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Keeping Score with Dominique Røyem - Page 3
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WEDNESDAY • FEBRUARY 14, 2024
Man charged with murder of city of Sugar Land employee By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
One man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Joseph Aponte, Sr., a city of Sugar Land employee who was killed in a collision with a car allegedly fleeing from police following a burglary in Missouri City on February 7.
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 49 • No. 07 • $1.00
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Fort Bend ISD board grapples with $136.2 million overrun on bond program By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
At its next regularly scheduled meeting on February 26, the Fort Bend ISD board of trustees is expected again to take up a matter that has been brewing over the previous month or so - a projected $136.2 million cost overrun on projects in the $1.26 billion bond program, the largest in the district’s history, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters in May 2023. The overruns were the
subject of the sole information item at a specially called meeting on February 5 after trustee Rick Garcia, a member of the board’s audit committee, brought it up during at the previous regular meeting on January 22, the first for new Superintendent Marc Smith. In a lengthy presentation, senior members of the district administration said the unanticipated overruns stemmed from two major issues. First, according to Deputy
Superintendent Steven Basset, new estimates of the bond program’s projected costs, based on such factors as total square footages of campuses, that an outside consulting firm, PBK, that had been sent to a former senior employee of the district in November 2022, when the district was planning for the bond, had not been shared with the district’s executive team.
SEE GRAPPLE PAGE 2
The Fort Bend ISD board has begun to grapple with a projected $136.2 million cost overrun on projects in the $1.26 billion bond program approved by voters in May 2023. Photo by Ken Fountain
Second Mile Mission Center helps give neighbors hope, independence
Joseph Aponte, Sr., an employee of the City of Sugar Land Public Works Department, was killed while on duty in an automobile collision on February 7. Courtesy City of Sugar Land
Sugar Land police arrested Overeth Riascos Barahona, 40, a native of Columbia, on Saturday and charged him with murder, according to a press release from the city. The murder charge stems from the fact that the incident arose from an alleged felony.
Overeth Riascos Barahona, 40, has been charged with murder in the automobile collision death of City of Sugar Land employee Joseph Aponte, Sr. on February 7.
According to police, Barahona was driving a Toyota Highlander that struck and killed Aponte, 56, of Needville. Missouri City police were pursuing Barahona and two other men when the Highlander collided with a city of Sugar Land truck driven by Aponte, an employee of the city’s public works employee. The collision occurred on the westbound lanes of U.S. Highway 90A at Gillingham Lane just before 10:30 a.m. Sugar Land fire and EMS personnel responded quickly to the scene of the accident, which was just outside the Public Works campus, Sugar Land Police Chief Mark Poland told the Fort Bend Star. Aponte had just pulled out of the parking lot in a city-owned vehicle. While emergency personnel were able to extract Aponte from the truck, his injuries were “non-survivable,” Poland said.
SEE MURDER PAGE 2
Chiquita Gyamfi, a staff member of Second Mile Mission Center, sorts donated produce at the facility off Highway 90 in Missouri City. Photo by Ken Fountain
By Dayna Worchel NEWS@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Brandon Hoybach, warehouse manager at Second Mile Mission Center in Missouri City, loves his job and seeing the direct impact it has on the lives of the people they serve. “I enjoy helping those in need,” he said during a quick break from his warehouse duties. “We are able to meet their hunger and clothing needs, but our goals are to help our neighbors to become independent,” Hoybach said. The atmosphere inside the Second Mile is usually positive and upbeat with staff members and volunteers working together. Hoybach related a recent story of a woman with leg and shoulder pain who came into Second Mile for services. “She said she forgot all about her pain when she was talking to
us,” he said. Audrey Smith has been a food pantry volunteer for a few months, and echoed what Hoybach said. “I love the people who work here. Everybody always has good vibes and positive energy,” she said. And she loves helping the neighbors who come in to shop for food. Indeed, walking into the Second Mile Mission Center food pantry feels very similar to the inside of a neighborhood grocery store. Bins of colorful, fresh produce and vegetables give an inviting welcome to shoppers. Along the walls, refrigerated cases contain gallons of milk and other needed perishables. And outside of the building, shoppers, along with volunteers, roll their shopping carts full of groceries to their cars.
SEE HOPE PAGE 2
Brandon Hoybach, warehouse manager at Second Mile Mission Center in Missouri City, says he loves seeing the direct impact the mission on the lives of the people it serves. Courtesy Second Mile Mission Center
THE STAR
PAGE 2 • Wednesday, February 14, 2024
GRAPPLE FROM PAGE 1
That former employee left the district in October 2023, months after the bond package was passed, for a position in the private sector. In later questioning by board members, Damien Viltz, the district’s chief operations officer, said the district had not reached out to the former employee to get that person’s input on what happened. The second major issue driving the projected overruns, according to Bankhead, the district’s relatively new executive director of design and construction, was the “hyperinflation” in the construction sphere that the district, and the greater Houston region, has been experiencing of late. Factors contributing to that inflation, Bankhead said, including such geopolitical factors as the Russia-Ukraine war, which has led to an increase in the cost of aluminum, the fact that the district is competing with neighboring school districts and even the Texas Medical Center for contractors to bid for construction projects, and the like. MURDER FROM PAGE 1
According to police, the three men burglarized a home in Missouri City shortly before the crash occurred. Inside the vehicle, police recovered stolen property from the burglary, according to the release. The hospital released Barahona on Saturday, and police transported him to the Sugar Land Police Department headquarters for further investigation before being transferred to the Fort Bend County Jail. Missouri City police arrested and charged the other two men with burglary. The names of those men were not available by press time.
