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Saturday, August 16, 2014 • Vol. 60 • No. 41

Taking a step back ABOUT US 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd Suite A (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

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INSIDE.

Contributed photos Above Patrick (Buddy) Swayze and Cookie Joe, at age 16, where Joe was a former student at Swayze School of Dance. At the corner, a poem by Patrick Swayze to Rhonda Meyer Harris, a St. Rose classmate.

Swayze started the time of his life in Oak Forest By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Oak Forest residents give a new ‘leash’ on life for stray dogs, cats The OFAA, a non-proﬁt organization, is part of a community effort to help combat the immense number of stray cats and dogs in and around the area. The group, started by Adams, president Lisa Junco, vice-president Nora Loera and other residents, seeks to provide a foster system to help give stray and abandoned animals a chance for a better life. See 3A

THE INDEX. Church

Parker: Not changing historical commission

7A

Classiﬁeds

5B

Coupons

5A

Food/Drink/Art Obituaries

2B 7A

Opinion

4A

Public Information Puzzles Sports

2A 4A 8A

It’s not every day that a neighborhood can claim a world famous performer as one of their own. But Oak Forest certainly has ample bragging rights. Except they knew Patrick Wayne Swayze as Buddy Swayze, or Little Buddy, to distinguish him from his dad Jesse, also known as Big Buddy. On August 18, 1952, Patrick Wayne Swayze was the second child and ﬁrst boy born to Jesse and Patsy Swayze at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Houston. According to Wendy Leigh’s biography, One Last Dance, Swayze was born six weeks premature and his survival initially uncertain. However, he rebounded quickly and settled in with his parents and older sister Vicky

at their home in the 1300 block of Wakeﬁeld Drive. Brothers Don and Sean followed in 1958 and 1962. Sister Bambi was later adopted from Korea. According to Sean Swayze, the whole family was extremely athletic: “Buddy could do the iron cross (a strength hold performed on gymnastics rings) at seven years old.” Patrick writes in his autobiography The Time of My Life about swinging from the trees behind his house on Wakeﬁeld – in a Speedo bathing suit – with brother Donny, pretending to be Tarzan. Patsy Swayze’s athletic prowess had its fullest expression in dance. A dancer since childhood, Patsy founded the Houston Jazz Ballet Company and also had her own school, the Swayze School of Dance. Some of her other well-known students includ-

ed Debbie Allen, Jaclyn Smith and Tommy Tune. After several moves around town, the school found an Oak Forest home on Judiway in the former club Pagoda A-Go-Go. Former student and Swayze friend Cookie Joe remembers that all of Patsy’s dancers helped paint and remodel the location. Later, the school moved to Ella Plaza, where Suchu Dance now resides. Swayze wrote in his autobiography that he and Vicky “studied dance with our mother from the time we could walk.” That’s where Cookie Joe ﬁrst met him. Now a dance teacher with her own studio and company in Sugar Land, Joe started at the Swayze School of Dance as a nine year old. It was the start of a long and warm See Swayze, P. 5A

The development of the Heights is not just an issue important to residents who live there. Even Mayor Annise Parker knows the area’s growth has included a few controversial consequences. Last week, Parker spoke at the Greater Heights Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Gateway to City Government lunch, and she defended a highly publicized disagreement between some homeowners, home builders and the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission. “The system appears to be working,” Parker said. “Ninety-three percent are approved coming through the chute.” The HAHC consists of 13 appointed members who are tasked with approving major renovations or construction in the city’s historic districts. All districts in Houston, except the Heights’ three districts, have specific guidelines that tell homeowners what they can and cannot do to historic homes. The controversy has been over HAHC’s ability to subjectively approve homes and deny “Certificates of Appropriateness,” which legally allow work to begin, in the Heights. Parker said she didn’t see the need to revamp the HAHC, as it is filled with people who provide a variety of specialized expertise and skills. “What we didn’t do right was make sure that everyone who came on the commission had a thorough grounding of what was in the ordinance, and that everyone understood what the rules were,” Parker said. The city subsequently had training sessions for HAHC staff and said she and other officials were surprised with the results. “It was amazing,” Parker said. “Two people could look at a single ordinance and come to different conclusions.” Rather than dismantling the HAHC, Parker likened the process to hitting a reset button. “We’ve taken a look at people who were there, particularly those that never could figure it out, and we’re working to replace them.” Just last week, however, members of the Houston City Council did hit the reset button on a decision by HAHC. A homeowner in the Heights purchased a lot on Cortlandt Street and asked HAHC for permission to move the current home on that lot. HAHC denied the request, presumably because they believed the house was a contributing structure to the historic era. Despite evidence to the contrary, the homeowners were overruled and told they could not move the home. Those homeowners then appealed to the city’s Planning Commission and, again, they were denied. For the first time, a homeowner challenged the two rulings to the Houston City Council, and this time, they were successful. Councilmember Ellen Cohen asked her colleagues to overturn HAHC’s ruling, potentially setting a precedent for others to make further appeals to Council. See Turmoil, P. 2A

Local artist recreates Heights family memories By Christina Martinez Christina@theleadernews.com Tucked away in the Heights is a taste of New York City. A Heights backyard is home to a few New York themed paintings by a local artist, Charles Burwell, that capture some of the families fondest memories. The painted backyard started as a Christmas gift for the husband. Burwell was contacted to see if he could help the wife with the project in time for the holidays. “I live in Montrose and she asked me if I could help with the family project,” Burwell said. “The NY skyline was our ﬁrst project. She suggested some ideas and that’s where it all began. It started as a Christmas gift for her husband. I had no idea how it would progress.” After the holidays, the family continued to

work with Burwell. Next on the list was to turn three dreary looking windows into something new. One standout piece that Burwell recreated was a Macy’s Day parade painting. The Heights couple was engaged in New York at the parade years before and it was something they wanted displayed. Burwell went on to paint four large murals for the family. A subway scenery, Yankee stadium, a map of the families future and past endeavors, and a marina where the husband once lived. The family added special lighting and New York antiques to compliment the space which has become a popular setting for frequent gatherings. Photo by Christina Martinez Charles Burwell is retired and thinks of the fam- Two murals by artisit Charles Burwell that capture family ily paintings as a big milestone. He says we was memories of a Heights family. “very happy to work with them.”

THE PUBLIC. Saturday, August 16, 2014 • Page 2A

Houston teen charged with Tropical Motel murder Ofﬁcials with the Houston Police Department announced they have charged a Houston man with murder following a beating and stabbing at the Tropical Motel on North Shepherd Street Aug. 5. Carlos Mercado, 17, allegedly beat, choked and stabbed Carlos Villatoro, 35, according

to a press release. Mercado and Villatoro had checked into a room at the motel and the two eventually got into an altercation. After allegedly stabbing Villatoro, Mercado allegedly left the motel in the victim’s vehicle. Ofﬁcials pronounced Villatoro dead at the scene, ac-

cording to the release. Several minutes later, a deputy with the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Ofﬁce stopped Mercado for a trafﬁc violation. Following an initial investigation, Mercado was taken into custody and allegedly admitted to his role in the victim’s death.

