The Acorn

01/13/2026

📣 COMMUNITY UPDATE – LUNAR NEW YEAR STREET CLOSURE SUBMITTED

We officially submitted our Special Event + Street Closure Permit for
📅 March 21
🎉 Chinese Lunar New Year – Year of the Fire Horse

Everything was done by the book and ahead of time:
✔️ Application submitted
✔️ Street closure request submitted
✔️ All required signatures collected
✔️ Nearby businesses & property owners approved

This permit was filed before any proposed changes to street-closure fees were introduced.
As of today, the official city fee remains $35.

By law, the city has 30 business days to either approve or deny the permit.
So now the clock starts.

We are sharing this publicly for transparency — for our small businesses, our downtown, and our community — because Lunar New Year is one of our biggest cultural celebrations, and it deserves to be treated fairly and consistently like every other event.

This isn’t just about one festival.
It’s about whether the process is applied evenly to everyone.

We’ll keep everyone updated as we move through the 30-day review period.
Thank you for supporting local culture, small businesses, and downtown Conroe. 🐎🔥

01/12/2026

Very happy that the Court is seeing this for what it is and helping our firefighters take a stand against it.

Isn’t it ironic…

One moment we belittle John Sellar’s for undermining the voters while simulataneausly attempting to block a petition signed by the same voters they claim to be taking a stand for.

Yeah we see it for what it is— political agendas and vindictive retaliation.

But our firefighters and all of our first responders are our neighbors, they are the blood of Conroe. What they do to them, they will and have done to all of us.

Fair is fair. Good is right and evil is wrong. It is as simple as that, folks. We can’t pick and choose here, we must go with what we know to be the common sense of it all. Don’t let others twist or misinterpret what your gut is telling you. They won’t fight for you, they will turncoat faster than a blink if it serves them and their own agendas.

Great job ya’ll! We got you, keep pushing forward and know that Conroe loves and supports our firefighters and police ❤️

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Court Orders City to Process Voter Petition to Prevent ‘Irreparable’ Harm

Like in dozens of Texas cities, Conroe firefighters seek collective bargaining to strengthen public safety workplace – with no new taxes

CONROE, Texas, Jan. 12, 2026 – A Montgomery County state district court ordered the City of Conroe to end its refusal to accept and process the voter petition intended to put firefighter collective bargaining on the May 2026 ballot. In granting a temporary restraining order against the city on Friday, the Hon. John M. Delaney set a temporary injunction hearing for Jan. 22 in Conroe, ahead of the mid-February deadline to make the ballot.

Without the TRO, the city’s continuing inaction on the submitted petition would have caused “irreparable injury” to efforts to meet the deadline for this year’s municipal election ballot, according to the court order.

Last month, firefighters were forced to sue the city after the city attorney demanded a submission of 20,000 voter signatures – not the five percent of qualified voters voting in the preceding general election required by Texas Local Government Code Chapter 174 – in other words, 2,022 signatures. Firefighters twice tried to submit about 3,650 verified voter signatures to the city – and provided three separate legal opinions in support of the petition submission.

“We’re grateful the Court is moving quickly on this,” Lloyd Sandefer, president of the Conroe Professional Fire Fighters Association, said, “but it’s disappointing that the mayor and city council are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on lawyers to fight us and the thousands of voters that signed the petition. All we’re asking is that the city follow the law and let the voters decide the issue.”

Sandefer said, “Dozens of Texas cities, large and small, have relied upon collective bargaining for decades. It’s part of Texas state law – supported by Republicans, Democrats and Independents. It’s a fair process for both the city and our firefighters – and it will not raise taxes. But Conroe politicians keep digging in and wasting taxpayer money while they continue to lavish perks on themselves.”

The collective bargaining process helps put in place adequate staffing levels, which directly impacts public safety and reduces the risk of injury or death during emergency responses, Sandefer said. Collective bargaining agreements also help establish clear, consistent standards for training, equipment, and workplace safety, ensuring that fire departments meet professional benchmarks. In the last election cycle, the Texas cities of Irving, Wichita Falls, Victoria and Hurst approved collective bargaining.

“This process creates a structured way to resolve disputes and maintain workplace peace,” Sandefer said. “The city’s reaction to the voter petition just proves that we need a better way forward.”

