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Inside Today: Oak Forest’s Luco has top jazzercize facility • 1B

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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston

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10570 NW Frwy 713-680-2350

Saturday, February 8, 2014 • Vol. 60 • No. 14

ABOUT US 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd. Suite A

Variance Concerns

WHERE

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(713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.

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Editor’s Note: This is the ﬁrst in an ongoing series of stories highlighting the industries that provide jobs in our community. Most times, these businesses go unnoticed. Their stories deserve to be told.

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Timbergrove Manor residents discuss the protest of variance requests during a meeting on Monday night. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)

832.419.9969

THE BRIEF.

Residents fear loss of 1.6 acres of greenspace

HHA looks to add ﬁfth Constable deputy

The Houston Heights Association could have around the clock protection, courtesy of the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable by the end of 2014. HHA added a fourth deputy this year and could be on their way adding a ﬁfth, which would ensure 24-7 patrols, according to HHA vice president Bill Baldwin. The Harris County Constable Contract Program consists of a homeowner’s or civic association paying 70 percent and the County picking up the remaining 30 percent of the program.

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By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com

Ralph Marek, 88, started the company with his brothers, John and Bill, in the 1930s. Today, Marek still works ﬁve hours a day, mainly managing the family’s foundation. (Photo by Betsy Denson)

Marek Brothers

From small sheetrockers to employee-conscious industry By Betsy Denson

About the Company

betsy@theleadernews.com

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FIND IT. STUDIO DUPLEX: Two bedroom, 1,045 sq. ft., hardwoods, nice architectural features, laundry room, shaded yard. $800 monthly. 281-733-5913. FOR SALE - 2008 KIA SPECTRA: Blue, 67,000 miles. $5,000. 713-316-0923. YARD SALE: Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., 1532 W. 25th St., Houston, TX 77008. FOR SALE - TROY-BILT 2550 PSI PRESSURE WASHER with hose and spray nozzles. Needs new pump. Mtd. chippershredder. Needs carb. Repair. $75 each or $125 for both. 713-864-2201.

MORE INSIDE

Every person asked at Marek Brothers has the same response to the question of why their company has done so well for so long – it’s the quality of their workforce. “We’ve been really blessed with top ﬂight people,” said Ralph Marek. “We try to make it a great place to work.” Son and CEO Stan Marek said that even though he and cousins Bruce and Paul are still actively involved with the company, the emphasis during their 75th anniversary is the contribution of all their employees. Still, the Marek story is a great, and uniquely American, one. In the 1930s, Ralph Marek said that he and brothers John and Bill were “starving to death in Yoakum” during the Great Depression. Bill came to Houston and learned to do sheetrock, then sent word for his brothers to join him. They formed Marek Brothers Sheetrock and recruited more family to take part. Eventually they saved enough money for ﬁve acres off of Blue Bell Road, near Stuebner Airline, where they set up shop.

Company info - Residential/commercial interior construction Current ownership – 100% privately owned Revenue: Marek is private and does not publish ﬁnancials. Commercial Division President Mike Holland estimates they are the largest specialty interior contractor in Southwest and near the top nationally. #of employees: 1,100 in Houston, 1,000 elsewhere Average salary: $16-$17/hour median, full beneﬁts and 401K Longest serving employee: Pat Trojanowsky, the Division President of the Residential Branch at Marek who has worked there for 53 years.

As it did for most in 1941, Pearl Harbor changed the course of their lives. Each brother served in World War II, eventually returning home to take part in a construction boom. By the mid-1950s, they had all moved into management roles and were working to diversify their construction business to include real estate. In 1960, the Mareks bought the Frank Sharp Lumberyard in Oak Forest for storage and then moved their ofﬁces nearby on Judiway and Piney Woods in the 1970s. By the ’80s, the company had evolved into the largest interior contractor in the Southwest. Today Marek offers a variety of commercial and residential construction

services including metal framing, ceiling acoustics, flooring, window treatments and specialty trims. They have offices in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Harlingen, Oklahoma City and Atlanta. Their craftsmanship can be seen in such projects as the Anadarko Tower in the Woodlands, the Chick-fil-A operations center in Atlanta and the Devon Energy Corporation Headquarters in Oklahoma City. In addition to their own employees, Marek also works with a number of trusted contractors and sub-contractors to get the work done.

The Timbergrove Manor Civic Club was scheduled to protest two separate variance requests that were put forth by InTown Homes, a Houston-based company that’s looking to build between 80 and 100 townhomes in the neighborhood. TMCC planned on making comments at a City of Houston Planning Commission meeting, at which the commission was reviewing the variance requests. It is possible that the commission would postpone a decision to its Feb. 20 meeting. Follow theleadernews.com for updates on the results of the commission’s decision. “(InTown representatives) told us that nine times out of 10, we don’t get a community reaction like this,” said Super Neighborhood president Bill Morfey, who’s also the president of TMCC. “We’re No. 10.” Between the two variances, the Super Neighborhood has gathered more than 100 signatures of residents opposing the requests. Morfey said InTown hasn’t met the element of a hardship to receive a variance request. InTown Homes representatives declined to comment for the article. The developer is looking for a variance change from the standard 25 feet to 15 feet at the intersection of Ella Blvd. and Grovewood Ln. The other variance request is for W. 12th St., which would grant the developer an exception from following a city ordinance that requires a North-South street in order to meet street intersection requirements. TMCC residents are concerned about public safety/trafﬁc access, including whether a ﬁre truck would be able to access the townhomes with narrow streets. Given low water pressure in the

See MAREK, P. 3A

See VARIANCE, P. 3A

Trafﬁc Update: Peeved on Pinemont, stay off 290 By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com

Waltrip grad helping lead new D1 basketball program to top of the standings.

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THE INDEX. Church

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Classiﬁeds

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Food/Drink/Art Obituaries

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The closure of METRO’s Pinemont Park & Ride has many Forest West residents disappointed, but they appear to have little re-course in the situation. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is reconstructing U.S. Hwy. 290 and demolishing the ramp to the HOV lane this weekend, which means METRO buses 216 and 219 won’t serve Pinemont any longer. TxDOT has begun construction on Project I, including reconstruction of US 290 from approximately Pinemont to W. 34th Street, including the Pinemont Bridge over US 290. The ﬁrst phase of construction started on Monday with

Residents who used the Pinemont Park & Ride no longer have a place to leave their cars and catch the bus to work. At right, US 290 will be closed this weekend while the Pinemont bridge is replaced.

the closure of the Pinemont bridge. Rebuilding the bridge is expected to take six months to complete. During the long term closure, motorists will be detoured to the US 290 eastor westbound frontage road and U-turn at Bingle or Hol-

lister to Pinemont. Multiple closures are scheduled throughout February for demolition of the bridge. The Park & Ride closed on Jan. 24 with no plans of reopening. There are no plans for METRO to sell or use it.

