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THURSDAY | December 20, 2012 | Vol. 59 | No. 8 | www.theleadernews.com | @heightsleader
Washington gets relief, just not soon
THE BRIEFS. sponsored by
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Kids say the darndest things, right? You haven’t seen anything yet. If you’ve never read a newspaper full of Letters to Santa, today’s your lucky day. In the second section of today’s Leader, we asked children from elementary schools in this area to share their holiday wish-list, and did they ever. From books, to iPads, to cruise ships to, apparently, an X-ray machine, the youngsters in our community give you reason to pause and laugh a little this week.
Pages 1-4B
Whether it’s concerns over the noise from elevated lanes, or businesses that have closed their doors, the improvements to U.S. 290 and IH 610 are not without their problems. (Photo by Jake Dukate)
Residents ready to file suit
Our Gift Certificates Make Great Stocking Stuffers 7ISHING A VERY -ERRY #HRISTMAS TO ALL OUR GREAT CUSTOMERS M-F 11am-9pm Sat 11am-5pm
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Leader announces holiday deadlines In an effort to give our staff time with their families, The Leader’s deadlines will change for the next two weeks. For the Dec. 27 edition, the deadline for advertising will be at noon on Thursday, Dec. 20. The deadline for all news copy will be 5 p.m. on Dec. 20. For the Jan. 3 edition, advertising deadlines will be 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28. News submissions will have the same deadline. After the Jan. 3 edition, The Leader will then move its publication date to Saturdays, beginning with the Jan. 12 edition. Readers and advertisers will receive more information on that in two weeks.
THE INDEX. Public Safety Hipstrict Topics Obituaries Coupons Puzzles Sports Classifieds
2A 3A 4A 7A 6A 4A 9A 5B
Some stores won’t make it
by Michael Sudhalter news@theleadernews.com
by Ivee Sauls ivee@theleadernews.com
TheTexasD epartmentof Transportation (TxD O T) Houston D ivision had plenty of schematicsand mapswhen it hosted a public meeting last week regarding the U.S. H wy. 290 Interim D esign Phase Project – but that wasn’t the focus of most of the 250 in attendance. The complaints raised by local residents had little to do with the roads, but rather the noise that a total of 29 elevated lanes/H O V lanes(including managed lanes/ H O V lanes) would create for the community. “This was a waste of time for people to come out here and Carol Caul complain,”Timbergrove resident Ben C rabb said.“TxD O T has turned a deaf ear to us on our complaintsabout sound from D ay 1.They’ve said‘Yes,your sound levels are going to get worse, and no, we’re not going to do anything about it’.” C rabb isone of 10 plaintiffsin a lawsuit fi led in M arch 2011 in federal court by H ouston attorney C arol C aul.
M any of the businessesbetween M angum and 34th Street are feeling the effects of the TXD O T: U S 290 C onstruction Project. Al’sFormalWear,once located at 11290 Northwest Freeway, is“closed forever”, said a store associate at the Bunker H ill location. The M anhattan Life Building, located at 10700 Northwest Freeway,isalso closed and relocated to 10777 NorthwestFreeway.A voicemail recording for the offi ce of the Special O lympics,which wasalso located in the building, indicates that the offi ce hasalso relocated to Bob Domec this new address. Peter Bergman, PC , former tenant of the M anhattan Life Building,has moved his law offi ce to 10500 Northwest Freeway. “It’s a lot different than the offi ce I was in before,” he said. Bergman said the M anhattan Life building wasa fabulous. “I loved that building.I almost cried when we had to move out
see Lawsuit • Page 8A
see Business • Page 8A
by Charlotte Aguilar charlotte@theleadernews.com Businessownersand residentsalong the Washington Avenue C orridor will be receiving formal written notices any day now that they’re part of an 18month pilotParking Benefi tD istrictapproved last week,15-2,by H ouston C ity C ouncil to better regulate traffi c and parking and to produce revenue to provide improvementsin the area.But –by design, to allow an orderly transition – it will be months before the district is actually fully operational with parking meters,parking for employees,and permits issued to residentswho want them. The city has 10 daysto notify those “... It is critical that affected – located we balance the in a wide swath needs of residents, extending from business owners Westcott Street on and patrons.” thewestto Houston Avenue,bordering • Ellen Cohen downtown, on the Houston City Council east,and one block District C on either side of Washington Avenue. The plan, which will install 350 metersalong Washington Avenue’spopular entertainment district byApril2013, is designed to help business owners, their patronsand employeesand nearby residentsco-exist more comfortably. Instead of cruising Washington and adjacent residential streetsfor parking, patronswillsoon fi nd metered parking, which will cost $1 an hour daytime and $2 an hour at night,with the option for a nightlong pass for $7. Each address is eligible to apply for one parking permit for an annual fee of $25. The city has encouraged businesses in the district to work out arrangementswith ownersof parking lots and garages in the area to secure parking for employees. That had been one major point of contention, with both businesses and residents complaining that employees frequently took most of the prime spots,and employersconcerned about where they fi t into the new district’s parking scheme. The pilot was devised after a long process involving stakeholders who have been dealing with the problem
see Washington • Page 8A
Scouts honor Mildred Gandin for 60 years of service by Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com Sitting in a pew at St.Stephen’s UnitedMethodistC hurchonSunday,O ak Forest resident M ildred G andin was surprised to hear her name called. In front of the congregation,she waspresented with the Silver Torch Award, a U M C recognition to mark her 60 years of service to Boy Scouts of America. “Very few people earn the Silver Torch award. It’s a national honor,”said U M C Scouting C oordinator Larry Lanz.“M ildred
has quite a resume.” It is the resume of a woman whose volunteer path in Boy Scouts was perhaps inevitable. With three sons and a husband, Bill, who received his own Silver Torch award a couple years back,M ildred was always an unabashed supporter of Scouting. As Bill G andin tells it,M ildred was a tomboy who had to keep up with her two brothers.O ne of those brotherswasin RO TC with Bill at Reagan H igh School and invited him home one day for a snack. M ildred and her sisters were in attendance.
“I came in and there were three beautiful young ladies on the sofa. I made up my mind about M ildred right then,” Bill said. “We walked to school together,” M ildred conceded. “I was having too much fun being a student for a while.” Soon inseparable,theymarried seven monthsafter Pearl H arbor but had to part ways when Bill enlisted in the Army to serve in the Army Air C orps, stationed both in SantaAna,C alif.,and Roswell, N .M .
see Gandin • Page 8A
Scouting is just a way of life for Mildred and Bill Gandin. Mildred was honored with the prestigious Silver Torch Award last week. (Photo by Betsy Denson)
Page 2A • The Leader • December 20, 2012 • @heightsleader
In wake of shootings, HISD sticks to plan H ouston ISD reacted quickly to news of the mass killings at an elementary school in C onnecticut Friday, with a statement that the district“joins the nation in mourning the tragic loss of life� that also reminded the public of its own security system. “C risis management procedures, which include campus lockdown protocols, are in place at every H ISD campus,� the statement read. “The approximately 200 offi cers in the H ISD Police D epartment receive regular crisis response training as well. The safety of students and staff is H ISD ’s top priority.� All H ISD police are Texascertifi ed peace offi cers,meeting the same requirementsfor education and training as regular law enforcement.
Late Sunday, the district’s media offi ce found itself fending off some television stations, which had asked to broadcast live from campuses during Monday morning dropoff.“We feel that live TV truckswould be unsettling for parentsand children,and ask you to reconsider, if you’ve made such plans,�district spokesman Jason Spencer said in an email to media. Instead, H ISD made availablePoliceC hief JimmyD otson, the district’selementary school chief and some of itslead counselors for interviews on M onday,for media interested in a local angle to a national tragedy. Spencer said later M onday morning that he had not received reports of media at any schools. – Charlotte Aguilar
P.O. robber still loose C rime Stoppersand investigatorswith the H ouston Police D epartment and the U S Postal Inspection Service are searching for the unidentifi ed suspect responsible for a robbery at a H eights post offi ce. O n July27,2012,atabout5 a.m., an unidentifi ed black male suspect entered the post offi ce at 1050 Yale St. The armed suspect approached a male victim in the loading dock, and forced hisway into the storefront.There, the suspect demanded cash and property from thepostalemployees.C omplying with the suspect’s demands, the victims surrendered an undisclosed amount of postal property to the suspect. The unidentifi ed male fl ed the scene on foot.
