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Photo from Facebook Heights restaurants La Lucha and Superica temporarily closed because of COVID-19.

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Three Heights restaurants temporarily closed after employees tested positive for COVID-19, they announced June 12 on social media, the same day that restaurants across Texas were allowed to expand their dining room capacities to 75 percent per the executive order by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Alice Blue, a bistro at 250 W. 19th St., said on Facebook that it would be closed at least through last weekend after a back-of-thehouse employee tested positive for the contagious disease caused

by the new strain of coronavirus.

La Lucha and Superica, which are neighboring Ford Fry concepts at 1801 N. Shepherd Dr., said in an Instagram post that they planned to reopen Friday, June 19 after a “deep sanitization of both restaurants.”

La Lucha and Superica previously closed for more than two weeks in late March and early April, shortly after the pandemic reached the Houston area, as a precaution. Restaurant dining rooms in the Houston area were forced to close from March 17 through May 1, per an executive order by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

Flor de muerto

“Maintaining the safety and health of our guests and staff continues to be our top priority, and we have notified all team members who may have come into contact with this individual, and we are actively working with the local health department and medical professionals to get the staff tested immediately,” read a post on La Lucha’s Instagram page.

At least two other area restaurants also closed recently because of the pandemic. Millie’s Kitchen & Cocktails at 3542 Oak Forest Dr., recently closed beSee Closures P. 4A

County preparing for unprecedented election in July

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Jason Knebel (713)232-9712

jasonk@greenwoodking.com GREENWOOD KING

PROPERTIES

INSIDE.

Danger zone. A public engagement meeting about a proposed traffic change is upcoming.

Page 4A Contributed photo Casa Ramirez Folkart Gallery owner Macario Ramirez, who died June 10, holds a marigold flower, known as the “flower of the dead” in Mexican culture. They are used to make honorary altars as part of the Dia de los Muertos holiday.

Still a threat. Local officials are sounding alarms about an increase in COVID-19 cases.

Page 5A

No shortage. Ice cream lovers have plenty of tasty options throughout the area.

Page 1B

Keeping it fresh. A local nonprofit benefitting artists has been a virtual pioneer.

Heights cultural icon Ramirez dies at 86

Community remembers kind educator, activist

See Ramirez, P. 8A

See Legacy, P. 4A

By Adam Zuvanich

By Charlotte Aguilar azuvanich@theleadernews.com For The Leader Casa Ramirez Folkart Gallery is a 19th Street inLongtime Heights resident Macario Ramirez, whose stitution, having brightened the Heights community passion for his culture and heritage made him an iconfor more than 35 years. ic Mexican-American activist and The man who founded the educator in Houston across four gallery at 241 W. 19th St. -decades, died June 10. He was 86. which features a colorful collecThe Casa Ramirez Folkart Galtion of antiques, artwork and lery that he has operated with his exhibits -- was just as beloved in wife, Chrissie Dickerson Ramirez, the neighborhood. And his influsince 1984 at 241 W. 19th St., will ence stretched well beyond its continue, she vowed, after closing borders. for “a short period of mourning.”

The June 10 death of Macario Her husband’s heart recently beRamirez, an educator and civil gan to fail rapidly, and she said he rights activist who promoted made the choice to spend his last Mexican-American culture, has days at home, where he died peacereverberated across the Houston fully.

Photo by Agapito Sanchez Ramirez started life in a family of Heights resident Macario Ramirez, right, region. Among those celebrating the life and impact of Ramirez, eight — with Mexican immigrant is survived by his wife, Chrissie. who was 86, is Mayor Sylvester parents, Jesus and Marina, and as Turner. the second of six children — who at times worked the “Ramirez was proud of his heritage and was alfields of Texas, Michigan and Wisconsin as migrant laways eager to share his vast knowledge of history borers. Still, his father made sure the children were in

THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 4A Classifieds.............................................. 5A Coupons................................................... 7A Food/Drink/Art................................... 1B Obituaries............................................... 4A Opinion..................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 2A Puzzles...................................................... 3A

See Election, P. 8A

Area product Wade a father worth following

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Page 2B

Between now and July 14, area voters in Texas House District 148 likely will hear more about the differences between Anna Eastman and Penny Morales-Shaw than their similarities.

But the two Democrats, pitted against each other in a delayed runoff from the March 3 primary, are in agreement on at least one issue. Both said voting should be easier and more accessible than it is now Hollins and that all Texans should be allowed to vote by mail, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic that caused the runoff date to be pushed back by two months.

“We want to get away from our historical reputation Eastman of voter suppression,” MoralesShaw said. “I think that would go a long way toward that.”

Said Eastman, the incumbent in the local seat of the Texas House of Representatives: “I feel like it should be easier for people to Morales-Shaw vote. I think people should be allowed to vote by mail. … People are going to be afraid to go out.”

Whether all Texas citizens should be allowed to vote by mail in July, and in November for the general election, is a hotly contested debate between Democrats and Republicans and also a matter being settled by the court system. As it stands, Texas voters can request mail ballots only if they are age 65 or older, have a disability, are incarcerated but eligible to vote or if they will be out of their home county on Election Day or during early voting.

But a May ruling by the Texas Supreme Court left open the possibility for expanded

Drevian Nelson already had a father in his life, but he didn’t mind having another. That’s partly because he was still grieving the loss of his mother, who died of breast cancer in 2011, when he met Daryl Wade three years later.

Wade, a Waltrip High School graduate and the director of the Houston Astros Youth Academy, took an interest in Nelson when he joined the academy as a 14-year-old in 2014. Wade helped train Nelson on the

baseball field, where he later was drafted out of North Shore High School by the Los Angeles Angels, and also taught him lessons off the field.

Wade helped Nelson channel his emotions and fine-tune his thoughts en route to winning the Breaking Barriers Essay Contest, administered by the Jackie Robinson Foundation, during the 2018 RBI World Series in Cincinnati. Wade has continued to serve as a mentor since Nelson became a professional baseball player, keeping in regular contact with Nelson and offering advice about exer-

cise and nutrition, how to handle his money and how to be a good citizen.

Nelson said his experience with Wade is not unusual among pupils of the youth academy, which launched in 2010 and serves more than 10,000 kids from across the Houston area.

“He’s always been there, always makes sure everybody’s good. He calls and checks up on us every once in a while,” Nelson said. “He gives everybody that father figure that some of us don’t really have coming See Wade, P. 8A

Contributed Photo From left to right are D.J. Wade, Daryl Wade, Euletha Wade, Desherria Campbell, Patrick Wade and Patrick Campbell. Daryl Wade, a Waltrip High School graduate and the director of the Houston Astros Youth Academy, is being highlighted for Father’s Day by the Texas Council on Family Violence.

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THE PUBLIC. The Leader • Saturday, June 20, 2020 • Page 2A

Man found hanging in Shady Acres

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com A man was found dead and hanging from a tree Monday morning in a vacant lot in the 2500 block of Ella Boulevard, according to the Houston Po-

lice Department.

HPD spokesperson Jodi Silva said the death is “believed to be a suicide,” although the cause of death is pending an autopsy. HPD said in a Monday night tweet that homicide detectives are investigating.

HPD identified the victim as an adult Hispanic male. Silva said HPD could not immediately provide more identifying information about the victim because his body was found “in an advanced stage of decomposition.”

Man shot while driving near Scarborough HS

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Houston police are searching for a suspect involved in an Oak Forest shooting that left the victim wounded early last Saturday morning.

The victim, 33-year-old Delfino Maldinera, was transported to an area hospital in stable condition, according to the Houston Police Department.

