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The Marshall season came to an end in the state championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on December 21 as the Aledo Bearcats won 55-19. The Bearcats won their eighth state title, tying them for the most championships in state history with Southlake Carrol, Katy and Celina. It was also their seventh state championship in ten years. This was Marshall’s first trip to the championship game, and only the second time a Fort Bend ISD team had played for a state championship. The first time was Willowridge in 1982 when Thurman Thomas led
the team to a 4A state championship. The Buffalos kept the game close for one and a half quarters before the Bearcats dominant offensive line combined with the power and speed of junior running back Jase McClellan proved to be too much for the Marshall defense. McClellan opened the scoring with a 42-yard run with 8:18 to go in the first quarter. After a Marshall punt put the ball on the Bearcats one-yard line. McClellan made his only mistake of the game by fumbling in the end zone where Marshall linebacker Frank
SEE MARSHALL, PAGE 5
Jose Rivera (56), Ja’Mikel Williams-Sims (20), Korey King (13), Nautica McArthur (9), Jailen Rice (32) and Jaquze White (34) lead the Marshall Buffalos onto the field in the state semifinal game against Calallen on December 14 in San Antonio. (Photos by Bill McCaughey)
In with the new
George outlines plans as county judge Kolkhorst files bill to fully fund state parks From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
State Sen. Lois W. Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) has filed Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 24 to secure funding for the 95 state parks and historic sites operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and 22 historic sites operated by the Texas Historical Commission. The legislation would constitutionally dedicate funds already collected under the sporting goods sales tax. “As our state population grows, we must promote and protect our public parks and state historic sites. We can all agree that these special places are vital to our economy and to our Texas heritage, culture, and way of life,” said Kolkhorst.
SEE PARKS, PAGE 7
By Theresa D. McClellan THERESA@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
When the high waters of Hurricane Harvey hit the Riverstone community in Sugar Land, KP George was flooded with calls from neighbors wanting to know what to do and where to go. As the days of turmoil continued, George was on the ground volunteering, like so many others, and realizing there are holes in the system. It was then that he decided to take on Robert Hebert, the 16-year incumbent, for the county judge’s seat. “I spent two weeks volunteering on the ground during Harvey in Riverstone and at shelters. I saw tremendous non-communication. They all worked hard to do the best they could, but they could do better,” said George. “I live in Precinct 4 and could have gone against (County Commissioner James) Patterson,” said George. “The county judge is directly responsible for emergency management. The commission has no say.” He said his top priori-
ties in his campaign were emergency management, transparency, and citizen engagement. George won the election in November,
attracting votes from both parties and making history. “He makes history as the highest vote-getter for county judge in Fort Bend
There are 13 cities in Fort Bend County and the county is the functioning arm of the state, explained George. “We are not policy making; the state tells us. When we want something done, we’ve got to write to the state. Our job is day-to-day citizen life including safety and security, infrastructure, health and human services. The cities have autonomy and assist but the county judge is elected county-wide as the top officer. The other departments report to me or the commissioners,” he said. It’s a big job but George is no stranger to hard work. His full name is Kyle Prasad George but he shortened it to KP, “to make it easier. I just want to make your life easy, everybody life easy,” he said. George did not have an easy life. He grew up in an isolated village called Kokkathode in Southern India that was cut off by a big river. “We have a long monsoon season and when the monsoon starts, the river is full,” he said.
SEE GEORGE, PAGE 7
A voice from above Missouri City man is professional narrator By Joe Southern JSOUTHERN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Kevin Minatrea is a big man with a big voice who works in a very tiny closet.
State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst signs Senate Joint Resolution 24, a bill calling for full funding of the state’s parks and historic sites. (Submitted photo)
Fort Bend County Judge-elect KP George contemplates all the things he hopes to accomplish in office. George was sworn in as judge on Jan. 1 after defeating Robert Hebert in November. (Photo by Theresa D. McClellan)
County. History as well, as the first South Asian ever elected as the top executive of a county in Texas,” said Mustafa Tameez, chairperson of his transition team. It wasn’t easy. People did not believe in him. “Half the Democrats didn’t believe I could win,” he said. “Even the Indians don’t believe in you. Some asked why are you trying for the highest office?” As he was campaigning he realized many people did not understand the county judge position and that he was not running for a judicial seat in a courtroom. “A lot of people are not born and raised here, but people living here have no idea either. I got a call from a 72-year-old who said he looked for judges in the race and didn’t see my name. I said, I’m not running for judge, but I’m running for judge.” “We call this office county judge and that in itself is confusing. You have actual judges, in my community the Indian community where I grew up, a lady ran for justice of the peace and citizens asked why we’re running against each other?’’ he said.
Many people locally will recall the Missouri City resident as Kevin Charles, an on-air radio personality in the Houston area in the 1980s to 2014. Today he is a voice-over artist doing narrations for audiobooks, commercials, animations, and corporate videos. He works in a small studio that he built inside the
detached garage behind his house. Inside that is a 4-foot by 4-foot by 6-foot padded sound booth where he does his recordings. “I’ve kind of got my toe in the water in the audiobook world, but right now it’s not my main focus,” he said. “I do more corporate narrations and commercials and things like that more than anything.” Doing voice work is something he has been preparing himself to do for years as a second career.
He jumped at the opportunity when News 92, an all-news format station, went off the air in 2014 after three years. “I started this about five to 10 years before I really needed to use it, because I knew someday I would want to do something like this,” he said. Although it seemed like a natural fit to go from radio to narration, it wasn’t.
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Kevin Charles Minatrea reads one of the books he is recording for his children for Christmas. The former radio personality and producer now runs his own voice-over narration company from his home in Missouri City. (Photo by Joe Southern)
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Fort Bend ISD wants Early College High School, Pathways in Technology programs at three high schools From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Fort Bend ISD students entering 9th grade in the fall of 2019 may soon have the opportunity to apply to three exciting new programs that will allow them to earn up to 60 hours of college credit. The district is currently in the planning stages of implementing an Early College High School (ECHS) program at Marshall High School and Pathways in Technology (P-TECH) programs at Hightower and Willowridge high schools to begin at the start of the 2019-2020 school year. These models will address postsecondary degree completion and college readiness by creating a seamless transition between high school, college and the professional world.
Following the district’s Facilities Master Planning process, the FBISD board charged district administration with establishing innovative programming that supports student needs, while addressing high school utilization. Implementation of the ECHS and P-TECH programs at Hightower, Marshall and Willowridge would allow FBISD to provide students with opportunities to earn college credit, an associate degree, a two-year postsecondary certificate or industry certification while earning their high school diploma. ECHS Model The ECHS model is a blend of high school and college coursework that gives students the opportunity to earn up to 60 hours, or two years, of tuition-free college credit while earning a high school diploma.
The ECHS model increases college readiness, providing rigorous instruction and coursework as well as academic and social support. The program aims to: • engage first-generation college students; • provide dual credit at no cost to students; • offer courses that mirror a college setting, with academic counseling to help students develop skills needed for post-high school success; • increase college enrollment and success rates for all students; and, • strengthen connections between middle schools, high schools and higher education institutions to promote a culture of college readiness. P-TECH Model The P-TECH model is an open-enrollment program designed to ensure that high school curriculum fo-
cuses on workforce needs and partnerships that support students in obtaining credentials, degrees and certificates. With the support of Educate Texas and the Texas Education Agency (TEA), participating schools target thriving industries in their region, to address key workforce pathways in high-demand fields. The P-TECH Model course of study gives students an opportunity to: • earn an associate degree while earning their high school diploma; • earn a two-year postsecondary certificate or industry certification; • complete work-based training within six years; and, • gain work experience through internships, apprenticeships, or other job training programs. During the Dec. 17 board meeting, FBISD adminis-
tration presented the school board with an update on the planning and programs, stakeholder engagement and timeline of work ahead. Over the past few months, FBISD has engaged stakeholders in the planning process to share details of the programs and seek input on how best to deliver these programs. Campus leaders at each of the three high schools have met with various stakeholder groups (including students, parents, faculty/staff, community members and campus business partners) during campus meetings to share program structure, benefits and timelines. The three high schools will also host community meetings in January to give stakeholders additional opportunities to learn more and provide input. The meetings will take place on the following
dates: Jan. 9 – Hightower, 3333 Hurricane Lane, Missouri City, at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15 – Marshall, 1220 Buffalo Run, Missouri City, at 6 p.m. Jan. 23 – Willowridge, McAuliffe Middle School campus, 16650 South Post Oak, Houston, at 6 p.m. As recruitment begins, the principals at Hightower, Marshall and Willowridge will travel together to each FBISD middle school to speak to all 8th grade students about each program. Following the community meetings, FBISD will seek board approval of the programs at the January meeting of the board. Pending approval, the application process will begin during the spring semester of this school year, with the official launch of the programs beginning in the summer of 2019.
