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Inside Today: Census participation is underwhelming • Page 4A

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Some see bin fee as garbage idea

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Amy Peck said she would not support a fee associated with garbage and recycling services provided by the City of Houston, even if the city and its residents were on solid financial footing.

During a pandemic that has crushed the economy both locally and beyond, one of the newest members of the Houston City Council said such a fee should

not even be considered. Houstonians already pay for garbage and recycling services as part of their taxes.

“People are hurting now,” said Peck, the council member for District A. “I can’t envision ever supporting it, but now is definitely not the right time.”

A monthly fee of $1.14 per residential household, to “lease” garbage and recycling bins from the city, was proposed at last week’s city council meeting and tabled

until this week. Council members voted Wednesday to again delay the item, which will be revisited next week after they further study ways to boost revenue and limit expenses while preparing a city budget that is “already woefully behind,” according to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

A spokesperson for Turner said in an email that the proposed fee is needed by the Solid Waste See Garbage P. 5A

Photo by Adam Zuvanich The City of Houston is considering charging residents a $1.14 monthly fee to lease garbage and recycling bins.

Angels above

Haircuts coming soon as Abbott unveils next steps for reopening

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

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INSIDE. Photo by Jonathan McElvy Two women record a flyover by the Blue Angels, the flight demonstration squadron of the U.S. Navy, on Wednesday afternoon outside of Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital.

Flight demonstration squadron provides respite for residents Free decorations. The Houston Furniture Bank provides free artwork to citizens in need.

Page 7A

Shiny new toys. The Norhill Neighborhood Association is updating its blue tiles.

Page 8A

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com The Blue Angels brightened Houston’s Wednesday with an early afternoon flyover in appreciation of those on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Blue Angels, the flight demonstration squadron of the U.S. Navy, flew over Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and New Orleans. They zipped around the Houston region for about 30 minutes, soaring over the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest area shortly before 1 p.m.

Nearly 100 front-line workers from Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital gathered outside on the helipad to watch the flyover. Nurses at the area hospital also received flowers from Perfect Petals by Geo on Wednesday, which was National Nurses Day. Residents were asked by the Blue Angels to observe the flyover from their homes and practice social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the upperrespiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus. It had infected more than 7,000 residents of Houston and Harris County as of Wednesday, leading to 144 deaths.

Area residents viewed another flyover Friday. The See Angels P. 5A

Family fitness. A local elementary school teacher provides tips for exercising at home.

See Reopening P. 8A

This Mother’s Day especially meaningful to Heights resident

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Page 1B

THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 4A Classifieds.............................................. 5A Coupons. ................................................. 3B Food/Drink/Art................................... 7A Obituaries.............................................. 4A Opinion. ................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 4B Puzzles...................................................... 3A

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann Employees of Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital watch a Wednesday flyover by the Blue Angels.

People all across Texas started venturing outside of their homes last week, when Gov. Greg Abbott loosened some of the societal restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19.

Starting Friday, Texans can start making themselves a little more presentable.

Four days after Abbott allowed his statewide stayat-home order to expire and Abbott permitted retail shops, restaurant dining rooms and movie theaters to reopen with limited building occupancies, he announced plans to further boost an economy that has been crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor said Tuesday that barbershops, salons and tanning salons will be allowed to reopen Friday with certain limitations.

Abbott also said exercise gyms, nonessential manufacturers and non-essential businesses that utilize office buildings can reopen May 18, also with restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the upper-respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.

“It’s up to Texans whether or not we remain open and in fact open up even more or, alternatively, if steps have to be taken that would lead to greater containment in certain areas,” Abbott said. “If Texans stop using the distancing strategies they have been using for the past month, they will cause an increase in COVID-19 transmission.”

More than 33,000 Texans have been infected with COVID-19, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), with more than 16,000 of those patients having recovered. The disease has caused more than 900 deaths among state residents.

In Houston and Harris County, officials have reported more than 7,000 COVID-19 cases with more than 2,600 recoveries. There have been 144 related

Contributed photo Heights resident Renee Blaize, left, poses with her daughters, Lizzy and Clara, and husband, Billy.

Every Mother’s Day is special for Heights resident Renee Blaize – mom to Lizzy, age 8, and 5-yearold Clara – but this year will be noteworthy for a number of reasons.

The most welcome is that Renee doesn’t have to spend the holiday in the hospital. Currently undergoing treatment for chondrosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that affects the bones and joints, Renee got to come home in late April from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

After a 49-day hospital stay, she finally got to give her babies a hug on April 26.

“It reminded me that Lizzy gives the best hugs,” Renee wrote on her Facebook page. “Clara was tickled by me giving her mask kisses (kisses with our masks on). I love FaceTime, but nothing beats the real thing!”

Renee continues outpatient treatment after a roller coaster journey that started last July, when persistent lower back pain was first diagnosed as two herniated discs. When physical therapy and pain medication did not en-

tirely resolve the symptoms and new ones began to emerge, Renee went to Memorial Hermann Hospital around Thanksgiving for more scans, which revealed a tumor in her pelvis. Doctors operated on Renee and removed the tumor, after which she continued outpatient therapy at home, hoping for just one more surgery to clean up any errant cells.

When she experienced an increased loss of balance in late February, Renee went to the emergency room at M.D. Anderson and learned that the tumor had rapidly See Blaize P. 5A

Page 2A • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • The Leader

CARING TAKES TRUE COURAGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE.

THANK YOU TO EVERY PHYSICIAN, NURSE, FIRST RESPONDER AND HEALTHCARE WORKER IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA. Thanks to those being called away from their own families to be of service to yours. And we thank the people of the Greater Houston area for taking every step possible to safeguard your own health. Thank you for the sacrifices you’re making. And for the impact you’re having on all our lives.

Advancing health. Personalizing care.

ThankYouHouston.org

THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 3A

City’s proposed trash bin fee stinks M

aybe it’s ridiculous to raise a stink about $13.68, but if enough of you agree with the problem, it’s not too late to have an impact on this trash talk.

In case you haven’t read the story in our paper, or caught on to the ridiculous puns, Houston’s mayor and city council have proposed assessing a fee on our garbage cans. They’re literally scraping the bottom of the barrel for revenue.

The details are straightforward: Once this “container fee” passes, the city will begin assessing every household a monthly fee of $1.14 for your trash and recycling bins. All told, this will cost you $13.68 each year, which means you’ll have to forego about two meals at a fast-food joint down the street.

For a large majority of the people in our community, this fee is not exorbitant. Most of us will not be forced to take out home equity loans in order to continue disposing of household trash. But for some reason, this has rubbed me entirely the wrong way.

So let’s start with some questions, first of which is: Did the city hold public hearings on assessing these new fees? As naïve as I am to all things City Code, I’m almost positive that in order to assess a new fee, the public must be allowed to offer feed-

Jonathan McElvy Publisher

back and make outlandish attempts to vote the scoundrels out of office.

