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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2019

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Official newspaper of Fort Bend County & Missouri City

Yoga at Sugar Land Town Square

Yoga enthusiasts gathered at Sugar Land Town Square on January 26 to participate in the annual “Health for Humanity Yogathon. Cold weather and the intermittent rain did not deter the participants — elementary kids, teens, youth and the young at heart senior citizens who continued to stretch and bend with full enthusiasm. More on Page 2. Yoga enthusiasts gathered at Sugar Land Town Square on January 26 to participate in the annual “Health for Humanity Yogathon. Cold weather and the intermittent rain did not deter the participants — elementary kids, teens, youth and the young at heart senior citizens who continued to stretch and bend with full enthusiasm. Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George and Sewa International

Missouri City will host its Fifth Annual Black History Month Celebrations on Wednesday, Feb. 13, and Saturday, Feb. 16. Continuing its tradition of celebrating culture and diversity in the community, the festivities will kick oﬀ on Feb. 13 with “An Evening Celebration of Art & Artists” in the premier Visitors Center, 1522 Texas Pkwy. from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Guests will enjoy the works of artists Ted Ellis, best known for his African-American themed art and styles which blend elements of folk art, naturalism and impressionism, and Amy Cassidy whose jewel toned pigments combined with a hard glassy resin coating create a very unique painting that is like jewelry on walls. The evening will also consist of discussions with both artists, food, beverages and musical entertainment provided by

executive member Dinesh Shah inaugurated the event with a lamp lighting ceremony. The event, organized by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, USA, Houston Chapter, was a part of a 16-day Yogathon from January 12th to January 27, aimed at creating awareness about Yoga and its advantages in achieving a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Yoga teachers from various institutions participated and

Regional Jazz Saxophonist, Theresa Grayson. On Feb. 16, the City will host its traditional program in the Community Center featuring a local business showcase, a cultural tasting with Micheaux’s and The Greatest BBQ, a dance showcase with the Fort Bend Academy of Arts & Dance, and a comedy showcase with acclaimed performers Ali Siddiq and Lil Darrel. The ﬁrst-ever youth poetry slam with presentations from students across the region will be judged by Pamela PlumbarHolliman who is Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Buﬀalo Soldiers National Museum and Andre “Self the Poet” Burrell, a nationally ranked poet whose style is equal parts intelligent, captivating, and profound. “We’re proud to see our Black History Month tradition continue to recognize

conducted yoga sessions during this event. Dr. Archana Purushotham, MD, PhD, a neurologist at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Aﬀairs Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine, shared her perspective on the beneﬁts of the Sun Salutations. She observed that Surya Namaskar integrates simple Yoga postures in 10-steps that, See YOGA, Page 2

African-American culture and accomplishments showcasing the tremendous historical contributions of local legends, including our area youth,” said City Manager Anthony J. Snipes. “This year’s events will be top-notch and we look forward to hosting residents and stakeholders from across the region.” Black History Month partners include H-E-B, Comcast, CenterPoint Energy, Niagara, Trammel Crow, BlueCross BlueShield of Texas, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Fort Bend Academy of Arts & Dance (FBAAD), Micheaux’s Diner & Catering, INC., The Greatest BBQ, Chopping Board Catering and Cajun Pits Catering. Volunteer opportunities are available. Those interested may contact Adrianna Nixon at adrianna.nixon@missouri citytx.gov or at 281.403.8500.

Texas Senate ﬁnance committee talks about Harvey recovery

AUSTIN What the state needs to do to help communities recover from 2017’s Hurricane Harvey was discussed at the Senate Finance Committee public hearings on the budget last week. Reviewing the supplemental budget on Wednesday, members discussed the need for funding and a unified flood mitigation and recovery plan for future events. SB 500, which would spend $4.2 billion to balance accounts between what was appropriated for this biennium and actual costs and expenditures through the end of this fiscal year, includes $1.2 billion in state funds for Harvey recovery efforts. Most of that, $900 million, would go toward helping school districts cope with loss of funding due to decreased student populations and local

property tax value. The federal government is supposed to pay for most of the cost of repair and mitigation, but the federal shutdown could be endangering recovery eﬀorts. Brenham Senator Lois Kolkhorst told fellow Finance members about a conversation she had with the Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management Nim Kidd last week. He told her that every day the government is shut down, it could cost the state two days worth of recovery funding. “It’s kind of shut down and we’re at a standstill on the housing issue that we see in my district, and then also some of the other FEMA funds that could come to our local communities for mitigation and for repair,” said Kolkhorst. Other members wanted to ensure that the state is doing

everything it can to help local governments draw down federal funds. Some federal aid comes in the form of matching grant programs, where Washington will match or reimburse local expenditures toward disaster recovery. Drawing down these funds is often proactive on the part of the local entities; they have to come up with the money to get the match or spend the funds before they can be reimbursed. Houston Senator Joan Huﬀman, who represents parts of Fort Bend and Brazoria counties asked if the state should step in to help. “There’s a lot of federal money out there and it’s a shame in my opinion to let some of the local communities not be able to See SENATE, Page 3

QUILTED MEMORY Erstwhile Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen, left, was presented with a quilt made of Owen’ campaign t-shirts over the years and signed by volunteers, honoring his services to the city at a reception hosted by Friends of Mayor Allen Owen at the Quail Valley Town Center on Jan. 23. His wife Jane, is at right. The quilt was made by Jeannie Hillier and her daughter Jennifer Hillier Rodriguez. Right, Jeanne Sheledy presents Allen Owen with a Push card that was used in Owen’s first mayoral campaign in 1994. See story on Page 3. Photos by MARY FAVRE.

FBISD calls for special election The Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees held a special meeting Tuesday, January 29 at 7:00 a.m. to deliberate and consider calling a special election to ﬁll a vacancy on the Board. Position 5 was formerly held by KP George, who resigned his position to serve as Fort Bend County Judge this past year. The remaining term for Position 5 expires May of 2020. Initially, the

school board had called for the general election of two seats and did not include the seat vacated by George. Now,a special election has been ordered to be held on May 4, 2019 for voting in the Fort Bend Independent School District Trustee Election to elect one person to ﬁll the unexpired term of Position 5 due to a vacancy.

Page 2 • INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 30, 2019

NEWS

200 Fort Bend County Youth join MLK Day Of Service

The youth do basic wood work and assemble beds for the CPS. Participants relax after performing a total of 2600 salutations to the sun.

Yoga

Residents at Lord’s Kitchen in Rosenberg receive lunch bags. While many schools and businesses are closed on the federal holiday Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day, the agency charged with leading the day of service -- the Corporation for National & Community Service -- refers to it as “A Day On, Not a Day Off.” That was certainly the case as approximately 200 youth and leaders coming from 12 diverse congregations from the Fort Bend Interfaith Community met Monday, January 21, 2019 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sugar Land. Rabbi Josh Lobel, serving as Chair of the Fort Bend Interfaith Community Council commented, “What a way to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy to bring kids of different backgrounds, different races, religions to do good for the community. It was his dream – a world in which the color of one’s skin doesn’t matter. At the heart of all the different religions is the idea that we are going to work together to create a better world. We ask what can we do for someone else.” The youth worked cheerfully choosing three of four service projects. In the first area, the sound of drills mixed with busy chatter as they took advantage of the beautiful cool weather outside and used wood screws to assemble precut headboards, footboards and sides for six beds. Amy Bezecny, founder and CEO of Cultivating Families explained that these beds would go directly to Child Protective Services. “Every bed built prevents a child from sleeping in an emergency shelter or prevents a child from entering the system because a grandparent or aunt or uncle could meet code and accept that child into their home,” Bezecny said. Todd Harris, Director of High School and College Ministries for Christ Church Sugar Land, a United Methodist Community, spearheaded this project. Church members donated all the building supplies and bedding. “The embodiment of MLK was unity through diversity. We live in the most diverse zip code in the world, I’ve been told. So why not partner with brothers and sisters, as long as we serve people…

let’s do it, let’s serve together,” Harris said. A second project had youth working shoulder to shoulder with gloved hands assembling sack lunches to be given to Lord’s Kitchen in Rosenberg for distribution to the homeless and needy. There was a lot of laughter as they mastered the art of spreading peanut butter and jelly double-time. 200 lunches were ready for delivery by the end of the event. Valerie Tolman with the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, Thoreau Campus in Richmond kept the assembly lines running smoothly. The congregation donated all the food and water for the lunches. Tolman was also at the first MLK Day of Service and was amazed and gratified to see the growth in participation. As she delivered the lunches to Lord’s Kitchen, the gratitude and smiles on the faces of the recipients was evident. “Let’s take a picture so the kids can see,” Tolman said, planning to quickly update the Fort Bend Interfaith Community’s Facebook page. In another room, youth made cards and wrote encouraging notes for patients at the Houston VA hospital. Carolyn Wade from Congregation Beth El took charge of gathering all the supplies, and there were stacks of sweet, funny, uplifting and appreciative notes to patients and veterans by the end of the day. Youth also brought socks to give to those in the hospital. “The response has been overwhelming. The back of my car is full of socks!” Wade said. Hygiene kits to benefit the homeless at the Star of Hope rounded out the last of the projects for the youth to choose. The contents were donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the youth put together 200 kits in short order. A donor coach from The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center was also on site to collect blood donations. After a lunch of pizza and salad, the youth participated in a dialogue similar to the Interfaith Dinner Dialogue that the adults have previously shared. Questions were asked to stimulate discussion about their own faith, and to discuss ste-

reotypes and misconceptions they have encountered. Closing remarks were given by Faiz Jawani, a medical resident with the Ismaili Community Engaged in Responsible Volunteering (ICERV). He quoted Dr. King and challenged the youth to support one another. “Each one of you matter for your beliefs and who you are and so let’s move past the labels and give others a chance to show who they are,” Jawani said. Here’s what some of the youth thought: “I came because it is an interfaith social and I can learn about other religions and the diﬀerent aspects of what they believe and also I can teach others about my religion,” Enara Roohullah, 9th grade. “We made a footboard for foster children! It felt good to help people in need. I came to help my community out, especially on this important day,” Kelvin Mayes, 11th grade. “This is a great activity for everyone to come and meet together. It’s a lot of fun. I don’t know many but I’m getting to know them now,” Liam Moss, 12th grade. Dr. King would approve. —By LINDA TALBOT