City to host citizen open house for Cangelosi detention improvement project From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
At their Dec. 17 meeting, Missouri City councilmembers authorized staff to continue the application process to utilize the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG – DR) Hurricane Harvey infrastructure funding through the Texas General Land Office (GLO) in the amount of $954,306, and opened the 30-day comment period for citizen participation. The grant funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for recovery from Hurricane Harvey and is being disbursed through
the GLO. City staff has notified GLO of the city’s intent to use the CDBG – DR funds for the Cangelosi detention improvement project. The project is currently identified within the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Program and is estimated to cost approximately $2 million to implement. The broad scope of work includes channel widening and raising the embankment of the existing channel/detention facility. When implemented, the project will alleviate flooding in the contributing watershed in addition to accommodating new developmental projects. As a requirement of allocating the funds, the project location falls within the
CBDG eligible program boundary area. To ensure public participation, an open house is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. in the Old Municipal Court Room, 1522 Texas Pkwy. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2BzOtjE (English) or http://bit. ly/2QK1UrJ (Spanish). Citizens may also provide written or oral comments regarding the project until Monday, Jan. 21, to the following address: Attn: Chalisa Dixon, City of Missouri City, 1522 Texas Pkwy., Missouri City, TX, 77489. For more information, contact Community Development Coordinator Chalisa Dixon at chalisa. dixon@missour icit y tx. gov or 281-403-8628.
Sugar Land resident and Stephen F. Austin orchestra teacher Ann Victor received a holiday dream come true from Bel Furniture after losing her house in an eight-alarm fire in October. Pictured from the left are Nazila Mollai, Isabella Mollai, Blanca Mollai, Ann Victor, and Troy Simmons. (Submitted photo)
Bel Furniture furnishes home of woman who lost house in fire From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Local Sugar Land resident and orchestra teacher of 22 years, Ann Victor, lost her home at Grants Lakes in an eight-alarm fire in October. She lost nearly everything, but was able to save her prized cellos, that are currently under repair, and
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two of her three cats. The very next day she also had to go for an emergency back surgery. Without a place to recover or any of her personal items, Victor was sent back to a place of absolute devastation. With the help of friends, students and school family members, Victor has been able to get back on her feet in a one bedroom
apartment, but without any furnishings. She has also recovered enough to accompany her Stephen F. Austin High School orchestra class to a national clinic in Chicago. Before her departure on this school trip, Bel Furniture completed Victor's home furnishing needs by providing tables, chairs and a recliner, along with a few decor items.
Fort Bend ISD board adopts legislative priorities From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Ahead of the Texas 86th Legislative Session, the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees adopted its legislative agenda focusing on two key areas. The action is in support of the more than 76,000 students and 11,000 employees in Fort Bend ISD. The board unanimously adopted two resolutions and shared the following message: “We believe all children can learn; we have high expectations
for each of the students we serve; we want to use all resources to make a difference in the lives of each child; the future of Texas depends on educating our growing enrollment with diverse needs; and the public schools are charged by the Texas Constitution with this great mission for Texas.” The two resolutions as adopted by the trustees are: Making school finance and school safety legislative priorities. “As our state legislators prepare for next year’s
legislative session, it is gratifying to know that we as a board are unified on the important issues facing our students,” said Jason Burdine, FBISD board president. “As the legislative session nears, we are committed to advocating on behalf of our students, staff and community, as well as all students who are attending Texas public schools.” The board encourages parents, staff, and community members to stay informed by visiting the district’s website.
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County breaks ground on medical examiner facility From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
On Dec. 17, officials broke ground on the new Fort Bend County Medical Examiner Facility. The State of Texas mandates that counties with a population of 1 million or more must have a medical examiner. With a current population of more than 770,000, Fort Bend County is rapidly approaching that requirement. The feasibility study commissioned by commissioners court in 2014 proved the cost benefit to bringing the medical examiner services to the county now instead of contracting out to the surrounding areas,
"This new facility will enable us to provide medical examiner services to the county with little change in cost, but with a significant improvement in the quality and timeliness of those services," - County Judge Bob Hebert
and promoted the court to begin construction on the facility. The facility, located on Klauke Road next to the new Fort Bend Transportation Center, will consist of two buildings totaling 11,880 square feet with space to expand as the county population increases. Fort Bend County is currently looking for a
medical examiner to operate the facility upon its completion in August. “This new facility will enable us to provide medical examiner services to the county with little change in cost, but with a significant improvement in the quality and timeliness of those services,” thenCounty Judge Bob Hebert said.
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Pictured from the left are Stantec project architect Doug Joder; Justice of the Peace, Pct. 1, Place 1, Gary Janssen; Commissioner Precinct 4 James Patterson; Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert; Commissioner Precinct 1 Vincent Morales; Fort Bend County Facilities Director James Knight; Crain Group President Brad Crain; and Crain Group Vice President John Green. (Submitted photo)
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land earns Texas Ten Step designation From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital has earned designation as a Texas Ten Step facility by the Texas Department of State Health Services for the eighth consecutive year. The Texas Ten Step program supports breastfeeding as the preferred feeding method for newborns and infants. There are currently 10 Memorial Hermann Health System hospitals designated as Texas Ten Step facilities. Based on the World Health Organization (WHO)/UNICEF’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the program assists birth facilities in supporting breastfeeding mothers before, during, and after delivery. Birthing facilities are encouraged by the program to identify
breastfeeding resources for mothers after discharge. The program also assists facilities in improving on national performance measures like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Breastfeeding Report Card. “We are very proud that our commitment to support the health of breastfeeding mothers and their children has once again been recognized by the Texas Ten Step program,” said Memorial Hermann Sugar Land lactation consultant Ann Kingrey, BSN, RN, IBCLC. “Teaching and fostering best practices for mothers to nourish their newborns and infants can have lifelong benefits and impacts families and communities far beyond the hospital setting.” To earn Texas Ten Step designation, facilities are required to evaluate cur-
rent practices; educate all healthcare staff with evidence-based courses; make improvements where needed; and must be jointly designated as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite that supports an employee’s right to express breastmilk while at work. Memorial Hermann Sugar Land offers a broad spectrum of women’s services, including an outpatient lactation center, a high-risk pregnancy clinic and a 10-bed Level II-B Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The hospital was the proud recipient of a 2016 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest Presidential honor for performance excellence. Memorial Hermann Sugar Land is located at 17500 West Grand Parkway South, Sugar Land. For more information, call 281-725-5000.
Sugar Land Scout earns Eagle rank From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Andrew Jeremy Sobrinho, a member of Boy Scout Troop 1631 in Sugar Land, received his Eagle Scout rank on Aug. 21. Andrew, the son of Ansen and Alfred Sobrinho, joined the Scouting program as a Cub Scout in first grade and developed a liking for the program as it gave him the opportunity to do things that he would not do otherwise. When Andrew joined Troop 1631 as a Boy Scout, he was very excited and he wanted to achieve the Eagle Scout rank despite many of his fellow Cub Scouts leaving the Scouting program. He is very goal oriented and began working on his Boy Scout rank advancements with great earnest to reach the Life Scout rank while he was in the seventh grade. Andrew has also taken the meaning of being a scout to heart and works hard to live according to the scout oath and scout promise always ready to help
Andrew Jeremy Sobrinho
his friends and people in need. He has earned 31 merit badges to date. After earning the Life rank, he wrestled for a little on the selection of his Eagle Scout project. He wanted to do something related to nature conservation because of his grandfather’s love for nature and he wanted to honor him. After Hurricane Harvey, he volunteered to help people in the community that were affected by the hurricane and he decided that it was
even more urgent that his Eagle Scout project be of use to the community. Andrew decided that he wanted to do something for the conservation of our great Texas gulf coast prairie systems. He met with the Amber Leung, president of the Coastal Prairie Texas Master Naturalists, to come up with a project. His project to build a monarch butterfly way-station at the Seabourne Nature Creek Park in Rosenberg will have a lot of beneficial impacts on the immediate surrounding by providing a habitat to the butterflies that are important pollinators and assist in prairie preservation. This would help maintain and sustain the monarch butterflies during their migration to Mexico from the northern parts of the United States and back. Andrew is currently a sophomore student at Clements High School and he is earning very good grades despite carrying a load of Pre-AP courses and is looking forward to going to college to become an engineer.
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Stafford MSD board member named to Gulf Coast board From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Stafford Municipal School District Board Vice President Xavier Herrera was named to the Gulf Coast Area Association of School Boards’ Board of Directors recently. Herrera is currently in his second term as a Stafford MSD trustee. He previously served as board secretary. A longtime Stafford resident, Herrera graduated from the University of Houston. He and his wife, Princilla, are the parents of three sons
E E
Xavier Herrera
– two Stafford MSD graduates and a current
Obituary
Stafford High freshman. Herrera is currently a board member with the Mexican American School Board Association. He is also chair of the Stafford MSD board’s legislative committee. The GCAASB is a voluntary organization composed of more than 50 school boards in the Greater Houston area to enhance the quality of education for public school children in the Texas Gulf Coast area by providing education and information to local school boards and creating an opportunity for local school boards to impact legislation affecting the public schools.
