First Colony Branch Library will present a special Young Adult program for teens (grades 9-12), “Create Your Own Mandala,” on Saturday, November 2, from 1 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in the Meeting Room of the library, 2121 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land.
Young Audiences of Houston teaching artist Cindy Ventura will share the emotional healing benefits of weaving and creating mandalas.
Often used as an instrument for meditation or focusing attention, a traditional mandala is a square containing a circle, and the entire design is symmetrical and balanced. They are commonly seen woven with threads, painted, or etched in sand. The word mandala itself means “circle” in Sanskrit. Creating mandalas allows participants to express emotions through colors, shapes, and the combinations they employ. The process opens the channels of intuition, perception, and active meditation.
In this workshop, Ventura will demonstrate different weaving techniques used to create a mandala. Participants will create a weaving piece (Ojo de Dios) following the ancient technique. Meditation and healing music is incorporated into the class.
Ventura is a bilingual visual artist, yoga instructor, and holistic therapist with an educational background in psychology, yoga, and ancestral fabrics.
Made possible by the Friends of the First Colony Branch Library, this program is free and open to teens in grades 9 through 12. 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 “First Colony Branch Library,” and find the program. Participants may also register by calling the library (281-238-2800), or by visiting the library.
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
On October 22, the day he was set to be tried on charges of abuse of power and failure to provide public information, Kendleton Mayor Darryl K. Humprhey, Sr. reached an agreement with Fort Bend prosecutors to dispose the charges in return for his resignation from office at the beginning of January and paying restitution to a local business owner. According to a news re -
lease from the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s office Humphrey was charged with Abuse of Official Capacity for “allegedly subjecting a Kendleton RV Park owner to unlawful water and sewer charges and for failing to comply with that same RV Park owner’s 2021 and 2022 requests for public information.”
Humphrey was indicted for failing to provide the request information in December 2022 and for abuse of power in July, ac -
cording to court records. The terms of the agreement are that Humphrey is to resign his office by January 1, 2025, and return all his city-owned property at that time. Humphrey is barred from running for office until the expiration of his current term in 2026, according to the release. Additionally, he is to pay $5,000 in restitution to Todd Doucet, the RV park owner, for attorney fees
Sugar Land Holiday Lights opens November 15
Sugar Land Holiday Lights, now in its 11th year, will be held November 15 through January 5 at Constellation Field, the home of the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
Sugar Land Holiday Lights, presented by Houston Methodist, transforms the ballpark into a holiday wonderland with over 3.5 million lights, a 40-foot light up tree, lights shows, numerous themed displays, nightly photo opportunities with Santa Claus until December 23, holiday vendors and more. New for 2024 is a Synthetic Ice Rink on the field each night of Sugar
Staff Reports
On September 10-11, the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office led a zerotolerance crime reduction operation in Fresno in response to complaints from residents regarding illegal activity, according to a news release.
District attorney investigators, police officers, deputy constables, and
Land Holiday Lights. Sugar Land Holiday Lights opens on Friday, November 15 for an opening weekend until Sunday, November 17. After a closure from November 18 through 21, Sugar Land Holiday Lights returns on Friday, November 22 and runs every night until Sunday, January 5, 2025, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Night, New Years Eve and New Years Day. Sugar Land Holiday Lights runs from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm for most Sunday through Thursday nights and from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm for most Friday and Saturdays. All military, active and
state troopers worked together as a force multiplier to target street-level criminal activity in a systematic effort to reduce crime within the small community of Fresno, near the city of Arcola. During the operation, 271 traffic stops were conducted, and 11 suspects arrested – including two wanted fugitives. Authorities also recovered one firearm and
retired, can receive a discounted ticket with proof of a military ID at the Regions Bank Ticket Office for all Sugar Land Holiday Lights dates. Returning daily promotions include Lights & Leashes presented by Hollywood Feed (November 17, 24, December 1, 8, 15 and 22), Goodwill Mondays (November 25, December 2 and 9), Silver Bells Tuesdays (November 26, December 3 and 10) and Family Ticket Pack Wednesdays (December 4, 11 and 18). There will be three Center Field Cinemas during Sugar Land Holiday Lights run, with "Elf" showing on December 4, "The Grinch" on
over 200 grams of narcotics. “Community policing encourages collaboration be-
December 11 and "The Santa Clause" on December 18, with each movie starting at 6:45 pm. The schedule features a pair of giveaways with an Orion Reindeer Bobblehead Giveaway to the first 1,000 attendees on Sunday, November 17 presented by Planet Fitness and a Light Up Cowboys Hat Giveaway to the first 1,000 attendees on Saturday, December 14. Educators receive a free ticket and a discount on additional tickets on Teacher Appreciation Night on Wednesday, November 27 with proof of a school email. Other individual theme nights include Sensory Friendly Night on Tuesday,
tween law enforcement and the community to address crime and social issues,” District Attorney Brian M. Middleton sa8d in the release. “Residents expressed their concerns at town hall discussions hosted by Precinct Two Commissioner Grady Prestage, and we developed this operation in response. And we will repeat our efforts until the residents feel safer and violators are
December 3, Astros Night on Thursday, December 5 with Orbit, the Shooting Stars and the Commissioners Trophy on site, Scout Night on Saturday, December 7 and Ladies Night on Friday, December 20. Special for New Years Eve presented by Planet Fitness, Sugar Land Holiday Lights will be open until midnight with New Years Eve Fireworks at midnight presented by Houston Methodist. In the Regions Bank Club will be the third annual New Years Eve Ball presented by Planet Fitness. More information, including on how to purchase tickets, can be found at sugarlandholidaylights.com.