According to METRO spokesperson Carolina Mendoza, the Park & Ride has closed permenantly and “there was no cost-effective option to continue operating service from the Pinemont P&R.” Mendoza said the Pinemont

Park & Ride was the third lowest in terms of usage with only about 20 percent of the parking spaces being used. Mendoza said the Park & Ride in Cypress had 93 percent of its spots ﬁlled. METRO has encouraged commuters to use the Northwest Transit Center at Loop 610 and 290, or the W. Little York Park & Ride, which is located to the north, along 290. “It will deﬁnitely inconvenience people in the subdivision – everybody uses them,” said Forest West board director Kirk Waldron. “It’s not good. Anytime you have a civil service that goes away, it’s always detrimental.” Behind the inconvenience, Waldron and Forest West See TRAFFIC, P. 3A

The Right Size. The Right Time. In your neighborhood & online at yourblvd.com 713.862.1600

THE PUBLIC. Saturday, February 8, 2014 • Page 2A

Garden Oaks students give back to the troops By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com

Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet students helped Adolf Hoepﬂ & Son Garage owner Kathryn van der Pol organize care packages for a local U.S. Army Reserve unit that was recently deployed to Afghanistan. The students packed snacks -- including cookies they baked, Valentine’s Day cards, toiletries and other items for the 64 soldiers, who are working on rebuilding infrastructure in Afghanistan. Harper Alternative School students also baked cookies and contributed to the project. Hoepﬂ employees purchased most of the goods after sponsors for the garage’s

Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet students pack boxes to send to U.S. Army reserve soldiers stationed in Afghanistan. (Photos by Michael Sudhalter)

Classic and Custom Car Show on Jan. 24 made donations to the project, which began when Army Specialist Aaron Mays

of North Houston, a member of the unit, spoke to van der Pol about putting together care packages for the deployed troops. On Jan. 30, it was the students’ turn to participate in the project, and they were all excited about it. “It was very heartwarming, and we hope the 64 soldiers will appreciate it,” said fourth grader Isabel Hugetz. Fourth grader Akira Miller said he enjoyed the opportunity to do something nice for the troops. “I like it because you don’t get to make cards and give them cookies very often,” Miller said. Said third grader Mark Mendoza, “You get to do stuff for other people. It makes you feel proud of what you’re doing.”

24-year old victim of shooting on Yale The Houston Police Department responded to a shooting at 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 24 in the 5000 block of Yale. A 24-year-old victim was shot by a black male suspect and taken to Ben Taub Hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening gunshot wounds. The Homicide Division is investigating the case.

Texaco robbery

Four or ﬁve black male suspects robbed the Texaco Gas Station in the 3500 block of Mangum at 8:50 p.m. on Jan. 27. The Robbery Division is following up on the case.

Robbery on Yale

Two black male suspects robbed a 31-year-old female at knifepoint at a washateria at

11:52 a.m. on Jan. 24 in the 5100 block of Yale. No arrests have been made.

Robbery at Valero

Three individuals at a Valero Gas Station (2000 block of W. 18th St.) -- a 54-year-old female, a 19-year-old female and a 19year-old male were robbed at gunpoint at 8:40 p.m. on Jan. 25. The Robbery Division is investigating the case.

Family Dollar robbery

A male suspect robbed the Family Dollar, 5100 block of Ella, at gunpoint at 8:47 p.m. on Jan. 25. The Robbery Division is following up on the investigation.

Cortlandt Robbery/ Assault

A 50-year-old female was walk-

ing on a trail to an apartment complex at 9:10 p.m. on Jan. 24 in the 3800 block of Cortlandt when a black male suspect walked up to her, pushed her down and stole her cell phone. The victim confronted the suspect, whom she knows as an acquaintance, and he punched her in the face, knocking out a tooth. The victim told police she’d seek medical treatment on her own. Police have a lead on the identity of the suspect.

phones from customers inside the store. The Robbery Division is investigating the crime.

Subway robbery

A 28-year-old female victim said a suspect approached her and pointed a gun at 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 in the 3200 block of Mangum. The suspect robbed her of purse and phone before ﬂeeing. There were no injuries.

Two black male suspects, approximately 20 years old, robbed the Subway Restaurant, 3806 North Shepherd, at 6:45 p.m. on Jan. 29. The armed suspects stole cash as well as wallets, purses and cell

White Oak robbery

A 21-year-old female told police she was robbed at gunpoint by two black male suspects at 6 a.m. on Jan. 26 in the 1500 block of White Oak. The victim said the suspects, who stole her cell phone, ﬂed the scene. She was not injured.

Mangum robbery

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Police Reports • Jan. 24 - Feb. 1 JAN. 24

Assault 3:45 AM 5000-5099 YALE Robbery 11:52 AM 5100-5199 YALE Theft 12 AM 4000-4099 34TH Theft 4:40 PM 4200-4299 MAIN ST Robbery 9:10 PM 3800-3899 CORTLANDT ST Theft 4 PM 2800-2899 T C JESTER BLVD Theft 9:15 PM 1700-1799 SHEPHERD DR

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Theft 11:40 PM 1400-1499 SHEPHERD DR Robbery 8:40 PM 2000-2099 18TH ST Theft 11:30 PM 2600-2699 CENTER ST Robbery 7:30 PM 2100-2199 MAIN Robbery 8:47 PM 5100-5199 ELLA BLVD Burglary 2 PM 10500-10599 NORTHWEST FWY SER Theft 10 PM 1100-1199 SHEPHERD DR Burglary 10 PM 500-599 SPELL Theft 11 PM 1100-1199 BRASHEAR ST

JAN. 26

Theft 2 AM 2500-2599 WHITE OAK DR Theft 2 AM 4800-4899 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 10:15 PM 2700-2799 MANGUM Burglary 11:39 AM 3700-3799 CORTLANDT ST Theft 3 PM 900-999 NORTH LP W Burglary 4 PM 900-999 HIGHLAND Theft 9:30 AM 0-99 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 12 AM 4500-4599 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 12 AM 4700-4799 WASHINGTON AVE Robbery 6:30 AM 1500-1599 WHITE OAK DR Assault 1:20 AM 1900-1999 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 11:45 AM 2700-2799 NORTH LP W SER Theft 7 AM 4500-4599 SHERWOOD LN Theft 1:15 PM 2600-2699 SHEPHERD DR Theft 10:15 AM 5200-5299 34TH ST Theft 7 PM 4800-4899 DE MILO

JAN. 27

Theft 11 PM 3400-3499 ELLA Theft 11 PM 5600-5699 LARKIN

Theft 5:30 PM 4800-4899 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 12 PM 1800-1899 WASHINGTON AVE Robbery 6 PM 1300-1399 CROSSTIMBERS Robbery 8:50 PM 3500-3599 MANGUM Theft 9 AM 4800-4899 LAMONTE LN Theft 12 AM 800-899 32ND ST Theft 2:40 AM 800-899 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 4:30 PM 1100-1199 MAIN ST Assault 3:30 PM 3400-3499 MANGUM Theft 10:45 AM 700-799 WORTHSHIRE Assault 8 PM 5200-5299 FOUR RIVERS CT

