04-06-2022 EDITION OF THE FORT BEND STAR

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County law enforcement keeping eye on gangs – Page 2 Extend Fence Life

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GUIDE SPRING 2022 ISSUE PHOTO BY LANDAN KUHLMANN

Check out Star’s Spring Guide Staff Reports

When you pick up today’s edition of the Fort Bend Star¸ you might notice that it’s a little bit heavier than the one thrown in your business or driveway most weeks.

That’s because inside this week’s paper is our annual Guide publication.

Inside today’s edition, readers will find a cornucopia of information that we here at the Star hope can serve as a road map for both longtime residents and new transplants to what makes Fort Bend County tick in Sugar Land, Stafford, Missouri City and beyond.

There is a lot that is changing every day about Fort Bend County, and it’s our goal to keep you – the readers – as informed as possible about the area we cover.

So without further ado, our staff hopes you enjoy this year’s edition of the Guide.

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Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 47 • No. 33 • $1.00

Stafford capitalizes on central location, population growth

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Medical administrators along with county and city leaders gathered last month to celebrate breaking ground on a new, 33,000-square foot Kelsey-Seybold clinic in Stafford.

The project is just the latest construc-

tion effort in Stafford that could one day change the face of the business-friendly community, joining several other major real estate projects also under construction elsewhere in town.

While communities across the country have seen business suffer during the coronavirus pandemic,

Stafford hit a milestone over the last 12 months, collecting a city record of about $24.86 million in sales tax revenue, according to Camille Scott, spokesperson for the city. That’s an increase from about $12.79 million in 2010.

“It appears that, if you build it, they will

SEE BUSINESS PAGE 7

Construction is ongoing on the new Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Stafford's Grid development. (Contributed photo)

Dreaming big

Local special needs baseball league back in swing

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

As Sugar Land resident Emily Watts watched her son, 7-yearold Wyatt, run and play on the baseball diamond at the First Colony Little League fields last Saturday morning, an ear-to-ear grin spread across her face.

Wyatt is on the autism spectrum, and as such does not typically have the same type of opportunities as other children his age. So his mom couldn’t get enough of seeing him run all over a baseball diamond having the time of his life.

“Sometimes the world can be a harsh place, and these kids don’t get opportunities – whether it be in day-to-day life, school, or little things like going to the grocery store,” she said. “But here on the baseball field nobody cares about that, and they’re given that opportunity.”

Hers was a shared sentiment among many parents out at the field last week. The Dream League, which launched in Spring 2007, offers baseball to kids and adults with physical and/or intellectual disabilities every Saturday morning during the Spring seasons.

Wyatt Watts, 7, takes a swing during a baseball game with the First Colony Dream League last Saturday. The local special needs baseball league has recently restarted after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

“It gives them a chance to play baseball, when they’ve never really had the opportunity to do so.

It gives them an outlet,” First Colony Little League board member Larry Lovue said. “Some of them will get their uniforms, put it on Friday, sleep in it, then come to the game the next morning. It’s been a blessing for them and for us.”

Saturday was Week 2 of the Dream League’s 2022 season, which returned several weeks ago following a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. Games are two innings

apiece, with no score kept and every player getting a chance to bat in each inning.

“The athletes really missed this, and missed the camaraderie and competition,” said Dale Buckles, a league coach whose 26-year-old son Hayden is part of the Senior Dream League. “They’ve been chomping at the bit (to play), just as much as we have.”

More than a game About 100 or so players have signed up to participate this season, according to Lovue. The standard Dream League accommodates children ages 6-18,

while the Senior Dream League is for players 15 years old and above. Falling under the umbrella of Challenger Little League, the Dream League has previously gotten a team picked to go play in Williamsport, Pennsylvania during the Little League World Series according to league organizers.

However, every parent spoken to Saturday said its importance to its players goes beyond any onfield accomplishment.

“I think the opportunity these kids have, no matter their lifestyle

SEE DREAM PAGE 7

HGAC can’t determine if Zimmerman violated ethics

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

An investigation into alleged ethical misconduct by a Fort Bend County elected official has ended, with the regional transportation planning board that conducted the investigation saying it does not have the authority to make a determination on the matter.

A report submitted last

week from the HoustonGalveston Area Council (HGAC) made no determinations about whether Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman, who also works for an engineering and architecture firm, committed any ethical violations for using his role on HGAC’s Transportation Policy Council to advocate for the planned expansion of Interstate 45 through Houston.

Representatives for the

council did not respond to a follow-up question about who is responsible for enforcing ethics violations.

The investigation was in response to a November letter sent to HGAC by Stop TxDOT I-45, a community group opposed to the freeway expansion project.

Zimmerman

“This report does not make any determination that the ethical violations alleged in the letter

were committed because relevant state statutes and the (Transportation Policy Council) ethics policy do not authorize the transportation policy council or (Metropolitan Planning Organization) staff to make such a determination regarding a policy council member,” the report reads.

Zimmerman in a con-

SEE ZIMMERMAN PAGE 7

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THE STAR

PAGE 2 • Wednesday, April 6, 2022

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County putting greater emphasis on investigating gangs

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies from across the region held a news conference last week to announce they had arrested almost 100 people as the result of a sevenweek, anti-gang operation.

Both at the news conference and during the days after, prosecutors were reluctant to provide specific details about who had been arrested and their connec-

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tion to gangs in Fort Bend County.

But one thing is clear – law enforcement in the county has paid closer attention to gangs in recent years. How much of a problem they are in the county remains a subject of debate.

“The mere existence of this group forming should not call for alarm,” said Capt. Brad Whichard, commander of a gang task for the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. “Our focus with forming this unit was to gather intel and increase our ability to apprehend and prosecute crimes.”

