While the temperatures cooled in November, the Houston housing market remained temperate, with homebuyers seemingly undeterred by rising mortgage rates. Home sales surpassed 2023 levels for the third consecutive month, while inventory continued to expand, according to the monthly report from the Houston Association of Realtors.
According to HAR’s November 2024 Housing Market Update, single-family home sales across the Greater Houston area increased 6.0 percent, with 6,559 units sold compared to 6,187 in November 2023. The increase in home sales is likely due to lower mortgage rates in September and early October, which attracted more buyers to the market.
Only homes priced between $100,000 and $149,999 saw declines during the month, however that segment comprises just 2.1 percent of the overall market. The high end of the market saw the strongest performance in November. Sales in the luxury segment ($1 million+) were 21.4 percent higher than the same time last year. That is followed by the housing segment with homes priced below $99,999, which made up 1.3 percent of all home sales in November. It recorded a 21.3 percent rise in sales compared to last year.
Rentals of single-family homes experienced sustained demand in November. HAR will publish its November 2024 Rental Home Update on Wednesday, December 18. “Houston’s housing market continues to demonstrate its strength and stability, even with rising mortgage rates,” said HAR Chair Thomas Mouton with Century 21 Exclusive Properties. “This positive momentum bodes well for both buyers and sellers as we enter the home stretch of 2024. While increased inventory is attracting more people to the market, we know that many consumers remain cautious due to concerns about interest rates and inflation.”
November Monthly Market Comparison
November marked the second consecutive month where total property sales were in positive territory with sales increasing 3.3 percent yearover-year. Total dollar volume rose 11.1 percent to $3.1 billion. Active listings, or the total number of available properties, were 22.1 percent ahead of the 2023 level.
Single-Family Homes Update
There were positive indicators across the board in November. Single-family
FBISD: Whitbeck’s
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
In a filing last week in former Fort Bend ISD superintendent Christie Whitbeck’s defamation and breach of contract lawsuit against the district and three board members, the district argues that under a provision of Texas civil law Whitbeck cannot sue both the district as a governmental entity and the board members as individual defendants for defamation, and that the court should dismiss those claims against them.
Whitbeck and her Houston attorney, Chris Tritico, filed the lawsuit in a Fort Bend District Court on December 3, alleging that after her forced retirement by the board
in December 2023, three members of the then-board – Position 5 Trustee Sonya Jones, Position 7 Trustee and Board President David Hamilton, and former Position
2 Trustee and then-Board President Judy Dae – made numerous public and social media comments about her, in violation of the voluntary retirement agreement.
The agreement includes a clause stating that the district and board members would refer all third-party inquiries to a press release that praised Whitbeck’s accomplishments during her tenure, which began in September 2021 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among those statements are Jones telling Whitbeck, in the
often-raucous December 4, 2023 meeting where the retirement agreement was signed that if trustees disclosed certain things about Whitbeck, she “would never work in education again” and an appearance by Hamilton on a conservative radio talk show in which he repeated an assertion that Whitbeck referred to Jones, who is Black, in a racist manner.
The lawsuit alleges that Dae, who chose not to run for reelection after Whitbeck’s departure, made disparaging comments about her in a luncheon of the Republican Women’s Club.
Whitbeck seeks unspecified monetary damages and attorney’s
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
A standing-room only audience filled a large common area of Houston Community College’s Missouri City campus last week to protest a proposed concrete batch plant in a once-primarily residential area that has become increasingly industrial in recent years.
The proposed facility, which would be located on a parcel of land on Pheasant Valley Drive already owned by Verti-Crete Houston, LLC, would be used to make pre-cast concrete fencing and blocks used for retention ponds for delivery to offsite projects, Chad Millis, a vice-president with the company, said at the December 12 meeting. The company, whose headquarters sits on the Missouri City property, currently does its operations at a temporary facility in Fulshear, but the company wants to bring its operations to where they now have their offices, Millis said.
The site is just off U.S. 90 near the intersection with Texas Parkway, in a once semi-rural area with residential development that has seen massive expansion of warehouses, distribution centers and other industrial uses as the highway and the Fort Bend Tollway have opened up. Very near the Verti-Crete is the Second Mile Mission Center, a nonprofit which serves low-income people, Holy Family Catholic Church and Fort Bend ISD’s Thurgood Marshall High School, Missouri City’s Buffalo Run
Community Reports
Park well as other nearby schools and neighborhoods.
The public hearing was the first since the company filed its application for an air permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in October, TCEQ officials said at the outset. It was meant to record public comment on the application, which will be reviewed by TCEQ staff before any recommendation is made to members of the commission before any vote for final approval. The public comment period for the application was extended to
Through the end of December, Fort Bend County Libraries is hosting a variety of holiday-themed programs, from cookie decorating to wrapping those hard-to-wrap gifts. All activities are free and open to the public. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. 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).
