Local gun club relives the old west

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Magnolia is home to the Thunder River Renegades, otherwise known as the Cowboy Action Shooters, who get together to relive the shooting days of the old west in a friendly competition of marksmanship.

While gun safety is the number one priority for the local gun club, costumed competition holds a place in the heart of every member.

Cowboys and country girls alike know each other more so by their handles, such as Double Down Dan and Big John Wyatt, than their given names.

“A group of 40 shooters compete in a timed event using live rounds with metal plates and clay targets,” said property owner Bob Arnold.

The club meets the first weekend of each month at the end of Arnold Lane off Nichols Sawmill Road with gun cases and firearms in tow.

“The Cowboy Shooters come all dressed up and put on a show that is very interesting,” said Arnold.

The firearms show team uses circa 1850 vintage single action pistols, lever action rifles, and double barrel shotguns to compete against each other for number of rounds and accurate shots in the shortest time using lead ammunitions.

Participants and spectators are required to wear safety glasses and earplugs during the show.

An old town Main Street is set up on Arnold’s property where the group practices for a weeklong event held in New Mexico during the summer.

Each participant selects a shooting scenario, choosing from the either the Sheriff’s porch, the saloon windows, a livery stable storefront, or the grand hotel.

The ammunition is counted and the guns are loaded and checked at the beginning of the scenario. The shooter is timed for the number of rounds used and the number of hits in the best time. When the timekeeper closes the scenario, the guns are checked and the casings are counted again.

“While safety is the real priority, the fun factor is reliving the old west,” said Wyatt.

The gun club is family oriented, said Dan, with parents sponsoring their children, who also dress in old western style costumes.

“We come out to have some cowboy fun for a weekend,” said Dan. “Anyone is welcome.”

The club is affiliated with the Single Action Shooting Society, which sanctions state and regional competitions. For more information, visit www.SASSnet.com or www.thunderriverrenegades.com.

Tenant claims dead dogs were placed in home

By Brian Walzel
Editor

The woman who rented a Tomball duplex where at least seven dogs were found dead by her landlord is claiming the carcasses were put there after she had vacated the property.

Pam Tarlton, who rented three properties on McPhail Street for which she used in part to breed pit bulls, said that when she moved out of the house Dec. 25, it was clean and clear of all animals.

But sometime after her departure, an acquaintance, whom she declined to name, may have gained entry into the home and placed the dead dogs inside. When Paula Lee, who owns the property, visited the house on Dec. 28, she found several dogs that had allegedly been dead for some time. Lee called Tomball Police and city workers removed the dogs from the home shortly after.

“What happened in those three days, I have no idea,” Tarlton said.

The case is currently under investigation by the Tomball Police Department. As of press time last week, no charges had been filed and no arrests had been made.

Tarlton explained that she breeds blue pit bulls for dog shows and that her dogs are in no way illegal. She believes that the dogs found in the home she was renting were likely “gaming” dogs used for illegal fighting.

“These dogs had to come off a game yard,” she said. “Whoever did this is a sick individual. I’m not worried about going to jail. I’m innocent.”

Shortly after Lee’s discovery, Tarlton returned to the home.

According to Tarlton, the dogs had been dead for so long, for perhaps up to six weeks, that they were unidentifiable and their carcasses had begun to liquefy.

“Nobody could live in that for six weeks,” she said.

Tarlton believes that a person whom she has had an ongoing dispute with, one who is allegedly involved in illegal dog fighting, she claims, may have put the dead animals in the house after she moved out.

She also believes that person may have been involved in a Dec. 1 incident in which eight dogs were stolen from her property while she was in Lake Jackson at a dog show.

The night before Tarlton left for the show, she said, the individual came over to her house and a dispute ensued.

Two of the dogs that were stolen were owned by Tarlton, the other six by other owners.

Tarlton said she takes measures to ensure that her dogs are not used for fighting.

“Nobody fights my dogs,” she said, “and nobody puts them on a chain. I make them sign a contract.”

She keeps between five and 15 dogs on her three properties at any given time, Tarlton said. She also held a license to run a daycare at the house, which she did, she said, “up until the day I moved.”

Tarlton said she would often have as many as six kids at her home during the school year and more during the holidays.

Magnolia man receives apology for arrest, seeks investigation

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Bobby Lee, a Magnolia resident of 13 years, pleaded with the Magnolia City Council Jan. 8 for a full investigation into an incident in which he claims he was falsely arrested for criminal mischief, but later received an apology for being arrested.

Bobby Lee, accompanied by his wife, requested an investigation into his alleged false arrest Dec. 10.

Lee has always considered himself to be a good citizen, he said. Therefore, it came as quite a shock on Dec. 10 to find himself arrested for criminal mischief for stringing an illegal telephone wire along the fence in his back yard.

