Inside Today: Bill King makes area campaign stop • Page 2A Are you Rodeo Ready?
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Saddle up Saturday, February 23, 2019 • Vol. 64 • No. 8
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Avenue CDC hits pause on development By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
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Photo credit: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Fun Facts Total Attendance
(last 5 years) • 2014: 2,485,721 • 2015: 2,483,193 • 2016: 2,462,030 • 2017: 2,611,176 (Record since tracking began in 1999) • 2018: 2,408,550
Jason Knebel (713)232-9712
jasonk@greenwoodking.com GREENWOOD KING
PROPERTIES
• Nearly 18,000 livestock and poultry for this year’s livestock show • 3,953 bags of feed and 4,728 bales of hay for feeding (for livestock show and rodeo stock) • 600 dump truck loads of dirt for the arena and service level of NRG Stadium • Food sold during 2018 rodeo (365,000-plus fried Oreos, 125,000plus turkey legs, 80,000-plus funnel cakes, 45,000-plus tamales and nearly 30,000 barbecue sandwiches)
Economic Impact
• Annual aggregate gross sales are increased by $475,403,000. • Annual gross regional product is increased by $320,221,000. • Annual personal incomes are raised by $290,710,000. • 7,265 full-time equivalent jobs are created.
CONCIERGE MEDICINE
Charity/Education Support Since HLSR began in 1932, more than $475 million has been committed to the Texas’ youth. The Rodeo has presented nearly 19,000 scholarships since the first scholarship was awarded in 1957. More than 2,300 students are on Rodeo scholarships, attending more than 80 different Texas colleges and universities.
Dr. Ana M. Torres Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
CLARIFICATION: A story in last week’s edition referred to Avenue CDC as a notfor-profit developer. It is a nonprofit.
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Submitted photo Dennis Talmage volunteers with daughter Beverly Marsh.
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inside.
Source: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Graphic design by Martha Buhler
Family tradition
Volunteering doubles as father-daughter time By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
Walk the ... chicken? A senior citizen community in the Heights keeps fowl as pets.
Page 8A
Burger breakdown. Miller’s Cafe offfers a no-frills version of an American classic.
Page 7A
There are 108 volunteer committees for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Oak Forest resident and longtime rodeo volunteer Beverly Marsh had her eye on just one back in 2003 – the graphics and signage committee that already included her father, Dennis Talmage. “I had graduated from college and thought it would be a good way to get involved and to spend time with my dad,” Marsh said. Members of the graphics and signage committee are responsible for preparing signs for functions held year-round and during the rodeo, which runs Feb. 25-March 17 at NRG Stadium. Last year, it made about 14,000 signs for the other 107 committees, including the huge checks that rodeo winners are awarded. Marsh remembers the days of peel-and-stick vinyl letters, but the
More coverage and concert lineup
Section B signs are now made on high-end printers and mounted on plastic cardboard backing. Members print and mount the signs and also staff the room for signage pick-up. While most committee members work eight-hour shifts from January to March, there is a crew that works year-round. “The people on the committee are really fun and we’re inside, which is
Mary Lawler, executive director for Avenue CDC, issued a statement Tuesday saying the nonprofit developer is tabling its plan to build an apartment complex at the location of Doyle’s Restaurant at 2136 W 34th St. Avenue remains in the option period to purchase the property from the owner of Doyle’s. “Recently Avenue received a wealth of feedback from the Oak Forest community regarding our proposed affordable multifamily development, Avenue on 34th,” Lawler said. “In order to carefully consider all that we have heard, Avenue is pausing on plans for the development while we review the design parameters and continue collecting feedback from the community. Avenue’s goal is always to be a good neighbor that strengthens communities, so we look forward to continuing our dialogue with all the stakeholders in this process.” Peter Doyle, citing increasing costs and taxes as well as a competitive food-service environment, told the Houston Chronicle last week that his restaurant will relocate and downsize under a new name. The timetable for its closing is sometime in late 2019. There are no definite plans or location for the restaurant’s next incarnation, although Doyle told the Chronicle he expects it to be outside Houston. The current general manager will run the new venture with equipment from the old restaurant.
great when the weather isn’t,” Marsh said. Marsh is a captain on the committee this year, which means she leads a group of five or six. She still schedules it so she gets to work with her dad. The time is precious to the married mother of two boys who also works a full-time job outside the home. “We don’t get to see each other as much now,” Marsh said. “So it’s nice that after a shift we can go to Pappasito’s and grab dinner. We always try to get a work shift one day during the cookoff, too, so we can stay and enjoy the fabulous barbecue together.” Marsh is a lifetime rodeo member now and has many fond memories of her years as a volunteer. She’s excited to see George Strait this year and has enjoyed Jason Aldean, the Zac Brown Band and Reba McEntire – with her frequent costume changes – in past years. “We try to go once with the kids whenever we’re free and do the carnival, too,” she said.
SPJST approves plan for pool By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com
SPJST Lodge 88 is diving headfirst into a project that will bring a swimming pool back to its backyard. Members of the fraternal lodge in the Heights, founded in 1910 and rooted in Czech heritage and culture, voted to approve a pool construction plan at its monthly meeting Monday night. Vice president and board of directors member Aaron Rigamonti, who manages the lodge’s swim club, said the measure passed “overwhelmingly” and moves the pool project to the detailed design phase. “It’s a wonderful project for the lodge to build on,” said Brian Vanicek, president of the Temple-based Supreme Lodge, which oversees the Heights organization and had previously signed off on the plan. The lodge at 1435 Beall St. built a pool in the 1960s but filled it in three decades later. The new pool, with a target opening date of summer 2020, will be 25 yards in length, eight lanes wide and heated. Construction of the pool and accompanying facilities, along with a new playground See SPJST P. 6A
Memorial Hermann CEO talks needs, new initiatives Catch my Drift. A new bar is planning to open on 20th Street in the spring.
Page 7A
The INDEX. Calendar/Church............................... 5A Classifieds.............................................. 4B Coupons................................................... 6A Food/Drink/Art................................... 7A Obituaries............................................... 6A Opinion..................................................... 4A Public Information......................... 2A Puzzles...................................................... 4A
By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com
Paul O’Sullivan is not from around here, which becomes obvious as soon as he starts to speak. But the Irishman is no less a Houstonian, having worked in the Memorial Hermann Health System for nearly 20 years. In barely six months as the senior vice president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, he already has a keen understanding of
the community it serves. O’Sullivan has observed the development and demographic shifts throughout the area during the last decade or two and, like everyone else who lives or works in this part of the city, marvels at it. “It’s amazing what’s going on. We’re delighted to be a part of it,” O’Sullivan said. “As healthcare changes, frankly, and we’re kind of reimagining our mission, you know Memorial Hermann is more than just the bricks and sticks and
the big building. I think that’s important because it’s kind of a community anchor in some respects.” O’Sullivan intends to keep it that way at Memorial Hermann Greater Heights, which opened more than 50 years ago and now has 260 beds and more than 600 affiliated doctors. The hospital regularly examines the needs of the nearby community, gathering feedback from patients and residents, medical staff and demographic studies.
