The 3-25-2026 Edition of The Fort Bend Star

By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

After just about two-and-a-half hours, a Fort Bend County jury convicted former Missouri City police officer Bladimir Viveros of three counts of aggravated assault by a public servant in the June 20, 2024 crash that killed a Stafford woman and her teenage son and, later, a man who had been unrestrained in the back seat of Viveros’s vehicle and wasn’t found for hours afterward.

According to evidence presented in trial, Viveros, then 27, was going as fast as 107 mph along Cartwright Road near Texas Parkway, a major Missouri City thoroughfare, after dark while responding to an aggravated robbery call. He slammed into the Toyota Corolla driven by Mason Stewart, who was driving his mother Angela, 53, out of the parking lot of a strip center, killing both of them instantly. They had been celebrating Mason’s 16th birthday. Hours after police and emergency vehicles responded to the crash, investigators discovered Michael Hawkins, 53, in the back seat of Viveros’s crashed and burning vehicle, calling for help. Hawkins was the resident of a nearby group home where he had been involved in an argument or fight that Viveros had responded to. Hawkins was transported to Ben Taub Hospital in the Texas Medical Center with grave injuries, and later died after having never left the hospital.

Viveros was immediately placed on administrative leave after the accident and was subsequently fired by the department.

The punishment phase of the trial is set to begin Tuesday and might last until Thursday at the earlies, according to Fort Bend County Second Assistant District Attorney Wesley Wittig, who serves as the department’s spokesperson. Viveros, 29, faces five to 99 years

By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

After more than five hours of deliberations over two days, jurors in Fort Bend County Judge KP George’s money-laundering trial came back into the 458th District Court and rendered guilty verdicts in both counts in the thirddegree felony charge. The county’s top elected official was convicted of tampering with campaign finance reports during his 2018 campaign while moving money between his campaign and

personal bank accounts during his 2018 campaign.

After a presenting investigation is completed, George, 61, will return to the courthouse on June 16 for sentencing. Before trial began, he elected to have District Judge Maggie Perez-Jamarillo, rather than jury, render punishment. He faces two to 10 years in state prison and up to a $10,000 fine. He is also eligible for probation.

After extensive consultation with attorneys, Perez-Jaramillo imposed two $10,000 bonds on

George, which took the place of the ones he had previously posted, and told George he would be handcuffed by bailiffs to be taken to the Fort Bend County Jail. Shortly afterward, George was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom. He was expected to post bond before the end of the day. Since he has been convicted of a felony, George under Texas law is subject to removal from his office. But that won’t happen

SEE GEORGE PAGE 2

laire Wilson, 5, of Richmond, works to get her kite aloft at the International Art & Kite Festival at Sugar Land’s Crown Festival Park on Saturday. Hundreds of people turned out for the event, which featured live art demonstrations, soccer activities, including fun giveaways from the Official FIFA World Cup 26™ Houston Host City tent, as well as cultural booths representing countries from around the world and a diverse lineup of food trucks and vendors. See more photos of the event on Page 5

Photo by Ken Fountain

Machinist refines skills at TSTC

Community Reports

When Deven Kalinec transitioned into the tooling department at HDH Instruments in Pattison, he realized that a technical education was the bridge he needed between his experience as a high-level deep hole drilling machine operator and his long-term career goals.

Kalinec began searching online after he attempted to interpret complex blueprints on-the-job.

“I discovered the Precision Machining program at Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus,” he said. “I wanted to pursue the associate degree to help me advance within the company and help expand our machining capabilities.”

Among the most impactful lessons

Kalinec gained at TSTC was a deep dive into the technical specifications of

carbide inserts.

“I was able to comprehend the alphanumeric codes on the insert packaging to choose the right tool for specific lathe applications,” he said. “The instructors do a great job of offering suggestions on how we can improve our work.”

Now in his final semester, the Brookshire native is preparing for the next phase of his career.

“The program quickly helps you realize if the machinist trade is your calling or not,” he said. “I have been listening to podcasts from machinist shop owners and other resources.”

