The district held a groundbreaking ceremony for Middle School No. 3—scheduled to open in 2025—on June 26
Davis Duo Travel, a travel agency, is now open in Conroe.
Out of 16 school districts Community Impact analyzed across the Greater Houston area, seven have recorded book removals over the past two school years with Conroe ISD having the most banned books at 160 titles.
While it has been nearly two years since Magnolia created a temporary moratorium on building permits for new residential and commercial projects, officials say that hasn’t slowed developer interest to build in the city.
Since 2022, officials have suspended applications for new building permits, with the exception of ongoing projects. This was to address a water capacity shortage caused by growth in the community.
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Booming growth from building
At the time, officials said they thought they could provide the needed water as demand for development spiked.The city of 2,800 residents is projected to increase by 600 percent in 2039 to a population of 53,000.
City Engineer Tim Robertson predicts the moratorium could end near the end of summer 2025 as developers are making changes to their planning.
“They’re not shutting down anything,” Robertson said. “They’re (just) slowing down.”
This comes after council members moved forward on Tuesday with plans to extend the moratorium on building applications for another 120 days, or until they lift the moratorium.
Shortly after, Developers of BCS Capital Group met with council members to try to create a partnership as a way to bring more restaurants into the city.
“They knew full well that we’re in a moratorium,” said Mayor Matt “Doc” Dantzer. “But it’s not stopping them from developing.”
Building more water infrastructure
To address the shortage, two water wells were planned to be built in 2023 as well as additional facilities, with plans to build additional wells each year to keep up with demand. Two wells have already been built with two other wells are in the process of being constructed.
An elevated water storage tank under construction and set to be built by summer 2025 and additional water infrastructure to build more capacity is planned. Currently, the city is in the process of building three ground storage tanks, two wells, two booster pump stations and the elevated storage tank, according to city documents.
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City officials will be holding public hearings between city council and planning and zoning, with a special meeting set for Aug. 21 to vote on a moratorium for 120 days. Council members met during a regular meeting Tuesday for a public hearing and planning and zoning met Thursday for its public hearing.
“We’re still currently in what I like to call ‘catch up mode,’ which is why we are still in a moratorium,” Robertson said. “We will continue to be until we have reached the level where we have regulatory compliance, (where) we have some cushion in there that we can handle the growth.”
Dentist Olufemi Folayan’s dental boutique is now open, the business confirmed via phone. This is his second practice, the first is located in Houston, the business said.
Over one-third of public school teachers hired for the 2023-24 school year in Texas did not have a teaching certification, according to the Texas Education Agency.
Texas has a long history of growing grapes and making great wines. It started with the Spanish Monks successfully growing grapes in the El Paso area in 1682 in order to produce wine for sacramental use in the Catholic Mass. Others followed successfully producing grapes and wines, including the Qualia Family who established Val Verde Winery near what is today Del Rio. Nineteen wineries and vineyards flourished in Texas until the great social experiment called Prohibition began in 1920 and ended on December 5, 1933. Val Verde Winery survived Prohibition by making and selling Sacramental wine. It is in its fourth generation after 141 years of making wines. Their wines can only be purchased at the winery so the general public does not know much about the Qualia Family and Val Verde Winery.
Fast forward to 1968 when two Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) tried a great experiment in planting vitis vinifera grapes on the Texas High Plains on 15 acres of land on the south side of Lubbock at what is now the intersection of 88th Street and Martin Luther King Blvd. These classic European grapes were planted by Clint “Doc” McPherson and Robert Reed, including the first Sangiovese grapes planted in Texas. This experimental vineyard succeeded in transplanting cuttings from an earlier vineyard on the college campus which were doomed by college construction to this remote country location which is now urbanized. Several hundred different vines were researched on this tract named Sagmor Vineyards. It had a small six-foot by 10-foot barn on the property that was used to host Lady Bird Johnson and guests while she tasted their wines on August 25, 1975. Robert Reed was the horticulturalist with McPherson being a Chemistry Professor being the winemaker. The two documented the results of their research with over 100 pages to re-start the Texas Wine Industry. This information has shown that Texas can grow outstanding grapes just like other parts of the world!
