The 09-04-24 Edition of The Fort Bend Star

Page 1


Two men sentenced to prison in separate child sexual assault cases

Two men were recently sentenced to state prison on separate charges stemming from sexual abuse of a child, according to a press release from the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office.

On August 26, Carlos Larios, 47, of Houston, was sentenced by a Fort Bend County jury to 32 years in prison for continuous abuse of a young child. The same day, 240th District Judge Surendran Pattel sentenced Hector Manuel Rodriguez, 53, of Brookshire, to 30 years in prison for two charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child.

Larios was convicted in the 400th District Court before Presiding Judge Tameika Carter. The child disclosed the sexual abuse to her mother, who then contacted law enforcement, according to the release. The child was interviewed at Child Advocates of Fort Bend and disclosed years of sexual abuse by Larios.

“A survivor’s voice is often silenced by perpetrators, but that very same voice can become the most powerful weapon in combating sexual abuse” said lead prosecutor Tristyl McInnis My hope is that every survivor finds their voice.”

“The mother in this case did the right thing by calling the police,” District Attorney Brian Middleton said. “All parents should listen to their children and contact law enforcement if a child makes a disclosure of sexual abuse. If you see something, say something.”

Fort Bend Transit expands existing service to UH main campus

This week, Fort Bend County Transit and the University of Houston begin an expansion of the existing Downtown Commuter Service tailored to benefit students in the Fort Bend County area. The new partnership introduces a drop-off point at the UH Main campus in Houston, providing students with easer access to the campus. The fare for the Downtown Commuter service is

$4 each way, providing an affordable solution for students commuting from Sugar Land to their classes. The service will maintain its current timing and frequency.

“We’re very grateful for this partnership that will allow our students to pursue their academic goals in Sugar Land and on the UH main campus,” Jay Neal, Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs and Chief Operating Officer for UH at Sugar Land, said in a press release. “This collaboration

is an example of the community support that is a strength of our region and a cornerstone for our growth and success.”

“I applaud Fort Bend Transit and the University of Houston for working together on this expansion of services,” Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George said in the release. “This collaborative effort will open up valuable educational opportunities for our commuter students in Fort Bend County, making it easier for them to enhance their education and access the resources they need to succeed.”

“We are thrilled to partner with the University of Hous-

ton to provide this added convenience for students. This new stop will make commuting to the UH main campus more accessible for those living in Fort Bend County, supporting their academic success,” said Perri D’Armond, Transit Director for Fort Bend County. For more information on the new stop and the Downtown Commuter service, visit our website at www. FBCTransit.org or contact Fort Bend County Transit at 281-633-RIDE (7433).

Weeks named Fort Bend County Libraries director

Fort Bend County Commissioners Court announced the appointment of Roosevelt Weeks as Library Director of the Fort Bend County library system on Tuesday, August 27. He will assume the role on October 7.

“I am honored to join Fort Bend County Libraries and eager to work alongside the talented team here,” Weeks said in a news release.

Weeks brings more than two decades of experience in library leadership, most recently as Library Director at the Austin Public Library system, where he has worked for the past seven years. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Director/ Chief of Staff at the Houston Public Library system for 11 years. He also served as Chief Technology Officer at HPL.

According to the release, Weeks’s goal is “to empower individuals with the tools they need to ensure a future workforce capable of the complex critical-thinking skills necessary to succeed in an ever-changing competitive environment.”

Weeks has received numerous awards, including being named Texas Librarian of the Year by the Texas Library Association in 2023, receiving the University of North Texas Outstanding

Alumni Award in 2023, and earning the “I Love My Librarian” national award from the American Library Association in 2016.

Weeks is an active member of several library organizations, including the Texas Library Association, where he served on the executive board, the American Library Association, the Public Library Association, and the Urban Library Council, where he holds the position of Past Board Chair. His involvement in these organizations underscores his commitment to the library profession and his role as a thought leader in the field.

Weeks attended Texas Southern University, where he received an undergraduate degree in Computer Science. He was awarded his master’s degree in library science from the University of North Texas.

He and his wife, Valecia, are members of the Holman Street Baptist Church in Houston, where he serves as a deacon.

The Fort Bend County Libraries system consists of a main library – George Memorial Library in Richmond – and 10 branch libraries located throughout the county, as well as management of the Fort Bend County Willie Melton Law Library. Russell

Houston Humane Society assists in rescue of three neglected horses in Fort Bend

Houston Humane Society recently assisted in the rescue of three horses from deplorable conditions in Fort Bend County, according to a news release from the nonprofit agency. The horses – one male and two females – were found to be living in an unsanitary environment without access to food and were all observed to be malnourished due to neglect.

