12 - The Dockline

Transcription

12 - The Dockline

KITCHEN & BATH REMODELING
It’s more than just a name, it’s a way of doing business...
The Company
That Does It All!
Interior Services:
12
• Granite Countertops
MONTHS
• Bathrooms
NO INTEREST
If paid in full in
• Kitchens
12 months
• Game Rooms
• Tile / Carpet / Hardwood
• Painting
SUMMER SPECIAL
20%
Off
Exterior Services:
• Carports
• Patio Covers
VISIT OUR
4500 SQ. FT.
• Sunrooms
SHOWROOM
• Screen Rooms
DESIGN CONSULTANTS
AVAILABLE
• Outdoor Kitchens
• Room Additions
• Garage Doors
• Stucco & Hardie Siding
• Roofing
• Windows
• Painting
• Fencing
Call Today For A Free
At Home Estimate
281.419.4144
936.271.5185
DWRConstruction.com
445 Spring Hill Dr.
Spring, Texas 77386
All offers subject to change.
Winner of Distinction
2010 & 2011
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
THE REMODELING INDUSTRY
Top
Producer
for June
2012!
Marion Franke
Brenda King
Paul Bacon
Kim Bowling
Margaret Bowers
Mary Ann Cluxton
Ryan Dooley
Donna Franke
Isaac Franke
Robert Graham
Kevin Hasara
Jacob Hebert
Dawn Johnson
Bob Murphy
Janice Oliver
Judy Regil
David Taylor
Christian Tewes
Judy Wilson
2200 FM 3083 • Conroe, TX 77304
Office
800-518-7755 • 936-647-4400
Fax
936-647-4401
Follow the Team
twitter.com/franketeam • youtube.com/franketeam
facebook.com/franketeam • www.lakeconroeheroes.com
www.franketeam.com/blog
www.franketeam.com
4
Dock Line Magazine, Inc. - Lake Conroe Edition August 2012
From the Managing Editor
The Magazine About Life on the Water’s Edge
CONTENTS
table of
Hey everyone! How do you guys like
my beach pose? Notice how Kelly has
gracefully photoshopped Ozzy’s hand
out of the picture and perfectly aligned
a beach blanket and ocean scene behind
me. Yes, I will admit I’m really wearing
the hat but if you saw where Ozzy’s hand
was you would wear the hat too. Yes, the
look on my face is my deer in the headlights look, but I just want to point out it
was a truly stressful moment.
Well gang, I will say times around
here have been a little stressful in general.
We published our first issue in Magnolia
this month and with other markets like
Canyon Lake and Knoxville, Tennessee
coming on board there sure are a few new
faces around here, but it’s exciting everyday!
I hope you all enjoy our August issue,
it is jam packed with great information
and cool advertisers. Can you believe we
are this far into 2012? Time is going by so
fast! Well, it’s time to say adios amigos!
Have a great month and try to stay cool
and out of the heat!
August 2012
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Final Touch Granite and Remodeling - Provides Proven
Professionalism, Quality and Originality to Montgomery County
Homeowners
20 In & Around
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Landscaper Shares Tips on Transforming Backyards into
Entertainment areas at the Fall Home & Garden Show at The
Woodlands
The Doc’s Line
San Jacinto River Authority: Update on SJRA Groundwater
Reduction Program
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San Jacinto River Authority Kid’s Page
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Montgomery Uncorked
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Body, Mind & Spirit
Families for Fergusons
‘The Premier Medical Spa’ of The Woodlands
Health Talk
Nationally Recognized Powerhouse Real Estate Broker Ruth Stultz
Tops Multimillion Dollar Sales Chart
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ON THE COVER
Follow Us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/
TheDockLineMagazine
La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa - Paradise Playground on Lake
Conroe Caters to Locals and Visitors Year Round
Luxurious La Torretta Resort
Set to Host World Class Events
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LSGCD: 10 Years of Effective Groundwater Management
Back to Health
Stage Right Announces 2012-2013 Season of Miracles
Seniors & Siblings
A Crash Course in Insurance
Texas Parks & Wildlife: Things to Consider for the Not-So-Skilled
Freshwater Fisherman
Real Estate News
From the Chairman’s Desk
“Pet Trust” Not Just For Leona Helmsley Anymore
Can You Hear Me Now?
Clear Direction for Your Retirement™
Dog Days & Cat Days of Summer!!!
Recipes by Richard
Creatures from the Deep
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Lake Conroe Fishing Report
Fish News
Fish News
Catch ‘Em, Clean
‘Em & Eat ‘Em
The Bug Guy Chronicles
Visit us on the web! www.docklinemagazine.com
Dock Line Magazine, Inc. - Lake Conroe Edition August 2012 5
The Magazine About Life on the Waters Edge
Verle “Ozzy” Osborne
PUBLISHER
Susan Osborne
editor
Coconut
Managing Editor
Kelly L. O’Quinn
Art Director
Lindsey Kasprzak
Graphic Designer
Linda Sharver
office manager
Jay Osborne
director of sales
Angela Glezman
Mary Daily
Tyler Forner
sales
Glynda Huddleston
writer/sales
Contributors:
James M. Bright • Tom Latter • Michael Homer, Jr.
Cary Wortham • Shana Buchanan, DVM, MBA
Benton Baker III, MD, FACOG, FACS
Walter D. Wilkerson, Jr., M.D. • Kathy Joslyn
Dr. Todd R. Custer, D.C., A.T.C. • Jaimi Fore
Polo Lacoste, Sr., B.S., CLU, CSA
Sharon LaCoste, B.S.N., R.N. • Richard Crider
Butch Terpe • Craig Wear, CFP® • Billy S. Cox, Jr.
Carolyn Corsano Wong • Kathryn Rogers
David Whiteley • Karla Nash • Candace Joyner
Mark Smith • Terri Rosenthal, MA, MS, LMFT
DOCK LINE MAGAZINE is published by:
Dock Line Magazine, Inc.
P.O. Box 1203, Willis, TX 77378
Telephone: 936-890-7234
Fax: 936-890-7244
E-mail: [email protected]
Subscriptions to DOCK LINE MAGAZINE
cost $20.00 per year. To subscribe, mail a
check with your name and address to:
P.O. Box 1203
Willis, TX 77378
Dock Line Magazine, Inc. welcomes reader
correspondence. We reserve the right to edit
or reject any material submitted. The publisher
assumes no responsibility for the return of any
unsolicited material.
DOCK LINE MAGAZINE, INC.© 2012, all
rights reserved. All editorial and advertising copy
belongs solely to DOCK LINE MAGAZINE, INC.
Reproduction in whole or part without express
written permission is strictly prohibited.
Articles are the opinions and experiences of
other people and we do not necessarily approve,
agree with, and/or condone those opinions.
6
La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa
600 La Torretta Blvd.
Montgomery, TX 77356
936-448-4400
By: Jaimi Fore, Marketing Manager – La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa
Need a vacation, but don’t want to spend your
time and money traveling a great distance to reach
a faraway destination? Why not join millions of
other vacationers that have decided on a stress free
alternative? La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa is just
the place for families looking for luxury and relaxation in a vacation getaway close to home. Located
on Lake Conroe, just 50 miles north of downtown
Houston, “La Torretta’s proximity to the populations of Texas ‘s four largest cities; Houston Austin,
Dallas and San Antonio makes it an ideal choice
for those wanting a quick getaway and saving a
little on gas,” proposes Marketing Director, Al Luciano. La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa has lots of
activities to keep even the most demanding guest
entertained. From the Aqua Park to tennis and
golf, the fitness center and spa, vacationers will
find plenty of activities to fill their day.
Amenities to Please
Vacationers are looking for excellent customer service in the resorts they visit. In addition
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to service, guests expect first-rate restaurants and
other star-quality amenities that offer something
for every member of the family from young children to teenagers and adults. “Golf, tennis, pools,
and boating - La Torretta provides all of the activities to make your stay energy packed,” assures Mr.
Luciano. If you’re a vacationer who likes to plan
how you’ll spend your time while away, you can
visit the resort’s website at www.latorrettalakeresort.com to find
activities to fill your
agenda and then call
the concierge to arrange reservations for
those events that require advance notice.
The guest who
prefers to decide his day
on the spur of the moment can ask the conContinued on page 10 1
©PatrickForePhotography.com
cierge to help arrange things after their arrival at the
resort. In addition to the numerous on-site activities,
guests may choose to tour the historic town of Montgomery and the local wineries. Making your trip to La
Torretta a little sweeter, the resort offers guests a Texas
Wine Adventure package that includes complimentary
wine tastings at three wonderful local wineries. Cork
This! Winery, Retreat Hill Cellars and Bernhardt Winery have teamed up with La Torretta to give guests a
taste of the local Texas countryside. The package also
includes a complimentary bottle of wine, two collector wine glasses, wine bottle opener, complimentary
valet parking and resort fee with their luxury accommodations, in a package deal available until the end of
September.
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Corporate Packages
La Torretta has much to offer its business
clients as well. Corporate guests enjoy the leisure
elements of the resort and the team building opportunities. “La Torretta has recently been named
a top meeting destination by Convention South
and Texas Meeting and Events Magazines. The
IAAC affiliated Conference Center provides spaces
for large and small events,” says Mr. Luciano. The
conference center also uses conference tables that
allow more comfortable seating for participants as
opposed to banquet tables; the audio/visual equipment is built-in in each room; the rooms are individually climatic controlled; include sound systems and microphones; and music can be piped
in to the rooms. Meeting planners can purchase
an all inclusive package that includes guest rooms,
meeting room, food, beverages and audio/visual
access. This gives the client an exact rate for their
event and no after-event billing surprises to deal
with later.
Just for Locals
Local residents also have the chance to join a
membership club, such as the resort’s social membership that gives access to discounts in all dining
©PatrickForePhotography.com
outlets and up to a 40% discount on guestrooms
with complimentary valet parking and other amenities. For all the bells and whistles, enjoy a resort
membership that includes perks from complimentary greens fees and access to the Aqua Park to discounts on amenities from spa treatments to dining
outlets. Ask about our summer initiation special
with your resort membership and take advantage
of the deep summer discounts. La Torretta memberships just got a little sweeter for seniors, with
discounts of up to 50% off on all memberships. To
find out more information about all memberships
contact Angela Robinson at 936-582-6338.
Concours d’Elegance Car Show
The Concours d’Elegance auction brought
bidders from far and wide, with representatives
from 28 states and seven countries including Mexico, Canada, Bahrain, Greece, Israel and Dubai
making it a world-renowned event held right here
on Lake Conroe. It was a collector’s paradise with
vintage classics like the 1932 Duesenberg Model J
The Red Velvet
Cake War
The Miracle
Worker
by Jones, Hope,
and Wooten
by William Gibson
Shows: Sept. 7-23, 2012
Auditions: July 15-16, 2012
LWB Speedster to a special order 1968 Porsche
911S. Legendary hot rod builders Gas Monkey
Garage created two one of a kind special vehicles especially for the auction, which were sold
on Saturday at no reserve. The spirited bidding
was caught on camera for the upcoming TV series, Fast-N-Loud.
With thousands in attendance the Concours d’Elegance car show highlighted legendary Beatle George Harrisons’ Aston-Martin DB5
in its American debut and over 120 selected automobiles presented with sixteen classes recognizing pre- and post-war classics, performance
cars, American Woodies, American and European sports cars and motorcycles. A spectacular 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500/540K Cabriolet A,
owned by John Groendyke of Enid, Oklahoma,
took Best in Show in the pre-war category, with
a 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera Competition Coupe
owned by Jeff Moore of Houston, Texas, taking
the post-war Best of Show award. J.B. Saunders’
beautiful 1937 Ford Darrin Convertible Cabriolet appropriately won the People’s Choice Award
in an event that honored custom-bodied classics. A full list of the 2012 Concours d’Elegance
of Texas awards winners is available online at
www.concoursoftexas.org, along with a gallery
of images from the event.
The 2013 Concours d’Elegance of Texas is
Continued on page 12 1
Shows: Apr. 19-May. 5, 2013
Auditions: Feb 17-18, 2013
My Three Angels
The Wizard
of Oz
Samuel Spewack and
Bella Spewack
based on La Cuisine Des
Anges by Albert Husson
By L. Frank Baum
Adapted by Frank
Gabrielson
Shows: Nov. 30-Dec 16, 2012
Auditions: Sept. 9-10, 2012
Shows: Jul. 12-28, 2013
Auditions: April 21-22, 2013
The Drowsy
Chaperone
Benefits of
Season Subscription
Music & Lyrics by
Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison
Book by Bob Martin
& Don McKellar
•
•
•
•
•
•
Shows: Feb. 15-Mar. 3, 2013
Auditions: Dec 2-3, 2012
Reserved seats in the Crown Jewel of
Montgomery County for all shows!
Your seats reserved in advance for next
season
Complimentary ticket exchange
Over a 20% discount on tickets
1 Free “Friends of a Subscriber” ticket to
one show
Your name in every program
234 N. Main Street • Conroe, TX 77301
www.stage-right.org
936-441-SHOW
•
$75 for all five plays
ext. 201
(936-441-7469)
Funded in part by the Conroe Commission on Arts & Culture
scheduled for Sunday, May 5th, with Worldwide
Auctioneers 12th annual The Houston Classic
Auction on Saturday, May 4th. Interested parties
are invited to stay up to date with Concours news
and updates by visiting www.concoursoftexas.org
and by liking concoursoftexas on Facebook.
Upcoming Events & Activities
La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa, the official resort of the Texas Renaissance Festival, offers Texas
sized savings to Renaissance Festival guests. La
Torretta encourages guests to see the beauty, hear
the sounds and savor the tastes of the 16th century
as it comes to life every weekend in October and
November. As the only resort offering four complimentary tickets and round trip transportation
to the festival with their Texas Renaissance Festival
Package, La Torretta offers a return to the 21st century at Houston’s lakefront playground.
Spend your holidays with the La Torretta family year after year with their holiday brunches and
celebrations. This Thanksgiving, Christmas and
New Year’s will bring with it a host of celebrations
and delicacies to delight your taste buds. With buffets in their Prime dining outlet and cocktail parties to ring in the New Year there is something for
everyone at La Torretta for the holidays. u
Resort Amenities at a Glance:
• SpaTerre
• Full Service Salon
• Fitness Center • Yoga Studio
• Pilates Studio
• Spin Studio
• The Club at La Torretta
• Driving Range • Putting Greens
• Miniature Golf • Tennis Courts
• The Edge, Teen Lounge
• Adventure Pointe, Kid’s Camp
• Conference Center
• Wedding & Event Venues
• 18 Hole Golf Course
Centers
• Shop Shop Shop
• The Adult Jacuzzi
• Heated Adult Infinity Pool
• Mediterranean Pool
• Breeze Buster
• Splash Scape
• Pollywogs Pool
• Lay-Z River Rapids
• Bora Bora Beach
• Onsite Boat Ramp
• 8 Restaurants, Grills, Bars & Lounges
12
By: Glynda Huddleston
The professionals at Final Touch Granite offer the best in custom home accents. Pictured, from left, Abi Wences, Christen Wences, Tina Wicker,
Clay Wicker, Amy Conlin and George Amundsen.
Family owned and operated by Tina and Clay Wicker, Final Touch Granite
and Remodeling has been dubbed as one of Montgomery’s best kept secrets. This
husband and wife team, married for 30 years, have been providing service to
the community since the early 80’s. Clay is a second generation builder who is
knowledgeable of every facet of construction and has over 30 years of experience
in the custom home building and remodeling industry. From childhood, Tina
has loved working with colors and designing special custom and ‘one of a kind’
projects. Their state of the art showroom provides clients the opportunity to tour
a full scale model of elaborate vignettes, bathrooms, kitchens and entertainment
areas in a relaxed and educating environment. Unlike most showrooms that simply offer samples, Final Touch Granite and Remodeling displays many custom
pieces of furniture, mirrors and art designed personally by Tina and assembled
by her in-house crew. After touring the facility myself, and reviewing their extensive digital gallery of projects, I am thoroughly convinced that this company
can create and build just about anything one can dream up. The 5,000 sq. ft.
