Category: Conroe Courier

Blink Twice
Rated R for sexual assault, language throughout, drug use, some sexual references and strong violent contentRotten Tomatoes Score: 79%In Theaters
Making her directorial debut is Zoe Kravitz with this twisted thriller about a poor waitress (Naomi Ackie) who decides to follow a reclusive billionaire (Channing Tatum) to his private island home, where no cell phones are allowed and an eclectic group of men and women are along for the ride.  Upon arriving, it seems like pure paradise with a beautiful locale, great food and wine, and even some seemingly harmless recreational drugs.  But then clues start to surface that all is not right with the situation.  I wasn’t quite sure what to think about this one from the trailer.  It definitely looks like it might have a violent spin and that things might be a little messed up.  
But I would have never guessed the reality of the story, which makes it very interesting and uncomfortable.  I would say fun, but it is so disturbing that that would be a poor description of the events of this film.  From the very beginning, the movie feels like a Jordan Peele adventure, where the movie isn’t actually about what the story is about.  And there are many clues that this is the case.  I can imagine a number of different explanations for the symbolism, and I really hope this is the best explanation.  The cast here is solid, especially amongst the men, with Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Kyle McLachlan and Haley Joel Osment.  The females are less well known, but Ackie is really good as the heroine on the hunt to figure things out and Geena Davis turns in a surprising performance as one of the billionaire’s assistants.  I’m sure the plot twist will get out pretty quickly, and when it does, I wonder who the audience will be.  It really doesn’t make for a good date movie and I don’t see a lot guys going to see it by themselves either, just for fear of looking and feeling creepy.  
Just from its very nature, it might not have much of a box office, but then I can see it getting views once it hits streaming.  But that doesn’t mean it’s not a good film.  It’s just incredibly deranged and will make any viewer feel rather unbearable at moments.  B
Danny Minton may be reached at danny@dannyminton.com. 

A Montgomery Eagle Scout candidate is inviting Montgomery County area veterans to sign and leave inspirational messages inside a wheelchair-accessible mobile hunting blind he constructed. 
The deer blind built by Cohen Rogers, 15, will be in the parking lot of military and veteran-themed restaurant Honor Cafe in downtown Conroe this week before it is donated to the organization Patriot Outfitters Aug. 26. It is scheduled to be there through Thursday to Friday. 
Honor Cafe is at 103 N. Thompson Street. 
ONE ROAD TWO NAMES: Why does this Conroe road have two names? Family histories offer clues
The project was coordinated by Montgomery High student Rogers and constructed by a team of roughly 15 fellow Boy Scouts, friends and family members. The completion of the project will put him one step closer to obtaining his Eagle Scout distinction.
The Eagle Scout Award is the highest honor available to youth members of the Boy Scouts of America, which will change its name to Scouting America in February. It recognizes a Scout’s many years of effort and successful completion of a long process that begins when they join the organization. 
Rogers, a member of Troop 491, has been in Scouts since elementary school. 
He enjoys hunting and the outdoors and wanted to bring the same experiences to disabled veterans across the state. His grandfather is a U.S. Air Force veteran. 
“One day I was with my dad and we were in a hunting blind and I was really enjoying it. Out of nowhere my dad was talking about it would be a great opportunity if veterans could come out here and do this,” he said. “I was thinking about that and it seemed like a great idea to build a hunting blind that could go everywhere and not be on one tract.” 
His dad, Tony, agreed, and his plan began to take shape. 
The trailer portion was donated through Montgomery Trailers. On two work days July 20-21 the group constructed the blind from wood. Then another day was set aside for painting. A veteran in a wheelchair will be able to wheel into the hunting blind from a ramp.
CATFISH FESTIVAL LINEUP: Josh Ward, William Clark Green to headline 35th Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival in October
Rogers family friend and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Bobby Skinner connected with U.S. Marine Corps veteran Chris Sadler at Honor Cafe and the Sadler family agreed to host the trailer in the parking lot of their restaurant. 
