Missouri City native Holmes supports U.S. Navy helicopter squadron
By Ensign Joash Ward NAVY OFFICE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH
SAN DIEGO – Petty
Officer 1st Class Dustin
Holmes, a native of Missouri City, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (COMHSMWINGPAC), according to a story from the military service. He graduated from Thurgood Marshall High School in 2008. Holmes joined the Navy 16 years ago. Today, he serves as an engineman.
“I joined the Navy because I wanted to make something better of myself and be financially stable,” said Holmes. “I also wanted to have money for college. I’m in school right now, paying for it with the programs that are available to us. I wanted to set my life up to become the best version of myself, and realize my potential. I wanted to be a team player, financially stable and physically fit. At 18, I didn’t have the confidence and charisma that I have now, I got them from my time in the service.” Holmes said the skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those he learned growing up in Missouri City.
“I’ve learned how to turn nothing into something,” said Holmes. “That means turning the worst situation into a good situation. A lot of times in the military and in my life, I’ve had the mental fortitude to change that into a positive outcome. My hard work ethic and drive have helped me become something of myself. And, my football coached taught me good leadership skills. I wanted to carry those lessons on in the military.” According to Navy officials, members of COMHSMWINGPAC fly and maintain the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, the Navy’s most advanced rotary wing maritime strike platform. The Navy MH-60R is able to perform many different missions. Some of the most common operations include strikes on maritime targets, submarine hunting and attack, electronic warfare, search and rescue, medical evacuations and supply support.
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
With just weeks to go before Election Day, Taral Patel, the Democratic candidate for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner, was arraigned Friday on four misdemeanor charges of online misrepresentation of identity in a Fort Bend County courtroom. He is set to be arraigned on four felony counts of online impersonation in another courtroom on September 23.
Community Reports
A Fort Bend ISD alum recently won nearly $300,000 on the ABC game show “Press Your Luck.”
Former Ridge Point High School student Gabby Metoyer might have gone on to win the $1 million grand prize or she might have lost everything, but she received some timely advice on stage, according to a news release from the district.
Contestants on the show answer general trivia questions to earn chances to “spin” the big board hoping to land on spaces that bring them cash and prizes. However, if they “press their luck” and keep spinning they could land on a “whammy” which wipes out all cash and prizes they have accumulated.
Metoyer was allowed to bring one advisor with her, and she chose her mother, Ermita, who told her, “It’s time to go,” at a crucial moment when Metoyer had to decide whether to press her luck or stop playing.
Ermita Metoyer is a FBISD math and science educator who has taught at Sienna Crossing Elementary School for nearly 15 years.
“I just wanted to reassure her that whatever she decided to do, I was with her but the whole time I was hoping she would certainly walk away because I felt she had gone there and achieved what she wanted to do,” Ermita Metoyer said.
Gabby Metoyer’s haul from the show included
Staff Reports
As the summer temperatures climbed in August, Houston’s housing market experienced a cooldown. The slower sales volume enabled inventory to expand and prices to moderate, creating a positive landscape for home buyers, according to the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR). According to the HAR’s August 2024 Market Update, single-family home sales across the Greater Houston area declined 8.3 percent
Patel was indicted September 3 by a Fort Bend County grand jury on the eight total charges related to his race for the commissioner’s court seat. Last week’s court appearance at the Fort Bend Justice Center in Richmond was Patel’s since the first charges were filed against him in June.
Patel’s appearance on Friday was brief. After numerous other misdemeanor defendants had already checked in with the court, Patel, accompanied by his
Houston attorney Frank Yeveryno and another, unidentified man, walked into the courtroom and remained seated for only a few minutes before a court employee told him he was free to go.
Patel, his attorney and the other man then briskly left the courthouse. He made no statements, either as he walked into the courtroom or left. A lawyer not associated with the case told reporters that such a brief appearance was not unusual for a first court appearance.
The indictments came after a nearly year-long investigation by the Public Integrity Office of the Fort Bend District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Rangers of Patel, a former chief of staff to County Judge KP George and Biden White House employee who scored a slim majority in a five-person Democratic primary in March.
Patel, who is an IndianAmerican and a Hindu, was arrested and charged in June with felony and misdemeanor counts of online imperson-
$199,000 in cash and $100,000 in prizes that show producers personalized especially for her – including an ultimate birthday bash to include 100 guests and a year of fitness sessions with a personal trainer who works with the Houston Texans.
“The whole experience was amazing and even if I had lost everything it still would have been an insanely incredible experience,”
Gabby Metoyer said, still enthusiastic months after taping the episode.
