The 2-11-2026 Edition of The Fort Bend Star

By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Budget pressures, rapid population growth, mobility and government transparency emerged as key themes during a crowded candidates’ forum for Fort Bend County Judge held February 5 at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond.

The March 4 primary season is in its final stretch, with early voting set for to begin February 17 and lasting through February 27.

All 10 contenders – five Democrats and five Republicans –addressed a packed audience, doing their best to distinguish themselves with concise responses and pointed remarks. While several participants emphasized cooperation across party lines, some criticism was directed toward current county leadership.

University of Houston political science professor Jeronimo Cortina served as moderator of the event hosted by the Fort Bend Business Partnership (formerly the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce).

Ten candidates vie for county’s top post Incumbent KP George is one of five Republicans on the ballot, alongside businessman and former Sugar Land City Council member Daniel Wong; certified public accountant Kenneth Omoruyi; attorney Melissa M. Wilson; and attorney and U.S. Army veteran Daryl Aaron. On the Democratic side, voters will choose from Precinct 4 Commissioner Dexter McCoy; 434th District Court Judge J. Christian Becerra; attorney and Sugar Land Municipal Court Judge Rachelle Carter; political consultant Eddie Sajjad; and Houston Community College Trustee Cynthia Lenton-Gary. McCoy and George highlighted recent initiatives and decisions to support their campaign promises.

“From 2022, onwards, we are able to bring more than 1 millionplus dollars in hotel taxes,” said George. “I just had a conversation with the economic development director. He said around $2.1 billion worth of projects are in the pipeline right now…And also he said, more than $2.7 million are people just looking, not yet committed. These all are going to bring jobs in our community.” Newer contenders, meanwhile,

By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

A Fort Bend County judge last week denied a motion by defense attorneys for County Judge KP George to disqualify District Attorney Brian Middleton and his prosecution team from George’s upcoming felony trial on two counts of money laundering. Barring an appeal of the ruling, that clears the way for George’s trial to go forward in March.

In a January 30 hearing, Jared Woodfill and Terry Yates, George’s lead defense lawyers, told 458th District Court Judge Maggie PerezJaramillo that Middleton was the

subject of a “criminal investigation” related to the prosecution of George. But in neither their motion to disqualify the district attorney nor in Friday’s hearing did they disclose the agency conducting the purported investigation nor its nature. They did indicate it intersected with allegations they had already made about Middleton’s use of the messaging app Signal and his purported knowledge of and participation in a “fake hate” social media campaign allegedly conducted by George’s former chief of staff. The lawyers argued that under

COMING UP ROSES

By Juhi Varma CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A Sugar Land teen is gaining national attention for creating a card game that teaches financial literacy to children across Fort Bend County.

Trisha Bhatnagar, a senior at online public school Texas Connections Academy, won The UPS Store’s 2025 Start Small, Grow Big contest in partnership with nonprofit Junior Achievement.

“We started looking into creating the card game in November of 2024, and while we did create a prototype of the game by February of 2025, full development and creation took until July of 2025,” Bhatnagar, 17, said.

She received an all-expensespaid trip to Pasadena, Calif., where she attended the 137th Rose Parade on January 1 with VIP access and tickets to the Rose Bowl.

“It was amazing being able to see behind the scenes and the collaboration that goes into the Rose Parade,” Bhatnagar said.

Moreover, the UPS Store float, titled “Sharing Skills for Success”, set a Guinness World Records title for the largest animatronic fish with

its 34-foot-tall seahorse centerpiece, making it the tallest float in the parade. The float also received the Tournament of Roses Director Award for outstanding artistic design. The theme for the 2026 Rose Parade was “The Magic in Teamwork.”

Bhatnagar said one of her favorite moments was watching the official Guinness certification.

“A Guinness official… unfurled a giant measuring tape to measure the height of the float,” she said. “After the award was presented, I had the privilege of holding the official certificate and transporting it to their staging area.”

The experience also gave Bhatnagar rare access to corporate leadership. She said she was surprised by the level of personal attention from The UPS Store team, including a chauffeured airport pickup and time with company executives.

