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Saturday, January 31, 2015 • Vol. 60 • No. 13
HISD considers adjusting attendance boundaries By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com
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A potential plan to rezone almost two dozen Houston-area schools could have a number of Leader-area elementary schools using new attendance boundaries as the district continues to address its issues with classroom overcrowding. A proposal to adjust attendance boundaries at 22 schools across Houston includes Leader-area elementary schools like Love, Memorial, Highland Heights and Northline, which would all see enrollment increases under a potential readjustment. The move is part of a mandate from the Texas Education Agency due to the large number of classsize waver requests submitted by HISD to
the state agency, which requires kindergarten through fourth-grade classes to have no more than 22 students per classroom. According to the HISD website, the district had to submit nearly 1,500 class-size waiver requests – a number which officials aim to cut in half for the 2015-16 school year and beyond. HISD is aiming to not only alleviate overcrowding but is also examining potential policy revisions including extra scrutiny for the waiver process and capping the number of transfer students that schools may accept from outside their attendance boundaries. According to the HISD website, a series of See Boundaries P. 4A
Contributed Photo Under a potential boundary readjustment, several elementary schools in The Leader area, including Memorial Elementary, would see an enrollment increase.
Tightening the economic belt
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HEB in ‘GOOF’ not a reality any time soon By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
Touching base on education Curious about HISD’s newest President of the Board of Trustees? This week, The Leader sat down with Rhonda Skillern-Jones who was recently unanimously elected to a one year term as President. A Houston-native, all five of her children have also attended HISD schools.
Photo by Jonathan Garris New homes on lots around Leader-area communities have become a common sight lately, something that bodes well for the Houston housing market despite a possible drop in home prices.
Houston likely to see drop in home prices even as price of oil recovers, leading economist says
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One of the nation’s leading economists says that Houstonians who are fearful of a resurgence of the type of recession seen in the 1980s should remain calm, but cautious, about the city’s economy in 2015. Dr. Bill Gilmer, director at the Institute for Regional Forecasting, C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston said the economic conditions that exist in 2015, even in the midst of an oil crunch and a downswing in the local energy market, aren’t anywhere close to the vulnera-
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ble economy rated” in Housthat existed ton. Gilmer noted 20 years ago. that Houston no He elabolonger has a masrated on this sive credit crunch while giving a that occurred in presentation 1982, as the enat the Greattire Texas banker Heights ing system had Chamber of essentially colCommerce’s lapsed, taking the Economic real estate market Dr. Gilmer Forecast Lunwith it as well. cheon Jan. 22. “None of that, “This is not 1982,”Gilmer even the last round with said. “1982 was a culmina- the global financial crisis, tion of three very serious compares even remotely to mistakes – one made by the conditions that existed the oil industry, one by the then,” Gilmer said. “You bankers and another in the have to put this 1982 out of real estate industry.” your head, I think, to betDuring that recession, ter understand how Housone in seven jobs “evapo- ton can grow through this
downturn.” Houston will likely share in the growth the rest of the nation is seeing as the economy continues to gain traction through positive job growth, Gilmer said. Although the Great Recession suffered from a credit crunch, housing bust and damage to national financial institutions, Gilmer said the country is coming back on track and consumer confidence and employment appear to be normalizing. “If somebody asked a few years ago and said we’ll pull the price of oil to $40 a barrel, you just have to choose a point when it will happen, See Economy P. 4A
It is the fervent wish of many in The Leader area – a supersized H-E-B like the one in Bunker Hill. Every time a multiple acre property comes on the market, people suggest online and elsewhere that it would be a perfect spot for the San Antonio headquartered grocer. In January 2014, the supermarket chain officially denied the rumor to The Leader that it would be adding a store in the Garden Oaks area in place of the Sears at 4000 N. Shepherd. “We’re always looking for property, but it has to be the right property,” Director of H-E-B’s Public Affairs Cyndy Garza-Roberts told The Leader in 2014. “We would love to be in that area.” More recently, Garza-Roberts denied that the chain was looking to move into the space across from the Sawyer Heights Target. So what exactly is H-E-B looking for in a location? We asked Garza-Roberts for some of their basic strategies and guidelines. First the acreage. She said H-E-B looks for a minimum of six acres when building a store. “We need that amount of space to See HEB P. 4A
Photo by Betsy Denson For the time being, Leader-area residents will have to turn to the H-E-B located at West 18th Street to scratch their H-E-B itch.
Historic Houston brings vision for preserving architecture to the Heights By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader Heights-area residents have always had a clear passion for preserving their history, even at times when people might butt heads on the best way to do so. Now, Historic Houston is hoping its recently opened Salvage Warehouse will help make it easier to save some of the area’s architectural history while helping the planet along the way. Historic Houston, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to conserving and promoting Houston’s his-
toric architectural resources though recycling and sustainability. “Reclaim, reuse, reduce,” is the agency’s mantra. “We achieve this in several different ways,”said Lynn Edmunson, architect, founder, and Executive Director of Historic Houston. “Since 2002, we have relocated 32 entire old homes - 12 from the Heights alone. Our relocation program is a proactive approach to preserving the area’s vernacular architecture, while helping provide affordable housing throughout the city. It makes sense financially
and environmentally. “We also have our salvage program,” Edmunson said. “This program reclaims historic building materials from houses slated for demolition, houses that can not be relocated. Our salvage crews deconstruct and remove the building elements in these. They collect beautiful, old things that would be going into Houston landfills otherwise.” Historic Houston then sells these remarkable elements to the public from its warehouse in the Heights. Are you looking for solid wood doors? How about
old glass doorknobs, or an original fireplace mantel? The Salvage Warehouse provides an outlet for the purchase of these and much more while encouraging recycling at the same time. According to Edmunson, prices are well below regular retail. “We price everything to sell fast,” she stated firmly. “We recently deconstructed a big home in River Oaks, and one in Memorial too. Many of the homes we deconstruct are old bungalows, but many are not. In See Historic P. 4A
Photo by Kim Hogstrom Even small items like this stained glass window can be repurposed or preserved through Historic Houston.
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UPS worker caught on camera throwing package, urinating on Heights home during delivery For The Leader Channel 11 KHOU A Heights resident got more than he bargained for after a camera captured footage of a UPS worker relieving himself after throwing packages into the yard of a home. According to a report by Leader news partner KHOU, homeowner Ben Lucas said he was shocked to see the worker not only damage his new ammo cleaning machine but then also urinate on his home.
“I don’t know how UPS trains their employees to go to the bathroom, but probably not in someone’s yard,� Lucas said. “You’re paying someone to take a package to go from point A to point B, so basically I paid someone to come to my house and pee on it.� According to KHOU, Lucas has repeatedly called UPS, telling them what happened and also took his outrage online. “I wasn’t happy with the response, that’s why I figured how to video edit,� Lucas said.
Lucas posted the video on the UPS Facebook page and on KHOU’s own page, according to the report. A supervisor did eventually give Lucas an apology following the post. According to KHOU, UPS officials would not confirm if the driver was fired because he is seasonal or because of the incident. Lucas also received a replacement for the items he purchased.