Theft 02:15 PM 1900-1999 TAYLOR Theft 10:40 AM 2100-2199 TANNEHILL DR Theft 08:23 PM 5000-5099 YALE Theft 05:00 PM 200-299 ROSAMOND Theft 08:30 AM 2200-2299 MANGUM Assault 05:30 AM 3200-3299 MANGUM Assault 08:30 PM 4800-4899 LAMONTE LN Theft 10:30 AM 7500-7599 NORTH FWY Theft 03:30 PM 400-499 16TH ST Theft 10:00 PM 700-799 WORTHSHIRE Theft 07:00 PM 3700-3799 CENTER ST Theft 11:00 PM 5700-5799 KIAM Theft 11:00 PM 3000-3099 NORTH LP W Theft 10:00 PM 3000-3099 NORTH LP W Burglary 06:00 PM 200-299 ROSAMOND Theft 08:00 AM 1500-1599 DURHAM DR Theft 12:00 PM 4100-4199 SHERWOOD LN Theft 04:30 PM 4400-4499 12TH ST Burglary 03:30 PM 2000-2099 HEWITT
DEC. 9 Theft 04:40 PM 2200-2299 AIRLINE DR Theft 05:30 PM 4900-4999 MAXIE Robbery 07:30 PM 4900-4999 SHEPHERD DR Robbery 01:15 AM 600-699 STUDEMONT Theft 11:10 AM 1900-1999 CHESTNUT ST Theft 12:00 AM 3000-3099 NORTH LP W SER Theft 10:52 AM 500-599 WELLINGTON Theft 02:30 PM 9800-9899 HEMPSTEAD HWY Assault 03:00 AM 2300-2399 43RD ST Burglary 07:10 AM 4400-4499 PINEMONT DR Burglary 02:07 PM 1500-1599 DURHAM DR Theft 09:18 PM 2800-2899 N SHEPHERD DR Theft 09:03 PM 1800-1899 DURHAM DR Theft 07:00 PM 1500-1599 NORTH LP W Burglary 11:00 PM 5700-5799 MAXIE Theft 11:30 PM 3900-3999 SHERWOOD LN Theft 09:00 PM 3200-3299 MANGUM Robbery 11:00 PM 3200-3299 MANGUM Theft 02:07 PM 1500-1599 DURHAM DR Assault 06:30 PM 7300-7399 WASHINGTON AVE
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The suspect is described as a black male, in his mid-twenties, standing 5’9� and weighing approximately 140-160 lbs. Witnesses described the suspect as skinny with an unshaven light beard. A composite sketch of the suspect is attached. Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect is asked to contact C rime Stoppers of H ouston at (713) 222TIPS (8477). C rime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for any information called in to the 713-222-TIPS (8477) or submitted online at www.crimestoppers.org that leads to the fi ling of felony charges or arrest of the suspect in this case. Tips can also be sent by text message.Text TIP610 plusyour tip to C RIM ES (274637). All tipsters remain anonymous.
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Police Reports, Dec. 8-14 DEC. 8
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Burglary 01:48 AM 1900-1999 TAYLOR Theft 10:25 PM 0-99 WAUGH Theft 06:20 PM 400-499 SHEPHERD DR Theft 02:30 PM 1200-1299 43RD ST Theft 04:00 PM 1300-1399 43RD ST Theft 07:12 PM 1300-1399 43RD ST Theft 08:20 AM 2600-2699 NORTH LP W Theft 05:35 PM 2400-2499 JUDIWAY Theft 12:00 PM 800-899 CURTIN ST
Location 7 % .
Ella Blvd.
DEC. 13 Assault 04:21 PM 2400-2499 ROY CIR
DEC. 10 Assault 07:32 PM 200-299 20TH ST Theft 01:00 PM 4000-4099 SHEPHERD DR Theft 03:30 PM 1200-1299 STUDER Robbery 03:45 PM 5000-5099 YALE Theft 11:30 AM 8900-8999 HEMPSTEAD HWY Burglary 08:15 AM 1700-1799 EVERETT ST Burglary 01:00 PM 2200-2299 NINA LEE LN Theft 06:30 AM 4100-4199 PINEMONT DR Theft 06:53 PM 3600-3699 MANGUM Burglary 04:00 PM 4000-4099 WATONGA BLVD Burglary 11:42 PM 800-899 NORTH LP W Theft 08:00 PM 1500-1599 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 06:30 PM 2400-2499 JUDIWAY Theft 08:00 PM 4800-4899 34TH ST
DEC. 11 Theft 02:00 PM 900-999 NORTH LP W Theft 03:30 PM 900-999 N LOOP W Assault 12:10 AM 4300-4399 ROGERS Theft 09:00 AM 700-799 JANISCH RD Theft 12:45 PM 4900-4999 SHEPHERD DR Burglary 12:30 PM 4000-4099 34TH ST Theft 02:00 AM 5900-5999 BEALL ST Theft 02:00 PM 200-299 20TH ST Theft 03:30 PM 900-999 NORTH LP W Theft 10:30 PM 3600-3699 BRINKMAN ST Theft 05:00 PM 1600-1699 SPRING Theft 08:30 AM 3700-3799 WATONGA BLVD
DEC. 12 Theft 4:15 PM 700-799 YALE Theft 01:30 PM 900-999 TEMPLE ST Theft 10:20 AM 1300-1399 34TH ST Theft 12:20 PM 4000-4099 SHEPHERD DR Theft 05:45 PM 1800-1899 SHEPHERD DR Burglary 10:00 AM 1000-1099 ROSEPOINT
Theft 10:30 AM 500-599 18TH ST Theft 12:00 AM 1400-1499 LAIRD Robbery 09:45 PM 700-799 11TH ST Burglary 08:00 AM 1200-1299 TIMBERGROVE LN Burglary 12:04 PM 4500-4599 OXFORD ST Theft 03:00 AM 200-299 PATTON ST Theft 06:30 PM 3600-3699 WILLIA ST Assault 02:00 PM 700-799 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 01:30 PM 1300-1399 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 07:35 AM 1800-1899 43RD ST Theft 02:00 PM 10200-10299 NORTHWEST FWY SER Theft 03:15 PM 2300-2399 SHEPHERD DR Theft 06:30 AM 1600-1699 34TH ST Theft 07:00 PM 1600-1699 34TH ST Burglary 05:30 PM 100-199 ANNETTE LN
DEC. 14 Theft 12:00 PM 200-299 19TH ST Burglary 12:19 PM 800-899 31ST ST Theft 12:28 AM 1400-1499 20TH ST Theft 09:45 AM 100-199 PAYNE Theft 12:30 PM 5600-5699 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 07:55 AM 600-699 DURHAM DR Theft 02:30 PM 400-499 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 05:30 PM 400-499 HEIGHTS BLVD Burglary 06:45 AM 4400-4499 NINA LEE LN Theft 09:50 PM 1200-1299 AUSTIN ST Burglary 06:00 AM 9400-9499 ALCORN ST
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Page 3A • The Leader • December 20, 2012 • @heightsleader
If the world is really ending, maybe you should visit El Gran Malo El G ran M alo, which means “The Big Bad� in Spanish, offers handcrafted tequila infusions, specialty margaritas and generous selection of craft beers in a festiveindooratmosphere,aswell as a relaxing garden patio. El G ran M alo starts with 100 percent Agave tequilas and adds fresh,organic and often seasonal ingredientsto createuniquecombinations of fl avors to enhance the tequila and pique the senses. It also offers a gastrocantinainspired food menu by C hef G reg Lowry. The simple, yet fl avorful menu has a array of small plates that includes six types of tacos that can be ordered individually or by a bucket of three. El G ran M alo is having a big bad End of ElWorld Party Thursday, D ecember 20 at 5 p.m. with
THIRSTY EXPLORERR earth shattering cocktails, including YO LO , M ega-Volcano vs M ega Ice-storm, and Z ombie Apocalypse. TheHouston Food Bank willbe there with donation jarsand a collection box for their most needed items: canned tuna or chicken, packed in water, canned stews and pasta/meat, peanut butter, packages of dried beans,canned fruitsand vegetables,100 percent juice cansor boxes,tomato sauce, soups, pasta, cereals. Bravado Spice will attend with spicy wares that will be featured
on the“Last Meal�food and drink menu. El G ran M alo is taking last requests for songs for the End of El World musical playlist on twitter at @elgranmalotx, by email at lea@elgranmalo.com, on facebook,or spotify at elgranmalotx. El G ran M alo islocated at 2307 Ella Blvd. and is open M onday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.,with the kitchen open until 11 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. until2 a.m.,with the kitchen open until 12 a.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., with the kitchen open until 12 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., with the kitchen open until 11 p.m.There is a H appy H our every day until 7:30 p.m.For more information, visitwww.elgranmalo.com orcall 832-767-3405.
