Category: Conroe Courier

Trey Marrero has always loved being in nature. 
The Alvin native was always out in the woods as a boy and grew up hunting and fishing with his grandfather. After his graduation from Alvin High in 2014, he became a plant and soil sciences major at Sam Houston State University and worked with the Campus Urban Forester while attending college. 
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Now as Conroe’s sole urban forester, his passion for conservation and nature carries over into maintaining the city’s urban forest canopy and making sure the natural beauty of the area is around for generations to come. 
What does an urban forester do?
Conroe created the urban forester position in 2022 because the City Council determined that trees are important public resources that contribute to the unique character of the city and its physical, historical, cultural, aesthetic, ecological and economic environment.
Conroe’s website defines an urban forester as someone who “is responsible for enforcing the tree ordinance within city limits. Protecting the city’s natural resources and ensuring developments are compliant with the tree ordinance are of the utmost importance. The urban forester is involved in all stages of development, including but not limited to pre-development meetings, plan reviews, site inspections and bond releases. In addition, the urban forester shall stay updated on best management practices and implement new policies and procedures to ensure the longevity and health of the city’s urban forest.”
Marrero graduated from Sam Houston State University in May 2021. He spent six months with the U.S Forest Service and then a year and a half as a wildlife biologist with Raven Environmental Services based in Huntsville. 
“That’s where my love for conservation really took off. We were interacting with wildlife, did habitat management. I tagged snakes and turtles and got to work with the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker,” he said. 
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After those two six-month contracts were up, he came on board with Conroe but still does volunteer work with Raven Environmental Services. 
Fighting to protect trees
“The urban forester is managing multiple trees in an urban environment and helps develop policies and procedures to maximize the city’s urban canopy,” he said. 
He said it’s an ongoing battle of protecting trees in areas of rapid development like Conroe. 
Most larger cities will have some sort of urban forestry program, he said. The city of Houston’s urban forestry department is a part of the city’s Permitting Center. 
Right now Marrero is a one-man team. It’s his hope to develop an urban forestry program for the city and expand the department. 
John Mangiameli, chief building official for the city, said Marrero is a real asset to the city and he’s been impressed with Marrero’s knowledge and dedication. 
Soon Marrero will embark on a tree inventory for the city to have a better idea of the percentage of tree canopy cover in the city’s roughly 72 square miles. 
He also assisted with getting recognition for one of Conroe’s historic trees. The Texas Historic Tree Coalition has voted to recognize the McDade Magnolia tree on FM 2854 as historic. 
A dedication ceremony for the McDade Magnolia will take place later this year. 
He’s also looking forward to the first city sponsored Arbor Day event Nov. 2, where various forestry and conservation groups will be present and able to provide information to the public. 
Correction (June 17, 11:45 a.m.): This article has been updated to accurately reflect Marrero’s career history. He worked with the Campus Urban Forester while attending Sam Houston State University and worked for a year and a half as a wildlife biologist with Raven Environmental Services.

Throughout the 2023-24 school year several Humble ISD elementary schools opened upgraded play areas with unique themes such as space, bugs, dinosaurs and more. 
During the summer, while school is not in session, the playgrounds are open to the public. 
Here’s what to know about exploring Humble ISD’s creatively themed playgrounds:
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Bug’s World 
Location: Fall Creek Elementary
Address: 14435 Mesa Drive in Humble
The playground features insects of all sizes, plus the fields, burrows and other places they call home.
The “Honey-Bee” Swing set features ADA-accessible seating and is topped with custom panels of four bee varieties and their honeycomb.
The playground also features a rope-climbing clover tower with a 16-foot slide; a caterpillar rope tunnel with a 10-foot slide; a grasshopper “monkey trails” climbing net; a “spider” web climber with spinners; an ant hill mound with ants and tunnels; a multi-seesaw with custom insect panels; a dandelion carousel; a variety of spinner equipment and an insect-themed communication board. 
Dinosaurs 
Location: Atascocita Springs Elementary
Address: 13515 Valley Lodge Parkway in Atascocita
The playground features prehistoric creatures, volcanoes, lookout watch towers and tropical jungles with dinosaurs. 
As students approach the entrance to the playground, there is a custom entryway to give the experience of entering a Jurassic Park-like play space. Several life-like dinosaurs can be found throughout the playground including a T-Rex with the Oviraptor protecting her nest, a Triceratops that children can climb to reach a lookout deck and a freestanding Brachiosaurus as well as a swimming Stegosaurus in the river graphics of the poured-in-place safety surfacing. 