held accountable. Criminals in Fort Bend County are on notice that we are coming and will be relentless in our pursuit of justice.”
Other participating agencies included the Precinct 3 and Precinct 4 Fort Bend County Constables’ Offices, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department, and the Missouri City Police Department.
Kendleton Mayor Darryl K. Humphrey, Sr., agreed to resign on Jan. 1, 2025 in an agreement with Fort Bend County prosecutors in
Sugar Land Holiday Lights will be held from Nov. 15 through Jan. 5 at Constellation Field, home of the Space Cowboys. Courtesy Sugar Land Space Cowboys Community Reports
Young Audiences of Houston teaching artist Cindy Ventura will present a program for teens on creating mandalas at the First Colony library on Nov. 2. Courtesy Fort Bend County Libraries
Libraries offer online tools for aspiring writers
Community Reports
Fort Bend County Libraries continues its goal of supporting and encouraging aspiring novelists with an online “Writers’ Corner,” where aspiring novelists, as well as readers looking for something new, can create, share, and discover works introduced right here in Fort Bend County. The “Writers’ Corner” on FBCL’s website (www.fortbend. lib.tx.us) includes three unique tools - Pressbooks Public, the Indie Author Project, and the BiblioBoard Library - that enable writers, as well as readers, to create, publish, and discover digital content made by and for the local community. Demonstrations will take place at the following locations, but those who are interested may also inquire about this resource at any time at any FBCL location.
• Cinco Ranch Branch Library Monday, November 4, 6-7:30 p.m., Conference Classroom. In conjunction with the meeting of the library’s Prose Pros Writing Group, library staff will introduce the Writers’ Corner and the basics of using BiblioBoard, Pressbooks, and the Indie Author Project
Tuesday, November 5, 2-3 p.m., Computer Lab. Library staff will introduce the Writers’ Corner and the basics of using BiblioBoard, Pressbooks, and the Indie Author Project database for self-publishing. Registration required.
• Fulshear Branch Library (6350 GM Library Road, off Texas Heritage Parkway, north of FM 1092) Registration required.
• Wednesday, November 6, 11 a.m.noon: Introduction to BiblioBoard Library.
• Wednesday, November 13, 11 a.m.noon: Introduction to Pressbooks.
• Wednesday, November 20, 11 a.m.noon: Introduction to Indie Author Project.
• Mission Bend Branch Library -- Monday, November 25, 7-8 p.m. Computer Lab. Library staff will introduce the many online tools and features available for writers, including BiblioBoard, Pressbooks, and Indie Author Project. Registration required.
The first instrument in the suite of resources - Pressbooks Public - is a digital self-publishing tool designed to help aspiring writers easily create their own professional-quality print-ready and ebook files that can be distributed commercially or shared in FBCL’s Writers’ Corner. Users have unlimited access to this resource, which requires no previous design or tech experience. Writers can choose from a variety of premade design templates to instantly give their
book a professional layout. The author maintains complete ownership of any and all book files created using Pressbooks Public, and they can publish or distribute those files however they choose.
The second tool is the Indie Author Project. This resource gives local writers the opportunity to submit ebooks for inclusion in the BiblioBoard Library collection in FBCL’s Writers’ Corner. As part of a partnership with Library Journal, this resource also of-
fers the potential for inclusion in the royalty-paying Indie Author Project Select collections available at libraries all across the U.S. and Canada.
