Leader June 18, 2022

Inside Today: A 9-year-old girl was killed in the Heights • Page 10

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City moving forward with traffic plan for 11th

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Protected bicycle lanes are coming to 11th Street in the Heights, where drivers will have fewer lanes to maneuver along one of the neighborhood's most popular thoroughfares.

That is by design, according to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who announced Tuesday that the City of Houston will move forward with its long-debated plan to transform traffic on 11th Street in the interest of safety and to make the road more multimodal.

Bike lanes will be added on

both sides of 11th between North Shepherd Drive and Michaux Street, where there will be one vehicular lane in each direction with a center, left-turn lane along the stretch between Yale and Studewood streets. The plan also calls for bike lanes along Michaux between 11th and Stude Park to the south as well as protected crossings for pedestrians and cyclists at intersections such as 11th and Nicholson Street, where the Heights Hike-and-Bike Trail crosses 11th, and Michaux and White Oak Drive.

There now are two vehicle lanes in each direction on 11th

between Shepherd and Michaux, and no center turn lanes.

"With four lanes for cars, the street encourages fast driving," Turner said in a 4-minute, 30-second video released by his office.

"That speed results in 10 percent more crashes than the average road across the state of Texas.

Those crashes are at nearly every intersection between Michaux and Shepherd. Eleventh Street is not safe for the neighborhood."

David Fields, the chief transportation planner for the city, said Photo by Adam Zuvanich construction is estimated to start A cyclist waits to cross 11th Street at its intersection with NicholSee 11th Street P. 5

son Street. The City of Houston is adding protected bike lanes on 11th and reducing the number of vehicle lanes.

Bullet train project in limbo with CEO’s resignation

It’s not just my business, It’s my neighborhood

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

INSIDE.

Show them the money. Houston ISD teachers are getting significant pay raises.

Page 4

Photo by Mark Lear An eastern screech owl named Owlouette loves on Beaker, one of her offspring, in the backyard of Oak Forest resident Mark Lear.

Big art, small studio. An artist with ties to the Heights will display her work on Almeda Road.

Page 6

Top talent. Evelyn Garcia of "Top Chef" fame brings her brand of cuisine to the Heights.

Page 9

Joy for Julep. A Washington Avenue cocktail bar won a James Beard Award this week.

Page 9

THE INDEX. Church........................................................... 4 Classifieds ................................................. 7 Coupons ...................................................... 7 Food/Drink ................................................ 9 Opinion ........................................................ 3 Public Information......................... 10 Puzzles ......................................................... 3

Owl-watching becoming popular pastime

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

There are loving displays of care and affection, inspirational moments and harrowing scenes that can end up being upsetting. Eating is a big part of the action as well, with the stars of the show making the most of the ingredients they have available.

There’s also an eclectic soundtrack, with rustling, rattling, whinnying and hooting.

The feed from the camera in the backyard of Oak Forest resident Pam Berry – set up inside a wooden owl house that her boyfriend built and affixed to an oak tree – creates a nightly show that’s a cross between “The Bachelor,” “The Voice,” “Survivor” and “Chopped.” But Berry says it’s more entertaining than any reality show, because what she’s watching is actually real.

Call it “Chronicles of Eastern Screech Owls, The Nesting Edition,” which offers a unique glimpse into the lives and annual mating rituals of nocturnal birds that are common in the Houston region.

“It’s better than TV,” Berry said. “Sometimes we’ll put the video up on the TV and watch it for a while.”

Berry and her boyfriend, Spring Branch resident Scott

Photo by Mark Lear Three owlets stick their heads out of the owl house in Mark Lear’s Oak Forest backyard earlier this year.

Sherrill, who works as a handyman in the Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and Shepherd Park Plaza area, both have owl boxes equipped with cameras in their backyards. Sherrill said he’s constructed a couple dozen or so of the small wooden structures for other local residents, in the hopes the bird

The yearslong effort to construct a high-speed railway between Houston and Dallas appears to have stalled, at least for the time being.

Carlos Aguilar announced last weekend in a LinkedIn post that he had resigned as CEO of Texas Central, the Dallas-based company behind the quest to connect the state’s two largest cities with a bullet train. His departure comes as the Texas Supreme Court considers a case that will determine whether the company has the legal authority to exercise eminent domain - likely a critical factor in its ability to acquire the land needed for the proposed railway - and amid questions about the project’s financial viability.

Carlos Aguilar “While I could not align our current stakeholders on a common vision for a path forward, I wish the project the greatest success and remain convinced of the importance of this venture for the safety and prosperity of all Texans,” Aguilar wrote. “... Texas and the U.S. deserve the best transportation options and I am convinced that in time, these will become a reality.”

Texas Central did not respond to a Tuesday email seeking comment, nor did representatives of a Dallas-based public relations firm that has worked for the company. A call to the phone number listed online at texascentral.com, cited as a hotline for the bullet train project, was answered with a recording that said, “The number you dialed is not in service at this time.”

It is unclear who is leading the company, if anyone, as there was nothing listed under an “Executive Leadership Team” header on the Texas Central website. The site also said the company has no current job openings.

A string of news releases on the Texas Central website ends with an announcement dated Sept. 21, 2020. That’s when the company said the Federal Railroad Administration had issued a series of safety and operational standards that

See Owls P. 5

See Railway P. 5

Carter comes home as new principal at Hamilton

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Erika Carter has never lived in the Heights, but she’s long considered Hamilton Middle School to be home.

It’s where she started her teaching career more than two decades ago and spent the first 13 years of her tenure with Houston ISD. First Carter served as an English Language Arts teacher at Hamilton, then as the department chair, a grade-level team leader, a teacher specialist, a Title I coordinator, an assis-

tant principal and a summer school principal.

She still kept tabs on the Heights campus after leaving to fulfill other roles at other HISD schools and, when she learned about an opening in the principal’s office, Carter said she jumped at the chance.

She started this week as the new principal at Hamilton, 139 E. 20th St. “It’s very much a full-circle moment,” Carter said. “It’s always been a bit of a secret dream of mine to be able to be the principal at Hamilton.

Having done so many of the

Erika Carter

positions there and learned so much and the community poured into me as a first-year

teacher, I always wanted to give back to it.”

Carter succeeds Robert Michaels-Johnson, who she referenced as having retired.

Michaels-Johnson declined an interview request made through the HISD Press Office, which did not answer emailed questions about the length of his tenure, his accomplishments or the nature of his departure before press time Wednesday.

Hamilton received recognition last fall from Texas nonprofit Children at Risk, which ranked the Heights campus as

the seventh-most pandemicresilient middle school in the Houston region. A total of 107 Houston-area schools received that distinction, signifying that at least 75 percent of their students were classified as economically disadvantaged, they received A or B performance ratings for the 2018-19 school year and had maintained or improved their academic performance since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

“It’s an outstanding feat,” See Carter P. 4A

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, June 18, 2022 • Page 3

Texas sticks to its guns regarding weapons sales THE GUN STORE --- “Hi,” I say.

“Do you sell guns?” The clerk gives me a strange look. “No, we’re a French pastry shop. Watcha need?

We got pistols and rifles and sniper guns. We got ammo, body armor and we used to carry heavier stuff for your home’s protection -- mortars, anti-tank missiles and howitzers, but Biden gave them all to the Ukrainian Army.”

“I used to be a cannon-cocker in the Marines, but I ended up in infantry because I could never figure out how to put a bayonet on the muzzle. Anyhow, I thought I’d buy a gun. But first I guess the law requires that I qualify.” The clerk pulls out a clipboard and pen, then asks if I am over 18. “Yes, just barely. It’s odd that, in Texas, an 18-year-old can’t buy a package of cigarettes or a beer, but can buy an AR-15 style rifle.” The clerk nods. “Now, do you have a criminal record, mentally deranged or have shot up Walmarts, schools or churches in the last 48 hours? You don’t look the sort, so I’ll put down ‘probably not.’ Are you a terrorist, pirate or are stalked by black helicopters?”

