Students make heroic effort to save the life of bus driver

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The fast reaction of two Magnolia boys is being heralded as heroic, though their bus driver, called “Miss Judy” by the students, passed away at Tomball Regional Hospital on Jan. 30 after suffering what is thought to be a heart attack.

Pictured, Bryce Collier, a Bear Branch Elementary fourth grader, rushed to a neighbor’s home to get help for his bus driver, whom he thought was having a heart attack.
Photo by Cari Herr

“Miss Judy” was Judy Clapsill, 48, of Magnolia. She was driving elementary students home from Bear Branch Elementary (BBE) at 4:10 p.m. on Jan. 29. While transporting the students, she pulled off of FM 1488 and stopped at the corner of Wedgewood Dr., then collapsed.

Bryce Collier, 9, was the first to act when he noticed that Miss Judy was slumped over the steering wheel.

“The kids were all yelling, ‘Miss Judy, Miss Judy, wake up,” said Bryce.

Despite the warnings of other students on the bus that he would get in trouble, Bryce grabbed his backpack and ran to get his friend’s mom, Lisa Cook, he said. He then ran home with his friend, Chris, to tell his mother, Donna Collier. She immediately called the Magnolia ISD (MISD) bus barn to notify them of the incident.

Meanwhile, Tanner Gardner, 9, pulled out his cell phone and dialed his mom, who instructed him to call 911 and request emergency assistance, said Bryce.

Cook, a trained radiologist, rushed to the bus and helped to remove the driver from inside. She then performed cardio pulmonary resuscitation on the unconscious driver until emergency services personnel arrived on the scene.

“The fire truck and ambulance arrived right away,” said Bryce.

Susan Ward, BBE Principal, also arrived on the scene to calm the children and assist in contacting their parents, said Donna.

Michael Daniel, MISD Human Resources Director commended the actions of the driver that allowed her to maintain the safety of the students, as well as the actions of the students.

“We appreciate the heroic efforts she demonstrated to protect the students during this time. The students acted in an appropriate safety manner,” he said. “The district recognizes this time of grief for the family and our prayers are with them.”

Bryce and his family received a visit from Clapsill’s family on Jan. 31, thanking him for his quick reaction and effort to save the life of Clapsill.

“We are very proud of Bryce for being responsible, and not listening to his friends to stay on the bus,” said Donna.

Collier and Gardner, along with Cook, have become local celebrities for doing what came natural to them, the basic ingredient for heroes around the world.

“Mystery Machine” sex offender behind bars

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Registered sex offender Ricky Lee Stroble, 39, is behind bars after Waller County Sheriff’s deputies executed a warrant on Jan. 25 following a complaint by a caller who claimed Stroble was in possession of child pornography.

Ricky Lee Stroble

On Jan. 24, Sgt. Brian Cantrell with the Waller County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender Unit received a complaint that Stroble was in possession of child pornography at his residence.

Waller County Sheriff’s deputies found Stroble at his home in the 4400 block of FM 1774 in Plantersville where he was arrested with the assistance of the Texas Rangers.

When Sheriff’s deputies entered Stroble’s home, they found images of child pornography, as well as two laptop computers and several computer media devices allegedly used to record and display digital pornographic images.

Stroble was placed in the Waller County Jail and charged with possession of child pornography as well as improper photography or visual recording. Waller County Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Judge Delores Hargrave set Stroble’s bond at $1,000,000.

This is a third offense for Stroble, with the first two offenses being indecency with a child, sexual contact. Previous offenses involved a 13-year-old in 1992 and a second offense involving an 8-year-old in 1993.

“We’re not going to leave any loose ends,” said Cantrell. “Any charge that is fitting or appropriate will be filed.”

According to Cantrell, Stroble’s vehicle was also named in the warrant, but had not been impounded as of press time last week. The van has unique markings similar to the “Mystery Machine,” as seen in the popular children’s cartoon “Scooby Doo,” said Constable David Hill.

The case remains under investigation and additional charges may be filed at a later date. For more information on registered sex offenders in your area, log on to https://records.txdps.state.tx.us.

Magnolia developers receive go-ahead for construction plans

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Residents of Magnolia can soon look forward to the arrival of several new businesses in the city.

Storefronts soon to be open include O’Reilly Auto Parts, Aaron Rents Inc., a Best Value hotel, and a Young Foods franchise, owners of Taco Bell and KFC, as well as additional units at NC Storage. Meanwhile, Magnolia Ridge developers have taken a final leap toward construction.

