05-18-2022 EDITION OF THE FORT BEND STAR

VOTE

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Marshall track repeats sweep of 5A state titles - Page 3 Extend Fence Life

WEDNESDAY • MAY 18, 2022

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MAY 18TH

Missouri City’s Meadowcreek upset over redistricting efforts

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Representatives for a subdivision in Missouri City are considering filing a lawsuit against the city after the latest redistricting placed them in a new council district.

“I will say we’re considering it,” said Jim Fonteneaux, president of the Meadowcreek Association.

The city council earlier this month approved new electoral boundaries for the council positions to account for population growth in the Fort Bend County municipality. In a narrow 4-3 vote, the council approved Map C – one of five available district maps that the council mulled.

But while city leaders have cautioned that redistricting is solely meant to address population growth and that some neighborhoods had to move to new districts, about 100 residents from the Meadowcreek subdivision appeared at the council meeting where the new map was approved to protest the decision.

“I oppose this redistricting,” one resident said during public comments.

“It doesn’t make much sense. It looks like gerrymandering is going on.”

Still other residents in the neighborhood called on the city to delay vot-

SEE REDISTRICTING PAGE 7

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Stafford MSD: Investigation finds no wrongdoing

By Matt deGrood

EARLY VOTING MAY 16-20TH

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A law firm hired by Stafford MSD found that while there are discrepancies between Superintendent Robert Bostic’s contract listed online and the version last approved by the board of trustees, no one acted improperly and a related grievance filed by the district’s chief financial officer was unsubstantiated.

But the woman at the center of the matter told

the Fort Bend Star she was disappointed both by the result of the investigation as well as statements released by the district.

“I was bothered by what was released on Friday,” said Dedrea Norman, the district’s CFO. “But not surprised by the recent actions taken by the board.”

She said she filed a grievance asserting that there were two contracts for Bostic and that district leaders retaliated against her for disclosing that information.

Norman

Bostic

“I didn’t think it was accurately reflected the facts and yielded an incomplete investigation”

Norman said of statements from the district after the law firm’s determinations.

Stafford MSD did not immediately respond to allegations made by Norman in a phone interview with the Star. Calls and emails sent to Gracie Martinez, spokesperson for the district, seeking more details about the investigation went unreturned as of Tuesday morning. The school district has not provided a copy of Norman’s grievance to the Star, which asked for it and other re-

SEE INVESTIGATION PAGE 7

Reaching new shores Local U9 soccer team invited to international tournament

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Sugar Land resident Vaios Papandreou has watched his son, 8-year-old Alexander, develop from the moment he touched a soccer ball two years ago. But he said he never quite envisioned his development moving as fast as it has.

That development has led to Alexander being part of a team from Houston that is being invited to play in an international tournament hosted by a former international soccer star next month. Papandreou’s son and five others from Fort Bend County play with a RISE Houston Soccer Club travel team that will take part in the Robin van Persie U9 Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands on June 11-12.

Van Persie, a former Dutch star whose playing career with Manchester United, Arsenal and more spanned 18 seasons, first created the tournament in his home country back in 2015.

“I feel excited about it, and very happy that I get to go,” Alexander said Friday.

It is unusual for an amateur team to be selected, according to Papandreou, who said the tournament is by invite-only and that this is the first time an American U9 squad has been invited. RISE,

A player for the RISE Houston soccer club prepares to deliver a cross during a game. The team, which consists of six kids from Fort Bend County, has been invited to play in the Robin van Persie U9 tournament in the Netherlands next month. (Contributed photo)

which is based in Houston but operates campuses around the area including in Sugar Land and Missouri City, is a partner with international club Feyenoord, according to Papandreou.

That partnership, he said, was a key in getting the team invited, as Feyenoord is also where van Persie’s playing career began.

The now-annual tournament, he said, will feature U9 teams from international parent clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund and more.

SEE SOCCER PAGE 7

Pictured are five of the six Fort Bend County players who will travel to the Netherlands for the tournament on June 11-12. (Contributed photo)

NRG keeps unit offline while investigating cause of hydrogen fire

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The owner of a Fort Bend County power plant has shuttered a unit at the facility at least through the end of the month while investigators try to determine what caused a hydrogen fire there.

While officials with NRG Energy – the company that owns W.A. Parish Generating Plant – said Unit 8 would be off line through May, at least one energy expert from the University of Houston said the company may opt to shutter the unit entirely.

“I would not be surprised to see NRG decommission the unit,” said Ed Hirs, a University of Houston Energy Fellow and a professor of energy economics.

The W.A. Parish Generating Plant is one of the Houston region’s biggest power suppliers, and the absence of Unit 8 alone reduces the state’s grid capacity by about 1 percent, Hirs said.

If Unit 8 is shuttered, that will permanently reduce the state’s grid capacity, he said.

“It will depend on the damage, but honestly, as a unit, it probably doesn’t make economic sense,” he said.

The Fort Bend County Office

of Emergency Management, Hazmat Response Unit and several fire departments at about 5 a.m. May 9 responded to a report of a hydrogen fire at the plant, 2500 YU Jones Road, according to a news release from County Judge KP George’s office.

County officials hadn’t received any reports of injuries during the fire, according to the release.

Responders got the fire under control, and investigators began looking into the cause of the fire.

David Knox, a spokesperson for NRG, said last week that, after a preliminary survey of the

unit, the company notified the state’s power grid operator that the unit would remain off line through May. “During this time, our engineers and operators will work to determine the cause of the fire, understand the status of the damaged equipment and develop a plan for returning the unit to service,” Knox said.

The plant, which has smoke stacks that can be seen from as far away as Brazos Bend State Park some 17 miles away, has come under scrutiny in recent years both for its generating

SEE FIRE PAGE 7

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PAGE 2 • Wednesday, May 18, 2022

THE STAR

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Early voting underway in primary runoffs

Dr. Utsavi Shah is leaving Southwest Ob Gyn.

By Matt deGrood

Dr. Shah joined Southwest Ob Gyn in August 2018 out of residency and has grown a thriving practice over the past almost four years. Dr. Shah has accepted an academic faculty position in the medical center and will be leaving Southwest Ob Gyn as of May 31, 2022.

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Just as one election cycle ends, another begins.

Early voting began Monday and will run through Friday in the runoff elections to determine the party nominations left undecided in the March 1 primary for county, state and U.S. congressional races. Election day for the runoff races is set for May 24.

Included in the undecided races are Republican nominees for several local congressional seats as well as Democratic nominees for Fort Bend County Commissioner Precinct 4, several congressional seats and county offices, among others.

The battle between Neeta Sane and Dexter McCoy to determine who will represent the Democratic party in November for the Precinct 4 spot might be the most high-

profile outstanding race.

Democrats will also be voting for several statewide nominees, including lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller and others, while Republicans will select an attorney general and Texas General Land Office nominee.

Voters can learn more and view a sample ballot at https://results.enr. c l a r i t y e l e c t i o n s .c o m / TX/Fort_Bend/113954/ web.285569/#/summary.

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Wednesday, May 18, 2022 • PAGE

3

State power grid woes should unite us in action Matt deGrood

MANAGING EDITOR

It was late last week when my wife mentioned that the state’s power grid might be in trouble again.

“Did you hear six generators tripped offline, and ERCOT is asking people to conserve power?” she asked me.

In fact, I hadn’t. But I wish I could say that conversation was somehow

unique. I can recall several similar exchanges my wife and I have had during moments of high energy demand in recent months.

Just like those of us who lived through Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the 2021 February freeze has given all of us a sense of collective PTSD – a lingering fear that such an event might happen again.

And events like last week’s call to conserve power underscore just how terrifying the situation is for so many.

Considering the mere facts of last year’s freeze is a mind-boggling activity – plunging temperatures and a poorly-maintained state power grid combined for Texas’ most costly natural disaster in some time,

more than 200 people dead and estimates that it might cost up to $130 billion to recover, according to one Houston Chronicle report.

As depressing as it is to think about the freeze, there’s one measure of solace to pull. For all of our many differences and partisan politics, there’s not one person who emerged from February 2021 with a positive view of what happened.

For all of our differences, the freeze shows there should be areas we can all agree (for instance, that the state’s power grid needs fixing, and fast).

While it might seem like a political no-brainer to make addressing the grid a prime objective from state leadership, precious little

has been done. And it’s hard to think of a reason for that that isn’t incredibly cynical.

The state’s power grid and coming energy woes might seem like concerns bigger and outside the realm of Fort Bend County.

But if you read last week’s edition and connected the dots, you might have noticed that Fort Bend County played a small role in the tight grid conditions.

A hydrogen fire broke out earlier this month at W.A. Parish Generating Plant and, in turn, reduced the available amount of energy during the tight conditions.

As chance would have it, the Fort Bend Star last year wrote a story about the plant in southeastern Fort Bend County that is one of

the region’s biggest energy providers and polluters.

The plant usually ranks in the top three power plants in the country in terms of sulfur emissions, and emits more carbon and sulfur dioxide than the rest of Fort Bend County combined, according to one Rice University researcher.

Perhaps it’s just because of my initial ignorance, but I’m not sure most Fort Bend County residents know or understand what’s living right in their backyards.

And that’s exactly where the state becomes local, why it’s important to bring up the power grid in the Fort Bend Star.

There’s a saying that mud rolls downhill, but the opposite is also true.

Just as local power plants

and solar farms generate electricity for the state’s grid, so does the attitude of local voters ultimately affect what happens in Austin and elsewhere.

As we hinted at earlier – the failure of the state’s power grid should be an issue that unites us across political boundaries.

We might disagree on many issues, but none of us wants to see the lights go out again anytime soon.

We’d all love to purge that nagging fear about “the next time” from our minds.

But such peace of mind doesn’t come without collective action. It’s our job to both know what’s happening and make clear that we expect solutions, and we expect them quickly.