“During the taping, I was so glad it was cold in the studio because I felt nervous and hot,” Gabby Metoyer said. Taping day began at 8 a.m. with a practice round, then it
year-over-year. The HAR Multiple Listing Service (MLS) recorded sales of 7,340 units compared to 8,006 last August. Inventory expanded from a 3.2-months supply to 4.5 months, which is the highest since September 2012. The luxury segment ($1 million+), which represents 4.1 percent of all home sales in August, had the strongest performance, with a 2.0 percent increase in sales. All other housing segments experienced slower sales in August. Homes priced between $100,000 and $149,000
was off to hair, wardrobe and makeup. There were assistants standing by to attend to her every need.
saw the biggest decline, with closings down 13.2 percent year-over-year. That segment made up just 2.2 percent of the overall market.
The average price of a single-family home edged up by 0.9 percent to $421,912 while the median price declined slightly, 0.3 percent, to $336,940.
“Although sales have slowed, the Houston housing market is still in good shape,” said HAR Chair
“I felt like a celebrity,” she said.
Gabby Metoyer’s “Press Your Luck” episode kicked off the show’s sixth season. It aired in July and she and her mother were sworn to secrecy about the outcome until the show was broadcast. They were not even allowed to tell Gabby’s dad and sisters how she fared on the show.
When they all watched the episode together and saw how well Gabby Metoyer did, “the room erupted,” she said.
Gabby Metoyer made it onto the show by answering a call for contestants on Instagram. Being a fan of the show’s host, actress Elizabeth Banks, the recent college grad said she knew
ation and misrepresentation relating to allegedly creating another false Facebook account, under the name “Antonio Scalywag” and using a photo of another county resident, Patrick Ernst, in order to post false, racist messages about himself and others related to the campaign.
In the November 5 election, Patel faces longtime Republican incumbent Andy
she had to apply. She sent in a video, thinking nothing would probably come of it, but she was stunned to get a call the very next day. After auditions, including a Zoom call, the show flew Gabby and her mom to Los Angeles.
She said the two of them shared a special field trip while there for the show.
Ermita Metoyerwas in the inaugural class of Teach for America educators and her first assignment was in South Central LA. She was teaching at the school when the Rodney King riots erupted in 1992.
Ermita Metoyer took her daughter to her old school’s neighborhood where she also used to live.
“It looked like nothing had changed,” she said. “The kids we saw in the area looked the same as the kids I taught decades ago.” Gabby Metoyer said it was a special moment that “felt like a homecoming” for her mother and her.
Gabby Metoyer works as a consultant for the Veterans Affairs department and as she contemplates the possibility of future TV opportunities, she said she might look into being a contestant on “The Bachelor.” But for now, she is keeping her day job and managing her winnings wisely. She plans to “take a big chunk out” of her student loan debts and purchase a home of her own.
“We are really proud of her,” her mother said.
“Press Your Luck” airs Thursday nights on ABC at 7 p.m.
Fort Bend ISD alum Gabby Metoyer is seen as a contestant of the ABC game show
Your Luck” with host Elizabeth Banks. Courtesy Fort Bend ISD
Ermita Metoyer beams as she watches her daughter, Gabby, participate in a taping of the ABC game show “Press Your Luck.” Courtesy Fort Bend ISD
Space Cowboys beat Reno 5-4 in final home game of season - Page 8
Legal Notice
Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Winery Permit by Alarich Distributing, LLC, dba Alarich Wines, to be located at 12999 Murphy Rd., Suite 2M17, Stafford, Fort Bend, Texas. Members and/or Officers: Fouad and Phylis Alameddin
Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Mixed Beverage License by FW Sienna LLC dba First Watch Daytime Café Missouri City to be located at 9004 Sienna Crossing Dr. Suite 200, Missouri City, Fort Bend County, Texas. Manager and officer of said LLC is Joseph M. Haik, President, Secretary & Treasurer.
LEGAL NOTICE
Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a (MB) Mixed Beverage by Dog Haus Missouri City, LLC dba Dog Haus Biergarten, to be located at 5414 Hwy 6, Missouri City, Fort Bend, Texas. Members of said corporation are Dog Haus Management LLC, Member; Andre C. Vener, Managing Member; Hagop A. Giragossian, Managing Member and Quasim S. Riaz, Managing Member.
Meyers in the Precinct 3 commissioner’s seat race. After those initial charges, news dribbled out of search warrants seeking online, phone, and computer records in the investigation, including allegations that Patel had created a false Facebook account under the name of of 240th District Court Judge Surrendran Pattel and used it to create a false one-onchat with the judge to show that the judge “had hostility toward Taral Patel and Fort Bend County Judge KP George.”
