Fort Bend Independent by Fort Bend Independent

VOL 3 No. 20

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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2010

Sugar Land moves ahead with baseball stadium

By SESHADRI KUMAR Sugar Land City Council is pressing ahead with a $30 million professional minor league baseball stadium, though its exact location is yet to be decided. City Council was expected to approve a formal agreement with Opening Day Partners, LLC on Tuesday, May 18 to bring a minor league baseball team to Sugar Land. Under the letter of intent, the city will issue bonds worth $25 million and ODP will pay $5 million. The city expects to repay the bond debt through sales tax revenue, hotel occupancy tax and a venue ticket tax on events at the stadium. For the first time, the city is revealing that the stadium may not be located near the University of Houston System-Sugar Land campus in the proposed entertainment district. “The city is assessing ideal sites for the stadium, locations providing the greatest benefit for the community. One site that continues to be explored is at U.S. Highway 59 and University Boulevard where the City leases land from the University of Houston System at Sugar Land,” the city said in a press release on Monday. “As the project is anticipated to spur significant economic activity and potential

ancillary development, we are studying locations within the community where a stadium might provide an economic stimulus for other development projects,” said City Manager Allen Bogard, in the statement. Sugar Land’s pursuit of a public-private partnership for the development and operation of a year-round ballpark is anticipated to result in a “family friendly” multi-use design that will provide the potential to support college and high school baseball tournaments, concerts and other dynamic uses. “We are honored to have been selected to be a partner in Sugar Land’s entry into professional baseball,” said Brooks Robinson, a Major League Baseball Hall of Fame member and ODP partner. “We plan to open an office in Sugar Land soon and will begin becoming a part of this great community,” said ODP Chairman Peter Kirk. ODP has a strong background in minor league baseball with more than 27 years of experience in developing multi-use ballparks and successfully owning and/or operating minor league teams of all classifications. According to the letter of intent, the city and ODP should select the design pro-

fessionals by July 1, 2010 and the stadium site should have been decided by September 1, 2010. Sixty days after the site selection, the parties would agree on the construction costs. The parties intend to reach a definitive agreement by March 1, 2011, known as “the closing deadline.” The terms of the lease agreement include a provision that ODP will pay as annual rent for the stadium 40 percent of all gross revenues from tickets sales related to the team’s baseball games, suite license sales and naming rights payments in excess of an aggregate base of $2.6 million a year. The city will have an exclusive suite in the stadium. Further, the city will receive 200 tickets for events scheduled by ODP. The city will distribute those tickets free of charge to select organizations, groups or members of the community. ODP will also provide 1,000 tickets to the city on on “employee night” once during the baseball season. The tickets will be given to city employees, their families and guests. (See The view from Sugar Land, Page 4)

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

Birds of Fort Bend

The Baltimore Oriole is one of the many species migrating through Fort Bend County from South and Central America to various nesting areas in the South East and East North America. As shown in the picture, one of the Baltimore Orioles favorite foods besides insects are Mulberries. To learn more about the Baltimore Oriole and to see pictures of the Orchard Oriole that nest in Fort Bend, go to http://traction.typepad.com/birds/ . Photo by Margaret Sloan

City ready to pitch; where is the mound?

That Sugar Land has not yet chosen a site for its base ball stadium came like a curve ball last week. It has been a foregone conclusion that the city wanted to develop an entertainment district, of which the stadium will be a component, along with an indoor concert theater, a hotel and convention center at the site leased from the University of Houston. But, that is not the case anymore. According to sources familiar with the issue, the city’s choice of a site would be based on its “best business decision.” The likely limitations at the UHSSL site or the pain of a prolonged negotiation with another public entity, may have led the city to look at sites elsewhere. While the city is still keeping the doors open for the UHSSL site, at least three other sites are said to be under consideration. The city has an option to buy 90 acres of land from Telfair. The site is along U.S. 59 and University Boulevard, across the UHSSL. Another site also abuts Telfair, at the intersection of U.S. 90A and Highway 6. A third possibility is some land in the Imperial Sugar tract. That the use of the land should be consistent with the

Inside Track By Seshadri Kumar goal of higher education as originally intended when the state deeded the property to the university could be a hindrance in meeting’s the city’s objective. What happens to the entertainment district, if the city moves the stadium to a site away from UHSSL? Councilman Tom Abraham is concerned that the concept of entertainment district may become a casualty while choosing a site for the stadium. He wants to ensure that the entertainment district is not abandoned. Abraham has another concern too. What if the stadium operator goes belly up? Who will pay for operation and maintenance of the stadium, costing an estimated $ 3million a year? City officials may find answers to these concerns before signing the final deal. While there appears to be a consensus on the idea of hav-

Seconds can save lives

ing a baseball stadium, at least one council member has some reservations. Councilman Don Smithers seems to be concerned about the current recession and wonders if the timing is right for such an ambitious project. After all the bonds of have to be financed by sales tax revenue. Smithers was not present at last week’s executive session where council discussed the letter of intent. According to one source, the discussion was “energetic.” In the end, city council might vote unanimously to approve the letter of intent or, in the worst case scenario, there could be a dissenting vote. Any location for the stadium is likely to bring some objections from neighbors affected by noise and lighting. But, foreseeing such a contingency, the city has already enacted ordinances to regulate noise and light pollution. Interestingly, the city has also adopted a policy on naming of public facilities in Sugar Land. The policy states that the facility names will not advocate a current political figure, political affiliation, ideology or religion. So, the baseball stadium cannot be a monument for any living politician.

POLICE FLEET. Sugar Land Police Department took delivery of 21 Chevy Tahoe police package vehicles and three Impalas from Classic Chevrolet in Sugar Land on Monday. Above, Classic Chevrolet owner Don Kerstetter, third from left, Sugar Land’s Assistant City Manager for Public Safety Steve Griffith and SLPD Chief Doug Brinkley, along with SLPD officers stand in front of the new fleet at the dealership. Kerstetter said General Motors and Classic Chevrolet subsidized the deal for the city. The order is worth $550,000. Griffith said the city chose the Tahoes instead of the Ford Crown Victoria as the Tahoes apart from being sturdy, with higher seats provided a better visibility to officers. Also, the longevity of Tahoe is a year more than Crown Victoria, and would more than offset the higher cost.

Parents oppose cut in school bus service

A group of parents has launched a petition drive urging Fort Bend ISD not to cancel school bus service for students who live less than two miles form the school. (http://www.petitiononline. com/fbisdbus/petition.html) FBISD is actively pursuing every cost-cutting measure and has decided to drop the paid bus service in the district. FBISD runs a paid school bus transportation service for students who live less than 2 miles from the school. These kids pay $27/ month. Out of the total 222 pay riders in the FBISD Pay Program, 126 pay riders are elementary students. Many of these students live 1.5 to 1.9 miles from their elementary schools. Walking to school for the elementary students is not a viable option as it would significantly impact the safety of the children, parents says. In

2008-2009 there were 27 pedestrian accidents in Sugar Land and several of them were minors. One of the parents said “All the parents I have talked to would support a rate increase in the bus service to cover the shortfall. But FBISD has unilaterally made this decision to discontinue the paid bus service without consulting

parents or listening to feedback. We are demonstrating to FBISD that the budget shortfall to continue this paid service program for Elementary School children can be easily addressed and are offering to partner with the district and accept a 30% rate increase.”

10701 Corporate Drive, #282, Stafford, TX 77477 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, TX 77487 www.fbindependent.com Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor 281-980-6745 Fort Bend Independent is published every Wednesday (for a subscription rate of $20 per year) by Fort Bend Independent, LLC., 10701 Corporate Dr., #282, Stafford, Texas 77477. Periodical postage application pending. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487.

Fort Bend County’s only accredited Chest Pain Center. Visit memorialhermann.org or call 713.222.CARE to learn more about our heart and vascular screenings.

Page 2 â&#x20AC;˘ INDEPENDENT â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 19, 2010

Summer Reading Club â&#x20AC;&#x153;Within Armâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Reach, the Future is Yoursâ&#x20AC;? is the theme for this summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Young Adult Reading Club for Teens, which begins Tuesday, June 1, at all Fort Bend County Libraries locations. Exciting free activities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from game days and movie nights to cookie decorating and scrapbooking classes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are being planned, while area teens discover the wonders of the world that can be found between the pages of a book! Teens are encouraged to read as many books as they can, and they will earn rewards based on the total number of hours they spend reading or the number of reading-related activities they complete. The reading activities may include watching a movie based on

a book, attending a teen library program, or making a bookmark or poster based on a book. Listening to audio books and reading magazines and newspapers may also be

counted. Participants may register at any Fort Bend County library, or they may register online by going to the FBCL website (http://www.fortbend. lib.tx.us) and clicking on the

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Teen SRC Sign-Upâ&#x20AC;? image. Once the online registration form has been completed, the teens will then have their own online page on which to record their hours and activities. For the first five activities completed, each teen will receive a bookmark. The rewards continue with a word magnet for 10 activities, a keychain coil for 15 activities, and a reading trophy for the first 20 books read. Reading rewards can be redeemed beginning Monday, June 7. The last day to pick up awards is August 28. Weekly drawings for gift cards from area stores â&#x20AC;&#x201C; donated by the library Friends organizations -- will also take place at each branch library. In addition, the names of participants will be entered into a drawing for a $25-gift certificate from area book stores

that will be awarded to several lucky readers completing 20 activities or more, in a drawing scheduled in August at each library location. There is no charge to join the Summer Reading Club, and it is open to all teens, regardless of the county of residence. The program is sponsored by the Texas State Library, Fort Bend County Libraries, and the Friends organizations that support the county library system. Registration for the 2010 Texas Summer Reading Club will begin on Tuesday, June 1, and continue through July 31, at all Fort Bend County Libraries locations. Children from infancy to early teens are invited to come to the library to read a lot of great books, see some exciting programs, and join in some fun activities to kick off a great summer!