JAN. 28

Theft 9:30 AM 400-499 THORNTON Theft 2 AM 2800-2899 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 1:15 PM 600-699 SAWYER Theft 7:37 PM 6500-6599 APOLLO ST Theft 9 PM 5000-5099 YALE Assault 12 AM 600-699 CROSSTIMBERS

JAN. 29

Theft 6:47 PM 1800-1899 YALE Theft 6 PM 600-699 19TH ST Theft 6:30 PM 1900-1999 SHEPHERD DR Theft 1 PM 400-499 27TH ST Theft 6 PM 700-799 19TH ST Theft 6:30 PM 700-799 11TH ST Robbery 6:45 PM 3800-3899 SHEPHERD DR Theft 7 PM 3600-3699 KATY FWY Theft 10:12 PM 4400-4499 SHEPHERD DR Theft 7:45 PM 100-199 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 9 PM 1200-1299 43RD ST Theft 7:15 PM 1200-1299 43RD ST Theft 6:50 PM 1900-1999

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WASHINGTON AVE Theft 6:40 PM 9700-9799 HEMPSTEAD HWY Theft 10 PM 800-899 RALFALLEN Theft 2:58 PM 1400-1499 THOMPSON Burglary 8 PM 5200-5299 FOUNDERS WAY CT

JAN. 30

Robbery 8:25 PM 900-999 NORTH LP W SER Robbery 2:20 PM 4700-4799 MAIN Theft 7:10 PM 3100-3199 WHITE OAK DR Theft 8 PM 900-999 DURHAM Theft 6 PM 3000-3099 NORTH LP W Robbery 9:01 PM 1800-1899 43RD ST Theft 12 AM 5300-5399 DARLING ST Theft 9:30 PM 3200-3299 MANGUM Theft 7 PM 1800-1899 SHEPHERD DR Theft 8 AM 1600-1699 MAN-

SFIELD

JAN. 31

Theft 6:25 PM 500-599 PECORE Theft 4:15 PM 5600-5699 YALE Theft 5:30 AM 4000-4099 WATONGA BLVD Theft 8:05 PM 200-299 20TH ST Robbery 10:30 PM 3200-3299 MANGUM Burglary 4:20 AM 4600-4699 DACOMA ST Theft 2:30 PM 2000-2099 EDWARDS ST

FEB. 1

Burglary 11 AM 3700-3799 CORTLANDT ST Theft 10:30 AM 1000-1099 STUDE Theft 2:30 AM 1900-1999 WASHINGTON AVE Assault 9:50 AM 1300-1399 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 3 PM 900-999 USENER Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

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YMCA kicks off 2014 annual support campaign The Harriet & Joe Foster Family YMCA kicked oﬀ its Annual Campaign on Friday, Jan. 24 to help raise funds that will provide scholarships to local youth, teen, families and seniors. Each of the 37 YMCAs across the greater Houston area work together to meet the $6.9 million goal. Last year, YMCA of Greater Houston association volunteers united to gain the trust and charitable support of more than 10,000 individual, corporate and foundation donors. They raised more than $6.5 million to support eﬀorts at the Harriet & Joe Foster Family YMCA and the other communities throughout the Houston area. In 2013, more than $350,000 was given to youth, families and seniors in this area through the Harriet & Joe

Rosemary Lengefeld and Billy Hartman are leading this year’s campaign. Foster Family YMCA. One hundred percent of the money raised for the Harriet & Joe Foster Family YMCA stays within the local community. Last year, over

$125,000 went to help provide children a safe place afterschool, $95,000 help provide youth summer activities, and $145,000 helped our community live a healthier life regardless of income. “Every gift to the Annual Campaign is an investment in the children in our community,” said Rosemary Lengefeld, Community Executive Director. “Your gifts make our community stronger and give community members, regardless of their ability to pay, the opportunity to participate in our programs and achieve their greatest potential.” To pledge a gift, volunteer, or to ﬁnd out more about the YMCA Annual Campaign, contact Faye Gould at 713-869-3378 or visit ymcahouston.org/donate.

Bill, John and Ralph Marek started a company that is still thriving 75 years later.

As a result, they are not the lowest price bid for a job, but Holland says that in performance and results they are a top player. The fidelity of their workforce, and the financial savvy of the original Mareks who believed in building a war chest for bad times, has gotten them through the ups and downs of the business. “We believe that financial strength and ability are valuable to our customers,” said Holland. Finding Workers However, there is work to be done, especially in the areas of work force development and immigration. To recruit and train new

workers, they established Marek Employment Management Company (MEMCO), a staffing and payroll firm. Holland said that many of the people who enroll move from a day laborer to a highly skilled worker, and gain permanent employment with Marek. “You don’t compete with low benefits and no clear path,” said Holland. “That’s a road to nowhere.” They also are a key player in the Construction Career Collaborative (C3) which taps into the commitment of owners to maintain standards in the workplace and to meet the needs of their workers. The most important part of a fair playing field is immigration reform, according to both

Stan Marek and Mike Holland who educate and lobby to restore construction to a middle class occupation. “We believe in a reasonable immigration policy,” said Holland. “(That workers) should be here legally and be paid by the hour. The current system doesn’t work.” “Day laborers don’t pay taxes, we’re not going to do that, it’s not right,” said Marek. In addition to the non-payment of taxes from undocumented workers, thousands of workers are abused. “Most people stick their head in the sand and wait for change,” Marek said. The desire to do what is right, for their industry and for others, is deeply rooted in the values of the company’s founders. Ralph Marek, who will be 89 in April, still comes in ﬁve hours a day to manage the assets and grant distribution of their family foundation. “Ralph was tithing when he wasn’t making money,” Holland said. “He always believed that giving should focus on hunger and poverty and looks for ways to address those needs.”

Traffic, from P. 1A president David Ojeman is concerned that the closure of the Park & Ride could lower property values. They claim many newer residents decided to move to the area with the nearby Park & Ride as an amenity. “I believe that METRO has been talking about closing that park and ride for some time, it just never happened,” Ojeman said. Carol Caul, the advocacy chair for the Citizens Transportation Coalition, said there was a 180 day window in 2011 for residents to file a lawsuit regarding the closure of the Park & Ride, but she believes there’s no recourse at this time. “If somebody can figure out a way to sue (METRO or TxDOT), more power to them,” said Caul, who is representing several Oak Forest and North Houston residents in a lawsuit to ensure TxDOT fol-

lows federal noise abatement regulations. Houston City Councilmember Ellen Cohen said she’s disappointed to see the Park & Ride close, as transportation is a major issue in the city, but she said METRO, not the city, has control over the operation of the Park & Ride. N. Shepherd project TxDOT has begun a major project at I45 and North Shepherd To alleviate trafﬁc congestion where the N. Shepherd turnoff goes to I-45 north, a $2.9 million ramp project is under way. The contract shows 449 working days, so there could be a bit of disruption there for some time. Because the public knows little about this project, TxDOT held an informational meeting informational meeting on Tuesday at the Acres Home Multi-Ser-

vice Center to discuss schematics, drawings and information about the connector ramp and the construction timeline. Entrance ramp from W. 18th Street Mike Zientek, Senior Public Involvement Representative with the US 290 Program, offered one correction to the item about future plans for the I-610 southbound entrance ramp from W. 18th Street. It is a left, not a right, that drivers will make on the southbound I-610 frontage road to access the mainlanes. My290 If you want to keep up with the news and trafﬁc updates from US 290 keep www.my290.com bookmarked or follow on Twitter, @my290houston.

