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Saturday, November 8, 2014 • Vol. 60 • No. 53

A GREEN Evolution?

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Photo by Betsy Denson The future Studemont Junction announces itself as a mixed use development with restaurant and retail space available.

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FIND IT. HANDYMAN SAVES YOU MONEY: Plumbing, electrical, carpentry. 281-660-0350. I WOULD LIKE TO SIT WITH YOUR LOVED ONE: Available 24/7. References. Call Trudy, 713-791-8477. FOR SALE - TOYOTA AVALON XLS: 1995 Model. $1,400. Reliable. 713-805-2580. GARAGE SALE: 939 W. 31st, Friday/Saturday, open 8 a.m. Handmade craft items, electric oven roaster, blue willow, miscellaneous.

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LOOK INSIDE. Five ways to jump start your fall ﬁtness routine

The weather is cooler and the holiday season, with all its attendant stresses, approaches. There’s no better time to get active and maybe get a two month jump on those New Year’s Resolutions. Find some ideas from Leader readers who recently chimed in on social media with their favorite fall ﬁtness activities.

Find our story on page 2B

How Houston’s One-Bin For All program might lead to a cleaner future By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com For Laura Spanjian, Sustainability Director for the City of Houston, tackling the city’s abysmal recycling and waste diversion rates is a gargantuan challenge. According to the city, about 81 percent of waste is diverted to landfills across the region versus the national average of about 66 percent. Of the 19 remaining percent diverted from landfills, only 6 percent comes from recycling, leaving 13 percent from the city’s mandatory yard waste compostable bag program. It’s something city officials like Spanjian hope to address with the potential adoption of its One Bin for All program, which aims to collect waste from residents in a unified bin which would then be diverted to facilities focused on sorting and recycling a multitude of different materials. “Clearly, the low recycling rate has been the biggest driving force behind this project,” Spanjian said. “The other big driver has been innovation and new technologies. Throughout many sectors, Houston has been trying to be innovative, but for waste we obviously haven’t been.” The One Bin for All program seeks to innovate recycling by allowing Houston residents to place all trash, recyclables and

compostables into one collection bin, Spanjian said. In 2013, the concept for the program received attention from the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge, where it was selected as winner out of a large pool of applicant cities and resulted in the city receiving $1 million to help pursue the idea. “We’re trying very hard to change our image as a city and improve the quality of life when it comes to things like air quality and pollution in general,” Spanjian said. “This is going to be a big step forward for us.

What numbers we could see after 1 year with One Bin For All

New Potential

In 2011, Spanjian and other ofﬁcials traveled to parts of Europe as part of a research initiative to help improve waste diversion. “In many parts of Europe, cities are so land constrained so they have to be creative with what they do with their waste,” Spanjian said. The group also turned to other parts of the nation for inspiration, including Montgomery, AL, which has a one-bin system and a corresponding facility which has helped divert 60 percent of waste from local landﬁlls since opening, Spanjian said. “We’ve been there several times now and it looks like a big

What we could see after 2 years

See One-bin, P. 5A

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American Legion Post 560 Chili Cook-oﬀ, back at it again By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader

THE INDEX. Church

Waste Diversion Rates

It’s been two years since the 153,000square-foot Walmart Supercenter opened inside the 610 Loop at Yale and Koehler streets, but that hasn’t been the last of big retail and residential developments along the I-10/Washington Corridor – a fact that causes many nearby residents no small amount of unease. The 150,000 square foot Yale Street Market, 195 Yale St, which will occupy the site of the former San Jacinto Stone Company, is currently under construction. The plans from the Retail Connection, the leasing agent, show an eight acre development with rooftop parking. Signed tenants include LA Fitness, Sprouts Farmers Market, Guitar Center, and World Market. And then there’s the 15-acre mixed use development Studemont Junction, at I-10 and Studemont, which is replacing the Grocers Supply distribution center. According to the leasing agent’s web site, phase one of the development will bring a mix of retail, dining, and amenities, while phase two is a 400 unit multifamily housing development that will “reinforce the urban character of the site and will encourage heavy pedestrian activity along the corridor.” Now comes word of the approaching sale of the 21 acre Tarkett site at 2728 Summer, between Studemont and Sawyer streets south of 1-10, behind the Target. Texas Tile Manufacturing, which has occupied the location since the 1930s, is relocating to Alabama. According to the Harris County Appraisal District, the value of the manufacturing and warehouse space is $14 million. But the land, so close to the Heights and downtown, might go for more. There is no asking price attached to the parcel. Conrad Bernard of Boyd Commercial, said that potential buyers have until noon on November 14 to submit an offer. “It’s pretty commonplace to let the market decide,” said Bernard, who said that although there’s been interest from those looking to do retail and multifamily housing, there are no offers in yet. “That’s pretty typical two weeks out.” He noted there was a possibility that the owner would get ﬁnancial assistance from the City of Houston for sewer upgrades and trafﬁc alleviation. Bernard also said the highest offer may not be the winning one. Since Texas Tile Manufacturing has a move date, the ability for the bidder to close the deal is

“My favorite part of the cook-off, is seeing how diverse our community really is,” American Legion Post Commander Tony Moreno said. “The event is also a great way for people who are new to the area, to get to meet their neighbors.” Moreno is referring to the American Legion Post 560 Chili Cook-off held each year to celebrate Veterans Day at 3720 Alba St. in Garden Oaks. The Sons of the American Legion, or SAL, hosts the wildly successful event in honor of American veterans, and it generally turns out to be the block party of the season.

File photo by Michael Sudhalter Ret. U.S. Army. Capt. Marcos Garcia, left, and friend, Mark Rosenfelder, enjoy barbecuing outside Garcia’s apartment last year. Garcia, a member of American Legion Post 560 in Garden Oaks, served as a platoon leader in Mosul, Iraq in 2007-08.

Starting at noon on Saturday, Nov. 15, the two acres on which Post 560 sits will be occupied by more than 100 competitors in chili-cooking, beanmaking, Bloody Mary-blending “and a few surprises,” stated Moreno, laughing. Tasting cups of each recipe are available for $1, so attendees can graze all day if they wish. In addition, visitors will find pulled pork sandwiches, tee-shits, games, raffles, a live Veteran’s band, and all kinds of activities. The party is open to all and there is no admission charge. And the best part? It’s a fully volunteer event with all proceeds benefiting the DeBakey VA Medical Center, Breast See Veterans P. 2A

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

Deputies investigating copper wire thefts The Right Agent... On Oct. 28 Deputies were dispatched to a Panic Alarm in the 600 block of Oxford. Upon arrival, the homeowner reported she and her mother were home when a unknown male walked up to her front door, knocked and continued to knock. She reported the male was with a second male in a dark colored Tahoe / Yukon type vehicle. The reportee stated the male walked back to the truck several times and returned

knocking at the door, holding some type of white bag. The unknown male was wearing a hat with his head down at all times. Her camera system was not able to capture a face shot. When the male would not leave she pressed her alarm to scare the male away. The male stayed for a few more seconds after the alarm was pressed and then left the scene. Upon the officers arrival the suspect was gone. HPD Officers and our Depu-

ties checked the area for the suspect.

Copper wire taken from new home

On Thursday October 30, 2014 Deputies were dispatched to a Theft of a Building in the 500 block of W. 17th St. Upon arrival the complainant advised that the new home under construction was broken into sometime during the night and all the installed copper wire

was pulled and removed from the home. There are no suspects nor witnesses to this incident. A report was generated and the case referred to the Houston Police Department of investigation.

