September 19 Section A

Inside Today: The Heights has lost a well-known barber • Page 3A

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Council OKs loan for housing project

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Avenue on 34th, the affordable housing project planned for the site of the former Doyle’s Restaurant in Oak Forest, recently received a significant chunk of the funding it needs to come to fruition.

The Houston City Council last week unanimously passed an ordinance that will provide a $9.09

million loan to Avenue CDC, a nonprofit housing developer based in Houston, using Hurricane Harvey Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds. That money was awarded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Texas General Land Office.

The council agenda item for the Sept. 9 meeting describes

Avenue on 34th, to be located at 2136 W. 34th St., as a “70-unit, garden-style affordable rental development targeted for families.”

The complex will feature one-, two- and three-bedroom units serving low- to moderate-income households at 30, 50, 60 and 80 percent of the area median income.

See Avenue CDC P. 7A

File photo The site of the former Doyle’s Restaurant on West 34th Street will become an affordable housing complex.

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INSIDE.

Back in action. High school team sports returned to the area Tuesday night.

Page 4A Heights resident Paul Carr, 81, stands next to the hovercraft he built, which he named, “Too Much Fun.”

Contributed photo

Heights octogenarian builds hovercraft

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Outdoor art. Main Street, which has seen less traffic than usual, has been spruced up.

Page 7A

Good for the soul. Read all about soul food, including the area restaurants that serve it.

Page 1B

Inspiring intro. New Houstonian Collin Stuart made quite an impression on his neighbors.

Paul Carr might be too old to find another wife, so he tries to stay young for the one he has.

The 81-year-old Heights resident is more active than most men his age and likely more adventurous. The same could be said of Mary Carr, who is nearly 10 years younger.

The couple rode motorcycles together until about five years ago, and they still make trips to the lake to cruise around on their jet skis. They ride electric bikes, too, and Paul also has a private pilot’s license, although he hasn’t flown a plane in recent years.

“If I don’t keep going, she’ll drop me and find somebody else,” he joked.

Paul Carr need not worry, because his latest mode of transportation is next level. He has spent the last few months constructing a hovercraft, which he said can “fly” over land or water at a speeds up to 50 mph.

He gave his new toy, which Carr named “Too Much Fun,” a brief test run a few weeks ago on the property of SPJST Lodge 88. He then made a couple mechanical adjustments and will soon take the hovercraft to a body of water for its “maiden voyage,” likely along the San Jacinto River northeast of Houston.

“Everything’s ready to go now,” Carr said. “I’m looking forward to a ride.”

Building things is a longtime passion for Carr, who constructed ladders and furniture during his 27-year career with the Houston Fire Department. The three-time president of

the Houston Heights Association is especially fond of woodworking, having built nearly 10 of the “Little Free Libraries” around the area along with wooden playground structures in the form of trains, trucks and wagons that he donated to some local churches, parks and schools.

The “Hovertrek” model he bought from Neoteric, an Indiana company that has made hovercraft for police and fire departments as well as the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Parks Service, was another kind of build. Carr said he got a construction kit as opposed to an already-assembled hovercraft, which was an option, and See Carr, P. 5A

See HISD, P. 5A

Kroger employees pushing for return of hazard pay

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Page 4B

THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 4A Classifieds.............................................. 5A Coupons................................................... 3B Food/Drink/Art................................... 1B Obituaries............................................... 4A Opinion..................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 8A Puzzles...................................................... 3A

Contributed photo A “Hovertrek” vehicle made by Neoteric, a company in Indiana, sits in the shop of Heights resident Paul Carr.

The start of the 2020-21 school year marked the first time the Theriot family sent their children to public school. Cat Theriot said she was happy with St. Rose of Lima Catholic School but wanted to see how a public Montessori school could help her fourth grader, who has ADHD, to thrive. And her middle school daughter wanted to swim in a bigger pond.

So the kids are at Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet and Frank Black Middle School. While the middle schooler is independent, Theriot’s elLathan ementary school student needs more support than the working parents can give. And because she hasn’t heard of COVID-19 cases at the local private schools conducting in-person instruction, Theriot said she feels comfotable sending her children to in-person classes in Houston ISD. “This is not conducive to parents who work,” Theriot said of virtual learning.

“My mother is here to help. And we just joined a pod. I hope it helps things. But I pray this is over in four See related weeks.” story Theriot is not alone.

At HISD’s September Page 4A board meeting, the topic of when and how students could return to in-person learning was at the forefront. As part of a consent agenda – in which the board approved a number of items together without individual motions – the board unanimously approved a waiver request to potentially extend online learning until the end of October.

The Texas Education Agency has told school districts they will not receive state funding if they do not offer in-person instruction within four weeks of the start of school, but districts can request to extend that period by another four weeks and still qualify for funding. HISD had already planned to start in-person instruction Oct. 19 - six weeks after starting virtual learning on Sept. 8 - so the HISD board needed to submit a waiver request for an additional four weeks in order to bridge the gap and still be covered in terms of funding.

HISD still plans to start in-person instruction Oct. 19, depending on local

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann A protester stands outside a Houston-area Kroger Sept.

10. Workers are trying to get back their COVID-19 hazard pay that Kroger discontinued in May.

Kroger shoppers in the area might have seen a group of protesters outside the West 43rd Street location within the last couple weeks. Another demonstration is scheduled for Saturday evening at the grocery store on 1035 N. Shepherd Dr. Kroger employees and labor union representatives have engaged in a series of protests at Houston-area locations this month in response to the company’s May decision to remove employees’ hazard pay that had been

in effect since March, when the COVID-19 pandemic reached the region. The hazard pay provided employees an extra $2 per hour.

“Hazard pay seems completely reasonable to ask for by essential workers,” said Katy Fenton, who shops at the Oak Forest Kroger at 1352 W. 43rd St. “They put their health and the health of their families on the line every day.”

Hazard pay has remained part of the compensation package at one of Kroger’s rivals, Texasbased grocer H-E-B, while becoming a contentious issue among Kroger employees. There are four Kroger locations in the area, with

the other two at 239 W. 20th St. and 1440 Studemont St. Clara Campbell, a spokesperson for Kroger’s Houston division, said in an email the company has invested more than $830 million across the company to keep its employees safe since the start of the pandemic. That includes several rounds of bonuses and premium pay, according to Campbell, along with implementing emergency paid leave in March for workers most directly affected by COVID-19.

