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Saturday, August 11, 2018 • Vol. 63 • No. 28
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Potential HISD teacher salary freeze faces opposition Photo by Landan Kuhlmann HISD Trustee Elizabeth Santos addresses issues regarding a potential HISD teacher salary freeze at a press conference last Thursday.
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Teacher salary for educators in HISD will be frozen at their 20172018 level if a new compensation proposal passes this week – but trustee Elizabeth Santos and a plethora of dissenting voices are unhappy with the change and calling for a “step” salary bump. Last Thursday, dozens of parents, educators and board members alike joined Santos at a press conference regarding the district’s plan to keep teacher’s salaries steady rather than using a “step” increase, as has been
See more Back-To-School features inside Page 5A done in previous years. Salaries were also previously frozen in the 20162017 school year.
“I’ve heard from many teachers across the district who had no idea that they would be paid less than
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Photo by Betsy Denson Joe Hoffield saw the Heights Morning Market publicized on Facebook and brought daughter Taylor who enjoyed making her own plant to take home.
By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com Grab and Go - Summer heat doesn’t stop outdoor food choices
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The INDEX. Church....................................................... 6B Classifieds.............................................. 4B Coupons. ................................................. 7B Food/Drink/Art................................... 7A Obituaries.............................................. 6B Opinion. ................................................... 4A Public Information......................... 2A Puzzles...................................................... 4A
There’s a new morning market next to the Onion Creek Café every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from the looks of things on a recent Sunday, the emphasis is less on fresh produce and more on artisans and their wares. That being said, the Heights Morning Market is still evolving. Jessica Ivins is responsible for coordinating the market in conjunction with Onion Creek Café. Ivins is a marketing consultant under the name, Edgesetter LLC, and Photo by Betsy Denson works with The Creek Group. Mandy Trichell talks to a customer about their hot sauce while Francesco Conti She says that they use different looks on. avenues to find local vendors, such Jeannine Peace of JPeace Deas social media, Google search, weekly and I focus my search.” To Ivins, a variety is what makes signs is one such vendor. She says and other market directories. “We look for vendors that we a market successful, local being that she grew up in a family of working artists and has been acbelieve would fit the demograph- key. “I think a good mix of gourmet quiring vintage beads for years. ics of the area, and then I reach “I’ve been making jewelry since out to them and invite them to ap- goods, groceries, fresh plants and ply,” said Ivins. “I also try to get as flowers, and artisan products is I was 10 years old,” said Peace. much feedback from customers so important and [getting] items you I can learn what types of products can’t just go to the store and buy or See Market P. 8A they would be interested in buying order off of Amazon,” she said.
teachers with the same experience were paid last year,” Santos said, adding it was not until last week’s board meeting that trustees learned of the plan. “It’s simply not right to tell teachers their pay is being cut days before they return to their classrooms for the new school year – and beyond that, it’s not smart.” Administrators were not available for comment following Thursday’s press conference, and follow-up requests to reach HISD for comment were unsuccessful. HISD trustees cut about $84 milSee HISD pay P. 8A
Adult club to remain closed By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com In June, local residents noticed a locksmith and a flurry of daytime activity at Solid Platinum Gentleman’s Club located at 2732 W. T C Jester Blvd, next to Juanita’s Mexican Restaurant. A sign on the door said that the property had been seized for non-payment of taxes owed the State of Texas. Now, it looks as if the property will remain closed. Kevin Lyons, a spokesperson at the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, said that the business owed over $800,000 in back taxes to the state. The amount in question was the accumulation of the $5 per person fee that all Sexually Oriented Business, or SOBs, must pay to the state to be permitted. The state’s assessment covered the time from February 2008 to April 2015, and then January and February of 2016. “The building is closed and everything inside has been seized,” said Lyons. Lyons said that there are various The state says that Solmethods of deter- id Platinum owes over mining the $5 per $800,000 in back taxes person fee, such to the state. as alcohol sales, and the in-house records of the businesses. He also said that this type of seizure is not unusual for any business who is behind on their payments. “We give chances and sometimes businesses pay their debt off or work out a payment plan with the comptroller,” said Lyons. “If the proprietor pays, they’d let them reopen.” A Menyu Wong is listed as the owner of the business by the Harris County Appraisal District. The business has been located on W. T C Jester for at least 12 years. Lyons said that Wong disagreed with the state’s assessment of monies owed and filed suit in district court at which time a temporary restraining order was issued. However, on July 23 a ruling came down against Wong and the court said that all claims were owed. “[The state] is allowed to sell items from the building to settle arrears,” said Lyons. “Remaining debt goes to the attorney general for collection.” Lyons said that the state would collect items from inside the building to sell. Ms. Wong was unavailable for comment.
Timeline uncertainty for high speed rail development By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com The stations have been named, public feedback gathered and still being sifted through – thus the timelines for the Dallas-to-Houston High-Speed Rail remain open-ended despite earlier assurances from officials Back in February, Texas Central and the city of Houston announced that the old Northwest Mall site had been chosen as the Houston sta-
“... one environmental assessment for a proposed High-Speed Rail in Canada has initially been projected to take about four years according to a 2017 report from CBC news.” tion for the High-speed Rail. But to this day the project’s construction timeline remains murky, though the
company recently named a project manager in seeming preparation for work.
c u r r e N t p r o p e rt y L i s t i N g s
Texas Central Managing Director of External Affairs Holly Reed told The Leader in March that Texas Central would like to begin construction of the HSR in 2019. But that could change in the coming months – including work at the old Northwest Mall site. The company has an option on the land, but can only close after the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) finishes its Final Environmental Impact Study. See HSR P. 8A
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