Final Touch Granite and Remodeling
12684 FM 149 • Montgomery, TX 77356
936-447-4346
www.finaltouchgranite.com
www.finaltouchremodeling.com
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Tina Wicker, owner of Final Touch Granite, offers years of experience
in designing traditional and custom vanities, countertops, cabinetry and
specialty home furnishings.
“Our philosophy is that
an educated customer
is a happy customer!”
~Clay Wicker, Custom Home Builder
and Certified Remodeler
~Tina Wicker, Design and Color Consultant
showroom and warehouse offers their clients the
ability to make selections of quality and diversified materials for their project. The showroom
offers everything from lighting to flooring, granite, limestone, marble, onyx, quartz, slate, soapstone, travertine, wood, cork, ceramic, porcelain,
glass, pebbles, metal, sinks, faucets, hardware,
balusters, vanities, and mirrors. They even offer
the products necessary for maintaining the materials installed in your home, and upon request,
will also send customers home with printed materials to reference for the care of their products.
With remodeling and renovation being a
common choice for homeowners, Final Touch
Granite and Remodeling has the ability to transform a home so that it not only gives an appearance that it’s been upgraded, but also to make
it look and feel like a custom home. “We really
listen to what customers are asking for in their
project and we try to accomodate their wish list,
many times designing an entire room around
personal items that the customer owns,” says
Tina Wicker. This statement is very evident in
their documented library of projects. Even better, clients receive the benefit of a great project
without the hassles of ‘managing’ it because the
trained and experienced showroom staff at Final
Touch Granite and Remodeling manages everything from start to finish.
Proposals are extremely detailed so that
customers will know exactly what they can expect, with product price ranges being extremely
broad allowing them to accommodate every
budget. Final Touch Granite and Remodeling
is known for its line item specification sheet encompassing all of the pertinent details concerning your project. This enables customers to see
the actual process developing, what it entails, and
gives evidence, as well as assurance that the work
The extensive showroom at Final Touch Granite features a full, working kitchen with a wide range of specialized design options.
will be performed in a productive and progressive
manner with no hidden surprises. Once this line
item proposal is created, and subsequently finely
tuned to meet your objectives, as well as your budget, a contract, along with specifications is created
and executed. Within this agreement, language is
inserted specifically as to what is expected of Final
Touch Granite and Remodeling and the customer
as well.
Throughout the project, homeowners have
access to a project manager who will assist with
any needs or concerns. The showroom staff handles scheduling and ordering, and their skilled
carpenters, electricians, plumbers, tile and stone
artisans work together so that your project runs
smoothly. After completion, the warranty department is available should clients find a need for
product repairs.
Before
After
For innovative, luxurious and quality home furnishings
throughout the house, Final Touch Granite is the best
choice in Montgomery County.
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The showroom at Final Touch Granite
features a wide range of luxurious, upscale
bathroom features and accents.
For those looking for specialty handles
and accents, Final Touch Granite offers a
wide range of unique options to turn the
ordinary into the extraordinary.
Tina and Clay Wicker are LEAD Certified,
making them qualified to work on homes built
before 1978. They have been members of The
Greater Houston Builders Association as well
as The Marble Institute of America. Because of
their hands-on approach, they stay up to date
with trends and ever-changing builder codes
related to residential construction. They feel
if their staff is knowledgeable, with their work
and products, they will be of better assistance to
customers. u
If you’re looking for a unique sink or lavatory option, look
no further than the showroom of Final Touch Granite.
Before
After
In addition to producing stock and
customized fixtures, Final Touch
Granite offers in-home design and
consultation services.
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The Flatlanders in Concert
When: Saturday, August 4, 2012
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Where: Crighton Theatre, 234 N. Main St.,
Conroe, TX 77301
Admission: $49
The Flatlanders 40th reunion tour! For more
information call 936-441-7469 or email info@
crightontheatre.org or visit the website at
www.crightontheatre.org.
Welcoming Neighbor Meeting
When: August 16, 2012
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Where: River Plantation Country Club, #1
Country Club Dr., Conroe, TX 77302
The August meeting of Welcoming Neighbor
Club of Montgomery County will feature a
style show by the Women’s Assistance League.
For more information contact Tricia at 281432-0776.
Chamber of Commerce Professional
Connection
When: Wednesday, August 29
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Corner Pub, 302 North Main St.,
Conroe, TX 77301
Fee: Free Admission
We invite you to join us for our monthly Professional Connection event. Who: Members of
the Greater Conroe/Lake Conroe Area Chamber of Commerce and Prospective Members,
we want to share with you the networking and
marketing benefits the Chamber has to offer.
Why: To build friendships, partnerships and
business relationships with fellow members.
For more information call 936-756-6644 or
email [email protected] or visit the website at
www.conroe.org.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church – 57th Annual
Bazaar
When: September 2, 2012
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: 8227 CR 205, Plantersville, Texas
77363
St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Plantersville,
Texas will host its 57th Annual Bazaar on Sunday, September 2, 2012. Visit this historic German Painted Church. Enjoy Bar-B-Q with all
the trimmings, desserts, raffle, booths, games,
live auction, live music, dancing, etc. Take
a stroll down memory lane in this Norman
Rockwell Americana type event. For more information and directions contact St. Mary’s at
www.smsj.org. u
20
10th Annual
Landscaper Shares Tips on Transforming
Backyards into Entertainment areas at the
Fall Home & Garden Show at The Woodlands
The Ultimate Putting Green, Focal Point of the Dream Vacation Backyard Exhibit, August 25-26
The ultimate putting green might not be any
further away than your own backyard.
Elliott Brothers Landscaping will showcase
their “Ultimate Putting Green” at the 10th Annual
Fall Home and Garden Show at The Woodlands, August 25-26, at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott.
Scott Elliott, one of the brothers who runs the
landscaping company, said just about any backyard
can make room for a round of golf. “We can turn
the entire backyard into a putting green, or we can
work with a portion or section of the yard,” he said.
The backyard green is made with synthetic
grass, which does not need mowing and requires
little maintenance. “Plus, there are no divots to fix,”
Elliott said. “Your backyard can be all about fun
-- and less about yard work.”
The Elliott brothers will bring a 400 sq. ft.
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putting green to the Fall Home and Garden Show
in The Woodlands, and visitors are invited to take
it for a test putt.
The company will also provide other ideas to
transform a backyard into a cooler, more inviting
entertainment area.
“We will set up a summer kitchen complete
with grill, refrigerator and something new -- a pizza oven,” Elliott said. “We want to show all the features we have to build a dream vacation backyard
– from Venetian paved-stone finishes to shadeproviding pergolas.”
Elliott said his company is a one-stop shop
Continuedon
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10153.H&GWoodlandsFall12_DocklineMAGhalfPageAd_H&GWoodlandsFall11TheHomeMagazineHalfPageAd 6/27/12 11:20 AM Page 1
August
25 -26
The Woodlands • WoodlandsShows.com
Tips • Tools • Trends
Create your dream HOME
from more than 200 home improvement
professionals and service providers
right here in your own backyard!
Sponsors:
for outdoor enjoyment. “If it happens outside, we
can take care of it.”
The landscaping company is one of 200 exhibitors on hand to inspire, educate and help homeowners get started on improvement projects.
Visitors will see the latest in home décor, remodeling, kitchen and bath, energy efficiency, landscaping and outdoor living at the home show.
Whirlpool Cooking Stage
Come see – and sample – what’s cooking as
Chefs whip up tasty recipes with the newest technologies for the kitchen.
Dr. Lori, Antiques Appraiser
Dr. Lori, star appraiser on Discovery Channel’s Auction Kings, is returning to The Woodlands for the Home and Garden Show. She will
offer one free appraisal on a first-come first-serve
basis, as time allows, to those who attend her
seminar.
Other special guest appearances include
Randy Lemmon, Newsradio 740 KTRH GardenLine host, Michael Garfield, The High-Tech
Texan and Radio Host on The 9-5-0, and more.
The speaking schedule will be posted soon
at WoodlandsShows.com, along with a complete
list of exhibitors.
Get everything needed to create your dream
home. Tips, trends and tools from more than 200
home product and service providers in your own
backyard.
24
SHOW INFORMATION
What:
The 10th Annual Fall Home & Garden Show at
The Woodlands
Where:
The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel &
Convention Center
1601 Lake Robbins Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77380
When:
Saturday, August 25, 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, August 26, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Tickets:
Cash only. Adults $9, Seniors $7, and free for
children under 12.
An ATM is located near the ticket window.
Parking:
FREE parking in the Parking Garage behind the
Convention Center next to the Cynthia Woods
Mitchell Pavilion on Six Pines and Lake Robbins,
with a covered walkway to the Convention Center.
Visit the website for additional parking information. WoodlandsShows.com.
For more information on the 10th Annual Fall
Home & Garden Show at The Woodlands, visit
WoodlandsShows.com, where a discount coupon
for $1 off show admission will be available, along
with special offers from exhibitors. u
26
Disaster Preparation
for Your Pets
Pet owners want to do what’s best for their
pets in case of a disaster. For reasons related to
health and space, pets are not allowed in public
emergency shelters, including those run by the
American Red Cross. The shelter must follow certain regulations, and not allowing pets is one of
them. You must make other arrangements, and
planning ahead for those arrangements will make
a difficult time much easier. The worst scenario,
leaving your pets at home, can usually be avoided.
In most states in the United States, service,
guide, and hearing dogs are allowed to stay in
emergency shelters with their owners; if you have
one of these dogs, check with your local emergency management officials before a disaster hits.
28
The Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS), the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), and the American Red
Cross work together in the U.S. during disasters. The agencies agree that
you should keep your pets with you if
at all possible, and agree that if your
home isn’t safe for you, it isn’t safe for
your pets.
The HSUS recommends that
you put together a disaster supply kit
packed in a waterproof container for
your pets. The container should have
three days to a week’s worth of food
and water, medications, veterinary records, leashes
or harnesses, a current photo of your pets for identification purposes, paper towels, litter pan and litter if you have a cat, sealable plastic bags, and an
extra leash and collar. Use flip-top canned food or
include a can opener. Place the photos in a sealable plastic bag. These items will be of use whether
you evacuate or are sheltered in place. If your pet
has medication that must be kept cool, keep the
medication in one of the sealable plastic bags and
ice it with ice from the Red Cross. The HSUS recommends that you have a carrier for each one of
your pets.
Replace the food in your disaster kit on a regular basis so that it doesn’t spoil. Temporary paper
tags from an office supply store can be used as alternative identification tags could be useful if you
need to put a relative’s phone number on the pet.
The Cat Fanciers’ Association recommends
that if you have to confine cat(s) for a long period of time, have a carrier large enough to hold
a shoebox-sized litter box, a water and food dish,
and room for the cat(s) to comfortably lie down.
Ensure the carrier is properly ventilated and not
left in the sun. The Association says that if you
must take the cat out, do so in a confined space as
the cat may try to run away.
If you shelter in your own place, keep an eye
on their whereabouts in case you need to evacuate.
It’s best to bring them inside. Some animals will
hide during severe weather changes, so bring them
inside early and leash them when they are outside
with you. Keep plastic bags and newspapers inside
to clean up pet waste.
Having a buddy system in place before the disaster strikes is helpful, particularly if you are not
at home when the disaster hits but your pets are.
The buddy system allows a neighbor to have access
to your home so your pets can be fed or removed
by your neighbor. You can do the same for them.
If you need to evacuate, bring your pets with
you even if you think you’ll only be gone for a few
hours; the severity of disasters can change quickly,
and you may not be allowed to go back to your
home to get them. It will help calm your pet if you
bring a favorite blanket or toys.
Evacuating will be much easier if you already
know in advance where you can go. Both the
HSUS and FEMA suggest you contact hotels and
motels outside your area so you know which ones
accept pets; ask in advance about any restrictions
on number, size, and species. Also ask if no pet
policies are waived in an emergency. Make a list
of the places you can go to and keep it with your
emergency phone numbers; include area kennels
on your list. Call ahead for a reservation as soon
as you think you might have to leave your home.
Some local animal shelters allow pets to stay
there during an emergency; find out in advance
if yours does. Shelters have limited resources and
space and their energies will be elsewhere during
an emergency, so use this as a last resort.
FEMA urges people to leave early and not
wait for a mandatory evacuation order. If you delay
leaving until emergency officials insist upon it, you
may be told to leave your pets behind in a formal
evacuation.
Unfortunately, there are times when no matter how solid your plans are, the specifics of the
emergency dictate that your pets must remain at
home. If your dog normally wears a chain link
choker collar, have a leather or nylon collar available if you have to leave the dog alone for several
days. FEMA suggests that you leave a two or three
day supply of dry food, even if it’s not the pet’s
usual food. Don’t moisten the food. Leave the food
in a sturdy container that the pet cannot overturn.
Leave water in a no-spill container. If possible,
open a faucet slightly and let the water drip into
a big container. Large dogs may be able to obtain
fresh water from a partially filled bathtub. Leave
the pets in the safest room in the house, such as a
basement or bathroom.
Other Pets
Birds
The American Red Cross suggests that birds
should be transported in a secure travel cage or
carrier. In cold weather, wrap a blanket over the
carrier and warm up the car before placing birds
inside. During warm weather, carry a plant mister
to mist the birds’ feathers periodically. Do not put
water inside the carrier during transport. Put some
fresh fruits and vegetables with high water content
in the carrier. Have a photo for identification and
leg bands. If the carrier doesn’t have a perch, line
it with paper towels and change them frequently.
Don’t let the birds out of the cage or carrier.
Reptiles
Snakes can be transported in a pillowcase but
they must be transferred to more secure housing
when they reach the evacuation site. If your snakes
require frequent feedings, carry food with you.
Take a water bowl large enough for soaking as well
as a heating pad. When transporting house lizards,
follow the same directions as for birds.
Pocket Pets
Small mammals (hamsters, gerbils, etc.)
should be transported in secure carriers suitable
for maintaining the animals while sheltered. Take
bedding materials, food bowls, and water bottles.
Livestock and Horses
Livestock and horses have specific disaster
needs that must be planned for in advance. u
Get Ready
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Professionals in Demand
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healthcare industry with a one -year
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LoneStar.edu/Montgomery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
References
Degioia, Phyllis (January 2010). Disaster
Preperation for Your Pets, Client Handout. Veterinary Information Network. VIN Community Contributors. Retrieved from www.vin.com
on July 16, 2012.
Affirmative Action/EEO College
Update on SJRA Groundwater
Reduction Program
By: Mark Smith
The Joint Groundwater Reduction Plan
(GRP) is the San Jacinto River Authority’s
proposed solution to Montgomery County’s groundwater crisis. Rapid population
growth and the resulting increase in water
demand have overwhelmed the county’s
groundwater supply. In order to meet the
requirements for groundwater reduction
mandated by the Lone Star Groundwater
Conservation District (LSGCD), the SJRA
has taken on the task of implementing a
cost-effective and reliable solution for decreasing groundwater withdrawals. Most
importantly, participation in the SJRA’s
GRP was offered as a solution to all large
water suppliers in the county, and over
130 different water utilities joined the plan
representing over 80 percent of the water
use in Montgomery County. Each of the
utilities that joined the plan agreed to pay
a GRP pumpage fee on their use of regulated groundwater to provide funding for the
development of alternative water supplies.
