The 04-29-23 Edition of The Heights Leader

Saturday,

Surfhouse set to close next month

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

For nearly six decades, Surfhouse has sat in a shopping center at the corner of West 34th Street and Ella Boulevard to provide the Oak Forest, Garden Oaks, and Heights communities with the chance to satisfy all of its surfing material needs complete with a smile and good conversation. But its run will soon be coming to an end nearly 60

years after it began. Earlier this month, the shop announced on Facebook that owner Carol Sandel is retiring and that Surfhouse will be closing at the end of May.

Carol Sandel ran the business with her late husband Lloyd until he passed away from complications from an infection in May 2022, and has been running the shop at 1737 W. 34th St., Suite 400 herself since his passing nearly a year ago.

“She would like to thank

everyone that has supported Surfhouse and Lloyd and her during all these years and to say it was an honor to provide this service to the community,” she wrote on Facebook earlier this month.

The business bills itself as the oldest surf shop in Texas as well as the state’s oldest skateboard shop, having opened in June 1967 on Spring Branch Drive before relocating to the southwest

Top dogs

Man charged in fatal Northside shooting

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Lady Bulldogs looking to build on historic district title

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Coming into this season, Heights softball coach Lamont Robins felt that a special season could be on the horizon. And it has morphed into one that the program has never before had as part of the state’s largest classification.

“Before the season, my girls said no one in this district will beat us this year,” he said Tuesday.

And nobody, in fact, did beat them in district play. Last week, the Lady Bulldogs finished off a perfect run through District 186A, taking down Sam Houston 18-0 on April 18 before winning 4-3 against Chavez on April 21 to secure the district championship. This is the first district championship at the Class 6A level for the Lady Bulldogs since moving to the state’s largest classification prior to the 2015 season, and the first district title at any level in more than a decade. Heights (25-2-1) is set to square

off with Stratford (17-10), District 17-6A’s fourth place finisher, in a best-of-three bi-district playoff series that kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday at the Delmar sports complex. “It means a great deal, to make history at Heights,” said Robins, who is in his third sea-

son as the Lady Bulldogs’ head softball coach. “There’s a first time for everything.”

The Lady Bulldogs are no stranger to the postseason, having made the playoffs five times in the previous seven full seasons. But they have taken it to a level not seen in recent seasons at the school this year.

Heights has not lost since Feb. 21, and enters the postseason on a 23-game unbeaten streak – 22 wins and one tie. And for Robins, the success is not much of a surprise to the third-year head coach. He said a trust has developed between him and his team that is nearly unmatched, as a number of them played on teams he coached at Hamilton Middle School that won district titles themselves.

“They trust me, I trust them, and we have created a great bond,” he said.

Robins said he felt 2023 could be a special one even after their 2022 season ended with a close area-round loss to Katy Cinco

Police have arrested and charged a man who is accused of shooting and killing another man in the Northside/Northline area last November, according to the Houston Police Department Joseph Magee, 22, has been charged with murder, unlawful carry of a weapon, and theft of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of 19-yearold Anthony Deadrick Jr., according to Harris County court records. He was arrested in Roswell, Georgia on April 19, according to HPD, and was awaiting extradition from the state of Georgia.

Magee

Police responded to an apartment complex in the 200 block of Sunnyside Street in the Northside/Northline area just before 5 p.m. on Nov. 14, 2022, according to police, to find Deadrick inside the apartment having been shot. He was later pronounced dead, according to the department.

According to HPD, an eyewitness told investigators that Deadrick had been with a friend – alleged to be Magee – who was allegedly messing around with a gun when it went off, hitting and killing Deadrick. Magee then allegedly fled the scene on foot.

He was arrested last week, police said, and is awaiting extradition back to Houston.

Sinclair Elementary hosting community “Bike to School” event May 2

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

There’s nothing like the feeling of the wind going past someone as they fly down the road. At least, that’s the way Sinclair Elementary physical education teacher Emily Gregor sees it.

