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.
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
By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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
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
& 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
“That means we’re on the right path.”
By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Whatley.
Photo via Fort Bend County Master Gardeners
BLACK FROM PAGE 1
MLK Speech Reenactment
(1 p.m.) – Tanner Ellis delivers a reenactment of one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic speeches.
Hidden Figures Flying Cup Rockets (10 a.m.–3 p.m.) – Children can create paper rockets inspired by the trailblazing women of the film “Hidden Figures” and their contributions to space exploration. Additionally, from February 7 through February 28, the center will offer Black History Month Storytime every Saturday at 11 a.m., featuring a different guest reader each week.
Exposing Black Artistry by Expose Excellence Youth Program
Exposing Black Artistry is a family friendly community celebration honoring Black History Month through creativity, culture, and art. At his event, the three finalists of the Expose Excellence Youth Poetry contest will share their original poems. All attendees are also invited to participate in Black History trivia games and a collage art activity.
This event is free and open to the public. Community partners interested in event sponsorships or donating prizes may contact raven.forrester@fbctx.gov
When: February 7, 1-3 p.m.
Where: Missouri City Community Center, 1522 Texas Parkway
Learn more: eventbrite. com/e/5th-annual-exposing-black-artistry-tickets1980200478938Black History
Valentine’s Love & Laughter
Black History
Valentine’s Love & Laughter
Since February is Black History Month, the City of Missouri City has, in recent
years, blended Valentine’s Day into its celebrations by hosting a “Valentine’s Love and Laughter” event at the community center. This year’s featured comedian is Dave Lawson. Tickets can also be purchased via Edisonartsfoundation.org or Missouricity.gov websites.
When: February 13, 7- 9 p.m.
Where: Missouri City Community Center, 1522 Texas Parkway, Missouri City
Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/2xtuv7dv
Lauren Anderson Free Ballet Dance Day
Lauren Anderson is the first Black principal dancer of a major ballet company, Houston Ballet. Every year she hosts a free ballet dance day in Missouri City in honor of Black History Month. For ages 12 and above. The class is free, but you do need to register.
When: February 14, 10 a.m.
Where: Fort Bend Academy of Arts and Dance, 1959 Texas Parkway, Missouri City
For those who don’t mind a short drive, the Ensemble Theatre is performing “The Bluest Eye”, based on Toni Morrison’s 1970 novel. Tickets can also be purchased via Edisonartsfoundation.org or Missouricity.gov websites. The Ensemble Theatre is the largest African American professional theatre company in the U.S.
When: February 15, 2 p.m.
Where: The Ensemble Theater, 3535 Main St., Houston Tickets: ensemblehouston.my.salesforce-sites. com/ticket/PatronTicket__ PublicTicketApp#/events/ a0SS600000QFlkPMAT
“Giving Voice” presented by Houston Grand Opera
This celebration will honor
both the centennial of Black History Month and the 250th anniversary of the United States. The performance brings together a group of artists, including J’Nai Bridges, Donnie Ray Albert, Michael Sumuel, and Butler Studio artists Elizabeth Hanje, Demetrious Sampson Jr., and Sam Dhobhany, alongside The Fort Bend Church Music Ministry, Voices of Houston, the Houston Ebony Opera Guild, and the HGO Chorus. Tickets are currently $10 but will go up to $20 from February 6.
When: February 20, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Fort Bend Church, 1900 Eldridge Rd, Sugar Land
In recognition of Black History Month, Fort Bend County Libraries will host a free, daylong event at the George Memorial Library in Richmond.
The program includes a children’s book reading and craft with Ugandan-American author Sanyu Ntanda, a genealogy workshop led by lecturer Ari Wilkins on African American family history research, a hip-hop
education performance by RAD Crew Productions, and an African heritage cooking demonstration by Sarah Anderson.
The day will also feature a talk by Cowboy Larry Callies of the Black Cowboy Museum and an all-day photography exhibit by Houston photographer Brian Edwards Jr., highlighting Black cowboy heritage.
When: February 21, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview Dr., Richmond
As part of its Black History Month observances, the city of Missouri City will host a gala celebrating African American fashion and music. The event will honor Constable Daryl Smith for his service and contributions.
When: February 21, 7 p.m.
Where: Quail Valley City Centre, 2880 LaQuinta Drive
Learn more: missouricitytx.gov/1134/ Black-History-Month-Events Missouri City Tanique Evans Freedom Walk 5th
The Freedom Tree in Missouri City is a historic live oak — estimated to be more than 200 years old — that stands as a symbol of emancipation in Fort Bend County. Located on what was once the Palmer Plantation, the tree is traditionally recognized as the spot where formerly enslaved people first learned they were free after the end of the Civil War, once news of emancipation finally reached Texas in the summer of 1865. During the event, attendees will walk from Community Park to the Freedom Tree, where local leaders, pastors, poets, singers, and performers will share reflections and performances. The group will then return to the park for a celebration honoring unity, history, and freedom.
