Phone: 281-980-6745
www.fbindependent.com ww .fbindependent.com
VOL 4 No 17
FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Sugar Land
Birds of Fort Bend: Black-throated Green Warbler
Look high in trees or in bushes to see this lovely little songbird with its Zoo-Zee song. Distinctive yellow head and black throat, this bird is migrating to Canada for summer breeding and is found throughout the US from mid Texas east. Habitat in pine forests and transitional areas, this insect eater is quick moving and usually stays in foliage. Photo by Margaret Sloan. To see more photos, visit http://traction.typepad.com/birds
Denim Day exposes sexual assault
Join Fort Bend County Women’s Center for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month by participating in Denim Day 2011 on April 27. By simply wearing a pair of jeans, a denim shirt or jacket, participants can help raise awareness of sexual assault in the Fort Bend community. Denim Day began in the mid-90’s when a teenage girl in Italy was picked up by her 45-year-old old driving instructor for her first lesson. He took her to an isolated location, pulled her out of the car and forcefully raped her. Despite threats that she would be killed if she told anyone, the girl reported the incident, and the case was prosecuted. The driving instructor was convicted of rape and sentenced to jail. Months later, the perpetrator appealed the sentence, and the case made it all the way to the Italian Supreme Court. The case against the driving instructor was overturned, and the perpetrator was released. In a statement released by the Head Judge, he stated, “because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans, it was no longer rape but consensual sex.” Outraged by the verdict, the women in the Italian Parliament began what started out as a protest against the court case by wearing jeans to work. It began an annual international demonstration known as Denim Day. The wearing of jeans became an international symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault. • In 2010, the Fort Bend County Women’s Center served 222 sexual assault survivors. Only 98 rapes were reported in Fort Bend County in 2009. Many women do not report their victimization for a variety of reasons, including fear. How You Can Help •Wear a pair of jeans, a denim shirt or jacket on April 27. •Visit The Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land on Saturday, April 30 - Bring a donation for the Women’s Center and receive $2 off your admission! Museum Members will receive an additional 5 percent discount on their purchases in the Museum Store •Drop off your gently used clothes, shoes, furniture and household items at any of the Women’s Center’s three Pennywise Resale Centers. The Women’s Center will even pick up large items! For more information, visit www.fortbendwomenscenter.org .
Fort Bend GOP adopts resolution supporting DeLay The Republican Party of Fort Bend County Executive Committee, at its meeting Thursday, April 14 unanimously passed a resolution in support of former House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay. The resolution expressed “appreciation for his tireless service to the community, the State of Texas and the nation and the price that he has paid for being an effective advocate of Republican governance.” The resolution also expressed the party’s belief that DeLay’s political enemies inappropriately used the mechanics of government to persecute him as payback for his effectiveness, particularly during the 2002 redistricting. Rick Miller, Chairman of the Fort Bend Republican Party said, “It was important that this resolution was supported by the Executive Committee and particularly that it was passed unanimously. Tom DeLay contributed significantly to the growth of Fort Bend County (second largest growth of Texas counties in the 2010 census), the Republican Party, Texas and the Country, and he deserves to have many of us standing strong with him.” During the debate portion of the consideration of the resolution, a number of individuals rose to speak in support of the resolution and of DeLay personally, relating personal experiences they had with him over the years he served Fort Bend County. One person related how DeLay and his wife, Christine, had started Rio Bend, a special community dedicated to foster children, using no federal and only private funds. Another person related that Tom and Christine DeLay were themselves foster parents. No one rose to speak in opposition to the proposed resolution. In addition to expressing appreciation for DeLay’s service, the resolution urged Fort Bend Republicans to donate to the Tom DeLay Legal Defense Fund, 800 Commerce Street, Houston, Texas 77002.