From Page 1 along with easy breathing techniques, provide immense health benefits to both the body and the mind. She also advised that everyone must know their body limits, respect it and avoid over stretching during yoga sessions. Akshata Malusare, Certified Yoga Teacher from VYASA Yoga, conducted the warm up sessions and energized participants for the Surya Namaskar while Shyam Popuri and Richa Dixit, from Houston HSS, guided participants through the 10-step Surya Namaskar process explaining each posture and its benefit. Daksha Shah, of Om Yoga, conducted a relaxation session where participants experienced how breath can be used as a tool to relax in today’s fast paced life and unlock the unlimited potential of the body and mind. The participants energized themselves and collectively completed 3000 Surya Namaskars. The session concluded with pranayama by Unna Ramanathan, Certified Yoga Teacher and a prayer for everyone’s health, happiness and peace. Virendra Vyas, Houston HSS chapter coordinator of the SNY event, spoke briefly about HSS and this health awareness project. Community leaders and many elected officials across the nation have appreciated this initiative and encouraged people to participate and gain the benefits of an overall healthy life style. He mentioned that the event reaches out to society, without any barrier of race, nationality or personal faith and urged participants to incorporate the Surya Namaskar Yoga in their daily routine. One of the highlights of the event was the demonstration of the Sun salutation by a 4-year-

Fort Bend County Judge KP George, right, with Dinesh Shah of Sewa International and Shyam Popuri of HSS, lights the lamp to inaugurate the Yogathon. old and senior citizens over 70 the relaxation session was years. These young at heart very nice.” Satya and Sundar defied the odds and inspired described their experience as many with their strength, “energized body and mind.” Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh determination and positivity. The YMCA of Greater is a US based, non-profit, social Houston had a booth for and cultural organization. It promoting Yoga and Healthy aims to promote community spirit and ideals among Hindus Lifestyle. HSS youth member residing in the United States. Shruti Popuri interacted with HSS initiated this health participants who had plenty awareness project in 2006. of positive and encouraging Since its inception, participants feedback. According to Nicole, from 40 states have participated “It was cold and drizzling and collectively performed over but lots of fun doing Yoga at 4 million Surya Namaskars. For further information about Town Square. I have learned the benefits of doing Surya participating in the Health for namaskar and will like to get Humanity Yogathon including connected for regular practice. training resources, visit www. Jennifer, Ashley and Edith said hssus.org/sny or email at sny@ it was their first yoga session hssus.org and they “learned a lot and

Safari Texas Ranch sponsors Sugar Creek Garden Club 2019 Boots & Badges Gala

The Sugar Creek Garden Club is hosting its annual friendship luncheon and silent auction on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sugar Creek County Club at 420 Sugar Creek Blvd. Adults, children, grandchildren alike will enjoy the silent auction and bid on Teapots, jewelry and baskets filled with home items, decorating, cooking, etc. Children will enjoy the clown for face painting and balloon animals. Proceeds fund scholarships for college graduate students majoring in Horticulture and other community beautifications. Lunch is $30 for adults and $15 for children More information, call 713-201-0440

Behind the Badge Charities, in association with the Presenting Sponsor, Safari Texas Ranch, is preparing for the annual Boots and Badges Gala at the George Ranch Historical Park. This year’s gala will be held from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 at the George Ranch Historical Park’s main arena. The event features dinner catered by Safari Texas, music, dancing and fabulous live and silent auctions. Legacy Ford is the underwriter for the 2019 Ford F-150 or a Mustang GT, which will be raffled off at the event. Raffle ticket holders do not need to be present to win. Behind the Badge Charities is a volunteer organization that provides emergency financial assistance grants to Fort Bend County emergency first responders who suffer injuries, illness or other disasters that create financial hardship not covered by insurance or other assistance. Behind the Badge Charities has awarded more than $420,000 in financial assistance to Fort Bend County Emergency First Responders to date. Behind the Badge Charities also awards academic scholarships to eligible dependent children of emergency responders in Fort Bend County. This year, academic scholarships totaling more than $45,000 have been set aside for the 2018-2019 academic year. Sponsorship opportunities for the gala range from $1,000 to $10,000. Individual tickets are $35 each and tables of 10 can be reserved for $500. Tickets, raffle tickets and sponsorships can be purchased on the organization’s website at www.BehindTheBadgeCharities.org.

INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 30, 2019 • Page 3

NEWS

Want a six figure salary? Run for Stafford mayor By BARBARAFULENWIDER Stafford mayor and city council continued to debate how to raise their salaries at their Jan. 23 meeting. It was the second time council discussed it after Councilman A.J. Honore, who is running for mayor against Leonard Scarcella, brought it up. Human Resources Director Shanell Garcia was asked by council to provide them with more statistics from other cities about what they pay their mayor, council members and city manager. Seven of the cities close to Stafford’s population of 20,000 are all general law cities. One of the cities Garcia tallied was Katy -- the only one like Stafford that has a strong mayor form of government. Mayor Leonard Scarcella asked Art Pertile, Stafford’s lawyer, what the comparable aspects of the job of a mayor are in contrast to that of a city manager. Pertile said, “The mayor operates the city on an everyday basis and does the hiring and firing. If the mayor has a day job, the city secretary runs everything. The larger the city is, the more the mayor is ceremonial and the city manager runs the city.” Then Pertile told council to look at the pay of the chief executive officer of a city in order to help determine what the raises should be for Stafford’s mayor. Mayor Scarcella, who is also running for re-election next May, says he starts to work as mayor around 8 a.m. and that the great majority of his work is spent on the city. “In the afternoon I’m here much of the time. So many times we have meetings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. That’s quite a few hours. “On weekends I’m very much involved comparing the state of the city and the goals.

When you get into something like Harvey, you are there around the clock for 9-10 days or more,” he said. Council Member Virginia Rosas said, “We are very fortunate that you can give a lot of hours to the city,” she told Scarcella. “What if someone had a full time job? Are we expecting that person to give up that job and be mayor?” Pertile said the position should be paid and it would be their primary job. City administrators are a full time job sometimes 12-12 or 12-2 and are paid according to the number of hours they work. Scarcella told council to throw out the highest and lowest numbers on salaries paid by the 7 towns Garcia surveyed and have the same population as Stafford. “I think the numbers will get close to $150,000” for the mayor’s salary, Sccarcella said. “It disturbs me to get an increased salary of 1500%. It seems like an awful lot.” Pertile said council and the mayor can determine the amount after they take a look at all the backup information. “You have a list of cities and how much those people get paid and what the benefits are. It would be salary and benefits – car and cell phone allowance, health insurance, etc. The mayor said he thinks council members should get raises too. “There is more work required now than there was in 1990. The city is bigger now and the amount of information in your package now is much larger. “Homework, preparation, talking to citizens, talking to whomever has been heightened quite a bit. In 1990 the $250 paid council members per month should now be $750. Council jobs have been elevated 3 times in commitment, preparation, reading, etc.,” Scarcella said.

Rosas said, “I don’t want the stipend to be so high people are running for the money and not the position. I’d like a little bit more than $250 but not much more.” Councilman Cecil Willis said, “The price index is something to start at. The salary now is higher than every city council except 2 of comparable size.” Katy’s council members make $1,030 and Sugar Land pays $750 per member. Councilman Ken Mathew noted that out of the 15 cities researched for council all pay less than Stafford. Councilman Don Jones then asked how such a pay increase would impact the budget. Scarcella said, “Right now it costs $28,000 a year to pay the mayor and council. If council gets an increase of $750 that would be $54,000 a year. Then let’s use the $140,000 for mayor. “That alone just on the salaries and then when you add the benefits it would go from $30,000 to $200,000 or 6.5 times higher than it is now for a total of $170,000.” The mayor said he wants Stafford citizens to know about the raises since “people may want to run for mayor because the salary is so large.” Councilman Honore made a motion for staff to come up with an ordinance for a median number recommended for the mayor’s salary. Then City Secretary Tomika Lewis revised the motion somewhat: direct staff to take the cities of similar size and throw out the highest and lowest (salaries) and use a median of 6 to come back with a number. She also said the final discussion and adoption should be at the second meeting in February. The second ordinance for raising city council’s pay will also be voted on at their February 20 meeting. Council approved both ordinances.

