A Cypress man recently pleaded guilty to engaging in organized criminal activity related to a scheme to commit CARES Act fraud, according to a news release from the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed and signed into law in 2020, provided one-time cash payments to Americans as a means of dealing with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Linus Dewon Mouton, 42, is the sixth person to plead guilty in the scheme, which spanned across Harris and Fort Bend counties, resulted in fraudulent federal disbursements of more than $300,000, according to the prosecutor’s office.
On February 11, 2025, Mouton was sentenced to four years’ probation and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution, making him the sixth of ten defendants ordered to return the proceeds. To date, $144,361.80 in restitution has been collected or is subject to collection by court order.
In June 2020, Mouton received $10,000 in CARES Act relief earmarked for small agricultural businesses. He falsely claimed to be the owner of “Linus Crops and Grains,” a business with 15 employees and $74,000 in annual revenue. No such business existed, and Mouton later admitted to paying someone to submit the application on his behalf.
An investigation led by Warren Buckley of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, revealed that more than 70 other applications were processed at the same time, from the same location, and using the same figures.
“The CARES Act was designed to help people and businesses survive the economic downturn during the pandemic, and it is reprehensible that these defendants took money out of the pockets of those who were hurting,” Fort Bend District Attorney Brian Middleton said in the news release. “I’m proud of the work we’re doing with law enforcement to hold violators accountable.”
The case was prosecuted in the 268 th District Court by the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division. The division was formed in 2019 to investigate and prosecute crimes committed by government officials and fraud committed against government by any person.
Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity in this case is a
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Five months after he was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of misrepresentation of identity. Fort Bend County Judge KP George last week released a lengthy statement recounting his version of the events surrounding his arrest and indictment.
The statement, titled “Statement of Facts,” is the most detailed account by George since the events of last fall, when George first became embroiled in the ongoing investigation of a former staff member. Before Tuesday, George and his attor-
Fort
ney have been largely silent on the matter other than George’s statement that he is innocent of the charge.
In its own statement released afterward, the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office said it stood by its investigation of George In recent weeks, three men – 434th District Court Judge J. Christian Becerra, former Precinct 4 Constable Nabil Shike, and political consultant Muzzammil “Eddie” Sajjed –have announced their intention to challenge George in next year’s Democratic primary. George was first elected to the county’s high-
est elective office in 2018 and was reelected in 2022.
On Friday, former Texas Rep. Jacey Jetton, a Republican, announced in a press release that he has formed an exploratory committee “to assess a potential campaign for Fort Bend County Judge.” The committee is comprised of many leading GOP figures in Fort Bend County. Jetton, of Sugar Land, had served the 26th District in the Texas House before losing a primary battle last year to Matt Morgan, who now holds that seat.
Community Reports
Sixteen Fort Bend ISD student artists were recognized at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Program Awards Ceremony, more than any other school district in the competition, according to a story on the story on the district’s website.
Among them, Elkins High School
senior Hyewon “Joy” Park earned the prestigious title of Reserve Grand Champion.
Their artwork was among a few select pieces for the School Art Auction in March.
This year, approximately 200,000 students from 99 public school districts and 55 private schools participated in the Rodeo’s School Art Program. Out of nearly 4,000 submissions, judges advanced 819 pieces to the final round, where 90 were chosen for auction.
FBISD honorees include: Clements High School
• Mingyi “Mary” Li
• Tingyu “Wendy” Wu
Naomi Leong
Dulles Middle School
Staff reports
Editor’s note: In its “Economy at a Glance” report for March, the Greater Houston Partnership - the regional chamber of commerce - highlights the region’s GDP growth and industry diversification. The main body of the report, lightly edited, is presented here with permission.
As noted in the January issue of Economy at a Glance, Houston’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the measure that captures the value of all final goods and services produced
in the metro area, experienced solid growth in 2023. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) estimates that Houston’s GDP grew by 7.9 percent from $645.8 billion in 2022 to a record high of $697.0 billion in 2023. Growth has been especially strong since the COVID-19 pandemic began to subside in 2021. In the two years from 2021 to 2023, Houston’s GDP grew by 25.1 percent. That is significantly faster than the U.S. overall, where GDP grew by 16.0 percent during the same period. In fact, among the 20 most populous U.S. metro areas,
Hyewon “Joy” Park
Amy Wang
Grace Cao
Shuya Gan
Rinan Ahmed
Juliet Zhou Elkins High School
Settlement Middle School
Brianna
Emily
Houston has had the fastestgrowing economy since 2021, as measured by GDP. Even though it’s smaller in absolute terms, Houston’s GDP has grown more than twice as quickly as San Francisco and at nearly double the pace of the largest metro areas of New York and Los Angeles.
GDP by Industry
Five industries – manufacturing, professional/business services, real estate, government, and healthcare/ education – are the leading drivers of this growth. Together, they
The auction will take place Sunday, March 16 at 11 a.m. in the NRG Arena Sales Pavilion. Proceeds from the auction go to the Houston Livestock
made up more than 50 percent of Houston’s GDP in 2023. Though the BEA withheld Houston-specific data for wholesale trade in 2023, historic data suggest it also likely played a significant role. Compared to the U.S. overall, manufacturing and professional/ business services make up larger shares of Houston’s GDP, while real estate, government, and healthcare/ education play a comparatively smaller role.
Fort Bend County Judge KP George on Tuesday released a lengthy statement regarding his indictment and arrest for a misdemeanor charge. In the statement, he maintains his innocence. File photo
Linus Dewon Mouton, 42, recently pleaded guilty in a Fort Bend County court to engaging in organized criminal activity in a CARES Act fraud scheme.
Courtesy Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office
Key Takeaways in March
Houston led U.S. metros in GDP growth, expanding
25.1 percent from 2021 to 2023, outpacing all other major metros. Economic diversification continues, with manufacturing and professional services driving growth. New survey results show
that Texas business executives in key industries are more optimistic about the future than they were 12 months ago. Find the full report at houston.org.
In late September, George was indicted by a Fort Bend County grand jury on a single misdemeanor count of misrepresentation of identity. Specifically, the indictment alleges that George “did on or about September 26, 2022, then and there misrepresent [George’s] identity, namely by posing as Facebook user ‘Antonio Scalywag’ in a campaign communication posted on [George’s] Facebook page with an intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election.”
At that time, George, a Democrat who was first elected to his current office in 2018, was running for reelection against Republican candidate Trever Nehls, a former Precinct 4 constable. “Antonio Scalywag” is one of the false social media identified that Taral Patel, George’s former chief of staff, is alleged to have created in a scheme using false, racist social message postings in both George’s 2022 race and Patel’s own failed bid last year to unseat Republican Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers. Patel himself is facing several felony and misdemeanor charges related to the alleged scheme.
In the two-and-a-half page statement, George alleges that the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, the Texas Rangers, and the Texas Election Commission engaged in several inappropriate measures to make sure that prosecutors could file a charge against him in time to meet a statute of limitations in light of a recent ruling by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
George, an Indian immigrant who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, says in the statement that on September 18, he was returning to Fort Bend County from the airport after a trip to India.
“As I arrived at my house, several Texas Rangers approached the car I was riding in along with my security detail,” George recounts in the statement. “The Rangers informed me that they had a warrant to seize all of my electronic devices and that they had been following me from the airport. I was informed that I was a poten-
tial witness in a case and that
my electronic communications might contain evidence helpful to the investigation. In addition, I was given a subpoena to appear as a witness and provide information. I contacted an attorney’s office while the Rangers were at my house and they reiterated to my attorney that I was only a witness to a potential case.”
At the time that the Texas Rangers executed the search warrant, George through his official communications staff issued brief statements criticizing their treatment of him and asserting that he is innocent, but Tuesday’s statement goes into much more detail about his allegations.
It wasn’t until he went to the prosecutor’s office with his attorney several days later that he was informed, without his attorney present, that he was not just a potential witness in a criminal case, but potentially a defendant, George writes. He states that although he turned himself to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office to be booked with the expectation that he would not be held in a cell, he was improperly placed on a hold by the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement despite that he has been a U.S. citizen for three decades. He was held in a cell for three hours and was forced to put on a jail uniform and instructed not to smile for his booking photo, he alleges.
On September 24, 2024, the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office sent a complaint to the Texas Ethics Commission alleging that I violated Election Code 255.005 two years earlier,” George writes. “In this letter the District Attorney’s office acknowledged the recent Texas Court of Criminal Appeals decision in Ex Parte Charette saying that it held an ‘exhaustion of administrative remedies in the Texas Ethics Commission is a jurisdictional prerequisite to the filing of criminal charges against a political candidate for a campaign-law violation.’
The DA’s office said it was filing the complaint out of an abundance of caution.”
That higher court ruling was the basis on which George’s attorney, Chad Dick of the law firm of famed Houston attorney Rusty
Hardin, used as the basis of a motion to quash George’s indictment. In October, County Court at Law Judge Teana Watson held a hearing on that motion, which she promptly denied. George and his attorneys are appealing that ruling the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston.
In the statement, George alleges that unnamed personnel in the district clerk’s office made changes to the county’s electronic filing system making it impossible to file motions in his case for period of time before they brought up the matter. He also alleges that the Texas Election Commission, a body comprised of members all appointed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott, acted outside of the scope of their authority it create a procedure allowing prosecutors to file a charge before the commission exhausted its own examination of an ethics complaint.
“I have always and will reaffirm now that I am innocent of these allegations leveled against me,” George writes.
On Thursday afternoon, the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office issued a written response to George’s statement.
“KP George issued a statement today claiming that his prosecution for the misdemeanor charge of Misrepresentation of Identity under the Texas Election Code is politically motivated and less than honorable. The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to serving the people of Fort Bend County and upholding the law, regardless of who is implicated in the offenses,” the statement reads.
“The investigation into the allegations against KP George is ongoing, and his statement does not change our position on the matter. We recognize the publicity his statement generates, but the rules of legal ethics we adhere to require prosecutors to refrain from public statements that could materially affect a court proceeding,” it reads. “We will continue to present our arguments in the trial court and seek justice for the community we proudly represent.” Despite numerous calls for him to resign, George has told the Star in a phone interview that he has every intention to again run for reelection.
Carol Ann Adams, 81, of Leakey, Texas, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. To a few, she was “Carol Ann,” and to many, she was “Mrs. Carol.” She was born breech— or, as she liked to say, ass-backwards—on May 30, 1943, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Houston.
