Leader April 3

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Inside Today: Part II of a series on small business marketing • Page 2B

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Saturday, April 3, 2021 • Vol. 66 • No. 14

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METRO overhauling Studewood bus stops By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Good Dog Houston coowner Amalia Pferd said she and her business partner support the expansion of public transportation in the region and “love” having a bus stop close to their restaurant in the Heights. They just don’t want one directly in front of their patio. Pferd said METRO, the public transit authority for Harris County, began con-

struction on a new stop in front of her business on March 25. The plan, according to METRO, is to install a lighted shelter for riders along with a digital sign displaying bus arrival information. The new stop will replace the existing one on the opposite side of Good Dog’s parking lot, at the northwest corner of Studewood and 9th Street. “It’s going to be an eyesore,” Pferd said of the shelter. “That’s what we’re going

to be staring at. I’m also worried about its height, if it will obstruct the view of our restaurant.” Pferd said the popular hot dog restaurant at 903 Studewood St. has been in contact with representatives from METRO and hopes they will amend the plan to include only a bench and trash can and not the shelter, which provides riders a reprieve from the sun and rain. But See METRO P. 5A

Photo from METRO Construction workers pour concrete for a METRO bus stop on Studewood Street in the Heights, where the public transit authority is upgrading several bus stops this year.

Eggs-cellent

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

PHYLLIS A. OESER ATTORNEY AT LAW 713-692-0300

INSIDE.

Pitching in. A standout hitter and pitcher helped St. Pius X have a good week in softball.

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Boulevard beauties. Mitch Cohen provides a rundown of this year’s True North sculptures.

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Photo by Joshua Rosales of Tycoon Films Young local residents Emmylou, left, and Gray examine a golden egg they found during a 2019 Easter egg hunt at Marmion Park.

Holiday egg hunts back on this Easter By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Pinspiration. A new business in the area offers a splatter room for painting.

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Photo by Joshua Rosales of Tycoon Films Village Heights Church pastors Bill and Hannah White are hosting an Easter egg hunt on Saturday at Marmion Park.

Contributed photo Shepherd Park Plaza resident Kiera Gorman stands outside a home her family is recycling through Habitat for Humanity.

Students at St. Rose enjoy new educational building By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

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

When Christine Gorman and her husband, John, bought the house next door to them in Shepherd Park Plaza, they initially thought they would renovate it. However, the home’s condition made that option unfeasible. But Gorman did not want to just raze it. “We heard about someone who had done a deconstruction project with Habitat for Humanity, so we looked into it,” Gorman said. “After a lot of research, we decided to sign on.” The Habitat for Humanity Northwest Harris County Deconstruction program allows for homeowners to recycle their house and get a tax deduction on the reclaimed items that can be used for other homes. But the process is complex. The Gormans first hired an appraiser and walked through the house with him and a Habitat representative to get an idea of the expenses they would incur as well as the value of the recycled items. Their agreement was one of the 50/50 options that Habitat offers. The one they selected gave them more responsibility on the front end to maximize their return on the back end. The Gormans took care of the perimeter fence and rented a portable toilet for the workers. They also paid CenterPoint to cap the gas but went through Habitat to cap the water and sewer lines, because it was more affordable than through a plumber or builder. A $10,000 tax-deductible payment to See Habitat P. 5A

Village Heights Church is seeking to bring a little normalcy to the neighborhood after a trying year due to the pandemic. Unable to host an Easter egg hunt last year, the church at 311 W. 18th St. is excited to be able to bring the holiday tradition back this year, with safety precautions. The event is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.-noon Saturday at Marmion Park, 1810 Heights Blvd. “Now that parks and outdoor spaces are opening back up, it feels like we’re starting to see the light at the end of the quarantine tunnel,” said Hannah White, a pastor at Village Heights. “So, both as a mom and a pastor, I wanted my kids and their friends to enjoy this annual event once again.” See Easter P. 5A

Alien evasion. Police say a man tried to steal an alien mannequin from a Heights store.

Local residents recycle homes with Habitat for Humanity

Photo by Betsy Denson Monica Molina, left, a Spanish teacher at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, instructs students in one of the campus’ new classrooms.

St. Rose of Lima Catholic School Principal Bernadette Drabek said their new twostory, 44,736 square foot educational building came just in time. “We were out of space,” she said. “All the ancillaries were traveling on a cart.” That will not be an issue anymore. After Spring Break – during which a donor-funded, herculean three-day move occurred – kindergarten through eighth grade students came back to a building that is much

different from the 1947 area classrooms they used. The main entry of the new space opens to an elementary school library, with a STEMoriented middle school library on the second floor. There is a specially designed science lab, which Drabek describes as “the most beautiful room in the building,” as well as a soundproof music room, language lab, computer lab and 19 large classrooms outfitted with smartboard technology. And the ancillary teachers all have a designated space. The wings of the building are organized into pods – each

with its own bathroom – which was planned pre-COVID but has come in handy during the pandemic. “I’m happy to learn in a more modern space,” middle school student Jackson Schultea said. “It is a lot more comfortable.” The building, planned since 2015, cost approximately $10 million, with $4 million of it funded by St. Rose’s Faith in Action Campaign. The school took out a loan for the remainder. “Donors have been very See St. Rose P. 4A

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