2023
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Fort Bend ISD: No evidence of human remains at new school site
Staff Reports A second archeological survey that included extensive digging at the site of a new elementary school to be constructed in the Harvest Green community, has concluded there is no evidence of human remains or past burials at the site, according to Fort Bend ISD. The land is located on the east side of Harlem Road with its nearest boundaries being Harvest Garden Blvd. to the north and N. Jester Road to the south. The siting of the new elementary school has raised concerns in the wake of the long-standing issues involving the so-called “Sugar Land 95.” The remains of 95 former prisoners, all of them Blac, who were used in the convict labor system that was in place in Texas from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century at the site of Fort Bend ISD’s James Reese Technical and Center in 2018. That discovery, and the district’s response to it, has led to years of controversy that has garnered national and international attention. “Some community members expressed concerns about the possibility of remains being discovered at the Harvest Green site that once housed a prison farm dating back to the 19th century. They also refer to the discovery in 2018 at the Reese Center when the district was building its career and technical facility and the remains of 95 victims of the state’s former convict leasing system were found on the property,” the district said in a press release. In emailed statement, Jay Jenkins, president of the advocacy group Convict Leasing and Labor Project which has long been critical of the district’s response, said that his group has no specific objections to the siting of the new elementary school. “Since ground hasn’t been broken on the new school site, CLLP is calling for publicly transparent archaeological survey done by a culturally and historically competent archaeologist to ensure that there is not a cemetery on the site of the
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Sugar Land planning commission gives nod to Lake Pointe redevelopment plan By Ken Fountain
KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Proceeding apace with the redevelopment of the Lake Pointe area in the wake of the imminent departure of the Fluor Corporation’s Houston-area headquarters, the Sugar Land Planning & Zoning Commission made several critical votes at its Nov. 14 meeting.
Fluor, an engineering and design services firm, plans to relocate from its existing campus to west Houston’s Energy Corridor in mid-2024, leaving a 52-acre redevelopment opportunity for the city. In August, Planned Community Developers, a company with deep roots in Sugar Land, announced plans to transform the site into a modern mixed-used devel-
opment called Lake Pointe Plaza meant to capitalize on the latest trends in suburban development. At the Nov. 14 meeting, the city’s planning and zoning commission heard public comment on an updated version of the overall plan for the area presented earlier by PCP. Among the tenants PCD is targeting for the development are high-density middle-
market housing, luxury residential units for sale and lease, Class A boutique office space, medical and life sciences facilities, a 4-star hotel with conference center and exhibition hall, waterfront retail, restaurants and entertainment venues. The agenda items up for a vote included an amendment to the Lake Pointe area’s land use plan adopted by City Council in
2018, to increase the number of multifamily housing units from 444 to 1,100; an amendment to the city’s redevelopment code and a rezoning of the property to a newly designated Lake Pointe Redevelopment District; and the approval of PCD’s proposed concept plan for Lake Pointe Plaza.
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Up close and personal
Chyla Riley, 11, interacts with Dexter, a husky, during an open house at the Missouri City Animal Services building last week. The building is undergoing renovations, including a new lobby, lab equipment, soundproofing, and new double gates. For information on how to adopt, visit missouricitytx.gov/92/Animal-Services. Photo by Ken Fountain
Sugar Land completes restoration work at historic cemetery Staff Reports The city of Sugar Land recently completed significant restoration work at the Old Imperial Farm Cemetery, a historic site located within the 65-acre parkland area between Easton Avenue and the Fort Bend ISD James Reese & Technical Center in Telfair, according to a press release. The city-owned cemetery contains the remains of prisoners who died between 1912 and 1942 at the Texas Department of Corrections’ Central Prison Unit - after the state convict leasing system was abolished in the early 1900s. The city acquired the 65 acres of land, including
The city of Sugar Land recently completed restoration work at the Old Imperial Farm Cemetery. Courtesy City of Sugar Land
the cemetery, in 2012 for parkland and to ensure the preservation of the cemetery. Since then, the city has worked in collaboration with
the Fort Bend County Historical Commission and Texas Historical Commission. These efforts led to the designation of the cemetery property as a
historic site and the unveiling of a Texas historical marker on-site in 2018. The city also developed a site improvement plan to preserve and honor its history. The first phase of the plan is to restore the cemetery and slow down the deterioration of the existing gravestones. The city signed a contract in 2022 with Texas Cemetery Restoration LLC. The restoration project involved repairing and cleaning the existing gravestones, researching prisoners’ names and records and installing the permanent pillow markers for each burial identified in the previous surveys. “Our staff verified the existing gravestone information
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with the cemetery survey and report published by Texas State Genealogical Society in December 1994, together with the available convict records from Texas Department of Criminal Justice Central Unit,” Joe Chesser, the city’s parks and recreation director director, said in the release. “We are pleased to complete this phase of the cemetery improvements. Our goal is to integrate further cemetery improvements into the design and implementation of the future 65-acre community park.” For more information about the project background and history, visit www.sugarlandtx.gov/ImperialFarmCemetery.
