The 10-25-23 Edition of The Fort Bend Star by The Heights Leader, Fort Bend Star and The Greensheet

2023

READERS’ CHOICE

Ridge Point steams past Austin at Mercer Stadium - Page 4

281.690.4200 WEDNESDAY • OCTOBER 25, 2023

Man sentenced to 20 years in vehicularpedestrian collision death Staff Reports On October 18, a Fort Bend County jury sentenced Joaquin Adrian Lima to the maximum of 20 years in prison after convicting him of a collision causing death the day before. The 29-year-old Rosenberg man was tried for fleeing the scene of an auto- pedestrian collision that resulted in the death of the pedestrian in 2021, according to a news release from the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. According to Vehicular Crimes Chief Prosecutor Alison Baimbridge, Lima was driving a Pontiac Vibe northbound in the 14000 block of the I-69 service road the evening of Dec. 20, 2021, when he struck Austin Reese, a pedestrian. Lima fled the scene without rendering aid to Reese and did not call 911. Lima stopped at a nearby Sugar Land gas station to check on his vehicle, according to prosecutors Lima’s car was severely damaged, including significant front-end and windshield damage, loss of the right-side mirror, and back passenger window and fender damage. Lima then continued to his apartment where he was seen on surveillance video further inspecting the damage, phoning a friend, and then moving the vehicle to hide the damage. Meanwhile, Reese died at the scene. In the days that followed, Sugar Land detectives identified the vehicle using identifying numbers on car parts found at the scene and, with the assistance of DPS, located the vehicle with license plate cameras. Samples of glass and paint found on the victim’s body showed positive comparisons to known samples from the Lima’s vehicle. DNA collected from the vehicle also matched the victim’s DNA. Evidence presented at trial showed that Lima told his friends and family that the police were looking for him and not to talk with them if they called. Lima moved out of his apartment, bought a new car and changed his appearance to avoid responsibility. He was located and arrested about 10 days later.

SEE COLLISION PAGE 2

Joaquin Adrian Lima, 29, was sentenced last week to 20 years in prison in the December 2021 auto-pedestrian collision death of Austin Reese. Courtesy Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office

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Early voting in Fort Bend elections continues through Nov. 3 By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Early voting in the November 7 election began Monday at polling locations across Fort Bend County, where voters will consider two county bond propositions for mobility and parks projects, the second Fort Bend Independent School District voter-approved tax rate election (VATRE) in as many years, another VATRE from Stafford Municipal School District, and a bond proposal from Lamar Consolidated School District. Like their counterparts

Turnout was relatively light at the Missouri City City Hall polling location on Monday, the first day of early voting in the Nov. 7 elections. Early voting continues through Nov. 3. Photo by Ken Fountain

statewide, Fort Bend voters will also cast votes in 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. In an off-year election without any big-ticket elected positions on the ballot, turnout is expected to be light, although the bond propositions and tax-rate elections could drive particularly tuned-in voters to the polls. In recent days, the county’s total $865.6 million bond proposals, the largest in the county’s history, has garnered increased activity. The bond propositions consist of 98 mobility projects

for Proposition A for a total of $712.6 million and Proposition B related to parks projects for a total of $153 million. The Taxpayers Coalition, which describes itself as “a grassroots organization focused on financial transparency and accountability in local government,” has issued a series of opinion articles opposing the bonds, claiming that officials have obfuscated the impact the bond issues would have on taxpayers.

SEE ELECTIONS PAGE 2

Dia De Los Muertos

See Page 8 - for more photos from the Sugar Land Dia de los Meurtos Celebration

Young dancers from Grupo Folklorio Mi Barrio perform on the plaza of Sugar Land Town Square. Photo by Ken Fountain

Sugar Land P&Z to discuss Lake Pointe development district on Oct. 26 Staff Reports As the leadership of the City of Sugar Land continues its plans to transform the Lake Pointe area into a mixed-use development, the Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a workshop on Thursday, October 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Sugar Land Town Hall, 2700 Town Center Blvd. North. At the meeting. commission members will discuss the proposed Lake Pointe Redevelopment District, a new zoning code to encourage the redevelopment of Lake Pointe Plaza, currently home to the Fluor corporation’s Houston-area headquarters. When Fluor relocates from its existing

campus in mid-2024, they will leave behind a 52-acre redevelopment opportunity for the city. In August, Planned Community Developers, a company with deep roots in Sugar Land, announced plans to transform the site into a modern mixed-used development called Lake Pointe Plaza meant to capitalize on the latest trends in suburban development. At a July 19 combined workshop, the City Council gave direction to focus on a code to support redevelopment in the Lake Pointe Regional Activity Center. The Oct. 26 workshop is a continuation of the P&Z workshop held on September 28 and will focus on the necessary steps to prepare Lake

