Fort Bend Independent 061318 by Fort Bend Independent

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VOL 11 No. 24

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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2018

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

Official newspaper of Fort Bend County & Missouri City

Sugar Land appoints 9-member CAD fends off charges for violating Texas Public Information Act Redistricting Committee Outside legal counsel will prepare several redistricting plans based on state and federal law as well as guidelines adopted by City Council. City Council also approved resolution 18-19 that establishes criteria for use in the 2018 redistricting process, creates a framework to guide redistricting plans and assists city efforts to comply with all applicable federal and state laws. The city will adhere to the following criteria: • Where possible, easily identifiable geographic boundaries should be followed. • Communities of interest should be maintained in a single district, where possible and attempts should be made to avoid splitting districts. • To the extent possible, dis-

Sugar Land City Council last week appointed a Redistricting Advisory Committee. The annexation of Greatwood and New Territory increased the city’s population, requiring the city’s four single-member City Council districts to be adjusted. Single-member Council districts must be of substantially equal population with a maximum deviation no greater than 10 percent between the most populated and least populated council member district. Sugar Land’s citizen redistricting committee includes Chairman Randy Garbs, Councilmember Himesh Gandhi, Tina Gibson, Dr. Mary Harrell, Russell Jones, Louis Manuel, Apurva Parikh, Sapana Patel and Councilmember Bridget Yeung. Committee meetings will be held from June 25 to Aug. 10.

tricts should be composed of whole voting precincts. Where this is not possible or practicable, districts should be drawn in a way that permits the creation of practical voting precincts and that ensures that adequate facilities for polling places exists in each voting precinct. • Although it is recognized that existing districts will have to be altered to reﬂect new population distribution, any districting plan should, to the extent poSee RE-DISTRICT, Page 4

Sugar Land’s Land Use Plan, Page 3; Commentary, Page 4

Eric Robins named SLPD Police Chief Assistant Police Chief Eric Robins has been elevated to the position of police chief of Sugar Land. “During the past several years, we’ve focused on developing leaders within our department,” said Assistant City Manager Doug Brinkley. “Throughout this rigorous and extensive selection process, Eric excelled at demonstrating leadership, strategic foresight and a visionary approach to building on the recent achievements of our department and charting a path for future sustained success.” A native Houstonian who has spent almost his entire career with SLPD, Robins most recent assignment as assistant chief

TIP OF THE SPEAR If you have ever wondered what our deployed troops do to honor the “fallen” on Memorial Day, this email from

Robins included direct supervision and leadership of patrol, criminal investigations, traﬃc, special impact teams, crime analysis, SWAT and crime scene investi-

one of Tip of the Spear.org adopted troops will make you feel proud as the Captain explains the “Murph.” “This is what some of us on

Moving Up or Scaling Down? We Have Buyers Realtor Fees are negotiable Call me today for a quote Residential-AcreageCommercial Wayne Russell Broker Associate Re/Max Southwest 14905 Southwest Freeway Email: wayne@swfreeway.com Off: 281-207-5054 Cell: 281-814-6397 Fax: 281-242-6754 Licensed since 1968; Member of the Houston Association of Realtors; Access to MLS; Disregard if your home is currently in the market.

Southwest

gations. His many accomplishments have included strategies and programs that directly contributed to Sugar Land achieving a crime rate for 2017 that was the lowest on record after hitting a 20-year low in 2016. Industry experts recently credited SLPD as one of the best run agencies they’ve evaluated in the nation. Robins has implemented initiatives to increase police visibility and expand crime analysis to identify resources necessary to address criminal trends. He also managed and created special enforcement teams to target and handle speciﬁc high-crime patterns throughout the city, efforts that directly contributed to See CHIEF, Page 4

By SESHADRI KUMAR An ex-employee of the Fort Bend County Central Appraisal District, who turned into a “whistle blower” has helped uncover violations of the Texas Public Information Act by the CAD. The CAD denied the existence of certain documents to several people who made Open Records Requests two years ago. The crux of the matter is the so called “black list” of arbitrators which the CAD used until 2016. Chief Appraiser Glen Whitehead at that time denied the existence of a “black list” but conﬁrmed that there was a “Not to use” list. Whitehead in 2016 responded to an Open Records Request thus: “The list of arbitrators, the FBCAD did not agree to use, was known as the “Not Quali-

fied” list. Recently, as the result of an Open Records Request, a letter mailed or emailed by a local property owner contained a copy of this list. Even though the FBCAD did not agree with the individual taxpayer’s choice of arbitrator, this list is not a “Black List,” nor does it mean the individual arbitrator is not qualified or prohibited from serving as an arbitrator– it simply means the FBCAD did not agree with the selection. “This incident caused turmoil among both the arbitrators on the list and the taxpayers of Fort Bend County; and for this, I apologize. “I have taken the following steps to refocus the District’s operations. (1) Staff is to stop using or referring to the previous list which is currently segregated from the active records of the District and clearly marked “Do Not Use.” (2) Arbitrators

will be given full consideration in future proceedings, and (3) To insure the transparency of the arbitration process, staﬀ is to maintain a Results Log of all arbitrations. This updated log will be made available, upon request, to members of the public. All taxpayers have ample and equal access to both the arbitration process and the administrative process as outlined in the Texas Property Tax Code.” What is new? Rose Spencer, a CAD employee, who used to respond to the Open Records Requests, in the past, has since been terminated from the CAD and she has in her possession certain documents, including the purported “black list,” in addition to the “Not to use” list or “Not Qualiﬁed” list. Thomas A. Bazan, one of the arbitrators in the “Not to Use” See CAD, Page 4

Central Fort Bend Chamber to hold 33rd Annual Business Links Golf Tournament

2018 CFBC BUSINESS LINKS SPONSORS: (L – R) John Kennedy – TSTC - Golf Co-Chair, Dominic Robinson - CenterPoint Energy-Money Ball Sponsor, Kristin Weiss - CFBC Pres/CEO; Vince Finnegan - Finnegan Auto Group-Masters Sponsor; Gary Finnegan - Finnegan Auto Group-Masters Sponsor and Jeﬀ Haley - Si Environmental, LLC - Golf Co-Chair.

Preparations are well underway for the 33rd annual Business Links Golf Tournament on Tuesday, July 10 hosted by Black Hawk County Club. Finnegan Auto Group is the Presenting Sponsor for the Business Links Golf Tournament. This year the Chamber will be introducing a new tournament format. Two (2) concurrent nine-hole scrambles with shotgun start at 2 p.m. - one on the front nine (holes 1-9) and the other on the back nine (holes 10-18). Top (2) teams (foursomes) from each nine will compete for the ninehole winner in a one-hole suddenTeam 1212 did to commemo- death shootout. The two nine-hole rate Memorial Day. If you want winners will then face off in the you can share it to Tip of the Spear or take the pictures and make your own post. We did a work out called the “Murph” in the afternoon when it was By SESHADRI KUMAR over 100 degrees. The workout A three-judge panel of the is: Run one mile 100 pull ups Fourteenth Court of Appeals 200 push ups 300 air squats on June 5 affirmed a judgRun one mile. All of that is ment awarding $246,788 in done while wearing at least 2 legal fees and sanctions to Fort lbs worth of body armor. The Bend ISD in a lawsuit chalworkout was created in honor lenging the District’s truancy of Lt. Michael Murphy who was practices. a navy seal team commander Judge Brady Elliott of the who won the Medal of Honor 268th District Court in Fort sacrificing himself to save his Bend County on Sept. 22, men in Afghanistan back in 2016 ordered that Fort Bend 2005. The idea is to get out and ISD receive nearly $200,000 do something painful and chal- in legal fees and sanctions, and lenging to honor the sacrifice of said he would dismiss a lawso many. I am currently recov- suit against the District. ering from that workout with In May 2015, a team of Fort some of the Protein drinks that Bend County attorneys filed a you guys sent us! Thank you lawsuit in Fort Bend County sooooooo much!” District Court challenging — Carolyn V. Bowden the legality of the Fort Bend

ﬁnal shootout to determine the overall CFBC Business Links Grand Champion. A second new component to the tournament will be “The Money Ball Drop” sponsored by CenterPoint Energy. A “Money Ball” can be purchased by any person for $100 to be dropped from the Hero Signs bucket truck. Only 200 “Money Balls” will be sold. The golf ball that makes it into the hole will receive half the pot up to $10,000. If multiple golf balls make it into the hole, half the pot will be split equally amongst the winners. There is no limit on the number of golf balls a participant can purchase. Winning participants

are responsible for all applicable taxes. The Central Fort Bend Chamber will also kick-oﬀ their evening network event “The 5:05” post Golf Tournament. The 5:05 After-Party is open to all members for networking. Attendees will have opportunities to win a cash prize for “The Money Ball Drop”, Live and Silent Auctions, and a Corn Hole Toss competition. The 5:05 will begin at 5:05 p.m. at the Black Hawk Clubhouse. For sponsorship information, contact Tiﬀany Davis with the Central Fort Bend Chamber at 281.342.5464 or tdavis@cfbca. org. Registration is now open at www.cfbca.org.

