Category: Conroe Courier

Most Conroe residents probably don’t notice the city’s three 100-foot-tall pine trees that aren’t pine trees at all. 
Conroe has three “monopines” which are cell towers meant to blend into the landscape disguised as pine trees while bringing greater cellular coverage to the city. 
Here is what to know about Conroe’s monopines:
NEW BUSINESSES: Escape rooms, ramen and bubble tea shops among the new Montgomery County businesses opening soon
What is a monopine?
A monopine is a creative way to disguise what could have been deemed an unsightly cell tower into something that blends into the natural landscape. On the edge of the East Texas piney forest, a pine tree was the most likely tall object to fit in. A pine tree is also incorporated into Conroe’s logo and branding. 
In other parts of the country, the cell towers are other things to blend in with the natural setting. In Arizona, cell towers are disguised as large cactus plants. In Florida, they are palm trees. 
Other parts of the U.S. have them as a part of church bell towers, water towers, public art pieces, large crosses and in nearby College Station a cell tower has been transformed into a tall flag pole. The pine tree design seems to be the most popular across the country.
There is even a photo database dedicated to different ways cell towers are disguised. 
How did Conroe get a monopine?
The first monopine was placed in 2016 in the 1000 block of Wilson Road on the grounds of the Iglesia Gracia Abundante Conroe church. 
In 2016, then Director of Community Development Nancy Mikeska said the first monopine was a compromise between Conroe and North Carolina-based Eco-Site Inc.
Mikeska is now assistant city administrator and director of community development for Conroe.
Eco-Site installed the $38,000 tower for T-Mobile.
“No city wants to have an abundance of cell towers sticking up everywhere; but on the other hand, we do not want to be the city where cellular service is substandard,” Mikeska said in a 2016 article. “The camouflage struck a balance that serves both concerns. Concealing the tower was a specific directive from the council. I think the end result is better than everyone involved could have imagined.”
John Mangiameli, chief building official for Conroe, said shortly after the first monopine was placed, the City Council changed the ordinance so that any cell tower that was constructed within Loop 336 has to be a camouflaged tower. 
The disguised towers are approved up to 100 foot and must not be within an 800-foot radius of a residential area. Each tower owner is responsible for the maintenance of the tower and the associated camouflaging. 
He said the plan encourages “co-location” where multiple cell companies can use the same tower. Conroe’s monopines are able to allow for three antennas within each monopine. 
THE WOODLANDS: How The Woodlands drew from pioneering developments to inspire master-planned communities worldwide
Blending into the landscape
Another monopine was installed in 2018 at South Main south of downtown Conroe near Mill Avenue. The most recent one was constructed in 2023 at North Loop 336 behind Reaves Elementary School and iStorage storage facility. 
He said they fit in so well to the landscape, most people don’t notice them. 
“Honestly, I think most people are not even aware they exist because they do blend in rather well if they are designed correctly,” Mangiameli said. 
Will there be more? 
Because of Conroe’s rapid growth and the many residential areas in the city, Mangiameli does not foresee more of the monopine towers in the city at this time or for the issue to come before council anytime soon. 
He said “tower scouts” work to identify areas where a tower is feasible. In recent years, a scout tried to identify several areas within Loop 336 where a new tower could be placed and each time the proximity was too close to a residential area. 

Several businesses are coming to Montgomery County, adding more food and entertainment options for residents such as a ramen shop and a venue where people can face off with friends through a series of games. 
These businesses are coming to the Shenandoah and Montgomery areas, with some expected to open over the summer. 
WOODLANDS HEADQUARTERS: 9 companies that have expanded or moved their headquarters into The Woodlands
Here’s what’s coming to the county: 
Shenandoah
With Pluckers Wing Bar announcing the opening a Shenandoah location off Interstate 45 and David Vetter Boulevard, other restaurants and entertainment venues are expected to come to the city north of The Woodlands. 
Three entertainment venues are expected to open in the Metropark Square off Metropark Drive. 
ELVIS TRIBUTE: By day, Conroe’s Jordan Smith is a molding operator. At night, he’s a budding Elvis tribute artist.
Game Show Battle Rooms, an entertainment venue, is expected to open in August, according to its website. The venue offers a “game show” experience, offering three different game rooms that include themes from shows such as “Family Feud,” “Wheel of Fortune” and “The Price Is Right.” 