The Freedom Walk will be followed by a cultural celebration at the Community Center, complete with food trucks, music, vendors, a Kid Zone, and dance performances, plus a special appearance by R&B, pop, jazz, and gospel vocalist Shaleya.
When: February 28, 11 a.m.
Participants of all ages, from school band members to local elected officials, will take part in the Missouri City Freedom Walk on Feb. 28. Andrew Danna via City of Missouri City
Soprano Elizabeth Hanje will be among the artists performing at Houston Grand Opera’s "Giving Voice 2025" at Fort Bend Church in Sugar Land, one of many Black History Month events being held throughout Fort Bend County. Photo by Michael D. Bishop via Houston Grand Opera
The sighs of Texas
“The legislature shall as soon as practicable establish, organize and provide for the maintenance, support and direction of a University of the first class, to be located by a vote of the people of this State, and styled, ‘The University of Texas,’ for the promotion of literature, and the arts and sciences, including an Agricultural and Mechanical department.” – The Texas Constitution 1876. I’m not sure why the lawmakers wanted UT to have “an Agricultural and Mechanical department.”
The state already had Texas A&M. True, UT does have an engineering school and Bevo. Our problem today is that these fine, beautiful and very expensive schools are being ruined by a small group of billionaires and their lackeys in government and academia who will kowtow to keep their jobs. Specifically, the regents are micromanaging our public universities to reflect their knuckle-dragging, MAGAparroting philosophies. They have run off presidents, fired deans and profs, banned DEI and all courses dealing with race, gender and anything
Another January, another dang winter storm. Almost exactly a year ago I wrote a column titled “The storm next time,” in which I discussed both that month's Winter Strom Enzo and the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump to his second, nonconsecutive term. As I finish this column on Monday, I recall that in that earlier piece, I noted how these events seem to keep coming at an inconvenient time (as if there's ever a convenient time).
“It's perhaps an odd coincidence that these events seem to come right before the Fort Bend Star's print deadline, putting me as editor at something of a disadvantage, since all the real news will happen after I've put the paper to
Lynn Ashby Columnist
ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
“woke”. Gov. Greg Abbott said he is targeting professors pushing “leftist ideologies.” In a post on social media, Abbott gleefully shared an Axios article about a UT prof who said he was fired from his administrative role “due to ideological differences.”
A course called Communication, Religion and the Arts was moved out of the core curriculum, meaning it will no longer count toward graduation requirements for some students. Incidentally, do they mean core or corps? Eric Smith was commander of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. He is now Gen. Eric Smith, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, or Core. And while on things militarily, A&M is the only school I can find that offers commissions in every single branch of the service including the
Ken Fountain Editor
bed,” I wrote. “But them's the breaks in the newspaper game.” Thankfully, it seems that the effects of Winter Storm Fern will be far less severe than those of Beryl, Enzo, or 2021's Winter Storm Uri. Southeast Texas largely was spared the brunt of the storm. Sadly, our neighbors to the north and throughout much of the country didn't fare as well. Compared to Beryl, the impact
Coast Guard and Merchant Marine.
OK, let’s say you’re not a Longhorn or an Aggie and don’t care what’s going on there, but the inquisition has spread. Last fall, the University of North Texas System began a review of faculty syllabuses, and –right here in our midst – the University of Houston System conducted a similar review. Texas Tech University System faculty members were warned not to “promote or otherwise inculcate” certain specific viewpoints about race and sex in the classroom. In 2023, the president of West Texas A&M University, Walter Wendler, canceled a drag show on campus, claiming that the show would be demeaning and offensive to women.
These regents not only control their flagship schools. Their power allows them to screw up their entire systems. UT-Austin has an enrollment of 55,000 students, but there are more than 260,000 students at academic and health institutions across the state. It is one of the largest public university systems in the world. Texas A&M-College Station’s enrollment tops 81,000, making it one of the largest, if not the largest,
single-campus student bodies in America. The entire A&M system of 12 institutions is around 175,000. That’s a lot of young minds to propagandize. A&M’s classes are censored, two were cancelled, because the profs’ lectures may violate the university system’s new rules against “advocating” race or gender ideology or topics concerning sexual orientation in core classes. In November, the A&M Board of Regents passed a sweeping rule banning such topics in lessons without a university president’s approval. The new policy came after a national controversy over a viral video of a professor teaching about gender identity in a children’s literature course. That professor was later fired, and the university president resigned. This brings us to Plato, and I’m not talking about the planet or Mickey Mouse’s dog. A Texas A&M professor was told not to teach certain writings from Plato, which is like ordering an ob/gyn prof at a UT med school not to consider gender, or maybe there shall be no mention of Shakespeare or nouns in an English lit class. This censorship is because some of the Greek philosopher’s teachings may violate the university
This again?
on the power lines was much less (kudos to CenterPoint Energy – much maligned for their response then – for the improvements to the system they've made since). Fort Bend County and municipal officials and employees have done an admirable job keeping the public informed, keeping the streets and roads safe, operating warming centers and the like.