Carol attended St. Pius X Catholic School, S.P. Waltrip High School, and Texas Woman’s University. But more than anything, she was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. She left a lasting impression on everyone who crossed her path. For twenty-one years, Carol ran Carol’s Country Place, an educational touring farm in Fort Bend County where she shared her love of animals, nature, and farm life - with both the young, and the young at heart. After retiring to the beautiful Texas hill country along the Frio River in Leakey, she continued to enjoy her passions: watching native wildlife, gardening, kayaking, fishing, boating, poker, reading, canning, cooking, baking, volunteering, and, of course, spending time with her family. Carol loved “her” river, the Laguna Madre Bay, and the Lord Almighty. Mrs. Carol was preceded in death by her loving husband Gene Adams, doting parents Harold T. Fowle, Sr. and wife Isabella Rosa Fowle, daughter Kris Kieffer, brother Tom Fowle, extended family members Jim Davis, Beatrice Valdez, Ron Antes, and Joyce Antes.
brothers Harold T. Fowle, Jr. and wife Marilyn Fowle, James Fowle and wife Sherry Fowle, grandchildren Rebekah Carlson and husband Nico Carlson, Kenneth Kieffer Jr., beloved great-grandchildren Analyse Aguilar-Carlson and Marley Carlson, extended families of Valdez, Richardson, Edwards, Davis, Collins, and Martinez.
Mrs. Carol is survived by daughter Katherine Antes and husband Gene Antes, son Bert Adams and wife Pam Adams,
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 11:00 AM at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 3600 Brinkman Street, Houston, Texas. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM, followed by the Holy Rosary at 10:15 AM. After the service, we’ll gather at Watts Manor, 4486 Watts Plantation Road, Fresno, Texas, at 1:00 PM for a reception to celebrate Mrs. Carol’s life and the wonderful legacy she left behind. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks for donations to be made to the Frio Canyon EMS, PO Box 803, Leakey, Texas 78873. Thank you.
This graphic shows the share by industry in the greater Houston GDP in 2023.
This graphic shows the
How does “Texas Fried Chicken” sound? Or maybe “TFC” since the company dropped the Fried part – too unhealthy. Yes, after almost a century in Kentucky, Yum Brands – Kentucky Fried Chicken’s parent company – is moving its headquarters to Plano, just north of Dallas, joining Yum’s Pizza Hut’s offices already there. Only about 100 employees plus another 90 remote-based workers will move to the new digs, so we are not discussing a major migration. Still, it is symbolic, and it hurts the Bluegrass State.
“This company’s name starts with Kentucky, and it has marketed our state’s heritage and culture in the sale of its product,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear moaned. But maybe the move will help sales. KFC’s business has been struggling for years, with the chain recently reporting a 5 percent drop in same-store U.S. business as rivals like Popeyes and Raising Cane attract more diners.
Gov. Beshear, welcome to GTT. For you newcomers who
In a column last year, I told you how I had been very excited to receive a special package in the mail: a brand-new edition of “The Associated Press Stylebook.” As I wrote, before taking this role at the Fort Bend Star, I had been away from fulltime news reporting for about a decade, doing other things in communications while writing occasional freelance news stories. The AP Stylebook has long been regarded as something of a bible in the journalism field, so it was high time that I bought a new one.
As you’re no doubt aware, the Associated Press – a nonprofit news-gathering cooperative that began around the time of the MexicanAmerican War – has itself been in the news of late. It all began when President Donald Trump, fresh off his second Inauguration, declared in an executive order that, henceforth, the body of water known as the Gulf of Mexico would officially be called the “Gulf of America.”
Now, I was born in Houston and spent my entire childhood in the area, save for a couple of years in Houma, Louisiana, also on the Gulf Coast. I can’t count the num-
From GTT to H-E-B
are also members, GTT was what 19th Century settlers, in other, less desirable places, scratched on their cabin doors: GTT. Short for “Gone To Texas”. The move was so common that those mere initials were understandable to the less fortunate.
And, like the West Texas measles, there’s a lot of GTT going around. Between 2020 and this year no less than 170 companies have moved their HQs to the Lone Star State, including such heavyweights as Tesla, Chevron, Caterpillar, X (aka Twitter) and SpaceX, Charles Schwab, Oracle and Hewlett Packard. No wonder in 2023, Texas won awards from Site Selection Magazine, CEO Magazine and Business Facilities as “the best state for business expansion.” Can’t miss with Texas. Many among us have
changed their Stetsons and Luccheses for green eye shades and tassel loafers. JPMorgan Chase now has more employees in Texas (31,000) than in New York state (28,300). The Metroplex has workers in financial services second only to New York City. But we must not get too cocky. During the 77th Texas Legislative Session, a bill was passed proclaiming Whataburger to be a Texas Treasure. On June 14, 2019, the owners, the Dobson family, sold their majority stake in Whataburger to BDT Capital, a Chicago-based investment company. Now how will we know where we can find electric power? We now come to the Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE), better known among us business typhoons as Y’all Street. The new kid on the street is preparing to launch TXSE. an electronic national securities exchange. It will function just like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq (Nasdaq). TXSE has already filed a registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Don’t laugh. The NYSE must be taking this Lone Star upstart seriously. It announced plans to move its NYSE
Chicago to Texas and call it
– what else? – NYSE Texas, establishing its headquarters in Dallas. Wait a New York minute! Notice how much of the action is in Big D? Get with it, Houston, or how about the FBX, the Fort Bond Exchange?