BRKThrough is a Kansas-based entertainment venue, offering 40 immersive high-tech challenge rooms across 22,000 square feet and blends physical, mental, and skill-based challenges. While an official opening date wasn’t shared, the venue is expected to be built by Dec. 5, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. 
Escapology is an escape room venue, where teams of two to eight players race against the clock to find clues, solve puzzles, and decode the locks to escape the adventure game room within 60 minutes. While an official opening date wasn’t shared, the venue is expected to be built by July 1, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. 
A bubble tea shop and ramen restaurant are also expected to open in the Metropark Square. 
TBAAR is a New York City-based bubble tea shop that also serves milk foam drinks, smoothie, fresh tea and lemonades. No official opening date for the shop was provided. 
Kyuramen is a nationwide ramen restaurant that also serves rice burgers and omurice. No official opening date for the restaurant was provided. 
At the Sam Moon Shopping Center off Interstate 45, KPOT Korean BBQ and Hot Pot is expected to open, giving the experience where visitors gather around a table and cook their own food — offering more than 50 of meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu and noodles. No official opening date for the restaurant was provided. 
Montgomery
McDonald’s recently opened at the Woodforest community off Fish Creek Thoroughfare. 
The grand opening for the restaurant is set for June 29, which will include giveaways, deals, games and prizes, said Blake Steele of the CKP public relations firm. The franchise is owned and operated by Woodforest resident Steve McKinney, according to a release by the community.
For more information, visit woodforest.com. 

This Saturday features a huge wine and food extravaganza with over 50 food chefs cooking for the esteemed title of Chef of Chefs earning not only the coveted title, but also a Waterford Crystal Trophy and $5,000.
This Saturday will mark the climax of the 20th Annual Wine & Food Week in The Woodlands. The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting and Chef Showcase has been touted as one of the most spectacular wine and culinary events in the country with this year being special as 20 years of culinary crafts and premium wines featured for your pleasure from 7 to 10 p.m.
Explore the wide variety of wines available during this three hours of lavish tasting. This event will feature a wide variety of wines besides the normal Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. I recommend doing wine exploring looking for the rarer offerings to expand that wine palette of yours. Look for Cabernet Franc, Mavrud, Tannat, Barbaresco, Aglianico, Pirouette, and Viognier. Also experience a Texas-sized round-up of sparkling wines from a variety of regions. The list of wine opportunities to sample during this three hours of wine sampling extends into a wonderful palette of tastes to try and put into your wine-sipping repertoire.  
If the finer life is more your style, try the lavish VIP Luxury Lounge within the area for this Saturday evening event. Indulge in luxury with crème de la crème wine selections only available in this posh, sequestered, gated playground. Rub elbows with Wine and Food Week special guests, celebrities, media, and food judges throughout the evening. This VIP Lounge is a “step up” culinary extravaganza for the decadent taste bud enthusiasts.Forty-four world-class chefs will be competing with their food creations being offered to all of the guests, being the same creations that will be brought by trays to the 12 esteemed judges of the Judging Panel on stage during the event. The winning Chef will be announced near the end of this culinary night to remember.
This event kicks off at 6:45 this Saturday evening with the induction of food couple Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown into the Wine & Food Week Hall of Fame for their decades of culinary achievements, including the formation of the Southern Smoke Foundation. Chris and Lindsey co-founded this institution, which has distributed more than $11.3 million directly to needy people in the food and beverage industry via the Emergency Relief Fund. A bottle of sparkling wine is then normally popped and poured by the founders of Wine and Food Week to celebrate the induction and formally welcome the event’s patrons.
Clifton and Constance McDerby co-founded Food and Vine Time which is the host of this event. H. E. B. Grocery has been an ongoing and faithful supporter of this event for the 20 years of this event. Goya Foods is also a big supporter. Limited tickets are still available for this huge event at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott and Convention Center and can be obtained online at www.WineandFoodWeek.com. I will be there in my tuxedo, Stetson and boots for this cocktail attire event. Will I see you there?
When the weather gets cooler in October, look for the Market Street Wine Stroll in The Woodlands.
Ron Saikowski may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net. 

Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Rated R for some sexual references, language throughout and strong violenceRotten Tomatoes Score: 69%In Theaters
Trying to resurrect his career after the slap heard around the world, Will Smith reunites with Martin Lawrence for a fourth Bad Boys film.  As the film begins, Mike (Smith) is getting married as Marcus (Lawrence) has a heart attack while going a little crazy at the wedding.  While dead, Marcus has a vision of what is to come, with a premonition that things are about to get crazy.  And they do.