On Friday night, before the storm hit, I went with a friend to see the Houston Grand Opera perform at downtown Houston's Wortham Center. While I have long been a classical music fan, I am not necessarily a keen operagoer. I've seen HGO perform several times at Miller Outdoor Theatre, but I've only seen them inside the music hall
on three occasions, all in the past year – for last year's productions of “West Side Story” and “Porgy and Bess,” and last weekend's opening of “Silent Night.”
This modern, Pulitzer Prizewining, with music by Kevin Puts and libretto by Mark Campbell, is based on the 2005 film “Joyeux Noel,” about the 1914 Christmas truce in the early months of World War I. In that now almost mythical event, Allied and German soldiers in the trenches along the Western Front spontaneously stopped fighting on Christmas Day and enjoyed each other's company, playing soccer and drinking a few libations among other convivial activities. The upper brass in their respective armies didn't approve, and the truce quickly
SUDOKU
system’s new rules. This ban made Texas a laughingstock. An op/ed in The New York Times headlined “Can’t Teach Plato in a Philosophy Class, What Can You Teach?” warned: “The case illustrates the extent to which campus censorship has run amok in Texas.” So the word has gotten out across America: If you’re a brilliant student or a hotshot prof considering coming to the Lone Star State, don’t, because the only thing bigger in Texas are small minds. I recall this observation from a few years ago: “I was recently contacted by a headhunting firm recruiting for an academic position in Texas. I was honest in my response that I would not consider a position in Texas under the current state leadership, because it would not be safe for me or my family to live there.” That was a professor of epidemiology at the University of Arizona. Prof, it’s gotten a lot worse.
We might well ask, “Why now?’ After all, Plato’s teachings have been around since he died in 347 BC (Before Censorship).” It’s because Texas’ leaders are nothing but lapdogs to the occupant of the Oval Office. So these classroom restrictions were
not hatched in Austin. Why should you care? Because you’re paying for it. Finally, three money matters in Texas higher education. South of Amarillo there is the small town of Canyon, home to West Texas A&M University, which handles a splendid take on Texas: The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. It is home to the largest collection of historical materials in Texas – more than 2 million artifacts. The museum may have to close because A&M regents said there’s no more money. Next: Remember those parents who bribed coaches to let their unqualified kids enroll in “elite” universities? Stanford, Yale, and, uh, UT. (That should make a great bumper sticker.) And the Longhorn football team has stolen a receiver: Auburn’s Cam Coleman. He agreed to more than $2 million – although one source said the price tag could be as high as $3 million. Texas should create “a University of the first class?” Sorry, class dismissed. Ashby bleeds orange at ashby2@comcast.net
ended.
If you're of a certain age (like me), you nay have first learned of this story from the music video of Paul McCartney's 1983 song “Pipes of Peace,” in which the still-youthful former Beatle, with some cosmetic alterations, portrayed both a British and a German soldier. For a music video in the early days of MTV, the production was quite impressive. In 2014, the British chocolate maker Sainsbury's released an online advertisement telling the same story, following the plot of the McCartney video nearly beat for beat (although as I recall the company denied any intentional plagiarism).
A public radio series called Peace Talks Radio has also told the tale, which you can find online at goodradioshows. org/peaceTalksL103.htm.
I've never seen “Joyeux Noel,” but having just watched the trailer, I can tell you that the HGO production of “Silent Night” follows the film very closely. And since this production is co-produced by New York's Metropolitan Opera, with the two companies sharing costs, the onstage results are highly cinematic. An early battle scene is as realistic a depiction of war as I've seen, all the more so since audience members are seeing the action happen right before their eyes.
The opera follows the story in the trench bunkers of German, French, and Scottish troops and on the battlefield above –the production design is fantastic – and by the heartbreaking finale, the impact is almost overwhelming. On Friday night, after the curtain fell, it took the audience a little bit to begin to applaud, but then the ovation was tremendous. (The production runs through February 8.)