THE STAR
PAGE 2 • Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Lamar CISD students named National Merit Scholar semi-fnalists
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DEVELOPMENT FROM PAGE 1
Since the land use plan was adopted in 2018, the real estate market in Sugar Land has seen a marked increase in the demand for new housing, Ruth Lohmer, the city’s assistant director for community planning and development, told the commission members. The multifamily housing units envisioned for the new district might include high-end duplexes, quadplexes, and sixplexes, not the garden-style apartment complexes that many residents associate with high crime and other concerns,
Lohmer and Don Janssen of PCD told the commission members. Several members of the public spoke on the proposals, offering decidedly mixed viewpoints on the proposed changes. “I’m very much in favor of this development,” Michael Poindexter, a 35-year resident of the Lake Pointe area, told the commission members. “I’m encouraging you to do it right, which is what I think you’re doing.” He emphasized that the area needs to be focused on “high-quality” development. Susan Fortenberry said she was opposed to what she called “the constant push” by the city to allow
large blocks of multifamily housing in the city’s center. “This urbanization trend has continued despite overwhelming opposition by citizens,” she said. She asked that the city keep the number of multifamily units in the area to 444. After much discussion, the six commission members present at the meeting voted unanimously for each of the four proposals recommended by city staff. City Council will consider the items, with a public hearing, at its December 5 meeting. A second reading of the proposed changes, where Council is expected to vote on the matter, will take place on December 19.
Six Lamar CISD high school seniors have been students selected as National Merit Scholar SemiFinalists. Courtesy Lamar CISD
Staff Reports The Lamar Consolidated School District board recently recognized six students from the class of 2024 at Foster High School, Fulshear High School, and George Ranch High School who have been selected as National Merit Scholar Semi-Fi-
nalists. This distinction is awarded to less than 1 percent of the nation’s high school graduating seniors. The six semi-finalists are Jake Miller, Jiayang Song and Ryan Skinner from George Ranch High School, Lucian Webster and Rian Al-Naqeeb from Foster High School, and Brooks Bryant from Fuls-
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hear High School. These students demonstrated academic excellence with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and completion of the PSAT and at least two advanced placement exams. The semi-finalists advance to the Merit Scholarship Awards, which take place in the spring of 2024.
The Sugar Land Planning & Zoning Commission has approved a proposed redevelopment plan for Lake Pointe Plaza, a planned multi-use development from Planned Community Developers. Courtesy Gensler
YOUR Middle school students AD H E R E
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invited to participate in National Civics Bee Staff Reports
Fort Bend County middle school students from public, private, charter, and home schools are invited to participate in the 2004 National Civics Bee, sponsored the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. The National Civics Bee is an initiative aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. “Organized in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the competition in Fort Bend County will inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institu-
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school,” Jenkins wrote. “Given that it was construction crews who discovered the Sugar Land 95 and not the archaeologists or surveyors hired by the district to survey the site prior to construction, we don’t think that asking the district to undertake a public, transparent survey of the land conducted by archaeologists that are historically and culturally competent is asking too much,” he wrote. According to the press release, the district spent a year conducting due diligence of the Harvest Green
tions,” the chamber said in a press release. Students may submit entries in the first-round civics essay competition through Jan. 8, 2024. Students will be asked to provide a 500-word essay identifying a problem facing their community and providing ways in which a citizen might help solve the problem. Winners of the first-round competition will receive
cash prizes of $500, $250 and $125 and advance to the state finals. Finalists will be invited to Washington, DC to compete in the inaugural National Civics Bee national championship in Fall 2024. Interested students can find detailed information about the essay topic, contest rules, and more at fortbendchamber.com/ national-civics-bee.
site before closing with seller Johnson Development earlier this year. Johnson Development had previously hired its own firm to conduct an extensive survey of the site. After reviewing the seller’s report, FBISD’s consultant Terracon concluded that the risk of remains being found at the site was very low. FBISD commissioned Terracon to conduct a second comprehensive archaeological study that included additional fieldwork and digging. That study surpassed the scope of work done by the site’s previous owner. Both teams of researchers and surveyors arrived at the same findings:
no evidence exists that human remains are on the property, the district said. Terracon’s final report has been submitted to the Texas Historical Commission for review. The process could take 30 days. Construction on the site will not begin until the district receives authorization from the historical commission, the district said. The new elementary school will be a 130,000-square-foot building. The campus will occupy 16 acres and cost $46 million using funds provided by the May 2023 bond. The as-yet unnamed school will accommodate 1,000 students and is scheduled to open in August 2026.
Fort Bend property tax statements delayed until December Staff Reports There will be a delay in the mailing of Fort Bend County property tax statements due to the recent constitutional amendment election in Texas, Tax Assessor-Collector Carmen P. Turner announced in a press release. The November 7 election included Proposition 4, which raised the mandatory homestead exemption for school district property taxation from $40,000 to $100,000. This will result in
a reduction of school taxes for most homestead properties. The official results of the election were finalized on Nov. 14. According to the Texas Tax Code, the Tax office must have tax statements mailed by January 10. The Fort Bend County Tax Office is working to have statements mailed by mid-December. “We understand the importance of timely delivery of tax statements, and we are doing everything possible to ensure that statements are mailed out as soon as
possible,” Turner said in the release. For more information, please contact the Fort Bend County Tax Office at 281341-3710.
