SOS volunteers give Christmas gifts of time and service to Magnolia’s needy

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The assembly line of volunteers delivering toys, bicycles, and food baskets gave the appearance of Christmas at the North Pole Dec. 17 as more than 100 volunteers assisted in the distribution of toy donations and food collections for the Society of Samaritans.

Volunteers line up at the Southwest Montgomery County Community Development Center to receive their assigned delivery routes for Christmas food baskets.
Photo by Cari Herr

The event was a culmination of yearlong efforts by the community that began to take shape prior to Thanksgiving.

Each year SOS, with the help of many volunteers, processes applications, organizes the delivery routes, fills the food and toy orders and plays Santa for needy area children.

This year was no exception. The community turned out in generous Magnolia style to deliver food baskets and toys to families in preparation for the Christmas season.

“The volunteers are sleepless in anticipation of coming to work,” said Rev. Angel Padilla of Primera Iglesia Bautista.

On delivery day, a long line of volunteers trailed out the door and into the parking lot of the Southwest Montgomery County Community Center as they waited for their delivery schedules.

Residents, church groups and area business employees were given an assigned schedule of deliveries. Each filled their personal and work vehicles with Christmas food baskets, hams and turkeys, only to return again and again.

At the same time, volunteers at the Magnolia West High School Ag Barn filled their trucks and cars with toys and bicycles, received their delivery schedules and set off to fill the stockings on their lists.

A coordinated effort by members from churches around Magnolia, in combination with the collection efforts of civic groups and businesses, made it possible to get the work done, said Judy Everett, executive director of SOS.

Though the final numbers were not in, a rough estimate included more than 450 families in the program this year.

Everett stressed the need for those in the community to continue in their efforts to provide services and support to needy families in the Magnolia area.

Volunteers are needed at SOS throughout the year to assist in answering the telephone, stocking the food pantry, and processing applications for assistance, as well as making deliveries at peak holiday seasons.

“If no one answers the phone,” said Everett, “it’s because you are not here to do it.”

SOS, located at 31355 Friendship Dr., is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and until 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information, call 281-259-8452 or 281-252-9647.

Tomball Chamber’s capital campaign gets boost with $75,000 donation

By Brian Walzel
Editor

The Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce’s capital campaign to help fund a new building received a significant boost last week when First Community Bank kicked in a $75,000 donation.

Pictured (from left to right), David McIver, Paul Michna, John Prewitt, Al Birdwell, Allen Fletcher, Bruce Hillegeist, and Ron Haffner, who took part in a check presentation at the Chamber’s new facility last week.

The Chamber has plans to move into a new facility, located at 29201 Quinn Road, in the spring of next year, said Chamber President Bruce Hillegeist. The donation by First Community Bank helps offset the $1 million price tag on the facility.

The Chamber recently kicked off its Building for Tomorrow Capital Campaign, headed up by Ron Haffner. The goal for the campaign is to raise the $1 million over the next three years.

“This is a big step toward that goal,” Haffner said. “We’ll be calling on others in the community to help us as well as we move forward.”

For the past 17 years, the Chamber’s home has been a 1,380 square-foot space located behind Jack In The Box on SH 249. In that time, the Chamber’s membership has increased from 396 to 830 and its staff from two to eight.

“The original space was not designed to accommodate this workforce,” the Chamber said in a press release. “Our ability to advertise and promote members’ services has been reduced to a wall area measure of 5-by-5 feet.”

The Chamber is currently unable to conduct private meetings with guests, staff and prospective businesses, due to the limited office area.

The Chamber’s new facility will cover 7,500 square feet and provide executive offices for the Chamber, as well as its partners in the Tomball Economic Development Corporation and the Center for Training and Development of Tomball College.

Other amenities include a Board of Directors conference area, a small business development center, a continuing education and training area, incubator space for startup businesses, member’s lounge and visitor reception area, storage and archive room capabilities and state of the art audio and video capabilities.

