Meet The Team Lindsey Kasprzak
PUBLISHER, ART & MEDIA DIRECTOR
Leslie Henderson MANAGING EDITOR
Dawn Allen EDITOR
Taylor Smith WRITER
Beth Waytt SALES
CONTRIBUTORS:
TRACEE EVANS CLAUDIA LAIRD W.F. STRONG RAIGAN MAYO CONROE/LAKE CONROE CHAMBER
From Our Publisher Happy Anniversary to us! Yes, that’s right, it’s already been a year since we launched Lone Star Local Guide and I can’t believe the support we’ve gotten from Montgomery County! People and businesses have given us such great feedback on the fact that we’re completely digital, providing small businesses an affordable advertising medium. We pride ourselves on the fact that we were the first fully-digital magazine for Montgomery County that people were excited to read and advertise in. Unfortunately, we’re now in a time where small businesses don’t know if they’ll be able to stay open. So, we here at Lone Star Local Guide will be doing our very best to share the needs of local businesses and post community events on the calendar. If you have an event you would like us to share, please contact us and we will let our followers know. In the meantime, let’s have a little fun! I have hidden a gold star in our magazine that I want you to find. Once you’ve found it, e-mail me a screenshot and you’ll be put in a drawing for a $50 gift card to an advertiser of your choice. The drawing will be on April 27th, 2020. Let’s all keep positive during this time and don’t forget to share, like, and comment on our Facebook and Instagram! E-mail: LoneStarLocalGuide@gmail.com
Lindsey Kasprzak
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LONE STAR LOAL GUIDE © 2019, all rights reserved. All editorial and advertising copy belongs solely to LONE STAR LOAL GUIDE 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.
CONTENTS
table of
APRIL 2020
Business of the Month Embroidery Studio - Page 6
Features
6
Squeaky Pig Food Blog - Page 5 Spring Fire Department - Page 9 That Time Texas Impeached Its Governor - Page 13
5
Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber - Page 19 Texas Became a State in 1845 - Page 21
9
Conroe Noon Lions - Page 24 Learn From Lady Justice - Page 25 Lone Star Local Savings - Page 30
21 Lone StarEdition Local Guide Dock Line Magazine - Atascocita AprilPage 20183 3
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FOODIE By: Raigan Mayo Food Blogger
Shrimp Scampi with Corn and Cauliflower Risotto Style
This recipe was inspired by a recipe I received from one of those meal delivery kits. I wasn’t impressed with most recipes that I received due to the lack of flavor. I felt like I could improve upon them and this is my first shot at this one. It originally had some beef with risotto and corn. This recipe is straight comfort. I don’t know about ya’ll but I need comfort right now given the state our country and the world. Also, I work so much right now that when I do cook I want some thing super yummy that makes me give out an audible “ooohh, yummmm.” It will make 3 to 4 servings. I like to use the Red Argentine shrimp because they are large shrimp with great flavor. Also, I buy the HEB Caulibits that is pre-chopped. I like to use it for recipes like this because its much drier than fresh cauliflower therefore you don’t get a lot of water released when cooking. Ingredients: 1 LB Shrimp peeled and deveined 1/4 Diced Onion
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream 4 OZ of Cream Cheese 2 TBL White Wine 14 oz Cauliflower chopped or rice 1 Cup Corn* 1 TBL Avocado oil 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 TBL of Adams Reserve White Wine and Garlic Butter Seasonings or McCormick’s Shrimp Scampi Seasoning 2 TBL Butter Squeeze of Half a large lemon Salt and Pepper to taste Corn and Cauliflower Preparation: 1. Sweat onions and garlic in avocado oil until onion is translucent. 2. Add White wine. 3.Add Cauliflower until tender 4. Add corn, cream, and cream cheese. 5. Stir in Parmesan. Stir until fully incorporated. 6. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Shrimp: 1.Mix White Wine Garlic Butter Seasonings with the Shrimp and set aside. 2.Heat avocado oil in separate pan, Pan must be hot to get a good sear. 3. Add shrimp. 4. Once the shrimp turns white flip to the other side and add the lemon juice. * This should only take about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Any longer and you will have overcooked rubbery shrimp. *You can sub another vegetable for the corn such as broccoli or mushrooms but be forewarned it really changes the taste and flavor of this dish.
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By: Taylor Smith
It was over 20 years ago that AJ Maisel was in the midst of a fulltime airline career, working at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and then helping her parents on most weekends with their floral craft show business. AJ enjoyed spending By: Taylor time withSmith her dad, selling her mom’s
beautiful floral and seasonal arrangements at craft shows. At one point she thought to herself, “Why not make something myself and sell right alongside my dad? Not only would I still be able to help him but I could make some extra money
on the side.” One of her first ventures
she found out were not only a hot
was making dog bandanas, which
seller but easy to make and affordable as well.
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One thing led to another and
“We love to work with all kinds
now 21 years later AJ and her hus-
of businesses and our local schools!
band, Ken
own and operate a
We’ve actually made it so local stu-
very successful multi head embroi-
dents and parents can order school
dery shop that caters to businesses,
band, track, and other sports team
schools, dance teams and organi-
apparel from our website.” Everything they offer from gifts to school tshirts can be ordered online at www. embrstudio.com. Once your order Continue on page 8 u
zations to name a few. Embroidery Studio runs top of the line equipment and offers the best selection of apparel and accessories the industry has to offer plus all embroidery work is done in studio. From custom logos to appliqué to personalization, rhinestones, glitter and more, “We can handle it all!” “The key to a successful business and what separates us from others is experience.” AJ prides herself on the fact that she is consistently learning the latest and greatest in her industry, and through trial and error, she has learned what works best for her customers. Lone Star Local Guide Page 7
is ready AJ has easy local pickup, or she will arrange for shipping. Because of recent events she is making sure her customers feel comfortable and to know how much she and Ken appreciate them. Be sure to check out Embroidery Studio on their Facebook and Ins-
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tagram pages for all the latest and
school
greatest in unique gifts, business and
printing work.u
embroidery,
and
screen
Protect Your Health and Home During (COVID-19 BY: Tracee Evans
11 new Spring firefighters are in the middle of their three week orientation complete with training exercises and health checks every day.
A new Cypress Creek EMS Medic Unit moved in at SprIng Fire Station 74 to help beef up medical response Continue on page 11 u Lone Star Local Guide Page 9
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It’s important during this time that people heed the Stay At Home orders and practice social distancing. While teaching the kids at home, it’s a great time to put together a home exit plan and practice it.
COVID-19 Preparedness In consideration of the expanding outbreak of COVID-19, we are taking extra measures at the Spring Fire Department to keep both our personnel and our community safe and healthy. The best way to protect everyone from COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus. All SFD facilities are closed to the public until further notice. We discontinued non-employee use of all SFD facilities, training with outside agencies, attendance of community events and will be keeping contact with the public to a minimum. We will be reassessing this situation frequently and update as needed. We continue to respond to all emergency calls for service while following the CDC recommended protocols. To protect yourself from COVID-19, avoid being exposed to the
virus and use every day preventative actions to avoid spread. What you can do: Wash your hands often Cover your cough Stay home when sick Exercise social distancing of 6+ feet
For more information click here: http://www.cdc.gov/COVID19 For more information on COVID-19 Preparedness, click here: https://www.springfd.org/covid19-preparedness/u
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By: W.F. Strong
It’s hard not to like the
college diploma, saying it was
home with nothing but a “man-
down-home folksy style that
“book learning gone to seed.”
dolin and liver damage.” As my
made Texas Gov. Jim Fergu-
He said some professors took
brother Redneck Dave would
son so enormously popular 100
three years to learn that “you
say, “That right there is funny. I
years ago. After all, he was
couldn’t grow wool on an ar-
don’t care who you are.”
known as Farmer Jim. He often
madillo.” His constituency, he
Ferguson did some good
said, “civilization begins and
claimed, “resided where the
things. I suppose the best of
ends with the plow.” Ferguson
creeks forked” and he felt they
these was substantially increas-
was a mesmerizing speaker
were getting short-changed
ing the funding for public edu-
and storyteller and was splen-
by not getting enough basic
cation, particularly benefiting
didly fluent in the dialects of
education, while the kids at UT
rural Texas, and creating a Tex-
rural Texas. The state was blue,
were getting too much of it.”
as Highway Department, even
then – really indigo. To be the
He said those kids go up to
Democratic nominee for gov-
Austin for four years and return
ernor was the same as being
though he later raided the agency’s funds with impunity. Continue on page 15 u
elected governor. As historian Cortez Ewing pointed out, Ferguson was the “voice of the people,” and with his sixth-grade education, he promoted the idea that he had not “suffered the damages” of higher degrees. He liked to say he was no “city slicker” and no “college dude.” A government doesn’t require “educated fools” to run properly. Ferguson would often call into question the value of a Lone Star Local Guide Page 13
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his undoing. Basically, he wanted five professors fired, for the unstated reason that they had spoken out publicly against his candidacy for governor. He told the UT president, Dr. Robert E. Vinson, that he wanted them fired. Vinson asked what they had done to deserve it and he said, “I don’t need a reason, I’m the governor.” He told Vinson that he fought him on this “he was in A duplicitous man
friends and crush not just his
for the biggest bear fight in
As much as one might ap-
political enemies, but good ser-
Texas history.” That fairly sum-
homey
vants of the state whose only
marized his attitude about his
aphorisms, a word he’d likely
offense was not voting for him.