Musical celebration of Spain Join the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, May 23 for EspaĂąa, a musical celebration of Spain that includes traditional folk tunes, marches and dances. The concert begins at 2 p.m. at the Stafford Centre, 10505 Cash Rd. in Stafford. Along with famous works such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;MalagueĂąaâ&#x20AC;? and Manuel de Fallaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Three Cornered Hat, Suite No. 2,â&#x20AC;? the orchestra will perform â&#x20AC;&#x153;Laredo Paso Dobleâ&#x20AC;? and Ravelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beloved â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bolero.â&#x20AC;? Prior to the concert and during intermission, concert-goers will have the opportunity to help support the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra through a silent auction. Purchase tickets online at http://www.fbso.org or call 281-276-9642.

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Building homes of quality and distinction for over 40 years.

Plans, prices and availability are subject to change without notice. (10/08)

MAY 19, 2010 • INDEPENDENT • Page 3

Community news

Suzette Peoples Broker /Owner 21 years of experience!

Sugar Land honors Volunteers of the Year

TELFAIR 1 story Village Builder home over 3100 sqft! Built in 2007. 3 bedrooms & study. Gourmet oversized island kitchen with granite.T ile and Hardwoods thru-out. Upgrades galore! Priced to go fast!

FIRST COLONY

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Suzette Peoples

ABR, GRI , E-Pro, 21 years Professional Realtor; Owner of Peoples Properties, a Real Estate & Property Management Co.; American Business Women’s Association. SUGAR LAND! Almost 2400sqft. 4 bedrooms 2.5 bath. Study and sitting/gameroom up. Owner spent over $62K on upgrades/improvements. Gourmet kitchen, tile/pergo thru-out no carpet. Priced in $200’s.

SUGAR LAND REDUCED FIRST COLONY

Serve Sugar Land Departmental Volunteers of the Year include (Front Row, L-R) Tom Gargiulo, Deborah Smith, Brenda Frye, Bill Roy, Nancy Dobbs, Ronda Dillon, (Back Row) Council Member Michael Schiff, George Chang, Michael Zhu, Bruce Kelly, Jason Frye, Lauren Arnold and Council Member Russell Jones. Not pictured are Ken Hainline and Natalie Jordan. intermission. From the group, an overall Serve Sugar Land Volunteer of the Year was selected and announced. Two individuals were chosen as Co-Volunteers of the Year - Deb Smith and Bruce Kelly. Smith has been the life force behind the Community Assistance Support Team (CAST) program. She organizes schedules and reports all the CAST

volunteers’ efforts. She serves as a liaison between the Police Department and other cities wanting to emulate the CAST program. Kelly, a local historian, contributed to all areas of the City of Sugar Land’s 50th Anniversary celebration -- from developing a historical presentation for the community to leading monthly historic walking tours and contribut-

ing to media efforts. Smith and Kelley, along with the other Departmental Volunteers of the Year, were also recognized for their efforts at the May 4 City Council meeting. For additional information on the Serve Sugar Land Volunteer program visit www. sugarlandtx.gov/programs/ serve_sugarland.

ran for three seasons from 2007 through 2009. She won an Emmy for each of the show’s first two seasons in the category of Outstanding Legal/Court show. The Daytime Emmy Awards Show will be held in Las Vegas at the Hilton Hotel on Sunday, June 27 and will be televised live on CBS. Throughout her career, Gin has won and been nominated for a total of 13 Emmy awards, and numerous national and state journalism awards. She is a Communications/Journalism professor at the HCC-Central campus and in the Broadcast Technology department at the HCC Southwest Stafford Campus.

Don Smith appointed to Missouri City City Council

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SUGAR CREEK Great 1 story on huge corner lot. 3 bedrooms & study. Seller has updated carpet, tile paint in and out and roof replaced. Shows great and POOL/SPA & WATERFALL! 2 story 4 bedrooms! price already reduced to go fast in the low $200’s. Master down. All tile/real wood thru-out, no carpet. All located on culdesac street. Clements high school! Priced to go fast!

HCC Communications Professor Nominated for Daytime Emmy

Houston Community College adjunct professor Sandra Gin has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy for a third consecutive year. Gin was a producer of the show “Cristina’s Court”, which

Direct: 281-980-3322 www.peoplesproperties.com

Serve Sugar Land volunteers were recognized on April 25 with a picnic dinner and concert at Oyster Creek Park. The event was held in conjunction with National Volunteer Week. More than 175 volunteers, friends and family celebrated the City’s Serve Sugar Land volunteers. The program began in 2007 as a means for community members to becomeinvolved in their City government. The program has since grown to include more than 1,000 registered volunteers. In 2009 alone, over 615 volunteers contributed more than 18,670 hours of service to the City, a value of more than $389,000 in service hours. “This generous contribution by volunteers enables the City to further expand, enhance and enrich the services it provides to the community in new and innovative ways” said Volunteer Coordinator Melissa Hoffman. This year, each City department was asked to nominate an individual volunteer who had distinguished themselves through their service contribution. These volunteers were recognized individually in a ceremony during the concert

Built in 2006. Popular Perry 1 story home. 4 bedrooms and both formals or study. 16’ tile and hardwood floors. Garage/game room. Covered over size patio. Playground & shed stays. Private Levee lot. Priced to go at $220,000.

Custom home in gated acreage community. Over 4000 sq.ft! One story with bonus room. Upgrades galore with hand scraped hardwoods thru-out. Gourmet island kitchen with granite and custom cabinets. Built-ins, 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths. Huge covered patio and 3-car garage. Price to go in the $500’s.

Mortgage Banker can do loans in less than 30 days! Call Suzette or email: Speoplesrealtor@aol.com

How about a worry-free insurance plan especially for people age 45 and over?* State Auto’s new Prime of LifeSM Plan provides expanded insurance coverages and substantial premium discounts on auto and homeowners insurance for qualifying customers age 45 and over*! As part of the Prime of Life Plan, you’ll enjoy enhanced coverages for when you travel, anywhere in the U.S.A. or Canada. Call your State Auto agent today for more information. Texans Insurance &enhancements/discounts Financial Group, *Qualifying age and coverage vary byInc state. 101 Southwestern Blvd, Ste 230 Sugar Land, TX 77478-3535 PH (281)277-7800 FAX (281)277-7801 basil@texansinsure.com Your best insurance is a good agent. “Friends you can depend on”

THE ARTS IN BLOOM. Sugar Creek Garden Club will present a standard flower show on Thursday, May 20, Sugar Creek Country Club, 420 Sugar Creek Boulevard, Sugar Land. The flower show is judged by accredited Flower Show Judges according to the standard of judging. The show is open

to the public 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is Free. Getting ready for the Flower Show :(left - right ) Bonnie Steidley, Co-Chariman; Ruth Heikkila, Co-Chairman; Lynn Helm and Kitty Tardy.

Missouri City City Council Monday night appointed former councilman Don Smith to the District B council seat. Incumbent Cynthia Lenton-Gary unsuccessfully ran for mayor and on May 8, as per the city charter, she lost her District B seat. To fill the unexpired term city council can make an appointment. Gary was in the middle of her second two-year term and she won the District B council seat in 2007, defeating the then incumbent Don Smith. Smith is the founder-chairman of the Missouri City Juneteenth Celebration Foundation.

Sallie Wheeler returns to Re/Max Fine Properties Co-owners Mario Rios and Minesh Patel last week welcomed Sallie Wheeler back to RE/MAX Fine Properties. Wheeler has been a Fort Bend County resident since 1990 and was an original co-owner of RE/MAX Fine Properties when they first opened in 1999. She is a University of Houston graduate with a BBA in Accounting and has been a licensed CPA in Texas since 1983. As a Licensed Texas Real Estate Broker, she holds the ABR, CRS, and GRI designations. She was also a member of the RE/MAX 100% Club from 2000 to 2004. After 14 years as a residential Realtor,Wheeler still derives much enjoyment out of helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals. She specializes in the Central, West and Southwest Houston areas as well as the surrounding suburban markets and utilizes the latest technology and tools available through

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Wheeler the RE/MAX network for marketing. “ Sallie is very excited and proud to be coming back home to RE/MAX Fine Properties, and we are very excited to have her back” says Mario Rios. “She definitely will be a tremendous asset to our office as well as the community with her extensive background”. For more information on RE/ MAX Fine Properties or to join their family of agents, visit www.remaxfine.com.