Books that are not selected for Library Journal’s Indie Author Project Select collection may still be considered for the Indie Texas collection, which is available to participating libraries around the state. Both avenues help authors to promote their work and gain further exposure, whether it is locally or nationally.
The third feature in this suite -- the BiblioBoard Library - will attract the interest of readers who are looking for digital works from selfpublished authors, top indie ebooks, local collections, and more. Items in this collection are always available, so there is never a waiting list or limit for the number of check-outs.
Writers who create works in Pressbooks Public and participate in the Indie Author Project will find their ebooks added to the BiblioBoard Library, where they can be enjoyed by the general public.
Readers can access the BiblioBoard Library collection through FBCL’s website or by downloading the BiblioBoard Library app for Apple,
Android, or Kindle devices. Creating a username and password is required for using the Pressbooks Public and recommended for BiblioBoard Library features. Having an account enables writers to create and store their works in the Pressbooks Public tool, and it allows readers to access the BiblioBoard Library ebook they are reading from locations outside the county, use “bookmarks,” and sync their preferences. The same username and password will accommodate both the Pressbooks Public and BiblioBoard Library features. When creating an account, users will select Fort Bend County Libraries and then enter their library-card barcode number. FBCL will then be saved as their preferred library for future access. These services and demonstrations are free to the public. To register for a demonstration, visit Fort Bend County Libraries’ website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us), click on “Classes & Events,” select the library, and find the program on the date indicated. For more information, call FBCL’s Communications Office (281-633-4734) or the branch libraries.
Doucet expended trying to enforce his lawful open records requests.
According the the release, prosecutors faced several legal challenges in the cases. Those including several local witnesses hiring lawyers who filed motions to quash their subpoenas to testify, and three motions filed by the Texas Attorney General’s Office to prevent the testimony of a witness with the Public Utility Commission.
“While we believe in the strength of the case, we would have to overcome the lack of
cooperation from multiple witnesses. Once Humphrey offered to resign, we presented the proposed terms to Mr. Doucet. He indicated that he understood this resolution was the best path forward and an agreement was reached,” the prosecutor’s office said in the release.
“Mr. Doucet is understandably upset, and the case did not develop as we would have liked. We communicated with him every step of the way and he understood that restitution was not guaranteed even if we won at trial. Doucet filed a complaint with the Public Utility Commission seeking restitution for his
alleged overpayment of the water bill, which remains pending,” the release states.
“Our goal to end the alleged corruption and restore integrity to the City of Kendleton was achieved. Humphrey will no longer be in a position to abuse his authority, and if the terms of the agreement aren’t met, we will prosecute and not dismiss the charges. The community will set the standard for Kendleton now when they cast their votes in the next mayoral election. cast their votes in the next mayoral election,” the release states.
Humphrey’s attorney did not respond to a call from the Fort Bend Star for comment.
KENDLETON FROM PAGE 1
EDITORIAL
One man, one vote, one state
How can I put this to you gently?
When you vote for the President of the United States, if you vote for Kamala Harris, it won’t count. Texas is a red state, and all 40 Electoral College votes will go to Donald Trump. However, there are several interesting down-ballot elections that might change the future – just ask Henry Shoemaker – which means taking a fresh look at an old story. I first told it four years ago, but it’s worth repeating.
Shoemaker was a simple farmhand from Smithfield Township, DeKalb County, Indiana. On the first Monday of August, 1842, elections were held for local offices. In addition, reapportionment had given DeKalb and an adjoining county, Steuben, a single representative to the Indiana House. The two candidates were Enos Beall, a Whig, and Madison Marsh, a Democrat. On Election Day Shoemaker remembered that he had met Marsh during the campaign and had promised to vote for him, so Shoemaker saddled up a horse and rode
“See the men paint their faces and cry / (Like some girls) Like some girl, it makes you wonder why / City life, sure its cool, but it cuts like a knife, it’s your life / So forget all that you see / It’s not reality, it’s just a fantasy” – Aldo Nova, “Fantasy”
I have no idea why it has landed this way, but I find myself turning to YouTube more and more as an aspirational entertainment destination. When I was a kid, there were three main television networks from which to choose, and if you were lucky some obscure independent television station that was only unfuzzy when the wind was blowing just so. It astonishes me, the number of options available to airwave originalists in this decade of digital decadence. The sheer tonnage of choice online has made anything
HLynn Ashby Columnist
ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
12 miles into Kendallville, arriving at the polling place late in the afternoon.
