More candidates running for city council: Page 2
WEDNESDAY • FEBRUARY 13, 2019
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Historic commission to intervene in Sugar Land 95 lawsuit By Joe Southern and Theresa D. McClellan
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David McNally, a Cullen Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Houston, tells the Fort Bend County Historical Commission they have, “a historic opportunity today and in the coming weeks to not only redress a historical injustice but to provide moral leadership,” regarding re-interment of the Sugar Land 95. (Photo by Joe Southern)
From staff reports
By Richard Lee FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
The Senate has begun hearings on one of the emergency issues named in Gov. Greg Abbott’s biennial State of the State address. Abbott gave property tax reform the emergency tag in the Tuesday speech, permitting immediate legislative action on related measures. Abbott said in his speech that the Texas economy was the envy of the rest of the nation and praised lawmakers for their work in achieving that status. “When you combine our legislative accomplishments with our record-breaking prosperity, you have elevated Texas to rarified status,” he said at the joint session. “I am proud to tell you that the state of Texas has never been better.” In addition to property tax reform, Abbott picked five more topics as emergency issues. They are: education finance reform, school safety, teacher pay increases, disaster recovery, and mental health services. The constitution prohibits the consideration of bills and resolutions in the first 60 days of the session, unless that issue receives the emergency designation. The Senate Property Tax Committee took up the major property tax bill for the session, SB 2, on Wednesday, just one day after the governor’s speech. Bill author and Committee Chair Senator Paul Bettencourt of Houston said that he is committed to passing a bill this session. “We’re going to solve this problem,” he said. “We’re going to be here until we do.” SB 2, and its identical companion in the House, HB 2, would change what is called
SEE LEGISLATURE, PAGE 2
The Sugar Land 95 may now have a voice. The Fort Bend County Historical Commission voted 43-0 to request the commissioner’s court authorize it to intervene in the lawsuit filed by the Fort Bend Independent School District and oppose removal of the cemetery designation where 95 graves were found at the construction site of the James Reece Career and Technical Center. The action was taken during a special meeting Feb. 6 after the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court asked the historical commission to advise it on how it should respond to a lawsuit filed by the school district seeking removal of the cemetery designation and allow relocation of the bodies found there.
Change of opinion? See Joe Southern's column on page 4.
The historic commission held a meeting where members of the public were invited to comment. Once the comments were complete, the commission went into a closed session. When it came out, it unanimously approved a resolution to, “Recommend opposition to the removal of the cemetery designation and request authorization from the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court for the County Historical Commission to intervene in the lawsuit filed by FBISD for that purpose.” “At this point, there is no immediate implication for the (school) district because the motion is to recommend opposition to the removal of the cemetery dedication and request authorization for the commission to intervene in
the lawsuit,” Fort Bend ISD spokesperson Veronica Sopher said after the meeting. She said it was about time the historical commission became involved in the case. “At this point, it quite honestly signals the district that the historical commission is ready to step up and engage and be a part of the solution that is going to ultimately memorialize and honor the 95 souls that were buried on the site,” she said. Sopher said she invited the historical commission out numerous times to tour the site. “I presented to them personally, updated them on the findings. We have repeatedly gone to them with updates and this is the first time they have taken the time to engage and for that we are thankful,” she said. Nine people spoke during
SEE CEMETERY, PAGE 8
Skeeters sign Loney, 5 others to defend title FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Abbott names emergency issues for Legislature's first actions
Visit www.FortBendStar.com
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 43 • No. 26
The Sugar Land Skeeters have begun crafting the team they hope will help them defend the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball championship. The reigning champions recently announced their first signings of the season, highlighted by 11-year Major League veteran James Loney, who won a state championship while playing baseball for Elkins High School. Also signed are former Major League catcher Cody Stanley and returning Skeeters Josh Prince, catcher/infielder Albert Cordero, infielder Alvaro Rondon, and outfielder Tony Thomas. Loney, who will serve as a player-coach, will be a part of the Skeeters pitching staff, as well as making appearances in the outfield and infield. “Words cannot express how ecstatic I am to come back home and be a member of the Sugar Land Skeeters,” Loney said. “I am proud to be as-
James Loney
sociated with a first-class organization and appreciate the opportunity to have an impact in this community. I am thrilled the Skeeters are such an integral part of Sugar Land, and excited to get started on defending the Atlantic League championship title!” Loney, 34, was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round (19th overall) of the 2002 MLB Draft out of Elkins High School. He spent seven of his 11 Major League seasons with the Dodgers, also appearing with the Boston Red Sox (2012), Tampa Bay Rays (201315) and New York Mets (2016). Over his Major League career, Loney appeared in 1,443 games and had a
.284 batting average, .336 on-base percentage, and .410 slugging percentage to go with 108 home runs and 669 RBIs. The Houston native led the National League with 160 games played at first base in 2010 and led the American League in games played at the position in 2014 with the Rays (152 games). He finished fifth in the National League in 2010 with 41 doubles. He ranked second in the American League in singles in 2014 (138) and finished in the top 10 in the National League in 2008 (118, 8th) and 2009 (122, 9th). Loney ranks eighth alltime in Dodgers history in games played at first base (896). “Any time you can sign a player of this magnitude, especially one who’s from the Houston area, it’s a really big deal,” said Skeeters manager Pete Incaviglia. “It’s a great fit for the Skeeters organization and I also think it’s a great fit for him. It’s really the best of both worlds and we’re incredibly ex-
SEE SKEETERS, PAGE 7
Josh Prince makes a throw to first base during a game in 2017. After spending last season in the Arizona Diamondbacks system, Prince is returning to the Skeeters as a player-coach. (Photo by Joe Southern)
Love of model railroading crosses generations By Donna Hill FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Freight, passenger or commuter – for train enthusiasts, these vehicles not only provide a unique form of transportation, they also provide hours of entertainment in the form of models as well. A special group of fans called model railroaders create elaborate train setups – complete with tracks, a miniature train station, towns, buildings, and more – and often run the whole vision in an extra room of their home. Gene Mangum is one such model railroader. The Fort Bend resident said his introduction to trains started early. “I was 10 when I got a train set at Christmas,” he said. “Then I fell away from it; I was into sports and other things. After college, a friend of mine gave me an old model engine, and I loved it.”
Steve Sandifer’s model of the Santa Fe 4-8-4 3762 pulling a freight train. He scratch built all of the scenery and structures. (Submitted photo)
Soon his childhood hobby transitioned to an adult hobby. Setting up his private railroad in a 12-foot by 20-foot loft in his home, he acknowledged there were
about three years spent putting together the railroad scene. Hobby shops help with ideas for buildings, trees, shrubs, and of course, tracks. Drawing up a set of plans,
Mangum, a civil engineer, built the benchwork supporting the tracks, plus the foundation and framework. Then he placed the tracks and added various greenery and buildings. He’s had
some of his trains since the 1970s. While the model railroad hobby often starts in childhood, sometimes busy lives can derail the hobby for a while. Mangum has simple advice for someone thinking about jumping back into the world of locomotives and model trains. “Join the San Jacinto Model Railroad Club. We meet the first Tuesday of every month. You can get all kinds of advice and we welcome new members all the time,” he said. “There’s also monthly clinics about how to assemble certain kinds of buildings or how to wire up your railroad. And there’s a monthly newsletter called The Derail, with helpful information for everybody.” Long time train fan and main organizer of the Houston Model Train Show is Steve Sandifer, a model
SEE TRAINS, PAGE 9