In 1972, “Doc” received permission from the College to use a basement to establish Texas’ first state-supported experimental winery. The requirements with this permission is that it could only be used for research. Their efforts showed that Texas could grow grapes and make great wines. Eventually McPherson and Reed along with several investors established the first new winery in Texas since the end of Prohibition 43 years earlier and called it Llano Estacado. These two Texas wine pioneers worked with others to change the State’s antiquated laws on making wines and selling wines. “Doc” told me that there were three generations of Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) personnel who had never permitted a winery so he ended up as their “professor” in teaching them how to permit wineries. In addition, “Doc” showed me the walls of the original winery building which house the large stainless steel fermentation tanks which were ten-inch thick cinder blocks. He told me that was protection for his fermentation tanks since Llano Estacado Winery was located in a “wet area” near the Hub of the Bible Belt. He was afraid someone would shoot and damage his tanks.
Dr. Clint McPherson’s son, Kim McPherson of McPherson Winery in Lubbock, continues his father’s legacy in making wine. He has provided to the Texas Historical Commission this wonderful story on the re-start of the Texas Wine Industry in an eleven-page historical narrative. The Texas Historical Commission has recognized this great history and is bestowing a historical marker commemorating the re-birth of the Texas wine industry at Sagmor Vineyard in Lubbock. This is the first Texas Historical Commission marker honoring the Texas wine industry which has grown into a $20.35 billion industry and employing over 100,000.
I encourage the Qualia Family to seek historical recognition for their family’s winery with a Texas Historical Commission marker. In order to receive such recognition, there must be fifty years of history. This means that in the next few years that Llano Estacado Winery, Fall Creek Vineyards, and Messina Hof Winery will also qualify for this distinction. Texas has a proud history!
Ron Saikowski may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net.
Alien: Romulus
Rated R for language and bloody violent contentIn TheatersAdding to the Alien franchise this week is this new tale from writer/director Fede Alvarez (Don’t Breathe). Taking place sometime after the beginning of Aliens (our only clue is a destroyed Nostromo spacecraft and a mentioning of their being one survivor), the story begins with a young girl and her synthetic brother (Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson) as they find out that are stuck on their sunless mining planet while dreaming of traveling to a far-off location for a fresh start. When a friend in need of a synthetic gives her the opportunity to maybe make this happen, she agrees to a quick salvage trip to the Romulus, a giant ship that has been seemingly abandoned near their planet. But while there, they encounter our favorite xenomorphs who trap and hunt them. Although it seems that most of the films in this franchise are mediocre to bad, the first two films are so good that most fans hold out a lot of hope for the next one. While this one can’t hold a candle to Alien and Aliens, it manages to be both horrifying and entertaining, providing thrills and scares that are both expected and delivered. The narrative is strong enough to be effective, providing good back story with Weyland and a rationale for taking the risks these young men and women are willing to take. Production is also top notch with terrific creature effects, both CGI and practical. Where the film suffers a bit is in its character. The characters from 1 and 2 (and even 3) are vibrant and interesting. Here there is a group of frustrated kids who want a better life, but aside from the main two, there is nothing compelling going on there. That being said, I especially loved David Jonsson as the synthetic. He is a well-written character, and the performance capitalizes on this. The good news is that I wasn’t expecting great, but I was hoping for good, and I got it. I’ve always loved the claustrophobic horror that Alien provides, and this one uses that to its advantage big time. Once you get off the mining planet, the movie is a fast-paced nail-biter that jumps right into the fray and even has an unexpected and thrilling third act that will have audiences freaked out and spoiling it for their friends. So, with that in mind, see it early so that you’re not the friend who gets that ruined for you. B
Jackpot!
