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Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition December 2013 25
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Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
DockLine_Ad_Rayford_1214.indd 1
12/3/2014 3:21:51 PM
From the Managing Editor
The Woodlands
table of
CONTENTS
jan u a r y 2 0 1 5
20
As promised, here I am bringing in 2015! It has
been a while since I’ve been able to speak to you
all because GT2 has been spreading rumors about
me like, I was too wide to get all of me in the picture! All I can say to that is at least I don’t choke
myself trying to eat my food! I’ve seen farm animals that have more patience while eating. Well
anyway, here we are in 2015! I can’t get over how
fast time flies. I know everyone says that, but it’s so
true. That’s why I live everyday with a few things
in mind like, never pass a food bowl without taking a nugget with you, always take advantage to
bark at my Santa Weenie toy when he’s not looking, always take as many naps as I can, and last
but not least, when I hear a candy or cheese wrapper I drop everything I’m doing and go directly to
where the noise is coming from!
Well, down to business. It looks like a jam up
January issue here at Dock Line Magazine and if
you’re reading this column you can already see
that. The growth in Montgomery County is off
the hook and there is a lot going on. We hope you
enjoy our publication. If you are a new reader we
would like to thank you and our loyal readers and
contributors for continuing their support. OK,
that’s all for me. I’m out of here, and yes, I’ll pass a
food bowl as I go!
7
In & Around
8
Winning the “Battle of the Bulge”
Get in shape, have more energy and be healthy again!
12 The Doc’s Line
14 A Crash Course in Insurance
15 Clear Direction for
Your Retirement™
16 SJRA: Water Conservation
24
27
18 Legal Issues: Intestate Succession
14
20 TP&W: So How Does TPWD Manage Your Fisheries?
Part 1: Electrofishing
23 Can You Hear Me Now?
24 LSGCD: Start the New Year with a Pledge to Conserve!
27 Beautiful Lawns Year Round
28 STAGE RIGHT Brings Hollywood Classic Singin’ In the
Rain to the Crighton Stage
ON THE COVER
t
u
n
o
c
o
C
Look for our QR code
in the upcoming Dock
Line Issues and use it
as a shortcut to link to
our website using your
smart phone’s camera.
28
Owner Theresa Grider opened
Healthy Figures Houston in
2010 to help others whose fight
with food was a losing battle.
Visit us on the web! www.docklinemagazine.com
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 5
The Woodlands
Verle “Ozzy” Osborne
PUBLISHER
Susan Osborne
editor
GT2 /Coconut
Managing Editors
Kelly L. O’Quinn
Art Director
Octavio Tierranegra
Graphic Designer
Linda Sharver
office manager
Jay Osborne
editorial director
Walt Thompson
director of sales
Angela Glezman
Tyler Forner
Terrie Statum
sales
Brad Meyer
writer
Contributors:
James M. Bright
Gerald W. Brzozowski, Jr., D.V.M., M.B.A.
Walt Crowder • Kathryn Rogers
Craig Wear, CFP® • Marlisa Briggs
Rick Moore • Michael Pittman
Carolyn Corsano Wong
Dave Kotowych
Alice Best
DOCK LINE MAGAZINE is published by:
Dock Line Magazine, Inc.
P.O. Box 1203, Willis, TX 77378
Telephone: 936-890-7234
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.© 2015, 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
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
The Ice Rink at The Woodlands Town Center &
Donoho’s Jewellers Winter Wonderland
When: January 1 – 19, 2015
Time: Monday–Thursday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11
p.m. Sunday, Noon to 7 p.m.
Where: Northeast corner of Lake Robbins and
Six Pines Dr.
The Woodlands Ice Rink, the largest outdoor
Ice Skating Rink in the southwest United States,
and Donoho’s Jewellers Winter Wonderland
will open daily until Monday, January 19, 2015.
Visit www.TheWoodlandsIceRink.com for daily
promotions, coupons, group rental and private
party information plus much more.
Grogan’s Mill Farmer’s Market
Date: Saturdays*, January 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31,
2015
Time: 8:00 a.m. – Noon
Where: Buckthorne Place & Grogan’s Mill Road
at Grogan’s Mill Village Center
Presented by Grogan’s Mill Village Association.
Located in the parking lot of Randall’s. For more
information call 713-992-5893.
* (Except for some holidays)
Kid’s Night Out – Glow & Snow Party
When: January 9, 2015
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Where: The Woodlands Township Recreation
Center, 5310 Research Forest Dr., The
Woodlands, TX 77381
Admission: $30 Resident, $35 Non-resident, $10
sibling discount
Kid’s Night Out has tons of games, arts and crafts
and extra special activities each month. Dinner
is included in the fee. Children should wear
comfortable clothing. For more information call
281-210-3950.
29th Annual Taste of the Town
When: January 29, 2015
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention
Center, 1601 Lake Robbins Dr., The Woodlands,
TX 77380
Admission: Varies
The Woodlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 29th Annual Taste of the Town on Thursday, January 29 at The Woodlands Waterway
Marriott Hotel & Convention Center from 4:00
p.m. to 9:00 p.m. You are invited to enjoy delectable appetizers, entrees, desserts, pastries, drinks
and so much more provided by some of the best
local restaurants, caterers, bakeries, deli’s and
beverage companies. Don’t forget to vote for your
favorite restaurant to win the People’s Choice
Award! Ticket prices include food, drinks and
festivities. For more information contact the
Chamber at 281-367-5777 or email events@
woodlandschamber.org. u
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Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 7
Winning the “Battle of the Bulge”
Get in shape, have more energy and be healthy again!
By: Brad Meyer
The Healthy Figures staff includes, from left, owner Theresa Grider, Leslie Beam, PA-C and medical assistant Tonya Mercer.
At A Glance
Healthy Figures Houston, located at
26797 Hanna Road in Oak Ridge North,
offers a safe, effective and medically
supervised program to lose weight.
For information, visit
www.healthyfigureshouston.com
or call 281-419-7222.
8
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
The most common resolution people
make this time of year is a commitment to
losing weight − but even with the best intentions, the challenge is lost in the first week of
the New Year.
That’s because losing weight is really
hard. Fad diets and quick fixes may help shed
a few pounds initially, but temptation lurks
around every supermarket shelf.
“People don’t get fat overnight, so it’s
unrealistic to think you can reverse the process overnight,” said weight loss specialist
Theresa Grider, owner of Healthy Figures
Houston. “The key is adopting a healthy lifestyle, committing to a medically supervised
program with proven results and having a
support system that encourages you every
step of the way.”