Police Reports • Jan. 19 - Jan. 24 JAN. 19 Theft 3:19 AM 500-599 E 12TH Theft 10 AM 900-999 W 20TH Robbery 7:22 AM 1100-1199 E 27TH Theft 12:19 PM 4600-4699 WASHINGTON Theft 10:25 AM 2300-2399 W 43RD Burglary 12:01 PM 800-899 W 24TH Theft 9:27 AM 2100-2199 SHEARN Burglary 9 AM 5400-5499 N SHEPHERD Theft 1:45 PM 2000-2099 MANGUM Theft 1:56 PM 11000-11099 NORTHWEST FWY Theft 7:48 AM 10600-10699 HEMPSTEAD Theft 7:01 PM 1800-1899 HARVARD Burglary 12:19 PM 4600-4699 WASHINGTON Theft 12:37 AM 6800-6899 WYNNWOOD Theft 1:30 PM 500-599 12TH Burglary 3 AM 800-899 W 20TH Burglary 10:22 PM 2800-2899 N SHEPHERD Theft 9:54 PM 1000-1099 LAWRENCE Theft 3:30 PM 6300-6399 WOODBROOK Theft 2:58 PM 2500-2599 N LOOP Theft 3 PM 1300-1399 MARTIN Theft 10:09 PM 1700-1799 LATEXO Theft 4:30 PM 2100-2199 YALE JAN. 20 Burglary 11 AM 6300-6399 WASHINGTON Theft 3:30 PM 900-999 N LOOP Assault 12:37 AM 4100-4199 BLUEGRASS Theft 1:20 PM 4400-4499 N SHEPHERD Theft 10:17 AM 1400-1499 W 20TH Burglary 4:05 PM 5100-5199 LARKIN Robbery 2 PM 5200-5299 CORNISH
Burglary 4 AM 800-899 CURTIN Theft 4 PM 0-99 CROSSTIMBERS Burglary 10:36 AM 4100-4199 ELLA Theft 5 PM 1800-1899 ED-
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Theft 6:43 AM 6300-6399 WOODBROOK Theft 6 PM 1300-1399 PATTERSON Theft 7:01 PM 6300-6399 WASHINGTON JAN. 22 Theft 2:50 PM 2100-2199 YALE Theft 7:30 AM 2100-2199 YALE Theft 3 PM 2100-2199 YALE Theft 1:30 PM 500-599 W 19TH Theft 7:11 AM 1300-1399 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 5:47 PM 700-799 W 28TH Theft 9:12 AM 4000-4099 N SHEPHERD Theft 8:58 AM 1500-1599 MALONE ST Burglary 10:49 AM 2400-2499 DROXFORD Theft 4:25 AM 300-399 W 19TH Theft 6:37 AM 900-999 N LOOP Theft 3:45 AM 1700-1799 W T C JESTER Theft 3:37 PM 3000-3099 ELLA Theft 3:13 PM 100-199 YALE Theft 7:10 AM 4600-4699 WASHINGTON Theft 7:41 AM 5300-5399 YALE Theft 5 PM 2100-2199 YALE Theft 4:16 PM 1400-1499 W 26TH Theft 3:30 PM 2500-2599 SHEARN Theft 4 PM 4600-4699 SHERWOOD Assault 10:27 AM 3700-3799 WATONGA JAN. 23
Theft 6:35 AM 2100-2199 YALE Theft 1:30 PM 2600-2699 N DURHAM Assault 2:45 PM 3500-3599 CORTLANDT Theft 9:29 AM 2500-2599 SHEARN ST Theft 8:40 AM 1900-1999 N LOOP Theft 8:34 AM 9700-9799 HEMPSTEAD Theft 10 AM 4500-4599 CREEKMONT Theft 2:21 PM 600-699 W 22ND Theft 1 PM 3500-3599 OAKRIDGE Theft 1:30 PM 800-899 STUDEWOOD Theft 3:47 PM 4000-4099 N SHEPHERD Theft 3 PM 100-199 S HEIGHTS
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It is not known at this time if the driver was injured or charged. The neighborhood association is asking any witnesses to come forward.
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On Saturday afternoon, January 24, a car plowed through the newly erected Candlelight Plaza entrance sign off of Lehman St..
Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.
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when Houston’s suburbs sees its lot supply catch up to the demand. “It’s different inside of the loop as you’re never going to have any more land there,� Gilmer said. “But in the suburbs, we’re seeing downward pressure on home prices as supply constraints on building eases up dramatically.� Gilmer was quick to point out that such changes won’t come soon as there is not a shortage of people looking for a home in the Bayou City. “We have so many people living in apartments because they could not find or afford a house and have been locked out of the market,� Gilmer said. “In over 18 months from now, we’ll likely see home prices stop increasing and, in some markets, they’re going to move into reverse. Those price increases reflected supply constraints that are now going to be gone.� Gilmer said those in the audience should continue looking ahead but not without caution as the oil bust continues to loom over Houston’s economy. “It’s not the end of the world, but we’re going to have to tighten our belts for 18 months or so,� Gilbert said. “To a certain extent we need to be looking through this, but at the same time remember that the 100,000 jobs and $100 barrel of oil may not be on the horizon for the next several years.�
Car accident destroys Candlelight Plaza entrance sign
JAN. 24 Theft 6:15 AM 200-299 W 19TH Theft 4:47 AM 900-999 N LOOP Theft 10:50 AM 1000-1099 T C JESTER Burglary 3:35 AM 1700-1799 W T C JESTER Robbery 11:54 AM 4700-4799 YALE Theft 3 PM 1100-1199 SHEPHERD Burglary 12:30 AM 1800-1899 SALFORD Theft 4:55 AM 4200-4299 WATONGA
Economy, from P. 1A rel, you just have to choose a point when it will happen, this probably would have been the moment we would have chosen,� Gilmer said. “Job growth in 2014 was the best year for job growth since 1999. The job market has turned the corner and the consumer debt ratio has been pulled down significantly. Everything is finally pulling together and it will ultimately be a great benefit for the Houston area.� One of the biggest challenges for the Houston economy has been maintaining a more stable housing market and a demand to match. For the past two years, the Houston area has seen the price of housing rise 20 percent and, for the first time in history, Houston’s housing prices have risen above the national norm, Gilmer said. However, home sales in Houston have stalled out recently, but why? “There’s simply nothing left to sell,� Gilmer said. “The problem is we cannnot build new homes at the rate we need to.� Gilmer said Houston emerged from the financial and housing crisis with a shortage of lots. The city had previously been building lots in 2005 for very small homes using subprime lending, however banks are now “penalized heavily� for certain types of land development. Big builders were left to pick up the pace and Gilmer said 2015 should be the year
Source: Facebook Members of the Candlelight Plaza Civic Club aren’t exactly happy with the newest renovation to the community’s entrance.
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The Topics. Saturday, January 31, 2015 • Page 3A
One reader offers a transportation education
Y
ou know that nugget about learning something new every day? If you work in the media, it’s true – especially with readers like Roger Barnaby sending us such wonderful information. If you’ve missed the past few editions of The Leader, we’ve spent a lot of time covering public transportation – trains, Metro, traffic headaches. Our best readers are the ones who respond, and Mr. Barnaby takes the cake this week. Our editor, Jonathan Garris, wrote a column last week bemoaning the lack of vision our city and county demonstrate when it comes to moving people around Houston. Mr. Barnaby added more intelligence to the conversation: “Houston Metro doesn’t really care about loss of ridership. Only 18 percent of their budget is supported by fares. The remaining 82 percent comes from our taxes. Not much incentive for improving public transportation,” Barnaby wrote. I had absolutely no idea. You? Well, one of the important tasks of a journalist is to check facts, so I spent a little time this week rummaging through Metro’s budget. What I
Jonathan McElvy Publisher
discovered was Mr. Barnaby was wrong, though not in the manner you might think. According to Metro’s 2014 budget estimates (meaning they haven’t closed the books on the year yet), our public transportation entity will finish the year with $967 million in revenue. If Barnaby’s numbers were correct, that would mean the amount of money Metro earns from people who pay a fare to ride would come in around $175 million a year. Not even close. According to Metro’s own figures, the amount of revenue earned from ridership last year was a staggering $68.8 million. It’s not 18 percent. It’s 7 percent. And as all our math wizards know, that means Metro – the organization that should be paid to
The reader.
move human beings around Houston – gets 93 percent of its funding from taxes and federal grants. To be exact, $678 million of Metro’s $967 million comes from sales taxes, meaning whether you ride it or not, you pay for public transportation. The remainder comes largely from the federal government, which, again, means you pay for it. That obviously leads to all sorts of other questions, namely: Do other cities make the same dismal revenue from people who use public transportation? As you might expect, the answer is no. There’s a socio-political whatchamacallit about the business model of public transportation. A group at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs Institute of Transport Systems recently came up with an even longer name. Actually, they created a metric called “Farebox ratios.” To put that all into English, they studied cities and the finances of public transportation, specifically researching how much money is made from the fares people pay to ride buses and trains. (Interestingly, Houston was not in the rankings,
Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com
Readers respond to ‘Super Bowl, Super Issues,’ METRO commuter woes Dear Editor: As a regular on the #40, I happen to benefit from the rerouting of that bus line. Hence, I cannot quite see the point of the first article on the topic, there will always be somebody who wins and somebody who loses. But I do agree that the METRO bus system is not worthy of a city like Houston as expressed in the second article. Much more could be achieved if it was only made a priority. For starters, a robust real-time bus tracking would be a great help, the current system barely works. Or, (solar powered) digital signs at the stops indicating when what bus arrives next. Christian Dear Editor: Houston Metro doesn’t really care about loss of ridership. Only 18% of their budget is supported by fares. The remaining 82% comes from our taxes. Not much incentive for improving public transportation. A hundred years ago, Heights residents could ride the trolley downtown. Now we must drive a car. At least, this keeps the automobile dealerships, gas stations, and road construction contractors in business! Roger Dear Editor: This means that Metro has no responsibility to their riders and couldn’t care less if they have low ridership. Shame on the leadership and on Mayor Parker for allowing this to be. Who’s managing Metro? Do they have a clue what these changes are doing to local bus commuters? Maybe it’s time the Mayor opens her eyes and finds a Metro leader who really understands the benefits of public transportation for a city as large as Houston. It’s time for new leadership at Metro and at City Hall. Ernesto Migoya
Blind loyalty to the USPS?
Dear Editor: Mr. Britt must be a long time employee of the USPS as he is such a supporter. I know he isn’t dependent on them to deliver his “everything.” I just had a problem with one of his peers who is afraid of my cat who sits on the driveway about 30 feet from where she walked when he happens to get out of the house. She is afraid of “cats”, not lions or tigers, but house cats that wouldn’t hurt a flea. My mother-in-law mailed a letter with a check in it in August and the people still have not received it. I had a neighbor who worked for the USPS and told me that if it weren’t for the union she wouldn’t have a job. Thank you Mr. Editor for bringing up the failings of the wonderful usps. Henry Shaw
Blocking traffic for donuts?