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E
Alvin “Al” Dale Goolsby, age 75, passed away Thursday, December 13, 2018 at his home in Missouri City, Texas. Al was born in San Bernardino, California, to Ruth and Omar Goolsby, on August 21, 1943. He attended the University of California, Riverside, where he earned his PhD in Analytical Chemistry in 1968, and where he also met Margaret “Peggy”, his wife of 48 years. Al went on to have a lifelong career with Shell Oil Company, concluding his career as a Sr. Staff Research Chemist after 30 years with the company. During this time he volunteered with the Lone Star Flight Museum and East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry. Upon retiring, Al and Peggy moved to Fulshear, Texas where Al became an active member of the Lions Club, volunteered for Meals on Wheels and pursued his many hobbies. Al was preceded in death by his first wife, Peggy; his parents, Omar and Ruth Goolsby; his sister Ruth Gorchak, and his sister Billie Durbin. He is survived by his second wife, Betty; daughter Alison Goolsby (and Robert); son Brian Goolsby (and wife Johanna); grandsons, Tillon and Preston; brother, John A. Goolsby (and
300 Chinese books donated to Stafford MSD From staff reports
FOOT FACTS
ALVIN “AL” DALE GOOLSBY AUGUST 21, 1943
Alice Chen works with Stafford MSD teachers and volunteers during the school district’s Chinese Book Drive. (Submitted photo)
FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
by Dr. Eric Tepper
DECEMBER 13, 2018
Stafford resident Alice Chen remembers the day she decided to donate books to Stafford Municipal School District. She was in her home and heard a loud noise in the middle of the night. It was the collapse of her bookcase, from the multitude of books she had accumulated through the years. Chen soon decided to donate the books to Stafford MSD. “If I donate a book, everybody can read it, not just myself,” she said. “And also, it promotes Chinese culture.” Last month, Chen and Stafford MSD partnered to host a kickoff event for the district’s first Chinese Book Drive. About 300 Chinese books were donated – something that will boost the district’s
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wife Carol); brother, Lloyd D. Goolsby (and wife Penny); numerous nieces and nephews, and stepson, Clifton Jones. A Memorial Service celebrating Al’s life will be held on Saturday, January 5, 2019 at 11:30 AM at the First Presbyterian Church of Sugar Land, with the Reverend Dr. Frederick Seay officiating. A luncheon/reception will follow. (A private graveside service will precede the Memorial Service.) In lieu of flowers, donations in Al’s memory may be made to Ft. Bend Seniors “Meals on Wheels’, c/o P.O. Box 1488, A/C Dept. Rosenberg, TX 77471 or to the First Presbyterian Church of Sugar Land, which he faithfully attended for many years, at 502 Eldridge, Sugar Land, Texas 77478. Settegast-Kopf of Sugar Land is handling arrangements.
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Chinese Language Immersion Program. Stafford MSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Bostic said the collaboration between the district and the community shows a great deal of commitment by everyone involved. “Thank you for your donations,” Bostic said. “We can’t do it without you. There’s nowhere in Fort Bend County that you can find a community that’s like Stafford. We respond to you, we give the kids what they need. Our kids are competitive, and we want to compete on a national and international level.” Deputy Superintendent Marva Rasberry said the donations will have an immediate impact on students. “Our students will be richly blessed and their knowledge will be enhanced, as a result of the donations,” Rasberry said.
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One moment can make a clock stop Tranquility and chaos rarely meet. Silver tools crashing against metal tables don’t calm nerves. Crackling plastic frantically ripped from sterile containers doesn’t slow heart rates. But tranquility and chaos did meet, right there under the surgical, stadium lights of a delivery room where my wife rested in epidural bliss and I sat on a bench designed for inmates. In the bedlam of a dozen scrubs, IVs screeching and yellow lights blaring, this was a moment that stops clocks. You don’t script slow motion. Among all the chaos, all the perfect panic, I found a calming clarity in “One.” One month. That’s how long we had until our third child – our one and only daughter – was due for delivery. This was not a troubled pregnancy for my wife or our precious daughter. Every test came back perfect; every milestone met. But a few weeks ago, that changed. One ultrasound, then another, and yet another all confirmed that our daughter’s stomach had stopped growing. No need for alarm, but my wife’s wonderful doctor began to plan an early de-
President, Fort Bend Star livery. One week. That’s what the doctor suggested. The steroid treatment for the child’s lungs began immediately, and my wife had enough time to write a few more briefs and mediate one last case. Babies, on the other hand, care not for doctors’ calendars, nor do they care about mom’s clients. Our girl needed to eat; she wanted food she couldn’t get. And so, exactly one month before her expected arrival, and one week before the doctor’s expected induction, our daughter gave a mighty kick and sent my wife into labor at 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 4. And then we waited. Five hours. Ten hours. Fifteen hours. I don’t remember a single one of them, except the last. That’s when the silver tools crashed; when the crackling plastic opened.
Buffalos had Conley’s num-
H MARSHALL, FROM PAGE 1 ber 3 jersey on the sideline, Miller fell on it to make the score 7-6. McClellan scored again with 3:42 to go in the first quarter on a 6-yard run. But Marshall quarterback Malik Hornsby scored on a 4-yard run to make the score 14-12 with 10:23 to go in the second quarter. After that Aledo scored six consecutive touchdowns before Devon Achane caught a 49-yard pass from Hornsby with 1:51 to go in the game. The final score was 55-19. The Buffalos could only generate 140 rushing yards and 129 passing yards in the game, while Aledo rushed for 314-yards and passed for 175-yards. “Not getting to your ultimate goal is tough. I am really proud of this team for the things that they did. It was a great journey. There were many obstacles along the way. They did the best they could, and they stayed strong the whole journey and they played strong to the very end,” Marshall Head Coach James Williams said. On Wednesday before the title game, the Buffalos attended a memorial service for Drew Conley, their senior safety who was killed in a domestic disturbance the previous week. At both the semifinal game against Calallen and the championship game, the
and they draped the runners-up silver medallion around his jersey after the championship game. The Buffalos ended the season with a 15-1 record. Coach Williams was voted
the District 11 5A Division II coach of the year. Devon Achane was voted district Most Valuable Player, Warren Robinson was voted defensive most valuable player, and Korey King was voted special teams’ player of the year.
Q: A:
If the insurance companies estimate is lower than the repair shop’s, do I have to pay the difference? According to state law, your insurance carrier must Chuck Charlton negotiate in good faith with your choice of shop to arrive at an agreed price for repairs. It is the role of the professional collision Repair specialist to be an advocate for their customer by working with an insurer to document and identify physical damage. You are only responsible for your deductible. When additional damage becomes evident as the repair progresses, a claim can be reopened and a supplemental payment issued. In fact, most large collision repairs require at least one supplement to the original estimate. An estimate is exactly that - an estimate. May God Bless our Men and Women in the Military
Charlton’s Body Repair Local Family Business since 1957 1131 Staffordshire @ 5th Street • Stafford, TX 77477 www.charltonsbodyrepair.com
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BAPTIST CHURCH
HERITAGE BAPTIST CHURCH • 281-403-4994 2223 FM1092 • Missouri City, TX 77459 Ed Byrnes, Senior Pastor Sunday Bible Study 9:30 am • 6:00 pm Sunday Worship 10:45 am • 6:00 pm Wednesday: 7:00 pm Bible Study / AWANA “A Place To Call Home” - www.hbctx.org METHODIST CHURCH
A United Methodist Community 3300 Austin Parkway • Sugar Land, TX 77479 Sunday Worship in the Sanctuary Simple Service / Prayer & Communion: 8:15 am Contemporary: 9:30 am / Traditional: 10:55 am Sunday School for all ages available at 9:30 & 10:55 am. www.christchurchsl.org
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CHURCH OF CHRIST
MISSOURI CITY CHURCH OF CHRIST • 281-261-8944 2019 Bright Meadows Dr. - Missouri City, TX 77489 www.mocitycoc.org Sunday morning services: 10:15 am
(includes separate youth, bible hour and nursery services)
Sunday evening services: 5:00 pm Last Sunday 1:30 pm Bible Study (all ages): Sun 9:00 am & Wed 7:00 pm Iron Mens Bible Study 1st Monday 6:30 pm
STAFFORD CHURCH OF CHRIST • 281-499-2507 402 Stafford Run Rd. -Stafford, 77477 SUNDAY: Bible Study: 9:30 a.m. Worship: 10:30 a.m. Afternoon Worship 5:00 p.m. WEDNESDAY : Bible Study 7:00 p.m. www.staffordchurchofchrist.org
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH • 281-499-3502
SOUTHMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH • 281-499-2310
3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City, TX 77459 8:00 am: Chapel Worship 9:15 am: Sunday School For All Ages 10:30 am: Open Skies Worship in the Fellowship Hall 10:30 am: Sanctuary Worship For more information, please visit www.fumcmc.org
4200 Cartwright Road, Missouri City, 77459 Sunday School 9:00 am Fellowship & Coffee 10:00 am Worship 10:30 am www.southminpres.org
SUGAR LAND METHODIST CHURCH • 281-491-6041
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One breath. When a dad so lucky as me can stand and watch his only daughter squirm for dear life, you don’t count fingers, you don’t wonder if she has a perfect nose. You just want to see her take that first, gargled breath. Nothing – and I mean nothing – mat-
of food she has swallowed. We don’t think about things like that often. We rush our meals and hurry about to a new task. Yet this week, I’ve been enamored by the one sip she takes, each time she takes it. One day. Eleanor Bo will be home soon with us. She’ll join big brothers Hank, 5, and Cal, 2, and something tells me she’ll learn quickly that a few things need fixing around this place. She’ll see the clutter of toys and restore order. She’ll see shards of Oreos scattered on the floor, and she’ll throw a napkin at the colossal mess of her brothers. Meghan, God bless her soul, will have a daughter who doesn’t capture crickets or dabble in dirt. And me? I’ve heard stories about fathers and their daughters, but I’ll pay them no mind. Instead, I’m going to try my best to never forget the “One” that surrounded a delivery room on Dec. 4, 2018. My one daughter, her one breath, her one cry, her one sip completing our one family. She will be tranquility among chaos. Something tells me I’m going to be one mess of a Dad. Email jonathan@theleadernews.com
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Business FORT BEND
One more push. After more than 16 hours of labor, that’s what the doctor and his nurses said in unison. And that’s what it took to deliver our stunning mess of a baby, erratic arms and blinded eyes all unfolding without a second ticking from the clock.
