02-02-2022 Edition of the Fort Bend Star

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Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 46 • No. 24

FBISD reviewing elementary attendance zones

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Fort Bend ISD’s newest elementary school, Sonal Bhuchar Elementary School, is set to open in the fall of 2023. And with it, district administrators are reviewing nearby attendance zones in hopes of keeping any school

from becoming overcrowded.

As the district inches closer to Feb. 7, when district officials will present final recommendations to the board of trustees, some parents with students in the district have wondered if the current boundaries make sense.

“We live only 2 minutes from a new school and are zoned to a school 10 minutes

away,” said John Strader, a Fort Bend County resident with children who attend district elementary schools.

Strader is hardly the only Fort Bend County resident to question the district’s attendance zones, with impacted families saying they plan to reach out to the district with those concerns ahead of a vote on new boundaries.

“See the building behind the house?” one resident wrote on social media. “Well, it is an elementary. Thus, we have to walk 20 minutes or drive for 5 minutes to get my child to school. Student affairs doesn’t care.”

For all of the questions and critiques that surround boundary rezoning, those tasked with determining which

county students will go to which school have a complex task, according to Kwabena Mensah, the district’s chief of schools.

“You’re looking at the number of students projected in an area over a period of time,” Mensah explained. “You want

SEE FBISD PAGE 7

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Work begins on development in Cross Creek

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

A little more than a week after developers announced Fort Bend County's biggest master planned community in 20 years, a Houston company announced another major development project coming to the county.

Demand for homes in Fulshear’s Cross Creek Ranch subdivision has been so high that work has begun on 410 homesites in the nearby Cross Creek West development, according to Rob Bamford, Johnson Development's senior vice president and general manager for both subdivisions.

“Fulshear is a popular and growing area that has excellent schools, abundant shopping and great access, thanks to the Westpark Tollway and Texas Heritage Parkway that opened last year,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of success in that submarket and expect that demand to continue for Cross Creek West.”

When complete, Cross Creek West will include more than 3,000 homes, along with 5 acres of commercial development and new Lamar Consolidated ISD schools, according to a news release from Johnson Development, the group behind the project.

Developers first acquired the 1,258 acres that will house Cross Creek West back in 2013, when they realized how much demand existed for homes in the area, Bamford said.

SEE FULSHEAR PAGE 7

Gocha Cochua (blue shirt) plays a racquetball doubles match with friends Saturday at Life Time Fitness' Sugar Land facility. (Photo by Stefan Modrich)

Squash players push back on gym's plan to close courts

By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

When New Territory resident Farzad Azizi was looking to buy a home in Sugar Land, one of the deciding factors was its proximity to the local Life Time Fitness because of its squash court.

“I bought my house because of the location of this court,” Azizi said. “Otherwise, I wouldn't even be in this neighborhood. But that's how important it is to me and my family.”

Squash, a ball-and-racket game typically played on a glass-encased court with

wood flooring, has been growing in popularity in Fort Bend County in recent years, in part spurred by the rush of immigrants into the county.

But the sport’s local popularity could be in danger if Life Time Fitness (LTF), 1331 State Highway 6, follows through on its plans to close its squash courts during upcoming renovations – the only such courts in all of Fort Bend County.

If those courts are removed, the drive to the nearest squash court would go from being mere minutes away to about 15 miles from the Sugar Land gym, according to those who frequent the

upscale gym and health club.

Representatives for the gym, which has locations across the region, said the renovations are meant to invest in more children's programming in Sugar Land, and that they plan to make one of their Houston locations a hub for squash.

"I will have to drive 25 miles away just to get to a squash court," Sugar Land resident Shashank Khandavalli said. "If I have to do that multiple times a week, what's the reason for me to keep my membership?"

Khandavalli said squash is a "sport for all ages" and that LTF members who play

the sport range from grade school-children to seniors.

Squash players take turns serving the ball so that it strikes the wall above the line and lands clear of the service line on the floor. The rubber ball (which weighs less than an ounce and bounces very low and slow, unlike racquetball or tennis) must be returned before it bounces twice, or the serving player is awarded a point.

There are more than 1.6 million players in the U.S. and 20 million globally, according to U.S. Squash, the sport’s national governing body. And there are about 3.5 million U.S. racquetball players and

about 20 million around the world, according to Sports Travel Magazine.

Andre Maur, who founded the website globalsquash. com and is one of the sport’s most decorated professionals, lives in Atlanta and runs the squash program at the city’s LTF locations. He said he frequently hosted LTF-branded tournaments in the Houston area.

“There's a big squash following there and the reason behind that is because there's a big Pakistani and Egyptian population, and squash

SEE SQUASH PAGE 7

Astros unveil rebranded Sugar Land franchise

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

A new era of minor league baseball is underway in Fort Bend County.

Last Saturday, thousands of fans made their way out to Constellation Field in Sugar Land as the Houston Astros unveiled the rebranded Space Cowboys moniker for their Triple-A minor league af-

filiate in Sugar Land.

“We used this last year to reimagine how we talked about baseball in the city of Sugar Land and how to connect the city of Sugar Land into our Astros family and community,” said Anita Seghal, the Astros’ vice president of marketing and communications.

It was the beginning of a new era for a franchise that has called Sugar Land home for more than

Sugar Land first base/outfield prospect J.J. Matijevic greets fans during Saturday's unveiling of the Space Cowboys brand. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

a decade. And though the community’s social media reaction to the change had veered in a negative direction prior to Saturday’s launch party, there were

SEE REBRAND PAGE 7

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PAGE 2 • Wednesday, February 2, 2022

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Willis reflects on first year as Stafford mayor

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

It has been a year full of change and upheaval for the city of Stafford, as the city attempted to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing growth amid a heavy-hearted change at the top of its leadership ladder.

But through it all, Mayor Cecil Willis said he believes Stafford is wellpositioned for the future.

“The pandemic has tried to change our lives and lifestyles, and has succeeded in many cases," Willis said. "However, as history shows, the human spirit will always win out.

We as a city have continued to move forward.

We’ve all been affected by this pandemic – but working together, we can and will continue to accomplish great things that will benefit all of us.”

On Jan. 26, Willis delivered the annual state of the city address at Stafford City Hall, one that reflected on his first year

Cecil Willis

serving as the city’s top elected leader. He was elected mayor in December 2020, succeeding the late Leonard Scarcella, who passed away in June 2020.

And during his first full year, Willis said the city is

continuing to make great strides with regards to development, infrastructure, its school district and more, despite having to navigate it amid the pandemic and the death of its beloved longtime mayor.

“Anytime there’s a

change at the top, a period of settling in and adjustments has to take place,” he said. “But the outstanding employees have adjusted rapidly. I’m pleased with the steps we’ve taken to move forward in the right direction for the right reasons.”

One of the biggest crown jewels of Willis’ address was the city’s Stafford Municipal School District, which opened its new STEM Academy in 2021 and has aimed to enhance its partnership with Houston Community College’s Stafford campus for dual credit courses.

Willis touted SMSD as one of the biggest reasons the city has continued to thrive.