OCT. 23 OCT. 24

Theft 8:40 AM 1000-1099 W 20TH ST ST Burglary 6:30 AM 4100-4199 MARINA Theft 2 PM 800-899 W 19TH ST Theft 12 PM 2500-2599 YALE ST Theft 8:40 AM 1000-1099 W 20TH ST

OCT. 25

Burglary 6:11 AM 200-299 W 6TH ST Theft 7:50 AM 7400-7499 N SHEPHERD DR Theft 5:30 PM 500-599 E 23RD ST Robbery 3:49 PM 1600-1699 W T C JESTER BLVD Theft 6 PM 4500-4599 FEAGAN ST Burglary 1 PM 6300-6399 N SHEPHERD DR Assault 8:27 AM 700-799 W 16TH ST Burglary 11:20 AM 5600-5699 YALE

OCT. 26

Burglary 6:30 AM 3000-3099 YALE Theft 3:54 PM 4900-4999 N SHEPHERD DR Theft 5:15 PM 1000-1099 W MELWOOD ST Theft 8:06 AM 900-999 BAYLAND AVE Theft 5:30 PM 6300-6399 WALTWAY Burglary 8 AM 0-99 ELLA BLVD Theft 5 PM 1200-1299 PINEMONT Robbery 10:39 AM 4400-4499 W 18TH ST Theft 2:22 PM 1800-1899 W 43RD ST Robbery 7:53 PM 200-299 CROSSTIMBERS Assault 8:53 PM 5300-5399 WERNER Robbery 7:14 PM 4200-4299

KIAM Theft 12:42 AM 3000-3099 ELLA Theft 10 AM 200-299 NORVIEW Theft 3:19 AM 500-599 W 20TH DR ST Theft 6:15 AM 1000-1099 W Donate a new, unwrapped toy 9TH ST Theft 1 PM 2700-2799 W 18TH ST Now3 through November Concealed Handgun Theft PM 3100-3199 WHITE 30 to help local Classes OAK DR kids enjoy the holiday season! SHERWOOD LN

OCT. 27

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Robbery 4:49 AM 100-199 E CROSSTIMBERS Theft 2:08 AM 1800-1899 DURHAM DR Theft 10:02 AM 1700-1799 STONECREST DR Robbery 4:56 PM 300-399 DELZ ST Burglary 12:52 PM 2400-2499 E T C JESTER Theft 7:11 AM 1600-1699 N SHEPHERD DR

OCT. 28

Theft 10:29 AM 100-199 W 20TH ST Theft 11:56 AM 700-799 NICHOLSON Robbery 1:25 PM 1400-1499 E 34TH ST Theft 7 AM 2100-2199 TANNEHILL DR Theft 4:30 PM 1300-1399 W 20TH ST Theft 5:30 PM 5800-5899 LARKIN

OCT. 29

Theft 11 AM 900-999 LAWRENCE ST Burglary 5:20 AM 5200-5299

OCT. 30

Theft 4:40 PM 3800-3899 DACOMA ST Theft 8 AM 3800-3899 SHERWOOD LN Burglary 4:31 PM 2400-2499 MANGUM Theft 6:17 PM 600-699 OXFORD ST Theft 12:14 PM 4700-4799 W 34TH ST Theft 12:01 PM 4000-4099 YALE Burglary 10:31 AM 100-199 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 11 AM 200-299 E CROSSTIMBERS

much of the organization of the cook-off falls to him each year. “It takes a lot of work, and many hours to put on because it’s large,” Limas stated. “It’s a matter of remembering to do again what you did right last year, and not repeat what you did wrong.” “This year, we expect to donate a $6,000 check but, then again, we do this sort of thing a lot here at the post; it’s just another day at the ofﬁce for us Legionnaires,” he stated. And, after all that work, what is Commander Limas’ favorite part of the cook-off ? “The day after,” he concluded with a laugh. To learn more about the event, or to enter the competition, visit americanlegion-

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Help us support

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

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Toys for Tots drive now through November 30.

Please drop off new, unwrapped, unopened toys to help our neighborhood children have a great Christmas.

Wreaths Across America donations accepted through November 21. Wreaths are $15 that will be placed at the Houston National Cemetery to honor our veterans this Christmas season.

OCT. 31

Theft 6 PM 1100-1199 THOMPSON Theft 8 AM 800-899 PINEMONT DR Assault 6:43 PM 700-799 E 37TH ST Theft 7 AM 1800-1899 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 2:30 AM 100-199 E 2ND ST Burglary 3:23 AM 800-899 E WHITNEY Burglary 3:02 PM 3700-3799 WATONGA

NOV. 1

Theft 7 AM 700-799 PEDDIE ST Theft 7:55 AM 1200-1299 HARVARD ST Reports are provided by SpotCrime. com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

Veterans from P. 1A Cancer Program. “The cook-off is big; hundreds of veterans and members of the community attend each year and It’s one of the largest cook-offs in our area,” Post 560 member, Janet McGowan said. “I think part of the reason for the success is because the cook-off is entertaining,” Moreno said. “There is a ‘People’s Choice’ award, everyone gets to choose that winner, and a ‘Best Showmanship’ award. The showmanship can get pretty outrageous. Even the names the cooking teams choose for themselves are entertaining, some I’d rather not repeat,” he stated, laughing. Jose (J.J.) Limas is the Commander of the SAL, and

Jan Clark, J.D.

Please report any suspicious activity to local Law Enforcement.

Police Reports • Oct. 23 - Nov. 1 Robbery 7:16 AM 700-799 N LOOP W

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post560.org/American_Legion_Post_560/Home.html The Shepherd Forest Civic Club will also be honoring local veterans at its general meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 17. The group is calling on residents to invite friends or family members who have served in the armed forces out to a program and tribute paying homage to their time serving their country. Residents are also encouraged to bring a framed photo to help remember them too, and civic club President Jennifer Woodruff said the event will be BYOT, or bring your own tissue. The meeting will be held inside Temple Oaks Baptist Church at 2101 W. 34th Street.

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FOOD, DRINK & ART Saturday, November 8, 2014 • Page 3A

Novembeerfest is back at Catty Corner Ice House Thirsty Explorer Join the gentlemen of the Connoisseurs Club of Smoking and Drinking for the 19th annual Novembeerfest. It’s going down on Saturday, November 8 at Catty Corner Ice House, 895 Wakeﬁeld. This is one of the largest home brew festivals, and it’s not to be missed. A donation of only

$20 gets you a full day of free beer, free food, and live music from local artists. This year’s lineup includes DeadEnd Cowboys, Linus Pauling Quartet, The Wind Ups, and Project Grimm. Traditional german brats will be provided, along with sauerkraut and potato salad. Pub Night at Saint Arnold’s Pub Night returns to Saint Arnold’s this Friday, Nov. 8,

and as always, there will be a selection of limited release beers for you to enjoy. Pumpkinator 2014, Bishop’s Barrel No. 2 and cask conditioned Christmas Ale will all be available, along with special treats from the kitchen. On Pub Nights, the tour hall is strictly open as a bar and you choose what you want to purchase. There’s no entry fee for the evening, so you can choose beers by the individual glass or bottle. Pub Nights are strictly 21 and up.

2nd Annual Walk The Vine Beer & Wine Festival Crisp Houston is hosting their second Walk The Vine Beer & Wine Festival, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 2220 Bevis St. 77008 and if Mr. Cash could attend himself, he would on Nov. 16. Admission tickets start at $5 for kids and $10 for adults. Ticket purchases come with a festival T-shirt, entry into the rafﬂe and a portion of the proceeds go to Friends For Life Animal Rescue and Adoption Organization. Beer and wine tickets are $6. Con-

ﬁrmed vendors are: Karbach, St. Arnold’s, Buffalo Bayou, Benvolio, Thorny Rose, Haras, Guenoc and Elsa Bianchi, Constellation, Glazers & Pioneer. Barnaby’s joins the Heights crew on White Oak After City Oven closed their doors this year, Barnaby’s Cafe took over as the new tenants at 2802 White Oak. The cafe opened their doors Oct. 30, just in time for Halloween and fall diners and drinkers. The menu will feature your usual

Barnaby’s favorites and on Tuesdays the Heights location will feature $2 house wine and all beers. Happy Hour at Texas Enchilada House Enchiladas aren’t the only thing on the menu at Texas Enchilada House, located at 302 W. Crosstimbers St. 77018. Happy hour has been added from 4 - 7 p.m., Monday thru Friday and ALL DAY Saturday. Drink specials include $3 bottled beer, $3 margaritas and $18 beer buckets.