In this case, the container fee never went to committee and the public didn’t get to social-distance gather at City Hall wearing masks.

Maybe that’s because the city doesn’t want large swaths of people gathering, which is understandable.

So why not put this off until there’s a better time?

And that leads to my second question: Why in the world is the city doing this now? With national unemployment numbers soaring past 30 million, with oil prices cratering below zero, and hundreds of thousands of Houstonians worried about their next paychecks, what political savant came up with the idea of throwing out a new fee at a time like this?

When our editor, Adam Zuvanich, told me about this story, I didn’t pay much attention the first time around.

Then, as we talked more and more

about it, a few of those “journalism watchdog” bells started ringing in my head. And that led me to more questions.

If the city is going to require me to pay $1.14 each month to now lease their garbage cans, is it permissible for me to opt out of the program, buy my own garbage can, and drag that beauty down to the street once or twice a week?

As you might expect, Mayor Sylvester Turner’s spokesperson Mary Benton said, “No.” Actually, she said more than that.

“Residents do not have the option to purchase their own bins for City collection, as the city will collect from ‘automated service containers,’ which the ordinance defines as, ‘Automated service container means a city-issued rolling, molded plastic container, equipped with a lid, capable of holding not more than 90 gallons…”

According to the mayor’s office, that about seals the deal. Even though you or I could visit any number of businesses that sell trash bins exactly like the ones floating down the bayou in a hurricane, and we could buy them today, we are not allowed to do so. We certainly aren’t allowed to opt out of the fee being imposed by the city.

Are you starting to get my

concern here? It’s certainly not about the $1.14 each month. It’s not even that the city needs to increase revenue (they say this fee will bring in about $5.3 million in revenue each year). Again, I don’t think the majority of residents are sweating a buck each month on their water bill.

I actually have two concerns.

The first is that the city apparently has waived its requirement to hold public hearings when assessing fees to its taxpayers. Again, there’s probably a loophole somewhere in the City Code that allows for this sort of amendment, but it’s certainly not in the spirit of the way our government should legislate.

The second, larger concern is that if the city can assess this fee without due process, what’s to stop them from assessing another? Can they vote next year to increase the fee to $5 each month? What if they would have made the fee $10? If we were told we were being assessed an annual $120 fee for our trash bins, would we have raised all sorts of mask-wearing fury?

I bet we would have, I bet the city would have held hearings, and I bet enough city council members would have feared for re-election that they would vote against this measure.

You see, I think the city felt we’d all react the way I did when I first

The Lone Czar State

THE READER.

THE DEMONSTRATION – Here I am, protecting my God-given right to bear arms, freedom of speech and assembly, and the right to suffer an agonizing, suffocating death.

This is an organized spontaneous demonstration of American-loving patriots opposed to closing down Texas, including adult book stores. Surrounding me are men with their AR-15s – those white tail deer can be dangerous – waving American flags with a few neo-Nazi banners mixed in. They are standing six feet apart, no, actually shoulder to shoulder, occasionally coughing. None is wearing a mask, but a few are sporting white hoods. They do not fear the coronavirus, or novel corona or COVID-19.

The so-called “scientists” can’t even agree on what to name the pandemic. President Trump called it “a Democratic hoax.”

“Masks Are For Wussies!” reads one sign. A woman wearing a Statue of Liberty suit, unless she’s naturally green, carries: “Don’t Glove Thy Neighbor.” This other patriot must be a dairy farmer: “Re-Stock Cheese – Make America Grate Again!” It’s interesting how they can still hold a protest sign while dragging their knuckles. Here are a man and woman carrying an odd sign: “Vee Amerikans Demund Phreedum!” Uhoh. That can only mean one thing: Aleksandra Yuryevna Krylova and Mikhail Leonidovich Burchik, known to the feds as a couple of top Russian agents, are back in Texas.

You remember them. During the last presidential election they were sent to the U.S. to find the most gullible and easily misled Americans to divide and misguide. They looked all over the U.S. and chose Texans. “Hi, Aleksa and Mike, welcome back to the Lone Star State,” I say. “No, vee are Zally Zue and Billy Bob from Bewmont,” Mike says. “Here to take part en Trumpster rally.” That connection makes sense. Trump has been Tweeting “Free Virginia” and other states whose Democratic governors have been holding out for longer stay-in-shelter rules.

Wonder who’s paying for this gathering? Trump’s campaign still owes El Paso more than $500,000 for a 2019 rally. City officials may sue.

“I guess you two will be using your old tricks from 2016,” I say, recalling how they operated back then. They used phony names, fake emails, rumors, Facebook, Google, Twitter and PayPal to get Texans to fight one another, demonstrate, and counter demonstrate to help Trump.

It was an easy success. The Kremlin had unsuspecting allies, the polezni durak. Gen. Michael Hayden, former head of the CIA and an expert on all things sneaky and Russian, flatly said the Russians got Trump elected president. Gen. Hayden also may solve a mystery: “The most benign explanation as to why Trump seems to not criticize Putin is a phase

Dear Editor: Regarding the recent article about affordable housing, I agree with the responses to the Leader. It should not be built. Stop enabling people. They should do something about their low income, get a better education, learn a trade or start a business. Stop expecting others to pay for your housing. I do not live in the neighborhood where this is being built, but I do support the residents that oppose it being built.

I read where Norman Adams is suing the Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. I wish he would add Harris County Judge Hildalgo to the suit. I hope when elections come around the Harris county voters vote her out.

Olton Decuire

Lynn Ashby Columnist

from the Soviet Union: polezni durak, ‘the useful idiot,’ the sort of person the Kremlin secretly held in contempt but went all out to exploit.” At this rally I look around for any useful idiots.

Vladimir Putin is always seeking ways to hurt America. A key method is to divide us. Hillary supporters versus Trump backers, blacks against white (the Ruskies promoted both “Black Lives Matter” and “White Lives Matter,”) make us distrustful of our institutions such as Congress, academia, the media and pro wrestling. And now a perfect target: COVID-19. Somewhere in the bowels of the Kremlin are smart manipulators of Americans, and with success.

The Kremlin even hatched opposition to the annual military exercise, Jade Helm 15, getting the more gullible among us, a majority, to fear President Obama was going to confiscate our howitzers and militarily seize the state. We don’t have to be paranoid to think that the Kremlin gremlins are working hard to make this pandemic a wedge between us. Already there are demonstrations, like this one, pitting keep-us-closed versus openus-up. Pressuring governors to open up our essential tattoo parlors and bowling allies to spread the pandemic and, in effect, kill us.

Fortunately, I have secured a copy of the Putin Playbook.

He has already begun the antirestriction demonstrations.