Grider knows how effective the program
is because she started as a client. When her
weight ballooned to nearly 300 pounds, her
cardiologist told her she was going to die if
she didn’t get serious about her health. Having worked in the medical industry for 21
years, she knew she had to listen to her doctors, but wasn’t sure how or where to begin.
“My brother told me how he had lost 30
pounds in his first month with Healthy Figures,” said Grider. “I investigated the program
and was impressed with their realistic approach to weight loss.”
To date, Grider has lost more than 135
pounds on the program. Along the way, she
developed an appreciation for the Healthy
Figures concept and wanted to share it with
others. She opened Healthy Figures Houston
in 2010 to help others whose fight with food
was a losing battle.
“I’ve been on every diet and taken every
pill on the market − and a few that aren’t on
the market publically,” said Grider. “Getting on
the Healthy Figures program made me feel
better, both physically and emotionally. I was
able to get off all blood pressure meds, cholesterol meds and I no longer take nitro for
chest pains. This diet literally saved my life.”
The program begins with a medical exam
and evaluation, including an EKG, blood work
and health panels. Program participants receive safe, specialized injections and supplements that enhance their metabolism and diminish food cravings.
“Our program provides a lot
of detail on what foods are
essential and what foods are
problematic.”
The Healthy Figures program features a wide variety of popular foods that will facilitate
the weight loss effort.
Medical assistant Tonya Mercer shows off some of the healthy drinks and snacks
available at Healthy Figures.
“We spend a lot of time with new participants discussing the best way to get started,”
said Grider. “Our program provides a lot of
detail on what foods are essential and what
foods are problematic.”
The diet portion of the program emphasizes high protein, low fat, low carbs and low
sugar. The change in diet is a challenge initially, acknowledged Grider, but not as difficult
as many anticipate. The program is effective
at reducing and ultimately eliminating food
cravings that many people have with diets.
“We’re altering the menu, but we are still
Continued on page 10 1
Before acquiring the franchise, Theresa Grider was a client -- losing more than 135
pounds on the program.
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 9
Healthy Figures participants are monitored throughout their involvement with the
program by trained medical personnel.
Weekly one on one counseling sessions
help assure success with the Healthy
Figures program.
Medically
approved shots
reduce hunger
cravings and
boost energy
for program
participants.
10
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
Leslie Beam, PA-C, monitors
the health of participants in
the Healthy Figures program.
providing people with great tasting foods,”
said Grider. “You don’t have to be miserable
dieting; in fact, you’ll discover some new
tastes that will become favorites so you don’t
binge on sugary, fatty foods that are a big part
of the problem.”
Adopting a healthier lifestyle is the key
to keeping unwanted pounds off, said Healthy
Figures Leslie Beam, PA-C. Every few years
a new fad diet pops up, often popularized by
friends and associates who are selling special
pills, drinks and shakes to earn extra money.
Sadly, the biggest loss most people experience is in their pocketbook.
“Every person is different, so
every weight loss solution has
to be tailored to your specific
set of circumstances.”
“If there really was a ‘one-size-fits-all’
weight loss program that worked, you’d know
about it,” quipped Beam. “Every person is different, so every weight loss solution has to be
tailored to your specific set of circumstances.”
That’s why the Healthy Figures approach
is based on real food instead of self denial.
Participants have weekly sessions to assess their status, monitor their progress
and fine tune their personalized program.
Many people get additional motivation
by starting the program with a friend or
family member, said Grider. For those
taking the first step alone, the Healthy
Figures staff offers personal involvement.
“Motivation and support are
given parts of the program,”
said Grider. “We get to know
participants on a personal
basis. Everyone has my
personal phone numbers
and contact information. I’m available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
The results are impressive. Everyone who has joined Healthy Figures has
lost weight in the first week, said Grider.
Those that are motivated and committed
to stay with the program will see significant
changes in their physical appearance.
“We are not a normal weight loss clinic
and we don’t push fad diet products that work
all too briefly,” said Grider. “We create a specialized program based on your goals and
your situation − and we back it up with instruction, medical supervision and one-on-one
counseling to make sure you are successful.”
For information on how Healthy Figures
can benefit your weight loss goals, visit www.
healthyfigureshouston.com or call 281-4197222. u
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 11
Happy New Year from Windvale Pet Hospital!
It’s that time of year when New Year Resolutions are made and our loving companions sometimes need them, too. One of the most common
resolutions...you guessed it - Weight Loss! A roly
poly puppy or chubby kitten might look cute, but
carrying extra fat can endanger your pet’s health.
Here’s how to keep your pet’s weight in check.
Why You Should Watch Your Pet’s Weight?
Studies indicate that nearly 50% of adult dogs
and cats in the United States are overweight or
obese, and that percentage increases among older
pets. Obesity increases the risk for other serious
health problems, including osteoarthritis, diabetes, heart and respiratory diseases, and many types
of cancers. Extra weight also puts pets at increased
risk for complications during anesthesia if they
need to undergo surgery or other procedures. If
12
a pet already has a health condition, obesity
makes the problem that much harder to
manage. An overweight pet also deals
with lower energy overall, hampering
their ability to enjoy an active lifestyle with you and your family.
What Causes Weight Gain?
You already know the answer
to this one. Weight gain occurs
when more calories are consumed than burned off during
normal activities or exercise.
Factors that can contribute
to weight gain include:
• Overfeeding
• Low activity levels
• Breed
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
• Age
• Reproductive status (intact versus spayed/
neutered)
• Preexisting diseases (e.g., hypothyroidism,
diabetes mellitus, hyperadrenocorticism)
Certain breeds, especially smaller ones, are
more prone to being overweight or obese, as are
many senior pets.
How to Assess Your Pet’s Weight
Whether your pet is a dog or a cat, and regardless of what size or breed it is, you should be
able to feel and see the last few ribs. This is one
indication that your pet is at a healthy weight.
Additionally, when you stand over them viewing
them from above, you should be able to see a distinct “waist” where the body narrows, just behind
the rib cage and in front of the hindquarters.
When viewed from the side, your pet’s
abdomen should appear to be slightly tucked up behind the rib cage. If
your pet has fat deposits over their
back and at the base of its tail, or if
they lack a waist or an abdominal
tuck, chances are that they have a
weight problem.
