The 03-25-23 Edition of the Heights Leader

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

If community members have a child that is musically inclined, an annual event aimed at spurring interest in music could be the place to be.

This Saturday, the ninth annual Heights Kids Day of Music event will return with a new location for 2023. The annual festival will be held at Montie Beach Park, 915 Northwood St., from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday with fun for all ages.

Musical guests AndyRoo & The AndyRooniverse, Beetle, Cristina Tribute Show to the Queen of Tejano, and Garbage Girlfriend, will lead the stage performances, and additional musical acts will include Institute of Contemporary Dance, Cass-Barrington Irish Dancing, Ally Theatre, Opera in The Heights, Bojangles Music School, and more.

“A kid attending HKDM will be fully immersed in hands-on activities related to music and the arts,” HKDM president Christ Gell said.

“For some who attend schools where music or arts programming has been cut, this can be the first exposure they have to some of the instruments or performance types at the festival.”

In addition to being hyper-fo-

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Special section spotlights powerful women in community

Sta Reports

As the business landscape has evolved, more and more womenowned businesses, and that trend has also been true in the local area as there have been rises in womenowned business in recent years.

So, we here at The Leader wanted to do something to highlight some of the powerful women in our community who not only own their own business, but are still thriving to this day. And with March being Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day having been celebrated on March 8, we felt this was the perfect opportunity to do so. So inside today’s edition, there is a special B section with a few spotlights on some of the women-owned businesses and companies in the Heights, Garden Oaks, and Oak Forest.

A 2021 report from World Economic Forum said that nearly 50 percent of startups in the U.S. in 2021 were started by women, up from 28 percent in 2019. According to a September 2021 report from Houston television station FOX 26, there were more than 125,000 women-owned small businesses in the Houston metro area. A July 2022 report from the Houston Chronicle also said that Houston is also a top15 business city for women-owned startups per a recent study, with nearly a quarter of businesses in the region being owned by women.

Several organizations with a focus on women-owned businesses also have set up shop in the Houston area, such as the Houston chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Houston-headquartered Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance. There is also the Greater Heights Chamber of Commerce, which has a number of women-owned businesses as part of its ranks. Greater Heights Chamber spokesperson Rachel Goldstein estimated that about half of the Chamber’s member businesses are women-owned.

cused on introducing the community to music in a way they haven’t experienced before, Gell said the annual event draws thousands of attendees from more than 130 zip codes to the event every year.

The mission of the Heights Kids’ Day of Music, Gell said, is to inspire kids to have a “lifelong love of and engagement with mu-

If community members are looking to occupy their children for a few hours, an upcoming neighborhood Easter egg hunt might be just the ticket.

On Palm Sunday April 2, Love Elementary and Apostles Houston church in the Heights are partnering for an annual neighborhood Easter egg hunt beginning at 11:45 a.m. that is free and open to the community.

The past few years had seen Apostles Houston host a community egg hunt at Milroy Park, but Apostles Houston pastor David Cumbie said they wanted to try doing it closer to home. There will be two separate zones, one for children four years of age and under and another for those five years old all the way up to 5th grade.

sic and the arts” by introducing them to local musicians and arts organizations such as Bojangles, Opera in the Heights, and more. She shared an anecdote about a child who attended the 2019 HKDM and heard rock/pop group Wicked Pandas perform. After

“I think healthy, strong neighborhoods have healthy, strong schools. Thriving schools help create thriving neighborhoods,” said Cumbie, himself a father of three elementary-aged kids in the Heights. “… I’ve seen the difference community partners can make in local schools by building relationships, supporting initiatives and doing joint events and projects.”

The church, Cumbie said, had participated in school-related assistance such as teacher appreciation events, backpack, winter coat and hygiene kit drives, and service projects. Their partnership with Love, he said, began a little over five years ago when they helped meet some student needs in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. And since first-year principal Sean

“I think the rise of more womenowned businesses is because there are a lot more women working and for women it is essential for them to work for economic security, social equality and a sustainable economy,” she said. “... There are a lot more women owned businesses recently that have joined the chamber.”

This week’s special section is one we put a lot of work into, because these entrepreneurs and their businesses deserve to be recognized. So we hope you enjoy the special section we’ve crafted for you, our readers, today as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

Photo by Christi Gell

Photo by Christi Gell

Two boys prepare to play the drums during a previous Heights Kids Day of Music. This year’s event is happening this Saturday at Montie Beach Park.

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Two men who are still at large have been accused of shooting and killing 37-yearold James Martin and 35-yearold Dana Ryssdal in the Lazybrook/Timbergrove area this past January, and a woman has been accused of helping clean the alleged crime scene afterwards, according to the Houston Police Department.

