Katy Today MAGAZINE
JULY 2019
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Katy Today MAGAZINE July 2019 PUBLISHER Claire Goodman 281.391.3141 claire@katytimes.com
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MANAGING EDITOR Claire Goodman 281.391.3141 claire@katytimes.com
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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Claire Goodman Mark Goodman Dennis Silva II
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The Hottest New Venue in Katy
July 2019 / Katy Today / 7
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The Hottest Venue in Town
No matter what entertainment you’re in the mood for, you can find it in Katy. There was a catch, though: you had to drive to different places depending on what experience you’re craving. You go to one venue for live music, another for comedy night, still another for delicious food and one more for the best drinks. Until now, that is. Katy Vibes, Katy’s newest hot spot, offers the best in drinks, happy hour, dining and entertainment all in one location. Because Katy Vibes is conveniently located right off I-10 near Grand Parkway, it’s the perfect location to meet up with friends, even if they’re driving in from Houston. The Katy Vibes owners were inspired to create the experience when they realized that nothing in Katy brought together all the best elements of a great time out in one place. “We could tell there was nothing in the area like this,” said Adam, one of the owners. “There was no kind of central hub location for good entertainment, but also good food, both at the same time. We found a lot of places had one, but not the
other.” Even just walking into Katy Vibes is an experience. There’s an ultra-modern design aesthetic, but it’s offset by a comfortable, welcoming feel. Bartenders are mixing up cold drinks behind a lighted bar top, but families enjoy their dinner a few feet away. Katy Vibes’ great food and cold drinks are consistent, but everything else changes depending on the day. “We have live entertainment. We have comedy. We have bands, dueling pianos and UFC fights. We also host karaoke night every Thursday and things like that. It’s always a good time,” Adam said. Katy Vibes is able to morph seamlessly from one venue type to another because of its cutting edge design concept. Everything, from the stage to the lighting, is fully customizable. The main stage is modular, meaning it’s comprised of movable cubes that can be configured in any arrangement. Adam said, “We set it up in such a way that it’s easy to have one set up one night, and then have a totally different set up the next night with the movable stage.”
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Depending on the night, the entertaining area takes on a new configuration. “The stage can be moved around to accommodate a DJ or even a live band,” Adam explained. “For live music, we move the stage back along the wall so there’s more room for people to dance.” For UFC fights and sports games, Katy Vibes has 13 screens that can each play a different channel. “For UFC nights, we have the fight on the four largest TVs in the corners so everyone is facing the game,” Adam said. The most impressive screen, which is mounted behind the stage, is 24 feet long. The lighting is fully customizable as well. The colors change depending on the mood, and they can even be programmed to keep the beat with the music. “By changing the lights, you can change the feel of the whole venue. With one lighting concept it feels like a restaurant, and then we can change the lights, and it feels more like a nightclub,” he said. There’s so much happening at Katy Vibes that it’s hard to explain the venue to people who haven’t seen it. As soon as you walk in the door, however, it all makes sense. “When people come here, they get it,” he said. “People say, ‘It’s like a restaurant, but they have a DJ, but they have comedy.’ It’s hard to put it into a single word.” The owners even chose the name “Katy Vibes” because of the venue’s ability to become any event space at any time and become part of Katy. “People try to put places in a box, but we don’t fit into a box. Everything culturally that you could want to do in Katy, you can do it here,” he said. The atmosphere changes, but there are two consistent elements to Katy Vibes: the food is always delicious, and the drinks are always cold, fresh and innovative. The owners take pride in the food Katy Vibes serves. Many bar-type establishments that offer good drinks serve underwhelming food. Katy Vibes combines dining with an experience unlike any other. “We’re a package,” said Adam. “This is a place where you come to hang out. You know the food is going to be amazing, you know your bartender is going to serve the best drinks, and you can bring your family here or meet up with your friends.” Katy Vibes is an experience; one that you can only appreciate once you’ve seen it. “The reception from the community has been great,” said Adam. “Everyone who comes here loves it.” To learn more about Katy Vibes or to see their schedule of events and menu, visit www.katyvibes.com
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The Arc of Katy Gala honors “Hometown Heroes”
