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Fort Bend County hosts soft opening of renovated sports hub in Richmond
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 50 • No. 36 • $1.00 Visit www.FortBendStar.com
Commissioners approve final members of redistricting committee, spar over open government advice By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Fort Bend County commissioners filled out the composition of its citizens’ redistricting advisory committee last week – but not without getting into another tussle over the redistricting of commissioner precinct lines, this time involving the committee’s adherence to public information and open meetings laws. As with the Texas Legislature’s recent effort to redraw congressional district lines, signed into law last week by Gov. Greg Abbot, the Republican-led Fort Bend effort is occurring in the middle of the decade. Typically, redistricting at the state and local level is done soon after the once-perdecade U.S. Census results are released.
Contributed photo
Fort Bend County Republicans have long chafed under the 2021 precinct map which was pushed through by a Democratic majority on the court that then included County Judge KP George. George, who is facing several criminal charges, announced his switch to the Republican Party in June, reversing the court’s partisan balance and giving new impetus to the redistricting effort. In July, the Republican commissioners – George, Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers, and Precinct 1 Commissioner Vincent Morales – each named two members to the committee. But the two Democrats – Precinct 2 Commissioner
SEE REDISTRICT PAGE 3
Photo by Ken Fountain
Fort Bend County Assistant County Attorney Michelle Turner, foreground left, speaks to Commissioners at their meeting last week.
MISSOURI CITY IN ITS
Gwendolyn Climmons, Assistant Parks Director for Fort Bend Parks and Recreation, left; Crystal Martinez, Parks Recreation Coordinator; and Bert Emanuel Sr., Director of Athletics at Fort Bend Christian Academy, speak at the recent soft opening of the Fort Bend County Sports Hub in Richmond.
‘COMEBACK SEASON’,
LEADERS SAY
By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The steady cluck-cluck of pickleballs echoed through the Fort Bend County Sports Hub in Richmond on an August morning as county leaders gathered for a soft opening of the newly renovated facility. County Judge KP George, Precinct 1 Commissioner Vincent Morales and Fort Bend Parks and Recreation leaders praised the hub as both a recreational outlet and an investment for the community. The Fort Bend County Sports Hub also partners with The Arc of Fort Bend to host Special Olympics practices, ensuring residents of all abilities can take part. “This is a facility built to serve everyone, regardless of the age or ability,” said George. The facility has already logged more than 21,000 visits since quietly opening earlier this year for basketball, volleyball and pickleball. The August 22 event was the first official look at recent upgrades, including enhanced wi-fi, online registration and payment options, and a backup generator that will allow the gym to double as an emergency shelter. “This is going to serve the community very well,” said Morales. “Out of 254 counties, Fort Bend County is one of few that has such a park system that the people enjoy, and this is another community hub that’s going to add to our park system. I believe that going forward, this will become much more popular.” The Fort Bend County Sports Hub is located at 727 Plantation Drive, across from Bowie Middle School. Built in 2010, the 64,000-square-foot building was for years known as Slater Sports Zone before being repurposed with 2023 parks bond funds. The hub was especially popular over the summer, when Richmond’s Four Corners YMCA was closed, said Crystal Martinez from Fort Bend Parks and Recreation. “During the summer, they had a waiting list of people wanting to play pickleball here,” said Morales. The Fort Bend County Sports Hub does not require
SEE RICHMOND PAGE 4
Photos by Ken Fountain
Missouri City City Manager Angel Jones, left, and Mayor Robin Elackatt take a tag-team approach, with a healthy sampling of humor, in the State of Missouri City address last week.
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Missouri City, after rebounding from a series of setbacks in recent years, is primed to gain a bigger profile in the region without comparing itself to its peer cities, leaders said at the annual State of the City of Missouri City Address last week. In keeping with recent events, this year’s event at the Missouri City Community Center combined the comedy stylings of Mayor Robin Elackatt and City Manager Angel Jones with a multimedia presentation highlighting city staff and the work of their various departments. The event has had a peripatetic jour-
ney in recent years. Previously held at the city-owned Quail Valley City Center, which is still undergoing a massive renovation spurred by last year’s Hurricane Beryl (with reopening expected this fall) it was held last year at the Houston Knayara Catholic Community Center. Mayor Pro Tem Sonya Brown-Marshall and At-Large Position 2 Council member Lynn Clouser, both wearing black evening dresses, brought glamour to the proceedings as emcees. After some preliminary marks centered around the city’s new theme of “strengthening the core”, they introduced a video depicting Elackatt, Missouri City Mayor Pro Tem Sonya Brown-Marshall, right, and At-Large Position 2 Council member Lynn Clouser emcee the State of Missouri City event. SEE MISSOURI PAGE 3
Fort Bend plaintiff in Ten Commandments lawsuit explains concerns By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Few people in the United States – or indeed, in all the Western world – are unaware of the Ten Commandments, the laws given by God to Moses during the Hebrews’ exodus in the Hebrew Bible, known to Christians as the Old Testament. But at issue in a federal lawsuit filed in San Antonio is whether a law, called SB 10,
passed during this year’s regular session of the Texas Legislature requiring that a particular version of the Ten Commandments be posted on placards in every public school classroom in the state is constitutional under the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of religion. The bill’s authors and supporters contend that the Ten Commandments are part of
SEE TEN COMMANDMENTS PAGE 3
File photo
Fort Bend ISD is one of several Texas school districts which have been enjoined by a federal judge from implementing a state law to post placards of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The ruling is being appealed.