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Hanukkah celebration at Sugar Land Town Square - Page 5
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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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PAGE 2 • Wednesday, December 17, 2025
See us online www.FortBendStar.com
GHP
FROM PAGE 1
Fort Bend County Assistant District Attorney Charann Thompson, right, and hired special prosecutor Brian Wice confer outside the courtroom after Monday’s hearing in County Judge KP George’s felony money laundering cases. Photo by Ken Fountain
GEORGE
FROM PAGE 1
George’s attorneys have misrepresented the law in many of their motions. Among those alleged misrepresentations is George’s posting on social media and in a press release following a December 9 hearing in which 458th District Court Judge Maggie Perez-Jaramillo denied motions by lawyers for County Judge KP George to remove District Attorney Brian Middleton and his office from prosecuting George’s two felony money laundering cases based on allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, and that the charges should be dismissed. In the posting, which was issued through his political campaign, George castigated Middleton’s office for hiring prominent Houston attorney Brian Wice as a special prosecutor in the George cases, alleging that they did so because they weren’t “competent enough” to handle the cases. George also alleged that Wice was being paid “hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.” G eorge a nd Ja red Woodfill, his lead attorney, had both told reporters at the December 9 hearing that Wice was being paid through taxpayer monies. But Wittig, the prosecutor’s office spokesman, told reporters immediately afterward that Wice was being paid through an asset forfeiture
PUPPY
FROM PAGE 1
had people asking a bunch of questions, and fingers crossed, they’re gonna be coming back to the shelter once it’s a better time for them to adopt. We’re getting a lot of publicity for our dogs today.” Around 18 adoptable cats were kept in a separate, curtained-off section of the hall, creating a quieter space for visitors to meet them. “This is one of our pro-
fund, not taxpayer dollars, and that the cost was not to exceed $20,000. On Monday, following a sidebar hearing with the judge, attorneys met privately outside of court where prosecutors requested that George’s social media posting, which they called “defamatory” and potentially damaging to the potential jury pool, be taken down, to which the defense attorneys agreed. Also on Monday, attorneys for both sides agreed that a subpoena that would have compelled Middleton to testify in court was moot after Perez-Jaramillo last week denied defense attorneys’ request for a hearing on their allegations of prosecutorial misconduct. Defense attorneys in court filings and in media appearances have alleged that Middleton’s use of Signal and other messaging apps that delete messages after a certain period of time – including with Taral Patel, George’s former chief of staff who accepted a plea deal in his own criminal cases and is expected to be a key witness against George – show that Middleton moved to prosecute George out of personal animus after the two men had a falling out when George, like Middleton, was still a Democrat. Also in the December 9 hearing, Perez-Jaramillo found that George had fully and knowingly waived his right to any future chal-
lenges to court actions against him, including on appeal, based on a potential conflict of his interest with Woodfill, his lead attorney, surrounding the alleged theft of campaign funds from George by a former employee of the attorney. In the hearing, George – taking the stand for the first time since criminal charges were filed against him last fall – testified that he had no intention of ever filing a lawsuit against Woodfill stemming from the alleged theft by his employee and that he wished Woodfill to continue representing him. George, who switched his political affiliation from Democratic to Republican last June – after his criminal charges were filed – initially had hired an attorney affiliated with Rusty Hardin, a prominent Houston attorney who is affiliated with the Democratic Party. Woodfill is a former longtime chair of the Harris County Republican Party. Another pretrial hearing in George’s misdemeanor case, dealing with the same defense motions that PerezJaramillo denied in the felony cases, was set for Tuesday, after the Fort Bend Star’s print deadline. Early voting in the March 9 primary elections will begin on February 17. George is one of several candidates in the Republican primary for county judge.
motional events,” said Mack Randolph of FBCAS. “We keep the cats separate because it’s a lot for them, all the noise and walking back and forth, going in and out the door.” Adoptions were free and all pets were spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. Attendees enjoyed vendors, raffles, and every adopter took home a holiday gift bag to welcome their new pet home. The Home for the Holidays adoption event began three years ago.