The dinosaur themed play experience also includes a volcano tower with two slides. The outside panel looks like hot lava, and inside the volcano, the panels look like cracked volcanic rock. A Pterodactyl is flying out of the top of the volcano, and another one sits on top of the swings. 
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Winter ski lodge 
Location: North Bend Elementary
Address: 15630 Old Humble Road in Humble 
North Bend Elementary School won’t have to depend on snowfall to send students out for fun on the slopes. This ski-lodge themed play space features custom-designed playground equipment and rubber pour-in-place surfacing intended for children ages 5-12.
Play at North Bend Elementary is made accessible to children of all abilities with the poured rubber surfacing and universal play opportunities, like a communication board and inclusive swing seat. Chairlifts, ski routes, snow angels, a figure skater and more wintry designs can be found throughout the accessible surfacing.
Various springing and spinning equipment are scattered throughout the playground, like a seesaw featuring factually accurate arctic animals, a “snow tube” supernova carousel and “snowboard” star surfer rocker. A “photo op” play panel gives students an interactive, memory-capturing keepsake of their time on the slopes.
Yeti’s ice castle 
Location: Shadow Forest Elementary 
Address: 2300 Mills Branch Drive in Humble
The playground is inspired by a fictitious Yeti, or abominable snowman, kingdom hidden on top of a frozen mountain. Very few brave villagers from the bottom of the mountain dare enter the frozen lands in search of the Yeti and its legendary ice castle.
The giant 31-foot-tall play tower with custom ice-castle themed panels features two slides, a cliff rider thrilling pendulum play structure, custom tactile play panels and a climbing net and wall. The playground equipment sits on a handicap-accessible pour-in-place rubber playground surfacing featuring snowflakes, wisps of ice magic and the trees and village.
Others worth a visit 
These creatively themed elementary playgrounds are also work a visit. Woodland Hills has a fairytale theme. Elm Grove’s is a tree house. River Pine’s is all about the rainforest. Oaks Elementary’s focuses on national parks and Jack Fields Elementary playground is inspired by space. 
These playground upgrades were funded through Humble ISD’s 2022 bond. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. This passage from the Bible describes one of Rotary’s tenets. Our 1.4 million members and their families work together in a world of four billion to help bring about peace and understand. Rotarian Michael Hayes of the Rotary Club of Conroe chairs Rotary International’s “Rotary Action Group for Peace.” He works with other Rotarians worldwide to help to visualize the intangible PEACE as a reality. It is not through huge leaps, but it is through small incremental steps that we progress toward a universal peace and understanding. In a recent email to fellow Rotarians, Michael compares peace and our fragile eco-systems. 
The parallels between the environment and peace are remarkable. Both the environment and peace exist in similarly defined ecosystems. A large ecosystem, like a rainforest, or the Great Barrier Reef is much like a country where interrelationships within the ecosystem and country determine whether it is healthy or unhealthy, growing or dying. A smaller ecosystem, such as a micro ecosystem could be like the ecosystem that lives under a large rock, with biological organisms, bacteria and fungi, and the soil they live in. An example of a peace micro ecosystem could be you, your family, friends, and acquaintances.
Ecosystems have both fragility and resilience. When it is easy to disrupt an ecosystem, it has high fragility and low resilience. If an ecosystem can weather great disruption, it has high resilience. The same is true for peace. Small and large groups, communities, and countries become stronger the more resilient they become. They build that resilience through fundamental respect for each other, communicating and interacting as a single community, instead of being a community of smaller communities that do not interact and are capable of splintering and collapsing. So how do we build strength and resilience into our ecosystems? We build strength in environmental systems by working to reduce the limiting factors and promoting the factors which encourage growth, interdependence of organisms, and striving to reduce the effects of negative influences from outside the ecosystem. Studying and changing the factors which create fragility reduces weakness. In combination, increasing strength and reducing fragility promotes resilience and sustainability.
How do we build strength and resilience into our individual ecosystems, our communities, and our countries? First, as Rotarians, we focus on building strength by taking care of our mental and physical health. We focus on our relationships, and our service projects, managing them in accordance with the 4 Way Test, building respect and dignity for all. Finally, we use the principles of the IEP 8 Pillars of Peace to identify and eliminate limiting factors and working on those factors which promoting which encourage and promote healthy societies, good governments, and countries where its citizens exist with one another in peace. You are empowered to create peace, choose to take action.
These words of wisdom help us to understand ourselves, our community and the World. Rotarian Hayes also suggests implementation of peace projects in our communities and the world. These simple actions could be gardens, tree plantings, aid packages such as the Shelter Box Program that Rotary is involved in. This action toward Peace is one of the ways that Rotarians serve our community.
The Rotary Club of Conroe meets at noon Tuesdays at Honor Cafe, 103 N. Thompson Street. For more information on Rotary, contact Ron Saikowski at rsaikowski@comcast.net. 

The Five O’Clock Phlock Parrot Head Club was Trop Rockin’ and Rollin’ last week, and what a superb afternoon it was! On Sunday, June 2nd the club brought a unique and colorful musician to Conroe, hosted by The Table at Madeley. The amazing Bill Wharton AKA “Sauce Boss” took to the stage for two hours, entertaining us with his unique show, where he gets the audience moving, his story telling and natural talents keep everyone smiling, and his gumbo – made on stage during the performance – feeds the crowd at the end of the show. Wow! 
Bill performs as a one-man band, sitting at a drum set, playing a 1933 National Steel Guitar, belting out songs punctuated by his gravelly voice, joyful whoops, and shredding guitar riffs. Many years ago he and his wife Ruth, who is his partner in all things, created a line of hot sauces called Liquid Summer. The sauce is an essential ingredient in his gumbo and during his performance he invites guests to “Stir the pot darlin’. It’s music for the soul and food for the body”. Getting to stir the pot and dance on stage as Sauce Boss plays and sings is always a photo-worthy moment that guests cherish for years to come.
A special part of The Sauce Boss show is the story telling, and boy, does he have the stories to tell. He moves closer to the crowd, often sitting on a table top and it feels like he’s talking to you and you alone. He has taken his blues and a huge pot of gumbo to the disaster zones of the Mississippi delta and to homeless shelters across America – where he’s fed war veterans, hurricane survivors, and plenty of other regular folks who come for music but leave with much more. When entertaining Parrot Heads, his story of meeting Jimmy Buffett is always an emotional part of the show. Jimmy was so impressed with Bill that he wrote the song “I Will Play For Gumbo” about The Sauce Boss Show. 
It’s called “The Long Goodbye”. It’s Alzheimer’s.  6 million Americans are living with it, and 1 in 3 seniors will die from some form of dementia. On Friday, June 21st, 5OCP will partner with Amore Fine Dining on Hwy 105 for an evening of music as we co-host  an Alzheimer’s Association “Longest Day” fundraising event. June 21st is The Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. “The day with the most light is the day we fight” is the motto of the project. A portion of the proceeds from all dinner sales in The Garden Room of Amore will benefit The Alzheimer’s Association. Music will be provided by the lovely and talented Lisa Lynette. 5OCP Club Members will be on hand to share their personal stories of their connection to the disease. There will be a Chinese Raffle, with items provided by The 5OCP Walk To End Alzheimer’s Team, with the proceeds donated to The Walk in late October.  
Amore will begin taking reservations for the dinner today. You must call the restaurant directly and ask for reservations for “The Longest Day Event”. The number to call is 936-582-1053. Reservations can be made for anytime between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. This is a come and go evening. Lisa will begin at 6 and sing  until 9 p.m. Guests may order off the regular menu, or for tables of 4 or more, there is a special Longest Day fixed price menu with family style shared appetizers and desserts and individual choices of salads and entrees. Whether you come for a short while for a drink and an appetizer, or stay for a full meal, a portion of each meal in The Garden Room will be donated by the restaurant to The Longest Day Project of The Alzheimer’s Association. 
This will be a really special evening filled with hope and joy as we fight to end one of the most devastating and far reaching diseases in the world. Everyone knows someone dealing with The Long Goodbye…
Kris is President of The 5 O’Clock Phlock Parrot Head Club, the PHC of the Lake Conroe/Woodlands ea. 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

We celebrated the 85th birthday of the “Greatest Lions Club in the World”, aka CONROE NOON LIONS at the Lone Star Convention Center on June 5. Twenty-four Past Presidents and one “about to be Past President” attended along with a tremendous representation of club members and families.  
President Jason Miller called the meeting to order and started the meeting with a wonderful performance of “God Bless America” by all in attendance.  He recognized our Community Partner, The Red Brick Tavern, for their great and ongoing support for the Club and our community charities.  He reminded everyone that the 2024 Installation banquet will be June 14 at the River Plantation Country Club, RSVPs by June 7 are very important.  He also reminded everyone of the Celebration of Life service for Lion Bill Miller was June 8 at April Sound Church. 