Review: Sonoma guides you to good wine Staring down a wine list at a vino-centric bar can sometimes cause Leader Eater’seyesto glaze over. At some wine joints, there aremultiplepageswith linesupon linesof selectionsfrom acrossthe globe that can start to look more likeacomplex algorithm formula than an inviting wine menu.For LeaderEater,whosewineacumen is closer to dabbler than practitioner,attempting to branch out from a handful of default fl avors and vineyardswhen sitting down to have a glass of wine can be, well, a pain in the derriere. Leader Eater hastaken two approacheswhen trying to broaden my wine-drinking horizons at a restaurant. The fi rst is the point and pray technique.Asthe name suggests, I fi nd a particular subsection of wine taste on the menu (in most casesM albec) and drop my fi nger down on a random selection. I then give a try at properly pronouncing the name and hope for the best when it hits my tongue. The other method is to engage the bar’s wine-slinger or restaurant’s waiter in what quickly becomesa game of C atch Phrase where we are trading termssuch asearthy,oaky,fruity, leathery, etc. until they come up with a suggestion that is still just a shot in the dark on whether you are going to like it or not. So, it was nice to saddle up at The H eights’ newest wine bar, Sonoma, and for them to have a page on the menu dedicated to helping out a novice sommelier
such as myself.Following on the concept employed at the original location on UpperKirby,Sonoma hasfeatured wine fl ights,taking a cue from whiskey and beer bars where you can get a sampling of fl avors in smaller-than-normal portions. The good folks at Sonoma give you a taste-driven tour based on themessuch asbubbles (for champagne),crisp,light and refreshing (for chilled whites), cherries and rose petals (featuring pinot noirs),fruitsand vanillas(malbecsand zinfandels) and a trio of digestifsdubbed stickies and sweets. Leader Eater was drawn to the foursome of pinot noirs – three from C aliforniaafourth from O regon – and one of Sonoma’s extremelyknowledgeableand helpfulwineSherpaslined up thesame number of wine glassesacrossthe bar. The order of glasses, with about two ounces in each,corresponded with the fl ight menu so even a wannabe vino enthusiast, such as me, could follow along. Although Leader Eater stuck to the liquid experience for his fi rst time in the dimly-light and crisp-
ly chic surroundingsof Sonoma’s Studewood-facing bar, the restaurant portion of the original location’smenu hasbeen almost fully imported to The H eights winelounge(with itsgrand opening set for next month).Sonoma has an impressive selection of full-fl avored cheeses and cured meats that are a must in accompanying a wine-focused evening out. And there are the beloved pizzas,small plates,desserts and a fi ne selection of local craft beers for the non-wine drinker. After sipping the four fl avorsin theC herriesand RosePetalsfl ight, Leader Eater mistakenly veered away from Sonoma’saccommodating approach to broadening my wine horizonsand defaulted back to the point and pray process when it was time for choosing a full glass. The 2010 C hateau du C edre Heritage,a French M albec, didn’t excite Leader Eater and I realized that in order to shed my amateurwineconnoisseurstatus, I should have stuck with the suggestions of The H eights’ newest wine experts.
Sonoma Wine Bar 801 Studewood www.sonomahouston.com Wine Flights: $15-$25 Cheese & Charcuterie: $6-$28 Pizzas: $13-$18 Kid Friendly: wine and munchkins rarely mix well in public LE’s pick: Cherries & Rose Petals Wine Flight
8 UI 4U t 'BY
Editor’s Note: Eater was full this week (actually out of town); new reviews are back next week.
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Page 4A • The Leader • December 20, 2012 • @heightsleader
Your letters have brought humility to our entire office
T
he original plan for today’s column was to answer two very interesting phone calls I received last week. Instead, I need to answer the more than 500 very humbling letterswe received. A couple of weeks ago, we delivered a newspaper that included a letter asking that you consider a voluntary contribution to your community newspaper. The reason for the letter was fairly simple. First, we felt there may be readers who wanted to support The Leader who otherwise can’t. We also thought that if people were interested in seeing the newspaper continue to grow, this would be a small investment they could make to be part of that growth. And last,we wanted to do something special for the people who faithfully prepare and deliver your newspaper each week by giving them a tip with some of the proceeds. I have to be honest. O nce we decided to launch the program in this community, I thought we might receive 100 or so responses. Among those, my guess was about 20 of them would tell us to fl y a kite, in a manner of speaking. W hat I didn’t expect was the let-
JONATHAN MCELVY Publisher
ter from one lady that read, in part, “I cannot send any money thismonth,but plan to in the future. The Leader has always been a good newspaper for our area, but with all the extras, it’s become an excellent newspaper.” That returned envelope did not include a contribution, but I read it to our entire staff. It was from an elderly woman who can’t afford to send money right now, but who took the time to stamp an envelope and thank my great colleagues here at The Leader. As of this writing (which is always a few days before the paper is actually delivered),we have received more than 500 letters and more chill bumps than you can imagine. We got a $10 bill from a junior in
Sometimes, it’s a good thing we decided on new names “Poor Mexico:so far from G od, and so close to the United States,” Mexican President Porfi rio D iaz reportedly said.The old dictator was correct. N ot only do we buy Mexico’sdrugsand,in turn,send cash and guns south across the border,thiscountryalso took over that country’s name. N ow that may change. I shall explain: The recently departed Mexican President Felipe C alderon tried once more to change his country’s offi cial name from EstadosUnidos MexicanosortheUnited Mexican States to simply M exico. In his fi nal news conference, C alderon noted that the name was originally taken because, back in 1824 after Mexico became free from Spain,the United States of America wasan example of democracy and liberty for the newly independentnationsin theAmericas. N ow, he said, his nation no longer needsto copy the gringos’ title.(H e didn’t really say gringo, but the title fi ts.) “It’s time for M exicansto return to the beauty and simplicity of the name of our country,Mexico.A name that we chant, that we sing, that makes us happy, that we identify with, that fi lls us with pride.”Incidentally, the title M exico was a word fi rst used by the Aztecs in their original nahuatl language.They founded acitycalled Tenochtitlan but it waschanged to Mexico C ity because Tenochtitlan wouldn’t fi t on license plates (the D F was added later). C alderon fi rst proposed the name change as a congressman in 2003, but the bill did not make it to a vote. Even today his idea doesn’t have much chance of success,since hisreplacement, PresidentEnriquePenaNieto,has other priorities such as fi ghting drug wars which claimed at least 47,500 victimsduring C alderon’s term in offi ce. Then there is that nation’s rising poverty rate and chances of M exico making it to the World C up. “Forgive me for the expression, but M exico’s nameisMexico,”C alderon added, and he has a point. M ost people, including Mexicans,don’t use the offi cial title.You have to hunt for state documents, currency and obscure legal parchmentseven to fi ndtheSpanish-languageversion of the United M exican States. North of the Rio,we usually refer to our own country asAmeri-
A SH BY AT L ARG E
ca, although it isn’t clear why we should monopolize the name of two continents.A C anadian Eskimo or a Patagonian shepherd hasjust asmuch right to call himself an American as does the Tea Party.Indeed,a M exican can call himself an American, but pride would prevent it. Still, America and Americansare handy names, justlikewhen wereferto theNetherlandsasHolland when Holland is only a part of that country.We say England when we mean Britain but actually that land of tea and pressscandalsisoffi cially the United Kingdom of G reat Britain and N orthern Ireland which is not the same as the United Kingdom or UK.The old Soviet Union wasnot Russia,but that’swhat we called it even though Russia was one of 15 nations under one despot. N ot all name changes are for the better. W hat ever happened to Bombay and Burma? G oodbye Peking,hello Beijing.Remember thesong,“IstanbulnotC onstantinople”? That Turkish city’sname changed in 1930,afterseveralcenturies, for no particular reason. The famous Battle of Stalingrad took place in today’sVolgograd, its original name. Leningrad is once again Saint Petersburg,but what can we expect from a country that celebratesits“great O ctober revolution” in N ovember? Americans–that’sus–no longer have New Amsterdam (N YC ) or Pig’s Eye (St. Paul, M inn.) or FortRaccoon (D esMoines,which is French for Fort Raccoon).H ot Springs,New Mexico,isgone.Today it is Truth or C onsequences. In 1950,Ralph Edwards,the host of a radio quiz show, “Truth or C onsequences,” announced he would air the program from the fi rst town that renamed itself after the show.H ot Springswon the honor.C an welook forward toYes, Virginia (there is a Santa C laus) or D ancing with the Lone Stars,
But for some reason – and there can’t be a scientifi c explanation – the unbelievable people in our offi ce still come to work every day, still pick up the phone, and always respond with kindness and class. So you might imagine that when a fl ood of letters comes to our Post O ffi ce Box,and all of them have some nice note like, “Keep up the good work,” there’s an incredible sense of humility that overcomes you. To top it all off, one of the major TV stations in our market, FO X26, spent a couple of hours at The Leader last week to feature our business because it is growing and bucking the print trendsof larger newspapers around the nation. Even though thisistechnically the column before C hristmas, I can’t help but write this note of thanksgiving to the people who support The Leader. I am so thankful for the opportunity to help lead the folks at our newspaper who make phone call after phone call checking up on the successes (and failures) of local businesses. I am indebted to the people who write the stories for our newspaper – some of them more interested in telling your stories than in receiving a
high school who loves his hometown paper and had the idea that we add a horticulture article.It’sa great idea and, based on the beautiful yards in our area, something many folks would probably enjoy.If you know an expert in that fi eld, send me an email. We received another uplifting letter that our entire staff also read. It ended with this humbling paragraph: “Your community-focused publication has joined the Wall Street Journal and the Sunday Chronicle on my Must-Read list. I just mailed a check to answer your call for support.” I’ve used the word humbling a couple of times, and there’s a reason. When you’re in the newspaper business – any media business, for that matter – you get rejected more times than an awkward high-school freshman. For every one advertisement that runs in the paper,20 people tell you to shove off. In any diffi cult story a journalist writes, there are plenty of sources who won’t take your callor comment for something important to our readers.O n top of that, we get weekly calls from neighbors who don’t want the newspaper thrown in their yard.