On Saturday, most of us woke to the news of the shooting death of protestor Alex Pretti – a U.S. citizen and a Veterans Affairs intensive care nurse – in a confrontation with federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, the second such death in that city this month, when the Trump Administration considerably amped up its operations in that city. Predictably, the two “camps” that our country now seems to be thoroughly divided into drew their battle lines on social media, broadcast media and cable television. I've seen the on-scene videos and read the analyses of media outlets
I trust, and I've drawn my own conclusions about what happened. If you are of a different mindset, there's little I could say here that would likely change your opinion. One thing I do know: our nation can't long go on like this. I've “been” to Minneapolis only once, and that was during my time in the Navy when I was making a connecting flight returning home to Texas from Hawaii, having flown off my ship on emergency leave. I arrived at the airport late at night, and never went outside. It was the middle of winter, and as my plane took off, I looked out the window and saw the entire landscape blanketed in snow, something this nearly lifelong Texan had never seen. It felt like I was looking down at the Moon. I imagine it looked very much like the Western Front did on Christmas Eve, 1914. Extreme weather events like hurricanes and winter storms have a way of connecting people. Do you remember how, in the aftermath of 2017's Hurricane Harvey, the entire country applauded the greater Houston region for how we came together during that horrendous, weeklong event? The New Yorker magazine famously had a cover illustration depicting people dressed in blue in a red pickup truck helping people out of a boat in the flood. The Dallas Morning News, of all outlets, named Houston as “Texan of the Year.” That was during the first Trump Administration, when it seemed that Americans could not be further apart. Today, that assumption almost seems quaint.
On Saturday afternoon, after absorbing the news of the day, with the previous night's production still fresh in mind, I posted this on Facebook: “Art. Literature. Science. Ideas. Truth. These are the things that will save us.” A friend and former newspaper colleague added another word: “Hope.” I wish I could say I feel hopeful that all of this will soon pass. Some moments, I still do.
Fountain tries at KFountain@fortbendstar.com
County Judge candidate forum set for Feb. 4
Staff Reports
With early voting for the March 4 primary elections set to begin on February 17, candidate forums for several offices in Fort Bend County are beginning to ramp up. Perhaps the most closely watched races will be for the two major parties’ nominations for County Judge, the county’s top elected official.
On Wednesday, February 4, the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce will host a forum including all of the Democratic and Republican candidates for County Judge at Safari Texas Ranch, from 5:307:30 p.m. The venue is located at 11627 FM 1464, Richmond.
This year’s race takes on a bit of extra frisson as the incumbent, KP George, is set to begin trial Tuesday on two felony counts of money laundering (see accompanying story on Page 1). George, who was first elected as a Democrat in 2018 and reelected as one in 2022, switched his party affiliation to Republican last June, after being indicted for a misdemeanor charge of misrepresentation of identity by a public official.
In the Republican primary, George faces four challengers. They are businessman and former Sugar Land City Council member Daniel Wong; certified public accountant Kenneth Omoryui; attorney Melissa M. Wilson; and attorney and U.S. Army veteran Daryl Aaron.
On the Democratic side, there are also five candidates on the ballot. They are Precinct 4 Commissioner Dexter McCoy; 434th District Court Judge J. Christian Becerra; attorney and Sugar Land Municipal Court Judge Rachelle Carter; political consultant Eddie Saijad and Houston Community College Board Trustee Cynthia Lenton-Gary.
All of the candidates have been invited to attend the forum.
The forum will be moderated by University of Houston political science professor and frequent media commentator Geronimo Cortina., which is free and open to the public. The forum will also be livestreams on the chamber’s Facebook page. Learn more and register through the chamber’s website, fortbendchamber.com.
FORTBENDSTAR.COM
FROM PAGE 1
What about the train tracks?
“The elephant in the room the whole time was, what
about the train tracks?” said Wright. “And you know that that obviously requires its sort of exploration.”
The tracks run along Kempner Street, to the west of the Char House. None of the proposals that didn’t move forward were due
PUBLIC NOTICE
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. has submitted an application to the Federal Communications Commission to register a 150-foot monopole located at 9231 Addicks Clodine Rd., Sugar Land, TX 77498. The Federal Aviation Administration has indicated no lighting is necessary. Interested persons may review the application by going to www.fcc.gov/asr/applications and entering the Form 854 File Number A1358646. Persons may raise environmental concerns about the proposed structure by filing a Request for Environmental Review with the Federal Communications Commission, Requests for Environmental Review, https://www.fcc.gov/asr/environmentalrequest.
Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students
The School for Little Children at Sugar Land Methodist Church admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
to the train tracks, which Wright said was encouraging.
“One interesting idea that came up through the process was having a pedestrian bridge over the highway so that people can connect to both sides, or even possibly having a parking structure on the one side of the highway.”
What do residents want?
The goal of the public meetings was to establish a cohesive vision and explore realistic options for the Imperial Historic District site, Wright said.
Participants expressed interest in a mixed-use space with strong walkability, designed to appeal to everyone—residents of all ages, lifestyles, and stages of life, he said. Some want an active, vibrant environment to be part of, while others simply want a place to visit and enjoy.
The report found strong consensus that the Imperial
GEORGE FROM PAGE 1
print deadline on Tuesday, there were no apparent impediments to the trial going forward in the 458th District Court in the Fort Bend County Justice Center. But in a case with high political stakes, that is subject to change.
