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PHYLLIS A. OESER ATTORNEY AT LAW

Most claims against GOMO tossed out

By Adam Zuvanich

azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Johnine Doutt said she had never been involved in a court case, so she wasn’t exactly sure what to do. She received two notices inviting her to file a claim against the Garden Oaks Maintenance Organization (GOMO), which has been in bankruptcy for more than two years, and both times she responded by filling out the provided form and submitting it to the court along with documention about what she

had paid to the embattled homeowners association.

Then, in June, the elderly Garden Oaks resident received a letter saying there was an objection to her claim and hundreds of others.

Doutt also read about a related court hearing in The Leader, which she contacted on the morning of July 29 to get details on how to participate in the proceeding later that day.

Doutt wasn’t able to listen in to the telephonic hearing and, nearly one week later, was informed by a

reporter that her claim had been dropped by the court. The letter she received in June told her she had a 21-day window to file a response to the objection, but she didn’t realize it at the time and didn’t act.

“I just didn’t pay attention,” Doutt said. “I guess I should read all the small print.”

Doutt was not alone in failing to file a response to her challenged claim against GOMO, nor was she See GOMO P. 4A

Staff file photo More than 400 of the roughly 450 claims filed against the Garden Oaks Maintenance Organization have been disallowed in federal bankruptcy court.

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TxDOT granting residents’ wish for street closures

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INSIDE.

Contributed photo Pictured is Hines Lake, a prominent feature of the new Clay Family Eastern Glades at Memorial Park, at dusk.

Eastern Glades project spruces up Memorial Park

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Coming soon. A new restaurant and bar will take over the former Petrol Station space.

Page 9A

Sharing is caring. Diners have their choice of shareable options at Squable in the Heights.

Page 9A

Say it ain’t so. A popular dive bar in the Heights will close after a 36-year run.

Venturing outdoors has become a respite for many Houstonians, who have spent more time at home than usual since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the region in March.

People all over the city have a new option for enjoying nature, and it’s just a short drive or bike ride from the Greater Heights.

The Clay Family Eastern Glades, a 100-acre area in Memorial Park that has undergone a $35 million transformation, opened to the public last weekend. It features a 5.5-acre lake with surrounding wetlands, more than 2.5 miles of boardwalks and accessible walking trails and community areas such as an event lawn, food truck court and picnic pavilions.

“Eastern Glades provides a muchneeded place for people to engage with nature and experience Houston

See related column by Publisher Jonathan McElvy

Page 3A in a whole new way – and our citizens need and deserve this now more than Photo by Meghan McElvy ever,” Houston Mayor Sylves- A Memorial Park visitor stands at the end of a dock on Hines ter Turner said Lake, which is part of the new Clay Family Eastern Glades. in a news release from the Memorial Park Con- reation Department, Uptown Development Authority and the Kinder servancy.

The Eastern Glades, the first ma- Foundation. The City of Houston jor project associated with Memorial invested $10 million through the Park’s 2015 master plan, is the prod- development authority, while the uct of a public-private partnership Kinder Foundation, Wendy and Jeff between the Memorial Park Con- Hines, and Emily and Robert Clay servancy, Houston Parks and RecSee Glades P. 4A

See Closures P. 4A

Photo by Adam Zuvanich TxDOT will partially close Berendo Street and Hewitt Drive from the U.S. 290 frontage road to prevent cut-through traffic.

‘Citgo 6’ saga takes encouraging turn for families

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Page 3B

THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 5A Classifieds.............................................. 7A Coupons................................................... 6A Food/Drink/Art................................... 9A Obituaries............................................... 5A Opinion..................................................... 3A Public Information..................... 10A Puzzles...................................................... 3A

Chris Rich said the traffic on his Oak Forest street has slowed some during the last few months, because not as many drivers have been out and about.

Even if the COVID-19 pandemic subsides in the next year or so, and more Houstonians return to the road, he figures to see even fewer cars rolling by his home on Hewitt Drive.

A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) said it is moving forward with a proposal to partially close Hewitt and Berendo Street to prevent vehicles from turning onto those streets from the U.S. 290 frontage road. Houston Public Works solicited feedback from residents of Oak Forest Section 17 from March through July and last week recommended that TxDOT proceed with its plan.

“I’ll be over-the-top ecstatic when it happens,” Rich said.

TxDOT spokesperson Deidrea George said in an email Wednesday that construction of the project is expected to start by the end of this year and will be complete within 1-2 months afterward. The project calls for the installation of “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 work was estimated to cost less than $50,000.

Don Davis, a Berendo Street homeowner who has pushed for the partial

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Jose Gregorio Fernandez, right, and his wife, Maria Andreina Fernandez, participate in a march for the Citgo 6 last October at Candlelight Park. Andreina Fernandez is the sister of Alirio and Jose Luis Zambrano, who are among the six Citgo executives who have been detained by the Venezuelan government since 2017.

Brothers Alirio and Jose Luis Zambrano were not among the detained Citgo executives who were transferred from a Venezuelan prison to house arrest last week. Only Gustavo Cardenas and Jorge Toledo were allowed to leave El Helicoide in Caracas, where the four men and two other colleagues have spent most of the last three years, and their Houston-area relatives are not sure why.

But the Zambrano family, which includes Oak Forest resident Alexandra Forseth, is encouraged nonetheless.

Forseth’s sister, Gabriela Zambrano Hill, talked to their father, Alirio, on the night of Thursday, July 30, when Cardenas and Toledo were put under house arrest. Hill said she could hear the optimism in the voice of her father, who was allowed a brief phone call.

“It’s been so difficult for them,” she said. “They’re trying to keep themselves safe during the pandemic, and

there’s been times when trying to keep themselves isolated is incredibly hard for them mentally and spiritually. Having something that looks like a step forward has filled my dad with energy and hope. It makes us at home really hopeful that we’ll see them again soon.”

The “Citgo 6,” which also includes Jose Pereira and Tomeu Vadell, were called to a November 2017 meeting in Venezuela, the home See Citgo 6 P. 4A

Page 2A • Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 • The Leader

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memorialhermann.org

THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 • Page 3A

Memorial Park’s makeover starts in the dirt

C

an we be honest about Houston for a moment? Do any of us really like living here this time of year? Remember, I said “honest.”

Don’t start canceling me on social media just yet, because I know this city is the land of opportunity and diversity and food and a 26-lane Katy Freeway. But I’ve met too many who proclaim to love their Houston who also skip town in July and don’t come back until the school bell rings.

With COVID, I’m not sure they’ll be back before Thanksgiving.

Between heat advisories, ozone pollution warnings and a cone of hurricane uncertainty lodged in our brains for another couple of months, we could put together a rather ominous Chamber of Commerce postcard, huh?

Let’s assume we can’t do anything about the heat, with a tip of the cap to the climate change discussion.

Of course, on Aug. 9, 1947, the high temperature in Houston was 103 degrees. This has been, and will be, a hot city.

What we’ve lacked, and what our leaders have tried to address over the past decade, is finding a respite from the heat. My wife and I, for instance, like being outside, even if we break a sweat. In order to find some trees or a breeze from the water, we either need a pool or a trip out of town. And what we’ve always wondered is why our city hasn’t done more to develop areas that create a better quality of life.

My wife came home last Saturday afternoon with a finger on the trigger

wonderful addition to Houston’s recreational opportunities, but the best stories are often the ones found in the dirt. And in the case of the Eastern Glades, what Arnold and the entire partnership did with the actual dirt gives such meaning to the project.

In 2011-12, Houston went through one of its worst droughts in history.

Those who visited Memorial Park at the time saw the devastation – dead trees crashing down onto walking trails, once-thick canopies suddenly bare. The drought was a chemo treatment to one of our most historic parks.