Polie Phan, 26, and Jaidan Vu Nguyen, 25, have been charged with capital murder in the fatal January shootings of, according to Harris County court records. They both remain at large, according to HPD.

An additional person, 23-year-old Kathy Vu, has been arrested and charged with tampering with evidence according to Harris County court documents. She is accused of allegedly using cleaning materials to clean up the Lazybrook/Timbergrove area home where Martin and

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

A man was found dead inside a storage facility in the Washington Avenue area last week, according to the Houston Police Department.

The man’s identity is still pending an autopsy from the county’s medical examiner,

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Arson investigators have determined a house fire in the Near Northside area last weekend was caused by candles catching other objects to catch on fire, according to the Houston Fire Department.

There were no reported

Ryssdal were allegedly shot and killed, according to court documents.

Vu was out of jail on a $40,000 bond as of Friday, according to court records. Court documents say Houston police allegedly found hydrogen peroxide, bleach, trash bags and more allegedly used to clean up the home inside her car. She is not charged in relation to the shootings.

Officers initially responded to a home in the 1700 block of West T.C. Jester Boulevard

according to the department.

Officers were called to a storage facility at 6300 Washington Ave. just after 6 a.m. on March 14, the department said, in response to a “person down” report at the facility. The man was found unresponsive inside a storage unit at the facil-

injuries as a result of the fire, according to the department.

Crews from stations 6, 9, 12, 15, 30, and 31 responded to a house in the 4700 block of Bristol Street in Near Northside just after 1 a.m. last Saturday March 18, the department said, to find the house already on fire. After removing burglar bars from an entrance to the home, the

around 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 27 to do a welfare check after detectives said a neighbor noticed a car running with nobody inside, according to HPD. A man, later identified as Ryssdal, was later found dead with multiple gunshot wounds inside the home – which Martin owned – according to the department. Martin and Ryssdal’s white Dodge truck were missing from the home, police said, and the truck was later found in the 6900 block of Cullen

ity, according to the department, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Police said there are currently no signs of foul play and the man is believed to have died of natural causes, according to HPD, though the department said an investigation remains ongoing

department said the fire was quickly extinguished.

Nobody was hurt in the fire, which the department said investigators have ruled accidental due to the use of candles. There was an estimated $30,000 in damage to the home, according to the department, but around $230,000 worth is estimated to have been saved.

Boulevard in Southeast Houston. Martin was found dead inside another car on the property on Feb. 1, having been shot multiple times according to the department.

Anyone with additional information about the shooting or the whereabouts of Polie Phan and Jaidan Vu Nguyen is asked to contact HPD’s Homicide division at 713-308-3600 or speak anonymously with Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

pending an identification on the cause and means of his death.

Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call HPD’s Homicide division at 713-3083600.

The spies of Texas

“No man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session.” So wrote Gideon John Tucker, a New York lawyer in an 1866 court case. Apparently, Tucker never visited Austin, but his observation certainly fits our own lawmakers. Last week we mulled over a bill before the Texas Legislature to privatize Texas beaches. Now one lawmaker, Rep. Tony Tinderholt from Arlington, wants to ban some foreign students from attending our public universities. These include those without legal permission to be here – he may have a point – plus students from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.

But someone should tell the Arlington lawmaker to be careful what he wishes for. Those foreign students are a cash cow – among other advantages. Our public universities charge students an in-state tuition and a higher out-of-state fee. But the out-of-country tuition is even higher. Actually, my research (some call it outright plagiarism) tells me foreign students pay some of the highest tuitions, up to $35,000 for a public university, $55,000 per year for some private colleges. Multiply that by how many foreign students we have: 1,095,299. They made up 5.5 percent of the student population in the last 10 years -- an increase of 38.6 percent.

Guess which country sends the most students to the U.S? China, with 290,086. Next is India with 199,182. Even Nepal sends11,779 students, which is probably half its population. This number steadily increased over the years until President Donald Trump clamped down on allowing foreign students to come to our campuses. Soon other countries switched to sending their star students to Britain, Canada and Australia. Now the numbers are increasing again. What are they here to study? Engineering, math and computer science programs were among the most common fields of study. And agriculture. Several years ago there was a coup in the Dominican Republic. The minister of agriculture, an Aggie, was replaced by another Aggie.

This brings us to an even greater advantage than just money: influence. Countless world leaders received their higher education at U.S. universities. I count 48 presidents, kings and dictators in recent years. This includes Iraq and Botwana. Our military academies have trained many future coup leaders around the world, but each of these academies may only enroll 60 international students at any one time and only from certain countries. Then there are the hidden

I am all in favor of bringing young people here to influence them on our ways. Catch ‘em early and they stay influenced. Years ago I was driving, or being driven, across the deserts of Saudi Arabia, right out of “Lawrence of Arabia,” and we approached a pickup truck.