ters more. And I saw it. And my eyes swelled. One cry. You see the first breath and your eyes tear. You hear the first squeal of your child, and you want to collapse. You want to grab her and squeeze, but you can’t. You want to kiss her and comfort her, but you aren’t allowed. One hug. The first squeeze, the first kiss always – always – belongs to mom. I stood to the side of the bed – arms limp, eyes full – and watched as our four-and-a-half pound Eleanor Bo McElvy rested her head against Meghan’s heart. She didn’t move, and neither did Meghan. A baby that small isn’t supposed to hold her mother, but I couldn’t tell which woman was holding the other – unison as only God intended. One sip. Our precious baby Bo came early, and as I write this, she’s still swaddled in a contraption they call an Isolette at the hospital, and she has a tube in her nose. Our daughter is healthy, she is hungry, and she’s protected by the hands of trusted doctors who will smile when she comes home. But in the 10 days she’s been in the hospital, Meghan and I have measured every single sip
431 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478 Worship @ 8:30, 9:45 and 11:00 am Bible Study, all ages, @ 9:45 am www.sugarlandmethodist.org
LUTHERAN CHURCH
FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH, LCMS 281-242-7729 800 Brooks St., Sugar Land Sunday: 8:00 am Traditional Worship 9:15 am Sunday School 10:30 am Contemporary Worship (Nursery Available) 4:00 pm Spirit of Life Worship
Scripture of the week
"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:31
THE STAR
PAGE 6 • Wednesday, January 2, 2019
See us online www.FortBendStar.com
@FtBendAthletics:
Trey Sissom named MaxPreps Heart and Soul of the Game recipient From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Coach Trey Sissom from Fort Bend Travis High School was named a recipient of the first MaxPreps Heart and Soul of the Game award, presented by Whataburger. Sissom is the head football coach at Travis High School. “At MaxPreps, we believe the title ‘coach’ is a high honor. High school coaches, in particular, have a special role to play in the development of our young people,” said Andy Beal, president and founder of MaxPreps. “Most high school coaches recognize
Trey Sissom
that the job is more than winning on the field. They understand that the real value in being a coach is the opportunity to positively influence the lives of the young people they touch. With their words, and more importantly, through their actions, the coaches we are
honoring reflect the very best attributes of their profession. These coaches are the caring adults who help to mold the young men and women that they touch through their sport. They truly are the Heart and Soul of American sports.” For the past four years, Sissom has been at the helm of the Travis football team. Known for his fast-paced coaching style, Sissom has consistently led the Tigers to the playoffs each year, often putting them in contention for the district title. “Coach Sissom is someone who holds everyone accountable, as he cares immensely for those in his care,” said Julie Diaz, principal at Travis. Sissom is currently fight-
ing multiple myeloma, a cancer that has no cure. “Knowing all that he is going through and has gone through, puts things in perspective for us,” said Diaz. “Trey would say, ‘You don’t pick the battles you are given, but you get to choose how you will fight them.’ ” Sissom has shown the same fierceness and tenacity in attacking his cancer as he has in attacking opposing teams. His example of leadership not only to his team, but also to his school and community in his struggle is an inspiration to all he touches. His dedication and passion to making a difference in his player’s lives on and off the field is why Sissom is a worthy
candidate for this award. “I couldn’t think of a more deserving person to win this award,” said Diaz. “Trey truly gives his heart to everything he does. We are blessed to have him as a member of our Tiger family!” Sissom was presented with the MaxPreps Heart and Soul of the Game award during a school assembly. “Coach Sissom embodies all it means to play with heart, and Whataburger is proud to award him with the first-ever Heart and Soul of the Game Award,” said Rich Scheffler, Whataburger vice president of marketing and innovation. “We know Coach Sissom will continue encourag-
ing and inspiring student athletes and hope they all remember the legacy he’s instilled as part of the Travis Tigers football program.” MaxPreps picks three football coaches to be named the MaxPreps Heart and Soul of the Game recipient. Through a comprehensive marketing campaign, MaxPreps gives people in the community the opportunity to nominate a deserving coach to be recognized. MaxPreps in partnership with Whataburger then selects three deserving football coaches who are dedicated to making a difference in their player’s lives and communities beyond their coaching duties.
Texans fall to Eagles but make playoffs
Houston Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney strip-sacks Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foals during the game Dec. 23 in Philadelphia. The Texans lost 32-30 but still clinched a playoff spot. The Texans were to close out the regular season at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday The Fort Bend Star went to press before the game due to early holiday deadlines. Look for results online at www.FortBendStar.com or in next week's paper. At press time, the Texans had several playoff scenarios going into the last regular season game. If they beat the Jaguars, they win the AFC South. (Photo by Max Siker)
Hosted by: Briscoe Manor, Richmond, TX
Thursday, January 10, 2019
2019 Parent Night Out & Teen/Tween Social WHO
11 - 18 year old Fort Bend Couny residents with an intellectual or Developmental Disability (I/DD) The magic continues at the 4th Annual Taste of Fort Bend scheduled for Thursday, January 10 at 7pm at Briscoe Manor. We’ll have you spellbound as you enjoy bites from Fort Bend’s finest food establishments while bidding on items in both live and silent auctions. This year, we have a few new tricks up our sleeve that you don’t want to miss as you will be charmed to commit your support. Proceeds from the evening will benefit Lunches of Love in support of their commitment to end childhood hunger and feed food insecure children in Fort Bend County. For questions or to learn more about Lunches of Love and the impact our program has on the community, please visit www.lunchesoflove.net FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, please email lunchesoflove@att.net
WHAT
Games, Crafts, 1-1-Small Groups, Social Skills Practice STAFF: BEHAVIOR TECHS, TEEN & ADULT VOLUNTEERS
WHERE & WHEN
RIGISTER BY FRIDAY BEFORE FIRST FRIDAYS: Jan.-June & Sept. - Dec. 6-9PM CHRIST CHURCH @ Family Life Center 3300 Austin Pkwy, Sugar Land TX, 77479 R E G I S T E R : A RC O F F ORT B E N D . ORG
TICKETS: lunchesoflove.net/events EMCEE: Sheriff Troy Nehls Autism advocates.
Autism advocates.
Providing help.
Providing help.
Creating hope.
Creating hope.
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F ORT B END AnitA Milne 281-413-9732 F ORT B END
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mind. school board has up to 180 George said he calls his rise days after George starts as to this position as “an amazing county judge to fill his seat, said Board President Jason The village just got electric- opportunity.” “I feel blessed and believe it Burdine. ity in 2006. He spent his first 15 “We are currently exploryears there, poor and barefoot is an enormous opportunity. I receiving his first pair of slip- can connect and understand ing processes that have been pers in the fifth grade. In the most of Fort Bend County. I successful for other districts. morning he and his brothers am the new face of Fort Bend The goal of our board is to ANITA MILNE County, not as a county judge determine an equitable and helped their parents work on a12-12-18 farm, then went to school and but because you will see a lot of appropriate process for our returned to farm work after people who look like me in Fort community. The process has Bend County. We are the most yet to be determined but it’s school. His father valued education. diverse county in the nation likely that it will include the At the age of 13 he lost both and I will be able to connect option for the public to apply,” his parents and could not go to with various communities,” he Burdine said. George remembers during school. He made a few bucks a said. County Judge-elect George the flooding of Harvey, two day driving and sent all seven
H GEORGE, FROM PAGE 1
"He makes history as the highest vote-getter for county judge in Fort Bend County. History as well, as the first South Asian ever elected as the top executive of a county in Texas," - Mustafa Tameez
of his children to school. “He always said education is the only way out and it is unfortunate he is not alive to see his work and effort in me. I feel bad,” said George, who grew silent as the memories rushed over him. George came here to study and got into the financial services industry, acquiring all the licenses and becoming board certified as a financial planner - another example of his ability to use the right side of his brain, said the man who was physically stopped from using his left hand to write as a child because it was culturally frowned upon. He chuckles at the adage that left-handers are the only ones in their right
said he wants to make a difference, starting with emergency management. “My dream or goal is to create a blueprint. The city, the county the school district, and other nonprofits get together and create a blueprint of what do we do in an emergency. What is the plan and to make sure that the citizens get it so they know where their emergency shelter is for their community,” said George who started his four-year term Jan. 1. He currently serves on the Fort Bend Independent School District Board of Trustees and will step down. The school board will likely appoint someone to finish his term. The
schools opened doors as a shelter for the community during what is called an 800-year flood. “Emergency management is like a war,” George said. “You can go in with a strategy, but what is stopping us from having a 1,000-year flood. We hope and pray that doesn’t happen.” Since winning, he and his transition team have spent 14- to 16-hour days meeting with churches and about 20 county department heads on what is happening, their roles and needs and understanding county business. He is planning a listening tour once in office. “We will work with the com-
C LA SSIF IE D
missioners in the four precincts and the Fort Bend County sheriff. It’s not about me. But we want to change emergency management. One of my goals is to make it 22nd Century. I believe there is room for improvement,” he said. Taking a page from his school board days, he also wants to create citizen advisory councils. “Fort Bend is blessed with absolutely highly educated professionals, so many, and it’s only common sense to use them the way we do in the FBISD and people feel they are a part of something,” he said. He would also like to pursue a way to engage youths. “Youth empowerment is important. Beyond my duties and day-to-day responsibilities, youth empowerment is important. We are talking to the chamber (or commerce) about creating a youth program, perhaps a youth advisory council. Our young people have a lot of ideas,” he said. He described his ideas of citizen engagement and youth empowerment as the “innovative things.” He is interested in the results of the watershed study underway and the feasibility of creating a flood control district. “Anything we are going to do will be backed by data; study and data. Even changes to county government will be based on data. It’s not ‘KP feels this way’ - solid data,” he said. George said he is optimistic about Fort Bend County. “Now I have a say in it and isn’t that exciting. It is a Godgiven opportunity and people elected me. Our team will be working every day to fulfill the promise as they have an expectation of what we do,” he said.