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Turmoil, from P. 1A Transportation

During Parker’s talk with Chamber members, she was asked about the expansion of public transportation. Parker said two more light rail lines will be in operation by the end of this year. All of the lines are exceeding estimates and the new ones coming in are expected to have the best ridership in the company. Parker also emphasized that light rail “barely scratches the surface” of what can be done for a city the size of Houston and pointed to Metro’s work in re-imagining the city’s bus system. “Most of us, if we have access to cars, will not get on a bus unless it is a Park & Ride,” Parker said. “One of the challenges for our bus system is that it was designed a very long time ago and everything came into downtown. We have arguably six or seven big commercial centers here that would be pretty good sized downtowns in their own right.” Parker said Metro has de-

Contributed photo by Wayne Sandlin Houston Mayor Anise Parker stands with members of the Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce.

vised a new system which she believes will lead Houston to have one of the finest integrated transit systems in the country. Last week, the City of Houston also announced they would put together the first general plan in the city’s history. Officials have a timeline of a year to put together a plan that allows the city to connect master plans from a variety of elements and try to get ahead on issues such as infrastructure. “Just because you don’t zone doesn’t mean you don’t need to plan,” Parker said.

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“We do a lot of planning but what we don’t do is coordinate the planning. We talk to each other, but we don’t integrate those plans to see what is really happening here in the Houston.”

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Saturday, August 16, 2014 • Page 3A

Oak Forest residents give a new ‘leash’ on life for stray dogs, cats said Rocky had been abandoned by a woman in the parking lot of a Petco in the middle of an afternoon, and the side of his head was swollen and he had scars and wounds across his face. Donovan said this is the ﬁrst time she’s been a part of an organization like the OFAA and she’s hoping to see it grow. “This issue is so huge, you have to go into it with a mindset that this is small way I can help make a big impact in the community and for these animals,” Donovan said. OFAA president Lisa Junco said fostering and caring for animals is her passion, but there is also a stark reality to contend with regarding its all-volunteer staff. “Without our fosters, we’re not going to grow or succeed,” Junco said.

Photo by Jonathan Garris (Top) Kay Adams, founding member of the Oak Forest Animal Advocates, shares a moment on her back porch with Penny, a pit bull she is currently fostering. Adams ﬁrst found Penny at the corner of a vacant home just blocks away from her Oak Forest reisdence and several neighbors helped take the animal in. Since being rescued, Adams said Penny has been one of the sweetest dogs she has ever cared for. (Top right) Members of the OFAA sit near the corner of a vacant home where they found Penny. (From left to right: Nikki Templeton, Kay Adams, Lisa Junco and Dina Coﬀey.)

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

It would be hard to guess that the gentle pit bull falling asleep on Kay Adams living room couch was a heartbeat away from becoming one of the thousands of strays roaming Houston. Adams recalls first finding the dog, now known as Penny, at the corner of a vacant home in her neighborhood. While not outright aggressive, Penny was clearly scared, covered in scars and lacked food and water. “It took us ten days to trap her and make sure she was fed and taken care of,” Adams said. “I think she may have been expecting her former caretakers to come and pick her up. With her being a pit bull and having the scars she did, she may have been a bait dog for dogfighting.” Like most members of the newly formed Oak Forest Animal Advocates, Kay Adams said she has always loved animals. “Like a lot of other little girls, I would pick up injured birds or small animals would follow me home,” Adams said. “I have done bottle feeding for puppies and I’ve been involved with other organizations, but the OFAA is something new.” The OFAA, which just received its approval as a nonprofit organization, is part of a community effort to help combat the immense number of stray cats and dogs in and around the area. The group, started by Adams, president Lisa Junco, vice-president Nora Loera and other residents, seeks to provide a foster system to help give stray and abandoned animals a chance for a better life. “To me, the problem is just horrifying,” Adams said. “I remember thinking how we have such an active group of

people living here with big hearts that it can’t be that hard to share the brunt of handling animals in the immediate area.” From her personal experience, Adams said the problem of people dumping animals has grown in Oak Forest. She is hoping the OFAA can help lessen the burden on organizations like BARC, who work in areas that are less compliant regarding spaying and neutering. “We really want to be in invested in the community and be as approachable as possible to people in the community who come across an animal but might not have the means to care for them,” Adams said. Another Chance In the weeks that followed Penny’s rescue, the young dog made a big turnaround, and Adams and other members of the OFAA describe her as a sweet dog. While she still has her crate, Adams admitted that her favorite spot to sleep is still one of the big chairs in the living room. “I’ve never seen a dog wag her tail as fast as she does,” Adams said. “She’s the sweetest little dog.” Annette Donovan is also fostering a boxer named Rocky, also believed to have been in dogﬁghting or perhaps otherwise abused. She

Moving Forward The OFAA currently has 18 people signed up and the group is hoping to have 30 people signed up to foster animals on a rotational basis. General liability insurance will be provided for fosters to cover costs in the event of an animal bite or damaged property. Adams said the l fosters could care for the animals for a maximum of a 60 day period no more than three times a year. “Our focus is really going to be having these dogs and cats adopted into permanent homes no later than two months from the day their fostering starts,” Adams said. The group also aims to create partnerships with local veterinarians and other rescue groups, and fundraising efforts will help provide food, supplies, crates, paying and neutering, micro-chipping and other services. The OFAA will also focus on outreach initiatives, and will be collecting proceeds from the second annual Dog Days of Summer event Aug. 16, which is hosted by the Oak Forest Homeowners Association. The event will be held 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Oak Forest Park, located at 2100 Judiway Street, and will offer a pet fun run, silent auction, rescue opportunities for animals and other activities. Junco said she hopes to see continued support from the community. “It’s really rewarding to see these animals end up with families and people that will truly love them,” Junco said. For volunteer opportunities and other information, visit www.oakforestanimals. org or through Facebook at www.facebook.com/ groups/OakForestPets/.

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In the Houston division, prices, plans, elevations and speciﬁcations are subject to change without notice. Map is an artist’s conception for general information purposes only and is not to scale. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only. See Sales Counselor for details on available promotions and restrictions. © 2014 RH of Texas Limited Partnership. RH1424

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THE TOPICS. Saturday, August 16, 2014 • Page 4A

Parenting 101: Welcome back cereal and bad songs By Jonathan McElvy Jonathan@theleadernews.com

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bout once every six weeks, we stop talking about serious topics like government and take an in-depth look at why the psychiatry industry is recessionproof. Put another way, welcome to another installment of the Hank Diaries (trademark possibly pending). For those who don’t know, Hank is now an 11-month-old barrel of brute who, on a recent trip to the Oiled Coast, literally picked up a handful of black, wretched sand and shoved it in his mouth. The fact that Hank ate sand is not surprising. Who among us hasn’t (unintentionally) gnawed on a few of those crystals? What amazed me, and what sent Hank’s mother into a tailspin, was that he apparently liked it. There’s no other explanation for the third and fourth bites, which were immediately washed out with salt water, which was immediately washed out with bottled water, which ultimately led to packing up the 19 toys Hank never touched and sprinting to the shower. The reason we take a few moments every once in a while to peer into the confusing life of the young lad isn’t to solidify my son’s legacy in the lives of our readers. No, the way I ﬁgure things, raising a child comes with an inherent need to seek ad-

THE READER.