“Our most urgent priority See Kroger, P. 4A

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 • Page 3A

Longtime Heights barber leaves one-of-a-kind legacy

A

barber shop is generally the best place to go for a beard trim, which is how I came to know Doug Dreher and the 11th Street staple where he spent most of the last two decades.

I was spending a sunny Saturday afternoon in the Heights, and my better half wanted me to clean up the overgrown bush that was hiding my face. So we made a stop at Doug’s Barber Shop, which caught my attention because of its favorable Google reviews, no frills appearance and historic place in the neighborhood.

The shop, which opened in 1929 at 219 E. 11th St., spoke to me as soon as I walked in. The walls were covered with an eclectic mix of photos, paintings, posters, newspaper clippings and images of some of my favorite Houston sports stars.

I soaked it all up and sat with anticipation while waiting for a seat to open. After 20 minutes or so, Doug spoke to me with a soft, friendly voice and invited me to sit in his chair.

A few minutes later, it became apparent that the barber shop’s cleanshaven namesake did not have much experience trimming beards. Doug made a couple cautious snips and sheepishly admitted as much, and then he made up for it.

He asked if I had clippers at home and then gave me two sets of clipper guards, brand new, that he had stashed in a nearby closet. Doug also handed me a magnetic calendar for

band and hosted late-night jam sessions at the barber shop.

“He always said he wasn’t (good at Adam cutting hair),” Armstrong said. “He he was better at talking.”

Zuvanich saidBecoming a barber and barber Editor shop owner – Doug bought the business in 2001 from Don Willis, who continues to cut hair there – happened later in his life. Armstrong said Doug grew up in Coshocton, Ohio, the refrigerator and some sort of and came to Houston while working commemorative brick he had gotten for Amoco as a geologist.

Doug lived in a duplex on Michaux from a building that was torn down.

I don’t remember the words that Street and started coming to the barwere inscribed on the orange-colored ber shop as a customer, then asked brick, but I’ll never forget my first Willis if he was interested in selling it. encounter with Doug’s Barber Shop Willis was open to the idea because and my only meeting with the man he needed money for a new car and, who made it a second home for him- according to Armstrong, Doug went self and countless other Heights-area to the bank that day and returned with cash. residents over the years.

The transaction wasn’t exactly imTwo of the men who worked with Doug, who died Sept. 9 at age 68, mediate, though, because Doug had said he liked to collect things and en- yet to go to barber school.

He eventually learned the trade joyed sharing his findings with others.

He had a brick collection, arrowhead and settled in as the shop’s owner, collection, vinyl record collection and his colleagues say Doug was the and more than 2,000 pieces of Mc- driving force behind all the decorations on the wall and the shop’s Coy Pottery.

Doug also liked to make new laid-back, welcoming atmosphere. friends at the barber shop, which he Among the ornaments are photos treated as much like a cool place to commemorating the shop’s claim to hang out as he did a place of busi- fame – a scene in the 1998 Wes Anness. According to Jeff Armstrong, derson film “Rushmore” was filmed who bought the shop from Doug in there – as well as a picture of Doug 2014 and kept him on as a fellow bar- with Houston rapper Paul Wall, a forber, his longtime friend was a music mer customer.

There also are photos of Doug lover who at one point played in a

Contributed photo Longtime Heights barber Doug Dreher, background, gives young area resident Erik Gell his first haircut.

from his high school days in Ohio, of him singing into a microphone while performing on stage, and of him portraying a clean-cut, slicked-back barber in a photo shoot for a magazine.

“This barber shop, it’s just like his home,” said Leonard Morgan, who worked alongside Doug for most of his tenure there. “You walk into this barber shop, you see Doug.”

Doug had another, more personal brush with celebrity. The daughter of

Hanging Chads – and the voters THE READER. THE VOTING BOOTH – It’s the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, and Election Day has come. I finally get to vote, but I didn’t want to do it here. As you may have heard, this year there is a fierce pandemic sweeping the nation, so voting in person means standing in line with a bunch of wheezing, coughing people who think wearing a mask is a deep state ploy: It keeps the police from recognizing those in a line-up of known demonstrators. I had tried mailing in my ballot, but first I needed one. Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins attempted to mail applications to all registered voters, but Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in between court hearings on his 5-year-old felony securities fraud charges, ruled that mailing out ballots to voters was un-American, or at least un-Republican. So Hollins tried mailing ballots to those 65 or older. That got tied up in court, and my ballot never arrived.

I had all the legal qualifications to vote by mail, not including being in jail. (As a side issue, how many convicts demand the right to vote, especially if they are in jail for voter fraud?) I was over 65 (in dog’s years), had a disability (I could think) and had paid my poll tax to some guy from the Department of Voter Eligibility who came to my door and demanded $10, although looking back that may have been a scam. I found a ballot in my mailbox, but my choices were either Donald Trump or Donald J. Trump.

Now he keeps saying that mail-in ballots should be banned because they are easily manipulated and no one should vote that way. In the Florida primaries, both Donald and Melina voted by mail.

Although I’m only a little paranoid, this year I got feeling that somebody didn’t want me to vote. Texas does not have automatic nor online voter registration, but the U.S. Postal Service took away hundreds of mail storage boxes in neighborhoods. Mail sorting machines have been removed and our new Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, a major donor to President Trump, has told Congress he has no intentions of putting them back. Postal workers can’t work overtime, even if the mail is stacking up and undelivered. The U.S. Postal Service warned 46 states that mail-in ballots may not be delivered on time, potentially canceling out those votes.

In Houston, at least 13 post offices have rejected attempts by the League of Women Voters to place voter registration cards in the offices’ lobbies. The League, which is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization, was given a bunch of different reasons why registration cards are not allowed. Maybe if I went directly to the post office I could be given a ballot, fill

Lynn Ashby Columnist

it out and then hand it over to the clerk. “Do you want a ballot in Portuguese or Esperanto?” she asked. “In English, please,” I replied. She smiled. “We ran out of those ballots yesterday. All three of them. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to do something with all those bags of ballots piled up in the warehouse.

The fire marshal insists.” I could follow Trump’s advice to North Carolinians and vote by mail and in person.

That would put me in jail, but at least I could absentee vote. Since about 1900, Sean Hannity has been saying, “This is the most important election in our nation’s history!” No matter the election, he claimed it was “the most important.” Such claims are self-important poppycock.

The presidential election of 1860 was by far the most meaningful. It touched off the Civil War, the bloodiest in America’s history.

Then one night my doorbell rang. “Vee art from Vaco and doing door-to-door truth tellink about Joe Burden.”

