Fort Bend County to invest in new African-American memorial park to honor one of first freedmen’s towns in Texas – Houston Public Media
Part of Bates Allen Park will be redeveloped, including the preservation of two historic black cemeteries and a memorial to honor Fort Bend County’s sometimes-forgotten African-American History.
houstonpublicmedia.orgFort Bend County to invest in new African-American memorial park to honor one of first freedmen’s towns in Texas – Houston Public Media
Part of Bates Allen Park will be redeveloped, including the preservation of two historic black cemeteries and a memorial to honor Fort Bend County’s sometimes-forgotten African-American History.
houstonpublicmedia.orgFort Bend ISD elementary school teacher accused of sexually assaulting child in Brazoria County, district says
An elementary school teacher at Fort Bend Independent School District was arrested on campus Thursday after being accused of sexually assaulting a child in Brazoria County, according to the district.
Volunteers clean historic cemeteries where former slaves buried in Fort Bend County
In honor of Congresswoman Barbara Jordan’s birthday and a former slave that represented Fort Bend County in the Texas House of Representatives, volunteers from the Exchange Club gathered at former slave cemeteries in the area to help with cleaning efforts.
Local officials speak out against ‘racist’ bill banning citizens, businesses from China, Iran, North Korea, Russia from purchasing land in Texas
Many officials are speaking out against the recently filed Texas Senate Bill 147, which would prohibit citizens and business entities from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from purchasing land within the state of Texas.
Appeals court to decide if First Amendment should have protected Laredo’s “big crazy lady” from arrest
Priscilla Villarreal was arrested over her Facebook postings. In a rare proceeding, the entire 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will weigh whether she can sue, a case that could have major ramifications for citizen journalists like her -- and professional ones.
Boyfriend arrested, charged in death of Houston woman who was found shot to death in burning car 6 years ago, deputies say
The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that it has made an arrest in the six-year-old case involving the murder of a Houston woman who was shot to death by her boyfriend.
Adult charged after handgun found inside student’s backpack at Fort Bend ISD elementary school, district says
Charges have been filed against an adult after a handgun was found inside a student’s backpack Tuesday at a Fort Bend Independent School District elementary school, according to the district.
$25K bond: Sugar Land Methodist Hospital employee charged for planting recording device in bathroom, police say
An employee at Sugar Land Methodist Hospital was arrested and has been charged after a recording device was found in a bathroom at the hospital last month, officers with the Sugar Land Police Department said.
Man sentenced to 10 years in prison for assaulting his girlfriend with hatchet in 2020, Fort Bend County DA’s office says
A man is sentenced to prison after a jury convicted him of assaulting his girlfriend with a hatchet in November of 2020, according to the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office.
Their America Is Vanishing. Like Trump, They Insist They Were Cheated.
When Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas voted last year to reject Donald Trump’s electoral defeat, many of his constituents back home in Fort Bend County were thrilled. Like the former president, they have been unhappy with the changes unfolding around them. Crime and sprawl from Houston, the big city next door, have been spilling over into their once bucolic towns. (“Build a wall,” Nehls likes to say, and make Houston pay.) The county in recent years has become one of the nation’s most diverse, where the
news.yahoo.comSearch underway for alleged peeping Tom in Fort Bend County, neighbors report
Residents of a recently constructed subdivision south of Rosenberg expressed concern Friday following multiple cases of a man caught on surveillance cameras peeking into homes, climbing into yards, and leaving many neighbors worried for their safety.
Fort Bend County man accused of receiving nearly $600K in student financial aid indicted in court for fraud, US attorney says
A Fort Bend County man is set to face a judge Monday after he was indicted for obtaining nearly $600,000 in financial aid funds at several Texas colleges, U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery said in a news release.
Chemical exposure at Houston-area power plant sends six workers to hospital – Houston Public Media
An ongoing cleanup operation in a fire-damaged unit at the W.A. Parish Generating Station in Fort Bend County is suspended pending the completion of an investigation into Thursday's chemical exposure, according to NRG Energy.
houstonpublicmedia.orgAsian American and Pacific Islander voters are preparing to sue Texas for alleged discrimination in last year’s redistricting – Houston Public Media
The lawsuit, which a judge has combined with a similar suit by Latino and Black voters, will go to trial at the end of September, too late to affect this year’s midterm elections.
houstonpublicmedia.orgAsian American and Pacific Islander voters are preparing to sue Texas for alleged discrimination in last year’s redistricting – Houston Public Media
The lawsuit, which a judge has combined with a similar suit by Latino and Black voters, will go to trial at the end of September, too late to affect this year’s midterm elections.
houstonpublicmedia.orgTwo Years into the pandemic, and Fort Bend County Judge KP George (March 15, 2022) – Houston Public Media
On Tuesday's show: We reflect on where things stand two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began in earnest in Greater Houston, and Fort Bend County Judge KP George discusses issues affecting his county and answers your questions.