In the felony charges, Patel is accused of creating false
online personas using the names or likenesses of five people: Emst (under the name “Antonio Scalywag”); Pattell; Paul Rosenstein, a former county employee; Patrick Rosenberg; Laura Blommaert (“Jennifer Tremaine”); and Gregg White (“Jane Donnie”). A hearing in the misdemeanor cases is set for November 12.
Ninety percent of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables. Navy officials stress that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the nation.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
“My proudest accomplishment is not my own, but getting to see the sail-
ors below me,” said Holmes. “Getting to teach them the things they needed to be successful is my favorite part. In my last ship, I trained the 100 percent of the ship in damage control. I am proud of becoming a mentor.”
“At this point in my career, I am serving the people who serve our country,” Holmes said. “I work in equal opportunity program for the Navy. I’m a director at my command, and I ensure that all of my subordinate commands are being treated fairly, with dignity, honor and respect. All those things are true to me because the military was a different place 16 years ago. I wasn’t always treated fairly. I got looked over for advancement at
times. Now, I get to enforce the rules and help to make this organization fairer.” Holmes credits his family among others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my little brother, Justin,” he said. “He passed away. He was a good person and he always treated people fairly. I also want to give a shoutout to my dad, Douglas, and mom, Erma.”
“The military has helped me reach a level in life I never dreamed of,” Holmes said. “I own a house in Southern California. I’ve traveled the world. I’ve been to 12 countries so far. Being able to experience different cultures and give back to people around the world has been amazing.”
Taral Patel, center, the Democratic candidate for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner, walks into a courtroom to be arraigned on four misdemeanor charges last week. He is accompanied by his attorney Frank Yeveryno and another, unidentified man. Photo by Ken Fountain
Rhythm & Rebounds: The harmonious journey of Staci and
Randy Hawkins
In the diversely innovative community of Missouri City, where the echoes of basketballs and the beats of music seamlessly blend, Coaches Staci and Randy Hawkins are using their expertise and experience to redefine how we improve physical and mental health at Hawk Athletics Academy. In May 2024, this married dynamic duo launched an environment where basketball is not just a game, but a rhythmic journey that integrates the arts, culture, and personal growth, while simultaneously teaching us how to live and thrive offline. Basketball and music have always shared a deep connection, united by their rhythm, energy, and capacity to bring people together. The Hawkins are harnessing this synergy at Hawk Athletics Academy to foster not only athletic skills but also life skills in people from as young as five years old to adults. They do this through their fitness programs, small group sessions, camps, clinics, and personalized individual trainings. Their motto, “Prepare for an
epic transformation to level up,” embodies their commitment to developing character, passion, and resilience in every player.
Randy Hawkins, with over 30 years of experience playing and coaching basketball, draws an insightful parallel between basketball and music. "Basketball provides a sense of personal identity and relaxation, much like how music does," he explains. "In our training sessions, we always incorporate music. It helps athletes get into their zone and creates an environment that feels both motivating and comforting."
This fusion of music and sport is more than a mere novelty; it's a deliberate strategy to enhance focus,
mood, and performance on the court.
Staci Hawkins, who brings over 20 years of playing experience and a robust coaching background, emphasizes the importance of rhythm in sports. "Rhythm is crucial in basketball," she says. "We sometimes take the basketball out of the equation to focus purely on the movement and rhythm of the game. Understanding your steps, turns, and body positioning helps athletes become more mindful of their actions, which translates into better performance when the ball is back in play."
Their approach reflects a broader trend where sports and the arts intersect, creating holistic experiences that nurture not just athletic ability but also artistic sensibilities. The integration of music into training sessions provides athletes with a more nuanced understanding of rhythm and flow, which significantly improves their gameplay.
The impact of this innovative approach extends beyond the court. The Hawkins's commitment
to combining sports with personal development is resonating deeply within the Fort Bend community. Their academy serves as a sanctuary where young athletes can grow both physically and emotionally, finding a sense of belonging and purpose. They focus on developing the range of athletic and mental skills that help their students get Ws both on and off the court.
This philosophy is reinforced by "Severe" Amir Borhani, Captain of the Houston Rockets Ultra Red Rowdies, who sees the value and necessity of programs like Hawk Athletics Academy. “Music and basketball are interwoven," he says.
