2023
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Exchange Club of Sugar Land to hold three-day event marking Veterans’ Day - Page 2
281.690.4200 WEDNESDAY • NOVEMBER 8, 2023
Rosenberg man sentenced to 35 years for sexual abuse of a child Staff Reports On November 2, 458th District Court Judge Chad Bridges sentenced a Rosenberg man to 35 years in prison after a jury convicted him of continuous sexual abuse of a young child on August 16. George Gonzales, 49, will serve his sentence day for day under Texas law.
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Fort Bend leaders tout county's economic prowess at Greater Houston Partnership event By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Fort Bend County is quickly becoming one of the economic powerhouses of the greater Houston region, a group of panelists agreed at an event hosted by the Greater Houston Partnership at the Sugar Land Mariott Hotel last week. The Greater Houston Partnership serves as the regional chamber of commerce. Bob Harvey, the organization’s soonto-retire president and
CEO, moderated the event, only the second regional program in its history. Last year, it held a similar event in Montgomery County, which with Harris and Fort Bend comprise the largest population centers in the region. During Harvey’s 11-year tenure, the partnership’s area expanded from 10 to 12 counties. In his opening remarks, Harvey said the nearly 900-square-mile Fort Bend County “leads the region in affordability, quality of life, educational attainment,
and population diversity.” As one of the fastest-growing counties in both Texas and the nation, almost 30 percent of its population is foreign-born, he noted. “This county’s strategic location, only 15 to 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston, make it an attractive destination for business,” he said. “Sugar Land in particular is emerging as a magnet for entrepreneurs and industry leaders alike.”
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Bob Harvey, CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership, left, moderates a discussion with Missouri City Mayor Robin Elackatt, Sugar Land economic development director Elizabeth Huff, Lamar CISD Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens, and Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital Malisha Patel at the Sugar Land Marriott on Oct. 31. Photo by Ken Fountain
Sienna Art Festival See Page 6 - for more photos from the Fourth annual Sienna Art Festival
George Gonzales, 49, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for continuous sexual abuse of a child. Courtesy Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office
Evidence presented at trial revealed that the child victim disclosed the abuse to a Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Crisis Intervention Deputy who responded to a mental health crisis at her home in August 2018, according to a press release from the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. The child told the deputy she wanted to end her life to prevent her abuser “from going to jail for touching her.” Gonzales began sexually abusing the child when she was as young as 6 years old and continued to abuse her until the abuse was discovered when she was 13. During the punishment phase of the trial, Bridges heard testimony that while on bond, Gonzales was living with another woman and her two underage daughters, despite being ordered to have no contact with children. “1,898 days after this child made the brave choice to disclose her abuse, her abuser was finally brought to justice,” Assistant District Attorney and lead prosecutor Charann Thompson, said in the release. “I am so grateful to her for trusting our commitment to seek justice despite the delays. I also want to thank the Rosenberg Police Department and the Fort Bend County Children’s Advocacy Center for the roles they played in achieving this result.” “Parents need to be cautious with who they allow around their children. In many cases, the perpetrator is a family member, close family friend, or someone the child and family trusts. If you see something, say something,” Assistant District Attorney Melissa Munoz said. Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child is a firstdegree felony punishable by 25 to 99 years, or life, in prison with no parole eligibility. The offense also requires lifetime registration as a sex offender.
Agnes Russo, an abstract artist from Katy, hangs some of her paintings near the start of the Sienna Art Festival. Photo by Ken Fountain
Fort Bend ISD launches strategic plan engagement effort By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Fort Bend ISD leaders, along with a cross section of students from the district, held the second of two town hall-style events last week as part of the district’s effort to create a new strategic plan. The November 1 Vision 2030 Summit drew about 50 people to the large auditorium at Hightower High School in Missouri City to hear from students and respond to questions posed by representatives of Engage 2 Learn, an outside consulting firm hired by the district in September to lead the strategic planning effort. Superintendent Christie Whitbeck said while the group’s hiring was approved by the Fort Bend ISD board in September, the planning for the new strategic plan began about a year ago. Vision 2030, as the effort is called, is described
A cross-section of Fort Bend ISD students participate in a town hall-style summit on the district’s strategic plan at Hightower High School on November 1. Photo by Ken Fountain
as “a part of a four-phased comprehensive process to engage current FBISD stakeholders to design, create, and implement a community-inspired strategic plan, centered on a vision for learning and anchored on the community’s highest hopes for all Fort Bend ISD students.”
At the outset of the event, Whitbeck told attendees that the effort would result in a document that would be put before the public to describe what those hopes would be going forward to the year 20230. The event was largely facilitators Thad Gitten and Janet Helmcamp of Engage
2 Learn, who first posed a series of questions to 17 students from various Fort Bend ISD schools and demographic groups about what how they experience school now, and how they would like to see that experience improved in the future. Many of the students emphasized in their answers that they learn best through group interaction and oneon-one time with their teachers rather than rote memorization emphasized in standardized testing. The students’ portion was followed by an interactive session with members of the audience answering questions posed by the facilitators through an online interface. The questions asked such questions as what education should look like in the next 20 years, what their hopes for the district were in the coming years, what skills were the skills necessary for students to be proficient in in the fu-
ture, and the proper use of technology in education in the future. Many of the attendees had very vociferous responses to the questions posed. The facilitators made clear that all of their responses would be recorded and be incorporated into the forthcoming strategic plan document. A community engagement report on the summit and other feedback will be presented to the Fort Bend ISD board at its December 13 meeting. Separate design, creation, and lead teams will work on the final document through March 21. The board will hold a workshop on February 8, followed by a public roll-out on April 3. The board is slated to vote on the final plan in May. Anyone within Fort Bend ISD can participate in an online survey, as well as learn more information, by visiting www.fortbendisd. com/vision2030.
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PAGE 2 • Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Exchange Club of Sugar Land to hold three-day event marking Veterans' Day Staff Reports From November 1012, the Exchange Club of Sugar Land will host a three-day celebration of all veterans of the U.S. armed services at the University of Houston at Sugar Land campus, Interstate 69/U.S. 59 and University Boulevard. Veterans’ Day is a federal holiday which was originally instituted to recognize the cessation of hostilities in World War 1, which at the time was called “the war to end all wars.” After World War 11, Veterans’ Day was modified to become a recognition of all those who have served in the U.S. armed services. One of the Exchange Club’s three national programs of service is
Americanism, which promotes pride in America and gratitude to the men and women in our military. The Exchange Club of Sugar Land was proud to lead Sugar Land’s traditional Veteran’s Day celebration in past years. “As a veteran of the United States Navy, Veteran’s Day is a very special day for me and all who have served in America’s armed services.,” Olson said in press release. “Our hometown of Sugar Land is the most patriotic city in our nation on this special day of honor. It has always been a day to celebrate our heroes. The horrific attacks our country endured on September 11, 2001, and the COVID pandemic have shown us that you do not have to serve in the Armed Services to be a hero. We all
know heroes in our daily lives.” On Friday, November 11, the event will focus on veterans of the armed services. On Sunday, November 12, the event will be dedicated to “hometown heroes like a mother, a father, a doctor, a nurse, a therapist, a teacher, a coach, a pastor, a mentor, a dear friend, etc. No profession or relationship is out of bounds. Texan or non-Texan, living or dead - it doesn’t matter. “Old Glory” is eternal.” The flags will be lit at night in compliance with federal law. There will be a brief, thirty-minute ceremony at 5 p.m. each day to honor the group that is the focus of our celebration that day. Proceeds raised from the event will go to local charities.