“When he applied to vote,” the Indiana Committee on Elections later reported, “the inspector handed him a sheet of tickets, but as all of them contained the names of Enos Beall for Representative, he enquired (sic) for ‘another kind,’ and the inspector handed him a sheet of tickets with the name of Madison Marsh for Representative, that he then enquired of the same inspector if he ‘had scissors or a knife to cut them with,’ and the latter handed him a penknife.” Not wishing to vote the straight ticket of either party, Shoemaker proceeded, quite literally, to split his ballots. As the voting officials looked on, Shoemaker cut out the name of Marsh from one
offline a below-market risk. Yes, the world seems to be changing faster than a kid just home from church. And the newest thing on my radar is AI, artificial intelligence. This week, something caught my eye during my coffee cup morning stroll through the streets of YouTube. It was sponsored by an artist named Roberto Lopes Jr., a self=described “designer, architect, creative director and professor of creativity and AI”. His work on @ roblop_experience caught my eye because it married
ballot along with the others he wanted, then cut other names from the second sheet.
He handed the clippings to the inspector -- four separate pieces of paper, three small sheets inside a larger one. The inspector accepted the papers without a word, and put them in the ballot box. Shoemaker hung around the voting site for an hour or more, but no one said anything about his unusual ballot. Later, however, when the tabulation began, the voting officials threw out Shoemaker’s ballot. On the next Sunday the sheriffs of the two counties met at the Steuben County courthouse to compare the certificates for the election for state representative. The final results were 360 votes for Marsh and 360 votes for Beall. The sheriffs “by casting lots” chose Beall as the winner. Marsh immediately appealed to the Committee on Elections, which held extensive hearings on the matter. (It is from the Indiana Commission on Public Records and the Library of Congress that I dug out this story.)
The committee found that in Smithfield township all
of the votes for representative had been cast for either Marsh or Beall; that there was only one person named Henry Shoemaker in the township, he was a qualified voter; and he had voted “openly with no appearance of concealment or subterfuge” and had not tried to vote more than once, that the inspect or had accepted Shoemaker’s ballot had put it in the box himself; and “we have the uncontradicted oath of Henry Shoemaker, that he did intend to vote for Madison Marsh for the office of Representative.” Also, the committee noted that it was the inspector’s own knife which was used in the surgery.
“In summing up the whole matter, your committee find (sic) that Madison Marsh has received a majority of the legal votes, if they had all been counted, and the voice of the ballot box had been properly regarded, and that he is therefore entitled to the contested seat.”
The Indiana House agreed, and Marsh – a Democrat – took his seat in the Legislature by a single vote.
Prior to the 17th Amendment, U.S. senators were chosen by state legislatures. In 1842, the main
candidates for the U.S. Senate from Indiana were Oliver H. Smith, the Whig senator who was up for reelection, and the Democratic candidate, Gen. Tilghman A. Howard. Another candidate, Edward A. Hannegan, was a dark horse. The Indiana Senate joined the House and on the first ballot, to everyone’s surprise, neither candidate got a majority. On the sixth ballot Smith got 69 votes. Howard got one vote and Hannegan, the dark horse, got the magic 76, making him the new senator from Indiana. Hannegan’s winning vote was supplied by – one guess – Madison Marsh.
Four years later, in 1846, the U.S. Senate was bitterly divided over whether to declare war on Mexico. A caucus of the Democratic senators, which comprised the majority, was called to determine which way they would vote, but the vote in the caucus was a tie. Then it was determined that one senator was not present: Edward Hannegan of Indiana. He was sent for and promptly voted “Aye” for war. It broke the tie, fixed the Democrats’ decision, and war
was declared – by one vote. That is how Shoemaker is best remembered in Indiana, yet there is one more point to be made. The war in Mexico was touched off by the U.S. annexation of Texas one year earlier. John Tyler was president, having taken office upon the death of William Henry Harrison. That left the vice presidency empty. The move to annex Texas had failed as a treaty, which needed a twothirds vote in the Senate, so Tyler tried again, this time as a simple resolution, which needed only a majority, not two-thirds. It passed, 27 to 25. If any senator supporting annexation had changed his mind, there would have been a 26-26 tie. There being no vice president to break the deadlock, annexation would have failed and Texas would have remained an independent republic. For the record, Sen. Hannegan voted for it. Thus we see how that one vote put Texas in the Union and put us under Washington, which is why to this day, Texans shout as one: “Curse you, Henry Shoemaker!”
Ashby votes at ashby2@ comcast.net
wAIsted dreams Let’s make this election a good one
ey, did you know there’s an election going on?
Of course you did.
As this edition of the Fort Bend Star goes to print, we’re just a week away from what has been deemed The Most Consequential Election in Our History (or, at least, since the last one). The signs – both literal and figurative – are all around us. Every day, we’re bombarded by campaign ads, texts, and emails, seeking in the most dire terms our votes and monetary contributions.
This is all very normal – or at least, normal in the realm of electoral politics. We’ve all grown up with it and seen it all of our lives. When I was growing up in Alief in the 1970s, we still had those huge, mechanical voting machines in our elementary school cafeteria. I remember the electricity in the air on Election Day, even If I wasn’t very aware of the issues then at play. The first presidential election I really remember was the one in 1976, between Republican incumbent Gerald Ford and Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter, who would go on to win. I vaguely remember preferring Ford,
who by all accounts was a very decent man. Carter, who recently turned 100, also is a very decent man. About two decades after Carter served as President, I saw him in person at a book-signing event in Houston. His innate decency shone through his penetratingly blue eyes. A few years later, I saw former President George H.W. Bush at an event at Rice University. While Carter and Bush are the only Presidents I’ve ever seen in person, I do have one other personal connection to a President. In the early 1990s, I spent one holiday season wrapping gifts at a Neiman-Marcus in San Diego, not long after I mustered out of the U.S. Navy. The store had a fairly upscale clientele and a renowned confectionery department. One day I found myself wrapping a
AI (which I know nothing about) to The Beatles (with whom I’m familiar.) If you are over 40 and have only a limited, casual relationship to new technologies, you might be as clueless as I am about AI. After all, I used to think Tiramisu was a Puerto Rican folk dance when I first heard the term. In fact, I was so sure that other people were as clueless as me that I initiated my own private survey. So, last week, I set up shop outside a local Kroger store and asked passers-by, “What IS AI?
“It’s a computer thing that creates stories and other things”, 67 year old William told me. “It’s like a search engine.”
“Oh man! That’s technology that can mess people up,” Lewis, a 28 year old delivery man said.
“It’s something used to spread lies about people like Trump,” 38-year old Linda feared.
“Is there anything good about it?,” I asked. “Probably not,” came the response. Even my own 29-year=old son envisions an eventual machine revolt spurred by technology like in “The Terminator”. Then again, I once had to explain the difference between butter and margarine to him at an age when I would’ve thought it was obvious. Dictionary.com defines artificial Intelligence as “the capacity of a computer, robot, programmed device, or software application to perform operations and tasks analogous to learning and decision making in humans, such as speech recognition or question answering.” What that definition does NOT include is human fear element. And per usual, I can’t help but wonder how much fear has contributed to impression.
A man named Geoffrey
Hinton is considered the “godfather of AI”. Hinton himself has regretted his life’s work because of how he says AI could become smarter than us. Last year, he quit Google to focus full time on warning the world. And as I think we’ve already seen, many others share his fears. A lack of transparency on how AI makes its conclusions and how it uses whatever input to create bias is kept under strict proprietary lock and key. Others predict lost jobs as AI replaces them with robots. And there’s the perceived threat to privacy and technology. For example, China’s facial recognition could gather enough data to monitor peoples’ relationships and political views. I don’t want to sound snarky, but I saw a whole new generation born upon the art world when I saw the works of Roberto Lopes, Jr. the other day. It was a
collection of very bold and moving images, with colors more vibrant than film and a beautiful interpretation of The Beatles “A Day In The Life”. The angles and artificially created images of John, Paul, George and Ringo really hit me. So it comes to this for me. AI is a strange new cuisine with an untested flavor and an undefinable consistency. It is full of both bad calories and good. The results of its nourishment may make some people healthier and some sick. I’m not sure it’s a taste that will sweep the world away or take our lives to new heights. But for now, this dish is energizing us in unexpected and inexplicable ways. It’s gonna take a while to see how it affects our aggregate digestion. Meantime, consume at your own risk.
Garay can be reached at MarkGaray426@gmail.com
large tin of peanut brittle to be sent to former President Ronald Regan, who was said to particularly love that treat. Sadly, it was around that same time that Reagan publicly revealed he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. That 1976 election seems in retrospect consequential in ways the country might not have realized at the time. Ford became President when his predecessor, Richard Nixon, resigned in the wake of the Watergate scandal. Ford had only shortly before been confirmed as Vice-President after the resignation of Spiro Agnew. I recently learned a lot I hadn’t known about that transition and Ford himself in a fascinating PBS documentary called “The American Vice President,” which can be viewed on pbs.org. (In a personally rewarding side note, the film includes a photo of Ford in his suburban Washington home where we see he had a large, coffee-table book of the works of seminal American artist Normal Rockwell. My sister gave me a used copy of that very book some time after we’d seen an excellent Rockwell exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.)
