VOL 3 No. 45
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2010
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County & Sugar Land
Republicans retain control of county offices
YARD OF THE MONTH. Quail Valley Garden Club has selected the garden of Diane and Sandy Peyton as recipient of the November Yard of the Month. Diane and Sandy have been in their home at 3318 Boca Raton for the past 20 years. They are pictured with a plant provided by Flowers by Adela. Surrounded by beautiful palm and Gem Magnolia trees, the landscape is anchored by the ever-popular Knock-out roses and Carolyn Whorton caladiums as well as purple lantanas and bright yellow and purple pansies. Drive by to enjoy their seasonal color and painted pumpkins or visit http://traction.typepad.com/qvgc/yard-of-the-month.html
IAF donates $10K to Child Advocates
Jim Shaw, left, receives the check from Harish Jajoo.
10701 Corporate Drive, #282, Stafford, TX 77477 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, TX 77487 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., 10701 Corporate Dr., #282, Stafford, Texas 77477. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stafford, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487.
The Indo American Forum of Fort Bend hosted its seventh annual Diwali (Festival of Lights) Gala on Oct. 29 at Safari Texas Ranch. One of the highlight of this evening was the recognition of a very worthy charity- Child Advocates of Fort Bend. Presenting a check for $10,000 to Jim Shaw, VicePresident of CAFB, IAF chairman Harish Jajoo said “We are very pleased to collaborate with a very well known charity organization for a very worthy cause. CAFB is well known to be the voice of abused and neglected children in Fort Bend County. We as Indo-Americans want to help out in this cause in support of the entire community.” Guests included US Rep. Pete Olson, Nancy Olson, and Fort Bend County Commissioners Andy Meyers and James Patterson. IAF is the premier organization in Fort Bend area that represents the growing IndoAmerican community. The focus is to encourage and promote participation in social, cultural and civic affairs to ensure a better future for the next generation of Indo-Americans. For more information, visit www.indoamericanforum.org.
By BARBARA FULENWIDER With the mid-term elections over it appears that folks in Fort Bend County did the same thing citizens across the nation did. They hit the button to elect all officials who were members of their political party of choice. In Fort Bend County, as was expected, Republicans won in every race where there were opposing candidates. Republican Thomas R. Culver III was returned to his job as judge of the 240th Judicial District by a vote of 80,378 to Democrat Fredericka Allen’s 55,341votes. Incumbent Republican Brady G. Elliott coasted back to the 268th Judicial District judge’s job with 80,169 votes to Democrat Albert Hollan’s 55,182 votes. County Judge Bob Hebert ran for re-election as a Republican and won with 81,225 votes to 54,233 for Democrat opponent Rodrigo Carreon. Writein candidate, Chris Meeks got 185 votes.
Republican Bud Childers put Democrat Milton Flick away with 80,154 votes for the job of judge, County Court at Law No. 1. Flick received 55,263 votes. Republican Jeff McMeans got 78,834 votes for judge, County Court at Law No. 2, over Democrat opponent Harrison Gregg Jr., who got 56,754 votes. In the district clerk race, incumbent Republican Annie Rebecca Elliott got 79,192 votes to win over Democrat Veronica Torres, who received 56,267 votes. Republican Dianne Wilson got 81,322 votes to win the county clerk’s job over opponent Democrat Korinthia Miller, who received 54,482 votes. Fort Bend County incumbents who ran unopposed so were returned to office are Family District Judge Ron Pope, District Attorney John Healey, Judge Susan G. Lowery, County Court at Law No. 3; Judge R. H. Sandy Bielstein, County Court at Law No. 4. Also, elected were Pct. 2 County Commissioner Grady
Prestage, Pct. 4 County Commissioner James Patterson, Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Joel Clouser, Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Ken Cannata and Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Jim Richard. In other races, Dist. 26 State Rep. Charlie Howard, (R), Sugar Land retained his seat with 65 percent of the votes, defeating Democrat Philip Andrews who got 33 percent. Joey Rolan, a Libertarian, got 2 percent. In Dist. 27, Ron Reynolds, (D) trounced Libertarian Derek Grayson with 85 percent to 15 percent. In Dist. 28, John Zerwas (R) retained his seat with 72 percent of the votes polled, while his opponent, Wayne Raasch,(D), got 28 percent. Similarly, U.S. Rep. for Dist. 22 Pete Olson and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul for Dist. 14 easily won their respetive races in multiple counties. Incumbent State Senators Glenn Hegar and Joan Huffman were also re-elected.
Fort Bend stays red By SESHADRI KUMAR The Fort Bend County Democratic Party’s desire to turn the county blue miserably fell short on Nov. 2. If the 2008 presidential election gave hope to the local Democrats to stage a comeback, the 2010 midterm elections dashed their hopes. The local party got new leadership in Fort Bend Democratic Party Chairman Steve Brown who sought to reinvigorate the party machinery. He tried to activate grass roots by appointing precinct chairs, which remained vacant forever and he encouraged local clubs. The party opened an election headquarters and hired an executive director. Fort Bend County Democrats also fielded an unprecedented number of candidates to challenge the Republicans. All that is now history. The polling numbers now give a different story. In 2008, about 206,000 people voted. This year, the total turnout was only 140,000. The Barack Obama factor played a distinct role both in 2008 and in 2010, but in oppo-
site ways. In 2008, in Fort Bend 50.3 percent voted straight Democrat and 49.1 voted straight Republican. In 2010, 56.79 percent voted straight Republican and 42.62 percent voted straight Democratic. In 2008, Obama lost in Fort Bend County and John McCain won the county with 51 percent to Obama’s 48.5 percent. This year, Democrats pinned their hopes on Bill White for governor. Again, he lost to Rick Perry in Fort Bend. In Fort Bend, Perry received 51.5 percent and White 47 percent. The gap in straight party votes, where Republicans are 14 percent more than Democrats, appears to be consistent in all countywide races. The Republican incumbents defeated their Democratic challengers by a margin of 15 percent to 20 percent. Another interesting factor is that many candidates who had no Democratic opponent also received nearly 90,000 votes, thus showing that about
40,000 people who did not vote straight party ticket voted for these candidates. For example, District Judge Ron Pope who ran unopposed received 89,731 votes and District Attorney John Healey got 88,627 votes. “We’ve become the ground zero in Texas if Democrats are going to get serious about winning statewide,” Fort Bend Democratic Party Chairman Steve Brown was quoted as saying in an article by Mike Hailey (CapitolInside.com) before the election. Brown writes in the Opinion page that Democrats lost the Congress because Obama failed to communicate. While that assessment may be questionable, locally Fort Bend Democrats certainly need to learn to communicate effectively. Not one Democrat, barring K.P. George who ran for county treasurer, even once sent a press release to this newspaper saying he or she is running for office. They are loathe to get even free press. Maybe they believe it is the duty of the press to promote Democrats.
Page 2 • INDEPENDENT • NOVEMBER 10, 2010
240th District Judge Thomas R. Culver
County Court at Law Judge No.1 Bud Childers
Dist. 28 State Rep. John Zerwas
268th District Judge Brady Elliott
County Court at Law No.2 Judge Jeff McMeans
Dist. 18 State Sen. Glenn Hegar
County Judge Bob Hebert
Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Mary Ward
Dist. 17 State Sen. Joan Huffman
County Clerk Dianne Wilson
District Clerk Annie Rebecca Elliott
County Treasurer Jeff Council
Dist. 26 State Rep. Charlie Howard
Dist.22 U.S. Rep. Pete Olson
Dist. 14 U.S. Rep. Ron Paul
Congratulations to all the winning Republican candidates in contested races in Fort Bend County. Ad Courtesy by Fort Bend County Pct. 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers
NOVEMBER 10, 2010 • INDEPENDENT • Page 3
Community news
Suzette Peoples Broker /Owner
WC& ID No.2 bond County judge to referendum fails present update on I-69
Join ABWA (American Business Women’s Association) SWAPEN (SW Area Professional Express Network) for a meeting on Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m. till 1 p.m. at Sugar Creek Country Club. To RSVP visit www.abwahouston.org or contact Suzette Peoples at 281-980-3322.