The results have shaped the hospital’s recent initiatives to focus on outpatient care for a population that by and large is young and reproducing. Its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was recently designated as a special care nursery for newborns by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Memorial Hermann Greater Heights operates a Convenient Care Center at 1431 See CEO P. 8A
Photo by Jonathan McElvy Paul O’Sullivan is CEO of Memorial Hermann’s area hospital.
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The public. The Leader • Saturday, February 23, 2019 • Page 2A
Authorities seek suspect in neighborhood robberies
TRADITIONAL WEAPONS
a pattern to what he’s doing – just a bunch of random places and times.” Bowden said the suspect is a black male believed to be about 6-foot tall. He has previously been seen near Crosstimbers Road, Airline Drive and Loop 610, according to a Facebook post by the constable’s office. If residents have seen the man or have more information
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By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Police are searching for a man suspected of committing numerous heists and violent crimes around the area during the last few months. Deputy Joseph Bowden with the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office said the suspect is believed to be involved in at least a dozen burglaries and aggravated robberies around the Heights, Woodland Heights and Garden Oaks neighborhoods dating back to December. “Over the last few months, the burglaries have picked up, and the MO for them was all the same,” Bowden said. “He really doesn’t appear to have
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King launches campaign By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Bill King believes change is needed at city hall. All that’s left is to convince constituents he’s capable of being Houston’s mayor, and he continued that effort with a stop Feb. 15 at a local watering hole. King and his campaign held a supporters’ rally at Wakefield Crowbar, 954 Wakefield Dr., as he finished up a ninerally tour that began Feb. 9 in efforts to give residents a voice about their concerns. About 30 people showed up to support King, a Houston businessman who is among a handful of mayoral candidates running against incumbent Sylvester Turner in the citywide election in November. In the last mayoral election, in 2015, Turner beat King in a runoff. “This gives people the opportunity to get to really know me, hear what I’m really about
Bill King is running for mayor.
and judge my competency and ability to do the job,” King said. “Every neighborhood has its own set of issues they’re concerned about and want addressed by the city – and they’re absolutely entitled to that. It’s not just about persuading people I’m right for the job, but for me to be better prepared to take office.” King said spending responsibly on drainage and development have been prominent among resident concerns. “This whole area – Oak Forest/Garden Oaks, Tim-
bergove, Lazybrook – is one that’s in a great period of revival, so I think quality of life issues and making sure they’re protected from flooding is the greatest concern I’ve heard,” he said. That sentiment rang true with some of King’s supporters at the rally, such as Oak Forest resident Charles Carter. “He’s used facts and numbers to highlight the city’s shortcomings and financial troubles. I’m fiscally conservative and think government should be there to do things that benefit the basics – roads, drainage,” Carter said. King referenced the city’s annual drainage fee as one example of what he called irresponsible money management, saying only about half of what’s been collected has been spent on drainage. “Fundamentally, this job is about being a manager as opposed to a career politician,” King said.
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The Topics. The Leader • Saturday, February 23, 2019 • Page 4A
You’ve got questions HISD refuses to answer
F
amilies are worried about the enrollment numbers at Houston ISD campuses in the area, and so are residential developers that want to bring even more families to this part of the city. Both have heard that some schools are at or near capacity, which means their public classrooms could be closed to taxpaying families even if they live within walking distance. It’s an important issue for people in places like Oak Forest and the Heights, which means it’s an important issue for The Leader. It’s our duty as a community newspaper to provide answers to your questions, ease your concerns and alert you to potential problems. The problem is, the school district charged with serving you doesn’t seem to care. Or maybe it doesn’t want you to know the truth of the matter. HISD received our written request for information about enrollment figures and capping procedures on Feb. 13. As of a week
Adam
Zuvanich Editor
later, none of that information had been provided and none of our questions had been answered. Lorena Cozzari, a media relations specialist for HISD, indicated in emails Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 that a district administrator could be made available for an interview about the topic. Then, on Feb. 18, she sent an email saying, “Unfortunately, the district declines the interview opportunity for this story.” HISD press secretary Sherry Williams called Feb. 15 to lecture me for contacting an elementary
school principal, who provided more insight during a 15-minute phone interview than the press office did in a week. Williams referred to my reporting as “underhanded,” even though I identified myself up front and the principal freely answered my questions. Williams also said, “Your purposes are not our purposes.” Clearly not. The two board of education trustees who represent our area, Elizabeth Santos and Rhonda Skillern-Jones, did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Neither did interim superintendent Grenita Lathan. It should be noted that none of our questions pertained to HISD’s search for a permanent superintendent – the board voted 5-3 last week to continue a national search amidst an ongoing investigation by the Texas Education Agency – or the TEA investigation itself. We didn’t ask about infighting among board members, and we didn’t ask
Lynn Ashby Columnist
numbers “are just the tip of iceberg.” Voter fraud, Trump wrote, “is rampant. Must be stopped. Strong voter ID!” Actually, Texas has one of the strongest voter ID screenings – some might say barriers -- in the nation. At the same time, we always rank at the bottom in voter participation, and our state leaders should be trying to get out the vote, not constantly finding ways to suppress it. There was just one problem with Paxton’s and Whitley’s alarm: it was bogus, “misleading” would be charitable, “downright dirty” is better. It was a clumsy and transparent attempt to keep tens of thousands of Texans from voting. In a nutshell, Whitley obtained the names of people who, when getting or renewing their Texas driver’s license dating back to 1996, had stated that they were not U.S. citizens – which is perfectly legal. Then he compared those names with names on voting lists. Driver’s licenses issued to non-citizens are valid for six years, and over the last six years, nearly 350,000 Texas adults have been naturalized, or more than 50,000 annually. They pass the citizenship test by correctly saying “y’all,” “Come sit rat cheer” and know all the words to “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” Clerks in Texas’ 254 counties had to stop what they were doing and started sorting through endless and ancient pages of documents. Quickly the accusations fell apart. Dallas County officials said that 1,715 of their 9,938 flagged registered voters were incorrectly included. Officials in Williamson and Travis counties reported at least 50 and 14 percent, respectively, were found to be legal voters. Officials in Harris County said approximately 18,000 of the nearly 30,000 people were legal voters. In McLennan County (Waco), every single person on the purge list was found to be a citizen, lawfully registered to vote. Others have taken notice of our blunder. The San Francisco Chronicle: “Texas: Where the hunt for voter fraud is worse than the crime itself. A massive scheme to commit voter fraud is going on right now in Texas. What makes it all the more cynical and twisted is that it is being perpetrated in the name of preventing voter fraud. And top officials in the state are complicit.” Within days of Paxton’s alarming tweet, Whitley started backtracking. He quietly informed county officials that a “significant number” of people on the list are actually citizens. But later he appeared before a Legisla-
Open-records requests, if you aren’t familiar with them, are tools that journalists and everyday citizens can use to obtain public information from publicly funded, governmental entities such as HISD. Those entities are legally obligated to furnish the requested information, or explain in writing why the information is not available to the public, within 10 business days of receipt. We’ll keep you posted, and we’ll keep pestering HISD until it provides the information you deserve to know. We don’t care if district employees don’t like us and don’t want to cooperate with us. We care about you and your concerns about the school district, which should be concerned about its lack of transparency, among many other things. HISD owes you an explanation about issues such as overflowing enrollment at campuses that serve your community. Email azuvanich@theleadernews.com
The reader.