One bite is understandable. But four?

vice. And when I say advice, I don’t mean for my son. I mean for me. True story: At the age of 15, I walked into the kitchen one school morning and noticed that my Mother, serving as always, had left three boxes of cereal, a gallon of milk, bowls and spoons on the counter. I don’t know what came over me, but I vividly remember that morning because I took an oath before Captain Crunch that I would never again eat cereal. I had eaten it, literally, for 15 straight years — that’s 5,475 days — and I was sick of it. I made a ham sandwich and never looked back. Fast forward 25 years when, as any new parent knows, ﬁguring

out what to feed your child is only slightly harder than dissecting a robotic goat. I assume Hank is like any other child because, if left to his devices, he’d eat spaghetti and drink formula for the next 37 years. Meghan and I would like to diversify his diet, which also means we have spent more at local grocery stores than we’ve spent mortgaging our home over the past year. Meghan came home from one of these shopping sprees with a safety deposit box full of the most random looking foods I had ever seen, much less tasted. I do not believe I have ever actually eaten a butternut squash. For that matter, I’m not sure I ever noticed them in the store before Hank began eating solids, and I’m not sure how I missed those vile creatures. Hank likes them. What he does not like is the organic cereal his mother collected from that back corner of the store where the hippies shop. I don’t know why he didn’t like the Peanut Butter Balls Topped With Kale, but my guess is he couldn’t ﬁnd a picture of Captain Crunch on the box. So there sat Hank, staring at the bowl full of peanut butter balls, refusing to taste another nugget. And there sat the bowl, staring directly at me. And that’s when I’m pretty sure the food began speaking to me: “Jonathan, you have spent more on

food this week than utilities, golf and cable combined. Are you really going to waste a good bowl of cereal?” For the first time in 9,125 days, I ate my first bowl of cereal. That’s not the only thing that has changed. The brainiacs out in Hollywood have created an entire TV channel devoted to babies. (Trust me, if you do not have a child, you have never once even accidentally selected this channel.) The channel is called BabyFirst, and wisely, there is not a single show that lasts more than about six minutes — the attention span of an 11-month-old is just a few seconds shorter than it takes to change a diaper. We don’t let Hank watch too much TV because that sort of thing is frowned upon in society. But every once in a while, we’ll flip it to Channel 293 and plop Hank on the floor. He has taken to three 6-minute shows, all of which have a very real ability to drive an adult to medication. One of the shows is called Vocabu-LARRY, and the creators have ruined my love of music for the next three years. LARRY — and yes, it should be screamed, just like they do on TV — apparently helps children learn words. What this toucan also accomplishes is forcing adults, while driving down the road, to sporadically shout out LARRY as the tune

destroys the brain cells we worked so hard to develop. It’s the bad song, times 1,000, that will not leave your head. Another show features these little creeps called the Notekins. As you might imagine (if you have a brain left), these are oddly shaped semi-humans from another planet who teach your children to sing. And what they really like doing is hitting the “High Note.” I have been to operas. I have an appreciation for talented musicians. I have a disdain for the Notekins. I also don’t like the frightening creature BabyFirst has created to play Peak-a-Boo with Hank. If you can imagine Raggedy Ann with blue hair, an oval head (san freckles) and two knee-less legs, that’s the best I can do. I would like to send that disparaging creature behind a curtain from which she never reappears. But without fail, Hank sits sternly on the ﬂoor, claps his hand, and laughs every time LARRY or the Notekins or Peak-a-Boo appear. And all this leads to my dire request for advice: Have I crossed the line from a once, relatively, cool guy into the doom that is weird Dad? If so, I’ll eat gross food and sing horrible songs every day, as long as Hank is there. Email jonathan@theleadernews.com

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City Hall Accountability

Dear Editor: I saw our mayor, Annise Parker, on the news this past week with several outrageous ideas to help fix the City of Houston’s financial problems. She said that maybe it would save the police department financial resources if the police stopped responding to burglar alarms. She went on to say that perhaps the police should not respond to minor traffic accidents. She did not say how much those two ideas might save. I have been an insurance agent for over 22 years and have lived in Oak Forest for over 30 years. From my view these are two terrible ideas. Regarding the burglar alarms, you might as well leave your homes open when you leave each day so that the burglars will not damage the doors or windows. They are going to break in and take what they want, knowing that the police will not respond. I now suppose that your alarm company will call and you will have to go to your home and confront the thieves yourself. What happens when a homeowner comes home and does not even realize the home has been broken into? What if the burglars are still present? How many confrontations between burglars and homeowners and neighbors will take place? Why do we even have a police force? The city charges an annual alarm fee of $50. It also charges fines if a resident has too many false alarms. I have not had a false alarm in over 10 years, but the city keeps taking the alarm fee every year. What is this money really being used for?? Pensions I suspect. The idea of not responding to minor traffic accidents is equally bad and misconceived. As an insurance agent I have been able to observe over the past 22 years how traffic accident insurance claims turn out. Experience shows that at the accident scene the “at fault” party usually takes responsibility and sometimes is even apologetic. However, the stories almost always change a short time later. The stories change because of discussions with a parent or spouse or just realizing that another “at fault” accident is going to substantially increase their auto insurance rates. Whenever there is some evidence of who was at fault the best time to document that evidence is at the scene of the accident. And the best and ONLY person to do that is a police officer. When my clients do not wait for an officer to respond and write a report the auto claim always becomes more difficult and much harder to get the responsible party and their insurance company to take responsibility. So again we have a very important function that only the police can perform. Why do we have a police force? I think the mayor would like to say many things are causing the financial problems of the city. But there is really only one thing and that is the large

and increasing amounts spent on pensions for the police and fire fighters. This problem has been building for years and the city leaders just kick the can down the road and have never really addressed the root causes. Providing rich pensions for city workers that most of us do not have is unacceptable. It is the same problem across all government entities, such as Detroit and all of California. Much of the fault lies with our state representatives who also have a large hand in making the pension systems for local governments impossible to change or reform. We will end up with no city services but wellfunded pensions. There is already a lack of general maintenance around our near North area. I think it will get much worse and soon we will look like a third world city. Neighborhoods have already had to pick up much of the slack for poor police efforts, such as our patrol program in Oak Forest. It is impossible to believe that we have proper policing with the same size force as 20 years ago, but the mayor just wants to reduce their responsibilities. I do not think the mayor was serious, but she was trying to scare the citizens. I would like to see a lot more hard data on city pensions and other expenses before we make the kind of changes she spoke about this week. D. Johnson 30 year Oak Forest resident