“No,” I reply. “They’re usually green camouflage. But I need to buy a gun right because I want to go hunting. I suppose there’s a waiting period.” He looks at his watch. “Time’s up.” This whole

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

conversation is rather upsetting and I probably need to cool off before buying anything, so I leave.

Back home, I do a little research and it underscored my need to have a gun, particularly to avoid a mass shooting. Since 2009 more than 1,500 Americans have been killed in over 270 mass shootings.

In the last five years, Texas leads the list with 87 dead in five mass shootings. (The Congressional Research Service defines mass shootings as multiple, firearm and homicides involving four or more victims at one or more locations close to one another.)

Texas’ leadership in this bloody category may stem from our laws.

State law allows 18-year-olds to buy firearms. But federal law restricts handgun purchases to those over 21, with a few exceptions. So in Texas most 18-year-olds can legally buy an AR-15 but not a hand-

gun. There is a loophole for youths “engaged in an agricultural enterprise” or for hunting, sporting “or other lawful purposes” with adult supervision. Also, if a friend or relative or a guy on a street corner sells you a gun, that’s a private matter so no need to run a background check or register it with the DPS, Toll Road Authority or your neighborhood homeowners association. Same thing with purchasing a firearm at a gun show. You can even pack heat by buying online.

You can own machine guns and short-barrel rifles, armor-piercing ammunition and improvised explosive devices if you registered them with the feds.

In Texas, “gun control” means holding it with both hands. So our state leaders run from any proposed law that would even slightly mess with Texans’ Second Amendment right to shoot you. After the Santa Fe High School shooting in 2018, top state leaders discussed (discussed?) possible new laws for gun control. Several bills to this effect were filed by members of both parties during the 2019 legislative session; none was passed. Also in 2019, Texas made it easier for people to carry guns into churches and passed a law prohibiting landlords from banning guns in their rental properties.

In 2021, Texas became the larg-

est state to legalize unlicensed open and concealed carry of handguns. Texas lawmakers proposed at least 180 gun-related bills, including universal background checks, "red flag" proposals and raising the age to purchase an assault weapon.

All of those bills were introduced

by Democrats, and none of them made it to the floor of either chamber. Very few had hearings, and only in the House. The lawmakers approved at least 22 bills to loosen rules on firearms. The NRA called it a “groundbreaking session for gun owners,” and Gov. Greg Abbott called the permitless carry bill “the strongest Second Amendment legislation in Texas history.”

Speaking of our Guv, he said that the Uvalde school shooter had a "mental health challenge" and the state needed to "do a better job with mental health," yet in April he slashed $211 million from the state department that oversees mental health programs. Texas already ranks last out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia for overall access to mental health care. Beto O’Rourke, who is running against Abbott for governor, confronted him during a press conference in Uvalde. “The time to stop the next shooting is right now, and you are doing nothing,” he said, adding, “This is on you.”

Don McLaughlin, the Republican

mayor of Uvalde, called O’Rourke a “sick (expletive),” and accused him of making the shootings “a political issue.” Sen. Ted “Cancun” Cruz said, “I get tired of all the politicking.” Cruz has an Aplus 100 percent standing with the NRA. During the 2018 election cycle, Cruz was the biggest recipient of money from gun rights backers.

So far, the NRA alone has contributed $176,284 to Cruz. Gov. Abbott has received NRA contributions of $16,750. Lite Guv Dan Patrick has pocketed $12,500.

Like many other Republicans, Cruz says the answer to the outbreak of mass shootings is to fortify our schools, hire more guards and require teachers to be armed.

I suppose we could transfer those 10,000 Texas National Guards on our southern border to protect our schools, add watchtowers and barbed wire. Maybe give our teachers bodyguards, flak jackets and combat pay. What might help is to simply pass some meaningful laws on gun control.

Back at the gun store I am ready to buy. “I want 14 rapid-firing guns, lots of ammo and a permit from Governor Abbott.” The clerk smiles. “Give the deer our thoughts and prayers.”

Ashby is targeted at ashby2@comcast.net

THE READER. 11th Street Safety Improvement Project

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Dear Editor: I viewed Mayor Turner’s announcement that the 11th Street Safety Improvement Project will move forward to construction. For the record, the Heights never lost its small town feel and this project will have no effect on that.

He did not say, however, if the project will go forward with any of the modifications suggested by those most invested in the area: a HAWK beacon at Nicholson, a center turn lane, re-striping lanes and crosswalks, repairing sidewalks and changing signal timing. He said he listened to both sides…really? Doesn't sound like it.

He says he is taking residents’ feedback seriously about the potential for cut through traffic and directing staff to monitor traffic to see if it goes to neighborhood streets after the project is built. How and when will staff do this? Will they monitor before and after the project gets built?

He said he will listen if the community wants additional traffic calming, and that if the data shows cut through traffic is an issue, he will have treatment budgeted to address the issue. How will this be determined if he does not collect that data before the project is built? Is this just wishful thinking that “the data” will show no cut through traffic?

I hope the paradigm shift he desires will be what he wants for the City of Houston. Just be careful what you wish for.

Ann Derryberry

Dear Editor: The June 11 Leader included a full-page ad placed by Federated Mint LLC, headlined “Defunct Bank Bags Full of Old Money Up For Grabs.”

Each bag is said to contain nearly four pounds of old money packed at Federated Mint. The “fee” for each bag is $849 after the “48-hour deadline.”

But wait! If one phones now, a single bag is only $649, multiple bags just $590 each. Checking out Federated Mint on the Better Business Bureau site reveals numerous complaints about the outfit, its other ads offering old coins and silver bars. While their ads’ page-bottom disclaimers advise that Federated is not affiliated with the US Mint, the US government, a bank or any government agency, the consistent theme of the complaints indicates that the “Federated Mint” nomenclature lures the elderly and the gullible, taking their payments then doing nothing. To be fair, responses on the BBB site supposedly from Federated state that refunds are issued after buyers have contacted Federated. But it’s not unreasonable to postulate that a good number of their buyers -- again, consider the elderly who possibly don’t remember purchasing “bags of old money,” thus never do contact Federated -- simply have been swindled.

J. Reynolds

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

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THE LEADER PUZZLERS.

IN MEMORIAM

Emalyn Hintz Buchtien

March 7, 1930 - June 8, 2022 malyn Hintz Buchtien, passed on to be with her Savior Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. Emalyn was born in Sealy, TX on March 7, 1930, to George and Florine (Hartsfield) Hintz.

Emalyn graduated from Sealy High School in 1948. Soon after graduation, Emalyn met the love of her life, Norman Walter Buchtien after returning from his service in the United Sates Army. They were married on August 19, 1948, for 52 years until Norman’s death in the year 2000.

Shortly after marrying, they made the decision to move from Sealy to Houston, TX where they raised their two sons, Ronald Craig and Michael Timothy, both of whom she was very proud of.

Emalyn was kind, thoughtful, and very generous. She was always prepared and willing to serve her family, friends, and complete strangers. She adored her family and cherished the time spent with them to the very end.

Emalyn was very well known for her excellent baking abilities and even more so for sharing them with others. The lucky recipients of her famous boxes of homemade Christmas cookies and candies, waited anxiously for their delivery each year. She would graciously prepare and deliver delicious cakes, pies, and complete meals to friends and neighbors no matter what the occasion.

Emalyn is survived by her two sons; Ronald Craig Buchtien and wife Karen; daughters, Allison Nicole, Kelly Michelle Jackson, her husband Cody, Emily McKenna, and Shelby Ann. Michael Timothy Buchtien and his wife Monica; daughters, Rachel Lauren Borne, her husband Justin, their daughters, Whitney Lauren and Ava Ann. Kasey Michelle Massey, her husband Mark. Audrey Rose Marek, her husband Marshall, their children; son, Harrison Thomas and daughter, Rosey Lange.