County Truancy Court. The civil legal action, styled Roach v. Ingram, et al., was assigned to the 268th District Court. Attorneys Deron R. Harrington, Dawn Zell Wright, Susan H. Soto, and Carole Stewart Anhalt said that the Fort Bend County Truancy Court was not a Court lawfully Created Under the Texas Constitution and Fort Bend County Commissioners have no authority to create a Criminal Court of Law with Original Jurisdiction to hear “Failure To Attend School” complaints. Harrington said at that time that the legal action was necessary “to protect and defend the constitutional rights held by the students and parents of

Fort Bend ISD.” The lawsuit was against the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees, the Fort Bend County Juvenile Board, Fort Bend County truancy judges, and other Fort Bend County and district employees on behalf of three students, claiming procedural defects in the handling of truancy cases. The plaintiﬀs’ lawsuit was dismissed in September of 2017 and a judgment was entered ordering Harrington, his co-counsel, and his clients to pay the county and district defendants a combined total of approximately $500,000 in attorneys’ fees and sanctions.

Court of appeals aﬃrms award of $200,000 in legal fees and sanctions to FBISD

See APPEAL, Page 5

Page 2 • INDEPENDENT • JUNE 13, 2018

NEWS

Harvest Green hosts CAM Art and Dance workshops Harvest Green and the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) Fort Bend School of Art are teaming up to oﬀer summer fun for kids and teens at art and dance workshops. Registration is now open for the workshops, which will explore hip hop, clay work, ballet and painting. All classes will

take place at the Richmond community’s Farmhouse, 3400 Harvest Corner Drive. “We are very excited to partner with CAM for these camps,” said Shay Shaﬁe, general manager of Harvest Green. “The classes give young people an opportunity to hone their creativity with the help of

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some of the most talented artists in the Houston area.” Kids Farmhouse Clay Studio workshops will introduce budding sculptors to basic hand-building skills by artist Veronica Gartner. A camp for third and fourth grade students will take place 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays, June 18 to July 16. A second workshop for kids in the ﬁfth and sixth grades is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays, June 20 to July 25. All supplies are included in the $199 price, and kids will take home four ﬁnished pieces. Budding ballerinas can learn the basics of ballet at a Teenie Weenie Ballet Intensive for youngsters 4 to 7 years of age. The camp takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 23-27. The cost is $250 per dancer. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo art judge Vickie McMillan will introduce the world of acrylic painting and watercolor to kids ages 5 to 18 during The Paint Block Summer Intensive, July 30 to Aug. 3. Camp for elementary school students runs 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Classes for junior high and high school students are 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. The cost is $250. Harvest Green also will host one-day portrait painting classes from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for teens and adults. Students will learn to paint in the Cubist style of Picasso. The teen class will take place on Friday, June 15. Adults can grab their brushes for a class on Friday, June 29. The cost is $35. To register, visit https:// cam-fort-bend.ticketleap.com. For more information about Harvest Green, visit https:// www.harvestgreentexas.com.

Harvest Green and the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) Fort Bend School of Art are hosting art and dance classes for children of all ages. One painting class also will be held for adults.

Tinkerbell celebration Let the pixie dust take you on a magical adventure at Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center, 198 Kempner St., Sugar Land, on Friday, June 22 beginning at 1 p.m. Soar to new heights and let the pixie dust take you on magical adventure as Tinkerbell flutters her wings all the way to the Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center – A Very Special Project of the Children’s Museum of Houston. Join Tinkerbell as she encapsulates magical moments into an interactive story time during “Super Powered Summer.”

For more information, visit www.childrensdiscoveryfb.org or call (832) 742-2800.

INDEPENDENT • JUNE 13, 2018 • Page 3

NEWS

Danny Nguyen, refugee turned dreamer lives Former TI property the American dream in Missouri City in Staﬀord to be named “The Grid”

By BARBARA FULENWIDER Some years ago a boy and his father took a treacherous threeyear journey that finally brought them from Vietnam to the United States. “It took us three years to get to the states,” Danny Nguyen said. “We spent 25 days on the Pacific Ocean, stayed in three refugee camps in Thailand and one in the Philippines.” Since that hazardous trip half way across the world, Nguyen has become a man of prestige in his community. He arrived in Texas at age 17, became an American citizen in 1990 and brought his mother and five sisters to the U.S. when he was 27. Nguyen graduated from college at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi and has been in the commercial real estate business for 23 years. He is the owner of DN Commercial Real Estate and has served as a councilman for Missouri City where he and his family live. While a councilman, Nguyen chaired the city’s International Relations Committee and had the privilege to welcome a 12-member delegation that included Vietnamese diplomats to a forum in Houston and speak to them about the potential for economic development. The native of Da Nang, Vietnam, said being able to promote trade from Texas to Vietnam and back is a “great, noble goal to pursue” and a “great beginning for good things to come.” He was right. He seems to make good things happen. Nguyen, who is most affable and effusive, majored in marketing and international business at A&M and “listened to people who got into commercial real es-

Ngueyn tate. I have always wanted to ﬁnd something that created wealth. I was tired of being poor.” These days he continues to fulﬁll his goal along with making Missouri City more prosperous. At a recent Missouri City Council meeting, Nguyen presented his plans about revitalizing Texas Parkway, which is one of the city’s major thoroughfares. So far he has already added a new Discount Tire location and Wingstop to the street that houses city hall and a new junior college building. “I was the one who bought the buildings, renovated them and brought in the businesses,” he told city council. He has bought 75,000 square feet of property on Texas Parkway and renovated it. That included an empty building that was formerly a Blockbuster and is now Discount Tire. “We just bought a shopping center of 55,000 sq. ft. on Texas Parkway. I am the only one who is making redevelopment of Texas Parkway. There’s lots of talk

but I’m doing it. By now I have developed 75,000 square feet on Texas Parkway and I have bought other businesses on FM 1092,” which is another major thoroughfare in Missouri City. Nguyen has also bought a shopping center on Hwy. 6 and rehabilitated it. “I buy the land, build the building, bring in tenants and then start a new project all over again.” When Missouri City At-Large Councilman Jerry Wyatt introduced Nguyen to the audience at city council, he said, “Here’s a guy who is really doing something and putting his money where his mouth is.” After applause from the audience, Nguyen thanked Wyatt for his encouragement and kind words and said, “Last year we closed on a shopping center of 65,000 square feet on six acres of land. We still have a vacant lot of 30,000 square feet.” He said he is currently trying to improve the landscape and facade of the center and keep good relations with the tenants. The entrepreneur said he has only a 10 percent vacancy in that center and that keeping tenants is the challenge of all developers. “Some come and go, some stay a long time. “About 10 years ago I heard a lot about the revitalization of Texas Parkway and how we had a vision of premium quality in that part of the city. The city has improved the infrastructure and added sidewalks. We bought the Blockbuster building. “You have to think about who will be there and what kind of product people want. I talked to a lot of people about having a Wing Stop,” Nguyen told council in his presentation. “We reno-

vated it and now 10 years later I see people inside it.” The business owner said that when he bought the strip center on Texas Parkway he could not leave the building like it was. “The only way I could go is to do complete renovations and a facelift – make a complete change to make a difference and go right ahead with the city’s visions for that corridor. “We come to you (city council) and ask for your input on this. How we will renovate the front? We don’t have a concrete plan for this 65,000 feet of stores. The city is making an effort to talk with the owners and we want your ideas and hear what you have to say. We took a bold move and a risk,” he said. Mayor Allen Owen told Nguyen that a facelift “will make a big difference in the entire shopping center.” Nguyen then showed council a sketch of how he sees the older shopping center turned into a new one. Owen said, “That’s outstanding.” Then Wyatt said, Nguyen “knows everything has to comply with the city ordinance. They are willing to start the progress and see it to the end. It will change the mindset and concept for all people, not just those who live along Texas Parkway.” Nguyen said that success in filling a new shopping center means “you ask people in the area for support and who come to buy the product. I came up with a list of 10 tenants. We focus on that tenant list. If we can get a national tenant that will change everything.” If anyone can do that, it will most likely be the successful and determined Danny Nguyen.

