06-01-2022 EDITION OF THE FORT BEND STAR

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By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

In the wake of the recent mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, the local Congressman says he is trying to help make schools safer.

U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, the District 22 representative and former Fort Bend County Sheriff, said during a May 26 news conference that he is calling for support of a proposed bill called the

Public Safety Enhancement Act. Nehls, a Republican, re-upped his call for support for the legislation following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, where 19 students and two teachers were killed by an 18-year-old gunman, according to multiple media reports. According to Nehls, his proposed legislation - originally proposed in December 2021 - now has 80 cosponsors which cross party lines, including U.S.

Sugar Land resident honors late father with upcoming book

See related column on ..................

PAGE 3 Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat. A spokesperson for Lee did not immediately respond to a Monday email seeking confirmation.

The proposed law, Nehls said, would add U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls of District 22 speaks during a news 100,000 extra police offi- conference May 26 at the Sugar Land Marriott Hotel. Ne-

SEE NEHLS PAGE 8

hls is calling for support of law enforcement-bolstering legislation in the wake of the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

Final ride

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

2022

READERS’ CHOICE PLACE YOUR VOTES FORTBENDSTAR.COM

McCoy wins Precinct 4 nomination in busy runoff election

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

A young upstart scored a big win in the race for a seat on Fort Bend County’s commissioners court, and a candidate for state representative looks set to become the first Muslim state lawmaker in Texas to highlight a busy runoff election night.

Just 7.8 percent of Fort Bend C o u n t y ’s reg istered voters took McCoy to the polls Tu e s d a y and during early v o t i n g to determine who will represent the two major Lulani political parties in November in undecided county, state and U.S. congressional races from the March 1 primary, according to county voting results.

In the battle to determine the Democratic nominee for the Precinct 4 spot on the county commissioners court, Dexter McCoy scored a big win over opponent Neeta Sane, claiming more than 60 percent of the vote com-

SEE ELECTION PAGE 9

Sugar Land resident Kari Loya and his father, Merv, spoke often about taking a cross country bicycle trip – but something always seemed to derail the plans.

Then in 2015, everything changed. Merv Loya was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, meaning the time he had to form new memories with his son were dwindling. So the pair set out to ride the TransAmerica Bike Trail, a 4,200-mile path between Yorktown, Virginia and Astoria, Oregon.

“We realized that if we didn’t do it then, it wasn’t going to happen,” Kari Loya said. “So we seized the day, and we took off.”

Over the course of the next several months, the pair biked across the country at an average speed of 12 miles per hour, taking in all sorts of sites. And in a few weeks, Kari Loya is set to release a book entitled “Conversations Across America: A Father and Son, Alzheimer's and 300 Conversations Along the TransAmerica Bike Trail that Capture the Soul of America.”

“It wasn't all fun and games,” he said. “The ride was really about getting to spend 73 days straight with my dad. It was a chance to see, up close on a daily basis, how he was dealing with Alzheimer’s and for us to talk about that.”

The book chronicles the journey through the eyes of Kari and

Kari Loya, left, and his late father, Merv, stop for a photo during a bicycle ride. Loya is coming out with a new book, detailing a memorable TransAmerica Bike Trail trip in 2015, which should be out before Father’s Day. (Contributed photo)

Merv as they dealt with the realities of Alzheimer’s, Loya said, as well as conversations with people they encountered in 10 different states along the way. It

ranged from coal miners in Kentucky to farmers in Kansas to people running across the country to immigrants who shared their own stories.

The book, Loya said, has two distinct stories. One is how Kari

SEE LOYA PAGE 9

Housing market still hot despite interest rate surge

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Interest rates for homes across the country are spiking in the wake of news that the U.S. Federal Reserve plans to hike rates in a bid to tamp down on inf lation, but experts say the trend should do little to dampen the real estate market in Fort Bend County.

Fort Bend is one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, increasing from a population of about 585,375 in 2010 up to about 822,779 in 2020, according to numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau.

“The market is the hottest it has ever been, especially so in Fort Bend County,” said Kevin Ries, a Missouri City-based Pictured are under-construction homes in the Sienna development late last commercial realtor who is an expert in the county’s year. (Photo by Matt deGrood)

commercial and residential markets. “It’s because of all the amenities. So, the caveat is that when you raise the rates, you take what elements of the population can afford down.

For instance, if you qualified for a $250,000 mortgage previously, the hike might bump you down to $225,000.”

The U.S. Federal Reserve earlier this month raised interest rates by one-half percentage point – the first increase in more than two decades – as a means to fight inf lation, according to a CNN Business article. Administrators with the federal reserve have hinted more increases might be on the horizon, according to the article.

On a practical level, that

SEE HOUSING PAGE 9

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PAGE 2 • Wednesday, June 1, 2022

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Reservoir project that could provide water to county inches forward

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

A nearby river authority recently reached a $69 million agreement with the city of Houston to purchase a proposed reservoir project that, if completed, might one day provide water to thousands of homes across the region.

The Brazos River Au-

thority purchased about 70 percent of project rights for the Allens Creek Reservoir Project from Houston – a move that gives Houston the ability to purchase some water from the reservoir should the project ever move forward, according to a news release.

The sale is the first in what will be a yearslong process to construct a new water source in the

state, said David Collinsworth, general manager and CEO for the river authority.

While the river authority’s headquarters are in Waco and it generally serves an area west of Fort Bend County, having a new water supply is big for the entire region, Collinsworth explained.

“This reservoir would generate 100,000-plus acre feet of water with the possibility of expansion,” he said.

The Allens Creek Reservoir Project has been in the works for more than 40 years, according to the river authority. The authority in 2002 held some meetings with communities near the project site (near Sealy and Wallis in Austin County) and in 2016 met with news media in hopes of moving the project forward,

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River, according to the authority. It could one day cost as much as $500 million to construct.

But the purchase is the most tangible sign that the reservoir might one day be reality, Collinsworth said.

To build a reservoir in Texas, an entity needs three things – water rights, property and a national permit through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Collinsworth said. The river authority holds the first two things following the purchase agreement, and will now begin a likely seven-year process to acquire the permit, he said.

The above map shows the proposed site of the Allens Creek Reservoir Project. If completed, it could provide water to residents of Fort Bend County. (Map from keepbrazosflowing.org)

Collinsworth said.

Under the project, crews would construct

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Wednesday, June 1, 2022 • PAGE

3

What are we willing to do to stop mass shootings? the state.

Everything about that drive for me changed that Friday.

The recent shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde is all anyone wants to talk about lately, just as it should be. But for all the familiar political disputes and thoughts and prayers, it feels like some part of mass shootings can never truly be captured in words.

I’d been on my way to work that morning when I got a call that there may or may not be an active shooter at Santa Fe High School. State Highway 6 was closed, so I made my way toward the school along back roads.

The first sign that something was amiss were the streams of children pouring over fields and across rural roads, doing anything to get away.

As I made my way toward the high school walking along State

Matt deGrood

MANAGING EDITOR

On days when traffic was especially bad, I would often drive the stretch of highway past Santa Fe High School on my way home from work.