“This community has always known the importance of a quality education," he said. "We may finally be on the verge of achieving all our aspirations and dreams of having a premier district. …As SMSD goes, so goes the city, and vice versa.

People are looking for a good community where their children can get a premier education.”

But that was far from the only reason the city is still going, he said.

Though he acknowledged the financial debates that have taken place over the course of the past year, Willis insisted that the city will continue to have no property taxes, and has the means to rely on sales taxes and other forms of revenue for the city’s financial viability into 2022 and beyond.

Among new businesses that will contribute to that, Willis said, are those that are coming to the Fountains of Stafford, which are under new ownership.

USA Gloves is slated to begin production of nitrile gloves at 11325 Cash Rd. this month after setting down its first Texas manufacturing plant in the city, while the Costco Business Center and various restaurants and businesses are continuing to open at the city’s Grid development.

“In my opinion, we should continue with what is working and build on it,” he said. “We are doing just that in a number of areas.”

There are several infrastructure projects aimed

at improving mobility in the city that have been completed or begun, such as the Cash Road extension project that was finished in January. Willis also made note of an upcoming project on Trinity Drive and a Texas Department of Transportation median project on Murphy Road that began work on Jan. 3 as notable progression in that arena.

He also touted the ongoing redevelopment projects Weatherford Farms at the intersection of Murphy Road and Greenbriar Road as well as Main Street Plaza and Avenue E on Main Street.

“This is going to be vital for our future,” he said.

Just as for much of the county, it has been a bit of a tumultuous year for Stafford. But Willis said Jan. 26 that the city will continue its aim of serving residents the best way possible, no matter the situation.

“The wellbeing of this city and its citizens is my top priority, and always will be,” he said. “…The city of Stafford is alive and well.”

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State's voting issues should give everyone in Texas a major pause Matt deGrood MANAGING EDITOR

It’s hard to believe another election season is almost upon us. Seems like just yesterday we were sitting down to plan out how we would cover the Missouri City council races in November.

But as we count down the days until early voting, it seems the usual pre-primary political maneuvering and intrigue isn’t the only story worth noticing.

Last week, we reported that Fort Bend County is rejecting about 50 percent of all mail-in ballot applications because of new state elections laws. The new Texas legislation in question, Senate Bill 1, has long been the subject of controversy, with civil rights activists arguing its requirements make it harder to vote while proponents say they will make elections more secure.

Regardless of where one falls on that spectrum, it’s worth emphasizing just what a big deal it is to reject 50 percent of mail-in ballot applications, and as far as we can learn, many for an administrative snafu.

Essentially, applicants must either provide the last four digits of their social security number or driver’s license number, but whatever they provide must match what the state already has on file, according to Fort Bend County election administrators.

That doesn’t sound like too difficult of a process to navigate, but it obviously

has been if so many voters are having their applications rejected. And if voters eligible to cast absentee ballots are having problems following the new rules, shouldn’t those rules be made easier so a greater number of voters can be more accommodated?

Stop me if you’ve heard this line before, but there’s an old quote from Molly Ivins, the late newspaper columnist, author and political commentator, that I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.

“It is possible to read the history of this country as one long struggle to extend the liberties established in our Constitution to everyone in America,” she wrote.

Indeed, as someone with a longstanding interest in American history, it’s hard to view things any other way. It took us the worst war we’ve ever known and a truly revolutionary series of amendments to extend the franchise to Black Americans. And it wouldn’t be until 1919 that the 19th Amendment would finally give women the ability to vote.

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State,” both the 14th and 19th amendments begin.

One might think it shouldn't have taken so much effort, given the fact that our very Declaration of Independence says, "we hold these truths to be selfevidence, that all men are created equal."

But if there's anything history tells us, it's that that struggle for Constitutional rights is never simple or easy.

In an era of increasing partisanship and bickering over almost every conceivable

topic, it’s worth remembering what we proclaim to hold dear – guaranteeing everyone the right to vote.

We have precious days left before voters across the state and Fort Bend County make their ways to the polls, and still a significant number of residents are left wondering whether or not they’ll be able to vote in the manner that they choose – seemingly just because they’re having difficulty navigating the state’s new elections law.

Texas law has long limited who can apply to vote by mail, and there’s no point arguing about that at this point. But if there are so many voters who are being rejected on trivial grounds, as suggested by Fort Bend County election administrators, then it’s up to our state leaders to fix things and fast.

Texas has enough trouble with voter turnout as it is. Of the state’s 21.5 million people old enough to vote, about 78 percent are registered to do so, according to 2020 data from the Texas Secretary of State’s Office. About 66 percent of those registered actually turned out to vote, according to the data.

Just last week, a 95-yearold World War II veteran told Houston television station Click2Houston that his mail-in ballot application had been denied twice, and that he worried he’d be unable to vote for the first time in his life.

What sort of state do we wish to live in? It’s a question we should all ponder as we prepare to vote in the March 1 primaries, with early voting scheduled for Feb. 14-25.

The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Feb. 18.

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Wednesday, February 2, 2022 • PAGE

FBISD music students earn state recognition

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Dozens of Fort Bend ISD musical students have been recognized as among the best the state has to offer.

According to a Thursday news release from the district, 52 FBISD students have been named all-state honorees in band, choir and orchestra. They will perform with their respective ensemble during the 2022 Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Clinic/ Convention on Feb. 12 in San Antonio.

There were 1,875 students chosen from around the state out of more than 70,000 in Texas who began the state audition process, the release said. The 52 area students selected came from eight FBISD high schools.

A complete list of area students earning all-state honors is below: Band

Clements Andres Nassar Dewey Palmer Maximus Young Dulles Katherine Hwang Jesse McIntyre, Jr. Elkins Charles Butera III Kavi Shah Justin Wei Ridge Point Alex Hory Tyler Kersey Aaron Price James Wallace Choir Bush Hobed Saravia Clements Christina Pendleton Sofie Marino Elkins Pari Dhawan Alessandro Gucciardi Ridge Point Kaylyn Davis Isabela Elizondo-Collado Zachary Mok Travis Domale Baabel

Michael Hall Nicholas Pappas Orchestra Austin Chi-Yun Chien Christopher Fu Eric Jia Andy Jiang Christine Li Eric Liang Natalie Su Nathan Su Clements Aryan Bora Ayi Ekhaese Alexander Nguyen Guanfa (Felix) Shen Iyan Sonesra Alex Song Emma Wang Sage Wang Albon Wu Alice Zhong Andy Zhou Dulles Claire Draney Timothy Feng William Horiszny Jeffery Li Lillian Liao Kendall Wu Tommy Yu Kempner Nafee Karim Travis Ryder Jensen Luis Urdaneta

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PAGE 4 • Wednesday, February 2, 2022

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Hightower football coach earns education honor

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Hightower High School head football coach Cornelius Anthony led his team to success on the field this season. But a recent recognition rewarded Anthony for his efforts to lead both on and off the football field.

On Jan. 26, Anthony was honored with an Ashley HomeStore Red Apple Award, an award which recognizes a standout Houston-area educator each month during the school year.