Marshall track teams cement dominance with state titles

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

For many high school track and field teams, a podium finish – of any kind – is the goal. But for the Marshall boys team, last year’s thirdplace finish at the Class 5A state meet stung after having won four of the previous five crowns.

The Buffalos knew a different mindset was required to get back to the top and didn’t look back – and last weekend, their season culminated with another state title. The Marshall boys won their fifth team state championship in the last seven years by amassing 64 total points at the meet, which easily outstripped secondplace Lancaster (42 points).

“I think they needed last year to happen. A lot of times, those painful situations can make you a lot stronger,” Marshall boys coach Lloyd Banks said.

“Sometimes you have kids who come through that don’t always get fueled by a little pain. … They brought that back this year, and we were ready to rock and roll.”

Not to be outdone, Marshall’s Lady Buffalos’ also took home the team title for the second year in a row.

Their 75 points comfortably gave them the title over second-place Mansfield Timberview’s 61 points.

“We knew we had all these teams that were coming for us and wanted to beat us for a championship,” Marshall girls coach Shahira Ehiemua said. “But all we could control is what we do. Having that mindset throughout the season, that’s what makes this group of girls special.”

The Marshall boys 800-meter relay team of Michael Patterson, Gerard Holmes, Jonathan Howard and Kameron Williams ran the final in 1:23.60 to win the title in that event, while their

Full state results can be found online at ..................

FORTBENDSTAR.COM 1,600 relay team of Mason Roseboro, Holmes, Williams and Chris Brinkley also took the crown with a time of 3:14.60.

And ultimately, Banks said, what showed through last weekend was more than the team’s talent, which was self-evident.

“When you’re performing under those lights, nobody cares about your talent,” he said. “I always tell my kids I’m more concerned with their toughness than their talent. These kids are as tough as they come. They’re a resilient bunch, and they went out and got it done.”

Tairah Johnson led the way individually for the Marshall girls by winning

her second straight state title in the 100 hurdles with a time of 13.62 seconds, while Desirae Roberts was second in the 300 hurdles after running a 42.73 in the final.

Genesis Griffin (19-4.75) and Johnson (19-2) were second and fourth, respectively, in the long jump, while Cesley Williams finished sixth in the 400 after running 56.66.

The Lady Buffalos’ 400 relay of Johnson, Williams, Brittney Green, and Janai Williams was the state runner-up with a final time of 46.26, as was their 800 relay of Green, Johnson, Tyeler Moore, and Williams after running a 1:38.05 in the final a final time of 3:48.23.

Johnson, Green, Roberts, Janai Williams, and Cesley Williams are all outgoing seniors, and Ehiemua said the quintet has left their imprint

on the Marshall program, leaving a legacy all their own that will be passed on to the returners.

"They’re making a name

for themselves, and they’ve done something that nobody had ever done," she said.

"Nobody can take that away from them.”

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Worship Directory

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BAPTIST CHURCH

HORIZON BAPTIST CHURCH • 281-403-4994 2223 FM1092 • Missouri City, TX 77459 John Strader , Senior Pastor Sunday Bible Study 9:30 am Sunday Worship 10:45 am 6:00 pm Wednesday 7:00 pm AWANA/Youth www.hbctx.org METHODIST CHURCH

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STAFFORD CHURCH OF CHRIST • 281-499-2507 402 Stafford Run Rd. -Stafford, 77477 SUNDAY: Worship: 10:30 a.m. www.staffordchurchofchrist.org

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Scripture of the week

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

- COLOSSIANS 3:13

­

“This district is my home and as a former candidate, this race is personal to me. I believe Dr. Lalani has the temperament and the qualifications to lead us into a better and more equitable future.”

­

THE STAR

PAGE 4 • Wednesday, May 18, 2022

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

Cowboys Corral: J.J. Matijevic

By Landan Kuhlmann

personal input from yours truly based on watching video of these players and seeing them play firsthand.

Initial overview Space Cowboys first baseman and outfielder J.J. Matijevic was initially drafted by the Boston Red Sox out of high school in 2014, but elected to go to college at Arizona. After a couple of middling seasons, he broke out in 2017, hitting a Pac 12-leading .383 with a 1.070 OPS. The breakout earned him all conference honors as well as Baseball America second-team All American honors – and attention from the Astros, who selected him with the 75th overall pick in 2017.

The slugger has continued to show the power stroke since getting to pro ball, hitting at least 20 home runs and slugging at least .500 in two of his last three seasons. So far this season in Sugar Land, he is hitting .324/.427/.730 with eight homers in just 21 games.

Landan’s lowdown I’ve gotten a chance to watch Matijevic several times in person between Sugar Land and his brief cup

LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The Sugar Land Skeeters are no more, but our coverage of Sugar Land’s baseball team remains in place. And this week, we’re bringing back a key staple of our weekly coverage as the Space Cowboys enter the heart of their season.

