After a unanimous vote last week, the Sugar Land City Council was expected on Tuesday (after the Fort Bend Star’s print deadline) to approve on second consideration a plan allowing a mosque to expand its current facility and make improvements to the property adjacent to the Barrington Place subdivision.
The vote brings to a close a more-than-yearlong process after Mayor Joe Zimmerman and the council told mosque leaders, after the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission had approved the plan, to work harder to address concerns raised by some members of the surrounding community.
At issue was a Conditional Use Permit for the Faison EMadinah Masjid on Alston Road, commonly referred to as the Alston Road Mosque, a converted two-story house on a property adjacent to the Alston Road Church of Christ and the Barrington Place neighborhood. Two other large Christian churches are in the immediate vicinity. City staff explained that the mosque is located on a property zoned for nonresidential neighborhood business. The Council passed an ordinance in 2016 requiring such businesses, including houses of worship, to apply for conditional use permits when building or improving upon their properties that are adjacent to residential areas. The Council is allowed to set certain conditions on these permits, staff explained.
The property was annexed by Sugar Land in 1985 and purchased by the DawatE-Islami in 2014, the same year that it was converted into a mosque and Islamic seminary. Two small improvements which did not require a permit were done in 2018. But because the mosque wants to expand the structures to more than 25 percent of the entire property, a conditional use permit is required, staff explained.
During the hearings before the Planning and Zoning Commission and Council in July 2023, several nearby residents raised concerns related to traffic, noise, drainage, and the height of a proposed minaret on the improved facility. Although the P&Z approved the mosque’s plan, with restrictions including an 8-foot-tall wooden fence and landscaping, the Council under Zimmerman’s lead the next month said that mosque leaders had not done enough to reach out to the surrounding community.
Judge denies writ seeking to quash George’s indictment
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
A Fort Bend County on Monday denied a writ by County Judge KP George’s attorney seeking to quash his indictment misrepresentation of identity on procedural grounds, keeping alive prosecutors’ criminal case against the county’s top elected official.
But Chad Dick, George’s attorney, told Judge Teana Watson that he would soon be submitting a second writ,
based on similar issues, following a re-indictment of George last week. No timeline was set for a new hearing. Watson made her ruling quickly after Dick and Assistant District Attorney Baldwin Chin spent about forty minutes making arguments.
On September 26, a Fort Bend County grand jury handed down an indictment against George on a single count of misrepresentation of identity of a political
candidate, a Class A misdemeanor. The charge alleges that George knew that his former chief of staff, Taral Patel, was using fake social media accounts to post false, racist social media messages about George, who like Patel is Indian-American, during George’s 2022 reelection campaign. The indictment alleges that George may have directed Patel to add language
Sugar Land Dia De Los Muertos Celebration
Sugar Land Heritage Foundation hosted the third annual Sugar Land Dia De Los Muertos Celebration at Sugar Land Town Square on Saturday. The holiday widely celebrated by people of Mexican heritage pays homage to people’s ancestors and loved ones The event featured traditional Latin cuisine, a street market, children’s activities and games, a historical display, a
Patel indicted for misdemeanor harassment
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
On September 14, the same day that Taral Patel was appearing in court for the first time on four felony counts of online impersonation, a Fort Bend County grand jury handed down a fifth indictment for the Democratic candidate for Precinct 3 Commissioner, this time for misdemeanor harassment.
On the same day, Patel was indicted on three new Class C misdemeanor counts of misappropriation of identity in which he is accused of using fake social media accounts to make
racist online comments about himself.
In the brief, one-page indictment, Patel is accused of sending “repeated electronic communications in a manner reasonably likely to harass, annoy, alarm, torment, embarrass, or offend A.D., namely be electronic mail.” The communications allegedly occurred between December 15, 2023 and April 1, 2024.
No other identification of the purported victim or specifics about the nature of the alleged or harassment are listed in the document.
A related summons requires Patel to appear in a Fort Bend
court on November 12. Patel was first 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. Although Patel has not made any official statements about the cases, his campaign has continued in the form of campaign signs and emails. Early voting in the November 5 election began on Monday and continues through Friday, November 1.