The animals were brought to the Houston Humane Society in partnership with animal cruelty investigators from the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. The animals will remain in the shelter’s care following a court decision. “This operation was a result of close collaboration with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office Livestock Unit and the Houston Humane Society, whose expertise and dedica-

tion to animal welfare were instrumental in ensuring these animals were safely removed from harmful conditions,” Sheriff Eric Fagan aid in the release. “This partnership highlights our shared commitment to protecting all members of our community, including our four-legged friends. Together, we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that neglect and cruelty have no place in Fort Bend County.”

“Animal welfare is at the heart of our mission at Houston Humane Society, and we are committed to providing these horses with the necessary medical attention, shelter and compassion they deserve while they recover,” said Gary Poon, president and CEO of Houston Humane Society. said in the release. “We’re grateful to Fort Bend County Sheriff Fagan and his team for helping us make sure these horses get a second chance at life.” The horses are being rehabilitated at Houston Humane Society and will become eligible for adoption once they have fully recovered. The nonprofit shelter relies on the generosity of the

and

and

Weeks has been appointed
Director of the Fort Bend County Libraries system.
Courtesy Fort Bend County Libraries
Hector Manuel Rodriguez, 53, of Brookshire, was recently sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child.
Carlos Larios, 47, of Houston, was recently sentenced to 32 years in prison after being convicted for continuous abuse of a young child.

First Colony library to host Sept. 12-13 money management workshop

On Thursday and Friday, September 12 and 13, from 2-3 p.m. each day, Fort Bend County Libraries’ First Colony Branch Library will present a special two-part “Financial-Literacy Workshop: Understanding Money” program in the Meeting Room of the library, located at 2121 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land.

In the workshop, Lynne Mandiola with World Financial Group will help attendees gain a better understanding of money management and discover ways to protect and grow one’s income. They will receive tips on ways to save money, maximize potential growth opportunities, and protect one’s savings and investments. Mandiola will also explain

terms and terminology associated with fundamental financial principles and money.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib. tx.us) or call First Colony Branch Library (281-2382800) or the library system’s Communications Office (281633-4734).

Rodriguez pleaded guilty to two charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child on June 17, with his sentencing scheduled for August 26. The child made an outcry and was interviewed at Child Advocates of Fort Bend. The child disclosed repeated abuse by Rodriguez. “This survivor of sexual abuse showed strength and bravery when she spoke the truth of what the defendant did to her.” lead prosecutor

Rachel Ellsworth said.

Continuous sexual abuse of young child is a first-degree felony punishable by 25 to 99 years or life in prison with no parole eligibility. Aggravated sexual assault of a child is also a first-degree felony punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison. Both offenses require lifetime registration as a sex offender. Child Advocates of Fort Bend can be contacted at 281-344-5100 or through the website, ww.cafb.org.

p.m. at 14730 Fondren Road, Missouri City, TX 77489. Your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the tax rate that is adopted and on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property. The change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in the taxable value of all other property determines the distribution of the tax burden among all property owners.

FOR the proposal: Demonica Johnson, Charles Benton, Natasha Wardsworth, Frederick L. Walker, Sr. & Toxie Cockrell

AGAINST the proposal: None

PRESENT and not voting: None

ABSENT: None

The following table compares taxes on an average residence homestead in this taxing unit last year to taxes proposed on the average residence homestead this year.

If the district adopts a combined debt service, operation and maintenance, and contract tax rate that would result in the taxes on the average residence homestead increasing by more than eight percent, the qualified voters of the district by petition may require that an election be held to determine whether to reduce the operation and maintenance tax rate to the voter-approval tax rate under Section 49.23603, Water Code.

Visit Texas.gov/PropertyTaxes to find a link to your local property tax database on which you can easily access information regarding your property taxes, including information about proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity that taxes your property.

The 86th Texas Legislature modified the manner in which the voterapproval tax rate is calculated to limit the rate of growth of property taxes in the state.