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Wednesday, November 22, 2023 • PAGE 3
The Reid Feed: Needville’s The Jay Café is a Fort Bend hidden gem Janet Sue
Ryan Lee
Art and Culture Columnists
By Ryan Lee Reid and Janet Sue Reid In a far less traveled part of Fort Bend in Needville, The Jay Café looks just like every other small-town Texas cafe that dot this great state. There are booths on the sides, tables with checkered tablecloths in the middle, Texas photos with lone star decor on the walls, and that welcoming warmth of Southern hospitality. Little did we know, we were about to enjoy one of the best homemade meals we didn’t have to make. Once we sat down in our booth and started talking to the staff, we truly began to understand the homegrown recipe of this hidden local gem. Every single person working there was a loyal diner at The Jay Café first before becoming an employee ... including the new owners. We were overwhelmed by the genuine love of this restaurant from diners and staff. The employees, from the servers to the managers, stand by café’s slogan: Always homemade, Always Fresh! Trust us, with one of us being a native Texan and the other one who lives to eat, we have been to many Texas cafes all over the state, and generally speaking the food usually gets the job done. In other words, we’re satiated but the food can sometimes be forgettable. However, The food from starters to desserts all exceeded our expectations and triggered that primal food memory in us like Proust’s memoryladen madeleine, but in our case, Grandma’s memory laden chicken fried steak and apple pie. Chrystal Nays first came
to The Jay Café for a homecooked meal. Many meals later, she began working there as a server before working her way up to assistant manager. The words she consistently uses to describe the food were “comfort”, “fresh”, and “made with love,” just like the food her grandmother would cook on Sundays. “I get emotional talking about it, because these people truly love this place,” she said, her voice breaking. Perhaps it’s because the cafe opened by Tim and Judy Plaster was as much of a family business as a business could be. “We opened the cafe in 2009 on a shoestring budget and prayers,” recalls Tim. Their 9-year-old daughter was the hostess, their other children manned the server stations, Judy created the desserts, and Tim was the captain steering the ship. “We were blessed and it grew to far exceed our wildest dreams,” he said. In 2022, when Tim wanted to retire it was Alex and Shahna Alibhai, regulars at The Jay Café, who would become the next and current owners. “The Alibhais didn’t want it to close down, they came here for the love of the place.” Nays stated adamantly. “It was Tim’s dream to build it, and it was the Alibhais’ dream to keep it alive.” Dan Allana, the new general manager hired by the Alibhais, is charged with the task of making sure the business thrives. The love and care certainly translates to the restaurant’s food philosophy. This is why they attract new and recurring customers from all over Texas, yet maintain the loyalties of locals as well. This is doubly impressive because there is literally nothing else around to drive foot traffic in their far-flung corner of Fort Bend. There are no stores or shops near them in Needville, so it’s the quality of the food that must bring back the patrons. It’s probably also the award-winning chicken fried steak and their blue plate specials which Nays describes
The “Big Tex” chicken fried steak at Needville’s The Jay Café is tender enough to cut with a fork. Photo by Janet Sue Reid
with mouth-watering detail, that brings customers back time and time again. As the lunch crowd began shuffling in, The Jay Café began to feel like that familiar place that brings us together when we’re in need of comfort food. The menu has the staples you would expect to find in any small-town Texas cafe like the classic hits on an old jukebox. However, once you take a bite of every dish you realize it has the taste of something Grandma made, but then there’s something more, and dare we say better. We ordered the top hits. We started with a house salad with a stellar homemade ranch. We had pillow soft and warm scratch made bread with a delicious unexpected honey butter. We had their famous onion strings with a delicate batter that was fried to a golden crispy perfection. Side note: we do fancy ourselves as onion ring connoisseurs, so we definitely
know the markings of bad onion ring batters and frozen rings used en masse. The restaurant’s famous onion strings are famous for a reason and the “famous” is not a typo on the menu. For our entree, we had to try their signature awardwinning dish, a 12-oz. chicken fried steak called “Big Tex.” We were not disappointed. We didn’t even need a knife to cut it. The chicken fried steak was so tender we could cut through it with a fork. The breading was thin with a wonderfully crispy breading packed with flavor. The seasoned corn was cooked perfectly with a nice bite to it and the loaded baked potato was well-balanced with layers of cheesy depth and bacon bit crunch. Our friendly server, Liz Argaiz, used her five years’ working at The Jay Café to expertly explain in detail the multitude of dessert options in this fresh baked pie heaven. We decided to use our
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Texan restraint, and only order four slices of pie: apple, pecan, pumpkin, and coconut cream pie. As good as they all were, we left obsessed with their apple pie. It was hands-down our favorite, possibly the best apple pie we’ve ever had. The pie had thinly sliced apples, a flakey crust, and a gooey pie filling that’s not too sweet and an absolute symphony for the tastebuds. It was the perfect ending to our meal. Did we mention that we’re also apple pie connoisseurs and we’ve had a ridiculous amount of apple pies in our lives that any sane person would be ashamed to admit, but not us! The love and warmth of The Jay Café shined through in every dish we ate. We felt like we had three courses of big comforting hugs from Grandma. As we were leaving, we asked Nays why people should take the road less traveled in Fort Bend to Needville, she
smiled and said, “If they never come here they are doing themselves a disservice. They need to come because they will always be a return customer. Come try our pie and I’ll make you a fresh pot of coffee.” To discover this Fort Bend Hidden Gem, visit thejaycafe. com. The Jay Café 16634 TX-36 Needville, Texas 77461 Open 364 days a Year (closed Christmas) If you would like to recommend a local hidden gem to be featured in the Fort Bend Star, send an email to Cu l i na r y Cowg i rl@R e idFeed.com. Janet Sue Reid, “The Culinary Cowgirl”, and Ryan Lee Reid, “The Piano Cowboy”, are artists and creators. They transform space and time to move and heal people through art. They live in Sugar Land with their children. Find their full bios and contact them through ReidFeed.com.