Developers stood in line on the agendas at special meetings of the Magnolia Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) and the Magnolia City Council held Jan. 29, as one by one, they received the nod on preliminary plats that bring Magnolia closer to new economic development.

Randy McClendon of Tejas Surveying representing Magnolia Plaza, a commercial development at the corner of FM 1488 and FM 1774, will likely see approval on the final plat for the construction of an O’Reilly within 30 days.

David Burdick, previously of Jordan French Inc., developers who brought Auto Zone and Dollar General to Magnolia, said Aaron Rents Inc. should close the deal within a month and anticipates a new hotel next to Auto Zone, as well as a fast food franchise.

“That development will accommodate the construction of a Taco Bell, Long John Silver’s or Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise,” said Mayor Jimmy Thornton.

Jeff Tanis of Magnolia Business Center, located at 31519 Nichol Sawmill Road, received a long-awaited approval on a plat filed by Steve Cruz of C&C Surveying, Inc. with the city years ago to begin construction engineering for additional storage units at NC Storage.

Both City Manager Roger Carlisle and Thornton conceded that a previous city administration had “dropped the ball” on approving the plat for further development. The lack of the plat approval had been preventing the development from moving forward.

Magnolia Ridge developers put the proverbial cart before the horse in requesting a variance to the city’s subdivision ordinance. Burdick, who recently joined MAG-TEX Investments as the project manager for Magnolia Ridge, spoke to both groups regarding the engineering investment already in place.

Burdick presented a formidable argument claiming a “hardship” would exist should re-engineering be required to meet the ordinance, and that builders were already in place.

“There shouldn’t have been contracts negotiated with builders unless you were sure you could deliver this to them,” said P&Z Chairman Denny O’Brien.

Following discussion at both meetings in which P&Z members and council members chastised developers for lack of due process, both assemblies approved 148 lots in section four for frontage lines of between 32 and 50 feet, a variance from the required 60 foot frontage.

O’Brien assured developers that no future variances would be approved and said, “Don’t come back.”

In light of recent developments, the city’s water and sewer distribution system also received approval from council for a $127,235 in change orders to maintain the integrity of original bid prices. The cost to install a 16-inch water line from the new plant site on Kelly Road and down Industrial Lane is $69,235, while the cost to take the line from Industrial Lane out to FM 1774 is $58,000, said City Engineer Craig Kankel.

It wasn’t all build and spend with council members at the meetings. The delivery of $111,435 in capital recovery fees by the Grand Oaks MUD heralds the development of 69 additional lots in Glen Oaks Section IV. Developer Pat Carmichael said the lots had not been sold to builders, but anticipated an increased interest in the lots, now that water negotiations were complete and the fees had been paid.

Shoppers fail to recognize ‘missing’ girl in science fair project

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Cameron Valdez of Magnolia is a Bear Branch Elementary fifth grade student who correctly hypothesized in her science fair project that no one would pay any attention to a missing person poster with her name on it.

Pictured, Cameron Valadez, a fifth grade student at Bear Branch Elementary, tested and proved her theory that people don’t pay attention to mission persons posters, in a project she recently submitted for the science fair. Submitted Photo

Her mother, Amy, cautioned Cameron that a similar experiment had occurred several years ago. But, Cameron wondered if things had changed. Would anyone notice a missing persons poster with her picture on it?

Cameron conducted the experiment with the help of Amy. She and her mother defined “anyone” as adults appearing 18 years of age or older.

“I didn’t think that anyone would notice me sitting beside a missing person poster with my picture on it and I was correct,” said Cameron.

Despite the fact that Cameron wore the same clothes for the experiment as she did for the photo in the poster, none of the 684 adults Amy counted as they passed by spoke to her, Cameron said. Only one teenager actually said anything, acknowledging she was the same girl in the poster, while several younger children recognized her in the picture and smiled, but kept on walking.

“The poster looked just like a missing persons poster,” said Amy, “except we added an experiment statement at the bottom and used an experiment date, rather than a missing date.”

The experiment required both a black and white poster and a color poster, at two different locations with four different variables. Variables included a half hour each of Cameron paying attention and trying to get people to notice her and a half-hour each of her playing a hand-held video game under each of the two pictures, for a total of fours hours. With two hours each spent at Wal-Mart in Tomball and at The Woodlands Mall, each of the four 30-minute time blocks produced similar results.