Utility Tax Service, LLC (713) 688-3855

Space Cowboys to host first Stair Climb on Sept. 11

On September 11, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys will host their inaugural Stair Climb at Constellation Field to pay tribute to the the fallen first responders who went through during the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

Those participating will be

challenged to walk or climb 2,200 steps, the equivalent of 110 stories of the World Trade Center. The gates will open at 7:30 a.m. with a start time of 8 a.m. for first responders after the national anthem. For the public, the Stair Climb will begin at 9 a.m.. Additionally, there will be a pause in the climb with a couple of silent moments at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., when the towers were hit in 2001. The free event will be open for local first responders and the public. Attendees will receive a ticket for the Space Cowboys game happening that night against the Reno Aces, with the first pitch slated to be at 7:05 p.m..

The ticket for the climb will also serve as the ticket to the game. Those who would like to participate can register at fevo-enterprise.com/ event/911memorial3. Fans are encouraged to donate with the ticket link as well as on the day of the climb to the Astros Foundation, where

the funds will be allocated to local first responders.

While the event is open to the public, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundations recommends a training regimen prior to participating in a memorial Stair Climb. Learn more about training and preparation at www.firehero.org/ events/9-11-stair-climbs.

FBCL's 'Community Reads' features 'Olympus, Texas' this fall

Fort Bend County Libraries invites the public to join in this year’s “Community Reads” initiative, a county-wide reading program encouraging communities to read and discuss a particular book together September through November. The 2024 selection is Stacey Swann’s debut novel, “Olympus, Texas”.

Book discussions on “Olympus, Texas” will take place at different locations throughout the library system on various dates and times during the months of September, October, and November. The “Community Reads” initiative will conclude at FBCL’s annual Book Festival on November 16, with a keynote presentation by Swann.

Set in a modern-day rural Texas town, where everybody knows everybody, “Olympus, Texas” weaves elements of classical Greek and Roman mythology into a modern family saga, rich in drama and psychological complexity.

The story follows the Briscoe family, whose prodigal son March returns from a two-year, self-imposed exile after being caught having an affair with his brother’s wife. The family again becomes the talk of the town in a plot involving a death, flaring rivalries, exploding secrets and upended secrets.

Book discussions will take place at different locations throughout the library system. The schedule of upcoming book discussions is as follows:

• Thursday, September 12, 1:30-2:30 p.m, - First Colony Branch Library (2121 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land)

• Thursday, September 19, noon-1 p.m. - George Memorial Library (1001 Golfview, Richmond)

• Wednesday, October 2, 12:00 noon-1 p.m. - Cinco Ranch Branch Library (2620 Commercial Center Blvd, Katy)

• Wednesday, October 9, 78 p.m. - Mission Bend Branch Library (8421 Addicks Clodine Road, Houston)

• Thursday, October 10, 12: p.m. - Sugar Land Branch Library (550 Eldridge)

• Monday, November 4, 3-4 p.m. - Sienna Branch Library (8411 Sienna Springs Blvd,

Missouri City)

• Thursday, November 7, 2-3 p.m. - Missouri City Branch Library (1530 Texas Parkway)

• Tuesday, November 12, 11 a.m.-noon - Fulshear Branch Library (6350 GM Library Road, off Texas Heritage Parkway)

• Wednesday, November 13, 6-7 p.m. - University Branch Library (14010 University Blvd, Sugar Land) “Olympus, Texas” is available at the libraries in print and digitally as an ebook and e-audiobook. Readers are encouraged to call the libraries to check the availability of additional print copies for the book clubs.

For more information, see Fort Bend County Libraries

website (www.fortbend.lib. tx.us) or call the library system’s

MAMA BEAN

Hello! My name is Mama Bean!

I am a sweet and stunning 1-year-old with a personality as beautiful as my golden eyes!

But it’s not just her appearance that will win you over—she’s

Stop

Adopt

Don’t miss the

EDITORIAL

On to victory! Pop the campaign!

As per your in-

structions, I have mapped out plans for your future after the election. I see two possibilities: (1) You win or (2) The election is stolen – again. But first we must consider the campaign itself. The polls show you are way ahead by many points, but unfortunately Joe Biden is no longer running. The Dems’ candidate-for-the-month is Vice President Kamala Harris. No, she is not president of vice. It might not be wise to even mention that office, as Mike Pence

was saying just before his near-lynching. Speaking of vice presidents, your choice of JD Vance is causing problems. Unlike you, Vance keeps making inflammatory statements like “childless cat women” although that did score points with childless dog men. We could follow the route Biden took in his last campaign and just keep Vance in a cellar. I recommend you stop referring to your and Vance’s “war record.” Bone spurs don’t generate much sympathy among the “losers” and “suckers,” as you call our military. You may need them.