THE STAR
PAGE 4 • Wednesday, November 22, 2023
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EDITORIAL
The welcome mat costs the host Lynn Ashby Columnist
By Lynn Ashby ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
N
o doubt the folks in the Metroplex – that’s the DallasFort Worth region -- are still celebrating the Texas Rangers’ win in the World Series. It only took them 52 years. The local merchants are still counting their windfall what with all the restaurants and hotels full of big-spending fans. Or are they? According to the Fort Worth Report that windfall was more of a gentle breeze, and it’s not that
uncommon because, despite all the hoopla over hosting major sports events bringing in loads of cash, experts who study such
matters say it just ain’t so. “Don’t count on it being a home run,” said William Crowder, chair of the economics department at The University of Texas at Arlington. “I always get that question and I hate to disappoint people, but really it’s not much of an impact,” he said. A lot of studies have been done over the past two decades on major league sports and their economic impact for cities, Crowder said. That impact is not as substantial as many believe. “The long and short of it is that the estimates come in somewhere around two to three million per game, so it’s not nothing, but it’s not the hundreds of millions that some envision,” he said. The research found much of the money spent comes from people from one part of town spending money closer to the sports venues, Crowder said. “So you’re not really bringing in dollars from outside the area, you’re just moving dollars around.” Hosting a World Series may not be very lucrative for the host cities, but what about the biggie of all U.S. sports events, the Super
Bowl? Houston hosted the Super Bowl in 1974, 2004 and 2017. I hope we made a fortune, but maybe not. The NFL claims the Super Bowl can bring $300 to $500 million to host cities, but economists believe it brings those cities between $30 million and $130 million. Not bad, certainly. But there are hidden costs, which shows the NFL makes out like a first-round draft pick quarterback. Just look at some of these expenses and perks. The Minneapolis Star Tribune got its hands on the NFL’s 153-page bid book for 2014. The document lists millions of dollars’ worth of the NFL’s specifications and requirements for host cities. The list includes parking spaces, hotel rooms, transportation, billboards, security, food, access to golf courses and bowling alleys, along with an exemption on paying city and state taxes. Get this: 800 pounds of ice must be provided to each team’s practice facility every day. In return, the NFL gets to keep all the ticket money including the suites, which is shared with the other 32 team owners. The host city doesn’t get a cent. In 2008,
Glendale, Arizona, hosted Super Bowl 42, and the city’s mayor told ESPN that the city lost $1 million in the process. In 2016, San Francisco hosted a week of events leading up to Super Bowl 50, which was being held in Santa Clara, and San Francisco ended up with a $4.8 million public services bill. The average cost for a family of four to attend an NFL game is more than $500. What do Super Bowl tickets go for? The cheapest single ticket for the 2023 game was $3,480. The average price was $8,837. Oh, and the NFL has copyrighted the name Super Bowl. I hope they don’t bill me. We all love those Super Bowl halftime shows. Big stars, fireworks, lots of fun, but the NFL tried to charge the stars for having the privilege of performing. No dice. Then there is the cost of security, and there is lots of it. The FBI, FEMA, TSA, the Customs and Border Patrol, and various local police departments are part of the security team. The Washington Post, those wet blankets, said in an editorial that the NFL should pick up the tab. There are the obvious
pluses. The additional visitors eat and drink and those are taxed. At the local airports the private jets of the owners and celebrities are lined up wingtip to wingtip. I assume they have to pay for the parking spot. Cab, Uber and Lyft drivers must have a profitable Super Bowl weekend. (Incidentally, Houston will host some World Cup matches in 2026. Games will be played at NRG Stadium that summer. You might want to rent out your spare bedroom.) But there is the crowding out effect, which is when crowds going to a sporting event displace regular spending. So if the Super Bowl fills every hotel that would normally be 80 percent occupied, the NFL is only accounting for the 20 percent, but again, the 20 percent increase in your business is a nice boost. It is often said (mainly by the NFL) that the Super Bowl brings wonderful publicity to the host city. Certainly the host gets a lot of attention, almost all of it favorable. They never cite the crime rate or show the sidewalks filled with the homeless. Around the world, 114.4
million viewers watched Super Bowl XLIX in Phoenix in 2015, making it the most watched TV event in American history. The 2023 game was viewed by a mere 113 million viewers. On the other hand, the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was watched by 161 million people. We must wonder if they copyrighted the event. The TV networks profit. In 2022, CBS raked in a record $545 million in ad revenue during Super Bowl LV, according to Reuters. USA Today reports that this year NBC sold virtually all of its Super Bowl ads by last September and demanded a record $6.5 million for a 30-second spots. Despite all the above, I always watch the Super Bowl. Don’t you? Finally, while the Metroplex gets so cocky about all the attention received by hosting its games in this year’s World Series, they were viewed by the lowest viewership totals of any World Series since records have been kept, going back to the 1960s. Ashby scalps tickets at ashby2@comcast.net
Living in interesting times Ken
Fountain Editor
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
H
appy Thanksgiving! I hope you and yours will have a lovely weekend of enjoying each other’s company, and that you’ll also have a wonderful holiday season ahead.