As we passed, I noticed two things. The driver was a Saudi, neatly trimmed beard, flowing headdress and robe, and there was a decal on his rear window: “Texas A&M.”

Needless to say, the truck was maroon.

Now back to Rep. Tinderholt’s idea of prohibiting students from those four countries from attending our public universities, which includes Chinese. Texas is 40 percent Hispanic or Latino; 40 percent white; 13 percent Black and 5 percent Asian. In the fall of 2021, the Texas A&M student body was 10 percent Asian. That same year, faculty members were 9 percent Asian. In 2022, UT-Austin’s student population was 21 percent Asian. The faculty was 10 percent Asian. The University of Houston’s fall 2022 head count was 22 percent Asian.

Ranked faculty is 25 percent Asian. As you can see, the Asian count is higher than the general Texas population.

Now, of course, “Asian” includes about a third of the world, and being “Asian” doesn’t mean you’re just off the United flight from Beijing. I suppose these universities would have to sort out who is from where. What about our fellow Texans of Chinese ancestry who are fifth generation Houstonian?

“OK, Mister Chang, say y’all. Is it row-DAY-oh or ROADee-oh? It says here your mother is a neurosurgeon at Methodist. Does she do laundry on the side?”

If our pols weren’t making life tough and complicated enough for our academics, we have the Republicans’ Grandstand of the Week: DEI. In case you missed your last Klan rally, DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. That’s gobblegook for admitting or hiring more minorities. Gov.

Greg Abbott has ordered a ban on such programs on college campuses. He called the practice “potentially dis-

criminatory” (against whites, we must assume). Some legislators have vowed to cut college funding if the universities don’t get with the program, or more accurately, abolish it. So we have The Diversity of Texas. School presidents, facing a state cut in their budgets, are groveling to obey the edit while still attracting the best and brightest students and profs – not to mention halfbacks and 7-foot-tall dribblers -- to their campuses.

Earlier we mentioned foreigners endangering our security, and that is a concern to our counter-espionage guardians. They know that the Chinese are intent on worming their way into our secrets. Remember that the Ruskies couldn’t develop their own atomic and hydrogen bombs until they stole our plans and blueprints. So we must be on guard for Chinese spies. The feds even closed the Chinese consulate in that hotbed of foreign intrigue: Houston. This surveillance has netted a few solid cases of espionage, but locking out or deporting those with a yellow persuasion seems a bit heavy handed. I guess admission officers could strap ankle monitors on suspects to see if they ever visited a Chinese restaurant or had an iPad in their knapsack. “Do you ever write your mother back in Shanghai?” Or: “Have you ever used TikTok?” “I notice you have been vaccinated for Covid-19. Why?”

As for you, Rep. Tony Tinderholt, beware of any colleague who shows signs of competency. They are clearly not Texas legislators.

Ashby is suspect at ashby2@comcast.net

SPORTS.

HS Hoops: Eagles’ hoops stars named to All-Region team

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

On the heels of leading the Booker T. Washington boys’ basketball team to a historic season as the Class 4A state runnerup, three of the Eagles’ stars recently received regional accolades from the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.

Senior point guard

Andre Walker II, senior forward Kenneth Lewis, and junior forward Chris McDermott were recently named to the TABC’s All Region III-4A team, which was released last week. It is the first such honor for Walker II, while Lewis and McDermott are both all-region selections for a second straight season after leading Booker T. Washington to a 29-8 overall record and the program’s first UIL state tournament and championship game appearance.

Lewis, who is committed to Prairie View A&M, is coming off a season in which he averaged a team-leading 19.2 points per game along with 4.2 rebounds. It is the second straight season Lewis has led the Eagles in scoring.

McDermott, meanwhile, had a strong junior campaign in averaging a double-double with 19 points and a team-leading 11.9 rebounds per game, adding 2.9 blocks and 2.6 steals per contest on the defensive end. The rebounds

LANDAN KUHLMANN Editor

and blocked shot marks both led District 21-4A, according to MaxPreps, and his exploits have led the junior to receive scholarship offers from UT-Rio Grande Valley, Southern, Texas A&M, Georgetown, Ole Miss, and New Mexico State.

Walker put the finishing touches on his high school career with a season in which he averaged 7.4 points per game along with 6.1 assists and nearly two steals per game. He was a threeyear starter at the point for the Eagles, who won 29 games for a second consecutive season.