I am not a pro scout, but I have been a baseball fan for as long as I can remember, and could probably tell you more about any Astros player or prospect than you want to know. Clearly the scouts know more than I do, or I would be in their shoes instead of writing in this space, but that doesn’t mean that there’s not room to give things a stab at evaluating through a personal lens as someone who previously played.

So starting this week, we are bringing back what we plan to be a recurring series of overviews plus an evaluation of a current Astros prospect from my personal perspective. In this series of stories, there will be a mix of statistical analysis and

Sugar Land first base/outfield prospect J.J. Matijevic is off to a hot start this season, making him an intriguing prospect. (File photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

of coffee in the big leagues earlier this season, and one thing is clearly evident – this is someone who has about as much natural power as I’ve seen, even if he doesn’t resemble your typical hulking slugger And what’s more, he has developed his plate discipline to the point where he is getting more pitches to hit, which has more often than not led to him producing big numbers despite playing many games at pitcher-friendly Constellation Field.

Matijevic sports a career 10.1 percent walk rate in the minors, with a rate north of 10 percent each season since 2017. It’s a fairly simple concept in this sport – lay off the bad pitches, and more good Home • Auto • Business • Life • Toys ones to hit will come. And “Fastest Growing Agency in Texas.” Matijevic represents that trope as well as anyone.

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to Matijevic’s game, which might scare some off and might have even led to him not even being listed among the organization’s top 30 prospects preseason by MLB Pipeline. He has a career 28.1 percent strikeout rate, though that rate has dropped to 22.5 percent so far this season.

However, I think that is somewhat common among new sluggers today, so it shouldn’t be too much of a deterrent for his future. The Astros have produced several great sluggers since their current run began in 2017, and Matijevic has a chance to be the next one.

Projection: This is a tough one, mostly because a lot of it hinges on how the Astros view the futures of some of their aging stalwarts moving forward – first baseman Yuli Gurriel and left fielder Michael Brantley, both of whom are set to be free agents following this season.

Matijevic has made 278 of his 287 career minor league appearances at those two positions, and profiles as such in the future. I’d say it’s more likely that he plays more first base if and when he reaches the big leagues.

I say that mostly due to the Astros’ current logjam of young outfielders combined with the dearth of legitimate first base prospects.

Matijevic will be a September call-up this season in my estimation, but has a decent shot to break camp with the Astros in 2023 and be at the very least a solid bench contributor as early as next

Pitching paces Needville in area round victories

By Landan Kuhlmann

The Needville Blue Jays have gotten standout performances on the mound all season long, and their staff kept the line moving in last weekend’s area-round series.

Needville defeated Canyon Lake, 4-2, in a winner-take-all Game 3 on Saturday, moving on to the Region IV-4A quarterfinals for the first time since the 2014 season. In doing so, the Blue Jays avenged last season’s playoff loss to the Hawks in the same round.

Cole Todd hurled 5.1 innings on the mound for Needville in the clincher, allowing just two hits and striking out seven batters. Kody Gibbs homered, while Bryce Nirider and Bo Spitowski each drove in runs. Gibbs also struck out six while throwing a complete game on the mound in Needville’s 4-1 Game 1 victory on May 12, and Nirider had two more RBIs. The Blue Jays (25-6) are set to square off with Sinton (30-1) in the regional quarterfinals this weekend.

In Class 6A action, the Ridge Point Panthers are in the regional quarterfinals for the third time in five seasons following an arearound sweep over Houston Westside last week. The Panthers won Game 1 by a score of 2-1 in eight innings on Thursday thanks to Carter Groen’s walk-off hit, while Hunter Nichols struck out six in seven shut-

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out innings. Blaine Rhine had two RBIs in a 5-1 win in Game 2 on Friday, and Kellen Grasidar hurled six innings of one-run baseball.

Ridge Point (29-4) will play top-ranked Katy Tompkins (29-2) in the regional quarterfinals.

On the Class 5A front the Foster Falcons’ season ended with a 7-5 loss to La Porte in the area round on Saturday night. The Falcons got a ninth-inning grand slam from Coleman Briggs, but it wasn’t enough to keep their season alive.

Foster ended the season with a record of 24-10.

It was the same story for the Fulshear Chargers, who won 8-0 against Crosby on Thursday but dropped a winner-take-all game on Friday. The Chargers ended the 2022 campaign with a 20-11-1 mark.

Softball The area’s lone softball teams remaining were unable to keep their seasons alive last weekend.

George Ranch staved off elimination with a 3-2 win over Seven Lakes on May 13, but dropped a 7-3 decision to the Lady Spartans on Saturday to end their season in the Region III-6A quarterfinals. The Lady Longhorns ended the season with a 20-11 overall record.

Foster, meanwhile, fell in a regional quarterfinal bout to Santa Fe. The Lady Falcons lost 1-0 on Friday and 2-0 on Saturday to bring their season to a close with a 31-7 mark.

LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

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Wednesday, May 18, 2022 • PAGE

Patriotic concert honors fallen heroes Memorial Day weekend Staff Report Red, white and blue will be the colors of the evening at Sugar Land Town Square Saturday May 28, from 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m. when several Fort Bend Exchange Clubs present “A Night To Remember, Honoring Our Fallen Heroes.”

The talents of more than 50 voices from the nationally known Fort Bend Boys Choir with the Fort Bend Brass, dancers from Cookie Joe’s Ballet Grace, and singer-songwriters Bill and Kim Nash will be presented.

Houston native John Holiday (TV’s The Voice) will kick off the ceremony with his classic rendition of the National Anthem.

The event is free and open to the public. Canned food

@FORTBENDSTAR

donations are encouraged for East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry.

The event will be held at

Sugar Land Town Square, 15958 City Walk. For information, call Scott Arthur at 713-824-6126.

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THE STAR

PAGE 6 • Wednesday, May 18, 2022

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

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THE STAR

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

H INVESTIGATION FROM PAGE 1 lated documents through an open records request.

Stafford MSD leaders late Friday released a statement and provided a link to the law firm’s executive summary, providing the first public details into an investigation that began more than a month ago when the district’s board of trustees hired Austin-based Sara Leon & Associates to investigate the superintendent’s contract along with a Level 3 grievance filed by Norman.

That executive summary dives into some of the details of the grievance and concludes by making recommendations about what the district could do better, but does not find that the district committed any wrongdoing or that it retaliated against Norman, who said she has been placed on administrative leave through the end of her contract, which expires June 30.

The summary explains that the discrepancy between the superintendent’s two contracts happened because two different attorneys were working on the matter, because a financial advisor sent an incorrect version of the contract and all parties involved communicated imperfectly.

The law firm didn’t substantiate claims of improper intent on the part of anyone involved, according to the executive summary.

Norman said the grievance contained two main points – the first of which was about the district’s multiple contracts with Bostic, and the second was asserting that the district began retaliating against her as soon as she informed the board of trustees about the multiple contracts.

Norman said the dispute began when she wrote to the board of trustees on Jan. 11 informing them that two contracts existed. The difference between the two contracts could amount to between $40,000 and $60,000 in additional compensation, Norman asserted.

The law firm found Bostic hadn’t received the additional pay that would be guaranteed through the second contract.

Norman said she received a list of questions Jan. 12 from the district’s attorney that she said felt like harassment, such as asking her where she learned about the contract information. She also said the superintendent wrote her up as insubordinate when she didn’t respond to those questions

by Jan. 20.

The law firm’s executive summary rejects Norman’s claims of retalia-

tion, arguing she had documented job performance issues prior to filing the grievance against the district.

But Norman contested the district’s characterization, arguing all her midyear and end-of-year evaluations were favorable and did not chronicle any incompetencies or performance issues. Instead, the superintendent kept write-ups in a personal file that he used against her as retaliation, she alleged.

In addition to Norman’s complaints, the executive summary also dives into a separate issue brought forth by a previous CFO about the hiring of a contractor that employed family members of a trustee and Bostic.

The summary concludes that what happened wasn’t illegal.

“The hiring of family members of a trustee and of a superintendent to perform services at SMSD, while legal, minimally presents an appearance of impropriety,” the summary concludes.

The initial hiring was approved by the board, but once it exceeded $50,000 became subject to competitive bidding and was terminated after it was disclosed by the former CFO. The executive summary concludes with a list of recommendations that the district might act on moving forward. The firm recommends the district resubmit the superintendent’s contract to the board for ratification, that leadership respect the boundaries between the board and administration, that the district should crack down on the use of private emails for public business, that the district should create a system for archiving and searching for emails and that the district should have a policy on outside employment.

After receiving the law firm’s report, the district’s board of trustees voted 4-2-1 in favor of declaring Norman’s grievance unsubstantiated.

Chris Caldwell, Greg Holsapple, Manuel Hinojosa and Ash Hamirani voted against the grievance, while Dawn Reichling and Alicia Lacy Castille voted to uphold the grievance.

Jacqueline Jean-Baptise abstained.

The board of trustees also had an item listed on a recent agenda to receive information in executive session about not renewing Norman’s contract for the upcoming school year.

Norman said she’s been placed on administrative leave through the end of her current contract, which will expire June 30, and said she understands the district’s plan is to not renew her contract.

Wednesday, May 18, 2022 • PAGE

H SOCCER FROM PAGE 1 Past participants include youth teams from parent clubs such as Chelsea, Tottenham and Southampton, among others according to RISE’s website. All matches will be played with an 8on-8 format on half-size pitches.

“It was so exciting when we got that call,” Papandreou said A similar sentiment was echoed by Missouri City resident J.T. Calabrese, whose son Cade is also part of the team that will travel to the Netherlands. As part of the 10-day trip, the team will spend about a week training at professional facilities alongside premier

H FIRE FROM PAGE 1 role to the Texas power grid as well as being one of the region’s biggest polluters.