Before May 18, 2018, there was nothing particularly exceptional about that route, which ran along State Highway 6 through Santa Fe and mostly unincorporated Galveston County. You’d watch trucks drive by and wait through more traffic lights than you might like. But there was nothing that might distinguish it from any number of other highways across

Highway 6, I ran into a woman who was frantically searching for her son. I only listened to her, but at the time, I remember wanting to reassure her that her son was likely fine. Lucky for both of us I didn’t, because I would later learn her son was one of the students injured, but not killed, in the shooting.

Sheriff’s deputies and officers from a multitude of departments tried their best to control the situation and herd parents and children toward a safe gathering spot, but they’d clearly never dealt with anything quite like the events of that day.

More than anything, the chaos is what sticks out to me. Trying to clear my head and think amid throngs of scared parents, overwhelmed students and more cameras than you can possibly imagine.

There’s talking and writing about a shoot-

ing, and then there’s living it. And I only saw the outskirts – countless more have to live with far worse memories.

You might reasonably be wondering at this point, “Matt, what does any of this have to do with Fort Bend County?”

Well, before last week, or the week before that or May 18, 2018, what did any of this have to do with Uvalde or Buffalo or Santa Fe? There doesn’t seem much of a point in using the space for this editorial to advocate for a specific policy or argue that this side is bad and wrong. I doubt I’d change anyone’s opinion even if I did.

But it does seem like it’s high time to consider these shootings with fresh eyes – for each of us to take a step away from our partisan battle lines and ask ourselves, “How can we make the world a better place for

our children?”

It’s one thing to consider the innocent lives lost in Uvalde and think about what a tragedy it was. It’s another thing entirely when you think about the fact that Uvalde could be anywhere.

And the victims of a school shooting aren’t just those whose lives are lost. So many – from the families who have to bury their loved ones to students who have to grapple with returning to school again to the communities left behind

– will live with the pain and trauma for the rest of their lives.

So, I’ll end by asking you all a question: If it was a matter of stopping your children and families from dying, what steps would you want taken to prevent the next mass shooting?

Because as history has so vividly shown us again and again and again and again, your children and your families could very well be involved in one at some point.

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than it has before, and readers have evolving needs in the fast-paced digital age.

Because of that, we started our online newsletter several months ago. The goal is simple – to distill our latest reporting into bite-sized pieces that arrive each weekday morning in your email inbox. The tidbits also include links to our reporting online,

For decades now, we at the Fort Bend Star have worked to bring community members all they need to know to understand life in the county – from politics to business to culture.

It’s our hope to continue bringing you all the latest news for years to come. But reporting in 2022 looks different

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OBITUARY

so you can read more at your leisure.

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our newsletter using the QR code just above this story. When you point a phone camera at the code, it’ll take you to a website where you can sign up to receive our free newsletter every Monday through Friday.

That way you can keep up with all the latest happenings on our website, fortbendstar. com, in between reading our weekly print edition. Meet Napoli!

This sweet girl is a big ball of love. She was born visually impaired, but that does NOT slow her down. She lets her nose work overtime and you would never know her sight isn't 100%!

She loves pets, cuddles, and treats just like any other puppy!

Her sweet demeanor rubs off on everyone she meets, and you can't help but smile when interacting with her. This sweet soul deserves a family of her own that will dote on her the exact way that she deserves! Adopt Napoli today!

E E E E E

HOWARD RAY HARGROVE JR. NOVEMBER 7, 1941

Howard Ray Hargrove Jr., age 80, of Sugar Land, Texas passed away on Monday, May 23, 2022. Howard was born November 7, 1941 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas to Howard, Sr. and Anne Hargrove. He was married to Jo Ann Hargrove for 50 years.

Howard worked for KBR, Brown & Root, and Holiday Inn. He really enjoyed retirement and was always puttering around the house, getting into some sort of project. Howard was also a member of The Brown Builders and the Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club.

He had a passion for fishing, radio operations, music, and baseball. He loved the Houston Astros. He was so excited on Opening Day every year. He

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MAY 23, 2022

always looked forward to baseball season and was sad when it was over.

Howard is preceded in death by his parents, Howard, Sr. and Anne Hargrove.

He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Jo Ann Hargrove; son, Vincent Hargrove; daughter, Sherry Honoré and her husband Brook

Honoré; grandchildren Erica Hancock and her husband Jacob Hancock; Natalie Honoré; and Brook Honoré, Jr.; and great-grandchild Hallie Hancock.

A wake/visitation was held on Monday, May 30, 2022 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM .

A mass of Christian burial occurred Tuesday, May 31, 2022 from 10:00 AM at St. Laurence Catholic Church, 3100 Sweetwater Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77479. A graveside service took place following the mass at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.settegastkopf. com for the Hargrove family.

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OBITUARY

EMMANUEL ABAYOMI ADEDIPE DECEMBER 9, 1987 – MAY 21, 2022

On Saturday, the 21st of May 2022, Emmanuel Abayomi Adedipe went to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at the age of 34.

Emmanuel was the third of four children and he was born in Brenham, Texas on the 9th of December 1987, to Nigerian parents Samuel and Caroline Adedipe.

As a child, he attended Calvary Baptist Church and at a young age he gave his life to Jesus and was baptized. When he moved to Houston in 2011, he then joined Second Baptist Church.

He worshipped during the 11:11 service at the Woodway Campus.

Growing up, the importance of education was always stressed to him and his siblings by his parents.

After graduating from Brenham High School, he attended college and received his Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi. He then went on to receive his Master of Education in Administration from Lamar University.

Emmanuel felt called to the field of education and began teaching upon his college graduation.

He taught math and science to elementary and middle school age children. Most recently he worked as a 6th grade World Geography teacher at Baines Middle School in Ft. Bend ISD. In addition to teaching, he

enjoyed sports and found that he could merge his love for sports and passion for helping children by coaching. Throughout his career, he coached football, basketball, and soccer.

In the summer of 2018, he founded “Uthletes,” a company that offered skills training, summer camps, and later AAU Basketball to children ages 8-14.

To him teaching was more than just a job and coaching was much more than winning or losing - it was about discipline, perseverance, and teamwork.

Emmanuel loved traveling and looked forward to doing so with his close friends during spring and summer breaks. He was an avid movie watcher and was known to memorize lines and entire scenes from movies he enjoyed.

To quote one of his favorite lines in the movie The PURSUIT of HAPPYNESS “It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later!”

Emmanuel was preceded in death by his father, Samuel Ayodeji Adedipe, and is survived by his loving mother, Caroline Oluremi Adedipe; brother, Samuel Adedayo Adedipe and his wife Jessica Michelle, his older sister, Hellen Adenike Adedipe, his younger sister, Victoria Adejoke and her husband Adewale Adetokunbo Taiwo; his nephews, James Adedayo Adedipe, Éyaah Ayo Bate Agborsangaya and niece Olivia Adeola Taiwo. In addition to his immediate family members, he is survived by a host of uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, Baines Middle School students, staff, colleagues, and his Houston Fury Family.