Public hearing on Sugar Land’s Land Use Plan set for June 26 Sugar Land City Council will hold a public hearing on the draft Land Use Plan on June 26, at 6 p.m., at Sugar Land City Hall, 2700 Town Center Blvd. North. In order to maximize public input on the Land Use Plan, a presentation and public hearing are scheduled for the same meeting to give City Council the opportunity to fully consider input received through the public hearing prior to providing direction on the update and prior to formal consideration of the plan at a future meeting. Residents serving on the Land Use Advisory Committee sought extensive input from the community during the last four years that guided work to update the plan. Earlier this year, City Council asked LUAC to seek additional input on the topic of multi-family. LUAC recently completed the additional work and has concluded that their original multi-family recommendations made in the plan are appropriate. To ensure the intent of LUAC’s recommendations is clearly interpreted -- preserve single-family residential neighborhoods and Sugar Land’s recognition as a premier place to live, work, shop and play -LUAC supported the clarification of language throughout the plan to reduce the opportunity for their intent to be misinterpreted and lead to unintended negative consequences. LUAC’s final recommendation includes maintaining the proportion of single-family to multi-family (88 percent to 12 percent, respectively) and clarifying the ratio is the community’s vision today and in the foreseeable future. LUAC also recommended minor modifications to further clarify that the intent of the plan is to provide guidance versus

regulations. These modiﬁcations, however, do include recommended additions to provide guidance for and encouraging future public input and review by both the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council if an exceptional development proposal is brought forward that is in accordance with the spirit of the plan but may deviate from the speciﬁc guidance established in the plan. “The residents on the Land Use Advisory Committee have worked extremely hard for over four years to gather extensive public input and make a recommendation for the city’s land use vision that is based on our community’s values,” said Mayor Joe R. Zimmerman. “In addition to reviewing the outcome of previous public feedback opportunities with the Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council asked that LUAC seek further feed-

back related to the feasibility of the plan’s recommendations - including whether or not any recommendations could be in conflict with the ultimate goal of preserving single-family residential neighborhoods while ensuring Sugar Land continues to be a premier place to live, work, shop and play in the region. I am very appreciative of the additional work and time these residents have committed, and I look forward to receiving their final recommendation on June 26.” The recommended draft Land Use Plan and a summary of LUAC’s final recommendations are available online at www. sugarlandtx.gov/LandUsePlan. Feedback on the plan can be provided at the upcoming City Council public hearing on June 26 or online at www.sugarlandtx.gov/onlinetownhall through June 21. A summary of feedback from Sugar Land residents and

those living in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction will be provided to the City Council at the public hearing. City Council will provide direction on the update prior to formal consideration of an ordinance to adopt the plan, which is anticipated to occur later this summer. The Land Use Plan, also known as Chapter 6 of the city’s Comprehensive Plan: *outlines policy direction and guidance for land-use decisions; *establishes a vision for land use; and *identiﬁes an action plan of projects to accomplish the landuse vision and goals. Recommendations were based on a four-year process that included extensive eﬀorts to engage the community and gather input. Public participation included meetings, Online Town Halls, an educational forum series and more.

By BARBARAFULENWIDER Stafford’s recent council business included naming the former 192 acres of TI property now owned by StreetLevel developers, which plan a mixed use of offices, apartments, retail shops, restaurants and more on the acreage. The managing principal of StreetLevel Investments, Brian Murphy, submitted three project names for the development to council. They were The Grid, The Spark and Lumen. In his letter to council, Murphy noted some Stafford history. He said, “For generations, Southwest Houston grew and prospered as its farming communities thrived on its rich soil and plentiful sunlight harvesting successful sugar and rice crops. “In 1967, the arrival of Texas Instruments Stafford campus provided the spark that lit the growth, employment and prosperity of Stafford, Fort Bend and SW Houston as it transformed the region into an economic power. Over the years, the TI Stafford campus was a source of new ideas, collaborations and innovative technology as it connected neighbors and local communities.” Because of the area’s rich legacy, Murphy wrote, the branding team elevated “Light and “Energy of Light,” as “unifying themes that incorporated Stafford’s history.” He wrote about why light should be part of the branding of the development and noted that “TI scientists invented the integrated circuit, won the Nobel Prize and changed the world. Now the ‘power of light’ has been harnessed to change the world again as scientists recently developed a light-based integrated circuit that uses light rather than electricity while consuming minute amounts of energy.” Murphy continued: “Additionally, the ‘Light’ or ‘Energy of Light’ theme as the parent brand generates rich sub-brands to address numerous stakeholders in a

mixed-use development.” He finished by saying that after “careful consideration and input from numerous stakeholders including office brokers, retailers, entertainment users, multifamily owners and hotel operators, StreetLevel believes the name for the project that encompasses both the storied history of the site as well as its transformation to be a beacon of light for Stafford is The Grid.” After little discussion by council on the topic, Scarcella said he “wasn’t overly enamored” with the name. “This is supposed to transform Stafford and get people so excited they will come from every where, so it should have a good name. Y’all think The Grid will get the 20 to 30 year olds all lathered up?” Councilmen A.J. Honore and Wen Guerra said they support the name and Guerra noted that it would not be the name of the mixed use development but would be the name of the area. With that said Scarcella asked council to suspend the rules and vote and they did 5-1 in favor of naming the acreage The Grid. The lone no vote was the mayor’s. Prior to naming the former TI property The Grid, council approved the development of Stafford’s 24th hotel. As Mayor Leonard Scarcella said, “They tell us everything about the whole deal and we get the hotel tax and don’t have to pay them a penny,” -- unlike the StreetLevel developers of The Grid property. The mayor also said, “The hotel will probably be one of the better ones in the city.” When asked why Stafford has so many hotels now, Scarcella said, “What makes Stafford attractive is it’s accessibility – how fast you can get in and out, which is quick and easy” with U.S. 90A and I-69 so close. The new TownePlace Suites of Marriott will be five stories on a 2.4-acre tract of land in The Fountains. It is owned by Nansad Stafford Three, LLC, and will have 106 guest rooms, fill 63,880 square feet and be on Fountain Lake Drive.

Notice of Name change I, Vijay Anjan Naidu, have changed my name to Vijay N Ali for all purposes.

Page 4 • INDEPENDENT • JUNE 13, 2018

MIKE’S MONOLOGUE

GUEST COLUMN

Charlotte started it By MICHAEL GRANTO If you have children, especially if they are young, it seems as though lots of things start out like Topsy: “She just growed.” Goldfish started out that way in our house. My wife had taken the kids to a church fair, where there were games and prizes and such. As it happened, my daughter Cathy got lucky at a ring toss game, and won a prize. She thought, and debated with herself, and talked with her mom, and finally selected her prize: a goldfish. Now, her mom tried, tactfully and diplomatically, I am sure, to suggest other prizes. Mom wasn’t sure that Cathy understood the care commitment involved with a goldfish. Besides, we didn’t even have a goldfish bowl. When they came home, the goldfish was in a plastic bag, and everyone stood around admiring it, and talking about what kind of “house” we ought to get for Charlotte. Yes, the goldfish was named Charlotte, because the movie “Charlotte’s Web” was popular at the time. She was a sturdy little creature, and gave every indication of excellent survivability. We put Charlotte in a clear glass bowl, and made plans to head for a nearby department store the next day to get her a proper house. And some food. And a pump, and a filter, and gravel, and some kind of garish treasure chest for the middle of the tank. There was a lot of conversation among the children about exactly what we ought to get, and Cathy had a trump card for solving any disputes: “She’s my goldfish! I won her.!” That didn’t make the boys happy, and sometimes they’d look to me for support. I had to smile and shake my head. We came home with a five gallon aquarium (a goldfish bowl would simply not do,) and some garish multicolored

Chief

From page 1 an historic low crime rate. Robins led technology initiatives such as red light cameras that have resulted in a 58 percent reduction of accidents at targeted intersections and a network of license plate recognition cameras that resulted in the arrests of more than nine criminals so far this year. Under his leadership, SLPD received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.

