Patel being investigated for impersonating Fort Bend judge
A legal filing sheds light onto new potential charges against Taral Patel, the Democratic candidate for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner, involving the alleged online impersonation of a Fort Bend County district judge.
In an application for a search warrant filed on Friday and obtained by the Fort Bend Star, an investigator with the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office states that based on
information she obtained, Patel created a Facebook account in the name of 240th District Court Judge Surrendran Pattel and used it to create a false one-on-chat with the judge to show that the judge “had hostility toward Taral Patel and Fort Bend County Judge KP George.”
“Patel” and “Pattel” are variations of a common surname among South Asians and people of South Asian descent. Both men are of Indian descent (as is George), but are not related. Patel, the Precinct 3 candidate,
formerly served as George’s chief of staff before taking roles in the Biden Administration.
Patel had already been arrested and charged in June with felony and misdemeanor counts of online impersonation and misrepresentation relating to allegedly creating another false Facebook account, under the name “Antonio Scalywag” and using a photo of another county resident, in order to post false, racist messages about himself and others related to the campaign.
In the new filing, Evett Kelly, an investigator in the Public Integrity Division of the district attorney’s office, restates how the original investigation of Patel began when Andy Meyers, the Republican incumbent in the Precinct 3 race, asked for an investigation into the identities of people who had purportedly posted attacks on Patel based on his Indian heritage and Hindu faith. Patel had used these purported filing in a press release and campaign materials which drew much media attention (including
in the Fort Bend Star).
Before the July 4 holiday, several media outlets reported on the new application for a search warrant involving the alleged impersonation of Pattell, the judge. But the Friday filing, obtained exclusively by the Fort Bend Star, provides new details on that alleged impersonation.
In the 25-page search warrant application, Kelly states that she saw that “Antonio Scalywag” had
Army veterans says military discipline helps in his TSTC studies
James Norman is a second semester student in the Welding Technology program at TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus in Rosenberg. Photo courtesy Texas State Technical College
Taral Patel, the Democratic candidate for Precinct 3 Commissioner, is being investigated for potential new charges of online impersonation of a judge. Taral Patel campaign photo
become “Facebook Friends” with a Facebook account with the user name “Surrendren K. Pattel,” whom Kelly knew to be the elected judge for the 240th District Court. Kelly states that she saw that “Scalywag” had made several complimentary comments about “Pattel”, and a conversation ensued between the two personas that was “friendly in nature until January 2022, when it appeared that [the Pattel persona] was upset with something [Scalywag] had posted publicly.”
Kelly states there was no further communication between the two accounts until November 2023 when “Scalywag” sent several Facebook messages to “Pattel” and tried to make a phone call using Facebook messenger, but received no response.
After Patel was arrested on the initial charges on June 12, Kelly states, she obtained a search warrant for his cell phone, which was seized by authorities. A forensic examination of the phone by a Texas Department of Public Safety investigator found that among the accounts associated with the phone was the “Pattel” Facebook account, which was associated with the email address “Taral@ movetexas.org.” Move Texas is a nonpartisan organization that,
according to its website, is “dedicated to building the political power of young people in underrepresented communities through civic engagement, leadership development, and issue advocacy.” According to his LinkedIn account, Patel served on the board of the organization’s “action fund’ in 2022.
Kelly states she found that the “Pattel” account was created on December 18, 2023. Patel, after leaving his position at the White House, formerly announced his campaign for the Democratic Precinct 3 nomination the previous May, and scored a slim majority in a five-person race last March.
Kelly states that interviewed Judge Pattel on Monday, July 1 and showed him the “Pattel” Facebook account. Pattel confirmed that the account did not belong to him, adding that the profile photo used on the account was the same one used in his actual personal Facebook page. Pattel said the account was created without his consent and that he had no association with the associated email address.
Kelly further states she obtained records showing that the IP addressed used by the “Scalywag” account was linked to the address of a loft apartment complex in Sugar Land where Patel resides.
Kelly details a “oneto-one” chat between an
account used by a “Taral Patel” and the “Pattel” account which appeared to be “manufactured to show that Surrendran Pattel had hostility toward Taral Patel and Fort Bend County Judge KP George.”