“As a student of business, it was a treat to interact with the executives… and learn from them,” she said.

The float highlighted The UPS Store’s partnership with Junior Achievement USA

Emotions run

By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

Approximately100 people, allotted three minutes each, spoke out against proposed Fort Bend ISD elementary school closures during both a special called meeting and an agenda review meeting of the school board Monday as

and

consultants say, pri-

because after peaking at around 80,000 students a couple of years ago, enrollment is now declining due to a number of factors, and there are areas of the district where schools are either surpassing capacity or are underutilized. At the special called

a provision of the Texas Judicial Code, Middleton should be disqualified from George’s case if it was determined that he was the subject of a related criminal investigation.

According to court records, the lawyers submitted a 9-page document under seal outlining what they said is the evidence of the purported criminal investigation for Perez-Jaramillo to review “in camera” (that is, in her chambers outside the courtroom). In a onepage order signed February 4, Perez-Jaramillo wrote that after being presented with the defense team’s evidence of the purported criminal investigation, she found that the evidence “is insufficient to show that Brian Middleton is the subject of a criminal investigation.”

Furthermore, she wrote, the evidence “is insufficient to show that there is any credible evidence that Brian Middleton engaged in criminal misconduct that constitutes an offense.” She therefore denied the defense team’s motion to disqualify Middleton and his prosecutors from the case.

In the January 39 hearing, Perez-Jaramillo agreed to a continuance of George’s felony trial - which had been set to begin on February 3 - to March 10 because another member of George’s defense team, former Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina, had a conflicting civil trial in San Antonio. Woodfill, George’s lead attorney, told the Fort Bend Star that the defense team “respects the judge’s ruling even if we don’t agree with it.” He said they would consider whether to appeal the ruling to the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston before the trial is set to begin in March.

In the two 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. A pretrial conference is set for February 23. Separately, George is facing a May trial on a misdemeanor charge of misrepresentation of identity by a public official. The trial in that case, which had been set for early January, was postponed to May 5 after his attorneys 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.

Sugar Land launches o ce development incentive program

The City of Sugar Land recently launched the Office Readiness Program, a new economic development initiative designed to modernize the city’s office inventory, increase occupancy, and position Sugar Land for long-term, balanced growth, according to a news release.

“This program is about preparing Sugar Land for what is next,” Mayor Carol K. McCutcheon said in the release. “By strengthening our office market, we are supporting quality job growth, attracting highcaliber employers, and ensuring our community remains competitive in the region. The Office Readiness Program reflects our commitment to purposeful progress and workforce-focused growth that aligns with today’s needs.”

The Office Readiness Program replaces the city’s previous Office Headquarters incentive policy, shifting the focus toward revitalizing vacant and underutilized office buildings. Incentives support building modernization, infrastructure upgrades, and tenant improvements that enhance

The Office Readiness Program provides financial incentives to property owners and office tenants who invest in upgrading professional office buildings within eligible office corridors. The program encourages office-type users currently operating in industrial or flex spaces to relocate into true professional office environments, while preserving limited industrial land for advanced manufacturing, logistics, and life sciences employers.

marketability and meet today’s workplace expectations.

Through performance-based agreements, the Sugar Land Development Corporation may reimburse up to 50% of eligible improvement costs for qualifying projects. The program prioritizes professional office uses located within designated office corridors and supports targeted industries such as business and professional services, information technology, corporate headquarters, and life sciences.

“Modern office environments are essential for companies looking to grow, recruit talent, and operate efficiently,” said Jennifer Alexander, the city’s business development manager. “The Office Readiness Program is a collaborative tool that helps property owners reinvest in their buildings, helps businesses find the right space, and helps the city maintain a balanced and resilient economy. It truly is a help us, help you approach.”

The program also supports adaptive reuse of older office buildings, creation of move-in-ready speculative office space, and increased occupancy in established office corridors. By transitioning office users out of industrial and flex facilities, Sugar Land can better align land use with long-term economic goals and preserve industrial areas for innovation-driven employers. Businesses, property owners, brokers, and developers interested in learning more about the Office Readiness Program are encouraged to visit SugarLandEcoDev. com/OfficeReadiness.

