Category: Lake Conroe Area News

Montgomery County is next in line for a statewide effort to receive a bronze plaque featuring a famous Alamo letter, a gesture one Houston historian says seems mostly symbolic but could offer residents an opportunity to consider the full context of Texas history at the time. 
In late May, commissioners passed a resolution to accept the 203-pound bronze plaque as a gift to the county that recognizes the letter written by Lt. William B. Travis 188 years ago in the days leading up to the battle at the Alamo.
The plaque was funded by a donor with ties to Montgomery County. 
The plaque is a part of a plan set forth by the nonprofit Alamo Letter Society to have a replica of the letter on or near the courthouse lawn in all of Texas’ 254 counties.
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Travis and Texas history
A co-commander of the Alamo soldiers, Travis died early in the battle from a single bullet in the head on March 6, 1836. His body and those of the other defenders were burned. 
The letter, a call for aid, communicates in dramatic fashion what was happening at the Alamo. “If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country — Victory or Death,” Travis wrote. 
Long celebrated as a hero of Texas history, writings in recent years have brought up some of Travis’ moral failings including deserting his first wife and child in Alabama, his support of slavery and even how the Texas State Historical Association’s biography of Travis mentions his reputation as a troublemaker. 
Raúl A. Ramos, an associate professor of history at the University of Houston and a native of San Antonio, said the letter project could lead people to overlook the full context of what was happening in Texas at the time, and opens up an opportunity to ask questions and further explore the state’s history.
“Texas in 1836 was a very rich and complicated place. It involved a lot of different groups, religions, languages and cultures,” Ramos said.
He said it’s easy to draw comparisons between this project and the movement to place a copy of the Ten Commandments in schools. 
“You can ask the same question, ‘Will putting the Ten Commandments in every classroom accomplish what people hope it accomplishes?” he said. “I think it’s more of a symbolic gesture than any kind of historical inquiry and an attempt to understand the past on its own terms.” 
Ramos is interested in Travis’ motivation in coming to Texas and said there are clues about his motivation in the letter. According to the Texas State Historical Association, he arrived early in 1831, after the Law of April 6, 1830, that made his immigration illegal.
“He’s different from those 300 families that came with Austin. One of the aspects of this history that I’m spending time trying to decipher and understand is to what extent is Travis fighting for Texas independence and what extent is he fighting for the annexation of Texas to the United States?” he said. “There are clues in this letter to take seriously. He’s not saying Texas character he’s saying American character.” 
He said many Americans coming to Texas at the time saw an opportunity to expand the United States, particularly to expand with states open to slavery. 
“These were the debates of the time and the concerns of the people at the time. That’s the type of context it’s important to keep in mind.” 
What is the Alamo Letter Society?
Bill McNutt of Dallas, a co-founder of the project, got the idea from his daughter, who at 13 saw the original “Victory or Death” letter plaque at the Alamo and said it should be “all over Texas.” Other co-founders of the organization include Rosser Coke Newton, Sr. and John Vick.
The letter is meant as an urgent message to other Texans and Americans calling for aid and describing the Texas soldiers plight to “not surrender or retreat” facing the Mexican Army.
McNutt said the goal of the project is “to educate current and future Texans about their forefathers’ armed struggle for freedom and liberty” during the Alamo battle. Vick said this project is about maintaining the state’s history. 
“It’s about explaining to those folks why we are truly proud Texans,” he said. “Some folks outside Texas or even some Texans don’t realize why we’re so proud to be Texans. If you go back and read the letter, then it all makes sense.” 
Questioning the accuracy of history
In 2021, Texans Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson and Jason Stanford published the book “Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth” that questions the accuracy of heroic stories depicting the Battle of the Alamo. 
Tomlinson is a columnist for the Houston Chronicle and in August 2023, published a column calling out Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham for installing a statue of Travis in San Antonio. He paints Travis as an enslaver, illegal immigrant and sexual predator in the column. 
Co-founders of the nonprofit said they want people to focus on the message of the letter, not necessarily the man. 
“We are not the Travis Letter Society, we are the Alamo Letter Society,” McNutt said. “We promote the message more than the messenger. Travis was a hero and will always hold a special place in our history, but it was his letter that sends the message that is powerful and captures the spirit of the Lone Star State.”