Oh, not again. You remember them, Aleksandra Yuryevna Krylova and Mikhail Leonidovich Burchik, known to the feds as top (yes, top) Russian agents, who looked around America for the most gullible voters who would believe the world is flat if you showed them a flat world map, and they chose Texas.

You might also recall in 2016 how they and other Kremlin gremlins fomented rallies, pitted Americans against Americans, hijacked social media to spread lies about Hillary Clinton and used other and all means to elect Trump. And it worked.

Trump continually said that election was “rigged” by outside influence. It was, but for Trump. (When I called the Voter Reliability Agency to ask if this was true, the official said, “Nyet.”) Now the intelligence agencies say the Ruskies are at it again. This time their chief pursuit is degrading Joe Biden by saying he’s too old to be President.

(He’s three years older than Trump.) Back at my front door, Krylova spoke first.

“Did yew know Bidun eats da babies? Even wit no teeth?

And has had hair plugs, unlike our Prezadunt?” I refused to get into an argument about Presidential hair. “You people are disgusting,” I said.

“Your leader, Putin, stifles dissent, invades neighbors, attempts to rig our elections and tries to assassinate opponents with poisoned tea.” I shut the door.

Finally, why do we hold Presidential elections on the

first Tuesday after the first Monday in November? It’s all about agriculture. Under a 1793 federal law, the Electoral College delegates had to meet on the first Wednesday of December. They, in turn, had to be elected within 34 days before that day, which usually was in November.

Also, back then America was a nation of farmers. By November the crops were harvested and winter had not yet set in. People in outlying areas would have to travel from their farms into town to vote. Tuesday was chosen so people could begin their travels on a Monday, avoiding travel on the Sunday Sabbath. A law in the 1840s set the date we use now.

Then the doorbell rang again. It was Krylova and Burchik. “Here,” he says, “have some tea.”

Ashby is rigged at ashby2@comcast.net

Danger at Every Turn: Traveling on 43rd troublesome for area residents

azuvanich@theleadernews.com Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

Dear Editor: Another dangerous street in The Leader area is Shepherd/Durham from 610 to I-10. There once was a used car lot at the corner of Durham and 17th, where there is a bend in the road. About every six weeks, the lot would have smashed cars because someone failed to negotiate the bend and crashed into the lot. The city won’t put any traffic lights, or send more police to patrol that area, in spite of the cars racing down that stretch, and the difficulty of pulling out from the limited visibility intersections. Not to mention pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Most of the crashes are not “accidents.” They result from gross negligence. Contributing factors include drunk/distracted drivers, poor road design, too much traffic, excessive speed, failure to signal turns and lane changes.

It doesn’t have to be this way. With the government’s new obsession over “safety” you would think that traffic injuries and fatalities would get some more attention. In a lifetime, the chance of being killed in a traffic accident is about 1%.

Jason Hochman Dear Editor: According to the article, HPD enforcement is driven by residential complaints. Assume the more residents that complain drives more enforcement. This problematic stretch of 43rd has several schools and several churches along

his longtime partner, Dan Smith, who died in 2010, is Enron whistleblower Sherron Watkins.

According to Armstrong and Morgan, Doug treated everyone like they were important and had a trusting soul as well as a generous heart.

Armstrong said Doug often helped the homeless, even letting them live with him, and was a caretaker for the landlord he had when he moved into his duplex.

Armstrong and Morgan, who both were hired by Doug, said they had a similar interview experience. Doug asked them to give him a haircut on the spot and, when they passed the test, he gave them a key and asked them to run the shop while he went out of town for several days.

“Doug would do anything for anybody,” Morgan said. “It didn’t matter who it was or what they were. Even if they did him wrong, he would still come back and help them. I’ve never seen anybody like him.”

Even if Doug did someone else wrong, maybe by giving them a bad beard trim, they still might have considered him a likable guy. And he still might have made a memorable impression.

That was the case for me, anyway.

I imagine lots of other people who walked into Doug’s Barber Shop during the last 20 years left feeling much the same way.

it. That drives down the number residents to be able to complain about the speeding. It also increases the vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The system seems flawed.

Tyler Moore Dear Editor: I lived on 43rd near Rosslyn for 11 years. Saw several bad crashes (in my yard, median, and opposite side) had a death and a makeshift memorial outside my front door for months, that I had to go out and take down myself because the city wouldn’t touch it. I doubt it will ever change.

Jon Harvey Dear Editor: Would love to see the stats for Ella between Judiway and Pinemont. I live off Ella and it’s frustrating to see all the large trucks and vehicles that speed through our area. It’s a straight shot and I feel like it’s worse than 43rd for speeders. I have witnessed three bad accidents at the corner of Ella and my street in the last two years alone (and I’m not usually home).

Emily Wellen Dear Editor: We need: 1. More traffic lights along 43rd, Rosslyn, and E. TC Jester.

2. Traffic law enforcement by a real law enforcement agency with authority to make stops and write tickets.

Jason Spencer

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss

1. Fixed hardware memory 4. Ancient Greek physician 9. US coach Amos Alonzo 14. Before 15. Hedge 16. Musical endings 17. Contrary to 18. 39th state 20. In a way, takes away 22. More uncommon 23. Hue or shade 24. Having no moral failing 27. Mauna __, Hawaiian volcano 28. Initials of ALS physicist 29. Soluble ribonucleic acid 30. Smallest American sandpiper 32. Wrote a computer program 36. Silver 37. A continuous portion of a circle 38. To send forth 40. Wood sorrel 41. Curie 42. Curved sword 43. Harmon, Wahlberg & Antony

45. Break stone 48. Doc 49. A small demon 50. Split up 54. Sierra lake 57. Micronesian sailboats 58. North African desert 59. Famous persons 63. A worn out horse 64. One seeded fruit (alt. sp.)

65. DEA officers 66. 7th Greek letter 67. States of repose 68. Related on the mother’s side 69. Cub Scout group

dOwn 1. Medieval fiddle 2. W. Bolivian city 3. Relating to a metal 4. Sires 5. Macao monetary units 6. Roman household god 7. Sun up in New York 8. 1st Indian P.M. 9. Frighten 10. Keepsakes 11. Admirer 12. Handgun (slang) 13. J. G. Low’s organi-

zation 19. Constitution Hall org.