And with help from a local parent, she’s hoping an upcoming event will help inspire more in the community to use the alternate form of transportation when going to work, school, and more. On May 2, Sinclair Elementary in the Heights will host a Bike to School event ahead of National Bike to School Day on May 3.

We empower people to thrive.

“The thing I want to see the most with this event, is that families start making this a normal way of transportation to school,” Gregor said. “Even if it’s just once a week, to build that healthy habit and enjoy being more in nature.”

Students and their families will meet the morning of May 2 between 6:30-7 a.m. at the restaurant depot and Discount Tire parking lot near 18th and 20th Street in the Heights. From there, they will depart at 7 a.m. and make their way to Sinclair (6410 Grovewood Ln.) via 20th Street and Ella Boulevard.

Photo from Twitter

Heights High School’s softball team celebrates its District 18-6A championship following its final regular season game last Saturday. The Lady Bulldogs won the program’s first district title as a member of Class 6A.

Photo from Twitter The Lady Bulldogs head into the playoffs as district champs for the first time in more than a decade. See Bulldogs P. 6

Photo from Facebook Surfhouse, which has operated in the area for nearly 60 years, will close at the end of May,

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Authorities are still trying to find out what led to a house fire in Acres Homes last week, according to the Houston Fire Department. There were no reported injuries in the fire, according to the

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston fire authorities are still working to determine what led to a fire breaking out at a multi-unit storage facility in the Central Northwest neighborhood last week, according to the

department, though the department said a dog was found inside the house following a primary search. Crews made an attempt to revive the dog, the department said, but were unable to do so.

Crews from stations 15, 30, 31, 58, and 67 responded to a one-story home in the 900 block

Houston Fire Department. There was nobody reported injured as a result of the fire, according to HFD.

Crews from stations 5, 6, 11, 15, 30, 31, 34, 38, 50, 58, 62, and 67 responded to a storage facility at 2220 W. 34th St. just after 8:30 p.m., according to the de -

of Saint Clair Street in Acres Homes just after 10:30 a.m. on April 17, the department said, to find smoke coming from the house.

After crews made an offensive attack, HFD said crews extinguished the fire. A primary search turned up the dog, after which crews attempted to revive

partment, to find smoke coming out of the multi-building storage company.

Within seven minutes, HFD said crews responded to the scene and were able to extinguish the fire a short time later. There was nobody inside when the fire started, according to the

it according to the department.

There has been no official cause of the fire released as of Tuesday, according to HFD, though the department said arson investigators are working to find out what may have led to the blaze breaking out.

department.

The department did not immediately release how much property damage was done to the property as a result of the fire, but it remains under investigation by HFD’s arson investigators according to the department.

THE TV – “This is diffi cult to say with a straight face. ‘This settlement re flects Fox’s continued commitment to the high est journalistic standards.’”

Then Jake Tapper, on CNN, started laughing. He was reading a press release from Fox after the media company had agreed to a $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Sys tems. That’s a large amount of money but pales in com parison to what Dominion originally wanted in its defa mation lawsuit: $1.6-billion. But I rise, along with every other biased journalist, in defending Fox. This settlement is a greedy shakedown of an honest and impartial American company. OK, it’s actually owned by an Australian, Rupert Murdoch, but let’s not be too nationalistic. How can you sully the reputation of a network whose very motto is “Fair and Balanced?” So they abandoned that line apparently after facing a false adverting accusation. And, no, “Fox News” is not an oxymoron.

As you know, Dominion is a Colorado-based votercounting machine company which, time and again, was accused by Fox commentators, anchors and countless guests of rigging the 2020 Presidential election by turning Trump ballots to Biden ballots, thus changing the outcome of the election. Dominion lawyers had unearthed piles of emails and notes showing that Fox executives and hosts had known that the Biden victory was legal. The network’s hosts knew their guests were either lying or “nuts.” They traded emails worried that they were losing viewers. (“Getting creamed by CNN,” Murdoch wrote in an email.) It’s all about ratings, aka money. So what?