District Attorney Brian Middleton about a year ago got permission from the county commissioners court to hire a gang

investigator after noticing that several crimes were connected, according to Wesley Wittig, spokesperson for the office.

“We think it is important for your readers to know that the district attorney’s office and law enforcement aren’t just reactionary – traditionally answering calls for service and prosecuting crimes after they

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occur,” Wittig said.

Talking about the state of gangs in Fort Bend County is a more complicated topic than it might appear, Whichard said.

For instance, just because someone is in a gang does not mean a crime they commit is gang-related, Whichard said.

And crimes committed by a gang could range from misdemeanor theft and graffiti-related cases all the way up to capital murder, he said.

The purpose of the task force, then, is to pool intelligence about how gangs operate both in Fort Bend County and across the region.

Whichard declined to give specific names of which gangs are active in the county, saying it would only bring them notoriety.

But he acknowledged the sheriff’s office was aware of about four or five different gangs that had the highest membership in the Houston region, he said.

“But you have to remember, you can have some gangs that go down to three members,” he said.

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“Does that mean that the smaller gang is less of a threat to the community?

No, it depends on what type of crime they’re involved in.”

Wittig, meanwhile, was slightly more specific in discussing the types of gangs active in the county.

“You find some neighborhood gangs, loosely organized, that support criminal activity, and you find the larger, well-known organizations, too,” he said.

Intelligence shows that MS-13 and a Houstonbased gang called Tango Blast are both active in Fort Bend County, for instance, Wittig said.

At least one MS-13 gangrelated killing has led to headlines in Fort Bend County as a group of men lured a teenager to a park in Missouri City in 2016 and killed him as part of an effort to silence him as a witness. As of last November, five men had been convicted and sentenced to prison for their roles in the murder.

MS-13 is a transnational gang that started in California in the 1980s and quickly spread across the country and into Central America. The gang now has a presence in major cities, including in Houston and the region.

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is a gang with about 19,000 members that has a growing presence in Texas, according to a Houston Chronicle article.

Residents are perhaps best served in understanding gang activity on a regional level, as opposed to something isolated to this county or Harris County, Whichard said.

For instance, in the MS-13 killing, everyone involved lived in the Houston area, and had just come to the park for the crime itself, he said.

Similarly, deputies recently investigated an aggravated robbery case near Katy in which a family member was injured and several men fled the scene before shooting at several different homes in the neighborhood, Whichard said. Investigators eventually tracked the suspects back to Harris County, he said.

Drive-by shootings are often law enforcement’s biggest concern when it comes to gang-related crimes, because those will sometimes strike bystanders and uninvolved homes, Whichard said.

“The problem is that even in targeted gang-ongang activities, you could very well catch someone else in the crossfire,” he said.

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Wednesday, April 6, 2022 • PAGE

3

Let’s speak openly, honestly about gangs in county Matt deGrood MANAGING EDITOR

Of all the crime-related topics a newspaper might cover, perhaps the most rife of them all is anything that deals with gangs.

I’m not sure what it is, exactly, but we as a culture are obsessed with them. One might consider the old mafia movies, like the Godfather, as dealing with them. And the various streaming platforms host an abundance of both fictional television shows and true crime documentaries about the crimes that have been committed in the name of gangs.

But it’s important to remember that in many

cases our imaginations far outpace any reality.

The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies have likely had this fact on their minds when discussing the recent anti-gang operation that netted almost 100 arrests.

On the one hand, they want to reassure residents that they’re taking the problem of gangs seriously. But on the other hand, they don’t want to overstate the fact, or glorify bad actors.

Which is why the press conference and subsequent conversations were somewhat lacking in material information.

Those of us here at the Fort Bend Star, however, would argue that radical transparency is the best way to handle tricky issues like gangs.

Rather than speak in vague generalities, we should instead be as specific as humanely

possible. How big of a problem are gangs?

Which gangs are the biggest problem? Where are the gangs operating? What are some of the recent crimes gangs are being investigated in connection to?

Even with the limited information I gleaned in my conversations with law enforcement, I learned some interested facts that I wouldn’t have known otherwise.

For instance, Tango Blast – a gang with which I had no familiarity before reporting our front-page story – has a bigger membership number in Texas than MS-13 – an organization that has filled reams of newsprint in recent years with their exploits.

Investigators told me that while MS-13 is active in Fort Bend County, it is by no means the organization with the highest membership in Fort Bend County.

Capt. Brad Whichard

in an interview with the Star said he wasn’t convinced gang-related crimes are on the uptick, but rather that the public is just becoming more aware of them through political candidates discussing the crimes of MS-13 and other alarmist headlines.

Through previous reporting on gangs at other newspapers, I’ve learned that the most common problem posed by gangs operating in an area are not the gruesome killings and over-the-top violence you read about all the time, but rather, the countless stray bullets that might not show up in police statistics.

I’ve covered many drive-by shootings without a single injury, but where entire blocks of a neighborhood are strewn with bullets.

Since there’s no victim, it’s easy for residents not living in a neighborhood to forget.

But for those who’ve

57

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20

been watching TV late at night as a bullet comes through the wall, it’s not something you ever forget.

Rather than responding to a growing problem, it seems local law enforcement is trying to get ahead of the game with these task forces and investigators dedicated to gathering intelligence. This should be praised.

A key piece of battling an issue, however, is public awareness. And in a culture of the most

extreme and shocking image being what captures the imagination, the best tool to inform the public is frank honesty.