Be alert – we need more lerts Why do Texans keep making ourselves the laughingstock of the nation? Because we keep electing people who are either (1) stupid, (2) incompetent, (3) meanspirited or (4) a total of (1), (2) and (3). This is the state whose Legislature honored Albert DeSalvo “for his work in population control.” Later the lawmakers discovered DeSalvo was the Boston Strangler. Gotcha! Former Speaker Gus Mutscher noted some disabled petitioners in wheelchairs in the House balcony. Mutscher said: “Now why don’t you folks stand and be recognized?” And there was Sen. Walter “Mad Dog” Mengden who stormed: “And that’s the problem, if there is a problem, which I deny!” Still, we must remember we elected (twice) a governor who called out the Texas State Guard to monitor the U.S. Army which was conducting a regular training exercise, Jade Helm 15, in Texas and several other states. Gov. Greg Abbott feared the troops would seize our guns and take over Texas. Our lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, the Official State Demagogue, has spent a lot of our money fighting against the scourge of transgender bathrooms in schools. It’s a good thing these two leaders have solved all the major problems in Texas: underfunded education, lowest child vaccine rates in the nation, pollution, Texas A&M and UT won’t play each other in football, etc., etc. Our latest embarrassment has caused a lot of anxiety and may decide the outcome of our elections, as if we could do worse. On Jan. 25, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tweeted a “VOTER FRAUD ALERT” that raced around the Internet. The ALERT was that Texas Secretary of State David Whitley had discovered that approximately “95,000 individuals identified” as non-citizens who are registered to vote in the state, “58,000 of whom have voted.” Whitley urged counties to begin purging these 95,000 people from their voter rolls. The county clerks should demand proof of citizenship within 30 days or their registrations would be cancelled. Whitley, who was appointed to the position over a month ago by Abbott, referred the names to Paxton’s office for possible criminal prosecution. Abbott, who made voter fraud a priority item for the Texas Legislature in 2017, said that “illegal voting in Texas will not be tolerated, and as governor, I will continue to root it out and punish it.” Republicans via email responded within three hours of Paxton’s tweet: “We knew it was happening and now we have proof.” President Donald Trump jumped on board, since voter fraud has also been one of his hot buttons, right up there with building a wall – or something -- fake news and who kneels at football games. Our president tweeted that Whitley’s
about a potential TEA takeover if four underperforming HISD schools do not meet state academic standards this year. No, we just want to know if incoming area residents can send their kids to desirable campuses such as Oak Forest Elementary or Harvard Elementary or Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet. And if they can’t, we want to tell them why and what their options are within the district. The largest public school district in Texas, and quite possibly the most dysfunctional, apparently doesn’t want you to know. But we’re going to exhaust every resource at our disposal to find out anyway. The information we’re after was included in an open-records request filed with the district on Feb. 14. Two more open-records requests were filed Feb. 18 that pertain to the responsibilities of HISD’s press office and its stonewalling tactics.
Be cautious as we talk about affordable housing
tive committee and defended his work, and said he plans to conduct similar searches every month. At this point you may wonder why we even have a secretary of state. It began, like so much of Texas’ thangs, when we were an independent nation and needed diplomats. Texas had an election for president, and Stephen F. Austin ran for the job. Austin felt confident he could win until just two weeks before the election, Sam Houston entered the race. Austin received 587 votes to Sam Houston’s 5,119 and Henry Smith’s 743 votes. But then Houston appointed Austin as the first secretary of state of the new republic to handle our foreign affairs. However, Austin died two months later. We can only wonder what Houston, Austin and the other founding fathers and mothers would think of today’s leaders, just don’t tell them about the bathrooms. Ashby is fraudulent at ashby2@comcast.net
Dear Editor: Beware, with the recent developments at Yale and Crosstimbers and along West 43rd. There is a line of traffic in front of my drive now every morning and every evening that stacks up at the light at West 43rd and Shepherd. In addition to people being oblivious to allowing you to pull into or out of your own driveway, we get to listen to blaring music, honking traffic and pick up trash thrown out of these cars on a daily basis! Oh yeah, and our property taxes continue to rise to help pay for these folks who will utilize our neighborhood resources! Charles Garcia Dear Editor: Five over one buildings with soft wood framing are the big thing around Houston and most of the U.S. The construction workers for this type of work can be found on a street corner or big box parking lot, and the cost of materials is low, but then you get the construction site fires. Jason Hochman Dear Editor: I agree that people who are in a lower income bracket might not be able to afford “regular” housing. The problem I have is the same one I see as older people move from OF and their houses are put up for rent. No one governs what happens after renters move in and the next thing you know there are more people living in the house so they can afford the rent (at this point in my life-I couldn’t afford $1,400 – $1,700 a month rent). The biggest concern I have with Section 8 housing is that after a year or so – no one really governs who is living there. Once a family member falls on hard times, gets out of jail or bullys a person living in Section 8 to let them live there – it is now a criminal breeding ground. My family moved to OF in 1958 and I still live here. I feel I’m qualified to speak as I have seen the entire area morph and not
Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com always for good. They tried to make the HOV lot on Pinemont Section 8 housing and the neighbors in Forest West, Pine Forest and OF battled with the city to stop it. There is a sign up that states they will be putting in a city annex building – guessing a small city court house. I’m sure 99% of the people developing in our area don’t live here – just the greed for money. Karen Dear Editor: Avenue may be a wonderful developer with high standards for prospective tenants but my concern would be for the future. What happens when Avenue eventually sells the complex and someone new takes over? Do we have a guarantee that a slumlord won’t take over? Of course we do not. The only way to insure that doesn’t happen is if the apartments are never built. Carrol Johnson Dear Editor: Thank you for calling attention to the real issues! I am also extremely worried about even more dangerous cut-through traffic on our block (we live in Shepherd Forest between 34th/610 and Oak Forest/Ella); my kids can’t ride their bikes as is. Rachel Riebeling Dear Editor: I wholeheartedly agree with you. Being one of those, not on Section 8, but on a fixed income from being disabled. My disability shouldn’t require that I live in an unsafe environment just because of my income. I’ve also lived in Oak Forest for over 7 years now and have been forced to move twice due to rents going above what I can afford monthly. Was I a bad neighbor? Quite the opposite. I loved my 1950’s bungalows as if they were my own. If Avenue CDC will maintain the property, and not let it get run down like the properties on 34th toward Mangum are, I welcome an affordable option should I ever need to move again. Kristine Kocan