Thirsty Explorer

Art a la Carte: A weekend of diversity in the art scene The artistic cultural diversi- Antiques, 540 West 19th St. Gen’s Antiques has a fabty of our city is apparent ulous revolving collection of mid century modern in this weekfurniture, Seeburg jukeends events, from the colboxes, collectibles and home decor. Adorning the laborative walls are original works performance by Bobbinof art by over three dozen First Saturday Arts Mardoctrin Pupket artists! We thought it pet Theatre and Two Star high time to have a get to- Bobbindoctrin’s dark Danse Magether and say hello. Symphony cabre: The Constant Companion Mitch Cohen under the Arts Columnist roof of one p.m. performances (Nov 6of Houston’s 10); 14 Pews, 800 Aurora St., hottest movie houses and 77009. Tickets are available arts venues-14 Pews, to a at the door first come first presentation about Contemserved, Adults $15, Students porary Sculpture in Houston. and Seniors $10. BobbindocIn Houston, even churches trin Puppet Theatre and Two support the arts as Cloister Star Symphony bring back Gallery at Christ Church Cathis dark orchestral comedy thedral presents a Heights told through a seven piece original, April Murphy. Never orchestra with tabletop and complain of boredom here. Gen’s Antiques Interior with shadow puppets and Pixelvisome of the artists work on sion video. This is the story display Thursday of Sid, a man who marinates Artist Reception & Soin hopeless despair and gradDanse Macabre: The ually strays from love and social - Gen’s Antiques with First Saturday Arts Mar- Constant Companion w/ ciety. His final cries to reach ket Artists, 5-7:30 p.m. Gen’s Two Star Symphony, 8 out and salvage his life fall

upon the alert ears of death’s proﬁteers. And because this is a dark comedy, dark hilarity ensues. *If you have never seen a Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre performance, make no excuses, go. Do not expect a cheerful comedy of muppets, this is macabre, at its best, and in our neighborhood! Leave the kids at home.

Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Ave., 77002 There is free parking in the Cathedral parking garage on San Jacinto between Texas and Prairie. April paints whimsical and vividly colorful animals from our favorite pets to barnyard antics and animals of the wild. If you miss the opening, Treebeards is open daily for lunch at the Cloister. Gary Grifﬁn: “two-block radius,” 7:30-9 p.m. Catalina Coffee, 2201 Washington Ave. 77007. A retrospective photo exhibit capturing remaining bits of history in the Heights.

Saturday Gary Griﬃn’s “two-block radius” at Catalina Coﬀee Friday evening.

Friday

April Murphy: An Evening of Feel Good Art, 6-8 p.m. Cloister Gallery at Christ

“Contemporary Sculpture in Houston” with James Hill,” 9:45 a.m. Glassell School of Art, 5101 Montrose Blvd., 77006. Visual Arts Alliance (VAA) presents Contemporary Sculpture in Houston, a discussion of the city’s contemporary sculpture collections in area museums and art galleries. Noted

Leader Nibbles

Fall weather brings Chili Cook-Off season Good Dog Houston has an admirer

“Imitation is the sincerest form of ﬂattery but Heights hot dog shop has had enough,” Eater Houston reported last week. The quote references the Houston hot dog institution, James Coney Island, stopping in at Good Dog Houston to inspect, deconstruct and photograph different hot dog menu items. The Heights hot dog eatery wasn’t thrilled about the visit and tweeted:

When asked for a comment on the JCI visit, the manager

on the clock, James, spoke for the owners with “no comment” and said they would just like to let it be. James Coney Island can try and replicate the menu, but the franchise will never be as GOOD as what Good Dog is serving up in the Heights.

Cottonwood kicking squirrel butt and taking names

The Houston Press just named Cottonwood’s Squirrel Master Burger as one of their “Top 5 Awesomely Outrageous Burgers in Houston.” Well, we already knew Cottonwood was awesome, but Houston Press is right about this burger. The burger is topped with an oozing fried egg, for starters. If that doesn’t sell you, the burger is piled with a generous serving of bacon, pepperjack cheese, jalapeños and the patty is hand-crafted with poblanos before grilling it to order. Don’t bother with a to-go box, you’ll ﬁnish the whole thing.

Three art markets this weekend: in the Heights there is Craftacular 2nd Saturday,1025 Studewood at Hello-Lucky. Noon to 4 p.m. I did not see any updates on this so if it’s not happening, get lost in Hello-Lucky. Over in Montrose, 2nd Saturday Montrose Art Market, 2409 Montrose Blvd. On the corner at Fairview from 10-4 p.m. On Sunday, Mini Pops Noon-6 p.m. at Westheimer & Dunlavy, 1657 Westheimer St., 77006. Cohen is the founder and manager of First Saturday Arts Market. Contact him at ArtValet@gmail.com or visit him on the web at ArtValet. com.

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Have a tip for nibbles? Email christina@theleadernews.com. ��

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name says “For Kids” tickets are for guests 21 and older and start at $20. For more information or to buy your tickets visit www.childadvocates.org.

Since 2007

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November is here and fall has arrived (or at least Texas fall weather) and with the change in season brings chili cookin’. This Saturday, Nov. 8, a few of our area chefs will be cooking up their chili recipes for a good cause with Child Advocates. The organization mobilizes appointed volunteers to step in and be the voice for children in an abused home. The volunteer organization is hosting Chili Cook-Off For Kids from 12 - 4 p.m. at Little Woodrows - Midtown location. A few Houston restaurants will battle for bragging rights for the best recipe. Competitors in The Leader area are Beaver’s, BB’s Cafe and Kevin Naderi with Lillo and Ella. Naderi spoke with The Leader and said you can expect a middle eastern chili with apricots, mint, tomato, cinnamon, and some fun! Other competitors include Brooklyn Athletic Club, El Big Bad, Local Pour, Quattro, Revolve Kitchen & Bar, Saint Arnold Brewing and The Tasting Room. Although the event

Houston artist and head of the Sculpture/Foundry department at The Glassell School of Art, James Hill, will lead the discussion, providing an orientation to contemporary sculpture in Houston.

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

How does Sheila Jackson Lee keep winning?

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nother election cycle, another victory for the Congresswoman from the 18th District, Sheila Jackson Lee. How in the world does she do it? Let’s start with some background on Jackson Lee (SJL). She was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, which means she will begin her 11th term in January. She will have served 22 years in Washington, D.C., once this term expires. If you think that’s a long time, John Dingell has represented constituents in Michigan since 1955 (59 years). John Conyers, who almost got knocked off the ballot this year, has been there for 49 years, and Charles Rangel has been there for 43 years. By those comparisons, SJL has plenty left in her tank. And why wouldn’t she keep running? She earns a yearly salary of $174,000, and according to a Washington Post story, her personal wealth has increased 488 percent since 2004. In the last decade, financial reports indicate SJL’s personal net worth is somewhere around $935,000. Some of SJL’s wealth can be attributed to her husband’s good job, as well. Dr. Elwyn Lee is the vice president for community relations and institutional access at the University of Houston, which isn’t the job of a slouch by any measure. And speaking of success, SJL’s children seem to be creating a legacy all their own. Her son, Jason Cornelius Bennett Lee, is a graduate of Harvard University, and her daughter, Erica Lee, graduated from Duke University. But enough of the biography. How in the world does SJL keep getting elected to Congress? Here’s my problem, and the reason for the question many of us ask every two years: SJL, when you cut away all the fluff, might be considered one of the most embarrassing U.S. Representatives in the entire country. That is not an accusation

