Fort Bend Independent 050218 by Fort Bend Independent

VOL 11 No. 18

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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018

P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623

Official newspaper of Fort Bend County & Missouri City

Corps of Engineers makes case, Growth, renewal and innovation mark state of Missouri City ‘cleaning’ means ‘polluting’ By SESHADRI KUMAR Fort Bend County’s effort to de-silt the Willow Fork Bayou in the Cinco Ranch area following Hurricane Harvey, a critical flood control measure, has been halted by a quixotic move by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, thus increasing the possibility of future flooding. Fort Bend County Drainage District maintains the waterway which empties into the Barker Reservoir, owned and operated by the USACE. Post-Harvey, the Willow Fork of Buffalo Bayou (Buffalo Bayou is in Harris County) has been a top priority for Fort Bend County. Prior to Harvey, the Fort Bend County Drainage District

Meyers was in the process of “desilting” the Willow Fork in an effort to reverse the damage caused by the 2015 & 2016 floods and resumed the removal of silt caused by erosion in order to maintain the flow of water. After the 2016 flood , crews started at the Barker Reservoir where the most problematic erosion oc-

curred and were steadily working their way upstream. After Harvey, “desilting” continued but this time crews began upstream since the silt kept washing downstream. The Corps of Engineers invoked the Clean Water Act and accused the county of violating the regulations. Fort Bend County’s Precinct 3 Commissioner explained the county’s predicament at a meeting of the Central Fort Bend Chamber’s governmental aﬀairs committee meeting in Rosenberg on April 27. The Clean Water Act prohibits “discharge” of dirt, ﬁll, and pollutants into the waterway, but how could removal of silt See FLOODS, Page 4

Local city elections on Saturday By SESHADRI KUMAR Voters in 10 area cities and 17 Municipal Utility Districts and Levee Improvement Districts will elect their council members and board members on Saturday. Early voting in all these jurisdictions has been very low and 4,544 have voted in person until Sunday in all 27 entities and 2,283 have sent mail in ballots. Elections are taking place for City of Arcola, Fulshear, Houston - District K, Meadows Place, Needville, Richmond, Rosenberg, Simonton, Staﬀord, Sugar Land, and Thompsons. In Sugar Land, a total of 1,714 people had voted early in person through Sunday.

In the 2016 Sugar Land Mayoral election, with 5 people on the ballot 5,292 people voted early and 2,982 people voted on election day. In 2016, Joe Zimmerman with 3,388 votes and Harish Jajoo with 2,848 votes were in run oﬀ which Zimmerman won with 5,338 votes against Jajoo’s 3,396 votes. Diana Miller, who is now running for mayor against Zimmerman, in 2016 ran against Himesh Gandhi for the at-large seat. Miller with 3,485 votes lost to Gandhi, who got 4,487 votes. Gandhi is unopposed for reelection this time. Mary Joyce, who won the at-

large seat election in 2016 defeating Naomi Lam, withdrew her filing for re-election. Now, Jennifer Lane from the newly annexed part of Sugar Land, Greatwood, is on the ballot and Farha Ahmed, who unsuccessfully ran against Jajoo previously for the District 4 seat, is now opposing Lane as a writein candidate, which means people voting for her have to key in Farha Ahmed’s name. After the local elections on May 5, the county will conduct runoff elections for the party primaries in county, state and federal offices on May 22. Early voting in the two party primary runoff elections will be from May 14 to May 18.

Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen, above, in his State of the City address on April 26 announced that Houston Metro will shortly introduce on-demand bus service with designated stops in the city. Missouri City is a partner city with Houston Metro and a portion of the sales collected in the city goes to Metro. Houston Metro brought a model bus for display during the State of the City address. By BARBARA FULENWIDER last year and is already planning is attracting industrial tenants This is a time of growth, re- to expand. from across the country. newal and innovation for MisLast year the city welcomed To the West, rooftops are besouri City, Missouri City Mayor ing raised in new subdivisions electrical supply distributor Allen Owen said in his state of and to the north there’s contin- Rexel and global laboratory supthe city address at the city’s new ued industrial expansion along plier VWR International, which Community Center last week. the U.S. 90A and Beltway 8 cor- was featured in New York’s Development can be seen in ridors where developers vie for Times Square. every council district, he said, commercial partners. To the south, residential and and starting in the east there is On US 90A, Best Buy is commercial expansion continue more building continuing in the building a 550,000-square-foot along Highway 6, where the Lakeview Business Park. distribution center for large Fairﬁeld Inn and Holiday Inn & Rich’s Foods is planning to items ranging from major appli- Suites are being built and Tang expand its footprint; AER, a ances to 4K televisions. City Plaza and iHOP are open national manufacturing compaTexas Leaguer Brewing for business. ny, continues to thrive, and LT Company, and FedEx,are an“It’s evident that economic Foods Americas, a global pro- ticipated to bring more than development continues to thrive ducer and distributor of Basmati 350 new jobs to Missouri City. citywide. I am proud to anRice, opened their doors there Trammell Crow’s Park 8Ninety See MAYOR, Page 3

Sugar Land Sound Chorus

PLAY BALL! Sugar Land Sound Chorus, Region 10 chapter of Sweet Adelines International, will be singing the National Anthem on Thursday, June 28 for Skeeters baseball game at the Constellation field. Sugar Land Sound Chorus is an acapella, four part harmony, barbershop-style chorus. Sugar Land Sound Chorus members love singing at the Skeeters game and the wonderful atmosphere the stadium provides. Last year a Skeeters usher found us and decided to join our group. Gillian Mayer is a perfect addition! Anyone is welcome to join the group, and sight reading is not a requirement. The entire organization provides musical education in a welcoming and encouraging manner. Chorus practice is Thursday evenings 6:45 p.m - 9 p.m in the Choir Room at Doggone Fun Run. Racers get ready to take oﬀ in the Doggone Fun Run and Walk, an event Christ Church, 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land TX 77479. Please contact Lynn locally at (409) held once again in Sienna Plantation. The race fetched approximately $24,000 for Fort Bend Cares. 998-2874 for more information. Or, find us on Facebook and Meetup. See story on Page 6.

Page 2 • INDEPENDENT • MAY 2, 2018

NEWS

Lamar CISD honors employees at the annual Employee Banquet

Each year, the District honors employees for their service to the children of our community. The honors began with employees with 5-years of experience and continued in 5-year increments, culminating in the honoring of three 40-year veterans. Above, 25-year employees: (Front row) Diana Martinez, Tracy Madrigal, Becky Guntle, Sandra Leal, Carole Serna, Juan Nava, (back row) Kimberly Reyhons, Lorenso Longoria and Pamela Clayton. 20-year employees : Mario Valdez (bottom step), Jeﬀ Peterson, Joyce Thomas (turquoise), Tamra Oliver (black dress), Nancy Beran (peachy top), Amanda Peterson (on the left rail, behind Jeﬀ), Brenda Wandling (pink), Bessie Neal (red), (TOP OF LEFT Stairs, down, then up the right stairs) Leslie McDowell, Bridgett Bullard, Cindy Haley, Alma Cruz, Cheryl Brimhall, James Nagai, Gloria Daniels (partially hidden), Lisa McKey, Tambra Burns, Pamela Berdou and Lisa Rose.

