New Conroe Salvation Army commanding officers Lt. Cody Johns and Lt. Amanda Johns are getting straight to work on potential emergency preparations for an active hurricane season.
The couple came from the Irving Salvation Army unit and June 24 was their first official day as Conroe commanding officers. They fill the role of Lt. James Guzman and Lt. Claudia Guzman who had the Conroe command since 2020.
The Guzmans were transferred to the Beaumont command in June to fill the role of retiring leaders.
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New to Conroe
“We’re grateful for the overall welcoming atmosphere of the community. I have not been anywhere in Conroe that people weren’t smiling, helpful and welcoming,” Amanda Johns said.
She’s most looking forward to being able to meet people where they are at and hear their stories.
“Coming to Montgomery County, I see that there’s a lot of people who need love and support and resources,” she said.
About the Conroe Salvation Army
The Conroe Salvation Army is under the umbrella of the Salvation Army Greater Houston Area Command but all local funds and services are based in Conroe with support from local resources.
Its year-round mission is to help those in need by offering emergency shelter, lunch and dinner meals, church services, Bible studies, youth programs and assistance getting homeless individuals and families back into a stable living situation. During the holiday season, it provides toys to hundreds of children through the Angel Tree program and its Red Kettle campaign is a sure sign of the holidays.
The Salvation Army has had a presence in Conroe dating back to the 1970s when the group operated out of several houses the organization purchased. The organization is at 304 Avenue E in Conroe.
A personal journey of support
While both are Texas natives, this is the Johns first time in this part of Texas and they said love the beauty and natural resources of Montgomery County. They’re still adjusting to the Gulf Coast heat.
Amanda’s service is personal.
Her great-grandmother struggled when her husband became ill and she supported their children with assistance from the Salvation Army. Her grandmother also experienced a crisis when her young husband suffered a severe work-related back injury that left him unable to provide for the family.
“She remembered the Salvation Army and all they had done for her and they helped her when she was the breadwinner and my grandfather was recovering and she was taking care of four young children,” she said.
As a single mother Amanda’s mother too benefited from the support of the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has also been Amanda’s home church for most of her life.
“The love of people and the fact that it’s come as you are is what led me to the Salvation Army,” she said.
Cody did not grow up in a religious setting but he met Amanda at age 17 and she invited him to the Salvation Army church.
“I saw everyone in uniforms and I wondered ‘What is this? Is this really a church?’ But the love that was there, I was hugged by people I didn’t even know and brought into this family and that’s what sparked my love for the Salvation Army,” he said.
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Emergency response
While in Irving they participated with a rapid response unit that can hold up to 1,200 meals. They participated in disaster and storm recovery in North Texas and surrounding states.
Earlier this spring, the Conroe unit was the recipient of a mobile unit to assist in disaster recovery. This week they spent time restocking and prepping the mobile kitchen while monitoring Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean.
“If we’re called, then we’ll be ready and able to take it out wherever we need to go,” he said.
During the summer they are in need of donations of bottled water to give out. They need dry goods and canned goods donations for their food pantry. They are also in need of donations of socks, hygiene products and undergarments for men and women.
The Johns have four children that range in age from 12 to 18.
The first of two harvests in Texas has begun. The hybrid grapes grown along the Texas Gulf Coast is the first of these two distinct grape harvests with the second harvest of grapes being the classic grapes (vitis vinifera) such as Tempranillo, Merlot, Syrah, Viognier, Chardonnay, and more will start around the middle of August, coinciding with the grape harvest of vitis vinifera in other parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Houstonians volunteered to bring in the crop of Blanc du Bois grapes at Wild Stallion Vineyards in Harris County.
Other local vineyards are gearing up with Blanc du Bois being exceptionally “textbook” this year. The sugar levels and pH/acid in the grapes looks great with low pH levels means good acid levels to provide a grape juice perfect for a well-structured finished wine. The sugar levels in these grapes are more than twice the sugar levels found in grapes that you can purchase in grocery stores. The chemistry of these Blanc du Bois are “textbook perfect” for this grape varietal.