RACS is an open intake, no kill facility for lost and surrendered animals from within Rosenberg city limits. Find out more about Fort Bend County Animal Services at fortbendcountytx.gov/ government/departments/ health-and-human-services/animal-services. Find out more about Rosenberg Animal Control & Shelter at rosenbergtx.gov/157/ Rosenberg-Animal-ControlShelter. Varma can be reached at juhi.varma@gmail.com.
country behind Orlando, Fla., which has a much smaller population, Baker said. He noted that most people moving to Florida are mostly doing so to retire, whereas people moving to the Houston area are moving here for work. Houston’s economic activity, as measured by what is called the Purchasing Managers Index, saw a slowdown in early 2025 in line with the national picture, but began to pick up again at about the midpoint of the year, Baker said. Announcements of business expansions in the region, particularly among bioengineering and other types of advanced manufacturing, bode well in the years to come, he said. “ Unfor tu nately, ou r economy does not exist in
a vacuum,” Baker said. Among the trends he noted that might hinder the regional economy next year are a slowdown in the national labor market; and a decline in the price of oil that will have downward effects on the petrochemical and related industries. For next year’s outlook, Baker noted that the GHP uses to make projections differs from other models, and that it is based on economic data only going through August, before the recent government shutdown during which many data sets were not released. The partnership projects modest national job growth, with a steady U.S. employment rate of near 4.4 percent with “sluggish hiring not resulting in broad layoffs.” Economic growth will remain stable, but with easing growth in Texas and nearby states in the second
Fort Bend ISD board president Kristin Tassin, with Superintendent Marc Smith and chief communications officer Chassidy Olainu-Alade, thanks Fort Bend County Commissioners Court for its contribution of $1.5 million toward the district’s Sugar Land 95 Memorial Project. Photo by Ken Fountain
SUGAR LAND 95 FROM PAGE 1
of an outdoor learning environment and a revitalized cemetery. The Sugar Land 95 State Convict Lease Labor Camp Cemetery was designated as a state cemetery in 2020, and a Texas State Historical Marker was installed in June. For more information on the project, visit fortbendisd.com/ sugarland95 or sugarland95.org.
This rendering by the Boston-based MASS Design Group depicts a conceptual plan for Fort Bend ISD’s Sugar Land 95 Memorial Project. Courtesy Fort Bend ISD
Worship Directory FORT BEND COUNTY
METHODIST CHURCH
STAFFORD CHURCH OF CHRIST • 281-499-2507
A United Methodist Community 3300 Austin Parkway • Sugar Land, TX 77479 Rev. Dr. Daniel Irving, Senior Pastor Sunday Schedule 9:30 am Blended Worship 9:30 am Sunday School for all ages 11:00 am Traditional & Contemporary Worship www.christchurchsl.org
402 Stafford Run Rd. -Stafford, 77477 Stephen Higley, Preacher Sunday Bible Study 9:30 am Sunday Worship 10:30 am Wednesday 7:00 pm www.staffordcoc.com
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH • 281-240-3195
502 Eldridge Rd. -Sugar Land, TX 77478 Reverend Dr. Fred Seay, Pastor Sunday Worship In Person 11:00 am / Nursery Available Worship Online on YouTube www.fpcsl.org
Scripture of the week
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. Several adoptable dogs were brought to the main hall at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds from the county’s Blume Road shelter. Photo by Juhi Varma
CHURCH OF CHRIST
CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND • 281-980-6888
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Mack Randolph of Fort Bend County Animal Services with adoptable cats. Eight of the 18 cats brought to the event went to their forever homes during the event. Photo by Juhi Varma
half of 2026. Consu mer spend i ng will see steady growth in the year, even as inflation year-over-year will be near 3 percent, according to the partnership. U.S. oil production will see a moderate decline in 2026, based on falling crude oil prices, while natural gas production remains steady. Most sectors will see job growth in 2026, led by heath care, construction, public education, public administration, and professional, scientific and technical services, according to the forecast. Sectors that will see job losses include information, retail, oil and gas extraction, manufacturing and administrative support. Fine the full “Houston Region Economic Outlook” publication online at houston.org/publications.