He was also gifted with a $250 Ashley HomeStore

Hightower High School head football coach Cornelius Anthony stands with his family and supporters upon receiving an Ashley HomeStore Red Apple Award. The award honors a Houston-area educator every month of the school year. (Contributed photo)

gift card during the surprise presentation in the school’s auditorium.

Anthony led the young Hurricanes, who lost at least seven starters from last season’s team, to an 11-3 overall record and regional final appearance on the gridiron. But while many will focus on his on-field accomplishments, a news release said he also is passionate about ensuring his players’ success in the classroom.

The release said Anthony organizes weekly mandatory tutoring sessions in the cafeteria to help his players catch up on their studies.

“He’s by far one of the strongest leaders and most inspirational teachers/coaches I have ever worked with,” said Hightower Assistant Principal Wade Kirkpatrick, who nominated Anthony for the award. “Coach Anthony is absolutely transforming the success climate of Hightower High School in a positive, disciplined way.”

To nominate a teacher, school librarian, counselor or administrator they feel is deserving of an Ashley HomeStore Red Apple Award, school administrators can go to khou.com/RedAppleAward.

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Wednesday, February 2, 2022 • PAGE

5

Confidence keying Clements’ Olajuwon’s performance Landan Kuhlmann SPORTS REPORTER

Van Price always knew Abdullah Olajuwon’s raw skill set was special – he just needed an extra ingredient to take his game to the next level.

The son of NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon appears to have found it this season, and has been one of the key factors for Clements High School amassing a 21-7 overall record so far this season along with a 53 mark in District 20-6A as the Rangers seek the program’s first playoff berth since 2013-14.

“Having the skill set to go along with the confidence is the best combination for anyone," said Price, the Clements coach. "He’s more relaxed on the floor this year. He had the same skill set last year, he just didn’t have the confidence to go with it.”

The 17-year-old Abdullah Olajuwon might not appear to have any reason to lack confidence. He is the oldest son of Hakeem Olajuwon, an NBA Hall of Famer who was a 12-time all-star and the 1993-94 Most Valuable Player.

But the younger Olajuwon has only been working at the sport for

Clements' Abdullah Olajuwon sizes up a defender during a Jan. 22 game against Bush.

Olajuwon, whose father is former Houston Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon, said his confidence has been a key reason for the growth of his game. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

about five years, and did not grow up playing it.

He was born in Jordan, a Middle Eastern country just east of Israel, in 2004 before moving to England when he was 10 years old.

And growing up, soccer was his first love despite his dad being one of the most well-known basketball players of all time.

“Over there, everyone played soccer," Abdullah said of Jordan. "I tried out for a soccer team, and I made it. So I was just playing soccer for so long.

Then we moved to London, and that’s the biggest sport. Everybody wanted

to play it, and so that’s what I did.”

But basketball was always lurking, he said, at his dad’s urging. And once he played for the first time around age 12, he was hooked.

“My dad always told me that basketball was where it is – I had the size and I had the strength, and he just saw the potential,” the younger Olajuwon said.

“And he just kept telling me to play. Then once I tried it, I completely fell in love with the game.”

What began as playing with his two younger brothers in the backyard

has morphed into a passion at which Abdullah excels. He’s averaging about 11 points and close to 10 rebounds per game as a starter for the Rangers, who have already won their most games since that 2013-14 campaign.

After moving to the United States in 2019, he played at Houston’s Village School his sophomore season before coming to Sugar Land and Clements two seasons ago. And the atmosphere with the Rangers, he said, helped him gain the confidence to take his game to a new level.

“I really feel like I’ve grown as a player these last couple of years, just because I’ve had a lot of coaches teaching me different things and little things that matter – a lot of things I didn’t know that could actually affect the game,” he said. “…All of that just comes together and creates the player I am.”

Olajuwon said Price and his Clements teammates have been a big reason for the development of his confidence and game. “(Coach Price) is pushing me to my limit, making me do things I didn’t think I could do myself,” Olajuwon said. “He puts confidence in me to do things I didn’t know I could do… We’re always working hard here, and we go at it together – it feels like a family, so there’s a good bond. This is the best team I’ve played for. I love this team.”

New tricks A 6-foot-3 slasher who Price described as a jack of all trades that can do most anything asked of him on the court, Olajuwon has a wealth of basketball knowledge at his disposal. But he also has different skill sets than his father did, and has molded himself into a unique player on the court, according to his coach.

Price also said Olajuwon has always had raw skill, and been coachable from the moment he got to Clements. So it was less about teaching him anything new and more about helping him to find faith in his own

ability.

“His confidence level wasn’t anywhere near what it is now (last season)," Price said. "He’s seen that he can get some things done on the court, so his confidence has really grown. He works hard, and he enjoys basketball – so coaching him is easy.”

A big part of that work ethic, Olajuwon said, is a lesson he took from his dad to trust in the process and work he puts in. Further, his confidence is at least partly fueled by encouragement from his father to be his own player – not least of all because there’s a difference between playing center as his father did, and being a perimeter player like the younger Olajuwon.

“Obviously my dad has the experience – so he tells me what to do, and I’ve seen the results,” he said. “…When he watches me play, he doesn’t necessarily criticize me. He tells me what I’m doing right and what I’m doing wrong – I’ve just got to take it the right way. And he always tells me I’m my own person, so that helps a lot.”

The growing confidence appears to be paying dividends for both Olajuwon and the Rangers, who are seeking the program’s first playoff berth in eight seasons. And if they do make it, Olajuwon will be a key piece of the puzzle.

“He’s realizing that it’s just basketball and it’s not open heart surgery,” Price said. “So he’s getting some things done.”

Local boys hoops stars are Buffs blow past 'Canes to on Guy V. Lewis watch list take control of 24-5A race

By Landan Kuhlmann

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Four of the area’s brightest hoops stars have been named as players to watch for one of the Houston area’s most prestigious individual boys basketball honors.

Travis’ Cameron Crockett, Elkins’ Chris Johnson, Marshall’s Jaland Lowe, and Stafford’s Glenn Bishop are among 30 players who have been named to the 2022 Guy V. Lewis Award watch list. The award, named after the late former coach of the University of Houston, is given annually to the Greater Houston Boys Hoops Player

of the Year.

Finalists will be announced March 1, and the winner will be announced on March 29.

Johnson leads Elkins with 18.6 points and 5.4 assists along with nearly two steals per game this season, which has powered the Knights to a 23-5 record and being ranked 5th in the most recent Class 6A rankings compiled by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. The 6-foot-5 junior guard has 11 Division I college offers from schools such as Kansas, Houston and LSU, according to 247sports. com.

Lowe, meanwhile, is averaging nearly 26 points per

game for the Buffalos, who are 22-2 and ranked 11th in Class 5A by the TABC. The junior three-star guard has already received offers from Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas State, according to 247sports.com Crockett has been a key piece of the puzzle for the Tigers, who currently sit 1711 overall and 6-3 in District 20-6A. The senior forward, who Rivals has rated as a three-star recruit, has verbally committed to Mount St. Mary's.

