From the beginning, the East Montrose Civic Association has been all about communication. "We were never a homeowner's association; we've been more of an informational group," former association president Cheryl Hastings said. "We tried to bring in people who could speak to us about caring for our houses. And the newsletter has been extremely valuable in keeping everyone informed." The association, which is continuing in that informational role today, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Memb

CHANTAL Duke's life has been a rich tapestry of experiences. She has lived in 12 countries and spent time in another 25, and now the 52-year-old Uptown-area resident has devoted her life to helping others benefit from her knowledge. Duke is the Visa and relocation manager for Awty International School, 7455 Awty School Lane in Spring Branch. Her primary role is to guide faculty members relocating to Houston from around the globe. But Duke's private time is devoted to global matters as well.

Not only did Malone create the lure, he later learned that the device he invented mimics the natural vibrations of the creatures that fish like to eat such as crayfish. Anglers’ satisfaction with the lure’s results led to the establishment of Clear Lake-based Bayou Rattler Products LLC, which started selling products in January. The business is backed by Malone’s longtime friend, Shelby LaCroix, and managed by Shelby’s son, Trey, both of Clear Lake. After spending nearly two years laying the

For students, few academic years are as important as ninth grade, says Marla Sheppard, an assistant superintendent in the Fort Bend Independent School District. "Aside from the formative years, grades K-2, ninth grade is one of the most critical years for a student," Sheppard said. Educational researchers have stated the same. A detailed guide produced by National High School Center states that more students fail ninth grade than any other grade in high school. And many of those who fail then

Start studying the habits of the rapidly vanishing monarch butterflies and it is evident that these orange-and-black insects, just like people, have varying tastes in food. So, while all monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed plants, which provide food for the caterpillars, different monarchs tend to gravitate toward different milkweed species. With the monarch population in decline, along with the milkweed plants that they rely upon, providing as many milkweed options as possible could go a long

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Residents still feeling effects of the high water The storms and high waters that greater Houston experienced April 18 hit the Humble, Kingwood and Lake Houston areas hard. Some of the worst home flooding occurred along around the lake off Hamblen Road in the 77338 ZIP code, Humble Area Assistance Ministries reports, but homes throughout the area were affected. And for the residents whose homes took in water, the impacts are ongoing. When Kyle Sadler's 7-year-old daughter, Zoe, overheard him

After his younger sister, Marilyn Sage Meagher, was slain in 1993, Sage, 64, spent years in a very dark place. "I was a prisoner of my own rage and grief," the Uptown-area resident said. It was only after he was ready to forgive his sister's attackers that he was able to heal. Now his focus is on helping others with that journey, both the victims of violent crimes and criminal offenders who are in prison. His nonprofit ministry, Bridges to Life, brings crime victims into prisons to work with

Sibyl Bucheli and Aaron Lynne envision a time when crime-scene investigators look to bacteria to bring them a step closer to solving their cases. Bucheli, an entomologist with Sam Houston State University’s Department of Biological Sciences, and Lynne, an assistant professor of molecular microbiology, have received a three-year, $300,000 grant from the National Institute of Justice to examine the microbiology of human decomposition. “We hope that by understanding how the bacteria that inhabits

There was a time in Spring Branch's not-so-distant past when the community almost became its own municipality. That effort in the early 1950s failed, but within a couple of years the six Memorial villages did what Spring Branch was unable to do and incorporated. All of the villages - and Spring Branch - looked to incorporation for the same reason, area resident Patsy Fox Andrews said. They didn't want to be annexed. "They were being encroached upon by the city of Houston," Andrews said. "They

Educator treated students as if they were his own During the commencement ceremony for Memorial High School's class of 1966, the graduating seniors said a special goodbye to their assistant principal, Wayne Schaper Sr. "When he was introduced, the students gave him a standing ovation," said Jerry Kroll, one of the graduates that day. It's important to understand, Kroll added, that Schaper's primary job that school year had been discipline. "Those 18-year-olds appreciate how he dealt with all

It took Shannon Lowry years before she felt ready to talk to others about the abuse she experienced as a teen. But as the founder of the student organization Abuse Survivors Support Group at Sam Houston State University, she is hoping to provide a safe, non-threatening environment for others when they reach that point. “We’re really excited because there’s nothing like it,” said Lowry, a 26-year-old senior majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology. “We’re trying to find healing from som

Firefighter/guitarist from League City likes to gets things smokin' onstage League City resident Mark Turvey jokes that few people would guess, to look at him, that he plays guitar for a rock band. But playing classic Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin and 38 Special riffs comes as naturally to him as his day job - working as fire chief and facilities protection superintendent for specialty chemical company Lubrizol Corp. "It's (playing guitar) just something I've always loved," said Turvey, 59. T

When Kiyoaki Saibara had an opportunity to meet world-renowned astronaut John Glenn in the early 1960s, the Webster rice farmer had a small request. Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth, was planning a NASA goodwill trip to Japan. According to the Houston Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, Saibara asked him, "Col. Glenn, when you get to Japan, if you should meet the emperor, would you give him my regards?" Glenn later said he seriously doubted that Emperor Hirohito woul