Kalinec’s mechanical abilities first began in his father’s automotive shop.

“I noticed the precision that’s required in machining felt like an extension of the machines that create the parts that make a car run,” he said. Greg Hovas, owner of HDH Instru-

ments, noted that Kalinec is a standout employee.

“Deven has learned many new concepts and skills at TSTC that will help him perform well in his job and our organization,” Hovas said.

Deogratias Nizigiyimana is one of Kalinec’s instructors.

“Deven’s willingness to learn has made him a strong performer in our program,” he said. “His growth reflects his commitment to the trade.”

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and a certificate of completion in Precision Machining, as well as a certificate of completion in CNC Machine Operator, at its Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas, Waco and Williamson County campuses. For more information, visit tstc.edu.

GEORGE FROM PAGE 1 right away, according to Fort Bend County Second Assistant District Attorney Wesley Wittig, who serves as the office’s spokesman.

“Although he was convicted today, the trial will not be complete until sentencing in June. We will ask for the order of removal to be entered into the judgment and if he appeals his conviction, then we will file a motion to suspend Mr. George from office. This is all pursuant to state law,” Wittig told reporters.

Geroge, who did not take

the stand in his own defense, showed little emotion as the foreman of the jury announced the unanimous verdict or as -- at defense attorney’s request – each of them rendered their individual verdicts. George’s wife, Sheeba, also remained passive during the verdict’s reading. Perez-Jamarillo had cautioned everyone in the packed courtroom to keep their emotions in check.

“Obviously we’re disappointed,” Jared Woodfill, who led the defense alongside attorneys Terry Yates and former Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina, told reporters in the courthouse hallway. “We

think, and we thought, we had a very strong case. But when you have 12 jurors, anything can happen. We respect the process and now we move forward.”

Woodfill said the defense team was surprised by the verdict based on what he said was “the lack of evidence” presented by prosecutors. “I clearly thought there was reasonable doubt,” he said. “You never know what a jury’s going to do.”

The defense attorneys said they had not had an opportunity to speak afterward with the jurors, who indicated they didn’t want to speak to anyone

after their verdict.

Asked about his client’s reaction to the verdict, Woodfill said George is “a man of strong, Christian faith and he knows everything’s in the Lord’s hands, and he’s relying on his faith and moving forward with his life.”

Wittig told the reporters that the prosecution team felt “fantastic” about the verdict. “I don’t know if I can describe how we felt, how everybody felt.”

“We have endured so much hate and lies in the media from the defense team,” Wittig said, referring the defense’s campaign of accusing District

Attorney Brian Middleton and his prosecutors of engaging in a politically motivated prosecution against George.

“We knew that the truth was in the courtroom and the truth prevailed,” he said. Wittig said that once the jury went into deliberations, “they believed the evidence we had. The defense gave it a good try, that’s what they’re supposed to do, but [jurors] stuck true to the evidence they had that vey plainly showed [George] was guilty.”

Brian Wice. the special prosecutor hired last fall by the district attorney’s office, was more direct. He told re-

porters that the verdict was a “vindication” of Middleton and the prosecution team –Charann Thompson and Katie Peterson – and the investigators who were the two principal witnesses in the trial, Betty Chi and John Bohannon, who had come under attack by the defense team. Separately, George is facing trial on a misdemeanor charge of misrepresentation of identity by a public official stemming from the purported “fake hate” social media scheme conducted with Patel. The trial is scheduled to begin May 5. Wittig said the status of that case remains pending.

