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Inside Today: Mini murals hit the Heights • Page 3B
April 23 – 27
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Saturday, April 14, 2018 • Vol. 63 • No. 13
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The Leader’s second annual Women at Work luncheon, presented by Memorial Hermann Greater Heights, an event designed to celebrate the women of this community who work so hard at home and in our businesses, is less than three weeks away. This year’s event, slated for May 4 from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., will be held at Memorial Hermann Greater Heights and is open to anyone who wishes to attend. “Of all the things The Leader does in this community, this may be my favorite event of the year,” said Leader Publisher Jonathan McElvy. “As the proud
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husband of a woman who works so hard at her job and at our home, I get to see, every day, how important it is that we make sure the ladies in our area know how special they are.” This year’s event will feature the CEO of Memorial Hermann’s Greater Heights Hospital, Susan Jadlowski, as the keynote speaker. From her rise through the ranks of the hospital, to
her work-life balance, Jadlowski’s talk will motivate women in this community who also seek to find that perfect balance. “I left last year’s Women at Work luncheon with a huge smile on my face,” said Ashley Day of Circa Real Estate. “Not only did the speaker resonate with me, lunch was delicious and the networking invaluable. What a great experience and value. I look forward to participating again [this year].” While the event is largely designed for women in this community to network and enjoy a wonderful lunch in the week leading up to Mother’s Day,
The Leader also has partnered with a local charity, The Mission of Yahweh, to make a generous donation with proceeds from the event. The Mission of Yahweh is a faithbased shelter designed to help homeless women and their children, providing education and job-readiness to help them find independence and permanent housing. If you’d like to attend, or if there are significant others who would like to send their wives/partners to the event, please contact The Leader office at (713) 686-8494, or email lucy@theleadernews.com. Tickets are $50.
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Photo contributed by Penny Mickel A resident walks up the street near Cortlandt and Arlington in the Heights after Hurricane Harvey. Houston City Council recently passed an amended Chapter 19 flooding ordinance by a 9-7 vote.
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Council mixed on flood plan
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By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Houston’s city council is battening down the hatches with regards to future flood mitigation, which could impact notable change for new home builders in our local neighborhoods -- though it was not without pushback. Late Thursday, April 4, council members concluded hours of intense deliberation by narrowly (97) passing more stringent bylaws for building new properties inside an amended 500-year floodplain. The new rules expand the regulations for new and substantial changes to homes built two feet above the 500-year floodplain. Houston has experienced three 500-year flood events over the past three years, and current by-
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The INDEX. Church....................................................... 5A Classifieds.............................................. 4B Coupons. ................................................. 6A Food/Drink/Art................................... 7A Obituaries.............................................. 5A Opinion. ................................................... 4A Public Information......................... 2A Puzzles...................................................... 4A Sports. ....................................................... 7B
Photo courtesy of City Council member Dave Martin (Facebook) Houston City Council members deliberate at the April 4 meeting.
laws only require buildings to withstand a 100-year flood. “This is a signature moment for our city; a transformative move to save lives, make Houston more resilient and preserve the factors that attract newcomers,” Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted out April 4, shortly following passage.
Last week’s changes come on the heels of Harris County adopting more rigid regulations for structures within the city’s floodplain, and city of Houston Floodplain Manager Jamila Johnson said 84 percent of damaged struc-
The homeless encampments growing under Highway 290 and Interstate 610 may be nowhere close to the size and impact of those in downtown Houston, but they are still raising concern among residents in this area. “It’s not safe for them to be there, [and] not conducive to residents in the area,” said Scott Lewis. “The city and county needs to step up on this.” Mary Lamb made note of a couple living at I-610 and Ella on the west side of the street. “Several requests to 311 have been fruitless,” she said. Readers may remember Mayor Sylvester Turner’s March 2017 initiative ‘The Way Home’ which aimed to place 500 chronically homeless individuals into permanent housing within six months. The city surpassed the goal, housing nearly 550 individuals. At the same time, numerous city agencies began work to develop a cohesive plan for the rest of Houston’s homeless. ‘Housing first’ was the goal, but with more than 6,300 people in Houston without a home on any given night, according to the Coalition for the Homeless, the problem is pervasive. In February 2018, the Coalition for the Homeless surveyed the homeless population in Houston. They found that 39 percent of unsheltered homeless individuals had a high school diploma or GED while 21 percent had some college or a college degree or higher. Approximately 78 percent of unsheltered homeless individuals became homeless in See Homeless P. 8A
See Flood P. 8A
Filling stations taking over local stretches By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Fueling is second-nature to many; often acting simply as a minor pit stop. But neighborhood growth has led to an influx of filling stations along North Shepherd, T.C. Jester, and other local roads in recent years – which has been striking to some, but a non-issue for others. Just between Durham from just south of Loop 610 up North Shepherd to West Tidwell (five miles), three Shell stations and a Gulf Station take up residence. Up and down T.C. Jester Boulevard, there are two stations (with a third currently under construction). In the Heights – just down the road from one of the Shell stations – an Exxon is currently under
construction near 16th Street, which begs the question: is the need truly that great that such an influx is necessary? “Every time we pass [the construction near T.C Jester and Tidwell], my daughter talks about how sad she is that they cut down all of those trees and asks why we need another gas station when there are already two. I agree with her,” Oak Forest resident Sarah Honore said. According to Forbes, companies selling similar products – such as gasoline, general convenience items, etc. – cluster for a simple reason. Any viable threat of competition forces companies and stores to try to pick a spot which can simply attract the most people, See Expansion P. 8A
Photo by Landan Kuhlmann The Exxon station under construction off Durham and 16th Street is another in the local influx of stations along local stretches.
congratulating our top Agents for march Janet Schmidt 713-419-7918
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The Leader • Saturday, April 14, 2018 • Page 2A
Bohac appointed to national education commission For The Leader Governor Greg Abbott recently announced his appointment of Representative Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) to the Education Commission of the States, along with three other appointees. The Governor appoints the Texas delegation of the national compact commission, led by Commissioner of Texas Education Agency Mike Morath and Commis-
sioner of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Raymund Paredes. In addition to Rep. Bohac, the Governor appointed Bohac S e n a tor Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), Representative Ron Simmons (R-
Carrollton) and John Colyandro, serving as the Governor’s designee. They will serve with current members Senator Royce West (D-Dallas), Commissioner Morath, and Commissioner Paredes. “I am honored to receive this appointment by Governor Abbott,” Bohac said. “Public education is extremely important to me. As a member of the House Committee on Public Education, I am excited
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for the opportunity to share resources and experiences with policy experts from across the nation.” The Education Commission of the States (www.ecs.org) gathers and analyzes data concerning education needs and resources as well as encourages research in all aspects of education. The Commission was established over 50 years ago as an interstate compact on education policy.