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Page 4 • INDEPENDENT • MAY 19, 2010

Opinion The View From Sugar Land Bringing baseball to Sugar Land By RUSSELL C. JONES As this column is being written Sunday night, the expectation is that Tuesday’s City Council meeting will adopt a letter of intent with Opening Day Partners to bring baseball to Sugar Land. After a 90-day exclusive negotiating period, the city and ODP have reached a non-binding agreement which will result in the first minor league baseball team in the Houston area in over 40 years. Houston is one of the few metropolitan areas in the nation having a major league baseball team but lacking at least one minorleague team. For comparison, Dallas has three, in addition to the Rangers. Sugar Land residents approved bringing baseball to the city in November, 2008. They voted to use sales tax revenues of the Sugar Land Development Corporation and to allow a parking and venue tax on a stadium to be located in the entertainment district near the Sugar Land campus of the University of Houston. Assuming everything went as planned at the City Council meeting, ODP, which owns or manages three other minor league teams on the East Coast, will create a new team to begin play in Sugar Land in April 2012. ODP will acquire a franchise for the new team from the Atlantic League and play a schedule of over 70 home games each season. The 20-year deal includes the construction a Triple-A style stadium, with scoreboards, lighting and sound designed to the latest high tech standards. The new stadium is slated to boast 7,500 seats, with capacity for 9,500 for

Jones non-baseball events. Although details are yet to be worked out, it will probably have a large outfield lawn for informal seating for 1,000, a playground for kids and an extensive area for 500 diners in a casual picnic atmosphere. The stadium will be expandable to 10,000 seats if that decision is made down the road. These days minor league baseball is a family-friendly affair, with the cost of an evening’s entertainment being much more within the budget than a night at a major league game. Parking is expected to be free, and kids in virtually any kind of uniform will be allowed into the general admission section without charge. To assure that the players will be attentive to the fans, the stadium design will ensure that lots of opportunities exist for getting up close and personal with the athletes. Of course the deal is not final. Many challenges and decisions lie ahead. The most important immediate decision is the final determination of the stadium location. Several sites are being reviewed to be sure that no opportunities are overlooked.

Once that is done, definitive agreements regarding the stadium lease, parking, and ODP’s obligations to the city must be finalized. Stadium design and construction should begin in March of next year. It is expected that ODP will open a marketing office in Sugar Land. One of its first jobs will be to conduct a contest to name the new team. A mascot is likely to follow, so contestants should consider the possible consequences of their suggestions. Of course, season tickets will be for sale and at least 20 luxury suites will be available to businesses who are willing to make a long-term commitment. Naming rights to the stadium will be available. It is intended that the stadium will be one of the premier minor league fields in the nation. The letter of intent specifies that the stadium will be comparable in character and quality to the stadiums used by the York Revolution in Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in Allentown, Pa., the Gwinnett Braves in Georgia, the Columbus Clippers in Ohio and the Reno Aces in Nevada. Each of those modern stadiums serves as a focus of family fun and activities in its community. More news on Sugar Land baseball will follow in this column as it develops. (Jones is the Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Sugar Land and serves as Councilman for District 3. He was first elected to the City Council in 2003. He owns a law firm and a title insurance company in Sugar Land.)

Musings: Storm chasers By JANICE SCANLAN It was a lot of fun in the 1950’s growing up in smalltown Oklahoma when my next door neighbor’s niece, Jean Ward, would come to visit from Lexington, Okla. We spent hours playing every summer, flying those rubberband wind-up airplanes … and just enjoying the wonders of a summer in the 1950’s. I had always enjoyed cloud watching, but Jean knew all kinds of things about clouds. She’d tell me the science of the cloud formations. I got my first real taste of how she knew all this science when I returned home with her to spend a week. As we got in the ’50ssomething black and white Ford station wagon, her Dad informed us that our job was to tear up all colors of crepe paper, which might seem unusual in itself, but what we did with it was even more fascinating. And it really stretched out the 150 mile journey to an all-day event. Jean’s dad, Neil Ward, was one of the four original Storm Chasers at the Severe Storms Lab at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. That’s where many of the Storm Chasers of the movies and documentaries come

Scanlan from, and you may have seen him on the recently aired PBS NOVA program on Tornadoes and Storm Chasers. Mr. Ward and three other men were working on the schematics of how tornadoes formed and worked. So what we did with the crepe paper was every time we’d see a dust devil forming in a freshly plowed field, Jean and I would run with the crepe paper to get it in the dust devil’s path so that Mr. Ward could film it, with the crepe paper showing on film how the winds of the vortex worked. Let me tell you, I think Jean and I were in the pictures getting hit by the dust devils as often as we got the crepe paper in the right place. If you’ve

Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor

www.fbindependent.com Email: Editor@fbindependent.com

even run in a freshly plowed field, you know it’s not easy with the big clots of dirt. And you’re doing this and trying to predict which way the dust devil will travel and get there fast enough to get the crepe paper in its path. It’s only been 50 years that we’ve known how to predict some tornadoes. And the ones that come out of “nowhere” are requiring a new kind of radar system that is groundbased, because that’s where tornadoes form. Think about it … five minutes of warning would allow you to take shelter from these “mega storms” that seem to occur more often and with winds sometimes exceeding 300 mph. I had Googled Mr. Ward’s name before and never got anything. However, when I tried again so that my memory wasn’t just some fanciful childhood tale, there was a hit … and it was celebrating the 50-year anniversary of tornado prediction with H. B. Bluestein (School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma) and one of the Storm Chasers on the NOVA program honoring these men and their part in studying tornadoes. So I guess I had my part in “storm chasing” too, albeit the elementary and “small storm” variety. And it seems the downdraft Mr. Ward explained to us is part of this complex picture. This experience furthered my lifelong fascination with science and the environment, even if my part was technically littering. Write to janicescanlan@ earthlink.net.

All you want to know about mountain sickness By THOMAS J. PARR, M.D. Our Fort Bend summers are hot and humid, and we love taking vacations to “cool places,” such as to the mountains. For those of us who live somewhere between about 50 feet and 90 feet above sea level, understanding how to adjust to the high altitudes of the mountains can make a difference in a good trip or a bad one. Several years ago, Joannie and I flew to Colorado, rented a car, and drove up into the mountains to a resort located at about 10,000 feet above sea level. The weather was great. We felt good. The trip was off to a good start. Unfortunately, by the next morning, Joannie was so ill that we had her at a nearby clinic when they unlocked the door. The nurse took one look at her and said, “I bet you have a very bad headache and are really nauseated.” She was suffering from acute mountain sickness. The cause of acute mountain sickness or altitude sickness is oxygen -- the lack of it. We have plenty of oxygen in our sea level air, but definitely not so much in the higher elevations. Some people will adjust to the altitude faster than others, but even the best of athletes who train at lower elevations need time to let their bodies adjust before putting great demands on their lungs in the mountains. Symptoms of acute mountain sickness will probably show up during the first 8-40 hours. It is best to plan activities for the first couple of days which will allow for plenty of rest and very little physical exertion. This will give you time to acclimate to the altitude before increasing oxygen demands on your body. For us flatlanders, dehydration is also a problem in the mountains. The mountain air is much less humid than air

Thomas Parr near the Gulf. As we breathe, we are exhaling both carbon dioxide and moisture, and the mountain air will absorb all the moisture it can get without us even noticing. Stay well ahead of your water loss from sweat and from respiratory evaporation. Drink lots of water and juice, but avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks such as coffee and sodas because they are diuretics. Because we are talking about oxygen, pay close attention to your allergies. Pollen in the mountains will be on a different schedule than at home, and your respiratory system could be affected enough that your ability to absorb oxygen may be reduced. What you eat will also affect how you feel at higher elevations. Choose foods that are easier to digest, such as cereals, vegetables, potatoes, breads, and pastas, especially for the first few days. Pay attention to the weather. A cold front or a low pressure cell near where you are can further reduce the amount of oxygen in the air because of the dropping barometric pressure. As a storm comes through, the effect might be similar to a too-rapid ascent further up the mountain. Your doctor can give you a prescription for Diamox (acetazolamide) before you go. It won’t necessarily prevent mountain or altitude sickness, but it might help the symp-

toms. One drawback is that it can also make some foods or drinks taste very metallic. Avoid sleeping pills or narcotics, as these can affect breathing, and pay close attention to the warning signs. Headache, tingling around the mouth, nausea, vomiting, dizziness or unusual fatigue should not be ignored. The same is true for people with high blood pressure. If you cannot get the problem resolved pretty rapidly with over-the-counter medications, go to the nearest emergency room. Mountain sickness can become fatal if not treated in time. What happened to Joannie that year amounted to a perfect mountain storm. We had been traveling all day and probably did not drink enough water. We exercised too soon. We had a big dinner with drinks. We were in a hotel room which needed the carpet replaced, so it was probably full of mold. And then a really bad storm rolled in around midnight, with such a rapid drop in barometric pressure that we were effectively “thrown” further up the mountain to about 14,000 feet in elevation. Going from 80 feet to14,000 feet in less than 24 hours was just too much. That same day, a 29 year old man from the Houston area died of mountain sickness at the resort where we were staying because he didn’t seek help in time. We still go to the mountains, only now we are smarter about how we do it. We try to allow extra days on the front end to adjust, and if we don’t do anything more than rest, read, and enjoy the views from our window for a day or two, that is OK. Dr. Thomas Parr, an orthopedic surgeon in Sugar Land, can be reached at 281-4917111.Visit www.tomparrmd. net for more information.