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MIRACLE CONFERENCE FREE EVENT Font Bend Epicenter. 28505 Southwest FWY, Rosenberg TX 77471 Apostle Johnson Suleman Pastor Benny Hinn Grupo Barak performing live Oct. 28th - 6pm Healing Service Oct. 29th & 30th - 9am & 6pm Service. Register at www.ofmhouston.org
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See us online www.FortBendStar.com
Wednesday, December 17, 2025 • PAGE 3
EDITORIAL Who’s been naughty or nice? Dear Santa, It’s me again, with my Christmas list. It’s not very long, and I have included gift suggestions for some of my best friends. OK, they aren’t really my best friends or even my friends. I don’t have any, but they really are in need of my suggestions. However, let’s start with the most important recipient of your gifts: Me. I could use some new clothes. Ever since Covid-19 I have been working at home which is hard to do as a valet parker – the tips are lousy – thus I have done very little exercise, mainly walking to the fridge and back for beer and doughnuts. I have put on a little weight. Like 20 pounds. Not even my valet parker’s vest will fit. Which reminds me, I tried moonlighting as a bodyguard for liberals on the U.S. Supreme Court but my f lak jacket won’t fit either. I am told my leisure suit is slightly out of fashion. Same for my spats. But with a little effort I can still get in my Nehru jacket. Also, I need a new car. I bought an electricpowered Tesla which works fine so long as I don’t drive beyond the extension cord.
Lynn Ashby Columnist
ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
Now my few suggestions for others. Gov. Greg Abbot needs new puppet strings. He has used the old ones so much that the strings are getting frayed and President Trump’s fingers are getting tired. Our Guv could also use a computer, or at least an abacus, to keep track of all the funds, one billion dollars, he is taking away from our public schools. He feels they are overfunded. And despite Abbott’s boast that Texas is a continued “leader in education success,” our public schools don’t seem to be doing too well compared to those in other states. The World Population Review ranks the states by quality of public schools. Of the 50, Texas ranks 40th. Consumer Affairs ranks our K-12 public schools’ perfor-
mance 30th. School funding rank: 45. Higher education rank: 22. School safety rank: 7. There are several other rankings of states’ public schools and Texas is usually about 40. To solve our poor rankings, Abbott has ordered Turning Point USA to create chapters on every high school campus. When it comes to our public schools, Abbott sure has did a good job. Oh, and give presents to the Texas legislators who are screening our school libraries. They’ve run out of matches. While on education, give the regents and administrators at both The University of Texas System and the Texas A&M System some courage to defy those stupid, meddling threats from the Trump gang who keep trying to mess with Texas. It really is embarrassing how the Longhorns and the Aggies are so subservient to clearly political missives. Whatever happened to Hook ‘Em and Gig ‘Em? They are meekly hooked and gigged. Could your elves include in your bag of goodies something for our Republican Cong ress members a nd Texas GOP lawmakers –
like spines? What a bunch of rubber-stampers. We sent them to Washington and Austin to represent us. All we have gotten for our money and votes are a bunch of wussies. At the same time, give the Democrats a leader, a vision, a purpose, a reason for anyone to vote for them. Can you leave me non-gerrymandered Texas congressional districts? If our candidates don’t know which district they are in, how should I know? Incidentally, before you slide down my chimney on Christmas Eve, I’ll try to put out the fire. You must get tired of all the milk and cookies people keep leaving for you, so I have left a glass of vodka along with a good cigar, only this time don’t take more than you leave. Mom needs her silverware. Moving on, please give me a new Wi-Fi company. My current server, Disable Cable, is down – again. T hat’s why I am communicating with you via semaphores. It’s too windy for smoke signals. While you are at it, I have given up on CenterPoint Energy, but my Home Owners Association objects to the 50-foot wind-
mill on my roof, so I need a new hamster and treadmill. Being the sports fan that you are, would you give the Houston Astros a healthy team, particularly among our starting pitchers? Last season the Astros had more wounded than the Confederate Army, and that led to an underwhelming season. Ditto for the Texas Longhorns, who were picked to be the Numero Uno football team in the nation. QB Arch Manning was touted – but not by him – to be Heisman material. Didn’t happen. Maybe next year. Then there was the Aggies’ “unbeaten season.” Where wa s “Joh n ny Footba l l” Manziel when they needed him? Also in sports, Houston already gets a gift. We will be hosting some teams in the World Cup next summer. It looks like we get Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan. Thanks a lot, Santa. I can hardly wait. U.S Rep. Henry Cuellar and Honduran ex-president and convicted drug kingpin Juan Orlando Hernandez have already received an ea rly Ch r ist ma s present, presidential pardons. Gh isla i ne Ma x well ex-
