The 04-17-24 Edition of The Fort Bend Star

KelseySeybold opens expanded, renamed Fort Bend Campus

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic on Monday officially opened its expanded Fort Bend Medical and Diagnostic Center, which includes a renovation of the existing building and a second, 135,000-square-foot building. The renovation and new construction expands current specialty care services, adding a cancer center, shelled space for a future ambulatory surgery center (ASC), and enough space between the two buildings for a total of 75 practicing providers. With the completion of the expansion, Fort Bend Medical and Diagnostic Center has been renamed Kelsey-Seybold Clinic – Fort Bend Campus.

“We’re incredibly excited to

UH Sugar Land celebrates 30 years with continued growth

Three decades ago, the University of Houston System made its first foothold in Fort Bend County by offering classes to about 100 UH-Victoria students at the Wharton County Junior College CentraPlex, a converted strip center on Julie Rogers Drive in Sugar Land. Now, UH Sugar Land is officially celebrating 30 years in Fort Bend on a massive campus that is growing by the minute. “The story goes that my predecessor was driving

from Victoria to the main campus and saw a sign that said Wharton County Junior College with an arrow,” said Jay Neal, UH associate vice president for academic affairs and COO of the Sugar Land campus, in his office last week. “So he went to the meeting at the main campus and on his way back he just poked his head in and said, ‘Hey, what do you guys have going on here? Do you have room for something room for something else?’”

Ultimately, the program expanded to include classes from each of the UH System’s component universities - the

main campus, Victoria, and Clear Lake - as part of a systemwide push to decentralize the system’s offerings. Originally, the program offered “anything and everything” said Neal, who was then a professor of food service industry classes at the Hilton College, the renowned hospitality industry college at the UH main campus. A Hilton College graduate himself (with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, with a Ph.D. from Texas A&M), he taught food safety and other courses at the Wharton satellite.

At the time, Neal said, there was growing demand

in the Fort Bend region for more opportunities for higher education that were closer to home. But there was one big problem. “If you follow the history of the university, or any university, nobody has land,” Neal said. But William Hobby, a former Texas lieutenant governor who later became chancellor of the UH System, became aware of a 270-acre property that belonged to the Texas Department of Transportation. Through a little bit of political maneuvering, Tx-

offer even more personalized care to our patients, right in their own community,” Tony Lin, M.D., chairman and CEO of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, said in a news release. “With cancer services, advanced diagnostics, specialized care, and plans for additional surgical options, we’re making it easier than ever for individuals and families to access the care they need, where and when they need it most.” The new cancer center offers a full complement of cancer services, including diagnostic and treatment options, infusion therapy and radiation oncology.

The ASC, with plans to be operational in 2025, will expand access to surgical care in Fort Bend County and Southwest Harris County with four operating rooms, three endoscopy suites and one procedure room to support interventional pain management and interventional radiology services. “By bringing top-tier specialty care right to the doorstep of Fort Bend and Harris County residents and professionals, our Fort Bend Campus will significantly shorten the distance between patients and essential health care services,” Kenneth Janis, M.H.A./M.B.A., chief operating officer of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, said. “With this new facility, we’re limiting the need for trips to the medical center, ensuring that patients in this vibrant community have swift access to the care they

FBISD board delays library book policy reconsideration until summer

After a long and often heated discussion, a majority of the Fort Bend ISD board of trustees voted last week to put off discussion of examining the district’s library content policy until the summer, handing a defeat to Position 7 trustee and board secretary David Hamilton, who in recent weeks had made the policy his signature issue.

one of the board’s most conservative members and chair of its three-member policy committee, had wanted

The contentious discussion among board members followed a public comment period, in which several people spoke on behalf of school librarians and books generally. Shannon Woods, a librarian at Quail Valley Middle School, began her remarks by noting that school librarians are all professionally degreed educators. “Part of the reason I am proud to be a FBISD librarian is who I stand with. We want nothing more than to help our students leave our schools better humans,” Woods said. “Of course, we are the storage place of stories, curating book collections that are age-appropriate for our schools and as multifaceted as the many communities we serve,” Woods said. “Mostly, we help students. We help them find themselves in stories so they don’t feel

alone. We strengthen their confidences by showing them what they can do instead of what they can’t. And we give them resources for tough questions, shoulders to cry on, and sometimes a quiet place with furniture for sleeping after spending all night caring for a sick parent,” she said.

“The best part of any library is because y’all means all. All people are accepted in our libraries,” she said.

Eva Morris, 15, a freshman at Ridge Point High School, said that she had long been a patron of her school libraries. In the past year, she said, she has struggled with her mental health.