To pick the perfect grapes to make award-winning wines, you should have three indicators to say it is time to pick, being:
• Chemistry as outlined above• Grapes show they are true to their varietal characteristics in taste, smell, and appearance.• Grape maturity shown in full development of juices, pulp, and grape seeds. Those seeds should be brown and taste nutty. Young grapes have green, woody seeds.
Vineyards along the Gulf Coast from Brownsville in the south to Beaumont in the east are keeping a close eye on their grapes and the weather. Messina Hof Winery and Bernhardt Winery will be harvesting their grapes this weekend. Bernhardt Winery invites you to experience the Harvest and CRUSH as the Blanc du Bois Grapes are de-stemmed and crushed with the pulp, seeds and skins placed in a bladder press to extract all of the juice out of the pulp. Please let Bernhardt Winery near Plantersville off State Highway 105 know you will be there to help by signing online at www.BernhardtWinery.com. Instructions for the harvesters should start around 8ish with harvest done in two hours or less, depending on number of volunteers. Wear close-toed shoes, sun screen, and appropriate clothing for working outside in the morning sun.
Other vineyards will be harvesting this weekend and possibly next weekend, depending on the weather. Hot, sunny, dry days are ahead for south Texas, but Hurricane Beryl might be bringing rains to south Texas this coming Monday and Tuesday. If rain is pending, crews get into the vineyard to harvest those grapes since rains will plump up the grapes with excessive water, diluting the sugars and grape characteristics. Dry, sunny weather is wanted as the grapes mature so the leaves can go through photosynthesis to provide grapes more sugars. Dry weather is wanted since rains will cause molds and mildew to flourish causing harm to the grapes. Inorganic fungicides are normally used to control these molds and mildews with the use of these fungicides halted before the pending harvest.
The incoming Blanc du Bois grapes arriving in wineries this week outside of the dry weather should provide Texas wineries with outstanding Blanc du Bois grapes for their white wines. Lennoir grapes are also being harvested with these red grapes being used by wineries to make Ports such as Messina Hof Winery and red wines. It looks like another great year for Texas grapes!
Ron Saikowski may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net.
Despite an anticipated $4.3 million budget deficit for the upcoming school year, teachers and staff in Montgomery ISD will get a pay boost as part of the district’s $93 million budget.
The budget includes a $650 raise for teachers and a 1% salary increase to all other employees from the midpoint of their position pay grade, according to a release from the district.
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“I acknowledge that this compensation increase is not as significant as our employees were hoping,” Superintendent Mark Ruffin in a written statement. “I do hope it is understood that in the face of a deficit budget, our board made the decision to continue to support our people. But at some point, something has to give.”
The $4.3 million budget shortfall is expected to be paid through the district’s reserves. Board members for the 10,000-student district approved the budget during a June meeting.
Juggling budget cuts
Montgomery ISD is one of many Texas districts that are seeing budget shortfalls for the upcoming school year, forcing some to make “jaw-dropping” cuts.
Many districts have pointed the finger at Gov. Greg Abbott after lawmakers failed pass an education bill that would have given more funding to districts during the 88th legislative session.
Ruffin links Montgomery ISDs financial woes to “inflation, decreases in federal funding through Medicaid reimbursements, a stagnant level of funding provided by the state, and recapture payments we have been forced to send back to the state.”
The basic allotment, the amount of money the state provides per student, has not increased since 2019, while inflation has risen 22% during that same time period, the district’s release states.
“We have met with our local representatives and legislators about the critical juncture ahead for public education funding heading into the next legislative session,” Ruffin said. “I am thankful that all remain committed to collaboratively working with us to address some of these critical challenges.”
The district’s budget shortfall was determined by several factors — an existing $2.1 million structural deficit from the 2022-23 school year, anticipated increases in expenditures due to the opening of Creekside Elementary School, increases to special education populations requiring additional staff and a $1.3 million reduction in revenue due to the statewide reduction in Medicaid reimbursements.