That’s

EDITORIAL

A game by any name

Are you ready for some futball? Or maybe footbul, futebol or even nogomet? We call the game soccer. By any name it is the world’s most popular sport, and now the world’s biggest tournament, the World Cup, is coming to town June 12 through June 29. All told, soccer (let’s call it that rather than nogomet) is going to be played in 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Houston’s stadium will host seven matches during the tournament, five during the first round and two in the playoffs. For starters, we get Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands and – hold your breath –Uzbekistan. So brush up on your Uzbek to tell visitors where the stadium is, but don’t call it NRG Stadium. Every host stadium will receive a temporary tournament name – ours is listed as “Houston Stadium” – because no sponsorship-based stadium names are used. Even if you don’t plan to go to the contests, don’t have a favorite team or even care

The girl I see / Gave to everyone / Not just friends / Not just the ones who stayed / But anyone who needed her She stood beside them / When they were breaking / Held their secrets like they were her own / Gave them pieces of herself / Without ever asking for anything back

She was a true friend / The kind people say they want / But never know how to keep / She gave without expecting anything back / Nothing was ever returned

Yet she longed for her love to be reciprocated / So she gave more

Lynn Ashby Columnist

ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET

who wins or loses, you have a dog in that fight, or a ball on that field. There is the traffic, which might even be heavy on the freeways during rush hour, before the games, after the games or, let’s say, between midnight and the next midnight. But you may feel cooler. The City of Houston and Downtown Houston+ are installing 113 new trees and 12 artistic steel shade structures along some downtown streets so the Germans and Dutch won’t faint. And the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded our public transit systems almost $10 million ahead of the World Cup. That probably means more orange barrels.

There is the security. It would sully our reputation as “Crimeless H-Town” if something untoward happened to

our foreign guests. To prevent this, ICE has announced that it will be rounding up and swiftly deporting “anyone who looks like a terrorist, knows a terrorist, has read about terrorists or talks funny.” I feel more secure already. There will be drones, drones on the range, plus checkpoints, police barriers, foaming-mouthed K-9s and VIPs with their bodyguards and Secret Service agents disguised as Port-O-Johns. To give you an idea of how seriously host cities are taking security, Mexico, which will host games in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey, plans to deploy nearly 100,000 security personnel. (I think their entry, Los Cartels, will win.)

Speaking of foreign visitors and security, we must wonder how ICE, DEA and the FBI will handle all the players and fans who will be landing at our airports. Will they be frisked, photographed, interrogated? “OK, Abdul, what’s in this nogomet ball? It feels too heavy.” Iran qualified to field a team, but Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said, “Given that this corrupt government has assassinated our leader and created extreme insecurity, we cannot participate in the World Cup.” The

fact that some of the Iranian women’s soccer team defected in Australia may have dimmed their enthusiasm.

The daddy rabbit in world-wide pro soccer is the Fédération Internationale de Football Association aka the International Association Football Federation or FIFA. But why are Americans the only people in the world who call the game soccer instead of piłka nożna (Polish), jalkapallo (Finish) or bóng đ á (Vietnamese) which all mean football? The story is simple but weird. Linguistically creative students at the University of Oxford in the 1880s distinguished between the sports of “rugger”(rugby) and “assoccer” (association football). Assoccer was further shortened to soccer (they lost their as), and the name quickly spread beyond the campus. However, soccer never became much more than a slang term in the U.K. and fell out of use in the mid-20th century in favor of football. But for Americans football and association football were confusing, so we kept using soccer. Now we come to ticket prices. As the old line goes about yachts: If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it. Ticket prices for Houston’s

The girl I see

games range from $508 (in the parking lot) to $538 (inside, but you will be selling snow cones). In reality, prices are, uh, negotiable. They go from your first born to your left kidney. You can always wander outside the stadium and find some guy in a trench coat (so it’s 110 degrees) and a clip-on beard who will sell you tickets for 100 trillion Zimbabwe banknotes (144 U.S. dollars), or one Cuban peso (four cents). Be careful of counterfeit tickets. Houston Stadium no longer has Oiler Suites or Colt .45 bullpens. If you want to blend in with the fans from Uzbekistan, wear a yak-skin vest. The Dutch are more into ice skates than wooden shoes and when Germany scores do not shout: Sieg heil! But when any team scores, it’s OK to yell: GOOOAL! As for the game itself, like our baseball fields, the size of the playing fields vary and are larger than our football gridirons, but they are all rectangular. For professional or international matches, FIFA recommends a field length of 110 to 120 yards and a width of 70 to 80 yards. A game lasts 90 minutes split into two 45-minute halves, plus a 15 minute