“When I was a little boy, I made up my mind that I would never go to jail,” said Lee who served in the Army for three years and retired as a postal worker of 30 years. “As I became a man, I made up my mind to become a good man.”

Within a day of his arrest the charges against Lee were dismissed by the district attorney’s office and Lee was receiving an apology from the arresting officer.

“What I would like from this council,” Lee said, “is to investigate and consider clearing my name and the arrest record, and also to look into the tactics and methods that officers have in dealing with people such as myself.”

Officer Jorge Anez of the Magnolia Police Department responded to the complaint made by Colleen Callahan, whose home is located in the 100 block of Purvis, on the morning of Dec. 10.

Callahan told Anez that her private phone service had been disrupted on Dec. 7 and showed him a line coming from an AT&T phone box that ran down the fence line to the back of a house in the 31000 block of Michael St.

She contacted her phone company who told Anez that she would have to contact an individual contractor to inspect the line coming from the box, Anez reported.

Meanwhile, Det. Milton Horton arrived on the scene to investigate.

“We saw an unusual wire running down the fence line of three houses to the back of Mr. Lee’s house,” Horton said. “It had all the appearances of being a jumper.”

According to Horton, there were no markings on the wire line to indicate AT&T’s ownership and no indication that work was in progress on the line, which weaved in and out through the picket fence and was wrapped around several rusty nails to keep it in place.

When Horton and Anez approached Lee, he attempted to show the officers his bills to prove he had paid for his services and requested them to call AT&T.

“I pleaded with them to look at the bills that I have to show that I had paid for my service, but they would not listen. I begged them to call the telephone company. I did not want to go to jail,” said Lee.

The Montgomery County District Attorney was called to determine whether charges for criminal mischief or theft of services should be filed.

Assistant District Attorney Frank Barnett advised Anez that he would accept charges for criminal mischief against Lee. Anez transported Lee to the Montgomery County Jail where he spent 30 hours in the “cooling tank.”

On Dec. 11 Mr. Wagoner, an AT&T supervisor, contacted Anez at the MPD to confirm that AT&T had done the work and sent a fax indicating as much. Wagoner told Anez he would institute changes to identify temporary lines in the future, he reported.

“If there were markings on the wire or a tag identifying the property as AT&Ts temporary line, we would have known that it wasn’t a jumped line,” Horton said. “Lee would not have been arrested.”

Anez contacted Barnett who called the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office to dismiss the charges. However, Lee had already been released on a personal recognizance bond and was headed home.

Within 15 minutes of arriving back at his home, Anez was knocking at Lee’s door.

“He told me he wanted to apologize to me for the arrest and that the charges had been dropped,” Lee said.

Horton expressed his concern as well.

“We felt bad over what had happened, even though we had no control over it. If AT&T had marked their line it would have answered a lot of questions,” said Horton.

Five generations recently joined in a birthday celebration for Norma Milberger held at First Baptist Church of Magnolia. Pictured (left to right), Clara Gomez, 1, Kerri Gomez, 20, and Terri Scott, 40, all of LaGrange, and Sharon Conley, 60, and Milberger, 80, both of Magnolia. Submitted Photo

Local high school hoops squads struggle in return to hardwood

By Brian Walzel
Editor

Now that winter break has concluded at local schools, high school basketball teams are hitting the court for the heart of the schedule, the district season. Last week, several teams took to the hardwood, but found it was hard to shake off the rust.

Magnolia
The Magnolia Lady Bulldogs fell short of a significant upset in their 53-46 loss to The Woodlands Jan. 8. The Lady Highlanders are one of the district favorites in 15-5A and Magnolia provided a tough test. The Woodlands took an early 14-7 lead after the first quarter, but the Lady Bulldogs tied it by halftime, outscoring the Lady Highlanders 17-10 in the second quarter. But a 20-10 third quarter in favor of The Woodlands put the game out of reach, despite a fourth quarter rally by Magnolia. The Woodlands’ Amanda Anderson led all scorers with 17 points, while Michelle Larson led the Lady Bulldogs in scoring with 12 points. The Woodlands improves to 13-6 on the season, while Magnolia drops to 8-13.

Rosehill Christian
The Lady Eagles were defeated handily by Pope John XXIII High School, 48-28 Jan. 8. The Lady Eagles could only muster double digits in one quarter, the third, when they scored just 10 points. By halftime, the Lady Eagles trailed 30-10. Rosehill’s Mandee Driggers led the team in points with 12, while Pope John’s Christina Hurt tallied 20, a game high. Rosehill falls to 2-4, Pope John improved to 8-3.

Concordia Lutheran
The boys and girls squads struggled in their return to the court last week, both losing to Westbury Christian. The Lady ’Saders were the first to fall on Jan. 8, losing 55-39. Westbury Christian dominated play in the first half, taking a 29-17 lead into halftime, one they would not relinquish. The Lady ’Saders cut the lead to just 8 by the end of the third quarter, but Westbury Christian pulled away in the fourth, outscoring Concordia 17-9. Faith Beringer led the Lady ’Saders in scoring with 9 points. With the loss, Concordia falls to 12-8. Meanwhile, the boys did not fare much better, losing 69-47. Westbury Christian came out gunning in the first quarter, outscoring the Crusaders 24-10 and setting the tone early. Concordia cut the lead by six at halftime, but still trailed 37-29. The Crusaders went cold in the third quarter, tallying just 6 points while Westbury pulled away once again with 17 points on their way to the decisive victory.

From the Book of Clifford

By Clifford Parker
Contributing Writer

Many of you have been reading my past stories and you already know I have been walking a mental picture down Main Street of Tomball during the 60s and early 70s. I’ve had people contact me in the past trying to straighten out my mental recollections.

I’ve always said these stories are my own memories. If my memories are correct, so be it, but if they’re wrong, it will be a good beginning to how town legends get started. Perhaps someday, somebody will make a cheap movie about my mental pictures and make a fortune. I do want to straighten out a couple of things, however, simply for the record books.

I think I said a few weeks ago that a deer had run through the window of Walker Automotive many years ago. I was reminded that the deer actually ran though Dugan’s Appliance store window. Before his passing, Mr. Dugan had told me the deer turned over TV sets and wreaked general havoc inside his appliance store before being captured across the street. Douglas Hinze informed me Mr. Ferhle and Mr. Tressler built the shop at the corner of Main and Baker that I mentioned in one of my stories.

It’s now occupied by Tomball Muffler & Brake. Years ago, Milton Havlick called me and shared a few memories with me about his recollections of Tomball, but most amazing was the statement he made about our traffic.

He and I both remembered when you could get on FM 149 at Main Street and drive all the way to Galveston Island and never have to stop for a light or a stop sign!

You could drive all the way down FM 149 to I-45 and never have to stop. To the best of our recollection, FM 149 had the right-of-way and Jack Rabbit Road (a two-lane road later named FM 1960) actually had to stop and FM 149 went straight through to I-45.

Mrs. Hirsch also sent me a kind letter reminding me of Mr. Pete Hirsch who owned the package store near Four Corners. I had actually forgotten about this location.

By the time you read this story I guess all of you have learned of my first ride in a police car. I’ll never forget it!

When I left you last week I was about to approach the intersection of N. Poplar and the north side of Main Street. The last business I recall at this location was a big white wooden building that Mr. Coleman of Coleman’s Signs occupied.

I know several other businesses had been in this location prior to Mr. Coleman, but they were before my time in memory. I am told this place was actually an icehouse at one time where blocks of ice were sold and was maybe even a feed store. Mr. John Buevens later built a new law office on this site and it is now occupied by a new dental center.

Next door to the dental center was a building formerly known as the Spring Branch Savings and Loan building. They had relocated from further east of Main to this location.

When this building was first built it was considered a state of the art location because of the exterior design. It was called a new fangled contemporary design.

After Spring Branch left, Coastal Bank took over, then State Bank and now it’s occupied by a new bank called Prosperity Bank.

The building owners, Gatewood and Associates, have brought new life to the location. Inside of this building was a space that was leased by a family friend, Harvey Metzler. Harvey had been in a couple of locations in town over his long years and he has since retired. My wife started her insurance career with Harvey and then Emily Weirich took over the reigns.

Emily had worked with Harvey and to this day she occasionally reminds me of some of my devilish deeds as a youngster. I’m sure there was another building on this property before the savings and loan built there, but I have no idea what it was.

Next door was a drive-in store operated by Neal Willis. We didn’t go down to this location very much ’cause it was a little too far from the schoolhouse. It’s now occupied by a tire shop.

As we move east Mr. Gillette and his radiator shop occupied the next location that I remember. Several car dealerships have been located here, as well as my Uncle Ed’s auto trim shop from several years ago.

The location of Sonic was the site of a house. It is very possible the Klein family may have had something to do with building the original house, but all I remember is a group of friends named the Neiman family who lived in this house for a while.

There was Skipper, Andy, Mark, Katy, and Karen Neiman and their parents. I went to school with them from Tomball Lutheran to a short time in high school. One thing that really stands out in my mind about their house was the front area of the home had the fancy roll opening windows called jalousie windows. I thought it was so neat to see a window that was uncommon to our area.

