September 5 Section A

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State sues county over absentee applications Hollins said in a Tuesday tweet that his office would wait for an upcoming state district court hearing before proceeding with the plan, which calls for mailing applications to more than 2 million voters regardless of whether they are eligible to vote by mail. In order to cast a mailin ballot, according to state law, voters must be at least 65 years old, disabled or ill, out

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

A plan to send ballot-bymail applications to every registered voter in Harris County was placed on hold earlier this week when the State of Texas sued interim Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, claiming he does not have the legal authority to do so.

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INSIDE.

This just in. Two local seventhgraders are starting a newspaper club for their neighborhood.

Page 4A Photo by Adam Zuvanich Kat Creech, founder of nonprofit Recovery Houston, grabs construction supplies Tuesday from Houston Community ToolBank.

Local residents lending hands to hurricane victims By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

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Healthy eating. Zarah Parker reviews Flower Child, where health food is tasty, too.

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High honors. Find out who won volunteer awards from the Houston Heights Association.

Kat Creech, a former Oak Forest resident who works as an event planner in the area, started a nonprofit in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey because her fellow Houstonians needed help. Three years later, Recovery Houston is back in action but has its eyes fixed on friends to the east. Hurricane Laura narrowly avoided Houston last week but ravaged the people of southwest Louisiana, who sent volunteers and rescue boats to the Space City when much of it was under water in 2017. Creech drove to Louisiana last weekend to survey the damage caused by the Category 4 storm and, this weekend, is returning with a team of volunteers and supplies. Recovery Houston is coordinating with the Cajun Navy Foundation to help cover damaged roofs with big, blue tarps, a temporarily fix so residents can still live in their homes while they survey the wreckage and await assistance from FEMA and their insurance companies. “We want to take our circle of influence and love here in Houston and give back to the Cajuns, to the Cajun Navy, who helped us a lot during our time of need here in Houston. That’s the call to action.” Area residents can support Creech’s effort by making tax-deductible donations at www.recoveryhouston.org. Those interested in volunteering or donating goods and other supplies can email info@recoveryhouston.org for more information. Many other local residents and area businesses are lend-

Unprecedented school year to start with uncertainty By Abigail Eastman

Contributed photo Pictured is a damaged home behind a downed tree in southwest Louisiana, which was recently hit by Hurricane Laura.

ing their own hands to Lake Charles, the Louisiana city hit especially hard by Hurricane Laura, and surrounding communities in southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas. Rainbow Lodge, 2011 Ella Blvd., was among the Houston restaurants to make donations for Hurricane Laura relief. American Legion Post 560 in Garden Oaks held a donation drive, collecting items such as bottled water, non-perishable food, diapers, undergarments and cleaning supplies that were sent to communities in need. Liberty Hoepfl Garage, 4610 N. Shepherd Dr., is collecting goods for Starks, Louisiana, in a partnership with Durham Elementary School. Garage co-owner Kathryn See Laura, P. 4A

Sophia Castillo, an 11-year Houston ISD teacher who works at Heights High School, said virtual learning could never compare to in-person instruction. She said she’s a different person when teaching in front of a screen versus teaching in front of a classroom full of kids. Castillo teaches biology to ninth graders and, in some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic is the real-world version of the class she teaches. With HISD planning to rely solely on online instruction for at least the first six weeks of the upcoming school year, which starts Tuesday, Sept. 8, Castillo said she worries about how she will build the connections with her students that the classroom facilitates. She also said it will be difficult for her incoming ninth graders to get up to speed on the technology used in the classSee related room, since her ninth story graders last year had many months to learn Page 4A how to work the programs. Now, Castillo will have to find a way to teach all of that virtually. She said online learning applications will be especially important, because unlike last spring, HISD will count all grades for students. Castillo’s case is not unique as HISD starts an unprecedented school year. Parents and students also have concerns and are making adjustments based on the pandemic, which could affect HISD’s plan for the 2020-21 academic year. The school district announced its “Reconnect Safely, Return Strong” plan in July and, in August, the HISD Board of Education approved a $54.6 million budget amendment to ensure students are equipped with computers and internet access and that campuses have enough purchase personal protective equipment, social distancing signage, plexiglass dividers and special education personnel. Face-to-face, on-campus learning is scheduled to begin Oct. 19, although that date is subject to change See HISD, P. 5A

File photo Virtual learning for students at Heights High School and other Houston ISD schools starts Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Disc golf becoming popular pastime during pandemic By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

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

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of their home county during the election or incarcerated but otherwise eligible to vote. The county clerk’s plan has drawn the support of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, two fellow Democrats. Hidalgo said in her own tweet earlier this week that the mailed applica-

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann Brad Tipton releases a putting disc during a round at T.C. Jester Park last Sunday. Tipton is among Houstonians who have been playing more disc golf during the pandemic.

For many competitors, it’s the roar of the crowd that gives them the juice or feeds their competitive spirit. But for Ryan Bahde and many others in Houston, the most satisfying sound in the world is a disc flying into the metal baskets at T.C. Jester Park’s disc golf course. And it has taken on an entirely different meaning in the new world of COVID-19. “I love just watching a great shot fly through the air and the sound of chains,” Bahde said.

“It’s the best.” Bahde, a Heights resident and director of a league that meets at 5 p.m. every Wednesday at T.C. Jester Park, 4201 T.C. Jester Blvd., picked up the sport more than 20 years ago. But he said the pandemic – which has mostly prevented large gatherings for many competitive sports – has given way to an increasing number of newly-minted disc golfers and interest in the sport around the area. “We’re seeing a lot of newer players come out and discover the league,” Bahde said. “Even with COVID coming out, it’s

brought a few more people to the course and exposed a lot more people to the sport. We’re always looking to grow the sport, and it’s a welcoming group. It’s a way to meet new friends and have fun at the same time.” Weekly participation in the T.C. Jester League has grown by at least 30 percent since the pandemic took hold, according to Bahde. Prior to COVID-19, he said about 30-35 players showed up each week. Now, that number is closer to 45-50, and the camaraderie is growing along with it. See Disc, P. 5A

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