21. Presently 24. Smallest speech sound 25. In-between meal 26. Heroic tales 28. Healing wound cover 30. Paper bags 31. Threefold 33. River in France 34. And in Latin 35. Cup used to serve espresso 39. One thousandth of an ampere 40. Deprived of parents 44. E. Asian housemaid 46. Mac, gala and pippin 47. Mother or father 51. Dressing gowns 52. Swiss river 53. Banteng 55. Speak 56. MN 55122 58. Religious faction 59. Auto 60. Supplement with difficulty 61. Browning of the skin 62. Militant Irish organization

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 • The Leader

Hutchings brings new energy to Wainwright

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Wainwright Elementary School’s new principal, Ryan Hutchings, said he can’t wait to see students in person. “I can’t wait to be back,� he said. “As an educator, you do it for the kids. I want to see the hustle and bustle. Every day is unique.�

The veteran educator is spending his 18th year in Houston ISD. Hutchings started as a science teacher at Sharpstown Middle School, which later became Sharpstown International School, later moving to Lanier Middle School.

Hutchings worked as an Elementary Science Curriculum Specialist, helping schools develop a robust science program, prior to becoming an Assistant Principal at Sam Houston Math, Science, & Technology Center. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology and Education from the State University of New York at Cortland, and later a master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Houston, and a second master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Lamar Uni-

versity.

He said he had always been interested in anatomy and physiology but knew he didn’t want to go into medicine.

Once he decided he wanted to be a teacher, though, he went all in, coming to Houston because teaching jobs were hard to come by in New York.

Hutchings said he enjoyed being a middle school science teacher because “it was a little bit of all the sciences.�

However, when he became a department chair and later an administrator, he found that teaching and leading adults was just as rewarding. “I was interested in how the classroom can be adapted to meet the needs of all learners,� he said.

He came to Sam Houston the year after an overhaul of the school due to multiple years with an unacceptable rating from the Texas Education Agency and is proud of how the school improved. “I’ve seen (Sam Houston) grow so much,� Hutchings said. “And the leaders there really invested in me.�

It was his boss at the school, Alan Summers, who suggested that Wainwright would be a good fit for Hutchings and his

skills. There was a principal opening after longtime principal Christina Aguirre-Oliva left for Ketelsen Elementary. “Wainwright was a science and math magnet,� Hutchings said. “And I always wanted to be a principal.�

According to an HISD profile, more than 40 percent of students at the math and science magnet and dual language school are English language learners. More than 70 percent are Hispanic. Hutchings took Spanish throughout high school and says he can understand the language and speak it some, but relies on help when he wants to make sure his message comes across. “I am going to push myself,� he said.

Hutchings said he appreciates the longtime staff at the school as well as its “family feel.� During the summer and into the first of the year, his focus has been to give staff the tools and support to pull off virtual learning. HISD is not opening classrooms for in-person instruction until at least Oct. 19.

Going forward, he said his focus is to build a more robust academic program.

Area prep volleyball squads grateful for return to court

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews. com When the St. Pius X and Lutheran High North volleyball teams squared off Tuesday night, it was more than a simple season opener.

It was the hopeful beginning of getting back to a relative state of normal in area high school sports as the two squads were the first local teams to return to action amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. So while second-year St. Pius X head coach Clare Brockman called the outing on the court “as successful as can be� following a straightset victory over the Lady Lions, she knows it’s more than a match. “We just have to be grateful for what we have, because a lot of people can’t be playing or practicing,� she said. “I’m trying to help (the girls) have the mindset of gratitude and not always finding what’s

wrong, because there’s a lot that has gone wrong.�

Over the past six months, a city- and statewide shutdown created many obstacles for Brockman as well as firstyear Lutheran High North head coach Mike Hess as they worked to get their squads ready for Tuesday night’s return.

One of those of those obstacles for Hess is coaching a team of just nine players – much smaller than past LHN squads. But it hasn’t impacted their enthusiasm. “I think the girls that are on the team are really enjoying being able to do something and have some sense of normalcy,� he said. “We’re chugging along trying to be as safe as we can, doing everything we can to try and keep things going, because it’s important for the kids to have something to look forward to.�

He said COVID-19 played a role in the reduction of players, throwing a wrench into his

inaugural season at the school.

However, he said he has not let that stop him or his team. “In the preseason, when they were having to make decisions on whether to play or not, everything was spiking – so people were very reluctant to come out,� he said. “We’re hoping a few more people come along, but I’m happy to have the girls that I do. They all come in and work hard.�

The same can be said for Brockman as the team adjusted to game protocols beginning Tuesday, such as no pregame or postgame handshakes, or even potential scheduling changes.

Ultimately, she tells her team to only worry about what it can control, such as social distance protocols and wearing masks when needed. “It takes a little bit of extra work, but I think it’s worth it in the long run,� she said. “Because the kids are learning, and now they get to play.�

Hutchings

“That’s what parents truly want,� he said.

One way Hutchings plans to do that is to add a math lab into the rotation and expand on the science lab that already exists to emphasize projectbased learning.

The school’s parent-teacher association has also been a welcome collaboration for Hutchings. “We do have a cadre of committed parents and community members who want to see the school succeed,� said Hutchings, adding that while he can focus on building the human capital in teachers, the PTA can build on the community support.

Department store Burling-

From Staff Reports Amy Ritter of Allegiance Bank is the new chair of the board of directors for the Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce, which introduced its new board members late last week.

Ritter succeeds Teresa Nicolas-Briggs of Houston Highway Credit Union. The vice chair is Gene Reynolds of Reynolds & Assoc. SendOutCards’ MaryBeth Wagner is secretary, and serving as treasurers are Tony Allman of PrimeWay Federal Credit Union and Liliana Canga of Members Trust of the Southwest Federal Credit Union.

The other board members for the Heights-area chamber, which serves hundreds of businesses in the area, are State Farm agent Jason Cantrelle, Brian Gilbert

Jimmie Miriam Blauert,

Shannon Morris Boatman, 93, born Nov. 28, 1926, died Sept. 12.

Sharon Lee Christensen,

76, born July 9, 1944, died Sept. 9. She is survived by her children Marilyn, Sheril, Scott, sister Bab Maxwell, and three grandchildren.

Lisa Marie DeLavalle,

41, born Sept. 6, 1978 in Pitts-

ray of Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, April Petronella of Petro-Fox Education, Cynthia Reibenstein of Reibenstein and Associates, Lindsey Pollock of Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet, David Schein of Claremont Management Group, Inc., Jack Van Pelt of JVP Jewelry & Jewelers and Taylor Woodard of Raymond James.

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Send your story of interest news@theleadernews.com

“They’ve been here for the community, and we feel like the company should support them in that.�

The Kroger employee said the company is attempting to force workers over to a company-wide health plan, which Rome claims would cost more out-of-pocket annually than employees make in a year. A report from Eater Houston said Kroger also is reducing full-time positions at stores and capping vacation time for part-time employees. “(The company) is trying to take their voice away,�

Rome said.