Bankhead said his team had already begun working to find ways to reduce the projected costs on the biggest-ticket items of the bond program, resulting in a projected reduction thus far of $18 million. Basset said the district’s administrative team is looking at a host of avenues to reduce the projected cost overruns to bring the bond project’s budgets closer to the original projections. Smith, the new superintendent, told the board members that his administration would begin providing the board a monthly update on the status of the bond program. “Everything’s on the table from a funding perspective,” Bassett said. Viltz, the COO, committed to updating the board on a regular basis with up-todate cost figures. “I will not present numbers to you that are older than six months old,” he said. “One of the jobs we have up here is building public trust,” said trustee Angie Hanan. “And since I’ve been on the board, I feel like we’ve had some serious ‘whammies’ as far as the finances go.” She said she had some “serious con-
cerns” about how the district goes about formulating its budget estimates. Board members took in the information presented by the staff with a mix of skepticism and a resolve to work to improve the situation they presented. “It’s troubling to be in this position and know that we had to go to taxpayers and build that trust and earn that trust for the bond and know that we did a good job working together as a district and the board,” said trustee David Hamilton. “We had a lot of community investment in that process, and to be here eight months down the road this far over budget.” Hamilton said there didn’t seem to be a lot of “ownership” among the district leadership about how the problem had evolved. “Well, to be clear, we’re owning this,” Bassett replied. “We received information from the consultant, and that information wasn’t acted on. Not everyone knew about the information. It wasn’t shared, and it should have been shared. If it had been shared, we would have come back to the board with higher numbers.”
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on Barahona. Detainers are placed on people who have been arrested and are not citizens of the United States. Barahona has a lengthy criminal history, according to the release. “Our hearts are broken. Yesterday we lost a valued member of our team in a senseless line-of-duty death,” Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman said in a written statement. “It was the worst day imaginable for all of us.” “This unprecedented tragedy has deeply affected our entire organization, but we are rallying together to provide for the needs of his family. (Aponte) leaves behind a wife, daughter, son-in-law and several oth-
er family and friends. We are committed to ensuring that they have the resources necessary in their time of need. This includes food, funeral expenses, counseling, benefits and more. We are utilizing our non-profit employee assistance program to help in any way we can,” Zimmerman said. “Like the rest of our employees, Joe was a dedicated public servant who made a difference every single day for our community. He will not be forgotten!,” he said. Zimmerman referred those interested in providing financial assistance to Aposta’s family to the website www.sugarlandc3.org. Services for Aponte were set for Tuesday, February 13, at the New Taiton Community Center in El Campo.
See us online www.FortBendStar.com
HOPE FROM PAGE 1
One of the most unique aspects of the Second Mile Mission’s Choice Food Pantry is that the folks served by the mission, who are referred to as “neighbors,” get to select their own groceries for their families. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the mission’s staff selected and boxed the food for them, said Julie Johnston, senior programs director at Second Mile, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. “Choice helps them retain their dignity and also helps with food waste. They shop for what they need. Response has been very positive so far,” Johnston said. Until the pandemic, staff selected the food for them. Since the Choice Pantry opened after the COVID-19 shutdown, Johnston said, neighbors make an appointment and come once every two weeks. They are greeted and have a welcome session. Food for the pantry
mostly comes from Houston Food Bank and individual donations. “We help people who live at or less than 185 percent of the federal poverty level. Our biggest help is with food. We handed out 1.6 million pounds of food in 2023,” Johnston said. For a family of four, the highest annual income allowed to receive services from Second Mile would be $51,338 in 2022, according to the US Health & Human Services website. Other services clients can access in addition to the food pantry are help with rent and utilities, and classes in finance, employment, and health management, Johnston said. “We leverage that help we provide with food so that neighbors will trust us to do it,” she said. “This is all to help our neighbors keep more of their income and stay out of poverty,” Johnston said. The employment classes target soft skills, and how to better communicate. Second Mile teaches finance classes, helping clients to manage money, and some
have opened their first checking account while taking the class, Johnston said. Health classes teach people to monitor chronic health conditions, and English as a Second Language classes are offered too. Also onsite is a clothing and furniture resale shop called The Opportunity Shop. All money made from The Opportunity Shop goes back into the organization, Johnston said. While Second Mile is a Christian, faithbased organization, it does not turn anyone away who needs help, she said. Hoybach said helping people is the most rewarding part of his job. And he is thankful for the hardworking volunteers who give their time. “We couldn’t do what we do without them. We’re giving the gift of salvation through God,” he said. For more information, and to make an appointment, visit secondmile.org. Dayna Worchel is a freelance writer based in Sugar Land.
Tanera Amos, a volunteer at Second Mile Mission Center, unwraps donated papayas at the Missouri City facility.