According to past Chamber president Paul Michna, the idea to move into the Quinn Road facility was a result of a chance encounter with fellow board member David McIver.

While Michna was having breakfast at a local restaurant, McIver walked in and the two struck up a conversation about potential buildings for the Chamber.

McIver suggested the Quinn Road building and Michna brought the idea to Hillegeist, who then contacted John Prewitt, president of First Community Bank.

“The deal was written on a napkin in a restaurant,” Michna said.

The Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce is currently seeking donations for its Building for Tomorrow Capital Campaign. Checks should be made payable to the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 516, Tomball, TX, 77377. For more information, contact the Chamber at 281-351-7222.

Members of the Heritage Trails chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution recently thanked their friends from Texas who are serving at Camp Adder in Tallil, Iraq. Lt. Anthony Hernandez has been corresponding with Dottie Wainwright, Registrar of the Heritage Trails chapter, and sends greetings and appreciation for the packages and prayers that the ladies have sent to them. Pictured (standing, left to right), Sgt. Gagliano, Cpl. Jeramy Kitchen, Lt. Anthony Hernandez,. Sgt. 1st Class James Gober; (middle row, left to right) Spc. Rick Armistead and Staff Sgt. Steven Williams; and (kneeling) Spc. Ramiro Rodriquez. Submitted Photo

Several Cougars receive postseason recognition

Last week the 16-5A All-District football team was announced and Tomball High School was well represented. Receiving First Team Defense recognition were junior linebacker Jonathan Ermert, senior cornerback Nick Chavez and junior safety Kyle McKenzie.

Named to the Second Team Offense were senior center Ross Forsythe, junior quarterback Chad Tarhini, and senior wide receiver Isaiah Reed. Sophomore wide receiver Jordan Leslie was named the district’s Newcomer of the Year.

Receiving Honorable Mention were Michael Welch, Tyler Morris, Logan Frey, Keaton Smith, Brandon Blanks, Blake Ziober, Garrett Peltier, Marcus Gabriel, James Jacobson, Daniel Stewart, Jeff Holverson, Brad Lambert and Patrick Pratt.

In other Cougar football news, Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) and State Farm Insurance announced last week the Class 5A THSCA Academic All-State football team for the 2007-08 year. The teams are selected by a point system that awards points for GPA, class rank and SAT or ACT scores.

The student/athletes are then placed on teams according to the number of points they have earned. Receiving second team recognition were seniors Andrew Christian and David Nicholson. Seniors Dustin Brokmeyer, Blake Coffman and Teddy Correa received honorable mention.

Several Cougars were also named to the 16-5A Academic All-District squad. Those players were Travis Apel, Brad Lambert, Tyler Gibson, Kyle McKenzie, Michael Harris, David Nicholson, Blake Hodge, Ryan St. John, Alex Hons and Blake Zoiber.

Waller follows gridiron success with All-District accolades

On Dec. 12, Waller High School announced District 18-4A All-District football honorees, including 18 from Waller. Senior Jeremy Phillips was named district MVP and senior Eddie Brown was named Defensive MVP. Waller placed 11 players on the First Team, three on the Second Team, and three received honorable mention. Six Bulldogs were unanimous All-District selections.

Named First Team Offensive All-District were senior running back Jeremy Luckett, senior fullback Andrew Simon, senior receiver Stephen Williams, senior tight end Joplo Bartu, senior linemen David Hunter, Carlos Portillo, and Kennedy Vongphakdy, and senior center Jacob Dodd. Junior Alex McFaddin was selected Second Team All-District lineman.

Williams and Hunter were unanimous selections.

Named First Team Defensive All-District was senior lineman Josh Poyer, senior end Robert Nicholson, and senior inside linebacker Jerrad Jefferson. Senior Brandon Goebel was selected Second Team All-District safety and senior Stephen Williams was selected Second Team All-District return specialist.

Brown, Poyer, Nicholson, and Jefferson were unanimous selections on the Defensive Team.