Campbell said Kroger presented a “Last, Best and Final Offer� to UFCW on Aug. 19.

She said UFCW has refused to allow its Kroger employees to vote on it, and the grocer notified the union about its plan to move forward with implementation on Sept. 8.

As part of the company’s offer, Campbell said every Kroger employee would receive a wage increase within

six months.

Implementation of Kroger’s proposed benefits plan includes transitioning associates’ health care coverage to a company-sponsored plan, and moving benefits out of the current South-Central Health and Welfare Fund.

Additionally, Campbell noted Kroger’s offer also would invest $47 million in wages for its employees. “We are proud of our dedicated associates who are on the front lines, serving our customers when they need us most,� she said. “We also believe our associates have waited long enough for a wage increase. Our associates and their families deserve to be rewarded for their hard work.�

Fenton, the local Kroger customer, said the store has raised its prices during the pandemic. She said the added revenue from those increases should be used to pay the company’s “hardestworking employees.� “I heard a great line the

other day, ‘Since when has the word essential come to also mean expendable?’�

Fenton said. “We owe our essential workers much more than a ‘thank you.’�

Rome said the overarching goal of the employee demonstrations are simple. “Employees want the company to listen to them,� she said, “and do what’s right for them.�

Staff writer Betsy Denson contributed to this report.

DEBBIE ourrealtordebbie@aol.com ELLIOTT

In Memoriam Ronnie Stidham, 77, died September 9, 2020. He is survived by his sister Melanie Stidham, Care Givers Sam & Rebecca Hurd, and numerous cousins and friends.

Service pending.

CHURCH D I R E CTO RY and Adults............................ 6:15pm

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Jeannette S.M. Hanohano, 74, born June 20, 1946,

died Sept. 1.

Mary Louise Lebeck, 81,

born Oct. 4, 1938 in Dobbin, Texas, died Sept. 11. She is survived by daughter Debra Elaine Lebeck Garza, sons Michael Eric Lebeck and Rodney Dean Lebeck, and three grandchildren.

Patsy Moy, 82, born Feb.

19, 1938 in Marlin, Texas, died Sept. 1.

Edward Earl Rose, 79, born Feb. 7, 1941, died Sept.

10. Rose graduated from Reagan High School in 1959. He served his country in the U.S.

Army from 1962-1965. He later entered the banking profession, serving as Vice President of several local banks. In 1991, he made a career change to the nursing field until his retirement in 2006. He is survived by his best friend and husband Edward L. McCall and sister Jean Gregory.

Pastor – Dr. Richard Walters

Sally Gay Sears, 81, born

Oct. 25, 1938, died Aug. 30.

She is survived by husband Dr. Ernest Sears, daughter Stephanie Elsy, son David Matthew Melville, sister Carla Carlson, and a granddaughter.

Bernadette Della Williams-Feild, 66, born

Jan. 12, 1954, died Sept. 12.

She is survived by her husband, Clayton W. Feild.

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field, Ma., died Aug. 27. She is survived by her husband Bryan Stephenson, and parents Fred and Judy DeLavalle.

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THE OBITUARIES. 96, born Aug. 14, 1924, died Aug. 31. Blauert served as a volunteer at Memorial Northwest Hospital once a week for more than 20 years. She is survived by her children, Janis Hervey and James Gary Blauert, five grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

bers can support the school by joining the PTA and also volunteering as bilingual buddies to help monolingual families during this transitional time.

He hopes to have some kind of socially distant event in the near future, like a parade or drive-through. “When we found out that we were getting a new principal, there were many anxious feelings around how the new principal would navigate all of the special circumstances at Wainwright,� PTA President Jessi Heiner said. “Principal Hutchings has not only exceeded expectations, he has gone above and beyond to ensure that his transition to Wainwright was as smooth as possible.�

Heiner said the community is grateful for his new energy. “We loved his predecessor, Principal Christina Oliva, who brought the school out of (improvement required) status while simultaneously introducing the dual-language program,� Heiner said. “We are grateful for her work, and are so excited to continue to the next level with Principal Hutchings.�

Ritter tabbed as chair of Heights chamber

Kroger, from P. 1A throughout this pandemic has been to provide a safe environment for our associates and customers while meeting our societal obligation to provide open stores, ecommerce solutions and an efficiently operating supply chain,� she said.

But a Kroger employee at a recent protest outside a Westheimer Road location said taking away hazard pay flies in the face of that philosophy. After receiving notice of the hazard pay severance in May, workers subsequently reached out to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 455.

The labor union represents grocery, retail and other workers in Texas and Louisiana. “Apparently (this virus) is not going away. The employees are working hard; they’re risking their lives and their families’ lives to come in and make sure the community is getting the products that they need,� UFCW Local 455 Treasurer Shirley Rome said.

ton, which opened nearby, recently gifted the school with $5,000 that teachers could use to buy supplies. And Joe V’s Smart Shop helped with teacher goodie bags as food distribution for students is organized by the district.

Hutchings said the demographic at Sam Houston is similar to that at Wainwright, and he will use the things he learned there to meet the needs of the student body, including English language learners and those in special education programs. An instructional learning council has begun to meet to brainstorm further. “We look at the individual student,� he said. “It’s a collaborative culture.�

Hutchings acknowledges the challenges of a non-traditional start to the school year. “I’ve been so proud of the teachers,� he said. “Everybody’s watching them, students, parents and administrators, (and) they’ve just run with it.�

Hutchings looks forward to more of a two-way dialog with the larger school community as he said he relies a lot on feedback from parents.

He said community mem-

FC Heights Family and Staff 201 E. 9th St. • 713-861-3102 www.fbcheights.org

Join us for Services in English or Spanish

Sunday Worship 10am & 5pm Sunday Bible Classes 9am Wednesday Bible Study 7pm

Ministries for All Ages www.lazybrookbaptistchurch.org Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor 4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365 Wed

for the following: â—† stsumc.org 2003 W. 43rd St. â—† 713-686-8241

1822 W. 18th

Sunday Services: Live Stream at 11:00am Bible Studies: From Homepage, click on • 713-864-1470 Connect/Small Groups

Gethsemane Lutheran Church Pastor Jerry McNamara 4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227

We invite you to worship with us!

Weekly Worship Services 9:00a.m.