The Fox lawyers faced an uphill battle because it is hard to prove media defamation. Even before the trial was supposed to begin, the judge in the case, Eric Davis of the Delaware Superior Court, agreed with Dominion’s lawyers, writing that “the evidence developed in this civil proceeding demonstrates that [it] is CRYSTAL clear that none of the Statements relating to Dominion about the 2020 election are true.”

When the judge writes in caps and bold face that Fox’s lawyers are lying, we get his drift. The lawyers relied on a 1964 case, The New York Times Co. v.

false, or “recklessly disregarded” whether it might be false. The Fox lawyers cited the First Amendment, that part about freedom of the press. Actually, the Constitution simply says that Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of the press. Nowhere does it say you can lie, distort or knowingly hide the truth, but let’s not get picky.

While many Americans, both pro- and anteMAGA, followed the case with interest, and other national TV news covered the events nightly, the one place viewers didn’t get informed was – one guess – Fox News. The night after the settlement was announced I watched both (the late) Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity. Neither mentioned the outcome. Fox media critic Howard Kurtz said only: “A Dominion lawyer gave reporters a dollar figure for the settlement, but I have not been able to independently confirm that.” In total, the network’s broadcast coverage of its blockbuster settlement amounted to about six minutes.

Let’s talk money. That $787.5 million is not pocket change for most of us, but is only three-quarters of Fox Corporation’s annual income. Its news channel is a cash cow because the network usually stomps the competition, sometimes having more viewers than MSNBC, CNN and the other competition combined. But Fox should operate a GoFundMe. If each of its 2.1 million viewers sends Murdoch just four dollars that would more than cover the settlement. He probably needs the money for alimony. The 92-year-old media tycoon just shed his fourth wife, Jerry Hall (a native of Mesquite, Texas). The Dems plan on spending millions on the 2024 Presidential campaign. Fox could start running Biden For President ads. Have

Sean Hannity lead in with: “And now a word from that loveable old guy and sure winner.” Unlike Jake Tapper, Sean, don’t laugh. Come to think of it, Hannity, Carlson & Co. are constantly ridiculing Biden’s age. He is 81, which makes him younger than most of Fox’s viewers. Winners & Losers: Obviously, Tucker Carlson lost, then Murdoch and Fox. Or did they? This settlement and the dirty laundry it exposed to the world probably won’t make a dent in ratings. The network’s viewers are Trump supporters and nothing can dissuade them. If they are still in the corner of Agent Orange by now, they must groove on scandals, misinformation and outright lies. I say don’t judge. Other winners are the high-priced lawyers on both sides. Dominion will happily pay their cut, and it has been discovered that Trump has diverted donations for his campaign to pay his legal fees. Another big winner is Smartmatic. Like Dominion, it’s a voting-machine company that alleges it was the target of conspiracy theories in

the wake of the 2020 election. But unlike Dominion, Smartmatic is not suing Fox for a measly $1.6-billion.

Smartmatic wants $2.7 billion. But I say, “What about Hunter’s laptop?” The judge in this high-profile over-covered court case, Eric Davis, didn’t get much publicity, but he still may land a “Court Time With Judge Eric” TV show. As for losers, this has nothing to do exactly with the court case, but MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell must hope his pillows are filled with cash. (He’s supposedly worth $50 million.) A strong Trump supporter and election denier, Lindell prom-

ised to pay $5 million to anyone who could disprove his data that he claimed proved China interfered in the election to benefit Joe Biden. A private arbitrator heard both sides, then ordered Lindell to pay that $5 million to Robert Zeidman, a software expert who disproved Lindell’s claims. But I still stand with Fox. It tells me what I want to hear, and I don’t care if it’s the truth. That is CRYSTAL clear.