“However, books did not play a role in contributing to my struggle. If anything, the books helped. In some of the books [discussed], I can see glimpses of myself. These books have allowed me selfreflection, a view of what I

Caleb Cara, 6, makes a move against his twin brother Luke in a game during the Chess Fest at Sugar Land Town Square on Saturday. Photo by Ken Fountain

SPORTS

Space Cowboys miss series sweep after near-comeback

In a back-and-forth battle all day, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (10-5) dropped the series finale against the Albuquerque Isotopes (3-11) at Isotopes Park on Sunday, 9-8.

The Isotopes struck first off RHP Blair Henley, with Coco Montes smacking an RBI single to make it 1-0. Albuquerque threatened to add on by loading the bases with two outs, but Henley got a huge strikeout of Jimmy Herron to end the inning. Their first inning lead was the first time the Isotopes have led in the

DOT in 1998 donated that vast parcel to the UH System. The following year, the UH board of regents approved $11 million for the new campus’s first building. That was joined by a $3.5 million investment from the City of Sugar Land, $2 million from The George Foundation and an additional $2 million raised in a community effort. In 2002, the newly named Albert & Mamie George Building opened, honoring the well-known Fort Bend philanthropists. The campus has been on a building spree ever since.

In 2008, construction began on the adjacent Brazos Hall, which serves both UH students and those of Wharton County Junior College, which leases space at the site. In 2011, the new University Branch Library, a joint project of UH and Fort Bend County. opened, serving both students on campus and the general public. The university owns and operates the building, while Fort Bend and Wharton Counties provide the staff.

In 2012, the UH System approved a multi-decade lease for a 50-acre parcel of the property to the City of Sugar Land, which uses it as its Festival Park for large-scale public events. In 2016, the board of regents approved a master plan for the campus.

In 2019, the newest building, the Technology Building opened. This was about the time the UH administration, under UH President and Chancellor Renu Khator, decided to convert its College of Technology on the main campus into a division of the College of Engineering.

And now, work is proceeding on the campus’s newest addition, a second Technology Building, which is set for completion sometime next year. Neal admits he is sometimes “mesmerized” by a giant crane that he can see operating at the site from his office window.

As the built environment of the campus has grown, so have the programs offered. The campus is the home of a state-of-the-art nursing program that makes use of the latest technology, including lifelike artificial “patients” that at first glance are hard to distinguish from living people. It’s also home to the university’s digital media program, as well as a “Fort Bend

entire six-game series with the Space Cowboys.

In the top of the third, after César Salazar worked a walk, Jacob Amaya cranked a tworun home run to straightaway center, taking the lead right back from the Isotopes. Amaya’s blast soared 446 feet, the longest home run of the season for the Space Cowboys. Back-to-back doubles from David Hensley and Jesús Bastidas brought the score to 3-1. Albuquerque’s Herron came up to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom half of the frame, where this time he drove in two runs

Cohort” of the main campus’s College of Social Work. While most students are from the Fort Bend region, many come by bus from the main campus to attend classes. Students at UH-Sugar Land receive their diplomas from the main University of Houston campus. “I’ve been here, it’ll be eight years in June. My wife and I have been in Sugar Land for almost 30 years, we raised our family here, so to be able to offer Tier 1 University of Houston programs to my neighbors and families in the area has been the opportunity of a lifetime,” he said.

Neal said that since its modest beginnings, UH Sugar Land has evolved to fill a particular niche: tailoring its programs to the needs of the surrounding business community to help build a workforce that fits the needs of the region, both presently and into the future. The administration works with the county’s economic development professionals, the chambers of commerce, and county and municipal governments and public school superintendents to address a set of questions: “What do our business leaders need, how do we align our programs to them, and how do we set up our students for success?”

“Some if it’s intentional and some of it’s happened kind of organically. Building on these relationships and knowing who the community members are. We’re offering programs that match who the biggest employers are - the hospitals and school districts,” he said.

Through the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, the campus holds several Tech Expo Days per year, partnering with area technology firms, for area students. Likewise, the Central Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce offers several CTE days per year, focused on the manufacturing, technology and health care industries, for students from the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District.

on a single to tie the game at three. In the fifth and sixth innings, Hunter Goodman and Sam Hillard each had home runs to put the Isotopes back on top at 6-3. The Space Cowboys rallied in the eighth inning with a lead-off double from Joey Loperfido. A single from Pedro León put runners on the corners for Will Wagner, who ripped an RBI double into center field to score Loperfido. Next man up Shay Whitcomb grounded out, allowing León the chance to come home. Salazar then stepped up and knocked in the tying run to make it six apiece.

In the top of the ninth with the game still tied, Bastidas smashed a one-out double to bring up Loperfido, who was intentionally walked after going 11-for-26 in the series with seven extra-base hits. Trey Cabbage

Neal said that Fort Bend area students benefit by being able to visit a college environment near their homes.

“They look like us, we look like them. They look like they belong here. It’s a really cool synergy. That’s one of our strengths here,” he said.

As for himself, Neal said he frequently receives inquiries from friends and people throughout the community who ask him to help advise their own college-bound children on their future prospects.