According to “Severe” Amir, “Basketball is an art form that aligns with rhythm, dance, and a sense of purpose. It’s important for our youth to engage in something positive and be part of a community.
Hawk Athletics Academy provides that positive environment, helping kids learn a sport, build relationships, and stay engaged in something meaningful.”
The personal stories of the couple are also a source of inspiration. Staci, the first woman to be head coach of the women’s basketball team at Lone Star College-Kingwood, and Randy, the head middle school basketball coach at Horizon Leadership Academy, bring a wealth of experience and a shared passion for basketball to their academy. Their diverse coaching backgrounds — from church teams to league teams — enhance their ability to connect with athletes of all skill levels and backgrounds. They are committed to conveying the idea that basketball as an art form and not just about enhancing athletic skills — it’s about fostering a well-rounded development that prepares people for all aspects of life. By integrating music into their training and emphasizing the rhythm of movement, the pair helps their clients dance through fires they may face in life. They said Katy Perry’s anthemic song, "Roar", aptly captures Hawk Athletic Academy’s winning and resilient mindset. They’re champions and we’re gonna
hear them roar. The couple are instilling positivity, discipline, and confidence in our Fort Bend community. Their innovative approach is not only redefining how basketball is taught but also demonstrating the powerful intersection of sports, arts, and personal development. For anyone looking to join this transformative journey, Hawk Athletics Academy stands out like a post player with three point range on the perimeter. Coaches Staci and Randy Hawkins are proving that the intersection of sports and the arts can create a powerful harmony, inspiring us to level up and transform our lives. For more information on training with Hawk Athletics Academy, visit hawkacademy.org.
Janet Sue Reid, "The Culinary Cowgirl", and Ryan Lee Reid, "The Piano Cowboy", 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.
Rhythm & Rebounds: Coach Staci Hawkins, Coach Randy Hawkins, Athletics Academy“Severe” Amir Borhani with the Ultra Red Rowdies. Photo montage by Janet Sue Reid; photos courtesy of Hawk Athletics Academy and “Severe” Amir Borhani (Captain of The Ultra Red Rowdies)
Ballet Folklorico Herencia Mexicana de Houston will perform
George Memorial Library on September 21. Courtesy Fort Bend County Libraries
EDITORIAL
Without rhyme or reason
Three blind mice. See how they run. They all ran after the farmer’s wife, Who cut off their tails with a carving knife, Did you ever see such a sight in your life, As three blind mice?
– English nursery rhyme, 1609
ssociated Press
A– Three blind mice pursued a farmer’s wife in Dreadful Falls, England, who cut off their tails with a carving knife, according to a police report. One neighbor, Josh Cumquat, said, “I heard her screaming, ‘Mice! Mice!’ then there was a terrible chopping sound.” Apparently there has not been a situation like this before in Dreadful Falls because no one had ever seen such a sight in their life.
Wall Street Journal
Prices in mice futures fell dramatically today as rumor spread that there is at least one instance of a crusade against them. Usually, brokers are not ones to panic, but as one executive at Scream & Shout Brothers said: “A rumor is as good as a fact. I advised all my clients to sell every stock beginning with M.” However, there has been
such a run on stocks of Blades ‘R’ Us and Rodent Assassins, Inc. that trading was halted.
Press Conference with President Joe Biden – In answer to your question, I feel that the three blind mice had, uh, the farmer’s wife was within her, uh, what was the question?
Variety – Boffo on the Cutting Edge! Bulletin from across the pond says three mice were de-tailed. This could doom the greenlight for the West End production, “Of Mice and Women.” The docudrama features a Brit gal who chopped off the back sides of three rampaging gray fuzzies. The 75-year-long run of Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” is on hold. Meanwhile George Clooney and Tom Cruise are going ahead with their multisquillion dollar extraz, “The Butcher of Dreadful Falls – The Musical.” Disney reports no change is planned for Mickey Mouse’s backside, but its worldwide parks are
suffering a steep drop in their passenger thrill, The Rodent Rapids, as some funsters claimed they had never seen such a sight in their life.
Press release from Gov. Greg Abbot’s office (He is on an economic development trip to Monaco) – This news from Britain of a poor farmer’s wife being terrorized by swarms of no doubt illegal immigrant mice is yet another horrid example of what happens when the Biden administration allows open borders. The perpetrators would never get into Texas to run rampant in our state, thanks to Operation Lone Star. But it shows what steps a farmer’s wife can take with a Charter School education. And the scoundrels would not be allowed to vote, either. I have never seen such a sight in my life. But it’s not my fault.