HPD said officers responded to 4000 Costa Rica Rd. around 6 a.m. June 13 in regards to a reported failure to stop and give information case, where they came upon Maldinera suffering from a gunshot wound. Police said Maldinera appears to have been stopped at a stop sign at a previous location earlier that morning when he was approached by an unknown

black male.

The suspect then allegedly attempted to open Maldinera’s passenger side door and shot Maldinera while he attempted to escape, according to police.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact HPD’s Major Assaults & Family Violence Division at 713308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

HPD investigating shooting death From Staff Reports Houston police say they are investigating the June 9 shooting death of a resident of the Plaza Real apartments at 3820 Sherwood Ln. Officers responded to a report of a shooting at the apartments and found a male vic-

tim inside his residence with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a June 10 news release from the Houston Police Department. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to HPD. Police say witnesses told them an unknown male suspect, who was dressed in black

and had his face covered, entered the apartment and shot the victim.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-8477.

Police Reports • June 11 - 14 JUNE 11

Burglary 7 PM 1000 BLOCK ASHLAND Theft 11 AM 400 BLOCK S HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 5 PM 1500 BLOCK W 23RD Burglary 3 PM 2400 BLOCK DETERING Assault 2 AM 1300 BLOCK NEYLAND Assault 9 AM 2500 BLOCK ELLA Theft 3 PM 1500 BLOCK N DURHAM

JUNE 12

Theft 6 PM 5500 BLOCK ALLEN Theft 12 PM 200 BLOCK W 20TH Assault 4 PM 700 BLOCK W 21ST Theft 4 PM 1300 BLOCK LAIRD Theft 1 PM 2600 BLOCK BAYLOR Vandalism 12 AM 2800 BLOCK WHITE OAK

JUNE 13

Theft 1 PM 900 BLOCK STUDEWOOD Theft 11 PM 3400 BLOCK WHITE OAK Burglary 11 AM 700 BLOCK E 41ST Theft 12 AM 1100 BLOCK STONECREST Theft 6 PM 1800 BLOCK SHEPHERD Theft 9 PM 1600 BLOCK SHEPHERD Theft 9 AM 7500 BLOCK N SHEPHERD Theft 1 PM 2500 BLOCK SHEARN

JUNE 14

Assault 6 PM 1900 BLOCK HEIGHTS BLVD Assault 4 PM 2900 BLOCK AIRLINE Assault 7 PM 1100 BLOCK ENID Assault 4 PM 4500 BLOCK

OXFORD Theft 4 PM 4600 BLOCK ARLINGTON Theft 5 AM 3000 BLOCK ELLA Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, June 20, 2020 • Page 3A

Thank you for the letters and support

A

lmost eight years ago, exactly, I sat down with our rather small staff at The Leader and told them about an idea I wanted to try at our newspaper. For exactly 57 years, The Leader had survived by asking local businesses to use the paper as a means for marketing.

That was our entire business model, and it was fading – fast.

Over the past decade, the ways businesses advertise has changed drastically, and in order for us to survive, we needed our readers to help support the mission and the purpose of locally relevant journalism.

So in 2012, with basically nothing to lose, we announced a program called Voluntary Pay, where we asked our readers to consider supporting our newspaper through a contribution, no matter what size.

Taking a leap and asking for money was seen by many as a sign of defeat for The Leader and print journalism. In fact, it was such a public admission of need that one of the Houston TV networks had a reporter call me so he could do a story on the demise of another community newspaper.

What happened that first year brought chill bumps to my skin. The number of envelopes that filled our P.O. Box was unimaginable. More than 1,000 readers took the time to send a check our way – some of them big, all of them humbling.

This year, when we again asked

Jonathan McElvy Publisher

our readers to consider supporting The Leader, I’ll admit I was reticent about the idea. These are not the best of times in our nation, and with millions of people out of work – and many in our area of Houston – I felt the timing was absolutely miserable.

Here’s what I also knew: The value of an honest press, one that only seeks to report what happens in our neighborhoods, is incredibly valuable to the synergy of our community. Without a filtered, fair press, we’re left with the clutter of social media, and there’s nothing healthy about unchecked and often reckless information.

On top of that, about half of the businesses that have used The Leader to market were forced to close during the pandemic, and they certainly weren’t able to spend ad dollars when their doors were closed. The result, as you might imagine, was a 50-percent drop in our newspaper’s revenue stream, and you can imagine how difficult that has been to overcome.

Given the difficulty of the times, I’m not sure there are enough ways to express my gratitude to the people in our community who have once again made a commitment to local journalism. While we haven’t quite set a record for contributions, the number of people who have written us a check, sent us a note, or gone online to support The Leader is overwhelming.

And what’s even better about these contributions are the personal notes you’ve sent along the way.

“I moved to Oak Forest Subdivision in Houston – year 1960 – and have been reading and enjoying The Leader every week since then. I have never enjoyed it more than I do now,” wrote one person. “…I must let Jonathan know that the pieces he writes about his children are absolutely hilarious… Please continue to take those of us with grown children back to those fun but frustrating days.”

You can imagine how much that letter meant to me, personally. Others have seemed to understand why we believe we’re still important to our community.

“Thank you and your team for y’all’s unwavering distribution of The Leader each week; super journalism at its best.”

Another person made a dead-on observation of our editor. “We appreciate Adam Zuvanich’s balanced reporting in regard to our neighborhood – Garden Oaks.”

Pictured above are readers’ letters in support of and against Lynn Ashby, a longtime columnist for The Leader.

Adam has covered some difficult stories about GOMO and the plight of the neighborhood, and even the people who live there understand he’s done a tremendous job presenting the facts.

And then there are letters that should make us all giggle.

“I am a strong supporter of good journalism and, to date, your publi-

Away all quotes!

THE READER.

“It’s not for looks. We’re willing to die.” -- J.P. Campbell, armed with a shotgun, as he and other similarly-armed men staged a protest against COVID-19 restrictions outside a tattoo parlor in Shepherd, north of Houston. Texans have been willing to die for all sorts of things over the years, but willing to die to uphold your Godgiven right to go unmasked into a tattoo parlor in a small East Texas town hits me as overkill.

OK, bad choice of words. Moving on, two of the top Facebook posts accusing Democratic backer George Soros of financing rioters were from Texas’ Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, an outspoken supporter of President Trump. “I have no doubt in my mind that George Soros is funding these so-called ‘spontaneous’ protests,” Miller wrote in one of the posts. “Soros is pure evil and is hell-bent on destroying our country!”

Yes, it’s time once again to see what Texans are saying and what others are saying about us.

Mission improbable: Did you know the Alamo is a swath? On Sunday, May 31, The New York Times Magazine published an in-depth feature about the San Antonio Food Bank which claimed that “San Antonio is the economic heart of a swath of south-central Texas called the Alamo….”

“One riot. One Ranger.” This quote may need a bit of background for those of you who just stepped off the United flight from Pittsburgh. The phrase was coined in 1896 by Ranger Captain William “Bill” McDonald in Dallas, where he had been sent to prevent the illegal heavyweight prize fight between Bob Fitzsimmons and Pete Maher. The story goes the Dallas mayor met McDonald’s train and asked where the other Rangers were. McDonald replied, “Hell, ain’t I enough?

There’s only one prizefight!”

The term, “One riot. One Ranger,” became a part of Texans’ folklore, and was inscribed at the base of the Ranger statue

by Waldine Tauch that for years stood in the lobby at Love Field.

It was recently removed after a book by Doug J. Swanson, “Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers,” depicts the Rangers in less than glorious colors. Maybe the statue can be replaced by one of the other Texas Rangers, the local baseball team. Swanson lives in Pittsburgh.

