VOL 2 No. 35
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
Clements’ Cuties calendar contest
Region 4 Elementary Teacher of the Year
Parker
Time again for a little fall fun. The Clements’ Stars Dance Team is hosting their 5th annual Clements’ Cuties Calendar Contest at 7 p.m. on Friday Oct. 16th, in the CHS Auditorium. The 2009 participants will consist of two lucky young men from each club, or organization determined by the senior class. These 24 contestants will show off their skills in the talent, question, and modeling portions of the program that evening. The audience members will then cast their ballots to decide who will be the 12 “Cuties” featured in the calendar. The package of one admission ticket with one calendar is $15. Calendars alone are $12 each, and individual tickets are $5 each. You may purchase these from any CHS Stars’ Dance Team member beginning Oct. 5th, or during lunch each day Oct. 12th - 16th in the commons. All proceeds go toward the Stars Dance Team competition season expenses. For further information on this event please email Katherine Cervantes at cervan5@aol.com, or call her at 281980-9801. Pictured are: (front row left to right), Marissa Minter, and Mallory Housand. (Top row left to right) are Heather Dai, Janice Wong, Leah Sears, and Erika Cervantes.
AG defends Texas Open Meetings Act Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Monday took legal action to defend the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) from a legal challenge to its constitutionality. Former Alpine city council members Avinash Rangra and Anna Monclova have filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of penalties that TOMA imposes on government officials who violate open meetings laws. On Sept. 24, Solicitor General James Ho will defend the law during an oral argument before the full 17-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
In February 2005, Rangra was indicted for violating TOMA. According to local prosecutors, Rangra sent emails to a quorum of the Alpine City Council. Because those e-mails discussed official government business, Rangra was charged with conducting an illegal, closed meeting. The charges were later dropped. However, Rangra and Monclova subsequently challenged TOMA in federal court, claiming the law violates the First Amendment. Their lawsuit sought an injunction preventing TOMA’s enforcement.
The federal district court rejected the lawsuit, but a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit later sent the case back to the trial court to review TOMA under a stricter standard of review. In response, Attorney General Abbott asked the Fifth Circuit court to accept the case for rehearing before the entire court. In a brief that was filed Monday, the Attorney General argues that TOMA furthers, rather than frustrates, fundamental First Amendment values. See OPEN, Page 3
Le Anne Parker of Pecan Grove Elementary School was named Region 4 Elementary Teacher of the Year at a special awards dinner held recently. Parker was selected as FBISD Elementary Teacher of the Year and progressed to the regional competition as a finalist. She advanced to participate in the Texas Education Agency’s annual Texas Teacher of the Year Program, where two teachers (elementary and secondary) will be selected in October to represent the entire state. Parker is a 27-year veteran educator and a speech pathologist. She is inspired in her profession by the words of Charles Schulz, the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip, who said, “The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards. They are simply the ones who care the most.” She believes her greatest accomplishments in education are found in working with her students, their families and the teachers she supports. She sincerely hopes to be remembered as one of the ones who “cared the most.”
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
FBISD adopts deficit budget, pay raise for all The Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees on Aug. 25 approved a $498.28 million operating budget. The adopted budget projects deficit spending that will be funded from the district’s reserve accounts. The budget includes an increase in the spending per pupil, a continued low administrative cost ratio, and additional staffing for opening a new campus – Juan Seguin Elementary School. Included in the budget is a teaching staff state raise of $940 plus a step increase, which is an average salary increase of 2.7 percent. First-year teachers in Fort Bend ISD will start at $44,500. The non-teaching staff pay increase approved by the board will be approximately 2 percent, and no increases for employee contributions were made for the district’s self-funded Health Insurance Plan. Though the budget was adopted unanimously, the trustees were split on two issues. Trustee Daniel Menendez moved an amendment to eliminate the increase in monthly insurance premiums, proposed in the budget. Trustees David Reitz, Marilyn Glover and Laurie Caldwell, sought to retain the
increase in premiums. Board members Bob Broxton, Daniel Menendez, Susan Hohnbaum and Sonal Bhuchar voted to hold the line on insurance premiums for employees. While the budget proposed a 2 percent increase, it also recommended a $10 per month increase in insurance premiums; an increase in the cost of emergency room visits from $150 to $250; and increase of out of pocket expenses from $400 to $500 for individuals and $800 to $1,000 for families. Citing the budget deficit and the state not funding the pay raise for non-teaching staff, Reitz wanted to eliminate a raise for all non-teaching staff. That amendment lost on a 2 to 5 vote. Marilyn Glover voted with Reitz. Others supported a pay raise for the nonteaching staff. The budget is designed to provide educational services for a projected 68,999 students. Overall, the district spends 66.76 percent of its budget on classroom instruction. The expenditure budget per student increased to $7,222 as compared with last year’s budget of $6,875, with a net increase of $347 per student.
Fishing for the ‘Big One’ at Missouri City
Walk with Pride at shoe store Members and friends from Exchange Club of Sugar Land along with other service clubs members were present at three Payless shoe stores recently in Sugar Land, Rosenberg, and Richmond to assist the children selected by Social Services in choosing appropriate school shoes. Donations toward the purchases were made by local businesses and organizations including Exchange Club of Sugar Land. Above, Exchange Club of Sugar Land members at the Rosenberg Payless Shoe store, left to right, Kevin Barker, Reagan Walters, Renee, Debora Galmiche, Sue McClintic, Eileen Ihlanfeldt, Gladys Brumfield, Brian Walters, Scott McClintic, Andy McClintic, Sasha Cander, Brenda Pullen, Chris Connolly, Larry Street, Rick Forlano, Clark Walter, Roy Meier, Jenn Cole, John Robson, Lydia Bourg. —Photo by Larry Pullen.
This fisherman proudly shows off his catch at last year’s Missouri City KIDFISH event. If you’d like to enjoy a day of fishing and fun, grab a rod and reel and sign up for KIDFISH on Sat., Sept. 12 from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Community Park, 1700 Glenn Lakes. The free event includes prizes for the largest fish caught by age group. This free event is a chance to educate a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts. If you do not have a rod and reel, they will be provided by the KIDFISH Foundation. The bait will be supplied for every participant. Plan to spend the morning catching and releasing plenty of fish and having a great family outing everyone will enjoy. Representatives from the local area chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association will offer fishing tips on-site for those who require assistance. Those wishing to participate must register, preferably at the Missouri City Parks & Recreation Office, 1522 Texas Parkway. Registration will also be available on the day of the event beginning at 7 a.m. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department requires a fishing license only for those 17 years of age and older. Youngsters under 17 do not need a license. For information, visit www.missouricitytx.gov or call 281-403-8637.
Children’s Emergency Center Now Open. childrensmemorialher mann.org • 713.222.CARE