power. It was, in his mind, ab-
have found objectionable be-
Farmer Jim wasn’t even much
solute. When Vinson refused
cause of it’s academic taint –
of a farmer, though he owned
to fire the professors, Ferguson
his style loses its charm when
a few farms and was incredibly
went after the Board of Re-
you learn all that was revealed
loyal to farmers.
gents to get them to do his bid-
preciate
Ferguson’s
at his impeachment. In sum, his down-home authenticity fad-
Why Jim Ferguson was impeached
ding. When they wouldn’t, he started replacing them one by
ed away to reveal a man who
There were two major ele-
one and withheld state fund-
was mostly a fraud. He claimed
ments of the impeachment
ing from the university to force
to be a successful business-
charges brought against Fer-
UT to obey his orders. This led to
man; he was not. He claimed
guson in 1917. The first had to
a special session being called
to be painstakingly honest; he
do with his abuse of power
by the Legislature, to press for
was an embezzler. He was an
while attempting to microman-
Ferguson’s impeachment.
avowed enemy of the KKK, but
age the University of Texas. The
Self-inflicted wounds
to hear him talk about black
second had to do with his uti-
Here’s
people, you’d have thought
lization of the Temple Bank he
made his first greatest legal
he had earned his hood. He
had controlling interest in as his
blunder. The Legislature can-
said the governor served the
personal slush fund.
not call itself into special ses-
people, but he used the pow-
The UT battle was the one he
er of the office to reward his
should have avoided. It proved
where
Ferguson
sion. Only the governor can do Continue on page 17 u Lone Star Local Guide Page 15
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that. So to prove this to them,
T h e
Ferguson called a special ses-
Senate
sion to consider a UT funding
f o u n d
bill he could sign. While there,
F e r g u -
legislators legally took up an-
son guilty
other matter, impeachment.
on
The House sent 21 articles of
charges
impeachment to the Senate.
relating
And here, Ferguson made his
to
second blunder. He showed up
handling
most every day to his own trial,
of
invited or not, with two armed
funds and
Texas Rangers as escorts. He
abuse
of
gave a speech in his own de-
power
in
fense and blamed the charges
relation to
on that “N-word loving senator
the univer-
from the north, Senator John-
sity.
son.” Not Lyndon.
vote was 25-3. Even his former
five
mispublic
The
I’ve cleaned that up for you.
political allies couldn’t find him
Hearing the gasps in the
innocent in the face of such
chamber,
Ferguson
immedi-
damning evidence – and his
ately asked to strike the com-
own indefensible behavior. But
ment. He took the stand on his
the day before the conviction
own behalf and was mostly a
was certain to come down,
weak and contradictory wit-
Ferguson cleverly resigned,
ness, unable to explain dis-
claiming then that the Senate
crepancies. The fact is that he
couldn’t uphold an impeach-
had parked state funds in his
ment for someone who wasn’t
bank for personal gain and he
actually in office. This was a vi-
had run his bank as a one-man
tal point to Ferguson, because
Ponzi scheme. He loaned him-
the impeachment barred him
self so much money that he
from running for any office in
practically bankrupted his own
Texas for life. He later ran any-
bank. He blamed his directors
way, claiming that he had re-
for running a shoddy operation.
signed before he was convict-
Out but not down
ed. The Texas Supreme Court
disagreed, so he had his wife run in his place. And she won. One final note of incredulity. In her first term, Miriam “Ma” Ferguson, as she was known, had a law passed that gave amnesty to all Texas officials formerly impeached. Of course, her husband was the only one the amnesty applied to. She even used the word “Christian” in the law, implying that Christian forgiveness was appropriate here. This is why I so often say, “I’m W. F. Strong, these are Stories from Texas – some of them are astonishingly true.” This article was edited for broadcast by Texas Standard producers for the Texas Standard radio program on Apple podcast Lone Star Local Guide Page 17
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By: W.F. Strong
Later this year, way later this year,
that President Polk signed the joint
Republic of Texas flag was lowered
we’ll mark the 175th year of Texas
resolution that made Texas a state,
for the last time and the U.S. flag was
statehood. That will be on Dec. 29.
there was some confusion as to the
raised in its place.
That’s the day in 1845 that Texas of-
official moment that the Republic of
As you might surmise, the almost
ficially joined the United States of
Texas passed into history and state-
two months difference in official
America, or, as the proudest of Tex-
hood status began. Then-president of
transfer of power led to problems. For
ans say, the day the U.S. was allowed
Texas, Anson Jones, said that Feb. 19,
instance, who should you pay import
to join Texas.