Lewis and McDermott were also named to the UIL’s All-Tournament team at the state tournament earlier this month, with McDermott averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds while Lewis scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds in the Eagles’ title game loss to Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy. McDermott is also a finalist for the 2023 Guy V. Lewis Award, given annually to the Houston area’s best boys’ basketball player.

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann

Eagles forward Chris McDermott was both a Region II-4A selection and a nominee for the 2023 Guy V. Lewis Award.

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann

Andre Walker II was one of three Booker T. Washington Eagles selected to the TABC’s Region III-4A team after helping them to a Class 4A state runner-up finish this season.

Photo by Matthew Blue

Kenneth Lewis was named to the Region III-4A team after averaging a team-leading 19.2 points per game for Booker T. Washington this season.

Local cultural projects among recipients of city grants

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The city of Houston recently awarded grants to several local nonprofit organizations and individuals whose works “furthers cultural tourism and resilience in the city,” and it includes projects that will take place in the Heights and Near Northside.

In total, eight people and organizations received a total of $84,000 from the office of cultural affairs to put on their projects, according to a news release from the city.

Among them are Adam Castaneda’s “Reviving Churches” that will activate at an abandoned Church’s Chicken in Near Northside at 2700 Fulton St. as well as “Maria’s Magical Music Adventure,” an interactive musical story time that will be played at three events including the Heights Kids’ Day of Music that takes place at Montie Beach Park this weekend.

According to the city, Cas-

taneda’s project “is a multidisciplinary, community-based activation that addresses the broken windows theory in a holistic, creative manner, while Maria’s Magical Music Adventure follows a young girl named Maria and Matthew the Musical Magician as they travel through time to meet Antonio Vivaldi.

The city says funds for the grants were awarded through City’s Initiative, a competitive grant program doled out by the Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) and funded by a portion of the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax.

“These eight projects illustrate the importance of neighborhood identity in our city,” Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said in the release. “These projects celebrate the neighborhoods they happen in, add to their identities, and together highlight our goal of expanding cultural offerings throughout the city.”

hearing them, Gell said he decided he wanted to learn electric guitar and join a band. He joined a program he and his family discovered, she said, later forming a band called The Young Ones that performed at last year’s festival.

“We strive to create that artistic spark by introducing families to these organizations like Ars Lyrica,

Houston Symphony, and Institute for Contemporary Dance for them to attend their programming or get involved in classes or other events,” Gell said. Among other attractions at this year’s HKDM will be the Creative Zone, which will have more than 30 local arts organizations set up. There will also be an Instrument Experience

Zone where attendees can meet and hear different types of instruments, the Joy of Drumming tent with performances and handson experiences with the Joy of Djembe Drumming group, and the Just Add Beats tent where attendees get to learn about music production technology and get to learn how to record and mix sounds.

In total, Gell said the festival annually draws about 4,000 people to the event, nearly half of which are from the Heights, Garden Oaks, and Oak Forest areas along with neighboring communities.

“The best part of Heights Kids’ Day of Music every year is hearing from attendees that they never knew about many of these

arts organizations, “she said, “Or if they have heard of them, did not know about their family-friendly programming available to them as individuals and through education.”

The festival is free and open to the public, and each attendees will get a wristband upon entry. If they want to pre-register for a wristband, commu-

nity members can visit eventbrite.com/e/20239th-annual-heights-kidsday-of-music-powered-byrhythm-energy-free-tickets. For more information on the Heights Kids Day of Music such as event times and more, follow the organization on Instagram or Facebook or visit their website at heightskidsdayofmusic.org.

stations

There will be several tents

val.

Music, from P. 1A Easter from P. 1A

Tellez arrived at the school this year, Cumbie said the partnership has only grown stronger.

“We want to love like Jesus. That includes loving our neighbors in the Heights, and Love Elementary is right around the corner. It’s literally called LOVE,” said Cumbie, whose church at 1111 W. 14th St. is less than half a mile from the school.

“… We wanted to do something just for fun to bless the students and their families.”

And Tellez said the school is only too happy to host the hunt. Apostles Houston will also host a Palm Sunday service from 10-11:15 a.m.

immediately before the Easter Egg hunt.

“Vital to (my vision for Love) are strong community partnerships and collaborations for the benefit of both our students and the greater community,” Tellez said. “When Apostles reached out for a location and support for their Palm Sunday Service and Easter Egg Hunt, it was a no brainer to offer our lawns and facilities.”

That vision is one that is shared by community members, including Houston Heights Association president Emily Guyre.

“Now, more than ever, is a time

that we all need to feel supported, and our neighborhood is better when we create long-lasting partnerships that promote community building,” she said.