“That’s my neighbor’s kid. I want to help them figure out their ‘happily ever after’. That’s our role in this community, and I’m really proud to be part of that space,” he said.

Today, one of the campus’s biggest pushes is getting more heavily into the advanced technology space, including such things as cybersecurity, artificial technology, augmented reality, and supply-chain management. One of the undeveloped parts of the campus master plan is called the Industry Partnership Zone, where the college plans to bring in asyet unidentified partners who will build commercial spaces that will bring in students as interns and potential future employees.

“We need to be known as a great partner for what our business community needs. So, let’s work together and see what does this region want to be known for? Right now, the sweet spot is in technology because it doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, you’re going to have technology, “ he said. “So we can be in that sweet spot and offer a lot of amazing things to our community.”

“Young students may not understand what we’re doing here, but it’s exciting

then stepped up to the plate and sent a double over the centerfielder’s head, scoring two and giving the Space Cowboys the lead back at 8-6.

The Isotopes came back swinging in the bottom half of the ninth, scoring three runs on four hits to walk off the Space Cowboys and win the finale 9-8.

Henley gave up six hits, five runs (four earned) and three walks in 5.0 innings of work, striking out three. RHP Connor Greene gave up one run and LHP Bryan King pitched a scoreless inning. RHP Miguel Díaz (L,

0-1), who pitched the eighth and into the ninth, was tagged with the loss after giving up three, and RHP Drew Strotman delivered the final pitch that led the Isotopes to victory. Sugar Land Space Cowboys games can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online at https://player.listenlive. co/47381 and seen on MiLB. TV, MLB.TV and Bally Live.

Perry is a writer for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. This article is used by permission.

and they want to be part of it. That’s the hook. That’s all we need. Let’s come back and see where that fits for you,” he said.

As for the future, the campus still has a long way to be built out. Neal said many have asked if there will one day be dormitories on campus.

“I think at some point we will have a residential campus. That’s not going to be one of the first things we lead with. We need a living room before we need a bedroom. We need a ‘third space’ for students to hang out. I really want us to have a student center where the student organizations can meet, they can have a little more food service here on campus,” he said. You learn a lot at college, and some of it happens in the classroom. But we have to create a safe and a good environment.”

Neal said the success of UH Sugar Land has been largely driven by the outside community, and is part of the area’s wider educational ecosystem.

“We have a lot of gratitude for our community. That includes the teachers we have in our public schools. The students we get from the greater Fort Bend region, these kids are college-ready. So that makes our job so much easier,” he said.

“We want all of our students to be successful, and college isn’t for everybody. We have such strong relations with HCC, Wharton College Junior College, Texas State Technical College. If that’s your pathway and that leads you to success, we’re all about that,” he said.

For more on the history of UH Sugar Land, visit uh.edu/ sugarland/anniversary.

might become, and how to start helping myself,” she said.

In particular, she mentioned “Traffic”, a youngadult novel by Ellen Hopkins which, according to its publisher’s website, is about five troubled teenagers who are struggling to escape the life of prostitution in which they have found themselves.

“That book helped open my eyes and show me to turn to my parents, and never run away and suffer a fate I would never want,” she said.

“Books in the libraries are to educate and inform children. Some of the topics may not be for everyone, but it is unjust to let just one person filter what can be available to students,” she said.

The tone of the public comments was in marked contrast to those at the March 25 agenda meeting, where numerous speakers spent nearly an hour reading sexually explicit excerpts from books in district libraries, which they deemed “pornographic”.

Many of those speakers were from area churches who had been advised of the book excerpts through a social media campaign instigated by Hamilton. Some speakers were from outside Fort Bend County, including one pastor from another state who frequently travels to speak angrily at school board meetings across the country.

When Monday’s discussion turned to the board members, outgoing Board President Judy Dae said that the issue of removing books was very important to her.

“I grew up in China, and we had very limited resources. I remember it was very controlled resources - books, music, everything,” she said. It would be “very hard” for her to consider limiting the materials students could access. She recommended that the board hold a workshop to more closely study the library policy.

Superintendent Marc Smith, who began in January and would have sole authority for deciding on the appropriateness of specific books under the proposed policy revisions, said “our librarians bring a high level of expertise to the work that they do each and every day. They are indeed committed to our students.”

“All of us have a duty and a responsibility to make sure our students are not exposed to harmful and/or inappropriate material. And I think our librarians have demonstrated that they are very passionate about protecting our students. From my perspective, any policy that moves us closer to making a singular person have the autonomy to make those decisions is problematic for us. I think the less collaborative,

Fort Bend Campus offers a wide complement of ancillary services, adding an expansion of laboratory and diagnostic imaging services — including two MRI machines, one new CT machine, with space for an additional CT, 3D mammography, DEXA, ultrasound, X-ray and nuclear medicine imaging.