A DS
H PARKS, FROM PAGE 1 “A reliable source of funding for state parks and historic sites is an investment in our future and a gateway to the outdoors for every Texan. This funding will allow maintenance, repairs and improvements to happen on a regular basis. Texans should not have to wait for days, weeks or months to gain entrance to these locations which are true Texas treasures.” For many years, Texas state parks were funded primarily through a onepenny-per-pack tax on cigarettes. In 1993, the 73rd Legislature replaced the cigarette tax funding with a portion of revenues derived from the sales tax on sporting goods. The sporting goods sales tax was designed to create a steady stream of funding for our state parks. Prior to 2015, only 40 percent of the dedicated sporting good sales tax was appropriated to the park system. However, in 2015, the legislature appropriated 100 percent of the tax dollars available and in 2017, the legislature appropriated nearly 90 percent. “Our parks play a vital role in providing outdoor experiences to an increasingly urban state,” said Joseph Fitzsimons, former chair of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. “We need to meet the current and future demands of our growing state with a consistent and reliable
stream of funding for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. A constitutional dedication of the sporting goods sales tax will achieve that.” Filing SJR 24 with one dozen bipartisan joint authors, Kolkhorst said that she was proud to join a diverse group of lawmakers and organizations in supporting this legislation so every Texan has access to what the outdoors has to offer. “I look forward to working with Representative John Cyrier (R-Lockhart) who will be handling the legislation in the House of Representatives,” Kolkhorst said. State parks and historic sites in Kolkhorst’s senate district include: Goose Island State Park, Lake Somerville-Birch Creek State Park, Lake Somerville-Nails Creek State Park, Stephen F. Austin State Park, Mustang Island State Park, Palmetto State Park, Goliad State Park and Historical Site, Monument Hill-Kreische Brewery State Historic Site, Washington-on-theBrazos State Historic Site, San Felipe De Austin State Historic Site, Fulton Mansion State Historic Site and Fannin Battle Ground State Historic Site. An SJR takes a twothirds vote by each chamber of the Legislature. If the votes are secured, the measure ultimately goes to the people as a ballot measure on the next general election to amend the State Constitution.
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LOOKING FOR LOCAL EVENTS? There are tons of Non-profit events waiting for you on page 10!
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THE STAR
PAGE 8 • Wednesday, January 2, 2019
C LA SSIF IE D
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LEGALS NOTICE TO BIDDERS CULLINAN PARK AEROBIC TREATMENT UNIT SYSTEM The City of Sugar Land seeks bids for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment, and performing all work required for the following project in the City: CIP PROJECT NAME: Cullinan Park Aerobic Treatment Unit (ATU) System CIP PROJECT NUMBER: PK1704 LOCATION OF WORK: Cullinan Park, 12414 Highway 6 S, Sugar Land, TX 77498 Plans, specifications, and bidding documents may be obtained from www.publicpurchase.com. Sealed bids one (1) original and two (2) copies, shall be delivered to the City of Sugar Land, Office of the City Secretary, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, on or before 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 15, 2019, at which time bids will be publicly opened and read. Bids received after the opening date and time will not be considered. A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting for all interested parties will be held at 9:00 a.m., Friday, January 4, 2019 Brazos Room, City Hall, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Sugar Land, Texas 77479. Questions regarding this bid must be submitted on or before 2:00 p.m., Friday, January 4, 2019. All questions must be posted on Public Purchase www.publicpurchase.com. The City will award and give notice within sixty (60) calendar days after the opening date and time.
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GOT NEWS? Email your news to
editor@FortBendStar.com LEGALS FORT BEND COUNTY WC&ID NO. 2
INVITATION TO BIDDERS
INVITATION TO BIDDERS Sealed Bids, in duplicate, addressed to Fort Bend County Water Control & Improvement District No. 2, Attention Mr. Jason A. Kirby, P.E., District Engineer, will be received at the District’s office, 2331 South Main, Stafford, Texas 77477, until 2:30 p.m. Local Time, Wednesday, January 16, 2019 and then publicly opened and read for “Construction of Stafford Run Water Well Rework”
VICINITY MAPS:
Scope of Work of the Contract consists of providing the necessary labor, materials, equipment, supervision, and plant to construct the Stafford Run Water Well Rework. The plant facility is located at 550 Stafford Run Road, Stafford Texas 77477 (See Key Map No. 569E).
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Each Bid must be accompanied by a bid bond or a cashier’s check or certified 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 15 days after the date Contract Documents are received by the Contractor.
Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 59 of the Texas PropertyCode, on 1-26-19 at 8:00 AM, Cajun Self Storage LLC will hold a public auction to satisfy the lien on the property stored at the address above in the units listed. Tenants’ notated the inventories listed at the time of rental. Landlord makes no representation or warranties that the units contain said inventories.
Copies of the bidding documents are on file at the following locations:
*Sergio Ortega Unit A-148 (furniture) *Gladys Jackson Unit A-82 (boxes, furniture) *Carolyn Washington Unit A-42 (bedroom furniture) *Charlotte Thomlinson Unit B-15 (misc items) *Yolanda Hubbard Unit D-40 (misc items) *Jesus Garcia Unit F-27 (construction material) *Georgelynn Hemphill C-43 (household items)
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 WC&ID NO. 2
VICINITY MAPS:
On Page 7
Notice is hereby given that a PUBLIC AUCTION will be held at CAJUN SELF STORAGE LLC 2935 FM 521 FRESNO, TX 77545
Bidding documents may be examined at the District Office without charge.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUEST FROM THE REAR YARD SETBACK REQUIREMENT IN THE RESTRICTED SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-1R) ZONING DISTRICT FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 5103 CAMBRIDGE STREET
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Bids received after the closing time will be returned unopened. A MANDATORY pre-bid conference will be held on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 2:30 p.m. Local Time, at the District office (2331 South Main, Stafford,TX). Attendance by each prospective bidder or its representative at the pre-bid conference is MANDATORY.
Copies of the bidding documents may be obtained from www. CivcastUSA.com. Bidders must register on this website in order to view and/or download specifications and plans for this project. There is NO charge to view or download documents.
Details of the proposed Special Exception may be obtained by contacting City of Sugar Land Development Planning Office by email planning@ sugarlandtx.gov or phone (281) 275-2218. The agenda item for this meeting will be placed on the City website at www.sugarlandtx.gov under “Meeting Agendas” Zoning Board of Adjustment no later than Friday, January 11, 2019.
Details of the proposed Special Exception may be obtained by contacting City of Sugar Land Development Planning Office by email planning@ sugarlandtx.gov or phone (281) 275-2218. The agenda item for this meeting will be placed on the City website at www.sugarlandtx.gov under “Meeting Agendas” Zoning Board of Adjustment no later than Friday, January 11, 2019.
cannot be combined with any offer
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUEST FROM THE REAR YARD SETBACK REQUIREMENT IN THE STANDARD SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-1) DISTRICT FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3311 ALCORN CROSSING DRIVE
Zoning Board of Adjustment Public Hearing 5:00 p.m., January 16, 2019, City of Sugar Land City Council Chamber, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North to hear all persons interested in the proposed Special Exception to the Rear Yard Setback for 5103 Cambridge Street, Lot 12, Block 2, Sutton Forest Section 2, in the Restricted Single-Family Residential (R-1R) District.
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Details of the proposed Special Exception may be obtained by contacting City of Sugar Land Development Planning Office by email planning@ sugarlandtx.gov or phone (281) 275-2218. The agenda item for this meeting will be placed on the City website at www.sugarlandtx.gov under “Meeting Agendas” Zoning Board of Adjustment no later than Friday, January 11, 2019.
Zoning Board of Adjustment Public Hearing 5:00 p.m., January 16, 2019, City of Sugar Land City Council Chamber, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North to hear all persons interested in the proposed Special Exception to the Rear Yard Setback for 3311 Alcorn Crossing Drive, Lot 45, Block 1, First Colony MUD #5 Parcel I, in the Standard Single-Family Residential (R-1) District.