And that vision, Tellez said, is one that he is committed to following through on because he has long loved the Heights community. He has had family members attend Harvard and Hogg elementary schools, as well as Hamilton Middle School and Heights High School.

So for him, the upcoming Easter egg hunt is another way to make sure students in the Heights and

their families have access to fun and family-centered events.

“It is an honor for me to return to a community that my family has deep roots in and to collaborate with phenomenal partners like Apostles Houston to make our schools not only a place of inspirational education but also institution that the community can be proud of regardless if they have a child attending or not,” he said. “I hope that our partnership can be an example to other schools and organizations as proof of positivity that occurs with communities collaborate.”

Local business is our business.

Cumbie echoed the sentiment, and said that such an event is simply an extension of the church’s mission to love like Jesus. In addition to the egg hunt, there will also be a food truck, ice cream, music, face painting, and balloon animal art.

“For us, it’s simply (about) the joy of getting to help a great school,” Cumbie said. “We don’t really have any expectations and are grateful for the opportunity to bless Love elementary.”

Photo courtesy City of Houston Adam Castaneda’s “Reviving Churches” project that will activate at an abandoned Church’s Chicken in Northside, was one of eight Houston individuals and organizations who recently received grants from the city of Houston.

Photos by Christi Gell

and

set up for children at the 2023 Heights Kids Day of Music, and there will also be a number of live performaneces from local arts and music organizations during the festi-

Art Valet: Art, music, food and fun at Memorial Park

Houston’s biggest, best and longest running art festival is back this weekend Friday to Sunday, and I’m going to give you the skinny on what is what.

The Art Colony Association, Inc., the producer of the Bayou City Art Festival (BCAF), will transform Memorial Park into a vivid outdoor gallery and an interactive art event along South Picnic Loop on Memorial Drive on Friday –Sunday, March 24-26, 2023, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Two things to note right away, you must purchase your ticket in advance, online to enter the festival. Second, there isn’t parking available at Memorial Park for a festival this size so shuttles are available at offsite parking and of course you can take a car service.

Purchased general admission tickets can be used for entry to any day of the festival, either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Tickets are available on the website and the cost of admission is $20 for adults and children 6-12, tickets are $5 and children five and under are free.

The gates open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. daily and Bayou City Art Festival is a rain or shine event.

Parking is located at Brookhollow III Parking Garage, which can be accessed at 2053 East Governors Circle, 77092. That’s near where 610 and 290 meet in the NW section. The cost is $25 per vehicle and includes covered parking and shuttle bus rides to and from the festival entrance.

There is a designated ridesharing drop-off/pick-up point located near the Main Entrance Gate on Memorial Drive at S. Picnic Loop. Bike racks are available but you’ll be limited to small art. Egads!

This festival’s featured artist is Dewey James, a mixed media artist from Minneapolis, MN. Dewey James joins 300 artists from across the country representing artwork from 19 art disciplines including world-class paintings, prints, jewelry, sculptures and more.

Dewey James has been awarded national awards including numerous Best in Shows, Best in Categories, Featured Artist awards and various awards of excellence and innovation. She lives, works and plays in northern Minnesota with her husband and fellow artist Steve Strat-

man. Together they run the Cuyuna Art Collective.

“Images weave our past, forever intersecting lives and places,” James said in her artist statement. “They are an unfolding tapestry ever present in my work. Whimsical yet structured, blending sentimental and cultural themes with elements of nature. Bold applications of color and graphic balance woven with pattern and dimension. My pieces tell stories that are rich in color, vintage in thought, and contemporary at heart.”

Visitors can easily spend the weekend at BCAF, there’s the Stella Artois Main Stage,

a KPRC 2 Hitch Stage, a food truck park, a craft beer and wine garden, a scotch tasting with Old Parr Scotch Whiskey, a four-hole mini putt-putt course, selfie stations and roaming entertainers throughout the festival. In the Champion Energy Active Imagination Zone, guests of all ages can play with oversized bubbles with Jennifer Lang, visit with caricature artist Bonnie Blue, and create art with the festival’s nonprofit partners. The top 30 finalists from the 10th Annual Middle School Art Competition will also be featured in an exhibition and the Art Colony Association

will host an award ceremony for the students, and their families, and present awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as recognizing the winner of the “People’s Choice Award” on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at 1 p.m. with City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Enjoy the art and artists of course, that’s the best part. Preview the artists, all the activities and of course purchase your tickets now on the website: https://www.bayoucityartfestival.com/

Cohen is an artist and founder of the First Saturday Arts Market and The Market at Sawyer Yards. Find him at ArtValet.com for additional highlights and artist’s stories.

