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The Fort Bend / Southwest
STAR
4655 Techniplex Dr. Suite 300, Stafford, Texas 77477 E-Mail: starnews@fortbendstar.com • Website: www.fortbendstar.com Office: 281-690-4200 • Fax: 281-690-4250 • TOLL FREE 1-888-430-7478 Volume XXXIII • No. 21
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Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Family Owned and Locally Operated • An Official Fort Bend County Newspaper
American Red Cross’ Super Ball X
Is our water okay to drink? Sugar Land receives positive (good) report By Elsa Maxey There’s probably been a sigh of relief in the local area from the recent completed report in neighboring Houston about radioactive levels for drinking water. The report announced before the holidays revealed that all water quality samples collected from 28 wells near Houston did not contain uranium and radioactive elements above the Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum contaminant level for treated drinking water. So, what does that have to do with the drinking water locally? Given the uproar in the neighboring community about the possibility of hundreds of water providers in the Gulf Coast region having radioactive contaminants that could affect one’s health, you could not help but wonder about
the water reports locally. “Radioactive contaminants in Sugar Land’s source water are very low and have consistently been below the levels established by the TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) and EPA,” according to Director of Utilities SuEllen Staggs, who states this in the city’s latest water quality report. See WATER, page 10
Allen Bogard considers two city manager positions, then opts out
The American Red Cross Super Ball X committee has kicked off the new season with an exciting addition to their team roster. Ron and Juliana Ewer will serve as the Honorary Chairmen for this year’s tenth anniversary event scheduled for Saturday, January 22, at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond. This year’s proceeds from the American Red Cross Super Ball X will support service delivery, program operations and general operating needs for the American Red Cross Southwestern Branch . The American Red Cross Super Ball X Honorary Chairmen Juliana and Ron Ewer along with Head Coach May W. Tape, DDS, American Red Cross Managing Director Sandra Startz and Head Coach Cindy Reaves gear up for the tenth anniversary of the best tailgate party in Fort Bend County – Super Ball X! To purchase tickets to the American Red Cross Super Ball X, to serve as a committee volunteer, donate an auction item or to participate as a sponsor to the event, contact the American Red Cross Southwestern Branch at 281-342-9480 or e-mail sstartz@ghac.org. See related article on page 9
Rick Bender to students:
Chew on this … half face gone due to spit tobacco By Elsa Maxey In a communication from Fort Bend County Health and Human Services, Medical Director Jean N. Galloway, M.D. shares a special visit from former minor league player Rick Bender with local area students. His message about not using tobacco was no
UPDATE
Dumb and dumber...
different than others, but he’s the real deal, credible and just like the students, he was trying to fit in. Before sharing his story, the start of 2011 offers many an opportunity to quit tobacco use. Fort Bend County residents who would like help are asked to call 1-877-YES-QUIT to receive 24 hour free counseling and up to $60 worth of free nicotine replacement therapy. Additional information is available at www. tobaccofreefortbend.com As for Bender, we’re told that when you first see him, you will stare. He lost half his face to cancer due to his use of
spit tobacco. He doesn’t call it smokeless tobacco and that’s because somehow calling it that makes it sound harmless. The Tobacco Free Fort Bend Coalition recently sponsored Bender, who lives out of state, and he visited 11 Fort Bend County schools and made15 presentations. He was also interviewed by Stafford’s Municipal/ Educational Television (METV), which will air the program next month and will also be streamed online on the City of Stafford’s website, advises METV Director Carolyn Entricht. See TOBACCO, page 10