Senior defensive back Kenny Wendt and senior defensive ends Trevor Barry and Byron Abbs received honorable mention.

Sewer cleanouts
At its Dec. 10 meeting, the Magnolia City Council directed Chip Callahan of TNG, Inc. the city’s utility management company, to provide a bid for placing cleanouts in the easement at those properties in the city where the location of the cleanout is not in the easement. The action came as a result of a sewage leak that has cost the city more than $1,500. The compromise was made because the city did not follow its own policy to have the cleanout located in the easement, according to City Administrator Ryan Kelley. The lack of a cleanout in the easement makes it more difficult to determine ownership when repairs are needed.

College Registration
Registration for the Lone Star College-Tomball spring 2008 semester will continue through January 12. The college will be closed through Jan. 3 for the winter break. On-site registration will resume Jan. 3 at the main campus, located at 30555 Tomball Pkwy., and at the Lone Star College-Willow Chase Center at 9449 Grant Road. Registration hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For information, go to www.tomballcollege.com or call 281-351-3300.

Rotary fundraiser
The Magnolia Rotary Club will hold a chili supper fundraiser Jan. 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. in conjunction with the Magnolia High School basketball game against The Woodlands. Tickets are $5 and include chili, salad, desert and drink. Ticket and advertising sponsors are being accepted through Jan. 4. The club is a philanthropic non-profit civic organization, providing scholarships and contributions to other non-profit organizations. For more information, call 281-356-6038.

Book Signing
Tomball author Stephanie S. Sawyer will hold a book signing for her newest publication, “Imprints: Stories That Solicit A Response,” on Dec. 29 at 4 p.m. at Granny’s Korner in Tomball. Sawyer’s book tells her story of surviving a seizure disorder through God’s grace. Granny’s Korner is located at 201 Market Street in Tomball.

Rimes to headline annual ECHO Foundation gala

By Brian Walzel
Editor

Tomball Regional Hospital’s ECHO Foundation will hold its 5th Annual Gala Feb. 9 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center.

LeAnn Rimes

This year’s theme will be “Under The Moonlight” and will feature Grammy-winning recording artist LeAnn Rimes as the evening’s entertainment.

The gala will benefit the hospital’s new Women’s Imaging Center, which is currently under construction, and will help purchase state-of-the-art equipment, such as digital mammography units, a stereostatic breast biopsy unit, Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging, bone density units, ultrasound units, a patient library, and conference rooms.

The event will also include an array of silent and live auction items, as well as a multi-course dinner. The silent auction will start the event at 6 p.m., followed by the live auction and then the performance by Rimes.

Rimes’ debut single, “Blue,” was released when she was only 13 years old. By the time she was 24, Rimes had sold more than 37 million albums. Her latest album, “Family,” features the hit “Nothing Better To Do.”

Not only will much of the funds be raised through the live and silent auctions, table and other sponsorship opportunities will contribute.

Table sponsorships begin at $2,000 and increase to $10,000. Those sponsoring tables for $7,500 or more will have the opportunity to meet Rimes. Other sponsorships increase up to $20,000.

For tickets, tables, or to volunteer, contact the ECHO Foundation at 281-401-7928. A 5 percent discount is being offered if the tickets or tables are purchased before Dec. 31.

The ECHO Foundation was created in 1996 to advance the philanthropic and charitable contributions for improving healthcare services and programs at Tomball Regional Medical Center. Funds raised by the Foundation are used to further the hospital’s mission as a non-profit organization.

Lakewood Elementary Students (from left) kindergartener Kareena and third grader Anika Sharma donated dresses Dec. 14 to the Sharing Sled project. PTO Sharing Sled Committee Chairperson Leah Christie (right) added the dresses to hundreds of new toys and clothes that Lakewood Elementary students donated. The items were distributed to students at campuses throughout Tomball ISD.
Submitted Photo

‘Be Tomball Ready’ group seeking commitments for emergency supplies

The Tomball Area Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and a group at the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce is taking an active role in helping Tomball businesses prepare for disasters.

