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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020 • Vol. 65 • No. 50

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Christmas trees stolen from feed store

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

The sale of Christmas trees at Wabash Feed & Garden Store at 4537 N. Shepherd Dr. was going really well, according to owner Betty Heacker. However, the recent theft of some of the trees is casting a pall on the season.

“We started carrying about 50 trees a few years ago and this year did 170,” Heacker said. “It was going to be a great year.”

But then, once the lot got a little less crowded with families purchasing their trees, staff noticed there were fewer trees than there should have been.

And when they checked their

INSIDE.

can be solved. The business has added more razor wire and additional security measures.

She also said that what others may think of as “low-level crimes” matter very much to small business owners.

“Particularly if you are new, you can’t (absorb the loss),” she said. “The margins are too close.”

Heacker added that cracking down on these types of crime would encourage more restaurateurs and small businesses to set up shop in the area. “(Petty crime) is a cancer in this community,” she said. “It continues to be a problem.”

See Trees P. 5A

Contributed photo The person seen in this surveillance photo from Wabash Feed & Garden Store is suspected of stealing 20 Christmas trees from the local business.

PPP loans helped many businesses stay afloat

Inside Today

4537 N Shepherd Dr.

(713) 863-8322

security camera, they learned why.

Someone was scaling the fence over a number of nights and stealing about 20 trees, according to Heacker.

Kese Smith, a spokesperson for the Houston Police Department, said the Christmas tree theft at Wabash was reported Dec. 3, with a total of 20 trees being stolen with a storereported value of $150-$300 apiece. Smith said some video surveillance also was provided.

Smith said the person in the surveillance video has not been positively identified by HPD. “The investigation is ongoing,” Smith said.

Heacker is hopeful the crime

The

GUIDE

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

2020

Under construction. Avenue on 34th is being built at the former Doyle’s Restaurant site.

Page 4A

THE LEADER.

Mystical experience. A popup art show and market is set for Sunday in the Fifth Ward.

45th Edition • December

Page 7A

19, 2020

ber 19, 2020

n • Decem THE LEADER • 44th Editio

There is no doubt the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was a lifeline to hundreds of businesses in the area.

“COVID-19 hit many people hard and our community was not immune to this,” said St. Pius X Head of School Carmen GarSee a list of the rett Armistead, top beneficiaries whose private in the area high school was among the benPage 5A eficiaries of the loan.

“Many families were going through an extremely difficult situation – some still are – and these funds allowed us to continue to offer a top-notch education despite a decline in enrollment and tuition as families were unable to continue with tuition or needed more financial assistance than ever before.”

According to statistics from the U.S. Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration, more than 5.2 million individual PPP loans have been distributed amounting to $525 billion, along with 3.65 million Economic Injury See PPP P. 5A

In a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, residents of the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest areas showed their resourcefulness and resiliency. That is reflected in this year’s edition of The Guide.

Christmas cookies. ‘Tis the season to bake lots and lots of sugary treats.

Photo by Adam Zuvanich St. Pius X High School received a Paycheck Protection Program loan.

Page 1B

City grants request for pedestrian signals on Ella

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Banner year. Heights High School is coming off its first football playoff win since 2013.

Page 4B

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

Photo by Adam Zuvanich A young area resident crosses Ella Boulevard at Thornton Road while riding his bicycle home from school Tuesday afternoon.

Stella Stevens’ oldest daughter is part of a group of Frank Black Middle School students who ride their bikes together to and from campus.

There is safety in numbers, but the number of vehicles that cross their path is cause for concern.

To make it from their home in Candlelight Plaza to the school at 1575 Chantilly Ln. in Oak Forest, Stevens’ daughter and her classmates have to cross a pair of four-lane thoroughfares in Ella Boulevard and West 43rd Street. The best place to cross Ella is at its intersection with Thornton Road, but doing so is not ex-

actly easy.

Stevens said the traffic signal for travelers along Thornton can stay red for several minutes unless a car or truck approaches the intersection and trips the sensor underneath the street, prompting the light to turn green. A few kids on their bicycles do not weigh enough to be recognized by the sensor, Stevens said, and there have been recent incidents in which the students decided to stop waiting and crossed the intersection even though the light remained red.

She said there even was an instance when a fellow mother blocked traffic on Ella so the kids could cross.

“One day I was behind

them, and the kids eventually just crossed,” Stevens said. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, I know there’s no traffic, but it’s totally not safe.’ You never know what’s going to happen.”

Fortunately for parents of school-aged children who live in Candlelight Plaza as well as nearby Shepherd Park Plaza and Garden Oaks, crossing Ella should not be as tricky once school resumes in January for the spring semester.

The City of Houston has promptly responded to their request for pedestrian traffic signals at Ella and Thornton and also is in the process of installing them at the intersection of Ella and Wakefield See Signals P. 7A

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

There’s fondness, even in our darkest hours

W

hen historians write about 2020 – and will they ever – you can bet the words won’t be kind. Lost lives, lost jobs, lost civility, lost decorum. We have cursed the past 12 months, the common refrain draped in disdain.

Each year, my wife diligently organizes an impromptu photo search for the cover of our Christmas card, mailed to about 150 of our closest friends and relatives. Accompanying that card is a letter I pen to our list of unsolicited subscribers.

Most years, I take a chronological scroll through the photos on my phone, jogging my memory to the adventures we took, the games we played, the challenges we met. If you’ve read my column these many years, you might imagine I have creative license to prick and prod at the pandemonium of our home – juggling three children under the age of 7 is an absolute defense for self-deprecation.

This year, as I sat to write our annual, family missive, I wondered whether I should join the chorus of boos; if my words should mimic those of historians chronicling the past year. After all, my wife and children have sacrificed just as everyone has. We have faced hardships only our closest friends know, and we have battled through the physical and emotional tolls of a strange year,

Jonathan McElvy Publisher

indeed.

Here’s the problem with any summary of 2020: Too many people know the devastation of the past 12 months. Some of my dear highschool friends lost their father. A colleague of my wife’s lost her mother.

A lady who works in our office lost a grandmother.

To paint a bright lining around the burnt shadow of this year is to disrespect and dishonor those who suffered sudden, inexplicable loss.

To sugarcoat struggles is to reek of naiveté, apathetic to the psychological toll of unemployment, seclusion and, ultimately, depression.

I also know many of us – my family included – have weathered this difficult hour. In fact, I’d guess the majority of us have been inconvenienced rather than inconsolable.

We’ve recovered from illness, we’ve caught up with friends, we’ve discovered a renewed sense of normalcy.