A celebration of his life was conducted on Saturday, the 28th of May, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

KINDLY NOTE: Those who were unable to attend the service can view his celebration of life by visiting Emmanuel’s online memorial tribute page at GeoHLewis.com and selecting “View Video” icon in the “Services” section. While there you may also share fond memories and words of comfort and condolence electronically with his family by selecting the “Add A Memory” icon.

We believe that his work here on Earth was complete and we will indeed see him later in Heaven!

✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢

Worship Directory FORT BEND COUNTY

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

CHURCH OF CHRIST

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

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND • 281-980-6888

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH • 281-240-3195

A United Methodist Community 3300 Austin Parkway • Sugar Land, TX 77479 Sunday Schedule 8:30 am Blended Worship 9:30 am Sunday School for all ages 10:30 am Traditional & Contemporary Worship www.christchurchsl.org

502 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478 Reverend Dr. Fred Seay, Pastor Sunday Worship In Person 11:00 am / Nursery Available Worship Online on YouTube www.fpcsl.org

EPISCOPAL

ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH • 281-499-9602 605 Dulles Avenue, Stafford, TX 77477 SUNDAY: 10:30 am Worship Holy Eucharist www.allsaints-stafford.org

Scripture of the week

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

- ROMANS 8:28

PAGE 4 • Wednesday, June 1, 2022

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Now Open MUMMIES ARE TAKING OVER SUGAR LAND THIS SUMMER! Straight from the big screen to your backyard, Expedition Egypt is the family-friendly summer blockbuster you star in when you visit the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Sugar Land! You and your little ones become Junior Archaeologists as you uncover 2,000 year old mysteries and learn how Ancient Egypt has influenced culture today.

This exhibition is proudly supported by

Fort Bend Junior Service League

Scan for tickets and information

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Wednesday, June 1, 2022 • PAGE

5

Vlasek, pitching power Panthers to regional final

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Ridge Point High School baseball coach Clinton Welch said last week that his team would need to grind out every at-bat against Pearland in order to keep its season alive.

The Panthers did just that over the weekend, taking out the Oilers 4-2 in a winner-take-all Game 3 of their Region III-6A semifinal playoff series on Saturday at the University of Houston. With the win, Ridge Point advanced to its second regional final in the last three seasons.

Ridge Point prevailed in a tight series that saw 16 total runs scored and 29 hits combined between the two teams, spearheaded by its typically strong starting pitching and an opportunistic offense paced by one of its leaders.

The Panthers (33-5) are set to clash with Houston Strake Jesuit (29-10-2) in a Region III-6A final series scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday at UH, with all games starting at 7 p.m.

In a 6-2 Ridge Point victory in Game 1 on Thursday, it was first baseman Travis Vlasek who provided several key hits.

The senior drove in five of the Panthers’ six runs, including a bases-clearing double to punctuate a four-run fourth inning.

On the mound, Kellen Gradisar pitched his second consecutive complete game, allowing seven scattered hits.

Following a 2-0 loss in Game 2 on Friday, the Panthers rebounded to take the series on Saturday with more opportunistic hits. Carter Groen had two hits and an RBI to pace the offense

The Ridge Point High School baseball team celebrates after defeating Pearland on Saturday night. The Panthers will compete in the Region III-6A final this weekend. (Photo from Twitter)

in Game 3, while Parker Martin had two hits and Vlasek and Owen Farris

drove home a run apiece.

Jack McKernan continued a strong postseason on the mound in throwing

Cowboys Corral: David Hensley Space Cowboys utility infielder David Hensley is in the midst of a breakout season in Sugar Land. (Photo from Sugar Land Space Cowboys Facebook)

Landan Kuhlmann SPORTS REPORTER

The last couple of weeks, we’ve spotlighted some of the more prominent prospects in the Houston Astros’ organization. But what has made this organization so great since the start of its contention window in 2015 is finding diamonds in the rough to help its cause. Key contributors such as Jose Urquidy and Luis Garcia, among others, were not known outside this organization the last few years, and they could have another on the horizon.

Guys like this are my favorite to profile, because I love putting the spotlight on those who might fly under the radar. So let’s get into this week’s analysis of Sugar Land Space Cowboys utility infielder David Hensley.

Initial overview If you haven’t heard of Hensley, you probably wouldn’t be alone, as he was not a much-heralded prospect with some insane pedigree. The Astros drafted Hensley in the 26th round of the 2018 draft out of San Diego State, after a solid four-year career with the Aztecs. After a middling first couple of seasons, Hensley hit .357/.410/.486 his junior season and .317/.386/.421 his senior season to catch the eye of scouts.

Since making his pro debut in the Astros’ farm system, the 26-year-old has hit .266/.346/.399 in four minor league seasons, but has made marked improvement at each of his last three stops.

After ending the 2019 season by hitting .327 with an .826 OPS in 28 games with HighA Fayetteville and a lost 2020 season due to COVID-19, he posted a .293 batting average with an .808 OPS at DoubleA Corpus Christi last season.

This season in Sugar Land, Hensley has hit .291 with an .851 OPS in 44 games, and is showcasing several areas of improvement that has me thinking he can make some noise at the MLB level in fairly short order.

Landan’s lowdown To get this out of the way, Hensley isn’t flashy – but for those who know me or have read this column before, it likely is not a surprise that I choose to spotlight someone whose contributions I feel might be underappreciated by the public at large. And there are several things to love about Hensley as we examine his breakout season to this point.

One of the first things that jumps out to me is the walk rate, which is a good first indicator as to a hitter’s plate discipline and ability – because you can’t have any sustained success without getting yourself good pitches to hit. And so far this season,

Hensley’s 16.2 percent walk rate leads the Space Cowboys’ regulars. His discipline has long been a strength, with a career walk rate hovering around 10 percent entering the year, but he’s taken it to a new level this season.

Building from that, he’s hitting for more power this year than ever before. His Isolated Power – the difference between his batting average and slugging percentage – is .152, so far besting last year’s mark of .146. Now, that could potentially be due to TripleA West’s launching pad of ballparks, as all three homers and 12 of his 15 extra-base hits have been on the road.

Conversely, Constellation Field is where I have personally seen fly balls go to die, so it’s possible the games there could be simultaneously depressing his power a bit.

So let’s take a look at the batted ball rates, which can be a better indicator than raw results. Hensley’s ground ball rate is a bit worrisome at 53.4 percent, which could be problematic in MLB with the more consistent fielders.

However, his 26.2 percent

line drive rate this season is the highest mark of his pro career so far, so it looks as though he’s making a concerted effort to drive the ball more. Without publicly available batted ball data it’s hard to examine beyond that, but there are signs of marked improvement.

And here’s the thing – Hensley doesn’t have to be an amazing hitter to be a valuable asset to the Astros’ championship aspirations.

Save for one season, former utilityman Marwin Gonzalez was never phenomenal, and it’s been the same story with Aledmys Diaz the last several seasons. Neither of them have been flashy, but made themselves valuable to the team in other ways such as positional flexibility, and both were or continue to be key cogs in the machine – which brings us to our last point.

