Born In The Bend Emily Scherer and Aimee Frederick

Season 5 has officially arrived, and Em & Aim are so excited to catch up with listeners and look ahead for what’s to come on Born in the Bend! Aimee discusses new additions to the Jax & 7th and Blockhouse Coffee family, including LIT Bookbar and Mugz Coffee. Emily gives listeners a sneak peek of the upcoming Fort Bend Museum gala, “A Night in the Garden” taking place on April 6th. Additional talking points include summer travels, listener recommendations, and home remodels.  

October Smith, Ranch Manager at Long Acres Ranch, comes inside from the great outdoors to talk about a beautiful private green space in the middle of the bustling suburbs and shops of Richmond. Located in the heart of Richmond, Long Acres Ranch provides a unique, natural environment for educational and recreational activities and promotes the appreciation of nature and open space. Talking points include oodles of ologies for kiddos and adults, outdoor activities for nature lovers of all ages, and how to get involved in upcoming ranch opportunities.

Greg Babst, Emergency Management Coordinator at Fort Bend Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, brings emergency prep to the pod and tackles the tips for hurricane safety. Hurricane season starts this May in Fort Bend, but the impacts of these natural disasters can be felt both before and after this time of heightened awareness. Greg talks through setting up a 72-hour kit, tapping into EOC’s resources, and getting prepared at the upcoming Fort Bend Ready event on April 27th.  

Noell Myska and Heather Hernandez join the pod to talk about serving the Fort Bend community through equine-assisted learning and therapeutic horsemanship at Reining Strength. Founded in 2014, Reining Strength Therapeutic Horsemanship provides equine-assisted services for people ages 2 and up, children and adults, with physical, cognitive, social, or emotional needs. Talking points include different groups that benefit from therapeutic horsemanship, how to get involved as a volunteer, and what the upcoming Derby Day event (May 4) has in store.

Sandy McGee, Restaurateur and Owner of Sandy McGee’s Restaurant & Bar, serves up tasty tales and delicious insights on what it’s like to feed Fort Bend. From in-home catering to a little house in Rosenberg to a remodeled restaurant mecca in Historic Downtown Richmond, Sandy has seen it all and still has more cooking up for us to look forward to. Talking points include the highs and lows of the restaurant business, her family and their involvement in Sandy McGee’s, and the infamous broccoli cheese soup that inspires daily lunch lines of hungry patrons.  

Terri Vela, City Manager at City of Richmond Texas, joins the pod to discuss the coordination behind the scenes of Richmond’s charming city. From infrastructure to events, development to volunteering, no single day looks the same for Terri as she and her team work to build a better and more beautiful Richmond. Talking points include coordinating events like the arts festival and farmers market, strategic partnerships between government and nonprofit groups, and Terri’s future hopes for growth and construction in downtown Richmond.