Betsy Denson contributed to this story

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Variance, from P. 1A Timbergrove area in recent months, residents are also concerned about the fire department having adequate water pressure to put out a fire. They’re also concerned about increased traffic and a potential loss of 1.6 acres of green space. Morfey said he’s communicated with InTown representatives, but they haven’t been specific about their plans regarding traffic and safety. He said they plan to re-configure their plans if the variance requests are denied. Morfey said the TMCC and the Super Neighborhood 14 aren’t against the construction of townhomes in the neighborhood. They just want to see responsible growth. “The simple fact is they’re

asking for additional land to build on, while everyone else is living there as the city requires,” Morfey said. If the residents hadn’t protested the variance requests, it would have become a “consent item,” or in layman’s terms, would have been rubber stamped by the commission. Pam Spayde, one of the residents contesting the variance request, said this is just the beginning of monitoring InTown’s developments in the area. “InTown Homes owns quite a bit of land – they own the land south of Ella and Greenwood,” Spayde said. “They’re going to become a presence. We would like it to be responsible and as safe as possible.”

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Carl Nossek Native Houstonian Always Acting in Your Best Interest. 713.542.9110 carl@greenwoodking.com

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Marek, from P. 1A Small to Big Division President Mike Holland, who grew up in Garden Oaks, got a job pumping gas at a Marek warehouse as a boy. Now he’s been with the company for 43 years. “The vast majority of our workers report to a job site,” he said. There are also many employees who come to the warehouse to gather materials ﬁrst. “From 5 to 5:30 in the morning, this place is hopping.” He said that while the single family home used to be their bread and butter, today the ratio of work is close to 75 percent commercial and 25 percent residential. About 3540 percent of the commercial business comes from Houston. “We started out sheetrocking little industrial warehouse spaces and now we are a niche player for big, complex projects,” he said. What differentiates Marek in the market is that they pay well for ‘blue collar’ work – in addition to beneﬁts and 401K for employees – because they want a skilled, loyal work force and because they believe it’s the right thing to do.

Saturday, February 8, 2014 • Page 3A

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THE TOPICS. Saturday, February 8, 2014 • Page 4A

When parents get involved, our schools win

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hose who read this column with any regularity know I’m an Alabama native. The ﬁrst decade of my journalism career was built in small towns in an area of the state called the “Black Belt.” Originally, Black Belt referred to the rich, dark soil that was home to bountiful cotton ﬁelds. Today, the name has stuck, but the reference now is to demographics rather than dirt. This is largely an African-American region of Alabama, and I’m proud of the time I spent learning my trade there. You didn’t ask for a history lesson, but some context is important today. Most of my work in Alabama was done in two separate cities: Selma and Demopolis. Selma, as most know, is considered the home of the Civil Rights Movement. Demopolis is a small town west of Selma on U.S. 80, and its claim to fame was once its Christmas on the River celebration and a New Era hat factory, where all Major League Baseball hats were produced. Why am I telling you about these two cities? Because they are less than an hour apart in distance, but are worlds apart in education. And together, these cities and their

JONATHAN MCELVY Publisher

schools serve as a wonderful civics lesson in what we’re seeing in schools in the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest areas of Houston. Selma’s city school system never fared well during my time as editor of the newspaper. In fact, the school system was as segregated in the early 2000s as it was in the early 1960s. White, private schools were an industry unto themselves, and while one private school worked to bring diversity, the reality was that whites attended private schools and blacks went to public school. Here’s what happened: In the 1970s, when school integration began in earnest, there were wild protests in the Selma city schools – especially at Selma High School. The protests weren’t started by

whites, but they were frightening enough that white parents snatched their children out of the schools and started two private schools (which later became three schools). This fragmentation in Selma’s schools was evident in the quality of education for the young people in that city. Real-world lessons of diversity were absent, because the young people didn’t go to school with the other race. I haven’t been back to Selma in a long time, but I have a friend who recently taught there, and he says nothing has changed. Over in Demopolis, less than an hour away, the public schools are fully integrated, and the one private school that also opened in the 1970s closed about eight years ago. Meanwhile, public Demopolis High School is as ﬁne an institution as you’ll ﬁnd in small-town Alabama, and the community supports that school like few I’ve ever seen. With the geographic and demographic closeness of Selma and Demopolis, you might wonder why the schools – and the communities, as a whole – are so much different. To me, the schools are the greatest of reasons. And the reason the schools are so different is because of

the communities that support them. When integration frightened white parents in Selma, they all bailed. They started their own schools. When integration in Demopolis happened, a white attorney named Rick Manley – along with a number of other people – decided they were keeping their children in public schools. And they vowed to be involved in helping keep those public schools strong. Last week in The Leader, we wrote a story about Hogg Middle School and how parents who don’t even have children attending that school are starting to get involved at Hogg. People like Emily Guyre want their children to have a wonderful middle school in a few years, but instead of standing around and hoping the school gets better, they’re getting involved right now. You cannot imagine how cool I think this is – especially considering the background mentioned above. In terms of bettering a community, I do not believe there is a single thing more important than parents getting involved in public schools. And to see parents who have no immediate stake getting involved now gets me incredibly excited.

The same thing is happening at Frank Black Middle School, where a man named Tim Weltin left his work as an attorney and now works full-time at FBMS as the “Parent Involvement Coordinator.” Imagine that. A coordinator of parents. As you might suspect, Tim doesn’t have children at Frank Black right now. He has a second grader and a 2-year-old. But instead of pointing ﬁngers at standardized test scores, he’s helping lead a community revolution in the public schools here. Over the past month, it seems we’ve had a lot of stories about how the transition of our neighborhoods is bruising egos along the way. But as younger families move into our area, and folks like Tim and Emily take a vested interest in improving our schools, we all win. Private schools are great for some people, and they have an important place here. We have a couple of the best in the city right here in the area. But there’s nothing like having a strong public school system to lift a community. And we have folks turning the propellors. Email jonathan@theleadernews.com

THE READER. Hogg Elementary

From theleadernews.com It’s a myth that kids who live in the Heights don’t attend Hogg M.S. This year’s sixth grade class includes 18 graduates of Harvard Elementary and 18 graduates of Travis Elementary. More Harvard and Travis parents are planning to send their students to sixth grade at Hogg in the fall. To learn why, tour Hogg and see for yourself the great things happening at our neighborhood school. Tours take place on the ﬁrst and third Tuesdays of each month at 1 p.m. Dates for upcoming tours: Feb. 4, Feb. 18, March 4. Kat Dear Editor: I’m disappointed that The Leader, in its front-page story about all of the progress at Hogg Middle School, began by focusing on the old news. You printed a balanced story, and while most of it reported on positive developments at the school, this part of the story was almost entirely buried in the inside pages of the paper. Readers scanning the front page may have seen only the ﬁrst part of the article, almost all of which is a rehashing of old news–the challenges facing our neighborhood school. The news about Hogg is that community support for the school is growing among parents in the

