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Inside Today: Officials take steps to combat COVID-19 • Page 5A

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Handling of housing project could impact runoff

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Penny Morales-Shaw said she supports affordable housing. But she does not agree with the way State Rep. Anna Eastman supported a mixed-income apartment complex proposed in the Heights area.

In February, about a month after being elected to the District 148 seat in the Texas House of Representatives, Eastman wrote a letter of support for the Dian Street Villas project, which had applied for fed-

eral housing tax credits allocated through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). Eastman received some subsequent criticism from nearby homeowners who opposed the 108-unit development, claiming that she, the developer and the Houston City Council members who also backed the project did not first solicit their input about how it might impact the nearby Shady Acres and Clark Pines neighborhoods.

Some of those residents

Eastman

reached out to MoralesShaw, who is opposing Eastman in a runoff from the Democratic primary in March. Morales-Shaw said she subsequently wrote a letter to the developer, Texas Inter-Faith Housing, requesting that it engage the community about the plan and be receptive to its concerns.

“She failed to do what was her due diligence,” Morales-Shaw said of Eastman. “… I would never sign off on a letter of support See Runoff P. 4A

Morales-Shaw

Road to the future

Jason Knebel (713)232-9712

Some area restaurant owners brace for worst

By Zarah Parker

jasonk@greenwoodking.com GREENWOOD KING

zarah@theleadernews.com

PROPERTIES

INSIDE.

New features. St. Pius X High School is getting a facilities upgrade and has a new head football coach.

Page 4A

Animated graphics from SWA Group, background photo from Google The graphic above shows North Shepherd Drive in the Heights overlayed with a rendering of a reconstruction plan for the street.

As part of the Shepherd-Durham Major Investment Project, vehicular traffic lanes will be reduced and bicycle lanes will be added.

More funds secured for Shepherd-Durham reconstruction Onward and upward. Gaston Carrio uses his architecture background in his artwork.

Page 7A

Down home. If you’re looking for some southern comfort food, Preslee’s is the place.

Page 7A

Teen tycoons. Ben Griffith recently started his own Lego rental service.

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Abbie Kamin said she takes voting on the Houston City Council “very, very seriously,” so it takes something significant to pull her away from one of its weekly meetings.

That happened on Wednesday, June 17, when Kamin kept tabs on the regular council meeting from afar. The District C representative was instead speaking before a committee within the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) in an attempt to secure funding for what she called a transformational infrastructure project within her district.

“This funding was so critical that I needed to be present to advocate on our district’s behalf and our city’s behalf,” Kamin said.

Nine days later, on Kamin’s birthday, her decision paid off with a gift from H-GAC. Its Transportation Policy Council unanimously approved $40 million in funding for Phase 2 of the Shepherd-Durham Major Investment Project, a joint effort between the City of Houston and Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority to update and improve two parallel thoroughfares that run through the Heights.

Phase 1 of the project, which will overhaul Shepherd Drive and Durham Drive between North Loop 610 and West 15th Street, already had been buoyed by a $25 mil-

See Restaurants, P. 8A Contributed rendering by SWA Group The above artist’s rendering shows the intersection of Durham Drive and West 11th Street in the Heights.

lion matching Build Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. And the city is covering the cost of Phase 3, which will upgrade Shepherd between Interstate 10 and Memorial Drive to the south.

Phase 2 spans between I-10 and 15th Street to the north.

“This was that missing link to get Phase 2 done,” said Kamin, who was elected in December. “Literally since Day 1, when I came into office, we have been working nonstop to get this.”

See Funding, P. 8A

Photo by Facebook Ritual at 602 Studewood St. in the Heights is among area restaurants that are trying to balance business with safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neighborhoods shift gears for Fourth of July parades

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Page 1B

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

How do you sustain a business while protecting customers and staff from COVID-19?

Peter Clifton, managing partner for Ready Room, 2626 White Oak Dr., and Ritual, 602 Studewood St., said that is the challenge the restaurant industry is facing right now.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responded to the recent rise of COVID-19 cases by signing a new executive order last Friday, June 26, that forced bars to close and restaurants to scale back their dining room capacities. They are not allowed to exceed 50 percent of their listed building occupancies after previously being permitted to use up to 75 percent.

“It’s a double-edged sword. It’s the right thing to do considering the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in Texas,” Clifton said. “However, it definitely feels defeating as any industry cannot survive repeating openings and closures.”

With uncertainty surrounding the disease caused by the new coronavirus and the restaurant industry, Clifton said it’s difficult to keep staff on board, sustain revenue and offset expenses.

Despite the challenge, Clifton recognized that at the end of the day, the industry needs people to be well in order to survive.

“As a restaurant/bar operator, the toughest variable to control are people,” Clifton said. “While all restaurants/bars are doing their best to promote safe practices, the one variable we cannot control is where they go

Contributed photo Though there will be no chance to see festive bikes like these during Garden Oaks’ Fourth of July parade this year, residents can still celebrate the holiday with a vehicular parade through the neighborhood Saturday morning.

Filling neighborhood streets with kids on bicycles did not seem like a good idea during a pandemic, so the Garden Oaks and Shepherd Park Plaza communities scrapped plans for the parades they usually hold on the Fourth of July.

But COVID-19 is not keeping those neighborhoods from celebrating the 244th anniversary of the United States’ Declaration of Independence. And they will still do so with parades, albeit in different, more socially distant formats.

Both the Garden Oaks Civic Club and Shepherd Park Plaza Civic Club have organized vehicular parades for Saturday morning. Residents of each community are invited to join the procession of decorated cars and trucks, which will wind through neighborhood streets for other residents to enjoy from inside their homes or from their front yards or porches.

“It is the Fourth of July,” said Pamela Bell, who is organizing Garden Oaks’ parade along with her husband, Matthew. “We still wanted to be

able to celebrate in some way as a neighborhood, but in a safer and distanced way.”

Bell and Romi Sandel, who is organizing the parade in Shepherd Park Plaza, both said their events are expected to last no more than about 30 minutes. The Shepherd Park Plaza parade, which also will go through Candlelight Plaza, will start at 8:30 a.m. at Durham Elementary School, 4803 Brinkman St. Sandel said the parade will feature at least a few classic sports cars as well as golf See Fourth, P. 8A

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THE PUBLIC. The Leader • Saturday, July 4, 2020 • Page 2A

Houston Heights Association holding blood drive throughout month of July

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

The Houston Heights Association (HHA), which held multiple blood donation events in May and June, announced last week that it would host five more during the month of the July.

Area residents can donate blood once per week as part of the drive, which supports the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. Each donation event will be held at the historic Heights Fire Station at 107 W. 12th St., and the HHA said everyone who donates will

receive a free COVID-19 antibody test as well as a beach towel.

Those who wish to donate must register for specific time slots in advance. Online registration links for each remaining donation event -- on Thursday, July 9; Thursday, July 16; Thursday, July 23; and Friday, July 31 -- can be found on the HHA’s Facebook page at @HoustonHeightsAssociation.

For more information, contact HHA executive director Emily Guyre at emily@houstonheights.org.

Contributed photo Community members who donate blood at the HHA drive will receive a free COVID-19 antibody test.

HPD investigating shooting near Independence Heights

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police are searching for three suspects they say were involved in a shooting last Saturday morning near Independence Heights that put a 15-year-old boy in the hospital.

The Houston Police Department said the victim drove to one location to pick up a juvenile female and then to the

300 block of Walthall Drive to pick up another juvenile male at about 5:45 a.m. Saturday, June 27.

A news release from HPD said the male being picked up attempted to rob the victim before shooting him multiple times, in the arm and leg. According to police, two additional suspects also fired shots toward the victim’s car before the victim and female fled the scene in the car. HPD said the

girl was not injured in the incident and the 15-year-old boy who was shot is expected to survive.