“All things being equal, if we do nothing, they would go to Texas.” – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on why New York offered such generous incentives ($1.5 billion) to land one of Amazon’s new headquarters.

After New Yorkers raised such a stink, Amazon decided not to build in the Big Apple. “I feel like I’m a Texan,” said Patrick Motoko, who is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. “I have a vision of life so I can see now I am fitting in here.” -- Motoko, an Amarillo resident, in

Dear Editor: This is written proof of racial discrimination in these areas in Houston, Texas.

Working as a black teacher in the Houston Independent School was a delightful experience for me until I was transferred to the Heights Area in 1969. I was mistreated by two female Caucasian principals for sixteen years. After leaving this racial site, my career excelled.

Lois Flim

Lynn Ashby Columnist

response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that no more refugees be allowed to come to Texas.

“Austin gets to fight with Dallas, which couldn’t be more different than Houston, and all of that makes a dynamic, meaningful region.” – Mitchell Davis, James Beard Foundation officer, on why Texas, along with California and New York, will be separate restaurant award regions.

News report: “College football’s national signing day was more than a week away, but P. J. Fleck, the coach at Minnesota, glad-handed his way through 10 Texas high schools.” Minnesota? This brings up the alleged confrontation some years ago at a coaches’ convention when Michigan State head football coach Duffy Daugherty ran into UCLA head coach Tommy Prothro. Daugherty thoroughly upbraided his colleague for “recruiting in my backyard.” Prothro replied that he hadn’t even been in Michigan lately, much less recruited there. “Not Michigan,” Daugherty fairly yelled.

“Texas!”

“Bond reflected that good Americans were fine people and that most of them seemed to come from Texas.” -- Ian Fleming – “Casino Royale.”

“But for the European Union, the loss of Britain is a significant defeat. It represents a loss of size, reach, momentum and permanence, comparable to Texas deciding to break away from the United States.” -- The New York Times, 29 Jan 2020.

This from the Copano Bay Press about the 1879 yellow fever epidemic: “Now Texas towns declared quarantines against Houston and Galveston, as well as other places down the coast. The old shotgun quarantine method went into effect. Try to enter from Houston and you had to deal with men with guns. The San Francisco Bulletin summed it up well: ‘They have established shotgun quarantine against Yellow Jack in Texas. Texas is nothing if not strong – and, in the mater of shooting, accurate.’” President Barack Obama at the SXSW festival on technology: “I’m here because I like excuses to visit Austin, Texas.”

Astronomical quote: “Caught in striking detail, the sun’s face is divided into ‘kernels’: cell-like structures, each about the size of Texas, that carry heat from the inside of the sun to the outside.”

“If I owned Texas and hell, I would rent Texas and live in Hell.” That famed quote came from Gen. Philip Henry Sheridan. He later explained, “In all my life, gentlemen, I will

never forget my first visit to the State of Texas. I had been bumped over its sterile plains for a week in an ambulance. I was tired, dusty and worn out.

When I reached my destination (Galveston), I found some people there who wanted me to talk and be received and all that sort of thing, before I had a chance to get the sand out of my eyes and ears. One fellow was persistent. He asked me with pure American curiosity what I thought of Texas. In a moment of worry and annoyance I said if I owned hell and Texas, I would live in the former and rent out the latter. The fellow who asked me the question proved to be a reporter. The next day, what I had said was in print and I never could stop it.”

Ashby is quotable at ashby2@comcast.net

Email jonathan@mcelvymedia.com Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

Residents rally behind removing racist restrictions

Dear Editor: Well Gone with the Wind is gone…Lets just see when Blazing Saddles is removed.

John Brown Dear Editor: I fully support this effort and appreciate the overwhelming support and action taken to move forward.

Linda Younger

Working from home changes habits

cation has shown that consistently…

Most particularly, however, I am a big fan of Lynn Ashby’s column and read it religiously every week.”

As you might guess, the very next letter I got said, “I refuse to send you any money. How about you try being a balanced newspaper – get rid of Lynn Ashby…”

A few envelopes later, we received a check and a Sharpieinscribed “Keep Lynn Ashby.”

A few envelopes later, another envelope came with no money.

“Delete Lynn Ashby,” the unsigned reader said.

To all of you who have chosen to support The Leader, and those still considering it, I don’t know how to thank you enough.

And to those who want us to keep Lynn Ashby around a bit longer, we plan on doing so. To the readers who want us to delete Lynn Ashby (and sent us no money for the effort – ha), here’s what I’d tell you.

Lynn may lean a little left, and many accuse me of leaning right, but I know for certain The Leader leans right down the middle. We’re not a newspaper that deletes information just because some disagree with the premise. We don’t do that for any side of the argument, and we never will.

From the bottom of my heart, thanks to all our readers who understand that.

Dear Editor: Yep, the work from home culture is changing my eating habits, for the worst. The lockdown has been for over three months now, and I am still overeating the junk food. I had a healthy and

active lifestyle, but now I am a bag of fat. Let us hope that we all recover from this pandemic healthy ever after.

Venkat

HISD considers 11-month school year

Dear Editor: I sent an email to HISD addressed to Kathy Blueford-Daniels citing the inadequacy of the survey for effectively and efficiently capturing parental perspective, not including a due date, and not indicating date by when a decision intends to be made. It came across as a done-deal and just a perfunctory process to be able to say that parents were engaged.

Ben Schoene

Heights cultural icon dies at 86

Dear Editor: Macario was a pillar in the commmunity and will be deeply missed. He already earned his wings and I’m sure he is in Heaven surrounded by other angels. Rest in peace my friend.

Liliana Cracroft Dear Editor: I will miss him, condolences to the family. I’m glad that the store will continue, and he can be remembered at the altar in the store.

Jason Hochman

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss

1. Package 7. Wear away 13. Joins a leaf to a stem 14. Worsen 16. Promotes international cooperation (abbr.)

17. Your folks 19. Publicity 20. Moves up 22. Dept. of Labor 23. Physicist Enrico 25. Whitney and Manning are two 26. Human foot (pl.)

28. Coral is an example 29. Extended error correction 30. Small amount 31. Dash 33. The greatest of all time 34. Middle Eastern country 36. Ravine 38. Cup-like cavity 40. Chemical substances 41. Extremely stupid behavior 43. He built Arantea 44. Beverage beloved

by Brits 45. Cereal plant 47. Signal 48. A bar bill

51. Comedienne Faris 53. Preface to a book 55. Stores grain 56. In a way, medicated 58. Small island (British) 59. An Indiana-based hoopster 60. Measures width of printed matter 61. Riders use this to transport goods 64. Once more 65. Thin layers 67. Says again 69. Cleans thoroughly 70. Warnings

dOwn 1. Relating to male organ 2. Indicates position 3. Covers with frost 4. Makes a soft murmuring sound 5. Wood 6. Type of fuel 7. Confused 8. Where you go at night 9. Canadian flyers 10. Type of birch tree 11. Beloved Welsh princess 12. Coated 13. Smooth substance of crushed fruit 15. Improves intellectually

18. A sign of assent 21. Island-based Italians 24. Pragmatic 26. Peter’s last name 27. A bag-like structure in a plant or animal 30. Mexican city 32. Sir Samuel __, Brit. statesman 35. Summer Olympics were just here 37. Fiddler crabs 38. Southern military academy 39. Tumors 42. Speaks incessantly 43. Sacred sound in Indian religions 46. Transactions 47. Et-__ 49. Reminders 50. Doesn’t interest 52. Norse gods 54. Canola is one type 55. Beloved sportscaster Craig 57. Irish mother goddess 59. Daddy 62. Press against lightly 63. Sound unit 66. Master of Ceremonies 68. Morning

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, June 20, 2020 • The Leader

Waltrip band director up for Grammy award

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Even before he was named a quarterfinalist for a Grammy educators’ award, Jesse Espinosa has experienced a lot of highs during his tenure at Waltrip High School.