Here’s a little inside baseball for you: for the week of Thanksgiving, the Fort Bend Star has an early print deadline, meaning as managing editor I have to get all the copy off to the pagination team a couple of days earlier than usual. Just coming off the previous week’s edition, that can be something of a challenge. I learned that the hard way last year, right after I had just taken the job. After about a week-and-a-half of familiarization of our systems, I put out (by the skin of my
teeth) my very first edition. Yes, it’s been exactly a year since I began here. It’s a nice opportunity to reflect on what I’ve experienced and learned from embarking on a deep dive into the goings-on in Fort Bend County. As I mentioned in my first column, I grew up in Alief, and spent most of my life in either Houston or San Diego, Calif. while serving in the Navy and a couple of years afterward. Before coming back to Texas, I didn’t have much experience with Fort Bend, but I’ve had family ties here for about three decades. Even so, I didn’t have a very deep knowledge of the county. I’m afraid I saw Fort Bend very much like many people do, as basically another far-flung suburb of Houston. Busy with college and then embarking on a journalism career in several communities throughout southeast Texas, I followed the Fort Bend scene only sporadically. But in the year since I took on this role, my experience with the county has grown considerably. And if there’s one major theme that I’ve found running through my coverage, it’s this: change.
Fort Bend, as we all know, is a place in flux. I’ve mentioned before that my earliest memory of actually setting foot in Fort Bend was going to see a movie with friends and family at a small theater in Sugar Land near the Imperial Sugar facility in the 1980s. I’ve since learned that it was the Palms Theatre, a lovely art deco theater structure built in 1949. Sadly, it was torn down in the early 1990s. Not to put too fine a point on it, that might be emblematic of how much the once-sleepy Fort Bend has changed in the ensuing decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Fort Bend County in 1970 was 52,314. In 2020, it was 822,770, and it’s grown even more since then. According to experts and local officials, Fort Bend is one of the fastest-growing counties in both Texas and the United States, and we’re on track for having about 2 million residents in 2040. With that near exponential growth comes a host of challenges, most particularly with things like infrastructure. With more people moving here all the time, officials have to work to en-
sure there are ways for them to move about the county, as well as provide the amenities that all these people want. On November 7, voters approved by comfortable margins a combined infrastructure and parks bond package of $865.6 million, the largest such measure in Fort Bend’s history. And it’s not just in sheer numbers where the population change is happening. As we’ve all heard for the past several years, Fort Bend is one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the nation. Some experts believe it’s the most diverse. For most of us, that diversity is a point of pride, something we celebrate as one of best features. Others are not as thrilled by the growing diversity, and that can have some ugly repercussions. But as I’ve said before, the young people I’ve encountered in my travels seem quite comfortable with the county’s changing demographics. And of course, they are Fort Bend’s future leaders. Change is also being seen at the municipal level. Sugar Land officials, citing the fact that the city is almost completely built out, have
embarked on a program of revitalizing the city’s building stock and finding ways to attract new businesses and industries and the young workers who will work in them. As might be expected, this has met with some very vocal opposition in some quarters, particularly when it comes to the development of multifamily housing. Missouri City, while not quite as fully developed as its larger neighbor, is itself working to attract new retail establishments in an effort to revitalize its Texas Parkway/ Cartwright Road corridor. In a recent appearance, Mayor Robin Elackatt said that city officials are watching Sugar Land’s moves carefully and working on being competitive in the coming years. Even seven-square-mile Stafford is getting into the change act. For nearly three decades the only city in Texas without a property tax, using that as one of its primary calling cards, City Council recently began a tentative discussion of the possibility of instituting just such a tax in an effort to deal with the city’s longstanding budgetary challenges. So what to make of all this
change? Quite frankly, it’s inevitable. Most of us tend to have rosy memories of the time and place where we grew up. But if you’ll forgive the cliché, the only constant in life is change. My own industry has been roiling with change for going on three decades, since the advent of the Internet. Those changes are still happening, and there’s no let-up in sight. Those of us who are passionate about gathering news and putting it out to the public (and who are still working in the field) have had to make a lot of difficult adjustments. The Fort Bend County of today and the future is never going back to the way it was in 1970, or even 1990. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing; in fact, if we plan well, it could be a very good thing. There is an old Chinese saying that Dr. Steven Klineberg, the famed Rice University emeritus sociology professor, likes to quote in his presentations about the Houston region: “May you live in interesting times” Here in Fort Bend, we do indeed. Fountain keeps up with the changes at KFountain@ fortbendstar.com
The over-commercialization of commercialized commercials Mark Garary Columnist
By Mark Garay MARKGARAY426@GMAIL.COM