More next week.

-- Clifford

Tomball Regional Medical Center donates $5,000 to Shattered Lives Program

Shattered Lives of Tomball recently received a $5,000 donation from Tomball Regional Medical Center.

“We are honored to be involved in such a program to help today’s youth,” said Lynn LeBouef, President and CEO of Tomball Regional Medical Center. “The staff also feels privileged to be an integral part of the Shattered Lives program.”

Shattered Lives of Tomball Director Rebecca Carlisle (right) accepts a donation check from Tomball Regional Medical Center President/CEO Lynn LeBouef (left).

The program incorporates all emergency responders while re-creating a mock multi-victim fatality accident scenario. It involves student participants in an effort to educate teenagers on the consequences of poor decisions regarding drinking alcohol and driving a vehicle.

On March 12 and 13 Shattered Lives of Tomball will be presented at Tomball High School. Participating juniors and seniors will be involved in this two-day event where some will be involved in the actual “mock” fatality accident scenario. A couple of students will be arrested for Intoxicated Manslaughter while the remaining participants will be either pronounced dead on scene or upon arrival to Tomball Regional Medical Center.

“The program sheds light on drinking and driving to teenagers in such a clear way,” said Sgt. Rebecca Carlisle. “We hope to show statistical improvements in underage drinking in the Tomball area through programs like these.”

Shattered Lives of Tomball is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and relies on community support and funding to provide this program to area high school students.

For more information on supporting this program, contact Carlisle at 281-290-1312 or rcarlisle@ci.tomball.tx.us or visit the Shattered Lives Web site at www.shatteredlives-tomball.org.

Six WHS musicians place at Area auditions

Sixteen Waller High School students recently took part in the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Region 27 Band Auditions. The audition consisted of both 4A and 5A band students. Students were heard in a blind audition by a panel of five judges on three-four college-level etudes, scales, and sight-reading. The competition stretched over two days and encompassed more than 700 students from Waller ISD, Brenham ISD, Spring Branch ISD and Cy-Fair ISD.

Pictured (from left to right), Jason Kaminski, Luis Flores, Elspeth Bacher, Lauren Forester, Frank Scott and Randallyn Kelso, who recently advanced to the 4A Area auditions.

Six WHS students, Jason Kaminski (euphonium), Luis Flores (trumpet), Elspeth Bacher (flute), Lauren Forester (piccolo), Frank Scott (trumpet) and Randallyn Kelso (percussion), advanced to 4A Area auditions.

Area auditions are the last step before achieving the designation of Texas All-State Musician. They encompassed the best student-musicians from the San Antonio, Austin, and western Houston areas.

Three students placed in performing bands, including Bacher (concert winds), Flores (concert winds) and Scott (symphonic winds).

These ensembles are composed of the top players out of the combined pool of 4A and 5A musicians and are considered to be among the best honor ensembles in the Houston area. Their performances will be held at Langham Creek High School on Jan. 19 at 5 p.m.

Members of the Heritage Trails Daughters of the American Revolution chapter display a photo of Laura Bush, which was sent to them by the First Lady in honor of their chapter. Bush is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Pictured (from left to right), Dorothy Roche, Pamela New, Pat Williams, Margaret Ryan, and Patricia Karis. The Heritage Trails DAR chapter was organized in October of 2006 and now has a membership of 109 as they begin 2008. For more information, e-mail dbw614@yahoo.com.
Submitted Photo

City Marshal awarded pay increase for performance

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The Magnolia City Council recently approved a more than $11,000 increase for the City Marshal’s position that will directly benefit current City Marshal Jeri Carpenter.

Jeri Carpenter

“I’m on cloud nine,” said Carpenter who added that she never expected to be acknowledged so generously.

Carpenter has been active in law enforcement for 22 years and was elected as the Region II Director of the Texas Marshal’s Association in 2003. She has served as the Magnolia City Marshal since June 2006. Prior to that she worked as a patrol officer for the Magnolia Police Department (MPD). Carpenter anticipates receiving her master certification in law enforcement in May.

Carpenter holds several state certifications and has accrued more than 190 hours of training in the last year in addition to her collection efforts.

The council established the Marshal’s Office in June of 2006 to collect fines and clear up payment accounts, many as old as 13 years, said Judge John Purvis.

Her warrant and collection services in addition to restitution for bad checks has netted the city more than $352,000 over the past year and a half. While Carpenter has held the Marshal’s position, her salary was maintained as that of a patrol officer at $35,000.

Purvis said that as a department head it was time to remedy that and increase her salary to that of a lieutenant in the police department.

“She has exhibited excellent knowledge of how to collect money,” said Purvis. “I’m totally satisfied with her efforts in collections.”