Longtime

resident and Realtor Joanne Vest joins Compass, touts appeal of living in the Heights

For The Leader

Since becoming a Heights resident in 1996 and first serving the Greater Heights real estate market in 2004, Joanne Vest has developed an in-depth knowledge of the neighborhood and understands how to best meet her client’s needs through her hyperlocal understanding of this unique market.

Recently, Joanne announced her decision to join Compass, the leading real estate brokerage with an end-to-end technology platform that’s revolutionized the industry. “I’m excited about how the Compass platform will empower me to leverage innovative tools and AI-driven business solutions to provide even better service to my growing client base,” said Vest, who was voted Best Real Estate Agent by The Leader readers in 2022.

“The Compass platform will enable me to share my sellers’ listings with an even greater audience of potential buyers through the coast–to-coast Compass client referral network.” The client referral network has grown to become a unique benefit of the brokerage as buyers continue to flock to markets like Houston, which offers a more affordable cost of living as compared to other major markets.

The Greater Heights area has certainly seen an influx of buyers. As one of Texas’ earliest planned communities, the Heights continues to be a popular choice for those seeking a small town feel in a big city. The Heights has seen its share of changes, but it continues to maintain its charm through its treelined esplanades and mix of new and historic homes dating back to the early

1900’s. According to Vest, the Heights offers a great community for raising a family or even for those just looking to shorten their work commute and improve work-life

balance.

“Homes that make the most of outdoor living are perennially appealing to

buyers,” says Vest. Demand for outdoor living is not surprising given ongoing efforts to maximize accessibility to the city’s greenways, such as the bayou trail system. Vest works with sellers to highlight outdoor living spaces and proximity to parks and trails.

“Whether it’s a wraparound front porch or a backyard oasis with a pool, Houston homebuyers want to make the most of their living spaces indoors and out,” Vest added. “Homes with walkability are even more desirable, as Height’s buyers are often looking for that hyperlocal lifestyle experience.”

While interest rates continue to vary, Vest reminds sellers that housing inventory levels in the Greater Heights remain low which can be advantageous for sellers who may be reluctant. “More buyers are electing to go forward with home purchases despite changing interest rates,” said Vest. “Savvy buyers know that they can always refinance and are pouncing now while others remain hesitant.”

Vest welcomes the opportunity to assist clients with selling or buying a home. She can be reached via email at joanne.vest@ compass.com or by phone at 832-7528808.

Joanne Vest

Darlene’s still strong more than 50 years into business

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

When Judy Bankhead and Susan Tate’s parents began Darlene’s Flower and Gift Shop in 1969, it was built on simply serving customers.

And more than 50 years after its inception, Bankhead and Tate are continuing that legacy as they strive to serve their community. Tate said a sense of community, family, and service was instilled in them early, and they have not wavered from it.

“We’ve done this our whole lives. We’re a full service florist and gift shop,” said Tate, who said she and Bankhead took over the shop in 1982.

“We love working with our customers, we love making people happy with… the use of our talent and beautiful flowers.”

Tate and Bankhead know that it’s sometimes tough for a business to last as long as Darlene’s has. And the secret to the shop’s success? Staying true to the principles it was founded on. The shop does flowers for weddings and other special events, as well as funerals. They also create bouquets and more for home décor, gifts, and holiday decorations.

“It’s all about customer service,” Tate said. “We send flowers out that

we would want to send ourselves to other people, and we try to be conscious of people’s needs and what they appreciate and want.”

That said, Tate said the business has tweaked the business model a little bit over the years as the business environment changes. In recent years, the shop has added a boutique and gift shop in addition to creating flowers for

every occasion, and they now have a Facebook Live sale to further share the store with everyone.

“We’re constantly changing our business. You have to reinvent yourself as times change,” she said. “You better do something special and be on top of your game so people will remember you and call you.”

But there are some things, she said, that won’t be changing anytime

soon. Darlene’s still makes their own personal deliveries, Tate said, as opposed to farming it out to a third party. She and Bankhead are always open six days a week, and she said there is always a way for customers to reach them no matter what.

And it’s that type of customer service, she said, that is key to customers coming back. A number of their customers, she said, are

“It’s all about customer service and hard work here,” Tate said. “(Those families still coming back) says something for doing something right. We pride ourselves on trying to make our customers happy.”

For more information or to see what Darlene’s has to offer, visit their website at darlenesflowerandgift.com.

Brandy Pratt, Pratt Power Partners strive to serve community

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

When it comes to electricity options for businesses, Garden Oaks resident Brandy Pratt knows there are a multitude of choices. But for anyone trying to navigate these options on their own, the search can be a difficult and tedious one.