Being asked 18 years ago by the former Waltrip band director Charlie Stephens to come on board as assistant director was one. Becoming the band director himself eight years ago was another. Leading the Waltrip band as it played for President Barack Obama’s second inauguration was a highlight – as was playing two years later at the National Fourth of July Parade.

Then came his 2016 selection as one of 20 inspiring music teachers across the country by the Give a Note Foundation and 21st Century Fox as part of their “Music Education Idols� competition, followed by a succession of in-town performances for the 2017 Super Bowl.

The Music Educator Award, for which Espinosa was recently nominated, was established to recognize current educators in kindergarten through college, in both public and private schools, who have made a significant contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to maintaining music education in schools.

The award is a joint partnership of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, and one recipient will be recognized during Grammy Week 2021. Nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Fifteen semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants. The matching grants provided to the schools are from the Ford Motor Company Fund.

At present, the field has been narrowed from 2,000 down to 216 music educators from around the United States.

Espinosa first found out that he had been nominated when

me,� he said. “I’m very humbled and just trying to work hard for the students and the school.�

Espinosa is now working virtually with next year’s group of band students. “(We’re) still trucking along as normal as we can,� he said. “We’re excited that kids are still so eager.�

Espinosa said he has been a fan of band life ever since his mom encouraged him to join the band in second grade at Burrus Elementary because sports were not his thing.

When Espinosa asked for a violin, they gave him a trumpet. “The rest is history,� he said.

Espinosa got his bachelor’s degree in music performance

Contributed photo Waltrip High School band director Jesse Espinosa is one of 216 quarterfinalists for a Grammy educators’ award.

he got an application in the mail. “It was pretty amazing to

Closures, from P. 1A

Online meeting about Oak Forest street closures set for next week

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Don Davis and Chris Rich spent two years prodding and petitioning in an attempt to make their neighborhood streets safer.

Then a pandemic hit, prolonging their fight even more.

Davis and Rich, with the help of Houston City Council member Mike Knox and a 2019 story by The Leader about increased cut-through traffic in Oak Forest Section 17, convinced the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to consider partially closing Berendo Street and Hewitt Drive where they intersect with the U.S. 290 frontage road. Davis and Rich said traffic on those streets increased significantly after TxDOT moved the nearby entrance and exit ramps for westbound travelers, enabling motorists to turn right on Berendo or Hewitt to avoid the stoplight at West 43rd Street.

A public engagement meeting about the proposed modification was scheduled for March 18 but scrapped just a few days beforehand because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. There will now be a virtual community meeting from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tues-

day, June 23, when neighborhood residents will have a chance to push the trafficcalming plan toward fruition. “We just can’t wait,� said Davis, who lives on Berendo.

The meeting, which will be held online through Microsoft Teams, will include impacted residents and is being hosted

by Houston Public Works. Department spokesperson Erin Jones said in March that the city is collecting community feedback that it will pass along to TxDOT, which will then make a determination. TxDOT spokesperson Deidrea George said in March that proceeding with the proposed changes, which are estimated to cost less than $50,000, depends on concurrence from residents as well as the city.

TxDOT’s plan is to install “do not enter� signs and raised concrete islands on the eastern halves of Berendo and Hewitt where they meet the frontage road, still leaving enough room for vehicles to access the frontage road from those streets.

George previously said the 43rd Street exit ramp, and corresponding entrance ramp, were moved in 2017 to prevent exiting traffic from backing up on 290. The exit ramp for 43rd, which previously was be-

Legacy, from P. 1A and art with the public,� Turner wrote in a Tuesday night Facebook post. “Houston will forever remain proud of Macario Ramirez and his many contributions.�

That sentiment was echoed by members of the Heights-area community. In comments made on The Leader website and Facebook page last week, Ramirez was described as a gentleman, a “kind man� and an “interesting guy.�

He helped educate Houstonians about Mexican traditions such as Dia de los Muertos -- or Day of the Dead -- with his gallery featuring colorfully decorated personal altars, or ofrendas, to honor lost loved ones. Ramirez regularly interacted with visitors to the

gallery, operated by him and his wife, Chrissie.

In a comment on The Leader website, a woman named Kathryn said she “learned a lot from listening to his speeches about my Latino culture� and considers herself “blessed� to have met the Ramirez family. “Macario was a peaceful activist, educator, mentor and loving man who welcomed all who wished to learn about his beloved Mexican-American culture,� Margaret Gorman wrote in another comment. “He was a great friend and mentor to me and encouraged me to create! I will miss him dearly! He has already found his ancestors and angels in heaven.�

50 mph. The Oak Forest residents said there recently have been accidents at the frontage road intersections with both Berendo and Hewitt, with motorists crashing into fences as they attempted to turn right.

Neither George nor Jones responded to a Monday email asking when the speed limit was increased and why.

If the community supports the proposed changes, and TxDOT prevents drivers from turning right into Berendo or Hewitt, speed on the access road figures to be less of an issue. “This is very exciting,� Rich said of the upcoming meeting. “I hope that we have a good attendance for this.�

Milton F. Fuchs Sr., 93, born May 23, 1927, died June 12. He worked his entire 38 year career for Humble Oil and Refining, which later became Exxon and was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church. He is survived by his sister Louise Jacob, sons Milton Fuchs Jr., Randell, daughter Lisa, and four grandchildren.

Fred (Sonny) Helbert passed away June 12.

8FTU SE 4U t )PVTUPO 5Y t 1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470 Gethsemane Lutheran Church Gethsemane Lutheran Church 4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227

WePastor invite you to worship with us!

Jerry McNamara Weekly Worship•Services 9:00 a.m.

4040 Watonga 713-688-5227 Sunday School & Bible Classes 10:30 am

Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m.

We invite you to worship with us!

Weekly Worship Services 9:00a.m. www.gethsemanelutheran.org

Online services can be reached through the website below at 9:00 am. www.gethsemanelutheran.org

Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 11:00 Sunday School for Children, Youth and Adults 9:40

Ministries for All Ages Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor

2003 W. 43rd St. â—† 713-686-8241 â—† s t s u m c . o r g

Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 11:00 Sunday School for Children, Youth and Adults 9:40

Ministries for All Ages Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor

2003 W. 43rd St. X 713-686-8241 X s t s u m c . o r g

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employee who had been in contact with the worker who tested positive also would be tested, and the restaurant would set a reopening date once all those test results came back. In the meantime, Alice Blue said it would thoroughly sanitize its bistro. “We are grateful to our employee for coming to us immediately,� Alice Blue said. “We thank all of our loyal customers for their support and understanding while we go through this temporary closure.�

Experience and Knowledge...

A Powerful Combination

Send your story of interest news@theleadernews.com

Aldona Misevicia Connolly, 72, of Houston, Texas passed away on Thursday June 11. Aldona was born July 7, 1947 in Boston, Mass. A funeral Mass for Aldona will be held Friday, June 19, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 3600 Brinkman St., Houston, Texas. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.pathfoleyfuneraldirectors.com for the Connolly family.

CHURCH Sunday Bible Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am t 8PSTIJQ &OHMJTI BN BN Morning Worship ............... 10:45am t -FBSOJOH )PVS BN QN Wednesday Bible Studies For Youth, Children t 8PSTIJQ 4QBOJTI

QN QN and Adults............................