Without much of a break, the plot starts to thicken as they find out that their deceased boss has been framed for working with the cartels and they must find a way to clear his name and stop a huge wave of crime from hitting both Miami and the police department.  My biggest concern going in was whether I would be able to separate my disgust of what Smith did in real life enough to appreciate him again.  It’s not our job to forgive him, but it is a task just to forget what happened.  That being said, Smith, now an Oscar winner, is a very talented actor and he manages to allow you to sidestep his real-life issues long enough to enjoy his new adventure.  
And it helps that this new chapter of Bad Boys is very entertaining.  Just like the others, the action and comedy are both in full force, creating a scenario where your laughs and thrills hit in equal measure.  From the very beginning, the jokes hit, and the laughter penetrates between action sequence to keep you fully engaged and excited for nearly two hours.  Sure, there are some problems throughout, with silly script issues and some terrible character choices. But the movie allows you to ignore the issues just long enough to get you to the next plot point, and for the most part, this is a triumphant return for both Smith and Lawrence, each of whom was struggling coming into this project.  I must admit that I hardly remember a thing from 2020’s Bad Boys for Life, but thankfully, the movie doesn’t require much of a memory, and you are quickly tied up into the action before you can realize that you don’t really know exactly what is going on.  
So honestly, I don’t see a need to rewatch unless you really get a hankering.  So while I still can’t condone Smith’s notorious Oscar night shenanigans, I still found a way to enjoy his latest outing, leaving the theater with a bigger smile on my face than I thought would be possible for this project.  B

The weather may be hot outside, but there’s cool offerings inside Conroe’s two downtown theaters this summer. 
The historic Crighton Theatre and nearby Owen Theatre have shows planned throughout the summer. 
Here’s what to know about what’s going on at downtown Conroe’s theaters this summer. 
CRIME PREVENTION: New Montgomery crime prevention district to help fund police salaries, new facility
The Billy Joel Experience 
The “Piano Man — The Billy Joel Experience” is coming to the Crighton Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The show promises to entertain crowds with a tribute to performer Billy Joel. Starring pianist and vocalist Tim Georgeff, as the “Piano Man,” Georgeff and his band focus on details to authentically recreate Joel’s music and live-stage performances, in both sound and vision.
Tickets are $60 and can be purchased on the Crighton Theatre website. The theater is at 234 N. Main St. 
“Butterflies Are Free” 
The Players Theatre Company will close out its 2023-24 season with the four-person American comedy-drama “Butterflies Are Free.” The show opens at the Owen Theatre at 225 Metcalf St. in downtown Conroe June 21 and continues weekends through July 7.
Set in the 1970s, Don Baker, a blind young man, moves into his own apartment against the wishes of his overprotective mother. Jill Tanner, the freethinking young woman next door, takes a liking to him and his meticulously kept apartment. As they begin a closer relationship, Don’s mother, Mrs. Baker, enters to “help” her son navigate his new life. 
Shawn Havranek directs. The cast includes Carlos A. Soto as Don, Christina Taylor Wood as Jill, Peg Sampson as Mrs. Baker and David Chapin as Ralph. 
Tickets are $25 at owentheatre.com or by calling the box office at 936-539-4090. 
“Beauty and the Beast” 
Stage Right of Texas, resident theater troupe of the Crighton Theatre in downtown Conroe, presents “Beauty and the Beast” July 5-21.
Based on the hit 1991 Disney animated feature and dating back to a late 18th-century classic French fairy tale, “Beauty and the Beast” tells the story of Belle, a beautiful and intelligent young woman who feels out of place in her provincial French village and tells of her relationship with the Beast who has imprisoned her father. 
Sara Preisler directs and Melisa Argüello is “Belle.” Tickets are $20 to $30 and can be purchased on the Crighton Theatre website. 
“Rocky Horror Show” fundraiser
From July 13-21, The Players host “The Rocky Horror Show 2024 Fundraiser” at the Owen Theatre. In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter played here by Colton Land. They are quickly swept up in the scientist’s latest experiment, and the night’s misadventures cause Brad and Janet to question everything.
Tickets are $30 on the Owen Theatre website. 
“Joseph & The Technicolor Dreamcoat” 
The students of the annual Jim Bingham Summer Youth Camp held each July at the Crighton Theatre will present “Joseph & The Technicolor Dreamcoat” Aug. 1-4. 
