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The Haunted Depot and Scary Caboose Halloween event will be going on at Magnolia's Historic Depot in Downtown Magnolia on Halloween night from 6:30pm until 9pm.  Visit www.historicmagnolia.com for details.

TxDOT considers public opinion FM 2978 expansion options

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Residents and business owners on FM 2978 gathered at Bear Branch Junior High on Sept. 27 to view several design options for the expansion of the road between FM 1488 and Dobbin Hufsmith.

Jim Roscher of TxDOT (right) and Casey Kneupper of PBS&J (center) discuss the impact of the FM 2978 expansion designs at a Sept. 27 public meeting.

Designs for the project are currently divided into four sections, with at least two of those being subdivided into various alternatives. The entire project is estimated at $32.35 million.

Section 1 is projected to be 1.57 miles long and is within its existing 120-foot right of way. The project will potentially affect two hazardous materials sites and four fueling stations.

Section 2 is projected to be 1.64 miles long and extends from Miller/Ken Lakes Dr. to Westmoreland Lane, but has three east, center and west options to choose from for right-of-way (ROW) acquisition.

All three offer two 12-foot travel lanes and a 5-foot sidewalk in both directions, with an 18-foot center median. Current designs for this section are estimated at $8.6 million and will require 180 feet of ROW.

The difference between the three options is relative to where the ROW is taken for the expansion and could potentially affect existing residences and businesses.

Section 3 offers four alternatives with multiple impacts.

Alternate 1, 2 and 3 of section 3 could require as much as 195-feet of ROW.

Alternate 1 and 2 are a 45-mile-per-hour design. However, Alternate 2 projects a realignment of Hardin Store Road, creating a cul-de-sac and a new Hardin Store Road Connector designed for south of Dry Creek Bridge.

Alternate 3 includes the Hardin Store Road Connector south of Dry Creek Bridge, but the radius of the curve in the road is shortened at the bridge, providing for a 60-mile-per-hour design.

Alternate 4 is the most unpopular according to Michael R. Tello of TxDOT.

Acquisition of ROW will potentially straighten the road, cutting across woodlands, but providing for a 60-mile-per-hour design. No Hardin Store Road Connector is planned for this alternate. Instead, the design extends Hardin Store Road to meet the new overpass.

Section 4 is 2.08 miles long, 180 feet wide, and begins on the north side of Dry Creek Bridge with estimates in the $8.8 million range. Current designs will require 15.4 acres of new ROW and also provide for three options, east, west, and center. Again, the options are based upon how much and where land is taken for ROW.

There is no easy answer to solving the problem of ROW acquisition for Section 4. Businesses and residents of both sides of the road are dramatically affected.

Among those impacted in the east option are 13 businesses, one cemetery and a fire station. It also consumes a larger portion of flood plane at 10.59 acres.

The west option has less land in the flood plan at 9.4 acres and only affects 10 businesses, but does not affect the cemetery or the fire station.

The center option affects the least businesses at just eight, and consumes only 9.93 acres of flood plane, but also impacts the cemetery and the fire station.

PBS&J is estimated to complete the environmental studies on the project within a year-and-a-half. The design work is being done by CLR Inc.

Drawings are available at the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office located at 301 N. Thompson, Suite 209 in Conroe or at the TxDOT main office, located at 7721 Washington Ave. in Houston.

TxDOT is accepting public comments on the project until Oct. 12. Mail to Director of Project Development at P.O. Box 1386, Houston, Texas 77251 or e-mail hou-piowebmail.@dot.state.tx.us.

Sheriff’s Office asking for help in locating missing Magnolia man

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help in locating a Magnolia man they believe went missing late last month.

Gregory Willkomm

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Gregory Willkomm was last seen Sept. 27 cutting his grass at his home at approximately 5:30 p.m. A report issued by the office states that Willkomm’s lawnmower and trailer he was using was found abandoned on FM 1488 near his home. According to the report, Willkomm was due to go on vacation Sept. 30 but did not appear.

He is being treated for high blood pressure and has scars on both of his wrists from a recent surgery. Willkomm drives a 2004 Silver Nissan Titan truck, license plate No. 64G-GT5.

Willkomm is a white male, 5-feet, 7-inches tall, weighing 160 pounds and has brown eyes and brown hair.

