Graystone Hills residents and spectators are invited to join in an interactive conversation with the community through commenting.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | Tagged in: Montgomery County , education , community
The South Montgomery County Library, 2101 Lake Robbins Drive hosted a lecture on green farming. Hans Hansen of Twin Persimmons Farm spoke about community supported agriculture, how it work, and how to get involved.
Hansen discussed Community Supported Agriculture as becoming a preferred method for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. These are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share and in return receive a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season, providing a win-win for farm and consumer.
According to their website, “Twin Persimmons Farm is three acres within 167 that are currently designated for vegetable production. The site is managed sustainably, informed by multiple disciplines and perspectives including permaculture, biodynamics, agricultural research and integral sustainability.” Twin Persimmons Farm grows produce for Houston, Bryan-College Station and associated communities.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Governor Rick Perry announced that the state will provide vouchers for temporary accommodations and will also cover essential expenses. The funding is from the Texas Disaster Relief Fund and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
The relief fund is giving $250,000 for vouchers and the state housing department is providing $350,000 for assistance cards to help residents pay for essential expenses.
In the first week of September 172 wildfires burned 135,050 acres. HEB has provided supplies and food over the past several weeks to those in need due to the wildfires. The HEB Mobile kitchen has provided meals in Bastrop County and Montgomery County. They provided dinner on September 10th to over 1,300 people at the Red Cross Emergency Shelter at Magnolia West High School. On September 11th HEB honored the firefighters and first responders by providing over 5,000 meals through out the day.
Posted on Sep 13, 2011 | Tagged in: weather , nature , Montgomery County , community , charity
The Montgomery County United Way is asking their friends and neighbors to aid the victims of the wild fires by donating to the cause. Conroe is fortunate to be out of reach from the fires that are ablaze across our great state, however in west Montgomery and across Texas hundreds are now in need. To donate or volunteer visit the Montgomery County United Way website. For daily updates visit their updates page.
For monetary donations call 281-292-4155 extension 235 or 1-888-825-MCUW extention 235 donate dollars, call 281-292-4155, ext. 235 or toll free 1-888-825-MCUW, ext. 235. Check made payable to: MCUW, P.O. Box 8965 The Woodlands, 77387. Include 2011 Fire in the memo line.
Donation of goods such as clothing, furniture or other household goods, visit www.HelpOurCounty.org. Click on Donate Goods or Volunteer. To donate goods, click on "Gift Match" and follow the instructions to register. To volunteer, enter "Fire 2011 Volunteers" in the keyword search and then follow instructions to register. You will be contacted as soon as opportunities become available.
Posted on Aug 9, 2011 | Tagged in: Montgomery County , Conroe , community , charity
The Assistance League of Montgomery County is expanding its signature philanthropic program. Operation School Bell provided new school clothes and shoes to over 4,000 Montgomery County children in 2010-11. Assistance League hopes to surpass that number in the 2011-12 school year. Children who will benefit from the program in Montgomery County are discreetly referred by school counselors. This year, Assistance League has partnered with Payless Shoes, Kohl’s, Target and Walmart. All members of this program meet the children and their parents at the department stores to assist them in selecting and paying for their new clothes.Assistance League of Montgomery County is a local chapter of National Assistance League and Operation School Bell is only one of the nine philanthropic programs supported by the Montgomery County Chapter.
“In May of this year, Assistance League of Montgomery County awarded six $4,000 scholarships to local high school students to assist them in earning a degree in the social sciences from a Texas University and in July, eight scholarships were awarded to adults returning to school to complete their education or to extend their skills to advance in the workplace.”
Posted on May 12, 2011 | Tagged in: Montgomery County , family , Conroe
Interstate 45 in Conroe now offers traveling motorists a new monument developed as a tribute to Texas history.
The Lone Star Monument Historical Flag Park opened to the public on April 21, 2011 and is located adjacent to the Montgomery County Central Library at I-45 and FM 2854. The park allows visitors a glimpse into the history of the many Texas Flags flown during our fight to gain independence from Mexico.
The Houston Galveston Area Council awarded a grant of $25,000 to the city of Conroe for the development of the public park.
Several items can be seen in the park, including sculptures and plaques along with 13 former Texas Republic and Battle Flags that were flown during the Texas Revolution. There is even a statue depicting the “common volunteer” who fought for Texas during the revolution.
Posted on May 3, 2011 | Tagged in: travel , Montgomery County , Conroe
On Wednesday, May 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the City of Conroe will hold a workshop to gain public input on a proposed Conroe Park and Ride site. The workshop will be held at the Montgomery County Central Library.
The City of Conroe hopes to encourage public input on the local commuter habits as this information is vital in the evaluation of the most feasible sites for a Park and Ride facility location and to decide how the carpooling services can be most effective at serving commuter needs from Conroe to places of employment in the Woodlands, Downtown Houston and the Texas Medical Center.
Transit experts and local officers will be available at the workshop to talk about public transportation and future mobility planning efforts.