Know Exactly How Much You
Feed
Keeping track of both
your pets’ meals as well as
their treats can give you a
better picture of the calories that are adding up.
Although commercially
produced pet foods must
meet AAFCO (Association of American Feed
Control Officials) nutritional standards, which ensure that they contain protein, fats, carbohydrates,
vitamins, minerals, and water in certain proportions, treats are often not nutritionally complete
and balanced and can contain a lot of calories. By
keeping an eye on what your pet is eating each day,
it will be easily to come up with a plan if it turns
out your pet needs to shed a few pounds.
We know it can be tough to keep perfect track
of how much your pet eats each day, especially if
there are, shall we say, many cooks in the kitchen.
You might want to try keeping a “food diary.” Everyone in the family should write down how much
he or she feeds the pet every time the pet is fed.
Remember, treats count and so do rewards given
during training sessions, so add those to the diary
as well.
Another idea is to have someone in the family in charge of the treat jar. Every morning, the
allowed treats for the day are put in the jar and if
someone wants to give the cat or dog something
special, it must come from that jar. Once the jar is
empty, the pet has had their daily allowance.
There are freebies, though! Carrots, green
beans, and broccoli for dogs and water based
canned chicken, tuna, and salmon can be fed to
cats, unless otherwise directed due to allergies or
preexisting conditions. Use these to fill their tummies after a meal, or as a treat during the day. By
giving them these “freebies” this will allow them
to get to their target weight and maintain without
being deprived.
Choosing the Right Food
Not only do you need to feed your pet the
right amount of food, but also the right type for
their species, age, and size. For example, an adult
dog or cat should not be fed a formula for puppy
or kitten growth, nor a formula for mature dogs or
cats. Don’t hesitate to ask me for advice on what
products offer the right nutritional mix for your
pet, and how much and how often to feed. Most
diets come with feeding guidelines which typically
include exercise and they know that every pet is
unique...a term I use to describe the diets by Royal
Canin. We utilize not only prescription diets by
Royal Canin, we also recommend their therapeutic line that helps prevent common diseases associated with your pet’s species, age, and size. Royal
Canin also has done the research to produce breed
specific diets for a number of the common breeds.
Rest assured, I will make a recommendation spe-
cifically for your pet and due to Royal Canin diets’
100% risk free guarantee, your trial bag is FREE!
Say NO to People Foods
Feeding “people” food to pets is a bad idea not only can it contribute to weight gain but it can
also give rise to other medical problems. Some
foods that are perfectly healthy for people, like
grapes and raisins, can be toxic to pets. Even foods
that aren’t toxic can contribute to stomach problems, food allergies, or other problems for pets.
Additionally, feeding table food to a pet that is already receiving a nutritionally balanced pet food
changes the “balance” of that pet’s diet. Besides
what is stated above, do not feed anything else to
your pet so that we can reach our weight goal.
Say YES to Exercise
To keep your beloved companion slim and
trim, you also need to give them plenty of opportunities for regular exercise, keeping in mind
what’s appropriate for their age and health status,
of course. If I give you the all clear, a vigorous daily
walk is a great place to start for many dogs. While
you might not have much luck getting your kitty to
walk on a leash, regular play periods can help keep
them active, healthy, and happy.
Well, it’s time for me to put my sneakers on
and grab the leash for an evening walk. As a diabetic and hypothyroid patient myself, nutrition
and exercise is very important to me and my patients. It is my goal to prevent my patients from
having to deal with the diseases they may face
when they carry too much weight. I hope a bug
has been placed to help your beloved companion
reach their optimal weight, if not already there.
Let us know if we can assist in any way and have a
Happy New Year!!! u
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 13
How to Protect Your Most Cherished Possessions
Happy New Year!
It’s a new year and time to take inventory of your possessions - new and old.
If you’re like most people there are certain
items you own that you can’t imagine ever losing - possessions you deeply cherish or those
that would be impossible to replace due to the
cost of re-purchasing them or simply because
they’re irreplaceable.
While your homeowners insurance is invaluable for covering the loss or destruction of
many of your belongings (as well as damage to
your home’s structure), your policy might provide only partial coverage for your most cherished items.
The good news is that you can still protect
the things that matter to you most, even if they’re
not fully covered under your homeowners, with
a scheduled personal property endorsement
that is tailored to meet your specific needs.
Not an easy
name, but
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Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
it can help you sleep better at night
A scheduled personal property endorsement is not something that everyone talks
about, but we at Prodigy Insurance Group LLC,
can help you determine if it would be a good
fit for you. The first step begins with you. Look
around your home and make a list of your cherished possessions. Be sure to consider the following:
• Jewelry
• Antiques
• Art
• Collections
• Musical instruments
• Silverware/China
• Autographed
items
• Rare or oneof-a-kind items
Once you have
taken an inventory,
make the time to talk
with us. We are always
here to help you determine
whether your possessions
need more coverage than your
current policy provides.
Please keep in
mind that it is wise to
complete an inventory every year or so,
because it’s easy to acquire new items over time
that should be added to a scheduled personal
property endorsement. It could be tragic to find
yourself in a situation rendering you unable to
replace what matters most to you.
Contact Us!
At Prodigy Insurance Group, we can work
with you to make sure you’ve got the coverage
you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage
affordable. Just give us a call at 281-354-4500
or send us a note at [email protected]. We want to help you meet your
goals, and make sure what’s important to you is
protected! u
Clear Direction for your Retirement™
Study
after
study
have
documented how dismal the
performance is by managers of
actively managed mutual funds.
85
%
of Retirees
elect
SOCIAL
SECURITY
at the
Wrong Age
Will
you?
Call us for a
SOCIAL SECURITY
DECISIONS
guide today!
(936) 449-5952
www.CraigWear.com
� 0 � 5 � � � � � � � � � � T� �
SELL YOUR
MUTUAL FUNDS
A recent study by professors
Barras, Scaillet & Wermers
concluded that a mere 0.6%
of managers of U.S. stock
mutual funds added any to the average investor simply
value to the shareholders. putting their money in an index
That’s right, less than 1%!
They tracked 2,076 funds between
1976 and 2006 and found that
after fees, 75% of them provided
no benefit above the overall
market. They didn’t protect during
the downturns and didn’t add any
real value on the upside over an
extended period of time. In fact,
this same study chronicled that
24% of the funds they tracked
actually had managers that hurt
overall performance. During the
roaring decade of the 1990’s, 15%
of active fund managers produced
real value (called ‘alpha’ in the
investment world) above the
general market. From a mere 15%
to a dismal 0.6% doesn’t inspire
confidence and explains why so
many are exasperated with the
‘buy and hold’ mantra. Just
imagine their findings if they
would have included the years
including the market crash and
financial crisis of 2008-2009!
What about the average stock
broker who buys and sells stocks,
or the do-it-yourselfer? Research
done by a professor in California
concludes that only about 1% of
active traders outperformed the
market. In fact, the more frequent
people traded the worse they did–
over time.
Most portfolios that new clients
bring to me to evaluate have
‘growth and income’ funds as their
primary component. Over 40% of
their managers were categorized
by these independent professors
as ‘unskilled’. They actually did
worse than the market by the
decisions they made. Aggressive
growth fund’s managers were the
only ‘bright spot’; they produce a
real benefit 40% of the time; but
mostly (60%) don’t add value.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting
that only 1% of funds make a
positive return. I’m presenting the
fact that less than 1% of them are
earning their fees when compared
fund or an ETF (exchange traded
fund).
Remember when the smart guy in
the cubicle next to you boasted
about his investment in Cisco,
Qualcomm,
Enron,
or
JDS
Uniphase back in the 90’s?
Investment clubs flourished during
that
era
of
do-it-yourself
investing. It has been humored
that, back then, you could throw a
dart at the Wall Street Journal and
make money off of whatever stock
it happened to land on. According
to the National Association of
Investors Corp, their membership
is down by 90% since 1998. One
quote that I read, said ‘stocks
aren’t fun anymore, they’re scary’.
I don’t have enough fingers and
toes to count the number of times
a soon-to-retire, or just-retired
client stressed over a sudden drop
in the value of their beloved
company stock. They sometimes
tend to not love you back when
you most need them to.
Before you throw your hands up
in exasperation or curse some
conspiracy theory, I’d like to
provide some guidance. First of
all, determine the following:
♦ What do you truly want out
of your investment portfolio?
♦ What is your personal
performance benchmark?
(You shouldn’t compare
yourself to the S&P500.)
♦ What is your likely reaction to
buying
and
holding
any
instrument based on the stock
market sentences you to the
dramatic downturns. Index funds
are a way to get market
performance at wholesale, but
there is still no protection from
downturns.
Over the last thirty years of being
given the task of stewarding
others’ hard earned savings, I’ve
seen it all. My buy-in to the
institutional mantra always ended
with disappointment. Twenty
years ago I began my search for a
better way of doing a better job
for our clients. If you want
protection from downturns you
simply must employ a system that
actively monitors which parts of
the stock and bond markets are
outperforming the others. Then
you must have a strategy of how
to take advantage of those
changes and a willingness to act
accordingly. During good times
you hope for get good returns;
and during downturns – well,
some area of the stock market is
always going down less than
others.; that’s where I’d rather be.
“Active Markets Require Active
Management”.
Call or visit us at
(936) 449-5952
www.CraigWear.com
Craig Wear, CFP®, is an investment advisor
representative of Game Plan Advisors, Inc., a
registered investment advisor.
the occasional roller coaster
drops that accompany a ‘buy
and hold’ strategy?
Warren Buffett says that most
investors should choose index
funds. Funds that have no
managers to pay and are designed
to ‘mirror’ a particular stock index.
Well if your appetite for risk is like
Buffett’s then that may be fine,
but bear in mind that simply
Craig Wear, CFP®
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 15
Water Conservation
By: Rick Moore, Woodlands Division
Water Conservation
As the population of Texas continues to
grow, successful water conservation practices become increasingly important to ensure
the efficient use of our most precious natural resource, WATER. Interestingly enough,
it has been predicted that within the next
few decades, demand for water will be 17%
higher when compared to the demand for any
other natural resource. If that is the case,
water conservation should be considered a
necessity not an option.
Although everyone knows that water
supplies are limited and that life cannot exist without water, many do not practice water conservation. Instead, some believe that
water conservation is something that others
will do, and since they do it, “I don’t need to”.
You may believe that you are too busy with all
of life’s other responsibilities to be inconvenienced by implementing water conservation
behaviors. Or perhaps you may also believe
that your home’s landscaping cost too much
for you to risk a reduction in watering. Telling yourself, “besides, I can afford to pay my
water bill so why can’t I use as much water
Remember, YOUR water
conservation behaviors
control the fate of YOUR
water and future.
16
as I want”. If any of this sounds familiar to
you, we encourage you to reconsider and
perhaps reevaluate your thoughts on conservation. Especially since water conservation
is so simple and merely takes education, the
right products, and a desire to ensure a sustainable future.
Due to our rapid increasing population,
we are depleting groundwater supplies faster
than the aquifer can naturally recharge. The
water supply for The Woodlands and surrounding communities is groundwater from
the Upper Jasper and Evangeline Aquifers.
Due to the extremely high water usage
during the current drought, the water level
in some wells declined 70-80 feet last year
alone; that is longer than an 18 wheeler truck.
In the near future, it is necessary for Montgomery County to supplement groundwater
supply with surface water. Lake Conroe will
provide the surface water supply. With that in
mind, think about the effects that the drought
and City of Houston releases had on the level of Lake Conroe. The lake level dropped
about 9 feet. Furthermore, it is apparent that
water conservation is the most immediate
and actionable response to offset water supply concerns during drought conditions and to
ensure enough water supply for current and
future generations.
Save Water, Save Money
Many residents mistakenly believe that
their households consume more water indoors than outdoors. Fact…more water is
consumed outdoors. Water conservation
strategies, in addition to ensuring adequate
supplies, could save water consumers hun-
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
dreds of dollars, or more, annually. Just remember these 4 letters: F.A.T.E. (FREQUENCY, AMOUNT, TIME of day, EFFICIENCY)
when watering your lawn.
Frequency: lawn watering should occur
only once per week. There is no need to water your yard more than that.
Amount: the amount of water applied to
your lawn should be one inch. Just remember
1 to 1; one inch of water once per week. (Tip:
To ensure that one inch is being applied to
your lawn, set a bowl or cup in each watering zone and adjust the duration time for each
zone until one inch has been applied.) Practicing 1 to 1 will ensure that grass roots penetrate deep into the soil, promoting a healthy,
strong, and weed resistant lawn.