Missouri City City Council reaffirms support to veterans’ memorial By BARBAR FULENWIDER At Missouri City’s Jan. 22 council meeting, council approved a resolution about the city’s memorial to veterans. Even though city council members had recently voted 6-0 to reafirm their support of building the Missouri City Veterans Memorial, they did so again last week with a resolution all members at the meeting approved. Council’s second affirmation came about because Missouri City has a new mayor, Yolanda Ford. The Missouri City Parks Foundation has been soliciting funds to complete the memorial but with the change in leadership some major funders requested that the city reafirm its support before they give their resources to the project. Don Smith, a long-time Missouri City councilman and retired military officer, worked long and hard to get the memorial in city council’s sights. His tenacity paid off because plans now are for it to be built at city hall. Council got their designer by sponsoring a public competition held several years ago that Lloyd Lentz, a Principal with LMA Design Houston, won. It was fitting because Lentz is the son of a World War II and Korean War veteran, the grandson of two World War I veterans and the brother of a Vietnam veteran. His design honors American military veterans with a fivepoint star and eternal flame. A fountain will be at the

center and surrounded by arched columns. It represents the flow of life through the bubbling fountain and the flame of freedom burning eternally. It also symbolizes the five branches of America’s military and the bravery, sacrifice and strength veterans stand for in our country. Background information to city council members says: There is a critical nexus between our efforts to develop this monument, and the educatiuon of our youth in regards to our military history and the unique experience of veterans and their families. The resolution council passed at their Jan. 22 meeting says the Veterans Memorial Project is estimated to cost $1.5 million with hard costs estimated at $750,000. The city has committed $200,000 for construction and will request $50,000 from the city’s hotel occupancy tax funding. . So far donations to fund the project on 25 acres on the city hall campus are $400,000. The only councilman who said anything regarding council’s unanimous vote in favor of reaffirming the memorial to veterans was made by District C Councilman Anthony Maroulis. He said, “This is a great addition to our city and to city hall and to our veterans. We are focused on it and ready for it to come forward.” The other three resolutions were also unanimously approved by council. Most of the time developers give Missouri City acreage rather

than dollars but not this time. The developer’s lot in question is a replat of a single family residential lot that would add an additional lot south of Creekmont subdivision and east of Oyster Creek Country/Estates of Silver Ridge subdivision, according to background information provided to council. Members of the city’s planning and zoning commission and Missouri City’s Parks & Recreation Board approved the developer giving the city $1,400 rather than the property. The money can be used for park development or acqusition only in Park Zone 12. Jason Mangum, director of the city’s parks and recreation, said the city has no parkland in Park Zone 12 now but staﬀ hopes to buy the land to be used in that area. Two other resolutions council passed were to lease two beverage carts for the Quail Valley Golf Club along with 76 golf carts. Tyson Stittleburg, general manager of the golf club, said, “If we do not continue to regresh our leases those carts go longer and longer and require more maintenance. New ones will go under new warranties. If we don‘t refresh our leases we will be spending a lot of money to keep them running.” Each lease is for 49 months and will save the city some money because the cost of just replacing batteries in the golf carts run between $600 and $700 each, according to Stittleburg.

Erstwhile Mayor Allen Owen recalls legacy, thanks citizens By SESHADRI KUMAR After a 39-year-journey with the city of Missouri City, eight of them as council member and 24 more years as the mayor, what is the legacy that erstwhile Mayor Allen Owen is leaving behind? “You are standing on one of them,” Owen told a large number of his long time friends and supporters at a farewell reception held at the Quail Valley Town Center on Jan. 23. The strong city council at that time helped acquire the Quail Valley Golf Course and he helped in the legislature passing the necessary bills and the governor signing them, Owen said. “I was just one vote. All I did was provide leadership and guidance to do what we have done.” The golf course has helped increase the property tax value by 14 percent a year, Owen said. In the last four or ﬁve years, 34 major companies moved into Missouri City, creating 1,500 jobs. And it is continuing. Answering the often asked question, “what will the new administration do?” Owen said “They can’t tear down

what we have built.... I am worried about the continuing growth of Missouri City as a great city.” In this context, Owen called for improvement of the schools in Missouri City and from an economic standpoint, good schools are a must to attract businesses. Earlier, Owen thanked the well known developer Larry Johnson, who was responsible for Sienna Plantation. Sienna was not only the golden goose, it was an egg as well, Owen said, attributing Missouri City’s growth to Sienna’s growth. Owen , in a lighter vein, said maybe there is a a street named “Owen Blvd.” somewhere in Sienna, probably it is a dead end, he said evoking laughter all around. Owen recalled that he ran his campaign, “supposedly as a non-partisan,” and not as an “R” or “D.” He also mentioned the great relationship he had with two area Congressmen Al Green (D) and Pete Olson (R). During Hurricane Harvey, he had their numbers on speed dial and every day, they would call to ask if he needed any help. When the FAA grounded

the drones that the city was deploying to monitor some of the levees, which were in danger of breaching, Olson quickly helped in getting the drones back in business, Owen said. What was important was the friendship with the elected officials, not being a Republican or Democrat, he said. Olson’s wife Nancy attended the reception. Al Green sent his staff aide to present a national flag flown on The Capitol to Owen. Owen thanked his friends and supporters who stood with him from day no. 1. As if demonstrating the loyal friendship, Missouri City resident Jeanne Sheledy brought a push card used in Owen’s mayoral campaign in 1994. Later, a giant quilt made of Owen’s campaign t-shirts over the years, signed by many supporters, was presented to him as a memento. Owen said that after 39 years with Wells Fargo Bank and 39 years with the city, he was not going to stay home unemployed and he has already taken a consultant job.

Senate From Page 1

hours in line to get a driver’s license. The driver’s license program has been an ongoing headache for DPS, and efforts to streamline the process haven’t worked so far. Wait times, whether in line at an office or on-hold on the phone, have increased and many offices are serving small populations while others are inundated with demand. All but eight states issue licenses through a department of motor vehicles. Texas didn’t have such an agency until 2009, when legislation carved motor vehicle registration and other services out of the Department of Transportation and created the DMV. DPS is still issuing licenses however, 3.5 million in fiscal year 2017, in addition to 600,000 state IDs. It operates 235 offices across the state, ranging from 166 offices staffed by ten or fewer employees to 9 mega-centers in major cities that process more than 2000 transactions every day. Whether a citizen goes to a single-person office or a mega-center, they aren’t receiving good customer service, according to an interim review by the Sunset Advisory Commission. Sunset staff found that wait times at offices continue to increase. At one office, the Houston-Gessner mega-center, average wait times have gone up from 33 minutes in 2009 to 77 minutes in 2017. The problem could be even worse because the agencies don’t have data for people who give up before they ever get into the building due to long lines. On-hold wait times are getting longer as well. The Sunset report showed that in 2009, the average hold time was thirteen and a half minutes and most callers just hung up; only 35 percent of calls were answered. The problem only got worse by 2017, adding almost a full minute to the average wait time and reducing the percentage of calls answered to 20 percent. “This is one of the few places where everyone

in Texas of driver’s license age and above interacts with their state government,” said Friendswood Senator Larry Taylor at Monday’s hearing. “When it’s this dysfunctional, it doesn’t look good on the whole state.” Austin Senator Kirk Watson, who served on the Sunset Commission over the interim, said this issue was highly frustrating for that joint panel. “Frankly, the agencies were not very good at telling us how we could fix this,” he said. “We talk about how you can’t just throw money at a problem and fix it.” Finance Chair Senator Jane Nelson agreed. “We have more than doubled the amount of money since 2012,” she said. “So it’s not just a money problem. We better figure out how…I don’t want to study this anymore.” Sunset recommendations for the driver’s license program favored an in-depth study of what exactly it would take to successfully place the program under the DMV, and also put a hard date of a transfer, study or not, on September 1, 2021. Some members raised concerns about whether the agency could handle the program. “Here we are talking about a proposition to move a [program] that requires more FTEs (full-time equivalent employees) than the agency has currently?,” he asked. Granbury Senator Brian Birdwell, who served as Chair of the Sunset Commission over the interim and will carry the DPS Sunset bill in the Senate, said they are working towards a solution, but ultimately the driver’s license program will be going to the DMV. “This is not a ‘study whether we should transfer this or not’,” he said. “It’s going to move. If this committee wants to move it faster, we can do that.” Chair Nelson told her members that she believes this problem will be solved this session. “I think I can safely assure you, just based on the comments this morning, we will come up with a solution to this,” she said.

rebuild and mitigate and save money for the future when we may be able to help on some of these big projects,” she said. Committee Chair Senator Jane Nelson of Flower Mound said that they can look at this issue closer next week when the General Land Office is scheduled to appear before the Finance Committee as part of the regular appropriations process. There was also concern for the future expressed by members, and the need for cooperation and coordination between government at all levels. “We need to leave here with a statewide flood plan with oversight and accountability designated for local, state and federal partners,” said Lubbock Senator Charles Perry, who chairs the Committee on Water and Rural Affairs. His committee studied the issue over the interim and found that historically, flood mitigation in Texas has been a patchwork of regional efforts that can often cause problems for neighboring areas. “I don’t disagree with you that we have money on the table that needs to be pulled down,” he told Huffman. “But my caution is, we can end up like a New Orleans, that still doesn’t have recovery because nothing was done with oversight, coordination and collaboration.” Perry has filed a bill, SB 396, that would direct state agencies to develop a plan for flood disaster response that ensures that all agencies at all levels of government are on the same page when trying to help communities bounce back from hurricanes and other flood events. Senators want solution for driver license wait times As the Senate Finance Committee considered the budget for the Department of Public Safety on Monday, members wanted to know why their constituents have to spend

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Page 4 • INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 30, 2019

INSURANCE Uninsured motorist property damage coverage By BASIL HOUSEWRIGHT When purchasing auto insurance if I purchase collision insurance on all my vehicles, why should I consider purchasing uninsured motorist property damage coverage? That’s an excellent question, and one that is frequently asked by our customers. Uninsured motorist property damage coverage is expensive, especially when you have several vehicles covered on your personal auto policy. First, let’s take a look at your collision coverage to see exactly what’s covered there. Collision insurance covers direct and accidental loss to your vehicle when it collides with another vehicle or object, or when the vehicle overturns without involvement with another vehicle or object. This coverage applies no matter who is at fault. A total loss to your vehicle is generally going to be paid on a market value basis, meaning the price a willing purchaser would pay for the vehicle prior to the loss. Damage that doesn’t result in a total loss is repaired or replaced with parts of like kind and quality. If the damage to the vehicle can be repaired, your vehicle may be worth less after the repairs are made than it was worth prior to the accident. This is called “diminished value” and your collision insurance typically doesn’t cover it. The expense to rent another vehicle while yours is in the shop for repair is not covered by collision insurance, although many policies cover this expense with a separate coverage. The typical limits for this coverage, however, is only $20, $30 or $40 per day for up to 30 days. Electronic equipment installed in the vehicle is covered, but some policies only pay up to $1,000 for such equipment. Collision insurance does not cover any personal items in or on your vehicle that might be damaged, such as a laptop computer. And finally, some policies do not cover or limit the amount you can be paid for custom furnishings or equipment in or on your vehicle. Uninsured motorist coverage is designed to put your policy in the place of another person’s liability insurance when that person has no insurance, or when the limits of liability carried by that person are insuﬃcient to cover the amount of your loss. In addition, it pays if you are hit by a vehicle that drives away from the scene of the accident and can’t be identiﬁed.