“I’ve never met someone who achieved their Eagle Scout that wasn’t a great person,” Sadler said. “The best thing about his project as a whole is seeing veterans come out of there with tears in their eyes after they were able to leave a message for a disabled veteran. Every one of them will ask me to thank him (Cohen) personally. His heart for veterans is so, so valuable to us.” 
The trailer arrived last Tuesday. Passages include words of encouragement, scripture verses, service years and more. U.S. Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Conroe, signed it. Luttrell studied neuroscience at the University of Texas at Dallas after experiencing his own traumatic brain injury from a helicopter crash during a training operation.
Conroe mayor and U.S. Navy veteran Duke Coon also signed inside the blind. 
“Veterans fought for our country and they should have something given to them because they’ve done something for us,” Rogers said. “They need to have something to let them enjoy life.” 
The hunting blind will be presented to Patriot Outfitters representative Jay Fondren at Troop 491’s Aug. 26 meeting. Fondren served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and lost both his legs and had injuries to his right arm. 
He also is an avid outdoorsman. 
“They have only had stationary blinds so this will be their first mobile blind,” said Rogers’ mom, Wendy. “This will give them the opportunity to go to different tracts across the state. They are excited and we are too.” 

Before campus renovations are complete at Conroe High School in late 2025, the Grady Spikes Memorial Tiger bronze statue on Texas 105 will be moved to a spot on Wilson Road. 
Over the summer, the school’s main entrance moved to Wilson Road from Texas 105, where the main entrance had been since the school opened in 1964.
The renovation, part of a Conroe ISD 2019 bond, began on the campus in 2021 to reduce the number of entry points to the school for student safety and to reduce traffic on Texas 105. 
The change left many Conroe alumni wondering what would happen to the Grady Spikes tiger. Also in question was the location of the taxidermy tiger “Apache” at the former front entrance. 
LAKE CONROE’S ISLANDS: Lake Conroe’s 6 islands each have their own character and purpose. Here’s what to know
Future plans for the bronze tiger 
“With regard to the items, district and campus administration are very mindful of the long and treasured legacy of them,” said Sarah Blakelock, executive director of communications for Conroe ISD. “The tiger statue will be moved to a location between the new entrance and the new gym.”
Conroe High’s new “The Pit” gym opened in August 2023. 
The tiger statue honors beloved Conroe High coach, teacher and later elected official Grady Spikes. Spikes died suddenly in September 1999. 
The class of 1967 sponsored the large bronze tiger statue and hosted fundraisers for it. It was dedicated in 2002. 
Conroe ISD officials worked with Spike’s widow, Annette, and their sons Trey and Barkley, to determine that the statue would have better visibility at a spot between the new gym and new entrance.
The tiger statue will not be moved until construction is nearing completion, Blakelock said. 
About Grady Spikes 
Grady and Annette Spikes arrived in Conroe in June 1964. Grady wanted to learn coaching from the best of the best and Coach “CD” York was a state championship coach in Conroe.
After coaching and teaching, he spent time in other business ventures in Conroe before he was elected Justice of the Peace in 1990. 
In whatever he did, Grady always gave 110 percent, Annette said. 
“Regardless of what it was, from fishing to playing with the boys to being a good husband to me, he put his heart into everything,” she said. 
The evolution of the statue 
Conroe High graduate and artist Bill McGlaun sculpted the life-size, two-ton bronze beast that is 13 feet long and 9 feet high. It was dedicated on homecoming weekend in October 2002 and has long had a place in front of the Conroe High library. 
CONROE CITY WATER: Conroe considers a moratorium on development until it can build water wells to address growth
More visibility
Annette believes it’s a fitting tribute to her late husband that the statue will be placed close to the gym and football field because coaching meant so  much to him. 
“We appreciate them (Conroe High leaders) letting us have a voice in where it would be placed,” Annette said. “That meant a lot to us. I don’t have any misgivings about the move and the boys don’t either.” 
Her granddaughter’s Conroe High volleyball team took pictures with the statue in front of the library in recent years, which made her very proud.
Apache and Mac 
Blakelock confirmed that “Apache” the taxidermy tiger, located adjacent to the auditorium in a glass case, will remain in that location as renovations take place this school year in the auditorium. 