@FORTBENDSTAR
Second Mile Mission Center is located at 1135 Highway 90 A in Missouri City. Photos by Ken Fountain
People’s Plumbing
Worship Directory FORT BEND COUNTY
METHODIST CHURCH
EPISCOPAL
CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND • 281-980-6888
ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH • 281-499-9602
A United Methodist Community 3300 Austin Parkway • Sugar Land, TX 77479 Rev. Dr. Daniel Irving, Senior Pastor Sunday Schedule 9:30 am Blended Worship 9:30 am Sunday School for all ages 11:00 am Traditional & Contemporary Worship www.christchurchsl.org
605 Dulles Avenue, Stafford, TX 77477 SUNDAY: 10:30 am Worship Holy Eucharist www.allsaints-stafford.org
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH • 281-240-3195 502 Eldridge Rd. -Sugar Land, TX 77478 Reverend Dr. Fred Seay, Pastor Sunday Worship In Person 11:00 am / Nursery Available Worship Online on YouTube www.fpcsl.org
Introduce Your Congregation to the Community with a listing in our Worship Directory
Call Anqunette for more information
713.371.3740
CHURCH OF CHRIST
STAFFORD CHURCH OF CHRIST • 281-499-2507 402 Stafford Run Rd. -Stafford, 77477 Stephen Higley, Preacher Sunday Bible Study 9:30 am Sunday Worship 10:30 am Wednesday 7:00 pm www.staffordcoc.com
Scripture of the week
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” - JAMES 1:17
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Houston Glass Show & Sale
February 16-17-18 2024 Antique Glass & Pottery 1880-1980 Friday Evening 6pm-9pm Adm $15.00 Sat. 10am-5pm Sun. 10am-4pm Adm. $7.00 Fort Bend County Fairgrounds Rosenberg, TX Information: www.maxmillerantiques.com Free Parking & Door Prizes
COMMUNITY EVENT? Check out community calendar
on
PAGE
8
Share your Non Profit Events in 40 words or less Contact:
Anqunette Williams for more info
Let the community know in our Community Calendar! Contact: awilliams@streetmedia.com
713-371-3740
THE STAR
See us online www.FortBendStar.com
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 • PAGE 3
The Reid Feed: Keeping Score with Dominique Røyem Janet Sue
Ryan Lee
Art and Culture Columnists
By Ryan Lee Reid and Janet Sue Reid
D
ominique Røyem is a musical force of nature. She has been the music director and conductor of the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra since 2014. While that is an impressive feat in and of itself, it’s really her graciousness towards her peers, the community, and upand-coming musicians that sets her apart from other leaders in her field. Røyem’s superpower is bringing out the best in everyone and everything around her. She is a rare musical empath.
Unlike most musicians, Røyem says she wasn’t inspired to be a conductor but instead was recruited. As an undergraduate at the University of Houston she would assist the chorus director with administrative duties, and as a thank you he let her conduct a piece with a chorus and orchestra. After the performance, an older gentleman approached Røyem, handed her his card, then said to her “We’re going to coffee, and you’re going to be a professional conductor.” Røyem laughs as recalls how simply her path and calling unfolded, “So we went to coffee, and now I’m a professional conductor.” That’s not to say that her career came easy. In fact, as a woman in a male-dominated field, she’s probably had to work twice as hard as her male counterparts to even get half as far. According to Bachtrack’s annual survey, in 2013 only one of the world’s top 100 conductors was female; as of 2022 there are now 12 women on the list. This is
an incredibly disproportionate number, to say the least, considering women make up half of the overall population. Røyem wants to help pave the way for other musicians who face adversity and struggle to be seen or heard. One of Røyem’s most important and fulfilling work comes from a program called Artist INC, an eight-week artist entrepreneurship program that teaches artists how to transform their art into a business. The program teaches artists business skills like how to optimize their social media presence, create websites, grant writing, and networking. Artist INC had a lifelong impact on Røyem who went through the program herself as an up-and-coming artist. So much in fact that she joined the program as a facilitator to shape the next generation of young artists. “One of my personal passions in life is to help other artists make art, because that’s what a conductor does,” Røyem says. This collaborative spirit and philosophy of helping other artists extends to her tenure as the head of the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra. We learned from Røyem that different conductors have different views on their relationship with the orchestra,which are as varied as the instruments that make up the symphony itself. “I don’t like the old way, the Toscanini Method of conducting, which is down from on high,” she says. “In other words, I know everything and I’m gonna shout at you until you do it.” Røyem prefers a lighter touch that fosters a back-and-forth collaborative spirit between the orchestra and conductor. This makes sense since all of the musicians are expert with more than 20 years of experience under their belts for each of their individual instruments. In a break from standard practice, Røyem even lets her assistant conductor conduct at least one piece every concert, something unheard
Inspiring music by your neighbors for your neighbors under the musical direction of Dominique Røyem. Dominique Røyem (top, bottom left from DominiqueRoyem.com); Janet Sue Reid, pianist Harrison Yu, Dominique Røyem, Ryan Lee Reid (Joanna Scott). Photo montage by Janet Sue Reid.
of in most professional orchestras. “Usually when you have an assistant conductor, they’ll either take, like a children’s concert or like a free concert, and that’s all they’ll do all season,” she says. Røyem does this professional courtesy because podium time is an incredibly valuable currency for any young conductor trying to get experience in their field, mostly because it’s very expensive to practice, considering you must have an orchestra present. Many young conductors will go to workshops in the U.S.