Housewright Just from the standpoint of the chance of such a loss occurring, uninsured motorist coverage is an important part of your protection, because it is estimated that almost 25 percent of Texas drivers don’t carry auto liability insurance. Many persons who do purchase liability insurance only carry the minimum limits required by state law. For property damage liability, the required amount is now $25,000 which is not much considering current vehicle prices. Uninsured motorist property damage coverage pays for damage to your vehicle caused by an uninsured, underinsured or hit-and-run motorist. It pays up to the limit you have purchased, so obviously you want to be sure to carry a limit that will cover a total loss of your vehicle. But you should carry a higher limit for some of the reasons listed below. Here are the top reasons you should purchase uninsured motorist property damage coverage: 1. Typically there is no daily or total limit on what you can be paid to rent another vehicle while your vehicle is being repaired. If you own a premium automobile, you will be paid what it costs to rent a premium automobile. 2. Typically there is no limit on what you can be paid for damage to electronic equipment installed in your vehicle or to custom furnishings or equipment in or on your vehicle. 3. Typically the coverage pays for damage to personal items in or on your vehicle. 4. Typically the coverage may pay for the “diminished value” of your vehicle after repairs are made. For these reasons and more, we recommend that you purchase uninsured motorist property damage coverage even when you carry collision insurance on all your vehicles. Housewright is manager of Texans Insurance & Financial Group, Inc a local Independent Insurance Agency operating in Sugar Land since 1991. He can be reached at (281) 277-7800, Fax (281) 277-7801, E-Mail – basil@texansinsure.com. Visit https://www.texansinsure.com.

City of Missouri City LEGAL NOTICE THIS IS A MANDATED PUBLICATION OF THE LEGAL NOTICE ******* OPENING DATE OF February 12, 2019 AT 2:00 pm. ******* Request for Qualifications (RFQ No. 19-320) Traffic Engineering Services Commodity Code: 925-93 Responses must be sealed, marked on the outside of the delivery envelope with the IFB name and number as listed above, and the date of opening. Responses must be delivered to the attention of City of Missouri City Attn: Purchasing Office IFB No. 19-320 1522 Texas Parkway Missouri City, Texas 77489 Prior to the acceptance deadline. Responses marked improperly and therefore misdirected may be disqualified. Until final award of the contract, the City reserves the right to reject any or all responses, to waive irregularities or technicalities, to re-advertise, or proceed to do the work otherwise when in the best interests of the City. No bid may be withdrawn during the 60 days following the bid opening date.

MIKE’S MONOLOGUE

Kaﬀeeklatsch and cuddling

By MICHAEL GRANTO During any session of the Kaffeeklatsch, you are likely to ﬁnd a very wide variety of subjects discussed. You will also find that there does not necessarily have to be a logic bridge connecting one subject with an other. One morning, Jack was relating his observations about early morning sunlight. He said that he had noticed that on some days of the year, the early morning sunlight came into their bedroom from the right-hand edge of the window. He also noticed that as the year progressed, the sun moved more and more to his left, until at some point it hid behind one of the pillars on his balcony. Somebody made a comment about how that was because of the curve of the earth, and the tilt of the earth’s axis, as we were all taught in school. A great deal of hilarity ensued at that, with remarks ﬂying back and forth about how, or how not, a

you could pay eighty dollars an hour for “cuddling.” Either this subject sprang fully formed from someone’s devious sense of humor, or our hearing aids just didn’t pick up the introduction. Many of us, (surprise, surprise,) Through the next few remarks, we learned that anyone with a computer could find out that some folks offer a cuddling service, where the provider and the customer literally cuddle up in a bed, and (one assumes) benefit from the closeness, or so the story goes. Nobody seemed to know a lot about it, so there were huge gaps in our knowledge. Can you specify the age of the cuddler? How about the sex of the cuddler? With political correctness being all the rage, (in some circles) we wouldn’t want to be accused of leaving out the LGBTQ community, or whatever they call themselves, would we? There was some discussion about the eighty dollar an hour

Granto Texas boy would be expected to understand all that. Jack put an end to that discussion simply by pointing out that in his day, the teachers taught that the earth was ﬂat. The hilarity reached record levels after that, with some folks asking, “You mean it’s NOT?” Though today wasn’t one of them, there have been days when that subject would have generated some lively discussion all on its own. Now, remember I said that there does not necessarily have to be a logic bridge from one topic to another. The next thing we heard was someone commenting that if you wanted to,

rate. Suppose, instead of using a bed, you just wanted to cuddle on the rug in front of your fireplace? Assuming, of course, you had a fireplace. Is there a discount? Do you have to provide refreshments? If you do, are coffee and donuts okay, or does it have to be wine and cheese? Or finger sandwiches? KFC? There started to be some more discussion about exactly what constitutes “cuddling,” or “whatever you call it.” I think the “whatever you call it” is what precipitated gales of laughter. Buffy pretty much ended that subject when she said, “Well, ‘prostitution’ is what we used to call it!” Some days, you just can’t wait for the next topic to come up. (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.)

NOTICE OF SALE STATE OF TEXAS

BY VIRTUE OF AN ORDER OF SALE

§ § §

FORT BEND COUNTY

and issued pursuant to judgment decree(s) of the District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas, by the Clerk of said Court on said date, in the hereinafter numbered and styled suit(s) and to me directed and delivered as Sheriff or Constable of said County, I have on January 7, 2019, seized, levied upon, and will, on the first Tuesday in February, 2019, the same being the 5th day of said month, at 301 Jackson Street, William Travis Building, 1st Floor Meeting Room in the City of Richmond, Texas 77469, between the hours of 10 o'clock a.m. and 4 o'clock p.m. on said day, beginning at 10:00 AM, proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder all the right, title, and interest of the defendants in such suit(s) in and to the following described real estate levied upon as the property of said defendants, the same lying and being situated in the County of Fort Bend and the State of Texas, to-wit: Sale #

Cause # Judgment Date

Acct # Order Issue Date

Style of Case

Legal Description

Adjudged Value

Estimated Minimum Bid

16-DCV230995 11/15/18

007600000057290 1 DECEMBER 26, 2018

FORT BEND COUNTY VS. TREMONA L. SCALES, AKA TREMONA LATREES SCALES, ET AL

TR. 1: 0.2406 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, JOHN RANDON LEAGUE, ABST NO. 76* VOL 686, PG 56 & CLERK'S FILE# 2000014515 & 8768964*

$7,220.00

$5,300.00

16-DCV230995 11/15/18

007900000093490 1 DECEMBER 26, 2018

FORT BEND COUNTY VS. TREMONA L. SCALES, AKA TREMONA LATREES SCALES, ET AL

TR. 2: 0.58 ACRE, MORE OR LESS, NOEL F. ROBERTS LEAGUE, ABST 79, VOL 686, PG 56, VOL 479, PG 253 & CLERK'S FILE# 8768964*

$16,700.00

$8,100.00

16-DCV234775 11/15/18

007600000015090 FORT BEND COUNTY VS. MARY SOUTH 1/2 OF LT 4, CORNELIUS 1 RANDON ESTATE, VOL 179, PG LEWIS, ET AL 128A* DECEMBER 26, 2018

$174,320.00

$35,000.00

16-DCV236280 08/15/18

424801003002091 4 DECEMBER 26, 2018

LOTS 2 & 3, BLK 3, KELLIWOOD WILLOW FORK DRAINAGE GREENS, SEC 1, REC'D IN SLIDE# DISTRICT VS. SAVITRI CHATARPAL WASHINGTON, ET 1021/B* AL

$890,000.00

$91,900.00

17-DCV243581 08/23/18

FORT BEND COUNTY VS. DEBBIE RICHARDS (IN REM ONLY)

LOT 39, BLK 6, SOUTH MAIN PLAZA SUB'D, VOL 3, PG 22*

$29,930.00

$8,300.00

18-DCV252488 11/16/18

715000006390090 7 DECEMBER 26, 2018 586301006034090 7 DECEMBER 26, 2018

FORT BEND COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT # 26 VS. ROSE STOKES AKA ROSE MARIE STOKES AKA ROSE BROOKS STOKES

LOT 34, BLK 6, QUAIL GREEN WEST, SEC 1, VOL 22, PG 56*

$99,270.00

$7,500.00

(any volume and page references, unless otherwise indicated, being to the Deed Records, Fort Bend County, Texas, to which instruments reference may be made for a more complete description of each respective tract.) or, upon the written request of said defendants or their attorney, a sufficient portion of the property described above shall be sold to satisfy said judgment(s), interest, penalties, and cost; and any property sold shall be subject to the right of redemption of the defendants or any person having an interest therein, to redeem the said property, or their interest therein, within the time and in the manner provided by law, and shall be subject to any other and further rights to which the defendants or anyone interested therein may be entitled, under the provisions of law. Said sale to be made by me to satisfy the judgment(s) rendered in the above styled and numbered cause(s), together with interest, penalties, and costs of suit, and the proceeds of said sales to be applied to the satisfaction thereof, and the remainder, if any, to be applied as the law directs. RECENT CHANGES IN THE PROPERTY TAX CODE NOW REQUIRE PURCHASERS OF TAX SALE PROPERTY TO HAVE A STATEMENT FROM THE FORT BEND COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR CERTIFYING THAT THE PERSON/FIRM/COMPANY PURCHASING PROPERTY AT A TAX SALE OWES NO DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAXES TO ANY TAXING ENTITY WITHIN THE COUNTY. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A TAX SALE DEED TO ANY PROPERTY YOU PURCHASE WITHOUT THIS CERTIFICATE. TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FORT BEND COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE SALE. Dated at Richmond, Texas, January 7, 2019 Constable Wayne Thompson Fort Bend County, Texas

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.