A thousand U.S. flags will be displayed in a “Field of Honor” at the University of Houston at Sugar Land campus as part of a three-day commemoration of Veterans’ Day. Photo by Ben Franske via Wikimedia Commons
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Over the last decade has seen “an astonishing surge” in the number of businesses from 8,600 to 15,000, Harvey said, quoting data from the Fort Bend County Economic Development Council. Even Rosenberg is getting into the act with the recent expansion of the Frito-Lay facility, he said. Harvey posed a series of questions to a panel comprised of a cross-section of leadership in the county: Missouri City Mayor Robin Elackatt, Elizabeth Huff, director of the Sugar Land Office of Economic Development, Lamar Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens, and Malisha Patel, senior Vice President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital and Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital. Harvey asked the panelists what in particular about Fort Bend County is driving such growth. Huff noted the county’s diversity, with no single racial group comprising a majority. which she said is attractive to business leaders. “Not only are we diverse, but we are highly educated,” she said, at a level that is higher than any other single area in the greater Houston region. Elackatt answered Huff ’s remarks with a bit of municipal competitiveness. “I take great pride in saying that when it comes to diversity, we’re number one in the county,” he said. He cited the city’s schools, quality of life, and its relative closeness to Houston as other drivers that make Missouri City attractive to businesses and homebuyers alike. Elackatt took some exception to Harvey’s remarks that Missouri City had long been regarded as a “bedroom community” to Houston. “I’m here to tell you,
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we’re here to play,” he said. He added that since he was elected in 2020, the city has instituted “a great senior leadership team” who have instituted a program of innovation throughout the city’s departments. That, in turn, has helped attract new development, he said. Missouri City leadership has also been focusing on redeveloping older parts of the city, he said. Patel noted that Memorial Hermann many years ago moved from a smaller facility in Fort Bend County to the massive campus it now occupies off the Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land. Now a 179-bed hospital, the campus has expanded its number of specialty programs to serve the needs of a fast-growing population, she said. Nivens, of Lamar CISD, said that public education is a critical aspect of ensuring Fort Bend County’s economic prosperity by helping create a fully productive citizen. “I was that kid growing up where education saved my life,” said Nivens, a native of rural Oklahoma. “I became a superintendent so I could become a micromanager on how we teach our kids.” Nivens said school districts like his have to create a support system that will help children navigate not only the challenge of passing tests, but also the societal challenges they face in becoming good citizens who will want to contribute to the community. Nivens said that his philosophy is that all children deserve the chance to receive a quality education. “It really gets under my skin when people talk about ‘those kids.’ Your ZIP code does not determine your destiny,’” he said. “I don’t care where you’re coming from, if your child wants to learn, you’re going to learn.” Huff discussed the moves Sugar Land leadership has been making of late to expand its economic base
and revitalize its building stock, as it tries to avoid the stagnation that city officials fear might be the city’s future if it doesn’t make those changes, even as those moves meet resistance from some of the city’s longstanding residents. “We’re in this really interesting dynamic, but there’s just so much opportunity,” she said. Harvey pressed Huff on the “tension” the city might have experienced with its new growth model. “Are you talking about apartments?” Huff joked. The number of new apartments the city might allow in some areas has been a strong bone of contention in recent months. Huff acknowledged the controversy but said that the life cycle of cities is “either you grow or you die.” She noted the City Council has embraced the staff ’s moves toward revitalizing the city’s housing stock and increasing density within the city. She said the city is working to foster conversations with residents about why its growth model is necessary for the city’s future. Touching on Huff ’s remarks, Ecklatt said that Missouri City is not yet at the stage of being nearly built-out that Sugar Land faces now. “But we’re going to be in the position that they are ten 10 years down the road,” he said. Missouri City is watching Sugar Land to see how it can prepare for that level of growth, he said. While residents may not be enthusiastic about apartments, he said, many understand that increased population density is necessary to attract new retail establishments and therefore economic growth into the city, he said. Ecklatt said the city has worked hard in recent years to overcome its reputation as being “tough to do business with” in terms of getting approvals and permits and the like.
Inaugural Honeyland Festival to be held Nov. 11-12 in Sugar Land Staff Reports The City of Sugar Land will host the inaugural Honeyland Festival, “celebrating the best in Black expression where the top restaurateurs, beverage makers, and artists get together to remix, refresh, and create more of what flavors the world,” at Crown Festival Park on Nov. 11-12. Up to 15,000 people are expected to attend the event, according to a story on the city’s website. “Shuttle lots for the festival will be available at the University of Houston Sugar Land campus, Fluor, and as an overflow lot, Constellation Field. These are the primary options for general admission attendees, other than rideshare services. Be aware that traffic around these shuttle locations and The Crown
The City of Sugar Land will host the inaugural Honeyland Festival at Crown Festival Park on Nov. 11-12. Courtesy Visit Sugar Land
Festival Park may be heavy due to the high number of festival-goers,” according to the story. “During the festival, Sugar Land Memorial Park and Pawm Springs Dog Park will be temporarily shut down as the connector road to The Crown Festival Park will be
used exclusively for shuttles, talent/staff transportation, and emergency vehicle access. Both parks will close at 10 p.m. on Friday, November 11 and reopen Monday, November 13. Brazos River Park and its parking lots will also be closed for the duration of the festival, with the exception
of Go Ape, which will remain open. Parking lot A at BRP will be used for rideshares, while parking lot B will be used for shuttle drop-off and pickup,” according to the story. For more information, visit www.visitsugarlandtx.com/ events/honeyland-in-sugarland. HOUSECLEANING
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EDITORIAL Name that change Lynn Ashby Columnist
By Lynn Ashby ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
M
Y COMPUTER – Time to make my morning check of incoming emails, just like millions of other Americans (and, I suppose, Serbians, Swedes and Siberians). But nothing works. I can’t even get a test pattern. It must be Wednesday. Every Wednesday my faithful Isadora comes to clean up my mess. She tosses out the beer bottles, empties my cigar butts and makes the house presentable for the bail bondman’s visit. She also always – I mean always – manages to mop my office floor and in doing so unplugs my computer, but I am ever
grateful for her help. That’s not the point. In referring to her as Isadora I neatly sidestep what to call her by her position. Is she a maid, cleaning woman, one who makes my life bearable? In her sitcom, “Roseanne,” Roseanne Barr called herself a domestic goddess. What do you call the person who takes care of your mess and, no, husband or wife doesn’t count.