A look in our years’ view mirror

HE YEAR 2046 –

T“Grand Dad, what did you do in the war?”

“SallyMay, I didn’t do anything. I got a medical deferment because I had a bone spur on my foot. I don’t recall which foot or which doctor.”

“I meant the war on woke.”

That sent me into deep remembrance. Yes, it was 20 years ago, back in 2026, when our world changed. I recall with nostalgia those fall weekends when the UH Coogs took on LSU and Rice lost to Lamar -- the high school, not the university -- and the Longhorns played the Aggies. That ended when those two schools joined the NFL. The move came after their players refused to be drafted because they couldn’t afford the pay cut. (Incidentally classes at both schools were cancelled due to a lack of professors.) Then there were the Astros, who were known as the Houston Walking Wounded. Lance McCullers said he would be ready to play any decade. Meanwhile, the team is about to complete its 20-year rebuilding program. They even brought in a new trash can.

Life is like walking on a tightrope: Make one wrong step and you’ll fall off and onto the hard, cold ground below. That’s why having balance in your life is so important. In any relationship, each member must contribute equally. If someone isn’t giving their fair share, you will either lose the others by always standing on the sidelines, or you will lose yourself trying to compensate for everyone else.

Many animal species have symbiotic relationships; one cannot thrive without the

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET

We used to watch all those sporting events on network TV. Ah, yes, the TV networks. All long gone. Then we got only cable TV channels but we could get them for a mere $300 – a week. Gone, too, were those big, clumsy TV sets. Now we watch everything on our iPhones, but I hear they are also on the way out. We will have iGlasses. It’s good to know that newspapers have come back. We rediscovered that ink-on-paper comfort food was our only link to what was going on in the rest of the world except for Fox News. Elon Musk turned off his satellites until he owned everything. Musk had the support of his family – eight ex-wives and 43 children. One time a grandchild (not

43 of them) asked what was a penny? I had to look it up. Hey, don’t laugh. Same for shopping malls and movie theaters along with the Texas Democratic Party. Galveston Island, Sugar Land and Conroe are safe – at low tide. Some claimed climate change was a hoax, but they all died from the heat. Remember Texas public schools? They went out of business in 2030 due to lack of state funding, so the buildings were converted to Charter schools where the students could pray to the God of their choice, as outlined by the New Testament. Actually, our number of young people shrunk quite a bit after Robert Kennedy, Jr. abolished vaccines, bandages and most medical schools. Bitcoins and cryptocurrency came and went, collapsed when investors discovered there were no such things. That also led to the demise of the New York Stock Exchange. Fortunately, Y’all Street survived as it only dealt in reliable commodities such as wampum, beaver pelts and Dallas Cowboy futures. Likewise AI was a fad, too. We finally realized it’s hard for a computer to make love, fix a perfect martini or receive

a smile when we thanked a vet for her service. A machine in Pecos didn’t shake our hand, nor did it bury our dead or even sigh when the Texans fold in the playoffs. At the same time, a driverless car doesn’t need a tip. Neither do drones. Due to an overwhelming demand (the 54th recount in Georgia) enough votes were discovered in a bathroom in Mar-a-Lago to amend the Constitution to allow Donald Trump to be elected to his sixth term as president. He then flew in Wheelchair One, provided by his good friend, President Vladimir Putin. In 2040 President Trump said he would reveal his 2000 income taxes “as soon as the IRS finishes its audit.” Meanwhile, Congress is still awaiting the rest of the Epstein files.

