Astro-nomical or
This just in! There is another plan for the Astrodome.
Yawn. Have we heard this before? Let me count the ways: Turn it into an indoor amusement park. Make it a big, covered parking lot for NRG Stadium. Wait. Put in hotels, restaurants and a mall lined with boutique shops. Let it stand as a monument to Luv Ya Blue. Maybe ICE could rent the Dome to house the estimated 481,000 illegal immigrants in Harris County. We had our chance to spruce it up, but in 2013 Harris County voters rejected a $217 million plan to convert the Astrodome to an event and exhibit space. Now we have the Astrodome Conservancy, a private, nonprofit organization which has been around since 2016. The group has unveiled a $1 billion plan for the Astrodome.
The Design firm Gensler Houston created a concept that would include 450,000 square feet of revenuegenerating space with four state-of-the-art buildings. It would feature room for 1,500 additional parking spots and
GHP FROM PAGE 1
smaller chamber of commerce in the region also indicated that its small-business members are not preparing to close up shop any time soon.
“The key is that this is an uncertain time. Will the uncertainty last? For a short period, it will be more extended. Will this really be a 90-day thing or will it be more extensive? That will, obviously, increase the disruption,” he said.
Still, he said, the Houston region because of its location on the Gulf Coast and its large manufacturing base remains an attractive destination for the kind of onshoring of manufacturing that Trump has said is one the primary goals of his tariffs regime.
“We are an attractive destination for onshoring operations and investment, and we’re taking full advantage of that as a community. This is not theoretical. We have tangible announcements of this onshoring activity,” he said.
“I think we’re uniquely positioned to weather these changes. We will likely be less affected and recover more
ELECTION FROM PAGE 1
mayor’s held by Zimmerman since 2016 differed little on the major issues of the race, which dealt largely with how the middle-sized but aging city can remain economically viable and the pace of change required while maintaining its suburban flavor.
With three sitting City Council members vacating their seats to run for mayor, the field was wide open for candidates vying to take their places. In the five-person race for Ferguson’s at-large seat, Jim Vonderhaar, who took 5,358 votes, or 37.11 percent, will face Maggy Horgan, who won 2,988 votes, or 20.69 percent, in the runoff. Rounding out the field were George Kakkanatt (19.38 percent), Muzaffar Vohra (18.90 percent), and Aqeel Virk (3.92 percent).
In the race for Kermally’s Position 2 seat, Rob Boettcher with 9,608 votes (66.65 percent) decisively outpolled
Lynn Ashby Columnist
animal handling facilities that could be located under a new ground floor. I’m not sure why they want facilities for animals unless the rodeo is overbooked or it would be a dressing room for the Denver Broncos.
I wish them well in their quixotic quest, because nothing else has worked all these years. After the Houston Astros and Houston Oilers played their last home games at the stadium in the late ‘90s, the final event was the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2002. That event’s last night featured George Strait. Then the place hosted unexpected guests: it reopened in 2005 as a shelter for around 20,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Now that NOAA has been gutted, maybe we should keep the Dome open just in case.
quickly,” he said.
In a panel discussion that followed, moderator George Gonzalez, a partner with the Haynes and Boone law firm, spoke with Ric Campo, president and CEO of the Camden real estate company and chairman of the Port of Houston Authority Commission and Jeff Simmons, senior vice president of the Toshiba Americas Group.
“My view is there are two overarching policy goals of the Administration that I think are very positive for Houston,” Gonzalez said. “Number one, unleashing energy. If that becomes successful, it’s going to be a humungous benefit for Houston. And then number two, is onshoring, bringing manufacturing into the United States. Because of our location, we are competitively positioned for becoming even more a manufacturing powerhouse for the United States.”
Simmons of the Japan-based manufacturing giant Toshiba, whose U.S. operations have been based in Houston for a half-century, said that the trade war has prompted the company to continue to make adjustments to his supply chains that began during the
Ameer Malik, who earned 4,807 votes (33.35 percent). And in the five-person race for McCutcheon’s District 2 seat, Sanjay Singhal, with 38.78 percent of the vote, and Nasir Hussain, with 22.40 percent, are headed for a runoff.
