VOTE
Johnny Teague
www.JohnnyTeague.com
FOR CONGRESS
WEDNESDAY • NOVEMBER 2, 2022 Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 47 • No. 58 • $1.00
Visit www.FortBendStar.com
County seeks money from coronavirus outreach firm By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
November 11–17 FOR TICKETS OR MORE INFORMATION ON JINGLE TREE FESTIVITIES, VISIT HMNS.ORG/JINGLETREE OR CALL (281) 313-2277
County near top of state in early voting numbers
The Fort Bend County Commissioners Court earlier this month approved auditing a consulting firm's contract seeking coronavirus vaccine outreach money. (Photo from county website)
A $345,000 contract for coronavirus vaccine outreach is again the center of controversy after a Fort Bend County audit asserted the consulting firm behind the agreement should repay about $25,000 for questionable expenses. Fort Bend County
awarded Houston-based Next Wave Strategies the $345,000 deal to provide outreach on the vaccine, but of the $102,200 the county has paid thus far, only about 75 percent of that can be vogued for, according to a county audit. The commissioners court earlier this month approved auditing the consulting firm’s contract after a request from
one member of the court. The decision to award the Houston-based firm has stoked some controversy since the beginning. The measure passed in a divided 32 vote, and a divided group of residents took more than 30 minutes early in the meeting to speak against or in favor SEE OUTREACH PAGE 8
Steady progress
By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Fort Bend County ranks near the top of the state in early voting turnout thus far, but overall turnout is still down in Texas from 2018, according to local and state data. As of Saturday, more than 90,207 people had voted in-person at locations across Fort Bend County, along with another 6,624 votes by mail, according to data from the county’s election office. That’s good for about 13.2 percent of the county’s 521,611 registered voters, an uptick of about 89,700 new voters compared to 2018, according to data from the Texas Tribune. Overall, it’s not yet clear what to make of early voting totals across the state. Turnout in solid Republican counties was about 125 percent, compared to about 10.9 percent in solid blue counties, according to the Texas Tribune. But turnout was higher in fast-changing counties, such as Fort Bend and Tarrant, according to the website. Early voting for the midterms began Oct. 24 in Texas and will continue until Nov. 4. Election SEE VOTING PAGE 8
Pictured is a rendering of what is to come next year at Missouri City's Township Square. Crews are set to complete the $4 million renovation at the Fort Bend County shopping center in 2023. (Contributed rendering)
Big changes coming to Missouri City’s Township Square By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Crews aren’t set to complete the $4 million renovation at Missouri City’s Township Square until 2023, but already things are starting to look a little different. Representatives with the commercial real estate firm KM Realty have announced several new tenants for the shopping center near the intersection of FM 1092 and Township Lane, along with a newly-renovated clocktower, complete
with a colorful new mural. “With the size of the property and its history as a community gathering place, we had the foundation for something special,” said Steven Stone, vice president for KM Realty. “We’ve spent a lot of time ensuring that this property stands apart from others by securing permission through city council for unique and eclectic signage, analyzing successful shopping centers within the urban core, sourcing materials from as
far away as France, finding great local artists, and investing in upgraded design elements, all of which we believe will be appreciated by our tenants and their customers.” Even before the ongoing renovation project, Township Square already boasted some of Missouri City’s most well-known businesses, such as Brandani’s Restaurant and Wine Bar and Old Hickory Inn BBQ, among others. But no one had renSEE SQUARE PAGE 8
Changes are already coming to Township Square even though work will continue into 2023. (Contributed photo)
Kelsey-Seybold beginning work on new Fort Bend campus
Contact: jsazma @fortbendstar. com
Crews have broken ground on Kelsey-Seybold’s new central campus in Fort Bend County. Officials with the health organization gathered earlier this month to celebrate the groundbreaking on the
re-elect
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clinic’s expansion in Sugar Land, according to a news release. As part of the expansion, Kesley-Seybold will construct a 13 5 , 0 0 0 - s q u a r e - f o o t facility next to an existing clinic to create Kelsey-Seybold Clinic – Fort Bend Campus. Representatives SEE CLINIC PAGE 8
Kelsey-Seybold recently broke ground on the healthcare organization's Fort Bend County campus. (Contributed photo)
ELECTION DAY
Elackatt For
mayor of missour i city
Tuesday, November 8 Early Voting - Monday, October 24 Through Friday, November 4 www.MayorRobin.com
contact@MayorRobin.com
TOGETHER WE ARE MOVING FORWARD
Paid for by Robin Elackatt Campaign, Sue Hauenstein, Treasurer
By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM