Tender Care Ambulance Services 281.742.0210
Non Emergency Medical Transportation! • No Out of Pocket Expense for the patient! All Insurances Accepted (excluding Medicare)
104 Industrial Blvd, Suite L Sugar Land, Texas 77478
• Trained EMT on board at all times.
The Fort Bend / Southwest
STAR
TOM MALER
281-203-6900
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
4405 Highway 6 • Sugar Land
Fort Bend’s most in-depth news coverage • Check our website FortBendStar.com
Volume XXXV • No. 40
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Elkins HS staffers save co-worker and unborn baby's life By Betsy Dolan
It was the day after Valentine's Day, and Erica Nigrelli's heart was full. She was living her dream: teaching, coaching and just four weeks away from the birth of her first child with husband and fellow Elkins High School teacher, Nathan. In an instant, it all changed. "Some students said, 'Your wife is hurt' and I went running into the classroom and she was laying on the floor," Nathan recalled. "She wasn't breathing and I just froze." What happened next would later be called a miracle by Erica's family. With two lives hanging in the balance, three women, also Elkin's employees, converged in the classroom, each possessing a unique skill that would ultimately save mother and child. Athletic trainer and Fort Bend ISD CPR educator, June Tomlin heard about Erica's collapse
arrived. 9-1-1 was called and Reeves prepared the electronic defibrillator. "We shocked her three times and on that last time we finally got a faint pulse just as the paramedics got there," Reeves said. Meanwhile, Tomlin continued with the chest compressions and Longoria monitored Erica's vital signs. "EMS saw that we had a Nathan and Erica Nigrelli with rhythm going and that it was 3-month old Elena share their working so they let us continue amazing story with the media. what we were doing . We didn't even have to talk to each other," said Longoria. and immediately raced to the When Erica arrived at the classroom. hospital her condition was "I cut off her shirt just as critical. Doctors made the she took her last breath and decision to do an emergency I immediately started chest Cesarean section to try and save Shown from left, June Tomlin, Maxine Reeves and Jennifer Longoria are honored by Missouri City Fire and compressions," said Tomlin. the baby. Rescue for their actions in saving the lives of Elena and Erica in February. "And I didn't stop." "The doctors told me that Erica School nurse Jennifer delivered post-mortem because Longoria, who had worked in she did not have a heart beat a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ELKINS, continued on page 7 and teacher Maxine Reeves
Clock is ticking
Deadline draws near to appeal Fort Bend property tax appraisals By Elsa Maxey
A well known consultant representing taxpayers on property tax appraisals lists “the government needs the money more than I do” as the top reason for not challenging an appraisal.
Whether you’re going to do it or not is up to you, but the deadline to file a protest in Fort Bend County with the Fort Bend County Appraisal District is at the end of the month. Keep in mind that there’s the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May
US 90A at SH 99 intersection closure to install bridge beams Scheduled to begin on Friday, May 31, 2013 the intersection of US 90A at SH 99 will undergo a total closure so that the contractor constructing the toll road can set bridge beams over the intersection. The closure will impact the traveling public for three (3) consecutive weekends, as well as some weekday overnight closures. The
following is the schedule for the intersection closures: Weekend closures • Friday, May 31 at 8:00 pm through Monday, June 3rd at 5:00 am • Friday, June 7 at 8:00 pm through Monday, June 10th at 5:00 am CLOSURE, continued on page 7
27, and the offices will be closed that day. So, if you intend to do it, the clock is ticking. As for the government needing the money, it’s been said that if your house is worth $150,000 and the assessed value goes up by 10 percent, that would mean a $450 increase in property taxes. Imagine what else the local government entities could do if everyone contributed on the average an extra $450 in property taxes this upcoming year! In other cases, one could argue along the same lines if an assessment remained the same and the property tax rates of the taxing entities, such as a city, municipal utility district, school district, etc., went up instead. That is what local taxing bodies do in this area. To fund x, y, and/ or z, a property tax rate goes up. But, before that, there are public hearings. DEADLINE, continued on page 10
Boy drowns at Greatwood pool party By Betsy Dolan
A kindergarten student at Dickinson Elementary School drowned in a Greatwood community pool on Friday, May 19 during a private birthday party. Jaden Nwokedi, who would have turned six next month, was found unconscious in the shallow end of the pool at Winding Brook Drive and Shadow Bend. A
lifeguard was on duty at the time. The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said Nwokedi's lips were blue when he was pulled out of the water and the lifeguard began CPR. A nurse who was attending the party helped the lifeguard until rescue crews arrived. Nwokedi was transported by LifeFlight to Memorial Hermann Medical Center with rescue crews performing CPR on the
boy the entire time. Nwokedi was pronounced dead at the hospital. A candlelight vigil was held for him in Greatwood on Sunday night. Nwokedi had played two seasons of tee-ball at Rosenberg National Little League. The league will plant a tree in his honor on May 30 at 7 p.m. at Seabourne Creek Sports Complex. Flags will also fly at half-staff during all All Star Games played at RNLL in June and July. A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 25 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Rosenberg.
