01-27-2020 Edition of the Fort Bend Star

FBISD temporarily closes nine campuses - Page 7

Japaneiro's in Sugar Land showcased an array of fusioned, healthy indulgences during a recent visit. Read our review inside today on Page 8. (Photo by Stefan Modrich)

WEDNESDAY • JANUARY 27, 2021

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Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 45 • No. 23

Council members vote for longer terms

By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

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During a Jan. 11 special meeting, the city council for Missouri City unanimously approved a series of charter amendments from its charter review commission, including establishing four-year terms and a limit of three consecutive terms for the mayor and council members.

Missouri City residents will have a chance

to approve or reject the charter amendments in a special election in May. The city’s charter review commission, which convenes every four years, issued its final report Dec. 21 and Assistant City Attorney James Santangelo presented the commission’s findings to the council.

Noel Pinnock, a real estate agent who has been a Missouri City resident for more than 20 years, said “there is no way in the world” he would support

Boney

Edwards

four-year terms for city council seats. The current term is two years.

“The charter is under attack and though some things need to be clarified, I believe no one

should have four years as a mayor or councilmember in a small suburban city,” Pinnock said. “It doesn't take that long to understand your constituents and if you need

more than two years, then one should reconsider.”

District B Councilman Jeffrey Boney said he was in agreement with all of the recommendations, but made an unsuccessful motion to modify the amendment to establish three-year terms instead of four.

Councilwoman Vashaundra Edwards of At-Large Position 1 said

SEE TERMS PAGE 6

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County leaders trying to meet vaccine demand

By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Fort Bend County Health and Human Services (FBCHHS) received 5,850 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 21, according to a tweet from County Judge KP George.

The county had administered 1,198 vaccines as of Monday, according to the county’s data hub. There are about 10,000 active COVID-19 cases, George said.

There have been at least 423 deaths among county residents as a result of the virus, with 33,103 patients having recovered, according to the county’s data hub.

George said the 5,000 people pre-registered for the vaccine will be contacted by phone to schedule their appointments. The county judge’s tweet said the county’s pre-registration website would reopen at 2 p.m. Jan. 21, but as of three hours later, the site had reached its pre-registration capacity.

During a news conference earlier Jan. 21, Dr. Jacqueline Minter, the county’s Health and Human Services director, said she understood the situation was one of “frustration” for

SEE VACCINE PAGE 6

Dr. Jacqueline Minter speaks at a March 2020 news conference. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

In some ways, Brooke Billedo’s life is like that of many other 14-year-old girls. The eighth grader at Reading Junior High loves to read, swim, play piano and hang out with her dog, Leo, a goldendoodle.

But her love of acting from an early age helped set her apart and has set her on course to star in the film “Melanie.” It was directed by award-winning director Howard McCain, who has had success debuting previous films in the Tribeca Film Festival and Montreal Film Festival, among others.

Billedo’s foray into acting began at age 5, when she played the owl in productions of “Winnie the Pooh” and portrayed Scuttle, a seagull in “The Little Mermaid,” at Inspiration Stage in Sugar Land.

“My mom was like, ‘Brooke, you’re actually really good at this stuff,’” Billedo said.

Her performances earned recognition from Pastorini-Bosby Talent Agency in Houston and Mincks Talent Management in Los Angeles, which she signed with in 2018. Also, with the help of SceneBot, an app that allows actors to audition virtually and submit tapes to studios and screeners looking for talent, Billedo got the attention of talent agents after winning an acting contest. She was booked for the lead role

Brooke Billedo (Photo by Kristine Canterbury)

in “Melanie” in October 2018.

“One thing kind of just organically led to the next,” her mother, Pam Billedo, said. “I’m just here to support her and guide her as I can along the way.

She’s pretty focused in her own right, so as long as she’s focused and wants to do this, I’m here to help.”

The film is based on a short horror story by Cody R. Young, “Goodnight Scarecrow,” about a disturbed girl with dark thoughts who gets lost in a cornfield and befriends a scarecrow.

When the “Melanie” audition opportunity was first presented to Brooke, her mom was hesitant, especially because of her daughter’s young age.

“Brooke was always very strong comedically, and mostly auditioned for those types of roles.

So this was a big departure for her,” Pam said in a news release. “I didn’t think she’d be interested, but she read the script and

SEE MOVIE PAGE 6

Brooke Billedo, left, a 14-year-old Sugar Land resident, speaks to a fellow actor while filming a scene for an upcoming movie called "Melanie."' At right is Julian Richings, who portrays a scarecrow in the horror film. (Photo by El Rey Pictures)

Resilient Spartans aiming for return to state tourney

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

As soon as Stafford boys basketball coach David Montano answered the phone last March, Dorian Henry could tell the news coming from the other end of the line was not of the uplifting variety.

Instead, it was the Stafford's Dorian Henry, left, drives to the basket dashing of a dream. against Z'Corrian Haynes at practice Monday after“I could tell by his fa- noon. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

cial expressions while he was on the phone,” said Henry, a guard for the Spartans. “I could feel it, and knew it was coming.”

Barely one day after the Spartans reached San Antonio ahead of the UIL Class 4A state tournament, Montano was forced to tell his players they would not be competing for a state championship as planned. The state tournament was cancelled

due to COVID-19, which had reached Texas in the days leading up to the event.

So instead of playing in a state semifinal and possibly a championship game, the Spartans had to turn around and board a bus back home before even taking a team photo or holding a shoot-around at the Al-

SEE SPARTANS PAGE 4

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PAGE 2 • Wednesday,

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January 27, 2021

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Chen replaces Jones as Stafford Mayor Pro Tem Missouri City council

By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The Stafford City Council voted 6-0 to make Alice Chen the city’s new Mayor Pro Tem during a Jan. 20 council meeting, following Don Jones’ resignation from the position.

Jones read his resignation letter to the council during the meeting, and cited among the reasons for his decision to step down from the Mayor Pro Tem position the length of the term, which was shortened to six months due to a change in the city’s election cycle brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It also postponed the 2020 city council and mayoral

Chen

elections from May to November, mandated by orders from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

“I decided with all due consideration and some regret that it was in my best interest to resign from serving as Mayor Pro Tem at that particular time,” Jones said. “And to be more specific, due to the careless

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oversight of Mayor-Elect (Cecil) Willis to plan for, ensure, and/or provide an equal opportunity for me to serve a full term as the Mayor Pro Tem.” Jones told the city council in his address that the unanimous vote to nominate him was an attempt to “rectify the historic and ill-advised succession passover for me to serve as the Mayor Pro Tem of Stafford that all of you oversaw in 2019.