During his time in the Astros organization, Hensley has made starts at five different positions. He has made at least 60 starts and played at least 500 innings at all four infield positions. And this is not a new revelation, either

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– he played seven different positions in four years of college ball at SDSU, including at least 20 starts at five different spots over the course of his career.

People rarely notice them, but every team needs someone like Gonzalez, Diaz and now potentially Hensley to spell the regulars throughout the course of a 162-game season so they're at full strength come playoff time. You don’t win championships without those guys, and Hensley could be next in line.

Projection One thing I feel fairly certain about is that Hensley will make an impact for the Astros sooner rather than later. However, exactly when that happens is a little fuzzy.

His ability to play multiple positions is an obvious boon to his chances as the Astros have shown time and again that the organization values positional flexibility. He could possibly get the call this season, though the presence of Diaz on the roster muddies the waters a bit.

However, Diaz becomes a free agent this offseason, and after that, the Astros will most definitely be in the market for a new utility infielder – and where better to look than internally? Especially if they want to potentially extend the contracts of players like Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker in the future, it’s best to start saving money now where you can.

So even if he does not get the call this season, I think Hensley could easily break Spring Training with the Astros next year and get the playing time he has so rightfully earned.

Is there a Space Cowboys player in particular you would like us to write about? Feel free to shoot me a note to lkuhlmann@fortbendstar.com or find me on Twitter @LandanKuhlmann.

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FIREWORKS

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www.milb.com/sugar-land ALB - ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES OKC - OCKLAHOMA CITY DODGERS RROCK - ROUND ROCK EXPRES TCMA - TACOMA RAINIERS ELPA - EL PASO CHIHUAHUAS LAVE - LAS VEGAS AVIATORS

THE STAR

PAGE 6 • Wednesday, June 1, 2022

SPACE COWBOYS SUN

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See us online www.FortBendStar.com

County fair accepting Fair Queen applications

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The Fort Bend County Fair is accepting applications for its Fair Queen Scholarship contest, according to a news release from the fair.

Applications for the contest, which is open to girls ages 15-19 who live in Fort Bend County, will be accepted through the end of the day June 13, according to the fair. Up to 20 finalists will be selected, and the competition is based on a

personal interview, an essay, a networking event and participation.

“Our Fair Queen Scholarship candidates really go through a rewarding experience. The committee does an outstanding job with these young ladies,” said fair co-director Jennifer Williams, who heads up the contest. “We look forward to watching them grow with their life skills and self-confidence.”

During the 10-day fair from Sept. 23-Oct. 2, the queen will serve as the fair’s ambassador while attending

receptions, livestock shows and auctions as part of her duties. She will also represent the Fort Bend County Fair at community events, luncheons, holiday gatherings and other fair activities, according to the news release.

Meadow Votis of Elkins High School was the 2021 Fair Queen and will pass the title when the new queen is named Sept. 23.

For more information or to submit an application, visit fortbendcountyfair. com or call the fair office at 281-342-6171.

FIND MORE INFORMATION ONLINE

www.milb.com/sugar-land FIREWORKS

All Game Are Subject To Change

T H E M O N T H LY

ALB - ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES OKC - OCKLAHOMA CITY DODGERS RROCK - ROUND ROCK EXPRES REA - RENO ACES ELPA - EL PASO CHIHUAHUAS LAVE - LAS VEGAS AVIATORS

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Elkins High School student Meadow Votis, the Fort Bend County Fair Queen in 2021, will be passing the Fair Queen title at the 2022 Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo, which runs Sept. 23-Oct 2. (Contributed photo)

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LEGALS LEGAL NOTICE Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a WINE AND MALT BEVERAGE RETAILER’S ONPREMISE (BG) by Katy International Sports Complex, to be located at 2029 PECAN LN, KATY, FORT BEND, TEXAS 77494. Officers of said corporation Carlos Barreto and Eduardo Barreto, president and Manager NOTICE TO CREDITORS No. 20-CPR-034591 On the 25TH day of April 2022, Letters Testamentary upon the Estate of DENNIS RAY BALLARD, Deceased were issued to CHAD RAY BALLARD, Independent Executor by the County Court at Law No. 2 of Fort Bend County, Texas in cause number 20-CPR-034591 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 Andrew J. Dinwoodie, whose address is 2000 S. Dairy Ashford, Suite 298, Houston, Texas 77077, Telephone: 281-4970093, Fax: 281-497-8630, /s/ Andrew J. Dinwoodie, TX Bar Number: 24120803

SECTION 00010 ADVERTISEMENT AND INVITATION FOR BIDS

CITY OF MISSOURI CITY ORDINANCE NO. O-22-17 ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, CHANGING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION OF APPROXIMATELY 6.85 ACRES OF LAND LESS THE ACREAGE ZONED LC-3 RETAIL DISTRICT IN CITY OF MISSOURI CITY ORDINANCE NO. O-95-45 FROM LC-2 LOCAL RETAIL DISTRICT TO LC-3 RETAIL DISTRICT; DEPICTING SAID TRACTS OF LAND AFFECTED THEREBY; AMENDING THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL; PROVIDING A PENALTY; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND CONTAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT. I, Crystal Roan, City Secretary of the City of Missouri City, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the caption of said Ordinance No. O-22-17 approved on second and final reading by the City Council at its regular meeting held on May 2, 2022, as the same appears in the records of my office. /s/ Crystal Roan City Secretary

CITY OF MISSOURI CITY ORDINANCE NO. O-22-18 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS, CHANGING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION OF 0.56 ACRES OF LAND FROM THE TEMPORARY ZONING CLASSIFICATION OF SD SUBURBAN DISTRICT TO THE PERMANENT LC-2 LOCAL RETAIL DISTRICT; DEPICTING SAID TRACTS OF LAND AFFECTED THEREBY; AMENDING THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL; PROVIDING A PENALTY; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND CONTAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT. I, Crystal Roan, City Secretary of the City of Missouri City, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the caption of said Ordinance No. O-22-18 approved on second and final reading by the City Council at its regular meeting held on May 2, 2022, as the same appears in the records of my office.

Sealed bids on the original forms, signed by an officer of the Company, will be received by Fort Bend County MUD No. 25 (the “Owner”) for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment and for performing all work required for the construction of:

(the “Work). Sealed, competitive bids will be received no later than 2:30 P.M., June 23, 2022 in the District Office located at 10347 Clodine Road, Richmond, Texas 77407.

Specifications and bidding documents for the project are available at the following locations: Civcast USA Civcastusa.com (281) 376-4577 The project will entail the evaluation, rehabilitation and replacement of sanitary sewers using various construction techniques and will be performed on phases pursuant to Work Order Agreements as set out in Section 00509 of the Contract Documents.

A pre-bid conference call with prospective bidders will be held on Prospective bidders shall contact Mr. Hector Pena, P.E. at hpena@ardurra.com for details on how to join the pre-bid conference call.

Owner will be bound by the terms of this invitation only to the extent funds, from whatever source, are available.