The opening of Fort Bend Campus follows other recent announcements in this region including the recently opened Stafford and Eldridge Clinics, the planned opening of a clinic in Rosenberg, as well as an established clinic in Sienna.

through a first-floor interior walkway, with a new parking garage situated directly behind the new addition. Fort Bend Campus opens with a capacity to add more than 35 providers offering medical services in a range of specialties. Patients now have expanded access to comprehensive adult and pediatric primary and specialty care, with added capacity in anesthesiology, orthopedic sports medicine, podiatry, orthopedic surgery, palliative care, spine, pain management, cardiology, pulmonary, urology, otolaryngology (ENT), audiology, gastroenterology, general surgery, ophthalmology/optometry and hematology/ oncology.

the more the challenge becomes,” he said. Position 1 trustee Angie Hanan, who serves on the policy committee with Hamilton and Position 5 Trustee Sonya Jones, read a lengthy statement criticizing the process by which the revised policy was drafted and how it came to her. The revised policy was drafted by the board’s outside legal counsel, not the district legal staff as is the normal procedure. And, she said, she did not receive the actual draft until she received Monday’ board packet, at the same time as the rest of her colleagues. She described the nearly year-long process that resulted in the current policy, which was approved unanimously (including by Hamilton) in March 2023, and made a passionate defense of the district’s librarians and related staff. After her remarks, she received enthusiastic applause.

Jones countered that during a March policy committee meeting, she and Hamilton received “pushback” from Hanan on all of the changes to the policy they proposed. She said their primary interest was ensuring that the district’s policy was in compliance with HB 900. She said she didn’t want to “kick the can down the road.” Asked for clarification, the district’s staff attorney said that districts across the state are awaiting policy guidance from the Texas Association of School Boards. Both he and the board’s outside counsel noted that it is unclear in the legislation what the possible sanctions from the Texas Education Agency would be if the district was not in compliance by January 2025. For his part, Hamilton said there was a sense of urgency to approve the policy revisions because it is unknown who would be appointed to the policy committee following a change in board’s makeup following the May 4 elections. Position 3 trustee Rick Garcia, another of the board’s more conservative members, said he was bothered by the fact that the current policy does not provide for books’ removal from shelves during a challenge process. A staff member said the process, which involves committee members reading the questioned books, typically takes two weeks or more. But Garcia said he felt the issue should be more fully discussed. He made a motion to hold a workshop discussion along the lines of the one Dae

Chess Fest at Sugar Land Town Square

Photos by Ken Fountain

Despite sultry weather, hundreds of people turned out for the Chess Fest at Sugar Land Town Square on Saturday. Players of all ages and skill levels from Fort Bend and parts beyond competed in blitz matches and individual games throughout the plaza, as well as played other game and perused vendors’ booths.

Players begin a blitz match session during the Chess Fest.

Players engage in a blitz match during the event.

Coach Jason Rodionov of The Knight School, a school that mentors chess students, engages Davit Kulhandjian in a game.

Nathan Liw, 6, makes a move on an oversize board while playing Elaine Fu, 11. Arnold, left, makes a move while playing Michael. Kimbella Walker, 11, makes a move against Robert Lappert.

Anitha Romshothaman, left, and Katryna Russell of Fort Bend County Libraries engage Anish Chock, 8, in a chess trivia game.

Dad Jason plays a match against son Jaden while daughter Ella looks on. Anthony Hill, a chess enthusiast visiting from Chicago on business, checks out the high-end chess sets on offer from Houston-based Artresstry.

THE TV – It’s the weekend and time to watch my football games. The Longhorns, the Aggies, Coogs, Owls and Texans. Even the Cowboys. But try as I might all I can get are lacrosse, gymnastics and cross-country skateboard racing. That means football season is over until next fall. I am going through withdrawal. Maybe tapes of last year’s Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl in Orlando. Wait. We have football in the spring and we can cheer for the Houston Roughnecks. It gets a bit complicated, but last year there were two spring pro football leagues, the United States Football League, or USFL, and the XFL. Houston had

a team in both leagues, the Roughnecks in the XFL and the Houston Gamblers in the USFL. Both leagues had rocky seasons, so this year they combined with four teams from each former league and called it the UFL. We got the Roughnecks. This new league also has teams called the Birmingham Stallions, Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers, Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders, San Antonio Brahmas and St. Louis Battlehawks. These names are a definite improvement. In 2020 Houston joined teams with such family-friendly names as the Outlaws, Enforcers and Hitmen, but is best remembered for the player who had “He Hate Me” on the back of his jersey. The UFL has a bunch of different rules from the NFL, the most notable is that following touchdowns, teams may attempt a one, two or three-point conversion from the 2, 5 or 10-yard line. The Roughnecks are owned-and-operated by several people and groups including Dwayne Johnson (also known as the Rock), and play their games at Rice Stadium. Not to get sidetracked, but last year’s Roughnecks played in UH’s

TDECU stadium. Does anyone know what TDECU means? It is named for the Texas Dow Employees Credit Union. Why would a credit union pay for naming rights to a college football stadium? Since Tilman Fertitta is chairman of UH’s board of regents, wouldn’t you think we’d have the Golden Nugget Casino Stadium?

