Its official: Jones resigns from FBISD board McCutcheon elected first woman mayor in Sugar Land
Embattled Fort Bend ISD
Position 5 Trustee Sonya Jones, who immediately after the May 3 election announced she was resigning from the board – only to later to rescind that resignation – has now officially resigned after Monday’s agenda review workshop meeting. The board will discuss appointing a replacement on June 23. Jones, who had become controversial through numerous acrimonious social media postings since she was first elected in 2023, began Monday’s meeting as a sitting member. But after a public comment period in which three members of the public – including former Trustee Kristen Malone – criticized Jones’s behavior and called on the board to removed her, the board went into a closed session in which the only posted item of discussion was to “deliberate resignation of Trustee Sonya Jones.”
One public speaker, Tammy Marino, read aloud a series of things Jones had posted on social media, including some where she said Jones had disparaged and even threatened her. She also read comments in which Jones said she was ready to “move on to better things” and that it was “time to serve better people.”
When the board members emerged from the closed session after about an hour and a half, Jones was not among them, although some of her personal items remained at the table.
Board president Kristin Tassin read aloud a brief statement: “As board president, I announce on behalf of the board Trustee Jones’s resignation. I will include for the board’s consideration a process for appointment to fill the position, Position 5, at the June 23 regular meeting.”
When Jones announced minutes after the May 3 election results were revealed that she was resigning, she said it was because she had accepted a position with a “public policy research institute” that she did not name.
SInce then however, Jones, the district administration and Tassin remained silent on when and whether Jones’s resignation would take effect. But a social media posting by the district, later removed, showed that Jones was going to be honored along with departing board members David Hamilton and Rick Garcia at a reception before the May 19 meeting. But Jones was not so honored at that reception and took her place on the dais during the meeting.
While the key players in the situation remained silent, the Fort Bend County Republican Party in a Facebook posting said that Jones had rescinded her resignation on May 19, the day of the meeting. The party said Democrats were trying to force Jones off the board so that her seat could be filled without an election and urged the public to tell the board members not to do so.
During regular business, the board heard an extensive presentation from the
tration about its proposed budget
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Carol McCutcheon on Saturday defeated her former Sugar Land City Council colleague William Ferguson in the runoff election for the mayor’s seat being vacated by longtime Mayor Joe Zimmerman. In still-unofficial results, McCutcheon - who had held the District 4 seat on Council - earned 6,103 votes, or 53.05 percent, to narrowly beat Ferguson, the At-Large Position 1 member, who earned 5,402 votes, or 46.95 percent. The turnout for the runoff was 14.38 percent of the city’s 89,579 registered voters.
McCutcheon and Ferguson were the two candidates to emerge from
a crowed five-person election on May 3, which also included then District 2 Council member Neshad Kermally. When she is sworn in on June 17, McCutcheon will be Sugar Land’s first mayor since the city was incorporated in 1957. In a phone interview with the Fort Bend Star, McCutcheon, who is chemical engineer by profession, said she has long been a “trailblazer,” often being the only woman in her engineering classes and later, while working in the energy sector, being the only woman on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico where she was supervising projects. In the two other Sugar Land runoffs on Saturday, Jim Vonderhaar defeated Maggy Horgan for the At-Large Position 1 seat vacated
by Ferguson, 58.57 percent to 41.43 percent; and Sanjay Singhal beat Nasir Hussein for the District 2 seat vacated by Kermally.
McCutcheon said that she was proud of the broad support she received in the election, particularly that she won the 29 of the city’s 38 voting precincts. During the runoff campaign, McCutcheon and Ferguson largely agreed on most of the issues raised, which most often dealt with the pace and kind of development the city should pursue. Ferguson, a peace officer, stressed public safety as his top priority.
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Carol McCutcheon defeated William Ferguson in the runoff election to become Sugar Land’s first woman mayor. Photo via City of Sugar Land
GARDEN FROM PAGE 1
In May, they completed the newest, the Fruit Garden.
Located on the eastern edge of the demonstration gardens, 1402 Band Road, it’s adjacent to the Herb Garden.
