of qualified voters to
validate the count. They are demanding to see bank
statements, reconciliation’s and financial statements
claiming that Patat has written checks from HOA funds for
personal expenses citing computers, software, and telephone
lines as examples.
Throughout the summer residents and DHPOA board members
and officers have battled it out.
After repeated efforts by Edwards and Powell to acquire
signature cards for the HOA bank account following a Sept.
26 DHPOA meeting, Edwards called the board members to notify
them of the problem, he said.
Edwards added he and Powell went to the bank on Oct. 9 to
transfer the funds and spoke to Jonathan Arnold, account
representative for Wells Fargo in Tomball.. Their intent,
Edwards said, was to place $5,000 in a savings account as
reserves for the HOA according to the bylaws. Bank records
indicate that $7,104.59 was placed in a new account with
signatures for Edwards and Powell.
“I was assured when I left the bank that the accounts had
been locked down and no transactions would take place,”
Edwards said.
That assurance did not prevent Patat from reversing the
transactions via phone on Oct. 10, according to the bank
records. Both Beauchamp and Patat went to The Woodlands
Wells Fargo location and removed $11,898.59 from the
original account and placed it in a separate account at
Capital One Bank. The total removed was $11,906.59,
accounting for an $8 cost for the cashier’s check.
Beauchamp and Patat provided account information to the
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) Criminal
Investigations Division South Squad Detective Lt. Joe Slider
during his investigation.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy R. Johnston did
respond to a disturbance at the HOA building in the park on
Oct. 21, said Sclider. An open investigation concerning
theft of funds from the Decker Hills HOA is in process,
Sclider said. No charges had been filed as of press time.
Edwards filed a report with the MCSD on Oct. 10 following
a call to the bank to check for the signature card, he said.
“They (Patat and Beauchamp) told me they took it to Capital
One at FM 2978 and Woodlands Pkwy.”
According to Sclider, the investigation is pending
receipt of certain documents and will be forwarded to the
Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office for review.
Sclider recommended that prior to any criminal charges being
filed, residents could use the services of the Montgomery
County Community Association, which provides arbitration and
mediation services to homeowners.
“We’ve used the service for neighborly differences in the
past,” Sclider said.
More information on the arbitration services provided by
Montgomery County can be found at the Dispute Resolution
Center on their Web site at
www.CO.Montgomery.tx.us.
State, national reps up for election in Harris
County
By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff
Despite not having any city or school board positions up
for election this year, Tomball area residents still have
several reasons to make their way to the polls Nov. 7.
Two of the marquee races for local voters involve
representatives at both the state and federal government
level.
U.S. Rep. Republican Michael McCaul is seeking his second
consecutive term in the U.S. House of Representatives and is
facing a challenge from Democrat Ted Ankrum and Libertarian
Michael Badnarik. McCaul has served for the past year and a
half as chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on
Investigations.
Another race of local interest is for the State House of
Representatives Dist. 13 seat. Republican incumbent Corbin
Van Arsdale is going up against Libertarian William Gray Jr.
Van Arsdale is seeking his second consecutive term and
serves on the Insurance, Judiciary and Calendar Committees.
Republican Dan Patrick is vying for the vacated Dist. 7
Congressional seat along with Democrat F. Michael Kubosh.
Harris County Pct. 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole is
running unopposed for his seat. Tomball area voting
locations by precincts are:
Pct. 114 – Samuel Matthews Park Community Center, 1728
Hufsmith Road; Pct. 126 – Rosehill Volunteer Fire
Department, 19000 FM 2920; Pct. 127 – Tomball City Hall, 401
Market St.; Pct. 173 – Accurate Auto Center, 12028 Spring
Cypress Road; Pct. 485 – Willow Creek Elementary, 18302
North Eldridge; Pct. 529 – Tomball United Methodist Church,
1603 Baker; Pct. 672 – Schultz Elementary, 7920 Willow
Forest Drive; Pct. 726 – Salem Lutheran Church, 22601
Lutheran Church Rd.
Magnolia boy gets second chance heart
transplant on dad’s birthday
By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff
Like most young teenagers, Shawn Middleton spent a great
deal of time in the summer of 2005 staying up late,
sleeping, and feeling slightly dizzy from the heat. Not
until an Aug. 12, 2005 visit with his doctor, did they put
two and two together. Following a routine echocardiogram,
doctors attributed the dizziness and extended sleeping hours
to heart failure as a result of Shawn’s chemotherapy
medication, said his mom Brenda Connealy of Magnolia.
Shawn’s heart was working at a bare 10 percent capacity.
He was placed on a heart donor’s list and medications to
improve the heart muscle were given, followed by a six-week
hospital stay due to a blood clot. Shawn remained optimistic
through it all, believing the doctors and the medication
would bring him health, said Connealy.