Heights. Volunteers with Learn Local are encouraging neighborhood families to take a look at the new Hogg, tour the campus, and learn what the school has to oﬀer instead of listening to rumors left over from years ago, when Hogg had a poor reputation in the community. Applications to the magnet program at Hogg M.S. are up this year, with more than 300 received to date. Hogg’s students, teachers, and parents have worked hard and accomplished a remarkable turnaround at the school in the past several years under the leadership of Dr. Mina Schnitta, who became principal in February 2011. Next time, please don’t bury the good news when reporting on a story that’s so important to our community. This is a disservice to Hogg’s students, teachers, and leadership, and to the volunteers who are working hard to get the word out to Heights-area families. For more about Learn Local and Hogg Middle School, go to www.facebook.com/LearnLocalatHogg Katherine Heinrich ‘Learn Local.’ board member

Paul Carr

From theleadernews.com Mr. Paul Carr, since they are not grateful we will be happy to take it and our 100 little guys and gals

will enjoy (the wooden train) every day and we will keep it in good repair. We will also assist in moving it. Let’s roll! J.W. Hill From theleadernews.com I wouldn’t be surprised if this is just a payback simply because Paul Carr spoke up about the craziness of the historical district and the nutty bungalow dwellers, most of whom are tenants anyway. Paul has done a stellar service of helping the Heights. He called out the “whiners” many times, those who didn’t want new construction, those who didn’t want the Walmart (we now have great shopping!!!), those who didn’t want the feeder roads (now we can ﬁnally access the freeway) and so on and so on. Paul, hold your head high...

New Paper

Dear Editor: Can you make the font smaller? Can still make out print in paper. Guess I will need to get my magnifying glass in order to read “your” paper. Thanks for the change. Very Disappointed “Original” Oak Forest Resident [Editor’s Note: Dear Disappointed, sarcasm noted. However, we do appreciate your note. Tough thing

Couldn’t have sung it better myself THE TV – There is Dennis Rodman crooning “Happy Birthday” to North Korean dictator and the last person invited to a family reunion, Kim Jong Un. I hope the former NBA star took along his checkbook. You see, the “Happy Birthday Song” is copyrighted, private property, and royalties are collected. I didn’t know that. Did you? Same situation when you sing the official song of the U.S. Coast Guard if you use any lyrics written after 1922. God Bless America generates royalties but only for the Scouts. As we can see, there is a lot going on in the music world, and we should know it, or get hit up by copyright (shouldn’t it be copywrite?) lawyers wanting our money. Let’s start with Happy Birthday (and not use quotation marks around all these song titles – they get in the way). It reportedly started life as Good Morning to All or Good Morning to You, written by two Louisville sisters, Patty and Mildred Hill, in the 1890s. Eventually Birchtree Ltd., a small company with musical holdings, acquired the song. Warner/Chappell, the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group, paid $25 million in 1988 to acquire Birchtree Ltd. and began collecting royalties while the candles were still being lit. This is no small matter. Happy Birthday is the most frequently sung song in the English language, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Its usage surpasses the works of Bach, Beethoven and the Beatles, says the Songwriters Hall of Fame. It has been sung in 143 movies – filmmakers of the 1994 documentary “Hoop Dreams” paid $5,000 to use the song – translated into at least 18 languages and used in ads to sell everything from insurance to margarine. Warner/Chappell collects approximately $2 million per year in licensing fees for the song, some of it going to a foundation set up by the Hill sisters. But a film company, Good Morning To You Productions, which made a documentary film about the song, recently filed a lawsuit arguing the copyright on the song expired in 1921, and that

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

the company should not have been forced to pay $1,500 for the rights to use the song. It now belongs in the public domain, the suit says. Don’t worry, Warner/Chappell lawyers are not going to sue you for singing Happy Birthday at home, but at a restaurant? Anyone who performs the song publicly risks a $150,000 fine if they don’t agree to pay a fee to the music group, so restaurant chains, including Red Lobster and Outback Steakhouse, have written their own birthday songs to avoid having to pay for live music. Speaking of royalties, Irving Berlin wrote God Bless America in 1917 and never used it. Kate Smith popularized the tune in 1938, but Berlin made it strictly legal that all royalties would go to patriotic programs for impoverished youths. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts were first. Thus far the song has generated $10 million in royalties and they still roll in, but Berlin never took a dime. Now about the aforementioned public domain. In the U.S., no sound recording will enter the public domain until 2067, unless explicitly placed into the public domain by its composers. So you can sing the National Anthem, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, most of Sousa’s marches, America the Beautiful, Yankee Doodle, the Battle Hymn of the Republic and Dixie. But be careful about military songs. The Marines’ Hymn is not From the Halls of Montezuma. The official title is The Marines’ Hymn. Anchors Aweigh is actually the fight song of the U.S. Naval Academy, but is considered the official Navy song. In 1948, the Army conducted a contest to find an official song, but no entry received much popular support. In 1952, another contest was

held. Winner: The Army’s Always There. It was played by an Army band at President Ike Eisenhower’s inauguration in 1953. However, many thought that the tune was too similar to – get this – I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, so the Army decided to go back to a popular tune which was originally the Field Artillery Song, then the Caissons Go Rolling Along and now is The Army Goes Rolling Along. The ofﬁcial march of the U.S. Coast Guard is Semper Paratus (Latin for “Always Wet”). The U.S. Air Force song is called the U.S. Air Force Song, unfortunately dropping its original title: What Do You think of the Air Corps Now? Charles Lingbergh was asked his opinion of the tune. He responded politely but years later remarked in a diary, “I think it is mediocre at best. Neither the music nor the words appealed to me.” Neither the Coast Guard nor Air Force songs are in the public domain. At the very end of the movie “Giant” there is small, not giant, print on the screen acknowledging the UT Students Association for the use of The Eyes of Texas. At that time the association held the copyright, then lost it to Wylbert Brown. It seems the UT Students Association copyrighted the song in 1936 and it expired in1964. In the late 1970s a man living in Oregon claimed ownership of The Eyes and was receiving royalties. Wylbert Brown, a former Fort Worth musician, had copyrighted the words in 1928, years before UT had. This brings up the question: how could the students copyright the song if it was already copyrighted? Anyway, in 1986, the president of Southern Music Company in San Antonio, Arthur B. Gurwitz, wanted to honor his son, a UT grad, who had died. Gurwitz negotiated with Brown, then 91, who agreed to assign the copyright to UTAustin, provided he would continue to draw some royalty until his death. He died in February 1987. On Nov. 14, 1987, in a special salute before a football game, UT-Austin honored Gurwitz returning the Eyes to their sockets till Gabriel blows his candles.

about making a paper-size change on a press is you don’t know how things will turn out until they print. We agree with you; one of the fonts we used was way too small. We’ve ﬁxed it so it’s the same size as the prior one. The main font we use on all news stories is actually darker, which we hope appeased some of our readers.]