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Police Reports • March 31-April 4 MARCH 31
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Theft 10:37 PM 400-499 ASBURY Arrest 2:48 AM 3400-3499 N SHEPHERD Theft 10:07 AM 1000-1099 EUCLID Burglary 1:01 AM 2700-2799 YALE Theft 2 PM 1200-1299 YALE Theft 6:30 AM 2900-2999 N DURHAM Robbery 8:17 PM 5500-5599 MICHAUX Theft 6:30 AM 8400-8499 N MAIN Theft 10:07 AM 1000-1099 EUCLID Theft 12:28 PM 4100-4199 N SHEPHERD Theft 4 PM 500-599 COLUMBIA
PINEMONT Theft 12 PM 1300-1399 W 43RD Theft 5:13 AM 1300-1399 W 15TH
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Theft 1 PM 600-699 W 38TH Burglary 1:40 PM 600-699 W 19TH Theft 8 AM 800-899 PEDDIE Burglary 10:23 PM 1600-1699 N DURHAM Theft 11:40 AM 800-899 W 26TH Theft 1:45 PM 600-699 E 10TH Theft 1:30 PM 800-899 HEIGHTS Theft 1:30 PM 3900-3999 N SHEPHERD Theft 9:48 AM 200-299 W 20TH Theft 3:30 AM 1500-1599 N SHEPHERD Theft 4:14 PM 100-199 YALE
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Theft 7 PM 300-399 N LOOP W Burglary 10:09 AM 1200-1299 E 27TH Theft 8 AM 800-899 EUCLID Assault 8:30 PM 1900-1999 ASHLAND Theft 2:30 PM 1000-1099 W 12TH Theft 4:30 PM 3100-3199 WHITE OAK Robbery 4:06 PM 1900-1999 TAYLOR Robbery 8 AM 700-799
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Theft 2:45 AM 400-499 N LOOP W Theft 6:30 AM 1100-1199 YALE Theft 4:32 AM 1100-1199 25TH Theft 6:15 AM 1500-1599 N LOOP W Theft 11:23 AM 100-199 YALE Theft 1 AM 1800-1899 COLUMBIA Burglary 11:38 PM 200-299 N LOOP W
Theft 3:58 AM 900-999 N SHEPHERD Theft 11 AM 2300-2399 AIRLINE Theft 4:15 PM 3400-3499 WHITE OAK Burglary 9:15 PM 4100-4199 N SHEPHERD Theft 2:25 AM 1500-1599 N LOOP W Theft 9:21 AM 1300-1399 CROSSTIMBERS
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ora Lee (Neeley) Rightmer, born December 26, 1929 in Jeddo, TX, passed away on March 24, 2018. She had a vibrant spirit and a unique style. She is survived by Ray Rightmer, sister Ozelle Brannaka, daughter Marilyn Elliott, son Lloyd Rightmer, grandchild Dustin Breese and two grandchildren Ben and Ethan Breese.
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orn Houston Texas, February, 7, 1969. Died March 29, 2018, Shreveport LA. Complications from injuries sustained in a traffic accident while working in Kilgore TX. Survived by brother Mitch, sister in-law Berta Jacobs/Houston, and sister Mary Jacobs/Austin, as well as numerous cousins, Houston friends and Las Vegas friends where he resided for 10 years. Himself, his Mother Betty, and brother Mitch all former Leader employees. A magnetic and infectious personality will be missed by many. Services begin at noon 04/15/2018, at Pat H Foley funeral home 1200 W. 34th St. Houston TX. 77018.
erla Mae Coleman, known to many as Mitzie, 99, went home to her Lord on April 5, 2018. She was born on March 21, 1919, in Houston, Texas to Emory Pleasant Maness and Mattie Mae Harding. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband of 57 years, Lester Charles Coleman. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She is survived by her daughter Ann Wolfer and husband Dale, son Ron Coleman and wife Sandra, two granddaughters, Erin Coleman and fiancé Kevin Price, Sarah Ferguson and husband Henry and one great grandson, Benjamin Ferguson. Mitzie graduated from University of Houston in 1941—the first graduating class on the present campus. As a teacher, she retired from Galena Park School District. A long time member of Garden Oaks Baptist Church, She delighted in teaching the Esther class for many years and was also the pianist for the Adult I Sunday School department. Mitzie enjoyed writing poetry for which she earned an Honorable Mention in a national Poetry Contest in 1990 and two of her poems have been published. Her favorite pastimes included playing the piano, reading and traveling. The visitation will be held Tuesday, April 10, 2018, 2pm – 4pm at Heights Funeral Home. Graveside service is scheduled for Wednesday, 10am at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the preschool ministry of Humble Area’s Heights Funeral Home First Baptist Church.
TREATMENTS FOR COMMON TO COMPLEX NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS At Houston Methodist Neurological Institute, our physicians combine their expertise with the newest technologies to diagnose and treat common to complex neurological disorders. As the highest nationally ranked hospital in Texas for neurology and neurosurgery, we offer the latest innovations, bringing advanced treatment options. Our specialists treat a variety of conditions, including: Alzheimer’s disease and memory disorders Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Back and neck pain Brain and spinal tumors Cerebrovascular disease
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The Leader • Saturday, April 14, 2018 • Page 3A
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The Topics. The Leader • Saturday, April 14, 2018 • Page 4A
Can we scale online shopping to local? I want to pitch a business idea to our community. For it to work, I need the seven of you who read this to share it with your neighbors. And they need to share it with about 50,000 other people. We can do it. To make sense of the idea, let me tell you of its genesis. This business that we own – a free, community newspaper that covers a very specific area – has one basic form of revenue. We produce news and information about a community, and people like you read our newspaper and website. To pay for the people, printing and delivery of this product, local businesses that want to reach our readers buy advertisements. It’s fairly basic: If we produce a good news product, and if people read us, advertisers will spend some of their marketing dollars with us because they want to reach potential customers like you. As you might imagine, it’s my job as the publisher of this newspaper (and a few others) to figure out ways that we can grow our revenue to keep up with increasing costs. That’s the name of the business game. At our company, we take the approach that if our customers are successful, then we’ll be successful, too. Our customers, it turns out, are largely small businesses that have local owners, which means a whole lot
Jonathan McElvy Publisher
of my time is spent trying to figure out what we can offer local businesses that will help them sell more of whatever it is they sell. But there’s a problem these days. Small businesses, especially small retail businesses like the ones you pass every day, have a Goliath of a competitor. Each year, Goliath lures more and more customers to its virtual store, and the businesses that support our community lose another slice of market share. The Goliath, quite obviously, is Amazon, and the company is making an impact on our way of life that very few completely understand. Consider this: Back in the era of the Industrial Revolution, the wealthiest people in the world all created something tangible. John Rockefeller produced oil. Henry Ford made cars. George Washington Vanderbilt built railroads. Andrew Carnegie produced steel. If you look at the list of today’s
wealthiest people in America, you’ll find something completely different. No. 1 on the list, obviously, is Jeff Bezos ($109 billion), the founder of Amazon. No. 4 is Mark Zuckerberg ($77.5 billion) of Facebook fame. No. 5 is Larry Page ($54.9 billion), a co-founder of Google. And No. 7 is Sergy Brin ($53.6 billion), the other co-founder of Google. Besides having the net worth of the entire country of Ireland, what’s most fascinating to me is that none of these billionaires have created a single, durable good. Each of them has created code that moves goods and information around. Maybe that’s not as big a deal as I make it out to be, but when the largest companies in our country are re-sellers of products they don’t create, aren’t they solely reliant on others for their value? If no one listed products on Amazon, would Amazon still be in business? If no one posted to Facebook, would Zuckerberg be sitting in front of a Congressional Committee? If Google had to pay to have access to information from other companies, would they be any better off than some low-rent basement dweller trying to code a new research app? The reality, of course, is these three companies were the best at
