California-based Movita Juice Bar will soon debut its first Texas location in Sugar Land, the organic health juice and smoothie brand confirmed. Franchisee Javier Campos said the new store at 3344A U.S. Highway 6 is slated to open in March.
Movita is known for its fresh juices made with raw fruits and vegetables, acai bowls, meal replacement smoothies and hot healthy teas.
“Obviously I love the company, and I knew that I wanted to kind of sell something that I believed in,” Campos said, adding that he wanted to bring healthy food and drink options to the community.
The Sugar Land Movita will be located next to an EOS Fitness location. It will span about 1,300 square feet and have six-to-eight indoor seats, and six-to-eight outdoor seats. Campos said a healthy juice bar and a fitness center naturally complement each other.
“I was introduced to Movita in high school,” said Campos, who is originally from Texas but moved to Santa Clarita, Calif. as a child. “I found Movita just rolling through and I loved the healthy environment.”
The juice bar was located near his gym and became a regular postworkout stop, Campos said.
Campos moved back to the Fort Bend area in 2022 and now lives in Richmond. When the opportunity to franchise with Movita arose in September of last year, Campos said he jumped at the chance.
“My favorite menu item is the Mucho Mango,” said Campos. “The most popular smoothie would be one of the MR Originals, where ‘MR’ stands for ‘meal replacement.’”
Previously, Campos has worked as a manager at a Houston-area Dutch Bros Coffee shop and brings experience in managing a franchised coffee business.
Movita Juice Bars first started operations in 2015. It operates 28 locations across California, with another 14 in development. The brand is now expanding outside the state, with new locations planned for Florida, Texas, Arizona and Nevada. A second Texas location is slated for Houston, though its opening date and location have not yet been announced.
Varma can be reached at juhi.varma@gmail.com.
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
In a hearing last Friday, a Fort Bend County judge agreed to postpone the felony money laundering trial of County Judge KP George – which had been set to begin this week – until March because one of George’s lawyers had a conflicting trial in San Antonio. In the same hearing, defense attorneys added the latest wrinkle in the saga, asserting that District Attorney Brian Middleton is himself the subject of a criminal investigation related to
George prosecution.
In the two felony cases, George is accused of tampering with campaign finance reports during his 2018 campaign while moving money between his campaign and personal bank accounts. Separately, George is facing a May trial on a misdemeanor charge of misrepresentation of identity by a public official.
The trial had been set to begin on February 3 at the Fort Bend County Justice Center. But late last week,
By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER
At the City of Stafford’s annual town hall meeting last week, Mayor Ken Mathew reiterated his longstanding pledge of maintaining the city’s “no property tax” identity while highlighting the city’s successes in 2025.
The city’s key achievements in last year included increased police visibility, the addition of new pa-
trol vehicles, and the clearance of a 22-year-old murder case, Mathew sad during the January 28 meeting at Stafford City Hall.
“Currently, we have a total of 254 employees,” Mathew said. “The employees are our real asset of the city. They go above and beyond to make things happen.”
At the beginning of last year, the Stafford Police Department replaced old patrol vehicles with new models that are safer, more fuel-efficient,
and equipped with updated technology. The department also cleared a 22-year-old murder case in collaboration with the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, arresting Jody Johnston (Humphrey) in connection with the Dec. 22, 2003, homicide of her husband, Jerry Don Humphrey. Her case is pending in a Fort Bend County court.
“The Stafford Police Department under Chief Richard Ramirez had a productive year, received apprecia-
and Pontikes | Texas AirSystems. For more information, contact Rebekah Beltran at 281-566-2158 or Rebekah@ fortbendcc.org. The Education & Workforce Alliance of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce is under the leadership of chair Jennifer Henrikson.
tion from residents and businesses for enhanced police visibility,” said Mathew.
