2023
READERSâ CHOICE
Space Cowboys defeat El Paso in season closer - Page 5
GET SEEN CALL 713-371-3600
ADVERTISE HERE! WEDNESDAY ⢠SEPTEMBER 24, 2025
Fort Bend County Fair kicks off this weekend Community Reports From the lights of the Ferris Wheel to the batter of the funnel cakes, the Fort Bend County Fair & Rodeo returns for its 89th annual celebration, packing tradition, entertainment, and community pride into one of the regionâs most anticipated events. Scheduled to run from September 26 through October 5, the Fair will kick off with a Sneak Peek Night on Thursday, September 25. This yearâs theme, âPromoting Family, Youth, and Agriculture,â reflects the Fairâs longstanding mission to benefit youth, promote agriculture, and support education. âWe are proud to invite the community to our Fair and give the youth of our county a platform to participate â from livestock shows to creative arts. âThatâs what weâre all about,â said Bobby Poncik, president of the Fort Bend County Fair. The entertainment lineup will feature headline performances by Cole Goodwin, Wade Bowen, Los Igualados & Los Morales, Maverick Murphy, Josh Weathers, John Foster, Kevin Fowler, and Gene Watson, among others, with performances spread across multiple stages, throughout the fairgrounds. Bag of Donuts and Siggno will entertain crowds during BBQ Weekend. All concerts are included with gate admission. Several new attractions will debut in 2025. The redesigned Marketplace will offer an enhanced shopping experience, featuring both indoor and outdoor vendors in a more inviting retail environment. A special âSip and Shopâ event, requiring an additional ticket, will take place on Wednesday, October 1. Families with young children can look forward to a new Kid Zone, located between Buildings âBâ and âC,â which will include pony rides, a petting zoo with exotic animals, and interactive agricultural learning stations hosted by the Junior Leadership Council. Rodeo action remains a cornerstone of the Fair. This yearâs schedule includes Ranch Rodeo on opening day, Reunion Rodeo and Team Roping during the first weekend. A new event, the Ladies Invitational Breakaway Roping will debut on Tuesday, September 30. Several of the top WPRA ropers will be in competition. The Chad Thames Memorial Invitational Calf Roping will be held on Wednesday, October 1. PRCA Rodeo Slack begins October 2, followed by full PRCA-sanctioned rodeo performances on October 3, 4, and 5 at the O.D. Tucker Arena. As a RODEOHOUSTON qualifier, the Fort Bend County Fair Rodeo continues to attract top-tier professional athletes. In 2024, over $150,000 in payouts were awarded.
SEE FAIR PAGE 2
Fort Bend / Southwest ⢠Volume 50 ⢠No. 39 ⢠$1.00
Visit www.FortBendStar.com
Redistricting continues after another contentious meeting By Ken Fountain
tially reverse a prior vote where they adopted the framework behind the advisory committee, reinstating clauses previously excised stating that the redistricting map passed by a then-Democratic majority of the court are in violation of state and federal law. They also, along party lines, voted to remove the office of County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson, from any involvement in the redistricting process, including providing training on state open meetings
KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
The rare, mid-decade redistricting of Fort Bend Countyâs commissioner precinct lines is proceeding apace after a somewhat raucous specially called Commissioners Court meeting last week and four public hearings held over the weekend and into Monday that gave members of the public a first close-hand look at five maps produced by the Citizensâ Redistricting Advisory Committee. At the September 16 meeting, commissioners again voted along party lines to essen-
SEE REDISTRICTING PAGE 2
Jacob Lee, at podium chair of the Citizensâ Redistricting Advisory Committee, presents five committee-approved maps during a public hearing at the Missouri City Branch Library. It was one of four meetings held Saturday through Monday. Photo by Ken Fountain
HITTING THE ROAD County launches first mobile pet adoption unit
Adoptable pets relax inside Fort Bend Countyâs new Mobile Pet Adoption Unit during its kick-off event at Wagginâ Tails Pet Ranch in Fulshear. From left: Father Joseph Hazar, pastor of Saint Thekla Church of Richmond; Rene Vazquez, director of FBCAS; Denise Einkauf, owner of Waggin Tales Pet Ranch; County Judge KP George; Maria Alanis-Caireli, public information officer at Fort Bend Health and Human Services. Photo by Juhi Varma
By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Shelter pets now have a new way to meet potential adopters. On Saturday, Fort Bend County Animal Services (FBCAS) rolled out its first-ever Mobile Pet Adoption Unit to bring adoptable pets directly into the community. The launch event at Wagginâ Tails Pet Ranch in Fulshear drew local families, animal lovers, and county officials eager to see the new custom-
built, air-conditioned vehicle. Rene Vasquez, director of FBCAS, said the goal is to spread the word about the new unit and encourage community groups to invite it to their events. âTo get such a cool mobile unit that weâve wanted for so long â weâll be able to take these animals throughout Fort Bend County and Houston,â Vasquez said, gesturing toward the dogs lounging comfortably inside the vehicle, enjoying their day out. âIf you think that this mo-
bile unit would benefit if youâre doing an event, please give us a call.â Approved by Commissioners Court last year, the mobile unit represents a major step in the countyâs efforts to increase adoptions, reduce overcrowding, and connect with residents living far from the Blume Road shelter in Rosenberg. Because the county shelter on Blume Road is so remote, many residents arenât even aware of it, Vasquez and County Judge KP George explained. The mobile adop-
tion unit, they said, will change that by bringing animals into neighborhoods across Fort Bend. The mobile pet unit is a 26-foot Ford E-450 bus, outfitted with glassfronted kennels. It can house up to 21 dogs or cats in a climate-controlled space. The vehicle can function both as an adoption unit and a mobile clinic offering services such as microchipping and vaccinations.
SEE PETS PAGE 2
FBISD board approves 7-cent tax increase, appoints Heyliger to fill vacant seat Staff Reports Fort Bend ISDâs Board of Trustees on September 15 approved a 7-cent property tax increase using seven so-called âdisaster penniesâ to support the districtâs $901.6 million operating budget for the 2025-26 school year. Position 2 trustee Adam Schoof was the sole vote against the increase. The newly adopted tax rate of $1.0569 per $100 valuation includes the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) rate of $0.7869, which covers the districtâs operational expenses, and an Interest and Sinking (I&S) rate of $0.2700, which is designated
for the repayment of bonds issued by the district, according to a news release. The new rate represents a 3.3 percent tax increase adding approximately $70 a year on a home valued at $100,000. However, if Senate Bill 4 (which raises the statewide homestead exemption to $140,000) passes in the November 4 election, some homeowners may see a decrease in their property taxes, according to the district. Disaster pennies are a provision in Texas law that allows school districts to temporarily increase their property tax rates without voter ap-
proval following a declared disaster and will be in effect for the 2025-26 school year only. The new tax rate will provide the district with a projected $7.5 million surplus, according to FBISD chief financial officer Bryan Guinn. The board approved the 2025-26 operating budget in June which includes funding for a new compensation plan to help retain and attract staff. At the same meeting, former board member and president Addie Heyliger was sworn into office at Monday nightâs general board
SEE TAX PAGE 2
Addie Heyliger, right, is sworn in by County Court at Law No. 4 Judge Tami Wallace to fill the vacant Position 5 seat of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees last week. Courtesy Fort Bend ISD