Those dead trees were not thrown into a burn pile to stink our air and clear the land. Instead, as Arnold told me, they were taken to a 2-acre bio-cycle operation where they were treated for years. And today, those 40,000 dead trees have become 10,000 cubic yards of compost that has enriched the soil of Memorial Park.

For people like me, who sometimes spend too much time complaining about ways our city needs to improve itself, it’s tremendously gratifying to tell the story of what the Memorial Park Conservancy and its public-private partnership has done for the quality of life in Houston. The Kinder Foundation kicked this project into gear in 2018 with its philanthropic work, and the Clay Family helped put it over the edge.

And today, Houston is the better for it. Go see for yourself.

Jonathan McElvy Publisher

of her cell phone.

“Look what they did at Memorial Park,” she said, flipping through a series of photos from the recently opened Clay Family Eastern Glades.

“That’s Memorial Park?” I asked, somewhat bewildered. “Where?”

The next day, I packed up the three kids and made the voyage myself, even if it was 103 degrees.

My sons darted from my grasp in a race to stand at the edge of the new 5.5-acre Hines Lake, hoping to catch frogs or fish (though no fishing is allowed).

The Memorial Park Conservancy, in partnership with Houston Parks and Recreation, The Kinder Foundation and the Uptown Development Authority, has made our city’s best park even better with the opening of the Eastern Glades.

Here’s what the official press release said: “Located north of Memorial Drive between Memorial Park Golf Course and Crestwood Drive, the transformed 100-acre area features picnic areas, native wetlands, savanna, pine-hardwood forest, wide open green spaces and miles of accessible trails for Houstonians to enjoy.”

Photo By Meghan McElvy Memorial Park’s new Clay Family Eastern Glades has a 5.5-acre pond and boardwalks that look like they belong.

I wanted to know more, mainly because I couldn’t stay long enough, mainly because the public restrooms are still closed from COVID, which was a problem for my 3-year-old who has the intestinal fortitude of a rabbit.

Shellye Arnold has lived in Garden Oaks since 1993. She’s been the head of the Memorial Park Conservancy since 2013, and we talked earlier this week about the incredible transformation that has taken place.

I didn’t ask so much about the generic information, because that can all be found on the conservancy’s website.

What I really wanted to know is how, after about two weeks of being open, could there already be a vast array of wildlife, perfectly placed native vegetation and boardwalks that look like they belong.

“This all dates back to our master plan that was put together in 2015,” Arnold said. “We formed a commit-

tee of ecological scientists – 25 of them – and brought in the best of the best scientist.”

If there was a specialist needed, the partnership found them – birds, turtles, frogs, vegetation, soil. And in 2015, when a small, 1-acre pond was dug behind shrubs and fences, the wildlife found the oasis on their own.

“In 2018, we just expanded [the lake] that was already there, and we enhanced the area to make it more resilient,” Arnold said.

The details and depth to what the Conservancy and its partners have created goes far beyond what I can provide in this column. There are new pavilions, 2.5 more miles of walking trails, the Live Oak Court, a food truck court and an event lawn.

Even the parking lot feeds run-off water through phases of cleaning before that water hits the soil or runs into the lake.

All of those things make for a

Email jonathan@mcelvymedia.com

Political correctness - what’s in a name? THE READER. Take me to your letter

MY PC – If you Google, you can find these photos taken around July 4, 1913, the 50th reunion of soldiers on both sides who fought at Gettysburg. Some are in their uniforms, blue or gray, with medals. They are aging gray beards, a few with only one leg or a single arm, smiling for joint photos or kneeling in the dirt drawing maps of where they were on July 1 through 3, 1863. They seem to be getting along, considering that 50 years prior, which would be 1970 for us today, they were trying to kill one another. Obviously they didn’t, but we can only wonder what they would think of us. Maybe they would say, “Did any of you pedestal-pullers ever put on a uniform?” or, “It’s about time.”

So let us discuss Eskimos, what Beaumont needs and why quoting a Viking can get you in trouble. Let’s start with Eskimo. After 99 years, Dreyer’s Grand, a U.S. subsidiary of Froneri, which owns Eskimo Pie, said it acknowledges the name is “derogatory” and will change it.

Speaking of the cold, the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League have been called that alliteration for more than 100 years, but will look for a new name. In the meantime, the club will use the titles EE Football Team and Edmonton Football Team. Very catchy. Its Board of Directors ordered the change following a decision by the Washington Redskins to change their title. I agree. The very name “Washington Redskins” is an embarrassment to the nation and to the world. I suggest the Chevy Chase Redskins. The Atlanta Braves have removed a “Chop On” sign that sat near an entrance to their stadium, have dropped the tomahawk chop hand signal used by the fans and changed its slogan from “Chop On” to “For The A” for the 2020 season, but will keep their name – so far. The Cleveland Indians are under pressure to change the team’s name after having dropped the controversial logo Chief Wahoo last year.

Speaking of Native Americans, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or BIA, has been named that as long as the rivers flow and the sun rises, but may soon be renamed the Bureau of Noble Tribes Who Had Their Homelands Stolen by the Round Eyes.

(Darryl Lacounte is serving as acting BIA Director. He is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.) BIA is the oldest agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, established in 1824, by John C. Calhoun. Because he strongly defended slavery, Calhoun is having his name removed

Lynn Ashby Columnist

from Calhoun College at his alma mater, Yale. It will be renamed for computer scientist Grace Murray Hopper.

It didn’t stop there. Calhoun, who served in several offices including vice president, is one of 10 white men – mostly Southerners -- whose statues may be removed from the U.S. Capitol. And down in Mississippi they are looking for a new state flag.

Getting back to food brands, Quaker Oats has announced that it will rebrand Aunt Jemima. The companies that make Uncle Ben’s, Mrs. Butterworth’s and Cream of Wheat announced reviews of their products’ labels and branding. Land O’Lakes has removed a Native American woman from its products. Then there is poor Trader Joe’s, which is renaming and repackaging its foods. The company thought it was being cute by naming such products as Trader Ming’s for foods and condiments related to Chinese cuisine, Arabian Joe brands for Middle Eastern foods, Trader José’s for Mexican-style products and Trader Giotto’s for Italianthemed items. The changes came after petitions demanded the re-labelling, but there are two other petitions being circulated that must cause confusion in Trader Joe’s corporate HQ. One calls for the company to reduce plastic packaging — it has 124,000 signatures, and another begs the company to open a branch in Beaumont — it has more than 2,800 signatures.

Even the entrainment world is changing. The Dixie Chicks are now just the Chicks. Lady Antebellum is now Lady A. Meantime, Walt Disney is making some changes. Its “Song of the South” won the 1948 Academy Award for Best Original Song, “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” and was a financial success.

But today Uncle Remus spinning stories to a white boy is considered racist. Disney has not released “Song of the South” on any home video format in the U.S. The Disney theme park ride Splash Mountain is based on that film’s animated sequences, but this past June Disney announced the U.S. versions of the ride would be reworked to be based on the 2009 animated film “The Princess and the Frog” instead. Royalty and frogs might object.

We have recently discussed the drives at UT and Texas A&M to remove statues, names on buildings, change the name of the UT football stadium, and replace “The Eyes of Texas.” At Aggieland, there is a movement to take down the statue of an A&M president, Sul Ross, who saved the school as it was about to be abolished. A recent photo shows, perched atop the statue, a protesting student from Huntington, New York. Could I go to Huntington and climb on top of a gas pump? Huntington is the only township in the United States to ban selfservice gas stations.

Finally, we have this, preceding the current frenzy.