The case is "Conroe Professional Fire Fighters Association v. City of Conroe, Texas, and Sami Quinlan, in her official capacity as Conroe City Secretary," Case No. 25-12-20747 in the 284th State District Court of Montgomery County.

01/10/2026

Happy Saturday, y’all!

A new year, a fresh start, and hope on the horizon brings me fresh feelings of appreciation for all the blessings we enjoy in this great city.

Before we dive into the muck, let me offer a tip of the hat to our fine law enforcement. I missed the mark on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day yesterday, but Conroe and Montgomery County truly have the finest men and women around. I’m thankful to live in a community that values our officers—well, most of us do, anyway.

I’ve been out and about taking in the weekend action, and if y’all haven’t hit the Saturday morning market, you’re missing out on a top-notch slice of heaven. It’s a great spot to scoop up kitchen essentials and weekend treats, but I’m over here holding my breath that City Hall doesn’t choke it out. I truly hope they can find a way to manage street closure permits without causing an amenity like this to go extinct. It’s free, it’s vibrant, and it’s exactly the kind of innovation this city claims it "can't" afford to support.

After hitting the market, we swung by one of my family’s favorites, Dragon Bowl C. With just enough chill in the air to make soup a necessity—and boba for the kiddo of course—it hit the spot. If you haven’t treated yourself to one of their egg rolls you are missing out on all the fun.

I attended the council meeting this week—an evening session actually friendly to a working woman’s schedule. It was eventful, to say the least. If you haven't watched the video, pull it up, but let me give you the "Acorn" condensed version of the chaos:

Now, let’s talk about a big point of concern for potential candidates and, ultimately, every one of you in the general public. There is a new financial disclosure and ethics form the city is requiring that is as overreaching and invasive as a nosy neighbor with a pair of binoculars. Now, to be fair, the form itself isn’t absolutely terrible—it’s the implication that’ll give you the vapors. You see, this form threatens to disqualify candidates, but there isn’t a bit of documentation as to what those disqualifying "sins" might be. It is a game, plain and simple, played with no rules and no instructions. It’s like being told you’ve lost a hand of poker before the cards are even dealt.

And don’t even get me started on the "third-party" reviewer. To be clear, these disclosures are done under a sworn affidavit and can be pulled via an open records request by any citizen with a signature and a suspicion. As candidates, we take the biggest risk putting our lives on paper, never knowing who is requesting it or for what nefarious purpose. Yet, the city wants to waste an unknown amount of your hard-earned tax dollars to hire an outside "expert" to process these and, let’s be honest, cherry-pick the candidates they prefer. It’s an unnecessary expense for a controlled outcome. They’re essentially charging us a fee to let them decide who’s "pure" enough to serve, all while keeping the rulebook locked in a desk drawer. It’s enough to make a lady's head spin—or at least make her wonder whose friend or relative is getting that third-party contract.

Then there’s Nan— presenting an over-the-top Discovery Green knock-off. But instead of putting it where people actually are, she wants to drop it in the industrial park. Middle of nowhere. No parking. It’s a classic Conroe "won't" disguised as a "can't." We have areas in desperate need of foot traffic, like near the Hyatt, but they’d rather plant a park in the desert and wonder why it doesn't bloom.

Now, hold onto your hats, because more money was approved to cover the legal defense against Sellars’ case. That’s right—more money for the very legal group that landed us in this scorched-earth mess to begin with. How I see it, it doesn't matter what your client is asking for—if you, as the expert, know that what they’re requesting is about as helpful as a screen door on a submarine, it is your job to make that clear. If you choose to just take the payment and take the orders, well, you aren’t an expert anymore—you’re a waiter.

And ultimately folks, that is exactly where we find ourselves. We hired a waiter who took the orders, placed them with the cook, and then let the customer wander into the kitchen to mess with the stove for a bit. When the customer finally sat down in front of their creation, it was clear this was not the meal anyone intended to eat. It was burnt, bitter, and entirely unpalatable. Luckily, there was a manager on duty in the form of John Sellers. He swooped in and said, “Let me take this back to the kitchen for you, and next round, we’ll let the professionals handle the cooking.”

Now, I know some folks see John’s intervention as him stomping on the democratic process, but I find those tend to be the same people who haven’t bothered to research the full story, read the case, or ask a single meaningful question. They don’t want to understand that a bad deal was done—one that smelled worse than compost in August. Thankfully, this intervention might just give us a chance to do things the right way: with clear intent, professional ex*****on, and a completely unbiased perspective.