Right, 35- year employee Ken Walla

PLANTATION at Quail Valley Active Senior Living; Embracing the lives of Seniors 55 and Better

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40-year employees: Beverly Richard, Helen Daniels and Lydia Torres.

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30-year employees: Sandra Guyton, Adriana Zamora, Gay Clark.

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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE.

12551 Emily Court, Sugar Land, TX 77478 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, TX 77478 Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor

6161 Savoy Drive, Suite 1212 Houston, TX 77036 | 713-482-2300 | www.ricegardner.com

www.fbindependent.com 281-980-6745

Fort Bend Independent, (USPS 025-572) is published every Wednesday (for a subscription rate of $20 per year) by Fort Bend Independent, LLC., 12551, Emily Court, Texas 77478. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stafford, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487.

INDEPENDENT • MAY 2, 2018 • Page 3

NEWS

Missouri City gives temporary permit to Farmers market By BARBARAFULENWIDER It could have been but it wasn’t. Missouri City had a chance to have its own farmer’s market on a twice a month basis but could not as yet because various city ordinances had not been properly permitted. City council at their April 16 meeting did allow the market to be held on April 21 at 2700 Lake Olympia Parkway as a one-time special event. Farmers Market Partners requested city council authorization to use the grounds at Lake Olympia Parkway for a seasonal market to be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the ﬁrst and third Saturdays of every month from March to November but wasn’t yet to be. Background information provided council at their last April meeting said the market it is the brainchild of Jill Argento and Thomasine Johnson, both longtime Missouri City residents. They brought a presentation to council that said their mission is to partner and support local farmers, producers and specialty vendors who have talents to help build a strong local food movement. Another part of their request for a special event permit also includes the Young Sprouts Club. Their background information to council says the club is designed to help children from 5 to 12 years old think about running their own little business. “Being among our vendors will also help them to understand the beneﬁts of eating fresh, healthy ingredients and the importance of supporting local farms and introducing them to seasonal produce.” And a “Vegie Valet” was also included in the Farmers Market request. It is designed so patrons

can leave their purchases at the Young Sprouts Club lemonade stand while continuing to shop and partake of the food trucks. Shoppers have to pick up their items prior to leaving the market and told council that children at the lemonade stand will not do any heavy lifting. They added that a sign will be displayed at the stand encouraging customers to give tips to the vegie valets. They also told council there will be a market volunteer on the site at all times. One of the applicants, Jill Argento, said the farmers who will stock the market with their products are within a 200-mile radius. “Community feedback builds a strong community spirit and forges a stronger relationship with our neighbors and in turn causes safe neighborhoods to live in.” She said, “We believe this market will actually be a showcase and become a destination point when someone is going to southwest Houston.” Then a discussion about parking began, with Argento saying people would be able to park on Lake Olympia Parkway because it allows such and they have been given permission to use half of the parking spaces at Palmer Elementary School. Otis Spriggs, director of Missouri City’s Development Services, said, “Authorization is required once they go beyond the frequency typically required regarding special events. We have an application process to deal with topics discussed regarding traﬃc impact and we met with the partners to make sure the market meets standards and to discuss what their long range goals are.” He also said the partners did come to Development Services twice regarding two events they

held. They put up directional signage showing people where to park, Spriggs said, and noted that food trucks on the site will have to meet the city’s ordinance on such. Argento was asked if the market is a non-profit or a forprofit endeavor and she said it’s for profit but doesn’t make much. Councilman At Large Jerry Wyatt then asked, “If they are going to do this a whole year why wouldn’t they have to get a permit for it since it’s a for-profit?” He also said, “Lake Olympia is a major thoroughfare and if we let you park there then how do we allow people to do it who have a big party. Move all your parking to Palmer school. We can’t use Lake Olympia.” Argento said, “As soon as pool season starts people are parking all over Lake Olympia Drive. Ninety percent who come to the market live in Lake Olympia.” Wyatt said, “If you go through a regular business process for this it makes it even simpler. If they were a not for profit we wouldn’t have a problem with the food trucks. There may also be some problems with outdoor sales, so would need to look at all of those ordinances and analyze it.” Karen Overton, a resident in Lake Olympia, stepped up to speak and said she has attended the market and that it was well organized and well promoted. She also said she was “extremely impressed. First I enjoyed having someone welcoming me into the market” while someone else took a head count of people coming in. “There were dog owners with their pets trying to enter the market but they were kind in saying that dogs could not come in. It was a great community feeling that I’ve not felt before in this particular area. This is a very

Mayor From page 1

a day all for $1.25. It will connect individuals to jobs, grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, the new HCC Missouri City Campus and Metro’s local bus network.” Next door to the renovated city hall complex is the new Houston Community College Center for Entrepreneurship, Technology and Health. It brings an investment of more than $25 million to Texas Parkway and is the largest single capital investment made on that corridor in more than 20 years, Owen said. In its ﬁrst year of enrollment, the HCC campus has launched new programs that include the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. Under construction next door is also the future Missouri City Library. On July 31, 2017, Fort Bend County began a $6.4 millionrenovation of the existing campus, which was originally built in 1992. The current renovation and expansion project will include a 9,600-square-foot, 3-story addition to the existing library and more space for a computer lab, study rooms, and meeting spaces. The expansions have served as a catalyst for new businesses that have opened and include Discount Tire, Dollar Tree on Cartwright Road and in Quail Valley Shopping Center. In order to attract reinvestment in existing properties along the three corridors, the city has an incentive policy that will rebate part of the new value created from the capital investment back to the owner-occupied facilities.

And it’s working. At council’s March 19 meeting, they authorized an economic resolution for planned improvements to Quail Valley Shopping Center. Last year city council adopted its latest comprehensive plan update, which is designed to guide future development, redevelopment and community enhancement in Missouri City for the next 20 years and beyond. Owen said, “To understand our success, I want to provide some metrics. For instance, a total of 10,410 permits were issued thus far this ﬁscal year with an estimated $219 million in project value and $1.37 million in permit fees.” Missouri City has also make strides with infrastructure improvements. In 2017-2018, Owen said, maintenance was done on more than 90,000 square feet of streets and sidewalks citywide and are in the design phase on Independence Segments 1 and 2, Staffordshire Road, Waterfall Drive, Knight Road Extension, the Glenn Lakes Bridge over Oyster Creek Tributary and the Regional Water Treatment Plant – Phase II Expansion. Businesses are also helping the city grow and prosper. The mayor said, “At last week’s city council meeting we had the honor of accepting a check from Mudra Inc. from proceeds they raised at a Hurricane Harvey beneﬁt. Niagara Cares, the philanthropic division of Niagara Bottling, LLC also pledged thousands of dollars to local relief ef-

nounce that last week, city council approved its first ever economic development plan.” The mayor said it provides specific recommendations to facilitate development and redevelopment throughout the city but particularly along Texas Parkway and Cartwright Road; FM 1092; and Fort Bend Parkway. “The objective of these corridor-specific strategies is to better prepare the city to assist with, and encourage investment in these corridors when market opportunities arise.” Owen said, “Today, you join us for the first time ever in our newly renovated Community Center. Several years ago, we embarked on a complete renovation of both the interior and exterior of the facility, which was funded 100 percent by hotel occupancy tax revenue.” The entire City Hall complex is currently being repainted, landscaping upgrades are being made and plans are being finalized for a Veterans’ Memorial, which will also include a children’s garden, art installations and water features. This fall a new transportation service will launch in Missouri City Owen proudly announced. “Metro’s Community Connector will bring personalized, curb-todestination service. This on-demand service allows individuals to travel anywhere within a zone, seven days a week, and 14 hours