All bids must be accompanied by proposal guaranty in the form of a Certified or Cashier’s Check, or Bidders Bond drawn to the order of Fort Bend County MUD No. 25, and in the minimum amount of five percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid. No proposal may be withdrawn for a period of ninety (90) days after receipt of bids except with the approval of Owner. Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to accept any bid from any responsible person which will be most advantageous to it and result in the best and most economical completion of the Work. The successful bidder will be required to provide a Performance Bond and Payment Bond in full amount of the contract.

Leonela Ruvalcaba, Executive General Manager, Owner

/s/ Crystal Roan City Secretary

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STAFFORD MUNICIPAL SCHOOL DISTRICT VARIOUS RFP’S FOR CHILD NUTRITION SERVICES Stafford Municipal School District is seeking request for proposals from qualified dealers to provide food service equipment and services for SMSD Early Childhood Center and the SMSD Elementary School. Proposals are as follows: RFP #22-002 –Serving Line Modules RFP # 22-003 – Serving Counters RFP # 22-004 – Food Service Equipment RFP # 22-005 – Refrigeration Systems Proposal documents can be found on the SMSD website at: https://www.staffordmsd.org/departments/fiscal-responsibility Chalita Cyprian, Purchasing Specialist Email: purchasing@staffordmsd.org

SECTION 00010 ADVERTISEMENT AND INVITATION FOR BIDS Sealed bids on the original forms, signed by an officer of the Company, will be received by Fort Bend County MUD No. 25 (the “Owner”) for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment and for performing all work required for the construction of: Manhole Rehabilitation Annual Service (the “Work). Sealed, competitive bids will be received no later than 2:00 P.M., June 23, 2022 in the District Office located at 10347 Clodine Road, Richmond, Texas 77407.

Specifications and bidding documents for the project are available at the following locations: Civcast USA Civcastusa.com (281) 376-4577 The project will entail the evaluation, rehabilitation and replacement of sanitary sewer manholes, and will be performed on phases pursuant to Work Order Agreements as set out in Section 00509 of the Contract Documents.

A pre-bid conference call with prospective bidders will be held on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at 2:00 P.M. Prospective bidders shall contact Mr. Hector Pena, P.E. at hpena@ardurra.com for details on how to join the pre-bid conference call.

Owner will be bound by the terms of this invitation only to the extent funds, from whatever source, are available.

All bids must be accompanied by proposal guaranty in the form of a Certified or Cashier’s Check, or Bidders Bond drawn to the order of Fort Bend County MUD No. 25, and in the minimum amount of five percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid. No proposal may be withdrawn for a period of ninety (90) days after receipt of bids except with the approval of Owner. Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to accept any bid from any responsible person which will be most advantageous to it and result in the best and most economical completion of the Work. The successful bidder will be required to provide a Performance Bond and Payment Bond in full amount of the contract.

Leonela Ruvalcaba, Executive General Manager, Owner

7

THE STAR

PAGE 8 • Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Pastor of Stafford church charged with assault The pastor of a church in Stafford has been arrested amid accusations he had been assaulting a woman since 2020, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff ’s Office.

Gregorio Geremias Maldonado, 44, of Katy, has been charged with assault, according to county court records.

Maldonado’s charge comes after a woman told sheriff ’s office investigators

Maldonado

“That is our worst nightmare (from a police perspective), to have something like that happen,” Katy ISD police chief Henry Gaw said of the massacre in Uvalde.

“We’re doing everything we can to prevent something like that from happening in Fort Bend, Katy, and the Houston area. … Safety and protection of communities is on everyone’s heart here.”

The roundtable saw representatives from the Rosenberg Police Department, Missouri City Police Department and Katy ISD police as well as the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, among others.

“I feel confident our community in the Greater Houston area is stronger

H NEHLS FROM PAGE 1

that he had allegedly been indecently assaulting her since 2020, according to a news release.

Deputies are still looking into other allegations against Maldonado, according to the news release.

Assault is a class A misdemeanor, punishable with up to a year in county jail and a maximum $4,000 fine, according to the release.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the case to call 281341-4686.

By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

cers to communities and schools around the state over the next five years, with 20,000 being added each year. He is also pushing to have at least one armed officer at every school.

“We must restore safety to our streets and security to our schools,” he said. “… I will never stop fighting for (the) safety of our children, neighbors and community members.”

Prior to the news conference, local officials said discussion on issues such as mental health, gun control and more took place as part of a day-long law enforcement roundtable.

and safer today because of meetings like this,” Homeland Security Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson said.

Missouri City Police Chief Mike Berezin echoed the sentiment.

“There’s a lot of tough issues out there, and we confronted a lot of those today,” he said.

Nehls said the ultimate goal is to do as much as possible to mitigate threats of gun violence so families can return to a sense of normalcy.

“The entire community, state and nation has been rocked by this tragedy,” Nehls said. “This is a time to support neighbor, friend and fellow American.”

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE

The Fort Bend Independent School District will hold a public meeting at 5:30 PM, June 13, 2022 in the Board Room of the Administration Building, 16431 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the school district's budget that will determine the tax rate that will be adopted. Public participation in the discussion is invited.

The tax rate that is ultimately adopted at this meeting or at a separate meeting at a later date may not exceed the proposed rate shown below unless the district publishes a revised notice containing the same information and comparisons set out below and holds another public meeting to discuss the revised notice.

Maintenance Tax $1.030100/$100 (proposed rate for maintenance and operations) School Debt Service Tax Approved by Local Voters

$0.270000/$100 (proposed rate to pay bonded indebtedness)

Comparison of Proposed Budget with Last Year's Budget

The applicable percentage increase or decrease (or difference) in the amount budgeted in the preceding fiscal year and the amount budgeted for the fiscal year that begins during the current tax year is indicated for each of the following expenditure categories.

Maintenance and operations

0.62 % increase

Debt Service

-5.99 % decrease

Total Expenditures

-0.37 % decrease

Total Appraised Value and Total Taxable Value (as calculated under Section 26.04, Tax Code) Total appraised value* of all property

Preceding Tax Year

Current Tax Year

$50,181,170,483

$62,886,761,045

Total appraised value* of new property** $1,592,438,621 Total taxable value*** of all property $47,205,001,748 Total taxable value*** of new property** $1,021,997,565 *Appraised value is the amount shown on the appraisal roll and defined by Section 1.04(8), Tax Code. ** "New property" is defined by Section 26.012(17), Tax Code. *** "Taxable value" is defined by Section 1.04(10), Tax Code.

$2,827,406,850 $54,109,471,637 $1,849,443,283

Bonded Indebtedness

Total amount of outstanding and unpaid bonded indebtedness* $1,536,300,000 *Outstanding principal.

Comparison of Proposed Rates with Last Year's Rates Last Year's Rate Rate to Maintain Same Level of Maintenance

Maintenance & Operations $0.920100

Interest & Sinking Fund* $0.290000

Total $1.210100

$1.029930 $0.278410 $1.308340 & Operations Revenue & Pay Debt Service Proposed Rate $1.030100 $0.270000 $1.300100 *The Interest & Sinking Fund tax revenue is used to pay for bonded indebtedness on construction, equipment, or both.