By January 1, 2016, which is the LSGCD’s mandated deadline for reducing
groundwater withdrawals, the GRP will allow Montgomery County to reduce its dependence on groundwater by developing
reliable, long-term alternative water supplies for the future. Phase I includes the
construction of a water treatment plant and
55 miles of water transmission line that will
deliver 24 million gallons per day of treated
surface water to be used in lieu of groundwater. The GRP pumpage fee generates
the funds required to pay for the construction and operation of the water plant and
transmission lines.
Design and construction of the facilities
needed to implement the GRP is managed
by the SJRA’s Technical Services Depart30
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With a purchase and installation
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Call for a frEE EstimatE
ment. With assistance from Brown & Gay
Engineers, Technical Services manages
28 consulting firms that are engaged to
provide design, surveying, environmental,
geotechnical, legal, and land acquisition
services. As of June 2012, the water treatment plant is nearing final design while the
design of the transmission lines is about
50% complete. Construction of the water treatment plant will begin in August of
2012. Construction of water transmission
lines will start early in 2013. Through this
month, the GRP Program remains under its
$500,000,000 Capital Improvement Project
(CIP) planning budget, and forecasts indicate the Program will be completed under
budget.
As part of its ongoing financing plan
for the GRP Program, the SJRA Board of
Directors approved an amendment to the
GRP Rate Order at its regular meeting on
May 24, 2012. [Note: The GRP Pumpage
Fee applies only to those utilities that chose
to join the SJRA’s GRP.]
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888-351-4646
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The rate order adopted the following
Pumpage Fee rates:
• The current Pumpage Fee of $0.75 per
1,000 gallons will be continued through
August 31, 2012
• The Pumpage Fee will be $1.25 per
1,000 gallons for the period of September
1, 2012 through August 31, 2013
These Pumpage Fee rates are consistent with the projections in the Joint Groundwater Reduction Plan, which was previously
approved by the GRP Review Committee
and the SJRA Board of Directors and filed
with the LSGCD.
Throughout this program the SJRA is
striving to manage costs so that the fees are
kept as low as possible. The pumpage fee
is anticipated to go up to about $2.25 per
1,000 gallons in 2015. This fee is compara-
32
ble to similar fees charged by the North Harris County Regional Water Authority and the
North Fort Bend Water Authority whose programs are a couple of years ahead of ours.
Construction Communications Plan
As the schedule for construction approaches, the GRP project team is implementing a Construction
Communications
Plan
(CCP). The purpose of
this CCP is to ensure
that consistent and clear
messages are combined
with widespread outreach to meet our commitment to successful
project delivery. Due to
the size and nature of
this project, numerous
impacts and interactions with the community are inevitable. It will
be important to emphasize the purpose and
long-term benefits of the GRP program while
addressing the public’s concerns about: traf-
fic impacts, noise effects, project costs and
funding, potential impact on lake level, and
water quality.
The GRP project team will communicate
early and often about planned construction
activities, as well as any unplanned issues
or emergencies. We will keep stakeholders
and the public informed of local impacts in
advance and during the work. Onsite contractors and project representatives will have
project brochures available, and onsite signage will direct citizens to the project website
and phone bank.
The GRP project team will engage the
support of community leaders and local jurisdictions by communicating with them about
the project’s purpose and progress, keeping
them informed of construction activities, coordinating on efforts within their jurisdictional
areas, and notifying them of community briefings or events. The team will provide access
and opportunities for leaders and stakeholders to learn about the project. The SJRA has
engaged the support of a Construction Communications Team made up of stakeholders
from around the county to continuously identi-
fy communications needs and opportunities.
The GRP project team, with support
from the Construction Communications
Team, will reach out to local community
organizations to attend meetings, provide
briefings, and leverage existing communications outlets such as community newsletters and websites. Community organizations can include homeowner or community
associations, business groups, civic organizations, and professional groups.
The GRP project team will maintain
a GRP website to provide comprehensive
project information, including construction
updates and maps, key schedule and milestone achievements, answers to frequently
asked questions, and articles and background information about the purpose and
benefits of the project. SJRA personnel in
the GRP Division, Technical Services Department, and Public Relations Department
will collaborate to keep the project website
up-to-date and effective. For more information about the GRP Program, please visit
us at http://www.sjra.net/grp. u
Families for Fergusons
By: David Whiteley
The Families for Fergusons project is moving
along. If you are unfamiliar with the story, The
Ferguson’s are a family, living in Walden, with two
children in wheelchairs and no wheelchair accessibility in their present home. The community has
come together to help them build a home that is
fully wheelchair accessible.
Our last installment ended with the installation of open cell spray foam insulation. Most
people (including some builders) are unaware of
the Texas statutes regarding inspections for new
home construction. If you live outside a municipality – outside city limits – Texas state law (sec.
388.004) requires that the building be inspected
for compliance with the mandated energy codes by
a code-certified inspector, that the builder retain
the original copy of the inspection report for three
years and that the builder provide a copy of the
inspection report to the building owner. To meet
this requirement, we contacted Rick Hanna, a local, highly qualified code-certified inspector, who
inspected the Ferguson residence free of charge.
36
$
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5.00hO
ase of
with Purc
ls &
Two (2) Mea
Drinks
Two (2) Soft
ing Lunch
Not Valid Dur
Dine-In Only
ccepted with
ou
No C pons A
ec
any Sp ials
t 31, 2012
Expires Augus
Mon - Thur
11am - 9:30pm
Fri 11am - 10pm
Sat 9am - 10pm
Sun 9am - 9pm
#1 - 19073 Interstate 45 North, Suite 135
Shenandoah
936-321-9860 • Fax: 936-273-9529
#2 - 1420-N Loop 336 West, Suite 104A • Conroe
936-539-3823 • Fax: 936-539-3826
#3 - 14543 Hwy 105 West • Conroe
936-588-6886 • Fax: 936-588-6898
Now, we were ready for sheetrock . . . or so
we thought. Jennifer Huber is a physical therapist
who works with the Ferguson children. Jennifer
offered to walk the house and make recommendations for “blocking” in the walls. Blocking is a
block of wood, typically a 2x12, placed between
the studs as reinforcement in places where items,
such as towel racks or cabinets, will be mounted
on the walls. The framers installed blocking in
the usual places, but the Ferguson home will require additional blocking for the grab bars around
the toilets, showers, sinks, etc. Jennifer walked
through each room and demonstrated how and
where individuals would use the grab bars; some
would be horizontal, some vertical and some
would be installed at an angle. Interestingly, the
ADA requirements for grab bars in public spaces
are intended to aid the largest number of users and
are placed accordingly; however, when building a
home for individuals with specific needs, the ADA
requirements may not be adequate and the grab
bars will need to be placed in specific locations,
rather than in the generic ADA locations. Jennifer and her husband, Rick, offered to help install
the blocking and worked with David Whiteley
over two nights to install nearly 100 ft. of blocking
38
throughout the house.
While Jennifer was there, she also walked the
house and made suggestions about what type of
door would work best for each space. For example, the pantry door was changed from a 36” wide
single door to double 18” doors. It is much easier
to open 18” doors than 36” doors from a wheelchair. We called David Smith at BMC Select and
he walked the house to re-write the order for interior doors. The doors were ordered so they will be
available for delivery when the sheetrock is completed. Now we are ready for Sheetrock.
Matt Wisenbaker, owner of Wisenbaker
Builder Services, offered to provide many of the
finish materials, such as cabinets, granite, flooring,
etc. and made arrangements for Sandra Ferguson
to visit their showroom and make selections. Sandra chose some beautiful cabinets among other
materials. The cabinet will be installed immediately after sheetrock and typically take 2-3 weeks
for delivery. However, in today’s economy, Texas
businesses are growing again but many manufacturers are reluctant to hire additional workers for
fear of another downturn. As a result, delivery
times are being extended and the cabinets would
not have been available for six weeks, which would
have delayed the project. David Whiteley made a
call to John May at Custom Cabinet Innovations.
John is not a cabinet manufacturer, he is an artisan who builds high-end custom cabinets. John
met with Sandra and reviewed the plans. Because
he builds everything from scratch, he was able to
make several suggestions to improve the original
cabinet design with some simple adjustments.
The kitchen cabinets will have more drawers than
doors, which are easier to access from a wheelchair. The kitchen sink will also have doors that
will open 180 degrees to allow a wheelchair to roll
underneath but will look like a standard cabinet
when the doors are closed.
While we were working on the inside of the
house, we were also working on the outside. The
house will be 100% brick with stone accents. Sandra Ferguson went to All State Brick in Houston
and worked with Max Blackmon to select her
brick and stone. Ernest Rios of Rios Brick Works,
Inc. provided the labor and materials to install the
brick and stone. Ernest and his two brothers are
third-generation brick layers and Ernest says he
has been laying brick since he was 13 years old.
It took 3-4 days to brick the house, including site
clean-up. Yes, Rios Brick Works cleaned up their
mess when the job was done and left the site spotless.
We are fast approaching the point where we
will need to finalize our selections for fixtures and
hardware. These items will be more expensive than
similar items used in conventional construction,
not because we are “gold plating” the house but because the items required for our special needs will
cost more. We all take door knobs for granted, but
make a fist and then try to open the door. Not so
easy, is it? Lever style door knobs are much easier
to use, but they also cost more. A simple shower
head is inexpensive, but try adjusting the shower
head while sitting in a chair. A hand-held shower
head on a slide bar is much more convenient but,
again, is more expensive. And don’t forget, we
didn’t install 100 ft. of blocking for fun; we need to
install an array of grab bars in all the bathrooms.
If you would like to participate in this worthwhile
project, we could use some additional funds to pay
for all the specialty fixtures and hardware. Lever
door knobs start at $15.00, but any amount will be
greatly appreciated. If you would like to contribute
to this worthwhile project, you can contact us at
Families for Fergusons, P.O. Box 825, Montgomery, Texas 77356. u
Owned and operated by Doctors certified in medical aesthetics
and laser treatments, Medical Aesthetics and Laser has been practicing in the Montgomery county area
for several years. The Physicians
and staff proudly offer our growing community the most advanced
medical aesthetic services as a low
cost alternative to cosmetic surgery. While serving as obstetricians and gynecologists for over
25 years, Dr. Reeves and Dr.
Crowder have seen many patients with various skin conditions. Through their patient’s
concerns and desires, they
felt the need to create Medical Aesthetics and Laser, the
only ‘Premier Medical Spa’
in The Woodlands. They
combine their medical
knowledge and laser trained
backgrounds to present a
state-of-the-art facility for
valued clients of all ages.
Medical Aesthetics and
Laser provides the highest quality pharmaceutical grade skin care and
cosmetic products, and
the most advanced noninvasive, FDA approved
medical aesthetic procedures such as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
BOTOX© Cosmetic and
Dysport Wrinkle Relaxing
Dermal Fillers - Juvederm
XC / Radiesse
Laser Hair Reduction
Laser Vein Removal
Acne Scar Repair
Toe Nail Fungus
The staff at Medical Aesthetics and Laser has the training and expertise
to bring your inner beauty to the surface.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Photo Facial Laser
Micro Laser Peel Resurfacing
LipoDissolve
Color Science Cosmetics
Glo-Minerals Cosmetics
SkinCeuticals Skincare
Chemical Peels
Microdermabrasion
Injectables
BOTOX© Cosmetic Wrinkle Relaxing
BOTOX© is a muscle relaxing injectable procedure used to reduce deep persistent frown lines,
forehead wrinkles and crows feet. It is also used
for severe underarm sweating as well as treating
migraine headaches. BOTOX© Cosmetic is a purified protein administered therapeutically to treat
many medical conditions and skin imperfections.
Dermal Fillers - Juvederm XC / Radiesse
JUVÉDERM® is a smooth gel filler used to
40
instantly smooth away wrinkles around your
mouth and nose. With just one treatment, you’ll
get smooth and natural-looking results that last
up to a year. We use JUVÉDERM® to rejuvenate
multiple problem areas, including smile lines
and vertical lip lines, to smooth away unwanted
wrinkles and to restore the natural contours of
your face. RADIESSE is a calcium-based filler
that acts as a scaffold under the skin, providing
structure and stimulates your own natual collagen to grow.
Skin Treatments
Skin Resurfacing
These services offer the simplicity of being
available in office and can be performed during
the lunch hour. As the top most layers of the skin
are removed, new skin is regenerated, leaving
a vibrant new appearance. After the first treatment clients will see improvements in pigment
and skin texture in just a few days with additional subtle improvements appearing within one to
three months.
Chemical Peels
In-office epidermal peels are a non-invasive
way to immediately resurface and improve the
health of skin with no downtime. Who can benefit from a chemical peel? Anyone who wants
to combat aging, hyperpigmentation or acne. A
chemical peel can improve skin texture and radiance, support healthy collagen levels for firmer
skin, diminish fine lines and wrinkles, even out
skin tone, reduce acne blemishes and help prevent future breakouts as well as revitalize sensitive skin while decongesting pores.
Photo Rejuvenation
Enhanced skin rejuvenation is a revolutionary skin treatment performed with laser wavelengths to eliminate medical skin conditions
such as Rosacea, acne and unwanted sun spots.
Photo rejuvenation stimulates the skin’s natural collagen production and targets pigmented
areas causing them to breakup. This treatment
produces a softer, smoother, and more youthContinued on page 42 1
provides a painless solution to eliminating spider
veins and broken capillaries. These treatments provide quick results, with little or no downtime, to
dramatically fade unsightly veins. Most patients
see excellent improvements after just two treatments. The appearance of leg veins will either dramatically fade or completely disappear during the
course of treatments.
Physicians & Medical Staff
PHYSICIANS:
R. David Reeves M.D.; FACOG
Dr. Reeves graduated magna cum laude from
Texas A&M University with a Bachelors of Science degree in zoology. He completed medical
school at Baylor College of Medicine and did his
residency at the National Naval Medical Center in
Bethesda, Maryland. He is board certified through
the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Through continuing medical education, Dr.
Reeves has been certified by Laserscope in the use
of all of their aesthetic lasers and intense pulsed
light. He is a member of the American Society for
Laser Medicine and Surgery and has also completed the Aesthetic Enhancement Institute course for
Botox and Dermal fillers.
Clients of Medical Aesthetics and Laser get expert advice on skin treatments
and custom makeup application techniques.
ful appearance for patients. A series of three to
six treatments, spaced two to four weeks apart, is
a standard recommendation. After the first treatment, patients will see improvements to broken
capillaries, small facial veins, and some pigmented
areas within just a few days. Other improvements
such as wrinkle reduction and toning will be more
subtle and take one to three months.
Cosmetics and Skin Care
SkinCeuticals Skincare
Skinceuticals mission is to improve skin
health. They make one simple promise - provide
quality products backed by science. To maintain
and improve skin health, an effective regimen
must contain three fundamental elements - prevention, protections and correction. Skinceuticals
line of advanced skincare products is designed to
prevent future damage, protect healthy skin, and
correct previous damage.
Glo-Minerals Cosmetics and Skin Care
Products - www.gloprofessional.com
Glo-Minerals makeup system is uniquely
formulated to deliver unsurpassed coverage, UV
protection and assists in combating free radical
damage. This clinical skin care makeup line is
recommended by dermatologists, plastic surgeons
and leading skin care professionals worldwide.
Body Sculpting
Lipo Dissolve
Lipo Dissolve is the latest technique in nonsurgical body sculpting. It is used to dissolve hard
to lose pockets of fat in the legs, hips, buttocks,
belly and under the chin. Tiny injections deliver
medication straight into the problem areas. Treatment sessions can be performed every ten days for
a series of four to six treatments.
Laser Hair Reduction
Laser hair removal is a safe and successful way to permanently remove hair growth for
all skin types and color tones. Laser treatments
impair the active growth stage of the hair follicle
without harming any surrounding tissue. Pseudo
Folliculitis, more commonly referred to as ‘shaving
bumps’, is a widespread inflammatory condition
among individuals with thick hair. Using the most
effective laser equipment, energy is emitted by the
laser destroying the hair follicle beneath the skin’s
surface, ultimately resulting in the elimination
of the shaving bumps caused by ingrown hairs.