or other countries and pay for podium time to really work things out, which can end up costing thousands of dollars for just a 30-to90-minute slot of time in front of a professional orchestra. That is why Røyem’s assistant conductor program is so impressive because she gives young artists the opportunity to grow as musicians. As far as her long-term goals, Røyem is hoping to bring symphonic music to more people in Fort Bend. Not only is it closer than Houston with easier
Find information and purchase tickets for these upcoming Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra concerts at fbso.org. An Afternoon of Romance
Sunday, February 18, 2 - 4 p.m., Stafford Centre Join FBSO for An Afternoon of Romance – a concert full of the most romantic music on the planet. Hear enthralling works such as the iconic “Romeo and Juliette Fantasy Overture” by Tchaikovsky, the sensuous Intermezzo from the opera Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni, and Hanson’s towering Symphony No. 2, the “Romantic.” Harrison Yu, the winner of the 2024 Marielle Ogletree Young Artist Concerto Competition will also perform their winning concerto movement of the concert.
Behold the Umbrellaphant! Children’s Concert
Saturday, March 23, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., George Memorial Library, Richmond The annual Children’s concert at the George Memorial Library is about stories of animals!
An Evening at the Opera
Saturday May 11, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., Dunham Theatre, Morris Cultural Arts Center, Houston Christian University FBSO plays at HCU’s Durham theatre with the FBSOC and three opera singers. Join us “for a night of majestic singing!
To see Dominique Røyem in action, check out: fbso.org To learn more about Dominique Røyem, check out: DominiqueRoyem.com To learn more about Artist INC, check out: artistinc.art
FIND THEM ON PAGE 8
parking and better priced tickets, but attendees are supporting art by artists in their community. It is pretty cool to have our own professional symphony in Fort Bend, especially because the orchestra is composed of our own friends, family, and neighbors. As Røyem astutely says, “Fort Bend is diverse and our orchestra reflects this diversity. This is one of the best benefits of living in Fort Bend.” When we ask her why people should go to the Fort Bend Symphony, Røyem lights up and says, “It’s music by your
neighbors for your neighbors!” So please don’t miss a beat and support our local gem of a symphony led by the captivating Dominique Røyem. Ryan Lee Reid, “The Piano Cowboy”, and Janet Sue Reid, “The Culinary Cowgirl”, are artists and creators. They transform space and time to move and heal people through art. They live in Sugar Land with their children. Find their full bios and contact them through ReidFeed. com.
THE STAR
PAGE 4 • Wednesday, February 14, 2024
See us online www.FortBendStar.com
EDITORIAL TV or not TV? That is the question Lynn Ashby Columnist
By Lynn Ashby ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
T
HE MAILBOX – Let’s see what today’s mail brings me. “Pay now or else!” Silly loan sharks. “Personal and Confidential” the envelope reads. Inside is a letter: “Dear Occupant.” Now that is personal. More pleadings from various charities wanting money. Do you figure that if you give to one charity they share your name and address with 10 others? I’m a little hesitant to give to some charities since I found out that Mathew Bershadker, head of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Aliens or maybe it’s Animals, earns a base salary of $750,000
to $850,000 per year and more than $300,000 in bonus and benefits. Gail McGovern, head of the American Red Cross, was paid $694,000 in 2018, the latest figure available. The Red Cross says her salary and that of other employees come from “general operating funds.” Huh? Do they charge for those cups of coffee and doughnuts?
Ah, here’s a letter from the Nielsen TV rating service and inside, sure enough, is a check for $5. That’s what they promised to pay if I filled out a form they sent me. I’m not the best participant for their survey because I watch a lot of TV, but I don’t tune into most of those primetime shows that millions of others view. At the recent Emmys awards I hadn’t watched any of the winners — or losers. (Incidentally, NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” ranked No. 1 for last season — and has been for years. Tying for a distant second were CBS’s “Survivor,” Fox’s “9-1-1,” NBC’s “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.”) The form they sent me (I made a copy) asked the usual: name, address, what
language I speak at home. “How do you receive TV programming?” There was no box to check for “Rabbit ears on my DuMont.” Next: “What types of TV programs do you watch or listen to regularly?” I have a great choice of programs. My Disable Cable provides me with two and a half pages of available channels including French, German, four Russian (wonder if they are watching me?) lots of Spanish language channels and two Mandarin (same question). But I mostly watch sports, news and talk. I watch those Sunday morning talking heads with panels made up of Washington insiders who like to proclaim: “What the American people feel today is …” etc. Oh, come off it. Those pundits talk to one another at Georgetown cocktail parties and wouldn’t know how the average American feels if they bit one on their rump. I watch the PBS NewsHour because PBS is one of the organizations I support. They are always hitting me up for donations, so I wondered who pays for what and found that the PBS budget for
this year is $243.4 million for content and marketing, a $9.3 million increase over the previous year. PBS receives only 15 percent of its revenue from the feds, but some in Congress feel the TV network is too liberal and want to cut out the entire amount. I find the PBS reporting down the middle. If they have a guest to say yes, they have another guest who says no. It’s called equivalency and can get downright tedious to give some looney time equal that given to a levelheaded person who feels the same way I do. I like Stephen Colbert’s late night show. “60 Minutes” is good except during the summer when it’s all repeats so they cover themselves with: “As we reported in nineteen-twenty one….” In the old days my wife and I had a routine: On Sunday nights we would watch “60 Minutes” and then watch “Murder She Wrote” with Angela Lansbury. Barbara Bush was a big fan. She always referred to Lansbury as “that woman.” Then they moved “Murder” to Thursdays and it wasn’t the same. Do you watch the 5:30 national news? Probably not,
if you have a job. At 5:30 p.m. Houston’s freeways are packed with non-viewers. So those network news programs are watched by stay-at-home moms, wage slaves who work at their home desks and lots of retirees. Nielsen knows this which is why the sponsors are Big Pharma pushing medicines, ointments and cures for aching joints. All of the networks seem to cover the world with professional journalists which means the networks have to sell a lot of Advil ads. Critics knock those shows — part of the Mainstream Media or MSM as we MAGA members call them. The local TV news is a different story. All of Houston’s network stations are owned by faceless corporations on the coasts which care not a fig about local quality journalism, just the bottom line. We are their cash cow. Car wrecks and apartment fires are easy and cheap to cover. OK, they do some good work but the networks won’t pay for a veteran, knowledgeable reporter to cover City Hall, Commissioners Court or the Texas Legislature — unless they are on fire. And we have Fox News,
the leader Puzzlers.