In Stafford’s municipal elections, incumbent Position 3 Council member William Bostic, Jr., with 60.53 percent of the vote, easily defeated challengers Ray Thomas (24.61 percent) and Clay Foster (14.87 percent). Former Council member Wen Guerra, who lost in a mayoral bid two years ago, defeated incumbent Position 4 Council member Christopher Caldwell, 57.27 percent to 42.73 percent.
Other Fort Bend County municipalities that held elections included Fulshear, Arcola, Needville, and Simonton, among others. Find full election results at fortbendcountytx.gov/government/ departments/elections-voterregistration/2025-electionresults.
So the “Eighth Wonder of the World” has been sitting there, wondering, for 20 years. Ah, but remember the glory days. (For you evacuees from Detroit, I’ll briefly bring you up to speed.) The Harris County Domed Stadium, as it was first and officially called, was the brainchild of former County Judge Roy Hofheinz. It opened 60 years ago and was the world’s first fullyenclosed sports stadium, the first air-conditioned stadium and the first stadium to use an animated scoreboard. It was also the first sports stadium in the country to feature luxury skyboxes and suites for owners and fat cats with several levels for dining and drinking, a feature that has been copied by arenas and stadiums worldwide. Some skyboxes even had private restrooms which came in handy after four or five beers. It is over 600 feet across and 200 feet high. You could put the Shamrock Hotel inside, especially after the Shamrock was blown up. It held 70,000 spectators, although in the Oilers’ later seasons you could put the spectators in the restrooms. Judge Hofheinz had an apartment in its upper reaches and
COVID-19 pandemic.
“Because of some of the changes in the Administration, we are focused on adapting our manufacturing supply chains. We’re having to rethink a lot of our sourcing relationships,” Simmons said. “And I think a lot of companies are doing the same thing. So we’re scrambling a bit to try and find ways to onshore some of our supply chain. COVID was a big wakeup for us. The Asian supply chain has not recovered yet from COVID yet, and we’re now three years later.”
Campo voiced a somewhat sanguine tone toward how disruptions from the trade war might impact the Port of Houston, the biggest in terms of total tonnage in the country.
“What’s going on is the rules are changing, and that’s caused uncertainty. At the end of the day, the rules will be figured out, and then we’ll play by the rules,” Campo said.
“There are three things we do really well. We’re low cost providers. We have incredible productivity. And three, we have lower risk to moving things in and out of the region,” he said.
According to the GHP’s lat-
the tale was that he declared the Dome his legal homestead so that, under Texas law, it couldn’t be foreclosed or seized for nonpayment of taxes, but alas, that delicious tale wasn’t true. Beside sporting events and the rodeo, the Astrodome hosted concerts including Elvis, the Jackson Five and many others. It held boxing matches, one featuring Muhammad Ali. Locals can well remember in 1969 “the basketball game of the century” when the undefeated Houston Cougars faced the undefeated UCLA Bruins. It was Lew Alcindor versus Elvin Hayes (later to be known as Kareem AbdulJabbar and Elvin Hayes). It was at that time the biggest crowd to attend a college basketball game: 52,693 fans. The Coogs broke the Bruins’ 47-game winning streak 71 to 69.
One evening I was flying into Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and all I could see out the plane’s window was sand and either flames of burning flares or the Saudis were having one big refinery fire. Then I spotted a lighted, rectangular green soccer field: AstroTurf. Besides
the Dome being first in this and that, in 1966 it was the first major sports venue to install AstroTurf – and that was Plan B. The original field was grass, but the skylights prevented baseball outfielders from seeing fly balls. The solution? The skylights were quickly painted over. Oops. That blocked the sunlight and killed the grass. The solution to the solution? AstroTurf – a chemical product that looks like real turf grass without the maintenance and dependence on sunlight.