In early January, George’s misdemeanor case – which had been set to begin
PUBLIC NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL HEARING
Katy Youth Care, LLC
General Residential Operation (GRO) – Residential Treatment Center (RTC)
Katy Youth Care, LLC has applied for a license from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to operate a General Residential Operation functioning as a Residential Treatment Center.
The proposed operation will provide 24-hour residential care and treatment services for youth ages 10 through 17, including treatment services for emotional disorders, in accordance with Texas Administrative Code Chapter 748.
As required by HHSC, an informational public hearing will be held to provide an overview of the proposed operation and services.
Date: February 7, 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: Virtual hearing via Google Meet https://meet.google.com/jex-rtpa-axc
Proposed Location of Operation:
28085 Morton Road
Katy, Texas 77493
Waller County, Texas
Services to Be Provided:
•24-hour residential care
•Treatment services for emotional disorders
• Therapeutic and behavioral health services consistent with HHSC licensing standards
This hearing is informational in nature and is not a forum for approval or denial of the license. Public comments may be submitted during the hearing.
For additional information, please contact: Katy Youth Care, LLC
Phone: 346-724-3050
Email: admin@katyyouthcare.com
Char House should be pre-
served and activated. The City of Sugar Land has begun Phase 1 preservation efforts, which focus on structural repairs and maintaining the building’s integrity. Construction is expected to begin in late 2026 and continue for 18 to 24 months.
“You all happen to be a community that’s done lots of planning, you have lots of great studies and different documents that were a real resource for us,” Wright said. “They helped launch us off in the right direction, taking a proactive approach, so the developer’s not guessing. A lot of our clients are private developers as well, and really they’re looking for guidance.”
Turning the Imperial Char House into a museum was a popular suggestion, the study found, potentially in partnership with local historical organizations and featuring rotating exhibits.
January 6 – was postponed to May 5 after his defense attorneys – Jared Woodfill and Terry Yates – filed a motion for continuance. They said prosecutors, on the eve of trial, provided them with a “voluminous” amount of new evidence obtained in discovery that they did not have time to fully review before trial. In a motions hearing last fall, George’s attorneys strenuously argued that the trial, which had originally been set for March, be pushed up so that it could be held before the primary season got fully underway.
In that case, which was indicted in October 2024, George is accused of conspiring with Taral Patel, his former chief of staff, in a “fake hate” social media campaign during his 2022 campaign for reelection against Republican Trever Nehls, a former Fort Bend County constable. Patel, who earlier had been accused of multiple felony and misdemeanor cases, last April accepted a plea deal and is expected to be a key prosecution witness in George’s trials. (Nehls, incidentally, is running in the Republican primary to secede his twin brother Troy as U.S. Representative for the 22nd District of Texas.)
During the months-long runup to trial, Fort Bend County prosecutors and George’s legal team have traded numerous accusations of wrongdoing or otherwise inability to participate in the cases. In late October, Woodfill and Yates filed motions accusing Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton of prosecutorial misconduct. They said evidence they obtained in discovery showed that Middleton, a Democrat elected official, had been an active participant in the alleged “fake hate” scheme
The Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center is located just steps from the Char House, making such a use a natural fit, Wright said.
“When I asked about the need for museum, a lot of people said, ‘Well, I just don’t know what else it could be’,” he said. “And it’s an historic building, so museum could work, fair enough.”
Residents expressed interest in more local restaurants and private event spaces, with some suggesting the Char House be redeveloped as a multilevel food hall.
“There was a real strong desire for more local restaurants and rather than chains coming in,” Wright said. “And so they really, again, were leaning into the authenticity of the place.”
Earlier suggestions included redeveloping the Char House as a hotel, but a May 2025 market and feasibility analysis found the use unfeasible due to market saturation, with numerous
conducted by Patel. They accused Middleton and some associates used messaging apps like Signal which delete messages after a period of time in order to hide their communications.
The prosecutor’s office denied the allegations, and in December 458th District Court Judge Maggie Perez-Jaramillo denied the defense team’s request that Middleton and his office be removed from the prosecution. In the same hearing. the judge found that George had fully and knowingly waived his right to any future challenges to court actions against him, including on appeal, based on a potential conflict of his interest with Woodfill surrounding the alleged theft of campaign funds from George by a former employee of the attorney.
Also in December, prosecutors filed motions and argued in a h earing that George and his team should be sanctioned for what they said were flagrant and repeated misstatements of law and fact about the felony cases in court filings, statements to the news media and on social media. At the end of the nearly hour-long hearing, Perez-Jaramillo said she would take under advisement the prosecution team’s request for sanctions, but told lawyers from both sides to endeavor to try the case in the courtroom, not outside. On January 9, she denied the prosecution’s motion for sanctions against the defense team.
‘All the while, the legal teams for both sides have added some heavy hitters.
In November, the prosecutor’s office hired prominent H ouston attorney Brian Wice, who has also served as a media legal analyst, as a special prosecutor. According to the prosecutor’s office, Wice was retained for his
hotels already operating or planned in the area, Wright said. The report noted that a boutique hotel could be possible but would be costly.