George Memorial Library (1001 Golfview, Richmond)
* Special Family Event: End-ofthe-Year Dance Party - Saturday,
December 16 following the legislators’ interest, the TCEQ staff members said. Area residents, officials and others spent several hours bemoaning the proposed concrete batch plant in a part of Fort Bend County which many say has an over-concentration of such facilities. Texas Sen. Borris Miles, whose District 13 includes a large proportion of minority and economically disadvantaged residents, has made a particular effort to oppose such facilities, as has Texas District 27 Rep. Ron Reynolds. Miles was
December 21, 2:30-3:45 p.m., Meeting Room. Families with children of all ages are invited to a fun celebration with DJ Jeffrey. Enjoy a variety of fun activities, songs, games, and contests! Space is limited. Tickets are required for entry and will be handed out starting 30 minutes before the event. No late admittance.
* Special Family Event: New Year’s at Noon - Tuesday, December 31, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Meeting Room. Families with children of all ages are invited to countdown to 12:00 NOON at this fun event, complete with a bubble release to celebrate the New Year! Space is limited. Tickets are required for entry and will be handed out starting 30 minutes before the event. No late admittance.
not present at the meeting (although some members of his staff were), but Reynolds was and made introductory remarks.
Many residents’ complaints dealt with what they said would be the adverse impacts on the air quality stemming from emissions from the batch plant. Other concerns raised included increased truck traffic in the area, noise and light pollution, and other things.
Of particular concern is the emission of particulate matter, the major emission from such plants and the
Cinco Ranch Branch Library (2620 Commercial Center Blvd, Katy)
* “Jean Kucher’s Marionette Playhouse: Sleeping Beauty & the Handsome Prince” - Saturday, December 14, 3-4 p.m., Meeting Room. Master puppeteer Jean Kuecher, producer of Marionette Playhouse, will entertain with her beautifully handcrafted marionettes on an elaborate stage, with music and lighting. In this puppet show, the Good Fairy helps the Handsome Prince battle the Wicked Witch’s dragon, but then the prince can’t remember how to awaken the Princess Sleeping Beauty! Recommended for families with children of all ages, this performance is made possible by the Friends of the Cinco
one that the TCEQ representatives said the agency was most scrutinized in the air permit application. At this point, the said, the application indicates that the proposed facility’s application met the PM 2.5 standards that are protective of human health. Particulate matter has been identified as a cause of many diseases, including heart disease and stokes. Many residents also said the proposed batch plant was part of a larger problem of
Ranch Branch Library. Space is limited. Tickets are required for entry and will be handed out starting one hour before the event. No late admittance.
* Teen Craft: DIY Glitter Mason Jars - Thursday, December 19, 4-5 p.m., Conference Classroom. Teens (grades 9-12) will learn how to use glitter to transform Mason jars into decorative accents for their rooms or to give as gifts. Limited supplies will be provided, courtesy of the Friends of the Cinco Ranch Branch Library. Registration required.
* New Year’s
An attorney for Fort Bend ISD has filed a motion seeking the dismissal of three trustees from defamation claims in a lawsuit filed by former superintendent Christie Whitbeck. Wiki image
A capacity audience attends a public hearing over a proposed concrete batch plant in Missouri City at the city’s Houston Community College campus last week. All of the speakers at the event opposed the proposed plant. Photo by Ken Fountain
the diminishing quality of life in the once semi-rural area, as warehouses and similar facilities have sprung up in recent years as Fort Bend County has grown in population and economic development.
During the formal comment period of the hearing, Fort Bend County County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson read an extensive prepared statement objecting to the proposed facility, continuing even after the TCEQ moderator, Laurie Gharis, asked her to conclude because of the number of people signed up to speak.
“I wasn’t aware of any time limit so I’m going to go ahead and continue,” Smith-Lawson said, and pressed on with her comments. Smith-Lawson, speaking on behalf of herself and Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage, who was not present. Prestage vowed to oppose such facilities and others like it at a TCEQ hearing in August over a proposed
concrete-crushing facility in Rosharon.
“The proposed plant will be located in an area surrounded by established residential neighborhoods - you all have heard from many of them this evening - schools, nursing homes, parks, playgrounds, and running trails,” she said.
Smith-Lawson said her office is concerned that airquality monitoring was not conducted close enough to the area surrounding the proposed plant location to accurately ensure that it complies with health standards. Moreover, she said, the permit application fails to take into account the effect of cumulative effects of air pollution from the proposed plant and five other nearby concrete batch plants. Approximately 1,300 people live within one mile of the proposed plant, she said.
Missouri City City Council member Monica Riley, whose District A includes the site of the proposed facility, said the was disappointed that the
TCEQ representatives did not answer many of the questions raised by residents.
“You have been a good neighbor since you’ve been here,” Riley told the two Verti-Crete Houston representatives. “And right now, you see these people - they are very concerned. I’m concerned.”
She said her children, who attend schools near the proposed facility, will be impacted by its operations, as well as elderly and other residents in nearby neighborhoods.
“The thing y’all need to understand is that just because it’s in compliance, on paper, doesn’t mean it’s compliant from a humanity standpoint,” she said.
“Clearly the public is extremely upset and is not supportive of this,” she said, asking that the company reevaluate its decision to build the plant in the proposed location.
A final decision on the permit application would not be made until a later, unspecified date.
year. The average price rose 4.1 percent to $418,903, and the median price edged up by 1.5 percent to $329,990. The price per square foot increased to $175 from $172 in November 2023.