Therefore, hair growth is delayed, producing long
lasting satisfying results.
Laser Vein Removal
The latest advancement in laser technology
William E. Crowder, Jr. M.D.; FACOG
Dr. Crowder graduated from Texas A&M
University with a Bachelors of Science degree in
chemical engineering. He completed medical
school at Baylor College of Medicine and did his
residency at the Naval Regional Medical Center
in San Diego, California. Dr. Crowder also has a
post-doctoral fellowship in medical genetics from
Baylor College of Medicine. He is board certified
through the American Board of Obstetrics and
Gynecology. Though continuing medical education, Dr. Crowder has been certified by Laserscope
in the use of all of their aesthetic lasers and intense
pulsed light. He is a member of the International Society of Cosmetic and Laser Surgeons and
has completed the laser training institute course
through the Professional Medical Education Association.
SUPPORTING STAFF:
Alene “Al” Rutledge – Office Manager
Alene moved to Texas 17 years ago from Arkansas. She worked as Dr. Crowder’s nurse for 13
years at Women’s Healthcare Affiliates before moving to Medical Aesthetics and Laser in 2010.
Donna Seaman - Registered Nurse
Donna received her BSN degree from Kent
State University. She has worked as a Registered
Nurse for 34 years and has several years of experience working with medical spas. Donna has been
employed with Medical Aesthetics and Laser for 4
8850 Six Pines Drive Suite 110
The Woodlands, Texas 77380
281-419-2220
42
½ years.
Julie Caballero – Laser Technician
Julie grew up in The Woodlands, graduated
from North Harris College in 1996 as an Esthetician and has been working at Medical Aesthetics
and Laser for 2 ½ years.
Leah Wagner – Esthetician
Leah, a native born Houstonian, attended Sam
Houston State University, Texas A & M University
and graduated from the Aveda Institute as an Esthetician in 2006. She began her career with Medical Aesthetics and Laser in 2007.
Allison Norman - Facial Enhancement Injector
Allison, a former employee, has recently returned to Medical Aesthetics and Laser. She has
15 years of nursing experience, 1000 hours of laser
experience and has been administering injectable
products for over 3 ½ years; working with both
Botox and Dermal Fillers.
At Medical Aesthetics and Laser the highest standards of professional skin care are always
maintained. Every client begins their journey by
receiving a complimentary skin evaluation performed by trained medical professionals in a relaxing environment of elegance and beauty. Additional information about services (before and after
photos), products and current specials is available
on their website at www.medical-al.com. Begin
your journey by giving them a call today! u
Alene Rutledge, office manager at Medical Aesthetics and Laser, provides friendly,
efficient service to new and repeat clients.
If you are trying to lose weight drink even
more water. Sometimes slight dehydration may
cause us to feel hungry and staying well hydrated
can avoid this sensation as well as help keep our
metabolism higher.
Dietary “Ramblings”
Several years ago looking forward to days
of leisure, I retired. Within two weeks I knew retirement was not for me nor was my retirement a
“Joy” for my wife. (In addition of being the greatest “Joy” in my life, that too is her name!) In fact,
she kindly but firmly reminded me of our wedding
vows by telling me that on that wonderful day we
were wed “I married you for better or worse but
not for lunch!” Perhaps I was a bit more underfoot
than I realized or she found rewarding but she immediately recognized that I missed the enjoyment
I have always found in the practice of medicine
through the gratification of making a difference in
my patients’ lives but most of all I needed to once
again have daily interaction with those patients. I
am grateful to all of them for the intellectual stimulation they have provided as well as the trust they
have placed in me. Ask any physician and he or
she will know exactly that of which I speak.
One of the most rewarding parts of medicine is being able to address concerns that patients
have. I thought this month we might explore
the answers to questions frequently asked about
weight loss and diet.
How much water should I drink daily?
As a general rule of thumb, if you divide your
weight in pounds by 2 the resulting number is the
minimum number of ounces of fluid you need on
a daily basis. Remember however, that exercise,
humidity, heat and stress among other factors can
increase your need for water. For example, for every 15 minutes of exercise in which you participate
you require approximately 8 more ounces.
I have been told that my Vitamin D is level is
low. What does Vitamin D do and how can I
raise it to normal?
Vitamin D is particularly important for bone
development, growth and maintenance among
other important functions. Recently it has been
shown to be important in weight loss and weight
maintenance as well. Individuals who are overweight are at increased risk for Vitamin D deficiency. Excess body fat absorbs and holds onto
Vitamin D and it is then unavailable to the body.
Absence of or low levels of the Vitamin D interfere
with the functioning of the hormone leptin aka the
“satiety” hormone (it tells our brain when we are
full and should stop eating). When leptin is absent, in short supply or ineffective due to low levels
of Vitamin D our regulatory mechanism telling us
we are “full” becomes ineffective and we are prone
to consume excessive calories with the result being
weight gain.
Throughout the United States as well as in
other countries, there appears to be a growing
number of individuals in all age groups who are
deficient in Vitamin D. Although the American
Endocrine Society does not recommend screening for Vitamin D deficiency in populations not at
risk, the chair of the committee whose members
developed guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of Vitamin D deficiencies states “everyone
is at risk!” Particular populations at high risk are
obese or overweight persons, blacks, lactating and
pregnant women and individuals with malabsorption syndromes. Testing is accomplished by means
of a simple blood test. Treatment is relatively simple with exposure to sunlight and /or Vitamin D
supplementation. Ask your physician if you are at
risk and if such evaluation is appropriate for you.
She or he will start you on appropriate Vitamin D
replacement should it be required.
I stick to my diet during the day but have
problems during the evening and night. What
is wrong with me?
Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger! This is a
common problem. During the day we tend to be
much busier and our activities divert our attention
from ourselves to the duties at hand. In the evening most of us tend to have more free time-work
is over, the children are in bed, etc.-and we often
think about food. My suggestion is to eat balanced
portions throughout the day and for dinner making certain to stay well hydrated. In the evening
keep active with games, a walk, reading, a soothing
bath and don’t watch all the food and restaurant
commercials on TV. Have a light snack an hour
or more before bedtime. We need to develop new
eating habits and as we do so following a diet becomes significantly easier.
44
What supplements should I take for weight
loss?
Bluntly put, most supplements hyped in ads
for weight loss are worthless. The only decrease
in weight you will see is the weight of your wallet! Fancy ads and claims made by hardbodies in
bathing suits may grab our attention but have little
basis in reality. Save your money!
I am however, a firm believer that most
Americans should take a daily multivitamin due to
the fact that most of us do not obtain all necessary
vitamins from our diets. For those individuals who
do eat a balanced diet on a regular basis the multivitamin is not necessary. Consult your physician
regarding how to appropriately balance your diet
factoring in your health, activities and lifestyle and
seek guidance as to whether or not you would benefit from a multivitamin. Please remember that
“eating healthy” doesn’t mean just eating healthy
foods but it also means eating the proper number
of calories.
How much exercise should I get to help me lose
weight?
Assuming you are in good health the amount
and intensity can be calculated with the following
information. Subtract your age from 220. The
resulting number is considered your “maximum
training heart rate.” For weight loss and subsequent weight maintenance you should work out
with your pulse (“heart rate) between 50% and
85% of your “maximum training heart rate“ according to the following criteria. Moderate exercise occurs when your heart rate is between 50%
and 67% of your maximum training heart ratewhen in this zone you should spend five hours per
week or more working out. If your heart rate is
between 68% and 85% of your maximum training heart rate you should spend two and one half
hours per week or more working out. Remember
though you will still have to eat fewer calories than
you burn or you will not lose weight. Don’t rely
upon fitness equipment to tell you how many calories you are burning. They are notoriously inaccurate! You may use the calorie counter found on our
website at www.hateyourweight.com for greater
accuracy. It is located at the online journal found
on the left hand side of our homepage. If you do
not know how to count your pulse ask your friend
the nurse, an EMT or your physician to teach you
how. Also, see your physician before beginning
any diet or exercise program!
Well until next month, if you have any questions of this type please do not hesitate to contact
me. Have a wonderful summer and cheer for the
USA in the Olympics while you strive, as our athletes do, to achieve your personal best.
Benton Baker III, M.D., FACS, FACOG, 200
River Pointe, Suite 115, Conroe, Tx 77304, 936756-8446 (THIN), www.hateyourweight.com. u
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13080 Hwy 105 West, Suite 130
Houston to Lake Conroe
936-447-4700
www.RuthStultzandCompany.com
46
Nationally Recognized Powerhouse
Real Estate Broker Ruth Stultz
Tops Multimillion Dollar Sales Chart
“Ruth Stultz single handedly
generates as much, if not
more, business than any real
estate team in Montgomery
County, and she sells more
homes in the million dollar
plus range than anyone else
in the area.”
~ Chad Stultz
uth Stultz and Company, the premiere real estate brokerage firm in Montgomery County, competitively provides a
full scope of real estate services in every market. The company is staffed with
seasoned, professional agents who sell
and live within the Montgomery County,
The Woodlands, Spring, and Huntsville
perimeter. The group is noted to have
more listings and sales per agent than
any other brokerage company in Montgomery County. This group of agents
knows their inventory and uses personal
knowledge of each listing to their advantage in consistently ‘one-upping’ the
competition. Even if a listing is with another broker, Ruth Stultz and Company
makes it their goal to bring the buyers to
the table. According to Co-Owner, Chad
Stultz, this very scenario plays itself out
in their company’s favor time and time
again.
Ruth Stultz and her son, Chad
Stultz, began working together in 2005
when they opened the doors to Ruth
Stultz and Company. The two started
out together with just each other and now
have a total of seventeen accomplished
agents and a superior support staff of
three on the company roster. Ask Ruth
about their business venture and she’ll
tell you, “We’re proud of the success
we’ve experienced, it’s truly amazing!”
Chad is a graduate from Baylor University and has been working in the home
Ruth Stultz, founder of Ruth Stultz & Company Real Estate, has nearly 20 years of
residential and commercial real estate experience in Montgomery County.
Brian Burns
specializes in
commercial real
estate for Ruth
Stultz & Company
Real Estate in
Montgomery
County and the
surrounding area.
building industry since 2003. He handles all
of the business and financial operations for
Ruth Stultz and Company and, in addition,
operates his signature custom home construction company - Chadwick Homes.
Ruth has established her business by
doing things her own way. She believes in
adding the personal touches that can often be lost in a corporate real estate structured environment. She believes in shaking hands, sending hand written thank you
notes, and that personal individualized
attention should be given to every client.
“Selling real estate can be very challenging. When we get involved with people and
impact one of the most important decisions
of their lives such as buying or selling property – I don’t take it lightly. We’re not here
just to make a sale; we’re here to build lasting relationships,” said Ruth Stultz, “Referral business is a huge key to our success,”
she adds. Another key….LOCATION; The
Montgomery County area exudes success
because of its lifestyle and diversity. Lake
Conroe has been dubbed
as “Houston’s Backyard
Playground” with prices
ranging from as little as 35k
for a cute little condominium
to over 7 million in the luxury
home category. From small lots
to countryside acreage and everything in between, we have it all
right here in Montgomery County.
“With Lake Conroe having some of
the best buys, buyers from other states
and countries are astounded at what
they can get for their money in this area,”
said Ruth. It’s no wonder we’re the fastest
growing county in the country.
“This area was only known as a resort
town many years ago. I’ve watched it evolve
into residential communities for families of
all age brackets. I think the lake is a draw
but the hometown feeling that exists, the exemplary school districts that have emerged,
and the convenient access to medical facilities, shopping, dining, and commuting to
work put us on the map. At one time, Montgomery County and Lake Conroe was a
‘best kept secret’, now we’re the best known
place to live,” Ruth Stultz said. “Real estate
is an amazing ride and I love my job.”
The Ruth Stultz firm has proven its capabilities in equally providing anything that
a large corporation handles. This diverse
group of experienced agents is a strong
family of professionals who have a lot of fun
while doing serious work. When customers
call Ruth Stultz and Company they’ll speak
to an agent personally without getting lost
in the electronic shuffle. Although Ruth embraces internet technology, she will tell you
that it’s only a tool and shouldn’t be used
to replace personal, one on one customer
service. “E-mail is great for passing information quickly but, as a courtesy, I believe
it should be followed by a personal phone
call to assure that the transmission was
completed and to clarify the content if a customer has any questions,” Ruth insists. Our
agents always practice customer confidentiality protocol and personal level communications with every client.
Ruth marvels at how the real estate
market survived through the drought and
low water levels over the past year. Of
course, low water levels on Lake Conroe
isn’t what anyone wants to experience but,
on a positive note Ruth noted, “It did provide the community the opportunity to make
improvements such as removing debris,
dredging and marking waterways, repairing
properties and boosting the wildlife population where foliage grew onto exposed land
masses”. Ruth feels she is truly blessed to
live and sell in this area.
In her spare time, Ruth enjoys golf and
her two granddaughters. After working with
national charities for 14 years she now focuses on familes close to home especially
those involving young children and supports
the local food bank as well as the one in her
hometown in Indiana. u
13080 Highway 105 West, Suite 130
Conroe, TX 77304
936.447.4700
www.RuthSellsLakeConroe.com
www.RuthStultzAndCompany.com
Affiliations:
Texas Association of Realtors
Montgomery County Board of Realtors
National Association of Realtors
Principals in Ruth Stultz & Company Real Estate, Ruth and Chad Stultz, provide a full
range of buyer and seller services.
Realtor Melissa Carnine, left, and Ruth Stultz are experts on housing trends in the Montgomery area.
A Sampling of a Few of Our Fine Properties in the Area
By: Karla Nash - Cork This! Winery
As I write
this
article,
it’s grape harvest time in
Texas.
Every
year
around
this time, I am
thankful for the
fact that I don’t
personally grow
grapes!
Cork
This! is a full
production winery with all but one of our wines being produced
on premise, but we don’t grow grapes, own a
vineyard or ever intend to. Visitors to Cork This!
always ask, where our vineyards are located and
the answer is simple. We buy our grapes from
people that are good at growing grapes (myself
not being one of those). We currently source
grapes from Texas, California, and Washington,
and we’ve considered growers in New Mexico
and Oregon as well.
I will always live in adoration of the grape
grower. Their job is more than difficult. It costs
a grape grower on average $15,000 per acre to
plant a vineyard with irrigation, fencing, etc. It
takes about 3 – 4 years for the first yield of grapes.
During the growing season they will touch each
vine about 6 times for pruning and taping the
vines, etc. and there are about 800 vines per acre.
Ugh! As I tell my customers, owning a manufacturing business is a ton of work. I am constantly
behind on something. I can’t imagine adding
grape growing into the fold. So I rely on other
people as do most other wineries in Texas and
across the country.
When we first opened the winery, we
thought we’d buy all of grapes from the great
State of Texas but what we quickly found out is
that Texas, because of the climate and soil conditions, doesn’t grow enough grapes for all of us.
In fact, (and these statistics vary by source) Texas
has under 3000 acres of grapes planted in the
whole state. That’s fewer acres than some people’s
cattle ranch! With over 200 wineries, that means
that about 2/3 of all wine produced in the State
of Texas is made from fruit outside the state. Is
this some big secret? Heck no! Any wine maker
will tell you where they get their grapes, whether
it is from their vineyard or someone else’s. So
is our wine considered “Texas wine”? Yes, if it
is made in Texas it is considered “Texas Wine”.
This is why I always laugh when someone says
they don’t like Texas wine. That person clearly
doesn’t know what they are talking about. Good
fruit makes good wine (plus a little talent from
the wine maker). The grapes grown in Texas are
good, we are just limited on the varietals we can
grow well in this climate and we are limited on
quantity. There are several wineries that try very
hard (or down right insist on it) to make all their
wine from the grapes they grow personally or
grapes sourced solely from Texas. Several wineries in our area also grow grapes on premise and
then own additional vineyards in the western
part of the State where the climate is better for
grape growing.