Conroe High grad Mike Simpson was a taxidermist and prepared “Apache,” which was a gift to the school from the 1998-99 student council. At that time, he knew of a tiger that had died at the Cincinnati Zoo and was able to get that pelt to make a new tiger for the front of the school.
The original tiger “Mac” named for J. L. “Mac” McCullough, 50-year coach, teacher, principal and superintendent for Conroe ISD was at Conroe High’s previous career and technology building. When that building was torn down in 2023, Mac was taken in by Conroe taxidermist Martin Worley who now has “Mac” in storage. 
When the time is right, Blakelock said there are many places at the refurbished Conroe High that could make a good home for “Mac.” 

Montgomery County and Spring-area residents looking for their morning jolt or an afternoon pick me up now have several new options for getting a caffeine fix. 
Several new coffee shops and drive-thru coffee stands have opened or will open soon in the area. A much-anticipated 7 Brew will open on Conroe’s west side Monday. In Montgomery, the first county location of PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans has opened on Walden Road. 
Here’s what to know about these new coffee spots:
DISC GOLF COURSES: The sport of disc golf gained popularity during the pandemic in Montgomery County. Here’s where to play.
7 Brew 
The 7 Brew Coffee brand will have a soft opening for the chain’s first Conroe location at 3830 W. Davis Street Monday. 
The chain launched in Rogers, Arkansas as a drive-thru only coffee stand. There are now 256 locations with 20,000 unique flavor combinations served. 
According to information from the company, 7 Brew is all about creating memorable moments and fostering community connections.
“Our unique drive-thru experience, where Brewistas greet customers directly at their vehicles, brings an extra touch of warmth and energy to every visit. At 7 Brew, we offer over 20,000 drink combinations, from coffee and teas to smoothies, juices and energy drinks, catering to every taste and dietary preference,” according to a release. 
A soft opening is from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday. A grand opening is set for Sept. 7. 
Citizens Coffee Truck
In the same Conroe retail center as 7 Brew, Citizens Coffee Truck opened this spring. 
Kyle Buthod launched Citizens Coffee Truck in 2020 and then grew to a catering and event business as well. They have a 1948 farm truck that has been turned into a drink and dessert truck. 
The cafe is adjacent to Wake Church at 3830 W. Davis Street. Featured menu items are coffees, espressos, teas, refreshers, fruit bowls and popsicles and pastries. The menu also features two items for the pooches — Dog Beer and Bayou Bones. 
Conroe cafe hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays.
PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans 
In July, a ribbon-cutting took place for Montgomery County’s only PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans location at 17128 Walden Road in Montgomery. 
PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans was founded in 1978 by Phyllis Jordan, a pioneer in the coffee industry who embraced high-quality beans, superior roasting methods and a passion for the art of coffee-making, according to company information. In addition to the coffee, their New Orleans style beignets are a specialty pastry. 
The brand is in 14 states and has locations across Texas. Local franchise owners are Lenny and Ivonne Sims.
Downtown Conroe 
Urban Grinds Coffee Company which launched earlier in the year is the new coffee vendor for The Collective in Downtown Conroe at 213 N. Thompson Street. The coffee stand has a variety of espresso drinks, London Fog, matcha and chai teas and specialty drinks like Brown Sugar Lovers, The Tiger, Rosemary Honey and Butterfly Lemonade. They have six homemade syrups as well. Pastry items are coming soon. 
Galavant’s Coffee stand is back in downtown Conroe. After a hiatus, Galavant’s Coffee cart opened again in June at Clover House Antiques, 118 North San Jacinto Street.
CAJUN CATFISH LINEUP: Josh Ward, William Clark Green to headline 35th Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival in October
Beans & Brews Coffeehouse
Beans & Brews Coffeehouse, a drive-thru coffee franchise known for its high-altitude roasting, has opened its first Spring location.
The new location, is in the Rhodes shopping center, at 5200 FM 2920, Suite 100, in Spring.