The Sugar Land City Council was expected this week to approve a permit for the expansion of the Faison E-Madinah Masjid on Alston Road, adjacent to the Barrington Place neighborhood.
Photo by Ken Fountain
Fort Bend County Judge KP George, accompanied by his attorney Chad Dick and staffers, enters a Fort Bend courtroom before a hearing in his misdemeanor case. Photo by Ken Fountain
Young dancers with Grupo Folklorico mi Barrio perform on the plaza of Sugar Land Town Square.
Collins High School Mariachi Tiger perform.
Some of the wares of vendor Garcia’s Artesania Mexicanas on display at the event. Photos by Ken Fountain
to his own social media postings reacting to the false attacks.
Patel, the Democratic candidate for Precinct 3 Commissioner, also faces several felony and misdemeanor charges related to the same events. Most recently, he was indicted last week on one county of online harassment, a misdemeanor.
At particular issue at Monday’s hearing was an early September ruling by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in a case called Ex parte Charette.
In that ruling, handed down in early September, the state’s highest criminal appeals court ruled that ruled that the elected official in that case was denied his due process rights when he was charged with campaign-law violations before the TEC, a nonpartisan body, could complete an investigation of the allegations and refer them to a court of law.
In his opening arguments, Dick said that the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, knowing about the findings in the Charette ruling, moved to quickly refer to the allegations against George in a letter to the TEC
just two days before seeking the indictment against him. It happened to be four years to the day after the start date of the allegations, the last day before the statute of limitations would run out, Dick said. Commissioners of the TEC concurrently held a meeting in which they passed an emergency rule allowing the commission to immediately refer the George matter to Fort Bend prosecutors, which they subsequently did, Dick argued. Dick argued that despite these machinations, the ruling in the Charette case, based on provisions of the Texas Constitution and the Texas Election Code, was the law at the time that prosecutors sought George’s indictment, which they had therefore violated.
Chin, a prosecutor with the Public Integrity Division of the Fort Bend District Attorney’s Office, countered that Dick’s writ was “moot” because of the referral letter from the TEC. Also, Chin argued, the Charette ruling is currently under appeal and a mandate in the case has not yet been issued by the court. Therefore, he said, it is not settled law.
Chin also strenuously objected to a line of argument about the motivations of mem-
bers of the TEC when they passed the emergency rule change, an objection which Watson sustained.
George, wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and no tie, sat attentively throughout the proceedings but did not speak. Neither he nor Dick answered reporters’ questions as they entered and left the courtroom. Dick did say he would soon be submitting a new writ, but didn’t say when.
In a written statement issued after Watson’s ruling, the prosecutor’s office said it is “committed to protecting the integrity of the political process in Fort Bend County, regardless of who is implicated in the offenses.
“Voters are entitled to a fair and transparent electoral system that is not undermined by deceptive, divisive, and inflammatory political communications. The misrepresentation of identity law – and this office’s enforcement of that law – is intended to deter others from engaging in the conduct described in Mr. George’s indictment. We look forward to presenting this case to a jury and seeing that justice is done in this important matter.”
Libraries to offer calligraphy workshops
Community Reports
Fort Bend County Libraries will host an "Introduction to Calligraphy" workshop on Saturday, October 26, from 11 a.m.-noon, in the Meeting Room of the First Colony Branch Library, 2121 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land. This class is for adults and teens. The class will be repeated on Saturday, November 9, from 11 a.m.-noon, at the Sugar Land Branch Library, 550 Eldridge. This class is
for adults. In this hands-on workshop, Young Audiences of Houston teaching artist Dr. Junrui Garcia will discuss the significance of handwriting in this digital age. Participants will explore why and how some cultures value handwriting and calligraphy and how they can turn daily writing into calligraphy art. Made possible by the Friends of the Library organizations that support these
libraries, this workshop is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, however, and reservations are required. To register online at the library's website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us), click on "Classes & Events," select the library, and find the program. Participants may also register by calling the First Colony Branch Library (281-238-2800), the Sugar Land Branch Library (281-238-2140), or by visiting the libraries.