Given the Char House’s height, many participants expressed interest in using the rooftop as a lookout point offering beautiful views.
The Sugar Land City Council was slated to revisit the issue during a workshop meeting on Tuesday, J anuary 27, after the Fort Bend Star’s print deadline. A resolution to adopt the final guiding pillars and vision statement is expected to come before City Council on February 3. Learn more about plans for the Imperial Historic District on the city’s dedicated webpage, sugarlandtx.gov/2328/ Imperial-Historic-District.
Varma can be reached at juhi.varma@gmail.com.
particular expertise in the early-2010s money laundering case against former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay of Sugar Land, which the defense team has relied on as precedent in many of its pretrial filings.
The defense team and George himself told reporters that Wice was being paid “hundreds of thousands” in taxpayer dollars. But Wesley Wittig, Fort Bend County second assistant district attorney and spokesman for the office, told reporters that Wice was being paid through asset forfeiture funds, with the amount not to exceed $20,000.
In the meantime, the defense team engaged David Medina, a former Texas Supreme Court justice now in private practice. Medina made the primary defense argument in the December hearing in which the issue of sanctions against the defense lawyers was heard. The defense team has also filed notice to call David Taylor, a prominent Houston lawyer who has long been involved in representing Republican officials, as an expert witness. The prosecutor’s office filed a motion asking PerezJaramillo to hold a hearing on whether Taylor should be admitted as an expert witness. On January 15, the judge signed an order stating that the hearing would be held at trial. According to Wittig, the third-degree felony of money laundering is punishable by between two and 10 years in state prison and up to a $10,000 fine. If convicted, George could be eligible for parole, Wittig said. As the trial is set to begin Tuesday, after the Fort Bend Star’s print deadline, the Star will provide continuing coverage on its website. fortbendstar.com.
Local youth theater groups do well at national festival
Community Reports
Students representing Fort Bend County-based Inspiration Stage and Fort Bend Christian Academy were among the student theater groups who received awards and recognition at the 2026 Junior Theater Festival Atlanta. The festival dedicated to rewarding and celebrating excellent student-driven musical theater programs was held January 16-18 at the Cobb Convention Center in Atlanta.
At the festival, each group performed 15 minutes of a Broadway Junior ® musical for adjudicators.
Inspiration Stage, based in Sugar Land, received the Excellence in Pod Award. for its presentation of Broadway Junior Revue: Raise Your Voice to Morgan Rose-Morgan Rose-Johnson, Educator/ Director/Choreographer and Dance Captain for Broadway's School of Rock, First National Tour of Shrek the Musical and Off-Broadway's Dear Edwina; Inspiration Stage received the Excellence in Pod Award.
Sophie Lowe and Joseph Bunac were named Junior Theater Festival All-Stars, a select group of outstanding performers. Kailynn Scott, Layla Nichols, Emma Hoang, and Lily Gremmingeer made it to the call-back to a yet-tobe announced special project promoting musical theater in schools, and Kayleigh McCarter received an award for Outstanding Individual Performance.
Inspiration Stage is a national award-winning performing arts studio and theatre for ages four through adult. The program believes theatre promotes and instills intellectual, emotional, physical, and communication skills by cultivating freedom of personal and creative expression.
Inspiration Stage has also enjoyed success at past Junior Theater Festivals. As recipients of the Freddie G Outstanding Production awards in 2024, 2019, 2017, and 2016 JTF Atlanta, the group performed a song for all attendees during the closing ceremony. Inspiration Stage has also won Freddie G
Excellence in Dance awards (2025, 2023, 2022, 2018 and 2015 JTF Atlanta & 2025 JTF West), a Freddie G Excellence in Ensemble Work award (2021 JTF OE), Freddie G Excellence in Music awards (2020 JTF Atlanta, 2020 and 2019 JTF West) awards, and Freddie G Excellence in Acting (2023 JTF West, 2021 JTF Texas and 2014 JTF Atlanta) awards.
The group has performed on the main stage multiple times. In 2020, Inspiration Stage presented selections from Matilda JR. for all festival attendees at the JTF Atlanta New Works Showcase. At the JTF West in 2019, Inspiration Stage presented Frozen JR. at the festival’s New Works Showcase. At the 2018 JTF, its students performed selections from Children of Eden JR., and were introduced by the show’s composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. In 2017, Inspiration Stage joined other students to perform a surprise musical tribute of “Why We Tell the Story” to Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, when they received
the iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Legacy Award. Fort Bend Christian Academy, a Pre-K-12 private institution based in Sugar Land, presented Disney's The Lion King JR. to Jeff Hall, Senior Program Director, Disney Live Entertainment; Board Member, Educational Theatre Association; and Nina Meehan, director and playwright. The group was named an All-Festival Performance Group and received the Excellence in Pod Award. Chase Harris and Asher Oliu were named Junior Theater Festival All-Stars, a select group of outstanding performers. Grace Baird, Harper Brown, Kelcy Nguyen, and Trinity Simpson made it to the call-back to a yet-tobe announced special project promoting musical theater in schools. Joellie Cadiz, Gabby Anthony, Trinity Simpson, and Joanna Anthony earned an award for Outstanding Student Direction & Choreography; and Gabby Anthony earned an award for Outstanding Individual Performance.