CAD

From page 1 list, on July 29, 2016 asked for the so called ‘Black list” and sought an explanation for placing him on the list. Bazan asked the CAD to “provide access and/or copies to any communications and documents that reference Thomas Bazan, and which relate in any way to a finding or decision by the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District to determine Thomas Bazan is not qualified as an Arbitrator under the laws of Texas.” The CAD replied saying that there were “no responsive documents,” and added that “the FBCAD determined that you also operate as a tax consultant, which can be considered a conflict of interest. Currently, the list is no longer being used by FBCAD for any purposes.” Recently, Spencer contacted Bazan and gave him a copy of the so-called “black list” with hand-written notes, suggesting that the CAD had withheld that document in 2016. Bazan lodged a complaint with the Fort Bend County Attorney and asked for an investigation of the TPIA violation by the CAD. The county attorney’s office

Granto gravel, which I really hated, and which was the only time I tried to intervene, suggesting that regular brown and tan gravel was more like Charlotte’s home in the wild. Cathy said, “But daddy, this other is so pretty!” We got all the accouterments home, and there were a surprising number of them. We spent a fair amount of time setting the aquarium up, connecting the air pump and filter, arranging the gravel, making sure that treasure chest was positioned just so, until finally Cathy decided Charlotte’s new home was ready for Charlotte. Since it was Cathy’s goldfish, it was Cathy’s job to feed Charlotte. The boys thought they ought to be able to feed fish, too, so ultimately, we got them a fish each. I remember a couple of black, bulgy-eyed fish, and they seemed to get along with Charlotte quite well. One nice thing that came out of this was that we decided to build our very own aquarium table, so we went to a nearby hardware store and got some table legs, stain, and brushes, and spent a pleasant afternoon assembling and finishing it. Periodically, we discovered that, like Topsy, this aquarium “...just growed....” We found, after a time, that goldfish weren’t interesting enough, so we had to consider getting some tropical fish. This, of course, required a bigger aquarium, with all the bells and whistles that go with it, and some fish that weren’t just fish, but had some special characteristic about them that

made them stand out. One of them was an iridescent shark we named “Rasputin.” We also had a dog-faced loach, and a striped loach, and several others, all in a twenty gallon tank, with the goldfish in their five gallon tank. Then I got promoted and transferred. From Buffalo, New York, to Miami, Florida. We spent some time considering how to handle the fish. I thought that bringing the fish with me to Miami, so they were already there when the family arrived, would help building a kind of bridge between where the kids were, and where they were going to be. The pet store across the street provided some really good advice. We ended up with the tropical fish in one bag and the goldfish in another bag, both puffed full of air, and both stuffed into a really sturdy styrofoam box which came aboard the plane with me. Right after I landed, I went to a store and got two aquariums and two air pumps, (but no decorations.) A few days later, when the family arrived, the first thing the kids did was check on the welfare of their fish. I could see they were happy that everything turned out well. And all of this, the aquariums, the different fish, all started with a lucky ring toss and a fish named Charlotte. We spent the next couple of weeks setting up the aquariums, decorating the tanks, and finishing the bridge between Buffalo and Miami. (Granto is a United States Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam, awarded the Purple Heart. For over 24 years, he worked for the University of Miami Medical Campus Security Department, and retired in 2014. He moved to Missouri City, with his wife to be closer to her daughter. He can be reached at mikegranto@hotmail.com.)

The review and certification of the department’s policies and procedures, management, operations and support services is considered one of the highest law enforcement recognitions. Robins joined SLPD in 1992 as a patrol officer and since served as a detective, sergeant, lieutenant and captain prior to his promotion to assistant chief in 2010. During that time, he has provided leadership for every division in the police department. He served as correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice from 1989 to 1991.

Robins earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Houston-Downtown and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University. He is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police and the FBI National Academy. He is also a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the Texas Police Chief’s Association.

received Bazan’s complaint on April 10. The county attorney’s office on April 12 met with CAD officials and determined that a TPIA violation occurred. Consequently, the CAD sought some time to research the records and provide the documents. On May 7, 2018, Irene Klein, Deputy Chief Appraiser, wrote to Bazan: “Kindly receive my apologies for the late submission of documents you requested. We were unable to submit the documents on time because of the extensive research of an ex employee’s emails that she had deleted. Our IT department worked diligently and restored the database to the time of the request. Once this was completed, we scanned all email boxes, and we searched for any documents relating to the “Do not use Arbitrators” list. Please know that the delay was in no way intentional, but rather very time consuming.” The county attorney’s office wrote to Bazan saying that “ a violation did occur on the part of the CAD for failing to respond to your request with records.... However, this office will not be bringing any action against the CAD, since they have now provided you with all

the information responsive to your request.” County Attorney Roy Cordes said his office confined the investigation to Mr. Bazans’ complaint and was satisfied with the CAD’s reasoning that the documents were deleted by an ex-employee and that they had to be restored or re-constructed from the back up. He felt pursuing a charge against the CAD would be futile. Since the county attorney’s office determined not to bring action against the CAD, Bazan could file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General, before 31 days after he received the returned complaint from the county attorney’s office. The county attorney returned the complaint on May 10,2018. On June 8, Bazan sent an email to the county attorney’s office objecting to their decision not to pursue charges against the CAD and that he would file a complaint with the AttorneyGeneral. Meanwhile, the CAD merely reproduced the copy of the document furnished by Rose Spencer to bolster Bazan’s complaint against the CAD and the CAD did not seem to have the impugned list with hand written notes, according to Rose Spencer.

Land Use Plan misses the mark, Leaves public safety at risk By DIANA MILLER Sugar Land City Council will hold a public hearing on the draft Land Use Plan on June 26. With rapid changes to economic conditions and post Harvey environmental issues at hand, I believe, the reconvening of the Land Use Advisory Committee was nothing more than an attempt to dismantle the City’s strict zoning in favor of rapid, high density development. The Committee had the opportunity to recommend a meaningful Land Use vision, but instead, they are rehashing the same old apartment issue. There was never any reason for Council to send the plan back to the LUAC as nothing substantial has changed. It did, however, allow Council to become stacked in favor of high density apartment development. While the Planning & Zoning Commission, with the same tired vision of a Chair and Vice Chair who have served over a decade, maintains its push for apartments to attract millennials, it is those same millennials who are turning away from brick & mortar retail. So why try so hard to attract the resident proﬁle who will not impact the declining sales tax revenue in the City, a resident profile with less disposable income than any other? As I watch our local retail big box stores shutting down

(PetSmart, Toys R Us), I see nothing changing in a vision to attract sustainable retail. It’s the same tired retail strip centers being built, while the older centers close. While so many cities are reinventing their local malls, First Colony is beginning to look much like the decline that occurred at Sharpstown Mall. City tax dollars are now being spent to revitalize with a new look, but that does nothing to change the underlying problems. Discussion of the Land Use Plan and its use as a Policy Document should have been discussed before a knowledgeable Land Use attorney. But then that might shed light on the Urban Development District zoning being in noncompliance with the existing City Land Use Plan Chapter 6. State law requires that an update to the development code be in compliance with the existing Land Use Plan. So how can an “urban zoning” district requiring a minimum of 4 stories be in compliance with our current Chapter 6 which speciﬁes a limit of two stories and a limit of no more than 200 units? And contrary to City statements, there is no exclusion in Chapter 6 for a Planned Development (PD) and it is not limited to the R4 districts. I must wonder if the delay of the Imperial Market is await-

ing the incorporation of more multi family. But perhaps the greatest loss for our City is the lost opportunity to create a meaningful Land Use vision that would protect the public from future flooding. There was the opportunity to remove the urban district, particularly at Telfair Tract 5. Perhaps a legal review could have provided an “out” for the City’s commitment to allow the developer to move forward with a high-density development. Without that “out”, the developer has the legal right to move forward and no “promise” by the Mayor can prevent the exercise of that right. This is an area of repeated flooding, but no action has been taken to ensure the development does not cause harm to surrounding neighborhoods. It’s interesting that Telfair HOA has remained silent in representing the interests of their residential neighborhoods, but then there seem to be too many residents interested in political opportunity rather than quality, sustainable development in their immediate community. While the City of Houston took decisive action to require building to the 500-year flood, Sugar Land leaders turned their backs on safety in favor of high density developers.

LETTER

Civility in short supply at Sugar Land City Council

To the Editor: I love Sugar Land, Texas and I love serving the public. Proof of this is that I have lived in Sugar Land and Fort Bend County for 25 years. I have proudly served as a police oﬃcer in Fort Bend County since 1992. With that said, I believe common courtesy is at the root of our amazing and diverse community. Two sad things happened on June 5 at the Sugar Land City Council meeting. First, I witnessed a Mayor that was rude, loud and simply not courteous toward two female City Council members. He possibly had a personal agenda when he motioned to

include two sitting council members on the upcoming citizen redistricting committee. When questioned by Council member Amy Mitchell the Mayor not only interrupted her but he then disregarded Carol McCutcheon’s opinion and called for a vote. His motion passed with a 5 to 2 vote. The second sad thing I witnessed on June 5th was no other council members stepped up to encourage the Mayor to remain civil. We do not and should not allow bully behavior anywhere. In fact, I received calls from Council Members defending his behavior. That should concern you if

you expect more from your council member. Simply put, my goal with this article and my videos (on Facebook page @Fergusonforfortbendcounty) is to convince more members of our wonderful community to engage the process. We have elected representatives to do what is best for us, not them. Great leaders set fabulous examples for us to follow. Let us hold our leaders and processes to a higher level. Please join me in making Sugar Land wonderful today and tomorrow. William Ferguson Sugar Land

Re-district

•

toral franchise. The plan should not fragment a geographically compact minority or community or pack minority voters in the presence of polarized voting so as to create liability under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, 52 U.S.C. § 10101. Public hearings will be held during the redistricting process to receive public comments on the proposed redistricting plans; meeting dates and times will be published at www.sugarlandtx. gov/Redistricting. The public will be invited to comment on redistricting plans as they are developed

and/or submit other redistricting plans for Council consideration. Redistricting plans submitted must meet the established criteria and guidelines. The committee is scheduled to make its recommendations to City Council on Aug. 21. City Council is scheduled to hold a workshop on Aug. 28 to discuss the committee’s recommendations and receive comments from the public. For copies of Resolution No. 18-19 or other comments, questions or requests, contact the Oﬃce of the City Secretary at (281) 275-2730, e-mail citysec@sugarlandtx.gov or visit www.sugarlandtx.gov.