The suspects have been described only as three juvenile Hispanic males.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact HPD’s Major Assaults & Family Violence Division at 713-308-8800 or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-2228477.

Police Reports • June 23 - 28 JUNE 23

Theft 6 PM 00 BLOCK OF HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 5 PM 2000 BLOCK N SHEPHERD Theft 10 PM 500 BLOCK ALLSTON

JUNE 24

Theft 9 AM 600 BLOCK W 28TH Theft 7 PM 200 BLOCK S HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 8 PM 1900 BLOCK BEALL

JUNE 25

Burglary 8 AM 900 BLOCK E 26TH Theft 10 PM 1100 BLOCK W 19TH Theft 9 PM 1100 BLOCK W 19TH Robbery 9 PM 2800 BLOCK E T C JESTER Robbery 3 PM 700 BLOCK E

43RD Theft 2 PM 300 BLOCK W 19TH

JUNE 26

Theft 10 AM 4400 BLOCK YALE Theft 8 PM 400 BLOCK W 25TH Theft 6 PM 1000 BLOCK STUDEWOOD Theft 9 AM 700 BLOCK W 22ND Theft 11 AM 1200 BLOCK W 17TH Theft 11 AM 1400 BLOCK E 31ST

JUNE 27

Theft 11 PM 1800 BLOCK WHITE OAK Theft 3 AM 1500 BLOCK BEALL Theft 2 PM 2000 BLOCK E T C JESTER Theft 3 AM 600 BLOCK E 33RD

JUNE 28

Theft 5 PM 1400 BLOCK N LOOP Theft 12 PM 500 BLOCK YALE

Theft 6 PM 1800 BLOCK SHEPHERD Theft 1 PM 100 BLOCK YALE Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, July 4, 2020 • Page 3A

Don’t put three children in the bath

M

y wife and I know a wonderful fellow named Tom who sometimes helps us around the house. We all need a good Tom in our lives, especially those of us not intrinsically capable of reading instructions or remembering where our middle child buried the adjustable wrench.

We beckoned Tom to our home recently to help solve quite the conundrum: A water spot about a foot in diameter that mysteriously appeared on the carpet outside our bathroom. What made the spot confounding was its refusal to dry – no matter how many fans we whirled its way.

Tom undertook the task with vigor. Maybe it was a leak from the second story. Maybe there was a roof issue. He doubted the culprit was the foundation or a busted pipe, because the spot of bother would have multiplied.

After two weeks of chasing the source, Tom rightfully threw up his arms. He emailed me the names of roofers, plumbers and voodoo gypsies.

I wish I could tell you one of those three (especially the latter) solved the problem. The unfortunate truth lies in a different sort of ritual our family performs nightly in the bathroom that once belonged to the adults in our family.

Those who have followed this column for the past six years know a bit about our oldest son, Hank. One

Jonathan McElvy Publisher

reader dubbed this series of columns the “Hanksploits,” which I’ll obviously steal when my first-born grants me rights to his authorized biography. But many of you don’t know about Hank’s cast of cohorts.

Sheppard Calhoun, whose name would indicate a modicum of class and sophistication, displays nothing of the sort. Cal turns four in a few months, and we’re worried he has a drinking problem. When he’s not watering the lawn, he walks around mumbling like a Minion, dressed like Linus and downing apple juice like it’s the Last Supper.

While we’re not certain of Cal’s unquenchable thirst, we suspect it’s the result of his attempt to flee big brother’s self-proclaimed “John Cena moves.” Hank will flash an elbow and Cal will Fred Flintstone his feet all the way to the swirling barstool.

About a minute later, Cal climbs down from his no-wrestle zone and summons his now-disenfranchised nemesis.

“Hey buddy?” Cal implores in his

best elementary-teacher’s tone. “Hey brother? Want to chase me?”

Straight back to the barstool.

Meanwhile, our family’s newest (and last) human addition, Eleanor Bo, stands at the base of the barstool, uncertain of her role in the melee, though intent on reckless participation.

Technically, Bo is 19 months old, which means she has yet to develop any meaningful skill sets beyond motion and noise. In her precious attempt to join the circus, Bo strategically begins deployment of both skills. She runs to Hank’s leg, pulling for his acceptance in the game. She wobbles back to Cal’s barstool, one decibel shy of an ambulance. She repeats the procession until one of the two brothers has accidentally knocked her over with John Cena’s elbow.

This whirlwind of pandemonium begins the moment I get home from work, proceeds directly through dinner and, in my mind at least, ends the moment I raise my right arm and order our children to the bath.

Yeah, right.

Have you ever attempted to give three children a bath at the same time? Granted, I understand the fallacy of my complaint, because I’m the one who issued the subpoena in the first place. But if you haven’t had the pleasure, hold your breath.

While sparing you the details of waterfalls and geysers, which boy parents will immediately understand,

Limitation of statues “The Eyes of Texas” may go blind. There is a move by some UT athletes to drop the Eyes for some other unspecified song, certainly not another tune the Longhorn Band plays, “The Yellow Rose of Texas,” which has a far more interesting background story. This name change is part of a list the jocks want to make the 40 Acres less racial, more inclusive. Among other demands, they want to topple a few statues (several Confederate statues have already been removed from its campus grounds), rename some buildings and want part (part?) of Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to be renamed after Julius Whittier, the Longhorns’ first black player. The athletes added that if the required changes aren’t implemented, they “will not be participating in the recruitment of incoming players or other alumni events,” although they would regularly participate in training and other team activities.

OK, change some names.

Get rid of some statues, which I didn’t know were there during my checkered career at UT, but dropping the Eyes may present problems, especially when trying to hit up alums for money.

It is one of the better known school songs around the country, has a tenuous connection to the Confederacy and slavery, but was performed years ago at UT’s black-face minstrel shows.

(I wrote skits for that show, but it had not been black-face for years.) John Sinclair wrote the lyrics in 1903 to the tune of the folk song, “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” that was published nine years earlier in 1894. Sinclair was the editor of the Cactus yearbook and a UT band member. He was also the program director of the Varsity Minstrel Show that raised funds for the university track team.

The lyrics probably poked fun at UT President William Lambdin Prather. Prather had attended Washington College, now Washington and Lee University, whose president, Robert E. Lee, would frequently tell his students, “The eyes of the South are upon you.” Prather included in his speeches a similar admonition, “The eyes of Texas are upon you.” Texas was watching and expected the students to go out and be successful.

I don’t know about the students, but the song was certainly successful. It was played before Super Bowl XXVII when the Dallas Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and when the Houston Rockets defeated the New York Knicks in the seventh game of the 1994 NBA Finals. A copy of the original lyrics made it to the moon in 1969 thanks to UT alumnus Alan Bean. Led by the Longhorn Marching Band, it was sung at the funeral of Lady Bird Johnson, a UT ex. The Jeff Carson version became a national chart record in 1996. The Aggie War Hymn includes the lyrics, “’The Eyes of Texas are upon

Lynn Ashby Columnist

you’, that is the song they sing so well (sounds like hell).” The Aggies may have to drop those lines. The song has appeared in countless movies including “Giant,” “The Alamo” and “The Right Stuff.” In Steven Spielberg’s 1974 movie “The Sugarland Express,” a marching band is playing “The Eyes of Texas.”

UT has an embarrassing background on student racial matters, just like most other Southern schools, and now is the target of a nationwide movement to demote, if not erase, all things Confederate, slavery and segregation. But this is a slippery slope. Texas has about 180 public symbols honoring the Confederacy, 60 of them are monuments or statues. We also have Confederate Heroes Day. We have Jefferson Davis County, the towns of Stonewall and Robert Lee, (for some reason, no E), the county seat of Coke County, and so on. Even Texas A&M is toying with removing a statue of Confederate general and former Texas Gov. Sul Ross, who was once president of the school.