Visitation was held Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at 11:00, followed by the Service at 12:00, under the direction of Pat H. Foley Funeral Home, 2003 W. 34th St., Houston, TX 77018. Gravesite Service immediately followed at Memorial Oaks Cemetery, 13001 Katy Fwy., Houston, TX 77079.

Memorial contributions can be made to St. Stephen’s Methodist Church, 2003 W. 43rd St., Houston, TX 77018 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Galleria

SUDOKU

ACROSS

1. Leg shank 5. Small amount 8. Roman emperor 10. Having ears 12. Innocent young woman 14. No wrinkles 16. Small coin (French) 17. 19 hundred hours 19. A way to inform 21. A seal or signet 22. Tobacco smoke residue 23. Tai language branch 25. Set afire 26. Partridge FamilyÕs actress Susan 27. Canadian flyers 29. Faculties of perception 32. A light two-wheel carriage 34. Was ___ (looked at) 35. Appear with 37. Natives of Thailand 39. Hill (Celtic) 40. Runs PCs 42. Visualizes 44. Mistake

45. Riding horses 47. Point of purchase 49. Armless Aphrodite 53. Having negative qualities 54. Protective visual folds 55. Crystallized calcium carbonate mineral 57. Beach grains 58. One who presents a bond for payment 59. Car mechanics group 60. & & &

DOWN

1. Small paddle boats 2. Usual 3. Economic consumption 4. Without (French) 5. Powder mineral 6. Fleshy seed covering 7. Indicates 8. Stone lined grave 9. Feels remorse 10. Chemical structure 11. Decomposition 13. Morally base 14. Joins

15. Danish krone 18. Breastplate 20. Lesson reader in church 24. 1921 Turkish/ Armenian Treaty 26. In a way, refutes 28. Zoftig 30. Fish, hair or inter 31. Mains 33. Fathers 35. Transparent eye membranes 36. Stray 38. Seafowl 39. 3 pip cards 41. Invests in little enterprises 43. Placards 44. 1st woman 45. Finds a sum 46. Thick piece of something 48. River in Hesse, Germany 50. Inner forearm bone 51. 1 of 2 contesting groups 52. Olive tree genus 56. Metal container

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4 • Saturday, June 18, 2022 • The Leader

HISD board approves teacher pay raises as part of annual budget

By Charlotte Aguilar caguilar@mcelvypartners.com

Houston ISD’s 11,000 teachers will be receiving an average 11 percent pay hike under the $2.2 billion annual budget approved unanimously by trustees last Thursday, June 9.

The new scale brings the starting salary for an HISD

teacher to $61,500, topping out at $87,500, and pay for most other district employees will be at least $15 an hour.

Currently, teacher salaries range from about $57,000 to $84,000. According to district figures, the new HISD pay scale will outpace the minimum salaries in several other large Texas school

districts, including Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin ISDs. The compensation package “will ensure HISD is once again one of the most competitive and desirable school districts in the region,” HISD Superintendent Millard House II said in a news release. He had pitched the raises as part of

City council OKs tax break for senior, disabled homeowners

By Charlotte Aguilar caguilar@mcelvypartners.com

The Houston City Council voted unanimously last week to add an extra $100,000 to the tax exemption for seniors and disabled property owners on their residences, raising it to $260,000.

Budget analysts said the move should impact about 60,000 Houston taxpayers — ones largely on fixed incomes — and is in addition to the homestead exemption

of 20 percent of assessed property value. The increased exemption takes effect in this tax year and will first appear on tax bills that are posted in October.

Estimates of average annual savings, presented during the council meeting, were in the $400-440 range.

It had been seven years since city lawmakers last increased the exemption, doubling it in 2015 from $80,000 to $160,000.

The previous week, the

city council had passed a $5.7 billion budget for the 2023 fiscal year that did not require a property tax increase — but with Harris County announcing market values and tax appraisals rising on more than 95 percent of properties this year, Mayor Sylvester Turner urged the council to take action to help keep seniors and disabled owners in their homes.

magnet program for gifted and talented students.

“The arts are so huge, especially in the Heights,” she said. “With many of the elementary schools having a STEAM magnet designation in addition to the Vanguard program, I can see it being extremely positive. It’s more in line with what’s happening with our feeder pattern high schools (Heights and Booker T. Washington).”

Carter said she plans to draw on her eight years of administration experience after her first stint at Hamilton.

She served for two years as an assistant principal at Garcia Elementary, three years as the principal at Betsy Ross Elementary and then three years as the principal at Key Middle School.

She was named as HISD’s North Area Principal of the

Year in 2019, Carter said.

She also received professional awards while teaching at Hamilton, saying she once was named the campus teacher of the year in addition to a teacher of the year honor from the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators.

Now Carter is returning to the site of her past feats, where she said she’s “excited to get started” as the new principal. Carter said she could envision concluding her career at Hamilton.

“Hamilton feels like home to me,” she said. “I feel like I grew up as an educator and learned so much from so many different people, community members and students. It helped me to become the instructional leader I am now.”

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Carter, from P. 1A Carter said. “All students, even our Vanguard students, suffered loss due to the pandemic. They’ve been able to remediate and give our students the right amount of intervention where they’ve been able to excel still. That’s extremely encouraging.”

Still, Carter said Hamilton has followed a district-wide trend in that its enrollment has decreased since the start of the pandemic, by about 120 students. She said one of her goals is to make the campus an even more attractive option for elementary school families and see the enrollment return to pre-pandemic levels.

Carter said she would like to incorporate a STEAM component – meaning Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics – into the school’s existing Vanguard

Fetch your Leader Copies of The Leader are at our office: 2020 N. Loop W., Suite 220 or MytiBurger, 2211 W. 43rd St. C&D Hardware, 314 E. 11th St. Merle Norman Cosmetics, 4216-B Ella Blvd.

Let’s go to summer camp!

By Pastor Will Cover

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

I

love going to summer camp. I remember going to camp as a boy with my dad and then as I got older, getting to go without my parents. I loved playing outside, getting wet, muddy, dirty, and running as hard as I wanted. The days were full of games, swimming, canoeing, camp preaching services, cabin cleanup, singing, and skits. God used my time at summer camp to encourage me about spiritual things and to grow in my understanding of truth and my desire to obey God. In fact, I was at summer camp when I began to pursue pastoral ministry as my vocation in life.

This week, I have the opportunity to take a group of children and adults to summer camp. As I write this article, they are having a blast on the slip-n-

slide and getting ready to throw water balloons at each other.

Screen time is zero and yet no one is bored. It is good for children to play and enjoy time with other kids their age. They need to be able to put down their electronic devices and enjoy creative fun. Sometimes in the pursuit of pleasure, and the almighty dollar we forget what is truly important in life. It is possible to have more fun just finding frogs next to a pond and walking in the woods then you can sitting in front of a screen for hours on end. It doesn’t give the same adrenaline rush, but it creates memories that will last for a lifetime and friendships that will not be easily broken. Psalm 19:1-3 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork.

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.”

his five-year strategic plan, which includes recruiting and retaining teachers as a key goal.

Additionally, with incentive pay offered in annual increments totaling $4,000, reportedly 8,000 HISD teachers have committed to staying with the district for the next three years.

After initially favoring

House

a centralized approach to some staffing and funding in his long-range planning, House recalibrated his strategy. Under the new budget, campuses are retaining most control, but all are being required — in the name of equity — to have a librarian or media specialist along with nursing and counseling professionals.

Local students receive rodeo scholarships in a news release. “We are proud of what these scholars have accomplished, and it is thanks to the generosity of our donors that we can support these students as they continue their educational journey.”