Anyway, if all these Houston pro football teams coming and going with different names are confusing, don’t feel alone. We briefly had a team in the All American Football League. The season was to begin on Feb. 9, 2019, six days after Super Bowl. But the All American Football League never even kicked off. Today’s Roughnecks are only the latest in a long list of Houston’s pro football teams named the Terror, Thunderbears, Outlaws, Marshals, Wild Riders, Texas Cyclones, Lightning and Stallions. The name for our NFL Houston Texans almost wasn’t. While the new franchise was being put together, a handful of team names (actually 17) were trademarked for possible use, including Apollos, Bobcats, Challengers, Colt 45’s, Energy, Hurricanes,

Roughnecks, Roughriders, Roustabouts, Stallions, Stormcats, Texans, Texians, Toros, Wildcats, Wildcatters and Wranglers. The Houston Energies? Well, Houston’s NFL team does play in NRG Stadium, which is close. (Incidentally, the current Kansas City Chiefs began life in Dallas as the Texans.) Texians was the original name for residents of this land. Everyone up north would think it was a misspelling. “Those illiterate Texans can’t even spell their own name.” After almost a year of speculation, the team was officially christened the Houston Texans. Owner Bob McNair declared that he wanted to name the team the Stallions, but changed his mind since horses were overused in the league what with the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts. McNair said Texans was picked to be “something unique to Houston and the NFL” as well as representative of the bravery of early Texans. For you newcomers, before the Texans we had the Houston Oilers. For many years they were mostly dreadful but loved. We had the “Luv Ya Blue” phenomenon (the team’s main

color was light blue). There was Coach Bum Phillips, Earl Campbell, Dan Pastorini, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson and a host of memorable players. One year when the Oilers lost to the Pittsburg Steelers in a playoff, the team was welcomed back to the Astrodome with a packed and cheering crowd. You don’t see that sort of response to losers very often. The owner was Bud Adams, the official pet rock of Texas. When the Oilers moved to Nashville, Adams kept the name “Oilers.” This infuriated the new fans as there is not much oil in Nashville. Adams eventually had to change the name to Titans, that state being awash in Titans.

Speaking of team names that really don’t fit the host town, we have the NBA’s Salt Lake City Jazz. The team started in New Orleans, so the name made sense, the Crescent City having all that jazz. But when the team moved to the Mormon capital of the world, the name “Jazz” moved with it. If there is any city in America which is not jazzy it is Salt Lake City. Same when the Minneapolis Lakers -- a good name for a franchise in the Land of 1,000 Lakes --

moved to that well-known city on the lake, Los Angeles, so we have the Los Angeles Lakers. The Green Bay Packers took their name after Curly Lambeau, a shipping clerk at the Indian Packing Company, got $500 for jerseys and use of the company’s athletic field.

Moving on, several years ago the NFL tried to expand into Europe, which was a bust. But if the NFL wanted to try Europe, what names? There could be the London Bridges and Moscow Mules (that’s a drink). The Paris Hiltons would be X-rated. I like the Nice Guys, but they would finish last. The Berlin Walls is as outdated as the New England Patriots. How about going worldwide with the Perth Snatchers or the Bermuda Triangles? The Peking Ducks won’t do since no one orders Beijing Duck. The Panama Hats, the Argentine Don’t Cry for Me’s, the Roman Coliseums (the Lions would be tasteless) or the Hamburg Helpers. Perhaps the Buda Pests. Anyway, we now have the Houston Roughnecks, so let the games begin. Where’s my remote? Ashby cheers on at ashby2@compact.net

“Your beauty is familiar, and your voice is like a key / That opens up my soul and torches up a fire in me / Your coat is made of magic / And around your table angels play / And I will cry when ‘ye go away / I will cry when ‘ye go away” - The Waterboys, “When ‘Ye Go Away”

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been discussing the deep. My offerings have included a critical look at resources available to Fort Ben ISD teachers, my childhood brush with a San Francisco mayor who was later assassinated at City Hall, and why I think Donald Trump is a dangerous moron. So I thought this week, I’d lighten things up a bit. Therefore, in keeping, this week I will examine death.

Last week, I read about a 28-year-old woman from the Netherlands. Zoraya ter Beek, A physically healthy woman with a supportive boyfriend and two loving cats, has decided to end her life next month. She’s chosen euthanasia to end her bubbling mental boulliabase of severe depression, autism and borderline personality disorder, all of which have haunted her since early childhood. Dutch people are required to get two medical professionals to approve euthanasia requests, and

Our right to destruction

Ms. ter Beek has done the work. The country’s assisted death cases are typically approved in those brought by the terminally ill. Zoraya has chosen to die because of her chronic psychiatric buzzers.