The bonds, and the tax rate necessary to pay those bonds, were approved by the voters of this district.

Local Revenue Per Student $7,715

State Revenue Per Student $2,863

$7,941

$2,262

$8,750

$2,591

Comparison of Proposed Levy with Last Year's Levy on Average Residence Last Year

This Year

Average Market Value of Residences

$304,498

$381,308

Average Taxable Value of Residences

$276,558

$291,266

Last Year's Rate Versus Proposed Rate per $100 Value

$1.210100

$1.300100

Taxes Due on Average Residence

$3,346.63

$3,786.75

Increase (Decrease) in Taxes

$440.12 Under state law, the dollar amount of school taxes imposed on the residence homestead of a person 65 years of age or older or of the surviving spouse of such a person, if the surviving spouse was 55 years of age or older when the person died, may not be increased above the amount paid in the first year after the person turned 65, regardless of changes in tax rate or property value.

Notice of Voter-Approval Rate: The highest tax rate the district can adopt before requiring voter approval at an election is $1.190105. This election will be automatically held if the district adopts a rate in excess of the voter-approval rate of $1.190105.

Fund Balances

The following estimated balances will remain at the end of the current fiscal year and are not encumbered with or by a corresponding debt obligation, less estimated funds necessary for operating the district before receipt of the first state aid payment.

Maintenance and Operations Fund Balance(s) $196,845,787 Interest & Sinking Fund Balance(s) $32,617,328 A school district may not increase the district's maintenance and operations tax rate to create a surplus in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the purpose of paying the district's debt service.

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THE STAR

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H LOYA FROM PAGE 1 and his dad wrestled with the realities of his earlystage Alzheimer's. The other was telling the stories of those they met along the way.

“A big thing was just getting to go across our country … and being able to see all the beauty and scale of our country, and talking with people along the way,” he said.

Biking was a shared passion for father and son, Loya said, after he grew up in Eugene, Oregon when it was known as the “Track Capital of the World,” with multitudes of running and biking trails in the 1970s and 1980s. The pair had done a three-day, 300-mile ride around Yellowstone National Park as well as

H HOUSING FROM PAGE 1 will have shorter-term consequences for the residential real estate market compared to commercial, Riles said.

Essentially, there are three parts to every loan rate that a mortgage company offers, Riles explained. The first part is the base rate, the second factors the risk of the loan and the third part is where companies generate their profits, he said.

The rate hikes are affecting the base part of the rate, Riles said.

But whereas residential rates can be locked in during the terms of a loan, commercial rates are adjusted every five years, he said.

Therefore, they’re less dependent on quick changes in the market, like what is happening right now, he said.

“From what I’ve seen, there’s so much pent-up demand in Fort Bend County – there are just more buyers than there are houses to sell,” Riles said.

Dave Krichmar, a Houston-based mortgage banker, agreed with Riles’ assessment of the county’s market.

“What you are starting to see is a cooling in the market, where previously maybe you’d get 10 to 12 offers a home, that number has been slowly decreasing,” he said.

But because there’s a

a five-day, 300-mile ride around the San Juan Skyway in Colorado before taking on the TransAmerica trail.

Ultimately, the TransAmerica trek would become a gift of pride, laughter and joy for his father's final years. Loya said his dad died in January 2020 at age 79.

“It was about a shared dream together, going through all the challenges involved when you take on a big undertaking like that, and ultimately triumphing,” Loya said.

This will be the second book that Loya – an Emmy-award winning bilingual voice talent – has released, following a 2010 book chronicling his top 40 moments on his 40th birthday. But his passion for writing and journaling, he said, has been innate since college. shortage in homes and the county’s average household income is so high, homes will likely continue to sell, he said.

The biggest outstanding question is how developers might react to a cooling in the market, Krichmar said.

“Because this is largely a supply problem, it means that, while, yes, you might see a cooling from where the market was, it will help values stay consistent versus plummeting,” Krichmar said.

Local real estate experts aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed a shortage of homes in Fort Bend County.

More than 10,000 new homes are projected to come on the market in 2022, compared to about 9,350 in 2021 – an increase of about 21.35 percent, according to a report prepared by the Fort Bend County Central Appraisal District.

But demand is far outpacing the new homes, according to the report.

The central appraisal district is a subdivision

Wednesday, June 1, 2022 • PAGE

9

“(Writing is) an opportunity to sort of work through ideas,” he said.

“It’s oftentimes that you write, then through the process, we often discover meaning.”

And it is through the melding of those passions that Loya is remembering those memories with his father in his latest book, which is scheduled to come out shortly before Father’s Day on June 19.

He urged others to take every moment they have with their loved ones who might not have much time left and cherish it. Whether it be a long bike ride, a simple hunting trip, or something else, he had one piece of advice – seize the day.

“Focus on what they can do,” he said, “not on what they can’t do.”

Kari Loya said biking was always a common passion for him and his father, Merv (pic-

tured), and that the TransAmerica trek was the culmination of that passion. (Contributed photo)

of the state that appraises property for a taxing unit within the boundaries of the district, according to the district’s website. It uses a standard formula for calculating the appraised value of a home.

Still, buyers today are seeing drastically higher interest rates than someone who purchased a home as recently as January.

Those looking for homes today should be prepared for rates in the 5-percent range, versus about 3 percent, Krichmar said.

“Eventually, everybody adjusts, but this is happening so quickly, I think there’s a shock,” he said.

Federal experts are anticipating rates might continue to rise through the year, and could increase to 6 percent and higher, Krichmar said.

H ELECTION FROM PAGE 1 pared to her 39.3 percent, according to complete but unofficial results released by the county.

More than 3,220 voters opted for McCoy, who previously served as County Judge KP George’s chief of staff.

No matter whether McCoy or Sane took the Democratic nomination in November, it would be a new face for the Precinct 4 spot. McCoy and Sane advanced to the runoff election by edging out incumbent Ken DeMerchant in March.

Elsewhere in the county, Suleman Lalani defeated Vanesia Johnson for the Democratic nomination for the District 76 state representative seat.

Lalani finished the night with 3,550 votes, or about 62.9 percent, compared to Johnson’s 2,091 votes, or

37 percent, according to county voting totals.

If elected in November, Lalani would be the first Muslim lawmaker elected to the Texas Legislature, according to a Rice University professor.

On the Republican ballot, Johnny Teague looked set to claim the nomination for the District 7 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives over opponent Tim Stroud. More than 7,675 people voted for Teague over the 4,356 that voted for Stroud, according to Texas Tribune statewide results.

Teague would face incumbent Democrat Lizzie Pannill Fletcher in November.

Stan Kitzman looked set to upset incumbent Phil Stephenson for the District 85 nomination in the Texas House of Representatives, according to the Texas Tribune. Kitzman claimed about 58 percent

of the vote, according to results.

Other Democratic races included Albert Tibbs emerging with the smallest of edges over Qaisar Q. Imam in the contest for the county treasurer nomination. More than 9,026 voted for Tibbs, compared to 8,995 who voted for Imam, according to county results.