They will be held more often, gathering people from, let’s say Texas, who stand shoulder-to-shoulder, sans masks, then return to their homes from Dalhart to Brownsville, from Orange to Pecos, coughing all the way. Our leadership is made up of polezni duraks, with the likes of Gov. Greg Abbott lifting restrictions while polls show that most of us want them to continue, at least for a while. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick goes on national TV, twice, to oppose any shutdowns because old folks like him (he’s 70) are expendable -- it is more important to rebound the national economy than to care for the elderly.

Several members of AARP have suggested that Patrick lead by example. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that he will continue to battle progressives’ attempts to force mail-in voting, claiming that vote-by-mail is the “most likely place for fraud.” That’s right, get us all lined up on the sidewalks outside of voting places so we can spread our bugs.

The Putin Playbook has a team of polezni duraks working at Fox News. On Sean

Hannity’s show, Bill O’Reilly (remember him?) said people dying from the coronavirus “were on their last legs anyway.” Laura Ingraham said that any number of deaths below 100,000 is a sign that experts ought to be ignored in favor of a robust economic return. That brings us to the experts. The Playbook calls for undercutting the influence of the panel of world-renowned scientists and research scholars. You may have seen those “Fire Fauci” posters at rallies.

Rush Limbaugh constantly refers to Dr. Deborah L. Birx as “the scarf lady.” Limbaugh finds a conspiracy among the experts: “The Deep State extends very deeply. And the American people did not elect a bunch of health experts that we don’t know…And how do we know they’re even health experts?”

Before leaving for a spontaneous Tea Party float parade, I notice Mike and Aleksa have put on masks and gloves. “Of course. You think we’re crazy?

We’re not Texans.”

Ashby demonstrates at ashby2@comcast.net

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

Community grapples with affordable housing project

It’s fine not to want to wear a mask, but do it anyway

heard the news (which is probably the reason most major news organizations haven’t given this story the time of day). The city bet on us hearing $1.14 a month, not paying any attention, and moving along our socially distant ways.

Someone gave me a great analogy: We all get our water from the city of Houston, and we pay for that water (by the way, we pay for trash through our taxes). What if, next month, the city told us we could only use their water if we purchased their hoses. No more buying those fancy, crinkly hoses that never knot. Nope, you have to buy your hoses from the city. On top of that, we’re going to need you to buy all your cups and dinner glasses from the city, too.

In the ordinance cited by Turner’s office, we’re required to use “cityissued” containers. The ordinance doesn’t say “city-leased” or “citysold.” It says “issued.”

It’s not too late to raise a fuss. The city delayed the vote this week, and we shouldn’t let them pull one over on us. I fear our bureaucrats think we don’t care about a dollar, but this isn’t about the amount; it’s about the process and the precedent. Especially when we’re fighting a virus and anxious about our next paychecks.

Let the city know what you think.

Email jonathan@mcelvymedia.com

Dear Editor: For me the issue of being ordered to wear a mask has mostly to do with our being told at the very beginning that it was pointless to do so.

Then we have an about face from CDC that we must wear masks, keeping in mind these were the “experts” who botched and delayed critical testing that could have saved lives. It would have been far easier for the authorities to recommend homemade masks or wearing bandanas at the very start. But they didn’t. Then we have our very bright, extremely well-educated, but very young and inexperienced elected rep order us into masks and put a $1,000 fine to it. Not $50, not $100, not $250 or even $500; not even 15 hours of community service for violations, but a grand. Just urge us to do so and explain why it’s so important. Ask us for our support which is critical for the success of defeating this

menace. Then let us know later when participation isn’t good enough that there will be citations, fines, and community service. If you have to rely on your authority rather than your leadership skills, it means no one trusts your motives or your reasoning. Unfortunately, every discussion about the use of public or even personal resources is ultimately political. So, let’s have the discussions that we need without the judgment and name calling. I am glad to read about the group that is suing the governor over some of his orders, not because I agree with them but because I want to know where the law stands on these issues so that we can make some better plans and laws for next time.

Mark Madeley Dear Editor: I don’t think most people object to wearing a mask, after all, it’s in everyone’s best interest to stay safe and healthy. For me, it was the way she said it and the attitude she displayed. She didn’t appeal to our sense of doing the right thing, she ordered us, like we’re a bunch of brain dead idiots, to do exactly what she wants us to do.

Let’s get things in perspective: more than 300 million people live in the United States, around 4 million in Harris County. Slightly over 1 million have contracted the virus nationwide and 12,000+ died; 6,000 cases in Harris County with 100 deaths.

Yes, it’s highly contagious and therefore spreads quickly. But, it’s not the first pandemic we’ve had to deal with – no, not the big Flu epidemic, SARS and H1N1. Even so H1N1 was more deadly to children and young adults then Covid-19, neither schools nor businesses were closed and the officials, including Fauci, just told us to stay home when we’re sick, stay away from sick people and wash our hands.

Anna Schulte

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss

1. Molten rocks 7. More (Spanish) 10. Artists’ workrooms 12. Radiant light around an object 13. More threadbare 14. Moses’ elder brother 15. Become aware of 16. Exclamation of relief 17. Swiss river 18. Mimics 19. Colored fabric 21. A bunch of bills 22. Despised 27. “Today’s” Roker 28. “Twilight Zone” host 33. Three-toed sloth 34. Actor 36. Lawyer’s organization 37. Maldives capital 38. In bed 39. Wedgelike metal fastener 40. Winglike structures

41. Mesoamerican resin 44. Glasses 45. Green 48. Large South American burrowing rodent 49. Shoulder blades 50. Noah’s boat 51. A female ogre

dOwn

1. Unkind 2. Vestments 3. A derisive remark 4. Japanese apricot 5. They __ 6. Soviet Socialists Republics 7. Arad river 8. Lined up one beside another 9. Diego, Francisco or Anselmo 10. One who analyzes metals 11. To that place 12. Expressed pleasure 14. Fills with horror 17. Find a sum

18. Cognizant 20. Female making debut in society 23. Members of U.S. Navy 24. A group of three 25. And, Latin 26. Fall back time 29. What was that?

30. Inches per minute (abbr.)

31. American/Canadian falls 32. North Palestine region 35. Bird beak 36. Manila hemp 38. Smart 40. Three-banded armadillo 41. Short cloak 42. Scops owl genus 43. 100 = 1 afghani 44. A health resort 45. Equal, prefix 46. Microgram 47. Make imperfect

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • The Leader

Council members encourage constituents to participate in census

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

It’s not easy to get an entire country to fill out a survey.

Throw in a pandemic, and most people might not even realize the 2020 U.S. Census is underway.

As of Tuesday, the selfresponse rate of Houstonians for the census was 47.6 percent.

The Houston City Council members that serve the area -- Amy Peck in District A, Abbie Kamin in District C and Karla Cisneros in District H -- echoed the same sentiment when asked why more people haven’t participated: They are more worried about keeping food on their tables. “I think COVID-19 has pre-

sented new challenges,� Kamin said, “not just getting the word out but where people’s thoughts are.�

Because of the pandemic, the census response deadline has been pushed to mid-August. The U.S. Census Bureau has proposed to extend the response period to Oct. 31.