Noriann Noguim, a participant in The Arc of Katy day program sings “Wind Beneath My Wings” with The Arc of Katy chorus choir. By Claire Goodman The Arc of Katy was founded in 1989 by a group of parents and educators who wanted to enrich the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The goal was to enable each person in their program to be included as a respected and active member of the community. Since then, the Arc of Katy has served thousands of people with special needs through their day and summer programs. On May 3, the Arc of Katy hosted its largest annual fundraiser, The Arc of Katy Gala. Over 300 people came to the event, which featured a silent and live auction, wine pull, raffles and dinner. The gala was unique in that it not only raised funds and awareness for a cause, it spotlighted the good works of “heroes” in the Katy community who are making a difference in the lives of others. Gala master of ceremonies and KTRK news anchor Art
Rascon explained, “The Arc of Katy wants to give back and contribute to our community, and to do this we honor and celebrate individuals and organizations who make this a great place to live for individuals with special needs as well as for all other residents.” The honorees for this years’ “Hometown Heroes” were Suzette Coates and Rusty Wylie. Coates teaches special education and is the founder of Camp Journey and Everyday Opportunities, programs dedicated to people with IDD and autism. Wylie is the owner of three Katy Chick-fil-A restaurants, who regularly supports dozens of Katy-area charitable organizations. Fred Shafer, President of The Arc of Katy said, “(The gala is) a celebration of The Arc of Katy, but this is also a celebration of the community in which we live, Katy, and the heroes we are pleased to know and work with.” Margaret Laney, board member for The Arc of Katy,
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reported that the funds raised from the evening would be used to purchase a van to transport the clients and to expand the program. According to Laney, there are over 8,000 students with disabilities in Katy. Laney credited Katy ISD’s excellence for the need to expand The Arc of Katy. “There’s such a need in Katy for programs like these,” said Laney. “So many people move to Katy so they can have access to the phenomenal Katy ISD special education programs.” When Katy ISD lets out for summer, or when students with IDD age out of the school district, families turn to The Arc of Katy. The Arc of Katy Summer Program offers students over the age of 16 the experience of a fun and fulfilling summer camp. In the Day Program, adults with IDD engage in social and recreational activities designed around community involvement. According to Laney, one of the most important parts of
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the Day Program is the volunteer work that the clients do. “The adults in our program do an unbelievable amount of volunteering,” said Laney. “They’ve worked at food pantries like KCM (Katy Christian Ministries). They’re active in the community. We always say our motto is ‘We love Katy’ because we want to serve the community.” The Arc of Katy’s commitment to community service inspired the Hometown Heroes awards. “We want to extend goodwill into the community,” said Shafer. “The community has been so generous to us, and we want to acknowledge the people in it that are doing so much good.” The organization is still tabulating the fundraising results from the gala, but Laney said that preliminary numbers indicate that The Arc of Katy reached its goal of being able to fund its new van and the summer program for the year. The Arc of Katy will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary in the fall of this year. To learn more about The Arc of Katy or to donate to their efforts, visit www.thearcofkaty.org.
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KATY CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES opens new retail store
Katy Christian Ministries’ continues to celebrate its 35th anniversary with renewal in the community. On May 1, Katy Christian Ministries officially opened its second retail store with a ribbon cutting. The new store is located at 23232 Kingsland Boulevard. The location is easily accessible and is intended to serve the Cinco Ranch area. At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Mayor Chuck Brawner discussed the services that the expansion will bring to the area. “This location here on Kingsland is going to be a prime spot for them for a resale shop and providing items that people need at a very low price,” said Brawner. “So that’s wonderful.” The shop is decorated with a high-end and modern feel. Items are carefully staged so that the shopping experience feels tailored to customers seeking quality items at a good price. Brian Bearden, Co-chair of Communications Committee for Katy Christian Ministries sees the new location as an opportunity to bring an upscale experience to resale shopping. “We designed this location to be a boutique,” he said. “It’s going to be really nice and have some upscale type items and just a wide variety of things from clothes to furniture.” Bearden encourages residents who are embracing the popular de-cluttering movement to donate their quality items to Katy Christian Ministries. “If you watch Netflix and feel inspired to get involved in doing something that helps the community, this is a great place to donate,” he laughed. He added, “We want people to see this more as a retail store than a resale store, and to do that we need quality item donations.” On a broader scale, the new location imbues a sense of resiliency for the charity. Katy Christian Ministries’ main office on First Street flooded completely during Hurricane Harvey. For many of the volunteers, the new retail store signifies Katy Christian Ministries’ recovery from the storm. “I think it’s a true sign of recovery that they’ve opened the second location,” said long-time volunteer Renee Guilbeaux. “They’ve recovered and rebuilt, and now they’re moving forward again.”