On Jan. 15, 1999, David Howard, an aide to Anthony A. Williams, the mayor

of Washington, D.C., used “niggardly” in reference to a budget. This apparently upset one of his black colleagues, who thought it was a racial slur and lodged a complaint. As a result, on Jan. 25, Howard resigned, and Mayor Williams accepted it on the grounds that Howard had shown “poor judgment.” However, after public pressure and an internal review, the mayor offered Howard the chance to return to his position as Office of the Public Advocate on Feb. 4. Howard refused but accepted another position. The word means “stingy” and is of Scandinavian origin going back to the Vikings.

Ashby’s statue is at ashby2@comcast.net

Dear Editor: Not funny at all. This is just another pathetic attempt to ridicule REAL counter arguments to the lies in the left-leaning media. Leftleaning is a very kind description.

I’ve been reading since the days of the Houston Post. Not anymore.

LC

Soak up the energy of small businesses

Dear Editor: Solid, no spin, accurate truth from a business leader that frequently provides that rare commodity.

Dave Dawson

Dian Street Villas project awarded housing tax credit

Dear Editor: Based on the Leader’s front page article about Anna Eastman’s support of this project it seemed to me that the paper was trying to undermine Eastman’s election effort. She lost but I am glad that the stance she took on this is bearing

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com fruit. Timbergrove and Clark Pines residents may have to welcome the disenfranchised after all. Good.

Pete Nordloh Dear Editor: Eastman undermined her own election effort all by herself. Lost by 200 votes, maybe she should have listened to the 700+ people who are opposed to the project (compared to 80 in favor of ) that she was elected to represent.

Brandon Brotzman Dear Editor: I’m sure Eastman is a person of conscience, who doesn’t subscribe to the Trump Tweet in which he stated that the people could “live their suburban dream” without worry of “being bothered or financially hurt by low income housing in your neighborhood.” This was after Trump weakened anti segregation rules, and, according to our responsible news media, this proves that Trump is a racist, so my question is, are the opponents of this project racists, or is the media lying about Trump being a racist?

Jason Hochman

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss 1. Cleopatra’s viper 4. Cuneiform writing 10. Dekaliter 11. Groaned 12. For instance 14. Wave in spanish 15. Arabian gulf 16. Written in red 18. Denouncements 22. Eat one’s heart out 23. Survive longer than 24. Take priority over 26. Foreign service 27. Russian king (alt. sp.)

28. Stinkheads 30. Old name for Tokyo 31. Box (abbr.)

34. Red rock in Australia 36. Not old 37. Enlarge hole 39. Difficulty walking 40. The high point of something 41. 101 42. Hunting expeditions 48. Unusual appearing

ghostly figure 50. Without civilizing influences 51. Heartbeat 52. Morning juice 53. Wicket 54. Head louse egg 55. 40th state 56. Pleasing to the eye (Scot.)

58. Nickname for an anorexic 59. Engaged in a game 60. Household god (Roman)

dOwn 1. Admirer 2. Mouth secretion 3. Afterbirth 4. Initials of “Bullitt” star 5. Family crest 6. Forearm bone 7. Unable to move 8. Loss due to a rule infraction 9. Touchdown 12. Accordingly 13. Spiritual teacher 17. A bridal mouthpiece

19. Dress up garishly 20. Cleverly avoid 21. S.E. Asia goat antelope 25. Fla. state dessert 29. Popular legume 31. Two-die gambling game 32. Easily annoyed (alt. sp.)

33. Khoikhoin peoples 35. Cyclic 38. Flavor of Newport cigarettes 41. Jamestown was the 1st English 43. Fine meal made from cereal grain 44. Incarnation 45. Norse goddess of the sea 46. Ignores or snubs (slang) 47. Tiny glass bubble 49. Chinese mahogany genus 56. Deepwater Horizon Co. 57. -__, denotes past

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 • The Leader

Glades, from P. 1A helped provide the remaining $25 million.

A reclamation and restoration of largely inaccessible and ecologically distressed land, the Memorial Park Conservancy said the Eastern Glades will provide stormwater detention and promote biodiversity in addition to being an attraction for park visitors. An installation around the glades’ central lawn features personal quotes about the park from more than 50 Houstonians, which were curated by Madison Petaway, Houston’s 2020 Youth Poet Laureate.

The Eastern Glades, located north of Memorial Drive between the recently revamped Memorial Park Golf Course and Crestwood Drive, can be accessed by foot or bicycle as well as by personal vehicle and public transportation.

“Eastern Glades honors and

celebrates what Houstonians love most about the city’s largest urban wilderness and recreation park while providing an expansive new area to explore and discover,” said Memorial Park Conservancy President and CEO Shellye Arnold, a Garden Oaks resident. “We are thrilled to celebrate two important milestones as we deliver this first project of the master plan in concert with the 20th anniversary of the Memorial Park Conservancy.”

Four million Houston residents from more than 170 zip codes visit Memorial Park each year, according to the conservancy, which said the Eastern Glades project was completed first because it meets a variety of visitors’ needs. It was inspired by the original 1930s master plan for the park as devised by landscape architects Hare & Hare.

Serving as the lead design firm for the Eastern Glades was Nelson Byrd Woltz, which also is designing the rest of the 2015 master plan. Arnold said construction will soon start on two earthen land bridges that will cross over Memorial Drive and connect the north and south ends of the park, with completion slated for the latter part of 2022.

Arnold said Phase I of the park’s sports complex is largely complete, but the facilities have yet to open because of the pandemic.

“This opening is just the start of what’s to come,” said Nancy Kinder, president and CEO of the Kinder Foundation. “Memorial Park is a regional treasure, and we look forward to witnessing the park’s continued transformation.”

Citgo 6, from P. 1A of Citgo’s state-run parent company. They were then arrested by the regime of Nicolas Maduro, who accused the men of treason, but they have yet to stand trial.

Some of the men’s relatives said the transfer to house arrest for Cardenas and Toledo, who have homes in Fort Bend County, is a sign that Maduro could be warming up to the idea of altogether releasing their loved ones, five of whom are dual citizens. The transfer followed a recent visit to Venezuela by Bill Richardson, the U.S. diplomat and former New Mexico governor who met with Maduro on behalf of the “Citgo 6” families.

U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, who represents some of the men and has called for their release, said he is “thrilled” about the recent progress but said he won’t be satisfied until all six of them are back home with their families.

“Maybe there’s a crack in that cold, cold heart to let

GOMO, from P. 1A the people go,” Olson said of Maduro. “He knows they did nothing illegal, nothing wrong. It’s all the politics of power.”

Olson, Hill, Cardenas’ wife, Maria Elena, and Toledo’s stepson, Carlos Anez, said they do not know why only two of the six men were granted house arrest.

They all said they see it as a step in the right direction, but they remain cautiously optimistic.

All six men were moved from prison to house arrest last December, but they were rounded up and returned to prison in February after U.S. President Donald Trump met in Washington with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido.

“I try not to get my hopes up, because of what happened last time,” Anez said.

“But I’m thankful that Venezuelan authorities decided to do this and, of course, very thankful for the effort that Bill Richardson has put into making this happen.

Hopefully it’s one step in the right direction.”

That sentiment was echoed by Maria Elena Cardenas, who said this is the first time in nearly three years that “we feel like something is happening.” So she’s hopeful that after her husband was placed under house arrest, it will not be long before he can leave Venezuela and return to their home in Katy.

Their youngest son, Sergio Cardenas, has a terminal genetic disorder called mucolipidosis, which has led to other medical issues and left him confined to a wheelchair. His mother said doctors have told the family it is a “miracle he’s still alive,” because Sergio was in hospice care the last time he saw his father in 2017.

Sergio Cardenas, whose condition improved after his father went to Venezuela, was 17 years old at the time.

Last week, he turned 20.

“It is hard,” Maria Elena Cardenas said. “But the only thing we can do is keep our prayers and our faith that this nightmare will end soon.”