Anyone with information about Willkomm’s whereabouts are asked to call Det. Ken Bivens with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 281-297-6510 or their local police agency.

Road Projects Meeting
An informational meeting on the widening of FM 1488 and the Fish Creek extension will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 1 at Bear Branch Junior High School. Pct. 2 County Commissioner Craig Doyal will speak at an open meeting of the East 1488 Community Association.

Doyal will also address Montgomery County’s plan to lower property taxes and discuss how and why the county is providing more money to the sheriff's department.

Blake Barton of the association will also give an update on the City of Conroe’s annexation plans for the FM 1488 area, resulting from an association meeting with Conroe City Attorney Marcus Winberry last month.

Art Show
Tomball Art League (TAL) will hold its Fall 2007 juried show on Oct. 13 at the Tomball Community Center, located at 221 Market Street. The Tomball Art League is joining with the Regional Arts Council in its promotion of the arts during the Centennial Celebrations for the City of Tomball during 2007.

The TAL is a member of the Lone Star Art Guild and abides by the show rules of the Guild. The Fall Show is open to artists who are members of leagues associated with the Lone Star Art Guild. In addition, TAL particularly welcomes student art and joins the Regional Arts Council in encouraging the arts in the schools.

Nationally recognized watercolorist Hillary Page will judge the show. Page has published “Watercolor Right from the Start” and other art books and has articles featured in the American Artist: Watercolor and The Artist UK.

For information and registration forms, call Bob Trivers at 281-374-0160 or Connie Bosworth at 281-356-9063.

Golf Tournament
The Sixth Annual Magnolia Education Foundation Golf Tournament will be held Oct. 9 at High Meadow Ranch Golf Club, located at 3700 Golf Club Trail in Magnolia. The tournament begins with a 12 p.m. shotgun start. Registration and lunch will be held from 10:45 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 281-252-2500, ext. 1012.

‘Hawgs with Heart’ benefits TPD Blue Santa

Tomball Centennial Commission’s “Hawgs with Heart” motorcycle rally will be held Oct. 13. The event will include food, family activities, prizes, a parade, a bike show, bands, and more.

Proceeds will benefit the Tomball Police Department’s Blue Santa “Shop With a Cop” program, as well as celebrate Tomball’s 100th birthday. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. at the Tomball Train Depot.

For more information, visit www.hawgswithheart.com or contact Kay Whitaker at 713-898-2788 or e-mail kwhitaker@erawhitaker.com.

White Dove of Hope schedules 5th semi-annual demolition derby

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

It’s derby season again in Fields Store Community. The White Dove of Hope 5th Semi-Annual Fall Demolition Derby is slated to take place on Oct. 27.

The Wild Turkey Car can be seen crashing it up at the White Dove of Hope 5th Semi-Annual Fall Demolition Derby on Oct. 27.

The regular derby will begin at 5 p.m. Registration is $150 with $500 in added money. The Powderpuff derby will follow the regular derby. Registration is $100 and winner takes all.

Driver registration information can be found on the White Dove of Hope Web site. Driver check-in is Oct. 27 from at 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A chili bean and cake cook-off contest has been added to the agenda this year. Registration is $25. For more information, call 281-541-3042.

This year’s raffle is for a Custom Texas Golf Cart. Tickets are $5.

The event will be held at the Chad Treichel Memorial Arena on FM 1488 in Fields Store Community. Parking is onsite and admission for age 13 and up is $8, ages 6 to 12 are $6, and under age 5 is free.

For more information, log on to www.whitedoveofhope.org or call 936-372-0834.

WHS teen to represent Hockley in Miss Texas Teen USA Pageant

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Waller County will be well represented in the Miss Texas Teen USA Pageant scheduled for Nov. 24 and 25 at the Houston Hilton.

Kelsi Nicole Patterson

Kelsi Nicole Patterson, 16, a junior at Waller High School, lived in Magnolia prior to moving to Hockley eight years ago.

Patterson has a concern for the community around her, as well as for the world she lives in, she said. She has been active in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, and the Harris County Pct. 1 Constable’s Office toy drive and annual food drive.