Lynn Ashby Columnist
ber of that house.” I have no idea. The team member puts me on hold again, (“National anthems from southeast Africa”) to speak to her supervisor. She returns and takes my phone number and says she will call me back on Monday. It’s 1 p.m. on a Friday and no one works on Friday afternoons. Moving on, the gas company has me get on my hands and knees to read the gas meter’s 32-diget number. The phone company puts me on hold while playing “Choice Busy Signals” as I wait for a “happy and excited management assistant” to get on the line and inform me that he needs my Texas driver’s license number (no kidding) plus my Social Security number. No DNA sample. Then I face the ultimate challenge: the cable company. I used Disable Cable in my old house, which has been, shall we say, a challenging experience. Surveys show that the most disliked, if not hated, industry in the nation are the cable companies, passing airlines, the Postal Service and most hit men. When your TV set goes out as the detective says, “…and the murderer is…” that can be annoying, as well as “With no time left, here’s the Hail Mary pass which zzzzzzz.” My computer goes down in storms, power outages and nightfall. If you will recall, when I changed cable companies at my lake house in Varicose Valley, the cable company’s office had a big sign at the door: “No firearms allowed!” Inside was one firearm – on the hip of a cop. Past events hinted that was not your usual business office filled with happy customers. This time it was my wife’s turn to make the call. She rarely uses profanity, death threats or wants the name and address of the team member. Forty-five minutes into her conversation with Duc Phat in Hanoi, I bring her a box of Kleenex for her tears. I also needed to change my mailing address. OK, in this case I admit it was confusing. I had gone to the post office and filled out a long form to temporarily change my address from my old house to my lake house. Three weeks later I began receiving mail – mostly Christmas catalogues. The rest was MIA. Now I needed to change the address again to my new place. If you write me a letter, send it by carrier pigeon or use semaphores. In the midst of this White House-worthy chaos, and this is the honest truth, someone
shopped on their phones instead of feeling products with their hands? Which is a long way of getting back to this idea, of which only three of my seven readers are still around to read. Here’s my question, my challenge. If you live in one of our local neighborhoods, would you support an online marketplace – a mini Amazon – that only carried goods from local stores? If there were a website open only to local businesses, and if you could get next-day or two-day delivery, would you shop there before you visited Goliath? One of the things I love about our neighborhoods is that we try to support each other. But with twoincome families almost necessary, and with ever-expanding demands on our time, there’s no going back to the days when all our shopping was done pulling into parking lots. If we’re going to continue as a community that loves its local stores, we must find a way to support our local business owners. And if we really are headed toward the era when we only buy online, could we still support local businesses by creating a virtual marketplace where they have a fighter’s chance? This isn’t rhetorical. This is a real question, and I’d love your feedback. Email jonathan@theleadernews.com
The reader.
A Moving Experience THE PHONE – “Hello. I’d like to change my water bill address,” I tell the city water department. “I’m moving to a new home. Well, it’s not really new. Like the car dealers say, it’s pre-owned. Very pre. If the place was any older, it would warrant a historical plaque.” A recorded voice speaks up: “Thank you for calling the city water department. Good to the last drop, we like to say. All of our team members are listening to other whining customers, but one will be with you when she or he gets around to your silly complaint. Until then, please listen to some of our comforting music.” Team members? They used to be called employees, or workers or wage slaves. I hear a click and then the music. I think it’s the love theme from “Patton.” The reason I have to make this call is that after 50 years, my wife and I are forced to abandon our house in Running Rats Acres because, during Hurricane Harvey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers chose to release a flood of dammed-up water into western Houston, inundating formerly (maybe forever) dry neighborhoods. My house was downgraded by the city inspectors from “not worth burning” to “uninhabitable.” FEMA came up with $45.50 to help us recover, and the Red Cross gave us toiletries, then asked for a donation. Bill Clinton said he would feel our pain, and Donald Trump said he liked to feel. So we had no choice but to move, which is far harder than one might think. It’s a story being told maybe 10,000 times along the Gulf Coast in the wake of Harvey, but briefly it goes like this: Find a cheap hotel to stay in, file 234 insurance forms, drag what’s totally ruined to the curb and wait for the city to pick the debris or watch the vandals and rats haul it away, whichever comes first. Eventually the survivors have to find new digs, and face the worse hurdle of all: changing addresses. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Nope. You would think by now our society could handle our nomadic lifestyle. About 40 million people move annually in the U.S. Nearly three-quarters of the U.S. population moves an average of once every 5 years. There are, obviously, many reasons: shifts in the economy, for instance, from the Rust Belt to Texas, or an unexpected visit by ICE. The doubling of the divorce rate in the last 30 years results in many moves. In my case, it was a mud line about three feet up the den walls. Ah, someone is answering at the water department. I give her my name, age, favorite sport (mud wrestling in the den) and address of my new home. They have no record of any such place. “Give us the account num-
what they did, and there’s no stopping them now. And you can’t blame Bezos, Zuckerberg, Page or Brin for being smarter than the rest of us. I’m certainly not angry about their success; I am sad at the impact it has on the local producers and sellers of products. I’m sad every time I see another local store that closes because potential buyers went to their computers instead of their neighborhood business to buy a product. My expectation is that Amazon continues to grow until government splits them into a few companies. Facebook will evolve into another business in the next decade because they’re going to start charging for the service and because young people don’t have Facebook pages. And Google will always be Google, and they’ll start new companies that make them even wealthier. Meanwhile, what will happen as local businesses start and fail? Eventually, they’ll fail to start. And when that happens, we’re going to lose something incredibly special. We’re going to lose the experience of customer service. We’ll never impulse buy again. We’ll be a neighborhood of warehouses, and we’ll all work in some sort of shipping or delivery service. It probably won’t happen in my lifetime, but how many more times will a local business shutter its doors because too many neighbors
Be to, or not Be to -- that is the question
in California started charging things on my credit card. I got a call from that company, House of Cards, asking if I frequented Chipotles in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fresno. No. But wouldn’t you think if someone went to all the trouble to forge a credit card he would make higherclass purchases, like opioids, or rent Stormy Davis for the afternoon? On top of all the trouble and paperwork and lengthy phone calls from moving, I had to start changing all my automatic billings to my credit card. So my advice to you is: don’t ever move. But if you do, take along a box of Kleenex. Ashby is moved at ashby2@comcast.net
Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com
Dear Editor: Lynn Ashby’s Apr. 7 whine about the Electoral College was par for the course. Whenever Democradolescents lose a presidential election, they attack the voting system and/or claim some sinister force (exempli gratia Russians) rigged the contest against them; the loss never results from fielding a hideous candidate. After the 2000 election, leftists in various locales demanded their state constitutions be amended such that all the state’s electoral votes go to the winner of the national popular vote, regardless of the outcome within the state. Had that been done, ha, their Bush Derangement Syndrome would have melted down in 2004, when W won the popular vote. As for presidential candidates ignoring the red state of Texas, they know we are consistently sensible enough to vote wisely for America, thus their time/money is better spent elsewhere. P.S. It’s obvious from signage around the Heights that the November Senate race is a binary proposition: Be to, or not Be to -- that is the question. J. Reynolds
Reader donates $50 to help a child attend Leader Media Camp
Dear Editor: Bravo Jonathan. Before moving to Houston 40
years ago, we lived in a small town in New Jersey a mile past the George Washington Bridge. Because of the proximity to New York City, we had more than our fair share of artists, writers, photographers, musicians, etc. as neighbors, many of whom had kids in the school system. It was not uncommon for these professionals to volunteer to teach different disciplines to groups of local students. My children benefited tremendously not only from the knowledge and skills they were learning, but from the interaction with respected, responsibile, professional adults who cared enough to educate and excite young minds. I am sending you a $50 donation to help defray the cost of any child who cannot afford to attend. I challenge other like minded readers to offer what they can to your youth Media Camp. Marianna Jayson
Garden Oaks has chance to fix itself now
Dear Editor: I do believe that GOMO should refund that money to homeowners. Always wondered if it was legal for them to take it. Would be interested in exactly how they would be able to track homeowners who no longer live in Garden Oaks, but paid the fee when they purchased/sold. MyTwoCents
the leader Puzzlers. Answers found in this week’s Classified section
SUDOKU
aCrOss
1. Slavonic language 7. Solid water 10. Supply with notes 12. Edible bivalve 13. Field game 14. Yellow edible Indian fruits 15. Lubricant that protects body surfaces 16. Canadian flyers 17. Took a seat 18. Anthracite 19. Cuckoos 21. Vietnamese currency unit 22. Subject to payment on demand 27. Opposite of BC 28. The distance around an object 33. Blood type 34. Expressing gratitude 36. Bridge-building degree 37. Ribosomal ribonucleic acid 38. Fiber from the outer husk of a coconut 39. Great blackbacked gull 40. The largest island in the West Indies
41. Vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes 44. Support trestles 45. Single rail system 48. Call upon in supplication 49. Small compartment 50. Lair 51. Unpleasant nagging women
dOwn
1. College civil rights organization 2. ‘Full House’ actress Loughlin 3. Egyptian sun god 4. Vessel or duct 5. Belonging to a thing 6. After B 7. Refers to end of small intestine 8. Baby cow 9. River of Memmert Germany 10. Farmer’s calendar 11. Spiral shelled cephalopods 12. Source of chocolate 14. Diversify 17. A baglike structure in a plant or animal
18. Freshwater & limestone green algae 20. Single Lens Reflex 23. Gum arabics 24. Austrian philosopher Martin 25. Maltese pound 26. An immature newt 29. Popular Canadian statement 30. Norwegian monetary unit (abbr.) 31. A journey around a course 32. Confer a nobility title upon 35. Idle talk 36. British policeman 38. A citizen of Havana 40. Highly glazed finish 41. A portion of 42. Squad 43. Betrayers 44. Barrels per day (abbr.) 45. Married woman 46. Express delight 47. Neither
WORD SCRAMBLE
The Leader • Saturday, April 14, 2018 • Page 5A
The calendar. MHGH UNIFY STROKE DISCUSSION GROUP UNIFY Stroke Discussion Group is open to all stroke patients, stroke survivors and caregivers. The meeting will be held from 3-4 p.m., April 12 (the 2nd Thursday of every month), in the South Tower, First Floor, Classroom C at Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, 1635 North Loop West. Please register to attend this free event by calling 713-222-2273. THE WIZARD OF OZ St. Pius X High School Theatre SPX and the SPX Fine Arts Department presents “The Wizard of Oz” April 12, 13 and 14 at 7 p.m., and at 2:30 p.m. April 15. General admission is $5 for students and $10 for adults. St. Pius X High School is located at 811 W. Donovan St. Information: fantg@stpiusx.org. THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS Theatre Suburbia A family, a pregnancy, and a revealing pre-natal test. If your parents knew everything about
you before you were born, would you be here? That is the question posed in Jonathan Tollin’s controversial dramedy, “The Twilight of the Golds.” The show opens April 13, and runs through May 12, with Friday and Saturday performances at 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. (April 29 and May 6, only) at Theatre Suburbia, 4106 Way Out West. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Tickets are $16 for adults, $13 for students and seniors, and $13 for Sunday Matinees. Information: www.theatresuburbia.org, 713682-3525. RUMMAGE SALE Waltrip Band Do some spring cleaning and help the Waltrip Ram Band too! The Roaring RamBand is hosting a rummage sale, Saturday from 7 a.m.-noon, April 14, at the school located at 1900 W. 34th St. Donated items can be dropped off at 7 a.m. If interested in renting a space, the cost is $25. Contact waltriprambandbooster@gamil. com for information. Band students will also be having a car wash and selling concessions. If
From the Pews. All Saints TALC to hold Spring Party All Saints Third Age Learning Center will host a Spring Party at 10:30 a.m. April 13, featuring a spring hat contest, refreshments, door prizes and music by the Strummin’ Saints Ukulele Band. All Saints Catholic Community is located at 215 E. 10th St. For information and lunch reservations, call 713-2481277. Fashion Show at Greater First Baptist Greater First Baptist Church, 4441 Haywood St., will hold a Fashion Show at 2 p.m. April 14. Proceeds benefit the Usher and Nurse Usher Ministry. Ticket donation is $10. The pastor is Rory L. Thompson Sr. Call 713-695-7061 for information. Family Fun Day at Hope Episcopal
Hope Episcopal Church, 1613 W. 43rd St., will hold their Family Fun Day, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. April 14. There will be games, moonwalk, treats and a car wash. The community is welcome. Call 713-865-2163 for information. David Phelps to perform at Sagemont Church Grammy winning recording artist David Phelps will team up with popular music trio, Cana’s Voice to present The Big Voice Tour at Sagemont Church, 11300 South Sam Houston Parkway East. The concert will be at 7 p.m. April 14. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-9659324 or visiting www.imcconcerts.com and are available at the church. Spring Artisan Market at St. Stephen’s A new sermon series titled, “Yeah, but What About…?”,
you have a musical instrument collecting dust, there will be an instrument drive.
tmnaonline.org/run-the-grove. FIELD OF DREAMS O Athletik Join Friends of Field and Field PTO at O Athletik’s premier facility for Skills and Drills for kids with former Dynamo players (ages 4 and up), and family dodgeball and bubble soccer. There will be light bites and drinks including beer and wine for adults. Kids get a soccer ball and goodies. Proceeds will benefit Field Elementary’s playscape initiative. The event will be from 2-5 p.m. April 22, at O Athletik, 767 N. Shepherd Dr. The cost is $40 for adults, $20 for children (ages 4+), and littles (ages 0-3) are free. Information: friendsoffield@ gmail.com, 713-816-2870.