There are many ways to respond to the census, including filling it out online at 2020census.gov, filling out the mailer sent to your home or over the phone by calling 844330-2020.

The council members said local participation has lagged because residents are thinking about their safety, health, job security and their children’s education, among other things.

“While it’s safe to say that many residents in District H have let the census take a backseat in their priorities as they struggle with paying rent ‌ it’s not the only problem,â€?

Cisneros said. “In addition to low turnout rates for Hispanic participation, there has also been a growing trend in recent years among immigrant communities across the nation to not trust the government.�

For that community, there’s fear of deportation of a loved one, though Kamin said it’s safe for undocumented immigrants to fill out the survey.

While the worry that comes with the pandemic is valid, the census count is mandated by the U.S. Constitution, which states that a count of the population be conducted once ev-

ery 10 years.

Because the census is tied to redistricting and federal funding to states, inaccurate counts come with consequences.

Kamin said about $250 million could be lost if just 1 percent of the population is undercounted, or about $10,000 is lost per person not counted. “We are risking federal dollars for programs and disaster recovery because the money is based on the number of people we have,� Peck said. “The data is also used to determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives and to draw congressional and state legislative districts.�

Getting the word out about the census has been met with

new and unique circumstances, even more than dealing with COVID-19, which has waylaid door-to-door census takers. Kamin said she’s also encountered people still displaced from their homes due to Hurricane Harvey and people without access to the internet. “There’s also the refusal of the state to fund any efforts to promote it,� Kamin said.

Kamin’s district had a selfresponse rate of 48 percent last week, and this week that number grew to 50.3 percent. “We’re sharing updates with our super neighborhood heads, and they’re in turn working with their community heads to get the word out,�

Kamin said.

Last weekend, Kamin also

helped distribute more than 6,000 face masks and, along with the masks, people received census flyers in English and Spanish. “Every time we speak to our community, we are trying to remind everyone,� Peck said.

For District H, Cisneros said she’s been working to communicate factual information to assure residents that their identity is protected and to educate them on how the census count will benefit their families.

She’s also working on a project to help people without the resources to participate in the census by providing computers to more than 500 lowincome families.

Local church helping community in multiple ways THE OBITUARIES.

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

The Community of Faith Church seeks to satisfy the spiritual appetites of its 1,500 or so parishioners.

For the past six weeks, it also has been feeding those who are hungry.

Tonya Dixon of Community of Faith, a non-denominational Christian church at 1024 Pinemont Dr., said it began making weekday food distributions to children on March 23. She said the church visits nearby apartment complexes and feeds about 400 kids per day with the help of the Child and Adult Care Food Program, a federally subsidized initiative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Starting this week, Dixon said Community of Faith is partnering with the Houston Food Bank to distribute food to community members of any age every Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The church also is part of a region-wide initiative called the Inmate Family Adoption Project in which Houston-area churches work with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to provide food and other supplies to the children of inmates at the Harris County Jail.

Contributed Photo Volunteers from The Community of Faith Church, 1024 Pinemont Dr., unload bags of food to be distributed to families in need.

“This is what we’re commissioned to do by Jesus Christ, to show love and bear the burdens of those who are in need,� Dixon said. “He’s the model.�

Dixon, the sister of Community of Faith’s senior pastor, Bishop James Dixon II, said the church will make its weekday food deliveries and Wednesday food distributions as long as there is a need. She

said many children from lowincome families typically receive meals at school, but all schools in Texas are closed for the year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The church has a kitchen where it prepares hot lunches and snacks that are distributed to residents of the Bayberry Apartments, Mirabella Apartments and Yale Village Apartments, among others. To

help stock up for its Wednesday food distributions from its property, Community of Faith held a food drive last Friday and Saturday.

Tonya Dixon said both initiatives likely will continue throughout the summer. “We’re just dealing with that’s going on with the pandemic,� she said. “Once this is over, we’ll assess the needs.

That’s what drives us to do what we do is the need factor.�

James Dixon said during an April 28 news conference that the church’s involvement with the Inmate Family Adoption Project “really touches my heart.� Community of Faith is one of 12 churches taking part in the initiative, which according to Tonya Dixon helps feed about 500 children who in many cases are living with family friends or relatives who are not their parents.

She said the kids who benefit receive weekly deliveries of food and other goods. “Bishop Dixon deserves so much appreciation for everything that he does year-round,�

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said during the April 28 news conference. “This is not a unique thing for him to do.

He’s always stepping up and helping the community.�

Joseph Anthony Barbaria, 100, born Jan. 25, 1920 in

Dickinson, died April 27. Survivors include his son Joseph A. Barbaria Jr., two granddaughters, and two great-grandchildren.

Sarah Frances Burris, 74, born Sept. 25, 1945, died April 23. Survivors include her children Jeb Burris and Ashley Burris Kirksey, brother Scott Williams, sister Maureen Turner, and two grandsons.

Henry Davis, 99, born Jan. 2, 1921, died April 24.

Marjorie S. Freeman, 95, born Sept. 23, 1924, died April 30. She is survived by her children John C. Freeman III, Walter H. Freeman, Jill F. Hasling, Cathy Brill, Helen Freeman, Paul Freeman, and several grandchildren.

Judy Dunn Gutierrez, 78,

born Nov. 9, 1941, died April 19.

She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Benny Alfonso Gutierrez. She is also survived by her best friend Ruth Markham, her

While parts of Houston reopened last week under the executive order issued by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, some parts of the city government will remain closed through May as the region continues to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Sylvester Turner said April 30 that all events sponsored or permitted by the city will continue to be postponed or cancelled through May, during which time all Houston Public Library locations will remain closed. The city also announced that all trials in Houston Municipal Court, along with arraignments, hearings, jury duty and parking adjudication hearings, will be sus-

aforementioned ones, although the city said citizens should contact a healthcare provider and refrain from coming to court if they have had contact with someone who is experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19. After being cleared by a physician, citizens can visit a municipal court location.

Resets for court dates impacted by the closure will be given in person at any municipal court location between Monday, May 11 and 5 p.m. Friday, May 29. Defendants who do not reschedule court dates by May 29 may have warrants issued for their arrest, according to the city.

For more information, visit www.houstontx.gov/courts.

pended through May. “The way city employees are operating today, many of them are working remotely, and that status will continue through the month of May as well,� Turner said.

Per Abbott’s latest executive order, his statewide stay-at-home order expired at the end of April and businesses such as retail shops, restaurants, malls and movie theaters were permitted to reopen May 1 with limited building occupancies. Libraries and museums also were allowed to reopen May 1, while barbershops and salons could reopen this Friday.