Soon athletic fields around the world were covered with the fake grass. You can buy it and other brands and stop mowing and watering your lawn. A neighbor has a strip of AstroTurf covering her small yard. Our HOA hasn’t complained, but I think the president is a Saudi. Today 14 NFL stadiums including NRG Stadium have artificial grass while 16 use real turf. (Two stadiums are shared by two teams.) Some football players complain artificial turf is hard on their joints, and the NFL Players Association has asked that the owners switch entirely to real grass. Like AstroTurf, domed
stadiums have a checkered life. The New Orleans superdome, officially the Caesars Superdome, was to cost $46 million. It ended up costing $165 million. That dome was damaged by Hurricane Katrina and cost $185 million to repair it. Tropicana Field, a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, was severely damaged by Hurricane Milton in 2024 and the Tampa Bay Rays moved their home games to the New York Yankees’ spring training field. The Metrodome in Minneapolis was covered by a fiberglass fabric bubble inflated using 20 huge fans. Snow and ice collapsed it four times, the first just six weeks after it was built. It’s gone. Back here, the idea was briefly floated that the Houston Texans (principal owner billionaire Cal McNair) wanted a new taxpayer-financed stadium. Cost: $1.2 billion. Hey, Cal, if you build a new stadium no point in installing a moveable cover. You never open the current one. But I’ve got a stadium for you, a fixer-upper to be sure, but off season you can rent it to ICE. Ashby watches sports on TV at ashby2@comcast.net
Germany,
resources#publications.
est global trade report, the Houston region’s top three international trading partners are The Netherlands (riven by oil exports amid EU energy diversification), China (a key
supplier of industrial equipment and electronics), and Mexico (Texas’s most integrated supply chain partner). The other countries in the top ten are South Korea,
Brazil, the United Kingdom, Japan, India, and Canada. Find the full report at houston.org/business-
Haynes and Boone partner George Gonzalez, left, Ric Campo, chair of the Port of Houston Authority Commission, and Jeff Simmons, senior vice president of Toshiba Americas Group, discuss the Houston region’s international trade picture at a Greater Houston Partnership event last week. Photo by Ken Fountain
Space Cowboys split series against Round Rock after dropping finale
Community Reports
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys split their series with the Round Rock Express after being shutout 13-0 on Sunday afternoon at Constellation Field.
RHP Aaron Brown allowed one run to come across in the first after the first two Round Rock batters reached base. Brice Matthews made an excellent play in the hole at second base and fired a dart to Luis Guillorme at third to catch Justin Foscue off the bag and end the frame.
The Express scored three runs in the top of the second, including a two-run home run from Chad Wallach as Sugar Land fell behind, 4-0.
RHP Rhett Kouba took over in the third and sat Round Rock down in order, including striking out Trevor Hauver looking to retire the side and faced the minimum again in the fourth while adding two more punchouts to his ledger.
Although Kouba induced a double play in the fifth to end the inning, Ezequiel Duran hit a solo home run to lead-off the frame as Round Rock extended their lead to, 5-0.
Sugar Land drew two walks in the bottom half as Luis Guillorme led off with a walk and César Salazar took a base on balls with two outs, but the Space Cowboys could not bring them in.
LHP Blake Weiman came on in the sixth and went three
recognized by the Texas Bankers Association, along with others, for achieving 50 years of banking excellence.
advancing to the state tournament in tennis and earning a reputation for his competitive spirit and sportsmanship. He was later inducted into the Tivy High School Sports Hall of Fame. Inspired by his older brother Billy Ed Daniels, Tom followed in his footsteps to Rice University, where both brothers earned football scholarships. Tom also continued to enjoy playing tennis for many years after college.
Tom went on to build an extraordinary 50-year career in the banking industry—defined by integrity, people-first leadership, and a deep commitment to personal service. In Sugar Land, he served as President and CEO of Sugar Creek National Bank, where he helped shape a culture rooted in customer care and community connection. He served on many boards, among them the George Foundation—a charitable organization supporting education, community development, and health initiatives in Fort Bend County—work that he found deeply meaningful. In 1997, Tom returned home to the Kerrville area and launched Bank of the Hills. Under his leadership, the bank quickly became a trusted institution, consistently voted “Best Bank in Kerrville” by the Kerrville Daily Times. He brought his signature approach—thoughtful leadership, an eye for hiring the most genuine and friendly people, and a personal touch that made customers feel truly cared for. In 2014, he was
He also cared deeply about the health and vitality of his hometown. His work with the Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital Foundation helped shape the future of healthcare in Kerrville, and he was a passionate supporter of the Kerrville River Trail, contributing to its development and helping give generations a beautiful way to experience the river he had loved since childhood.