“I found out that most people don’t pay attention. The younger people pay more attention than the adults,” said Cameron. “They just did not know what to do.”

Cameron hopes the knowledge will be spread that people do need to pay attention.

“We need to teach little kids, because a lot of little kids noticed, they just did not know what to do,” she said. Cameron believes small children need to be educated as to what the poster means and what to do if they see a child that matches a poster description.

Adults need to understand that they are often that missing child’s only link to law enforcement, said Amy. A cleaning lady at the mall clearly noticed the similarity between Cameron and the poster, she said, as well as several other adults who looked at the picture and Cameron, but did not make the connection.

“As adults we just don’t take the time to notice,” said Amy. “People are too busy to take the time to get involved.”

Cameron recognized improvements that could be made to her project. Removing the experiment statement at the bottom of the poster and leaving off the experiment date, as well as choosing a less busy location, such as a small local grocery store, were a few she named.

“I thought that maybe if I did it at a smaller store people would notice more, because in a small town like I live in everybody knows everybody,” Cameron said.

Magnolia UMC recognized for outstanding youth ministry

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Magnolia United Methodist Church (UMC), located at 419 Commerce, was recently awarded the Charter Partner Award by the Sam Houston Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, Polaris District.

Magnolia United Methodist Church was recently awarded the Charter Partner Award for youth ministry.
Photo by Cari Herr

The Polaris District covers the Magnolia, Tomball, Klein, and Spring Independent School Districts and has 158 scouting units and more than 80 charter partners. Only one community-based organization from each district may be selected by the Council Relationships Committee to receive recognition each year.

While many organizations may charter a pack, troop, and crew, adding a second pack is beyond the normal expectation of a chartering organization, said Polaris District Vice Chairman of Operations John Dutch.

Magnolia UMC has a long history of support for scouting. The church chartered Boy Scout Troop 1114 28 years ago. Cub Scout Pack 1114 was chartered almost 23 years ago. Seven months ago, Venture Crew 1114 was chartered and a little more than three months ago, a second pack, Cub Scout Pack 1178, was chartered.

Dutch and Polaris District Vice Chairman of Programs Lynda Worlow at the Polaris District Recognition Dinner presented the award on Jan. 13 to Magnolia UMC Pastor Patty Wehn-Glowski, who attended to accept the award on behalf of the church.

“The church is to be commended for providing this additional opportunity for youth ministry to the community,” said Dutch.

Regions Bank Robbery

The Tomball Regions Bank, located at 810 W. Main St, was robbed at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 2. According to the Tomball Police Department, the suspect, who fled the scene and is still on the loose, is a 65 to 70-year old white female with salt and pepper hair. She was wearing a sweater and did use a firearm during the heist. There were no injuries and the amount potentially stolen from the bank was unclear at press time last week. The incident is currently under investigation by Tomball Police and the FBI.

Tomball HS FFA show nets more than $300,000

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

The Tomball High School FFA Show and Sale, held Jan. 26 and 27, netted one of the largest financial returns in the history of the program.

More than $315,000 was raised through live auctions and freezer item sales, eclipsing last year’s total by more than $50,000, Tomball ISD officials said.

The show’s top prize, Grand Champion Steer, went to James Ponder.

Ponder’s steer sold for an estimated $18,000.

“We had a spectacular show,” said FFA teacher Sommer Thomas.

She estimated last year’s total amount raised to be about $237,000.

“We had some new buyers this year and the bad weather held off, so that was good,” Thomas said.

Other Grand Champion winners included Megan Beisert (swine), Raegan Schmidt (lamb), Dustin Brokmeyer (turkey), Kayla Hoffmeister (broilers) and Jarrad Aguilar (rabbits).

Picture, Megan Beisert shows off her Grand Champion pig, Daisy, at the annual FFA show.
Submitted Photo

Reserve Champion winners included Tyler Smith (steer), Hunter Schmidt (swine), Collin Chambers (lamb), Blake Barnett (turkey), Travis Murray (broilers) and Ryan Sirios (rabbits).

Pictured, Tomball High School’s Travis Richbourg tends to his steer during the school’s Jan. 27 FFA Show and Sale.
Photo by Brian Walzel

Showmanship Winners were Chambers (lamb), Katie Weinberg (swine) and Trey Shuck (steer).

