INSIDE | Marshall notches playoff win
page 12
JANUARY 27 & 28
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WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 6, 2017
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 40 • No. 17
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Sheriff eyes Congressional seat May resign post this week to run against Pete Olson By Theresa D. McClellan FOR FORTBEND STAR.
The top cop in Fort Bend County may be announcing his resignation Wednesday. Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls told the Fort Bend Star last week he has been seriously considering running for Congress and would know Monday and announce Wednesday if he will relinquish his position as sheriff and challenge U.S. Rep. Pete Olson for the Texas 22nd Congressional District seat. “The Texas Constitution says if I announce I will run, I have to resign that day. So you can say in the paper that I am seriously considering running for Congress and we will know Wednesday,” said Nehls. Nehls said he doesn’t feel Olson has done much while in office. “Pete is a nice guy. But I don’t think he gets a whole lot done. He’s done very little and this has been his fifth term,” he said. “What do I want to do? I want to help drain the swamp.” Several things bother Nehls about Washington. “Does it not upset you when they talk about sexual harassment and the slush fund and people have filed claims against congressional aids and they have to go through counseling? Not the offender, the person making the claim and then they get paid hush money with our tax dollars. The federal government is easy to tell you, no sex harassment, except us. Obamacare for everyone, except us. Congress has a double standard,” said the sheriff. As he discussed the moral fiber of the country, the Star asked the sheriff about Trump’s
Nehls denies F-Trump sticker controversy was publicity stunt By Theresa D. McClellan FOR FORTBEND STAR.
Sheriff Troy Nehls made national news recently after he was blasted for using his Facebook page to find the identity of a Fort Bend County resident who plastered an obscenity against President Donald Trump and anyone who voted for him on the back of the family truck. That post resulted in publicly identifying Karen Cook Fonseca, which led to her arrest on an outstanding felony warrant for fraud. It has Fonseca’s supporters crying foul and claiming this was just a publicity stunt by the sheriff
actions and history with women. “I understand the reason people voted for him. Not because of his morality. We weren’t electing a pope. We needed a commander in chief who would
get us on track economically and provide a safe and secure environment. Not on going to church and his religious affiliation.” Nehls said he voted twice for Trump.
to get national attention and help for his potential bid for Congress. It all started Nov. 15 when Nehls said someone sent him a picture of the back window of the truck where the obscene message was placed and he posted it on his Facebook page asking the owner to come forward for a talk. “The picture didn’t show the license plate. So I put it out on my Facebook and said we’d like to identify and talk to her about people who are offended,” Nehls said. “Would you consider modifying it and have a conversation. We
SEE STICKER PG 3
“I voted for him in the primary and in the general election. In the primary, people weren’t talking about him, they thought
SEE NEHLS PG 3
Two Democrats file for election Sarah DeMerchant has filed for the Democratic Party nomination for State Representative in District 26. The seat is held by Republican Rick Miller. DeMerchant ran unsuccessfully against Miller in 2016. KP George has filed to run as a Democratic
candidate for Fort Bend County Judge. George is currently a member of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees. Republican Robert Hebert currently holds the seat. The deadline to file for election is Monday, Dec. 11.
This photo posted on Facebook by Sheriff Troy Nehls in his quest to find the owner of the truck led to a big controversy over freedom of speech and speculation by some that it was a publicity stunt to help Nehls in a potential run for Congress.
Mass shooting leads to class on safety response for churches By Theresa D. McClellan FOR FORTBEND STAR.
The day after a gunman massacred 26 worshippers in a small Baptist church in rural south Texas, Clif Cummings, the associate pastor of Sugar Creek Baptist Church in Sugar Land, worried about the small congregations in his community. Cummings, who is also the senior chaplain with the Fort Bend County First Responder Chaplains Association, knew that his large church had visibly armed uniformed and undercover officers in his congregation. He wondered about others and started making calls. Sheriff Troy Nehls was already meeting to create an action plan, which resulted in a recent gathering of 145 pastors and church leaders at the Gus George Law Enforcement Academy looking for answers at the “Active Shooter Awareness Seminar for Places of Worship.” This wasn’t the first time a gunman destroyed lives in a church and it likely won’t be the last time, authorities said. Bottom line: congregations need to make a plan and practice it. Authorities told the audi-
ence that Fort Bend County law enforcement, including Missouri City and Sugar Land police departments, were willing to come to any church and assess their security situation. In addition to prayer circles, women’s groups and youth ministries, congregations need to have a security committee that includes members of the church who may be first responders or in security. They need to identify security deficiencies, consider alarms and monitors, learn how to shelter in place, and practice worstcase scenarios with their congregation, police said. They also need to consider that with police response times of at least three minutes, church members may have to combat the threat themselves. “A lot can happen in three minutes,” said Lt. Wayne Hastedt who proceeded to rattle off a series of questions he said church leaders should consider. “Are firearms allowed at your church? Do you have first aid kits with quick clot sponges? Giving first aid can save a life. Do you have handheld radios, a plan for contacting emergency personnel? Do you have knowledge of your congregation? Are you aware of domestic situations and protective orders?” The Sutherland Springs
gunman, Devin Patrick Kelley, had a history of domestic violence and sent threatening text to family members who attended the church, according to authorities. Sometimes the threat comes from within. “Does the church have an internal problem resolution procedure? Even though it’s church, there are times we won’t get along. Is there a situation in place where you’re sure it’s resolved?” asked the lieutenant. As he spoke, somber-faced members of the audience shook their heads, conferred with their group and took notes. “I think it’s sad we have to do this. It’s a sad state of affairs that we have to get together as religious people from all cultures to address this. But when you see all those crosses (at Sutherland Springs) your hair stands up,” Nehls said during a break. They stopped talking to show a brief and graphic film of an active shooter in an office setting. The opening scenes of everyday office life with phones ringing, coffee gatherings and meetings are disrupted by the sound of
SEE SHOOTING PG 4
Twinkle, twinkle giant moon The nearly full moon appears to top a tree Saturday during a tour of the Sugar Land Holiday Lights at Constellation Field. For the fourth straight year, the Sugar Land Skeeters is hosting Sugar Land Holiday Lights, presented by Momentum Luxury Motors. Sugar Land Holiday Lights takes place nightly through Jan. 1. This year’s showcase of lights features more than 2.5 million lights through over 100 displays. (Photo by Joe Southern)
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