Alzheimer's disease conference set for Feb. 11 in Med Center
Community Reports
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America will kick off its 2026 National Educating Across America Tour with a free Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference for Houston-area residents on Wednesday, February 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Houston Marriott Medical Center/Museum District, 6580 Fannin Street. The free conference is open to everyone and will allow participants to learn from experts in the field of Alzheimer’s disease, brain health, and caregiving.
“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate, especially something as challeng-
ing as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President & CEO, said in a news release.
“Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about.
Whether Alzheimer’s is affecting your family, you are a caregiver or just want to learn more about brain health, we invite you to join us on February 11.”
Advance registration is highly recommended. Register by visiting www.alzfdn.org/tour.
Sessions during the AFA conference will include:
Impact of Recent Advances in Alzheimer’s Disease to Patients and Their Families–
There are many technological advances in therapy and diagnostics for Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. George Perry will discuss the potential benefits and risks of these new approaches and how they may impact patients and their families. The discussion will provide practical guidance to help families make informed decisions about adopting these innovations in care.
Dr. Perry is a Professor of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology and holds the Semmes Foundation Distinguished University Chair in Neurobiology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is also a member of AFA’s Medical, Scientific, and Memory Screening Advisory Board.
Fort Bend Christian Academy's theatre program includes musical theatre and technical theatre classes and productions for middle and high school students. Honors Theatre Production students partner with American Sign Language (ASL) students to present annual "shadow" shows for deaf audiences and perform a cut of this show annually for the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. Advanced Musical Theatre students in middle school attend the Junior Theater Festival West in Sacramento, California each year. Fort Bend Christian Academy in Sugar Land, Texas is a PreK-12 private institution.
2023 marked The Fort Bend Christian Academy's first trip to the Junior Theater Festival Atlanta where they were awarded a Freddie G Outstanding Production award. The group performed a song from their show during the closing ceremonies for all festival attendees. Additionally, Student Katie Breedlove was added to the Technical Theater All-Stars,
a select group of students who worked side-by-side with individuals to help run events. At 2024 JTF Atlanta the group won a Freddie G Award for Excellence in Music Jack Brown and Matthew Schwab were named Junior Theater Festival Performance AllStars. Katie Breedlove was named to the Technical Theatre All-Stars, a select group of students who worked side-by-side with individuals to help run events. Alyssa Cook received a Freddie G Award for Outstanding Individual Performance. At 2025 JTF Atlanta the group won the Excellence in their Adjudication Group Award. Students Gabrielle (Gabby) Anthony, Trinity Simpson, Joellie Cadiz, and Naomi Jones won the Outstanding Student Direction or Choreography Award. Gabby Anthony was also awarded All-Festival Individual. At 2025 JTF West the group received the AllFestival Performance Group award and Beck Brown earned the Outstanding Individual Performance award.
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America will offer a free Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at the Houston Marriott Medical Center/ Museum District. Via Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
Fort Bend Christian Academy (pictured) and Sugar Land-based Inspiration Stage were among the youth theater groups who received awards and recognition at the recent 2026 Junior Theater Festival Atlanta. Contributed photo
Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to editor@fortbendstar.com FOR
RICHMOND/ROSENBERG ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP MEETING
Please join us on Thursday, February 5, at 7 p.m. for our monthly meeting. We will be meeting in Room 105, the Gathering
ONGOING
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES AT GPBC
In conjunction with the Literacy Council of Fort Bend Bend County, Grand Parkway Baptist Church will offer ESL classes on Tuesday nights from mid-August 2025 through May 2026. We are located at 12000 FM 1464, Richmond, across from Austin High School. Our students speak several languages and encompass many faiths, all are welcome. For more information call 281-277-2200 and ask for ESL information. You may also email ESL@grandparkway.org
EMMY-NOMINATED FORT BEND BOYS CHOIR HOLDING AUDITIONS
The Fort Bend Boys Choir is seeking talented young boys who like music and singing. If know of one, encourage him to audition for our award-winning and Emmy-Nominated Fort Bend Boys Choir! No experience is necessary and boys should be around eight years of age or older with an unchanged voice. Auditions are by special appointment at the First United Methodist Church Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City, TX. Visit the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s webpage at www.fbbctx.org or call (281) 240-3800 for more details about auditions. Benefits as a choir member include greater self-esteem and selfconfidence, better work ethic and a sense of belonging and community. A boy’s voice has an expiration date so it is important to audition when boys’ voices are still unchanged. Auditions are free!