Shawn was born with leukemia in 1992. He spent his early
years undergoing chemotherapy treatments at Texas Children’s
Hospital (TCH) under the care of Dr. William Dreyer,
Connealy said. At the age of 4 months, Shawn contracted
spinal meningitis due to an infection in his central line
IV.
Thirteen years later Shawn’s heart was giving out. On
Sept. 12, 2005, Connealy got the call from TCH they had been
waiting for, less than eight weeks on the list. A heart had
been found, but Shawn was not ready. Frightened of giving up
his own heart for another’s, he chose the lesser action:
more medication and more doctors’ visits.
Mother and son entered counseling offered by the hospital
about the benefits of heart transplant. Shawn made friends
with other heart transplant patients. Bob Pitcock of
Magnolia, a 16-year transplant patient himself, offered
Middleton encouragement, friendship and the reassurance that
a new life awaited him.
In October of 2005 Magnolia residents hosted a benefit
for Shawn at the Bar-B-Que Hut in Magnolia to help pay for
his medical care. Soon it was apparent that Shawn’s heart
would give out. He was placed back on the waiting list in
February of 2006. Now a 14-year-old eighth grader, Shawn was
ready.
When Connealy got the call on Oct. 18, around 7:30 p.m.
from Texas Children’s Hospital saying they had a heart
coming in from out-of-state that was a match, she was in
shock, she said.
Shawn called his friend and said, “We’re going to the
hospital, Bob. They have a heart for me.” Pitcock promised
to be there and he was, right up to the operating room
doors, Pitcock said.
At 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 19, a day neither Shawn, nor his
dad, David Middleton, will ever forget, Shawn received life
through the gift of a heart donor, and David got a great
birthday gift, a second chance for his son.
What was estimated as a four to five hour surgery took 12
hours. Doctors gave updates to Shawn’s parents every one to
two hours.
“Despite the updates, you’re still on pins and needles,”
Connealy said.
When Dr. Susan Denfield’s team of surgeons completed the
transplant, Shawn was placed in ICU, said Connealy. For a
week Shawn adapted well to his new heart, but on Oct. 28 he
had two seizures as a result of anti-rejection drugs and
Shawn’s heart rate plunged to 20.
“Dr. Denfield explained that Shawn had no prior history
of seizure, but that this was not uncommon for kids to have
seizures,” Connealy said. “It was not a big concern.”
The next step for Shawn included a heart catheter
scheduled for Oct. 30 to test for balanced levels of
anti-rejection drugs. He has received cards and letters from
his well-wishing Magnolia junior high classmates, and he’s
spent a little e-mail time on his laptop, donated to Shawn
last fall by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“He’s excited about his new heart,” Connealy said. “His
prognosis is good. He’s looking forward to the day when he
can ride his dirt bike and his 4-wheeler again, go to math
class, which he loves, and just be a kid.”
For those wanting to make a financial contribution,
donation jars are available at local Magnolia restaurants,
or contact Woodforest National Bank at 281-252-8500 in
Magnolia to contribute to a trust fund.
The Waller High School Cross Country team and head Coach
Joel Mellon took second place at the Magnolia ISD
Invitational on Oct. 20. Waller High School runners (front
row left to right) Nancy Mata, Diana Favela; (back row left
to right) Abraham Sanchez, Robert Weigand, Erica Lozano,
Amanda Rainwater, Shauna Taylor, and Hector Bazan took
second place in both the boy’s and girl’s divisions. Senior
Amanda Rainwater and freshmen Shauna Taylor lead the girl’s
team. Taylor posted her best time in Magnolia finishing in
13:09. She has cut her time by almost one minute over the
season in the two-mile race. |
Fields Store Elementary’s PTO hosted a Fall Festival on Oct.
30. Students played trick-or-treat with teachers and staff,
while PTO members served popcorn and drinks. Pictured are
(back, left to right) Sidney Timmer, Haley Debenedictis and
(front, left to right) Emily Timmer and Sofia Debenedictis.
$249.6 million college bond referendum finally up for
vote
By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff
The North Harris Community College District will give its
$249.6 million bond referendum another shot on Election Day
after the initial attempt was squelched by the Department of
Justice.
Tomball College would receive $46.9 million as part of a
$249.6 million bond referendum up for vote on Nov. 6. The
money will fund a new Health Science Center, a Performing
Arts Center and more.
Area voters will have the opportunity to approve the
referendum that would fund $46.9 million in improvements to
Tomball College.
According to the College District, the referendum calls
for no tax rate increase.
The nearly $47 million earmarked for Tomball College
would help fund a $12 million Performing Arts center, a $16
million Health Science center, an $8 million expansion of
the Veterinary Tech program and a $4 million expansion of
the Willow Chase center.
Other improvements for the college include a new campus
entry drive, parking improvements for the Willow Chase
center, parking for the proposed Health Science center and
$3 million for maintenance and renewal costs.