In the purported conversation, the Taral Patel account writes “I don’t know why you hate Taral, he is good candidate and Indian.” The “Pattel” account responds, “He is KP puppet. Even Dexter hate him. We will do everything in our power to destroy him and KP.” “Dexter” apparently is a reference to Precinct 4 Commissioner Dexter McCoy, a Democrat who coincidentally also previously served as chief of staff to George.
In the application, Kelly seeks a warrant to obtain from Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook, records of the “Taral Patel” account from December 18, 2023 to July 1, 2024 that could provide new evidence of online impersonation.
According to court records, no new charges have yet been filed against Patel, who remains free on bonds totaling $22,500. An initial court date is set for July 22. The case had been assigned to Pattel’s 240th District Court, but it has been reassigned to the 434th District Court of Judge J. Christian Becerra.
Patel did not respond to a request for comment.
Documentary about Disney to be featured at University Branch library on July 22
The “Reel Talk” film series at Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library will feature a documentary about Disney animation on Monday, July 22, from 6-8 p.m., in Meeting Room 1 of the library, located at 14010 University Blvd in Sugar Land, on the UH campus.
The film to be shown delves into the remarkable story of Disney Animation’s revival during the1980s and 1990s. This film is rated PG.
The movie screening 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 (281-633-5100) or the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).
SPORTS
Space Cowboys drop series finale to Round Rock
By Amanda Perry
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys (5631, 7-5) took the lead in the fourth and held it until the ninth, but the Round Rock Express (43-43, 6-6) rallied back to take the series finale 9-7 in extras Saturday at Constellation Field.
Houston Astros RHP Jake Bloss was perfect through the first 10 batters he faced, allowing his first baserunner on a single in the fourth inning to Ezequial Duran with one out. Duran advanced to second on a stolen base and eventually to third on a groundball from Matt Duffy in which Shay Whitcomb made a great play for the out, but on the next pitch, Bloss induced a fly ball from Blaine Crim for the final out of his outing. Bloss hurled 4.0 frames, striking
out three and allowing just one hit in 55 pitches thrown. The Space Cowboys offense broke through in the bottom of the fourth when a wild pitch from RHP Peter Solomon with runners on the corners allowed Will Wagner to race home and score the first run of the night for the Space Cowboys. The next inning, Jesús Bastidas tacked on another with a solo home run. Whitcomb singled in the next at-bat and advanced to third on a stolen base and a failed pick-off attempt by Solomon. Wagner drove in Whitcomb on a single to right field, and back-to-back base hits from Cooper Hummel and Omar Narváez loaded them up for Dixon Machado. Machado hit a groundball to second baseman Jayce Easley that bounced right out of his glove to move everybody up one and score another. Luke Berryhill drew a bases-load
ed walk to score the fourth run of the frame and bring the Space Cowboys lead to 5-0.
Round Rock put up a four-spot against RHP Blair Henley in the sixth inning with a couple of two-RBI doubles from Crim and Sandro Fabian, making it a one-run game. The righty recovered to spin a scoreless seventh to cap off a threeinning relief appearance in which he struck out seven. Bastidas led off the eighth with a double, his 25th of the season. The third baseman advanced to third on a groundout from Wagner, and a wild pitch from LHP Grant Wolfram (W, 2-1) scored Bastidas. On
the season. Fabian took the third pitch VanWey threw and sent it over the fence in left-center for a home run. Trevor Hauver drew a walk, and the next batter, Matt Whatley, launched a four-bagger to tie the game up at seven a piece. In extras, Sam Huff knocked a two-run bomb off RHP Nick Hernandez (L, 1-1) to give Round Rock their first lead of the night at 9-7. Wolfram returned for the bottom of the tenth and issued a walk to Bastidas to put two on. With one out, Wagner sent one to the warning track for the second putout, bringing up León as the Space Cowboys last hope. RHP Daniel Robert (S, 5) came in for the final out, and León worked an eight-pitch at bat against him, including a ball just inches foul, before striking out on a fastball to give the Express the win in the series finale.
E E E E O bituary E E E E
TIMOTHY PAUL CAVANNA JUNE 27, 1979 E JUNE 30, 2024
Cavanna and his wife, Krystal and Amanda Guidroz Cavanna Pellegrin and her husband, Bruce; 13 nieces and nephews; 8 great nieces and nephews; 3 aunts and 3 uncles; along with extended family and a host of friends. Services were held at DavisGreenlawn Funeral Home in Rosenberg.
overcome. Because of God’s loving and caring grace, Tim proved them all wrong. He was a very sociable person and loved telling jokes to everyone he met. He ran and swam in the Special Olympics and brought home quite a few medals. He traveled overseas. He enjoyed music so much that he could have been a contestant on “Name That Tune”. He learned geography while watching “The Weather Channel, learned his alphabet and numbers while
watching “Wheel of Fortune”, and learned how expensive items were from “The Price Is Right”. He loved his family, and his family loved him.