Pointe Plaza for future redevelopment opportunities, including the adoption of a Development Code update

to establish a new zoning district, rezoning of Lake Pointe Plaza, and revisions to the Land Use Plan.

For more information, visit www.sugarlandtx. gov/LakePointeRedevelopment.

This rendering depicts conceptual plans for Lake Pointe Plaza, a planned multi-use development announced by Planned Community Developers. The Lake Pointe area will be discussed at a Sugar Land Planning & Zoning Commission workshop on Thursday, October 26. Courtesy Gensler

THE STAR

PAGE 2 • Wednesday, October 25, 2023

ELECTIONS FROM PAGE 1

In one article, which was published as a guest column by the Fort Bend Star, the organization said that in public presentations on the bonds, county officials “misled taxpayers by stating that they have reduced the tax rate every year since 2008 and state that the county can take on more bond debt to the tune of $150 million per year. As we all know the appraisal rates have been double digit and our total tax bills have been increasing significantly.” Fort Bend County Judge KP George, who voted with all of his Commissioners Court colleagues to put the bond proposals forward, responded to criticism of the bonds by issuing a statement late last week. “I have consistently emphasized that transparent communication with our residents is key to resolving misunderstandings and fostering trust. Over the past two months I, along with County Commissioners have hosted a series of community information meetings along with our County Engineers, Parks Director, and County Auditor to keep residents informed, respond to questions, and correct misinformation,” George wrote. “Unfortunately, there has been an intentional effort to circulate distorted information, omit vital details, and employ persuasive techniques that do not uphold the truth regarding the County Budget, Property Taxes, Mobility and Parks Bonds, etc. These falsehoods have created misunderstanding among some of our residents. I strongly urge our residents to scrutinize the

credibility of these sources, acquire their information from credible sources, and engage in productive dialogues to unearth the truth,” he wrote. George and other officials have stepped up those informational meetings in recent weeks. The next is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 26, from 6-7 p.m., at Attack Poverty, 1305 Clay St., Richmond. That is followed by one on Oct. 30, from 6-7 p.m., at Missouri City City Hall, 1522 Texas Parkway, Missouri City. Fort Bend ISD, perhaps still smarting from the failure to pass last November’s VATRE, is going to voters with another one this year. Citing the continuing uncertainty over whether the Texas Legislature will increase the basic allotment received by public school districts while also imposing new mandates like having armed security officers at every campus, FBISD officials made the case to the board over the past few weeks that a voterapproved tax rate election, or VATRE, was necessary this year. In August, after a protracted series of discussions, the board voted for 4-cent increase on the ad valorum tax rate. If approved, the additional funds would largely go toward increasing the salaries of qualified employees. District officials say that raises are particularly necessary for attracting and retaining teachers in a highly competitive labor market. On Monday, Superintendent Christie Whitbeck and Deputy Superintendent Steven Basset participated in a Facebook discussion detailing the reasoning behind the VATRE. It is available on the district’s Facebook page, as well as the Fort Bend Star’s Facebook page.

Stafford MSD is also proposing a VATRE, the first in the district’s history, that would add 12 cents to the ad valorum tax rate. In a recent public presentation, Superintendent Robert Bostic said the VATRE is necessary because of increased costs to the district from inflation, recapture due to increased property value, and unexpected expenses as a result of COVID 19. And Lamar CISD has put forth a $15 million bond election for capital improvements, which is targeted at making renovations and improvements to Guy K. Traylor Stadium. In that same presentation, Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens said the stadium, which was built in the early1960s, is in dire need of structural repairs to make it safe. The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, the county’s largest business organization, has endorsed the county bond proposals, all of the school district proposals, and four of the proposed constitutional amendments. Find out more at for tbendchamber.com / bonds-and-propositions. The League of Women Voters of Texas has issued a nonpartisan voters guide detailing the proposed constitutional amendments. The guide is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese versions. Find out more at lwvtexas.org.

