Sprouts to open Sugar Land store: Page 3
WEDNESDAY • JANUARY 9, 2019
Dulles’ Ashiat Oladipo (33) goes up for a shot against Clements Friday night. The Duller girls basketball team dominated Clements 66-37.See the story on page 6. (Photo by Bill McCaughey)
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Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 43 • No. 21
Rep. Reynolds released from jail
Jack’s
He makes it in time to start 86th Legislature
NOW A NEIGHBORHOOD PUB!
In response to a September letter from the Fort Bend Star to Reynolds, the legislator wrote back saying he intended to use his jail experience “to highlight the continued racial inequities within our criminal justice systems. This (incarceration) will make me a stronger advocate and provide hope to others through my testimony.” During his jail stay, Reynolds kept busy filing bills he hopes will see the light of day in this legislative session. According to BillTrack50, an online bill tracking system, Reynolds filed 21 bills on Nov. 12 addressing a myri-
By Theresa D. McClellan
Under new ownership 281-498-3410 11720 Wilcrest Houston, Tx. 77099
THERESA@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
When State Rep. Ron Reynolds was sworn in Tuesday (Jan. 8) at the Texas Capital for his fifth term, he had already filed 21 bills from his Montgomery County Jail cell for the 86th Legislative session. Reynolds served four months of a year-long sentence for misdemeanor barratry, or ambulance chasing, offense, getting out Jan. 4 for good behavior, just in time to partake in the Jan. 8 swearing-in ceremony in Austin.
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ad of issues including state perks for small businesses, authorizing and regulating medical marijuana, amending the labor code increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour and allowing electronic voter registration. In addition, he filed two House Joint Resolutions proposing two separate amendments to the state constitution. One requires the attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor to prosecute certain offenses that are committed by peace officers and the second would authorize and regulate the possession, cultivation, and sale of can-
Rep. Ron Reynolds, seen here in his booking photo at the Montgomery County Jail, was released Jan. 4 after serving four months of a one-year sentence.
Historic honor
nabis for medical use. The proposed constitutional amendments would go before voters Nov. 5. He did not return messages, texts, phone calls or emails from the Fort Bend Star for comment. Through Facebook, he invited family and friends to join him in Austin to watch the proceedings from the House gallery and to greet him before and after the ceremony in his office at the Capitol. Though he has served his time, Reynolds’ troubles are
SEE REYNOLDS, PAGE 4
Stafford council members to take on Scarcella By Theresa D. McClellan THERESA@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
George tabs fire marshal as interim Emergency Management Coordinator
AVEVA Stadium.” The SaberCats played nine pre-season matches at
Stafford City Council meetings are known to be contentious, but now with two seated council members and the current mayor announcing plans to run for mayor in the May election, what can the public expect from future meetings? “The meetings should be interesting. There will be political postur ing, it will be one of those t h i n g s . We’re all Scarcella gonna run a strong and a g g r e s s i ve campaig n, I am and they will,” said current Mayor Leonard Honore Scarcella. C o u n cilmember A.J. Honore, who has publicly b u t t e d heads with Scarcella, Guerra a n nou nced his intent to run for mayor last month. So has Councilmember Wen Guerra, president of the Stafford Economic Development Corp. Adding a twist to the race, last November voters approved term limits taking effect for the mayor’s seat. Scarcella has been mayor for 49 years. Among the changes in the 13 amendments approved by voters is a move to allow no more than four consecutive terms, or 16 years, for the mayor.
SEE RUGBY, PAGE 4
SEE STAFFORD, PAGE 5
From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Fort Bend County Judge KP George has named Fort Bend County Fire Marshal Mark Flathouse as the interim emergency management coordinator at the Office of Emergency Management (OEM). “Emergency Management is a top responsibility in which we must constantly strive to innovate and i m p r o v e ,” Flathouse George said. “Fire Marshal Flathouse will work to prepare a long-term, forward-thinking vision that strives to improve our communication with the public, coordinate better with partner entities, and build community confidence in an effective emergency management operation.” With the change, Flathouse will begin conducting an analysis to comprehensively evaluate the current situation and map the strategic outlook of the department within the first 100 days of the new administration. Flathouse has been fire marshal of Fort Bend County since 2013. He has over 20
SEE FLATHOUSE, PAGE 4
KP George is sworn in as Fort Bend County Judge on Jan. 1 by 387th District Court Judge Brenda Mullinix. George and other local judges and officials who were elected Nov. 6 attended a swearing-in ceremony at the Fort Bend County Justice Center. George became the first South Asian to become a county judge in Texas. (Photo by Elsa Malakoff Maxey)
Rugby returns to Constellation Field By Joe Southern JSOUTHERN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Major League Rugby is returning to Sugar Land as the Houston SaberCats plan to play five matches at Constellation Field, beginning Friday. The team recently announced it would return to Constellation Field, home of the minor league baseball team Sugar Land Skeeters, because its new home, AVEVA Stadium, is still under construction. “Due to poor weather conditions, the new AVEVA Stadium will not be completed in time for the start of the season. As a result, the first five matches will be at Constellation Field in Sugar Land. The second half of the season will be played at the new AVEVA Stadium,” the team said. “We’re so excited to have the opportunity to host the Houston SaberCats, as they kick off their second season at Constel-
The Houston SaberCats celebrate a try (score) during a match last year at Constellation Field. The team is returning to the ballpark Friday for the first of five matches while construction of their stadium in Houston remains delayed due to the weather. (Photo by Joe Southern)
lation Field,” said Skeeters Assistant General Manager Tyler Stamm. “Our ballpark has truly become a 24/7/365 facility, and this upcoming rugby sea-
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son will help continue that trend. We’re honored that the SaberCats will continue to call Constellation Field home while they put the finishing touches on
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