Examples of a disaster could be hurricane-related, an electrical fire, or a power surge that could potentially wipe out a company’s computer files.

The newly formed task force, Be Tomball Ready, is working to assist the LEPC’s efforts in developing a list of assets that would be available to use in response to disaster recovery efforts.

The main focus of the committee is to ensure that area businesses are prepared for an emergency, small or large.

First, businesses should have a written emergency plan that includes at least one CPR and first aid trained employee, a stock of emergency equipment and a list of emergency numbers.

The second tier of Be Tomball Ready, a cumulative effort between the Chamber, area businesses, the fire department and the LEPC, is to procure commitments to create a database of local businesses that are able to assist with supplies or services during a crisis.

The supplies might include chainsaws, generators, bulldozers, fuel tanks, fuel, lumber, portable toilets, flashlights, and services, such as water remediation or security.

Members of the Chamber will visit area businesses to obtain commitments to the program. Businesses would be reimbursed for the supplies after government officials declare the area a disaster.

Members of the Health Services and Awareness Committee of the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce held a food drive as their December service project and collected canned goods that will be donated to TOMAGWA. Pictured (left to right), are Marlene Graham and Gloria Espinoza of Lighthouse Hospice, and Jennifer Warren with Cypress Giving Tree. The committee members also raise money throughout the year and use the funds to assist needy families who are selected through TOMAGWA.
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Montgomery County holiday crack down on drunk drivers

The holiday season can be one of the deadliest and most dangerous times of the year due to an increase in impaired driving. In December of 2006, 1,076 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is joining with national, state, and local highway safety officials, and all the law enforcement agencies in Montgomery County to remind everyone who will be celebrating during the holidays that “buzzed driving is drunk driving” and to never forget to plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.

“The consumption of alcohol, drugs and driving just don’t mix,” said Sheriff Tommy Gage.

“Whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk of killing yourself or someone else. Don’t ever get behind the wheel of a vehicle when you are impaired.”

Overtime patrols began last week and will continue into the New Year. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will have deputies specifically designated to enforce impaired driving laws. The overtime is funded by a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation.

Following these easy steps, a driver can enjoy a safe and festive holiday without jeopardizing their life and the lives of others who may be on the road:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and give that person your keys.
• If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely.
• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact local law enforcement. • If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

“Saving lives on our roads is a top priority and we need everyone’s help to do it,” Gage said. “This holiday season, don’t let your year end in an arrest, or even worse, death. Make smart decisions. Plan ahead, so you can assure a safe way home.”

For more information, visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org.

Tomball High School Student Council members collected canned goods and non-perishable food items, which were donated to more than 30 families and area food banks for the holiday season. Pictured (first row, left to right), Gabe Marenco and Chris Morris; (second row, left to right) Sam Parnell, Taylor Coleman and Justin Versoy; (third row, left to right) Curtis Morris and Ashley Beavers; (fourth row, left to right) Jenny Sung, Stephanie Stevenson, Shelby Allison, Stephanie Trzcinski and Julie Gauthier.
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City sets date for public hearing on zoning

By Brian Walzel
Editor

The City of Tomball is providing what may be one last formal opportunity for area residents to give their input on a proposed zoning ordinance.

At its Dec. 17 meeting, the council approved a measure setting a joint public forum for Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. The joint forum will consist of members of both the City Council and the Zoning Commission.

According to state law, the city is required to have at least one public forum.

Whether the city has another still remains to be seen.

“Right now, that’s the plan, to have one public hearing,” Mayor Gretchen Fagan said.

At the meeting those in attendance will have the opportunity to make any comments they wish on either the map or the ordinance. They may also provide their opinion on whether the council should vote on the ordinance or turn the vote over to the public in a general election. “That will be determined by how the public hearing goes,” Fagan said. “I assume that decision will be made based on what people want.”

At a meeting earlier this month, the Zoning Commission approved the map and ordinance contingent on a number of minor changes Sefko and Associates, the project’s planners, made. According to Fagan, the city got the final draft of the map and ordinance last week.