SUGAR LAND/COMMONWEALTH
Suzette Peoples
ABR, GRI , E-Pro, 2 STORY OVER 3600 SQFT! 21 years Professional Paradise pool! Updated and up- Realtor; Owner of Peoples grades galore! Over $90K! 4/5 Properties, a Real Estate bedrooms 3.5 bath. Hardwoods & Property Management thru-out. Zoned to Clements Co.; American Business Women’s Association. high school. REDUCED to go low $300’s.
FIRST COLONY/SUGAR LAND
C U T
NEW LISTING PR IC E BI G
Adorable 2 story 4 bedrooms 2.5 baths with master down and gameroom up. All located on huge culdesac lot. Tile and wood floors. Gourmet granite kitchen too. Located blocks from all 3 schools. REDUCED to go $160,000.
CUSTOM SHOW CASE HOME! Over 4300sqft 5 bedrooms 4 baths & 1/2 bath. Study and game room. Private cul de sac lot. Thousands in upgrades! Designer Decor thru out the home. Gourmet island kitchen & more! Rare find! Hurry priced to go fast under $450K.
REDUCED FIRST COLONY/SUGAR LAND! Adorable 1-story home on cul de sac street. No neighbors behind you! 3 bedrooms & study or formal living. Open floor plan. Detached garage! Priced below market at $205,000.
NEW LISTING Riverstone. Pool, Spa, Waterfall. Built 2003. Trendmaker beauty. Over 4,700 sqft. 5 BR 4.5 baths. 3 car, 2 masters. Rare find on huge oversized cul de sac lot. No neighbors next to you. Upgrades galore. Zoned to Clements. Priced in the $500’s.
R ED U C ED
fined to upgradeable existing highways only, staying on existing rights of way whenever possible. Once constructed, under present plans, the I-69 Corridor will create a transportation artery from Canada to Mexico crossing through southern Texas and eastern Michigan. The corridor divides into 32 Segments of Independent Utilities (SIU) — 16 SIU’s are in Texas and require support from state officials before construction can begin. Now separated from the controversial “Trans Texas Corridor� that kept it in Limbo for a few years, I-69 seems imminent for Texas. The meeting will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 15 at Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance at 4120 Avenue H, Rosenberg. Call 281-342-5464 for more information or to reserve a seat.
ing mountain of debt, higher taxes and flawed policies. The confidence in the district, which was suspect, has been shaken even further.� District officials were also asked to comment on the failure of the bonds to pass and a spokesman said, “The district has provided superior water and sewer service since 1946 and maintains the lowest water and sewer rates in the area. “The district is proud they have an ample water supply through 2050 and beyond for all the district’s customers which include 100 percent of the City of Stafford and its ETJ, parts of Missouri City and its ETJ, small parts of Sugar Land and the City of Houston. “The district is committed to maintaining its water and sewer infrastructure, to maintain its high level of service. The district thanks the voters and residents for their interest and participation in the bond election. The district will review its options and continue to keep its residents informed.�
Direct: 281-980-3322 www.peoplesproperties.com
ST SC AF H OO O O RD LS
In an effort to stay abreast of the ever changing and challenging issue of mobility in Texas, the very active Infrastructure Department of the Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance has scheduled a presentation by Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert at their December meeting. Judge Hebert will discuss current information relating to the I-69 corridor. As long ago as 1991, Congress gave interstate designation to I-69, specifying a corridor through Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. Funding for the first feasibility study began in 1995, and total federal funding from 1999 to 2008 reached over $60 million. TxDOT named the interstate as one of its four priority corridors in 2002, with environmental testing ongoing since 2004. Since 2008, TxDOT has recommended that the I-69 study area be con-
By BARBARA FULENWIDER Officials of the Fort Bend Water Control & Improvement District No. 2 have announced that their $37.9 million bond election held Nov. 2 failed. District voters cast 342 votes against passage while 301 voters favored passing the bonds. A district spokesman said, “Therefore, the bond election did not pass, and may be called again at the discretion of the board of directors. The district would like to thank all of those who participated in the bond election.� While the district strongly supported the purposed bond election and felt passage was necessary for present and future customers, Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella strongly disagreed. He argued obviously persuasively that it was unwise for taxpayers to take on more debt. After the votes were counted, the mayor said, “The people have spoken loud and clear. They have soundly rejected the attempt of the district to smother the taxpayers under a grow-
21 years of experience!
REDUCED/QUAIL VALLEY Updated 1 story 4 bedrooms 2.5 bath with new roof and carpet July 2010. Interior all repainted and new fixtures too. Great location on landscaped reserve. Priced to go $120,000!!
Mortgage Banker can do loans in less than 30 days! Call Suzette or email: Speoplesrealtor@aol.com GREEN MEETING. New grass-roots group, Missouri City Green, aims to promote environmental benefits and beautification efforts in Missouri City. The group will have a general meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Missouri City Library, 1530 Texas Parkway, next to City Hall. For questions or more information, join the Missouri Green group on Meetup.com or email mocitygreen@gmail.com.
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“This past Friday, Nov. 5, was probably the best Thanksgiving visit at the Fifth Street Community Center – that we’ve ever had. There are so many wonderful and kind-hearted things that happened‌ love, laughter and excitement,â€? said Mary Jo Salvaggio. Chairman of the Service to Seniors project of the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, Salvaggio coordinates a monthly visit to the Senior Center to host a lively party for those whose birthdays were celebrated that month. There is always cake, ice cream, gifts and entertainment. This month a full Thanksgiving Feast was also a part of the festivities. Turkey, cornbread stuffing, rich giblet gravy, traditional casserole
of green beans and brown sugar sweet potatoes , warm yeast rolls and peach cobbler with ice cream were prepared by Chef ‘D’, donated by Emeritus Assisted Living center, graciously served by the Exchange Club and photo documented by Larry Pullen of Larry Pullen Photography. Nearly 70 Stafford/Missouri City Senior citizens, 60 years of age and older gather at the Fifth Street Community Center, Monday through Friday to enjoy the programs of Meals on Wheels. “This event epitomized the true spirit of Thanksgiving. It was a gathering together of a ‘family’ of individuals, with open hearts, giving spirits, love and laughter. And when we all left that day we had not just our stomachs, over-
flowing hearts,� said Susan Whitacre, Director of Volunteers at Fort Bend Seniors, Meals on Wheels. “It’s partnerships like this between Emeritus Assisted Living, Chef ‘D’, the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, Larry Pullen Photography and Meals on Wheels that sets our community apart and enriches the lives of our Seniors,� said Whitacre. Following the prayer led by Deacon Bob Dunham, Manuela Arroyos, CEO of Fort Bend Meals on Wheels took the stage to welcome the Seniors, staff and Exchange Club of Sugar Land volunteers. A special thanks was directed to Jerri Krause, Executive Director of Emeritus for the generous donation.
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Insurance
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Texans Insurance & Financial Group,
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Hrbacek & Associates,P.C.