Vick said in the seven counties where they have dedicated replica letters, not one negative issue has come up. 
“We’ve worked very hard to keep politics out of this,” Vick said. “We will ensure in no way that politics will be brought into this mission … Why would you question the personal actions of our heroes that died for us? In 2024, that’s the world we live in. I’m not going to give them the time of day.” 
Courthouses offer visibility
McNutt said the group chose courthouse lawns because the courthouse is the center of government in each Texas county. 
“The courthouse is where we go to interact with our local government, were we register to vote and where some citizens stand before a jury of their peers,” McNutt said.
The first plaque was placed in Ellis County, south of Dallas in February. Other plaques have since been dedicated in Rockwall, Nueces, Van Zandt, Hood and Reeves counties. The most recent plaque was dedicated on July 4 in Gillespie County. 
Vick and McNutt acknowledge it could be a lengthy effort to complete the project in 254 counties. “If we dedicate one county a month, our effort will take us 11 years,” McNutt said.
Plaques that are completed and await dedication other than Montgomery County are Brazos, Nacogdoches, Hunt, Lee, Burnet, Ward and San Augustine counties. Currently no other Houston-area counties are on the schedule to receive a plaque soon. 
Plan for Montgomery County plaque
In Montgomery County, the project is headed up by Kat Rummell.
She lost her fiance in February and his services were held in First Baptist Church Corsicana, where Rummel met pastor Danny Reeves. Once Reeves discovered her many connections in Montgomery County, he asked her to chair the local project. 
“I felt like God put it on me,” she said. “I liked the mission of educating our youth about our Texas history. Some people don’t even teach Texas history anymore and there are also people coming in from out of state who have never been exposed to Texas history. I thought this was really neat.” 
A committee including Precinct 2 County Commissioner Charlie Riley is deciding the best place to place the plaque. 
“I am a firm believer in if you don’t study history or keep history alive we are doomed. You cannot erase history and do some of the things that people are doing now a days,” he said.
 Riley expects a dedication for the plaque before the end of the year. 

Angela and Travis Kovar had always dreamed of running a wedding venue after getting married in 2017 — just a weekend after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston. 
They were married in a rustic barn venue in Montgomery. When the Kovars looked at the former owners of Big Sky Barn, they saw themselves in them — a husband and wife with similar backgrounds. 
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The seed for The Blue Magnolia, a premier equestrian inspired farmhouse wedding and event venue, had been planted, Travis Kovar said. 
In 2019, the Kovar’s sold their home in the Heights and moved to The Woodlands in pursuit of looking for land to build their dream venue. And one day while jogging, Travis Kovar noticed a 10 acre equestrian horse farm off FM 1488, between The Woodlands and Magnolia.
He dreamed that maybe one day he could build him and his wife’s dream venue on top of the property, he said. Then shortly after, the property became available. 
“(Me and my wife) looked at each other and destiny seemed to be forming right before our eyes,” Travis Kovar said. “And we went all in. We sat down and talked to each other (and) we realized this is absolutely the gamble that we want to take if we were able to take one.”
A $10 million venue with greenery and space
As of July, the roughly $10 million venture is soon to become a reality for the Kovars, with the opening of the venue planned for May 2025. Angela Kovar said nine weddings and a prom are already in the works ahead of the opening. 
When walking onto the site, the Kovars vision can be seen — a 20,000 square-foot venue with a chapel, interior cocktail area, a grand staircase leading into the reception, a second-story bridal suite and a detached grooms suite.
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The final touch is the planned greenery space that surrounds the venue, including a 32-year-old blue magnolia tree that will face newly weds when they officially say “I do.” 
There are also plans for people to rent out the space for other events, Angela Kovar said. 
It had been a lot of ups and downs to get to this point, she said. While chasing this dream, the Kovars were also raising their two children, who are now ages two and four. 
“It was a lot of emotions going on,” Angela Kovar said. “I think the most…rewarding part for me now seeing where we are at is having people come and tour and say this is the most beautiful land they’ve ever seen…getting that gratification that we’ve always felt towards this land and then having others see the true beauty of it as well.”