If you watch that council video, you’ll see me speaking on that third-party agenda item. You’ll also notice why I was there: I picked up a candidate packet this week.

This wasn't where I saw myself, but I’ve been the voice of those too worn down to shout for too long to stay on the sidelines. I am ready to try cleaning up this house. I want a city run by the people it affects, not by attorneys rehearsing their lines and the council members before they hit the dais. I’m here to throw open the doors to City Hall and let 'em know we the citizens of Conroe are taking back what belongs to us.

I’ll always let my faith lead me and never be led by fear. We’re going to turn this ship around and point it to a destination where community and growth is built on a solid foundation that will support this city for the years to come.

Keep the hope, Conroe.
A new day is coming.
Yours in sass and solidarity—🌰

12/31/2025

Out with the Old, In with the Bold: A New Year’s Toast to Truth

And so, it begins.

The clock is about to strike midnight, bridging the gap between the chaotic fever dream that was 2025 and the unwritten pages of 2026. Are we descending into madness or ascending into righteousness? Only time will tell, though I reckon if we don’t start steerin’ this ship ourselves, we’re liable to end up circled around the drain like dishwater in a clogged sink.

Country boys and girls will survive. We have survived.

We survived the silence, the secrets, and the sheer audacity of folks who think a title on a door gives them permission to shut the door on the public. I hope that this little endeavor of mine—putting it all out there, having a laugh, shedding a tear, and letting the steam blow off the kettle before it whistles—has helped keep your sanity intact. It has for me, that is for sure.

But hope ain't a strategy. It’s a starting point.

I hope you walk away from this year not angry, but ready. Ready for the fights fast approaching in the new year. We’ve been living in the shadow of these past two years long enough, and it is high time we step into the light and finally do what needs to be done: Seal. The. Deal.

Let’s be clear about what that means. We need three solid votes.
I pray that the folks we elect in 2026 will have spines stiffer than a church pew and hearts that actually beat for the citizens, rather than the select few bureaucrats and friends. I hope we can drag transparency and accountability back into City Hall by the ear, kicking and screaming if we have to, until we regain the trust of the public.

We need to rebuild our city personnel to meet the needs of this growing town, not just pad the pockets of those who’ve mastered the art of "failing up".

But amidst the rubble and the demolition, let’s take a breath. There is a strange, twisted beauty in the chaos. Look around you. Look at how many of us faced impossible obstacles this year—amendements that didn't make sense, agendas that read more like riddles than advisements, and voices that were ignored—and yet, here we are. We pulled through. We learned. And bless our hearts, we are better for it.

To my community: Thank you.

Thank you for the support, the encouragement, and the engagement. Whether we see eye-to-eye or are looking at two different sides of the same ugly coin, we are neighbors. We are here to listen and support each other through the muck.
I will continue to be the thorn in the side of the unaccountable. I will continue to fight for this city and for each of you. And regarding the whispers about candidates and folks setting their intentions to run—keep praying. Keep preparing. The Good Lord willing and the river don’t rise, the leaders needed will make themselves known to us at the right time. Good news is the ones “they” are likely going to push through are already known to us— so we know who not to vote for unless ya’ll are looking for more of the past two years.

We’ll leave it in His hands, but remember: God feeds the birds, but He doesn't throw the worms into the nest. We have to do the work.

May God bless each and every one of you. Watch over you, walk with you, and keep your eyes fixed on Him for the path ahead.
Make good decisions tonight, folks. Be safe, be smart, and don't do anything I wouldn't do—which, let’s be honest, leaves the door wide open.

I love you, Conroe. See y’all next year!
Yours in sass and solidarity—🌰

12/29/2025

Good evening all, I am putting together a little montage of quotes, thoughts, memories or just general facts and information related to the Westside Recreation Center or old YMCA. If you would like to send me a video, just a few lines of text, a picture whatever is easiest for you. In honor of the Owen family and all the families who built the facility, dedicated their time, energy and passion to meeting the community need. To make sure the memories and love come from this and not the hate and anger many of us are currently feeling.

Drop it below, send it in a message or you can email it to me.

12/29/2025

I wish I had better news today Conroe. I wish I could say that evil did not win today…