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Commissioners Court approves $1.5 million toward Sugar Land 95 memorial Staff Reports Fort Bend County Commissioners’ Court on December 4 voted to approve the investment of $1.5 million in county parks bond funds towards the Fort Bend Independent School District’s Sugar Land 95 Memorial Project. The Interlocal Agreement with FBISD was spearheaded by Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers. The investment intends to provide the initial funding to improve site accessibility and make much-needed improvements to the cemetery grounds. The moves comes more than seven years after the remains of victims of Fort Bend County’s convict leasing system were discovered on a site of the then-planned James Reese Career and Technical Center. he discovery set in motion a series of legal proceedings and controversies, which made national and international headlines, as the ugly history of the area’s convict leasing system became widely known. “As FBISD Board President, both during the discovery of the cemetery and today, I am extremely thankful that the county has partnered with the school district,” FBISD board president Kristin Tassin told commissioners during the December 4 meeting. “This investment will be a catalyst for the work that needs to be done to memorialize the historic cemetery.” The total project cost is estimated at $4 million. FBISD Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith was expressed to Commissioners COurt his gratitude and excitement to “cross the finish line” on such an important project. FBISD is working with the nonprofit organization Friends of the Sugar Land 95 to continue efforts to raise additional funds for the project and engage the community in the memorialization process. The Sugar Land 95 Memorial Project is centered on the creation
SEE SUGAR LAND 95 PAGE 2
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Trials in George’s criminal cases approaching quickly By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
As the trials in Fort Bend County Judge KP George’s misdemeanor and felony criminal cases approach early next year, prosecutors and defense attorneys have engaged in recent weeks in a series of pretrial skirmishes amidst a flurry of legal filings and court hearings. Trial in George’s misdemeanor misappropriation of identity case, in which he is accused of conspiring with a former staff member in a “fake
hate” social media campaign during his 2022 campaign for reelection, is set for January 6. Trial in George’s two felony money laundering cases, in which prosecutors allege he tampered with campaign finance reports during his 2018 campaign while moving money between his campaign and personal bank accounts to make large purchases, among other things, is set for February 3. On Monday, a planned hearing in George’s felony money laundering cases was reset to Friday, December 15, because one of George’s attorneys,
Terry Yates, was ill. Yates is expected to make the main argument against a motion filed by prosecutors last week seeking to address what prosecutors call George’s defense attorneys’ “flagrant misrepresentations” in court filings and statements in the media. Wesley Wittig, second assistant district attorney and spokesman for the office, told the Fort Bend Star after Monday’s hearing that prosecutors are likely to argue that
SEE GEORGE PAGE 2
Fort Bend County Judge KP George, left, and lead defense attorney Jared Woodfill speak to reporters after a court hearing on Monday. George’s misdemeanor and felony case are set for January and February, respectively. Photo by Ken Fountain
A PUPPY FOR CHRISTMAS
Adoption event finds homes for 16 dogs and cats By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society in collaboration with Fort Bend County Animal Services (FBCAS) and Rosenberg Animal Control and Shelter (RACS) hosted a Home for the Holidays adoption event Saturday morning. Several adoptable dogs and cats were brought to the main hall at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds from the Blume Road shelter, and by the end of the day eight dogs and eight cats were adopted, according to FBCAS. “We do a collaborative adoption event the city of Rosenberg twice a year,” said Barbara Vass, assistant director at FBCAS. “In spring and during the holidays, to just bring attention to the shelters and the pets that need a home, especially during the holidays.” Nine-year-old Ty Tristan left the hall beaming, his arms
wrapped tightly around his new best friend, a 10-week-old glossy Black Labrador Retriever. “I’ve been researching online, and I’m also working in the Fort Bend area, and I found the flyer last night,” said his aunt Kristy Mcanas. “We knew he wanted a puppy.” Ty said he was very excited, and he was “waiting to see her personality” before he named his new puppy. Rosenberg resident Toni Kauffman and her 9-year-old son Elijah came to donate dog toys. “We already have two rescue animals, and we find it a good cause,” she said, glancing up from the puppy crate she sat in front of, clearly tempted to adopt a third. “We had some toys that my son wanted to donate to one of the shelters so that all puppies going home had a toy for Christmas.” “We’ve had a lot of interest,” said Mya Davis of RACS. “We’ve
SEE PUPPY PAGE 2
Kristy Mcanas, left, Ty Tristan, and Jackie Tristan happily go home with their newly adopted Black Lab puppy during the Home for the Holidays adoption event in Rosenberg on Saturday. Photo by Juhi Varma
GHP: Region to see slowing economic growth in 2026 By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Despite headwinds such as a cooling labor market, geopolitical uncertainty and a new uptick in inflation, the Houston region’s economy is positioned to expand next year, albeit at a slower pace since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Greater Houston Partnership’s chief economist told a group of business and political leaders. The partnership projects the region to add 30,900 jobs in 2026, although some sectors will see a loss in jobs, with a record 3.52 million jobs by the end of the year, said Colin Baker, GHP’s manager of economic research. The projection for 2025 had been 71,500 new jobs. Baker was the featured speaker at the partnership’s annual “Houston Region Economic
Outlook” event, held December 11 in a filled-to-capacity ballroom at the Royal Sonesta hotel in the Uptown area. The partnership serves as the region’s main chamber of commerce. It was Baker’s first time on the annual event’s stage since the retirement last year of Patrick Jankowski, who had held the role for four decades. Houston is comparing well in terms of economic growth with most of the other Top 20 metropolitan regions in the country, Baker said. One of the major drivers of that growth is the growing population into the region, he said. The region has added 1.3 million residents in the last decade, representing an increase of 20 percent, he said. Houston is the second-fastest growing metropolitan area in the
SEE GHP PAGE 2
Colin Baker, chief economist for the Greater Houston Partnership, tells attendees of an economic outlook event last week that the region will add 30,900 jobs in 2026. Photo by Ken Fountain
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