The 07-22-23 Edition of The Heights Leader

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Two men accused in the fatal shooting of two other men in the Timbergrove area earlier this year were apprehended in Vietnam late last week, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Polie Phan, 26, and Jaidan Vu Nguyen, 25, are charged with capital murder in the fatal shootings of 37-year-old James

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Bradley Quentin believes in the power and unifying nature of storytelling. And he is hoping to use that power to educate and inspire students and other teachers alike following his trip to Europe as part of a prestigious educators’ fellowship from National Geographic. Quentin has been designated as a National Geographic/ Lindblad Expeditions Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, and was in the midst of traveling to the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and the fjords of Norway when The Leader got in touch with him on Tuesday.

The National Geographic/ Lindblad Expeditions Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship is a professional development opportunity for pre-K–12 educators made possible by a partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society in the United States, U.S. Territories, and Canada.

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Adults who want to go back to school or learn new skills to advance in their careers now have a new facility which the county says is aimed at increasing such opportunities for those around the Houston area.

The Harris County Department of Education held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning to celebrate the opening of its new Adult Education Learning Center at 6515 Irvington Blvd in the Northside/Northline area across the street from its main administrative headquarters.

The $19 million capital improvement

Martin and 35-year-old

Dana Ryssdal in the Lazybrook/Timbergrove area this past January, according to Harris County court records. Phan and Nguyen were located in Vietnam, according to multiple media reports, and will be extradited to Harris County to face the murder charges after being on the run for over six months, according to the reports. An additional person, 23-year-old Kathy Vu, was

previously arrested and charged with tampering with evidence according to Harris County court documents. She has been accused of allegedly using cleaning materials to clean up the Lazybrook/Timbergrove area home where Martin and Ryssdal were allegedly shot and killed, according to court documents. She was arrested this past March, and is cur-

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force is asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who is accused of robbing three Houston-area banks over a span of nine days earlier this month - including a local bank - according to a news release from the FBI’s Houston Field Office.

The first robbery is alleged to have happened at Hancock Whitney Bank at 2979 N. Loop W. in the Timbergrove/Lazybrook area on July 5, according to the FBI. The other two, the FBI said, allegedly occurred at a Wells Fargo in east Houston on July 11 and another Wells Fargo in southwest Houston on July 13.

According to the FBI, the man alleged to have committed the robberies is described as a Black male who is about 5-foot8 with a thin-to-medium build. Nobody was hurt during the robberies, according to the FBI.

The man allegedly entered each bank dressed as a woman, according to the FBI, before allegedly approaching a teller, and handing them a threatening note written on a sticky note demanding cash. In the last two robberies, the FBI said he allegedly wore a black wig, black sunglasses, a blue medical

to its website, the fellowship offers field-based experience under the guidance of National Geographic naturalists and scientists for the

project replaces several outdated buildings on the property, according to the county. The 51,000-square-foot, four-story facility can accommodate up to 1,200 students.

HCDE’s adult education program helps students acquire workforce training, earn a high school equivalency diploma, and learn English (ESL) to enter college or advance in their careers and helps more than 6,000 adults in Harris County each year who are seeking those opportunities, according to the county.

“People just need to have the grit, the courage…to stick with it and follow through, and they will improve not only

Everyone is welcome at Heights Church. We are an exciting blend of old and new, and we warmly invite you to visit.

we warmly invite you to visit.

Created in the late 1990s by Sven-Olof Lindblad in honor of Gilbert M. Grosvenor – the chairman emeritus of the National Geographic Society – according

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police have arrested a man who is accused of shooting and injuring two men and a woman at a club in the Northside/Northline area over the weekend, according to the Houston Police Department.

Derick M. Cole Santia-

go, 21, has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with deadly weapon in connection with the shooting, according to Harris County court records. He remained in jail as of Monday, according to court records, with a total bail set at $150,000.

The two injured men and injured woman were

From Staff Reports

The office of District A council member Amy Peck is partnering with the Red Cross this weekend to help community members and neighbors be prepared to help their communities in the event of a disaster situation.

