Herrera wins Stafford City Council seat - Page 7
The Sugar Land Skeeters recently announced their schedule for their first season as an Astros affiliate. See who they'll face this year inside today on Page 4.
WEDNESDAY • FEBRUARY 24, 2021
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Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 45 • No. 27
Gates’ Orlando trip sparks debate among constituents By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
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State Rep. Gary Gates, a Republican from Richmond serving House District 28, which includes portions of Rosenberg, Pecan Grove and Katy, is facing scrutiny from some of his constituents after flying to Orlando, Florida during Winter Storm Uri, which left many Fort Bend County residents without power and/or water.
Gates
Gates flew to Florida
last Wednesday, the same day U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz flew to Cancun, Mexico. Cruz returned to Houston last Thursday after the trip with his family drew national outrage as many Texans suffered through days of below-freezing temperatures. Gates returned to Richmond last Friday. “Like happened to so many of you, as the cold set in earlier this week, our water pipes froze,” Gates wrote in a text message
last Thursday. “On Tuesday morning two of those pipes burst. Approximately 30 percent of our house was flooded. Several of our adult children rushed over to assist in cleaning up and patching the leak. A few hours later, our power went off. We slept on the floor in another part of the house Tuesday night. By Wednesday, the mold was affecting the part of the house that had flooded, and we made plans to stay at one of our chil-
dren's homes. Then they lost their power and began struggling with burst pipes and no water.” Some wanted to see Gates on the ground in his district helping his constituents, including Theresa Jimenez Mahecha, a resident of Rosenberg’s Summer Lakes neighborhood. “If you are an elected public servant and you
SEE GATES PAGE 6
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Area looks to rebound after storm By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
With Winter Storm Uri in Fort Bend County’s wake, area residents are beginning to recover from a week marred by freezing temperatures, power outages and damage to homes and businesses caused by water pipes that froze and then burst. The City of Sugar Land announced last Friday it had modified the upcoming bulk waste collection schedule to provide all residents the opportunity to remove debris from their damaged homes. In addition, the city’s list of accepted bulk waste items was temporarily expanded to include construction and demolition debris generated from the winter storm. The city’s normal second Monday collection of extra bulk waste that was originally scheduled for Feb. 15 has been moved to Saturday. The March 1 collection date, the first Monday of bulk waste collection, is set to continue as scheduled.
A volunteer hands a bottle of water to a recipient during a food and water giveaway at Family Worship Center in Stafford. The event was a collaboration between the office of Fort Bend County Judge KP George, the Houston Food Bank and BAPS Charities, and served groceries to 5,500 Fort Bend County families. (Photo from Twitter)
Local businesses, nonprofits help provide storm relief By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Sathish Rao, owner of Udipi Cafe in Sugar Land, was one of many business owners to lose power in his restaurant in the midst of Winter Storm Uri. When the power was restored last Wednesday, Feb. 17, Rao and his staff rushed to ensure they could open the following day. “I was lucky enough to
have power at my house, so I had most of my employees come to my house,” Rao said. “I had 16 of them at my house, along with my three dogs.” When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, Rao said he delivered meals in Downtown Houston and to churches in Rosenberg and Rosharon, distributing nearly 3,000 meals to homeless people and others in need. So when sub-freezing temperatures descended upon the Houston area ear-
SEE REBOUND PAGE 6
SEE RELIEF PAGE 6
Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton, left, loads bottles of water into a vehicle Monday at Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center. (Photo from Twitter)
Lady Vikings earn long-awaited return to third round By Landan Kuhlmann
For further updates to the bulk waste collection schedule, residents can visit https://www.sugarlandtx. gov/316/Residential-Services. Residents can contact 3-1-1 or 281-275-2900 or email SolidWaste@SugarLandTX.gov with questions. Officials from the City of Rosenberg announced they will offer assistance to residents making home repairs
ly last week, Rao sought to do his best to ensure that no one who entered his restaurant at 2325 Williams Trace Blvd. in Sugar Land — or his location at 5959 Hillcroft St. in Houston in the heart of the city’s Mahatma Gandhi District — would go to bed hungry. “We had about 40 to 45 families who came and took advantage of it,” Rao said. “We are happy to share our
LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Dulles' Peyton Overton (facing camera) and Nya Threatt embrace following Saturday's area-round playoff win against Jersey Village. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)
Those in attendance at Houston ISD’s Delmar Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon could see how much the Dulles Lady Vikings’ most recent playoff win meant to those taking part in it. Dulles head coach Jay Simon was overcome with emotion after the 75-68 win against Jersey Village, his head in his hands as the final buzzer sounded to send his girls basketball team to the
Region III-6A quarterfinals. Star guards Peyton Overton and Nya Threatt embraced while simultaneously letting out screams of joy. The win was a long time coming for the program. “It all just came out emotionally, especially on my end, knowing that we as a coaching staff have invested so much into these young ladies,” Simon said. “They’ve been here every step of the way through all this adversity.” Dulles (24-0) has reached the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 2009 in
a season marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week’s Winter Storm Uri threw more challenges at the Lady Vikings, whose second-round game was rescheduled multiple times. They only had two days of practice to prepare for Jersey Village, their toughest opponent to date. But the Lady Vikings beat the Lady Falcons, ranked eighth in the state by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, to continue
SEE DULLES PAGE 6
JERRY FLOWERS
Real Estate Agent, MBA, CNE, ABE Army Veteran (RET) • 832-702-5241 Jerry@dreamhomesbyjerry.com
4500 Highway 6, Sugar Land, TX 77478