And so, as I’ve tried to wrap my arms around this year, and as I tried to describe in our family’s annual letter, maybe it’s OK to view 2020 through different lenses. Maybe it’s perfectly acceptable to feel an odd sense of fondness for what most of us have survived.

Earlier this year, my wife’s law firm closed its office, forcing staff to imagine remote offices just like the rest of the world. Our newspaper, meanwhile, was deemed essential because trusted information is important in times like these. We remained open, though most of our employees worked from home, which meant there was plenty of room for my wife to set up shop.

For five months, my wife and I had lunch together nearly every day. Most days, we see each other in passing on the way out and are too exhausted to communicate once the children are in bed. Now that she’s back at work, I truly miss those moments.

Meanwhile, our oldest son, Hank, sat outside my office at a desk all his own, Zooming his way to an alleged education. In the moment, the constant breaks for technological support seemed miserable and unproductive. Today, now that he’s back in school, I miss walking to the deli to order him a ham-and-cheese sandwich while we talk about noth-

Precedent for a president Move over, James Buchanan. Make way for Donald Trump. This is because Buchanan, our 15h president, (1857–1861) is generally ranked by presidential scholars (there are a lot of them) as our worst president ever. Where will Donald Trump rank?

Let’s see the current rankings which have stayed pretty steady over the years. Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and George Washington are most often listed as the three highest-rated presidents among historians. Then come Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Harry S Truman, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Andrew Jackson and John F. Kennedy. From the bottom up, we have – ta-da!

-- James Buchanan, Warren G. Harding, Andrew Johnson, Franklin Pierce, Millard Fillmore, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Ulysses S. Grant, Zachary Taylor, and George W. Bush. It’s interesting that scholars would place Texas’ own George W. so quickly among the cellar dwellers. It must be something about that Iraq War. A 2006 Siena College poll of 744 professors reported the following results: “George W. Bush has just finished five years as President. If today were the last day of his presidency, how would you rank him? The responses were from 2 percent great down to 58 failure. “In your judgment, do you think he has a realistic chance of improving his rating?” Twothirds (67 percent) responded no. Now, 14 years later, that 67 percent is right. Poor George’s reputation isn’t improving.

On the other hand, Truman is now considered one of our better presidents, but was ridiculed while he was in office.

Truman was the only recent president who never attended college. He was from Missouri, fly over country. A hayseed.

There was the tale of Truman, his wife, Bess, and daughter, Margaret, strolling through the Rose Garden one evening, and Harry said, “Look, the gardeners have spread manure around the flowerbeds.”

Daughter Margaret spoke up.

“Daddy, please, call it fertilizer.” Wife Bess jumped in.

“Margaret, hush-up. It took me 20 years to get him to call it manure.”

More recent presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton are often rated among the greatest in public opinion polls, but do not always rank as highly among presidential scholars and historians. In1962, a poll of 49 historians conducted by the Chicago Tribune ranked Eisenhower 22nd. In 1982, 20 years later, Ike rose to 9th. So we can see that presidential ratings generally stay the same except when then don’t. Nothing here is chiseled in stone.

Oops. In the 1920s, sculptor Gutzon Borglum and President Calvin Coolidge selected Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Lincoln to appear on Mount Rushmore.

I don’t think there’s room for anymore.

But why does Jimbo Bu-

Lynn Ashby Columnist

chanan always finish in last place? Most people today never even heard of him. It’s because of what he did, or didn’t do. He didn’t prevent the Civil War. Actually, I think that’s an unfair charge. No one could have prevented the bloodiest war in our history. There were too many people on both sides clamoring for it. A quick look at our boy and how he got into this mess. Buchanan was from Pennsylvania. (A historical note: Despite Pennsylvania’s major place in our history, particularly our early history, Joe Biden will be only the second president from that state.) Buchanan previously served as Secretary of State (1845–1849) and represented Pennsylvania in both houses of the U.S. Congress. After his election as president, he was off to a bad start, becoming very sick and almost dying from an illness that was spread throughout his hotel in Washington, where he traveled for meetings as president-elect. As president, he had little regard for the impending storm. Indeed, in his inaugural address, Buchanan called the territorial issue of slavery, a burning issue of the day, “happily, a matter of but little practical importance.”

He supported the theory that states and territories had a right to determine if they would allow slavery. Historians condemn Buchanan for not addressing the issue of slavery, and not forestalling the secession of the Southern states over it. That chapped a lot of people. By 1860, it was apparent that Buchanan wasn’t even going to be a candidate for reelection. His presidency was followed by that of a tall pol from Illinois named Abraham Lincoln. Buchanan was our only bachelor president and never married, although he became engaged to Ann Coleman, the 23-year-old daughter of a wealthy iron magnate. But when the strain of work caused Buchanan to neglect his betrothed, Coleman broke off the engagement, and she died shortly thereafter. But even today historians debate whether he was gay. Still, it was his donothing tenure over slavery and secession that doomed Buchanan to history.

Trump has hinted many times that he will run again in 2024. He told a crowd of Republican supporters at a White House Christmas party “It’s been an amazing four years.

We’re trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years.” He has already raised $207 million for that cause, maybe. Where the cash actually goes is a mystery.

If re-elected, would Trump be our 45th or 47th president?

There is a precedent for presidents. Grover Cleveland was

our 22nd and 24th president.

He served from 1885 to 1889, lost to Benjamin Harrison and then was re-elected in 1893.

And remember that Bill Clements was elected governor of Texas in 1978, was defeated

by Mark White after one term in 1982, then beat White for governor in 1886. What does that make Greg Abbott? Don’t answer that question.

Getting back who was a good president, a 2015 poll administered by the American Political Science Association among political scientists specializing in the American presidency had the usual suspects in line: Lincoln in the top spot, with Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Jefferson, Truman, Bill Clinton (yes, Bill Clinton), Jackson, and Wilson. The association conducted a repeat of this poll in 2018, with Donald Trump appearing for the first time -- in last place.

Ashby ranks first at ashby2@comcast.net

ing in particular.

On weekends, when there were no organized activities, no rush to the latest classmate’s birthday party, we created crafts in the garage, built activities we’d never considered, played Uno when movies seemed dull.

By early summer, when we had all tired of the walls of our house, we carried lawn chairs to the neighbors’, sat in the yard while the children distantly played, and found wonderful conversations with folks we normally waved to at the beginning and end of the day.

At Halloween, instead of walking to the doors of strangers, we gathered as neighbors, cooked chili and set up an outdoor projector to introduce the youngsters to “Ghostbusters.”