Dear Aggies, Sul Ross saved that school from extinction. If it weren’t for him, you’d be getting rejection applications from UT. Next we’ll be outlawing Dixie Cups.

Across Texas statues are being toppled, names changed.

Only Virginia has more Confederate symbols than Texas.

Houston has a statue of Dicky Dowling, which is now in Hermann Park. Mayor Sylvester Turner planned to move the statue to Port Arthur near Sabine Pass, but forgot to tell Port Arthur, which doesn’t want it.

(Dowling Street has already been renamed Emancipation Avenue.) So why Port Arthur and Sabine Pass? In September of 1863, a Union armada sailed from New Orleans, headed to Sabine Pass. Capture the pass, then Beaumont 18 miles away and its rail line connecting Texas to the eastern Confederacy, on to Houston with its rail lines into the rest of Texas.

When the war broke out, Dowling, a 26-year-old redheaded jovial Irishman, recruited fellow Irishmen from his various bars. They were sent to guard Sabine Pass. Once there, they rowed out into the shallow waters and stuck poles, painted white, into the bottom, then practiced hitting the poles with their artillery -- six cannon: two 24 pounders and four 32 pounders. On Sept 8, 1863, the Union armada with 22 warships carrying supplies plus 5,000 infantry, artillery and cavalry, arrived.

Lt. Dowling and his 45 men fired as the warships steamed

If you find a water spot that won’t dry, the culprit is eating soap suds.

the moment a parent places all three children in a bathtub is erroneously considered a chance to breathe.

You turn on the water, make certain they’re all seated, and you wilt to the floor.

“Just sit there and get wet for a minute while I catch my breath,” is what I’d say if these children understood the concept of exhaustion.

By the time your fanny hits the floor, Cal has crashed a cheekbone into his sister’s forehead, and the shrill screams would raise King Tut from his tomb.

“Can’t you all just be still for 30 seconds?” I ask no one in particular.

“Let’s just wash your hair.”

For you people with no children, don’t think for a second this looks like a Johnson & Johnson commercial – that’s downright propaganda.

I always start with the oldest, because he’s the easiest. I dump a bucket of water on Hank’s head, rub

in some soap and tell him to scrub.

Next, I grab the youngest, Bo. Once I lather her hair, she immediately reaches for a handful and sticks it in her mouth. Carry on.

Then there’s Cal who, for some reason, believes shampoo turns into a face-eating acid. The moment I soap his head, he begins a spastic escape under water to cleanse himself from the apparent death balm. With Cal, I’ve got four seconds to scrub his entire head, and I’ve mastered the technique.

Back to Bo, who has eaten most of her shampoo. Unlike Cal, though, she’d rather do a swan dive out of the tub than have me dump a pail of warm water over her sudsy hair.

With children like this, you grab one arm for dear life and throw water on their heads like you’re putting out a brush fire. You miss a few times, but at this point, who cares?

Then I finish with Hank, who was born with the hair of a duck.

He needs 11 buckets full before the last suds disappear, which leaves Cal and Bo enough time to grab some of their bath toys and secretly dump two gallons of water on the bathroom floor, which apparently then trickles to a 12-inch spot on the bedroom carpet.

There’s no gypsy voodoo happening in our house. Just a duck, a goose and a precious baby girl. Oh, and Tom’s number on speed dial.

Email jonathan@mcelvymedia.com

THE READER. Ban on bans?

by the white poles. When the dust cleared, the Confederates captured 300 Union prisoners and two gunboats. The armada left. Not a single defender had been scratched. It was the most lopsided battle of the Civil War. What would have happened to Houston – and Texas -- if the Union assault had succeeded?

If the fall of other Southern cities like Atlanta is any clue, nothing good. Dowling died in 1867 from yellow fever. His statue was raised in 1905 and moved twice. His sword has been stolen five times. Wherever Dowling’s statue winds up, his pedestal should read, “The Savior of Houston and Texas.”

Douglas Brinkley, a noted author and Rice professor, says of this and other such movements, “They are allowed a 21st-century moment.”

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

Dear Editor: I sent the following to the mayor in order to help improve Houston. I forgot one item, ban the use of the word “FREE”, when whatever they are giving away is paid for with taxpayer’s dollars.

I heard on the news you want to ban stuff so I thought I would provide you with a list of items to ban. So, before you put your Big Chief tablet and number 2 pencil in your book satchel, BAN ON. Let’s start with banning crimes, thus eliminating criminals. Next ban car wrecks, lightning strikes, recycle and trash fees, fire, floods, flu, politicians that lie, (that should be your number one priority), wasteful spending by the COH, incompetent employees, stupidity, potholes, long lines at restaurants, high taxes, this list could go on forever.

Here are some others you could also include: Ban intoxicated drivers, stealing, arson, voter fraud, robo-calls, oh that’s right these are already banned. Maybe you should go ahead and ban them again, as it seems to help when leaders duplicate laws on the book.

If would like additional ideas, do not hesitate to contact me as I am sure I can think of other items to ban.

Olton Decuire

Ashby’s statue is at ashby2@comcast.net

State agency puts Dian Street Villas project on ropes

Dear Editor: As usual, Eastman pretends she doesn’t have any blame with what went wrong in this process. To reiterate, we didn’t protest affordable housing. We protested two things: 1) lack of transparency by everyone involved, including and especially Eastman. 2) a 4 story 108 unit apartment building, not family friendly, dropped in the middle of a 100 year flood plain in a 100 year old grid with narrow streets, few sidewalks. The developers had a square peg/round hole problem they couldn’t solve, even with $11 million from the city, none of which was earmarked beyond the project’s boundaries to solve the problems it created. Eastman is deflecting where she claims she was assured proper notifications had been done. She also did not do the proper notification. At no point did she engage with her constituents about the project. She issued her letter of support 8 days after city council’s vote. The state’s OWN rules tell state reps NOT to do this, to get feedback BEFORE issuing that letter. She did not. She also claimed “she didn’t know it was part of the job”. She participated in our discussions with the developers and at no point did she exercise leadership to own her mistake and commit to fixing the process going forward.

Kevin J. Strickland

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss 1. Engine additive 4. Soluble ribonucleic acid 8. Subdue 10. One long, three short 11. Morally bad 12. With collapsible shelter 13. Central church parts 15. Summer shoes 16. Intestinal 17. Transgressors 18. Meeting expectations 21. Clutch 22. Autonomic nervous system 23. What you can repeat immediately after perceiving it 24. Favorite summer sandwich 25. An accountant certified by the state 26. Cologne 27. Norma Jean Baker

34. Galaxies 35. Bluish greens 36. Detected 37. Having 3 dimensions 38. Made level 39. The destroyer (Hindu) 40. Uncovered 41. Ooze slowly 42. Aerie 43. Point midway between S and SE

dOwn 1. Having beautiful natural views 2. Fanafuti is the capital 3. Shrub used for hedges 4. Polishing tools 5. Slow down 6. Christmas carols 7. & & & 9. Sound of sheep or goat 10. A long flag, often tapering 12. Atomic #73 14. Schilling (abbr.)

15. Female sibling

17. Long sandwich 19. In a way, necessitated 20. Mayan people of SW Guatemala 23. Cleaned up 24. Prohibit 25. Upright cupboard 26. Cyclone center 27. Metric linear units 28. Young male 29. Securities market 30. City across from Dusseldorf 31. Animal disease 32. Mount of __ east of Jerusalem 33. Get free 34. Variable stars 36. One point N of NE

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, July 4, 2020 • The Leader

SPX athletics seeing new face, facility

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

St. Pius X High School’s athletic facilities are getting a much-needed upgrade, and a new head football coach will be among the first to break them in.