According to Purvis, the recommended salary by the Texas Municipal League for a Marshal is equivalent to that of a Level 1 lieutenant at $51,328. However, Purvis requested Magnolia council members to approve a salary increase only to the MPD lieutenant level of $46,342 per year.

While Councilmen Sammie Scott and Todd Kana were opposed to approving the pay increase without further examination, Dave Sutherland and Patsy Williams were in favor of the pay raise.

Both Scott and Kana were hesitant to approve an unbudgeted pay increase for the Marshal’s position without examining the budget to accommodate a potential deputy marshal the city is currently advertising for.

“We never approved the deputy marshal’s position, only the advertising for that position,” said Kana who suggested a percentage increase, such as 15 percent, versus a flat increase.

After some debate Bramlett swung the vote in favor of the pay increase.

Goodson’s to be featured on Travel Channel’s ‘Food Heavens’

By Brian Walzel
Editor

A venerable Tomball landmark earned another feather in its cap last week when Goodson’s Café welcomed a crew from the Travel Channel to film portions of an upcoming episode. The crew was attracted to Goodson’s, much like diners have been for years, by the restaurants famous chicken fried steak.

A Travel Channel film crew shoots footage at Goodson’s Café of Carrie Gilliam (left) making yeast rolls while owner Jimmy Fogarty (second from left) looks on.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, for sure,” owner Jimmy Fogarty said.

The five-person crew from the Travel Channel was on hand Jan. 10 to film scenes for an upcoming episode of Food Heavens, a show which features famous restaurants that serve a particular food item, in this case chicken fried steak, for which Goodson’s has received acclaim for more than half a century.

According to the show’s associate producer Chrissy Wolff, Goodson’s was chosen by a team of researchers from Los Angeles who were looking for restaurants that made the best fried food.

“So, we came for the chicken fried steak,” Wolff said. “We found that Goodson’s was the best.”

The crew arrived at around 8:30 a.m., Fogarty said, and stayed until about 3 p.m. They filmed and interviewed members of the staff, patrons and Fogarty himself as part of the production. The crew shot footage of cooks preparing the famous chicken fried steak, yeast rolls and side dishes.

Fogarty said that the famous Tomball restaurant has stood the test of time in an age of chain restaurants.

“In today’s world, it’s a challenge for the independent (restaurant) to remain competitive,” he said. “This just shows that we are hitting the right market.”

Despite the camera crew roaming around the restaurant all day, it was business as usual for the most part, Fogarty added.

“Fortunately, they (the staff) do what they do every day,” he said. “But it was just real upbeat knowing something new and exciting was going on in our restaurant.”

Wolff said the episode would air in either February or March.

Sunday school teacher arrested for selling crack

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

A Magnolia woman claiming to be a disabled Sunday school teacher has posted a $75,000 bond after being charged with selling crack cocaine from her home on Zhan Road in Turtle Creek.

Beatrice Charles

Beatrice Charles, 60, was arrested Jan. 8 after allegedly completing a transaction to sell an undercover officer a small amount of crack cocaine.

Though Charles did say that she was a disabled Sunday school teacher, she would not reveal to investigators the church at which she taught.

Sheriff’s deputies reported that Sunday school teaching materials were also found in the house.

Investigators were able to recover 40 baggies of crack cocaine in the home during a subsequent inventory of Charles’ home.

They also uncovered digital scales and other drug paraphernalia, as well as a stash of several guns.

The undercover operation took place after the Montgomery County Special Investigations Unit received several complaints from Charles’ neighbors of suspicious activity at her home.

TISD community update
Tomball Independent School District administrators invite all parents to attend a Community Update meeting to address the opening of Elementary School No. 6. District administrators will address the new elementary attendance boundaries, special programs and the process for staffing the new school. Additionally, administrators will provide a construction update regarding Bond 2007. The Community Update will be held Jan. 17 in the Northpointe Intermediate School cafeteria, 11855 Northpointe Blvd., from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

WISD meeting
Waller Independent School District will hold a District Site-Based Decision Making Committee meeting Jan. 23 at 4 p.m. in the Administration Building’s boardroom, located at 2214 Waller St. All meetings are open to the public; parents and community members are encouraged to attend. Contact Sarah Stephenson at 936-931-0309 or e-mail sastephe@wallerisd.net for more information.

Guest speaker
Daniel C. Hatfield, police captain at Lone Star College-Tomball, will be the guest speaker at the Mystery Writers Association Southwest meeting at noon on Jan. 19 at the Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel, located at 5353 Westheimer. Hatfield has more than 42 years experience in military, civilian, law enforcement, safety and anti-terrorism operations. At the meeting, Hatfield will discuss his experiences in the military, with the San Antonio Police Department, and will answer questions about police procedure. The meeting fee is $19 for members, $22 for non-members. For reservations, call the MWA hotline at 713-797-8464 by noon on Jan. 16.