Planning for the garden started in August 2024 with Master Gardeners Mary Parkhouse and Linda Bair serving as co-chairs with assistance from Master Gardeners Don Parkhouse and Anita Maddox. They didn’t lack help. The new project excited both seasoned gardeners and interns recruited from the 2024 Master Gardener class.
Help also came from Master Gardener Deborah Birge who earlier developed a Backyard Orchard in the demonstration gardens.
Birge said tending to fruit trees and plants can be ther -
apeutic and satisfying.
“It’s a great way to teach kids about nature and where food comes from. It can introduce them to birds, bees and butterflies, making your garden a lively ecosystem and giving the entire family a connection with nature,” she said.
Last October, Bair and Maddox presented plans for the garden including Mary Parkhouse’s plant layout and a detailed budget to the FBMG board of directors. The board unanimously approved a $10,000 budget.
Last fall, Master Gardeners also cleared the land, killed vegetation, took soil tests, amended the soil and developed an irrigation plan for the system that was installed late last year.
Two peach trees and three fig trees are planted along the central path that divides the garden space. Gardeners
built six 4x12 raised beds, 11 smaller raised beds, three raised acidic soil beds for the blueberries, and a grape arbor with seating. The 19 fruit trees include persimmon, orange, plum, kumquat, apple, grapefruit, pear, plum, satsuma and lemon. The garden also includes three varieties of blueberry bushes and blackberry bushes as well as two grape vines.
“We selected trees that we sell at our annual fruit tree sale and those highly recommended by Birge suited for our purposes and our site,” Bair said.
Birge had organized the Backyard Orchard behind the Greenhouse in 2013, which included a mix of 20 fruit trees, grapes, blackberries, flowers and herbs. It’s now moved to its new location and redesigned as the Fruit Garden
Taste of Missouri City set for June 15-21
“This isn’t just about food—it’s about celebrating our city’s growing culinary scene and the entrepreneurs who make it possible,” event organizers said. “Whether you’re a longtime resident or new to the area, this is your chance to taste what makes Missouri City special.”
What to Expect: A vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere at the City Hall Complex
Face-to-face interactions with local chefs and restaurant owners
Special tasting portions of signature dishes
A week of dining adventures at participating restaurants
Elliot, had requested that their client appear in her jail uniform during the trial, which is unusual. In most criminal trials in Texas, defendants appear in civilian clothing, whether they are being held in jail or out on bond.
During a bench conference before the trial was to begin, Rogers asked the attorneys whether they indeed planned to have their client appear in her jail uniform. When they confirmed that they did, according to the findings, Rogers responded by saying it “was not going to happen in [my] courtroom].”
Later, according to the commission’s findings, the defendant was brought before the judge and confirmed her own desire to appear in her jail uniform, but Rogers denied her request and ordered her attorneys to go to a nearby Wal-Mart to purchase some clothes for the woman.
“Judge Rogers ended the hearing by slamming his hand on the bench and yelling ‘Don’t [expletive] with me in my court,’” according to the commission’s findings. An official transcript of the comments is not available because Rogers had not asked the court reporter to take down the bench hearing for the record, but a videotape shows Rogers hitting the bench with his hands and pointing at the lawyers, according to the findings.
One of the lawyers, Scott, filed a motion asking that
Rogers recuse himself from the case, which Rogers later denied, but did refer the case to a visiting judge. Since he was still the judge of record, Rogers was responsible for signing the pay vouchers for the defense attorneys.
A special review court last month reversed a state commission’s public admonishment of state district Judge Steve Rogers of the 268th District Court in Fort Bend County. File photo
In September 2023, months after the earlier events, according to the commission’s findings, Elliott appeared in Rogers’s court on unrelated matters. The bailiff approached Elliott and told the attorney that he was “banned” from the courtroom and “could not appear for any reason,” according to the findings. Elliott’s ongoing cases in Rogers’s court were later transferred to other courts.