Deputy Notes: The Minimum Bid is the lesser of the amount awarded in the judgment plus interest and costs or the adjudged value. However, the Minimum Bid for a person owning an interest in the property or for a person who is a party to the suit (other than a taxing unit), is the aggregate amount of the judgments against the property plus all costs of suit and sale. ALL SALES SUBJECT TO CANCELLATION WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL TAXES DUE ON THE PROPERTY WHICH HAVE BEEN ASSESSED SINCE THE DATE OF THE JUDGMENT. For more information, contact your attorney or LINEBARGER GOGGAN BLAIR & SAMPSON, LLP., attorney for plaintiffs, at (713) 844-3576

INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 30, 2019• Page 5

NEWS New technology reduces chemotherapy- Task force seizes related hair loss for patients at Houston The Fort Bend County Narcotics Task Force, a Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Houston HIDTA Initiative For patients undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancer, hair loss can be a devastating side effect. But now a proven technology – available to Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital patients – can help reduce or even eliminate the hair loss known as chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). The Paxman Scalp Cooling System was approved by the FDA in 2017 and is now cleared for use on patients who are undergoing chemotherapy to treat solid-tumor cancers such as ovarian, breast, colorectal, bowel and prostate cancer. The cooling system works by lowering the temperature of hair follicles immediately before, during and after chemotherapy. That prevents chemotherapy drugs from attacking fast-dividing hair follicle cells in the growth stage. “Hair loss during chemotherapy is more than just an image issue,” said Amy Sebastian-Deutsch, director of oncology at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “It’s also a very visible sign that a patient has cancer, which can lead to privacy concerns. Many patients also report that hair loss impacts how others see them and is harmful to their own sense of well-being. The scalp cooling system can be used by both men and women in order to reduce the likelihood of CIA.” The scalp cooling system includes a soft, flexible cap that fits comfortably on the patient’s head for the duration of each chemotherapy treatment session. The cap is connected to a small cooling machine that keeps the scalp at a constant tempera-

Paxman Scalp Cooling System ture, just a few degrees below normal. The cap can also be detached from the machine for brief periods to allow for greater mobility. The reduction in scalp temperature slows blood flow to hair follicles and limits the impact of chemotherapy drugs, which work by preventing cell division. “This is a major breakthrough that has very real benefits for both men and women fighting cancer,” said boardcertified oncologist Jorge Darcourt, M.D., of Houston Methodist Oncology Partners at Sugar Land. “Hair loss is almost always a topic of concern with patients, and many of them find that losing their hair is a constant reminder of their cancer and a real obstacle to a positive attitude. Now they can approach chemotherapy without the additional concern of hair loss and have more control in their fight against

Jade Esteban Estrada to perform for Loving Friends Loving Friends will meet for dinner and entertainment on Tuesday, February 19 at Quail Valley City Cr., 2880 LaQuinta Dr., Missouri City, arrival time 5:00 pm. Jade Esteban Estrada, back by popular demand will entertain the group. Estrada, from San Antonio, whose talent as vocalist, and stand up comedian has captivated audiences since 1998. Loving Friends is a social group inviting men and women who lost their spouses but want to move on in a social environment......not a grief support group. Other monthly activities include luncheons, pokeno, book club, and bridge. Interested prospective members or want to attend as a guest, please call 281-208-3124. Cost for dinner and entertainment is $24 inclusive. Meeting is held in the City Cr., Bluebonnet Room. Guests and new members always greeted with a warm welcome.

Sugar Land Garden Club presents “Plants In Their Native Country” Nancy Vickers is a nature and wildlife photographer. She will present a gorgeous slideshow and commentary of plants we grow here as they are found in their native country. See them in beautiful gardens and natural surroundings in exotic locales. She will share her photographer’s love of greenscapes in the photos she has taken around the world. Nancy is published in Texas Wildlife magazine and her travels range from summitting Mt. Kilimanjaro, hiking up snowbanks in Antarctica, to swimming with humpback whales in Tonga. The meeting will be held at St. Basil’s Hall at 702 Burney Road in Sugar Land. Refreshments and social time begin at 9:30 am and the program starts at 10 am. All meetings of the Sugar Land Garden Club are free and open to the public. For further information on this presentation, please refer to the SLGC website at www.sugarlandgardenclub.org.

cancer.” If you have general questions about scalp cooling, please contact our Oncology Nurse Navigators at 281.276.8989 or if you want to know if you can be a candidate for scalp cooling, ask your oncologist at your next appointment. To learn more about Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit houstonmethodist.org/sugarland.

(High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), conducted an operation targeting a source of supply of illicit substances in the Houston/Sugar Land area. Since the beginning of January 2019, Task Force agents have conducted numerous undercover operations into the illegal sale and distribution of Cocaine, Ecstasy, Xanax and THC Oil (Vapes) resulting in the issuance of a search warrant for a residence located in the Townewest subdivision. On Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019, Task Force Officers executed a search warrant in the 13800 block of Southline Rd. with the assistance of the Fort Bend West Regional S.W.A.T. As a result of the search warrant, two suspects were taken into custody and Task Force Officers seized approximately 82 grams of Cocaine, 120 grams of THC (vape pen cartridges), 1,058 grams of Ecstasy (approx. 4,200 pills), 1,025 grams of Xanax (approx. 4,100 pills), 50 grams of Marijuana, $5,880.00 in U.S currency, and 11 firearms. The Illicit substances seized have an approximate street value of $50,000.00.

drugs in the area

Suspect no. 1, Edwin Garcia, 29, of Sugar Land, has been charged with; Manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance (Cocaine), first degree felony manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance (THC oil), first degree felony manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance (Ecstasy), 1st degree felony manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance (Xanax), first degree felony unlawful

possession of ﬁrearm by felon, 3rd degree felony money laundering >= $2500 < $35k, and 3rd degree felony possession of marijuana. Suspect no. 2, Hector Garcia, 25, of Sugar Land, has been charged with Possession of marijuana. “Thank you to the Narcotics Task Force for your diligence in trying to keep our streets free of drugs,” said Sheriﬀ Troy Nehls.

NOTICE OF SALE STATE OF TEXAS

BY VIRTUE OF AN ORDER OF SALE

§ § §

FORT BEND COUNTY

and issued pursuant to judgment decree(s) of the District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas, by the Clerk of said Court on said date, in the hereinafter numbered and styled suit(s) and to me directed and delivered as Sheriff or Constable of said County, I have on January 3, 2019, seized, levied upon, and will, on the first Tuesday in February, 2019, the same being the 5th day of said month, at 301 Jackson Street, William Travis Building, 1st Floor Meeting Room in the City of Richmond, Texas 77469, between the hours of 10 o'clock a.m. and 4 o'clock p.m. on said day, beginning at 10:00 AM, proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder all the right, title, and interest of the defendants in such suit(s) in and to the following described real estate levied upon as the property of said defendants, the same lying and being situated in the County of Fort Bend and the State of Texas, to-wit: Sale #

Cause # Judgment Date

Acct # Order Issue Date

Style of Case

Legal Description

783500009006290 1 DECEMBER 26, 2018 004900000014090 1 DECEMBER 26, 2018

FORT BEND COUNTY VS. WILLIAM JACKSON (IN REM), ET AL

EAST 50 FT, LT 6, BLK 9, CITY OF ROSENBERG, VOL P, PG 146*

$8,330.00

$4,500.00

FORT BEND COUNTY VS. ROBERT THORNTON, ET AL (IN REM ONLY)

0.38 ACRES (16,640 SQ FT), MORE OR LESS, JOSEPH KUYKENDALL LEAGUE, ABST 49, VOL 329, PG 140*

$34,960.00

$10,000.00

$17,730.00

$3,700.00

$119,320.00

$7,700.00

16-DCV233257 08/22/18

16-DCV234767 10/17/18

17-DCV243513 10/17/18

001800000122090 FORT BEND COUNTY VS. 1 GEORGE SOLOMON DECEMBER 26, 2018

1.295 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, HORATIO CHRIESMAN LEAGUE, ABST18, TRACT# 12, VOL 1088, PG 248*

17-DCV243567 11/15/18

002500000736290 FORT BEND COUNTY VS. 7 ALEJANDRO PORTALES, ET AL DECEMBER 26, 2018

TRACT 114, ONE OAK CHASE SUB'D, ABST 25, CLERK'S FILE# 2015042825*

Adjudged Value

Estimated Minimum Bid

(any volume and page references, unless otherwise indicated, being to the Deed Records, Fort Bend County, Texas, to which instruments reference may be made for a more complete description of each respective tract.) or, upon the written request of said defendants or their attorney, a sufficient portion of the property described above shall be sold to satisfy said judgment(s), interest, penalties, and cost; and any property sold shall be subject to the right of redemption of the defendants or any person having an interest therein, to redeem the said property, or their interest therein, within the time and in the manner provided by law, and shall be subject to any other and further rights to which the defendants or anyone interested therein may be entitled, under the provisions of law. Said sale to be made by me to satisfy the judgment(s) rendered in the above styled and numbered cause(s), together with interest, penalties, and costs of suit, and the proceeds of said sales to be applied to the satisfaction thereof, and the remainder, if any, to be applied as the law directs. RECENT CHANGES IN THE PROPERTY TAX CODE NOW REQUIRE PURCHASERS OF TAX SALE PROPERTY TO HAVE A STATEMENT FROM THE FORT BEND COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR CERTIFYING THAT THE PERSON/FIRM/COMPANY PURCHASING PROPERTY AT A TAX SALE OWES NO DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAXES TO ANY TAXING ENTITY WITHIN THE COUNTY. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A TAX SALE DEED TO ANY PROPERTY YOU PURCHASE WITHOUT THIS CERTIFICATE. TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FORT BEND COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE SALE. Dated at Richmond, Texas, January 3, 2019 Constable Mike Beard Fort Bend County, Texas

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

INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 30, 2019 • Page 6

AUTOMOBILE: Corolla Hatchback

iPod connectivity and control. Also, AM/FM; MP3/WMA playback capability; voice recognition training and tutorials; hands-free phone capability; voice recognition and music streaming via Bluetooth; customizable home screen; and weather/traﬃc info via Entune 3.0 App Suite. Entune 3.0 Audio Plus is standard on XSE and optional on SE CVT. It adds HD Radio and weather/traﬃc info; SiriusXM with Cache Radio; Entune 3.0 Connected Services; Service Connect; Remote Connect. The Entune 3.0 Au-

dio Premium that’s optional on XSE CVT adds a JBL 8-speaker 800-watt system with Clari-Fi; voice recognition; navigation; POI Search; and destination assist connect. The Corolla’s updated safety package includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, full speed range radar cruise control lane depature alert with steering assist; automatic high beam, lane tracing assist and road sign assist. Other safety systems include enhanced vehicle stability control, traction control,

electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, anti-lock braking system, and smart stop technology. Blind spot monitor is standard on XSE and available on SE. Corolla Hatchback also comes with a standard backup camera. The all-new Corolla starts at a MSRP of $19,990. The XSE CVT was the test drive and retails for $24,090. With options it came to $26,610. The Corolla XSE rides and handles extremely well, is roomy and stylish inside and provides fun and attitude.