Our family took short trips that we’d never take in the middle of a busy year. My wife and I learned more about our children – their traits and triggers – than we ever would have learned in the boot camp of normal life: breakfast, school, dinner, bath, bed.

And it’s not just my family. One co-worker of mine, Corey, has spent nearly every day at home, raising his 4-year-old while mom goes to an office. Our video conversations are often interrupted with, “Son, you’re not having a good day.” But whenever it happens, and when Corey is back at

the office with me, instead of his son, I can promise he’ll miss that precious boy – good day or not.

Our editor, Adam, has largely worked from home where he has a 1-year-old son. As he mentioned earlier this week, he’ll never be able to replace being at home for the first year of his son’s life.

This isn’t a superficial search for what’s good about the bad. It’s simply a perspective that I’ll take from 2020.

In September 2001, I was the editor of a newspaper in Selma, Ala., when terrorists devoured our nation’s soul by turning commercial airplanes into guided missiles. My boss at the time is still a dear friend (and colleague) today. When he and I reminisce about that morning 19 years ago, we always grieve for the loss but celebrate the aftermath.

We remember the unity, the steely resolve, the changes that made our people and our nation stronger together.

We all know how historians will document the year 2020. We’ll be told of lost lives, lost jobs, lost civility, lost decorum.

Individually, let us not lose sight of the discovered bonds, the disguised blessings, we’ll all forget much too soon.

Email jonathan@mcelvymedia.com

THE READER. Government must fix the gaping PPP problem

Dear Editor: Regarding “Government must fix the gaping PPP problem” (Dec. 12): The paramount aspect of this problem is that the government apparently did not advise PPP loan recipients up front that eventual forgiveness of the loan would constitute taxable income -- or, this fact was buried indecipherably in fine print.

Such knowledge would have enabled recipients to plan for that taxation, adjusting activities accordingly.

It is standard for a forgiven loan to be reported to the IRS as taxable income for the beneficiary. I know of a Houston oil company that once gave “critical skills” loans to a number of employees for whom management considered retention vital, with forgiveness to take place in small increments across years, so that the recipients’ tax burdens would be reasonably painless. But a lot of them subsequently, abruptly left the company anyway -- and got slammed with giant chunks of unexpected forgiven-loan taxable income.

While we’re on the subject, consider student loans.

America’s Deadbeat Bloc wants those all to be forgiven. What will happen, then, when Johnny-flippingburgers with his degree in Cro-magnon Man Studies suddenly gets crushed by $103 thousand of taxable income from which not a penny was withheld?

J. Reynolds

City amends plan for 11th Street road diet

Dear Editor: As I recall from the two community meetings, the nexus of this initiative was the high number of calls to the City’s 311 line, re: difficulty crossing 11th Street at Nicholson (The Hike-Bike Trail). Now it appears that

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com our civil servants are touting this as a means of reducing motor vehicle accidents. Any means to accomplish the wishes of the Mayor.

Bob Choate Dear Editor: I’m all for this. Not only will this make getting around safer, but it will also be a boon for neighboring property values and really help develop that area into something truly dynamic. I am sick of constantly being on the defensive from reckless drivers who nearly run folks over while they text and speeding through our neighborhoods without any regard for others. It scares me to death to even take my children out to ride these gorgeous trails because of the dangerous intersections. Times are a changing!!! I am celebrating and so thankful we have folks in leadership that finally have some vision.

Elaine Canning Dear Editor: A project of this type is critical to safety in The Heights. The only real bicycle and pedestrian path we have is Nicholson Street yet none of the east west streets crossing Nicholson have a stop sign. To me this makes no sense why we would have a pedestrian bicycle lane without having cars stop when they cross it. And 11th St. is by far the worst. I’ve seen small children trying to cross this with their parents and have near misses. Most cars are going at least 15 to 20 miles over the speed limit. And no one obeys the crosswalk signs. The Heights is growing and changing rapidly with all the new apartment towers being built and the street design and traffic flow can’t stay as it is.

Tom Mitro

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss

1. W. Loman’s failed son 5. Largest English dictionary (abbr.)

8. Wanes 12. Lifeless geologic period 14. No (Scottish) 15. Filled chocolate cookie 16. Circular chordophones 18. Short-term memory 19. Any small compartment 20. Poisonous gas 21. Cologne 22. Scaleless fishes 23. Ormolu 26. Well-known & respected 30. Man-made river embankment 31. Yearned after something 32. Before 33. Garlic mayonnaise 34. California white oak 39. CNN’s founder Turner 42. Removed contents 44. Frighten 46. Responded 47. ÒExtantÓ star

49. Aba ____ Honeymoon 50. Box (abbr.)

51. Reptile leather 56. Norse goddess of old age 57. Drive obliquely, as of a nail 58. Inspire with love 59. Affirm positively 60. European sea eagle 61. Congresswoman Giffords 62. Emit coherent radiation 63. Fall back time 64. Masses of fish eggs

dOwn

1. Leavened rum cake 2. Moslem women’s garment 3. Quilting duo: ____ & Porter 4. S W Pacific state 5. The start of something 6. Edible 7. More coy 8. From 56 to 34 million years ago 9. Small wind 10. Disney heroine 11. Helios 13. Existing at birth

but not hereditary 17. Paris river 24. Confined condition (abbr.)

25. More than charged 26. A major division of geological time 27. Japanese apricot 28. Initial public offering 29. A quantity of no importance 35. Securities market 36. Sharp part of a tool 37. Downwind 38. Doctor of Education 40. Built up 41. Borrowers 42. Stray 43. Country singer Haggard 44. Eurasian marten pelts 45. Fashion magazine Marie ___ 47. Turkish candy 48. Regarding 49. Distribute game cards 52. Princess Anne’s daughter 53. Planned pipeline from Burgas to Vlore 54. An academic gown 55. Removes moisture

WORD SCRAMBLE

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

Parks board assesses damage to pedestrian bridge, seeks approval for repairs

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Photo from Twitter The pedestrian bridge along the MKT/Heights Hike-and-Bike Trail caught fire Aug. 19 and remains closed to the public.

It has been four months since a fire caused the closure of the pedestrian bridge that crosses White Oak Bayou along the MKT/Heights Hike-andBike Trail.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to the Houston Fire Department, and it remains to be seen when the popular and scenic amenity will reopen to the public.

Houston Parks Board outreach manager Lisa Kasianowitz wrote in a Dec. 10 email forwarded to The Leader that the nonprofit had completed a structural analysis of the bridge and found that “a couple of the bridge piles, abutment back wall

and deck expansion joint� need to be repaired as a result of the Aug. 19 fire. The cause of the blaze remained under investigation as of Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for the fire department.

