VOL 2 No. 47
Phone: 281-980-6745
www.fbindependent.com .fbindependent.com ww
FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
Flu Shots boost toy drive
Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, in collaboration with Fort Bend Exchange Club, Sugar Land Exchange Club and Sugar Land Rotary, provided free flu shots to community members who participated in Santa’s Gift Exchange. Fort Bend residents brought new, unwrapped toys or clothing items in exchange for a flu shot. Santa’s Gift Exchange will provide toys and clothing to more than 3,500 economically disadvantaged children in Fort Bend County. Top Row: Kaelyn Stolhand; Lowell Stanton, CFO at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital; Betty Baitland, Sugar Land Exchange President; Dan Green, Rotary Club of Sugar Land President; Julie Hung, M.D., Methodist Family Medicine Group. Bottom Row: Leala Hall; Armando Saenz and Leena Taneja. “We were very pleased to see such a large turn-out on Saturday morning. It is great to work and live in a community that can come together for a wonderful cause that will benefit the children in our community. We are proud to partner with the local exchange and rotary clubs to provide this community offering and plan to do so again in 2010,” said Taneja. “A special thank you to the 200 plus people who attended the free flu shot and Santa’s Exchange event, as more children will now get the present they deserve,” said Stanton.
Wish Upon a Season celebrates fathers & daughters
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Mayor faces gunman after ‘smashing’ burgers By SESHADRI KUMAR It was an eventful day for Sugar Land Mayor Jimmy Thompson. After participating in the grand opening of Smashburger, a fast food restaurant and presiding over the city council meeting, Thompson returned home shortly before 8 p.m. on Nov. 17 when he was robbed at gunpoint in his driveway. Thompson complied with the gunman’s demand, gave him about $80 that he had and threw his credit cards on the ground. Thompson was unhurt. The gunman made Thompson crawl under the car and ran away with the mayor’s cell phone. Thompson rushed in to his house and called 911. In less than two minutes the police arrived. “I was scared to death. Still am,” Thompson told a press conference at the Sugar Land police station next morning. “Now, I am really mad, mad that it happened in Sugar Land,” Thompson said. Thompson said he was thinking he was going to get shot and decided not to be combative. The whole incident lasted not more than 30 seconds or less than a minute, he said. “It could happen to anybody. People should be aware,” Thompson said. The city would continue to enforce the objective of being the “safest city,” he said. Thompson said he did not carry a gun, though he is a U.S. Air Force veteran. He was not sure if the incident would make him procure a
Fast-casual restaurant, Smashburger, celebrated their grand opening Nov. 17 at 2623 Town Center Blvd., with the help of Sugar Land Mayor Jimmy Thompson, above, and Smashburger GM Aaron Johnson. Smashburger hosted a group of 200 Sugar Land families for burgers and shakes through the night. Brinkley described the inconcealed gun. Thompson felt that it was a cident as a “crime of opporturandom incident and he was nity,” and complimented the not being targeted because he mayor for doing exactly what he was expected to do. was the mayor. The CrimeStoppers have Sugar Land’s Police Chief Doug Brinkley said the de- announced a $5,000 reward scription of the suspect for anyone providing informatched a suspect in a similar mation leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. robbery in the city recently.
New flood risk maps ready for inspection
Honorees for the 2009 Wish Upon A Season Gala - Dr. Scott Breeze with daughter Ava, Will Hardee and daughter Heather Gobert, Chris Breaux’s daughters Kimberly and Aimee Breaux (Chris was not present), Don Kerstetter and his daughter Grace. Not pictured: Quinn Wright and daughter Caylin. The Casa de Esperanza-Fort Bend Gala Committee hosted a Champagne reception last week, underwritten by Cassandra and Allison Wen, to celebrate and thank the sponsors of the third annual Wish Upon A Season holiday extravaganza. The event is on Friday, Dec. 4, at Safari Texas Ranch, 11627 FM 1464 in Richmond. The proceeds from the event will benefit Casa de Esperanza-Fort Bend to help them to continue and expand crucial services to their foster/adoptive children and their families in Fort Bend County. This year’s theme for Wish Upon A Season 2009 will be “Stars of Today and Tomor-
row.” The honorees are Fort Bend fathers and daughters who are current and future stars in our community, providing vision and commitment of their time and talent in support of civic and charitable organizations in Fort Bend. On Dec. 4, Casa de Esperanza-Fort Bend will pay tribute to Don Kerstetter and daughter Grace, Dr. Scott Breeze and daughter Ava, Quinn Wright and daughter Caylin, Will Hardee and daughter Heather Gobert, and Chris Breaux and daughters Kimberly and Aimee. For more than 27 years, Casa de Esperanza has provided residential, medical and psychological care—without charge—to special-needs
infants and young children (ages six and under) who were in crisis because of abuse, neglect, or the effects of the AIDS virus. Casa de Esperanza-Fort Bend is only the second organization nationwide and the single organization in Texas to recognize and respond to the need for specialized residential care of children infected with HIV/AIDS, and has been serving HIV-positive children longer than any other agency in the country. In addition, the organization supports 15 foster and 10 adoptive families and their children who reside in Fort Bend County. For sponsorships call Gina Miller at 281-491-6440 or 281-7735700.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently presented draft flood risk maps to communities in Fort Bend County. The maps identify known flood risks and are used for insurance and development decisions. The flood maps include a re-study of the Brazos River and Oyster Creek in Fort Bend County. County Judge Bob Hebert said, “We encourage Fort Bend County residents to take the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the flood risk in the community by visiting the “Drainage District” website located at this link: http://
fbcmap.co.fort-bend.tx.us/ floodplainmap/ The maps can help residents make informed decisions about flood protection. “In addition to the information provided on the website, numerous workshops will be held around the county in the near future. Citizens will have every opportunity to view the maps and ask any specific question they may have.” The new maps are based on detailed ground elevation models, decades of rainfall and storm gauge information and current topographic data. Residents and property owners may submit scientific or technical information if they believe the flood maps contain errors.
The city of Sugar Land is soliciting requests for interest from potential developers for a minor league baseball stadium and an indoor concert venue in the proposed entertainment district at the University of Houston site and U.S. 59. The goal is to open the baseball stadium by April 2012 and the concert venue in January 2013. The city also plans to create a Tax Increment Redevelopment Zone for 700 acres including the UH site and the Telfair commercial reserve. See story on Page 3.
Introducing the new Back Pain Program at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land.
Relief is within reach
It’s time to start experiencing relief with a personalized treatment plan from our new comprehensive Back Pain Program. Our skilled health team specializes in joint and back pain, offering both minimally invasive surgical techniques and noninvasive treatments. To learn more, call 281.725.5225 or visit SugarLandBackPain.com.
Appeals are submitted through communities to FEMA, and FEMA will notify communities, insurance companies and residents of the effective date of the final maps after resolving all appeals. FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Fort Bend Independent wishes all its readers and advertisers a Happy Thanksgiving.