In a written response to the commission, Rogers wrote that he “believe(s) Texas law allows [him], in [his] discretion, to protect a defendant’s rights” and that “wearing jail clothes in a jury trial ... could also be an effort to cause error if there were not a knowing and intelligent waiver, or could be setting the stage for an ineffective assistance of counsel error argument if there was a conviction.”
The Special Court of Review in May found that the judicial commission erred when it found that Rogers was wrong about a 1976 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Estelle v. Williams, in which the high court ruled that a defendant could not be compelled to appear at trial in jail clothing, which might imply guilt to jurors. Rather, the special court found, the attorneys were mistaken in their belief that that meant a defendant had a constitutional right to
appear in jail clothing.
With regard to Rogers’s banning Elliot from his courtroom, Rogers testified that he did so because his court reporter at the time was “distraught” because Elliot had accused her of breaking the law over the matter of preserving a complete record of the bench conference.
Rogers further testified that when Scott asked him to recuse himself from the cases Scott had before him, he mistakenly believed that his acknowledgement of the recusal request would be automatically forwarded to the courthouse’s presiding judge. The recusal notice was ultimately handled within a few business days, Rogers testified.
“I still regret saying the single curse word. I’ve apologized for it from the start. But these two attorneys stepped well over the line. I believe both were trying to provoke me from the start,” Rogers said in the press release.
“I am ready to get back to work and put this entire [incident] behind everyone. Fortunately, I had the resources to fight back and an outstanding legal team on my side to clear my reputation. This opinion by the Special Court of Review does exactly that,” he said.
offer special menus and exclusive deals, giving residents the chance to explore the diverse flavors that make our community unique.
For the latest updates on participating restaurants and special offers, visit the official event page at www.missouricitytx.gov/ tasteofmissouricity.
Master Gardener Linda Bair of Richmond plants a tree in the Fruit Garden in Richmond in March. Courtesy Fort Bend County Master Gardeners
THE TV – Time to watch the Astros win again. Get out the trash cans. (If you’re not a baseball fan, this makes no sense.) The game is on the usual SCHN channel so I’ll grab the remote and Play Ball! Odd, but I’m getting a “Field of Dreams” test pattern. I check the sked and see the game is on Apple TV+ which I don’t get. This makes no sense. Some nights, like this one, I sit down to cheer on the local diamond cutters only to find the game is on the Icelandic Channel. Receiving the games on some obscure channel or cable box, solar panels on the roof, has got to cut down on the viewership. The sponsors know that, so why should they pay the same fee for a smaller number of viewers?
We can assume that the dealmakers on both sides of the table in a high-rise Manhattan office building know the art of the deal. They handle billions of dollars and got where they are by succeeding and… Wait. This reminds me of Montreal, Coca-Cola and, of course, Ross Perot. Maybe these captains of industry aren’t so smart all the time, and in such cases it makes us mere mortals bathe
Making the wrong mistake
Lynn Ashby Columnist
ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
in schadenfreude, a German word meaning: “You are not the smartest guys in the room. Hahaha.”