Below is a list of the local students who received scholarships: Heights High School Karla Honorato – Houston Area Scholarship Amanda Mendietta – Hildebrand Family Scholarship Mario Rosas – Houston Area Scholarship Scarborough High School Martha Jasso – Houston Area Scholarship Waltrip High School Leonardo Hernandez – Houston Area Scholarship Booker T. Washington High School Jada Ramey – Houston Area Scholarship

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo recently announced that nearly 500 high school students from around the state had received scholarships from the organization’s educational program, and six students from local high schools were among them.

Karla Honorato, Amanda Mendietta and Mario Rosas from Heights High School were among the award recipients, as were Scarborough’s Martha Jasso, Leonardo Hernandez of Waltrip High School and Jada Ramey of Booker T. Washington High School. A news release from the rodeo said the scholarships are part of the organization’s total annual commitment of more than $22 million in educational funding awarded to students across Texas.

Each of the 493 students

awarded received $20,000 to apply toward a four-year undergraduate degree, for a total scholarship commitment of nearly $10 million. Five of the six local recipients received the Houston Area scholarship, while Mendietta was selected for a Hildebrand Family scholarship.

“Our mission of promoting agriculture while supporting Texas youth and education is at the core of everything we do at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,” rodeo president and CEO Chris Boleman said

Notice of Public Sale

Local business is our business.

of property to sa�sfy a landlord’s lien. Sale to be held at Storagetreasures.com Facility is located at 2213 W. 34th St. Houston, TX 77018. Bidding will open July 6th 2022 at 10:00 AM and conclude on July 13th 2022 at 10:00 AM. Clean up deposit is required. Seller reserves the right to withdraw the property at any �me before the sale. Unit items sold as is to highest bidder.

Property includes the contents of spaces of the following tenants: Corbella P-39 Household items Wiseman P-7, P-11, R-59 – household items Imelda Flores E-45 household items Lara Olson Q-9 household items.

Send your story of interest news@theleadernews.com

The following Certificate of Assumed Name filings, all Active and in Good Standing, with the PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS at 26726 WYLIE VALLEY LANE KATY TX 77494, and with Luxton, Livina Jazelle as the General Executrix/Ultimate Beneficial Owner Nameholder, are required for consumer protection in order to enable customers to be able to identify the true owner of a business in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 333: LIVINA JAZELLE LUXTON ESTATE filed on 05/10/2022 Original File Number 1313095200025; LIVINA JAZELLE LUXTON filed on 05/09/2022 Original File Number 1313094100022; LUXTON LIVINA JAZELLE filed on 05/23/2022 Original File Number 1314909300023; LUXTON, LIVINA JAZELLE filed on 05/23/2022 Original File Number 1314912300029; LIVINA J. LUXTON filed on 05/09/2022 Original File Number 1313097500023; LIVINA J LUXTON filed on 05/09/2022 Original File Number 1313096200026; LIVINA LUXTON filed on 05/09/2022 Original File Number 1313098000024; LUXTON, LIVINA filed on 05/23/2022 Original File Number 1314915100028; L.J. LUXTON filed on 05/09/2022 Original File Number 1313099600027; LJ LUXTON filed on 05/09/2022 Original File Number 1313098500024; IFEOMA JENNIFER UKWAMEDUA ESTATE filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314802400026; IFEOMA JENNIFER UKWAMEDUA filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314801400025; UKWAMEDUA IFEOMA JENNIFER filed on 05/23/2022 Original File Number 1314923600029; UKWAMEDUA, IFEOMA JENNIFER filed on 05/23/2022 Original File Number 1314925400027; IFEOMA J. UKWAMEDUA filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314802000028; IFEOMA J UKWAMEDUA filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314801600029; IFEOMA UKWAMEDUA filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314802200022; UKWAMEDUA, IFEOMA filed on 05/23/2022 Original File Number 1314926400028; IFEOMA JENNIFER AGWUNOBI ESTATE filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314796700021; IFEOMA JENNIFER AGWUNOBI filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314798000029; AGWUNOBI IFEOMA JENNIFER filed on 05/23/2022 Original File Number 1314917400026; AGWUNOBI, IFEOMA JENNIFER filed on 05/23/2022 Original File Number 1314919800026; IFEOMA J. AGWUNOBI filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314799000020; IFEOMA J AGWUNOBI filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314798600021; IFEOMA AGWUNOBI filed on 05/20/2022 Original File Number 1314800700020; AGWUNOBI, IFEOMA filed on 05/23/2022 Original File Number 1314921900023; NAMEHOLDER: Luxton, Livina Jazelle living at 26726 Wylie Valley Lane, Katy, Texas Republic, without the United States [77494-9998], united States of America and the nature of the said business is commerce.

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The Leader • Saturday, June 18, 2022 • Page 5

11th Street, from P. 1A

Owls, from P. 1A

in the fall, with a completion date yet to be determined. He said the estimated cost of the project is $600,000, with money coming from capital improvement funds earmarked for bikeways.

After three years of community engagement and related redesigns, Turner said in February that the city was implementing the project. But in May, after many nearby residents expressed opposition to the plan over concerns about increased congestion, cut-through traffic on side streets and a potential negative impact on 11th Street businesses, Turner said he would spend at least a month to "take a closer look" at the project.

Turner said in his videotaped announcement that he had made two site visits to 11th Street - once during the day and again during evening rush hour - and listened to arguments both for and against the project. He cited support from community groups such as the Greater Heights Super Neighborhood Council as well as the spirit of the Houston Bike Plan and Vision Zero initiatives, the latter of which calls for eliminating traffic fatalities in the city by 2030, as reasons to move forward with the plan.

City staff will be directed to monitor cut-through traffic on side streets once the project is complete, Turner said, and funding will be available if additional traffic-calming measures are requested and determined to be necessary.

"This change isn't easy and won't satisfy everyone," Turner said. "We are trading off speed for safety. Walking and biking will be safer and more pleasant all day long. Most of the day, drivers won't notice much of a difference, other than slowing down."

The Alliance for Reasonable Traffic Solutions (ARTS), a group of Heightsarea residents opposed to the project, said in a statement that it was disappointed in the decision to move forward with the plan. The group set up an online petition on change.org earlier this year, arguing against "road diet" plans in general and specifically against the proposed redesign of 11th Street, and had garnered nearly 2,200 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.

A competing online petition was later created by supporters of the 11th Street plan. That effort had garnered more than 1,750 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.

"We have requested a public hearing of the project and an audit of work done by (Houston's Planning & Development Department) on the 11th Street project.

Yet our pleas have been ignored," ARTS said in its statement. "We will monitor the project and the impact on businesses and residents and will continue to let our voice be heard - loud and clear."

Turner's announcement was celebrated by BikeHouston, a nonprofit that advocates for cyclists and cycling initiatives across the region.

"We applaud Mayor Turner for remaining steadfast in his commitment to safe streets that accommodate all Houstonians, regardless of how they get around," BikeHouston executive director Joe Cutrufo said in a statement emailed to The Leader.

Turner began his announcement by addressing the history of Heights Boulevard, which previously included two vehicle lanes on each side of the esplanade and was converted into having one lane in each direction with bike lanes on the outside. The shift did not create traffic congestion, Turner said, adding that the boulevard is "now a street that announces you are in a very special place."

The mayor said 11th Street in its current state "does the opposite" and contributes to dangerous road conditions across the city. Turner said Houston experienced more traffic fatalities and injuries than ever before in 2021, with more than 300 deaths and 1,600 serious injuries.

"We must put a stop to it," he said, "and 11th Street can be one place to start."

houses will attract owl couples that use them to lay eggs and welcome offspring into the neighborhood.

