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Saturday, May 10, 2025 • Vol. 70 • No. 19
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Business Leaders: Houston region well-positioned to weather trade disruptions By Ken Fountain Editor, Fort Bend Star
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Editor’s note: This article first appeared on the website of The Leader’s sister paper, the Fort Bend Star. The international trade scene has been upended by President Donald J. Trump’s recent series of tariffs, but the greater Houston region’s trade economy is wellpositioned to ride the wave of uncertainty, a group of business
leaders said at a Greater Houston Partnership event last week. The event at the GHP’s offices in downtown Houston marked the release of the regional chamber of commerce’s “Global ‘25 Houston,” its annual compilation of data and insights about the regional trade picture. Speakers at the event before a roomful of business executives admitted that Trump’s trade war, which he launched in early April
with a White House event he called “Liberation Day,” has been met with the roiling of the economic waters, including plunges in the bond and stock markets and reciprocal tariffs from some of the country’s largest trading partners and discussions about a possible recession. But Steve Kean, CEO of the GHP, said that as with many See GHP P. 2
Photo by Ken Fountain
Haynes and Boone partner George Gonzalez, left, Ric Campo, chair of the Port of Houston Authority Commission, and Jeff Simmons, senior vice president of Toshiba Americas Group, discuss the Houston region’s international trade picture at a Greater Houston Partnership event last week.
Health 100+ YEARS OF SERVICE Harris Northwest
celebrates half a century of service
Letter carriers conduct annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive May 10
By LISA MORALES The Leader News Contributor
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Pet of the Week: Meet Achilles, the resilient love bug
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The Heritage Society holds Summer Film Camp for kids
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Prepare for Hurricane Season: Disaster Readiness and Resilience Clinic & Expo May 17
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Photos courtesy of Ken Hoge
I.O.O.F Heights Lodge 225 has stood for 102 years as the second home of the organization that continues public service.
Odd Fellows Lodge #225 receives Texas Historic Landmark designation By CHRIS DAIGLE The Leader News Contributor “History such as this is a good way to connect with our roots, and that’s important,” Noble Grand Natasha Thornton reflected on a legacy dating back more than a hundred years; a legacy that continues today. It was a nice day to honor the 102 years’ time span a building has been in service to the community, as a historic marker was dedicated May 3 at the Houston Heights Odd Fellows Lodge 225, which still stands tall near the corner of East 14th and Heights Boulevard. “It’s officially named the Independent Order of Oddfellows Houston
Heights Lodge #225,” said Ken Hoge, past director, or Grand, of the lodge. The cast iron marker came after past Grand Paul Jennings submitted an in-depth history of the lodge going back to 19065, when a group of Odd Fellows members residing in Houston Heights petitioned the Grand Lodge of Texas to charter a lodge in this area. “This is actually the second real lodge the group has had in the Heights.” Jennings said. “Unfortunately, the first lodge at the corner of Yale and 12th street was destroyed by fire in Natasha Thornton, left, Noble Grand of I.O.O.F. Houston Heights,
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Submitted photo
Jennifer Small commemorates Harris Health Northwest’s 50 years in the community.
Skinovatio Med Spa brings beautiful skin to your backdoor By STEPHANIE SHIRLEY The Leader News Contributor
Movie Review: “Black Bag” is a mixed bag
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and John Woolsey, past Grand Master, hold a Certificate of Honor at the installation of a Texas Historic Marker on May 3, 2025.
For 50 years, Harris Health Northwest Health Center has been a vital part of the community, delivering healthcare to generations of families from its current home at 1100 W. 34th St. and, before that, from its original site on Heights Boulevard. Originally known as West End Health Center, the clinic changed locations and names in 1990, but never its mission. Today, it remains one of 40 points of access including 17 community health centers that make up Harris Health’s extensive Ambulatory Care Services network. Jennifer Small, AuD, CEO of Ambulatory Care Services at Harris Health, has spent the last 20 years with the system and says the growth has been tremendous. “We want to thank the Harris County residents for their support of the recent bond. This will allow us to renovate many of our facilities and add three new health centers in areas of need,” she said. “We are grateful and excited to expand our reach throughout Harris County.” Harris Health is the public healthcare safety net provider for Harris County, serving more than 300,000 patients annually through two hospitals; Ben Taub and Lyndon B. Johnson, correctional health programs, specialty towers that provide multi-specialty services, and a wide range of clinics and mobile health units.
There may not be a shortage of beauty spas in the City of Houston, spread out across a wide geographic area, but a nationally-renowned medical spa with locations predominantly in the Ohio and Illinois regions is now shaking things up by bringing its unique brand of expertise in the wellness and beauty industry to Texas. This is Skinovatio’s first appearance in the state and it chose Houston as its first salon site at 701 Shepherd, just south of the Katy Freeway, with easy access and free parking.
Shawna Barbeau, the franchise’s new owner, is excited to bring the brand’s revolutionary treatments to Houston. “I’m thrilled to be part of the Skinovatio family and to offer cutting-edge skincare treatments that truly cater to every skin type,” she said in a recent news release. “The brand’s dedication to inclusivity and real results is what drew me to this incredible opportunity.” Skinovatio bills itself as a premier skincare franchise known for its innovative approach to advanced, non-invasive skincare. With a focus on inclusive beauty and results-driven treatments, Skinovatio offers ser-
vices that are scientifically backed and tailored to each individual’s needs. The brand, according to the company, is “dedicated to empowering its clients through the transformative power of skincare.” Barbeau, who was born and raised in Colorado but resided in California, moved to Texas for to take advantage of this franchising opportunity. “Doing research and figuring out the numbers for aesthetics versus the options, I was given maybe three or four states, after I did all of my research,” she recalled. “And I said to See SKINOVATIO P. 2
Photo by Stephanie Shirley
Skinovatio Med Spa is conveniently located at 701 Shepherd, at the intersection of Floyd and Shepherd.
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