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COLLISION FROM PAGE 1

“The law is clear that if you are involved in any collision, all drivers have a duty to stop, exchange information and render aid if needed,” Baimbridge said in the release. “When you do not take this duty seriously and actively attempt to avoid responsibility,

you will be held accountable.” “I have said repeatedly that a motor vehicle can be a deadly weapon when it is driven in an unsafe manner. If you injure someone while driving, you have a legal obligation to stop and render aid. The defendant killed a pedestrian and tried to conceal his actions to avoid responsibility. The sentence in this case was a just result for his

callous behavior,” District Attorney Brian Middleton said. Lima was tried in the 400th District Court before Presiding Judge Tameika Carter. Collision Involving Death is a second-degree felony punishable by 2-20 years in state prison and a fine up to $10,000. Assistant District Attorney Johnny Wen also prosecuted the case.

Fort Bend Symphony to present 'Hauntcert' on Oct. 28 in Pearland Staff Reports The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra will perform a Halloween-themed interactive pop concert at Pearland Town Center, 11200 Broadway St. Pearland, on October 28 from 5-6 p.m. “The spooky Hauntcert is back at Pearland Town Center! Wear your costume and grab some treats at surrounding businesses then

listen to a Halloween-tastic concert from FBSO. The orchestra will be in costume!” the symphony says in its promotional materials. Details about the concert, including ticket prices and a link to order, are available at the symphony’s website, www.fbso.org. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 1-800-514-3849. The symphony’s next concert will be its annual “Deck the Halls” concert

at the Stafford Centre on December 3. The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1992, and the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra Chorus in 2016. The full-size orchestra, complete with brass, woodwinds, strings and percussion, and the accompanying chorus, represent a cross-section of local talent, most of whom reside in the Fort Bend County area.

Early voting continues through November 3. Find hours, polling locations, and more information at https://www. fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/ elections-voter-registration/ early-voting-schedulepolling-locations

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Wednesday, October 25, 2023 • PAGE 3

George Memorial Library First Colony library to host to host genealogy programs program on home-buying Staff Reports

For t B end C ou nt y L ibra r ie s’ F i r st Colony Branch Library will present a program on “Home-Buying Basics” on Saturday, November 4, from 10:30 a.m. noon, in the Meeting Room of the library, located at 2121 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land. The program is especially geared toward first-time homebuyers, who might find the process compli-

cated and intimidating. Mortgage loan strategist Joseph Castillo will provide an overview of the local real-estate market, including recent trends, property values, and growth opportunities. Those attending will begin by learning how to identify their real-estate goals. Castillo will explain the importance of due diligence when choosing the right property and will offer strategies for mitigating risks.

Attendees will get financial-planning tips on how to set a budget, secure financing, and explore different mortgage options or loans. 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 the First Colony Branch Library (281-238-2800) or the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).

Staff Reports Fort Bend County Libraries’ First Colony Branch Library will present a program on “Home-Buying Basics” on Saturday, November 4, from 10:30 a.m. noon, in the Meeting Room of the library, located at 2121 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land. The program is especially geared toward first-time homebuyers, who might find the process complicated and

intimidating. Mortgage loan strategist Joseph Castillo will provide an overview of the local real-estate market, including recent trends, property values, and growth opportunities. Those attending will begin by learning how to identify their real-estate goals. Castillo will explain the importance of due diligence when choosing the right property and will offer strategies for mitigating

risks. Attendees will get financial-planning tips on how to set a budget, secure financing, and explore different mortgage options or loans. 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 the First Colony Branch Library (281238-2800) or the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).

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SPORTS

HS football roundup: Ridge Point steams past Austin at Mercer Stadium By Cory Byrnes

It wasn’t until the third quarter that the Bulldogs put together a successful drive and responded with a touchdown, their only one of the game. On another Bulldog drive the Panther’s defense would increase their lead with a pick-six. The Panthers played a balanced game earning 290 passing yards and 122 rushing yards. Dan Jones was the lead receiver with 120 yards, followed by Ashton Bethel-Roman. The rushing yards were split almost evenly with Quincy Drummer 41 with yards, Jakorey Williams with 39 yards, and Austin with Carlisle 30 yards. The Panthers are now 7-2 on the season overall and 7-0 in the district. The Bulldogs are 4-4 overall and 3-3 in the district. The Panthers will play the Travis Tigers next Friday at Hall Field. The Bulldogs will be at Mercer Stadium again next Friday against the Bush Broncos.