Dear Editor: Many Oak Forest residents think it’s perfectly fine to block that lane and there’s no convincing them that they cannot sit in their car wasting gas to get fattening donuts. It is very frustrating to come up on that on a busy day on Ella Boulevard. Ironically, some of these people have posted on the Oak Forest Homeowners page that they don’t like having to be encumbered by people waiting to pick up their kids at the elementary school. The logic escapes me. Mpb Dear Editor: Well, I live at the Orchard at Garden Oaks. Have you ever seen the pick-up line for children at St. Rose of Lima School? The line starts on Brinkman Street and wraps around onto West 34th Street. I must admit that these are very courteous drivers and they do not block the driveway. My point being that there are lines everywhere. I think we should all just breathe: let parents pick-up their children, let people eat the best Shipley’s donuts anywhere if they want, just drive in the right hand lane if you are going southbound on Yale at the McDonald’s at 20th Street. As for the transportation code – a revision or ruling that it is illegal as a matter of law could make some donut eaters angry. Life is too short. Smile! Winifred McNamara Dear Editor: School is a necessity. Donuts are not. So comparing the drop-off/pickup lines at schools to the line for DONUTS? Nope. Apples and oranges. Nobody should block traffic for the sake of donuts. And anyone who does this and thinks it’s OK is a selfish person. Get out of the road. Use the parking lot. Lane Smith
Walk your dog or Park your dog
Dear Editor: The other day a man took his dog to a dog park where there are rules and thought his dog
probably because they consider us a city without real public transportation.) In the major cities, here’s what they found about the revenue generated by fares, compared to the total revenue of the transportation system: In Chicago, fares make up 43 percent of Chicago Transit Authority’s revenue. In Los Angeles, they make 31 percent of their revenue from people paying to ride. In New York’s Metro Transit Authority, rider revenue makes up 51 percent of all revenue. In Atlanta, the total fare revenue of MARTA is 32 percent. In Philadelphia, they make 41 percent of their revenue from paying customers. You won’t be surprised that in other Texas cities, the revenue numbers lag. Dallas (DART) gets 14 percent of its revenue from rider fares. And San Antonio comes in a point lower, at 13 percent, from fare revenue. And then there’s Houston, which is so broken that we come in at 7.1 percent. All of that to say, Mr. Barnaby was
would be safe. If everybody abides by the rules his thought process is correct, but all is not true. First, you, as a dog owner are responsible for whatever your dog does, good or bad. If your dog is an aggressive dog you should not take it anywhere where there may be other dogs unless your dog is on a leash so you can control your dog. Most dogs that are aggressive have been aggressive before and have a history of it. The owners of aggressive dogs seem to want to deny that it ever happened, “oh, it was the other dog.” Most aggressive dogs are large dogs and their owners know and some are proud that their dog can take care of themselves, so they do not fear their dog will get hurt. I do not take my dog to any dog parks. The sign says to call someone if a dog is aggressive, even though now your dog is dead. To call someone after the fact is a joke. My dog is a small dog and I have great love for her and do not and will not put her in danger if I can help it. My dog has been attacked by a larger dog and the dog put a hole in her neck and ripped her ear. The owner of the aggressive dog just stood there and watched their dog maul my dog, fortunately the woman walking my dog, at risk to herself, pulled the aggressive dog off my dog. The owner of the aggressive dog was just matter of fact about it. I was not there or their dog would have never done that again, yes, I would have eliminated their dog! I walk my dog in several parks and there is a law that your dog must be on a leash, yet, there are owners that allow their dog off the leash. NinetyNine percent of the time it is a large to very large dog. Beware of the trails in Memorial Park, I have encountered numerous dogs off the leash there. Finally, after being chased by a pit bull dog I realized that if I had been walking my dog, she possibly would have been killed, or the least we would have been bitten and I possibly would have had to shoot/stab/choke the pit bull dog to death. My intent is not to have to do any of the above, but I went home that day and made a stick to carry with me for those aggressive animals. The guy in the dog park that shot a dog that was attacking his dog. Well, like all the rest of you, except the people in the park, you and I were not there. I am not him, but he did what he felt was right. Where was the dog owner and as I stated earlier this probably was not the first time their dog was aggressive. It is on the aggressive dog owner to control their dog. If you allow your aggressive dog at places like that, your dog may not live. Fred Find
Bullet Train
Dear Editor: I am perplexed by the virulent comments about the high speed rail. I understand the phenomenon of NIMBY. That seems to be the underlying theme. But when I moved into Garden Oaks section one, I knew that there was a BNSF rail line about two blocks to the north and 610 about two blocks to the south. I knew that when the wind is out of the north it is going to sound like the trains are running through the front yard, and when it is out of the south it will sound like the trucks on 610 are in the back yard. And sure enough that is what I got. My point is that the folks that bought houses on 34th that back up to the railroad knew what they were getting when they bought it. Adding a high speed train to the mix is not going to materially change anything. So what is the big deal? Remember the passenger train is electric. So it sounds whisper quiet compared to the big multi-diesel freight trains that rumble through at all hours of the night. The passenger train will be elevated, so they won’t have to blow their horns at all the grade crossings like the freight trains do at all hours of the night. And the passenger trains are going to run primarily during the day when most people are at work. So to me all this talk about the passenger train destroying the neighborhood is a bunch of NIMBY handwringing hokum. The Leader editor made a good point in a recent article about maybe the best terminus would be at the Beltway and 290, or somewhere near a park and ride facility that has regular bus service instead of downtown Houston where the parking is problematic. There have been readers that questioned the commercial viability of the venture. But as far as I can tell that is not our problem. This is supposed to be a privately funded, for profit venture. As long as there are no ‘too big to fail’ type taxpayer bailouts, the investors can get rich or go broke, but it won’t affect me. Rail is the second most efficient method of moving large amounts of cargo behind water transportation. A passenger rail system will create less pollution than an airplane per passenger mile and a lot less than a car or bus. I have only ridden a high speed train twice in my life, between Boston and New York on business. But I had a great time. It was very cool. We used to have a saying at my software company – “If you sit still you are road kill”. Let’s embrace progress instead of trying to block it. Vance
wrong. He was way too generous to Houston Metro. We are almost 50 percent worse than the lowest Texas metropolitan area. Last week, I was taken to task by another reader (who allegedly doesn’t read the paper) because I questioned having government run businesses like the U.S. Postal Service. If that was Exhibit A, count Metro as Exhibit B. Would United run an airline where ticket revenue made up 7 percent of the company’s funds? Would Yellow Cab run a taxi service where rider fares only made up 7 percent of the income? I actually believe some of our tax dollars should be used to support public transportation. If we want to develop as a leading city in the United States, all of us should support having a means to move the masses. But it is not OK that taxpayers foot 93 percent of the bill. It is not OK for the group whose business it is to transport people earns 7 percent of its income from the people being transported. Email jonathan@theleadernews.com
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The biggest Ebola fear was fear itself THE TV – “In other news,” the anchorman intones, then goes on to tell about wars, hopes for peace, etc. Notice what he did not say, what did not happen? Not a single panic-stricken word about Ebola. In America it is the Disease That Dissolved. When was the last time you heard any mention of Ebola? For a time the nation was terribly frightened about the disease. Every TV network news show began with that story, aided by maps, pictures of men in hazmat suits wheeling a canvas-covered stretcher through the back door of a hospital, and we heard from learned medical experts who kept saying for us not to worry, or not to worry too much, because the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had it under control. We preferred to panic. Much of this overwrought fear was encouraged by the press. Its mistakes are pointed out ad nauseam, and some of the media did indeed drop the ball on this story, scaring the bejesus out of us. I had a friend who cancelled a business trip to New York City because a doctor had returned there from West Africa and everyone was in a state of panic because Typhoid Mary could infect all of Gotham. Two school girls who moved to New Jersey from Rwanda were kept from attending their first week at an elementary school for fear of the disease spreading. But Rwanda is nearly 3,000 miles -- actually 2,775 miles - from West Africa where the Ebola outbreak occurred. That is farther than Los Angeles is to New York City. What? We worry? Last October Glenn Beck screamed about how government incompetence is “literally going to be the death of all of us” and declared that millions of Americans should demand a ban on travel from West Africa. Dr. Beck also said that the Ebola crisis will spiral out of control, because: “Every time somebody new gets the Ebola virus, it mutates.” It didn’t and it doesn’t. The scare hit close to home in Texas when, as we remember, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas sent an ailing Thomas Eric Duncan home with aspirin to take for his illness. Turns out Duncan
Lynn Ashby Columnist
had Ebola and died soon afterwards. The mistake cost the City of Dallas $155,000 including $27,000 to quarantine and observe the dog of a nurse who became infected. In addition, the hospital said it lost $1.8 million in revenue. Some official guesstimates didn’t soothe our worries. The CDC estimated that by Jan. 20, 2015, (that’s about now) there would be a total of approximately 550,000 Ebola cases in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The World Health Organization (WHO) said as of Jan. 14, 2015 there were 21,296 total deaths from Ebola. WHO and the CDC admit the figures are underestimates, given the difficulty collecting the data. I found Ebola figures all over the chart. Now we come to a really stupid situation. For 17 months during this time of vaccines, haz mat suits and fear, the U.S. did not have a surgeon general. One had been appointed by President Obama: a highly regarded physician, Dr. Vivek Murthy, an MD and an MBA who practices and teaches at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and teaches at Harvard Medical School. But the NRA told Republican Congress members not to approve the nomination because a group Dr. Murthy had founded, Doctors for America, supports stricter gun control laws, including background checks, mandatory safety training and banning certain semiautomatic weapons. He finally got the job -- the Senate vote was 5143 – but the Ebola chaotic fire drill might not have happened if Dr. Vivek liked semiautomatics. Incidentally, why does our surgeon general always dress like an admiral? Why do we see TV ads of some Swiss guy blowing an Alpine horn as a voice sings out; “Eeee-bowla!” And why did we name the plane that dropped that Abomb on Hiroshima the Ebola Gay?