The Stafford Fire Department under Chief Jose Magana responded to 44,253 incidents, of which 58% were EMS-related and 42% fire-related. Their average turnout time was 1 minute 23 seconds. The IT department, under director
Healthy juice and smoothie brand Movita will soon open its first Texas location in Sugar Land at 3344A
Highway 6. Contributed photo
Fort Bend County Judge KP George, center, talks to reporters alongside defense attorneys Jared Woodfill, left, and Terry Yates following a hearing in his felony money laundering cases on Friday. The trial has been reset to March 10. Photo by Ken Fountain
Stafford City Council member Tim Wood, center, speaks while Mayor Ken Mathew and other council members appear at the city’s annual Town Hall Meeting. Courtesy City of Stafford
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath will speak on the future of education at a Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Feb. 6. File photo
Ryan Young, implemented new network monitoring systems.
The finance department under achieved an unmodified or clean audit opinion and maintained a high bond rating. Mathew said the city recorded $35.1 million in total revenue and $32.9 million in total expenses, resulting in a $2.2 million surplus.
“I want to highlight the outstanding performance under the leadership of our Chief Financial Officer Alka Shah and her team, thanks to their public strategic initiatives, the city has earned an impressive $2.1 million in additional investment income over the past year,” Mathew said.
Mathew praised Human Resources for strengthening connections among city staff.
“The employee engagement team successfully organized the city’s first ever Public Service Recognition Week and conducted several educational and training events such as estate planning workshops and supervisor training,” Mathew said.
Multimedia Communications for the City of Stafford, under director Robert Frith, updated Stafford’s website, social media platforms, and municipal TV channel. They also reinstated the city’s emergency radio station and restructured the interlocal agreement with Houston Community College.
“(Multimedia Communications) reinstated the city’s emergency radio station and can now broadcast live from City Hall’s Emergency Operation Center in times of crisis,” Mathew said.
“They tirelessly update and maintain the city’s video, audio and transmission equipment, and have done so with no impact to the budget. Director Frith and Houston Community College representatives renegotiated and restructured the interlocal agreement the city had with HCC for decades, which resulted in significant savings for the city annually.”
The Stafford Economic Development Corporation (SCDC), led by Randy Krahn, launched several initiatives to strengthen the city’s economic growth. Commercial projects include Target, Five Guys
Burgers, Black Rock Coffee and Hopdoddy.
Mathew turned to the Stafford’s property tax situation. The city eliminated property taxes in 1995 and is one of just a few in the state that does not collect this revenue. Mathew said maintaining a zero-property tax is part of the city’s goals for 2026.
“Over 30 years, the city has done away with the property tax,” he said. “Looking at the fund balance, there is no urgency for reimposing the property tax if we did not have property tax in 2021, what is the justification for imposing property tax now?”
In her own remarks, City Councilwoman Virginia Rosas disagreed, saying the city does not have enough funding. She noted that Stafford relies heavily on the Economic Development Corporation
to cover costs, and without that support, the city would face serious financial challenges. “Drive down the street and look at the fading signs, missing lights, and cracking streets and sidewalks,” she said, highlighting the consequences of limited revenue without property taxes.
Rosas was careful not to place blame on the mayor or any other city official, and she praised CFO Alka Shah for her strong management of the city’s finances.
“We don’t have a five-year capital plan,” she said. “We live year to year, and that’s no way to manage a city. Most of these council members don’t believe it and tout no property tax. But what do you get with no property tax? You get a city that’s not thriving and growing.”
Varma can be reached at juhi.varma@gmail.com.
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Stafford Mayor Ken Mathew discusses Stafford’s 2025 milestones, including new patrol vehicles and a cleared 22-year-old murder case, during the annual Town Hall last week. Also pictured is Council Member Alice Chen. Courtesy City of Staffrod
The City of Stafford’s “no property tax” identity was a key topic in last week’s annual Town Hall Meeting at City Hall. File photo
THE TV – “Vote for me. I am a Trumpster.” “I am MAGA-nificient.”
“Are you tired of the same old broken promises?”