As for endorsements, the glowing tribute by Vladimir Putin cost us support with the Ukrainian community, but who cares? Mike Lindell’s generous donation of 4,000 MyPillows can be put to use at your next rally when you speak nonstop for three hours in 101 degrees. Our research shows your constant reference to “the great Hannibal Lecter” is popular only with a select few. Don’t ask. The endorsement of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. does not bring in any money – he’s broke – but any number of his followers are checking for worms in their ears. A campaign rally

has been mysteriously scheduled for an open-car parade in Dallas. The coordinator is one “J. Hinckley.”

You no longer need to keep harping on Biden’s age. You are now 78, making you the oldest major party presidential nominee in the nation’s history. We tried floating a doctored photo showing you were endorsed by Taylor Swift. She shot that down. Beyoncé has threatened to send a cease-and-desist order after we used her song “Freedom” in a video. Turns out she had already given permission to Harris to use it. We rejected Elvis’s “Jail House Rock” but may use Sinatra’s “Let Me Try Again.”

Surveys show people don’t like your personal attacks on Harris, like deliberately mispronouncing her name. It’s HAIR-ess. Also, don’t keep using the insult “weird.” That may backfire. Besides you have plenty of ammo. She has more flip-flops than a beachside bar. She was against fracking, now she’s OK with it. She wanted free medical care for everyone. Now she wiggles around it. She was proudly named the “immigration czar.” The czar let in a record amount of undocumented immigrants. In

her nominee acceptance address Harris listed all the things she will accomplish as president. You need to ask why she didn’t do those during the three-and-a- half years she was vice president? It’s difficult to oppose her policies since no one knows what they are.

When you win (Fox News has already proclaimed you the winner) we can set in motion Project 2025. As you may have been told, it’s the work of that conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation, a blueprint for your second term. Some radical Democrats object to its recommendations to restrict women’s reproductive rights, eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and vastly strengthen the power of the presidency – that would be you.

Even though at least 140 former advisers from your administration have been involved in writing the proposals, including several members of your cabinet, keep saying you “know nothing” about it and have “no idea” who is in charge of it. In the immortal words of Sergeant Shultz in “Hogan’s Heroes,” keep saying, “I see nothing. I was not here. I did

not even get up this morning.”

Your denials ring true since your former White House aides said you never read a report past the first page. (Ignore those turncoats who claim your lips got tired after that.) Project 2025 is 900 pages long, so you’re safe.

You have rightly announced that when you are elected you will be a dictator for the first day. Project 2025 recommends this be the longest day, like four years. It is also recommended that you make January 6 a federal holiday.

Carving your head on Mount Rushmore needs further consideration.

Further recommendations:

At your inaugural, make sure the entire population of Washington, D.C. is in attendance. This can be achieved with the help of the National Guard, state troopers. If necessary, you can call in the Second Marine Division (if they are through rounding up and deporting immigrants of color or accent and Muslims).

This mammoth crowd should silence those fact finders who charge Biden’s and Obama’s inaugural audiences were bigger than yours. Of course, we can always increase the crowd size with a little AI. Now we must face the pos-

sibility that, as in 2020, the election outcome is fraudulent. Our plans are ready to go. We have a birth certificate showing Harris was born both in Jamaica and India. Maybe she is a twin. To avoid any mistakes made in the 2020 election, do not let any conversations to Georgia election officials be taped. We will no longer hire as campaign advisers Stormy Daniels and Rudy Giuliani. A spontaneous demonstration is set for January 6 on the Capitol steps. Jacob Chansley, the “QAnon Shaman” spearcarrying rioter who donned a horned fur hat and face paint, says he has been rehearsing how to break windows and stomp on guards, now that he is out of prison. We have a gallows and “Hang J.D. Vance” signs just in case. We still have a half-million “Stop the Steal” signs to hand out to demonstrators. But we don’t really need half a million supporters. Just five. They meet in a big building in Washington and wear black robes. Finally, when reporters ask how you plan to cover the costs of your plans, simply explain: Mexico will pay for it.