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LEGACY WELL-INTACT for Katy’s gifted, selfless softball seniors
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By Dennis Silva II Photos by Mark Goodman During the previous three years, a feeling of selfishness consumed Alyssa LeBlanc every time she glanced at the black and red 2015 state championship banner that draped the Katy High softball field’s outfield fence. One of the greatest players in program history yearned so badly for a state title banner for her and her teammates— particularly, the four other seniors that had started alongside LeBlanc as freshmen on varsity in 2016: Tori Whillock, Chloe Cobb, Cait Calland and Amy Hitt. The Tigers had been so close in 2016, 2017 and 2018, teasingly close, with heartbreaking finishes in the regional finals each season. But on June 1, a dream was introduced to reality, and as shortstop Chloe Woodward threw to first baseman Cobb for a prototypical 6-3 groundout in the top of the seventh inning that codified an 8-2 Class 6A state championship win for Katy over Klein Collins, LeBlanc could only think back to that fence. “It’s a great feeling,” said the senior ace/slugger, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship game after allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out seven and going 2-for-3 with an RBI at the plate. “We’ve been looking at that banner the last few years and never made it that far. Now that we have, we’ll have our own banner to come back to and look at. That’s a pretty cool feeling to have that.” Legacy induces feelings of all kinds and from all places, and the Tigers now own that sense of completion after earning their second state title in five years, winning 37 of 39 games this season, and outscoring opponents 268-48. Those flameouts in the regional finals each of the last three years? Lessons learned. “The last three years, especially for us seniors, have sucked so bad!” Cobb gushed. “I’m sorry, but they have. Losing in the fifth round three years straight is not easy. Finally getting here, making it here … I wouldn’t want to go out any other way.” Although, Whillock said through a giddy mix of laughs and smiles … “I feel like we should’ve done this the first three years, because it feels so good!” the senior outfielder/leadoff hitter remarked. “But to do this with this senior class, and these girls, it just makes it more memorable. It makes it more awesome.
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All our hard work, the bear crawls, the miles … it paid off.” The 2019 Katy Tigers had it all. Toughness? Check. The Tigers’ offseason and in-season practices and strength and conditioning regimen are no joke. There are few more accomplished and intense leaders than head coach Kalum Haack and assistants Meghan Burrell and Judy Whillock, and their expectations and standards are not for the weak of heart or mind. Smarts? Check. On the game’s biggest stage, the Tigers won state with heady, quick-thinking baserunning and high softball IQ. They are not just physically talented, with seven of eight seniors signed on to continue their athletic careers in college, including Cobb and Whillock at Texas Tech and Calland at LSU. They can think the game. Ask Keller and Klein Collins, the No. 1 and No. 2 state-ranked teams, respectively, that Katy conquered with wit and grit at state in Austin. Competitiveness? Check. The Tigers were resilient this season, able to win games in a variety of ways, and the seniors never allowed another player to disrespect the culture that had been established. “Determination,” Haack said when asked what he thought about this senior class’ legacy. “They were determined to see this to the end. There are times this season they could’ve buckled down, said it wasn’t meant to be. But this senior class did a great job holding each other accountable and making sure everybody was working. This is the result.” In the state tournament, the seniors rose to the occasion, hungry to take charge of their own destiny. They owned the moments. Calland, LeBlanc, Whillock and Hitt were named to the UIL’s Class 6A all-tournament team, chosen by the Texas Girls Coaches Association. (Freshman Kailey Wyckoff was also named to the team, and with her, Sydney Blakeman and Olivia McFadden returning, Katy will have plenty left on deck next season). Calland had three RBIs and scored two runs in the state tournament. LeBlanc went 4-for-5 with an RBI and a walk to go along with her dominance in the circle (14 strikeouts and 10 hits allowed in 14 innings, including a shutout in the state semifinal). “She’s awesome,” Cobb said in praising LeBlanc. “She worked her butt off. Freshman year to senior year, she’s a totally different person. I’m so excited for her, so happy for her. No one deserves (success) more than her.”