the leader Puzzlers. Answers found in this week’s Classified section
SUDOKU
aCrOss 1. Color properties 5. Arabian greeting 10. Frozen spike 12. Levels 14. Tear down social stiffness 16. Rapper Hammer’s initials 18. Midway between E and SE 19. Shooting marble 20. Edward __, British composer 22. Largest English dictionary (abbr.) 23. CygnusÕ brightest star 25. Goidelic language of Ireland 26. Midway between N and NE 27. Auditory organ 28. Last month (abbr.) 30. Indicated horsepower (abbr.) 31. Mediation council 33. Aussie crocodile hunter 35. Sylvan deity 37. Clears or tidies 38. In a way, emerges 40. Whimper 41. G. Gershwin’s brother 42. Begetter
44. Seated 45. Old world, new 48. Girls 50. ‘Song of triumph’ 52. A covering for the head 53. Attack 55. Norwegian krone 56. Coach Parseghian 57. No good 58. Task that is simple 63. A way to move on 65. In a way, advanced 66. Loses weight 67. Shift sails
dOwn 1. Go quickly 2. Fiddler crabs 3. Cervid 4. Gundog 5. Gushed forth 6. Caliph 7. Shoe cord 8. Give extreme unction to 9. Of I 10. ‘A Doll’s House’ author 11. Documents certifying authority 13. Drunk 15. Principal ethnic group of China 17. Crinkled fabrics 18. Longest division of
geological time 21. Pancake 23. Small pat 24. A garden plot 27. Strayed 29. Surgical instrument 32. No. French river 34. Modern 35. Now called Ho Chi Minh City 36. Set into a specific format 39. Exhaust 40. Individual 43. Moves rhythmically to music 44. D. Lamour ‘Road’ picture costume 46. Having earlike appendages 47. Certified public accountant 49. Outermost part of a flower 51. Supplement with difficulty 54. Plains Indian tent (alt. sp.) 59. Electronic warfaresupport measures 60. Displaying a fairylike aspect 61. Taxi 62. They __ 64. Syrian pound
WORD SCRAMBLE
The Leader • Saturday, February 23, 2019 • Page 5A
Things to do. The Arts
at White Oak Music Hall. Car Seat Headrest Wednesday, Feb. 27 7 p.m. White Oak Music Hall – 2915 N. Main St. Car Seat Headrest is performing at White Oak Music Hall with Naked Giant.
John Oates Saturday, Feb. 23 7– 11 p.m. The Heights Theater – 339 W. 19th St. John Oates is performing at The Heights Theater with The Good Road Band.
Noname Thursday, Feb. 28 8 p.m. White Oak Music Hall – 2915 N. Main St. Noname is performing at White Oak Music Hall with Elton.
The Zombies Wednesday, Feb. 27 6 – 11 p.m. The Heights Theater – 339 W. 19th St. The Zombies are performing at The Heights Theater with Liz Brasher.
Adia Victoria Thursday, Feb. 28 8 p.m. White Oak Music Hall – 2915 N. Main St. Adia Victoria is performing at White Oak Music Hall with Joshua Asante.
Gungor Thursday, Feb. 28 7 – 10 p.m. The Heights Theater – 339 W. 19th St. Gungor, The Brilliance, and Propaganda are performing at The Heights Theater.
Maria de Buenos Aires Friday, Feb. 22 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Opera in the Heights – 1703 Heights Blvd. Maria de Buenos Aires is an opera that tells the story of a woman named MarĂa, who people say was “born on the day God was drunk.â€? She is seduced into a deadly underworld by the spirit of tango.
Tunes in the Tap Room Tuesday, Feb. 26 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Harold’s Restaurant & Tap Room – 350 W. 19th St. Enjoy live music in Harold’s Tap Room every Tuesday night. Metal Meltdown Friday, Feb. 22 7 p.m. White Oak Music Hall – 2915 N. Main St. Metal Meltdown is coming to White Oak Music Hall with artists No Remorse, To Tame A Land, Godless, and Mouth For War.
Ryan Adam Wells Friday, Feb. 22 7 – 10 p.m. Visionary Heights – 1331 Nicholson St. Ryan Adam Wells is performing at Visionary Heights.
Moon Hooch Friday, Feb. 22 8 p.m. White Oak Music Hall – 2915 N. Main St. Moon Hooch is performing at White Oak Music Hall with Noey Lopez and Elena Shirin.
Laughing Lizards Sunday, Feb. 24 1 – 4 p.m. Town in City Brewing – 1125 Cavalcade St. The Laughing Lizards will be playing our eclectic mix of Appalachian Old Time, Cajun, Texas Swing, and Grateful Dead at Town in City Brewing.
Throwing Shade Saturday, Feb. 23 8 p.m. White Oak Music Hall – 2915 N. Main St. Throwing Shade is performing
Steven and Donna Bing Thursday, Feb. 28 6 – 8 p.m. EQ Heights – 1030 Heights
Blvd. Steven and Donna Bing are performing Cajun-inspired music at EQ Heights.
nominational Bible study. Email scripturesharing@earthlink.net for information.
The Markets Little White Oak Night Market Saturday, Feb. 23 4 – 8 p.m. Sideout Volleybar – 2623 Keene St. The Little White Oak Night Market brings together local farmers, craft merchandisers, and artists. Eleanora’s Market Saturday, Feb. 23 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Cavatore – 2120 Ella Blvd. There will be local growers, makers, designers, artisans and food producers. Shop Along the Creek Saturday, Feb. 23 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cedar Creek Bar & Grill – 1034 W. 20th St. Shop unique venders, listen to live music, and stay for brunch. Heights Morning Market Sunday, Feb. 24 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 3106 White Oak Dr. Heights Morning Market gathers local talented artisans, farmers, and entrepreneurs to bring you closer to the goods you need. Stop by to shop and stay to brunch, drink mimosas, and listen to live music at Onion Creek.
The Pews Women’s Bible Study Group Monday, Feb. 25 5:30 p.m. YMCA –1234 W. 34th St. The Women’s Bible Study meets every Monday at the Harriet and Joe Foster YMCA. The study is called The Faithful, which explores crucial moments in the lives of five Old Testament figures--Queen Esther, Gideon, Hosea, Malachi, and Nehemiah. Guests and new members are welcome to attend this non-de-
Men’s Scripture Sharing Group Thursday, Feb. 28 7 a.m. YMCA –1234 W. 34th St. The Men’s Scripture Sharing Group meets every Thursday at the Harriet and Joe Foster YMCA. There will be music, Bible study and fellowship. Guests and new members are welcome to attend this non-denominational Bible study. Email scripturesharing@ earthlink.net for information.
St. Ambrose Crawfish Boil Friday, Mar. 29 4 – 8 p.m. St. Ambrose Catholic Church – 4213 Mangum Rd. St. Ambrose Catholic Church is hosting a crawfish boil. There will be a silent auction, a DJ, kids activities, and bounce houses. Bring a tent and lawn chairs. Tickets are available online for $25 pre-sale, at the door tickets are $30. Email crawfish@ stambrosehouston.org
Hope Episcopal’s Potluck Sunday, Feb. 24 Noon Hope Episcopal Church – 1613 W. 43rd St. Hope Episcopal Church is hosting a soul food potluck in celebration of Black History Month, following the regular 10:30 a.m. service.