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The Austin Bulldogs players and fans wore pink to the football game to raise awareness for breast cancer during Friday’s night game at Mercer Stadium against the Ridge Point Panthers in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed every October. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. The annual occasion is a reminder to women to stay current with exams and know the signs for early detection and prevention. The Panthers drew first blood on Friday night against the Bulldogs. They quickly jumped out to the lead with three touchdowns in the first quarter. They added a couple more in the second quarter before the half. The Bulldogs tried to get into it before the half was over, but the Panther defense held in the red zone, stopping the Bulldogs on fourth and short. The half ended at 34-0.

Austin Carlisle on a QB keep earns a few rushing yards. Photos by Cory Byrnes

Cory Byrnes is a freelance writer based in Sugar Land.

Last week’s scores Fort Bend ISD Ridge Point 62, Austin 7 Elkins 7, Hightower 57 Willow Ridge 14, Marshall 42 Kempner 0, Fulshear 66 Ashton Bethel-ROman with running room turns it upfield during a special teams return.

Spartans 10, Navasota 28 Lamar CISD Terry Rangers 7, Magnolia West 33 Foster Falcons 16, Manvel 19 Rosenberg Mustangs 19, Richmond Randle 70

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Wednesday, October 25, 2023 • PAGE 5

EDITORIAL The earth is flat - trust me Lynn Ashby Columnist

By Lynn Ashby ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET

HE DEN – Tonight is time for a good book. There is “The Wit and Wisdom of the Vice Presidents from Aaron Burr to Kamala Harris.” The pages are blank. Also, “A Spelunker’s Guide to Celebrity Chefs.” Wait. My doorbell is ringing. Who could be calling at this hour? I open the door and a man is standing there wearing a trench coat with the collar turned up, a fedora pulled low and sunglasses, at 11 p.m.

He looks over his shoulders and then hisses, “Marvin has a nosebleed.” Huh? He then says, “It is Sunday in Portugal.” I say, “Go away. I think you have the wrong house.”

The mysterious visitor asks, “This isn’t 123 Pothole Place? No? Then I should kill you. But maybe you’ll do. I’m called Grassy Knoll. First, a few questions to see if you’re, uh, one of us. You know that 9/11 was staged by the Pentagon, and that Tucker Carlson was fired by Fox News on April 24, 2023, the 125th anniversary of the SpanishAmerican War. Coincidence? I don’t think so.” “Hold it!” I say. “You must be one of those conspiracy nut cakes, always finding hidden meanings and spreading false theories. You probably believe that Joe Biden didn’t actually win the most popular votes, but Deep State fixed the ballot counting.” He smiles. “Then you are, indeed, one of us. Yes, it’s true. Deep State hid vast numbers of ballots for Trump. Millions of Americans still believe Trump won. Right after the Presidential election polls found that three of every 10 Americans believed that Biden’s victory was due to fraud. In the years since, despite all the Congressional investigations and hearings, despite all the fact checkers and court trials, do you know how many Americans still believe the election was

stolen? Nothing’s changed. Three out of every 10. That includes a hundred percent of Republicans.” I shut the door but start doing a little research. Conspiracies are a cottage industry in America. In decades past it was the Kennedy assassination. Over 1,000 books have been written about that tragic event, at least 90 percent are works supporting the view that there was a conspiracy. The madness won’t die. Remember November a couple of years ago when hundreds of people stood on a downtown Dallas sidewalk holding signs and flags. They were waiting for John F. Kennedy, Jr. His father, John F. Kennedy the senior, would also appear, alongside Jackie, to anoint Donald Trump as king. JFK then departs, leaving behind his son to serve as vice president to King Trump, or Trump the Christ. Since we are in Texas, we must consider Jade Helm 15. In 2015 the Army conducted an annual exercise that quickly became an alleged cover for a takeover of the state by the Obama administration. Gov. Greg Abbot ordered the Texas State Guard (not the Texas