Keeping tabs on the diminutive but distinctive eastern screech owls – which have big, bright eyes and faces that are either gray or a rust color – has become a popular pastime in the area. Local owl enthusiast Mark Lear created a Facebook page a few years ago called “Bird Watchers of Oak Forest,” where he posts photos of the owls that have graced his own backyard bird box and chronicles their behavior, referring to them by names such as Owlivia, Owlexander, Owlapeno and Huugo. The social media group has about 670 members, according to Lear.

He said adult owls with their fledgling young, which typically hatch in April and May, can still be seen and heard at this time of year, particularly around dawn and dusk.

“I think Mark probably started the whole owl craze in Oak Forest,” Sherrill said. “They’re cool to watch.

They’re fun. They’re interesting.”

Mary Anne Morris, an education director with Houston Audubon, said it’s “awesome” that local residents have taken a liking to eastern screech owls and studied them and helped set up habitats for them. She said the species is native to the region, is especially fond of locales with an abundance of trees and water, and poses no threats or risks to humans or pets such as dogs and cats, although cats are among the small owls’ predators.

The owls are omnivorous and beneficial to people because they eat a variety of household pests, including spiders and other insects, snakes, rats and mice, according to Morris and Diana Foss, a Houston-based urban wildlife biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“Their biggest dangers are getting hit by cars, house cats and eating mice that have been poisoned,” Morris said. “If people are putting out bait boxes with rodent poison, that’ll wipe out (an owl) population very, very quickly.”

Foss said the eastern screech owls are monogamous and territorial, so they tend to stay in the same, relatively small areas and the same owl couples are likely to return to their preferred nesting places year after year during their lifetimes. They can exhibit protective, aggressive behavior while their young are learning to fly and hunt, but both Foss and Morris said the owls are unlikely to hurt humans.

“They’re the size of a soda can,” Lear said. “They’re not going to do major damage.”

Family ties Lear said he first noticed owls in his Oak Forest backyard in 2014 and started reading up on them, and later that year he bought an owl house online. Owls did not nest there until the spring of 2015, he said, and a female he named Owlivia returned each subsequent spring through 2020 – mating the first three years with Owlexander, the next two years with Owlexander 2.0 and the last year with Owlapeno.

Lear said Owlivia must have died before the 2021 nesting season,

applied specifically to the high-speed railway project, along with a Record of Decision that solidified its 240-mile route.

The former Northwest Mall site near the intersection of U.S. 290, Loop 610 and Interstate 10 has been earmarked as the Houston station for the proposed railway, which includes a stop in Grimes County.

“I am immensely proud of the achievements of our team, gaining among many other accomplishments, end to end regulatory approvals for the first true high-speed rail project in our nation’s history,” Aguilar wrote in his LinkedIn post.

The case before the Texas Supreme Court originated in rural Leon County, where property owner James F. Miles sued Texas Central and an affiliated company over their right to survey his land for the project. A state district court judge in Leon County ruled in favor of Miles, but an appellate court subsequently ruled in favor of Texas Central, saying it is a valid railroad company and could therefore exercise eminent domain, the practice by which governments and traditional railroads can force property owners to sell their land.

Aguilar said in June 2020 that the company had secured about 40 percent of the land it needed for the railway, which has proposed to use Japanese technology to transport passengers between Houston and Dallas at speeds approaching 200 mph and in a matter of about 90 minutes.

The state’s high court heard oral arguments in the case in January and has not yet issued a ruling. In an amicus brief filed in December, the Texas Attorney General’s Office argued that Texas Central is not an operating railroad company and therefore does not have the authority to exercise eminent domain, adding that “they cannot show a likelihood that they will procure financing to complete the project.”

According to Texas Central’s website, the total cost for the project would be about $20 billion.

when only a new male showed up to his owl house but did not find a mate.

The same male, which Lear named Huugo, returned this year and paired with Owlouette.

The eggs take about a month to hatch, according to Lear, who said the owlets then stay in the nest for about three weeks while the mother cares for them and the father makes frequent hunts to feed the whole family. Once the baby owls are old enough and big enough to leave the nest, Lear said they spend another few weeks learning to fly and hunt for themselves before they venture away from their parents and find their own territories.

Berry and Sherrill said they’ve had similar experiences during the three years they’ve had owl boxes in their backyards, although Sherrill said there are no guarantees that installing an owl house will prompt the birds to nest in it. The one at his mother’s house, for example, was instead occupied by bees.

“If you’re hearing the owls at night, then you’ve got a better chance of getting a resident,” Sher-

rill said. “It’s 100 percent a crapshoot and 100 percent up to the owl.”

Sherrill said he builds his owl boxes according to the specifications he found on the National Audubon Society website, audubon.org, which is 17 inches tall, 9.5 inches wide and 9.5 inches deep, with a 3-inch hole situated 11 inches from the bottom of the box and 12 feet off the ground. He said he’s willing to build owl houses for local residents, when time permits and at a reasonable cost, and can be contacted by email at scott@hammerithome.com.

Berry said owl-watching has helped foster a sense of community within the neighborhood, adding that the birds have become the unofficial mascots of Oak Forest.

Lear, who helped promote the attraction to eastern screech owls, said “something about the eyes of those birds” was attractive to him. It gives them a humanlike quality, he said.

“To me, it’s fascinating to watch and learn and observe,” Lear said.

“It’s much better than TV.” Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter @AZuvanich

Contributed photo Texas Central has said it will use Japanese technology to operate a high-speed railway between Houston and Dallas, but the project is in question as the company's CEO recently announced his departure.

Texas Central laid off 28 employees, about half its staff, in March 2020 in response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Aguilar said three months later that the privately backed company may try to utilize public funding.

Despite its challenges, the high-speed rail project has received support from the mayors and county judges in both Houston and Dallas. Each submitted amicus briefs to the Texas Supreme Court that were in favor of Texas Central and its ability to exercise eminent domain, as did METRO, the Greater Houston Partnership and the Texas Association of Businesses.

Aguilar, who last October was appointed to the board of directors of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the state’s electrical grid, thanked supporters and advocates for the bullet train project in his LinkedIn post.

“Most of the ‘graduates’ of our effort will continue to contribute to our economy through their roles at other companies,” he wrote. “Eventually, this team could implement this desperately needed project to improve safety, reduce traffic, reduce greenhouse emissions and connect two of the most important metro centers in the country with the most advanced train service available.”

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Page 6 • Saturday, June 18, 2022 • The Leader

Art Valet: Check out big art display at small studio on Almeda MITCH COHEN Art Columnist

A few blocks from Houston’s thriving Museum District is Art Square Studios, 5301 Almeda Rd. The public and art enthusiasts are invited to attend Summer Open Studios from noon-4 p.m. Sunday, June 26. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet 15 different artists and see their work in their studios.

Art Square Studios is not the bustling type of studio that I normally write about here, but it has an art store!

With 12 single studios and 3-4 residential studios, Art Square Studios is a small space packed with a lot of talent.

Art Supply on Almeda, on the ground floor, is well known in the arts community and open from 9 a.m.6 p.m. Monday-Friday and

on Saturdays until 4 p.m. In fact, the proprietors of Art Supply on Almeda built the building.

I can’t talk about the studio without telling you about Art Supply on Almeda, which used to be Art Supply on Main for many years.

Studios were above the former location, too, and several of the artists have moved to the new location with proprietors Ben Russell and Vikki Trammell. The move to the current location took place in August 2020.

I talked to resident pastel artist Sunny McKinnon and she gave me the skinny on the new location. She said the art mediums are very diverse. For example there’s a photographer, a fashion designer and GLH Galleries, which focuses on emerging artists.

There’s also the resident celebrity, Earl Staley, wellknown in the Houston art scene. McKinnon told me Staley completes one or two paintings every day.