Since the end of May, crews have been hard at work overhauling the school’s grass field at Kubiak Stadium, shifting mounds of dirt around that will eventually give way to new artificial turf and amenities by the time next season begins.

The Panthers also will have a new coach in Greg Cranfill, who was hired in April. “Knowing we’re a community that’s landlocked, we only have so much space around us, and so many sports use the same field that it was getting a lot of wear and tear,� St. Pius X Advancement Director Monica Clem said. “We knew we needed to put turf on there for our students.�

The roughly $2.2 million project includes artificial turf

with alternative cooling infill material and additional underground detention for future building as well as lighting upgrades and relocation. It is part of the school’s comprehensive five-year plan for upgrading athletic facilities, which was developed in 2018 according to Clem, and part of the 10- to 15-year outlook for the school overall.

Clem said the St. Pius X High School Foundation provided a grant that allowed the private school to kick start the project, while fundraisers and deferred maintenance costs will cover the rest of the work.

With multiple sports such as football, boys and girls soccer, lacrosse and rugby all utilizing the field, Clem said the upgrade was necessary to keep up with that demand. “We want our current students to have a wonderful field to play on,� she said. “That’s really our only field, so to be able to have all those students on a field that is well-kept up gives them the confidence to

Photo from Greg Cranfill’s Twitter Work is underway on St. Pius X High School’s Kubiak Stadium, which is getting artificial turf for next school year.

go out there and play their best game.�

The school hopes to have its new turf ready for the football team’s Sept. 25 home opener against Concordia Lutheran.

And leading the Panthers onto that new turf will be a new head man.

On April 23, the Panthers announced that Cranfill had been hired as the school’s newest football coach. He will be the program’s third head coach in three seasons, following Erik DeHaven in 2018 and Billy Noonan last season.

Cranfill takes over a pro-

gram that sputtered to a 2-9 mark in 2019, snapping its streak of seven consecutive winning seasons. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what coach Cranfill brings to the program,� SPX Athletic Director Jeff Feller said in a news release. “He is a gifted, hardworking, and dedicated coach; I am certain he will be a great addition to our coaching staff.�

Cranfill has spent the last six seasons at Wills Point High School in the Dallas area, where he accumulated a 3233 record while leading the Tigers to five playoff appearances. He was named Wills Point ISD’s Football Coach of the Year on three occasions.

Cranfill was previously the head coach at Itasca High School outside Fort Worth from 2004-06, when he went 19-13 in three seasons. Additionally, he had previous coaching stops at Flower Mound Marcus, Hillsboro, Commerce and Van Vleck.

THE OBITUARIES. Agatha A Castecka, 98, born Oct. 31, 1921 in Hallettsville, Texas, died June 29. She is survived by her sons Norbert and John Castecka, daughter Marjorie Daley, and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and greatgreat grandchildren.

Sara “Sadie� G. Morales,

89, born Jan. 19, 1931, died June 20. She is survived by her sons Fred, Joe, Hector, Oscar, Randy, Thomas, David and Andy Morales; daughters Gloria Espinoza and Belinda Morales, brother Rey Gonzales, 22 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.

Marion Juanita Tilotta,

82, born Nov. 14, 1937, died June 20. She is survived by her son, Michael Tilotta, grandsons Joshua Tilotta and Robert Tilotta, sister Diana Moore and numerous nieces and nephews.

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HISD closing all facilities because of COVID-19 concerns

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Houston ISD announced Monday that it will close all of its schools and facilities from July 3-19 in response to the recent rise of COVID-19 cases throughout the city.

HISD, the largest school district in Texas with approximately 210,000 students, said students with district-issued laptops can keep them until the fall in order to reduce the need for on-campus interaction.

The district also is cancelling all athletic practices, which the statewide governing body for extracurricular activities has per-

mitted since June 8.

HISD said in a news release that it will continue to operate virtually and provide educational services, while the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center will remain open for limited purposes at 4400 W. 18th St. The district’s Curbside Summer Meals program has been reduced from 42 sites to five -- the Sam Houston Math Science and Technology Center, Revere Middle School nand Chavez, Kashmere and Milby high schools.

During the facility closures, HISD said its custodians will continue to monitor buildings for emergencies and that groundskeeping will continue as well.

“These new measures are imperative for the health and safety of our students and staff. Every decision we make has them in mind,� HISD interim superintendent Grenita Lathan said in a statement released by the district. “I urge you all to please be safe in the coming weeks — stay home when you can, wash your hands, and wear a mask if you must go out.�

HISD said its decision followed reports and guidance from local, state and federal officials. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo raised the county’s COVID-19 threat level system to its highest level last week, signifying “severe and uncontrolled� spread of COVID-19 within the region.

City suspends day camp program for youth From Staff Reports The Houston Parks and Recreation Department announced Monday that its Summer Enrichment Program, which served as a day camp for kids at 19 locations across the city, is suspended until further notice because of health risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program had been operating Monday through Friday at five community centers in or near the area: Candlelight Community Center, 1520

Candlelight Ln.; Love Community Center, 1000 W. 12th St.; Moody Park Community Center, 3725 Fulton St.; Stude Park Community Center, 1031 Stude St.; and Woodland Community Center, 212 Parkview St. “This was a difficult decision to make as we understand the impact this will have on the families and children who have signed up for the Summer Enrichment Program,�

Steve Wright, director of the parks department, said in a news release. “But in light of

the changing circumstances regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and with regard to the safety of the families we serve as well as our staff, we felt this was the most responsible decision to make. We will continue to follow the advice of public health authorities regarding the safety and protection of everyone and remain committed to providing safe, wholesome activities at all of our community centers when we reopen.�

The city said its Curbside Meal Program, which pro-

vides free food to children age 18 and younger from 1-3 p.m. Monday through Friday, will continue to operate at its community centers. Those locations include the five aforementioned centers along with four others in or near the area: Highland Park Community Center at 3316 De Soto St., Independence Heights Community Center at 6603 E. 35th St., Montie Beach Community Center at 915 Northwood St. and Proctor Plaza Park Community Center at 803 W. Temple St.

Election, from P. 1A that indicated that constituents have already been consulted and engaged. I would never actually sign that without actually having meetings between the developer and residents to talk about flooding, talk about infrastructure and also to present facts about the amazing benefits of having affordable housing in your community.�

Their involvement with the Dian Street Villas project has become a point of contention between Eastman and Morales-Shaw and could have an impact on the outcome of their runoff.

The project had its application terminated last week by the TDHCA, pending an appeal, because the TDHCA said it discovered the developer did not meet the “statutory notification requirement� because it failed to inform the Shady Acres Civic Club of its plan before submitting the application.

Early voting started Monday and lasts through July 10, with Election Day scheduled for July 14.

Eastman cited the quick turnaround between her January election and the February deadline to weigh in on the project as a reason why she did not first engage her constituents about the project. She said she could have taken the politically expedient route and not taken a stance on the project, but championing more affordable housing options in the community was part of Eastman’s campaign and she said she wanted to remain consistent with that philosophy and support the project.

After writing a letter of support for the Dian Street Villas, Eastman said she helped facilitate subsequent virtual meetings between the developer and impacted residents. She also acknowledged that in the future years, she would make it a point to engage constitu-

ents before deciding to support such projects. “I can do better and work through the process differently as I continue to serve,� Eastman said. “But I also believe the people that stand to benefit from those developments deserve a voice in the process, even though they don’t have a (civic) club with which they connect. “I may still come down on the side that not everyone is happy about,� Eastman added.

Even after being engaged by the developer through multiple meetings this spring, the Shady Acres Civic Club, Clark Pines Civic Association and Greater Heights Super Neighborhood Council wrote a joint letter to the TDHCA in opposition of the project.