More than 150 students competitively showed 189 projects, including lambs, hogs, turkeys, chickens, rabbits and steers. Over a five to eight month period, students raise, train, groom and care for their animals in preparation for the annual show and other projects.

Students raising steers get their animals in late May or early June, with other students getting animals such as pigs, turkeys and chickens throughout the year.

The students use their own money to purchase the animals and pay for their care.

Thomas said students take home 90 percent of the sale price of their animal, with the remaining 10 percent put into an FFA fund which helps pay for such things as travel expenses and equipment throughout the year.

Lampworking provides therapy for decorated veteran

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Charley Jo Landers uses her lampworking skill as therapy to combat the symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and fibromyalgia, the inflammation of the joints. Both are disabilities she developed as a result of her decorated Army service in the Persian Gulf War during Operation Desert Storm.

Charley Jo Landers

Lampworking provides Landers with an artistic and therapeutic outlet. She uses an oxygen-propane torch called a minor-burner to heat and shape colored glass rods into beaded works of art. A kiln is used to prevent the glass from cracking in a process called annealing that lowers the temperature of the glass very slowly from 1200 degrees Fahrenheit.

“The glass must be introduced slowly into the flame so as not to shock the glass,” Landers said. “Shocking” will cause the glass to break off in small pieces.

“The therapeutic part of it is that you have to concentrate on the present, and stay focused on what you are doing,” said Landers. “It is mesmerizing. When the bead is done it is like Christmas.”

In Landers’ published work, “Sand Between My Toes: To Deploy in Support of Operation Desert Storm,” (Briar Cliff Review, 1996) she depicts her experience during the Persian Gulf War as surrealistic, something very real, but also not quite real. The painting “Kefub,” also by Landers, published in the Briar Cliff Review, 2001, communicates emotion through a form of alphabetical pictograms she developed.

“I believe art is a form of communication and my paintings are a literal interpretation of that belief,” Landers said.

Landers attended Magnolia Junior High School and Magnolia High School as a freshman where she participated in the marching band. She is a 1989 graduate of Stratford High School. Landers served in the Army from 1990 to 1992. She is a 2002 graduate of Briar Cliff College with a double major in Art and Biology. Now 35, she moved to the Waller area in 2005 to be with her family.

Military service is a family tradition in the Landers’ home. She has a stepsister in the Army Reserves and a stepbrother in the U.S. Marine Corp.

On Feb. 14, 1991, just days after completing her Advanced Individual Training (AIT) in Fort Dix, N.J. as a combat medic, Landers’ Army unit, the 3rd Armored Division, arrived in Saudi Arabia. She served in a POW camp in Kuwait and at a camp hospital in Safwan, Iraq before returning to the United States.

“You don’t really know what its about until you are there. I saw death and the things you would imagine are associated with war, but that is the ugliest part of war. Death is horrible,” Landers said. “That is the thing I struggle with the most.”

Landers also struggles with the effects of exposure to the nerve agent’s sarin and psychosarin. After her discharge, she experienced a transient cycle of jobs, schools and Veteran’s Administration (VA) counseling centers over the next seven years. At the VA hospital in Sioux Falls, Iowa she finally received counseling and was able to put a label on her illness.

Another step in the healing process came in 2001, when Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), a Navy veteran himself, assisted Landers in receiving 10 medals of commendation on Jan. 23, 2001.

Landers has a sense of “coming home” she has never felt before. She keeps her family close and seeks to share her lampworking skill and experiences with others. To schedule a private class or demonstration, contact Glassmouse13@gmail.com or call 936-931-1550.

FM 2920 resurfacing project to begin soon

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

More roadwork is scheduled for another major Tomball thoroughfare.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, FM 2920 between Falvel Road, west of Spring, and SH 249 is set to be repaired and resurfaced.

The project could begin within 90 days.

“This is a rehabilitation project consisting of milling and replacing the old surface due to pavement deterioration from Falvel to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, east of Tomball,” TxDOT stated in a release Jan. 25.

The roadway will also be restriped and receive sign upgrades from the railroad west to SH 249.

The project, estimated at more than $4 million, has been awarded to Angel Brother Enterprises. According to TxDOT, work will be performed during daytime and off-peak hours “to minimize impacts to the traveling public.”

TxDOT estimates the project should be completed by April 2008.

An approximate 2-mile stretch of FM 2920 from I-45 to Falvel Road was resurfaced about two years ago.