Bishop is one of the leaders for the Spartans, who are 23-8 overall and are ranked 8th in Class 4A in the TABC’s most recent rankings.

Soccer: Lady Cougars continue hot district start

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

On the heels of a historic soccer season last year, the Kempner Lady Cougars have been on the prowl early as they look to build on that success.

They kept up a furious pace to begin district play last week, winning both matches to run their winning streak to five. Kempner (8-4, 5-0 District 24-5A) won 3-0 in penalty kicks against Fulshear on Jan. 25 before blowing past Rosenberg Terry 4-0 on Jan. 28.

Elizabeth Werts and Dalia Ghazal each scored twice for the Lady Cougars against Rosenberg Terry, while Emily Fuentes scored the Lady Cougars’ lone goal against Fulshear. Werts, a sophomore, now has a team-leading 10 goals, according to MaxPreps.

Other girls action The Ridge Point Lady Panthers continued to be one of the area’s best squads in the early going, winning two more matches this week to improve to 9-0 overall and 3-0 in District 20-6A. Zoe Main had a hat trick and added an assist in their 6-0 win against Austin on Jan. 25. Main then scored twice more in an 8-0 victory over Dulles last Saturday, as did Charlotte Richardson and Laurel Kelly.

Clements’ was 2-0 last

Kempner's Elizabeth Werts (2) fights for position during a match earlier this season. Werts had two goals against Rosenberg Terry last week to help the Lady Cougars continue their hot start in district play. (Photo from Twitter)

week without allowing a goal.

Madeline Vance scored twice for the Lady Rangers (5-4-1, 2-1) in a 6-0 win over Dulles on Jan. 25. Vance scored two more times in a 3-0 win over Elkins on Jan. 28, and Allison Wang also scored.

Elkins split two games last week, defeating Bush 6-1 on Jan. 25 before the aforementioned loss to Clements. Five different players scored for the Lady Knights (8-3, 2-1) against Bush.

Boys Clements is off to a solid start in District 20-6A play, taking down Dulles in penalty kicks on Jan. 25 before beating Elkins 4-3 on Jan. 28 to win their third straight match.

Ryan Boothe scored both regulation goals for the Vikings (4-4, 3-0) against Dulles, then added a hat trick in the win against Elkins for his third straight multi-goal outing.

The Vikings had a couple of heartbreakers last week, losing both matches in penalty kicks. Waseem El-Saadi and Muhammed Al-Amyan each scored for the Dulles (3-3-2, 03) in the aforementioned loss to Clements, while El-Saadi also scored their lone goal in a Jan. 28 loss to Ridge Point.

Following a 1-0 loss to Ridge Point on Jan. 25, the Austin Bulldogs bounced back to take down George Ranch in penalty kicks on Jan. 28. Jose Colin scored the lone goal for the Bulldogs (7-1, 2-1) against George Ranch.

On the Class 5A front, Kempner took down Fulshear 2-0 on Jan. 25 before beating Rosenberg Terry 5-2 on Jan. 28. Santos Martinez had a hat trick for the Cougars (6-2, 31) against Terry, while Ethan Zurita and Emmanuel Rodriguez each scored in the win over Fulshear.

LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

If there were any questions about who the favorite was to take home the District 24-5A boys regular season crown, the Marshall Buffalos may have put them to rest last week in dominating fashion.

The Buffalos took down Missouri City rival Hightower by a score of 96-68 last Friday night in a matchup of the district’s top two boys squads so far this season, and controlled the game from start to finish with a wire-to-wire victory.

Marshall (22-2, 11-0) has won seven straight games, and was slated to face Willowridge Tuesday night.

Chris Marshall was nearly unstoppable for the Buffalos, dropping in a season-high 42 points to lead all scorers – the sixth time this season he has scored at least 30 points in a game. Omani Ozenne also set a new high-water mark for the season with 20 points, while Jaland Lowe added 19 points.

Aaron Williams led the Hurricanes with 13 points and Jacory Chatman added 10 points for Hightower (20-9, 102), which saw its eight-game winning streak snapped with the loss. They were set to face Richmond Foster Tuesday night as they look to get back on track.

Other boys notable performances Travis won a pair of games last week, defeating Austin 4138 on Jan. 25 and taking down George Ranch 49-38 on Jan. 28. Alexandar Martinez led the Tigers (17-11, 6-3) with 18 points against George Ranch, while Jason Nwaneti had 10 points and Cameron Crockett grabbed nine rebounds.

And while Austin may have dropped both games last week, it wasn’t without a few standout performances. D.J. Jackson had 18 points for the Bulldogs (11-17, 1-8) against Travis, while Brian Annune had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in a

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Chris Marshall brings the ball up the court during the third quarter of last Friday's game against Hightower at Hightower High School. Marshall scored a season-high 42 points as the Buffalos won 96-68. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

62-47 loss to Ridge Point on Jan. 28.

Girls The Dulles Lady Vikings saw their winning streak reach 10 games after a pair of big wins last week, defeating Bush 67-39 on Jan. 25 before beating Clements 82-23 on Jan. 28. Peyton Overton poured in a season-high 23 points along with seven rebounds and five assists for the Lady Vikings (21-6, 10-1) against Bush, while Nya Threatt had 23 points and eight rebounds against Clements.

Sophomore Crystal Schultz scored a game-high 17 points for the Lady Broncos (9-20, 37) against Dulles to go along with four rebounds and four assists.

Gabby Johnson had 25

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points and 18 rebounds for the Austin Lady Bulldogs in a 66-34 win over Ridge Point on Jan. 28, while freshman Aminah Dixon scored a season-high 16 points. Andrea Sturdivant also continued her sterling freshman campaign with 24 points in a 56-36 win over Travis on Jan. 25. Austin is 24-5 overall and 10-1 in district play.

On the Class 5A front, the Hightower Lady Hurricanes also extended their winning streak to 10 games with two big wins last week. Hightower (22-7, 13-1) defeated Rosenberg Terry 55-34 on Jan. 25 before beating Marshall 63-22 on Jan. 28. Madison Bob led the way for the Lady Hurricanes against Marshall, scoring 18 points.

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THE STAR

PAGE 6 • Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Two women charged in connection to aggravated robbery

Local man accused of murder in hit-and-run in Needville A Sugar Land man has been accused of deliberately using his car to kill another man after an argument, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

Nabeel Ahmed, 28, has been charged with murder in connection to the death of Javier Tapia, 29, according to a news release.

Ahmed is being held in the Fort Bend County Jail on

By Matt deGrood

Bennight

Olivares

juries to her head and neck during an assault, but was later released from the hospital after receiving treatment and evaluations, according to Nereyda Vera, a spokesperson for the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

The woman told investigators she believed two women were homeless and that she offered to help by allowing them to stay with her, according to the sheriff’s office.

Bennight and Olivares are accused of then assaulting the woman and

stealing property and the victim’s vehicle before fleeing the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.

Detectives traveled through South Texas recovering stolen property and looking for the two women, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies eventually arrested Olivares and Bennight at the Texas-Mexico border with the help of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force, according to the sheriff’s office.

in the 7600 block of Oberrender Road, in Needville, and found that Tapia had been killed after being struck by a vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office.