Back in Texas, 2026 saw the end of illegal immigration when the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (aka Defenders of Freedom, Patriots of America or Jack Booted Hit Men, Masked Kidnappers and Raiders of the Lost Constitution, depending on your skin color and accent) were finally shifted from Minneapolis to our southern

border. Of course, that put an end to house construction, nannies and gardeners. Also, most restaurants closed. CenterPoint Energy announced there was no power blackout. We didn’t know that because of the power blackout. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality declared, “We think there is no air pollution in Pasadena, but we can’t find it.” The State Board of Education abolished all teaching of DEI, although one member asked: “DEI? How do you spell it?’ In Austin most members of the Texas Legislature were arrested for “impersonating a representative legislature.” They soon received a presidential pardon. Former Attorney General Ken Paxton did not receive a pardon and completed his sentence. Governor for Life Greg Abbot, after being warned, “I’m tired of waiting,” called out the Texas National Guard to put down the Dan Patrick coup. On the foreign front, President Trump said he wanted to annex Greenland. Big deal, everyone thought. Who cares? It turned out that the Greenlanders, all 56,000 of

Keeping your balance

other: bats feed on figs and spread their seeds far and wide; some birds get their meals by eating the pests off of large mammals; certain fungi provide food for ant colonies in exchange for protection. Human relationships should be much the same. Make sure that your own relationships

with everyone you care about, are an equivalent exchange, not just for your own benefit but for others as well. Balance in your work life is important as well; If you are perfectly capable of contributing to society and yet you choose not to, you are not living up to your potential. On the other hand, work too much and it will cost you everything you love, including yourself. I have been guilty of the latter on many occasions. It’s all too easy to overly focus on your job and wear yourself out. Taking a break whenever you need to is vital for not only your well-being, but also

your productivity; on a long car drive, it is better to stop for gas sometimes than to go the full distance in one sitting. Your health depends heavily on a balanced ratio of a plethora of chemicals, all of which can be dangerous in the wrong proportions. It is all too easy to get too much or too little of something important. This is why you must pay careful attention to the quality and quantity of your food; if you aren’t, it could take a bite out of you later. I once treated my body as if it were disposable; I was young and simply didn’t know better. A new PE teacher and his rigorous rou-

tine for his students (imagine waking up an hour early to do push-ups, squats, and sit-ups) made me realize just how far I had let myself go.

Since then, I have made big changes to my diet and daily routine; I make sure to walk half a mile every day and limit how many calories I take in with each meal. A healthy lifestyle takes effort, but you will wake up every morning with a smile on your face and determination to get things done.

them, cared, as did their landlords, the Danes. One thing led to another and pretty soon the Danes’ European allies sent their troops and gunboats to protect Greenland. Trump said the island must be invaded because “it was necessary for America’s safety and, like Iraq, they had nuclear weapons.” When a reporter pointed out that Iraq never had nuclear weapons and that the Iraq War was a total expensive and bloody disaster, War Secretary Pete Hegseth wisely retorted: “What’s your point?” History has not been kind to the Americans of 2026. Fortunately, our situation has changed, or as President Gerald Ford said after taking over from the disgraced Richard Nixon and the debacle of Watergate: “Our long national nightmare is over.” Twenty years later there are no schools, parks or hospitals named for the leaders of that time. The world once again looks to our nation as a beacon of liberty, stability and McNuggets. “Grand Dad, what’s a book?” In 2046 Ashby is still at ashby2@comcast.net

Life can go in all sorts of directions, but as long as you have some control, you’ll make it out alright. Keeping your mind and body healthy requires careful control of everything that goes into them. So tread carefully, keep your balance, and stay on the tightrope. If you keep walking, you’ll thank yourself for it. Nicholas is a student of the WIDE School, class of 2027, a pianist, and an aspiring author. If you are a Fort Bend County high-school-age student (public, private, charter, or homeschool) who might be interested in becoming a Youth Columnist, please send an email to editor@fortbendstar.com.

GHP looks at region’s economic performance in 2025

Staff Reports

Editor's note: In its

"Economy at a Glance" report for February, the Greater Houston Partnership – the regional chamber of commerce

– takes a look back at 2025 to assess how Houston’s economy performed—and how it stayed resilient through a year of uncertainty.

Economic data for the final months of 2025 continue to trickle in. With each report, a clearer picture of the previous year emerges.

• Job growth cooled nationwide. Houston still added jobs at a faster pace than the rest of the country, although its momentum eased from recent years.

• Even with slower job growth, unemployment stayed low—consistent with the national “low-hire, low-fire” environment.