If residents know what to expect, what to notice and where activity is happening, it will demystify the whole subject. Gangs are a societal problem, but not in the way that fiction would tell us. We’d all do well to listen and learn if we want to seriously confront the problem.

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THE STAR

PAGE 4 • Wednesday, April 6, 2022

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Kempner boys cherishing magical playoff run Landan Kuhlmann SPORTS REPORTER

As Kai Peiris ran up to teammate Sedat Kilicarslan after the final whistle to send Kempner High School’s boys soccer program to unprecedented heights, it was hard to keep the emotions in.

“There were almost tears in my eyes when we won,” Peiris said. “I remember (Sedat) was on the ground for like 30 seconds, and I just ran up and gave him a hug after the whistle.”

The emotion was certainly understandable in the moment, as the Cougars defeated Baytown Lee by a score of 2-0 last Friday at Clear Creek ISD’s Challenger Columbia Stadium to punch their ticket to the Region III-5A tournament for the first time in program history.

Kempner (20-2-1) will clash with Austin Northeast Early College School (12-7-4) in a regional semifinal at 4 p.m. Friday at Turner Stadium in Humble. If they win, the Cougars would play the winner of Katy Jordan and district rival Richmond Foster in the regional final on Saturday.

“I had never played with the school in the playoffs until this year,” senior center back Ethan Zurita said. “So that in itself was already great, making it farther (than ever before) is amazing.”

The moment has been

building for years according to Kilicarslan, a senior centerback who has been on the team for the past three seasons. Kempner won the District 24-5A crown this season, their first in four seasons and the current senior class’ first title.

“This team has pretty much all been together since our eighth-grade year,” Kilicarslan said.

“We promised ourselves we were going to do the same thing. We knew since middle school that we wanted to win district, go far in the playoffs and try to win state.”

Much of the Cougars’ current squad is driven by experience. There are 10 seniors, which accounts for nearly half of Kempner’s 21-man roster.

However, there has also been youth that served all season, with underclassmen such as juniors Jason Fierro and Emmanuel Rodriguez – the team’s two leading scorers – stepping up to fill any voids.

Those contributions have helped the Cougars reach nearly unprecedented heights, having already won their most games in more than a decade. And they’re not done yet.

“Everyone has really stepped up this year to help us,” Peiris said.

“That’s helped us come together and perform at a much higher level.”

Special squad The Cougars got off to a strong start, going 3-1 at the season-opening Pearland Pasadena Cup on Jan. 6-8. However, they hit a snag early in district play with an opening 2-1 loss to Angleton on Jan. 11 that head coach Ezequiel Garcia said served as a wakeup call for the rest of

The Kempner High School boys soccer team celebrates after last Friday’s 2-0 victory against Baytown Lee. With the ictory the ougars are headed to the program’s first regional tournament. (Photo from Twitter)

the season.

“We weren’t as focused or prepared (as we needed to be), and we weren’t 100 percent committed,” said Garcia, who is in his first season as head coach following three years as an assistant. “They know we have a great team, and know we’re capable of doing great things – we just had to work hard, sacrifice, and play for the team.”

Whatever clicked for the Cougars after that match, is still going strong.

Kempner has gone 17-0-1 in its last 18 matches including postseason play, and has won eight straight matches dating back to the end of the regular season.

Several players pointed to consecutive wins over perennial district contender Richmond Foster on Feb. 4 and against Hightower on Feb. 11 as key turning points. At the time of their 5-1 road win over Hightower on Feb.

11, the Hurricanes were 4th in the Class 5A regional rankings by Texas Lethal Soccer, while the Cougars were ranked 8th.

“That was a huge confidence boost, especially since it was played at their field,” Peiris said. “We were just able to keep building on that – that’s how we were able to win district, and we’re still going strong.”

Kilicarslan echoed the sentiment.

“That’s when we realized we have the talent to win it all,” he said. “…

We’re just proud that we’ve helped make our program better. Seeing how far we’ve come from last year, I’m just really proud of my team.”

Looking ahead Entering the playoffs, the Cougars were the 19th-ranked team in Texas in Class 5A by Texas Lethal Enforcer Soccer, immediately putting a target on their backs. But they have handled the

pressure well so far, outscoring opponents 12-1 in three postseason matches.

It’s something they have become accustomed to, according to their coach.

Between what he classified as a family atmosphere with the close-knit group and their on-field skill, he said the ingredients for a deep playoff run were always there.

“From the beginning, I think the whole team knew we could do something special,” Garcia said.

Just as it has been all season, the Cougars’ run has been fueled by a combination of their potent offense and simultaneous stinginess in their own defensive end. Their 63 total goals during the regular season was third-most in District 24-5A, while their 19 goals allowed was the district’s lowest total mark. Kempner has allowed more than two goals in a match just once all season, and has amassed nine shutout wins.

The trend has continued in the playoffs, with the Cougars pitching two shutouts while scoring at least three goals in two of their three matches. And their mindset is the same entering Friday’s match as it has been all season – because even though history has already been made, the team is set on making sure it doesn’t stop here.

“It’s always just one game at a time, that’s what coach always preaches to us,” Peiris said. “We just need to play hard, and do what we do best in terms of our game – that’ll help us win like we have all season.”

And the players are certainly not lacking in the self-belief that they have what it takes to keep the magical run going.

“Our team has a lot of confidence in ourselves; but we always stay humble,” Kilicarslan said. “We feel like we can go all the way.”

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Wednesday, April 6, 2022 • PAGE

Strong pitching leads area teams to victory on diamond

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

It was a busy week last week for Fort Bend County baseball and softball teams, as the district season has kicked off its second leg.