We live in woke times when titles are tricky, even damaging. You can be accused of being condescending or insensitive if you refer to a panhandler as a panhandler. He is economically disadvantaged. At the bank I am greeted by a team member. She is a bank clerk and a good one. But no doubt some time ago in a conference room high above Manhattan, top executives gathered around to discuss: What do we call our overworked and underpaid employees? Such titles as clerks, money counters and overworked and underpaid employees did not fly. They finally came up with team member. The team is quarterbacked by a CEO who makes an incredible
amount of money which in one year could easily pay his or her linemen for life. So they came up with team members, but what do their underlings call their CEOs? Fat cat, boss man, that overpaid enemy of the workers? For answers, let’s look at the CEO-to-worker compensation ratio for the 50 top publicly owned companies, according to the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index in 2022, the latest figures available. JC Penney Co. was topping the ranking with a CEO-toworker pay ratio of 1,795, indicating that for every dollar a normal worker received, the company’s CEO received about 1,795 dollars. Next came Abercrombie & Fitch at 1,640. You know the barista at Starbucks who pushes that five-dollar cup of coffee across the counter and hopes you will put a dollar in the tip jar? Her boss at the top annually makes 1,135 times what she does. A Walmart employee works for a CEO who make 983 times what she makes. This may explain why Alice Walton of Fort Worth and heir to the Walmart and Sam’s empire has a net worth of $58.3 billion. (Alas, Alice is not the richest person in
Texas. That honor belongs to Elon Musk who has a net worth of $191.4 billion.) Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being rich. Somebody has to be there, but we can’t blame the striking General Motors auto workers for picketing when they make an average of $80,000 a year – not bad – while their CEO, Mary Barra, makes $29 million, or 369 times the workers’ annual income. This brings us back to the question of what to call them. The United Auto Workers call themselves workers. The Communist Manifesto demanding “Workers of the world, unite!” sounds better than “Auto Assembly Associates, unite!” If you are U.S. Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee who wants to be Houston’s mayor, you call your staff members a slew of obscenities. As you probably know, a hidden microphone picked up Jackson Lee’s angry tirade against members of her staff. No wonder Congressional staffers have routinely voted Jackson Lee as the “meanest” employer on Capitol Hill. Some companies now refer to their employees as members. It beats calling them serfs, peons or
wage slaves. Garbage men (are there any garbage women?) are sanitation engineers. The U.S. Army has culinary specialists. Most of us would call them cooks. For years airlines only hired young women to serve in-flight passengers, and were called stewardesses, or stews. Now men also serve us peanuts and candy bars and are called flight attendants. Old folks are now senior citizens. No one is fat anymore. They are pleasantly plump, fully formed or weighty. Donald Trump is not a liar; he is ethically challenged and deals with alternative facts. In William Shakespeare’s “Romeo, and Juliet,” Juliet says, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name, would smell as sweet.” This reminds me of one of my favorite jokes. These two old guys are sitting in a den and one says, “We went to a great restaurant last night.” The other old guy asks, “What was its name?” The first old guy replies, “Oh, what is the name of that red flower?” His friend answers, “Daylily? Orchid? Rose?” The first guy says brightly, “That’s it.” He yells to his wife in the kitchen, “Rose,
Friends of the Mamie George Branch Library to host annual book sale on Nov. 17 Staff Reports The Friends of the Mamie George Branch Library will host their Annual Book Sale on Friday, November 17, from noon-4 p.m., and on Saturday, November 18, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., in the lobby of the library, 320 Dulles Avenue in Stafford. People who love books, people who love bargains, and people who need to get rid of
some spare change will find a lot in common at the book sale. Gently used hardcover children’s and adults’ books will be available for sale for $1 each, DVDs will be $1 peer disc, and paperback books will be 25 cents each. The Friends of the Mamie George Branch Library organization is instrumental in funding library materials not covered in the regular library budget. Proceeds from
what was the name of that restaurant we went to last night?” Her name could have been Daylily. Many titles today are simply euphemisms, putting a nice twist on someone or something rather awkward. Do you really go to the bathroom to take a bath? There’s nothing in that room but a toilet and a sink. Undertakers are funeral directors who deal with the dearly departed, the late beloved or the deceased who are not dead but have gone to their reward, are now in the arms of Jesus or lie in heavenly splendor. Taking a dirt nap is frowned upon. Prisons are no longer prisons. They are correctional institutions. We don’t have any soda jerks around, not because no one wants to be called a jerk but because there are no longer any soda fountains. Mailmen? No. They are postal workers, men and women. And to set the record straight, Romeo didn’t kill himself by drinking poison. He was mortally challenged by the lethal intake of a non-digestible substance – by any other name. Ashby sounds off at ashby2@concast.com
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the book sale and annual membership dues also help to underwrite the costs of special programming at the Mamie George Branch Library.