Whillock, the often-overlooked engine of a rabid offensive attack, scored three runs and stole three bases. Hitt had eight putouts and three assists with no errors in playing a solid defensive second base. Cobb had an RBI and two sacrifice hits in the final. Woodward, a senior, had an RBI, and senior utility specialist Jacquie Kissamis scored a run in the state final to go with a patient, clutch at-bat in the bottom of the sixth inning in the state semifinal May 31 against Keller, smartly taking a pitch that was a ball and set up just enough on the outside of the plate to allow a perfectly-executed double-steal as Calland took home for the game-winning run. Then there were players like senior Shannon Flowers. On a team jacked with elite talent, Flowers did not play during the state tournament, but had solid moments during the regular season. Flowers’ influence on team chemistry was considerable, and it was unfailing team chemistry that ultimately drove the 2019 Tigers, players and coaches attested. “These eight will go down in the Katy history books as an unbelievable group,” Haack said of his seniors. “They’re so fun to coach, so fun to be around. They love each other, they’re great leaders, they’re great women. They’ll all be successful at whatever they choose to do because they’re that type of person.” Calland said this team will be remembered for its hard work. The extra hours outside of practice spent in the batting cages and running extra miles did not go unrewarded. “We decided at the beginning of the year that we weren’t going to let anybody outwork us,” Calland said. “As a team, that paid off in the end. That’s our legacy.” That work ethic birthed a fiery faith within the Tigers. And with that faith, no moment was ever too big for Katy. As Hitt said when asked about her clutch home run that tilted momentum in Katy’s favor during the regional finalclinching win late last month: “In those moments, the ‘we’ becomes bigger than the ‘me.’” “We couldn’t make the game bigger than what it is, and that really helped,” Cobb said. “It calmed us. Just playing the game and within ourselves was so big for us to do.” Haack does not dispute his team’s commitment. He praised it time and time again this season. But the veteran coach of 23 years at Katy High said what he will remember most will be his team’s unselfishness. That was never more evident than in the state championship
game, when Katy put on a small ball clinic with precise bunting, smart squeezing and a genuine joy for watching teammates succeed. When a team has talented players who don’t care what their stats look like, the result can be, well, its own state championship banner. “This is, by far, the most talented team we had,” Haack said. “The 2015 championship team, we had talent, but we had a couple people that put everybody on their back and carried us. This group, everybody stepped up and did something. Whether it’s the No. 9 hitter getting a squeeze bunt in to score a run or your LSU-signee catcher putting a squeeze on. They’ve been unselfish of what’s asked of them, and when you play that way the dividends pay off.” In meaningful ways. At Katy, that means another state title. “Anytime Katy Nation wins something, it’s really, really big,” Haack said. “It doesn’t matter what sport it’s in. This is indescribable. I’m just really blessed we had a shot to do this again.”