Young Audiences of Houston teaching artist Dr. Junrui Garcia will present two "Introduction to Calligraphy" workshops at Fort Bend County libraries on Oct. 26, Nov. 9. Courtesy Fort Bend County Libraries
PANNILL FLETCHER
EDITORIAL
The glass is not half-empty — it’s dry
My mother was a worrier. One day I saw her frowning and I asked, “Mom, why the frown?” She replied, “Everything is going so well. That worries me.” Mom wasn’t a sourpuss or a wet blanket, quite the contrary, but she did worry – mostly about her children. I found it hard to argue her point. Why try to change her disposition? But let me try to change your disposition because, despite the cold, hard facts, Americans are worried and in a funk. First, we must look at our current situation: The stock market is at an all-time high and, every day breaks a record. Of course, there are mammoth exceptions, like Trump Media shares which have lost more than 60 percent of their value since the company’s public debut. If you invested in Bitcoins and didn’t sell when their price was skyrocketing, tough. Bitcoins are the biggest scam since Enron.
Incidentally, you did sell your Enron stock before Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling were
Lynn Ashby Columnist
ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
convicted of multi-billion dollar fraud and the stock became worthless, didn’t you? I’m doing fine – steam locomotives will make a comeback. Disco clubs and AstroWorld will, too. Although when my broker recommended, “You need to have liquidity in your portfolio,” I asked, “Why would I put a bottle of Ozarka in my briefcase?” He’ll be out if his appeal is granted.
The unemployment rate is 4.1 percent, an increase of 0.1 percent from a year ago, but generally it hasn’t been this low since Eisenhower was president. You see “Now Hiring” signs in store windows everywhere. Granted, the job market is selective. Currently there are no openings for Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis presidential campaign workers. Same for the Astronauts Return Party
Celebration. But they are now hiring at the Elon Musk Charm Schools. Donald Trump said in a recent interview on the Fox Business Channel that “the illegal migrants coming into the country are getting the jobs.” Wrong, Donald. As Paul Krugman of The New York Times points out: Employment among nativeborn Americans has been flat or declining in recent years. But not because they can’t find jobs; it’s happening because baby boomers are getting older, and more of them are reaching retirement and dropping out of the labor market. Foreign workers have nada to do with that. Still, illegal immigration, polls show, is also high on our worry list.
We’ve all seen those shots on TV of hordes of immigrants pouring across the southern border. The flow has greatly dwindled, but we have to wonder why just now President Joe Biden is belatedly closing the door. He’s a career pol, and you would think he knew way back when that his constituents were concerned. That inaction has thrown red meat to the GOP. The
Dems do that a lot.
Now let’s talk inflation, and/or the economy which polls show is another worry among Americans, and they want our next president to do something about it. Of course it’s a worry. Have you eaten at a restaurant lately? However, the Consumer Price Index rose 2.4 percent in the 12-months that ended in September. That’s quite an improvement compared to the 9.1 percent in 2022. The crime rate is down, even in the Houston area, but you wouldn’t know that if you listen to some of the campaign rhetoric poured out by you-know-who. Tip O’Neill observed: “All politics is local.” A journalism prof at UT once told my class: “Don’t ever write that a plane with 200 passengers crashed, but only one person was killed. If you are that one person, that plane crash was a major disaster.” So if you got mugged or your Lamborghini was stolen, crime is rampant. Tip was right.