M AT H / C O M P U T E R TUTOR - Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, word processing, spreadsheet, graphics. Bill Stewart. BSEE 281-341-1582.>+
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUEST FROM THE REAR YARD SETBACK REQUIREMENT IN THE RESTRICTED SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-1R) ZONING DISTRICT FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 11 LEIGH COURT Zoning Board of Adjustment Public Hearing 5:00 p.m., January 16, 2019, City of Sugar Land City Council Chamber, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North to hear all persons interested in the proposed Special Exception to the Rear Yard Setback for 11 Leigh Court, Lot 15, Block 3, Commonwealth Estates Section 1, in the Restricted Single-Family Residential (R-1R) District.
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Notice of Public Sale
All units must be paid for at the time of sale. No checks accepted. No one under the age of 18 is allowed to attend the sale. Each person attending must sign in and agree to follow all Rules and Regulations of the sale. The landlord reserves the right to bid at the sale. All purchased goods are sold “as is” and must be removed by 5:00 PM on the day following the sale. Buyers must provide a current, original or a photocopy of their original resale permit at time of sale in lieu of sales tax. This sale is subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between landlord and obligated party.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUEST FROM THE REAR YARD SETBACK REQUIREMENT IN THE INTERIM STANDARD SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-1-I) DISTRICT FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6006 WALKERS PARK DRIVE Zoning Board of Adjustment Public Hearing 5:00 p.m., January 16, 2019, City of Sugar Land City Council Chamber, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North to hear all persons interested in the proposed Special Exception to the Rear Yard Setback for 6006 Walkers Park Drive, Lot 7, Block 2, Walker’s Station Amending Plat, Section 2, in the Interim Standard SingleFamily Residential (R-1-I) District. Details of the proposed Special Exception may be obtained by contacting City of Sugar Land Development Planning Office by email planning@ sugarlandtx.gov or phone (281) 275-2218. The agenda item for this meeting will be placed on the City website at www.sugarlandtx.gov under “Meeting Agendas” Zoning Board of Adjustment no later than Friday, January 11, 2019.
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Minatrea has also befriended Scott Brick, one of the most prominent voice actors in the audiobook business. They met when Minatrea attended one of Brick’s seminars.
H VOICE, FROM PAGE 1 “Radio and voice-over are similar but not the same in how you read things and the different way you read things. I didn’t know I had a lot to learn, but I had a lot to learn,” he said.
“Kevin’s narration is such a pleasure to listen to; he's got such a natural touch for non-fiction,” Brick said. “The way he channels the author’s authority and passion really makes it feel as though the author himself is speaking to me. And it helps that Kevin is such a lovely guy himself.”
Years of speaking boldly into a microphone left him at a disadvantage when it came to doing voice-over work. “Putting on this big voice that I used to do when I did radio was not what everybody wants to hear when you’re doing narrations,” he said in a loud, enthusiastic voice. “I got a coach. I first started out with a coach up in Dallas, Bettye Zoller, that I worked with for a while. She helped pull some of the radio guy out of me and got me to understand that I needed to back off and relax and use my natural voice.”
In addition to having to learn how to speak again, Minatrea discovered that he also had to learn the business side of the business. He doesn’t exactly excel at Excel.
After working with Zoller, Minatrea stepped up to a higher level and retained Nancy Wolfson from California as his coach.
In the last four years he has been building up a significant client base. One of his biggest clients is a company in France that makes animated features for 4and 5-year-olds.
“After about a year of working with her on a semi-regular basis she’s like ‘you are where you need to be and let’s record you a brand new demo’ and that’s what I’m working with now,” he said. “I talk to her about once every quarter, just as a coach, because I realized pretty quickly that you don’t do this without one. Just like any athlete won’t go without a coach, and golf pro won’t go without a coach, they are all going to have somebody making sure they are still on their game.”
profit organizations that need training videos and marketing materials. While that pays his bills, the part of the job he likes best is doing audiobooks.
ing, but just what and how all the body parts work and how they work together and how different diseases are diagnosed and things like that,” he said.
“Commercials are quick and easy and pay a lot more, but books you kind of get into more of an acting role,” he said. “You also get a chance to learn a lot. I started out doing nonfiction work, because you didn’t have to do as much character reads and things like that in the nonfiction world. So I got books about Robert E. Lee and one about General Sherman. Civil War books that told the history.
With his deep bass voice, one of Minatrea’s biggest challenges is doing female voices.
“And as I’m reading them I’m also learning stuff that was probably was taught to me in high school but I didn’t pay attention. Then I got a new appreciation of what I wish I had paid attention to. So much so, that recently my daughter and I took a trip up into Virginia just to pay a visit to Antietam and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, just to get a feel for the surroundings of where some of these stories took place that I’ve read about. It was nice to connect with that as opposed to just doing a commercial and saying ‘OK, it’s done’ and move on to the next thing,” he said.
“You have to wear all the different hats and I’m not really the bookkeeper kind; I’m not the sales guy as much as I need to be,” he said.
“All these different little episodes. They package them up and they are like five-minute episodes, but they package them up in to 30-minute program of five-minute episodes of Car City. Everything is a car from Gary the Garbage Truck to Frank the Fire Engine. They don’t talk, they just make little noises and here’s Kevin out here in the background talking, telling their story as they act it out on the screen,” he said.
In addition to becoming a historian, he is also studying medicine. “I like to do a lot of history. I also have been doing a lot of medical narration here recently for some audiobooks that are basically what people would study if they were in medical school. And so I’m learning more and more about, not only how to say words I never thought I’d be say-
Most of his clients are local businesses and non-
Wednesday, January 2, 2019 • PAGE
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“Female voices are tough, but I have done some studying on these. They are generally softer and more breathy – that’s how I do them,” he said, speaking as he would in a woman’s voice. “And maybe a little more of a lilt and a little higher pitch. “But you don’t have do it like this,” he said in a high falsetto voice, “because you don’t want to make it sound fake. So generally if it’s a female voice, the teachers I’ve worked with, seminars I’ve attended, webinars and things, they’ve all pretty much said don’t put on a fake voice for a woman, just soften it and talk in a rhythm that a woman might speak in. It’s like there’s different rhythms and different ways that they might speak. But mostly is a softer, breathier sound” In addition to speaking, Minatrea can sing. He is on an a cappella praise team at his church, First Colony Church of Christ. As a man of faith, he likes doing work for Christian organizations. “I did a thing for the Enunciation Greek Orthodox church here recently in Houston. And it was a 15-minute documentary of the congregation’s 100 years in Houston and how they built their cathedral, which they just added on
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to,” Minatrea said. Just like Brick, his mentor, Minatrea said he is often asked what it’s like to record audiobooks for a living. “People ask him (Brick) what it’s like to be a narrator. He says imagine going into a closet in your house, shutting the door, with a little light over your shoulder, and reading a book out loud for six to eight hours a day. Just by yourself. If you can do that, then you can do audiobook narration, because that’s pretty much what you are doing,” he said. Even though he lives in a quiet neighborhood, there are occupational hazards he has to overcome. That includes lawnmowers, barking dogs and thunderstorms. “The problem I have here is, in order to make it quiet in the room you have to turn off the air conditioning. I have, as you can see, a window unit in the
wall back here, and when it’s on it’s roaring,” he said. Not everything he records is for profit. Even though his two daughters are grown now, he still likes to record children’s books for them each Christmas. “I record a children’s book for my own kids. We don’t sell it, so I don’t have to buy the rights, it’s only for their personal enjoyment, but I’ve got the biggest kick out of doing that,” he said. “That’s my Christmas gift of making something for them. … It became sort of a tradition.” The recordings have been saved over the years and will likely outlive him. “My kids, when they have kids, will have all this collection of grandpa reading all of these children’s stories. That was the idea,” he said. To learn more about Minatrea, visit his website at kevincharlesvoice.com.
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Manage This Childhood Viral Infection Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is a viral infection that commonly affects young children. It is caused by the coxsackievirus. Common symptoms include fever, sore throat, painful red blisters on the inside of the mouth, red rash on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, and loss of appetite. This infection can last anywhere from three to six days. The fever is often the first sign of infection followed by the appearance of red blisters on the body. This virus spreads by personto-person contact through nasal or respiratory droplets, blister fluid, stool, and saliva. It is common for children to contract this virus in places such as daycare centers where child-child contact is frequent. Dehydration is a major complication of this condition and should be monitored closely. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease typically infects children for up to ten days and then clears away. There is no specific treatment for the condition, but there are medications available to help manage symptoms. Topical oral anesthetic agents such as Orajel may help reduce painful mouth sores. Side effects from Orajel may include mild burning and stinging at the application site. Over the counter (OTC) pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) may be taken to help reduce discomfort and reduce fever.
Welcome to
Sugar Land Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, Stafford & Fort Bend County
Fort Bend Welcome to
2017 OFF ICIAL
NEWCOM
ERS GUIDE
A new 55 + active adul t rental com munity
2019 Newcomer Guide and Visitor Directory
• Hospitals • Churches • Schools • Libraries
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The Official family homes in the county in the past year. Another 10,000 guides will be available for pick up in free rack locations throughout Fort Bend County for all of 2019.