Katy Area Safety Fest set for April 3 By BARBARA FULENWIDER Toyota’s newest, stylish, and most technologicallyadvanced small car is the all-new 2019 Corolla Hatchback. It comes in either SE or XSE grades and its long list of standard features include Entune 3.0 with Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa Connectivity; a revised sport-tuned suspension and a new global architecture platform. The Corolla Hatchback has ﬂair that makes it distinct, muscular, and sophisticated. It is lower, wider and NOTICE OF CONSTABLE SALE THE STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF FORT BEND By virtue of an Order of Sale issued out of the Honorable 240TH DISTRICT COURT of FORT BEND County on JANUARY 2, 2019 by the Clerk thereof, FORT BEND COUNTY vs. ALONZO JOHNICAN, JR., ET AL in Cause# 14-DCV-217725 and to me as CONSTABLE directed and delivered, I will proceed to sell, at 10:00 0’ Clock AM on the 5th day of February, 2018, which is the first Tuesday of said month, at the William B. Travis Building, First Floor Meeting Room, 301 Jackson Street, Richmond Texas 774693108 of said FORT BEND County, in the City of RICHMOND, Texas, the following described property, to wit: TRACT 1: GEO: R388123/ 0085-11-0013200-903. An undivided 16.67 percent interest in and to a tract or parcel containing an aggregate of 29.71 acres, more or less, located in the Shelby, Frazier and McCormick League, Abstract 85 in Fort Bend County, Texas; and consisting of the following portions. A) a tract or parcel containing 14.56 acres, more or less, described in a deed recorded in Volume 198, Page 622 of the Deed Records of Fort Bend County, Texas and shown as Tract 5 on the plat of the Subdivision of the Nellie Johnson Estate 180 acres recorded in Volume 4, Page 11 of the Plat Records of Fort Bend County, Texas; B) a tract or parcel containing 15.15 acres, more or less, described in a deed recorded in Volume 340, Page 214 of the Deed Records of Fort Bend County, Texas and shown as Tract 5 on the plat of the Subdivision of the Nellie Johnson Estate 90 acres on the plat recorded in Volume 339, Page 556 of the Deed Records of Fort Bend County, Texas. Levied on January 3, 2019 as the property ALONZO JOHNICAN JR.; JOYCENETT JOHNICAN AKA JOYCENETI SNELL JOHNICAN; RENATA M. PAYNE AKA RENATA PAYNE KHAWAJA to satisfy a judgment amounting to $7,845.22, representing delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, and attorney’s fees through the date of judgment, plus all costs of court, costs of sale, and post judgment penalties and interest recoverable by law in favor of BRAZOS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, FORT BEND COUNTY. ALL BIDDERS MUST COMPLY WITH SECTION 34.015 OF THE TEXAS PROPERTY TAX CODE. Given under my hand on January 3, 2019. Mike Beard CONSTABLE FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS By John Morales Deputy CONSTABLE’S NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given, that by virtue of a certain Order of Sale issued by the clerk of the 400TH District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas on Dec 3, 2018 in cause numbered 17-DCV-244555 styled Summerfield Estates Homeowners Association, Inc.. vs. SYED H.R. ZAIDI., in which a judgment was rendered on FEB 8, 2018 in favor of Summerfield Estates Homeowners Association, Inc. for the sum of Four thousand Three Hundred Fourteen Dollars and Twelve Cents ($4314.12); 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 Dec 19, 2018 and will on Feb 5, 2019 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 SYED H. R. ZAIDI to and in the following described Real Property LOT SEVENTY-ONE (71), IN BLOCK ONE(1) SUMMERFIELD,SECTION SIX(6), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS,ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NO(S).1753/B OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS,MORE COMMONLY DESCRIBED AS 17131 FAIRWAYGLEN COURT. SUGAR LAND, TX 77498. The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment in favor of Summerfield Estates Homeowners Association, Inc. Plaintiff, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof. LOCATION: FORT BEND COUNTY TRAVIS BLDG., 301 JACKSON ST 1ST FLR MEETING ROOM, RICHMOND, TX 77469 DATE: FEB 5 2019 TIME: APPROX. 11:00 AM BY Sergeant M. Kutach TREVER J. NEHLS Constable Pct. 4 Fort Bend County, Texas

shorter than its predecessor and has wider front and rear tracks, and a longer wheelbase. Its 2.0-liter direct-injection inline four-cylinder engine adopts the latest technology and structural efficacies for gains in power, fuel efficiency, and cleaner emissions. Physically, the engine is smaller and lighter than its 1.8-liter fourcylinder predecessor, which benefits its overall balance and it is quieter. The compact Corolla gets 30 miles to the gallon in city driving and 38 on the highway for an average of 33mph. Wheel sizes are 16-inches on the SE and 18 on the XSE. The differentiation between SE and XSE is distinct. Both grades receive LED headlamps and taillights, chrome rear diffuser, and alloy wheels. NOTICE OF CONSTABLE SALE THE STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF FORT BEND By virtue of an Order of Sale issued out of the Honorable 268TH DISTRICT COURT of FORT BEND County on JANUARY 2, 2019 by the Clerk thereof, in the case of CITY OF NEEDVILLE, ET AL VS. RAYMOND GEORGE ZUREK, JR., ET AL in Cause# 17-DCV-238571 and to me, as CONSTABLE directed and delivered, I will proceed to sell, at 10:00 0’ Clock AM on the 5th day of February, 2018, which is the first Tuesday of said month, at the William B. Travis Building, First Floor Meeting Room, 301 Jackson Street, Richmond Texas 77469-3108 of said FORT BEND County, in the City of RICHMOND, Texas, the following described property, to wit: TRACT I: GEO: 1540000010010906 LOT(S) ONE (I), IN BLOCK ONE (1), OF THE BERNSHAUSEN SUBDIVISION, A SUBDIVISION COMPRISED OF 4.49 ACRES, OUT OF THE H. & T. C. R. R. SURVEY NO. 26, ABSTRACT NO. 756, FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS. Levied on January 3, 2019 as the property of RAYMOND GEORGE ZUREK JR., KAREN SUE ZUREK to satisfy a judgment amounting to $12,094.60, representing delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, and attorney’s fees through the date of judgment, plus all costs of court, costs of sale, and post judgment penalties and interest recoverable by law in favor of NEEDVILLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT; CITY OF NEEDVILLE; FORT BEND COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT; FORT BEND COUNTY GENERAL FUND AND WHARTON COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT. ALL BIDDERS MUST COMPLY WITH SECTION 34.015 OF THE TEXAS PROPERTY TAX CODE. Given under my hand on January 3, 2019. Fort Bend County Mike Beard CONSTABLE FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS By John Morales Deputy CONSTABLE’S NOTICE OF SALE By virtue of an Order of Sale dated Nov 29, 2018, delivered pursuant to a Judgment issued out of the 400th District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas, said judgment rendered in favor of THE COMMONWEALTH CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC., plaintiff, and against Nick R. Demeris and Helen M. Demeris, defendant, in Cause No. 18-DCV-248781, for the sum of TEN-THOUSAND-–ONE-HUNDREDNINETY-ONE DOLLARS AND 96/100’s CENTS ($10191.96), plus fees for posting notices, publishing, and all costs of executing sale. I did on the 17TH day of DEC, 2018, at 11:00 AM, levy upon the following described tract of land in Fort Bend County, Texas, as the property of. HELEN M. DEMERIS, defendant(s), to-wit: LOT 14, IN BLOCK 1 , OF COMMONWEALTH ESTATES SECTION TWO (2), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN SLIDE NOS. 1173/B AND 1174/A,MAP AND OR PLAT RECORDS OF OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS 4518 ST MICHAELS CT SUGAR LAND, TX 77479 and on FEB 5, 2019, being the first Tuesday of said month, between the hours of 10:00 o’clock a.m. and 4:00 o’clock p.m., at 301 JACKSON ST, FORT BEND COUNTY TRAVIS BLDG RICHMOND TX. I will offer for sale and sell at public auction for cash, all the right, title and interest of HELEN M. DEMERIS, defendant, in and to said property. LOCATION: FORT BEND COUNTY TRAVIS BLDG., 301 JACKSON ST 1ST FLR MEETING RM, RICHMOND, TX 77469 DATE: FEB 5 2019 TIME: APPROX. 11:00 AM BY Sergeant M. Kutach TREVER J. NEHLS Constable Pct. 4 Fort Bend County, Texas

The SE gets 16-inch wheels and the XSE runs on 18-inch wheels. Inside the Corolla are high-gloss materials paired with matte elements. Front passengers’ hip points are lower (to 10.82 inches), and cushioning has been revised. The rear seats also got updated cushioning. The standard amenity list on the SE grade is single-zone automatic climate control, leather shift knob, and paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. An electronic parking brake, three-door SmartKey system, automatic up/down windows, and two front USB outlets are also amenities. The XSE grade has all of the above and more: dualzone climate control, leather seating, heated front seats, and eight-way power driver’s seat. Behind the multifunction steering wheel is a 7-inch multi-information display. There’s no shortage of entertainment and connectivity capability inside the Corolla Hatchback. For SE, standard Entune 3.0 Audio includes 8-in. touchscreen; six speakers; Apple CarPlay compatibility; Amazon Alexa; Entune 3.0 App Suite Connect; safety connect; Wi-Fi connect; Scout GPS Link Compatible; Siri Eyes Free; auxiliary audio jack and USB 2.0 port with

Download the free FBInd App from the Apple Store or Google Playstore for a pleasant reading of Fort Bend Independent on your mobile phone. Notice Public Hearing Stafford Municipal School District will hold a public hearing on the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) for the 2017-18 School Year at the February 11, 2019 School Board meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Stafford Municipal School District Administration Building in the Boardroom, 1625 Staffordshire, Stafford, Texas, 77477.

