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Saturday, August 23, 2025 • Vol. 70 • No. 34
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INSIDE.
Hermann Park Golf Course to undergo major renovation
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HISD reports record ratings gains as local parents question educational quality By BETSY DENSON The Leader News Contributor Houston Independent School District recently announced what Superintendent Mike Miles called a “historic achievement,” with 74 percent of schools earning A or B ratings and zero F-rated campuses. HISD’s press announcement said this represents “a remarkable transformation from just two years ago, before the start of HISD’s
transformation, when just 35% of the district’s schools earned this distinction.” The district says preliminary ratings show that 197 schools have achieved A or B ratings compared to 93 schools two years ago. One of the major changes since the state takeover has been the implementation of the New Education System (NES), which now operates in about 110 schools with standardized curricula. The system
will expand to approximately 150 schools by 2026-27, covering over half the district, according to Houston Public Media. Miles described the recent state ratings as proof of “what Houston’s students are capable of achieving when given the opportunity and support they deserve.” But interviews with some local parents present a different perspective on educational quality in their schools, raising
questions about what these improved ratings reflect. “I wish I could find anything to list under the ‘improvement’ category under the TEA takeover of HISD,” said Lorri White, a Heights parent whose child attends a magnet high school. “Well-trained teachers with proven pedagogy have been replaced by terrible worksheets and video lessons. Every ounce of joy has been sucked out of school.”
FROM LANDMARK TO LIFESTYLE
Behind the Rating Improvements
While HISD publicizes dramatic progress, there are parents who question whether the gains reflect what’s happening in their children’s schools. At Frank Black Middle School, parent Beth Caldwell has tracked significant changes alongside the district’s reported gains. She says the school lost See HISD P. 2
Copper wire thieves in disguise wanted on felony charges By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com
Area Real Estate: HAR local data by zip code
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Go Texans: METRO adds more Red Line rides for game days
Image courtesy of Radom Capital
Street view rendering of Clock Tower Residences, coming in 2027.
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Furever Homes Wanted: Houston SPCA hosts Clear the Shelters Pet Adoption Event
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The Holdsworth Center: Nominate your favorite teacher for a free weekend retreat
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THE INDEX. Topics ����������������������������������������4 Classifieds ���������������������������������5
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Radom Capital Breaks Ground on Heights’ Clock Tower Residences By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com
Radom Capital has broken ground on its latest Heights project, a boutique multifamily development that will expand the company’s award-winning Heights Clocktower property. The new Clock Tower Residences, developed in partnership with Asana Partners, will bring 214 new residential units, four live-work spaces, and a neighborhood-focused food and beverage concept to the area. The project, located at the intersections of 23rd Street, North Shepherd and Lawrence Streets, marks Radom Capital’s 15th development in the Heights. “Clock Tower Residences brings our team’s design philosophy home—creating spaces that feel personal, layered, See CLOCKTOWER P. 2
Photo by Kailye Nay
A trio of copper wire thieves disguised themselves as utility workers in northwest Houston, but now face felony charges filed by the Office of Harris County Constable Pct. 1 Alan Rosen. The suspects allegedly targeted an industrial park in the 6800 block of Portwest Drive, backing a white pickup truck with flashing lights up to a business and using a heavy chain to rip yards of copper wire from the building. Authorities say the theft left $45,000 in damages and temporarily cut power to the site, halting business operations. “This trio is a menace to honest, hardworking business owners,” Rosen said. “What makes this even worse is they disguised themselves as the type workers that are often doing crucial work in society.” According to Pct. 1 Constable’s Office officials, copper thieves do many more thousands of dollars in damage to their victims than they get by illegally selling the stolen wire to scrap yards.
Suspects Identified
The individuals charged in the fake utility truck incident are Miles Wayne Hensley, 38; Chad Johnson, 55; and Moriah Joy Carroll, 32. Court records show Johnson has been arrested more than 55 times, with over a dozen prior convictions for copper-wire theft. In July, he was sentenced to four years of deferred adjudication, but authorities allege he committed the Portwest Drive crime
Groundbreaking of Clock Tower Residences in the Heights, August 2025.
Photos released by Pct. 1 Constable’s Office
WANTED: Chad Johnson, Miles Wayne Hensley, and Moriah Joy Carroll.
See COPPER P. 2
Houston Heights Association launches campaign: “Reimagine Donovan Park” By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com Donovan Park, a treasured landmark at 700 Heights Boulevard and a centerpiece of the Heights community, is preparing for its next chapter. Nearly 30 years after neighbors first came together to build the whimsical wooden playground, the Houston Heights Association (HHA)
has launched the Reimagine Donovan Park campaign, a multi-phase initiative to rebuild and revitalize the beloved park. As a privately owned park, Donovan Park receives no City of Houston funding. The HHA has maintained and supported the park entirely through community donations, sponsorships, and volunteer events. Now, leaders
say, it’s time for the community to come together once more. “Donovan Park is more than just a park to me, it’s a place where parents gather and get to know each other, where neighbors become friends, and where kids can run, play, and explore while feeling safe and free,” said See DONOVAN P. 5
Google Street View screen capture
Donovan Park with its trademark turrets and wooden train
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