When asked if she would have sided with the residents or supported the project in spite of their wishes, Morales-Shaw said she didn’t know. She also said she would have done whatever she could to convince the neighborhoods to support such as development. “As a state rep, you have to make tough decisions,�

Morales-Shaw said.

Morales-Shaw placed sixth among 15 candidates in the November special election to succeed longtime District 148 representative Jessica Farrar, who resigned at the end of September. Eastman was the leading vote-getter in that race and then beat Republican Lui La Rotta in a January runoff.

After picking up an endorsement from Farrar, Morales-Shaw placed second behind Eastman in the March 3 primary, receiving 22.1 percent of the 14,799 votes cast. Eastman received 41.6 percent of the vote.

Morales-Shaw, who said she is half-Anglo and halfLatina, also said District

148 was originally created to serve a majority-Hispanic part of Houston and promote diversity in the Texas Legislature.

But Eastman, a white woman who lives in the Heights, said the district has consistently favored her in recent elections. She said much of the district overlaps with the geographic area she served while on the Houston ISD Board of Edu-

cation for eight years.

Morales-Shaw acknowledged she is the “underdog� in the runoff. “In three elections that have happened in the last year, I have cumulatively garnered more votes with each election,� Eastman said. “I believe that I have the support of voters in the district.�

Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter @AZuvanich

Ms.

Ethelrine Childress Upshaw was born to the union of the late Mr. Preston and Corene Childress on February 27th, 1935 in Kennard, Texas.

Ms. Upshaw attended schools in Kennard, Groveton and Fodice and furthered her education at Angelina College Lufkin, Texas.

Ms. Upshaw resided for 40 years in Lufkin, Texas befre relocating in 1998 to Houston, Texas to be closer to her children and beloved brothers. She lived 22 joyful years in Houston, Texas making new friends along the way.

On Tuesday, May 12 Ms. Ethelrine Childress Upshaw departed this life at Regent Care Nursing facility and will forever be missed by family, friends, church members, and care givers.

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e a for a h generations with family, catching the others thing some people as they rem companions schedule or time when p thoughts ab When I was to say thank grandmothe family memb invited me t their childre that being t always to be The Bible sa things unto Christ.� I wo this holiday God. He gav so that anyo have eterna If you woul Pastor Will 803 Curtin S

The Leader • Saturday, July 4, 2020 • Page 5A

Local officials sound alarms about increased spread of coronavirus

By Adam Zuvanich

stripped local officials of that power at the end of April.

Instead, Hidalgo, Turner and other local leaders urged Houston-area residents to protect themselves and others by avoiding crowds and wearing masks when in public, frequently washing their hands and staying at least 6 feet away from people who are not part of their household. “I am not an alarmist if you know me. I’m not one to use incendiary or exaggerating language in any way,� said former Shell Oil executive Marvin Odum, the COVID-19 recovery czar for the City of Houston. “This virus is out of control in Houston. If we don’t act to get it under control, very bad, extremely bad things will happen -- sickness, death and a rollback of our economy. If that won’t change behavior, I’m not sure what will.�

Earlier in the day, Abbott ordered the closure of all

azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and local health experts last Friday continued to implore the community to take precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19, which they said is infecting citizens and causing hospitalizations at a more rapid rate than the region has seen.

Hidalgo raised the county’s COVID-19 threat level system to red, its highest level, indicating severe and uncontrolled spread of the contagious disease caused by the new coronavirus. She also issued a stay-at-home advisory, which she said mirrors the stay-at-home, work safe order she issued in March, although she does not have the authority to enforce the recommendation through fines or arrests after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

bars and nightclubs across the state -- limiting them to to-go alcohol sales only -- and said restaurants must reduce their dine-in capacities from 75 percent to 50 percent starting Monday, June 29. He also ordered the closure of rafting and tubing businesses and gave local officials the authority to limit the size of gatherings.

Hidalgo and Turner both said they would exercise that authority and support the governor’s decision to scale back his reopening of the state, which began in early May. On June 25, Abbott said he was pausing any further phases of his reopening plan and suspending elective medical procedures in multiple Texas counties, including Harris County.

Hidalgo said Abbott reopened the state “too quickly,� which contributed to the spike in cases and hospitalizations

in Houston. According to the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Harris County more than quadrupled in June.

Hidalgo said the region’s “current hospitalization rate is on pace to overwhelm hospitals in the near future.�

City and county officials had reported a total of 30,729 COVID-19 cases among residents as of Tuesday, with the disease having caused at least 376 deaths and 10,398 patients having recovered. “Clearly, things will be better because of what’s happened today and the last couple of days,� said Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease expert for the Baylor College of Medicine. “Exactly how that will impact the inflection points in terms of reducing the very aggressive and very frightening slope, it’s too soon to say.�

Hidalgo and Turner expressed optimism that the Houston area can take action to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and prevent a catastrophe in the region. They asked citizens to take the threat seriously and take precautions on behalf of their fellow community members as well as themselves.

Hidalgo invoked the region’s response to Hurricane Harvey in 2017, when many Houstonians braved floodwaters to rescue friends, family members and even strangers. “There are some who will say there’s no real cause for concern, that we can adjust to this, that there’s space in our hospitals’ surge capacity,� Hidalgo said. “When did we lose our respect for human life and the economy to the degree that we’re saying, ‘Let’s fill our ICU beds and surge capacity before we take any meaningful action?’ Since when did

we decide as a society that instead of saving a life and preventing the spread of the virus, we would treat human lives, the lives of our neighbors, as collateral damage to be dealt with? It was this community, the residents of Harris County, that helped neighbors during Harvey. The respect for the lives of others was overwhelming. “This pandemic is like an invisible hurricane where all of a sudden your neighborhood is flooding,� she added. “Your next door neighbor’s house is under water and nobody knows why. Yet courageous, big-hearted people put the lives of others first and braved dangerous floodwaters during Hurricane Harvey to rescue their stranded neighbors. “Where are we today? ... We have to remember who we are as a community. We can and must do more.�

Abbott rolls back reopening as COVID-19 case numbers climb

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Bars across Texas were forced to close last Friday, June 26, per an executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott, who rolled back his reopening of businesses last week as Houston and the rest of the state see a surge in cases and hospitalizations related to COVID-19.

Abbott also announced last week that he was pausing any further phases of his reopening and ordering the suspension of elective medical procedures in multiple Texas counties, including Harris County, in an attempt to preserve hospital capacities.

In his bar-related order released the morning of June 26, Abbott also said restaurants were required to reduce their dine-in seating capacities to no more than 50 percent of their listed indoor building occupancies beginning Monday, June 29. Restaurants previously could operate at 75 percent capacity.

Bars and similar businesses that receive more than 51 of their gross

receipts from alcohol sales could previously operate at 50 percent capacity. They can remain open but are limited to delivery and to-go services under protocols outlined by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. “It is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars,� Abbott said in a statement. “The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and enhance public health.�

On June 25, a day before Abbott issued his order, a popular craft brewpub in the Heights announced it was closing its taproom as a precaution. Eureka Heights Brew Co., 941 W. 18th St., said in a message posted on Facebook and Instagram that it would continue to fulfill to-go orders with “near contactless drivethru service.�

Its drive-through hours are 3-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. “We have been very fortunate that no one on our team has tested posi-

tive for COVID-19 and we want to try our best to keep it that way,� read Eureka Heights’ social media posts. “... Even with our heightened measures and procedures, we feel this is the best option for the health and safety of the entire Eureka Heights team and community.�

Additionally, Abbott ordered the closure of all rafting and tubing businesses across the state and prohibited gatherings of 100 or more people, unless they are approved by local governments. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo subsequently said they would not approve such gatherings.

