Marshall Slot, a former Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department deputy who as a Republican challenged Democratic incumbent Ed Fagan in the November 5 election, has formally called for a recount of the ballots. In official results released November 13, Fagan had 171,331 votes, surpassing Slot’s 170,346 by a margin of 985 votes. In percentage terms, Fagan on 51.14 percent to Slot’s 49.86 percent, a slim enough margin to qualify for a recount. Fagan first won the office in the
2018 Democratic wave election and enjoyed wide support from area leadership of that party. During the primary and general election campaigns, he emphasized the connections he has made in the region and nationally as a reason to keep him in office.
By contrast, Slot, who now works in the private sector as a corporate security executive, said that Fagan has mismanaged the sheriff’s department and severely harmed morale.
Fort Bend County Elections Administrator John Oldham, who will supervise the recount, told the Fort Bend Star on Monday that the
recount will begin on Thursday, November 21. He said he did not expect the recount to conclude until after Thanksgiving Day, November 28.
Oldham said the recount will be done by machine, not by hand. Only ballots that were cast or postmarked by Election Day will be counted, he said. Overseas or military ballots that were postmarked by Election Day will be counted, along with ballots that had some defects that were corrected by November 12, he said.
Each of the candidates can appoint up to two people to observe the recount, he said.
By Juhi Varma
A county’s public policy is responsible for 70 percent of its population’s mental health, says Jeranimo Cortina, an associate professor at the University of Sugar Land.
Cortina is leading a study to explore the link between housing instability in Fort Bend County and the mental well-being of its residents. The eventual goal is to help the county’s social services agencies optimize their resources.
“Specifically, we want to understand how unstable housing conditions impact mental health and then how individuals might choose to use or not use social services that are available to them in Fort Bend County,” said Cortina, in a statement.
The study is currently in its planning phase and is expected to be completed by September of 2025, said Cortina.
“By public policy, I mean, for example if there is a new housing development, if that housing development has a supermarket where you can buy fresh produce and fruits, that obviously is going to affect the quality of what you eat,” he said in an interview. What is meant by housing instability?
Housing instability isn’t just about not having a home – it’s about constantly moving and never knowing when you might have to pack up again, living with relatives or couch surfing, Cortina said. This uncertainty takes a major toll on individuals, especially on children.
Cortina’s team will use their findings to develop a predictive model. This model
By Ken Fountain
Three Fort Bend County school superintendents said that despite its many challenges, public education in Texas is bearing up during the annual “State of the Schools” program hosted by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce at Richmond’s Safari Texas Ranch last week.
Jim Rice, the chamber’s chairelect and a former Fort Bend ISD trustee who emceed the event, began by saying that public education was one of the best parts of American democracy, “something that we must cherish and support.”
“Sometimes, we have something that we don’t know how valuable it was until we don’t have it,” Rice said. His comments prefigured what is expected to be a battle in the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature over public school financing and the creation of a voucher system, which has strong support from Gov. Greg Abbott and other prominent Republicans.
In the main portion of the program, Jennifer Henrikson, co-chair of the chamber’s education division, served as a moderator in the freewheeling discussion between Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Mark Smith, Lamar CISD Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens, and Stafford MSD Superintendent Robert Bostic.
While the superintendents began by showing highly produced videos highlighting their respective districts’ numerous accomplishments,
Staff Reports
Editor’s note: The HAR report is used by permission. Find the full report at har. com/content/department/ newsroom?pid=2128.
Despite a recent uptick in mortgage rates, the Houstonarea housing market maintained its momentum in October, according to the monthly report from the Houston Association of Realtors. Both home sales and inventory increased, signaling a healthy and active
Henrikson started her questions by asking them what “quiet” programs they had that they wished received more attention. Smith, who noted that he has been at the helm of Fort Bend ISD for less than a year, following the contentious departure of his predecessor,
market as the final quarter of 2024 began. Single-family home sales across the Greater Houston area climbed 12.8 percent year-over-year with 7,185 units sold compared to 6,372 last October, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ (HAR) October 2024 Housing Market Update.
The average price of a home rose 5.2 percent to $423,166, while the median price increased 2.7 percent to $334,900. The high end of the market
Christie Whitbeck, said he was impressed by the emphasis the district places on developing student leaders.
“For me, one of my commitments is to coach others to greatness,” Smith said. He cited the Student Advisory Group which meets with him monthly, enhancing his own knowledge of
experienced a surge in sales activity in October. The luxury segment ($1 million+) had the strongest performance with closings 33.8 percent higher than the same time last year. That is followed by the housing segment with homes priced between $500,000 and $999,999, which recorded a 25.9 percent surge in sales compared to last year. The segment with homes priced between $100,000 and $149,999 was the only one that saw a decline in sales, with closings down 7.3 percent compared
students’ concerns while also providing an opportunity for them to engage with the district and the wider community.
“They have opportunities to learn
to last year. Rentals of single-family homes continued to hold steady in October. HAR will publish its October 2024 Rental Home Update on Wednesday, November 20.
“While mortgage rates have edged up, they remain well below the peak levels reached last year,” said HAR Chair Thomas Mouton with Century 21 Exclusive Properties.“This more favorable rate environment is helping sustain buyer demand and driving continued activity in the Houston hous-
ing market as we enter the final months of 2024.”
October Monthly Market Comparison October marked the end of a five-month streak of declining total property sales, with sales increasing 10.2 percent compared to the same time last year. Total dollar volume rose 19.5 percent to $3.5 billion. The number of available properties was 23.6 percent above October 2023 levels.
Jennifer Henrikson of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, left, moderates a ‘State of the Schools’ discussion with Stafford MSD Superintendent Robert Bostic, Lamar CISD Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens, and Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Marc Smith last week. Photo by Ken Fountain
Jeranimo Cortina, an associate professor at the University of Sugar Land, is leading a study to explore the link between housing instability in Fort Bend County and the mental wellbeing of its residents. Courtesy University of Houston
Single-Family Homes
Update
In October, single-family
home sales posted gains for the second month in a row, climbing 12.8 percent yearover-year. A total of 7,185 units were sold across the Greater Houston area compared to 6,372 last year.
The average price rose 5.2 percent to $423,166, and the median price was up 2.7 percent to $334,900. The price per square foot increased to $178 compared to $173 last October.
With 31,094 homes on the market, inventory levels have continued to expand, providing more opportunities for prospective homeowners.
The average days on market increased from 48 to 51.
Months of inventory of single-family homes expanded from a 3.5-months supply last October to 4.4 months, which is the highest since September 2012 when there was a 4.7-months supply.
Housing inventory nationally stands at a 4.3-months supply, according to the latest report
Community Reports
In recognition of National Native American Heritage Month, Fort Bend County Libraries will present a special program on the Karankawa Indians of the Gulf Coast region of Texas on Friday, November 22, beginning at 2 p.m, in the Meeting Room of the Missouri City Branch Library, located at 1530 Texas Parkway.
The program will be repeated on Monday, November 25, at 2:30 p.m., at the Sugar Land Branch Library (550 Eldridge Rd.) and on Tuesday, November 26, at 2:00 pm, at the Fulshear Branch Library (6350 GM Library Rd, off Texas Heritage Parkway). Carol Beauchamp, from FBCL’s Genealogy & Local History Department, will discuss the history of the Karankawa Indians, from their interactions with the French and Spanish explorers to their impact on the early Texas settlers who were part of Austin’s “Old 300”.
from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). A 4.0- to 6.0-months supply is generally considered a “balanced market,” in which neither the buyer nor the seller has the upper hand.
Broken out by housing segment, October sales performed as follows:
$1 - $99,999: increased 4.5 percent
$100,000 - $149,999: decreased 7.3 percent
$150,000 - $249,999: increased 16.1 percent
$250,000 - $499,999: increased 7.9 percent
$500,000 - $999,999: increased 25.9 percent
$1M and above: increased 33.8 percent HAR also breaks out sales figures for existing singlefamily homes. In October, existing home sales totaled 5,163, which is up 14.7 percent compared to the same time last year. The average price rose 6.0 percent yearover-year to $429,778, and the median sales price increased 4.1 percent to $330,000.
Townhouse/ Condominium Update
Townhome and condo -
minium sales were in positive territory for the first time since October 2022. Sales increased 6.5 percent yearover-year to 489 units. The average price rose 2.6 percent to $279,018, and the median price declined 3.2 percent to $232,400.
The inventory of townhomes and condominiums expanded from a 3.5-month supply in October 2023 to 5.9 months, the highest level since July 2012 when it was 6.0 months.
Houston Real Estate Highlights in October
• Single-family home sales increased 12.8 percent year-over-year; • Days on Market (DOM) for singlefamily homes went from 48 to 51 days;
• Total property sales were up 10.2 percent with 8,627 units sold;
• Total dollar volume rose 19.5 percent to $3.5 billion;
• The single-family median price was up 2.7 percent to $334,900;
• The single-family average price climbed 5.2 percent to $423,166;
• Single-family home months
Beauchamp will also address the myth or reality of the tribe’s cannibalism and different viewpoints on the subject. Originally semi-nomadic hunters and gatherers, the Karankawas were thought to have eventually merged with other tribes and become extinct as a separate entity. Recent developments and the evolution of DNA research, however, have led to a new interest in tracing the Karankawas’ existence to the present. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us) or call the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).
of inventory registered a 4.4-months supply, up from 3.5 months last October.
• Townhome/condominium
Despite a recent uptick in mortgage rates, the Houston-area housing market maintained its momentum in October, according to the Houston Association of Realtors. File photo by Ken Fountain
Three Fort Bend County Libraries branches will host a talk on the Karankawa Indians of the Gulf Coast in November. “Life on Guadalupe Bay” as depicted by artist Frank Weir. Fair use image via Texas Beyond History.
THE FREEWAY –
Cars and trucks, trucks and cars.
Do you get the idea that each day there are more vehicles on our roads than before? Your idea is correct. There are nearly 26 million registered vehicles in Texas. In 2016, there were around 8.2 million. There are more people, too. Texas adds more than a thousand residents every single day. In 2022, almost half of the growth was due to people moving from other states to Texas. About a quarter was because of people from other countries moving here; only another quarter was due to the natural increase, which was births minus deaths. As we can see, Texans are not reproducing fast enough. Do your part! Get busy! We know where all these newcomers are coming from, but where are they going?
Spoiler alert: Not to Starr County, which is down on the Rio, or San Augustine County, in East Texas. Those two are losing population. So are a lot of other places. We have 254
I’ve mentioned before in this space that as a young man I served in the U.S. Navy. The older I become, I find my service in the military means more to me than perhaps it did at the time, both as a person and as a citizen. As I said in one of my earliest columns, nothing I did in my fiveyear hitch, almost all of it spent aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger, was particularly heroic. I was a Navy journalist, working in the ship’s Public Affairs Office and television studio, and I did my job relatively well.
While I’ve often mentioned my service and related some stories from those days, I’ve never discussed (in these pages, anyway) my reasons for enlisting. I was attending the University of Houston (while also working at various jobs), somewhat indifferently. As I said last week, my middle and high-school years had not been all that enjoyable, and I found going to what was then seen as a mere commuter school wasn’t much of an improvement. I was in a deep rut, and at the time the only way I saw out of it was joining the military. Although I had always considered myself patriotic, I had never been particularly gung-ho. A longtime love of nautical stories made the Navy the only service I ever seriously considered joining. I well remember the day I reported to the old U.S. Customs House in downtown Houston, where my fellow recruits and I waited for hours before boarding a bus to the then-Intercontinental Airport, where we boarded a plane that took us to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. There, we boarded yet another bus that took us to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center outside Waukegan, Ill.. That day itself could make for an entire column. Instead I will
EDITORIAL
Pop goes the population
Lynn Ashby Columnist
ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
counties in Texas, more than any other state (Delaware has three), and our population is growing faster than any of the lesser 49. But this huge growth is uneven. Why should you care? Because you may want to move there, or not. You would like to expand your bee-keeping business or open a tuba repair shop. But where? Fortunately, the Texas Demographic Center (I didn’t know we had one, but I’m certainly glad we do) has just released a report based on last year’s figures. They tell us some facts we already knew and some most interesting and unexpected trends. So let’s look at us. [Find the full report at demographics. texas.gov/Estimates/2023.]
Texas’ population now stands at almost 31 million, but it’s early in the day. (I’m rounding off the stats to
just recall the oath of enlistment that my fellow recruits and I raised our hands to take: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.” Powerful words, especially for a young person who is about to embark on a path unlike anything he’s ever experienced before. As it happens, the time I served in the Navy was a monumental time in global history – the end of the Cold War, which had been the world’s operating paradigm since long before I was born. During my relatively short time in the Navy, I served under three presidents of both major parties - Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. In my time aboard the Ranger, I embarked on three deployments to the Western Pacific/Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf. Each of them was memorable in its own way. In the first, in 1989, after conducting routine operations in the Gulf, we were looking forward to making a few port visits on our way back to San Diego. But two things happened that put what we were doing in stark relief. First, the communist Chinese regime committed the horrendous massacre of pro-democracy protesters in
keep my fingers from getting numb.) Newcomers are moving to what demographers and researchers refer to as The Texas Triangle, the geographical area formed by the state’s large metros. That’s a region formed loosely by Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio-Austin. The Triangle is home to 68 percent of Texans. According to the Texas Demographic Center (let’s just call it the TDC, not to be confused with the TDCJ, which is the Texas Department of Criminal Justice that has its own population growth), six of the top 10 U.S. counties with the largest population growth are in Texas: Harris, Collin, Denton, Bexar, Fort Bend and Montgomery. Other suburbs of our big cities are booming, too. These counties are Kaufman, Rockwell, Parker, Comal and Chambers. Fort Bend County has a greater population than Denver. Montgomery County has more people than Seattle. So much for the boom in population. Meanwhile, vast parts of Texas are actually losing population, mostly in West and South Texas, but it’s pretty widespread. Depending on which data
Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. At the time, there was some chatter in political and media circles that the U.S. might somehow intervene in the tragedy. The Ranger would have been on point, and it was a frightening prospect. In the end we didn’t intervene, of course, because of the prospect of nuclear war. But also during that return trip the Ranger came upon a small craft in the South China Sea, overloaded with refugees fleeing communist Vietnam. The vessel was taking on water, and there was a real danger that it would sink, putting all the refugees’ lives in peril. The crew of the Ranger and its air wing, using helicopters and small boats, spent several hours rescuing them and bringing them aboard. There, we gave them much-needed medical attention before transporting them to a safe location. My own participation was minimal –I helped draft a press release. But as I’ve said elsewhere, I’ve always counted that as one my proudest days in the Navy. Not very long after the Ranger returned to San Diego, the Berlin Wall fell, leading to the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc and ultimately to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Later, during my third deployment, a Russian military helicopter made a ceremonial landing aboard the Ranger’s flight deck. I’ve often joked that that event marked the TRUE end of the Cold War. It was a heady time, punctuated later by the end of the Apartheid regime in South Africa and the release from prison of Nelson Mandela, a future president of that long-troubled county, which I watched on a small television in my workspace aboard the ship. (Years later, I would see Mandela in person at an event at Rice University.) For most of us at the time, it seemed the world was turning on its head, for the better.
you’re looking at, around half or sometimes more than half of the 254 counties have lost their population in recent years. According to the TDC, just between 2022 and 2023, 75 of the state’s counties shrank in population. Take, for instance, Kenedy County. It’s between Corpus Christi and Brownsville. As of the 2020 census, its population was 350. It is the third-least populous county in Texas and fourth-least populous in the United States. Kenedy lost almost 1 percent of its folks – six. As a side note, in the plus column, a few years ago a hurricane roared through Kenedy and only knocked over a few barns. Borden County lost 8 percent – 49 people. The biggest loser percentagewise? Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Lone Star County (that’s in upper East Texas) declined from 1,798 to 1,653, an 8.06 percent decrease. I guess just the poor folks left Lone Star because the county’s median household income grew from $39,961 to $41,806, a whopping 4.62 percent increase. Jefferson County (the Beaumont-Port Arthur area) lost 3,285 Jeffersonians, or 1.3 percent. Maybe it’s be -
During my second deployment, in 1991, the Ranger was one of four U.S. aircraft carriers on station in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm. It was a tense time, and on the Ranger we had a genuinely frightening moment the night we made the transit into the Gulf, when we were called to a general quarters, not a drill. Five thousand men scrambled to their battle stations, many suffering scrapes and other minor injuries along the way. It turned out to be a false alarm, brought about when a civilian airliner inadvertently entered our airspace. Even so, it was one of the biggest scares I’ve ever had.
My third deployment in 1992-93 was memorable mostly because not only was it my last, it was the last for the Ranger. Commissioned in 1957, the “Top Gun of the Pacific Fleet” was deemed too old to be retrofitted for continued service as the entire U.S. military began to downsize in the wake of the Cold War’s end. I mustered out of the Navy just about a month before the decommissioning ceremony, but still went to see it as it was towed out of San Diego Bay toward “mothballing” in Washington State. I would see her only one other time, in 2015, when she was towed toward a scrapyard in Brownsville, Texas.
So why have I told you all of this, you ask? It’s a fair question. As mentioned, while I never considered making the military a career, it has become more meaningful to me as time has gone by, especially in the last decade or so. The recent election is a prime example.
Since taking this role at the Fort Bend Star, I’ve endeavored not to delve too much into making political pronouncements in my columns. As I’ve explained before, I’m also the lead news reporter for the paper, making it difficult to be overtly
cause Port Arthur is ranked one of the worst small cities in the nation. That’s according to a new ranking from WalletHub, a personal finance website that compared more than 1,300 cities with populations of 25,000 to 100,000. Bug off, WalletHub. I like Port Arthur. My wife came from there. I got married in PA. It’s a nice place – at low tide. The most populous counties in Texas? The usual suspects (not rounded off): Harris County with 4,835,125, Dallas County at 2,606,358 (not-so-Big D only has a bit more than half the number of folks that live in Harris), Tarrant County (Fort Worth) with 2,182,947, Bexar County (San Antonio) at 2,087,679, and Travis County (Austin) with 1,334,961. On the flip side we have Loving County, on the New Mexico border. It is the least populous county in the U.S. Alas, Loving County, now has only 51 people, a decrease of 12 or 20.3 percent in one year. (Wouldn’t that, percentagewise, put it ahead of Lone Star?) An interesting point: In the 2020 Census, Loving had 64 people of all ages. Even so, in that year’s presidential election, Donald
opinionated while also striving to maintain objectivity in my reporting. And in a place as diverse, including politically, as Fort Bend County, I try to speak to people of all stripes. Gallons of ink and millions of pixels have been spent in discussing the election results, especially at the Presidential level, and I’m no political pundit. However the numbers ultimately break down, one thing is clear: as has been true for far too many election cycles, one half of the country is thrilled at the outcome, while the other half is horrified.
Way back when I took that oath and began my service in the Navy, I believed I was helping to uphold a set of values. Among them were a belief in freedom, the protection of the vulnerable, the defense of democracy and the rule of law. We defended and protected people whatever their race, color, creed, religion or national origin. We were the Good Guys. We weren’t the Selfish Guys. Of course, it was always much more complicated than that, and I will admit to having been perhaps too idealistic and naive for my own good. I also believed that these values were more or less held by most Americans, of whatever political stripe. Sure, there were always partisan battles over various issues. But at the end of the day, I believed, most Americans wanted to see themselves and their country in the best light. No one can say when this started to change, although many have tried. It seems to me that that sense of optimism about ourselves and our future began to wane not very long after I left the Navy. Blame the rise of talk radio and cable news, the diminishment of the “legacy media” which, whatever its flaws, presented a fairly unified view of the shape of our reality. Blame the fear engendered by terrorism, the “forever wars,” economic
Trump got 60 votes to Joe Biden’s four. Maybe Loving only has adults. We don’t have the 2024 voter total, but it is clear that’s why Trump swept into the White House. All these people movements means a change in our Congressional districts. District 23, for instance, is losing population so that it goes from just east of El Paso (which has its own rep), practically to the streets of Laredo. The 13 th District covers from the Oklahoma border of the Panhandle to the Dallas suburb of Denton. The 28 th District spreads from south of New Braunfels to the Mexican border. The greater Houston area has six Congressional districts. Thanks to gerrymandering those districts look like a Rorschach test. With a growing population of 7.5 million in the ninecounty Houston metropolitan area, we have more people than 36 different states. Throw in Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. and that makes it 38. So if you think that half the people in St. Louis and Cincinnati have moved here, you may be right. Ashby headcounts at ashby2@comcast.net
upheavals, population shifts, technology that promised to connect us but only seems to have driven us farther apart. Blame political and other self-interested figures who see these things and manipulate them for their own ends. The list of suspects is long and keeps growing. If there is anything that almost everyone can say was good about the election is that it went off fairly smoothly, with no protracted battles over the results. The last thing we needed was a repeat of the election in 2000, much less the one in 2020 and its logical conclusion on January 6. In the years ahead, there are going to be partisan battles galore, but at least we won’t have to fight any “phantom” battles, or at least not that one. I would like to say that I have faith that the incoming Administration will take seriously its responsibility to help bring our divided nation together, as it has said it wants to do. I must admit that many of the recent picks for top positions have seemed less than promising in that regard. But as the President-elect often likes to say, “We’ll see what happens.” My most fervent hope is that whatever happens on the national stage, at the local level we can work on our own to move past the divisiveness. Here in Fort Bend, we have a real chance to do that, if we work at it. As perhaps the most diverse county in the nation, we can act as an example to the nation on how to embrace an identity as a populace from all over, of many different beliefs, who are able to see each other as neighbors first, above all other identifiers. Our demographics are not going to change. If anything, we’re likely to become even more diverse than we are today. It’s on us to make it work. Anchors aweigh! Fountain sets sail at KFountain@fortbendstar.com
Fear is a powerful emotion that can often hold us back from pursuing our dreams and reaching our full potential. It whispers doubts in our ears, convincing us to play it safe rather than take risks. However, what if we chose to embrace fear instead? By confronting what scares us head-on, we can discover not only the courage within ourselves but also the incredible opportunities for growth that lie just beyond our comfort zones. For me, fear has always been intertwined with relationships. Growing up, I was terrified of letting people see the real me. It was not just about being shy. I feared rejection, judgment, and the possibility that if I opened up, people might walk away. So, I built walls around myself.
Our fears do not define us
eva K. Morris Youth Columnist
I was the friend who listened but never shared, the one who smiled but stayed silent. I felt safer that way. But my safety came at a cost. By keeping my guard up, people were kept at a distance. My relationships felt shallow, and even when I was surrounded by friends, I felt alone. The fear of vulnerability made me believe that if anyone truly knew me – my insecurities, my flaws – they would not stay. It was easier to pretend I was fine than to risk the pain of being seen and misunderstood. But those walls kept me locked inside. I could not share the times
when I felt overwhelmed, when I didn’t know what I was doing, or when I felt like I was failing. The worst part was not that they did not really know me, it was that even with my friends wanting to help and standing right there, I stood alone with my fear. Even when I want to let someone in, my mind becomes a whirlwind of doubts and what-ifs. What if they think I’m weak? What if they don’t understand? What if I push them away instead of bringing them closer? These thoughts swirl around, convincing me to keep my feelings to myself. My heart races, and my chest tightens as if speaking the words aloud will shatter something fragile inside me. It feels safer to keep the walls up, to pretend all is well, even if it is far from the truth. But those safety walls are isolating, leaving me stuck with my emotions and unable to
let anyone in. Accomplishments achieved reflect the best of one’s ability and is something to be proud of. For me, achieving something can quickly shift from a moment of pride to a looming shadow of expectation. Another fear that leaves me alone. What if this success sets a bar too high for me to reach again? This fear is not just about failing; it is about unraveling the image others have built of me, of letting them down, and perhaps even disappointing myself. Fear can make ambition feel like a double-edged sword, where every victory is accompanied by an unspoken pressure to outdo myself again, and again. In this situation, tense as the day is long, my fear whispers it might be safer to not try at all. The truth is, the fear of letting others down often stems from a place of deep care - a
sign that opinions and expectations matter to you. Yet, the weight of those expectations can distort what success really means. It is easy to forget that the people who genuinely support you are not waiting for you to outdo yourself; they care because of who you are, not what you achieve. Even if you stumble, their belief in you is not as fragile as you might think. It is okay to not have all the answers or to fall short sometimes; that’s part of just being.
Letting go of the fear does not mean you stop caring. It means trusting the people who matter most will see your efforts, not just your outcomes, and love you just the same.
I try to remind myself that my fear does not define me. It is okay to take small steps, to share a little of me at a time.
I have learned opening up is not about being fearless; it is
about being brave enough to feel scared and move forward anyway. There are still days when fear gets the best of me, but I refuse to let it ruin me. Each time I take down a piece of my wall, I grow stronger. I am learning that vulnerability is not a weakness. It is an act of courage. Fear might always be there, whispering in the background, but today and tomorrow I will learn how to rise above it, one honest moment at a time.
Morris is a Ridge Point High School student, class of 2027, a varsity tennis player, and an active member of JCC Maccabi Houston.
If you are a Fort Bend County high-school-age student (public, private, charter, or homeschool) who might be interested in becoming a Youth Columnist, please send an email to editor@ fortbendstar.com.
Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving set for Nov. 25
Staff Reports
The Fort Bend Interfaith Community will hold its Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, with the theme “United in Gratitude,” on Monday, November 25, from 7-8 p.m., at Christ Church Sugar Land, 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land. All members of the public are invited to attend.
The annual event, which brings together representatives of many of the diverse religious traditions of Fort Bend County, began several years ago. It is typically held at different places of worship throughout the area. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the service was held virtually. It
EDUCATION
FROM PAGE 1
what it’s like to be a leader,” he said, pointing out several members of the group in the audience.
Nivens, whose Lamar CISD was recently named the fastest-growing school district in the state, said the thing his district is emphasizing is taking a holistic approach to education, helping students “learn how to do life.” By that, he meant teaching the kinds of life skills students will need as adults, such as learning about their credit scores and paying their taxes, that don’t fall within the traditional model of public education.
Nivens said Lamar CISD, like most districts across the state, is struggling with the
HEALTH FROM PAGE 1
could offer valuable insights for social services and other providers, helping them implement targeted interventions to address the specific needs of populations impacted by housing instability.
“For example we might find that our predictive model suggests that frequent relocation significantly increases anxiety and depression among certain demographic groups, right?” said Cortina. “So with this information, social services can develop tailored support programs such as mental health counseling coupled with financial assistance or whatever it is, in order to be more efficient and more effective in their interventions.”
Background on the study
“Our health is determined by three things,” Cortina said. “About 10 percent of our health is determined by our genes – there’s not too much we can do with that. And 20 percent of our health is determined by our healthcare approach that is visiting the doctor, if we smoke and drink or if we exercise. And 70 percent of our health is related to what we do and where we live.”
The study, which has secured over $500,000 from the AIM-AHEAD Consortium, funded by the National Institutes of Health, will be conducted as a collabora-
resumed in person at Sugar Land’s St. Laurence Catholic Church in 2022, but was not held in 2024 because of scheduling conflicts.
The Fort Bend Interfaith Community formed more than a decade ago, largely spearheaded by Rabbi Josh Lobel, then of Congregation Beth El (who has since moved to another state), according to previous reporting by the Fort Bend Star.
Member organizations include Horizon Baptist Church, Hindus of Greater Houston, Ashirwad A Blessing, New Hope Lutheran Church, Zoroastrian Association of Houston, Minaret Foundation, St. John Fisher Catholic Church, Thoreau
effects of the so-called “Great Resignation” that occurred in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as teachers and other school employees seek new opportunities.
“I’m not losing teachers to Fort Bend or Stafford. I’m losing teachers to Amazon, HEB. They’re getting out of education,” he said. Nivens said the root of the problem is that the job of teaching continues to add new responsibilities without providing new resources.
“Students have more needs,” Nivens said, and teachers are the first point of contact for them. He said he and his administration are working to provide more opportunities for teachers to get the time and other resources they need to meet students’ needs while also maintaining
tion between UH, Fort Bend County Health and Human Services, and data analytics firm PolicyMap.
“With Health and Human Services, social services, the county and PolicyMap, we are going to be able to do the type of analysis that would provide better information for social services to be able to more efficiently use the limited resources that they have,” Cortino said. The research team consists of three key partners: Cortina, Shannon Gore from Fort Bend Social Services, and Jason Linderman from PolicyMap.
The study will survey Fort Bend County residents about housing instability, including factors like frequent moves, homelessness, addiction, and foreclosures. It will also gather health data and incorporate environmental factors to better understand the impact on mental well-being.
“Then we’re going to use all that data and start modeling through machine learning or using artificial intelligence to come up with a predictive model,” Cortina said.
Cortina, a Richmond resident, has been with the University of Houston for 17 years. He serves as an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and as the Director of Faculty Research Initiatives at UH Population Health. Varma is a freelance writer. She can be reached at juhi. varma@gmail.com.
Unitarian Universalist
Congregation of Fort Bend, Christ Church Sugar Land, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, St. Martin’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Baha’is of Fort Bend County, Congregation Beth El, and St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church.
Aside from the annual interfaith service, the FBIC holds annual Dinner Dialogues, where people of different faiths have dinner together and engage in conversation, and youth projects, including the annual Martin Luther King Youth Day of Service.
Learn more at the Fort Bend Interfaith Community’s Facebook page.
a work/life balance.
Bostic said that Stafford MSD’s most important program is its emphasis on “innovation.” Stafford MSD is the state’s only municipal school district, serving an area bounded by the Stafford seven-square-mile city limits.
“When we say college or career ready without remediations, we are not joking,” Bostic said of one of the key measures for graduates’ success. Among the ways that Stafford MSD is accomplishing that is enhancing its Career and Technical Education programs, he said.
Bostic said his district focuses on creating “familyfriendly schools” in order to serve the needs of its “customers” - that is, the families of its student population. While
the district is very small, he said, he wants the community to know their children are receiving the highest-quality education possible.
Nivens noted that Lamar CISD, which is centered in the Richmond-Rosenberg area, is seeing the county’s fastest growth Given that, the district and its board are including in its bond proposals purchases of land for future schools in anticipation of the growing student populations, he said.
He said he and his administration are always aware their first priority is the education and well-being of the students when making decisions on things like rezoning. “We like the adults. We take care of the adults. Bu we’re not in the adult business. We’re in the
kid business,” he said.
“Every kid has to be connected, so they don’t feel alone and lonely,” Nivens said.
“Our kids deserve the best stuff. To give them anything less is educational malpractice,” he added.
Smith noted that Fort Bend ISD, with more than 80,000 students, is the sixth-largest district in the state and the largest employer in the county, with more than 12,000 employees.
“There’s a lot of benefits and opportunities for us to realize because of our size,” he said. “I think there also some challenges that presents.”
The key challenge, Smith said, is that there are parts of Fort Bend ISD where schools have enrollments that are “busting out of the seams,”
while other areas are seeing enrollment that is not accelerating as much. The district must sill work to make sure that all students experience the same level of instruction, he said.
That involves such potential solutions as rezoning and school consolidation which are always emotionally fraught and contentious, Smith said.
“This is a huge challenge when you’re used to having neighborhood schools, and now someone is not going to have a neighborhood school,” he said. Smith said his administration and the school board are working to engage in “some crucial discussions” about these challenges with stakeholders across the district.
Community Reports
Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner Dexter L. McCoy was joined by local elected officials and community leaders Monday as he presented Fort Bend County’s $2.5 million contribution to the T.W. Davis YMCA renovation project.
The event was a celebration of a major milestone in the redevelopment of the Richmond facility, which has been closed to the public since March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, but remained closed due to safety concerns with the structural integrity of the building.
Attendees at the event included District Attorney Brian Middleton, County Treasurer Bill Rickert, Richmond Mayor Becky Haas and city commissioners, and a representative from the office of U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls.
Commissioner McCoy first proposed a county contribution to the project in early 2023 and added it as part of the 2023 Parks Bond approved by voters in November 2023.
“This is a big deal for this community,” McCoy Said. “We know that Y’s are places where people make the meaningful connections that allow them to build community and Fort Bend County couldn’t be prouder to support this facility.”
The county’s $2.5 million contribution was a catalyst to other foundation and
government funding from sources including the George and Henderson-Wessendorf Foundations, the City of Richmond, and the U.S. Congress.
“In total we have raised $11.8 million of our $16.8 million goal,” Stephen Ives, President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater Houston, shared during his remarks at the press conference. “This will allow us to officially begin our planning phase, and we hope to break ground next year.”
The proposed improvements to the 19-acre property include pickleball and tennis courts, multipurpose rooms, recreational fields, expanded parking, an outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pool, and more. County officials said t the center would also serve as an emergency service center in times of disaster.
The Fort Bend Interfaith Community’s annual Interfaith Thanksgiving event will be held Nov. 25 at Christ Church Sugar Land. Pictured is the 2022 gathering at St. Laurence Catholic Church. File photo by Ken Fountain
HOUSTON METHODIST LEADING CARE where you need us
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LEADER PUZZLERS.
Children's choirs to join Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra at holiday concert
Community Reports
The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra and chorus will join with three school choirs for an afternoon of holiday favorites at the annual “Deck the Halls” concert on Sunday, December 8, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Stafford Centre, 10505 Cash Road, Stafford.
Students from Kipp Sharpstown Middle school, McMeans Junior High School, and the Annunciation Orthodox School will make up the children’s chorus for the event. The combined children’s choirs will be featured in such works as the “Angel’s Carol” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” by John Rutter, “Holiday Favorites” by Roger Emerson, and a new arrangement of “O Holy Night” by assistant chorus conductor Steve Kalke.
The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra Chorus will join the orchestra for favorites such as “‘Twas a Night Before Christmas”, arranged by Harry Simeone, the ever-popular “Hallelujah Chorus” by Handel, and the “Shepherd’s Pipe Carol” by John Rutter.
Also on the program is 2023 Marielle Ogletree Young Artist Concerto Competition winner Adien Chen, playing Liszt’s “Piano Concert No. 1” in its entirety. He is currently a freshman studying piano at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.
More details available about the concert are available at www.fbso. org. Tickets can be purchased online at fbso.org/upcoming-events.
The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1992, and the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra Chorus in 2016. The full-size orchestra, complete with brass, woodwinds, strings and percussion, and the accompanying chorus, represent a cross-section of local talent, most of whom reside in the Fort Bend County area.
Leading Medicine in SUGAR LAND
Methodist Welcomes Zeerak Qureshi, MD
Zeerak Qureshi, MD, is a family medicine physician who uses open communication, evidence-based medicine, and teamwork to help patients achieve
health goals. She is committed to having her patients feel respected and educated.
Dr. Qureshi joins Houston Methodist Primary Care Group at Sugar Land, where she will be seeing new and existing patients in person and virtually. Her expertise includes:
The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will perform their annual “Deck the Halls” concert at Stafford Centre on Dec. 8.
Photo by Craig Busch, courtesy Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra
Community Reports
The “Reel Talk” film series at Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library will feature a documentary about the Holocaust on Monday, November 25, from 68 p.m., in Meeting Room 1 of the library, located at 14010 University Blvd in Sugar Land, on the UH campus.
The film to be shown is a powerful documentary that examines the reflections and remorse of former Nazi party members and their descendants, offering a chilling insight into the lasting impact of their actions during World War II. It is rated PG-13.
The libraries’ licensing agreement for public showing of films through Swank Motion Pictures prohibits them from releasing the name of the movie outside of the library. The movie screening is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib. tx.us), or call the University Branch Library (281-633-5100) or the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).
NOTE: Park inside the gated lot (VISITOR LOT 4). Bring your parking ticket with you inside the library to be validated by library staff. Parking is FREE if you get your ticket validated. Parking outside the gated lot may result in a parking violation from the University of Houston. Image via Wikimedia Commons
ONGOING
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE GRAND PARKWAY BAPTIST CHURCH
In conjunction with the Literacy
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, 832-987-4193, 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