The 2019 Newcomer Guide will be direct mailed to 10,000 new residents that have moved into single
The guide is a traditional tabloid format with full color on high grade HiBrite paper. The tab will have five ad sizes to achieve a clean look and feel throughout.
guide .com
D NEW COM SUG AR LAN
DIRE CTO AND VISI TOR ER GUID E
Directory
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RY • 2015
The Fort Bend Newcomer’s Guide – 2019, is an invaluable resource to residents of the county, both new and old. Moving to a new city and/or to a new state, can be very overwhelming. Welcome to Fort Bend puts the answers to many questions in a beautiful publication that has a shelf life of one full year! Content includes Fort Bend feature stories, school district information-both public and private, voter and car registration information, local demographics, local events and leaders, local airport information, Fort Bend history, important phone numbers, hospitals and much more!!
patients from can transport r Land to luoroscopy its base in Suga plus radiology/f 5) Birthing Texas Medical ur in house Southwest or opening in 2015; , additional suite; 24-ho Visit age and the ation to bring jobs Center hospitals. physician cover Center renov Missouri City n.org; t of clinical nce in Fort tes at (CT), memorialherman Imaging a larger prese full complemen space and upda ion. and Tomography . ann es. Five major and X-ray al and Memorial Herm W. Grand ancillary servic Sweetwater Pavil Bend County. mammography Fort Bend Medic r gency Care to 5 p.m., Center is at 17510 r Land, Diagnostic Cente vard Hours are 8 a.m. projects: 1) Emer nal Care Boule South Sugar Land Anderson RegioLand #120, Suga 6 between y, open on ay Health M.D. SH Frida on r Parkw tal ay 11555 University Hospi Cente Mond Land, . 725-5050. Center in SugarParkway Rehabilitation ay 6 ation and pediatric visits @ Hwy. 6 S Sugar TX 77479, 281Pointe Highw Sienna Plant Saturday for Lake 1325 s 1327 TX 77478 the unitie 77478 77478 (on Riverstone comm al Center Sugar Land, TX Closed Sunday. Sugar Land, TX St. Luke’s 713-442-9100 OakBend Medicn Street campus of 281 276-7574 opening in 2014; r between tal) odist 1705 Jackso Freeway Sugar Land Hospi Houston Meth tal 2) Patient Towe and 22003 Southwest 713-745-9940 ion Sugar Land Drive Sugar Land Hospi elsey-Seybold HealthSouth Freeway 4911 Sand Hill Sweetwater Pavil the Sugar 00 • 281-341-20 16655 Southwest Hospital is a at 77479 Clinic, 281-341-3000 Rehabilitation Main Pavilion tal Center Sugar Land, Texas34 hospi on us Care nal ton’s ilitati camp Hous The Regio 832-924-71 50-bed rehab Land hospital tal locations lized treats all types sive care largest 281-712-2597 With two hospi in Sugar Land that offers specia adding 104 inten physician ng) on beds many of d (Breast Imagi ient rehabilitati res to of cancer. It offers and several other ons to medical/surgical for inpat and community-base es t servic locati hip fractu , opened 339 beds and specialty the same patien us, with services from for a total of physician group y’s healthcare ts and stroke Bend and 2016; in Fort serve your famil uously as the main camp every day. joint replacemen Serving Fort completion in a new facility contin disease. s & Sports g counties in 2005. needs, and a more being added ded with 3) Orthopedic to Parkinson’s Bend County the surroundin of services, e-foot SH 6 and hospital expanding scope Center is Patients are provi Medicine at the vard The 75,000 squar a since 1988, the tal Sugar Land al ard of care of services y has Kindred Hospi y Boulevard OakBend Medic world-class stand Sweetwater Boule r will medical facilit provides a range ent, unity Colon hospital. First comm ry unity Cente 1550 rting prima treatm your comm in a comfo location, Spine wide range of - ER, cancer 281-275-6000 lty care care, to the Main setting. be relocated care and specia an ostic Center cardiovascular by 2015; much as Sugar Land Diagn Freeway ion, completion surgery and west Pavil doctors, as well ann neuro r South care Herm 15300 acute eart Cente acy Memorial embarking Our long-term 4) Cath Lab/H 281-274-6600 expanded pharm more. It is now Land Hospital n for tion es Sugar know the is reloca servic tal sion, (LTAC) hospi expansion and closer to with drive-thru on major expan a new 17500 West Grand ologies, ostic ty techn diagn South add ced facili ced ay will new advan Parkw its with and enhan hospital Diagnostic for 77479 and ent as Magnetic The Sugar Land t of West Sugar Land, TX 00 emergency room ry patient tower innovative treatm assionate the services such 6-sto tmen comp ing nt in 281-725-50 Center, a depar protocols, and Resonance Imag ed a first developme al Center, is becoming Houston Medic care. Sugar Land the (MRI), Computeriz in Sugar y is located in ide and This hospital known statew full- this facilit Medical Center its growing and Land is a 79-private bed, r Land Suga nationally for y on the same care facilit al community building and service, acute diverse medic r Sugar Land patient rooms Hospital Suga campus as the with all-private and Kindred r. Diagnostic technology ed to be an gital Cente er pleas all-di is Canc and Land t safety and ing and lab/ of it. This is a testing, imag enhancing patien r recently integral part are provided. hospital with quality. The cente Emergency EKG procedures outpatient free-standing for sive Care Unit ren’s The center is opened Child an 18-bed Inten day testing medical/surgical Center. If a higher level of services. Same (ICU) and 87 y is rial dialysis n the same facilit of care METRIC is required, Memo An on-site hemo withi PTO care ® air beds. t IC/O the level Flight dual patien THERAPEUT available as is Hermann Life g. suite allows for its highly hospital settin SPECIALIST baric oxygen received in a ambulance and dialysis; hyper GLAUCOMA al personnel ) chamber for trained medic therapy (HBO d cases; CT yer complicated woun suga rland
14
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The Official Welcome to Fort Bend Newcomer Guide provides: • Distribution throughout 2019 in Fort Bend County. • Informative editorial coverage similar to that of the local newspaper, the Fort Bend Star. • Every ad in the magazine will appear in print and online at FortBendStar.com and will be linked back to your website.
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Deadline: February 6, 2019 Published: February 20, 2019
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Cullinan Park Conservancy announces new board members and 2019 officers From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Cullinan Park Conservancy (CPC) recently announced the officers of the board of directors for 2019 and new board
members, elected this fall. “I’m thrilled that Mike Dobert agreed to serve as board president next year. He’s an experienced leader in our community who absolutely loves the Park,” Executive Director Angie Wierzbicki said.
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Dobert is the owner and principal of HR In Alignment, LLC, and a former chairman of the board for the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. He has more than 25 years of private industry human resources experience across several business sectors, including nonprofits. Dobert has been on the Conservancy’s board for two years. Susie Goff was elected for a second term as vice president. Goff is also marketing committee chairperson and a key volunteer for the Conservancy’s annual fundraising luncheon in October. Goff is an involved Sugar Land resident who feels the park is “a jewel just waiting to happen!” Betty Baitland was elected
secretary of the board. Baitland has been active in the development committee for CPC and is a long-time resident of Sugar Land. Having served on numerous nonprofit boards in Fort Bend over the years, she has a passion for improving the community. Kapil Mathur was elected treasurer. Mathur is a senior portfolio management director, branch manager and financial advisor in Sugar Land. Mathur has been active in the finance committee over the last year and has served on the board for two years. New board members who were elected are Cee Cee Parker, Manish Seth and June Tang. Parker is an attorney and
has lived in Sugar Land for many years, additionally serving many nonprofits on boards or as a volunteer. Parker is also an avid supporter of the outdoors and preservation. Seth is a shareholder at ABIP CPA & Advisors. He is a resident of Missouri City with his wife and young family, and is a former Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce board member. Tang is the development manager for Riverstone and Veranda, by Johnson Development Corporation. She lives in Harvest Green with her young family and is eager to take her toddler to the park more often as he gets older. “We couldn’t be more ex-
cited about our new board members. They bring a wealth of knowledge, and their areas of expertise compliment what we already have on the board,” said Dobert. Visitors to the 754-acre Joseph S. and Lucie H. Cullinan Park in Sugar Land will find a huge variety of flora and fauna, as well as trails. The Conservancy works to enhance the natural beauty of the park for all by raising funds for capital improvements. For more information on the park or conservancy, visit www. cullinanparkconser vancy. org, email cullinanparkconservancy@gmail.com or call 281-616-7860.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR FORT BEND COMMUNITY CALENDAR IS FOR NON-PROFIT EVENTS.
Deadline is noon every Friday. Please keep wording to a minimum. Answer the “5 W’s” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to Editor@FortBendStar.com or mail to: Fort Bend Star, 3944 Bluebonnet Drive, Stafford, Texas 77477.
THURSDAY, JAN. 3 MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM
Bobwhite Quail: Canary of the Prairie, will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Rosenberg Civic Center, 3825 Texas 36 South, Rosenberg, sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 281-633-7033 or email mmcdowell@ag.tamu.edu
SUNDAY, JAN. 6 ART I BECOME
George Memorial Library will host the opening day reception of this special exhibit from 2-4 p.m., 1001 Golfview in Richmond. The exhibit showcases the artwork of Claire Payne and her daughters Kathryn Payne Bright and Terri Payne-Bieber, on display through Feb. 28. The exhibit may be viewed during regular library hours. For more information, call at 281-6334734.