LEADING TEXAS EDUCATION

With Texas Education Agency Commissioner, Mike Morath The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce’s Education Division will host the Texas Commissioner of Education, Mike Morath, on Wednesday, May 9 from 11:30 a.m. – 1p.m. at Safari Texas Ranch. This luncheon is presented by Fluor Corporation and Rice & Gardner Consultants Incorporated. Join the luncheon to hear updates on the following from Commissioner Morath: •Progress of the STARR Accountability system implementation • The impact of Hurricane Harvey on education

good idea. I would appreciate your flexibility, kindness and consideration in making this happen,” she told council. John Burtrum, another Lake Olympia resident, went to the podium and told council the market is “a great idea for Missouri City” but it doesn’t belong in Lake Olympia. “Currently there is inadequate parking for vendors loading and unloading their goods and thousands of shoppers are being advertised to attend. It is being advertised to 44 neighborhoods -more than 11,000 people. You are talking about a massive number of people,” Burtrum said. He asked if there had been any traffic impact study made concerning permitting the market and that more people in a neighborhood causes more crime. He also said the market will negatively impact housing values in Lake Olympia and that the market should be relocated to a church parking lot on Hwy. 6. “It makes no sense to put the market in Lake Olympia. This does not need to be in a residential area.” Mayor Allen Owen asked council, “Do we allow this for this weekend – allow a temporary waiver – and then have them get with Otis and work out the details?” Wyatt made a motion to allow the market only on April 21 in Lake Olympia Parkway but have no parking on the street or on Quail Valley. Owen asked how can that be regulated and Wyatt said they can come back after this one to explain. The mayor said the market is allowed for this next weekend only. “We have to get all the other stuff worked out with Otis and his staff. In the meantime, we will have signage to help with parking.”

Covington West Neighborhood Garage Sale Saturday, May 5th 7a.m-1p.m

Fort Bend ISD’s Music Education Program receives national recognition

Fort Bend ISD is proud to once again be designated as one of the nation’s Best Communities for Music Education, as named by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation. This is the 9th consecutive year that FBISD has earned the award for demonstrating outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Fort Bend ISD was required to answer detailed questions regarding funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas. “In Fort Bend ISD, music education is an integral part of equipping students with skills outlined in the FBISD Profile of a Graduate. These skills include creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration, which are essential for future success,” said FBISD Director of Fine Arts, James Drew. “Receiving the Best Communities for Music Education designation for the ninth consecutive year confirms the quality of our District’s music education programs and supports the FBISD Fine Arts Department vision of becoming the premier school district for Fine Arts education in the nation.” This award recognizes that FBISD is leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation guides implementation in the states and replaces the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which was often criticized for an overemphasis on testing, while leaving behind subjects such as music. ESSA recommends music and the arts as important elements of a well-rounded education for all children. Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music. In a series of landmark studies by scientists and researchers at Northwestern University, a link was found between students in community music programs and life-long academic success, including increased high school graduation rates and college attendance. Beyond the Northwestern research, other studies have indicated that music education lays the foundation for individual excellence in group settings, creative problem-solving, and flexibility in work situations, as well as learning how to give and receive constructive criticism to excel. forts along with other local busiFor more information about the NAMM Foundation, please nesses. visit www.nammfoundation.org. Lowe’s Home Improvement Charitable and Educational Foundation gave the city a $50,000 grant for the Quail Valley North Park Playground Replacement project. The equipment was destroyed by an arsonist and had not been replaced due to limited resources. Niagara Bottling is another partner that recently committed $75,000 to improve existing equipment in Community Park and another $25,000 to build a skate park. Bark for Life of Riverstone is a non-competitive walk Parks and playgrounds aren’t for dogs and their humans that will take place 9:00 a.m to all that have flourished in Mis- 1:00 p.m at The Club at Riverstone. The event celebrates souri City. Last year, the Quail cancer survivorship—human and canine—and honors Valley Golf Course hosted more the care-giving qualities of four-legged companions while than 136,000 guests who played supporting the mission of the ACS. 60,180 rounds of golf while the The event will feature a short walk followed by canine City Centre held dozens of cor- performances including the Houston Disc Dogs at 10:15a.m porate, civic and family events. & 12 p.m. Pup- and family-friendly activities include a DJ, Owen wrapped up his city’s face painting, pup-friendly activities, inflatables, balloon continued improvements by say- twisters and food trucks—as well as vendors offering a ing, “In Missouri City’s 62 years variety of pooch-worthy items. of incorporation, we have come Registration for Bark for Life is free and open to the a long way, and we still have a public. The first 300 people to register will receive a doggie long way to go just as other cit- bag full of goodies. Humans without dogs are also welcome ies do. We will continue to focus to attend and will have the opportunity to “Adopt a Dog for on economic development initia- the Event” through the local animal shelters. tives, technology upgrades, the To sign up your dog(s) or for more information about this budget, improvement and expan- event, please visit www.relayforlife.org/barkriverstonetx. sion of infrastructure, management of the first-class amenities, community outreach and citizen collaborations. “The city has achieved so much by being proactive and not reactive, by leveraging our resources and by building on our partnerships. And through it all, we never lose sight of our city credo….Together, we excel!”

• Implementation of SB 1566 for school board training Mike Morath was appointed Texas Commissioner of Education by Governor Greg Abbott in December 2015 and took oﬃce in January of 2016. As Commissioner, he heads the Texas Education Agency, which oversees pre-kindergarten through high school education for more than ﬁve million students enrolled in both traditional public schools and charter schools. Details of upcoming events can be found at www. FortBendChamber.com or contact Juliette Nessmith at 281566-2161 or Juliette@fortbendcc.org. The Education Division of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce is under the leadership of Division Chair, Jim Rice,

Bark For Life of Riverstone Saturday, May 19th, 2018 9:00 a.m-1:00 p.m The Club at Riverstone (18353 University Blvd., Sugar Land, TX)

Visit the Google playstore & download your free mobile app for Fort Bend Independent.

Rice & Gardner Consultants. The Education Division is passionate about building awareness and connections between business sectors, community leaders, and education. Through keeping its members updated and engaged with current events impacting education on the local and national level, the division hopes to further allow individuals to be invested in education. As the only 5-star accredited and single-county chamber in the nine-county area surrounding the Houston Metroplex, membership provides both immediate and long-term beneﬁts for your business and helps build momentum for our community’s future.