H E R E the leader Puzz
For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend. lib.tx.us), or call the Mamie George Branch Library at 281-238-2880 or the library system’s Communications Office at 281-633-4734.
Ans
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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
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
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.”
Call Anqunette for more information
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- PSALM 136:1
aCrOss
1. W. Loman’s failed son 5. Largest English dictionary (abbr.) 8. Wanes 12. Lifeless geologic period 14. No (Scottish) 15. Filled chocolate cookie 16. Circular chordophones 18. Short-term memory 19. Any small compartment 20. Poisonous gas 21. Cologne 22. Scaleless fishes 23. Ormolu 26. Well-known & respected 30. Man-made river embankment 31. Yearned after something 32. Before 33. Garlic mayonnaise 34. California white oak 39. CNN’s founder Turner 42. Removed contents 44. Frighten 46. Responded 47. ÒExtantÓ star
49. Aba ____ Honeymoon 50. Box (abbr.) 51. Reptile leather 56. Norse goddess of old age 57. Drive obliquely, as of a nail 58. Inspire with love 59. Affirm positively 60. European sea eagle 61. Congresswoman Giffords 62. Emit coherent radiation 63. Fall back time 64. Masses of fish eggs
dOwn
1. Leavened rum cake 2. Moslem women’s garment 3. Quilting duo: ____ & Porter 4. S W Pacific state 5. The start of something 6. Edible 7. More coy 8. From 56 to 34 million years ago 9. Small wind 10. Disney heroine 11. Helios 13. Existing at birth
but not hereditary 17. Paris river 24. Confined condition (abbr.) 25. More than charged 26. A major division of geological time 27. Japanese apricot 28. Initial public offering 29. A quantity of no importance 35. Securities market 36. Sharp part of a tool 37. Downwind 38. Doctor of Education 40. Built up 41. Borrowers 42. Stray 43. Country singer Haggard 44. Eurasian marten pelts 45. Fashion magazine Marie ___ 47. Turkish candy 48. Regarding 49. Distribute game cards 52. Princess Anne’s daughter 53. Planned pipeline from Burgas to Vlore 54. An academic gown 55. Removes moisture
W
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PAGE 4 • Wednesday, November 8, 2023
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Texas, deep in the heart
By Larry Terry LTERRY61@AOL.COM
Editor’s note: This is a guest column by Larry Terry, a longtime Houston-area journalist. Mark Garay is off this week.
M
y earliest memories of armadillos are quick glimpses of them as they scampered across our yard or from the path of our car on rural roadways in the deep South. Even after moving to Texas nearly 37 years ago, I viewed armadillos mostly as roadkill. Although the armadillo has long been a symbol of Texas, I’ve learned to view them and this state differently since I first arrived here.