Dear Editor: Jonathan, thank you for this article. I hope that the citizens of Houston pay attention to this warning about the attitude and action of our elected mayor and city council. You would think that we are working for them and not the other way around. They are afraid of the police and fire department (corruption). The Civil rights ordiance is a joke, it is not a civil rights issue but a safety issue for all females, including your mother, grandmother, wife, children and sibling. Women use the restroom different than men, we have undergarments to deal with, think of the fear of trying to deal with them and not knowing that a man or whatever breaks in on them. Then you have the issue of the water,garbage and drainage fee. I will never vote for any of this group of self serving, incompentent individuals again in any office. Continue to maintain your independence as a journalist, I read every paper and thank you for your honesty. 61 year resident of the City of Houston. Connie

Dear Editor: I totally agree with Jonathan McElvy’s article in the August 9th Leader concerning City Hall needs accountability. Seems other news reporting agencies and in particular Houston’s big newspaper go out of their way to suppress or ignore the political issues of Houston’s constituency. In that respect I believe they just become part of the problem. Anybody can report weather, traffic, sports and dramatics. Keep up the good work and hopefully the politicians will someday realize they were voted into office to actually do something productive for our communities. Something that the public can actually put their finger on and recognize. Oh, I can think of one. The color of the HPD cars changed. Let me think some more because there must be a number two out there somewhere? Wouldn’t it be nice if the politicians published a quarterly report of the projects they’re working on, their progress, their accomplishments and made it available online. Larry Weiler

Dear Editor: I just had to let you know that I loved your column this week. I really hope this one opens people’s eyes

Dear Editor: The only thing our mayor has done for Houston is make available more bike lanes and concessions for transgenders. I have lived here since 1968 and never has crime been so bad in the city and such bogus statistics reported. Shame on Parker. S. Jenkins

to what is happening in our city! With all the growth of the city, it is a perfect time for her to slip in her alternative agenda! Sandy Dear Editor: Love the “City hall needs accountability” article. Thanks for writing it. Let me know if I can help in any way. Alex Ligon Ashby on Boots Dear Editor Short but interesting story [in regards to Lynn Ashby’s boot column]. Needed a new pair of boots a few years back. Went to Cavender’s and tried on many pair. Everything was just too stiﬀ. Finally tried on a pair of Lucchese’s called “Ranch Hand.” Fit like the proverbial glove. I had to ask, WHAT material is ranch hand? (could it have been illegal ‘ranch hands?’) The young man was a little shy on answering. Seems my incredibly comfortable new Lucchese’s were horse skin. I was very disappointed but I still wear them. Rita Burton

Dear Editor: Bravo! Right on the nose - congrats on having the fortitude to publish what needs to be said about our local government leaders and their obvious oblivion to what people want them to be concerned about! Keep on keeping on! Paul

Thank you for the story Dear Editor: Michael Sudhalter published what I think was an excellent review on my daughter, Kedra Holland-Corn and her beautiful family. I thank him for recognizing her abilities and her accomplishments throughout her adolescence, adulthood and careers. Jimmy Ivory

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Experience the might of a Texas Friday night THE HIGH SCHOOL — Workers are getting ready for the most important part of Texas’ high schools’ autumn term. No, not math or English or even homeroom. It’s football, of course. CBS newsman and native Texan Bob Schieffer once observed, “In Texas, the week begins on Friday nights.” Drive across our state on a fall Friday evening and, as you go through small towns, you’ll see the stadium lights, hear the bands and cheers. A sports reporter once observed that he if were a smart burglar in Texas, he’d ply his trade only in the visitor’s towns on fall Friday nights because the populace, including the cops, would be out of town at the high school’s football game. As the Fightin’ Wombats from East Tumbleweed High begin their season, let’s look at this mammoth, extensive and expensive operation. (My local stadium is so big and splendid many a college would love to have it. Do you use a plastic mower to cut AstroTurf ?) Football in Texas’ public schools grades 7-12 is run by the University Interscholastic League or UIL. There are 1,470 member schools

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

in the League, which apparently includes every public school in the state, plus two private schools -- Dallas Jesuit and Houston Strake Jesuit -schools which are too large to be a part of the private school league, so a state law allowed them to become a part of UIL. I wonder if they get to cherrypick the best Catholic athletes in Dallas and Houston? Notre Dame would probably know. Virtually every major college has young Texans on its roster, which explains a story that, at an NCAA coaches’ convention some years ago, Duffy Daugherty of Michigan State ran into Tommy Prothro of UCLA and berated him. “What are you doing poaching players in my territory?” To which Prothro replied, “I haven’t even been in Michigan.”

“I’m not talking about Michigan. I’m talking about Texas!” This situation chaps me because Texas taxpayers ready these young men to play college football and then they go somewhere else. Can we send them a bill? Thus far nine former UIL players have received the Heisman Trophy including two from Dallas’ Woodrow Wilson High. Twenty-four have been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. It’s hard to give an exact number of UIL products playing professional football today, especially since the NFL has been in training camp and several will be cut. But it is around 150 players. One reason for the later success of our lads is that all Texas high school coaches in all sports programs must be full-time employees of the school district they coach for. And a lot of coaching there is: more than 150,000 studentathletes are in foot¨ball. Another plus: Texas is the only state where high school football uses NCAA rules, so there is no great change in rules between the Fightin’ Wombats and playing for the Lackluster Longhorns. In recent years the UIL has

toyed with where to stage the finals in football so that it is not too far away. That rules out El Paso and Brownsville, although neither town has had much luck in winning state football championships lately. And the stadium has to be covered. So Dallas (AT&T), San Antonio (AlamoDome) and Houston (NRG formerly Reliant Stadium) fight for the game. How big are these events? This from the UIL: Last year was the first time that all football state championship games, 11-man and 6-man, were held at the same facility (AT&T). The Texas high school football attendance record was broken during the Allen vs. Pearland game — 54,347 people showed up, no doubt a majority of them college scouts. 11-man football attendance: 221,339 (for 10 games) 6-man football attendance: 14,288 (for two games). As with my local stadium, some colleges would envy these attendance figures. Another change: This is the first year the UIL will have a Conference 6A. In football this means that all six-man football is Conference 1A and the 11-man schools are in conferences 2A through 6A. (The

old line about the UIL goes: “There are better football programs, but they play on Sunday afternoons.”) Besides football, ﬁve athletic events have state championships at The University of Texas-Austin facilities; swimming and diving, track and ﬁeld, golf, softball, and baseball — only one conference of baseball and golf played at UT. The one-act play state meet and academics state meets are both held on UT’s campus as well as many music competitions. The Legislative Council voted in June to create a Game Day Cheer (Leader) Competition as a pilot program for the 2015-16 school year. Continuation of the pilot program beyond the 2015-16 school year will require formal action by the full UIL Legislative Council. You may be wondering why we call this organization the University Interscholastic League, since linebacker Bubba McBlitz (18 years old, 6 feet 6 inches tall, 310 pounds, can bench press a VW Beetle, has trouble spelling UIL), is not university material nor scholastic. According to the Handbook of Texas, the group, which is

now the oldest and largest high school association of its kind in the U.S., began life at a Texas State Teachers Association meeting in Abilene in 1910 as part of the newly created Extension Bureau of UT. Known first as the Debating League of Texas High Schools, the league expanded its functions and in 1911 became the Debating and Declamation League of Texas Schools. Athletics didn’t enter the picture until 1912 when a track and field meet — not football -was added by taking over the functions of the Interscholastic Athletic Association. Then came two public-speaking events, contests in dramatics, journalism, music, essay writing, and finally football, basketball, tennis, golf and a bunch of other events. Former UIL participants include LBJ, Ann Richards, Barbara Jordan, Earl Campbell, Bill Moyers and Sandra Day O’Connor. Houston sports columnist Mickey Herskowitz, wrote: “There must really be something to religion. People keep comparing it to Texas high school football.” Amen. Ashby competes at ashby2@comcast