A varsity cheerleader for Waller High School, Patterson has also held a position on a competition cheerleading team for the last six years and was selected as a member of the All-American Cheerleader team.

She said she knows the value of being a well-rounded student. With aspirations of attending Texas A&M University to pursue a nursing degree, she participates in Spanish Club, FFA, Art Club, Rodeo Club and BPA.

When she is not on the water with her parents, Joanne and Henry Elkin, water skiing, tubing, or wake and knee boarding she is hanging out with her friends, shopping and spending time with her dog, Boots.

“I basically love the lake,” she said about her second favorite sport.

To offset the cost of pageant life, Patterson works as a coach at Waller School of Tumbling and at Waller Rustic Furniture.

For more information on sponsorships e-mail stx12202@Allstate.com or call 832-217-9674.

On-line auction closes Oct. 11 for Montgomery County

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The Montgomery County auction has seen some changes over the last year, not the least of which is a 20 percent increase in gross profit, according to Darlou Zenor, assistant purchasing agent for the county.

What was once a live auction held annually at the Montgomery County Fair grounds has over the last year become exclusively an on-line auction managed by Rene Bates Auction.

“The personnel, time and resources to organize the auction required six months of prep time,” said buyer Pam Taras, a county employee who now organizes several on-line auctions each year.

Previous auctions have netted the county’s general fund between $120,000 to $150,000, with the exception of the district attorney’s office and the auto theft division of the sheriff’s department. Both departments receive back the proceeds of their items.

Since 2004, the county has used Rene Bates Auction to sell a few items here and there. The steady increase in gross profits and the saved man-hours in set up and organization, along with no make-ready for vehicles, made the on-line auction more cost effective, said Taras.

Last year, the on-line auction grossed more than $190,000. At last month’s meeting, the Commissioner’s Court acknowledged the receipt of $22,310.91 for an auction held on Aug. 28 that included only four items.

“The on-line auction allows the county a broader viewing audience,” Taras said.

Rene Bates Auction was established in 1966 and went to on-line auction services almost exclusively in 1999, according to owner Rene Bates, serving multiple states, counties, municipalities, and school districts across the U.S.

“We don’t have a buy-it-now feature,” said Sheryl Bates, who makes a distinction between Rene Bates Auction and on-line service company, Ebay.

“We monitor our auctions,” she said. “Where Ebay is a clearing house, we are an auction house.” With five-minute intervals of extended bidding, that “allows everyone the same opportunity and prevents sniping.”

The county not only sells seized items, it also sells abandoned and found items.

A set of Barbie Collector’s Edition dolls that was found on the roadside following the evacuation during hurricane Katrina was sold recently. Each doll sold individually for between $25 and $250 dollars a piece.

People have been known to battle it out for two hours to the county’s benefit, said Sheryl.

From now through Oct. 11 at 10 a.m. the county is selling 29 seized items including a 1980 Case International 685 tractor with front end loader and box blade, two pickups, five automobiles, nine utility trailers, two boat trailers, two cargo trailers, one flatbed trailer, one landscape trailer, an ATV, utility truck bed, equipment attachments, laptops and accessories, and various auger bits.

Items for sale are available for inspection and are sold as is. For more information, log on to www.co.montgomery.tx.us/purch/ or call 936-539-7980.

New Website Feature: Texas Crossword

Crossword puzzles are in Adobe PDF format. Click on the links to open them in Adobe Acrobat Reader, or right-click and choose "Save File As...":

- This week's crossword

- Answer to last week's crossword

Decker Oaks files for bankruptcy

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

Two entities under the Decker Oaks company, along with its utility branch, Decker Utility, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The owner of the Village of Decker Oaks and Decker Oaks estates has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for three entities, which includes the development’s utility company, HHJ.

According to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, owner Robert Weedn filed on Aug. 14 for Decker Oaks Development Company, Decker Oaks Land Company Ltd. II, and HHJ Inc., the development’s utility company.

The filings come after a pair of foreclosures on a 150-acre planned development that never got off the ground, according to Susie Coffman-Weedn.

In 2001, the Weedns signed a contract with Royce Homes to build a single-family subdivision at the corner of Hufsmith-Korhville and Holderreith in Tomball.

However, according to Coffman-Weedn, the city of Tomball would not approve the plat until they secured engineering plans.