President Miller presented a history of the founding and growth of the club since 1939 and the great variety of members and leaders from across all professions and aspects of our community brought together to SERVE.  All the Past Presidents attending were invited and to stand for recognition and appreciation for their service.  Past Presidents Warner Phelps served as the Master of Ceremonies and introduced a video of many of the Club members’ antics, activities, service and leadership over the past few years.  He then introduced Past President C. Pat Davis who highlighted a number of our beloved, more colorful, long serving Lions who bring energy and humor to our ranks. 
Past President Warner Phelps reclaimed the microphone and interviewed a number of our entertaining Past Presidents whose stories enriched the legacy and legends of our Club and the history of our humor and service.  He then introduced a second video celebrating 85 years of service with historic video clips of former members and Presidents.  Many videos’ clips from ceremonies, parties and activities in the 60s, 70s, 80s to today were included in the production. 
President Jason Miller invited all the attending Past Presidents to join him for a toast and for the unveiling of a beautiful new plaque listing all 85 names of the presidents of Conroe Noon Lions.  He then invited all the membership to lift their glasses in a toast to another 85 wonderful years for Conroe Noon Lions to continue in service to our community.   Special recognition to Lion Morgan Freeman for her great videography skills and dedicated time to create the productions. 
For more information, please visit our website, www.conroenoonlions.org, or call the local club office at 936-760-1666.  You may also call 936-760-1666 for additional information on any area Lions Club.

A planned H-E-B could bring the city of Montgomery more than $45,000 in annual tax revenue according to city documents.
In March, City Council began discussing the feasibility for a new location from the San Antonio-based grocery chain. The anticipated grocery store will sit on 32 acres of land off Texas 105, building only on 16 acres of that land, and will also include a gas station and car wash, city documents state. 
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“While the good news in a general sense is that (H-E-B is) moving forward, it sounds like they’re still quiet on a specific timeline,” said Dave McCorquodale, assistant city administrator and director of planning and development via email. 
During a City Council meeting on May 28, McCorquodale told council members that a separate developer would come back to build on the remaining 15 acres near the grocery store. 
“We’re under the impression that it will be commercial based on conversations with H-E-B’s consultant,” he said.
The grocery store is expected to cost more than $280,000 with a total accessed valuation of $12 million. While a timeline wasn’t shared for when the location would open, it’s expected to bring the city $45,600 in annual tax revenue. It’s unclear how much in sales tax revenue the grocery store will bring to the city.
“H-E-B intends to move forward with site grading and stormwater detention facilities for the combined tracts, but doesn’t intend to immediately begin construction for the store,” McCorquodale said.
Before stepping down from his position in May, former Mayor Byron Sanford said more grocery and retail options are needed in the fast-growing city. 
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“It essentially blesses the city with jobs and an economic base that we expect in probably two or three years,” Sanford said in a previous article. “That’s going to be far better than what we have right now. These are two huge blessings…as far as economic boost that we very much need.” 
Officials have said in 2022 that the city was expected to double in five years. At the time the city had a population of approximately 2,000 — with the city now sitting between 2,500 to 2,8000 residents, said newly elected Mayor Sara Countryman.
Other smaller cities, such as Willis, are starting to see an increase in population. In November 2022, the city north of Conroe opened its first H-E-B after the city saw an influx in commercial and residential development projects.  

What is going on this week in Conroe? 
Sign up for the City of Conroe Police Department-Citizens Police Academy 10-week course to increase awareness with hands on experiences to provide a real feeling of what it is like to be a part of the Conroe Police Department. This course is strictly for community citizens to learn about our law enforcement officers with a limit of 25 participants. Classes are on Tuesday evenings 7:00pm-10:00pm beginning June 25th. Contact Officer Roy Dupuy to request an application rdupuy@cityofconroe.org 
Finals for the $2000 Conroe Superstar Singing Contest begins June 12th at 202 Main. 1st place winner will receive a management contract with Sparks Talent Agency. Contestants must be at least 13 years old and not have a current major label record deal. The finals will be at 7:00pm June 12, June 19, and June 26. For more information call (936) 697-7766. 
In addition, 202 Main will host a six course dinner and brew pairing event, “Six Course Prix Fixe” on Friday, June 14 at 7:00pm. Check out their Facebook page for more events: www.facebook.com/202Mainst. 
In honor of Father’s Day, Pacific Yard House is bringing back Piano Punch with Dueling Pianos on Saturday, June 15. Go early to get a good seat and enjoy the evening singing along to your favorite songs. Make a request for music you would like to hear. Always fun!