JONATHAN MCELVY Publisher

by me. That is a fact, based on way too many humiliating comments she has made. In 1997, SJL took a trip to see the Mars Pathfinder operations center in California, where she idiotically asked if the Pathfinder was successful in taking a picture of the flag planted on Mars by Neil Armstrong in 1969. Confusing the moon and Mars was one thing. What made matters worse was our esteemed Congresswoman served on the House Science Committee at the time. Wow. There are so many of these inane and, frankly, uneducated comments that it’s hard to pick just a few. I’ll certainly try. Earlier this year, she jumped on Republicans threatening to introduce a bill of impeachment against President Obama. “We did not seek an impeachment of President Bush because, as an executive, he had his authority,” she said. The problem, of course, was SJL was the 2008 co-sponsor of HR 1258 titled: “Impeaching George W. Bush, President of the United States, of high crimes and misdemeanors.” In March of this year, SJL gave a talk about the power of the U.S. Constitution. She proudly acknowledged that the document was 400 years old – only about 225 years off base. In 2010, she compared the war in Afghanistan to the war in Vietnam, as many Democrats did. Her comments (to any semi-educated person) were comedic gold – and, yes,

Contributed Photo by Patric Schneider Sheila Jackson Lee won with 72 percent of the vote

embarrassing to those of us who live in her district. “Today, we have two Vietnams, side by side, North and South, exchanging and working…” Maybe she was confused with Korea, but even then the analogy would be appalling. (By the way, South Vietnam hasn’t existed for 40 years.) OK, we could go on with the stories for another few pages, but what we all really want to know is how she keeps getting re-elected. And when we say re-elected, we mean she wins by a landslide every other year. On Tuesday, she won with 72 percent of the vote before they stopped counting. In 2012, she won with 75 percent. In 2010, she won with 70 percent. In fact, in the past 14 years, she’s never dipped below that 70percent mark. There are a number of ways to explain how she keeps winning. First, the Democrats never run someone serious against her. Personally, I think they enjoy her antics, and when you have someone who

can win for 11 straight terms and say some of the senseless things she has said, I can only guess that the Democrats enjoy the comic relief. Second, the folks who read The Leader are only part of SJL’s Congressional district. She also represents heavily minority areas north of Beltway 8 and east of 45 North toward Highway 59. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are around 740,000 people in her district, and 513,000 of those people are minorities. The entire purpose of a “representative” U.S. House of Representatives is to elect people who, yes, are representative of the District. Now I would never accuse any resident of District 18 of believing there are two Vietnams, but on the whole, SJL ﬁts the part. As such, she continues to receive the support of the majority of her constituents. Personally, I like a democracy where that happens. Last, and most important, SJL now has the never-ending power of incumbency. In her two decades in ofﬁce, she has touched the lives (for

better or worse) of thousands and thousands of people, and there is no better example than her interaction with the Harmony Public Schools. In 2012, Harmony was the recipient of an enormous grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s “Race to the Top” program. Feel free to look up the federal program if you’d like, but it was not without controversy. When we say “enormous,” we mean Harmony received $30 million in grants, and they were sure to thank SJL for her help in securing the grant. I decided to go take a look at SJL’s campaign finance reports to see if there was any connection between their giving and the U.S. government’s generosity. You won’t be surprised. In 2010, two people who listed Harmony Public Schools as their employer donated a total of $2,200 to the SJL campaign. Two years later, for the 2012 election (around the same time this grant was given), 21 people from Harmony donated a total of $32,000 to her campaign. And this year, the number amazingly starts to dwindle again. In the 2014, $13,000 was donated from folks affiliated with Harmony. There’s no accusation of wrongdoing here, because I’m sure some of the major media would have caught it. But it doesn’t take a member of the House Science Committee to figure out that SJL helped the folks at Harmony and they helped her right back. On a grander scheme, that’s what incumbency is all about. For every one favor she does, she gets another 100 supporters for life. The power of incumbency is real in our form of government, and Sheila Jackson Lee is Exhibit A. There are a lot of people who complain about her staying power, but I haven’t seen anybody do anything about it. Email jonathan@theleadernews.com

Voter ID is making a mockery of honest government You have already voted, the ballots either have been counted or are being re-counted, depending whether the LBJ School of Ballot Management is in charge. And you are celebrating another victory for democracy. As the Church Lady would say, “Well, aren’t you special.” That’s because you have all the necessary paraphernalia, appear prosperous and Anglo, and spent only 50 seconds at the ballot box to vote Republican. But let me tell you my experience. I went to vote early. However, our cost-cutting Legislature wanted to hold down Early Election Day expenses by authorizing fewer polling places, so my closest earlyday voting spot was moved to the next time zone. “Can I see some ID?” the poll pope asks. I pull out my Texas driver’s license. She frowns. “This is only a Texas driver’s license. What else you got?” Knowing that Texas now has the strictest voter barriers in the nation, I come prepared. I show my birth certificate, military ID and a photo of me draped in the American flag while holding the Constitution. “Is this the same Constitution that guarantees freedom of the press and all those other nutty left-wing, commie-symp things?” she asks, adding: “You don’t mind if I get out this little pad. Fingerprinting. Can you spit into this dish? DNA, you know. Now hold up your right hand. Do you promise to only vote once, and vote the correct way?” This is confusing, and I’m not sure how Texas is running this election’s operation. The Supreme Court let stand a 5th Circuit Court ruling overturning a lower court’s reversal of an earlier decision which was upheld after officials reviewed the decision using instant replay. The new law excludes other previously accepted forms of ID, such as student identification and outof-state or expired Texas drivers’ licenses. The transparent effort behind all these laws is to keep minorities (read: Democrats) from voting. But it is argued, “You have to have a driver’s license or some kind of ID to get on an airplane, buy a car, cash a check.” Correct, but do you realize many of our fellow Texans have not been on airplane and never will. They don’t have a checking account. They don’t have a driver’s license because they don’t have a car. You think all those folks

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

standing in the rain at the bus stop waiting to take the crosstown local so they can transfer to the uptown local and switch to the tram do so because they have a Maserati back home in the garage? Student identity cards are no good, either. That nullifies the young vote which is far more liberal than its parents. Statistics prove this: The percentages of voters who don’t have matching IDs is three to four times higher in some black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. U.S. Census data show many don’t own motor vehicles. In addition, percentages of voters who lack the required photo IDs -- or whose names on various IDs don’t match -- remain higher than the state average in many border counties with a heavy Hispanic populations, i.e., Democrats. In Presidio County in the Big Bend, nearly a third of voters lack matching IDs, though Presidio has a permanent driver’s license office. The poll pope smiles. “That doesn’t matter because the Texas Department of Public Safety will issue photo IDs to anyone who needs one to vote.” I ask: “How many have been issued so far – hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands?” She smiles again. “Actually, 295 or a little more than one for each Texas county.” Earlier, according to press reports, it was estimated that 600,000 to 744,980 Texas voters still lacked government-issued photo IDs now required, according to state officials and the U.S. Department of Justice. Harris County alone still had more than 103,000 of the state’s “non-matching voters.” But now, according to Ross Ramsey in the Texas Tribune, the actual figure may be as high as 844,000. Ramsey reports that a small circle of Texas GOP leaders knew of this higher figure back during the legislative debates but didn’t tell any others for obvious reasons. If that higher total is true, it could change the makeup of our officeholders. Rick Perry beat Bill White in

the 2010 governor’s race by 631,086 votes. “Just ﬁll out this 67-page questionnaire and that’s it,” says the poll pope. “Here’s an example. ‘Do you feel women should wear burkas after age 12, 16 or 18? Is global warming caused by burning too many heretics? Should the NRA have a direct veto in Congress or simply continue to call in its orders?’ Use back of form if necessary and take your time. We’re open tomorrow, too.