Mark Twain supposedly said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on.” These days the truth is far behind. If we look at
the overall stats on what’s really going on in America, it’s basically good news. We don’t believe it. According to a new report from Mehlman Consulting, 73 percent of us believe the nation is on the wrong track, compared to 22 percent who believe it is going in the right direction. An ABC News/Ipsos poll came up with the same results. Republicans are overwhelmingly negative, with 95 percent thinking this country is heading in the wrong direction, followed with 76 percent of independents and 54 percent of Democrats. Get this: Across a range of issues asked in the poll, around a third of Americans say they don’t trust either political party. Why this cynicism? Why this distrust? In two words: Donald Trump, or in two more: Fox News (which is an oxymoron). More specifically, we are pessimistic because of the misinformation they dish out constantly. And, as we can see, it’s working. We are on a steady diet of negativism. Remember the old “Saturday Night Live” character Debby Downer. Someone would say, “It looks like a good spring,” and Debby would reply, “Yeah, if
Beleaguered believer
“Cause my heart’s become a crooked hotel full of rumours / But it’s I who pays the rent for these fingered-face out-oftuners / and I make 16 solid half hour friendships every evening” – Rodriguez, “Cause”
Iwon’t belabor just how incredible it is, the story of singersongwriter Sixto Rodriguez, known professionally as Rodriguez. A soulful artist with a natural talent for razor wire poetry and a strong capacity to make people like me cry, his is the most unlikely of stories. An overlooked genius whose recordings in the ‘70s were cult honored and mainstream ignored, until the discovery of his brilliance decades later. His observational phrasing and true world assault on what it feels like to be poor and alone are terrorizing to face and difficult to hear. He’s one of the few people who walks alongside Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie. His music
wasn’t just born on the streets, it was nurtured there, in the same places where the artist himself toiled in menial labor jobs around Detroit’s inner city. And through it all, Rodriguez is often saying musically, that he’s tired. I’m tired too. In fact, I’m exhausted. And maybe you are as well. For a solid decade, American politics has been working my nerves. I spent 25 years as a news professional, and yet I never cared as much about such matters as I do now. My visceral anger has been embarrassingly on display. I had to retire from Facebook in 2021 simply because I didn’t like who I was becoming. My high-profile online arguments with former news colleagues and
By Peggy d’Hemecourt
ADVANCED MASTER GARDENER
Nature is about to provide us with a valuable resource for soil improvement and plant health: Leaves. The autumn or fall season of the year brings cooler nighttime temperatures triggering deciduous trees to prepare for winter by dropping their leaves. The season name “fall” is thought to have originated in the 1500s to represent the fall of the leaf.
Fallen leaves, including pine needles, contain much of the nutrients that the tree extracted from the soil and the air during the growing season. This free nutrientrich organic matter can be used in the landscape, replicating the natural processes that occur in mature hardwood forests where leaves decompose in place over time improving soil structure, promoting microorganism growth that is essential to plant health, and serving as a slow-release fertilizer. Those who compost yard and kitchen waste know that leaves can be added to compost bins as “brown” material. Aside from composting, other ways to utilize fallen leaves in the landscape include mowing, mulching and tilling-in.
Mowing: Thin layers of fallen leaves can simply be mowed, especially if using a mulching mower, and left in place where they will slowly return their nutrients to the
we all aren’t dead by then.” The latest drowning, so to speak, of misinformation is about the federal government’s efforts to aid victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Biden (who seems to have disappeared) said, “Over the last few weeks, there has been a reckless, irresponsible, and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies that are disturbing people.” U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she knows the true culprit: “The federal government is literally controlling the weather, we’re controlling the weather. It’s beyond ridiculous. It’s so stupid. It’s got to stop.” Let’s stop Marjorie Taylor Greene. OK, let’s assume this good news is actually fake news. No one landed on the moon. It was a Hollywood stunt. Pro wrestling is real. The Astros’ bullpen won the playoffs but the Tigers beat on a trash can to signal their batters. Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential elections and you better watch out ‘cause Santa Claus is coming to town. My mother would worry about that. Ashby misinforms at ashby2@comcast.net
former college roommates made me feel like Scottish rebel William “Braveheart” Wallace in the heart of London. I won some, lost others. But no matter the outcome, I’d emerge weaker and slightly more emotionally fatigued. I recently reentered the platform, but under a new identity. And I’ve decided to limit my friends list to 12 people. No political discussions. I can’t help ask why now, after living through everything from Watergate to Monica-gate, that I’m elbowdeep in needless political anxiety and related sleep interruptions. I suppose like most other stories, it has something to do with the cast of characters. In this case, our presidential choices are vastly different. And at the time of this writing we are 15 days away from the election. Nobody’s really moving the 50-yard line at this point. Where he says she’s dumb, she calls him unhinged. When she calls him gullible, he calls her vacuous. At every juncture, the accusations have grown wilder, and the warnings more bizarre. McDonald’s. Revisionist his-
tories. Pets as cuisine. And now X-rated claims about golf legend Arnold Palmer. (Never saw that one coming). Sadly, the commercials and campaign rallies are read as gospel by too many people. And the text arguments never sway anyone, do they? The resulting frayed nerves and overdramatic reactions have gotten loud. Way too loud. So has the anger over things that aren’t true.