Texas? For yearsthe United Stateswas called just that,but were considered plural. “The United States are….” The idea was that they were a bunch of stateswhich were sort of united, thus States was/ were plural. Appomattox fi xed that,although the C onstitutional amendmentabolishing slaveryin 1865 refers to “the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Their, not its. H ave you ever been to the statesof M assachusetts,Virginia, KentuckyorPennsylvania? D on’t bother.They aren’tstatesatall,but commonwealths,which sounds communistic:“common wealth” –let’sshare everything.No wonder O bama did so well there. In RhodeIsland thereisamovement to shorten that state’sname from The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to just RhodeIsland becausePlantations soundsso“G oneWith TheWind.” Not proper for a state whose early residents made their fortune in the slave trade.(Brown of Brown University, etc.) Texas was originally Tejas or C oahuila y Tejas or Tejas y C oahuila,depending on who got top billing.Before there was a H ouston there wasaHarrisburg.D allas standson land that wascalled PetersC olony.FortWorth wascalled West of D allas. Waterloo was changed to Austin because“Keep Waterloo Weird”just didn’t stick. San Antonio was originally San Antonio deBejarwhich somehow became Bexar,asin Bexar C ounty,pronounced“riverwalk.”D on’t complain,the Indians called the placeYanaguana.TheYanaguana Spurs? El Paso was El Paso del N orte, Pass to the N orth, only the town wasoriginally on the south side of the Rio.Amarillo was O neida.A border town wascalled Fort Texas untilMajorJacob Brown gothimself killed defending it during the United M exican States-American War, so the fort’s name was changed to Brownsville.IlikeFort Texas better.As for changing the name of poor M exico,so close to these United States, we can only wish good luck to former President Felipe C alderon and all the other folks in Tenochtitlan. Ashby is renamed at ashby2@comcast.net
get involved on this page! If you want to send us a letter, we might edit it a little, and we won’t let you personally attack your pesky neighbor. But we’ll publish as many letters as our readers choose to write. (One a month from a specific author.) Send to news@theleadernews.com And if you’re one of those who gets your kicks from making other people laugh with creative Tweets, we’re happy to publish those in our selected Neat Tweets section. In order to do that, send us a Tweet or, better, follow us: @heightsleader
pay check. And I am truly blessed this C hristmas because I’ve found a community that really cares about the news and people who make up the H eights, G arden O aks, O ak Forest and N orth H ouston. I’d imagine every person in thisoffi ce would like to say “thank you,” and next week in The Leader, we’ll give them that chance.Until then,I’d like to thank every person that sent us an envelope – from the one with $3 to the ones that were amazingly generous. With that,and on a much lighter note, I’d like to mention one last thing before we end this column: The publication date on thisnewspaper isThursday,D ec. 20, 2012.According to the M ayans and the pet calendar they published in 3114 BC ,tomorrow isoffi cially our last day on earth – unless you’re one of the smart soulswho built a bunker made of M ayan kryptonite. If this happensto be the last edition of The Leader because the power is out forever, it’s been a fun ride. If not, we’ll see you back here next week.And I wish you and yourspeace and joy thisC hristmas. Email jonathan@theleadernews.com
© Copyright 2012 McElvy Media LLC
OUR STAFF Jonathan McElvy Publisher & President
Built by LEE BURGE, PUBLISHER FROM 1957-1969 TERRY BURGE, PUBLISHER FROM 1969-2012
3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd, Suite A P.O. Box 924487 Houston, TX 77292-4487 Phone: (713) 686-8494 Fax (713) 686-0970 www.theleadernews.com facebook.com/THE LEADER. @heightsleader Circulation: 34,800 copies weekly NEWS DEADLINE: 2 p.m. Friday CLASSIFIED WORD AD DEADLINE: 10 a.m. Monday RETAIL AD DEADLINE: 5 p.m. Friday
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The Puzzles. Solutions in this issue’s classsi¿ed section.
ACROSS Cont... 42. About lizards 45. Treat with contempt 48. Million barrels per day (abbr.) 49. Place to sleep 51. Harsh criticism or disapproval 54. Wipe out recorded information 56. Pesetas 58. Pitcher Hershiser 59. Pronouncements 60. Dodge truck model 61. A coniferous tree 62. Ludicrously false statment 63. Lyric poem 64. Determine the sum 65. Fixed in one’s purpose
CLUES DOWN CLUES ACROSS 1. Army legal branch 4. Dekagram 7. Underwater ship 10. 6th Jewish month 12. __ lang syne, good old days 14. European money 15. Remover of an apple’s center 17. The content of cognition 18. Bleats 19. “l836 siege” of U.S. 20. Inquiries
22. Bottled gas 23. Dutch painter Gerrit 25. An invasion or hostile attack 28. Misbeliever 31. South American Indiana 32. Bone cavities 33. Hound sounds 34. Turtle carapace 39. Wash or Àow against 40. Cross a threshold 41. Pitch symbol
SUDOKU
1. Mexican wattle & daub hut 2. __ Green: playwright 3. Building for autos 4. Rum and lime or lemon juice 5. Two spiral-horned African antelopes 6. Jubilant delight 7. Cyclic 8. Fiddler crabs 9. Vehicle carrying many passengers 11. Dream sleep 13. Afghan Persian language 16. Gnawing small mammal 18. B1 de¿ciency disease 21. Not out 24. Chancellor Von Bismarck 26. RCO group of atoms 27. Cony 29. Makes a gas less dense 30. Instances of disease 34. A story 35. Surmounted 36. Cloisonned 37. Counterfoil 38. Kept cattle together 39. Computer screen material 43. Ancient calculator 44. Cuddle 46. District nurse 47. Employee stock ownership plan 50. Distributed game cards 52. Murres genus 53. Tear apart violently 55. Umbrella support 56. Athlete who plays for pay 57. Small amount
Page 5A • The Leader • December 20, 2012 • @heightsleader
Wedding
Neighbors: Local releasing first single by Elizabeth Villarreal elizasgarden@sbcglobal.net
Gegleski, Bachmann plan spring wedding M ike and C athey (Behrend) Bachmann of Northwest Houston are pleased to announce the upcoming marriage of their son M ichael Wayne Bachmann Jr. to Ashlie N icole C egelski, daughter of Larry and Sandra C egelski of C happell H ill,Texas. Ashlie isa 2004 graduate of Brenham H igh School and a 2009 graduate of Sam H ouston State University. M ichael is a 2003 graduate of Jersey Village H igh School and a 2007 graduate of Texas State University. A spring wedding isplanned atSt.StanislausC atholic C hurch in C happell H ill,Texas.The couple will reside in C ypress,Texas following a honeymoon to St. Lucia.