Page 4 • INDEPENDENT • MAY 2, 2018

GUEST COLUMN

Protect teenagers from domestic abuse

By SANDRA MORENO Recently, I was sitting on my back patio enjoying a glass of wine. It was a peaceful evening with a cool breeze. All of the sudden, I heard arguing going on. It gets closer and closer. I can finally see the young couple through the gate of my backyard walking on the sidewalk. They appear to be around seventeen years old. This young man is in a rage. He’s yelling at the top of his lungs at his girlfriend. He is cursing at her, calling her all sorts of names and shouting at her about how stupid she is. This poor girl is pleading with him. She’s asking him to stop acting like that. She’s telling him how much she loves him. He’s telling her to get away from him and she’s running after him, pulling his arm, while begging him to not be mad. He pushes her off of him, repeatedly. I stand up and walk towards the gate and ask if everything is okay. They continue to argue in such a way that stopped me. He takes off walking faster and she chases after him. I’m left in shock over what I just witnessed. How can this be happening to these young people? Whose son is that? Do his parents know how abusive he is? More importantly, whose daughter is that? Are her parents aware of

Floods

From Page 1 from the water be construed as a violation, Meyers asked. According to the ACE, the county, during the process of removing the silt, spilled some dirt back into the bayou and that constituted the illegal discharge and violation of the Clean Water Act, Meyers said. Instead of helping and aiding in flood control, the federal government is exacerbating flooding, he said, urging the state and federal lawmakers to fix the socalled environmental justice. Fort Bend County is actively working with our state and federal elected officials to give counties more authority to maintain and improve the Willow Fork Bayou and other drainage systems without federal oversight, to allow for timely improvements and greater responsiveness. He explained how the county reached its current status. The Army Corps of Engineers has jurisdiction over the Willow Fork and Buffalo Bayous, not Fort Bend County, and they have primary responsibility for the bayous’ maintenance and improvements. The Willow Fork Bayou is part of the county’s drainage system and the county has maintained the Bayou since the creation of its Drainage District. In 1982, the ACE sent Fort Bend County a letter directing the County to limit the flow of the Willow Fork Bayou to the 1979 100-year flow rate conditions because downstream Buffalo Bayou did not and does not have sufficient capacity to accommodate increased flow of floodwaters. As a consequence, the County has not been able to improve the Willow Fork Bayou to mitigate flooding in the area, Meyers explained. Willow Fork Drainage District improved Willow Fork Bayou through its jurisdiction. This improvement, according to the Fort Bend County Drainage District Engineer, did greatly mitigate flooding within the WFDD’s area but accelerated the water flow in the Bayou increasing erosion and siltation. Erosion control needs to be done on the Bayou, but so far, the USACE has not allowed that work to be done. Meyers said during Hurricane Harvey 6,000 homes flooded in the county, and 4,000 were in the Barker Reservoir area. Nearly 85 percent of Barker Reser-

Moreno how abusive her boyfriend is? My guess is that neither parents know what’s going on with their children. These poor teenagers need help. They’re so wrapped up in their young love and passion that they can’t see how wrong the abuse is. Too much, too soon can lead to disaster. The boy is so overwhelmed with emotion for his girlfriend that he must not realize how possessive he has become. Why would a young man think it’s okay to abuse his girlfriend? What would his own mother think about this behavior? What about his father? What would he tell his son about his controlling behavior? On the flip side, why would this young girl allow this boy to abuse her? Does she think voir is in Harris County and 15 percent in Fort Bend County. Giving an update on county affairs, Meyers said the Commissioners Court on Tuesday, April 24, authorized the Barker Reservoir Feasibility Study by AECOM Technical Services, Inc. for $67,200. AECOM Technical Services, Inc. will conduct a high level study to evaluate the feasibility and potential cost of enclosing the back-side of Barker Reservoir and pumping extreme event inflows from the various upstream channels into the reservoir in order to contain the flood pool within government owned land by increasing the accessible storage volume within the reservoir. This study will be completed within 90 days from notice to proceed. The scope of work includes: Provide a very brief overview of current and proposed Federal efforts to evaluate improvements to the Addicks and Barker systems; Develop potential design basis and a potential operating scheme, considering both gravity inflows and pumped inflows to the reservoir. This analysis would assume the current USACE reservoir discharge/operations guidance; Evaluate reservoir / flood pool storage volume under existing conditions and proposed conditions, including assessment of the feasibility of capturing the entire flood pool volume within government owned land; Perform hydrologic & hydraulic modeling to assess performance of existing and proposed systems under different scenarios including the 500-yr event, Tax Day worst case (shifted to Barker watershed), Hurricane Harvey, and Hurricane Harvey worst case (shifted to Barker watershed), and the Standard Project Flood. This analysis would assume the current USACE reservoir discharge/operations guidance, and does not consider inter-basin transfers (e.g. overflow from Cypress Creek or the Addicks watershed) which could potentially occur in a very extreme event; Prepare schematic concept for the proposed new embankment and back-side drainage channels to convey inflows to the new pump station(s); Determine the estimated approximate pumping capacity needs, including the number of stations estimated to be required and the estimated approximate capacity of each station. Rather than have separate pump stations for each inflow channel, it may be advantageous to consolidate

he loves her? Maybe, she loves him so much that she’s blinded to the abuse. She doesn’t realize the danger she’s in by allowing herself to be controlled and abused. What type of future could she possibly have with this young man? Domestic violence is more common than we think. As parents, we need to do our absolute best to teach our children about the warning signs to watch out for in a relationship. Teach them what love really is and what it’s not. It’s so important to hug your children, and talk to them daily, no matter how busy you are. Reassure your children that they are loved and how proud you are of them for exactly who they are. Advise them to never allow anyone to be mean or abusive to them. Show them respect, love and kindness. Tell them to dream, hope, and to set goals in life. As parents, we need to have our eyes and ears open at all times. Know your children and their moods. Talk to your kids, every day. We must do everything in our power to teach our children to be strong and successful in all they do. Sandra Moreno can be reached at www.thewivesofmachismo.blogspot.com; Email: thewivesofmachismo@gmail. com to fewer pump stations. This analysis will consider, at a conceptual level, proposed closure structures (e.g. gates) and backup power needs of the pump station(s); Develop of order of magnitude cost estimates for identified project components. Cost estimates will be provided only for the preferred scenario. The scope of work does not include evaluation of the structural integrity of the existing embankment and control structure. It is assumed no improvements to the existing embankment or control structure will be required to accommodate higher water surface elevations up to a typical freeboard elevation. Analysis assumes the desired level of flood storage can be provided without raising the elevation of the existing embankment. Potential scenarios which will be considered in the selection of a preferred scenario include different pumping rates, proposed storage volumes, or level of protection. In addition to the Barker Reservoir study, in its May 1st meeting, Commissioners Court will consider authorizing Sirrus Engineers to study the effects of the overflow of flood waters of Cypress Creek on Barker and Addicks Reservoirs and examine potential reservoirs upstream on the Brazos River to mitigate flood in the county. Several studies of a 100 year flood event show that Cypress Creek discharges only a fraction of the water into Fort Bend County. The study will determine the volume, and help determine how a new reservoir for Cypress Creek could benefit Fort Bend County homes. Meanwhile, the Texas General Land Office is preparing to spend $15 billion on flood control in the state. One of the proposals is to conduct an engineering study by university engineering departments. Meyers said universities do not have the expertise and they don’t have the database to conduct any study timely and efficiently. Existing professional engineering firms are better equipped to perform such studies, he said. He has conveyed his concerns to the General Land Office and the governor’s office. Responding to a question, Meyers said the county is looking at the areas affected by the Brazos River and would explore measures including a new, upstream detention, if found feasible.