Economic development successes at heart of Missouri City's State of the City By Betsy Dolan
Strategic location, a highly educated workforce and diverse population have helped make Missouri City's economic developments efforts stand out, according to Mayor Allen Owen who addressed a large crowd at the State of the City address held at Quail Valley Town Center on May 15.
"Seeing us lower the tax burden on the homeowner by increasing business growth is what we've been successful in doing," Owen said. Owen touted the city's double digit increase in commercial growth over the past five years. He attributed it to the success of public/private partnerships in attracting several new companies including Niagara Bottling, the
Stafford mayor and councilmembers take oath of office By Karen Daniels
Though no one ran against Mayor Leonard Scarcella and councilmembers Wen Guerra, Felecia Evans-Smith, and Fred Woolridge in the May election, at last week's City Council meeting they each spoke for a moment to thank the citizens of Stafford for their ongoing support before taking the oath of office. Mayor Scarcella addressed the audience of the upcoming challenges and opportunities facing Stafford over
the next two years. • Transformation at Stafford MSD. The 49.9 million dollar bond project that was approved in May of 2011 will be completed this September of 2013, bringing a "very unique" situation as the district makes their mark as a top rated school. • Commuter rail. The Mayor is "still fighting the good fight 13 years later." There will be much STAFFORD, continued on page 7
Where is white boy “D”
Two burglars caught one more on the loose By LeaAnne Klentzman
As many as five commercial burglaries across two counties may be cleared. Sheriff’s deputies have arrested two people in connection with a rash of commercial burglaries in the north east quadrant of Fort Bend County, but are HHHHHHHHHHHH still looking for a third. Stuffed animals, candles and flowAccording to Sheriff’s ers outside of a community pool in spokesman Bob Haenel, Greatwood to honor a five-year old Dominique Moore, boy who drowned on Friday. 24, and his girlfriend
Dominique Moore
Priscilla Perez
Priscilla Perez, 22, both of Houston, were arrested after they were found in the proximity of several alarm calls. Haenel said on May 6, Fort Bend sheriff’s deputies responded to multiple business alarms at a shopping center in the 8400 block of FM 1464 near the Mission Oaks subdivision. While responding to the call, deputies found Perez sitting in a TWO, continued on page 10
second largest bottler in the nation and Ben E. Keith Foods which is Missouri City's largest employer. Twin Star Bakeries, Bimbo Bakery, Allied Group and CNC Manufacturing are also building new facilities or expanding existing facilities in the city's business parks. Currently the city's economic development office is working with a food manufacturer to purchase 20 acres for a distribution facility. "All of this stuff we've talked about is over $500 million dollars worth of new business to the city," Owen said. "But more importantly, it is over 1,500 new jobs." ECONOMIC, continued on page 7
A SALUTE TO OUR SOLDIERS
Fort Bend Star will be closed Monday, May 27
Memorial Day The office will open Tuesday at 9 a.m.
Can’t fix stupid By LeaAnne Klentzman
In January of 2011 a guy loans a buddy $100 bucks. Just to prove that no CRIMINAL good deed goes OF THE WEEK unpunished, that buddy repaid him with …. funny money! That’s right, tried to repay his debt with counterfeit bills. Imagine the financier’s surprise, he declined to call it even and demanded his cash – the proper kind. Who’d ever thought you’d
DUMB
CAN’T, continued on page 10