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3020 Mangum Rd 713-682-2506
Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston
10570 NW Frwy ❖ 713-680-2350
Saturday, November 10, 2018 • Vol. 63 • No. 41
ABOUT US 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd Suite A (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.
Feeling Blue Photo by Betsy Denson Gulf Coast Commercial reps say development could begin by early next year.
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Voters and political supporters gather outside Heights High School on Tuesday.
Jason Knebel (713)232-9712
jasonk@greenwoodking.com
GREENWOOD KING
PROPERTIES
INSIDE.
Center Stage - Food takes center stage at Sawyer Yards outdoor art gallery.
Page 9A
Care for Seniors - The Alzheimer’s Association has a number of resources this month for families dealing with the disease.
Page 1B
Veterans treated well - As a
small token of appreciation, all veterans will be treated to a complimentary brunch entrée at Liberty Kitchen.
Page 9A
FIND IT. CURVED OFFICE DESK: Free to good home. Call for info. Must pick up. Fairbanks/290 area. 281-787-5676. HOUSECLEANING BY DEBBIE: Dependable, quality service. References available. 713-8261776.
Page 7B
THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 8A Classifieds.............................................. 7B Coupons. ................................................. 7A Food/Drink/Art................................... 9A Obituaries.............................................. 8A Opinion. ................................................... 4A Public Information..................... 10A Puzzles...................................................... 4A
Photo by Adam Zuvanich
More voters turned out this year in what many saw as a referendum on Trump’s presidency, but Democrats came up short. By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Carole Saiz could not vote in United States elections until she was nearly 40. She realized right away how important it was to take advantage of that opportunity. Saiz, a 48-year-old Lebanon native who lives in Oak Forest and runs a tutoring service, became an American citizen in 2009 and has since capitalized on each of her chances to cast a ballot. She voted Tuesday morning at Black Middle School, where she carried a purse emblazoned with an image of the American flag. “Nobody should take it for granted,” Saiz said. “Every election is important.” For area citizens and beyond, the midterm election that ended Tuesday might have been as important as any other cycle, including presidential elections. Houston-area ballots included a hotly contested and nationally consequential U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Beto O’Rourke,
an open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and citywide propositions related to increased pay for firefighters and the allocation of funds to combat flooding. Both propositions passed with the backing of The Leader’s coverage area, which voted decidedly Democrat in the senate and house races. Area voters helped to re-elect Sheila Jackson Lee as U.S. Representative for District 18 and supported Democrat Todd Litton in his District 2 race against Republican Dan Crenshaw, who prevailed in the overall race. O’Rourke, the El Paso Democrat who garnered national attention during the campaign, was overwhelmingly supported by The Leader’s coverage area but lost a close statewide race against Cruz. Area voters backed O’Rourke by a margin of 33,178-17,183, with Cruz prevailing in only two of 32 area precincts. Multiple area residents cited the polarizing effect of President Donald Trump, See Election P. 6A
Ted Cruz
Beto O’Rourke
Dan Crenshaw
Todd Litton
Sheila Jackson Lee
Ava Reynero Pate
HOW WE VOTED
Numbers represent the total number of votes cast within THE LEADER’S coverage area for each candidate. The overall election winner is denoted with a check mark.