The referendum comes on the heels of recent NHMCCD
research findings that determined enrollment at the five
district campuses “will increase dramatically in the next
decade” to more than 60,000 students. Current district wide
enrollment numbers are well over 45,000 students.
The district cites program expansions and new start-up
programs, such as Tomball College’s venture into the Health
Science field, as a reason for the marked enrollment
increase.
The referendum was initially up for vote in the May 13
election, but the U.S. Department of Justice found
inconsistencies in the district’s polling locations.
A solution could not be reached before the May election
and the district, along with the Justice Department, agreed
to a postponement.
The district eventually called off the election and
rescheduled it for November.
Also up for election are three of the NHMCCD trustee
positions.
Position 1 incumbent Martin Basaldua is facing challenges
from Clemente L. Ayala and David Holsey.
Position 2 incumbent David McIver is being challenged by
J.B. Crowder Sr., Marvin Gil and Chris Daniel.
Position 3 incumbent Randy Bates will face challenges
from Charlotte Lampe, Fred Blanton and Hector Carreno.
For more information about the NHMCCD bond referendum and
trustee election, visit
www.nhmccd.edu.
Local martial arts Master commits to Ultimate Black Belt
Test
By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff
Magnolia resident John Miller, 47, announced to his
students last week at his Conroe Do-jang that he would be
participating in the Ultimate Black Belt Test (UBBT) on Team
4 over the next 12 months. The students were in awe at this
overwhelming commitment from their martial arts master and
similarly committed to participate with him at various
levels.
Master John Miller
Miller and his wife, Lisa, along with their two sons have
made martial arts their lives. The Miller’s 21-year marriage
is strong evidence of their discipline and life-long
training. Lisa holds a yellow belt of 20 years. Son,
Nickolas, 10, holds a junior black belt and son, Lukas, 8,
holds a red belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Miller has been involved in martial arts since 1976 when
he saw the movie “Enter the Dragon.” After joining a Tae
Kwon Do school in the small town of Sandy Lake, Pa. he
started studying. He opened Miller’s Black Belt Academy,
located at 3600 FM 1488, Suite 200 in December 2003.
Miller has competed in various tournaments regionally and
nationally. After earning his second Dan (degree) and
Certified Instructor in Tae Kwon Do, he started studying the
art of Tang Soo Do, where he currently holds the rank of 5th
Dan (degree) Master Instructor. Miller is a second Dan
(degree) Certified Instructor in Hapkido and a Certified
Instructor in Super “T” Warrior Kickboxing as well.
He was inducted into the World Karate Union Hall of Fame
as the Master Instructor of the Year in 2001, and the World
Wide Martial Arts Hall of Fame as Master Instructor of the
Year in 2002 and Instructor of the Year in 2003.
He has studied under Grand Master C.S. Kim, Grand Master
H.U. Lee, Joe Lewis, Bill Wallace, Cynthia Rothrock, Richard
Norton, Don “The Dragon” Wilson, Professor Pallen, Professor
Bates, Master Pallegrini, Master Terry Gay, Master Sergio
Camacho, and Master Cootie Harris.
“All of these special people have been important
milestones in my martial arts journey,” Miller said. “I
admire and have the utmost respect for each of them as they
have influenced who I am today. My students, who are my
martial arts family, have shown me a tremendous amount of
support since my announcement of joining the UBBT Team 4.”
The UBBT is a revolutionary and innovative new program
supervised and administered by Master Tom Callos.
“The UBBT approaches the business of the martial arts as
a physical and spiritual journey for the teacher,” stated
Callos on his Web site. “The UBBT is a life-coaching program
that focuses on what you want to become.”
Requirements of the program are strenuous and
participants must be diligent. “If you cannot ‘fall down 7,
get up 8’…then do not waste your time,” said Callos.
Participants must commit to a 12-month long
self-customized program based upon needs, abilities and
objectives. A full set of written test objectives must be
provided to Callos at the onset of the test with weekly
journaling required on the Web site including contact and
support of fellow UBBT classmates.
Community activities include spearheading an
environmental clean-up project, performing an assigned
Whatever It Takes (WIT) challenge, memorizing the speech
“Mastery” by Stuart Emory, attending three special team
building events, righting three wrongs or mending three
broken relationships, living one full day in a wheelchair,
one full day blind, and one full day mute.
Participants must embrace personal improvements such as
fulfilling and documenting 10 achievements considered to be
personal victories, performing their final orchestrated test
performance in front of 10 audiences prior to final test,
name and profile 10 living non-military or related personal
heroes, and read 12 or more books of “enlightenment.”