The fourth annual Katy Area Safety Fest hosted by Harris County ESD 48 will be held on Saturday, April 13 at Typhoon Texas off Katy-Fort Bend Road. The family-friendly festival will begin at 10 a.m. and will end at 3 p.m. The event is open to the public and admission is free. The Katy Area Safety Fest (KASF) will feature personnel, equipment, and interactive activities from more than 20 emergency response agencies serving the Greater Katy community. The goal of KASF is to connect community members to the men and women who serve in these agencies as well as provide education and resources to encourage safety preparedness. Guests will see and participate in a variety of fun, educational, high-energy activities such as the Passport Challenge scavenger hunt, vehicle and equipment tours, live demonstrations of vehicle extrications, and much more. “Unfortunately we had bad weather last year,” said KASF committee leader Jason Tharp, Lieutenant of Community Risk Reduction, HCESD 48. “Even so, we had almost 5,000 people come out. If the weather holds this year, we are confident we’ll draw a much larger crowd. We have support from so many emergency response agencies and we’re excited to bring something like this to the Katy community. It’s incredibly important for everyone to be prepared for emergencies of all types.” Harris County ESD 47 and Westlake Volunteer Fire Department are co-sponsoring the KASF Kids Zone, which will feature bounce houses, a corn field maze, obstacle course, and ambulance load & go demonstration. Westlake Volunteer Fire Department is also leading this

PUBLIC ONLINE AUCTION KATY ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT C/O FORT BEND COUNTY 9110 Long Street, Needville, TX. PREVIEW: Fri., 1/25/19 (10 a.m-12 p.m/1 p.m to 3 p.m) AUCTION ENDS: Fri., 2/1/19 VEHICLE SEIZURES 2004 Saturn, 4 Dr., 2005 Mercedes Benz, 4 Dr. www.fortbendauction.com (800)243-1113 OR (281)357-4977

INVITATION TO BIDDERS

Sealed Bids, in duplicate, addressed to Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2, Attention: Mr. Andre D. McDonald, President, Board of Directors, will be received at the office of LJA Engineering, Inc., 2929 Briarpark Drive, Suite 150, Houston, Texas 77042, until 10:00 a.m., Local Time, Wednesday, February 6, 2019, and then publicly opened and read for “Camera and Stream Gauge Electrical Improvements for Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2, Fort Bend County, Texas” Scope of Work of the Contract includes the following: Installation of electrical components, including but not limited to conduits, cables, wires, poles, and other equipment, for the future installation of cameras and stream gauges at various sites across the district. The cameras will be installed by others upon completion of project. Bids received after the closing time will be returned unopened. A non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be held on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. Local Time, at the office of LJA Engineering, Inc. 2929 Briarpark Drive, Suite 150, Houston, Texas 77042. Each Bid must be accompanied by a Bid Bond or a certified or cashier’s check, acceptable to the Owner, in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the total amount Bid, as a guarantee that the successful bidder will enter into the Contract and execute the Bonds on the forms provided, and provide the required insurance certificates within seven (7) days after the date Contract Documents are received by the Contractor. Bidding documents may be examined at LJA Engineering, Inc., AGC of Texas, Construct Connect, and Amtek or may be obtained by prospective bidders or suppliers upon payment of Fifty Dollars ($50.00 non-refundable plus cost of delivery) ($25.00 for electronic copy) for each set of documents at LJA Engineering, Inc., 2929 Briarpark Drive, Suite 150, Houston, Texas 77042. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids and to waive all defects and irregularities in bidding or bidding process except time of submitting a Bid. The Successful Bidder, if any, will be the responsible Bidder which in the Board’s judgment will be most advantageous to the District and result in the best and most economical completion of the Project. Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2

year’s Firehouse Challenge Cup, an open competition that encourages firefighter fitness and demonstrates the profession’s rigors to the public. Wearing full turnout gear and Scott 5.5 Air-Pak breathing apparatus, teams of 2 will race head-to-head while simulating the physical demands of real-life firefighting. The Firehouse Challenge Cup is open to any members of a firehouse, including firefighters, EMTs and paramedics, and admin personnel. There is no fee to enter and the 3 teams with the fastest times will win Firehouse Challenge Cup plaques. The winning team will be awarded the coveted Firehouse Challenge Cup, a revolving trophy to be displayed in the winning firehouse until the 2020 Katy Area Safety Fest when it will once again be up for grabs. While most of the activities inside the festival will be free, rides in the fire truck tower buckets will cost a small fee. Food vendors will also be set up at KASF selling delicious treats and eats to festival guests. Members of School of Rock – Katy will provide live musical entertainment throughout the afternoon from the main stage.

“This year’s event is packed with activities,” said Tharp. “With so many agencies participating as well a large number of sponsors and local nonprofits, there will be a lot of fun things to see and do at the Katy Area Safety Fest. We encourage everyone to come out and meet their local first responders as well as learn helpful information to be better prepared in case of an emergency.” HCESD 48 is a Fire, EMS, and Rescue Department serving the community in the western part of Harris County located between Houston and the City of Katy. HCESD 48 has professional leadership, career first responders, and experienced volunteers. Key benefits of the HCESD 48 include a more effective, sustainable, and organized system to better serve the emergency needs of a rapidly growing community; Improved incentives for career and volunteer first responders; and improved District management of resource allocations and taxpayer funds. For more information about the Katy Area Safety Fest, visit https://katyareasafetyfest. org/ or on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/KatyAreaSafetyFest/.

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO INTRODUCE A BILL IN THE LEGISLATURE OF TEXAS Notice is hereby given of the intention to introduce in the Regular Session of the 86th Legislature of Texas a bill creating and establishing a special district consisting of approximately 309.21 acres and located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Rosenberg, Texas, and wholly within Fort Bend County, Texas, to be known as Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 231, under the provisions of Article 16, Section 59 of the Constitution of Texas and pursuant to the inherent power of the Legislature to create special governmental agencies and districts, with powers including those given to municipal utility districts operating pursuant to Chapters 49 and 54, Texas Water Code, and including road powers under Article III, Section 52 of the Constitution of Texas. The bill will provide for the district’s administration, powers, name, duties, operation, and financing. The property proposed to be included within the district is generally located southwest of FM 360, southeast of IH 69, and northeast of Meyer Road. A full copy of the legal description of the property can be obtained by calling Tara Miles at (281) 500-6050.

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO INTRODUCE A BILL IN THE LEGISLATURE OF TEXAS Notice is hereby given of the intention to introduce in the Regular Session of the 86th Legislature of Texas a bill creating and establishing a special district consisting of approximately 312.47 acres and located within the city limits of the City of Sugar Land, Texas, and wholly within Fort Bend County, Texas, to be known as Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 234, under the provisions of Article 16, Section 59 of the Constitution of Texas and pursuant to the inherent power of the Legislature to create special governmental agencies and districts, with powers including those given to municipal utility districts operating pursuant to Chapters 49 and 54, Texas Water Code, and including road powers under Article III, Section 52 of the Constitution of Texas. The bill will provide for the district’s administration, powers, name, duties, operation, and financing. The property proposed to be included within the district is generally located east of FM 1464 and north of Highway 90A. A full copy of the legal description of the property can be obtained by calling Tara Miles at (281) 500-6050.

INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 30, 2019 • Page 7

NEWS

Inspiration Stage earns top honor at Atlanta’s Junior Theatre Festival with Once on This Island, Jr.