From page 1 • sible, be based on existing district. • Districts must be configured so that they are relatively equal in total population according to the 2010 federal census. In no event should the total deviation between the largest and the smallest district exceed ten percent (10 percent). The city will attempt to achieve a deviation that is less than ten percent under the data released by the Census Bureau. • The districts will be composed of contiguous territory and should be compact. • Compactness may contain a function, as well as geographic dimension. • Consideration may be given to the preservation of incumbent-constituency relations by recognition of the residence of incumbents and their history in representing certain areas. • The plan will avoid retrogression in the position of racial minorities and language minorities as defined in the Voting Rights Act with respect to their effective exercise of the elec-

FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE.

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

www.fbindependent.com 281-980-6745

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

INDEPENDENT • JUNE 13, 2018 • Page 5

NEWS

First Colony Conference Center named after Clyde and Nancy Jacks

Sugar Land City Council recently renamed the First Colony Conference Center to honor a lifetime of community service from Clyde and Nancy Jacks. The facility located at 3232 Austin Parkway was designated the Clyde and Nancy Jacks Conference Center after a petition signed by more than 50 community members was submitted to the city. The group also donated $3,500 toward new signage and a dedication ceremony planned for later this year. A review of the petition confirmed the request met the requirements of a city policy that specifies criteria for naming facilities. “Clyde Jacks, with the support of his wife Nancy, had a long history of serving the Sugar Land community,” said community member Bill Jameson. “They were both involved in our community from their early years as First Colony residents. Clyde was very active in the First Colony Boy Scouts Organization, serving as a Troop Leader for many years. Of course, whatever Clyde was engaged in, so was Nancy. Clyde also led the first Eagle Scout organization in First Colony.” Clyde served as president of Fort Bend Municipal District 12 (FB MUD 12), and Nancy served as a director on Fort Bend Municipal District 13 for many years prior to the area’s annexation into Sugar Land. One of their hallmark projects included the phased development of First Colony Park, the home of First Colony Little League (FCLL).

Nancy and Clyde Jacks In addition to ballfields, Sugar Land reached the point concession stands, parking where FB MUD #12 was to and other park amenities, the be annexed by the city, Clyde complex includes the adjacent worked closely with the city to First Colony Conference achieve a smooth transition of Center, now known as the the district into the city. Clyde and Nancy Jacks “Under his leadership, he Conference Center. assisted the city in designating “(Their) plan for the FCLL some of the district’s funds for complex has delivered to this the construction of a fire station community a place where on Austin Parkway. That thousands of Sugar Land’s greatly enhanced the city’s young people and their families ability to provide emergency have spent countless hours response services in the First having fun while learning Colony area south of Highway team spirit, teambuilding 6.” skills and team responsibility Following annexation, as they develop into adults,” Clyde served on Sugar Land explained community member City Council for four terms, Glen Gill. “Clyde saw Sugar overseeing its population Land as an all-inclusive boom during the 1990s and community. He led FB MUD providing leadership for high#12 in establishing policies profile projects such as the supporting the development construction of the City Hall of housing for young adults as and Town Square. well as families with children. As residents of Sugar Land When the development of for more than 40 years, Clyde

and Nancy owned and operated a human resources firm, Trace Consultants, for more than 30 years. Clyde was extremely involved in the community, and especially in youth programs. He started and ran both Cub Scout Pack 631 and Boy Scout Troop 1631 in First Colony, and also volunteered in youth soccer and baseball leagues. Clyde graduated from Sam Houston State University, where he met his wife Nancy and was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. They married on Aug. 19, 1967. Shortly thereafter, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and completed Officer Candidate School. He attained the rank of captain, fought in the Vietnam War and ran the Reserved Officer Training Corps program at the University of Hawaii. Clyde died on Feb. 19 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Nancy died last year. They had two sons, Clyde “Trey” Jacks III and James Jacks, and were the grandparents of Madeline Jacks, Ethan Jacks and Cassidy Jacks. “Without Clyde and Nancy Jacks’ vision and hard work, in our opinion, our community would not be the first-class community it is today. In so many ways Clyde and Nancy Jacks have served everyone in the Sugar Land Community,” said former Mayor James Thompson. “The planning and leadership provided by the Clyde and Nancy Jacks team has played a key role in making Sugar Land one of the top nationally recognized cities to live in.”

Justice Center expansion is complete

The Fort Bend County Justice Center recently completed the addition of an administrative building to accommodate future court expansion. The County Clerk moved to the recently completed expansion on the 1st floor, the District Attorney now has offices on both the 1st and 2nd floors and the District Clerk is now located on the 3rd floor. Construction services were provided by Brookstone and the project was completed two months ahead of schedule. The move occurred primarily overnight and on weekends, over a three-week period at a cost of $467,000, so as not to interfere with the daily operations of the Justice Center. A-Rocket Movers, Southwest Solutions Group, American Erecting, Workplace Solutions and RSW Technologies collectively put in hundreds of hours to move furniture, work stations, file systems, and equipment. The successful move would not have been possible without the cooperation and assistance of the relocation contractor,

Fort Bend County Justice Center with new addition on the left

the many highly qualiﬁed vendors, and all departments involved. The relocation cleared the way for construction of a new courtroom, expanded law library, two multi-purpose hearing rooms and a remodeled Grand Jury room. The Sugar Land Police Department had seen an increase in vehicle burglaries in the neighborhoods on the south end of town last month. The vast majority were cars parked overnight, left unlocked, with valuables left inside. Through a little education we can help cut down the number of people victimized, according to the police. “We typically see an increase in vehicle break ins during summer months when teens are out of school. I attached an image with some information on it reminding people to lock their cars and remove their valuables when going in for the night. It would be awesome if you could help disseminate the info through the HOA social media, newsletter, e-mail etc. Thanks for any help in getting the info out there. Stuart Sanderson Police Oﬃcer Sugar Land Police Department Crime Prevention Unit

Currently, the Justice Center visitor entrance remains the same and the recently expanded parking garage will accommodate the growth. Judge Bob Hebert said, “The completion of the second phase construction of the Justice Center provides a per-

manent home for the District Attorney, the District Clerk and the County Clerk’s staﬀ supporting our County Courts. This move to the new expansion will allow for build-out of several new courtrooms as our County population grows.”

Second Mile Mission Center hosts 3 Open House Sessions Second Mile Mission Center will hold a summer open house on Wednesday, June 27, with three scheduled sessions throughout the day. Staff, board, and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and lead guided tours. The event is free and open to the public. “Every day, people who are hungry or hurting find hope here,” said Sarah White, Executive Director. “This is a great way to learn about the need and see how you or your organization can get involved.” The 6:30 a.m. breakfast session is geared toward health care professionals interested in learning more about the Pat McWaters Health Clinic at Second Mile. The clinic is seeking dental assistants, dentists, physicians, nurses, and specialists to volunteer once a month or as available. Malpractice insurance is available, whether professionals choose to serve at the free clinic or out of their own practice. At the 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. sessions, individuals can enjoy refreshments and light bites, as they tour and hear testimonials from people served by Second Mile’s programs. They can drop off donations and even leave an encouraging note to be given to someone in need. Businesses and organizations can learn how to engage their employees or members in community service. Families are welcome to come learn about opportunities to volunteer with their children. Second Mile moved into its current leased facility after it was newly built in 2013. Visitors will notice a new look in Second Mile’s reception area, now known as the Neighbor Center. “After 5 years of serving hundreds of families a week in the facility, the building went through some inevitable wear and tear,” said White. “Now we’ve refreshed our floors and walls to continue offering a welcoming space for our neighbors in need.” To register for the open house or learn more, visit www.secondmile.org/events, or call Sheena Abraham at (281) 261-9199, ext. 213. Second Mile is located at 1135 Highway 90A, Missouri City, TX 77489 between Texas Parkway and Beltway 8. Second Mile Mission Center is a faith-based outreach for Fort Bend families and individuals in need. With an award-winning food pantry and a free medical and dental clinic, Second Mile meets basic physical needs while providing equipping programs such as financial education, job readiness training, and English as a Second Language. Second Mile is completely community funded and is one of the largest stand-alone benevolence centers in the Houston area. www.SecondMile.org

Appeal From Page 1 Harrington was also ordered to take 22.5 hours of continuing legal education classes on topics relevant to the lawsuit. The court of appeals affirmed the trial court’s judgment, concluding: “Despite warnings from defense counsel that the claims asserted were frivolous, filed in bad faith, and sanctionable, Harrington nevertheless persisted in repeatedly amending the pleadings to eventually include numerous public officials and others who were required to obtain counsel and defend themselves for over a year against ever-morphing claims for prospective injunctive relief unsupported by either cogent allegations or evidence of wrongdoing under the new civil truancy system.” “We are grateful for the court of appeal’s decision. It

is unfortunate that the plaintiﬀs and their lawyers pursued a meritless lawsuit that subjected the district and county to needless and costly litigation. The court’s opinion serves as vindication for dedicated public servants who work to ensure that the children in our community go to school,” said Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees President Jason Burdine. Prior to the start of the 2015-16 school year, Fort Bend ISD introduced new attendance procedures in accordance with House Bill 2398, which was passed by the 84th Texas Legislature and created a new civil process governing truancy proceedings, moving student truancy proceedings away from criminal courts. In order to better support students, staﬃng was added at high school campuses to provide more personal interactions with families and ensure accuracy.