Before beginning the repairs, Kasianowitz said the parks board must gain approval from the City of Houston, Harris County Flood Control District and Army Corps of Engineers. The parks board has secured a contract for the engineering work, using funds from the Bayou Greenways Maintenance budget, according to Kasianowitz.

Once construction starts, a spokesperson for the parks board said the work is expected to take 45-60 days to complete.

“We understand trail users are eager to see the bridge reopen, and we are working as diligently and quickly as possible to begin repair work,� Kasianowitz wrote. “An estimated timeline for repairs is not yet known.�

In the meantime, trail users must take a detour in order to cross White Oak Bayou and Interstate 10 to access Sawyer Yards or downtown. Instead of proceeding southeast across the bridge, trail users must go northwest to Heights Boulevard, take the Paul Carr Jogging Trail south across I-10, and then head northeast along the White Oak Bayou Greenway until it connects to the other side of the bridge, just northwest of Studemont Street.

Avenue breaks ground on 34th Street apartment complex

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Construction has begun on a four-story, 70-unit apartment complex at the site of the former Doyle’s Restaurant on West 34th Street.

Avenue, a Houston nonprofit that develops affordable housing, announced Tuesday that it had broken ground on Avenue on 34th, a mixed-income rental development on a 2.1-acre site at 2136 W. 34th St. Construction is expected to be complete by mid-2022.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held last week that included Avenue executive director Mary Lawler, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Houston Housing and Community Development Department director Tom McCasland and Amegy executive vice president Brian Stoker, whose bank is a primary lender for the project. “We are delighted to advance construction on Avenue on 34th at a time when affordable housing with proximity to the Inner Loop is such a critical need among working families,� Lawler said in a news release. “The influx of new developments in and around the city’s urban core has resulted in the demolition of existing lower-cost housing and, as a result, has priced low- and

middle-income families out of many communities.�

The Houston City Council voted unanimously in September to provide a $9.09 million loan to Avenue, using Hurricane Harvey Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Funds awarded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Texas General Land Office. According to the council agenda item, the estimated total cost of the project is nearly $18.2 million.

Avenue said another funding source for the project are 4 percent low-income housing tax credits allocated by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

Additional funders include the Houston Housing Finance Corporation and Hunt Capital Partners through a multiinvestor fund that includes Aetna.

The general contractor for the development is Block Companies, which Avenue said will host a community day and job fair in February. The event will be free, open to the public and include information about employment opportunities for local constructionrelated jobs.

Citing a recent report by the United Way of Greater Houston, Avenue said 25 percent of

the nearly 11,000 households in the 77018 zip code where its new development will be located qualify as “ALICE,� which stands for asset-limited, income-constrained and employed. Such families represent “hardworking members of the Houston community whose household income is above the federal poverty level, but insufficient to cover basic necessities such as housing, child care, food, transportation and healthcare,� according to Avenue. “Data shows that affordable homes help strengthen families and communities as a whole, providing families with a path forward to greater financial stability and improved health outcomes,� Lawler said.

Avenue on 34th will feature 23 one-bedroom apartments, 27 two-bedroom apartments and 20 three-bedroom apartments, with a total of 14 units offered at market rate. The rest will be designated for families earning between $35,000$65,000 annually.

Among the amenities to be offered are an outdoor play space, learning center and activity room, business center and fitness room, along with resident services such as afterschool tutoring for children as well as credit-building and homebuyer education programs for adults.

Contributed rendering Pictured is an artist’s rendering of Avenue on 34th, a mixed-income apartment complex being constructed at 2136 W. 34th St.

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Construction has begun for Avenue on 34th, a four-story, 70-unit apartment complex at the site of the former Doyle’s Restaurant on West 34th Street.

Changes to HISD’s COVID policy concern teachers, parents

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Potential changes to Houston ISD’s COVID-19 policy for teachers and staff starting in January have many parents and teachers worried. The new policy was shared last Friday, Dec. 11 at a meeting of HISD principals and leaked shortly thereafter.

Changes to the existing plan involve the quarantine policy for teachers. If teachers have symptoms or are exposed to COVID outside of school, they would no longer be allowed to quarantine at home and continue teaching.

Also, after using their 10 COVID days — assuming the leave-day policy established

by Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) is extended after Dec. 31 — HISD teachers will have to use their own leave days and are prevented from teaching virtually from home.

Instead, substitutes – or another teacher – would teach from a teacher-created lesson plan.

The concern for parents is that students will miss out on meaningful learning for

the time of the teacher quarantine, for what could be 10 days. There is also a fear that teachers are being disincentivized to report COVID contacts or exposure.

Heights resident Amy Maddux is a parent of two middle school students and two high schoolers in HISD’s Frank Black Middle School and Heights High School.

In a letter to her HISD board trustees, Maddux said the current plan of quarantined teachers working from home is going well for her virtual middle school student. “My son’s education has not been interrupted, which is fortunate because there is no one else at his middle school who teaches the subject he teaches,� Maddux said. “There are no substitutes available, and it is a hands-on subject that does not lend itself easily to mere asynchronous computer work without live lessons to engage students.�

Maddux notes that a teacher of one of her high school students who quarantined due to COVID exposure not only kept teaching, but she also continued to

mentor online meetings with a group she sponsors. “She did not get sick, and after her quarantine period was up, she returned to school,�

Maddux said. “Last week, the district named her CTE teacher of the month.�

Maddux made the point that there are teachers who work second jobs because they cannot make ends meet on a teachers’ salary, as well as those with significant others who teach at other schools and in other districts, and those with partners who are healthcare workers. “At any point, any of them could find themselves needing to quarantine,� she said. “During this so-called ‘Year of Flexibility,’ this policy is simply unfair and unworkable. Teachers have undertaken Herculean tasks this year. Nothing has been perfect, but they continue to press forward. I have given them flexibility when things

go wrong, and they have given my kids flexibility as well.

Where is the district’s flexibility?�

M a d dux draws a distinction between teachers who are ill versus those who are quarantining due to COVID protocols, or positive but asymptomatic. “If a teacher is sick and can’t teach, they are sick,� she said. “Maybe then (a) traditional sick leave applies.�

Houston Federation of Teachers President Zeph Capo said the change in policy, coming on the heels of the death of Milby High School chemistry teacher Erick Ortiz from COVID-19, is concerning. Earlier this week, he met with HISD representatives to provide feedback from teachers. “We are continuing to talk to members and are hopeful we will get input on a final policy,� Capo said.