The celebrity artist I know is Ann Bell, perhaps because I’ve known her as long as

Contributed photo Artist Lucy Riggs, who teaches at Art Studio on the Boulevard in the Heights, works in her studio at Art Square Studios on Almeda Road. Her 30”x40” painting is titled "Taken to Ten Mile."

I’ve been in the art world, but you’ll love her mixedmedia paintings with surrealistic and fantasy themes. I recall Bell had a studio at the former location, too.

Some of the artists are just getting started, having recently graduated from art schools throughout

the country. Several teach classes at Houston-area art schools and colleges. Several are represented by Houston galleries.

The one thing that really stands out about this open studio event is some of the studios are also home to the artists. That’s not something

one gets to see very often.

There is a Heights connection, multimedia artist Lucy Riggs. Riggs teaches in the Heights at Art Studio on the Boulevard, whose founder Naomi Smulian Mendel, who died earlier this year at age 87, was her mentor and longtime friend.

“We are a small, friendly group of artists who are opening our studios for visitors to come and see the spaces where we work,” Riggs said in a recent news release. “The building is wheelchair accessible, so it’s easy for everyone to come and visit. Put June 26 on your calendar and we’ll see you then.”

Art Square artists who are participating in Open Studios include Bell, McKinnon, Riggs, Staley, Heather Den Uijl, GLH Galleries, Justin Earl Grant, Alan Hurwitz, Riaz Kahn, Ruhee Maknojia, Pooneh Nik, Silvio Ortega, Donna E. Perkins, Helene Robinson and Bob Warren.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ArtSquareStudiosonAlmeda/ or instag ram.com/ar tsquarestudiosonalmeda.

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.

Don't let summer heat scorch your harvests Amy Williams

G

arden uru

Houston, it’s hot.

This year we got just a taste of spring and rolled right into summer. This, combined with a drought, has many in our area facing uncommon issues. We can’t change it, but we can adapt.

First let’s talk blossom drop.

When temperatures rise as they have, we tend to see lots of blossoms on beans, squash and even tomatoes only to see these blossoms fall and not produce fruit.

So what’s the answer? I highly recommend drip watering. This is the best way for water to reach

the roots.

I’ll admit, my entire garden is not set up for this, so alternatively I find myself watering early in the morning or in the evening when it cools. Earlier in the year I planted Mammoth Sunflowers that are now providing excellent shade. Shade cloths are available for purchase to help shield plants from our intense heat and lower the soil temperature by as much as 10 degrees.

If you are looking out your window in the afternoon and admiring wilted leaves, you are not

alone. This is due to plants losing water faster than they absorb it.

The result is the plant’s cells dehydrating and collapsing.

Under normal circumstances, you will want to water an average of one inch per surface area of your garden beds per week, spread out roughly three times a week. However, if your soil is dry an inch below the surface, increase watering amounts.

Mulching will also help retain moisture levels in the garden.

If you haven’t noticed already, some bugs love the heat. You

will notice an increase in leaffooted bugs, stink bugs, spider mites and aphids. Most gardeners are realizing that their go-to remedies are no match for pests this year. I suggest a soapy water spray made of 4-5 tablespoons of soap per gallon of water that you keep handy during daily garden inspections. A handheld vacuum can offer assistance with larger leaf-footed bugs and they should be disposed of after.

Neem oil is a great way to combat aphids and spider mites. Be sure to apply it early on in an in-

festation for best results.

If you haven’t already, pick up a few heat-loving peppers, okra, yard long beans, sunflowers and sweet potatoes for the summer.

Stay diligent gardeners! Being proactive is your best defense this summer.

See you in the garden!

Do you have questions for the Garden Guru? Email Amy at underhillurbanfarmco@gmail.com.

Also visit underhillurbanfarmco. com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram @UnderhillUrbanFarmCo.

Area hosting Juneteenth commemoration events

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

As Juneteenth approaches this Sunday, there are multiple events happening around local neighborhoods to commemorate the holiday.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, celebrates the day of June 19, 1865, when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and announced that Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which was signed two years earlier, had freed enslaved people.

Among local celebrations

is the Juneteenth Acres Homes Cultural Art Festival, which will take place from noon-6 p.m. this Saturday at the Acres Homes Chamber of Commerce, 6112 Wheatley St. The event will include live music and dance performances as well as spoken word performances, a market full of local vendors and business booths. Also among the festivities will be informational booths designed to educate attendees on the history of Acres Homes and how it has contributed to Houston’s cultural history.

“This festival is an opportunity to provide cultural

engagement and education through various forms of interaction,” the event flyer said.

For more information on the festival, email info@ acreshomeschamber.com or visit the event website at acreshomeschamber.com/ Juneteenth.

Just before that event, from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will host the ninth annual Acres Homes Juneteenth Parade. The parade will begin at the Acres Homes Multi-Service Center, 6719 W. Montgomery Rd.

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The Leader • Saturday, June 18, 2022 • Page 7

Six plants that are possibly in your yard and toxic to pets

Dear Tabby, Our new dog is very interested in our plants--both inside and outside. He hasn’t ingested any yet, but at the rate he’s going, we’re certain that he’ll eat a plant while we’re not watching at some point. We know that some plants are toxic to animals and that concerns us. Can you give us a quick rundown on which plants we should make sure that he doesn’t eat?

Plant Eater in Timbergrove Dear Plant Eater, Pets love to get into things that they aren’t supposed to, don’t they? Typically, letting your dog sniff around the garden is harmless, but there is cause for concern when he takes to eating plants, both outside and inside the house.

Some plants are harmless if your dog eats them, but unfortunately, there are a few that are toxic and would require a trip to the vet. Here’s a list to keep in mind and perhaps some plants to try and keep out of your yard and your house, just in case: Elephant’s Ear This shade-loving, giantleaved plant is often found in yards all over Houston, but it is harmful to dogs as it contains glass-like insoluble oxalate

crystals, which can result in severe irritation, swelling in the mouth, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Ivy Another shade-loving plant, ivy can be found trailing all over yards in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, all types of ivy are toxic to your furry pet. If consumed, it can lead to mouth and stomach irritation, foaming, excessive drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea in dogs.

Aloe Vera Lots of people like to keep a pot of aloe around the house for use on sunburns and other skin irritations. For all of the medicinal value that this plant offers humans, it is toxic to dogs and can cause lethargy, stomach problems, vomiting, and diarrhea if ingested.

Sago Palms Every part of this plant is toxic to your dog. If consumed, it can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, tremors, and seizures.

Azaleas Houston is famous for its beautiful azaleas, but they are very toxic to humans and pets.

In fact, all parts of the azalea plant, including the flower, leaves, seeds, and honey made from its nectar, are toxic. Signs of ingestion include hypersalivation, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, eye problems, slow heart rate (bradycardia), heart arrhythmia, low blood pressure, cardiovascular collapse. In some cases, it can even cause death.

Snake Plant Often called “Mother in Law’s Tongue,” the snake plant is a very popular indoor plant that does a great job of filling vertical space in your home decor. Unfortunately, it also does a great job of poisoning your pets and can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Do you have a question for Tabby? Email her at deartabby questions@gmail.com.

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The Leader • Saturday, June 18, 2022 • Page 9

Almost-Top Chef Evelyn Garcia bringing celebrity, New Asian American cuisine to Heights scene

By Charlotte Aguilar caguilar@mcelvypartners.com

She had envisioned her first restaurant as a modest casual spot for families, a “neighborhood staple in the Heights,” but now that the venture has been sprinkled with liberal amounts of Evelyn Garcia’s stardust as a finalist on Bravo’s long-running “Top Chef” competition, “Jun

by KIN” seems destined to become a foodie mecca.

Evidence: Garcia and business partner/ chef Henry Lu’s appearance last Sunday at the Heights Mercantile Farmers Market, where they were selling fragrant, steaming handmade Asian street foods and their sleekly packaged line of KIN spices and condiments — one of several regular stops for them on the Houstonarea outdoor market circuit.