During an Aug. 21, 2019 council meeting, Jones shouted at Councilwoman Virginia Rosas and grabbed a piece of paper out of her hand. He was escorted by police out of the council chamber after expressing his frustration at being passed over for the Mayor Pro Tem position.

Chen and Councilman Ken Mathew both said if they had the opportunity to serve as Mayor Pro Tem that they would take it, no matter how long the duration of the term was.

“To me, whoever is Mayor Pro Tem doesn’t matter,” Chen said. “We’ve got to get a job done. I really think this is the time for us to be united and work together.”

Art Pertile, Stafford’s city attorney, said the city’s charter states the Mayor Pro Tem term is not specified to any particular length of time, and it is only set to last from one general election to the next general election, which is May 1.

During that election, Positions 1 and 2 will be contested, the seats currently filled by Chen and Wen Guerra.

“There’s been innuendos that I don’t follow the constitution, innuendos that I don’t follow the oath of office,” Willis said. “And now I totally followed the home rule charter, and I’m being chastised for putting this on the agenda. So apparently

no matter what I do, I’m not going to make some people happy.”

Guerra said J.C. Court, one of his biggest mentors when he was first elected to the city council in 2002, served for 20 consecutive years as Mayor Pro Tem, and Guerra added he had to wait patiently for his turn.

“I took the bull by the horns and did everything I could, and spent sleepless nights on what happened that day (of former Mayor Leonard Scarcella’s death in June) until the election was over,” Guerra said. “I might not have been perfect at what I was doing, but I made sure that baton didn’t hit the floor.”

Jones motioned during the meeting to establish an ethical standards committee for the city council. The motion died without a second from another council member.

“The objective of having a committee like this would be to serve as a deterrent,” Jones said. “A deterrent to make you live by your oath and govern by your oath.

And if you have these types of things in place it makes you better, it makes you a better city council member.”

The councilman in Position 4 said he felt an ethics committee would be an important step for the council with the city under the administration of a new mayor in Willis and an election forthcoming on Feb. 20 to fill the vacancy on the council in Position 5.

“I struggle in the complacency of where we are as a council on this position,” Jones said. “I don’t see anything in that that would not benefit the dynamic of a group of city government.

No one has explained to me why this is not a good idea for us at this particular time.”

gives itself more control over key employees' contracts

By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The city council for Missouri City voted unanimously Jan. 19 to give itself more control over the municipality’s contract negotiations with its city manager, city secretary and city attorney.

The move gives the council the authority to approve or reject contracts worth more or less than $50,000 annually.

District B Councilman Jeffrey Boney motioned for an ordinance that would amend Chapter 2 of the city’s code, specifically Article IV, a section of the document that addresses administrative services. After receiving feedback from the city’s legal team, Boney said he wanted to make sure that any contract negotiations between the mayor or whoever is authorized to negotiate the compensation of the city’s three appointed officials — the city manager, the city secretary, and the city attorney — are given final approval by the city council.

The motion was seconded by At-Large Position 2 Councilwoman Lynn Clouser and passed 7-0.

“I had been seeing a lot of scenarios that had come up where council

Jones

was not aware of individuals leaving the city and having severance agreements in place without it coming before council,” Boney said. “I believe that, although we don’t want to strip any of the city manager’s authority on approving contracts under $50,000, those specified in this amendment only are relegated to those surrounding employment agreements, severance agreements, separation agreements, and things of the like that are listed.”

City Manager Odis Jones said he thought the measure was a “good change.”

“It gives clarity on both sides,” Jones said. “It actually not only protects the city but it protects the city manager, acting in its capacity. I’m full-heartedly in support of it.”

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Wednesday, January 27, 2021 • PAGE

3

Samsung may not come to Fort Bend, but what could?

Samsung may come to Texas. But will it come to Fort Bend County?

Probably not.

County Judge KP George has used his platform to try to attract major employers like the South Korean technology giant, writing Samsung a letter Jan. 23 in which he invited the company to open a chip-making plant in Fort Bend. He has made similar overtures to TikTok and Tesla.

While these efforts are welcome, they’re not the only way to ensure sustainable economic growth in the area. The bigger fish are going to attract headlines, but there are many smaller Texas companies that could become significant contributors to the local economy or expand their presence here. It will require vigilance and cooperation from the municipalities that have major retail and commercial access points across Stafford,

Stefan Modrich

Sugar Land and Missouri City, just to name a few.

Of course in Richmond, development near Grand Parkway and Aliana continues to boom.

One of the businesses making a bet on that boom is Torchy’s Tacos, the popular Austin chain which already has a restaurant in Sugar Land.

In the spring, another location is set to open in Stafford at The Grid, and yet another is set to debut in Richmond this summer at Waterview Town Center, Torchy’s said in a news release.

Digital Realty, a real estate investment firm based in San Francisco, recently announced it was moving its glob-

al headquarters to Austin. The company has data centers in major cities across the U.S., including Houston, and opening another data center in Sugar Land might be in play if the company wants to continue expanding into the Texas market.

If Samsung were to see other technology and data companies and Amazon’s expansion into Missouri City and Richmond as a positive sign, then it might be incentivized to build smaller warehouses or other facilities that could supplement a larger chip-making plant if it did end up in Austin, as a report from The Dallas Morning News suggested.

With a highly-educated workforce, perhaps the county could seek state or federal funds for grants for entrepreneurs and startups to help make Fort Bend County an innovation hub. Every day I receive at least one

Police: Local mom shoots man suspected of burglary

ON PAGE 8

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Kristen Marchand; and greatgrandchildren, Hudson, Paxton and Lennon Smith; Malley, Clare and Emery Marchand and Preston Kulackowski. She is also survived by her devoted sister, Rose Ann Brocato, and many nieces and nephews who share many stories about their special “Aunt Nook.”

The family would like to thank the staffs of the Legacy at Long Meadow, Aegis Home Health Services, Accredited Health Care Hospice Services, and give special thanks for the love and compassion shown to our Mom by her caregiver, Olivia Cabrales.