101 Southwestern Blvd., Suite 230 Sugar Land, TX 77478 www.texansinsure.com (281) 277-7800 Basil Housewright, President
130 Industrial Blvd., Suite 130 Sugar Land, TX 77478 www.SKBTexas.com (281) 242-3232
130 Industrial Blvd., Suite 110 Sugar Land, TX 77478 lawfirm@Hrbacek.com 281-240-2424
Physician Nik Nikam, MD Sugar Land Heart Center 16659 S.W. FWY, #361 Sugar Land, TX 77479 281-265-7567 www.sugarlandheartcenter.com
Page 4 • INDEPENDENT • NOVEMBER 10, 2010
Opinion The View from Sugar Land Expecting nothing new in Washington By RUSSELL C. JONES Back in May this column asked Republicans this simple question: What is Plan B? Despite doubts at the time, the Republicans have retaken the House of Representatives, and thereby hope to show the president that he must come to his senses and do a Bill Clinton style dance to the right. That was the Republican Plan A then, and, with minor revisions, that is the Republican Plan A now. This column has suggested that nothing in Obama’s history or character supports the hope–and that is all that it is, a hope--that he would do anything other than hold fast to his conviction of the correctness–make that the righteousness--of his left-wing positions. If ever there was an election which should have sent a message to politicians, this was it. No serious analyst can doubt that the election was the clear, loud voice of most Americans that government needs to butt out of health care and to allow the free market to work by not stifling business with uncertainty over taxes, regulation and the future of the national debt. No analyst, that is, except Obama and his stalwarts. In recent weeks Obama has hardened his position, suggesting that the “enemies” of his policies should sit “in the back of the bus.” Last week this column reviewed the arrogance and elitism which he has demonstrated during his term. Nothing since the election reveals any change in his attitude. Last week’s election most likely hardened his leftist attitude. Which brings us back to the question of Plan B. Sure, in his press conference the day after the election, Obama spoke of “bipartisianship” and working with the other side of the aisle. But, then, that was a key theme of his
Jones candidacy before the 2008 election. We know what happened after he took office. This president’s idea of bi-partisianship is convincing Republicans to vote for Democrat programs. In his first post-election radio address, Obama make clear that he is not serious about compromise. On the one hand he made the obligatory comment that he is willing to work with Republicans, restating his pre-election position that the Bush-era tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year should be extended only for a limited number of taxpayers. On the other hand, he used the same class warfare language as ever, saying that the country “can’t afford to borrow and spend another $700 billion on permanent tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.” In other words, Obama’s position on the tax cut is exactly the same as it was before the election, and, oh by the way, he will continue to villify those in our society who create jobs and produce the nation’s wealth. Is that a man who is serious about bi-partisianship? Nope. One thinks not. If ever there was politician who echoed Obama’s true thinking, it is soon-to-be-former Speaker Pelosi. In announcing her decision to run for Minority
Leader in the new congress (over the objection of many moderate Democrats), Pelosi expressed Obama’s true sense of bi-partisianship, when she proclaimed, “We have no intention of allowing our great achievements to be rolled back” despite the greatest mid-term losses of any party since the depression. In both houses of Congress, the segment of the Democrat party hit hardest by the Republican tidal wave was the “blue dog” wing, members who claimed relatively conservative credentials, and who live in the most conservative districts. Those who survived were the more liberal members. The result is a Democrat delegation even further to the left than its predecessor. Even if Republicans are successful in getting a bill passed on any subject by the Senate, be assured that a presidential veto will follow if it contains any hint of rejection of Obama’s programs of the past two years. There will not be sufficient votes to override the veto, leaving the Republicans with nothing. The liberal media will carry the story as Republican reactionism, ignoring the support of most voters. In recent months, Plan B has evolved to be nothing more than an intent to squeeze the Obama budget and authorization bills until nothing is left for Obamacare and the other programs which were rejected by the voters. Needless to say, this alternative leaves the Republicans wide open to charges of obstructionism and continuing to be the “party of No.” Let’s hope that the new members will be willing to stand up to the media and the popular criticism which will follow when they start the painful task of reducing the size of government. Jones is a member of the Sugar Land City Council, having been first elected in 2003. He owns a law firm and a title insurance company in Sugar Land.
Musings: Innovation and jobs By JANICE SCANLAN America has always been known for innovation. Our “Yankee ingenuity” fuels new industries, ideas and services. Part of this innovation has come from being a melting pot of people and insights that different thought patterns bring to innovation. The other is having opportunities for anyone willing to learn and work hard. Why then has America fallen to sixth in Innovation in the world? Asia no longer merely accepts our “yesterday” and commodity industries, but is actually becoming a leader in new technologies. Simply, we’ve reduced our R&D – that is research and development in basic areas of science and technology. These areas were fueled by government programs primarily in the Defense Department and NASA. Then, by entrepreneurs applying them. Why the decline? We’re putting our money into consuming products, not investing in new technologies. Lack of investment, consumer debt, deficits, health care and entitlements are breaking the bank. Worse these commoditybased industries are leaving or downsizing from efficiencies, and not returning jobs to the American middle class. Henry Ford realized that people had to be able to buy his
Scanlan cars. The new industries that are burgeoning in Asia require much higher education than we are producing, despite we have 19 of the top 20 universities. How much ink has been devoted to science and math education in Fort Bend schools by all the local papers? As CEO of IBM, Louis Gerstner says there’s one reason we’re no longer keeping up. We do not pay our teachers a competitive wage. Gerstner’s Harvard MBA class had no women in 1965. Now it is over 50 percent women and those jobs pay a lot more than teaching. So despite dedicated and good teachers, many can’t keep pace with the needs anymore because the best and brightest, who used to teach and nurse, can go into any field. And we want to invest in buildings in Fort Bend . . . not
Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor
www.fbindependent.com Email: Editor@fbindependent.com
the profession of teaching that supplies the fundamentals for all professions and vocational careers of the future. Then, there’s divisiveness that produces lack of will to find solutions. It will be interesting if all this anger in the last election can actually produce any solutions. Let’s face it, too many of our politicians like the race and talking better than the governing. It’s been asked in this paper why independent voters don’t get engaged. We don’t give a fig about the ideologies or “holy grails” in either party. We want solutions that are practical and work. We hate the attack ads, misleading ads, and all the blaming others that only depresses us. The next reason for high paying jobs going away is we’re not taking the personal responsibility to keep up: in careers, in the civics and issues of our time, and to be part of the solution. It’s going to require business, government, and you and I to climb out of this pit. In a fascinating exploration of How to Restore the American Dream, Fareed Zakaria has produced print and video using interviews with US-based, global CEOs such as Louis Gerstner of IBM, Muhtar Kent of Coca-Cola, Eric Schmidt of Google, and Klaus Kleinfeld of Alcoa. Both print and video are well worth your time. Most important, it’s filled with practical solutions to restore the American Dream. If you’d like free links to this series, please write to janicescanlan@earthlink.net . Our country and way of life is worth your investing time smartening up.
Guest Commentary
Obama visits India By PRADEEP ANAD America has been a beacon to India during the twentieth century and continues to be so even during the twenty-first one. After the country’s independence from the British in 1947, India’s constitution was based substantially on the American one. The architect of India’s constitution, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar received his PhD in constitutional law from Columbia University. Indians, in general, are enamored by the USA and its accomplishments. The richest nation is held in very high esteem but in recent times, its invincibility received setbacks, after 9/11 and the credit crisis that sank global fortunes. President Obama’s visit to India will bring some muchneeded additions to the American aura for the Indian population. He will certainly promote an American agenda for India and the region. However, after having spent some time in the country, I hope he comes back with some fresh perspectives about what Americans can learn about Indians. India can learn from America thousands of different lessons. However, India, a 5000 year-old civilization that, in 1776, had about 25% share of the global GDP, may offer some interesting lessons too.
Community It was in 2005 that the stark difference in American and Indian responses to disaster became obvious. The levees broke flooding New Orleans and the skies exploded with rain and flooded Mumbai. Media stories that followed showed very different pictures of how the populace of the cities responded. On one hand, in the richest nation in the world, scenes included widespread instances of looting and violence; on the other hand, in one of the poorer nations in the world, the population came together to help each other out, pulling stranded strangers out of rising waters and hosting and feeding them in their homes. America is a land that promotes individualism, while in India a strong sense of community prevails. Indians understand that the government is useless in responding to any emergency. The local population in the vicinity of a disaster mobilizes itself, creating makeshift disaster relief arrangements to help the stricken. In America, though individualism is celebrated, there is a strong sense of entitlement and reliance on the government to deliver relief that sucks away the need for creating local community initiatives.