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KATY HIGH STAR RODNEY ANDERSON
DRAFTED BY NFL’S BENGALS 22 / KATY TODAY /JULY 2019
By Dennis Silva II Times courtesy photos Rodney Anderson was hanging out in the backyard, anxiously watching the NFL Draft with his parents, Jobie and Rod, and brother Ryder when he got the call he had longed for. Late during the afternoon of Saturday, April 27, Anderson picked up the phone. On the other line was a barrage of representatives from the Cincinnati Bengals: the owner, new head coach Zac Taylor, running backs coach Jemal Singleton, the director of player personnel and the rest of the staff. The question was the same from all. “Do you want to be a Cincinnati Bengal?” Anderson’s answer, too, was the same each time. “I’d love to.” And so it was, with the 211th overall pick in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, the former Katy High great, the Tigers’ all-time leading rusher and one of the best running backs to come out of the Houston area, became a pro. The moment was the culmination of a trying last four years as an Oklahoma Sooner for Anderson, who suffered seasonending injuries three of those years. “It was just relief,” Anderson said. “I was overcome with relief, knowing I finally had a team and that I knew where I was going. I felt blessed and thankful for the opportunity.” He is headed to a seemingly ideal situation. The 6-foot, 224-pound Anderson, who helped lead the Tigers to state championships as a sophomore in 2012 and a senior in 2014, will be going to an organization that values the run game. Taylor, hired in February by the Bengals after serving as quarterbacks coach for the Los Angeles Rams, said a good offense starts with a strong running game, and he prioritized that with a draft that improved depth at offensive line, tight end and running back. Typically, Taylor told bengals.com, he would want six or seven running backs in training camp. Right now, including the draft picks of Texas A&M’s Trayveon Williams and Anderson, Cincinnati has five. “The times he’s played, he’s really been a difference-maker for Oklahoma,” Taylor said of Anderson. “He’s a really
talented back.” Anderson said the Bengals’ interest did not come as a surprise. “I was excited for the opportunity,” he said. “I’d had a feeling they were interested. I’d had a lot of good talks with their running backs coach at the combine. We’d stayed in pretty good contact over pro day and that whole time.” Anderson will join quarterback Andy Dalton, another former Katy High star, in Ohio. “He may be the best player to come out of Katy,” Dalton, a 2006 graduate of Katy High, told Cincinnati.com. “He’s a stud. He’s an absolute stud. And for us to only have two guys in the NFL from Katy High School, to both be here, that’s pretty cool.” One of the running backs high on Cincinnati’s depth chart is Joe Mixon, a former teammate of Anderson’s at Oklahoma. Anderson’s talent was rivaled with that of first or secondround picks in this year’s draft, but concerns about his health likely contributed to his fall. After suffering injuries to his neck and leg his freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively, Anderson missed almost the entire 2018 season with an ACL tear, though he said he expects to be ready by training camp. In the meantime, he has been finishing rehab and going through “mental reps” during offseason practices with the team. During his one campaign at full health, as a junior in 2017, Anderson showed what he was capable of, rushing for 1,161 yards and 13 touchdowns, and catching 17 passes for 281 yards and five more touchdowns in starting seven of the Sooners’ 14 games. “I tried not to go into it with any expectations,” Anderson said of his approach through the draft process. “I didn’t care where or when. I just wanted to get picked up at some point. I didn’t know if or when. It’s just what I wanted, and I was hoping it would happen.” Known for his vision and burst, Anderson is a tantalizing prospect. And a remarkable story, to boot. “I don’t know if there’s a better story in college football about perseverance and bouncing back,” Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley told OU Daily. “He’s easily one of the best talents in this draft. He’s going to be able to prove to the Bengals that they made a great decision.”
JULY 2019 / KATY TODAY / 23
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By Claire Goodman Downtown Katy truly is the Heart of Katy. The small businesses there are as unique as the history of Katy itself. On April 25, shops in Downtown Katy opened their doors for a special event to showcase their business and show appreciation for their customers. “Ladies Night Out” celebrated both the shoppers and the charm of Old Katy. For Ladies Night Out, each business extended their store hours and offered special Ladies Night Out Only specials. The businesses also served light bites, sweet treats and beverages (both non-alcoholic and adult). Lisa Sinsabaugh owns Dovetail Antiques, a shop that sells American and European antiques and collectables. Sinsabaugh said, “With Ladies’ Night Out, we’re hoping to drum up more life into Old Katy. We just want people to know more about Old Katy.” Walking through Dovetail antiques feels like a treasure-hunt. One-of-a-kind collectables are nestled among high-end finds like Fostoria glass. Sinsabaugh set out desserts, snacks, and a selection of wines for her Ladies Night Out visitors. Sinsabaugh’s mother, Joy King, poured wine for shoppers. “I just love doing this,” said King. “It’s so much fun for us to show our appreciation for customers, and it gives us a great opportunity to talk with them in ways we don’t always get to.” Rey Ruiz is the owner of Ruizstudios Home Decor, a shop where country-cottage meets industrial-chic. They also sell gourmet foods. For Ladies Night Out, he set out samplings of all the products they carry and served red wine to his visitors.