Pallbearers will be David Brocato, Thomas Brocato, Mark Dolce, Jack Dolce, Michael Dolce, Jack Marchand and Aaron Piletere.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Sacred Heart Church in Richmond, St. James Church in Port Arthur, or the charity of the donor’s choice.

Visitation was from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on January 16, 2021, at The SettegastKopf Funeral Home, 15015 Southwest Fwy., Sugar Land, Texas, and Graveside Services and burial was the following day, January 17, 2021, at 1:00 pm at Greenlawn Cemetery, 3900 Twin City Hwy., Groves, Texas.

A United Methodist Community 3300 Austin Parkway • Sugar Land, TX 77479 Sunday Worship in the Sanctuary Simple Service / Prayer & Communion: 8 am Contemporary: 9:15 am / Traditional: 10:30 am Modern: 10:30 am Sunday School for all ages available at 9:15 www.christchurchsl.org EPISCOPAL

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Propeller Club of Southeast Texas prior to moving to Richmond in 1999, to be closer to her sons and grandchildren.

Virginia always said her proudest accomplishments were raising her three children, seeing them marry, and being part of the lives of her five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Devoted to her faith, she was a member of St. James Catholic Church in Port Arthur for over 70 years and most recently, Sacred Heart Church in Richmond. She attended weekly services at both until her health no longer permitted her to do so.

Virginia is survived by her son, Dale J. Piletere (Peggy), her daughter, Brenda G. Marchand (Doug), her son, Frankie D. Piletere (Kay); grandchildren, Amanda Smith (Trevor), Virginia “Ginny” and Aaron Piletere, Jack Marchand (Lisa), and

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Friday in the 200 block of Shadow Woods Drive.

According to SLPD, the woman was inside the home with her son when she heard a noise at the back door.

Police said she then shot a man attempting to break into her home, after which the suspect fled the scene.

However, police later located him in a neighbor’s yard, according to SLPD.

VIRGINIA DOLCE PILETERE MOORE Virginia D. Piletere Moore, 97, went home to be with the Lord January 12, 2021, at The Legacy at Long Meadow in Richmond, Texas, her residence since early 2020. She was predeceased by her parents, Peter and Angelina Dolce; husbands, Frank J. Piletere and Thomas W. Moore; her brothers, Sam P., Sam J., and Thomas Dolce; sister, Nancy Rose Dolce; and daughter-inlaw, Betty Sue Piletere.

Virginia was born January 1, 1924. She loved celebrating her recent birthday with calls from her family. The eldest of six children of Italian immigrants, she was born in Port Arthur, Texas, and remained there for most of her life. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School and Port Arthur College, and never was one to be idle her entire life. Always the “belle of the ball,” Virginia was chosen as the Queen of St. Mary’s Church Annual Festival in 1942, while only 18 years of age.

Professionally, in addition to positions at the Texas Company, First National Bank of Port Arthur, and First Bank and Trust of Groves; Virginia was the presiding judge for national, city, county and school elections for 35 years. She found time to be an active member of the First Ladies of Port Arthur and the Women’s

since it closed in March 2020 due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supply and demand are sometimes thought of as abstract concepts that only apply to widgets that are bought and sold and stored in warehouses before they come to your local marketplace.

In this case, the supply is the opportunity to make your voice heard and make a difference, and the demand is the act of fulfilling those goals.

It’s important not just to play an active role in democracy, but it is also a key function of our civic duty to be engaged in our local economy.

LOCAL EVENTS

By Landan Kuhlmann

E E E E

to spend more time listening to their residents and especially their small business owners.

If you live in Missouri City and you want to see the Texas Parkway and Cartwright Road corridor revitalized, please apply for the city’s Texas Parkway/Cartwright Corridor Development Advisory Committee.

And if you’re a Sugar Land resident, tune in at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to weigh in on the fate of a parcel of land at Highway 59 and Parkway Boulevard. It was formerly a 24-Hour Fitness location that has been vacant

Check Out

LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

A Sugar Land mother stopped an alleged home invasion attempt Friday morning when she shot the suspect in the chest, according to the Sugar Land Police Department (SLPD).

The suspect, identified by police as 21-year-old Santana Hudson of Houston, has been charged with burglary of a habitation and unlawfully carrying a weapon, according to SLPD spokesperson Doug Adolph.

The woman and her 8-year-old son were uninjured in the incident, police said.

SLPD said officers responded to a home invasion call around 4:30 a.m.

creative pitch in my inbox from high school and college students about a nonprofit concept they’re trying to promote. But of course with some tweaks, these services can be monetized and turned into revenue generators, which in turn help fund infrastructure and maintenance of natural parks and greenspaces.

Private philanthropy could also play a role in getting seed money to these young prospective business owners.

Local chambers of commerce, county officials and municipal economic development organizations should make it a priority in 2021

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PAGE 4 • Wednesday, January 27, 2021

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@FtBendAthletics:

Balanced attacks highlight area performances

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Elkins' Chris Johnson prepares to pass during last Saturday's game against Bush at Hopson Fieldhouse in Missouri City. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

★ SPARTANS FROM PAGE 1 amodome.

“It was just really unexpected,” said forward Xavier Iyalla, now a senior like Henry.

But the Spartans are focused on making their championship dream a reality again.

“They wanted to play for sure, but things like this happen,” Montano said. “It’s nobody’s fault, and it was in the best interests of everyone.”

So far, the plan to get back to San Antonio seems to be on track, despite losing seven playiers to graduation from last year’s team.

Paced by Henry, Iyalla and junior forward Z’Corrian Haynes, the Spartans were 10-4 overall and 5-1 in District 25-4A competition this season ahead of Wednesday’s matchup against Bay City.

“We just had to move on and keep getting better,” Haynes said. “The main goal is get back to where we were.”