1846 was the actual day. He presided
duties to – Texas or the U.S.? Lawsuits
over a ceremony in Austin where the
followed. The U.S. Supreme Court
Though the 29th was the day
eventually weighed in on the matter and the official date of statehood was established as December the 29th, 1845. Make your checks payable to the U.S. Treasury, please. You might see the discrepancy in statehood as the difference in marriage dates between a couple marrying first at the courthouse and later in church. One is legal and official and the other is ceremonial and spiritual. Texas couldn’t just let President Polk’s signing of a document 1,500 miles away be all there was to the moment. They couldn’t allow the Republic so many had died for to pass Continue on page 23 u
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into history without memorializing the
the hands of those whom the people
us natives of the United States, and
moment in some proper way. So Pres-
of chosen, the power and authority
when the stars and stripes, the flag of
ident Anson arranged a ceremony in
we have some time held.”
our fathers, was run up and catching
front of the Texas Capitol, really just
Here is what transpired in that
the breeze unrolled its heaven born
a house, that would turn out to both
brief ceremony: Noah Smithwick, a
colors to the light, cheer after cheer
mourn the passing of the Republic
blacksmith in attendance, remem-
rent the air.”
and celebrate Texas as the newest
bered the moment the Texas flag
state in the union.
came down.
The people celebrated statehood.
What was needed here was what
“Many a head was bowed, many
I like that Noah tended already
linguists call a “speech act” – a mo-
a broad chest heaved, and many
toward that creature still common
ment in time when something is made
a manly cheek was wet with tears
in Texas — the exceptionally proud
real by virtue of pronouncement.
when that broad field of blue in the
Texan. He said that he thought “the
Speech acts are generally used by
center of which, like a signal light,
star in the lower left corner [of the
people of authority who have the
glowed the lone star, emblem of the
U.S. flag] should have been espe-
power to make the words true by just
sovereignty of Texas, was furled and
cially dedicated to Texas.” It’s as if he
saying them. “I pronounce you man
laid away among the relics of the
wanted it framed and separated in
and wife,” or, “I sentence you to 20
dead republic.”
some way. How Texan of him.
years in prison.” Anson Jones began
The United States flag was raised
So, the flag-raising complete,
with, “I, as President of the Republic
and the mood changed dramati-
President Anson Jones announced,
… am now present to surrender into
cally. Noah wrote: “We were most of
“The Republic of Texas is no more” — making it politically true, but never absolute because the residual influence of the Republic resides in the minds of many Texans today who still think of her as their country, their nation. No doubt it was a bittersweet day, but 94% of Texans did vote for statehood, a level of agreement we haven’t enjoyed since. There was great happiness on the whole. Tyler, Texas, was founded that same year, in gratitude to U.S. President John Tyler, who started the movement for Texas annexation. This article was edited for broadcast by Texas Standard producers for the Texas Standard radio program on Apple podcast
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The Courts During Corona Let’s start this article by say-
ing non-essential proceedings
also of the Fourth Emergency
ing that if you have a court
in person contrary to govern-
Order issued on March 18th
date, don’t just ignore it be-
ing directives. In Montgomery
by the Supreme Court of Texas
cause of anything you read
County this means for non-es-
and the Texas Court of Criminal
here.
Contact your court to
sential proceedings there must
Appeals. This order prohibits a
find out what to do about your
not be more than 10 people
trial, hearing or other proceed-
case, if you have one.
present in the courtroom. As
ing in an eviction until after
the
such, most jury trials have been
April 19, 2020. It also prohibits
Courts must comply with the
suspended indefinitely. Many
the posting of a written warn-
mandates given by the Presi-
courts are now moving to a
ing in an eviction case for a writ
dent, the Governor and the
web-based conferencing plat-
of possession until after April 26,
County Judge. Courts addition-
form to conduct hearings.
If
2020. New eviction filings may
ally must comply with the man-
you know of such a hearing
be made, but issuance and
dates given by the Supreme
and would like to attend, sim-
service of citation is prohibited
Court of Texas and the Texas
ply call the court and ask for
until after April 19, 2020.
Court of Criminal Appeals in
directions on how to observe
only exception to this rule is if
responding to this emergency.
the proceeding on-line. Keep
the eviction is due to the ten-
Because courtrooms are gath-
in mind you should mute your
ant posing an imminent threat
ering places where oftentimes
internet access device so as
of physical harm to the plaintiff
many people come together,
not to disrupt the proceedings.
or other tenants or due to the
they can pose a threat to the
Essential proceedings like crim-
tenant’s criminal activity.
health of litigants during this
inal magistration proceedings,
REMEMBER: Call the court
precarious time.
In response
CPS removal hearings, mental
before making any decisions
to this crisis the Supreme Court
health hearings and injunctive
regarding how to proceed
of Texas and the Texas Court
hearings are proceeding as
on your case settings during is
of Criminal Appeals have pro-
usual.
pandemic.u
Just
like
individuals
hibited judges from conduct-
The
The public should be aware Lone Star Local Guide Page 25
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Local Savings
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