TUESDAY, JAN. 8 PECAN GROVE WOMEN'S CLUB
Meets at the Pecan Grove Plantation Country Club at 9:30 a.m. for coffee and visiting. Speakers from the Oak Bend Medical Center. Make lunch reservations by calling or emailing Kay McNinch at 281-238-4002 (kkmcninch@yahoo.com) or Linda Saad at 281-342-8575 (lindasaad@gmail.com). Reservations need to be made by Friday, Jan. 4. The program is free and the cost for lunch is $15.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 11 FORT BEND-HARRIS RETIRED EDUCATORS MEETING
Will take place at 1 p.m. at Sugar Land First United Methodist Church, 431 Eldridge Rd. The program will be “Your Life, Your Legacy’ presented by Dignity, subtitle: “You Can’t Take It With you!” Members will be making Valentine cards for Silverado residents. All public school retirees are invited. For more information, call 281-499-5885.
TUESDAY, JAN. 15 LOVING FRIENDS MEETS
At Quail Valley City Cr., 2880 La Quinta Dr., Missouri City, 5:00 p.m. If you are looking for fellowship and friendship after losing a spouse, please join us for dinner and entertainment. To reserve your spot, call 281-208-3124.
TEXAS-TOUGH PLANTS SEMINAR
Skip Richter will showcase tried-and-true plants for Fort Bend County that are not prone to pests and diseases. Richter is a horticulturalist, gardening educator, garden writer and avid horticultural photographer. The event will be at St. Basil’s Hall at 702 Burney Road in Sugar Land at 9:30 a.m. Free and open to the public. Visit www.sugarlandgardenclub.org for more information.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 OPEN-MIC NIGHT
At the George Memorial Library, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at 1001 Golfview in Richmond. Amateur performers to take the stage. Share original poetry, music, comedy, or one-act plays, or to showcase any other unique talents. Performances are limited to five minutes or less, no profanity or other insensitive topics. For adults aged 16 and up. Free & open to the public. Visit www. fortbend.lib.tx.us to sign up or call 281-341-2604.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 STAYING INDEPENDENT AS YOU AGE
The University Branch Library will present the program, 10:30 a.m., 14010 University Blvd in Sugar Land. Tips on how senior citizens can remain independent, but prepare for the day when they need more help to manage their affairs. Are my kids or other family members the best choice as trustees or executors? What are the most important documents to have in place as I reach my later years? Free & open to the public. For more information, call -633-5100 or 281-633-4734.
SATURDAY, JAN. 19 RUMPELSTILTSKIN
The Sienna Branch Library invites families to attend a special marionette puppet show, 10:30 a.m., 8411 Sienna Springs Blvd in Missouri City. Master puppeteer Jean Kuecher, will entertain children with her beautifully handcrafted marionettes. Free & open to the public. For more information, call 281-238-2900 or 281-633-4734.
HOPE FOR THREE JIGSAW PUZZLE COMPETITION
Put your puzzle building skills against other teams in this twohour competition to benefit Hope for Three Autism Awareness. Join others at Constellation Field, 1 Stadium Dr., Sugar Land. Teams of four can pre-register for $100. Awards, prizes and bragging rights guaranteed. Sponsorship and Underwriting opportunities available. Call 281-245-0640 or visit www. hopeforthree.org/jigsaw for information and to register.
TUESDAY, JAN. 22 POWERFUL TOOLS FOR CAREGIVERS
This free, six-week, educational program is offered at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital to help family and friends caring for adults with long-term health conditions. Each class will focus on different tools that help guide through the caregiving journey. Learn about setting goals, staying motivated and dealing with feelings of anger, guilt and depression, building confidence and ability to cope with the demands of caregiving. Classes are every Tuesday, 3–4:30 p.m. in the Brazos Pavilion Chapel, first floor, at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. Registration is required. Email snbowman@houstonmethodist. org or call 281-274-7164. Seating is limited.
THURSDAY, JAN. 24 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL
Ridge Point High School Fine Arts Department presents Disney’s Original High School Musical. Jan. 24, 25, 26, 31 and Feb. 1, 2 Showtime: 7 p.m. Pre-sale online $12 Adults and $8 students at www.rphstheatrebooster.com . Tickets available at the door $15 Adults and $10 students.
THURSDAY, FEB. 7 WEIGHT LOSS SEMINAR
Join Dr. Nabil Tariq at 6 p.m. for a weight-loss seminar to learn about the different programs offered at the Houston Methodist Weight Management Center, get tips on grocery shopping and meal planning, and speak with a dietitian, exercise specialist and bariatric surgeon. Registration is required. Visit events. houstonmethodist.org/weightloss-sl or call 281-274-7500 for more information or to register.
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1 FREE
Blooming Onion with a purchase of an entrée.
281-980-4329 • 15253 S.W. Fwy Sugar Land, TX 77478 Must bring coupon to redeem. Expires 03/31/2019. Not to be combined with any other offering.
RICHMOND-ROSENBERG ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
Caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias are invited to attend the first Thursday of each month, 7-8:30 p.m. at St. John’s United Methodist Church, 400 Jackson Street in Richmond, across from the historic Fort Bend County Courthouse. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 713-314-1313 or 1-800-2723900.
QUAIL VALLEY WINE SOCIETY
Meets the fourth Wednesday of every month for education of wines, food pairings and fellowship at the Quail Valley City Centre, 2880 LaQuinta, Missouri City. For more information, call 281-437-6798 or jackipauley@comcast.net
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Pregnancy Resource Medical Center has moved to 4411 Avenue N in Rosenberg across from Navarro Middle School. Volunteers are needed on a continual basis. For information on volunteering or supporting the PRMC in other ways, email info@prmcfortbend.org.
4-H, FOOD & NUTRITION
Fort Bend 4-H is looking for input from the community on how it can better serve the public. To learn more about 4-H projects, join 4-H at 7 p.m. at the University Library ( 14010 University Blvd Sugar Land), visit fortbend4h.eventbrite.com or call 281-342-3034.
STORY SPINNERS WRITING CLUB
Hosted by the George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview in Richmond. 5:30 to 8 p.m. All levels welcome to write, share, learn and support. Free and open to the public. The program meets on the third Thursday of every month. For more information, call 281-342-4455 or 281-633-4734.
ADOPT A SHELTER CAT
Fort Bend Pets Alive is partnering with Half Price Books in Sugar Land to find homes for shelter cats and to promote literacy among young readers. School aged children are invited to come read to a cat, receive an “I read to a cat” bookmark and be eligible to adopt a cat for 50 perecent off that day. Held 1:30- 4:30 p.m. the first Saturday of every month at 3203 Hwy 6 S, Sugar Land.
FORT BEND RECOVERS HURRICANE HARVEY HELP
Those needing help with a recovery plan for home repairs, or any unmet needs, Fort Bend Recovers is here to help. Call one of these Helplines today: Case Management Helpline 281-2072555, Spiritual/Emotional Helpline: 281-207-2505, Lone Star Legal Aid 866-659-0666. A case manager will contact you and get you started on your road to recovery. Visit www.fortbendrecovers.org for more information and to donate.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
The Sienna Branch Library, 8411 Sienna Springs Blvd in Missouri City presents a variety of programs every month. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 281238-2900 or 281-633-4734.
MEDICAL SALES
Honored to be your choice for life insurance.
11851-A Wilcrest, Houston, Texas 77031 Murphy at Southwest Freeway, U.S. 59
281-530-3232
www.AliefMedicalSales.com
COMPRESSION TRAVEL SOCKS NOW AVAILABLE
RAMIRO RODRIGUEZ • AUTO • HOME INSURANCE • BUSINESS An Independent Agency Working For You – NOT The Insurance Company.
281-240-8701
Enjoy Your Event. Let Us Do The Cooking. • Spay/Neuter surgeries • Wellness Exams • Vaccinations • Heartworm tests, prevention and treatment • Flea and tick medication • Microchipping
Tuesday and Saturday night at 7:15 p.m. 1903 First St, Rosenberg. All prizes paid in cash. Pull Tabs, $200 Bonanza, $300 Coverall, $750 Coverall, kitchen & bar service.
CATERING
Any Size Event / Group CRAWFISH and BBQ. Award Winning
Call:
832.606.0897
LISA N SIMS, AGENT Monday - Friday 9 - 6 Saturday 10 - 2 After hours by appointment
11647 S Highway 6 Sugar Land, TX 77498 Toll Free: 281-201-2448 lisa@agentlisasims.com
636 Highway 6 South • Sugar Land, TX 77478 • 832-939-8086
FREE SPA SESSION $39 value- or -$20 SPA DAY $120 value Offer valid for first time guests only. One VIP pass per local resident. Other restrictions may apply. See spa for details. Automated Massages Spray Tans & UV Therapy Anti Aging & Skin Care Fitness & Weight Management Beauty & Wellness Stress Relief & Relaxation www.planetbeach.com/spa/sugar-land
FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES CALL 281-690-4200 • FIND THE STAR ONLINE! WWW.FORTBENDSTAR.COM