By LeaAnne Klentzman Imagine … a pair of federal officers take a family vacation to the Sweet City CRIMINAL after fighting all OF THE WEEK kinds of federal crimes in beautiful southern California. Guess those Santa Anna By LeaAnne Klentzman ed at a high rate of speed. Adolph winds must blow family fights The new year started off with said the officer tried to jump out out of the ears of California a bang for Sugar Land police. of the way but was struck on his law enforcement because it About 2:30 a.m., on January right hand. seems while vacationing here 1, two officers were working a “The suspect vehicle sped in Sugar Land these two FBI minor accident in the 2200 block across the south bound lanes of supervisors had a couple of of Texas Drive when a white Town Center, made an illegal domestic rounds that would Chevrolet SUV approached the right turn onto the north bound make the WWF proud. accident site at a high rate of lanes of Town Center, drove the Nice to see that Sugar Land speed. wrong way on Town Center and police treating all citizens the Police spokesman Doug then turned left into the parking same, you have a domestic Adolph said, “One of the offi- lot of shopping center adjacent to disturbance…you go to jail, cers signaled the vehicle to stop First Colony mall,” said Adolph. no matter who you are. Even and the driver initially complied.” Adolph also said that after a when you’re a long way from As that officer walked out in short pursuit, the driver stopped. home with federal Id’s. front of the SUV in an attempt As officers exited their vehicles, Bet even the caped crusader to approached the driver, the car again, the driver accelerated - this #9303SugarLand'11FortBendStarBillboardAd_1 12/13/10 11:36 AM Page 1 can’t push this rope up hill. lurched forward at and acceleratSee OFFICER, page 10
DUMB
Sugar Land officer injured early New Year’s morning
NEW TRENDS
NEW IDEAS
NEW PRODUCTS
for
2011
By Elsa Maxey contribution and there is an enviTwo applications were pend- ronment where I can contribute, ing for consideration to fill that’s what I would like to do.” vacated city manager positions Bogard’s name was spotted on in Corpus Christi and a list of 53 applicants for Plano, but Sugar Land the city manager’s posiCity Manager Allen tion in a Corpus Christi Bogard says they have newspaper and the other been withdrawn. application for the same “What I would like to post in Plano, where do is to be able to comBogard said he worked plete my career here,” 25 years ago, was also Bogard told the "Star". Allen Bogard for a vacated position to “I am 56 years old and replace a retiring longhave another five to ten years to time city manager. devote to a public service career, Bogard said that city manager and as long as I can make a positions many times are filled
by using executive search firms. “Just this last year there has been a lot of turnover in city manager positions,” he said, noting that two of the larger cities, Corpus Christi and Plano, both used executive search firms. “I was recruited to apply and I was honored and complimented by that and I decided that I would consider that opportunity.” After visiting with his family, he said that he came to the conclusion that although it would be an exciting opportunity, “I have other priorities that I put ahead of that.” See ALLEN, page 13
Deputy succumbs to his injuries
Fort Bend mourns loss of Deputy John Norsworthy By LeaAnne Klentzman While responding to an in progress call on Monday evening, December 27, 2010, Sheriff’s deputy JD Norsworthy was involved in a rollover accident off FM 762. He was taken by air ambulance to the Houston Medical Center where he valiantly fought for life for over a week. At 8 a.m., Tuesday, January
4, 2011 Norsworthy was taken off life support. At 10:51 a.m. that morning his sister posted his police radio call number 4P130 Off Duty…. In a loving tribute to her brother, his sister Bridget set up a blog (www.jd3006.blogspot.com) in order to keep family, friends and the community updated on her brother’s status.
Each day, she detailed, often with humor, the trials and struggles the family was facing along with telling John Norsworthy her brother’s See NORSWORTHY, page 10
Man robbed at Garden Inn parking lot By LeaAnne Klentzman Shortly after 4 a.m., Monday morning, a man was robbed at the Hilton Garden Inn parking lot located at 772 Bonaventure Way in Sugar Land. Responding officers discovered the victim had been robbed at gunpoint of his cell phone and wallet. Information developed
JANUARY 15-16 Stafford Centre
while on the scene led police to the suspects. The male and female robbery team were arrested and taken into custody in the 200 block of Teal Lane in the Sugar Lakes subdivision. The suspects have been identified as Elliott Hudson of Sugar Amanda Vidal Elliott Hudson Land and Amanda Vidal of San Antonio. Both face charges of aggravated robbery.
Toys for Tots successful Toys for Tots Fort Bend volunteers sorted and distributed toys for 2,471 local children this year, double the number of children who benefited from the program last year. Lone Star Exchange Club members and Jack Molho gather around some of the donated toys. Back row L to R: Kathy Ballard, Diane Molina, Jack Molho of Toys for Tots Fort Bend, front row: Lone Star Exchangites L to R: Georgia Flynn, Chayo Huff, Yvonne Ramsey, Gina Huber, and Tracey Shaw. For more information please visit www.toysfortots.org.
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