Our nation has been terribly successful, profitable and a major influencer in the entire world, second only to Secret deodorant, Big Pharma and the NRA lobby. OK, make that the fourth. But our road to glory has racked up a few speeding tickets. Let’s start with Major League Baseball, owned and run by billionaires. The baseball geniuses once decided that Canada needed a major league baseball team, so they created the Montreal Expos. Any players called Exposers had two strikes against them. The team faced other problems. The Canadians called the team
Les Expos de Montréal. They wondered why the players sacrificed, wanted to go home and the puck was white and round. The franchise lasted in the tundra from 1969 until 2004. Or take the nomadic Athletics. The A’s went from Philadelphia to Kansas City to Oakland and are now the Sacramento A’s soon be the Las Vegas A’s. In another sport, in the late 1960s, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle approached NBC and CBS to see if they wanted to show something called Monday Night Football. Both networks said no. (CBS didn’t want to replace the Doris Day Show.) Monday Night Football became one of the longestrunning, highest-rated sports programs in TV history. Other biz wizards have had problems. McDonald’s is the largest chain of fast-food restaurants in the world, with more than 40,000 outlets worldwide. They are hugely successful. Usually. Last year the company hatched a new restaurant format called CosMc’s. It was a McDud. Last week they closed. We don’t have a monopoly of bad business decisions. A band auditioned at London’s
Decca Records hoping to secure a contract. The executive said their sound was no good. (You can see this coming.) The band was eventually signed by Brian Epstein and the Beatles were never heard from again. The film studio 20th Century Fox agreed to take on what George Lucas was peddling called “Star Wars,” but only if Lucas agreed to take a pay cut of $20,000 in exchange for all of the merchandising rights to the movie and all of the sequels after that. There have been nine “Star Wars” earning 20th Century (and later, Disney) billions. But the company could have raked in even more. Lucas’s “pay cut” gave him a reported $5.2 billion. The list of bad decisions goes on. In 2000, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings basically asked Blockbuster to buy Netflix for $50 million. Blockbuster said no. Less than a decade later, Netflix has over 90 million users worldwide and assets worth over $13.5 billion. As for Blockbuster, in 2010 it filed for bankruptcy. In 1979, 23-year-old Bill Gates offered to sell Microsoft to Ross Perot for $40 to $60 million. Perot said it was too steep. Microsoft
currently has a market capitalization of around $343 billion. Speaking of Silicone Sins, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak wanted to sell their personal computer company, which they called Apple, to Atari. The answer was no. Decades later, Atari is best known for its Pong. The best known biz busts were a can and a car. Coca-Cola had a centennial anniversary in 1985, and to celebrate, they came up with New Coke. Most of the formula was the same, but thirsty drinkers didn’t like it and its sales dropped by 20 percent. New Coke was bottled up in 2002. The car was the Edsel, made by the Ford Motor Company and named for Edsel Ford, son of company founder Henry Ford. The company was enormously profitable and successful. Ford knew cars. The Edsel was introduced in 1958 and lasted all of two years.
Our federal government has made some good decisions like the Louisiana Purchase and buying Alaska for $7.2 million (equivalent to $129 million today). Then there is Texas. Remember the SSC? It never existed. The SSC was the Superconducting Super
Collider which was to be a big underground circle running beneath Waxahachie so scientists from everywhere would move to the pastures south of Dallas and conduct experiments. Vast acreage was bought, farmers were moved, buildings and roads were constructed. The initial cost was put at $2 billion. When the estimated cost was moved up slightly, to $11 billion, Congress cut the cord and today we have some really empty concrete holes in Ellis County. Another initial and forgettable project was the TTC. It was the Trans-Texas Corridor, a plan by Gov. Rick Perry to build a two-pronged road system from Oklahoma to Mexico via Dallas and San Antonio with another route from Texarkana to Houston to Laredo. Now visualize two slabs of concrete running in a 1,200-foot wide right-of-way, 1,200 miles and costing $175 billion, at least. The TTC is MIA. Well back to find the Astros. They’re playing at Enron Field. Ashby missed out at ashby2@comcast.net
In redistricting, Fort Bend County Commissioners should implement transparency
Editor’s note: The following op-ed is provided by the Fort Bend Business Coalition. This piece does not necessarily reflect the views of the Fort Bend Star or its staff. The Fort Bend Star welcomes opinion articles on matters of interest to Fort Bend County residents. Publication is at the discretion of the editor. Send submissions to editor@ fortbendstar.com. Recently an agenda item was presented in Fort Bend County Commissioners Court regarding redrawing Commissioners Court precinct boundaries for our county in 2025. After much citizen testimony, mine included, the good news is the Court decided to table the item allowing for a more transparent process. While this was a welcome and necessary action, redrawing Fort Bend’s districts is a crucial process to ensure continued growth and prosperity for Fort Bend citizens, and it is a process that requires above
Space Cowboys shut out in series finale against Reno
After shutting out the Sacramento River Cats (3132) the night before, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (34-28) were blanked, 4-0, in the series finale on Sunday night at Constellation Field. Sugar Land leads the PCL in shutouts with seven, while Sunday was just their third time in 2025 in which they were held off the scoreboard.