Holiday Spirit
The ladies (and gentlemen) of Prudential Premier Properties had their annual Toys for Tots drive at their oďŹƒce on West 43rd Street, with neighbors, agents and vendors all contributing this year. Pictured, from left, are Becky Boudreaux, Karen Vicknair, Nancie Espinoza (in front), Kim Fischer-Thomas and Diane Smith. (Submitted Photo)
Pictured are members of the Houston Heights Association and the Rotary Club of Houston Heights preparing to deliver groceries to 100 families in need, as selected by Family Services of Greater Houston, on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at the Fire Station on Heights and 12th. (Photo by Ivee Sauls)
The folks at Tommie Vaughn Ford brought Santa in for a bike giveaway on Saturday, Dec. 15, at their store on Shepherd Drive. Along with Santa, Steve Garbs and Anthony Hoekstra led the event that put 20 youngsters on new bikes. They also had a Toys for Tots drive that collected several 8-foot boxes of toys for youngsters this year. (Photo by Jake Dukate)
Sincere thanks to Tera Lyn of G arden O akswho very thoughtfully donated some G irl Scout items used by her daughters who are now in college as well as useful craft supplies to the G irl Scouts in the Twin O aks Service Unit.Thanksfor making a difference, Tera. O ak Forest resident Melissa Barnes graduated from Texas State University on Saturday, D ec.15.M elissa’s parents,Susan and Chuck Barnes, sisters Jenna Barnes and Christa Barnes Cheney, and numerous family and friends are thrilled about Melissa’sachievements.Look out world, here she comes! C ongratulations to Allison Russell who was graduated cum laude from the N ursing School of TexasWomen’s University recently. Parents Gary and Kathy along with sisters Leah and Teresa are very proud of Ali. She has accepted a position at a hospital in the TexasM edical C enter.Way to go, Ali. Tina Sabuco, Terry Jeanes, and Georgia Lister brought back Santa at the G azebo in G arden O aks after a three year absence. They were very excited to see an excellent turnout for the two nights of the event. You can still go visit the beautifully decorated gazebo at Sue Barnett and 42nd which isa perfect spot for C hristmas photos. G irl Scout Troop 24130 in the Twin O aks Service Unit bridged to C adette G irl Scoutsrecently on a weekend trip to Lake Livingston. The girls planned a meaningful bridging ceremony which occurred out on a dock overlooking the Lake.O ne by one,the girls told the Troop and itsgueststheir favorite moment in G irlScouting up to this point, and then shared with everyone something they look forward to doing or accomplishing as a C adette G irl Scout. After that,each girl walked across the dock to the other side in whatever creative way she wanted to – and if I know girls, there were some funky dances, giant leaps and silly steps involved. Way to go, girls! H appy birthday to Hal Bowman, husband of Georgia Lister and owner of Teach Like a Rock Star, who will be celebrating his 45th birthday on the D ec. 28. H appy, happy birthday to Robin Griffith who blew out her candles on D ec. 10. Family and friendswish you many more happy birthdays and hope all your wishes come true. H appy birthday to Zachary Villarreal who will celebrate his 8th birthday on D ec.20 with lots of cake and ice cream. Z achary brings a great deal of love and laughter to hisfamily who appreciates him in all his guises – Ironman, the Incredible H ulk, and Indiana Jones. H e can be seen fi ghting mighty foes who are invisible to the naked eye and,while to passersby it might look as if Z ach is kicking air,rolling on the ground all by himself, and, after fl inging hisbody about strangely, landing in a fi ghting stance, he is really practicing to save the world ‌ or fi ghting a Tyrannosaurus Rex. St. Rose of Lima C atholic School is celebrating Los Posadas this week. Los Posadas is a M exican C hristmas tradition which has become a tradition at St.Rose.Pre-K and Kindergarten classes dress up as angels and shepherds to follow “M aryâ€?and “Josephâ€? as they look for room in an inn. The group goes from classroom to classroom asking if there is room for them and each classroom tells them they have no room.Eventually,the children end up in the church where they fi nd a place that has room for them. The children then gather on the altar for a live nativity scene.The rest of the school participates in the Los Posadas as locations that had no room.Those classrooms also follow the procession into the church.O nce ev-
eryone is in the church,they sing “Silent N ight� together before going back to their classrooms. I remember when my three girls participated in LosPosadasyears ago asyoung studentsat St.Rose; they and their classmates were precious and so very proud to be leading the procession as M ary, Joseph, angels and shepherds. Be sure to hug and kiss your children today as they are the greatest treasure you will ever know. Thanks to Juli Crow, mother of Lauren,for sharing the information about Los Posadas. Lulu M . Stevens Elementary is holding a book drive for gently used books in English and Spanish which are appropriate for PreK-4 thru 5th graders. If you would like to donate books, please contact N ora Loera at nrloera@gmail.com for more information. We have some truly creative neighbors in Leader C ountry and one of them, Tiziano Hernandez, lead singer of the band Tiziano D omenico,is recording his fi rst single with bandmates Matt Wilhelm (bass guitar), Omar Felker (lead guitar), and Pastor Oropeza (drums). After a month of studio work,the guys will play at M ango’s on Jan. 17 and Rudyard’s on Jan. 26. If you enjoy live music, mark your calendarsfor an excellent show.Tiziano, or Sano as he is known by friends and family, is engaged to the lovely Patricia Strohl, works at U H D during the day, is an accomplished painterand exhibitor of his personal work,and spends most of his free time working on his music career. Sano’s parents, Gary and Josie Hernandez, and the rest of the family consider Sano their own personal renaissance man. G o check out the band, you’ll be glad you did.
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Page 6A • The Leader • December 20, 2012 • @heightsleader
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Page 7A • The Leader • December 20, 2012 • www.theleadernews.com
OBITUARIES
NEWS FROM YOUR PEWS Community caroling presented at Heights Christian
Neva Batterson Dupuis, Dec. 25, 1924 - Dec. 5, 2012. On Dec. 5 while everyone was decorating for the upcoming holiday season, the heights community lost one of its brightest shining lights. Neva Dupuis died from a heart ailment. As was typical of Neva’s many years as an HHA volunteer she worked at the ďŹ re station selling home tour tickets four days before she died. She would have been 88 on Christmas Day. Over the years, Neva served on the board of directors of the HHA several times. She also served as treasurer and was voted Citizen-of-the-Year in 1981. Neva was married to Joe Dupuis, a charter member of the HHA. During the years of the Heights Festival, it was common for Joe and Neva to host festival work committee meetings at their business, the Yale Pharmacy. Joe and Neva’s heights friends took delight in teasing Joe about the scandalous way he had pursued the Batterson widow at the Heights Association Croquet Tournament, on the boulevard in 1980. Joe died on Dec. 6, 2011. Neva was known for her witticisms. In the early days of the HHA, it was common for members to plan group travel adventures. There were train excursions to Galveston and New Orleans. (Yes, there was a train from the Heights to Galveston). On one of these outings, a Big Bend Raft Trip, in a temperature of over 100, Neva said “These damn things should be called Torture Tours.â€? Ever since that day, Neva’s friends refer to travel adventures as Torture Tours. Another one of her witticisms that many have heard at heights social functions that have run long was “Darling! When is this Parteee over?â€?. For many of Neva’s large circle of heights friends, the Partee ended on Dec. 5, 2012. Angeline Cortez Bearden (Michalak), 71, died Dec. 5. She was born Sept. 5, 1941, in Houston, Texas to John and Janie Michalak. As a girl, she attended St. Agnes Academy and St. Pius High School. She then went on to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. After leaving Southwestern Bell, she went into the medical records ďŹ eld for Yale Clinic and Spring Branch Memorial Hospital. Throughout her life, Angeline was a practicing Catholic at the St. Rose of Lima Parish. She is preceded in death by her husband Arthur Cortez Sr., parents John and Janie Michalak, and brothers Sonny and Junior Michalak. She was a devoted loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother survived by her two children, Connie Cantu (Manuel) and Arthur Cortez Jr. (Virginia), her three cherished grandchildren Arthur Cortez, Manuel Cantu, and Alyssa Cantu, and treasured great granddaughter Ava Cantu. She is also survived by her three sisters: Dorothy, Mary, and Jenny. Betty Chaney, 52, died Dec. 7. Thomas W. Christian, 78, was born Aug. 5, 1934 in Houston, died Nov. 18. He served proudly in The Marines during the Korean War. Thomas is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Ralph Christian and Mattie V. Christian. He is survived by his two sons, Thomas E. Christian and John R. Christian; grandchildren, Christopher Christian, Tayler C. Christian, and Karlie L. Christian, and one great-granddaughter, Sophia Christian. Sybile Berry Connor, 87, died Nov. 23. She was born in Dallas Aug. 14, 1925, to Leonard L. and Romie C. Berry. During the Great Depression the family, including sisters Evelyn and Dimple lived in Henderson County. Sybile graduated with honors from Lufkin HS in 1943 before attending and graduating with honors from Business School. While working as the company secretary for Wyatt Industries, Sybile met Joseph J W Connor, a company engineer on Christmas Eve in 1945. They married in 1947, parenting ďŹ ve children along the way. She and Joe were members of Advent Lutheran Church. Sybile is preceded in death by her husband Joe, daughter Roxane Payan, son David and sister Evelyn Green. She is survived by son Jim, and daughters Cynthia and Faith and sister Dimple Brinkus. Charles William “Billâ€? Danquard, 79, died Dec. 6. He was born April 29, 1933 to William and Edna Danquard in Temple, Texas. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Ernest G. Danquard. He is survived by his son, Charles W. Danquard, Jr.; daughter, Mary Elizabeth Gerlo ; sister, Mary Joe Danquard and two grandchildren. Jovita Peresich Falgout M.D., 92, born Feb. 15, 1920, died June 28, in Houston. Complete obituary can be found by searching the online obituaries at www.heightsfuneralhome.com. Matias Garcia Jr., born Nov. 27, 1936, died Dec. 9, in Houston. Arrangements are entrusted to: Heights Funeral Home, 1317 Heights Blvd. Bobbie Whiteing-Jacobs, died Dec. 10.