Start Art Houston Local watercolorist, Sylvia Morgan, has just finished a large concept painting of the Imperial Holly Char House and posted it on the new Start Art Houston website, www. startarthouston.com. The painting is a new image of the historical Char House in tones of the sunset. Start Art Houston posts mostly the art of artists within 150 miles of Houston. Start Art has been available to local artists for about a month. Several artists have discovered the site and its benefits. Customers find the benefits of free delivery in most cases and installation on request. They learn about the art and the artist and when customers buy art they support a local artist. Morgan is passionate about capturing the beauty of Sugar Land in watercolor. She finds events, buildings and landscapes to paint all around her in this exciting city. She hopes someday her art will become a historical treasure of how life in Sugar Land is today. She is in her studio at Artists’ Alliance of Sugar Land most afternoons, and she is pleased when locals drop by to see what is happening at the fine arts center on 104 Industrial Boulevard. FREEDOM AND FRIENDSHIP JUBILEE LUNCHEON. Freedom and Friendship is the theme of the May luncheon of Fort Bend Friends and Neighbors. while they award scholarships to deserving Fort Bend high school students and college freshmen attending college in Fort Bend County. Money for the scholarships was raised by our annual auction in November 2010 and sales of the 30th Anniversary Celebration Cookbook. The luncheon will take place at BraeBurn Country Club in Houston, May 19, 2011 at 11 a.m. Decorations of our country’s red, white, and blue will adorn the club as live entertainment puts our guests in the patriotic spirit. A memorable celebration of American patriotism and heroism will be shared by all as Fort Bend Friends and Neighbors and guests will be honored to be in the company of and hear from one of America’s Wounded Heroes. Pictured are: Gail Grace, president; Nancy Frank, VP for luncheons; and Marilyn Davis, scholarship chairman. Tickets for the Freedom and Friendship Jubilee Luncheon are $30 for members and $35 for guests. For more information, email vpluncheons@fbfn.org
Assisted Living Facilities face stringent rules After extensive evaluation of assisted living facilities and state statutes governing them, Missouri City is planning to implement municipal regulations that will improve the safety and welfare of residents who reside in assisted living facilities. At its April 18 meeting, City Council voted to move forward with an ordinance that does the following: *Prohibits individuals who do not possess required state licenses from opening or operating an assisted living facility in Missouri City. *Allows the fire marshal to order the emergency closure of a facility whose owner does not hold a required state license and that poses an immediate threat to the health and safety of a facility resident.
THE TIME IS NOW, THE WAIT IS OVER www.RemaxFine.com 281-265-5533 281-2655533 Highway 6 & Austin Parkway We Can Show You ANY House Listed!
The ordinance was authorized on the first of two readings and City Council will consider final approval on the second reading at its next regularly scheduled meeting on May 2. If approved by City Council, violators of the ordinance will face fines up to $500 and Missouri City will become the first municipality in Texas to adopt an emergency closure law. In addition, Missouri City will join El Paso as the second state municipality that prohibits assisted living facilities from operating without a license. “We are committed to fully protecting our citizens and these new rules will enable staff to ensure populations impacted by this ordinance have the best quality-of-life available to them,” City Manager
Frank Simpson said. “At times, we may incur nominal enforcement costs, but in the long run the City will save lives and achieve savings by reinforcing the law and having existing or potential operators voluntarily come into compliance.” Statewide, the management of assisted living facilities is a priority, given that there are more than 2.4 million seniors who live in Texas, a number that continues to rise along with the need for assisted living and long-term care. The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services is responsible for regulating assisted living facilities and publishes a detailed operations manual for owners. By definition of City ordinance, an assisted living facility is an establishment that: (1) Furnishes, in one or more facilities, food and shelter to
four or more persons who are unrelated to the proprietor of the establishment; (2) Provides: a. personal care services; or b. administration of medication by a person licensed or otherwise authorized in this state to administer the medication; and (3) May provide assistance with or supervision of the administration of medication. Additionally, in the event the fire marshal effects the emergency closure of a facility, City code requires the fire marshal to provide written notification to the following parties: the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services and other appropriate state agencies; the owner of the property on which a facility is located; the facility operator; a staff member and any lien holders or proprietors.
10701 Corporate Drive, #282, Stafford, TX 77477 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, TX 77487 Seshadri Kumar Publisher & Editor
www.fbindependent.com 281-980-6745
Fort Bend Independent, (USPS 025-572) is published every Wednesday (for a subscription rate of $20 per year) by Fort Bend Independent, LLC., 10701 Corporate Dr., #282, Stafford, Texas 77477. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stafford, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fort Bend Independent, P.O. Box 623, Sugar Land, Tx 77487.