pects her pardon shortly. Speaking of Trump, please give America and the rest of the world a great Christmas gift: give us a break. Leave our health secretary, Robert Kennedy, Jr. an ear without a worm in it and a vaccine against stupidity. Last year you left me a stocking full of coal, which should make the EPA happy. Ads have been popping up on TV featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem against a backdrop of American f lags, galloping past Mount Rushmore on horseback or dressed as an ICE agent, all the while praising Trump for deporting illegal immig rants. Santa, can you leave me the $200 million those ads cost? Also, is there room in your sleigh for 12 million presidential pardons? I wish you would leave those ICE guys transparent masks. At least that way we will know who is whisking away our busboys – and my fellow valet parkers. A shb y i s li stin g ashby2@comcast.net
at
HAR: Area housing market offers buyers more visibility in November Staff Reports This November, Houston’s housing market gave buyers and sellers something to be thankful for as conditions continued to move toward balance, according to the Houston Association of Realtors. According to H A R's November 2025 Housing Market Update, singlefamily home sales dipped year-over-year for the first time since April. A total of 6,347 homes were sold in November, a slight decrease from 6,499 during the same time last year. Pending sales rose 7.2% year-over-year, signaling continued demand and ongoing market activity heading into the end of the year. Home prices continued to slightly moderate in November. The median home price declined 1.5% to $325,000, while the average price edged up 0.8% to $422,552, driven by more activity in the luxury market. The luxury segment – comprised of homes priced at $1 million and above and representing just 4.7% of all homes on the market – was the top performing sector, with transactions up 23.4% year-over-year. Sales activity slowed for homes in the $250,000 to $999,999 price range, which represented 72% of all home sales in November, as well as at the lower end of the market. Reflecting shifting market conditions, the average listto-sale price ratio declined to 92.2% in November, down from October and the lowest
The regional housing market continued to move toward balance in November, according to the Houston Association of Realtors. File photo
level since HAR began tracking the metric in 2001. “Houston’s housing market is setting into a balanced pace,” said HAR Chair Shae Cottar with LPT Realty. “Buyers now have more time, more options and a little more breathing room to negotiate. Sellers are still attracting offers, but realistic pricing and expectations make all the difference.” Housing Market Overview Sales of all property types across the Greater Houston area declined 2.7% yearover-year in November, with 7,475 properties sold. While multi-family properties and country homes saw stronger sales than last year, activity slowed across all other property types. Total dollar
volume edged down by 0.8% to $3.1 billion. Inventory levels continued to rise, with active listings increasing 19.4% from last year with 57,961 available properties. Single-Family Homes Update In November, single-family home sales declined yearover-year for the first time since April, while buyer interest remained steady. A total of 6,347 single-family homes sold versus 6,499 a year ago, which represents a decrease of 2.3%. The median home price was down 1.5% to $325,000, while the average price rose 0.8% to $422,552. The average price per square foot was $174, slightly lower than $175
Townhome/Condominium Update Demand for townhomes and condominiums cooled for the second consecutive month. Sales declined 8.3% year-over-year, with 341 units sold compared to 372 in
November of last year. Despite the slowdown in sales activity, prices continued to rise, as the average price increased 10.7% to $268,628, while the median price rose 2.4 percent to $230,000. Inventory levels expanded in November, reaching an 8.0-months supply, up from 5.8 months last year. Houston Real Estate Highlights in November • Single-family home sales declined 2.3% year-over-year. • Days on Market (DOM) for single-family homes went from 53 to 60 days. • The single-family median price declined 1.5% to $325,000. • The single-family average price edged up by 0.8% to $422,552. • Single-family home months of inventory expanded to a 5.0-months supply, up from 4.3 months a year ago. • Townhome and condominium sales were down 8.3% with 341 units sold. The median price increased 2.4% to $230,000, and the average price rose 10.7% to $268,628. • Total property sales declined 2.7% with 7,475 units sold. • Total dollar volume was down 0.8% to $3.1 billion.