Local TV – Breaking News! This just in: Three
blind mice were maimed by a farmer’s wife in Dreadful Falls, England, which is not exactly in our viewing area but we do have tape showing a rat that was hit by a car in Conroe. There are shots of yellow police tape and blinking red lights and a reporter on the scene, with our SkyHigh HeloChopper hovering above. Here with a report is Scoop Nicehair who spoke with a neighbor who thought she heard something down the street. Go head, Scoop. National Rifle Association – An army of vicious mice attacked a farmer’s wife in England. Armed with only a carving knife, she managed to cut off their tails. You know those woke English. If she had an AR-15, she could have blasted those beasts to jelly. Here in the states, left-winger wussies are trying to weaken our God-giving Second Amendment rights by disarming patriotic citizens of their howitzers and bazookas. It’s a slippery slope. Next they will try to take away our carving knives.
Tucker Carlson
The New York Times –A trio of Mus musculus had their tails eternally rendered
asunder by a farmer’s wife in Dreadful Falls, England. She accused the animals of “running after me,” and is expected to plead self-defense in a court hearing next week.
See: “History of English Mice” Pages 12-14, a map of Dreadful Falls and the layout of the farmer’s wife’s kitchen Page 34-35 and our editorial, “What Does Mice Massacre Mean to Brexit?” Sources told the Times that in a nursery rhyme based on the gruesome story, the farmer’s wife is actually Henry VIII’s daughter Mary who restored Catholicism to England when she became queen. Among those who were executed for refusing to rejoin the Catholic fold were bishops Ridley and Latimer and Archbishop Cranmer. They were burned at the stake because they were too “blind” to see that the Catholic faith was the only true faith. See “Chronological Chart of the Evolution of Faith,” page 107-123.
ESPN – Tonight! Trash sports! A farmer’s wife takes on a trio of rabid rodents in an all-or- nothing smackdown.
Also: Hula Hoop Warriors as Toxic goes against Gang Green in barbed wire hoops and the Sisters of Perpetual Chastity go for the arm wres-
tling championship with the Arnold Schwarzenegger Mighty Muscles. You will never see such a sight in your life.
Kamala Harris – A farmer’s wife cut off the tails of three mice. I was for the wife but that was before I was for the mice.
Press release from Katy ISD - In keeping with a demand from Mothers Against Kitchen Violence, all mention, teaching or reference to the trio of blind mice who had their tails cut off by a farmer’s wife wielding a carving knife are prohibited. School library books containing this story will be burned, along with the librarian.
Sean Hannity on Fox News – A report from that liberal island of not-so-Great Britain is that a town aptly called Dread Falls because, like all American cities it’s probably run by corrupt Democrats, tells us an innocent child was viciously attacked by four-foot-long rabid rodents. She managed to save her life by cutting off their heads. This brings us to Kamala Harris’s leading the riot on our consulate in Benghazi. Unbelievable.
Ashby rhymes at ashby2@ comcast.net
55. Pick up 56. Wrath 57. Northeast 58. She launched ‘Just Say No’ 63. Cigar 65. Frozen spike 66. Unusual 67. Type of number
1. David Alan Grier 2. Someone who copies the words or behavior of another 3. Franklin is one 4. Where rockers play 5. Reduces 6. Datong Yungang Airport 7. Andy’s partner 8. A way to dry 9. Taka 10. Large constellation 11. Regrow 13. What a surgeon does 15. Cool!
17. Indigenous people of N. Africa 18. Goes great with cheese
Contains allusions
A supporter
__ Caesar, comedian
Some are great
Interpreted
Hits a pitch
Local area network
Soaking
Stimulates
Dash
Female sibling
Annul 44. Scattered fragments 46. Chili con __ 47. Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.)
49. Adult male
Not night 54. Starch
Zero
French coins
Ventilate
Greatest common devisor
Touchdown
Season of sadness
“Ican see her lying back in her satin dress / In a room where you do what you don’t confess / She’s been looking like a queen in a sailor’s dream / And she don’t always say what she really means” - Gordon Lightfoot, “Sundown” The terrain of America’s Pacific Northwest is stunning. Sweeping plains and massive mountains. It was there, nestled on the Eastern slopes of the Rockies, where I landed my first television news job. Helena is the capital of Montana, a town of about 24,000 when I arrived. If you like quiet, away-from-large -city living, it’s your kind of ZIP code. If the thought of a sparsely populated, wide expanse with winters that occasionally flirt with 40 below bothers you, it may not be your cup of Starbucks.