He is preceded by his grandparents, John W. and Rebecca Dixon Cavanna and Eugene Louis Guidroz, Sr. and Una Ruth Bergeron Guidroz Oubre, his aunt Diane Cavanna Whatley and his uncle John T. Cavanna.
Tim is survived by his parents, Larry and Kathleen Cavanna; siblings, Bridget Cavanna Lirette and her husband, Kenneth R.; Heather Cavanna Williams and her husband, Brian Sr.; Matthew John
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the organizations that brought him great joy –The Special Olympics and The Volunteer Services Council at Richmond State Supported Living Center where he resided for the last 22 years.
Tributes and words of condolence may be left for the family at www. davisgreenlawnfh.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Home, 3900 B.F. Terry Blvd. (Hwy 59 South @ FM 2218), Rosenberg, Texas 77471, Phone: 281-341-8800.
By Lynn Ashby ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
HE STREET COR-
TNER – “Hey, Mister, wanna buy a Trump gimme hat? How about a Trump ballpoint pen? T-shirt?” says a somewhat sleazy character standing behind a card table filled with assorted items. “No, I don’t,” I reply. “I’ve still got ‘Adlai in 1952’ and ‘Adlai Again in 1956’ hoodies and a ‘Go Hoover! What’s Little Depression?’ button. I put them on a shelf alongside my ‘Beto for (fill in the blank)’ serape.” But this encounter made me wonder about our former Huckster in Chief, so I went to my PC to find out. You may not know all the things you can buy from Donald Trump. We can start
with the T-shirts. I count at least 87 different types. Most say simply “Trump in ‘24” or his name with “Make America Great Again.” There is one sporting a Colt 45 with “Trump 45 – Cause the 44 Didn’t Work the Last 8 Years.” 8 years? “Blacks for Trump” and “Hispanics for Trump.” Trump T-shirts with his likeness making an obscene gesture and reading, “Indict This.”
“Show your American pride with the Trump Hat 2024! This camouflage baseball cap has an embroidered American flag to let everyone know who you support in the 2024 presidential campaign. Made from durable material, the Trump Hat 2024 is built to last - just like Trump - while displaying your patriotic spirit.”
The cap is camouflaged to show his military background, but no cap reading: “Bone Spurs for Trump.”
You can buy Trump socks for $9.99 marked down from $12.99. I guess they aren’t selling that well. A Trump brooch for your girlfriend or a Trump yard sign for your neighbors. Give them away at your next Klan rally. There is probably a sign you can stick in your Democratic
EDITORIAL
Sale to the Chief SUDOKU
neighbors’ yard:“Losers Live Here.” The list goes on and on: keyrings, rubber duckies for your baby’s bathtub. Well, you get the picture. Our former President will sell you any and everything. No doubt he needs the money. A New York jury ordered Trump to pay $5.5 million in civil damages to E. Jean Carroll who accused him of rape, then he was hit with another $83.3 million for defaming her. Trump and his companies were ordered to pay nearly $355 million in a New York civil fraud case. It’s all in the family. Trump’s adult sons, Donald Jr. and Eric – who’ve essentially run the Trump Organization since 2017 – were ordered to pay $4 million each for personal profits from the fraud and for repeatedly violating a gag order.
Trump himself was fined $9,000 for violating a gag order nine times for criticizing expected trial witnesses in one of his trials, I think. It all gets very confusing. The Trump Foundation opened in 1988. Twenty years later it was closed by the New York Attorney General which found “a shocking pattern of illegality.”