“Do you want a change in Texas? Vote for me!” Gad. Are we having yet another election? Didn’t we just have one? I am getting campaign fatigue and the elections are still 10 months away. Oh well, it could be worse. We could be living in a country with angry demonstrations, black-clad, masked men flaying crowds with clubs and tossing tear gas grenades, with a rubberstamp Congress and a totally inept opposition unable to counter a power-mad leader. Lucky us.
Yes, my fellow Texans, it’s time once again to go to the polls. We must vote to throw out the corrupt, mean-spirited and tone-deaf lawmakers and replace them with a fresh new group of corrupt, mean-spirited and tone-deaf lawmakers.
Primary day is on March 3, which is almost here, so let’s take a look at the candidates, starting with our U.S. senator.
The ballot ballet auditions
LYNN ASHBY Columnist
ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
The incumbent, John Cornyn. He’s 74 years old, has been in office since 2002 and is looking for another 6-year term. There are, for some odd reason, seven others running against him for the GOP nomination including our current attorney general and Official State Embarrassment, Ken Paxton. He has one point in his favor: if we put Paxton in the U.S. Senate he will be only one minor player among 100 and won’t cause near as much trouble that he does as Texas attorney general. On the other side are three wannabe senators including the Official Democrats’ Embarrassment, Jasmine Crockett. We also have prospective federal employees who want to be our U.S. Representatives.
Texas has 38 slots up for grabs, but who we can vote for, or against, is difficult to know. Between redistricting and gerrymandering, Texas’ congressional races are a political circus. The line is: It used to be that voters chose their lawmakers. Now lawmakers choose their voters. In most cases, vote against the incumbent. Now we look at our statewide races. (We have to.) At the top of the ticket is governor, who will preside over the state government, a large mansion in the middle of Austin, the world’s eighth largest economy and a multi-million dollar string of rubber duckies bobbing in the Rio. Our current guv is the beloved Greg (What power outage?) Abbott. He is seeking a record fourth term in office, and every poll shows he’ll get it, but there are 10 -- yes, 10 – other candidates running against him in the GOP primary. On the Dem’s side we have nine candidates including Chris Bell who has run and lost races for governor, U.S. Senate, Texas House, Texas Senate and Houston mayor. We will also be asked to vote
for lite guv, attorney general, land commissioner and so on. All told there are eight statewide offices we will most intelligently and thoughtfully pick. (Who do you like for three members of the 15th Court of Criminal Appeals?) And eight more regional races, depending on where you live. Then we have – are you still with me? –races for the state legislature. All 150 House seats are on the line and the GOP will probably remain in control. Currently there are 88 GOPers and 62 Dems. And some senate races, again, depending on where you live – the senate terms are staggered, as are some of the senators. Why should you vote in the primaries? In Texas’ statewide races, more than 18 million Texans will be able to vote. But, historically, only a few million of those voters ever cast a ballot in the primaries. Take the last midterm elections, in 2022 only 3 million Texans cast ballots. That was just 17 percent of the registered voters at the time. That total is for both parties, but the number of voters who actually pick our winners in our statewide elections are
even smaller. That’s because Republicans always win and the candidates are chosen in the primaries. It boils down to the number of Texans who pick the governor, senator, etc.: about 4 to 6 percent of the population. It is easy to spot the potential winners – in the words of a White House mole, follow the money. People back a proven winner. Abbott has a campaign chest of almost $106 million. (Las Vegas mogul Miriam Adelson gave him $1 million and still didn’t get casinos in Texas.) Abbott’s pile of cash is far more than any candidate for any state office. The aforementioned Chris Bell has $4,622 cash on hand.