Houston’s municipal court will remain open for all proceedings other than the

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, please check with each church below for updated information about services and events. In-person services are temporarily restricted.

CHURCH MANNA 4QPOTPS

Sunday Bible Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am t 8PSTIJQ &OHMJTI BN BN Morning Worship ............... 10:45am t -FBSOJOH )PVS BN QN Wednesday Bible Studies For Youth, Children t 8PSTIJQ 4QBOJTI

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• Worship (English) ..... 10:00 am - 11:00am Wednesday Bible Studies For Youth, Children • Learning Hour........... 11:00am - 12:00pm and Adults ............................ • Worship (Spanish) .... 12:30 pm - 1:30pm6:15pm

1602 West 43rd St. • Houston, Tx 77018 • 713-686-1577 > [O ŕ Ž

Weekly Sunday Services • Bible Study: 9:15 a.m. • Morning:10:30 a.m. • Evening: 4:15 p.m.

Weekly Worship Services 9:00 a.m.

4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 Sunday School & Bible Classes 10:30 am

1700 West 43 rd at Rosslyn 713-682-4942

Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m.

Pastor – Dr. Richard Walters

www.gethsemanelutheran.org

Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 11:00 Sunday School for Children, Youth and Adults 9:40

Ministries for All Ages Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor

2003 W. 43rd St. â—† 713-686-8241 â—† s t s u m c . o r g

Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 11:00 Sunday School for Children, Youth and Adults 9:40

Ministries for All Ages Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor

2003 W. 43rd St. X 713-686-8241 X s t s u m c . o r g

John Fred Stehlik III, 73, born June 16, 1946 in Houston, died April 22. He is survived by his sister Lelia Pfeil.

Lela Pearl Straley, 93, born Sept. 5, 1926 in Cornith, Miss., died April 25. She is survived by her children Regina Smith, Pam Cogar, Angie Hooper and Ronnie Butler, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

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WHO IS IN Don’tCHARGE? Forget to Say Thank You 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org

WePastor invite you to worship with us!

Jerry McNamara

Online services can be reached through the website below at 9:00 am. www.gethsemanelutheran.org

died May 2.

Arise Baptist Church

4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227

Until further notice, there are no in-person services.

Lawrence Jerome Sienkiewicz, 66, born June 8, 1953,

803 Curtin St. Houston, TXis77018   Have you wondered who in charge? Take the way

Sunday Bible Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA Morning Worship ...............

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Gethsemane Lutheran Church Gethsemane Lutheran Church

Daisy Caroline Pettit,

96, born Feb. 8, died April 29.

She was a volunteer as a Candy Striper at Memorial Herman NW Hospital. She is survived by her son, Douglas Pettit.

By Pastor Will Cover Arise Baptist Church 803 Curtin St. Houston TX 77018 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org

By Pastor Will Cover

DIRECTORY

St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA

Robert Eugene Kristynik,

87, born Sept. 22, 1932, died April 29.

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sons Victor Kaiser, Bart Gutierrez, daughter Erin Stamper, brother Robert Dunn, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

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things are being handled with the current pandemic.

National leaders say certain things should be done e are entering a time of holidays and celebrations and then people state leaders do the opposite.

Local for many in our country.

Thanksgiving is leaders try to make for their areas a holiday that decisions we as Americans haveown enjoyed for and are generations. peoplewith are looking to If time spent oftenMany at odds state forward leaders. you watch the with family, timeyou off from work, a bigthat feast, we watching football, news might think are all going to die catching the biggest sales of the years, and probably many fromduring the virus or from some other plague unless we others things this Thanksgiving weekend.

There will be takewho extremely drastic that limit freedom some people will struggle duringmeasures the this time of holiday as they and remember loved who they haveeverything lost, or close destroy theones economy.

With going on, companions that are unable to be together because of the it easy to be frustrated and stressed out over even schedule or the logistics. Either way, Thanksgiving will be a “normalâ€? things like grocery shopping and going time when people are either thinking happy thoughts or sad thesomething. park. In Colossians 3:15 the Bible says, “And thoughtsto about When I was boy,peace I remember my mother forget So, who let athe of God rule insaying, your“Don’t hearts‌â€? to say thank you.â€? She was reminding me to be thankful to my is in charge?

Who are you allowing to control your grandmother for the wonderful Thanksgiving meal, or to my mind that andgave yourmeemotions? think that family member a special gift,Some or to my friend whothey can invited me to theirthemselves, birthday party.but Most want teach control thepeople reality istothat there will their children be thankful.

I thinkthe most people would agree person cometotimes that even most level-headed that being thankful is important, it is also true that it is not will be frustrated with their situation and may lose always to be thankful depending on what we are going through. their The Bible says that wealways must for permit or let The Bible says cool. in Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks all things unto and the Fatherrule in the our Lord theGod peace of God inname our of hearts.

ToJesus allow God’s Christ.� peace I would to encourage you, notomatter howyourself you feel during rule means submit to God’s will this holiday season to remember that you can be thankful to and God’s plan.

This is not easy oronnatural but it can God. He gave up His only Son to die a cruel death the cross be done we submit ourforgiven will, emotions, so that anyone whoas trusts him can be of their sins and and choices have eternal life. Don’t forget to say thank you! to God’s plan.

If you would like to discuss furtherof ormine have questions,   A favorite Biblethis passage that helps me to Pastor Will Cover can be reached at Arise Baptist Church at understand the process of letting God’s peace rule 803 Curtin St., or www.arisebaptistchurch.org, or 713-659-9697. my heart is found in Philippians 4:6-7 which says, “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.� Allow God to be in charge! Trust His Word. He will never fail.

W

The Leader • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 5A

Angels, from P. 1A

Garbage, from P. 1A

Lone Star Flight Museum conducted the “Fight to the Finish Flyover� across the Houston region between 11:45 a.m.-1:10 p.m. Friday.

The Lone Star Flight Mu-

seum said its flyover, which commemorated the 75th anniversary of VE Day and the end of World War II in Europe, included nearly 30 “rare and historic warbirds.�

The planes were set to fly from east to west over the Washington Avenue area and then turn north through Timbergrove Manor on their way to Acres Homes.

Blaize, from P. 1A regenerated and was starting to spread to other parts of her body. That revelation mandated the extended hospital stay along with chemotherapy and radiation.

Along the way, Renee and husband Billy have had to explain to their daughters what is happening. Lizzy has been able to grasp it more fully than Clara, but both understand in their own way. When Billy shaved his wife’s head, he made a video of it to show the girls. “Clara was scared about my shaved head, but seeing the video helped her understand better,� Renee said. “She now tells me that she likes my hairdo.�

When she was first admitted, Renee was able to have visitors, including her girls. But because of social distancing precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the visitor list dwindled down to none.

So the reunion in late April was cherished. The other gift that Renee has received is support from her mother-in-law and her parents.