The new season, however, has not come without its obstacles on and off the court. Between virtual learning and other aspects of the “new normal,” Montano said it’s been a mental grind on the players as they adapt to an ever-

AREA STANDINGS (Through Monday)

District 20-6A (Boys) Team District Record Elkins 8-1 Travis 8-1 Ridge Point 7-2 George anch R 4-5 Bush 4-5 Clements 3-6 Austin 2-7 Dulles 0-9 District 20-6A (Girls) Dulles 11-0 George anch R 9-2 Ridge Point 8-2 Travis 4-6 Clements 3-7 Elkins 3-8 Austin 2-6 Bush 1-10 District 24-5A (Boys) Hightower Foster Angleton Marshall Terry Fulshear Lamar Consolidated Kempner Willowridge District 24-5A (Girls) Foster Lamar Consolidated Fulshear Angleton Hightower Kempner Terry Willowridge Marshall District 25-4A (Boys) La arque M Stafford Brazosport Columbia Needville Sweeny Bay ity C District 25-4A (Girls) Brazosport Sweeny Stafford La arque M Columbia Needville Bay ity C

12-0 10-1 8-3 5-6 5-7 4-8 3-8 3-9 2-10 13-0 11-2 10-4 7-6 6-7 4-9 2-8 2-9 0-10 7-0 5-1 5-2 3-4 2-5 1-5 0-6 7-0 7-1 4-3 5-4 4-4 1-8 0-8

LAST WEEK'S SCORES

Boys Jan. 19 Hightower 93, Terry 58 Marshall 70, Kempner 53 Fulshear 63, Willowridge 55 Stafford 80, Needville 48 Jan. 20 Ridge Point 69, Clements 63 Travis 75, Austin 64 Elkins 59, George Ranch 46 Bush 73, Dulles 41 Angleton 56, Marshall 55 Jan. 21 Kempner 55, Willowridge 42 Jan. 22 Hightower 85, Marshall 72 Terry 61, Willowridge 49 Foster 84, Kempner 40 La Marque 52, Stafford 49 Jan. 23 Ridge Point 56, Austin 45

Clements 70, Dulles 44 Travis 54, George Ranch 48 Elkins 47, Bush 41 Girls Jan. 19 Stafford 45, Needville 40 Fulshear 46, Willowridge 31 Jan. 20 Ridge Point 59, Clements 28 Dulles 65, Bush 35 George Ranch 49, Elkins 36 Foster 73, Hightower 30 Fulshear 63, Kempner 49 Jan. 22 La Marque 42, Stafford 29 Foster 76, Kempner 15 Jan. 23 Dulles 84, Clements 37 Bush 45, Elkins 37 George Ranch 55, Travis 34 Sweeny 51, Stafford 40

In a week that saw a number of standout performances from the area’s high school basketball teams, it was all about balance.

The Dulles Lady Vikings had multiple players shine last week as they continued their run through District 20-6A. Nya Threatt had 23 points to go along with along with five assists and six steals in a win against Bush on Jan. 20, while Victoria Moore had 15 points. Bush’s Chelsea Osamor had 15 points evolving situation. The reason for last year’s disappointment, the onset of a pandemic, remains in play.

Montano said the Spartans are just now getting back into the swing of things again after missing out on nearly a month of play beginning in mid-December due to COVID-related postponements and cancellations.

Stafford scrapped at least nine games and countless hours of practice.

“It’s been a struggle little by little, but hopefully we can start moving forward and getting back in the rhythm,” Montano said.

The coach is looking to Henry, Iyalla and especially Haynes – his three most experienced returners – to guide the young Spartans through a challenging stretch.

“There’s that drive between all of us – we motivate each other to get back there, because a lot of them don’t know what it’s like,” Henry said.

“I was one of those guys last year – but now I know what it’s like from being there. So I’m just trying to get everybody on the same page.”

Montano said there have been some kinks to work out as Haynes takes a leadership role as a junior in addition to changing positions from guard to small forward. But by all indications at practice

and seven rebounds in the loss.

Against Clements on Saturday, Threatt led four players in double digits with 29 points, while Dai Dai Powell (17 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Peyton Overton (16 points) also had strong games.

It was a two-person show for the Ridge Point Lady Panthers on Jan. 20 as they defeated Bush to win their fourth consecutive game.

Senior forward Dala Allen had 24 points and nine rebounds, while senior guard Aleighyah Fontenot recorded her second dou-

ble-double of the season with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Helping spread the ball around was senior guard Raven Adams, who dished out 10 assists.

Boys Bryce Griggs had 29 points and seven assists for Hightower in its win against Rosenberg Terry on Jan. 19, then scored 31 in Friday’s 85-72 win over Marshall. Tyrone Baker also had a monster game against Marshall, scoring 21 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.

Chris Marshall had a strong game even in the loss for the Buffalos, pouring in 26 points.

Bryan Etumnu paced the Kempner Cougars in their 55-42 win over Willowridge last Thursday, scoring 21 points to go along with 11 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Conlie Christmas (13 points) led all Ridge Point scorers as three players reached double digits in the Panthers’ win over Austin on Saturday.

In a loss to Travis on Jan. 20, David Ogunleye scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Austin.

For more sports coverage like this, follow us at @FortBendStar

Xavier Iyalla, holding ball, prepares to go up for a shot during Stafford's practice on Monday. Iyalla is one of three key returners as Stafford looks to get back to the state tournament after last year's was scrapped due to COVID-19. (Photo by Landan Kuhlmann)

on Monday, Haynes appeared to be taking to the demanding role.

“We make sure we stick together as a family,” he said.

Montano said that as Haynes’ leadership develops and the team gels, the goal this year is the same

as last despite the fairly new cast of characters, and resilience will be key once again.

After all, the current Spartans know all too well that anything can happen once they get to the playoffs and nothing can be taken for granted.

“At times it’s gone well, at times it hasn’t gone so well. It’s a learning curve, and he’s trying as best he can with all the things we’re asking him to do,” Montano said of Haynes. “… Hopefully, little by little, things start falling into place.”

THE STAR

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

Wednesday, January 27, 2021 • PAGE

5

George invites Samsung to expand to Fort Bend

By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Fort Bend County Judge KP George has not been shy in his attempts to recruit major employers to the area.

According to a report from The Dallas Morning News that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott shared on his Twitter feed, Samsung could expand its U.S. manufacturing footprint with a $10 billion chip-making plant.

Samsung purchased a tract of land in Austin next to one of its existing facilities, and the capital of

George

the Lone Star State is the most likely location for the company to build the site, according to the report.

But that didn’t stop George from writing a letter to Ki-

nam Kim, the company’s vice chairman and CEO, pitching Fort Bend County as a potential home for Samsung’s next facility.

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with a similar pitch following then-President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had tentatively approved a deal that would bring the popular video-sharing app’s global headquarters to Texas.