“Most of the changes were typographical kind of things,” she said. “Most of the changes have been about particular properties.”

When the initial zoning map was revealed to the public, those who had disputes with their respective land designation had the opportunity to work with the Zoning Commission and Sefko to get it changed. Following the Zoning Commission meeting in which many of the disputes were settled, Dan Sefko noted that he believed all of the issues would be addressed and handled.

Despite the council having received the ordinance, changes can still be made to it and the plan has yet to be approved, Fagan said.

According to City Manager Jan Belcher, “changes can still be made to the ordinance and map after the public hearing.”

Following the public hearing, Belcher said the next step in the process is for council to make a decision on who gets the vote: the public or the city.

Both Belcher and Fagan encouraged participation in the upcoming public hearing.

“This is an important step in the process of considering zoning,” Belcher said, “and the best opportunity (for public comment).”

Church group brings spirit of Christmas to Magnolia family

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

This will be a Christmas to remember for Terri St. John and her family.

The year has been a struggle for the 39-year-old mother of twins who were born prematurely in February. The father of St. John’s twins walked away from the family, leaving her as the sole provider.

Terri St. John is pictured with three of her six children, Jacob St. John, 4, (seated, right) as she holds her twins, Joseph and Jillian Hanks.

She is the mother of six children, one of whom is grown and on his own. The other five are living at home.

With the help of her mother, who cares for the children while she is away, St. John earns her pay by delivering newspapers. It’s been “paycheck to paycheck,” she said. “One check pays the bills and the next one fixes the car.”

She registered early at the Society of Samaritans for Thanksgiving and Christmas assistance for her family and accepted an invitation to participate in the SOS Adopt-A-Family program.

The Salt Mine Sunday school class of the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Cypress, headed by Jamie Sovana and Connie Heath, adopted the family as part of the program, said SOS volunteer Robin Carter.

Until recently, St. John and her family were living in a small two bedroom manufactured home, but when the twins came home from the hospital, the family moved into a larger four bedroom double-wide. Though the family had some appliances and furniture, there were no towels or linens on the beds, which rested on the floor, and most of the furniture had fallen into disrepair.

St. John did not know what to expect when the church group drove up Dec. 8 with three trailers, two cars and more than a dozen volunteers.

The spirit of giving was evident as they went straight to work, she said. A group vacuumed, scrubbed, cleaned and installed Christmas tree lights, while others hung pictures and curtains, set up bed frames and unloaded furniture.

The men of Salt Mine moved out old broken couches and torn mattresses and the women busied themselves making the house “look pretty.”

“The home received a total make-over,” said Carter.

A Christmas tree now stands in the middle of the room surrounded by gift bags and boxes, all presents for St. John and her children from Salt Mine members.

“With them doing this, it was like a miracle,” St. John said. Her son, Justin, 16, is enrolled at ALPHA Academy and will graduate in April. Justin shares a room with 4-year-old Jacob. St. John shares her room with the twins, and Jessica, 13, is “thrilled” to finally have her own room.

With curtains over the windows and pictures on the walls, the new couches, rugs and throw pillows were welcome relief to a home devoid of comforts.

“SOS brings meals to these families every year and wants the community to reach out more,” said Sovana. “They were very excited about this.”

SOS sponsors the Adopt-A-Family program each year. Families in need are matched with church and civic groups, as well as community members and businesses to provide area families with the essentials and some updated comforts.

Hockley service group supports wounded and deployed military personnel

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Operation Military Embrace is a non-profit organization providing support for the legal, financial, medical and domestic needs of severely injured and deployed military personnel.

President Jerry Reed of Operation Military Embrace was the speaker at the Dec. 18 Magnolia Rotary Club meeting.
Photo by Cari Herr

Jerry Reed, President and Executive Director of the group, was the speaker at the Dec. 18 Magnolia Rotary Club meeting. Vice President Brenda Kaiser introduced Reed as a minister of the gospel who has dedicated his life to the cause of justice.