What is it?

Dear Editor: Is there anyway I can persuade you guys to get us an update on the delays at Berryhill’s (or whatever it will be) at Ella and 43rd? Oak Forest Reader [Editor’s Note: We can conﬁrm the restaurant-looking building at the corner of Ella and 43rd Street will be a Berryhill’s, unless something crazy happens in the next couple of months. The delay, according to a source close to the business, came from some sort of dispute between a real estate management company and the restaurant. While the restaurant owner has not returned multiple calls, our source projects the restaurant to open in late March or early April, though there are no guarantees just yet.]

Got something to share?

Email us at news@theleadernews.com

THE PUZZLES. Solutions in this issue’s classsied section.

ACROSS 1. Type of health plan 4. Atmospheric haze 7. A period of time 10. Auricle 11. Copycat 12. Manpower 13. Delicate fern genus 15. Diego, Francisco or Anselmo 16. Zanzibar copal 19. Jackie’s 2nd husband 22. Calcied tooth tissue 23. Conjoined twins 24. Mythological birds 25. This (Spanish) 26. Lowest hereditary title 29. Pre-transplant plot 33. Fiddler crab genus 34. Professional legal

organization 35. Most thick 40. Sleeve indicator of mourning 44. Far East housemaid 45. Hmong 46. With three uneven sides 49. Tempts 53. Jewelry nding 55. Showed intense anger 56. Black tropical American cuckoo 57. Sculpture with a head 58. A single entity 59. What part of (abbr.) 60. Before 61. Conned condition (abbr.) 62. Hurrah 63. Transport faster than sound

SUDOKO

DOWN

1. Sorli’s Tale hero 2. A musical master 3. Speech 4. Swiftest 5. Opaque gem 6. Origins 7. Proceed from a source 8. Rechristened 9. Liquorice avored seed 13. Small amount 14. Mineral aggregate 17. Prex for wrong 18. Point midway between E and SE 20. A single instance 21. French river 26. Undeveloped blossom 27. One pip domino 28. Fled on foot 30. Sheep bleat 31. One point N of due E 32. Father 36. A projecting part 37. Improved by editing 38. Made melodious sounds 39. Treatment 40. Agreeableness 41. Bell sound 42. Tennis contests 43. Furnace vessels 46. Sirius Satellite Radio (abbr.) 47. Licensed accountant 48. Crude potassium bitartrate 50. Insert mark 51. Election Stock Market (abbr.) 52. A health resort 54. So. Am. Indian people

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Saturday, February 8, 2014 • Page 7A

FROM THE PEWS. Family movie night at St. Stephen’s All in the community are welcome to attend St. Stephen’s family movie night at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7, in the fellowship hall. Families can bring their dinner. The church will provide popcorn and lemonade. Admission is free. Students in the third through ﬁfth grade will bake cookies for homebound members following the 11 a.m. service on Feb. 9. For information, call 713-686-8241 or visit youth@stsumc.org. St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church is located at 2003 W. 43rd St. Chocolate Valentine Fantasy at St. Rose St. Rose of Lima Altar Guild will hold a Chocolate Valentine Fantasy featuring a chocoholic feast and games. The church is located at 3600 Brinkman. The event will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 7. The cost is $10 per person. Proceeds go towards the St. Rose ministry. Scout Recognition Sunday at St. Mark’s St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 600 Pecore, will hold a Scout Recognition Sunday service at 10:50 a.m. Feb. 9. Scouting troops and leaders, both boys and girls, who meet at and are sponsored by St. Mark’s UMC, will dress in

their uniforms, be recognized, and participate in the church service. Boy Scout Troop 30 sponsored by St. Mark’s will celebrate its 89th anniversary next month. Call 713-861-3104 or visit www.smumc.org for information. All Saints Cultural Arts Series presents ‘Serata Lirica’ A free concert “Serata Lirica” will be followed by a light dinner at All Saints Catholic Church, 215 E. 10th St., at 5 p.m. Feb. 9. Italian tenor Angelo Ferrari will be accompanied by Frankie J. Kelly on the piano and joined by soprano Priscilla Salisbury. Call 832-641-6319 for information. Spring semester begins at All Saints TALC All Saints Third Age Learning Center senior program is open to all seniors 60 years and older. The program is held at All Saints Catholic Church, 215 E. 10th St. The deadline to register for classes is Feb. 14. TALC offers a variety of classes, seminars, birthday celebrations, day trips and monthly parties. A full course hot lunch is available at noon weekdays for $2. Reservations are recommended by 10 a.m. weekdays and can be made by calling 713-248-1277.

February events include a Valentine’s Day party on Feb. 14, a Mardi Gras themed party hosted by the All Saints Youth on Feb. 16, an AARP driver safety course Feb. 18 and a casino day trip to Delta Downs on Feb. 28. The AARP driver safety course is from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Feb. 18. The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. The Delta Downs Casino trip, scheduled for Feb. 28 still has space available. The bus will leave All Saints Church at 8 a.m. and return at 6 p.m. Cost of the trip is $20 per person. Seniors interested in the AARP course or the Casino trip can call 713-248-1277 for information and reservations. ‘The Absurd Call of God’ series at St. Matthew’s The Rev. Frank Coats will be starting a new series from the book of Matthew’s Beatitudes, titled “The Absurd Call of God” beginning next week at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, 4300 N. Shepherd. For information, call 713697-0671 or visit www.stmatthewsmethodist.org. MANNA to host a Food Fair at Temple Oaks Baptist MANNA is reaching out to the community and will be

hosting a food fair from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 15, at Temple Oaks Baptist Church, 2101 W. 34th St. Must have ID. Members from St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church will be volunteering to help with this event. To volunteer for MANNA’s next food fair, please contact Patricia Dornak at 713504-5486 or email her at pdornak@gmail.com for information. Sweet Serenades Musical Valentine Celebration at St. Mark’s St. Mark’s United Methodist Church Music Department will be presenting Sweet Serenades Musical Valentine Celebration at 4 p.m. Feb. 16, in the fellowship hall. Tickets are $10 and $5 for children and seniors (65 and older). There will also be desserts available at this family friendly event. Proceeds beneﬁt the St. Mark’s Music Department. Ad # 36774

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Genevieve Curtiss, 97, born Oct. 24, 1916 in Cuero, Texas, died Jan. 31. Curtiss graduated from Jeﬀ Davis High School in 1934. She married William A. Curtiss on Nov. 22, 1946, in Lansing, Michigan. She was employed by Southwestern Bell for 37 years prior to retirement in 1980. She was a member at St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church. She is survived by her brother Harold W. Nelms. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Stephens United Methodist Church, 2003 W. 43rd St. Houston 77018. Martha “Marty” Jean Denman, 65, born Oct. 31, 1948 in Los Angeles, died Jan. 27. Denman was employed by Oil and Gas Measurements Equipment, Inc. She is survived by her loving husband, Terry Denman, mother Lee Mast, brother Danny Beaver, sister Linda Friend, step-sister Sue Ellen Lesch, grandson Preston James, and step-granddaughter