Fun & Games Paint You Pet Night Friday, Feb. 22 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Eureka Heights Brew Co – 941 W. 18th St. Join Aubrie Williams of HeARTworks for an evening of Fun, Creativity and Pet Portraits at Eureka Heights Brewing Co.
St. Stephen’s Events Tuesday, Feb. 26 5:30 – 7 p.m. St. Stephen’s UMC – 2003 W. 43rd St. St. Stephen’s UMC is having Messy Church on Feb. 26 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. in the fellowship hall. This free event will include fun activities for all ages, interactive worship and a pancake dinner. An Ash Wednesday worship service will be held Mar. 6 at 7 p.m. In addition to the service, the sanctuary will be open to all to receive ashes from noon till 6 pm. For more information, call the office at 713-686-8241, or visit www.stsumc.org and the church’s Facebook page.
Real Spirits Launch Friday, Feb. 22 6 – 9 p.m. Eight Row Flint – 1039 Yale St. Real Spirits Whiskey is now in Houston. Come out an celebrate its release at Eight Row Flint.
St. Matthew’s Lenten Meals Wednesday, Mar. 13 6 p.m. St. Matthews United Methodist Church – 4300 N. Shepherd Dr. St. Matthews United Methodist Church will begin serving free Lenten meals beginning March 13, and Wednesdays thereafter. A light meal will be served from 6 – 6:30 p.m., followed by a short Prayer and Praise service leading up to Easter. For more information, check the Facebook
Food briefs: BCK introduces Americana-inspired menu By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com The retro-fitted eatery, BCK, is switching gears after a year in business at its Heights outpost. Its menu of nostalgic American fare is being replaced by hearty Americana, which will include six new signature burgers. The owners found that though the original concept was creative, it didn’t connect with the community at the rate they wished. So, after careful consideration they made the decision to change the menu. “We made some missteps,� BCK co-owner John Reed said in a news release. “Our original concept was a beta test for ideas we had. People thought it was cool, but they weren’t coming back time and again. Frankly, we missed the mark. Without a clear identity, we felt the confusion from the consumer and ourselves.� The people behind BCK
now believe that honing in on burgers, cocktails and brunch will give the destination more a community identity. “We want to become known as the best burger destination in the Heights,â€? Reed said. For patrons who loved the original concept, many of the old-school dishes will remain on the menu as an entrĂŠe or side, including; Pasghetti O’s, Mac N’ Cheez-It, Backhand Shrimp and Shaked + Baked Pork Chops. The cocktail menu has also been updated. Among the new drinks are “The Sarah Jessica Parker,â€? which is a Cosmopolitan with Wheatley vodka. Check out the new menus at 933 Studewood St. Sing chef departs While the fast-casual restaurant Sing opened in the Heights just a few months ago, its chef and co-founder already has left the venture. Cuc Lam announced on Instagram that, “After much con-
sideration, I’ve decided to part ways with Sing. Good luck and mass quantities of love to my warrior-team of Singers.� The restaurant plans to keep operating and already has a new chef at the helm.
The duo behind Better Luck Tomorrow, Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu, has joined forces to open another restaurant in the Heights in the former Southern Goods, located on 19th Street. In an Instagram post, Heugel revealed he understands how hard it is to open a good restaurant and that if it wasn’t for the chefs and partners that are with him in this project, he wouldn’t have wanted to do it again. Squable will have Mark Clayton and Drew Gimma for chef partners, Terry Williams will serve as general manager and Anna Wilkins will be head bartender. The restaurant will serve up European-style dishes with American touches as reported by CultureMap. The menu will feature items like handmade pasta and tagliata steak while also offering seasonal breads. The bar’s focus will be classic cocktails. Squable is projected to open in late spring.
Food truck moves Taking over the former Mam’s House of Ice, 1040 W. Cavalcade St., is La Marco food truck. According to CultureMap, the brick and mortar will offer the same menu of tacos and burgers as on the truck, with the addition of snow cones, ice cream, candy apples and elotes. La Marco is embarking on this venture as a fresh start. Its first brick and mortar that was located on the north side of Houston closed in 2014. Two years later, La Marco was relaunched as a bar on Washington Avenue, but closed quickly thereafter. Hours of operation are 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m. Heights to gain Squabble
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Rose Care 101 Saturday, Feb. 23 10 – 11 a.m. Buchanan’s Native Plants – 611 E. 11th St. Learn all about roses at this free information class with rose connoisseur, Gaye Hammond of the Houston Rose Society. Mardi Gras Brunch Saturday, Feb. 23 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. B&B Butchers – 1814 Washington Ave. B&B Butchers & Restaurant is hosting a Mardi-Gras-themed brunch in the upstairs dining
Rodeo Brunch Saturday, Mar. 2 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. BB Lemon -1809 Washington Ave. In honor of Houston Rodeo season, come to BB Lemon’s for a wild brunch featuring live music by Rich O’Toole, and take a ride on a mechanical bull in the garden. Festive rodeo attire is encouraged! Happy Hour Friday, Feb. 22 5 – 6 p.m. Noted – 1901 Lawrence Come sip and shop every Friday at Noted. They’ll pop a bottle of something as you shop or just get to know the owners. Bingo in the Biergarten Monday, Feb. 25 6 – 8 p.m. Karbach – 2032 Karbach St. Come out to Karbach for bingo and brews. Multiple rounds, prizes every round and no fee to play. Open Mic Night Tuesday, Feb. 26 9 p.m. Heights Vinyl – 3301 Cline St. This is a free flowing, “tap in,� share the mic event where everyone is welcome. Thursday Night Bingo Thursday, Feb. 28 7 p.m. SPJST Lodge 88 - 1435 Beall St. Bingo at SPJST Lodge 88 is held every Thursday night. Bingo pads are $5 each. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. Early bird special starts at 7 p.m. with regular bingo games beginning at 7:30 p.m.