Time: watering should only occur during
the hours of lowest demand, between 10:00
pm and 3:00 am.
Efficiency: use water saving materials like soaker hoses and regularly inspect
your lawn irrigation systems to ensure that all
sprinklers are properly aligned. Misaligned
sprinklers waste water and wasting water
= wasting money. Therefore water running
down the street or sidewalk is an enormous
waste!
Remember, YOUR water conservation
behaviors control the fate of YOUR water and
future. The water we conserve today can
serve us tomorrow! To learn more water conservation tips, visit our website at www.sjra.
net. u
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 17
The following is provided for informational
purposes only and is not, nor should it be construed
as legal advice.
Texas laws of intestate succession are just an-
18
other way of stating that if you die without a will
in Texas, the law will provide a formula for dividing your property. Although these laws do assume
the duty of identifying your heirs by relationship,
they do not complete the
task of defining which
property passes to which
person or to take care of
any administrative duties. Intestate succession
will still require a legal
proceeding in a probate
court. That proceeding
is typically more expensive and more time consuming than probate of a
Will would have been.
How will the law attempt
to divide my property if
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
I die without a will in Texas?
In order to answer this question, we must first
determine what portion of the deceased’s property
is separate and what part is community property.
If the deceased was not married, the property is
separate and will be governed by Estates Code Article 201.002. In addition, as a general rule, other
separate property will include (1) gifts/inheritances; (2) property acquired in another state during
marriage which is not community property under
the laws of that state; (3) all property owned prior
to marriage.
SEPARATE PROPERTY
Possibility One – Both a spouse and a child or
children survive the deceased:
As to personal property, the spouse gets onethird and the remaining two-thirds go to the children.
As to real property, the land goes to the children equally, subject to a life estate in one-third of
the land by the surviving spouse.
Possibility Two – Deceased is survived by
spouse, but no children:
All personal property to spouse.
As to real property, the surviving spouse gets
one-half; the deceased’s father gets one-fourth; and
the deceased’s mother gets one-fourth.
If one or more of the parents predeceases the
decedent, then the portion that would have gone
to that parent passes to the deceased’s brothers
and sisters and their descendants. If one parent
survives, but no brothers or sisters survive, then
one-half of the land will go to the surviving parent.
It is only if there are no surviving brothers, sisters
or parents that the spouse inherits all of the land.
Possibility Three – If the deceased does not
have a surviving spouse, but does have surviving
children, then both the personal and real property
are divided equally among the children.
Possibility Four – If the deceased has no surviving spouse and no surviving children:
If both parents are living, then the estate goes
one-half of everything to each surviving parent.
If only one parent survives, then one-half
of the estate will go to that parent, and the other
one-half will be divided equally among siblings.
If there are no siblings, then the surviving parent
gets everything. If no parent survives, but there
are siblings, the estate is divided equally among the
surviving siblings.
If no parent and no siblings survive, the law
will still attempt to avoid escheat (i.e., reversion of
property to the state), but it is too complex to cover
in this writing.
COMMUNITY PROPERTY
If the property is community property (i.e.,
(1) that which is not a gift or inheritance; (2) was
not acquired in another state which is not a community property state; (3) was not owned prior to
marriage), it will pass in accordance with Estates
Code Article 201.003.
Possibility One – If decedent is survived by a
spouse and is not survived by children or grandchildren, all community property passes to the
surviving spouse.
Possibility Two – Decedent is survived by a
spouse and children or grandchildren where all
such children or grandchildren are also the children or grandchildren of the surviving spouse,
all community property passes to the surviving
spouse.
Possibility Three – Decedent is survived by
a spouse and children or grandchildren, but the
children or grandchildren are not also the children
or grandchildren of the surviving spouse, then
spouse retains one-half of the deceased spouse’s
community estate and the other one-half goes to
the children/grandchildren of the deceased.
If I decide that the laws of intestate succession
as described above pass my property in very much
the same way that I would pass it in a will, is it advisable to have a will prepared anyway?
Yes, although the law describes “how” the
property should pass if you have no will, it does not
perform the task of passing title to your property.
Is it less expensive to allow the laws of intestate succession to divide my property than to
probate a will?
The answer to this question is an emphatic
and resounding NO. It is far more difficult and
is more expensive to settle property issues when
no valid will is found. I would even be so bold
as to say that in my own practice and experience,
the increased cost to the family to settle your estate
is many times greater than the cost of obtaining a
valid will would have been. In fact, passing without a will and placing your family in the unenviable position of sorting out your estate will probably cost 3-4 times more than a probate even if all
beneficiaries are cooperative with one another and
no dependent administration is required. If any
of the heirs under intestate succession are not in
agreement with other heirs and a dependent administration is required, then the cost of settling
an estate can increase at an alarming rate. The
simple solution to this problem is to invest the
rather moderate sum required to have a proper
will drafted by an attorney of your choosing.
Laws of intestate succession as described
above do an admirable job of attempting to be fair
and to divide your property equitably.
The fault in depending upon these laws is (1)
they do not consider your preferences; (2) they do
not provide for property to be set aside for special
needs of particular beneficiaries; they do not allow
you to decide that a certain portion of your property
should be set aside for education of a grandchild,
special care of a child or spouse or any other reason
that may be close to your heart; (4) they do not perform the tasks required to settle your property issues
without court intervention in ways that are more
time consuming or costly than probate of a will.
Without question, the way to save your family
both time and money at the time of your death and
at the same time assure that your own wishes are
respected is to have a will drafted by an attorney of
your choice.
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 the historic City of
Montgomery. Contact may be made by telephone
(936) 449-4455 or (281) 586-8277. For more information about wills or probate in Texas, please seewww.houstontxprobate.com. u
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†Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. ††Manufacturer’s Minimum Advertised Price. Please read the owner’s manual before operating your Honda Power Equipment and never use in an enclosed or partially enclosed area where you could be exposed to odorless,
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Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 19
So How Does TPWD Manage
Your Fisheries?
Part 1: Electrofishing
By: Alice Best, Inland Fisheries Division, TPWD
The first station of the
night is lit by our lights
and the fading evening.
Lately our articles in Dock Line Magazine have focused on habitat improvement
to enhance fisheries, but how do we know
what a fishery looks like, whether it needs to
be improved, and how to go about improving
it? Our work in the Inland Fisheries division
of Texas Parks and Wildlife ultimately comes
down to managing fisheries and the myriad
of biotic and abiotic variables that influence
them. So what is a fishery? A fishery is
population of fish and the anglers that fish for
and (hopefully) catch those fish. To manage
a fishery we ask many questions, including:
What does the population of the species-ofinterest look like? How old are fish when they
reach sexual maturity? How big are those
fish? What other fish species are present?
