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Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 43 • No. 45
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Missouri City welcomes technology center By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Like much of Fort Bend County, Missouri City is experiencing growth on several fronts, from sheer population to its business footprint. The city’s economic development took another step forward last week as
a Houston technology giant expanded further into Fort Bend County. Mayor Yolanda Ford, City Manager Anthony Snipes and council members joined the Missouri City community and Comcast officials as the company unveiled a new technology center with a special ribbon cutting at the brand new location
across six acres at 551 Buffalo Lakes Blvd. “Today is an exciting day to welcome Comcast into Missouri City, not just as a new business but as a community partner,” Ford said “This is only possible through our collaboration and commitment to Mis-
SEE CENTER, PAGE 4
Missouri City Mayor Yolanda Ford addresses the crowd at last week's ribbon-cutting ceremony for the city's new Comcast Technology Center at 551 Buffalo Lakes Blvd. (Photo by Quy Tran)
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Star announces Reader's Choice Award winners From Staff Reports
The residents of Fort Bend County have made their choices. We’re proud to announce the winners of the fifth annual Fort Bend Star Reader’s Choice Awards in this week’s edition. Over the course of the last few weeks, voters cast their ballots for businesses of all types and sizes. Today, these top-notch businesses have a new trophy to put on their mantle – Reader’s Choice winner. As your community newspaper, we love spotlighting these businesses and bringing their stories to you, the readers, because our mission is to help bring the community together. It’s a good reminder that we’re all in this together. As we look forward to 2020, 2021 and beyond and Fort Bend County continues to grow, we hope that more readers will take a few moments each year to cast their ballot for the top businesses and services of Fort Bend. Encourage your friends and family to support the best in Fort Bend—whether it’s a mom-and-pop shop or a big box store. Many of us already know where our favorite place is to go for a quick drink, to get a quick, quality haircut or for our home improvement needs. Now, the community knows about more of the high-quality businesses populating our slice of the Greater Houston srea. Congratulations to the winners! If you haven’t visited some of these businesses, today is a great time to start.
Allie Garrett sits with her and her family's new best friend, Phoenix. After Phoenix was found abandoned and injured with chemical burns earlier this month, Garrett and her husband began fostering the dog to help him on his road to recovery. (Contributed photo)
Fort Bend family, rescued dog make perfect match By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Phoenix was abandoned, left to suffer alone. Fort Bend County residents Allie and Garrett Post have an animal rescue shelter on their property in Fulshear, and already have their hands full with five family pets. But thanks to a recent twist of fate, the Posts might soon add to their family while giving Phoenix a home. The pup and the Posts have become intertwined in each other’s lives during the last two weeks. During that time, a severe case of apparent animal cruelty has morphed into the perfect marriage of a loving family and a rejuvenated dog. “This little guy has our hearts,” said Allie Post, who works for Fort Bend County Animal Services. The love story began June 12, when a field officer with Fort Bend County Animal Services found Phoenix abandoned near a tow truck company in the Rocky Falls area of Richmond, chained up with severe apparent chemical burns over about 25 percent of his body. Upon being brought to animal services, Phoenix was immediately transferred to the Fort Bend Animal Hospital.
Phoenix, who was found abandoned and injured June 12 by Fort Bend County Animal Services, has been staying in Fulshear with dog rescuers Allie and Garrett Post. The couple plans to keep Phoenix and already considers him part of their family. (Contributed photo)
The black Labrador, who the Posts believe to be 3 or 4 years old, had to be sedated due to severe pain caused by third-degree burns, some of which have yet to heal. “He was basically aggressive to everything,” Garrett Post said. “He didn’t want anything
to do with anybody,” Allie added. Due to the severity of his burns – skin may never grow back in some places – Phoenix needed not just a clean environment, but a sterile one. That was nearly impossible at the clinic because of the dozens of animals coming in on a
daily basis. So the Posts made a choice. “I decided to take him home,” Allie said. “I thought we could put him in our office, away from everyone, and in a place where he could relax and recover … and after a day at the house, he was completely differ-
ent.” Allie Post has 10 years of veterinary tech experience and said she has always harbored a passion for pets. Nearly a decade ago, that passion spawned her Precious Paws, a service for helping people take care of their animals. “I wanted to be there to help and educate,” she said. “It took me further into the process of care, where I saw a lot of negligence and cruelty.” Soon after, she and her husband began a pet rescue and hospitality center on their five-acre property in Fulshear. And though they have helped and treated a multitude of animals, she said when Phoenix’s case came about, it was a different animal. “I feel like Phoenix has come into our lives to help the rescue grow and show what we’re here for and what we can do,” she said. “Animals are helpless. They don’t have a voice. Who’s going to help them if we don’t?” It takes a village The Posts were quick to thank the Fort Bend County community for their support in Phoenix’s road to recovery. Payment for his medical bills are
SEE PUP, PAGE 6
Growth, forward thinking define retiring Bogard's tenure From Staff Reports
Helping guide a city through burgeoning growth is never easy. But it's a challenge from which Allen Bogard never appears to have shied away. Now he will soon move on to a new phase of life. According to a news release from the city of Sugar Land, Bogard plans to retire Jan. 31, 2020. He has spent more than four decades in
Bogard
public service, including 25 years in Sugar Land and serving as its city manager
since 2001. "I'd like to thank our current and former members of city council for the opportunity to work in a special place like Sugar Land," Bogard said in the release. "When I accepted the honor of serving as Sugar Land city manager, I made a commitment to myself to leave the city in as good or better condition than I received it. I believe that I will achieve this commitment upon my departure from the city as evidenced by
the city's high level of service and financial strength." During his time at the helm, Bogard has overseen and in some cases implemented forward-thinking initiatives as the city has mirrored Fort Bend County's growth. Recognizing the change and growth in population and demographics within the city in 2008, Bogard created the city manager's Multi-Cultural Advisory Team, with which he has worked to host "101" sessions for key staff in an
effort to ensure the city was meeting the needs of residents, according to the city's website. Sugar Land has more than doubled in population under Bogard's leadership and seen the development of Sugar Land Town Square, First Colony Mall, Constellation Field, the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land, the University of Houston at Sugar Land and the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land. "Allen has done an out-
standing job in building an exceptional team, and we wish him well in his future endeavors," Mayor Joe Zimmerman said in the release. "Our city is safer than ever before, our economy is strong and we continue to offer the high level of services our citizens expect while maintaining one of the state's lowest tax rates. While it will be impossible to replace
SEE BOGARD, PAGE 3