Now we consider how Ebola began, why is it called that and what about the chocolate crop? Scientists say the disease first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, one in the Sudan and the other in the Republic of the Congo. The latter occurred in a village near the Ebola River, thus the name. Good thing it wasn’t first spotted in Waco or Pampa. Medical experts thought Ebola originated in gorillas, because human outbreaks began after people ate gorilla meat. That pretty well narrowed it down in my neighborhood. Then suspicion spread to humans having close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas (again), fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead in the rainforests. That included most of Texas. The latest suspect is just the fruit bat, so carefully read the contents label on your soup can. About the threat to your M&Ms, Snickers Bars and Butterfingers: One of Ebola’s deadliest regions is the Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer of cacao, the raw ingredient in those candy bars. The Ivory Coast has yet to experience a single case of Ebola, but shut down its borders with Liberia and Guinea, virtually halting the workforce needed to pick the cacao beans just as the harvest season begins. Prices are already rising. Finally, as we can see, it is impossible to get accurate figures on the number of Ebola sickness and deaths in West Africa, but we should give the poor beleaguered CDC and this nation’s other trained health professionals a round of applause (wearing Latex gloves) because in the U.S. the only people who died from Ebola were two who had arrived already carrying the disease. (Compare that to flu deaths during the same time.) Others contacted it here but survived, even the nurse’s dog. So despite all the viewing-withalarm, showboating public officials and media overkill -- or maybe because of it – thus far we have dodged a bullet. But no one thinks about what didn’t happen. Ashby feels ill at ashby2@ comcast.net.
Page 4A • Saturday, January 31, 2015
HEB, from P. 1A
Historic, from P. 1A
“We need that amount of space to ensure that we can provide adequate parking for our customers,� said GarzaRoberts. They also need population density that that will guarantee enough customers and sales for them to meet their financial model. The Leader delivers to over 70,000 homes. Seems dense enough to us. When asked if the area would ever hit the H-E-B jackpot – a location in the GOOF and in the Heights – GarzaRoberts said that building a store in the Heights would not preclude them from looking in the Garden Oaks area. “We have an interest in both neighborhoods,� said GarzaRoberts. “One of the challenges we face in the Heights is that much of the area is ‘dry’, meaning we would be prevented from selling beer/wine. This makes finding a location there problematic.�
When asked about the former Pinemont Park and Ride, a 15 acre property that METRO is putting up for sale, mum was the word. “We do not comment on real estate locations we may or may not be pursuing,� she said. Some speculate that the park and ride, with frontage on Pinemont Drive and on Federal Plaza Drive, is too far from the heart of the GOOF to be a viable option. But we shall see. And no Lazybrook H-E-B, we didn’t forget about you. Garza-Roberts said that they have no plans to expand the location at 1511 W. 18th St. “The size of the parking lot would not support a larger size store,� she said. Eventually it’s got to happen somewhere though right? And then we’ll all start asking for a Trader Joes.
“We recently deconstructed a big home in River Oaks, and one in Memorial too,� Edmunson said. “Many of the homes we deconstruct are old bungalows, but many are not. In fact, a homeowner just donated a $25,000 chandelier, and I can’t wait to add that puppy to the warehouse,� Edmunson said. Dave Seeburger is coowner of P&G Homes, a custom home building company with an extensive background in home restorations. He is also a patron of Historic Houston’s Salvage Warehouse. “We do a lot of rehabs and restorations in Houston’s near north,� Seeburger said. “When we do a renovation and an element is missing, we add it.
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It might be a kitchen sink, a bathtub, bricks or hardware. We go to the warehouse for many of these components. Our buyers appreciate the quality. “Besides, there is something sort of humbling about working with an old door, or an old element with its own history. It’s also the right thing to do,� Seeburger said. “People are beginning to realize that reusing building materials is important for the future,� Edmunson said.“They are aware that we can’t keep just throwing stuff away. What Historic Houston is doing is indeed the right thing to do.�
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Boundaries, from P. 1A public feedback meetings will be held in the coming weeks in communities facing overcrowding problems at schools and the district is expected to vote on the issue in March. However, many parents have taken to social media to voice their concerns in the meantime and many are curious as to how the new lines might end up. “I’m curious what the new lines would be, too, as we are just over the line between Stevens and Oak Forest,� Elizabeth Sanchez said on the Oak Forest Homeowners Association’s Facebook page. “I can imagine anyone suddenly finding their home no longer zoned to [Oak Forest Elementary] would be upset, so they will keep new boundaries quiet as long as possible. We toured second grade at Stevens last year and I was overall impressed with every staff member we met, but we
decided to keep my daughter where she is.� Chris Collins also posted that the proposed boundaries might be held back until closer to March due to the inherent controversy it might cause. “The overall ‘we have to relieve overcrowding, and one way to do it is redrawing zones’ argument can get more focus when you don’t have the more specific ‘you moved my house into a zone I don’t want, and you’re killing my property values / children’s future!’ complaints,� Collins said. No elementary schools in The Leader area face overcrowding issues and Sinclair and Stevens elementary schools would likely see “little overall enrollment changes� under the proposal. HISD Board Trustee Anna Eastman emphasized that if a family is enrolled and their
school is rezoned, they will not be required to change schools. Eastman herself currently has her children enrolled in a school beyond one near her home, and she said the district acts in full support of families that do the same. “This is a process that is done with foresight and you don’t want to just shift families out all at once,� Eastman said. “I’m not a believer in forcing families to go to a school they don’t want to, but you have to adjust boundaries to where neighborhoods are exploding and we’re seeing that in the Heights and the Garden OaksOak Forest corridor.� Often times, there is no single, major cause of readjusting school attendance boundaries, Eastman said. The process is usually carried out through a number of calculations and analyses, including determining what the physical capacity is of
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Saturday, January 31, 2015 • Page 5A
The calendar. LA CLEMENZA DI TITO Opera in the Heights Opera in the Heights, 1703 Heights Blvd., presents Mozart’s Roman tale about a woman scorned, an evil assassination plot, and shocking forgiveness. The performance will run from Jan. 30 through Feb. 8. Call or visit the website for show times and to purchase tickets. Information: www.operaintheheights.org, 713-861-5303. THE BIG GAME BASH Wakefield Crowbar Come out at 4 p.m. Feb. 1, at the Wakefield Crowbar, 954 Wakefield Dr., for the Seattle vs. New England game, football squares, door prizes and more. Adult beverages will be provided complimentary to all guests. Sponsors for the event include Bud Light, Karbach Brewing Co., and Southern Comfort. Information: 713-686-8388. JENNIFER MAY REILAND SOLO EXHIBITION Redbud Gallery Brooklyn-based Houstonian, Jennifer May Reiland, announces her first U.S. solo show at Redbud Gallery, 303 E. 11th St. Titled “Veronicas,� the show runs though Feb. 3, featuring watercolor paintings and drawings that reflect the overlap of fantasy and reality in the digital age. Information: 713-862-2532, www.redbudgallery.com.
FEBRUARY EVENTS AT THE LIBRARY Heights Neighborhood Library Come by and participate in these free programs offered to the community by Heights Neighborhood Library, 1302 Heights Blvd. The Bluebonnet Readers Club, a book club for grades 3-6 is at 10 a.m. Feb. 7; the Heights Library Readers Group meets at 6:15 p.m. Feb. 2; Roaring 20s/30s Book Club is a young adult book discussion held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4; and the Houston Writers Guild is at 6 p.m. Feb. 9. Information: 832-393-1810, www.houstonlibrary.org. IDOL OF THE HEIGHTS PRELIMS Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce Calling all vocalists and music lovers, enter to win cash prizes and to perform at the annual Crawfish Festival March 7. Prelim events are held as follows: Country, Feb. 6 at Gabby’s BBQ, 3101 N. Shepherd; Rhythm & Blues and Ballads, Feb. 13 at Corkscrew, 1308 W. 20th St.; Rock of Ages, Feb. 20 at Little J’s Bar, 5306 Washington. The cost is $30 preregistration and $40 at the door. Information: heightschamber. com/idol. FIELD TRIP TO NATURE’S WAY Heights Garden Club Meet up at 101 Sherbrook Circle in Conroe at 10 a.m. or come to Boulevard Realty, 1545 Heights Blvd., at 9 a.m. for ride sharing.