RHP Tyler Ivey (L, 0-5) worked quickly in the first with a 1-2-3 frame on 12 strikes with one punchout. The righty faced the minimum in the second as he picked off Marco Luciano trying to steal second before setting down the final Sacramento batters of the frame. The River Cats took a 2-0 lead in the third with a tworun homer from Grant McCray. Ivey responded in the fourth with two strikeouts while stranding a runner at second.
Sugar Land threatened in the bottom of the fourth as Luis Guillorme laced a single up the middle before Kenedy Corona and Omar Narváez drew oneout walks, loading the bases. However, Mason Black (W, 1-3) struck out the final two Space Cowboys of the frame as Sugar Land was shutout through four innings.
McCray doubled Sacramento’s lead with his second two-run homer of the game in the top of the fifth as the Space Cowboys fell behind, 4-0.
RHP Rhett Kouba relieved Ivey in the sixth and retired the River Cats in order before facing the minimum in the seventh with a 6-3 double play started by Zack Short.
RHP Jordan Weems came on for Kouba in the ninth and tossed a scoreless frame, but the Space Cowboys went down in order in the bottom of the inning leading to their 4-0 defeat.
NOTABLE:
· Luis Guillorme extended his on-base streak to 11 games with a single in the fourth. Over his on-base streak, Guillorme has two doubles, a homer, six RBI, nine walks and five runs. Guillorme is also on an eight-game hitting streak going 10-for-29 (.345) with two doubles, a homer, five RBI and five walks.
· Cooper Hummel reached base for the first time with the Space Cowboys since signing a Minor League contract and being assigned to Sugar Land on June 6 with a walk in the first.
· With two singles, Zack Short recorded his 10th multihit game of the campaign on Sunday.
· Rhett Kouba twirled 3.0 scoreless innings without allowing a run for the third time on Sunday and the first time since May 10 against the Salt Lake Bees.
After Sugar Land’s six-game homestand with Sacramento, the Space Cowboys head west to Reno for a six-game series with the Aces. Games can be seen live on the Bally Sports Live
or MLB.TV and can be heard anywhere at SLSpaceCowboys.com.
all else transparency and adherence to state law. How should Commissioners Court tackle such a vital decision affecting all our citizens both now and for years to come?
As County Committee Chairman of the Fort Bend Business Coalition (FBBC), I have submitted a specific process to the court that we believe will ensure public confidence and produce fair, balanced precincts reflective of the county’s diverse political makeup. We urge the Court to consider the following process: Create a Citizen Committee. The committee should consist of 15 members, with
each member of Commissioners Court appointing three members. This same structure was used effectively in 2011 and should be reestablished to promote balance and legitimacy. Engage Independent Legal Counsel. The Court should retain an outside law firm with substantial experience in redistricting law and demonstrated familiarity with Fort Bend County.
Ensure Transparency. All committee meetings should be required to provide minutes to ensure that every part of this process is documented, and these minutes should be available to the public. All
documents, maps, and communications provided to the committee should be posted promptly on a publicly accessible web page dedicated to the redistricting process. Promote Political Balance. The committee should be instructed to draw four precincts in the following configuration: one solidly Republican, one solidly Democratic, and two competitive. Three or four solid precincts do not reflect Fort Bend’s political diversity and would be very difficult to achieve in light of the state’s redistricting laws. Four highly competitive precincts, on the other hand, risk instability
and policy swings that deter long-term investment and economic growth. The FBBC is dedicated to cultivating and supporting elected officials who understand and act on the needs of the business community by exercising common sense in making decisions and developing policies. We strongly encourage Commissioners Court to adopt our recommendations and stand ready to assist in any way. For more information about the Fort Bend Business Coalition, visit FortBendBusinessCoalition.com.
University Branch Library to hold ice cream competition on June 21
Community Reports
Who has the best homemade ice cream in Fort Bend County? Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library invites ice-cream lovers to put their creations of this cold, tasty summer treat to the test at a “Homemade Ice-Cream Competition” on Saturday, June 21, from 2-3 p.m., in the Meeting Room of the library, located at 14010 University Blvd in Sugar Land, on the UH campus.