There are also his legal fees, and lawyers tend to
get their money one way or another. The Federal Election Commission filings show those fees amount to around $90,000 per day over the past three years It comes to more than $100 million in donor money to date. Oh, yes, donor money. People who think they are giving funds to Trump’s election campaign are actually paying his lawyers. Trump once said, “I’m self-funding my own campaign. It’s my money.” That didn’t happen. To be fair, Trump is not our first presidential candidate to peddle merchandise. My crack research staff (me) has discovered similar huckstering. George Washington sold dollar bills bearing his likeness for 50 cents. That was the beginning of our federal debt. Alexander Hamilton peddled dueling pistols –for a short time. Abraham Lincoln Stovepipe Hats went for $5 but the program was halted after Abe discovered he was being paid in Confederate currency. You could hire a lady from the FDR Escort Service. That turned out to be a date that would live in infamy. Maybe the GOP should start selling Joe Biden white canes, walkers or debate instructions.
We must hope all the Trump paraphernalia sells well because many of his past businesses haven’t exactly prospered. Actually he or his companies filed for bankruptcy at least four times. His $1 billion Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City opened in 1990. One year later the casino was nearly $3 billion in debt, so the business filed for Chapter 11 reorganization.
Trump acquired the Plaza Hotel in New York City for $390 million in 1988. By 1992, the hotel had accumulated $550 million in debt. He declared bankruptcy.
Trump Hotels and Casinos Resorts filed for bankruptcy in 2004 when his casinos in Atlantic City (including the Taj Mahal again) and a riverboat casino in Indiana were an estimated $1.8 billion in debt.
You can buy a Trump Bible for only $59.99, which is considerably more expensive than the traditional Bibles sold at stores, or you can pilfer a Gideon Bible at most hotels. But the Trump Bible also includes Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and copies of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance. Then there are
“Never Surrender High-Top” tennis shoes for $399 ($140 at Amazon). Alas, Trump Vodka was discontinued in 2011 due to poor sales, maybe because Trump doesn’t drink alcohol.
Remember Trump Air? It lasted three years (1989-1992) then crashed and burned, so to speak. Despite its name, Trump University, the organization was not accredited. It did not confer college credits, grant degrees, or grade its students. The New York Attorney General shut it down and fined the university $40 million. Here in Texas a deputy in the Attorney General’s office charged that the university had defrauded Texans out of $2.6 million. Three suits were filed, but were later dropped by then-Attorney General Greg Abbott. Trump later donated $35,000 to Abbott’s campaign for governor. As we can see, our potential next President has a checkered financial past and a huge debt, but maybe Mexico will pay for it. Until then, buy a Trump coffee mug.
Ashby shops at ashby2@ comcast.net
Answers found in this week’s Classified section
Br. broad valleys
56. Good Wife’s Julianna
60. Expression of annoyance 61. Blocks
62. 4840 square yards
63. The culminating point
64. Hit an unreturned serve
65. Excessively fat
66. Scorch the surface of 67. Dekaliter
68. Ruhr River city
1. Prevents harm to young
2. Children’s tale bear
3. Eskers 4. Small food stores
5. -__, denotes past 6 .Mentums
7. Gadoid fish
8. Rainbow effect 9. Live in or on hosts
10. Long narrative poem
11. Informal term for tobacco (Br.)
12. One who has attained nirvana
14. One who estranges 17. Collection of maps
20. Pouchlike structure
21. Simple column
23. Constitution Hall org.
25. Apple notebook computer
26. Biblical Syria
27. Cuts into small pieces
29. Talked profusely
30. Hawthorne’s city
32. Takes readings from other distant instruments
34. 13th Hebrew letter
35. Filippo __, Saint
37. Gulf of, in the Aegean
40. Bleat
42. A bird’s beak
43. Performs a song
47. Note of hand
49. Icelandic poems
50. Ludicrous, empty show
52. Peter Pan illustrator Attwell
53. Broad, flat stones
55. Tibetan Buddhist teacher
56. Mire and mud
57. Frozen drinks
58. Irish Gaelic
59. Viewed with the eyes
61. Blackguard
65. Olde English
Lynn Ashby Columnist
“That’s me in the corner / That’s me in the spot-light / Losing my religion / Trying to keep up with you / And I don’t know if I can do it / Oh no I’ve said too much / I haven’t said enough” - R.E.M., “Losing My Religion”
It wasn’t the biggest. It wasn’t the brightest. It was the richest. And it certainly wasn’t anyone’s envy. But it was ours. Saint Cecilia Church was christened in 1917. And it was my primary spiritual hangout for about 10 years. Our San Francisco neighborhood back then impressed me as overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, and my
As I write this on Sunday evening, all of us along the Texas Gulf Coast and in Fort Bend County are preparing for the approaching Tropical Storm Beryl. If you’re reading this in the print edition of the Fort Bend Star, the storm has already made landfall and we’ve already experienced and are continuing to experience the effects. Hopefully, the storm will have had as minimal impact as pos-
Peace be with you
mom told me I was required to attend because that’s what I believed. It wasn’t bad, I guess. I had to attend afterschool religion classes there a couple of times a week because my she didn’t want her 13-year-old to miss out on all the fun of Bible study. And since I attended public school, she didn’t want my ticket punched on the Hell Express. Still, I was eligible to play sports for the parish, and meet a whole new set of girls my age. The church was always immaculately clean, something that always struck me as odd since they served bread and wine there. The artwork was flashy, lots of gold-plated decor and fine fabrics. The stained-glass windows faced due west and would redirect beautiful sunsets during afternoon Mass. The vaulted ceiling felt a mile high and added to the grandeur. There was a second-story loft in the back where you could stare down at the crowd and sit with the organist. Nothing overly unique at first glance. But there was a vibe and a smell and an unfamiliar
pride there. A sense of belonging.