While nothing substantial has materialized on the TikTok front, the county has seen continued investment from industry leading-firms. In December, Amazon announced its plans to build a 1 million square foot fulfillment center in Missouri City this year. It is expected to create more than 500 new fulltime jobs.

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consider expanding in Fort Bend County, including the area’s high graduation rates, its strategic location within Greater Houston and skilled workforce as well as the affordability and availability of land in the county. He also said Texas has become an “attractive destination for important technology companies from Amazon, Dell, Tesla, HP, SpaceX, and many more.”

This isn’t the first time George has publicly shared his efforts to reach out to large technology companies. In September, he wrote to Vanessa Pappas, TikTok’s interim CEO,

and fastest-growing community, I formally invite Samsung Electronics to establish their new chipmaking plant (in) Fort Bend County in the Lone Star State,” George wrote. “I’m glad that you have already identified Texas as the destination for this important factory. In Fort Bend, Samsung would be welcomed with open arms — and a top-notch workforce ready to observe all safety protocols while firing up the processors of both your cutting-edge technology and our economy.”

George cited several reasons for Samsung to

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NOTICE TO BIDDERS POLICE DEPARTMENT SITE SECURITY FENCING The City of Sugar Land seeks bids for furnishing all labor, material, and equipment, and performing all work required for the following project in the City: CIP PROJECT NAME: POLICE DEPARTMENT SITE SECURITY FENCING CIP PROJECT NUMBER: CMU2102 LOCATION OF WORK: POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MUNICIPAL COURTS BUILDING, 1200 HWY 6 SOUTH, SUGAR LAND, TX 77479 Plans, specifications, and bidding documents may be obtained by from CivCast www.civcastusa.com Sealed bids one (1) original and two (2) copies, shall be delivered to the City of Sugar Land, Office of the City Secretary, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, on or before 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at which time bids will be publicly opened and read via teleconference. Bids received after the opening date and time will not be considered.

A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting for all interested parties will be held at 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 9, 2021, Police Department and Municipal Courts Building, 1200 Hwy 6 South, Sugar Land, Texas 77479.

Questions regarding this bid must be submitted online to www. civcastusa.com on or before 3:00 p.m., Thursday, February 11, 2021.

The City Council will award the contract as provided in the Invitation to Bid. The City of Sugar Land will give notice of the contract award within sixty (60) calendar days after the opening date and time.

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RFP 2021-12: EMERGENCY DEBRIS MONITORING SERVICES LOCATION OF WORK: SUGAR LAND, TX 77479 Plans, specifications, and bidding documents may be obtained by registering at Public Purchase www.publicpurchase.com.

Sealed proposals, one (1) original, five (5) copies, and one (1) electronic copy on flash drive shall be delivered to the City of Sugar Land, Office of the City Secretary, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, on or before 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 18, 2021, at which time the names of the firms submitting sealed proposals will be read. Proposals received after the opening date and time will not be considered.

Questions regarding this proposal must be received by Monday, February 8, 2021 on or before 12:00 P.M. Please post all questions on Public Purchase www.publicpurchase.com.

The City will award the contract and give notice of award within 180 calendar days after the opening date and time.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS EMERGENCY DEBRIS REMOVAL SERVICES The City of Sugar Land seeks proposals for performing all work required for the following project in the City:

Sealed proposals, one (1) original, five (5) copies, and one (1) electronic copy on flash drive shall be delivered to the City of Sugar Land, Office of the City Secretary, 2700 Town Center Boulevard North, Suite 122, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479, on or before 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 18, 2021, at which time the names of the firms submitting sealed proposals will be read. Proposals received after the opening date and time will not be considered.

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The City of Sugar Land seeks proposals for performing all work required for the following project in the City:

RFP 2021-13: EMERGENCY DEBRIS REMOVAL SERVICES LOCATION OF WORK: SUGAR LAND, TX 77479 Plans, specifications, and bidding documents may be obtained by registering at Public Purchase www.publicpurchase.com.

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Questions regarding this proposal must be received by Monday, February 8, 2021 on or before 12:00 P.M. Please post all questions on Public Purchase www.publicpurchase.com.

The City will award the contract and give notice of award within 180 calendar days after the opening date and time.

Notification is given that NewFirst National Bank, 202 E. Jackson, El Campo, TX 77437 has filed an application with the Comptroller of the Currency on January 21, 2021 as specified in 12 CFR 5, for permission to relocate a staffed branch office from Sugar Creek Office Park, 50 Sugar Creek Center Blvd., Suite 100, Sugar Land, TX 77478 to 16554 Creekbend Drive, Suite 150, Sugar Land, TX 77478.

Any person wishing to comment on this application may file comments in writing with the licensing manager at the Southwestern District Office, 1600 Lincoln Plaza, Suite 1600, Dallas, TX 75201-3342 or SW.Licensing@occ.treas.gov within 30 days of the date of this publication.

Notice is hereby given application is being made to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission by Ana J Lazo for Beer and Wine Permit doing business as Pupuseria Y Restaurante Lazo #2 to be located at 2292 Farm-To-Market Rd 2234, Stafford, Fort Bend,TX 77477 Manager Jose A Medrano.

PUBLIC NOTICE OF TEST OF AUTOMATIC TABULATING EQUIPMENT CITY OF STAFFORD AVISO PÚBLICO DE PROBAR EL EQUIPO TABULAR AUTOMATICAMENTE CIUDAD DE STAFFORD Notice is hereby given that the automatic tabulating equipment that will be used in the special election to be held on February 20 2021, will be tested on February 2, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at the Fort Bend County Elections Department, 4520 Reading Road, Rosenberg Texas to ascertain that it will accurately count the votes cast for the office of Councilmember, Position 5 in the City of Stafford.

Por lo presente se da aviso que el equipo para tabular automáticamente que se usará en la elección especial que se celebrara el 20 de Febrero del 2021 se probará el 2 de Febrero del 2021 a las 9:00 a.m. en el Departamento de Elecciones del Condado de Fort Bend, 4520 Reading Road, Rosenberg,Texas para asegurarse de que contara con precisión los votos emitidos para la oficina de concejal, Posición 5 en la Ciudad de Stafford. /s/ John Oldham Fort Bend County Elections Administrator Administrador de Elecciones del Condado de Fort Bend

THE STAR

PAGE 6 • Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Brooke Billedo is shown on the set of the film "Melanie."