Witnesses told deputies that the driver of the vehicle struck several other cars while fleeing, according to the sheriff’s office.

Investigators later identified Ahmed as a possible suspect, and deputies arrested him on Jan. 21 at a residence in New Territory, according to the sheriff’s office.

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Two women have been charged in connection to the December robbery of another woman who authorities say was assaulted and robbed while trying to provide shelter to the homeless.

Both Gabrielle Lynn Bennight, 21, and Stephanie Adelaida Olivares, 27, have been charged with aggravated robbery in connection to a Dec. 20 robbery, court records show. Their bond is set at $100,000.

Police say a woman was life-flighted to a hospital on Dec. 20 shortly after deputies responded to a call about a robbery in the 14000 block of Tierra Ridge Drive, near Needville, in the far southwestern part of Fort Bend County.

The woman suffered in-

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

Ahmed

$500,000 bond with an immigration hold, according to the release.

Deputies on Jan. 19 responded to a disturbance

Former Fort Bend tax assessor-collector dies eventually becoming the tax assessor-collector from 2005 until her retirement in 2020, according to the county.

“I join Patsy Schultz’s former colleagues, friends, and family in mourning her passing and honoring her lifetime of public service,” Fort Bend County KP George said.

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Former Fort Bend County tax assessor-collector Patsy Schultz – who served the county for three decades – has died, according to the county. She was 73.

Schultz served the county for three decades,

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS Notice is hereby given that original Letters of Administration for the Estate of Dorothy Graham, Deceased, were issued on the 24th day of January, 2022 in Fort Bend County, Texas, under Cause No. 21-CPR-036107 pending in the County Court at Law of Fort Bend County, Texas, to Laura Dodds.

Claims may be presented in care of the attorney of the Estate addressed as follows: Administrator Laura Dodds, Estate of Dorothy Graham, Deceased, c/o Bradley W. Hoover P.C. 937 E. Mulberry Street Angleton, Texas 77515 All persons having claims against this Estate which is currently being administered are required to present within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.

CITY OF MISSOURI CITY ORDINANCE NO. O-22-01 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, AMENDING SECTION 18, BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, OF APPENDIX A OF THE MISSOURI CITY CODE ENTITLED “THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY ZONING ORDINANCE”; AMENDING RULES REGARDING THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND APPEALS; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL; PROVIDING A PENALTY; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY. I, Vickie Berglund, Interim City Secretary of the City of Missouri City, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the caption of said Ordinance No. O-22-01 approved on second and final reading by the City Council at its regular meeting held on January 3, 2022, as the same appears in the records of my office. /s/ Vickie Berglund Interim City Secretary

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LEGALS Sealed Electronic Bids Addressed to Fulshear M.U.D. No. 1, for Fulbrook on Fulshear Creek Section 6- Perimeter Fence, Columns, and Subentry Monuments, located in Fulshear, Texas. Attention Sweitzer + Associates, will be electronically received until 10:00 a.m. local time Wednesday Feb. 16th, 2022. The apparent low bidder will be automatically generated and posted for furnishing all plans, labor, and equipment and preforming all work for the construction. Bids will not be received after closing time. Copies of the bidding documents may be reviewed and obtained from www.CivcastUSA.com: search Sweitzer + Associate. Bidders must register on this website to view and/or download specifications, plans, for this project. There is NO charge to view or download documents.

Reproduction charges will apply according to CIVCAST rates.

A cashier’s check or bid bond in the amount of 5% of the total amount of the bid must accompany each bid. The District reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive all defects and irregularities in bidding or bidding process except the time of submitting a bid. The successful bidder, if any, will be the responsible bidder which in the Board’s judgment will be the most advantageous to the District and result in the best and most economical completion of the project.

SECTION 00010 ADVERTISEMENT AND INVITATION FOR BIDS Sealed bids on the original forms, signed by an officer of the Company, will be received by Fort Bend County MUD No. 25 (the “Owner”) for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment and for performing all work required for the construction of: Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 1 Generator Replacement (the “Work). Sealed, competitive bids will be received no later than 2:00 P.M., February 24, 2022 in the District Office located at 10347 Clodine Road, Richmond, Texas 77407.

Plans, specifications and bidding documents for the project are available at the following locations: Civcast USA Civcastusa.com (281) 376-4577 In general, the Work consists of replacing the dewatering centrifuge, dewatered sludge conveyors, and other miscellaneous improvements at the Owner’s Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 1.

A non-mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 2:00 P.M. Prospective bidders must contact Mr. Hector Pena, P.E. at hpena@ardurra.com for details on how to join the pre-bid conference call.

Owner will be bound by the terms of this invitation only to the extent funds, from whatever source, are available.

All bids must be accompanied by proposal guaranty in the form of a Certified or Cashier’s Check, or Bidders Bond drawn to the order of Fort Bend County MUD No. 25, and in the minimum amount of five percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid. No proposal may be withdrawn for a period of ninety (90) days after receipt of bids except with the approval of Owner. Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to accept any bid from any responsible person which will be most advantageous to it and result in the best and most economical completion of the Work. The successful bidder will be required to provide a Performance Bond and Payment Bond in full amount of the contract.

Leonela Ruvalcaba, Executive General Manager, Owner

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Wednesday, February 2, 2022 • PAGE

7

Take your best shot at Main Event in Stafford Stefan Modrich

REPORTER

While rainy days aren’t uncommon for a Fort Bend County winter, they can sometimes throw you for a loop if you have outdoor plans.

So, on a rather misty Monday night, I was glad to have made a visit to Main Event at 12626 Fountain Lake Circle in Stafford.

I was pleasantly surprised to see as many people out on Monday night, although I’m not accustomed to being out on a weeknight myself.

For less than $20, I was able to buy an hour of bowling time and access to all of Main Event’s games, which include laser tag and more. If you’re hungry, there is food service (including a pizzeria) and

★ SQUASH FROM PAGE 1 is their national sport,” Maur said. “(Houston) is one of the biggest (squash hubs) in America. So, they're very passionate about it.”

Rahul Gandhi, a Sugar Land resident and an LTF member for the last four years, said squash is an important outlet for people around the globe, adding that the sport has grown because of the recent arrivals of immigrants to Fort Bend County, like architect Obinna Ilochonwu. “(Squash) reflects the cultural diversity of Sugar Land,” Ilochonwu said. If you take that away, I guarantee you most of these (squash and racquetball players) are leaving.

“We get the money aspect.

But corporations have a societal and cultural responsibility to the areas they serve.”

Sugar Land resident Malik Merchant is the chief spokesperson for a group of more than 60 members who signed a letter to the gym’s general manager on Dec. 10, announcing they would cancel their memberships if the squash courts were closed.

Merchant said the general manager told him in December the squash and racquetball courts will be closed by March to make way for renovations, the same fate that met the courts at the company’s Katy facility years earlier.

“If this goes away, this is the only sport my son and I play together,” Merchant said.

