County events to honor fallen service members - Page 3 Extend Fence Life
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County DA’s office hosts talk on civil rights By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Friday’s meeting between members of the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office and area civil rights leaders came with a content warning. The event would cover the history of civil rights in Fort Bend County, and that history has been ugly, according to the district attorney’s office. What followed was an hours-long question-andanswer session between a group of civil rights leaders and county prosecutors, the purpose of which was to make the office more aware of law enforcement’s perceptions in the wider community, District Attorney Brian Middleton said. “If we don’t step up and do our jobs without double-standards, then racism perpetuates,” he told prosecutors. “It’s our job to stand up to bullies and be mindful of the significance of our decisions.” The office has made a concerted effort in recent years to increase its focus on civil rights, and had previously hosted a roundtable with the area’s police chiefs to discuss civil rights and the perception of law enforcement, Middleton said. The goal is to make events like last
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FBISD likely to place bond on November ballot By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Voters within Fort Bend ISD’s boundaries will likely be deciding whether or not to approve additional bond funding to construct schools and other facilities as soon as this November. But exactly how big that bond might be remains up for discussion. Superintendent Christie Whitbeck last week confirmed that a bond referendum was likely, with a district spokesperson add-
ing that this was part of a longstanding plan. “It is also accurate that the 2018 bond was meant to serve as a phase 1 with the intention of seeking voter approval in 2021 for a second bond needed to address needs that were not covered in the 2018 bond,” said Sherry Williams, a spokesperson for Fort Bend ISD. “The 2021 election did not happen.” More than 70 percent of voters in November 2018 approved almost $1 billion in ballot propositions that were tabbed for building
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new schools, improving safety and security, transportation and maintenance across the fast-growing
school district, according to FBISD. At the time, the plan was to bring voters a second package in 2021, but the coronavirus pandemic suspended that plan, according to the district. In conversation with three trustees last week,
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it seemed there was some consensus that they’d support bringing some type of referendum to voters this November. So rather than determining whether to pursue a bond, it seems like the majority of discussion will center on how big such a proposition might be. “With the way that school funding is set up in Texas, it pretty much requires bonds to build schools,” new trustee David Hamilton said.
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Travis student selected for prestigious flight training program By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Most kids want to be professional athletes, doctors or something else when they grow up. But Travis High School student Rishita Bagga has always had somewhat different future aspirations. She has wanted to be a fighter jet pilot in the military, almost as long as she could remember, she said. “This was one of the first professions I learned about,” she said. “…I’ve stuck with it because it’s so interesting and so different. Because it’s so unique, I’ve always been determined to get there.” And this summer, Bagga will take a significant step forward in advancing her dreams. The Travis senior will take part in the Commander Naval Air Force Pilot Scholarship Program on the campus of Delaware State University from June 12-Aug. 4. The course is an eight-week training academy, during which Bagga and 19 other JROTC students will take part in at least 32 hours of academic aviation training as well as 49 hours of flight training. Bagga was one of only 20 high school juniors and seniors selected for the program from thousands of eligible cadets around the country. Upon completion of the program,
Travis High School JROTC student Rishita Bagga, center, stands with fellow Travis cadets. Bagga, a senior, has been selected for an elite ight training program this summer. (Contributed photo)
each student will earn a private pilot certification/license and five college credits. “I didn’t even know how to react (when I found out), because I never really thought I would be able to
get to all of this,” she said. That surprise was an initial reaction and not a lack of skill or a dearth of confidence in her dreams. Her first words to Major Frederick Hunt, Travis’ JROTC se-
nior marine instructor, said all he needed to know about her resolve. “She told me (as a freshman)
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Rent-to-own company making inroads in Fort Bend County By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
A newish company that purports to help prospective homeowners afford the cost of a down payment is making inroads in Fort Bend County. Divvy – a California-based company that operates a rentto-own real estate program – first moved to the Houston area in 2020 and is especially popular in Fort Bend County, according to several people with the company and who have worked with the company. “Definitely, Fort Bend
County is one of the hottest areas,” said Megan Goodly, a real estate agent who works for Divvy’s brokerage firm. Goodly first began work with Divvy about a year ago and, in that time, has helped purchase about 30 homes as part of the company’s program, she said. Of that total, about 15 have been in Fort Bend County. “I think it’s because we market straight to families,” she said. “That means we’re in a place where people are all sort of looking for the same thing, just in different pockets of the area.”
Divvy, which began less than five years ago, operates in about 16 markets across the country. It works by partnering with prospective homeowners and offering to purchase the home for them with all cash and charging them a monthly rent payment while they save money for a down payment, according to Tom Egan, chief financial officer for the company. “The majority of our revenue is generated through rent,” Egan said. “When you
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ew homeowners stand in front of a home pur chased through Divvy. (Contributed photo)
JERRY FLOWERS
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