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Saturday, August 30, 2025 • Vol. 70 • No. 35
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INSIDE.
Drive Sober: Law enforcement agencies step up drunk driving initiatives through Labor Day
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Suspected serial burglar arrested By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com A 25-year-old man accused of burglarizing multiple homes in the Heights and surrounding neighborhoods has been arrested following a monthslong investigation by Harris County Constable Pct. 1, Constable Alan Rosen announced this week. Jose Daniel Espinosa Espinosa faces three felony charges — two counts of burglary and one count of possession of methamphetamine — stemming
from incidents dating back to May. According to court records, investigators believe he may be connected to numerous other residential break-ins throughout the summer. The charges include a burglary in May in the 1500 block of Tulane Street in the Heights and another in August in the 900 block of Lehman Street in Shepherd Park. In one case, video surveillance captured Espinosa Espinosa entering a townhouse garage and rolling away with a $2,500 Specializedbrand mountain bike.
In another incident, an alarm alerted a Heights homeowner when the sliding glass door was opened. Surveillance footage later showed the suspect leaving with a luxury bag containing a computer and other personal belongings — including an AirTag that helped investigators track the stolen items. While Espinosa Espinosa attempted to evade detection, investigators said his bright orange Dodge Charger and a large skull tattoo on his left See BURGLAR P. 2
Photo released by Pct. 1 Constable’s Office
Jose Daniel Espinosa Espinosa
Little Sister ITALIAN FARE, Cake Shop & SOUTHWESTERN FLAIR Café debuts at The Stomping Grounds in Garden Oaks
Heights mini mural restored after vandalism
By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com
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Houston cake artist Rebecca “Becca” Pham has expanded her footprint in Garden Oaks with the opening of Little Sister Cake Shop & Café, a larger, two-part concept at 1207 W. 34th St. in The Stomping Grounds. The new venue doubles the size of Pham’s former Becca Cakes bakery and introduces a daily café alongside a flexible “Sister Suite” for classes, pop-ups, and custom cake consultations. The Café opens daily at 8 a.m. with a rotating lineup of fresh-baked pastries—think butter croissants, fig & prosciutto brioche buns, coffee cake mini loaves, cinnamon rolls, and lemon meringue rolls—available until sold out. All-day treats include ornate cakes by the slice, cupcakes, macarons, cookies, brownies, blondies, and whole cakes to-go for birthdays or last-minute celebrations. The drinks menu spans traditional coffee, matcha, and tea made with house-crafted syrups, plus signatures like Passion Fruit Matcha, a Caramelized Banana Latte, and kidfriendly flavored milks. Guests will also find candles, cake toppers, party favors, and greeting cards for one-stop celebration shopping.
Pet of the Week: Meet Blessed, the senior cat in search of snuggles
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Photo by Stephanie Shirleyl
Greg and Jennifer Figueroa have been pouring their heart and soul into Spaghetti Western for decades, making it a neighborhood favorite.
Spaghetti Western marks 25 years in the Heights Comings & Goings: Say hello to the new kids in town
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Solid Waste collection schedule for Labor Day
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By STEPHANIE SHIRLEY The Leader News Contributor For 25 years, Spaghetti Western has been more than just a neighborhood Italian eatery — it’s been a local institution where great food, familiar faces, and community spirit meet. Tucked at 1608 Shepherd, just south of I-10, the locally owned restaurant has weathered industry challenges, economic shifts, and even a pandemic, all while staying true to its mission: serving quality Italian comfort food in a relaxed, welcoming setting. In a city where fewer than 20 percent of restaurants make it past the 15-year mark, Spaghetti Western’s silver anniversary is a rare milestone — one built on consistency, heart, and a loyal customer base that keeps coming back for more. See PASTA P. 2
See CAFÉ P. 2
Submitted photo
A standout signature favorite, the Portobello Crab Cake, is a crab cake topped with grilled shrimp, portobello mushroom and roasted garlic cream sauce atop a bed of orzo.
Photo courtesy of Little Sister Cake Shop & Café
Rebecca “Becca” Pham is the owner of Little Sister Cake Shop & Café.
Greater Houston Partnership provides look at its “Houston Facts ‘25” The Leader’s sister paper, the Fort Bend Star. On Aug. 6, the Greater Houston Editor’s note: In its “Economy at a Partnership released its “Houston Facts Glance” report for August, the Greater ‘25” report. Highlights from the report Houston Partnership – the regional are found below: chamber of commerce – looks at the Partnership’s Houston Facts ’25 publiGeography cation, providing high-level informaMetro Houston (known formally as tion on the region’s geography, demo- the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands graphics, economy, and key industries, Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S. among other aspects of life in the re- Census Bureau) consists of 10 coungion. This article was first published in ties: Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, STAFF REPORTS
7.8 million people, making it the fifthlargest U.S. metro behind New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas/Fort Worth. If it were an independent state, it would be the 14th largest in the country, with a population slightly smaller than Washington but larger than Arizona, Tennessee, or Massachusetts. The population has been growing Demographics rapidly, adding 645,949 new residents The region’s population is even more impressive than its land mass. As of since the start of the decade (April ’20 July ’24, it is home to approximately See GHP P. 4 Brazoria, Galveston, Chambers, Liberty, San Jacinto, Waller, and Austin. The region spans 8,838 square miles of land, making it larger than the U.S. states of Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, and New Jersey. It includes 125 separate cities and 37 census-designated places.