houstonpublicmedia.orgAn election mailer trying to sway Democratic Harris County voters may not be from who you think – Houston Public Media
The group, Fort Bend United, is sending out an official looking Democratic voters’ guide that endorses Erica Davis for county judge and George Risner for Precinct 2 county commissioner.
houstonpublicmedia.orgCongressional gerrymandering by Texas Republicans cut out the heart of Houston’s Asian community – Houston Public Media
Asian and Pacific Islander populations surged in Texas over the past decade, but their political power is weakened under new congressional maps. A northwest Houston neighborhood offers a case study in how that was done.
houstonpublicmedia.orgRepublicans solidify control over Texas’s 22nd Congressional District in Fort Bend County with redrawn map – Houston Public Media
Asian-Americans make up a substantial portion of the county’s population, but the new congressional map cracked the community to reduce its voting power.
houstonpublicmedia.orgHarris County Expected To Raise COVID-19 Threat level To ‘Red’ – Houston Public Media
The move comes exactly two weeks after the county raised the level due to significant and uncontrolled spread of the virus. It also comes just two days after Fort Bend County raised its own threat level.
houstonpublicmedia.orgFort Bend County Judge KP George On The COVID Threat (Aug. 4, 2021) – Houston Public Media
On Wednesday's show: The COVID-19 situation in Fort Bend County, the week in politics, a preview of Houston Restaurant Weeks, and a conversation with Blues musician The Reverend Shawn Amos.
houstonpublicmedia.orgJustice Department Settles Language Access and Retaliation Investigation of Courts in Fort Bend County, Texas
The Justice Department announced a settlement agreement with Fort Bend County (FBC) to improve access to court for people with limited English proficiency (LEP). Title VI prohibits race, color or national origin discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance, such as FBC. “The Civil Rights Division will continue fighting to ensure that courts remove barriers that deny people access to equal justice. FBC courts will also review its language access plans over the next year, develop mandatory Title VI training for FBC courts, provide Title VI retaliation training and issue public notices that explain the Title VI nondiscrimination policy and complaint process in non-English languages. FBC also agreed to pay damages to an LEP court user for court costs and to an individual who alleged retaliation.
justice.govTSTC degrees keep Diesel Equipment Technology grads in demand
With more trucks rolling along interstates and highways, the need to keep them operational grows. Texas State Technical College’s Diesel Equipment Technology program, offered in Fort Bend County, Marshall, North Texas, Sweetwater and Waco, is seeing an increase in students wanting to enter the field.
myrgv.comKP George Snubs Greater Houston Partnership and Blasts Fort Bend County Commissioners
Fort Bend County Judge KP George spent this past week aligning himself with his Democratic allies Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner in their public battle with the Greater Houston Partnership over proposed changes to state voting laws, and lambasting his colleagues on the Fort Bend...
houstonpress.comFormer Rep. Patrick Kennedy Makes The Case For Transforming Mental Health (May 6, 2021) – Houston Public Media
On Thursday's show: How the former Congressman's own challenges with addiction and bipolar disorder have informed his advocacy for a stronger mental health care system, why Fort Bend County Judge KP George voted against a plan to distribute COVID-19 relief funds, and we meet the city's new poet laureate.
houstonpublicmedia.orgFort Bend Commissioners Approve $157 Million In COVID-19 Relief, Over County Judge’s Objections – Houston Public Media
County Judge KP George said the plan to use $157 million in federal aid included spending on numerous government projects unrelated to pandemic recovery and rigged the selection process for organizations to receive grants.
houstonpublicmedia.orgFort Bend County Allocates $250K In Child Care Assistance For Families Impacted By COVID-19 – Houston Public Media
Updated 2:19 p.m. CTA new $250,000 child care voucher program in Fort Bend County will help support families impacted by the pandemic, county leaders announced on Monday. Families will be limited to up to three vouchers in total, and will be able to use the vouchers at more than 180 licensed child care facilities in Fort Bend County, according to Fort Bend County Judge KP George. Mandi Kimball, vice president of child advocacy group Children at Risk, said programs that provide child care assistance can help alleviate potential financial and emotional stress. "Finding child care for your children is extremely stressful," she said. "What Fort Bend County has done is really relieve some of the financial stress, but also emotional stress that parents have when trying to make the right decision for their children."