Ashby carries a spear at ashby2@comcast.net

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

Spoiled child

Infants 62. Semitic fertility god

__ Frank’s diary

Reimbursed 66. English pennies 67. 365 days 68. G. Gershwin’s brother 69. Stopping device

1. Inches per minute (abbr.) 2. Medieval honey drink

3. Land area unit 4. One who carries #55 across 5. Tin

6. Adult female horses

7. Overwhelmed with wonder

8. Brain and spinal cord (abbr.) 9. Inept 10. One who replaces a striker

11. Any habitation at a high altitude

12. Hold fast to 14. Sad from being

17. Slang for famous person

Soft infant food 21. Small mergansers

Big Blue 26. Appear to be

Greek verse intended to be sung

Next to

Flying Pegasus corp. 32. Records walking steps 34. Broad back muscle

Teased apart

Cut into small cubes

Icelandic poems

American time 43. City of Angels

Nostrils

Narrow canvas bed 50. Force into a bay

Sept. 1914 battle 53. Sergeant fish 54. Cavalry-sword 56. Town of Jesus’ 1st miracle

57. Picasso’s mistress Dora

58. Frog genus

59. Talk tiresomely 61. Characters in one inch of tape

63. Side sheltered from the wind

Lead

“I walk a lonely road / The only one that I have ever known / Don’t know where it goes / But it’s home to me, and I walk alone” -– Green Day, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”

Idon’t remember where I saw it or when. I just remember it was old black-and-white footage, the kind with that 1960s/early 70s blatant soft focus and grainy texture. It had that look with sharp blacks and whites and understated grey.

This is how they used to shoot documentaries. Black-and-white film was easier to manage because color film required more specific lighting set ups and was thus less versatile. Black-and-white was really the only option back then for unscripted productions. The scene in this was a typical, low-rent diner in Detroit. The camera scanned the mostly empty restaurant revealing the shiny surfaces of four seat tables. You could see the pimply, thick plastic vinyl stretched tightly across the bench seats that stood saluting the flat surfaces between them. Low lights both amber and fluorescent. The sparkling stainless steel along the counter and near the kitchen. And the image eventually rests on a man of considerable years, sitting alone. He is at least in his 60s. His grey hair is freshly cut, exposing a wrinkly forehead and a receding hairline.

Alone together

A pair of thick, wide-rimmed black glasses rests on his nose. His eyes look tired. His teeth portray years of coffee and cigarettes. He wears a thick brown corduroy jacket with a light-colored lining. He doesn’t say anything as he sits there staring at the menu and sugar packets before him. Then his voiceover runs over the film as a waitress greets him at his table. “Hey there. How’re ya doing? Coffee?,” she asks before making her way to pour him a cup. “That’s why I come here. That’s what my money buys me,” he says. “That hello is what I’m paying for.”

I’m guessing I was around 10 when I saw that. And it has obviously stayed with me. That documentary was the first time I’d seen loneliness in such a remarkably understated way. That man has ever since been an aged, corduroy-wearing, low-speaking cautionary tale to me. It was truly a sad thing to watch. The term “loneliness” wasn’t

even a part of our conversation until the 1820s. That’s when more and more people were moving from the countryside for the cities, leaving their close-knit communities and reliable family relations behind.

In fact, loneliness is a relatively new concept among other psychological pathologies. Three years ago, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, Harvard researchers began a study to understand what loneliness was and how people experience it.

Surveys revealed startling numbers, with 36 percent of respondents reporting feeling chronic loneliness. Ten percent said no one outside their families cared about them at all. And among young Americans 18-25, a majority said they’d felt acute loneliness as well. COVID was a big trigger, but studies concluded the problem existed well beyond the pandemic’s effects.

“We have big holes in our social fabric,” proclaimed

the resulting report, titled “Loneliness In America”.

“Our conclusion is that the pandemic had exposed and turbocharged an existing problem”. Today, the American Psychiatric Association says 25 percent of American are lonelier today than they were pre-COVID. And just last year, the U.S. Surgeon General warned that more Americans are now suffering under the sedative spells of loneliness than those dealing with diabetes or obesity.

Forty percent of young people now say they’re suffering too. Japan and Britain have even appointed ministers of loneliness. They’re tasked with producing campaigns, usually public initiatives or public awareness, to plumb the problem and find a resolution.

Our electronic devices have already put us into little cubicles of time. And our best bet might just be to go old school. Whether by text or email, phone call

or a knock on the door, we have alienated and isolated ourselves. New diagnostic testing shows that loneliness is taking a toll on our physical health. Inflammation, and particularly blood pressure can be significantly affected. In researching this piece, I found that loneliness is something most people will feel at some point, but don’t necessarily recognize since everyone manifests differently. The Harvard study cites many people who are married and yet feel disconnected and alone. There are single people mentioned who do not feel lonely when they’re alone.

I never knew our diner friend’s name. And I’m sure he’s long passed. But I’ve been in that diner myself several times in my life. And he’s right about one thing. A friendly hello is worth the cost.