Allison Stubbs of The Limited Edition Art & Antiques baked and decorated homemade cookie to serve her customers. She also served punch and wine and offered a raffle to win gift baskets. In the back room where she served her customers, the walls are filled with movie posters, vintage Time Magazine issues, albums and other memorabilia. “I work here, and yet I’m still constantly amazed at some of the things I find here,” she laughed. “I think I know everything cool we sell here, and then suddenly it’s like ‘Whoa, we have that?’” Lori Martinez co-owns the store Hippie Princess with her sister, Angela Jacobs. Hippie Princess sells both designer clothing and country-couture pieces to create a unique aesthetic that is equal parts big-city fashion and authenticcountry verve. Martinez and Jacobs offered their customers cupcakes, sandwiches, wine and cocktails. As an added perk, the sisters gave out surprise goodie bags with jewelry to every person who came in the store. Said Martinez, “It’s a lot of fun for us. Who doesn’t love cupcakes and cocktails? And we want everyone to leave here with a little something from us, which is why we’re doing the goodie bags.” Ladies Night Out is imbued with a strong sense of camaraderie among the businesses. Though many of the boutiques offer similar wares, no one is in competition. The businesses celebrate one another as part of the downtown Katy community. “Tonight is a celebration of Old Katy and everyone here,” said Martinez.
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YALE A ‘40 -YEAR DECISION’ FOR
KATY HIGH’S ATKINSON By Dennis Silva II Photos by Mark Goodman Alec Atkinson’s verbal commitment to Yale on June 9 was not a “four-year decision,” the Katy High infielder/pitching ace said. “It was a 40-year decision,” Atkinson said. “I’m looking to be set up out of college if the baseball thing doesn’t work out.” First thing’s first, though. Atkinson has promising potential as a baseball player, specifically as a shortstop, and he feels he found the best program to help him reach his full potential. Yale, which went 18-23 in 2019, but 12-8 in Ivy League play, and led the conference in team ERA and fielding percentage. The Bulldogs had four players selected during the Major League Baseball first-year player draft in early June, something that wasn’t lost upon Atkinson. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Atkinson hit .439 with seven stolen bases and six RBIs in 12 district games for Katy in 2019. He went 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA on the mound, compiling 17 strikeouts to six walks in 17 innings. Atkinson, whose family moved to Katy from the Rio Grande Valley during the winter of his eighth-grade year, said Yale edged Harvard because of the Bulldogs’ coaching staff. “Besides the world-class education, it’s a program on the upswing,” Atkinson said. “This last year, they set the NCAA all-time record for fielding percentage and they have one of
the best infield coaches in the country (Tucker Frawley). They also had four draft picks this year. There’s an excitement there about the future of the program, from the coaches and the players.” Atkinson plans to play shortstop for Yale. He primarily played third base when he wasn’t Katy’s ace last season. Atkinson said it’s possible he ends up playing both ways at Yale, pitching and hitting, but right now Yale likes his arm strength, speed and range in the middle infield. “They told me I was their prototype guy, as far as someone who’s going to be reliable in the field and have enough speed to get some extra-base hits,” said Atkinson, who will study finance and economics. “Their field plays really big, and, especially with their middle infielders, they look for guys who can split the gaps, steal bases, create an extra 90 feet.” Atkinson boasts a 4.70 grade-point average. Academics was at the top of the list when choosing a college. Now Atkinson can concern himself with his senior season. Katy will return all of its pitchers and almost all of its infield in 2020 after making a run to the area playoffs last season. “I just want to win state,” Atkinson said. “I really think we can make a run. “As far as me, I just want to continue playing the game I know how to play. It’s about staying within myself and not trying to do too much. I know I’m not going to hit 10, 15 home runs. I’m going to hit for average and get on base.”
July 2019 / Katy Today / 29
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