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New website launching this week

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

It’s an exciting time at The Leader, where we have launched a newand-improved website at the same online address, theleadernews.com.

The switch to a new web hosting platform, operated by a company called TownNews, was months in the making and designed to better serve you, our loyal readers and advertisers. TownNews is a digital media and online publishing company that serves newspapers all across the United States and is tailored to

their needs. We worked with them to create a website that is specific to our needs as the leading news source for the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest areas.

The types of stories we present on this new site will be the same as before, compelling and locally relevant, and they will continue to mirror our weekly print edition. They’ll be similarly categorized as well, and you’ll still be able to read stories and view photos that were published before we made the switch.

Whether you visit our website on

a mobile device or desktop computer, you’ll notice a cleaner look and more seamless, intuitive and multi-faceted experience that will

Swap meet

allow you to navigate to the stories you care about most while engaging us and other members of the community. You’ll see some new features as well, such as lists of the most popular stories on our site as well as poll questions that will allow you to provide feedback and interact with us.

So next time you’re on the web, please visit theleadernews.com, give our new site a spin and let us know what you think. Thanks in advance.

Local reps in Washington weigh in on Capitol attack

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

4537 N Shepherd Dr.

(713) 863-8322

INSIDE.

Play by the rules. Mitch Cohen opines about the dos and don’ts at his art markets.

Page 7A

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Lazybrook resident Adrienne Thorp, left, hugs Jimmy Stewart on Jan. 9 at Millie’s Kitchen & Cocktails, 3542 Oak Forest Dr.

Keep it clean. More than 30 volunteers cleaned up part of Turkey Gully last weekend.

Page 7A

Kidney transplants create special bonds The six of them had never been in the same place at the same time, and they come from different generations and different parts of Houston. As recently as seven months earlier, they didn’t know most of the other people’s names or what they looked like, and they could not have imagined their paths would

cross.

But as they stood together on the front patio of an Oak Forest restaurant, late on a sun-splashed Saturday afternoon, they could have passed for relatives at a family reunion or childhood friends gathering as adults. They smiled and laughed and hugged, took pictures together, shared stories and generally enjoyed each other’s company.

“Very touching,” said one of their

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Lynn Palmer, left, received a kidney from Adrienne Thorp.

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Photo by Adam Zuvanich Gretchen Anderson, left, donated a kid- Jimmy Stewart, left, received a kidney from David Palmer. ney to Steven Thorpe.

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

wives, Marti Stewart, who witnessed the encounter from a few feet away. “Thank God for all of them.”

Gretchen Anderson, David and Lynn Palmer, Jimmy Stewart, Adrienne Thorp and Steven Thorpe (similar spellings but different last names) are grateful for each other, modern medicine and the chain of events that bound them See Donors P. 5A

Back in business. Don Jose Mexican Restaurant reopened Jan. 8 after initially closing.

Page 2B

Sharp shooter. Dalanna Carter has found a basketball home at Lutheran High North.

See Representatives P. 5A

New mini mural series tackles city scourge

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Page 4B

THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 4A Classifieds.............................................. 5A Coupons................................................... 3B Food/Drink/Art................................... 7A Obituaries............................................... 4A Opinion..................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 8A Puzzles...................................................... 3A

U.S. Reps. Dan Crenshaw and Sheila Jackson Lee, who were elected to Congress by area voters, were in Washington D.C. last week to fulfill their duties as outlined by the Constitution.

They were in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 to participate in a joint session of Congress tasked with counting the votes of the Electoral College and certifying Joe Biden’s win against President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 election.

Neither Crenshaw nor Jackson Lee voted to object to the results, despite sitting on opposite sides of the political aisle, and they had to wait until the early hours of the next mornJackson Lee ing to complete the process.

That’s because the congressional session was suspended for several hours as supporters of Trump, who spoke at a nearby rally earlier Jan. 6 and repeated Crenshaw his claim the election had been stolen from him, stormed the Capitol building as part of a violent riot that reportedly led to multiple deaths and hundreds of arrests.

“Stop this (expletive) right now,” Crenshaw tweeted during the attack.

Crenshaw, a Republican like Trump, and Jackson Lee, a Democrat like Biden, both condemned the breach of the Capitol as well as the rhetoric that fueled it.

Crenshaw said the mob of Trump supporters were “lied to” about the prospect of the election results being overturned

by Congress on Jan. 6, while Jackson Lee has criticized Trump for inciting the

Photo by Alex Barber Houston artist Anat Ronen paints a mini mural on a traffic signal control box at Moody Park.

Houston City Council member Karla Cisneros, a longtime fan of the city’s mini mural program, recently came up with a way to enlarge a mural’s purpose by combatting a city scourge – human trafficking.

Four new “Mini Murals” on traffic signal control cabinets in Cisneros’ District H aim to bringing human trafficking prevention and awareness to Northside Houston, just in time for January’s Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

Cisneros said she is not aware of any other cities or locations that have used mini murals this way.

“I got the idea from witnessing first-hand how successful the mini mural program has been in brightening up our streetscapes and seeing the positive effect they have on people who pass them,” Cisneros said. “It occurred to me that if we identified problematic locations where human trafficking or prostitution might be an issue, that the mini murals could not only lift spirits and inspire hope, but they could also pro-

vide easy access to the National Human Trafficking Hotline and that calling the number for help could be life-changing.”

The hotline number, 888-3737888, is written on signals at four different locations - Airline Drive at Crosstimbers Street, Airline at Cavalcade Street, Jensen Drive at Crosstimbers and at Moody Park.

Cisneros said the four sites in District H were primarily identified by her staff through calls from constituents who had witnessed or were concerned about prostitution or other illeSee Mural P. 5A

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Page 2A • Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 • The Leader

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Visit memorialhermann.org/ccc or call 713.222.CARE to schedule an appointment.

Advancing health.

Personalizing care.

THE TOPICS. Nice to see you again, Don Jose The Leader • Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 • Page 3A

T

he story had been written for a whole week, and it was the clear choice to dominate the front page of last week’s newspaper.

The Dec. 30 closing of Don Jose Mexican Restaurant made major waves in Northwest Houston, which over the span of nearly 50 years developed quite a strong bond with the spacious, family-oriented eatery at 5305 Antoine Dr. The community was sad to see it go, to say the least, and that was reflected in The Leader with a big, bold headline that said, “Adios, amigo.”

Shortly before 1:30 p.m. Jan. 6 – just a few minutes after we sent the paper to the printer and cemented its publication – I found out the story might have become outdated, obsolete and, worst of all, inaccurate. I was told Don Jose planned to reopen Jan. 8, the same day many of our readers would receive a newspaper that said the place had closed for good.

At first I was in disbelief, thinking my co-worker might have heard wrong. Then I became a little angry, realizing the most prominent story in our paper might have been wrong.

But as the Don Jose stakeholders said in the days following their Dec.

Adam

Zuvanich Editor

30 farewell, not so fast.

By the end of the week, after confirming the beloved Tex-Mex restaurant was in fact reopening, I couldn’t help but feel proud and gratified. Because our coverage of a significant story in the community helped turn a disappointing development into the happiest of hours.

Bernardo Garcia, Don Jose’s new co-owner along with his uncle, Fernando Anaya, and cousin, Jorge Anaya, told me he and his family had a change of heart after perusing through reader comments on our website, theleadernews.com, as well as our Facebook page, @FromTheLeader. He said the overwhelming expressions of support and recounting of fond memories, along with the sadness about the restaurant’s closing, made him realize how important

Don Jose is to the community.

Garcia and his relatives also came to understand how important the restaurant is to them and their family, which might have endured a more difficult 2020 than most of us. His father, Carlos Garcia, who was Don Jose’s second in command to his uncle, Luis Hermosillo, died Aug. 9 from COVID-19. Hermosillo died three days later from the same cause.

The restaurant remained open but was rudderless for the rest of the year. On the day Don Jose closed, a family member and employee said no one had been willing to take charge, which was why the restaurant was shuttering.

But thanks to the prodding from readers of The Leader, and from Carlos Garcia’s widow, Juana Garcia, Bernardo said he and the Anayas decided to rise to the challenge and keep the venture going.

“They worked all their lives for Don Jose,” Bernardo said of his father and uncle, Hermosillo, who bought the business from founder EJ Clark in the early 2000s. “It was a lot to lose on the line, and a lot of customers. It was just worth it.”

Don Jose’s resurrection might be

Photo from donjosemexicanrestaurantonline.com Don Jose Mexican Restaurant closed Dec. 30 and reopened Jan. 8.

just as welcomed by the community it has served for so long as it is by the family that has operated it for so long. On the day it initially closed, patrons from Forest West, Oak Forest and other nearby neighborhoods laughed and smiled as they enjoyed what they thought was their final meal at Don Jose. And they were eager to express their fondness for the restaurant and share their experiences with it, recounting childhood visits, birthday celebrations with family and the consistently friendly service they received from employees who treated them like family.

The connection continues and might now be stronger than ever, because Don Jose customers and staff have another memorable story

Revolving door at courthouse THE READER. correlates to rising crime rates

Local restaurant criticized, then energized by subsequent support

By Andy Kahan For The Leader

According to the Wall Street Journal, Houston has one of the highest overall crime rates of any U.S. city. Houston’s overall crime rate is 92 percent higher than the overall crime rate in Texas. Property crime is much higher in Houston than it is nationwide.

Burglary and auto theft are prime examples of the skyrocketing crime rates in Houston. Both rates are more than double compared to national rates. Violent crime is no exception considering our rates are well above the national average. For example, at 1,072 offenses for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Houston is well above the national violent crime rate of 379 offenses per 100,000 people.

Cities all over the country are reporting a spike in violent crimes and homicides since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wall Street Journal recently ranked America’s 50 most dangerous cities.

Not surprisingly, Houston was ranked 21st. Dallas, on the other hand, was ranked 42nd.

Chicago, which is generally perceived as one of our nation’s most violent cities, came in 33rd.

This disturbing trend halts the decrease in violent crime for the past several years. Certainly COVID-19 has played a role, but other factors including the revolving door at the courthouse are also contributing to the rapidly rising crime rates in Houston.

My research indicates 81 people have been killed or murdered in Harris County in less than two years, with at least 50 victims in 2020 as a direct result of well-intentioned, but poorly implemented bail bond reforms. Last week a defendant was charged with another murder after he had been released on an unprecedented low bond for firstdegree murder: $25,000.

The week before, another defendant who had been granted multiple felony bonds failed to report to Harris County Pre-Trial Services and violated his electronic monitoring conditions on a daily basis for over two weeks. He now stands accused of the

Kahan

murder of his ex-girlfriend.

These are just a few examples of what I have been seeing on a routine basis. The ramifications of criminal justice and felony bond reform are indeed a major factor regarding the increasing crime rates in Harris County.

Crime Stoppers wants to make it perfectly clear: We support misdemeanor bond reform. What we don’t support is when public safety is placed at a higher risk when career habitual offenders are continuously released back to the community only to reoffend time after time again.

We support the efforts of State Senators John Whitmire and Paul Bettencourt this legislative session regarding the issues of multiple felony bonds and establishing a statewide standardized system that sets bail upon risk to the community. These changes will result in significant improvements to the pre-trial release system in Texas by ensuring equitable treatment of individuals accused of crimes and reducing the likelihood of violent repeat offenders being released back to the community.