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By Pastor Will Cover Arise Baptist Church t goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: “we have all 803 Curtin St. Houston TX 77018 made mistakes.â€? As• Alexander Pope so aptly put it: “To 713-659-9697 www.arisebaptistchurch.org err is human, to forgive, divine.â€? We should remember thisCan the you nextimagine time wehaving make aa group mistake. we of Most peoplecertainly, catch you must learn from our mistakes, and hopefully not continue in the middle of doing wrong and then being dragged to them, but shouldofalso forgive ourselves. outrepeat into public andwe accused your wrongdoing in While front it can be hard enough to forgive others for their mistakes, it of a crowd? As you hear your accusers speak about you can sometimes feel almost impossible to forgive ourselves. it suddenly dawns on you that they aren’t really so conWe sometimes cannot bring ourselves to forgive something cerneddone, aboutand yourwesinmay but punish rather to tryharangue and trip someone we’ve and ourselves elseyears, up byorpresenting themover with youthful a moral indiscretions. dilemma. YouIn for even decades, are beingsome used.ofYour failure, awful, is being addition, us may notwhile be able to forget theused sins to of try hurt else. that Thismay was prevent the situation onerepeating woman our past.someone And although us from found we herself years ago Feast ofjust Tab-as them, mustinbemany charitable and during forgivethe ourselves, we shouldinforgive others. She So, we should a real effort ernacles Jerusalem. had beenmake caught in sin andin the daysby and to forgive thetooffenses of others wascoming being used theweeks religious leaders try and lure him as well as ourtrap own.where Sometimes, it helps forget about into a logical they would usetohisjust righteousness them; is, toJesus, try tothe putall-knowing them out ofand our infinitely mind andwise stop againstthat Him. repeatedly mulling over them. One of the reasons we use God of the universe in human flesh answered the chalthe phrase “forgive and forgetâ€? is because sometimes that is lenge masterfully and pointed the question back at the the only way to forgive, i.e., by forgetting. But far better, and woman’s accusers causing them to recognize their own more divine, is to be able to forgive even while remembering failures. Instead of judging the woman, they were chalthe offense. So, we should let go of those unforgiving, lenged to judge themselves. Whenthe presented vindictive, shameful feelings about past, andwith gettheir over own faults, the woman’s accusers left, one by one. it! Corrie ten Boom, who survived incarceration in Then, a Nazi standing alone Jesus, this was forgiven. prison camp said,before “Forgiveness is towoman set a prisoner free, and Jesus did not minimize her sin. He forgave her sin. He to realize that the prisoner was you.â€? challenged her to go and to sin no more. I am so thankful Judge not, and you will not even be judged; that Jesus forgives. He is willing to standcondemn up for the not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, guilty and accused and to offer forgiveness when everyand you will be forgiven... one else is ready to condemn. Jesus forgives because Jesus took our punishment. He died in our place. What R.S.V. Luke 6:37 a wonderful message of hope for those who are guilty!
I
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Page 6A • Saturday, February 23, 2019 • The Leader
Tips for introducing cats to all-dog homes each other’s presence to eat. Gradually move the dishes closer to the door until the pets can eat calmly directly on either side of the door. Next, use two doorstops to prop open the door just enough to allow the animals to see each other, and repeat the whole process.
Dear Tabby, I’m getting married soon and my spoiled cat and I are moving into my soon-to-be husband’s home that he shares with his two (also spoiled) dogs. I’m very concerned about blending our two pet families. Any tips? Going To The Chapel in Cottage Grove
Mingle scents Switch sleeping blankets and beds between your cat and the resident animals so they have a chance to become accustomed to each other’s scent. Rub a towel on one animal and put it underneath the food dish of another animal. You should do this with each animal in the house.
Dear Going To The Chapel, Congratulations on your impending marriage (and thank you for taking the time to consider how your move will impact all of the pets involved)! While it’s often a bit stressful introducing a new pet into a household, with a little forethought and planning, you can make sure that kitty gets started off on the right “paw” with your husband’s dogs. Experts and vets alike have several tips for the introduction process. Here are some of my favorites:
Do a room do-si-do Once your cat is using her litter box and eating regularly while confined, let her have free time in the house while confining the other animals to your cat’s room. This switch provides another way for the animals to experience each other’s scents without a faceto-face meeting. It also allows the newcomer to become familiar with his or her new surroundings without being frightened by the other animals. Keep pups on a short leash Finally, when you’re ready for face-to-face introductions, keep the dogs on leashes in the presence of your cat and
SPJST from P. 1A and basketball court, will be funded by lodge members who have pledged to pay $6,000 deposits as well as annual dues of $1,000 for operating costs. Those members, part of a swim club limited to 410 members, will be the only lodge members with regular access to the pool. Any lodge member who joined before 2017 can join the swim club and pay the associated costs required for membership. There will be limited opportunities for the lodge’s other 4,000-plus members to use the pool, including youth club events, water aerobics classes and a program that awards day passes for volunteer work associated with the lodge’s charitable missions. Limited access among the
see what happens. Be sure to pet they dogs and your cat at the same time, so that the dogs can see that your cat is “one of us.” Lastly, make sure your kitty has ample places to get away from the dogs in case she needs a swift retreat. High spots to climb to and rooms where the dogs aren’t allowed will make kitty feel secure and help her to understand that this is her new home. With some patience, love and a little planning, you can ensure that your pets (and you!) settle in nicely to their new living situation. Do you have a question for Tabby? If so, email her at deartabbyquestions@gmail.com.
The Obituaries. Noris C. Butts, 91, born Dec. 17, 1927, died Feb. 12. Butts retired as a Fire Inspector from the Houston Fire department, and he retired as a supervisor for SCI. He is survived by his children Kay Young, Linda M. Huckabay, Clinton Butts, Randy Butts and Daniel Butts, 11 grandchildren and several greatgrandchildren. Jeri A. Dubec, 61, born Nov. 1, 1957 in East Brunswick, NJ, died Feb. 13. She graduated from Penn State University in 1980, the first woman to earn her degree in Agricultural Mechanization. She is survived by her son Erik, and husband David. Maria Elma Duran, 78, born Dec. 3, 1940, died Feb. 17. Stanton Hom Fong, 94, born Dec. 24, 1924, died Feb, 8. He is survived by his son Raymond Fong, daughter Susan Fong Wong, seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. In 1961, the family moved to Houston with the opening of Stanton’s
Pets of the Week Meet Jojo and Twenny These two boys were found roaming the streets together, both having been previously adopted through two separate rescue groups. Somehow they found themselves out on the streets together, lost and displaced from a home they’d lived in together for years. Now this bonded pair is desperate to find a new happy ending together. They both are healthy, happy and have manners to spare. If you have room in your home (and your heart) for these sweet boys, please contact Scout’s Honor at www.scoutshonor.org.
Set up a safe space for kitty Confine your new cat to one medium-sized room with her litter box, food, water and a bed. Feed the resident pets and the newcomer on each side of the door to this room. This will help all of them to associate something enjoyable (eating!) with each other’s scents. However, don’t put the food so close to the door that the animals are too upset by
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general lodge membership remains a point of contention for Kathlyn Curtis, a vocal opponent of the pool plan who did not attend Monday’s meeting. Curtis said she was expelled from the lodge last month by its five-person grievance committee, while Vanicek said she remains “a member in good standing.” Curtis said she is considering taking legal action against the lodge. “Unless and until all members of Lodge 88 have reasonable open access to the pool - including all historic and all future members - I still believe the pool is illegal and not aligned with the mission and values of the SPJST,” Curtis said Tuesday in an email.