MIKE’S MONOLOGUE

Styrofoam cup on the train In another place, another time, another life, I took the Metrorail to work, and back home, every day. It was a pleasant enough ride, with remarkably few incidents requiring police involvement, and most of those happening on the platforms, not on the trains. Except for the occasional “free rides” to American Airlines Arena for some concert or other, the trains were not overly crowded, and the passengers were mostly an orderly, well-behaved lot. They were, however, interesting, and prime targets for people watching. I suppose any major city public transportation train like the Metrorail, or the subway, or even city buses, would provide lots of opportunities for people watching. This was especially true on the late-night homeward rides. Some opportunities turn out to be humorous, like slightly drunk college students trying to talk in a comprehensible manner with each other, only to collapse into their seats when the eﬀort exceeded their capabilities. Some provided a window into other peoples’ lives that you might wish had never been opened, such as one woman still young enough to bear children, but fast approaching the midpoint of her life, berating the man she was with, (Husband? Boy friend?) saying, “Well, she was only thirteen, for God’s sake!” The rest of her conversation occurred at a much lower volume. He looked like a down-on-his-luck country singer, and simply sat silently and still in his seat. Sometimes, you hear things you wish you hadn’t heard. Once in a while, after a

Granto Miami Heat basketball game, we’d have some guys, obviously friends, and just as obviously drunk, debating the merits of one player over another, and occasionally, they’d look to me for conﬁrmation of one of their choices. When they asked me “Who?” I’d answer “Dan Marino.” They’d say, “Marino? He don’t play basketball!” When I said, “Yeah, but I don’t follow basketball,” they thought it was the best joke of the evening. The vast majority of folks were just living their ordinary lives, getting from work to home, or from home to work, and wanting nothing more than a quiet, peaceful ride. One evening, I heard violin music, beautiful violin music, coming from the back of the car. I wondered who’d bring a violin onto Metrorail; it was not the most forgiving of environments; crowded, messy, and not all that clean. I heard the music, and again, it was beautiful music, and it was getting closer. I turned to get a look at the violin and the violinist. What I saw was amazing to me; there was a young black man, short, clean shaven, wearing what looked like an army overcoat, hard used; his hair needed barbering, his face needed washing, and he looked like he could use a good meal or three. It was obvious he was a homeless guy,none too clean,

not well dressed, What he had in his hands was even more amazing to me; the violin was not a violin, it was a plain old stick, picked up from some refuse pile somewhere. There was a string tied to each end, and it ran over a used, upside-down styrofoam cup. The violin bow was another plain old stick, maybe from the same refuse pile. There was a string running from one end to the other. With these bits of refuse he was creating some really beautiful music; I cannot tell you the composer or composition, but it was beautiful music, beautiful enough to bring a lump to my throat. I had seen a couple of people slip him a dollar or two, and when he came to me, I handed him a ﬁve dollar bill, which he took with his bow hand, and didn’t seem to miss a note. We made eye contact, and I nodded. He nodded, too, but I couldn’t read the expression on his face. The next day, at work, I asked around about him. One of the fellas said, “Oh, the crackhead kid? If you gave him any money, it went straight up his nose.” And I wondered, where does a guy in such obviously dire straits learn to make such beautiful music with cast-oﬀ refuse?

(Granto is a United States Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam, awarded the Purple Heart. For over 24 years, he worked for the University of Miami Medical Campus Security Department, and retired in 2014. He moved to Missouri City, with his wife to be closer to her daughter. He can be reached at mikegranto@ hotmail.com.)

Connected Vehicle applications arrive in Sugar Land; Personal Signal Assistant tells you how long the wait at Red signal How long it will take to drive from Point A to Point B is now known to most drivers with the Google mapping technology. Now a driver can know in advance before approaching a traffic intersection, will the signal turn red and how long it will take to turn green. Traffic Technology Services Inc., along with the City of Sugar Land, last week showcased the latest public-private partnership to expand vehicleto-infrastructure (V2I) and connected vehicle technologies. The City of Sugar Land entered into a data sharing agreement with TTS to allow access to the real-time traffic signal information from signalized intersections. The agreement allows for signal data to be shared with TTS in exchange for information received from connected vehicle applications, such as arrivals on green or red from equipped vehicles. A local technology partner Trafficware, supplies data from a centralized advanced transportation management system. TTS receives the data feed and predicts the signal states up to several minutes, a key aspect of the V2I service to deal with the latencies of the internet and cellular delivery. TTS launched the V2I service, termed Personal Signal Assistant, in December 2016 concurrent with the launch of the Audi connect Traffic Light

Information feature. The Houston area, represented by the City of Sugar Land, was recently mentioned when the Traffic Light Information service was expanded to Washington, D.C. TTS is actively deploying the service throughout North America and Europe. This information can provide the driver with information such as how much time is remaining in red, providing the driver with an understanding of the expected delay. This information also reduces “lost time” for the Supplier traffic engineer, or that amount of time of green that isn’t used because a driver is not paying attention. Applications by Automotive or Truck OEMs and Tier 1 providers may include direct integration with the engine Start-Stop technology, allowing the vehicle to be smarter about the location. Is the vehicle at a stop sign or a traffic signal? And if at a traffic signal, how much time is remaining in “red”? Personal Signal Assistant data can answer that question immediately. This application provides the driver information about the suggested speed to avoid stopping at the upcoming traffic signal. How is this information known? The Personal Signal Assistant provides information

on the remaining time for the vehicle’s approaching red, and using the vehicle or an aftermarket device for velocity and location, the driver is provided a suggested speed to avoid stopping. Audi is believed to be the only automaker offering this traffic signal information technology to vehicles so far. And it’s available only on select 2017 Audi A4, Q7 and A4 allroad models as well as all 2018 Audi A4, A5, Q5 and Q7 models that have an Audi connect PRIME subscription. Other manufacturers are expected to integrate the technology into their own vehicles as the service expands to more cities. TTS is a technology company and information provider for connected vehicle applications. The Personal Signal Assistant cloud-based solution, patented prediction process, industry standard definitions, and comprehensive deployment allows for immediate vehicle-to infrastructure (V2I) integration and applications. TTS is active in over 60 major metropolitan areas in North America, representing over 225,000 signalized intersections. TTS is based in Beaverton, Oregon, while TTS Europe, is headquartered in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.traffictechservices.com.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Bellaire Boulevard in Mission Bend area at San Pablo Drive for the addition of all way-stop control, Precinct 2. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Sienna Village of Anderson Springs, Sec. 16, Sec. 17B and Sec. 24, Precinct 2. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Winfield Lakes, Section 1 for the addition of “No Parking” signs on Winfield Lakes Trail, Precinct 2. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