6:15pm

Local business is our business.

THE OBITUARIES.

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, please check with each church below for updated information about services and events. In-person services are temporarily restricted.

St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA

cause an employee tested positive for COVID-19. Millie’s announced June 4 that it would be closed for two weeks.

FM Kitchen & Bar, 1112 Shepherd Dr., said in a May 30 Facebook post that it was temporarily closing because a “non-customer facing� employee was under quarantine with symptoms of COVID-19. The restaurant reopened June 6 after saying its other employees would be tested and the property would be thoroughly cleaned.

Alice Blue said every

Contributed photo A motorist recently crashed into a fence at the intersection of Berendo Street and the U.S. 290 access road in Oak Forest Section 17.

tween that street and Berendo immediately to the south, was moved further south between Chantilly Drive and Hewitt.

The entrance ramp, which was south of Chantilly, was moved north near Berendo.

Although the switch gave drivers more room to operate on the frontage road, it also gave them the opportunity to avoid the light at 43rd by turning right onto Hewitt or Berendo before proceeding north to 43rd on either Bethel Boulevard, Hill Oak Drive or Antoine Drive.

Davis and Rich, who lives on Hewitt, said the problem has been exacerbated by the recent speed limit increase on the frontage road from 40 to

and was a member of The Army School of Music for a time where among other duties, he was a bugler.

His son, also named Jesse, recently graduated from Frank Black Middle School and will join the Waltrip band in the fall. He also plays the trumpet. “I’m eager to have him here,� Espinosa said.

Espinosa is appreciative of those who have always supported him and the band program at Waltrip, including parents and administrators as well as the larger community. “The community around Waltrip is so giving,� he said. “I just want to give (whoever nominated me) a big hug and thank you.�

What will happen Don’t Forgetnext? to Say Thank You

By Pastor Will Cover Arise Baptist Church 803 Curtin St. Houston TX 77018

By Pastor Will Cover 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org

Arise Baptist Church 803 Curtin St. Houston, TX 77018 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org have heard many people saying that

I W

2020 has been such a crazy year with new problems arising e are entering time turn of holidays andAs celebrations every timeathey around. a Christian, I am for many peopleby in the our country. not surprised problemsThanksgiving around usisbut that a holiday that we as Americans have enjoyed for Sunday Bible Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am doesn’t mean that am not concerned.

2 Timothy generations.

Many people are Ilooking forward to time In spent St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA 3 the says, “This knowwatching also that in the last Morning Worship ...............

10:45am with family, timeBible off from work, a big feast, football, • Worship (English) ..... 10:00 am - 11:00am catchingdays the biggest salestimes of the shall years, come. and probably many shall be perilous For men Wednesday Bible Studies For Youth, Children others things during this Thanksgiving weekend. There will be • Learning Hour........... 11:00am - 12:00pm lovers of their own selves‌lovers of pleasures more MANNA and Adults ............................ • Worship (Spanish) .... 12:30 pm - 1:30pm6:15pm some people who will struggle during the this time of holiday Sponsor than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but as they remember loved ones who they have lost, or close 1602 West 43rd St. • Houston, Tx 77018 • 713-686-1577 denying theunable power from suchof turn companions that are to thereof: be together because the away.â€? > [O ŕ Ž schedule the logistics. way, Thanksgiving willthe be asins that Inorthese verses Either are listed out many of time when people are either thinking happy thoughts or sad we see around us in our society today.

People are thoughts about something.

Weekly Sunday Services struggling because of their sin and because of When I was a boy, I remember my mother saying, “Don’t forget • Bible Study: 9:15 a.m. the you.â€? sin ofShe others.

Onlyme God can bring peace. All to say thank was reminding to be thankful to my • Morning:10:30 a.m. grandmother for the meal,the or to • Evening: 4:15 p.m. conflict is awonderful result ofThanksgiving sin and until sinmyproblems family member that gave me a special gift, or to my friend who 1700 West 43 rd at Rosslyn are dealt with there will always be conflict.

713-682-4942 invited me to their birthday party. Most people want to teach   ThetoBible tells us what is people coming.

This world will Pastora–free Dr. Richard Walters be thankful.

I think most would agree The church will be giving box lunch for each their children thankful to is important, it isstruggle. also true that it is not it will continue groan and Eventually Ad person # 32285 who attends after the service and we are invit- that being always to thankful ontake what we areall going through. and He allbeend as depending Jesus will out believers ing our local first responders. The event will be held 10 The Bible says in Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always for all will bring about the final judgement.

My challenge things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus a.m. June 28. the encourage church this Sunday is feel to ask ourselves Christ.� to I would you, past no matter how you during Join us for this holiday seasonwe to are remember that on youour can own be thankful to our own 803Services Curtin St. Houston TX 77018 whether focused needs, in English or Spanish gave up His Sonown to diefreedoms, a cruel deathor on the 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org God. Heselves, andonly our arecross we focused so that anyone who trusts him can be forgiven of their sins and Sunday Worship 10am & 5pm on sharing with others the message of hope and have eternal life.

Don’t forget to say thank you!

Sunday Bible Classes 9am peacelike that is found forgiveness of sin through If you would to discuss this in further or have questions, Wednesday Bible Study 7pm Pastor Will Cover can be In reached at Arise Baptist Church at locked Jesus Christ?

Colossians 4, even while 803 Curtin www.arisebaptistchurch.org, or 713-659-9697.

4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365 upSt., inorprison, Paul’s prayer request was not for his Houston, TX 77092 own freedom, but rather that the gospel would have an open door through the words and actions of Christians to share the truth with those who are lost. You cannot fully foresee everything in the future, but you can be prepared for when Jesus returns and you can help others be prepared as well!

Back to Church Sunday at Arise Baptist Church June 28

Candlelight Church of Christ

The Leader • Saturday, June 20, 2020 • Page 5A

Local officials sound alarms as COVID-19 hospitalizations increase

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

It has been nearly seven weeks since restaurant dining rooms were allowed to reopen in Texas. Bars, bowling alleys and beauty salons have since resumed operations, as have exercise gyms, youth sports leagues and a wide range of other organizations and businesses.

The reopenings with limited capacities and building occupancies, per an executive order by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, have been aimed at boosting an economy that was crippled by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, when public events were called off, businesses were closed and citizens were ordered to stay home as often as possible. But as more and more people have gotten out and about since the statewide stay-at-home order expired at the end of April, the contagious disease caused by the new coronavirus strain also has gotten a boost.

According to the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council, which tracks medical trends in the Houston area, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the region has steadily

climbed since June 9, with a total of 990 patients in general hospital beds and 421 in intensive care on Monday.

There were 694 COVID-19 hospitalizations in Harris County alone, which also was a record and representated an increase of nearly 200 compared to one week before. “We may be tired of this virus, but this virus is not tired of us,� said Dr. Umair Shah, the executive director of Harris County Public Health.

On Tuesday, after Abbott told the state he was keeping the economy open and implored Texans to “protect their own health,� Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and seven other mayors from large Texas cities wrote a public letter to Abbott asking for the authority to require mask-wearing in their communities. Abbott’s order stripped that power from more local elected officials, even though the governor recommends face coverings as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19. “We should trust local officials to make informed choices about health policy,� the letter states. “And if mayors are given the opportunity to require

face coverings, we believe our cities will be ready to help reduce the spread of this disease.�

In a joint news conference June 11, Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo unveiled a threat level alert system that attempts to keep the public informed about the dangers of COVID-19. The most significant threat is associated with Level 1, with Level 4 indicating that citizens can resume normal activities.