Suicide is a more touchy subject in America. People bristle at the thought. Though organizations like The Hemlock Society have tried to champion the right to decide one’s own fate, Americans have long resisted the notion. Those who support legal euthanasia options say dying should be a personal choice. Some say we’re free to marry who we want and decide where we work, so why not self-destruction?

By contrast, others say ending the suffering of one person simply passes the burden on to others. They argue that physical capability aside, most people seek euthanasia not because of chronic pain, but rather because of loss of dignity and concerns about being a burden. I might argue that personal experience here counts.

In 2007, I was caught up in a devastating divorce, the terms of which included an agreement between me and my ex-wife that gave her her full custody of my stepdaughter, and me, our son. I had to go to work at 2 a.m. and I was consumed by helplessness and guilt because my 12-year-old was forced to get himself up in the morning, brush his teeth and make breakfast and get himself to school. A year later, my work contract was terminated after 13 years of service at a Houston television station. I opened a media production business that same year, around the time of the mortgage collapse. Three years later, my company was over. I took a temporary post at another

station, as my emotional decent kicked in. I’d gone from a 4,400-square-foot Fort Bend waterside home, to something embarrassingly modest. My income dropped from a comfy six figures by about 70 percent. At the same time, I had to have emergency surgery for diverticulitis. The end result left me with no financial resources and mounting fears and selfloathing. I sunk deeper into self-defeat. Fear became my daily friend. A month later, I had to move with my son into my parents’ home. And that’s when everything went totally south.

My new television gig had dried up. Didn’t matter. My mind could no longer accept me as anything but a malignant failure. I discovered frightening mental depths. I was soon seemingly paralyzed, both incapable and unwilling to disclose any of the angst boiling over like popcorn in my head. That was a mistake.

One afternoon, I wrapped myself in photos of my beloved grandparents, put on my headphones and swallowed more than 40 prescribed sedatives. I breathed a contented sigh, and drifted off.

I don’t remember waking up, but everything turned to confusion when I did. Nurses were hurriedly sticking and retrieving needles from my veins. I was being asked to sign forms I didn’t understand. And, since I no longer had health insurance, I was sent to Austin by a judge I never met during a hearing I never attended. I was transported by a DPS officer while still in my hospital gown. I arrived at the Austin State Hospital (formerly known as the Texas State Lunatic Asylum) in the late afternoon. The DPS officer who drove me there

had recognized me from my TV job, adding to my festering humiliation. From the outside, this mental health factory was unimposing. Inside, conditions were unclean and menacing. There was a central rectangular yard, surrounded fully by strange walled-off units where patients were assigned. There was food on the floors, covered by ants. The furniture was old, mismatched and stained. A single small black-andwhite TV with a clothes hangar antenna sat on a vinyl kitchen chair. The junior staff consisted mostly of college kids from nearby the University of Texas, who seemed close to the margins of incompetence. The food was pathetic, dry carrot sticks and an individually wrapped single slice of American cheese. In the back of our unit, a makeshift bedroom housed 12 beds in a space suited to five. I had to step over four cots to reach my own. “Overcrowding”, I was told.

The first night, an imposing racist attacked a Black man because he refused to turn down his headphones. I spoke to a 16-year-old Latino boy who claimed he was seeing the face of the devil. Another woman in her 50s was a chronic masturbator. And there was a sobbing young lady who, like me, had apparently just had too much and was unable to manage her mind. They didn’t allow me to take my medications which had been prescribed to help my depression. I’d been warned suddenly stopping them would make me crash even deeper. And that’s what happened. My panic increased. My fears were elevated. As I longed to die even more. It began to dawn on me that this place was billed to help. But

clearly, it was designed as punishment.

Doctors were situated behind a thick Plexiglassencased work station with an entrance at a secure location outside the immediate walls. They questioned me twice in two days, for about 10 minutes. On the third day, I was discharged. I had a choice: call someone to come get me, or get to the Austin Greyhound station, and pay for a bus ride home. I had no money and wore only the temporary clothing they’d lent me. I was so fully ashamed. I called my stepfather. He picked me up five hours later. When I returned, my son was surprised and concerned about what I was wearing and where I’d been. I was horrified by what I’d seen and how sad I felt. But again, I pretended I was OK.

The next month, I rigged a water hose to my truck exhaust and turned on the ignition. I was there for about 20 minutes when my son found me after unexpectedly arriving home early. I never lost consciousness. He was a Junior in high school by then. He screamed at me and cried.