In baseball, the Ridge Point Panthers stayed undefeated in district

play, while Travis continued to play strong despite suffering its first 206A defeat. Hunter Golden threw a no-hitter for the Austin Bulldogs on April 1 against Dulles to highlight the area’s pitching performances, while Kempner’s Anthony Marino had four hits a win over Marshall as the local standout hitting performance.

On the softball side of things, Ridge

Local soccer squads headed to regional tournaments

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Point’s Bailey Gray threw a no-hitter of her own to keep the Lady Panthers undefeated in 20-6A, while Travis’ Ariel Kowalewski tied a season high with 16 strikeouts against Austin.

That’s just a preview of last week’s standout performances. A few more highlights and updated district standings are below:

INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS BASEBALL District 20-6A March 29 Travis 10, Dulles 2 Travis 122 023 0 – 10 10 2 Dulles 000 200 0 – 2 7 5 Winning pitcher: Devin Cummings Top performers Josh Shimmin (Travis): 2 hits, 2 RBIs Ty Henry (Dulles): 2 for 4 Records: Travis 16-3, Dulles 2-14-1 Ridge Point 2, Elkins 1 Ridge Point 000 002 0 – 2 Elkins 001 000 0 – 1 2 0 Winning pitcher: Hunter Nichols Records: Ridge Point 16-2, 5-0 district; Elkins 11-7-1, 3-2 April 1 Austin 8, Dulles 0 Dulles 000 000 0 – 0 0 5 Austin 310 220 X – 8 8 0 Winning pitcher: Hunter Golden

District 20-6A March 29 George Ranch 11, Dulles 1 George Ranch 041 100 5 – 11 16 0 Dulles 001 000 0 – 1 7 0 Winning pitcher: Macie Burks Losing pitcher: Macie Wolfe Top performers Jesyca Johnston (GR): 3 hits, 3 RBIs Hope Burford (Dulles): 3 hits Records: George Ranch 8-8, 4-3 district; Dulles 6-8, 1-6 April 1 Travis 4, Austin 0 Top performers Ariel Kowalewski (Travis): CG, 16 Ks Records: Travis 12-8, 8-0; Austin 3-16, 2-6 Ridge Point 12, Clements 0 Top performers: Bailey Gray (Ridge Point): CG (no-hitter) Reagan Green (Ridge Point): HR Records: Ridge Point 18-2, 7-1; Clements 4-11, 0-8

Losing pitcher: Jake Hewett Top Performers Hunter Golden (Austin): CG, 11 Ks (no-hitter) Ryan Dugas (Austin): 3 hits, RBI Records: Austin 7-10, 3-3 district; Dulles 2-15-1, 0-6 District 24-5A April 1 Kempner 23, Marshall 10 Kempner 241 15(10) – 23 9 3 Marshall 102 070 – 10 4 10 Winning pitcher: Drew Walker Losing pitcher: Troy Scott Top performers: Peter Garcia (Kempner): 2 hits, 2B, 4 RBIs Anthony Marino (Kempner): 4 hits, RBI Jabari Mayweather (Marshall): 2 hits, 2B, RBI Mason Mercier (Marshall): 2 RBIs Records: Kempner 10-9-1, 3-4 district; Marshall 3-11, 0-8 SOFTBALL

STANDINGS Team Ridge Point Travis Elkins George Ranch Austin Bush Clements Dulles Fulshear Foster Angleton Kempner Lamar Cons.

Terry Hightower Willowridge Marshall Needville Sweeny Brazosport Columbia Stafford Bay City La Marque

BASEBALL District 20-6A Overall 17-2 16-4 12-7-1 10-13 7-10 9-13 2-18 2-15-1 District 24-5A 11-8-1 13-8 9-10 12-9-1 8-14 9-10 11-7 3-11 3-12 District 25-4A 15-4 16-4 8-12 9-10 5-13 6-11 1-12

District 6-0 5-1 4-2 4-2 3-3 1-5 1-5 0-6 9-1 7-1 6-2 6-4 5-5 4-4 3-7 0-8 0-8 5-0 4-1 3-2 3-3 2-3 1-4 0-5

Team Travis Ridge Point Elkins George Ranch Dulles Austin Clements Bush Angleton Fulshear Foster Lamar Cons.

Willowridge Hightower Kempner Marshall Columbia Needville Sweeney Bay City Brazosport Stafford La Marque

SOFTBALL District 20-6A Overall 12-8 18-2 12-10 9-8 7-9 3-16 4-9 0-9 District 24-5A 17-6-1 17-9 13-5 12-8 7-11 5-15 2-11 0-10 District 25-4A 20-4 13-7-1 13-9 9-14-1 6-11 11-8 0-7

District 8-0 7-1 5-3 5-3 2-6 2-6 1-5 0-6

It was a fruitful weekend for several of the area’s high school soccer teams as three programs are moving on to the regional tournament.

On the boys side, the Stafford Spartans and Kempner Cougars are among the state’s last 16 teams standing in their respective classifications.

The Ridge Point Lady Panthers are headed to the Class 6A regional tournament after keeping their undefeated season alive.

Stafford prevailed 2-2 (8-7) in penalty kicks over Houston Scarborough last Friday at Delmar Stadium.

Daniel Torres and Jonathan Rivas each scored for the Spartans (18-5-4), who are headed to the regional tournament for the fourth time in their last six postseason appearances. They will play Mexia (12-9) at 1 p.m. Friday at Legacy Stadium in Katy.

In Class 5A boys action, the Cougars continued a historic postseason run with a 2-0 victory over Baytown Lee. Kempner (20-2-1) advanced to the regional tournament for the first time in program history, and will square off with Austin Northeast Early College at 4 p.m. Friday.