What kind and how much prey is available?
How fast is each species growing? Are they
spawning regularly and successfully? How
popular is a species with anglers? How many
are harvested? The answers to these questions and more interlock and influence each
other like an intricate set of gears and every
lake functions a bit differently. As fisheries biologists we have several methods that have
been designed and tested to answer these
questions. This is the first in a series describing some of our more exciting data collection
methods involved in fisheries management.
20
There is a bite in the evening air promising a cool fall night as a peculiar looking boat
with a high bow rail and extendable arms is
backed down the ramp. As fishermen and
recreational boaters pull out after a day on
the water, we are launching our electrofishing boat for an annual fall survey. We are often stopped for questions about what we are
doing partly because our boat is a strange
looking vessel with a large raised deck on the
bow, a waist high bow-rail, a generator, arrays
of bow lights, and sampling equipment covering the deck.
Electrofishing is a classic fisheries sampling method that has been utilized by fisheries
biologists for decades. Texas Parks and Wildlife uses electrofishing to primarily survey fish
from the family Centrarchidae (black basses including largemouth bass, and sunfish such as
bluegill and readear) and order Clupeiformes
(shad), though it can also be used with catfish
(Ictaluridae). With the data from the fish we
collect tonight, we will be able to investigate
the relative abundance of largemouth bass
and sunfish populations, the size structure of
those populations (how many individuals of a
given size there are), the age structure, what
prey are available to bass and sunfish, how
fast the bass are growing, and the genetics of
the bass population.
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
As light fades from the sky we fire up the
generator which provides power to a pulsator that sends pulses of electricity through
probes on extendable booms to create a football shaped electrical field around the bow
of the boat. Any fish in the electric field will
be stunned, flashing up to the surface like
submarines as the electrical pulses create
small muscle contractions that cause the fish
to swim closer to the source of the electrical
field: our boat. A few sunfish surface, showing that system is working. We shut down
the test run and move to our first sample
site as the sunfish swim back down into the
vegetation. The current and frequency of
pulses affect some species more than oth-
Our electrofishing boat stands with booms
and probes extended as we prep for the field.
A volunteer holds the largest bass from this
collection site which was 22.5 inches and 8.2
pounds. After being weighed and measured
in the field before it was released and
enthusiastically swam away.
ers. For our target species, this sampling
is extremely effective and will capture any
fish in the vicinity of the boat, but it is not
lethal. Old-timers used a similar concept
when ‘telephoning’ for catfish, a practice
that is now illegal just because it is so effective; a poacher could easily decimate
the entire fish population in an area. We
use electrofishing because it provides us
with an accurate view of the fishery structure and species abundance, independent
of fish size, age or experience. We often
weigh and measure fish in the field before
releasing them alive an unharmed unless
we need to take fish back to our lab for further examination.
At the fist site, we turn fire the generator back up. For the first few seconds,
nothing appears. Then we slowly move
over a school of threadfin shad and the
black water, lit by an array of lights is filled
with flashing silver shad. Netters in oversized black rubber gloves swiftly net any
fish within reach from the bow and place
them in a live well or fish bin. Moving closer
to shore and native vegetation, a large form
rockets up like a surfacing submarine. It’s
a largemouth bass, one of the target species for this survey, and a large one. We
quickly net it and place it in the live well to
revive. Five minutes later, we have finished
with this site and the generator goes quiet.
The trophy largemouth bass is swimming
gently in the livewell. We quickly weigh and
measure it (22.5 inches and 8.2 pounds)
before releasing it to swim away into the
night. This was the only large animal from
the first station. The other, smaller fish are
needed for analyses in the lab, including
body condition analysis, DNA, and aging;
Continued on page 22 1
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 21
Sunfish, shad, and smaller largemouth
bass are sacrificed and returned to the
laboratory so that we can collect more
extensive data such as age, genetics,
weight and length. A freshwater drum
(sometimes called a gaspergou) is
examined.
and are put in an individual bag in the cooler
for work-up in the morning. One sampling
station is complete; 23 to go. We bring in
the booms and move on to the next station
as the moon starts to rise.
Next month will look at another sampling
technique. Until then if you have any questions please contact us at 979-272-1430 or
by email at [email protected] or
[email protected]. Also please
come visit us on Facebook at https://www.
facebook.com/TPWInlandFisheries3E. u
22
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
$HOW CAN I PAY FOR MY HEARING AIDS,
LET’S COUNT THE WAYS!$
Hearing aid purchases are a substantial investment for a medical product and the services associated with it. The purchase price frequently includes
the hearing aid equipment, but just as important,
the opportunity for office visits with the hearing
instrument provider. Hearing aids are computer
programmable, meaning that the quality of the
product coupled with the expertise of the provider
result in the degree of success. There are several
ways to purchase hearing aids, including private
pay, private insurance, government programs, interest free programs, and third party discounts.
Many patients purchasing hearing aids will
have to pay out of pocket for the entire purchase.
The good news is that hearing aids are medical devices, and as a result, there is no sales tax. In ad-
dition, if you are able to itemize medical expenses
on your tax return, you can include hearing aids.
Flexible spending accounts with employers also
include hearing aid purchases, resulting in no tax
dollars for the purchase.
Some insurance plans reimburse toward
hearing aid purchases. The insurance participation may be a percentage of the cost, the full
amount of the cost, or more frequently, a fixed
amount toward the hearing aid purchase. Audiology & Hearing Aids is a provider for all insurances,
and we will verify your insurance benefits, and file
for your hearing aid purchases. Very few facilities
will file insurance for hearing aids, and if you have
been tested elsewhere and would like to have your
insurance verified and filed, Audiology & Hearing
GET A 3-WEEK *
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If you are an energetic,
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Experience preferred, but will
train the right person.
Call Walt at
713-858-7874
Aids can do that for you.
Some government programs participate in
hearing aid purchases including Medicaid, Department of Labor, Worker’s Compensation,
DARS, VA, and some retirement programs. Medicare does pay for hearing evaluations for those that
suspect a shift in hearing, or have a medical condition, and many supplements provide funding for at
least part of the hearing aid purchase. Audiology
& Hearing Aids are providers for all of the above
programs and will inform you if you are eligible for
any of their services.
Many of our patients are Medicare primary
insurance recipients with supplemental plans.
Medicare does not participate with the purchase of
hearing aids, however, many of the supplemental
plans that do not fund for the purchase of hearing aids are positioned with discount plans with
their own fee schedules that provide substantial
discounts on hearing aids. Audiology & Hearing
Aids is also positioned with these plans and will
verify the supplement plan benefits and provide
the discount to those that are eligible. Hearing aid
suppliers that do not verify or accept insurance, do
not participate with discount plans.
Audiology & Hearing Aids is also positioned
for those that qualify, with a program that allows
for 1 year interest free financing.
In summary, Audiology & Hearing Aids will
make every effort to provide our patients with
quality equipment, educate them regarding the
benefits they are entitled to, and file and collect
whatever benefits that are available. Call for an
appointment and/or benefit investigation today! u
It’s absolutely FREE!
Book a FREE hearing evaluation today and receive these exclusive benefits:
• Connect Hearing Price Match Guarantee‡
• 0% Financing†
• 3 Year Warranty and
3 Year Loss & Damage**
• 3 years of free batteries ††
Stay Connected. Call or visit us today!
1.888.4CONNECT • connecthearing.com
(1.888.426.6632)
Most insurances accepted including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, Aetna & Cigna
CONNECT HEARING
FORMERLY BEAL HEARING AID CENTERS
FORMERLY AUDIOLOGY AND HEARING AIDS OF THE WOODLANDS
Houston – 350 N Sam Houston Pkwy E, Ste 255
Houston – 3924 N Shepherd Dr
Humble – 1702 E First St, Ste F
Kingwood – 2665 Royal Forest Drive, Suite B140 (*Lyric Center)
Montgomery – 18001 Hwy 105 West, Suite 101 (*Lyric Center)
The Woodlands – 9001 Forest Crossing, Suite E (*Lyric Center)
1-888-644-2568
*Provider of Lyric, the world’s first and only 100% invisible, 24/7 wearable, hearing aid offered at this location.
*Certain types of hearing loss may require a hearing aid model that is not appropriate for the Three Week Free Trial. See center for details. Lyric excluded. ‡ As a member of the Connect Hearing network, if we
don’t already have the lowest price, we will match any valid competitor quote or advertised price on hearing aids within 60 days of purchase. † 0% financing offer is subject to credit approval. If at the time of
your application you do not meet the credit criteria previously established for this offer, or the income you report is insufficient based on your obligations, we may not be able to offer this financing. Complimentary hearing screening and consultation required. Some restrictions apply. **The 3 year warranty is valid starting from the date of invoice. This limited warranty covers manufacturing and material defects
in the hearing aid itself, but not accessories such as batteries, tubes, ear modules, external receivers. The warranty includes 3 year loss and damage coverage that
can be redeemed ONE TIME and requires a deductible of $450. ††3 years FREE batteries with hearing aid purchase. Must be a current patient of Connect Hearing to
continue to receive benefits under Connect Advantage Call for details.
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 23
Start the New Year with
a Pledge to Conserve!
By: Marlisa Briggs,
Education/Public Awareness Coordinator,
Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District
development landscape architects and water
budget specialists.
The group also hosts an annual water
symposium, a half-day event that has breakout tracks for specific topics which are timely
to current trends and happenings within the
industry. The 2015 event will take place March
4 at the United Way building in Houston.
Past topics covered at the symposium
have included: the need for water conservation, legislative update, drought tolerant landscapes, water conservation and drought contingency plans, water conservation education
messaging, smart infrastructure investment,
and how to build communities that conserve
water.
The network recently unveiled its first
campaign which encourages homeowners to
commit to conserve water with their irrigation
practices, and in return, they receive a sign
for their lawn that states “This Lawn is Helping to Conserve our Water Supply”.
The campaign stretches from Galveston
to Conroe, with the goal of reducing unnecessary watering as well as to raise awareness
Rick Moffatt, General Manager of the Southern Montgomery County MUD, spoke to the Network
about the district’s innovative reclaimed water project.
Aquifers don’t stop at county lines, and neither should knowledge about effective conservation measures. Maximum effects are achieved
when conservation takes a regional approach,
which is why the Gulf Coast/Montgomery County Water Efficiency Network began.
The network is comprised of water and
conservation professionals, MUD officers and
interested members of the public, who meet
24
monthly with the purpose of learning
the latest about conservation tools being used locally and globally. At these
meetings, there is a featured speaker,
and then the group has the opportunity
to share conservation-related news.
Past speakers have included attorneys who specialize in water legislation, irrigation specialists, low impact
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
about the amount of irrigation lawns actually
need to thrive.
St. Augustine and Bermuda (in the majority of yards in Montgomery County) grasses
slow their growth and become dormant during
the colder months, and therefore rarely need
irrigation during this time.
Different members of the network are utilizing the signs in the way they feel will work
best for their community.
For example, The Woodlands Township
has issued a “Water Wise Village Challenge”
to prompt a little friendly competition among
villages in The Woodlands. Participants sign
a pledge, receive a sign and the Village with
the most participants wins a prize! The challenge is taking place until April 15, which is
when it is advisable to begin watering on a
regular basis again.
The Lone Star GCD also asks those receiving signs to commit to adopt new waterconserving habits (see pledge on the next
page). Signs are free of charge and may be
picked up at the District office (655 Conroe
Park North Drive) during business hours.
Because the Gulf Coast/Montgomery
County Water Efficiency Network covers a
large geographic area, signs are also available at the Galveston Bay Foundation.
To learn more about the Network, or to
sign up for the meeting announcement distribution list, contact Lone Star GCD Assistant
General Manager Paul R. Nelson at [email protected].
The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District was created by the 77th Legislature in 2001 to protect and manage the
groundwater resources of Montgomery
Continued on page 26 1
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 25
County. Lone Star works to maintain a balance between protecting the rights of private
landowners and the responsibility to conserve groundwater. For additional information, please visit the District’s website: www.
LoneStarGCD.org. u
I’m taking the pledge to conserve!
The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, in conjunction with the
Gulf Coast/Montgomery County Water
Efficiency Network, is happy to present you
with a Water Conservation Yard Sign. In
return, we ask that you pledge to incorporate new water conservation habits into
your lifestyle. Please check off at least three
NEW actions for your household.