Further down the ballot, in the race for comptroller, Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt raised $113,000 — just five percent of Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock’s haul, and a tenth of former Republican state Sen. Don Huffines’ take. In the race for agriculture commissioner, incumbent Sid Miller brought in nearly $291,000 while his Republican challenger, businessman Nate Sheets, who’s been endorsed by Abbott,
raised over $506,000. The lone Democrat, Clayton Tucker, raised $108,000. If you want to run for a statewide office in Texas, you need a lot of campaign funds. There are, depending on how you’re counting, 20 media markets in Texas. Since the Metroplex is a bigger (fifth in the nation media market than Houston (10th) it costs more to buy TV ads in Dallas than in Houston. But you need more, and different, types of ads around the state. Former Texas Land Commissioner Garry Mauro, who was state director for Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2008, observed, “It’s like running a national campaign. There are no similarities between Amarillo and Brownsville and Beaumont and Texarkana and El Paso and Austin and Houston and Dallas. These are very separate demographic groups with very diverse interests.” OK, now we know all we need to know about our candidates, and will finally get the primaries done with. Wait. Since candidates need at least 50 percent of the vote, on May 26 we have the runoffs. Ashby is fatigued at ashby2
Astros announce 2026 Space Cowboys coaching staff
Community Reports
The Houston Astros last week announced the coaching staff for the 2026 Sugar Land Space Cowboys. The staff features five returning members from the 2025 staff, including manager Mickey Storey, pitching coach Sean Buchanan, development coach Wladimir Sutil, trainer Takeaki Ando and strength coach Sam Knox. Sugar Land’s hitters will be led by new hitting coach Drew Saylor and Kara Beitler joins the Space Cowboys as their dietitian for 2026.
Storey continues his tenure as the only manager for Sugar Land as the Triple-A affiliate of the Astros, leading the Space Cowboys to a 375351 record. The 2024 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year helped lead Sugar Land to their first Pacific Coast League title and Triple-A National Championship in 2024 and has surpassed 70 wins in five of his six seasons leading Sugar Land. 2026 will be Storey’s eighth season as a manager after previous leading Triple-A Round Rock in 2019 and Single-A Quad Cities in 2018, compiling a career record of 540-466 while guiding his teams to a postseason berth or division title in four of his seven seasons at the helm. Originally a 31st round selection by the Oakland Athletics in the 2008 draft as a right-handed pitcher, Storey pitched in the Major Leagues with the Astros (2012) and Toronto Blue Jays
(2013) during his professional career.
Buchanan returns for a second season as the pitching coach for the Space Cowboys after leading the Sugar Land staff in 2025. Under his watch, the Space Cowboys recorded nine shutouts in 2025, the most in the Pacific Coast League, while leading the league in opposing batting average (.248) and allowing the fewest runs and earned runs, finishing third in the PCL in overall ERA (4.97), just trailing Round Rock and Sacramento (4.96). In addition to working as the Space Cowboys pitching coach, Buchanan will continue his role as assistant pitching coordinator for the Astros’ farm system. Buchanan previously served as the pitching coach Corpus Christi in 2024, the Asheville Tourists in 2023 and joined the organization in 2022, working as the pitching coach for the Florida Complex League Astros Blue. Before working in the Astros’ organization, Buchanan was a coach in the collegiate ranks for eight seasons with stops at Lehigh University, Albright College, DeSales University, Ave Maria University, Bard College, Dutchess Community College and SUNY New Paltz.
Saylor comes to Sugar Land to become the hitting coach in his first season in the Astros’ organization. He previously was the director of hitting performance for the Kansas City Royals from 2023 to 2025 and was the minor league hitting coordi-
nator for the Royals from 2020 to 2022. Prior to joining the Royals, Saylor spent one year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, working as their assistant hitting coordinator for the minor leagues while also being the manager of the West Virginia Black Bears. The Wadsworth, Ohio native managed in the Dodgers’ organization from 2016 to 2018, leading the High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes to a 245-178 record, including a California League title in 2018 in which he was named the Manager of the Year by Baseball America. Saylor got his start in affiliated baseball in the Rockies’ organization, serving as the hitting coach for Advanced Rookie Grand Junction in 2012 and High-A Modesto in 2015 and managing short sea-
son Tri-City in 2013 and 2014. He played professionally for five seasons as an infielder starting in the Marlins’ organization in 2006 after being selected in the 13th round of the 2006 draft out of Kent State. He appeared with the Astros’ organization in 2007 and finished his playing career in the Atlantic League, playing for Chillicothe in 2008 and Lake Erie in 2009 and 2010. Saylor was a Louisville Slugger D-I All-American First Team and All-MAC First Team in his final year at Kent State, winning the MAC batting title when he hit .374. Sutil enters his fifth season as the development coach, first-base coach and primary baserunning coach for the Space Cowboys. In 2025, the Space Cowboys led the Pacific
PUBLIC NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL HEARING
Katy Youth Care, LLC
General Residential Operation (GRO) – Residential Treatment Center (RTC)
Katy Youth Care, LLC has applied for a license from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to operate a General Residential Operation functioning as a Residential Treatment Center.