Her mother-in-law, Betty Blaize, spent several weeks in Houston after Renee’s surgery to take care of the girls. She would take them to school at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community and pick them up at their after-school activities, like dance lessons at Houston Dance Works and swimming lessons at Pengu. “She split these responsibilities with my parents right up to the COVID-19 outbreak but has self-quarantined in Louisiana since then,� Renee said.

Renee’s own mom and dad, Paul and Alice Templet, have relocated from their home in Louisiana to their condo in The Woodlands to help take care of their grandchildren. What started out as weekend visits and the shared support after Renee’s surgery has become an extended stay for her daughters in The Woodlands.

Once brick-and-mortar schools were closed, the Templets became homeschoolers.

Both retired biology professors at Nicholls State University, the Templets are navigating the online schooling world with their grandchildren.

Renee said she is profoundly grateful, both to her parents and her mother-in-law who are giving her the space to focus on her recovery and to her husband, who is balancing work as a mortgage broker with supporting her through the cancer journey. “I don’t know how I will ever be able to thank them,� Renee said.

The family is also appreciative of the local community, which has provided meals, gift cards and other thoughtful gifts such as flowers, warm socks, journals and the gift of time by running errands and having their girls over for sleepovers and play dates.

Their neighbors also have supported an online fundraising effort started by Billy’s family. “No one told us ‘no,’ and for that, we are extremely grateful,� Renee said.

Renee’s mobility is now improving and her hair is starting to grow back. She continues chemotherapy with a best-case scenario of finishing those treatments in July. “I have good days and bad days,� she said.

A good day was when Clara sent a picture she had painted of a rainbow and flowers and when her parents sent a video of a dance that Lizzy had choreographed.

Another highlight was when Billy worked with their Houston Dance Works family to coordinate a drive-by parade to boost Renee’s spirits.

There are no firm plans for Mother’s Day on Sunday, other than a visit from her parents and children in their masks.

But that, for now, is enough.

Management Department, which has seen a 10 percent increase in residential customers since 2006, to “keep containers in stock.� According to the agenda item, the fee would be included in water bills beginning July 1 and help cover the cost of new bins, maintenance to existing bins and personnel to provide pickup services.

The mayor’s spokesperson said there are approximately 390,000 garbage and recycling customers within the city limits – who have been issued a total of 780,000 bins – and the fee would generate roughly $5.3 million in annual revenue for the city. Turner has said the city must make significant cuts in order to balance its next budget in the wake of financial shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Per city ordinance, according to the mayor’s office, the Solid Waste Management Department collects disposables from its bins only and residents are not allowed to use their own bins as part of the city’s pickup service. “As unfortunate as the timing of this agenda item is, I support the proposed container fee,� District H council member Karla Cisneros said in an emailed statement. “Paying for garbage and recycling cans is an essential expense that must be responsibly addressed. It seems most fair that the users of the garbage containers are the ones who should carry that cost.�

A spokesperson for District C council member Abbie Kamin, who tabled the item last week to allow an opportunity for community feedback, did not respond when asked if Kamin supported or opposed the

Cisneros

Kamin

Peck

item. But the spokesperson said Kamin shared the proposal with super neighborhood groups in District C, which includes the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest, and included it in a newsletter that was distributed to more than 4,000 residents.

According to Kamin’s office, it has received more emails in support of the proposed fee than against it. “I’m OK with it,� area resident Beth Barron wrote in response to a Facebook post seeking community input. “That is nothing per month to help the city.�

Some others who responded to The Leader’s inquiry also said they were in favor of a fee, while many voiced their opposition.

Some wrote that the city should provide new bins, or increase the frequency of its pickups, if a monthly fee is assessed.

Some area residents said they are against the idea altogether.

Peck said all but one of the 50 or so constituents who have contacted her office about the issue have been opposed to it. “Stick it to the homeowners as usual,� Trudy Nowak wrote on Facebook. “Don’t we already pay enough in taxes for them to pick up our trash and recycling without adding a new, separate fee?�

When she voiced her opposition at last week’s council meet-

ing, Peck said she was asked by Turner to offer suggestions on how the city could increase revenue while eliminating expenses. She responded by outlining a list of potential measures in a Monday letter addressed to the mayor and made public, also asking Turner to release a proposed budget that details expenditures by department so it can be vetted by council members.

Among Peck’s suggestions are for the city to lease vehicles instead of purchasing them, to merge its library system with that of Harris County and to suspend purchases of clothing and food items that were budgeted at a total expense of nearly $1.7 million for the fiscal year 2020. Peck also said the city should temporarily suspend its Hire Houston Youth program, which provides part-time summer jobs at a cost of more than $1.2 million. “He’s trying to find other ways to fill the coffers of the city,� Peck said of Turner. “Unfortunately, it’s going to be really rough this next year. I definitely understand that. “It’s basically the principle of the matter for me. Every time we’re in a financial situation, I don’t want the go-to thing to be increasing fees and charging more.�

THE CLASSIFIEDS. Wanting to run a classified ad? CALL 713-686-8494 Monday - Friday. We accept credit cards.

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Page 6A • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • The Leader

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The Leader • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 7A

Art Valet: Artwork among creature comforts at furniture bank Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

We’ve all become familiar with the Houston Food Bank and other institutions that provide food in times of crisis or just for those in need.

What about a table to put that food on? What do you do when you are starting over from scratch?

Houston Furniture Bank to the rescue!

I spoke to Claire Drennan Jarvis, an occasional vendor at the First Saturday Arts Market who is the communications and development director at Houston Furniture Bank.

What does this have to do with art? Plenty.

For 27 years, Houston Furniture Bank has been providing furniture assistance to the Houston community. Located in the Hobby Airport area, the distribution center at the furniture bank connects families in transition with the essential furniture they need.

“This spring, Houston Furniture Bank added to its services

the Houston Furniture Bank Gallery from which families receiving furniture assistance are now able to select original artwork, free of charge,” Jarvis said. “The goal is to help families in transition to personalize their homes by selecting original art that speaks to them.

The Houston Furniture Bank Gallery makes original art accessible to families in need.”

The gallery was made possible through the support from local artist April Strahan, another regular at the First Saturday market who donated the funds needed to install a modular gallery hanging system.

This system allows the art to be displayed in a gallery setting so that Houston Furniture Bank clients can see how the work will look on their walls.

What has the response been from clients?

“Those receiving art from the gallery have been so enthusiastic about selecting art for their homes,” Jarvis said.

“A number of clients have become overwhelmed when selecting their art. They are moved by the generosity of the artists who have given their work to help them start over. Many families have not had the opportunity to own original artwork before and

Contributed photo Barney Daniels displays art he got from Houston Furniture Bank.

are excited to show their families the artwork they have selected.”

Jarvis said the furniture bank serves families affected by disasters, domestic violence, homelessness, poverty and many other challenges.

