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Fort Bend Chamber Earns Top Marks Again!
The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce has earned its third 5-Star Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This is the highest level of achievement that places them among the top one percent of all chambers of commerce nationwide. “This rigorous review includes all aspects of a chamber’s policies, operations,…
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Former Arcola police officer sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for rape
HOUSTON (KIAH) — Prosecutors call a former police officer in a town in Fort Bend County “a predator with a badge.”. Hector Ruiz, 29, was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping a woman while on duty as a police officer for the city of Arcola.
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Fort Bend County, most diverse in Texas, gets its first Pride festival
“You should feel supported and loved and valued wherever you are.”
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Fort Bend libraries to offer demonstrations of history databases
Fort Bend County libraries in July will offer a series of demonstrations of Infobase, a database that allows residents to explore the far corners of history with library system’s online collection of history resources. From ancient and medieval times through modern world history, these resources offer a portal through time…
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George Memorial library to host photography class on June 29
Fort Bend County Libraries’ George Memorial Library will present an introductory program, “Photography 101,” on Saturday, June 29, from 1-4 p.m., in the Meeting Room of the library, 1001 Golfview in Richmond. Presented by library staff member Bryan Bankston, who also happens to be a professional photographer, the workshop will…
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The Reid Feed: Sugar Land on the silver screen
Steven Spielberg, a name now synonymous with blockbuster hits and cinematic brilliance, made his feature film directorial debut with “The Sugarland Express” in 1974. (Yes, the movie used the one-word spelling of the city’s name, then still widely used if not official.) Set and filmed in Sugar Land here in Fort Bend County, this early…
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Fort Bend County breaks ground on African American memorial in Kendleton
Fort Bend County is constructing a groundbreaking ceremony for the Fort Bend County African American Memorial, a project to recognize and restore human dignity to the region’s African American community. The discovery of 95 unmarked graves at a Fort Bend ISD property during construction in 2018 catalyzed this initiative….
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ACHIEVE Fort Bend County distributes FREE books to incoming 2nd grade students
HOUSTON (KIAH) – In a remarkable effort to enhance literacy among young students, ACHIEVE Fort Bend County’s Summer Reading Program has reached a significant milestone this year by distributing 23,337 books to incoming second-grade students across every elementary school in Fort Bend County. This initiative aims to encourage reading over the summer, preparing children for…
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Precinct 3 commissioner candidate Taral Patel accused of online impersonation, misinterpretation of identity
Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Democratic candidate Taral Patel was arrested June 12 on charges of online impersonation and misrepresentation of identity. (Courtesy Taral Patel) Taral Patel, the Democratic candidate for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 commissioner, was arrested June 12 and charged with online impersonation and misinterpretation of identity, according to arrest records from…
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Rosharon area residents fight proposed rock-crushing facility
Activists and local residents say they’re concerned about air pollution and health issues if the facility is approved. A Houston company, Jilpit LLC, has applied for a permit to build a rock-crushing facility in Fort Bend, near the Rosharon area. However, some nearby residents and activists aren’t happy about…
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Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels celebrates 50 years of service
Fort Bend Senior Meals on Wheels provides hot meals to senior citizens in Fort Bend and Waller counties. (Adobe Stock) After serving its seven millionth meal in October 2023, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels is set to celebrate its 50-year anniversary of serving senior citizens in October, according to a June 5 news release.
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Houston-area homelessness remains steady; concerns for future funding loom
Coalition for the Homeless Outreach staff tend to a homeless individual, gathering information for the 2023 point-in-time count. (Courtesy Coalition for the Homeless) The annual “point-in-time” survey by the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County suggests homelessness remains steady locally, despite a nationwide increase. In a new…
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Annual Houston-area homeless count reveals only slight increase compared to big spike nationwide
HOUSTON (KIAH) — Across the country, homelessness increased 12% from 2022 to 2023. That figure from the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County dwarfs the slight increase in Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires that organization to conduct a…
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Fort Bend County invests $4 million towards African American memorial in town founded by freed slaves
FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KIAH) – To celebrate Juneteenth, CW39 Houston is shedding light on a $4 million dollar memorial that is set to break ground in the City of Kendleton. The memorial will be built at Bates Allen Park and was designed to honor the journey of African…
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Democratic Nominee for Fort Bend Commissioner Arrested on Charges of Faking Racist Posts Attacking Himself
Taral Patel, a Democratic candidate for Fort Bend county commissioner, was arrested last week on charges of creating at least one fake social media account he used to post racist content attacking himself and the South Asian, Indian American community, allegedly to bolster his campaign and discredit his opponent. Formerly…
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Fort Bend County has credit rating raised to AAA for first time ever
RICHMOND, Texas (KIAH) — Fort Bend County’s credit rating has been upgraded to its highest level for the first time in its history. This week, Fitch Ratings upgraded the county’s credit rating from AA+ to the highest level of AAA. This upgrade reflects the county’s strong fiscal management and financial policies, along with a robust…
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Texas candidate charged for allegedly faking racist social media attacks against himself
FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — The Democratic challenger for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 commissioner is facing charges for allegedly creating a fake social media account to post racist comments directed at himself after the Republican incumbent requested an investigation last year. According to arrest warrant documents, Pct….
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Report: Homelessness is steadily decreasing in the Harris County region
People without a home in Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties dropped by nearly a fifth since the last pre-pandemic record, a report finds. Homelessness is declining in and around Harris County, according to a study released on Tuesday by a local organization. Nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris…
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This Juneteenth, the African American Memorial by Hines A+D breaks ground in Texas
Today marks the third Juneteenth in U.S. history, a national holiday that began after the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2021. In line with Juneteenth’s mission and ethos, construction broke ground on a new memorial in Texas this afternoon that honors the way in which African Americans built Fort Bend County,…
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Body found in ditch by construction workers in Fort Bend County identified as 61-year-old man
FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office has released the identity of a man found dead in a drainage ditch by construction workers last week. On June 11 at a little after 1 p.m., Fort Bend County dispatch received a call from construction workers saying they discovered a body along FM…
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Missouri City library to host butterfly and hummingbird class on June 24
Fort Bend County Libraries’ Missouri City Branch Library will present a program on “Gardening for Butterflies & Hummingbirds” on Monday, June 24, from 2-3 p.m., in the Meeting Room of the library, located at 1530 Texas Parkway. Fort Bend County Master Gardener Nancy Schafer will talk about plants that attract…
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Sugar Land Branch Library to host ‘Discovery Dome” on June 22
Fort Bend County Libraries’ Sugar Land Branch Library will host the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Discovery Dome for a special Summer Reading Challenge event for teens and their families on Saturday, June 22, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., in the Meeting Room of the library, 550 Edridge. This event – part…
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Smith lays out vison for FBISD at chamber event
Six months into the job, Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Mark Smith laid out his vision for the district at a presentation to civic and business leaders at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce last week. Smith, who was named as the “sole finalist” for the superintendent role in December following…
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Internal investigation launched after 61-year-old missing man found dead in ditch in Fort Bend Co.
FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office is providing more information on the 61-year-old man who was found dead in a ditch by construction workers last week. On June 11, around 1:13 p.m., deputies were called to a construction site in the 6900 block…