The owner, John Ferguson, will discuss how they made their compost, mulches and soils as well as showing off several demonstration gardens and a new plant nursery. Wear outdoor shoes. Free admission. Information: www.heightsgardenclub. com. LATIN JAZZ CONCERT FOR HOGG Reagan High School Auditorium The JosÊ-Miguel Yamal Latin Jazz Quintet will be performing at 4 p.m. Feb. 8, in the Reagan High School Auditorium, 413 E. 13th St. JosÊ-Miguel Yamal is a Grammy nominated pianist and longtime Houston resident who has played all over the world. He attended Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and earned his Ph.D. from Rice University. Proceeds of this concert go toward the purchase of new instruments for the Hogg Middle School Razorback Band. Visit the website to purchase tickets. Information: jazzhogg. bpt.me. BREAKFAST CONNECTION Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce Come hear author Larry Payne talk about leadership in Houston. He explores ways to create sustainable leadership, personal transformation and authentic involvement for individuals and organizations. The breakfast will be from 6:45-8:30 a.m. Feb. 12,
at Sheraton Brookhollow Hotel, 3000 North Loop West. The cost is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Information: heightschamber.com, 713-8616735. FIX FELIX FOR FREE Houston Humane Society The Houston Humane Society, will neuter 700 male cats for free at the HHS Animal Wellness Clinic, 14700 Almeda Road, Feb. 18. Must have an appointment, and there is a limit of five cats per person. Domesticated and feral cats qualify, and for the health and safety of all cats and staff, each feline must be in a plastic crate or carrier. A current rabies vaccination is required by law. Pet owners must show proof of current rabies certificate, or they may purchase a rabies vaccine for their cat the day of the event. Information: 713-433-6421, fixfelix@houstonhumane.org. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT JOB FAIR Harriet and Joe Foster YMCA The job fair, hosted by the Greater Heights Chamber of Commerce, will be held at the Harriet and Joe Foster Family YMCA, 1234 W. 34th St. and is open to local high school students from 1-5 p.m. Feb. 25. Community businesses and organizations are partnering up to offer job opportunities. Information: 713861-6735.
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From the Pews. All Saints Third Age Learning Center to hold registration All Saints Third Age Learning Center (TALC) senior program, open to seniors 50-plus in the community, will hold its 2015 Spring semester registration from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 29, in the parish hall. Classes begin Feb. 9, and registration will continue the first two weeks of the semester, Feb. 9-13. The semester will conclude on May 8. TALC offers a variety of classes, day trips, seminars, birthday celebrations and special parties. A full course hot lunch is available at noon Monday through Friday during the semester for $2. All Saints Catholic Community is located at 215 E. 10th St. For TALC program information or lunch reservations, call 713-248-1277. St. Mark’s celebrates 75th anniversary of building of sanctuary On Feb. 4, 1940, the old bell cast in 1892 for Zion Methodist Church, rang out in St. Mark’s tower calling people to the new church’s first service. The 75th anniversary celebration of the sanctuary will be at 10:50 a.m. Feb. 1. The St. Mark’s Choir will present Sweetheart Serenade with music and desserts at 4 p.m. Feb. 8, for a Valentine celebration. Proceeds benefit the choir fund. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children with $30 family maximum. Shrove Tuesday will be held at 5:30-7 p.m. Feb. 17, in the fellowship hall. An all you can eat pancake dinner will be served which includes pancakes, sausage, fruit, juice, coffee and tea. Tickets are $5 per person with a $20 family maximum. The proceeds benefit the Heights Interfaith
Moving
Ministries Food Pantry. St. Mark’s is led by the Rev. Emily Chapman. The church is located at 600 Pecore. Call 713-861-3104 for information. Worship service for special needs children at St. Andrew’s St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 1819 Heights Blvd., welcomes the Rhythms of Grace service, an ecumenical worship experience for special needs children and their families Feb. 1. Rhythms of Grace will take place on Sundays at 2 p.m. in the parish hall. Rhythms of Grace began in Houston in 2010 and was created so that families could have a place to worship with their children without worrying about verbal disruptions, distracting movements or gestures. For information, call 713861-5596 or visit www.saeheights.org. Loken guest speaker at First Baptist Church Heights First Baptist Church Heights, 201 E. 9th St., welcomes guest speaker Dr. Israel Loken, at 10:15 a.m. Feb. 1. Loken graduated from Lancaster Bible College in 1990. He received his Th.M. in 1996 and his Ph.D. in 2001. He currently serves as both the department chair for the Bible and Theology departments at the College of Biblical Studies and is also Adjunct faculty at Dallas Theological Seminary. Aside from publishing the Loken Commentary Series of the Old Testament, Dr. Loken has numerous other publications as well as his contributions to Logos Bible Software. Call 713-861-3102 or visit www.fbcheights.org for information.
Three nights of ministry with John Michael Talbot at St. Rose St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community, 3600 Brinkman, welcomes John Michael Talbot, Christian music legend, best-selling author and host of The Church Channel’s hit TV program “All Things Are Possible.� Come experience three special nights of ministry at 7 p.m. Feb. 2, 3 and 4. Tickets are not required, but a love offering will be received each evening to support the ministries of John Michael Talbot and the Brothers and Sisters of Charity. The suggested donation is $15 per person/per night, however no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Call 713-692-9123 for information. St. Rose Altar Guild host chocoholic feast, games The St. Rose of Lima Altar Guild will be hosting a Chocoholic Feast and Games party at 7 p.m. Feb. 6, at St. Rose of Lima West Hall, 3600 Brinkman. The evening of fun supports the ministry of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. For information call 713692-9123 or email Giovanna Colonnetta at gcolonnetta@ sbcglobal.net. Dessert Extravaganza at St. Stephen’s Celebrate Valentine’s Day at the Dessert Extravaganza at St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church, 2003 W. 43rd St., from 1-3 p.m. Feb 14, in the fellowship hall. Sample six desserts for $5, and additional tastes for $1 each. Bid on a whole dessert at the silent auction. Valentine flower arrangements will also be available. “The Gathering Place,�
ChurCh Oaks Presbyterian Church
FirstChurch Church First
Heights
Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship - 10:30 a.m. Nursery Provided Ministering to the Oak Forest Community since 1948 Reverend Noelie Day
Pastor Larry Young • Pastor C. David Harrison
1576 Chantilly @ Piney Woods
201 E. 9th St. • www.fbcheights.org
(713) 682-2556
Sunday School ........9:15 am Sunday Worship......10:30am Wed. Prayer Service 6:30pm Thurs. “Recharge� Bible Study 6:30pm
a ministry for persons with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory loss, and their caregivers, will begin Feb. 9, from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. For information and to register (required), call 713-682-5995. Call 713-686-8241 or visit www.stsumc.org for information.
AIKIDO & SELF DEFENSE Classes Enrolling Now Japanese Martial Arts 40 yrs experience 8th Degree Black Belt
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Selling, Leasing & Property Management
713-906-5481
Realty Associates DEBBIE ourrealtordebbie@aol.com ELLIOTT Ad # 36774
1624 W 34th • 713-686-7689 www.gospeltruthchurch.org
4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 Reverend John Cain, Pastor
Worship Services 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. (Nursery Provided) Sunday School & Bible Classes 9:15 a.m. Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m. Member of MANNA
1822 W. 18th
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5315 Antoine@ Pinemont
713-688-9625
Hours: M-F 7am-6:00pm Sat. 8am-12 Noon
1216 Bethlehem at Ella Blvd. (713) 688-7761
Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Worship10:45 AM Pastor Don Joseph Member of MANNA Visit us on FaceBook www.oakscchouston.org
Ad # 22283
GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH
counTer saLes person
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Oaks Christian ChurCh
Sunday 10:30 am Worship and The Word Children’s Church Wednesday 7:30 pm Life Equip classes for all ages
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Run your ad in the Leader. Call to get started 713.686.8494
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713-861-3102
www.gethsemanelutheran.org
$140.00 Value
Sunday - Bible Study For All Ages .. 9:30am Morning Worship............ 10:45am Age Graded Zones ...........6:15pm Wed. Prayer Meeting & Missions Organization .....................6:15pm Dr. John W. Neesley - Senior Pastor
713-864-1470
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MESSAGE OF THE WEEK
Simplify your Diet
H
ow much time do you spend each day planning and preparing meals, not to mention shopping for them and of course eating them? While there are people who enjoy all of this, and not just the part which involves eating, some of us wish it could be simpler and easier to accomplish this basic task of getting nutrients into our bodies. A single product that provides all of our nutritional needs is surely not far away. In fact, there are already products on the market that claim to do just that. But, perhaps we need not take the “simplify your life� advice this far. Maybe just adding more rice and beans to the diet would do it. It would certainly simplify our shopping and make us healthier if we cut out the nutritionally questionable snack foods, such as candy, chips, and soda. Most of us would be better off just drinking water and having some fruit for dessert. We don’t need to be vegetarians, but cutting some or even most of the meat out of our diets would probably leave us both healthier and wealthier. Perhaps the best advice we can follow to simplify our diets is to remember the old adage: Eat to live; don’t live to eat. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Exodus 20:3
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A House of Hope and Prayer in the Heart of Houston Rev. Herschel Moore, Pastor
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Weekly Sunday Services • Bible Study: 9:15 a.m. • Morning:10:30 a.m. • Evening: 4:15 p.m.