Saturday, August 16, 2014 • Page 5A

Swayze, from P. 1A

ry school career at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School where his family also went to church. He apparently honed his romantic persona there too. St. Rose classmate Rhonda Meyer Harris recollects him calling her house, but her father wouldn’t let her come to the phone. Undeterred, Buddy typed her the following poem which the family unearthed at her grandmother’s home a few years back: “I know a girl named Ronda, / She is the girl of my dreams. / She reminds me of a girl in El Fonda, / When she ﬁxes her face in those creams. / She has a heart of gold / And her teeth are just like pearls. / She is only nine years old. / She is not like the other girls. / Her personality is so sweet, / And is always so neat. / Love, Buddy Swayze.” After St. Rose, Swayze attended Frank Black Middle School where classmate Leslie Bay Curran said they ran in different crowds but remembers him as a “big time jock.” Others wrote on Facebook of their memories of Swayze and pal Nikki D’Amico in the school’s production of Carousel. “Once saw a revival of Carousel on Broadway and left thinking ours with Buddy and Nikki stood up pretty well,” wrote John Askins. At S.P. Waltrip High School, Swayze was one of the leads in West Side Story, which his mother choreographed. However, he was also an athlete. According to his autobiography, he “ran track, swam...and

Patsy, remembered about the future star of Dirty Dancing – he wasn’t always that crazy about it. “He was a reluctant dance student,” said Joe. “He was very physical, but dance was not (initially) his passion. He was a strong male who could lift.” Logan remembers Patsy “having a fit one time because he couldn’t be found for dance class.” But it was something he eventually worked hard at – hard enough to earn a scholarship to the Harkness Ballet in New York City – and regularly enough that he caught plenty of flak from his peers about his dancing. Swayze relates several incidents where he fought back against those who bullied or taunted him, but Sparacino remembers one night at Ella Plaza when the company was rehearsing in front of the plate glass window. A group of boys hanging out on bicycles sat outside watching, and making fun of the boy dancers. “At first Patsy told the boys to just ignore them, but finally they couldn’t stand it,” said Sparacino. “Buddy and some others went out and people were flying off bicycles. They didn’t come back though.” Dancing also gave Swayze another gift – his future wife Lisa Niemi. “She came to Patsy’s at 14, became a lead dancer and then Buddy’s partner,” said Joe. “He was smitten.” School Years Swayze began his elementa-

relationship with the Swayze family. “Buddy and I would go to school and then head to the studio in the afternoon to dance or to clean it for others who would rent it out,” she said. “It was our home away from home.” There was a core group of female dancers, including future girlfriend, Nikki D’Amico, who were very close to Patsy. Close enough that they often had slumber parties at her house in the 2300 block of Del Norte, where the Swayzes moved when Buddy was 10 years old. Joe gives Buddy credit for saving her life when she almost drowned in the swimming pool behind the Judiway studio where he was a parttime lifeguard. “Buddy was like a big brother to us,” she said. “We were all his friends.” Another dancer, Leanna Sparacino, who worked with Patsy in California and performed at her memorial, was four years younger than Swayze but remembers him with equal fondness. “Buddy was my ﬁrst male dance partner,” Sparacino said. “He was awesome even back then. He could sing, dance, he was intelligent and had manners. There was nothing not to like.” Interestingly, there was one other thing that Cookie Joe and Bob Logan, a friend of Vicky’s who also danced with

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windows.” Even today, people are still smitten with Swayze. “Every once in a while we get some European tourists at Mytiburger because they heard he hung out here,” wrote Shawn Salyers on the Oak Forest Association Facebook page. “Somewhere in France there’s about 10 minutes of documentary footage with me winging it on questions about him.” He did in fact eat there, according to Sean who remembers riding bikes to Mytiburger. Doyle’s was a popular place for pizza with the Waltrip crowd too. Other hangouts like the Chuck Wagon and Alﬁe’s in Ella Plaza are long gone. The house on Wakeﬁeld no longer stands but the one on Del Norte does. Most tragically, the man himself is no longer here. Swayze died in 2009 of pancreatic cancer. What does remain though are the memories of those who knew him way back when. “Buddy always remained down to earth and just as happy to see you,” said Leanna Sparacino. In 2006, Cookie Joe was in New York to receive a teaching award at a banquet where Swayze was the keynote speaker. “I hadn’t seen him in 30 years and waited 45 minutes to meet him. Everyone else was calling him Patrick but when I got up there I said ‘Hi Buddy.’ He started crying and we held up the line. We took 15 minutes just to be Buddy and Cookie again.”

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a Track Scholarship at Sam Houston State. Buddy Swayze was a true friend.” Rise to fame As Swayze recounts in The Time of My Life, a football injury in a game against the Yates Lions ended his days on the gridiron. After rehabbing, he went to San Jacinto Junior College on a gymnastics scholarship and then to New York with Harkness Ballet. He played Danny Zuko on Broadway in Grease and then with wife Lisa, made the decision to move to Los Angeles. The rest is entertainment history. Bob Logan, who went on to work in management at AstroWorld, was watching television one night and immediately recognized the young Confederate soldier in the mini-series North and South. “I thought wow, this was the little kid who didn’t talk very much,” he said. “He went to the top in everything he tried,” said Sean Swayze, a former Marine, who took some tumbling classes from his mom too back in the day before immersing himself in sports. He said that by the time he was at Waltrip, his big brother was well known outside of the neighborhood and that he got a lot of questions from his teachers. He also recalls the night John Travolta came to dinner at the house on Del Norte when Patsy was choreographing Urban Cowboy: “Friends would hide in the front yard and try to look through the

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took up diving, which I did well in thanks to my gymnastics training.” In the Waltrip yearbooks, he is pictured with both the football team – Swayze writes he was named All-City Halfback – as well as the drama and folksinging club. Oak Forest’s Carol Obenhaus was in the folk singing group too and very aware of him, like many girls at Waltrip. “It was a social group,” she said. “We didn’t really sit on campus. There were rotating parties where we met at various people’s houses.” Leslie Bay Curran recalls that at tryouts for one of the drama productions, Swayze got out his guitar instead of being accompanied by pianist Danny Ward. “We thought that was pretty cool.” Rhonda Meyer Harris was at Waltrip too, but didn’t know Buddy well by then. She knew his clandestine nickname though – Body Swayze. Class of ‘70 graduate Sal Salazar got to know Swayze through sports. “I was a track runner and he was playing Junior Varsity football,” he said. “We would hang out after school and shoot hoops.” Salazar said that Swayze helped him after he was disqualiﬁed in the HISD District Track Meet because of his age. “He gave me moral support and the encouragement I needed not to give up running. So I continued training on my own and my coach entered me in the Texas AAU Junior Olympic Summer Games. After some victories, I (got)