AMERICAN LEGION POST 942
311 Ulrich Street, Sugar Land meets the fourth Tuesday of each Month at 7:00 pm. All Veterans are welcome.
LOVING FRIENDS IS A GROUP OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO ARE WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS THAT MEET MONTHLY FOR LUNCH, FRIENDSHIP, AND SOCIALIZATION Lunches. are planned for the fourth Tuesday of the month at various local restaurants. Please contact Bobbie Tomlin at {281} 967-0718
For more information about us and to learn about this month’s planned lunch. We hope to meet you soon.
QUAIL VALLEY GARDEN CLUB
The Quail Valley Garden Club is very busy, not only with meetings, but with some fun “stuff” for our members and the community. Please find our fall schedule of events that the QVGC will be involved with this fall leading up to the holidays.
FBJSL IS ACCEPTING CAF GRANT APPLICATIONS
We provide grants of up to $5,000.00 to charitable causes serving Fort Bend County with requests to fund a critical need, pilot a program, or expand a significant service to the community. If your agency or organization is interested in applying for a CAF grant, please visit the Request Support page of the FBJSL website (www.fbjsl.org/request-support). All applications should be submitted via e-mail to brccom@fbjsl.com.
THE SANCTUARY FOSTER CARE SERVICES
We are a child placing agency that provides wrap around care support for foster children and foster families. We provide free therapy services, 24 hr. crisis intervention, respite/alternative care services and community-based support. For more info, www.sanctuaryfostercare.org
ALIEF AARP CHAPTER 3264
Meets the first Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. at Salvation Army Church, 7920 Cook Road, Houston, TX 77072. Educational Program/Entertainment at each meeting. Bus Trips every month. Seniors 50 and above invited. Call 281785-7372 for more information.
SUGAR LAND ROTARY CLUB
Sugar Land Rotary Club, the nation’s oldest community service organization, wants you to be its guest at a meeting that could turn out to be the best fit for
Constellation Field hosts college baseball games
Community Reports
Constellation Field will host multiple collegiate baseball games during this spring, including the Bregman Cares Classic from February 6-7, Purdue’s Opening Weekend Series against Portland from February 13-15 and five games for the University of St. Thomas, first on February 17, then a three-game series from April 2-3 and a single game on April 14.
The Bregman Cares Classic will feature four schools: Galveston College, Ranger College, Wharton County Junior College and Howard College. Admission is free but attendees must claim a voucher by visiting milb.com/ sugar-land/events/bregmancares. Parking is free and gates will open 30 minutes before the start of the first game.
2026 Bregman Cares
Classic Schedule:
• Friday, February 6
2 pm – Galveston vs. Ranger
6 pm – Wharton vs. Howard
• Saturday, February 7
11 am – Galveston vs. Howard
2 pm – Wharton vs. Ranger The Purdue Boilermakers return to Constellation Field to begin their season, taking on the University of Portland for four games across three days from February 13-15. Tickets for each game are available for purchase at milb.com/sugar-land/events/ portland-purdue and range from $13 - $15 for general admission tickets, with children ages three and under receiving free admission. Weekend packages are also available for $35, and parking is $7 per day per car. Gates open 30 minutes prior to the start of the first game each day.
Purdue Opening Weekend Schedule:
• Friday, February 13
3:30 pm – Gates open 4:00 pm – First pitch
• Saturday, February 14 (Doubleheader)
11:30 am – Gates open 12:00 pm – First pitch of Game One
30 minutes after completion of Game One – First pitch of Game Two
• Sunday, February 15 11:30 am – Gates open 12:00 pm – First pitch Finally, the University
getting involved with a local, non-political, humanitarian service organization with a global presence to satisfy your passion. We’re on a quest for new members! Call or email Dean Clark, 832-987-4193, sugarlandrotaryclub5890@gmail.com
We just started a new evening club also. Contact me
of St. Thomas will play five total games at Constellation Field this spring. Tickets for all five games will be $13 and can be purchased online at milb.com/sugar-land/events/ st-thomas-baseball. Parking is free for all St. Thomas games at Constellation Field. 2026 St. Thomas Schedule at Constellation Field:
Tuesday, February 17 vs. East Texas Baptist University
5:30 pm – Gates open 6:00 pm – First pitch
• Thursday, April 2 vs. LeTourneau University
5:30 pm – Gates open 6:00 pm – First pitch
• Friday, April 3 vs. LeTourneau University (Doubleheader)
11:30 am – Gates open
12:00 pm – First pitch of Game One
30 minutes after completion of Game One – First pitch of Game Two
• Tuesday, April 14 vs. Trinity University
5:30 pm – Gates open 6:00 pm – First pitch
Constellation Field will host multiple collegiate baseball games this spring. Photo by Ken Fountain