The color-coded system debuted at Level 2, which signifies a “significant and uncontrolled level� of transmission within Harris County. As such, Hidalgo encouraged citizens to minimize contacts with others and avoid medium- to large-sized gatherings.

More information about the county’s COVID-19 threat level system is available at readyharris.org/stay-safe. “I want the reopening to be successful, I want the economy to be re-

Turner, Hidalgo and other local officials throughout the state no longer have the authority to force people to stay home or keep businesses closed, because that power also was stripped of them by Abbott.

Dr. David Persse of the Houston Health Department said the precautions taken by the community in March and April kept the region from experiencing an exponential spike in cases and kept hospital admissions low compared to some other parts of the country. He said the subsequent increase is not the result of “one single event,� but instead a product of the statewide reopenings and larger-than-usual gatherings during holidays such as Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. The local officials said they did not yet know the impact of the recent citywide protests of racial injustice and police brutality, because COVID-19 symptoms may not appear until at least two weeks after a person is infected. “As a community, we were doing a great job,� Persse said of March and April. “It shows that it can work. We just need to do it again.�

silient, but I’m growing increasingly concerned that we may be approaching the precipice of a disaster,�

Hidalgo said. “If we get to that precipice of a disaster, we will not be in a position to reopen successfully.�

Harris County and Houston had reported a total of 17,707 COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday, with the disease causing at least 289 deaths and 7,105 patients having recovered.

Hidalgo said hospitals in the region still have “plenty of capacity,� but that could change if the trend of increasing cases continues. She and Turner urged citizens to practice social distancing and wear masks when in public, along with washing their hands after touching high-contact surfaces and objects. “Otherwise, we’ll get to the position where the spread will exceed our hospital capacity and we will find ourselves in deep trouble,� Turner said.

Turner issues order to limit HPD’s use of deadly force

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Amidst nationwide calls for police reform after the recent death of Houston native George Floyd, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner signed an executive order June 10 aimed at limiting the use of deadly force by the Houston Police Department.

The executive order, which can be read at https://mcusercontent. com/bbc8dea1a49ed98f626812405/ files/5e4270d1-4c9f-438a-8c881 d 8 6 3 e a 7 1 3 4 8 / E xe c u t iv e _ O rder_1_67_Police_Reform_Use_of_ Force.pdf, prohibits the use of neck restraints or chokeholds by HPD offi-

cers, unless “objectively necessary to prevent imminent serious bodily injury or death to the officer or others.�

Floyd died May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer there pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes while Floyd was being detained under the suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a store. “Officers shall not place their knee, foot or body weight on the neck of a suspect to control or contain the suspect’s movement,� Turner said in a news release.

Turner’s order also calls for the prioritization of de-escalation techniques and seeks to limit the practices of officers shooting at moving

vehicles and executing “no-knock warrants,� requiring officers to wear body cameras when executing any arrest or search warrant. The order also requires HPD officers to intervene and report fellow officers to supervisors if they witness the use of excessive force. “We believe that taking all these things in collaboration can help restore and maintain the confidence of the general public,� Turner said. “We want the public to know that we are responding and listening to their concerns and taking some immediate steps, which we believe will create a much better system for everyone.�

Floyd’s death has prompted large

demonstrations in cities all across the U.S., including Houston, with protesters condemning racial injustice and police brutality. Turner and Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo participated in a recent downtown march that included an estimated 60,000 people. “This is a huge day because you are building trust and building legitimacy and breaking down even the perception of bad policing,� Acevedo said of the mayor’s executive order. “When we have these good policies, we build trust, and when we have trust, we build better communities.�

Also June 10, the eight Harris County constables said in a joint statement that they began having

informal conversations about the use of force and deputies’ duty to intervene after Floyd’s death. The constables, including Alan Rosen of Precinct 1, said they met Wednesday to form a working group “focused on creating possible proactive adjustments� to their policing policies. “We hope to work closely with law enforcement leaders, community stakeholders and institutions across Harris County to create thoughtful, meaningful change that preserves the civil rights of all while ensuring public safety,� the constables said in their statement.

Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter @AZuvanich

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The Leader • Saturday, June 20, 2020 • Page 7A

Myths about cats debunked Dear Tabby, My family loves cats! However, we keep hearing people spew misinformation (fake news!) about our favorite pet. Can you please educate your readers on some of the more common myths about our feline friends?

Cat Myths Be Gone in Oak Forest Dear Cat Myths Be Gone, I feel your pain. Unfortunately, there are still people who believe all of the myths and negative fables about cats in our culture. While shelters and rescue groups have done

increasingly viewed as inhumane and a form of mutilation.

There are many other ways to coexist with a cat without having to sacrifice your furniture.

Make sure to have ample acceptable places for your cat to scratch and ask your vet for alternatives to declawing.

Myth 3: Cats are aloof and unloving. Dogs make better pets.

Cats can be very loving if they’re treated kindly from an early age and feel safe and secure in their home. Dogs are, by nature, pack animals, while kitties are more independent.

But cats can enjoy the same status in the family and are often just as loving, attentive and present as their canine buddies.

Myth 4: Cats can be left alone for days on end.

Cats shouldn’t be left alone all day and night without

an excellent job of educating the public about cats and their behaviors, it bears repeating that many people have got it all wrong as far as cats are concerned. Here are a few of the most widely held fallacies about cats: Myth 1: Cats always land on their feet.

Cats don’t have collarbones, their backbones are very flexible, and they are extremely graceful animals. This may have led to the old wives’ tale that they always land on their feet. However, the way your kitty is constructed is no guarantee he won’t be harmed in a fall.

Myth 2: Declawing is an acceptable way to make peace with having an indoor cat.

Declawing is the surgical amputation of the first joint of each of a cat’s toes, and is

someone checking on them, interacting with them and cleaning their litter boxes. If you’re going out for more than 24 hours, hire a cat sitter or enlist a friend to check in on Fluffy.

Cats can be left home alone while their owners are at work or out for relatively short periods, but they need things to do while their people are gone.

Myth 5: Pregnant women can’t have cats.

While toxoplasmosis (a virus sometimes found in cat feces) can cause flu-like symptoms in humans and even miscarriage, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t recommend that pregnant women, or anyone else, give up their cats. Instead, the CDC advises thoroughly washing your hands after changing the litter box and using gloves if possible.

Since cats can only contract

the parasite in the first place by eating contaminated raw or undercooked meat or consuming an infected rodent, the CDC also recommends keeping your cat inside and keeping its paws away from raw meat.

So, long story short: Cats make excellent, loving and

fun pets for people of all ages and lifestyles. If you encounter someone spewing these myths, set them straight then head them off to an animal shelter for more information.

Do you have a question for Tabby? If so, email her at dear tabbyquestions@gmail.com.

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Uncertainty about upcoming school year unnerving to parents

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Many Houston ISD stakeholders were hoping for more certainty this week as the Texas Education Agency had planned to release its safety and funding guidance for the 202021 school year on Tuesday. But the TEA said Tuesday that the information would not be released until next week – leaving parents, teachers and students waiting for answers.

“I think we have to acknowledge that this is a disconcerting process for everyone,” said Zeph Capo, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers. “Everyone is trying to figure out the best way to move forward.”

Some clues are offered in an interview that HISD interim superintendent Grenita Lathan gave to CNN correspondent and HISD alum Bianna Golodryga at Harvard Elementary.

Things that students and teachers can expect to see in the fall, according to the segment and if in-person classes are allowed to be held, are mandatory temperature checks and a station for personal protective equipment.