Training team members must commit to include completing a
30-day or 7-day motivational series equivalent to the
Anthony Robbins educational system, perform 20 hours of
boxing or Muay Thai training, 150 hours of Jiu-Jitsu or any
NHB style of grappling, walk or run 1,000 miles, perform
1,000 rounds of sparring, select a form, such as Kata, and
perform 1,000 repetitions of it, perform 1,000 acts of
kindness and receive 50,000 acts of courtesy, kindness or
respect from students and/or community, seek out formal
meditation training, complete 52,000 push-ups and crunches
by the final exam.
Each candidate for the final test must participate in a
reality-based self-defense program, study or have training
in one Filipino stick-fighting art such as Kali or Escrima,
seek out a master of any discipline and interview and/or
study with him or her and come to final exam at the end of
12 months in the best shape of their life.
Logon at
www.ultimateblackbelttest.com for more information on
the Ultimate Black Belt Test. For information on martial
arts training with Master John Miller call 936-321-8844.
Chaney takes White Dove derby in upset over favorite
By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff
At the Oct. 28 third bi-annual Demolition Derby sponsored
by The White Dove of Hope, driver Buddy Chaney’s No. 6 car,
donated by Jerry Hamill toured the field victorious
following the final match. He was victorious over last
year’s favorite, Thunder Chicken, car No. 69 driven by Bubba
Schiel, who took second place.
Pictured, the No. 5 car evades a collision during the White
Dove of Hope’s third bi-annual Demolition Derby.
The event was held at the Chad Treichel Memorial Arena,
located at 30628 FM 1488, Waller, and hosted a record 3,000
in attendance with more than 40 cars entered. The White Dove
of Hope is a non-profit organization established to lend
financial assistance to those in need.
At the start of the show, driver Kevin Venden of car No.
79 won the Best of Show event. Winners in each heat included
Joel Hueske, Butch Hegemeyer, Lawrence Jones, David Tomczak,
Justin Jones, Craig Hamlett and Steve Snider.
Pink ruled the driver’s pit for the Golddiggers’ car No.
11, as congratulations poured out to Powder Puff car owner
Sierra Granger.
Grudge Match winner David Sheffield in car No. 01 revved
his engine at the end of the night and roared out of the
arena for the party in the pit.
Emcee Scott Messina kept the crowd going throughout the
evening, opening up the event by reminding everyone why they
were there. “Laughter is the closest distance between two
people. We’re here to laugh and have a good time,” he said.
The first heat kicked off with friendly bashing and
crashing. Enticed by the crowd, drivers kicked up dust that
covered the arena, sending fans to the concessions for a
cool drink and a bite to eat.
Heat two saw a little more action as car No. 79 spouted
flames from engine-mounted exhaust pipes when the rear tires
dug in to the dirt.
At the start of heat three, judges stalled the action as
car No. 7X was disqualified from the derby for a fuel leak.
The heat ended quickly and fans cheered gustily when car No.
27 chased car No. 35 around the dirt bowl.
In heat four, sparks flew from tailpipes and flames flew
from exhaust as each driver exhibited their evasive skills
and prowess at causing damage. Flames flew from an angry car
No. 97, stalled in the center of the arena. Tractors were
called in to unlock car IOU and the flame spouting Chicken,
with car No. 12 taking the lead at the end of the heat.
While qualifying drivers prepared for the final match,
spectators enjoyed a Powder Puff Derby, which ran for the
first time this year with four cars entered. Thunder Chick’s
car No. 7, and the Golddiggers’ car No. 11, rivaled it out
with cars No. 08 and 711. Drivers started the show at top
speed driving aggressively and playing for money. The
Goldiggers hit them hard throughout the heat, but cars No.
08 and 11 took it out on “The Chick”, which left car No. 11
and the Golddiggers the winners at the end of the match.
While qualifying drivers prepared for the final match,
spectators enjoyed a 30-minute intermission fireworks
display donated by American Fireworks. In the middle of the
match, car No. 12 aggressively danced across the dirt
ramming car No. 069 into the burm, then rear-ended car No. 6
who slammed car No. 69. The Chicken drove up and over car
No. 35 to the roaring approval of the crowd, costing him a
wheel, and the match.
A pile up occurred at the end field from which only car
No. 3 escaped in reverse, rear-ending car No. X3d. Fire on
X3d forced Tri-County Volunteer Fire Department onto the
field in full gear and a halt was called in the action, not
once, but twice to put out flames on cars No. X3d and 12. A
hard hit by car No. 6 into car No. 88 left it standing and
Chaney toured the field victorious in car No. 6.
Eleven drivers gunned their engines, taking their places
in the line up across the dirt bowl for the Grudge Match. At
the start of the match car No. 01 and No. 00 were battling
it out, but both hit the burm and stalled. Later, car No. 18
sunk in the dirt up to his axle and was sandwiched between
No. 01 and No. 00. Revenge was sweet but short lived for No.
18 who broke his flag, leaving Sheffield in car No. 01
victorious.
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