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

Houston, TX 77092

Say a Prayer Today

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The Leader • Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 • Page 5A

HISD, from P. 1A public health conditions and recommendations. “The board must take action to authorize this waiver by specific vote and cannot otherwise delegate the waiver application to the superintendent,� said the TEA. “All waivers are approved upon receipt.�

The waiver application must include an indication as to the local public health conditions that the local education agency believes would warrant a faster end to the transition period, like the most recent weekly count of COVID-19 cases being lower than the prior week in the county, or the positivity rate in the county dipping under 10 percent.

HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said the current plan is still for all school-based staff return to campus on Oct. 12, with teachers working from their classrooms for the final week of online only-learning.

Between Sept. 21-25, parents are being asked to opt for in-person instruction or to continue with all virtual learning. A district communication on Wednesday said the choice would be for the next six-week period.

Lathan said there could be a phased-in approach to students coming back to school between Oct. 19 and Oct. 31, if needed, based on recommendations from health authorities.

Teachers received an application last week to opt into virtual learning for themselves.

Lathan referenced the Harris County Public Health guidelines, applying COVID-19 threat levels to school reopening. A lowering of the threat level from red to orange would allow for in-person instruction and activities “for certain priority populations while not exceeding 25 percent capacity or 500 students, whichever is lower, in buildings or rooms.�

Lathan also said the district has been looking at renting other facilities to be able to safely distance students. She also acknowledged that the HCPH guidelines may conflict with mandates

Hindi said.

For many who struggle with the decision whether to go back in person, parents and teachers want to know more about how it will look. “(My kids) envision ‘school’ and I don’t have any information to explain what it will be like,�

Amanda Leal said.

By the numbers Lathan also presented the board with numbers of those participating in online learning.

Virtual learning attendance for the first day of school totaled 87,126 for elementary school, 26,253 for middle school and 47,029 for high school. The total for all was 160,408.

By the third day, however, the number had climbed to 167,163. A 2019-20 HISD Facts and Figures document listed last year’s total enrollment at 209,772.

To put things into perspective, Lathan said a third-day snapshot of enrollment last year was 199,312. The loss from year to year, using the third day as an example, was a little over 32,000. “Every year the numbers start climbing,� Lathan said. “We’ll pick up more face-to-face.�

When Santos asked how the district would get back its students, Lathan said, “We’re knocking on doors, we’re doing callouts, billboards, radio and TV. We’re going to do everything we can to keep and locate our students. I really believe it will pick up.�

Of the 8,400 students last spring who didn’t participate in virtual learning or who were unreachable after May 1, HISD had contacted 6,272 of them as of Sept. 4. Moving forward, Lathan said they would delve into the available data to determine if students had moved to other schools, other districts, or if they had just not engaged at HISD yet.

If students do not attend online, just as if they did not show up in person, they will be dropped from the roll and put in an archive file

from the TEA. District I Trustee Elizabeth Santos wanted to pull the waiver vote from the consent agenda for further discussion so the community could hear the reasons for their votes. She said the district should be exercising maximum caution. “There is still so much uncertainty surrounding COVID-19,� Santos said. “We should be collaborating with health experts working at all levels of government to ensure that our community is coordinated in its approach to public health. If we open up and close down we are not going to have consistency.�

What parents are saying District VIII Trustee Judith Cruz said she is also a parent of three HISD students and gave virtual learning high praise. “It is a night-and-day experience from the spring,� she said.

Candice Croker has an eighth-grade student at Frank Black Middle School and a fourth grader at Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet. “It takes a village, it’s not perfect or ideal, but it’s going smoothly at our house and I’m in awe at the level of effort put in by teachers to make this happen under tough circumstances,� Croker said.

Oak Forest’s Amber Branum, with kids at Oak Forest Elementary and Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy, also affirms her appreciation for the schools and teachers but says she doesn’t like virtual learning for kids. “Extending it seems political to me, especially when other schools are already going face-toface,� she said. “I know the teachers are doing all that they can, but virtual learning isn’t one size fits all for all kids. We need to go back to face-to-face learning.�

Andrea Hindi, who has a daughter at Oak Forest Elementary, said they will not return to in-person school until January at the earliest. “(My daughter) is so happy to be ‘in school,’�

for further district outreach. Schools are open for parents to come re-enroll their students at any time.

Another hurdle is technology. Last week Lathan said there were between 15,000 and 18,000 students who didn’t yet have the necessary technology for online, remote learning.

Although the district has purchased thousands of devices and internet hotspots this summer, there is a backlog for delivery as many other school districts have the same needs. Lathan said more technology comes in weekly and is being distributed to schools. “(Technology) is (the student’s) new textbook,� she said. “(If we) have to close a classroom, close a school or even close the district again, they need to have their device at all times.�

Because the TEA requires the district to provide an option for families with no technology and no reliable internet, HISD opened 36 campuses as Digital Learning Centers (DLC) for elementary and middle school students. Lathan said they were prepared to host up to 18,000 students. Instead, the number early last week was 681, most of them elementary school students. There are also Sanctuaries of Learning, part of church/school partnerships that host students. “If you don’t have a device, you have a spot,�

Lathan said.

When contacted, about 40 percent of parents said they were opting out of coming to a learning center and asked for a paper packet instead, but Lathan said that is not an option this school year.

Last week, HISD said at least eight of its campuses and facilities had confirmed COVID-19 cases, including Katherine Smith Elementary School, which is a digital learning center for some area students. The affected facilities were sanitized and deep cleaned, HISD said.

Carr, from P. 1A spent about 80 hours building it in the shop next to his home on Ashland Street.

Carr did not have to construct all the parts, such as the fiberglass frame or the two-stroke engine, which he said is from a German aircraft, but had to assemble the hovercraft and hook up all the electrical wiring. He started in June and spent a couple months on it.

“I thought it would be a neat project,� he said. “I thoroughly enjoyed it.�

He said the hovercraft cost about $28,000, and what sets it apart from other brands is the reverse thrusters that allow it to brake and back up. Carr said the vehicle floats on an air bubble less than a foot off the ground, with a fabric skirt around the hull holding the air bubble in place.

Carr said his craft is 13 feet long by

8 feet wide and weighs less than 580 pounds. He also said it has a 54-horsepower engine that can propel it up to 25 mph in reverse. “As I always say, this life is not a rehearsal,� Carr said. “This is the only act you get, so you’d better make the most of it.�

His interest in flying a hovercraft spawned about three years ago, when Carr and his wife were in her home

state of Iowa and eating at a restaurant along the Mississippi River. He and Mary saw what appeared to be a few boats barreling toward the river bank, but then they shot up a boat ramp and came to a stop outside the restaurant.

