Born In The Bend

It's seafood, stories, and small-town roots in this episode featuring local restaurant legend Jimmy Cantu of Pier 36! We have Cody Frederick stepping in as guest host (a longtime restaurateur himself), sitting down with Jimmy to rewind from his childhood "daycare" in an old Richmond oyster bar to opening Pier 36 in Needville and eventually planting deep roots in Richmond and Fulshear. Jimmy shares...

It's about to get nostalgic here! We rewind to the good ol' days of old Fort Bend with a special episode guest-hosted by Noell Myska, where she sits down with her dad Jimmy Myska and longtime family friend Steve Holmes. Jimmy and Steve share vivid stories of growing up in Beasley and Fulshear: from sharecropping roots, tractor work, and skinny-dipping at rice wells to gas-station hangouts and tigh...

Richmond has a lot to look forward to with Lacie Chambers stepping in as the new Executive Director of Develop Richmond! In this episode, Lacie shares her clear plan for transforming Richmond into a more vibrant, economically active destination through curated retail, new food concepts, and infrastructure investments like upcoming sidewalk and streetscape improvements. She walks us through how int...

In this powerful episode, Jenny Fridge of The Sanctuary Foster Care Services shares her family's personal journey into foster care and adoption, and the mission that now fuels her work. She pulls back the curtain on the realities of the foster system: the trauma children carry, the high burnout rate among foster families, and why support is the missing piece. We sit down with Jenny as she explains...

The holidays are right around the corner, which means it's time for a Richmond Roundup of all things festive and fun happening in Fort Bend. From November harvest festivities to December Christmas gatherings, the next few weeks will be a busy time in the Fort Bend region. Bundle up, gather the kiddos and get ready to spread some holiday cheer at signature events like the Community Christmas Walk,...

If your child is attending school in the Lamar district, you may have heard about the 2025 Bond. Do you have questions? So do we! We called in a special guest host, Lamar School Board Member Zach Lambert (of Mercy Goods) to interview Lamar Superintendent Dr. Roosevelt Nivens. Zach and Roosevelt talk about all things Lamar, including their designation as a hypergrowth district, their dedication to...

The Fort Bend community is full of generous people who love to give back, and this is double the case for our two guests, Lindsay Rolph and Kelsea Weatherford from the Fort Bend Junior Service League (FBJSL). The Fort Bend Junior Service League is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving the Fort Bend County community. As current...

Everyone loves an iconic duo, and Jillian Reed has created one of her own at LIT bookbar at Jax & 7th. Uniting cozy craft cocktails and bookshelves full of local authors, LIT bookbar brings everyone in the community together to drink, shop, and most importantly: connect! As the owner of LIT, Jillian walks us through the journey Richmond's new book bar has taken from market stands and pop ups to a...

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, st...

Sarah Beth Baca, local artist, author, community liaison and activist, talks about the seasons of her life and the impact art has had throughout. As a wife, mother, and full-time artist, Sarah has learned how to balance art with life and keep an open mind about the journey to making art a profitable and impactful career. From face-painting to expressionism, mixed media to oil and acrylic, Sarah ha...

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 res...

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 i...

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 differe...

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 in...

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 talki...

Rebekah Dahl and Brad Scarborough, Founders of The Music Box Theater, bring their musical and comedic talents to the pod and talk about their unique variety show theater. This husband and wife duo work alongside the awesome Houston-based company at Music Box to delight audiences of all ages. Highlights of this episode include getting an in-depth look at upcoming Music Box Theater shows (including...

Rainey Webster, Executive Director of the Rosenberg Railroad Museum (RRM), forgoes the planes and automobiles this week to talk to us about trains and the railroads that have built the Texas we know today. The Rosenberg Railroad Museum educates and engages members of the Fort Bend community of all ages about the importance and impact of railroads and train technology. Stops along our journey inclu...

Adam and Jamie Busch from Family Style Design Co spend the season in style with us and talk about the upcoming happenings at their beautiful home decor shop. Inspired by family and influenced by their love of gift-giving, Adam and Jamie bring beautiful things to the Fort Bend community through decor, consultations, design services, and community events. Design elements of this episode include gift...

Dexter L. McCoy, Fort Bend Commissioner of Precinct 4, brings his passion for local politics to the pod this week. Inspired by his past experience as student body president in college, Dexter has forged his career in local government with a focus on helping individuals improve their close-knit community. Talking points include what a County Commissioner really does, exciting political-driven proje...

Stacy Bourgeois, Founder of Sole Loved, joins the pod from Sugar Land, Texas this week to tell her journey from humble garage setups to full-fledged fundraising for charity. Inspired by her love of children and her passion for helping individuals living in poverty, Sole Loved delivers new and gently used tennis shoes to kids in need. Talking points include nurturing hope in underserved communities...

Charlie Beyl, Freelance Author, Illustrator and Educator in University of Houston's Digital Media program, explores the dynamic world of creativity, freelancing, and innovation on this week's episode. Through his work, Charlie shows students and fellow professionals alike how to unlock their unique creative potential and drive innovation in their careers. Talking points include Charlie's memories...

Jerry Jones Jr., Economic Development Director for Develop Richmond, sits and sips with Em and Aim this week as they talk about big things on the horizon in the small city of Richmond. With exciting developments and new projects springing up all the time, Jerry channels his expertise into cultivating Richmond's business community and creating people-centric places downtown. Talking points include...

A new season of Born in the Bend kicks off this week with a summer wrap-up and a calendar of exciting upcoming events. Emily recaps a summer of European travel and talks about her work with the Fort Bend Museum. Aimee discusses new happenings at Blockhouse Coffee and dives into some upcoming Richmond get-togethers you won't want to miss. Additional talking points include: updates from past guests,...

Fort Bend native, Em, met Louisiana transplant Aim, in the spring of 2017 and quickly bonded over business, community and motherhood. They came together to create the Born in the Bend podcast out of a desire to build community, foster a sense of place, and instill pride in calling Fort Bend County home. Em & Aim invite you to grab your favorite beverage, be it a cocktail or coffee, and give Born i...

Changes are coming to a property on Harlem Road in Richmond, TX. Founding Partners of Meristem Communities, a Houston-based real estate development firm that emphasizes creating places for people, Scott Snodgrass and Clayton Garrett sit down with Em and Aim this week to talk about Indigo, their community project that combines housing and business development in Fort Bend county. Coming to a neighb...