LETTER: Remembering the war heroes To the Editor: As this Memorial Day approaches, I have a special interest in honoring and remembering my ancestors who made sacrifices during the war years. About a month ago I received a photo album from my uncle in which he exhibited pictures of his brothers and their military service during World War II. I knew that several of my father’s brothers had served during the war, but I knew few details of their service. As World War II progressed and my uncles came of age, seven of them enlisted in the Army, Marines, Army Air Corps and Navy. Pictures in the album show my father and his brothers at various forts, ports and air fields throughout the U.S., going through training and joining units or boarding ships going to war. One newspaper article depicts my smiling grandmother holding a small white flag with six red stars on it. She was selected as “Rockford’s No. 1 War Mother” in 1944 and would later proudly display a flag in her window with seven and, eventually, nine stars on it. The oldest of my father’s brothers was decorated for being wounded and serving on the U.S.S. Intrepid, a Navy carrier that survived several bombings and kamikaze attacks. My father and several of his brothers were likewise decorated for heroism, and others served their country here in the States on training and other assignments. After World War II, two other brothers enlisted to fight in Korea and then Vietnam,

where they were also decorated. The album led me to contact several of my uncles and aunts to find out more about their lives as they were growing up in the 1920s to the 1940s. Americans had a very different way of life during that period. The 1920s were prosperous, but during the 1930s life was grim indeed as the Great Depression took hold. By the end of the 1930s, 15 children lived with my grandparents in a 2-room, second floor apartment. There were actually only two girls born among my grandparents’ first ten children, so much of the housework was delegated to them as they came of age. This was a very busy and crowded household, and many of the children left at the earliest opportunity to enlist in the service or moved to join their siblings on the West Coast where there was work in the shipyards. The years of military service that my father and uncles had during the 1940s impacted the rest of their lives. Several of them received training that helped them to get jobs afterwards. Others received a college education while serving as officers and some remained in the service. After the war years, the 15 children of my grandfather and grandmother raised 38 children between them. My uncles and aunts prospered, raised strong families and made significant contributions to their communities. All of this caused me to wonder why no one had ever looked into these aspects of the family heritage. It strength-

ened my determination to put together a written family history as a companion work to the photo album to give to my children and grandchildren. Writing a family history has been enlightening and surprising. Given the circumstances that they lived in, I wonder if I would have done as well as my uncles and aunts. Many succeeded in life despite their modest backgrounds. Sadly, after the war one of my uncles, a Chicago area labor union member, was allegedly killed in a mob-style hit by a relative of Al Capone. My great grandfather was a Rockford, Ill. Alderman in the 1920s and the local newspaper carried several articles about his leadership in the Rockford Auto Club, cars being a novelty in that era. My second great grandfather was a Civil War veteran who became an invalid from his war injuries but lived to raise six children. However, for the most part, I have found that my ancestors were normal people leading good lives and celebrating the successes and joys that families have. Without this narrative, my children and grandchildren would probably never know their ancestors and their life stories. Probably the best part of the whole project has been renewing the relationships with my uncles and aunts, and I’ve now gained a greater appreciation for their lives and sacrifices. We can all be proud of that flag with nine stars on it, just as my grandmother was. Howard Moline Missouri City

CITATION BY PUBLICATION STATE OF TEXAS TO: KAMELA MARIE RICE and to all whom it may concern, Respondent(s), You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do (does) not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next following the expiration of 20 days after you were served this citation and petition, a default judgment may be taken against you. The petition of AMOS, ROSALIND; AMOS, CLEO, Petitioner, was filed in the 328TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County, Texas on the April 07, 2010 against KAMELA MARIE RICE, Respondent(s), numbered 10-DCV-179903, and entitled In The Interest of Miracle Marie Paul and Devonte Paul Rice Children. The suit request THE SUIT AFFECTING THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP as is more fully shown by Petition on file in this suit. The date and place of birth of the child(ren) who is/are the subject of the suit: DOB: 07/27/97 PLACE OF BIRTH: FORT BEND DOB: 11/07/03 PLACE OF BIRTH: FORT BEND The Court has authority in this suit to render an order in the child(ren)’s interest which will be binding on you, including the termination of the parent-child relationship, the determination of paternity and the appointment of a conservator with authority to consent to the child(ren)’s adoption. Issued and given under my hand and seal of said Court at Richmond, Texas, on this the 7th day of May, 2010. ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONER OR RESPONDENT: KATHRYN DENNIS ATTORNEY AT LAW 1303 TURTLE CREEK DRIVE MISSOURI CITY TX 77459 (281) 437-1600

DISTRICT CLERK ANNIE REBECCA ELLIOTT Fort Bend County, Texas Deputy District Clerk Amanda Morales Telephone: 281-238-3282

MAY 19, 2010 • INDEPENDENT • Page 5

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 7TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 268TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #09DCV-174676 in favor of the Plaintiff - WINDFIELD LAKES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, for the sum of $5,094.00 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 8TH day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - ROBERT E. JAMES, had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: LOT 11, IN BLOCK 1 OF WINFIELD LAKES, SECTION THREE (3), A SUBDIVISION OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NOS.2438/B IN THE MAP/PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ALSO KNOWN AS 3403 BECKER GLEN STREET, FRESNO, TEXAS 77545. ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $ Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse. RUBEN DAVIS, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 2 By Lieutenant G. Majors #73 Deputy Constable

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Legal Notices CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 12TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 268TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #09-DCV-170623 in favor of the Plaintiff - FORT BEND COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT #23 & ET AL, Plaintiff, for the sum of $7,765.01 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 20TH day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - LATOYA K. NIGHTINGALE & ET AL had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: TRACT 1: LOT FORTY-SEVEN (47), IN BLOCK THREE (3) OF WINFIELD LAKES, SECTION FOUR (4), AN ADDITION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NO.2477/A OF THE MAP/PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS (ACCOUNT NUMBER 8944040030471907/8944040030471) ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $117,240.00 Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse. ROB COOK, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 3 12550 Emily Court, Ste 200 Sugar Land, TX77478 (281) 491-7226 Deputy Juan Diaz, #1306

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 16TH day of MARCH 2010 by the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #06-DCV-151368 in favor of the Plaintiff - QUAIL VALLEY EAST COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, for the sum of $2,141.00 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 30TH day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - JIMMIE MOYE had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final.

Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse. ROB COOK, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 3 12550 Emily Court, Ste 200 Sugar Land, TX77478 (281) 491-7226 Deputy Juan Diaz, #1306

ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $84,780.00 Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse. ROB COOK, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 3 12550 Emily Court, Ste 200 Sugar Land, TX77478 (281) 491-7226 Deputy Juan Diaz, #1306

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 25TH day of MARCH 2010 by the 268TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #07-DCV-158945 in favor of the Plaintiff - CANYON GATE AT CINCO RANCH HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, for the sum of $7,139.43 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 4TH day of MAY 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - EUGENE DMITH JR AND PETRA R. SMITH had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: LOT TWENTYFOUR (24), IN BLOCK ONE (1) OF CANYON GATE, CINCO RANCH, SECTION THREE (3), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NO. 1779/B AND 1780/A OF THE MAP/PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS (”THE PROPERTY”) ALSO KNOWN AS 19762 TWIN CANYON COURT, KATY, TEXAS 77450 ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $151,270.00 Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse. ROB COOK, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 3 12550 Emily Court, Ste 200 Sugar Land, TX77478 (281) 491-7226 Deputy Juan Diaz, #1306

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 13TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 268TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #08-DCV-164247 in favor of the Plaintiff - GRAYSON LAKES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, for the sum of $3,448.04 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 23RD day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - STEVEN JOHN BLACKMON had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT THIRTEEN (13), IN BLOCK ONE (1) OF COUNTRY LAKES, SECTION THREE (3), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NO.2199/A & B OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS COMMONLY KNOWN AS 2039 BROKEN BRANCH DRIVE, KATY, TEXAS 77494 ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $370,650.00

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 26TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #09-DCV-169215 in favor of the Plaintiff - GRAYSON LAKES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, for the sum of $4,889.45 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 4TH day of MAY 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - MARTIN J. GOTTFRIED had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT THIRTEEN (13), IN BLOCK THREE (3) OF COUNTRY LAKES, SECTION TWO (2), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NO.2117/B OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS COMMONLY KNOWN AS 1210 LONGDRAW DRIVE, KATY, TEXAS 77494

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 13TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #08-DCV-167739 in favor of the Plaintiff - GRAYSON LAKES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, for the sum of $3,136.00 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 23RD day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - MARK ANTHONY ALVARADO had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT TEN (10), IN BLOCK THREE (3) OF COUNTRY LAKES AT GRAYSON LAKES, SECTION SIX (6), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT NO. 20060197 OF THE MAP/PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS COMMONLY KNOWN AS 1611 CRYSTAL MEADOW PL, KATY, TEXAS 77494

ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $248,920.00 Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse. ROB COOK, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 3 12550 Emily Court, Ste 200 Sugar Land, TX77478 (281) 491-7226 Deputy Juan Diaz, #1306

ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $266,560.00 Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse. ROB COOK, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 3 12550 Emily Court, Ste 200 Sugar Land, TX77478 (281) 491-7226 Deputy Juan Diaz, #1306