Fans of the TV show, which aired its finale two weeks ago, made theirs the most popular booth with a steady stream of customers looking to sample the food and catch a glimpse of the celebrity chef. Garcia didn’t disappoint, beaming and chatting as she prepped and served.

“We can’t wait for you to open!” gushed Lin Miller, who had driven in from The Woodlands and vowed she would make the trek to try the new restaurant and “anything Garcia makes.”

That enthusiasm for Garcia’s Heights restaurant-to-be was echoed by L.T. Cargill of the Memorial area, who posed for a photo with Garcia as he waited for his order of brisket bao, to which he awarded a hearty thumbs-up.

“She showed a lot of skill and creativity on the show and came across as down-to-earth and loving what she does,” Cargill said. “She did Houston proud.”

Garcia, 33, was the only Houston chef among 15 competing in Top Chef’s 19th season, which was filmed in and around the city last November with the two final episodes shot in Tucson, Arizona. She just missed out on the title and its $250,000 prize, but her skill in executing complex challenges showcasing the diversity of Houston-area cultures, her poise and humor impressed the judges in a way that, based on the show’s history, makes her a likely candidate for future appearances as either a Top Chef expert or an “all-star” competitor — or both.

Among her winning dishes along the way was a brisket curry that had host/judge Padma Lakshmi asking, “Where have you been all my life?”

A bright magenta mini-sope (masa “bowl” with

Photo by Charlotte Aguilar Houston's Evelyn Garcia, second from right, a finalist on the recent season of TV's "Top Chef" competition, poses with customers last Sunday at her Heights Mercantile Farmers Market booth. Garcia plans to open a restaurant at 420 E. 20th St. in the Heights.

filling) was an homage to her late grandmother, enhanced with beet puree; a Thai-inspired seafood tower won the Galveston challenge, and her chile relleno-style nopales (cactus) earned her a spot in the final three.

Garcia and Lu are aiming for a fall opening of Jun in the former location of the Central City Co-op at 420 20th St. in the Heights, a walkable neighborhood dotted with small, diverse eateries featuring Asian, Mexican and French/ Moroccan cuisines.

Lu is handling the business end, Garcia says, and he says their hoped-for fall opening is in the hands of permit- and license-issuers and suppliers. Meantime, their catering business has taken off, and with the market visits, they find themselves in demand and constantly busy. In addition to catering elegant dinners at the Houston Botanical Gardens, she still makes time to do an occasional pupusa workshop, teaching how to make the traditional Salvadoran griddle cake.

Though they are wildly multitasking these

days, their vision for the restaurant is clear: New Asian American food rooted in their diverse backgrounds coming together. Plans for Jun — named for the month of Garcia’s and two loved ones’ birth — are to be open for brunch and dinner seven days a week, serving wine and beer and “fun cocktails” using those beverages instead of hard liquor, explains Lu. “This is who we are,” Garcia explained to bystanders Sunday as she dished up an artful bowl of coconut rice pudding for a toddler. Garcia’s family is food-centric, Mexican and Salvadoran, and she was raised in northwest Houston. Lu is the son of Chinese restaurant owners and was raised in the Bronx. Both are classically trained chefs — she at New York’s Culinary Institute of America where she earned both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, he at the French Culinary Institute of New York. Both honed their skills at popular New York Asian restaurants, and she traveled extensively to Southeast Asia to deepen her knowledge.

Top Chef wasn’t Garcia’s first taste of stardom. In 2014, she won a burger challenge on The Food Network’s “Chopped” competition, earning a $10,000 prize. She returned to Houston after a decade in New York, created her KIN HTX concept in 2016 with pop-ups and catering, and suffered the bad timing of opening a stall in a Rice Village food hall four months before the COVID-19 lockdown hit.

Garcia recouped by adding the product line to her catering and pop-up business when conditions improved, and old New York friend Lu joined her in Houston to pursue the dream of a restaurant.

She seems to take her newfound fame in stride, and Lu keeps her grounded with gentle teasing. They related to customers Sunday how super-secret her Top Chef participation was, leaving Lu to explain her absences.

“He told some people that I had ‘gone off to find myself,’ Garcia said with an eyeroll. “I guess that was kind of true. I have.”

Review: Jeni’s on 19th makes for cold, creamy companion

By Jennifer Caldwell news@theleadernews.com

There was a time in my life when I had a crush on a pastry chef because he fed me the most decadent treats. As it turns out, I am crushing on desserts - specifically those of the frozen variety.

I discovered Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams after the onset of the pandemic in a retail environment and was intrigued to discover it had opened a scoop shop at 375 W. 19th St. I have to mention that I have always loved that pocket of 19th Street because it has served as a testament to locally owned small businesses.

The street has begun to see corporate tenants take over, likely due to rising property values and, therefore, rising rents. I am also a lifelong fan of Carter & Cooley Co. Delicatessen, which previously occupied the space, and I am still

mourning its loss.

Jeni’s Ice Creams is a nice, albeit corporate, addition to the street. They have an impressive commitment to zero waste and sustainability, and they source their ingredients directly from small suppliers in an effort to maintain their organic product and benefit smaller communities.

The menu is deliberate and simple as you can select a single scoop for $6.25 (with up to two flavors), a trio for $7.25 (with up to three flavors) or a flight of 10 ice cream flavors for $21. You may upgrade to a Buttercrisp Waffle cone or bowl for $1.50. There are 19 total flavors to choose from, with four dairy-free options.

There is also a smattering of packaged ice cream that you can purchase and take home to enjoy.

I decided to get a trio in a Buttercrisp Waffle Bowl with Darkest Chocolate and Honey

Vanilla Bean. Hand-dipped ice cream tastes creamier and fresher than their packaged counterparts.

Honey Vanilla Bean is brilliantly crafted with a deep vanilla flavor throughout, and a fresh ribbon of honey just on the surface. The Darkest Chocolate is a rich, slightly bitter chocolatey delight, with a very rich finish. The waffle bowl is a clear winner – it is unfailingly crunchy, with a hint of toffee and a permeating sweetness.

I followed this up with a single of the Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks. It is embedded in Jeni’s delicious vanilla ice cream and has the perfect balance of chocolate and peanut butter throughout. This ice cream has a very balanced texture as the chocolate has good crunch and the peanut butter balance.

While not as “crush-worthy” as my past dalliances

with sweets, I definitely enjoyed the experience at Jeni’s Ice Creams. It has a very nice, very knowledgeable staff and the store is clean and bright.

The treats are wonderful. It checks all the boxes. An ice cream cone would be a terrific partner for a romantic walk down 19th Street.

Jeni’s Ice Creams Address: 375 W. 19th St. Dining options: Dine in, takeout Hours: Noon-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Sunday Prices: $6.25- $21 Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No Alcohol: No Healthy options: Dairy-free ice cream Star of the show: Buttercrisp Waffle Bowl.

Rating: 4 out of 5 biodegradable spoons

Photo by Jennifer Caldwell There seems to be endless combinations at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, 375 W. 19th St., with the Double and Trio service options.

Nibbles & Sips: Julep wins James Beard Award

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

A popular cocktail bar in the area has been recognized as one of the nation’s best.

Julep, 1919 Washington Ave., was named the 2022 winner of the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Bar Program at the annual Beard Awards ceremony Monday night, according to a Twitter post from the foundation. The bar is the first Houston-area establishment to win a national category at the annual awards ceremony, according to a report from Eater Houston.

It might not be the last award Julep wins in the coming weeks, either. Julep is also a top 10 finalist for Best U.S. Cocktail Bar by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s annual Spirited Awards, according to a June 2 announcement from the organization. Those awards will be presented July 25-29 in New Orleans.