I know, all of this may seem unnecessary, but we’ve got to protect the purity of the Texas election system. There are all sorts of bad people out there who would like to corrupt our voting process through fraud.” I reply that I couldn’t agree more. Just how many voter fraud convictions have there been in Texas from, say, 2002 to 2012? She replies: “There have been 18 convictions, nocontest pleas or guilty pleas.” I answer: “There are 13,594,264

registered voters in Texas and in 10 years’ worth of elections at all levels from school board to governor there have been fewer than two fraud convictions a year? We execute more than that.” She pulls out a sheet of paper. “If you don’t want to ﬁll out that questionnaire, just take this list into the voting booth and vote for these candidates, if you get my drift. Or, to save time, vote the straight ticket.” I reply, “Actually, I’m

an independent, and I didn’t check my brain in at the door. The whole nation can see what you are doing here. It is so obvious, so transparent, with these straw men cases of fraud and voter IDs, that you are making a mockery of honest government. So just let me vote.” “Security!” Ashby writes-in at ashby2@comcast.net

�� Answers found in this week’s Classiﬁed section

��

1. Time unit (abbr.) 4. Semiliquid infant food 7. Paciﬁc Standard Time 10. Unitary 11. Brew 12. Language of Laos 13. Higher up 15. Toupee 16. A love affair 19. Exaggerated emotional play 21. Hadith 22. Used to one’s advantage 23. Ancient Persian governors 25. Surrender possession 26. Carbamide 27. Can’t move 30. __ Institute, Santa Barbara 34. Helps little ﬁrms 35. Consumed 36. Plural of index 41. Of the African desert 45. Part in a play 46. Famous British School 47. Paragon of chivalry 50. Given

54. Set to end 55. Daily TV drama 57. Line used to haul up leeches 58. Product of human creativity 59. Equip with weapons again 60. Car mechanics group 61. ___ Bo - martial arts exercise 62. Computer key for cancelling 63. Outcome 64. Doctor of Education 65. Ethiopia (abbr.)

��

1. Slang for money 2. Itemized bill 3. Pine leaves 4. Processions 5. Medical astringent 6. Winged horse 7. Wall & ceiling coating 8. Japanese warrior 9. Chinese mahogany genus 13. Doctors’ group 14. Am. soprano ___ Sills

17. Atomic #105 symbol 18. British astronomy org. 20. Interpret 24. Something curved in shape 27. The 23rd Greek letter 28. Airborne (abbr.) 29. Radioactivity unit 31. Golf score 32. School organization 33. 1/100 yen 37. A citizen of Iran 38. Treated with indulgence 39. __ Lilly, drug company 40. Sensory 41. Calmed by drugs 42. At the peak 43. Esteemed recipient 44. Reverse dactyl 47. Drinking establishment 48. Shower month (abbr.) 49. Rental contract 51. Educate 52. Make a mistake 53. Obstruct water 56. Toward the mouth

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Saturday, November 8, 2014 • Page 5A

One-bin, from P. 1A

not only with waste from residents, but would also improve air quality and trafﬁc,” Spanjian said. “With only one truck needed for collection, there would be less trucks on the road, which also means less wear and tear on our roads.” The trucks would deposit their waste to a transfer station and then to a designated recycling facility, where materials will be recycled and, according to some project proposals, such materials could be sold to companies to make recycled products. Within two years, Spanjian said the city could see only 25 percent of its waste diverted to landﬁlls.

warehouse filled with plenty of modern technology,” Spanjian said. “It’s very unlike what you might expect to see at a waste facility.” The program would operate as a “public-private partnership,” and is currently in the midst of scrutinizing its final five proposals from different vendors, Spanjian said. The process consists of conducting interviews, drafting clarification letters and other documents, tours of various potential sites for collection facilities and will eventually end with a final decision and contract negotiations. “The program would help

Skepticism

However, there is opposition to the One Bin for All proposal. Zero Waste Houston, a coalition of environmental groups and other citizens, opposes the proposal because of how its facilities could potentially be built in the confines of a local neighborhood. “The real 75 percent landfill diversion that the City of Houston wants to receive will come from incineration schemes including gasification, which has never been used on municipal solid waste in Texas because it is expensive and polluting,” the group states on its website. The group goes on to state that such mixed waste processing

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Page 6A • Saturday, November 8, 2014

Author visits Oak Forest Elementary, reads anti-bullying book to students By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Author and illustrator Kathryn Otoshi had the full attention of Oak Forest Elementary School students this week when she talked about a new student she’d had in her class back when she was in fourth grade. Otoshi told the students that she was taken with Ming because “she looked like me.” But Ming was not born in the U.S. and was still learning the language. She brought different things for lunch. These differences caused some of Otoshi’s classmates to target Ming. They pushed her and pulled her hair. Ming cried the ﬁrst day of school and then started hiding in a locked bathroom stall during lunch. Otoshi said that her last memory of Ming was of her crouching down behind the woodshed being ridiculed by a ring of kids. The memory stuck with Otoshi because although she knew the way Ming was being treated was wrong, she didn’t intervene. It also was part of the impetus for her 2008 antibullying book ONE, winner of the E.B. White Read Aloud Honor Book, which talks about acceptance, tolerance, and being that one person who can make a difference. Another book, ZERO, talks about ﬁnding and appreciating the value in yourself and others. Otoshi read both books to Oak Forest students in four different sessions as part of her author visit. The children’s book author and illustrator, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, scored some brownie points with students at the beginning of her presentation when she told them she’d worked for both Disney and for George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic. Among other jobs, Otoshi helped design the game pieces for the movie Jumanji as well as Jim Carrey’s tombstone (as Scrooge) in A Christmas Carol. She likened the creation of a children’s book to being

Photo by Betsy Denson Author and Illustrator Kathryn Otoshi with OFE Guidance Counselor Jennifer Brown.

the director of a ﬁlm. “All the characters are moving around and I’m the director,” she said. “When you turn the page, it’s a cut from the scene.” Otoshi also told the students that although the book seems simple, it took her a long time to get

ONE just right. Oak Forest Guidance Counselor Jennifer Brown uses Otoshi’s books in her work and was excited to have the opportunity to bring her to the school which is a No Place for Hate® campus. No Place

for Hate is an initiative of the Anti-Defamation League which promotes respect of self and others and includes education about how kids can be upstanders and allies for others. “I think her message is one that kids of all ages can relate to and understand,” said Brown. “All of her books reinforce the values that we are constantly working on instilling in our students and ourselves. I heard her speak to a group of educators last year and literally got the chills. She did an amazing job of differentiating her message to the different grade levels.” Otoshi, who speaks about her books all over the country as well as abroad, said that she thrives off the interaction and the reaction of students. She’s also honed her presentation over time. “I started to incorporate more activity,” she said. “It’s a link between asking them to be a ONE and having them physically feel it. I really enjoy the dialog between me and the kids.”

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Saturday, November 8, 2014 • Page 7A

Arranging care for your pets this travel season

Dear Tabby, I recently adopted a dog and I’m realizing that I have plans to travel this holiday season. I’m distraught, trying to ﬁgure out what to do with my pup while I’m away and I don’t want to board him. What should I do? Holiday trekking in Candlelight Plaza

Dear Holiday, Congratulations on your new addition! You’re wise to adopt (you saved a life!) and you’re also wise to begin planning for your upcoming holiday travels now. Schedules ﬁll up fast this time of year, so it’s important to get on the ball as soon as possible. The best way to decide what to do with your pet is to think about what would most put your mind at ease, so that you may enjoy your travels. No one wants to go on a trip, only to worry about what’s going on at home the whole time. So, if you think that your dog would be most comfortable at home, then research in-home pet sitting. There are typically a couple of options for pet sitting. You can hire a pet sitter to come

several times a day to walk, feed and play with your dog. Some people opt for overnight pet sitting, wherein a pet sitter will at least spend the night in your home with your dog, while also popping in during the day for walks and other attention. This option tends to cost more, but will give your dog the highest level of attention and care, without sacrificing his routine too much. To find a professional pet sitter who might be able to help, ask your vet or groomer for a recommendation or go to www.petsit.com to find a professional, bonded and insured pet sitter in your area. Many people are fortunate enough to have good friends, family or neighbors who are willing to pet sit for free. If you have someone whom you

trust implicitly to take on the task of caring for your home and your pet, then it could be a great option for you. Remember though that should your informal pet sitter ﬂake, your pet will be in trouble. A casual agreement between friends may mean your sitter isn’t as well-prepared for an emergency as a professional. So, before you line up a pet sitter, make sure that your pooch is current on all vaccinations, that you have an extra house key at the ready and your travel plans and schedules in order. With a little planning and preparation, you can ensure that the holidays are restful and stress-free for you and your pooch! Do you have a question for Tabby? If so, email her at deartabbyquestions@gmail.