HEIGHTS GARDEN CLUB TOUR Melly McCutcheon’s Garden Heights Garden Club Tour will be at 10 a.m. April 14, at Melly McCutcheon’s garden, 1128 Harvard. She is a third generation gardener from Georgia. Her garden reflects a blend of her mother’s whimsy and her grandmother’s taste for formal flower beds. Information: heightsgardenclub.com. RUN THE GROVE 5K West 11th Street Park The Run the Grove 5K will begin and end at West 11th Street Park, located at 2400 West 11th St. in the heart of Timbergrove Manor. This year’s event will honor the memory of Dr. Lorraine Cherry and it is suggested to dress up as woodland creatures (both children and adults) as part of a tribute to her. The run will be April 14, and begins with registration at 7 a.m., followed by the 8 a.m. run. The kids fun run begins at 9 a.m. Information: www.
HARVEY AFTERMATH UPDATE Norhill Neighborhood Assoc. Join your neighbors to hear guest speaker Mark Collette, investigative reporter for the Houston Chronicle and co-writer of the seven–part series “Developing Storm”, at 6:30 p.m. April 24, at Proctor Plaza Community Center, 803 W. Temple. Collette
begins this Sunday, April 15, at the 8:30 and 11 a.m. services. The first in this 4-week series of sermons will address the question, “What About the Bad Things That Happen to Good People?” All are welcome. St. Stephen’s will host the Spring Artisan Market, benefiting the Animal Justice League of Oak Forest, Saturday, April 21, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the west sanctuary parking lot. The event will include vendors selling a variety of mostly handmade items, food trucks, live music and fun! St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church is located at 2003 W. 43rd St. For information, call 713-686-8241 or visit www.stsumc.org and the church’s Facebook page.
and Louis-Marie Fardet provide an illuminating program into the Baroque. The concert will be at 5 p.m. April 15. Free will offering admission. All Saints Catholic Church is located at 215 E. 10th St. Call 713-864-2653 or visit www.allsaintsheights.com for information. Teacher VBS Workshop at Greater First Baptist Greater First Baptist Church, 4441 Haygood St., will hold a Teacher Vacation Bible School Workshop from 9 a.m.-noon April 21. The community is welcome to attend. The theme is, “GodSquad - Special agents in action.” Pastor is Rev. Rory L. Thompson Sr. Call 713-695-7061 for information.
Bravura Concert Series at All Saints Join us for an evening filled with the enriching music of Bach, Handel, Scarlatti, and Frescobaldi. Dr. Jeong-Suk Bae
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The Obituaries. Dennis William Barbini,
79, born Jan. 22, 1939 in Hershey, Pa., died March 28. He served in the U.S. Army from 19611963. Barbini was employed in the insurance industry for 41 years - selling New York Life, underwriting at State Farm and marketing Germania in Brenham. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Frances Barbini, daughters Jennifer Guderyahn, Meg Barton, JoLynn Miller Knighton, and son Matt Miller, and six grandchildren. Visition will be 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Rosary 1 p.m. and funeral service is 1:30 p.m. April 14, at Pat H. Foley Funeral Home, 1200 W. 34th St.
Virgil Wallace Chatham Jr., 73, born Oct. 29, 1944,
died April 3. Chatham attended the University of St. Thomas on a baseball scholarship while majoring in Economics. He was employed with Xerox in their sales management program before joining Stewart & Stevenson, where he worked over the next
25 years. The last ten years had seen Virgil actively involved in the various Senior Softball leagues. He is survived by his devoted wife Janice and their two daughters Amy Lawson and Sarah Chatham. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
ees. He is survived by his brother Mitch, sister in-law Berta Jacobs, and sister Mary Jacobs, as well as numerous cousins, Houston friends and Las Vegas friends where he resided for 10 years. Funeral services begin at noon on Sunday, April 15, at Pat H. Foley Funeral Home, 1200 W. 34th St.
Verla Mae Coleman, 99, born March 21, 1919, died April 5. She is a 1941 graduate of The University of Houston, the first graduating class on the present campus. Coleman was employed as a teacher and retired from Galena Park School District. She was a longtime member of Garden Oaks Baptist Church. She is survived by her daughter Ann Wolfer, son Ron Coleman, two granddaughters, and a greatgrandson.
Nora Lee (Neeley) Rightmer, 88, born Dec. 26, 1929 in
Donald Paul Jacobs, 49, born Feb. 7, 1969 in Houston, died March 29. Himself, his Mother Betty, and brother Mitch all were former Leader employ-
713-864-1470
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Jeddo, Texas, died March 24. She had a vibrant spirit and a unique style. She is survived by Ray Rightmer, sister Ozelle Brannaka, daughter Marilyn Elliott, son Lloyd Rightmer, grandchild Dustin Breese and two grandchildren Ben and Ethan Breese.
Mollie Polly Scholbe, 85, born Oct. 24, 1932, died April 3. She is survived by her two daughters Lorrie and Kaylynn, her brother Johnny, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
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n recent years there has been a significant reduction in pet visits to veterinarians despite an increase in pet populations. Data shows common and preventable diseases in pets have been increasing. This shift from preventative care to reactive care typically costs more if pets are to stay healthy or alive. One driving force behind this trend, besides the recession, is dependence on the Internet. Pet owners often look online first if their pet is ill. This delay means pets are far worse off when they finally get to the vet, therefore costs are much greater, some cannot be saved and euthanasia rates are up significantly. Although reliable Internet sites can provide knowledge they can not deliver know-how, experience or action for quick and proper treatment. Soon, it will be puppy parvovirus season again. Thousands of the cutest puppies will die needlessly as they do every spring. This killer disease is easily prevented with basic vaccines. With increasing mosquitoes, thousands of cats and dogs will acquire heartworms despite available prescription preventatives. All pets deserve at least an annual veterinary exam and consultation on their individual basic health care needs. To understand optimal preventative healthcare for your pet visit: www.pethealthpartnership.org. If your pet is ill, do not delay. Make an appointment and then research online.
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have been making stellar California wine since 2008. Join us as we welcome Kagan Cellars (and our neighbors) for a very special wine dinner at 6:30 p.m. April 26, where Mark and Emily will launch the brand new 2014 vintage of their award winning Stagecoach Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The cost is $100 per person (includes dinner and wine). Reserve a spot by calling 713-861-8666 or email marc.borel@rainbow-lodge.com.