• The Purchasing Manager’s Index signaled continued economic growth, led by non-manufacturing activity.

• Inflation remained above the Federal Reserve’s target, but well below the highs of recent years.

• Port Houston remained on track for a record year in container traffic, even as tariffs pulled down the region’s overall trade in dollar terms.

• Consumers kept spending on big-ticket items, with vehicle sales setting a new high and home sales rising.

• Construction contracts stayed solid, with strength in commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects offsetting softer residential activity.

Employment

Metro Houston created 14,800 jobs in 2025. That represents a 0.4 percent job growth rate, which falls below the 1.5 percent average

pace of the past decade. The slower pace reflects a broader national slowdown in hiring, which tempered job growth across the United States. Even so, Houston outpaced the rest of the nation for an eighth straight year, with the region’s 0.4 percent job growth rate surpassing the national 0.3 percent. That relative strength speaks to Houston’s solid fundamentals, including its diversified industrial base, large and growing population, and key role in global energy. December data are not yet available for a full calendar year comparison with other major metros, but the 12-month picture through November shows Houston out-

performing most of its peers. Metro Houston added 18,500 jobs over that span, ranking fourth among the top 20 metros and tied with Dallas. Only New York, Philadelphia, and Tampa posted larger gains. By contrast, Boston and San Francisco each shed nearly 10,000 jobs, and Washington D.C. lost almost 50,000 as federal workforce reductions hit the region especially hard. Fourteen of Houston’s 21 major sectors added jobs in ’25. The biggest gains came in health care, restaurants and bars, and public education, followed by solid growth in transportation and warehousing, private education, and construction. These in-

HELP SUPPORT

dustries, which largely serve the needs of local residents, continued to benefit from a growing population and steady consumer demand.

Six sectors lost jobs, with declines concentrated in office-heavy industries, especially professional, scientific, and technical services, and administrative support. Because these sectors largely serve other businesses, the pullback reflects softer client demand and tighter discretionary spending. Some share of that restraint stems from upstream oil companies tightening budgets as lower energy prices in ’25 compressed margins, prompting firms to scale back nonessential spending on

services, consulting, and backoffice support.

The Partnership expects a partial rebound in 2026, with job growth accelerating from last year’s pace even as it remains below long-run norms. The national headwinds that cooled hiring in ’25 are unlikely to lift quickly, so job gains should remain muted in the first half of the year. Even so, momentum could build as the year unfolds, setting the stage for a stronger second half.

The Partnership’s forecast calls for Metro Houston to add 30,900 jobs in ’26, more than double the 14,800 added in ’25. The region closed December ’25 just shy of 3.5 million non-farm payroll jobs (3,494,000). The

forecast expects Houston to cross that milestone in ’26 and end December at a new record high of 3,522,500 positions.

Unemployment

Despite the slower pace of job creation, Houston’s unemployment rate remained relatively low and never exceeded 5.0 percent during the year, reflecting the national “low-hire, low-fire” environment in which employers pulled back on new hiring but were reluctant to shed existing workers. The rate did increase from a low of 3.9 percent in April to hit a peak of 5.0 percent in August. But since late summer, conditions have steadily improved, with the unemployment rate retreating each month to end December at 4.2 percent. Overall, the pattern looks more like a typical mid-year soft patch than a broad-based pullback, with slack increasing modestly but remaining limited by historical standards. Importantly, the timing also aligns with Houston’s typical seasonal rhythm –unemployment often ticks up into mid-to-late summer as more high school and college graduates enter the job market and some temporary hiring fades, then eases in the fall and yearend as hiring stabilizes and holiday hiring picks up. Initial claims for unemployment benefits in the region were elevated for much of the year. They increased sharply from roughly 3,250 at the beginning of January to 4,500 by the end of March and remained heightened (with some swings) going into late November. But December saw a dramatic drop to end the year at roughly 4,000 new claims, and early readings from January indicate that downward trend is continuing into ’26. Find the full "Economy at a Glance" report at houston. org/houston-data/economy-ata-glance-february-2026.

emphasized their outsider status, presenting themselves as agents of change unburdened by prior political decisions.