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Neighbors: Hobart celebrates 90th birthday �� By Elizabeth Villareal elizasgarden@outlook.com

Happiest of birthday wishes to Vivien Hobart who celebrated her 90th birthday on Oct. 31. She enjoyed a festive birthday dinner at Carrabba’s with her husband, Russ, sons Shelby, in from Phoenix, AZ, Kevin and his wife Debby, and granddaughter Jennifer Hobart Gummi, her husband Karteek, and their son Vivaan. Grandson Matt Hobart and his friend Meni send loving birthday wishes from Phoenix. Vivien loves to read, looks forward to receiving her Leader Newspaper by mail, and enjoys watching her favorite football team, the Arkansas Razorbacks. After being born in Arkansas, Vivien moved to Houston with her parents and graduated from Lamar High School. Vivien and Russ married have been married 62 years. Mazel tov! Please send a warm welcome shout out to our new neighbors on Lido Lane, Dan and Urszula Jayalath, and their three beautiful children. The family is acclimating to the Houston pace of life after living at least 20 years in the hustle and bustle of New York City. The couple has enjoyed exploring the city, ﬁnding just the right shopping spots, and sharing the adventure with their children. Dan and Urszula were surprised with an amazing outpouring of welcome wishes from area families. What a wonderful community we have! Congratulations to Raquel Ramos and Emilio Medina who celebrated their new business with a grand opening on Oct. 4. The Swing Away Cage is a batting cage located in Lindale Park and is open to everyone. Medina attended Jeff Davis High School and grew up right in the neighborhood, living with his grandparents, David Medina Sr. and Adelina Medina, who had a very strong work and moral ethic and

taught Medina from an early age to give back to his community. Ramos attended High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice and grew up in the Historic Houston Heights. Medina had long thought about opening a batting cage business, but what really pushed him to move forward and make his dream a reality was when his daughter, Mary Medina, and her Lindale Little League team made it to the Little League State Championship, but not before ﬁrst defeating Huffman Little League All Stars for the District 25 Championship and advancing to win the Texas East Section 3 Championship against East End Little League. After working with Lindale Little League last season, he realized there was a shortage of batting cage locations in the area. Thus, The Swing Away Cage was born. Medina and Ramos have created a quality indoor baseball and softball training environment for serious athletes to practice and work out, but hitting the batting cages is also an effective stress reliever and workout for anyone after a long day in the ofﬁce or classroom. One can unwind and learn the proper technique to batting at the same time. It’s also a great way to work out your back, legs, arms and your core -- all that stepping, twisting and swinging causes you to engage your entire body when you take a proper swing. Medina says, “When the doors are open, they are open to everyone, even if they just want to stop by and say hi.” The Swing Away Cage is located at 711 Erin Street, just west of Patton and Irvington. For more information, email Medina at swingawaycage@gmail.com. Waltrip’s PTSA and HOSA recently scared a few neighbors witless with a tour of Waltrip’s Tunnels of Terror. In urban legend related to Waltrip, rumors of tunnels running underneath Waltrip all

the way to Shipley’s Donuts on Ella Boulevard, with bomb shelters included, abound. The truth is, there is indeed a spooky tunnel underneath the school’s thick concrete foundation used to house and access water and electrical systems and, yes, it was also built to be a bomb shelter, if needed. The tunnel runs from the auditorium area down to the janitor’s ofﬁce – underneath the longest corridor in the school – and the entrances are now closely guarded and well secured. HOSA students, their teacher, Mary Gibson, and Kevin Dunn, PTSA President, made the tunnels even spookier with lighting and haunted house accoutrements – and Dunn led the tours in the guise of a very creepy serial killer. Other adults who attended or who helped to make the event possible are: Andria Schur, Stephanie Witherspoon, Dr. Jon Enloe, Dr. Randy Holmes with his children, and Toni Leago Valle with her son Dante.

A ghostly Trunk or Treat was held after Waltrip’s Varsity football game on Halloween for a little frightful fun for students who participated in the game. At the event sponsored by the Waltrip Alumni Association and the Ram Band Booster Club, students from athletics, band, dance, and cheer were invited to trick or treat from car to car. Awesome mom Meka McKinney made over 300 sandwiches and there were treats galore. Dr. Jon Enloe, Leticia Ayala, Johnny and Rocio Esparza, Joanne Gonzalez, the Evanicky family, Brandi Barney, Mark Howe, Nora Marquez, Amanda Cormier, Blanca Garcia, Ida Cordova, Barbara and Mike Pilato, Phaedra Grey, Joni Carroll, Mike Arcos, Jordan Gomez, Nicholas Williams, Tristan Pilato, Reyvan Grey, Jazmine Jimenez, Mykal Amboree, Alicia Garcia, Isabelle Esparza, Aaron Arcos, Ivan

THE OBITUARIES. Harry Louis Arndt, 80, born Jan. 11, 1934 in Carmine, Texas, died Oct. 28. He was baptized on Nov. 25, 1934 by Pastor Brunetti and later conﬁrmed on March 21, 1948 by Leo Simon at Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Carmine, Texas. Pastor A. M. Hanneman married Harry and Maxine Wagner on Nov. 21, 1959 at Martin Luther Lutheran Church. They have been married for 55 years. Arndt is survived by his wife, Maxine; daughters Leisa Funck and Renee Polk; sisters Flora Jahnz, Mary Ann Prestwood; brothers Gus and Ed Arndt, and two grandchildren. Alvin Louis Hechler, 80, born Sept. 1, 1934 in Crosby, Texas, died Oct. 28. Hechler’s sales career began at Schermerhorn Brothers and ended with his retirement from Bekaert Corporation as National Sales Manager. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Doris Hechler, and his children Paul Hechler, Patti Drisko, and Jeﬀ Hechler; two sisters, and two grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, National Kidney Foundation or the Houston SPCA. Gerald Foskett Moeller, 97, born April 5, 1917, died Oct. 29. Moeller served his country in the Army during World War II. He is survived by his daughter, Gisele Gee; and sons Glenn F. Moeller and Gary F. Moeller. John Manuel Ortiz, 74, born April 27, 1940,

died Oct. 27. Ortiz was an avid sports fan. He loved the game of softball and played men’s fast pitch softball well into his sixties. A Master electrician, Manuel joined his craft in his early twenties and was well respected in the electrical community. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary; children, Gabe Ortiz, Felecia Ortiz, and Andrew Ortiz; stepsons Anthony Martinez and John Martinez; sisters Yolanda Hall, Linda Medina, and Diane Williams; ﬁve grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

Freddie Joe Stanford, 59, born Oct. 5, 1955, died Nov. 1. He is survived by his daughters Tam-

berly King, Breanna Sulal, Jessy Reller and Lyndsey Reller; sons Timothy Stanford and Jeremiah Reller; mother Katherine Stanford; sister Kathy Tippit; and eight grandchildren.

Maria Florence Luna Venarske, 67, born Oct. 19, 1947 in Houston, died Oct. 31. Venarske graduated from St. Agnes Academy in 1965 and began attending the University of Houston in the fall. In 1964, she began dating James Venarske, a fellow member of All Saints Catholic Church, after the two began working together at Studewood Food Mart. They married July 9, 1966. Venarske was employed at Bell Telephone and Winegartens, and later ﬁnished her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education at the University of St. Thomas. Upon graduating Summa Cum Laude, she taught at Valley Oaks Elementary School and retired after 17 years. She is survived by her loving husband, James Venarske; her children Daniel Venarske, John Venarske, Katherine Lubinski; four brothers and three sisters, and ﬁve grandchildren. Visitation is at 2 p.m. Nov. 8, at Heights Funeral Home. The vigil service and rosary will begin at 4 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Nov. 22, at All Saints Catholic Church, 215 E. 10th St. James Duncan Williams, 93, born Sept. 19,

1921, died Oct. 31.

