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Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 • Vol. 68 • No. 37
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Woman arrested in fatal area shooting By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com A woman has been arrested and accused of fatally shooting another woman earlier this year in response to an alleged dispute over a man, according to the Houston Police Department. Lakiri Tolliver, 25, has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Laurielle Faulk, according to Harris County court records. She was already in custody on charges of tampering with evidence and burglary of a habitation related to allegedly breaking into Faulk’s apartment and allegedly tampering with her phone, according to court records and documents, and remained in jail as of Tuesday with her total bond set at $110,000 for all three charges.
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Lakiri Tolliver
Police said that initial investigation identified an unknown man as a suspect in the shooting. However, detectives interviewed him and released
with no charges filed, according to the department. Murder charges were filed against Tolliver related to the shooting on Sept. 12, according to court documents, though she was already in custody. Police said officers initially responded to an apartment in the 7600 block of Hammerly Boulevard around 5:50 p.m. on June 27 in response to a shooting call to find Faulk having been shot in the head with a 9 mm gun, according to court documents. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene, according to the department. Court documents say a friend of Faulk’s came to police on June 28 saying that Faulk and Tolliver dropped him off at work with his car, as he said Faulk’s had been involved in a crash. After texting with Faulk around 4:30
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Get your barrels A local member is holding their annual rain barrel sale for community members. See how you can get yours inside today
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On the rise For the first time in months, local monthly home sales were booming last month. See our monthly market roundup for more on how your neighborhood fared
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Eat it up Urban Eats will host an art show this weekend with the artist whose art adorns the walls. Check out Mitch Cohen’s Art Valet for the scoop
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Cool cocktails See which spots are planning specials for a national cocktail celebration, and more in this week’s Nibbles and Sips
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THE INDEX. Public/Topics �����������������������������2 Classifieds ���������������������������������6 Local Culture �����������������������������8 Food & Drink �����������������������������8
LEGEND: PROJECT AREA
Photo/screenshot courtesy HTV Facebook Houston District C council member Abbie Kamin speaks during last Thursday’s press conference introducing a flood mitigation plan for the Shady Acres neighborhood. Plans call for construction slated to begin in 2025.
City moving forward with Shady Acres flood mitigation project By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com All around Houston, residents have felt the impacts of a numerous major flooding events over the last several years – including residents in the Heights, Garden Oaks, and Oak Forest. But the city of Houston is now moving forward with a flood mitigation project aimed at helping a Heights-area neighborhood surrounded by waterways have a chance to withstand it. On Sept, 14, District C councilmember Abbie Kamin joined other city of Houston officials in announcing the beginning of a project in Shady Acres along Turkey Gully and White Oak Bayou. Officials say design is slated to begin in 2024 and construction set to start in 2025. “I represent some of the neighborhoods hardest hit by repetitive flooding in the entire state,” Kamin said. “And when I came into office, I came in with a commitment to protecting as many homes as possible from future storms.”
County judge Hidalgo returning to work Oct. 2 By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
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p.m. on June 27, court documents said he then could not get a hold of Faulk the next day before learning of her shooting and that his car was missing. As the friend was talking to detectives, court documents say he was receiving texts from Tolliver allegedly using Faulk’s phones. In the texts, court documents say the man told police Tolliver allegedly claimed that Faulk had been shot by a man known only as “Twin.” Multiple family members told police they believed Tolliver was allegedly involved in Faulk’s death, according to court documents, and court documents say a witness told police Tolliver allegedly found texts between Faulk and “Twin” and allegedly killed Faulk because she allegedly believed the two were talking behind her back.
The project itself will involve the construction of new stonewater lines to divert water from Turkey Gully to White Oak Bayou and an underground stormwater detention basin. Water is now going to be diverted from several streets to Bevis Street, according to Kamin, and Bevis Street will receive a “major facelift” as it moves water directly to White Oak Bayou. There is also going to be an opportunity for safer traffic mitigation along 20th Street and new sidewalks and a roundabout that also addresses safety concerns, according to Kamin. Turkey Gully runs right through the Shady Acres neighborhood, and the community is also situated between Little Thicket Bayou and White Oak Bayou. And officials say that when any flood event hits – especially major one such as Hurricane Ike in 2008, the Memorial Day Flood in 2015, Tax Day Flood in 2016, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017 – the area is more vulnerable than many due to where it is located. “Flooding is not only an inconvenience, but also a disruption,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said Sept. 14. “It
can displace families, damage homes, and (more)…. Long after the water recedes (from) residential (areas) and businesses, the impact on them remains. So today is a good day.” So efforts are now being made to help the residents of the community be able to withstand the effects of 10-year flood events. The $15.4 million project will remove and protect about 240 homes and businesses in the community from a 10-year storm event risk, according to officials. Because Turkey Gully itself has limited capacity and how close homes have built up onto the gulley, it cannot be expanded or deepened, according to Kamin. So, multiple departments within the city set out a few years ago to find a way to mitigate the flood impact as much as possible while still keeping the neighborhood amenity in its natural state. With such a project, Houston Public Works director and Timbergrove resident Carol Haddock said the project will provide the best of both
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is set to return to official work duties early next month after taking several months to receive inpatient mental health treatment and rehabilitation for depression, according to a statement from her office late last week. According to the statement, Hidalgo is set to return to work as county judge on Oct. 2. She has taken a leave of absence from to receive inpatient treatment and rehabilitation at an out-of-state facility since August. She was released to outpatient treatment last Saturday, according to the statement. “Thank you to my colleagues, family, and the Harris County community for the outpouring of support that I received after I announced I was seeking inpatient mental health treatment for depression,” Hidalgo said in a statement posted to her Twitter account Sept. 14. “I have been deeply touched by the messages that I have received, not only from Harris County residents but from across the country. Hidalgo said in the statement that she initially intended to resume her regular schedule and duties as county judge this month, but had her discharge rate moved back to last week – thus pushing back her re-acclimatization process, according to the statement. “The way my doctors explained reSee HIDALGO P. 5
Photo from Twitter Lina Hidalgo
See FLOODING P. 5
Local civic association welcomes new member, calling for volunteers By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
As a local civic association looks to add to its board of directors, it is also in the process of welcoming its newest one as it seeks continued advocacy for its neighborhood. The Woodland Heights Civic Association recently announced
Brian Edmondson as the association’s director of infrastructure, and is also looking for a new board president as well as a new director of communications.
According to an email from the WHCA, Edmonson is a professional engineer who has expertise in flood mitigation planning and design in the greater Houston region that he hopes to bring even closer to home as well as experience in infrastructure design and community outreach. Edmonson has experience in regional planning which includes
nearly a decade working on planning initiatives for the Harris County Flood Control District, according to the WHCA, as well as managing neighborhood drainage projects for the city of Houston. He and his family have called Woodland Heights for nearly nine years, with his two See Volunteer P. 5
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