Secularism The US and India are secular countries that celebrate a democracy that is built on a strong foundation of “separation of church and state.” However, the two countries practice secularism in different ways. In both countries, we equalize all religions. However, In America, we equalize by neutralizing all religions. Though we don’t go as far as France and Switzerland in banning hijabs and minarets, we often hear voices that try to restrict and control the public celebration of religion. In India, all religions are equal but the equality is not
created through neutralization but through celebration. Every major global religion is practiced in India by millions of people. Predominantly Hindu India has more than one hundred and fifty million Muslims, and at least seventy million Christians. People of other religious pursuits including Jews, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Zoroastrians (Parsis), and many others. Every city and town is dotted with a variety of temples, mosques, churches, fire temples, and other holy shrines, where local populations celebrate their religions. Besides places of worship, religion is manifested in clothes, speech, and even holidays. All are celebrated in public, not in ghettos or certain restricted areas. The Indian Constitution recognizes family law differences based on religion and assures freedoms for practitioners of different religions.
Entrepreneurship A recent issue of Economist highlighted that India is a land driven by individuals, unlike China, where entrepreneurship is driven by the state. It continued that there are more than fifty million such entrepreneurs in India and that the economic growth of the country was assured. Thomas Friedman of the New York Times and The Economist are recent discoverers of Indian entrepreneurship and cannot be faulted for their glowing appreciation of this Indian characteristic. They are comparing it to their own countries where entrepreneurship is celebrated but rarely practiced. America has a huge population of venturesome consumers but has a fraction of venturesome entrepreneurs that it needs to sustain economic growth and in creating jobs. The recent election rhetoric about “job creation” was another indication of the electorate’s expectation that it is the government that needs to deliver solutions rather than individual initiatives. Yes, governments can create uncompetitive environments and stymie growth with regulations and policies but that is true in both countries, perhaps substantially worse in India. However, the response of individual entrepreneurs to this governmental chokehold is different. Corporate chiefs of Indian business firms have large stakes in their own firms. They continue to be entrepreneurial and find ways to overcome and circumvent their barriers. A majority of their American counterparts are caretakers of their businesses with minor stakes in their firms and disproportionately high rewards. The government and its policies and regulations become convenient piñatas to beat.
Debt India is a cash-flow nation. A significant majority of the nation lives from hand-tomouth, barely meeting sustenance needs. Indians do borrow but at huge costs that can ruin lives, if not generations of the family that are encumbered with repaying loans. Indian folklore, stories, and family history is filled with the evils of borrowing money. The horrendous consequences of
borrowing and lending money, like death and disease, has touched every family. Consequently, the average Indian abhors credit, prefers to be debt free, live within means and have significant savings for droughts that are bound to follow years of plenty. (Indians don’t save for a rainy day, because rainy days are celebrated in India.) America, on the other hand, is a venturesome economy, a term proposed by Prof. Amar Bhide. American consumers are confident of their continued, consistent earning power and are willing to take credit risks. Banks and financial institutions are willing partners in extending this credit that fuels the economy. However, during the past two decades, Americans were drugged by the Feds and Wall Street into believing that we could get far greater rewards at lower risks, with easily available money. The economic fundamental that “there ain’t no free lunch” was thrown to the wind, and the country raced ahead for many years of unprecedented economic growth. As the credit crisis unraveled, many Americans’ primary assets, their homes, were devalued and submerged under water, below their mortgaged borrowings. Jobs disappeared and foreclosure signs began showing up all over the country. Americans can learn from Indians that there is no free lunch and that every penny or paisa has to be earned the hard way, with toil and labor. Promises of fast economic miracles are mirages that seem very real for a brief period but disappear abruptly, leaving us high and dry without parachutes. There is great wisdom in the biblical concept of seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. The fortune of the world and individuals regresses to the mean eventually.
Resources All resources are always in short supply in India. Therefore, everything is recycled fully. India is not the epitome of consuming resources in the most efficient or effective manner but it compensates for some of this shortcoming by collecting and recycling its useful natural resources, especially non-renewable ones. Even as early as in the 1950s, there were commercial networks to collect and recycle waste. Consumers were paid to drop off their recyclables at a convenient store in the neighborhood. Each store was independently operated by one of these countless Indian entrepreneurs. America is a land of waste. We have wasteful practices, especially with non-renewable resources. Just leaving our recyclables in assigned containers at the curb is inadequate. Our consumption practices have to become less wasteful. India can provide some insights and business models in improving our resource recycling habits. Pradeep Anand is a resident of Sugar Land. He is president of Seeta Resources and author of An Indian in Cowboy Country.
Come experience the difference!
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Salem International Christian Center Services: Sunday 8:30 a.m. Wednesday 7 p.m.
14056 Southwest Fwy #118 (In the FedEx Bldg. in front of Holiday Inn Express) Sugar Land, TX 77478 www.salemic.org
NOVEMBER 10, 2010 • INDEPENDENT • Page 5
Opinion Will of the people triumphs Failure to communicate By STEVE BROWN That classic line from the movie Cool Hand Luke was the first thing I thought of while watching President Barack Obama’s press conference the morning after the mid-term elections. Do Democrats have a communication problem? Yes, and it’s because we talk in a language of anticipated policy outcomes and the minutia of legislative proposals, instead of building public support through a story narrative. That is, we poorly sequence the elements of our story by clearly framing the scope of a problem before offering our policy solution. I’ll use the passage of health care reform as an example, since most exit polls revealed that about half of all mid-term voters believed that it should be repealed. Let’s start with the premise that we never fully explained why Ameicans needed reform. A CBS News poll found that only 42 percent of Americans had a “good” understanding of how health care reform impacted them. More disturbingly, only 37 percent of Democrats understood the initiatives outlined in that landmark legislation. The public doesn’t understand the benefits of health care reform because our communication paradigm is inverted. The health care debate was
framed around a set of solutions and not the story of an impending health care crisis. We never sold the health care narrative. For most Americans, there was never a health care crisis. They didn’t think our solutions were acceptable responses to an unfamiliar problem. As such, we failed to satisfactorily reach them at the “problem stage” and convince them that inaction would have far greater consequences than reform. We needed to have created forums to tell why our health care apparatus needed to be changed before pitching our legislative solution. Tales of middle class families going bankrupt because they couldn’t pay their medical expenses, or children not being given health coverage because of a pre-existing condition, or how everyday people are seeing a continual rise in their insurance premiums to offset the costs of the uninsured should have been told before proposing our solution. We needed more faces of the problem, and to have those problems articulated in a way that everyone can understand. We also needed a boogeyman. It was never effectively sold that HMO’s are a villain and how government needs to ensure certain safeguards to protect citizens from the HMO influence. Establishing a victim and
villain is essential in telling a story and generating public support. Instead, many hardworking Americans accepted the belief that they were the victims of this overhaul and that Obama, Pelosi and Reid were the villains. Republican Tea Party leaders excel in telling the story narrative. During the course of these mid-term elections, they never proposed a substantive policy solution to address health care, the economy or unemployment. Their narrative was all about framing President Obama as an extreme socialist whose only motive was to grow government. They told that story every day since the start of his Presidency, and it paid off. While they were reinforcing their story of fear, we were discussing the empirical data points of preexisting conditions. If we are to rebound, we must challenge ourselves on the way we communicate, what we say, and mobilize a diverse collection of storytellers to carry these messages. Our failure to communicate has already cost us a lot. We would be wise to make sufficient adjustments now before it costs us much more. Steve Brown is the Chairman of the Fort Bend County Democratic Party. Connect with Steve on Facebook at facebook.com/sbrown2.