“America is not at war, but her military is at war,” she said. “For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor they’ll never forget.”

The group is an advocate for the rights and treatment of military personnel through activities at the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio and at Brook Army Medical Center.

For severely burned military personnel or the wounded that have lost their legs or their arms, a hand or an eye, therapy comes in many forms at the Center.

Funding for legal services is provided to challenge and overturn faulty line of duty investigations and inadequate physical evaluation board disability ratings, Reed said.

In addition, monthly breakfasts, birthday parties, family support and overseas care packages are just a few amenities provided by volunteers of Military Embrace.

“Operation Military Embrace is unique among organizations because we fill gaps that have not been addressed by other complimentary non-profit groups that support our military,” said Reed.

For more information, call 281-357-1584 or visit www.operationmilitaryembrace.com. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 149, Hockley, TX 77447-0149.

Mrs. Claus, played by Mary Whitaker, read Christmas stories to more than 40 children and their parents at the Malcolm Purvis Library
Dec. 5.
Submitted Photo

Magnolia PD makes headway on backlog of offense reports

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The unresolved caseload for the Magnolia Police Department has seen a 21 percent decrease over the last nine months, according to Det. Milton Horton.

When Chief Ron Cunningham joined the department in July of 2006, he said he found more than 600 unresolved cases in the backlog. As a result, he requested city council to approve a detective position in May 2007.

Horton began clearing the unresolved offense reports as a patrolman in March on a part-time basis. In May he received full-time status on the project as a detective.

Since that time, he has cleared 136 cases, 79 of which were of the original unresolved cases, some dating as far back as 1999.

Horton also cleared 45 new cases that were added to the mix, leaving 509 cases unresolved as of Dec. 18.

Municipal police departments are required to clear 30 percent of open cases monthly, according to Horton, as opposed to the FBI, which is only required to clear 19 percent of cases monthly.

Offense reports can be closed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is by arrest.

The district attorney’s office may accept charges resulting in sentencing, complainants may choose not to press charges by signing a non-prosecution form, or there may be a lack of evidence with which to make an arrest.

Some complaints are unfounded, meaning no offense was committed, or could be deferred to other law enforcement agencies.

From the Book of Clifford

By Clifford Parker
Contributing Writer

I have always tried to tell my children that everything we do in life can have an impact on others. Somewhere, somehow the chain that connects all families can be hurt or be helped by the actions of one person within that family. That chain extends to all people, and the actions of one person toward another can actually change the course of lives.

I know that’s kinda deep, but the actions of one couple in town has changed the course of my life for the good.

I have been telling you stories of my memories of Main Street Tomball. My memories are from the mid 60s to the 70s and several buildings in town have special meaning to me. One of those locations is at 710 Main Street.

During my high school days this location was a hamburger, fast food restaurant. It was owned by a wonderful couple named Margie and Ernest Isbell. Mr. and Mrs. Isbell were middle aged when they started the location and they had experienced a lot more of life than I had, as I was simply a high school kid with no experience in the real adult world. The world of bills and taxes, business and home maintenance, and all those things weren’t even part of my thought process at the time.

Mrs. Isbell hired a young lady to work at their location. As time passed and through other activities, this same young lady caught my attention and soon my heart was wrapped up in this girl.

We both attended Tomball High and like most kids during those days, we had to earn our own spending money. Since I was about 10 months older than her and had started school when I was five years old, I was two classes ahead of this gal, so I was an “older man.” I had the responsibility of my truck and since I was a guy, I was also responsible to pay for all the dates. I also enjoyed playing pool up at Mrs. Alice’s place, too, so making money was very important to me.