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Page 6A • Saturday, August 16, 2014

Neighbors: Students head back to school refreshed, enriched By Elizabeth Villareal

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Our neighbors are preparing to go back to school and we certainly remember those days, don’t we? The scent of crayons, freshly sharpened pencils and pink erasers always makes me feel nostalgic. While it is always hard to turn away from summer, put our school clothes back on and go back to the rush and hurry of today’s school routine, many students are looking forward to the school year and a few are already hard at work up at school. I spoke with a few students preparing to go back to area schools and asked them what they did this summer and what they are looking forward to in this new school year. Today’s kiddos don’t stop being busy just because it’s summer. Sophia Baldazo is the daughter of Edward & Otomi Baldazo and lives in the Heights. She is entering the 8th grade at Hamilton Middle School and said, “This school year will be fun and exciting given the fact that it’s my last year at Hamilton. This school year I was also asked to be a leader for the Speech Debate and Performance so that should be very exciting. And last but not least cheerleading will deﬁnitely be a highlight of my school year.” Sophia enjoyed traveling through Texas with her family this summer and visited Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. She volunteered this summer with St. Martin’s Episcopal Church where the middle school youth group made care packages for the homeless and birthday cards for foster children. She said, “The best thing I did this summer would probably have to have been going to the Sunsation Tour at the Bayou Music Center to see some Viners perform, and getting to meet them afterwards.” Sophia is enthusiastic about the school year and said, “My goal for after school is to graduate from college and become a well-known attorney.” Waltrip High School Junior Mason Grifﬁth is an active member of the Ram Band where he is Section Leader of the Tuba Section and Equipment Manager. He volunteered this summer with the band (the band worked and traveled almost all summer with the exception of a few weeks collectively) and also helped set up triathlons for local triathlon company Onurmark Productions. Mason’s favorite experience over the summer was attending Texas A&M University-Commerce’s

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Emily Aldis of Forest West will be an 8th grader at Frank Black Middle School this fall where she is a cheerleader.

During the summer, she went to cheer camp, attended Student Life Youth Camp in Tennessee, was part of an amazing mission trip to Honduras with her sister, Abby, and she vacationed at Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons with her parents, Jeff and Laura Aldis, and her sister. Emily mixed in a few days at her Granny’s with a friend and cousin for swimming, canoeing, and generally being a kid. She’s looking forward to another great year at Black with her friends. Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet’s brand new fourth grader Charles Komarek enjoyed adventures all summer long. He attended camp at the Texas Rock Gym and also Writers in the Schools Camp; visited the Houston Zoo, HMNS and its Butterﬂy Museum, the Houston Arboretum, and Splashtown; and especially enjoyed kicking his soccer ball around in the backyard. Charles traveled to Boston with his parents Chris and

THE OBITUARIES. Jackson Bates Craven Jr., 91, born Jan. 4, 1923, died Aug. 5. Rose Mary Wasylyszyn Duncan, 93, born Oct. 28, 1920, died Aug. 3. Starting out as a ‘soda jerk’ at Krause’s Pharmacy, she later retired from Hamilton Shirt Company. Duncan worked as a seamstress there for more than 30 years. She is survived by Robert Duncan, Lea Johnson, Ronald Duncan and Carolyn Atkinson, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Dorothy Angeline (Gurka) Faterkowski, 85, born June 3, 1929, died Aug. 5.

Charlene Marberry, 89, born July 13, 1925 in Donie, Texas, died Aug. 3. She is survived by her sons Gary and Charles Marberry, sister Nelda Wilkinson, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. William Ted McGlashen, 55, born Dec. 7, 1958, died Aug. 4. Garland “Bubba” Shiloh, 55, born April 7, 1959 in San Pablo, Calif., died Aug. 4. Shiloh graduated from Kashmere Senior High School in 1977. He went on to Carleton College in Northﬁeld, Minnesota, receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Anthropology in 1983. He returned to Houston to pursue a long career in ﬁnancial services culminating with his work as an Internal Wholesaler for Invesco (Formerly AIM) until April of 2012. He is survived by his loving mother, Edna Brown and sister, Andrea Shiloh. Patricia Switzer Stivender, 59, born Nov. 17, 1954 in Atlanta, Ga., died Aug. 4. Stivender was employed by Acme Brick for 30 years, and resident of Houston since 1972. She is survived by her husband, Eric Stivender; sister, Susan Robertson; brother, John Switzer; father and mother-in-law Simmie and Kathleen Stivender. Memorial contributions may be made to Lazy Brook Baptist Church. Mattie “Genell” Wootan, 92, born July 28, 1923, died Aug. 10. She was a life-long member of the Methodist Church, and retired from Houston Independent School District. She was also a member of the Northwest YMCA. She is survived by her daughter Brenda Spillman, son Randy Wootan, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

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Mary Sharon Komarek and his brother, James, as they visited family there for the 4th of July. There, Charles played on the beach at the Jersey Shore and went sightseeing. Charles said the trip to Boston was his favorite part of the summer because he loved spending time with his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Glad to be home, Charles is looking very forward to getting to know his new teacher and spending time with his friends at school.

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Everett Garza, 74, born Feb. 28, 1940, died Aug. 10. Steven Rey Lascano, 41, born March 12, 1973 at the USAF Hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany, died Aug. 4. He is survived by his mother, Ona Ferrell and step-father John; father Edward Lascano and step-mother Connie; sister Amanda Crump; brother Anthony Lascano; step-brothers Jim Ferrell, Tisen Thomsen and Neal Gordon; step-sisters Dawn Marie Ferrell, Sherene Hilbun and Trisha Weisman. He is also survived by his step-mother Sylvana Franze, grandmothers Ora Correa and Edwina Lascano, and Grandfather Hector Correa. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

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Contributed Photo Emily Aldis, an 8th grader at Frank Black Middle School, works with children in Honduras. Emily traveled to Honduras as part of a mission trip with her sister Abby. The Forest West youngster says she is looking forward to another year at school with her friends.

Leadership, Drum Major & Colorguard Camp for the second time in Commerce, TX. Mason said, “I expect the upcoming school year to be better than the last but as most juniors in high school should know, it is one of the most important years of high school with SATs, etc.” When asked what he is most looking forward to in this school year, Mason said, “The band started the summer band camp for new and returning students for the upcoming marching season and I’m looking forward to the competitions and memories that my team will make together as we journey through the State of Texas performing and competing.” Mason, son of proud parents Mark and Robin Grifﬁth, plans to attend college and major in construction site management and minor in music.

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Saturday, August 16, 2014 • Page 7A

THE CALENDAR. SONS OF LEGIONNAIRES STEAK NIGHT American Legion Post 560 Come by American Legion Post 560, 3720 Alba Rd., for a delicious meal while supporting a great cause. Steak dinners will be served at 6 p.m. Aug. 15, until sold out. There will also be entertainment. Information: 713682-9287.