Eva K. Morris Youth Columnist

She opened her heart to boys / Thinking maybe love would find her there / They said everything she needed to hear / Soft words / Crafted lies / Promises that felt real

She believed them / They took what they wanted / And left / And still / She gave again

Because maybe the next one would be different / Maybe the next one would stay / But they

never did

The cycle repeated / Over / And over / And over She didn’t go to her family / She’s seventeen / She should have this under control / At least that’s what she tells herself

So she turned to her friends / After all / She was there for them / Through everything But when she needed them / They left / Because she was “too much” / Because she was “messy” / Because they had reputations to protect It didn’t matter / That they struggled too / That they made the same choices / That she stood by them when no one else did

None of that mattered / Because now / She was labeled/ People knew Girls whispered / Judged her / Tore her apart with quiet looks and louder words

Boys laughed / Looked at her like an opportunity / Like a game they could be part of And no one stopped to find / Who she actually was No one knew / Her favorite color is pink / That she loves the beach / That her sister means everything to her / That she’s afraid of the dark and lightning / That she wants to help kids one day

None of that mattered

Because people don’t see her / They see what they’ve heard

The Stars are Disappearing from View: What we can do about

For centuries, human culture has been shaped by the sky, using stars for navigation, storytelling, and time. But since the invention of the light bulb, we have slowly lost the ability to see these story-telling stars because of light pollution.

Light pollution is caused by skyglow – artificial light released into the sky. All of us contribute to light pollution, but light misuse (lights pointed upwards where they are not needed and

brighter than needed) are common contributors. From the Houston area, the closest place to get away from light pollution and see the Milky Way is Big Bend National Park – over 500 miles away.

Light pollution also harms the environment. Animals can get confused and mistake artificial light for moonlight, and light pollution can cause plants to bud earlier, putting them at risk for frost damage.

People should prioritize minimizing their contribution to light pollution. Using landscaping and spotlights that focus light downward helps minimize excess skyglow.

/ They see what she’s done / Or what they think she’s done And suddenly / She isn’t a person anymore / She’s a headline / A warning / A joke She is no longer herself / She’s left behind / To figure it out / And now / She is alone No one beside her / No one to catch her / No one to give back And what’s almost funny / Is nothing changed / She still gives / There’s just no one left / To receive it / So she learns to avoid Girls / Because their words cut deeper than anything else / Tearing away at her soul Boys / Because she knows what they want / She knows how this story goes

You can also use warm-colored lights, as opposed to blue-tone lights, which don’t plants and animals as much. You can use timers or motion sensors to automatically turn off lights when not needed. We should want to preserve our night sky and all its wonder. Dark sky parks let people enjoy the night sky at its fullest, but even in metropolitan areas, we can take steps to minimize our own contributions to light pollution. Go ahead and dim your outdoor lights, get out in your backyard, and just enjoy the awe of the night sky. Linnell is a sixth grader at Quail Valley Middle School.

halftime (bring on Beyoncé) and additional halts can total around 2 hours. Games often end in a scoreless tie which we soccer hooligans call nilnil (that’s not the same as our college futball players’ NIL –name, image and likeness). With all this soccer attention in America, we may see a greater interest in the sport. It has a ways to go. According to a 2018 Gallup poll, football is our favorite sport, followed by baseball then basketball. Only 7 percent of us list soccer as our favorite. Yet more than 14 million Americans play the sport at all levels and the number keeps growing. The last World Cup in 2022 had 1.2 billion TV viewers worldwide. In comparison, the most-watched Super Bowl was in 2024 which had a total audience of 264.9 million. So get ready for the whole planet to watch Houston. You really don’t need two kidneys. Ashby is cheering at ashby2@comcast.net