Competitors and samplers are welcome to join in on the fun.
Prizes will be awarded by official staff judges, but members of the public will get to sample the entries to vote on their favorite flavor for the People’s Choice Award.
Pre-registration for competitors is required. Those wishing to enter their ice-
ELECTED FROM PAGE 1
She said that when she takes office, her first priority will be focusing on the city’s transit issues, which residents named as their own most important issue in a recent city survey.
McCutcheon said she also wants the city to pursue more dense housing development, especially in the Lake Pointe and Imperial District areas, that also preserves the city’s suburban character.
Find full election results at fortbendcountytx.gov/ government/departments/elections-voter-registration/2025election-results .
cream masterpiece at the competition on June 21 should register through June 18. Register at the library or online: www.bit.ly/FBCL_ IceCream2025. Please provide the flavor.
Rules and other information:
· All entries must include the list of ingredients used. If not available upon registration, the list must be submitted on or before June 21. Entries without a list of ingredients will not be accepted.
· Recipes must NOT include eggs or alcohol.
· Judging will be based on flavor, texture, and appearance.
· A minimum of 2 quarts must be available for judging.
· One recipe per competitor.
· Ice cream must be brought to the library on Saturday, June 21, between 1:15-1:30 pm.
· Competitors should provide their own ice-cream scoop
and means for keeping their ice cream cold, such as a small cooler.
· Competitors will scoop out samples of their ice cream for the public to taste until 3:00 pm.
This competition and the taste testing are free and open to the public. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbendlibraries.gov) or call the University Branch Library (281-633-5100).
PARKING INSTRUC -
TIONS: 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.
GHP examines regional population growth and trends for economic growth
Staff Reports
Editor’s note: In its “Economy at a Glance” report for June, the Greater Houston Partnership – the regional chamber of commerce – examines population growth in Houston-area cities along with demographic trends that will prime the region for future economic growth.
The City of Houston is growing at a strong pace, with 43,217 new residents added last year bringing the city’s population to a record 2,390,125 people. Since 2022, Houston has experienced robust growth, reversing a five-year stint of weak or negative growth in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some professionals left the city for the suburbs during the pandemic, opting to live further from the office in larger more affordable homes. However, as offices have scaled back their work-from-home policies, demand to live closer to the city center has partially rebounded.
The Greater Houston Partnership reports that according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau population data, five Fort Bend County cities rank among the region’s 20 largest municipalities. Contact our helpful sales team to see how Fort Bend Star can help your business 713-371-3600
Houston has led the nation in municipal population growth during the ’20s. In the four years since the start of the decade, the City of Houston has
added 91,180 new residents – more than any other major city. All three cities with larger baseline populations (New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago) shed residents during that time. New York City alone lost over a quartermillion people during those four years, with residents moving out in search of more space and a lower cost of living. Among major cities adding the most residents, a disproportionate number are in Texas. The top three cities are all in the Lone Star State, with San Antonio and Fort Worth trailing be -
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE
Fort Bend Independent School District will hold a public meeting at 5:00 PM, June 23, 2025 in the Board Room of the Administration Building, 16431 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the school district’s budget that will determine the tax rate that will be adopted. Public participation in the discussion is invited.
The tax rate that is ultimately adopted at this meeting or at a separate meeting at a later date may not exceed the proposed rate shown below unless the district publishes a revised notice containing the same information and comparisons set out below and holds another public meeting to discuss the revised notice.