Yes, our economy is booming. In presenting his state budget to the Legislature for the next two years, the Guv proudly noted: “At $2.6 trillion, the Texas economy is the eighth-largest economy in the world. We are home to 52 Fortune 500 headquarters, 1 in 10 publicly traded companies in the U.S., and more than 3.3 million small businesses. Texas continues to outpace the nation in economic growth, adding more jobs than any other state in the nation. In 2024, Texas reached a new high with the largest labor force ever in the state’s history at 15,575,900.”
As you read this, our legislators are figuring out how to spend your Texas tax dollars, and there is a lot to spend. The Texas state budget for the 2026-2027 biennium is $332.9 billion according to the Senate’s draft, and $335.7 billion according to the House’s version. Going back to all those newcom-
ers who rightly think their new state song is “The Eyes of Texas” and keep saying “the Rio Grande River,” we might ask: Why are they coming here? For our weather, obviously, overlooking hurricanes, record heat and record cold, our great public schools (we rank somewhere below the Somalia ISD), our state motto: “Shoot Friendly,” lack of union power and our honest state lawmakers. (You can’t buy a legislator but you can certainly rent one for the afternoon.) Another plus for moving to Texas is no state income tax. Smoke and mirrors. We pay all sorts of other taxes. Just where do you think that $332.9 billion or $335.7 billion comes from? Us.
Also, where do the new Texans come from? For this, my extensive research staff (Google) turned to the Dallas Express and Realtor.com to find the net migration into Texas between 2009 and 2023. That’s the number of people moving from a particular state to Texas after subtracting the number of people who left Texas for that state. Who would do that?
It goes like this: California: +474,695 moved to Texas, Florida: +257,872, Oklahoma: +235,368, New
Bridging the Gulf?
ber of times that my family and I went to Galveston to enjoy the beach. The only other place I’ve lived for an extensive period was San Diego, California, while serving aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, which of course is adjacent to another large body of water called the “Pacific Ocean”. In all those times that I visited the beach growing up, it never occurred to me to think, “This is a great place to visit, but it would be so much better if it were called the Gulf of America.”
Recalling my seventhgrade Texas History class and my more recent, extensive research on Wikipedia, I find that the body of water known to the Aztecs as “Chalchiuhtlicueyecatl” was first given the name “Gulf of Mexico” by European mapmakers in the mid-16th Century (if you’re counting, that’s 500 years, or half a millennium, ago). It’s been the most commonly used
name since the mid-1700s, before there was a United States of America. (The name “America,” of course, is derived from the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci, who explored parts of South America on behalf of Portugal but never made it to North America.)
Can a United States president unilaterally change the name of an international body of water shared by the U.S., Mexico and Cuba? I suppose, insofar as the U.S. goes. It’s uncertain whether other nations will follow his lead. As mentioned, I served in the Navy. Occasionally, my duties took me to the ship’s bridge, where there were physical charts of all of the world’s navigable waters. Will every nation and global shipping service buy new charts with the new name? It’s doubtful. (Speaking of which, are the Navy and Coast Guard soon going to be purchasing allnew charts? That seems to me the kind of governmental waste that Elon Musk might want to look into.)
Some folks, of course, embrace the new name. In my travels around Fort Bend, I often find myself at Sugar Land Town Square. As a journalist, I’m something of a snoop (er, naturally curious), and I sometimes go to the Sugar Land Marriott
to see what kind of events might be going on in its conference spaces. On January 29, just over a week after Trump’s inauguration, there was a conference put on by a petrochemical industry information service. (I worked at a similar company over a decade ago.) There, free for the taking, was a fancy map outlining the projected petrochemical capital spending outlook along the Gulf Coast, with the name “Gulf of America” proudly emblazoned across it. It’s perhaps not surprising that the petrochemical industry, which leans toward the conservative side of the political spectrum, would eagerly adopt Trump’s new moniker. And that’s fine. As a private entity, it has that right. But the Associated Press, a longrespected news agency which serves an international audience, had its own view on the matter.
In the guidance it put out to its members, the AP said “President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The body of water has shared borders between the U.S. and Mexico. Trump’s order only carries authority within the United States. Mexico, as well as other countries and international bodies, do not
have to recognize the name change. The Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years. The Associated Press will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen. As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences.”
As was to be expected, the Trump Administration was not amused. First off, the White House staffers promptly barred AP reporters from the White House press briefing room and Air Force One. When the White House press corps, acting in solidarity with its AP colleagues on behalf of press freedom, objected, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that her office would now select the news agencies that would have access to the briefing room and other White House spaces and events. This breaks decades of precedent in which the White House Correspondents’ Association made those decisions based on the news agencies’ professionalism and practice of journalism ethics.
At first glance, this kerfuffle might seem rather silly. But in this new, supposed
Jersey: +147,343, Michigan: +133,229, Illinois: +121,732, Louisiana: +74,033, Alabama: +71,029, New York: +42,212, South Carolina: +40,247. Remember these are only those who have moved here from other states, and do not include the thousands and thousands who have come here from other countries, although the way things are going, perhaps briefly. According to my indepth research (plagiarized), Texas currently boasts the fastest-growing population in the country. By 2045, it is expected to overtake California as the most popular state in the nation. One estimate says Texas will be home to the country’s three largest cities by 2100, with Dallas forecast to rank No. 1 with nearly 34 million residents.