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The Leader • Saturday, February 23, 2019 • Page 7A
Art Valet: Finding inspiration out of town Mitch Cohen Art Columnist
You don’t have to travel far from Houston to find a little peace and quiet if that’s what you’re after. I like to be a bit more spontaneous, with minimal planning. Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a slow migration of Houstonians heading west out I-10 to towns like Columbus, Moulton, Shiner and Smithsville. That’s where I found myself this past weekend, on pastureland between Shiner and Moulton. The area was settled mostly by German and Czech immigrants between 1840 and the 1890s, and much of those cultures still permeate everything from town names, architecture, food and language. Many years ago I heard that the founder and former owner of the Heights’ iconic music venue Dan Electros, Jim Mendenhall (aka Zoomack), had moved to Moulton and bought
a building on Main Street. Sure enough, it’s the Old Moulton Bank, 101 N. Main St., built in 1900 and “unremodeledâ€? in 2001 by Mendenhall. Old Moulton Bank serves beer and wine, it’s motorcycle and car club friendly and he brought along the popular Thursday night acoustic jam that he started in the Heights. Next time I’ll get there on a Thursday. Remember Texas Junk Co., of Montrose fame, that is now closed? Owner Bob Novotney took over a sizable storefront just a few doors down from Old Moulton Bank. Unfortunately, the locals told me he’s usually closed and out traveling as was the case this past Saturday. I’ll keep trying, though, as should you. A peak in the window revealed a huge selection of cowboy boots that only rivaled what he had in Houston. Next stop, Shiner. Here in the Heights, we are blessed with an abundance of amazing craft breweries. Never the less, no visit to Shiner is complete without a visit to Spoetzl Brewery. The tours are famous and draw a sizable crowd even on weekdays.Â
cold beer to discuss our tour, the bartender told us famed country music legend Willie Nelson sat in our very seats in one of his popular videos. Just across the driveway, it seems, a zombie flick is being shot nightly. A peek through the fence revealed an apocalyptic scene verifying that rumor. We did see pastures, cows,
The bar at Antiques, Art & Beer in Shiner is full of decorations.
original art. On Sunday, because I posted a photo of the guitars hanging in Old Moulton Bank on Facebook, friends that recently moved nearby saw it and invited us over for a visit. Before we knew it, we were getting a behind-the-scenes look at Smithville, which was named the first film-friendly community in Texas by the Texas Film Commission. After doing a little research on this historic Texas town, I’ve come to the conclusion that anyone in Houston with the acting bug needs to hightail it 120 miles west. Even while relaxing over a
Simple sandwich oozes greatness Creamy 88%
Crunchy
62%
Kids
Adults
Kids
Grape
12%
Adults
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Strawberry
The average American consumes 1,500 PB&J sandwiches before graduating high school and 2,984 in their lifetime.
JELLY
24% Adults
9% Kids
32% 25% Adults
44%
Other
Kids
66%
Adults
Move over, BLT. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are crowned the top-tier sandwich in my book. There are many variations of a sandwich across the world, including many that feature flavor-filled ingredients. But nothing is so simply amazing as the tried-and-true PB&J. It’s my sandwich of choice and I’m not even a little ashamed to proclaim it. I’m also not the only one who can appreciate it well into adulthood. I’m joined in my love of PB&J with former President George W. Bush. The perfect PB&J is made with grape jam and creamy peanut butter spread equally on opposite sides of soft white bread and then cut diagonally. But that’s just my perfect sandwich. A PB&J is versatile. Grape spread is America’s favorite, but strawberry comes in as a close second, according to a 2003 survey commissioned by the J.M. Smucker Company. There’s plenty of other flavors, from raspberry to peach to blackberry. If you don’t like PB&J, it might be you just haven’t found your perfect combo yet. Or you’re allergic to one of the ingredients, which is just unfortunate. You can choose from multiple jelly or jam flavors, creamy
PEANUT BUTTER
Kids
By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com
Source: J.M. Smucker Company. Graphic design by Martha Buhler
or crunchy peanut butter and numerous bread varieties. But one of the most important decisions you will make while making a PB&J is how you decide to cut it. It’s probably a visual thing, but how you cut a sandwich does change the way it tastes. And if you don’t cut it at all, I don’t know if I can help you. But the PB&J is a classic for a reason. It’s easy to make and while the ingredients are simple, you can always know that it’s going to taste good. The comfort of the PB&J sandwich is two-fold. It’s in that reliability of flavors and it’s a sandwich that reflects
simpler days. One bite into a freshly made PB&J brings me instantly back to my childhood. Back then I cut my PB&Js the same way, but flipped the slices and added pretzels to create a food butterfly. I don’t mind getting creative with food and making some really amazing dishes. But I think taking a second to appreciate the simpler and, in my opinion, yummier things in life is needed. But in case you need convincing that this sweet-andsalty combo is one of the greatest ever invented, here are some facts about the sand-
wich, according to the Smucker study: - Chances are you’ll eat almost 3,000 PB&Js in your lifetime, with half of those being eaten before high school graduation. - That might not be too surprising when you know that 30 percent of parents make a PB&J for themselves when they make one for their kids. - During World War II, peanut butter and jelly were both staples in military rations, and the return of soldiers saw a rise in popularity for the sandwich. So, support your troops and make a PB&J. Of course, there’s also other simple sandwiches that are similar to the PB&J, like Elvis Presley’s favorite. He was fond of peanut butter and banana sandwiches, sometimes with the addition of bacon. Or toast a piece of bread, spread peanut butter on it while it’s still warm and pile Lay’s Classic Potato Chips on top. It’s good, I promise. It’s salty on salty, but that’s rarely a bad thing. Just the fact that I could probably eat a PB&J every day and not even realize I was doing it makes it a pretty great food item. Pro tip No. 1: When choosing between jelly and jam, choose jam because it spreads easier. Pro tip No. 2: If you’re taking a PB&J to lunch, add extra peanut butter so the sandwich doesn’t get soggy.