Paul Carr said the drivers looked like they were having fun and, after they ate, hopped back on the hovercrafts and sped away.

“I thought, ‘Boy, that’s something,’� he said. “It sort of got our interest.�

A few years later, Paul and Mary are set to go on their own hovercraft adventure. They plan to tow it to a body of water with their Jeep, which has a personalized message written on the spare tire in the back.

It says, “Not fun, not done.� “That’s what we try to live by,� Paul said.

THE CLASSIFIEDS. Wanting to run a classified ad? CALL 713-686-8494 Monday - Friday. We accept credit cards.

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Page 6A • Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 • The Leader GENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTS

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The Leader • Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 • Page 7A

Art Valet: New initiative transforms Main Street into outdoor canvas Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

Have you driven through Downtown Houston recently?

I did the other day, and what I most noticed was the lack of people and traffic. Businesses are still there and need us, and getting to downtown for lunch has probably never been easier!

Not surprisingly, public art projects have evolved to reflect the unfortunate changes since March. Reflect may be the key word here as the art is in the windows and storefronts of recently vacated spaces.

The new artworks are on view now.

The Houston Downtown Management District (Downtown District) in partnership with UP Art Studio has installed a new series of public artworks by Texas-based artists along Main Street in downtown. As part of the Downtown District’s Art Blocks public art program, the strategic placemaking initiative WindowWorks transforms vacant and inactive storefronts with visual art to enliven the downtown streetscape.

“We are excited to be rolling out WindowWorks, a new program which fulfills a dual purpose: it transforms and enhances the pedestrian experience and supports our property owners by making vacant storefronts more attractive to

Contributed photo Marjon F. Aucoin, left, and Dandee Warhol make up Dee Jon.

Jennifer M. Solak Attorney & Counselor at Law

ESTATE PLANNING PROBATE BUSINESS LAW Dee Jon’s “Feels Like Summer” is a WindowWorks installation at 1313 Main St.

businesses looking to open in downtown,” said Angie Bertinot, Downtown District’s director of marketing and communications.

“Also, during a time where people are looking for fun things to do outdoors, a selfguided tour is perfect, and while they’re here, we hope they’ll support one of our many local businesses.”

In December 2019, the Downtown District and UP Art Studio released an open call for Texas visual artists from all disciplines to submit designs.

The presentation format has since shifted from utility cabinet wraps to vacant and inactive windows and storefronts.

The program will initially focus on windows located on

and around Main Street, with the possibility of expanding to other storefronts throughout downtown.

The 18 designs are featured on Houston Mural Map, a new online source for murals and street art installations throughout Greater Houston. The Houston-based artists include Dee Jon, Josh Ryan, Ibarracolor and Laurence Unger.

Dee Jon is actually two people - the collaborative duo of Dandee Warhol and Marjon F. Aucoin.

UP Art Studio is a Houstonbased, civic art and placemaking consulting firm that facilitates art and design projects for urban and contemporary artists, communities, corporations and municipalities. The

Photo by Morris Malakoff

713.588.5744

jennifer@solaklegal.com

studio’s mission is civic pride through civic art, and they work on projects that educate, move and engage communities through public art. UP Art Studio was founded in 2012

by Noah and Elia Quiles, a husband-and-wife team passionate about public art.

To view Houston Mural Map, visit www.houstonmuralmap.com. For more information about WindowWorks, Art Blocks and related programming, please visit www.downtownhouston.org/art-blocks.

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.

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4th Wall Theatre offering online Shakespearean performances

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

4th Wall Theatre Company, located at 1824 Spring St., is presenting “Sitting with Shakespeare at 4th Wall.” The twopart online performance, with Part I scheduled for Sept. 1720 and Part II set for Sept. 2427, will explore monologues from Shakespeare’s plays.

Audiences will join classically trained actor and Juilliard alumnus Philip Lehl as he examines six of Shakespeare’s leading men in workshop-style performances. He will also be joined by award-winning director Kim Tobin-Lehl, his

wife.

The project was created in order to give audiences a look into the art of theatre more deeply during a time when in-person plays can’t be produced.

“The truthful aesthetic to which we aspire at 4th Wall requires an iterative and collaborative approach that audiences cannot fully appreciate by only attending a polished performance,” Tobin-Lehl said in a news release. “We wanted to illuminate for our audiences this process of acting.”

Tickets for both parts of “Sitting with Shakespeare at 4th Wall” are available for

purchase on 4th Wall’s website, https://4thwalltheatreco. com/.

4th Wall has also teamed up with Stephan Wolfert of DE-CRUIT, a nonprofit that helps veterans re-enter society through the language of Shakespeare, to make an online recording of “Cry Havoc!” available for a limited time.

“Cry Havoc!” is Wolfert’s one-man show that weaves Shakespeare’s most famous speeches with personal experience. The show highlights the crisis the nation faces by failing to re-integrate war veterans. During the 90-minute performance, Wolfert twists

the speech to make Shakespeare contemporary, suffering of veterans ancient, and introduces the DE-CRUIT program of healing through Shakespeare.

The online performance will be exclusively available for 4th Wall’s audience on YouTube until Sept. 20. It is free to access the performance, but donations are encouraged. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to DE-CRUIT. To gain access, viewers will have to join the 4th Wall’s email list on https://4thwalltheatreco. com/.

Avenue CDC, from P. 1A “We are thankful to the Houston City Council for approving vitally needed funding for the development of Avenue on 34th,” Avenue CDC said in a statement provided to The Leader. “… We are thrilled to advance the development process for this affordable workforce housing project and look forward to creating a valuable asset that benefits families and the community as a whole.”

Avenue CDC first announced its plan to buy the Doyle’s property and turn it into affordable housing in February 2019, which prompted a mixed reaction from members of the Oak Forest community.

The developer said a week later that it was pausing its plans for the project, but community engagement continued and the pending sale has proceeded.

Doyle’s, a popular ItalianAmerican restaurant that opened in 1954, closed in February of this year. Avenue CDC said it anticipates closing on the purchase of the property later this month, with “on-site activity beginning in October” and construction expected to be completed in 2022.

According to the council agenda item, the loan from the city will cover roughly half the cost to develop Avenue on 34th, which has an estimated total of nearly $18.2 million.

Included in that sum are a conventional loan exceeding $6 million and land acquisition costs of more than $3.8 million.

