One Father's Moment: Page 5
WEDNESDAY • JANUARY 2, 2019
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Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 43 • No. 19
Marshall has season to remember By Bill McCaughey FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
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The Marshall season came to an end in the state championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on December 21 as the Aledo Bearcats won 55-19. The Bearcats won their eighth state title, tying them for the most championships in state history with Southlake Carrol, Katy and Celina. It was also their seventh state championship in ten years. This was Marshall’s first trip to the championship game, and only the second time a Fort Bend ISD team had played for a state championship. The first time was Willowridge in 1982 when Thurman Thomas led
the team to a 4A state championship. The Buffalos kept the game close for one and a half quarters before the Bearcats dominant offensive line combined with the power and speed of junior running back Jase McClellan proved to be too much for the Marshall defense. McClellan opened the scoring with a 42-yard run with 8:18 to go in the first quarter. After a Marshall punt put the ball on the Bearcats one-yard line. McClellan made his only mistake of the game by fumbling in the end zone where Marshall linebacker Frank
SEE MARSHALL, PAGE 5
Jose Rivera (56), Ja’Mikel Williams-Sims (20), Korey King (13), Nautica McArthur (9), Jailen Rice (32) and Jaquze White (34) lead the Marshall Buffalos onto the field in the state semifinal game against Calallen on December 14 in San Antonio. (Photos by Bill McCaughey)
In with the new
George outlines plans as county judge Kolkhorst files bill to fully fund state parks From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
State Sen. Lois W. Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) has filed Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 24 to secure funding for the 95 state parks and historic sites operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and 22 historic sites operated by the Texas Historical Commission. The legislation would constitutionally dedicate funds already collected under the sporting goods sales tax. “As our state population grows, we must promote and protect our public parks and state historic sites. We can all agree that these special places are vital to our economy and to our Texas heritage, culture, and way of life,” said Kolkhorst.
SEE PARKS, PAGE 7
By Theresa D. McClellan THERESA@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
When the high waters of Hurricane Harvey hit the Riverstone community in Sugar Land, KP George was flooded with calls from neighbors wanting to know what to do and where to go. As the days of turmoil continued, George was on the ground volunteering, like so many others, and realizing there are holes in the system. It was then that he decided to take on Robert Hebert, the 16-year incumbent, for the county judge’s seat. “I spent two weeks volunteering on the ground during Harvey in Riverstone and at shelters. I saw tremendous non-communication. They all worked hard to do the best they could, but they could do better,” said George. “I live in Precinct 4 and could have gone against (County Commissioner James) Patterson,” said George. “The county judge is directly responsible for emergency management. The commission has no say.” He said his top priori-
ties in his campaign were emergency management, transparency, and citizen engagement. George won the election in November,
attracting votes from both parties and making history. “He makes history as the highest vote-getter for county judge in Fort Bend
There are 13 cities in Fort Bend County and the county is the functioning arm of the state, explained George. “We are not policy making; the state tells us. When we want something done, we’ve got to write to the state. Our job is day-to-day citizen life including safety and security, infrastructure, health and human services. The cities have autonomy and assist but the county judge is elected county-wide as the top officer. The other departments report to me or the commissioners,” he said. It’s a big job but George is no stranger to hard work. His full name is Kyle Prasad George but he shortened it to KP, “to make it easier. I just want to make your life easy, everybody life easy,” he said. George did not have an easy life. He grew up in an isolated village called Kokkathode in Southern India that was cut off by a big river. “We have a long monsoon season and when the monsoon starts, the river is full,” he said.
SEE GEORGE, PAGE 7
A voice from above Missouri City man is professional narrator By Joe Southern JSOUTHERN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Kevin Minatrea is a big man with a big voice who works in a very tiny closet.
State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst signs Senate Joint Resolution 24, a bill calling for full funding of the state’s parks and historic sites. (Submitted photo)
Fort Bend County Judge-elect KP George contemplates all the things he hopes to accomplish in office. George was sworn in as judge on Jan. 1 after defeating Robert Hebert in November. (Photo by Theresa D. McClellan)
County. History as well, as the first South Asian ever elected as the top executive of a county in Texas,” said Mustafa Tameez, chairperson of his transition team. It wasn’t easy. People did not believe in him. “Half the Democrats didn’t believe I could win,” he said. “Even the Indians don’t believe in you. Some asked why are you trying for the highest office?” As he was campaigning he realized many people did not understand the county judge position and that he was not running for a judicial seat in a courtroom. “A lot of people are not born and raised here, but people living here have no idea either. I got a call from a 72-year-old who said he looked for judges in the race and didn’t see my name. I said, I’m not running for judge, but I’m running for judge.” “We call this office county judge and that in itself is confusing. You have actual judges, in my community the Indian community where I grew up, a lady ran for justice of the peace and citizens asked why we’re running against each other?’’ he said.
Many people locally will recall the Missouri City resident as Kevin Charles, an on-air radio personality in the Houston area in the 1980s to 2014. Today he is a voice-over artist doing narrations for audiobooks, commercials, animations, and corporate videos. He works in a small studio that he built inside the
detached garage behind his house. Inside that is a 4-foot by 4-foot by 6-foot padded sound booth where he does his recordings. “I’ve kind of got my toe in the water in the audiobook world, but right now it’s not my main focus,” he said. “I do more corporate narrations and commercials and things like that more than anything.” Doing voice work is something he has been preparing himself to do for years as a second career.
He jumped at the opportunity when News 92, an all-news format station, went off the air in 2014 after three years. “I started this about five to 10 years before I really needed to use it, because I knew someday I would want to do something like this,” he said. Although it seemed like a natural fit to go from radio to narration, it wasn’t.
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SEE VOICE, PAGE 9
Kevin Charles Minatrea reads one of the books he is recording for his children for Christmas. The former radio personality and producer now runs his own voice-over narration company from his home in Missouri City. (Photo by Joe Southern)
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