Garay can be reached at

MarkGaray426@gmail.com

It’s not a bad idea to set a good example

As you may have seen in last week’s Fort Bend Star, the Fort Bend ISD board last week voted on long-contentious revisions to the district’s policy on selecting and retaining books in the district’s libraries. I touched on that issue in a previous column, so I won’t revisit it here.

The new policy has been adopted, and I trust the administration will work diligently to implement it in a fair and measured way.

But I do want to talk about something else that happened during that meeting which my news story didn’t delve into. The meeting occurred on a Monday night, which happens to be when I’m putting the print edition of the paper together. The demands of newspaper deadlines being what they are, it can sometimes be hard to squeeze in everything from any given meeting.

That something else was a long-debated change to the ethics policy and operating procedures for the board members themselves. This didn’t get as much traction in the media (this newspaper included) as the library books policy, but it is important not only to the elected board members but also to their young charges and the community at large. The most salient feature

of the revisions dealt with how board members comport themselves in public and with each other, both in person and in written communications – including on social media.

As I’ve mentioned before, I grew up mostly in Alief, not too far away from Fort Bend. It’s been a few decades, but I can honestly say that as a high school student, I paid little attention to the doings of the Alief ISD board. The administration building was actually just across the street from my high school. I worked on the school newspaper, and I sometimes was tasked with bringing papers and other materials over to the building. Other than that, I don’t remember ever setting foot in the place, much less attending school board meetings. I doubt I could have named a single board member.

Of course, that was in a different era. Today we have something called “social media,” and it seems everyone’s on it – young people especially. The Fort Bend Star now has a couple of Youth Columnists (we’re always on the lookout for more; if interested, send an email to editor@fortbendtar.com), and one of them, Ridge Point High School student Eva K. Morris, has written about the pressures that teenagers can fall victim to through their use of social media. Uncool teenager that I was in high school before the Internet, I can barely imagine what it must be like for young people today.

But if you spend much time on social media, you know that adults are not immune to those same pressures. We’re subject to the same social pressures to show off our best selves (or imagined best selves), to compare ourselves with our peers, and – sadly, all too often – to lash out at

Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Mixed Beverage by Karma, LLC dba Karmas to be located at 4899 HWY 6, Suite 112 and 113. Missouri City, Fort Bend County, Texas. Officers of said corporation are Kimberly Singleton

LEGAL NOTICE

Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Brewer’s License by Eighty-Two Beverages LLC dba Bad Batch Brewing Company, to be located at 12626 Dairy Ashford Rd STE B, Sugar Land, Fort Bend, Texas. Officers of said corporation are Owners Joel Martin and Kendra Martin.

people we don’t like and/or disagree with.

The discussion during last week’s Fort Bend ISD board meeting was extensive, and sometimes a bit heated. But the changes that were ultimately voted on and approved by a majority seemed to me to be fairly uncontroversial. As I understand it, the new policies include an expectation that all board members treat each other, and others, with a modicum of respect and civility. That should be reflected not just in their own interpersonal interactions, but in their postings on social media as well.

If you’ve been reading my columns for a while, you know that a return to civility in our lives and in politics is something for which I’ve long advocated. For far too long, we’ve been living in a world where the ability to lash out at and denigrate people we disagree with on some issue or another is not only seemingly acceptable but rewarded. Jonathan Haidt, a psychologist and professor at New York University, is someone whose work I’ve ad-

mired for some time (I highly recommend his well-known 2012 book “The Righteous Mind”). In more recent work, he traces the origins of this particularly nasty form of discourse to the introduction of the “retweet” function on the former Twitter, now called X, and Facebook’s answer with the “repost” function.

I don’t have to tell you that we’re in the midst of a highly contested election. The recent change in the Presidential race has scrambled what had previously seemed was going to be a long, hard slog. The dynamics of the race may have changed abruptly, but I think we all expect that there is still going to be a lot of nastiness in the just over two months before Election Day. Whatever the outcome, there is likely to be even more nastiness after that.

In an earlier column, I noted that the old saying (often ascribed to former U.S. Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil) that “all politics is local” has lately been turned on its head. “With each passing election cycle,” I wrote,

“it seems that every race, at every level – from members of Congress down to dog catcher – becomes embroiled in every issue, every controversy, every culture war skirmish that comes along in our 24-7 news cycle.”

And yes, this is happening in our own Fort Bend County. In a place that is undergoing as much change – demographic, political, and economic – as Fort Bend is, that’s to be expected. The great shifts that the country at large are undergoing are being played out with a very hyperlocal emphasis here. Sadly, it seems only natural that those shifts bring with them the same kind of overheated discourse that we’ve seen at the national level.