an oxymoron if ever there was one. Fox News is a shill for Donald Trump, but there must be a lot of viewers because Fox shows always top Nielsen’s ratings. I just wish they’d stop beating a dead horse. There are many fallacies and failures to dump on poor Joe Biden, but get off Hunter’s laptop and Joe’s age. We get it. Find a new flaw. At this point you may be wondering who or what is Nielsen? The company was founded in 1923 by Arthur C. Nielsen, Sr., who invented a way to measure competitive sales for manufacturers. Nielsen is based in Great Britain and operates in over 100 countries employing 44,000 people worldwide. It rates all sorts of sales and such, and while we think of Nielsen, when we do, as measuring TV viewers, that service only makes up about onequarter of the company’s business and revenues. My Nielsen form asked for comments. I had to use the back of the form. Maybe I should endorse my $5 check to the Red Cross. Ashby watches at ashby2@comcast.net
Answers found in this week’s Classified section
SUDOKU
aCrOss
1. Hindu stratification 6. Least harm 12. Medical confinement 16. Silver 17. In a sick state 18. Belonging to me 19. 1/2 an em 20. “Makeover’s” Pennington 21. Take a seat 22. 1/10 meter (abbr.) 23. Atomic # 13 24. Fallow deer genus 26. Skin lesions 28. Charlie Parker’s sax 30. 31st state 31. Disparity 32. Poking stroke 34. Long time 35. Wm. the Conqueror grave 37. Hosts film festival 39. Mend 40. Gear teeth 41. Of cadmium 43. 1618 Reformed synod 44. Fringe-toed lizard 45. Where passengers ride 47. 1/60 hour (abbr.) 48. Initials of TV cartoon father 50. Pack down 52. ___ and feathered
54. Hyperbolic cosecant 56. Operating system (abbr.) 57. Atomic #99 59. Crown owned Isle 60. Santa __ trail 61. Booze support group 62. Footcandle 63. Retaliations 66. Natural logarithm 67. Quality of usefulness 70. Sitting position 71. They turn litmus paper red
dOwn
1. Brandy region of France 2. Equally 3. Spittles 4. Very small 5. Ethiopia 6. Filled with sediment 7. An antiviral AIDS drug 8. Saudi king to 2005 9. Early word forms 10. Yes in Spanish 11. Ketchup veggies 12. Used to have (Scottish) 13. Old Greek storyteller
14. Den 15. Stockings 25. Scottish road surface 26. Diego, Francisco, Anselmo 27. Bodily cavity 29. Durations 31. About gene 33. ‘Footloose’ actor Kevin 36. Supply weaponry 38. Neither 39. Capital of Syria 41. Shortcut 42. Feline 43. Have already done 46. Rifle barrel cleaning tool 47. High IQ group 49. Libra constellation 51. Perch genus 53. Summer precipitation 54. Ancient Roman boxing gloves 55. Silver Skates’ Brinker 58. Cobblestone 60. Policeman (French) 64. Pizza, apple or chiffon 65. Winglike structure 68. 37th state 69. Potato state
WORD SCRAMBLE
THE STAR
See us online www.FortBendStar.com
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 • PAGE 5
A good Gene Mark Garay Columnist
By Mark Garay MARKGARAY426@GMAIL.COM
“Well, it ought to be easy, ought to be simple enough / Man meets woman and they fall in love / But this house is haunted and the ride gets rough / You’ve got to learn with what you can’t rise above” - Bruce Springsteen, “Tunnel of Love”
T
here’s a new exercise commercial floating around digital media hallways that I would have otherwise not even noticed. My news background mitigates my natural tendency to give anyone undeserved publicity. So, in this case, I’ll just say that the company referenced rhymes with “L’Eloton.”