Where do you fit into all of this? As usual I have some advice: buy land, make your doctors’ appointments far in advance, stake out your parking spot at First Colony Mall for Christmas shopping in 2045 and, while you’re at it, pick me up a tub of Texas Fried Chicken. Ashby is populated at ashby2@comcast.net
“Golden Age of America,” things like the President punishing a news outlet for not using his preferred verbiage matter. Surely things haven’t gone so far that the First Amendment, (something else I first learned about in middle school) no longer applies, have they? The Founding Fathers were extremely wary of anything that smacked of unchecked executive authority. That’s why they explicitly put “freedom of the press” in there. As a matter of journalistic integrity, a member of a free press – including here at the hyperlocal level – cannot allow any elected official to dictate what words it will or will not use.
Many people have speculated that this is a fight that the Trump Administration was happy to start since it plays well to its base, which already dislikes and distrusts what it calls “the mainstream media”. Maybe that’s true. But it’s also a fight that the AP, and the larger journalism community, must be willing to fight to the hilt. I know which side I’m on. Oh, and just in case you’re wondering: as far as this newspaper is concerned, it will always be the Gulf of Mexico.
Libraries to host special children's activities for Spring Beak
Community Reports
Families with children of all ages are invited to celebrate their Spring Break with special activities that are planned at Fort Bend County Libraries throughout the week of March 7-15.
In addition to the regular weekly children’s programs, these free programs offer an opportunity for families to unwind and have fun at the library during the break from the regular school routine.
Materials for these activities are made possible by the Friends of the Library organizations that support each library.
These activities are free and open to the public; a library card is not needed to attend programs. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib. tx.us) or call the branch library or the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).
Children can bring their second-favorite teddy bear or toy and drop them off for the Teddy-Bear Sleepover during regular library hours starting at noon on Friday, March 7, and continuing through Monday, March 10, at 9 p.m.. Each day throughout the week, the library’s Youth Services staff will post photos on the library’s Facebook page showing the stuffed animals and their adventures! After all of their activities at the Teddy-Bear Sleepover are over, the stuffed animals and toys will be ready to return home. On Thursday, March 13, at 2 p.m., children can pick up their stuffed animals at the Teddy-Bear Sleepover and Pick-Up Party and enjoy snacks, crafts, activities, and a photo slideshow that details all the fun that was had during the week!
SATURDAY, MARCH 8
* Creative Connection: Spring Cookie Houses - First Colony Branch Library, 11 a.m. (grades 4-8). Students will test their architectural skills and transform graham crackers, icing, and other treats into creative spring cookie houses.
MONDAY, MARCH 10
* Barbie Birthday PartyFirst Colony Branch Library, 2 p.m., (all ages). Families are invited to celebrate the 66th birthday of Barbie, the iconic fashion doll, with Barbie-themed games, crafts,
and snacks.
* Creative Connection: Hour of Code - Mission Bend Branch Library, 2-3 p.m. (grades 4-8). Students will learn the history of coding and then dive into Scratch coding basics. Registration required.
* Interactive Family Movie Night - George Memorial Library (Richmond), 6-8 p.m., (all ages). Free tickets will be available starting one hour before the movie begins. Using pre-established prompts and props, the audience is encouraged to sing, cheer, and react along with the film. About the movie: This animated family film is a sequel featuring a young girl named Riley who is entering her teen years and trying to adjust to new emotions. Her emotions - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness - each have roles in the movie. They reside in Headquarters - the control center in Riley’s mind - where they help advise her through everyday life. When Headquarters suddenly undergoes a massive demolition to make room for something entirely new and unexpected, the original emotions are not sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up - with friends. Released in 2024, this Disney Pixar movie is rated PG.
* Middle School Game DayCinco Ranch Branch Library, 6-7 p.m. (grades 6-8).
* Creative Connection: Let’s Make Ice Cream - Sugar Land Branch Library, 6-7:30 p.m. (grades 4-8). Registration required.
TUESDAY, MARCH 11
* Preschool Story Lab: Community Helpers - George Memorial Library (Richmond), 10:30-11:30 a.m., (ages 3-6).
The Preschool Story Lab is a creative story time event that encourages children to discover and explore concepts in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). The activity will begin with a brief story time to introduce the topic: Community Helpers. Children and their caregivers may then rotate through a variety of handson activities based on that theme. Materials for this event are made possible by the Friends of the George Memorial Library and the Children’s Museum Houston.
* Mr. Leo’s Puppet ShowFirst Colony Branch Library, 2 p.m., (all ages). Families will be delighted by Mr. Leo’s interactive show, which includes puppets, dancing, marionettes, magic, and music! This program is made possible by the Friends of the First Colony Branch Library.
* Screen-Free Afternoon
- Fulshear Branch Library, 2-3 p.m. (all ages). Families can participate in screen-free activities by rotating through different stations featuring crafts, board games, building challenges, and more!
* Spring Break Build Club - Mamie George Branch Library (Stafford), 2-2:45 p.m. (all ages). Families will work together to build specific challenges provided by the library - or their own creations - out of various building materials during this come-and-go activity time.
* Build It! - Missouri City Branch Library, 4-4:45 p.m. (grades K-5). Students will have an opportunity to build their own creations, or complete the building challenge of the month, with the library’s collection of LEGO, MagnaTiles, Keva Planks, building blocks, and other materials.
