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Fort Fort Bend Bend // Southwest Southwest •• Volume Volume 47 46 •• No. No. 32 31 • $1.00
Candela expanding with more homes, new school By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
SLPD investigating excessive force complaint By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
The Sugar Land Police Department has launched an excessive force investigation after the father of a 16-year-old girl filed a complaint against the department, alleging an officer used a chokehold on his daughter after she had a seizure. Calls and messages to the man who filed the complaint went unreturned as of Monday afternoon. But in an interview with Fox26 in Houston, Michael Cummings said he regretted calling 911. “My daughter is 16 and this goes for any child that is out there, they should never have to deal with this,” he said in the interview. Doug Adolph, a spokesperson for the city of Sugar Land, confirmed that the father filed a complaint with the police department and that the department was investigating. Sugar Land police on March 19 responded to an emergency services call just after 9 p.m. at a restaurant in the 1400 block of Crabb River Road about a violent patient, Adolph said. When officers arrived, they found a 16-year-old employee with her father, Adolph said. The girl had suffered a medical episode, was disoriented and refused her father’s attempts to calm her down and leave with him, the police claim, according to Adolph. An officer then approached the girl, but the girl declined to speak with the officer and began to walk toward the kitchen, the police claim, according to Adolph. Because police had received a call about a violent patient, the officer then tried to stop her from entering the kitchen, and detained the girl by securing her arms and holding her close around the chest, according to Adolph. The girl then tried to pull away, causing her and the officer to fall to the ground, Adolph said. The father told police he wanted his daughter transported to the hospital, but she declined, Adolph said. Police eventually released the girl to her father, Adolph said. Adolph declined to release further information about the incident, including whether any officers were on administrative leave in connection to the incident or if the department has any written policy on the use of chokeholds, or a definition of a chokehold. “That is all I have for now until the investigation is complete,” Adolph said.
Growth in the western part of Fort Bend County continues at an astounding rate, with the developers behind a subdivision recently purchasing an additional 120 acres and selling land for a new $26.7 million school.
Representatives for Houston-based Johnson Development Services recently acquired about 117 acres of land that will be added to the company’s Candela development in Richmond, according to Haunani Shipper, a spokesperson for the company. The news comes as Lamar Consolidated ISD just broke ground
on a new $26.7 million elementary school, Bernard Clifton Terrell Jr. Elementary School, that is slated to open in 2023 in Candela. It is being built on land sold to LCISD by the developer. “Historically, Fort Bend County has seen strong growth through
SEE GROWTH PAGE 7
Developers behind the Candela development have purchased additional acreage for the community. (Contributed photo)
Setting the tone
Kowalewski emerging as trusted leader for Lady Tigers By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Travis High School softball coach Katie Kilgore almost couldn’t get the words out fast enough when asked about Ariel Kowalewski’s defining trait. “If a coach could build a perfect athlete in aspects of athletic ability and leadership ability, (Ariel) has everything,” Kilgore said. “… She leads by example, and she’s a vocal leader. You can’t ask for anything more than that.” That was a common sentiment during the conversation Monday afternoon before practice. Kilgore said Kowalewski has emerged as one of the clear leaders for the Lady Tigers, who were 10-8 overall and tied with Ridge Point for first place in District 20-6A competition with a 6-0 mark ahead of Tuesday night’s clash with the Lady Panthers. On the heels of their first 20-6A title last year when they dethroned Ridge Point – who had won it the previous three seasons – the Lady Tigers are on the prowl for another, and their star is a big reason why the goal is attainable. “Ariel knows what it takes to repeat and do that again,” Kilgore said. “She’s willing to do anything possible to win for all these girls out here.” Kowalewski herself also knows she can be the tone setter in more ways than one. After spending last season playing primarily third base, the junior has stepped into the circle as the team’s near every-game starter this year. In the circle, she controls the flow of the game. She leads off at the top of the Lady Tigers’ batting order to set the pace. In the dugout, Kilgore said she’s always encouraging teammates and leading by example. No matter what, she has the chance to get Travis off on the right foot in any situation. And it
Travis' Ariel Kowalewski winds up to throw a pitch during last Friday's game against Elkins. The junior is one of the undisputed leaders for the Lady Tigers, who are off to a hot start in District 20-6A play. (Contributed photo)
appears to be a role Kowalewski enjoys – not to mention one that has manifested itself into more success so far this season. Following a sophomore campaign in which she hit .657 with 13 homers and 47 RBIs en route to being the District 20-6A Most Valuable Player, the 5-foot-7 junior is once again tearing the cover off the ball at the plate while simultaneously dominating on
See related column on .................. PAGE 2 the mound. She entered play this week hitting .667 on the season with a 1.869 OPS and 16 RBIs at the plate along with 62 strikeouts and a 3.37 ERA in 52 innings of
work in the circle. “I really can control the game, so I feel like I need to go out there and do my best,” Kowalewski said. “I feel like I have so much control of the game, that I can set the tone of the game really well.” Big dreams When looking back, Kow-
SEE KOWALEWSKI PAGE 7
Stafford MSD still mum on law firm's investigation By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
More than a month after Stafford MSD’s board of trustees voted to hire an outside law firm to investigate Superintendent Robert Bostic’s contract and a grievance filed by the district’s chief financial officer, representatives for the district remained mum on what exactly they’re looking
into. The board of trustees at a meeting last week did not take any action on an agenda item regarding the superintendent’s employment contract, according to Gracie Martinez, spokesperson for the district. And in subsequent conversations about the investigation, board member Dawn Reichling declined to answer questions about the details.
Bostic
In response to an open records request submitted by the Fort Bend Star, the district’s legal representatives filed an appeal to the Texas Attorney General’s Office in an attempt to withhold the requested information from the public. The Star requested a copy of the grievance filed by the chief financial officer, a copy of the contract executed between the district and
outside law firm and written correspondence about the superintendent’s contract among board members and administrators. “On behalf of the district, I request an attorney general’s decision… concerning whether certain records requested from the district are exempt from disclosure under
SEE SMSD PAGE 7
JERRY FLOWERS
Real Estate Agent, MBA, CNE, ABE Army Veteran (RET) • 832-702-5241 Jerry@dreamhomesbyjerry.com
4500 Highway 6, Sugar Land, TX 77478