The ad is your regular fare of well-toned bodies moving rhythmically to the music with the club dance beat. The beads of positive sweat forming on their chiseled, tanned bodies. The facial expressions portraying the euphoria of physical strain, and the satisfaction of achieving what no
one thought possible. But my ears perked when I heard this line: “Write your own story. Make your own lane”. The contextual aim is to tell people who don’t know that you don’t have to commit to a psycho exercise program to pay for their stationary bicycle. But I received those words as both expansive and specific. It was February 2002. I’d just moved to a more centralized Fort Bend address. My new grocery source became a Target 10 minutes away by bicycle. I noticed this older gentleman retrieving shopping carts. He was a tall, lanky fellow with a shiny vendors vest and a droopy-brimmed safari lid. He moved slowly and purposefully, as though he’d found a sweet spot between effort and performance that only a man over 50 knows. He didn’t move quickly. He didn’t have to. His approach to his duties followed his own personal pace. And he accomplished getting those carts to the building, and he excelled without the need to check a mobile phone or wear AirPods. During subsequent visits, I started to observe this guy. I really don’t know why. But I wondered how old he was and where he was from. Over the months, I asked myself more and more questions. How do the younger Target employees treat him? Does he live in Fort Bend? How
long as he worked in retail? Is he educated? And why in the world is a man of his age working the shopping cart circuit at Target? Nearly two years later, I decided to meet this fellow. I approached him on a partly cloudy Sunday. I introduced myself, and from the front bumper, I was intrigued. Pure New Jersey proper. And it was a prominent dialect. Kinda nasally which added personality. If I’d shut my eyes, I might think I was speaking to a Soprano. He was understandably leery, but his posture never stiffened. He was friendly, cordial and seemed engaged. Gene Bremer was born on January 23, 1963 in Plainfield, New Jersey. His father Gene Rodney Bremer began as a steelworker whose trade skills helped build both the Verrazano Bridge and the World Trade Center. He later accepted work in hospital security. Gene’s mother Theresa Ann Moronese worked as a unit secretary at the same hospital. They wed in 1961. As a kid, Gene developed a taste for comic book superheroes and 1950’s swing and doowop. He liked learning about history. But he didn’t want to go to college. He says he felt he wasn’t ready for an educational commitment. But in the end, he didn’t want to disappoint his parents. Gene entered Rutgers University in 1983. Some years
later, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He also thought he’d be a good fit as a news cameraman and set his sights on that as a runway goal. But when he graduated Rutgers, the economy was suffering. TV stations were laying off left and right, coast to coast. So, Gene began his career in retail. He spent most of his 20s dutifully productive and on time for every shift. He never particularly liked what he did. But he marched towards a thinly rewarded future and a low-profile existence with personal honor and grace. I’m still not sure how he found so many other things more important than inflating his “public image”, as so many of us tend to do at that age. After a multi-year relationship that crashed harder than the Bosox in game 6, Gene flew south to Florida where his parents had relocated in 2003. He entered the University of Central Florida in 2010 and earned a degree in anthropology five years later. He’d earned two degrees. And possibilities seemed possible. But steady work was unreliable, and Gene lived with his parents while still searching for a job. Then his parents got sick. And what ensued led him into a life of long-term care and support. Gene looked after his folks until their deaths, his mom in 2012, and his dad two years
later. When his mom died, his dad lost half his income, and it wasn’t long before they lost the house. In 2015, he found his way to Fort Bend County. But he arrived still unemployed and newly homeless. A friend had offered him help, and the economy read better in this part of the world. Gene found work at Target. He’s been there eight years. Every day he escorts slow-wheeled red boxes on one-way excursions, only to hand them off to people who don’t realize they’re cogs in Gene’s rotating cycle of search and return. And that’s what I found remarkable about this cat. He reminds me of Andy Dufresne in “The Shawshank Redemption”. He moves like he doesn’t care, with an uncommon self-reliance and quiet irreverence. I met with Gene again last week. We tossed back drinks, complained about modern customer services and lamented the days of hair metal. He has a Batman wallet. He argues that he favors Bruce Springsteen because The Boss uses genuinely affectionate references to New Jersey, while Jon Bon Jovi only uses them occasionally and selectively when it’s convenient. I found that interesting coming from a native. Good call, Mr. Bremer. Today, Gene lives with an elderly family friend in Fort Bend. He has no stove, no oven and no microwave.
Neither does he have a television. The woman with whom he resides owns the property and is apparently very frugal and fond of cats, because she has five. Gene is not fond of cats. Gene does not own a car. He takes Ubers to and from work. He enjoys reading, and the music of Amanda Pascal, a Houston-based singer/ songwriter and daughter of immigrants who performs Sicilian folk music. He’s in no hurry but plans to move back to Florida when he can. Seems there’s a special woman there with whom Gene enjoys Zorro cosplay conventions and would fancy a future. Gene may not be flashy. But at least he has a plan. Gene Bremer is 61 years old. And from where I’m sitting, he’s writing his own story. He’s making his own lane. If you dig a little, you see how he’d remind me of an unremarkable ocean barge. He travels slowly but steadily. He keeps moving unnoticed by all the life beneath him. He goes about his work, seeking neither praise nor approval. He’s just happy that the kids he works with are respectful. And management recognizes his contributions. Garay, a retired television news professional and Sugar Land resident, can be reached at MarkGaray426@ gmail.com
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African drumming performance Obituary: Joseph Michael Aponte, Sr. set for Feb. 17 at University Branch Library Community Reports In recognition of Black History Month, Fort Bend County Libraries will present a special musical performance of “West African Djembe Drumming” on Saturday, February 17, beginning at 2:00 pm, in the Meeting Room of the University Branch Library, located at 14010 University Blvd in Sugar Land, on the UH campus. Attendees will enjoy the traditional tribal rhythms and spiritual gifts of West African djembe drumming in a special performance by Gregg “Jebada” Powell and the Houston-based Joy of Djembe Drumming Ensemble.
