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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston
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Saturday, October 29, 2022 • Vol. 67 • No. 42
ABOUT US 2020 North Loop West Suite 220 (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/FromTheLeader
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INSIDE.
Residents stream to polls as early voting begins efforts to fend off Republican challenger Alexandra Mealer in search of a second term in county government. And those that spoke to The Leader on Tuesday seemed drawn for different reasons. Many of those spoken to Tuesday were eying the statewide races, such as those featuring incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott against Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke. “(The governor’s race)
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
A slow but steady stream of local residents turned out earlier this week in the first few days of early voting with abortion laws, Texas’ electrical grid and more on their minds. The ballot for the Nov. 8 election is jam-packed with important local and state races, such as County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s
is the one drawing me out, because that’s the one that I hear about the most,” Heights resident Luke Hebert said. “…The problem is that (Abbott) doesn’t really seem pro-Texas, he just seems anti-Democrat. Beto, from what I see, just seems to be more pro-Texas than he is anti-Republican.” Hebert said he cast his Photo by Landan Kuhlmann vote for Beto O’Rourke, Residents wait in line outside SPJST Lodge 88 in the Heights on Tuesand he wasn’t alone. day. Voters have begun making their way to the polls as early voting See Voting P. 5 kicked off this week.
Family of Heights student killed at Astroworld settles lawsuit By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
Inching closer With another big win, Booker T. Washington is closing in on a significant district title for the program.
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Grief and joy Anthony J. Suber will have his new gallery “We Cried Until We Laughed” on display in Houston this weekend.
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Photo from Facebook Businesses owned by women such as Oak Forest resident Sara Heald, pictured, say that they still face unique challenges today when starting their own business.
Women-owned businesses continue to face unique challenges By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
Nibbles and Sips A couple new food and drink spots are open in the Lower Heights development.
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THE INDEX. Sports ............................................................ 4 Church........................................................... 6 Coupons ...................................................... 5 Classifieds ................................................. 8 Food/Drink ..............................9
Several local business owners say women-owned businesses still face different and unique challenges when attempting to break into the business world compared to their male counterparts, with the perceived role of women in society and belief they cannot handle multiple roles being at the heart of it. But they are trying to be part of a wave of helping to change such
a perception. There are a growing number of women starting businesses despite saying they still face obstacles on the path that men beginning similar businesses do not. “I think that women in general are viewed to have distractions in life such as home, kids, and all that comes with that. We are deemed to be maternal and that should be our only role,” said Linda Trieu, who owns both Three Hearts Apparel and Rel-
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entrepreneurs will always face an uphill battle when it comes to getting affirmation in the business world, and part of that is related to the doubt that women can multitask in being a businesswoman,” she said. Oak Forest resident and business owner Sara Heald echoed the sentiment “(Having children or a partner at home) can sometimes be viewed as a sign of weakness or a See Business P. 6
See Astroworld P. 6
Photo from GoFundMe.com The family of late Heights High school student Brianna Rodriguez, foreground, has settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed after her death at a music festival last year
Market for cars remaining hectic, pricey across area By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com
you’ re reading this, so are your potential customers call today to adv ertise!
ic General Store in the Heights. “It is difficult for other to see us in different roles, and seeing that we are capable of holding these roles… people have a difficult time separating those roles and that we can do it all.” She added that she believes men entering the business world do not face the same battle when starting one, adding another obstacle for women on top of the standard challenges of starting any business. “I think that female
The family of a late Heights High School student who was killed during a crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival music festival in Houston last November has settled a wrongful death lawsuit. According to an Oct. 20 report from USA Today, the family of former Heights High School student Brianna Rodriguez has settled a wrongful death lawsuit the family had filed against against headliner Travis Scott, among other defendant. The terms of the settlement were confidential, according to the report. Rodriguez, who was 16 years old at the time of her death, was one of 10 people who died on Nov. 5, 2021 when there was a chaotic surge in the crowd at the Astroworld Festival headlined by Scott, a Houston rapper. The 10 people who died ranged from ages 9 to 27, according to multiple media reports, and hundreds more were injured. “Brianna Rodriguez was deeply loved and is terribly missed by her parents, her entire and extended family, her friends, and by her peers at Heights High School,” attorneys Troy Williams and Robin Blanchette said in a statement last week, according to USA Today.
People buying used cars while waiting for their dream car to come in; old cars worth more today than when they were purchased years ago – today’s car market couldn’t be more unprecedented or unpredictable, according to experts at several area dealerships. Prices for new and used vehicles skyrocketed during the early months of the pandemic while automakers coped with supply chain
issues and a chip shortage, according to a Nerd Wallet article. While some of the worst supply-chain related issues might be behind the industry, spiking interest rates combined with a stillpresent chip shortage mean high prices aren’t going away anytime soon, according to local experts. “There’s still a shortage of new cars,” said Andy Ortiz, a salesperson with Tommie Vaughn Motors, a local car dealership at 1201 N Shepherd Drive. “That
means new car prices are staying high.” New vehicle prices reached a record level in August, with the average price reaching $46,259, according to an Oct. 5 article in NBC News. People are calling the dealership from across the country seeking new cars and some have even turned to purchasing used vehicles while they spend the 10 to 12 months waiting on a new car order to come in, Ortiz See Cars P. 6
Photo from Facebook The market for cars across the area at local dealerships such as Tommy Vaughn Ford on North Shepherd, which experts say is a combination of spiking interest rates and chip shortage.