I have been pretty much self employed most of my life with just a few jobs ever working for others. I spent a year or so working for Herb Kleimann at the meat market on Tuwa and I also spent time raising tomatoes to sell to Mrs. Goodson. I tried worm farming and I also sold sassafras tea one summer. I cleaned dozers at TT Construction and I even tried selling barbeque, blackberries, cane poles and scrap metal. I welded barbeque pits and I built trailers, I did mechanic work for Clement Patzke and Johnny Reeves, worked at Lamberts Grocery and mowed freeways for Johnny Bonds. I hauled hay behind guys like Homer Hildebrandt along side Mike Reist. I raised cows, pigs, rabbits and chickens all hoping to make a buck.

I wore many hats in my young career. I even sold fencing for a company and tried my hand at carpentry work prior to and during my high school days.

My self-employment allowed time at odd hours of the day to go to Isbell’s for refreshment. But the truth was, I simply wanted to spend time near the new love of my life. Looking back I can see now that my being at their place of business where this girl worked probably hindered the workflow in some manner, but not once do I ever remember Mr. or Mrs. Isbell asking me to leave. I soon developed a taste for the nickel cup of coffee, only because it was the cheapest thing on the menu and I would spend a lot of time drinking coffee or simply loitering at the counter to talk sweet nothings with this girl. My heart was love struck and by all rights Mrs. Isbell could have asked me to leave but she didn’t.

I am sure that deep down in her heart she knew she was seeing a new love develop before her eyes. I would even guess that sometimes she would go home and have a private chuckle with Mr. Isbell and discuss the issue of Clifford and the hired help, but not once did she discourage me or run me off. She allowed her employee and me to spend time swooning over each other on her clock.

That has been more than 36 years ago and I am proud to say that I can now wake up each and every morning looking into those same blue eyes of the girl that I used to spend time with at Isbell’s.

Thank you, Mrs. Isbell. Thank you for your patience and understanding as you saw this young love develop. Your actions have created new families and touched the lives of many.

-- Clifford

New year heralds street ordinance enforcement in Magnolia

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The Magnolia Police Department will begin issuing citations Jan. 1 to violators of a new city ordinance that limits the weight and number of axels for all vehicles traveling on any road within the city limits.

Beginning Jan.1, heavy-load vehicles must be permitted to travel Buddy Riley Blvd. or face a citation.

In the interim, patrol officers will be issuing warnings, as well as permit applications through the end of the year.

The ordinance was approved by the city council July 23 and requires permitting for heavy load commercial vehicles on streets such as Buddy Riley Blvd. The action is an effort to protect the asphalt overlay recently completed on that road.

The Buddy Riley Blvd. overlay is part of a street rehabilitation project that included an overlay of Commerce St., but the ordinance impacts all city streets and could promote the efficiency of repair and maintenance dollars.

The $205,353.70 bid from WT Byler Company was one of three reviewed by O’Malley Engineers and was funded through the city’s HB445 street repair fund. It was approved Aug. 27 by the city council and construction was completed at the end of November.

The new ordinance provides for signage indicating “Trucks By Permit Only” or “No Through Trucks,” as well as travel regulations and exemptions.

Authorized routes of travel and regulations for trucks exceeding a gross weight of 6,000 pounds are provided for on streets designated with “No Through Trucks” signage.

Vehicles with an overall gross weight of 20,000 pounds or more must post a $15,000 surety bond and pay an annual fee to receive a permit. Applicants must substantiate the route of travel, as no through traffic will be permitted on streets posted with “Trucks By Permit Only” signage.

Exceptions include city vehicles, emergency apparatus, school buses, and empty load vehicles belonging to impacted homeowners.

Vehicles under contract with the city that provide street maintenance or construction, vehicles used for a city municipal transit system, or public utility vehicles engaged in the construction, installation or repair of public utilities are also exempt from the ordinance.

During a Dec. 13 ceremony, Ron Haffner was named the 2007 Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year. Pictured, (from left to right) Sandy Krug, Amy Haffner, Haffner, Judy Deyo, Diane Holland, Stephen Hohl and Bruce Hillegeist. Krug (1996), Deyo (2006), Holland (1987), Hohl (2005) and Hillegeist (1994) are all former winners of the Citizen of the Year.
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