After playing to a scoreless tie through regulation and overtime, the Ridge Point Lady Panthers extended their season with a win over Katy Seven Lakes in penalty kicks on Friday. The Lady Panthers (24-0) are returning to the regional tournament for the second time in their last three postseason tries and the fifth time in the program’s 11-year history.

Other action Ridge Point’s boys team dropped a 1-0 decision to Cy Creek on Friday, bringing their season to a close with a 12-5-6 record.

Kempner’s Lady Cougars, meanwhile, dropped a 2-0 decision to Manvel last week, ending their campaign with an 16-8-2 record.

THIS WEEK’S PLAYOFF SCHEDULE Friday Region III-6A girls semifinal Ridge Point (24-0) vs.

Atascocita (17-5-2), 12:30 p.m., Abshier Stadium, Deer Park Region IV-4A boys semifinal Stafford (18-5-4) vs.

Mexia (12-9), 1 p.m., Legacy Stadium, Katy Region III-5A boys semifinal Kempner (20-2-1) vs.

Austin Northeast Early College (12-7-4), 4 p.m., Turner Stadium, Humble

9-0 8-2 7-1 5-3 4-5 2-7 0-8 0-8 6-1 6-1 5-2 3-4 2-4 1-5 0-6

Stafford’s Jonathan Rincones fights for possession during a Region III-4A quarterfinal against Houston Scarborough last Friday at Delmar Stadium in Houston. Stafford prevailed in penalty kicks to advance. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

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PAGE 6 • Wednesday, April 6, 2022

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CITY OF MISSOURI CITY NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE VACATION, ABANDONMENT OR CLOSURE OF A PORTION OF EAST HAMPTON CIRCLE AND A PORTION OF KATHY AVENUE Notice is hereby given for a public hearing to take place at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Missouri City, Texas to be held on Monday, April 18, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at: Missouri City Community Center, 1522 Texas Parkway, Missouri City, Texas, 77489. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments on the vacation, abandonment or closure of a portion of (1) East Hampton Circle between the Fondren Park residential subdivision and the northeastern driveway of the Southwest Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 1 facility and (2) Kathy Avenue north of East Hampton Circle.

Any member of the public has the right to appear at the public hearing and present evidence for or against the vacation, abandonment or closure of a portion of (1) East Hampton Circle between the Fondren Park residential subdivision and the northeastern driveway of the Southwest Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 1 facility and (2) Kathy Avenue north of East Hampton Circle.

p.p.

500 DWI • Theft

CITY OF MISSOURI CITY NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON AMENDMENT OF IMPACT FEES Notice is hereby given for a public hearing to take place at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Missouri City, Texas to be held on Monday, May 16, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at: Missouri City Community Center, 1522 Texas Parkway, Missouri City, Texas, 77489. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the adoption of an amended impact fee for water and wastewater facilities in certain undeveloped portions of the Mustang Bayou Service Area. The amount of the proposed impact fee per service unit for wastewater is $5,090.00. The amount of the proposed impact fee per service unit for water is $2,460.00.

Any member of the public has the right to appear at the public hearing and present evidence for or against the land use assumptions, capital improvements plan and the proposed impact fee.

Attorney D’Angelo M. Lowe 7322 Southwest Frwy., Ste. 1065, Houston, TX 77074

832-953-LOWE (5693)

LEGALS Notice to Creditors No: 21-CPR-036954 On the 14th day of February, 2022, Letters Testamentary upon the Estate of Fay Wanda Ross, Deceased, were issued to Shelley B. Ross, III, Independent Executor by the County Probate Court Number Four (4) of Fort Bend County, Texas, in cause number 21CPR-036954 pending upon the docket of said Court.

All persons having claims against said Estate are hereby required to present them within the time prescribed by law at the address shown below. The name where claims may be sent is Shelley B. Ross, III, whose address is 2218 Tradewinds Drive City: Missouri City, State: Texas Zip: 77459 Telephone: 713-739-1108

T H E M O N T H LY

BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Contact John Sazma for advertising rates

281-690-4206 281-690-4200•• jsazma@fortbendstar.com jsazma@fortbendstar.com

THE STAR

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H BUSINESS FROM PAGE 1 come,” Stafford Mayor Cecil Willis said in a recent interview.

In conversations with the Fort Bend Star, executives for KelseySeybold as well as a real estate investment firm cited the community’s proximity to other industry, its location in a quickly-growing Fort Bend County and the lack of city sales taxes as reasons businesses have been quick to move there.

“Stafford has become a target market for us because it’s a very business-friendly community,” said Cory Driskill, the managing director of the Houston branch office for Crow Holdings Industrial, a Dallas-based industrial real estate company.

Crow Holdings Industrial is currently at work on two separate projects in Stafford, combining to be more than 1 million square feet of industrial office space, Driskill said.

The first of those projects, called Weatherford Farms, just finished construction and features three buildings at 13223 Murphy Road combining for

568,084 square feet of space, Driskill said.

The second project is called Kirkwood Industrial, Driskill said. It will feature two industrial buildings at 13015 and 12855 S. Kirkwood Road, combining for about 550,000 square feet of space, Driskill said.

Driskill estimated each project requires more than $40 million to develop.

Stafford has become central to the company’s future because of the lack of a city property tax, and also because of its central location, Driskill said.

“It sits in the middle of all these major freeways – 59, 90, Beltway 8,” Driskill said. “It’s a really good launching pad for industrial distribution tenants. It has quick access to all the population business centers.”

Unlike many industries that have been decimated by the coronavirus pandemic, industrial development has seen an uptick in business because of the shift toward ecommerce, Driskill said.