Maintenance Tax
$0.783100/$100 (proposed rate for maintenance and operations) School Debt Service Tax
$0.270000/$100 (proposed rate to pay bonded indebtedness)
Approved by Local Voters
Comparison of Proposed Budget with Last Year’s Budget
The applicable percentage increase or decrease (or difference) in the amount budgeted in the preceding fiscal year and the amount budgeted for the fiscal year that begins during the current tax year is indicated for each of the following expenditure categories.
and operations
hind Houston in the second and third spots. Austin and Dallas have also shown meaningful growth. Houston continues to be the fourth most populous U.S. city, trailing Chicago. After several years of population decline, Chicago saw growth in 2024. Still, Houston’s growth rate is much faster. Based on last year’s growth rates, Houston is projected to overtake Chicago as the third-largest U.S. city in 2037. But this projection is naïve and overly simple. There is no reason to think
ORDER NO. O-25-03
the current growth rates will stay constant in the future. Unforeseen events and trends can emerge, pushing the date when Houston might overtake Chicago sooner or later.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest population data (as of July 1, 2024) also shows how different communities are growing within the metro area. Among the region’s 20 largest cities are Fort Bend County’s Sugar Land (No. 6 at 109,851 residents), Missouri City, (No. 8 at 75,582 residents), Fulshear (No. 10 at 58,629 residents), Rosenberg (No. 12 at 42,571 residents), and Katy (No. 18 at 27,741 residents). (Note: this excludes communities like the Woodlands or Spring which are not incorporated as independent cities.) Houston proper is home to 2.4 million people, or approximately 31 percent of all metro residents. Pasadena, Pearland, League City, Conroe, and Sugar Land are each home to more than 100,000 people. Fulshear has grown significantly and overtaken Galveston as the 10thlargest city in the region. Find the full report at houston.org/houston-data/ economy-glance-june-2025.
AN ORDER OF THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, DETERMINING THAT THE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE/ POOL LOCATED ON PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS LOT ONE (1), IN BLOCK THIRTY-SIX (36), OF QUAIL VALLEY SUBDIVISION, LA QUINTA SECTION, A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF, RECORDED IN VOLUME 8, PAGE 5, OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS; OR MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS 3215 LA QUINTA DRIVE, MISSOURI CITY, FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS 77459, IS A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND ORDERING THE REPAIR OR, ALTERNATIVELY, THE DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF SAID STRUCTURES.
Order No. O-25-03, was passed, approved, and ordered by the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals after a public hearing conducted at its meeting on May 29, 2025.
A complete copy of Order No. O-25-03 may be obtained through the City Secretary’s Office by submitting an open records request.
ORDER NO. O-25-01
AN ORDER OF THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, DETERMINING THAT THE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE LOCATED ON PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS LOT THIRTEEN (13), IN BLOCK FIVE (5) OF HUNTERS GLEN SECTION FOUR (4), ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN VOLUME 22, PAGE 26 OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, IN THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, IS A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND ORDERING THE REPAIR OR, ALTERNATIVELY, THE DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF SAID STRUCTURE.
Order No. O-25-01, was passed, approved, and ordered by the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals after a public hearing conducted at its meeting on May 29, 2025.
A complete copy of Order No. O-25-01 may be obtained through the City Secretary’s Office by submitting an open records request.
ORDER NO. O-25-02
AN ORDER OF THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, DETERMINING THAT THE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE LOCATED ON PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS LOT TWENTY-EIGHT (28), BLOCK FIVE (5), OF QUAIL GREEN, SECTION ONE (1), A SUBDIVISION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF, RECORDED IN VOLUME 24, PAGE 12, OF THE MAP RECORDS OF FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS AND MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS 2722 DAWN STAR DRIVE, MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS 77489, IS A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND ORDERING THE REPAIR OR, ALTERNATIVELY, THE DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF SAID STRUCTURE.
Order No. O-25-02, was passed, approved, and ordered by the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals after a public hearing conducted at its meeting on May 29, 2025.
A complete copy of Order No. O-25-02 may be obtained through the City Secretary’s Office by submitting an open records request.
Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library will hold a homemade ice-cream competition on June 21. Photo by Kwekwe via Wikipedia
Mission Bend Branch Library hosts summer family movies
Community Reports
The Youth Services department at Fort Bend County Libraries’ Mission Branch Library will feature a free “Summer Blockbuster Bash” movie series for families with kids of all ages on Fridays in June and July. The movies will begin at 2 p.m., in the Meeting Room of the library, 8421 Addicks Clodine Road.