‘BAD MEDICINE OR GOOD TO THE LAST DROP’ MELLER DRAMMER Theatre Suburbia The theatre presents “Bad Medicine, or Good To The Last Drop,” by Kris Thompson. Performances will continue through Aug. 23. Theatre Suburbia is located at 4106 Way Out West Dr. Information: 713-682-3525, www.theatresuburbia.org.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER DOGGIE DASH Oak Forest Homeowners Assoc. Register your pooch for the one mile Doggie Dash at 8 a.m. Aug. 16, at Oak Forest Park. Pre-registration is $15 at Oak Forest Chill, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 15. Registration is $20 on event day, from 7-7:45 a.m. There will be prizes and food trucks. Proceeds go to Oak Forest Animal Advocates. Information: www.eventbee.com. www.americanlegionpost560.org.

HAMILTON MIDDLE SCHOOL REGISTRATION/ORIENTATION Hamilton Middle School Registration will be held at the school, 139 E. 20th St., from 8 a.m.-noon Aug. 18-21. Information: 713-802-4725. BACK TO SCHOOL SHOT BLITZ Northwest Assistance Ministries The annual Shot Blitz will be Aug. 18-20. The event provides immunizations for uninsured children in kindergarten through

12th grade. The cost is $10 per child (cash only). Parents must bring all of their child’s immunization records. Shot Blitz will take place at The Children’s Clinic at NAM, 15555 Kuykendahl Rd. Information: 281-885-4630, www. namonline.org. HOUSTON CHORAL SHOWCASE AUDITIONS Zion Lutheran Church Theatre Under The Stars’ local partner, Houston Choral Showcase, will be holding auditions in August at Zion Lutheran Church, 3606 Beauchamp. Open rehearsals and auditions are Aug. 18 and Aug. 25. No prepared audition piece is required. Information: 281-346-0161, www.choralshowcase.org. MAKE IT HAPPEN WITH DAVID LORMS Internet Radio Show Ellen Cohen, Houston City Council Member District C, will

appear live at noon, Aug. 22, on www.KBRZSports.com. On Aug. 27, Anchor Courtney Zavala of KPRC (Click2houston) will be featured. The Podcast of the show will be available online at www.spreaker.com/user/7420120 or iHeart Radio. Information: DavidL2490@aol.com. FUNDRAISER AT SWEETFROG Waltrip Parent Teacher Student Association Come out and enjoy a sweet treat while supporting the local Waltrip PTSA at SweetFrog, 1214 W. 43rd St., from 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Aug. 23. Information: www. waltrippta.org/join-the-ptsa/, 832 752-7561. FIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE Computer Wiz Bring all donations to Computer Wiz, 511 Garden Oaks Blvd., until Aug. 27. Donations may be in the form of school supplies

or monetary contributions with checks made out to the Heights Community Fund. Visit website for examples of school supplies needed. Information: www. heightschamber.com/school-supply-drive, 713-979-4500. YMCA MEN’S SCRIPTURE SHARING GROUP Harriet and Joe Foster Family YMCA Join Foster YMCA will have a Men’s Scripture Sharing Group at 7 a.m. Aug. 28. This six-week series equips men to embrace how their past has aﬀected their present and prepares them to deal with the future. Donuts and coﬀee are available. Reservatons are recommended. Information: 713-681-5241, alex. valdez@ymcahouston.org. MANNA FUNDRAISER Ministry Assistance of the Near Northwest Alliance MANNA is celebrating 25 years

in the community. A fund-raising event will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 1, in the parking lot of the MANNA Resale Store, 1806 W. 43rd St. This event will be a BBQ dinner and silent auction. Tickets are $15 pre-sale or $20 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at the store or online. Information: 713-504-5486, pdornak@gmail. com, www.manna-houston.org. SHRED FOR KOMEN Computer Wiz Bring all old, personal papers into the secured bin and once a month, it’s shredded on site and picked up by Texas Security Shredding at Computer Wiz, 511 Garden Oaks Blvd. Also bring old computers, monitors, printers, hard drives, ﬂoppy disks and CDs for recycling. Information: 713979-4500.

FROM THE PEWS. Mystery Dinner Theater at St. Stephen’s Tickets are now on sale for $15 each for the Mystery Dinner Theater at St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church, 2003 W. 43rd St., Saturday, Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m. and a matinee; Sunday, Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. in the fellowship hall. Both performances of “A Wedding in Sicily” will include a catered Italian dinner. Students of all ages are welcome to bring backpacks for a special blessing at the 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. worship service Sunday, Aug 24. Call 713-686-824 for information.

Thrift store at St. Joseph’s Catholic open after all Masses St. Joseph Catholic Church Summer Thrift Store, 1505 Kane St., will be open after each mass on Sundays (9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.) until Aug. 24. Proceeds from sales will help raise funds for the fall festival on Sept. 27. Call 713-222-6193 for information. Garage sale at All Saints Catholic The Guadalupanas will be holding a garage sale at All Saints Catholic Church, 215 E. 10th St., from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, in the parish hall. Call 713-864-2653 or visit www.allsaintsheights.com for information.

Faith and film at Oaks Presbyterian Oaks Presbyterian Church, 1576 Chantilly Ln., will be showing a Disney/Pixar film with a Christian theme for the Wednesday Bible Study. The film The Incredibles will be at noon, Aug. 27. Call 713-682-2556 or visit www.oakspresbyterian.org for information.

Emergency? Log on. Check in. Get seen.

Check in online to the ER with ScheduleNow. With Memorial Hermann’s online scheduling tool, ScheduleNow, you are a few clicks away from checking in to our ER. Simply head to our website, choose the best time for you and reserve your spot. Once you arrive,

Blessing of the Backpacks at Grace UMC Grace United Methodist Church, 1245 Heights Blvd., will have a Blessing of the Backpacks at the 10:45 a.m. worship service Aug. 24. Call 713-862-8883 for information.

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The benefits of pet ownership far outweighs the risks but now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Companion Animal Parasite Control (CAPC) are addressing zoonotic issues like never before. “Zoonotic,” refers to disease that people can contract from animals. Rabies virus is the first zoonotic disease most of us think but is uncommon in the U.S. because of the pet vaccines and wildlife barriers. Leptospirosis bacteria is actually the most common zoonotic disease worldwide, but is rare in the U.S., because of our sanitary drinking water and animal vaccines. The greatest concern of the CDC and CAPC have new guidelines that make it easy to prevent zoonotic threats. Please visit www.capcvet. org or www.petsandparasites.com. Your veterinarian is your family’s first line of defense against zoonotic and parasite threats. The key to safe families can be as simple as educating children to wash their hands and not walk barefoot where animals eliminate feces and urine. Also pet owners must be educated to take their pets to the vet and use monthly prescribed parasite prevention year-round.