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will address the Norhill Neighborhood Association monthly general meeting and some of the big questions about Harvey. Neighboring communities of Norill are welcome. Information: facebook. com/pg/Norhill.org/posts/
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efore moving down to Garden Oaks, my family and I lived in Humble. Friends from out of state used to say, “Humble Texas, isn’t that an oxymoron?” Here in Texas we are not generally known for our humility. As Texans, we are proud to say, “Everything is bigger in Texas.” We like big, bold, and bodacious! Humility is often seen as a bad thing or at best a weak thing. It is interesting to note that God’s Word tells how Jesus Christ, the one who created this world and everything in it, who came to this earth, lived a perfect life, and then died on the cross for our sins only rise from the dead three days later, was known for His humility. In Phil 2 the Bible says that Jesus humbled himself. In John 3, John the Baptist, who Jesus called the greatest man that ever lived, humbled himself before Jesus. Humility is taught throughout the Bible and yet it is not often practiced today. We are proud people and like things done our way. Pride as always been a problem but it was noticed as much because people had pride in their own individuality and strength to accomplish things. This seemed to work as long as people left each other alone. Today pride often shows its ugly head through entitlement. People think they are entitled to a certain standard of living, or entitled to be treated a certain way by everyone else. Entitlement is rooted in pride but contentment Is rooted in humility. I am thankful to live in Texas. I love our state. I want to live as Jesus lived though and be willing to humble myself to God and to the authorities He has placed in my life. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Humble yourself before the Lord and He will exalt you in due time.
Page 6A • Saturday, April 14, 2018 • The Leader
New Pet Owner Gets The Low-Down on Flea Prevention likely that many other immature flea life stages, such as eggs, larvae, and cocoons, are occuring in the pet owner’s home and yard. Thus, an efficient flea treatment and prevention plan includes caring for both the pet and the pet’s environment. However, it is important to note that no flea treatment plan shows immediate results, so it is important for pet owners to be patient and continue routine care for flea prevention. Out of Sight But Not Out of Mind (Or the Carpet!) Dr. Adam Patterson, clinical assistant professor and chief of dermatology at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, explains the importance of treating both pets and their environment for fleas. “The adult fleas owners see on their pet is just the tip of the iceberg, as those fleas come from immature and unseen flea life stages in the carpet, area rugs, upholstery, dog beds, and shady
Dear Tabby, We are new dog owners. So far this year, we haven’t seen any fleas but know that spring and summer seem to be peak “flea-season.” How can we be prepared for dealing with fleas on our pet and in our home? Fearful of Fleas in Forest West Dear Fearful of Fleas, The best piece of advice that I can offer you on flea prevention is to stop a flea problem before it has a chance to begin. Controlling fleas is a multi-step process and often involves assistance from your veterinarian, especially in severe cases. For every flea an owner finds on their pet, it is
places outdoors,” Patterson said. “Depending on environmental conditions, it may take a couple of weeks to months for all of the eggs to hatch, so if you don’t keep regularly administering flea prevention to all fur-bearing animals in your home, you are giving fleas an opportunity to come right back on your pet.” Make Hospitable Flea Environments Inhospitable Hopefully you can stay ahead of a flea infestation with flea treatments for your pet (more on that below), but in the event that the fleas take over, owners can treat their homes and yards in simple ways. For an indoor environment, vacuum thoroughly below drapes, under furniture, and where the pet sleeps. Be sure to remove and discard the vacuum waste bag after every use until the flea infestation is resolved. Washing the pet’s bedding on a weekly basis can also help in flea prevention. Controlling fleas in the great outdoors includes disturbing
Pet of the Week
flea habitats to prevent adult fleas from developing. To do this, veterinarians recommended targeting the moist, warm, and shady areas in the yard where there is organic debris, such as leaves. Fleas also populate in areas where pets spend much of their time, such as under patios, porches, and outdoor kennels. Disturb these breeding ground areas by raking, sweeping, and applying an insecticide. Choose The Flea Treatment That Is Right For Your Pet There are many flea control products for pets on the market, including flea collars, once-amonth topical spot-on treatments, and oral tablets. Patterson suggests that pet owners consult their veterinarian in choosing the most effective flea treatment for their furry friend, as treatment for the pet is the most important step in good flea control. Do you have a question for Tabby? If so, email her at dear tabbyquestions@gmail.com.
Meet Brandie
This sweet girl is a little over a year old and lived on the streets for much of her life. Luckily, this blended calico, frontpaw declawed gal was rescued and had the good fortune of landing in a foster home where she is awaiting her fresh start. Brandie is a friendly and independent stunner who would do wonderfully in a home with warm laps and gentle hands--could that be your home? To learn more, go to www. saveacatrescue.org.
Neighbors: Mongeon creates interactive Alice in Wonderland sculpture By Elizabeth Villarreal
Park this week. Visitors to the sculpture can bring their lunch and have a picnic with Alice, The Mad Hatter, March Hare, Cheshire Cat and Dormouse. The artist encourages visitors to search for the many hidden items in the scene. Mongeon has hidden 150 elements in honor of the 150th anniversary of the classic novel throughout the detailed sculpture pieces. Mongeon says it is an interactive piece. There will be a special celebration and reveal at Evelyn’s Park on Earthday, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. April 21. Clint and Kristi Anders of Oak Forest are proud to an-
elizasgarden@outlook.com
Congratulations to Bridgette Mongeon, a gifted sculptor and our own neighbor in Kentwood Manor, who has gained worldwide attention with her extraordinary Alice in Wonderland sculpture project which has been in the making six years and has just arrived back in Houston from the foundry. Finally, the fantastic and monumental sculpture of Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter Tea Party painstakingly created by Mongeon was installed in Bellaire’s Evelyn Rubenstein
both Psychology and Economics. Chace’s family and friends will be celebrating with him for a Fightin’ Texas Aggie Ring Dunk and BBQ at their home Saturday, Apr. 28. He will be the first person in his family to graduate from college and Chace’s family could not be more proud! GiGi’s Playhouse Houston invites you and your family to join in for Family Game Night on Friday, April 20, at Eureka Heights Brewery located at 941 W. 18th St. from 5-10 p.m. Eureka is donating 10% of all proceeds for the evening to GiGi’s Playhouse Houston. There will be games all evening and
Bridgette Mongeon with her fantastical sculpture, Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter Tea Party in Evelyn’s Park.
nounce that their son, Chace Daniel, will be receiving his Aggie Ring from Texas A&M University on April 14, in Col-
lege Station. Chace graduated from Waltrip High School in 2014. He will be graduating A&M this year with majors in
Bingo at 6:30 p.m. For information about Family Game Night, email houston@gigisplayhouse.org. Wainwright Elementary is having an outdoor habitat workday on April 14, from 9 a.m. to noon. Easy tasks and heavy lifting tasks – there will be something for everyone, but everyone will make a difference! Also – mark your calendars for Earth Day at Wainwright from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. April 21. Enjoy Earth Day activities such as flower plantings, taking home a planted seed, feeding fish in the pond, and more.