Be careful buying Municipal bonds By BILL & JARED JAMESON Given the current pessimism toward stocks, investors have been flocking to the safety of municipal bonds. Interest from municipal bonds is exempt from federal income taxes and also from state taxes for residents of states with income tax. The bonds are typically issued by local municipalities, school districts and states to fund capital improvement projects and ongoing operations. Because of their tax-free status, their yields are typically lower than comparable risk taxable bonds. Historically municipals have a very low default rate, and therefore in the past, most municipal bonds buyers have not paid much attention to the underlying credit quality of the issuer. Also, several companies offered insurance on the bonds to protect against default. We live in a different world today. Just like the old mantra that “home prices never fall,” we will see defaults in municipal bonds. According to the Oct. 4, 2010, issue of the Wall Street Journal, 42 percent of the municipal bond market is made up of state issues, yet these states are facing an estimated $350 billion shortfall for 2010 and 2011. This means bondholders may face delayed interest payments or even default if they hold the wrong bonds. And companies that formerly offered insurance on municipals have exited the business, as they woefully underestimated their potential losses. In fact, only 10 percent of bonds issued today are insured, vs. a historical average of 50 percent. So what’s an investor to do? We recommend that you rely on an expert to choose your bond investments for you. It no longer is safe to buy whichever bonds your broker has in inventory and is trying to sell. Ratings issued by ratings agencies are no longer reliable, as has been made abundantly clear by the mortgage rating fiasco, in which many AAA bonds are now worthless.
By JAMES IVES Thank you to the people of Fort Bend County. Thank you indeed, to the people of the entire nation. For it is your hard efforts, your sacrifices and your vision, that over the last 22 months has resulted in the great Conservative victory that came about on Tuesday, Nov. 2. A short while ago, after the last Presidential campaign, the victorious Left was in full swell, pressing an aggressive agenda that offered a jolt towards a European-style Socialism for America. Meanwhile, the defeated GOP was stunned, deprived of Congressional clout, the party of the nation, of the Founders vision and smaller government was spent. The American Dream was left without a champion. Then the people began to stir. The people began to gather and to object, to organize, rally and to cry out. Strict allegiance to party or to committee was jettisoned as the nation, our heroic Founders and our sacred Constitution became the restored focus of the common vision. The popular forces confounded all critics, all of the pundits and the ivory tower elites. Those that tossed about references to “racists”, “red necks” and “gun nuts.” Meanwhile, the citizens refused to go away, animated by the arrogance of an imperial Congress, mobilized against massive expenditures that mortgaged off our futures and galvanized by the specter of looming tyranny from the court of Czars and Federal Privilege. On Tuesday, in this one election, we have seen the long-abused machinery of the Republic once again come to the fore, and once again the oftignored will of the people has been made manifest. However this struggle for the very definition of the word “American” has only just be-
Spirit of Freedom Republican Women’s Club
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The Spirit of Freedom Republican Women’s Club PAC Meeting will be held on Friday, Nov. 19 at Spring Creek Barbecue, 4895 Highway 6, Missouri City. 11 a.m. Meet and Greet, 11:30 a.m Toni King, author of Medicare and Health Insurance Survival Guide, What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You will be the speaker. Learn how to make informed decisions for you or your parents. Find out what the insurance agents are not telling you. Contact Tina Gibson at 281-491-6599 for more information.
gun. Ours will be a generations-long campaign to stymie and frustrate the spreading Federal Leviathan, to roll back its excesses across the board, and to restore the Individual as the building block of Opportunity and the cornerstone of Liberty. We are citizens of this land, and not subjects, and we shall remain such. I am blessed and proud to
be “One Among Many” in the vast army of patriots that have taken up this challenge, and that strive daily to protect and restore our national heritage. Only our people acting together can build a path to freedom for the entire world to follow and to emulate. Long Live the Republic. James Ives is president of the Fort Bend County Tea Party.
No.10-CCV-042391 IN THE COUNTY COURT AT LAW NUMBER TWO (2) OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS V WILLIE M. FLORA, PAMELA EDWARDS, RACHAEL EDWARDS, MARY E. JACKSON, VERNA THOMPSON, VICKIE GREEN, MICHAEL ROBBINS, KENNETH PITTMAN, LONNIE JONES, CLIFFORD THOMAS, LAWRENCE J. KELLEY, JR., CARLA THOMAS, BEVERLY J. THOMAS a/k/a BEVERLY CHILDS, BEATRICE KELLEY, ALL UNKNOWN HEIRS OF THE ESTATE OF GEORGE AND HARRIET SMITH, ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE KNOWN BUT CANNOT BE LOCATED AND/OR EVADE SERVICE, AND ALL UNKNOWN PROPERTY OWNERS/ AND/OR LIEN HOLDERS, et al. BRIEF ON CITATION BY PUBLICATION. In the name and by the authority of the State of Texas: Notice is hereby given to the following Defendants: To: All Unknown Heirs of the Estate of George and Harriet Smith and all unknown property owners and/or lien holders, hereafter called Defendants whose residence, address and whereabouts are unknown, and if deceased, legally incapacitated or dissolved, the unknown heirs, devisees, successors and legal representatives, and unknown spouse or spouses, each and all of whose residences, addresses and whereabouts are unknown, and if they are deceased, legally incapacitated or dissolved, their unknown heirs, devisees, successors and legal representatives. TO: ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE KNOWN BUT CANNOT BE LOCATED AND OR EVADE SERVICE You are commanded to appear before the Special Commissioners appointed by the Judge of the Fort Bend County Civil Court at Law Number Two (2) on January 13, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. in the Fort Bend County Attorney’s Conference Room, 301 Jackson St., Suite 728, Richmond, Texas 77469, who shall then and there assess the value of the property belonging to Defendants which are sought to be condemned by Plaintiff, Cause No. 10-CCV-042391 styled Fort Bend County, Texas v. Willie M. Flora, Pamela Edwards, Rachel Edwrads, Mary E. Jackson, Verna Thompson, Vickie Green, Michael Robbins, Kenneth Pittman, Lonnie Jones, Clifford Thomas, Lawrence J. Kelley, Jr., Carla Thomas, Beverly J. Thomas a/k/a Beverly Childs, Beatrice Kelley, All Unknown Heirs of the Estate of George and Harriet Smith, All Property Owners who are known but cannot be located and/or evade service, and All Unknown Property Owners and/or Lien Holders, Fort Bend County, Lamar Consolidated Independent School District and City of Richmond are Defendants. The Second Amended Original Statement and Petition for Condemnation filed on November 2, 2010 discloses that the nature of the suit is a condemnation case. Plaintiff seeks fee title to 0.145 acre of land more particularly described in the attached Exhibit A of Plaintiff ’s Second Amended Original Statement. Attorneys for Plaintiff are Fort Bend County Assistant County Attorneys, William H. “Bill” Vidor and Joe W. Cox, 301 Jackson Street, Suite 728, Richmond, Texas 77469. Issued and given under my hand and seal of said Court in the City of Richmond, Fort Bend County, Texas, on the 8th day of November, 2010. Dianne Wilson, Clerk of Fort Bend County, Richmond, Texas 301 Jackson Street, Richmond, Texas 77469. By Deputy Holly Clemons
WINTER MINI-TERM and SPRING SEMESTER 2011 REGISTRATION
Winter Mini-Term begins December 20 (Register November 1 through December 16)
Spring semester classes begin January 18, 2011 (Register November 1 through January 16)
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Texans Insurance & Financial Group, Inc 101 Southwestern Blvd, Ste 230 Sugar Land, TX 77478-3535 PH (281)277-7800 FAX (281)277-7801 basil@texansinsure.com
Page 6 • INDEPENDENT • NOVEMBER 10, 2010
FILM REVIEW: Due Date This is a very complicated movie so let me break it down for you: it’s screamingly funny and Robert Downey Jr and Zach Galifianakis are perfect for their characters. I lied; this is not a complicated movie. Peter Highman (Downey Jr.) the architect is in Atlanta for business and he needs to get home pronto because his wife is about to give birth to their first child. Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis) is a jolly, goofball out-of-work actor that literally bumps into Peter in the Atlanta airport, and in short order the two of them are on the “no fly” list and kicked off the plane. Now this very odd couple must get to Los Angeles via cars, trucks, and other modes. Hmmm. Doesn’t this sound a lot like the 1987 classic “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” starring Steve Martin (Neal) and John Candy (Del)? Well, yes it does, but don’t let that bother you because much to my surprise, Peter and Ethan are as charming, hilari-