Over the years, we have developed strong
relationships with our grape growers and we
trust their input on each year’s crop as it varies
depending on the amount of rain and sun, brix
(sugar), disease issues, etc. When someone says,
“That was a really good year”, that means that the
grapes had the right amount of sun, they got the
right amount of rain and the crop yielded a really good grape which in turn made a really good
wine. At Cork This!, our grapes our shipped to
us three ways. They come whole in a large cardboard tote by the ton in a refrigerated truck or, if
we can request it, they come to us as must (which
means they are already crushed) and in the case
of our sweet wines; they come to us as juice. Our
sweet wines yield the least amount of effort my
wine maker or I have to put forth but it’s honestly
more fun to make wine starting from the grape.
My take away message for you in this article
is this: If it’s made in Texas, it’s Texas wine. The
Texas wine industry employs thousands of people and is responsible for a significant amount of
tourism dollars which helps our state prosper.
Second, good fruit makes good wine. It doesn’t
matter where that fruit comes from. No one
can grow all varietals of grapes at one location.
Not even in California, nor would it make good
sense to do so. Third, if you think Texas wine
isn’t good, you are obviously living under a rock
or lack any knowledge of wine in Texas. And
lastly, if you want to learn more visit a Texas winery. We are open and honest and happy to share
with you what we know. For a listing of all Texas
wineries please visit www. www.gotexanwine.org
or for a listing of our local wineries please go to
www.texasbluebonnetwinetrail.com. u
I hope to see you soon!
Cheers,
Karla Nash
50 Dock Line Magazine, Inc. - Lake Conroe Edition August 2012
It was just over ten years ago that the Lone
Star Groundwater Conservation District went
from legislative concept to a new, functioning
voice for effective groundwater management in
our county. Ten years is a good measuring stick
for progress. So it’s interesting to consider that
over the past 10 years, Montgomery County has
grown by 162,000 people. By any measure, that’s a
lot of new faces. In fact, a city with a total population of Montgomery County’s growth over the past
10 years would be the 17th largest city in Texas—
smaller than Brownsville but larger than Pasadena.
And that’s just the increase.
Unfortunately, not many of those 162,000
new residents brought their own water with them.
That’s why the District has been working so hard
over the past 10 years to manage Montgomery
County’s growing thirst for water. To compound
this challenge, the last 10 years has brought us
some of the hottest and driest years on record.
The swing in the yearly precipitation recorded in Montgomery County has ranged from over
70 inches in 2001 to just under 32 inches in 2010.
Let’s take a minute to put that in perspective. In
2001, we had more rainfall than tropical Miami,
Fl. typically receives in a year, and in 2010 we were
as dry as semi-arid San Antonio, which sets at the
edge of the Chihuahuan Desert.
While in average rainfall years we are
very blessed with rain, we do not have
great ways to store rain for a
52
sunny day. Lake Conroe is certainly a major reservoir for the region, but if it is already full when
the rain comes, the additional water just flows on
downstream.
We can capture runoff from roofs and store
the rainwater in barrels to use on yards, but the
practice is not as widespread as it could be.
Our current major drinking water source –
the set of water-bearing underground strata we
call the Gulf Coast Aquifer—is slow to recharge
after rainfall events. As a result, we draw more
groundwater from the Gulf Coast aquifer annually
than nature is able to replace.
And the challenges are not likely to go away.
Between 2010 and 2020, Montgomery County will
probably add about 170,000 more people. It’s like
expecting the entire population of Grand Prairie,
Texas, to come and stay a while in Montgomery
County.
The increase in population will bring great
opportunities to Montgomery County in terms
of commerce and culture, no doubt about it. But
like those 162,000 that moved in last decade, the
next 170,000 probably won’t be bringing their water with them. We are already relying on the Gulf
Coast Aquifer at an unsustainable pace today. So
more groundwater pumping from those important
formations is not a good solution. The keys to solving this puzzle will undoubtedly be enhanced water conservation, and better use of water supplies
other than the Gulf Coast Aquifer.
And we simply have no choice but to find a longterm solution to our water supply dilemma. The challenges, if ignored, could have big negative impacts on
our future economic development opportunities.
No matter how many years pass, we know his
about water – there is as much water now as there
was 10 years ago, 100 decades ago and 1000 generations ago. The amount of water in the world is
fixed, and more than 97 percent of it is either salty
or locked up in ice. The small, precious amount of
fresh water that we have to keep us alive, healthy,
and productive must be used more wisely than it is
now, especially in a fast-growing area like Montgomery County.
For additional information, please visit the
District’s website, www.lonestargcd.org. u
U
“Did you know over 50 percent of
our residents have transferred here from
other facilities? Ask us why!”
SINCE 1994, Award-Winning Silver Hills Assisted
Living has been providing 24-hour, top quality,
full-service assisted living to all levels of senior care,
including dementia residents. Conveniently located in
Montgomery, Texas on 5.5 acres in a quiet, peaceful
country setting bustling with nature and abundant
wildlife, this unique campus features three lovely
licensed homes with graceful wraparound porches and
covered patios.
FEATURING
T
T
emergency and geriatric care
T One Flat, All-Inclusive Rate
(no additional fees)
T “Home of the Year” -TORCH
Assisted Living Association of Texas)
23164 Landrum Village Dr., Montgomery 77316
www.silverhills.net
Call for a tour 936.449.6717 or 936.597-7377
54
Cervicogenic Headaches
first signs of high blood pressure (hypertension).
It is extremely important to rule out hypertension
prior to being concerned for other causes of headaches.
How can you tell if it is a Cervicogenic headache?
If pressing on the muscles located just below
your skull, causes localized pain and/or reproduces the headache, you are likely suffering from a
cervicogenic headache. In addition, if your symptoms are similar to those described above and you
continue to suffer from headaches on a regular basis, consult your chiropractor or physical therapist
for a consultation.
What are they?
Cervicogenic headaches
are headaches caused by muscle
spasms in the neck. The headache tends to be a constant gripping headache that starts in the
back of the head and progresses
toward the front of the head. It
typically worsens as the day progresses and may be provoked
with neck movements. Symptoms will be alleviated with rest,
stretching, and massage.
1st Step
Check your blood pressure! A headache is one of the
How are Cervicogenic headaches treated?
Unfortunately, most people take medications
that lessen the perceived pain but never solve the
problem. Treatment should consist of stretching,
massage, ice, ultrasound, exercise, and spinal manipulation (when indicated).
Noticeable improvement in headache frequency and/or intensity should be noted within
the first 2-4 weeks or further diagnostic testing
should be considered. If treatment is improving
your condition, it may be prudent to continue
treatment on a tapering frequency.
If no response to treatment is noted within
the first 2-4 weeks, MRI imaging of the neck and
brain is indicated to rule out severe neck disk
injuries and anomalies (abnormalities) of the
brain (Arnold Chiari malformation-a condition
in which the brain sits lower in the skull causing
a pinching to the brainstem; AVM-artery-vein
malformations; Tumors).
Todd R. Custer, D.C., A.T.C. – Dr. Custer is a
doctor of chiropractic and certified athletic trainer,
and has been rehabilitating injured athletes at the
high school, collegiate, and professional levels (Philadelphia Eagles Football Club) since 1994.
Dr. Custer graduated from Texas Chiropractic
College summa cum laude, and is currently treating patients at the Willis Spine and Rehabilitation
Center.
Questions/comments or requests for future
topics can be forwarded to drcuster@willisspine.
com. u
56
58
By: Carolyn Corsano Wong
It’s hard to believe we are on the brink of
starting our 5th season at the historic Crighton
Theatre! Given the economic conditions in which
we started our theatre company we consider it a
miracle that we made it to year five, so we are calling our upcoming season; “A Season of Miracles.”
We’ve chosen some miracle themed shows to reinforce our belief that it truly is with help from above
that we’ve been able to endure and prosper.
Since we have not yet cast these productions,
STAGE RIGHT mascot Harley Wong (who is a
miracle rescue boy himself) has agreed to pose
for the photos in this article. Harley has appeared
in two of our productions; Cheaper by the Dozen
and Christmas Belles, and appeared in numerous
parades. He hopes to snag a part in at least one of
our productions this season.
THE MIRACLE WORKER
We start our season of miracles with the moving
and inspirational true story of Helen Keller. Immortalized onstage and screen by Anne Bancroft
and Patty Duke, William Gibson’s classic play
dramatizes the volatile relationship between the
lonely teacher and her charge. Blind and deaf from
an illness in her infancy, Helen was trapped in a
Harley Wong as Annie Sullivan
60
secret, silent world, unable to communicate. Indulged by her family to lead a spoiled, violent,
and almost sub-human existence she meets her
match in her teacher Annie Sullivan. Only Annie realizes that there is a mind and spirit waiting to be rescued from the dark, tortured silence.
With scenes of intense physical and emotional
dynamism, Annie’s success with Helen finally
comes with the utterance of a single, glorious
word: “water.” Come see this uplifting story of
determination and love Sept 7 – 23.
MY THREE ANGELS
Convict Harley Wong in My Three Angels
Christmas Eve and it’s only 105 degrees in the
shade. Welcome to French Guiana where paroled convicts from the local penal colony move
about with relative freedom. What we soon learn
is that on the outside it is often very hard to tell
who the real criminals are. Sometimes the only
difference between freemen and those from the
Bastille is that the incarcerated have been caught
and prosecuted for their crimes. My Three Angels takes a warm, witty and romantic look at our
long-standing moral convictions of what is right
and wrong. We are taught that good must surely
and always triumph over evil. But as is the case in
our story, does the end always justify the means?
This you will have to decide for yourself as our felonious triumvirate intervenes in the lives of an innocent family which is now perched on the brink
of financial ruin. Proficient in the illicit skills of
theft, forgery, extortion and yes, even murder, our
unlikely heroes arrive in timely fashion to remind
us all of what is truly most important. This hilarious holiday classic will be presented November 30
– December 16.
Something new this holiday season at STAGE
RIGHT will be a show geared just for kids to be
presented as a Saturday matinee during the run
of My Three Angels. What will the show be? Stay
tuned, but be assured that we are going to present
a puppet show of a classic holiday story. The show
will be followed by cookies and visits with Santa.
This will be a holiday treat we hope to make a new
Christmas at the Crighton tradition!
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
The curtain rises on a present day musical theatre
fanatic eager to tell you about his favorite Broadway musical – “The Drowsy Chaperone.” As he
begins listening to the rare cast recording, the
show cleverly and magically blooms to life, telling
the hilarious debonair fiancée, an overzealous producer, a dizzy chorine, the Latin lover and a couple
62
Harley Wong as the Drowsy (drunk) Chaperone
of bumbling gangsters. Ruses are played, hi-jinx
occur and the plot spins everyone into musical
comedy euphoria. If you love good old-fashioned
tap-dancing, toe tapping tuneful shows, you will
not want to miss The Drowsy Chaperone. The show
runs February 15 – March 3, 2013.
THE RED VELVET CAKE WAR
STAGE RIGHT was honored to be able to present the world premiere of a play in our 2011-2012
season by the three most widely produced playwrights in the United States; Jessie Jones, Nicholas
Hope, and Jamie Wooten. Mama Won’t Fly was an
Harley Verdeen Wong judging the Red Velvet
Cake War
instant audience hit and our patrons pleaded for us
to present more Southern fried comedies by this
talented trio. The Red Velvet Cake War brings us
into the lives of the wacky Verdeen family as they
attempt to throw a reunion on the hottest day of
July smack-dab in the middle of Texas tornado
season. Things spin hilariously out of control
when a neighbor’s pet devours everything edible, a
one-eyed suitor shows up to declare his love and a
shocking high-stakes wager is made on who bakes
the best red velvet cake. An uproarious delight
sure to satisfy your comedy sweet-tooth! The show
runs April 19 – May 5. As an added bite of fun, we
are going to have a red velvet cake war of our own.
Opening night we will have a competition for who
bakes the best red velvet cake. Patrons are encouraged to bring in their entry and we’ll have local
theatre and food critics act as judges. The winner
will receive a free season subscription to our next
season!
Harley Toto Wong killer of wicked witches
of the west
THE WIZARD OF OZ
Made famous by the classic film starring Judy Garland; Dorothy Gale of
Kansas, like so many girls her age
dreams of what lies over the rainbow.
One day a twister hits her farm and
carries her away over the rainbow to
another world. Come join Dorothy,
the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and Cowardly Lion and Toto in the merry old
land of Oz. The Wizard of Oz takes
flight July 12 – 28, 2013.
BENEFITS OF SEASON
SUBSCRIPTION
All five shows can be yours to enjoy or give as a gift
for only $75. By purchasing a season subscription
you are assured of the best seat in the house and
enjoy the following benefits:
- Reserved seats in the Crown Jewel of Montgomery County for all shows
- Your seats reserved in advance for next season
- Complimentary ticket exchange
- Over a 20% discount on tickets
- 1 Free “Friends of a Subscriber” ticket to one
show (invite a friend to join you at a performance
for free!).
- Your name in every program
- Our sincere thanks for your support!!
Harley waiting for the show to begin
Season tickets for our Season of Miracles can
be purchased by calling the Crighton Theatre
box office; 936-441-SHOW (7469). Call anytime
and we’ll get back to you during box office hours
(M-F 3-6 pm and 3 pm till show time on show
dates). Or, drop by the theatre during box office
house and purchase tickets in person. The historic
Crighton Theatre is located at 234 N. Main Street
in downtown Conroe.
Our goal of providing quality, clean and affordable entertainment at the historic Crighton
Theatre is made possible only through the generous support of our patrons. Thank you! u
Sticking Together Through Alzheimer’s
Dementia can test the unity of even the most cohesive families. “Alzheimer’s is very stressful because of the behavioral changes; those who have dementia are so often behaving in ways unfamiliar and unpleasant and, in some
instances, inappropriate,’’ said caregiving expert Dr. Amy D’Aprix, who served
on a panel to develop content for the Home Instead Senior Care® network’s free
Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias CARE: Changing Aging Through Research and EducationSM Training Program.
Dr. D’Aprix said that regular communication – whether it’s by email or
phone – is the single biggest key to helping families cope with Alzheimer’s
disease.
From Dr. D’Aprix and the Home Instead Senior Care network are tips to
help families stick together through the ups and downs of Alzheimer’s disease:
1. Get an accurate diagnosis: Make sure there is an accurate diagnosis so
a family knows what it is dealing with, and what to expect.
2. Communicate regularly: Keeping family members updated and informed of all the changes in a loved one’s condition can help alleviate confu-
64
sion and hard feelings.
3. Confer with professionals: A family meeting
with a professional may be needed to ensure that
everyone shares the same information and gets the
resources they need. The main caregivers sometimes unwittingly become the keeper of the information because they are the ones dealing with the
situation.
4. Learn skills and techniques: The behavioral
changes that come with Alzheimer’s disease and
other dementias can be difficult to manage. The resources of the CARE program can help.
5. Expect change and learn to manage it:
Dementias are ever-changing conditions. Family
caregivers can find solace and support by sharing
with others who are facing similar challenges. The
Alzheimer’s Association and local support groups
can help.
6. Ask for help if you’re the primary caregiver: Perhaps you’re the only one
of your siblings in town with a parent. Or maybe you’re the oldest daughter and
the one expected to care for everyone. Maybe you’re a spouse. Whatever the
circumstance, caregivers of seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias shouldn’t try to go it alone.
7. Tune into the main caregiver’s needs: If you’re not the main family caregiver, be attentive to the one who is. Otherwise, resentment can fester. Look at
what needs to be done and how the primary caregiver can get respite.
