December 5 Section A

Inside Today: An Oak Forest resident needs your help • Page 3A

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MICHAEL SILVA

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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston

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Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 • Vol. 65 • No. 48

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Local officer loses battle with COVID-19

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Ernest Leal Jr. lived about 30 minutes away in Cypress. But he worked in the neighborhoods of North Houston for more than 30 years, so that part of the city could have been considered his home away from home.

Now that he’s gone, residents of subdivisions such as Candlelight Plaza, Mangum Manor, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest feel like they’ve lost one of their own.

Leal, a Houston Police Department officer who started work-

ing for the North Patrol Division in December 1989, died Nov. 27 from COVID-19. He was 60 years old.

Among the local residents mourning his death is Mangum Manor resident Jessi Heiner, who got to know Leal during the last few years because of his work in the community. She said he was so involved in the neighborhood that he gave out his cell phone number to residents.

“We love him,” Heiner said. “He was part of the neighborhood. He was part of the community.”

A public visitation for Leal was held Wednesday afternoon at St. Patrick Catholic Church at 4918 Cochran St. His funeral, which was to be limited to family, friends and HPD staff, was scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church at 11507 Huffmeister Rd. HPD said Leal is its fifth officer to die in the line of duty within the last year and the first of those from COVID-19. One of his supervisors with the North division’s Differential Response See Leal P. 5A

Contributed photo Houston Police Department officer Ernest Leal Jr., who died Nov. 27 from COVID-19, speaks to community members during a National Night Out event at Mangum Manor Park in 2018.

Tunnels of Light

A little piece of country in the heart of the city.

Purr-fect holiday cards designed by local student

By Betsy Denson

4537 N Shepherd Dr.

betsy@theleadernews.com

(713) 863-8322

INSIDE.

Come and get it. Houston ISD is distributing free food this month at four area locations.

Page 4A Top photo by Adam Zuvanich, left photo contributed Above, decorative holiday arches tower above a street in Shepherd Park Plaza. At left, neighborhood resident Corley Walters takes a break from constructing arches in his garage.

Doggone good time. Enjoy the art and a hot dog at the First Saturday Arts Market.

Page 7A

Love for Love. His neighbors have helped support 86-yearold toymaker Gene Love.

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Cute cat. A Scottish Fold named Luna is in need of a new home for the holidays.

Holiday arches seeing peak in popularity

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com The decorated arches that straddle the streets of Shepherd Park Plaza typically start going up during the week after Thanksgiving, which is a way to kick off the holiday season in earnest.

This year, though, the towering, lighted metal structures started sprouting up in mid-November. Perhaps residents are more eager than ever for some holiday cheer and the realization that 2020 – with its pandemic and its social unrest and its political polarization – is nearly history.

“With some of the challenges of this year, neighbors are anxious to grow their sense of community with their neighborhood, more so than they have been in years past,” Shepherd Park Plaza resident Corley Walters said. “A lot of them are home, their children are home, and there’s the question of, ‘When does Christmas start?’ I think that has motivated people to already put them up.”

Walters and his wife, Elissa, have gotten a firsthand look at how excited the neighborhood is about continuing its longstanding holiday tradition, which started in the 1960s in Shepherd Park Plaza’s early stages as a subdivision. Residents decorate the arches with lights and other ornaments, with some streets adhering to themes, to create colorful tunnels of sorts

See Arches P. 5A

See Murphy P. 5A

Contributed photo Tobin Murphy displays a greeting card that features his artwork.

Local studio makes the first dance one to remember

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Page 3B

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

for residents and visitors who drive through the neighborhood at night.

This year the Walters family took over the task of taking orders for new arches and constructing them, with 53 residents having purchased kits that include all the necessary materials to hoist holiday arches in front of their homes. Kevin Schiffer, who constructed the arches for the last five years before moving to Colorado over the summer and passing the baton to Walters, said he typically made 25-30 new arches per year.

Courtney Selinidis, the president of the Shepherd Park Plaza Civic Club, said an influx of young professionals and young families during the last several years also has helped to rekindle the neighborhood tradition after somewhat of a lull.

And the arches are not just for Christmas, with some residents decorating theirs to celebrate Hanukkah, and arches to commemorate Kwanzaa, New Year’s and other holidays also are welcome.

“It is skyrocketing once again. We are very much in an upward trajectory of participation,” Selinidis said. “I predict for many years we’ll continue to see new arches.”

The arch tradition started in Shepherd Park Plaza and is most prominent in the small neighborhood just north of Garden Oaks. But it also has extended to Candlelight Plaza, which

Ten-year-old Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet student Tobin Murphy said he has been drawing for as long as he can remember.

“We even have pictures of me making doodles in diapers,” Murphy said. “Ever since I was introduced to drawing it was my favorite thing to do.”

Two people who have taken note of his talent over the years are Allison Mattingly and Angie Coussirat, the owners of Noted, a stationary store at 1901 Lawrence St. in the Heights. They enlisted Murphy to create artwork for greeting cards they are selling.

“Both Angie and I have kids at (GOMM),” Mattingly said. “Tobin has always been a prolific drawer of comics.”

This fall when they were thinking about offering their own line of greeting cards, they thought about Murphy’s work, specifically his cat comics.

“I draw in a lot of different styles,” Murphy said. “But I like my cat style the most, so that’s what I usually use.”

Mattingly and Coussirat commissioned a few of Murphy’s black-andwhite designs, and graphic designer Coussirat digitized them, added color and created several greeting cards, including one for the holidays.

The store also sells cards from other local designers as well as those from de-

Contributed photo Julie Duong, right, and husband, Paul Ernster, took a Wedding Dance 101 class at Love Dance HTX before their wedding and enjoyed it so much they continued with classes there.

When Lisa Joubert opened the 3,650-square foot dance venue Love Dance HTX at Sawyer Yards in November 2017, she was able to offer larger scale dance classes in hip-hop, dance fitness, country western, salsa, ballroom, Latin and swing. But once COVID-19 changed the landscape, Joubert had to pivot a bit.

Now, she is hosting microweddings of 50 people or less, but she spends most of her time teaching those couples how to dance before the big event.

“With the disappointment that comes from (altered plans), this gives them something to do,” Joubert said, noting that since couples are home more, they have more time for practice. “We really want them to think back (to the first dance) and think, ‘Wow.’ ” Joubert said the atmosphere at the venue, which is BYOB, is conducive to relaxed learning.

There aren’t the wall-to-wall mirrors or bright lights that are common at other dance studios.

Her husband, Chris, did most of the design work and build-out of the art-filled contemporary space.

“It was a labor of love,” Joubert said.

Joubert, who has been a dancer for 20 years, is a national champion in both ballroom and Latin dance. She said she got the idea to do pre-wedding classes from teaching couples 20 to 30 years after the fact who did not have confidence dancing together.

“I made it my mission,” she said. “I wanted to teach the basics.”

Julie Duong is a believer. She said she and her now-husband Paul Ernster decided to take See Dance P. 5A

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Page 2A • Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 • The Leader

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 • Page 3A

Help Oak Forest resident bring her dad home

F

or many of us, Thanksgiving was not as enjoyable this year as it usually is. We were encouraged not to travel and not to gather with our friends and families on account of COVID-19, which is spreading as rapidly as ever across our city, our state and our nation.

Some of us had to catch up with loved ones on computer screens instead of in person, like I did with part of my family. I had a few close relatives over for Thanksgiving dinner, but spent most of the time stressed out about the pandemic and insisted we wear masks inside and eat outside to reduce the chances of transmission in case one of us was infected and didn’t know it.

But you know what? My Turkey Day wasn’t nearly as troubling as Alexandra Forseth’s, and I bet yours wasn’t either.

The annual holiday already was a sore spot for the 28-year-old Oak Forest resident, because a few days before Thanksgiving in 2017, her father and uncle were summoned to what they thought was a business meeting in Venezuela only to be arrested by the regime of Nicolas Maduro and accused of treason. Alirio Zambrano, Jose Luis Zambrano and four other executives for Houston-based Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-run oil and gas company PDVSA, spent the next three years detained in a Caracas prison or under house arrest while awaiting a trial that was repeatedly delayed.

Then, on the night of Thanksgiving this year, Forseth found out her relatives and the other men had been

Adam

Zuvanich Editor

convicted on corruption charges by a Venezuelan judge and sentenced to at least eight more years in prison. It should be noted that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a statement released the following day, called the convictions “wrongful” and described the judicial proceeding as a “kangaroo court.”

“It was a pretty rough Thanksgiving night,” Forseth said earlier this week.

“It’s really hard to even celebrate Thanksgiving anymore, for us, because it’s just such a painful holiday.”

Reading that should make you feel angry or disgusted or something along those lines, because Forseth and her immediate family are as American as any of us. Her dad and uncle went to college at Louisiana State University, where Alirio met Forseth’s mom, a Mississippi native, and Forseth has lived in the U.S. since she was 7 years old.

The Zambranos and three other members of the so-called Citgo 6 – Gustavo Cardenas, Jorge Toledo and Tomeu Vadell – are dual citizens. The other, Jose Pereira, is a permanent U.S. resident.

Forseth said the men’s families in the U.S. have been assigned a case

worker by the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. She suspects the men are being used as political pawns by Maduro, who has faced sanctions from the U.S. and is not recognized as Venezuela’s legitimate leader by the administration of President Donald Trump.

“They’re absolutely hostages, without a doubt,” Forseth said.

Making the situation especially gutwrenching is the fact Forseth and the men’s other relatives had been hopeful they would be exonerated instead of convicted. Following a diplomatic visit to Venezuela this summer by former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Cardenas and Toledo were permitted to leave prison and be placed under house arrest.

The detained men and their families also were encouraged by a series of weekly court hearings during the last few months. Citing occasional letters from the men and post-hearing reports from their attorneys, Forseth said no evidence of wrongdoing had been presented and unrelated documents were being reviewed in court.

In a Nov. 10 letter he wrote to his daughter, which Forseth shared with The Leader, Alirio Zambrano said he took the stand and it “went very well.”

But a little more than two weeks later, the court case took a turn for the worse. And now Forseth is facing the possibility of going a decade or more without seeing her father.

She remains hopeful, though, and said there are a few ways in which the men could be freed and free to return to their families in America. Venezuela has a tradition of issuing pardons

News from the block heads To the Residents of Golden Years Glen: Welcome senior citizens!

This is your occasional newsletter keeping you up to speed on what’s going on in our neighborhood. The letter is coming late because our editor, Eddie “Scoop” Mudflap, is still recovering from his annual Labor Day fireworks show, which we all love. Eddie vows in the future not to set up the Iwo Jima flag-raising display while smoking a cigar. Speaking of flags, our 98-page Owners Guide to Golden Years Glen specifically allows flags to be displayed in our front yards, but they must be tasteful, which is why the banner reading: “Honk If You Hate Clowns” had to go, same with the one showing Dr. Anthony Fauci wearing a noose around his neck.

This leads us to the COVID-19 virus. That pandemic is the main reason we cancelled the September homeowners meeting. After the August meeting in the Mildews’ garage, many of us were self-quarantined. Contact tracing pointed to the Mildews, all of whom had earlier tested positive. If only they had warned us. Pandemic experts say that masks are a good way to stop the spread of the virus. Some of our neighbors say patriotic Texans “don’t want no gubment telling us what to do.” They can be visited on Sunday afternoons, but you can only wave at them through their hospital windows. The board of directors feels masks should be optional according to your own beliefs. Our neighbor, Dr. Amos Anthrax’s own belief is that masks are the sign of the devil. (His medical license is still under review.)

Our postal deliverer, Ms. Deadletter, asks neighbors who don’t wear masks to put a sign in their yard. She suggests one sporting a skull and crossbones.

That way she can just cruise by and toss your mail out her delivery truck door. Experts also recommend everyone stay six feet apart. This probably explains why we have no new birth announcements. Washing your hands regularly is also recommended. True, this might be contrary to advice from our celebrity chef, Pierre d’Rancid, who likens hands to a good, iron skillet – they need to marinate. Our annual Christmas block party and kissing contest has been put on hold by the health department, at least until the yellow tape has been taken down which circles the entire neighborhood, along with the “Breathing Prohibited” signs.

The neighborhood Christmas lights will be lit as usual, which should be no problem since we never took them down last year – or ever.

This past election saw hearty voter participation in the neighborhood with opposing political views. Police only recorded three fistfights and one shoot-

Lynn Ashby Columnist

ing. Many among us voted by mail, although some ballots are still in your mailbox. It seems Ms. Deadletter is partisan.

Whoever put up all those blinking neon “Trump in 2020” signs gets our congratulations. Same for those “Make America Great Again” signs. Chef d’Rancid’s own sign: “Make America Grate Again” gets a special thank you.

The “Biden and Harris” posters are in violation of Section 6, Article IV in the Owners guide. Election results show that our section of the precinct voted 1,200 for Trump and 8 for Biden. This is unusual in that there are only130 houses in our section. Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton ruled it was an accurate count, and urged us to donate to his legal defense fund.

At our last board meeting a motion to order our local cable company to stop blacking out all channels but Fox News failed for lack of a second. The board unanimously passed a rule to prohibit using a walker and a skateboard simultaneously. Our Noise Abatement Section was amended to include prohibiting playing tuba polka music from front yard loudspeakers after 7 p.m. when most of us are in bed.

There was a motion to move the weekly AARP meeting to Tuesdays, but it was noted that it already meets on Tuesdays.

We heard several complaints about neighbors not picking up their dog’s droppings. We realize this is hard to do, especially if they are seeing-eye dogs.

Some of you have asked if our local pub, the Angry Drunk, is affected by Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest rules on closures due to COVID-19. The governor decreed that restaurants may stay open but not bars. Restaurants that have bars can stay open if they call their bars “restaurant bars.” So be sure to order food with your drink. A bag of peanuts with your martini will suffice. Our local school, Aaron Burr Elementary, is open on Thursdays between 8 and 3 except in alternate weeks. “Essential businesses” will remain open. This includes any business that is open. Gov. Abbott insists these rules are “chiseled in stone,” although all rules are subject to change.

Due to the virus, many of our neighbors have been working at home, but some may be abusing the situation. Not to mention any names, but a taxidermy shop in a garage on Toxic Turnaround was fine when it came to small animals, but the butterflied moose left in the driveway for three days in

August was a bit much. Along these lines, an attempt to set up a funeral home never got above the ground, so to speak. We all love sports, however setting up a golf driving range in your front yard means a lot of broken windows. Accountants, lawyers and poets can safely work at home. But the board frowns on auctioning off wrecked cars, sheep and couches damaged

by Harvey. The board is divided on pole dancing in your patio.

Many parents have been home schooling their children for fear of the kids catching the virus.

This is a moot point since children are not allowed in Golden Years Glen. You know how they run down the street and play in our yards and laugh all the time.

Your Board of Directors wishes you a happy 2021, if we make it till then.

Ashby is aging at ashby2@comcast.net

at Christmastime, Forseth said, and there’s a chance Trump could change his posture toward Maduro and try to negotiate the men’s release during his last two months in office. And if neither of those things happen, Forseth said she hopes the administration of President-elect Joe Biden can somehow make some inroads.

What U.S. officials have done so far is not enough, according to Forseth, who said she has met with Vice President Mike Pence about the Citgo 6 and after the convictions communicated with the state department as well as the staffs for Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Pompeo also put out his statement condemning the convictions and asking that the men be “immediately returned” to the U.S. Forseth is asking her fellow community members, and fellow Americans, to put more pressure on their elected officials so they’ll put more pressure on a Venezuelan government that has fractured her family and four others. She said she was initially willing to consider the possibility that her father and the other men had done something wrong – they were accused of trying to refinance Citgo debt and put up half the company as collateral, according to the Associated Press – but she long ago concluded that the “whole thing has been a joke” since the men were arrested three years ago.

Forseth said she is not aware that any U.S. officials are actively negotiating for their release.

“We understand there’s a larger political agenda that matters with regard

to Venezuela. Our families are like human chess pieces in this game that we don’t understand,” Forseth said.

“At some point, another Christmas is passing by, another grandchild is being born. At what point will the U.S. government say, ‘Enough is enough.

We need to be compassionate because what’s happening is wrong.’ No amount of statements will make anything happen.”

On behalf of Forseth and her family, I’m asking you, her fellow community members, to try to make something happen. Write your senators and your representatives in Congress.

Share stories about the Citgo 6 and their plight on social media.

And if you see Forseth around the neighborhood, shower her with support and let her know you care.

Because as bad as her Thanksgiving was, her Christmas doesn’t figure to be any better.

“Be thankful for the connections you can have,” she said. “Everyone’s having limited connections, but even if you can Skype your dad or your grandparents, I can’t do that. I can’t even have Christmas in any way with him. … Make the most of the memories you can make with people, even if they’re different than you want them to be.”

Here’s hoping that next year, Forseth’s family and the others will have exactly what they want, which is to be reunited with their husbands, fathers, brothers and uncles. Then maybe they can celebrate Thanksgiving once again.

Email azuvanich@theleadernews.com

THE READER. From the jaws of victory

Dear Editor: Regarding Lynn Ashby’s “From the jaws of victory” (Nov. 23), his snarky lament for the Democrat Party’s failure to turn Texas Blue in the 2020 election: Care should be taken when evoking Democrat icons Sam Rayburn and Lyndon Johnson -- “Turning over on their cloud,” indeed.

Lyndon’s machine, in the 1948 TX Senate primary, “bought” various County Judges who would “bring in the box” for LBJ. The exercise entailed waiting, delaying then outright stalling -- sound familiar? -- until it was known how many additional votes were needed for victory. Then, those votes surprisingly would be “found” -- again, familiar?

-- and finally in Lyndon’s case, simply fabricated. Nawww, virtuous Democradolescents would never do anything like that in any battleground state today (yuk yuk!). As for Sam Rayburn: “The son of a Confederate cavalryman who never stopped hating the Yankees.” A friend said he “will not in his long lifetime forget Appomattox.” And, “for years after he came to Congress, the walls of his office bore many pictures,

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com but all were of one man: Robert E. Lee.” Rayburn proclaimed, “As long as I honor the memory of the Confederate dead, and revere the gallant devotion of my Confederate father to the Southland, I will never vote for electors of a party which sent the carpetbagger and the scalawag to the prostrate South with saber and sword.” In these woke times of statue eradication, why the Big H has that disgraceful Confederate slavery-legacy man’s name NOT been erased from the Rayburn House Office Building where our own Sheila Jackson Lee works?

(Tip of the pen to historian Robert Caro.)

J. Reynolds

Things to like: Heights Boulevard

Dear Editor: I was happy to see Heights Boulevard as the first item on your list of things you like about the neighborhood. It’s worth noting that many of the specifics you mention — a great path to walk, the tall trees, and the art installations — are courtesy of the Houston Heights Association.

HHA is an (almost) all-volunteer

organization committed to making Houston Heights a wonderful neighborhood in which to live, do business, and play. (Full disclosure: My husband and I have been members for thirty years, and Mark has been a frequent Board member and occasional President during that time.)

Kathleen Williamson

Ownership of Heights Alleys

Dear Editor: Your article indicates that, prior to 2019, a builder was repeatedly allowed to use alleys for private access without assuring “drainage of stormwater and other runoff along the alley and into the intersecting street or drainage facilities.” Such assurance has been required by city ordinance 40-346(c)(4) since at least 1999!

Numerous Heights homeowners have had their properties flooded by builders who raised the level of the alleys. Rather than complaining about recent requirements for compliance, that builder should be grateful that he was allowed to flout the ordinance for two decades!

David Haim

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss

1. Actor Damon 5. Resort 8. Low continuous tones 11. Cape Verde capital 13. Abbreviation for clean 14. Shoe retailer 15. Dashery 16. Head covering 17. Canadian flyers 18. A plant fiber used for making rope 20. Prime Minister __ Hirobumi 21. Hani 22. Nonexistences 25. Mexican victory holiday 30. Avowed 31. Ref 32. 2013 Philip. volcano eruption 33. Beard lichen genus 38. Tennis player organization 41. More saline 43. New York City 45. A shipÕs cheapest fare 47. A winglike part 49. At the stern 50. Oral polio vaccine

55. Tatouhou 56. In addition 57. Baltic flat-bottomed boat (alt. sp.)

59. Search for 60. Gray sea eagle 61. Music timings 62. Make a mistake 63. Root mean square (abbr.)

64. Sleeveless Arab garments

dOwn

1. Speedometer rate 2. Turkish/Iranian river 3. Japanese socks 4. Drawstrings 5. Formal separation over doctrine 6. Tableland 7. Word with opposite meaning 8. Cabs 9. 45th state 10. Matakam 12. Macaws 14. Scottish hillside 19. Load for shipment 23. Sleeping place 24. Linking verb 25. Br. University punting river

26. Marsh elder 27. Horse noise 28. Contract research organization (abbr.)

29. Excessively ornamented 34. Engine additive 35. Small bite 36. Snakelike fish 37. They __ 39. Performance arena 40. Enact before an audience 41. Special interest group 42. Grows old 44. ConductorÕs implements 45. A heavy cavalry sword 46. Tropical shipÕs wood 47. A domed or vaulted recess 48. Lascivious look 51. Mentally quick and resourceful 52. La __ Tar Pits, Hollywood 53. Unstressedstressed 54. Celery cabbage 58. Wrong prefix

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 • The Leader

HISD ramps up food distribution for December

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston ISD is increasing its community food distribution this month as it attempts to help families in need during the holiday season.

The district will operate 13 “super site� distributions throughout December, including three at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center at 4400 W. 18th St. that kicks off this Saturday, Dec. 5.

The district’s Nutrition Services department will also be distributing up to 5,000 holiday turkeys on select dates, and distribution of a

week’s worth of adult meals will take place on Wednesdays beginning this week.

Local distributions will take place at Hattie Mae White on Dec. 5, 12 and 19 from 2-5 p.m. Student meals, hygiene kits and cleaning supplies will be available at each session, while family food boxes and holiday turkeys will be available on Dec. 12.

In addition to the site at Hattie Mae White, there are three other local distribution centers at Clifton Middle School (6001 Golden Forest Dr.), Waltrip High School (1900 W. 34th St.) and Booker T. Washington High School (4204 Yale St.),

which will be open from 2-5 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. All sites provide seven days’ worth of student breakfast and lunch as well as other food and supplies, according to HISD. Adult meals are available to all adults in the household, while student meals are available to any child between the ages of 1-18. Parents must have their children in the car or provide a birth certificate/ proof of enrollment in any school district to receive their meals.

For a complete list of distribution locations, days and times, visit houstonisd.org/StudentMeals.

Photo from Twitter Houston ISD will distribute free food to children and other community members at four locations in the area this month.

Eagles, Lions end seasons in TAPPS regional finals

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Only one football team in each classification can hoist a state championship trophy at the end of each season.

Unfortunately for all of the area’s private school squads, that was not to be their destiny this year.

The Lutheran High North Lions and St. Thomas Eagles both saw their seasons come to an end last weekend in the TAPPS regional finals. LHN

lost 28-8 against Tomball Rosehill Christian, while St. Thomas dropped a 21-7 decision to Midland Christian.

LHN finished the season with a 6-3 record, while St. Thomas ended with a 7-3 mark. St. Pius X had fallen 64-28 to Midland Christian on Nov. 21 to end its season at 4-4.

Trailing 14-0 after the first quarter last week, St. Thomas got a 33-yard scoring strike from Maddox Kopp to Drake Martinez late in the second to

pull within 14-7 at halftime.

However, the Eagles were unable to muster anything else against the Mustangs. St. Thomas had multiple secondhalf possessions reach the Mustang red zone, but came up empty with a fumble and turnover on downs.

St. Thomas will graduate 26 seniors, including top skill players in Kopp, Martinez, receiver Cameron Bonner and running back John Fontenot.

Kopp, a University of Houston pledge, finished his

Trees For Houston hosting tree giveaway in area From Staff Reports Trees for Houston, a nonprofit dedicated to planting, protecting and promoting trees, will host a drive-through

tree giveaway this Saturday, Dec. 5 at 2001 W. 34th St. in Oak Forest.

From 10 a.m.–1 p.m., community members can come by and pick up tree species such

as American Beautyberry, White Oak, Red Maple, Pecan and Sweetbay Magnolias free of charge.

For more information, visit treesforhouston.org.

Memorial Hermann restricting visitors From Staff Reports Memorial Hermann Health System announced it is further modifying its visitor policy to protect patients, workforce and the community in light current COVID-19 positivity rates in the area. Effective Thursday, Memorial Hermann moved to a virtual visitation policy for patient families and friends and is not allowing in-person visits until further notice.

The policy modification applies to all Memorial Hermann facilities, including Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital at 1635 N.

Loop W. There will continue to be limited compassionate exceptions to the no-visitor policy, including: one adult (18 and over) visitor for laboring women, one adult visitor (parent or guardian) for pediatric patients, family members for patients in hospice or supportive medicine, one visitor for patients receiving emergency care and one adult visitor for patients at the time of discharge following a surgery or procedure.

Patients with a disability or other medical condition who need assistance com-

municating with staff will be evaluated for potential visitor exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

These visitors will be required to clear a health screening before entering any facility and wear a Memorial Hermann-provided mask at all times. Exceptions may vary by location.

In a news release, Memorial Hermann said it encourages patients to have virtual visits with loved ones using their mobile and personal devices. iPads will be available for patients who may not have access to their own mobile or personal device.

Precinct 1 holds toy drive

St. Thomas career with a 16-7 record in two seasons as a starter, throwing for more than 6,000 yards and 59 touchdowns. Martinez, who is committed to Colorado State, racked up more than 1,400 receiving yards in four seasons. Bonner amassed more than 2,000 receiving yards in three seasons and has 19 major-college offers.

Fontenot, meanwhile, had more than 1,700 total yards in three seasons.

LHN got an 85-yard touch-

the future seems bright for the Lions. Xavier Neal, their leading receiver, will return, as will quarterback Shorts and leading rusher Zach Menefee.

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Notice of Public Sale Of property to satisfy a landlord’s lien. Sale to be held at Storagetreasures.com. Facility is located at 2213 W. 34th St. Houston, TX 77018. Bidding will open December 14th at 10:00 AM and conclude December 21st at 10:00 AM. Clean up deposit is required. Seller reserves the right to withdraw the property at any time before the sale. Unit items sold as is to highest bidder. Property includes the contents of spaces of the following tenants: Ruben Rivera P-20 household items, Jose Mendez R-40 household items, Frank Jones B-13 household items.

Local business is our business.

Photos by Landan Kuhlmann A deputy with the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office collects a monetary donation for the department’s annual holiday toy drive Tuesday at Dr. Gleem Car Wash & Lube Center at 3103 Ella Blvd.

down pass from Kamare Shorts and two-point conversion from Jaaron Henderson to pull to within 21-8 early in the second quarter against Rosehill Christian, but an interception returned for a touchdown just before halftime stymied any momentum.

In the second half, the Lions’ comeback attempt was snuffed out by a red zone interception early in the fourth quarter.

Looking ahead, however,

A PROMISE KEPT

By Pastor Will Cover

Send your story of interest news@theleadernews.com

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

H

ave you ever made plans but because of a change of circumstance were unable to complete them? Have you ever had someone promise you something and then not follow through? The God of the Bible always keeps His promises, but because He is eternal, His plans and promises are not always completed in a time or manner that we would expect. The first promise that God made in the Bible was a promise made to Adam andbut Eve they sinned.

God promised a t goes without saying, I’ll after say it anyway: “we have all Savior As who wouldPope deliver them. made mistakes.�

Alexander so aptly put it: This “To promise was err is human, to forgive, divine.�throughout We should remember further explained the story of the Old this the next time we make a mistake. Most certainly, we Testament as God revealed the family and location must learn from our mistakes, and hopefully not continue of the birth.

As aourselves. furtherWhile sign of the Savior’s to repeat them, but Savior’s we should also forgive it can be hard enough the to forgive for their tells mistakes, arrival, bookothers of Isaiah us itthat the Savior In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, please check with each church below for updated information about services can sometimes feel almost impossible to forgive ourselves. would be born of of a virgin.

Several thousand St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA We sometimes cannot bring ourselves to forgive something Sunday Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am years passed between the initial promise to Adam andBible events.

In-person services are temporarily restricted. we’ve done, and we may punish and harangue ourselves Morning Worship ............... 10:45am • Worship (English) ..... 10:00 am - 11:00am and the ofindiscretions.

Christ. During this time of for years, orand evenEve decades, over birth youthful In Wednesday Bible Studies For Youth, Children • Learning Hour........... 11:00am - 12:00pm MANNA addition, some of us may not be able toand forgetdesire the sinsfor of a Savior only waiting, the struggle • Worship (Spanish) ....

12:30 pm 1:30pm and Adults............................ 6:15pm Sponsor our past. And although that us of from repeating increased asmay theprevent nation Israel and the world at St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA 1602 West 43rd St. • Houston, Tx 77018 • 713-686-1577 them, we must be charitable and forgive ourselves, just as 1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470 large plunged deeper into the bondage of sin. we should forgive others. So, we should make a real effort in t 8PSTIJQ &OHMJTI BN BN Inand Galatians 4:4-5, the Bible says, “But when the coming days weeks to forgive the offenses of others Weekly Sunday Services Gethsemane Lutheran Church as well as our own.

Sometimes, it helps to just forget aboutGod sent forth

BN QN the fulness of the time was come, • Bible Study: 9:15 a.m.

MANNA t -FBSOJOH )PVS 4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 Pastor Jerry McNamara them; that is, to try to put them out of our mind and stop his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, • Morning:10:30 a.m.

We invite you to worship with us! t 8PSTIJQ 4QBOJTI

QN QN repeatedly mulling over them. One of the reasons we use 4QPOTPS • Evening: 4:15• p.m.

4040 Watonga 713-688-5227 Weekly Worship Services 9:00 a.m.

To redeem them that were under law, that we the phrase “forgive and forget� is because sometimes thatthe is 1700 West 43 at Rosslyn Sunday School & Bible Classes 10:30 am 8FTU SE 4U t )PVTUPO 5Y t 713-682-4942 might receive the adoption of sons.� the only way to forgive, i.e., by forgetting.

But far better, and God kept His Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m.

We invite you to worship with us!

Pastor – Dr. Richard Walters more divine,promise. is to be ableThe to forgive evencame while remembering Savior in God’s perfect timing offense. So, we should let go of those unforgiving, Ad # 32285 Weekly Worship Services 9:00a.mthe .vindictive, to redeem us from our sins. His death, burial and shameful feelings about the past, and get over Sund Please visit our website at: resurrection as the sinless Savior sent from God, it! Corrie ten Boom, who survived incarceration in a Nazi Online services be reached Candlelight Church ofcanChrist www.lazybrookbaptistchurch.org prison campprovides said, “Forgiveness is to set aSalvation prisoner free,from and sin to all who the means of through the website below at 9:00 am.

Join us for Services to realize that thetheir prisoner was you.�

Wed for the following: put trust in Him. God keeps His promises. in English or Spanishwww.gethsemanelutheran.org Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 11:00 I am thankful for this promise that we remember Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn Sunday Services: Live Stream at 11:00am Sunday Worship 10am & 5pm Sunday School for Children, Youth and Adults 9:40 not, and youcelebrate will not beeach condemned; forgive, and Christmas.

Sunday Bible Classes 9am Studies: From Homepage, click on Ministries for All Ages Bible

CHURCH D I R E CTO RY

I

GET OVER IT!

Gethsemane Lutheran Church rd

www.gethsemanelutheran.org

Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children Connect/Small Groups 1822 W. 18th •Rev. 713-864-1470 Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor

2003 W. 43rd St. â—† 713-686-8241 â—† s t s u m c . o r g

Wednesday Bible Study 7pm

4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365

and you will be forgiven...

R.S.V. Luke 6:37

The Leader • Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 • Page 5A

Leal from P. 1A

Arches, from P. 1A

Team, which builds community relationships and addresses the root of crimes to try to prevent them from being committed, said Leal’s expertise and experience will be difficult to replace.

Sgt. Panfilo Galvan also said Leal, a Houston native who joined HPD in 1984 and was known as Ernie among his fellow officers, will be missed because of his funny demeanor and dedication to his job. “He had a heart of gold,� Galvan said. “People tend to say that about every police officer that passes away, but this man genuinely did. He was loved and respected throughout the station.�

Leal is survived by his wife, Dee, a retired HPD officer, as well as four children and seven grandchildren. Heiner said it was “special� to meet Dee Leal on the night of Nov. 23 in the parking lot of the Cypress hospital where her husband was being treated.

Heiner was among a few Mangum Manor residents, with Francisco Blasco being another, to visit the hospital in a show of support for Ernie Leal while he was still battling COVID-19.

The local residents made a banner that said, “We love you Officer Leal,� stretching it across multiple vehicles.

Heiner said Leal was instrumental in resolving crime-related problems at two homes in Mangum Manor as well as two nearby businesses. He also attended monthly meetings with community members. “He wasn’t a flashy one. He wasn’t out in front of the cameras,� Heiner said. “But he helped a lot.�

Galvan said Leal “covered every beat� during his threedecade tenure with the North division, which is stationed in Acres Homes and serves an area bordered by Loop 610 to the south, Hempstead Road to the west and the Hardy Toll Road to the east. Galvan said Leal was especially adept at dealing with abandoned properties, which are known to harbor criminal activity, and going through the proper channels to have them demolished.

Galvan said Leal also was known throughout HPD’s vice and narcotics divisions for being a good helper with investigations. “When it came time to do an investigation, he’d turn it on and be Mr. Hardcore Investigator,� Galvan said. “He’d cite businesses and arrest offenders. He had no problem doing the hard part of our job.�

Galvan said Leal had opportunities over the years to transfer to specialized divisions within HPD, but he chose to remain with the North division and its Differential Response Team, of which Leal was an original member when it formed 12 years ago. So even though he didn’t live in neighborhoods such as Forest West, Pinemont Park, Shepherd Forest and Shepherd Park Plaza, he remained committed to serving them.

Galvan said it’s rare for HPD officers to spend the majority of their careers with one station, and they don’t always develop such strong bonds with the neighborhoods where they work. “It has been inspiring to see the outpouring from the community,� Galvan said. “It reminds you that when you do the job well like Ernie did, that people will appreciate you.�

is an even smaller subdivision further to the north.

Susan Fitzpatrick, who lives in the latter neighborhood, said she moved there in 2009 and bought an arch along with her neighbor across the street in 2014. She said there now are about 30 homes in Candlelight Plaza that participate in the annual tradition.

Most of the arches in both communities should be up by the night of Saturday, Dec. 5, when representatives from the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office will parade through the neighborhoods with Santa Claus in tow. Candlelight Plaza and Shepherd Park Plaza have a joint patrol contract with the constable’s office. “We in Candlelight liked (the tradition) so much, we as a neighborhood decided that since we share the constable program, let’s share the arches,� Fitzpatrick said.

Corley Walters said the arch kits – which residents could buy for $190 before the end of August and for $225 in September and October – come with electric metal tubing and rebar that already has been shaped and cut to the neighborhood’s specifications. Lights also are included, although residents

Murphy, from P. 1A signers both in and outside of Texas. Their own designs are being offered just at Noted at the present time. Murphy is Noted’s first collaborator.

Mattingly said Murphy’s cards have been available for a couple of weeks and while his family members were among the first customers, they quickly caught on with the general public.

For Murphy, seeing the finished cards was a thrill. “When I saw the finished version of my drawings, I couldn’t believe how awesome it looked,� he said. “I just wanted to keep looking at it. I don’t know how they made it look so cool.�

As far as his earnings for the art, he said he is planning to put most of it in a bank account or save it. “Also, I wanted to spend a little on something for me,� he said. “Kind of like an award.�

Mattingly notes the store is still offering curbside pickup and also has free local delivery to the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest. The store is one of the hosts of Holiday on 19th Street from 6-10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. “It will be an extended shopping day and more of a party environment,� she said. “We’ll have all of our holiday stuff out and ready.�

can hang their own lights and customize the arches with just about any decoration they wish.

Some use foam swimming noodles to make the arches resemble candy canes. Streetwide themes include “Movies of the Season,� which is the case on Selinidis’ street.

The civic club president said participation in the arch tradition is voluntary, and residents who want to join in are free to construct their own arches instead of purchasing them from Walters. Assembly and installation instructions are on the neighborhood website, shepherdparkplaza.com.

Fitzpatrick, a 74-year-old grandmother who lives by herself, said her neighbors help her put up her arch. Some residents have “arch parties� in which they help each other erect the structures, which must be at least 20 feet tall to ensure that city garbage trucks can drive underneath them. “It’s a cool way to get to know you’re neighbors,� Corley Walters said.

Fitzpatrick called the holiday arches a source of pride for Candlelight Plaza and Shepherd Park Plaza, which has involved the neighborhood elementary school in the tradi-

Contributed photo Shepherd Park Plaza resident Corley Walters works on a holiday arch in his garage. Walters fulfilled 53 orders this year for holiday arches in his neighborhood and Candlelight Plaza.

tion. Schiffer said arches were donated to Durham Elementary’s silent auction each of the last two years.

The arches also have been a claim to fame for the subdivisions. Their tradition has been featured over the years

by KHOU, Houstonia Magazine and Texas Hill Country Magazine.

The neighborhoods have become known as having some

of the best holiday decorations in the Houston area, which draws visitors from around the city. Schiffer called the arch tradition a “pretty special thing� that he and his family will miss now that they have moved away. “It’s nice to be seen as one of the top neighborhoods for decorating,� Selinidis said. “It’s definitely our thing.�

Dance, from P. 1A dance lessons before their wedding. “We don’t consider ourselves natural dancers and wanted to feel comfortable and confident dancing on our wedding day,� she said. “We had walked by Love Dance Houston several times since we live in the area and thought we’d give it a try first by taking their Wedding Dance 101 class.�

The couple became regulars in the weeks leading up to their wedding. “We’d walk over to the studio twice a week for either our lesson or to practice,� Duong said. “Even though we’d come tired from work, we’d always leave feeling energized. You can tell that Lisa is a skilled, professional dancer, but she knows how to translate all of that to teaching regular people like us.�

Duong said on their wedding day, the dance was one of the few things they did not feel stressed about. “While we were taking our wedding portraits, our photographer remarked how natural and at ease we were,� she said. “We had to credit Lisa for that.�

Duong loved learning from Joubert so much that she ended up celebrating her birthday there as well with a private Bachata lesson. “We are looking for our next excuse to be at the studio again,� Duong said.

Recently, Love Dance HTX was named “Best Wedding Dance Studio� on The Knot wedding website. For more information, visit Love Dance HTX on Facebook or www.lovedancehtx.com.

Contributed photo Love Dance HTX customer Julie Duong, second from left in front row, held her birthday party at the studio. The event included a private Bachata lesson.

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The Leader • Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 • Page 7A

Art Valet: Head to market for doggone good time Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

Nostalgia hit me in the head like a tin box of Christmas sugar cookies this week.

I love traditions and, like many people, I look forward to Houston’s first cold snap, the smell of fireplace smoke in the air, the parades, lighting decorations and, of course, the parties.

I think this year, we’re all going to have to start a new tradition. Maybe not like “that” family that serves spaghetti and meatballs at Thanksgiving dinner … but something creative.

First Saturday Arts Market is back this Saturday, Dec. 5 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at 530

W. 19th St., and I have never been more excited about a market. There may be a new tradition for us this year, too - hot dogs! More specifically, from Good Dog Houston, the food truck.

Yes, these are the same folks from the restaurant at 903 Studewood St. Sadly, the owners had to close their second location in the Montrose area this week.

I met the couple behind Good Dog Houston, Amalia Pferd and Daniel Caballero, in their driveway as they painted their bus that first coat of light blue. I literally drove past them, saw they were painting, reversed back and said, ‘Hello, is this your truck?’ I’m sure I did that. I’m a very literal kind of person.

Pferd and Caballero’s truck and Pferd’s amazing recipes, handmade sauces and creative toppings were an instant hit with Houstonians.

Photo by Ana Guzman Patrons walk near David Mercado’s booth at the First Saturday Arts Market.

The food truck “scene” was booming and they were at the center of it all. Local TV, radio and print ate them up and then cable food shows came

calling before they finally opened their Heights restaurant.

I, uh, may have been seen in one of those cable shows,

taking an enormous bite out of an Ol’Zapata dog. It’s my favorite and probably a good (in my mind) trade for being on the tee-vee. (It really was!)

First Saturday Arts Market is about art, and in addition to artsy hot dogs, there are more than three dozen artists attending this final market of 2020.

Artists like Jefferson Woodruff, a metal artist who drives in from Austin. Woodruff specializes in mobiles with extraordinary crystals that cast a kaleidoscope of colors. Woodruff has driven to Houston to sell his work at the market since 2005.

Another Austinite returning Saturday is painter David Mercado. Mercado’s ”Virgen de Guadalupe” series is always popular this time of year. He’s quite diverse, though, and always brings new works.

April Murphy hails from

closer to the Heights and can be found working at her studio in Winter Street Studios.

When all of Murphy’s art shows cancelled due to the pandemic this year, Murphy wrote a book about it.

The book is based on comments people made about their new reality as we all coped with the COVID-19 crisis. Murphy, in her whimsical fashion, painted dogs and cats acting out the comments accompanied by a written summary. Murphy, her book and associated artwork will be at the market Saturday, too.

A complete roster, with bios, photos and tall tales (tails) is on the website at FirstSaturdayAr tsMar ket. com.

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

Review: Valencia’s Tex-Mex Garage worth a try

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Valencia’s Tex-Mex Garage is the newest restaurant to open its doors in Oak Forest. Planted along West 34th Street, between Oak Forest Drive and Ella Boulevard, the spot was opened by brothersister duo Vienna and Rico Valencia, who have ties to the neighborhood.

During the evening, being the only place open in the new development, Valencia’s neon sign is like a beacon to hungry passersby. After my recent visit, I think everyone should answer the call to at least try the restaurant.

The first thing that caught my eye was the lit-up sign on the back wall of the restaurant that declared the neighborhood it was stationed in. The second was that the space was

already warmed by Christmas decorations. But what really made the space pop was the wall of skulls, painted in the sugar skull fashion.

My impression of the place was that it’s a modern, colorful space that had an open concept. And while I didn’t sit out on the patio because of the cold weather, I could see it was plenty spacious.

For dinner I got the Monday special, which was one pork and one rotisserie chicken tamale. For some variety, I tried the chicken fajitas.

While waiting on our main course to be served, my dinner companions and I snacked on fresh chips and salsa as well as an order of guacamole. The salsa, served cold, had a good amount of spice with hints of sweetness. As for the guacamole, I don’t think I would order it again. It was already browning when it got to

the table and seemed almost watered down. If I’m going to pay more than $10 for it, I want the guacamole to be better.

The pork tamale was topped with chili con carne, onions and cotija cheese and the chicken tamale was topped with tomatillo sauce, onions and cotija. Mexican rice and refried black beans came on the side.

The tamales were at least double the size of the tamales I was used to eating. The pork was tender and savory. The chili con carne gave it another layer of flavor with its spices.

The chicken, on the other hand, was made sweet by the tomatillo sauce. Both seemed fresh and while I enjoyed both, I preferred the pork tamale.

One reason I would encourage people to try the restaurant more than once is because it’s still a new place

and possibly working out a few kinks. For example, my brother got the pork tamales and while his were cold, mine were hot.

I’m not as used to black beans as I am pinto beans, but Valencia’s only serves black beans. The beans were darker and had a richer flavor.

The marinated chicken breast used for the fajitas, wrapped in a warm, thick house-made flour tortilla, was simple but good. I could still taste the outside of the chicken, where the marinade was sealed in while cooking.

The service was also great.

Our server was not only quick with our refills, but quick to fix our mistakes -- like when we forgot to order a meal for my nephew and didn’t notice until our food was already on the table. Our server helped get a kid’s meal to us in minutes.

Photo by Zarah Parker Pictured are pork tamale topped with chili con carne, onions and cotija cheese and a chicken tamale topped with tomatillo sauce, onions and cotija, with Mexican rice and refried black beans.

Valencia’s Tex-Mex Garage

Address: 2009 W. 34th St. Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Saturday

Pricing: $10.95-$29.95 Kid-friendly: Yes Alcohol: Yes Healthy options: Yes Star of the show: Pork tamale

Forget gadgets, give gift of food this holiday season Zarah Parker Managing Editor

“Bread … that this house may never know hunger. Salt … that life may always have flavor. And wine … that joy and prosperity may reign forever.”

If you’re familiar with the quote, you’ve probably seen “It’s a Wonderful Life,” featuring one of my favorite actors, James Stewart. While the items were given as house-

warming gifts, the simple act of gifting food seems warming in and of itself. There’s just something about someone gifting you a fresh loaf of bread, a good bottle of wine or what I tend to gift— a box of just-out-of-the-oven cookies.

Food is communal, but I don’t think gifting food is.

That is, unless you’re bringing a pie to a house party. But when I give a specific food to a specific person, I mean it for them. And because it encompasses four of the five senses, I find it a kind of gift that is personal without many

people realizing it is.

Bringing food items to someone usually signifies something — they’ve just moved into a new house or you’re invited to dinner and feel the need to bring something to add to the courses — but I like to include food gifting as holiday gifts.

Not only is it an easy find, it’s cheaper than most gifts.

And with this year of financial uncertainty, food might me the best gift you can give someone.

I’m a dessert baker and it’s what I love giving. Around Christmas, other than cook-

ies, I love making pies for people. I make pie pretty much only during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday.

My pecan pie is my best work, and it’s what even nonpecan pie lovers have told me they love, so after my initial baking of it for Thanksgiving, I sometimes make it through the month to give it away.

I’ve found that food makes people’s eyes light up in a way most other gifts don’t. If it’s homemade, it’s especially special because it’s more than something that tastes good, it’s something you took the time to make.

But not everyone is a baker. With the various dessert shops in the area, you can get a great dessert for someone.

My favorite places for goodies like cupcakes and cookies are Fluff Bake Bar, 1701 W. 19th St., and Red Dessert Drive, 1045 Studewood St. Bread might not be all that healthy for you, but it smells so good freshly baked that I think it makes for a good gift to anyone who appreciates a good loaf. But skip the grocery store and stop by Kraftsmen Baking, 611 W. 22nd St., or El Bolillo Bakery, 2517 Airline Dr., for fresh breads.

Wine is common to gift as well. They even have their own special gift bags. Since you can probably throw a rock in the Heights and find a place that sells good wine by the bottle, I think to make the gift more special would be to not just grab the first bottle you see. Go to a place where a sommelier can help you find the best wine for the person you’re thinking of. But if you want to support local pours, I recommend Decant Urban Winery, 948 Wakefield Dr., and Houston Winery, 620 W. 27th St.

Food Briefs: Cider and honey mix for good cause

by Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Houston Cider Company, 1125 W. Cavalcade St., and Bee2Bee Honey Collective are launching a collaborative cider on Friday.

The honey cider will come in a six-pack, with each of the ciders using six different Bee2Bee honeys sourced from six neighborhoods across Houston. A six-pack is $15 or $25 with the commemorative glass.

Customers will get to vote for the best of the six honey ciders until Dec. 31. The winning cider will be announced the following week with a $500 donation from Houston Cider, which will go toward the winning honey’s neighborhood organization that will use the money for bee-friendly projects.

Taco team-up to benefit women’s health

Tacos A Go Go and Mastrantos, 927 Studewood St., have teamed up to offer a specialty taco for the month of December, and proceeds from each taco sold will benefit the organization I’ll Have What She’s Having, which support women’s health.

For the collaboration, Mastrantos executive chef Tony Castillo created the Chorizo Carbonara taco, which features house-made bucatini pasta, chorizo, garlic, onion, Taleggio cheese, queso fresco, cilantro and egg yolk.

The taco will be available at all

Taco A Go Go locations, including the one at 3401 W. T.C. Jester Blvd., every Tuesday, in limited quantity, during December.

in November at 518 W. 11th St. The bakery specializes in custom decorated sugar cookies as well as other cookie varieties. The bakery also sells small cakes called “cakeletts” in different flavors.

Tutu sandwich at Antone’s

Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys is collaborating with former Houston prima ballerina Lauran Anderson for its holiday edition of “H-Town Originals.”

The sandwich is called Tutu Turkey and is oven-roasted turkey breast with grilled onions and bell peppers, sliced brie, mayo and spicy mustard on toasted whole grain bread.

The sandwich debuted Tuesday and will be available throughout the month of December at Antone’s, including the location at 2724 W. T.C. Jester Blvd.

Free smoothies for first responders, medical professionals

Tropical Smoothie Café, which has two locations in the area at 1717 W. 34th St. and 920 Studemont St., is giving free smoothies to first responders and medical professionals through Dec. 8.

This is the second time this year the café has given back. In April, it donated more than $1.4 million in smoothies to healthcare professionals and first responders, according to a news release from the smoothie chain.

Eureka Heights brew

Holiday wine packs to-go

Photo by Christina Martinez Houston Cider Company and Bee2Bee Honey Collective teamed up.

release and more

Cosmic Opera is back at Eureka Heights Brew Co., 941 W. 18th St. The citrusy pilsner is dry-hopped with Comet hops that give the beer hints of lemon rind and grapefruit. Four-packs went on sale Thursday afternoon.

Eureka is also collecting toys for Combined Arms: Operation Santa.

You can drop off new, unopened toys in the tap room or in Eureka’s drive-thru. The last day to donate is Dec. 10. Also, by buying Eureka’s annual holiday brew, Holly Jolly Jorts, you can help the program as a portion of the proceeds from that brew will go toward Operation Santa.

Brunch and photos with Santa

On Saturday, Dec. 5, B&B Butchers & Restaurant, 1814 Washington Ave., is hosting a brunch and photo session with Santa.

From 9 a.m.-2 p.m., the kids can sip on hot chocolate and snack on cider bars and the adults can sip on specialty cocktails while wait-

ing to take a photo with Santa.

B&B provides a print-out of the photo with Santa to take home.

The brunch and Santa photo are a package deal at a cost of $45 for children and $65 for adults.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling 713-862-1814.

A Christmas party with ‘Bad Santa’

B.B. Lemon, 1809 Washington Ave., is hosting After-Hours Tacky Christmas Party with Bad Santa from 7 p.m.-midnight Saturday, Dec. 5.

As DJ Melodic spins tunes on the patio, party goers can eat, drink and be merry. “Ugly’” Christmas sweaters are encouraged as there will be a contest with prizes.

The DJ will be on throughout the event, the kitchen will stay open until 11 p.m. and “Bad Santa” will stop by from 8-10 p.m.

The Bearded Baker officially open

The Heights is officially home to The Bearded Baker, which opened

Postino WineCafe, 642 Yale St., is helping customers get into the

holiday spirit with Mix-N-Match Holiday Wine Packs.

Customers can choose from four different wines -- CVNE Cava, Averean Chardonnay, Clos La Coutale Rose and Pavette Pinot Noir -- to create a two-bottle bundle for $30. Or you can get all four wines for $55.

Chappell Hill Garden Club CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR 2020 Saturday, Dec 12, 10am to 5pm.

5 Beautiful Home Sites. Music.

Tickets $20 or Day of $25.

713-562-6191 Main St, Chappell Hill, Tx 77426 www.ChappellHillGardenClub.com

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

Don’t stop.

Don’t forget.

MASK UP. SOCIAL DISTANCE. WASH HANDS. GET TESTED.