“I go to my room to turn on my TV / And I sit myself down, and I start laughing hard / Cause this man, he’s asking for money, he says / If you send me lots of cash / I’ll send you stuff to make you rich fast / It’s such a wonderful country” - 4-Non Blondes, “Dear Mr. President” If you’re over 50, chances are you remember black-andwhite television screens, limited audio range, and having to change the channels by hand for your dad, since remotes hadn’t yet been invented. We really didn’t care because we were young and didn’t have any other options. TV theme songs were actually notable and occasionally found a seat in regular radio rotation. I will never forget the theme to “Perry Mason,” since my grandma watched it every day. The progressive maturation of television is fascinating because its commercial applications are only around 80 years old. The first-ever television broadcast was presented to reporters on September 7, 1927. At the time it was billed as a scientific achievement
and the news even made a few headlines a few months later. But its potential and applications were as yet understandably undiscovered. The first TV drama, called “The Queen’s Messenger.” originated in Schenectady, N.Y. on September 11, 1928. From there, most of us know the progression. Commercially dependent television found another gear when in 1946 there were about 8000 television sets in American homes. By 1960, that number was 46 million. The ensuing story is fairly familiar to us. In the 1970s, broadcast mutated into cable, which threw a monkey wrench into the television paradigm by avoiding FCC suspicions and allowing colorful language and images unfit for broadcast. The programming could be daring and irreverent. And despite conventional wisdom assessing no one would ever pay for something that’s free, cable TV eventually captured the ad-weary consumer. As it turns out, the public accepted the notion of a “TV fee” as long as the landscape included no ads. Yes. People paid not to see commercials. Now, granted throughout the years, TV ads gained notoriety based on catchy music (Coca-Cola with “I’d like to teach the world to sing”), celebrity endorsements of popular cigarette brands, and strong, poignant images like football player Mean Joe Green tossing his football jersey to a young fan. But even though
these sights and songs became part of America’s cultural conscience, they were, after all, just commercials wrapped in pretty packages; relevant for 30 seconds, brief examples of pure consumerism, and in the end, an inconvenient distraction. But the technology reached even further with the dawning of streaming. When it first dropped, I was incredibly confused, having been raised on two dials and an antenna my grandpa made out of a hangar. This new thing required an adequate supply of something called “bandwidth”. Also, some content was irretrievable because I apparently lacked the proper software. Still, it worked because of larger content libraries, on demand capabilities and NO COMMERCIALS. Well, my friends, that leads us to today, and the reason for this particular column. We’re getting conned again. Hulu is now requiring us to sit through ads in order to see movie trailers. Think about that. Hulu values your subscription so much that they want you to watch a commercial to see a commercial. Apparently, we’ve gone full circle, from the early ads of the 50s to the 70s which typically lasted two minutes, to a total abandonment of cable commercials, to now commercials in front of other commercials. Based largely on my television career, I’ve marveled at how the revenue carnivores operate. I’ve never under-
stood how every time I tune into CNN, there’s some lady discussing insurance. Or how some slick celeb is hawking Buicks. And I don’t care that my remote control has six buttons and not one is a number. I’ve actually looked at my streaming services, and analyzed the things I don’t appreciate. Here’s a view of streaming, through a 58-year-old filter. I will base my critique not on any proven scientific method, but based on three factors: content, ease-ofuse, and overall satisfaction. PEACOCK: Overall, quite respectable. I’m a big believer in sneaky peeksies. Peacock’s home page will automatically run background previews of both film and TV projects. I also find them particularly strong with sports programming. They offer a WWE channel (not my thing), and commercials are not a big distraction. I like much of their content from the ‘90s and 2000s. Shows like “Weeds” and George Carlin specials stand up. But I don’t see a lot of depth in their comedy catalog. And fast forward features are hard to control. Grade: B NETFLIX: It seems that considerable thought went into the design and functionality here. But the preview feature is harder to find. Occasionally it offers previews as part of its selection process. But many titles have no preview at all. I don’t endorse that inconsistency. They do, however, offer top-shelf original programming, shows like
“Ozark”, “Shameless” and “Sex Education”. Their library runs deep, and I’ve found more than a few unexpected gems. With over 6500 movies, shows and specials, 55% of which is original programming, Netflix is solid. GRADE: A PRIME VIDEO: Not a great site for films. But reliably sourced with some of my former favorites. Shows like “Newhart” and “Cheers” fly well here. But there’s not even a movie icon on the homepage. The controls on rewind and fast forward are awkward and unmanageable. Any effort to reposition during the story invariably overshoots or undercuts where you want to be. I’ve found that liability alone to discourage how and what I see on Prime. It can also be infuriatingly slow to load, although I’m sure somehow that could be the fault of my set up. Doesn’t happen with others. I don’t have any issues with commercials on the platform. GRADE: C HULU: Very fruitful in the “Original Content” department, but unacceptable for making us sit through commercials not only to see other commercials, but also cutting into movies and TV shows at odd times. Yes, they have exclusive diamonds like “The Bear”, “Only Murders in the Building” and “The Lady Bird Diaries,” but commercials are wrapped so much into the fabric of their programming that it is off-putting. I don’t want to see that many ads if I’m paying a monthly premium.