INDEPENDENT • MAY 2, 2018 • Page 5

NEWS

Rosenberg Animal Shelter hosts “Kroger pet adoption event” Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner! You’re probably getting ready for your parties, buying ﬁxings for tamales, tacos, and nachos, and scoping out the perfect place for the nap after you eat, right? If you’re going to be shopping for your food items at Kroger, why not pick up a dog or cat to celebrate, and take that nap with? On May 5, 2018, the shelter will team up with Kroger, located at 24401 Brazos Town Crossing, in Rosenberg, for their “Kroger Pet Adoption Event.” Between 9 a.m and 1 p.m, shelter staff and volunteers will proudly display several highly-adoptable dogs and cats right outside the store! Each perfect pup and pretty kitty is fully vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and microchipped. The dog of your dreams or the feline of your fantasies will be ready to go home with you on the day of the event, for a low, low $50 adoption fee for dogs, and $25 fee for cats. That’s half-price, neighbors! But wait, it gets better! Any heartworm positive dog that is adopted on May 5, 2018, whether it is from the event, or, at the shelter, will have its adoption fee waived. Additionally, you’ll get 6

months of heartworm preventative, for FREE! Can’t make it out to the event, but know that the pet that your family has been dreaming of is at the shelter waiting on you? The shelter, located at 1207 Blume Road, will be open from 10 a.m until 2 p.m on May 5, 2018 as well. That means, you could

“This facility will give the RDC a professional venue to work out of, which is also inviting to the public,” Economic Development Director Bret Gardella said. “Since we’re also handling the marketing and tourism for the City, we want a building that puts a great face on the City for residents and visitors alike.” The RDC pointed out that growing the City with quality development is an important part of maintaining and improving upon the Communities’ quality of life. “We feel this is a great investment opportunity for the City. The RDC office was moved into its temporary location at the Civic Center over three years ago and it is challenging to conduct confidential meetings in this open environment,” Chris Martin said, noting that the RDC attracts national developers, site selectors, and business owners who expect that kind of professionalism and confidentiality. “The investment becomes even more important when you consider that the RDC also handles the tourism and marketing efforts for the City.

We count on our first responders to be there on our worst days, but on May 12, 2018,the community has the opportunity to come together for City of Rosenberg firefighter, Sam Bryan. Bryan was in a terrible car accident in February, and the Rosenberg Police Officers Association has teamed up with the Rosenberg Fire Fighters Association to bring you an event that is fun for the whole family and helps our local hero. The event is a clay shoot and crawfish boil benefitting Sam that will be held at Texas Premier Sporting Arms, LLC., located at 7311 Hwy 36 South in Sealy. It will last from 3:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. and there’s lots to do. The clay-shoot and crawfish boil has something for everyone including food, drinks, inflatables, a silent auction, live music, bull-riding, face painting, balloon art, and more. The $30 admission cost ($10 for children 12 and under) covers all you can eat crawfish and our cook-off team’s good ol’ Texas BBQ for the non-pinchers, as well as all activities except the shooting. The clay-shoot cost break-

come to the event at Kroger, adopt a cuddly cat, and drive back to the shelter to adopt a devoted dog. The Rosenberg Animal Control and Shelter will continue to work seven days a week to Seatex Chemical Blending ensure that our fuzzy guests are and Packaging has purchased happy and healthy while they a 10.8-acre property at 239 wait for their furever homes. Highway 36 North in Rosenberg where it will open a new facility for the production of agricultural fertilizers designed to improve soil management and crop production. A Design/Build project by This office space will be an Houston-based KDW, the inviting, attractive location for $6-million facility will conour visitors to come and get sist of a new, 40,000-squareinformation on the great things foot rail-served space situour City has to oﬀer.”

down is: • $500 per team (four people) • $125 per shooter • $100 per youth shooter. • Golf carts are available for $100 and mulligans for $20, but reserve them by May 1, 2018. Call (713) 826-1981. For clay shoot registration, you may also email Rebecca Morone at rebecca@texaspremiersportingarms.com. For food-only ticket you may also email emarmol@ rosenbergtx.gov. Special thanks to Legacy Ford

for being our Premiere Sponsor and to Texas Premiere Sporting Arms for graciously hosting, as well as all of those who have donated time, items, and ﬁnancial support. If you would like to be a sponsor or donate an auction item, please contact: Erik Marmol at emarmol@ rosenbergtx.gov or call (281) 750-6958. For questions about the event, contact Jenny Pavlovich at Jpavlovich@rosenbergtx.gov or call (512) 850-7866.

Seatex Chemical Rosenberg property for manufacturing operation

Rosenberg Development Corp. buys a new building

Rosenberg Development Corporation (RDC) board members voted in favor of Resolution No. RDC-119, a resolution authorizing the purchase of property located at 2810 1st street, at a special meeting held on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. The purchase of the building, estimated in the amount of $900,000, would utilize oﬃce space for the RDC. “We would like to remind folks that the RDC does not use any property tax monies, so projects that we work on have zero negative impact on our residents’ homes or property values,” RDC Chairman, Chris Martin said. “In fact, as we grow the City, we do just the opposite—we make their properties more valuable.” The City, with its undeniably rapid growth, contracted a consulting firm in 2015 to create a facilities Master Plan which ultimately demonstrated that nearly every City facility was being utilized at maximum capacity. The recommendation was that the RDC double the space it currently occupies by 2019.

Clayshoot and Crawﬁsh Boil to beneﬁt Rosenberg First Responder

ated next to Seatex’s existing 320,000-square-foot Rosenberg plant. The new Seatex property was previously owned by BMC Lumber. Completion is scheduled for late 2018. Last year, Seatex expanded its El Campo campus where it added a new chemical storage and blending tank building. The expansion project and related infrastructure improvements also were completed by

KDW. Now in its 50th year, Seatex provides turnkey liquid and dry solids compounding, toll manufacturing and private label packaging services for the chemical industry. Seatex also is a partner and Charter Member of ChemBlend International, an alliance of ﬁve chemical manufacturers with strategically located staging points across the United States.

Please join the Fort Bend Republican Patriots Club Upcoming Meeting, Tuesday evening, May 15, 2018

6:00 – 6:30pm: Food & Social 6:30pm: Program Speaker: Maria Espinoza, National Director and Co-founder of the Remembrance Project in Houston, Texas Topic: The Negative Effect of Illegal Immigration Maria will discuss the devastating monetary & personal effects on families whose loved ones have been brutalized & murdered by illegal aliens. Some of the victims' families will attend. She will highlight her work with Homeland Security & the Justice Department.

TEA Grant will help Lamar CISD “Grow Their Own” Commissioner of Education Mike Morath announced Wednesday that Lamar CISD is one of only 25 school districts, universities and education service centers awarded a Texas Education Agency (TEA) 2018-2019 Grow Your Own grant. Grow Your Own grants will be used to encourage high school students to consider teaching as a career, as well as paraprofessionals and/or teacher aides to pursue certification. The grant will also assist grant recipients in providing support to student teachers during their year-long clinical teaching. Grow Your Own grants will be used in various ways to increase the quality and diversity of Texas’ teachers. It is estimated the grants will provide assistance across the state to help: •49 current teachers receive a Master’s in Education, allowing them to teach dual credit Education and Training courses starting with the 2020-2021 school-year; •136 paraprofessionals earn a bachelor’s and teacher certifications and be full-time teachers starting with the 2020-2021 school-year; •59 paraprofessionals earn a teacher certification and be fulltime teachers starting with the 2019-2020 school-year; •24 teacher candidates to participate in a year-long clinical teaching placement, becoming full-time teachers starting with the 2019-2020 school-year; and •59 high schools start or grow education and training programs.