Powell, the group’s founder, will talk about the history of the instrument and the culture of the people who originally produced it. He and the group will perform a variety of rhythms to demonstrate the influences of different countries and traditions. Thought to have been created by the Mandé people during the Malian Empire approximately 400 to 800 years ago, the djembe drum is a rope-tuned skin-covered drum played with bare hands. The goblet-shaped body of the djembe drum is carved of a single piece of African hardwood and its drumhead is made of untreated rawhide, most commonly made from goatskin.
Powell began playing hand drums in 1964 in the Spanish Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, where he grew up. He learned to play the congas, bata drums, timbales, and the African djembe, and his primary focus has been on Latin, Afro-Cuban, and West African rhythms. Made possible by the generous support of the Friends of the University Branch Library, the performance is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib. tx.us), or call the University Branch Library (281-6335100) or the library system’s Communications Office (281633-4734).
Joseph Michael Aponte, Sr., 56, of Needville, passed away February 7, 2024. He was born on August 19, 1967 in Somers Point, New Jersey. Joseph was passionate about his role as inventory parts clerk for the City of Sugar Land. Though he loved fishing, hunting and wood working, Joseph’s favorite role was that of a grandparent. He treasured his time with his grandkids and loved being their ‘Pop Pop’. He is survived by his mother, Shirley Snowden Denecke of Egg Harbor City, NJ; wife, Tracey Sutton Aponte of Needville; children, Tara Thompson and husband Kevin of Nada, Joseph Aponte Jr. and wife Yesenia of Clearwater, FL and Yanira Burgos of Northfield, NJ; eight grandchildren; siblings, Hector Aponte Jr. of Mays Landing, NJ, Tina Super of Egg Harbor Township, NJ, John Aponte and wife Diana of Mays Landing, NJ and Sara Hamilton of Mays Landing, NJ; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Faith and Charlie Barr of Mays Landing, NJ and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, niec-
es, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Joseph was preceded in death by his father, Hector Aponte Sr. Memorial donations in memory of Joseph
may be made to the Sugar Land City Care Club (www. sugarlandc3.org/donate). Condolences may be shared online at www.triskafuneralhome.com.
Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce to host Precinct 3 Commissioner Candidates forum on Feb. 15 Staff Reports On Thursday, February 15, beginning at 6 p.m., the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce’s Governmental Relations Division will host a candidates forum for the Fort Bend County 2024 Commissioner Precinct 3 Primaries election. The event, moderated by Kevin Riles, will be at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, 445 Commerce
Green Blvd., Sugar Land. All candidates have confirmed attendance to participate. They Republican Mike Khan and Andy Meyers, the incumbent; and Democratic candidates Taral Patel, Abrahim Javed, Zeeshan Isaac, Allen Bogard, and Kiran Rao. Early voting in the primaries will begin on February 20 and continue through March 1. Election Day is scheduled for March
5, 2024. To register to vote or find poll locations, visit fortbendcountytx.gov/ government/departments/ elections-voter-registration. This forum is complimentary and open to the public. Individuals can find more information and register for the forum at www. FortBendChamber.com or by contacting Jamie Loasby at 281-566-2163 or jamie@ fortbendcc.org.
The Houston-based Joy of Djembe Drumming Ensemble will perform a the University Branch library at UH Sugar Land on February 17. Photo by Stephen Mayeux, courtesy Fort Bend County Libraries
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FOR NON-PROFIT EVENTS
ONGOING LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF FORT BEND
The League of Women Voters of Fort Bend, a nonpartisan organization, will provide voter registration and education events prior to the Feb. 5 deadline to be a registered voter in the March 5 Primary election. Locations, dates, and times include: (1) Wednesday, 1/24 -- Fort Bend YMCA, 4433 Cartwright Rd, Missouri City 7:30am - 12:30pm and 5 - 7pm; (2) Thursday, 1/25 -- First Colony Library 3:30 - 5:30pm; (3) Sat., 1/27 -Cinco Ranch Library 10:30am - 1:30pm and University Branch Library 11am - 2pm; (4) Tuesday, 1/30 and Wednesday, 1/31 -- WCJC Sugar Land, Brazos Hall, 9am - 2pm; (5) Thursday, 2/1 -- ThriftWise, 501 Hwy 90E, Richmond -- 10am - 1pm. Register to vote, update your current voter registration, and get nonpartisan voting information at any of these events, or contact lwvfortbend@gmail.com.
BOYS CAN SING WITH THE AWARD-WINNING AND EMMYNOMINATED FORT BEND BOYS CHOIR!
Do you know a boy who loves music and singing? If so, encourage him to audition for the Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas! No previous singing experience is necessary and boys should be around eight years of age or older with an unchanged voice. Boys have a limited time to sing in the unchanged, treble voice so it is important to take advantage NOW! At this time, auditions are by special appointment at the First United Methodist Church Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City, TX. Visit the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s Audition page at https://fbbctx.org/auditions/ or call (281) 240-3800 for more details. Make the holiday season brighter for you and the boys in your life … check out the award-winning and Emmy nominated Fort Bend Boys Choir today as they celebrate this season’s theme: Singing Boys are Nothing but Treble!