The developer said it also is receiving 4 percent federal housing tax credits awarded through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

“Avenue on 34th will provide a valuable asset to both the Oak Forest area and Houston at large that will contribute to resiliency and the long-term recovery efforts after Harvey,” read the council agenda item.

“This development will bring new, quality, energy-efficient, affordable housing inventory built to modern drainage and building standards, located in a non-flooding area of a thriving neighborhood that did suffer flood damage to a portion of its inventory located close to White Oak Bayou.”

Per the agreement outlined in the council agenda item, the loan and affordability period will be 40 years, commencing when construction is completed, with the outstanding principal balance of the note accruing at 1 percent interest.

Avenue CDC will “pay an annual installment equal to the lesser of 1 percent annually on the outstanding balance of the loan plus accrued unpaid interest, if any, or 50 percent of net cash flow, provided the default rate interest of 10 percent per annum will accrue in the event of a default.”

The agreement also says any unpaid principal balance and interest will be forgiven if the loan is not in default at the end of the 40-year term.

“Even before the pandemic, approximately 28 percent of Harris County working residents were struggling to make ends meets,” Avenue CDC said. “The financial hardship caused by COVID-19 has made Houston’s need for safe, affordable housing even more urgent. Our community cannot achieve its full potential unless working families have safe, affordable places to live.”

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THE PUBLIC. The Leader • Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 • Page 8A

Council approves funding for Oak Forest library repairs Abbie Kamin said in a statement. “This is also a reminder that more than three years later, Houston has not fully recovered from the damage caused by Harvey. I am glad we were able to pass additional funding and ensure the Oak Forest Library will finally be repaired and restored, and ready for children of all ages when our city libraries are open and it is safe for us to gather in person again.”

According to the council agenda item, the city intends to seek reimbursement from

Houston allowing limited gatherings among public

Police are searching for a suspect who was involved in a shooting outside of an area strip club early Monday morning that put one man in the hospital.

The victim, 43-year-old Esteban Almarez, was sent to the hospital in an unknown condition, according to a news re-

lease from the Houston Police Department.

HPD said officers responded to reports of a shooting at 10314 Hempstead Rd., the location of Memories Cabaret, at about 3:20 a.m. Monday.

Almarez was inside the club and, after a fight between two female employees, the manager told everyone to leave, according to police.

When Almarez and the manager went outside to dis-

perse the crowd, HPD said an unidentified person fired shots in the air to help clear the crowd. Another unknown person then returned fire, hitting Almarez once in the back, police said.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact HPD’s Major Assaults & Family Violence Division at 713308-8800 or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

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HPD investigating shooting at area nightclub

By Landan Kuhlmann

Nonprofit and neighborhood-based organizations can apply for City of Houston support as they work to improve their area.

The city announced Sept.

9 that the application period for its 2020 Neighborhood Matching Grant program is open through Nov. 6. A news

club.

The city said neighborhood-based organizations without official nonprofit status can co-apply in a partnership with a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) nonprofit.

For more information on the grant program or to apply, visit houstontx.gov/ neighborhoods/MatchingGrant-App-Packet-FY2021. pdf.

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socially distance. Each person will also be temperature checked and be required to answer a COVID-19 questionnaire upon arrival before being allowed to enter the venue.

“As the pandemic has changed our lives, it has changed how we gather,” Turner said in a news release.

“However, we know that there

landan@theleadernews.com

release from the city said the program provides dollarfor-dollar reimbursements ranging from $500-$5,000 to support improvement and beautification projects in neighborhoods around Houston.

To qualify for the program, an organization must have a grant project within the city limits and be a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) neighborhoodbased organization or civic

f i n d

Turner

By Landan Kuhlmann

t o

Even as the city and region continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Houston residents could soon begin seeing more people out on the streets.

Mayor Sylvester Turner announced last week that city officials will begin allowing a limited number of city-sponsored special events, provided the organizers follow COVID-19 health and safety protocols such as social distancing.

Moving forward, the Houston Health Department and Mayor’s Office of Special Events will jointly review all event requests. Controlled venues must limit attendance to 25 percent of their normal capacity while also ensuring attendees wear masks and

are opportunities to stage social events if they follow current health and safety guidelines and requirements.”

Three events already have been approved. The Houston Texans hosted a drive-in tailgate last Thursday, Sept.

10 with attendance limited to 100 vehicles, while the Houston Symphony will host performances with a maximum capacity of 150 attendees.

Meanwhile, the Houston Dash and Dynamo soccer teams will soon host home games at less than 25 percent capacity at BBVA Compass Stadium.

“I firmly believe that if we all do our part, we can be successful,” said Dr. David Persse with the Houston Health Department. “Promoters need to do their part along with the attending public.”

to be completed within a couple months.

“We’re always happy to move these things forward,” he said. “We understand that it wasn’t the only city building damaged. There were dozens of city buildings, and going through the process of identifying (the damage) and planning and all that takes time. The more we can take off the list and get back in tiptop shape is a good thing for us and our customers.”

Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter @AZuvanich

City offers grant matching program for neighborhood improvements

p l a c e

landan@theleadernews.com

damaged electrical and data wiring as required for new installation.”

John Middleton, assistant director of spaces for the Houston Public Library, said the damage was not extensive enough to force the library or any of its wings to be closed in the aftermath of the storm.

He also said the upcoming repairs would not impact library operations.

Middleton said the construction is slated to start within 30 days of the Sept. 9 council meeting and expected

801 Wendel | Heights $1.1+ Mil. Amanda Anhorn, 713.256.5123

a

By Landan Kuhlmann

FEMA and other eligible sources for the $8,600, which is being appropriated from its Miscellaneous Capital Projects/Acquisitions CP Series E Fund for Hurricane Harvey Damage Repairs. The project will “reseal, waterproof, clean and disinfect aluminum windows; repair and replace existing wall aluminum trim panels, fiber mat flooring, door sweep and weatherstrip; replace damaged acoustical ceiling tiles; replace damaged ceiling-mounted security cameras; and replace

P R O P E R T I E S

When the Oak Forest Neighborhood Library reopens to the public, it likely will have a fresh look.

The Houston City Council last week unanimously approved $8,600 in funding to repair and improve the library, which sustained damage during Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. According to the city council agenda for the Sept. 9 meeting, flooding caused some interior damage

and wind-driven rain leaked through the roof and into the main entrance, children’s section and teen area.

The Oak Forest location at 1349 W. 43rd St., along with the other Houston Public Library locations, have been closed to the public since March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Libraries are so important for our community -- especially this one, with so many families and young kids in and around our Oak Forest neighborhoods,” council member

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