1700 West 43 rd at Rosslyn 713-682-4942 Pastor – Dr. Richard Walters
Page 6A • Saturday, January 31, 2015
Neighbors: Making memories at the Oak Dads Club Cookoff
By Elizabeth Villareal elizasgarden@outlook.com The Oaks Dads Club Annual BBQ Cookoff was held this past weekend and in spite of a chilly beginning (pardon the pun) on Friday, spicy and delicious food was the name of the game. Friday night 16 cooking teams got down and dirty making chili and smoking briskets and chickens all night long in the invigorating 39° chill. Old friends reconnected and new friends were made as folks gathered around campfires and heaters while “taste testing,� and Anderson (“Andy�) Moore entertained friends with his acoustic guitar while others danced the Texas Two Step to their own music at their cooking tents. A few of the folks cooking, dancing and visiting were Shawn Salyers, Sean Jez, Tony Cirillo, Norbert Aguilar, Steven Ruffino, Darcy Ruffino, Angela Solice, Mark Greene and many others. Salyers planned and executed this year’s coo-
koff and says it was a great success, with approximately $5,000 raised for the young athletes of ODC. Saturday dawned bright and sunny and as children played in bouncy houses and their parents enjoyed the music of Honeyboy Nelson and Sik Mule, judges assessed entries of succulent, delicious chicken, ribs, brisket, chili, chef’s choice, children’s entries, and beans. The winners are as follows: Chef’s Choice: 1st - Bad Ass Bitches, 2nd - All Fired Up, and 3rd - Sons of the American Legion. Beans: 1st - Something About That Sauce, 2nd - SPJST Lodge, and 3rd - JC Cookers. Chili: 1st - JC Cookers, 2nd - Bad Ass Bitches, and 3rd - Bull of the Woods. Chicken: 1st - Po Mesikan Cookers, 2nd - Texas Smoke Rings, and 3rd - Something About That Sauce. Ribs: 1st - Po Mesikan Cookers, 2nd - We Be Cookin, and 3rd - Tuesday Night Supper Cookers. Brisket: 1st - PO Mesikan Cookers, 2nd - Sons
of the American Legion, and 3rd - KM Cookers. Overall Winners:Po Mesikan Cookers. The 2015 ODC Cookoff team would like to thank Constable Alan Rosen for coming out to judge BBQ along with the rest of the judges: Carl Waters, Harry Millirons a/k/a Harry The TexasFlagCurbPainter, Leonard Johnson, John Henry Mill, Chita Johnson, Cathy Stephens, Patrick and Cherie Sinclair, Tiffany Craig, Jeremy Rogalski and his wife, Sergio from Scoop Le Poop, Norbert Aguilar, David Lorms, Ann Brock, Justin Gordon, and Billy Hartman. I was honored to be asked to judge and enjoyed myself thoroughly – the beer was cold and the company was excellent! Congratulations to the winners! Parents and kiddos would like to thank the sponsors: Hartman & Associates, Justin Gordon Homes, Gabby’s BBQ, Roznovsky’s, Mytiburger,
B&W Meat Market, La Hacienda, Jus’ Mac, The Jez Family, Kroger, Ugly Guppy Printing and T-shirts, David Lorms Insurance, Karbach Brewing, Houston Ghost Bike, The Leader Newspaper, and Harry Texasflagcurbpainter. Kudos also goes to the ODC Boards, cooking teams and volunteers who soldiered through the night, cooking and setting up despite brisk temperatures, all in the name of fundraising for a neighborhood institution. Thanks also goes out to Steve Sims for designing the amazing poster he created for the event. Salyers shared, “Everyone had a great time. This was a good chance for all our families to come back together before baseball and softball seasons begin. Registration for spring season is open now. Mark your calendars for Opening Day: March 28th.� Check the ODC website for registration information: http://www. odcsports.com.
Is your family primed for pet ownership?
Dear Tabby, My kids have been begging for a pet. I’m not sure if we’re ready yet. Help! Considering A Pet in Mangum Manor Dear Considering A Pet, Owning a pet is a big responsibility--even if it’s just a fish. Pets require (at a minimum) regular feedings, attention, baths or cage/tank cleanings, someone to care for them when you’re out of town...the list goes on and on. It’s not a decision to make flippantly. Getting your kids on board
with shouldering some of the responsibility is also important. “The first thing that you need to think of is if your children are old enough and responsible enough to handle a pet around the house,� said Dr. Mark Stickney, Clinical Associate Professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “You also need to be aware of the temperament of the new pet that you’re bringing in.� Low maintenance animals, such as hamsters and fish, prove to be great starter pets for children. They require minimal amounts of time and care, introducing the child to the responsibilities of pet ownership without giving them more than they can manage. Another point of contention is allergies. Do you or anyone in your home suffer from allergies that might be made worse by the introduction of a furry friend? If so, maybe it’s
The Obituaries. Mary Catherine Adams, 82, born Sept. 12, 1932, died Jan. 18. Mary Lou Cisneros, 85, born May 31, 1929, died Jan. 24. A native Houstonian, she was a member of the All Saints Altar Society, the Ladies Auxiliaries of both AM Legion 416 and K of C 2917. Cisneros is survived by three children: Mary Wilson, Theresa Albarran and Christopher Cisneros, nine grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson. The family will receive friends, Thursday, Jan. 29, at 4 p.m. at Heights Funeral Home. A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. later that evening. A Funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30, at 9 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church, 215 E. 10th St. Interment will follow at Houston National Cemetery.
a good idea to consider a reptile, fish or even a hypoallergenic breed, such as a poodle, Schnauzer or Yorkie. There is even evidence to support that infants exposed to animals earlier in life are less likely to develop allergies later on. If you or your kids are deadset on a snake, consider what Dr. Stickney has to say on the subject.  “With animals like lizards and snakes, their care and feeding requirements can be a bit tricky as far as humidity, temperature, etc.,� Stickney said. “These animals also eat other animals for food, which may be upsetting to some children. Depending on their age and maturity, that might be something beyond a child’s ability to handle.� Gulp. Duly noted. Here’s the good news: According to Dr. Stickney, research has shown numerous health benefits of owning a pet, including lower blood pressure and elevated mood. There is even evidence to support that interaction between pets and children with disabilities, such as Down’s syndrome or Autism, is extremely beneficial. “The key is that you need to have a nice, docile pet,� Stickney said. “One that isn’t too active or rough, but that just wants to be loved on and to love right back.� As always, if you’ve decided
Pet of the Week
Contributed Photo Competitors big and small celebrated a great weekend at the Oaks Dads Club Annual BBQ Cookoff.
Attention Graduates We have • Full Photo Packages • Photo Invitations • Photo Name cards, etc.
Finished Pictures Back In One Week
Parsley Studio 1504 Yale
Call For Appointment 713-869-4641
Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10:00-5:30; Saturday 10:00-2:00, Closed Monday
What is Canine Lepto? Meet Peanut. Peanut is a tricolor Chihuahua/Rat Terriermix. What this sweet girl lacks in stature, she makes up for in personality. Weighing in at a petite 6.8 lbs, Peanut is the consummate lap dog; loves all people (and kids 12 and older), other dogs and even cats! Peanut would be tickled pink to be a part of a loving family... could yours be the one? If so, go to www.cap4pets.org for more info.
to bring a pet into the family, please consider adopting before buying. Even for small animals, such as hamster and guinea pigs, check the ASPCA first, as they often have small animals available for adoption as well as dogs and cats. Do you have a question for Tabby? If so, email her at deartabbyquestions@gmail.com
Leptospirosis is a bacteria that dogs can acquire from contaminated water and/or exploring areas where wildlife have eliminated their urine. Common carriers of Lepto are other dogs, raccoons, opossums and rats. Many other animals can be affected, including people and squirrels. Clinically in dogs we see acute liver and kidney failure with Lepto. Often there is fever, vomiting and many other symptoms. Diagnosis involves blood panels, urinalysis and state lab testing. This takes time and cannot always conďŹ rm Lepto on the initial testing. Treatment must be quick and aggressive before permanent organ damage occurs and the dog dies. Why are Lepto cases increasing? Are we encroaching on wildlife areas more? Are we testing and diagnosing more often? Are new Lepto serovars emerging? Are we vaccinating less than years past? The vaccine lasts one year (at best). ONLY your vet should give it after evaluating your dogs individual needs and exposure risk. There may be some reasons why some dogs should not receive this as there is with other vaccines. All pets should be observed at home after any vaccine is given. Unlikely but possible adverse reactions can occur especially if vaccines are not administered professionally. Again, ground water and wildlife (especially urban rats) exposure constitute the greatest but not only risk. Warm spring rains and summer oods increase the incidence of Lepto in dogs who then spread it to others.