“Brick and mortar retailers are realizing they need an online presence,” Driskill said.

Wednesday, April 6, 2022 • PAGE

Pictured is an overhead view of the ongoing construction work at the new Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Stafford. (Contributed photo)

“So, even before the pandemic, ecommerce as a percentage of retail sales was about 15 percent. When the pandemic hit, that jumped to the 20s percent. And it’s still going up. But it all requires warehouse space.”

Willis echoed some of Driskill’s claims, explaining he’d heard Freeport’s port expansion combined with the state expanding State Highway 36 might be to responsible for the city’s current business surge.

“They’ve put in a gigantic railyard outside

Kendleton that takes the stuff from the port and ships it everywhere,” Willis said.

“The first two stops are Rosenberg and Stafford, where there’s a lot of available land.”

But for the medical industry expanding into Fort Bend, it’s not taxes or shipping that’s the draw, but the population growth, said Nicholas Ro, KelseySeybold’s chief legal and strategic planning officer.

“If you look at the population around Stafford’s trade area – Meadows Place, parts

of Alief, Rayburn and Sharpstown – and count up patients with health insurance, your target market is around 100,000 potential patients,” Ro said. “That’s a mature market.”

Kelsey-Seybold is at work on a two-story, 33,000 square foot clinic at the Grid, a 192-acre, mixed use development built on the former Texas Instruments campus, according to the hospital. The new facility will be at 11211 Nexus Avenue, off State Highway 59, between Kirkwood Road and West Airport Drive, according to a

7

news release.

The clinic will offer primary and specialty healthcare for adults and children, according to Kelsey-Seybold, and will have space for 15 providers with the possibility of expanding up to 27 providers in the future. Patients will have convenient access to on-site imaging, including routine Xray, ultrasound and 3D mammography, according to the news release, in addition to services such as cardiac stress testing, echocardiography and lab services.

Ro said the Stafford clinic wouldn’t be the group’s last expansion into the Fort Bend County market. While declining to provide specifics, Ro said he’d have more information to share soon.

Construction on the new clinic will last about nine months, with an extra month to prepare the clinic to open, Ro said.

The Stafford clinic will be the fourth location in Fort Bend County once completed, joining existing clinics at 7010 State Highway 6 in Sienna, 11555 University Blvd. in Sugar Land and 22121 FM 1093 in Katy.

H DREAM FROM PAGE 1 or disability, to come out on a Saturday and have people cheer them on and play a great game is incredible,” said Watts, who coaches her son’s team.

Like many youth sports leagues, the league’s coaches and organizers are all volunteers from the community. One thing unique to the Dream League, however, are the Angels in the Outfield.

They are volunteers who are assigned to players with particularly challenging circumstances to ensure they stay safe on the field while getting maximum enjoyment from the game.

Houston resident Terri Moultry’s son Devin, 17, is playing his sixth season in the Dream League.

Moultry said playing has helped her son, an only child who is also on the autism spectrum, establish a camaraderie with children his own age.

“It’s been really fun,” she said. “For them to be able to do this for these kids is great. I hope he can play until whenever it stops.”

Sugar Land native Gary Krueger’s son Jack is also part of the Senior Dream League. Jack, who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, is in his first season with the Senior Dream League and sixth

H ZIMMERMAN FROM PAGE 1 versation with the Fort Bend Star said he felt the report cleared him of any wrongdoing, and reiterated his position that he doesn’t have control over Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) contracts.

“We on the board don’t award contracts,” he said.

“That is TxDOT’s prerogative.”

A representative for the community group, meanwhile, said that while they’re appreciative of HGAC looking into the matter, they’re frustrated at the conclusion.

“It’s a situation where, why have the rules if you can’t enforce them?” said Harrison Humphreys, a spokesperson for the community group. “It’s frustrating and disappointing. We’d hoped there would have been more mechanisms for dealing with it.”

The report and mayor’s comments come months after Stop TxDOT I-45 penned a letter accusing Zimmerman of ethical misconduct for using his role on the HGAC transportation council to advocate for the project, which he could benefit from professionally as an employee of engineering and architecture firm Halff Associates Inc. TxDOT has advanced a controversial $7 billion

A young player runs to first base during a Dream eague game last Saturday. Around 100 players are signed up for the 2022 season, according to league organizers. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

year overall with the league according to his father.

The Dream League has been big for his son’s self-esteem and feelings of inclusion, according to Krueger.

“It just makes (my son) very happy to be out here,” he said. “It makes me feel good that he’s got the opportunity. Sometimes it’s challenging for him to try to participate in a sport like this, so seeing him have that chance is a lot of fun for (me and my wife).”

Buckles echoed the sentiment. “(My son’s) biggest takeaway from all of this is the inclusion,” he said.

The Dream League has been something of a dream come true for Moultry, who said Devin plan that would widen I45 from downtown north to Beltway 8 in Houston in an effort to improve traffic flow, hurricane evacuation routes and stormwater drainage, along with accommodating high-occupancy, electric and self-driving vehicles, according to The Leader.

The project has drawn the ire of activists such as those with the Stop TxDOT I-45 group as well as Harris County, which sued TxDOT over the plan in March 2021. Opponents argue the freeway expansion would increase pollution and flooding risks, worsen traffic congestion and displace more than 1,000 homes and businesses in low-income communities of color.

The ongoing dispute over the project also has drawn the attention of the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, which has asked TxDOT to halt progress on the project over civil rights and environmental concerns.

Zimmerman has argued that the claims against him were made as a last-ditch effort to scuttle the project.

Humphreys said his group had been waiting on the results of the investigation and was considering all potential options going forward.