CITATION BY PUBLICATION STATE OF TEXAS TO: DARREN LEE STANLEY ADDRESS UNKNOWN and to all whom it may concern, Respondent(s), You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do (does) not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next following the expiration of 20 days after you were served this citation and petition, a default judgment may be taken against you. The petition of PHILLIPS, CHARLENE, Petitioner, was filed in the 387TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County, Texas on the December 04, 2009 against DARREN LEE STANLEY, Respondent(s), numbered 09-DCV176893, and entitled In the Interest of Kelcey Fonda Elizabeth Phillips, a Minor Child. The suit request SUIT AFFECTING THE PARENT- CHILD RELATIONSHIP as is more fully shown by Petition on file in this suit. The date and place of birth of the child(ren) who is/are the subject of the suit DATE OF BIRTH: 06/26/1996 PLACE OF BIRTH: FORT BEND The Court has authority in this suit to render an order in the child(ren)’s interest which will be binding on you, including the termination of the parentchild relationship, the determination of paternity and the appointment of a conservator with authority to consent to the child(ren)’s adoption. Issued and given under my hand and seal of said Court at Richmond, Texas, on this the 6th day of May, 2010. ATIORNEY FOR PETITIONER OR RESPONDENT: ROBERT L THOMAS, JR THE THOMAS LAW FIRM 807 HOUSTON STREET RICHMOND TX 77469 281-238-4366 DISTRICT CLERK ANNIE REBECCA ELLIOTT Deputy District Herlinda Nanez Telephone: 281 633 7626

THE STATE OF TEXAS CITATION BY PUBLICATION TO: THE UNKNOWN OWNER OF $26,100.00 US CURRENCY SEIZED FROM A FEDEX FACILITY ON MARCH 4, 2009 IN FORT BEND COUNTY ADDRESS UNKNOWN NOTICE: You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on Monday next following the expiration of forty-two days from the date of issuance of this citation, same being May 31, 2010 a default judgment may be taken against you. Said answer may be filed by mailing same to: District Clerk’s Office, 301 Jackson, Richmond, Texas 77469, or by bringing it to the office. Our street address is 401 Jackson Street. We are located on the first floor of the courthouse building. The case is presently pending before the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County sitting in Richmond, Texas, and was filed on March 27, 2009. It bears cause number 09-DCV-170663 and is styled: State of Texas VS. $26,100.00 U.S. Currency The name and address of the attorney for PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is: CELENA VINSON ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY WILLIAM B TRAVIS ANNEX 309 S 4TH STREET RICHMOND TX 77469 281-341-4496 The nature of the demands of said PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is as follows to-wit: $26,100.00 U.S. CURRENCY IS CONTRABAND AS DEFINED IN THE TEXAS CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, ARTICLE 59.01 (2) AND THAT THE COURT ALLOW FORFEITURE OF THE ABOVE DESCRIBED PROPERTY TO THE STATE OF TEXAS BY AND THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS AS AGENT FOR THE STATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS LOCAL AGREEMENTS, SUBJECT ONLY TO ANY INTEREST OF THE BONA FIDE HOLDER OF THE PERFECTED LIEN OR PERFECTED SECURITY INTEREST ON SAID CONTRABAND AND THAT THE PROPERTY BE DISPOSED OF PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 59.06 OF THE TEXAS CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE AND THAT ALL COSTS BY TAXED AGAINST CLAIMANT IN THIS CAUSE AND FOR SUCH OTHER RELIEF AT LAW AND IN EQUITY AS THE PLAINTIFF SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE. If this Citation is not served, it shall be returned unserved. Issued under my hand and seal of said Court, at Richmond, Texas on this the 14th day of April, 2010. DISTRICT CLERK ANNIE REBECCA ELLIOTT Fort Bend County, Texas By: Deputy District Clerk DIANE C. WOODS Telephone: 281.341.3787

THE STATE OF TEXAS CITATION BY PUBLICATION TO: UNKNOWN HEIRS, ADDRESS UNKNOWN NOTICE: You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on Monday next following the expiration of forty-two days from the date of issuance of this citation, same being June 07, 2010 a default judgment may be taken against you. Said answer may be filed by mailing same to: District Clerk’s Office, 301 Jackson, Richmond, Texas 77469, or by bringing it to the office. Our street address is 401 Jackson Street. We are located on the first floor of the courthouse building. The case is presently pending before the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County sitting in Richmond, Texas, and was filed on April 01, 2010. It bears cause number 10-DCV-179785 and is styled: Diogu Kalu Diogu, II, LL.M vs Dave Woods, Deceased, Will Woods, Deceased, Cora McCloud, Deceased and Idella Cockrell, Deceased and All persons Owning Having, or Claiming any Interest or Lien in the Property Described in this Petition, as well as the Unknown heirs and Legal Representatives of all Defendants. The name and address of the attorney for PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is: DIOGU KALU(II) DIOGU ATTORNEY AT LAW 8299 CAMBRIDGE DR SUITE 1301 HOUSTON TX 77054-0000 (713) 797-6555 The nature of the demands of said PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is as follows to-wit: ORIGINAL PETITION TO QUIET TITLE CONCERNING REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS (A) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 72, ACRES 1.59, (B) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 74, ACRES 1.75, (C) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 51, ACRES 10.2, AND (D) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 75, ACRES 0.65 THESE LAND ABUT (E) 0079 N F ROBERTS, ACRES 4.963, THE PIECE OF LAND AT ISSUE TOTALS APPROXIMATELY, 19.153 ACRES. If this Citation is not served, it shall be returned unserved. Issued under my hand and seal of said Court, at Richmond, Texas on this the 19th day of April, 2010. DISTRICT CLERK ANNIE REBECCA ELLIOTT District Clerk TENTRA ALLEN Telephone: 281-633-7616

THE STATE OF TEXAS CITATION BY PUBLICATION TO: IDELLA COKCRELL, ADDRESS UNKNOWN NOTICE: You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on Monday next following the expiration of forty-two days from the date of issuance of this citation, same being June 07, 2010 a default judgment may be taken against you. Said answer may be filed by mailing same to: District Clerk’s Office, 301 Jackson, Richmond, Texas 77469, or by bringing it to the office. Our street address is 401 Jackson Street. We are located on the first floor of the courthouse building. The case is presently pending before the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County sitting in Richmond, Texas, and was filed on April 01, 2010. It bears cause number 10-DCV-179785 and is styled: Diogu Kalu Diogu, II, LL.M vs Dave Woods, Deceased, Will Woods, Deceased, Cora McCloud, Deceased and Idella Cockrell, Deceased and All persons Owning Having, or Claiming any Interest or Lien in the Property Described in this Petition, as well as the Unknown heirs and Legal Representatives of all Defendants. The name and address of the attorney for PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is: DIOGU KALU(II) DIOGU ATTORNEY AT LAW 8299 CAMBRIDGE DR SUITE 1301 HOUSTON TX 77054-0000 (713) 797-6555 The nature of the demands of said PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is as follows to-wit: ORIGINAL PETITION TO QUIET TITLE CONCERNING REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS (A) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 72, ACRES 1.59, (B) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 74, ACRES 1.75, (C) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 51, ACRES 10.2, AND (D) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 75, ACRES 0.65 THESE LAND ABUT (E) 0079 N F ROBERTS, ACRES 4.963, THE PIECE OF LAND AT ISSUE TOTALS APPROXIMATELY, 19.153 ACRES. If this Citation is not served, it shall be returned unserved. Issued under my hand and seal of said Court, at Richmond, Texas on this the 19th day of April, 2010. DISTRICT CLERK ANNIE REBECCA ELLIOTT District Clerk TENTRA ALLEN Telephone: 281-633-7616

THE STATE OF TEXAS CITATION BY PUBLICATION TO: DAVE WOODS, ADDRESS UNKNOWN NOTICE: You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on Monday next following the expiration of forty-two days from the date of issuance of this citation, same being June 07, 2010 a default judgment may be taken against you. Said answer may be filed by mailing same to: District Clerk’s Office, 301 Jackson, Richmond, Texas 77469, or by bringing it to the office. Our street address is 401 Jackson Street. We are located on the first floor of the courthouse building. The case is presently pending before the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County sitting in Richmond, Texas, and was filed on April 01, 2010. It bears cause number 10-DCV-179785 and is styled: Diogu Kalu Diogu, II, LL.M vs Dave Woods, Deceased, Will Woods, Deceased, Cora McCloud, Deceased and Idella Cockrell, Deceased and All persons Owning Having, or Claiming any Interest or Lien in the Property Described in this Petition, as well as the Unknown heirs and Legal Representatives of all Defendants. The name and address of the attorney for PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is: DIOGU KALU(II) DIOGU ATTORNEY AT LAW 8299 CAMBRIDGE DR SUITE 1301 HOUSTON TX 77054-0000 (713) 797-6555 The nature of the demands of said PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is as follows to-wit: ORIGINAL PETITION TO QUIET TITLE CONCERNING REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS (A) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 72, ACRES 1.59, (B) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 74, ACRES 1.75, (C) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 51, ACRES 10.2, AND (D) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 75, ACRES 0.65 THESE LAND ABUT (E) 0079 N F ROBERTS, ACRES 4.963, THE PIECE OF LAND AT ISSUE TOTALS APPROXIMATELY, 19.153 ACRES. If this Citation is not served, it shall be returned unserved. Issued under my hand and seal of said Court, at Richmond, Texas on this the 19th day of April, 2010. DISTRICT CLERK ANNIE REBECCA ELLIOTT District Clerk TENTRA ALLEN Telephone: 281-633-7616