GRADE: D MAX (Formerly HBO Max): Very Solid. Great originals with offerings like Euphoria and older established favorites like “The Sopranos” and “Six Feet Under”. They too don’t include a specific movie icon to guide you through the landscape. But their commercials exist mostly at the beginnings of titles. And the site is easy to navigate. I view HBO as a productive and reasonable consumer business model. With over 2000 movies, you can at least search for your destination without having to breathe a lot of dust. GRADE: B+ So why the ads? For legacy broadcasters, it’s a matter of recouping revenue losses due to the agonizingly slow death of TV. Part of commercialization has been helped by consumer saturation. Finally, some streaming platforms have yet to see comfortable returns on their front-loaded projects and copyright agreements. And unlike subscription costs, there’s no cap on advertising revenue, and prices for ad time are constantly shifting. And even though consumers are grumbling, it’s not loud enough to dampen the oncoming storm of advertising on pay streaming. As far as commercials go, it seems we’re all right back where we started. Garay, a retired television news professional, can be reached at MarkGaray426@ gmail.com
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Wednesday, November 22, 2023 • PAGE 5
Veterans honored at TSTC event Staff Reports
Texas State Technical College honored military veteran students and staff at TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus with an event hosted on November 8. The event included gifts for attending veterans, as well as grilled burgers and hot dogs for all participating students, staff and visitors. While this was the second year that a grilling event was held on the campus in honor of Veterans Day, it was the first time that gifts were given to veterans as well. Ruben Seibert, a Veterans Affairs school certifying specialist at TSTC, wanted to do something extra for those who served. “It’s a lot more meaningful when you have in-person conversations and can show how much they (veterans) mean to you,” Seibert said in a press release. “This is
the first year they’ve had someone in my position, and I wanted to do something more tangible for them.” One of the veterans who was honored was Kelvin Green, a second-semester student in the Cybersecurity program. Green served in the Navy from 2000 to 2004. “Coming out of high school, I didn’t really have any direction I wanted to go,” Green said. “I remember talking with my uncle who encouraged me to go into the military.” While in the Navy, Green worked on identifying radars and radar signals from foreign ships and vehicles. It sparked an interest in working in information technology, which was one of the reasons why he chose to attend TSTC and enter the Cybersecurity program. Green now tries to help others who may be in a situ-
ation similar to the one that he was in coming out of high school. “I tell kids interested in the military to explore their options,” Green said. “Talk to the recruiters, ask questions and be sure to look for what you want to do.” Green is not the only veteran at TSTC who tries to help his community. Army veteran LeVar Scott, a first- semester student in the Diesel Equipment Technology program, spends time visiting with kids from ROTC as well as the military school that he once attended. “I try to give them advice and serve the community in that way,” said Scott, who served from 1998 to 2018. “It is different from how I served in the military, but I still help out where I can.” Scott expects to receive Texas State Technical College student recruitment representative Jesus Ramirez, left, and access his Heavy Truck certificate and learning accommodations specialist Shawn McNeil grill burgers during a Veterans Day event at TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus. Courtesy Texas State Technical College of completion from TSTC.
Fort Bend Symphony and Chorus to perform 'Deck the Halls' concert on Dec. 3 Staff Reports
The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will present their annual “Deck the Halls” concert on Dec. 3. Photo by Craig Busch
The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra and the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra Chorus will present their popular holiday themed “Deck the Halls” during a performance on December 3, beginning at 2 p.m., at the Stafford Centre, 10505 Cash Road, Stafford. The concert will feature selections from John Williams’s score for the film “Home Alone,” Alan Menkin’s “God Bless Us Everyone,” and Jerry Bock’s “12 Days Till Christmas,” Robert Wendel’s “A Channukah Overture,” and Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” among a concert full of traditional Christmas
carols and contemporary songs. Additionally, the 2023 Marielle Ogletree Young Artist Concerto Competition winner, Mani Hourfar, will perform the first movement of Brahms’ First Piano Concerto with the orchestra. The Junior and Senior Houston Music Teachers Association 2023 Concerto Winners, Shangen Zou and Fu Chen, will also perform. Details available about the concert are available at www.fbso.org, as well as ticket pricing information. Discounts are available for seniors 55 and over and groups of 10 or more. Tickets are available online through the website or by calling 1800-514-3849.
The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1992, and the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra Chorus, founded in 2016, perform in Fort Bend County and surrounding areas. The ensembles are comprised of volunteer members, ranging in ages from high school students to senior adults. The full-size orchestra, complete with brass, woodwinds, strings and percussion, and the accompanying chorus, represent an abundant cross-section of local talent, most of whom reside in the Fort Bend area. FBSO also fosters local musicians through sponsorship of an annual Concerto Competition and opportunities to perform with the orchestra.