Comedian George Carlin once pointed out the absurdity and pomposity of human nature, by assuring environmentalists that litter won’t kill the planet. The earth, he argued, has been through a lot worse than us.
Likewise, I doubt the political decisions we make in two weeks will ruin the United States. Bad leaders are a reality for any country. But America has the Constitution. It’s our rulebook. And it works. Yes, our defining document has had to bend in the past, but it’s never snapped. Our democracy didn’t come with an owner’s manual. We’re slowly discovering what it means to be us as we volley from one
soil, benefiting the health of turfgrass.
Mulching: Leaves make excellent mulch, especially if they are first shredded, for example, using a lawn mower with a bagging attachment. Shredded leaves tend to stay in place during windy conditions better than leaves that haven’t been shredded. Adding a threeto-four-inch layer of mulch in planting beds, vegetable gardens, around trees and shrubs has many benefits: it shades the soil, helping to retain soil moisture; it deters new weed seeds from
and
interpretation to another. The United States will survive a Harris presidency. And it will survive another Trump administration. The only differences may lie in how long it takes to undo any perceived damage.
The reality is that the U.S. remains an enviable leader in the world. Our food and other supply lines are secure. We have adequate fuel to transport goods. Our military is strong and still feared. Most of us are working (unemployment sits at 4.1 percent). We have two porous borders that must be monitored, but two sea coasts that make any land invasion unlikely. In other words, we are OK. I say, let’s vote and trust that our institutions are op -
erating aboveboard. I think we could all use the sleep. Column Veggies: I recently discovered that Finland is doing something we should look into. Children starting in kindergarten there are being educated on how to avoid online misinformation. The required coursework runs through high school. It offers programs on how to recognize red flags and apply critical thinking. Kids are taught to research sources and judge claims on merit and trustworthiness. The classes have severely mitigated the negative consequences of lies on the web there. And Finland seems happier because of it.
Garay can be reached at MarkGaray426@gmail.com
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND PARTIES:
PowerSecure, Inc., has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for: Issuance of Permit 177578
This application would authorize construction of a compression ignition reciprocating internal combustion engine for non-emergency and emergency use at Target Store 2911 located at 12565 Arc Lane, Stafford, Fort Bend County, Texas 77477. Additional information concerning this application is contained in the public notice section of this newspaper.
STAFFORD MUNICIPAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
RFP # 25-001
RFP # 24-001
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR STAFFING AGENCY TO PROVIDE NURSES
Stafford Municipal School District is seeking request for proposals from qualified vendors to provide Speech and Language Services for the District. Proposal responses are due on or before November 20, 2024 by 2PM CST. Proposals can be found on the SMSD website at: https://www.staffordmsd.org/ departments/fiscal-responsibility
Stafford Municipal School District is seeking request for proposals from qualified agencies to provide Nurses for the District. Proposal responses are due on or before February 9th, 2024 by 2PM CST. Proposals can be found on the SMSD website at: https://www.staffordmsd.org/departments/ fiscal-responsibility
Woman convicted after using children to help her shoplift
Staff Reports
A Fort Bend County jury on September 25 convicted a Houston woman of misdemeanor theft in a shoplifting case in which she used her children to assist her, according to a press release from the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office.
Yoeli Araus Garcia, 31, accepted a 15-month probation in an agreement with prosecutors. Theft in this case is a Class A Misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and/or a fine up to $4,000.
According to lead prosecutor Gavin O’Brien, Stafford police were dispatched to the local Walmart in reference to a theft in February 2023. Upon arrival, Walmart asset protection officers directed them to two detained women and their three children. Two of the children, ages 5 and 6, belonged to Garcia, ages 5 and 6. One child belonged to a codefendant, age 5.