One of Ford’s first acts as President was to give Nixon a full pardon for any criminal acts he may have committed while in office, a decision that drew widespread criticism. With the benefit of hindsight, we now see Ford did the country an enormous service, helping us get past the trauma of Watergate and maybe beginning on the path of getting past the concurrent turmoil over the war in Vietnam and the Civil Rights Era. Carter’s election was seen as another step in that direction, even if his oneterm presidency ended on a sour note. In retrospect, 1976 may have been the point when America began to move out of one of the most divided periods in its history. That was also our Bicentennial year and I remember going with my fellow elementary school students to see the American Freedom Train when it paid a visit to the Amtrak station on the outskirts of downtown Houston. Today, that all sounds like a lifetime ago. And it is – my lifetime, and that of people my age and younger. The respite after the tumult of the 1960s and early 1970s was all too brief. People may have differ-
ing theories over when and how the turn toward the divisive politics we now have began, but it’s all too clear to most of us that Americans are as far apart politically now as back then.
If there’s been one major throughline in the columns I’ve written since taking this role at the Fort Bend Star, it’s been a call of a return to civility in our politics and in our discourse. Sadly, it seems the nation largely has not heeded my call. The level of vitriol that we’re hearing this election season is at least as high as four years ago, and four years before then. And it’s not just at the national level.
As I discussed in a recent column, here in Fort Bend County we’ve seen our own share of this kind of vitriol. Thankfully, though, it hasn’t reached the fever pitch level that we see on the cable news networks and social media. As purportedly the most diverse county in the nation, we have an opportunity to lead the way to a better place in our politics.
I voted on the second day of early voting, my earliest opportunity after putting the newspaper to bed. I arrived at the Missouri City
Community Center shortly after the polls opened, and there was already a fairly long line. It took me about a halfhour to make my way to the voting booth. I didn’t mind. I felt heartened that there was so much interest in the election. I spent much of that time chatting with the nice lady behind me. A few years ago, I broke out my old Navy ballcap, which I hadn’t worn in years, to wear on election days and other patriotic occasions. It seems the further my service recedes in time, the more I connect that service with my duty as a citizen. I made a point to shake the hand of an older man wearing a U.S. Army ballcap. We’ve got a few more days to vote in this election. We don’t know what the results will be, or even when we will learn the outcome of the Presidential race. But after all we’ve been through in the last few years, let’s all endeavor to accept the results, and see our neighbors who may have voted the other way as fellow citizens. Because that’s what we are.
Fountain salutes at KFountain@fortbendstar.com
LEGAL NOTICE
STAFFORD MUNICIPAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
STAFFORD MUNICIPAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
RFP # 25-001
RFP # 24-001
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR STAFFING AGENCY TO PROVIDE NURSES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES
Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a [MIXED BEVERAGE PERMIT (MB),] by [Gary Merritt] dba [Philly Boyz Cheesesteaks], to be located at [1715 Texas Parkway], [Missouri City], [Fort Bend], Texas. Officers of said corporation [OR OWNERS OR PARTNERS] are [Gary Merritt, Katrina Merritt]. Attach a clipping of the notice with the publisher's affidavit.
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
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
The Financial Integrity Rating for Fort Bend Independent School District
5:30 P.M. on November 18, 2024
In the Board Room of the FBISD Administration Building 16431 Lexington Blvd. ♦ Sugar Land
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss Fort Bend ISD’s rating on the Financial Integrity System Rating (FIRST)
Public Encouraged to Attend
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Drymalla Construction Company, LLC (CM at Risk) is soliciting Qualifications/ Proposals from Subcontractors/Suppliers for the Lamar Consolidated ISD Campus #8 – Infrastructure – GMP 2 Mass Grading and Drainage Improvements. Project consists of grading both East and West sites of approximately 155 Acres of the Lamar CISD Campus #8 sites, development of detention ponds, and storm sewers. The scope of work is defined by the drawings and specifications issued. Qualifications/Proposals are due at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at the offices of Drymalla Construction Company, LLC, 608 Harbert, Columbus, Texas 78934, via fax 979-732-3663, or email to bid@drymalla.com. NO PHONE BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED. A virtual pre-proposal meeting will be held November 7, 2024, at 3 PM. Access to this meeting is included in the Project Manual. For information on how to obtain copies of the Request for Qualifications/Proposal documents call 979-732-5731, or email Sharon Fisher at sfisher@drymalla.com.
