Inside Today: Local artist needs support in wake of house fire Page 8 WITH ALL THINGS
FALL Flower & Gift Shop
10570 NW Frwy ❖ 713-680-2350
Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston Saturday, November 2, 2024 • Vol. 69 • No. 44
ABOUT US
Hollywood Trail Project aims to revitalize Little White Oak Bayou, uniting Northside neighborhoods
713-371-3600 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/FromTheLeader
Leader’s Choice BEST ATTORNEY
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 5005 W. 34th Street, Suite 104A Legal Services For Wills, Probate Estate Planning & Real Estate
PHYLLIS A. OESER Attorney At LAw 713-692-0300
INSIDE.
By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com A grassroots coalition of local organizations and residents has launched the Hollywood Trail Project, a bold initiative aimed at creating a public greenway along Little White Oak Bayou. The project envisions a revitalized, accessible trail that will reconnect Houston neighborhoods such as Independence Heights, Woodland Heights, and Northside Village, celebrating the area’s natural beauty and rich cultural history. The group will hold a kickoff event on
November 13 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at ReHab Bar, located at 1615 Enid St, to gather input from the community. Inspired by Arthur Comey’s 1912 Houston Parks Plan, which recognized Hollywood Bayou as a vital natural resource, the Hollywood Trail Project is spearheaded by Friends of Woodland Park (FWP) in partnership with local leaders from the Near Northside. The initiative is the result of years of community interest, including a 2016 Trail Connectivity Study by FWP and the Houston Parks See TRAIL P. 5
The Woodland Park Nature Preserve is home to more than 170 bird species.
Submitted photo
Heights FROM CLASSROOM Houston Association celebrates TO CANNES? 50 years with a
groovy weekend of festivities
Celebrate Day of the Dead with Heights Kids’ Day of Music
Page 2
By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com
HCDE: 11 years of cutting taxes
Page 2
Submitted photos
UT sophomores David Martinez (left) and Thomas Dupuy (right) won third place at the 48-Hour Film Festival Space City Houston in October. Their former Heights High School teacher and mentor, Michael Shea (center), won Best Performance for his portrayal of the protagonist in their short film Guilty Thing.
Heights HS grads win film project accolades with breakneck 48-hour challenge
Memorial Park Conservancy announces new CEO
Page 4
By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com Attention, Hollywood: Your most talented future producers hail from the Houston Heights! Two former Heights High School students, Thomas Dupuy and David Martinez, are making waves in the film world with their recent third-place finish in the 48-Hour Film Project Space City Houston. Their film, Guilty Thing, a 7-minute short film, was made as part of the intense 48-hour competition, with their former high
2024 Good Brick Tour features Woodland Heights home
Page 5
school teacher, Michael Shea, playing the lead role in the film. Both Dupuy and Martinez, now sophomores at the University of Texas, continue to pursue their passion for filmmaking, building on the skills and mentorship they received at Heights HS. Michael Shea, who taught both students in the audio-video production magnet program at Heights HS, fondly remembers when Dupuy and Martinez were in his class. “I first noticed their talent during the See GUILTY THING P. 5
Heights High School teacher and mentor to film producers Thomas Dupuy and David Martinez starred in their former students’ short film and earned the Best Performance award for his acting skills.
The Houston Heights Association (HHA) is celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of commitment to enhancing and preserving the vibrant community of the Heights. The festivities kick off on Friday, Nov. 1, with a ‘70s-themed party at the historic Houston Heights Fire Station and continue through the weekend with familyfriendly events. The HHA was founded in response to a challenging period in the early 1970s. In 1973, the Heights community faced a wave of negative publicity following a notorious string of murders by the infamous “Candy Man” Dean Corll and his two young accomplices, some of whose victims were local residents. This tragic moment garnered national attention and threatened to permanently tarnish the neighborhood’s reputation as dangerous and undesirable. However, rather than allowing this dark period to define their community, Heights residents rallied together to reclaim their neighborhood. By the end of 1973, approximately 100 Heights merchants and residents, led by community leaders like Marcella Perry, Harold Wiesenthal, Martin Kaplan, and Carl and Melvalene Cohen, gathered at the Heights Savings and Loan office with a shared vision. Their mission: to create an organization dedicated to revitalizing and promoting the Houston Heights. Carl Cohen signed the incorporation papers for the group on April 9, 1974, and in 1977, the association received its nonprofit status from the IRS. Since then, the HHA has played a critical role in shaping the Heights into the thriving, historic, and desirable neighborhood it is today. From beautification projects and neighborhood preservation to promoting local businesses and hosting community events, the HHA has continuously worked to make the Heights a better place to live, work, and visit. See ANNIVERSARY P. 2
St. Rose of Lima celebrates veterans with dinner, guest speaker Where to find the city’s favorite croissants in the Heights
Page 6
THE INDEX. People ���������������������������������������2 Topics ����������������������������������������4 Classifieds ���������������������������������7 Local Culture �����������������������������8
By CHARLIE HARDWICK The Leader News Contributor The Men’s Group of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church is hosting their 14th Annual Veterans Day Dinner in the parish hall on Friday, Nov. 8. Celebrating and honoring veterans, this dinner is free and open to the public, with RSVPs requested. The evening begins with a social mixer, followed by a catered dinner. After dinner, U.S. Air Force pilot and Vietnam veteran, Capt. Marshall Clinkscales, will give a talk about his time serving our country.
We empower people to thrive. S TE LL A R . BA N K NML S # 4 5 1 3 1 2
FOURTEEN YEARS AND GROWING St. Rose Men’s Group began hosting this celebratory dinner in 2010. The Men’s Group holds fundraisers throughout the year to raise the funds necessary to make this event free to veterans and their guests. In past years the group has served between 30 to 40 veterans-plus-one for dinner with a total of around 80 to 100 attendees. Noah Denson, a St. Rose Men’s Club member and coordinator said, “This is one of our favorite events to host. It is always impressive to get such a large group of veterans
together and hear some incredible stories.” Prior to 2022 the event was only promoted within the community of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. As the population of WWII vets within the Parish faded, the Men’s Group reached out to the local American Legion Post last year and added them to the invite list. The addition of the American Legion Post attendees has helped to broaden the reach to welcome new veterans to the dinner. Throughout the years, the dinner honored several World War II See VETERANS P. 2
Submitted photo
Veterans mix and mingle, and enjoy a hearty meal, at the St. Rose of Lima annual dinner honoring their service. This year’s dinner will take place on Nov. 8, the Friday prior to Veterans Day on Nov. 11.
Allegiance Bank and CommunityBank of Texas have come together as Stellar Bank. While our name has changed, our commitment to serving our customers and supporting our local communities will stay the same. We look forward to a bright future together.
2222 North Durham | 281.517.8760 Margaret Vandever, Bank Office President Cecilia Rodriguez, Office Manager