The general manager did not respond to an email or a phone call from The Star seeking a comment for this story.

While Merchant and other residents said they understand LTF is a private business and is free to make changes to

“Let’s Bounce” is one of several arcade games available to players at Main Event in Stafford. (Photo by Stefan Modrich)

Players try their hand at one of Main Event's many arcade games in Stafford. (Photo by Stefan Modrich)

a bar that will serve you food at your bowling lane.

I bowled five games

and racked up an average score of 115. I’ve certainly never been confused for a

professional bowler, and considering the last time I visited a bowling alley was during a trip to New York last summer, I thought I fared reasonably well with my left-handed hook approach.

I was inconsistent, but there were certainly moments when I had a hot hand. In my third game,

its facilities as it sees fit, they also said that the company has some obligation to listen to the community. Merchant said many of his fellow members, who pay more than $129 per month in membership fees, are also willing to maintain the courts themselves and pay additional fees to keep the courts in place.

“If you think about 100 people paying potentially $5 a month to play squash, that's about a good 25 hours a week,” Merchant said. “That's a lot of money, about $150,000 per year.”

Maur said LTF could stand to lose about $100,000 if the group of Sugar Land squash players cancel their memberships. But he said LTF might view cycling classes or other programs as a more profitable way to utilize the space the courts occupy.

“Like any business owner, they want the return on investment,” Maur said. “It always hurts when the squash court shuts down, but there's a reason behind it from a corporate perspective. But (the potential losses from the membership dues) is a substantial amount of money that they do not want to lose, especially nowadays.”

Bunker Hill, a Sugar Land resident since 1997, said he grew up playing racquetball and hopes LTF will recognize that he and others view racquetball and squash as major assets to the community.

“Cutting off racquetball and squash is just cutting off another opportunity for kids to learn a new different type of sport,” Hill said. “For my own selfish reasons, of course, I like to play and it's nice having it handy. But for the future, it would be great to expose kids to these sports.”

“While we are making

changes at Life Time Sugar Land to accommodate member demand in areas including our growing Kids Academy programming, we continue investing in our local squash programming,” Daniel DeBaun, a spokesperson for Life Time Fitness wrote in an email to The Star.

DeBaun said the company will be placing an emphasis on squash in Houston at its Memorial City location within the retail development called CityCentre, featuring five additional squash courts (for a total of nine at the club), including one all-glass court with stadium seating available for events.

The project will be completed in the coming months, DeBaun said.

DeBaun also said Amr Abdelmaksoud will be leading the squash program at the CityCentre location. Abdelmaksoud has coached numerous top-10 ranking adult and junior players around the world and in Houston, DeBaun said.

“He and his team will be visiting with our members at Sugar Land who utilize the squash courts in the coming weeks,” DeBaun wrote. “Life Time will remain a top local destination for squash in Houston.”

DeBaun declined a request to interview Abdelmaksoud, writing that it would be “premature” and that the club would continue to communicate with its members directly.

Gandhi said the club has been quiet about its renovation plans.

The Sugar Land gym had already completed $5 million in renovations in 2021, and plans to install new basketball court flooring and new cycle studios among other upgrades,

according to a sign inside the facility.

In the interim, Merchant and Sugar Land resident Nasir Walji attended a public input open house last Wednesday at city hall for residents to express their concerns and provide feedback on the T.E. Harman Center, a public recreational facility managed by the city, as well as what improvements and additions they’d like to see there.

There is also the potential for some economic losses to the neighborhoods surrounding the fitness center if its squash-playing members go elsewhere to play.

“If we go out to eat after, we're going to go to a business that’s near wherever we play,” Walji said.

But any addition to the senior center or another city facility would be a long-term solution, with no set timeline or plans.

“There are no plans to develop additional City of Sugar Land indoor recreational facilities in the foreseeable future,” city spokesperson Doug Adolph said. “We have a number of ways for citizens to provide input into future CIP projects — including our Citizen Satisfaction Survey and CIP request portal on our website — but nothing more immediate is included in the currently approved five-year CIP program.”

Fort Bend County Judge KP George told The Star that the county has held talks about building some outdoor courts, but didn’t respond to follow-up questions about those discussions.

“We already talked about building some outdoor courts,” George wrote in a text message, “but like to hear from people supporting it.”

See Fortbendstar.com for related video

★ REBRAND FROM PAGE 1 some there who are behind the name and brand/logo changes.

“I think it looks really great,” said Beasley resident Justin Goff, who has been attending Skeeters games since 2014.

There were others, however, who were still not at peace with the rebranding effort. Some such as Wharton resident Teresa Brown have lamented that there was not more community input.

“I think it could have been a better name," she said. "Me and my friend were talking, and they should have had another contest and voted for a good name."

When questioned about the lack of community input, Astros Vice President of Marketing Jason Wooden said the organization is sympathetic to area residents who do not feel as though their voice was heard in the process. But ultimately, he said they felt like they had a good pulse of what the city of Sugar Land was looking for in a new brand.

The organization formed the basis of the name and logo choices through conversations with the city of Sugar Land and its own employees who lived in the area as well as social media channels, according to Wooden.

Pictured is the new Sugar Land Space Cowboys mascot, whose name is Orion. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

"Building brands is not easy," he said. "You’re going to try and get as much information out there and build the one you feel can be representative of your goals and find some connective tissue with the city of Sugar Land. With the Space Cowboys, we feel we have accomplished that.”

But Brown, who has been coming to Skeeters games for the last five years, is not so sure of that fact.

“Ultimately, I don’t think it was needed – the Skeeters were doing great,” she said. “The Astros came in and think it’s a good thing.

We’ll see.”

Looking ahead Regardless of how fans feel one way or the other, the future is now for the Sugar Land baseball franchise. Officials said the new color scheme and logos have attempted to meld the team’s deep Texas/

Sugar Land roots and the Houston area’s space-related heritage into it.

“In our case, we really wanted an identity that connected us to the Astros and the Astros family, but stood out as a unique identity that was very much aligned with the values of Sugar Land,” Seghal said.

Astros pitching prospect Brett Conine said he believes the new brand will be able to do that.

“The Space Cowboys are the future, so we need to gather together as one – that’s what we’re trying to do here,” he said. “I think this is a name and a brand that everyone can kind of get behind and propel ourselves into the future.”

Based on the loud cheers ringing out when the name and color schemes were revealed, the sentiment was largely shared by fans and city officials in attendance.

Bianca Medina, who has been traveling from Pasadena to Sugar Land to watch the Skeeters for about three years, said she had mixed feelings about the rebranding initiative.

“Honestly, (the rebranding) wasn’t my favorite idea – but I’m always a Skeeters fan, and I’m going to be a Space Cowboys fan,” she said.

Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman praised the efforts of the Astros organization with regards to their investment in the Sugar Land franchise, and said it will be a positive development for the franchise moving forward.

“I fully expect our fans are going to embrace it," he said. "I couldn’t be more excited.”

So for the time being, the Space Cowboys name is here to stay in Sugar Land.