“I want to remind people that we’re still recovering from 2017 when Hurricane Harvey hit and now we’re being hit with COVID-19,” Lathan said, acknowledging later in the segment that “this virus has stumped me.”

Lathan said in the interview that smaller classrooms, with 11 students each, could be the norm and that meals, probably pre-packaged, could be served in the classroom rather

than the cafeteria. Regulated hallway traffic and a smaller recess group could be other adjustments.

According to CNN, a similar blueprint is being implemented in other large school districts. In Los Angeles, there will be staggered days, one-way hallways and solo play.

Michael Casserly, the executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, said in the CNN segment that the priority in a hybrid schedule should be given to those most vulnerable – economically disadvantaged students, English as a Second Language learners and those with disabilities.

While Lathan encouraged patience as HISD finalized its plans, many parents and stakeholders expressed anger that they were seeing potential plans on the national news before they had been communicated through other channels.

“I am furious that this was released to the nation before our school community,” wrote one on HISD’s Facebook page. “It causes me to question the integrity and trustworthiness of our administration.”

Last week, stakeholders received a survey to give feedback on an 11-month calendar and earlier start date for HISD. The HISD press office did not respond to The Leader’s questions about the CNN interview before press time.

On Monday, another survey addressed the possible need to revise the traditional face-to-face school day and/or school calendar. The survey

asked for opinions about online learning, in-person learning, reduced class sizes and information about caregiver availability during the school day. It also informed parents that no final decision has been made and that some options are subject to local board and/or TEA approval.

Parent concerns, budget woes HISD parent Angela Ryden has a child in both a middle and high school. She said her kids will not be returning to school in the fall unless HISD does some type of modified schedule.

“If online or a mostly online option is not available we will homeschool,” she said. “I expect some type of online to be an option, though.”

Marysia Norris has children in both elementary and middle school. She said if online learning is used, it needs to be rolled out as a standardized platform and approach with transparent curriculum to guide the virtual leaners and parents.

“It is too difficult to execute on multiple platforms and resources with multiple children,” she said.

Suzanne Ragsdale is concerned about how schools will keep families safe.

“I have three family members sick with COVID and one in the hospital ICU right now,” Ragsdale said. “Without a vaccine, I’m just not sure how I can get comfortable with sending the kids anywhere.”

Shannon Benesch and her husband

have the flexibility to stay home with their three school-aged children if necessary, but as they both work fulltime jobs, it will be a juggling act.

“I feel terrible for parents with jobs that do not have that same kind of flexibility,” she said. “It’s like they have to pick what’s more important – their job or their kids’ educations, and there are costs on both sides.”

Some HISD parents are looking into private school options, saying smaller class sizes would make online learning possible.

St. Rose of Lima Catholic School’s Jennifer Saladino said it plans to start school, in person, on Aug. 21.

“We will be spending the entire month of August preparing our classrooms,” Saladino said. “Nothing replaces in-classroom instruction, and we are taking every precaution we can to protect our community and our students.”

The size of HISD, with its 210,000 students, makes planning more challenging. Capo wants to make sure the decision makers at both the state and local level have a broad range of perspectives from the HISD community.

“We are gathering information and concerns,” he said.

One thing he hopes the district is doing is identifying staff and employees who are at the highest risk for complications from COVID-19 and trying to accommodate them as much as possible.

“If we start there, there will be less stress on everyone moving forward,” Capo said.

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One important factor that looms over all decisions is money. In early June, the HISD board of trustees voted 7-2 to pass a $2 billion budget for 2020-21, which includes a $34.4 million salary and benefits package as well as an increase in employer contribution to health insurance premiums for employees.

District VIII trustee Judith Cruz said the budget is for brick-and-mortar school and will probably have to be revisited and amended with revised plans. She said the administration will make plans before the end of the month. And by all accounts, those plans will be expensive.

What is a budget blow for the district is the $1.29 billion that Texas expects to receive from the federal elementary and secondary school emergency relief fund, where most of the money was to be sent to school districts based on their student poverty rates, will now be retained by the state, which has seen its own revenues decline sharply in recent months with the downturn in oil and gas.

“They are supplanting instead of supplementing,” said Cruz, explaining that the district will get its regular funding out of the federal CARES Act funds, instead of getting the CARES Act money on top of what the Texas Legislature promised last session.

“There is some ambiguity of the way the law was written at the federal level,” Cruz said. “But (districts) in other states are seeing that money.”

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Page 8A • Saturday, June 20, 2020 • The Leader

Theatre Suburbia primed for debut of new location

5201 Mitchelldale St., Suite A-3 713-682-3525 • theatresuburbia.org

erything that we would want to point to,” Terry said. “If we want to change the landscape and we want to elevate good men who make an impact, this is a good person to highlight.”

Wade considers Independence Heights native Joe Fonteneaux, his college coach at historically black Paul Quinn College in Waco, as a father figure for him. Wade said Fonteneaux taught him the importance of taking interest in players’ personal lives and prioritizing education over athletics, which helped the Paul Quinn players develop a special bond with each other and their coach. The players reunited every summer for 28 consecutive years, and in 2013 they all offered to provide a kidney to Fonteneaux when he needed a transplant.

Wade said he tried to foster that sort of camaraderie as a high school coach at Devine and Aldine Nimitz and later as athletic director for Aldine ISD and then Houston ISD from 2007-10. He then helped start the Astros’ youth academy, where he said his chief objective is to develop “major league citizens” and help kids get to college.

The youth academy, which has its headquarters at Sylvester Turner Park in Acres Homes, provides free baseball and softball instruction, league play and character-building curriculum to youngsters from all backgrounds from all parts of the city. In February 2019,

Wade said there were more than 150 products of the academy who were playing college baseball or softball on athletic scholarships.

Twila Carter, who oversees the youth academy as the executive director of the Astros Foundation, said Wade’s pupils are just as presentable as they are successful. She said they usually are the best-dressed team when they travel, which she attributes to Wade’s leadership.

“Daryl Wade is one of the finest individuals I’ve ever known,” Carter said. “He’s just a great, good Christian man.

Kids and education are his passion.”

Wade said he’s proud of his Father’s Day recognition and credits the support of his family while growing up in the area. His mother was a teacher who had a stint at Oak Forest Elementary.

He’s also proud of his children. Patrick Campbell is an educator in Aldine ISD, Patrick Wade works for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Desherria Campbell works in human resources and D.J. Wade has a criminal justice degree and works in risk management for a major hotel chain.

“My dad has always been there for us,” D.J. Wade said.

“Basically, wherever we wanted to go, he would make sure we get there. He would make sure that whatever we needed, we got it.”

in popularity, he expanded his gallery to include a large classroom space.

All the while, Ramirez was one of the most vocal leaders on equity issues impacting Mexican-Americans in Houston and the U.S., especially in education and media. He took on causes in Houston barrios and classrooms and led a successful David-andGoliath fight of a folk artist against Gallo Winery, garnering national attention.

For his efforts, Ramirez was featured in a Smithsonian Institution photo exhibit, “Americanos: Latino/Latina

Life in America,” in “People en Espanol Magazine” and received the Houston mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Award for art in the community in 2013.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his sisters, Anita and Bertha, and a brother, Edward; sisters-in-law Lois and Sheila, nieces and nephews and other extended family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to MECA at TBH Center, 1900 Kane St., Houston, Texas 77007.

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Wade, from P. 1A from different parts of the community.”