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Oak Forest resident Alexandra Forseth, left, speaks before a march in honor of the “Citgo 6” last October at Candlelight Park. Her father and uncle have been detained by the Venezuelan government since 2017.

Closures, from P. 1A street closures along with Rich, said he was told the project will be completed in about nine months. Davis said he asked for temporary “do not enter” signs in the meantime, and Houston Public Works said in an email to residents that it supports the idea, but George said there are no plans to install temporary closures or signage “at this time.”

TxDOT controls the rightof-way along the frontage road.

“I don’t know why TxDOT can’t allow the city to put up the signs or, for that matter, even the neighborhood,” Davis said. “It’s nothing but a donot-enter sign.”

Davis and Rich petitioned for the partial street closures because they said cut-through traffic on their streets increased significantly after TxDOT moved the nearby entrance and exit ramps for westbound travelers on 290, enabling motorists to turn right on Berendo or Hewitt to avoid the stoplight at West 43rd Street. The switch was made in 2017 to prevent traffic from backing up on the freeway.

The exit ramp for 43rd, which previously was between 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 into Hewitt or Berendo before proceeding north to 43rd on either Bethel Boulevard, Hill Oak Drive or Antoine Drive.

Davis said a May 2019 story by The Leader, which put a

Contributed photo Pictured is an aerial view of the Clay Family Eastern Glades at Memorial Park.

spotlight on the cut-through traffic issue, was “very instrumental” in garnering the support of Section 17 residents as well as city officials. Davis said he shared the story with Houston City Council member Mike Knox, who then relayed residents’ concerns to TxDOT and asked for a solution.

According to a spokesperson for Houston Public Works, which facilitated community engagement on behalf of TxDOT, it held two virtual meetings with residents in late June and collected comments from 166 households from March through July. A July 29 email from Houston Public Works to residents said more than 70 percent of those residents supported the partial street closures.

Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin, who represents the neighborhood in District C, said she supports the project as well.

“This recommendation comes after extensive community input and engagement, and I’m grateful for the public works department leading this effort and the neighbors working tirelessly with our office to see it through,” Kamin said in a statement released by her office.

Rich, who led a 2018 petition drive asking the city for speed cushions in the neighborhood, said it’s been a “long battle” to reduce the traffic on his residential street. And while he would like to see a temporary solution before the permanent closures are constructed, he said he’ll “take what I can get.”

Davis also is glad that help is on its way.

“Oh, it’s great,” he said.

“Now we finally see a little daylight coming to the end.”

Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter @AZuvanich

the only Garden Oaks homeowner whose claim was disallowed as a result. The omnibus objection filed by Chapter 7 trustee Randy Williams included most of the near-450 claims that had been filed, and only about 35 of those claimants challenged the objection by filing timely responses to the court.

“So over 400 claims amounting to (more than) a million dollars went poof in the first five minutes of that hearing,” said Garden Oaks homeowner Pam Parks, the former office manager for GOMO. “That’s more motion than we’ve seen in the last (two) years.”

The fate of those 35 or so claims will be decided at a continued hearing scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, when federal bankruptcy Judge David Jones will hear arguments about their validity. Williams and his special counsel, Johnie Patterson, who represented GOMO before the case was converted from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7 a little more than a year ago, contend the claims are either baseless or time barred under the law.

Patterson said during the July 29 hearing that many of the challenged claims were filed without a legal explanation for why they should be granted, or they were based on a 2016 state district court ruling in favor of Garden Oaks homeowner Peter Chang, whose counsel successfully argued that GOMO formed improperly in 2002 and therefore had no standing to enforce deed restrictions in the neighborhood or collect .75-percent transfer fees as outlined in the deed restrictions.

But Williams has argued the result of Chang’s case against GOMO applies only to him and not to other homeowners who were not part of that litigation. Williams also contends there is a 180-day statute of limitations tied to the Texas property code violation in 2002, which he said GOMO’s legal counsel should have used as a defense in the

case against Chang.

Representing many of the remaining claimants is Houston attorney Casey Lambright, who plans to challenge the legal stance taken by Patterson and Williams. So does Garden Oaks homeowner Stewart Hoffer, an attorney who is representing himself.

Jones said during the July 29 hearing that the bankruptcy code requires him to treat each claim individually, so he could rule differently on different claims and said he is open to factual arguments as well as legal ones. Regarding the transfer fees – GOMO’s primary revenue source and in many cases the amount of money tied to the claims – Jones said the dates they were paid “may be determinant.”

“I would hate to see somebody lose a valid claim because they got lumped into a single legal argument,” Jones said.

Williams said the way Jones rules figures to have significant ramifications on not only the outcome of the bankruptcy case but also the fate of the homeowners association. If the judge sides with the trustee, disallows most of the claims and rules the statute of limitations applies to GOMO’s 2002 violation of the Texas Property Code, then the HOA could keep a large chunk of its assets and be immune to future legal challenges about its improper formation.

Williams said he has not objected to “a few” of the claims against GOMO, including the one filed by Peter and Katherine Chang. But he said it’s “possible” he could object to more claims at some point.

“There’s the possibility that (GOMO) may consider going to the court and asking it to reconsider putting it back into Chapter 11, so it can reorganize,” Williams said.

“I still have about $582,000 and change in the bank. If all these claims objections are sustained, then I don’t think the remaining claims exceed the cash that’s on hand. And I think there is still an interest on the part of the (GOMO)

board and I think there’s interest on the part of some people in the community that there be an HOA that’s functioning.”

On the other hand, if Jones rules that the Changs’ 2016 case applies to other homeowners and that GOMO formed improperly and cannot collect transfer fees, Williams said the organization would be “back to ground zero” and the neighborhood might need to consider forming a new HOA. “If he rules that GOMO can’t collect any transfer fees, then it’s real hard for GOMO to function,” said Al Thomas, who served as GOMO vice president before Jones converted the case to Chapter 7.

If Jones sides with the statute of limitations argument and disallows claims because of that, Peter Chang said the bankruptcy case should not continue. He also questioned GOMO’s motives for filing for bankruptcy in the first place, since doing so invited all the claims against it.

Parks said she filed a claim not because she wanted to recoup the transfer fee she paid – “I’ve already eaten my hamburger,” she said – but because it would give her more of a say in a Chapter 11 restructuring plan. She said she also is among a group of Garden Oaks property owners who pledged to give whatever they might receive in the bankruptcy case to the Garden Oaks Civic Club.

So when Parks’ claim was included in the omnibus objection, she chose not to respond.

Doutt, even though she wanted to recoup the money she paid to GOMO, said she suspected from the beginning that her claim would not to amount to much, if anything. Still, her experience has soured her on the HOA, which she said Garden Oaks does not need.

“It’s not as if you’re in a condo or something and you need somebody to keep the owners in line,” Doutt said.

“It’s not like that at all. It’s a lovely neighborhood.”

Important Notice for Patients of National Cardiovascular Partners, Baytown Heart & Vascular Center, Beaumont Heart & Vascular Center, The Heart & Vascular Center, Advanced Cardiovascular Center at Methodist West Houston, North Houston Cardiovascular Center, College Park Heart & Vascular Center, Houston Heights Heart and Vascular Center, Travis Center Angiography, Spring Creek Cath Lab at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, and Sweetwater Angiography Center July 17, 2020 At National Cardiovascular Partners (NCP) and our partnering clinics, we take the privacy and security of our patients’ information seriously. NCP is a managing partner of Baytown Heart & Vascular Center, Beaumont Heart & Vascular Center, The Heart & Vascular Center, Advanced Cardiovascular Center at Methodist West Houston, North Houston Cardiovascular Center, College Park Heart & Vascular Center, Houston Heights Heart and Vascular Center, Travis Center Angiography, Spring Creek Cath Lab at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, and Sweetwater Angiography Center (the clinics). We are providing the following information to inform our patients that a third party may have had unauthorized access to information about some patients who were seen at the clinics.