Editor’s note: Learn about how Sugar Land is joining taking part in FIFA World Cup 2026™ Houston as an official Host City Supporter at visitsugarlandtx.com/post/ fifa-world-cup-2026-houstonsugar-land-host-city-supporter-faq,

Adults / Because she doesn’t want them to see / Who she thinks she’s become Even her sister / Because she can’t stand the idea / Of letting her down And the mirror / She avoids that most of all / Because she doesn’t recognize the face staring back So she keeps to herself / Quiet / Careful Closed off / Alone But she was always alone / She just never saw it Morris is a Ridge Point High School student, class of 2027, a varsity tennis player, and an active member of JCC Maccabi Houston.

Baseball camps return in June and July at

free ticket to a Space Cowboys game good for the game after the conclusion of their camp. For a second consecutive season, the Space Cowboys will open the season at Constellation Field when they take on the Round Rock Express on Friday, March 27. Information on full season, half season, 10-game plans, Axis+ plans and miniplans are available for the 2026 season at https:// www.milb.com/sugar-land/tickets/memberships. This article is provided by the marketing office of the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, and is used by permission.

CRASH FROM PAGE 1 or life, Wittig said. Viveros had originally been charged with the lesser crime of manslaughter, but the addition of the “public servant” to an aggravated assault charge enhanced the charges to a first-degree felony.

420th District Judge Surendran Pattell, at prosecutors’ request, revoked Viveros’s bond and ordered bailiffs to take him into custody. Just as they began to handcuff him, a young man – later identified to the Star as Viveros’s brother – began to rush from the second row of the gallery as if to intervene. Others of Viveros’s family and friends tried to calm him down before deputies removed him from the courtroom.

Only minutes later, a woman also in the audience – later identified to the Star as the defendant’s mother – appeared to go into into a seizure-like condition. Family and friends tended to her before EMS workers arrived. She later was seen walking a bit unsteadily out of the courthouse accompanied by family members.

The trial began with jury selection March 17 and included

four days of testimony from Missouri City police officers, Texas Rangers investigators and expert witnesses. And while prosecutors and defense attorneys largely agreed on the basic facts of the case, they diverged significantly on what those fact meant.

In closing arguments

Monday, Assistant District Attorney and lead prosecutor Alison Baimbridge told the 8-woman, 5-man jury (including one alternate) that Viveros responded to the armed robbery call because it was “sexier” and perhaps more career-enhancing than dealing with the aftermath of the altercation at the group home.

Bimbridge said Viveros defied Missouri City Police Department Policy by flooring the accelerator of his Fort Explorer police interceptor and turning off his siren and flashing lights as he headed down Cartwright Road. After the severe crash, she told the jurors, he displayed his true character when he called into to report that he had suffered a broken toe – and manually switched his flashing lights back on, because he knew he was in trouble.

“The defendant in this case is the thing the defendant most cares about,” Baimbridge said.

Fort Bend libraries showcase virtual author talks

Community Reports

Fort Bend County Libraries is showcasing a virtual author talk series each month featuring bestselling, awardwinning, and highly acclaimed authors from around the world. The featured writers and thought leaders will cover a wide range of fiction and nonfiction genres. The free, virtual series takes place two to three times a month and includes the opportunity to ask questions to the author. A complete list of upcoming talks and past recording is available on Fort Bend County Libraries’ Virtual Author Talks website at https://libraryc.org/ fortbendlibraries.

Upcoming virtual author talks include: On a Mission: The History of US Women Astronauts with Smithsonian Curator Emerita Valeri Neal A Library Speakers Consortium and Smithsonian Institution Collaboration Thursday, April 2 at 1 p.m.

On Writing ActionPacked and Suspenseful Spycraft with Brad Taylor Former Special Forces and New York Times Bestselling Author of the Pike Logan Series Tuesday, April 14 at 6 p.m.