At the beginning of winter 1989, I made my way to Big Sky Ski Resort. I arrived unceremoniously at the resort, spent the day on the slopes, and slipped into the hotel cafe that night for a cheeseburger. My waitress immediately caught my eye. Probably among the most beautiful young women I’d ever seen. She took my order, delivered my plate and gave me the check. We barely spoke. But I remembered her.
MaRk
A year later, I saw her again, this time at a club back in Helena. I couldn’t believe it. She was even more stunning. Turns out that’s where she lived now.
For the next six months, we were inseparable. We hiked, at legendary ranch steak dinners and got very close. People talk of soulmates. If such things exist, she was mine. Unfortunately, I was offered an opportunity in another state months later, an option I had to take for the sake of my career.
I left the following March. D and I tried to make it work long distance. Ultimately, it wasn’t sustainable. Despite the distance, we talked by phone. Years went by. I moved to Nevada and invited her to visit. She did in 1994. I’ve never found the antidote to shake D from my memory, even through my 13-year marriage. She would always drift through my mind’s eye and leave in a lovingly nostalgic mist. The
only memory of her today lives in a 5 X 8 picture of us I kept on my dresser.
Last July, I was dissolving into a lonely moment and decided on the spot, 30 years after we’d last spoken, to find her. It wasn’t hard. I first stumbled on a funeral announcement in tribute to D’s beloved mother, who spent her life working in small nonprofit outfits that taught the mentally ill how to hold down a job. It also indicated that D was married with children, living in Minnesota. A few more inquiries led to her address. I decided to send her a greeting through snail mail. I didn’t want to put her marriage in jeopardy by texting and prompting any unwanted, unsolicited questions. I didn’t want to interrupt her life. But I was hoping for a peek. I just needed … something.
“Hey Stranger. Remember me? Hope you are well”. That’s all I said, and signed my name. Within a few days, I got an online response. “Hello?” The message said. “Of course I remember.” We exchanged info, and a week later planned a time to talk. I was at a supermarket here in Sugar Land.
“Do you want to talk in an hour?” she texted. “Of course, I replied. I raced home on my bicycle, completely saturated with anxiety and excitement. The phone rang 63 minutes
later, “Oh my God, D! How are you?” I asked. “I’m well,” she said.
The early conversation was heartening. We strolled back through the ski slopes and thin streets where we had discovered each other. She spoke of the photography business she owns with her husband. She told me about her kids. We discussed her college experience and trips back to Montana.
I was soon taken by her personal tragedies. Her first husband had died shortly after the birth of her first child. He’d been diagnosed with cancer when she was pregnant with their child. Her brother had taken his own life a few years ago, found dead in a hot tub after a Fentanyl overdose. It was a real “Mathew Perry” situation as she described it. Her mother had passed before that.
D had remarried, and assumed mother responsibilities to her new hubby’s children. He is a graphic artist. She is the main breadwinner.
The conversation turned to taxes, and how frustrated she was at the high rate she’d had to pay. She was not the same, that much slowly began to come into focus. She sounded like she’d been drinking. She seemed angry and frustrated and upset. None of this surprised me. She’d faced many tragedies and she was obviously under considerable
pressure. But the wheels soon came off our talk in short order.
D was not shy about which side of the political net she favored. She was especially mad about government tax dollars being used to help immigrants. She proclaimed how Washington was full of criminals, and she said anyone on my side of the net was a satanist. “I’m sorry? I contacted you after all these years to catch up and maybe be friends. I’m not a satanist.”
She told me how her governor had failed her state. And it was clear she was disgusted by people who shared my political beliefs. In an instant, the 34 years I’d known and remembered her were tainted when she discovered who and what I prefer, politically. She suddenly turned aggressive and very hostile. Those happy memories now held an asterisk, like a baseball stat that was now in doubt due to circumstance.
This wonderful, incredible, intelligent woman for whom I’d pined over decades found me politically repugnant. I’d never known her to make those sweeping judgements or shallow assumptions. I was saddened to find her this angry. How had I missed this?
Had she always been so opinionated without my noticing?
Did I do something wrong? I’ve had a few weeks to pro -
cess what happened. Clearly she had no idea the depths of my feelings for her, nor how much I admired her earlier self. She was unaware how I admired her style of being and how it always left me wanting. Was I disappointed? Yes, but not deeply. My revisionist fig leaf wasn’t loaded with a whole lot of purpose or specificity. It wasn’t designed with any measure of hope or intention. More like a foghorn in complete darkness, just to let her know I was out there and could harbor safe friendship.
