Tomball Magnolia Tribune - TribuneNews.com

Magnolia’s central fire station set to open in spring 2010

Holly Dutton — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:56:00 +0000

The Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department’s (MVFD) 28,000 square foot facility, currently under construction, is headed for a spring 2010 opening, according to Chief Gary Vincent.

The facility, which Vincent said has been in the works for “several years,” will be the central headquarters for all Magnolia volunteer fire stations and the main storage facility for fleet vehicles.

Above, the Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department’s new 28,000 square foot facility

Serving their country still a wish for local veterans

Holly Dutton — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:53:00 +0000

At 83, World War II veteran Franklin Stephens would gladly go overseas to fight for his country.

And he’s not alone.

Tomball Veterans of Foreign War trustee and WWII veteran Charles Parker said he tried to re-enlist recently but was told he was “too experienced.”

“In this post, among our vets, there’s not a single one who wouldn’t volunteer to do it

Magnolia’s Christmas Parade to kick off holiday festivities

Holly Dutton — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:53:00 +0000

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Magnolia’s annual Christmas Parade is set for Dec. 12 and will kick off a weekend of holiday festivities in the city.

The parade, titled “Christmas Magnolia Style Parade,” will feature floats from city hall members, Magnolia schools and surrounding businesses and organizations.

A Miss Magnolia will not be crowned until February 2010, but Miss Tomball will be featured in the parade.

The parade route will begin at Magnolia Junior High on Nichols Sawmill

Ice rink to add to Tomball holiday festivities

Brian Walzel — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:52:00 +0000

The City of Tomball is expanding its holiday activities this year with what is shaping up to be a very popular attraction.

The Holiday Ice Rink will open its doors, and its synthetic ice, on Nov. 21 and run through Jan. 10, and will be located at the Tomball Depot Plaza, one block south of Main Street at 201 S. Elm.

City staff recommended the project to the city council in March with the hope that it would bring people to Tomball

Tomball council set to vote on firing City Manager Belcher

Brian Walzel — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:48:00 +0000

Tomball City Manager Jan Belcher’s days at City Hall appear to be numbered as the city council will vote Nov. 16 to terminate her employment.

Near the conclusion of the Nov. 2 city council meeting, the council voted 4-1 to place an item on the next meeting’s agenda to terminate Belcher’s employment with the city. David Quinn was the lone dissenting vote.

The action came after a previous workshop meeting during which the council was scheduled to discuss goals Belcher was to work towards in order to gain a contract extension.

Her current contract with the city expires in September

From the Book of Clifford

Clifford Parker — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:47:00 +0000

My mom mentioned a name today that brought back many, many memories for me. She said she talked to a long-time family friend named Esther Cronin. They had both attended a funeral for a lifelong member of our community and my heart goes out to the Selensky Family who lost a family patriarch this past week.

When Mom told me she saw Esther it brought back many, many memories for me all the way back to my Lutheran Grade

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Waller volleyball takes first round playoff game over Elgin

Brian Walzel — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:46:00 +0000

The Waller Lady Bulldog varsity volleyball team defeated Elgin High School in five sets (10-25, 25-17, 25-19, 17-25, 15-11) Nov. 3 in the first round of the 4A playoffs. Elgin finished first in District 17-4A.

The Lady Bulldogs fought hard and took control of the match in the fifth game to take the win. Senior captain Kallie Carpenter led the team with 12 kills. She also added 12 digs. Senior Kaydee Rayburn led the
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Checking Magnolia’s E-mails – Nov. 9

Tribune Staff — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:46:00 +0000

The following are copies of e-mails obtained by the Tribune. The e-mails include messages sent and received by City Administrator Ryan Kelley, Mayor Jimmy Thornton, finance clerk Beverly Standley and former City Secretary LuAnn Drake. City e-mails and records are available to the public through the Texas Public Information Act.

FROM: Beverly Standley, Finance Clerk

TO: Ryan Kelley, City Administrator

DATE: November 21, 2008

SUBJECT: Hotel/Motel Occupancy

Mr. Kelley, I
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Cougars can’t hang with Klein Forest, fall 41-16

Brian Walzel — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:46:00 +0000

After a last-minute Homecoming win Oct. 23 over Dekaney that gave them their first district win of 2009, and just second overall, the Tomball Cougars came crashing back down to earth against Klein Forest Oct. 30.

Despite taking an early lead, the Cougars were routed in their next to last game of the season, 41-16, by one of the Houston area’s top teams.

Early on it appeared as if the Cougars would pick up right where they left off against Dekaney when
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College System has plans in place in case of flu emergency

Administrator — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:45:00 +0000
Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Style Definitions table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Lone Star College System (LSCS) has emergency plans in place if a pandemic flu event reaches the northwest Houston area.