The camp for young actors is named for Jim Bingham the 30-year executive director of the Crighton Theatre. He died in July 2022 at age 71. 
The show is based on the story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Tickets are $8 to $15 and may be purchased on the Owen Theatre website. 
ELVIS IN THE HOUSE: By day, Conroe’s Jordan Smith is a molding operator. At night, he’s a budding Elvis tribute artist.
“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” 
Christian Youth Theater presents “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” Aug. 9-18 at the Crighton Theatre.
In the play, an eccentric inventor, Caractacus Potts sets about restoring an old race car from a scrap heap with the help of his children, Jeremy and Jemima. They soon discover the car has magical properties, including the ability to float and take flight.
Ashlie Driver directs and Stephen Driver plays Caractacus Potts. Tickets go on sale at midnight June 29. Tickets are $25 to $28 and may be purchased on the Christian Youth Theater website. 

The Magnolia West Mustangs have had some horses on the mound in recent years, but a pair of 2023 seniors carried them to new heights.
Now NCAA Division I pitchers, James Ellwanger (Dallas Baptist) and Caylon Dygert (UT-Arlington) reached legendary status for the western Montgomery County school, which opened in 2006, by shouldering the load in the program’s memorable run to last year’s UIL Class 5A state championship.
Ellwanger will be remembered for his 17-strikeout, near-no-hit performance in the semifinals against Frisco Reedy. Dygert, who secured the final out for the save in that one, then came out for seven innings in the Round Rock heat two days later to spin a five-hitter in which Argyle threatened only in the bottom of the seventh.
Those two combined for a 16-2 record. Both had an ERA under 1.00, and they totaled 241 strikeouts, led by Ellwanger’s 141.
A year later, Magnolia West (26-14-1) is back at the state tournament with a stockpile of pitchers who aren’t quite at the level of an Ellwanger or  Dygert but have thrown well enough to get the team in a spot to defend its state title. It’s now a matter of pitching in that big setting that is Dell Diamond, where the Mustangs will face state tournament first-timer Lucas Lovejoy (29-7) at 4 p.m. Thursday in the semifinals.
RELATED: Breaking down state semifinal matchups for Magnolia West, Pearland and Tomball
With such dominant seasons by Ellwanger and Dygert, the 2023 All-Greater Houston Pitcher of the Year, coach Travis Earles didn’t have to rely on many arms beyond them. A major story line for the 2024 Mustangs was about who was going to pitch. 
That wasn’t the only challenge. Perched on its defending state champion pedestal, Magnolia West has routinely dealt with the opposition’s best shot.
“That group busting us through to win a state championship is extremely hard to do,” Earles said Monday as the Mustangs practiced. “And all these guys watched it. They either played on that team or they watched it from the stands. They kind of know what the expectations are if you want to do this. But the second time making this run is totally different, and it has totally different challenges that that first group never had.
“Nobody knew who we were. Nobody knew where Magnolia was necessarily as a baseball town. Now they know. What this group has had to go through has been extreme, because everyone knows who we are. We get everybody’s ‘A’ game all the time.”
Once the season got going in February, injuries and struggles materialized. It was an up-and-down path, and the Mustangs were 24 hours away from possibly going home and not even making the playoffs. In late April, a Friday night win over Montgomery in the regular-sesaon finale and a tiebreaker victory over College Station the following afternoon solidified fourth place in District 21-5A. Since then, the Mustangs have gone 10-0 in the postseason.
“On the mound, we have eight or nine guys that we are very comfortable with that are going to give us a chance to win,” Earles said of his staff, which has allowed 16 earned runs in the playoffs.
Texas State commit Dawson Park, a senior more known at the plate and for his play at shortstop, became the default ace as he remained healthy and effective on the mound throughout the season. Junior Caldwell McFaddin, a Baylor commit, was sort of the co-ace until he had to be shut down midway through district play. Senior Jayton Harral, the team’s most experienced pitcher from a year ago, spent the first three-quarters of the season recovering from surgery, and senior Connor Bostain emerged down the stretch as a guy who could eat up some innings.
Park, a senior who grew up pitching and threw during summer leagues, has grabbed his opportunity and run with it. He has won all three of his postseason starts, and last Friday, in Game 2 of the Region III-5A championship against Lake Creek, he came on in relief in the sixth inning, shutting down the Lions after the Mustangs had gone ahead. The 6-foot righty didn’t allow a baserunner and struck out the final three batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh.