Inspiration Stage Company Inspiration Stage’s Once on This Island, Jr. company received the highest honor, the Outstanding Performance award, at the 2019 Junior Theatre Festival (JTF) in Atlanta Saturday. Only nine out of the 133 companies performing at the festival earned this top honor. Inspiration Stage took a company of 31 musical theatre students, ages nine to 18, to the festival with a 15-minute cut of the popular musical, whose revival just closed on Broadway Jan. 6. An Outstanding Performance award means the recipients received the highest praise in all areas of musical theatre, including dance, music, acting and ensemble work. Along with the other Outstanding Award recipients, Inspiration Stage presented a number from their awardwinning performance at festival Sunday on the big stage for more than 6,500 attendees from 28 U.S. States, Washington D.C., and five other countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and China. Inspiration Stage closed out the Outstanding Award performances at the Freddie G Awards Ceremony with its energetic rendition of “Why We Tell the Story,” to a standing ovation. “We love JTF, its mission of spreading the universal beneﬁts of artistic expression, and its dedication to reminding us ‘why we tell story,’” says Inspiration Stage’s artistic director, Mandy Seymore-Sen-

sat. “Since Inspiration Stage’s inception, annual JTF participation has become an integral high point of every season for our students, parents, and staﬀ. Being surrounded, supported, and challenged by thousands of like-minded peers and professionals during JTF’s immersive theatre-centric celebration is rewarding and exhilarating. Art is heart. iTheatrics’ stellar organization creates an invigorating, supportive environment of artistic enthusiasm and rejuvenation.” Inspiration Stage’s pod of performers included six other theatre companies, each performing its own 15-minute cut of a diﬀerent musical. The panel of professional adjudicators selected two Inspiration Stage actors to receive the pod’s Award for Excellent Performance, both Female and Male. Mya Bryant (Ti Moune) received the female award and Evan Blackwell (Tonton Julian) received the male award. Blackwell, a 16-year-old Ridge Point High School junior from Sienna Plantation, says, “Winning an award for my role as Tonton in Once on This Island was also incredibly rewarding, and made this year’s JTF one to remember for the rest of my life.” Emily Adams (Papa Ge) and Danny Terrier (company) were also selected as the Inspiration Stage company All-Stars by the adjudicators. The festival ended with a special concert by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Tony, Academy and Golden Globe

award-winning composers and lyricists known for their writing and musical contributions in movies (The Greatest Showman, La La Land), and on Broadway (Dear Evan Hansen, James & the Giant Peach). During the concert, Inspiration Stage’s Bryant was asked to sing The Greatest Showman’s “This is Me” in a duet with another JTF festival attendee, accompanied by Pasek and Paul, bringing the crowd to their feet. “This was such an unexpected way to end my time at Junior Theatre Festival,” Bryant, a 17-year-old Elkins senior from Missouri City, says. “I cannot thank the iTheatrics staﬀ enough for trusting and believing in me. It was truly an honor to get to perform with such amazing and talented people.Thank you Mandy and Sarah for introducing me to the festival and walking beside me every step of the way!” Additionally, nine Inspiration Stage students were selected to sing with special guest, Tony, Grammy and Emmy award-winning singer and actor Cynthia Erivo, alongside Pasek and Paul. Together with other selected students, Inspiration Stage’s Adams, Blackwell, Bryant, Abigail Cooney (Andrea Devereux), Rayevin Johnson (Asaka), Cameron Krouch (Daniel), Andrew Sackett (company), Trent Soto (Agwe) and Reese Warren (Mama Euralie) performed “You Will Be Found” for the show’s big ﬁnale. “This has been one of the

Five Inspiration Stage students (Annalicia Teel, Gentry Claire Lumpkin, Jackson Champion, Jane Delahoussaye and Danny Terrier) made it to the ultra-competitive third round of auditions for the opportunity to appear in MTI instructional guide choreography DVDs distributed with MTI’s Broadway Jr. series of shows.

Mya Bryant (second from left) sang The Greatest Showman’s “This is Me” with a fellow JTF attendee, accompanied by the song’s composing power duo, Benj Pasek (left) and Justin Paul (right), at their Sunday night concert performance. most awe-inspiring experiences callbacks for the third, ultra- Frozen, being released this of my theatre career. The op- competitive round of auditions, year for community and school portunity to perform in front including Jackson Champion theatres, during the Saturday of Broadway legends of such (company), Jane Delahous- evening New Works Showcase. Inspiration Stage is a natalent has been nothing short saye (company), Gentry Claire of an honor,” Blackwell says. Lumpkin (company), Annalicia tional award-winning per“Our initial involvement, Teel (company) and Terrier. formance arts studio located which began as attendees-only, Final winners will be contacted in the historic Sugar Land has blossomed into treasured during March if they are in- Auditorium at 226 Lakeview invitations to perform in special vited to film in New York City. Dr. The 2018/2019 season In February, Inspiration includes youth and adult proJTF events, rare opportunities to pilot new shows under Stage will take a different ductions, as well as acting and development, and professional company to JTF West in Sacra- production classes. Tuition networking that frequently mento to perform Chitty Chitty assistance is available to qualiallows iStage to offer its fam- Bang Bang, Jr. for adjudicators. fying participants. For tickets ily unique possibilities,” says They will also be giving the and information, visit www. West attendees a first look at inspirationstage.com. Seymore-Sensat. Eight Inspiration Stage youth the new junior adaptation of also received Golden Tickets — special invitations to audition for the opportunity to appear in MTI instructional guide choreography DVDs distributed with its Broadway Jr. series of shows. Five iStagers received

New Financial Services Director Allena Portis joins Missouri City Allena J. Portis, a fiscal veteran with more than 22 years’ experience implementing sound financial procedures and strategies, is Missouri City’s new Director of Financial Services and Chief Financial Officer. Portis, who is a Certified Public Accountant and has a Master of Public Administration Degree, joined the “Show Me City” on Monday, Jan. 7. Prior to this role, she was the Director of Finance for League City. With experience in government and non-profit sectors, Portis brings a widerange of expertise to the MCTX team and is adept in fiscal management, advanced accounting, and preparing and implementing budgets. As CFO, she will have oversight of the Financial Services Team, which is comprised of 16 full-time professionals who manage the Accounting, Budget, Payroll, Procurement, Revenue Collections, and Treasury management

functions of the City and the Local Government Corp. In addition to fiscal management, Portis (left) is also proficient in contract development and negotiations, staff development and performance and employee training and mentorship. “Ms. Portis brings a wealth of operations experience and is an excellent addition to our award-winning team,” said City Manager Anthony J. Snipes. “She is also experienced in using the City’s ERP system, Tyler MUNIS, which is a great benefit to the City as she is able to foster a smooth transition with minimal training.” As well as working in League City as director and assistant director of finance; Portis’ career in government finance includes the following service: Manager of Fiscal and Administrative Services, Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department;

Portis Director of Sheriff’s Administrative Services, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office; Fiscal Operations Manager, Police Department, City of Sacramento; and Accounting Manager, City of Elk Grove; Portis earned her MPA from Golden Gate University, a Bachelor of Science Degree in

Accounting from University of Phoenix and an Associate of Science Degree in Business/ Accounting from Los Medanos College. She also has numerous professional certifications and is currently the Vice President of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Government Finance Officers Association of Texas. Portis succeeds Edena Atmore, who is now an Assistant City Manager in Hutto, Texas. “I look forward to partnering with the City’s exemplary staff to continue our mission of delivering outstanding customer service to all members of our diverse community,” Portis said. “And, the Financial Services Team will remain committed to transparency, stewardship and the City’s vision of being known and recognized as a superior municipal organization.” To learn more about the MCTX Financial Services Department, visit: www. mctxfinance.com.

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Page 8 • INDEPENDENT • JANUARY 30, 2019

NEWS

Richmond Police Department honors Top Employees for 2018

White Lake at Cullinan Park by Irfan Ali

Founders Circle for Cullinan Park Conservancy reaches 50 Cullinan Park Conservancy (CPC) is pleased to announce that the exclusive “Founders Circle” has reached its goal of 50 members. Roberta and David Avery closed the circle with their generous gift. The Founders Circle was opened by the Conservancy in October 2017 as a unique fundraising initiative for a special group of park enthusiasts. The Averys, as well as all Founders Circle members, will receive permanent recognition at Cullinan Park among other beneﬁts. Conservancy Board Vice President Susie Goﬀ said, “Not only do these members receive recognition, but also the knowledge that their collective investment will advance our mission of enhancing and protecting

the Park.” Relatively new to Fort Bend County, the Cullinan Park Conservancy is a nonprofit dedicated to capital developments at the 754acre, Joseph S. & Lucie H. Cullinan Park. The park is located in Sugar Land on Hwy 6, just north of Hwy. 90A. The Conservancy relies on foundation grants, corporate, and individual donations to fund its eﬀorts. Visitors to the park will experience a wide diversity of landscape and wildlife. Whether it be for a picnic, some quiet ﬁshing or a walk on one of numerous trails, Cullinan Park is a perfect spot to enjoy a day in nature. Fundraising efforts, including the Founders Circle, are culminating in exciting improvements at the park. The first part of Phase 1

of the 2012 Master Plan is underway. These improvements include a permanent restroom, an overlook at White Lake, a new trail, two new trailheads, interpretive signage, landscape improvements, and understory clearing. In addition, the Conservancy is currently raising funds for a children’s nature exploration area and a loop trail around White Lake with an additional overlook on the west side. Future improvements identiﬁed include additional trails and signage, neighborhood “gateways” and a canoe/ kayak launch. For more information on the Park or Conservancy, visit www.cullinanparkconservancy.org, email cullinanparkconservancy@gmail. com or call 281-616-7860.

The honorees for 2018 are pictured from left to right: Kneeling: Detective of the Year and Top Gun CID Division Champion Andy Runge / Rookie of the Year Officer Alon Freeman; Standing: Four Employees and Manager Christopher Smith of Wal Mart Supercenter, Business Sponsor of the Year / Officer of the Year Elisa Martinez / Top Gun Night Shift Division Champion Sergeant Steven Rychlik / Employee of the Year Monica Hernandez / Top Gun Day Shift Division Champion Officer Vernon Horelica / Telecommunicator of the Year Danell Gaydos / Citizen of the Year Vicki Seely. Not Pictured – Top Gun Admin Division Champion and Top Gun Overall Champion Officer Todd Ganey. The Richmond Police Department held its Annual Awards Banquet on Friday, January 18, 2019 at Swinging Door BBQ. This event, sponsored by the Richmond Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association, honors employees and citizens who show dedication and commitment to the mission of the Richmond Police Department

throughout the year. Each Division Commander is asked to pick someone from their division who they believe is deserving of this honor. Top Honors went to Oﬃcer Elisa Martinez who was named 2018 Oﬃcer of the Year, and Mrs. Monica Hernandez who was named 2018 Employee of the Year. In addition, the department

awarded the Business Sponsor of the Year to Wal-Mart Super Center Store # 546 Richmond, for outstanding support to the department during 2018. The department also honored Mrs. Vicki Seely as the 2018 Citizen of the Year. Several other employees and citizens were honored during the ceremony.

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REGISTRATION REQUIRED For more information and to register, visit houstonmethodist.org/events or call 281.274.7500. All events are located at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital in the Brazos Pavilion Conference Center. 16655 Southwest Fwy. | Sugar Land, TX 77479