Tara Lane Labeﬀ. Marjorie Gray Lander, 91, born Jan. 3, 1923 in the Houston Heights, died Jan. 29. She was a Reagan High School Redcoat, graduating with the class of 1939. Lander graduated from the University of Houston, class of 1961, with a Bachelor of Science in Education. For more than 20 years she taught second grade at Fisher Elementary School in Pasadena. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

Cathy Robertson, Julie Jacobs, Mary Jones, Jimmy Stewart, Billy Stewart, and two grandsons. Memorial contributions may be made to Family Services of Greater Houston, 4625 Lillian St., Houston 77007. Loraine Stone, 89, died Jan. 29. She is survived by her daughters Gale Erwin, Jeanne Miller, and two#grandchildren. Ad 34144

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Dear Heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked for favors. This time I ask you this very special one. (Mention favor). Take it Dear Jesus, and place it within your own heart where your Father sees it. Then in your merciful eyes it will become your favor not mine. Amen. Say this prayer for 3 days, promise publication and favor will be granted. Never known to fail. T.S.

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Stephen E. Stewart, 62, born Sept. 10, 1951 in St. Louis, Mo., died Jan. 28. He attended Waltrip High School and later, The Teaching Ministry in Beaumont and had a passion for sharing the Gospel. Stewart served in the Vietnam War in the U.S. Navy receiving the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. He worked as a mechanic, sales engineer, sales manager and branch manager at S&N Pump Company for 12 years. He is survived by his mother Geraldine A. Stewart, three children Daniel Stewart, Keith Stewart and Kristina Escamilla, their mother Melanie Mitchell Reddick, siblings Anne Helton, Karen Draper, Richard Stewart, Walter Stewart,

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THE OBITUARIES. Eva Marie Carlin, 81, born July 24, 1932, died Jan. 23. Carlin was a den mother for her children’s cub scout troop, a legal secretary for Sheraton Hotels, involved with the Houston International Trade and Travel Fair, co-owner of El Sol, the ﬁrst English/Spanish newspaper in Houston, a member of the GI Forum, Lulac, Paso, the Hispanic Women’s Leadership Conference, and active in the march on Austin for Texas farm workers rights. She is survived by her children Robert Sanchez, Sandra Jensen, Michael Anthony Sanchez, Victor Garcia III and a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

and fresh home-made desserts will be available as well as the wares of 40 local and regional vendors, artisans and craftspeople. Call 713-861-5596 or visit saecheights.org for informaAd # 31448 tion.

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D

oes thumb-sucking or pacifier use lead to crooked teeth? If the habit is prolonged past the age of two, this can lead to alterations in oral development which cause misshapen mouths and displaced teeth. Thumb sucking past the eruption of the first permanent teeth can cause an anterior open bite, where there is flaring of the anterior teeth. In this case the back teeth close together, while the front teeth show an open gap from the thumb obstruction. The effect on the bony support of the teeth is one of the largest concerns, as well as abnormal, deforming muscle activity. The habit can alter the child’s swallowing pattern furthering the protrusion of the upper front teeth, a narrowing of the upper dental arch, and an obvious malocclusion of the teeth. As long as there are infants, there will be thumb suckers and pacifiers. However, if the habit continues longer than usual, it’s best to have the child checked by a dentist before it causes any problems. Prepared as a public service to promote better dental health. From the ofﬁce of: Chase Baker, D.D.S., 3515 Ella Blvd., 713-682-4406.

CHURCH GUIDE WLAUGHTER MESSAGE OF THE WEEK

Gospel Truth Church Sunday 10:30 am Worship and The Word Children’s Church Wednesday 7:30 pm Life Equip classes for all ages

4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 Reverend John Cain, Pastor

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“The Heart of the Heights”

1245 Heights Blvd.

Sunday School . . . . . . . 9:30 AM Sunday Worship . . . . . 10:45 AM Nursery Provided Reverend Hill Johnson, Pastor

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1822 W. 18th

(Disciples of Christ)

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Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m.

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OAKS CHRISTIAN CHURCH

GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH

Oaks Presbyterian Church

Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship - 10:30 a.m. Nursery Provided

Ministering to the Oak Forest Community since 1948 Reverend Noelie Day

(713) 682-2556

1576 Chantilly @ Piney Woods

Sunday - Bible Study For All Ages .. 9:30am Morning Worship............ 10:45am Age Graded Zones ...........6:15pm Wed. Prayer Meeting & Missions Organization .....................6:15pm Dr. John W. Neesley - Senior Pastor

713-864-1470

Member of MANNA

First Baptist Church Heights Sunday School 9:30 am Sunday Worship 10:30am Wednesday Prayer Meeting 6:00pm

Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Worship10:45 AM Pastor Don Joseph Member of MANNA Visit us on FaceBook www.oakscchouston.org

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Nursery Provided Larry Young, Pastor 713-861-3102 201 E. 9th St. • www.fbcheights.org

Proverbs 17:22

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Weekly Sunday Services

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• Bible Study: 9:15 a.m. • Morning:10:30 a.m. • Evening: 4:15 p.m.

Candlelight Church of Christ Join us for Services in English or Spanish

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Pastor – Dr. Richard Walters

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1700 West 43 rd at Rosslyn 713-682-4942

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hy do we laugh? To say that we laugh because we nd something funny begs the question why we nd things funny. We may laugh for a variety of reasons, and not always because something is funny, since we laugh sometimes when we are nervous or in other situations where we are essentially “breaking the ice.” Plato and Aristotle thought that we laughed because we felt superior in some way to the object of our laughter, whereas Kant thought that we laughed when something seemed incongruous. A good joke, according to Kant, raises certain expectations and then dashes those expectations at the punch line. Modern theories of humor tend to side more with Kant, some of them speculating that when social norms are violated in a way that isn’t overly threatening we nd it funny. And indeed, most jokes break some rules of propriety and if we don’t nd that violation too offensive, we’re likely to laugh. We are wise to think carefully before telling a joke, making sure it doesn’t make someone in the audience the object of ridicule. In any case, we ought not to take ourselves too seriously, and should take every opportunity to laugh.

A House of Hope and Prayer in the Heart of Houston Rev. Herschel Moore, Pastor

Sunday Worship 10am & 5pm Sunday Bible Classes 9am Wednesday Bible Study 7pm

4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365 Houston, TX 77092

Page 8A • Saturday, February 8, 2014

Friday February 14th 7:30pm

NO COVER CHARGE LIVE DJ

They say “all the world loves a lover”....not us, here at The Corkscrew we say “look at them holding hands and kissing in public, someone should slap them.”

This is why we are having our single by choice dance and refuse to let ourselves be tortured by these commercials and ads that are at every turn.

Friday February the 14th, we are hosting an 80’s singles dance and drink out fest. It will be just like your dances in high school where you did not have a date either. The big difference will be the addition of alcohol that you don’t have to sneak in or drink in the parking lot.

The Corkscrew, Houston’s love brokers.