The plant usually ranks in the top three power plants in the country in terms of sulfur emissions, and emits more carbon and sulfur dioxide than the rest of Fort Bend County combined, according to one Rice University researcher.

NRG will face questions about whether or not to invest in repairs at the unit because of the comparatively high cost

H REDISTRICTING FROM PAGE 1 ing on new maps to give residents more time to understand and comment on changes.

The city’s charter requires the council to conduct redistricting at least once every 10 years and city leaders have presented the maps in about eight virtual meetings and in-person meetings to garner public input, according to city attorney E. Joyce Iyamu in a

C LASSIFIED

youth clubs before playing in the 14-team tournament over a span of two days.

Calabrese, who said his son is in just his second full season of soccer, said he always envisioned taking his son abroad to play soccer in different countries – but he never quite imagined it would come in the form of an international tournament invite at such a young age.

“I knew it was a dream for him (to play internationally) as soon as he started watching and talking about soccer,” Calabrese said. “…

But I never thought this was when it would happen. It’s pretty surreal.”

Cade, he said, knows all about the European soccer scene. But his father thinks

that he will still be in for quite the surprise when the team travels internationally in a few weeks, training where professional players have trained.

“I think he’s going to be in awe when he actually gets there and sees the facilities where some of the famous players in the world have participated,” Calabrese said. “He’s excited, but I’m not sure he’s fully aware of what’s about to happen.”

Papandreou said his son and the rest of the team are likely in for the same feeling, and that they are just trying to soak up the experience.

“They’re going to be star struck over there,” Papandreou said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

of operating coal plants compared to the price of electricity, Hirs said.

“For eight of the 10 years prior to 2021, the wholesale price to generate power was more than the cost of providing electricity,” Hirs said.

Coal plants require more maintenance and a much larger workforce than a similarly-sized gas plant, or wind or solar facility, Hirs said.

“The price needs to be high enough to make it worthwhile to turn the plant on,” Hirs said.

“When it’s not generating electricity, it’s not earning revenue. And that’s the

problem with the ERCOT market design.”

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) operates the state’s power grid. Hirs pointed out that just a few days after the hydrogen fire, ERCOT announced six other plants had tripped off line and created tight grid conditions.

The operator asked residents to conserve energy through the weekend.

“If this stays off line, the state is going to lose about 1 percent of its dispatchable power plants,” he said.

March 25 interview.

The new maps were meant to alleviate the fact that District D – Councilmember Floyd Emery’s district – was overcrowded based on 2020 U.S. Census data, Iyamu said.

Fonteneaux, who spoke before council, cautioned city leaders that Map C would move the subdivision from District B over to District A – a move that would dilute the Hispanic vote, he said.

Fonteneaux in subsequent conversation with

the Fort Bend Star questioned why it makes sense to split the Quail Valley and Hunters Glen subdivisions into separate council districts when they could have picked a map that kept them intact.

Councilmember Jeffrey Boney, who previously represented the Meadowcreek subdivision, told attendees that he had to consider everything and that some neighborhoods would be disappointed no matter which map the council chose.

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DECEASED TEXAS

IN COUNTY COURT NO. 3 FORT BEND COUNTY

NOTICE TO ALL PERSONS HAVING CLAIMS AGAINST THE ESTATE OF JAMES PATRICK MIRANDA, DECEASED Notice is hereby given that original Letters of Independent Administration for the Estate of JAMES PATRICK MIRANDA, Deceased, were issued on May 6, 2022 in Docket No. 22-CPR-037393 pending in the County Court at Law No. 3 of Fort Bend County, Texas to Drew Michael Miranda and Madison Michelle Miranda, Independent Executrix.

The residence of the Co-Independent Administrators is in Harris County, Texas. The address to present claims is: Drew Michael Miranda and Madison Michelle Miranda, Co-Independent Administrators c/o Lawrence T. Gillaspia, 4400 Post Oak Parkway, Suite 2360, Houston, Texas, 77027.

All persons having claims against this Estate, which is currently being administered, are required to present them to the undersigned within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.

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FOR

JAMES PATRICK MIRANDA,

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CITY OF MISSOURI CITY Public Hearing

CITY OF MISSOURI CITY Public Hearing

A public hearing will be held by the City Council of Missouri City, Texas to receive comments for or against proposed amendments to the City’s Code of Ordinances/Zoning Ordinance regarding:

A public hearing will be held by the City Council of Missouri City, Texas to receive comments for or against proposed amendments to the City’s Code of Ordinances/Zoning Ordinance regarding:

(1) Massage establishments The public hearing is scheduled:

(1) Section 4 – Definitions regarding sexually oriented businesses

DATE: Monday, June 6, 2022 TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Missouri City Community Center 1522 Texas Parkway (FM 2234) Missouri City, Texas Specific information is available at City Hall, Missouri City, Texas, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, or you may call 281-403-8541.

