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MICHAEL
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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston
michaels@johndaugherty.com
Flower & Gift Shop 10570 NW Frwy 713-680-2350
Saturday, July 21, 2018 • Vol. 63 • No. 25
About Us 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd Suite A (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.
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By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
OFF
$
610
W. 20th
Studemont St.
Yale St.
Heights Blvd
N. Durham
ter st
Creditors - More than meets the eye The committee believes some misW. 11th
er
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E. 20th
Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan acceptable to both the creditors and the court. N. Shepherd
tee independently appointed by the U.S. Trustee with the primary purpose of conducting due diligence with respect to GOMO’s finances and operations, and to work with GOMO Wand their atT. C torney Johnie Patterson in developing a .J e . Jes E T.C
*• Rodent Rodent • Termite
A group of residents in Garden Oaks say the neighborhood’s bankruptcy negotiations have not been transparent. And while the Garden Oaks Maintenance Organization continues to work on a way to preserve its stash of funds through a newly-formed organization, some homeowners are left with little explanation of the complicated legal case. Gary Ingram, Sue Schmidt, Trish Mehrkam, Cheryl Luck, and Peter Chang comprise the creditors’ commit-
Committee members say that the term “creditor” has been used incorrectly.
Ella Blvd.
* Pest • Pest • Mosquito
Decisions and confusion for GOMO proceedings
Katy
Rd.
See GOMO P. 4A
Pecor
HC Station construction nearing completion
Recovery continues
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conceptions may have come out of last week’s Garden Oaks Civic Club meeting, where Patterson gave an update on the case. For one, committee members say that the term “creditor” has incorrectly been used to mean all residents of the neighborhood, when it actually means someone with a claim against GOMO that may include those homeowners – past or present – who have paid the transfer fee. A transfer fee is a fee amounting to .75 percent of the purchase price or ap-
White Oak Dr.
W. 6th
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MFT Interests Asset Manager Vinny Chiara says exterior work and build-out for Heights Central Station on the site of the old Heights Post Office should be finished soon, while a new tenant has signed on and more are in the works. According to Chiara, a new dentist signed on at the end of April, joining Tiff’s Treats and Shine in the Heights as tenants who have signed on since the new year, along with Kolache Shoppe and Dish Society in 2017. “All signed tenants should be turned over [for build-out] at the end of the month,” he said. Further, he said there are two more clients currently in the leasing process, though they could not yet be Photo by Landan disclosed due to Kuhlmann ongoing negotiaWorkers put finishing tions. touches on Heights
Elizabeth Villarreal Your Neighbor & REALTOR®
610
W. 20th
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Studemont St.
es
Yale St.
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Heights Blvd
T. C
N. Shepherd
ter
. Jes
elizasgarden@outlook.com
N. Durham
E T.C Ella Blvd.
832.712.1320
W
E. 20th
W. 11th
Pecor
713-528-1800
inside.
Katy
Rd.
W. 6th
White Oak Dr.
10 Photo supplied Residents wade through high Harvey floodwaters. The Harris County Flood Control District is proposing a $2.5 billion bond for potential storm repairs and future infrastructure improvements.
Central Station.
damage sites that were verified and prioritized after Hurricane Harvey. Further, the Flood Control District is proposing what could be a $2.5 billion bond election Aug. 25 for more than 150 potential flood risk reduction projects throughout the county – including more than 40 proposed storm repair projects along White Oak Bayou from W. 34th Street to Taylor Street. Many of the proposed projects between 34th and Taylor Street will not necessarily be for extraordinary capital projects with regards to mitigation and reduction, as much
Space still up for grabs Chiara says about 8,000 square feet of space remains open on both first and second-floor of the building, with the project about 60 percent leased as of press time. Dish Society, which currently has locations in the Galleria/Tanglewood and Katy/ Cinco Ranch areas, is described on its website as an “all-day diner [which] turns out a seasonally changing menu with healthful modern twists on traditional favorites.” They also offer Greenway Coffee, as well as juices, and beer and wine. Shine, a full-service hair salon, will keep their bungalow on 11th Street and expand further into the Heights when build-out is complete. Meanwhile, Tiff’s Treats is adding to its expanding franchise. The company began just about as small as possible, with now-
See Harvey P. 4A
See Tenants P. 4A
Location of proposed storm repair projects.
Harvey repairs, buyouts continue for area
Planned expansion. Adolf Hoepfl to expand facility.
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
Page 10A
Art for animals. Annual gallery awards provide aid for pets
Page 3B
Find it. BALDERAS CONCRETE WORK: Garage Slabs, Driveways, Breakouts, Tractor Work, Room Additions, Install Culverts, Permits for Driveways. 48 Years Experience. Free Estimates, call Gregory at: 832-675-2485.
Page 7A
The INDEX. Church....................................................... 5A Classifieds.............................................. 7A Coupons. ................................................. 6A Food/Drink/Art................................... 1B Obituaries.............................................. 6A Opinion. ................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 2A Puzzles...................................................... 3A
Don’t be surprised to see county trucks or work crews around the neighborhood in the coming months. Several of our neighborhoods run along White Oak Bayou – which took a beating during Harvey – and a plethora of repair projects could be in the works as the Harris County Flood Control District seeks bond money for Harvey repairs, recovery, and infrastructure upgrades. On March 27, the Harris County Commissioners Court approved a total of $12.5 million in initial con-
Photo courtesy of HCFCD Sinkholes like this one near White Oak Bayou along T.C. Jester are among proposed HCFCD repair projects in some local neighborhoods.
tracts with 15 engineering firms to design comprehensive Harvey repairs to more than 1,200 individual
Jessi Heiner is Timbergrove Manor’s cheerleader By Betsy Denson For The Leader In order to flourish, every neighborhood needs a core group of people willing to devote their time and energy to promote, advocate and build community. Mangum Manor is very fortunate to have one such cheerleader in Jessi Heiner. A Provo, Utah native, Jessi and her husband initially chose to live in Mangum Manor in 2013 because of the relatively short commute to the Heights and the Galleria area where their jobs were located. The couple also liked the architecture
and character in each individual home. But as they settled in to the neighborhood, they found much more to like. “Mangum Manor truly is a special place,” said Jessi. “I think the thing that makes it the most special is the diversity and unity we have here. We have families from all walks of life. In a world where diversity often divides neighborhoods or cities, that doesn’t fly here. No matter your race, age, gender, sexual orientation, or political views, you are welcome and loved in Mangum Manor. We take care of each other here.” Jessi said that her other favorite
thing about Mangum Manor is that they are, in no way, an “exclusive” neighborhood. “All of our civic club events and meetings are open to the general public,” she said. “We often extend the invitation on our social media pages and NextDoor, so our fun events and informative meetings can be enjoyed by our surrounding neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and townhome communities.” It was her affection for the community which has led her to a series of volunteer roles. In a world See Timbergrove P. 4A
Contributed photo Neighborhood volunteer Jessi Heiner is building community in Mangum Manor.
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