Lush Lyricism and Intimate Confessions with Miranda Cowley Heller New York Times Bestselling Author of The Paper Palace and Reese’s Book Club Pick Wednesday, April 22 at 1 p.m.

On Writing Beloved Characters and Powerful Portrayals of Resilience in Virtual Conversation with Jason Reynolds Award-Winning and New York Times Bestselling Author Thursday, April 30 at 6 p.m.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information or to register for the author talks, visit libraryc. org/fortbendlibraries or call 281-633-4734.

PUBLIC ONLINE AUCTION FORT BEND COUNTY

9110 Long Street, Needville

Preview: Tues., 3/24/26, 8am-12pm

“The defendant wants you to give him a pass because he wore a uniform,” she told the jurors. “The defendant in this case is the kind of police officer who gives the police a bad name in our county. The defendant is the bad apple in this profession.”

By contrast, defense attorneys Gregory Cagle and Robert McCabe painted Viveros as a

good-hearted police officer who acted negligently but had no intention of harming anyone. They played a portion of Viveros’s own body-cam video of his interaction with Hawkins, telling him, “I’m with you. You’re safe,” and that he was going to take Hawkins back to the group home. They said that Viveros had not been properly trained in high-speed vehicle pursuits and was improperly supervised by the Missouri City Police Department, which only required every one of its officer to get that training after the incident. They maintained that Viveros did not know that Hawkings was stil in the back seat of his own patrol car, believing he had been transferred to another officer’s car. They said the case belonged in a civil courtroom, not a criminal one. After the verdict, members of the Stewart family spoke to reporters in the hallway outside. They said that after the long 18 months since the deadly incident, they were looking forward to finally finding some closure and a sense of justice.

found in this week’s Classified section ANSWERS FOUND ON PAGE 6

Eye on Fort Bend Eye on Fort Bend

Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email

ONGOING

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 self-confidence, 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.

Sugar

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 281-785-7372 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.

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.

Land to host World Cup viewing parties

Community Reports

Visit Sugar Land will host a series of World Cup 2026 Viewing Parties in conjunction with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Houston Host Committee at Sugar Land Town Square, made possible through the relationship of Visit Sugar Land as an Official Houston World Cup 2026 Host City Supporter.

Throughout the tournament, Sugar Land Town Square will serve as the city’s home base for match-day excitement, bringing fans together to cheer on teams from around the globe. Select marquee matches will include high-profile viewing days featuring Portugal, Mexico, Brazil and the United States Men’s National Team, among others.

“This is the world’s biggest sporting event, and these official watch parties extend the energy across the entire Houston region,” Chris Canetti, president of the FIFA World Cup™ Houston Host Committee, said in a press release. “By creating welcoming places for fans to gather and celebrate, communities like Sugar Land are helping ensure that more people can experience the spirit of the tournament together.” Viewing parties are designed to offer residents and visitors a centralized, family-friendly place to experience the excitement of FIFA World Cup 2026™ while exploring all that Sugar Land has to offer, from dining and entertainment to retail and cultural attractions.

“Sugar Land Town Square was built for moments like this,” said Teresa Preza, director of community relations for Rebees Management Company. “We’ve built a reputation for bringing people together through vibrant, large-scale events, and the FIFA World Cup is a natural extension of that. These watch parties will celebrate our community, welcome visitors from around the world, and give people a place to experience the energy of this global tournament right here in Sugar Land.”

As fans travel to the Houston region for matches, Sugar Land invites them to extend their stay and enjoy the broader tournament atmosphere across the city. Sugar Land will roll out complementary programming throughout the summer, including collaborations with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys and interactive experiences with local youth soccer clubs. The City’s signature annual Red, White & Boom celebration will also incorporate added international flair.

All viewing parties are free and open to the public. Ticket release dates and related updates will be announced at VisitSugarLand26.com, and fans are encouraged to subscribe to stay informed.

Community members interested in playing a hands-on role in welcoming the world can explore volunteer opportunities and application details at sugarlandtx.gov/ SLSupporterVolunteer.

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.

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