AMERICAN LEGION POST 942 311 Ulrich Street, Sugar Land meets the fourth Tuesday of each Month at 7:00 pm. All Veterans are welcome.
LOVING FRIENDS IS A GROUP OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO ARE WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS THAT MEET MONTHLY FOR LUNCH, FRIENDSHIP, AND SOCIALIZATION Lunches. are planned for the fourth Tuesday of the month at various local restaurants. Please contact Bobbie Tomlin at {281} 967-0718 For more information about us and to learn about this month’s planned lunch. We hope to meet you soon.
QUAIL VALLEY GARDEN CLUB The Quail Valley Garden Club is very busy, not only with meetings, but with some fun “stuff” for our members and the community. Please find our fall schedule of events that the QVGC will be involved with this fall leading up to the holidays.
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE GRAND PARKWAY BAPTIST CHURCH In conjunction with the Literacy Council of Fort Bend Bend County, GPBC offers ESL classes on Tuesday nights 6-8:30 from August 22, 2023 through May 21, 2024. We are located at 12000 FM 1464 Richmond. Our students speak several languages and encompass many faiths. All are welcome. For more information call 281-277-2200 and ask for ESL information. You may also email ESL@grandparkway.org
FBJSL IS ACCEPTING CAF GRANT APPLICATIONS
ALIEF AARP CHAPTER 3264
Meets the first Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. at Salvation Army Church, 7920 Cook Road, Houston, TX 77072. Educational Program/Entertainment at each meeting. Bus Trips every month. Seniors 50 and above invited. Call 281-785-7372 for more information.
14090 S.W. Freeway Suite #200
281-243-2344 (Direct) Sugar Land, TX 281.243.2300 (Main) • KenWoodPC.com
SUGAR LAND ROTARY CLUB
Sugar Land Rotary Club, the nation’s oldest community service organization, wants you to be its guest at a meeting that could turn out to be the best fit for getting involved with a local, non-political, humanitarian service organization with a global presence to satisfy your passion. We’re on a quest for new members! Call or email Dean Clark, 469-850-2424, dean7351@gmail. com. We’re a friendly group that meets once a week for lunch.
FT. BEND ACCORDION CLUB
Meets on the 4th Sunday of every month from 2:pm - 4:pm at: CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND (in the Chapel) 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77479 FREE and Open to the Public! We welcome everybody! If you play accordion, beginners to professional and would like to play Call, Text or email: Vince Ramos Cell: 281-204-7716 vincer.music@gmail.com
FORT BEND JUNIOR SERVICE LEAGUE RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS FOR 2022-2023 YEAR
To join, the membership application can be accessed at https://www.fbjsl.org/join/how-to-become-a-member/. FBJSL will also be hosting multiple virtual and in-person recruitment events over the summer where potential new members can learn more about the League. Information regarding attending these events is available at www.fbjsl.org or on the FBJSL Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FortBendJuniorServiceLeague/.
LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY
We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching adults to read. We need your help. Literacy Council is actively recruiting Volunteer Tutors to provide instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) Levels 0-5, three hours a week. For more information, call 281-240-8181 or visit our website www.ftbendliteracy. org
JAM WITH SAM
Join Sam Grice Tuesday evenings at 6:30 for a casual evening of music. We play a variety of music including bluegrass, country, gospel and some western. We request acoustic instruments only please. We welcome both participants and music lovers who enjoy listening to good live music. There’s no charge and we welcome beginners and gladly offer gentle assistance. We meet at First Presbyterian Church, 502 Eldridge Rd, Sugar Land. Please call Sam at 832-428-3165 for further information.
GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE
Give a Gift of Hope one-time or monthly. Your help provides access to therapies and services children with autism might otherwise go without. Please consider Hope For Three in your Estate, Planned, or Year-End Giving. Register now, or learn more about exciting events: www.hopeforthree.org/events
DVD-BASED ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WITH NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED
Weekly class designed to help you understand and appreciate the Bible by giving you a better sense of the land and culture from which it sprang. The class meets at 9:30 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.). For more information call 281-240-3195
EXCHANGE
We provide grants of up to $5,000.00 to charitable causes serving Fort Bend County with requests to fund a critical need, pilot a program, or expand a significant service to the community. If your agency or organization is interested in applying for a CAF grant, please visit the Request Support page of the FBJSL website (www. fbjsl.org/request-support). All applications should be submitted via e-mail to brccom@fbjsl.com
EXCHANGE, America’s Service Club, always welcomes guests and is in search of new members! Various Fort Bend clubs exist and can accommodate early morning (7 a.m.), noon and evening meeting time desires. For more info, contact Mike Reichek, Regional Vice President, 281-575-1145 or mike@reichekfinancial.com We would love to have you join us and see what we are all about!
THE SANCTUARY FOSTER CARE SERVICES
MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801
We are a child placing agency that provides wrap around care support for foster children and foster families. We provide free therapy services, 24 hr. crisis intervention, respite/alternative care services and community-based support. For more info, www.sanctuaryfostercare.org
EXPERIENCE COUNTS! 35+ YEARS SERVING FORT BEND COUNTY
Meets the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m., at 2701 Cypress Point Dr., Missouri City Rec Center. Lunch, education, and entertainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more information, call 713-859-5920 or 281-499-3345.
713-371-3740
Have a Non Profit? Need to get it out there? Put here in our community calendar!