Utah natives Kim and Walter Sims own the new location. They both grew up enjoying the brand’s high-altitude roasted coffee, and Kim fondly recalls doing her homework at her local Beans & Brews in the Salt Lake Valley.
After moving to Texas in 2018, the couple searched for a coffee shop with the same quality and flavors. When they learned Beans & Brews was expanding to the Lone Star State, they signed a multi-unit development deal to add two locations in the Spring area.
The new coffeehouse offers a full range of high-quality coffee beverages, teas, energy drinks and snacks and is a welcoming space for customers to enjoy. It has comfortable seating for 30 guests and a private conference room for meetings and events. The 12-seat conference room can be reserved for a small fee.

A Conroe road just south of the city’s Loop 336 has two different names for the same road and it turns out both names are correct. 
Crighton Road is between Interstate 45 and FM 1314. East of FM 1314, the spelling changes to Creighton Road which extends east from FM 1314 to Albert Moorehead Road and FM 3083. 
The two spellings represent two different families prominent in early Conroe who were neighbors and owned adjacent land in the area just south of Conroe. 
Here’s what to know about the Crighton and Creighton families and how the road off of Interstate 45 got those names:
EVOLUTION OF THE BUNKER: Nuclear bomb shelter in Montgomery now serves as bunker for business data center 
Harry M. Crighton 
Harry Moore Crighton was born Feb. 18, 1885 in Okalona, Mississippi to Alexander and Margaret Crighton. At age 15, he entered the University of Texas and later received a pharmacy degree.
Following his graduation, he came to Conroe to manage the Crighton Pharmacy for the Houston Drug Company, according to a narrative about Crighton provided by the Montgomery County Historical Commission. 
Crighton served as mayor of Conroe from 1934 to 1937 at a time when the city was enjoying the prosperity of the nearby oil boom that took place in 1931 southeast of Conroe. 
He was the inspiration for the Crighton Theatre in downtown Conroe the historic theatre which is still an entertainment venue today. It opened in 1935. 
Larry Foerster, chairman of the Montgomery County Historical Commission, said Crighton was also involved in the oil industry in the 1930s. 
“Crighton Road was originally built in the 1930s by Harry Crighton so that the trucks going to his oil leases around Grangerland in the Conroe oil field could go directly from old Texas 75 to his leases, thus circumventing downtown Conroe,” he said. “The oil field trucks were tearing up the Conroe streets such that automobiles were getting stuck in the muddy truck ruts. So it became Crighton Road.”
In a 2005 Courier report, Rigby Owen Jr. said for a short time in the 1970s, Crighton Road became Grogan Road because the Grogan family owned a sawmill at the corner of I-45 and the road. The road was switched back to Crighton at the request of Frank Guthrie. Guthrie’s wife, Hallie, was the daughter of Harry Crighton.
Crighton and his family moved to San Antonio in 1938. He lived there until his death on Dec. 28, 1948 at age 63.
Conroe mayor Duke Coon grew up in the Conroe oil field area and said the road has been named after the Crighton and Creighton families as long as he could remember. 
He also noted that Crighton Road is within the city of Conroe and Creighton Road is not. 
CATFISH FESTIVAL TALENT: Josh Ward, William Clark Green to headline 35th Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival in October
Gerald Creighton Sr. 
State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, said his grandfather Gerald Creighton Sr. and Harry Crighton were neighbors and friends who owned property adjacent to each other south of town in the general area of what is now the Crighton Ridge and River Plantation subdivisions.
The road was known as Crighton Road, but the name changed when it reached the Creighton family’s property and was known as Creighton Road eastward.
Because Gerald Creighton owned a number of timber tracts, Creighton Road continued east to FM 1485. Today, Creighton Road extends to Albert Moorhead Road just west of FM 3083 and Brandon Creighton he takes pride that the family name still marks the roadway. 
“In recent years, more and more people are asking me about the name of the road so people do notice, he said. 
Creighton said there is a fair amount of confusion in the community with the similarity of the names even though the families came from different backgrounds. 
Creighton said his family routinely fielded phone calls about the Crighton Theatre. 