Days on Market, or the actual time it took to sell a home, increased from 48 to 52. Months of inventory has held steady at a 4.4-months supply since August. Last November, there was a 3.5-months supply. The current national supply stands at 4.2 months, as reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
Broken out by housing segment, November sales performed as follows:
• $1 - $99,999: increased 21.3 percent
• $100,000 - $149,999: decreased 8.3 percent
• $150,000 - $249,999: in -
•
•
family homes. In November, existing home sales totaled 4,281, up 10.6 percent compared to the same time last year. The average price rose 7.4 percent to $439,206, and the median sales price increased 2.4 percent to $327,680.
Townhouse/ Condominium Update
After a month in positive territory, townhome and condominium dipped in November. Sales were down 12.0 percent year-over-year to 373 units. The average price declined 10.0 percent to $242,617, and the median price fell 6.6 percent
The Houston housing market remained temperate in November, with homebuyers seemingly undeterred by rising mortgage rates, according to the Houston Association of Realtors. File photo by Ken Fountain
Scott Vann, left, of Edge Engineering & Science, and Chad Millis, a vice-president with Verti-Crete Houston appear at a TCEQ hearing over a proposed concrete batch plant in Missouri City. Photos by Ken Fountain
Fort Bend County County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson speaks out in opposition to a proposed concrete batch plant in Missouri City.
Missouri City resident Earl Conway speaks out in protest of a proposed concrete batch plant during
a TCEQ hearing. Conway, who uses an inhaler, said he believes the plant will cause adverse health impacts on residents.
Missouri City City Council member Monica Riley, left, speaks out against the proposed concrete batch plant.
HE NEWSPA-
TPER – Let’s see what the most important events have occurred in the Houston area in the last 24 hours. “Whitmire often hires, fires on Fridays.” Fantastic. “Drones could replace school guards.”
A bombshell. I am reading my printed Houston Chronicle and these are the headlines at the top of Page 1. I wonder about the prerogatives at that paper, but the Chron is getting much better than it was. Its editorials now have some bite. Its photographs can be so murky I can’t make out what they are, but the paper covers food and restaurants in a delicious manner. For years the paper was known as being the largest in the nation that had never won a Pulitzer. Now it has two.
So let’s browse through the Chron to see what we find. The paper’s news gathering nationally and foreign seems to depend mostly on the Associated Press. It used to run stories from The New York Times, but
Chronicling the Chronicle
I can’t find them anymore. Saves money. Locally Chron reporters are on top of events and do some excellent investigations – zombie oil wells, home insurance rates and, of course, drones replacing school guards. The biz side is, well, bizzy. That section’s columnist, Chris Tomlinson, regularly socks it to polluters and greedy pirates in the energy industry and those do-nothings in our state government. (I’d hate to read his email.) He does his research and credits his sources. “According to those spineless bureaucrats at the U.S. Department of Falsifying Data…” The less said about his hit-job book, “Forget the Alamo,” the better. Recently Tomlinson wrote, as the column appeared online: “Our public
universities are why Texas outperforms whether it’s….” and listed several universities including Prairie View A&M. In print, Prairie View was replaced with Abilene Christian University. Why? And when did ACU become a public university? The Chron’s letters to the editor often criticize the paper, particularly its editorials. Regarding that, every letter has to begin with “Regarding.” And I like those snarky Saturday Thumbs observations. It is said that a good diplomat can tell you to go to hell in such a manner that you actually look forward to the trip. The paper’s departing food critic, Alison Cook (what a great name for that job), could describe a meal at a Salvation Army soup kitchen in such a way that I’d make reservations. “The creamy fat from the glistening loin of ox hoof that sprang like a police Doberman on a fleeing felon…” “The delightful crumbling bread, although a bit moldy for my taste, was a pretentious yet feisty tour de force.” I’ll miss her. The entertainment section features a little gray box that highlights
cable movies. The writer must love the word “noir”, which means (I had to look it up) “a genre of film or fiction characterized by cynicism and fatalism.” Every movie is noir, or the director once made a film noir or maybe the theater had played a film noir. If you like to be depressed, go noir. Kirk Bohls knows more about the Longhorn gridiron than the head coach. But he writes too long – my lips get tired. It is a journalism axiom (which I just made up): “The article would be twice as good if it were half as long.” Other writers covering games make us wait, because the story begins with: “When Elmer Smashmouth was 9, his father took him fishing and….” In the very first paragraph I want to know the score, who won and how. The Chron’s sports deadlines are so early that I never get to read the outcome of a game, which is usually listed as “late.” The sports section deadline, we are told, is 8 p.m. Pay the printers overtime.
We must note that, as with all major dailies, the Chron can’t cover every neighborhood, suburb or high school sport. That’s where local pa-
pers come in with news we can really use – what actually affects our daily lives. We learn about our local schools, our new restaurants and profiles of people who live around us. They tell us which massage parlors have been closed by the vice police. We also have the local ads that help us shop.