A few years ago, as Gulf Coast editor of a New York-
based chemical-industry magazine, I was anticipating my return flight to Houston after a three-day conference in San Antonio. I’d conducted scores of interviews, met with many of my sources and mined as many story ideas as possible from new and established contacts. That annual gathering near the River Walk had been typical, at least until the very end when I was cajoled into participating in an armadillo race at the conference’s closing reception near the city’s convention center. As a Texas transplant, I felt an armadillo race should be reserved strictly for those born within the boundaries of this expansive state. Besides the unpleasant likelihood of appearing foolish, I felt I hadn’t earned the right to participate. That’s one reason I’ve never considered wearing a cowboy hat or boots. Nevertheless, there I stood trying to decide which armadillo to choose for this race, a distance of about 20 feet from one end of a portable stage to the other. To the event’s organizer, my blank look said it all. So his instructions to me were simple, yet thorough: “Choose the one you think will win the race.” Yeah, right. Armadillos, with their
scaly exterior, hairless ratlike faces, stubby legs and nearly rigid tails, make iguanas look, well, cuddly. But here I was, being asked to hold one in my hands as we prepared for the contest. As I grasped the hard, unyielding and gently writhing body, I was glad I’d dodged its cousin one night a few months earlier on my way home on a darkened road. I did feel silly, just as I had feared, but there was not a tinge of guilt. I began to feel even more foolish, however, as I sensed myself warming to the creature. This was not the helpless but beautiful fawn a friend and I had rescued years earlier from north Louisiana floodwaters, or even the elegant rubythroated hummingbird I once freed from a tangle of heavy cobwebs; this was an armadillo, a kind of medieval knight of the animal kingdom sheathed in his own suit of armor and in no need of help from me. Yet from this unique manifestation of God’s incredible imagination began to emerge a sort of - dare I say it? -personality. Now, just a couple of minutes before the race was to begin, the creature suddenly twisted powerfully in my hands - so much so that I thought I might drop it. It turned its head toward me just enough for
us to make eye contact, or so it seemed. In that moment, at once bizarre and completely natural, I felt an odd reassurance, as if it had said, “Just point me in the right direction, and I’ll handle the rest. I’m a Texan, remember?” I had to smile as people and events from Texas history began flashing through my mind: Tennessean-turned-Texas-icon Sam Houston, the Old Eighteen (settlers at Gonzales who defended the town’s garrison against Mexican soldiers), the sheer courage and tenacity of those who later faced insurmountable odds at the Alamo, the can-do spirit of early wildcatters who helped establish Texas as an oil, gas and petrochemical superpower, and heart surgeon Denton Cooley and others who made history in the Texas Medical Center. Surely every state has its military, industrial and political heroes, and even pioneers in medicine, but few so completely and colorfully capture the imagination and admiration of their own people as do those who have painted this state from a palette of humor, lore, ingenuity and accomplishment. Suddenly, as my mind refocused on the race at hand, an irrational but understandable longing pervaded my senses: I
wished, for a moment at least, that I had been born in Texas. Alas, I’m a native South Carolinian, the youngest of seven children. Our family moved several times during my formative years, following my father, a minister, as he followed God to pastorates throughout the South. Only after I was grown did my dad briefly move to Texas to lead a church in Dallas. While I’d often visited friends in Houston beginning in 1975 as a high school freshman, I moved to Texas in 1986 when a newspaper editor offered me a reporting position in Humble that afforded me the chance to be near some of my family. Although already 24 when I arrived here, Texas is where most of my life has been lived. My own story within its borders, more than its well-documented history, is what truly endears Texas to me. Here, I met a young mother and married her a year later, becoming stepfather to a precious little boy I would lose five years later to Tay-Sach’s disease. In Texas, I was blessed again with a daughter and another son, both now grown. In Texas, my heart has been filled to overflowing, and it has been shattered. Here, I’ve won and lost, but in the winning and losing,
I’ve learned. My children’s births taught me there really is such a thing as love at first sight, and my losses have taught me that life is much too short to love selfishly or fearfully. In Texas, God has blessed my youngest children with health and intelligence. Here, I’ve formed lifelong and, in some cases, lifechanging friendships. I’ve pursued work that I enjoy, and I have a faith in God that carries me through the worst of life and helps me appreciate the best of it. And I finally did something no Texan I know has ever done: I won an armadillo race. My affinity for this state, of course, goes far beyond that simple contest; it centers on my two Texans. Early in my son’s elementary-school education, my emotions were stirred unexpectedly as I looked through a stack of classroom work sent home with him. In a list of “10 Things That Make Me Happy,” he placed me ahead of video games, food and even his friends. In fact, I was second only to his dog, an American Eskimo named Skyler. What more could a father ask, in Texas or in any other state? Terry can be reached at lterry61@aol.com
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Fourth annual Sienna Art Festival Photos by Ken Fountain The fourth annual Sienna Art Festival was held Saturday at the Forest Lake Model Home Village. The event feature nearly 50 area artists, musical acts, children’s activities, food trucks, as well as tours of the model homes with themed arrangements.