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BE YOUR BEST SELF

ll too often in life there is pressure to conform to what others think we should be. Parents may pressure their children to be what they think of as “ideal” sons or daughters. Young people feel the pressure of looking, talking and acting the right way so that their peers will perceive them as being cool. In our work lives we are expected to live up to the organization’s standards and to be the “face” of the organization while we are at work and representing them. And of course we all think that everyone should believe as we do on important matters of faith and morals. But, since God created us, then perhaps we should trust that our true nature will not lead us astray. God has implanted instincts in all of us which serve both for our own survival as well as for the survival of the species as a whole. We spend too much time and effort wearing masks when we should really just try to be ourselves. How boring it would be if everyone conformed to others’ standards. We should trust that God has made us perfect in our own way and strive to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” 1 Peter 3:3-4

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Page 8A • Saturday, August 16, 2014

Chewing the fat about lipomas

Dear Tabby Molly Sue McGillicutty passed away in April, after a brief battle with cancer. She is greatly missed by her family and those that knew and loved her. Since Molly loved nothing more than telling people what to do, we thought we’d honor her memory by changing the pet column to a question/answer format (a la Dear Abby). We welcome your questions, so please send your queries to Tabby at deartabbyquestions@gmail. com. Dear Tabby, I’ve noticed that my dog has a raised, gelatinous growth right under the skin. Is this something that I should be concerned about? -Anxious in Acres Homes Dear Anxious, While it can been unsettling to ﬁnd a tumor on your beloved pet, it sounds like your pooch probably has a lipoma, or fatty tumor. So, should you run directly to the vet? According to Dr. Rita Ho, a veterinary instructor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary

Medicine, “Lipomas are common tumors of dogs and, although the gross appearance and texture of these tumors is characteristic, they are benign (harmless) tumors in most cases.” Most lipomas feel soft and movable under the skin. They usually do not make pets uncomfortable unless they are in a location where normal movement is disrupted. Often they are located on the belly or trunk, but can be anywhere on the dog’s body. Most dogs with one lipoma will eventually develop several. Dr. Ho explains, “dogs can form lipomas under any conditions, even if the dog is in good body condition. It is not related to any known cause or environmental factor.” Another, slightly more invasive type of fatty tumor is called an infiltrative lipoma. While also benign, infiltrative lipomas can grow into muscle tissue and may need to be removed. A more serious type of fatty tumor is the liposarcoma, which needs immediate veterinary attention and action. According to Dr. Ho, “unlike lipomas and infiltrative lipomas, these rare fatty tumors are malignant and can spread to the animals’ lungs, bones and other organs.” Animals with a liposarcoma usually don’t show any symptoms and require blood work and tis-

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sue pathology in order to be diagnosed. Typically Dr. Ho recommends surgery and/or radiation treatment to treat such liposarcomas. Just to be safe, it’s a good idea to talk with your vet if you notice a fatty tumor on your pet. Lipomas are fairly common and, though malignant liposarcomas and inﬁltrative lipomas are rare, it’s best to put your mind at ease and seek treatment from your vet. Hop to adopt a rabbit at

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Saturday, August 16, 2014 • Page 9A

Despite optimism, some residents still concerned about law enforcement By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

While officials with the Houston Police Department and the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office see a bright future fighting crime in the area, some residents say their past experiences with law enforcement still has them feeling concerned. In late July, The Leader reported on Constable Alan Rosen and HPD Chief Charles McClelland’s positive outlook on fighting crime in the area. However, one Oak Forest resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said she hopes this positive outlook isn’t just posturing. The resident, who simply goes by Jane, said she Photo by Jonathan Garris and her husband have been A large hole still remains in the side of this Oak Forest home after an alleged drunk driver struck the victimized eight times since home several months ago. The homeowner has been unhappy with local law enforcement’s initial moving into the area back in response, and other residents claim to have had similar expeirences. 2003, but claims law enforcement only showed up twice to like that for a burglary case to come forward with their about what they had seen. concerns, particularly during like this,” Jane said. Silva said she was concerned investigate. Frustrated with the re- monthly meetings with local hearing about the incident and “We’ve been through a lot since we’ve been here,” Jane sponse, Jane wrote directly officers as part of the depart- emphasized the importance of said. “My husband’s care was to HPD and followed up after ment’s Positive Interaction residents keeping all lines of communication open. part of a hit-and-run, we’ve the incident, and weeks later Program. “We don’t want anyone to “If residents don’t feel the had a few cases of identity a superior officer personally theft and both of our homes came out to the residence and feel like they’re not getting a investigation was handled we’ve had while living here apologized “profusely” for the good response from police,” properly, then they have to Silva said. “If you have con- report it as that’s the only way way the officer’s conduct were burglarized.” HPD spokesperson Jodi Sil- cerns, then our officers are al- we know about it,” Silva said. The most recent burglary Those with concerns about took place in 2010, when Jane va said things have changed in ways there to speak with you.” Despite this, Jane said she the response in their neighborreturned home from work ear- the last several years and more ly to find the back door kicked officers are trained to handle still isn’t particularly optimistic. hoods or particular investigafingerprints. The biggest issue In June, one of Jane’s neigh- tions can contact the main in and the family dog outside. “It clearly had just happened officers now face is finding a bors on Mountwood Street HPD number or their patrol also had what they claim to be district. The internal affairs and I knew it wasn’t safe to go print that’s useable. “A lot of times there sim- a poor run-in with law enforce- division can be reached by in,” Jane said. “Even though I felt I expressed my fears when ply aren’t any available,” Silva ment after a vehicle veered off phone at 713-308-8900. Silva also asked residents I called 911, it still took almost said. “Sometimes, the surfaces the road and struck the side of 30 minutes for the police to ar- the perpetrator touched may their home. The homeowner to be mindful of the situations not have left a complete print. said the vehicle hit her home facing police officer on a daily rive.” While investigating the A screen mesh isn’t going to hard enough to push the home basis, and emphasized speakhome, Jane also came across provide a proper print, nor are several inches off its founda- ing out if they find something important or know something tion. one of their flat-screen TV’s, fabrics.” Even if prints are entered Jane said the driver claimed that might help the investigawhich had been turned on the stands like someone had at- into HPD’s database, howev- the passenger slumped over tion. “If someone calls us and tempted to take it. Jane said a er, there is still not guarantee and hit the steering wheel causing the loss of the vehicle. says their home has been handprint had been left on its there will be a match. “Putting the information in Despite her neighbors pleas burglarized but don’t make it screen and she also suggested that prints may have been left is great, but the limitation is and testimony from other wit- clear that someone is still in on vintage glass doorknobs if it simply doesn’t match with nesses that both men were the home, we might mark that used around the house. She anything we already have then intoxicated, Jane claims an down as a no,” Silva said. “We claims this information fell on we’re still at an impasse,” Silva officer told them there “wasn’t have far fewer officers in a dissaid. any need” for a breathalyzer trict than residents, and the deaf ears. Silva sympathized with the test. The homeowner also officers may be responding to “One of the younger officers 1 7/31/14 concerns 8:47 AM Page 1 of residents like claims the officer was other- other dangerous situations.” thereHeights said itAd_Layout wasn’t standard procedure to look for prints Jane and encouraged others wise uninterested in hearing

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