National Guard) to monitor the operation. “During the training operation, it is important that Texans know their safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed.” Michael Hayden, a former CIA director, said the Jade Helm 15 controversy was used by the Russians to see how much influence they could exert through online means “to convince most – many – Texans it was an Obama plan to round up political dissidents.” Ah, yes, Texans. Alex Jones, that crazy guy on Infowars, said the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was a fake. Jones could do his broadcasts from anywhere, but he felt he would be most comfortable in – ta-da! – Texas, specifically Austin. Another snake oil salesman is Glenn Beck. He also preaches fear and conspiracies without an ounce of proof, and from where? Dallas. What is it about our beloved state that attracts loonies? Grassy Knoll is still outside. I open the door and he says, “I’m not here to debate fake news, but to solicit your vote for Robert F. Kennedy, Junior, for President. He’s the CHEAP TRASH HAULING FAST Home/Business • FREE ESTIMATES

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only candidate who tells the truth. Did you know that COVID-19 vaccines, which can cause autism, were targeted to attack Caucasians and Blacks and the people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese in the U.S.? And the feds put hundreds of millions of dollars into ethnically targeted microbes and labs in Ukraine. The CIA was involved in the assassination of JFK. That’s why 14 percent of voters say they would vote for Kennedy for President. I rest my case.” I slam the door and go back to my research. In many cases, misinformation simply reinforces preconceived notions. We saw TV shots of the rioters storming the U.S. Capitol, but who really led the charge? Tucker Carlson said “potentially” and “almost certainly” FBI agents were involved, and that “FBI operatives were organizing the attack on the Capitol on January 6.” Sixty-six percent of Republicans don’t consider the riot to be an attack on the government. That same poll also found that 77 percent of Republicans don’t hold Trump responsible for it anyway. The spooky theories get spookier. It’s black helicopters. Microchips embedded Contact Anqunette Williams

to participate in this special section

in COVID-19 vaccinations. That Malaysian Airlines plane that disappeared during a flight in March 2014? Snatched by UFOs, obviously. These conspiracy theories can make some people rich. Fox News has the highest ratings of any TV cable news network. It is estimated that Sean Hannity’s annual income is $43 million. Laura Ingraham’s is $15 million. Tucker Carlson’s annual pay was $10 million. Once they plant a seed of falsehood, it takes on a life of its own. Mark Twain said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” My doorbell rings again. “You know that Hillary Clinton led the assault on Benghazi. Fox News had tape proving that she was at the front of the demonstrators throwing firebombs, but the FBI confiscated the tape.” I’ve had enough. I shout, “People like you are hurting America by sowing misinformation, cynicism and distrust. No wonder everyone is so gloomy.” He smiles. “What’s your point?” Ashby tells the truth at ashb2@comcast.net

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Worship Directory FORT BEND COUNTY

METHODIST CHURCH

EPISCOPAL

CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND • 281-980-6888

ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH • 281-499-9602

A United Methodist Community 3300 Austin Parkway • Sugar Land, TX 77479 Rev. Dr. Daniel Irving, Senior Pastor Sunday Schedule 9:30 am Blended Worship 9:30 am Sunday School for all ages 11:00 am Traditional & Contemporary Worship www.christchurchsl.org

605 Dulles Avenue, Stafford, TX 77477 SUNDAY: 10:30 am Worship Holy Eucharist www.allsaints-stafford.org

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH • 281-240-3195 502 Eldridge Rd. -Sugar Land, TX 77478 Reverend Dr. Fred Seay, Pastor Sunday Worship In Person 11:00 am / Nursery Available Worship Online on YouTube www.fpcsl.org

Introduce Your Congregation to the Community with a listing in our Worship Directory

Call Anqunette for more information

713.371.3740

CHURCH OF CHRIST

STAFFORD CHURCH OF CHRIST • 281-499-2507 402 Stafford Run Rd. -Stafford, 77477 Stephen Higley, Preacher Sunday Bible Study 9:30 am Sunday Worship 10:30 am Wednesday 7:00 pm www.staffordcoc.com

Scripture of the week

“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.” - HEBREWS 11:3

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aCrOss

1. Actor Damon 5. Resort 8. Low continuous tones 11. Cape Verde capital 13. Abbreviation for clean 14. Shoe retailer 15. Dashery 16. Head covering 17. Canadian flyers 18. A plant fiber used for making rope 20. Prime Minister __ Hirobumi 21. Hani 22. Nonexistences 25. Mexican victory holiday 30. Avowed 31. Ref 32. 2013 Philip. volcano eruption 33. Beard lichen genus 38. Tennis player organization 41. More saline 43. New York City 45. A shipÕs cheapest fare 47. A winglike part 49. At the stern 50. Oral polio vaccine