A dream realized
There were several obstacles the Kovars had to go through in order to make their dreams come true. First, they had to convince Angela Kovar’s father, Randy Barr, to invest in the dream as well. And then, they had to secure a loan from different banks as well as price increases during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
And now, seeing a building in place, the land cleared and roughly 30 to 40 workers on a given day is “mind blowing,” Travis Kovar said. 
There were some fears the Kovars shared during and post COVID-19. The couple had been turned down by enough banks that they feared they would be at a significant loss since they threw “absolutely everything we had into it,” Travis Kovar said. The couple was on the verge of leaving their dream behind.
“We said one more year,” he said. “And 10 months after that is when we finally got our yes. So, we were right there on the edge of this dream really ending. And now, to see how far along we are, it’s unreal for sure. We pinch ourselves daily.”
For more information on the wedding venue, visit thebluemagnoliatx.com. 

Greetings to all Lions and Courier readers.  Our new Lions Club president Bryan Rennell finally got to call a weekly meeting to order.  His term started in July, but with Independence Day and Beryl, he had to wait until this past Wednesday.  Lion Karl Johnson’s antics of absconding with the gavels on the podium was foiled as President Bryan came prepared with a third gavel and officially called the meeting to order in a timely manner.  If this lighthearted shenanigan is any indication of what is to come it is going to be a fun year.
Lion Charlie Irvine gave our opening prayer with remembrance of Mike Medved’s passing suddenly a couple of weeks ago.  Lion Mike was admired by and a friend to all.  He never said no when asked to serve and lead many Lion’s events and fundraisers.  Like so many of our Lions, Mike was also involved with other organizations, causes, and his church.  Please pray for Mike’s family in the weeks and months to come.  He will be missed.
President Bryan recently represented the Conroe Noon Lions Club at the Lions International Convention in Melbourne, Australia.  There were over eleven thousand delegates at this annual global event.  Lion Fabricio Oliveira of Brazil was elected president for a one-year term.  Worldwide there are forty-nine thousand Lions Clubs with 1.4 million members.  He has challenged all Lions to “make their mark.” Our Lion President has challenged the CNLC membership to go forward and perform our projects with “true grit.” We all know the iconic cowboy with that characteristic.  So, without “burning daylight” let’s mosey on into some upcoming projects.
This past weekend our Lions held a Service Saturday at the Heritage Oaks home for seniors by serving savory pizzas and scrump-dilly-icious ice cream to the residents.  Our Summer Blood Drive will be this Wednesday, July 24, at the Lone Star Convention Center.  Lion Christie Sproba says you don’t have to be a Lion to give blood, just go to the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center website to sign up.  Next up is a children’s vision screening at the Lone Star Health Center this Saturday, July 27.  Lion Ed Roth will lead our Lions to provide this free screening.  Lion Tracy Irvine announced there will be a New Member Orientation on Thursday, August 1, in the evening at the CNLC office. Any member can attend if you need a refresher on Lionism.
This past Wednesday Lions were enlightened on the Ninetieth Anniversary of the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce.  Mr. Scott Harper, President, presented a well-articulated video of the Chamber’s history from start to present day.  He also stated the Chamber now boasts over one thousand members and is the sixth largest Chamber in the greater Houston area.  The Chamber has experienced substantial growth through leadership and community growth.  Chamber events include Athena Awards, Lobsterfest, Job Fairs, Tastefest, Chairman’s Ball, and parades to name a few.  The role of the Chamber is to increase membership, be a voice for businesses, and workforce and professional development.  Thank you, Mr. Harper and the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce for all you do for our communities.
If you are not a Lion but have a little grit and want to turn it into some “true grit,” then visit us 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 local club office at 936-760-1666.

The Rotary Club of The Woodlands officially kicked off its 50th Anniversary Celebration at last Thursday’s meeting.
The meeting was presided over by President Denton Florian. The meeting began with a prayer by Rev. Dan Hannon who alluded to those early pioneers in the Rotary Club of The Woodlands on whose shoulders Rotarians stand on today to better serve the Community. This Rotary Club has grown to over two hundred active members, making it the largest Rotary Club in Montgomery County.