Ashby is gullible at ashby2@comcst.net

Baseball/softball roundup: Heights baseball wins district crown following trio of dominating victories

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

It was a banner week last week for several of the area’s high school baseball teams, with one of them clinching a district chanpionship.

The Heights Bulldogs had a pair of wins against Sam Houston last week, winning 8-4 on April 20 before taking home an 8-0 victory on April 22. The Bulldogs then took down Chavez by a score of 14-3 on Tuesday night to secure a district crown.

Paul Smith homered and drove in two runs in the April 22 win for the Bulldogs (207, 9-1), while Darian Cantu had a double and three RBIs.

Eduardo Lopez had three RBIs of his own in the April 20 win, and Brady Pro and Hunter Schwartz combined for 14 strikeouts on the mound. The Bulldogs then pounded out 14 hits in the win over Chavez on Tuesday, including home runs from Ashby Church, Adam Torres, and Jacob Castillo to secure the district crown.

Elsewhere around the area, the Waltrip Rams took

LAndAn KuhLmAnn Editor

the St. Pius X Panthers took two out of three games from San Antonio Central Catholic last weekend, losing 8-2 on April 21 before winning by scores of 1-0 and 7-1 on April 22 to move to 17-10-1 on the season and 5-4 in TAPPS district play.

Tyler Comeaux had one of the weekend’s outstanding pitching performances, allowing just two hits and a lone unearned run in the 7-1 victory April 22. St. Thomas, meanwhile dropped two of three to Antonian Prep last week, dropping to 17-13-1 overall and 4-5 in TAPPS district play.

Softball

Ever since moving to the state of Texas’ largest classification nearly a decade ago, the Heights Lady Bulldogs

Brice had three RBIs of her In private school action, nate Word 16-2 on April 21 before falling 10-6 against Antonian Prep on April 22 to move to 22-12 overall and 7-1 in TAPPS district play. Sophia Erazo doubled twice among four hits and drove home four runs for SPX against Incarnate Word,

OVER IT!

God Delivers His Children

By Pastor Will Cover Arise Baptist Church 803 Curtin St. Houston TX 77018 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org

Iwas reading this morning in Psalm 3 and was reminded of God’s care for King David during David’s time of trouble. Absolom, David’s son, was trying to overthrow his father. David was running for his life and wrote Psalm 3, crying out to God for help. David recognized that it was God who was able to save Him and He remembered that it was God who heard his prayers. This psalm gives an important perspective about how we respond to trials. If our focus is on our enemies or on the trouble then we will fail.

If our focus is trying to overcome the difficulty in our own strength, then we will fail. David said, “salvation belongs to God.”

Today, no matter what you face, recognize that it is God who hears and answers prayer and it is God that will protect you and sustain you. Even in your times of greatest trouble, you can turn to the Lord for comfort and strength. His is faithful!

If you would like to discuss this further or have questions, Pastor Will Cover can be reached at Arise Baptist Church at 803 Curtin St., or www. arisebaptistchurch.org, or 713-659-9697.

Baptist

Edward

Woodlawn Funeral Home & Garden of Memories is proud to provide Domani for Grief and Loss resources to support families as they deal with the difficult loss of a loved one. Join us for our grief support group receptions. Delicious breakfast compliments

Everyone is welcome at Heights are a church for the Heights. Bible Study @10am | Worship @11am 230 W. 20th St. 77008 Heights Church @heightschurchhouston Heights Church, Houston, Texas HeightsChurchHouston.org COFFEE 930AM | BIBLE STUDY 1OAM | WORSHIP 11AM | 230 W. 20TH ST. 77008 Heights Church @heightschurchhouston Heights Church, Houston, Texas HeightsChurchHouston.org

Artists and artisans from the First Saturday Arts Market and The Market at Sawyer Yards will be at Cross Creek West in Fulshear from 11 a.m-3 p.m. Saturday for an Art Market & Home Tour at 4803 Garden Crest Lane in Fulshear.