“I think he’s done a rather mediocre to poor job as a county judge that’s irregardless of his legal troubles or his tendency to want to shift parties,

which I think is completely unacceptable,” Sajjad said of the incumbent. George, who is facing trial on felony money laundering charges in March, switched his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican last June, after he was first indicted on a misdemeanor charge.

“To shift parties between your terms when you were elected by Democrats, and now you chose to basically say, I’m going to be a Republican in the middle of a term. I think that’s unethical,” he said.

Most Pressing Issue

When asked to identify the county’s most pressing challenge, responses varied. Wong described what he characterized as a “leadership crisis.” He said the county’s rapid population growth has exacerbated existing pressures and that improved long-term planning would address infrastructure and service demands.

“Our county has been on the news for the last few years in a negative way,” Wong said. “So we need to change that. If we don’t have leadership, we don’t have planning…It’s going to be chaotic down the line that if we have all the people moving in the county, we don’t know how to deal with it.”

Wilson said the county faces both rising debt obligations and an imbalance in its tax base. She said Fort Bend relies too heavily on homeowners for revenue.

“We’re so dependent on homeowners to provide revenue,” Wilson said, adding that expanding mixed-use, commercial and manufacturing development would help generate additional tax income and support increased demand for public safety and county services.

Positioning himself as the race’s fiscal watchdog, Omoruyi used multiple responses to discuss unsustainable spending trends, arguing that Fort Bend is experiencing a “genuine financial crisis.”

Omoruyi said the county’s budget has grown significantly in recent years—rising from about $362 million in 2019 to more than $760 million in 2026 – while population growth has been far more modest. He framed the issue as a spending problem rather than a lack of revenue, saying his experience advising small businesses on financial management has prepared him to bring tighter fiscal oversight to county government.

“I’ve listened to my opponents and based on some

things that they said, I’m going to add infrastructure and growth…what we really need to do is create a strategic plan and a vision, so we won’t be sitting here pointing out what we think is actually wrong with this county,” said Lenton-Gary.

Aaron said the county’s budget is the most pressing issue, pointing to what he described as ongoing deficits that have contributed to roughly $2 billion in county debt. Carter said infrastructure remains a top concern, pointing to congestion along U.S. 59 and incomplete roadwork. She said county leaders should prioritize repairing and finishing existing roads before launching new projects.

McCoy said the rising cost of living – particularly housing – has become Fort Bend’s most urgent challenge. Home prices have surged nearly 48% in the past five years, wages have not kept pace, making homeownership increasingly unattainable for younger residents, he said. McCoy said solutions include ensuring businesses shoulder more infrastructure costs and encouraging developers to build housing that remains affordable for residents throughout their lives.

Becerra pointed to what he described as “runaway spending” as the county’s most pressing issue. He called for a comprehensive audit of county finances and purchasing practices, saying greater accountability is needed to reduce waste, attract more business and industry, and lessen reliance on property taxes to fund county operations.

“It’s the black cloud that’s hanging over our community right now,” he said. “We have to come together and work together to clean up the budget, stop the waste that’s going on.” Sajjad said the county relies too heavily on residential property taxes and must broaden its revenue sources by strengthening small businesses, encouraging economic development, and improving transparency in county operations.

“We need to be able to make more money and the way you need to do that is by innovating, by supporting our small businesses, by letting places like First Colony Mall not die,” he said. “Transparency is a big issue. If you can’t see it, understand it and interact with it-- it’s not transparency.” Varma can be reached at

Bhatnagar said some inventory is earmarked for donation to underfunded schools and underserved groups.

In an emailed statement, Junior Achievement said Bhatnagar is the first student from Sugar Land to win the national contest.

through its Start Small, Grow Big initiative, which has generated nearly $7 million in customer donations since 2022 to support youth entrepreneurship and workforce readiness nationwide, including in the Houston region.

From online classroom to community impact

Bhatnagar’s interest in business and financial literacy led her to create a student-run company, Triangulum, under the Junior Achievement Company Program.