Conroe residents are being encouraged to fill out a survey prior to the workshop at SurveyMonkey.com/S/ConroeCommute. The survey will remain online until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25th.
Posted on Apr 29, 2011 | Tagged in: Montgomery County , events , Conroe , business
A unique antique show is coming to Conroe in April and May!
On April 30 and May 1, the 12th Annual Antiques Show and Sale will take place in downtown Montgomery, located about 15 miles west of Conroe.
The Montgomery Business Association, who is hosting the event, will give a portion of the proceeds to local charities and a Montgomery Independent School District Scholarship.
The antique show will exhibit fine antiques from throughout Texas, Folk Art Vendors, music, entertainment, antiques and classic cars from the His & Her Car Club.
Posted on Apr 5, 2011 | Tagged in: Montgomery County
Major non-retail employers, or companies with at least 100 employees, in South County added more than 400 jobs in 2010, according to the South Montgomery County Woodlands Economic Development Partnership.
The EDP released its annual employee count of local non-retail employees early in 2011, as major employers are surveyed about area job growth trends.
Gil Staley, CEO of the EDP, said the number of major employers grew from 48 to 50 companies. Those companies employ 23,000 people combined, representing 31.8 percent of the total workforce in The Woodlands (72,240). The two employers added were Praxair, a supplier of specialty gases, which relocated a regional office and 150 employees, and Merchant’s Choice Payment Solutions, which moved from a midsize employer to a major employer and has 105 employees.
“We truly are encouraged by the economy in South Montgomery County,” Staley said. “We’re seeing positive job growth.”
While energy and health care are still the two largest sectors for non-retail employment in South County, Staley said the two sectors that experienced the most growth were energy and professional, specialty services.
The largest energy employer, Anadarko Petroleum, employs 2,566 and is the second-largest employer in South County behind the Conroe Independent School District, according to the EDP.
John Christiansen, director of external communications for Anadarko, said the company added about 100 employees in 2010.
He said Anadarko did not lose employees in The Woodlands office as a result of the offshore drilling moratorium, and Anadarko shifted much of its focus to shale plates in 2010, mainly the Eagle Ford shale plate in Texas and the Marcellus shale plate in the Northeast United States.
Anadarko expects to grow 7-9 percent annually in sales volumes and expects to continue to see job growth, Christiansen said. He believes the need for energy will continue the trend of job growth in the energy industry.
“Given the indication of where the industry seems to be heading, everybody needs energy,” he said. “You need energy for every part of your life.”
There were nine major employers in the energy sector, the third most behind professional, specialty services (13) and health care (10). However, the major energy employers accounted for 6,427 employees compared with 4,433 for major health care employers and 4,148 for major employers in professional, specialty services. More than 23,000 people are employed by major, non-retail employers.
Staley said midsize employers, or those that employ 50-99 people, also experienced growth, growing from 47 to 50 employers in 2010.
DemographicsNow estimated that the unemployment rate in South County is about 4.7 percent early in 2011. Although Staley said it is not as accurate as the Texas Workforce Commission numbers, the number is significantly lower than the most recent countywide unemployment rate of 7.6 percent in February, according to the TWC.
“We believe we are so fortunate to have such a diverse group of companies, and that diversity helps you during down times,” Staley said.
Staley expects 2011 will continue to improve on the job growth in 2010.
“We’re getting a lot of requests in terms of relocation to the area both outside of the state and within the state,” he said. “We think 2011 will be a great year for job growth for South Montgomery County.”
Posted on Jan 9, 2011 | Tagged in: Montgomery County , entertainment
The Texas Tenors will be presented by the Montgomery County Performing Arts Society on Friday January 21 at The Ark Church at 7:30 pm.
The Tenors sing country and folk selections such as those by John Denver and Alabama. The Tenors also sing operatic and pop standards by Frank Sinatra and others.
In 2009, the Tenors placed fourth on America’s Got Talent and their debut album “Country Roots, Classical Sound” has been well received. They are planning to release a second album soon.
The Tenors have performed in over 150 concerts across the country. They have performed in such places at the Houston Symphony, the Van Cliburn Foundation, The Royal Theatre of Scotland, Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, MGM Grand Foxwoods, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and the Pro Bull Riders World Championship.
Posted on Dec 23, 2010 | Tagged in: people , Montgomery County , charity
Montgomery County Youth Services received a wonderful donation from Conroe resident Doris Oakley to help homeless and neglected children.
Oakley, along with her daughter Cindy and two other friends, fashioned more than 100 snowmen with drums, 100 blankets, and several Christmas stockings filled with candy and treats. She has been making donations to non profits for the past three years.
Oakley begins building snowmen each year in January, and by the spring time has received the materials to create the blankets. Her daughter helps tremendously with the projects, including purchasing 80 yards of fleece. Although it takes her all year to complete the projects, it is all worth the hard work come December!
Montgomery County Youth Services offer services for children in the county. They also combine services with Fairway Home, a transitional living program for homeless youth and Bridgeway, an emergency shelter for abused and neglected youth. Both organizations have offices throughout the county, including Conroe, the Woodlands, and Magnolia.