I love putting on these markets at the Cross Creek subdivisions. The change of scenery is good, we meet artists from the area and small business owners (many very new) conquering their worlds. It helps too that everyone is enthusiastic and that the marketing team leads our enthusiasm one hundred percent.

The event is one of many taking place as part of the ‘Best of the Burb’s Home Tour hosted by Johnson Development. The annual home tour features more than 130 professionally decorated model homes and nearly 500 available homes throughout 12 Houston-area communities. This will be the first Art Market & Home Tour hosted at Cross Creek West.

“We’ve gone all out,” said Carrie Roehling, Marketing Director for Cross Creek West. “There will be music, face painters, balloon artists, children’s crafts, caricature artists and more. It’s our first-ever art market in Cross Creek West and our first time participating in the ‘Best of the Burbs’ Home Tour, so we want it to be special.”

Five award-winning builders in Cross Creek West will showcase eight model homes. Each model will feature free food samples from local restaurants. Participating establishments include Anthonie’s Market Grill, Doziers BBQ, Grammys Cookies, Humble Grounds Coffeehouse, Joe’s Italian Grill, Local Table, Marco’s Pizza and Saltgrass Steak House.

and refreshments will be served. Mitch cohen Art Columnist Art Valet: Art meets architecture at Cross Creek West Saturday

“We encourage everyone to come out for great art and great food,” Roehling said.

“It’s a wonderful way to get a taste of the Cross Creek West lifestyle.”

Fulshear. Learn more at www.crosscreekwesttx. com/Artmarket Cohen is an The Leader • Saturday, April 29, 2023 • Page 5 shopping • health • services • dining

Across the street from the model homes is where visitors will find the exhibitors and artists, lined up side by side the entire length of the street under their canopies. Right in the center of the line up will be the activities Roehling mentioned.

Live music from noon to about 2 p.m., coming straight from Houston will be Wendy Elizabeth Jones and friends featuring David Odea on lead guitar, Kevin Crenshaw on drums and Chaz Nadege on bass.

Joining the market are four area photographers that make up KDRP Productions.

The men published a book

together; “Fulshear and Beyond – Wildlife of Southeast Texas,” in the fall of 2022 in response to requests from Cross Creek Ranch residents to publish their popular photos as a book. They will have photo prints on paper and canvas from each photographer also available.

And Beyond – Wildlife Of Southeast Texas by KDRP Productions will be available Saturday.

artist and founder of the First Saturday Arts Market and The Market at Sawyer Yards. Find him at ArtValet.com for Support

and

Photo by Stephanie Cheney DeeAnna Kasher will travel from The Woodlands with her custom wreaths.

Fulshear

Hers.

invite you to visit. Baptist Temple / “Heights Church” Begin Run on 12/03/22 10” x 2” Edward Crowell 713.628.2468 We are a church for the Heights. Bible Study @10am | Worship @11am 230 W. 20th St. 77008 Heights Church @heightschurchhouston Heights Church, Houston, Texas HeightsChurchHouston.org

COFFEE

St. Pius X announces new head of school

A local Catholic private high school has a new leader in charge.

On Tuesday, St. Pius X announced that the school has appointed John William Bates V is set to take over as the Dominican private school’s new head of school following a national search process. He will officially

From Staff Reports

The Harris Central Appraisal District has mailed property value notices to many residential property owners and is following with commercial and industrial value notices, according to a news release from the organization.

“We are again seeing a large number of residential and commercial properties in Harris County increasing in value this year,” said Roland Altinger, chief appraiser.  “Residential properties are still in high demand and have gone up an average of about 16 percent in value, and commercial properties are following along the same lines with a value increase of

take over in July, according to the school.