“The big thing was just being a senior and stepping up for the guys,” said Park, who is is 9-5 in 2024 after throwing about 30 varsity pitches last year. “It was definitely a big role to follow from last year. But as far as pitching goes, just get ahead in the count and keep it to as small an amount of pitches as you can in each at-bat.”
Earles lauded Park, the team’s leadoff man and a .386 hitter,, for his versatility and willingness to do what it takes.
“Throwing 100 pitches and coming back two days later to play shortstop, not everybody can do that,” Earles said. “Dawson Park can.”
McFaddin logged crucial innings in the season’s early months, but arm fatigue resulted in his being shut down. Earles said McFaddin will have the opportunity to throw between 40-45 pitches at state.
“We would not be here if it wasn’t for Caldwell throwing those innings that he’s thrown during district play,” Earles said.
Harral, who has become a de facto series opener of late, didn’t play this season until coming on in relief in the second-to-last district game. The Frank Phillips College commit, who logged some varsity innings the first month of the 2023 season, had UCL surgery on his throwing arm performed in August, with a six-month timetable to return.
“It’s just been a grind to get back,” Harral said. “I really haven’t had an injury like this. It feels amazing to be back and help the team.”
With the mix of injuries, Bostain has added some big innings.
“Connor Bostain does everything right all the time and works his butt off,” Earles said. “He’s been rewarded with some starts for us. He started Game 1 of the first round and Game 1 of the second round and got wins by going four or five innings. The fact that he’s made the most of his opportunities has been awesome for him.”
Bostain, who holds some JUCO offers, returned to the mound to start Game 2 last Friday against Lake Creek. He didn’t pitch the two rounds prior due to a broken non-throwing hand. He lasted just an out and nine pitchers as the Lions jumped up 1-0 quickly. He’ll be fresh and ready for the state tournament.
“We’ve all had to step up this year because we lost a lot of guys,” Bostain said.
Park, Harral and Bostain all admitted they’ve learned from and picked the brains of Ellwanger and Dygert.
“I learned a lot,” Harral said. “A lot of my training revolves around those two guys. Those are absolutely pristine and hardworking men.”
Said Bostain, “They taught me a lot about pitch command and location. And they threw really well.”
Nolan Cruz, Lukas Huff and Cody Palacios have also contributed on the mound this season. Cruz is typically the first one out of the bullpen, while Earles has been impressed with how Huff and Palacios, who start at other positions, have provided big innings without warm-up time in the pen.
“When they got their opportunity, they’ve been lights-out,” Earles said of the collective group of pitchers. “But it’s lights-out in a different way. They’re not running it 98 (mph) and stuff like some of our guys last year. They’re just good pitchers. They’re good baseball players. They’re tough as nails. All the stuff you think about when you think about Magnolia West baseball players.”
Park, who provided a big RBI in last year’s state semifinal, is experienced in stepping into the batters’ box at Dell Diamond and taking his place on the infield. He’s now ready to see the mound.
“Just do what you can to win,” Park said. “Whatever it takes.”

Growth in the city of Montgomery has spurred officials to create a district to help support law enforcement by funding a new state-of-the-art facility, salaries and equipment. 
The Crime Control and Prevention District, which was created during a May 28 board meeting, isn’t a new concept, said Mayor Sara Countryman, noting that Jersey Village created a district in the late ’90s. And as the city continues to outgrow the current city hall building — which both city staff and the police department share — Countryman said officials were looking for creative ways to finance another facility. 
FLOOD CONTROL: Houston officials scrapped post-Harvey flood control system before May overflow
“We do have an (economic development corporation) and they’re sitting on a good substantial amount of cash,” Countryman said. 
“If we can take some of that and put it towards a crime prevention district … I really think that it’s really going to help us get our police department in a state-of-the-art building.”
The new district would also help fund salaries and equipment, according to city documents. 
Currently, the Montgomery Economic Development Corp. receives a half cent sales tax within city limits, according to the city’s website. The new district would collect half of what the economic development corporation earns — ¼ of a percent. 
The economic development corporation made $1.2 million in 2023, Countryman said. Both districts would each earn $600,000 based on that model.
“Rather than going out to bond or raising people’s taxes, if we can reallocate money that’s already coming in, we’re happy to do that,” Countryman said. 