So when she started her own business three years ago, she made it a point to make that search an easier one for businesses. And after spending the first 15 years of her career leading various accounting departments for fast-growing companies, she said that gave her a good idea of how to help reduce a company’s elec-

tric expenses.

And so she struck out on her own.

“I saw firsthand how working with an energy broker could significantly reduce a company’s electricity expenses, and I knew I could bring a lot of value to companies,” she said. Because electricity & natural gas are both commodities, Pratt said rates change daily and sometimes hourly, so the timing of a renewal can save thousands of dollars. As an energy broker, she said she proactively monitors the market to ensure their customers renew at the most advantageous time- which in some cases could be 2-3 years before the contract expires.

Many brokers, she said, only notify the customer when it’s time to renew. But in her mission to serve the community, she said

she tries to go a step beyond.

“Once a customer uses our services, we become the main point of contact for all of their energy-related needs — whether it’s helping with a billing problem, adding or deleting services, or working with the utility company to install a new meter or address a power quality issue,” she said. “We take care of all of our customers’ energy related needs so they can focus on running their business.”

Additionally, Pratt said community and service is deeply embedded in her. She says it’s about building long-term relationships with people beyond the clientcustomer transaction.

Since starting it three years

The Leader Business Spotlight

ago, she said chances to work with local businesses and help them save money while building long term relationships has been the most fulfilling part of the work. She also has savored the opportunity to sponsor local schools and nonprofits, and said it has been beyond rewarding.

“Integrity and generosity are at the heart of everything I do personally and professionally, and I’m passionate about giving back,” she said. “We teach our kids that it is our responsibility and our privilege to give back and support our communities and those in need.”

Merle Norman Cosmetic and Boutique Studio - Diane Morish

What inspired you to go into this business?

I was an Accounting Analyst for Exxon and was going through a divorce. My mother told me to go to work for her at Merle Norman at the time. I started working parttime and started working full-time in August of 1984. All these years later, I am still there.

What do you love most about what you do? My customers! Hands down!!!

Some have become lifetime friends.

What makes your business unique?

It’s a fun shopping experience. Customers can’t believe all the cute items they find. There are gifts for every occasion from greeting cards to baby items, religious items, reading glasses, boutique clothing, beautiful jewelry and of course, cosmetics. Just about everything a girl could want, except shoes. Is there anything the community can look forward to from Merle Norman?

You can always expect unique gifts, good quality and awesome customer service. The perfect combination for longevity in any

“[BKBY] is so much more than a bookkeeping service.” Deborah B. “In one hour... I learned so much!” Autumn D.

“[BKBY] has become an extension of ours.” Austin A.

“[BKBY] swooped in to save the day.”

Danielle H.

“[BKBY] has handled all of our financial management for over five years.” Dr. Penchas

that are seeking an

for

business. What is the one thing you wish people knew more about, regarding your business?

All the beautiful items and gifts that we sell surprise everyone that comes in to the shop. The variety is unbelievable.

Address: 4216 Ella Blvd Ste B, Houston, TX 77018

Phone: 713-686-5993

Hours: Sunday – closed Monday – closed Tuesday 11-4

Wednesday 11-6

Thursday 11-6

Friday – 11-4

Saturday – 11-4

This is the first installment of our new Business Spotlight where we will feature locally owned businesses who have served our community for years. It’s another chance to highlight businesses who have partnered with The Leader.

On the fourth week of each month, we will spotlight a new business and visit theleadernews.com for all spotlights.

“[BKBY] went above and beyond...as I have never seen a company do for a customer.”

The BL Family

“[BKBY] provides top notch services.”

Will P.

“I can always depend on this company.”

Jon P.

“[BKBY] has everything running smoothly.”

Hollee M.

“[BKBY] has saved me from an accounting nightmare!”

Whitney K.

www.bkby.org | 99 Detering St., Ste 106, Houston, TX 77007 | info@bkby.org | 832-234-2542

Contributed photos

Judy Bankhead and Susan Tate are still serving the community through their floral creations at Darlene’s Flower & Gift Shop, more than 50 years after their parents founded the business.

Brandy Pratt

Diane Morish

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

When Penny Millican got into the estate sale business more than three decades ago, she had a background in the business thanks to her mother doing appraisals for banks and law firms in the Midwest. She also has long possessed a passion for history and genealogy.

So the business it’s been the perfect melding of her passions and expertise, she said, and she still feels that way after 32 years in the industry of helping guide people through the estate sale process.

“I’ve always had a love for history and a fascination with genealogy, so the Estate Sale business has been the perfect fit for me,” she said. “I enjoy my work.”

Millican is the owner of Town and Country Estate Sales Services, a full-service estate sale company that looks to help their customers through what can be a stressful process. Whether it’s moving a loved one into a nursing home, downsizing, liquidating, or something else, Town and Country is there to help with an experienced and compassionate staff according to Millican – some of whom have been with her for over 30 years.

“We love helping people through the stressful stages of moving, downsizing, and more,” Millican said.

One of the ways Millican said Town and Country stands out is that they also have an offsite showroom in which to conduct an Estate Sale for clients if they are unable or unwilling to have the sale in their home. Once a month

in the showroom, she said, Town and Country will host a sale.

“Customers love it because of the location, ease of shopping and plenty of parking,” she said.

Most estate sale companies, Millican said, are owned and operated by women. And Town and County offers personal-

ized estate sale services for whichever need arises in a person’s life.

“I think it is because women are detail oriented, and most of the women I know, are very caring and compassionate and provide a much-needed service,” she said.

For more information about Town and Country

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

For Treesearch Farms and owner Heidi Sheesley, it’s all about being the one that stands out from the crowd. Anyone can sell plants, she said, but for her it’s always been about the education and success of those she sells to.

“I want people to succeed with their plants – if they’re successful they’ll come back and trying something else. That gives me the most pleasure,” she said. “We’re not the typical business –making money is important, but it’s more than that.”

Sheesley began Treesearch Farms back in 1983, after working at an indoor plant nursery for several years. And the more she thought about it, the more she felt there was a niche that was yet to be explored.

“I wanted to research and find new things that would work here in Houston,” she said. “(Most companies) were using the same stuff, and the challenge was growing things and educating people on what worked in Houston. It’s just fascinating how things have changed over the years. The goal was to grow trees and educate people.” And all of that happened, she said, despite not having significantly studied horticulture in any fashion in school. She had no idea that she’d wind up running her own business in the industry, she said – but the unexpected has given way to the growth of a passion.

As a wholesale grower, Treesearch Farms sells exclusively to landscapers, plant nurseries, and others in the trade.

Treesearch also has its own nursery that contains more than 25 acres of greenhouses, cold frames, gardens, chickens and turkey coops, and a pond. They are working every day, Shee-

sley said, to make sure what they sell is primed for success in Houston’s unique environment.

About 13 years ago, Sheesley and Treesearch Farms began hosting an annual plant sale at the Near Northwest Management District to educate the community on what works in Houston. Education and helping landscapers and nurseries and the homeowners they sell to find success, she said, is what it’s all about.

“We were one of the few doing all this years ago, now a lot of people are doing it…You’ve got to find things that are going to work here,” she said. “There are trends, but we tried to be part of creating the trends also. They’re looking for something different.”

And if they want some-

thing different, they’ll find it at Treesearch Farms – not just in the plants they sell, but in their mission.

“One of the greatest things is being able to grow things that are not normally found, and it’s exciting to be successful in doing that,” she said. “It’s all about seeing how happy and successful people are with new plants.”

For more information on Treesearch Farms, visit their website at treesearchfarms.biz.

Photo from Facebook

Pictured are some of the flowers that are in the garden at Treesearch Farms.

Heidi Sheesley (Photo from Facebook)

Put our 44 years of experience to work for you!

Janet has been a licensed real estate professional since 1977 and has been a Top Producer for many years, Top Producer of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties for 2017-2022. As a Native Houstonian, Janet is very knowledgeable about Houston area neighborhoods - including Shepherd Park Plaza, Candlelight Plaza, Timbergrove, Lazybrook, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Shepherd Forest, Candlelight Estates, and the Heights. Clients and customers appreciate Janet’s positive attitude, integrity, professionalism, and patience. They rely on her market knowledge and discover that she often goes the extra mile to achieve the results her client seeks.

713.419.7918

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

A new upscale club has officially opened its doors in the Heights.

On March 15, The Heights Social opened in the heart of the Heights at 1213 W. 20th St. It is the first fully indoor bar along 20th Street, according to a news release from the bar. Heights Social is designed to be the “ultimate social gathering hub” in Houston, the release said, and features cocktails on tap, classic martinis and a selection of wines. There will also be a menu from chef Kyle Dennis – previously at Crisp in the Heights – that includes thin-crust pizza, a charcuterie board and a 72-hour braised short rib panini, and more.

“We are very excited to be opening the doors to The Heights Social and bringing a new concept to W. 20th Street,” assistant general manager Kim Cole said. “Our goal was to introduce a unique destination where social Houstonians could find their new favorite martini, craft cocktail or try a glass of high-end champagne. We were purposeful in our design to create a truly one-of-a-kind experience, and we are thrilled to be introducing The Heights Social to Houston.”

The Heights Social will open at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1 p.m. on Friday

Janet Hartman Schmidt