THE STATE OF TEXAS CITATION BY PUBLICATION TO: CORA MCCLOUD, ADDRESS UNKNOWN NOTICE: You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on Monday next following the expiration of forty-two days from the date of issuance of this citation, same being June 07, 2010 a default judgment may be taken against you. Said answer may be filed by mailing same to: District Clerk’s Office, 301 Jackson, Richmond, Texas 77469, or by bringing it to the office. Our street address is 401 Jackson Street. We are located on the first floor of the courthouse building. The case is presently pending before the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County sitting in Richmond, Texas, and was filed on April 01, 2010. It bears cause number 10-DCV-179785 and is styled: Diogu Kalu Diogu, II, LL.M vs Dave Woods, Deceased, Will Woods, Deceased, Cora McCloud, Deceased and Idella Cockrell, Deceased and All persons Owning Having, or Claiming any Interest or Lien in the Property Described in this Petition, as well as the Unknown heirs and Legal Representatives of all Defendants. The name and address of the attorney for PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is: DIOGU KALU(II) DIOGU ATTORNEY AT LAW 8299 CAMBRIDGE DR SUITE 1301 HOUSTON TX 77054-0000 (713) 797-6555 The nature of the demands of said PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is as follows to-wit: ORIGINAL PETITION TO QUIET TITLE CONCERNING REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS (A) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 72, ACRES 1.59, (B) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 74, ACRES 1.75, (C) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 51, ACRES 10.2, AND (D) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 75, ACRES 0.65 THESE LAND ABUT (E) 0079 N F ROBERTS, ACRES 4.963, THE PIECE OF LAND AT ISSUE TOTALS APPROXIMATELY, 19.153 ACRES. If this Citation is not served, it shall be returned unserved. Issued under my hand and seal of said Court, at Richmond, Texas on this the 19th day of April, 2010. DISTRICT CLERK ANNIE REBECCA ELLIOTT District Clerk TENTRA ALLEN Telephone: 281-633-7616

ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $221,790.00 Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse.

ROB COOK, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 3 12550 Emily Court, Ste 200 Sugar Land, TX77478 (281) 491-7226 Deputy Juan Diaz, #1306

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: LOT EIGHT (8), IN BLOCK 23 OF QUAIL VALLEY EAST, SECTION FOUR, A SUBDIVISION OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED AT VOLUME 12, PAGE 3 IN THE MAP/PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS. ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $82,480.00

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 12TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 268TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #06-DCV-152832 in favor of the Plaintiff - FORT BEND COUNTY & ET-AL Plaintiff, for the sum of $3,880.75 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 20TH day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - PAULETTE HASKIN FREEMAN & ET AL had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: TRACT 1: LOT30, IN BLOCK FIVE (5) OF QUAIL GREEN, A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN VOLUME 24, PAGE 12 OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS (ACCOUNT NUMBER 5862010050300907)

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CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 12TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 268TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #09-DCV-172988 in favor of the Plaintiff - FORT BEND COUNTY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT & ET-AL Plaintiff, for the sum of $2,690.73 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 20TH day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - STANLEY L. CRAWFORD had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: TRACT 1: LOT NINE (9), BLOCK FIFTEEN (15) OF BRIARGATE, SECTION FIVE (5), AN ADDITION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN VOLUME 16, PAGE 7 OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS (ACCOUNT NUMBER 2150050150090907) ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $103,500.00 Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse. ROB COOK, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 3 12550 Emily Court, Ste 200 Sugar Land, TX77478 (281) 491-7226 Deputy Juan Diaz, #1306

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 12TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 434TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #09-DCV-171553 in favor of the Plaintiff - SEVEN MEADOWS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, for the sum of $4,844.64 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 21ST day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - RACHIT B. PESQUERA had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT FOUR (4), IN BLOCK ONE (1) OF SEVEN MEADOWS, SECTION THREE (3), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NO.2469/B OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS COMMONLY KNOWN AS 7315 STARRY NIGHT, KATY, TEXAS 77494

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CONSTABLE’S NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, that by virtue of a certain Order of Sale issued by the clerk of the County Civil Court at Law No. 4 of Harris County, Texas on March 22, 2010 in cause numbered 707384702 styled Providian National Bank vs. Minerva Borrego, in which a judgment was rendered on March 26, 1999 in favor of Providian National Bank for the sum of Four Thousands Seven Hundred Sixty Two Dollars and Seventy Cents ($4,762.70); plus fees for posting notice of sale, publishing, costs of suit rendered by the court, legal fees, and all costs of executing this Writ. I have levied upon the below listed property on May 5, 2010 and will on June 1, 2010, Tuesday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder, all the Right, Title, and Interest of Minerva H. Borrego to and in the following described Real Property 0193 Jas HODGE, Block PT 8-B, ACRES 0.96 MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS : 15307 Sam Street, SUGAR LAND, TX 77478 The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment in favor of ROSEMARY LACY, Plaintiff, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof. LOCATION: FORT BEND COUNTY COURTHOUSE RICHMOND, TX 77469 DATE: June 1ST, 2010 TIME: APPROX. 10:00 am BY: DEPUTY S. STEELE

Troy E. Nehls Constable Pct. 4 Fort Bend County, Texas

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 12TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 434TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #05-DCV-145601 in favor of the Plaintiff - FORT BEND COUNTY & ET-AL Plaintiff, for the sum of $6,038.25 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 20TH day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - RUDOLFO ARIAS & ET-AL had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: TRACT 1: LOT 20 IN BLOCK 4 OF ROSEDALE ADDITION, A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN VOLUME 393, PAGE 86 OF THE DEED RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS (ACCOUNT NUMBER 6600000042000907) TRACT 2: LOT 4 IN BLOCK 5 OF ROSEDALE ADDITION, A SUBDIVIISON IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN VOLUME 393, PAGE 86 OF THE DEED RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS ( ACCOUNT NUMBER 6600000050400907) ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: TRACT 1 $17,600.00 & TRACT 2 $15,000.00 Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse. ROB COOK, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 3 12550 Emily Court, Ste 200 Sugar Land, TX77478 (281) 491-7226 Deputy Juan Diaz, #1306

THE STATE OF TEXAS CITATION BY PUBLICATION TO: WILL WOODS, ADDRESS UNKNOWN NOTICE: You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney do not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on Monday next following the expiration of forty-two days from the date of issuance of this citation, same being June 07, 2010 a default judgment may be taken against you. Said answer may be filed by mailing same to: District Clerk’s Office, 301 Jackson, Richmond, Texas 77469, or by bringing it to the office. Our street address is 401 Jackson Street. We are located on the first floor of the courthouse building. The case is presently pending before the 400TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County sitting in Richmond, Texas, and was filed on April 01, 2010. It bears cause number 10-DCV-179785 and is styled: Diogu Kalu Diogu, II, LL.M vs Dave Woods, Deceased, Will Woods, Deceased, Cora McCloud, Deceased and Idella Cockrell, Deceased and All persons Owning Having, or Claiming any Interest or Lien in the Property Described in this Petition, as well as the Unknown heirs and Legal Representatives of all Defendants. The name and address of the attorney for PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is: DIOGU KALU(II) DIOGU ATTORNEY AT LAW 8299 CAMBRIDGE DR SUITE 1301 HOUSTON TX 77054-0000 (713) 797-6555 The nature of the demands of said PLAINTIFF OR PETITIONER is as follows to-wit: ORIGINAL PETITION TO QUIET TITLE CONCERNING REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS (A) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 72, ACRES 1.59, (B) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 74, ACRES 1.75, (C) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 51, ACRES 10.2, AND (D) 0079 N F ROBERTS, TRACT 75, ACRES 0.65 THESE LAND ABUT (E) 0079 N F ROBERTS, ACRES 4.963, THE PIECE OF LAND AT ISSUE TOTALS APPROXIMATELY, 19.153 ACRES. If this Citation is not served, it shall be returned unserved. Issued under my hand and seal of said Court, at Richmond, Texas on this the 19th day of April, 2010. DISTRICT CLERK ANNIE REBECCA ELLIOTT District Clerk TENTRA ALLEN Telephone: 281-633-7616

Page 6 • INDEPENDENT • MAY 19, 2010

Community happenings MCUSA - U12 boys take first place at WHSC Tax Time Tournament

The Missouri City United Soccer Association (MCUSA) Revolution’s U12 Boys team directed by Head Coach Mario Granados wrapped up a successful youth soccer tournament weekend by defeating a tough Sugar Land SC AMSL team by the score of 2 to 1 in the championship game. The young Red Scorpions were surprised by the SLSC team when they were scored on within the first 30 seconds of the game. The MCUSA squad kept their composure and simply played a great game. The competition was tough, but the MCUSA squad was tougher in this tournament. Pictured are: Bottom: Jose Cardenas, Roberto Soto, Jose Gallegos, Brian Marcia; Middle: Jonathan Ayala, Nicolas Dachman, Pablo Samperio, Dakota Hearrell, Aaaron Bridges, Brady Dove, Alex Granados Top Coaches Hector Ayala, Andrew Bridges, Adrian Gallegos, Mario Granados, Brian Dove.