Beyond his career, Tom’s quiet strength and unshakable humility left a lasting impression on everyone he met. He never boasted of his achievements and was far more interested in lifting up others rather than drawing attention to himself. He was the best listener many of us ever knew—gentle, humble, and patient. He rarely if ever raised his voice, yet his presence always brought calm and comfort. To be around him was to feel at peace.
Tom loved many simple pleasures: Mexican food (especially Lopez), relaxing on the beach in South Padre Island, Rice Owls football, Houston Oilers and Astros games with his kids, a good margarita, and a nightly bowl of ice cream. He created treasured memories traveling to Greece, Portugal, Argentina, enjoying Wimbledon in England, frequenting Santa Fe and visiting San Miguel in Mexico. And he held a special affection for his dogs, Minnie and Sadie, who enjoyed being by his side. Tom is survived by his loving wife, Charlotte, his son Tommy and his wife Dianna, and their daughters Patricia and Meredith, his daughter Abby and her partner Debbie, his son Patrick and his wife Melissa, and their children Maisie, Jonah, and Madeline.
up, three down with two punchouts, including one to end the inning.
Zack Short slapped a single into left in the home half, the first Space Cowboy knock of the game, and moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch, but was left stranded.
Round Rock went up 10-0 in the seventh with a five-run frame, including a two-run home run from Kellen Strahm. Hauver hit a three-run homer in the ninth and Sugar Land went down in order in the home half, falling 13-0 on Sunday afternoon.
NOTABLE:
· Shay Whitcomb singled in the eighth, his 15th game reaching base in his last 17
contests. Over that span, Whitcomb is 20-for-62 (.323) with eight doubles, four home runs, 10 RBI and six walks.
· Zack Short singled in the sixth, his 15th time reaching base in his last 16 games. In that span, Short has three home runs, eight RBI, nine walks and nine runs scored.
· With 3.0 innings in relief, RHP Rhett Kouba leads Sugar Land relievers in innings pitched with 19.2.
· César Salazar took two walks on Sunday, his first multi-walk game of the season and first since August 31, 2024 against Salt Lake.
· Luis Guillorme took his 21st walk of the season in the fifth inning. Guillorme came into Sunday’s games
tied for seventh in the Pacific Coast League in walks.
· Sugar Land was shutout for the second time this season on Sunday, with the other coming on April 6 at Durham. The Space Cowboys have thrown four shutouts including two in their last seven games. After their sixgame home stand, the Space Cowboys head west to take on the Salt Lake Bees for six games. Space Cowboys games can be seen live on the Bally Sports Live App or MLB. TV and can be heard anywhere
He never missed an opportunity to tell his family how proud he was of them. To know Tom Daniels was to be reminded of what matters most—treating others with kindness, listening deeply, leading with humility, and appreciating life’s quiet moments. He was, simply put, everyone’s trusted friend—always ready with a listening ear, a warm smile, and a way of making you feel better about yourself.
The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Jim Young and his team at Peterson Hospice for their compassionate care and support during his final days. We appreciate all of the love and thoughtfulness they gave to our family.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. CST on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Grimes Funeral Chapels in Kerrville, Texas, with a reception to follow.
Pallbearers will be Harold Wilson, Debbie Tuftee, Harvey Brinkman, Gerry Griffin, Jack Moore, Alton Rhoden, Larry Graham, Homer Stevens, Craig LeMeilleur, Billy Hale, George Horace Loving, and Barry Harrell. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to one of the following organizations that were dear to Tom:
• Rice University Athletics Gifts may be made online at giving.rice.edu. Please select “Athletics” as the designation and indicate “In memory of Tom Daniels” in the tribute section.
Donations by mail can be sent to: Rice University – Office of Development, MS-81, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251-1892. Please include a note indicating the gift is in memory of Tom Daniels and designated to Athletics.
• Peterson Hospice – Kerrville, TX
Donations may be mailed to: Peterson Hospice, 250 Cully Drive, Kerrville, TX 78028. Please indicate “In memory of Tom Daniels” on the memo line or enclosed note. Online donations may be made at: petersonhealth.com/foundation (select “Hospice” and enter a memorial note if prompted).
Condolences may be sent at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.