Abbott said the reason for scaling back was partly because the statewide positivity rate had exceeded 10 percent. That means at least 10 percent of the people tested for COVID-19, the contagious disease caused by the new coronavirus, are receiving positive results. “We can only slow the spread if everyone in Texas does their part,�

Abbott said. “Every Texan has a re-

sponsibility to themselves and their loved ones to wear a mask, wash their hands, stay 6 feet apart from others in public, and stay home if they can.�

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 153,011 Texans had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Tuesday afternoon, with the contagious disease caused by the new coronavirus having caused at least 2,403 deaths in the state and an estimated 81,335 patients having recovered.

Houston and Harris County had reported a total of 30,729 cases, with the disease having caused 376 deaths and 10,398 patients having recovered.

In the six zip codes served by The Leader -- 77007, 77008, 77009, 77018, 77091 and 77092 -- there have been 1,570 cases, 13 deaths and 261 recoveries related to COVID-19.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Harris County more than quadrupled during the month of June, according to the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council, which monitors

medical trends in the region. Among 8,455 total patients in Harris County hospitals on Tuesday, 1,630 were COVID-19 patients in general beds, while 564 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care. There were 248 ICU admissions on June 1.

Abbott’s order regarding elective medical procedures calls for the postponement of all surgeries and other medical procedures unless they are necessary to prevent “serious adverse medical consequences or death as determined by the patient’s physician.� “... This prohibition shall not apply to any surgery or procedure that, if performed in accordance with the commonly accepted standard of clinical practice, would not deplete any hospital capacity needed to cope with the COVID-19 disaster,� the order states.

Elective medical procedures were temporarily suspended shortly after the onset of the pandemic in the Houston region, in March and April, but were permitted to resume in May as part of Abbott’s plan to reopen the state.

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Page 6A • Saturday, July 4, 2020 • The Leader

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The Leader • Saturday, July 4, 2020 • Page 7A

Art Valet: Carrio challenges himself to move forward Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

Gaston Carrio started painting in a small corner of a room, then moved to a bedroom, a garage and eventually a 2,500-square foot studio.

With each move, his paintings increased in size.

Today, Carrio, a national award-winning painter, can easily accommodate your living room walls or walls of a two-story atrium in an office building.

On the portion of Carrio’s studio that he designates for painting, I was struck by a massive abstract painting on gallery wrapped stretched canvas. I didn’t ask for the measurements, but I’m fairly certain I could hide my pickup truck behind it.

Carrio goes by the moniker “Art by Architect” that doubles

as the web address for his art (artbyarchitect.com). Carrio entered the art world after nearly 20 years of traveling and working as a professional architect.

Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Carrio earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree at the Universidad de Belgrano. His work took him around the world from Indiana to China, Korea, Dubai and Los Angeles.

In 2006, Carrio transitioned from creating digital artwork using architectural 3D software to mixed media painting almost overnight.

Carrio yearned for creative control of his work, and he found it in painting. In 2012, Carrio moved to Houston where he ended his architecture career and pursued his vision as a full-time artist.

He has not looked back.

Carrio said he averages exhibiting at 16 art festivals annually, picking up awards and recognition for his work along the way. His first festival was at Houston’s Bayou City Art Fes-

Gaston Carrio at work in his studio.

tival, and about the same time, he exhibited at First Saturday Arts Market.

The year 2018 was a big one for Carrio, who became a U.S. citizen and won The Woodlands Art Council competition to design and build two permanent “Art Benches”

Contributed photo

installations for the city of The Woodlands.

In June of this year, Carrio won The Woodlands Arts Council competition to design and build a third permanent art bench. Looking around at these projects in his studio, understand that these benches

are massive. Carrio tells me it’s these challenges that move him forward. I asked when he first started thinking about transitioning into 3D sculpture.

“When I moved into this 2,500 square foot studio (in 2016) I saw the potential to use the space and to combine my architectural design background with my experience showing/exhibiting my 2D art at festivals,” Carrio said. “But I had to start somewhere, so I started to take courses on metal shaping. “(The year) 2017 is when I started training on the use of CNC plasma and router at TX/ RX based in Houston,” Carrio continued. “I knew my steps for constructibility since I have been exposed to methodologies and processes during my architectural career. But I was never hands on anything.”

While still studying, he began to enter competitions like The Woodlands Art Bench Project. He envisioned creating his own challenges in case he did win.

“Which happened in 2018 with the bench ‘Proud Souls,’” Carrio said. “Every step keeps building the necessary confidence to overcome challenges and gain momentum to create all new ones, at higher levels.”

Carrio lamented how even as one of the main designers at a firm in Atlanta, he never got his hands “dirty.”

“Now, by reaching competitions like The Woodlands, I am seeing a great opportunity to explore and get hands on it,” Carrio said.

Scaling up is no problem.

Carrio understands the process of design, necessary machinery and construction.

Keep an eye on him. Failure is not even a thought for this artist.

Note: The First Saturday Arts Market will not be held this weekend because of the Fourth of July holiday.

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.

REVIEW:

Preslee’s has comfort food, plenty of space

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernew.com

I’m convinced the patio at Preslee’s Southern Good Eatery is the perfect place to take your family.

The first time I dined at Prelee’s, pre-COVID-19 pandemic, the laidback seating of hammocks, swings and lawn chains allowed for the adults to eat and chat in peace while the horde (seven) of children took advantage of the hammocks.

The patio made dining out as a large group with kids easy.

There was no stress about keeping the kids at the table and no hurry to leave the restaurant because our table was being noisy.

So before I even got my food the first time around, I decided I’d probably visit Preslee’s again regardless of its

food simply because the patio was worth it.

When I got my burger, I decided the food would make me come back, too.

The burger comes with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and onions. Preslee’s has more complicated burgers, but I enjoyed the simplicity of the house burger.

Recently, my dad had the burger from Preslee’s and said it was good, which may not seem like much of a flattering comment, but he also describes food a majority of the time as being “just OK.” The fried pickles are my sister-in-law’s favorite appetizer, and I love them as well.

The pickles are fried in a thick batter, which gives the pickles a nice balance of pickle and breading.

When I dropped into Pre-

slee’s the other day, I sat inside for the first time. I enjoyed the obvious southern feel and chill atmosphere that provided a comfortable place away from the humidity.

I ordered the southern staple chicken fried chicken, which came with a side of mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and Texas toast.

The meal was served on a platter with white gravy poured over. At first glance I knew it was too much food for just me, and I was proved right. It’s definitely a shareable plate.

The chicken fried chicken was thickly battered, a trend I noticed with Preslee’s fried offerings, but still tender on the inside. I liked the breading, which was crunchy rather than flaky. While the gravy was on the thinner side, there was

still an abundance of it, which added a peppery flavor.

When I got to the sides I started with the chunky mashed potatoes. The potatoes tasted like sour cream had been added to the mix, and I don’t like that addition to mashed potatoes, so I quickly moved on to the corn on the cob.

The corn on the cob and Texas toast were pretty standard.

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Photo by Zarah Parker The Chicken Fried Chicken at Preslee’s Southern Good Eatery.

Fitness More area restaurants temporarily close with a

By Zarah Parker

zarah@theleadernews.com

Over the last few weeks, area restaurants have chosen to temporarily close because of an employee testing positive for COVID-19 or an employee coming into contact with someone infected with the new coronavirus strain.

Hando, 518 W. 11th St., was added to the list on Monday. The restaurant announced that an employee tested positive for COVID-19 and it would close temporarily.

While closed, Hando is requiring all employees to be tested. The restaurant will be sanitized and deep cleaned before reopening.

Sticky’s Chicken, 2313

Hando, a restaurant at 518 W. 11th St., decided to close temporarily after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

Edwards St., announced via social media on Monday that it would temporarily close because someone on its staff came into contact with someone who tested positive for

COVID-19.