Sadly, Houston ranks fourth in the country in homicide rates. We have ballooned from 258 documented homicides in 2018 to more than 400 at the end of 2020. Houston had 31 murders in a two-week period from Nov. 21-Dec. 4. That’s more than two per day. Let’s not forget the Bloody Monday of Nov. 9 in which there were seven homicides. Houston’s murder rates are the highest they have been in at least 15 years.

Keep in mind the above numbers are strictly for Houston. When you include the homicide numbers for Harris County, we are roughly around

Fetch your Leader Copies of The Leader are no longer available at 3500 E. T.C. Jester Blvd. Suite A. You can find them at our office: 2020 N. Loop W., Suite 220 or MytiBurger 2211 W. 43rd St.

the 500 mark.

Crime Stoppers believes all of us who live and work in Harris County should be on the same page on behalf of public safety. Increasing crime rates detrimentally affects all of us. Improving public safety has to and must be a non-partisan issue.

As the leading public safety organization bridging the gap between citizens and law enforcement for 40 years, we look forward to having a critical public safety conversation as all of us seek to enhance public safety through positive reform.

Kahan is the Director of Victim Services & Advocacy for Crime Stoppers of Houston. He can be reached at akahan@ crime-stoppers.org.

Dear Editor: Excellent manufactured mask theater. I can’t believe anybody buys this story. I’m sure that roving gangs of conservative, “unmasked” marauders are a huge problem in Garden Oaks now (apparently we are led to believe U.S. and/ or Mexican patriots) – targeting random burger establishments and urgent care facilities. The fact that our local politicians showed up there later “in support of the downtrodden” would make me less likely to want to eat there and even more suspicious.

I’m not sure that eating a greasy hamburger is the best recommendation for the mayor to be advocating if that concerned about Covid.

The CDC has established certain risk factors for severe Covid which includes heart failure, and coronary artery disease. If wanting people to stay safe, he should be recommending people eat healthy and not gorge on junk food. But I guess the mask issue is just easier to “stomach” politically for him.

Frances Martin

to tell.

Remember that time it closed and everybody was so upset, but then the community was elated when it reopened nine days later? Remember when The Leader published a story about Don Jose shutting down and it came out the same day the restaurant opened its doors again?

Those were good times, we’ll say at some point, probably while sitting in the dining room with family and friends and enjoying a cold margarita and a hot plate of enchiladas.

So welcome back, Don Jose. We missed you while you were away and hope you stick around forever.

Email azuvanich@theleadernews. com

landmark for Forest West Subdivision, Scarborough Spartans, and other numerous Houstonians. I myself used to sit in the high chairs and graduated high school with Katy Carruth. My two older sisters Stephanie and Ginny were once hostesses there. When all the Kromer’s went out to eat that’s where we would go. Mr. Clark followed by Luis and Carlos always took very good care of us. Carlos memorized every single order, never writing down a single order amongst the 15+ of us and getting every order perfectly right. I am so glad that someone stepped up so that Don Jose can continue!

Carol Ann Dear Editor: This place needs some investors to carry on and honor these people.

William Pike Dear Editor: The support when closing is now needed at reopening. Same menu, waiters and determination to keep it going by Jorge and other family members.

Sandra Mazyn

Don Jose reopens nine days after closing

Dear Editor: The closing of Don Jose was a shock. 12/30/20 marked the closing of an important place, a

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss

1. Plural of ascus 5. Repents 11. British School 12. Adhesive to catch birds 15. Male children 16. Oil company 17. Intestinal 19. Money slogan 24. 2nd tone 25. In actual truth 26. Belgian-French River 27. Rural Free Delivery 28. Point midway between S and SE 29. Texas armadillo 30. 2nd largest Hawaiian island 31. Pile up 33. Changes liquid to vapor 34. Yemen capital 37. Byways 38. V-shaped cut 39. Painting on dry plaster 42. Daminozide 43. Papa’s partner 44. __ -fi: fiction/movie genre 47. 1st Soviet space station 48. Latvian capital 49. Come into view

52. Blue Hen school 53. Maine water company 55. Picture & word puzzle 57. Atomic #18 58. Xiamen dialect 59. Being overzealous 62. One who did it (slang) 63. Night breathing noises 64. A minute amount (Scott)

dOwn 1. Race of Norse gods 2. Large pebbles 3. Latin line dances 4. The inner sole of a shoe 5. A French abbot 6. Moves stealthily 7. An alternative 8. 39th state 9. Lotus sports car model 10. River fill 13. Of I 14. Many noises 18. Ghana monetary units 20. Actor Hughley 21. The Cowboy State 22. Jests at 23. America

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WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 • The Leader

HISD approves paid COVID leave for employees

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

In a reversal of an earlier proposal, the Houston ISD Board of Education approved a request by interim superintendent Grenita Lathan to restore paid leave for staff related to COVID-19. Employees who are required to quarantine due to a COVID-19 diagnosis or exposure to an infected person will be given paid leave. “In the interest of health and safety, it is the district’s intention and goal to fully support employees who are

required to quarantine as a result of contracting COVID-19 or being exposed to it,� Lathan said in a news release. “This is an important and necessary provision as we continue to navigate the pandemic.�

At a Dec. 11 meeting of HISD principals, the working plan was for teachers to use their own leave days and not be allowed to teach from home in the event of a diagnosis or exposure.

Now employees will be able to apply for up to 80 total hours - or 10 days - of emergency paid sick leave if

Lathan

required to quarantine. Principals have the discretion to give teachers and other

campus-based employees the ability to work or teach remotely, if the employee needs to quarantine and if working off-campus fulfills school needs.

The board-approved resolution extended benefits provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which expired Dec. 31. If Congress modifies or extends the federal act, the resolution also gives the superintendent the authority to determine how employees may use the 80 hours of leave originally provided by the FFCRA.