ous, and complicated as Neal and Del. There’s that word again: complicated. I didn’t mean to imply that the plot or the story is complicated, but there are many layers of the onion that need to be peeled back in order to arrive at the true hearts and souls of our two heroes, err losers. No, loser is not right either. Perhaps wounded and vulnerable? Sad and pathetic? I know; two guys just trying to get through life the best way they know how. The film is directed and co-written by Todd “Hangover” Phillips and he has once again shown his comedic genius. The gags and one-liners are sprinkled throughout the movie. I started laughing in the first scenes and never stopped. This movie is near faultless in reaching its goal: take two great actors, give them a witty script, and have some fun with it. I’m smiling now. I’ve been on a roll lately in awarding the “big winner”
award to someone connected to my most recent movie experience and this is no exception. The big winner is... drum roll: Zach Galifianakis; he has consistently been funny in his latest movies - “Hangover,” “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” and “Dinner for Schmucks,” but he has never played the big dog. And he was opposite the brilliant Robert Downey Jr and held his own, thank you very much. Soon, people will even know how to pronounce his last name. This flick is not for young people which is too bad because it’s so funny, but the sex, drugs, and F-bombs give it a rating of R. So, if you are a degenerate and want a good laugh, go see “Due Date” and take a date. Rock ‘n Roll. Grade 90. Larry H. See LarryHmoviereviews. com and email to sugarlaw@ larryharrison.com
rear door, etc. The options boosted the price tag to $50,004. The RX 450h is a standout, comfortable and luxurious ride and drive that provides compact car like fuel economy. LEGAL NOTICE REQUESTS FOR STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATIONS Sealed Qualification Statements will be received in the Office of Gilbert D. Jalomo, Jr., County Purchasing Agent, Fort Bend County, Rosenberg Annex, 4520 Reading Road, Suite A, Rosenberg TX 77471 for the following until THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010 AT 1:30 P.M. (CST). Q11-017 – ANIMAL SERVICES ADDITION
all season tires. The handling agility comes from its doublewishbone rear suspension, which also allows more cargo space. Front suspension was optimized by a thick stabilizer bar. Lexus’ vehicle dynamics integrated management handling technology is standard on the RX 450h. It anticipates loss of vehicle control in any direction and governs all of the vehicle’s handling systems -- anti-lock brakes, brake assist, vehicle stability control and traction control. Hill-start assist control also comes standard on the Lexus RX 450h to keep the vehicle from moving backward or forward when on an incline. It can be controlled by the driver and works in forward and reverse. Safety and security features on the RX 450h include the optional adaptive front lighting system for high beams of HID headlamp equipped models and for the low beams of the LED equipped models. When entering a corner, the lighting system estimates where the vehicle will be in three seconds and adjusts the lateral aim of the headlamps. The system also includes an auto-leveling function. Also available is an automatic high beam system, which switches between high and low beams in response to oncoming vehicles and those traveling in front, and a pre-collision system with dynamic radar cruise control. It helps the driver maintain a pre-set following distance from the car in front. All RX models are equipped with keyless entry with pushbutton start, power tilt and telescopic steering column, 10-way power front seats and leatherwrapped three-spoke steering wheel with integrated audio controls. The rear seat splits 40/20/40, slides fore and aft, reclines and folds down with onetouch levers mounted in the luggage compartment. The Lexus RX 450h with all standard equipment retails for $43,235. Options on the test drive model included the adaptive front lighting system, heated and ventilated front seats, navigation system with backup camera, etc., and the premium package, which includes a moonroof, heated outside mirrors, power
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Notice is hereby given that original Letters Testamentary for the Estate of Vicki Sorrells Mikel Deceased, were issued on October 11, 2010, in Cause No. 10-CPR-023141, pending in the County Court at Law No.2, Fort Bend County, Texas, to: Gary Frank Mikel and Robyn O’Daniel Bennatt. All persons having claims against this Estate which is currently being administered are required to present them to the undersigned within the time and in the manner prescribed by law. c/o: Dean A. Hrbacek Attorney at Law 130 Industrial Blvd., Suite 110 Sugar Land, Texas 77478 DATED the 4th day of November, 2010 Dean A. Hrbacek Attorney for Gary Frank Mikel and Robyn O’Daniel Bennatt. State Bar No. 10128800 130 Industrial Blvd. Suite 110 Sugar Land, Texas 77478 Telephone: 281-240-2424 Fax: 281-240-7829
Fort Bend County reserves the right to reject any or all qualification statements received. Signed: Gilbert D. Jalomo, Jr., Purchasing Agent Fort Bend County, Richmond, Texas
Signed: Gilbert D. Jalomo, Jr., Purchasing Agent Fort Bend County, Richmond, Texas
LEGAL NOTICE REQUESTS FOR STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATIONS Sealed Qualification Statements will be received in the Office of Gilbert D. Jalomo, Jr., County Purchasing Agent, Fort Bend County, Rosenberg Annex, 4520 Reading Road, Suite A, Rosenberg TX 77471 for the following until THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2010 AT 1:30 P.M. (CST). Q11-021 – PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR DESIGN OF BRIDGES; Q11-022 – PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR DESIGN OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS. Fort Bend County reserves the right to reject any or all qualification statements received.
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 for Grand River Section 1 Replat of Lot 10 in Block 4, Pct. 1. The hearing will beheld in the Commissioners Courtroom, William B. Travis Bldg., 309 S. Fourth St., Rm. 700, Richmond, Texas. Under state law, you the owner, have certain rights with respect to the proposed replat. Should you wish to exercise your right, you maybe heard at the planned public hearing. You may contact Franklin Schodek with Henry Steinkamp Inc. at 281-342-2241 for information prior to the hearing. Submitted by, Dianne Wilson Fort Bend County Clerk
NOTICE TO BIDDERS UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD SOUTH PROJECT The City of Sugar Land seeks bids for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment, and performing all work required for the following project in the City: CIP PROJECT NAME:
Signed: Gilbert D. Jalomo, Jr., Purchasing Agent Fort Bend County, Richmond, Texas
AUTOMOBILE: Lexus RX 450a
By BARBARA FULENWIDER The Lexus RX has been a favorite of mine in the Lexus line up since it was first introduced in 1998. It was an immediate hit and continues to be Lexus’ best selling vehicle. This SUV has winning ways because it is made like a sedan rather than a truck so rides and drives like a sedan. The RX 450 hybrid has all the same initial characteristics plus. It is now one of the top 10 fuel economy leaders for 2011. The Environmental Protection Agency and Energy Department put the RX 450h SUV as ninth in their rankings of top 10 leaders in fuel economy. It made the list by getting 32 miles to the gallon in city driving and 28 on the highway for a combined fuel economy of 30 mpg. Lexus was the first luxury brand to offer a hybrid vehicle – the RX 400h in 2005. Since then it has introduced a new hybrid almost every year including the GS 450h, LS 600h L and most recently the HS 250h. A Lexus hybrid starts as quietly as it runs with the electric and gasoline motors engaged. It is powered by a 3.5-liter, 24-valve, dual overhead cam V6 engine and electric motors and has a power control unit and other fuel-saving features that give it top 10 fuel economy. The system makes 295 horsepower and can operate in electric only or gas engine only modes as well as a combination. The gas engine alone makes 245 horsepower and 234 lb.-ft. torque at 4,800 rpm. The RX 450H four wheel drive model’s hybrid powertrain uses two motor generators. The MG1, the engine driven generator, is a starter and can charge the battery pack or power other electric motors as needed and the MG2 is the front-drive motor. The MG1 controls the output speed of the transaxle and the MG2 delivers torque. When coasting or braking the Lexus RX 450h, the electric motors capture the heat through the brakes and turn it into electricity that recharges the batteries. If the Lexus RX 450h is ordered with all-wheel drive a third rearmounted motor generator is added to drive the rear wheels. Driving the RX 450h is a quiet, smooth experience on 18-inch
Legal Notices
LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BIDDERS Sealed Bids will be received in the Office of Gilbert D. Jalomo, Jr., County Purchasing Agent, Fort Bend County, Rosenberg Annex, 4520 Reading Road, Suite A, Rosenberg, TX 77471 for the following until THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010 at 1:30 P.M. (CST). All bids will then be publicly opened and read in the Office of the Purchasing Agent, Rosenberg Annex, 4520 Reading Road, Rosenberg, TX 77471. Bids received after the specified time will be returned unopened. BID 11-020 – TRAILER MOUNTED PORTABLE GENERATOR Lump sum pricing is required; payment will be by check after products/services are rendered. Bonds are required. Fort Bend County reserves the right to reject any or all bids.
