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Master Gardeners offer free “Fruit Tree” class on Feb. 7
Fort Bend County Master Gardeners will hold a free “Fruit Tree” class will be held on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds. Photo via Fort Bend County Master Gardeners
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 51 • No. 4 • $1.00
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George’s money laundering trial set to begin Tuesday By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Barring any 11th-hour legal maneuvering, a long-awaited trial will begin Tuesday – that of Fort Bend County Judge KP George on two felony counts of money laundering, just one part of a legal and political saga that has embroiled the county’s chief executive for nearly a year and a half. The trial is set to take place in a fraught moment for George. A
Democrat when first elected in the “Blue Wave” election of 2018 and reelected in 2022, George last June – after he was first indicted for misdemeanor misrepresentation of identity by a public official – announced his switch to the Republican Party. He is running for reelection in a crowded field in that party’s March 3 primary, with early voting set to begin February 17. In the felony cases, George is accused of tampering with campaign finance reports during his
2018 campaign while moving money between his campaign and personal bank accounts. In a court filing after his indictment, prosecutors allege he used those campaign funds to purchase a Ford Expedition, pay property taxes and make a down payment on a house, among other things they say they will use as “extraneous crimes” in the trial. As of the Fort Bend Star’s
SEE GEORGE PAGE 4
The felony money laundering trial of Fort Bend County Judge KP George is set to begin Tuesday, Feb. 3. Here, he is depicted in an early court appearance. File photo
A NEW VISION?
Sugar Land residents share ideas for Imperial district revamp By Juhi Varma
Community Reports
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Area residents can learn how to grow fruit from apples and oranges to guava and moringa by attending a free class next month offered by Fort Bend County Master Gardeners just before their annual fruit tree sale. The free “Fruit Tree” class will be held on Saturday, February 7, from 9-10:30 a.m., in Building B at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, 4310 Texas 36 in Rosenberg. Registration is required at eventbrite.com/e/1825871353369?aff=o ddtdtcreator. Attendees will learn about fruit trees, including subtropicals/tropicals, which are suitable for and thrive in Fort Bend County. The class will look at how and when to plant trees, common problems and how to resolve them.Area residents can learn how to grow fruit from apples and oranges to guava and moringa by attending a free class next month offered by Fort Bend County Master Gardeners just before their annual fruit tree sale. The free “Fruit Tree” class will be held on Saturday, February 7, from 9-10:30 a.m., in Building B at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, 4310 Texas 36 in Rosenberg. Registration is required at eventbrite.com/e/1825871353369?aff=o ddtdtcreator. Attendees will learn about fruit trees, including subtropicals/tropicals, which are suitable for and thrive in Fort Bend County. The class will look at how and when to plant trees, common problems and how to resolve them. The Master Gardeners 26th annual Fruit Tree sale will be held on February 14. The sale will be from 9 a.m. to noon or until trees are sold out in Barn H at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds. The sale will feature an estimated 75 different varieties of fruit trees, berries, tropicals/subtropicals and pecan trees. Learn more at fbmg.org/ events/fruit-and-citrus-tree-sale. The free class is part of the Grow Your Own Series offered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Fort Bend County, along with the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners. The seven-class series focus on helping homeowners creating an edible productive garden. Learn more at fbmg.org/ grow-your-own-2026. For questions and information, contact Brandy Rader at 281-3423034 or brandy.rader@ag.tamu.edu.
Sugar Land residents have shared many ideas for the Imperial Historic District, reflecting pride in the site and a desire for uniquely local redevelopment, Jessica Huble, Assistant Director of Redevelopment, told the Sugar Land City Council at its January 20 meeting. Huble provided an update on the Imperial Sugar Char House redevelopment project, outlining months of community visioning efforts. “In this community it really helps to get feet on the ground and have conversations with residents,” she said. In February 2025, the council approved the purchase of the iconic. century-old Imperial Char House and the surrounding historic district in hopes of finding a partnering company to redevelop the long-dormant area. The city used sales tax revenues to make the purchase, with no associated change to the property tax rate. In November, the council approved a contract with Houstonbased Urbano Architects to perform design work aimed at preserving the Char House, Four public meetings called “charrettes” were held from November 3–6 to engage Sugar Land residents, businesses, and stakeholders, drawing more than 360 participants and 60 survey responses. “It’s really a matter of getting the community’s intentions out there, so that you have a higher likelihood of a developer having a smooth process,” said Brian Wright, founding principal of the Town Planning
The City of Sugar Land has begun reviewing ideas put forward by residents and stakeholders for the redevelopment of the Imperial Historic District, including the iconic, century-old Imperial Char House. File photo
& Urban Design Collaborative, a Tennessee-based planning and urban design firm hired as community engagement consultants. “The way that I like to think about it is that this is really a playbook and not a blueprint.” The presentation emphasized that
no final plan or rendering exists yet, as the team continues gathering input to shape a redevelopment that serves residents and supports economic growth. “One of the concerns was that only a handful of people who are associated with the Char House would
actually care. I think we saw through this that the whole city cares,” said Council member Suzanne Whatley. “That means we’re on the right path.”
SEE IMPERIAL PAGE 4
County to celebrate Black History Month with opera, dance, community events By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER
February is Black History Month, and Fort Bend County marks the occasion each year with a range of cultural celebrations, from dance performances and marches to educational programs. This year’s observances also include a special performance in Sugar Land presented by Houston Grand Opera. The 2026 celebration is especially significant, marking 100 years since Black History Month began in 1926
as “Negro History Week.” The original week was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and Frederick Douglass on February 14, both dates long commemorated within Black communities.
Black History Kickoff Missouri City marks the start of Black History Month each year with a vibrant kickoff event, complete with live music, dance performances, food trucks, local vendors, and a Kid Zone for families.
When: February 7, 10 a.m. Where: Missouri City Community Center, 1522 Texas Parkway Learn more: missouricitytx.gov/1134/ Black-History-Month-Events
Black History Month at the Children’s Discovery Center
The Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center will host a daylong Black History Month celebration on February 7. Black History Month Storytime
(11 a.m.) Chief Deputy Mattie C. Provost will lead a special story reading celebrating the history, culture, and contributions of Black voices throughout history. Abiyoyo Twanda’s Theatre on Wheels (12 p.m.) Ms. Twanda presents an interactive performance exploring African customs and traditions through music, movement, and storytelling.
SEE BLACK PAGE 2
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