Vaccine for teachers Houston’s teachers have been vocal about wanting to be prioritized for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. “We continually hear how important it is to get teachers and students back to in-person instruction, so it makes perfect sense to protect the people that would be on our school campuses,� Texas AFT President Zeph Capo said last month.

Thus far, teachers outside the 1A and 1B priority groups as outlined by the state are not eligible to be vaccinated.

But for those who do quali-

fy – school nurses, school police officers and school wellness teams, as well as those 65 and older, or those with at least one chronic medical condition – HISD has partnered with Kroger and Next Level to assist employees in receiving a vaccine.

HISD defines wellness teams as those individuals on the frontline at the schools who check temperatures daily for school entry and support school nurses.

For more HISD updates related to COVID-19, visit https://www.houstonisd. org/healthalerts.

COVID-19 conditions prompt HISD to scale back sporting events

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

The increase in COVID-19 cases in the region has prompted Houston ISD to suspend middle school athletics, along with non-district and subvarsity competition at the high school level, according to a Monday memo sent by athletics director Andre Walker to campus athletic coordinators.

Walker did not respond to a voicemail left at his office late Monday afternoon. Another HISD employee

who asked to remain anonymous confirmed the validity of the memo, which was echoed in a Tuesday afternoon news release by HISD. Walker wrote in his memo that the district’s high schools — including Heights, Scarborough, Waltrip and Booker T. Washington high schools — will participate only in varsity-level district competitions until further notice. HISD teams will not compete in non-district events or tournaments, and all competition among sub-varsity and club teams is suspended.

In addition, middle school athletics in cross country, football, swimming and volleyball are suspended. Walker wrote in his memo that middle school basketball, soccer and track seasons will be re-evaluated at a later date. “Due to the increase in coronavirus cases in Harris County, the Department of Athletics will scale back on athletic events,â€? Walker wrote. â€œâ€Ś We will continue to monitor the Harris County and City of Houston coronavirus status information.â€?

HISD said in its news release that

the decision to scale back athletic events will be re-evaluated on Jan. 22.

According to local health authorities, there have been a total of 267,729 cases of COVID-19 in Houston and Harris County, with the disease having caused at least 2,715 deaths and 222,442 patients having recovered. The number of new reported cases rose steadily from midSeptember to late December, with more than 3,000 new cases having been reported Dec. 28.

HISD resumes community distribution ‘supersites’

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston ISD announced last week that the district has re-started its weekly Neighborhood Supersite food distribution program as students return to school after holiday break.

The supersites reopened Jan. 6, and another three supersites will operate from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays, including one at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center at 4400 W. 18th St. All sites will provide seven days’ worth of student meals and family food boxes from the Houston Food Bank, according to HISD.

Community food and supplies are available to all residents. Student meals are available to any child between the ages 1-18, and families must either have children in the vehicle or provide a birth certificate or proof of enrollment in any school district.

There are additional local distribution sites at Clifton Middle School (6001 Golden Forest Dr.), Waltrip High School (1900 W. 34th St.) and Booker T. Washington High School (4204 Yale St.) that are open Mondays and Thursdays from 2-5 p.m.

For a complete list of distribution times and locations, visit HoustonISD.org/StudentMeals.

Betty Jean Murdoch Gleason, 96, born Oct. 18, 1924 in Asheville, NC, died Jan. 8. She is survived by daughters, Nancy Gleason, Judy Gleason Rundell and her husband Steve; granddaughter Lauren Rundell; grandson, Daniel “Dan�

Marvin Blocker; and great grandsons Gavin Blocker and Grant Blocker.

Karen Lynn Hatch, 59, born June 25, 1961, died Jan. 8.

Karen Kubena, 56, born March 12, 1964, died Jan. 10.

Marcie Lynn Martin, 57, born Nov. 18, 1963, died Jan. 8.

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Photo from Twitter Free food will be distributed on Mondays and Thursdays at three area Houston ISD schools.

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THE OBITUARIES. Robert Wallace Gilbert, 89, born Feb. 20, 1931, died Jan. 2. He is survived by his wife Marie Gilbert, children Tracy Perri, Sam Gilbert, Kelly Gilbert with spouse Michelle Dean, grandchildren Kyle and Julia Perri, Ashley, Kyle and Devyn Dean, and sisters Judy Beall and Linda Gibson.

According to HISD’s COVID-19 dashboard, there were a total of 481 active cases in the school district as of Tuesday — 198 among students and 283 among staff. The area campuses with active cases are Heights and Scarborough high schools, Frank Black, Clifton, Hogg and Williams middle schools and Crockett, Durham, Field, Garden Oaks, Helms, Highland Heights, Love, Oak Forest, Sinclair, Smith, Travis and Wainwright elementary schools.

Joseph Howard McGrew, 73, born Aug. 19, 1947, died Jan. 9.

Pamela Medina, 77, born Feb. 2, 1943, died Jan. 7. She is survived by her two daughters, Tammy and her husband Matt, Kelly and her husband Steve; grandchildren, Taryn, Stephen, and Michael and his wife Jennifer; great-grandchildren, Brandon, Ryan, Jake, Lexi, Dylan, Gabriel, Matthew and Samuel; brother, Ronnie and his wife Angelina, sister, Cyndie and her husband Ronnie.

Dr. Carlos Herrera will leave the My Family Doctor, Heights Clinic on February 4, 2021.

If you would like a copy of your medical records or if you would like to have your medical records transferred, please contact Karina Moreno at 713-868-4433.

Thomas Warnock Moore, 85, born Aug. 12, 1935, died Jan. 10.

Robert Ambrose Pfile, 92, born Feb. 10, 1928, died Jan. 1. He is survived by son Marty Pfile (Robin), daughter Kristi Bender (Mark) and son Bryan Pfile (Pam), along with grandchildren Kyle Wood, Kelly Dean (Edgar), Justin Pfile and Katy Pfile.

Constance Sunday, 76, born Jan. 17, 1944, died Jan. 3.