The Weedns eventually decided to sell the 150 acres rather than develop it, only to learn that Royce Homes had put a memorandum of contract on the property.

“Royce was not happy,” Coffman-Weedn said. “They wanted us to honor the contract from 2001.”

The plat had already been approved and dirt work on the development had already been completed, she said, when several of the banks that the Weedns dealt with changed hands, which led to changes in the financing plans.

“That led to our demise,” she added. “Royce said build it or sell it. We didn’t know Royce had a memorandum.”

Royce filed the lawsuit, which was followed with a counter-suit by the Weedns in 2006.

One bank had foreclosed on 100 acres of the 150 development with another foreclosing on the other 50. The 50-acre parcel was subsequently purchased by CCG Ventures, which relieved the bank note on that portion. Only recently did the bank holding the note on the 100-acre plat find a buyer.

“We still owed them 1.3 million under Decker Oaks Development,” Coffman-Weedn said.

She added that they have made efforts not to go into foreclosure.

“We’ve exhausted over half a million dollars in legal fees and forbearance fees to hold the property long enough to find a buyer,” she said. “We did not know we had a remedy called Chapter 11 (bankruptcy).”

According to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Chapter 11 bankruptcy entitles a company to reorganize by paying back debts over a period of time. This is the strategy that Coffman-Weedn says they are taking.

The court states that Chapter 11 “is used by commercial enterprises that desire to continue operating as a business and repay creditors concurrently through a court-approved plan of reorganization.”

The business must formulate a plan, which must be agreed upon by the court.

“The debtor can also terminate burdensome contracts and leases, recover assets, and rescale its operations in order to return to profitability,” the court states. “Under Chapter 11, the debtor normally goes through a period of consolidation and emerges with a reduced debt load and a reorganized business.”

Through a disclosure statement, the Weedns must include a classification of claims and must specify how each class of claims will be treated under the plan.

Robert Weedn did not return phone calls as of press time last week.

The Waller County Horse Council won outstanding Horse Club in the 2007 Waller County Fair Parade held Sept. 29. For more results of the 62nd Annual Waller County Fair, log on to www.wallercountyfair.org.

Waller ISD wins $49 million bond lawsuit at district court, federal court pending

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

District court rulings from judges in both Harris and Waller County favor the Waller Independent School District (WISD) over opponents of the May 12 election bond, leaving district officials to sweat out a ruling by a federal judge regarding the validity of the bonds.

Should U.S. Federal Judge Lee Rosenthal choose to uphold the district court ruling, WISD can then ask Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot’s office to release the bonds so construction on new district facilities can begin.

If the issue is not resolved by Oct. 26 the district stands to loose $21 million in matching grant funds.

The voters approved the bonds in a May 12 election 769 to 446. The issue centers around the $279,000 in slated improvements for H.T. Jones Elementary, a TEA “Recognized” campus for six consecutive years, but owned by the Texas A&M University system.

“It would not make economic sense to build new buildings on property the district does not own and only has a guarantee from the landlord of another three years of occupying,” stated the district in a press release.

Money from the bond is partly allocated for renovations at all the district’s elementary schools. However, Jones will see almost double the amount of dollars at $10,558 per student than any other elementary in the district.

The court proceedings began in early August when Waller County Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Dewayne Charleston filed a lawsuit in a Harris County court seeking a temporary restraining order to suspend the release of $49.29 million in school bonds.

Charleston alleged in his suit that open meetings notices should have been posted at the county courthouse as opposed to being posting at the school administration building.

The lack of voter presence in the Prairie View area during the May 12 election is at the heart of Charleston’s complaint, where he alleges the Jones facilities are not up to date with other WISD facilities, and that black students at Jones are being disenfranchised by the lack of funding for needed repairs.

Charleston was denied both a temporary restraining order and an injunction against the district by Harris County Courts.

With television cameras in tow, Charleston attempted to gain entrance to Jones on Sept. 23, but was arrested by police. No charges were filed.

WISD filed a bond validation suit on Sept. 20 in an attempt to expedite the release of the bond monies, according to WISD attorney Patrick Mizell of Vinson and Elkins LLP.

The district’s suit was based upon Texas Statute 1205, which is “designed to prevent disgruntled taxpayers from holding up a public works project.” It allows a trial within 20 days on the merits of the lawsuit.

On Sept. 24 Judge John Delaney of the 155th District Court of Waller County granted a declaratory judgment in favor of the school district.

That same day, Charleston and Prairie View resident Elaine Jackson, wife of Prairie View Mayor Frank Jackson, who has two children enrolled at Jones, filed a federal lawsuit requesting U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal to postpone the state proceeding in lieu of federal court proceedings.

Statute 1205 also allows the district to force anyone contesting the validity of the bonds to post a bond amount to protect the district from any losses the district would sustain as a result of further delay, said Mizell.

As a result, on Oct. 2 Delaney ordered a $715,000 bond to be posted to offset the potential rising costs of construction. With a federal lawsuit in motion, Charleston has until Oct. 13 to post the bond or forfeit as a party to the suit.

According to Delaney’s judgment, the last paragraph serves as a permanent injunction against anyone contesting the bonds for any reason, said Mizell. The next part of the battle is to ask the federal court to abstain and defer to the state statute and the state ruling.

A hearing date for the federal case had not been set as of press time last week.

The funding outline for the May 12 bond information can be found at www.wallerisd.net.

The Magnolia West High School Mustang Fillies will host their second annual garage sale Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at God’s Country Realty, located at 38900 FM 1774. Last year’s garage sale raised more than $500 to benefit the team. In addition, the team will be selling baked goods and drinks. Pictured, the MWHS Fillies.
Submitted Photo

Cougars drop district opener, still winless in ’07

By Brian Walzel
Tribune Staff

The Tomball Cougars are still searching for the right formula to produce a win in Tommy Kaiser’s first year at the helm.

The Cougars fell to 0-5 overall and 0-1 in district after a 38-0 drubbing by the Westfield Mustangs Sept. 28 in the district opener for both teams.

Tomball was really never in it as the Mustangs jumped out to a quick 17-0 after the first quarter and held the Cougars to just 141 total yards for the entire game.

Westfield was on the right end of scoring opportunities from six different players, including Adam Watson, who returned a Cougar punt 72 yards for a touchdown.

Their first score, an Ernesto Lazo 30-yard field goal with 9 minutes remaining in the opening quarter, was only the start of the scoring barrage.

Bo Walker later scampered 53 yards for a score and Jorius Day added a 10-yard score to complete the first quarter scoring.

The Mustangs did not let up in the second half, adding a pair of touchdowns by Watson and Ford, who ran the ball in from two yards out.

Watson was again in on the scoring when he connected with Jacoby Walker on a 22-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

The Mustangs ground attack was nearly unstoppable throughout the night, churning out 254 rushing yards on 29 carries.

Meanwhile, the Cougars only managed 74 yards on the ground on 24 carries.

Cougar quarterback Chad Tarhini had trouble finding the mark, completing just eight of 25 passes for 54 yards.

Westfield’s Walker led all players with 180 rushing yards.

WHS Bulldogs rout Willis in district opener, 50-7

The Waller High School (WHS) Bulldogs opened district play with a resounding 50-7 win over the Willis Wildkats.

Jeremy Phillips

A scary moment stopped play when a Bulldog player and a Wildkat player collided on a play. The Wildkat player was taken by emergency air ambulance to an area hospital, while the Bulldog player was transported by ambulance to a hospital.

According to district spokesperson Sarah Stephenson, both players were treated for concussions and were released from the hospital.

The Bulldogs dominated in every phase of the game.

Offensively, the Bulldogs rolled up 408 yards of offense. Jeremy Luckett, Byron Abbs, and Jeremy Phillips led the way for the Bulldog’s ground attack. Andrew Simon, Jacob Dodd, David Hunter, Carlos Portillo, Kennedy Vongphakdy, Alex McFaddin, and Jason Lafferty were clearing lanes for Bulldog runners throughout the game.

Stephen Williams and Joplo Bartu led the receiving corps, making catches and turning them into big plays all over the field.

One of the highlights of the night was a hook and lateral play in which Phillips threw to Williams, who then pitched to Bartu, who ran 41-yards for a touchdown right before the half. That gave the Bulldogs some momentum and a 14-point cushion to open the third quarter.