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The Leader • Saturday, April 14, 2018 • Page 7A
ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR
Art Valet: HISD has record number of Parade Entries
14th annual crawfish Boil 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, April 14 McIntyre’s – 1230 W. 20th St. Join the 14th annual crawfish boil celebration under the covered patio at McIntyre’s! Together with The Friends of CanCare, an organization whose slogan is fighting cancer with hope, who have been planning the silent auction! Entry is $40 a person in advance, and $50 a person at the door. There is valet parking, a parking lot and street parking. If you can’t make it, think about sending a wine donation!
Mitch Cohen Art Columnist
Not all that many years ago, the possibility of doing anything other than Art Car Weekend was unfathomable to me. It was not just about the parade, it was the plethora of activities leading up to the big event from the
even has a Fine Arts Department. Polidore sent me some details about the parade and HISD’s participation this year. “This year, HISD will be represented by an unprecedented 18 works of art and 21 campuses in The Houston Art Car Parade, held Saturday along Allen Parkway,� Polidore said in an email. “The Art Car process engages and fosters student achievement, builds the campus commu-
an Technology (CATE) Programs. “The donation of multiple vehicles by the public, a revival of old Art Cars gifted by the Art Car Community, parent groups pioneering efforts, combining Elementary and High School programs to build a car, a first year teacher building her first Art Car with her elementary art students, Campuses/Arts Partners and of course our very own Defending Mayor’s Cup Winners Heights High School
age you to visit thehoustonartcarparade.com before heading out for the parade. I’m fully confident, dear Reader, that you will find a way to work out both visiting The Houston Art Car Parade and my Market at Sawyer Yards. The outdoor curated craft market is approaching its 2 year anniversary in May. I don’t want you to miss out on some incredible art finds. Plus, the plethora of fine artists in the now eight studio
buildings that surround the market will have their studios open noon to 5 p.m. I’ve got food trucks, music and links to all the art studios on the website at sawyerstreetmarket.com. See you there! Cohen is an artist and founder of First Saturday Arts Market and the new Market at Sawyer Yards, find him at ArtValet.com.
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Something new to try for lunch Charity cornhole tournament 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, April 14 Bobcat Teddy’s Icehouse – 2803 White Oak Dr. Come out for the first ever cornhole tournament at Bobcat Teddy’s! The Family Hope Center of Aldine Young Professionals will be hosting the event. Prizes will be given to the winners, as well as drink specials at the bar. If you’re not a winner or you’re not on a team, you can still gain access to the drink specials and a raffle ticket for just $5. To play in the tournament a team of two is $20.
Burger and art market 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday, April 15 Balls Out Burger – 1603 N. Durham Dr. Enjoy Sunday afternoon at Balls Out Burger and Shop Local Market’s “burger & art� monthly market. There will be burgers, beer, and friends on the patio of the new Balls Our Burger location in the Heights. The vendors and artist that will be in attendance are, Labels Vintage Streetwear, Pop Soap, Tree Climber Creations, The Pink Swan Shop, and more.
packet pickup, to the awards ceremony the day after. The Art Car parade is this Saturday and I won’t be there. Hell hath frozen over! The truth is, I found my calling or passion if you will in art markets and my Market at Sawyer Yards happens to be Saturday, as well. If there were some way to circumvent the hundreds of thousands of spectators, park, view, hoot and holler and return to my show in a painstakingly short period of time, I’d do it. Does anyone have a helicopter? My friend Rickey F. Polidore Jr., (Art Valet, Dec. 2, 2017 issue) has art car fever. Polidore, if you recall, is a Visual Arts Curriculum Specialist in the Fine Arts Department at HISD. How cool is that? I mean both Polidore’s title and the fact that HISD
Oh! presents Candide 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday, April 15 Opera in the Heights – 1703 Heights Blvd.
Above, GONZO247, Dr. Lathan, (Interim Superintendent HISD), Rickey Polidore, Chandel Hancock. To the left, Students assist at Carnegie Vanguard High School: Viviana Collymore, Rickey F. Polidore Jr., and Cason Hancock. (contributed photos)
nity, and incorporates both foundation and core enrichment instruction; preparing our students for the Global Economy with including but not limited to: Public Speaking Skills, Visual Art Training, Technological Awareness, and a thorough understanding of the Scientific Method.� Some of this year’s highlights are the partnerships between campuses Visual Arts Programs and Career
Cavatore’s
Come see the performance of Candide! Based off Voltaire’s satirical novel, Candide takes its title character and its audience on a thrilling and absurd journey of laughs, hardship, and life lessons. With a brilliant score by Leonard Bernstein, the performance has become a favorite of opera lovers and lovers of more popular forms of musical theatre.
lunch dumplingS Starting at $6.50!
and Black MS Student Entry Winners,� Polidore said. Okay, it’s safe to say that Polidore “owns� this now! This year Polidore has his 6th car in the parade. Visit blogs.houstonisd.org and in the search bar type art car, click on the first blog post and get more details about all the schools participating. For parade info, I highly encour-
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Learn sewing basics 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday, April 15 Sparrow and The Nest – 802 Ralfallen At this three-hour workshop, you’ll gain a better understanding of a sewing machine and how it works, especially what knob does what, and learn basic sewing skills on the machine. You’ll work on a simple project with material made of cotton and turn it into a cute tote bag. And once you leave you can have the confidence in jumping into beginner projects at home! Included in the workshop is the material for the tote bag project, personal instruction by Sarah Gabbart, refreshments and small bites to eat. Note that you will have to bring your own sewing machine from home, and if you don’t have one make sure to call Sparrow and The Nest beforehand to see if they can arrange a loaner.