8. Assign tasks: Even family members who live out of town can do things
to help. Make a list of all that needs to be done and ask people to step up to
the plate. Money management is among things that can be done long distance.
9. Consider the family legacy: What will the family dynamic be after your
senior loved one is gone? What do you want the legacy of this caregiving experience to be? What kind of relationships do you want with your siblings? Make
sure the stress of caregiving doesn’t damage your relationships with loved ones.
10. Tap into resources: Families can’t have too much information when
it comes to trying to manage the potential behavioral changes of Alzheimer’s
disease and other dementias. The CARE program provides family caregivers
with a unique, free training program that can help.
Managing the Challenges of Alzheimer’s:
One Example, the Repetitive Question
Mary asked the questions again and again while waiting for her lunch at
a restaurant. Her eyes were fixed on the centerpiece, which included a printed
list of the specials during the next three days, including Christmas. So every
two minutes, she had the same request: “Please read me the menu. When is
Christmas? When is Christmas?’’
Repetition is one of the common challenging behaviors of Alzheimer’s disease. Others include refusal, delusions (fixed, false ideas or beliefs), aggression,
false accusations, wandering and agitation.
Behaviors like constant and repetitive questions can try family caregivers
to the breaking point, Alzheimer’s expert David Troxel confirms. “It’s a long
haul,” he said. “It’s not an acute illness – the average length is eight years, but
people can live with it for 20.”
Following are approaches from the Home Instead Senior Care® network’s
free Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias CARE: Changing Aging Through
Research and EducationSM Training Program to help families manage challenging behaviors like repeated questions: • Redirect. The first time a question or concern comes up, take a few moments to answer the question fully and provide reassurance that all is well. If
that doesn’t work, try to engage the senior in a related topic. For example: “Tell
me about your favorite Christmas.” “What was your favorite present?” “How
about your favorite Christmas meal?” “What holiday do you like best?” Sometimes discussing the topic (in this case Christmas) a bit more will lead her away
from the repetitive behavior and calm her anxiety.
• Utilize the person’s life story for ideas. The CARE program encourages
caregivers to know seniors well. For instance, when a caregiver knows that
the person loves country western music or enjoyed quilting, they can ask that
individual about this new and favored topic to “change the subject,” but in a
meaningful and respectful way.
• Physically move the items or senior from the environment. If the menu,
in this case, or an object, in general, continues to agitate or irritate, remove the
senior or the object from that situation.
• Offer simple choices. Persons with dementia still want to feel in control
of their lives. The CARE program teaches that one way to break a repetitive
question cycle is to offer a simple choice, “Speaking of Christmas, Mom, would
you like to serve turkey or lamb this year?”
• Apologize and take the blame. Apologizing or taking the blame in a
situation (even when it’s not your fault) diffuses many situations. In this case
the family member can apologize for not understanding her concern or question and then try to move Mom away from her anxiety about Christmas plans.
Alzheimer’s experts suggest that many challenging behaviors can be positively influenced by creative and well-informed caregivers. The Alzheimer’s
Disease or Other Dementias CARE Training Program teaches techniques that
can turn failure into success.
For more information about free Family Caregiver Training for family
caregivers of seniors dealing with the behavioral changes of Alzheimer’s or
other dementias, contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office, or visit
HelpforAlzheimersFamilies.com to engage in an e-learning course. Give us a
call for a free In-Home Care Consultation (936)441-3223 or trisha.highnote@
homeinstead.com. u
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It Really Does Pay to Shop Around!!
A few months ago, I received a phone call from
a Dock Line reader who wanted a quote on her auto
and homeowners insurance. She had been insured
with one of the Big Three (State Farm, Allstate or
Farmers) for over twenty years. In fact, her son had
gone to school with her current agent. Her current
homeowners insurance renewal had increased almost
30% over the previous year and after reading one of
my articles she decided it was time to give us a call.
She sent the homeowners information along
with her auto insurance details. She and her sister
were on the same policy and had three full coverage
vehicles. There were no claim or accident issues and
they both had excellent insurance credit scores. We
quoted both auto and homeowners through all of our
companies and presented them with the best package.
We lowered the premium on her homeowners
to $200 less than it had been BEFORE the increase
which worked out to a huge savings. The auto was
just as dramatic. The six month premium had been
$1,122 for all three vehicles with low liability limits.
We were able to increase her liability limits to an acceptable level and still provide an ANNUAL premium
66
of $1,405. This was almost a 40% SAVINGS!! Obviously, this Dock Line reader was very pleased.
She referred her daughter and son to us for insurance quotes. They were both also with the same
Big Three company. Even though her daughter lived
in Harris County, we were still able to reduce her homeowners’ premium about 10% and were able to lower her wind deductible from 2% to 1 %. Once again it
was the auto that supplied the largest savings. As with
her mother, she and her husband had excellent credit
and no claims. Their liability limits were also too low
so we increased them on the quotes. They had been
paying $1,311 per six months for three full coverage
vehicles. Our best quote came back at $1,280 PER
YEAR, a savings of over 50%!! We were also able to
save her son a considerable amount of money on his
insurance coverages.
We also recently helped another couple in their
mid-thirties, no claims and good credit. Their Big
Three homeowners insurance had also increased
about 30% from the prior year AND had their hurricane deductible increased to 2%. We were able to
save them over $1,000 on their homeowners and as an
added bonus, over $1,000 per year on their auto and
umbrella insurance also.
Granted, we don’t save everyone this much
money. However, even though all companies have increased their homeowners’ premiums, when competing against one of the Big Three, as long as credit and
claims are acceptable we will save most people at least
20% on their premiums.
What is amazing to me is that according to the
latest market share reports, the Big Three actually
increased their market share in both auto and homeowners in 2011. After several years of the independent companies steadily increasing their market
share they lost ground. The Big Three increased 1-½
percentage points to a total of 74 PERCENT OF THE
MARKET. Does that mean that almost three out of
four people are overpaying for insurance? Not necessarily, but if I was insured with one of those companies I would want to find out.
How do they continue to increase market share?
In my opinion it all has to do with fantastic marketing
programs and branding. It certainly isn’t because of
good rates. Hardly an evening goes by that you don’t
see an ad for “the good hands people”, or “like a good
neighbor” or “back where you belong” at least once
on prime time television. Although Travelers and
MetLife are advertising a little more now, you rarely
see any independent companies in prime time. Most
of them depend on their agency partners to promote
them. These national advertising programs cost a lot
of money and you better believe their policy holders
are paying for it in the end.
If there are any questions regarding this article,
or if you would like to see if we can help you with your
insurance, please call me at 936-597-5001 or email me
at [email protected]. u
Things to Consider
for the Not-So-Skilled
Freshwater Fisherman
By: Michael Homer, Jr.
68
Are you a person who is interested in fishing but has not
a clue of how to start or what supplies you need? Fishing is
one of my favorite past-times, but I, like you, had to start from
“Square One”. In this article, I will discuss some quick fishing
tips to help you get your fishing trip started and to help you land
some fish.
First, to fish you need a fishing rod that fits your fishing
objective (i.e., what you want to fish for). When I first started
fishing, I really wanted to catch catfish, and I needed a rod to get
the job done. I was astounded by all of the fishing rods that were
available, and I knew nothing about them. The rods ranged from
all types of materials such as graphite, tubular glass, and wood.
After speaking with more experienced anglers and eventually
trying out various types of rods, I learned that the type of material will affect the sensitivity of the rod when a fish bites a lure.
Further, the various rod materials will determine the strength of
the rod. Wood rods are more traditional and very sensitive to
fish bites, but can break more easily than a graphite or tubular
glass rod. Tubular glass rods are very strong but may be so stiff
that the sensitivity of the rod may be affected. Graphite rods
are not as strong as tubular glass, but are stronger than wood
and are more sensitive to fish bites. Rods even vary by size and
strength such as ultra-light to heavy, with the ultra-light rods
being shorter and thinner and the heavy rods being taller and
thick. The best type of rod to use is really the preference of the
angler and what he/she wants to fish for.
When considering a rod, you should also consider a type
of reel it requires. The simplest reel is the spincaster, which releases line on a cast by just a push of a button. Second, and
my personal favorite, is the spinning reel. The spinning reels
require the angler to release the line with a finger. Spinning
reels are very versatile and have been developed to catch very
small to big fish. The baitcaster is another very popular reel that
requires the user to push a button with their thumb to release
the line. Baitcasters have been used to land some notable large
fish. Whatever reel you consider will indicate a line test strength
that the device requires. The “test” is a measurement of the
maximum weight the line can hold. The type of line you choose
can also affect how fish see your lure as well as the durability
and life of the line. Monofilament tends to be the most common
and most affordable fishing line, but many companies have developed stronger alternatives that are suggested to be less visible to fish.
After you have chosen the rod and reel you want to fish with,
you need to consider your
baits to land your target
fish. Over the years, fishermen and fishing companies have developed a
plethora of baits and lures
to catch fish. The type of
bait to use depends on
the species you want to
fish for. Sunfishes prefer
worms, crickets, grasshoppers, flies, and small
jigs. Crappie will bite larger, similar baits that will
target sunfish, but they
will also bite spinner baits
and plugs. Many lures
have been developed for
black basses such as
swim baits, spinner baits,
plugs, spoons, plastics,
and chatter baits. Catfishes rely on their senses of
smell and taste more then
sight, so the use of stink
baits, dip baits, live baits
(i.e., worms, minnows,
shrimp, and shad), or
chicken livers may be effective in catching these
species. Whatever lure
or bait you decide to use,
remember to consider the
test of your line. If the lure
is to light, it will not cast
far. Conversely, if the lure
or bait is too heavy, it may
cast too far and drag on
the bottom of the waterbody.
Next, consider your
fishing spot and how you
will be fishing. Will you
be bank fishing or fishing from a boat? Often, I
would fish for bass from
the bank of a pond near
my house, but I would
never catch anything. I
realized that when I would
fish, I would always be
casting out too far from
the shore with my spinner
bait, and there would be
no structure. Fishing in
areas with abundant submerged structure (e.g.,
fallen trees, plants, fish
attractors, etc.) will more
than likely produce some
successful fishing results
when targeting black basses, crappie, and sunfishes. Casting
closer to the shore with either the active
lure or bait puts you within range of these
species. Catfishes prefer the bottom of
pools or cavities, thus a passive stink
bait or chicken liver on a line equipped
with a bobber and a sinker below the bait
may produce a successful catch.
Before fishing, remember to bring
some additional tools with you. First,
bring a multi-tool or small pocket knife
in the event that you need to cut the fishing line. Second, bring pliers to pull fish
hooks out of either the fish or yourself
– hopefully it will be the fish. Next, be
sure to have plenty of bobbers, weights,
hooks, preferred lures, and extra fishing
line in your kit or tacklebox. Be sure to
also have a cell phone and an emergency kit just in case. When fishing, always
remember your safety. If you are bank
fishing be mindful of your surroundings,
and be sure to wear insect repellant to
protect from mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers. Avoid areas with dense vegetation
or private properties to which you do not
have permission to access. If fishing
from a boat, be sure to wear your personal flotation device, know your boating laws. And remember Texas is hot so
always bring plenty of water and apply
sun screen regularly!
Lastly, have your fishing license and
have a copy of the Texas fishing regulations if you are fishing on a public waterbody. If you are considering fishing
on a public waterbody, and you either
lack a license or it is expired, do not take
the risk of a fine. Anyone age-17 or older must possess a valid fishing license
when fishing on public water in Texas.
The only exception is in our State Parks
where no fishing license is required
(http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/
fish/programs/familyfish/). If you would
like to purchase a Texas fishing license,
you may purchase them online at www.
tpwd.state.tx.us or at a local sporting
goods store such as Bass Pro Shops or
Academy Sports. Fishing regulations are
also available online or in hard copy at
your local sporting goods store.
For more information about fishing please access the “Take me fishing”
brochure at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/
publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_
k0700_0639d.pdf, or please feel free to
contact Mark Webb or me at michael.
[email protected] or mark.webb@
tpwd.state.tx.us or by calling 979-2721430. u
70
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Each month “Body, Mind and Spirit” will provide valuable information that helps people achieve a new
level of health and wellness by focusing on the complete individual. These articles will cover a broad array
of topics such as nutrition, stress relief, exercise, meditation, organizational skills and much more.
Conquering Depression: Taking the Road to Health
Imagine a beautiful summer day; not too hot.
A gentle breeze is blowing as you sit out in your
yard or boating on the lake. Everyone around you
seems to be enjoying themselves. They are laughing
and smiling and having a good time. You, on the
other hand, are thinking about how much you don’t
fit in. You can barely get out of your chair, much
less participate.
Your thoughts are not clear, you are having
difficulty concentrating and you just can’t get your
mind to think about anything other than what’s
not right. You seem to be falling into a deep hole
that you feel you can’t get out of. You have an overwhelming sense of emptiness and you are isolating yourself from others more and more each day.
Completing daily tasks is becoming very difficult.
72
You’ve had these feelings for several months. Family and friends may not know what to do. You look
okay, but you seem sad all of the time.
Depression can strike at any age and does not
care how educated you are, what race you are or
how much money you make a year. Depression is
a medical illness that affects mood, thoughts, and
behaviors. Major Depression, and its less severe
relative Dysthymic Disorder, affects over 15 million
adults a year. It also affects five percent of children
and youth, according to the American Academy of
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Family, friends, and co-workers may not even
notice as the clinically depressed person slowly
withdraws from their relationships. Left untreated,
depression can lead to serious problems in daily
functioning, health problems and even suicide,
which is the eleventh-leading cause of death in the
United States. Suicide is the third-leading cause of
death among children ages 15-19.
Traditionally, people who are depressed are
looked down upon and considered weak. Fortunately, we are beginning to understand what causes
depression and there are solutions for this very
treatable illness.
What Are the Causes of Major Depression?
The general scientific understanding is that
depression does not have a single cause. There is no
one-size-fits all. A major life trauma, genetic inheritance, sex, brain chemistry imbalance, hormone
changes, substance abuse and other illnesses; such
as chronic pain, autoimmune and thyroid disorders
can play a part in the depression puzzle.
A person may have a family history of depression and be fine until the individual experiences a
major life stressor or a change in hormone level,
triggering symptoms of depression. Early-life traumatic experiences have been shown to cause long
term changes in how the brain responds to future
fears and stressors and thereby, creating the stage
for depression to develop.
Depression is often caused by an issue in the
supply of the chemical messengers of the brain called
neurotransmitters. The three neurotransmitters connected to depression are: serotonin, norepinephrine,
and dopamine. When these chemical messengers are
not properly balanced in the brain, a cascading effect of negative thoughts and emotions can take over,
creating the possibility for depression to occur.
What are the Symptoms in Adults?
Symptoms of depression range from changes
in sleep patterns, appetite, impaired concentration
and decision making to loss of energy, loss of interest, bodily aches and pains, irritability, and hopelessness. Depression in women, men, and older
adults look very different: Women typically have
symptoms of sadness, worthlessness and guilt. Men
are more likely to be more tired, irritable or even
angry and often lose interest in activities. Older
adults have less obvious symptoms and may be less
likely to admit feelings of sadness or guilt.
What are Symptoms in Children and Adults?
Depression in children and adolescents may
appear differently than adults. Symptoms may include: frequent sadness, tearfulness, hopelessness,
persistent boredom, low energy, low self esteem, extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, increased irritability, hostility or anger, frequent absences from
school, increase in alcohol and/or drug use and/
or dangerous and risky behavior, major changes in
eating and sleeping, running away and thoughts of
suicide and/or self destructive behavior.