In his biography of Lyndon Johnson, “The Passage of Power,” Robert Caro details how LBJ humbled the Chronicle. It was then owned by Houston Endowment, which wanted to merge a Houston bank, which it owned, with another. LBJ did not like the newspaper since it sometimes opposed him, so he declared either the paper would support him or he wouldn’t let the merger go through. He even dictated a letter he wanted signed by the paper’s president, John Jones, in which the Chron would not only support LBJ, but would send its managing editor, Everett Collier, to Washington only to cover Johnson and his policies, adding: “And I mean when I call them and tell them to run something, I want them to run it.” They did, then LBJ
phoned Jones: “From now on we’re partners.” In 1995, the Chron (now owned by Hearst Corporation) bought and closed The Houston Post, where I worked, so I called the Chron looking for a job. The call lasted about one minute. No. Later I was asked if I would be interested in becoming director of the Museum of Printing History. I said maybe and was summoned to a meeting of the board which lasted three hours. Then I was asked to submit an essay for writing analysis. I heard nothing back, but eventually I discovered the museum had hired someone else. Huh? They had come to me. A few years after that, I met a fellow who asked if I remembered that interview. “Yes,” said I, “and the whole experience was weird.” He chuckled. “I was on the board. As we were considering hiring you we got a call from Hearst saying if we hired you we’d never get another dime from them. Odd thing is, at least as long as I was there, we never did anyway.”
Ashby is happy writing at ashby2@comcast.net
GHP: Regional economy to see continued growth in 2025
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
The Houston region's economy will continue to fare well as national fears of a recession recede and the rate of inflation continues to lower to an expected 2 percent of GDP, the target set by the Federal Reserve, by the end of 2025, the Greater Houston Partnership's chief economist told a group of business and government leaders last week.
Patrick Jankowski was the featured speaker at the partnership's annual "Houston Region Economic Outlook" event, held December 12 in a filled-to-capacity ballroom at the Royal Sonesta hotel in the Uptown area. The partnership serves as the region's main chamber of commerce.
In his trademark folksy style, peppered with "dad joke" humor, Jankowski painted a largely upbeat if not necessarily rosy pic
ture of the area's economic prospects in 2025. It was a somewhat bittersweet affair for Jankowski, who is retiring soon after 41 years with the partnership.
Jankowski told the audience of business and governmental leaders he expects the Houston region to add 71,200 jobs in 2025, finishing the year with 3.5 million payroll jobs, a record for the region. Almost all sectors of the economy will add jobs, he said, with the strongest sectors being health care, construction, professional and technical services, government, and restaurants and bars. Information services, which includes print and broadcast media, will continue to be on shaky ground in 2025, largely due to technological changes.
Jankowski noted that in the just-over four decades that he has served with the GHP, the Houston region's economy has undergone a many changes, beginning with the oil bust of the early 1980s that contributed to a banking crisis, to one that is much more diversified and driven less by the oiland-gas sector. During that time, he said, the national and regional economy has seen four recessions, and the Houston region has been affected by 16 major weatherrelated events.
"I'm blessed that I've had a career working in a market that has grown considerably," he said. In 1981, Houston was home to 14 Fortune 500 com-
panies. While the majority of those companies are either nonexistent or no longer on the list, today the region is home to more than two dozen Fortune 500 companies.
"Companies may come and go, but we have grown significantly over that time," Jankowski said.
Jankowski went on to outline many of those changes over the decades, showing how the area's population has become much more diverse, which he said contributes greatly to the its's economic success.
One of the main changes the region has seen is the diminishment of the "upstream" side of the oiland-gas sector as a driver of the economy, and of jobs, while the "downstream" side involving the manufacture of products derived from those commodities had grown considerably, he said. While the sector still provides "a very solid base" for the regional economy, he said, it is not as fundamental to the economy as it was in the 1980s and into the 1990s.
As the national and regional economies have become more integrated into global trade, Jankowski said, the more the Houston region's economy has been tied to how well trade is going. Even so, he said, the Houston area has generally outpaced the national average and many of its metropolitan peers outside of specific events like the "fracking bust" between 2015-2017.
In 2025, the Houston area's prospects will largely follow that of the national economy, Jankowski said. "If the U.S. economy grows, Houston will grow," he said. "If the national economy slips into a recession, Houston at some point will follow." But Jankowski said he doesn't expect the U.S. economy to see a recession in 2025 or for several more years, based on its current strength.
But Jankowski, emphasizing that he was speaking as an economist, said that the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump has proposed some changes that could significantly alter the outlook.
Trump's announced plans to open up domestic production of oil and gas will depend on many market forces, primarily the price per barrel of petroleum, a global commodity. The "break-even" price for a barrel of oil, is now somewhere in the mid-60s of U.S. dollars. But lately, the price
has been slipping somewhat, he said.
Another factor is that in recent years, the OPEC cartel led by Saudi Arabia has kept a lot of capacity off the market, raising concerns that there soon could be a glut of oil as OPEC attempts to regain market share that would drive down prices even more, Jankowski said. So even if the Trump administration goes forward with its "drill, baby, drill" agenda, that likely would not result in a huge surge of drilling activity in the United States, he said.