And according to a tweet from MLB.com correspondent Alyson Footer, more than 5,000 fans made their way to Constellation Field on Saturday to welcome it.

“There’s such a great foundation with our fans here in Sugar Land, a community that has embraced this club for over 10 years, and we’re excited to grow in this thriving, progressive community,” Seghal said. “We believe the Space Cowboys represent everything about this community, and we can’t wait to see it grow.”

I managed to record a total score of 150 with three strikes and three spares, all of which came after knocking down the first nine pins in those frames.

Main Event has dozens of arcade games for me to try, from classics like SkeeBall and “The World’s Biggest Pac-Man Game” to Mario Kart and a variety of basketball and football themed games where the objective was to either make a basket or throw the

★ FBISD FROM PAGE 1 to make sure you’re creating boundaries and spaces, looking over the next 10 years, to make sure the boundaries are going to have enough students in the range.”

District administrators aim for each school to be between 80 to 100 percent utilized during the course of a boundary’s existence, Mensah said.

“We use that as a benchmark and estimate around the number of students projected to live in that zone,” he said.

Other factors further complicate the process, such as man-made boundaries, landmarks and feeder patterns – making sure students filter from elementary schools to middle schools and high schools in alignment, Mensah said.

Because of the way the zones are set up, it is conceivable that some families living on the edge of one zone might find themselves closer to a school in another zone, he said.

“That doesn’t necessarily happen too often,” Mensah said. “But it depends on planning.”

Fort Bend ISD, perhaps more than other districts in the state, has had to adjust quickly in recent years to the explosion of growth in the county. According to one analysis by HireAHelper, Fort Bend County is the second fastest-growing county in the United States. Between 2015

ball through a target. In the case of the football game, you were supposed to aim at three targets in descending order from smallest to largest, labeled “screen pass”, “play action” and long bomb, worth 20, 40, and 50 points respectively.

One interesting game I tried at Main Event that I’d never seen before called “Let’s Bounce” involved several table tennis balls and a board filled with orange LED lights that changed to blue when you bounced the balls on top of them, with the goal of turning the board blue.

Others centered around the movies “Ghostbusters” and “Justice League” and allow you to vanquish ghosts and do battle against the most fearsome villains of the DC Comics universe.

While I would normally stick to tried and true entertainment options like bowling and 8-ball pool, I liked having so many games at my fingertips and look forward to spending another rainy day at Main Event. and 2020, the county’s population increased from about 715,000 to nearly 840,000 residents, according to the report.

New developments are springing up across the county to match that demand, and so district officials must take into account where homes might be in the future, not just where they are today, Mensah said.

Despite all the complexities, district leaders are still welcoming feedback about attendance zones, because they recognize it can be a challenging time for families, he said.

“Families feel very connected to that experience,” he said of their current schools.

“And we want that. We want them to enjoy that experience.”

Families with students in the district had the chance to fill out a survey about the proposed boundaries, according to Sherry Williams, spokesperson for the district. The deadline to fill out that survey was Jan. 19.

More than 300 people provided feedback to the district, Williams said.

Once administrators present recommendations on Feb. 7, the board of trustees will approve new boundaries on Feb. 14, Mensah said.

Sonal Bhuchar Elementary School, 5503 Thompsons Ferry Road in Missouri City, will be the district’s 53rd elementary school when it opens. It is named after a former member of the board of trustees. plans to convey 410 lots to

★ FULSHEAR FROM PAGE 1 builders in 30 to 45 days, Little more than a week ago, developers in a separate part of the county announced they would soon start work on the biggest master-planned community in Fort Bend County in 20 years - Austin Point.

“It’s knowing this corridor, south of I-10 and west of Westpark, will continue to be very attractive for single-family homes,” he said.

Johnson Development

Bamford said.

Bamford declined to provide an exact timeline for when the newest development might reach buildout, explaining much of that will be based on market demand, he said.

“We’re prepared to meet market demand,” he said.

“Most likely, it will be a year-and-a-half or two years before we move on a second phase, if not sooner.

But we’ll be ready in the event that it’s sooner.”

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Meet sweet Ellie May! She's the sweetest kitten you'll ever meet. She is described as laid-back and super curious about everything. She's a little shy at first, but eventually, she'll warm up to you :) She is FIV-positive. Even though Ellie May is FIVpositive, that doesn't stop her from living a normal cat life. FIVpositive cats just need a happy, healthy indoor environment to be the only cat.

THE STAR

PAGE 8 • Wednesday, February 2 2022

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

Review: Expect the unexpected Nibbles & Sips: Morelia Gourmet Paletas debuts in at Fish City Grill in Sugar Land Sugar Land with ice cream giveaway

By Stefan Modrich

By Stefan Modrich

SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Conventional wisdom tends to suggest certain unwritten rules about dining that we adhere to mostly out of deference to a tradition or a status quo that we are content to not upset.

And at Fish City Grill’s Sugar Land Town Square location, I found that conventional wisdom got twisted on its head in two significant ways.

The first, of course, was Fish City’s most famous dish, its oyster nachos ($11.49). The oysters are fried and breaded and served with a chipotle tartar sauce, along with shredded lettuce and fresh pico de gallo.

The slightly sweet and salty, briny oysters meshed well with the pico de gallo topping. However, I felt they would have been improved further with tortilla chips better than those found in bright yellow, garden variety concession stand nachos.

The next interesting twist was Liberty Creek ($6.95 per glass), a California Cabernet Sauvignon.

White wine is usually preferred with seafood over red wine, but I accepted my server’s suggestion and found its cherry notes and hints of plum and spices to be deliciously mellow and subtle.

Then there was the tasty and zesty gumbo, with shrimp, chicken, Andouille sausage, okra and a dark roux. Order by the cup ($5.79) or bowl ($8.49), the same way you would with Fish City’s other soups.

I’d be interested in pop-

SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Shown are the oyster nachos, gumbo, and a glass of Liberty Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from Fish City Grill in Sugar Land. (Photo By Stefan Modrich)

ping back into Fish City Grill during its happy hour (3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday) and trying the restaurant’s smokin' hot shrimp ($7), Gulf oysters ($1.25 each) or chargrilled oysters ($2 each).

The Tito’s front porch lemonade ($9.50) with Tito’s Vodka, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon, lime, grapefruit and orange juices seems like a citrusy delight, and the spicy silver margarita ($8.50) with El Jimador Blanco, a house-infused jalapeño Gran Gala sazerac, simple syrup and fresh lime juice, appears equally promising.

I particularly enjoy the atmosphere of most seafood restaurants, even those which are not necessarily immediately close to a beach or waterfront.

I found the exposed brick and classic dark-stained wood vibes of Fish City to be reminiscent of the crab shacks and oyster houses I’ve spent time in in Port Isabel, Corpus Christi, Galveston and Tampa Bay on the other side of the Gulf of Mexico. And most importantly, I felt the quality of the seafood at Fish City to be on par with the best restaurants of its ilk.