Donald Trump was the only presidential candidate who ever answered her letters and is fulfilling his promises to the Remembrance Project as President. She is working on both state & national legislation and will give an update on what's happening in California. Location: 130 Industrial Blvd. (Atrium) Sugar Land, TX 77478 Meeting Sponsor: Judge Bob Hebert, Fort Bend County Judge Facility Sponsored by Dean Hrbacek Please RSVP to FortBendRPC@gmail.com

Page 6 • INDEPENDENT • MAY 2, 2018

COMMUNITY Annual Doggone Fun Run, Canine Carnival Mable Scott Austin celebrates nets $24,000 for Fort Bend Cares 50 years in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Back in Sienna Plantation for a second year, the Doggone Fun Run and Walk fetched approximately $24,000 to help disadvantaged youth in Fort Bend County. Participants and spectators arrived to show their support on a cool April morning for the event, which included a 5K run and 1-mile walk for hounds and their humans along with a free Canine Carnival hosted by Sienna Plantation. Proceeds from the day benefitted Fort Bend Cares, a charitable foundation that provides local non-profits with grants to provide direct, impactful services to meet the needs of disadvantaged children throughout Fort Bend County. “We were thrilled with the response this year, especially in light of the weather,” said Angel Tapia, Executive Director of Fort Bend Cares. “The money raised will make a significant difference in how we will be able to support our community non-profits this year.” Money is still coming in

through online donations by Sienna residents to name 11 statues of dogs unveiled following the race. The unique, natural brushed-finish, stainless-steel dogs were created and constructed by public art sculptor Jim Collins. They represent 11 different breeds designed on a scale of one-and-a-half times life size. The largest dog, a Mastiff, is almost 4 feet tall. Commissioned through the Sienna Plantation Art Trust and community service foundations, the sculptures weigh 75 to 300 pounds. Residents can pay $10 to enter a name. The pups “furever” names will be revealed in a May 21 drawing. “The mission of Fort Bend Cares is so important, so we wanted to continue the fundraising happening during the Doggone Fun Run to make this community art project even more meaningful,” said Lisa Cox, community manager of the Sienna Plantation Associations. Each dog and their adoptive owner will be highlighted in the

resident newsletter and a small plaque with the dog’s name and birthdate of April 14, 2018, will be placed on each dog. The Canine Carnival after“pawty” was cut short due to inclement weather, says Allison Bond, marketing director for Sienna Plantation. “Unfortunately, the weather did not fully cooperate, but we are very grateful the storms held off until after the benefit run,” she said. “We’ll be back next year for a howling good time filled with carnival rides, performances, human and dog face painting and much more.” Reigning Master-Planned Community of the Year and consistently ranked among the topselling master-planned communities in the nation, Sienna Plantation is home to thousands of Fort Bend families. Homes are priced from the $250,000s. Learn more at www.siennaplantation.com.

Loving Friends dinner, May 15 Loving Friends will meet for dinner and entertainment on Tuesday, May 15, arrival time at 5 p.m. at Quail Valley City Centre, 2880, La Quinta Blvd., Missouri City. Entertainment will be provided by Jade Estaban Estrada, a Latin pop singer,comedian and actor who hails from San

Antonio. Loving Friends is reaching out to widows and widowers in the area who are seeking friendship and fellowship as they move on with their lives, not a grief support group. Aside from the monthly dinners, the group also meets for lunches, pokeno, and book club. The

cost for dinner and entertainment is $23 inclusive, paid at the door. Reservations are required by calling 281-2083124. All guests are greeted with a warm welcome. For more information on Loving Friends, call 281-2083124.

AUTOMOBILE: Lexus GS F

By BARBARA FULENWIDER Lexus’ GS F performance sedan continues to stand out in 2018. Alongside top-notch handling and the 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine, the 2018 GS F now offers all-speed cruise control and lane keep assist. Earning its handling pedigree from development on the world’s most demanding race circuits, including Germany’s Nürburgring, the elegant-yet-aggressive styling not only characterizes the GS F but defines it. Its characteristics include a low-slung wide stance, bold front fascia with functional air inlets, triplebeam headlamps, carbon-fiber rear spoiler, quad exhaust tips and rear diffuser – delivering its performance persona while retaining legendary Lexus comfort. The 2018 Lexus GS F remains equipped as standard with pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, steering assist, and all speed cruise control. The heart of the luxurious sports sedan is in its high-performance, naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 with exhaust valves that allow a 7,300-rpm redline. The engine delivers 467 horsepower and 389 lb.-ft. of torque. The high-pressure D-4S direct injection system uses port fuel injectors and allows a high 12.3:1 compression ratio. Variable valve timing enables the engine to operate in the Atkinson cycle at cruising speeds

and switch to the Otto cycle for higher performance levels when accelerating. The Lexus “F” trademark stacked tailpipes emit a rumbling baritone note. The eight speed sport direct shift transmission enhances performance. When driving in the SPORT S mode, the system selects the suitable gear for sporty driving by monitoring the vehicle’s G sensor while simultaneously tracking throttle opening, allowing quicker upshifts under acceleration. The G AI-SHIFT control allows the driver to blip the throttle on downshifts and hold gears to keep revs up under certain conditions. The standard torque vectoring differential enhances dynamic performance by precisely controlling rear wheel torque. Using a switch on the center console, the driver can select one of three settings to best suit driving style or conditions. Standard delivers a high level of control and agility for everyday driving. Slalom adds emphasis on steering response, giving the vehicle a more agile character and Track enhances high-speed handling. The GS F devours curves with a high degree of control thanks to its rigid structure, front and rear body braces, responsive yet compliant suspension system, and powerful Brembo braking. The Brembo brakes feature lightweight, 6-piston aluminum monoblock front calipers with 15.0-in. ventilated rotors and 4-piston alu-

minum monoblock rear calipers with 13.6-in. ventilated rotors. The hand-polished 19 x 9-inch front and 19 x 10-inch rear forged aluminum wheels wear 255/35ZR19 and 275/35ZR19 tires. The detail of the design show that the cabin designers were also passionate driving enthusiasts. The “F”-badged multifunction three-spoke steering wheel with short-stroke gearshift paddle shifters, the shift knob and foot pedals are all exclusive to the GS F. The high-back front sport seats have bolsters for the thighs, hips, lumbar, and enhanced shoulder support. The seats provide 10-way power adjustment and are heated and ventilated. The industry’s ﬁrst 12.3-inch high-resolution split-screen multimedia display provides immediate, simultaneous access to audio or climate controls and various systems including navigation. The standard 12-speaker audio system uses a 299-watt ampliﬁer. For knockout concert sound, the 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system is available. The test drive Lexus was the GS 350 F Sport that has a 3.5 liter V8 with direct injection and makes 311 hp and 280 lb-ft torque. This totally luxurious vehicle is also great fun to drive. The MSRP is $52,060 and optional equipment increased the bottom line to $58,550.