Review: Get no-frills burgers from Miller’s Cafe By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com
If you’re not looking for it, you might drive right past the unassuming Garden Oaks shopping center on North Shepherd Drive where Miller’s Cafe serves up its “almost famous burgers.� That sentiment is a nice way to sum up Miller’s signature product, because while I wouldn’t say its burgers should be famous, they are good enough to be noted high on the burger food chain. Inside the cafe, the walls are lined with vintage metal beer and soda signs as well as old photographs I can only assume are glances into the owners’ lives. They had classic rock playing on the speaker system, which added to the old-school feel of the place. Plus, when you walk in, to the left there’s a working mechanical horse ride that will give kiddos a reason to frequently beg for quarters. The kitchen is open behind the counter, and on the side there’s a long bar and seating where patrons can sit and watch their burgers being made. The menu is written out on
chalkboards above the counter and divides between burgers, sandwiches, salads, baskets and Miller’s Killers. The latter are burgers or sandwiches that just might clog your arteries, like the bacon cheeseburger with barbecue sauce and grilled onions or the triple cheeseburger. Although the burgers and sides - French fries, onion rings or sweet potato fries - are bought separately, the burgers aren’t $11 and the fries aren’t $5, which is pricing that closely matches the newer burger establishments that have moved into the area. At Miller’s I got a burger, fries and a drink for about $12. I ordered a regular hamburger with lettuce, pickles, grilled onions, mustard and ketchup on the standard poppy seed bun. Whole wheat buns are available upon request. It was busy during the lunch hour when I was there. But even with the line of customers and the burgers being made to order, the wait was what was expected but not too bad. My burger came wrapped in parchment paper and the fries in a paper boat. I tried
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When you pack for 70-degree weather and it ends up in the 50s, it’s souvenir time and Spoetzl Brewery has a fabulous gift shop where it also gives out samples of Shiner beer. Great for sales, I’m sure! Around the corner (Shiner can’t be bigger than the Heights), we hit Antiques, Art & Beer, 720 N. Avenue E. The store lives up to its name, but if you get claustrophobic, stop at the beer counter first and order a cold one. With more than 250 beers and 150 wines, don’t forget to get up and look around. The store is jam-packed with collectibles of all kinds. I managed to find a few pieces of
the fries first and found them fairly basic. They weren’t bad, but they weren’t great. I’ll probably get the onion rings next time. The seasoned patty and poppy seed bun on the burger were both a home run for me. The only thing about the hamburger I didn’t appreciate was the amount of grilled onions piled on. I took about half of them off and still had a nice layer of onion on top of the patty. Grease soaked into the bottom half of the bun, but it wasn’t enough to be overly greasy. It was a no-frills burger that wasn’t trying to be something more than just a burger, and I can appreciate that. These burgers don’t need anything fancy to be good. They are a bit messy, though, so grab extra napkins. Miller’s Cafe Address: 3820 N. Shepherd Dr. Hours: 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Sunday EntrÊe pricing: $6.50$10.99 Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No
horses, donkeys and amazing sunsets, but it was conversations with friends new and old that really restored this writer. I think another trip is in order soon. Cohen is an artist and founder of First Saturday Arts Market and the Market at Sawyer Yards. Find him at ArtValet.com.
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Page 8A • Saturday, February 23, 2019 • The Leader
‘Golden’ chickens brighten lives at Brookdale By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com
If the residents at Brookdale Senior Living Community in the Heights ask for something, the staff says yes. If a resident wants one of their old recipes to be used in the kitchen, it’ll be on the menu for up to two weeks. Or if a resident grew up on a farm raising chickens and longs for the comfort of their childhood, the staff will do all it can to make that happen. In the latter case, Brookdale brought in four chickens to act as therapy animals for residents. “They are in the process of getting certified to be therapy chickens,” said Richard Graciano, Brookdale’s marketing director. The process is tedious and requires the chickens to be sent to an official certification program. But before send off the chickens, Brookdale man-
agement wanted them to get used to being there. After bringing in the chickens when they were just a few months old, the staff had the residents vote on the names of the animals. “One guy really wanted to name them Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snack,” Graciano said. But the vote favored names of a familiar elderly quartet. The chickens are named Sophia, Dorothy, Rose and Blanche after the lead characters on the iconic sitcom “The Golden Girls.” Behind the residency building, a coop called “Brooddale” is set up in a grassy area. There is a plan to fence in the area to allow the chickens to roam on their own and graze. For now, the residents use leashes to walk the chickens, giving the animals a chance to get out of their coop to meander about. “They don’t walk on the
leash the way dogs will, following you,” said Steffany German, Brookdale’s executive director. “The chickens lead, and you just follow behind.” Having the chickens at Brookdale has brought joy to the residents. Many take part in feeding, walking and collecting their eggs, which they will begin donating to a local food bank when the chickens are more mature and lay more eggs. One of the chickens, Sophia, is an Ameraucana breed and will lay blue eggs when she’s older. “They provide a sense of purpose,” German said. “When you get into senior living sometimes people lose their sense of purpose, so this is a good way for residents to gain that back.” Debra Stephenson, a resident at Brookdale, loves coming outside to spend time with the chickens. Even in the cold
weather, she wraps a sweater around herself to be able to watch her favorite, Sophia, being walked on the leash and to feed cloves to the others. “They eat anything; I bring them my leftover breakfast,” Stephenson said. “They like eggs and bacon and love toast. When I come out in the morning they know I’m here with food.” She mentioned her love of animals and how she missed having a pet. The chickens are filling that void for her. The residents’ interaction with the chickens will eventually include teaching them tricks, such as raising a flag and color recognition. Brookdale wishes to create a new world record for the most tricks done by a chicken in one minute. The future may also hold more farm animals for Brookdale, perhaps an alpaca or a cow. Whatever the residents want, they get.
Photo by Zarah Parker Debra Stephenson, a resident at Brookdale Senior Living Community in the Heights, holds a chicken named Sophia. Brookdale has four companion chickens that stay in a coop on the property called “Brood-dale.” The chickens are named after the lead characters on the TV sitcom “The Golden Girls.”
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CEO, from P. 1A to pool resources between the two hospitals and utilize best practices from both. The not-for-profit health system recently entertained a merger with Baylor Scott & White that would have included nearly 70 hospitals across Texas. The $14 billion deal, announced in October, was called off earlier this month. O’Sullivan said the health care giants essentially decided not to fix what wasn’t broken, determining they operated just as well independently as they could have together. “The ask from both boards was prove the value in doing it together,” O’Sullivan said. “So it’s not the case of it necessarily gets done better on our own, but it does not necessarily get done any better if we merge.” O’Sullivan said a focal point of the hospital’s future is virtual care, which utilizes technology to allow patients to be examined by physicians without leaving home. It works through phone calls and video chats. While that type of care comes with inherent limitations, the benefits include
shorter wait times, faster diagnoses and smaller crowds at the hospital. “There’s a lot of things that by asking a few questions a physician can make a pretty informed decision with the patient about where they need to go next,” O’Sullivan said. “So if you really need to go to an ER or if it’s a case of, ‘OK, this is all right, I can hold this until tomorrow morning and make an appointment to see someone at a more convenient time.’ ” O’Sullivan said insurance companies also like virtual care, because it increases customer satisfaction and keeps costs down. Rising healthcare costs are a concern for the hospital, too, so it tries to mitigate them by helping people stay healthy. That’s the overriding objective for Memorial Hermann’s neighborhood hospital and its new leader, who is new to the neighborhood but already understands its needs. “Our mission statement … talks about improving the health of the people in southeast Texas,” O’Sullivan said. “So for me, this patch of grass
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Studemont St., where patients have access to imaging services, physical therapy and 24-hour emergency care. The hospital’s ER treated more than 70,000 patients last year, making it one of the busiest in the health system. “The needs for the people in the Heights right now are in ambulatory care,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s a population that’s not at an age where there’s necessarily a high disease burden that calls for inpatient care. That’s why convenient care centers, that’s why urgent care. “If you look at that population and the demographics of that population, that 100,000 or so people, they’re pretty young. If you look at the healthcare needs that they use, probably the biggest reason for that population to visit a hospital is to have a baby.” O’Sullivan merged his responsibilities at the Greater Heights location with his existing job as senior vice president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center, where he began working in 2015. He said the dual role allows him
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