A news release from the private school at 811 W. Donovan St. said Bates has spent nearly 20 years in Catholic education serving in multiple roles, most recently as the principal of Houston’s Assumption Catholic School in the Northside/Northline area of Houston

“I am honored to be selected as the next Head of School for the St. Pius X High School community. I am committed to bearing faithful witness to the Mission and Traditions established by the Dominican Sisters of Houston,” Bates said. “I look forward to building relationships with those dedicated to the Mission of forming Veritas men

and women.”

Prior to being the principal at Assumption, Bates was an assistant principal at St. Michael Catholic School and a teacher at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Oklahoma State and a Master of Education in Catholic (Private School) Teaching from University of St.

Thomas in Houston, according to the school. “We have faith that God will bless him and us in the weeks and years to come, so that we can continue to provide the best Catholic education for every student that joins our community,” the SPX Head of School Search Committee said in a statement.

just over 21 percent.”

Altinger explained that the appraisal district is required by law to appraise all property at 100 percent of market value – the price the property would sell for – as of Jan. 1.

“The appraisal district tries to come as close to market value as we can with the data we have,” Altinger said.  “If the property owner does not

corner of West 34th Street and Ella Boulevard later that year. For almost 60 years, generations of surfers and skateboard aficionados and enthusiasts have stopped by – whether it be for supplies, or just a good conversation.

Some social media commenters such as Alan Scott Garcia noted that they had been coming to the shop since as far back as the mid-1980s, with Garcia saying the t-shirts sold at Surfhouse are a “huge staple” of his wardrobe. Anoth -

think that value is correct, they should file an appeal and provide information in their protest meeting that could change the value.”

Homes in all price ranges saw value increases of between 15.8 – 21.2 percent with 96 percent of all the homes in the county going up in value, HCAD said, because of the demand for single family homes.

Property owners who receive their notices may begin the protest process immediately. A protest form is included in the mailer, HCAD said, but property owners can also file a protest by using the appraisal district’s online iFile program at www. hcad.org/iFile.

be missed.”

er commenter, Elizabaeth Richardson, said she bought her first longboard from Surfhouse.

Commenter Randy Van Aken said he has been making trips to Surfhouse since 1987. The shop is open daily and sells surfboards and skateboards as well as related products and apparel for them. Lloyd also did custom builds and repairs, in some cases building surfboards for customers.

“I always enjoyed making the trip to the shop,” Van Aken said. “…. You and the shop will

Ranch. The Lady Bulldogs returned eight starters from last season’s team including Hayley Jaime, Helen Maddux, Kennedy Hill, and others.

And everyone, he said, has contributed during a season which has seen Heights run over many opponents. The Lady Bulldogs are hitting .418 with a 1.124 OPS as a team while scoring 9.5 runs per game at the plate this season and allowing just 2.1 runs per game in the circle.

National Bike to School Day first happened in 1997, according to the Walk, Bike, and Roll to School website. The Sinclair event is one of just three registered events in Harris County for National Bike to School Day, according to the website.

The May 2 ride will be the first such event Sinclair has hosted, though Gregor said she is hoping to make it a more regular event in the coming years to encourage younger generations and older ones alike and demonstrate that the form of transportation is a viable one in Houston as more connected bike lanes pop up.

“As the city is making more bike lanes and paths around town connect, I think these events are showing the community just how accessible our city is on bikes,” Gregor said. “These events help show us that with a little effort this can become an everyday routine or even a way to travel when we want to go somewhere in the neighborhood without making it a car trip.”

One such child who al-

From Staff Reports

Earlier this month, the city of Houston’s Solid Waste department, alongside the Houston Recycling Collaboration, announced the launch of its next-plastic collection program, expanding the materials accepted for recycling at the North Main depository (903 N. Main St.) to include all types of plastic, including dry cleaner bags, bubble wrap, and Styrofoam.

For those who frequented it over the years, it has become a symbol of so much more than just a business in the community. Sandel’s announcement of her impending retirement and the shop’s soon-to-be subsequent closing prompted an outpouring of support and love on social media with dozens of comments.

“You can retire knowing you have touched many lives. You brought joy and happiness throughout the community,”

“What impressed me the most was the coming together as a unit, how they believe in each other, that coming together made us much stronger,” Robins said. “We were able to reach new heights because of our mindset.”

However, Robins knows that the job is not finished and that the playoffs bring a whole new set of obstacles. The Lady Bulldogs have been to the area round in backto-back seasons, but have not advanced further than that in more

ready wants to make biking to school every-day travel is George Frey’s first-grade son, who attends Sinclair. Frey, who has been helping Gregor organize the event, said his son has been riding White Oak Bayou since he was four years old.

“(He) wishes he could ride to school every day,” Frey said.

Gregor and Frey first tossed around the idea of hosting an event back in the fall after Gregor saw a video about a “bike bus” event and eventually connected with Frey, who is the president of Super Neighborhood 14 that represents Lazybrook/Timbergrove.

And even though it lost some steam as Gregor figured out her new position as PE teacher, she said she never lost the passion for putting it on. So when Frey reached out to her again in the spring about hosting the event, it was full steam ahead.

“Events like these make the community aware that the road needs to be shared,” she said. “It also helps train future generations of bikers

It is the second such depository in Houston to see such a program implemented following December implementation of an all-plastic collection program at the Kingwood Recycling Center; which the city said tripled the average amount of plastics traditionally collected there. The city said its Solid Waste Department and Houston Recycling Collaboration intend to expand this model to all 10 of the City of Hous -

Charlotte Moore wrote. “Our lives would not have been the same without the work you and Lloyd have done. Bless you. Here wishing you nothing but happiness in the day’s to come.” Sandel and Surfhouse will still be open to the community during its normal operating hours leading up to its closing at the end of next month, according to the shop. And Sandel encouraged the community to come by in the coming weeks for one last shopping spree,

than a decade. But he also knows this team has a chance to build on what has already been a momentous season for the program, and make it even better.

“My message to my girls heading into the playoffs is to keep working to get better, stay together, stay focused, keep trusting one another,” he said. “Let us go further than anyone at Heights has ever gone in the softball playoffs.”

and car drivers with the rules and how to safely share the road.”

Gregor said that they currently have 30 students signed up for the event, and Frey said that anywhere from 75-100 total people are expected to take part between students, parents, and staff.

“Communal events like these where students, teachers & parents participate jointly demonstrate a shared enjoyment for outdoor group activity,” Frey said. “This will encourage students to remain active in and out of school…  It will hopefully introduce a fun activity for parents to share with their kids.”

In addition to helping encourage awareness of the mode of transportation and helping her students learn the rules of the road, Gregor – who lives in the area and frequently bikes to work at Sinclair – is also hoping that the event awakens something in the community about the freedom she feels comes with being outside on a bike.

To her, that’s the best part,

and she’s hoping that the May 2 event brings a combination of education and inspiration.

“When the community sees the bike bus, my hope is that they remember the freedoms they had when they were little,” she said. “All the fun they had riding their bikes and exploring their neighborhoods, seeing how far they could go and what new places they could visit. There’s freedom on a bike.”

ton’s recycling depositories by the end of the year.

“Partnerships like this are key in moving toward a circular economy that reduces the impact of plastic waste on our communities, our bayous, and our city,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a news release. “…. Houston is dedicated to impacting change and setting the example for communities around the country.”

family outing, or conversation.

For more information on Surfhouse, visit their website at surfhousesurfcam.com.

“This loyal following of people are considered family by Carol,” the shop wrote Keep an eye on our print edition and website in the coming weeks, as The Leader plans to do a follow-up story on Surfhouse’s impact in the community as its closing date nears.

Most of us that bring you The Leader live right here in your community and we appreciate you reading it every week.

John William Bates V