Now, religion and I have never made a clear love connection. It’s been spotty over the years. During high school I attended church twice a week. In college, I stopped going. After my divorce, I went back every Sunday for years. Today, I couldn’t even recite all the Ten Commandments. I worked hard during my four years at St. Ignatius High School and wove my own brand of religious apathy along the way. My loyalty got no boost by the priests who would occasionally make inappropriate remarks that made me extremely uncomfortable. And I eventually felt abandoned by my faith after a conversation with an inspiring high school teacher. When I told him that the evangelical Baptist denomination in Texas was something I’d been drawn to, he questioned out loud whether or not we could even remain friends since he didn’t agree with Baptist tenets. That was a major letdown.
The good news is that it’s never been easier to find God these days. According to a
recent Pew Research report, over two-thirds of American adults rely on the Internet for religious purposes. Twenty percent of those consume religious online videos through platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Another 15 percent listen to religious themed podcasts. Twenty-seven percent of adults in this country regularly tune in to religious services on television or online.
The bad news for the church is that fewer people are seeking it out. In a survey of 12,000 Americans, a full 80 percent said they believe religion’s role in our culture is simply fading away. A growing number of people think their religious beliefs contradict what is accepted in society. And as it stands, just three in 10 Americans say they attend church regularly. Why? Reasons include cultural shifts, generational changes, and church scandals. But my ears perked up when the question of the role politics plays in religion was posed. Four years ago, the Rev. William Kopp, a Southern Baptist minister in Virginia, was fired for his stance critical
of the Trump White House’s response to COVID-19. He called it a moral issue. His flock thought it political. He was fired 48 hours after he delivered his controversial sermon.
Later that year, Christian commentators tied election integrity suspicions with moral issues pitting good vs. evil. The result has become confusing and for some, like me, downright distasteful. So is this a crisis of faith or is it a case of misguided priorities? The church for me was always a place of solitude and reflection, free of outside worries. And whether you view it as essential or merely as an ancillary form of personal comfort, there lies clear importance within the institution itself. I went through a long period believing that organized religion was nothing more than a way to ease peoples’ fear of dying. But looking back honestly, it was a clear influence on my growth. And while I don’t volunteer or donate money very often, I do what I can. I went back to my old church several years ago with my son. Saint Cecilia’s
Just hunkering down
sible, but as we’ve all experienced all too often in recent years, you never know what might happen. Here in the greater Houston region, we’ve seen our share of weather events, and then some, in the last decade or so. There was the Memorial Day Flood. Then there was the Tax Day Flood. We’ve had Winter Storm Uri, followed by another, less severe freeze just a year or so later. Last summer, we suffered a seemingly interminable “heat dome” that parked itself over Texas and much of the country for months. We may be at the beginning of another one now. All of those, of course, pale in comparison in our minds to our memories of Hurricane Harvey, which struck Texas in 2017. Those of us who lived through that event are unlikely to ever forget it. Said to be the largest rainfall event ever recorded, the storm parked itself over the
greater Houston region for nearly a full week before moving on and finally dissipating.
At the time, I lived in an apartment outside downtown Houston, but I stayed with a relative in Fort Bend County for the duration of the storm. I vividly remember not just the rain, but the seemingly nightly tornado warnings that came over my phone. One of those tornadoes, a small one, briefly touched ground about two miles from the house. I like to think of myself as a fairly cool customer, but that was a very frightening time indeed.