The Rotary Club of Conroe sponsored this Club fifty years ago, receiving its Rotary Charter in May 19, 1975 when The Woodlands was just starting to be created by George Mitchell. This Rotary Club has broken records in its generosity and community involvement. Over one million dollars in scholarships have been provided to over a thousand deserving high school Seniors as they further pursue their education. It has sponsored more High School Juniors at leadership development camps than any other Club in the entire USA! This Club has planted trees, spruced up dilapidated housing in Tamina, served meals to the elderly and so much more.
Their recent Project is helping those patients and their Families seeking medical assistance in the growing medical communities in Montgomery County. The Rotary Club sponsors interim local housing for these patients’ families as they go through months of medical treatment in Montgomery County. What once was a financial burden to these families is now literally free housing so the families can focus on getting well together. The Rotary Club of The Woodlands has provided mentors for elementary school children with that Mentoring Committee chaired by Natalie Saikowski Goertz. The Rotary Club of The Woodlands has also mentored young adults at Angel Reach and has assisted in building their facilities for those aging out of foster care. In addition, members of The Rotary Club of The Woodlands have contributed 245 gallons of blood to the American Red Cross, saving countless lives. These Rotarians have donated tons of food supplies for the Montgomery County Food Bank to distribute to those food-needy citizens in our community. 
The 50 years of community service is now documented in a “coffee table” book authored and compiled by Rotarian Dr. Robert Schucker. This book’s official release is in November with a hardback book price of $40.00 at the present time.
Dr. Ann Snyder who Chairs The Woodlands Township Board of Directors presented a Proclamation on behalf of The Woodlands Township naming July 18, 2024 as “The Woodlands 50th Anniversary Day.” This is a great way to start off a 50th Anniversary Celebration for the year! The Woodlands Township Board of Directors represents the 118,000+ residents of The Woodlands.
The speaker for this 50th anniversary kick-off was Congressman Dan Crenshaw. Mr. Crenshaw has the Rotary spirt of service having served his country and is a decorated Veteran. He knew serving his country as a Congressman was in his future after serving the Houston area after Hurricane Harvey. Congressman Crenshaw represents The Woodlands and is an obvious choice as the speaker for this 50th anniversary kickoff event. Congressman Crenshaw presented to a packed house of Rotarians his role in serving The Woodlands and is focusing on key issues like immigration, sex trafficking, and providing financial assistance in key structures such as the Bear Branch Regional Storm Water Detention Facility and the Sawdust Road bridge upgrade at Panther Creek.
President Denton Florian concluded the meeting establishing a Rotary Fund with Club Members establishing a community fund similar to what Benjamin Franklin did in his Last Will. The meeting concluded as all Rotary Meetings with the Four-Way Test. Next week’s Speaker is renowned local sculptor Craig Campobello.
For more information on Rotary, please email Ron Saikowski at rsaikowski@comcast.net. 

It’s Pink Flamingo month for The 5 O’Clock Phlock Parrot Head Club! The party is on this Thursday, July 25, at 5 p.m. at Pedro’s Tequila and Taco Bar in Conroe, and you should join in the Phun! Wanna know why? 
The first Parrot Head Club was formed in 1989 by musician Scott Nickerson, a member of the first and most well known Jimmy Buffett tribute band, A1A. The band is named for Florida Highway A1A, which stretches from the Florida mainland down to Southernmost Point in Key West. When Scott approached Jimmy to get his blessing, JB had a few stipulations. Foremost was that he wanted club members to enjoy life to the fullest while being responsible and giving back to the community. From that command, the organization’s motto of “Party With A Purpose” was born. Too often when someone hears the word “parrot head” they think of drinking parties and not much else. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are, in short, a social club with a great big charitable heart. 
