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In raucous meeting, commissioners West Nile virus pass new district map detected in Sugar Land By Ken Fountain
KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Staff Reports The city of Sugar Land has confirmed the presence of West Nile virus at a mosquito trap located near Greatwood Parkway and Wood Dale. The mosquitoes were trapped last week, and Sugar Land was notified over the weekend, that at least one mosquito in the trap tested positive for West Nile, according to a news release. The city said it will increase mosquito treatment in surrounding areas and is working closely with the Texas Department of State Health Services to trap and test mosquitos for the presence of the West Nile virus. The traps supplement the city’s larvicide and mosquito spraying operations. Humans can contract West Nile virus from a mosquito bite. Infected mosquitoes get the virus from feeding on infected birds. The virus can cause serious illness or death. Dr. Joe Anzaldua, the city’s medical director and health authority, urges residents to take precautions to reduce West Nile exposure. “Residents should use insect repellent whenever they are outdoors and avoid going outside at dusk and dawn when mosquitos are most active,” said Anzaldua, who added that the city of Sugar Land has a comprehensive monitoring and testing program intended to keep the public safe. “People over 50 years old and those with compromised immune systems are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill if infected with the virus. If people have symptoms that cause them concern, they should contact their healthcare provider immediately.” There are no medications to treat or vaccines to prevent West Nile virus infection. The uncommon, if not rare neuro-invasive illness, also known as West Nile Encephalitis, may include symptoms such as a stiff neck, vision problems, body tremors, mental confusion, memory loss and seizures. The milder, more common form of illness is West Nile Fever. Symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle and bone aches, nausea and drowsiness. People with the milder form of the illness typically recover on their own, although symptoms may last for several weeks. Up to 80 percent of people infected with West Nile virus will
SEE BITES PAGE 2
In a meeting that was unmatched for drama during Fort Bend County Commissioners Court’s months-long battle over redistricting precincts, a Republican majority on Monday passed a new map with two solidly Republican precincts and two solidly Democratic precincts. In doing so, they made good on their longsought goal of getting rid of the map passed by a then-Democratic majority in 2021 that gave Democrats a 3-1 majority. The Republicans at the dais and their supporters in the audience at the Fort Bend County Historic Courthouse said would bring political “balance” back to the governing body of what is an evenly divided county.
But the Democrats on the body – Precinct 4 Commissioner Dexter McCoy and Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage – said the new map splits the Asian-American Pacific Islander community – which had been concentrated in Republican Andy Meyers’s Precinct 3 – and also reduces the voting strength of the county’s Hispanic population. They also warned that the rare, mid-decade redistricting effort – which saw several different rationales since it began in February – could leave the county open to lengthy and costly litigation that could do further damage to the county’s image after a series of headlinegrabbing battles over the past several months.
SEE MAP PAGE 2
The new Fort Bend County precinct map, passed along party lines Monday, is designed to create two solidly Republican districts and two solidly Democratic districts. Courtesy Office of Fort Bend County Judge KP George
IN THE PINK
FORT BEND COMMUNITY HONORS BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS
Community members celebrate breast cancer survivors during the Fort Bend County Health and Human Services’ annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk last Friday. Photo by Juhi Varma
By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER
More than a hundred people dressed in vibrant shades of pink gathered Friday afternoon for Fort Bend County Health and Human Services’ annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk. Participants circled Richmond’s Mirabeau B. Lamar Homestead Park as Katy Perry’s “Roar” played over the speakers, setting an uplifting tone for the event. “We are not just walking for a
cause, we are walking for people – mothers, daughters, sisters, colleagues, friends, neighbors – we walk for the survivors with us, a symbol of courage and resilience, and we walk for those who are still fighting to remind them they are not alone,” said Fort Bend County Judge KP George. “Every family has a story connected to this particular illness. We are coming together to show support and create awareness.” In the US, an estimated 42,680 breast cancer deaths (42,170 in women, 510 in men) will occur in 2025,
according to the American Cancer Society’s 2025 report. Fort Bend County Health and Human Services (FBCHHS) has been hosting an annual BCA walk for county employees for five years. In Texas, the incidence of invasive breast cancer in women is among the highest in the nation, about 123 cases per 100,000 women, said Deputy Medical Director Dr. Nichole Brathwaite- Dingle of Fort Bend County. Alarmingly in Fort Bend County, about 31% of breast cancer cases in women of all ages are diag-
nosed at a late stage. “We can and must do better when treatment becomes significantly more challenging, and outcomes can be even worse when diagnosed at that later stage,” she said. Many who attended were breast cancer survivors, undergoing treatment, or had a personal connection to it, such as knowing someone affected or walking to honor them. “Today is about unity support and hope as our Fort Bend County
SEE PINK PAGE 5
State of the Schools set for Nov. 6 Staff Reports The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce’s Education Division will host the 18th Annual State of the Schools event on Thursday, November 6, from 11:30 a.m.– 1:30 p.m. at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond. Dr. Marc Smith of Fort Bend Independent School District, Dr. Roosevelt Nivens of Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, and Dr. Robert Bostic of Stafford Municipal School District will be the featured speakers at the event. The three districts together serve more than 120,000 students. Smith became superintendent of
Fort Bend ISD, the sixth-largest district in Texas, in January 2024. Before that, he served as superintendent of Duncanville ISD in the Dallas area after previously serving in administrative roles in Fort Bend ISD. Nivens became superintendent of Lamar CISD in 2021. Previously, he served as superintendent Community ISD, a district encompassing four communities located in the DallasFort Worth metroplex. In September, he was named 2025 Superintendent of the Year by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). Bostic recently announced his retirement after having led Stafford MSD for more than a decade.
Previously, he served as assistant superintendent at Denton ISD. SMSD in the only municipal school district in Texas. Education Division Chair Jennifer Henrikson will moderate a discussion exploring each district’s strategic vision, upcoming initiatives, and priorities for the 2025–2026 school year and beyond. Attendees will gain firsthand insight into how local schools are preparing the next generation to meet the evolving needs of our workforce and community. This event is presented by our
SEE SCHOOLS PAGE 2
The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce will host the 18th Annual State of the Schools event on November 6.
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