Villages of Northpoint - May 2021 by Peel, Inc.

THE COMPASS

Volume 12, Issue 05

A newsletter for villages of northpointe

MAY 2021

Give Turtles a Brake! By Cheryl Conley

I brake for turtles. Do you? With the warmer weather, turtles are going to be on the move soon. They are most likely looking for a mate or the females are looking for a nesting site. It could be that they’re just looking for a good meal. Whatever the reason, cars and turtles don’t mix. If you’re like me and want to help turtles crossing roads, here are a few helpful hints: • Safety first. Always be aware of other vehicles. Pull off the road and turn on your hazard flashers. • If there’s no traffic, it’s best to let the turtle cross on its own. • Don’t put the turtle in your car and relocate it. Eastern box turtles, for example, only travel within about a 2-mile radius throughout their lives. They have a homing instinct and move about within their home territory. Removing them from their home will cause undo stress and shorten their lives. • Always move the turtle in the same direction it was going, as far off the road as you can place it. • Be gentle. Grasp the turtle’s shell edge at about the mid-point of the body. If it’s a snapping turtle, grasp the shell at the back of the body to protect yourself from a bite. In either case, you can then lift the turtle and place it on the side of the road. You can also place the turtle on a floor mat or piece of clothing and slide it. • Once the turtle is safely placed on the side of the road out of danger, sanitize your hands. We’ve all gotten pretty good at that! What should you do if you find an injured turtle? Believe it or not, turtles with damaged Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

shells can recover but it’s important to get help as quickly as possible. Call a local wildlife center first to make sure they will accept the animal and follow their instructions. Don’t try to feed the turtle or give it water. Place it in a box and put it in a quiet area until you can get help. Houston area wildlife centers: Friends of Texas Wildlife TWRC Wildlife Center Wildlife Center of Texas You can also check the Texas Parks & Wildlife website for individual rehabilitators. https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/rehab/list/

Villages of NorthPointe Compass - May 2021

THE COMPASS IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Villages of Northpointe Security Director

Andy Elmore .............................................. hit02@scbglobal.net Waste Management................................................... 281-376-8802 Centerpoint Energy .................................................. 713-207-2222 Tomball Post Office................................................... 281-516-0513 Harris County MUD #281 (water and recycling)...... 281-376-8802 Harris County Constable Precinct #4 24-hour Dispatch ................................................ 281-376-3472 Villages of Northpointe Patrol Officer Deputy Kelly........................................................ 281-376-3472 SCHOOLS Tomball Independent School District................. www.tomballisd.net Canyon Pointe Elementary.................................... 281-357-3122 NorthPointe Intermediate...................................... 281-357-3020 Willow Wood Junior High.................................... 281-357-3030 Tomball High School............................................. 281-357-3220 Tomball Memorial High School............................ 281-357-3230 TAX ENTITIES: Tomball ISD Tax Office......................................... 281-357-3100 .

www.tomballisd.net and follow the link to the Tax Office

MUD #281 & NorthPointe WCID...................... 713-462-8906 ................................................................. www.wheelerassoc.com Harris County Appraisal District........................... 713-957-7800 ............................................................................... www.hcad.org Electric Company Choices.......................................866-7974839 ............................................................... www.powertochoose.org

NEWSLETTER INFO PUBLISHER Articles.............................. villagesofnorthpointe@peelinc.com Advertising..................................... advertising@PEELinc.com 2

Villages of NorthPointe Compass - May 2021

Connection I remember way back when I was in college and I called my mom, excited to share with her that I decided to change my major. It went a bit like this….. Me: “Mom, I decided to change my major. I’m going into entomology!” Mom: “What?” Me: “Entomology. It’s the study of insects.” Mom: “What are you going to do with that? Do you plan on spending your life spraying bugs?” Me: “I have no idea, but it will be fantastic!” While at the time, my mom could not see exactly what I was going to do with a career in entomology, fortunately, for me I found an amazing job with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension where I have the opportunity to educate people on insects. Fortunately for my parents, they now have someone to identify all their insects. So why the story? Well, you all have the same opportunity as my parents to become educated on various insects. There are a variety of ways to do this, and all are resources that I directly post or am involved with in some way. If you want to learn more about insects, you can connect with me (or my colleagues in some cases) through: Instagram: urbanipm Facebook: www.facebook.com/UrbanIPM YouTube channel: Wizzie Brown Podcasts: I am involved in two different podcasts. • Bugs by the Yard- this one covers insects in the landscape • Unwanted Guests- this one covers structural pests Insect ID requests• Email me at ebrown@ag.tamu.edu • Submit images to http://texashighplainsinsects.net/ Educational webinars on various insect topics- email me to get onto the list for sign up links For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600. Check out my blog at www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com This work is supported by Crops Protection and Pest Management Competitive Grants Program [grant no. 2017-70006-27188 /project accession no. 1013905] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service or the Texas A&M AgriLife Research is implied. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides equal access in its programs, activities, education and employment, without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

THE COMPASS

INGREDIENTS For the chicken marinade: 28 oz (800g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces 1 cup plain yogurt 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon ginger 2 teaspoons garam masala 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (or 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili powder) 1 teaspoon of salt For the sauce: 2 tablespoons of vegetable/canola oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 small onions (or 1 large onion) finely diced 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic finely grated 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon ground coriander 14 oz (400g) tomato puree (tomato sauce/Passata) 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (optional for colour and flavour) 1 teaspoon ground red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference) 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups of heavy or thickened cream (use evaporated milk for lower calories) 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1/4 cup water if needed 4 tablespoons Fresh cilantro or coriander to garnish INSTRUCTIONS Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.) Melt the butter in the same pan. Fry the onions until soft (about 3 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.

Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally. Pour in the tomato puree, chili powders and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour. Stir the cream and sugar through the sauce. Add the chicken and its juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling. Pour in the water to thin out the sauce, if needed. Garnish with cilantro (coriander) and serve with hot garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread! Villages of NorthPointe Compass - May 2021

THE COMPASS

Villages of NorthPointe Compass - May 2021

THE COMPASS

Villages of NorthPointe Compass - May 2021

THE COMPASS The Compass is a private publication published by Peel, Inc. It is not sanctioned by any homeowners association or organization, nor is it subject to the approval of any homeowners association or organization, nor is it intended, nor implied to replace any publication that may be published by or on behalf of any homeowners association or organization. At no time will any source be allowed to use the Compass contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

Villages of NorthPointe Compass - May 2021

THE COMPASS

Villages of NorthPointe Compass - May 2021

THE COMPASS 1405 Brandi Ln Round Rock, TX 78681

VNP

Villages of NorthPointe Compass - May 2021