CIP PROJECT NUMBER: LOCATION OF WORK:
University Boulevard South through Brazos Landing ST0805 From Commonwealth Boulevard to 600 feet beyond Outfall Channel
Plans, specifications, and bidding documents may be obtained at the following location with payment of $50.00: Huitt-Zollars, Incorporated 1500 S. Dairy Ashford Suite 200 Houston, Texas 77077 (281) 496-0066 Sealed bids shall be delivered to the City of Sugar Land City Secretary Office, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, on or before 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 09, 2010, at which time bids will be publicly opened and read. Bids received after the opening date and time will not be considered. A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting for all interested parties will be held 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 17, 2010, Brazos Room, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479.
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Commissioners Court of Fort Bend County, Texas has set a public hearing on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. to vacate plat of Huntington Place Section 1, being a 27.843 acre subdivision containing 133 lots in 3 blocks and 7 reserves, located in the William Pettus League, Abstract 68, recorded on May 20, 2008 of the Fort Bend County Plat Records plat No. 20080097, Precinct. 1. Plat, Subdivision and Dedication be vacated and canceled so as to convert all of the said platted property to acreage tracts as same existed before such property was platted, subdivided and recorded. The hearing will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom, 309 South Fourth St., Suite 700, William B. Travis Bldg., Richmond, Texas. You are invited to attend and state your approval or objection on this matter. Submitted by, Dianne Wilson Fort Bend County Clerk
The City Council will award the bid to the lowest responsible bidder that complies with all requirements of the Request for Bids. The City of Sugar Land will give notice of the contract award within sixty (60) calendar days after the bid opening date and time. Glenda Gundermann, TRMC, CMC, AAE City Secretary
NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids in triplicate, one (1) original and two (2) copies, addressed to the City of Sugar Land, Texas, will be received until 11:00 o’clock a.m., Thursday, December 2, 2010, for: PURCHASE OF AUTO PARTS Sealed bids shall be appropriately marked as follows: BID NO. 2011-02 PURCHASE OF AUTO PARTS BIDDER’S NAME, ADDRESS, AND DUE DATE Bidder shall sign and date the bid. Bids that are not signed and dated will be rejected.
NOTICE TO PROPOSERS PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT The City of Sugar Land seeks bids for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment, and performing all work required for the following project in the City: CIP PROJECT NAME: CIP PROJECT NUMBER: LOCATION OF WORK:
Pavement Rehabilitation Project ST1101 Various Locations Throughout the City
Plans, specifications, and bidding documents may be obtained at the following location with payment of $25.00: City of Sugar Land Public Works 111 Gillingham Lane Sugar Land, Texas 77478 Sealed proposals shall be delivered to the City of Sugar Land City Secretary Office, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, on or before 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 02, 2010, at which time the names of firms submitting proposals will be read. Proposals received after the opening date and time will not be considered. A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting for all interested parties will be held 9 a.m., Thursday, November 11, 2010, City of Sugar Land Public Works, 111 Gillingham Lane, Sugar Land, Texas 77478.
Signed and sealed bids shall be delivered to the City Secretary Office, on or before 11:00 o’clock a.m., Thursday, December 2, 2010, City of Sugar Land City Hall, Suite 122, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479. All bids received after the appointed time shall be returned to bidder unopened. Notice of the award of contract shall be given by the City within thirty (30) days following the date for the opening of bids. The City reserves the right to revise or amend the specifications prior to the date set for opening of bids. Such revisions or amendments, if any, will be announced by addenda or addendum to the specifications. Copies of such addenda so issued will be furnished to all prospective bidders and may or may not affect the bid opening date. The City of Sugar Land reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive informalities in bids received. The award will be made to the lowest responsible bidder. ITB documents may be secured from City of Sugar Land City Secretary Office, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, or by registering at https://www.bidsync.com. Registration is free. All bid documents, amendments and other information relating to the bid will be posted at this site. For questions regarding this bid, please contact Jason Poscovsky, Contract Administrator, Telephone (281) 275-2302 or via email at jposcovsky@sugarlandtx.gov Glenda Gundermann, TRMC, CMC, AAE City Secretary
The City Council will award the contract to the respondent providing the best value that complies with all requirements of the Request for Proposal. The City of Sugar Land will give notice of the contract award within sixty (60) calendar days after the opening date and time. Glenda Gundermann, TRMC, CMC, AAE City Secretary
NOTICE TO BIDDERS SUGAR CREEK 16-INCH WATER LINE IMPROVEMENTS
NOTICE TO PROPOSERS ON-CALL PAVEMENT REHABILITATION The City of Sugar Land seeks bids for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment, and performing all work required for the following project in the City: CIP PROJECT NAME: CIP PROJECT NUMBER: LOCATION OF WORK:
On-Call Pavement Rehabilitation N/A Various Locations Throughout the City
Plans, specifications, and bidding documents may be obtained at the following location with payment of $25.00: City of Sugar Land Public Works 111 Gillingham Lane Sugar Land, Texas 77478 Sealed proposals shall be delivered to the City of Sugar Land City Secretary Office, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, on or before 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 02, 2010, at which time the names of firms submitting proposals will be read. Proposals received after the opening date and time will not be considered. A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting for all interested parties will be held 9:30 a.m., Thursday, November 11, 2010, City of Sugar Land Public Works, 111 Gillingham Lane, Sugar Land, Texas 77478. The City Council will award the contract to the respondent providing the best value that complies with all requirements of the Request for Proposal. The City of Sugar Land will give notice of the contract award within sixty (60) calendar days after the opening date and time. Glenda Gundermann, TRMC, CMC, AAE City Secretary
The City of Sugar Land seeks bids for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment, and performing all work required for the following project in the City: CIP PROJECT NAME: CIP PROJECT NUMBER: LOCATION OF WORK:
Sugar Creek 16-Inch Water Line Improvements WA0504 Sugar Creek Golf Course, North Keswick Court from Country Club Boulevard to Sugar Creek Boulevard
Plans, specifications, and bidding documents may be obtained at the following location with payment of $50.00: Huitt-Zollars, Incorporated 1500 S. Dairy Ashford Suite 200 Houston, Texas 77077 (281) 496-0066 Sealed bids shall be delivered to the City of Sugar Land City Secretary Office, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, on or before 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 18, 2010, at which time the names of firms submitting proposals will be read. Proposals received after the opening date and time will not be considered. A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting for all interested parties will be held 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 28, 2010, City of Sugar Land Public Works, 111 Gillingham Lane, Sugar Land, Texas 77478. The City Council will award the contract to the respondent providing the best value that complies with all requirements of the Request for Proposal. The City of Sugar Land will give notice of the contract award within sixty (60) calendar days after the opening date and time. Glenda Gundermann, TRMC, CMC, AAE City Secretary
NOVEMBER 10, 2010 • INDEPENDENT • Page 7
Bad Attitude wins $100,000 purse for 2-year old! By SUSAN WHITACRE Four seconds of kicking, spinning and demonstrating an intensely bad attitude in front of a crowded arena in Las Vegas, won a local two year old an international reputation and a $100,000 purse. “ Ragin’ J.T. was born with a predisposition as an intimidating athlete with attitude. When he was entrusted to our care and training over a year ago, we soon realized that he wasn’t just any bull,” said Fort Bend County resident and internationally renowned breeder and trainer of bucking bulls Billy Jaynes, Ragin’ JT recently won the title of World Champion Bucking Bull, after winning the ABBI World Championship competition in Las Vegas Nevada. Bucking Bull owners from across the US, Canada, Europe and South America come to enroll their bulls at Billy
Jaynes world class training center right here in Fort Bend County. Cowboys aren’t the only ones investing in bull ownership these days. Retired Major League Baseball players Solly Hemus and J.R Richard, NHL hockey player and winner of the Stanley Cup, Curtis Leschyshyn, millionaire oilmen and young business women own bulls being trained at Billy Jaynes ranch. “It’s not just the excitement of the bull vs. man competition, nor the romantic lure of a cowboy tradition that is alive and well that fills the stands. It’s because Bucking Bull ownership is a creative, exciting and potentially very lucrative investment opportunity as well,” said one bull owner. Investors consigning to the Million Dollar Futurity bull sale expect a return of 10-20 percent in just over 12 months. And then there’s Ragin’ J.T.’s
recent victory which won his owner over 10 times his initial investment in less than 2 years! Fort Bend Resident Billy Jaynes (owner of The Jaynes Gang Bucking Bull Trainers and CEO of Exclusive Genetics) is creating an international buzz by presenting the first ever Million Dollar Bull Futurity Competition in 2011. Entry is limited to 300 two year old bulls with the first 25 placing bulls winning significant cash prizes totaling $1million. The owner of the winning bucking bull will be going home with a half a million dollars in prize money ($500,000). To arrange a tour of the ranch or to learn more about what over 60 million fans consider the toughest and most thrilling sport on earth, call Billy Jaynes or Clint Wade 817-235-9570 or email clint@ exclusivegenetics.com. (www. exclusivegenetics.com)
(Susan Whitacre recently attended her first PBR event and is now the proud co-owner of a Million Dollar Futurity Bull.)