Former Cougar Patton learns from the best at pitching camp

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

If former Tomball Cougar pitcher Troy Patton is to follow in the footsteps of one of his most prestigious teachers, he’ll certainly have a productive career ahead of him.

Troy Patton

Last week Patton, who was a ninth round pick of the Houston Astros in 2004, was one of a handful of Astros minor league prospects and current Major Leaguers who took part in the weeklong Nolan Ryan Elite Pitching Camp at Minute Maid Park.

Headed up by former Astro, current Hall of Famer and overall Texas legend Nolan Ryan, the camp gives players like Patton a chance to hone their skills in a Major League setting. This is the third year Ryan, who has a personal services contract with the Astros, has held the camp and the third in which Patton has participated.

After his senior season at Tomball in 2004 in which he was heralded as one of the top pitchers in the nation and garnered numerous accolades and awards, the hometown Astros drafted Patton and dispatched him to the low minor league levels, seemingly years away from sniffing the big leagues.

But Patton quickly displayed the ability that made him a hot commodity out of Tomball and began to climb the ranks of the minor leagues, all the while gaining notoriety as one of the top prospects in the Astros farm system.

He was recognized by Baseball America, a leading baseball publication, as one of the Astros top prospects.

Last season when the Astros were looking to make a trade in their push for the playoffs, it was rumored that Patton was the only minor leaguer the Astros refused to part ways with.

He split the 2006 season between Class A Salem in the Carolina League, where he went 7-7 with a 2.93 ERA and Class AA Corpus Christi, where he went 2-5 with a 4.37 ERA.

He played Winter Ball for the Mesa Solar Sox in October and November, where he went 2-0 with a 4.80 ERA in 15 innings pitched.

Just 21, Patton is expected to join the Astros at Spring Training next week when pitchers and catchers report to Kissimmee, Fla. While there may not be room for him on the big league club just yet, Patton should begin the 2007 season at AAA Round Rock, where he will essentially be just a phone call away from joining the Astros.

Astros manager Phil Garner has reportedly pushed to get Patton to the big leagues quickly.

Considering the methodical nature with which the Astros promote their young prospects, Patton’s ascent is remarkable. Ryan has said in the past he believes Patton has the ability to be a quality major league pitcher.

Patton’s estimated time of arrival at the big league level is 2008, but he could get the call as early as this year. With the fourth and fifth spots in the pitching rotation seemingly up for grabs, a stellar Spring Training could convince the Astros brass to bring Patton along quicker than they had originally anticipated.

Bear Branch Lady Bears hoops split series

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

The Bear Branch Junior High Lady Bears four sub-varsity basketball teams split a four game series the week of Jan. 22.

The Lady Bears eighth grade A team was one of the two winners on the week with a 39-16 routing of Tomball Junior High on Jan. 25. Madison Kosir lead the Lady Bears in scoring with 10 points, while Megan Parrish lead the team with 11 rebounds. Also making significant contributions were Latasha Jones, Sara Turbyfill, Paige Holland and Caitlyn Odom. The win improves the Lady Bears’ overall record to 11-5 and their district record to 5-2.

The eighth grade B team suffered a heartbreaking 23-22 loss at the hands of crosstown rival Magnolia Junior High Jan. 29. Kelly Bartlett lead the squad in points with 10 and rebounds with 13. She also added a pair of steals and two blocked shots. Ashlea Donaldson chipped in eight points in the losing cause. Other key players were Claire Lavergne, Paige Manor, Amanda Shirley and Lindsey Stewart. With the loss, the B team falls to 5-8 overall and 4-4 in district.

Also on Jan. 29, the Bear Branch seventh grade A team came away with a decisive 40-23 win over Magnolia Junior High for their tenth win of the season. The victory was a complete team effort with key contributions from Amy Henry, Sara Bodine, Brittany Mayes, Shaquania Fusieler, Kalligh Kuck and Maggie Stewart. Stewart lead the team in scoring with seven points. Kuck had 16 rebounds.

Fnially, the Lady Bear’s seventh grade B team fell 24-19 at the hands of their Magnolia Junior High counterparts. The loss drops the Lady Bears to 3-8 overall and 2-6 in district.

Volanda Jackson lead the team with seven points. Jasmine Hubbard, Victoria Birdwell, Lexi Cyprus, Jackie Bambridge, Carly McDougal, Morgan Gonzales, Carlie Berrill, Kelly Grant and Harlie Burroughs all contributed.