7

The public hearing is scheduled: DATE: Monday, June 6, 2022 TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Missouri City Community Center 1522 Texas Parkway (FM 2234) Missouri City, Texas Specific information is available at City Hall, Missouri City, Texas, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, or you may call 281-403-8541.

United States District Court for the District of Nevada Civil Action No. 2:22-cv-00254-GMN-NJK INTERNATIONAL MARKETS LIVE, INC., a New York Corporation dba iMARKETSLIVE; Plaintiff(s) v. DE’EL WOODS, an individual; Defendant(s) SUMMONS IN A CIVIL ACTION To: De’el Woods, 826 DeSoto Dr., Richmond, TX 77406, A lawsuit has been filed against you. Object o: Action: This is a Complaint for BREACH OF CONTRACT VIOLATION OF UNIFORM TRADE SECRETS ACT, DEFAMATION PER SE, TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH CONTRACTUAL RELATIONS, TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE, and FRAUD Within 21 days after service of this summons on you (not counting the day you received it) - or 60 days you are the United States of a United States agency or an officer or employee of the United States described in Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(a)(2) or (3)- you must serve on the plaintiff an answer to the attached complaint or a motion under Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The answer or motion must be served on the plaintiff or plaintiff ’s attorney whose name and address are: Law Offices of P. Sterling Kerr. 2450 St. Rose Pkwy Suite 120. Henderson. NV 89074, If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint. You also must file our answer or motion with the court. CLERK OF COURT. /s/ UNKNOWN Deputy Clerk, Date: 2/10/2022 Published in The Fort Bend Star Newspaper.

May 4, 11,18,25, 2022

THE STAR

PAGE 8 • Wednesday, May 18, 2022

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

Review: CAVA might be choice Nibbles & Sips: pizza chain for those wanting many options Louisiana coming to Richmond

By Matt deGrood

MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

For a large contingent of both diners and restaurants, bigger might be better.

With the dawn of the Chipotle-esque restaurant, every type of food seems eager to jump into the game of offering patrons a wide array of options on whatever the base food item is (a burrito, salad, etc.).

The trend is clearly popular, but I’m not sure I’ve ever been part of its target demographic.

Last week, I decided to stop at Sugar Land’s new fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant, CAVA, 2260 Lone Star Drive.

To be frank, I’m not positive I quite knew what to expect, but the experience was reminiscent of my trips to places like Freebirds and Chipotle over the years.

Visitors entered the restaurant and approached a cafeteria-like line at the front where they decided what to order, and worked through a series of topping options with an employee.

I spent some time wavering between a Greek chicken and crispy falafel pita, but ultimately decided on the chicken after seeking an employee’s opinion.

Before I continue further, I should stop and say that I appreciate a diverse array of f lavors.

And I like pitas with lots of fresh and good ingredients.

But this might be the first time ever I’ve used the phrase “an over-

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Pictured is the Greek chicken pita from CAVA at 2260 Lone Star Dr. in Sugar Land. (Photo

by Matt deGrood)

whelming number of ingredients” in a negative light.

The basic chicken pita, without your input, comes with hummus, tzatziki, pickles, tomato and onion, kalamata olives, crumbled feta, shredded romaine and Greek vinaigrette. You also have the choice to add extra items.

As I watched an employee heap more and more items onto the pita, I eventually asked them to hold the pickles and olives, but did add potatoes to my pita.

I love each of those foods individually, but in my head, the idea of olives and pickles mixing together with everything else sounded like too much.

There were things I liked about my meal. For

instance, the bread was perfectly cooked to be both a little crispy and soft. And it held its ingredients remarkably well (we’ve all experienced that nightmare scenario of rushing to finish a gyro while the back half of it disintegrates into a drippy mess before our eyes).

That being said, the combination of ingredients was somehow both overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time. The chicken was nice.

But it felt like the other ingredients didn’t do enough to stand out on their own, but combined to form a cacophony of f lavors instead of an organized orchestra.

Like with all restaurants of this sort, it’s hard to know whether the fault

lies with the food itself, or bad ordering on my part.

Perhaps I should have leaned further in and added more toppings, for instance?

I’d certainly be willing to give CAVA another try.

But then again, perhaps I was never intended as its target demographic.

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR MAY 21 FORT BEND MUSEUM CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH FREE DAY OF ADMISSION On May 21, 1972, the Fort Bend Museum opened its doors to the public and has been sharing early Texas and Fort Bend County history with the community.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Fort Bend Museum will be offering free admission into the Museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 21.

Refreshments and yard games will be available for families to enjoy along with historic house tours. To learn more about upcoming events visit: fortbendmuseum.org/events.html.

MAY 24 CANVA BASICS OFFERED AT UNIVERSITY BRANCH LIBRARY Canva is a free, online graphic-design tool. Canva’s easy-to-use interface provides access to millions of photographs, graphics, and fonts, enabling the user to create designs for web or print. Learn how this tool can be used to create blog graphics, Facebook covers, flyers, posters, invitations, presentations, and more. The class will be held from 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.Tuesday, May 24. University Branch Library is located at 14010 University Blvd., in Sugar Land.