55. Tatouhou 56. In addition 57. Baltic flat-bottomed boat (alt. sp.) 59. Search for 60. Gray sea eagle 61. Music timings 62. Make a mistake 63. Root mean square (abbr.) 64. Sleeveless Arab garments

dOwn

1. Speedometer rate 2. Turkish/Iranian river 3. Japanese socks 4. Drawstrings 5. Formal separation over doctrine 6. Tableland 7. Word with opposite meaning 8. Cabs 9. 45th state 10. Matakam 12. Macaws 14. Scottish hillside 19. Load for shipment 23. Sleeping place 24. Linking verb 25. Br. University punting river

26. Marsh elder 27. Horse noise 28. Contract research organization (abbr.) 29. Excessively ornamented 34. Engine additive 35. Small bite 36. Snakelike fish 37. They __ 39. Performance arena 40. Enact before an audience 41. Special interest group 42. Grows old 44. ConductorÕs implements 45. A heavy cavalry sword 46. Tropical shipÕs wood 47. A domed or vaulted recess 48. Lascivious look 51. Mentally quick and resourceful 52. La __ Tar Pits, Hollywood 53. Unstressedstressed 54. Celery cabbage 58. Wrong prefix

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HIRELOCAL • SHOPLOCAL • EATLOCAL Of bombs, baseball, and tribes

By Mark Garay MARKGARAY426@GMAIL.COM

“Cowboy number one / A born-again poor man’s son / On the air in America / I modeled shirts by Van Huesen / (Working for the black gas) / When two tribes go to war a point is all you can score” ~ “Two Tribes,” Frankie Goes to Hollywood

was never a huge fan of the British pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood. I found some of their more notable work part art, part androgyny and a fairly transparent stab at pop album sales.

But when “Two Tribes” dropped in summer 1984, it was paired with a fairly dark music video on MTV. Imagine a modest oval combat ring, each margin of which is occupied by dirty sandbags stacked 4 tall around a dusty floor. The cameras focus on the crowd of thinly veiled cliches collected ringside;

Middle Eastern terrorists, Jewish bankers, American oil producers, and a host of media types and celebrities. Finally, the Two Tribes arrive, personified by actors portraying Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev (although the latter looks more like Boris Yeltsin). The video goes on to show them beating each other. The visuals are startling, not so much because the two are captured scratching and biting and groping, kicking and spitting and grabbing each other, but because the crowd similarly descends into violent chaos in the end. Clearly it depicts the fear, distrust and paranoia which stressed America’s views on the Soviet Union and that nation’s nuclear intentions during the Cold War. The crowd must have represented the rest of civilization imploding like the Mets in Game 6. (Kids, google it). If you’re old enough to remember, you might recall how the roles were clearly defined back then. We were “us” and “they” weren’t. Our pop culture medicine bag started filling up with patriotic movies like “Rambo” and “Rocky III”. Our macho tendencies were massaged by masculine homegrowns like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty. In literature, Robert Ludlum brought us “The Bourne Ultimatum” and Orson Scott Card

brought us “Ender’s Game.” American pride was like a mighty ship. And Reagan seemingly was the captain. So what does this have to do with the price of rum in the Caymans? With our beloved Astros in the post-season, I was reminded of a former colleague who lived and died by the ‘Stros. He is the clearest example yet of pure, unadulterated tribalism I’ve ever seen. I once challenged him a bit about the Astros cheating scandal. He swore up and down that the Astros were being overly chastised, that every team in the league does the same thing and that the shade on Houston was as dispassionate as it was inconceivable. I regrettably pointed out that the Astros got caught. Haven’t heard from him since. Seems baseball has been a reliable conveyor of tribalism since the 19th century. When I was 16, I learned that firsthand, having landed a post as a roving concessionaire at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park. There were fights in the left field bleachers all the time, especially if the Dodgers were in for a visit. It was awkward and weird to see grown men throwing down over some misguided view of community responsibility and honor. They were, in fact, violently defending a