The proposed operation will provide 24-hour residential care and treatment services for youth ages 10 through 17, including treatment services for emotional disorders, in accordance with Texas Administrative Code Chapter 748.
As required by HHSC, an informational public hearing will be held to provide an overview of the proposed operation and services.
Date: February 16, 2026
Time: 10:00am - 2:00pm
Location: 28085 Morton Rd. Katy TX. 77493
Proposed Location of Operation: 28085 Morton Road Katy, Texas 77493
Waller County, Texas
Services to Be Provided:
• 24-hour residential care
• Treatment services for emotional disorders
• Therapeutic and behavioral health services consistent with HHSC licensing standards
This hearing is informational in nature and is not a forum for approval or denial of the license. Public comments may be submitted during the hearing. You may also direct any comments or concerns to Cheryl White, RCCR Inspector 3, 1400 Summit Dr. Ste, 100, Austin Tx. 78728 PH: (512) 810-1405 Email: cheryl.white@hhs.texas.gov
For additional information, please contact: Katy Youth Care, LLC
Phone: 346-724-3050
Email: admin@katyyouthcare.com
Coast League in fielding percentage (.982) and committed the fewest errors in the league (91), one of two teams in the league to commit less than 100 errors. Prior to joining the Space Cowboys, Sutil was a manager for the Astros in the Gulf Coast League/Florida Complex League from 2017 through 2021 and served as a coach in that league in 2015. He started as a coach with the Astros at Advanced Rookie Greeneville in 2014 and was back with Greeneville in 2016. As a player, Sutil had a 10-year playing career as an infielder, spending eight seasons in the Astros’ system and one year in the Diamondbacks’ system before finishing his career in the Atlantic League in 2013. He is the Corpus Christi Hooks all-time hits leader (341) and is second all-time in stolen bases (69), having stolen 20 bases in five of his eight seasons in the Astros’ minor league system.
Ando returns to the Space Cowboys as the head athletic trainer for a third consecutive season. He previously worked as the head athletic trainer for the Corpus Christi Hooks in 2022 and 2023 and was with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers in 2021. He was scheduled to be the athletic trainer for the Gulf Coast League Astros in 2020 prior to the cancellation of the Minor League season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ando received his bachelor in sports science from Waseda University in Saitama, Japan and then obtained his master’s degree in athletic training at
the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Knox comes back to Sugar Land for a third straight year as the Space Cowboys strength coach. He worked in the same role with High-A Asheville in 2022 and 2023 and started with the Astros organization in 2021, helping with the Florida Complex League and assisting with instructionals during the offseason. A native of Lake Jackson, TX, Knox played college baseball at Cisco Junior College before working as a personal trainer from 2009 to 2016. He received his degree in kinesiology from the University of Houston and worked at Dynamic Sports Training in Houston from 2016 to 2021.
Beitler joins the Space Cowboys after working as the dietitian for the Corpus Christi Hooks in 2024 and 2025. This will be her fourth season in the Houston Astros system after working as a member of Single-A Fayetteville’s staff in 2023. Prior to joining the Astros, Beitler earned her master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from Ball State University and completed sports nutrition internships at the University of Louisville and with the Miami Marlins, assisting with the team’s minor league dietitian and nutrition coordinator. For a second consecutive season, the Space Cowboys will open the season at Constellation Field when they take on the Round Rock Express on Friday, March 27.