“We’re considering our next possible steps,” he said.

– a senior at Houston’s Lamar High School – plays football, rugby, and special needs basketball along with Dream League baseball. He also was just recently accepted into the University of St. Thomas.

She believes being part of the league played a significant role in helping her son accomplish all of that, and that it is a crucial cog in helping those like her son achieve everything they’re capable of.

“I never thought my son would play football or play rugby – you never know what you’re going to get, so why deny them something like this?” she said.

“You never know what they can turn into.”

Watts, whose son is playing in the league for the first time this season,

A player ashes a peace sign for the camera last Saturday at the First olony ittle eague fields. he Dream eague offers baseball for children and adults ages and up ith physical or mental disabilities.

(Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

had the same sentiment.

“The opportunities that come from Dream League – from just an hour-long game on Saturdays – are endless for these kids,” she said.

For more information on the Dream League, visit its website at firstcolonydreamleague.com or follow the league on Facebook and Instagram.

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THE STAR

PAGE 8 • Wednesday, April 6, 2022

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Review: Pinoy Gourmet a top-notch Nibbles & Sips: Taste of Louisiana Festival destination for Filipino cuisine next month in Sugar Land

By Matt deGrood

MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

There’s a world in which this week’s restaurant review need be no longer than a sentence or two.

It would go something like this.

Pinoy Gourmet in Missouri City, 4899 State Highway 6 Suite 107-B, is very, very good. You should eat there, and you should eat there often.

But in case my recommendation alone isn’t enough to move you, let me provide a bit more context as to why the Filipino eatery made for such a memorable visit.

Eating good food is one of my favorite activities, and in every place that I’ve lived, I have always sought to have a list of go-to restaurants.

Each restaurant on these lists needs a few distinct qualities. They are, as follows: 1. The food needs to be reasonably priced; 2. The food needs to be delicious and craving-worthy; and 3. The restaurant needs to feel like a home of sorts – the more it feels like a hole-in-the-wall, the better.

By each of these measures, Pinoy’s blew me away.

I should be up front.

Of all the types of food

The Pancit Caton was one of many delectable options that makes Pinoy Gourmet in Missouri City a go-to destination for Filipino cuisine. (Photo by Matt deGrood)

that I’ve featured in my brief foray as a food writer, I’m probably the least familiar with Filipino cuisine. I’ve had my fair share of Jolibee, and have eaten it in a few other instances, but have much less of a deep bench of memories to pull from compared to, say, Thai or Vietnamese.

So, I can’t say how Pinoy’s might compare to a five-star Filipino restaurant, but I can say that the food was delicious and reasonably-priced, and that the service was exceptional.

Finding the restaurant

was a bit of a challenge – it sits inside a half-finished strip center, a bit off State Highway 6.

Once I’d arrived, however, everything else went perfectly. I settled for the pancit canton noodles, which comes with vegetables, chicken and shrimp. And, in the interest of trying new things, I decided to order a Filipino guava drink that was so delicious (at once a smidge sweet, without being overwhelming) I ordered a second to take home.

The noodles were also incredibly tasty, well-

seasoned and topped with enough different ingredients to keep surprising and wowing my taste buds. Portions were also big enough that I even had enough leftovers for lunch the next day.

I can’t emphasize enough how good the food was, but it came backed with service almost as good. During my visit, I spent a few minutes at the counter talking with the employee about which drinks to order (the guava drink was his recommendation) and about how the restaurant has done in its two-ish years of business.

All told, you can bet I’ll be making a visit back the next time I’m in the area.

Address: 4899 State Highway 6 Suite 107-B, Missouri City Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Tuesday-Sunday Entrée prices: $7.99$12.99 Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No Alcohol: No Healthy options: Special chopsuey ($10.99) Star of the show: Pancit canton Rating:

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR MARCH 1 - APRIL 19 NURTURING THE GROWING MIND WEBINAR SERIES P.E.A.C.E. (http://peacenurtureskids.org/) provides free “Nurturing the Growing Mind” webinars for parents/caregivers/ early childhood educators. This 8-part online workshop series will help you put young children on a positive learning and school trajectory. Offered on Tuesdays from March 1st-April 19th: Call 832-415-3088 or email: pps4peace@yahoo.com.

APRIL 14 FORT BEND-HARRIS RETIRED EDUCATORS MEETING Meeting, Thursday, April 14th, at 1:00 p.m., Venue Room, Sugar Land First United Methodist Church, 431 Eldridge Rd. Program: FBISD Board of Education Candidates Forum. Arrive earlier to socialize, sign in and pay dues if you haven't. All Fort Bend and Harris County I.S.D. retired public educators are invited. More information, call 713-206-2733.

APRIL 15-17 FORT BEND COUNTY LIBRARIES TO CLOSE IN OBSERVANCE OF HOLIDAY All branches of Fort Bend County Libraries will be closed April 15 through 17, in observance of the Easter holiday. Regular library hours will resume on Monday, April 18. Your online library is always open at www.fortbend.lib.tx.us for searching the catalog, renewing books or placing holds, downloading e-books, streaming music and movies, or using the research databases. For more information, contact the library system’s Communications Office at 281-633-4734.

APRIL 20 LIBRARY’S CULINARY BOOK CLUB TO DISCUSS ICED TEA AT APRIL MEETING The Culinary Book Club at Fort Bend County Libraries’ University Branch Library will meet on Wednesday, April 20, beginning at 1:30 pm, in Meeting Room 1 of the library, located at 14010 University Blvd in Sugar Land, on the UH campus. The theme of the month is “Iced Tea.” Participants will talk about different

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Have you ever wanted to get a sense for tried and true Louisiana food? Local residents will have the chance during a festival in Sugar Land next month.