Jankowski also discussed Trump's stated plan of imposing widespread tariffs, including on some of the country's most important trading partners such as Canada, Mexico, and the European Union, as well as
on China, seen as America's greatest economic competitor.
He said Trump is using tariffs as a "big stick" in the form of limiting access by those countries and others to the lucrative U.S. market if they don't agree to do things in line with Trump's policy goals like reducing illegal immigration to the U.S. Jankowski noted that excluding China, the other economies of the world added together do not equal the size of the American economy.
"One of my concerns is that if we start imposing tariffs, other countries will do the same," he said, referencing the Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930, a piece of tariff legislation which was meant to protect U.S. industry during the onset of the Great Depression but had the
overall effect of damping U.S. exports and prolonging that devastating economic crisis. This is particularly concerning for the Houston area since a great many jobs in the region are tied to exports, Jankowski said.
Likewise, he said, attempts by the Trump administration to significantly curtail immigration, including legal immigration, could negatively impact the Houston regional economy, especially since a great large proportion of the population and workforce are foreign-born.
Pausing a moment to emphasize that he was speaking on behalf of himself and not the GHP, Jankowksi said that Americans have a right to expect that the country's borders are secure. "But we also need to recognize that
immigrants do play a role in the economy," he said. Jankowski said that on balance, he expects that the country will be "better off" economically in 2025, in part due to a "surge in business confidence" since Trump's election in November and the expectation that his policies will be more business-friendly than those of the outgoing Biden Administration. Find the partnership's full 2025 Houston Region Economic Outlook at houston.org.
Before his official retirement, Jankowski will give a "State of the Economy" presentation, hosted by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond on January 23. Learn more at fortbendchamber.com.
Patrick Jankowski, chief economist for the Greater Houston Partnership, told attendees of an economic outlook event last week that the region will add 71,200 jobs in 2025. Photo by Ken Fountain
12:00 NOON with crafts, activities, and refreshments.
First Colony Branch Library (2121 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land)
* “Wrap & Yap: A Wrapping Party” - Saturday, December 14, 2-3 p.m. Escape the prying eyes of curious onlookers to wrap gifts at this come-and-go time at the library. A small selection of wrapping paper, tape, and scissors will be provided, but those attending are encouraged to bring their own decorative materials, bows, ribbons, etc. Enjoy festive music while getting creative gift-wrapping ideas. Supplies are provided by the generous support of the Friends of the First Colony Branch Library.
* “Things to Do in Sugar Land: Winter Edition” - Tuesday, December 17, 6-7 p.m. Discover free family-friendly things to do in and around Sugar Land during the winter season this December and January. Hear about tree-lighting ceremonies, holiday markets, and much more! Light refreshments will be provided, courtesy of the Friends of the First Colony Branch Library.
fonts, enabling the user to create designs for web or print. Learn how this tool can be used to create blog graphics, Facebook covers, flyers, posters, invitations, presentations, and more. This class will focus on creating festive holiday invitations. Registration required.
* Teen: Cartoons & Gingerbread - Friday, December 20, 2-3:30 p.m, Meeting Room. Teens (grades 9-12) will kick off the winter break by decorating gingerbread houses while watching a cartoon movie. Supplies will be provided courtesy of the Friends of the Missouri City Branch Library. Registration required.
* New Year’s Eve Party at Noon with DJ JeffreyTuesday, December 31, 11 a.m.-noon, Meeting Room. Families with children of all ages will celebrate the New Year by counting down to 12 NOON with DJ Jeffrey. Welcome the New Year at the library with games, music, and dancing! Space is limited. Free handstamps, which are required for admission, will be available starting 30 minutes before the show.
Sugar Land Branch Library (550 Eldridge)
* “Winter Open House: Cookie Decorating, Balloon Art, & Crafts” - Saturday, December 21, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Adults, teens, and families with children of all ages will enjoy a festive day at the library’s Open House! Join in on craft activities, games, and even cookie decorating, while enjoying light wintery refreshments. The WOW Party Art group will entertain everyone with their balloon-twisting creations for visitors to take home. Take a break from the hustle and bustle and relax at this fun, casual event for the whole family! This comeand-go event is sponsored by the Friends of the First Colony Branch Library.
This movie is rated PG. Refreshments are provided courtesy of the Friends of the First Colony Branch Library.
December 27, 2-3:30 p.m.
* Movie Screening - Friday, December 27, 2-4 p.m. This animated family adventure/ comedy, released in 2002, takes place 20,000 years ago, when the Earth was being overrun by glaciers, and animals were scurrying to save themselves from an impending Ice Age. When a lost human infant is discovered, a trio of sub-zero misfits - a depressed woolly mammoth, a fast-talking sloth, and a devilish saber-tooth tiger -- team up and brave deadly elements to return the child to its tribe.
* New Year’s at NoonTuesday, December 31, 11:30 a.m-12:15 p.m. Families with children of all ages are invited to countdown to 12:00 NOON with age-appropriate crafts, activities, and refreshments. Refreshments and materials are provided courtesy of the Friends of the First Colony Branch Library.