Michael S. Katz, 62, Born Dec. 27, 1949, died Dec. 9. Michael is survived by his parents Jack and Shirley Katz and brother Gary. Travis A. McNatt, 88, born June 17, 1924, died Dec. 12. Preceded in death by parents, Solon and Odessa McNatt; brothers, James Leonard and Thurman; son, Billy McNatt and grandson, Brad Morgan. Survived by wife of 69 years, 11 months, Geraldine Greene McNatt; daughter, Shirley Morgan; son-in-law, Bill Morgan; grandchildren, Je Morgan, Julie Richard and Tonia Washington; greatgrandchildren, Brooke, Blake, Megan and Taylor Richard, Allison and Kristen Morgan and Kirsten, Nicholas and Logan Washington; one brother, two sisters, two sisters-in-law and a number of nieces and nephews. Condolences may be expressed online at www.pathfoleyfuneraldirectors.com. Christopher Miles, 47, died Dec. 8. Pete Ognowski, 88, died Dec. 9. He was born to Pete and Pearl Ognowski Nov. 11, 1924, in Chappell Hill, Texas. He was a member of All Saints Catholic Church in the Heights, and was retired from Armco Steel. Pete is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Regina Ognowski, and his grandson, Scott Ognowski. He is survived by his sister, Gertrude Zientek; his children, Geraldine Ulicnik and husband David, Beverly Peska, Mary Sierra and husband Paul, Gary Ognowski and wife Janice, and Sharon Ognowski and husband Scott Thompson; 10 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild, and many other loving family members and friends. Nick J. Santikos, 70, died Dec. 7, after ďŹ ghting a courageous battle with cancer. Nick was born in Corpus Christi, Texas Nov. 14, 1942. He is preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, his parents James and Clara Santikos, brother Arthur, and nephew P.J. Nick is survived by his sister Kiki, and brothers John, George, Pete and wife Sharon, and many nieces, nephews and friends. In lieu of owers, contributions may be made to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral or the charity of your choice Jack Allen Schulze Sr., died Oct. 31. Preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Schulze, and parents Frank and Charlotta Schulze. He is survived by his daughters Cheryl Hartung and husband, Roger; Jeri Weller and husband, Rick and his sons, Jack Schulze Jr. and wife, Linda, Robert Schulze and wife, Yvonne, Randy Schulze and wife, Wendy; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren along with other relatives and friends. A memorial service was held Dec. 9, at Don Jose’s Restaurant. Alma Smith, 90, died Dec. 9. Beth Cotton Stephenson, 64, died Dec. 12. She was born Dec. 27, 1947, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Houston. She died peacefully at her home in Houston with her husband and two sons by her side. She was preceded in death by her father, J.P. “Patâ€? Cotton, and mother, Tina Cotton. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Jim; her sons, Brian Patrick and Timothy James, both of Houston; her brother, Joe Cotton and his wife, Chris, of Boerne; her mother-in-law, Marie Stephenson, of Missouri City; and her sister-in-law, Sally Benedict and her husband, Michael, of Bastrop.
H eightsC hristian C hurch will offer community caroling to be presented in the N oah’s Ark playground at 6 p.m. Saturday, D ec. 22. Membersof thepopularUpstageTheatre,which performsin Heights C hristian Lambert H all,and the M ilburn Singers will perform.The community is welcome. H eights C hristian C hurch is located at 1703 H eights Blvd.
St. Stephen’s to hold Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service St.Stephen’swelcomesthecommunity to theC hristmasEveC andlelight C ommunion service at 7 p.m.Monday,D ec.24.Thisvery special worship service willinclude anumber of traditionalC hristmashymns, aswellasspecialmusic performed by St.Stephen’schoir and musicians, and a special moment for children.The nursery will be available during the service. M ake plansto ring in the New Year at St.Stephen’s.O n D ec.31,the fun will begin at 8 p.m.with fellowship,gamesand snacksin the fellowship hall.A New Year’sEve Watch N ight service will be held at 11:30 p.m.in the sanctuary.Breakfast will be served in the fellowship hall following the service. There is no charge and all are welcome. St.Stephen’sUnited Methodist C hurch islocated at 2003 W.43rd St., between T.C .Jester Boulevard and D onna Bell.For information,call 713-686-8241, or visit www.stsumc.org.
Two Christmas Eve services at St. Matthew’s UMC The community iswelcome to participate in one of two C hristmas Eve services. The fi rst service will be at 5 p.m., and is especially designed for the children,allowing parentswith younger children to get them home and to bed early.TheYouth will be providing the music for the early service. ThemoretraditionalC andlelightServicewillstartat7 p.m.with Holy C ommunion being part of the worship service,along with lighting of the candles on departing the sanctuary as Silent N ight is being sung. Sunday morning worship and C hildren’sC hurch startsat 9:30 a.m., followed by 10:30 a.m.Sunday Schoolforallages.A Wednesday evening Prayer and Praise Service startsat 6:30 p.m.and offersthose attending a time for meditation,prayer and singing.Visitorsare alwayswelcome. St.M atthew’sUnited Methodist C hurch islocated at 4300 N .Shepherd D r.at C rosstimbers.For information,visit the web site at www. stmatthewsmethodist.org.
Come gather at Unitarian Fellowship for Christmas Eve activities Unitarian Fellowship of H ouston will have a C hristmasservice at 7 p.m.D ec.24.There will be readings from C harles D ickens’‘A C hristmasC arol’plussongsof the season.C ome gather to meet and greet and bring C hristmas cookies to share. Unitarian Fellowship of Houston islocated at1504WirtRoad,across from Kroger.C all713-686-5876 orvisitthewebsiteatwww.ufoh.orgfor information.
Help those in need by donating to St. Giles Food Pantry
Alicia L. Tyler-Baker, died Dec. 9. Ludma Schmalz-Wells, 90, died Dec. 13. Lou is preceded in death by her parents Paul and Anna Kovar, her husbands Edward Lee Roy Schmalz and Grant Edward Wells, son Edward Lee Roy Schmalz Jr., daughter Edith Faye Schmalz and all her sisters and brothers. Lou was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Her greatest passion was her family and her most enduring legacy is the love and dedication she gave to her family. She is survived by her children Leota and Franklin Rice of Conroe, Ty Schmalz of Houston, Royce and Vicki Schmalz of SpringďŹ eld, VA, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. A special thank you to the nurses at Heritage Oaks in Conroe, who took such loving care of Lou. Wanda Sue Wiese, 72, died Dec. 2. Visit www.pathfoleyfuneraldirectors. com for service information. LaMerl Young, 86, died Dec. 11. She was born April 14, 1926, in Center, Texas to James and Josephine Green. LaMerl is preceded in death by her loving husband of 30 years, Edwin Young. LaMerl is survived by two loving daughters, Debbie Miller, and Carol Metze; two sisters, Martha Eubanks, and Alma Green; two grandchildren, Eric Metze, and Jennifer Metze; many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and a host of friends.
TheSt.G ilesFood Pantry isopen from 10 a.m.to noon Monday,Tuesday,and Friday.In addition to peanutbutter,itemsespecially needed are boxesof cornbread mixesand macaroniand cheese.With cold weather coming,socksfor the homelessare alwaysneeded.C all 713-680-9976 to reach the pantry. The community iswelcome to recycle newspapersand magazines in the recycle bin at the back of the church parking lot.N o cardboard boxes please. St.G ilesislocated at 5900 Pinemont D rive.C all 713-681-0515 for information.
Refuge Temple Ministries to hold women’s prayer breakfast Refuge Temple M inistries,in H umble,will be holding a C hristian Women United in Prayer“Powerof Praise�prayerbreakfastfrom 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 2. The cost is $20.Please note that tickets will not be sold on the day of theevent.Ticketsareavailableonlineathttp://www.refugetemple.net/. RefugeTempleM inistriesislocated at1500 O ld HumbleRoad,Humble, Texas 77396. C all 281-441-1031 for information.
