Inside Today: City reminding residents to protect their pipes • Page 6
Smart choices last a lifetime.
Check Off The Last Things On Your List Shop Darlene’s Everything on
Sale
713.688.8669
Lane Lewis Agency Flower & Gift Shop 17500467
LLewis@FarmersAgent.com 2200 North Loop W Ste 136 Houston, TX 77018
10570 NW Frwy ❖ 713-680-2350
Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston Saturday, December 17, 2022 • Vol. 67 • No. 49
ABOUT US 2020 North Loop West Suite 220 (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/FromTheLeader
Leader’s Choice BEST ATTORNEY
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 5005 W. 34th Street, Suite 104A Legal Services For Wills, Probate Estate Planning & Real Estate
PHYLLIS A. OESER Attorney At LAw 713-692-0300
INSIDE.
City amends ordinance for outdoor public music events to now require a permit for any public outdoor music event or concert on private property that expects 500 people or more to attend the event. The expanded ordinance will go into effect on March 7, 2023, according to the city. Along with their application for a permit, event producers will need to submit plans for staffing, security, and expected traffic plans for the event. However, the ordinance has an exception for those private properties with Certificates of Occupancy or those proper-
By Landan Kuhlmann
landan@theleadernews.com The city of Houston has expanded its code of ordinances in what it says is an attempt to improve communication about public music events held on private property and ensuring the public’s safety in the case of such an event being held. On Dec. 9, the Houston city council approved an amendment that expands Chapter 25 of its existing code of ordinances, which is related to special events,
Safety and smiles
ties owned by religious organizations and educational institutions. It was brought to council after those with the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, Houston Fire Department, and Houston Police Department said responding to emergencies that result from over-crowding, understaffing, and poor planning costs excessive resource expenditure while also potentially placing attendees and citizens in danger. See Ordinance P. 6
THE
THE LEADER.
GUIDE 47th Edition • December 17, 2022
Check out our annual Guide Staff Reports
Man charged A man has been arrested and charged stemming from a local auto-pedestrian crash
Page 2
Cream of the crop More than a dozen local private school football players recently earned All-State honors
Page 4
Photo by Landan Kuhlmann Crossing guard Clennon Preston helps children across the crosswalk at the corner of West 43rd Street and Oak Forest Drive in front of Oak Forest Elementary. He has patrolled the intersection for nearly five years, and parents and children alike have gravitated to his dedication and joy.
Oak Forest community forming indelible bond with beloved school crossing guard By Landan Kuhlmann
landan@theleadernews.com Coming to town In this week’s Art Valet, Santa will be visiting several local art galleries and shops
Page 9
Nibbles and Sips Check out a local Hannukah celebration and more in this week’s column
Carolyn Durchholz’s son has walked to school at Oak Forest Elementary nearly every day for the last four years, developing a daily routine with the school’s crossing guard. Twice a day, sun shining or rain coming down - like it was on Tuesday - Clennon Preston greets her son with a friendly “hello” and a bright smile and strikes up a conversation with either her son or other families at the intersection. That energy and clear joy for children, she said, has created an indelible bond between the Oak Forest community and the man who has watched out for their safety at the corner of Oak Forest Drive and West 43rd Street for nearly five years. “He has the best attitude ever, and treats the kids like his own family,” Durchholz said. “He even gives cute nicknames to the kids and they light up when he says it.” The sentiment was a common one among parents of students who have crossed paths with Preston over the last four and a half years as he watches diligently over children and families at one of the busier local school intersections for about an hour in the morning and an hour each afternoon See Preston P. 6
Local preschool aids in area nonprofit’s mission By Landan Kuhlmann
Page 9
landan@theleadernews.com
THE INDEX. Sports............................................................. 4 Church........................................................... 5 Coupons....................................................... 8 Classifieds.................................................. 8 Food/Drink...............................9
Contributed photo Oak Forest Elementary parent Laura Hanet stops for a photo with Preston last year. She said the community has formed a deep bond with the beloved crossing guard.
It has been a bit of an eventful year for the area in 2022. And it is still constantly changing and evolving as we put COVID-19 a little further in the rearview mirror and the calendar gets ever closer to flipping to 2023. The Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, and its surrounding neighborhoods are no stranger to change, just like the rest of the Houston region. There are new restaurants, businesses, and more moving into the area. So what’s the answer to keeping up with a constantly-evolving tapestry? We’re glad you asked. You’ll probably notice that this week’s paper is a little heftier when you pick it up, and that’s because inserted this week is our annual Guide publication. So you get a little extra bang for your buck this week, because in addition to our weekly news coverage of sports, food, and community happenings, there’s a little something extra. Each year, we attempt to use The Guide as a way to introduce new readers and residents to the plethora of opportunities and options that exist in our slice of north Houston. But it’s not just for the newest transplants. Even if you have lived here for years like much of our staff, there is always something more to learn, or a new restaurant to try. Maybe there is a park close to you, or one right around the corner from your home or child’s school that could solve the mystery of how to let them expend their energy. Inside the pages of The Guide, you’ll find rundowns of parks and community centers that serve the part of Houston that we here at The Leader hold near and dear to our hearts. We also explore the dynamic, eclectic, and and unique tapestry that is the food and drink scene in our area, and more. Each week we strive to bring you the most relevant, informative, and interesting news that this community has to offer. That’s our goal, because this is our home too. And we hope that this once-a-year extension of our weekly coverage gives you an idea of just how special this community is. So without further ado, we hope you enjoy this year’s edition of The Guide.
As the area’s children come up on a two-week Christmas break soon, Nicole Verbit knows that for some, going home means wondering if they’ll have enough food to eat. In that spirit, a local preschool was among those who recently took part in an annual food drive aimed at providing food for preschool-aged children in Houston and surrounding areas this holiday
season so that they can celebrate Christmas and New Year’s without having to worry about their next meal. The Primrose School, which includes Primrose of Garden Oaks at 1919 Judiway St., recently held its annual Caring and Sharing food drive at locally-based nonprofit Kids Meals, 330 Garden Oaks Blvd. Students from the local Primrose School were among more than 50 who donated more than 6,000 items to be donated to children in need in Harris and
Montgomery Counties. “At Primrose, we teach children about the importance of giving back and helping others,” said Verbit, who is the Area Education Director for Primrose School of Garden Oaks. Especially around the holidays, Verbit said that need is magnified when schools let out for the twoweek Christmas break. And the annual Caring and Sharing food drive, she says, gives younger students an opportunity to give back See Meals P. 5
Contributed photo A child holds up one of the meals made for Kids Meals Houston. Primrose School students donated more than 6,000 items used for the meals.
Personalized attention. 2222 North Durham | 281.517.8760 AllegianceBank.com
By ensuring consistent access, quick answers and tailored solutions, we don’t just get to know your business, we get to know you. %iscover how our taking your success personally can make all the difference.