sports business platform. A company that offered athletic entertainment. After all, it’s not like both sides were battling over that vapid 400-mile stretch along the dusty, agriculturally diverse Central Valley. In San Diego, some dude designed a chicken suit and made the evening news by wearing it at various sports venues. All in the name of his tribe. As I write this, my diverse tavern is cheering loudly and proudly with the Astros’ three-run first inning currently rolling in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. And still I’m amused. They don’t work for the Astros. They presumably aren’t best friends with any Astros. And clearly none owns the Astros. So why the interest? Why the devotion? Why the occasional insanity in denying reality? Consider this question: Are you the kind of Astros fan who goes to all the home games, or are you one of those who is despised for only showing interest during the playoffs? Well, turns out tribalism isn’t necessarily what we think it is. There’s a difference between tribalism and general norms. We might describe tribalism as norms with a much louder and more powerful engine. “Tribes demand loyalty, and in return they confer

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the security of belonging” writes journalist George Packer in The Atlantic. “They are badges of identity, not of thought.” The inevitability of common identity should come as no surprise, since the “us” and “them” thing is a reflection of the innate human need to carve the world into groups and discriminate in favor of one’s own. And every culture on earth is capable of forming coalitions. There exist many different types of tribalism. Groups like the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders might be mentioned in the same breath. They are so committed to their cause they risk their lives. And it is clear that tribalism doesn’t necessarily mean conflict. When ISIS was defeated in northern Iraq, Muslim and Catholic communities were left deeply divided. But in the end, their mutual passion for soccer helped bridge the divide. And three years ago, the nonprofit American Exchange Project launched, giving graduating high schoolers a chance to spend a week in a completely foreign atmosphere. The kids don’t travel overseas. The travel across the country, bunk in places that challenge their own personal customs and beliefs. Naturalists from Oregon. Texas

ranchland teens. New York Yankees. Native Americans from New Mexico. Here’s my take. Let us enjoy our groups, but be cool people. I’m living in a safe place. I have access to affordable food, transportation, energy and access to medical assistance. I think my kids still dig me. That’s the good stuff. Now, back to the game. On a more personal note, I recently thought back to the summer of 1984. I’d just arrived home from college. No one was home. I grabbed a bag of chips and a cold one and turned on the television. What happened next changed my life. I watched a young lady who called Houston home win a gold medal in the Los Angeles Olympics. The image of her powerful, speedy, tiny body hitting the beam will forever live in my mind’s eye. I cheered out loud alone in an empty dark room for the first time ever. Mary Lou Renton today suffers from a rare life-threatening form of pneumonia. I met her briefly once. She was absolutely lovely. Fort Bend is praying for you, Mary Lou. Garay, a retired television news professional and longtime Fort Bend County resident, can be reached at MarkGaray426@gmail.com

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Wednesday, October 25, 2023 • PAGE 7

Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to awilliams@txstreetmedia.com

FOR NON-PROFIT EVENTS

ONGOING 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.

MUSIC MAGIC FOR 6 & 7 YEAR OLD BOYS STARTS OCTOBER 3

The Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas is offering Music Magic, an 8-week music enrichment program for six and seven year old boys. The class meets from 6:30-7:15 p.m. on Tuesdays starting October 3, 2023 and ending on December 5, 2023. (They will not meet on Halloween or Thanksgiving week.) Music Magic brings music alive through the use of movement, musical games, singing and other child-centered activities. Boys learn about pitch matching and rhythm awareness in addition to developing large muscle coordination, increased focus and better musicianship. To find out more about Music Magic, visit: https:// fbbctx.org/our-programs/music-magic/.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE GRAND PARKWAY BAPTIST CHURCH

In conjunction with the Literacy Council of Fort Bend Bend County, GPBC offers ESL classes on Tuesday nights 6-8:30 from August 22, 2023 through May 21, 2024. We are located at 12000 FM 1464 Richmond. Our students speak several languages and encompass many faiths. All are welcome. For more information call 281-277-2200 and ask for ESL information. You may also email ESL@grandparkway.org

FBJSL IS ACCEPTING CAF GRANT APPLICATIONS

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.

FORT BEND COUNTY LIBRARIES’ ONLINE BOOK CLUB

Online meetings on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Free and open to the public. Registration is required; to register online www.fortbend.lib.tx.us, “Classes & Events,” select “Virtual Programs,” find the program on the date indicated. Participants may also register by calling George Memorial Library (281-342-4455).