“Adopting a deficit budget reinforces our commitment to transparency,” Chief Financial Officer Ben Davidson said in a written statement. “It also ensures that from day 1 of our fiscal year, we are extremely cognizant and vigilant about our operating expenses and budgetary decisions.”
Boosting student enrollment
As a way to generate enrollment-based revenue from the state, the district announced earlier this month that some campuses would have limited open enrollment for the 2024-25 school year, with a first-come, first-served basis.
“There is only so much of our funding situation that we can control,” Davidson said. “The major driver of our state aid is student enrollment.”
Davidson said that the district had anticipated financial challenges for the upcoming school year.
“We have been transparent with our staff, asking every campus and every department to carefully evaluate their spending as we prepared for the new school year,” he said. ” We have worked to renegotiate contracts in our favor and create operational efficiencies across the board.”
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As a way to reduce the budget allotted for substitutes, central office administrators with teaching certifications will be required to fill that role once a month.
“Because of our past fiscal responsibility, we have been able to absorb these shortfalls without allowing it to take away from the educational experience for our students, ultimately avoiding reductions in force, cutting important programs, or limiting our course offerings,” Ruffin said. “However, if something does not change, there are extremely difficult decisions that we will be forced to explore and consider.”
From his back patio in the Harbour Town community on Lake Conroe, Michael Hallett has a direct view of “Bird Island.”
The piece of land that rises up from Lake Conroe off the Seven Coves and Harbour Town neighborhoods is a roosting spot for a variety of native and migratory birds such as white “cattle” egrets, black cormorants, gray herons, ducks and the Anhinga, a black bird known more commonly as “water turkeys.”
Hallett’s favorite to watch for is the migratory American White Pelican, a bird that is protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He said they come around February and usually stay through May. At times, he’s seen as many as 150 pelicans roosting there.
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Bird Island’s future
His bird’s eye view of the island also brings concerns about its future and the future of the birds that inhabit it. For the 17 years he’s had waterfront property, he’s watched Bird Island get smaller and smaller due to erosion.
“If we don’t do anything about it that will be nothing but a giant sandbar over time and the birds will be gone,” he said. “That will be hard to watch this becoming just a sandbar and then we’ll see nothing but boats out here all the time beaching on the sandbar.”
He estimates the original size of Bird Island was at least 2 acres going back to the 1970s. He believes the island is now less than a quarter of an acre. It was three times that size when he moved in 17 years ago.
History of Lake Conroe
According to a history of the lake from the San Jacinto River Authority, the lake was planned and constructed shortly after a record 7-year drought in the 1950s.
Through a partnership agreement, the river authority partnered with Houston and the Texas Water Development Board in 1968 to jointly construct a water supply reservoir, Lake Conroe, on the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.
The Lake Conroe dam was completed in January 1973 and it was filled by Oct. 31, 1973, after the area received significant rain in 1973. The lake covers a 21,000-acre area.
When Lake Conroe filled, Hallett said there were shallow areas off Seven Coves that created Ayers Island and Bird Island, which rose up from the waters on the east side of the lake.
In the early 2000s, a bulkhead border was placed around Ayers Island, a recreational spot for boaters. The San Jacinto River Authority, with the permission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, completed the project.
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Saving Bird Island
Madi Bullock, has lived in Seven Coves since she was 5 years old, and fishing from the park off Kingston Coves Lane has been one of her favorite hobbies.
The park is the closest piece of land to Bird Island, and she, too, is disheartened to see it diminish over the years. Bullock, 23, is studying to become a Texas Game Warden at Sam Houston State University, and the restoration of the island has become a cause close to her.
“The island is mostly without human intervention, but has decreased in size due to increased boat traffic and erosion,” she said. She has particular concern for the pelican migration.
She fears that if the island is not there, the pelicans will not stop there and change their migratory path.
