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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020 • Vol. 65 • No. 44
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Incumbents win at local, state, federal levels By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com
Tuesday’s election represented a win for incumbency, especially in the races most relevant to local residents. The area’s representatives in Congress and the Texas Legislature held on to their seats, as did the previously elected officials on a countywide level, according to unofficial election results released Wednesday morning
by the Harris County See related Clerk’s Office. About 1.65 million county story on drivethru voting residents voted in all, good for 67 perPage 4A cent turnout among registered voters. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat, coasted to a 14th term in District 18, which includes parts of the Heights, Garden See Election P. 5A
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Waiting Game
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A little piece of country in the heart of the city.
By Landan Kuhlmann Editor’s Note: This story is an excerpt from Our Veterans, the book about area residents who have served their country in the United States Armed Forces. It can be purchased at theleadernews.com or by calling 713-686-8494.
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INSIDE. Photo by Adam Zuvanich Two election workers, center and right, and a man doing construction work at Lazybrook Baptist Church wait for voters Tuesday.
Record early voting leads to low Election Day turnout By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com
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Taking shape. Construction is nearing completion at the Houston Farmers Market.
Whereas many voters might have made their decisions well before the election, Moe Raval decided not to rush to judgment. The 31-year-old Garden Oaks resident said he watched one of the presidential debates in its entirety and part of the other one. He also had discussions with friends about the merits of voting for President Donald Trump or for former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic challenger. So in a county where more than 1.4 million people cast ballots during the three weeks of early voting – surpassing Harris County’s entire turnout from the 2016 general election – Raval waited until the final day. And he’s glad he did, because there were only a few fellow voters at Waltrip High School when he arrived at the local polling place Tuesday afternoon. “Sometimes I have to wait in line,” Raval said. “But right now, it’s just in and out.” Whether their preferred candidates won or not, area residents were rewarded for waiting until Election Day to cast their ballots. There were sparse crowds at many of the 30-plus voting locations in the Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and Heights areas, with only 151 people voting at Waltrip as of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to an election volunteer who was keeping voter counts at polling places in the vicinity. Less than 3 miles away at Lazybrook Baptist Church, an election worker there said about 200 people had voted as of about 3 p.m. “It is pretty slow,” said Booker Morris, the election volunteer who was keeping voter counts at area polling places. “But a lot
Photo by Adam Zuvanich Moe Raval leaves Waltrip High School after voting Tuesday.
of people voted early. And a lot of people sent in mail ballots that have to be counted.” Morris said the relatively low turnout Tuesday was a byproduct of Harris County’s expansion of voter access, which he considers better than the alternative. There were a total of 806 polling locations across the county Tuesday, when more than 200,000 ballots were cast, according to the Harris County Clerk’s Office.
It was merely a friendly smooch from an innocent pooch. It became the kiss seen around the world and Peggy Mondy’s claim to fame. In October 1953, a 20-year-old Mondy joined the Women Marine Administrative Platoon, 1st 4.5” Rocket Battalion in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in Dallas. Not long after, she made headlines around the country for doing a photoshoot with USMC bulldog mascot Gunnery Sergeant Little Britches. Though the picture the shoot produced became iconic – and is proudly displayed at American Legion Post 560 in the Garden Oaks community where Mondy now lives and serves – it didn’t begin that way. “I’m trying to put my face near him, trying to put that cap over his head, and he starts growling and leaning into me,” Mondy remembered. “I was afraid he was going to bite me.” Eventually, however, Gunnery Sergeant Little Britches decided to give Mondy a chance. And right before the photographer clicked his camera, the dog turned and licked her cheek from chin to temple. “I started talking to him, and he suddenly decided he liked me,” Mondy said. “So out came that big, long tongue.” The photo of the bulldog licking Mondy’s smiling face soon took on a life of its own. It spawned headlines such as “Beauty and the Ugg,” and “Marine takes a licking” as it circulated around
See Voting, P. 5A
See Mondy, P. 5A
Dressed-up dogs bring Halloween joy to local seniors By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com
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THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 4A Classifieds.............................................. 5A Coupons................................................... 3B Food/Drink/Art................................... 7A Opinion..................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 2A Puzzles...................................................... 3A Sports......................................................... 4B
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Always open. Zarah Parker reviews the new Katz’s deli in the Heights, which never closes.
OUR VETS
Area Marine’s service worth more than 1,000 words
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Gonzalez
Photo from Dallas Morning News archives Peggy Mondy receives a kiss from a dog named Gunnery Sergeant Little Britches.
Jason Knebel (713)232-9712
Already missed. The community is mourning the death of a beloved Kroger employee.
Morales Shaw
Photos by Adam Zuvanich The Village of the Heights resident Terri Leibold, right, pets Turbo, the dog owned by her daughter, Paxton Leibold, left.
Terri Leibold loves being around her daughter’s dogs, but she hadn’t gotten to pet them since July. That’s when she moved into The Village of the Heights, which wasn’t allowing human or canine visitors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leibold got a peek at the pooches a few weeks ago, when Paxton Leibold brought her Labrador mix named Turbo and the Mastiff named
Otto. But they had to enjoy each other’s company from afar, with Terri looking down from a second-floor balcony while Paxton and her dogs remained in the parking lot. They had more of an upclose visit last Saturday morning at the assisted-living community at 1407 Studewood St., where Turbo placed third in a dog costume contest as part of a “Howl-O-Ween” celebration. Terri, 63, was able to pet Turbo as he paraded past residents while dressed in what she called a “cute”
bunny outfit. “This one in particular is like her best friend,” Paxton said. “She had just, like, the biggest smile.” Smiles flowed freely on a pleasant, sunny morning at The Village of the Heights, where about 30 residents gathered outside to watch the pet parade and vote for their favorite dogs and costumes. The dogs were a mix of breeds and sizes and owned by residents’ family memSee Pooches, P. 4A
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