SUGAR LAND ROTARY CLUB

Sugar Land Rotary Club, the nation’s oldest community service organization, wants you to be its guest at a meeting that could turn out to be the best fit for getting involved with a local, non-political, humanitarian service organization with a global presence to satisfy your passion. We’re on a quest for new members! Call or email Dean Clark, 469-850-2424, dean7351@gmail.com. We’re a friendly group that meets once a week for lunch.

EXPERIENCE COUNTS! 35+ YEARS SERVING FORT BEND COUNTY 14090 S.W. Freeway Suite #200

281-243-2344 (Direct) Sugar Land, TX 281.243.2300 (Main) • KenWoodPC.com

FT. BEND ACCORDION CLUB

Meets on the 4th Sunday of every month from 2:pm - 4:pm at: CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND (in the Chapel) 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77479 FREE and Open to the Public! We welcome everybody! If you play accordion, beginners to professional and would like to play Call, Text or email: Vince Ramos Cell: 281-204-7716 vincer.music@gmail.com

FORT BEND JUNIOR SERVICE LEAGUE RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS FOR 2022-2023 YEAR

To join, the membership application can be accessed at https:// www.fbjsl.org/join/how-to-become-a-member/. FBJSL will also be hosting multiple virtual and in-person recruitment events over the summer where potential new members can learn more about the League. Information regarding attending these events is available at www.fbjsl.org or on the FBJSL Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FortBendJuniorServiceLeague/.

LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY

We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching adults to read. We need your help. Literacy Council is actively recruiting Volunteer Tutors to provide instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) Levels 0-5, three hours a week. For more information, call 281-240-8181 or visit our website www.ftbendliteracy.org

JAM WITH SAM

Join Sam Grice Tuesday evenings at 6:30 for a casual evening of music. We play a variety of music including bluegrass, country, gospel and some western. We request acoustic instruments only please. We welcome both participants and music lovers who enjoy listening to good live music. There’s no charge and we welcome beginners and gladly offer gentle assistance. We meet at First Presbyterian Church, 502 Eldridge Rd, Sugar Land. Please call Sam at 832-428-3165 for further information.

GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE

Give a Gift of Hope one-time or monthly. Your help provides access to therapies and services children with autism might otherwise go without. Please consider Hope For Three in your Estate, Planned, or Year-End Giving. Register now, or learn more about exciting events: www.hopeforthree.org/events

DVD-BASED ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WITH NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED

Weekly class designed to help you understand and appreciate the Bible by giving you a better sense of the land and culture from which it sprang. The class meets at 9:30 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.). For more information call 281-240-3195

EXCHANGE

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 713-859-5920 or 281-499-3345.

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Sugar Land Dia De Los Muertos Celebration Sugar Land Heritage Foundation hosted the second 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 costume contest, performances by Mariachi bands, Aztec dancers, a Selena tribute band, and more.

An ofrenda, or altar, paying homage to Magaret Garcia, the first teacher of the Sugar Land campus of The Little School, a school for Mexican-American children that opened in the 1950s. Photos by Ken Fountain

An ofrenda on display at the Sugar Land Heritage Foundation booth.

Houston Aztec Dance & Drum lead children in a dance on the plaza.

Some of the holiday-themed art produced by Fort Bend ISD high school students.

Performers with Houston Aztec Dance & Drum perform on the plaza.

Drummers with Houston Aztec Dance & Drum perform.

Members of Houston Aztec Dance & Drum perform on the plaza.

CTS Band, a Selena tribute band, performs from the steps of Sugar Land City Hall.

Performers with Houston Aztec Dance & Drum perform from the steps of Sugar Land City Hall.

Children enjoy one of the many arts and crafts activities on offer.

Attendees dance to the music of CTS Band in the plaza.

Dancers with Grupo Folkorico Mi Barrio perform on the Sugar Land Town Square plaza.

Mary Canalas, of Sugar Land, first-place winner of the adult costume contest, enjoys the admiration of the audience.

Two girls add their creativity to the Art Musuem Texas display.

Two girls have their photo taken with one of event’s many colorful characters.

Larry and Norma Brinson, a newlywed couple from Katy, were the second-place winners in the costume conteset.

Let the community know in our Community Calendar! Contact: awilliams@txtstreetmedia.com