On April 27, 2020, an unauthorized individual obtained access to an NCP employee’s email account. NCP became aware of the unauthorized access on May 19, 2020 and took immediate steps to contain the incident. We terminated the unauthorized access to the email account the same day it was discovered and worked with a leading cybersecurity forensics firm to investigate this matter.

As part of our investigation, NCP conducted an extensive review of the employee’s email account to determine if any emails contained personal information. As a result of that review, beginning on June 18 NCP identified emails containing the names, addresses, dates of birth, dates relating to the provision of medical services or the payment for services, medical history and diagnosis information, prescription information, health provider information, insurance numbers, email addresses, and medical record numbers for some of our patients. We also identified emails containing the Social Security numbers of two individuals and the financial account information of one individual for whom we do not have current contact information to send a personalized notification letter.

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Any individuals who receive a notification letter from NCP or who might otherwise be concerned about identity theft are encouraged to regularly review statements from their accounts and to periodically obtain their credit report from one or more of the national credit reporting companies. Individuals may obtain a copy of their credit report once every 12 months by either visiting http://www.annualcreditreport. com, calling toll free at 1-877-322-8228, or completing an Annual Credit Report Request Form (found at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports) and mailing it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. For questions about identity theft, credit monitoring, and how to keep information secure, patients can visit this website: http://www.consumer. ftc.gov/topics/identity-theft.

Individuals who received care at one of the clinics and have not received a notification letter may call (833) 281-4826 toll-free to determine whether their information has been identified as being involved.

The Leader • Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 • Page 5A

Local private schools implementing varying plans for fall

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

While a July 24 order by local health officials instructed all public and non-religious private schools to delay in-person instruction through Sept. 7, a later missive from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said local public health officials do not have the power to make that call or to shut down secular private schools. As a result, individual schools have developed different plans for fall learning while the Houston region continues to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

And due to the constantly changing guidelines, the administrative staff at area private schools did not have much of a summer vacation. “They worked tirelessly,� Mark deTranaltes, vice president for advancement at St. Thomas High School, said of the staff at his school. “No matter where we were, they had a plan in place.�

That plan, for now, involves virtual learning from Aug. 17 until Sept. 14, at which time the campus will move to a hybrid model with half of the 600-member student body going to school on a two-day-on, two-day-off schedule, for a 10-day cycle.

While deTranaltes said that to his knowledge, no families have asked for a 100 percent virtual option for the year, the school at 4500 Memorial Dr. is “always open to conversations.�

Like St. Thomas, St. Pius X will also start in a distance-learning model Aug. 17, with in-person learning starting Sept. 8 on the campus at 811 W. Donovan St. “Once we feel circumstances allow students to be back on campus, we will begin with a hybrid model,�

St. Pius X spokesperson Jacquelynn Conger said. “Approximately 50 percent of our students will be on campus while the rest are learning from home. Cutting the on-site class in half will allow the appropriate space for physical distancing in the classroom.�

Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, located at 10202 Memorial Dr., will begin the school year Monday, Aug. 10 with remote learning for all students. Its plan is to stagger the return of students between Sept.

8-11.

School of the Woods, a Montessori school at 1321 Wirt Rd., is following the current Houston ISD schedule of virtual learning starting Sept. 8 and a hopeful return to in-person classes on Oct. 19.

In person start A July 16 Facebook post from The Awty International School, at 7455 Awty School Ln., said it is planning to open school on campus for all students in August with a remote-learning option available for families not ready or unable to return to campus in person.

The same goes for Lutheran High North, located at 1130 W. 34th St. Its 125-student body starts Aug. 18.

Head of School Dana Gerard said the Lutheran High North is offering families the option to do virtual learning for the first quarter, with the option to extend it for the semester.

Beyond that, Gerard said he is open to virtual learning if data proves it prudent.

The decision to open in person was guided by parent surveys as well as consideration of state and local guidelines, according to Gerard. He said the school’s small size offers it a “great advantage� in being able to

Contributed photo A new Education Building is under construction at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community, which plans to start the school year with in-person classes on Aug. 21.

distance students.

Parent Tara Lehr agrees. “As a mom of a child who thrives with in-person learning, this method is ideal for us,� Lehr said. “The average class body in the past has been 30 students per grade. So that is also very comforting for us.�

A larger school that opens in person on Aug. 21 is St. Rose of Lima Catholic School. The student body, which includes pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, is in the mid- to upper-400 range, depending on the year. A new St. Rose education building is currently under construction, replacing 1940s era classrooms. It is expected to be complete in March of next year and will feature a middle school quad as well.

St. Rose’s Jennifer Saladino said there are allowances for a threeweek remote learning phase if families choose it. Saladino also said the school’s policies were developed to encourage reassessment should the local data change. “The school follows state man-

dates as well as the advice of the Diocese and the Texas Educators Association,� Saladino said.

She said in June that the school was taking precautions to protect the students and their families.

One St. Rose parent who asked to remain anonymous said she was more nervous a few weeks ago about her child going back. “I have had to pray hard about it,� she said.

Information about technology platforms, live instruction and additional details about safety protocols have made the St. Rose parent more comfortable as her child wished to return in person. She likes that the student body is being divided into pods whereby certain grades are grouped together, making contact tracing for COVID-19 faster and easier.

St. Ambrose Catholic School, also a pre-K through eighth grade campus, opens in-person Aug. 12. Dean of Students Danna Jankowski said in addition to face-to-face instruction, parents can choose a hybrid model

with two days on campus and three days remote, or all remote learning, for each quarter. “Whichever option parents choose, they are committed to that particular learning plan for the quarter,� Jankowski said. “In addition, we have added a part-time and half day to our PK3 and PK4 program.�

Jankowski said the school’s “vast amount of space� is an asset as well as its smaller class sizes. “We will continue to keep class sizes down so that students can safely social distance,� she said. “We have installed touchless water fountains to fill student water bottles throughout the day as well as touchless handwashing stations and hand sanitizing stations throughout campus.�

Jankowski said the school has also invested in technology this year to make virtual learning a success.

Both St. Rose and St. Ambrose have revamped their arrival and dismissal procedures to include COVID-19 screenings. All area schools have mask and sanitation protocols in place. State guidelines mandate masks for most everyone when in public, with children under 10 years old being one of the exceptions.

At St. Thomas, deTranaltes said students will use an app called Quickscreen to answer screening questions before they enter the building.

School leaders say they are cognizant of the academic, social and emotional effects COVID-19 has had on their school populations.

For Saladino, that negative impact is a reason for their way forward. “St. Rose of Lima recognizes that real education occurs only with real relationships, and we are here for the community,� she said.

Girl Scouts parting ways with historic cottage at St. Rose

By Betsy Denson A burgeoning Girl Scout program at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community – and the church’s 1995 purchase of the lot on the corner of Wakefield Drive and Brinkman Street for additional parking – made way for “The Cottage,� where generations of local Girl Scouts have gathered.

And now the need for more parking to accommodate the 2,100 parish families at St. Rose has brought its end as a meeting space.

St. Rose Director of Advancement and Communications Emily Garcia said it is looking at having the cottage moved if possible, and the hope is to have it emptied by the end of August. “St. Rose of Lima has always had a need for more parking,� Garcia said. “Our plan will be to expand the number of spaces in that lot.�

She said the building has been unused since the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston closed meeting spaces to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Prior to the pandemic it was actively being used by the Girl Scouts, and we are working with them on new options for meeting spaces once we are allowed to again host meetings of ministries and groups on our campus,� Garcia said.

Garcia likens it to the situation of Boy Scout Troop 40, whose original meeting space at the back of the church’s property was demolished last year to make room for the new Education Building. “Troop 40 have since moved to the East Hall for their meetings,� Garcia said. “The Girl Scouts are a little different as each troop is much smaller than our Troop 40, and may not need space as large as the East Hall for meetings. Logistics of this are still in discussion, but St. Rose will continue to support our Girl and Boy Scout Troops.�

According to a Girl Scout history, the small two-bedroom house was originally built in the early 1940s by Odell and Anna V. Gowan.

They raised their family there and when they moved to a

Eva Mena Martinez, 88, born March 22, 1932, died July 27.

She is survived by her sisters Esther Bexar, Olivia Munoz, Virginia Garcia and Eloise Rodriguez; children Sylvia Garcia, Stefanie Fernandez, son Carlos Martinez, 11 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.

16, 1934 in Nuevo LeĂłn, Mexico, died July 31. Ruiz is survived by sons Robert Joe Ruiz, Manuel Ruiz, daughters Maria Helena Ruiz-Lopez and, Estela Ruiz, sisters Maria del Carmen Ruiz Bernal and Maria de los Angeles Ruiz Bernal, brother Vicente Ruiz, and five grandchildren.

Onecimo Ruiz, 86, born Feb.

Roy Soraiz, 83, born Oct. 12,

betsy@theleadernews.com

said. “Every badge, every patch, every star, every award has a story. A story of service, friendship and sisterhood.�

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council CEO Mary Vitek said the organization is thankful to the St. Rose Catholic Community for supporting Girl Scouts. “More than ever, girls need

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Contributed photo Twelve-year Girl Scout Mireille Murphy made many memories in the Girl Scout cottage at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community.

THE OBITUARIES.

larger home, it was purchased by a Plumbers’ Union Local for use as a meeting place.

This organization then sold it to St. Rose, which later presented the house to the Girl Scouts.

It was Stefanie Peterson who is credited with naming the house when she said it looked like “a little cottage.�

To renovate the building to the “cozy meeting space� it would become, Dennis and Kay Alexander spearheaded a successful golf tournament

which provided necessary funding. Donations from parishioners and members of the community also helped.

There were work days for girls and their families to haul trash, replace siding, paint and clean. Older Girl Scouts stenciled the ivy and holly borders in all the rooms.

Rosa Murphy has fond memories of the cottage as her daughter Mireille is now bridging to be an adult. “So many memories made at this little cottage,� Murphy

1936, died July 24. Soraiz is survived by his wife Rosemary Saenz Soraiz, daughters Linda “Kathryn�

Soraiz and ReneĂŠ Soraiz, five grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.

Ricardo Valencia, Sr. (Fronnie), maternal grandmother, Julie Grobe, and sister Lexi Dunson.

Ricardo Luis Valencia Jr., 35, born Jan. 15, 1985, died July 24.

He is survived by his parents, Shari Provenzano (Mark), and

Loring “Red� Parnell White, 77, born July 8, 1943, died Aug. 3.

CHURCH D I R E CTO RY

Barbara Ann Walker, 72, born Dec. 18, 1947, died Aug. 1.

I

St.each James Lutheran Church, ELCA Bible Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am In light of theSunday COVID-19 outbreak, please check with church below for updated Morning Worship ............... 10:45am • Worship (English) ..... 10:00 am - 11:00am information Wednesday about services and events.

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t goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: “we have all made mistakes.� As Alexander Pope so aptly put it: “To err is human, to forgive, divine.� We should remember this the next time we make a mistake. Most certainly, we must learn from our mistakes, and hopefully not continue to repeat them, but we should also forgive ourselves. While it can be hard enough to forgive others for their mistakes, it can sometimes feel almost impossible to forgive ourselves.

We sometimes cannot bring ourselves to forgive something we’ve done, and we may punish and harangue ourselves for years, or even decades, over youthful indiscretions. In addition, some of us may not be able to forget the sins of our past. And although that may prevent us from repeating them, we must be charitable and forgive ourselves, just as we should forgive others. So, we should make a real effort in the coming days and weeks to forgive the offenses of others as well as our own. Sometimes, it helps to just forget about them; that is, to try to put them out of our mind and stop repeatedly mulling over them. One of the reasons we use the phrase “forgive and forget� is because sometimes that is the only way to forgive, i.e., by forgetting. But far better, and more divine, is to be able to forgive even while remembering the offense. So, we should let go of those unforgiving, vindictive, shameful feelings about the past, and get over it! Corrie ten Boom, who survived incarceration in a Nazi prison camp said, “Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize that the prisoner was you.�

By Pastor Will Cover

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

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he Covid-19 shutdown has changed the way 1602 West 43rd St. • Houston, Tx 77018 • 713-686-1577 1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470 people gather for parties First Church St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA Weekly Sunday Services and special events. Wedding Gethsemane Lutheran Church • Bible Study: 9:15 a.m. • Morning:10:30 a.m. t 8PSTIJQ &OHMJTI

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Wednesday Bible Study 7pm Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children www.lazybrookbaptistchurch.org and many other plans have been Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor 4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365 R.S.V. Luke 6:37 for the following: 2003 W. 43rd St. Wed 713-686-8241 stsumc.org Houston, TX 77092 cancelled or modified. Human Sunday Services: Live Stream at 11:00am events are subject to change and Bible Studies: From Homepage, click on cancellation due to unforeseen 1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470 Connect/Small Groups circumstances. There is one event coming that you have been invited to and you must Gethsemane Lutheran Church reply prior to the event in order Pastor Jerry McNamara to guarantee your place. That 4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 event is spoken of in Revelation We invite you to worship with us!

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a safe place to grow and develop leadership and life skills that will benefit them for life,�

Vitek said. “This would not be possible without support from our community, like St. Rose Catholic Church, and our volunteers who are paying it forward to the next generation of female leaders.�

Christ in heaven. Revelation 22:17 says, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.� You have been invited to come. In fact, everyone has been invited.

We know from God’s Word that all who have been invited will not respond. Jesus told a story of a man who invited many to his feast. When it came time for the party many of those invited were full of excuses as to why they could not come. The master sent out his servant to go into the “highways and hedges� to invite anyone and everyone to come.

Jesus is coming back. Heaven is a real place. Jesus is inviting you to come. Will you trust in him? Will you turn from your sin and ask God to save you? He has invited you. You must respond in faith and come before it is too late.

Page 6A • Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 • The Leader

Does your pet need vitamins? ment might help keep his skin in tip-top condition and decrease shedding, itching and inflammation.

Dear Tabby, We are trying to stay healthy and safe during this time and are religious about taking our vitamins. Do our pets need to take vitamins as well?

Health-minded in The Heights

Probiotics keep gut in check Vets often recommend probiotics for your pet as well.

Given preemptively, probiotics can help -- not only keep your pet’s intestinal tract on, well, track -- but also help with various ailments including eyes, nose and skin issues. The majority of probiotics are given to pets who are experiencing intestinal upset, though. By giving your pet a daily dose of

Dear Health-minded, The good news is that most dogs and cats that are on a well-balanced pet food don’t need supplements. Pet food companies add the required vitamins to foods, taking the guesswork out of supplementation for pet owners. But, with a growing population of aging, overweight pets, the market for pet supplements is expected to soon become a $1.7 billion industry, according to Packaged Facts, a market research firm.

Nutrition is king, but some supplements help However, you may find that some pets can benefit from a daily vitamin supplement. For instance, giving a glucosamine supplement helps restore joint health and increase mobility in aging dogs. Additionally, giving your dog a fish oil supple-

probiotics, the natural balance of good bacteria and bacteria can be restored. Additionally, some vets recommend giving your pet milk thistle. Milk thistle has been shown to aid in liver function, reducing inflammation and preventing disease.