Artists set up their wares at the start of the Sienna Art Festival. Photos by Ken Fountain
Jane Sudela, of Pearland, paints of face of Zanele Banda, 8, of Katy during the Sienna Art Festival.
Artist Pat Mire of Katy discusses some of her work with Donna Brown-Sawyer of Richmond during the Sienna Art Festival.
Aidan Gayao of Gian Bubble Play Experience entertains some children during the Sienna Art Festival.
Artis Issouf Simpore, of Houston, right, discusses one of his paintings with brothers Ahmad and Abdul Jamail, of Sugar Land during the Sienna Art Festival.
Jeremy and Mikayla Thompson and their children Gemma, 8, and Ezekial, 5, of Fresno, admire of the artwork on display at the Sienna Art Festival.
Ryan Kaufman, of Beaumont, admires one of the pieces of artist Arch Erich of Sienna during the Sienna Art Festival.
Joshua and Samantha Swan and their daughter Luna, 3, admire some of the jewelry on display at the Sienna Art Festival.
Naveed Anwar, of Sienna, admires some of the work of Houston artist Joel Anderson at the Sienna Art Festival.
Texas soul singer Micah Edwards and his band perform during the Sienna Art Festival.
Debra Jan Hall, event coordinator of the Sienna Art Festival, discusses one of her pieces with Sherrill Young and Diane Nicholas of Pearland.
Sarah Hildebrand of Claybrary Ceramics in Richmond demonstrates her technique during the Sienna Art Festival..
GARAGE SALE? LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW!
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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 FORT BEND COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION
The Fort Bend County Historical Commission will hold its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at the Gus George Academy, 1521 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond, Texas at 3:00 PM. Justice Ken Wise, 14 th Court of Appeals, will be the guest speaker. To commemorate the founding of the Texas Rangers 200 years ago, Justice Wise will speak about the history of the Texas Rangers and the important law enforcement role they continue to serve. The meeting is free and open to the public.
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..
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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Missouri City Green to host trash clean-up at Buffalo Run Park on Nov. 11 Staff Reports On Saturday, November 11, from 9 a.m.-noon, Missouri City Green in partnership with Missouri City Parks and Recreation Department will hosting a morning to clean up trash in the lake at Buffalo Run Park, located at 1122 Buf-
falo Run Blvd. People who love being on the water in a kayak or canoe will enjoy this opportunity. Volunteers are welcome to clean up trash along the shoreline if preferred. Participants must sign up online at missouricitygreen. org. Please register to indicate watercraft or shore
cleanup preference. Volunteers must wear closed toe shoes. This is a great opportunity for Scouts and student organizations to earn community service hours. Your sign up indicates that you and everyone in the group has read and agreed to the waiver found online.
Entries for Pecan Harvest Festival show being accepted through Nov. 13 Staff Reports Texas A&M AgriLife Extension-Fort Bend County is taking entries for the 2023 Pecan Harvest Festival that will be held on November 18. Prospective participants can submit entries until Wednesday, November 13 at 3 p.m. Entries can be from a prized backyard pecan tree or an orchard of pecan trees. Entrants are asked to bring your entries to Texas
A&M AgriLife ExtensionFort Bend County, 1402 Band Road, Rosenberg. Entries will be judged November 17 and winners will be announced and exhibited on Saturday, November 18, at the annual Pecan Harvest Festival in historic downtown Richmond. “Neighboring counties that do not have their own county pecan show are invited to join us,” Boone Holladay, Fort Bend County Extension Agent, said in a news release. “Exhibiting
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your pecans at the county level qualifies you to compete at the regional and state level.” For more information, contact Lorraine Niemeyer, Ag/Hort Administrative Assistant, at 281-633-7033 or at Lorraine.Niemeyer@ag.tamu.edu Visit https://fortbend.agrilife. org/files/2023/08/PecanShow-Rules-2023.pdf for contest rules and visit https://fortbend.agrilife. org/files/2023/08/PecanShow-Online-Entry.pdf for an entry form.
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Emergency Care Breast Care Specialty Care
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To find care near you, visit houstonmethodist.org or call 713.790.3333.
713-371-3740