07-07-21 Edition of the Fort Bend Star

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FBCA had a special guest last month - Page 4

Pawm Springs Dog Park is featured in this week's Fun in Fort Bend report. Read about it on Page 5. (Photo by Stefan Modrich)

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FEC questions Nehls’ campaign finances By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

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Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 45 • No. 46

Officials with the Federal Election Commission are seeking answers from U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls about financial records he kept during the 2020 election. Members of the commission in a series of letters sent to the freshman lawmaker from Fort Bend County ask questions about discrepan-

Nehls cies in the beginning and

ending campaign balance, receiving donations over the federal limit, failing to disclose a conduit that passed along contributions and how campaign money was spent. No one from the Republican lawmaker’s office had responded to multiple requests for comment about the matter as of Monday. The commission on June 17 sent letters to Nehls’ campaign treasurer, Chad Norvell, seeking an ex-

planation for four possible violations of federal election campaign donation limits. One person donated $2,800 twice – once in September and once in October – whereas the federal limit per election is $2,800 for an individual, according to the letter. Another person made six donations totaling $4,500, according to the letter. The commission also sought information about an-

other $2,500 donation from an entity that could be an illegal corporate contribution, according to the letter. Nehls’ campaign filings also showed a beginning cash balance unequal to the ending balance of the 30-day post-general report, according to another letter. Officials with the commission also had questions

SEE NEHLS PAGE 7

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County settles with DOJ over complaints By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Fort Bend County must provide free interpreters for people in civil and criminal cases and institute new training after reaching a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Officials with the Justice Department found after an investigation that the county’s courts had discriminated against people with limited English proficiency, by requiring criminal defendants to use a bilingual attorney instead of a qualified interpreter and instituting other policies that gave those in child custody cases higher court costs, according to a news

SEE SETTLES PAGE 7

George

ZZ Top plays a concert at the Smart Financial Centre before the COVID-19 pandemic began. The facility's first sold-out show since the start of the pandemic is scheduled for July 16. (Photo courtesy of Smart Financial Centre)

Events returning to Smart Financial Centre By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The arrival of the pandemic in March 2020 spelled disaster for many Fort Bend County residents and businesses, many of whom would lose money, jobs and, in some instances, be forced to close as rising case numbers forced people home. As bad as the effects were for restaurants and some retail businesses, conditions were perhaps even more dire at the Smart Financial Centre in

Sugar Land. “We went to zero revenue there for a while, when we couldn’t have any events,” said Andrew Huang, director of marketing for the facility. After more than a year of struggles, the future is starting to look brighter for Sugar Land’s premier concert venue. The facility recently hosted the Junior Theater Festival Texas, and its first sold-out show since the start of the pandemic is set for July 16, Huang said. And officials at the concert venue aren’t the only ones who are excited.

“Events at Smart Financial Centre have been absolutely beneficial to our restaurants,” said Robert White, who owns restaurants Japaneiro’s, Jupiter Pizza & Waffle Co. and Guru Burger near Sugar Land Town Square. “We are very glad they are resuming. A key element for us in the Town Square has been the shuttle ser- Attendees enter Smart Financial Centre June 26 for the vice, which we hope will Junior Theater Festival Texas. (Photo by Stefan Modrich) also restart soon.” Businesses in the nearby Sugar Land Town Square service between the two the developer that operhave been able to capital- locations for some shows, ates the town square. ize on some of the shows said Taylor Scott, marketthe Financial Centre ing and events manager for SEE EVENTS PAGE 7 draws by offering a shuttle PCD Management LLC,

Chamber CEO recognized for role during pandemic By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Keri Schmidt and her staff at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce weathered the coronavirus pandemic, and even helped distribute more than $43.7 million in grants to 3,310 businesses, she said. Now, the longtime president and CEO is being honored for the chamber’s efforts.

Schmidt as

Schmidt’s fellow Texchamber executives

recently awarded her with the Arthur A. Roberts Award for Distinguished Service, meant to recognize her efforts during the pandemic, according to a news release. Then, just a few days later, County Judge KP George named the veteran chamber executive to the Gulf Coast Workforce Board, representing business in the county, he said. “It was all such an honor,” Schmidt said of her

recent recognitions. George in selecting Schmidt said he chose her because of her knowledge of the diverse business community. She also has training in management and hiring practices, he said. Business conditions in Fort Bend County have much improved since the early days of the pandemic and the shutdowns, back in March 2020, Schmidt said. But there’s still work to do,

with some businesses still struggling to find employees, she said. From the beginning of the pandemic, chamber employees worked as essential employees to help businesses struggling as more people stayed home and stopped frequenting restaurants and retail shops, she said. Fort Bend County also

SEE CEO PAGE 7

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