Magnolia council meeting
The Magnolia City Council approved a motion Jan. 8 to limit council meetings to once per month effective in February to be held on the first Tuesday of each month with a special meeting to be held on the fourth Monday of the month if necessary. The council has held two meetings per month on the first Tuesday and the fourth Monday since the city elections in May of 2007 due to lengthy agendas. Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. and have been known to run as late as 1 a.m., but frequently adjourn by 10 or 11 p.m. A quorum of council members in attendance is required to hold a city meeting. While regular council meetings require only a three-member quorum, special meetings require four council members in attendance.

Lone Star College-Tomball has selected the recipients of the Support Staff Excellence Awards for the 2007-08 academic year. Pictured (from left to right) are Veterinary Technology Specialist Kathleen Diamond, Behavioral Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences Division Coordinator Deena Donaho, and Behavioral Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences Division Operations Manager Gwyn Reynolds. The recipients were nominated by fellow employees based on their willingness to go above and beyond in the performance of their job responsibilities and for providing exceptional service. They will be honored at the Lone Star College System Awards Luncheon on Feb. 15.
Submitted Photo

Magnolia council ‘accomplishes nothing’ on Alexander case

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Despite the best efforts of attorneys and council members Jan. 8 the debate continues for Magnolia Police Dept. Cpl. Mike Alexander who has been on paid administrative leave for five months.

Following a complaint Alexander filed with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s (MCDA) Office June 22, 2007 against his superiors for issuing unlawful orders, Alexander was terminated July 6 for not following the chain of command. He was reinstated July 23 by the city council.

Council overturned the termination because, according to the city ordinance that established the police department, the police chief cannot unilaterally hire or fire police officers.

According to the MCDA, the investigation by the Texas Rangers is still incomplete and the case has not yet been scheduled for a grand jury.

In the interim attorneys for both parties have been unsuccessful in attempting to negotiate a compromise, one in which Alexander is either terminated or reinstated contingent upon a full release of liability in exchange for payment of reasonable legal fees.

At the Jan. 8 meeting, council members attempted to craft a motion that would provide for a professional mediator and include the attendance of City Administrator Ryan Kelley, as well as existing parties to the suit.

Meanwhile, Alexander’s attorney, Sheila Haley, and City Attorney Leonard Schneider continued sparring over terminology and procedure, finally coming to an agreement on cost and timelines for professional mediation.

“These two attorneys don’t seem to care for each other very much,” said Councilman Dave Sutherland. “They need to get over this and get down to the business of taking care of their clients.”

While Mayor Pro Tem John Bramlett, who presided over the meeting in Mayor Jimmy Thornton’s absence, made a motion to allow Schneider, a mediator yet to be selected, and Kelley to meet with Alexander and Haley to resolve the issue, Sutherland requested to amend the motion to include a deadline.

“We’ve got to put an end to this,” said Sutherland. “If we don’t put a date on the negotiations, we’ve got an open ended check for attorney’s fees.”

While Sutherland’s amendment included a deadline of the next city council meeting for Jan. 28, it was contingent upon successful resolution.

“Failing negotiations, we reinstate Alexander to active duty and pay reasonable attorney fees pending a release,” he said.

However, Councilwoman Patsy Williams disagreed with the amended motion.

“I have promised the citizens that I would not throw their money away and I intend to stand by that,” said Williams.

Bramlett was caught in the position of having to accept or decline Sutherland’s amendment, but Sutherland rescinded his amendment to allow Bramlett to restate his own motion.

Though Bramlett reiterated the motion to include a deadline of Jan. 28 with mediator services not to exceed $1,500 on the part of the city, he still found no support from Sutherland and the motion failed.

Williams motioned for termination of Alexander effective immediately, which found no support and also failed.

Sutherland motioned to reinstate Alexander to full service immediately, contingent upon a release of liability with reasonable payment of full legal fees, which was seconded by Sammie Scott.

In a 2-2 split vote, with Williams and Todd Kana against Scott and Sutherland, Bramlett held the tie-breaking vote, but attempted to abstain for the second time on the issue, which drew debate from his fellow council members.

The city ordinance does not allow for abstention unless there is a personal conflict, but there is no way to enforce it, said Kana.

Sutherland called for Bramlett to vote, as well as Scott.

“You have to vote,” said Scott. “You did that last time.”

Bramlett finally voted against reinstatement.

Sutherland said later that he did not support Bramlett’s motion because he did not believe it included a deadline for negotiations.

“The final result is nothing has changed,” Sutherland said. “Alexander is still on paid administrative leave and we’ve accomplished nothing.”

High-end development nearing construction after year delay

By Brian Walzel
Editor

Despite delays that have pushed the project back nearly a year, developers say the Lakes at Crosspoint is still on track.

Gary Goff, one of the development’s owners, says construction will begin this spring.

“Without fail we’ll be under construction in the first quarter of the year,” he said.

Original projections for the Lakes, slated to be built at the intersection of FM 2978 and FM 2920, called for construction to begin in the spring of 2007.

“A number of issues have delayed construction,” Goff said.

One of those has been a delay in getting infrastructure developments underway. Bill Calderon of Jolly Properties, one of the investment groups of the project, told the Tomball City Council early last year that nearly $15 million was needed in infrastructure improvements, most notably for drainage structures.

According to Goff, the city has completed their off-site work for connection to the Lakes’ sewer lines, a major step towards breaking ground.

“We’re not going to start the actual construction until (the timing) is just right,” he said. “We wouldn’t have wanted to start construction and not been able to connect the sewer line.”

In order to offset the $15 million cost for infrastructure improvements, the city created a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), which are special districts created to attract new investment to an area. TIRZs utilize taxes for new improvements, which are set-aside in a fund to finance public improvements in the zone.

The city approved the creation of the zone last year.

Calderon said some appointments to the TIRZ board of directors have been delayed “so major equity partners have an opportunity to weigh in.”

He added that delays often occur with large-scale developments such as the Lakes at Crosspoint.

“Any time you finance big developments like this, there is always challenges you have to deal with,” he said. “It’s not anything unusual.”

Calderon originally told the city council last year that homes would be available by 2008.

“Our original forecast is not terribly off,” he added. “It may be delayed by a quarter or two.”

The development calls for upscale homes to cost between $400,000 and $450,000. A number of town homes are also expected to be available as part of the project, costing as much as $250,000 or more.

Also included in the project are a 316,000 square foot retail center, 126,000 square feet of office space, a 40,000 square foot hotel and an 80-room motel.

The city is expected to see a windfall of tax revenue through the development. Calderon estimated last year that ad valorem tax revenue for the city could surpass $200 million.

Joe Nichols was the guest speaker at the Jan. 9 meeting of the Tomball Rotary Club. Nichols, who was paralyzed from the neck down after an automobile accident when he was 20, spoke about “creating a life that matters.”
Photo by Brian Walzel

Dewhurst announces new appointments to Sunset Commission

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

Sen. Glenn Hegar has been appointed Vice Chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission. In addition, Rep. Lois Kolkhorst has also been appointed.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst announced these and other appointments Jan. 9 to the Sunset Advisory Commission.

The commission, which is composed of appointed representatives and senators, and is used to decide if a state agency should continue or should be abolished, is in the process of conducting reviews.

The Sunset review process has streamlined and changed state government. Since its inception in 1978, 52 agencies have been abolished and another 12 agencies have been consolidated.

The process occurs every 12 years and provides an opportunity for concerned Texans to submit comments regarding any state agency. Texas Parks and Wildlife, as well as the Texas Department of Transportation, are among the agencies up for review this year.

In addition to Hegar, who has voiced opposition to the Trans Texas Corridor, appointees include Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa , Michael Stevens, a public appointee that was part of a task force that released a critical report on TxDOT in 2006, Sen. Bob Deuell, Sen. Kim Brimer, and Sen. Craig Estes.

Other members also on the commission are representatives appointed by Texas Speaker of the House Tom Craddick, including Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, Rep. Lois W. Kolkhorst , Rep. Carl Isett as Chair, Rep. Ruth McClendon and Rep. Dan Flynn.

Sunset review is a yearlong process that will stretch into 2009.

Following the receipt of public comments, public hearings will take place. The commission will then decide upon recommendations to the legislature. The agency is abolished or a bill is created and filed with the legislature to modify the agency. If the bill passes, the agency is modified. If the bill fails, the agency is automatically abolished.

Public comments can be submitted by Jan. 14 to sunset@sunset.state.tx.us and must include name, address and phone number for verification.

AAR volunteer, pet dog finalists in photography contest

Abandoned Animal Rescue volunteer Myca Durocher and her dog, Woody, have been named finalists in the Circuit City and Kodak Firedog Photo Contest. As a finalist, Woody has already earned $1,000 for AAR, as well as prizes for Durocher.

Woody has been named a finalist in the Circuit City and Kodak Firedog Photo Contest.

If Woody is chosen as the Grand Prize Winner, AAR receives $50,000 and Durocher and Woody will visit Los Angeles to film a commercial. Voting is now underway at www.firedog.com/kodak. Circuit City and Kodak will donate $1 to AAR for every vote Woody receives up to $100,000.

AAR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, pet adoption center, and low-cost spay/neuter clinic managed and maintained by an all-volunteer staff. Visit www.aarescue.com to see adoptable pets, make a donation, learn about volunteering, register for an event, check out the calendar, and more.

Magnolia police seek two suspected in passing counterfeit $100 bills

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

The Magnolia Police Department is currently investigating the passing of two counterfeit $100 bills within the city limits.

Brookshire Brothers employee Pamela Lilley discovered the bills at the close of business Dec. 23, one of the busiest shopping days of the Christmas season.

Lilley reported to police that the bills raised her suspicions because the counterfeit $100 bills were pasted to a $5 bill. A security mark on the bill revealed no change in color of ink.

After viewing store surveillance, Store Manager Roy Tilley and clerk Amber Bradshaw positively identified two suspects.

A man and a woman were seen entering the store together between the hours of 2 and 7:30 p.m. While the man went to the courtesy desk to purchase a moneygram, the woman attempted to purchase gift cards at a register.

After explaining to the woman that the gift cards would have to be purchased at the courtesy desk, Bradshaw reported that the woman left the register only to return with several items she purchased with a $100 bill.

There is no other known counterfeiting in the Magnolia area, but Magnolia Police Det. Milton Horton warned business owners to be careful.

“Take the time to examine the bill carefully,” he said.

Anyone with information regarding the case should call 281-356-2500. Information can anonymously be reported to Magnolia ISD Crime Stoppers at 281-356-SAVE (7283).

New Year brings new start for Magnolia 4B

By Cari Herr
Tribune Staff

With the start of the New Year comes a new start for many groups within the city, such as the Magnolia 4B Corp., which has scheduled a public workshop for its members to brainstorm ideas for promoting the city.

In the absence of President Frank Parker, the Jan. 10 meeting was chaired by Vice-President Mike Karm who expressed his frustration at the lack of momentum the group has experienced over the past seven months.

Karm is one of the few directors appointed to the 4B that survived the May 2007 city elections, unlike Parker who was initially discharged from the 4B by the new council, but was subsequently reinstated.

A series of new appointments and resignations followed that has severely affected the group’s ability to hold meetings due to a lack of required attendance.

In a lengthy discussion, Karm pressed for a workshop in which members could actively come up with a game plan to promote the city.

Despite the near $1 million financial burden of paying to first build then completely overhaul the City Hall building on Buddy Riley Blvd., Karm maintains that 4B is still a viable group that can be proactive in its projects.

Those projects include future monies for parks and drainage, as well as a 4th Street extension as part of the Downtown Revitalization effort. Along with that, 4B has city council’s approval to participate in advertising and marketing, beautification and support of existing and new business.

According to Leonard Schneider, the corporation’s legal counsel, the 4B can obligate as much as 10 percent of its annual budget, accruing up to 30 percent over three years, on promoting the city.

Along with newly-appointed member Hank Wright, members appointed by the new council in 2007, such as Viren Vansadia and Andy Mize, as well as long standing member Jonny Williams, appeared to be ready to do just that.

But City Administrator Ryan Kelley, as the Executive Director of the corporation, advised the group that to be proactive, it must first clearly define a game plan for doing so.

As a result, directors approved a public workshop to be held in the meeting room at Hickory Hollow, located at 18537 FM 1488, on Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.

Harris County Junior Mounted Posse hits the trail to announce rodeo

On Jan. 7 Harris County Sheriff Tommy Thomas and Major Skip Oliver, along with Harris County Judge Ed Emmett’s representative, Doug Atkinson, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo representatives Dennis Vickery, Marshall Smith and Mike Demarco, signed a special proclamation inviting dignitaries of surrounding counties and cities to the upcoming 76th Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The proclamation will be delivered “Pony Express Style” by the Harris County Junior Mounted Posse.

From left to right, Sheriff Tommy Thomas, Penny LaField, Doug Atkinson and Lauren Schneider at a Jan. 7 ceremony announcing the 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

The Harris County Junior Mounted Posse originated in 1951 under Sheriff C.V. “Buster” Kern and the tradition has continued throughout the years. The Posse, in its’ 57th year, is the oldest youth riding group in Texas. The junior deputies range in age from 6 to 18 and will be adorned in western attire to deliver the proclamation Jan. 12 when they travel to Columbus, Weimar, Schulenburg, and Hallettsville.

On Feb. 2, they will ride to Magnolia, Montgomery and Navasota. On Feb. 23 the proclamation will be delivered to Waller, Hempstead, Bellville and Brenham. The final leg of their journey will end March 1, at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade.

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