Karen Luce Yurick, died Oct. 15, in Round Rock, Texas. After graduating from Scarborough High School in Oak Forest, Yurick attended Texas Tech University and Austin Community College. She had 30 years of Medical Insurance experience and worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield, JI Companies and First Care Health. She is survived by her husband, Joseph, daughter, Savannah Yurick, her mother, Vanessa Luce; and siblings Deborah McClintock, Gary Luce and Laurie Smith. A scholarship account has been set up for daughter, Savannah, a Junior at UT, majoring in Community and Youth. Memorial contributions may be made for Savannah and sent to Laurie Smith, PO Box 225, Dripping Springs, TX 78620.

Ledesma, Xavier Ledesma, Annette Ledesma, Mason Grifﬁth, and Kaylie Kramer are just a few of the neighbors who attended or tricked out their creepy cars for treats.

Oak Forest neighbors Tina Tran and Marisol Rodriguez work for AARP and in a combined effort with Houston Community College, recently helped plan and execute a Career Transition Expo at the Pinemont Campus of HCC for the 50+ community. Over 60 people attended the informative expo and learned about networking. Candlelight Oaks neighbor Karen Becerra spoke to the group about her experience starting her own business and discussed the many business options available. The focus was on people who want to reimagine their lives, people seeking employment, and people seeking new skills. The ladies would like to thank Kojak’s Café on 18th Street for their delicious catered luncheon. Tran and Rodriguez say they were proud to support their community and community businesses.

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Page 8A • Saturday, November 8, 2014

THE CALENDAR. JOINT PAIN/SPORTS INJURY SEMINAR Memorial Hermann Northwest Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital-aﬃliated experts lead in-depth discussions about joint health and the latest techniques to alleviate arthritis or sports injury pain. Classes are as follows: Knee and Hip Pain, 2:30 p.m. Nov. 11 and 6 p.m. Nov. 13; and Sports Injury Prevention and Treatment, 6 p.m. Nov. 12. Classes will be held in Classrooms B and E. Memorial Hermann Northwest is located at 1635 N. Loop W. There will be free parking and refreshments will be provided. Seating is limited, registration required. Information: 713-222-CARE (2273), www.memorialhermann.org. MOVIE IN THE PARK Oak Forest Homeowners Association Bring the family to Oak Forest Park for a holiday-themed movie and food trucks on Nov. 8. The movie “The Polar Express,” will be shown at 7:15 p.m., and food trucks will begin serving at 6 p.m. Information: www.ofha.org. BREAKFAST CONNECTION Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce The guest speaker is Ken Jones of University of Houston, Associate Director of the Wolﬀ Center for Entrepreneurship at the C.T. Bauer College of Business. He will

share his expertise on ﬁnancial management, sales management and strategic marketing. Breakfast will be from 6:45-8:30 a.m. Nov. 13, at Sheraton Houston Brookhollow Hotel, 3000 N. Loop West. The event is sponsored by Oak Forest Dental Group and Orthodontics. Members are $20 each and non-members are $25 each. Information: 713-861-6735, www.heightschamber.com. NOVEMBER LIBRARY EVENTS Heights Neighborhood Library The Heights Neighborhood Library, 1302 Heights Blvd., is hosting many activities in the month of November. Heights Great Books Group, book discussion meets at 2 p.m. Nov. 8; the Houston Writers Guild will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 10; The American Robotics Academy: Robotics Workshop, a program for teens, will be at 4 p.m. Nov. 13; the Literary and Classics Book Club book discussion meets at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17; Heights Poetry Open Mic will be at 6 p.m. Nov. 19. The library will be closed Veterans Day, Nov. 11; and Nov. 27 and 28 for Thanksgiving holiday. Information: 832-393-1810, www.houstonlibrary.org. HEIGHTS GARDEN CLUB MEETS Mason residence The Heights Garden Club will have two meetings in November. The regular meeting will be held

at 10 a.m. Nov. 8, at the home of Duston Mason at 125 E. 2nd St. He will speak about incorporating native plants into a garden for the purpose of contributing to a healthier ecology and demonstrate how even a limited space can accommodate natives with his roof top garden. Free admission. Information: www.heightsgardenclub.com, info@heightsgardenclub.com.

showcase the newest theme, Houseful of Happiness, for all guests to participate in an integrated arts experience that incorporates dance, drama and music. The celebration will be from 2-4 p.m. Nov. 8, at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Fondren Hall, 5501 Main St., 77004. RSVP for the Ignite the Joy event at www. facebook.com/artsaliveinc/events or email tina@artsaliveinc.com.

LE TOUR DE OAK FOREST Oak Forest Homeowners Association OFHA’s Tour de Oak Forest II bike ride will be at 9 a.m. Nov. 8, which beneﬁt the security fund. T-shirts are included in the cost of the event. Adults are $10 each. Children ride for free. Riders will leave from Myti Burger, 2211 W. 43rd, and take an 11 mile tour through all 18 sections of Oak Forest. The route and each section will be marked with signs to guide the riders. Come early enjoy breakfast tacos at Myti Burger or enjoy a burger after the ride. Register online. Information: events@ofha.org, www.eventbee. com/v/letour.

13th ANNUAL EVELYN PAYNE MEMORIAL BENEFIT FOR CAMP SWEENEY Cottonwood The 13th Annual Evelyn Payne Memorial Beneﬁt for Camp Sweeney, a Camp for Diabetic Kids, is from 2-7 p.m. Nov. 8, at Cottonwood, 3422 N. Shepherd Dr. Tickets to the event may be purchased online. Information: www.4diabetickids.org.

IGNITE THE JOY 20TH ANNIVERSARY Arts Alive! Free family fun, frivolity and festivities for all ages and abilities. Proceeds beneﬁt the Habitat of Happiness. The event will

FROM THE PEWS. Our Lady of Guadalupe enchilada dinner at St. Ambrose St. Ambrose Catholic Church, 4213 Mangum Rd., will celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe with a green enchilada dinner, from 5-7 p.m. Nov. 8, in the cafeteria. Dinner includes four chicken enchiladas, rice, beans and ice tea. Pre-sale tickets only. For ticket information, call 832773-9541. Tickets can also be purchased in the parish ofﬁce. Call 713-686-3497 for information. MANNA hosts ice cream social MANNA will be hosting an Ice Cream Social from 2-4 p.m. Nov. 9, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, located at 3600 Brinkman. For information, contact Patricia Dornak at 713504-5486 or email her at pdornak@gmail.com. First Church Heights hosts speaker Joseph D. Parle First Church Heights, 201 E. 9th St., will host guest speaker Joseph D. Parle for its 10:30 a.m. service Nov. 9. Dr. Parle is the Academic Dean, Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Professor of Bible Exposition at the College of Biblical StudiesHouston. Dr. Parle has been a Youth Pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church and an Associate Pastor at Riverview Baptist Church. Dr. Parle has a Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary as well as a Masters of Theology and Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Baptist Bible Seminary in Clarks Summit, Pa. He is currently a volunteer lay elder at Community of Faith Bible Church. Call 713-861-3102 for information. Fall Bazaar at St. Monica St. Monica Catholic Church,