While the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has reported that nearly every state has widespread influenza activity – including Texas – Lone Star College has not reported any widespread cases nor any new, specific
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Tomball HS drama to present ‘Footloose’ musical

Administrator — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:45:00 +0000

Tomball High School students (from left) Audrey Wilson, Katie Oliver, Blake Jackson and Robert Lewis rehearse a scene from the musical “Footloose.” The story of “Footloose” focuses on Ren McCormack, a high school student forced to move to a small town only to discover that his favorite pastime, dancing, has been banned by the community. It does not take Ren long to figure out that the local reverend’s daughter also opposes the ban on dancing and together they work to get it
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NAM seeking volunteers, donations for 2009 holiday distributions

Administrator — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:43:00 +0000

Northwest Assistance Ministries (NAM) has a great need for volunteers to coordinate its holiday projects, sort toys or food and for donations of food and toys or other gifts for children and teens.

NAM expects to serve 800 families in November and 1,000 families in December. The main Thanksgiving distribution date is Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Thanksgiving turkeys and food. The last day for people needing Thanksgiving food to apply is Nov. 13. The holiday gift and food main distribution dates are Dec. 19 and 21
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Cougars come away with heart-stopping win on Homecoming

Brian Walzel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:24:00 +0000

The Tomball Cougars picked the ideal time to earn their first district win on the 2009 season, and they did so in dramatic fashion.

On Homecoming night, the Cougars took on the Dekaney Wildcats having lost their first four district games and buried in the 13-5A standings.

But Tomball quarterback Lance Ester and wide receivers Jordan Leslie and Matt Marfisi made sure the Cougar faithful would go home happy and enjoy the weekend’s festivities.

Trailing
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LSC-Tomball to hold Veterans Day Celebration

Brian Walzel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000

The community is invited to join Lone Star College-Tomball in celebrating Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11.

Activities get under way at 10:30 a.m. with military strategic vehicles on display on the college grounds until 12:30 p.m. Also beginning at 10:30 a.m., the branches of the military will have information tables and displays in the commons.

The ceremony begins at 12:30 p.m. with a welcome and a presentation of colors by the United States Army Color Guard. The LSC-Tomball choir will sing the
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Magnolia high schools to square off in football showdown

Holly Dutton — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000
It only happens once a year.

On Friday, Nov. 6, The Magnolia Bulldogs will take on the Magnolia West Mustangs, capping off the end of the season for both football teams and securing bragging rights for whichever team comes out victorious between the two rivals.

Last year, the Magnolia Bulldogs defeated the still-new Mustangs 40-14.

Mayor Jimmy Thornton was one of the trophy presenters at last year’s game – a role he will not reprise at this year’s game due to work obligations that have taken him out of state.

Thornton, who is an ’84 graduate of MHS, gave
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Toys for Tots campaign sees surge of families in need

Holly Dutton — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:21:00 +0000
National non-profit organization Toys for Tots has begun its annual toy drive for the holiday season in an effort to ensure all children in the area will have presents on Christmas morning.
A more than 50-year old group, Toys for Tots is run by the U.S. Marine Corps and has a nationwide reach.

Locally, Toys for Tots has been active for many years, and offers several drop-off locations in the area for people to donate toys.

Carol Nemec, Toys for Tots assistant local coordinator for the Waller, Fort Bend and North Harris County area, said that the tough economic climate
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Repairs to Tomball well on track after council approves expense

Brian Walzel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:21:00 +0000

The City of Tomball is finally nearing completion of repairs to a water well that failed this summer after the council approved a $57,000 expenditure to the engineering company repairing the system.

At an October meeting, the council unanimously approved the expense, which is the first of two to fulfill a $142,000 cost for total repair of Pine St. #2 well.

The well experienced mechanical failure on July 28, forcing the city to enforce Stage II water restrictions. The Stage II plan
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Latest e-mails show Kelley knew of unpaid Magnolia Ridge water bills

Holly Dutton — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:21:00 +0000
Magnolia City Administrator Ryan Kelley was aware of Magnolia Ridge’s unpaid water bills for months, despite previously stating that he was not, according to e-mails obtained by the Tribune.
Magnolia Ridge, a large-scale subdivision managed by Magnolia-Tex Acquisition Company, LLC, located off FM 1488 near the intersection of Buddy Riley Boulevard in Magnolia, has stalled development in recent months. No residents have moved in as of yet.

In a previous story reported by the Tribune on Sept. 21, the Magnolia Ridge subdivision accrued several months of unpaid water bills.

In an e-mail dated July 15 from Councilman John Bramlett to
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H1N1 vaccination in short supply at Tomball Regional

Brian Walzel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:21:00 +0000

Even though Texas has received the second highest number of H1N1 vaccinations, finding a place to get it has proven to be difficult.

According to the Center for Disease Control, as of Oct. 23 more than 831,000 doses of the H1N1, also known as swine flu, vaccination have been shipped to Texas. The only state that has received more is California, which is expected to get more than 1.3 million doses.

However, in most cases the doses are being given first to
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Checking Magnolia’s E-mails – Nov. 2

Tribune Staff — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:19:00 +0000

The following are copies of e-mails obtained by the Tribune from open records requests submitted to the City of Magnolia. The e-mails include messages sent and received by City Administrator Ryan Kelley, Mayor Jimmy Thornton, City Secretary Debra Brent, City Councilwoman Patsy Williams and former City Secretary LuAnn Drake. Each week the Tribune will publish e-mails received in the requests. City e-mails and records are available to the public through the Texas Public Information Act. To
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