U.S. Senate Ted Cruz, Republican: 17,183 Beto O’Rourke, Democrat: 33,178
U.S. Rep, District 2 Dan Crenshaw, Republican: 5,879 Todd Litton, Democrat: 7,989
U.S. Rep, District 18 Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat: 20,294 Ava Reynero Pate, Republican: 12,474
Proposition A For: 33,475 Against: 11,732 Proposition B For: 25,542 Against: 21,281
4015 Antoine
It’s been a long road, but the story of the Garden Oaks Baptist parking lot sale could be nearing its conclusion. According to Patrick Barry with Gulf Coast Commercial, the sale of the Garden Oaks Baptist Church parking lot might be closed prior to the end of this year – should all go according to plan – after a few bumps in the road. In 1973, Section One of Garden Oaks allowed the church to convert four lots from residential use to religious use. Upon the agreement, however, the church and Gulf Coast – who entered into agreement to buy the property from the church back in February – needed the section’s permission for a zoning change converting the use of those lots from religious back to commercial. The church is under contract to sell the property located on the west side of North Shepherd between Chase Bank and Gabby’s BBQ. Gulf Coast would like to build a retail center with possible restaurants. Barry and Gulf Coast then embarked on an education campaign to collect enough signatures to go through with the sale. In May, however, news broke that Gulf Coast had pumped the brakes on the conversion in response to concerns from neighboring Garden Oaks residents garnered during the campaign, stepping back to provide information to a then-newly-formed resident committee. “I think Gulf Coast has been receptive to homeowners’ concerns. Although there was some initial resistance and disagreements along the way, Gulf Coast has been willing to work with the Committee to discuss and agree on restrictions for the parking lot,” committee co-chair Carrie Arnett said. For several months, the committee has been tasked with collecting information from homeowners regarding concerns about the development – including, among other things, increased traffic – as well as what they would like to see as Gulf Coast Commercial would proceed. Now, following months of consideration, the Committee and Gulf Coast have agreed on a number of terms, including a sight and sound wall; restrictions on building See GO Baptist P. 5A
Dems dominate locally, but Republicans win out
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
Though area voters overwhelmingly favored Beto O’Rourke, he wound up falling in a close race to incumbent Senator Ted Cruz. And that was not the only race impacting local neighborhoods to wind up with a Republican victory despite area tendencies. U.S. Senate Despite a late charge from O’Rourke, the incumbent Ted Cruz once again emerged victorious in this cycle, and
he will now serve his fourth consecutive term representing Texas in the United States Senate. In contrast with the fact that nearly 66 percent of voters in the local voting precincts cast their ballots for O’Rourke, and Harris County favored O’Rourke 58 percent to 41, Cruz accrued 4,228,832 total votes (50.9 percent of the vote) to edge out O’Rourke, who garnered 4,015,082 ballots (48.3 percent). U.S. House of Representatives, District 2 In the battle to replace the
day night to become Texas’ youngest congressional representative. Though he took the spot by garnering 53 percent of the votes (138,502) to challenger Todd Litton’s 45 percent (118,570), Crenshaw was not the pick of those in our local precincts. The Leader determined that just 42 percent of registered voters cast their ballot for Crenshaw in another race that was overwhelmingly in favor of Democrats, but wound up going in Republicans’ favor. U.S. House of Representa-
Photo by Jonathan McElvy Voters lined up Tuesday.
longstanding Ted Poe after he announced he would not seek re-election, Republican Dan Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, was elected Tues-
C U R R E N T P R O P E RT Y L I S T I N G S
OAK FOREST
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
Janet Schmidt 713-419-7918
3-2-2 Open floor plan. Kitchen has a bit in pantry, silestone countertops, beautifully cabinets and new appliances. $225,000 MLS# 78854866
Call or Come In To Donate To
Victoria Walters-Grable 6206 Golden Forest Dr. 832-212-3761
SHADY ACRES
place & vaulted ceiling in living room & spacious fenced in backyard. $259,000 MLS# 4229169
with 600 square foot loft. What a great buy on a huge 10,000 sq. ft. lot. $447,500 MLS #4329433
FOREST WEST
3-2 NEVER FLOODED. Lots of closet space, fire-
Daniel Lee 832-875-7430
1110 W. 16th St
tives, District 18 It’s another year, and another landslide victory for the incumbent Sheila Jackson Lee, who will return for her 13th term in the U.S. House. Jackson Lee totaled just over 75 percent of registered voters’ support to defeat Republican Ava Pate, who bowed out after receiving just 21 percent of the vote. In local polling precincts, voters cast about 62 percent of their ballots for Jackso Lee, compared to the 75 percent overall.
3-3-2 NEVER FLOODED. 2,500+ square feet
Top Agents for October Janet Schmidt TOP PRODUCER
Kelly Banks TOP SALES
Harley Hedgpeth TOP LISTER
A NAME YOU CAN TRUST 713-686-5454
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