Editor's note: The HAR report, lightly edited, is used by permission. Find the full report at https://www.har. com/content/department/ newsroom?pid=2210.
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last year. Affordability improved year-over-year for buyers with the average mortgage rate dipping from 6.81% in 2024 to 6.24% in November 2025, as reported by Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. When coupled with an assumed 20% down payment, the monthly mortgage payment for principal and interest of the median-priced home dropped from $1,722.84 to $1,599.17 – a savings of $123.67 monthly or $1,484.04 per year. Active listings of singlefamily homes totaled 36,620 in November, up 21.0 percent from last year and the lowest level since April, when 34,362 homes were on the market. Housing supply also reached its lowest point
since April, expanding to 5.0 months of inventory compared to 4.3 months a year earlier. For context, the national average currently stands at 4.4 months, according to the National Association of Realtors. Homes spent an average of 60 days on the market in November, up from 53 days during the same period last year. Broken out by housing segments, single-family home sales performed as follows: • $1 - $99,999: decreased 2.2% (89 transactions) • $100,000 - $149,999: increased 10.6% (146 transactions) • $150,000 - $249,999: increased 3.6% (1,240 transactions) • $250,000 - $499,999: decreased 6.4% (3,561 transactions) • $500,000 - $999,999: decreased 7.3% (1,009 transactions) • $1M and above: increased 23.4% (301 transactions) HAR also breaks out sales figures for existing singlefamily homes. In November, sales declined by 0.8% yearover-year, with 4,131 closings compared to 4,164 a year ago. The average sales price was statistically unchanged at $439,743, while the median price was essentially flat at $325,000.
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Nivens named finalist for 2026 Superintendent of the Year Community Reports
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Lamar CISD Superintendent and Texas Association of School Administrators president-elect Roosevelt Nivens, Ed.D., has been selected as one of four finalists for 2026 National Superintendent of the Year®, an award given by AASA, The School Superintendents Association. Nivens and the other finalists were chosen from among the state Superintendents of the Year for the national award program, co-presented by AASA, Corebridge Financial, and Sourcewell. It recognizes exceptional superintendents for their outstanding leadership and dedication to advancing public education in their communities. “Dr. Nivens is an inspiration to everyone who knows him,” said Kevin Brown, executive director of TASA, which nominated Nivens for the national honor. “His personal story is powerful, and it fuels his desire to help children and serve his community so very well. I have often heard him say that as a former offensive lineman, he moves things out of the way so that children can reach their potential and fulfill their dreams. Roosevelt is a man of integrity, faith, hard work and inspiration to all. He is an exceptional ambassador for Texas and the entire public education community.” Nivens has served as superintendent of Lamar CISD, one of the fastest-growing districts in Texas, since 2021. Prior to that, he was superintendent of schools in Community ISD, a district encompassing four communities in a fast-growth area in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. He began his career in education in 1996 as a teacher in Dallas ISD before working as an assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent of achievement and organizational management in Lancaster ISD. Nivens often speaks about this desire to ensure that students have choices and opportunities and in the power of “speaking life” into others, shaped in part by his own experience of having a teacher believe in him when he was a struggling student. “Every day you walk into the boardroom, every day you walk into the office, every day you walk into the classroom, remember there’s a young person in there that is thirsty and hungry for you to see them and to help them,” Nivens said in a press release. “That’s what we do as educators. This is our purpose. And our purpose isn’t what we do. Our purpose is what happens to others when we do what we do.” The son of educators, Nivens earned his bachelor’s degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in education from Texas A&M University-Commerce. He also trained