Fish City Grill

Address: 15980 City Walk, Sugar Land Dining Options: Dinein, curbside pickup Hours: 11 a.m.- 9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.- 10 p.m., FridaySaturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Sunday Entree prices: $4-$34 Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No Alcohol: Yes Healthy options: Salmon, quinoa and kale ($15.99) Star of the show: Oyster nachos ($13) Rating:

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR

The weather that greeted Alex Kassab at the opening of his first Morelia Gourmet Paletas location in Texas last Friday in Sugar Land was chilly and windy.

But the reception from people who came out for free paletas — Mexican fruit or milk-based frozen popsicle treats — from the Miamibased chain on Friday and Saturday was warm and optimistic.

Meera Patel, a dentist who lives in Richmond, stopped

by Morelia’s on Friday with her parents. Patel ordered a dulce de leche paleta dipped in dark chocolate, she said.

The Patels said they were fans of Steel City Pops, which closed in 2019, and were glad to see a new tenant serving sweet treats in the space.

“They’ll have good foot traffic here, and it’s a good location,” Patel said. “(The paleta) was really good, and they said it was made with all natural ingredients. We like that, it’s important to us.”

Kassab said the concept was born out of experiences in Brazil and trips across South America and saw Sugar Land’s diversity and warm climate as similar to Miami’s, which made it an ideal fit.

“I think it's going to be one of the best locations that we've had,” Kassab said. “It complies with everything we’re trying to accomplish.”

Morelia Gourmet Paletas is open from 1-11 p.m.

Monday-Thursday, noonmidnight Friday-Saturday and noon-11 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call 832-532-7513.

Midway BBQ rebuilding after fire Midway BBQ and Midway Meat Market in Katy have

endured some of Fort Bend County’s most daunting storms.

The Meat Market has flooded twice, including once after Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and the Tax Day floods of April 2016. And at about 1 a.m. last Feb. 20, the restaurant caught fire during the freezing conditions that swept the region due to Winter Storm Uri. Dennis Cummins, the son-in-law of owner Herman Meyer, is a general contractor by trade, and said he’s been working on obtaining permits with the city to begin construction with hopes to open in early-to-mid May. Cummins said the building was declared a total loss after the fire, so he will be starting from scratch with the new build, after the restaurant pivoted to using a much smaller and temporary space for the still-operational “Midway Junior” in what was previously Crown Kitchen at 6191 Highway Blvd. Ste. 320A. “It definitely constrained us a little bit,” Cummins said.

“There's not even I would say, not even a quarter of the seating, maybe a quarter of the seating.”

Cummins said catering and events should rebound with the new restaurant, an 8,800 square foot space capable of seating more than 200 guests at 6025 Highway Blvd.

The new Midway BBQ will also have a fire suppression system and improved insulation.

“We’re doubling the capacity of the kitchen,” Cummins said. “We're going to be doing baked goods, which we weren't doing before, and more holiday cooking, turkeys and stuff like that, which we have been doing.”

For more information, call 281-391-2830.

Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to 40 words and answer the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to jsazma@fortbendstar.com or mail to: Fort Bend Star, 3944 Bluebonnet Drive, Stafford, Texas 77477.

FOR NON-PROFIT EVENTS

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak and the cancellation of several community gatherings, please check with each organization for updated information about the status of their events.

FEBRUARY 10 FORT BEND-HARRIS RETIRED EDUCATORS MEETING Meeting, Thursday, February 10th, at 1:00 p.m., Venue Room, Sugar Land First United Methodist Church, 431 Eldridge Rd. (as of now) Program: Human Trafficking presented by Elijah Rising.

Please bring a Valentine's Day card for Stilwell Retirement Living. Arrive earlier to socialize, sign in and pay dues if you haven't. All Fort Bend and Harris County I.S.D. retired public educators are invited. More information, call 713-206-2733.

FEBRUARY 17 LAMBDA SIGMA CHAPTER OF DKG HYBRID MEETING Thursday, February 17th, the local chapter, Lambda Sigma, of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international professional society of leading women educators will meet in person and by way of zoom at All Saints Episcopal Church, 605 Dulles Avenue, Stafford, TX. Social time begins at 4:30 pm, and the meeting will begin at 5. Chapter birthday celebration and honoring charter members; Achievement spotlights; Vote on officers and new members; Rodeo tickets and gift cards raffle winner announcement. Women educators who are interested in learning about DKG , contact dkglsnews2020@gmail.com

Honored to be your choice for life insurance.

LISA N SIMS, AGENT Monday - Friday 9 - 6 Saturday 10 - 2 After hours by appointment

ONGOING LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching adults to read. We need your help. Literacy Council is actively recruiting Volunteer Tutors to provide instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) Levels 0-5, three hours a week.

For more information, call 281-240-8181 or visit our website www.ftbendliteracy.org JAM WITH SAM Join Sam Grice and his friends every Tuesday Night at 6:30 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 502 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, Texas. The group plays folk, country, bluegrass, religious and patriotic songs. Call Sam at 832-428-3165 or the church office at 281-240-3195 for more information.

THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY FOR MEN Sugar Land First United Methodist Church, 431 Eldridge Road offers a Thursday Morning Bible Study For Men. This group is ongoing and uses a variety of studies throughout the year. The breakfast, coffee and donuts are free. Join us any time! Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 am in Wesley Hall. Call the church office at 281-491-6041 or Mike Schofield at 281-217-5799 for more information.

SUGAR LAND AMERICAN LEGION American Legion Freeman Post 942 meets the fourth Thursday of every month at the Post facility, 311 Ulrich, Sugar Land, Texas, at 7:00 PM. All veterans are welcome. Post hall is available for rental for events. Call 713-553-5370 if interested.

GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE Give a Gift of Hope one-time or monthly. Your help provides access to therapies and services children

with autism might otherwise go without. Please consider Hope For Three in your Estate, Planned, or Year-End Giving. Register now, or learn more about exciting events: www.hopeforthree.org/events DVD-BASED ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WITH NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED Weekly class designed to help you understand and appreciate the Bible by giving you a better sense of the land and culture from which it sprang.

The class meets at 9:30 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.). For more information call 281-240-3195 EXCHANGE EXCHANGE, AmericaÕ s Service Club, always welcomes guests and is in search of new members!

Various Fort Bend clubs exist and can accommodate early morning (7 a.m.), noon and evening meeting time desires. For more info, contact Mike Reichek, Regional Vice President, 281-575-1145 or mike@ reichekfinancial.com We would love to have you join us and see what we are all about!

MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801 Meets the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m., at 2701 Cypress Point Dr., Missouri City Rec Center. Lunch, education, and entertainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more information, call 713-859-5920 or 281-499-3345.

BECOME A FOSTER GRANDPARENT Volunteers are needed to be a role model, mentor and friend to children with exceptional needs in the community. Training, mileage reimbursement, taxfree monthly stipend if eligible. Call today to help change the world, one child at a time in Rosenberg.

For more information, call 281-344-3515.

11647 S Highway 6 Sugar Land, TX 77498 Toll Free: 281-201-2448 lisa@agentlisasims.com

EXPERIENCE COUNTS! 35+ YEARS SERVING FORT BEND COUNTY 281-243-2344 281.243.2300

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