Rated R for pervasive language, violence and sexual referencesStreaming on Amazon PrimeIt is the near future (2030) and California has instituted a Grand Lottery where you can win a lot of money, but if you do, anyone can kill you for your winnings for 24 hours. Here, Awkwafina has just moved to Hollywood to try to kickstart an acting career when she inadvertently wins the lottery, triggering violent mobs to start chasing her down. Setting out to help her survive is John Cena who wants a mere 10% to help keep her alive. Directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Spy) the film has a high pedigree and a big cast. So why is it going straight to streaming? I would blame the awful premise. While it creates a space for lots of action, it is difficult to get past the basics of the story. That being said, they really go for it hard without flinching. While the action is certainly there in spades, the one thing missing is comedy. There were a couple of giggles, but no real laughs, not that there was really any attempt at comedy made. I’m not even sure if comedy was any part of the goal here. C
Danny Minton may be reached at danny@dannyminton.com.
Only 13 out of the 254 counties in the state have a medical examiner’s office, making Montgomery County the 14th county to make the switch.
This year’s Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival returns in October featuring a Montgomery native, one of Houston’s most popular tribute bands and local up-and-coming acts in the music lineup.
The 35th annual festival is set for Oct. 11-13 on the downtown Conroe square. Josh Ward and William Clark Green are the headliners with returning favorites including Wayne Toups, Geno Delafose and Bayou Roux.
Here’s what to know about the festival’s music lineup and changes for this year’s event:
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What is the festival?
The nonprofit group the Friends of Conroe puts on the event every year. Proceeds from the event support student scholarships and the annual Friends Feeding Friends Thanksgiving meal.
Inspired by Cajun music and the common desire to bring a festival to downtown Conroe, the 15 founding members first came together in 1990 to organize the first Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival. Co-founder Charles Tullos said it all began when he and Sandra Walker were talking. They were reminiscing about when the Lions Club Carnival took place on the downtown square in the 1950s and 1960s.
The first festival was held in mid-November in 1990. In 1995, the 74th state Legislature designated the Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival as the official Cajun Catfish Festival of the state of Texas.
Music lineup
There will be two stages for entertainment with one on North Thompson near the Owen Theatre and the other on Main Street near Texas 105. Devon Stevens, vice president of the Friends of Conroe, said the stage with Cajun acts will return to Main Street this year based on feedback from last year’s event.
The carnival with free admission opens at 6 p.m. Oct. 10 at the corner of Texas 105 and Texas 75. Music kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday.
The stage previously known as the Texas Stage will be the Xfinity Stage this year. Friday’s music line up on this stage includes Matt Castillo, Jesse Raub Jr. and Josh Ward. Saturday brings Payton Riley, Payton Howie, The Wilder Blue, William Beckmann and William Clark Green. Sunday’s lineup is The Fab 5, Escape, Zach Jones and the 45’s and the Allie Rae Band.
On the stage with Cajun music the Friday lineup includes Double Trouble Zydeco, Geno Delafose and French Rockin Boogie. Saturday is Double Trouble Zydeco, Keyun and the Zydeco Masters, Wayne Toups and Bayou Roux.
The Payton Riley Band, the Allie Rae Band and Zach Jones and the 45’s band were selected after the nonprofit’s Catfish Got Talent show at the Table at Madeley July 14.
The Mr. and Mrs. Catfish Pageant will take place Sunday afternoon at the stage on Main Street.
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Need to know
The vendors have expanded for this year. Visitors can expect more than 50 vendors on festival weekend. Two new food vendors include Poly Wog’s Cajun and Midnight Cravings dessert spot.
Shuttles will continue this year. Conroe Connections buses will pick festival visitors up from the Park and Ride spot under Interstate 45 at FM 2854 and drop them off at the festival.
The shuttle rides are free and will continue throughout the festival’s run.
Early bird ticket pricing continues through Aug. 18. Discounted tickets continue from Aug. 18 through the opening of the festival. See the festival website for ticket options and more details about the event.