Treatment
Visiting with your doctor to rule out any medical condition is the first step to recovery. If appropriate, ask your doctor if he/she is comfortable prescribing medications for Major Depression. If not
have he/she refer you to a psychiatrist. Whether you
choose to use medication or not, seeing a therapist
can provide important recovery tools. These tools
include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Stress Management, Supportive Counseling, Goal Setting and
Family Therapy are all tools to help you or loved
one to recover from Major Depression.
Important key components of dealing with
depression are learning to change your negative
thoughts in a more positive direction, learning how
to change old habits that may trigger depression,
setting realistic goals and learning how to manage
stress in a more productive manner.
Successful recovery from a Major Depressive
episode is created by finding a new balance and
subsequently a new you. It will take time to recover
and it will require patience and the support of the
people around you; including your doctor, counselor, minister, friends and family when possible.
Learning how to understand and work through difficult relationships and/or situations will also help
you in your recovery.
Exercising, eating a healthy diet, staying as active as is possible, and trying all the stress management techniques that are available will assist you on
your journey. There is always a positive solution to
our most difficult life challenges. May your journey
to complete health begin today!
Terri has been a Marriage and Family Therapist for over 20 years working with adults, children
and adolescents, couples and families. The focus of
her work is to help people find positive solutions to
relationship problems or difficult individual issues
– creating a more satisfying life.
If you would like more information about
depressive disorders, please call Terri Rosenthal
LMFT at 936-494-8771 or look at our website [email protected] We are frequently
adding information about future workshops and
other educational informational to help you. Terri’s
office is conveniently located at Stone Creek Wellness Center in Montgomery and appointments can
be made by calling 936-582-4555. u
Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors Lake Conroe
Office Joins the Houston Brokerage of Better
Homes and Gardens Real Estate Network
The Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors Lake
Conroe Office was faced with a decision after the
sale of Prudential to Brookfield Real Estate Services. We did not take this responsibility lightly. We
wanted to make the best decision for our clients as
well as the dynamic team of Realtors® that are an
integral part of our Lake Conroe Office. We looked
at the option of staying with Brookfield, going independent and joining the Gary Greene Group
and joining the Better Homes and Gardens Real
Estate Network. We are excited to announce that
we have chosen to join Mark Woodroof and Marilyn Eiland, the Gary Greene Brokerage Group, in
its growing Better Homes and Gardens network.
Through the years, the Gary Greene brokerage has
grown to encompass 20 offices and more than 850
agents, all serving the Houston market. In May
2012, REAL Trends magazine rated the company
among the top 60 residential real estate brokerages
in the United States in both sales volume ($1.58
billion) and transaction sides (6,509) for 2011.
Since 2007, the company has listed more homes,
sold more listings and closed more transactions
than any other brokerage in the Houston area, according to MLS company ranking data. In 2011,
the Houston Business Journal named the brokerage as the area’s No. 1 real estate brokerage.
Today marks a significant milestone for our
Lake Conroe Office as we join these influential
real estate leaders and the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate network. Mark and Marilyn have
grown an impressive brokerage based on trust,
integrity and a superior reputation. Our shared
vision and values make this a strong partnership
that we are confident will continue to flourish as
both the brokerage and the brand continue to expand. The brand will best support us in providing
unparalleled consumer real estate experiences and
company growth opportunities in the Lake Conroe and greater Houston area.
Our decision to join the Better Homes and
Gardens Real Estate network provides a positive
change that enables our agents to take advantage of
a dynamic brand. Our agents are excited to utilize
the brands’ innovative technology and resources to
target new customers and offer additional value to
our clients.
In conjunction with this announcement, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene
now is an associate member of the Cartus Broker
Network. A Realogy subsidiary, Cartus is a provider of global employee relocation solutions serving the corporate, government and affinity markets. Cartus is also handling the local corporate
relocation move of the Exxon/Mobil employees.
As you can see the Lake Conroe Office is excited about our new adventure and the new services through relocation and innovative technology
that we will be offering our clients. u
Call us for all your real estates needs.
Candace Joyner
Broker Associate, Fine Homes Specialist, GRI, Relocation
Certified, New Home Specialist
www.LakeConroeProperties.com
[email protected] • Direct 936-520-4373
Better Homes and Gardens is a registered trademark of Meredith Corp. licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC and Realogy Corp.
and used with permission.
It is an Equal Opportunity Company and Equal Housing Opportunity. Each
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Franchise is independently owned
and operated.
my
b i s c pa l
uit
74
Since the Supreme Court’s decision upholding ObamaCare’s individual mandate to purchase
health-care insurance, there has been a debate
among Democrats, Republicans and conservatives over whether the punishment for failure to
purchase insurance should be called a penalty or a
tax. Obama and the Democrats, who have promised not to raise taxes on the middle-class, have
insisted it is a penalty; but Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney correctly claimed the
Court ruled it a tax. At a Town Hall meeting on
July 3 in The Woodlands, Congressman Kevin
Brady spoke of the high cost of the health-care law
and distributed a handout that documented 20 additional tax hikes in the health-care law costing as
much as $675 billion dollars. Five of these hikes
were levied in 2010, two in 2011, one in 2012; five
will be levied in 2013, five in 2014 and one in 2018.
The handout can be obtained from Brady’s office
by calling 1-877-441-5700.
The Associated Press reported on July 8th:
“The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold most of
President Obama’s health-care law will come home
to roost for most taxpayers in about 2 ½ years,
when they’ll have to start providing proof on their
tax returns that they have health insurance.” The
U. S. Treasury Inspector General, who oversees
the IRS, has acknowledged that the health-care
law “includes the largest set of tax law changes in
more than 20 years”. The IRS will now have to hire
thousands of additional workers to manage the
law, and has requested budget increases to pay for
the expense.
As a retired family physician, I am concerned
that with all the rhetoric about taxes, the IRS, health
insurance and government regulations, very little
attention has been given to the “doctor-patient relationship” under ObamaCare. Daniel Henniger of
the Wall Street Journal recently commented about
this historic relationship: “Have you noticed what
got lost in this historic rumble? Doctors. Remember them?...The doctor-patient relationship, or
what used to be called ‘the practice of medicine’
has sunk beneath these waves.” We can all recall
the constant Obama song-“You can keep your own
doctor.” Like so many of his promises, this one also
sounds like an empty promise. As Henniger notes:
“No one knows better than Barack Obama that his
law sends the nation’s doctors on a voyage into an
uncharted health-care world in which they are just
along for the ride with their patients.”
The WSJ story about the impact of the Su-
preme Court ruling across the health-care sector
failed to mention the words “doctor”, “nurse” or
“physician” Henniger noted. One CEO who runs a
chain of hospitals explained how they would deal
with the expected loss of compensation: “We will
make it up in volume”. I suppose volume is another word for patients. Under Obama, doctors will
be expected to process more patients in less time
for less pay, and they will be expected to perform
mandated medical data dumps in order to comply
with the law’s new Physician Quality Reporting
System (PQRS) located in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. According to the WSJ, here is
what PQRS does: “The program provides an incentive payment to practices with eligible professionals (identified on the claims by their individual
National Provider Identifier and Tax Identification
Number) who satisfactorily report data on qual-
ity measures for covered Physician Fee Schedule
services furnished to Medicare Part B Fee-forService)”.
So in the world of Obamacare, will there be
more incentive for doing data dumps for bureaucrats in Washington than for diagnosing and treating patients? Drs. Christine Cassel and Sachin Jain
asked “Does Measurement Suppress Motivation?”
in the June 17th Journal of the American Medical Association. The question raised is whether
pay for performance measurements on physicians
does more harm than good. The authors concluded: “Close attention must be given to whether and
how these initiatives motivate physicians and not
turn physicians into pawns working only toward
specific measurable outcomes, losing the complex
problem-solving and diagnostic capabilities essential to their role in quality of patient care, and
diminish their sense of professional responsibility
by making it a market commodity.”
Henniger observed: “The saying that comes
to mind reading these misgivings is that it’s better
late than never to notice that the core relationship
between doctor and patient is being eroded.” Much
like the family, this relationship is both crucial and
sacred in America. ObamaCare must be attacked
at its weakest point- the relationship between the
doctors and their patients. It must be preserved
and not replaced by the relationship between government and the patient. u
The following is provided for informational
purposes only and is not, nor should it be construed
as legal advice. Reprinted by request from a 2008
article.
Responsible pet owners often express concern regarding what will happen to their pets upon
the owner’s death.
Some people have even made a conscious decision not to keep and enjoy pets for
the last few years of their lives because they simply cannot tolerate the idea of leaving their pets
without love or support after their death. These
persons deny themselves the type of love and companionship that they have relied upon for most of
their lives through a desire not to place a loved pet
“in harms way”.
Previously many people who have considered
the possibility of leaving gifts to pets in their wills
have been disappointed to find that pets cannot be
recognized as a legal owner of property or have
labored under the belief that someone (not sure
who) might have considered them less than mentally competent for making this type of gift.
Others have looked into continued care
programs associated with veterinary schools, but
found, in many cases, that this was not a practical
approach because of extremely high costs as well as
the uncertainty of being able to take advantage of
such a program at a future date.
We also read in the news that some eccentric
billionaire or another has left a fortune to a pet
which not only exceeds the pet’s reasonable needs
but also could have fed and clothed a small country for several months.
Arguably, and unlike Leona Helmsley who
left a $12,000,000.00 trust for pets, the person to
whom this article is directed is an average rational
person who simply wishes to be certain that his/
her surviving pets are cared for and nurtured for
the remainder of the pet’s natural life.
In January 2006, the Texas legislature passed
statutes which confirm and strengthen previously
existing laws making a pet trust a real and practical
approach.
Under this legislation, even the most modest
of estates can provide for future pet care.
In many ways, crafting a pet trust is more difficult than crafting a trust for the care of a child
or an aging parent, but competent counsel who
understands the reasons for the trust and the goals
to be accomplished should be able to assist you in
making the necessary decisions to insure your pet’s
future.
The mechanics of crafting a “pet trust” are as
follows:
• A provision in the pet owner’s will which
will take effect after the owner’s death will set aside
specific property (to be held during the life time of
the pet(s)) in a fund for the care and maintenance
of specified pets. This need not be a large sum
and can be funded in many ways, not all of which
might be cash in the bank. It might even be funded
through the equity in the owners home, etc.
• Because animals may not own property, the
gift in the will that funds the trust would be to a
trusted friend or relative who would take title to
the property but only for the benefit of the named
animals. This person would be known as the
“trustee” of the pet trust.
• In addition to the trustee, the trust created in
your will should appoint a “caretaker”. The caretak-
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76
er is the person that takes actual physical possession of the pet and should be the person that you
wish to care for the pet on a daily basis and who
you believe will employ the level of care that you
have set forth in instruction and direction found
in the pet trust created by your will.
• Proper care of your pets is to be defined by
you through the terms of the trust and should describe the acceptable level of care. “Proper care”
may include but is not limited to, regular visits
to the veterinarian, living arrangements (i.e. in a
home as a family member, kennel, etc.), types of
food, bedding, grooming, etc.
• Your pet trustee will pay over to your caretaker the dollar amount that you indicate in your
instruction. This will normally be done on a periodic basis, but may be on any schedule that you
think is proper.
• Your trustee will be assigned the task of being certain that the caretaker is providing for your
pets in the manner that you set forth in your instruction which shall be found in the “pet trust”.
If they are not, the trustee may be allowed to terminate the caretaker’s services and place your pet
in the care of an alternate caretaker that you have
named.
• The trust will terminate upon the death of
your pet and the funds remaining in the trust fund
shall be distributed to any other beneficiaries that
have specified in your will.
Wishing to make sure that pets are properly
protected after death is neither eccentric nor a ridiculous scheme. Unless you have other means of
caring for them, it may be proffered that it is the
responsible thing to do.
For those persons who have children, grandchildren, siblings or friends who will “step-up” and
nurture the pet, a “pet trust’ may not be worthy of
consideration, but for those persons and their pets
who are not so fortunate, a pet trust may be a viable solution.
James Bright is admitted to practice before the
Federal Courts for the Southern District of Texas
and Eastern District of Texas as well as all of the
Justice Courts, Probate Courts, County Courts at
Law, District Courts, Courts of Appeal and Supreme
Court for the State of Texas. He maintains an office in Houston and by appointment another at 208
McCown Street in the heart of historic Montgomery.
Contact may be made by telephone (936) 449-4455
or (281) 586-8277. For more information about
wills or probate in Texas, please see- www.houstontxprobate.com. u
Dock Line Magazine
Advertising that WORKS!
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each market of the Lake Conroe and
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to Start getting results
call today!
936-890-7234
EFFECTS OF UNTREATED HEARING LOSS
Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent
chronic conditions in the United States, affecting
more than 9 million Americans over the age of 65,
and 10 million Americans age 45-64. Only about
2 of 5 older Americans with hearing loss, and only
1 of 7 middle aged Americans with hearing loss
use hearing aids. Hearing loss is directly related to
increased severity of social isolation, depression,
and Alzheimer’s/dementia.
Because social isolation is a serious problem
for some older people, studies have shown that
those who have hearing loss and are not treated
with amplification are less likely to participate in
social activities. Of those with more severe hearing loss, a significant amount of hearing aid users
participate more regularly in social activities than
non users according to some studies. Hearing aid
78
users reported significant improvement in many
areas of their lives, ranging from their relationships at home and sense of independence, to their
social life both in and outside the home. Studies also show that the families of the hearing aid
users also noted improvements, and were more
likely to notice those improvements than the user.
Many seniors are displaced from their long time
residences and home towns to live closer to family.
This transition to make new friends, and find new
churches, bridge clubs, and other social settings
can be stressful especially is they are not able to
hear conversation well.
Depression can affect anyone at any age but
according to a study conducted by the Geriatric
Mental Health Foundation, 15 out of every 100
adults over the age of 65 in the United States re-
ported feeling depressed. One reason may be that
as people age they experience more chronic health
problems. In 1999 the National Council on Aging
found that older adults who suffered from untreated hearing loss were more likely to report feelings
of depression and anxiety than those whose hearing loss had been treated with hearing aids.
Many studies have demonstrated a correlation between Alzheimer’s, dementia and hearing
loss. The University of Washington studied patients with both Alzheimer’s and hearing loss, and
found that there was a strong correlation between
the severity of cognitive decline and the degree of
hearing loss. They conducted another study and
found that 83% of the group with senile dementia
also suffered from a significant hearing loss, higher
than normally expected for that age group. The
good news is that 33% of those with memory and
hearing loss were reclassified to a less severe category of dementia once the hearing loss was treated
with hearing aids.
Encourage hearing evaluations for those that
are in need of them. Texas law mandates that
there must be a return option period for anyone
that purchases hearing aids. Audiology & Hearing
Aids of The Woodlands provides a 60-day return
option with a refund minus $100.00, regardless of
the reason for return. For those that are reluctant
to try amplification, the worst that can happen is
that you could lose $100.00, but you may discover
that it was one of the best health care decisions you
ever made. u
Clear Direction for Your Retirement™
by Craig Wear, CFP®
Health Insurance
Options and Limitations
for Early Retirees
Almost every week I discuss the limitations to early
retirement because of a lack of carry over health
insurance by the wannabe early retiree. The issue is
that they ‘could’ retire but don’t feel like they can
afford (or qualify for) individual health insurance
coverage to bridge them to Medicare at age 65. So
what are your options and limitations for health
care if you retire prior to age 65, and what are the
implications of the new Affordable Healthcare Act
(aka Obamacare)?
Background
Employer sponsored insurance is the leading
source of health insurance, covering 150 million
people in America. The Kaiser Family Foundation
and Health Research & Education Trust conduct an
annual national survey of nonfederal private and
public employers with three or more workers. 2011
was their thirteenth annual survey and some of the
data presented to you here comes directly from
their findings.
Rising health care costs have made it increasingly
difficult for employers to provide quality, affordable health insurance for workers and retirees.