The June schedule of film showings is as follows: June 13 – 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. June 27 – This animated
action-adventure film takes place in a bustling city where various anthropomorphic animals live and thrive in civilized coexistence. When Judy Hopps becomes the first rabbit to join the police force, she learns how tough it can be to enforce the law and keep the peace. Determined to prove herself, Judy joins forces with a charismatic con-artist fox to crack a mysterious case that threatens to damage the delicate balance between the carnivore and herbivore citizens in the city. This movie is rated PG.
The movies are free and open to the public. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
The libraries’ licensing agreement for public showing of films prohibits them from releasing the name of the movie outside of the library. For more information about the featured movies, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbendlibraries.gov), or call the Mission Bend Branch Library (832-471-5900) or the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).
George Memorial Library to host Volunteer Fair on June 14
Are you a teen or adult who would like to volunteer your time and talent to help a worthy organization, but you don’t know where to start?
Fort Bend County Libraries’
George Memorial Library will have a “Volunteer Fair” on Saturday, June 14, from 2-4 p.m., in the Bohachevsky Gallery on the lower level of the library, 1001 Golfview in Richmond.
Representatives from a variety of local organizations and agencies will be on hand to share information about their programs, services, and volunteer opportunities, and to answer any questions. Find out where your talent, skills, and time are most needed, and how you can make a difference in your own community.
Some of the organizations that will be represented include the Mamie George Community Center, SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship, George Ranch Historical Park, FBC Heritage Unlimited Museum, Fort Bend Partnership for Youth, Inc., International Transformation Foundation, TOM Help Center, Rosenberg
in the wake of the conclusion of the recent Texas legislative session. Administrators laid out a plan to offer teachers and other staff a one-time bonus and other incentives designed to attract and retain those staff members.
Administrators said the incentives were necessary to bring the district more competitive with its peers across the greater Houston region in terms of teacher salaries. Currently, the district ranks second to last among those districts in its salaries for starting teachers, they said. That plan would be financed through the one-time use of seven “disaster pennies”, au-
Railroad Museum, Garage Arts Project, AmeriCorps Seniors: Foster Grandparent Program, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office’s “You Are Not Along” project, and Fort Bend County Libraries. This come-and-go event is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries
thorized by the Legislature to deal with the effects of last year’s Hurricane Beryl, added to the district’s tax rate of 99 cents per $100 of valuation to the tax rate. Those pennies can only be used for one school year, and the tax rate would revert to the original rate.
The board expects to hear public comment and approve the proposed budget at its June 23 meeting, with the new tax rate to be approved in September.
Tassin and Position 1 member and vice-president Angie Hanan both said while they did not relish approving even a temporary tax increase, the use of the disaster pennies was probably necessary. But both said they were concerned about what would happen in the following fiscal year.
LEADER PUZZLER SOLUTIONS
Superintendent Marc Smith told the board that the administration was already having discussions about that.
The George Memorial Library will host a Volunteer Fair for teenagers on June 14.
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Fort Bend ISD trustee Sonya Jones, in yellow, listens Monday as members of he public
Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to editor@fortbendstar.com
ONGOING
RICHMOND/ROSENBERG ALZHEIMER’S
CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP MEETING
Please join us on Thursday, June 5, at 7 p.m. for our monthly meeting. We will be meeting in Room 105, the Gathering Room, at St. John’s United Methodist Church, 400 Jackson Street, Richmond. We are looking forward to an open discussion this meeting. Caregivers, please feel free to bring your ideas to discuss with the group. Alzheimer’s Association support groups, conducted by trained facilitators, are a safe place for caregivers and loved ones of people with dementia. 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. Questions may be sent to: gallowkj@earthlink.net.
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES AT GPBC
In conjunction with the Literacy Council of Fort Bend Bend County, Grand Parkway Baptist Church will offer ESL classes on Tuesday nights from mid-August 2025 through May 2026. We are located at 12000 FM 1464, Richmond, across from Austin High School. Our students speak several languages and encompass many faiths, all are welcome. For more information call 281-277-2200 and ask for ESL information. You may also email ESL@grandparkway.org
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 restau rants. 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 281785-7372 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.
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
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.