And that’s what was at stake in the Fort Bend ISD board’s recent vote on its ethics policy, particularly when it comes to social media. Of course, members of the board, like all elected officials, enjoy the same First Amendment rights of self-expression that all Americans enjoy (and which are the basis of my profession). But as I noted in

another recent column, rights also come with responsibilities. Just because you have a right to say something in the moment doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best, the wisest, or the most productive thing to do. And, I dare say, that’s particularly important for someone who has responsibility over the education of one of the largest and most diverse public school districts in the state of Texas. Back when I was growing up in Alief, not only could I not have named any of the school board members, I don’t think I knew much about the issues at play - except perhaps the “don’t pass, don’t play” mandate that was then in vogue in Texas. I was too occupied with my own adolescent struggles and occasional triumphs. Today’s young people, who are growing up in a much more hyperconnected world, are probably much more aware than I was. And I dare say they are paying close attention.

Fountain keeps his composure (usually) at KFountain@ fortbendstar.com

STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COUNTY CIVIL DIVISION

ShortTermFinancial, L.L.C dba Americash Loans 2400 E. Devon Ave, Suite 300 Des Plaines IL 60018

Plaintiff,

JEROME LANDRY 14902 STONELICK BRIDGE LN SUGAR LAND TX 77498

Defendant.

vs. Case No.: 2024CV004151

Classification Code: 30301

The amount claimed is over $10,000.

PUBLICATION SUMMONS

THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, To the person named above as a defendant

You are hereby notified that the plaintiff named above has filed a lawsuit or other legal action against you. The complaint, which is attached, states the nature and basis of the legal action.

Within 40 (forty) days after August 15, 2024, you must respond with a written answer, as that term is used in Chapter 802 of the Wisconsin Statutes, to the complaint. The court may reject or disregard an answer that does not follow the requirements of the statutes. The answer must be sent or delivered to the court, whose address is 901 N 9TH STREET MILWAUKEE, WI 53233 and to Dobberstein Law Firm, LLC, the plaintiff’s attorneys, whose address is 225 S. Executive Drive, Brookfield, Wisconsin 53005. You may have an attorney help or represent you.

If you do not provide a proper answer within 40 (forty) days, the court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the complaint, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the complaint. A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future, and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property.

Dated this 12th day of August, 2024.

MAILING ADDRESS:

225 S. Executive Dr. Brookfield, WI 53005 (262) 641-3715

DOBBERSTEIN LAW FIRM, LLC

Attorneys for the plaintiff

Electronically signed by Jillian E Caggiano

Jillian E Caggiano

State Bar No. 1101032

ken

ONGOING

AMARO INJURY LAWYERS

PROJECT BACKPACK

Saturday, August 10th 10 a.m. - Noon At Constellation Field Parking Lot

1 Stadium Drive, Sugar Land, Texas.

Free backpacks for families in Fort Bend ISD and Lamar Consolidated ISD. Must be present and registration required. Check out our event information on Facebook and register today.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE GRAND PARKWAY BAPTIST CHURCH

In conjunction with the Literacy Council of Fort Bend Bend County, GPBC will offer ESL classes on Tuesday nights from mid August 2024 through May 2025. We are located at 12000 FM 1464 Richmond across from Austin HS. 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 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.

EMMY-NOMINATED FORT BEND BOYS CHOIR HOLDING AUDITIONS

The Fort Bend Boys Choir is seeking talented young boys who like music and singing. If know of one, encourage him to audition for our award-winning and Emmy-Nominated Fort Bend Boys Choir! No experience is necessary and boys should be around eight years of age or older with an unchanged voice. 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 webpage at www. fbbctx.org or call (281) 240-3800 for more details about auditions. Benefits as a choir member include greater self-esteem and self-confidence, better work ethic and a sense of belonging and community. A boy’s voice has an expiration date so it is important to audition when boys’ voices are still unchanged. Auditions are free!

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, 832-9874193, dean7351@gmail.com We just started a new evening club also. Contact me for more info.

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

tainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more

5920 or 281-499-3345.

Fort Bend libraries offer demonstrations of online collections in September

Throughout September, Fort Bend County Libraries will hold demonstrations of EBSCO’s MasterFILE(tm) Complete - an online collection of journals, magazines, newspapers, and reference ebooks.