* Build It! - George Memorial Library (Richmond), 4:155 p.m. (grades K-5). Using LEGO and other building materials, students will put their creativity and engineering skills to work!
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12
* Creative Connections: Kite Building / Flying - Cinco Ranch Branch Library, 2 p.m. (grades 4-8).
* Wild Bird AdventuresGet WILD for Raptors - First Colony Branch Library, 2 p.m. (all ages). Mary Anne Morris, co-founder of Wild Bird Adventures, will talk about the sights, sounds, and natural history of raptors, such as hawks, kites, and eagles. Discover their key role as top predators in the animal kingdom. During this program, see live raptors that work as education ambassadors to get citizens excited to learn more about the natural world. Morris has been educating the public about native-bird conservation for more than 30 years. Wild Bird Adventures provides a home and habitat for birds that can no longer live in the wild. This program is made
possible by the Friends of the First Colony Branch Library.
* Block Party! - Sugar Land Branch Library, 2-4 p.m., (all ages). Families are invited to build and create with LEGO, Magna-Tiles, Keva Planks, connectors, cardboard bricks, and other building materials. Attempt the challenge of the day or create freely something totally new.
* Creative Connection: Minecraft Dig -- George Memorial Library (Richmond), 2-3:30 p.m., (grades 4-8). Students will become real-life Minecraft players by digging for treasure! Space limited to the first 24 attendees.
* After-School Break: Let’s Travel to... The First Olympics - Sienna Branch Library, 4-5 p.m. (grades K5). Students will enjoy crafts and activities related to the first Olympic games.
* Houston Grand Opera’s “Opera to Go” Presents Mo Willems’ Bite-Sized Operas* University Branch Library (Sugar Land), 1-2 p.m., (all ages). This bilingual (EnglishSpanish) family-friendly performance features two mini productions - “Slopera! A Bite-Sized Opera” and “Don’t Let the Pigeon Sing Up Late: An Opera with Wings” -- based on two children’s books by Mo Willems, the Emmy Awardwinning author, illustrator, and playwright, with music by Grammy-nominated composer Carlos Simon. Slopera! shares the story of Elephant and Piggie, two best friends hwo learn to appreciate one another’s differences. Don’t Let the Pigeon Sing Up Late!, starring The Pigeon and some delightful new companions, recounts The Pigeon’s losing battle against bedtime. Suitable for families with children of all ages, the
performance is presented with the generous support of Michael and Janet Brown.
* Spring Break Dog Man Party! - Sienna Branch Library, 2-3 p.m., (all ages). Families are invited to an afternoon of Dog Man-themed games, crafts, and more! Materials are made possible by the Friends of the Sienna Branch Library.
* After-School Break: “Lil’ Beats: A Musical Journey”* University Branch Library (Sugar Land), 3-4 p.m., (grades K-5). Students are invited to a curated jam session where they will learn about musical instruments, make handmade instruments, experiment with musical devices, and more!
* After-School Break: St. Patrick’s Day Chalk Pastel Art - Albert George Branch Library (Needville), 4-5 p.m. (grades K-5). Use an easy chalk-pastel technique to create a brightly colored St. Patrick’s Day craft to take home.
* After-School Break: Lucky Spring CraftingMission Bend Branch Library, 4:15-5:15 p.m. (grades K-5). Students will make 4-leafclover paintings and rainbows for some luck as the weather warms up.
* Creative Connection: Recycled-Magazine Crafts - Fulshear Branch Library, 6-7 p.m. (grades 4-8). Turn old magazines into brand-new works of art.
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
* Family Afternoon MovieCinco Ranch Branch Library, 2 p.m. (all ages). This 2024 animated sci-fi film is an adaptation of an award-winning Middle Grade book by Peter Brown about an intelligent robot named Roz. After being shipwrecked on an uninhabited island, Roz survives the harsh environment by bonding with the island’s animals and caring for an orphaned baby goose. This movie is rated PG. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
* Family Fun ChallengeFulshear Branch Library, 2 p.m. (grades K-5). Children, along with their parent or caregiver, are invited to work together to complete this STEAM challenge! Work together using a variety of materials to build a bridge, then test how much weight the bridge can hold! This program is presented in partnership with the Children’s Museum Houston.
* Spring Craft Drop-InMission Bend Branch Library, 2-3 p.m. (all ages). During this come-and-go craft event, families will find a variety of
spring-themed craft activities that they can complete at the library or take home to enjoy at a later time.
* Creative Connections: Escape Room - Sienna Branch Library, 2-3: p.m. (grades 48). Students will solve riddles and challenges to “escape” from the library.
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
* Puppet-Making Workshop - First Colony Branch Library, 10:30 a.m. (all ages). Families will have an opportunity to create their own puppets and then use their creativewriting skills to write their own scripts for a puppet show!
* Creative Connection: Hoops & Books - Mission Bend Branch Library, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (grades 48). This “March Madness” program combines the thrill of basketball with a passion for reading. Students will compete in a variety of basketball-themed games, book trivia, and other activities.