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Local business is our business.

Waiting and wondering

By Pastor Will Cover

Send your story of interest news@theleadernews.com

Arise Baptist Church 803 Curtin St. Houston TX 77018 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org

A

re you watching the news and wondering about all that is going on? Are you feeling anxious about all of the changes and the continued Covid-19 pandemic? There is plenty going on around us that can cause even the most confident person to feel stressed. In Acts 1 the followers of Jesus watched Him ascend back to heaven. Their Teacher, Master, and Savior had just left them on earth. He was back in heaven t goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: “we have all where everything was perfect and He gave them made mistakes.� As Alexander Pope so aptly put it: “To the job of being for Him to all of the err is human, to forgive, divine.�witnesses We should remember this the next time weBefore make a mistake.

Mostto certainly, world. they were beginwe Jesus told them must learn from our mistakes, hopefully not These continuedisciples were to wait for theand Holy Spirit. to repeat them, but we should also forgive ourselves. While in a waiting time. They were accused by the it can be hard enough to forgive others for their mistakes, it In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, please check with each church below for updated information about services religious leaders and political leaders of their can sometimes feel almost impossible to forgive ourselves.

St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA We sometimes bring ourselves to forgive Sunday Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am daycannot of stealing Jesus’ body something and claiming that He andBible events.

In-person services are temporarily restricted. we’ve done,had and risen we may punish anddead. harangue ourselves Morning Worship ............... 10:45am • Worship (English) ..... 10:00 am - 11:00am from the They were without their for years, or even decades, over youthful indiscretions. In Wednesday Bible Studies For Youth, Children • Learning Hour........... 11:00am - 12:00pm leader that they loved and hadof learned from.

MANNA addition, some of us may not be able to forget the sins • Worship (Spanish) ....

12:30 pm 1:30pm and Adults............................ 6:15pm Sponsor During time of waiting and wondering they our past. And althoughthis that may prevent us from repeating St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA 1602 West 43rd St. • Houston, Tx 77018 • 713-686-1577 them, we must be charitable andto forgive ourselves, as time asking 1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470 came together pray.

They just spent we should forgive others. So, we should make a real effort in God for help and for direction. t 8PSTIJQ &OHMJTI BN BN coming days and weeks to forgive the offenses of others Gethsemane Lutheran Church the Weekly Sunday Services   own.

While you may beto struggling with events in Gethsemane Lutheran Church as well as our Sometimes, it helps just forget about

BN QN MANNA t -FBSOJOH )PVS • Bible Study: 9:15 a.m.

4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 Pastor Jerry McNamara them; that is, to try to put them out ofcircumstances our mind and stop that are going your own life or the • Morning:10:30 a.m. t 8PSTIJQ 4QBOJTI

QN QN We invite you to worship with us!

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The Leader • Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 • Page 5A

Donors, from P. 1A together. Some described their connection as miraculous, and it’s undoubtedly inspiring.

Three of them saved the lives of the other three by donating one of their kidneys last year, and the donors’ acts of selflessness in turn preserved the life of a loved one who was a recipient. They were part of the kidney swap program at Houston Methodist Hospital, in which a patient in need of a kidney has friends or family members volunteer to donate one in order to move the patient higher up the priority list and expedite a transplant.

Anderson donated a kidney to Thorpe, whose sister-in-law, Lazybrook resident Thorp, donated a kidney to Lynn Palmer.

Palmer’s husband, David, gave one to Jimmy Stewart, who is Anderson’s brother.

Dr. Osama Gaber, the chair of the department of surgery at Houston Methodist who helped coordinate the transplants, called the six-person, threekidney swap “very remarkable.�

He said it is the largest kidney swap executed by the hospital, which has offered the program for nearly a decade, and was made possible by the expertise of nephrologist Dr. Hassan Ibrahim as well as the benevolence of the donors and recipients involved.

“To be honest, there’s so much bad stuff happening around us,� Gaber said. “Something this good makes it easier to go to work and do your thing and believe in what you do.�

Pre-existing connection Anderson, a former Oak Forest resident who now lives in West University, said she believes divine powers were in play. She discovered she had a close connection to her kidney recipient and his sister-in-law after agreeing to take part in the swap, and one of the most unwelcome aspects of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic, ended up being a blessing.

Anderson had decided in February of last year to donate a kidney to Stewart, her brother, but the transplant was postponed by the local onset of the pandemic in early March. Then in mid-June, a few days before surgery was scheduled, a Houston Methodist doctor told Anderson the hospital had found a better match for her kidney and there was another suitable donor for her brother.

The more ideal match was for Thorpe, a Spring Valley resident who was born with EagleBarrett syndrome and underdeveloped kidneys. He had his first transplant at age 7 and another at 20, and because of the

antibodies he built up after the previous transplants, Thorpe said his body would reject “99.7 percent� of all kidneys.

Now 38 with three young daughters, the former Oak Forest resident had been on a kidney waiting list for three years and undergone thrice-weekly dialysis treatments during that span. When Anderson found out Thorpe’s circumstances and talked briefly about it with her husband, she agreed to donate a kidney to Thorpe instead of her brother.

Anderson did not know Thorpe or even his name at the time.

But within 30 minutes, she said she found out her new would-be recipient was the son-in-law of one of her good friends from college, Leslie Kappler. Kappler had been exchanging text messages with their mutual friend, Lynn Russell, telling her a kidney match had finally been identified for Thorpe.

Knowing Anderson was at Houston Methodist preparing to donate a kidney to her brother, Russell reached out to tell Anderson to look out for their old friend Kappler. Kappler was going to the hospital with Thorp, her daughter, who had gotten a call from her brotherin-law Thorpe to let her know his match had been found and she needed to donate a kidney.