“We used to keep a schedule handy because it was easier to give people the show times than try and explain why this wasn’t the Creighton Theatre,” he said. 
Gerald Creighton Sr. died in 1966 at age 66 and is buried in Conroe. Foerster said his son, Gerald Creighton Jr., was a highly regarded Conroe lawyer, was on the Conroe ISD school board and was a respected community leader. Creighton Elementary in Conroe ISD is named in his honor. 
Creighton Jr., Brandon’s uncle, died in September 2014 at age 83. 

Magnolia ISD officials are calling for a local tax election in hopes of generating $7.4 million in funding for staff pay increases and additional constables for school safety. 
As districts across the Houston region scrambled to come up with for the 2023-24 school year, Magnolia ISD found itself having to forgo teacher and staff raises as a means to operate under a balanced budget, said Denise Meyers, chief communications officer for the district. And while the district was able give a pay bump, officials are moving forward with a Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election. 
MORE ELECTION NEWS: Montgomery voters to decide on extending elected officials’ terms as city grapples with growth
“Our turnover rate is about 20 percent, which is not very good for our district,” Meyers said, noting that the election would allow the district to retain and recruit more teachers and staff, which includes hiring more constables for future campuses. The district is also planning bring more incentive pay through a loyalty program for staff as well. 
Voters on Nov. 5 will decide whether to increase the current tax rate to $0.9895 per $100 valuation — a $0.03 increase from its current tax rate.
“Based on the proposed tax rate, the average homeowner would pay $8.21 more a month,” said Board President Gary Blizzard in a written statement.
If voters approve the new tax rate, the district will not incur any new debt, but will receive $3.7 million more in local funding annually, which would then create another $3.7 million in state funding — a total of $7.4 million in funding annually. 
This comes after Houston-area districts reported multi-million deficits as they face the 2024-25 budgeting process this summer, totaling at least $850 million in shortfalls.
NEW COUNTY REGULATIONS: Montgomery County wants legislation change to help regulate roadside businesses
In response to why the district is calling for the election, the district cited the Texas Legislature failing to pass a teacher pay raise bill or a comprehensive school funding plan, despite broad support and a record $30 billion-plus budget surplus in 2023. 
Currently, the basic allotment is $6,160 per student, a number that is $4,000 below the national average. 
“That’s five years of continually being asked to do more, with less despite inflation and rising costs,” a release from the district reads. “According to the Consumer Price Index, average inflation since 2019 has increased by 17 percent. Truth is, driving a bus costs more today than it did five years ago; serving a hot lunch costs more that it did five years ago; and the simple act of turning on the lights or water costs more than it did five years ago.”
For more information about the district’s election, visit magnoliaisd.org.

Montgomery County has five Rotary Clubs spread throughout the county. The Rotary Club of Conroe was established in 1932 and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Huntsville. The Rotary Club of The Woodlands was established fifty years ago and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Conroe. Over the years, Rotary Clubs were established in the areas of Lake Conroe, Magnolia, and East Montgomery County.
These five Club have helped each other over the years with the Rotary Club of Lake Conroe extending its fellowship and support to all of the County’s Rotary Clubs. These Rotary Clubs traditionally host “Pigskin Previews” hosting the head football coaches of the local high schools to talk about their approaches in their athletic programs. Rotary Clubs in Conroe and The Woodlands heard about their local athletic programs. Tomorrow, the Rotary Club of Magnolia will host their local high school head football coaches at noon at 11659 F. M 1488 in the Magnolia area. All are welcome to attend.
The Rotary Club of Magnolia is also known for its annual Nature and Outdoor Fair. The Magnolia Rotary Club, in partnership with the Lake Creek Greenway Partnership, announces its 2024 Fundraiser project to take place on Saturday November 9th from 11am to 3pm at the Magnolia ISD Event Center.  Eighty plus exhibitors will be there to provide information about the outdoors in Montgomery County along with exhibits on “Mother Nature.”