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Child Advocates of Fort Bend gathers forces for 19thAnnual CASA Christmas Home Tour Committee members, decorators and sponsors are gearing up for the 19th Annual CASA Christmas Home Tour set for Dec. 10 and Dec. 11. A Fort Bend holiday tradition, the Tour offers guests the opportunity to view six beautifully decorated homes in Fort Bend County, while helping to raise much needed funds to support CAFB’s programs serving abused and neglected children. This year’s tour will feature homes in First Colony, Alkire Lake/Lake Pointe and Richmond. Guests at this year’s CASA Christmas Home Tour will be dazzled by some of the most exquisite holiday décor and home designs, entertained by area talents, treated to homemade cookies and hot apple cider – all by purchasing one ticket. Tickets will go on sale starting November 1 - $15 pre-sale; $20 day of the event. For more information on tickets or the Home Tour, go to www.cafb.org. The Tour’s success not only lies in ticket sales but from generous corporations and individuals who sponsor the Tour through monetary contributions or in-kind donations. Setting the pace for the event are 2010 Tour Sponsors Fred and Mabel R. Parks Foundation and The
Free flu shots at Methodist Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, in collaboration with Fort Bend and Sugar Land Exchange Club and the Sugar Land Rotary, will provide free flu shots on Saturday, Nov. 13 to community members who participate in Santa’s Gift Exchange. Fort Bend residents can bring a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item to Methodist Sugar Land Hospital from 8 a.m. to noon in exchange for a flu shot. The toys and clothing will benefit local children in the Fort Bend area. “We are proud to partner with the local exchange clubs once again to provide this community offering. This is a great way for the community to stay healthy while also putting smiles on children’s faces during the holiday season,” said Chris Siebenaler, CEO of Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. To participate in this community event, please bring an unwrapped, new toy or clothing item to the new main lobby of Methodist Sugar Land Hospital between the times of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13. In the picture, Front Row: Amy Saenz; Leena Taneja Back Row: Eva Short; Jackie Freeman; Kaelyn Stolhand
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CONSERVATIVE CARE ON THE CUTTING EDGE Technology is not always the answer. Surgery is not always a solution. Getting into the spirit are L to R: Child Advocates of Fort Bend Development Director Kelli Metzenthin, Ron Ewer of Rosenberg-Richmond Auto Mile, Al Gaylor of Sysco, Jim McClellan of Fred and Mabel R. Parks Foundation, Gary Finnegan of Rosenberg-Richmond Auto Mile and Neighborhood Chair Anne Burke. Rosenberg-Richmond Auto an abused child by sponsor- vocate for the needs of abused Mile. Joining them are Arch- ing this festive holiday event, and neglected children in this angel Sponsors Sysco Corpo- please contact Kelli Metzen- community. Through its two ration and Consolidated Home thin at 281-344-5106. For oth- programs, Court Appointed Health. Home Tour sponsor- er information, contact Irene Special Advocates (CASA) and the Children’s Advocacy ship opportunities range from Wisner at 281-344-5108. Proceeds from the Christ- Center, the agency touches the $100 - $10,000. If you are interested in mak- mas Home Tour help Child lives of more than 400 young ing a difference in the life of Advocates of Fort Bend ad- victims each month.
Experience and concern make that very important difference in the science and the art of helping you heal from your orthopedic injuries. You and I will work together to create a plan best suited for you.
THOMAS J. PARR, M.D. ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON 14090 Southwest Fwy, #130 Sugar Land, TX 77478 Phone: (281) 491-7111 www.tomparrmd.net www.FtBendSportsMedicine.com
PROUDLY SERVING FORT BEND SINCE 1981
Russell C. Jones Thelma Holoway Jones Lewis W. “Chip” Smith IV ● Real Estate ● Landlord/Tenant ● ● Banking ● Creditors' Rights ● Collections ● ● Business and Corporate Law ● Immigration ● ● Business Litigation ● Mergers and Acquisitions ● ● Estate Planning ● Probate ● ● Property Owners' Associations ● In the Sugar Land Industrial Park 407 Julie Rivers Drive, Sugar Land, Tx. 77478 281-242-8100 rjones@jonesattorneys.com www.jonesattorneys.com AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell Not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
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Page 8 • INDEPENDENT • NOVEMBER 10, 2010
Classic Chevrolet remodels used car center
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Cong gratulattions to our new wly Elec cted Rep publican n Officia als n Fort Bend B County!! in O On behalf of our Candida ates, The e Republiican Partty of Fort Bend C County e Conservative and Republica R an Voterr who cam me forwa ard to thanks every “stand-up, spea ak-up and show-u up� durin ng this 2 2010 Gen neral Ele ection Campaign n and forr casting your vottes in Ea arly Votin ng and o on Electio on Day. We are very appreciativ ve of you ur support and Vote!! Rick Milller, Chairman can Party y of Fort Bend Co ounty Republic
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Recently Classic Chevrolet’s collision center in Sugar Land was recognized as the top performing shop for the third quarter of 2010 by Nationwide Insurance. There are many criteria for performance. Some of which are customer satisfaction, cycle time (meaning turn around time) and repair quality. Above, Collision Center Manager Mike Gnader displays the certificate. Meanwhile, Classic Chevrolet’s used car center is undergoing a major face lift. The new used car center will have a totally new interior, making it more customer friendly. The 9,000 square-foot facility will be totally transformed to make customers feel comfortable in a grand ambience with new flooring, lighting and pleasing interior. The management has awarded the construction contract to Jamail & Smith of Stafford, thus giving a boost to local economy. The new used car center is expected to open before Thanksgiving. The Sugar Land Choral Society will perform two concerts on Nov. 15 and 16, 8 p.m. at the Imperial Theater at 2210 Lone Star Drive in Sugar Land Town Square. General admission tickets will be sold at the door for $5, beginning one hour prior to each concert. The concerts will feature music by Lauridsen, Rutter, Brahms, Landes, Monteverdi, an arrangement of The Star Spangled Banner by Pfautsch, and MISSA KENYA by Basler, with chamber orchestra. Kevin M. Klotz, DMA student at University of Houston, is Conductor of the chorus, and Jessica W. Myers is accompanist. Daniel Sigmon, Musical Director of Imperial Performing Arts says, “The variety of music will delight every audience member.� Space is limited, so get there early. Call Edward Crowell, Executive Director, at 281-277-7444, or ec@theimperial.org.
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