Sugar Land & The World: Mable Scoot Austin of Sugar Land recently celebrated 50 years in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Mable received a written invitation to become a member during her ﬁrst year at Jackson State University, MS from Delta Pi Chapter. She was initiated in 1968. She graduated Jackson State University in three years on a full academic scholarship that included a clothing allowance. She received her master’s degree from Texas Southern University, and completed courses toward her doctorate degree. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is a public service sorority founded on three basic principles: scholarship, public service, and sisterhood by 22 college - educated women in Washington, DC on January 13, 1913. Delta’s ﬁve point thrusts are: Economic Development; Educational Development; Physical and Mental Health; Political Awareness and Involvement. and International Awareness and Involvement The sorority has more than 280,000 members in over 900 chapters located in the United States, Canada, West Germany, Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Haiti, Liberia, Bahama, and the Republic of Korea. Mable has served on sorority committees on the national,

regional,state, and chapter (local) levels. She has served as a journalist / public relations coordinator on the national, regional, state, and chapter levels. On the chapter level, she has served as an elected officer or chairperson or co chairperson or member on : arts & letters; audit; economic development; finance; May Week; membership; nominating; policies & procedures; program, planning, & development; public relations; scholarships & awards; social action; technology, and ways & means’ committees. Mable is an active member of the Suburban Houston – Fort Bend Alumnae Chapter. SHFBAC has over 300 members tirelessly serving Fort Bend County children, youth, and adults since 1976. Evelyn Peters Dean is the divine –

anointed president who was recently re-elected to a second term. Her current aﬃliations include: Windsor Village Church, member, 1983; Suburban Sugar Land Women (SSLW),co founder, 1989; Jackson State University, Houston Area Alumni Chapter,founding member / treasurer, 1976; Fort Bend Regional P-16 Council, founding member / treasurer, 2006; The Ensemble Theatre Houston, member, 1990; and others. Mable says her passion is to “study GOD’s word; trust God; serve others; spend time with family and friends; travel (six continents and sixty plus countries); exercise; take golf lessons; play board games; go to the movies; check out new restaurants; and live a healthy and peaceful life.

Inspiration Stage presents Disney’s Newsies this Summer; Open Auditions May 20 Sugar Land’s national awardwinning community theatre, Inspiration Stage, is excited to be one of Houston’s first companies to produce Disney’s Newsies. There will be 12 shows over three weekends, July 20 through Aug. 5 at the historic Sugar Land Auditorium, 226 Lakeview Dr. Open auditions will be held for youth and young adult actors and dancers for Inspiration Stage May 20 from 2 p.m - 4:30 p.m. For more information about auditions, visit http:// inspirationstage.com/auditions/. “In addition to casting principal characters of all ages, we’re looking for an ensemble of actors that doesn’t necessarily have to sing, but can be featured dancers,” says Inspiration Stage’s artistic director, Mandy Seymore-Sensat. “We are looking for male actors and dancers, ages 10 and up; and female actors and dancers ages 14 and up. We are looking for a diverse cast of characters for this show: from ambitious, young reporter Katherine Plumber to big-voice Vaudeville perfomer Medda Larkin, to pint-sized Newsie, Les. Those auditioning for featured dancer roles should be strong technical dancers as the Tony Award-winning production features difficult, technical choreography.” Set in turn-of-the century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right!

“We’re thrilled to be one of the ﬁrst Houston-area community theatres to perform Newsies,” says Seymore-Sensat. “It’s such a dynamic show with a touching story that will appeal to all audiences.” Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, Newsies features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots). Featuring the now classic songs “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and

“Santa Fe,” Newsies is packed with non-stop thrills and a timeless message, perfect for the whole family and every audience. Inspiration Stage is a national award-winning performance arts studio located in the historic Sugar Land Auditorium at 226 Lakeview Dr. The 2017/2018 season includes youth and adult productions, as well as acting and production classes. Summer 2018 oﬀers 19 theatre camps for kids of all ages. For more information, visit www.inspirationstage.com.

Former Sex Oﬀender Arrested for Child Porn Possession On Thursday, April 26, 2018, Rosenberg Police Detectives, working in conjunction with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, executed a search warrant at a residence in the 2500 block of Bamore Road in Rosenberg. After further investigation, James McMillan Sr., 47 of Rosenberg, was taken into custody for two counts of Possession of Child Pornography, a third degree felony in the State

of Texas. McMillan was required to register as a sex oﬀender following a 1992 conviction for the oﬀense of Indecency with a Child, however the law at that time only required him to register for a 10 years. McMillan was later transported to the Fort Bend County Jail. Bond information was not available at the time of press release. Right, McMillan

INDEPENDENT • MAY 2, 2018 • Page 7

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INJURIES DON’T HAPPEN ON A SCHEDULE Specialized orthopedic care for unexpected injuries

At the Houston Methodist Orthopedic Injury Clinic at Sugar Land, we’re expanding our services and hours to better serve the needs of Fort Bend County and surrounding communities. When you need immediate orthopedic care, count on our knowledgeable doctors and staff to quickly evaluate and treat your injury, and get you back to your active life.

Monday – Thursday | 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. No appointment required Ofﬁce visit pricing

The clinic provides treatment for: t Acute orthopedic injuries

t Injured tendons

t Sports injuries

t Concussions

t Minor dislocations

t Sprains and strains

t Fractures and broken bones

t Painful or swollen joints

t Torn ligaments

16811 Southwest Fwy., Suite 200 Sugar Land, TX 77479 | 281.609.7547

houstonmethodist.org/orthopedics-sl

Chronic conditions, spine injuries motor vehicle accidents and workers’ compensation injuries are not treated at the injury clinic. Please call 281.201.0396 to schedule an appointment with the appropriate physician for those conditions.

Major insurance plans accepted

Page 8 • INDEPENDENT • MAY 2, 2018

COMMUNITY Fort Bend Education Foundation 2018 Schlumberger Education Expedition

On Saturday, April 7th, the Fort Bend Education Foundation held its 15th Annual Schlumberger Education Expedition bike ride. As a result of this successful BP MS 150 recommended ride, the Foundation raised over $26,000 benefiting the Foundation’s programs which provide opportunities to enrich and enhance the quality of education for all Fort Bend ISD students through its Grants to Teachers and Schools programs. Rest Stops and Lunch were staﬀed by volunteers including teachers and students from FBISD schools. They were vying for the Best Rest Stop award. Ridge Point High School Student Council won the award. Go Panthers! Pictured: 1st Row (l-r): Justin Thottumkal, Zarmin Hussain, Johana Serrano, Cassidy Lapp, Gena Boylan, Meagan Hodges, Lance John; 2nd Row (l-r): Spencer Wu, Hannah Sepnio, Byron Irvin, Aisha Aljahdhami, Danielle Adams, Morgan Tran, Jace Duhon, Jaylen Howard, Landrie Goss, Sydney Miller, Devon Schroeder, Grace Moccia, Ms. Tonya Samuels, Devika Madu. At the end of the ride, riders were able to enjoy a much deserved lunch catered by Casa de Bravos and Subway. For more information visit www.fortbendisd.com/foundation.

The “Show Me City” is preparing to host its Second Annual Mother’s Day Cake Decorating Event on Saturday, May 12 as part of the Leadership Luncheon Series. For more information visit www.missouricitytx.gov or call 281.403.8500.

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