Dulles senior signs up with John Brown University Dulles senior Adrian Kuyinu signed a full basketball scholarship with John Brown University located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas on May 14. The JBU Eagles qualified for the NAIA national tourney this past March and won their first two games before losing in the Elite 8 round. Adrian had a fantastic career at Dulles, leading them to a 91-22 record during his three years as a starter for the Vikings. He was the starting post on the 34-5 team that finished as the 5A state runnerup in 2008. Adrian was named first team 23-5A all district when the Vikings finished 27-10 in 2008-2009. In the 2009-2010 season he led the Dulles team to a 30-7 record, advancing Chief Deputy Craig Brady with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney John Healey each got a check for $310,689, while Chief Joel Fitzgerald with the Missouri City Police Department along with Chief Robert Gracia with the Rosenberg Police Department both received a check for $34,350, last week. These awards are the proceeds of assets forfeited and seized by the Fort Bend County Narcotics Task Force, a Houston HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), Initiative as the result of drug trafficking arrests and seizures over the past two years. “In receiving these awards it demonstrates a strong collaborate effort amongst our local law enforcement agencies and

to the third round of the state playoffs before bowing out. Adrian was named second team all-district and was selected at the Houston area basketball coaches all-star

game earlier this month. Pictured (l-r) Mike Carrabine Dulles Coach), Adeyinka Kuyinu (mother), Adrian Kuyinu, Clark Sheehy (John Brown Coach)

Narcotics task force distributes seized assets

the district attorney’s office,” Sheriff Milton Wright said. “The forfeited money will be used to provide additional training and equipment, as well as provide funding which is used to pay expenses necessary in the day-to-day operation of the Fort Bend County

Narcotics Task Force.” Pictured L – R: Chief Deputy Craig Brady, Chief Robert Gracia, Captain Rodney Glendening, Sheriff Milton Wright, District Attorney John Healey, Chief Joel Fitzgerald.

Left, Solar Eclipse takes the trophy. Solar Eclipse 00 captured first place in the U10 Silver bracket at the Tax Time Tournament on April 24-25. The girls won all four tournament matches and did not concede a goal! Solar Eclipse is trained by Courtney Gaines and managed by Don Hickel with assistance from Eric Jones.

AUTOMOBILE: Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon By BARBARA FULENWIDER Everything is cyclical so it must be time to recycle the 1950s station wagon into an advanced 2010 carry all. Cadillac’s first ever North American wagon is a take on the classic style that Americans who were adults in the 1950s loved because they were highly functional – they could carry a lot of kids and cargo. The CTS Sport Wagon is the same size as the CTS sport sedan on the outside but inside it nearly doubles car-

rying capacity with 25 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and 53.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. Design highlights include Cadillac’s signature V-shaped deck and tailgate motif, large, and I do mean large, vertical taillamps, a power liftgate via key fob or in vehicle button, roof spoiler, roof load system with cross bars, cargo management system with adjustable in-floor containment, 19inch wheels and an optional panoramic rear sunroof. Other available features

include all-wheel drive, a 40-gig internal hard drive, pop-up navigation screen and hand-cut and sewn cabin. The wagon’s roof load management system is one of its more interesting integrations of form and function because it blends with the roofline for an uninterrupted appearance. The center section of the roof panel angles down inside the roof edges to allow for an unobtrusive placement of the cross bars, which create a subtle fin effect at the trailing edges of the rear panels.

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 7TH day of APRIL 2010 by the 434TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #09-DCV-173053 in favor of the Plaintiff - WINDFIELD LAKES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, for the sum of $5,399.00 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 8TH day of APRIL 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - BENJAMIN E. THOMPSON III, had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.:

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and / or Order of Sale issued on the 17TH day of MARCH 2010 by the 434TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court of FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas in cause #09-DCV-174860 In favor of the Plaintiff - BRADFORD VILLAGE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, for the sum of $3,335.46 +++costs as taxed on said Execution and / or Order of Sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on the 7TH day of MAY 2010 and will offer for sale on the 1ST day of JUNE, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps of Fort Bend County, Texas in the city of Richmond, Texas between the hours of ten o’clock a.m. and four o’clock p.m., any and all rights, title, interests and claims which the said Defedant(s) - KHIA HUNT had of, in or to the following described Real property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; viz.: Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: LOT 11, IN BLOCK 3 OF BRADFORD VILLAGE, A SUBDIVISION OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED AT SLIDE NO. 2528A 12, PAGE 3 IN THE MAP/PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS AND MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS 1906 PLUM CREEK LN., MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS 77489-4165. ADJUDGED/ MARKET VALUE: $138,820.00

Property is sold with all encumbrances and liens affixed thereto. All sales are final. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT 39, IN BLOCK 5 OF WINFIELD LAKES, SECTION SIX (6), A SUBDIVISION OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED UNDER PLAT FILE NO. 20050039 OF THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ALSO KNOWN AS 2714 DARBY BROOK DRIVE, FRESNO, TEXAS 77545. Terms: Cash. Sale to held at or about 10 a.m. At the steps of the Fort Bend County courthouse.

RUBEN DAVIS, CONSTABLE Fort Bend County Precinct 2 By Lieutenant G. Majors #73 Deputy Constable

As for the power train, the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon is powered by either a 3.0-liter direct injection (DI) V-6 that makes 270 horsepower or a 3.6-liter DI V-6 that makes 304 horsepower. Both engines run on regular unleaded and estimated fuel economy is 28 miles to the gallon with the smaller V-6. Both engines are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The CTS chassis’ hardware includes fourLEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR SEALED COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS Sealed Competitive Proposals will be received in the Office of Gilbert D. Jalomo, Jr., County Purchasing Agent, Fort Bend County, Rosenberg Annex, 4520 Reading Road, Suite A, Rosenberg, TX 77471 for the following until THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2010 at 1:30 P.M. (CST). All proposals will then be opened in the Office of the Purchasing Agent, Rosenberg Annex, 4520 Reading Road, Suite A, Rosenberg, TX 77471 and the names of the proposers made public. Proposals received after the specified time will be returned unopened. RFP 10-096 – ELECTRONIC MONITORING SYSTEM FOR CSCD. Unit pricing is required; payment will be by check after products/services are rendered. Bonds are not required. Fort Bend County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. Signed: Gilbert D. Jalomo, Jr., Purchasing Agent Fort Bend County, Richmond, Texas

wheel disc brakes, premium steering and various suspension tuned levels to choose from. Standard suspension is the norm and sport suspension is offered on rear wheel Cadillac CTS Sport Wagons. All models feature an independent short/long arm front suspension system. Hydraulic control arm front bushings are used for motion control and to help minimize high-speed road vibration by damping energy transmitted through the vehicle’s structure. Hollow front stabilizer bars save on vehicle weight and are sized specifically to each of the three available suspension levels. A multi-link rear suspension, with a fully isolated subframe contributes to a most comfortable ride and better handling. The CTS Sport Wagon includes integrated iPod/MP3 capability, hard drive audio system, navigation system, adaptive forward lighting sys-

tem, available Bluetooth connectivity, keyless access and smart remote start, premium Bose cabin surround audio system and ultrasonic park assist. The CTS Sport Wagon comes standard with a full year of OnStar, featuring turnby-turn navigation and a factory-installed, fully integrated GPS navigation system. The Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon with all standard equipment retails for $48,665. Standard equipment includes daytime running lights, power steering, door locks, windows, a theft deterrent system, child security rear door locks, stability control, tire pressure monitor, tire sealant and inflator kit in place of spare tire, dual zone climate control, power heated outside mirrors, rear split folding seat, driver information center, rear seat pass-through, LED interior lighting, pet guard cargo net, retractable cargo shade, power adjustable leather front seats with lumbar, 18-inch wheels, heated and cooled front seats, power tilt/telescope steering wheel and large sunroof. Options increased the price to $51,215 and made it an even more impressive package. I like the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon’s looks, spunk and attitude all wrapped in luxury. Hey, folks, GM is back. If you don’t believe me, take a test drive. You won’t regret it and may drive it home.