Outdoors:
q I will turn off my irrigation system/stop
watering my lawn from October - May each
year.
q I will not water my lawn during, or just
after a rain. (If you have an irrigation system,
you may want to consider adding a rain sensor.)
q I will adjust my sprinkler heads so that
they are only watering grass and plants, not
driveways, streets and sidewalks.
q I will harvest (collect and use) rainwater. Ask a Lone Star GCD staff member how (or visit the LSGCD website)!
q I will mow only when necessary, and on
the highest blade setting. (Longer grass keeps
the soil cooler,which reduces evaporation
and the need to water the lawn.)
q I will choose native plants and grasses
when replacing or installing new landscaping.
Indoors:
q I will check my toilets and faucets for
leaks, and make repairs if needed. Ask a
Lone Star GCD staff member how (or visit
our website)!
q I will shorten my shower by three minutes, saving six gallons of water per shower!
q I will recycle water in my daily household usage. Water your plants with: leftover
water from water bottles, ice left in glasses
and leftover pasta water. How many ways can
you think of?
q I will turn off the water while shaving
and brushing my teeth.
26
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
HAPPY, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015!
Hmmm…. That’s my first time to write “2015”! It’s gonna take a while to
get accustomed to that!
The season of the year, which we refer to as “The Holidays”, is winding
down. (I still have decorations to put away.) Hopefully, we’ve made some
good and lasting memories of great times with family, and friends. Now we
begin another New Year, and for many, it’s time for those New Year’s resolutions! AGAIN!
Last year, at about this time, I said something like, “I want to become a
better person than I am now”. I guess I’ll have to ask my family, my friends,
my employees, and my colleagues how that turned out. They have a better perspective than I. Really, I do hope I am improving with the passing of each year.
GARDENING IN JANUARY
COLOR PLANTS: Cool temperatures and some occasional rainfall generally reduces the need to water the gardens heavily this month. Monitor the
rainfall amounts. The flowerbeds with annual color plants are the ones that
will dry out the fastest. Just remember to water as needed - - keep the soil
moist.
Don’t forget about the plants in containers. Keep them moist - - all the
way to the bottom of the root ball.
Pest problems are relatively few this month. However, you’d better keep
an eye out for aphids if the weather is mild.
TURF: Areas of bare soil will wash away during heavy winter rains.
Here’s an idea: loosen the soil and scatter ryegrass seeds over the area. Ryegrass
will stabilize the soil and prevent erosion.
PERENNIALS: Want to see what a perennial will look like in a different
location in your landscape? Now would be a good time to move it.
Prune, or cut back and remove old, dead upper portions of dormant perennials. “Dead stuff ” makes the garden unattractive.
ROSES: Late December through early February is the best time to plant
new rose bushes or transplant existing roses. To move a bush to a new location, prune it back appropriately; dig up as much of the roots as possible, and
plant immediately. Caution: don’t allow the roots to dry out.
SHRUBS: Shrubs are as dormant this month as they will get. The weather is generally cool and moist. That
makes it an ideal time to transplant.
A few suggestions to think about
while transplanting: It is best to not
plant immediately after a rain since
soil is heavy, difficult to dig, and can
become too compacted. Also, it is best
to not plant immediately before a hard
freeze that dips into the teens.
This is an excellent time to apply horticultural oil spray to shrubs
that are prone to scale. These include camellias, hollies, magnolias,
euonymus, privets, and cleyera.
TREES: January is an excellent
month to plant trees. Deciduous trees are leafless at this time of the year. Their
dormancy makes this a great time to get them into the ground.
SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS Thank you for continuing to send us your questions and comments. We can be contacted at our
offices at 281-681-1025, or through our web site: www.LawnRangerCompany.
com. “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lawnrangercompany. Follow us on Twitter: @lawnranger_walt. Check out a few videos at www.youtube.com/lawnrangercompany. u
VOTED “BEST OF THE WOODLANDS” 2010, ’11, ’12, ’13, 14
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 27
Brings Hollywood Classic
to the Crighton Stage
By: Carolyn Corsano Wong
Photos: Michael Pittman Images
STAGE RIGHT of Texas, resident theatre company at the historic
Crighton Theatre, presents a show described as the best and most beloved
musical ever made; Singin’ in the Rain
Feb. 13 – Mar. 1, 2015. Singin’ in the
Rain is based on the MGM film with
screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph
Green and songs by Nacio Herb Brown
and Arthur Freed. Loaded with laughs, romance, dance and eye-popping tinsel town
glamour this stage version of the movie is sure
to please young and old alike. Audiences will
be transported back to Hollywood of 1927 when
many a movie studio found itself scrambling to
salvage the career of its chipmunk-voiced silent
picture stars. The MGM classic has been faithfully and lovingly adapted, with each unforgettable scene and song present and accounted for,
including ‘Moses Supposes’, ‘Make ‘Em Laugh,’
‘You are my Lucky Star’, the show stopping rain
soaked title number.
STAGE RIGHT director Manny Cafeo is
28
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
pulling out all the stops to present a
musical theatre spectacular just in
time for Valentine’s Day! Stepping
into the tap shoes of Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds is
no easy task but our leads (Victor Suarez,
Ryan Rodriguez and Sara Preisler-Kent) are
up to the challenge and have been pounding the
floor of the Crighton stage over and over again to
recreate the extraordinary choreography seen in
the film. Our audiences will be in for a special
treat by being able to see on stage accomplished
dancer and choreographer Dinah Mahlman. Dinah was choreographer for our acclaimed productions of The Wizard of Oz and Hairspray.
We are so pleased that our audiences will finally
enjoy the beauty and artistry of Dinah’s dancing
talents as she re-creates the dances made famous
by Cyd Charrise in the movie.
Fun Fact: Debbie Reynolds appeared on
the Crighton Stage in 2004 as part of the MCPAS
25th Anniversary Season.
Performance dates for Singin’ In the Rain are
weekends February 13 – March 1, 2015, Friday
and Saturday nights at 8 pm with Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Tickets can be purchased online
at www.stage-right.org or by calling the Crighton Theatre box office at 936-441-SHOW (7469).
Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and
groups of 15 persons or more, $15 for youth 16
and under and for senior groups of 15 or more
persons. Group sales can be made by calling the
box office. The historic Crighton Theatre is located at 234 N. Main St. in downtown Conroe. u
Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015 29
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Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition January 2015
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Dock Line Magazine - The Woodlands Edition December 2014