Sealed bids on the original forms, signed by an officer of the Company, will be received by Fort Bend County MUD No. 25 (the “Owner”) for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment and for performing all work required for the construction of: Water Plants No. 1 & 2 Rehabilitation (the “Work). Sealed, competitive bids will be received no later than 2:00 P.M., February 26, 2026, in the District Office located at 10347 Clodine Road, Richmond, Texas 77407.
Plans, specifications and bidding documents for the project are available at the following locations: Civcast USA Civcastusa.com (281) 376-4577
In general,
George’s attorneys filed a motion for continuance stating that David Medina – a former Texas Supreme Court justice now in private practice – was involved in the defense of a civil lawsuit also taking place this week in a Bexar County court. Medina was only added to George’s defense team in December, joining primary attorneys Jared Woodfill and David Yates.
Medina told 458th District Court Judge Maggie PerezJaramillo on Friday that he had been engaged by George’s defense team specifically for purposes of evidentiary evaluation and the preservation of error (for the purposes of appeal if George is convicted at trial). He told the judge that he had long been part of the defense team in the San Antonio case, which itself had been postponed.
Medina told the judge that requiring George’s trial to go forward this week as scheduled would deny his client his right to effective counsel. He said that the defense team’s request for a continuance was not made for the purposes of delaying the trial.
Brian Wice, the special prosecutor hired by the prosecutor’s office in George’s cases, and Assistant District Attorney Charann Thompson strenuously argued that the trial date had been set last August, long before Medina was hired, and that the defense team had agreed in January to proceed this week.
Wice said that Medina “created his own conflict,” adding that under Texas law, a criminal trial must take precedence over a civil trial.
“This is a consummate example of a lack of due diligence,” Wice said.
He suggested that George’s lawyers didn’t want the case to be tried, particularly in the midst of the primary election season. George, who last June announced his switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, after he was first indicted on the misdemeanor charge, is running for reelection in a crowded field in that party’s March 3 primary. Early voting is set to begin February 17.
Medina told the judge that the San Antonio case had originally been set for trial last October, but that the opposing counsel had issues that led to it being continued. It was only recently reset to begin this week, he said.
Perez-Jaramillo ultimately agreed to continue the trial to March 10, with a pretrial conference set for February 23.
Last Wednesday, the defense attorneys also filed a motion to disqualify Middleton and his prosecutors from the case, based on what they said is an ongoing “criminal investigation” of the district attorney. In the motion and in arguments at last Friday’s hearing, the attorneys argued that under a provision of the Texas Judicial Code, a prosecutor who is himself the subject of a criminal investigation must be disqualified from prosecuting a related case.
In December, Perez-Jaramillo denied the defense team’s request that Middleton and his office be removed from the prosecution. Neither in their motion to disqualify nor in arguments at Friday’s hearing did the defense team identify which agency was conducting the
investigation of Middleton or the nature of the purported investigation. The motion largely repeats accusations the defense attorneys made in previous motions to have Middleton disqualified – that the district attorney had been aware of and even a beneficiary of a “fake hate” social media scheme purportedly conducted by George’s former chief of staff.
Yates, the defense attorney, told Perez-Jaramillo that he had heard “rumblings” about an investigation in December but was only contacted and interviewed by the agency the previous week. He said the agency had asked him to be “discreet” about the investigation because it is interviewing “other witnesses.”
Yates suggested that he provide evidence of the investigation to the judge under seal for her to examine “in camera” (that is, in her chambers) so that she can weigh the defense team’s motion to have Middleton disqualified. Thompson countered that the state law the defense team was relying on in their motion to disqualify Middleton applies only to prosecutors investigating a crime of which they are themselves accused. In this case, the charges are against George, not Middleton, she noted. Since most of the motion repeats arguments that Perez-Jaramillo had previously denied, Thompson asked the judge to deny the new one as well. Wice said the defense team’s new allegations against Middleton and the prosecution team were “reckless, egregious, groundless, and baseless.”