The Bulldogs scored 28 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 43-0 lead going into the final quarter.

Defensively, Eddie Brown led the charge. Brown has been dominating opposing offenses for several weeks. For the second week in a row, the Bulldog defense held the opposing offense to under 200 total yards. Kenny Wendt, Josh Haines, Robert Loewe, Phillips, Brandon Goebel, Stephen Williams and Dexter McKee did a good job of containing Wildkat receivers for the night, holding them to only one completion.

Jerrad Jefferson, Josh Poyer, Robert Nicholson, Trevor Barry, Abbs, Dodd, Josh Dorsey, and Scott Thourot held the Wildkat ground game in check.

Abbs blocked a Wildkat punt and allowed Mitchell Kapalske to scoop the ball and run untouched into the end zone for a Bulldog touchdown.

From the Book of Clifford

By Clifford Parker
Contributing Writer

I was honored a few nights ago to spend time with Prince Robert. The Prince has been away for a while, but he made a stop in the community to spend time with The King and Queen.

His family was not able to travel with him and I had no advance notice that he was due to arrive here in my office. Normally his subjects will contact me and let me know he is traveling toward our area, but this time his subjects were silent on this trip.

(His subjects are actually his sisters, but they were not speaking because the truth of the trip’s subject matter would have been exposed. He tells me his subjects still bow down to him when he arrives here in our area. They lavish him with well-prepared food and they provide continuous entertainment to The Royal Prince).

I was very happy to see him because we had not had a reasonable conversation in several years. We were childhood friends and through the years we have kept track of each other through family.

The Prince came into town to celebrate the Royal Birthdays of The King and Queen. The Prince and The King and Queen all have birthdays near the same dates. During his time here, The Prince was lavished with the honor of cutting the Royal Grass that surrounds The Kings Castle. The Prince told me he enjoys cutting grass as long as he can do it on a riding lawn mower.

As The Prince arrived at my home in the Queens Royal Coach, we greeted each other and began our conversation on the tailgate of my 1983 Chevy El Camino. He and I sat in my driveway looking in amazement at the steady stream of cars now passing in front of my home. We began reminiscing of the times when we could actually ride bicycles and play on the road in front of my house. We both have memories of a time when our street was a dirt road and the occasional passing of a car brought everyone to the window of the house to see which of our neighbors were driving by.

We then drove around the area and discussed the various properties that had been bought and sold over the years and discussed special stories about several families that helped settle this area.

The Prince and I both have family ties that go back to the mid 1800’s here in the community and together we sometimes have a hard time fathoming how so many people can move into an area in such a short period of time.

Places we used to rabbit hunt and camp on are now someone’s yard. Hay fields and cow pastures where many hours of childhood memories were made have been turned into city streets and shopping areas.

There are many, many areas in these parts where I can stand inside a store on one particular spot and remember shooting my gun at a snake in a pond. There are other places where I can remember hot summer nights and my ’52 Chevy flat bed truck with a load of hay, backing into a barn to begin unloading hay only by moonlight and an occasional truck headlight.

There are fishing ponds where we seined that are now fountains with clear water. There are road ditches where I can now sit in a chair and enjoy a restaurant style meal right on top of the location where the ditch used to be. There are roads so clogged with traffic and I can laugh at myself knowing that as a young kid we could actually lay in the middle of the road on a cool night and be warmed by the asphalt without fear of traffic.

Yes, The Prince and I have many, many good years of memories. Memories that are forever etched in our minds and memories that may fade, but never are forgotten.

Now, lest I be tarred and feathered by The Princes’ subject sisters, I need to set the record straight.

My friend, Robert Bogs, aka Raggy Butt, is not a prince and his sisters are not his subjects. However, I went in cahoots with Robert to write this story and aggravate his sisters. He likes to tease them and tell them that he is the special “prince” of the family. He is the only son in a family of four. I’m sure growing up with three sisters was great, but every once in a while a man needs to do man things and teasing one’s sisters is all part of the fun!

Thanks, Robert, for the visit and Happy Birthday to you, Tony and to Shirley. I also want to tell Mrs. Mary Louise Mueller Happy Birthday, too. A future story is on the way!

-- Clifford