“For these families, selecting an original work of art is a part of their path toward stability, with some much-needed help from the community,” Jarvis said. “Houston is so rich in beautiful art and talented artists. We are so excited to be sharing this resource with the families we serve.”

Designated as an essential service, Houston Furniture

Bank and the gallery addition have been in operation during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping families and individuals such as a woman named Cynthia, who Jarvis identified only by her first name.

“When Cynthia visited Houston Furniture Bank, she selected the essential furniture she needed for her new apartment,” Jarvis said. “At the end of her appointment, we explained that she could select some original art. She could not believe it! Cynthia took great pleasure in selecting a painting by April Strahan. She became emotional (and said) ‘I am so blessed.’ ”

Speaking with Cynthia by phone, Jarvis learned that she is staying in comfortably.

“I feel so blessed,” Cynthia said, “coming from being homeless to having my own place.”

The painting that she chose is her favorite color blue.

When Cynthia feels stressed, she likes to sit in her favorite chair, from which she can see her painting.

“When I look at the paintings, I think of the ocean and it relaxes me,” she said.

Originally from New Orleans, Cynthia recalled how she used to bike around the city and enjoy the art. When asked why giving art is meaningful, she responded enthusiastically.

“I love art,” she said. “It lifts people up. I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am.

I cherish it.”

An opening for the new gallery has been postponed as it was scheduled just days after

the stay at home, work safe order was issued in March by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Each painting includes a card with details about the work and artist, given to the recipient.

The Houston Furniture Bank Gallery is located within the Furniture Outlet. Families receiving assistance will be able to select art during their appointments. Members of the public will also be able to purchase discounted furniture and the artwork at the retail price with all proceeds going to support Houston Furniture Bank.

Art can be dropped off at the furniture back from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday at 8220 Mosley Rd. For more information, email volunteer@ houstonfurniturebank.org, call 713-842-9771 or visit houstonfurniturebank.org.

Cohen is an artist and founder of the First Saturday Arts Market and the Market at Sawyer Yards. Find him at ArtValet.com.

Cavatore’s

REVIEW:

Elliot’s Table brings goodness to yours Zarah Parker

Elliot’s Table Address: 465 T.C. Jester Blvd.

Hours: 3 – 8 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday Pricing: $10 - $32 Kid-friendly: No (we decided if they didn’t have a kids menu then it’s a no, right?)

Health options: Yes Star of the Show: Thai Chili Pork Ribs

Managing Editor

Does it travel well?

That question has been the deciding factor when my family and I consider where to go for takeout. And the answer goes beyond the food, with the distance it has to travel and the type of packaging it’s in also being factors.

A restaurant that has adapted well to this new way of dining is Elliot’s Table, a small restaurant that puts its focus on food and community. Elliot’s is one of the places that decided to stick with to-go services only despite being allowed to reopen its dining room last weekend by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whose plan for boosting the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic permits restaurants to operate with 25 percent building occupancy.

Other than the quality of food, I thought the restaurant did a good job ensuring the food traveled well through its packaging.

And as silly as it may sound, I was really impressed that the fries traveled well, which I think is almost impossible for most places. Usually, if fries are in a bag more than 10 minutes, they’re going to be soggy

Photo by Zarah Parker Clockwise from bottom are the Thai Chili Pork Ribs, The Wedge salad and french fries from Elliot’s Table, 465 T.C. Jester Blvd.

and a little cold.

Elliot’s uses little brown boxes that have a layer of what felt like plastic inside.

When I opened the small box of fries, which was stuffed to the brim, the top layer was a little soggy from the condensation that had gathered from steam, but the rest of the box was still hot and crunchy, and deliciously sprinkled in salt.

In another box was “The Wedge,” an iceberg lettuce wedge topped with cilantro ranch, onion, tomato, gorgonzola, bacon and black pepper.

The dressing was a bit messy, covering the bottom of the box, but the crisp salad wedge was still together.

The cilantro ranch gave this salad just what it needed to

stand out. And while I don’t usually use a lot of dressing on my salads, I loved that the cilantro ranch drenched the wedge.

My last box held the Thai Chili Pork Ribs, four St. Louis-style ribs with chili sauce, wontons, crimini mushrooms and cilantro.

The ribs had a smoky flavor which blended well with the slightly sweet taste the chili sauce brought to the dish. The meat was tender and warm.

The ribs, which were $10, are on the shared plates portion of the menu. Both the ribs and salad fed two. So while some menu items have a higher price, customers can just as easily find options that are cheaper.

Field & Tides happy to reopen

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Phase one of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order to begin reopening the state started last Friday, May 1.

During this phase, restaurants were allowed to reopen their dining rooms at 25 percent building occupancy, along with other restrictions.

Opinions vary on whether this was the right step during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some restaurants decided to stick with to-go services only, which had been the requirement in the Houston area since March 17. However, for Field & Tides in the Heights, the option to open was exactly what was needed.

“We opened to maintain our financial responsibly, as it was not sustainable for us to be open for just curbside, takeout and limited delivery,” general manager Jeff Conger said. “We could not go on forever as a carryout restaurant, as we are a chef-driven concept.”

Field & Tides thrives on getting its dishes out hot and fresh to customers’ tables as soon as possible.

“We don’t have a drive-thru for a reason,” Conger said.

The restaurant at 705 E.

Contributed by Field & Tides Field & Tides’ Thursday night steak special.

11th St. also wasn’t able to keep all of its employees while it functioned without an open dining room. Even with the occupancy limitations, Conger said Field & Tides was able to bring those team members back.

In addition to limited occupancy, restaurants reopening their dining rooms also have to abide by other protocols, including maintaining at least a 6 feet of distance between tables, having hand sanitizing stations at the entry and having no tables with more than six people.

On the tables, restaurants have to use non-reusable condiments that are given to customers only by request

along with using disposable menus. Luckily for Field & Tides, Conger said its customers have not minded the new rules.

“We saw a huge influx of customers this past weekend, so much so we had to turn some people away to maintain compliance,” Conger said. “We had some of our regulars tell us that during quarantine, they told themselves once they were able to dine in again, we were first on their list.”

Conger also said that even 25 percent occupancy is cost effective for the business.

“We would not have been able to sustain our business for two more weeks,” Conger said.

Field & Tides’ abbreviated hours of operation are noon4 p.m. for lunch and 6-10:30 p.m. for dinner Monday through Sunday. Reservations are recommended for dinner, with seating at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The restaurant’s regular menus are available for dinein, while a limited menu is still available for carryout.

“We thrive on interaction with our customers and we are looking forward to getting back to being able to do that without restrictions,” Conger said.

Make your reservations i at the Leader Readers’ voted

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Page 8A • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • The Leader

Norhill neighborhood updating blue tiles on street curbs

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Elaine O’Connor moved into her Norhill home in 2017 and is now the president of the neighborhood association at an auspicious time.