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Lamar CISD Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens has been selected as one of four finalists for 2026 National Superintendent of the Year. Courtesy Lamar CISD
at the Harvard Executive Leadership Institute, the Harrison Williams Collins Executive Leadership Institute and the Thompson Executive Leadership Institute. A TASA member since 2008, Nivens has chaired the Advocacy Committee and the Editorial Advisory Committee and served as vice president of the association. He is currently serving as TASA president-elect and will lead TASA in 2026-27 as president. In 2019, Nivens was named Region 10 Superintendent of the Year and National Superintendent of the Year for the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE). In 2022, he was named Latino Serving Superintendent of the Year by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS). In September 2025, following Nivens’ selection as Region 4 Superintendent of the Year, the Texas Association of School Boards named him the 2025 Texas Superintendent of the Year. Nivens and the other finalists will have an opportunity to meet the national education community during a press conference on January 8 that will be livestreamed for journalists, public education advocates, and the finalists’ supporters throughout the U.S. The 2026 National Superintendent of the Year will be announced, and the state nominees honored, at AASA’s National Conference on Education, February 12-14, 2026, in Nashville.
WHARTON | SUGAR LAND | | RICHMOND RICHMOND | | BAY WHARTON | SUGAR LAND BAYCITY CITY
w c j c .the e d u leader | 9 7 9 . 5 3Puzzlers. 2.4560
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WHARTON | SUGAR LAND | RICHMOND | BAY CITY
Answers found in this week’s Classified section ANSWERS 12/1/25 3:49 PM FOUND ON PAGE 6 SUDOKU
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aCrOss
1. Breezed through 5. What part of (abbr.) 8. Reciprocal of a sine 11. Moves suddenly 13. Household god (Roman) 14. Picasso mistress Dora 15. Old Italian monetary units 16. Brew 17. Especially capable 18. Coffeehouses 20. Not 21. Holly genus 22. Work done after 40 hrs 25. Immunization 30. More aseptic 31. The brain and spinal cord (abbr.) 32. Cambodian monetary units 33. Toward the stern 38. Wrath 41. Nicaraguan capital 43. Artifact recycling center 45. Injure severely 47. A steep rugged rock or cliff 49. Nothing
50. Bangladesh capital 55. Ground up corn 56. Measure of disc storage density 57. Smart ___: irritating 59. Persian dialect spoken in Afghanistan 60. Former CIA 61. Spanish auxilliary verb 62. ___ Titanic 63. Teensy 64. Banana genus
dOwn
1. Deaf signing 2. Fashionable 3. Girl’s name meaning “snow” in Welsh 4. Unhearing 5. Heavenly body 6. About heat energy 7. New Jersey capital 8. Steel rope 9. Selling 10. Eurasian land rail genus 12. Point midway between S and SE 14. Disfigure 19. Sound unit 23. Volt-ampere
24. Mentally deranged 25. TV taping device 26. 4th Caliph of Islam 27. Musician ___ Lo Green 28. Golden state (abbr.) 29. Importune 34. A recess in a wall 35. Honorable title (Turkish) 36. Hairy coat of a mammal 37. Small amount 39. Arc of spectral colors 40. Oval 41. Gym floor padding 42. Used of tobacco 44. Overnight case 45. Volcanic craters 46. Tangerine grapefruit hybrid 47. Military leader (abbr.) 48. Enlarge a hole 51. Express pleasure 52. Bivalve mollusk 53. Philippine Island, city and harbor 54. Unreturnable serves 58. Malaysian Isthmus
WORD SCRAMBLE
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THE STAR
Wednesday, December 17, 2025 • PAGE 5
HANUKKAH CELEBRATION AT SUGAR LAND TOWN SQUARE C
habad of Sugar Land hosted a celebration of the first night of Hanukkah at Sugar Land Town Square on Sunday, December 14. The event held special significance in the aftermath of a mass shooting at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Photos by Ken Fountain
Children enjoy bubbles in the plaza of Sugar Land Town Square.