Directory Directory Directory Directory Directory Lawn& Landscape AT Renovations, Inc. 101 Southwestern Blvd. Ste.230 Sugar Land, TX 77478 lawn@texansfp..com (281) 787-4302

Insurance Texans Insurance & Financial Group, 101 Southwestern Blvd., Suite 230 Sugar Land, TX 77478 www.texansinsure.com (281) 277-7800 Basil Housewright, President

Accountant Sandersen & Knox LLP , Accountants 130 Industrial Blvd., Suite 130 Sugar Land, TX 77478 www.SKBTexas.com (281) 242-3232

Attorney

Physician

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MAY 19, 2010 • INDEPENDENT • Page 7

FILM REVIEW: Letters to Juliet These “letters” are written by visitors to the fictional Juliet and placed in a wall in Verona, Italy. Then the “secretaries of Juliet” write replies to these mostly forlorn young women and tell them what they want and need to hear. Our heroine Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is on a pre-honeymoon vacation with her mousey chef-wannabe Victor (Gael García Bernal), who is more interested in going to a wine auction than hanging with the beautiful and spunky Sophie. Sophie is forced to take in the romantic sights of Verona on her own since Victor is ignoring her. She goes to the wall and accidently finds a 50-year-old letter hidden since 1957 that was written to Juliet but never answered. Sophie joins the secretaries of Juliet and responds to the

Chris Egan and Amanda Seyfried star in Summit Entertainment’s “Letters to Juliet”. heretofore unanswered letter by Claire (Vanessa Redgrave). Claire and her handsome grandson Charles (Christopher Egan) travel from London in response to Sophie’s letter. Claire is a widow and deter-

Robin Hood This is not your daddy’s “Robin Hood” starring Errol Flynn circa 1938. This is a production by director Ridley “Gladiator” Scott, Brian “24” Grazer, and Russell Crowe. These guys have been to the dance before and know how to make a big-budget film that should do well at the box office. Scott’s “Robin Hood” begins in 1199 A.D. when Robin Longstride was fighting on

behalf of England and King Richard the Lion Heart and involved in some of the rape and pillaging of the village. Errol Flynn would never do that! But movies strive to be honest these days, but honestly, no one knows for sure the true identity of Robin Hood. Russell Crowe’s Robin is a skilled archer that fights hard and lives by the credo of “never give up,” but he is not a pretty hero or particularly he-

mined to find her old lover, and she readily admits that she got scared when she was a teenager, and blew a great opportunity when she unexpectedly left charming, young Lorenzo. No one knows where Lorenzo roic. There was so much fighting and hand-to-hand combat with swords and fists that I got tired of it. The characters of Little John (Kevin Durand), Friar Tuck (Mark Addy) and Maid Marion Loxley (Cate Blanchett) are once again part of the mix, but I didn’t care about them at the end of the movie any more than I did when we were getting to know them. On the other hand I admired the performance of Max von Sydow, who played Sir Walter

Robin Hood to pay for autism treatment

Four-year-old Gentry Rose Dowdy explores flowers while considering Robin Hood, to be performed to raise funds for her Autism therapy May 22 at 1 and 5 p.m at Fort Bend Theatre, 2815 N Main Street in Stafford, by Logos Preparatory Theatre students. Tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors and $10 for children under 12 and are available at www.fortbendtheatre.com. All tickets and concessions proceeds go to help defray treatment costs for Gentry Rose Dowdy, diagnosed with autism last year. Parents Jeff and Melody Dowdy have been struggling ever since to meet the monthly therapy expenditures of $6,500.

Fort Bend’s County-Wide Memorial Day Ceremony

Fort Bend Salutes America

Monday, May 31st, 2010 at 10AM 2nd at Harris St., Fulshear, TX. •U. S. Coast Guard Flyover •21-gun salute •Fort Bend Gold Star Families honored •Patriotic music by Daystar Project Band •Fun activities for the entire family Generously supported by: Impact Player Partners. www.impactahero.org

The Houston Marine Moms will be on site collecting items for troops abroad. Please support them with your donation of cash or any of the following items: x Tuna/Chicken Packets/Protein x Granola/Power Bars x Beef Jerky/Slim Jims x Powdered Drink Mix (On the Go type, Single Servings) x Cheese Crackers/Nuts

For more information please call: Troy Nehls, Chairman Fort Bend Salutes America

713-419-5994

Personal Care Items x Adult Disposable Wash Cloths/Baby Wipes (has soap that does not need to be removed) x Hand Sanitizer (small) x White Crew Socks x Gold Bond Foot Powder (small) x Sunscreen x Lip Balm x Mach 3 Razors

www.fortbendsalutesamerica.com

Because All Gave Some… Some Gave All.

now lives or even if he is alive. Let the search begin! This is the biggest chick flick since “The Back-up Plan.” And I only have two words to say: Robin Hood. This movie was sophomoric and completely predictable; it was silly and stupid and all the young women (and they were the majority at my theatre) were giddy with approval after the movie. It was all I could do to stay until the movie was over, even though the last 15 minutes were slightly entertaining. I’ve been accused of not being a lover of chick flicks and shows about love, but I can assure you that, if I wasn’t a little sappy, I would have walked out. Rock ‘n Roll. Grade 77. Larry H. sugarlaw@larryharrison.com Loxley. Crowe is adequate as Robin of the Hood (his official mythical name) but I didn’t have any emotional connection with him. I did notice that his beard was neatly trimmed, unlike every other character that had an appropriately scraggly beard befitting the Thirteenth Century. And that Oscar winner Crowe has lost some weight and is looking pretty good at 45. Cate is her usual pretty self but not sexy; I guess that’s difficult when you’re swinging a sword and riding a horse. Best lines: “This one’s for you, Walter”; “The king is dead; long live the king”; “That’s a lot of Frenchmen” and “I am king because God wanted me to be king!”

Only one side is worn out and painful.

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Rock ‘n Roll. Grade 81. Larry H. sugarlaw@larryharrison.com

Not just oil, Pennzoil

Page 8 • INDEPENDENT • MAY 19, 2010

The May Quail Valley Yard of the Month goes to Netty Lopez of 2003 Wingedfoot. The subjects are the roses in this colorful and large corner lot that burst with texture, color and various bedding plants in addition to roses of many varieties front and back. Lopez is pictured with a lovely aspidistra plant provided by Flowers by Adela in the midst of a very small portion of the riot of color. Drive by to fully appreciate this garden honored by the Quail Valley Garden Club.

OATH OF OFFICE. Fort Bend County District Judge Jim Shoemake of Missouri City, right, administers the oath of office to the newly elected at-large city councilman Danny Nguyen, left, re-elected Mayor Allen Owen and at-large councilman Jerry Wyatt Monday evening. Owen, while thanking the voters, alluded to the unprecedented and vicious negative campaign. He was overcome with emotion and could not proceed. Outgoing Councilman Buddy Jimerson praised his successor Nguyen and said Nguyen is proud to be an American. Wyatt in his remarks castigated his opponents and blamed outsiders for spoiling the campaign. He urged residents in the Texas Parkway area not to listen to the misleading information provided by outsiders.

HCC hosts workforce summit

Neeta Sane and LeonardScarcella

ing the dialogue we began last week with industry leaders and other stakeholders to help build an even stronger economy in Stafford,” said Sane, Trustee for District VII and HCC Board Vice-Chair. Summit participants provided suggestions on ways that HCC can partner with Stafford businesses to help them expand through educa-

tion and training, which ultimately benefits the local community and the economy. Because of the active participation of the attendees, the summit provided HCC with valuable ideas that will help in the development of innovative programs that meet the educational and workforce needs of District VII.

In today’s economy, access to post-secondary education and training is essential for individual career success. Estimates indicate that 80 percent of today’s new jobs require education or training beyond high school and that those jobs represent the fastest growing and highest paying segments of the new economy.

Teen Service League The Fort Bend Teen Service League (FBTSL), a mentoring project of the Fort Bend Junior Service League, is now recruiting new members for the 2010-2011 League year. The next informational meeting will be held Thursday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the First Colony Library. FBTSL members enjoy serving the community. For more information, visit www.fortbendteenleague.org. Pictured (l-r): Nicolle Parsa, Rachel Lisse, Olivia Tseng, Danielle Poole, Madeline Rarick, Morgan Glass, Erin Kaufman, Nadia Tourgoly.

Fort Bend

for 60 months

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The first of the Houston Community College Workforce Summit series, initiated and hosted by HCC Trustee Neeta Sane, was held Thursday, May 6 at the HCC Southwest Stafford Campus. The summit sought valuable community input to better align the HCC educational offerings with regional needs in terms of workforce and economic solutions. Bringing together industry leaders, elected officials and emerging business executives from Stafford, the summit explored the workforce and education needs of the area. Leonard Scarcella, Mayor of Stafford, addressed the group and provided an update on the city’s impressive record of growth and opportunity. “We are committed to meeting the business needs of the community through education and training. And we look forward to continu-

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0% for 60 months on 610 different models.* Camry and Corolla add an ADDI$500 customer cash OutstandTIONAL $1000 ing lease deals, including $159 Corolla; $199 Camry $3000 customer cash on 2010 Avalon 0%/60 on 2009 Venza 2.9% APR âfor “ 60 months on Corolla/Camry used vehicles Two year pre-paid maintenance .for Toyota owners** Remember, if Fort Bend Toyota cannot give you 130% of Kelly Blue Book value for your trade, we will give you 1 year of FREE gas. Hurry and call 281.633.3300, or stop by today.

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Dear friends, neighbors and fellow Missouri City residents, My entire family and I, from the bottom of our hearts, thank the voters of Missouri City for the confidence placed in me in the May 8th election. It is humbling and overwhelming. I will work hard to make you proud and myself accessible to all Missouri City. I know it is the voters who put me into this position and that my responsibility remains solely to the voters of Missouri City for the actions I take as their Council Member. Responsible, reliable and respectful representation must begin with our City Council. May God continue to bless Missouri City and Fort Bend County, Texas.

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Political ad paid for by Danny Nguyen for City Council Campaign, Frank Hester, treasurer.