Blog entries - December 2009

Crighton Players Shake Up The New Year

Greg Rivera — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:55:13 +0100

Looking for a way to shake up the New Year with some fun, food, and music? Conroe area residents can check out the Crighton Players’ production of “Shaking Up The New Year – A Tribute to Elvis.”

The show will feature a catered dinner by TreeBeards at 7:30pm, followed by the show at 9:30. ‘Shaking Up The New Year’ will offer a fun time for all at the Owen Theatre in downtown Conroe and features performers Larry Nelson, Joey Lamont, Jeff Elkins and Mike Ragan. But it doesn’t stop there – after the show there will be time for dancing on the Owen stage as The David McKenery Band plays live music for your enjoyment until the clock ticks down to midnight.

As 2009 rolls into 2010 there will be a balloon drop and a champagne toast - a lively night of enjoyment to start the New Year!

Tickets are $80 per couple or $45 per person. Space is limited to 120 party goers, so call now to get your tickets. For reservations and information please visit www.crightonplayers.org or call 936-539-4090.

Lone Star College System to add LSC-Conroe Location

Greg Rivera — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:01:28 +0100

The Lone Star College System plans to triple its capacity in Conroe by building a new LSC-Conroe facility. During a Board meeting in early December 2009, the LSC Board of trustees gave approval to the chancellor/designee to form an agreement with EMJ Corporation, a construction company out of Irving, TX, for a $13 million contract which will allow construction of a new facility to begin in January 2010.

The new LSC-Conroe Center, to be located at 777 North FM 3083 Rd E., will offer 83,000 sq ft of space and will have a capacity of 3,500 students. Currently 350 students attend the LSC-Conroe Satellite Center, located at 102 Longview Drive. LSCS Senior Vice Chancellor Rand Key said she “would not be surprised if [they] got that in three years.”

Formerly LSC-Conroe courses were held in a storefront location with only 30,000 sq ft of space to accommodate students. Many of these courses moved to what is now LSC-Montgomery and to a Conroe Satellite location that offers workforce and career training such as computer technology, telecommunications, and light industrial/manufacturing. The new location will add courses in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning and will “significantly enhance academic transfer availability as well as workforce and certification training,” according to Key.

LSC-Conroe will feature a 67,000 sq ft academic building with 12 general classrooms, 8 computer labs, 12 faculty offices, an on-site bookstore, library, testing center, and numerous academic transfer and workforce programs to name a few. It will even have the potential to offer an on-site Conroe Regional Medical Center Clinic. There will also be a 16,000 sq ft industrial building that will host welding, HVAC and machining programs, and house 2 full service bays for automotive and diesel technology programs. This is according to the LSCS website where you can find floor plans and detailed location information. http://www.lonestar.edu

Source: www.hcnonline.com/conroe_courier

Tips for Homeowners as Winter Weather Approaches

Greg Rivera — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:00:56 +0100

The Holidays are in full swing and so is winter; this past weekend’s freeze is likely not the last for Montgomery County this season.

With the winter weather blowing into town homeowners have questions and concerns about how to protect their home. Here are a few things that you can do in a little time now that will save you big in the long run.

Wrap or cover exposed pipes, faucets and water connections – including sprinkler systems
Be sure to turn off your sprinkler system during a hard freeze
If temperatures drop below freezing for an extended time you will also want to wrap or cover pipes in your attic
For appliances in unheated garages experts recommend that you not use them for 10 hours after temperatures have risen above freezing

As Chuck Ebert of Chuck’s Home Repairs shared, “Exposed water pipes and connections are the biggest concern. When water freezes in a pipe, it can burst and cause a lot of damage.”

The other biggest concern usually has to do with outside plants and shrubs. While a brief freeze like the one expected the first weekend in December is good for some plants, signaling them to go dormant for the coming winter, it is not a good thing for some plants that Texas’ warm weather can support. For the warm weather plants you can take the following precautions:

Pick fruit from citrus trees before the freeze
Make sure your plants are well watered before the cold weather blows in
Exotic and tropical plants, which are more susceptible to freezing, should be protected by covering or brought indoors

For tips and ideas on what to use to cover your plants please visit: http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/shelter-plants-from-winters-worst.aspx

Remember, a little work now can save you big in the long run.

Source: www.hcnonline.com/conroe_courier

Conroe and Surrounding Areas Receive Over $18 Million

Greg Rivera — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:49:19 +0100

Montgomery County and area residents will benefit as local entities and businesses receive millions through grants and contracts from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Texas Department of Transportation received the largest allotment of funds, with the Brazos Transit District receiving the second largest allotment of $1.67 million. The money awarded to the BTD will be used to construct a marina for The Woodlands water taxis along The Woodlands Waterway, as well as create a maintenance facility for its buses. This is in addition to $2.3 million awarded to expand the Sterling Ridge Park and Ride from 200 spaces to 1,000 – a project on the top of the BTD’s list.

“Montgomery County got a sizeable amount of the ARRA money. It’s because of the rapid growth and the need,” John McBeth, president of the BTD said. The Sterling Ridge Park and Ride “should address today’s demand and future need until 2020,” McBeth said. With an outlook on stabilizing the economy now and looking towards the future in hope, the ARRA awarded over $18 million to area entities and businesses, with the plans of improving life for area residents.

The BTD is expected to award a bid for Sterling Ridge Park and Ride project the first week of December 2009, with construction set to start later in the month. During the construction period the project is expected to create between 35-45 new jobs, and the project should be completed six months following initial construction. The marina project will soon be underway along with other projects across Montgomery County which includes plans by TxDot, the City of Conroe, the City of Willis, Montgomery County and more.

For more information please visit www.recovery.gov.

Here are some of the projects taking place that will benefit Conroe and area residents:

TxDoT: awarded $4.91 million to widen Loop 494 from U.S. 59 to Kingwood Drive, and $555,792 for drainage improvements on FM 1314 – this according to Recovery.gov and TxDoT’s website

The City of Conroe: awarded $288,308 to improve the quality of life for low income residents through housing relocation and reconstruction projects, to purchase a thermal imaging camera for firefighters to use in locating persons in burning buildings, and an emergency electrical generator for the Conroe Police Department building.

Montgomery County: awarded $2.36 million to purchase digital in-car video recorders and tasers for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office, provide financial assistance and services to prevent 120 households from becoming homeless, and help at least 12 households be re-housed. It will also go to provide low-interest loans to businesses wishing to expand or relocate to East Montgomery County and hire low-income residents.

Lone Star Community Health Center: awarded $1.07 million to upgrade the centers outdated x-ray machine and purchase new computers and software, as well as hire a new doctor to expand patient care.

Houston Advanced Research Center: awarded a $2 million dollar Clean Diesel Emerging Technology grant to fund a retrofit project targeting a variety of power ratings in on and off-road vehicles in Texas, in order to reduce diesel emissions and improve air quality.