For years, I drifted between bad and worse. My days were consumed by chocolate Blue Bell and “Big Bang Theory” reruns. I would often drop my boy off at school, then head to the Oyster Creek turnaround under the Highway 59 bridge with a loaded pistol to my temple. Yes, I actually did that, for hours at a time. I didn’t care because I knew I was a failure. My kids had no bearing on my decisions. All I knew was that I had to rid myself of me. I even made arrangements with a friend in Dallas to care for my children if I took my own life. I’ve heard the common saying: “Nothing is worth

killing yourself”. I disagree, because those who claim to know have no clue. Not until they viscerally feel the deep legitimacy of mental anguish and the uncontrolled panic of anxiety can anybody really be an authority. Unless they’ve worn a 12-mile trail in the carpet because they can’t stop pacing. Unless they know what their mouth tastes like after two weeks of not brushing. Thank you. Texas. for the help, but I still wonder how you can justify shipping immigrants to New York, and neglecting to budget for new carpet and a bigger TV at the Austin State Hospital.

People will obviously disagree. But I believe that Zoraya ter Bleek should end her own life if that’s what she wants. While I’ve never met anyone who says they regret NOT dying when they had the chance, people who have demonstrated unbearable misery and a total lack of engagement should have the right to explore selfdetermination options. It’s nobody’s business. Despite me finding new life around 2019, my story is not hers. Am I glad I got better? Of course. And I hope she does too. Do I think because I shook the cobwebs, she will? Not even close. I would never presume to tell the people who are where I was what to do. Or, at the very least, the State of Texas could make a serious effort to help people if they continue to call suicide unlawful . The system only wasted my time, and made me worse.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Garay can be reached at MarkGaray426@gmail.com

To the registered voters of Stafford, Texas:

OF TRUSTEE ELECTION STAFFORD MUNICIPAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the polling places listed below will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on May 4, 2024 for voting in a general election to elect a Trustee for Position 1 and a Trustee for Position 2 to the Stafford Municipal School District Board of Trustees.

The election shall be administered by the Fort Bend County Elections Administrator and conducted as a joint election with the City of Stafford, and other participating entities, in precincts that can be served by common polling places pursuant to Chapters 31, 32 and 271 of the Texas Election Code, and the terms of the Joint Election Agreement and Contract for Election Services with Fort Bend County and the City of Stafford.

On Election Day, a voter may vote at any polling location open for the May 4, 2024 election pursuant to the countywide polling place program; voters are no longer assigned to specific polling places. May 4, 2024 Election Day Precinct Polling places are the established precinct polling places of Fort Bend County. These locations are current as of today and are included as Attachment B. Please check the Fort Bend County listing on Election Day for any updates.

For early voting, a voter may vote at any of the locations listed as early voting locations. The Fort Bend County Elections Administrator is the Early Voting Clerk for the election and the Administrator’s permanent county employees are Deputy Early Voting Clerks. Early Voting by personal appearance will be held from April 22, 2024 through April 30, 2024 at the main early voting polling place: Fort Bend County Rosenberg Annex, located at 4520 Reading Rd, Rosenberg, Texas 77471; and the early voting sites identified in the Joint Election Agreement and Contract for Election Services with Fort Bend County, listed below. Early voting will occur at the main early voting polling place in accordance with the hours set by the Fort Bend County Elections Administrator, which shall be not less than 9 hours each weekday during the early voting period. Additional early voting sites and hours will be designated by the Fort Bend County Election Administrator. Beginning on April 22, 2024 and continuing through April 30, 2024, the Fort Bend County Election Administrator shall keep the office for early voting by personal appearance open for such purpose from 7:00 o’clock a.m. to 7:00 o’clock p.m. on each weekday which is not a state or national holiday as identified in Section 662.003(a) of the Texas Government Code. The Fort Bend County Election Administrator also shall keep the office for early voting by personal appearance open for such purpose on each Saturday which is not a legal state or national holiday during the early voting period from 8:00 o’clock a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (noon). Any qualified voter of the Joint Election may vote early by personal appearance at any one of the joint early voting locations. Early voting polling place locations and hours the polls will be open are included as Attachment A. Ballot applications and ballots voted by mail may be directed in writing to Fort

ONGOING

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF FORT BEND

The League of Women Voters of Fort Bend, a nonpartisan organization, will provide voter registration and education events prior to the Feb. 5 deadline to be a registered voter in the March 5 Primary election. Locations, dates, and times include: (1) Wednesday, 1/24 -- Fort Bend YMCA, 4433 Cartwright Rd, Missouri City 7:30am - 12:30pm and 5 - 7pm; (2) Thursday, 1/25 -- First Colony Library 3:30 - 5:30pm; (3) Sat., 1/27 -- Cinco Ranch Library 10:30am - 1:30pm and University Branch Library 11am - 2pm; (4) Tuesday, 1/30 and Wednesday, 1/31 -- WCJC Sugar Land, Brazos Hall, 9am - 2pm; (5) Thursday, 2/1 -- ThriftWise, 501 Hwy 90E, Richmond -- 10am - 1pm. Register to vote, update your current voter registration, and get nonpartisan voting information at any of these events, or contact lwvfortbend@gmail.com.

