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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston Saturday, August 27, 2016 • Vol. 62 • No. 35
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New stage created The owners of the Heights Theater have fended off the rains. Now they’re getting close to reinvigorating 19th Street.
Read about it • 4A
New GO/OF spot looks to fill a need for the day and night crowds.
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The INDEX. Church....................................................... 7A Classifieds.............................................. 7B Coupons. ................................................. 8A Food/Drink/Art............................... 11A Obituaries.............................................. 7A Opinion. ................................................... 5A Public Information......................... 2A Puzzles...................................................... 5A Sports. ....................................................... 1B
From interviews with coaches, to rosters, every team’s schedule, Spalocal nish school Flowercovered in this year’s edition we’ve got every S p a n is of Varsity High hSchool FloweKick r Off. • Section B
Jewelry thieves target homes in Heights, GO By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Authorities are asking The Leader’s readership area to be increasingly vigilant in the coming days in the wake of several similar robberies earlier this week. Earlier this week, Precinct 1 deputies were dispatched to three separate robberies or attempted robberies in the Garden Oaks area. Around noon, deputies went to the 1000 block of Wakefield Street where evidence showed Within a span of one one or more burglars enhour, burglars broke tered a home through a into homes in both back door and stole jewthe Heights and elry from the master bedGarden Oaks and made off with room. A resident received jewelry. a home alarm alert while at work but the home security system apparently failed to automatically alert police. Roughly 30 minutes later, deputies were dispatched to the 900 block of Althea Street, where an unidentified person broke a rear glass door of a house but did not enter after the alarm system was activated. Finally, around 1 p.m., a resident flagged down See Thieves P. 8A
Opera in the Heights (Oh!) announced last week that the company met its urgent fundraising goal of $85,000, allowing the 2016-2017 season to proceed. Oh!’s many supporters are thrilled. There was a good possibility that the curtain had fallen for the last time without it. “This year, Opera in the Heights experienced one of the greatest challenges of its 21-year existence,” explained Mariam Khalili, Oh!’s Executive Director. “In one month, our community pulled together to make this upcoming season a reality. I must express my deep appreciation to our ‘Oh! Angels.’ There were many tears the day the help came through.” While the news is wonderful, the work is not yet See Opera P. 8A
Young man in the Heights spends his Saturdays setting up a WWII museum in his front yard.
Coffee into wine
By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader
The Houston Independent School District approved a $1.2 million budget Aug. 11, part of a 20162017 recommended overall budget of $2.3 billion, to change the names of seven schools in Houston that the district says were named after Confederate figures. While the budget may recently have gotten official approval, the work at Heights High, formerly Reagan High School, seems to have been largely completed to reflect the name change. Exterior walls are painted with RELATED: Retired educator the new name and Reagan alumn says the and the school’s fight is not over. • Page 5A front yard brick sign has a new placard. The engraved stone arch still bears the name of the former postmaster for the Confederacy though, as do the class pictures in the halls. It’s still a work in progress however. HISD put out the football schedule for 2016-2017 and Heights High was erroneously listed as “Reagan.” – Betsy Denson
Mural captures spirit of Durham By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com As students and staff stroll through the Durham Elementary School courtyard, before them now will be a masterpiece which faculty and staff say captures the very essence of the school and its mission. Last Thursday, Aug. 18, throngs of Durham Elementary students, parents and teachers gathered within the courtyard to experience the unveiling of a new mural painstakingly created over the course of two weeks by Houstonarea artist Tra’ Slaughter. As a world and dual-language school, every year Durham’s curriculum dictates each grade level focuses on one specific continent, and from that continent they choose a different country to dig deeper into and focus on throughout the year. Durham staff approached Slaughter back in July with the hope of creating a project which would breathe some life into the concept and truly bring it to life for the students. “Diversity came to mind when this project was approached to
Photo by Morris Malakoff From l to r: Steven Skiff, Heidi Skiff, Principal Amy Poerschke, Tra’ Slaughter (center front), Meilin Hyde, Nicole Planck, Tina Rojo and Kortnie Landry.
me,” Slaughter said. “It’s a mural that is supposed to be a little bit of fun and also very educational. I feel a lot of cultural diversity out here, so I think this piece is pretty spot on.” The group strove to cover different sections of every continent, such as important icons, landmarks and animals recognizable to all. Within the “connected dis-
connection” of the piece lie icons such as Buddha and Lady Liberty-co-existing along with wild animals such as a bear and a wolf, all surrounded by structures such as the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge. “It’ll really just to help them think about the how big the world See Durham P. 8A
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The public. Saturday, August 27, 2016 • Page 2A
Police Reports • Aug. 12 - Aug. 20 AUG. 12
Theft 4 PM 500-599 W 19TH Theft 7 PM 900-999 W 25TH Theft 12:03 PM 1100-1199 W 16TH Theft 6:31 AM 4100-4199 N SHEPHERD Theft 10:52 AM 900-999 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 12:30 PM 1500-1599 N LOOP W Robbery 3:24 PM 1200-1299 CABELL Theft 3 PM 2700-2799 WHITE OAK Theft 1:19 PM 2300-2399 COHN Theft 11 AM 200-299 W 20TH
AUG. 13
Theft 1 PM 200-299 W 28TH Burglary 6 PM 2300-2399 COUCH Theft 9:30 AM 1500-1599 BEVIS Assault 1:20 PM 4400-4499 N SHEPHERD Theft 6:06 AM 800-899 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 11 AM 2500-2599 SHEARN Theft 6:45 PM 5100-5199 CENTER Theft 5:50 AM 900-999 N DURHAM Theft 12:53 PM 700-799 HEIGHTS Burglary 3:33 AM 4200-4299 YALE Theft 12:45 PM 1200-1299 MATHIS Theft 12:30 PM 1200-1299 MATHIS Theft 11:40 AM 1800-1899 SHEPHERD Theft 8:01 PM 200-299 HEIGHTS
AUG. 14
Theft 7:32 AM 2800-2899 N SHEPHERD Robbery 2:22 PM 3900-3999 N SHEPHERD
Theft 4:08 PM 2200-2299 BEVIS Assault 2:13 PM 200-299 E 44TH Burglary 8 AM 700-799 W 42ND Theft 4:15 PM 900-999 N LOOP W Assault 6:13 PM 000-099 E CROSSTIMBERS Robbery 12:49 AM 2700-2799 WASHINGTON Burglary 6:49 AM 800-899 ALEXANDER Theft 11:41 AM 600-699 STUDEWOOD Theft 7:51 AM 1500-1599 N LOOP W
AUG. 15
Theft 8 AM 1300-1399 ASHLAND Theft 2 PM 600-699 MERRILL Theft 1:36 PM 3000-3099 ELLA Theft 5:30 PM 700-799 W 11TH Theft 5:09 AM 900-999 E 23RD Theft 11:30 PM 1000-1099 E 27TH Theft 11:41 AM 4000-4099 N SHEPHERD Burglary 4:30 PM 4100-4199 NORTH Theft 2:10 PM 1500-1599 SHEPHERD Theft 1:17 PM 1800-1899 ASHLAND Theft 4:46 PM 2800-2899 N DURHAM Assault 4:36 PM 1000-1099 ARLINGTON Vandalism 8:03 PM ARLINGTON & WHITE OAK Theft 7:10 PM 500 BLOCK MERRILL Theft 6:29 AM 500-599 JACKSON HILL
AUG. 16
Theft 2:46 PM 500-599 W 19TH Theft 6 AM 1200-1299 ASHLAND Theft 2 PM 700-799 N LOOP W Burglary 2:55 AM 1500-1599 W 34TH
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Theft 12:50 AM 1000-1099 ASHLAND Burglary 3:05 AM 1600-1699 LAWRENCE Theft 12:30 PM 1800-1899 N SHEPHERD Theft 10:37 AM 900-999 N LOOP W Theft 9:30 AM 400-499 GARDEN OAKS Theft 10:30 AM 1400-1499 N LOOP W Theft 6:45 PM 600-699 EUCLID Theft 9:15 AM 100-199 HEIGHTS
Theft 5:30 PM 100-199 E 2ND Theft 2:30 PM 300-399 W 23RD Theft 6:05 AM 900-999 TULANE Burglary 9:01 AM 2000-2099 W 14TH Theft 4:30 PM 3000-3099 WHITE OAK Theft 6 PM 4300-4399 AVENS Theft 4:10 PM 4400-4499 N SHEPHERD Burglary 8 PM 3400-3499 WHITE OAK Burglary 9 PM 2900-2999 WHITE OAK Theft 3 PM 600-699 STUDEWOOD
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Another public safety issue that simply will not go away has reared its head once again. According to an alert from Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen, residents should be on the lookout for thieves stealing tailgates from parked pick-up trucks in the area. The latest cases in Garden Oaks
and the Heights include an incident last Monday, Aug. 18, in Shepherd Park at 900 Chantilly and in Candlelight at 4914 Candlemist, as well as on Aug. 14 in Garden Oaks in the 700 block of 42nd Street. According to a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau published in June, the following steps are among those recommended in order to keep thieves from targeting
your tailgates. • Lock your tailgate if it has a factory-installed lock. If not, an aftermarket replacement latch assembly with a lock may be available for residents’ trucks. Locks can have either a manual or electronic locking component. • Park your vehicle in a LOCKED garage so that thieves scoping out potential targets cannot access it.