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Page 8A • Saturday, April 14, 2018 • The Leader
Flood from P. 1A tures within the 100-year and 500-year floodplain would not have flooded with the new rule. More than 31,000 homes in Council Districts A, C, and H (which encompass many of our local neighborhoods) within the 100 and 500-year floodplain suffered damage from Harvey’s wrath according to city data. The change will impact mostly new or planned development once it goes into effect Sept. 1. According to Johnson, changes will impact nearly 187,000 parcels of land, including nearly 86,000 not previously regulated under Chapter 19. “If we follow these requirements, extreme flooding [like Harvey] will have less of a chance of impacting new buildings moving forward,” she said. Split room Council initially postponed a vote during an early morning session April 4; but following several hours of debate, they ultimately passed the measure by the slimmest of margins. Voting against the measure were council members Mike Knox, Mike Laster, Brenda Stardig (District A), Mike Kubosh, Steve Le, Jack Christie and Greg
Travis. Stardig, whose District includes Lazybrook and Timbergrove, previously said her opposition stance is a simple one; she believes the changes to be incomplete. “Some of the changes to Chapter 19 will be a good first step, but the changes do not consider the whole picture. I am hesitant to support anything without seeing the bigger picture, specifically a timeline to implement all the other necessary changes,” she said prior to the vote. “I also want to see the proposed changes to Chapter 19 align more closely with the recent changes made by Harris County. This is not a one-size-fits-all situation. We need better data that shows how much money we are asking people to invest into these proposed changes. I want to make sure that people are not going to be asked to spend money on changes that do not adequately address the problem.” Among the nine council members expressing support for the ordinance were local representatives Karla Cisneros (District H) and Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Cohen (District C). “The passage [of the Chap-
ter 19 floodplain ordinance] represented a defining moment,” said Cisneros, whose District includes portions of the Greater Heights, Independence Heights, and Near Northside. “This is an issue we simply could not kick down the road for another 17 years. This was about making difficult, but responsible, choices. We need to build higher, and we need to do that responsibly.” Cisneros acknowledged that imperfections remain in the proposal; but still believes it represents a step in the right direction, and said initial action is preferable to no action. “If we put off making decisions for another year, two years, or possibly four years for better maps, data, and the benefit of hindsight, could we be more accurate? Of course, we could, but at what cost? I believe the ordinance as proposed strikes a balance and is practical, reasonable, and a good substantive start on mitigating the risks of flooding,” she said. District C, which includes many local neighborhoods, has been among the hardest hit district over the last several years, with some being hit by all three events. Harvey
move forward with enforcement of the ordinance,” the mayor said. What you can do Part of the delay in addressing a particular encampment might be confusion about whose jurisdiction it is under. “I was told that it is the responsibility of the 290 build out crew to clean these camps under 290 out,” said Alexie Swirsky. “I called them a few years ago and they did come and remove the furniture. One lady was sleeping in a recliner.” “I think this is really the core issue,” said Caroline Carrillo. “Whose responsibility is it? In my situation that was part of the hold up to take action. They had to meet to determine whose property was what, and in my case the flood control or railroad.” Jessi Heiner said that when she sees homeless encampments, she’s had the best response from emailing different teams within the Houston Police Department, including the HPD Homeless Outreach Team, or the Crisis Intervention Team. Heiner says the North Division has a Differential Response Team too. For specific contacts in the Mental Health Division visit http://www.houstoncit.org. “From personal experience, all units have been very helpful with these situations,” she said. “They often work and communicate well together when their areas overlap. They are really compassion-
ate and help shepherd individuals into homeless shelters and drug rehab programs. It’s pretty incredible.” Deputy Press Secretary Tanya Makany-Rivera told The Leader that they will continue to work with city departments, local non-profit agencies and the Houston Police Department to place encampment residents in short-term and long-term housing. “We also discourage residents from dropping off large items to homeless encampments as these items will not be permitted and often present a public health nuisance to the surrounding community,” she said. If residents see illegal activity taking place at a homeless encampment, they should call the HPD non-emergency number at 713-884-3131. Those wanting to help the homeless with a monetary donation are encouraged to visit meaningfulchange.org where they can buy a welcome basket with necessary supplies for a newly housed individual or family. Parents on the Oak Forest Parent Resource page shared how they engage their children to help. Pippa Evans and her kids have a counter clicker which they click for every homeless person they see. They assign an amount to each person and donate each month to meaningful change. Others do supply drives or volunteer at the Houston Food Bank.
According to Scientific American magazine gas stations can still pose hazards to nearby neighbors. Dangers include ground-level ozone caused in part by gasoline fumes and groundwater hazards from petroleum products leaking into the ground. Additionally, some neighbors say the general impact can be greater on quality of life and depends on how well a station or convenience store is maintained. However, gas stations must follow stringent modern health and safety guidelines. Zoning is also used by many local governments to guide growth to locations where benefits are maximized with minimal harm to quality of life. “It depends how well kept up they are. They need to be diligent about chasing off the panhandlers,” said Candlelight Plaza resident Jeff Berlat. “I feel like the convenience stores are fine and welcome as long as they aren’t partnered with smoke shops and liquor stores,” Oak Forest resident Eric Ochoa added. “No
offense to smoke shops and liquor stores, but sadly they tend to bring down the demographic in the area.” Others see no current or future issue with the clustering, given that no station physically sits on a residential street. And even in a city such as Houston which has no strict zoning regulations, the Community and Environmental Defense Service calls it difficult to envision a situation where a convenience store and gas station would be a compatible use in or adjacent to a residential area. “How is this even an issue? Durham is not a residential street. All of the gas stations/ convenience stores are going in on non-residential streets like Pinemont, and the new one on the 290 feeder [road] at Milwee,” Oak Forest resident Fred Heller said. “Now if someone wanted to build a gas station on Nina Lee, I would have problem with it. But no one is doing that, and it wouldn’t make good business sense to do so.”
impacted more than 12,000 homes in Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Timbergrove, the Heights, Lazybrook and beyond. “We had to do something; to do nothing would truly have been the definition of insanity – it’s expecting a different result [with the same process]. We simply had to move forward,” Cohen said. “We’re also talking about an additional reservoir, expand-
ing the bayous and homes that can be built upstream. It’s about a number of things to ensure we don’t get caught the way we did with Harvey.” However, as evidenced by the final margin, there remained plenty of unrest. Many public speakers commented in opposition to the ordinance, while some realtors and developers also opposed Turner’s proposed
amendments. According to a report from our media partners at KHOU, an amendment by councilmember Jack Christie would require putting new building elevation two feet above the 100-year level and exempted some homes that didn’t previously flood was also voted down over insurance concerns.
Homeless from P. 1A Houston. A quarter of surveyed homeless reported no income, and 20 percent reported panhandling for income In a February letter to a concerned constituent, the mayor said that, “our homeless population today may be smaller than five years ago, but it is a different population that is more condensed and located in highly visible public spaces.” Because of the health and safety dangers, the City Council passed an encampment ordinance prohibiting tents and large amounts of personal items on public property. The ACLU then filed a lawsuit to stop the city, but the ordinance was upheld by a federal judge in December of 2017. The case has been scheduled for trial for later this year. The judge wrote in part: “Since the (temporary restraining order) has been in effect, instances of homeless persons having been seriously injured or killed at or near the encampment sites have been reported; trash and waste have accumulated, causing health hazards for both the general public as well as the inhabitants of the encampment sites...The sites have no plumbing, sanitation or trash pick-up.” Mayor Turner expressed gratitude for the ruling. “My staff, including my special assistant for homeless initiatives, and Houston Police Department commanders will meet to decide how to
Expansion from P. 1A which often times results in clustering due to observance of success from other stores. And though the number of retail fueling sites in the U.S. fell from 202,800 to 152,995 — a 25 percent decline – between 1994 and 2013 and down to 150,000 in 2015 according to the National Association of Convenience Stores, the clustering principle has not wavered. Several residents shared the sentiment that the principle applies not just to gas stations, but also chains such as Wal-Mart, CVS, Kroger and others. “If a store is doing well the similar stores will move in to try and have the same success. It’s the nature of business and is at the heart of the fast food business,” Michael Duffy said. “It’s no mystery why they are opening – there are just more people in the hood then there used to be.” “[This is] capitalism at its finest. Free enterprise not restricted by government rules and regulations. The American way,” Chad Cox added.
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