Always call your Vet if you have any concerns or questions
$ '0 ,)1 ,'+ * !*','! 8 8 8 '" * 3 # " / , 4 7 & 54 6 * 5 & $0 . 7151 Fairbanks N. Houston (1 mile North of HWY 290)
(713)-937-7274
the leader Puzzlers. Answers found in this week’s Classified section
SUDOKU
Thomas A. Griffin, 76, born Feb. 25, 1938, died Jan. 23. Raymond E. Gum, 90, born April 22, 1924 in Wichita Falls, died Jan. 26. Gum worked for Houston Light and Power Co. for 40 years. He was a member of St. Matthew’s Methodist Church. He was a proud, longtime member of Reagan Lodge 1037 and was recipient of the Golden Trowel and earned a 32nd degree from Scottish Rite. He enjoyed performing with the Sun Shiners Band for several years. Gum is survived by his wife Frances, son Larry and daughter Beverly Schmidt, two grandsons and two great-grandchildren. Graveside service will be presided over by Pastor Frank Coats on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. in Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery. Lillian Mildred Johnson, 88, born July 9, 1926, died Jan. 19. Alfred L. Kenjura Sr., 88, born March 31, 1926 in Brenham, died Jan. 16. At the age of 17, Kenjura volunteered to serve his country during World War II by joining the Navy. He attended Southwestern Business University and the University of Houston. He spent his entire career in the transportation industry being associated with Westheimer Transfer/Allied Van Lines for more than 22 years and before his retirement was vice president and general sales manager for Wald/Mayflower for more than 23 years. He was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community since 1950, St. Rose of Lima Men’s Club, Scripture Sharing Group, Honorary Members of The Knights of Columbus #2917, American Legions, The Iwo Jima Survivors Association, past member of The Transportation Club of Houston, The Plaza Club, Governor’s Club and The University Club. Kennjura is survived by his children, Deborah A. Hargett, Cynthia K. Bigelow, Alfred L. Kenjura Jr., Sharon K. Kuzniarek, and six grandchildren. Vida Marie McKenzie, 88, born April 30, 1926, died Jan. 21. Lee B. Orton, 78, born Oct. 31, 1936, died Jan. 20. Mary Lillian Majewski Przyborski, 87, born Sept. 18, 1927 in Chappell Hill, Texas, died Jan. 20. She was preceded in death by her husband Charles Albert Przyborski. She is survived by her daughters Barbara Wisnoski, Cynthia Lehoski, Elizabeth Wisnieske, and nine grandchildren. Aileen Gassiott Wilkerson, 94, born May 5, 1920 in Groveton, Texas, died Jan. 21. Wilkerson attended Sam Houston Teachers College then moved to Houston and became a secretary at Halliburton. After starting a family, she returned to school where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Houston in 1966. Wilkerson began teaching at Oak Forest Elementary and later at Durkee Elementary. She was a longtime member of Baptist Temple Church in the Heights where she taught first grade Sunday School for 50 years. She was an original resident of Timbergrove Manor where she was a member of the TMNA. She is survived by her children Jimmy Wilkerson and Judy Britt, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Memorial contributions may be made to the Star of Hope or a charity of one’s choice.
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46. Deviation from the normal 47. CBS police drama 49. Cliff 50. Resting place 51. Island in Venice 56. 1981-82 Sec. of State 57. Young man 58. Skylighted central area 59. Oily skin disorder 60. East northeast 61. 1945 Crimean conference city 62. Transfer property 63. Used to be United __ 64. Daze
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17. Short whistle blasts 24. Were introduced 25. Glowing quality 26. Ingest 27. Relative biological effectiveness 28. Footed vase 29. River in NE Scotland 35. English Univ. river 36. Malaysian Isthmus 37. Soft-finned fish 38. Eyelid infection 40. Fred & Wilma’s baby 41. New __, Louisiana city 42. Tse-tung or Zedong 43. Hindu weather god 44. ___ May, actress 45. Hauled laboriously 47. One suspender 48. More peculiar 49. N. Central African country 52. Macaw genus 53. Rhythmic swing or cadence 54. Ballerina skirt 55. Arabian sultanate
WORD SCRAMBLE
Food, drink & Art Saturday, January 31, 2015 • Page 7A
Super Thirsty Sunday XLIX The end of the NFL season is here and on Sunday, Feb. 1, the New England Patriots will take on the 2014 Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks. Who’s going to win? We’ll save that for the sports anchors to give their reliable predictions. What we’re here to talk about is the good stuff. Where you’re watching the game and what you are drinking. 8th Wonder Brewery 2202 Dallas St. 77003 The beer guys downtown will be hosting their WONDER BOWL at 8th Wonder Brewery.
The party kicks off at noon with a tapping of the 2015 batch of Brewston in the Taproom. This Texas Pale Ale is made with Citra and Amarillo, a hop combination that is notorious for big, bold hop flavors. The party won’t be a party without some friends. Eatsie Boys and Feges BBQ will be onsite for good grub and savory barbecue. You don’t want to forget your pocketbook at home, two mobile boutiques will be on site: misc. eclectic and artful accents and Thirsty’s favorite, Urban Izzy. This might be a drive from the ‘hood, but it’s sure to be a party.
Art Valet
Opera in the heights wants to pay for your first visit Opera. Sit back down and read, I know most people are a yes or no with opera, and probably aren’t sure why if they’re a no. Me, I’ve been a maybe. However, if you hadn’t noticed by now, I love everything about the Heights, and the Heights just happens to have, a small, very famous opera house, and that got my attention. Opera in the Heights (OH) is the Mitch Cohen name, and they also want to pay for half your ticket if you’ve never Arts Columnist been to an opera before. How cool is that? My very talented friend Mariam Khalili has just been promoted to Executive Director of OH, and she invited me to the dress rehearsal for Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito this past Monday evening. My reaction? Awesome! Mariam straightened me out on opera and in particular, what OH is all about. “Opera in the Heights lives and breathes inside tiny Lambert Hall, a beautiful old church building that sits on Heights Boulevard,� Khalili said. “I would say that 9 out of 10 Heights Boulevard joggers, dog walkers, and bicyclists, have no idea what treasures are produced inside this building they move past daily. OH is one of the best kept secrets around; a secret that should be shared. On the other side of the coin, Opera in the Heights is known nationally and even internationally in the opera world thanks to two different Maestros who gave their artistic gifts to grow the organization over the years, as well as hundreds of artists, staff, and volunteers.� An internationally recognized organization goes unnoticed in its own backyard? I continued asking questions: “OH is a nonprofit organization that was founded with the idea that Opera should be shared with everyone,� Khalili said. “Imagine delighted children experiencing a live, fully staged opera complete with an orchestra for the very first time. OH provides this exLIllustration by Robin Kachantones perience and so much La Clemenza Di Tito will be feamore for our blossoming Heights community. tured Jan. 30 - Feb. 8. Over the years Opera in the Heights created a second name for itself by declaring the desire to promote emerging artists and giving them a place to not only build a resume, but to SHINE. OH now serves two major purposes: Making opera accessible and supporting and nurturing emerging artists.� Watching the performance in the 300 seat theater, is an experience like nothing else. Opera is very emotional and dramatic, so being able to see the singer’s expressions and body language is a major bonus here. Halfway through the performance, and I’m hooked. I ask Mariam if she gets to interact with these amazing singers and musicians. “I love engaging with our singers and musicians,� Khalili said. “They are all so gifted and such a pleasure to be around! It is always so interesting to me to see their alter egos on stage. I have been completely blown away by their ability to transform into the person that their character embodies.� Khalili continues about the orchestra too, “I have to say that OH is incredibly lucky to have the orchestra we have. These guys and gals don’t get but a few rehearsals in as a group, with the conductor and the singers, and they produce a phenomenal show.� “Once you fall in love with opera, it is hard to get away from it, and once you experience it in our very intimate theater, you really can’t get it out of your system.� Khalili said of her experience with opera. I have to agree, I’m falling hard for it now. La clemenza di Tito is one of Mozart’s rarest operas, written during the final year of his life in 1791. I am told that it is also one of the most difficult to perform both for the orchestra and to sing. This was not lost on my inexperience as an opera goer either. An amazing performance by all. Presuming that you are newbie to opera like me, I left out the details that would have opera fans oohing and aahing. As Khalili pointed out, OH is known nationally and internationally. La clemenza di Tito runs for two weekends (and a Thursday show) with performance dates of Jan. 30 and 31 and Feb. 5, 6 and 7 at 7:30 p.m. and matinees on Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 at 2 p.m., all at historic Lambert Hall in the Houston Heights. For new initiates requesting half-price tickets, please call the OH box office at 713-861-5303 or go online at www.operaintheights.org to order, using the code OPERANEWBIE. Regular single ticket prices for the production run from $35$67, senior tickets are $32-$58, and student tickets are $15$17 in designated areas. All operas are fully staged with orchestra and presented in the original language with English surtitles projected above the stage. Opera in the Heights is located at 1703 Heights Boulevard, Houston, TX 77008. Be sure to visit the website www.operaintheheights.org. Cohen is the founder and manager of First Saturday Arts Market. Contact him at ArtValet@gmail.com or visit him on the web at ArtValet.com.