“Thank you to my city of Houston, Texas for loving im-

migrants. For loving immigrants like me, like my family, welcoming us, and giving us the path to opening our own businesses,” Julep owner Alba Huerta said during the ceremony, according to a tweet from the James Beard Foundation.

For more information on Julep, visit its website at julephouston.com.

Urban South unveils Father’s Day beers Urban South Brewery, 1201 Oliver St., has released two new beers just in time for Father’s Day. The Dad’s Day IPA and Big Papa Pils are now available on draft and in cans while supplies last, a news release from the brewery said.

Dad’s Day IPA has Strata, Motueka and Galaxy hops along with fruit flavors of guava, pineapple, lychee and passionfruit and flaked malts. The Big Papa Pils is a Czech pilsner combined with traditional Bohemian Pilsner malt and hopped exclusively with Saaz hops.

Photo by Julie Soefer Washington Avenue cocktail bar Julep and owner Alba Huerta recently won the 2022 James Beard Foundation award for Outstanding Bar Program.

New tequila bars open on Washington Avenue Two new bars specializing in tequila recently opened on Washington Avenue.

El Venado was set to open its doors Monday at 6502 Washington Ave., according to a

news release from the bar.

Another new bar specializing in tequila, Todos Santos, opened on June 10 at 5317 Washington Ave., Suite B. The 4,000-square foot space features a full bar, according to a news release, offering more than 40 different tequilas.

Todos Santos will be open from 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday and feature happy hour specials from 4-9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

There are also plans for a rotating series of taco trucks to begin operating in front of Todos Santos in the coming weeks, according to the bar.

The menu at nearby El Venado will consist primarily of a variety of tequilas and mezcals and craft cocktails, along with street-style tacos, nachos and more, according to the release.

“When it came to menu development, it was important to us to offer something that didn’t feel overwhelming but still packed in a lot of flavors, and I think that can be said for

both our food and our cocktail lists,” owner Alexander Noons said. “We can’t wait to open our doors and allow others to experience it.”

El Venado will feature a 1,500-square foot interior reflecting a “chic” mezcal bar, the release said, while the 1,200-square foot exterior will attempt to offer a cantina-inspired icehouse experience for diners. ““Whether you’re looking to grab a drink after running Memorial Park with your dog or looking for a place to hang out before dinner, El Venado will definitely be that go-to place,” Noons said.

For more information on El Venado, visit its website at elvenado.bar or follow the cantina on Instagram @elvenadobar as well as on Facebook.

Kin Dee hosting Pride brunch on Saturday Kin Dee Thai Cuisine, 1533 N. Shepherd Dr. Suite 160, is celebrating Pride Month with

a special brunch this weekend.

A news release from the restaurant said Kin Dee will host a “drag brunch” from noon-2 p.m.

Saturday, featuring live performances by Cyn City and Chloe Crawford Ross.

The menu will include Roti Guang Gai (a crispy pancake served with red curry and a sunny side up egg) as well as Salapao Moo Yang (a dish featuring sweet soy sauce-marinated pork belly served in a steamed bun) and a Pride Cosmo featuring vodka, Cointreau, butterfly tea, fresh lime and cranberry juice topped with cotton candy and a sugar rim.

Kin Dee said 15 percent of proceeds from each cocktail sold will benefit Montrose Grace Place, an organization that provides a safe, welcoming environment for vulnerable youth of all genders and sexualities who are experiencing homelessness, providing nourishment, healthy relationships and hope for the future.

THE PUBLIC.

Since 1992

The Leader • Saturday, June 18, 2022 • Page 10

Police arrest man accused of killing young girl in Heights

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Houston police say they arrested a man accused of killing the 9-year-old daughter of his ex-girlfriend on Monday night at a Heights apartment.

Jeremiah Jones, 22, was arrested Tuesday evening and has been charged with capital murder as well as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for his suspected role in the shooting of the young girl and her mother at about 10 p.m.

Monday at the Camden Heights apartments, 404 Oxford St., according to information released Tuesday

Jeremiah Jones

by the Houston Police Department. Both the 29-yearold woman and her daughter were found with gunshot wounds and transported to a hospital, where the young girl was pronounced dead,

Man accused of shooting nephew, brother in Acres Homes area

police said.

According to police, Jones and the woman who was shot were in a relationship that ended about two months ago.

“This senseless act of domestic violence hits home for me and the HPD family,” Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a statement released by the department.

“That sweet child was a student and member of our Police Activities League (PAL) program. We ask the community to pray for this angel, her mother and her family.”

Multiple Houston news outlets on Tuesday identified the young girl as Khylie Sorrels, with some cit-

Local state rep hosting town halls regarding gun violence

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Police have arrested a man accused of shooting his brother and nephew in Acres Homes last week, according to the Houston Police Department.

Fitzgerald Campbell, 55, has been charged with one count of murder and one count of aggravated assault of a family member, according to Harris County Court records. Campbell remained in jail as of Tuesday, according to court records, with his bail set at $100,000.

Steven Campbell Sr., 53, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to HPD, which said 30-year-old Steven Campbell Jr. was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Officers responded to a home at 826 Marcolin St. about 8 p.m. Friday, June 10, police said, to find Campbell Sr. dead with a gunshot wound to the head and Campbell Jr. injured with a gunshot wound to his

ing a GoFundMe page set up by Brittany Sorrels, who writes on the page that she is the girl’s mother and is asking for help with funeral expenses. The account had raised more than $6,000 as of Tuesday night.

HPD said Jones is alleged to have arrived unannounced at the victims’ apartment, where an argument ensued and the woman and her daughter were shot.

Jones was not at the scene when police arrived, according to HPD, which said he was arrested at about 6 p.m.

Tuesday in a parking lot in the 22300 block of Imperial Valley Drive.

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landan@theleadernews.com

Fitzgerald Campbell

buttocks.

HPD said Fitzgerald Campbell was allegedly walking in the area holding a gun, then allegedly shot Campbell Jr. (his nephew) and Campbell Sr. (his brother). He was arrested near the scene a short time later, according to HPD. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact HPD’s Homicide division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

A local state representative will host two town hall meetings in the next week to address community and school protections from gun violence.

State Rep. Christina Morales, whose District 145 includes the Woodland Heights and Northside Village, will host a pair of local community meetings, with the first scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Boulevard Realty, 927 Studewood St. Suite 200. There will also be a meeting at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 21 at Houston Community College’s Northline campus, 8001 Fulton St. There will be community faith leaders, law enforcement representatives and mental

Christina Morales

health professionals at the meetings, according to an event flyer.

Space is limited, so attendees are asked to RSVP and submit questions and comments in advance at forms. gle/amXKVeX6AAJUDTz9A.

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Police investigating fatal shooting at Independence Heights corner store

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

A man died last week after being shot outside of an Independence Heights convenience store, according to the Houston Police Department.

The identity of the victim, a 49-year-old man, according to HPD, was pending

verification by the Harris County medical examiner as of Monday.

Officers responded to the N & T Food Store at 5101 Yale St. around 4 p.m. Friday, June 10 to find the victim unresponsive in the parking lot next to a crashed car, according to police. HPD said he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim got into a fight with unknown Black man outside the store, police said, before being shot multiple times.

Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to call HPD’s Homicide division at 713-3083600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

Shorted out light causes small Heights house fire

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Local fire authorities say a “failure of equipment or heat source,” caused a small house fire in the Heights last week, according to the Houston Fire Department Nobody was reported

injured in the fire, which caused about $12,000 in damages and was later deemed accidental by arson investigators, according to HFD. HFD said firefighters from Stations 62, 11, 6, 15, 23, 31, 67 and 30 responded to a home in the 1000 block of

West 21st Street just before 7 p.m. June 10 to see smoke coming from the house.

HFD said crews quickly controlled the fire, which was determined to be caused by a shorted light located on a concealed column on the front porch of the house.

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