Church Guide Gospel Truth Church 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
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Grace United Methodist Church
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“The Heart of the Heights�
1245 Heights Blvd.
Sunday School . . . . . . . 9:30 AM Sunday Worship . . . . . 10:45 AM Nursery Provided
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Reverend Hill Johnson, Pastor
713 862-8883
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1216 Bethlehem at Ella Blvd. (713) 688-7761 Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Worship10:45 AM Pastor Don Joseph Member of MANNA Visit us on FaceBook www.oakscchouston.org
Food Pantry, Thurs. 2-4:30 PM www.graceintheheights.org
GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH 4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 Reverend John Cain, Pastor
Oaks Presbyterian Church
Worship Services 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. (Nursery Provided) Sunday School & Bible Classes 9:15 a.m. Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m. www.gethsemanelutheran.org
Member of MANNA
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
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MESSAGE OF THE WEEK
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
W
e should ask ourselves every day what we can do to make a positive change in the world. This doesn’t mean that we have to do something earth-shattering or radical every day, but we should do what we can, remembering that more is expected of those to whom much is given. Sometimes a positive change can come from something as simple as a smile or a kind word, and other times it may require signiÄcant effort or risk. One way to bring about positive change is to be a good role model or a mentor. If you work as a teacher or in the creative arts, you have a tremendous power to change people’s lives. But even if you simply work in some area where you interact with people regularly, you can have a tremendous impact, for good or ill. If you have bigger plans about how to make a positive change in the world, such as doing volunteer work or starting a charitable organization, get started immediately, rather than waiting until you feel ready. Chances are, you will never be absolutely ready or know everything you need to know in order to get started without a hitch. We learn best by jumping in and doing. So, don’t wait to change the world. Now is the time to start and you are as ready as you need to be to make a difference in the world.
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faithwithout deeds is dead.� ~ James 2: 26 ~
Bible Study 9:30 am 3206 N. Shepherd
713-864-4447 X Website www.gobc.org Interim Pastor Pastor Dr. JimBob Daniel Overton
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
Page 8A • The Leader • December 20, 2012 • @heightsleader
Relief limited for impacted businesses by Jonathan McElvy jonathan@theleadernews.com Road construction is always bitter-sweet. Bitter when four lanesbecome two and work trucksthrow rocksat your windshield.Sweet –and oh so sweet –when the work iscompleted and a former traffi c nightmare becomes a commuter’s dream. M ost people look at this construction on an individual basis, where thousands of individual driversare affected by the work.But few,lessownersand patrons,think about the impact this work has on businesses adjacent to the construction. If you can imagine cranes and concrete slabs in front of your business, you know those things aren’t exactly welcome signs. And for many folks along U.S. 290 and 610, the welcome signs are actually turning into “C losing�signs.So isthere fi nancial relief for those shuddered businesses? Is there insurance that might help an owner recoup some of the lifetime savings that get buried under
ground gravel and poles of rebar? The answer, most times, is no. “We do as much as possible to work with business and property owners,� said Karen O thon,aspokeswoman forTxD O T.“We have a dedicated right-of-way staff that meetswith property owners,and we even provide them with relocation agents, if that’s what they need.� There are provisionsto help businessowners, but only if those people also own the property. If you lease from a landlord, and road construction drivesall customersaway, there’s not much that can be done to help. John Prince,who writesbusinessinsurance policiesatAdamsInsurance,said there are no insurance policiesthat would cover a business forroad construction losses.Hesaid TxD O T is required to maintain accessto all businesses, and if that changes, then a business owner would have the option of fi ling suit against the contractor. “The accesshasto be there during working hours,�Prince said.“But the state absolutely
Lawsuit • from Page 1A “(The lawsuit) is our best shot to get TxD O T’sattention,â€? C rabb said. “Right now, the noise levels are at maximum level they can be.(Thisproject) is going to include our noise levels.It’sjust helping someone who lives 30 miles out of town get home 5-6 minutesquicker.â€? Another plaintiff in the lawsuit is Brookwood Estates resident Sue Jackson. “M y main concern isnoise and pollution,â€? Jackson said.“I go in my backyard, and it’s noisy. They say they can’t do anything about it.â€? C aul, who fi led the lawsuit against the Federal H ighway Administration (FH WA),wants residents in the U S 290/I-610 area to be free of excessive noise from nearby highways. “This(lawsuit) isabout relief, not about making some political point,â€? C aul said. C aul said she fi led a lawsuit a few years ago when her neighborhood, Lafayette Place near the I-610 and I-10 interchange, faced similar issues. She spoke at the meeting at theSheraton Brookhollow during the public comments session, which took place after a 15-minute video showing how the new U.S.290 would appear. M ost of the speakers during the public commentscame from Jersey Village,concerned about noise.Among them were
has the right to improve and maintain the road system.� O thon could not answer questions about whether a business leasing property would have provisions for breaking a lease with a landlord if construction negatively impacted that business. In most cases, that would be determined on a case-by-case basisor,in this instance, a lease-by-lease basis. “Before construction starts,we do asmuch as possible to let people know what is coming,� O thon said. “We put out signs ahead of time, and when it’s possible, our project managers walk in to every business and talk to the managers.� Even O thon realizesroad construction can hurt local businesses,and she’s still working on ways to alleviate some of the problems. “Right now, I’m working on a plan to do a businessroundtable,�she said.“I’m reaching out to as many of them as I can, and maybe we can start meeting monthly or every other month to give them updatesand see where we can help.�
Paul & Sandra Cannon
713.703.5807
C ity C ouncil member Sheri Sheppard and C ity M anager M ike C astro. W hile most of the public commenters pointed out that they agreed that the U.S. H wy. 290 project is good overall, because it would solve traffi c and congestion issues,they were still concerned with how the noise would affect quality of life. TxD O T public information offi cer Karen O thon said the $1.8 billion joint project with H arris C ounty Toll Road Authority (H C TRA) will include longitudal tining on the roads, which decreases the sound to the neighborhood. M any of those raising issues say that it won’t do enough to decrease the noise and that something like an eight-foot wall won’t do anything to decrease noise for a two-story home.The 610/290 portion of the project is scheduled to be completed by 2016,said O thon. She said TxD O T welcomes the feedback from the community and pointed out that much of it has been positive. O thon said she can’t comment on pending litigation but noted that “everything we do is up to federal standards.� “We’re all about getting the public involved,� O thon said. “We want to bring the public in and show them what our plans are.�
of that building...It wasreally gorgeous. I really hated moving.� D espitehisfondnessfortheformeroffi cebuilding,Bergman says themovewasn’ttoo bad.“TxD O T paid for everything,arranged for movers, packed and moved everything and reset everything.� When asked if hisbusinesswas affected by the move, Bergman said “M y client base is coming from the same ways as before.� Bergman thinks the changes that will be made by the construction project will be good once it is completed.
One legacy ends This was not what C asa O le O wner Bob D omec,Jr.expected after 16 years of service to the community. In an email titled“LETTER O F RESIG NATIO N : O ffi cial 2 week notice�, D omec announced to friends,family and patrons,who he calls“John Q .C ustomer�,that Sunday, D ecember 23 will mark the end of 16 years of operations at the C asa O le 290 location. “We sent out a letter in September, letting the public know that the inevitable was coming,� said D omec. That letter stated,“O ur intentions could not be clearer; we want to see you at least one more time.Until then,we will continue
to have an O LE D ay EVERYDAY until we are forced to do otherwise.� “We found out on D ec. 3 that we were going to have to be vacated by Jan. 3,�said D omec.“So we set a date of D ec. 23, which basically gave us two weeks. So, being creative, I came up with a letter of resignation – my twoweeksnotice to customersaswell as to our employees.� Telling employees the news was tougher than any busy day at the restaurant. “The hardest day of my career was Friday - The day I had to give the fi nal date to my employees. They knew it was coming.There was a letter attached to their checks... I never heard this place get so quiet so fast,� he said. “I thought the hardest day was informing we would close – that wasa hard day,but Friday topped it,� said D omec. Like many business owners in the area, D omec didn’t want to leave an area that has been so successful for business. “I wish we were able to stay and I could hold out because what I feel is that, in the long run, this is going to be a very prosperous area... It will be a very prosperous area. It reminds me of when 59 wasexpanding and what happened to West U and Rice University,� he said.
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In the meantime, M ildred worked at the H umble Refi ning C ompany – her husband’s former employer – in the accounting department before she announced her intention to join him in Roswell. “She told me she was coming out to be with me,� Bill said. “And then she showed up on the bus.� Back in H ouston after the war, they both went for Boy Scout training.“When I was in the military I recognized the difference in people who had Scout training and those that didn’t,� Bill said.“We wanted our sons to be Scouts.� And Scouts they were. Bill, Pauland D avid allearned Bronze, G old and Silver Palms awards. For seven years,M ildred was the den mother for Pack 604 and then president of the Mother’sC lub of Troop 604 for an additional four years.