In the end, Perez-Jaramillo told the defense team to submit their evidence of the purported criminal investigation to her by the end of the day on Monday. On Monday, which is also the Fort Bend Star’s print deadline, it was unknown whether or when she would set a hearing to rule on the motion to disqualify.
In remarks to reporters after the hearing, George reiterated his oft-repeated stance that his prosecution is a “vendetta” against him. Middleton, the district attorney, is running for reelection in the March Democratic primary.
“I will stand up and fight, and we will prevail,” he said. George, on Yates’s instruction, declined to say whether he had been interviewed as part of the purported investigation of Middleton.
In his own remarks to reporters, Wice said the prosecution team was “totally underwhelmed” by the latest allegations by George’s defense team. He said that under the U.S. judicial system, “any individual” can make a complaint against anyone that could open an investigation. What matters is that 12 jurors will begin to hear the case in trial beginning on March 10, he said.
“They can run but they can’t hide,” he said of George’s defense team.
George’s misdemeanor trial – which had been set to begin in early January –was postponed to May 5 after his attorneys filed a motion for continuance. They said prosecutors, on the eve of trial, provided them with a “voluminous” amount of
evidence
that
time
trial.
Special prosecutor Brian Wice, standing, alongside Fort Bend County prosecutors, argues before 458th District Court Judge Maggie Perez-Jaramillo in a Friday hearing. Photos by Ken Fountain
GEORGE FROM PAGE 1
Former Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina, left, one of Fort Bend County Judge KP George’s defense attorneys, prepares to make
hearing. Beside him is co-counsel Jared Woodfill.
Master Gardeners to hold
Valentine’s Day fruit tree sale
Community Reports
Fort Bend County Master Gardeners invite residents to find a special Valentine’s Day gift at their 26th annual Fruit Tree Sale in Barn H at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds. Give that someone special in your life a gift that keeps giving this Valentine’s Day. Come to the 26th annual Fort Bend County
The sale will open at 9 a.m. and continue until noon or sold out. “Come early,” Barbara Brannon, sale chairwoman, said. “Many items sell out fast.”
The sale will feature trees from apples and avocados to pecans and satsumas. “Many of our plants can be grown in containers and are selffruiting.” said Brannon. “We only purchase trees that have proven to do well in this area.”
Tropicals will be available such as dragon fruit, guava and mangos along with blueberry and blackberry bushes. Trees are standard size or dwarf. All citrus trees at the sale are certified to be disease free. Learn more at fbmg.org/events/ fruit-and-citrus-tree-sale.
Brannon encourages shoppers to use the hold area where they can keep trees while they continue to shop. A plus of the hold area is that it has its
own checkout lane, which can speed up the process for shoppers, she said. Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions about trees, how to plant them and how to take care of them. A limited number of wagons will be available to help shoppers with their purchases. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own handdrawn wagons.
The fairgrounds are located at 4310 Texas 36 in Rosenberg, just south of U.S. 59. “Shoppers can follow the signs to the barn,” said Brannon. Sale proceeds are used to support the mission of Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners. Together they provide research-based horticultural education to county residents. No funds are used to pay volunteers nor are they used for anything unrelated to their mission.
By Aubrey Cui, Sloane Parker, Angela Wu, Mahir Kota, and Arindam Sarkar, M.D.
While medical care plays an important role in shaping patients’ quality of life, non-medical variables can be even more influential. Among these factors, spirituality and religion can be powerful drivers of patient health. Spirituality refers to a person’s search for meaning and connection beyond themselves, whereas religion covers the organized institutions or belief traditions that support spirituality. These definitions vary, so we follow the terminology used by various sources. Below, we discuss how spiritual beliefs influence the physical body.