houstonpublicmedia.orgThe National Outreach kid-friendly news
Richmond seventh-graders Kathit Kadakia and Aryan Seetepalli combined their talents to create their own kid-friendly news outlet in May 2020. Now, their outlet The National Outreach is starting to garner attention, with over 4,450 views from more than 15 countries. Kathit and Aryan launched The National Outreach (TNO) so that kids can access the news without the stress and confusion surrounding certain difficult subjects like politics and coronavirus. After launching The National Outreach, Kathit said it helped create a stronger friendship between the two boys. Kathit KadakiaThe creative duo attribute the success of The National Outreach to fine-tuning the website and launching a YouTube channel.
chron.comVaccine Distribution In Fort Bend Co., And The Best Black-Owned Restaurants (Feb. 3, 2021) – Houston Public Media
On Wednesday’s show: An update on COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Fort Bend County, analysis of the week in politics, food writers discuss Houston’s best Black-owned restaurants, and a new exhibit pays homage to DJ Screw. On Wednesday’s Houston Matters: Fort Bend County Judge KP George updates us on COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Then, local food writers talk about their favorite Black-owned restaurants in the latest installment of The Full Menu. And we learn about a new exhibit called Slowed and Throwed, which focuses on the legacy of the late Houston rapper DJ Screw. Subscribe to Today in Houston Fill out the form below to subscribe our new daily editorial newsletter from the HPM Newsroom.
houstonpublicmedia.orgCoronavirus In Greater Houston: Undocumented Immigrants Eligible To Receive Vaccine, Hidalgo Says; Officials Say Regional Vaccine Demand Outpaces Supply – Houston Public Media
This is part of Houston Public Media’s ongoing coronavirus coverage. “This is not the time for people of color to stay away from the vaccine,” Turner said. The Public Health Clinic received just 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine, allocated to first responders, Public Health staff, health care workers and employees. Once that shipment comes in, the Galveston County Health District said it will again begin scheduling appointments on its website. @TexasDSHS is directing all entities that have received #COVID19 vaccines to urgently vaccinate all willing Phase 1A, then Phase 1B, individuals.
houstonpublicmedia.orgFort Bend County swears in African American sheriff for the first time in 150 years
Following Houston's record voter turnout in November, Texas is still managing to make history from the 2020 election. TEXAS VOTER TURNOUT: This Houstonian is making voting better in Harris CountyFort Bend made strides in the election, by not only electing its first female African American county attorney, but also electing Eric Fagan—the county's first African American sheriff in over a century. The sheriff's election in Fort Bend County made history, as the county hadn't had a Black sheriff since the 1800s. Walter Moses Burton, was the first Black sheriff in Fort Bend, and was the first Black sheriff in the United States at the time, according to KHOU. The ceremony was held at the Fort Bend Church, and a number of elected officials were in attendance at Fagan's swearing in ceremony, including Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
chron.comFort Bend County Judge KP George Raises Local Threat Level Back To Red Alert
For the second time in 16 days, Fort Bend County Judge KP George has raised his county’s COVID-19 threat level due to the rapid local spread of COVID-19 and its toll on local hospitals. On Wednesday afternoon, George announced that he had upgraded the local COVID-19 threat to a red alert, the highest level in the local coronavirus threat scale unveiled several months ago, signalling widespread outbreaks and a strained healthcare system. The county’s threat level had previously sat at yellow, the second lowest threat rank, since October 7. Between November 24 and December 9, she said lab-confirmed coronavirus cases in Fort Bend County jumped from around 20,000 to 25,000. She also pointed out that the local COVID-19 testing positivity rate across the county has seen a marked uptick as well.
houstonpress.comKulkarni Hopes To Flip Another Texas Seat Blue In an Accusation-Filled Toss-Up Race With Nehls
The two men portrayed in these salacious TV spots are Republican Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls and Democrat Sri Preston Kulkarni. TX-22 comprises most of Fort Bend County, as well as the chunk of Brazoria County where Pearland sits and a tiny bit of Harris County around Friendswood. The 22nd district as a whole is extremely diverse in its makeup, thanks mostly to Fort Bend County. The ad also references accusations that some members of the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office racially profiled Latinos and a suicide by an inmate at Fort Bend County Jail under Nehls’s tenure, and blames Nehls for both incidents. In his last race for Congress, Kulkarni advocated for Medicare For All, but his stance on government-run insurance has changed.
houstonpress.comAs Democrats dream of a blue Texas, tight House race will give a glimpse of how far they've come
Voter arrive to cast their ballots at the Moody Park Community Center polling station in Houston, Texas, U.S., on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Sharon Steinmann | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesTo find the forces fueling Democrats' dream of a blue Texas in 2020, the Houston suburbs offer a good start. Texas' 22nd District is one of the most racially diverse congressional seats in the country. Nehls, 52, is a well known and generally liked local official who has twice won election in Fort Bend County, where most of the district's voters live. Efforts to limit H1-B visas for high-skilled employees, which workers from India disproportionately claim, "have not gone over well" among the district's Asian American voters, Jones said.
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