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Worship Directory FORT BEND COUNTY
METHODIST CHURCH
EPISCOPAL
CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND • 281-980-6888
ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH • 281-499-9602
A United Methodist Community 3300 Austin Parkway • Sugar Land, TX 77479 Rev. Dr. Daniel Irving, Senior Pastor Sunday Schedule 9:30 am Blended Worship 9:30 am Sunday School for all ages 11:00 am Traditional & Contemporary Worship www.christchurchsl.org
605 Dulles Avenue, Stafford, TX 77477 SUNDAY: 10:30 am Worship Holy Eucharist www.allsaints-stafford.org
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH • 281-240-3195 502 Eldridge Rd. -Sugar Land, TX 77478 Reverend Dr. Fred Seay, Pastor Sunday Worship In Person 11:00 am / Nursery Available Worship Online on YouTube www.fpcsl.org
Introduce Your Congregation to the Community with a listing in our Worship Directory
Call Anqunette for more information
713.371.3740
CHURCH OF CHRIST
STAFFORD CHURCH OF CHRIST • 281-499-2507 402 Stafford Run Rd. -Stafford, 77477 Stephen Higley, Preacher Sunday Bible Study 9:30 am Sunday Worship 10:30 am Wednesday 7:00 pm www.staffordcoc.com
Scripture of the week
“To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” - PHILIPPIANS 1:21
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home 48. Egyptian god of life 50. Shaped into a sphere 52. Golfing stand 53. Red Sea straits 55. Swiss river 56. Hostelry 57. Indicates position 58. Inoculation 63. Slip by 65. Apple smartphone 66. Sheep cries 67. Affirmatives
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15. 007’s creator 17. Gets up 18. Used to be United __ 21. Optical phenomenon of light waves 23. People supported broadcasting 24. Tap gently 27. With no brim or bill 29. Bulrushes 32. Educational test 34. Overweight 35. Musical composition 36. A religious recluse 39. Alt. of Tao 40. Heavyhearted 43. Brit. suspenders 44. Bodily structure protrusion 46. Sesame 47. 1/100 yen 49. About navy 51. Dali language 54. Celery cabbage 59. Winter time in Chicago 60. Annual percentage yield 61. Definite article 62. Operating system for 65 across 64. Pound (abbr.)
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Travis HS student receives prestigious NROTC scholarship Travis High School senior Haden Rider recently received the highly competitive National Naval ROTC Scholarship which will pay for him to attend an approved Navy ROTC college or university of his choice and then enter the Navy as an officer after he graduates. Executive Officer of the Navy Talent Acquisition Group Houston David Schaller presented a $200,000 scholarship check to Rider in front of family and friends, campus staff, district leaders and his JROTC classmates. Rider joined Travis High School’s Marine Corp JROTC as a freshman. According to Travis Marine Corp JROTC instructor Major Frederic Hunt, Rider has shown great growth over the past four years, both personally and professionally. “Not only does he excel in his own performance but has the unique ability to elevate the performance and morale of the other cadets,” Hunt said. “He is a selfless and dedicated individual
who prioritizes the collective success and well-being of the team over his personal interests and recognition. He will undoubtedly have success in whatever endeavor he chooses; we are all better for him choosing the U.S. Navy, as he will make a fine officer.” Schaller also presented Hunt an Impact Influencer Award for the leadership, mentorship and guidance he provides to his students including Rider. Hunt encouraged Rider to apply for the scholarship and helped him through the application process. Rider, son of Fort Bend ISD Police Chief David Rider, will attend Texas A&M University next fall to study mechanical engineering. While earning his bachelor’s degree he will undergo a rigorous training program during his commission as a naval officer. More than 5,000 students apply for the scholarship each year; the U.S. Navy awards 1,200.
Travis High School senior Haden Rider, left, recently received the highly competitive National Naval ROTC Scholarship. Courtesy Fort Bend ISD
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Wednesday, November 22, 2023 • PAGE 7
Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to awilliams@txstreetmedia.com
FOR NON-PROFIT EVENTS
ONGOING SING FOR JOY WITH FORT BEND BOYS CHOIR CHRISTMAS CONCERT AND AUDITIONS! It is the most wonderful time of year for singing boys! Kick off your holiday season by attending the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s Christmas Musicale. Mark your calendars for Friday, December 8, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church-Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City, TX 77459. The Fort Bend Boys Choir is also seeking talented young boys who like music and singing. If know of one, encourage him to audition for the award-winning and Emmy-Nominated Fort Bend Boys Choir! No experience is necessary and boys should be around eight years of age or older with an unchanged voice. At this time, auditions are by special appointment at the First United Methodist Church Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City, TX. Visit the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s webpage at www.fbbctx.org or call (281) 240-3800 for more details about Christmas Musicale tickets and auditions.
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.
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
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.
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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!
ALIEF AARP CHAPTER 3264
MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801
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..
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.
713-371-3740
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PAGE 8 • Wednesday, November 22, 2023
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