Call 281-633-5100 for information or register online at www.fortbend.lib.tx.us.

MAY 28 PATRIOTIC CONCERT HONORS FALLEN HEROES MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND Red, white and blue will be the colors of the evening at Sugar Land Town Square Saturday May 28, from 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m. when several Fort Bend Exchange Clubs present “A Night To Remember, Honoring Our Fallen Heroes.” The talents of more than 50 voices from the nationally known Fort Bend Boys Choir with the Fort Bend Brass, dancers from Cookie Joe’s Ballet Grace, and singer-songwriters Bill and Kim Nash will be presented. Houston native John Holiday (TV’s The Voice) will kick off the ceremony with his classic rendition of the National Anthem. The event is free and open to the public. Canned food donations

CAVA

Address: 2260 Lone Star Drive, Sugar Land Hours: 10:45 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Sunday Entrée prices: $10.07$13.17 Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No Alcohol: No Healthy option: Grain bowl ($10.07) Star of the show: Chicken pita Rating:

Fort Bend Star, 14100 Southwest Frwy. Ste 230, Sugar Land, TX 77478

FOR NON-PROFIT EVENTS

PEACE OFFERS-SCHOOL-AGE PARENT ENGAGEMENT VIRTUAL SERIES Join “Parent Engagement School-Age Virtual Series” that P.E.A.C.E. (http://peacenurtureskids.org/) offers at no-cost to parents on Tuesdays in May to advance their children’s academic and school success and nurture the social-emotional development of teens.

Call 832-415-3088 or email: pps4peace@yahoo. com.

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 Tuesday evenings at 6:30 for a casual evening of music. We play a variety of music including bluegrass, country, gospel and some western. We request acoustic instruments only please. We welcome both participants and music lovers who enjoy listening to good live music.

There’s no charge and we welcome beginners and gladly offer gentle assistance. We meet at First Presbyterian Church, 502 Eldridge Rd, Sugar Land. Please call Sam at 832-428-3165 for further 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

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Free pet beds & microchips with any purchase of a vaccine package

Orleans Seafood pushes back Fulshear opening Fort Bend County residents will have to wait a little bit longer for their newest seafood dining option to open.

Orleans Seafood has pushed back its planned opening date for its newest location in Fulsher, according to a Friday Facebook message from the restaurant. As reported by The Star last year, it was originally scheduled to open at 6230 FM 1463 in the spring of this year. However, the company said it is now trying to open its doors by sometime in July.

For more information, community members can visit orleansseafoodkitchen. com or email info@orleansseafoodkitchen.com.

Email to jsazma@fortbendstar.com or mail to:

are encouraged for East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry. The event will be held at Sugar Land Town Square, 15958 City Walk. For information, call Scott Arthur at 713-824-6126.

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the food truck’s fourth location, according to a May 15 tweet, and its third in the Houston region according to the company.

For more information or to find the nearest location, community members can follow the food truck on Twitter @ClutchCityCluck or visit their website at clutchcitycluckers.com.

and answer the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

(Direct)

Honored to be your choice for life insurance.

This pepperoni and sausage pizza are among the options that will be at Fat Boy’s Pizza, which is expanding to Richmond later this year. (Photo by Chris Granger)

Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to 40 words

EXPERIENCE COUNTS! 35+ YEARS SERVING FORT BEND COUNTY 281-243-2344 281.243.2300

A popular pizza chain in Louisiana is making its first foray into the state and region, and its first location will be in Fort Bend County.

On May 12, Metairiebased Fat Boys Pizza announced that it has plans to open several locations in the Greater Houston region beginning this year. The first one will be at the Grand at Aliana in Richmond at 10505 W. Grand Parkway, according to a news release from the company.

Spokesperson Scott Walker said Friday that the restaurant is aiming to have its doors open in Richmond prior to Thanksgiving.

The chain has existing restaurants in Metairie, the LSU campus in Baton Rouge, Covington and New Orleans’ French Quarter as well as Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Its Richmond restaurant will have a 4,800-square-foot interior, the release said, including a 1,500-square-foot covered patio that will open up into green space.

“For more information on Fat Boy’s, follow them on social media @eatfatboyspizza or visit their website at eatfatboyspizza.com Clutch City Cluckers expanding to Katy A food truck with multiple locations in Houston is expanding into Katy.

Clutch City Cluckers, which specializes in a variety of traditional and spicy chicken sandwiches and tenders, is hosting a two-day grand opening event at its newest location, 1005 Katy Fort Bend Road, this Friday and Saturday. This will be

14700 Almeda Rd. Houston, TX 77053 www.HoustonHumane.org | (713)433-6421 Restrictions apply See Store for Details

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, taxfree 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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19 years

family owned and operated LUNCH SPECIALS HOME MADE TAMALES & TORTILLAS MARGARITA’S TO-GO!

SOUTHWEST FREEWAY 281.240.3060 12821 LasHaciendasGrill.com