Seven Fort Bend ISD students named 2018 College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Winners

Congratulations to the seven Fort Bend ISD high school graduates named 2018 College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship winners by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). They are among 3,500 winners of National Merit Scholarships ﬁnanced by U.S. colleges and universities. FBISD’s 2018 CollegeSponsored Merit Scholarship winners include: •Matthew Chen, Clements High School, NM Texas A&M University Scholarship •Elsbeth Chow, Dulles High School, NM Texas A&M University Scholarship •Amsai Kassam, Dulles High School, NM Texas A&M University Scholarship •Amy H. Patel, Austin High School, NM University of Houston Scholarship •Elizabeth Louise Roberts, Clements High School, NM Texas A&M University Scholarship •Ashish Singh, Elkins High School, NM University of Texas at Dallas Scholarship

•Nicole Wang, Clements High School, NM Vanderbilt University Scholarship This year, 178 higher education institutions are underwriting Merit Scholarship awards through the National Merit Scholarship Program. Sponsor colleges and universities include 100 private and 78 public institutions located in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Oﬃcials of each sponsor college and university selected their scholarship winners from among the Finalists in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. The awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution ﬁnancing the scholarship. The NMSC will announce additional winners of collegesponsored awards in July, bringing the number of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship recipients in the 2018 competition to nearly 4,000.

Page 6 • INDEPENDENT • JUNE 13, 2018 NOTICE OF SALE FORT BEND COUNTY LEVEE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NO. 20 (A Political Subdivision of the State of Texas Located within Fort Bend County, Texas) $2,450,000 Unlimited Tax Levee Improvement Bonds, Series 2018 Bids to be Submitted: 9:30 A.M., Central Time Bids to be Opened: 11:00 A.M., Central Time Thursday, June 28, 2018 Place and Time of Sale: The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 20 (the “District”) will receive and publicly read bids for the purchase of the Bonds at the designated meeting place outside the boundaries of the District at 77 Sugar Creek Center Blvd., Suite 565, Sugar Land, Texas at 11:00 A.M., Central Time, on Thursday June 28, 2018. Address of Bids: Bids, which must be submitted in duplicate on the Official Bid Form and plainly marked “Bid for Bonds,” should be addressed to “President and Board of Directors of Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 20,” and delivered to the District’s Financial Advisor, Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, 1331 Lamar Street, Suite 1360, Houston, Texas 77010 prior to 9:30 A.M., Central Time, on the date of the bid opening. Any bid received after 9:30 A.M., Central Time, on Thursday June 28, 2018, will not be accepted and will be returned unopened. All bids must be accompanied by a Bank Cashier’s Check in the amount of $49,000 payable to the order of the District as a good faith deposit. Information: The Bonds are more completely described in the “Official Notice of Sale” and the “Preliminary Official Statement” which may be obtained from Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, 1331 Lamar Street, Suite 1360, Houston, Texas 77010; Financial Advisor to the District. The District reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any and all irregularities except time of filing. This notice does not constitute an offer to sell the Bonds but is merely notice of sale of the Bonds as required by law. The offer to sell the Bonds will be made only by means of the “Official Notice of Sale,” “Preliminary Official Statement,” and the “Official Bid Form.”

Board of Directors Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 20

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Harvest Green, Section 9, Precinct 3. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for River Run at the Brazos, Section Three-B and Section Four-A, Precinct 1. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and/or Order of Sale issued on February 28, 2018 by the 434th JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County, Texas in Cause# 17-DCV-244120 in favor of the plaintiff- WINFIELD LAKES HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, recovered judgment amount for the sum of$ 9,849.27 ++++costs as taxed on said execution and/or order of sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on May 2nd, 2018 and will offer for sale on the day of Tuesday July 03 , 2018 at the County Court house 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., and all rights, title, interests, and claims which the said Defendant ( s) OMAR WALTERS & MISTY WILLIAMS had of in or to the following described Real Property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; Legal Description: LOT EIGHTEEN (18), IN BLOCK ONE (1), OF WINFIELD LAKES, SEC. 18, A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT NO. 20120095, OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY,TEXAS. TIME: SALE TO BE HELD AT OR ABOUT 10:00 A.M. PLACE: 301 JACKSON ST., WILLIAM TRAVIS BUILDING, 1st FLOOR MEETING ROOM, RICHMOND TEXAS 77469. Gary Majors, Constable Fort Bend County Precinct Two By: Sergeant C. McRae #132 Deputy Constable

Missouri City hires TaBorah Goffney as its first Animal Services Manager On June 5, Missouri City welcomed TaBorah Goffney aboard as its first Animal Services Manager with oversight of day-today operations and performance objectives, including to: • Supervise, and assist, in the Animal Services Division; • Protect the health, safety and welfare of pets in the shelter’s care; • Enforce rules, policies and procedures, accordPUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Aliana Trace Drive Street Dedication, Section 4, Precinct 4. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Walnut Creek, Section 14, Precinct 1. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

COMMUNITY

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and/or Order of Sale issued on January 23,2018 by the 434th JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County, Texas in Cause# 17-DCV-241183 in favor of the plaintiff- SOUTHWEST CROSSING HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, recovered judgment amount for the sum of $ 4,911.48 ++++costs as taxed on said execution and/or order of sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on May 8, 2018 and will offer for sale on the day Tuesday of July 3, 2018 at the County Court house 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., and all rights, title, interests, and claims which the said Defendant (s) - SONJA PLICHETTA AUNDEY STAR GILL had of in or to the following described Real Property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; Legal Description: 14506 STONE PARK RD. MISSOURI CITY, FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS 77489, ALSO KNOWN AS SOUTHWEST CROSSING, SECTION 1 BLOCK 5, LOT 23 (THE “PROPERTY”). TIME: SALE TO BE HELD AT OR ABOUT 10:00 A.M. PLACE: 301 JACKSON ST., WILLIAM TRAVIS BUILDING, 1st FLOOR MEETING ROOM, RICHMOND TEXAS 77469. Gary Majors, Constable Fort Bend County Precinct Two By: Sergeant C. McRae #132 Deputy Constable

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk CONSTABLE SALE Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution and/or Order of Sale issued on January 15,2010 by the 268th JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT of Fort Bend County, Texas in Cause# 08-DCV-161578 in favor of the plaintiff- KINGSWAY COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC., Plaintiff, recovered judgment amount for the sum of$ 8,629.90++++ costs as taxed on said execution and/or order of sale and further the sum of executing the same. I have levied on May 21, 2018 and will offer for sale on the 3rd day of July, 2018 at the County Court house 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., and all rights, title, interests, and claims which the said Defendant (s)- SHELIA R. RHODES had of in or to the following described Real Property situated in Fort Bend County, Texas; Legal Description: LOT 11, BLOCK 01 , OF KINGSWAY, AN ADDITION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN THE MAP RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, UNDER VOLUME 22, AS MODIFIED BY ANY SUPPLEMENTS THERETO OR REPLATS THEREOF. TIME: SALE TO BE HELD AT OR ABOUT 10:00 A.M. PLACE: 301 JACKSON ST., WILLIAM TRAVIS BUILDING, 1st FLOOR MEETING ROOM, RICHMOND TEXAS 77469. Gary Majors, Constable Fort Bend County Precinct Two By: Sergeant C. McRae #132 Deputy Constable

CONSTABLE’S NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, that by virtue of a certain Order of Sale issued by the clerk of the 240TH District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas on MAY 8, 2018 in cause numbered 14-DCV-220111 styled QUAIL VALLEY FUND, INC vs. EARL ALLEN AND CARLETTA J. ALLEN, in which a judgment was rendered on OCT 5, 2016 in favor of QUAIL VALLEY FUND, INC. for the sum of Nine Thousand Eighty -Four Dollars and Twenty Eight Cents ($9084.28); plus fees for posting notice of sale, publishing, costs of suit rendered by the court, legal fees, and all costs of executing this Writ.