All team members will be tested before reopening.

Hughie’s, 1802 W. 18th St., kept its dining room closed even after the statewide timeline for reopening allowed it to seat customers.

The restaurant said it did this with the intention to be especially safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, Hughie’s is among the list of area restaurants choosing to close temporarily due to a staff member testing positive for COVID-19.

The restaurant announced the news via social media on June 24.

“The staff member was asymptomatic and has not

been at work for over a week,” Hughie’s post reads. “Our staff member followed all of our sanitation protocols along with wearing masks, gloves and continuous cleaning procedures.”

A reopening date has yet to be announced, but in the meantime, Hughie’s said it is deep cleaning and sanitizing its restaurant.

Melange Creperie, 711 Heights Blvd., also announced via social media June 24 that an employee came into contact with someone who tested positive for the virus.

Out of caution, the creperie said it decided to temporarily close in order to have the staff tested and to clean.

Restaurants are on a losing streak Zarah Parker Managing Editor

The hospitality industry has been put through the ringer because of COVID-19.

As has the rest of the world, but I’m not sure any other industry has been pushed and pulled around as much as the hospitality crowd.

The decision on how restaurants and bars should — or shouldn’t — operate during this time has been based on keeping people safe and slowing the spread of the new coronavirus. This is understandable, and many small business owners agreed with closing the dine-in services for restaurants and closing bars completely in mid-March.

Once Texas began to reopen in May, some restaurants even decided to patiently wait a little longer as a precaution.

Last Friday, Gov. Greg Ab-

bott began rolling back his reopening of businesses in Texas. Per the executive order he signed, bars are limited to to-go sales and restaurants have to scale back their dinein occupancies from 75 to 50 percent.

My intention isn’t to argue whether the closures/reopenings were right or wrong, because I think either way, this is a losing game for the hospitality industry.

If a restaurant chooses to voluntarily close, it could disrupt the livelihood of the owners and staff.

If a restaurant closes its dine-in options, but keeps operating its to-go, curbside services, it still doesn’t eliminate the threat of COVID-19.

Just last week, Hughie’s, 1802 W. 18th St., announced its temporary closure because of an employee testing positive for the virus. Hughie’s dining room hasn’t been open since March.

If a restaurant reopened

slowly, per the previous plan for reopening Texas, everything was fine … until it wasn’t. Many area restaurants have temporarily closed over the last few weeks because of an employee contracting COVID-19, including La Lucha and Superica, 1801 N. Shepherd Dr., Down House, 1801 Yale St. and most recently, Hando, 518 W. 11th St. John Reed of BCK, 933 Studewood St., said he wants to do his part as a human. But as a business owner, watching the closure of bars and the scaling back of restaurants is defeating.

And while I feel there’s no winning the “war,” at least right now, I also think it’s inspiring to see the little ways restaurants and bars are winning the “battle.”

For the tiki bar Lei Low, 6412 N. Main St., the executive order signed last Friday didn’t do anything other than validate a decision the bar made in mid-June, which was

to close its doors while offering to-go products.

Even with feeling like the bar had made the right decision, Russell Thoede of Lei Low said it still makes him fearful for the future of his business.

Watching restaurants not adapted for to-go and curbside be able to change their model and survive are more little battles won as well as watching the industry step up and help those who needed assistance.

And I can’t forget to mention the countless residents who have made it a point to patronize local restaurants during the last few months.

But — and there’s always a “but” somewhere — what about tomorrow? Next week?

Next month?

Every available decision restaurant owners are able to make right now all have potential consequences. It’s a nowin situation that I’m beginning to believe will just have to be waited out.

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Page 8A • Saturday, July 4, 2020 • The Leader

Black Towns Matter mural up through July

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

As part of the Black Lives Matter movement, there has also been a renewed interest in black towns. A temporary "Black Towns Matter" mural in Independence Heights, inspired by the street mural in Washington D.C., debuted Juneteenth weekend and will be visible until the end of July, if rains don’t wash it away first.

Black families started to migrate to the North Houston neighborhood now known as Independence Heights around 1908, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

The area was developed by Wright Land Company and

consisted of small, woodframed houses purchased by the residents. Many of the houses were built by black contractors who lived in the area.

On January 25, 1915, Independence Heights – with its population of nearly 600 residents – was incorporated, becoming the first African-American municipality in Texas.

Lawyer George O. Burgess was elected its first mayor. Independence Heights was annexed by the City of Houston on Dec. 26, 1929, but its significance is still championed by residents of the neighborhood also known as Studewood.

Tanya Dubose, who heads up the Independence Heights

Photo from YouTube This aerial photo shows the Black Towns Matter mural painted at 3318 Link Rd. in the Independence Heights neighborhood.

Redevelopment Council, is one of those supporters. For Juneteenth, the annual holiday commemorating the date in 1865 when black slaves in Texas learned they had been freed

by the Emancipation Proclamation issued two years earlier, Dubose along with other stakeholders and a number of students wanted to do something big to recognize the area’s

significance. “(It is) history not in the history books,” she said.

Dubose said the temporary mural at the 3318 Link Rd., which featured the phrase “Black Towns Matter” with the “O” a portrait of Mayor Burgess, was not widely publicized by her group. Yet there was a helicopter taking photographs over Juneteenth weekend and media coverage that reached far beyond Houston.

“We had such a diversity of people who brought their families (to see it),” Dubose said.

The hashtag #blacktownsmatter highlights other towns that also marked their historic significance – in Canada, Loui-

siana, Mississippi and Alabama, among other places.

“It was an international thing,” Dubose noted.

To honor the neighborhood’s seniors, there was a parade for them to enjoy from their porches or front doors.

“Our seniors had not been out of the house,” Dubose said.

“Some did get out and dance on the mural.”

Also on June 19, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher visited Independence Heights to see the mural and to announce the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act that has been filed to make #Juneteenth a federal holiday.

Area moms leading donation drive for community in need

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

A range of emotions was bubbling up inside Shirley Parikh, who like many Americans was shocked and saddened by the May 25 death of George Floyd. He was a black man from Houston who died in police custody in Minneapolis, where a bystander’s video showed a white police officer pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck until he lost consciousness.

What ensued were nationwide protests of racial injustice and police brutality, including in Houston.

Parikh said she could relate to discrimination as a Mexican-American woman who is married to a man of Indian heritage, and she wanted to channel her thoughts and feelings into something other than comments and posts on social media.

“I felt like there was a lot of anger in me, a lot of sadness,” Parikh said.

“How do we turn this into, ‘Let’s do something positive?’ ” Parikh, a dentist and mother who lives in Oak Forest, found an outlet in the form of a charitable cause. So have five other moms from the area, who are part of a group of Houstonarea women who are helping a small, unique community north of the city.

And they’re asking their friends and neighbors to pitch in as well.

Parikh, fellow Oak Forest resident Ashley Rice, Timbergrove Manor resident Dr. Krystal Batchelor and Heights residents Dawn Cole, Dr. Sarah Nicholas and Dr. Paulina Sergot are collecting food and monetary donations that will be used to provide goods to residents of Tamina, an unincorporated town of about 400 people near The Woodlands.

Tyrone Price, a Tamina native and community advocate who works as an assistant minister at a church in The Woodlands area, said Tamina

Restaurants, from P. 1A after work, who they come into contact with after work.

We cannot tell people where to go and who to see, but it does play a crucial role in establishments being able to survive.”

John Reed of BCK, 933 Studewood St., said he understands why Abbott order is necessary but believes singling out restaurants and bars is hypocritical.

“You have ‘essential’ food service industries plowing ahead and construction crews retro-fitting various city projects by the hundreds,” Reed said. “This is a no-win for anyone in government and for small business owners.”