She approached Hallett about a year ago to start a community project to restore the island. Earlier this year they launched the website Bird Island Rescue.
They would like to see a riprap border of broken rocks around the 2015 perimeter of the island and then have fill dirt added to build the island back up.
Moving the project forward
“I have contacted numerous organizations such as the San Jacinto River Authority and Texas Parks and Wildlife to raise concerns in hopes that they would support a habitat restoration project,” Bullock said.
Hallett believes the project is gaining momentum in terms of community support and interest, but they would still have to work with state and government agencies for possible funding and completion of the restoration.
In the past year, Bullock has spoken with representatives of the San Jacinto River Authority and Texas Parks and Wildlife department.
“The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been approached several times over the past few years requesting assistance for the Bird Island restoration initiative. The scope of the project would be significant and would require millions of dollars in funding, which TPWD is not able to provide,” according to a statement from the agency.
Still, the duo has not ruled out fundraisers to aid restoration or possible state or federal grants.
Earlier this month, Bullock and Hallett met with state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, on the matter and felt like it was a positive meeting.
“There have been some recent inquiries about the status of the island, from some that want to restore it, and others with concerns about it being a safety hazard,” Creighton said. “We have discussed potential solutions with constituents and the SJRA.”
Hallett said the birds that roost on the island are protected, but the island is not.
“If we want to protect the birds and we want to keep them here, the only way to do that is to keep the island,” he said.
U.S. Navy veteran Haley Burgess is making life sweeter on Lake Conroe this summer.
In August 2023, Burgess opened Montgomery County’s first location of The Paleta Bar in Waterpoint Center on Lake Conroe. The center is lakeside and filled with restaurants and shops and includes a waterfront boardwalk along the property.
She’s also bringing popularity to the paleta, which is Spanish for “ice pops.” The rectangle-shaped popsicle that is cream or water based is a summer staple in Hispanic culture.
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“It’s a popsicle but it’s made with fresh fruits and fresh ingredients,” she said. “Everything is fresh and made in house.”
In addition to paletas they have Aguas Frescas, a Mexican-style drink that translates to “fruit waters” made with fresh fruits and Horchata which is described as a sweet rice milk beverage.
What to know about The Paleta Bar
The Paleta Bar was introduced by a trio of friends with restaurant experience. The first location opened in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2017. There are now 43 locations across New Mexico, California, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.
There are six Texas location with a new store coming soon to Amarillo. The other Houston-area store is in Memorial City. The Lake Conroe location is at 15258 Texas 105 West.
Burgess frequented the Hollywood Boulevard location when she was stationed near Los Angeles.
She grew up in Spring and is a 2014 graduate of Klein Oak High School. After high school, she served in the U.S. Navy from 2016 to 2020.
She was stationed roughly two hours from Los Angeles and she and her Navy friends would spend time in Los Angeles during their leaves.
“We’d go to the one on Hollywood Boulevard all the time. Sometimes twice in one day,” she said.
Sweet and colorful treat
At first she was intimidated by all the colors and flavors.
She stuck with fruit and a sprinkle of Tajin a chili/lime seasoning until one day she took a bite of her friend’s watermelon paleta with chili spice.
“Ironically I’m not big on sweets. I tried a bite and it was so good,” she said. “I had no idea of the creative things you can do with it.”
Fast forward to her return to Texas with her family now living in the Montgomery area.
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She was picking up take-out food one day from Akashi Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar in Waterpoint Center and saw the sign seeking a franchisee for The Paleta Bar in the center.
“I knew what it was and I was curious,” she said. Not long after, she bought the location. “It was a really strange God-led situation.”
Unique flavors
The paletas come in fruit flavors but also unique tastes like avocado and taro a root vegetable with a purple color.
“The taro has an almondy, coconut type flavor,” she said. “It’s one of our best sellers but I really have to convince people to try it.”
Despite the green color, she said the avocado paleta does not taste like guacamole.