Wade, 61, who grew up in the Acres Homes and Inwood Forest areas, is being highlighted on Father’s Day by the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV), which is recognizing a handful of male role models across the state. His professional role as a molder of young men was a factor for Wade, this year’s lone honoree from Houston, but TCFV CEO Gloria Terry said the tenets of his personal life also made him deserving.

Wade and his wife, Euletha, have four adult children as part of a blended family – they had two kids apiece in previous marriages – but the word “step” is not part of their household vernacular. One of Wade’s three sons said he taught them all about the importance of respecting women and practicing chivalry on dates, such as opening doors and pulling out chairs.

Terry said Wade first caught the council’s attention when he spoke during a domestic violence awareness event at Minute Maid Park last fall during the World Series. Terry said Wade shared a “powerful” story about witnessing instances of domestic violence when he was in college, and initially wanting to punish the abusers, before his college baseball coach intervened and convinced Wade that more violence was not the solution.

“Daryl Wade embodies ev-

Mexican-American culture and is credited with making Dia de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — a widely celebrated holiday in Houston, with his annual display of personal altars or ofrendas and a traditional procession down 19th Street in the Heights.

When the lectures and workshops he offered in such things as constructing ofrendas, rodeo-timed programs about the role of the Mexican vaquero in the American West, and Valentine-themed events celebrating amor eterno in Latin cultures grew

This article is part of The Leader Experts series, where companies pay for editorial content on topics important to the community. If you’d like to be a Leader Expert, contact us at 713-686-8494.

y o u r

worked his butt off for all of us,” Macario recalled in an interview.

On its walls, shelves and in its programming and special events, Casa Ramirez became widely known for celebrating Latino culture by giving local artists, poets and authors a place to showcase their talents and sell their works — from books to greeting cards to elaborate paintings and sculptures.

But it has always been more than just a gallery.

Ramirez made it his mission to educate Houstonians about unique aspects of his

Show dates • June 26-27 • July 3-4 • July 10-12 • July 17-19 • July 24-25

f i n d

he was involved in a study of working conditions for Latinos.

He worked as a management consultant and publisher and had his own advertising-marketing business before finding his true calling with Casa Ramirez.

Ramirez found inspiration in the example of his father — a laborer, craftsman and folk artist who had operated a small folk art gallery in San Antonio — and followed his father’s path after his death in 1984.

“I needed to do something for that wonderful man who

in attending the shows are encouraged to make reservations early due to limited seating availability.

Moriarty thanked the community for their support through everything, and believes the best is yet to come.

“Being an all-volunteer organization, community support is everything. Without it, we wouldn’t have a place to perform, a set to perform on or an audience to perform to,” he said. “It truly does take a village to get a theatre running and keep it going.”

t o

place to attend school each year, recognizing that success “so you can get a better life” depended on it.

Ramirez earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with minors in education and journalism at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio in 1967. His first career was in the federal government, starting as a language adviser in the U.S. Department of Defense, which took him to South Vietnam, Guatemala and Honduras, and then as a deputy director of training programs in the U.S. Department of Labor, where

p l a c e

Ramirez, from P. 1A

Contributed photo Theatre Suburbia will perform “Daddy’s Dyin’, Who’s Got The Will” at its new locaation beginning June 26.

Founded in 1961, Theatre Suburbia typically brings seven new shows to life on the stage each year. They will open their new home with a production of “Daddy’s Dyin’, Who’s Got The Will,” which is scheduled to open June 26 and run through July 25.

Shows will run Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. through July 25, and while there will be matinee showings at 2 p.m. on July 12 and July 19. Tickets are $18 for adults and $16 each for seniors, students and matinee performances.

For more information on Theatre Suburbia and any upcoming shows or to make your reservation, you can visit the theatre’s website at theatresuburbia.org, email them at info@theatresuburbia.org or call 713-682-3525.

The theatre will also be implementing COVID-19 prevention guidelines, including operating at 50 percent capacity, so those interested

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One of the area’s most beloved community theatres is back in business and eager to bring their shows back to the Northwest Houston community.

Theatre Suburbia, Houston’s longest-running volunteer-driven playhouse, is now officially up and running at its new home at 5201 Mitchelldale St., Suite A-3 and ready to get their productions back in full swing.

“We’ve got a history that we’re proud of, and we want it to continue on for long after we’re all gone,” said Elvin Moriarty with Theatre Suburbia.

The past few months have not been easy for the organization amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, as they suffered major losses during Harris County’s Stay-At-Home order, which only further complicated the move to a new home.

The theatre lost the lease on its location at 4106 Way Out West Dr. back in January, forcing a move to new digs.

They had occupied that spot for more than a decade after moving from the original location at 1410 W. 43rd St. in 2008.

However, Moriarty said the support of the Garden Oaks and Oak Forest communities never wavered as they did their best to get the theatre up and running. For several months, supporters donated funds through Facebook and the organization’s website to help pay for rent and utilities at the new location.

“We have supporters from the theatre supporting it through donations or wordof-mouth advertising that may not even come to see the shows – they just support it as a theatre,” Moriarty said. “Our patrons are key to us just as they are to any community theatre.”

P R O P E R T I E S

landan@theleadernews.com

GREENWOOD KING

By Landan Kuhlmann

Election, from P. 1A mail-in voting. Doug Ray, a special assistant to Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan, said the court ruled that a lack of immunity to COVID-19 cannot be the only reason voters apply for a ballot by mail, but it can be a factor in voters’ individual determinations about whether in-person voting would cause a likelihood of injury to their health.

If a voter checks the disability box on a ballot-by-mail application, interim Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said his office does not have the authority or ability to verify that claim and must furnish the voter with a ballot as requested.

Applications for mail-in ballots must be received by Hollins’ office no later than July 2 in order to be processed.

“It basically leaves it up to the voter to decide,” Ray said of the Texas Supreme Court ruling.

There also is an ongoing federal case about whether Texas’ existing laws for mail-in voting are unconstitutional on the grounds of age discrimination. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ruled that all Texas voters qualify for ballots by mail during the pandemic, but that order was subsequently blocked by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Texas Democratic Party has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the stay and allow Biery’s ruling to stand.

According to Hollins, who was appointed to replace Diane Trautman on June 1 after Trautman resigned for personal reasons, Harris County voters already have demonstrated an increased desire to vote by mail. He said the county had received nearly 85,000 ballot-by-mail applications as of June 11, an increase of roughly 25 percent from the March primary. The majority of those applications are for the November election and not the July runoff, according

to Michael Winn, Harris County’s administer of elections.

Eastman said that as of Monday, however, the county already had received 862 completed mail ballots for her runoff against Morales-Shaw, after 650 people voted by mail in the March primary.

“We are encouraging every eligible voter to vote by mail as one of the safest methods of voting,” Hollins said. “We are operating within the bounds of the law and making sure voters know they must make their own health determinations to be eligible.”

Hollins said he and his staff also are preparing to make in-person voting as safe and convenient as possible in July and November. On Monday he unveiled S.A.F.E., a set of 23 initiatives aimed at making the elections “safe, secure, accessible, fair and efficient.”

Among the initiatives are providing poll workers with personal protective equipment and disinfecting products, spacing voting booths at least 6 feet apart to ensure social distancing and requiring voters to use finger covers to minimize contact with voting equipment. Hollins said Harris County plans to utilize curbside voting and is exploring the possibility of drive-through voting.

A complete list of S.A.F.E. initiatives can be found online at HarrisVotes.com.

The county plans to have 57 early voting locations and 112 polling places on Election Day. The duration of early voting has been expanded as it will start June 29, take a break on July 3-4 and continue through July 10.

“We certainly are in uncharted territory,” Hollins said. “… We have quite a hill to climb, but we’re up to the task.”

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