There will be a Taste of Louisiana Festival from 2-9 p.m. May 21 at Sugar Land’s Crown Festival Park, 18533 Southwest Freeway.

According to the event webpage, the event will include more than 20 food vendors from Louisiana as well as live music from artists such as Big Freedia and the Soul Rebels. Also included will be a kids zone, hookah lounge, and a Bayou Crawfish and Beer Garden.

Vendors will include traditional options as well as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free fare, according to the event’s website.

Tickets for the event are $25 for those ages 13 and up, while kids 12 years or younger will get in free. Parking will be free.

Visitors are allowed to bring chairs and strollers to the event, but any outside food, drinks or coolers will not be allowed.

For more information on Taste of Louisiana 2022, visit the event’s website at thetasteoflouisiana.com. To purchase tickets for the event, go to eventbrite.com/e/thetaste-of-louisiana-festival2022-tickets-88996580167.

Filli Café opens in Sug-

Monday - Friday 9 - 6 Saturday 10 - 2 After hours by appointment

11647 S Highway 6 Sugar Land, TX 77498 Toll Free: 281-201-2448 lisa@agentlisasims.com

ar Land Early last month, the Fort Bend Star reported that a Dubai-based coffee shop was planning to open in the coming weeks. As of late March, that store is open.

According to a post on the shop’s Facebook page, Filli Café opened its doors March 18 at 11920 Highway 6 in Sugar Land, marking its first location in the U.S. The store’s website says the concept specializes in things such as Zafran tea, coffee, mocktails, special iced chai tea and lemonade, fresh juices, and classic milkshakes in flavors such as mango and vanilla.

Filli Café is open from noon-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon-midnight Friday, 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday..

For more information, community members can call 832-532-1010 or visit the website at fillicafetexas. com/, or follow their Facebook page @fiLLicafetexas.

Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to 40 words and answer the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to jsazma@fortbendstar.com or mail to: Fort Bend Star, 14100 Southwest Frwy. Ste 230, Sugar Land, TX 77478

FOR NON-PROFIT EVENTS

flavors of iced tea and how to prepare it. The Culinary Book Club meets on the third Wednesday of every month, and different cooking genres are explored each month. Cooking enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels – from beginners to advanced -- are invited to join. Share tips, get ideas, and enjoy the camaraderie of other individuals who have an interest in cooking and good cuisine! This meeting is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us) or call the University Branch Library at 281-633-5100.

APRIL 21 LAMBDA SIGMA CHAPTER OF DKG HYBRID MEETING Thursday, April 21st, the local chapter, Lambda Sigma, of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international professional society of leading women educators will meet in person and by way of zoom at All Saints Episcopal Church, 605 Dulles Avenue, Stafford, TX. Social time begins at 4:30 pm, and the meeting will begin at 5. Theme: "Smooth Sailing-Enjoy the DKG Purpose"; Guest Speaker: Shalan Inmon, TSO/DKG President, zoom. Women educators who are interested in learning about DKG , contact dkglsnews2020@gmail.com.

ONGOING LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching adults to read. We need your help. Literacy Council is actively recruiting Volunteer Tutors to provide instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) Levels 0-5, three hours a week. For more information, call 281-240-8181 or visit our website www. ftbendliteracy.org JAM WITH SAM Join Sam Grice and his friends every Tuesday Night at 6:30 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 502 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, Texas. The group plays folk, country, bluegrass, religious and patriotic songs. Call the church office at 281-240-3195 for more information.

THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY FOR MEN

Sugar Land First United Methodist Church, 431 Eldridge Road offers a Thursday Morning Bible Study For Men. This group is ongoing and uses a variety of studies throughout the year.

The breakfast, coffee and donuts are free. Join us any time!

Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 am in Wesley Hall. Call the church office at 281-491-6041 or Mike Schofield at 281-217-5799 for more information.

SUGAR LAND AMERICAN LEGION American Legion Freeman Post 942 meets the fourth Thursday of every month at the Post facility, 311 Ulrich, Sugar Land, Texas, at 7:00 PM. All veterans are welcome. Post hall is available for rental for events. Call 713-553-5370 if interested.

GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE Give a Gift of Hope one-time or monthly. Your help provides access to therapies and services children with autism might otherwise go without. Please consider Hope For Three in your Estate, Planned, or Year-End Giving. Register now, or learn more about exciting events: www.hopeforthree.org/events DVD-BASED ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WITH NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED Weekly class designed to help you understand and appreciate the Bible by giving you a better sense of the land and culture from which it sprang. The class meets at 9:30 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.).

For more information call 281-240-3195 EXCHANGE EXCHANGE, America’s Service Club, always welcomes guests and is in search of new members! Various Fort Bend clubs exist and can accommodate early morning (7 a.m.), noon and evening meeting time desires. For more info, contact Mike Reichek, Regional Vice President, 281-575-1145 or mike@ reichekfinancial.com We would love to have you join us and see what we are all about!

MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801 Meets the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m., at 2701 Cypress Point Dr., Missouri City Rec Center. Lunch, education, and entertainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more information, call 713-859-5920 or 281-499-3345.

BECOME A FOSTER GRANDPARENT Volunteers are needed to be a role model, mentor and friend to children with exceptional needs in the community. Training, mileage reimbursement, tax-free monthly stipend if eligible.

Call today to help change the world, one child at a time in Rosenberg. For more information, call 281-344-3515.

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The Taste of Louisiana festival is coming to Sugar Land next month. (Photo from Facebook)

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