And Sonia Rash edged out Husein Hadi in the race for Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, claiming about 58.9 percent of the vote, according to county results.

Cynthia Ginyard looked set to retain her seat as democratic county chair, securing about 60.3 percent of the vote, according to county results.

For a full list of races and local results, see here for more: https://results. enr.clarityelections.com/ TX/Fort_Bend/113954/ web.285569/#/summary.

57

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For questions, call us at 281-690-4200 or email to : Jsazma@fortbendstar.com

20

THE STAR

PAGE 10 • Wednesday, June 1, 2022

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

Review: Gepetto’s a reminder Nibbles & Sips: Lotus holds soft there’s beauty in simplicity

opening in Stafford

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Fort Bend County is chock full of a host of unique f lavors and cuisines, so off the bat, reviewing a pizza spot might seem tame in comparison.

But in my opinion, there is a certain beauty in keeping things simple – and I’ve always been a sucker for a well-made pizza. So when I was asked to pinch hit for this week’s restaurant review, I knew exactly what type of spot I wanted to seek out. But not a chain like Domino’s or Pizza Hut – the more of hole in the wall, the better. So when I was driving around the area last weekend, I was happy to stumble upon Gepetto’s Pizza in Sugar Land.

Gepetto’s is a staple in Sugar Land, having been in the neighborhood for more than 30 years as the lone location in Greater Houston. And after a quick few minutes of research revealed a Google rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars with nearly 200 reviews, I decided to give it a shot.

This place has choices for everyone. There is a variety of gourmet pizzas such as the Chicken Sicilian pizza – onions, diced tomatoes, chicken, Romano cheese and spices

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The sausage and pepperoni calzone from Gepetto's Pizza was the highlight of last week’s visit to the Sugar Land staple. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

wait time he predicted for my meal to be ready was right on the nose.

One slight disappointment was the inability to dine inside its cozy-looking dining area, though the employee told me that in-store seating will be coming back soon.

As for the food itself, I was reasonably impressed. The calzone was packed tight with ingredients, while the bread itself was f luffy and soft. Not to mention, the garlic seasoning – or whatever it was – on top of the dough was mouthwatering and perfectly complemented the ingreCHEAP TRASH HAULING FAST dients inside.

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– and the Shrimp Scampi pizza as well as wings, salads, calzones and even submarine sandwiches that start at $5.49.

You can also create your own pizza if none of the available ones strikes your fancy.

Ultimately, I settled on a Meat Lover’s pizza with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, Italian sausage and hamburger meat (though I took off the hamburger meat) as well as the pepperoni and sausage calzone. The restaurant employee who greeted me was extremely friendly, and the 15-minute

too crispy and not too thin, and everything was reasonably priced.

So all in all, it was a solid first visit to this Sugar Land staple that is so tucked away that some might miss it. But I may have just found my new go-to pizza spot in Fort Bend County.

Gepetto’s Pizza

Address: 15510 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land Hours: 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. FridaySaturday Entrée prices: $3.49$18.48 Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No Healthy options: Salads, vegetarian pizza Star of the show: Pepperoni and sausage calzone Rating:

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR JUNE 13 LEARNING SPANISH? GET PRACTICE AT LIBRARIES’ SPANISH CONVERSATION CIRCLE Fort Bend C ounty L ib ra ries’ M ission Bend Bra nc h L ib ra ry presents a S pa nish C onv ersa tion C irc l e f or indiv idua l s who woul d l ik e a pl a c e to pra c tic e their S pa nish l a ng ua g e a nd c onv ersa tion sk il l s. T he nex t m onthl y S pa nish C onv ersa tion C irc l e wil l b e hel d M onda y , J une 1 3 , f rom 2 p. m . to 3 p. m . , in the M eeting R oom of the l ib ra ry , l oc a ted a t 8 4 2 1 A ddic k s C l odine R oa d. T his a c tiv ity is f ree a nd open to the pub l ic . For inf orm a tion, v isit the Fort Bend C ounty L ib ra ries web site ( www. f ortb end. l ib . tx . us) or c a l l the M ission Bend Bra nc h L ib ra ry a t 8 3 2 - 4 7 1 - 5 9 0 0 .

JUNE 14-16 LIBRARIES OFFER INTRODUCTORY HANDS-ON COMPUTER & TECHNOLOGY CLASSES Fort Bend County Libraries’ Adult Services staff wil l present a v a riety of f ree, introduc tory c om puter c l a sses this m onth. T he c l a sses wil l c onsist of a ha nds- on introduc tion to b a sic sk il l s f or peopl e who woul d l ik e to l ea rn m ore a b out using these c om puter a nd tec hnol og y prog ra m s. T he c l a sses wil l ta k e pl a c e in the C om puter L a b s of the l ib ra ries; sea ting is l im ited a nd reserv a tions a re req uired. M S P owerP oint 2 0 1 9 : I nterm edia te is 1 0 : 3 0 a . m . T uesda y , J une 1 4 , a t U niv ersity Bra nc h L ib ra ry , 1 4 0 1 0 U niv ersity Bl v d. , 2 8 1 - 6 3 3 - 5 1 0 0 . M S W ord 2 0 1 0 : I nterm edia te is 2 - 3 p. m . T uesda y , J une 1 4 a t S ienna Bra nc h L ib ra ry , 8 4 1 1 S ienna S pring s Bl v d. , 2 8 1 - 2 3 8 - 2 9 0 0 .

M S W ord: I nterm edia te – T hursda y , J une 1 6 , 6 : 3 0 pm . wil l b e hel d a t the S ug a r L a nd Bra nc h L ib ra ry , 5 5 0 E l dridg e, 2 8 1 - 2 3 8 - 2 1 4 0 . M S E x c el 2 0 1 6 S urv iv a l Ba sic s – T hursda y , J une 1 6 , 1 0 : 3 0 - 1 1 : 3 0 a . m . , wil l b e hel d a t the M issouri C ity Bra nc h L ib ra ry , 1 5 3 0 T ex a s P a rk wa y , 2 8 1 - 2 3 8 - 2 1 0 0 .

Email to jsazma@fortbendstar.com or mail to: Fort Bend Star, 14100 Southwest Frwy. Ste 230, Sugar Land, TX 77478

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ONGOING

m ore inf orm a tion.

PEACE OFFERS SCHOOL-AGE PARENT ENGAGEMENT VIRTUAL SERIES J oin “ P a rent E ng a g em ent S c hool - A g e V irtua l S eries” that P.E.A.C.E. (http://peacenurtureskids.org/) offers a t no- c ost to pa rents on T uesda y s in M a y to a dv a nc e their c hil dren’ s a c a dem ic a nd sc hool suc c ess a nd nurture the soc ia l - em otiona l dev el opm ent of teens.

C a l l 8 3 2 - 4 1 5 - 3 0 8 8 or em a il : pps4 pea c e@ y a hoo. c om .

LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY W e enha nc e l iv es a nd streng then c om m unities b y tea c hing a dul ts to rea d. W e need y our hel p. L itera c y C ounc il is a c tiv el y rec ruiting V ol unteer T utors to prov ide instruc tion f or E ng l ish a s a S ec ond L a ng ua g e ( E S L ) L ev el s 0 - 5 , three hours a week . For m ore inf orm a tion, c a l l 2 8 1 - 2 4 0 - 8 1 8 1 or v isit our web site www. f tb endl itera c y . org JAM WITH SAM J oin S a m G ric e T uesda y ev ening s a t 6 : 3 0 f or a c a sua l ev ening of m usic . W e pl a y a v a riety of m usic inc l uding b l ueg ra ss, c ountry , g ospel a nd som e western. W e req uest a c oustic instrum ents onl y pl ea se. W e wel c om e b oth pa rtic ipa nts a nd m usic l ov ers who enj oy l istening to g ood l iv e m usic . T here’ s no c ha rg e a nd we wel c om e b eg inners a nd g l a dl y offer gentle assistance. We meet at First Presbyterian C hurc h, 5 0 2 E l dridg e R d, S ug a r L a nd. P l ea se c a l l S a m a t 8 3 2 - 4 2 8 - 3 1 6 5 f or f urther inf orm a tion.

THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY FOR MEN S ug a r L a nd First U nited M ethodist C hurc h, 4 3 1 Eldridge Road offers a Thursday Morning Bible Study For M en. T his g roup is ong oing a nd uses a v a riety of studies throughout the year. The breakfast, coffee a nd donuts a re f ree. J oin us a ny tim e! T hursda y s, 6:30-7:30 am in Wesley Hall. Call the church office at 281-491-6041 or Mike Schofield at 281-217-5799 for

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Dickey’s BBQ named top ‘mover and shaker’ A Texas-based barbecue restaurant with a location near Fort Bend County recently earned a spot on an annual national awards list.

On May 22, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, which has a location in Katy at 29633 Hwy. Blvd., earned a spot on FastCasual.com’s annual Top Movers and Shakers Award, which recognizes 75 brands and 25 leaders who are “propelling the fast casual restaurant industry forward,” according to a news release.

The release said Dickey’s, which also has a location in Brookshire, came in fifth on the list out of 75 brands overall, with CEO Laura Rea Dickey being recognized as one of the top 25 fast casual executives.

“It’s an incredible honor for us to be included in the Top 100 Movers & Shakers list,” Rea said in the news release. “Like most brands, we’ve faced challenges in 2020 and 2021, but we’ve preserved and found success. I am incredibly proud of our team that works day in, day out to deliver Legit.

Texas. Barbecue.”

To learn more about Dickey’s, community members can follow the restaurant on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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

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Lotus Seafood hosted the soft opening of its Stafford location last week at 2903 S. Main St. (Photo from Facebook)

Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to 40 words

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

Lotus Seafood held a soft opening last Wednesday, May 25 for its fifth Houstonarea location at 2903 S. Main St. in Stafford, according to a Facebook post from the restaurant.

Lotus offers diners both grilled and boiled seafood such as shrimp, oysters and tilapia, according to its website, as well as both boneless and traditional chicken wings in the customer’s choice of eight different sauces. It also has rice and noodle bowls along with poboy sandwiches and sides such as seasoned or Cajun fries, egg rolls and hush puppies.

The restaurant offers dinein and carry-out service.

For more information on Lotus Seafood and what the restaurant has to offer, visit its website at lotus-seafood. com.

Local restaurants among Yelp’s Texas top 100 Several restaurants in Fort Bend County have been rated among Yelp’s “Top 100 places to eat in Texas” list, which Yelp released last week.

According to the list, Vietwich in Stafford (203 Dulles Ave. #100) was No. 37, while Lasbela Restaurant and Catering in Sugar Land (13849 Southwest Fwy.) came in at No. 72 on the list.

In order to compile the rankings, Yelp said it included the total volume and ratings of reviews between Jan. 1, 2017 and Jan. 31, 2022. It also said all restaurants had a passing health score as of Feb. 1.

To see the complete list or for more information on how the rankings were compiled, go to yelp.com/article/ yelps-top-100-texas-restaurants-2022.

SUGAR LAND AMERICAN LEGION A m eric a n L eg ion Freem a n P ost 9 4 2 m eets the f ourth T hursda y of ev ery m onth a t the P ost f a c il ity , 3 1 1 U l ric h, S ug a r L a nd, T ex a s, a t 7 : 0 0 P M . A l l v etera ns a re wel c om e. P ost ha l l is a v a il a b l e f or renta l f or ev ents. C a l l 7 1 3 - 5 5 3 - 5 3 7 0 if interested.

GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE G iv e a G if t of H ope one- tim e or m onthl y . Y our hel p prov ides a c c ess to thera pies a nd serv ic es c hil dren with a utism m ig ht otherwise g o without. P l ea se c onsider H ope For T hree in y our E sta te, P l a nned, or Y ea r- E nd G iv ing . R eg ister now, or l ea rn m ore a b out ex c iting ev ents: www. hopef orthree. org / ev ents DVD-BASED ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WITH NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED W eek l y c l a ss desig ned to hel p y ou understa nd a nd a pprec ia te the Bib l e b y g iv ing y ou a b etter sense of the l a nd a nd c ul ture f rom whic h it spra ng .

T he c l a ss m eets a t 9 : 3 0 a m ev ery S unda y a t First P resb y teria n of S ug a r L a nd ( 5 0 2 E l dridg e R d. ) . For m ore inf orm a tion c a l l 2 8 1 - 2 4 0 - 3 1 9 5 EXCHANGE E X C H A N G E , A m eric a ’ s S erv ic e C l ub , a l wa y s wel c om es g uests a nd is in sea rc h of new m em b ers!

V a rious Fort Bend c l ub s ex ist a nd c a n a c c om m oda te ea rl y m orning ( 7 a . m . ) , noon a nd ev ening m eeting tim e desires. For m ore inf o, c onta c t M ik e R eic hek , R eg iona l V ic e P resident, 2 8 1 - 5 7 5 - 1 1 4 5 or m ik e@ reichekfinancial.com We would love to have you join us a nd see wha t we a re a l l a b out!

MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801 M eets the sec ond M onda y of ev ery m onth a t 1 1 : 3 0 a . m . , a t 2 7 0 1 C y press P oint D r. , M issouri C ity R ec C enter. L unc h, educ a tion, a nd enterta inm ent. A l l seniors ov er 5 0 inv ited. For m ore inf orm a tion, c a l l 7 1 3 - 8 5 9 - 5 9 2 0 or 2 8 1 - 4 9 9 - 3 3 4 5 .

BECOME A FOSTER GRANDPARENT V ol unteers a re needed to b e a rol e m odel , m entor a nd f riend to c hil dren with ex c eptiona l needs in the c om m unity . T ra ining , m il ea g e reim b ursem ent, ta x f ree m onthl y stipend if el ig ib l e. C a l l toda y to hel p c ha ng e the worl d, one c hil d a t a tim e in R osenb erg .

For m ore inf orm a tion, c a l l 2 8 1 - 3 4 4 - 3 5 1 5 .

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