A two year move to Libya in the 1960s for Bill’s job with Exxon didn’t slow her down with the Scouts either – while he was the BSA scout coordinator there, she saw a need for additional adult training and then set about equipping othersto serve aspack leaders, den mothers and committee members. In her Scouting life,she was an administrative staff volunteer at the Sam H ouston Area C ouncil for eight years and chairman of the C ouncil’s“Sistersof the Silver Skillet� for 25 years, recruiting workers and selling tickets for the annual C ouncil banquet. In 1971, G andin received the highest form of recognition that a local council can bestow on a volunteer, the Silver Beaver Award. H er other service in the community was wide-ranging. “W hatever the boys were doing, she was doing,� said Bill. M ildred served aspresident of
theWaltrip H igh School PTA and was awarded PTA life membership in 1967. A member of St. Stephen’s United M ethodist C hurch since 1953, she was a Sunday School teacher for 25 years and also served as Sunday School superintendent there. M ildred was a member of the church’s evangelism committee and president of United M ethodist Women at St. Stephens U M C for fi ve years. M arried 70 years this past July, theG andinshaveboth spentmost of that time involved in Scouting. “They tried to get me involved in G irl Scouts,� she said. “But I had a lot of fun with those boys. I really enjoyed it.�
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business owners and patrons.� O ne enticement for all parties is a provision that 60 percent of revenues from the meters and permits will be returned to the district,whereacommitteerepresenting businesses,residentsand the city will decide on funding for improvement projectsthat could includeshuttles,sidewalks,public parking garages, lighting, landscaping or security measures. The other 40 percent will be retained by the city to pay for the meters,two parking enforcement offi cersand maintenance for the meters and other related costs, such as signage.
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Page 9A • The Leader • December 20, 2012 • www.theleadernews.com
SPX ready for district push
Local hoops stars leading UST
The St. Pius X boys basketball team shared the district championship with rival,St.Thomas,last season,after fi nishing second in district in 2010 and 2011, respectively. N ow, the Panthers are ready to win the district crown outright. And fourth-year head coach H enry Sims plans on accomplishing that feat the old-fashioned way. “O ur offense is kind of predicated on our defense,” Sims said. “D efense comes fi rst.We’re an up and down kind of tempo team. We have very athletic kids.” SPX hasalready earned 11-point non-district winsagainst district opponents,St.Thomasand Tomball C oncordia Lutheran,respectively. They also defeated Lutheran N orth twice. The Panthers (9-11) are currently on break for fi nal exams, but Sims expects big things from his team when it returns to competition on D ec. 27-28 in the Kingwood Tournament. Jordan Jackson, Jonathan Wiley and C ypress Springs transfer C ameron C oleman are the key leaders for SPX, which will benefi t from the addition of football playersWill Lockett,Avery Sims and D arius Law. Wiley has been out with a broken thumb but is expected back after C hristmas Break. The Panthers will open the N ew Year by hosting their annual invitational tournament. “O ur biggest win was against (D allas) Bishop Lynch,”Sims said. “We lost to them and then came back and beat them.We’re looking forward to getting that signature win.” SPX has three seniors, four juniors and two sophomores on its roster. It’s a young team but one that Sims believes can make a run to the state tournament. Last season,the 16-12 Panthers lost to state semifi nalist C orpus C hristi John Paul II in the opening round of the playoffs. “This is one of our better shots of a state championship,” Sims said.
by Michael Sudhalter sports@theleadernews.com The University of St.Thomasmen’sbasketball team proudly sportswarmup jerseysthat say“H oU STon Basketball”to emphasize the program’s hometown talent. “Most of the guysare from H ouston,”C elts head coach Todd Smith said. “We couldn’t compete in this league if we weren’t in the middle of H ouston, with so many great athletes.” Two of those athletesare U ST point guards Travis Lampley,a 2008 Reagan H igh graduate,and Sean Edwards,who graduated from Waltrip H igh last spring. Both arrived at U ST on the recommendation of longtimeWaltrip head boysbasketball coach D an Kelly. “Sean played for me for three years,” Kelly said.“H e was a part of that team when we upset Strake Jesuit. H e had a great career for us. H e’s a student-athlete, and he takes his academicsseriously.I alwaysliked Travis’game. I always thought he played hard and had a nice feel for the game. H e epitomizes what a student-athlete is all about.” Lampley,a senior four-year starter,joined the inaugural U ST men’sbasketball team asa freshman in 2009-10. “It’sbeen fun to be part of something new,” Lampley said.“We’re building a strong program.” For Lampley,the opportunity to play close to home was a great one. “All of my family is at the game,”said Lampley, who fi nished with 12 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals in the C elts’7166 win over Wiley C ollege last Thursday at Jerabeck Activity and Athletic C enter.“It’s a small community.All of the studentscome to the games. It’s a great atmosphere.” Lampley’syounger brother,Reagan senior guard Sterling Lampley, is helping the BulldogscompeteforaC lass4A-D istrict21 C hampionship.Lampley said his younger brother may consider playing for U ST next year. Against Wiley,Lampley made a free throw with 3.5 secondsremaining to seal the victory over the conference rival. “We were struggling to win close games,” Lampley said. “It was good to fi nish one at
At left, University of St. Thomas senior point guard Travis Lampley, a 2008 Reagan High graduate, is a four-year starter for the Celts. Above, University of St. Thomas freshman point guard Sean Edwards joined the Celts’ team after a stellar career at Waltrip High. (Photos Courtesy of UST) home.” Lampley’sunselfi sh play giveshim the opportunity to earn a triple-double on any given night. “H e’smade me a good coach and made usa good program,”Smith said.“H e likes to pass the ball as much as he likes to shoot the ball. That’s invaluable. You don’t see that much anymore.” O ne of the program’s signature wins was a 72-59 triumph overRiceUniversity,an N C AA D ivision I member of C onference U SA, on N ov. 10. U ST is an N AIA D ivision I member of the Red River Athletic C onference. Smith had been an assistant with the O wls prior to accepting the U ST position. “It was a big accomplishment,” Lampley said. “The previous two years, they beat us. We went at them and played hard.” Moreimportantlythan basketball,Lampley is on schedule to earn hisAccounting degree from U ST in M ay and planson a career in Accounting or Finance. Before Lampley graduates,Edwardshopes
to learn a thing or two from the former Reagan point guard. In fact,Edwards–who helped lead Waltrip to the second round of the playoffs in 2011 – already has picked up some pointers from Lampley. “It’sgood to learn from him,”said Edwards, who chose U ST over Texas Lutheran.“H e’s a great player. I learn a lot of stuff in practice and gamesfrom him.I’m very grateful to play behind him and learn. I want to follow in his footsteps.” Edwardshit a key 3-pointer in the win over Wiley C ollege and is continuing to improve his skills. “H e’s going to be a good basketball player here,” Smith said. Like Lampley,Edwards enjoys the opportunity to play home gamesin front of friends and family. H e’s studying Engineering and plans on graduating in the spring of 2016. “I’ve built a bond here,”Edwards said.“It’s like a second family. If I need anything, my teammates are always there.”
– Michael Sudhalter
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Notebook: St. Thomas High School Eagles ready for a big soccer season The St. Thomas High soccer team (0-2-2) will compete in the St. Louis Showcase in Lake Charles, Mo. -- near St. Louis, Mo. Last season, the Eagles finished 11-14-1, losing to Dallas Bishop Lynch in the first round of the TAPPS Division I playoffs. Second-year head coach Kenny Martin is ready for a successful season, which includes the Dr. Pink Tournament, Jan. 10-12, in Frisco (near Dallas) and a non-district match vs. Strake Jesuit on Jan. 15. “Overall, I expect us to improve greatly from last year,” Martin said. “We have gotten out of the gate a little slow, but we should compete and win district. I fully expect us to make the Final Four. Then, it’s
anyone’s game from there.” Senior midfielder Diego Saavedra, and juniors Alex Adrion (defender) and Stephen Luther (goalkeeper) will be key players for the Eagles. Senior Cameron Arndt and junior Doug Sauter will play soccer this winter. Both players were members of STH’s district championship football team.
Lamar looks for spot in history The Lamar High School football team could make history this weekend in Arlington. The Redskins (15-0) have a chance to become the first state football championship from Houston ISD since Yates High accomplished that feat in 1985.
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Lamar hasn’t won a state championship since 1953. They’ll face Allen (14-1) at 8 p.m. Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in the UIL Class 5A, Division I State Championship Game. The Redskins defeated San Antonio O’Connor, 157, last Saturday in Austin. Longtime LHS head coach Tom Nolen was honored last week as the Touchdown Club of Houston Coach of the Year. Last season, a three-loss Lamar team reached the regional quarterfinals for the first time in eight years, losing to then-defending state champion Pearland. – Micahel Sudhalter
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