Christian’s Tailgate Bar & Grill 2820 White Oak 77007 If you’re looking to stay a bit closer to home, but also looking for a getaway from home, Christian’s Tailgate on White Oak is a great go-to. There is a front and back section that is equipped with just about any beer you’d like and stocked with favorite game day domestics. This locations has several big screens, so you won’t miss a play. The game day special is $16 buckets and there will be food specials for the big day.
Plonk Wine & Bistro 1214 W 43rd st. 77018 Tailgating is nothing new to the Plonk team in the GOOF. The party starts at 2 p.m. and owner Scott Miller says Chef Erin Smith has big grill plans with Ribeyes, Filet Minion, Lobster, Fingerling Potatoes, Corn and other specials. The party will be centered around a signature Bloody Mary, along with their diverse craft beer and wine selection. Hughes Hangar 2811 Washington Ave. 77007 This Washington bar is no-
Leader Nibbles Breakfast of champions Breakfast locations have been a topic of interest in the neighborhood - or at least new options. Eating the same breakfast at home or dining out have perks of consistency, and maybe even pocket book saving perks. This week I have a couple of new breakfast suggestions to consider that are consistent in quality, and that won’t hurt the pocketbook.
Lillo & Ella
2307 Ella Blvd. 77008 281-888-5335
Houston Panini & Provisions 1727 W 34th St. 77018 713-681-4500
The Yard Bird.
Don’t let the name fool you, Houston Panini & Provisions isn’t just about serving you lunch and dinner. Doors open at 8 a.m. to serve you your morning coffee and maybe even a couple of breakfast options. You might remember the corner shop as Popcorn Nuts. etc., a staple in the neighborhood for years. The guys at HPP aim to keep the same authentic feel of the old popcorn store while adding their own twist. You can order your twist as a breakfast panini with eggs sunny side up and a side of bacon. Breakfast isn’t officially on the menu, but neighbors have had luck shmoozing the guys at HPP to make a few breakfast options. Stop in and shmooze and maybe we will have a full time breakfast menu on the near horizon.
Wakefield Crowbar 954 Wakefield Dr. 77018 713-686-8388
Brunch cocktails.
You’ve heard the name before and you’ve probably driven by the brightly colored restaurant on Ella. What you may not know about the eatery is that they are now offering brunch on Saturday and Sundays. Chef Kevin Naderi has considered brunch for some time now, and with an inconsistent crowd for lunch this was his chance to change things up. L&E has options ranging from Korean Steak and Eggs to Lychee and Asian Pear French Toast. Saturday and Sunday doors open at 11 a.m. and brunch is served until 3 p.m.
torious for their weekend bar crowd, so this Sunday’s game is sure to be a party. Hughes is rolling out the turf for this party. Early bird tickets are free before 5:30 p.m. and there are several table packages for you and your thirsty friends. Whether you stay in the neighborhood or venture downtown to try the Brewston, have fun and make plans for a sober ride home. Let us know where you venture to and use the hashtag #SuperThirstySunday
Have a tip for Thirsty Explorer? Email Christina@theleadernews.com and follow on Twitter @ThirstyExplorer
Restaurant update What’s going on with Texas Enchilada House? If you’ve driven by the Texas Enchilada House, located at 302 W. Crosstimbers, you may have noticed a sign reading “Closed for Family Illness.� The Leader spoke with the restaurant and they could not confirm how long they would close. “It’s difficult to say at this time,� the email continues, “We are weighing our options at this time. Regardless of what our final decision is reached, there will be a restaurant at this location.� The enchilada house did confirm that they are closed due to family a family illness and they would like to continue “but unfortunately that may not be possible at this time.� Have a tip for Nibbles? Email christina@theleadernews.com
Red Dessert Dive 1045 Studewood 77008 832-649-2977
American Legion Post 586
East River Band Friday Night, Jan. 30th 6:30-10:00 • $7.00
Valentine’s Day Dance
J.E.M. Dandy Legends Saturday, Feb. 14th 2:00-6:00 • $7.00 708 E. Parker Rd. 713-691-7741
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Try our
Spinach Artichoke Kolaches.
If you’re more on the sweet tooth side, you can dive head first into Red Dessert Dive and they will welcome you with open arms. The menu offers five breakfast goods: Muffins, Signature Kolache, Kolaches, Croissants and Scones. So what separates the Signature Kolache out from the regular? The signature is paired with cream cheese, bacon and chives. Don’t forget about the coffee! Red Dessert Dive serves Boomtown Cofee. Doors open early for the morning work crowd at 7 a.m. Tues. - Fri. and 9 a.m. on the weekend.
Photo by Christina Martinez
Lunch SpeciaLS
Mango Chicken $6.50 Sesame Shrimp $7.50
Happy New Year
Best Chinese RestAuRAnt - Houston Press 2013
Best Dumplings - Houston Press and Houston Chronicle Free Wi-Fi • Free Delivery • Limited Area ($12 min.)
Order online at AuntieChAngs.Com
2621 S. Shepherd at Westheimer | 713.524.8410
Shrimp and Grits.
Many know the Wakefield Crowbar for their bar choices, menu, great patio, and volleyball courts. What you may not know about is their great breakfast menu and accomodating hours. The neighborhood bar will be moving up their hours to 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday to better accommodate for breakfast. Hours were previously 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Early birds can beat the crowd with plenty of breakfast options to satisfy any appetite. Chef Victoria Garcia said a staple menu item to look out for is the Frosted Flake Breaded French Toast. This mouth watering item is served with a breakfast side of your choice: bacon, cheese grits, fruit, potatoes, ham, sausage or toast. The Omelet is also a great go-to, starting at $8.95 you can add anything! These new hours are just what you need to fuel up before heading over to do your weekend shopping at the Farmer’s Market in front of Petrol Station. See advertisement on page 1B.
Seafood Kitchen 11011 Northwest FRWY 832-409-5222 Same center as Academy and Conn’s @ 34 / 290
30 Shrimps $11.95
2 Pcs Fish $4.99
$ 6.99 6 Shrimps & 2 pcs Fish Lunch . Dinner
7 Days MON-SUN 11AM-9:30 FR& SAT Open Til 10 PM
Also Grilled GrilledPlatters, Platters.Poboys, Poboys Also Etouffee Gumboand andmore more Etouffee,. Gumbo
Visit our website: www.tyseafoodkitchen.com
Page 8A • Saturday, January 31, 2015
Living healthy in the Heights
-FU 6T 4FSWF :PV Contributed Photo UTHealth’s new, 6,575-square-foot clinic provides a range of services from routine wellnexss exams to highly specialized treatments for complex medical conditions. The recently opened facility is located at 925 N. Shepherd Dr.
UTHealth opens new Heights facility on North Shepherd For The Leader UT Physicians, the medical practice of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School, has opened its newest health center, UT Physicians at The Heights, at 925 N. Shepherd. UT Physicians at The Heights offers primary and specialty care in family medicine, pediatrics, cardiology, endocrinology and obstetrics/ gynecology with other specialties to follow. The clinic is accepting appointments for children, adolescents and adults and will offer weekend and extended hours. “The Heights is a popular, dense area that we identified as needing more medical care and services,� said Andrew Casas, vice president and chief operating officer of UT Physicians. “Our primary and specialty care doctors provide unparalleled care for patients of all ages in a convenient location right in their neighborhood.� The 6,575-square-foot clinic represents UT Physicians’ continued commitment to provide the most comprehensive, high-quality and personalized medical care in the community. “We are very pleased to announce this expansion to serve
our neighbors in the Heights,� said Giuseppe Colasurdo, M.D., president of UTHealth and dean of UTHealth Medical School. “Our goals are to bring the medical expertise of UTHealth Medical School to our neighboring Houston communities and to work closely with the local physicians to provide continuity of the best patient care.� UT Physicians at The Heights provides a range of services from routine wellness exams and care for common illnesses to highly specialized treatments for complex medical conditions. The clinic is connected with the entire UT Physicians practice to offer patients a quick turnaround when referred by their primary care doctor to a specialist. The health center also utilizes a secure Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system to ensure that each doctor has access to a patient’s complete history, increasing patient safety and preventing duplication of diagnostic tests. UT Physicians, one of Houston’s largest physician practices, also offers community-based medical care at its flagship location in the Texas Medical Center, as well as at health centers throughout the Houston area, including Bellaire, Bayshore, Cinco Ranch
and Sienna Village. The team of internationally recognized medical experts includes more than 1,000 doctors certified in
80 medical specialties. For more information, visit www.UTPhysicians.com or call 888-488-3627.
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