Exhibitors range from Air Alliance Houston to Wildlife Federation and in between including the Sierra Club along with Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. This is a great Family Fun event. There will be a variety of live animals for you to learn about such as hawks, snakes, wolves, and more. One of this Club’s contribution to Montgomery County is its “pollinator gardens” which received special recognition in the Houston Chronicle. There is plenty of parking at this event located at 11659 F. M. 1488 in the Magnolia Area. Funds raised go to sponsoring high school junior students to the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) and the Lone Star College Student Fund. Free tree seedlings will also be handed to this event’s visitors along with “handfuls” of information on Montgomery County.
Sponsorship to this events are still available by emailing GRBuckley419@comcast.net.
The Rotary Club of Conroe is gearing up to renew the Spirits of Texas featuring Texas Wines and Texas Beers on Tuesday evening, October 29, 2024. The recent pandemic sidelined this annual event until recently. This event features Texas Wines, Texas Beers, Texas foods, and Texas live music in historic downtown Conroe. This events pairs Texas spirits (i. e. wines and beers) with the spirits of Halloween and therefore, hence the name of Spirits of Texas. Costumes are optional. This will be a fun time for families with tickets at $50 per adult patron. Funds raised at this event will benefit the youth of Montgomery County.
For more information on Rotary service projects and Rotary values, please contact Ron Saikowski at rsaikowski@comcast.net. 

The Conroe Noon Lions Club is “roaring” out of summer and into the future!  This week’s meeting welcomed new members Mikayla Brennan, Madison Perry, Pablo Sanchez, Geren Sims and Justin Watkins.  In the meantime, many “old” Lions received awards this past week for YEARS of perfect attendance ranging from one year all the way to 15 years!  Fifteen club members represented 110 years of perfect attendance, congratulations!
With the new Lion year comes the drive to bring on Community Partners under our annual Community Partners program.  This program began many years ago when Lion Monarch, Don Buckalew, led the effort to expand our reach by tapping community resources outside of the Lions Club circle.  
This program is unique in that it allows local businesses and citizens to partner in our activities during the year by donating to our community services projects just once a year.  These Community Partner charitable contributions are considered tax deductible, and they allow community businesses to share the burdens of meeting serious needs in our area.  Community Partner sales are happening through the month of August!  This is your one-time-a-year chance to contribute and receive a FULL YEAR of goodies in return which includes a free pass to some of the fun events the Lions put on during the year.  You don’t want to miss out—contact Conroe Noon Lions Club to sign up today!
This month, the Lions Club is asking for nominations for our HOMETOWN MILITARY HERO of the year.  This recognition is earned by a local active-duty member of our Armed Services whose hometown is the Conroe Community.  Conroe Noon Lions Club cares for, respects and honors our military men and women.  The person we adopt will be recognized, supported and sent little appreciation wherever they are deployed during the Club year. Please contact Lion Sharene Carr through the Lions Club Office for information.  
This week’s program was a very moving presentation by Lion Christie Sproba about her battle with Multiple Sclerosis.  She provided some great information about MS and her health journey through MS and cancer.  Although MS is different for each person, Christie’s has progressed over the past 10 years and she has gone from using a cane, crutches, and now an electric wheelchair to get around.  Christie highly recommends that any person dealing with trouble walking and maintaining balance swallow their pride and obtain any walking aids that will help—even a good wheelchair.
It definitely reduces the struggle to get things done.  She believes in nutritional healing and has depended upon it for dealing with a recurrence of breast cancer as well as dealing with the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. Christie’s story inspires us all to eat right, exercise, and work on maintaining good health to get joy out of life.
Lest we forget our primary mission, our club has one of the largest eye-glass restoration programs in the country that allows us to improve the sight of hundreds of adults and children around the world.  Lions care about eyesight!  Our members routinely meet to receive, sort, clean, repair and distribute eyeglasses on mission trips.  
Please come and join us any Wednesday at noon.  The food is good, and fellowship is great!  The Conroe Noon Lions Club meets on Wednesdays, at noon, at the Lone Star Convention Center.  For more information about the Conroe Noon Lions Club, please visit our website, www.conroenoonlions.org, or call the club office at 936-760-1666.