Hi
They met in high school and became sweethearts, only to reunite in college, deepening their connection. Their love story exemplified unwavering commitment and partnership, navigating both life’s joys and challenges. Margaret was a loving mother to three daughters: Sarah Blue (Michael), Rachel Uresti (Keaton), and Rebekah Mulligan (Ryan). She managed her own pregnancies and the births of each of her daughtersone during medical school, two during her medical residency- so that they would integrate seamlessly with her training and coursework. Her children were the driving force in her life and she took pride in watching them grow and in all of their accomplishments. She was the strongest woman we knew and though she appeared sweet and demure, her fierce protective nature shone through when it came to her family. The greatest treasures in Margaret’s life were her six beloved grandchildren: Mackenzie, Koen, Samantha, Khloe, Ellie, and Bennett. She cherished every moment spent with them, delighting in their laughter, celebrating their achievements, and creating cherished memories that will live on in their hearts forever. Her presence on the side lines of their sporting and extracurricular activities will be greatly missed. Margaret is survived by her siblings, Geoff Leavenworth (Simone) and Jane Wolff (Mike), along with numerous nieces,
nephews, cousins, and extended family members. She is proceeded in death by her parents and brother Christopher Leavenworth. Margaret was born in Jacksonville, Florida and her family moved to Texas in 1958, settling in Dickinson, Texas. She graduated from Dickinson High School in 1974 and continued her higher education at the University of Texas (Class of 1977). She would become a third generation physician and attend medical school at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio,
Sugar Land tops the charts as a Music-Friendly Texas Certified Community
Our humble and diverse city of Sugar Land is hitting all the right notes when it comes to supporting local music and artists. With a population of around 111,000, Sugar Land recently announce its designation as a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community, a title granted by the Texas Music Office (TMO) following a thorough certification process. This recognition, announced by Governor Greg Abbott on October 21 is a significant achievement for our community and highlights our ongoing commitment to the arts.
Created by the TMO in 2016, The Music Friendly Texas program is the first of its kind in the nation. Its goal is to promote economic development and job creation related to the music industry in Texas cities. As part of this initiative, Sugar Land has demonstrated a dedication to fostering a vibrant music scene that contributes not just to local culture, but also to economic growth.
In a news release, Abbott said, “Congratulations to the City of Sugar Land on earning the Music Friendly Texas Certified Community designation” reinforcing how music is a vital part of Texas’s identity and is deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of our state. The TMO reports that the Texas music indus-
try supports over 192,000 jobs and generates more than $26 billion in annual economic activity. This certification is a step toward bolstering those figures even further.
Local leaders joined the afterparty celebrating Sugar Land’s achievement. Texas Sen. Lois W. Kolkhorst praised Sugar Land for providing quality musical experiences that contribute significantly to the local economy and attract visitors. Texas Rep. Gary Gates echoed this sentiment, highlighting how music can stimulate job creation, draw tourism, and support local businesses.
Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman expressed pride in the community’s efforts, noting the hard work of Sugar Land’s Civic Arts Division over the past year and a half to achieve this recognition. “This certification not only highlights Sugar Land’s thriving music scene but also opens the door for future growth and economic opportunities for our musicians and local businesses,” he said.
The significance of music in our community should not go unheard. Nicole Solis, the City of Sugar Land’s Assistant Director of Neighborhood Services, emphasized that music enriches lives and brings people together. “We are excited to be designated a Music Friendly Texas Community,” she said. “The city is focused on fostering connections among residents and creating an environment where everyone feels engaged.”
Sha Davis, the Civic Arts Manager for Sugar Land, described the certification as a milestone in the city’s commitment to the arts. “This recognition showcases our dedication to nurturing and expanding our music scene,” she stated. “It creates a thriving space for artists and audiences alike.”
The ceremony celebrating Sugar Land’s new musical achievement took place October 26 during the Summer of Sound festival at Oyster Creek Park with performers MBK + Friends and Mathias Lattin. Led by John MBK, a keyboardist and singer inspired by gospel, highlife, classical, jazz, and hip-hop, MBK + Friends are an ensemble blending 1990’s and 2000’s hip-hop and R&B. MBK’s “Friends” are Ase on bass, Nuno on guitar, and Snupe on drums. Mathias Lattin, win-
ner of the 2023 International Blues Challenge and Best Guitarist when just 20-years old, is an emerging young Texas blues guitarist with a love of blues, jazz-inflected chords, and funky bass lines. TMO Community Relations and Outreach Specialist, Gini Mascorro, presented the designation, praising Sugar Land for its commitment to the local music industry.