The investigation began when the defendants were seen entering Walmart with large, seemingly empty purses, along with three children who had backpacks that appeared empty as well. The two defendants also had a child’s car seat in the shopping cart with a blanket draped over it. Asset protection officers saw the women conceal items within the purses and car seat before they proceeded through checkout. The defendants paid for a few items but did not pay for any of the items they had concealed.
While on probation, Garcia must take anti-theft classes, complete community service hours, and have no contact with her co-actor nor Walmart. “Parents are supposed to lead by example and teach their children right from wrong,” O’Brien said in the release. “It is truly regrettable that the defendant chose to involve her children to commit theft. Our children are our future, and they deserve better.” Garcia was tried in County Court at Law No. 3 before Presiding Judge Juli Matthew. Assistant District Attorneys O’Brien and Govindi Pearce represented the state.
Garcia and her co-actor attempted to leave the store but were stopped by the store’s asset protection officers in the parking lot. Over a $1,000 worth of merchandise was recovered from the defendants’ purses, the car seat, and at least one of the children’s backpacks. The merchandise consisted mainly of shoes, clothing, and jewelry. Both defendants admitted to taking the items without paying. Police then took both defendants into custody, released the children into the custody of their father, and notified Child Protection Services of the incident. Garcia refused to take responsibility for her actions, though her co- defendant pleaded guilty. agreement with prosecutors, according to the release.
Yoeli Araus Garcia, 31, was convicted of misdemeanor theft after using her children to help her shoplift at a Stafford Wal-Mart. Courtesy Fort Bend District Attorney['s Office
Sugar Land Dia De Los Muertos Celebration
Drummers with Los Matachines de San Marcos perform.
Young accordionist Invicto to the Max plays with his father’s band on the steps of Sugar Land City Hall.
Dancers with Las Americas Folklorio Ballet perform.
Adam Carranza of Rosharon displays flowers for his wife Alheli Chavez's Belleza Arteanias booth.
Some of the items on display at the Sugar Land Heritage Foundation booth. Photos by Ken Fountain
A costumed attendee makes the rounds through the plaza.
Some of the costume contest participants strike a pose.
Costume contest participants Tommy Hernandez and Celine Gomez of Plano pose for the audience.
Since then, a series of meetings have taken place involving mosque members, Barrington Place residents and city staff. A new plan was submitted which reduced the height of the proposed minaret and changed the wooden fence to a masonry wall.
At last week’s meeting, about 15 members of the mosque spoke during public comments, many of them telling Council about the part the mosque had played in their lives, including a 20-year-old University of Houston student who has attended it her entire life. Some said they had diligently worked to allay the concerns of Barrington Place residents in the ensuing period.
A handful of Barrington Place residents, including the HOA president, either spoke against approval of the permit or expressed continuing reservations about it.
Some Council members said that while there were still concerns about the facility, particularly related to parking and noise, they seemed unanimous that the updated plan was as close as possible to meeting the desires of most of the people impacted.
“By golly, I think we’re there,” said Mayor Pro Tem Council member Suzanne Whatley, whose District 1 includes the mosque property and Barrington Place.
Zimmerman said he appreciated the fact that the mosque leaders had worked to allay the concerns of the Barrington Place residents.
“It seems we’ve gotten as close as we’re going to get,” he said. He said that there was a requirement that there would be enough parking spaces on the property to serve all of the mosque’s congregants.
District 2 Council member Naushad Kermally moved to approve the permit, seconded by Whatley. The measure passed with a vote of the full Council.
The project has two construction phases, city staff said. There is no specific timeline for completion, but if the facility does not submit a construction permit request for the first phase within two years of the CUP approval, the CUP would be terminated.
Leading Orthopedic Care to KEEP YOU MOVING
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Members of Houston Aztec Dance & Drum perform.
Members of Houston Aztec Dance & Drum perform on the plaza.
Ethan Luna, 6, and Scarlett Caldron, 7, of Missouri City take part in some of the arts-and-crafts activities. Children take part in some of the arts activities.
Dancers with Los Matachines de San Marcos perform on the plaza of Sugar Land Town Square.
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
Meets the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m., at 2701 Cypress Point Dr., Missouri City Rec Center. Lunch, education, and entertainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more information, call 713-8595920 or 281-499-3345.