The district’s board consists of 10 members, including the mayor, the police chief, the city administrator, a couple of council members, a resident and officials from two other police agencies. 
WOODLANDS HEADQUARTERS: 9 companies that have expanded or moved their headquarters into The Woodlands
While the district’s board was created during the meeting in May, voters would still need to approve in November whether to reallocate sales tax revenue toward the new district, Countryman said. In the meantime, the board will be campaigning for the new district, she said. 
“I’m excited for what this does for residents and what this does for safety work,” Countryman said. “We’re experiencing rapid growth. And with that … it sucks up resources. There’s crime that comes with it. And we have more people moving in that we don’t know and people coming through the city that we don’t know. And we want to make sure our residents and taxpayers are safe.”

Jordan Smith’s black pompadour and matching sideburns often cause Conroe residents to stop and do a double take. 
Smith, 23, of Conroe is an up-and-coming Elvis tribute artist and often “The King’s” style and swagger seep into his everyday life around town. 
He said the hair and chops are real. People do notice him and often ask for a picture, which he is happy to do. In his day job, he is a molding operator making parts for endoscopies and biopsies. But one day, he would like to be a professional Elvis tribute artist. 
“Elvis was a legend,” he said. “He had the voice and the charisma and the looks. He put heart and soul into his performances, and you can hear the emotion in his songs.” 
FLOOD CONTROL: Houston officials scrapped post-Harvey flood control system before May overflow
Singing Elvis songs at karaoke
Smith was born in the Houston area and moved around before finally settling in Conroe more than a decade ago. He was in the choir at Conroe High School and graduated in 2018. 
As a boy he learned about Elvis and his songs from his grandfather and great-grandfather and then his older sister. 
Even though he was a member of a younger generation, the older music appealed to him more than today’s tunes. 
He would sing Elvis songs at karaoke night at the now closed George’s Bar and Grill in Conroe. He developed a fan base and group of friends who enjoyed the tunes. 
Tribute to his mother
His ailing mother was the one to sway him to beginning his career as an Elvis tribute artist. 
“She died of cancer on March 21, 2021. The night before she died, I sang Elvis’ ‘Peace in the Valley’ to her,” he said. “She told me I should really go to nursing homes and retirement centers and perform there.” 
He obtained a white jumpsuit from eBay in the aloha style Elvis wore in the 1970s and carried out her suggestion. 
“It has brought me a lot of joy and them a lot of joy as well,” he said. He said the first white aloha suit was pretty “rinky dink,” but he kept it as a memento as he upgraded outfits. 
He’s since gone on to perform at events and open mics around Conroe and had his most recent show in Richmond.
Re-creating Elvis on stage
Smith sticks to the ’70s era, but his favorite Elvis tunes to sing are “Polk Salad Annie” and “Suspicious Minds.” His mentor is Houston-area Elvis tribute artist Vince King. 
“Once I’m in the jumpsuit, I am Elvis,” he said. “Sometimes I catch myself outside of the jumpsuit talking like Elvis and I don’t even notice.”
He met local drummer Chris Martinez outside the Corner Pub watering hole in downtown Conroe a few years ago.
Martinez saw the Elvis jumpsuit and waved him over with “Hey, Elvis.” Martinez and his friends ended up taking pictures with Smith. He was intrigued to see a 20-something guy as Elvis. 
Smith has gone on to play open-mic nights at the Corner Pub where Martinez also often plays. 
“When we finally convinced him to do an open mic at the Corner Pub, he floored the place,” Martinez said. “It was refreshing to see somebody as young as him doing an Elvis thing. He’s got a lot of gumption. People love what he does. Not only does he have the outfit but he’s got the voice to back it up.”  
WOODLANDS GROWTH: 10 companies that have expanded or moved their headquarters into The Woodlands
Traveling to Graceland
Smith credits his wife, Chelsea Macha, with making the shows a success, as she assists during the shows and is a major supporter of his career. 
“People will come up to me after a show and say, ‘Man, you were really great,'” he said. “But it’s not just me, it’s her, too.” 
Later this month, the couple will make their first trip to Graceland, Elvis’ home. 
He expects to be like a kid in a candy store. 
“I’m super excited about it. It’s a once-in-a-blue-moon experience,” he said “I don’t know about her, but I’m really stoked about it.”