Mark Winters, the newly appointed chairman of Sugar Land’s music advisory board, shared his enthusiasm for this development. A musician and long-time resident, Winters expressed excitement about the potential for growth within the local arts community. He emphasized the importance of connecting local artists with performance venues, making it easier for them to showcase their talents.
“The Civic Arts program has been a great catalyst for energizing our local artists,” Winters said. He added that one of the advisory board’s initial goals is to ensure that artists and venues in Sugar Land are included in the Texas Music Office’s registry. This will help streamline the booking process for local events, further promoting Sugar Land’s music scene.
The TMO not only facilitates connections but also offers resources such as grant
To learn more about The Texas Music Office and Texas Music Friendly Communities, visit: https://gov. texas.gov/music
To learn more about the city of Sugar Land’s fast growing awards and recognitions, visit: https://www. sugarlandtx.gov/1002/City-Awards-Recognition
Follow on Instagram:
Sugar Land Civic Arts events: @slcivicarts
City of Sugar Land: @sugarlandtxgov
Texas Music Office: @texasmusicoffice
Music Friendly Texas Communities: @musicfriendlytexas
John MBK of MBK + Friends: @fre_shprince Mathias Lattin: @mathiaslattin
Sugar Land Music Advisory Board Members: Board Liaison and Civic Arts Manager: @shadavis
Chair: @markwintersmusic
Vice Chair: @thetaxfreeninja
City rep: @muffymacncheese
Treasurer: @jalenonthevibes
Secretary: @sam_asthana
opportunities to support local music initiatives. Becoming a certified community means that Sugar Land will have access to these resources, allowing it to enhance the local music industry and create more opportunities for artists and venues.
As Sugar Land drops this new beat as a newly minted Music Friendly Texas Certified Community, residents can look forward to an expanding discography of musical events in the future.
With the city’s commitment to supporting local artists, it’s a new era for Sugar Land artists to represent the Texas music scene.
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.
Certified Sugar Land Sounds: Sugar Land became the 68th community in Texas to receive the Music Friendly Texas Designation from the Texas Music Office. The certification ceremony was held on Saturday, October 26, 2024 during Sugar Land’s Summer of Sound at Oyster Creek Park. Pictured: Gini Mascorro from The Texas Music Office presented the Music
to City of Sugar Land officials and the newly formed Sugar Land Music Advisory Board. MBK + Friends (John MBK, Ase, Nuno, Snupe), Mathias Lattin. Ryan Lee Reid and Janet Sue Reid of The Reid Feed. Photo montage by: Janet Sue Reid.
In what seems to be an increasingly pernicious problem, Fort Bend County authorities are investigating several instances of election campaign sign vandalism in Sugar Land and Stafford, the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office said in a news release. According to the release, the Sugar Land Police Department on Monday notified the District Attorney’s
Office that there were damaged election signs at several polling locations. District Attorney Investigators initiated an investigation and observed that there were signs of at least three different candidates, from both political parties, to have been cut down and left on the ground. Perpetrators could be charged with the misdemeanor offense of criminal mischief, and if the aggregate value of the damage
exceeds $100, offenders could face jail time, according to the release.
During the 2024 primary elections, a 22-year-old man was charged, prosecuted, and ordered to pay more than $1,500 in restitution for destroying candidate signs.
The latest incidents come on the heels of reported sign thefts at the Cinco Ranch Library poll in Katy last week. Over 30 signs were stolen at that location, which is also under investigation. Not all
signs that disappear are stolen. Some are placed without the landowner’s permission or are unlawfully in the right of way, which would be removed by TxDOT.
“I formed the Election Integrity Security Task Force in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies in 2020 to monitor election activity to ensure the integrity of the election process and maintain safety for voters and election workers,” District Attorney Brian
Middleton said in the release.
“The Task Force has operated in every election since 2020 to protect the voters and the election workers. The election workers have dedicated numbers to call if they need assistance.”
“Signs don’t vote, people do. Destroying political signs is misguided and not likely to change the outcome of the election,” Middleton said.
“And while the task force officers work during the hours that the polls are open, pa-
trol officers work around the clock. There are security cameras everywhere, and when we identify who’s responsible, they will be prosecuted.” If the public has a complaint when they arrive to vote, they can call the Elections Hotline at 281-3418670, or email at Vote@fbctx. gov. Anyone who witnesses a crime or has information about campaign-related vandalism or theft should call 911 or the non-emergency
You
and ask for
call
ESL@grandparkway.org EMMY-NOMINATED FORT BEND BOYS CHOIR HOLDING AUDITIONS The Fort Bend Boys Choir is seeking
young
who
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.
