Posts published in “Day: March 3, 2011”

By LEWIS SPEARMAN
CROSBY – ‘Oh, to slip the surly bounds of Earth’ with one’s craft under one’s own control, was a wish come true for a local man last Saturday as he made a list of things he would like to do as he faces Cancer and having decided not to undergo treatments again.
His daughter Connie summed it up concisely, “My dad told me last year that on his bucket list was to build his own boat and to fly a plane. I’m a hair dresser so when you when you sit in my chair you kind of tell me everything. About 2 weeks ago the doctor told us he has 6 months to live so we decided to make it happen.

My brother asked me then what would I do if he lives another 5 years, then what are you going to do?”
According to Terry Dunham, “This is a private field and his daughter found me on the internet and asked if we could take care of getting her dad a chance to pilot a plane. I’m a Cancer survivor myself so whenever I get a chance to make something good happen for someone in that condition, I do my best to make it happen.”
Wife Sharon made introductions to the Hite clan, “Our sons, daughters, and grandchildren are all here for support, just a couple of our step sons could not make it.”
In a few minutes conversation with Carl or his sons, Carl Jr., or Michael almost anyone feels right at home – the jokes flow and the observations are couched in humor. With young and old around there was a festive atmosphere to the airplane flight even if the overhanging clouds did not see fit to provide ideal flying visibility. Hite worked for a couple of papers back in the 1950’s including the Conroe Courier, has the low key, down home affect mastered.
After a talk about worst case scenarios from Pilot Bossler, the daughter that arranged the flight and granddaughter Amy boarded the plane following Carl and the flight began.
Upon return, Hite stated, “Flying is something I would do a lot more of if it was always like that. We went out to Hawaii and that was the worst trip I ever took, nothing but sitting for 7 or 8 hours and we did not have the best seats on the plane either.”
Of the overcast flight itself he said, “We went to Liberty then Mont Belvieu and took off again. We came back across Connie’s house, wiggled our wings there. Got a picture of her house, I told her I could have got that picture off of Google Earth and closer.”
He smiled after the teasing, “It was a good trip. I didn’t land. It would have been ticklish but I’d have tried it.”

By GILBERT HOFFMAN Star-Courier
HIGHLANDS– “Stand Up for Pilot” was the American patriotic theme that carried through most of the Community Fair that the Pilot Club held last Saturday, February 26.
The event at the Highlands Elementary School was the 13th year for this all-community celebration and fundraiser.
The all-day event opened at 10:30 a.m. with a patriotic song by Patricia Brockinton, presentation of the colors by the Crosby Jr. ROTC Color Guard, and introductions by Pilot Club president and Fair Chair Jana Jones, Miss Highlands Alli Little, and Jr. Miss Highlands Kendyll Reznicek.
Entertainment during the day was provided by Sparky of the Crosby Fire Department, singers Selena Shoemaker, Patricia Brockinton, and the Our Voice children’s chorus, dance numbers by Super Moms, and skating by Prince’s Roller Rink. Emcee for the event was Scott Cliff, and food was cooked by the Henderson Cook Team and served by the GCM students.

Door prizes were won by the following:
iPAD by Raymond Clements;
Pressure Washer by Bruce Filkins;
Gift Cards by Eric Raggio.
The “Split the Pot” was won by Brent Stallings.
Bicycles were won by Tori Gonzalez and Auggie Dilworth.
Outdoor games and exhibits were provided for children, including basket shoot and a new “Spiderman” moon walk.
Highlands Fire Department had equipment on display, and a booth inside, as well as the Higlands Heritage Project, Constable Mike Parson fingerprinting, Harris County Precinct 2, and many other commercial exhibits and crafts booths.

By BOBBY HORN JR. and LEWIS SPEARMAN
HIGHLANDS—A Highlands pain management clinic was forced to discontinue operations following an investigation by the Texas Medical Board.
On Feb. 18 the Texas Medical Board’s disciplinary panel temporarily suspended without notice the pain management certificate for The Oaks Medical Clinic Inc., 444 S. Main in Highlands.
Three other pain management clinics in Houston: the Imed Clinic, Inc; Preferred Medical Clinic and UMAT Clinic, also had their certificates suspended.

The board ordered the four clinics to discontinue operating as pain clinics until further notice.
Texas Medical Board Spokesperson Leigh Hopper said that on Aug. 20, 2010 the Board issued four pain management clinic certificates to Dr. Akili Graham, who claimed to be the owner and operator of the clinics.
“On January 6, 2011, during an investigation of prescribing habits at the clinic, board staff obtained information that the clinics were not owned by Graham or any other physician, a violation of state law,” Hopper said.
The investigation, she said, revealed that Danny A. Muhammed owns The Oaks Medical Clinic and the Imed Clinic. Durce Muhammed owns the Preferred Medical Clinic and Tamu Muhammad owns the UMAT Clinic.
Danny Muhammad, 40, also served as a Houston Police Department officer since 1997. A department spokesperson confirmed that he was suspended with pay in December after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Harris County District Attorney’s office initiated an investigation. His current status with the department is “relieved of duty.”
Danny Muhammed, also known as Bro. Danny Muhammed, also serves as “Life Skills Coach” for Resurrection Zone, a personal development provider in Houston.
According to their website “The Resurrection Zone is a program that was created to help those who need a second chance in life for whatever reason.”
The website states that Danny holds a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice and has also served as a probation officer in Fort Bend and Harris County.
Durce Muhammed is listed as a “Manhood Trainer/ WorkSkills Coach” with Resurrection Zone. The RZ website also lists an affiliation with Graham.
A new state law went into effect Sept. 1, 2010 requiring registration and issuance of pain management clinic certificates.
The law was created to curtail so-called “pill mills” or clinics that use off-site doctors who write blank prescriptions to the clinics, which are then resold to the public.
Under the new law, a physician/medical director must own the pain clinic and works on-site at least a third of operating hours. Physicians and clinic employees must pass criminal background checks and have no prior disciplinary action or DEA license restrictions.
The DEA would not comment on whether they are investigating the four clinics as possible “pill mills.”