CONSTABLE’S NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, that by virtue of a certain Order of Sale issued by the clerk of the 268TH District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas on MAY 8 2018 in cause numbered 17-DCV-240574 styled QUAIL VALLEY FUND, INC vs. LAYNA STEED, in which a judgment was rendered on JUNE 23, 2017 in favor of QUAIL VALLEY FUND, INC. for the sum of Three Thousand Nine Hundred Fifty Three Dollars and Ninety One Cents ($3953.91); plus fees for posting notice of sale, publishing, costs of suit rendered by the court, legal fees, and all costs of executing this Writ.

CONSTABLE’S NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, that by virtue of a certain Order of Sale issued by the clerk of the 268TH District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas on MAY 8, 2018 in cause numbered 17-DCV-241365 styled QUAIL VALLEY FUND, INC vs. HEATHER R. ANDERSON, in which a judgment was rendered on OCT 6, 2017 in favor of QUAIL VALLEY FUND, INC. for the sum of Five Thousand Two Hundred Thirty -Eight Dollars and Thirty Nine Cents ($5238.39); 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 22, 2018 and will on July 3, 2018 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 EARL ALLEN AND CARLETTA J. ALLEN to and in the following described Real Property

I have levied upon the below listed property on May 22, 2018 and will on July 3, 2018 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 Layna Steed to and in the following described Real Property

I have levied upon the below listed property on May 22, 2018 and will on July 3, 2018 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 HEATHER R. ANDERSON to and in the following described Real Property

LOT NINE (9) IN BLOCK THREE (3) OF QUAIL VALLEY SUBDIVISION,ELDORADO SECTION, A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS,ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN VOLUME 7 PAGE 1,OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, AND COMMONLY KNOWN AS 3522 LA COSTA RD MISSOURI CITY, TX 77459

LOT TWENTY-FIVE (25) BLOCK TWO (2) OF THUNDERBIRD WEST SECTION TWO(2) A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS,ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN VOLUME 15 PAGE 6,OF THE MAP RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, AND MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS 3411 HIGH PINE COURT MISSOURI CITY, TX 77459(PROPERTY) The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment in favor of QUAIL VALLEY FUND, INC. Plaintiff, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof. LOCATION: FORT BEND COUNTY TRAVIS BLDG 1ST FLR MEETING ROOM 301 JACKSON ,RICHMOND, TX 77469 DATE: JULY 3, 2018 TIME: APPROX. 11:00 am BY: Sergeant M. Kutach TREVER J. NEHLS Constable Pct. 4 Fort Bend County, Texas

LOT (4) BLOCK SIXTEEN (16) OF QUAIL VALLEY SUBDIVISION,ELDORADO SECTION, A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS,ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN VOLUME 7 PAGE 1,OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, AND COMMONLY KNOWN AS 2715 PEBBLE BEACH DR MISSOURI CITY, TX 77459(PROPERTY) The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment in favor of QUAIL VALLEY FUND, INC. Plaintiff, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof. LOCATION: FORT BEND COUNTY TRAVIS BLDG 1ST FLR MEETING ROOM 301 JACKSON ,RICHMOND, TX 77469 DATE: JULY 3, 2018 TIME: APPROX. 11:00 am BY: Sergeant M. Kutach TREVER J. NEHLS Constable Pct. 4 Fort Bend County, Texas

The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment in favor of QUAIL VALLEY FUND, INC. Plaintiff, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof. LOCATION: FORT BEND COUNTY TRAVIS BLDG 1ST FLR MEETING ROOM 301 JACKSON ,RICHMOND, TX 77469 DATE: JULY 3, 2018 TIME: APPROX. 11:00 am BY: Sergeant M. Kutach TREVER J. NEHLS Constable Pct. 4 Fort Bend County, Texas

ing to best industry practices; • Manage the adoption of pets; and • Direct the work of municipal volunteers Goffney, who earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Tuskegee University, brings more than 11 years’ expertise, knowledge and skill to the position. Prior to joining the “Show Me City”, Goffney served at the Central Houston Animal Hospital as the Veterinary Technician Manager for more than eight years, with primary responsibility for scheduling, training, maintaining the equipment and surgical suite, assisting veterinarians with animal management, maintaining medical records and the drug log, tracking product orders and inventory, overseeing client service and care, publishing a hospital newsletter and updating the entity’s website and Facebook page. Her qualifications also consist of experience as a Veterinary Technician with the City of Houston’s Bureau of Animal Regulation & Control (6 months) and as a Director of Pet Nursing at the Banfield Pet Hospital in Houston (3 years). “We conducted a statewide candidate search for this new role, and TaBorah’s interest, ability and enthusiasm stood out the most amongst 33 applicants,” said Director of Public Works Shashi Kumar, whose department encompasses Animal Services. “TaBorah will be an integral part of our high-performance

TaBorah Goffney organization and can lead the of the team.” Goffney added division to the next level.” that “providing exceptional Kumar further explained that customer service to the citizens the Animal Services Manager and pet population of Missouri post was developed through the City will continue to be their direction of City Manager An- top priority.” thony J. Snipes with approval from City Council as part of measures for service improvements in the division. “The extensive screening Download the free process involved two panel interviews, professional refFBInd App erence checks, a diagnostic skills exam and a review from from the Apple the Animal Advisory Board,” Kumar said. “TaBorah’s perStore or Google formance was excellent across Playstore for a the board, and we are confident that she is the best fit for the pleasant reading organization.” Goffney will office at the of City’s Animal Shelter located at 1923 Scanlin Rd. and said Fort Bend she “enjoys public service and is looking forward to being part Independent

NOTICE OF ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW OFFICE AND ADDITIONAL OUT-OF-DISTRICT MEETING PLACE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF FIRST COLONY LEVEE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT To the residents and taxpayers of First Colony Levee Improvement District (the “District”), and to all the persons interested in the meetings of the Board of Directors of such District: Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the District, at a meeting held June 5, 2018, established (1) an office at the offices of Costello, Inc., 2107 CityWest Blvd., 3rd Floor, Houston, Texas 77042, for the purposes of receiving bids on certain public works projects, administering construction contracts for such projects, receiving correspondence related to such contracts, and for the storage of the plans and specifications of such projects; and (2) an additional meeting place outside the boundaries of the District at the offices of Costello, Inc., 2107 CityWest Blvd., 3rd Floor, Houston, Texas 77042. Said meeting place is hereby declared to be a public place and open to the public. All residents and taxpayers of the District and all other interested persons are hereby invited to attend any meetings of the Board of Directors at such location and other locations previously established by the Board of Directors as meeting places of the District. /s/ Debra Coffman Secretary, Board of Directors CONSTABLE’S NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, that by virtue of a certain Order of Sale issued by the clerk of the 434TH District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas on APRIL 13, 2018 in cause numbered 16-DCV-234444styled LONG MEADOW FARMS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION INC. vs. DANIELLE MITCHELL, in which a judgment was rendered on NOV 7, 2017 in favor of LONG MEADOW FARMS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION INC. For the sum of Nine Thousand Fourteen Dollars and Thirty Six Cents ($9014.36); 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 17 2018 and will on July 3, 2018 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 DANIELLE MITCHELL to and in the following described Real Property LOT 62, BLOCK 1 LONG MEADOW FARMS, SECTION 4 A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY TEXAS,ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED UNDER PLAT NO. 20040049 OF THE MAT/ PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS,MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS 21122 AMBER CROSSING. RICHMOND, TX 77406 (PROPERTY) The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment in favor of LONG MEADOW FARMS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION INC. Plaintiff, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof. LOCATION: FORT BEND COUNTY TRAVIS BLDG 1ST FLR MEETING ROOM 301 JACKSON ,RICHMOND, TX 77469 DATE: JULY 3, 2018 TIME: APPROX. 11:00 am BY: DEPUTY SHANE STEELE TREVER J. NEHLS Constable Pct. 4 Fort Bend County, Texas

CONSTABLE’S NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, that by virtue of a certain Order of Sale issued by the clerk of the 268TH District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas on May 4, 2018 in cause numbered 17-DCV-239611 styled Waterview Estates Homeowners Assoc. Inc. vs. Tyrone G. Jackson, in which a judgment was rendered on November 3,, 2017 in favor of Waterview Estates Homeowners Assoc. Inc. for the sum of Five Thousand Eighteen Dollars and Twenty Seven Cents ($5,018.27); 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 18, 2018 and will on July 3rd, 2018 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 Tyrone G. Jackson to and in the following described Real Property LOT 33, IN BLOCK 3 OF WATERVIEW ESTATES SECTION ONE (1), ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED NDER CLERK’S FILE NO. 20040042 OF THE OFFICIAL RECORDSOF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS MORE COMMONLY KNOW AS 5907 BALDWIN ELM ST., RICHMOND TX. 77407 The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment in favor of Waterview Estates Homeowners Assoc. Inc. Plaintiff, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof. LOCATION: FORT BEND COUNTY TRAVIS BLDG 1ST FLR MEETING ROOM 301 JACKSON ,RICHMOND, TX 77469 DATE: JULY 3, 2018 TIME: APPROX. 11:00 am BY: DEPUTY SHANE STEELE TREVER J. NEHLS Constable Pct. 4 Fort Bend County, Texas

on your mobile phone.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Berry Tract, Precinct 1. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Fieldstone, Section 15 and Mason Road at Fieldstone Street Dedication, Section 2, Precinct 4. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Glendale Lakes, Section 2, Precinct 1. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. for acceptance of the traffic control plan for Grand Vista Lakes, Section 1, Grand Vista Lakes, Section 2 and Grand Vista Lakes Drive and Reserves, Precinct 2. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at 401 Jackson Street, Second Floor, Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter.