1308 W. 20th St. • Houston 77008 • 713-230-8352

houstoncorkscrew.com

FOOD, DRINK & ART Saturday, February 8, 2014 • Page 9A

Cavatore’s offering free carriage rides, for Valentine’s Day Thirsty Explorer Cavatore Italian Restaurant will be offering free carriage rides for those having dinner for Valentine’s Day. There will be a special menu for the evening that will include a Cavatore label red blend wine. Cavatore Italian Restaurant is located at 2120 Ella Blvd. For more information, visit Thirsty or call http://cavatores.com/ (713) 869-6622.

Explorer

Valentine’s Day at Crisp Enjoy Valentine’s Day dinner at a Heights favorite for wine, beer and food! There will be a specialty menu as well as the regular menu so there will be plenty of delicious options to choose from to make it a very special dinner. Seating is limited, so book your reservations as soon

as possible by emailing lizzy@kchentertainment. com or by calling 832801-6906. Crisp is located at 2220 Bevis. For more information, visit www. crisphouston.com. Celtic’s Garden of Singles If you’re not excited for Valentine’s Day this year, don’t worry. Celtic Gardens will be holding the Garden of Singles with $5 Pretty in Pink cocktails and DJ Kyle Berg will bringing the tunes to get you going. For more information about Celtic Gardens at 2300 Louisiana St., visit www.celticgardenshouston.com or ﬁnd them on Facebook. Valentine’s Day at FEDERAL American Grill The Federal Grill will have two seatings for Valentine’s Day. The ﬁrst seating is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. for $65 per person and the second seating is from 7 to 9 p.m. for $75 per person. The menu will feature the chef’s three course Pre Fixe Menu. For menu details, visit http://www.thefederalgrill.com/. To make reserva-

tunity to enjoy the ﬁrst tasting of “Little Freak in Texas,” plus take home a bottle of exclusive Belgian Coast IPA. The ﬁve course meal is $65 per person. To make reservations, contact daut@crisphouston. com. Crisp is located at 2220 Bevis. For more information, visit www.crisphouston.com.

Pictured are members of the Heights Young Professionals Organization (HYPO) at their monthly networking event. This month the group participated in “The World’s Most Dangerous Wine Tasting” directed by Owner Andrew Adams at The Corkscrew. (Submitted photo)

tions, call 713-863-7777. The Federal Grill is located at 510 Shepherd Dr. Anti-Valentine’s Day Dance The Corkscrew will be holding an Anti-Valentine’s Day Dance at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. No one hates Valentines more than the Corkscrew. The Anti-Valentine’s Day Dance at

The Corkscrew is a Houston tradition ﬁlled with fun, drinking, and dancing. “This is the premier singles event in the history of the world and is not to be missed.” The legendary DJ GSpot will be spinning all of the favorite 80’s dance songs and admission is FREE! The Corkscrew will even allow couples

in, but they have to act like they met at The Corkscrew. The Corkscrew is located at 1308 W. 20th St.. For more information, visit http://www. houstoncorkscrew.com/. Green Flash Beer Dinner On Monday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m., Crisp will be holding the Green Flash Beer Dinner. Dinner guests will have the oppor-

Concert Aiding Rebuilding in Philippines On Saturday, Feb. 8, The Phoenix on Westheimer will be holding a free concert to support the rebuilding efforts in the Philippines. Donations will be accepted or you can donate directly to http://gk-usa.org/. There will be performances by Kawehi, https://www.facebook.com/ iamkawehi, Jay Musica, www. facebook.com/pages/JayMusica/250687778640, and Pete Lippincott www.facebook.com/petesimple. Follow Ivee Sauls on Twitter @ThirstyExplorer. To submit an event, email ivee@theleadernews.com.

Art a la Carte: Let the Double Entendres commence

Leader Nibbles

The opportunities to ﬁnd art this weekend is enormous, starting Thursday evening at Catalina Coffee, featuring artist Marsha Glickman’s Playing With Man Things, a mixed media exhibit. I found two fun ways to get out of your inner loop comfort zone. First Friday night at Da Vinci Gallery in Tomball, where of all places, a Heights artist is being featured - congrats to Mitch Cohen Meredith O’Neal. Arts Columnist On Saturday, the Purple Elephant has open studios starting at 5 p.m. Friday night there is also a middle school student art show hosted by the Art Colony Association. These are the same folks who put on the Bayou City Art Festival. It seems with school budget cuts this age group is largely ignored in most student art competitions and that encouraged the Association to initiate this program to promote ﬁne art and establish educational programs to the local area. They hope to eventually transform

A new candy store is opening in the Heights at 833 Studewood in the same building as Tulips & Tutus and Oolala. Heights Candy Bar is hoping to be in business before Valentine’s Day but check their new Facebook page to be sure. As sweets lover Tracy Brandon wrote on the Oak Forest Facebook page, “Heights Candy Bar” will offer fun, traditional candy, an all natural section, lovely gift chocolates, and loads of other yummy sweetness!” Boomtown and Catalina Coffee are two establishments participating in Houston’s own Caffeine Crawl. The event which has already been held in Boston and San Francisco will be Feb. 22. Sponsor InterAmerican Coffee and several local coffee lovers lobbied to bring the crawl to H-town so get ready to caffeinate. http://www.caffeinecrawl.com/houston-february-22.html It’s a food truck lovers paradise. The 4th Annual Haute Wheels, THE Food Truck Festival is set for Mar. 22-23. Benefitting the HCC Foundation, this 2-day festival will feature gourmet and fun food trucks. Haute Wheels takes place on the HCC Southwest West Loop Campus, 5601 West Loop South. Hours are noon – 5 p.m. both days. Tickets are $16 for adults, which include $5 worth of drink concession tickets, music and $1 donation to the HCC Foundation. Children 12 and under are free.

this program to a year round project. I like that! A third artist studio will have its grand opening this Saturday at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards, joining sister studios, Winter and Spring St Studios. There are hundreds of artists now at all three studios. Tell them I sent ya!

SATURDAY Craftacular 2nd Saturday, Noon- 4 p.m.1025 Studewood in the Heights at Hello-Lucky. Winter & Spring Street Studios, 2-5 p.m., 2101 Winter St. and 1824 Spring St. Aurora Street Open Artist Studios, 2-8 p.m., 129 Aurora St. Exhibition Tour with Fernando Casas, 9:45-11 a.m. G Gallery 301 E. 11th St. Art Studio Opening Reception with Angela Obenhaus, Olga LaMont and Paige Woodring, 2-5 p.m., 2101 Winter St. #20 Chris Hedrick Open House, 6-9 p.m. Koelsch Gallery, 703 Yale St. Wood sculpture, with a twist. For more listings and details about Playing With Man Things, visit www.theleadernews.com.

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Weekdays & Saturdays 3 pm - 6pm Valentine’s day & Sunday - ALL DAY

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�� In the Houston division, prices, plans, elevations and speciﬁcations are subject to change without notice. Map is an artist’s conception for general information purposes only and is not to scale. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only. See Sales Counselor for details on available promotions and restrictions. © 2013 The Ryland Group, Inc. RH1063

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