* Popcorn & a Movie - Missouri City Branch Library, 1:30-4:30 p.m., (all ages). Released in 2024, this enormously popular fairy-tale fantasy shares the story of the witches of Oz. Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) is a young woman who is misunderstood because of her unusual green skin. While at university in the Land of Oz, she forms an unlikely friendship with the popular Galinda (played by Ariana Grande). Their bond of friendship deepens as they face a series of events that will ultimately shape their destinies. This movie is rated PG. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. A takehome craft activity will be available for families who would like to make their own hat and wand. Refreshments and craft materials are provided courtesy of the Friends of the Missouri City Branch Library.
* Spring Craft Carnival - Fulshear Branch Library, 10:15-11:15 a.m. (all ages). Families will enjoy a variety of spring-themed crafts at this come-and-go craft carnival! Space is limited.
* PARKING INSTRUCTIONS for UNIVERSITY BRANCH LIBRARY: Park inside the gated lot (VISITOR LOT 4). Bring the parking-ticket stub to the check-out desk inside the library to be validated by library staff. Parking is free if the ticket is validated by the library. Parking outside the gated lot may result in a parking violation from the University of Houston.
Community Reports
Fort Bend ISD has opened registration for its pre-K program for the 2025-2026 school year.
The district is expanding its pre-K 4 program to include six additional campuses: the new Aldridge, Mission and Ferndell Henry elementary schools, as well as Leonetti, Schiff, and Sullivan elementary schools. FBISD is also extending its tuition-based program to include more elementary schools. The final list of campuses may change as this expansion is contingent upon the ongoing school boundary process, which will take place during the spring 2025 semester. Pre-K seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. The program runs full day from 8:05 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Space is limited. Interested parents can visit the FBISD Early Childhood
website to learn more about the requirements, pre-registration process, and schools for next year at fortbendisd. com/prek. Children who turn 4 years old on or before September 1, 2025, and live in Fort Bend ISD may pre-register. By meeting income and other family requirements, children may qualify to attend the full-day program for free. Qualifications are listed in FBISD’s PreK Family Handbook (found at fortbendisd.com/Page/156145) which also includes instructions for registering your child for school.
FBISD also offers tuitionbased pre-K for employees and students who do not qualify to attend at no-cost. Tuition fees for the 2025-26 school year will be announced via an internal communication to employees and on the FBISD website before March 19, 2025.
Missouri City library to hold Teddy Bear Sleepover for Spring Break
Community Reports
Spring Break isn’t just for kids and families – even teddy bears can have fun!
The Youth Services department at Fort Bend County Libraries’ Missouri City Branch Library invites children to treat their teddy bear to a special adventure – “Teddy-Bear Sleepover at the Library!”
The Teddy-Bear Sleepover will take place during Spring Break, March 7-13. Children can bring their second-favorite teddy bear or toy and drop them off for the Teddy-Bear Sleepover during regular library hours starting on noon on Friday, March 7 and continuing through 9 p.m.
Monday, March 10. Each day throughout the week, the library’s Youth Services staff will post photos on the library’s Facebook page showing the stuffed animals and their adventures! After all of their activities at the Teddy-Bear Sleepover are over, the stuffed animals and toys will be ready to return home. On Thursday, March 13, at 2 p.m., children can pick up their stuffed animals at the Teddy-Bear Sleepover and Pick-Up Party and enjoy snacks, crafts, activities, and a photo slideshow that details all the fun that was had during the week!
The materials for the Teddy-Bear Sleepover were
made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Missouri City Branch Library. Proceeds from the Friends of the Library book sales and annual membership dues help to underwrite the costs of special programming and various cultural events at the library.
This activity is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Missouri City Branch Library (281-238-2100) or the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).
The Missouri City Branch Library is located at 1530 Texas Parkway.
Registration open for Urban Partnerships Synergy Symposium
Community Reports
Registration is now open for Urban Partnerships Synergy Symposium, hosted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Prairie View A&M Extension Program, on April 22-23. The hosts are looking for ways to strengthen educational partnerships to reach more people in Harris and Fort Bend Counties and surrounding areas.
People and organizations interested in forming productive, educationally focused partnerships in high population areas are invited to participate in this opportunity to form educationally
focused partnerships. Public school teachers can earn up to nine Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours. The symposium is scheduled Tuesday, April 22, and Wednesday, April 23, 2025,
beginning each day at 9 a.m. at the West Houston Institute - Houston Community College, 2811 Hayes Road, Houston, on the HCC-Alief Campus. Participants can attend either of both days. The first day will focus
on community partnerships featuring examples of proven partnerships. Guided discussions will dive into what it takes to make partnerships work. Small groups will focus on a variety of topics to start laying the groundwork
for new partnerships. The keynote will feature Betti Wiggins, Nutrition Services Officer for the Houston Independent School District. Day two will focus on school partnerships specifically and will explore makerspaces. After a morning discussion homing in on school environments, participants can choose optional hands-on workshops in the West Houston Institute’s IDEAStudio Makerspaces https://www. hccs.edu/programs/whi/ ideastudio/ including 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, Coding and Electronics with Micro:Bit, and Ideation and Creation with Cricut Maker
3. A general session will be offered concurrently as an informative presentation of the foundational elements of creating makerspaces and the potential impact on educational and community initiatives. Registration is $40 per day or $65 for both days and includes lunch. The optional makerspace workshops on day two will include an additional fee of $10. Interested participants can register at agriliferegister.tamu.edu/ereg/newreg. php?eventid=833029&. For questions and additional information contact Karen Santos at 281-342-3034 or karen.santos@ag.tamu.edu.