The Sugar Land teenager stars in the movie, which was produced in 2020 but had its release date delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Contributed photo)

★ MOVIE FROM PAGE 1 thought it was really cool.

I was both surprised and impressed with her ability to embody such a different character.”

Brooke said the ending is suspenseful and unpredictable. If it is anything like Young’s script, it ends on a morose and disturbing note.

“It’s very hard to get in that dark headspace,” Brooke said. “I had to flip what I was thinking and think only dark thoughts, and I normally don’t want to think of those things, but that’s what I had to do for that role.”

Brooke said the crew and her fellow actors helped her get over her fears, describing herself as someone who would

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

normally want nothing to do with watching horror

movies.

“I remember going on

★ VACCINE FROM PAGE 1

A Helping Hand

those who feel they are in the dark about the timeline for receiving their vaccines.

“There’s frustration because it’s a pandemic,” Minter said. “We’ve been kind of on edge for the past 12 months. One of the things that frustrates the public the most is the inability of the supply to meet the demand.”

The county’s health department building at 4520 Reading Rd. in Rosenberg has been designated one of the state’s vaccination hubs.

Republican State Rep. Jacey Jetton of House District 26, which includes New Territory, Pecan Grove and most of Richmond and Sugar Land, said his staff has gotten feedback from seniors in the district about the county’s HHS website and the Texas Department of State Health

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set and I watched the makeup crew put the makeup on the scarecrow,” Brooke said. “So I was like, ‘Oh, well now I know all their special tricks. This isn’t that scary.’ So when I watched it, I was like, ‘I know everything that’s going to be happening next.’”

The opportunity to be a lead in a film was exciting for Brooke, and she lit up at the chance to arrive on set and find a trailer with her name on it. She also got to work with Julian Richings from the CW’s “Supernatural.”

Brooke also took advantage of

Services (TDSHS) website being difficult to navigate.

“It didn’t take long for us to discover that there were some issues with providers or suppliers — those administering the vaccines — and having accurate information showing up on the TDSHS websites,” Jetton said during a Jan. 19 phone interview. “(We’ve been) making sure that they were getting the vaccines that they needed based on the demand that they were seeing. We’ve been on the phone with TDSHS several times over the last several weeks ensuring that they understand what’s going on here locally and really advocating to get more vaccines into Fort Bend County because we have a large population.”

According to an email from Tori Macfarlan, Jetton’s chief of staff, those who are age 75 and older who have been Houston Methodist Hospital patients within the past two years will be scheduled for a vaccine. Those who are not Houston Methodist patients will be added to a waitlist in the event that

★ TERMS FROM PAGE 1 she felt four-year terms were necessary to be comfortable within the position.

“I agree with the four-year, even-number terms,” Edwards said. “I do think you need enough time to make sure that you understand how the city council membership is ran, how the position is ran.”

Mayor Robin Elackatt and Councilwoman Cheryl Sterling of District A also voiced their support for four-year terms.

having a teacher on set that allowed her to balance her schoolwork while she was shooting the film in California.

The film was completed in 2020, but McCain opted to delay its release until 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was also struck by Brooke’s transformation into a conflicted and dark character, after most of her roles were lighthearted and comedic.

“Brooke’s instinctual interpretation of the character was wonderful,” McCain said in a news release. “She was able to take the idea of this disturbed, lonely little girl, who was not so likable on the page, and make her both relatable and empathetic, even as she is slowly becoming a monster. The audience is both

worried for her and afraid of her. It is a terrifically uncomfortable emotional state and it keeps your eyes glued to her. That’s all Brooke. She created that.”

While it hasn’t been easy for her to be a teenager and endure a global pandemic during a crucial developmental time in her social and professional life, Brooke said she is grateful to have the enthusiastic support of friends and family from near and far.

“This whole journey has been extremely phenomenal,” Brooke said. “I’m just extremely blessed to have both of my parents on board with this acting thing. God has definitely led me here and has a path for me, and I’m just so excited to have it connect.”

any appointments open up.

TDSHS has entered the fifth week of its vaccine distribution.

Providers in Fort Bend County received just 400 doses in this week’s allocation. Of that quantity, 100 of the doses were set to be delivered to Silverado Hospice at 4800 Sugar Grove Blvd. in Stafford, and 300 were allocated for St. Michael’s Hospital at 16000 Highway 59 in Sugar Land.

The fourth week of distribution saw 3,000 Pfizer vaccine doses allocated across 25 different Fort Bend County locations,

including hospitals, pharmacies and clinics.

The county’s Clinical Health Services Department at 4520 Reading Rd. received 100 vaccine doses.

“We are working hard behind the scenes,” George said. “Things are moving.

Please be patient.”

Other facilities in the county that received 100 doses each in the fourth week of allocations included two units of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, including a prison farm and a psychiatric facility at the Beauford H. Jester Prison in Richmond and the Fort Bend County Clinical Health Services North Annex at 22333 Grand Corner Dr. in Katy.

COVID-19 Vaccine Contact Information · Houston Methodist vaccine hotline: (346) 356-3113 · City of Houston Health Department: (832) 3934220 · Fort Bend County vaccine hotline: (832) 471-1373 · Aging and Disability Resource Center: (855) 937-2372

On May 1, the six proposed amendments will appear on the ballot in a special election. If passed by voter approval, the items would result in the following changes: · The provision in the charter that states the mayor shall act as chief administrative officer until a city manager is appointed will be deleted. · The extension of the term of mayor and all city council positions from two to four years. · The limitation of 12 consecutive years of service on council before requiring a minimum sit-

out period of two years before an individual can serve on council again. · The amount of time the city manager may transfer unencumbered funds would change from 60 to 90 days after the end of any given fiscal year. · A clarification would be added stating that bids are only required to be received and considered by council for competitive bond sales. · The appointment month of charter review commission members would move from July to January.

Jetton

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THE STAR

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

Wednesday, January 27, 2021 • PAGE

COVID-19 cases force temporary Area athletes, trainers earn closure of nine FBISD campuses academic all-state honors

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Several Fort Bend ISD students have returned to online, remote learning after their campuses were temporarily closed because of cases of COVID-19.