Attendees will learn how to search this online resource for complete articles from Consumer Reports, U.S. News & World Report, TIME, Better Homes & Gardens, Sports Illustrated, and more. The demonstrations will take place at the following locations in September, but those who are interested may also inquire about this resource at any time at any FBCL location.

• Tuesday, September 10, 2-3 p.m. - Sienna Branch Li-

brary (8411 Sienna Springs Blvd, Missouri City) Registration is required.

• Monday, September 16, 6-7 p.m. - Cinco Ranch Branch Library (2620 Commercial Center Blvd, Katy) Registration is required.

• Wednesday, September 25, 10:30-11:30 a.m. - Sugar Land Branch Library (550 Eldridge) Registration is required.

• Thursday, September 26, 6:30-7:30 pm - Sugar Land Branch Library (550 Eldridge) Registration is required.

MasterFILE Complete is a comprehensive online research collection which houses thousands of articles, periodicals, topic overviews, and more. Covering virtually every subject area of general interest, the

resource contains full-text articles for nearly 1,000 reference books and more than 100,000 primary-source documents, as well as an image collection with more than 2 million photos, maps, and flags.

MasterFILE Complete also includes 75,000 videos from the Associated Press, as well as full-text encyclopedias and reference titles from highly regarded sources from the world’s leading educational publishers and university presses.

The collection covers a broad range of general reference subjects, including biography, business, history, architecture, literature, cooking, health and wellness, science, self-help, religion, current events, sports, travel, multicultural issues, and more.

Fort Bend County Libraries offers free access to MasterFILE Complete for library cardholders, who can access the online resource remotely through the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib. tx.us), from desktop computers or mobile devices. Simply click on the “Research” tab, then “Digital Resources & Databases,” and select the “Alphabetical” option.

Users have the ability to set up a personalized account for saving articles. An alphabetical listing makes finding journals and magazines simple and quick.

The demonstrations in September are free and open to the public. To register for a demonstration, visit Fort Bend County Libraries’ website (www. fortbend.lib.tx.us), click on

Public meeting on proposed Sugar Land power plant set for Sept. 5

A second public meeting on a proposed power plant meant to stabilize electricity generation for the city of Sugar Land will be held on Thursday, September 5, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Sugar Land City Hall, 2700 Town Center Blvd North. The meeting is hosted by the Telfair HOA.

In May, the City Council unanimously approved an option to enter into a ground lease with Wärtsilä Development, a Finland-based company that among other things builds and operates power plants in many countries around the globe, including six currently in Texas.

The option is for an 8-acre site tract of cityowned land at the former site of the Central Prison Unit, adjacent to the Sugar

Land Regional Airport. The option is subject to annual renewal based on the company’s ability to complete a Full Interconnection Study required by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT. As of now, the proposed plant would be completed in late 2027 or early 2028.

The proposed natural gas-fired plant would meet the minimum 100 megawatt requirement for the company to apply for financing from the Texas Energy Fund, a program enacted by the Texas Legislature in 2023 to “provide grants and loans to finance the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric facilities in Texas.” The plant would also meet existing ERCOT requirements “as an ancillary plant to supply demand of electricity on the

grid and mitigate real-time operational issues,” according to the item the council approved in May.

An initial public meeting hosted on August 21 by the New Territory HOA drew hundreds of people and included comments by dozens of residents who opposed the proposed plant because of a variety of concerns, including potential impacts on air and water quality, noise pollution, and traffic impacts.

A third public meeting, hosted by the Fort Bend Historical Commission, is scheduled for November 19 beginning at 3 p.m. at the Landmark Community Center, 100 Louisiana St. in Missouri City.

More information about the proposal can be found at sugarlandtx.gov/2708/ Rapid-Start-Power-PlantProject.

Expertise Matters When You Need

BACK AND NECK CARE

Spine Specialists Serving Fort Bend County and Surrounding Areas

If you suffer from back and neck pain, Houston Methodist Neuroscience & Spine Center at Sugar Land delivers comprehensive spine care with treatment options ranging from nonsurgical and minimally invasive procedures to highly complex spine surgery. Whether you are experiencing everyday discomfort or severe pain from a significant condition or injury, our spine specialists offer advanced, personalized care — so you can get back to an active life.

At Houston Methodist Sugar Land, you’ll have access to:

A multidisciplinary team of board-certified doctors and specialists

• Personalized treatment plans

Advanced, state-of-the-art technology

A second public meeting on a proposed power plant in the city of Sugar Land will be held on September 5 at Sugar Land City Hall. File photo by Ken Fountain

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