Her financial literacy card game, Financial Fortunes, is designed for students ages 8 to 18 but intended for families to play together.

More than 50 families in the Fort Bend area are already using the game, and

“All of our profits go back into production costs, to spread financial literacy and support our student company,” she said.

The game is currently sold at the Richmond Farmers Market and student events, with an online store in development.

Earlier this month, Bhatnagar received a special certificate from Sugar Land Mayor Carol McCutcheon for her achievement.

“Trisha’s national recognition by Junior Achievement is a remarkable example of what young Sugar Land leaders can achieve,” said McCutcheon. “Her ability to turn innovative ideas into real-world impact—while empowering other students through financial literacy— truly sets her apart.”

LEGAL NOTICE

Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Mixed Beverage Permit (MB) with a Food & Beverage Certificate by Mike Jack Enterprises LLC, DBA- Miles And Memories Social Lounge to be located at 3230 S. Main Street, Stafford TX 77477 Owner of LLC is Michael L Jackson, Sr

“Trisha is representing not just Sugar Land but also the JA Company Program, one of the largest and long-standing entrepreneurship programs in the world,” the organization said.

Building skills and confidence

Bhatnagar credits Junior Achievement mentors and leadership, particularly Tania Daniel, vice president of entrepreneurship initiatives at Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas, for helping her expand her goals.

“There’s truly no better teacher than experience, and JA gives that firsthand,” she said. “They are constantly motivating and encouraging us to push the boundaries of what

we think we can achieve.”

Through the program, she continues to compete in pitch competitions and sales events, including the organization’s regional trade fair, while receiving ongoing mentorship from business professionals and alumni.

Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas reached more than 76,000 students last year, including more than 32,000 in Fort Bend County,

through programs focused on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and career readiness.

Looking ahead

Bhatnagar said her goal is to study business in college and further develop her entrepreneurial skills to address overlooked problems in society.

She is currently awaiting admission decisions from several universities.

Her journey from online

student to national contest winner illustrates how youth entrepreneurship initiatives can translate classroom learning into real-world impact.

“I’ve always loved business,” she said, “but Junior Achievement gave me the chance to explore it, experiment with it, and learn about it under the guidance of professionals who truly care.” Varma can be reached at juhi.varma@gmail.com.

meeting, district administrators laid out results from a survey the district conducted in January to gain public input on the proposed changes.

During a data-intensive presentation, Stephanie Williams, the district’s organizational development district, said that while there were many people who felt either positively or negatively toward the proposed closures, large percentages of respondents, sometimes even majorities, indicated they were neutral.

But there was some disparity in how respondents from the district’s Northwest/Central and Southeast/Central areas felt about the proposed changes, with the former more

supportive than the latter. That point was later reiterated by Monica Willis, chair of the district’s School Boundary Advisory Committee, who said in recent meetings showed a similar divide.

Williams and Deputy Superintendent Beth Martinez told trustees that among the thousands of responses to the survey, 152 alternate rezoning proposed emerged, with the district’s staff is working to process before a scheduled February 23 workshop meeting.

In a separate presentation, Bryan Guinn, the district’s chief financial officer, told trustees that the proposed changes could result in conservative operational cost savings of $5-7 million. although another potential figure discussed as around $12 million.

But he allowed that those figures represent a small percentage of the budget for the district, which is still trying to draw down a deficit engendered by problems with the 2023 bond measure. Guinn said the district is working on a plan to zero out the deficit over the next two to three years.

In response to a trustee’s question, administrators said that when the proposed closures come up for a vote on March 9, there will likely be separate votes on the Northwest and Southeast closures. If the measures pass, Martinez said, the implementation would begin then and continue through August.

AUGUST 21, 1938 - FEBRUARY 1, 2026

Robert Dennis Maloy, age 87 of Missouri, Texas went to be with the Lord Sunday, February 1, 2026. Robert was born August 21, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York and was a longtime resident of the Missouri City area and former member of First Baptist Church in Rosharon, Texas. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey and spent his last two years in high school at Framingham High School in Framingham, Massachusetts where he was a member of the high school band. Upon completing high school, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was a musician with the U.S. Air Force Band of West. After his service, he worked as a process piping designer for many engineering companies in various states, as well as teaching computeraided drafting to high school students.