We have endured a lot of pop-up storms causing flooding and damage. Are you prepared as we head into Hurricane Season? Sign up for Emergency Alerts about severe weather by text and learn what you can do to prepare for storms in Conroe at www.cityofconroe.org/community/hurricane_season.php. 
Enjoy the summer! Shop Local!
Margie Taylor may be reached at margie@taylorizedpr.com.

I just finished a phone conversation with my kid sister Jill. I started with, “Hey, baby sister, I needed a topic for my article, and wanted to warn you that I’m choosing your peanut brittle sales.” She wanted to know how much she would get out for it, so I told her that her brittle sales would climb.  
By the way, Jill has been making peanut brittle for years, and, at various events, sets up a stand with an awning and chairs, and great banner with a picture of a giant peanut on it, and the words “Gamma Jill’s Peanut Brittle” below. 
Kay and I helped her a couple of weeks back at Conroe’s Main Street Market, which they have every Saturday, on or near Main Street. Actually, it was Kay who helped Jill set up, because my broken rib was paining me. Remember? Brad Meyer ran over me during our last racketball game and broke my rib. 
Let’s get back to Conroe’s Main Street Market. It was a hot day, my friend, but the customers and vendors were nice. Of course, most of the passersby passed by without looking at us. The men, mostly. That’s what I always do. If a vendor catches my eye, I feel obligated to buy something. When I visited a time before, in a town far away, I looked at some birdhouses a gentleman was selling for $160, well worth the effort the man put into his wares. But, no way, would I pay that much for a birdhouse. I might give a doctor $160 to reset my rib. But a birdhouse?  
On this particular Saturday, it was hot with no breeze; much like each day from now till November 3. It was a bad time for Jill to have a headache. — (Scientists have proved that 11:08 p.m. is the best time for headaches.) — Jill felt so bad that she had to strain to smile, so I stepped up to the table and tried to sell brittle just like I knew what I was doing. I had to push Kay aside because she was getting in my way.
Jill makes three types of brittle – peanut, pecan, and cashew. She’s got a knack. The pecan is the favorite of most people. I think pecan goes best with something chocolate. And, I prefer cashew nuts plain with a tad of salt. However, peanut brittle is the best, Jerry. You can buy peanut brittle from the store or steal it from your neighbor, but you’ll never find any as good as Jill makes. 
The canopy next to Jill’s was owned by a lady with the most adorable seven-year-old daughter on the planet. She has a personality that is far above anyone her age. She even caught onto my sense of humor and responded with some great comebacks. Without question, I would like to raise a child as much as I would to train a camel. However, if Kay and I had ever had a child, I would’ve liked her to be the one. Were I her dad, she would’ve owned me. 
It was around 11:00 when things started picking up. Kay and Jill decided to walk around and visit some other vendors, leaving me and the second grader to take care of business. The girl took charge. 
I don’t think you’re supposed to hand out samples to the passers-by in Conroe, but the young lady was doing just that. She sold two containers of brittle, both pecan. And, she took care of the money, which included making change and jotting down a note of the sales. The girl’s mom taught her well. The young lady’s personality, though, was more God-given than inherited.
Eventually, Jill and Kay returned. Kay was the only one who bought anything. She found a light tan pair of shoes with corked heels. They’re what I would’ve picked out, were I into heels. Kay liked them so much that she wouldn’t let me try them on. She will share a lot of things, just not her footwear.
Big Al showed up shortly after noon, which was great because I was in pain. – (I don’t know if I mentioned it, but Brad Myer almost killed me on the racquetball court.) — Jill had me sit down on one of her lawn chairs so she could aim her fan at me. My kid sister, who had been feeling lousy all morning, was worried about her big brother… the one with the broken rib. Big Al was in good shape. Before I left, my kid brother assured me he would look after Jill in my absence. I’m lucky he didn’t slug me for thinking I had to ask. Al and Jill were best friends, at a time before they had any friends.
When we left, the little girl was helping her mom sell cookies. She soon came back and asked Jill, “Where’s Mark?” Since Al took my place, she got to meet the Hayter brother with a cool personality. All four brothers inherited different parts of Mom and Dad’s DNA. I got Daddy’s nose and a desire to write. Mom’s DNA caused me to be a fabulous cook. Big Al aside, there’s little competition in the family for cooking.
After she got home, Jill emailed me that the little girl hit it off well with Al. I would’ve been surprised otherwise.   
Mark Hayter may be reached at hayter.mark@gmail.com