The order only scales back occupancy at restaurants, but Clifton expects for it to go back to “ground zero,” which means dining rooms being completely closed, and he is preparing for that.

As for voluntarily closing the dining rooms before a potential order makes that mandatory, both Clifton and Reed see it as not being a viable option for their businesses.

Reed said he sees the value in such an act. But if only BCK or a handful of businesses did it, it would put them at a disadvantage.

“Closing down your establishment due to an employee contracting COVID-19 is costly,” Clifton said. “So de-

out to her and expressed an interest in contributing to the cause, and they decided on a food drive. Also participating are Erica Courtenay-Mann of Spring and Gennine Kaerrsten of the Montrose area.

The group consists of three doctors, a dentist, an accountant, an attorney, an author, an engineer and a professional for a biotech company.

“None of the women were familiar with (Tamina). Pam brought it to our attention,” Nicholas said. “Just the fact that it’s there and we had no idea sort of highlighted the need that this was probably an overlooked population of people that could use some assistance.”

Dorsey said the goal is to provide one bag of groceries, cleaners and sanitizers to each of the 183 residential properties in Tamina. She and the other eight women are collecting goods as well as monetary donations, which will be used to purchase

more of those supplies, through July 9. They plan to deliver the goods to Tamina residents on July 11.

Those interested in donating can contact Dorsey by phone at 240-4614572 or email at pdorsey1@gmail. com. They also can contact Nicholas by email by sarahknicholas@gmail. com. For more information about the donation drive, visit http://bit. ly/0709taminatx.

Dorsey and Nicholas said they hope the donation is the beginning of a long-lasting relationship with the Tamina community. Nicholas said the moms also want to include their children to teach them about the importance of helping others.

Price said the effort “shows that people care.”

“It’s not that we’re trying to save them or if it wasn’t for us, they wouldn’t have food to eat,” Parikh said. “It just feels like it’s the right thing to do.”

Funding, from P. 1A pending on your establishment size, it may prove beneficial to just provide take out and close the establishment for dine in, if you can sustain the operating expenses and generate decent revenue.”

As a managing partner for Ready Room, a cocktail bar, Clifton knows what it’s like having to close, reopen and reclose an establishment. He said it’s frustrating.

“We take all measures to provide a safe environment for our community,” Clifton said. “It’s uncharted waters and it can feel personal with bars being targeted and viewed the primary cause of the recent COVID-19 outbreak.”

With this challenge also comes growth. Restaurant and bar owners are forced to open new horizons in their business and break out of their comfort zone.

As a business, Clifton said Ready Room will have to find other ways to keep bringing in revenue to stay alive. Per Abbott’s order, bars and similar businesses that receive more than 51 of their gross receipts from alcohol sales can remain open but are limited to delivery and to-go services.

“There is no other choice and we refuse to accept defeat,” he said. “Hopefully we will make it through this round.”

Fourth, from P. 1A carts, which participants are encouraged to decorate with American flags or red, white and blue banners. She said vehicles will start the parade by traveling north and west on Bethlehem Street before turning south on Brian Haven Drive, west on Thornton Road, south on Apollo Street, east on Curtin Street, north on Dunsmere Road, west on Thornton, north on Dunsmere, west on Cheshire Lane, north on Park Plaza Drive and east on Candlelight Lane before ending up back at the Durham campus.

“In the past, it’s always been more of a kids’ parade,” Sandel said. “Kids could ride their bikes and ended up at Shepherd Park, where we usually had a snow cone truck. Because of social distancing this year, we didn’t want a whole bunch of people on bikes and end up at the park.

“But we didn’t want to get rid of the history of having this parade,” she added.

“That’s why we switched it up this year.”

Bell said the Garden Oaks Civic Club initially considered cancelling the parade altogether last week, when local officials urged citizens to stay home and apart from each other because of a re-

was established in 1871 by freed slaves. Price said the town remains predominantly black and includes some low-income families, some of whom have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic downturn.

“It’s definitely needed and appreciated at this point as well,” Price said of the assistance.

Pamela Dorsey, a Spring Branch attorney who is spearheading the effort, she said learned about Tamina and its history about a month ago and shared the information on Facebook.

She already was part of a group that included the aforementioned area residents – they first discussed antiracism and anti-bias issues and later become a book club – and she and her husband provided some initial help to Tamina residents in the form of produce and cleaning supplies.

Dorsey said some of her fellow moms in the Facebook group reached

cent spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. But the organizers settled on a vehicular parade because it provided a safer alternative.

As a result, the original parade route has been expanded. Bell said vehicles are asked to line up at 9:30 a.m. at the intersection of Brinkman Street and Wakefield Drive, where St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community is located.

The Garden Oaks parade will start at 10 a.m., with the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office leading the way. Bell said the route will start by going east on Wakefield before turning north on Sue Barnett Drive, west on West 41st Street until it turns into Apollo Street going north, then east on West 42nd Street, north on Sue Barnett, west on Lamonte Lane, south on Apollo, east on Gardenia Drive, south on Alba Road, west on 41st and northwest on Althea Drive until it reaches Ella Boulevard.

“I think it’ll be a nice way for the neighborhood to see something, just something organized to bring some fun spirit,” Bell said. “It’s always fun to see car decorated with American flags.”

The project is designed to improve safety and drainage infrastructure while making Shepherd and Durham – which are one-way streets running north and south – more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians. Kamin said the traffic accident rate on Shepherd and Durham is four times higher than the statewide average.

The plan calls for reconfiguring the roads from four lanes each to three lanes apiece, with designated turning lanes to be added at select intersections. Sidewalks on both sides of each street will be expanded from 4 to 6 feet, and 5-foot bike lanes will be added. There also will be landscape buffers on both sides of the bike lanes and sidewalks.

The project also entails replacing the public utilities beneath each street with upgraded water and sewage lines and stormwater detention infrastructure.

The revamped roads also will connect to a Bus Rapid Transit stop that METRO plans to construct along I-10.

President Sherry Weesner of the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority, which also is known as Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 5 (TIRZ), said the design for Phase 2 will begin before the Phase 1 design is complete. She said

the plan is to start Phase 1 construction early in 2022 and have it completed within three years.

“We’re very excited about it,” Weesner said. “It’s been a really great partnership between us and the city to make this happen. One of the big, important things is obviously this provides significant improvements for all modes of transportation.”

The Goodman Corporation CEO Jim Webb, whose firm has been tasked with project planning and coordination efforts, knows firsthand about the need to make Shepherd and Durham safer for cyclists and pedestrians. He is a Shady Acres resident who regularly crosses both streets while running and walking.

Webb said reducing the roads from four vehicle lanes to three will make them easier to cross and should not have a negative impact on vehicular traffic flow.

Webb said he also is sensitive to the slew of businesses along Durham and Shepherd, some of which already have been hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, so plans are in the works to minimize the impact construction will have on them.

He said Jones l Carter is the engineering firm of record for the project.

“Coordinating with everyone through design and construction to minimize the impact is going to be a major priority for everybody involved,” Webb said. “We want to make sure we can be as seamless with both phases as we possibly can be.”

Along with the federal matching grant for Phase 1 and the $40 million, Phase 2 commitment from H-GAC, which allocates transportation funds from the state of Texas, the city and TIRZ 5 are slated to contribute a total of $52 million to the project.

Kamin is one of four city council members who helped secure the funding from H-GAC, along with District D representative Carolyn Evans-Shabazz and at-large members Sallie Alcorn and David Robinson. The project also has been supported by several other local, state and federal elected officials from both the Democratic and Republican parties, with Webb saying U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw played a key role in securing the Build Grant for Phase 1.

“I think it’s a perfect example of a broad coalition coming together, on a bipartisan level, to get something done for the city that’s desperately needed that will improve the quality of life for everyone,” Kamin said.

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