8421 W. Montgomery Rd., will host their annual bazaar Nov. 7 and 9. Friday, Nov. 7, will feature a zydeco dance from 8 p.m.-midnight with the music of Step Rideau & The Zydeco Outlaws. Gumbo and boudin will be sold at the dance. Tickets are $10 presale and $12 at the door. The bazaar will be noon-7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9. There will be food, music, moonwalks, bingo, games, face painting and Corvette Show. Rafﬂe drawing at 7 p.m. Rafﬂe tickets are $1 each. For information, call 281-447-5837 or email stmonica@sbcglobal.net. Blessing of the Animals and Pet Fest at Bethel Bethel Church, 1107 Shepherd Dr., is having a Pet Fest and Blessing of the Animals from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 8. There will be food, contests, and vendors. Guests are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food donation for Bethel’s Food Pantry. Call 713-861-6670 or email woodward_dennis@yahoo. com for information. Salem MBC celebrates 80 years in Independence Heights Salem Missionary Baptist Church, located in Independence Heights at 314 E. 33rd St., is celebrating 80 years with a celebration gala and banquet at the Sheraton Brookhollow, 3000 N. Loop W. Fwy. The keynote speaker is Dr. Sandy Murphy. Climate Sunday anniversary services will be held at 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Nov. 9. Call 713-862-3443 for information. Trinity Lutheran celebrates 135th anniversary Trinity Lutheran Church and School, located in downtown Houston since 1879 will celebrate their 135th anniver-

sary at a special celebration service at 10:45 a.m. Nov. 9. The Rev. Donald G. Black will be the speaker. The celebration will include the 10:45 a.m. worship service, a luncheon and class reunions, followed by a Hymn Festival at 1:30 p.m. in the sanctuary with Carla Barrows, guest organist. Former members and school graduates are welcome to attend. Children’s activities are planned from noon to 2:30 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Church is located at 800 Houston Ave. Call 713-224-0684 for information. Grief seminar at St. Stephen’s The Solitaires will sponsor a free seminar on grief at 10 a.m. Nov. 10, in Room 101. The Rev. Thomas Hill, Chaplain at Clarewood House Retirement Home, will be the guest speaker. Light refreshments will be served. Adults age 50+ are welcome

PETS FOR VETS Houston Humane Society In observance of Veteran’s Day, Houston Humane Society is proud to honor those who serve our country by oﬀering free adoptions to all active and retired military personnel. Adoptions will be held Nov. 8-11, at the Houston Humane Society, 14700 Almeda Rd. Information: 713-433-6421, www.houstonhumane.org. HARVEST POTLUCK MEET AND GREET Heights Garden Club The potluck meet and greet will

to attend the VIPS meeting and luncheon at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 13. The cost for lunch is $8. RSVP to the ofﬁce by Nov. 11. St. Stephen’s UMC is located at 2003 W. 43rd St. For information, call 713-686-8241 or visit www.stsumc.org. All Saints TALC to host Veteran’s Day celebration All Saints Catholic Church Third Age Learning Center and the Houston Junior Forum are co-hosting the annual Veteran’s Day Celebration beginning at 10 a.m. Nov. 11. The festivities will be held in the All Saints Parish Hall located at 215 E. 10th St. The celebration will feature entertainment by Big Ed and the Happy Band, a color guard, patriotic music, singing, refreshments, door prizes, and recognition of veterans in at-

Sunday School 9:30 am Sunday Worship 10:30am Wednesday Prayer Meeting 6:00pm

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

Ministering to the Oak Forest Community since 1948 Reverend Noelie Day

(713) 682-2556

1576 Chantilly @ Piney Woods

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

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

1624 W 34th • 713-686-7689 www.gospeltruthchurch.org

Reverend John Cain, Pastor Worship Services 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. (Nursery Provided) Sunday School & Bible Classes 9:15 a.m. www.gethsemanelutheran.org

Member of MANNA

Turkey dinner at Advent Lutheran Advent Lutheran Church, 5820 Pinemont Dr., will serve

a turkey dinner from 5-7 p.m. Nov. 12. Tickets are $9 each and will be available at the church office and must be purchased ahead of time. No tickets will be sold at the door. Call 713-306-1810 for information. Health Fair at Hope Episcopal Hope Episcopal Church, 1613 W. 43rd St., will hold a Health Fair from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Nov. 15. There will be free vouchers for flu shots for the uninsured, free flu shots for those insured on Medicare, free vision screening and diabetes screening, along with snacks, door prizes and face painting for the children. Call 713-681-6422 for information.

To book your space, contact Jeanette Black jeanette.b@theleadernews.com

�� (Disciples of Christ)

4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227

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

tendance. Each attendee will receive a small American ﬂag and each veteran will receive a certiﬁcate of appreciation from TALC. All veterans in the area and their families are welcome. A full course hot lunch, cooked on-site, will be served at noon for $2. For reservations, call 713248-1277 by 10 a.m. Nov. 10. Veterans and seniors are also welcome to a special showing of the motion picture The Monuments Men at 12:30 p.m. Nov. 12, in the parish hall. Popcorn and lemonade will be available. The event is free. For information, call TALC at 713-248-1277.

RENOVATION TOURS Pat H. Foley & Company Stop by for a special guided tour as renovations begin and meet the staﬀ. There will be refreshments. Tours will be at 3 p.m. every Friday. Pat H. Foley & Company is located at 1200 W. 34th St. Information: 713-8696261, www.pathfoleyfuneraldirectors.com.

Bring new worshipers to your church with a special message in The Leader’s Christmas Worship Guide. No one reaches the families in our community like The Leader. In fact, we can put your Christmas message in nearly 29,000 homes in the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and Northwest Houston neighborhoods. Let our creative staﬀ prepare a beautiful color advertisement announcing your special events and services for the Christmas Season.

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

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RENAISSANCE FALL FESTIVAL Oak Forest Elementary Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Oak Forest Elementary, 1401 W. 43rd St., will have a Renaissance themed Fall Festival which will be held 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Nov. 15. The community is welcome to attend this fun family event. Attractions will be include a rock wall, Cinderella carriage rides, viking boat bounce

OAK FOREST HOLIDAY ARTISAN MARKET Oak Forest Homeowners Association Come by to the Oak Forest holiday artisan market from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 15. There will be homemade goods and food trucks. The event will be held at the Family Bingo Center parking lot. The ﬁrst 50 shoppers at the event will receive a reusable shopping bag ﬁlled with vendor coupons and freebies sponsored by Family Bingo. Information: www.ofha.org.

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�� First Baptist Church Heights

CHILI COOK-OFF Sons of the American Legion The SAL is holding its 23rd Annual Chili Cook-off at noon, Nov. 15. Proceeds benefit the DeBakey VA Medical Center Breast Cancer Program. It will start with Taster Cups, a Raffle with cash prizes and a Wheel O’ Prizes. There will also be a free post Thanksgiving dinner from noon-5 p.m. Nov. 27. The Amercan Legion Post 560 is located at 3720 Alba Rd. Information: www.americanlegionpost560.org, 713-682-9287.

house, catapult game, viking boat races, juggler show, sword and shield making, fairy wreaths craft and Renaissance food (turkey legs, sausage on a stick, and roasted corn. Wristbands are $20 presale and $25 the day of the festival. Wristbands can be purchased online at www.oakforestpta.com.

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be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 12, at the Heights Firestation, 107 W. 12th St. Bring a vegetable dish (from your garden, if possible). The meats will be provided along with desserts, beer, wine, and water. There will be a short talk about winter garden protection from Ravenscourt Lansdcape and door prizes. Free admission. Information: www.heightsgardenclub. com, info@heightsgardenclub. com.

1822 W. 18th

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

713-864-1470

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(713) 686-8494

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GETTING OUT OF GOD’S WAY

T

he late writer Flannery O’Connor kept a devotional journal when she was in her twenties and a student at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. It has recently been published under the title A Prayer Journal. O’Connor was a fervent Catholic and her journal is filled with interesting reflections on spirituality, as well as writing, which she saw as a way to express her spirituality and hopefully lead others to God. She laments early on that “I do not know you God because I am in the way. Please help me to push myself aside.” Throughout the journal we witness an earnest young woman struggling heroically to be more pious, and striving to get out of God’s way, i.e., how to get rid of the ego and let God fill up the space. Her simultaneous struggle to destroy the ego while seeking literary fame is sometimes the focus of her reflections, as when she says “Don’t let me ever think, dear God, that I was anything but the instrument for Your story, just like the typewriter was mine.” God desires to work through all of us, through our words and our deeds, if we can only get our egos out of His way. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

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

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You’re invited to attend December 6, 2014 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. @ Lutheran High North 1130 W. 34th St.

Admission: FREE