What to look for in multivitamin So, what should you look for when considering a vitamin for your pet? Vets advise you to check the label before giving any vitamin/mineral supplement to your pet and look for the following qualities:

Pet of the Week

• Contains at least eight essential vitamins, including Vitamin A, B-complex, D, and E as well as the B vitamins. Vitamins A and E are all-important antioxidants that help maintain a healthy immune system and should also be included in the supplement.

• Vitamins and minerals should be in the correct ratio for your pet’s good health.

• Highly palatable The bad news is that some human supplements are harmful to pets. For instance, calcium actually hinders bone formation and can damage maturing joints and cartilage in puppies. Vitamin A can damage blood vessels and lead to muscle atrophy. As always, it’s important to seek guidance from your vet when considering adding supplements to your pet’s diet.

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

Meet Audrey Audrey was bottle-fed as a kitten and lived the good life until her owner became ill and Audrey had to go back to a shelter. It was there that Audrey met another angel who adopted her and gave her the very best life. Alas, sometimes love means doing what is best for others, regardless of the pain it causes you, so when Audrey’s second mom lost her job due to the pandemic, she knew that Audrey would be safer back at the shelter. Now, Audrey is awaiting another chance at love...could that be with you? To learn more, go to www.friends4life.org.

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The Leader • Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 • Page 7A

First phase of Lower Heights District nearly complete

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Gulf Coast Commercial Group is nearing completion on the first phase of Lower Heights, a 24-acre mixed-use district formally announced last summer, according to a news release.

The project, which reimagines industrial sites just west of downtown and abutting the First Ward Arts District, fronts Interstate 10 between Studemont and Sawyer streets.

The entry point off I-10 is newly marked with a vintagestyle marquee sign that recognizes the commercial beginnings of the area, and a mural commissioned by Gulf Coast now wraps the side and rear of the Outfront Media building on the corner of Studemont.

Created by Guatemalanborn graffiti artist Gelson Danilo Lemus Lopez - aka w3r3on3 - the geometric mural creates an optical illusion.

In early August, Gulf Coast will debut a landscaped, crushed granite hike and bike trail running along the eastern edge of the property, linking the development via the MKT Trail to Stude Park and its Heights neighborhood namesake directly under I-10.

Immediate access is also available to existing hardscape trails that traverse through the First Ward.

The first retail component of the development at 2857 Katy Fwy. already welcomed Total Wine and Ulta openings late last year. A new commercial addition at 1440 Studemont St. is an approximately 35,000-square foot, two-story building with street-level retail below loft-like offices opening to terraces.

Build out is currently underway for its inaugural tenants, both of which are slated to debut early next year.

Central Bank will occupy 3,687 square feet on the west-

ern end cap of the first floor.

SheSpace, a first to market, multifunction coworking and meeting space for women, has leased 6,000 square feet on the second floor. “We looked at upwards of 25 potential sites around Houston for SheSpace,� founder Stephanie Tsuru said in the news release. “Lower Heights put us at the epicenter of our target demographic while also providing an unmatched level of convenience factors for clients - from freeway access to the proximity of walkable businesses including grocery, retail and restaurants.�

According to Jerry Alexander, Gensler project manager and principal, “Our goal in the design of Lower Heights was to purposefully intertwine the curated mix of urban amenities with the quirky charm of the historic Houston Heights.�

The Gensler team also provided consulting services to help inform building material

Contributed photo Graffiti artist Gelson Danilo Lemus Lopez - aka w3r3on3 - contributed a geometric mural for the Lower Heights District development.

choices and configuration of just over 15,000 square feet of ground level retail and office space within Alexan Lower Heights, the district’s multifamily hub developed by Trammell Crow Residential.

Additionally, Gulf Coast

Commercial Group is building out a new headquarters in Lower Heights.

According to Gulf Coast president Tom Lile, “We are extremely excited about the vibrant environment we’re creating at Lower Heights and

looking forward to being in the midst of it with our new office space.�

Future phases of the development call for a movie theater, additional retail businesses, office space and multifamily housing.

Heights construction company wins statewide award

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Premier Remodeling & Construction, located at 905 Harvard St. in the Heights, recently received a 2020 Star Award from the Texas Association of Builders (TAB) for Best Kitchen Remodel between $75,000 and $100,000 according to a news release from the company.

The award was presented

to the company virtually on July 26. It’s the fifth statewide Star Award for Premier, a design-build, full-service remodeling company that specializes in projects of all sizes. “It’s always a great feeling having a satisfied client at the end of the project,� Premier owner and president Rob Hellyer said in the news release. “But to be honored with an award for excellence is just the icing on the cake.�

A Little Attention Can make a

BIG impact

Call to get started

Contrbuted photo Pictured is the kitchen remodel that helped Premier Remodeling and Construction win a 2020 Star Award from the Texas Association of Builders.

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The Leader • Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 • Page 9A

Art Valet: Holler at Sawyer Yards brewery en route to market Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

Has the world gone virtually … mad? Perhaps, but some things are going to have to remain in-person experiences.

Outdoor markets are top on my list and I plan to keep both my art markets open, with proper spacing between exhibitors, of course. This Saturday is the Market at Sawyer Yards, 1502 Sawyer St., and the first to be held in the evening, from 5-9 p.m., during this pandemic.

Sawyer Yards is home to Holler Brewing Co., a smallbatch craft brewery. According to a recent survey conducted by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, two-thirds of Texas craft breweries may not survive the year under the current operating restrictions in

Texas.

Do your part in keeping Holler Brewing open. Buy some beer and then shop the Market at Sawyer Yards. It’ll be warm, so you may want to head back for another cold one. Holler is located at 2206 Edwards St, Ste. A. Parking is available there, too, and the market is a short walk through the long hallway. Learn more at hollerbeer.com.

Festival going online The big festivals around the country have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Festivals must have huge crowds to survive and that just isn’t working in the current environment.

Houston’s own Bayou City Art Festival made a big announcement this week.

The Art Colony Association, Inc. (ACA), the producer of Bayou City Art Festival, has announced plans to reimagine and reinvent Houston’s signature art event. Bayou City Art Festival Downtown was origi-

Contributed photo Holler Brewing Co. employees Mike, Ashleigh and Jorge help quench thirsts in Sawyer Yards.

nally scheduled for Oct. 10-11.

“The decision to convert our Bayou City Art Festival Downtown to a virtual experience was difficult, but the

health and safety of our community and our festival family is our top priority,” said Kelly Batterson, the ACA executive director.

ACA also announced the launching of a fundraising campaign in partnership with the City of Houston to support the arts and their nonprofit partners. The Save Our Art One Passion. One Purpose.

One Community campaign will help ensure the Bayou City Art Festival’s return to Memorial Park and Downtown Houston and it’s programming in the community.

Planning is underway now for several fundraising events, including virtual happy hours with celebrity artists.

The Bayou City Art Virtual Experience will take place on Oct. 5-11 and feature an art auction, virtual performances and art projects for kids of all ages with Bayou City Art Festival nonprofit partners, creative activities with Bayou City Art Festival sponsors and more. Stay tuned to the website, artcolonyassociation.org, for more details.

Virtual Summit set for weekend

For online artist readers of Art Valet, head over to FreshArts.org and sign up for its Virtual Summit. It takes place live beginning Friday, Aug. 7 at 6:30 p.m and Saturday, Aug. 8 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This is perfect for finding new ways to operate in today’s “climate.” Topics include financial sustainability, legal issues, digital marketing, virtual collaborations and self-care strategies and will feature a mix of webinar presentations and artist-led panel discussions.

Join the summit live to ask questions and share comments with the presenters and panelists in real time. Sessions will be recorded and archived for limited replay access and shared with registered attendees.

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

Review: Share a meal at Squable in Heights Zarah Parker Managing Editor

Squable’s menu is designed for sharing. Brunch is separated into three parts: bread, small plates and big plates.