Depending on how you date it, Norhill is either at or close to its 100th anniversary. According to the association website, the name Norhill comes from the geographical location of the neighborhood as “north” and “higher in elevation” than the Houston Business District of the 1920s after World War I. For the centenary, O’Connor said that one of the goals is to improve the neighborhood for members and residents

through a beautification program. As part of this effort, a program to install historic blue tiles is being piloted. It is spearheaded by the Mike Clennan, the association’s community projects director.

“He has put so much energy into it,” O’Connor said.

As Marks Hinton noted in his book, “Historic Houston Streets: The Stories Behind the Names,” there are still streets that have their names and block numbers in blue tile on the curbs at the end of each block.

Hinton said the city used this form of identification from the 1920s to the early 1950s because “it was cheap, attrac-

tive, durable and easy to read.”

But because drivers in fastermoving automobiles needed something more visible, street poles on signs became the norm.

In 2015, The Leader profiled Joey Sanchez, who had started The Blue Tile Project to catalogue the tiles for the city and rejuvenate interest in them.

Two years later Eric Maier, who was interested in learning how to install the tiles, connected with Sanchez.

By happenstance, Sanchez was able to find a manufacturer and supplied tiles to Maier to come up with a process for installation. It has been a good collaboration as Maier esti-

mates he’s done 350 blue tile projects in Houston and another 40 in Dallas.

Clennan said Maier put in six new tiles around the neighborhood last weekend to give a glimpse of what the refurbished tiles would do to refresh area streets. One example of the original tiles can be found at the intersection of 14th Street and Norhill Boulevard.

“They are practically gone,” Clennan said.

If the board approves further expenditures, another 38 tiles will be installed along the neighborhood’s 44 blocks.

Other beautification efforts include cleaning and painting the concrete post markers in

Contributed photo Six blue tiles have been installed by the Norhill Neighborhood Association as part of a pilot program.

the neighborhood and planting more trees through the association’s partnership with Trees of Houston.

At some point, there will be a party for residents to mark

Reopening, from P. 1A

Lutheran High North awards top honors

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Editor’s note: This is the first story in an ongoing series about the valedictorians and salutatorians in the area.

This week we profile the top scholars at Lutheran High North, 1130 W. 34th St. Valedictorian Tabitha Waiser has been at Luthern High North since her freshman year of high school.

She found out about being honored as valedictorian at the beginning of her senior year when she logged into the school’s online network.

“I had no idea I was valedictorian until that day,” Waiser said. “It took me by complete surprise, and it actually made me anxious because after seeing that I was the top of the class, I really wanted to keep that spot.”

Waiser said students have received an email from LHN principal Dana Gerard that graduation will be held virtually on Zoom.

“The speeches from the valedictorian and salutatorian will be prerecorded and played for all to see,” Waiser said. “The ceremony will continue, and after, the diplomas will be put under the porte-cochere at LHN. The seniors will drive up one by one and take their own diploma from the table, and then drive off and park so that the next car can come. There will be a lot of honking as applause.”

Waiser understands the necessity of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, but says it’s

Waiser

Villarreal

also hard.

“I really wanted my whole family to be there cheering me on as I walked across the stage to get my diploma,” she said.

Waiser said her favorite teachers at LHN include Blythe Barreto, who teaches Upper Level Theology, and Advanced Placement Calculus teacher Lynn Eickemeyer.

“Both of these women are so full of kindness and have a true passion for teaching and helping their students understand everything they say,” Waiser said. “I loved the fact that I was able to learn so much from these two teachers, and I am so blessed to have been in their classes for the last two years.”

Waiser’s favorite classes were theology and English.

“I loved English class because every writing assignment I had was incredibly therapeutic to me,” she

said. “Every time I was given an essay to write, I was able to relate it to my own life while in the process really enjoying (what teacher Endira) Hawkins assigned to me.”

Waiser was involved in varsity basketball all four years of high school and also played volleyball from her freshman through junior years.

“I played varsity softball my freshman, junior and senior year until it got cut short,” she said.

Waiser plans to attend the University of Houston and major in nursing.

Salutatorian Bella Villarreal had also attended LHN for four years and said she found out about her salutatorian honor when – concerned about her class rank – she walked into Eickemeyer’s classroom to ask her

deaths within the city and county.

DSHS commissioner John Hellerstedt echoed Abbott’s sentiment that there could be a surge in cases if citizens and businesses do not continue practicing good hygiene, wearing face coverings in public and adhering to social distancing guidelines that require at least 6 feet of separation between people who are not part of the same household.

“At the same time,” Hellerstedt said, “we’re going to open up Texas.”

Abbott said barbershops and salons that reopen Friday should service one customer at a time and make sure those who are waiting remain at a safe distance. The governor also said he “strongly recommends” that both customers and service providers wear masks while interacting.

Gyms that reopen May 18 must close their showers and locker rooms and limit building occupancy to no more than 25 percent, which is the same guideline that applies to the businesses that reopened last Friday. Abbott also said gym customers must wear gloves that entirely cover their hands and fingers, and that exercise facilities should disinfect each piece of equipment after each use.

The businesses and manufacturers that reopen May 18 also must limit building occupancies to no more than 25 percent, according to Abbott.

He said they should consider staggering the shift times of employees and installing physical barriers between work stations, such as plexiglass shields, if necessary.

Abbott said a plan to safely reopen Texas bars remains in the works. Bars that sell food have been permitted to operate along with restaurants.

“We know customers like it. We know bar owners desperately need to open up for them to have some level of income so they can pay their bills,” Abbott said. “The fact is, we’re still working on ways to establish safe distancing at bars.”

For more details on Abbott’s plan to reopen Texas and specific guidelines for businesses and customers, visit https://gov.texas.gov/organization/opentexas.

about it.

“She confirmed that I had already secured my rank for graduation and that I would be salutatorian, which put an end to all of my worries,” Villarreal said. “After taking calculus, I was definitely very thankful that it didn’t affect my rank very much.”

Villarreal has quite a few favorite teachers. “(Jeff) Armstrong was always super supportive when I had no confidence in my voice,” she said. “(Rob) Duerr was such a great mentor, teacher, and support system when I needed advice. Mrs. Barreto because she liked to challenge me educationally. And lastly, Mrs. Eickemeyer, because before her I did not feel like I could do math at all.”

Villarreal’s favorite classes include choir with Armstrong, chemistry with (Joe) Cales, anatomy with (Beverly) Baldwin, English with Hawkins, world geography with Duerr and Spanish with (Diane) White.

Villarreal was involved in soccer and varsity volleyball for four years and the school musical and choir for three years. She served on student council for two years and is the student council president. She has started writing her graduation speech, which is about her gratitude for the people who supported her through tough times and for all of the memories she made. “(There are) other elements I do not want to spoil,” she said.

Villarreal plans to major in health at Texas A&M University.

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