NO HOCUS POCUS IN MUSIC MAGIC CLASS FOR 6 & 7- YEAR - OLD BOYS!

Young boys need music in their life for mental, physical and emotional growth and the best place to receive quality music instruction is with the Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas! They offer Music Magic, an eight-week music enrichment class for six and seven-year-old boys. The Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas, currently in its 42 nd season, brings music alive with the use of movement, musical games, singing and other child-centered activities. Boys learn about pitch matching and rhythm awareness in addition to developing large muscle coordination, increased focus and better musicianship. Music Magic helps boost brainpower, sparks creativity and forges strong connections with others. No auditions are necessary for the class – just a love of music and singing! Serving as Music Magic director is Founder and Artistic Director William R. Adams who leads this class on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m., beginning March 19 and ending May 14 at the First United Methodist Church Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City. Music Magic will then sing at the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s annual Spring Concert on Saturday, May 18! Classes are limited in size so please call the choir office at (281) 240- 3800 to pre-register or visit their Music Magic web page at https://fbbctx.org/our- programs/music-magic/. Be sure to stop by their Facebook page for the latest on the Fort Bend Boys Choir's Music Magic class and the organization's public performances.

AMERICAN LEGION POST 942

311 Ulrich Street, Sugar Land meets the fourth Tuesday of each Month at 7:00 pm. All Veterans are welcome.

LOVING FRIENDS IS A GROUP OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO ARE WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS THAT MEET MONTHLY FOR LUNCH, FRIENDSHIP, AND SOCIALIZATION

Lunches. are planned for the fourth Tuesday of the month at various local restaurants. Please contact Bobbie Tomlin at {281} 967-0718 For more information about us and to learn about this month’s planned lunch. We hope to meet you soon.

QUAIL VALLEY GARDEN CLUB

The Quail Valley Garden Club is very busy, not only with meetings, but with some fun “stuff” for our members and the community. Please find our fall schedule of events that the QVGC will be involved with this fall leading up to the holidays.

FBJSL IS ACCEPTING CAF GRANT APPLICATIONS

We provide grants of up to $5,000.00 to charitable causes serving Fort Bend County with requests to fund a critical need, pilot a program, or expand a significant service to the community. If your agency or organization is interested in applying for a CAF grant, please visit the Request Support page of the FBJSL website (www.fbjsl.org/request-support). All applications should be submitted via e-mail to brccom@fbjsl.com.

a global presence to satisfy your passion. We’re on a quest for new members! Call or email Dean Clark, 469-850-2424, dean7351@gmail.com. We’re a friendly group that meets once a week for lunch.

FT. BEND ACCORDION CLUB

Meets on the 4th Sunday of every month from 2:pm - 4:pm at: CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND (in the Chapel) 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77479 FREE and Open to the Public! We welcome everybody! If you play accordion, beginners to professional and would like to play Call, Text or email: Vince Ramos Cell: 281-204-7716 vincer.music@gmail.com.

LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY

We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching adults to read. We need your help. Literacy Council is actively recruiting Volunteer Tutors to provide instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) Levels 0-5, three hours a week. For more information, call 281-240-8181 or visit our website www. ftbendliteracy.org.

JAM WITH SAM

Join Sam Grice Tuesday evenings at 6:30 for a casual evening of music. We play a variety of music including bluegrass, country, gospel and some western. We request acoustic instruments only please. We welcome both participants and music lovers who enjoy listening to good live music. There’s no charge and we welcome beginners and gladly offer gentle assistance. We meet at First Presbyterian Church, 502 Eldridge Rd, Sugar Land. Please call Sam at 832-428-3165 for further information.

GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE

Give a Gift of Hope one-time or monthly. Your help provides access to therapies and services children with autism might otherwise go without. Please consider Hope For Three in your Estate, Planned, or Year-End Giving. Register now, or learn more about exciting events: www.hopeforthree.org/events.

DVD- BASED ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WITH NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED

Weekly class designed to help you understand and appreciate the Bible by giving you a better sense of the land and culture from which it sprang. The class meets at 9:30 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.). For more information call 281-240-3195.

EXCHANGE

EXCHANGE, America’s Service Club, always welcomes guests and is in search of new members! Various Fort Bend clubs exist and can accommodate early morning (7 a.m.), noon and evening meeting time desires. For more info, contact Mike Reichek, Regional Vice President, 281-575-1145 or mike@reichekfinancial.com We would love to have you join us and see what we are all about!

MISSOURI CITY AARP

CHAPTER 3801

Meets the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m., at 2701 Cypress Point Dr., Missouri City Rec Center. Lunch, education, and entertainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more information, call 713-859-5920 or 281-499-3345.