Since 2001, average premiums for family coverage
have increased 113%.
Single workers contribute on average 18% of the
premium, while marrieds’ pay 28% of their premium. In 2011, that amounted to about $921 for single
coverage and $4,129 for family coverage.
What about retirees?
Once upon a time almost everyone carried their
company health coverage with them into retirement. The percentage of large firms providing
workers with retirees with health coverage was
88% in 1988. Today the number of retirees from
large firms who will take health insurance with
them has dropped to just 26%, placing the burden
on the shoulders of the retiree to find an affordable
solution. Sadly, most choose to work longer, or are
forced to because of health conditions that would
make a new plan unavailable.
Of the 26% of firms who offer retirees health
benefits, 91% offer them also to EARLY retirees.
And 71% of the companies extend these benefits to
Medicare age retirees.
For those who do not carry benefits with them as
pre-retirees, health insurance premiums for retirement age Americans are over four times more
expensive than for younger adults. Deductibles are
also four times that of a typical employer sponsored
insurance plan. It’s easy to see why there is so much
angst among early retirees who are also trying to
figure out how to make the transition.
Options
So what are the options for the 75% who won’t be
taking health insurance with you when you retire
before you’re eligible for Medicare?
a. Your spouse may have an insurance plan that
will cover you. This would be the best option,
but many won’t have this to rely on.
b. Consider a part time job that may offer some
benefits. The time spent and the extra dough often
provide a great bridge to the psychological and
financial stress of full time retirement.
c. If you’re healthy, private health insurance might
be an option. A quick online search to Blue Cross
Blue Shield of Texas quotes a 60-yr old couple
with premiums between $7500 and $12,000 per
year. A single female at age 62 would be $4200
- $6000 per year.
The Supreme Court just validated almost all of the
Affordable Healthcare Act. Many of its requirements
have already stretched its tentacles into the depths
of the healthcare system and by January of 2014
we’ll be required to purchase coverage and enjoy the ‘benefits’ of the initiative. I’m certain that
I don’t really ‘get’ the bill, and I’m quite certain
that I’m pretty biased against it. That bit of full disclosure on the table, I can’t see how the financial
implications for early retirees is going to change
much. The one exception to this is for those who
have pre-existing conditions that would otherwise
prevent them from getting health insurance. With
the new Act in force, no one can be denied due to a
medical issue.
In preparing for a recent radio show – and this article
– I discovered a nifty online calculator at The
Washington Post’s website under the ‘politics’ tab.
If you’re going to have an income less than $60,000
(if married), there is ‘some’ federal subsidy of the
cost, but the total medical cost seems like it is still
going to be similar to current costs mentioned above.
I’m tempted to chase a purely political rabbit at this
point, but I’ll save that for another article.
The issue here is that a happy, healthy and worry
free retirement is the natural result of a wellplanned transition. For that, I’ll once again suggest
a bona fide retirement ‘plan’. An investment strategy
presentation or pitches to buy an annuity are NOT a
retirement plan. If you are not working with someone
who places the planning process as the foundation
of your decision making, I’d like to offer a complimentary second opinion to discuss how these issues
may impact the longevity of your savings.
Call us at 936-449-5952 or log onto
www.CraigWear.com.
Craig Wear, CFP®, is an investment advisor
representative of Game Plan Advisors, Inc.,
a registered investment advisor. ©
When you retire,
will you fish for fun…
or for food?
Learn How to Take Control of Your 401k and Your Future
Visit us at www.My401kInvesting.com
936-449-5952
2040 N. Loop 336 West
Suite 227
Conroe, TX 77304
Craig Wear, CFP®, is an investment advisor
representative of Game Plan Advisors, Inc.,
a registered investment advisor.
ANIMAL SHELTER VOLUNTEERS OF TEXAS
By: Kathy Joslyn
Annie
Minnie
80
The “COOOOOOL” pink “Adopt Me” collars
are modeled by Minnie and Annie! Isies the cat
sports a tuxedo collar.
The brightness of these collars will hopefully
get the attention of loving homes for these girls
and all their shelter pals. You will see many shelter
pets sporting this awesome designer line in numerous “cooool” colors this summer in places like
Big Lots, Petco, Buffalo Wild Wings, Ricks Auto
Shop and of course – The Conroe Animal Shelter!!
(407 Sgt. Ed Holcomb blvd.), 936-522-3550, MonSat 10-5:30.
Now is a perfect time of year to adopt that
special pal into your family.
We invite you to come and visit the Conroe
Animal Shelter and see all the beautiful pets that
are available for adoption. If a trip to the shelter
doesn’t fit into your plan please consider using our
“DREAM PET” application on our website www.
animalsheltervolunteersoftexas.com. We have
found matches for many families and pets! Tell us
what wonderful furry type pal you are looking for
and we will do the rest!
One of the things Volunteers do at the shelter
is get to know each and every pet. Volunteers learn
the pet’s personality and energy level. When you
ask for something in particular to fit in with your
family, we are happy to help! Just let us know.
Pictures are worth a thousand words but I will
add a few just to let you know that:
Being a foster saves lives
Being a Volunteer saves lives
Donating saves lives
Fundraising saves lives
Booo! I am Coconut and
I’m Butterscotch
We were rescued
& are now in
foster care!
Ready for
adoption!
LOOKING FOR
SOMETHING TO DO?
Come in & we will keep you
company!
FROM THE SMALLEST
TO THE LARGEST…
THEY ARE WAITING
FOR YOU!
ssian
Macey (ru
ster care.
blue) in fo
old.
th
10 mon s
Tiny chi m
ix
puppies orphaned
&
fostered n
ow ready
for
adoption
.
Ernie is the largest dog in the shelter at this
time. Please come and take him for walks.
Maybe you would like to adopt him?
I share these faces and stories to bring awareness to you who care about our community and
the number of pets received at shelters on a daily
basis.
Let’s all do what we can to prevent so many
from being euthanized.
SPAY AND NEUTER!!!!
ADOPT!
FOSTER!
2 UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS!!
Hoover invites you to “help us help them”
PAINTING FOR PAWS
FUNDRAISER AND FUN TOO!!
PAINTING FOR A PURPOSE!!
August 26 at Painting with a Twist. Proceeds go
to ASVT to help the pets!
3 HOURS OF FUN FOR $45.00/person
Get your friends and sign up now!
[email protected]
“ FIRST ANNUAL” PLAYING FOR PAWS
CASINO NIGHT
SEPTEMBER 28, 2012
WE NEED YOUR HELP
PLEASE SIGN UP TO DONATE AUCTION
ITEMS, SPONSOR OR BE INVOLVED
Beautiful Rita thanks you.
Isies
A little story on Rita: She came to the shelter with pups in tow. The pups were too young
for the adoption room so they all spent a couple
weeks gaining strength. They were well cared for
by the staff and once the pups were weaned they
were adopted immediately. They were beautiful
pups and Mother Rita did a wonderful job caring
for them…the problem was she was extremely
thin when she arrived at the shelter and the pups
had nearly drained her. The staff kept food in
front of her and she is now gaining weight and
feeling perky again. She is very gentle and kind
and would make a wonderful pet for someone
who will give her the love and good home that
she deserves. She is a German Shepherd mix and
under 1 year old. She will be forever grateful.
Please let us know if you would like to meet Rita.
Monetary Donations help us with supplies
and medical costs! Every day pets come into the
shelter in need of special care. It is quite often
minor but sometimes more extensive and it adds
up. Please consider donating so we can continue
to help the pets in need. Many of the faces you
see today in this article have survived because
of donations. Thank you. Please go to website
www.animalsheltervolunteersoftexas.com, Pay
Pal or send a check to: Animal Shelter Volunteers of Texas, Inc. 501c3, P.O. Box 476, Montgomery, TX 77356.
Other items needed at the shelter: Fleece
blankets, kitten & puppy food (can & dry), Collars, leashes, brushes, shampoo, conditioners
(Groomers !!:)) We recycle ink cartridges and
cell phones!!
Other ways to help:
Sponsor Advertising to help promote fosters
and adoptions
Chairing and creating fund raising events.
Without funds, we cannot heal the sick.
Schedule Offsite adoptions
Help at the front desk at The Conroe Shelter
407 Sgt. Ed Holcomb Blvd.
Be a volunteer today!
www.animalsheltervolunteersoftexas.com
New Volunteers orientation
the first Saturday of the month!
We hope to see everyone add a new family
member before the summer is over!! u
Teenie Tiny “Bella”
In foster care and ready for adoption
82
WILL YOU COME AND VISIT US AT THE SHELTER?
Benji
Casandra
Sp ot
Mindi
I hope these Glam
our shots
help me find a hom
e!
PLEASE SIGN UP AND VOLUNTEER TODAY
84
BY: BUTCH TERPE AT STOW-A-WAY
MARINA & R/V PARK
BLACK BASS: Now that this summer
heat has gotten the lake water temperature near 90 degrees, bass action can be
a little tough, but with a bit of persistence and a little luck, some of these fish
can be caught. At daybreak, try using
crank baits and plastic worms near any
rock or breakwater structure. Later, fish
deeper around submerged pond dams,
roadbeds and points in 8’ – 17’ depths.
Sooner or later you should stumble
across some action.
CRAPPIE: Crappie action can also be
a little tough at this time, but by fishing
minnows or jigs around bridge pilings
or timber and brush in 12’ – 20’ depths
some can be found.
WHITE BASS & HYBRID STRIPED
BASS: These fish can both be caught at
any time of day. I like to troll pet spoons
behind deep diving crank baits to locate
what depth and location they are holding. Then mark the spot and fish slab
spoons at that depth. They can move
from one location to the other, so move
around until once found.
CATFISH: At this time of year, the early
morning action is at the best. Under the
1097 Bridge and along creek and river
channels are prime fishing locations.
Dip baits on sponge hooks, night crawlers and chicken livers are good baits to
catch these good eating fish. By baiting
up the areas with range cubes and Milo,
you will increase the action. u
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Call Butch Terpe at Lake Conroe
Guide Service at 936-856-7080 to
inquire about fishing trips.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
86
Colleen & Butch
23 lb. Cat
Glen
8 lb. Hybrid
Whatley Family
20 Hybrid Stripers
Blake (left)
& Tom (right)
Call Butch Terpe at
Lake Conroe Guide Service
936-856-7080
to inquire about fishing trips.
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13080 Hwy 105 Ste. 133
Conroe, TX 77304
936-588-0032
Visit One of Our Locations
Bonnie
Shelly
John (left), Melissa
& Scott (right)
Call Butch Terpe at
Lake Conroe Guide Service
936-856-7080
to inquire about fishing trips.
88
Black Bean
Quesadillas
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, preferably Pepper Jack
1/2 cup prepared fresh salsa, divided
4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 ripe avocado, diced
Combine beans, cheese and ¼-cup salsa in a
medium bowl. Place tortillas on a work surface.
Spread 1/2 cup filling on half of each tortilla.
Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over
medium heat. Add 2 quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent
with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and quesadillas. Serve the quesadillas with avocado and the remaining salsa.
Cucumber & Black
Eyed Pea Salad
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 cups peeled and diced cucumbers
1 14-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed
2/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup slivered red onion
2 tablespoons chopped black olives
Whisk oil, lemon juice, oregano and pepper in
a large bowl until combined. Add cucumber,
black-eyed peas, bell pepper, feta, onion and
olives; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature
or chilled. u
Send Us
Your Recipes!
E-mail to: [email protected]
90
By: Cary Wortham
Ok, no more complaining about the heat!
(At least we can work in the
heat…maybe slower…but, it sure beats the rain.)
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for the rain, but
NOT every day. Seriously, be careful in this heat
and please allow your service technicians a little
extra time to complete their work.
Due to the continuous heavy rains in July the
entire bug world has gone crazy. The biggest bug
problems we have been hearing about are the fire
ants, carpenter ants, little black ants, tree roaches,
fleas, mosquitoes and wasps/bees. Yep, that’s just
about all of the insects you are dealing with at this
time. However, since the editor will not allow me
unlimited pages to address all of the insects in detail I will have to be selective.
Let’s start with Fleas. For some reason, the
fleas have been absolutely “hopping” this year.
Should you have pets, you really need to consider
having them dipped and then utilizing an approved
flea/tick control product. Should you experience a
flea problem on the inside of your home you can
attempt to resolve yourself, but try to find a product
that has Precor. Additionally, do not forget about
the exterior lawn and shrub areas. These areas also
need to be treated at the same time. For the best
results you need to coordinate the interior, exterior, and pet bath to occur at the same time and
before you allow your pet to re-enter the home, you
should aggressively vacuum. If you elect to perform this service yourself, please read all product
labels and adhere to the retreatment time frame.
The flea cycle is every 14-21 days, so it is very
important to be consistent with your product applications in order to break this cycle. If you do not
have a pet and you are experiencing a flea problem, then you probably have an unwanted rodent
or varmint taking up shop in your home. If this is
the case, you have to have the animal removed and
the entry point sealed prior to treating for the fleas.
Ok, what about all of these ants? Well, the
first question is what type of ant? Proper identification is the first step in preparing to treat. The
easiest ants to get rid of are ants in your home (remember, I said IN your home, not in the lawn) is
the fire ant. Locating the entry point and treating
that particular area can stop their activity. However, be prepared to treat the entire exterior perimeter or they will simply move a couple of feet down
and re-enter. The Little Black Ant or Rover Ant,
is becoming a true problem for property owners.
Though they do not destroy the property, they are
hard to eliminate and I would not suggest doingit-yourself. You can try liquid Terro, but keep it
fresh. Another ant that is difficult to control your-
self is the carpenter ant and, unlike the Little Black
Ant, they do damage our properties. We have two
types of Carpenter Ants. One is all black and 3/8
to 5/8 inch long and the other is red and black and
about ½ inch long. Either ant, if seen on or in your
home, should be treated by a licensed pest control
operator. These ants will often build satellite colonies in our homes. This means that their main
colony is located somewhere outside in the landscaping or trees and they are establishing a secondary location in our homes. The first step when
carpenter ants are seen in or on the home, is to
remove ALL limbs, branches, shrubs and/or vines
that are in contact with the structure. You have to
minimize the access points or they will simply find
an alternative entry point, making total control almost impossible. Additionally, should the activity
be inside the house, attic dusting with an approved
product is highly recommended. So that you are
not caught off guard, expect to pay $175 and up for
a professional carpenter ant treatment.
Bee control is best left to the professionals.
Should you locate a beehive or see hundreds of
bees entering your home at one location, there are
only two options: physical removal or chemical
elimination. Which option you choose depends
on your own personal desire. Some people do
not care about the bee population and some do.
In either case, if the hive is located in your home,
once the activity has ceased the area will need to be
opened up so that the hive/comb can be removed
and the area thoroughly cleaned. If the cleaning
part of this process is not completed there is a very
good opportunity that the bees will return and the
honey/comb will begin to mildew creating an entirely different problem.
General pest control can be accomplished by
doing-it-yourself. However, you must be consistent and you must read and adhere to the product
label. If you do not have the proper equipment,
time or do not wish to invest in hundreds of dollars of quality products, then I would suggest contacting a licensed pest control professional. We
study the various insects and how to control them
with minimal disturbance to you, your property
and the environment.
Until next time, if you’re tired of ”swatin,
stompin and throwin” things at bugs…give us a
call…we’ll Chase’em away …to your neighbors.
Should you have a particular insect question or problem email me at [email protected]
and I will do my best to answer any question. u
Visit us on the web! www.docklinemagazine.com
Get Your All Access PAss
Treat your family to an All Access vacation this summer at Houston’s favorite
playground, La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa. Enjoy a 3.5 acre water park, miniature
golf, s’mores, giant chess & checkers, daily breakfast for four, complimentary
resort fee, and 25% Off SpaTerre & Golf services.*
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12 - The Dockline

Transcription

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