Tickets for 2025 Space Cowboys season now on sale
Community Reports
Fans of the Sugar Land Space Cowboys can now purchase tickets for all 75 home games at Constellation Field. Fans can purchase singlegame tickets at milb.com/ sugar-land/tickets/singlegame-tickets or at Regions Bank Ticket Office.
Outside Sales Representative
is looking for an energetic and results-driven Outside Sales Representative to join our team.
About the Role
As an Outside Sales Representative, you will play a key role in connecting local businesses with our loyal readership. You’ll work with business owners, organizations, and community leaders to help them achieve their advertising goals while supporting local journalism.
Key Responsibilities
• Build Relationships: Develop and maintain strong relationships with local businesses and organizations.
• Generate Revenue: Meet or exceed sales targets by selling print and digital advertising solutions.
• Prospecting: Identify and reach out to potential clients through cold calling, networking, and referrals.
• Client Solutions: Customize advertising packages to meet the unique needs of each client.
• Local Presence: Represent the Fort Bend Star at community events to promote the paper and build connections.
What We’re Looking For
• Proven experience in sales (media/advertising sales a plus).
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Self-motivated, goal-oriented, and able to work independently.
• Familiarity with Fort Bend County and its community is a big advantage.
• Reliable transportation and willingness to travel locally.
What We Offer
• Base salary + commission structure.
• Flexible schedule and remote working opportunities.
• The chance to make a meaningful impact on your community.
How to Apply
Send your resume and a brief cover letter explaining why you’re the perfect fit for the role to awilliams@txstreetmedia.com. Join a team that values local news, creativity, and collaboration!
Let’s work together to build stronger businesses and a thriving community!
For the first time in franchise history, the Space Cowboys, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, will open their season at home when they begin their campaign as the defending Triple-A National Champions by hosting the Oklahoma City Comets on Friday, March 28 at 7:05 pm. Prior to the start of the season, the Space Cowboys will take on the Houston Astros for two exhibition games at Daikin Park on March 24 and 25.
The entire promotional schedule for 2025 has also been announced for Sugar Land and can be found at milb.com/sugar-land/tick-
ets/promotions. Along with unique giveaways, postgame concerts, fireworks shows and engaging theme nights, the Space Cowboys promotional schedule features daily promotions including Silver Stars Tuesday, Dollar Dog Night presented by Texas Chili Company, Goodwill Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday presented by Eureka Heights, Fauxback Friday and Orion’s Kids Day. Memberships are also available for the 2025 season, including full-season memberships and partial season memberships, starting with three-game mini plans and ranging up to half-season plans.
The Missouri City Branch Library will hold Teddy-Bear Sleepover during Spring Break, March 7-13.
Courtesy Fort Bend County Libraires
ONGOING
ABRACADABRA! MUSIC MAGIC FOR 6 & 7 YEAR OLD BOYS STARTS MARCH 18!
The Emmy-Nominated Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas is offering Music Magic, an 8-week music enrichment program for six- and seven- year[old boys. The class meets from 6:30-7:15 p.m. on Tuesdays starting March 18 and ending on May 6, 2025. Music Magic brings music alive through 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. To find out more about Music Magic, visit: https:// fbbctx.org/our-programs/music-magic/.
EMMY-NOMINATED FORT BEND BOYS CHOIR HOLDING AUDITIONS
The Fort Bend Boys Choir is seeking talented young boys who like music and singing. If know of one, encourage him to audition for our award-winning and Emmy-Nominated Fort Bend Boys Choir! No experience is necessary and boys should be around eight years of age or older with an unchanged voice. Auditions are by special appointment at the First United Methodist Church Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City, TX. Visit the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s webpage at www.fbbctx.org or call (281) 240-3800 for more details about auditions. Benefits as a choir member include greater self-esteem and self-confidence, better work ethic and a sense of belonging and community. A boy’s voice has an expiration date so it is important to audition when boys’ voices are still unchanged. Auditions are free!
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
THE SANCTUARY FOSTER CARE SERVICES
We are a child placing agency that provides wrap around care support for foster children and foster families. We provide free therapy services, 24 hr. crisis intervention, respite/alternative care services and community-based support. For more info, www.sanctuaryfostercare.org
ALIEF AARP CHAPTER 3264
Meets the first Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. at Salvation Army Church, 7920 Cook Road, Houston, TX 77072. Educational Program/ Entertainment at each meeting. Bus Trips every month. Seniors 50 and above invited. Call 281-785-7372 for more information.
SUGAR LAND ROTARY CLUB
Sugar Land Rotary Club, the nation’s oldest community service organization, wants you to be its guest at a meeting that could turn out to be the best fit for getting involved with a local, non-political, humanitarian service organization with a global presence to satisfy your passion. We’re on a quest for new members! Call or email Dean Clark, 832-987-4193, dean7351@gmail.com We just started a new evening club also. Contact me for more info.
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.
GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE
Alzheimer’s Association support groups, conducted by trained facilitators, are a safe place for caregivers and loved ones of people with dementia to:
Develop a support system.
Exchange practical information on challenges and possible solutions. Talk through issues and ways of coping.
Share feelings, needs and concerns.
Learn about community resources.
Just a reminder that support groups create a safe, confidential, supportive community and a chance for participants to develop informal mutual support and social relationships. They educate and inform participants about dementia and help participants develop methods and skills to solve problems.
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