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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. 4
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Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Family Owned and Locally Operated • An Official Fort Bend County Newspaper
Back-to-School Social at SLCS great fun for all
Parents question Fort Bend
ISD transportation changes since March in regard to these changes.” In light of that, what seems to be the problem? A resident of Covington Woods subdivision whose child attends Kempner High School wants to know why transportation bus service was stopped for the neighborhoods of Covington Woods, Gannonway, and Greenbriar, and the subdivisions of Sugar Mill were recently added to the stopping of bus service. She cited safety issues at the crossing at the
Stafford unveils next year’s proposed budget St. Laurence Catholic School (SLCS) kicked off the new school year with their 2nd Annual Back-to-School Social in August. Students and their families were invited to attend along with the faculty and staff to “come and catch the Spirit” before school began. The evening was full of fun, fellowship, and food. Families brought picnic baskets and sat out on the playground while their children caught up on their fun summers. Children were able to get their face painted and hair sprayed with color by our cheerleaders and NJHS students. Shown at the social were some SLCS students with mascot “Leo the Lion”.
More of Newpoint Estates to be annexed by city of Missouri City By Elsa Maxey By the end of the month, property owners in Sections 1, 2 and 3 of Newpoint Estates in Fort Bend County, not within either Missouri City or Arcola’s city limits, will be notified that those properties of the subdivision are proposed for annexation. Newpoint Estates is located south of Highway 6 at Darby Lane about five miles west of
Highway 288 near the Fort Bend Toll Road. In accordance with recent action from city council, Missouri City is proceeding to prepare an annexation service plan for the area and it will let the land owners know of its intentions. The city has expressed its desire to annex the area, and within the past year, subdivision residents at a home owners
TV’s Amazing Race features Sugar Land dad and son team
This photo of Michael and Kevin Wu of Sugar Land is from an online video allowing viewers to get to know the father and son duo before their appearance on the Amazing Race to premiere later this month.
By Elsa Maxey There’s a new cast for the CBS season premiere of Amazing Race on Sept. 26, and a Sugar Land father and son team are directing the lime light over this way. Michael Wu and his 20 year old son, Kevin, will compete in a reality television game show in which teams of two people, with a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams. See RACE, page 12
Lakefield scene of driveway robbery By LeaAnne Klentzman Sugar Land Police were called to a home in the 3200 block of Lakefield Boulevard to investigate a robbery on Thursday, September 2, at 2:41 a.m. According to police, the victim, a woman, had been out with friends. As she pulled her car into the garage, she was approached by a man with a knife who
robbed her. The woman was not physically injured. She described her attacker as a black male 5'10"-6'01" with a medium build. He was wearing a black short sleeve shirt, black shorts and armed with a knife. The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Sugar Land Police at 281-275-2500.
association meeting expressed the same wishes. A website on the subdivision advises that the remainder of the neighborhood not within the city limits may be annexed by Missouri City in 2008. So the move in this direction should not come as a surprise to the property owners. A city synopsis with a timeline for annexation states that, “Also, notice must be sent to the public entities serving the area, the utilities serving the area, and any railroad within the area.” In accordance with the plans for annexation, the process will be See NEWPORT, page 12
By Elsa Maxey “We cannot expect a speedy Mayor Leonard Scarcella recovery in the nation’s econosaid Stafford will have an “aus- my and cannot assume our local tere budget” for fiscal year economy will be running at full 2010-11. The city howspeed any time soon,” ever, will not have to said Mayor Scsarcella sell parking, an airport, in his mayor’s message or a zoo, pointed out this past week. “Simply Mayor Scarcella referput, economic times are ring to a story headline tough and expected to from the Wall Street stay that way through Journal calling attenthe short term and Leonard Scarcella tion to measures cities maybe longer,” he said. facing budget gaps are taking to Mayor Scarcella added that the makes ends meet. city must adapt and adhere to Instead, Stafford for the first a principle it has long adhered time will be supplementing the to…”living within our means.” city’s general fund by $ 2 milIn his annual budget meslion with monies from its cash sage, he credited several reserve fund. See STAFFORD, page 14
Three homicide trials -- two guilty verdicts, one hung jury By LeaAnne Klentzman As three homicide cases came to a close in the District Courts of Fort Bend County, two men were convicted and the jury hung on the third. In the 434th District Court under the direction of Judge James Shoemake, Edward George McGregor was convicted
of Capital Murder. McGregor, a 38 year-old Missouri City man, was charged with breaking into the home of Kim Wildman in 1990 and sexually assaulting her then stabbing her to death. Although charged with Capital Murder, McGregor was only 17 when he committed the crime and state and federal laws preclude the death penalty when the defendant is younger than 18 at the time of the offense said prosecuting attorney Jeff Strange. Assistant District Attorney Jeff Strange painstakingly explained to the jury how Kim Wildman called 911 the night of April 17, 1990, crying for help. Missouri City police officers rushed to her house to find her conscious, but dying, from multiple stab wounds said Strange. Wildman could only tell police she was attacked by someone she didn’t know. She died the following day in the hospital. Strange explained how Wildman had been bound, sexually assaulted and stabbed with a knife. During the investigation of the crime scene police found small breaks in a glass window leading them to believe that the suspect was able to gain access to Austin Powers (Steve Stewart) saves Fort Bend County from Dr. Evil at the home. Evidence was collected the 2010 Groovy Party benefiting Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels. at the scene. See related article on page 18. See HOMICIDE, page 14
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Burney/Voss traffic light and said responses from the district were evasive. She’s asked about placing a security officer/crossing guard to assist at the traffic light, placing a guard at the driveway to turn into the school off Voss and whether an inclement weather policy exists given changing road conditions in light of young drivers that turn into the school off Voss. A second crossing guard request was made for this area, also. Another parent wants to know about bus transportation on the newly developed West Bellfort road in the Four Corners area because apparently there are no sidewalks for the walk to and from school .. and what about school bus transportation for athletes after sports practices. Is this no longer available? Then, there were two parents at a recent board meeting before the start of the school term that also had concerns about transportation bus changes. Where’s the accountability to the taxpayers wanting answers? Porter said that the district handles the requests on a case by case basis noting that the district has already worked with one of the parents and handled the matter. “Fort Bend ISD is handling transportation requests as they are received and the District encourages parents to contact the Transportation Department directly for assistance,” she advises. From the district’s transportation department, Porter passes on the Lake Olympia Terminal phone number for the east side of the district,281-634-1930, and the Hodges Bend Terminal phone number for the west side of the district, 281-634-1970. Transportation information is posted on the district’s website, she states, and is found as an announcement on the district’s homepage at fortbendisd.com.
Don’t it make ya’ wanta go home? By LeaAnne Klentzman Thursday afternoon, just before 2 p.m., Rosenberg Police were called to CRIMINAL investigate a theft OF THE WEEK in the 800 block of Fourth Street. As officers responded, the dispatcher broadcast the description of the suspect vehicle. Just so happens, the suspect vehicle, was also reported stolen by Richmond Police. One of those things that makes you go ... h u m m m m. Within minutes of the description broadcast, another officer spotted the stolen car on Jenetta Street. See DUMB, page 12
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By Elsa Maxey Now that FBISD schools are in full swing, there are bus transportation changes that have some parents asking questions. FBISD Director of Communications, Nancy Porter, said bus transportation changes were discussed at board meetings that began on March 8. “Several news releases and communications about the changes have been sent to the media, electronic newsletters, letters and post cards to parents and posted on the district’s website