But I would never have thought my fondness for D could be derailed decades later by politics. I can’t help thinking that the terrible things she’s had to endure have soured her views and created suspicion in people and distrust of government. But she’s not the same person. Not anymore. Our disagreement over election 2024 has ended my relationship with D. We stand firmly behind candidates the other doesn’t like. I don’t care. But she does. After I told her my affiliation, we were done. The photo we took together in 1990, the one on my dresser is now packed away in old boxes. I haven’t thought about her as much since.
Garay can be reached at
MarkGaray426@gmail.com
ugar Land City Council called a $350 million bond election for Nov. 5 to address public safety, streets, mobility and sidewalks, drainage, municipal facilities, and the planned animal shelter.
The election provides voters a choice to consider funding up to $350 million for proposed capital projects over the next five to seven years, which equates to approximately $300 million in project costs in 2024 dollars.
If voters approve the projects, the bonds will require a tax rate increase of no more than 5 cents, spread out over the next five to seven years. This will initially cost the average homeowner with a home valued at about $500,000 approximately $5 per month. This cost will increase annually, and by 2030, the monthly cost could rise to about $20 per month. This projection excludes property revaluation.
Bond projects were identified through years of public feedback including the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey, sentiment surveys and community meetings - as well as various master plans and City Council input.
Para obtener una copia de esta información en español, visite www.SugarLandTX.gov/SLBond2024
Thomas Mouton with Century 21 Exclusive Properties.
“Expanding inventory and easing mortgage rates are offering buyers more opportunities. A potential Fed rate cut later this month could further boost consumer confidence and home sales.”
August Monthly Market Comparison
August marked the fourth consecutive month where total property sales declined year-over-year. Sales were down 11.2 percent compared to the same time last year.
Total dollar volume fell 8.8 percent to $3.5 billion. Active listings, or the total number of available properties, were 29.3 percent above where they were in August 2023.
Single-Family Homes Update
In August, single-family home sales were down 8.3 percent year-over-year with a total of 7,340 units sold across the Greater Houston
area compared to 8,006 last August. The average price rose 0.9 percent to $421,912 while the median price declined slightly to $336,940. The price per square foot declined from $177 last year to $176.
More homes are continuing to hit the market, with active listings up 34.6 percent yearover-year. There were 30,841 single-family homes available in August, which is the highest since July 2011 when there were 32,096 active listings. Days on Market, or the actual time it took to sell a home, was up from 43 to 47 days.
Months of inventory of single-family homes expanded from a 3.2-months supply last August to 4.5 months—the most plentiful supply of homes since September 2012 when there was a 4.7-months supply. Housing inventory nationally stands at a 4.0-months supply, according to the latest report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). A 4.0- to 6.0-months supply is generally considered a “balanced market” in which neither buyer nor seller has an advantage. Broken out by housing seg-
ment, August sales performed as follows:
• $1 - $99,999: decreased 4.7 percent
• $100,000 - $149,999: decreased 13.2 percent
• $150,000 - $249,999: decreased 11.6 percent
• $250,000 - $499,999: decreased 6.5 percent
• $500,000 - $999,999: decreased 11.4 percent
• $1M and above: increased 2.0 percent
Townhouse/Condominium Update
August saw a further
decline in townhome and condominium sales, with sales dropping 16.7 percent to 475 units. The average price declined 1.2 percent to $258,952 while the median price was statistically flat at $226,000.
The inventory of townhomes and condominiums expanded from a 3.1-months supply in August 2023 to 5.5 months, which is the highest since August 2012 when it was 5.6 months.
Houston Real Estate Highlights in August
• Single-family home
sales declined 8.3 percent year-over-year;
• Days on Market (DOM) for single-family homes went from 43 to 47 days;
• Total property sales were down 11.2 percent with 8,730 units sold;
• Total dollar volume declined 8.8 percent to $3.5 billion;
• The single-family median price was down 0.3 percent to $336,940;
• The single-family average price rose 0.9 percent to $421,912;
• Single-family home
months of inventory registered a 4.5-months supply, up from 3.2 months last August;
• Townhome/condominium sales continued to decline, falling 16.7 percent, with the median price statistically flat at $226,000 and the average price declined 1.2 percent to $258,952.
This report is produced by the Houston Association of Realtors and is used by permission.
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.
Space Cowboys beat Reno 5-4 in final home game of season
By Amanda Perry APERRY@ASTROS.COM
With a tie game headed into the ninth, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys won Sunday afternoon’s contest in walk-off fashion against the Reno Aces, taking it 5-4 at Constellation Field in the last home game of the regular season. Sugar Land becomes the first team in Minor League Baseball to earn 90 wins this season and just the fifth team in the Pacific Coast League since 2001 to reach at least 90 wins.