“I got a cup of coffee and said (to Russell), ‘So, is Steven in his 30s? Does he have three young girls? Has he been on dialysis?’ � Anderson recalled. “I said, “Lynn, I think (the donor is) me.’ She called Leslie and said, ‘You’re not going to believe this, but I think Steven’s donor is Gretchen.’ �

Thorpe’s sister-in-law, Thorp, was in a waiting room with Anderson a short time later.

Anderson recognized Thorp because of her resemblance to her mother, Kappler. “It’s absolutely God’s work,�

Thorp said. “It’s an absolute miracle just how it all worked out.�

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Gretchen Anderson, left, donated a kidney last year to Steven Thorpe, right. At center is Lazybrook resident Adrienne Thorp, who is Thorpe’s sister-in-law and the daughter of Anderson’s friend from college.

Forever linked Thorp, the president of the PTO at Sinclair Elementary, said Anderson’s decision to pivot and donate to her brotherin-law Thorpe set the rest of the swap in motion. Anderson and Thorpe had their transplant operations June 16. Thorp donated a kidney to Lynn Palmer, a Pearland resident who was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2019, on June 24.

The last link in the swap was between David Palmer and Stewart, whose transplant was postponed twice because he tested positive for COVID-19.

They ended up having the

transplant Oct. 9.

Stewart said it worked out well in the end, because he and Palmer are similar in size, and Anderson’s kidney likely would have been too small for him.

Palmer had originally planned to donate a kidney to his wife, but they were willing to be part of the larger swap in order to help the others. “It was pretty intense that we were able to pull it through,� said Gaber, the Houston Methodist doctor.

The Palmers also are former area residents, having once lived near the intersection of T.C. Jester Boulevard and Sher-

Mural from P. 1A

Representatives from P. 1A rioters by “falsely� claiming his election loss was fraudulent.

Jackson Lee, a senior member of Congress who first was elected in 1994, also is among the legislators pushing for Trump to be removed from office before Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration. On Jan. 7 she introduced articles of impeachment against Trump, who could become the first president to be impeached twice, and voted in support of the House of Representatives’ Tuesday resolution calling for Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump from office.

Pence reportedly rejected that call earlier Tuesday in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Democratic-controlled House was set to vote Wednesday whether to impeach Trump on a charge of “incitement of insurrection,� according to multiple news reports.

It is unclear whether the Republican-controlled Senate would consider an impeachment charge and take action before Biden’s inauguration.

wood Lane. Lynn Palmer said she keeps in regular contact with Thorp, her donor from Lazybrook who likes to jokingly ask how her kidney is doing.

All six swap participants said they have experienced no complications or ill effects as a result of their operations. The three recipients said they felt better almost immediately after the transplants. “I don’t have enough good things to say,� Lynn Palmer said. “I feel like we are now a family, the six of us, because we’re all intertwined.�

Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter @AZuvanich

“Enough is enough!� Jackson Lee said in a Jan. 7 news release from her office. “The President has completely lost whatever moral authority he had and is unfit as Commander in Chief.

His actions to incite violence against his own government and against the entire Congress warrants removal from office.�

Crenshaw, a second-term Congressman who was re-elected in November, endorsed a December lawsuit filed by the state of Texas that asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reject the election results in four battleground states won by Biden. The suit was rejected by the high court, which said Texas lacked standing.

Crenshaw wrote that “concerns about election integrity are real, and they must be heard� in a Jan. 7 op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal.

He also wrote, “Millions of Americans were falsely led to believe that the final say in the election of our next president lay with a single body, Congress,� further explaining that Congress’ role on Jan. 6 was procedural

and had no possibility of altering the outcome.

On Twitter, Crenshaw has since criticized that social media platform and others for suspending Trump’s accounts, which he used to communicate with millions of followers. The private companies cited violations of their terms of use and the potential for inciting further violence as their reasons.

Crenshaw also responded to a tweet by Biden that implied the rioters at the Capitol, many of whom were allowed to leave after they had entered the building, were treated less harshly by authorities than the Black Lives Matter protesters who last summer demonstrated in cities across the country, including in Washington. “Not the time. This is disgusting and divisive, not to mention hypocritical and false,� Crenshaw tweeted in response. “You said you wanted to heal the country. Actions speak louder than words.�

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gal activity at those locations. “We noted that calls to 311 also backed up what we were hearing from the community,� she said. “We vetted the list through the Mayor’s Office of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence, and they concurred with the selected locations. I felt that if these were areas where victims of human trafficking might pass through, it could be a good place to reach out and offer some additional help.�

Anat Ronen, who became a professional artist in her late 30s after emigrating from Israel, said a design from her existing portfolio was selected for the mural project.

Ronen’s mural is at Moody Park. “They chose the design that spoke to them,� Ronen said of the window looking into a great forest, which she originally envisioned as a respite from more urban surroundings. “I suppose it resonated, an escape into a different world.�

Ronen was involved in the Mini Mural program at its start in 2015.

A program of UP Art Studio, which

commissions the artists and manages the projects, there are now hundreds of murals across the city.

Each mural, which costs about $2,500 to create, was funded by Cisneros’ office with additional support from Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Office of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence.

The other participating artists are Alex “ZĂşâ€? ArzĂş and Renee Victor.

Ronen said it took her a full day to complete the project and that as with other murals, there was a fair bit of interaction with pedestrians in the area. “It is always heartwarming to visit with passersby,� she said. “It was also interesting to get to paint on the METRO line. I thought about potential victims maybe traveling the line and seeing the number to call.�

To learn more about human trafficking and the response from the mayor’s office, visit humantraffickinghouston.org.

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The Leader • Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 • Page 7A

Art Valet: Exhibitors carry weight at markets with the tent remained firmly attached to the tent legs.

The rest, like discs of death, went flying in all directions looking for unassuming vendors no doubt. Ahem, exhibitors.