Spiritual engagement and mental health
Perceptions shape how stress affects mental health. For many, spiritual or religious beliefs can reduce feelings of hopelessness, stress, and loneliness, which alleviates depression, anxiety, and other negative psychiatric symptoms. These effects become even more important during difficult seasons of life, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or chronic illnesses. However, not all spiritual views are protective. For example, spiritual persons who see illness as divine punishment may experience isolation or excessive guilt.
Spirituality and physical health
Spirituality and end-oflife care
People’s views about spirituality and the afterlife often influence end-of-life care decisions. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine by Balboni et al. (2013) found that cancer patients who received strong
Spirituality can also benefit physical health: beliefs that alleviate stress are associated with lower blood pressure and better cardiac health. Many religious or spiritual traditions encourage positive health behaviors, like avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption, which lower cancer risk. Active practice of spiritual beliefs is also important: a 2017 study found that those who frequently attended religious events tended to use fewer substances. This could help explain why highly religious individuals live longer, even after accounting for factors like income, education, and baseline health. However, spiritual or religious beliefs can also harm health by leading patients to stop treatment early or avoid routine checkups. In such cases, medical professionals may respectfully intervene to protect patient safety.
spiritual support from religious communities were more likely to pursue aggressive end-of-life treatments which may have been motivated by spiritual values such as hope and perseverance.¹ While empowering during early illness, these perceptions may not improve late-stage quality of life. Medical professionals who integrate spiritual care can guide patients toward less-aggressive therapies that align with their values and offer peace.
Editor's note: The authors are students at the Baylor College of Medicine in the Texas Medical Center. Dr. Arindam Sarkar served as the senior author for this article. This column is for informational purposes only. Always consult a physician for medical advice.
Fort Bend County Master Gardeners will hold their annual Fruit Tree Sale on Feb. 14. Here, Master Gardener Deborah Birge helps shoppers at last year’s sale. Contributed photo
Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to editor@fortbendstar.com FOR NON-
RICHMOND/ROSENBERG ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP MEETING
Please join us on Thursday, February 5, at 7 p.m. for our monthly meeting.
We will be meeting in Room 105, the Gathering Room, at St. John’s UMC in Richmond. St. John’s is located at 400 Jackson Street. We are looking forward to an open meeting this month. We encourage caregivers to bring any ideas they would like to discuss.
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.The Richmond/Rosenberg Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group is for caregivers only.
ONGOING
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 selfconfidence, 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.
GRANT APPLICATIONS
FBJSL IS ACCEPTING CAF
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.
FOSTER CARE SERVICES
SANCTUARY
THE
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
Libraries showcase virtual author talks
Fort Bend County Libraries is showcasing a virtual author talk series each month featuring bestselling, awardwinning, and highly acclaimed authors from around the world. The featured writers and thought leaders will cover a wide range of fiction and nonfiction genres.
The free, virtual series takes place two to three times a month and includes the opportunity to ask questions to the author. A complete list of upcoming talks and past recording is available on Fort Bend County Libraries’ Virtual Author Talks website at https://libraryc.org/
Upcoming virtual author talks include: Swashbuckling Heroines and High Seas Adventures with Novelist Vanessa Riley Award-winning author of Island Queen and Murder in Westminster Thursday, February 5 at 6 p.m.
Mojos, Mermaids, Medicine, and 400 Years of Black Women’s Magic with Dr. Lindsey Stewart Award-winning author and Professor of Philosophy Thursday, February 12 at 1 p.m.
Smithson’s Gamble: The Incredible History Behind
with Smithsonian Curator Emeritus Tom Crouch A Library Speakers Consortium and Smithsonian Institution Collaboration Tuesday, February 24 at 1 p.m.
Humor, Heart, and Reflective Rural Stories with Michael Perry New York Times Bestselling Author of Population: 485 and The Jesus Cow Wednesday, March 4 at 1 p.m. All events are free and open to the public. For more information or to register for the author talks, visit libraryc. org/fortbendlibraries or call 281-633-4734.
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, sugarlandrotaryclub5890@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