Rosalyn Borger, left, Allison Morris, and Anna Gratz, representing three generations, light candles during the menorah-lighting ceremony on the first night of Hanukkah at Sugar Land Town Square on Sunday.
Attendees light candles during the event.
Rabbi Mendel Feigenson of Chabad of Sugar Land lights the first candle on the menorah at Sugar Land Town Square.
Sugar Land Mayor Carol McCutcheon, center left, and U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, center right, light candles during the event.
Sugar Land Mayor Carol McCutcheon, with Yosef Feigenson of Chabad of Sugar Land, speaks during the event.
Young people make Hanukkah-themed snacks at the event.
A girl hands out doughnuts to attendees at the conclusion of the event.
THE STAR
PAGE 6 • Wednesday, December 17, 2025
See us online www.FortBendStar.com
Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to editor@fortbendstar.com
FOR NON-PROFIT EVENTS
FORT BEND COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS FRUIT TREE SALE
Fort Bend County Master Gardeners are asking you to circle February 14 on your calendar. That’s when they will hold their annual fruit/citrus tree sale in Barn H at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, 4310 Texas 36 in Rosenberg. The sale will be open from 9 a.m.-noon or until sold out and will feature an estimated 75 varieties of fruit trees, berries and tropicals/subtropicals. A list of trees at the sale will be available soon. Give a gift that grows for Valentine’s Day!
ONGOING
QUAIL VALLEY GARDEN CLUB
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
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! 311 Ulrich Street, Sugar Land meets the fourth Tuesday of each Month at 7:00
FT. BEND ACCORDION CLUB
Meets on the 4th Sunday of every month from 2:pm - 4:pm at: CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND (in the Chapel) 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77479 FREE and Open to the Public! We welcome everybody! If you play accordion, beginners to professional and would like to play Call, Text or email: Vince Ramos Cell: 281-204-7716 vincer.music@gmail.com.
LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY
We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching adults to read. We need your help. Literacy Council is actively recruiting Volunteer Tutors to provide instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) Levels 0-5, three hours a week. For more information, call 281-240-8181 or visit our website www.ftbendliteracy.org.
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
EMMY-NOMINATED FORT BEND BOYS CHOIR HOLDING AUDITIONS
pm. All Veterans are welcome.
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.
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.
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES AT GPBC
AMERICAN LEGION POST 942
LOVING FRIENDS IS A GROUP OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO ARE WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS THAT MEET MONTHLY FOR LUNCH, FRIENDSHIP, AND SOCIALIZATION
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 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 for more info.
GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE
Give a Gift of Hope one-time or monthly. Your help provides access to therapies and services children with autism might otherwise go without. Please consider Hope For Three in your Estate, Planned, or Year-End Giving. Register now, or learn more about exciting events: www.hopeforthree.org/events.
DVD-BASED ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WITH NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED
Weekly class designed to help you understand and appreciate the Bible by giving you a better sense of the land and culture from which it sprang. The class meets at 9:30 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.). For more information call 281-240-3195.
EXCHANGE
EXCHANGE, America’s Service Club, always welcomes guests and is in search of new members! Various Fort Bend clubs exist and can accommodate early morning (7 a.m.), noon and evening meeting time desires. For more info, contact Mike Reichek, Regional Vice President, 281-575-1145 or mike@reichekfinancial. com We would love to have you join us and see what we are all about!
MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801
Meets the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m., at 2701 Cypress Point Dr., Missouri City Rec Center. Lunch, education, and entertainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more information, call 713-859-5920 or 281-499-3345.
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WORD SCRAMBLE Freeze
CRyptO fun
Answers: A. snow B. white C. fluffy D. accumulate