Theft 8 PM 1200-1299 HARVARD Robbery 1:20 AM 2400-2499 KATY
Theft 2:48 PM 100-199 YALE Theft 3:30 AM 200-299 DORCHESTER Theft 4:45 AM 400-499 NORTHLINE MALL Robbery 9:40 PM 4100-4199 WASHINGTON Theft 6 PM 000-099 HEIGHTS Burglary 7:47 AM 700-799 N SHEPHERD Assault 1:35 PM 200-299 E 36TH Theft 3:38 PM 600-699 W CAVALCADE Theft 2:56 PM 1400-1499 W 19TH
AUG. 19
Robbery 9:29 AM 4400-4499 NORTH Assault 6:28 AM FULTON & PATTON Robbery 5:20 PM 300-399 E 40TH Burglary 11:20 PM 1400-1499 E 35TH Theft 6 PM 300-399 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 7:14 PM 4000-4099 NORTH Robbery 7:05 PM 100-199 YALE Burglary 6:30 PM 2400-2499 KATY Theft 1:23 PM 100-199 YALE
• Park with the truck's tailgate as close as possible to a building or other large object that prevents the tailgate from being opened. • Etch the truck's vehicle identification number or a personal identification number into the tailgate. This may prevent it from being stolen or at least make it easier to recover if it is stolen.
Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.
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Teenage Cosgrove curator of Houston Heights Mini WWII Museum By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader Residents of the Heights may have noticed the exhibit in the front yard of a home at E. 12th Street and Courtlandt. At first glance, it appears to be a garden variety yard sale with old apparel hanging from a clothesline and a table displaying odds and ends. On closer inspection, visitors discover it’s not a yard sale at all, but a “mini-museum.” Fourteen-year-old Heights resident Jake Cosgrove has been curating WWII relics for six years, and the remarkable youth shares them with the public in his front yard every other Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Jake calls his collection the “Houston Heights Mini WWII Museum,” and it’s nothing short of amazing.
Jake conducts “tours” of the mini museum for anyone who stops to look; he carefully identifies the 90 relics and recounts the origin and history behind every one. He is a teen who certainly does his research. “I think my favorite items are these pictures,” Jake said while gingerly opening a photo album. “These were taken on D-Day on the beach of Normandy.” He proceeded to define the geography of Normandy, and described the landing with American forces advancing first by sea, then by land. “There is this collection of ‘trench art,’” Jake continued, pointing to an assortment of candlesticks, letter openers and ashtrays fashioned out of odd objects. “Trench art started because soldiers
Photo by Kim Hogstrom Museum Curator Jake Cosgrove, left, and his father, John Cosgrove display a WWII poster.
were bored so they would sit around and put things together. This one is German-made,” he continued, handling a dish with a big bullet poking skyward in the center. “This ashtray has a 1940
German shell casing in the middle, and a 1938 French coin attached. German soldiers occupied France for six years, and they didn’t have much to do, so they made stuff.”
The fascinating exhibition also includes WWII items such as an American Army field telephone, military-issued clothing, war posters, a book of rationing stamps from the Heights, Japanese cigarettes, and an American pilot’s watch. ”It still works!” Jake exclaimed. While The Leader was visiting, a mother who home schools her children stopped by to investigate. As Jake shared his knowledge with the woman, she asked if she could bring her students to him for a history lesson. Jake blushed. The Cosgrove’s neighbor Fred Rogers has observed the youth compile his collection over time and remains in awe. “It overwhelms me to know that someone Jake’s age cares enough about our soldiers’ sacrifice that he is going to
such effort to share their history. His knowledge of history is commendable,” Rogers said. Where did all these relics come from? The teen accrued most of them from friends and neighbors. Some of the items are “on loan” to the museum, but most of it belongs to Jake. If there are any Leader readers looking for a great destination to donate family artifacts, or may be willing to share relics on loan, rest assured, Jake Cosgrove will take impeccable care of them. Please email him at heights.miniww2museum@ gmail.com. And what’s in the future for this remarkable teen? His objective is to curate a WWII museum with actual walls and a roof one day. We at The Leader are betting he will do exactly that.
Rebirth of the Historic Heights Theater By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader On Oct. 1, 2015, the iconic Heights Theater on 19th Street was purchased by a Dallas developer and residents of the Heights drew a collective gasp. First opened in 1929, the historically designated real estate remained safely in the hands of locals until that day. What was to become of the community’s most treasured commercial structure? The answer is – lots, and all for the good. Not only is the building’s historic designation carefully honored in its renovation, the theater’s new owner, Edwin Cabaniss, is proceeding with the objective of securing state and federal historic designations too. That’s no easy task, but this is not Cabaniss’ first historic reno, it’s his seventh. He knows what he’s doing. And what exactly is he doing? In short, Cabaniss is creating a community cultural and artistic hub. The theater will host two meeting spaces, two bars, a small commercial kitchen, two stages, a Ushaped, second-story balcony in the main hall, “and an art gallery to showcase Houston’s incredible talent,” Cabaniss stated.
The theater occupies about 7,000 square feet, and is slated to launch on Oct. 19. The space is flexible allowing for events of nearly any sort, even weddings. However, for the live music acts, the mainstay of the theater’s programming, seating stands at about 300. “No seat is further than 90 feet from the stage. At that distance, a person with 20/20 vision will be able to see the expressions on the performers’ faces. We did that on purpose. We want our audiences to have an intimate experience,” Cabaniss explained. This businessman also owns the historic Kessler Theater in Dallas’ aging Oak Cliff neighborhood. In the six years since opening The Kessler, the area surrounding it has sprung back to life. “We understand the role that an old theater can play in a community, not only historically, but also in the area’s future,” Cabaniss continued. “Right now, 19th Street pretty much closes down at night. We operate from 7 to 11 p.m. in the evening. I think we’ll see more nightlife here when we open.” As for the programming, the Heights Theater will host touring national acts, some of whom have not played in
through the year-long renovation? “Well,” the owner stated, “it was something we didn’t realize, but maybe we should have. It sure rains a lot in Houston,” he concluded with
a smile. For more information, to buy tickets, or check the lineup, go to www.theheightstheater.com.
The renovation and rebirth of the the Heights Theater. Photo taken standing above the main stage facing the iconic front of the building on 19th Street. The U-shaped balcony is taking form and the neon on the front is visible in the shot.
Houston due to the lack of a first-rate venue. However, it will also offer local and regional talent, as the Gulf Coast abounds with it. Whenever possible, local talent will open for national acts. On one evening, an audience may find classical music, the next, honky tonk, and the next, burlesque. “The one thing our audiences will learn is that whatever the performance is, the performers will be really good at what they do. It’s a trust we must earn, but I feel confident we will,” the owner said. Cabaniss brought in a ringer
from Dallas to manage the reborn theater. Steve (a.k.a. “Big Steve”) Shein is a tall, gracious, easy-going sort, with a background in performance touring management. He is in awe of the Heights. “I am really excited about the reception the theater has received. People have been so welcoming, and our introduction on White Linen Night amazed me. It blew me away. I already love Houston,” Shein stated. As the theater was originally slated to open in summer, The Leader asked Cabaniss if there were unexpected challenges
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LEADERS IN QUALITY Winner of the Finalist Award in the AHA – McKesson 2016 Quest for Quality Prize®. We’re honored that the American Hospital Association has selected Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital for the Finalist Award in the 2016 American Hospital AssociationMcKesson Quest for Quality Prize. This annual award recognizes hospitals for their leadership and innovation in quality improvement and safety. And this distinction is proof of Memorial Hermann’s never-ending quest to advance health. Memorial Hermann kicked off a celebration of its Lifeflight operation’s 40th anniversary with a stop at the Greater Heights hospital on Wednesday morning. (Photos by Jonathan McElvy)
Life Flight turns 40 Memorial Hermann Life Flight is in the midst of its “40 years of Life Flight, 40 days of thanks,” campaign in efforts to thank area hospitals for their partnership in saving countless lives over the last four decades, and the tour made its way to Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital on Wednesday. Hospital staff, administration and the community gathered to celebrate Life Flight’s historic milestone. Life Flight serves communities 24 hours a day and 365 days a year within a 150-mile radius of the Texas Medical Center, and four models have stood the test of time since Life Flight’s inception in August of 1976. Seventy-four members make up the crew of Life Flight today to conduct hundreds of life-saving missions each year, which use more than 275,000 gallons of jet fuel annually.