Mission Bend Branch Library (8421 Addicks Clodine Road, Houston)
* Special Family Program: Movie & Craft - Friday,
Families with children of all ages are invited to come to a “drive-in movie” and enjoy some Pixar short films from the past! Children and their caregivers can design their very own cardboard “car” while watching some delightful short films. (One “car” per family, while supplies last.)
* Special Family Program: Rockin’ in the New Year at the Library - Tuesday, December 31, 11 a.m.-noon, Meeting Room. Families with children of all ages will celebrate the New Year by counting down to 12 NOON. Welcome the New Year at the library with crafts and a dance party! Space is limited.
Missouri City Branch Library (1530 Texas Parkway)
* Canva: Festive Event Invitations - Monday, December 16, 7-8 p.m, Computer Lab. Canva is a free, online graphic-design tool. Canva’s easy-to-use interface provides access to millions of photographs, graphics, and
* Popcorn & a Movie - Monday, December 23, 6-8 p.m, Meeting Room. In this modern holiday classic film, released in 1990, Macaulay Culkin plays a mischievous 8-year-old who is inadvertently left behind when his family takes a holiday trip to Paris. After learning to fend for himself, the boy finds creative ways to protect his house against two bumbling burglars who are planning to rob it on Christmas Eve. This movie is rated PG. Refreshments are made possible by the Friends of the Missouri City Branch Library.
* Teen Tuesday: Escape the New Year’s Ball - Tuesday, December 31, 3-4 p.m, Meeting Room. In this fun-filled escape-room experience, teens (grades 9-12) will collaborate to solve tricky puzzles and unravel hidden mysteries to “escape” in time for the New Year. Materials will be provided courtesy of the Friends of the Missouri City Branch Library. Registration required.
* Family Program: John O’Bryant’s Library Magic Show - Friday, December 27, 2-2:45 p.m, Meeting Room. Families with children of all ages will be treated to John O’Bryant’s amazing magic show, featuring magic, illusion, music, storytelling, goofy props, and audience participation. This event is made possible by the Friends of the Sienna Branch Library.
* Winter Holiday Movie - Friday, December 20, 2-4 p.m, Meeting Room. This 2024 animated sci-fi film is an adaptation of an award-winning Middle Grade book by Peter Brown about an intelligent robot named Roz. After being shipwrecked on an uninhabited island, Roz survives the harsh environment by bonding with the island’s animals and caring for an orphaned baby goose. This movie is rated PG. University Branch Library (14010 University Blvd, Sugar Land)
* Interactive Movie DayTuesday, December 31, 2:30 p.m, Meeting Room 1. Families with children of all ages are encouraged to sing, cheer, and react along with the film! Movie-themed craft activities will also be on hand. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved fairy tale, The Snow Queen, this award-winning animated adventure film takes place in the kingdom of Arendelle, which has been cast into eternal winter by the powerful Snow Queen, Elsa. The queen’s sprightly sister, Anna, teams up with a rough-hewn mountaineer named Kristoff and his trusty reindeer, Sven, on an epic journey to break the icy spell. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom. This film is rated PG. Space is limited. Tickets are required for entry and will be handed out starting one hour before showtime. No late admittance.
fees, as well as “correction, clarification, or retraction” of numerous statements made by the three trustees following her departure. The lawsuit names both the district and the trustees in their official capacities.
But in a December 9 filing, the district, citing a provision of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, argues that Whitbeck cannot sue both the district and the board members, who are considered both officers and employees of
the district, even though they serve without pay.
“Texas law puts plaintiffs who want to sue the government and its officers and employees for torts to an irrevocable choice – a plaintiff must decide when she files her lawsuit if she is going to pursue the government or its officers and employees. She can’t press claims against both for the same subject matter. And if she sues both, she irrevocably elects to sue the government,” writes Jonathan Brush of the firm Rogers, Morris & Grover, which represents the district and the board.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
One the court dismisses Whitbeck’s defamation claims against the three trustees, Brush writes, the district will file a separate pleading challenging her remaining claims against the district and the three trustees.
Also last week, after the district’s filing, Tritico filed an amended complaint with the court, but that pleading was not accessible by the Fort Bend Star from a public database.
A hearing on the district’s filing has been set for January 8 in the 434th District Court.
Drymalla Construction Company, LLC (CM at Risk) is soliciting Qualifications/ Proposals from Subcontractors/Suppliers for the Lamar Consolidated ISD Campus #8 – Infrastructure – GMP 3 Utilities and Roadway Package. Project consists of public utilities and construction of Tiger Run Boulevard, including subgrade development, paving, pavement markings, traffic signals and related work. The scope of work is defined by the drawings and specifications issued. Qualifications/Proposals are due at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at the offices of Drymalla Construction Company, LLC, 608 Harbert, Columbus, Texas 78934, via fax 979-732-3663, or email to bid@drymalla. com. NO PHONE BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED. A virtual pre-proposal meeting will be held January 9, 2025, at 2 PM. Access to this meeting is included in the Project Manual. For information on how to obtain copies of the Request for Qualifications/Proposal documents call 979-732-5731, or email Sharon Fisher at sfisher@drymalla.com.