Today I inform all artist exhibitors that they must conform to proper weight guidelines of at least the minimum 100 pounds per tent. Snapping pics of improper weights is almost a hobby for me now. Artists are creative, after all, and sometimes the shortcuts they take to get past the rules are hilarious if not just dangerous.

I remind exhibitors of a favorite quote I found years ago online about inadequate weights. It was something like this: “Those (insert the weight used) are the equivalent of a 3-year-old child

Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

Do you have any pet peeves? I bet everyone discovered a few new ones in 2020 regardless if we were looking or not. The year 2020 gave more insight into my predilection for some odd pet peeves I thought I’d share with you this week.

Go easy on me, please.

I don’t know when it happened, but at some point over the past 17 years I went from clueless entrepreneur starting Houston’s first monthly outdoor art market, to creating long pages of rules for the “vendors” to follow. When I realized a majority of artists weren’t reading those rules, I managed to whittle the rules down to what amounts to a short bullet list.

My pet peeves derive from that short list. The misuse of the word “vendor” is top of my pet peeve list. Yes, I used that word quite liberally early on. Reviewing early editions of my reams of rules, vendor is as common as the word “um” is used by interviewees with no experience talking.

One day as I was perusing web forums for artists, no doubt I was looking for new rules for my market. I came

Photo by Mitch Cohen Emerging artist Katie Dison recently particated in her first arts market. She did not break the rules.

across a discussion about the word vendor. The author’s biggest pet peeve was how after spending many years and thousands of dollars on an arts education, the event coordinators at fine art festivals insisted on calling the artist attendees “vendors.” Guilty.

A vendor is typically defined as someone selling something on the street, and most often they are selling someone else’s product.

From that point on I

changed the wording on all the rules, instructions and marketing to either artist or the painfully long yet more appropriate word, exhibitor.

Exhibitor just doesn’t roll off the tongue or hammer out as easily on a keyboard as the word vendor. However, there was no way I was going to be lumped in with those inconsiderate organizers either. My artist friends would tell you that I’ve become obsessive about correcting anyone who uses the

term vendor.

In a close second among my pet peeves at outdoor markets are tent weights.

You probably never notice them. I sure didn’t early in my rule-making and vendor name-calling days.

The first time I really noticed how effective weights can be was when two of my tents took flight. They’re about as elegant in flight as overweight flamingos.

Half of the round, 5-pound weights I bought at the store

Volunteers team up to clean up Turkey Gully

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Hunter Dickerson loves being next to nature, and he found a way to live next to it about six months ago.

He bought a home in Shady Acres that overlooks Turkey Gully, the White Oak Bayou tributary than runs through the western part of the Heights area. Dickerson spends lots of time exploring the waterway that’s heavily shaded by tree cover, having spotted two species of heron, fish and turtles.

He also has taken it upon himself to try to clean the urban tributary and the area surrounding it, and he encourages his neighbors to do the same. He started a Facebook group called Turkey Gully Conservation.

“I’ve been obsessed with the gully for years,” he said.

“When we finally found a house over here we could afford, we were like, ‘We’ve got to do it.’ ” Dickerson cleaned the gully last Saturday morning with the help of more than 30 local residents and other Houstonians, including City of Houston employees. A “Keep It Clean Upstream” cleanup event was co-hosted by Super Neighborhood Council 14, Keep Houston Beautiful and the office of Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin.

Volunteers picked up more than 1,200 pounds of trash and debris from in and around Turkey Gully, including lawn chairs, tires, plastic and metal scraps. Some, including Dickerson, put on waders and retrieved trash directly from the waterway.

“There’s a real sense of adventure when you get down in

Contributed photo Shady Acres resident Hunter Dickerson, right, was among 33 neighborhood and citywide volunteers who helped pick up trash and debris from in and around Turkey Gully on the morning of Jan. 9.

the creek and play in the water a little bit and remove debris and climb up the ravines,” said Keep Houston Beautiful executive director Amy Reed, who participated along with her daughter. “Also to see the success that we saw in just a couple hours’ time with 30 volunteers, it’s really incredible the immediate impact an event like this makes.”

Reed said Keep Houston Beautiful loaned cleanup supplies for the event such as gloves, trash bags, litter grabbers, shovels, rakes and hand sanitizer. She said the nonprofit provides such supplies to any neighborhood organization that wants to take on a similar cleanup project.

Last Saturday’s effort included Kamin, at-large city council member Sallie Alcorn and Houston Public Works director Carol Haddock, according to Super Neighborhood Council 14 president Leigh Killgore, a Timbergrove resident who helped organize the event.

The cleanup focused on a stretch of Turkey Gully that

runs through the Timbergrove neighborhood, from Wynnwood Lane to the north to the gully’s outfall at White Oak Bayou to the south. Reed said it figures to have a positive impact on wildlife and the local water supply along with preventing some pollution from reaching Galveston Bay. Keeping the waterway free of debris also helps to reduce flooding risks for nearby property owners such as Dickerson.

“Turkey Gully and flood mitigation in the area are critical needs I am strongly advocating for. As I continue to work on a large-scale flood mitigation plan, we wanted to organize community-led events like this to highlight the need, get even more people involved and build on the strong sense of community our neighbors have,” Kamin said in a statement provided to The Leader. “… While we need a long-term solution, efforts like this go a long way to preserve and protect the gully which is cherished by residents of all ages.”

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Cohen is an artist and founder of the First Saturday Arts Market and the Market at Sawyer Yards. Find him at ArtValet.com for additional highlights and artist’s stories.

IN MEMORIAM

Vanessa Lee Luce March 8, 1935 - January 2, 2021 Vanessa Lee Luce, age 85, passed away on Saturday, January 2, 2021, at Celeste Memory Care in Llano, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Otis & Maury Hale, her husband Robert G. Luce, daughter & son-in-law, Karen & Joe Yurick, son-in-law Kirk Smith, and her sister Judy Romano.