Staff Reports
The board of directors of Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 35 announced in a press release last week that approximately $8.2 million of funds invested on behalf of the district were fraudulently transferred to outside financial institutions from MUD 35’s investment account held by a public funds investment pool.
According to the release, the transferred happened on April 7. The administrator of the investment pool discovered them the next day and immediately notified the FBI and the MUD's bookkeeping firm. An initial amount of $3.4 million was recalled, recovered, and returned to the MUD's investment account. investment account.
FBISD FROM PAGE 1
he has held for three years, has been perhaps been the most outspokenly conservative member of the board and has led many of the most contentious policy votes since his election in 2022. Hamilton, who had endorsed Hamilton and Buford, has not publicly stated whether he has future electoral plans.
Garcia, elected at the same time as Hamilton, has also been one of the board’s conservative bloc, if less vocal on the dais and social media as Hamilton.
In a move that surprised many even if it didn’t come completely out of left field, Position 5 member Sonya Jones, who has also been a staunch conservative since her election in 2023, announced in a Facebook post
The MUD is continuing its efforts to recall the remaining funds, according to the release.
"Outside legal counsel has been retained to provide additional support to the District as needed. MUD 35's bookkeeping firm maintains two main financial accounts on its behalf: a traditional banking account for deposits, accounts payable, and other withdrawals necessary to support its operating expenses along with an investment account, which includes debt service and operating funds, that earns interest," the release states.
"Only the investment fund was compromised, and a spokesperson for the District stated that MUD 35 is “solvent and fully capable of meeting its current debt obligations and operating
late Saturday night after the final election votes were posted that she would be resigning from her seat. Her term was slated to run through May 2025.
In the Facebook posting, Jones wrote that she had “seized the opportunity to join a public policy research institute which will afford me a great deal of travel and less time to devote to public service as an elected official.” As a result, she wrote, she was resigning from her position on the board.
Jones, who has had a long record of service in the education field and has also worked in the real estate industry, did not name the institute which she plans to join. In a message on social media, she declined to comment to the Fort Bend Star.
While the timing of Jones’s announcement may have been surprising, she had previously
expenses. MUD 35’s Board of Directors is cooperating with an ongoing investigation of the matter and stated that the District hopes to see the remaining funds recovered as soon as possible," the release states. Anyone with information on the fraudulent transfers should contact the district at 713-623-4531. Updates will be provided to the public as they become available. MUD 35 is bounded on the south by Meadowbrook Farms Golf Course and Fort Bend County Municipal District No. 34, on the east by the Cinco Ranch development, and on the west by Katy-Gaston Road and Cinco Ranch Boulevard. The district serves approximately 2,075 residences and 25 businesses. For more information, visit fbmud35.com.
written on Facebook that she was considering moving on to “bigger and better things,” a phrase she echoed in the Saturday posting.
A spokesperson for the district said Monday that the district had no information about Jones’s resignation other than what she posted on Facebook.
As the Star went to press on Tuesday, it was unknown how Fort Bend ISD would go about replacing Jones on the board. In Stafford Municipal School District, voters handily defeated four bond propositions on the ballot. Board elections were also held in Lamar Consolidated Independent School District and Needville ISD. Find full election results at fortbendcountytx.gov/government/ departments/elections-voterregistration/2025-electionresults.
editor@fortbendstar.com
BUTTERFLY FROM PAGE 1
Gardeners are in the gardens most Wednesday mornings, willing and able to answer questions. A team of Master Gardeners raised more than 1,000 milkweed starter plants that were sold at $5 each or three for $10, and visitors huddled around the pass-along plant table to take home a variety of free potted plants donated by Master Gardeners. Seed packets with QR codes leading to plant planting information were also given away and daylilies were packaged up as giveaways.
Monarch Ambassadors carried 5-foot kites or wore Monarch butterfly costumes to add a special touch to the event and Master Gardeners created a treat for visitors by with their bubble-blowing demonstration.
Volunteers from the Fort Bend Beekeepers Association and Prairie View A&M University shared their expertise about bees and aquaponics and hydroponics.
Fort Bend Master Gardeners last held a Butterfly Celebration in 2019. The event scheduled for 2020 was canceled because of COVID-19.