Standing on the turf at Don Sanders Stadium about 90 minutes before the first pitch of Game 2 of the Region III championship series between his Magnolia West Mustangs and the Lake Creek Lions on Friday, coach Travis Earles reflected on how the defending state champions got to this point.
In simplest terms: It wasn’t easy.
Repeating a state championship at the high school level is challenging. Players graduate and the roster changes yearly. Talent level is never stable. You have studs one year and the next, the barrel might be a little empty.
But as his Mustangs loosened up with batting practice during a sun-drenched dinner-hour in Huntsville, Earles wasn’t surprised this group was a win away from returning to Round Rock with a chance to defend their crown.
After a 10-3 win over Lake Creek for the regional championship, Magnolia West (26-14-1) is hoping to bring home another state title next weekend.
Repeat state championships in UIL baseball are fairly rare, but they came in bunches a few years back. In 2018 and 2019, Big Sandy (Class 2A), Argyle (4A) and Southlake Carroll (6A) all repeated. Flatonia (1A) and West (2A) did the same in 2015 and 2016. Before that was a large gap as Weimar (2A) won back-to-back state titles in 2000 and 2001.
Klein was the last large Houston-area team to even go to state in back-to-back years (2010 and 2011). Sweeny (4A) went consecutively in 2018 and 2019. Tomball went twice in three years a decade ago. The Cougars won the 4A title in 2013 and returned as a 5A team in 2015.
Heading into this season, Magnolia West was without its top two pitchers who were both D1 recruits in Caylon Dygert (UT-Arlington) and James Ellwanger (Dallas Baptist University). 
Five out the nine batters in the state championship lineup — a 3-2 win over Argyle — graduated. Key returners were Dawson Park (Texas State), Caldwell McFaddin (Baylor), Trenton Buckley (Louisiana-Monroe) and Cody Palacios.
Earles admits the schedule was very heavy at the start of the year. It was packed with several 6A programs (ironically Magnolia West will compete in 6A starting in 2025) and District 21-5A is always a gauntlet with teams like Lake Creek, Magnolia, A&M Consolidated, College Station, Montgomery and Brenham all contending.
Last year’s Mustangs were 36-5. This year’s team lost four games in the first seven days.
“They’re two different teams,” Earles said Friday night. “Two different rides and two different experiences. For this group, it was hard for us early and for them to battle back through and have success late, I can’t say enough about every guy on our team.”
Magnolia West started the year with an 8-6 win over Cypress Ranch. It then dropped four out of the next five, with that fifth game a tie in a tournament game.
Things trended in a positive direction some when the calendar flipped to March. Magnolia West beat four 6A teams in-a-row, but then dropped three of four before district play began.
The Mustangs ran out to a 5-0 start in district play with sweeps of Magnolia, which finished tied for second with Lake Creek, Bryan Rudder and a split with College Station, which became an important result a month later.
The back-end loss to College Station snowballed into getting swept by Lake Creek and then a loss to Brenham to open a series. After bouncing back to split with the Cubs, eventual district champion A&M Consolidated then swept the Mustangs heading into the final series of the regular season with Montgomery.
Scratching to remain in the playoff hunt, Magnolia West experienced a massive setback in Game 1 against Montgomery — a 9-0 loss against a team also in the mix for the final playoff spot.
Heading into the final game of the regular season, Magnolia West needed to bounce back at home against the Bears, and also needed College Station to lose to A&M Consolidated for any hope of the postseason.
Both happened. 
Park tossed six innings with eight strikeouts and three hits allowed against Montgomery while also going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a triple in a 6-0 win. College Station lost to A&M Consolidated that night, setting up a Saturday afternoon one-game playoff in Navasota for the fourth and final playoff spot.
It was a massively successful day as the Mustangs won 8-3 with the Cougars scoring all their runs in the top of the seventh.
Since then, Magnolia West has only added to the winning streak, which has now reached 12 games after going a perfect 10-0 so far in the playoffs. The Mustangs have swept Lake Belton, Elgin, A&M Consolidated (who beat Magnolia West by a combined score of 16-10 in the regular season), Sante Fe and then Lake Creek (who beat Magnolia West by a run twice in district play).
“It took every single one of us not to give in to some of that failure earlier in the year,” Earles said. “I couldn’t be more proud of this group. I’m very, very blessed to be around such high quality young men, the community and the whole deal. It’s a blessing.”
Magnolia West will find out late Saturday or early Sunday who its state semifinal opponent will be. The semifinals are 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday at Dell Diamond.