But the thing I remember most about Hurricane Harvey was how the people of this region really stepped up to the plate, metaphorically speaking, both during the storm in the days, weeks, and months that followed. There were truly heroic stories that occurred during the
storm’s fiercest moments, and the way the community came together after the rains finally passed.
That was no small thing. If you’ll remember, at that time this country was in the midst of perhaps the most intense political divisions we had seen in decades. Sadly, the passage of time hasn’t seemed to dissipate that like it does with hurricaneforce winds. But think back to that time a bit. After the sun finally came out at the end of that week, I myself walked to a local community center and volunteered to help collect and sort donations of clothing, bottled water, household items and the like for distribution elsewhere. A few of were tasked with driving to another, outlying city in the county to drop off some supplies before reports of rising water in the Brazos River forced us to turn back. Later, when I returned to my apart-
ment in Houston, I went to the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown to spend a day volunteering at the massive shelter that had been installed there. I spent most of that long, exhausting day taking in donated clothing and distributing to people who were taking shelter. There was nothing particularly special about my efforts. I was just one of thousands of people across the region who were doing whatever they could to ease the burdens on people who hadn’t made it through the storm as well as we had. If you remember, the greater Houston region was celebrated across the country, even across the globe, for the way ordinary people here looked out for one other. Famously, “The New Yorker” magazine, that bastion of East Coast liberalism, ran a cover illustration depicting people in a red pickup truck helping
hadn’t changed. That familiar odor of incense left over from the last service. The scent of red prayer candles situated at every aisle crossroads. My boy probably won’t remember that visit in too much detail. But I will always recall the comforting gymnastics of our Catholic services: Stand. Sit. Kneel. And even though I no longer attend church, Saint Cecilia’s is still my spiritual home. Column Veggies: I highly recommend a documentary, “Stax Soulsville, USA,” on Max (formerly HBO Max). It chronicles the fascinating rise and ultimate demise of an iconic music label. Stax Records was a Memphis based hodgepodge of local talent that discovered itself. It relied on integrated musicianship, legendary jam sessions and an auditory alternative to Motown. The inside revelations about Sam and Dave, Booker T and the MGs. and Otis Redding were stunning to me. If you like ‘60s and ‘70s soul, it’s worth a glance. Let me know what you think.
Garay can be reached at MarkGaray426@gmail.com
people stuck in floodwaters in a blue sedan. It wasn’t hard to figure out the symbolism.
If you’ve been reading my columns for a while, you probably know that a running theme of them is my desire for a return to civility in our public discourse. Heck, I wrote about that very thing just last week, just in time for Independence Day. As I write this, it’s extremely doubtful that the effects of Beryl will be anything like Harvey. But we’ll likely have a lot of work to do to clean up after the storm passes. A lot of people’s lives will be extremely disrupted. And once again, the people of Fort Bend and Texas will step up and pitch in, look after the people around us. It’s what we do.
Fountain hunkers down at KFountain@fortbendstar. com
Fort Bend County Libraries invites adult readers to disengage this summer - just for a little while - from the stress of everyday life and work, social media and television, and adulting in general and stop by the library to relax during a designated hour of silent reading, free of distractions and responsibilities, with background music adding ambiance to the soothing experience.
These “Adult Summer Reading Lounges” - or silent reading parties - will take place at several locations in the Fort Bend County library system in July.
• Saturday, July 13, 2-4:30 p.m. - Missouri City Branch Library (1530 Texas Parkway)
• Wednesday, July 17, 3:30-5:30 p.m. - Sienna Branch Library (8411 Sienna Springs Blvd, Missouri City)
• Saturday, July 20, 2:304:30 p.m. - Sugar Land Branch Library (550 Eldridge)
• Monday, July 22, 6-8 p.m. - Mission Bend Branch Library (8421 Addicks Clodine Rd)
Readers are encouraged to bring something to read to themselves in any medium - books, magazines, graphic
novels, audiobooks, or ebooks. They are also invited to bring cushions, blankets, pillows, or anything else that will add to their personal comfort and coziness for the occasion.
At the end of the first hour, everyone will have an opportunity to talk about their reading choices with other readers.