Two clean plates were set in front of my tablemate and me, while every dish we ordered came out and was set between us. This meant before we ordered we had to talk through each decision, which was made easier by our server’s suggestions.

Between the yeast doughnuts, Dutch baby pancake and the brioche French toast in the bread section, we choose the latter. The French toast came with peaches, ricotta, black pepper and sorghum on top of three triangular slices of bread.

The ricotta, which would usually be off-putting to me, and the black pepper offset the sweetness of the peaches.

I especially liked the black pepper, an addition I would

never think to see on French toast because most French toast tends to be 110 percent sweet.

I can’t normally eat a lot of French toast because of how much sugar I taste in them, but with Squable’s, that balance gave it an almost savory side.

Once we put that dish away, a few minutes later the small plate we ordered, griddled wrap bread, was set on the table.

The wrap bread had two perfectly fried eggs on top with slices of avocado, all drizzled with piri piri sauce.

It’s the restaurant’s version of avocado toast.

I liked the eggs with the freshly sliced avocado, but the bread didn’t complement it. It reminded me of a pancake that had been cooked too long. The piri piri sauce reminded me of a hot sauce, but it wasn’t spicy. However, this dish was my brunch partner’s favorite of the three we tried and she ended up eating most of it.

Our last entrée was the

Photo by Zarah Parker Pictured is the griddled wrap bread from Squable.

was worth it.

Photo by Zarah Parker Pictured is the Brioche French toast from Squable.

carbonara, a pasta dish on the big-plates portion of the menu. It came with bucatini, small chunks of crisp bacon, a confit egg yolk and pecorino. My friend mentioned that it was odd to her to see traditional breakfast items on a pasta dish.

It was a first for me as well, but I loved it. The egg yolk

broke and ran lightly over the noodles, which I expectantly enjoyed. The overall flavor was mild and reminded me of a light pesto or alfredo sauce.

The noodles were my favorite part. I love fresh noodles that don’t come from a box.

Squable can be on the pricey side, depending on what’s ordered, but for me the food

FOOD BRIEFS:

New concept to take over Petrol Station space

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Sharif Al-Amin, Jessie Gonzales and Greg Perez plan to open a new restaurant and bar concept in Garden Oaks with their recently formed hospitality group B.O.M., which stands for Barrel of Monkeys.

The group, which owns Monkey’s Trail in the northside of Houston, recently signed a lease for the former Petrol Station space at 985 Wakefield Dr. A spokesperson with B.O.M. said more details about the concept will be released at a later date.

Flower Child opens The health-focused eatery Flower Child, 1533 N. Shepherd Dr., opened Tuesday for patio dining, to-go and curbside pick-up.

The Flower Child menu offers a variety of healthy items, such as a selection of glutenfree, vegetarian and vegan options.

Mainstay menu items include the Glow Bowl, spicy sweet potato noodles with bok choy, zucchini, onion, jalapeno, shiitake mushroom, coconut milk and sunflower butter; Thai Dye Wrap, spicy tofu with Thai basil, avocado, carrot, daikon radish, cilantro and snap pea; and the Organic Kale Salad, which comes with grapefruit, apples, red cabbage, black currant, smoked almond, white cheddar and apple cider vinaigrette.

Helen in the Heights closes for good The Mediterranean spot Helen in the Heights, 1111 Studewood St. Ste. B, closed at

Photo by Shannon O’Hara Greg Perez, left, and Sharif Al-Amin will open a restaurant and bar at 985 Wakefield Dr.

the end of March due to COVID-19 and never reopened.

The restaurant’s website confirms that the local Helen’s location will not be reopening. But the Helen’s concept in Rice Village, Helen Greek Food & Wine, 2429 Rice Blvd., remains in operation.

Rainbow Lodge introduces kits for date night While Rainbow Lodge, 2011 Ella Blvd., is open for dine-in, it continues its to-go operations and recently added a new kit to make date night easy.

Rainbow Lodge’s Date Night Kits To-Go, for two, will consist of what the restaurant called “the full Monty,” including cocktails, an appetizer, entrees paired with wine and a dessert.

The menu for the kits will change weekly.

La Lucha and Superica expand curbside menus

Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee Shown are the crispy Shrimp Tacos from La Lucha in the Heights.

Superica, 1801 N. Shepherd Dr., has added new summertime cocktails to its curbside offerings. The new items include The O.G. Margarita, a Blood Orange Margarita, a La Paloma Kit and the Ranch Water Kit. Both Kits serve up to six people.

Superica’s sister concept, La Lucha, has added an order of a dozen wood-roasted oysters, half a pound of fried shrimp, deviled eggs, crispy shrimp ta-

cos, and Szechuan shrimp and pork dumplings to its curbside offerings.

La Lucha has also added boozy milkshakes, an Old Fashioned cocktail kit, a “Remember the Sling,” which comes with Mezcal, cherry brandy, pineapple and Squirt, and a “You’re Welcome,” which is a Bourbon and rye, two vermouths and bitters to its drink curbside menu.

Squable Address: 632 W. 19th St. Hours: 4–10 p.m. Tuesday– Saturday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sunday Plate pricing: $7-$29 Kid-friendly: No Alcohol: Yes Healthy options: Yes Star of the show: Carbonara

Jason’s

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THE PUBLIC. The Leader • Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 • Page 10A

City to issue citations for mask violations

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

A month after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order requiring most residents of the state to wear masks when in public, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city will issue citations to those who violate the order.

Turner made the announcement Monday, when the city reported 1,104 new cases of COVID-19 as well as six related deaths among residents.

As of Tuesday, there have been a total of 78,105 cases in Houston and Harris County, with the disease having caused at least 766 deaths and 44,912 patients having recovered.

Per Abbott’s order, which took effect July 3, first-time violators of the mask-wearing mandate can receive only warnings. Subsequent violations are subject to fines up to

$250.

Texans cannot be arrested or jailed solely for not wearing face coverings, which help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The City of Houston said in a news release that police will not respond to 9-1-1 calls about residents not wearing masks.

“For months, we have focused on education and not citations,” Turner said. “But now, I am instructing the Houston Police Department to issue necessary warnings and citations to anyone not wearing a mask in public if they do not meet the criteria for an exemption.”

According to Abbott’s order, residents must cover their mouths and noses “when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public, or when in an outdoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to main-

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Monday that warnings and citations will be issued to those not obeying Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s statewide mask order.

tain 6 feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household.”

Among the exceptions to the statewide mask-wearing order are as follows: - Any person younger than 10 years of age - Any person with a medi-

Millie’s restaurant victimized by break-in

By Zarah Parker

slow because of COVID-19 and I just don’t know if we’re going to make it through this,” Jones said.

Despite the challenges, Jones said they’re going to keep operations going for as long as they can.

“We’re in it too deep. We worked real hard to make it happen. It’s been a long road,” Jones said. “Then people go in there and steal from you.

What do you do?”

zarah@theleadernews.com

Millie’s Kitchen & Cocktails, a neighborhood restaurant that opened in April at 3542 Oak Forest Dr., was the victim of a break-in early July 31.

According to the Houston Police Department, the business had its glass door broken between 4-5 a.m.. An HPD spokesperson said the breakin is being considered criminal mischief, because a preliminary investigation revealed that no property appeared to have been taken, although the cashless restaurant is in the process of taking inventory.

“Someone kicked in the front door and stole alcohol,” co-owner Chris Jones said.

“They may have stolen other things, but they’re still checking everything.”

Jones, who is out of town, has his restaurant team going through the property. Millie’s remains open to customers.

Photo from Facebook Millie’s Kitchen & Cocktails, 3542 Oak Forest Dr., was broken into early July 31.

This break-in came at a bad time, Jones said. On top of the strain from opening during the pandemic, Millie’s closed for two weeks in early June after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

“Business has been real

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