She was born March 8, 1935, to Otis and Maury Hale in the Heights of Houston, Texas. She was Drum Lieutenant of the Reagan Red Coats. She attended University of Houston where she met Robert, they married in 1955. Vanessa was a computer trainer for Houston Independent School District and had charge of training 21 schools in computer record attendance as the district entered the computer age. She had diverse interests and also worked as an aromatherapist and antique dealer. Vanessa was an avid birder, reader, and gardener. Her birding interest led to publication of The Backyard Arena calendar. She retired with Robert to Johnson City, Texas, where she continued her gardening, was an enthusiastic member of the Red Hat Society, and was a founding member of the Blanco County Cat Coalition to spay & neuter feral cats. She is survived by her sister Carol Wiggins (Leo) her children Laurie Smith, Gary Luce (Tamara), Deb McClintock ( John), 5 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. Services will be held at a later date.

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trying to hold down a 100 square-foot parachute.”

My last pet peeve are multiple pages of rules. I always try to get the most important points right at the beginning. Everyone’s in a hurry and these days, no telling what device they’re reading from. A paragraph looks like a book on some phones.

Good luck conquering your pet peeves. I bet you notice what’s holding those tents down at markets next time you’re out. If you spot something weird, like a chair or laundry bottle strapped to a tent leg, send me a photograph.

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THE PUBLIC. The Leader • Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 • Page 8A

Charges filed in Inwood apartment shooting

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police have arrested a man in connection to a Greater Inwood apartment shooting that put another man in the hospital last week.

The Houston Police Department said 20-year-old Maycon Rodriguez has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The victim, 19-year-old Mario Ponce, was taken to the hospital in an unknown condition, according to HPD.

Rodriguez

Police said officers responded to Diamond Ridge Apartments at 6407 Antoine Dr. at about 11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, to find Ponce on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest. HPD said Rodriguez allegedly ran from the scene covered in blood before being being arrested.

Anyone with additional information in this case is encouraged to contact HPD’s Major Assaults & Family Violence division at 713-308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-2228477.

Police Reports • Jan. 4 - 10 JAN. 4

OXFORD Robbery 11 AM 200 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS Theft 12 AM 1400 BLOCK W 25TH

Theft 5 PM 500 BLOCK W 38TH Theft 7 PM 500 BLOCK YALE Theft 3 PM 400 BLOCK W 27TH Theft 10 AM 500 BLOCK E 28TH Theft 12 PM 2400 BLOCK JUDIWAY Theft 4 AM 600 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Theft 6 PM 1800 BLOCK SHEPHERD Theft 5 PM 1300 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Robbery 12 AM 5100 BLOCK N SHEPHERD

JAN. 7

Theft 7 PM 700 BLOCK STUDEWOOD Theft 9 AM 500 BLOCK W 19TH Assault 9 PM 2100 BLOCK CARTER Assault 1 PM 800 BLOCK AURORA Theft 4 AM 300 BLOCK E 38TH Assault 7 PM 1200 BLOCK E 32ND Assault 6 AM 1300 BLOCK E 36TH Vandalism 2 PM 1100 BLOCK W 34TH

JAN. 5

Theft 7 PM 1500 BLOCK CORTLANDT Theft 4 PM 800 BLOCK W 26TH Theft 4 PM 400 BLOCK OXFORD Theft 12 PM 400 BLOCK OXFORD Theft 7 PM 400 BLOCK OXFORD Theft 10 PM 800 BLOCK WAKEFIELD Vandalism 10 PM 500 BLOCK YALE Robbery 5 PM 200 BLOCK CAVALCADE Burglary 2 AM 100 BLOCK E 20TH

JAN. 8

Theft 6 PM 800 BLOCK TABOR Theft 10 PM 400 BLOCK OXFORD Assault 4 PM 1500 BLOCK AIRLINE Assault 9 AM 600 BLOCK E 39TH Assault 9 AM 700 BLOCK E 43RD Assault 8 AM 300 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Theft 9 PM 2200 BLOCK ELLA Theft 7 PM 2800 BLOCK N SHEPHERD Theft 7 AM 4400 BLOCK N SHEPHERD

JAN. 6

Theft 1 AM 5300 BLOCK DARLING Burglary 3 PM 400 BLOCK W 25TH Theft 11 PM 900 BLOCK GIBBS Theft 12 PM 2400 BLOCK JUDIWAY Robbery 9 PM 4200 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS Vandalism 4 AM 400 BLOCK

Vandalism 11 PM 400 BLOCK E 24TH Theft 11 AM 1100 BLOCK YALE

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The Houston Fire Department is investigating the cause of a fire at a vacant restaurant building in the area after multiple calls to the address on the same day last week.

HFD said in a news release that crews first responded to 6010 Washington Ave. just before 3 a.m. Jan. 7 to find fire coming from the side of a va-

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cant, one-story restaurant that eventually made its way up through the roof before crews put it out. The fire caused about $600,000 in estimated damage to the restaurant, according to the department.

Several hours later – just after 8 a.m. – crews were again called to the scene when a fire broke out after the side roof collapsed on the ceiling joists, according to HFD.

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Arrest 2 AM 900 BLOCK ALEXANDER Assault 8 AM 800 BLOCK E 40TH Arrest 5 PM 4500 BLOCK YALE Theft 2 PM 700 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS

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JAN. 10

Assault 3 AM 1500 BLOCK YALE Other 1 PM 1100 BLOCK W 21ST Theft 11 PM 3100 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS Vandalism 11 PM 3100 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS Arrest 4 AM 1300 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Assault 3 AM 800 BLOCK MARTIN Other 9 PM 200 BLOCK T C JESTER BLVD Shooting 10:29 PM 200 BLOCK TC JESTER BLVD Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

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HFD investigating fires at vacant restaurant

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