FBISD announced last Friday that Travis High School would be closed through the end of this week. The following schools also transitioned to online, remote learning for this week, according to FBISD: · James Patterson Elementary · Pecan Grove Elementary · Ridgemont Elementary · Ridgemont Early Literacy Center · Hodges Bend Middle School · Madden Elementary · McAuliffe Middle School · James Reese Career and Technical Center The Madden Elementary closure was announced Sunday

night.

“Fort Bend ISD will continue to monitor the number of positive cases at the campus and conduct regular consultations with the health department and medical advisor to determine if additional measures may be necessary,” Madden principal Kristi Durham wrote in a letter posted to FBISD’s website and sent to students and parents Sunday night. “At this time, the systems and processes we have in place have allowed for continued uninterrupted learning for students and the health and wellbeing of our staff and students.”

According to FBISD’s COVID-19 dashboard, Travis had 17 active cases as of Monday,

while Hodges Bend and McCauliffe each had two active cases. There were nine active cases at Madden, while Ridgemont Elementary had two, Pecan Grove had three and Patterson had one. Ridgemont Early Literacy Center had four active cases as of Monday, and the James Reese Career and Technical Center had none.

FBISD had 281 total active cases as of Monday, according to the dashboard.

“The FBISD COVID Response Team assessed a wide range of internal and external indicators to determine the level of risk and/or possible disruption to campus operations,” the district said in a news release. “All data suggested a significant impact to our ability to adequately staff these campuses and has caused an operational disruption that would prevent us from continuing face-to-face instruction at this time.”

FBISD musicians earn all-state honors Clements Dhanya Jagannathan Dewey Palmer Kyle Yu Dulles Madison Draney Elkins Jacob Buentello Charles Butera Kavi Shah Kempner Reid Curnan Ridge Point Timothy Peitsch Aaron Price Choir Clements Hasan Hammoud Lydia Hassall Sofie Marino Elkins Pari Dhawan Alessandro Gucciardi Thien Pham Kempner Stephanie Agu Amanda Lopez Ridge Point Isabela Elizondo-Collado Travis Domale Baabel Nicholas Pappas

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Dozens of youth musicians from Fort Bend ISD were recently recognized for their ability with selections to various all-state lists.

A news release from FBISD said 48 students from area schools represented the district on Texas’ all-state band, choir or orchestra lists.

More than 70,000 students went through regional, area and state auditions before about 1,800 honorees were selected, or the top 2.6 percent of those auditioning, according to the district.

Clements High School led the way with 15 total honorees, while Austin had 10 selections. Dulles High School had eight total honorees.

A complete list of all-state selections is below: Band

Orchestra Austin Jonathan Chang Yun-Yeh Chien Eric Jia Andy Jiang Derek Jiang Timothy So Natalie Su Nathan Su Sandor Wat Ken Xiao Clements Ethan Chang Alexander Nguyen Eric Peng Ryan Peng Iyan Sonesra Natalie Wang Albon Wu Stephen Yang Alice Zhong Dulles Claire Draney Timothy Feng Tiger Ji Marco Jonsson Jeffery Li Phoebe Tan Tommy Yu Kempner Nafee Karim

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Fort Bend ISD recently had a number of high school athletes earn statewide honors for their efforts in the classroom.

The district announced last Friday that the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) had selected dozens of its athletes and athletic trainers for its annual academic all-state list. In order to qualify, students had to be seniors who maintained an average grade of 92 or higher while demonstrating “good moral character,” according to the THSCA. Austin and Ridge Point were the biggest winners among local schools. Austin led the way with 13 athletes (six volleyball, five cross country, two football), selected to the list, while Ridge Point had 12 players (10 football, two cross country) selected.

Bush’s Hailee Davis and Nadia Armelin, along with Clements’ Annabeth Heisig, were the athletic trainers named to the list.

The complete list of area honorees is below. For more information and a com-

plete rundown of the teams, visit thsca.com/academic-allstate.

Texas High School Coaches Association Academic AllState Team (Fort Bend ISD Selections Only) Athletic Trainers Bush Hailee Davis Nadia Armelin Clements Annabeth Heisig Cross Country Austin Payton Chen Danny Hoang Matthew McGoldrick Ryan Nutter Anisha Patel Clements Eleni Kaiser Mahek Majithia Dulles Marco Jonsson Cynthia Sun Ridge Point Whitaker Bird Brianna Peiffer

John Carlo Garza Joseph McGuire James Sattler Dulles Jason Garcia Palmer Hodges Jonah Kirkpatrick Austin Sanchez Hightower Tarrell Carter, Jr. Jaden Steele Kempner Parker Milligan Marshall Kenneth Seymour Ridge Point Tristan Barrow Bryce Gray Cade Harper Warner Johnson Austin Lafavers Kolade Shofoluwe Karsten Stow Carter Veillon Logan Wilson Zach Yovan Travis Isaiah Grogan Volleyball Austin Emma Carter Julie Hanse Ellie Kennedy Kiara Liedy Kara Rebolido Khue Rebolido Kempner Karin Ilagan

Football Austin Shahzada Durrani Chase Myers Clements

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12999 Murphy Road #D2 (Behind Subway)

with 30K, 60K or 90K major service

HOURS: MON-FRI

Expanding our team of leaders in

PRIMARY CARE Houston Methodist Welcomes Dr. Naureen Ahmeduddin and Dr. Gilberto Sustache

The physicians at Houston Methodist Primary Care Group at Brooks Street have extensive training and experience in diagnosing and treating the following: • Acute and chronic care

• Health screenings

• Minor procedures

• Complete physicals

• High blood pressure

• Preventive care

• Children’s health

• Men’s health

• Women’s health

Our 90physicians are available to safely see patients in person or virtually, as needed.

HOUSTON METHODIST PRIMARY CARE GROUP AT BROOKS STREET

WELCOME

WELCOME

Naureen Ahmeduddin, DO Family Medicine

Gilberto Sustache, MD Family Medicine

Asisat Ope, MD

Ali Sawal, DO

59

6

59

FIRST

C OLONY BLVD .

SUGAR LAND

BROOKS ST.

ALT

Family Medicine

HOUSTON METHODIST SUGAR LAND HOSPITAL

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT 1201 Brooks St., Suite 100 Sugar Land, TX 77478 houstonmethodist.org/pcg/brooks-street 281.930.6639

SAT. & SUN.