Our club rebounded from a near death experience in 2020 due in large part to that buggy little pandemic. A short 4 years later, our club has grown from the plucky 18 people who hung in, to over 100 fun loving folks who want to make our world a better place, one project at a time.  Each year this little band of friendly do-gooders raises money for local causes and roll up our sleeves for lots of hands on work too. We have a Walk To End Alzheimer’s Team that consistently places on the leader board of both The Woodlands Walk and the PHIP – Parrot Heads in Paradise –  National Team; we host a summer party for the wonderful Wranglers at New Danville in Willis; we raise money for Faith Fighting Cancer’s adopt a family Christmas program, and then follow through to shop, wrap and deliver those gifts to the family; we donate a tree and wreath for The Charles B Stewart Friends of The Library Auction; we participate in “Operation Candy Roll” to send over 1000 candy rolls to kids with little or no Christmas; we donated over 2000 pairs of socks to MC Youth Services this year, and will donate more to the homeless during our “Socktober” campaign. In August, we host an evening of karaoke to stock the shelves for the SPCA*PETS*SNAP animal rescue. We partner with other local organizations – we host a Blood Drive with The Rotary Club of Lake Conroe, donate hundreds of pairs of glasses to The Lions Club, and collect items for The Community Assistance Center. And we “reduce/reuse/recycle” corks, pop tops and more. 
Another important aspect of a PHC is of course the music. We not only love and play the music of Jimmy Buffett, we support local musicians and the arts. This year we have brought our group to venues as wide flung as The Owen Theatre to Bernhardt Winery, plus a host of local live music spots. 
All of this brings us back to this Thursday. This month’s Happy Hour at Pedro’s is our annual celebration of all things pink and the pink flamingo, which is featured prominently in our club logo. It’s a great time to see the “party” part of our club at a lovely restaurant with yummy food and great libations. There will be prizes for the best dressed. For the “purpose” part, our musicians will provide the music and DJ services and all tips will support our various charitable projects. We’ll also be collecting our recycling items. This month’s gathering is the closest thing we have to a “membership drive”. To paraphrase a well known expression, we feel that if we create a vibrant atmosphere, the members will follow. So, take a chance on us. Come and see our “Flamingo Lounge” at Pedro’s and see what a Parrot heads Club is all about. You won’t be sorry! 
Kris is President of The 5 O’Clock Phlock Parrot Head Club, the PHC of the Lake Conroe/Woodlands area. Email  KrisCommService@aol.com or text 713 825-0141. Follow the club on Facebook at www.facebook.com/5OClockPhlock. For more info, visit the website www.5oclockphlock.com. 

Celebrate National Parks and Recreation Month with the City of Conroe Parks and Recreation by staying cool inside the pools offered through the City of Conroe. The Conroe Waterpark is open Tuesday through Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm Admission is $10 with concessions available on site. There are also two other pools located at the Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Center Pool, 100 Park Place, with a $3 entry fee, and the Westside Pool at Owen Park, 10245 Owen Drive. Their admission is $5 for a daily guest pass. 
Although this is the silent time between seasons for the community theatres, it is a great time to purchase season tickets for all six shows at both theatres. Season ticket holders pick their seats and which day of the 3-week running they want to see the show. If something comes up the theatres will try to accommodate as much as possible for another day. It is a win for the theatres to plan their budgets and pay for their expenses including royalties, scripts, and costumes, and a win for the ticket holder as you get extraordinary entertainment from local talent. 
Season tickets for the Crighton Theatre are packaged at 6 shows for $130. The price goes up July 25! Crighton Theatre performances are available at CrightonTheatre.org •    The Play That Goes Wrong•    Dracula•    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory•    Big-The Musical•    Shakespeare in Love•    The Wedding Singer
Season tickets for The Players Theatre Company are packaged at 7 shows for $161 or $100 for musicals only. Owen Theatre performances season tickets at OwenTheatre.com•    Rock of Ages•    Steel Magnolias•    White Christmas•    Bedroom Farce•    Tuck Everlasting•    Little Shop of Horrors•    Private Lives
As we are all recovering from Hurricane Bleyl, please try to assist The Salvation Army with a few items. They depleted their resources during the storm assisting our community and could use assistance with a few items. peanut butter, meat (ground Beef, hot dogs, bologna, chicken), canned meat (tuna & chicken), Rice, pasta, dry beans, cereal, canned fruits, boxed meals (hamburger helper), and macaroni & cheese. Items can be dropped off Monday through Friday 8am-4pm at 304 Ave. E in /Conroe. 
Stay Cool!
Margie Taylor may be reached at margie@taylorizedpr.com.