Search Continues for missing Dr. Zella

February 25, 2009

The Montgomery County Pct. 1 Constable’s Office Dive Team joined Texas Equusearch on Monday in their quest to find Dr. Stephen Zella, who disappeared while kayaking in Clear Lake on Friday morning. Authorities said a passerby alerted the nearest kayaker after seeing a man who appeared to be drowning, and the second man tried to find Zella, but found his empty kayak instead. The 38-year-old doctor is a Clear Lake resident.

Multiple agencies responded to assist in the search on Friday, including area fire departments, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and the US Coast Guard. Texas Equusearch joined the effort the next morning, at the request of law enforcement, and later solicited the assistance of the Pct. 1 Dive Team. Dive Master Vernon Miller readily agreed. The two entities have worked together many times in the past, making numerous recoveries under the worst of conditions.

Strong winds and excessive debris from Hurricane Ike on the floor of the lake have increased the difficulty of the task, even for the experienced and elite group that is conducting the dives and using sonar equipment in the search.

The Texas Equusearch website has a daily posting of their progress in the search and regarding the need for volunteers. The page says the organization’s founder, Tim Miller, has promised Zella’s family that Texas Equusearch will not give up.
A heartbreaking message from Zella's children appears on the site with the updates.

The search will continue today.

To learn more about the Zella search, visit:
Texas Equusearch

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

Donald Gregg II Claims, 1st Place, 1st RANGER CUP and TIREMAX Bonus on Lake Conroe

1st Place - Donald Gregg II 28.24 lbs.

Donald Gregg II Claims, 1st Place, 1st RANGER CUP and TIREMAX Bonus on Lake Conroe

by Bass N Bucks Staff

(Feb. 23, 2009 - Lake Conroe, TX)... Typical for Lake Conroe this time of year it took a hefty bag of fish to win this event. It took over 20 pounds just to get a check with 10 places being paid, along with Big Bass, the Top 3 highest finishers for the Ranger Cup and the TIREMAX bonus.

Donald Gregg II, our 1st Place winner brought in a limit weighing 28.24 lbs. for $4,000. He caught this winning stringer in 2 to 6 ft of water on Carolina rigs, spinner baits and crank baits. He claimed the 1st Ranger Cup Award for $2,500 and the TIREMAX bonus, another $1,000. This brought his total pay to $7,500.

The 2nd Place team, Randy Gunter and Micky Mueller held the lead for awhile with their limit of fish, 27.12 lbs. They caught their fish on black neon tubes in 2 ft of water for $1,600.

TIREMAX team, Tony Murray and Phil Addison took 3rd place with their limit of fish weighing 26.69 lbs for $1,200. They caught their fish on Lake Fork Tackle Hypertail worms in 2 to 3 ft of water.

The Big Bass weighing 11.59 lbs was brought in by father and son team, Chip and Brian Sewell. Chip caught this fish and earned them a check for $500.

2nd highest finisher for the Ranger Cup Award went to Ray Burnett for $1,000. This team finished 6th overall with five fish weighing 22.44 lbs. Their total pay $1,600.

Mark Tullis claimed the 3rd highest finisher for the Ranger Cup Award for $500. This team’s limit weighed 20.72 lbs. They claimed the 9th place spot, bringing their total pay to $1,000.

R & R Marine (713-805-4785) provided an additional certificate for $100 off any boat rigging or repair that went to the last team in the money, Chris Wilkerson and Andy Gaia.

Ther next event on Lake Conroe will be March 28, 2009. For more information on the Bass N Bucks Tournament Trail you can visit our BassNbucks website or give us a call 409-727-8941.

Lake Conroe Lunkers!

Conroe, Choke Canyon Continue to Produce ShareLunkers


Mark Goetzman of Willis caught ShareLunker No. 460 from Lake Conroe February 15. The fish weighed 13.13 pounds and was 25 inches long and 20 inches in girth.

Troy Brauchle of Helotes caught this 15.0-pound largemouth bass from Choke Canyon Reservoir February 15. The fish was 25.75 inches long and 22.75 inches in girth.

(Feb. 17, 2009 - Athens, TX)... Lake Conroe and Choke Canyon Reservoir each produced another ShareLunker on Sunday, February 15.

ShareLunker No. 460 took Mark Goetzman’s Brush Hog about 10 a.m. on Lake Conroe. The fish weighed 13.13 pounds and was 25 inches long and 20 inches in girth.
That afternoon Troy Brauchle of Helotes pulled a 15-pounder from Choke Canyon Reservoir, the second time in less than a month the lake south of San Antonio has produced a fish weighing 15 pounds or better. On January 21 Brad Bookmyer of Leander set a new water body record with a 15.45-pounder.

If the name Goetzman sounds familiar, it’s because Mark is the father of Tyler Goetzman, who caught a 13.06-pounder, ShareLunker No. 442, from Lake Conroe on January 13, 2008. And Tyler was fishing with Kyle Nitschke December 13, 2008, when Nitschke caught ShareLunker No. 456, a 13.07-pounder.

If you go fishing on Lake Conroe and want to catch a ShareLunker, it might be a good idea to have Tyler Goetzman in the boat with you.

Anglers who legally catch a 13-pound or bigger fish in Texas waters, public or private, can enter it into the ShareLunker Program by calling (903) 681-0550 or paging program manager David Campbell at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a number, incl

High school students compete in VASE

New Caney High School students competed for the first time at the Visual Arts Scholastic Event at Bryan High School.


By ROYCELYN BASTIAN
Updated: 02.19.09

Nine New Caney High School students flexed their art utensils and competed in the Visual Art Scholastic Event at Bryan High School.

“This was the students’ first time to compete and they did an awesome job,” said LaShawna Rhoden, fine arts teacher at New Caney Ninth Grade Campus. “We are all very proud of them.”

The nine students, Whitney Marceaux, Jordyn Robinson, Meredith Harrison, Joseph Campos, Chelsey Voegeli, Nancy Guttierez, Ashley Bynum, Lynde Haddock and Nitzia Espino, received high scores on a scale of one to four. The pieces that scored a four were scored again with the artists receiving an opportunity to go to state. Out of the group, Marceaux, a senior, advanced to the state competition that will be held April 17-18 at the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

“The students began working on their art they submitted in the competition in November. They submitted one to two pieces, filled out a written critique about the piece and then were interviewed by the judges,” Rhoden said. “Now that they know what to expect next year, look out.”

VASE, sponsored by the Texas Art Education Association, allowed high school students in grades nine through 12 to bring their artworks and submit them to a regional competition. There, the pieces were judged by a certified juror based on the standard based rubric and the students’ understanding of the art process.

To compete in VASE, students have to be enrolled in an art class and have a sponsor or teacher who is in good standings and member of the Texas Art Education Association.

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