The Reid Feed: Quincy “Q” Molden is molding the future
As we near the close of 2024, we wanted to share an inspiring story of a man who brings heart to the heart of Missouri City, Quincy “Q” Molden.
Q is a Missouri City family man, mentor, and community leader who is making a lasting impact on the lives of those around him. He is a catalyst for positive change in our community. His mission is to help build stronger connections, inspire dreams, and offer much-needed support to those striving to achieve success. Whether through mentoring young people, encouraging entrepreneurs, or simply bringing people together, Q is molding the future of Fort Bend one connection at a time. His determination to shine a light on the unsung heroes and dreamers around us while creating an ecosystem of support for them. He makes the heartbeat of our community stronger.
Q is a proud alumnus of Quail Valley Middle School in Missouri City where our son Magnus, is currently in the 7th grade. He is also the father of twin boys, Quincy and Shaun, who go to Palmer Elementary School in Missouri City. Q’s commitment to the community is clear and unwavering.
“I’m passionate about giving back to the place that raised me and my family,” he says.
“The community is what helps shape who we are, and I want to make sure the next generation has every opportunity to dream big.” His deep roots in
the Fort Bend community are evident in everything Q does.
“Community is everything,” Q says. “If we come together, there’s so much we can accomplish.” His most visible platform for impact is The Process, a podcast he founded to highlight the real, behind-the-scenes stories of entrepreneurs and dreamers who have persevered through adversity to build successful businesses.
The Process podcast was born out of a personal connection. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Q reconnected with Mark Day, a fellow Quail Valley Middle School alum whose entrepreneurial journey captivated him. Mark, CEO and founder of the patented Day Urinal Mats, became the first guest in an episode that chronicles his rise from cleaning aquariums and selling roofs to developing a groundbreaking product aimed at improving restroom cleanliness. Despite early setbacks such as struggling to find engineers willing to help, Mark’s determination led him to secure a patent, partner with engineers in India, and eventually sign a multimillion-dollar deal with 3M
Corporation. It was a story that Q knew could inspire others facing challenges and those afraid to dream big and bet on themselves.
Since that first episode, The Process has featured a diverse range of guests from various industries. From tech innovators to mental health advocates, Q brings on entrepreneurs who have overcome obstacles to achieve their dreams. In the most recent episode, Q sits down with Wallace Davis, CEO of TravelWifi, who shares how he built a business providing internet access to soldiers in Iraq. What started as a small initiative to keep soldiers connected with their families turned into a highly successful business, eventually generating over $9 million a year in revenue.
“The stories are all about overcoming challenges,” Q explains. “There’s no straight path to success. Every entrepreneur faces obstacles, but it’s how they handle those challenges that makes the difference. I want people to hear these stories and realize that success is possible for them too.”
The diversity of guests on The Process podcast is something Q is particularly proud of. “We talk to anyone with a business, regardless of their background or industry,” he says. Past guests include entrepreneurs like Tabatha Barron, founder of Keep Your Kids Safe, which provides streamlined school safety measures to ensure
children get to and come home from school safely; and Bobby Swearington, CEO of Fort Bend Memorial Planning Center, which focuses on honoring and celebrating life by creating healing experiences in the community.
Q’s goal is “to inspire, encourage, and motivate anyone with a dream, a vision, and a plan to take that first step.”
His vision doesn’t stop at the podcast. Five years ago, he launched The Process Media Family Field Day, an annual event to get kids outdoors and engaged in fun, screen-free activities. What started as a small gathering with a few bounce houses and catered food has grown into a major community event with DJs, food trucks, ping pong, a Nerf battlefield, bouncy-house, and more. This year’s Fifth Family Field Day: Lead with Love Edition was held in September at Sugar Land’s Memorial Park. The Field Day is free and open to the public, and it’s become a tradition for families in the area.
The event has grown year after year, with more and more families attending. Our family had an amazing time disconnecting from devices, and reconnecting with each other at this year’s Family Field Day. We experienced Q’s vision firsthand of “getting kids to unplug, run around, and interact with their community. We’re living in a world where kids spend a lot of time on their phones and tablets, and I wanted to create an event where they
could just have fun and be kids.” Mission accomplished, and well done!
It’s not just the kids who benefit; adults and local businesses also play a role in making the day special. From food trucks offering everything from tacos to snow cones, to local DJs setting the mood, the event is a celebration of what a community can achieve when it comes together. “It’s incredible to see how much this event has grown,” says Tyler Samuel, a freshman at Elkins High School, who has been attending ever since the first Family Field Day. “Each year, the crowd gets bigger, and the activities get better. It’s a great way for the community to come together.”
The Family Field Day also offers a chance for Q to mentor younger attendees and create lasting connections with families. “We see kids who’ve come to the event year after year, and it’s amazing to watch them grow up,” he says. “It’s a reminder that we’re shaping the next generation, and we want to make sure they have the tools and support they need to succeed.”
As we move into 2025, The Process podcast and the Family Field Day are just a
few examples of the ways Q is molding the future of our community. Through his podcast, mentoring, community events, infectious inspiration and encouragement, he brings people together and creates a more connected and inspired Fort Bend.
If you haven’t yet tuned into The Process podcast, now is the perfect time to start. Each episode is an opportunity to learn from entrepreneurs who have made their dreams a reality despite the obstacles they encountered along the way. From small businesses to large-scale innovations, Q’s guests show us that no dream is too small to believe in or too big to achieve. If you or anyone you know is an inspiring entrepreneur who would like to share their process to success, please contact: booking@theprocess. media
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
Quincy “Q” Molden is molding the future: The Process Podcast, The 5th Annual Family Field Day: Lead with Love Edition at Sugar Land Memorial Park, Q with his family wife, La Toia Molden, and twin boys, Quincy and Shaun Molden. Photos courtesy of The Process Media, Janet Sue Reid, Molden family photo credit: Evan Ross/ERAW Photography. Photo montage by Janet Sue Reid
Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to editor@fortbendstar.com
ONGOING
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE GRAND PARKWAY BAPTIST CHURCH
In conjunction with the Literacy Council of Fort Bend Bend County, GPBC will offer ESL classes on Tuesday nights from mid August 2024 through May 2025. We are located at 12000 FM 1464 Richmond across from Austin HS. 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
EMMY-NOMINATED FORT BEND BOYS CHOIR HOLDING AUDITIONS
The Fort Bend Boys Choir is seeking talented young boys who like music and singing. If know of one, encourage him to audition for our award-winning and Emmy-Nominated Fort Bend Boys Choir! No experience is necessary and boys should be around eight years of age or older with an unchanged voice. Auditions are by special appointment at the First United Methodist Church Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City, TX. Visit the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s webpage at www.fbbctx.org or call (281) 240-3800 for more details about auditions. Benefits as a choir member include greater self-esteem and self-confidence, better work ethic and a sense of belonging and community. A boy’s voice has an expiration date so it is important to audition when boys’ voices are still unchanged. Auditions are free!
AMERICAN LEGION POST 942
311 Ulrich Street, Sugar Land meets the fourth Tuesday of each Month at 7:00 pm. All Veterans are welcome.
LOVING FRIENDS IS A GROUP OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO ARE WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS THAT MEET MONTHLY FOR LUNCH, FRIENDSHIP, AND SOCIALIZATION Lunches. are planned for the fourth Tuesday of the month at various local restaurants. Please contact Bobbie Tomlin at {281} 967-0718
For more information about us and to learn about this month’s planned lunch. We hope to meet you soon.
QUAIL VALLEY GARDEN CLUB
The Quail Valley Garden Club is very busy, not only with meetings, but with some fun “stuff” for our members and the community. Please find our fall schedule of events that the QVGC will be involved with this fall leading up to the holidays.
FBJSL IS ACCEPTING CAF GRANT APPLICATIONS
We provide grants of up to $5,000.00 to charitable causes serving Fort Bend County with requests to fund a critical need, pilot a program, or expand a significant service to the community. If your agency or organization is interested in applying for a CAF grant, please visit the Request Support page of the FBJSL website (www.fbjsl.org/request-support). All applications should be submitted via e-mail to brccom@fbjsl.com
THE SANCTUARY FOSTER CARE SERVICES
We are a child placing agency that provides wrap around care support for foster children and foster families. We provide free therapy services, 24 hr. crisis intervention, respite/alternative care services and community-based support. For more info, www.sanctuaryfostercare.org
ALIEF AARP CHAPTER 3264
Meets the first Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. at Salvation Army Church, 7920 Cook Road, Houston, TX 77072. Educational Program/ Entertainment at each meeting. Bus Trips every month. Seniors 50 and above invited. Call 281-785-7372 for more information.
SUGAR LAND ROTARY CLUB
Sugar Land Rotary Club, the nation’s oldest community service organization, wants you to be its guest at a meeting that could turn out to be the best fit for getting involved with a local, non-political, humanitarian service organization with a global presence to satisfy your passion. We’re on a quest for new members! Call or email Dean Clark, 832-987-4193, 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
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, 281-5751145 or mike@reichekfinancial.com We would love to have you join us and see what we are all about!
MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801
Meets the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m., at 2701 Cypress Point Dr., Missouri City Rec Center. Lunch, education, and entertainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more information, call 713-8595920 or 281-499-3345.
CANCER SUPPORT GROUP PRESENTATION
The Brightwater Cancer Support Group will present an educational program for the community on January 9, 2025, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at the Southminster Presbyterian Church, 2310 Brightwater Drive in Missouri City. Dr. Issam Raad, Chair, MD Anderson, Department of Infectious Diseases will speak on “Cancer and Infectious Diseases, and the Power of Hope.” Dr. Raad is the Founder and President of Health Outreach to the Middle East, a medical missions organization founded in 1990 that currently sponsors and manages more than 20 charity clinics and hospitals in 14 countries in the Middle East. In 2006, he founded the Worldwide Institute of Medical Education. He is also the Founding and Senior Pastor of the Arabic Church of Houston. RSVPs required: ramirezsusan51@gmail.com
FELICIA SMITH JIGSAW PUZZLE COMPETITION
Register for the family-fun Felicia Smith Jigsaw Puzzle Competition.