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- 80 percent of the Life Flight pilots and mechanics possess military experience - The Life Flight crew has administered more than 1,600 units of blood since the practice began in 2011. - Life Flight has flown more than 150,000 missions since its inception in 1976 - Four models have been used since inception: The Alouette III (19761982), TwinStar (1982-1988), Space Ship (1998-200) and the EC 145 (2008-present)
Learn what our award means for you. Visit memorialhermann.org
The Topics. Saturday, August 27, 2016 • Page 5A
Fight isn’t over for school names W
ith the encouragement of State Sen. Rodney Ellis, select members of the HISD Board of Trustees started down a treacherous path when they formally proposed in January 2016 to change the names of eight middle and high schools. Disguised as political correctness, the board selected the schools because they deemed their namesakes “linked to the Confederacy.” But the reasoning doesn’t pass the litmus test. As a native Houstonian and recent HISD retiree after 28 years of service, I have pride in and an emotional attachment to two of those schools. I graduated from John H. Reagan High School and spent 14 years of my employment at Lanier Middle School. When I first heard of their proposal, I began researching the backround of these two gentlemen. The only “link” I found between Lanier, Reagan and the Confederacy was each served their government (Lanier in the Signal Corp and Reagan as the most successful Postmaster General in U.S. history) but neither of them ever owned a slave. Reagan and Lanier are “linked to the Confederacy” in quite the same way as the Postmasters General during the Vietnam era and Senator John McCain are “linked to the Vietnam War.” Does a person being linked to an idea make them responsible for the overall actions and outcome? What do you suppose would have been the consequences had a man refused to serve his government? Instead, subsequent to their service, Reagan was politically disinherited when he publicly renounced secession and slavery while Lanier wrote poetry and served on the faculty of John Hopkins University. The majority of the trustees have slandered these men and in the name of political correctness and racism, they shoved their proposal through to a vote, wherein the vote was straight down racial lines of the board... 5-4.
Eileen
Portele Howell Reagan HS Class of ‘74
If the lines of racial division have blurred in modern times, this board has taken out their permanent marker and redefined it. To quote Trustee Jolanda Jones, “Racism that used to be covert is now overt,” and Ms. Jones is a major perpetuator. No matter the point of argument against the proposal, Jones screams “racism.” Use of the word “racism” has no place in this argument because there is no evidence of racism on the parts of these two veterans. Yet, Ms. Jones takes to the microphone at the monthly board meetings and impugns their characters again and again. And why not? She needs only to besmirch their names; she doesn’t have to prove her statements against them. Once it’s “out there” (her words), sometimes people blindly believe it without proving it to themselves. At the February 2016 board meeting (in referring to those who died before she and I even took our first breaths), she ranted and raved, “You murdered us. You raped us. You killed us.” I didn’t murder, rape, or kill anyone nor did she suffer anything at my hands. It is history that, try as you might, Ms. Jones, cannot be erased. No rational person would disagree that slavery was and continues to be a blight on our American history. Rather than spending taxpayers’ dollars to change school names, the more prudent idea would be to use the money to educate our students about the political climate of our country at that time and allow all students to learn from history. Beyond the publicized reasoning, you will find what should be
the most fundamental justification for opposition on the part of the community, alumni, and taxpayers’: mismanagement of funds. HISD is in serious debt! The district owes the state $1.12 BILLION in the Robin Hood recapture over a 5 year repayment plan. In 2012, Houston taxpayers approved a $1.9 billion bond election (the largest school bond in Texas history) for much needed school improvements and new schools. In December of 2015, the HISD Board approved borrowing $212 million to cover a shortfall in that bond budget, citing “rising inflation and construction costs.” In Oct. 2015, Richard Patton, HISD’s chief internal auditor said this was untrue. He turned over his audit report to the HISD Police Chief and the FBI citing the investigation concluded the shortfall, “points to a lack of competitive bidding” and points to “scope creep by agreeing to work that was not in the original plan.” Patton was subsequently put on administrative leave in March 2015, citing “allegations of misconduct and other performance concerns.” Those citings were never proven but the assertion put him in a bad light; just what the board was hoping for… to take the focus off them. Without explanation, Patton was reinstated in August 2016, only to find many of his previously significant duties removed from his oversight and co-workers reassigned. He has since filed a Whistleblower lawsuit. To add insult to injury, many of the campuses have not seen the proposed improvements. Our tax dollars highjacked for their own purposes! Instead, millions of education dollars are being spent on school name changes and millions of others are spent without the transparency the board claims or that its own policies require. The board failed to follow their own policies when they brought this name change proposal forward. Board policy requires that every
board agenda item come with a budget and fund attached. On the January 2016 agenda, where this proposal appeared, this particular budget item noted the cost was $0. Even the most gullible of taxpayer knows that cannot possibly be true. When pressed for a true figure, the board verbally offered that the cost would be closer to $250,000 per school or $2 million total. The community group, Lanier Watchdog, took the liberty of obtaining independent bids for work and supplies, which would be required to re-brand their campus. The estimate was in excess of $500,000 for this one campus alone. Even with the newest math programs, that does not compute. It wasn’t until HISD was sued that they came up with their latest estimate to change the name of eight schools. When the judge in an on-going court case suggested that HISD should publicize the budget in an effort to settle the suit, in only two business days, they pulled a figure of $1,245,197 out of thin air, or so it seems, because when community members and taxpayers demanded they provide documentation for this figure (bids, etc.), none was provided. Instead, at the most recent board meeting on Aug. 11, the board voted 7-2 in favor of spending money they don’t have on this controversial and unnecessary project. Besides the false statements Ms. Jones has made about Reagan and Lanier, she claimed to have received multiple e-mails regarding Lanier students being bullied because they were in favor of the proposal. Yet when her emails were investigated with the help of an Open Records Act request, not one was found. It was a lie but she didn’t count on getting caught. At the August board meeting, regarding the board’s need to re-vote on the cost involved in their actions, she had the audacity to say that though the action had already been voted on, it appears there “was a clerical error.” No, Ms.
Jones, the agenda noted $0 and no budget fund was noted. That’s not a “clerical error,” that was a lie. The truth is the Board doesn’t even know, or care, what the actual cost is. They have one objective and nothing will get in the way of its majority; certainly not a lack of funds. Their only discernible objective is making a name for themselves. In so doing, they are free to spend money with no accountability. Trustee Rhonda Skillern-Jones stated at the January 2016 board meeting, “I choose dignity over dollars every time.” Ms. Skillern-Jones, there is no indignity in honoring veterans who have made this country great and not been proven otherwise. These same board members said they would meet with their school communities and vote accordingly. Regarding the Reagan and Lanier communities, the overwhelming majority is opposed to this action (as evidenced by the pro and con speakers at the board meetings) yet they continue to push this action through. HISD taxpayers, we have to stop this freewheeling spending on the part of our Trustees! Ignorance of the actions of this school board is costing us higher taxes and/or new bond elections. The only way to stop future unnecessary spending is to vote them out when they come up for reelection. When you vote only “the most important races near the top” of the ballot, you miss your chance to vote for the school board trustees. Vote all the way to the bottom as that is where the school board races appear. Vote your conscience but VOTE WISELY! A judge in the on-going lawsuit has allowed the district to only erect temporary signage on the named campuses until he gives his ruling and the investigation of a TEA complaint filed in May has yet to be completed. Lanier Pups and Reagan Bulldogs are fighters and this fight isn’t over.
Last ‘Indian’ raid is a murder most mysterious HUNT – This part of Texas along the banks of the Guadalupe River is one of the most beautiful in the state. Summer camps, homes with yards sloping down to the riverbanks, Indian raids. Yes, you and I are off on another historical mystery. (Did you ever notice that no one ever saw Edgar Allan Poe and John Wilkes Booth at the same time?) Now we are re-investigating what may have been the last Indian raid in Texas, or were they really Indians? Let me set the stage: On Oct. 1, 1878, Jim and Susan Dowdy moved here from Goliad, arriving with some sheep and horses and eight children. At the time Houston had public schools, Dallas had a baseball team and Texas had A&M, but the Hill Country was still the frontier. On the morning of the fourth day after their arrival, four of the children were sent to a bluff a half-mile away to watch over a flock of sheep. There was a son, James, 11, with brown hair, large ears and a slightly sad expression; Martha, 16; Susan, 17, and Alice, 18 – girls with long, dark hair and pretty faces. A grown son, Richard, remained at the house so that he and a young friend, who was engaged to one of the girls, could eat an early lunch and then relieve the children so they could go back and eat. The two men finished lunch about 11 a.m. and went out to find the children, but discovered them missing and sheep scattered. They raced back to the house to report. Their mother, Susan, hurried to the hills and there found the bodies of her four children. Two of girls’ bodies were lying together. The third was 200 yards away and James was some distance from her. All the bodies had been horribly mutilated with bullet, tomahawk and arrow wounds, but they were not scalped. A wagon took the bodies to the house of a neighbor, Mrs. “Wash” Floyd, who helped prepare the bodies. Her daughter recalled much later, “I remember Mama telling me Mrs. Dowdy said to her, ‘I can’t bear to see you pull out those arrows because I know it will hurt.’ The children were buried with the arrows still in their bodies.” Many other arrows were found along a hillside as though the children had been running along there, dodging a hail of arrows. The Indians had with them a herd of horses and had made their escape.
Lynn Ashby Columnist
A posse was formed, but that took a day or so to form, and no Indians were spotted. End of a sad story. Almost. Yes, the first suspects were Indians. October was the time of the year when the dreaded Comanches came up from Mexico and from the Indian territories to the north. But they generally raided only during the light of the full Comanche Moon. There were arrows at the scene and tomahawk marks. But nothing was taken. One family member told me there were some horses stolen. And you can’t very well rustle a flock of sheep and make any kind of getaway. There were no reports that the girls had been raped. What was the reason for the raid? Word began surfacing that the raid was not the work of Indians at all, but of U.S. renegades or Mexican bandits. “They just used those arrows and tomahawks to make the posse go looking for Indians,” an old timer told me. But now we have a new development, a newspaper clipping, misspellings and all: “Dallas Weekly Herald, 19 May 1881 – dateline San Antonio May 13. A letter from Kerville says last Sunday, as Deputy Sherriff Clemens, of Kervill County was returning from San Antonio with two prisoners, John Potter and William Dunman, he was waylaid by a party of unknown men near Kerville and both prisoners taken from him. The men stopped in the middle of the road with drawn revolvers. The deputy could do nothing but comply. Shortly afterwards Potter was shot down in the road. The deputy reported facts in town and an inquest was held on the body of Potter. Nothing is known as to who the parties were on the object of the killing. Potter had been arrested and was on his way to be tried for horse stealing.” What’s the connection and who cares? The above mentioned Dunman was related to the Dowdy family. Potter supposedly boasted of his part in the massacre to Dunman while they were in jail in
San Antonio, not knowing of the relationship. Dunman got word to the Dowdy family as to when Potter was to be taken by stage to Junction for trial. But we also have this version: When the stage got past Mountain Home, to the north, and reached the top of a hill, Dick Dowdy and another brother, Tom, stopped the stage, took Potter to a nearby tree and hanged him. Potter was bur-
ied there, but his body was later moved to make way for a highway, and today no one knows where it is. “He didn’t have anything to do with it,” a Dowdy once told me. “He was just bragging.” In any event, Tom and Dick were tried for murder but were acquitted. An entire generation of Dowdys would not speak publicly of the tragedy. “That was so bad, so very, very bad,
you can see why,” a resident finally told me. “One sister lived here the rest of her life, too frightened to leave her home. She became a total recluse. Even when the river would rise, neighbors would have trouble getting her to leave. And during the Comanche Moon….” At Mountain Home there is Sunset Cemetery, with small shell-covered graves for Susan, Allice (the gravestone
seems to have two ls) James and Martha. All four have the same date of death, Oct. 5, 1878. Beneath each name is the word, “Murdered.” But who did it, and why? Ashby is mystified at ashby2@comcast.net The Reader is on pg. 6A this week.
the leader Puzzlers. Answers found in this week’s Classified section
SUDOKU
aCrOss
1. Crooned 5. Luck 8. Cosecant function 11. Rock bands play here 13. Surrounds the earth 14. Jessica __ 15. A type of clique 16. No seats available 17. Greek sophist 18. Stiff hair 20. Recipe measurement (abbr.) 21. Legal periodical 22. Saloons 25. He tricks you 30. Closing over 31. Man’s best friend is one 32. Distinguish oneself 33. Immoralities 38. Marsh elder 41. Blasts 43. A discerning judge 45. Avenge for a wrong 48. Doctors’ group 49. Jerry’s friend 50. Type of sword 55. Swedish rock group
56. Black tropical American cuckoo 57. Blatted 59. Cain and __ 60. Strong liquor flavored with juniper berries 61. Cocoa bean 62. Get free of 63. Cardiograph 64. A cargo (abbr.)
dOwn
1. A baglike structure in a plant or animal 2. Bird genus 3. One point east of northeast 4. A type of fly 5. Hurry 6. Lighter-than-air craft 7. Ask to marry 8. Thick rope made of wire 9. Imposters 10. Central nervous system 12. Pie _ __ mode 14. Robert __, poet 19. Dwelt 23. Firewood 24. Voices 25. Water in the solid
state 26. Superman’s foe 27. Chris Paul’s team (abbr.) 28. Employ 29. Mineral 34. Vessel 35. Nigerian City 36. Romania 37. Sirius Satellite Radio (abbr.) 39. Potential difference 40. A class of synthetic detergents 41. Drunkard 42. Doesn’t win or lose 44. Appellative 45. Spiritual leader 46. Implant 47. Language (Afrikaans) 51. Basics 52. A one-time Giants center 53. Every one of two or more 54. A way to gather 55. Swiss river 58. Small spot
WORD SCRAMBLE
Page 6A • Saturday, August 27, 2016
The reader.
Let’s name Ficklin our interim president
Dear Editor: I read your recent article about the current election fatigue. I think we’d all agree the cycle is a bit too long, which requires a totally different fix than simply the candidates running. The issue I take with this, however, is that the article completely ignores some pretty key issues. You list a couple of things that are on lists of “cons” about her in order to match the long list of issues with her opponent. However, you completely ignore that unlike Trump, she actually has a long history in politics and a record of actually making change. This might not seem to matter to you, and this is where my problem lies. This election is unlike any other for a lot of reasons, but one is that for the first time we’re dealing with a woman running as a major party nominee and that means something big. In your article you request that we let John Ficklin run and then let the two VP nomi-
nees have a stab next year. I know what I’m about to say may have you rolling your eyes but please hear me out. It’s sexist, and it’s privileged. Clinton’s race is historic even if you don’t like her, or even if you don’t get why women were in tears the night of her nomination. Representation matters, and it’s not just in politics. Woman all over the country work harder than male counter parts and often have their work dismissed, or get passed over for a promotion because of that other guy who is just so charismatic. It’s also why the issue of closing the wage gap resonates so much. So when you dismiss, even in jest, an entire life working in politics and a full platform of ideas (vs the seven you’ll find on Trump’s site) to sit back and let men take the wheel because some people “don’t like” Hillary Clinton, it’s just not funny. This election is different, and it will need to be covered differently. And I hope you’ll think about this as a real issue, and not dismiss it as a feminist with
a lack of humor. Write an article about how Beyonce could save this election, and I’ll be all in. Thanks for your consideration. Roxanne Werner
Millennial male fashion?
Dear Editor: The Heights upscale restaurant invasion is attracting a new breed of cool dude. What’s the deal with so many of the millennial males wearing traditional suits with standard leather dress loafers -- and no socks? Isn’t that the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard of, or seen? Yeah, it’s the height of fashion these days. But don’t they realize how prissy it makes ‘em look? And don’t you know... just guess what has more sweat glands than any other part of the body... don’t you know their feet have to stink like all get-out? J. Reynolds Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com
Is your dog ready for back-to-school?
Dear Tabby, We adopted a puppy over the summer and my kids enjoyed playing and taking care of her. Now that school is starting, I’m worried that the change in routine will upset the puppy. What can we do to ensure a smooth back-to-school season for our pooch? Reading, Writing and Rottweiler-mixes in Woodland Heights Dear Reading, Writing and Rottweiler-mixes, You’re right. While back to school can spell the return of structure and good habits for humans, it can be a lonely, confusing time for your pet-especially a pet who is new to a family with children. Instead of lazy mornings at home, spent with the pets, now the kids are rushing out the door before the sun is up and often aren’t home until the sun is setting. This spells long, boring days for a dog who has
only known long walks, outside time and snuggling all summer. What can you do to help ease the back to school transition for your dog? The folks at North Shore Animal League have some helpful tips: 1. Work with your children to set and follow a daily routine that works for their lifestyle all year long. The schedule should include feeding, walks for a toilet break, walks off the property (for socialization) and appropriate play at approximately the same time every day. Establishing a routine your pet can depend on will help them weather any changes that may occur. 2. Save a special toy that your pet really loves and have your children give it to them just before they are ready to go out. Put it away again once the children come home so it remains the “special toy.” 3. Hide favorite pet treats around the house for your pet to discover while you are away. Rubber Kongs or hard hollow bones can be stuffed with a little peanut butter or cream cheese and can even be frozen for a long lasting treat! 4. Encourage your children to come home right away to care for their pet’s needs and jump into a fun game of “fetch” or “cat and mouse” before starting other after-school activities.
5. Plan fun after-school activities for your children to do for and with their new pet --plan a family game of soccer or go for a hike together. Encourage children to spend quiet time reading out loud to their pets and recording it so it can be played back while the animal is home alone. With a little extra care and attention after school and on weekends, your new pooch shouldn’t have any problems coping with her new friends going back to school. Who knows, your pup might learn to enjoy a little peace and quiet during the day, making her
all-the-more excited to see her kids when they get off the bus in the afternoon. How you can help: Please join Rescued Pets Movement (RPM) on Tuesday, Aug, 30, to have a drink and some fun! RPM will be at Kung Fu Saloon (5317 Washington Ave.) starting at 6 p.m. Rescued Pets Movement will receive 15% of all drink sales. Come have a good time while raising money for Houston’s homeless dogs and cats. Do you have a question for Tabby? If so, email her at dear tabbyquestions@gmail.com.
Pet of the Week
Photo courtesy of Grace Hill Photography From the left, Knox and Anson Weiershausen were born July 13 to neighbors Landan and Natalie Weiershausen.
Neighbors: Farmboy Brew Shop owners welcome twin boys By Elizabeth Villarreal elizasgarden@outlook.com Oak Forest residents and owners of Farmboy Brew Shop, Landan and Natalie Weiershausen, would like to announce their two new bundles of joy - Anson and Knox Weiershausen. The twin boys were born July 13, with Anson weighing 4 lbs. 12 oz. and Knox weighing 4 lbs. 14 oz. Mom and dad said they see lots of resemblance, but also can see slight differences in their two boys; time will tell if these two are identical. A happy belated birthday to Anson and Knox and a big congratulations to neighbors Landan and Natalie! Happy anniversary to Clifford and Nancy Boone who will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary on Aug. 25. Clifford and Nancy have two daughters, Shannon and Kelly, and live in Oak Forest. Wishing you many more happy years! Cheers! Little James Weirich, 3, will begin his first year of preschool on Sept. 8, at Johnson Memorial Preschool in Oak Forest. Wendy and Keith Weirich of Langwood are his proud parents, Richard Weirich and Debbie Weirich are his beaming grandparents, and Hattie Weirich of Garden Oaks is his great-grandmother. Big brother Bradly is in 4th grade this year at the Westview School.
Thompson family celebrates 70th
Meet Pluto. This 1 year old Red Bone Coon Hound-mix was hastily named at the shelter because--while he IS an awesome,“far-out” dog - he’s really more “Goofy” than anything. Silly, yet even-tempered, Pluto would fit perfectly into any household. (He’s a smidgen scared of cats though--Shhhh. Don’t ruin his street-cred.) If you think that you could give Pluto a perfect home on Earth, contact Citizens For Animal Protection at: www.cap4pets.org for more info.
Earl and Marie Thompson celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on August 13th with their family at Crisp in the Woodlands. They were married on August 16, 1946 at Shady Acres Baptist Church. A house filled with love was built and rooms were added as the family grew. Three children, Raymond, Susan, and John; eleven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren regularly visit and stay at that house now filled with so many memories. Earl and Marie’s love and dedication have blessed many lives through the years.
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Saturday, August 27, 2016 • Page 7A
The calendar.
MONTHLY HAPPY HOUR Heights Young Professionals Meet, network, socialize and make direct connections with area professionals. This month’s event will be hosted by Little J’s Bar, 5306 Washington, from 5-8 p.m. Aug. 25. The cost is $10 for non-members before Aug. 25, and $15 non-member at the door. Register online. Information: info@heightschamber.com, heightschamber.com, 713-8616735.
FISH FRY American Legion Post 560 The Ladies Auxiliary Unit 560, 3720 Alba Road, will host their monthly Fish Fry and live entertainment Friday, Aug. 26 (fourth Friday of each month) from 6 p.m. until sold out. The cost is $8 per plate. Information: 713-6829287, facebook.com/AmLegionPost560/, txlegion560.org, www. txlegion560.org. BOOK SIGNING The Book Scene Kate Sloan author of “Baby
House Adventure The Big Move� will be signing her book at The Book Scene, 1820 W. 43rd St., from 1-3 p.m. Aug. 27. Bring the kids for food, fun and prizes. Information: 713-869-6117. COPD SUPPORT GROUP Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Join in sharing your experience about living with COPD on the first Tuesday of each month, with the next meeting Sept. 6, at Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, 1635 North Loop West. For more information or to register, call 713-222-2273. HAWK WALK Houston Arboretum and Nature Center Take a walk on the wild side of the Arboretum at our Fall Hawk Walk. As you wander along the trail, you’ll make stops along the way to meet hawks, owls, falcons, and vultures from Sky Kings Falconry. The walk will be from 2-6:30 p.m. (shows begin at 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.)
Sept. 10. The cost is $30 member, $45 nonmember, and $15 children ages 5-12. The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center is located at 4501 Woodway. Information: houstonarboretum. org, 713-681-8433. COMEDY NIGHT American Legion Post 560 The American Legion, 3720 Alba Road, will host their monthly Comedy Nite at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14 (second Wednesday of each month). The cost is $20 for a night of fun, food and two drink ticket. Information: 713-682-9287, facebook.com/ AmLegionPost560/, txlegion560. org, www.txlegion560.org. B.I.R.T.H. FAIR United Way The 15th Annual B.I.R.T.H Fair (Bringing Information and Resources to Houston), an event about pregnancy, and labor will be at the United Way Center, 50 Waugh Dr., from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 1. Information: info@houbirth.org, www.houbirth.org.
From the Pews.
Griefshare support group at St. Stephen’s All who are grieving the death of someone close are welcome to attend a new Griefshare grief support group Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in Room 201. Sessions are self-contained, so one can begin at any time and return for missed sessions when a new cycle begins. Each session includes a Christian-based video teaching on grief recovery followed by small group discussion. The church nursery is available by calling the office to reserve. St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church is located at 2003 W. 43rd St. For information, call 713-686-8241 or visit www.stsumc.org and the church’s Facebook page. Spaghetti dinner at All Saints Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women Central Deanery will sponsor a Fiesta Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser at All Saints Catholic Church in the parish hall, from 6-8 p.m. Aug. 25. The cost is $10. There will be door prizes and games. For tickets, call 281-948-1387. Proceeds benefit seminarians and charities. All Saints Catholic Church
is located at 215 E. 10th St. All Saints TALC to hold fall registration All Saints Third Age Learning Center (TALC) senior program will hold its 2016 Fall Semester Registration from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 25, in the All Saints Church Parish Hall, 215 E. 10th St. The Fall Semester will begin Sept. 12. Late registration will be available from 9-11:30 a.m. the first week of the semester. TALC offers a variety of classes such as woodworking, computer, exercise, watercolor, quilting, scrapbooking, stained glass, small appliance repair, line dancing and more. New this semester will be a bilingual U.S. Citizenship Preparedness class coordinated by Aurora Leal. The class will be offered on Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m.-noon. Also offered during the semester are monthly parties, seminars, birthday celebrations and day trips. A full course hot lunch, cooked on-site, is available Monday through Friday during the semester at noon for $2. For lunch reservations or program information, call 713248-1277.
Hope Episcopal holds garage sale Hope Episcopal Church, 1613 W. 43rd St., will hold a garage sale Aug. 27. Donations may be left at the office on Cheshire. The sale will be from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., indoors in the parish hall, with air conditioning and bathrooms available. Call 713-681-6422 for information. First Church Heights and Cameo Caregivers host senior event Loften E. Harrison, Assistant Chief, Harris County Constable, Pct.1 will be this month’s guest speaker addressing the responsibility of police and the community to establish the best future for all. The event is open to the community and will be held at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 30. Light refreshments will be served. First Church Heights is located at 201 E. 9th St. Call 713-861-3102 or visit www.fbcheights.org for information. Pancake breakfast at St. Matthew’s The Free Pancake Breakfast will be from 8:30-10 a.m. Sept.
CITIZENSHIP CLASSES The Mainstream Connection The Mainstream Connection, 415 E. Crosstimbers St., offers Citizenship Classes. Classes are starting soon. The office is open Monday through Friday, and offers assistance with Resident renewal forms (I-90) and Citizenship, (N-400) Applications and the I-130. Notary Public services available. Information: 832-8311688, www.tmc-Houston.org. NEWBORN CARE Memorial Herman Greater Heights Let us help prepare you to welcome your new baby through our classes at Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, 1635 N. Loop W. Classes include: Prepared Childbirth, Breastfeeding, Newborn Care, Sibling Class, New Moms and Babies Group, and Maternity Facility Tour. Call or visit the website for a full listing of classes. Information: 713-222-CARE, memorialhermann.org.
3, in the fellowship hall. The Christian Family comedy duo of Phil and Debi Jones along with with the beautiful voice of Kim Randell will perform from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 10. Call the church office for ticket information. The event is free, but tickets should be ordered by Aug. 31. A light snack/supper is included following the performance. Free childcare will be available for children up to 5 years of age. St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church is located at 4300 N. Shepherd Dr. For information, call 713-697-0671 or visit www.stmatthewsmethodist. org. Eat, Pray, Read! meets at Oaks Presbyterian The summer book selection for the Eat, Pray, Read! book club is Frog Music by Emma Donoghue. The historic novel is set in 1876 San Francisco during a record-breaking heatwave and the smallpox epidemic. The book discussion and dinner will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 6. Oaks Presbyterian Church is located at 1576 Chantilly Ln. For information, visit www. oakspresbyterian.org or call 713-682-2556.
The Obituaries. Edward Proxamus Akin III, 74, born Jan. 3, 1942, died
Aug. 20, after a brave three year battle with COPD and lung cancer. Akin became an Eagle Scout at age 14. He matriculated at Reagan High School before graduating with S. P. Waltrip’s inaugural 1961 class. He graduated UH with a criminal justice degree and became a security and firearms instructor. Akin is survived by his wife, Geraldine, sons David Akin and Edward Akin, and two grandchildren.
Cynthia Austin, 67, born July 30, 1949, died Aug. 8. She grew up in Studewood/Independence Heights and spent a considerable amount of time in the adjacent Acres Homes. As a Booker T. Washington Eagle, she was a part of the Baby Ocean of Soul marching band as a majorette and regularly as a drum major. She continued her education at Prairie View A&M University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in social work in 1970. Austin is survived by her mother, Mary Stewart, brothers Willie Dirden and AndrÊ
Pearl Fuchs, 97, born Jan.
26, 1919, died Aug. 20. She is survived by her son Ronald Fuchs, a grandson, and three great-grandchildren.
Mary Louise Cervantes Herron, 71, born May 5, 1945 in Blue Earth, Minn., died Aug. 14. Herron is survived by her husband, Dr. Alan Herron, her children, Michael James Hawk, Dina Michelle Petersen and Jason Gregor Hawk, siblings Michael Richard Cervantes, Rosemarie Cervantes and Benjamin Cervantes, and four grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or other worthwhile charity of the donor’s choosing.
Helen Matthys McGee,
98, born Sept. 5, 1917 in Wharton, Texas, died Aug. 19. McGee served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. She then met and married the love of her life, James H. McGee Jr., June 27, 1950. They
joined Our Savior Lutheran Church in 1952. Survivors include her siblings Irene Matthys, Alma Matthys, Lother Matthys, and Richard Matthys. Memorial contributions may be made to Our Savior Lutheran Church, or to a favorite charity.
Linda Lee Kyrisch, two grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
FREE GARDENING CLASSES Beauty’s Community Garden Beauty’s Community Garden, 3201 Airline, holds free gardening classes the first Saturday of every month. Call to reserve a space. Volunteers are also needed to
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AseraCare Hospice AseraCare Hospice. 1235 N. Loop W., Suite 215, is in need of compassionate and caring volunteers to accompany terminally ill patients and their families. Volunteers are needed to minister in presence and companionship. All volunteers are trained and orientation is given prior to meeting patients and families. Interested individuals 18 and older please. Information: 713-864-2626, fax 713-864-9476. LEGALLINE: FREE LEGAL ADVICE Houston Bar Association The Houston Bar Association offers free legal advice over the phone through LegalLine from 5-9 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of every month. Consejos Legales for Spanish speakers is the first Thursday of every month from 6-8 p.m. Information: 713759-1133, www.hba.org.
SHINING A LIGHT ON TOOTH COLORED FILLINGS Chase Baker, D.D.S.
I
understand that there is some mystery in the patient’s eyes as to what is happening when having a filling placed. Today we will pull back the veil, to better understand how composite fillings work and how a tooth can go from having decay to appearing as good as new. Once a cavity is removed from a tooth, the tooth is shaped to best hold a filling in place. An etchant is placed to remove any remaining debris from the tooth and to expose the microscopic tubules which make up the tooth. From this point forward, it is imperative that your dentist keep your tooth perfectly dry or your filling may prematurely fail. An adhesive is placed over the cavity preparation which locks into those dental tubules and provides additional retention. At this point the composite resin filling is placed into the preparation which bonds to the adhesive layer. The composite is made up of a pebble-like filler material, often silica, bound within a resin-based matrix. Once placed, the composite can be shaped by your dentist to look and function just like your tooth. An ultra-violet light is now used, activating a catalyst within the matrix which causes the restoration to harden. Now your dentist can polish your new restoration to ensure the fit is correct and is smooth to a glossy shine. With proper technique in placement and with good homecare, a composite restoration can last you for many years to come.
Prepared as a public service to promote better dental health. From the ofďŹ ce of: Chase Baker, D.D.S., 3515 Ella Blvd., 713-682-4406.
Gary Eugene Roberts, 69,
(Between Ella & T.C. Jester)
born Aug. 2, 1947, died Aug. 12. He was raised in Bellaire, and graduated valedictorian of his class from Bellaire High School. He received his undergraduate and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from Rice University. Roberts is survived by his brother Larry Roberts, his stepchildren Gretchen Johnson and Benjamin (Bo) Johnson, and four step-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Galveston Historical Foundation, 2228 Broadway, Galveston, TX 77550; Prostate Cancer Foundation, 1250 4th St., Suite 360, Santa Monica, CA 90401 or Rice University Fondren Library, “Friends of Fondren.�
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Robert Lee Steed, 91, born Oct. 25, 1924, died Aug. 16. He is survived by his daughter,
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ristotle claimed that humans are political animals, meaning that we live in a political society or community, remarking further that only a beast or a god would live by himself away from others. One implication of this view is that our minds are part and parcel of the social fabric. Our minds develop socially, by being raised to speak a particular language in a particular culture. And we are literally connected to other people’s brains in that the smile on our face will register in their brain and cause their brain to make them smile, and their smiles will have the same effect on us. We have been taught the message of individualism for so long that we don’t often see the many ways in which we are connected. Our minds truly are social, think of how often we complete each other’s sentences or feel each other’s joys and sorrows. But, the philosophy of individualism emphasizes our separateness and makes us think that we can be just as fully human as distinct individuals, as we can when we are part of a larger group like a family or a society. Since we live in a world where it is possible to live alone, and more people are choosing to do so, it appears that at times we hold up the individual as more important than the collective.
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WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL IN THE HEIGHTS Heights Boulevard/East 11th St. Tie into the history of both Houston and the greatest generation by paying a visit to the World War II Memorial on Heights Boulevard, just south of the intersection of East 11th Street. There are free parking spots along the street on Heights Boulevard.
Dr. John W. Neesley - Senior Pastor
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Page 8A • Saturday, August 27, 2016
Durham from P. 1A
Opera from P. 1A
is and be able to learn about all the different things,� Durham Assistant Principal Nicole Planck said. “Having the landmarks representing the different continents, the goal is that as children learn more about different countries and continents that they’ll be able to identify those landmarks and understand the meaning and purpose behind them.� Not only does Slaughter’s completed work (entitled “The World is Yours, Durham�) imbue the school’s curriculum with some life, but Planck believes every last aspect of the piece perfectly captures the essence of the energy, diversity and vibrancy which bursts forth from within Durham itself as well as the community in which it resides, given the school’s uniqueness compared to the majority of the Houston
Independent School District. “We’re not predominantly one ethnicity, we have a wide range of different countries and cultures represented (and socioeconomic status) from the students to the staff,� Planck said. “Durham is a very special place, and I think all the colors and different scenes represented in the mural is extremely reflective of Durham and its community.� Such a task, as virtually always happens, came with obstacles presented by Mother Nature herself, as Planck said the staff’s eyes had been glued to the forecast since the previous Friday due to a sudden influx of rain during the course of the week. “We were very fortunate we had an artist who was willing to adjust his schedule and
come at any time as well as some parent volunteers who were willing to come support and help out.� Planck said numerous parties stayed up on campus until around 2:30 a.m. Aug. 18 due to it being one of the few respites the crew had been granted by the rain all week. Part of the global theme with the school is about learning how to appreciate other cultures which are unlike the United States. “Our students are lucky they get to go to school with students whose backgrounds are very different from theirs, get to become friends and learn more about different backgrounds,� Planck said. “It’s about learning that though there are differences, there are lots of similarities as well.�
finished. The company still faces the need to raise an additional $65,000 to ensure its financial health. For more than two decades, Opera in the Heights has offered local residents professional opera performances in Lambert Hall in the heart of the Heights. The company also fosters emerging young artists, and works extensively with children in local schools. “Opera in the Heights employs about 100 artists during the season,� Khalili continued, “providing not only a paycheck, but opportunities to perform for opera-goers both seasoned and new. Our singers are also the leading force behind our education outreach. They help Oh! make a difference in the lives of students across Houston.� Lambert Hall, the historic building located at 1703 Heights Blvd. in which Oh! performs, was constructed in 1928 as the sanctuary of the Heights Christian Church. In 1996, church members decided to build a new sanctuary, then did the hard work of launching Opera in the Heights to fully utilize Lambert Hall. Church members assigned the new nonprofit opera company with the mission of bringing quality, affordable opera to Heights residents and their children. With Oh!, they’ve certainly met that mission. While Oh! operates as its own nonprofit arts agency today, Lambert Hall remains in the care and portfolio of Heights Christian Church. “Opera in the Heights is a vital part of the Houston arts scene,� stated Perryn Leech, Houston Grand Opera’s Managing Director regarding Oh!’s future. “We want the company to continue in its mission. It makes us all better. The arts are life-changing, and we must support them, including arts programming in schools.�
Thieves from P. 1A a Precinct 1 deputy about a burglary in the 300 block of West 34th Street, where one or more burglars broke through a rear glass door of a house and stole jewelry from a downstairs bedroom. Deputies were also dispatched to the 1300 block of Harvard Street in the Heights area for a robbery with a similar M.O. “It would appear that we’ve got a couple of people working out there breaking into homes,� Harris County Constable Pct. 1 Chief Deputy J.C. Mosier said. Though he could not speculate on the motive behind this week’s
incidents, Mosier does not believe the threat posed is above the typical level for this sort of crime, and stressed above all for residents to simply be ever-vigilant within the neighborhood, whether it be while in their home or walking the family pet, because potential perpetrators could be anywhere. “People just need to be extramindful. These people are in your neighborhoods, no matter where you are, looking for an easy way to get into a home,� he said. “I always say get to know your neighbors because you can help watch each other. The police are not able to be everywhere.�
Though authorities are doing all in their power to combat the thieves, Mosier’s best advice for residents was imploring residents to ask for community-wide help, asking those home during the day to be diligent in watching not only their house but their neighbor’s houses as well, and to call police immediately if they see a strange person around the neighborhood or at their neighbor’s residence. “We’ve put some extra people patrolling out in that area to try and do something to help, but the best thing I can say is what I say to all my neighbors, and that’s keeping an eye on each others’
homes as much as we can during the daytime,� Mozier said. “Burglars are going to work during the daytime when people are gone. They’ll come up and knock on the door, and if nobody answers they’ll go around the back and break in.� During past sprees in the area, Mozier said perpetrators will typically work an area for a day or two and then move out of there and hit another area. “They’re smart enough to know that if they hit a few houses police are going to be notified, so odds are they’ll move on to another area pretty soon,� he said.
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Saturday, August 27, 2016 • Page 9A
A 3-n-1 prototype Realty
Real Talk
the
Heights sees big drop in homes sold
By Cynthia Lescalleet For The Leader As she embarked on her plan to build a multi-unit residence in Sunset Heights, medical sales rep Lydia Afeman had her eye on several housing trends, such as smaller living spaces, an indoor-outdoor lifestyle and short-term rentals targeting corporate use, medical tourism and travelers. Completed in July 2016, the result is a sleek, modern threein-one structure occupying a previously split lot. Afeman says she likes the outcome so much that she plans to repeat her multi-unit prototype elsewhere in Houston, preferably on a full lot so there’s room for her own place as part of the mix. “I love the concept,” which she suggests might also appeal to baby boomers seeking simplified living or perhaps work as multi-generation housing. Afeman, a greater Heights resident, worked with Michael Morrow of Kinsey Morrow Architects. He calls her concept small-scale development targeting what his client perceived as an under-served market: those who seek a simplified space with minimal upkeep while they’re in it. That’s a bit of a “doughnut hole” in local housing options that are typically larger complexes or units with larger square footage. “It’s a quirky solution for a quirky city,” Morrow says of
For The Leader
Contributed photo This Sunset Heights three-in-one multi-unit residence features modern housing trends and simplified living.
the completed project. The design intent was to create “a neutral space so that what you bring to it – the art, the friends, the furnishings – personalize it,” he explains. “At the same time, it feels like an oasis, a retreat from the hectic world.” Dubbed the “3-n-1” house, the project expanded the notion of a garage apartment or guest quarters, he says, because the private units are “more integrated into the overall design.” He considers the housing an example of an emerging national trend in which more people are building or renovating space to have income-producing units. It’s under way in Houston as well. No margin for error The eight-month project had several design constraints. First, the higher-density footprint required a lot with back alley access. And second, the units’ small-scale spaces meant every inch of them counted.
Make that every quarterinch, Afeman says. To have deviated from – or goofed on – the detailed plan would have had far more ramifications – including cost -- than if the project had involved larger spaces. Morrow agrees. “It’s harder to design and build a small house. There’s less breathing room. Everything has to fit just so. Even the smallest changes cascade throughout the house.” He compared the design and build to sliding tile puzzles that require moving pieces around to solve the composition. On the main floor, the unit Afeman initially intended to occupy as her home has a little less than 1,000 sq. ft. of space. The upper units run 434 sq. ft. and 404 sq. ft., one of which is over the carport. Two units share access to a sky-view deck upstairs and the other has a meditation garden. The open-plan interiors are bright from natural light, full of
storage space tucked behind walls of sliding doors and fitted with high-end amenities and finishes in demand by tenants and travelers, she explains, especially ones coming to Houston for medical treatment. Her research determined they prefer housing that’s “clean and green and free of VOC emissions” as well as cheery and comfortable.” Afeman’s jump into development was prompted in part by the patients she would encounter on her rounds as a medical sales rep. They’d ask her whether she knew of any short-term housing they might use while they or their loved ones were in treatment. The popularity of Airbnb and other online property rental companies also influenced her decision to develop small-scale rental housing. She believes her project could be Houston’s first property entirely developed See Do Over P. 10A
The greater Houston real estate market experienced its first sales decline in six months in July, with the sharpest drop in volume reported among homes on the highest and lowest ends of the pricing spectrum. According to the latest monthly report prepared by the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR), a total of 7,204 homes sold in July compared to 7,898 a year earlier. That represents a drop of 8.8 percent, the first decline since January. However, on a year-to-date basis, home sales are still up about one percent compared to this point in 2015. In The Leader’s coverage area, the numbers were even more dramatic. In the Heights (77008), home sales dropped by nearly 30 percent year-over-year. In July 2015, 112 homes were sold. In July 2016, that number plummeted to 80 homes sold. In 77007, the decline was 23 percent and in 77092, the decline was even worse – 55 percent. The Oak Forest and Garden Oaks area (77018) stayed consistent, from July 2015 (53 homes sold) to July 2016 (55 homes sold). And the area north of 610 continues to show growth
in the volume of homes sold – 334 year-to-date in 2016 compared to 276 during the same time period last year. Average home prices for the year in 77018 are down 7 percent. Across Houston, inventory levels continue to outpace last year, rising from a 3.5-months supply to 4.0 months. That is the largest supply of homes since November 2012 when it stood at 4.1 months. “We never like to see a decline in home sales, but it’s helpful to remember that our comparisons each month are to a record year in 2015,” said HAR Chairman Mario Arriaga with First Group. “July was the first time in several months when even mid-range housing saw declines. It’s hard to identify a single cause for the drop in sales, whether it’s a possible trickle-down effect of falling oil prices or prospective buyers holding out, but Houston’s housing market is still healthy overall, and HAR will continue to monitor conditions as we transition into the fall months.” The single-family home median price—the figure at which half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less—rose 4.1 percent to See HAR P. 10A
Page 10A • Saturday, August 27, 2016
Have $5 million? Over 3 acres for sale on W. 34th By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com With all the growth along West 34th St., including the anticipated retail developments at 34th and Ella from both Bryan Danna and Chris Hotze, there are some property owners who are looking to capitalize on the area’s uptick. One of those is attorney Troy Blakeney, who owns more than three acres along W. 34th St. There is still a placard up for a law office at 1225 West 34th that used to house Blakeney and attorney Ted Cox, but now they’ve moved elsewhere. The sign for sale or lease lists approximately 3.25 acres and four existing buildings,
three of which date to the 1950s. However Blakeney, who has owned the land since 2009, says they’ve demolished one building and may take down more since the value is in the land. HCAD has the property under the 1227 W. 34rd address and says that the valuation for the 107,759 square foot property is $1,939,170. A Loop Net listing has the property’s asking price considerably higher at $4,954,950, and Blakeney confirms the price. The Loop Net listing says that the property has over 300 feet of frontage on W. 34th Street. A commercial real estate agent who lives in the area said that the property is in the
HCAD reports home values rose 32 percent in three years For The Leader The Harris County Appraisal District today corrected a number it had presented to the Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform and Relief. The average market value of a single family residence for 2015 was $214,000, not the $241,000 the district had reported at the May committee hearing. “As the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform and Relief, I believe it is important to provide updated information to property owners,” said Senator Paul Bettencourt (SD-7). “We discovered this discrepancy after the hearing, and I contacted new Harris County Chief Appraiser Roland Altinger to provide the correct number.” “We have always tried to promote transparency at the appraisal district and provide accurate information to all the residents and elected officials we serve,” said Roland Altinger, chief appraiser. The average market value of a single family residence for 2014 was $187,179 according to HCAD records,
and the average market value of a single family residence for 2013 was $162,728. “Over a three-year period, these numbers show home values rose 32 percent, which is what I had estimated at the time of the hearing,” Sen. Bettencourt said. “This represents a significant increase, and that is why we are studying the property tax process and appraisal system to develop options to reduce the tax burden on property owners.” The Harris County Appraisal District is a political subdivision of the State of Texas established in 1980 for the purpose of discovering and appraising property for ad valorem tax purposes for each taxing unit within the boundaries of the district. The district has more than 1.7 million parcels of property to assess each year with a total market value of approximately $526 billion. The appraisal district in Harris County is the largest in Texas, serving approximately 500 taxing units, and one of the largest appraisal districts in the United States. For further information, visit www.hcad.org.
right area but that the price tag might be high - for now. “Usually, your land is 20 percent of the total capital stack, meaning you want to keep your land costs at 20 percent of the total development,” he said. “At $4.9 million, you’d be looking at a $25 million development.” Blakeney said he gets a couple of inquiries a week and that the property has been under contract twice before for what he considered a good price. “I’ll either sell it for a price I’m satisfied with or I may develop it myself,” he said, noting that there are not a lot of large lots left fronting 34th. “I’m not chasing anything. If I’m still sitting on this in 5 or
10 years, then I’m happy with that too.” As The Leader reported, Chris Hotze with Crescere Garden Oaks, LP has been acquiring a number of properties on or near the southeast corner of his intended development including the Texas Bus Sales lot, the Century Marking storefront, El Rey Taqueria, and the cleared lot of the former That Pizza Place as well as private homes and vacant lots. A source recently told The Leader last spring that Sprouts was looking in the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest area. With a 30,000 square feet requirement along with 140 parking spaces, the space at 1225 W. 34th certainly fits the bill.