Submitted by,

Laura Richard Fort Bend County Clerk

INDEPENDENT • JUNE 13, 2018 • Page 7

SCHOOLS

Austin Elementary and Briscoe JH earn History Quiz Bowl crown

Austin Elementary made history by being the first ever winner of the Lamar CISD 5th-grade American History Quiz Bowl. The Austin team defeated the other 23 District k-5 campuses in a test of knowledge of American History. Jennifer Albright is the coach of the Austin team. Meanwhile, the annual 8th-grade contest continued, with Briscoe Junior High being this year’s winner. Marco de La Fuente coached the Briscoe squad. The elementary schools competed May 24 via an Internet hookup, with questions answered and scored from a central location. Above, Brisoce Junior High students: Back row. Chris Brown, Seema Patel, Alora Austin Elementary. Back row. Lilly Tankersley, Dori Soward, Brennan Holloway, Charles Wadley; Middle row. Marco de La Fuente, Meredith Clark, Isabella Caycedo, Spencer Horn- Green, Marco Perez; Front Row. Melanie Garcia, Aaron Herrera, Joshua Martinez. beck. Front row. James Ilao, Emily Naivar, Miguel Jimenez, David Martin.

LCISD’s Air Force JROTC gets outstanding organization award Lamar Consolidated High School’s Air Force JROTC program -- Unit TX-792 -- has been selected as one of only 119 units in the nation to receive the 2017-2018 Air Force JROTC Outstanding Organization Award. This award recognizes Air Force JROTC units that have performed well above and beyond normal expectations and

have distinguished themselves through outstanding service to their school and community while meeting the Air Force JROTC citizen development mission. The unit includes students from Lamar Consolidated and George Ranch high schools. The objectives of the Air Force JROTC program are to educate and train high school

cadets in citizenship and life skills; promote community service; instill responsibility, character and self-discipline through character education; and to provide instruction in air and space fundamentals. Right, Members of the Lamar Consolidated HS JROTC stand at attention.

Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine hosts annual sports physicals

Dr. Nader Ayub performs exam on student. Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine at Sugar Land is oﬀering annual student physicals from 9 a.m. to noon on July 28 for Fort Bend ISD, Staﬀord MSD and any other student athlete needing a physical. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) requires all high school athletes to undergo and pass a physical examination prior to participating in sports. Physical evaluations include examining height, weight, vision, blood pressure, pulse, ears, nose, throat, heart, lungs, abdomen, spine, and all joints in the upper and lower body. Physicians discuss the athletes’ medical history and consult with them and their parents if further evaluation is necessary prior to releasing them to participate in sports. “I grew up in the area and attended Elsik High School, so it is an honor to come back and support the players. We look forward to continuing to support these school districts,” said Vincent Phan, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and team physician. “We truly en-

joy working with the schools in these districts.” Houston Methodist physicians have been associated with local school districts for more than 18 years and have donated more than $500,000 back to those communities. “Performing physical examinations is just part of being the team physician. Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine physicians support coaches, athletic trainers and players throughout the school year,” said Timothy Sitter, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and team physician. “Partnering with Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine provides a convenient, inexpensive opportunity for our athletes to complete this physical exam,” said Richard Gregoire, head district athletic trainer for Fort Bend ISD. “This partnership continues to provide access to some of the ﬁnest doctors in our community and a safer environment for our amazing students as they participate in our athletic programs,” he said. On July 28 from 9 a.m. to

noon, Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine will host student physicals at 16811 Southwest Fwy., Sugar Land, TX, 77479. Orthopedic, sports medicine and cardiology physicians will be on-site to provide additional clearance as needed. The cost is $20 (cash only) for ages 12 through 18. Be sure to bring a completed UIL Physical Evaluation form, which can be printed from events.houstonmethodist.org/ physicals-sl along with the Houston Methodist release form. Proceeds generated from the physicals are donated back to the athletic training program of the school the student attends. Students receiving a physical will also get a free T-shirt. For more information, email athletictrainer@houstonmethodist.org or call 281.275.0447. Please note that email is not a secure means to communicate conﬁdential or healthrelated information, including Social Security number, date of birth, ﬁnancial information, etc.

Page 8 • INDEPENDENT • JUNE 13, 2018

COMMUNITY

Fort Bend Aggie Moms’ Club awards scholarships to local Texas A&M Students

Consulate General of India, Houston, in partnership with various supporting organizations, invite you to celebrate International Day of Yoga

Thursday, 21st June 2018 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Scholarship winners: Charles Ransome, Dylan Crocker, Zachary Miller, Madeline Rios, Joseph Buckle, David Belleza, John Clayton, Aubrey Bilicek, Margo Warncke, Hunter Stewart and Michael Wang. The Fort Bend County Aggie continue to support their stu- thal, Hunter Stewart, Michael Moms’ Club, an organization dents once they graduate high Wang and Margo Warncke. The Fort Bend County Aggie of friendship, education, net- school and embark on their Moms’ Club also honored gradworking and support, recently college careers. The local club exists to give uating seniors Jeremy Beaty, announced the recipients of the 2018 scholarships and its back to the community and its Ryan Brown, Brian Buckle, Katherine Cornell, Amy Dodstudents. graduating seniors. Monthly meetings and ac- son, Emma Gaas, Maisie HarThe organization seeks to support students through tivities are held in order to ries, Collin Haun, Jacqueline scholarships and donations to raise money to provide schol- Hickl, Emily Hughes, Colin campus organizations by par- arships for Texas A&M Uni- Kirchof, Grant Lincecum, Lauticipation in fundraising events versity students who apply and ren Teresa Holladay, Macey throughout the year. The moms qualify. This year, during their Mulcahy, Zach Ransome, Micome together to learn the May 14th meeting, the club chael Sallean, Joshua Samuel, things their kids don’t tell them, awarded 19 scholarships total- Patrick Seiler, Mason Smith, Mallory Smith, Kaitlyn Trei, have fun and share the joys and ing $25,000. Scholarships were awarded Allison Voehringer, Michael tears of parenting through the to Brooke Michelle Aaron, Wang, Megan Whitworth and college years. The Federation of Texas Megan Bates, David Belleza, Jennifer Wu. Visit FortBendMoms.AgA&M University Mothers’ Aubrey Bilicek, Lauren Brown, Clubs is a unique organization Joseph Buckle, John Clayton, gieNetwork.com for more inuniting students’ mothers for Dylan Crocker, Teresa Hresko, formation and if you are interthe purpose of supporting their Robert Kellogg, Zachary Mill- ested in joining and have a stuchildren and the university they er, Mary Frances Odukwe, Re- dent at Texas A&M University, becca Parke, Charles Ransome, including the College Station, attend. It is the members’ goal to Madeline Rios, Jaclyn Rosen- Galveston and Blinn Team.

Midtown Park, 2811 Travis St, Houston, TX 77006 RSVP at yogadayoftexas2018.eventbrite.com Opening Remarks by Consul General of India, Dr. Anupam Ray Yoga Asana Practice Guided relaxation Closing Remarks Celebration with Colors

yogadayoftexas.org

facebook.com/yogadayoftexas

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HOUSTON METHODIST CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY ASSOCIATES Houston Methodist Cardiovascular Surgery Associates is pleased to welcome Dr. Jean Bismuth and Dr. Charlie Cheng to the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital campus. These board-certified vascular surgeons offer a full scope of surgical and minimally invasive endovascular options to treat diseases of the vascular system. Their level of expertise combined with access to state-of-the-art technology at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, allows for rapid diagnosis and treatment of vascular conditions, and better long-term outcomes for patients. To schedule an appointment, call 713.352.1820.

Jean Bismuth, MD, FACS

Charlie Cheng, MD, FACS

Vascular Surgery

16605 Southwest Fwy. Medical Ofﬁce Building 3 Sugar Land, TX 77479 houstonmethodist.org/spg