He will be dearly missed by his family and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Dorothy Bernhardt Maloy; wife of 48 years, Neva Maloy; sister, Dorothy Joubert; daughter, Michelle Prior; daughter in law, Lea Ann Maloy. Bob is survived by son, Jason Maloy and wife Nicole; step daughters, Sandra Bounds and husband Ross, Laura Fisher and husband Dana; step son, Gary Simpson; first cousin, Edwina Willey; numerous grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, and

numerous extended family and friends.

Bob is a cousin of three U.S. Presidents – Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. He has a direct line ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War. He and Meryl Streep are cousins and have the same Swiss greatgreat grandparents.

Honorary Pallbearers: Jason Maloy, Shon Maloy, Oliver Riddle, Sid Dull, Wayne Holts and Ross Bounds

Visitation will be held from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Thursday, February 12, 2026 at Scott Funeral Home with funeral services beginning at 1:00 PM. A private interment will be held at Oak Park Cemetery in Alvin.

Arrangements under the direction of the Scott Family, 1421 East Hwy 6, Alvin, Texas 77511, (281) 585-1000 www.scottfuneralhome.net E E E E O BITUARY E E E E

Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to editor@fortbendstar.com FOR NON-

FORT BEND COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION MEETING

The Fort Bend County Historical Commission will hold its quarterly business meeting at 3:00 pm, Tuesday, February 17 at the Gus George Police Academy Classroom 1, 1521 Eugene Heimann Dr., in Richmond. The Commissioner of the Year Award for 2025 will be presented to Ana Alicia Acosta, who will also provide a presentation on the Texas Treasure Business Award Program, sponsored by the Texas Historical Commission.

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 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.

Fort Bench chamber rebrands as Fort Bend Regional Partnership

Staff Reports

At its recent annual gala, the organization long known as the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce last week announced that it has changed its name to the Fort Bend Regional Partnership.

According to a news release, the change marks “a defining moment in its history and signaling a new chapter for the business community across the Greater Fort Bend region.”

According to the release, the new identity “reflects a bold evolution in both mission and mindset. While the Chamber moniker served the organization well for decades, the evolving economic landscape – and rapidly changing Fort Bend region – requires a broader, more regional, and more action-oriented approach to business advocacy, economic development, and public-private collaboration.”

“This is more than a name change — it is a strategic shift in how we lead, convene, and advocate for the future of our

region’s economy,” said Keri Schmidt, the organization’s president and CEO. “The Fort Bend Regional Partnership better reflects the scale of our work and the forward-looking role we play in shaping work in critical areas like policy, infrastructure, workforce, and economic opportunity.”

According to the organization, the rebrand “aligns the organization’s identity with the work it is already doing across several key pillars including business growth and innovation; policy advocacy; education and workforce alliance; infrastructure and development; and healthcare and resilience.”

“For years, the organization’s influence has extended well beyond the traditional chamber model — engaging elected officials at every level of government, advocating for pro-business policies, supporting major infrastructure initiatives, convening regional partners, and serving as a trusted voice for employers and entrepreneurs alike. The new

brand captures that expanded scope and clarifies the organization’s role as a regional convener and economic catalyst,” the release states.

“The Fort Bend Regional Partnership will continue its existing programming, advocacy efforts, and member services without interruption. Members, investors, and community partners can expect the same trusted leadership with a renewed focus on driving the future of Fort Bend’s economy through collaboration, advocacy, and action,” the release states.

“Our work has outgrown the traditional definition of a chamber,” said Tariq Zafar, the Partnership’s incoming chairman. “This rebrand allows us to tell a more accurate story about who we are, what we do, and the impact we are building for the next generation of Fort Bend businesses and residents.”

For more information, visit https://fortbendregionalpartnership.com.

organization long known as the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce recently announced that it has changed its name to the Fort Bend Regional Partnership. Photo by Ken Fountain

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

vincer.music@gmail.com.

LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching