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VOL 6 No. 6
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2013
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Sugar Land
Will defend ‘Unalienable Gold refinery opens in Sugar Land rights of citizens,’ says sheriff By SESHADRI KUMAR Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls has joined several of his counterparts across the country who have vowed not to implement any executive order on gun control signed by President Barack Obama. The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office has received several requests for a statement in response to attention and federal executive orders relating to the right to keep and bear arms. Nehls issued the following statement in his personal capacity and in his capacity as the Sheriff of Fort Bend County. “I have spent my career serving in law enforcement and with the United States Armed Forces for the purpose of protecting the liberties and freedoms we enjoy in our great land. With respect to the Second Amendment to the Constitution, my position is that the right to self-defense is an unalienable right and it includes the right to possess firearms, a position confirmed by the United States Supreme Court in 2008. “Please note that the duties of the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office include preserving the peace and fairly enforcing the laws of the State of Texas. Executive orders from the President of the United States directed to members of the federal executive branch are not applicable to a Texas official. “May God bless and protect you, the State of Texas, and the United States of America.” Opinion is divided on the issue if a sheriff can defy the
Quail Valley Yard of the Month for February is the garden of Darwin and Joyce Twedt of 2907 Del Monte Court. For year round color in the garden, the Twedts use accent colors in a disappearing water feature as well as the front entry. For winter the red Holly berries provide color and attract birds. The dwarf Bottle Brushes are just starting to bloom with the budding begonias and window box. Yellow Bulbine will be in full flourish when the violet Loropetalum blossom in the spring. Drive by to experience how the color stimulates the eye to travel and provides texture in this garden. The Twedts received a plant from Flowers by Adela as well as a Certificate from the Quail Valley Garden Club. The public is invited to our February 14 program on Potpourri. Contact Sharon Wright at 281 438-3653 or visit http:// traction.typepad.com/qvgc for details.
Nehls federal law and the question is if the executive order is tantamount to federal law. CNN’s Wolf Blitzer reportedly told a Utah sheriff that if Barack Obama issues an executive order, that order is the law and the sheriff must obey. Some experts disagree. A president can issue executive orders only to employees of the federal government— and only regarding implementing federal laws or programs. A governor can likewise issue executive orders to employees of his state government regarding the laws or programs of that state.
Every sheriff is a county officer, elected by the voters of that county. The Supreme Court held in Printz v. U.S. in 1997 that the Tenth Amendment forbids the federal government from ever ordering any state or local official to carry out a federal program. In this case involving a sheriff—Jay Printz of Montana—and a federal gun control law, the court held that the court deemed unconstitutional a provision in the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act that would have required local authorities to conduct background checks for handgun purchases pending the establishment of a national checking system. A sheriff should always perform his or her duties in accordance with the Constitution of the United States as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court, according to the National Sheriff’s Association. Often, when it comes to immigration laws, local law enforcements officials refuse to enforce those laws saying it is the federal government’s job.
KK&B Gold & Silver Refinery, the only gold refinery approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in the greater Houston area, is now open for business at 3599 Highway 6 in Sugar Land in the Kroger shopping center, between Settlers Way Blvd. and Williams Trace. A formal ribbon cutting ceremony was organized by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce last week and Sugar Land’s Mayor ProTem Don Smithers attended the ceremony. KK&B has imported from Europe the latest gold refining equipment, which chemically dissolves the solid and separates pure gold and silver. Owner David Huynh says the refining equipment is only one of its kind in Texas, and maybe, even in the country. The refinery can extract 20 kg of gold over 8 hours. KK&B Refinery directly melts the gold, silver and copper scrap and since no middleman is involved, it offers the highest price of up to 98 percent of the value of gold. Above, Fayth Burgin, left, Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, Jia Li, director of marketing, KK&B Refinery, Victor Tran of KK& B, David Huynh, owner, KK&B, Mayor ProTem Don Smithers, Merle Smithers, and Denise Monroe; Rear, Doug Earle of First Colony Community Association and Mindy Jeong of KK&B Refinery.
Missouri City allows apartments near Fort Bend Parkway By BARBARA FULENWIDER Missouri City City Council has approved apartments and commercial development at its Jan. 22 meeting while rezoning 432.87 acres from retail to multi-use. The Fort Bend Parkway Planned Development District is located to the east and west of the Fort Bend Parkway, south of Lake Olympia Parkway and north of Trammel Fresno Road.
The new development is to consist of retail and commercial uses, office and warehouses and multi-family units, which would be on approximately 43 acres of land, located southeast of the Lake Olympia entrance ramp onto Fort Bend Parkway. Because the rezoning to allow apartments was not consistent with recommendations in the city’s Future Land Use and Character plan, council
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had to vote to amend that before approving the rezoning of the parkway acreage. The city’s comprehensive plan provides for “minor” amendments regarding particular rezoning requests, according to background information provided to councilmen. Councilman Jerry Wyatt voted no to amend Missouri City’s land use plan and no on the planned development because each would allow more apartments in Missouri City. Background information to council stated that requirements for multi-family development must include a greenbelt, public and/or private parkland and follow proposed design standards, which “would make any multi-fam-
ily development more consistent with the suburban character.” Wyatt asked about plans to extend Hurricane Lane and Assistant City Manager Scott Elmer told council that the two-lane extension will be north from Trammel-Fresno Road to Lake Olympia Parkway. Funding will be provided from the Houston-Galveston Area Council and be an 80/20 match with the city’s portion being 20 percent of the $8 million the extension will cost. Property owners have told the city they will donate the right of way for Hurricane Lane, and TxDOT will build the extension, Elmer said. The two-lane extension is expected to help spur development
within the business park area of the development. If Hurricane Lane is extended within two to four years, development of the northwest and northeast commercial tracts and the multifamily housing are expected to start during that time frame. Within four to six years site development is expected to continue within the northwest, northeast, southeast and southwest commercial tracts and the business park east. Within six years the multifamily district is expected to be built out and development will continue within the commercial districts up to eight years. The entire planned development is expected to be completed within 12 years.