Photo by Betsy Denson The building that formerly housed a law practice at 1225 West 34th St. is part of a 3.25 acre parcel of land that attorney Troy Blakeney is offering for sale. He says that developing the land himself is also a possibility.
Do Over, from P. 9a with that use in mind. Her intent was to offer more than just a garage conversion. Since Afeman’s retirement years are on the horizon, the still-energetic (and still employed) Afeman has been exploring ways to have her future home in place well before needing it, particularly since healthcare here is as vulner-
able to layoffs and downsizing as other local industries. Among the lessons she learned on the prototype was the need to “make every mistake on paper” since building small leaves a small margin for error; to be specific with expectations as well as building materials; and to interview builders and their sub-con-
HAR, from P. 9a $230,000. That is the highest median price ever for a July and the second highest of all time. The highest median ever was $233,000, reached in June of this year. The average price declined a fractional 0.5 percent in July to $292,316. July sales of all property types in Houston totaled 8,571, down 8.6 percent from the same month last year. Total dollar volume for properties sold in July fell 9.0 percent to $2.4 billion. July Monthly Market Comparison Houston’s monthly housing indicators were mixed in July compared to a year earlier. On a year-over-year basis, single-family homes sales and total property sales were down along with total dollar volume, the median price reached a record high for a July while the average price dropped slightly and inventory grew to the largest level in four years. Month-end pending sales for single-family homes totaled 7,979, an increase of 11.4 percent compared to last year. Total active listings, or the total number of available properties, at the end of July climbed 12.7 percent from July 2015 to 37,952. Single-family homes inventory jumped from a 3.5-months supply to 4.0 months, the highest level since November 2012 when it stood at 4.1 months. For perspective, housing inventory across the U.S. currently stands at a 4.6-months supply, according to the latest report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
tractors. “You have to look at every little thing. Before you sign anything, have a full set of plans.” And it’s imperative to hire a good architect – and attorney, she adds. Architect Morrow says his client is tenacious but open to expanding her vision as merited. She thinks his atten-
Local business is our business. Send your story of interest news@theleadernews.com
tion to detail is masterful, so when she launches the similar, slightly larger project closer to Metro rail service that she has in mind, they’ll team up again. To share your renovation story in The Do-Over, contact cynthia. lescalleet@gmail.com.
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Saturday, August 27, 2016 • Page 11A
Slowpokes on the fast track to open By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com It’s a productive partnership that is behind the forthcoming coffee shop and wine bar Slowpokes at 1203 W 34th St. in Garden Oaks. For the past two years JC Rubiralta has operated Levure Bakery with his brother in The Woodlands. Rubiralta’s partner in Slowpokes is Mazen Baltagi who bought the Christian Tailgate franchise from Steve Christian and is now expanding the hometown burger joint. Rubiralta, who is originally from Mexico City, moved to Chicago first to work in marketing before coming to Houston. He lives on the other side of 610 from Slowpokes and felt that the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest area was underserved, both in coffee shops and wine bars. He and Baltagi found a spot, formerly an AA meetings base, in the complex that also houses the Alba Food Mart and locked in a long term lease, before outlining their vision. “Everybody’s always rushed to get everything done,” said Rubiralta. “We saw a kiosk in Australia named Slowpokes and took our concept in a new
direction.” He worked with a South African artist to create their mascots, whose paintings hang on the wall. Mash is the turtle and also the name for one of the processes to make beer. Tasker Alexander is the snail and the vine (and grape) from which the first commercial wines in America were made. Patches is the sloth. “We just thought patches was a cool name,” said Rubiralta. There is a laid-back vibe in the design of the interior with 1950s stereo speakers found on Craig’s List as well as an antique child’s turtle ride that might be Tasker Alexander’s more blissed out cousin. Rubiralta said that at its core Slowpokes is a coffee shop. There is counter seating and also at small tables along the walls. Wi-Fi is available so those wanting to get some work done can bring their laptops. The coffee will be on a rotating selection. Beer – from local breweries like 8th Wonder, Karbach and St. Arnolds – as well as wine, transition the atmosphere from work to social when the time comes. For food, Rubiralta said that there will be shared bites as well as single dish options. Their kitchen will offer a se-
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When you want more than just a Piece of Pizza try our
lection of flatbreads, Paninis, and salads. Other in-house offerings will be courtesy of Oh my! Pocket Pies, which offers breakfast, savory and dessert pies, and Fluff Bake Bar, which readers may be familiar with due to their bakery inside Revival Market. There’s also a planned partnership with Houston Dairymaids. “We want to showcase a lot of Houston vendors who excel in their craft,” said Rubiralta. “It’s about coming to one place where you can find many favorites created by local people. We call it Creative Collaboration.”
Adjacent to the building, Rubiralta and Baltagi have put in a patio which will be dog friendly to friendly dogs. Next to that there’s a grassy lot. Rubiralta thinks it’s the perfect spot for food trucks. He also envisions movie nights in the future. Now in the final phases of permitting, Rubiralta thinks that they are realistically two to three weeks away from opening. “It’s taken us longer than we have wanted, but we are Slowpokes after all,” he said.
Raving about Unos P’nches Tacos
On a recent Nextdoor thread, neighbors gave praise for yet another breakfast option that is open early – Unos P’nches Tacos on Calvacade. “Just wanted to recommend an awesome new taco place,” neighbor Bri Land writes. “We had the chorizo, egg, cheese and bean this morning. Homemade tortillas. Very, very good! And unlike most breakfast places in the Heights area, they open at 5:30 instead of 8.” Other neighbors chime in with their own comments of praise, some even giving praise to standout items like fideo, pozole, empanadas and the daily rotating agua fresca. Unos P’nches Tacos is located at 1402 Northwood Street.
Call for details
Cavatore’s
2120 Ella Boulevard • (713) 869-6622 www.Cavatores.com
North Houston’s 50 Year Tradition
Spaghetti Thursday
Every Thursday 11:00 am - 1:15 pm Spaghetti Meatballs Italian Sausage Chicken Pork Chops Lasagna Eggplant Parmesan Salad Garlic Bread Desserts Beverages
Hall Rental available...
E. Whitney
Call for details Drive Thru Available
Crosstimber
Northline Mall Airline Dr
There is a new breakfast option in the neighborhood on 19th Street at Shade in the Heights. The
restaurant has gone through recent renovations inside, outside and now on the menu. The restaurant is now offering breakfast hours from 7 – 11 a.m. Mon – Fri., and brunch hours from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on the weekends. Shade in the Heights is located at 250 W. 19th St.
Cavatore has the perfect dining environment for you and your friends to enjoy authentic italian made pizzas, cuisine, live music and friendly service.
5
Shade in the Heights open for breakfast
Pizza Party
JC Rubiralta’s Slowpokes will transition from coffee bar by day to craft brew and wine bar by night. (Photo by Betsy Denson)
I-4
The popular Washington Avenue area burger joint has announced its closing and transformation into an event space. BRC Gastropub, under the direction of restaurant group F.E.E.D, TX, who also owns Liberty Kitchen, announced the closing on Wednesday, Aug. 17. ““We are often told by our guests that they wish we had larger private event rooms and did catering,” the restaurant group writes in a press release. “This space will allow us to design events that marry our signature culinary offerings with their personal wishes. There has been a shortage of smaller event spaces that have a unique feel. We feel that this will fill a need for something more individualized and personal that people are looking for. The former restaurant, now event space, is located at 519 Shepherd Dr.
Your neighborhod Bookstore • New, Used and Collectible Books •
BRC shutters, returning as event space By Christina Martinez Christina@theleadernews.com
The Book Scene
SaCrED HEarT SoCIETy
610
of Little York
816 E. Whitney Dr. 713-692-0198 www.whitneyoakshall.com
Senior EXP
September 28, 9:00 a.m. - 1 p.m. • SPJST Lodge 88 (15th & Beall)
The Leader is hosting a day-long event geared toward seniors in our community, and you’re invited. We’ve invited businesses all across the community to take part to provide information about issues that are important to you. There will be speakers attending to help with health care concerns, including the impact of the new Affordable Care Act, and how it impacts Medicare. We’ve invited professional finance planners who can help you take that dream trip or manage your fixed income better, and attorneys who will talk to you about any legal concerns you have. But this isn’t going to be all serious business, either. We’ll have breakfast in the morning and lunch in the afternoon. There will be games and activities going on throughout the day and prize give-aways from local businesses. The best part, besides the food, fun and fellowship is that it is all FREE! All you have to do is register.
What to expect at the 2016 Senior Expo: • FREE Admission • FREE Food & Drinks • Educational information on health, finances and legal concerns • A chance to meet experts who will offer free advice on a number of issues important to you • An opportunity to mingle with friends
REGISTer early
Name
Phone # Address Email Address Mail to: The Leader - Senior Expo P.O. Box 924487 Houston, TX 77292 Call us: (713) 686-8494 do it online www.theleadernews.com (see “Senior” tab)
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