7:30am - 5:45pm • CLOSED

Family Medicine

7

THE STAR

PAGE 8 • Wednesday, January 27, 2021

See us online www.FortBendStar.com

Review: Japaneiro’s fusionist cuisine filled with guilt-free indulgences

By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Tucked in between Highway 59 and Highway 6 at Sugar Land’s Town Square at First Colony Mall, Japaneiro’s offers one of the best lunch deals I’ve seen west of the Fort Bend-Harris County line.

As the name indicates, Japaneiro’s is a Japanese-Latin fusion restaurant brought to you by the same fine folks who started Jupiter Pizza & Waffles and Guru Burgers & Crepes — Robert White and Victor Litwinenko.

Unlike White and Litwinenko’s other excellent culinary projects, Japaniero’s walks the tightrope of being both delicious and health-conscious. Its menu is a star-studded one and has helpful color-coded markers to identify the dozens of vegetarian and gluten-free options as well as its spicy dishes.

I entered into my meal with some skepticism, having within the last few years tried some attempts at Latin-influenced sushi elsewhere that were gaudy and saturated with clashing flavors, practically drowning the sushi rolls in sauces.

After that, my self-imposed sushi embargo lasted for quite a while.

Thankfully, I encountered no such issues at Japaneiro’s. Ordering off the lunch menu ($12.99), which is open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday, I found great difficulty in trying to elevate one dish over the other as my star

Pictured, clockwise from left, is the sushi sampler, seafood chuppe and daikon slaw from Japaneiro’s at 2168 Texas Dr. in Sugar Land. (Photo by Stefan Modrich)

of the show. The opening act was a Seafood Chuppe ($2 extra), a Latin chowder with crab meat that is common in the Andes Mountain region of South America.

I paired it with the Daikon Slaw, an incredibly satisfying salad with pickled Daikon radishes, shredded beets

and cucumbers, sprinkled with sesame seeds. It was the perfect palate cleanser in between bites of California sushi rolls slathered with wasabi.

The presentation of the eight sushi rolls and the nigiri, a small sampling of raw tuna, salmon and hirame, a white

fish, was colorful and visually appealing.

Japaneiro’s sets the standard for affordable, healthy fine dining, and it sits atop my personal leaderboard thus far as the best Fort Bend County restaurant I’ve tried in 2021.

Japaneiro’s

COMMUNITY

Address: 2168 Texas Dr., Sugar Land Dining Options: Dinein, takeout, delivery via DoorDash, Favor, Grubhub, Postmates, UberEats Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily Entrée prices: $9-$30

Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No Alcohol: Yes Healthy options: Vegetarian, gluten free options available Star of the show: Sushi sampler

Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to 40 words and answer the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to editor@fortbendstar.com or mail to: Fort Bend Star, 3944 Bluebonnet Drive, Stafford, Texas 77477.

CALENDAR

FOR NON-PROFIT EVENTS

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak and the cancellation of several community gatherings, please check with each organization for updated information about the status of their events.

FEBRUARY 11 FT. BEND/HARRIS RETIRED EDUCATORS ZOOM MEETING Ft. Bend/Harris Retired Educators next zoom meeting is Thursday morning, February 11th, at 10:00. Program: Eating Smart and Being Active presented by Krystal Wilcox with the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (TAMU and the Fort Bend Extension Service). We look forward to all our members joining us. Paid members will receive their zoom invitation a week prior to the meeting.

For further information email cmduvall@aol. com.

MARCH 5 MOVIES IN WESSENDORFF PARK Richmond is bringing back the monthly Free outdoor movies, beginning with National Treasure at Wessendorff Park, 500 Preston St. beginning March 5. The free outdoor

Honored to be your choice for life insurance.

LISA N SIMS, AGENT Monday - Friday 9 - 6 Saturday 10 - 2 After hours by appointment

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

film screening is organized by the city of Richmond and will be held in Wessendorff Park with plenty of room for distancing and kids to run. As in past years, Rotary Club of Richmond will supply free popcorn and the city will provide water. Families are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets ONGOING AMERICAN LEGION MEETINGS. Will be the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Raymond Freeman Post 0942, 311 Ulrich, 7:00 pm, Sugar Land, Texas. would play a major role in helping us achieve our goal for the New Year. 2021- We Will Sing On! 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 9:45 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.). For more information call 281-240-3195

Alief MEDICAL SALES

SHORT TERM WHEELCHAIR RENTALS AVAILABLE

Buy a pair of COMPRESSION TRAVEL SOCKS and get the 2nd pair

11851-A Wilcrest Houston, TX 77031 Phone 281-530-3232 • www.AliefMedicalSales.com

$40 0 Adoptions ALL DOGS 40LBS+ ALL JANUARY LONG

BECOME A FOSTER GRANDPARENT Volunteers are needed to be a role model, mentor and friend to children with exceptional needs in the community. Training, mileage reimbursement, tax-free monthly stipend if eligible. Call today to help change the world, one child at a time in Rosenberg. For more information, call 281-344-3515.

DAV CHAPTER 233 MONTHLY MEETING The second Tuesday of every month at the United Way Fort Bend Center, 12300 Parc Crest Dr., Stafford, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. For more information, email maw0500@gmail. com.

14090 S.W. Freeway Suite #200 Sugar Land, TX

(Direct)

(Main) • KenWoodPC.com

“Magic Donuts melt in your mouth”

WWW.HOUSTONHUMANE.ORG

BIG

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 713-8595920 or 281-499-3345.

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

START THE NEW YEAR

20% OFF

EXCHANGE EXCHANGE, AmericaÕ 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!

Store Hours Monday - Sunday: 4:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Mike Schofield 281-217-5799

Tel: 281-242-1881 907 Eldridge Rd. Sugar Land, TX 77478

Private Piano Teacher

BOOK NOW

Michelle Thuy Vu

832-776-1210

michellevu2372@outlook.com

IMMACULATE

POOLS

281-876-7728

Quality Pool Service & Repairs

11555 West Airport, Meadows Place, Texas, 77477 • 281-277-3367

Daily SpecialS! Open 7 DayS a week

Dine-In Open!

TAKE-OUT & CATERING

AVAILABLE

18 years

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

SOUTHWEST FREEWAY 281.240.3060 12821 LasHaciendasGrill.com