“It’s sweet and sugary and also a big seller,” she said.
After picking out a paleta, the bar can be dipped in milk, dark or white chocolate or powdered in chile powder or Chamoy a sweet or spicy liquid or paste.
Then the paleta is coated in a variety of nuts, candy, cookies or cereal.
She said their Cookies N Cream bar is a summer favorite. For fall they’ll have pumpkin flavors and at Christmas they have peppermint flavors.
Getting to share the different flavors and the culture behind them is one of Burgess’ passions and favorite things about the store.
Her shop also has savory snacks like “elotes” or corn in a cup covered with Parmesan cheese, mayo and spices and their signature Dorinachos, Doritos chips with nacho cheese sauce.
First-time visitors
The Kim family experienced their first paletas as they visited Lake Conroe recently.
Johnny Kim, of The Woodlands, said it was their first time to the The Paleta Bar. He appreciated that it was something cool and different as they were visiting the lake.
He chose the Oreo Lovers combo with and Oreo paleta, white chocolate and Oreo crumbs.
Not only was it tasty he said a six-pack was a good deal for his family of eight.
When asked if he was a fan of paletas, he said “I am now.”
While some Texas families are making summer vacation plans outside of the state, others may be headed for a hotel resort along Lake Conroe.
With Memorial Day weekend being the unofficial kickoff for its leisure season, Margaritaville Lake Resort on Lake Conroe staff are preparing for another summer of hosting 1,000 guests a day, said Tom Faust, vice president of sales and marketing for the resort.
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“We’ll run very high occupancy all summer,” Faust said, noting that the resort has 335 guest suites.
Faust describes the resort, which sits on 186 lakefront acres on Lake Conroe, as a “cruise ship on land,” offering five pools and a lazy river, 12 cabanas around the pool, 18 holes of golf, a spa and salon, boat rentals and sunset cruises.
Here’s what to know about the hotel resort for those visiting this summer:
New amenities at the resort
The hotel resort has added several new activities for guests to enjoy, including magic shows and axe throwing.
Magic shows at the resort are scheduled every Saturday, performed by Atlantic City Entertainer of the Year Award Nominee Harry Maurer and a rotating series of other magicians that have been on TV, casino showrooms, comedy clubs and other major venues across the country, the resort’s website states.
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The magic shows run through Aug. 31 and seating is first come first serve. Tickets are $60 per person for general admission and $75 for VIP.
Axe throwing is being offered on the Palm Court, which tickets cost between $20 per person to $129 for a family pass.
Summer discounts
People looking to book a room can get 40 percent off for dates between June 4 to Dec. 31, the website states.
The sale includes overnight accommodations in a guest suite, with a private furnished balcony or patio, and complimentary access to amenities such as the Jolly Mon Water Park, Fin City Arcade, Parrot Island Mini Golf, tennis, pickleball and the Fins Up Fitness Center.
In order for guests to take advantage of the sale, stays must be booked by June 4.
Day trips and passes
The resort also offers day passes and cabana rentals for people looking to take a day trip over the weekend — at a cost of $49 a ticket.
The day pass includes access to the three-acre water park with a lazy river, splash zone, a private beach, heated-infinity pool, water slides and heated waterslide pool, and two hot tubs. The day pass also includes access to mini golf, an arcade; tennis, pickleball and basketball courts.
Attracting guests from Houston and Texas
The resort sees roughly 80 percent of guests from the Houston region, Faust said.
“We’re very Texas oriented,” he said. “It’s a lot of people who drive in and…are surprised when they get here that they’ve got a resort that offers the amenities that we do, that’s an hour drive at most points in Houston.”
Faust also said that the resort sees a lot of guests from around Texas as well, noting that it’s less of a hassle than travelling outside of the state.
“There’s as much to do here for every person,” Faust said, noting the resort caters to a lot of families. “We do a lot of family activities. We also have couples that come and enjoy the weekend with ample opportunity to eat and drink and have a good time.”