Issuu

Fort Bend Symphony steps up to ‘Tango!’ - Page 5

GET SEEN CALL 713-371-3600

ADVERTISE HERE! WEDNESDAY • MARCH 18, 2026

Mother mastering welding techniquest to achieve lifelong dream Community Reports Justine Carranza’s path to Texas State Technical College began in the horse stalls of Wharton. As a child, Carranza spent time with her sister repairing fences and training horses for show competitions. That led her to think about building her own custom horse trailers. “My sister and I immersed ourselves in the ranching lifestyle,” she said in a TSTC news release. “As I grew older, I realized I needed to learn how to weld in order to customize my own horse trailers.” Before the welding torch became her primary tool, Carranza honed her craft through other forms of fabrication. “After I became a wife and mother of three, I did woodwork and made my own tables,” she said. “I customized, refurbished and varnished them.” When Carranza and her family moved to Rosenberg, her goal of pursuing welding came full circle. She discovered that TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus offered an associate degree in welding. “The timing was right,” she said. “My children reached an age where they became self-sufficient. It was time to do something for myself. I was driven by a goal to master the fabrication skills necessary to build and repair my own trailers.” Now in her second semester, Carranza has already learned the proper techniques of a challenging weld. “Overhead welding can be difficult because it involves working against gravity,” she said. “Gravity pulls the molten weld pool downward and causes it to drop. I had to learn different techniques to make sure it penetrates every few millimeters.” Russell Bradshaw, a TSTC Welding instructor, said Carranza’s

Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 51 • No. 11 • $1.00

Visit www.FortBendStar.com

George trial enters second week By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

A certified fraud investigator with the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office spent the entire day Monday laying out the prosecution’s case against County Judge KP George, testifying that she uncovered a “pattern” of transactions showing that he consistently moved money from his campaign bank account to personal accounts over a period of years, particularly when he seemed to be under financial pressure. In his cross-examination, however, George’s lead de-

fense attorney pounced on investigator Betty Chi’s testimony that she began looking into George’s finances on her own initiative after she heard news reports about George’s legal troubles. She brought what she called her “concerns” to her then-supervisor, who then asked her to conduct a full, official investigation. Chi was the sixth prosecution witness to testify in George’s felony money-laundering trial, which began last week with two days of jury selection before going into testimony on Thursday and Friday. By the end of Monday,

the Fort Bend Star’s print deadline, it was unknown when prosecutors might rest their case, although they indicated they would be calling at least one more witness. Also unknown Monday was how long the defense might take to present its case, or if George would take the stand. Under the U.S. Constitution, George has no obligation to testify on his own behalf. One person who is expected to testify, under subpoena from the defense, Fort Bend County Judge KP George, accompanied by a staffer,

SEE GEORGE PAGE 4

enters the 458th District Court on Monday for the second week of his felony money-laundering trial. Photo by Ken Fountain

ora Heller, 5, foreground, and her sister Lelia, 7, learn about the benefits of insects like ladybugs to the ecosystem during the Edible Earth Fest at Missouri City’s Oyster Creek Trail on Saturday. See more photos from the event on Page 5. Photo by Ken Fountain.

SEE DREAM PAGE 4

HAR: More area homes hit market as prices moderate Staff Reports The regional housing market is gaining momentum as we approach the spring homebuying season. In February, there was a slight dip in home sales while inventory and buyer activity increased in the region. According to the Houston Association of Realtors' February 2026 Housing Market Update, single-family home sales declined 2.2% year over year, with 5,918 homes sold compared to 6,050 last year. Despite the slight dip in closings, pending sales rose 13.0%, signaling continued buyer interest enhanced by falling interest rates now for eight consecutive months. Home prices hit their lowest level in two years. The average home price

rose 2.0% to $415,091, while the median price declined 0.9% to $322,078. At the same time, 30-year residential mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in more than 40 months, with the two combining for lower year-over-year mortgage payments in 16 of the past 19 months, resulting in improved affordability. Compared to a year ago, Houston single-family homebuyers in February 2026 had a monthly principal and interest payment that was $149 less than February 2025 – an annual savings of $1,786 assuming a 20% down payment on the median-priced home. Homes also spent more time on the market. The average Days on Market reached 69 days, which is the highest level since March 2013 when it was 74 days. Sales slowed in the $250,000 to

$499,999 price range, which accounted for more than half of all homes sold in February. All other price segments posted sales growth. “ The Houston market continues to show signs of balance,” said HAR Chair Theresa Hill with Compass RE Texas, LLC - Houston. “ Buyer interest remains strong, and the increase in showings and pending sales tells us the spring market is already beginning to take shape.”

Housing Market Overview Sales of all property types across the Greater Houston area declined 3.3% year over year in February, with 7,024 properties sold. Total dollar volume was $2.8

SEE HAR PAGE 2

The regional housing market is gaining momentum as the spring homebuying season approaches, according to the Houston Association of Realtors. File photo

H E L P SUPPORT LO C A L J O U R NA L I S M Scan this QR code to make a donation through Paypal.