He hopes a distinction

CHURCH

can be made between teachers who have not yet had to quarantine or those who have a first exposure and those who have had multiple quarantines because of behavior outside of the classroom. “It seems like (HISD) is still taking input,� Capo said.

HISD said in a statement: “It is unfortunate that incomplete information was publicly shared. It has always been HISD’s intention that employees who are asked to quarantine as a result of

Local business is our business.

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Sunday School & Bible Classes 10:30 am 8FTU SE 4U t )PVTUPO 5Y t Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m. www.gethsemanelutheran.org

1822 W.

Sund Please visit our website at: www.lazybrookbaptistchurch.org Wed for the following: Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 11:00 Services: Live Stream 11:00am Sunday Sunday School for Children, Youth andat Adults 9:40 Studies: From Homepage, click on Ministries for All Ages Bible Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children Groups 18th • 713-864-1470 Connect/Small Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor

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

713-906-5481 Realty Associates

DEBBIE ourrealtordebbie@aol.com ELLIOTT

Incomplete information, complete obedience

By Pastor Will Cover

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

T GET

I

OVER IT!

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, please check with each church below for updated information about services Sunday Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am andBible events.

In-person services are temporarily restricted.

Morning Worship ............... 10:45am St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA 1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470

Experience and Knowledge...

A Powerful Combination

he Christmas story is full of fascinating characters. Of course, we know that the main character is the Christchild, but studying the other people surrounding him can give us some interesting insight and help for our own lives. Learning about how they interacted with each other and how they responded in the midst of a very unique situation can help us as we think about our lives and the situations we face. Mary and Joseph faced some difficult choices when it t goes without but I’llof say it anyway: “we have came saying, to the birth the baby Jesus.

Theyall were engaged to be made mistakes.�

Alexander Popeto sobreak aptly put it: “To marriedAs and in their day, an engagement was on the err is human, forgive, divine.� We remember same to level as divorce.

For should a young woman to be found with this the next timeand wenot make mistake.

Mostbe certainly, child be amarried would a great we scandal. The culture must learn of from hopefully not acontinue theour daymistakes, did not and make it easy for single woman much less to repeat them, but we should also forgive ourselves.

While a single mother to provide for herself. Joseph would have not it can be hard enough to forgive others for their mistakes, it had it easy either. God commanded him to take Mary to be can sometimes feel almost impossible to forgive ourselves. his wife, but to do this would mean taking Jesus as his son St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA We sometimes cannot bring ourselves to forgive something even though it wasn’t his biological child. God asked Mary we’ve done, and we may punish and harangue ourselves • Worship (English) ..... 10:00 am - 11:00am Joseph to do something very difficult for years, orand even decades, over youthful indiscretions.

In and they had no • Learning Hour ...........

11:00am 12:00pm MANNA wayofofusknowing thetosituation addition, some may nothow be able forget thewould sins ofwork out. In fact, • Worship (Spanish) ....

12:30 pm 1:30pm Sponsor humanly speaking, wouldus seem difficult. Mary had to our past. And although that may it prevent fromquite repeating 1602 West 43rd St. • Houston, Tx 77018 • 713-686-1577 givebe birth in a manger, they lived in a different them, we must charitable and forgive ourselves, just as town away from familyothers. and friends, and then had to move to Egypt to flee for we should forgive So, we should make a real effort in life.

Later Mary watch her son be crucified on the coming Jesus’ days and weeks toon, forgive thewould offenses of others Weekly Sunday Services as well as our own. Sometimes, it helps to just forget about a cross.

From Mary’s perspective this was not an easy task that • Bible Study: 9:15 a.m.

Pastor Jerry McNamara them; that is, to asked try to put of our her mind and stop God her them to do.outDuring life she most likely suffered • Morning:10:30 a.m. repeatedly mulling them.

One of reasons weplan use for her life. We becauseover of her choice to the accept God’s • Evening: 4:15• p.m.

4040 Watonga 713-688-5227 rd the phrase “forgive and forget� is because sometimes that 1700 West 43 at Rosslyn don’t know as much about Joseph, but weisknow life changed 713-682-4942 the only way to forgive, i.e.,for by him forgetting.

But far better, andthey obey without We invite you to worship with us! dramatically as well.

How could Pastor – Dr. Richard Walters more divine,knowing is to be able even whileThe remembering all to offorgive the answers? only way they could obey So, we should let go of those unforgiving, Ad # 32285 Weekly Worship Services 9:00a.mthe offense.completely without having complete information was to trust vindictive, shameful feelings about the past, and get over God and His plan. We are finite creatures with incomplete it! Corrie ten Boom, who survived incarceration in a Nazi Online services can be reached knowledge of the world wealive in and no and way to see the future. said, “Forgiveness is to set prisoner free, through the website below at 9:00 am. prison campWe serve a God Join us for Services to realize that the prisoner wasthat you.�knows everything, that is everywhere, that has all power, and is always good. We can trust Him just in English or Spanishwww.gethsemanelutheran.org Judge not, nottrusted be judged; as and Maryyou andwill Joseph Him. condemn In this Christmas season my Sunday Worship 10am & 5pm not, and you will notyou be condemned; forgive, prayer is that will learn to trust the God of the universe Sunday Bible Classes 9am and you will be Son forgiven... who sent His only to this earth to die so that your sins Wednesday Bible Study 7pm would be paid in full!

4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365

D I R E CTO RY Wednesday Bible Studies For Youth, Children and Adults............................ 6:15pm

performing their duties, will continue to be paid and will not be required to use their leave days. With the expiration of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) on Dec. 31, 2020, our absence reporting will require utilizing leave time when an employee is unable to report to work for reasons not specifically related to workplace exposure to the coronavirus. As we receive updates, we will continue to examine our procedures.�

Gethsemane Lutheran Church

.

Candlelight Church of Christ

R.S.V. Luke 6:37

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

PPP, from P. 1A Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) loans worth $194 billion.

Banks and financial institutions are now helping businesses with the paperwork and documentation for the forgiveness stage of the loan. Generally, employers who kept or rehired employees while also keeping general salary levels from before the pandemic get forgiveness of their loan. Partial forgiveness, if all criteria are not met, is also possible.

Allegiance Bank Market President Scott Lester said the loans saved many local businesses. “It is one of the most inspirational instances in my banking career to help shepherd businesses through these troubled times,�

Lester said.

Among area businesses in zip codes 77007, 77008, 77009, 77018, 77091 and 77092, more than 5,000 received loans of various amounts.

In 77007, some of the biggest recipients were Laurenzo’s Management Company, which is behind El Tiempo Cantina, at $6.3 million; Depelchin Children’s Center at $2.17 million and the United Way of Greater Houston at $2.985 million. “Due to the pandemic, and even with the PPP, United Way made significant budget cuts and reduced staff levels by approximately 6 percent,� said Amanda McMillian, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Houston.

McMillian said that before the pandemic, 47 percent of people in their four-county area (Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery and Waller counties) were struggling financially. “Now, more than two out of three neighbors in our community are in serious financial trouble,�

McMillian said. “United Way’s role

in times of disaster is more critical than ever before. The PPP loan allowed United Way of Greater Houston to continue to operate effectively and thereby serve our neighbors at a time when their needs are greater than ever.�

In 77008, the top recipients included $2.33 million for Tommie Vaughn Motors, Inc.; Gene by Gene, LTD, a commercial genetic testing company at $2.14 million; and engineering consultant Binkley & Barfield, Inc., with $3.85 million.

El Bolillo Bakery, LP, with $1.8 million; Houston Avocado Company, Inc. at $1.5 million; and Gulf Coast Oil & Gas Industries with $1.04 million were among the top PPP loan recipients in 77009.

In 77018, Houston HarleyDavidson, Ltd with $2.16 million; mechanical contractor Mesa Mechanical at $1.4 million; and tax consulting firm Patrick O’Connor & Associates with $1.96 million were among the notable recipients.

MVR Publishing, which owns The Leader along with the Greensheet and a specialty printing business called Texas Printers in the 77018 zip code, received a PPP loan of $809,000. “With almost 70 employees, and after watching most of our smallbusiness partners shut their doors earlier this year, I wasn’t certain our business would survive,� said Jonathan McElvy, publisher of The Leader and CEO of MVR Publishing. “This wasn’t a self-induced disruption in business. The was an ordered disruption by the medical and political leaders of our nation, and for us and our small-business partners, it was devastating. Without PPP, I’m not sure we’d be publishing this edition of The Leader.�

St. Pius X in 77091 got $1.23

million, putting the school among the top 10 recipients for the zip code. Other private schools received loans, too, including St. Thomas High School in 77007 with $1.38 million and St. Theresa Catholic School in 77007 with $558,400.

Armistead said because of the PPP loan, St. Pius X was able to maintain all its faculty and staff without loss of pay. “(This) allowed us to continue educating our students at the level to which they and their families expect, which is our No. 1 priority,� Armistead said. “We also saw a significant increase in expenditures as we needed to make significant upgrades to our technology in order to continue with distance learning. This was not an expense for which we planned nor budgeted, but was clearly necessary to better engage our students.�

She said the school also had to invest in personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves, disinfecting agents, hand sanitizer, thermal temperature scanners and Plexiglass shields to better ensure the safety of faculty, staff and students. “None of the additional expenses, such as upgrading technology, need for PPE and reduction in tuition payments were planned, making the funds from the PPP essential to the operations of our school,� Armistead said.

In 77092, insurance agency Nova Associates at $1.94 million; Melton Electric Inc. with $3.7 million; and oil and gas valve company ValvTechnologies with $4.26 million were among the top recipients.

Loan recipient lists by name, zip code, city and other criteria can be found at https://searchppp.com/.

Big Lift for Small Businesses The following is a breakdown of the top Paycheck Protection Program beneficiaries in each of the six zip codes served by The Leader, according to covidbailouttracker. com. Loan amounts are listed next to each business name.

77007

Icon Information Consultants, LP: $10 million Laurenzo’s Management Company, LLC: $6.3 million Martin Preferred Foods LP: $4.02 million TDG Staffing, LLC: $3.6 million Aztec/Shaffer, LLC: $3.59 million United Way of Greater Houston: $2.99 million Depelchin Children’s Center: $2.17 million Colt Midstream, LLC: $2.07 million Christian Bay Shipping Co.: $1.77 million Hetting Management Corp.: $1.39 million

77008

Humphrey Company, LTD: $4.41 million Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins and Mott LLP: $3.96 million Brinkley and Barfield Inc.: $3.85 million HCL Mechanical Services LLC: $3.16 million Aviva Metals Inc.: $2.52 million Iland Internet Solutions: $2.47 million Tommie Vaughn Motors, Inc.: $2.33 million Houston Area Community Services, Inc.: $2.18 million Gene By Gene, Ltd.: $2.14 million AcctTwo Shared Services, LLC: $2.01 million

Shipley Holding Corporation: $924,000 Sign Ad, Inc.: $704,800 Sandelius Instruments Inc.: $650,800

77018

Heat Transfer Solutions: $3.69 million Corporate Care Holding, LLC: $2.6 million MCA Communication Inc.: $2.34 million Houston Harley-Davidson, Ltd.: $2.16 million Patrick O’Connor & Associates, LP: $1.96 million Houston Radiology Associated: $1.59 million LDS Texas, Inc.: $1.46 million Mesa Mechanical, Inc.: $1.4 million Lange Mechanical Services LP: $1.37 million Global Healing Center LP: $1.19 million

77091

Cantex International, Inc.: $3.89 million MMJ Pumps LLC: $1.89 million Gajeske Incorporated: $1.63 million Champion Rentals, Inc.: $1.48 million Lecon, Inc.: $1.34 million St. Pius X High School: $1.23 million Doctors Hospital 1997 LP: $1.18 million Coopwood’s Air Conditioning, Inc.: $1.02 million R.M. Painting Services, Inc.: $892,260 Forged Products, Inc.: $882,300

77092

77009

Builders Equipment & Tool Company: $2.44 million Palletized Trucking, Inc.: $2.03 million El Bolillo Bakery, LP: $1.8 million Houston Avocado Company Incorporated: $1.5 million The Southwestern Plating Company: $1.46 million Texas Taxi, Inc.: $1.23 million Gulf Coast Oil & Gas Industries, LLC: $1.04 million

ValvTechnologies Inc.: $4.26 million TAM International, Inc.: $3.94 million Melton Electric Inc.: $3.7 million Ameraplex Corporation: $3.45 million TGS Interests, LLC: $2.99 million Big City Access Holdings, LLC: $2.05 million Nova Associates Inc.: $1.94 million CSA Construction Inc.: $1.92 million Maass Flanges Corporation: $1.74 million EEPB Company: $1.68 million

Trees from P. 1A There is a silver lining to the experience. Heacker said that it has shown her the “essence of community.�

Customer and local realtor Cheryl Bell put a message on Facebook about the theft, which led to an outpouring of support.

North Shepherd neighbor Kathryn van der Pol, co-owner of Liberty

Hoepfl Garage at 4610 N. Shepherd Dr., helped Heacker connect with additional resources at HPD. “This is how community is supposed to work,� Heacker said.

Wabash is now down to one Christmas tree. To pay it forward, Heacker said the store is donating it, and a stand, to a local church at the end of this week.

Not the first time This is not the first time Wabash has been the victim of tree theft. Harris County court records show that 54-year-old Luis Herrera, who is listed in court documents as having an Oak Forest address, was arrested last year and charged with misdemeanor

theft for allegedly stealing 36 citrus trees from Wabash in May 2019. As part of his bond conditions, Herrera was ordered not to go near the feed and garden store.

Herrera was scheduled to appear in court Friday, Dec. 18, related to that charge and another misdemeanor theft charge, according to court documents. He is

accused of stealing an automobile mirror in June 2019, according to court records.

Court documents also show that Herrera pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft, and was sentenced to three days in jail, after being accused of stealing five Tshirts from someone in November 2018.

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, Dec. 19, 2020 • The Leader GENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTS

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

Art Valet: Fifth Ward popup offers mystical experience Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

This Sunday, Dec. 20, from 1-4 p.m., Mystic Lyon and the Center for Centering are hosting the fifth annual Winter Collection, a Pop Up Art Shop and Market featuring works

by Fifth Ward artists and their friends. Mystic Lyon is located at 5017 Lyons St., at the corner of Lyons and Mystic Street, hence the name. Center for Centering is next door at 5005 Lyons St.

The Winter Collection will be outside of both Mystic Lyon and the Center for Centering located next door. Masks are required with a limit on the number of people in the garden area.

The Fifth Ward is a short ride from the Heights and promises to be a unique art and shopping experience, attracting both new and established artists to the popup.

In an email exchange with caretaker/curator Emily Sloan a while back, Sloan said they have public art installations on view 24 hours a day all year.

“They are on the windows and they are also in the windows at times ... like a diorama

Contributed photo A popup art shop and market is being held Sunday at Mystic Lyon.

Rosen invites families to sign up for toy giveaway From Staff Reports Area families in need can sign up to receive free toys from Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen, who announced Tuesday that his annual toy drive raised more than $23,000.

The constable’s office, in conjunction with State Sen. John Whitmire and Erica Davis, who recently was elected to the Harris County Board of Education, is purchasing holiday toys with the money

Rosen

it raised. Families who wish to benefit can register by calling 713-755-3372 or emailing toni. mascione@cn1.hctx.net.

Children must be between 3-11 years old to be eligible for the free toys, according to the constable’s office. Once families have registered, they will be given a time and location to pick up their holiday presents and must bring their children with them. The constable’s office said the pickup events will be drive-through and contactless.

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

State Rep. Jarvis Johnson played the role of Santa Claus for the third year in a row this week, putting on a red-andwhite suit and hat and delivering toys to schoolchildren in need.

He said this year’s toy giveaway was a “little bit of a letdown” for him and his volunteers, because they were not able to interact directly with the benefitting kids on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead, Johnson greeted administrators from schools such

From Staff Reports

Drive, which is further to the south and similar in orientation.

Houston Public Works spokesperson Erin Jones said Tuesday that the pair of pedestrian signals, which will allow walkers and cyclists to activate the crossing signals by pressing buttons at the intersections, are expected to be installed and activated before the end of December. The work will cost the city a total of $25,000, Jones said.

While the project was initiated by requests from parents of Frank Black students, it also could benefit students of nearby Oak Forest Elementary and Waltrip High School. There also are private schools and churches a little to the northwest of Frank Black along West 43rd.

“We’re putting in those signals to help children cross the street safely to get to school,” Jones said.

Stevens and Heidi Skiff, another Frank Black parent who lives in Candlelight Plaza, said they are pleasantly surprised the city has reacted so quickly to the neighborhood’s concerns. Stevens said a group of parents submitted 311 requests to the city earlier this fall, triggering a traffic study by public works, and Skiff said she followed up by sending an email to Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin on Nov. 20.

According to Kamin’s office, its director of constituent services, Ngan Nguyen, then coordinated with public works and helped to expedite the project.

A plan was in place by Dec. 4, and last weekend the city began working to replace the electrical conduit at the intersection with a larger one that can accommodate the pedestrian signals in addition to the existing traffic signals.

“In my experience with other things, things go fairly slowly with the city,” Skiff said. “That’s where I feel like Abbie Kamin’s office was very instrumental in kind of bringing this to light and expediting the request to

as Highland Heights Elementary and Burrus Elementary, dropped off the goodies and went to the next campus.

But he still considered the three-day, seven-school event uplifting, because the students had been let down by the economic hardships associated with the pandemic. Johnson said many of the families he serves in District 139 - which includes part of Oak Forest as well as Acres Homes and Independence Heights - have been forced to experience waiting in food-distribution lines for the first time.

“This is just really about

The Community of Faith Church will provide holiday toys to area children in need from 5-8 p.m. Dec. 22-23 in the church campus parking lot at 1024 Pinemont Dr. Those who wish to receive

Contributed photo Representatives from American Legion Post 560, including Commander Will Spencer, second from right, Jim Acker, left, Chuck Custard, center, and Peggy Mondy, third from right, deliver donated toys to Houston Police Department officers last Saturday, Dec. 12.

IF I COULD WALK...

actually get the work done. I was very impressed.”

A spokesperson for Kamin’s office said public works’ traffic study after the 311 requests initially determined that the intersection needed a complete reconstruction, which would have to be done through the city’s Capital Improvement Projects program and would come with a much more extended timeline. So Nguyen requested the pedestrian-activated signal as a more immediate solution.

To help ensure the fulfillment of other public safety requests from the community, Kamin encouraged residents to report issues through 311 and then contact her office to follow up.

“Safety is top priority for my office and our District neighborhoods,” said Kamin, who represents the area as part of District C. “… I’m glad we were able to move quickly on this opportunity to make a positive change and improve safety.”

Frank Black parents and stakeholders also have requested a traffic signal at the intersection of 43rd and Chantilly, which is at the northwest corner of the campus. There is a school crosswalk sign there as well as stop signs for drivers on Chantilly, but no other trafficcontrol measures.

Jones said public works is in the process of conducting a traffic survey at that intersection, which is now a point of emphasis for the parents who pushed for the pedestrian signals along Ella. In the meantime, Skiff said she’s glad to know their concerns were heard and a solution to some of the problematic spots is on the way.

“It’s a huge relief, because I think it’s important for these children who are now in middle school to have some independence and be able to ride themselves to school and home from school,” Skiff said. “But as a parent, having kids riding in a big city, you want to make sure they’re safe.”

helping people,” Johnson said, “... making sure we can give kids something to look forward to and ease the burden and anxiety of what they’re having to go through.”

Johnson said the 3,500 toys he delivered to schools in Houston ISD and Aldine ISD were donated by DARE America. He also partnered with the Black United Fund of Texas and Houston rapper Paul Wall.

Tuesday’s toy recipients included Highland Heights, located at 865 Paul Quinn St. in Acres Homes, and Burrus at 701 E. 33rd St.

Local church offering holiday toys for kids From Staff Reports

Signals, from P. 1A

and a founder and host of the Fifth Ward Chamber of Commerce. Check out Mystic Lyon on Facebook and Instagram @ mysticlyonhtx.

Center for Centering is a studio for deepening practices in art and life centering around clay. They welcome all levels of experience and collaborations across media. New classes are forming now for January 2021. Check out its Facebook and Instagram pages @centerforcentering.

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.

Local state rep plays role of Santa

Legion post sends toys for Blue Santa American Legion Post 560 in Garden Oaks collected more than 200 new toys for the Houston Blue Santa program, in which officers from the Houston Police Department deliver holiday gifts to children and families in need.

A representative from the local Legion post at 3720 Alba Rd. said it filled 22 Blue Santa bags with donated toys from the community. They were collected from mid-November through Dec. 12.

“This generous donation of toys, stuff animals, crafts and warm winter gloves will make the holidays brighter for numerous children,” the Legion post said.

or shadowbox,” Sloan said.

“Most of our shows in some way relate to our neighborhood, the Fifth Ward.”

Jimmy Castillo’s new mural and artist-in-residence El Franco Lee II’s storefront exhibition will be on view at Mystic Lyon.

Mystic Lyon is an art space and social sculpture in Houston’s historic Fifth Ward. Installations remain on view in and on the storefront 24 hours a day. Additional programming includes payphone call-ins to the artists, physical and metaphysical happenings, community coffees and events benefitting neighbor endeavors. It is also the home of the Fifth Ward Badminton Club

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free toys must register their children in advance at thecommunityoffaith.org. Children up to 17 years old are eligible.

The toys being distributed were collected last week during a toy drive sponsored by the church and Good Gang USA.

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

HPD investigating vehicle burglary at Oak Forest Kroger

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Police are looking into an incident last week in which a woman had her car broken into and cash stolen outside an area grocery store.

Houston Police Department spokesperson Victor Senties said officers responded to the Kroger at 1352 W. 43rd St. in Oak Forest just before 11 a.m.

Dec. 10 in response to a vehicle burglary call. According to Senties, the victim told police her car had been broken into and had cash stolen out of the console.

The victim had just been to the nearby Chase Bank, Senties said, shortly after 10 a.m.

before heading to the Kroger and storing her cash in the center console. After being inside for less than 10 minutes, she came back out to her car to find the front window smashed and cash gone.

Senties advised residents to stay vigilant of their surroundings in light of the incident, and reminded them to not leave cash or any valuables in their vehicles.

“Just try to be aware of what’s around you, especially if you’re coming from a bank,” he said.

Police are in the process of determining whether there is useable security video of any potential suspects, according to Senties.

HPD investigating fatal hit-and-run

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Police are investigating the origins of a fatal hit-andrun accident in the area last month.

The male victim, whose identity is pending notification to family members by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, was pronounced dead Dec. 12, according to the

Houston Police Department.

HPD said the victim was traveling south at 5300 Bingle Rd. just after 5:30 a.m. Nov. 22 when it appears he was struck from behind by a vehicle of an unknown make and model.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact HPD’s Hit and Run unit at 713247-4072 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

HPD looking into fatal Tidwell crash

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Houston police are investigating a single-car crash that left the passenger dead and put the driver in the hospital last week.

The driver, a 15-year-old girl, was taken to the hospital with a broken leg, according to the Houston Police Department. HPD said the passenger, 23-year-old Kyree Nesbitt, was later pronounced dead at Ben Taub General Hospital.

A news release from HPD said the driver was allegedly traveling at a high rate of speed in a Chrysler 200 headed west near 900 West Tidwell Rd. just before 10 p.m. Dec. 10.

According to police, the driver allegedly lost control, went off the roadway and struck a tree.

Police said a hint of marijuana was detected in the car, and the driver was tested for impairment at the scene. No charges have been filed in the ongoing investigation, according to HPD.

Robbery suspect shot by state trooper near Inwood

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Law enforcement authorities are looking into an incident in which a Texas state trooper fatally shot an armed robbery suspect near Greater Inwood last week.

The suspect, 36-year-old Charles Jones, died at the scene, according to the Houston Police Department. The trooper was uninjured.

HPD said troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety were in the midst of a joint investigation with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office into robberies of

Photos from Facebook Shown is the aftermath of a recent vehicle burglary at Kroger.

Police investigating hit and run accident near Heights

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Houston police are looking into a fatal hit-and-run incident near the Heights area last week.

The victim, 63-year-old Ramon Vera, was walking south at 2800 Airline Dr. just after 6:30 p.m. Dec. 9 when he was struck by a vehicle of an unknown make and model, according to the Houston Police

Man stabbed behind area shopping center

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Department. HPD said the driver then fled the scene, and Vera was later pronounced dead.

Police said it is unclear whether the victim was in the roadway or stepped off the sidewalk as the car passed.

Anyone with information about the case or potential suspects is urged to contact HPD’s Hit and Run unit at 713247-4072 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

Boost Mobile stores around the area. Police said the officers observed a robbery in progress, identifying Jones as the suspect and following him from the store.

According to police, the trooper attempted a traffic stop, during which Jones allegedly pulled out a gun. HPD said the trooper fired multiple times in response, striking Jones.

The case is under investigation by HPD’s Special Investigations unit, along with the district attorney’s office and the DPS’ Texas Rangers division.

Houston police are investigating after a man was stabbed outside a local shopping center last week.

The victim, 39-year-old Timothy Reese, was transported to the hospital in critical condition, according to the Houston Police Department.

HPD said officers responded to a shopping center at 7758 W. Tidwell Rd. just before 8 p.m. Dec. 9 to find that

Houston Fire Department paramedics were transporting Reese to the hospital after he was stabbed in the abdomen.

Witnesses told police Reese was stabbed in an alley behind the shopping center by a suspect described only as going by the nickname “Dogman,” according to HPD. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact HPD’s Major Assaults & Family Violence division at 713-308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

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