RHP Wander Suero pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to send the game to the bottom half of the frame. On the brink of extra innings, LHP Kyle Backhus entered the game for Reno and issued backto-back walks to Hamilton and Tommy Sacco Jr. César Salazar bunted a sinker right in front of him, forcing
Backhus to make an offline throw to reach safely. With the bases juiced and Brice Matthews at the plate, Backhus hit Matthews with the first pitch of the at-bat to send the Space Cowboys to a walk-off win, their tenth of the season.
The Space Cowboys got on the board early in the first inning when Cooper Hummel knocked a base hit to centerfield and Zach Dezenzo reached on a walk to put two on with one out. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat against opener RHP Erich Uelmen, Trey Cabbage grounded a single through the right side to score Hummel. One pitch later, Jesús Bastidas lined another base hit to center, driving Dezenzo in for a two-run lead over the Aces.
With runners on the corners, Jacob Melton grounded out, allowing Cabbage to race home for another run.
Quincy Hamilton capped off the inning with an RBI double, sending Bastidas to score from second and giving
the Space Cowboys a 4-0 lead over Reno. After three scoreless innings from LHP Colton
Two weekend events mark start of fall
Community Reports
While the temperatures in southeast Texas don't yet seem to indicate fall has arrived (the equinox is actually on Sunday), but two area events on Saturday will mark the change of the seasons in style.
The city of Sugar Land will present its annual Fall Fest from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the Sugar Land Town Square plaza near U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 6. This year's Fall Fest will include food and entertainment for attendees of all ages.
The event is intended to offer something for every member of the family. The main stage will feature live, high-energy musical performances from Hybrid 7. The festival will also feature an artisans market with an array of products such as fashion accessories, tumblers, handcrafted wooden cutting and charcuterie boards, vibrant plants, garden décor and other finds. Attendees will also enjoy a delightful pumpkin patch sponsored by One Medical, hayrides, pumpkin carving instructions and demonstrations, an inflatable
corn maze, autumn-themed photo stations, showcase of Jurassic dinosaurs during lunchtime, face-painting and an arts and crafts station supported by Board and Brush. Sugar Land Town Square's Fish City Grill Restaurant will be onsite with special menu items. There will also be a variety of treats from other onsite vendors, including kettle corn, refreshing lemonade, roasted nuts, creamy ice cream and other sweet indulgences. Saint Arnold Brewing & Texas Leaguer Brewery will offer an assortment of beers.
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Sponsors include H-E-B, Baylor College of Medicine, Renewal by Anderson, CLS Health, Resort Vacations, Kinetic by Windstream, Rodeo Dental and AFC Urgent Care. Also on Saturday, from 58 p.m., the city of Missouri City will hold its annual October Fest celebration from 4-7 p.m. at the Quail Valley City Centre, 2880 La Quinta Drive. The event will feature traditional German beer and food, music, Wiener dog races and plenty of games and other competitions. Both events are free and open to the public.
Gordon, the lefty gave up the first Reno hit and run of the day on a solo home run from Jordan Lawlar.
Gordon finished his day after 74 pitches in 5.0 innings while giving up one run on three hits, walking a batter and striking out two.
In the top of the sixth, RHP Ray Gaither relieved Gordon and got the first two outs with ease before issuing a walk to Kyle Garlick. The next pitch, Ronaldo Hernández mashed a tworun home run to left-center, bringing Reno within one of the Space Cowboys.
On the first pitch RHP Rafael Montero (BS, 1) threw in the seventh, Andy Weber smacked a solo bomb to right field, tying the game up at four. Montero got the next two outs before walking the next three batters to load the bases.
The reliever was in a tight battle with Garlick, but
eventually got the slugger swinging on the eighth pitch of the at-bat to end the frame.
Blaze Alexander worked a one-out walk against RHP Luis Contreras in the top of the eighth and the Aces shortstop made his way to third on a stolen base and a deep flyout, but Contreras was able to strikeout A.J. Vukovich to end the inning. The Space Cowboys travel this week to Sacramento to take on the River Cats for the final regular-season series of the year.
Sugar Land Space Cowboys games can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online at https://player.listenlive. co/47381 and seen on MiLB. TV, MLB.TV and Bally Live.
Perry is a writer for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. This article is used by permission.
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The city of Missouri City's annual October Fest celebration this weekend is among the first area events of the fall. File photo by Ken Fountain