Similar to a book club, silent reading parties provide an opportunity for like-minded people to socialize - if they wish -- and connect over their books as icebreakers. Silent reading parties also hold individuals -- who like to read but
never seem to find the time -- accountable for taking a break from their busy lives and committing to an hour of reading.
This adults-only event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, however, and reservations are required. To register online at the library’s website (www. fortbend.lib.tx.us), click on “Classes & Events,” select the library, and find the program. Participants may also register by calling the libraries, or by visiting the library. For more information, call the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).
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 MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND CONCERT HONORS FALLEN HEROES
The Exchange Club of Sugar Land presents “A Night to Remember” on Sunday, May 26, at 7:05 p.m. The patriotic concert features a brass band, Grammy winning singers, ballet dancers and a 30-member chorus. The concert takes place in Sugar Land Town Square, in front of the City Hall Façade. Bring a chair and join us!
“A Night to Remember” is FREE and open to the public. Canned food donations are encouraged for East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry
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 57pm; (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.
NO HOCUS POCUS IN MUSIC MAGIC CLASS FOR 6 & 7-YEAR-OLD BOYS!
Young boys need music in their life for mental, physical and emotional growth and the best place to receive quality music instruction is with the Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas! They offer Music Magic, an eight-week music enrichment class for six and seven-year-old boys. The Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas, currently in its 42 nd season, brings music alive with the use of movement, musical games, singing and other child-centered activities. Boys learn about pitch matching and rhythm awareness in addition to developing large muscle coordination, increased focus and better musicianship. Music Magic helps boost brainpower, sparks creativity and forges strong connections with others. No auditions are necessary for the class – just a love of music and singing! Serving as Music Magic director is Founder and Artistic Director William R. Adams who leads this class on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m., beginning March 19 and ending May 14 at the First United Methodist Church Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City. Music Magic will then sing at the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s annual Spring Concert on Saturday, May 18! Classes are limited in size so please call the choir office at (281) 240- 3800 to pre-register or visit their Music Magic web page at https://fbbctx.org/our- programs/music-magic/. Be sure to stop by their Facebook page for the latest on the Fort Bend Boys Choir's Music Magic class and the organization's public performances.
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.
FBJSL IS ACCEPTING CAF GRANT APPLICATIONS
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
THE SANCTUARY
FOSTER CARE SERVICES
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
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.
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, 469-8502424, 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.
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.
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
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!
MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801
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 713-8595920 or 281-499-3345.
University Branch Library to hold ice-cream competition on July 27
Who has the best homemade ice cream in Fort Bend County? Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library invites ice-cream lovers to put their creations of this cold, tasty summer treat to the test at a “Homemade Ice-Cream Competition” on Saturday, July 27, from 2-3:30 p.m, in the Meeting Room of the library, located at 14010 University Blvd in Sugar Land, on the UH campus.
Competitors and samples are invited to join in on the fun.
Prizes will be awarded by official staff judges, but members of the public will get to sample the entries to vote on their favorite flavor for the People’s Choice Award.
Pre-registration for competitors is required. Those wishing to enter their ice-
cream masterpiece at the competition on July 27 should register between July 6-24. Register at the library or online: www.bit. ly/FBCL_IceCream2024. Please provide the flavor.
Rules and information:
• All entries must include the list of ingredients used. If not available upon registration, the list must be submitted on or before July 27. Entries without a list of ingredients will not be accepted.
• For food safety, recipes must NOT include eggs.
• Judging will be based on flavor, texture, and appearance.
• A minimum of 2 quarts must be available for judging.
• One recipe per competitor.
• Ice cream must be brought to the library on Saturday, July 27, between
1:30 and 2 p.m.. Coolers and ice will be provided to keep the ice cream cold during the public tasting.
• Competitors will scoop out samples of their ice cream for the public to taste until at least 3:00 pm.
This competition and the taste testing are 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 (281-633-5100).
PARKING INSTRUC -
TIONS: Park inside the gated lot (VISITOR LOT 4). Bring the parking-ticket stub to the check-out desk inside the library to be validated by library staff. Parking is FREE if the ticket is validated by the library. Parking outside the gated lot may result in a parking violation from the University of Houston.
HOUSTON METHODIST LEADING CARE
We offer a full spectrum of care, including:
• Primary care physicians for you and your family, providing personal care and service
• Specialists with innovative treatments and customized programs for all conditions
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Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library will hold a homemade ice-cream competition on July 27. Photo by Kwekwe via Wikipedia