On Saturday, Peck’s office and members of the Red Cross will be offering free disaster training in Activity Center Room D at St. Jerome Church (2749 Hollister Rd.) near the Langwood area, just a few miles northwest of Houston ISD’s Delmar Sports Complex.

During the training, community members, business owners, and neighbors will have the chance to

having been shot. An alleged argument happened inside the bar that allegedly later escalated into the shooting, according to the department. Bar security detained Santiago at the scene, according to the department, and he was later arrested and charged.

engage in and learn about what they can do to help their neighborhoods in the aftermath of events such as hurricanes and other disasters.

“While the District “A” Office stands ready to deploy resources after a hurricane or other disasters, this training will allow you to also activate resources for your individual neighborhoods,” Peck’s office said in an email.

To enroll in the free session, community members can RSVP with the District A Office at districta@ houstontx.gov or 832-393-3010. They can also preregister with the Red Cross at volunteerconnection. redcross.org/?nd=intake&organization_id=6649. There will be registration available the day of the event, but pre-registration is encouraged.

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Three injured in shooting at Northside bar

Applications open for Mayor’s Youth Council

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Area high school students who want to get a taste of working in city government can submit applications for an annual city of Houston program that hopes to provide them with valuable working experience.

their lives but all the people around them,” County Superintendent James Colbert Jr. said in a video posted to the Department of Education’s Facebook page July 13.

The facility features 17 classrooms, five labs for allied health professions, administrative offices, a student lounge, and a multipurpose community room. The building is designed to feel like a community college environment, the county said, and features improved pedestrian access, an outdoor patio, and a two-sto -

Beginning this past Monday, the city of Houston is accepting applications for its 2023-2024 Mayor’s Youth Council program – which will run from September 2023 through July 2024 – through Aug. 4.

The program began in 1998 with the mission of “providing high school students the opportunity to develop

ry secure parking garage.

Additionally, the county said in a July 13 news release that Colbert commissioned two murals inside the halls of the Adult Education Center – one of a faceless woman behind the main staircase and an abstract wall treatment in the lobby. And in those paintings, Colbert wants all students who walk the halls of the $19 million facility to feel welcomed and invited with open arms in order to pursue their dreams and careers without limitations.

After all, that’s what the

leadership and citizenship skills while learning about city government,” according to the city’s website.

During the program, the city says students will have the opportunity to learn about city government, share issues of concern to youth with city officials, and gain civic leadership skills through community

department strives to do according to the county, and the new facility is an extension of that mission.

“When people come in this building, I want them to be inspired,” Colbert said in a news release from the Department of Education. “We want to show them the world is not flat, and that regardless of all the negativity and life circumstances, it doesn’t matter. When our students come inside, they should feel like anything is possible.”

service activities. Students must live within the city limits and be committed to attending meetings as well as participating in the council’s various community service activities and events in order to be eligible for the council.

To apply for the 2023-2024 Mayor’s Youth council, go to docs.google.

com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc39URVTMd2fIiGZh_sO9-YrlpkGEKX8iuHxEhOarRNMZ6JQ/viewform. Interested community members and students can also reach out to the city’s Department of Neighborhoods – who administers to MYC – with questions at 832-514-8164 or myc@ houstontx.gov.

Martin left this life too soon, one year ago in Ashburn, Virginia. Martin is survived by his siblings, Ruth, John and Katy; brother-in-laws Ricardo and Bob, loving nephews Cash, Gage, Cannon, Juan Victor and Juan Martin; and great nephews Taetum and Kayson. He is also deeply missed by the love of his life, travel partner and soulmate, Karen Hokanson. Martin was extremely adventurous and went on numerous diving and cycling trips all over the world and loved exploring new places; Maldives, Fiji, Egypt, Europe, many places in the Caribbean and all over the United States. He was a voracious reader and history buff. He so enjoyed music, dancing, trying new things (skydiving, parasailing and more), cooking and watching movies. We went to dozens of concerts together and his passion for music was epic. We all loved his balance of humor and intelligence. Martin was always there for us, and we all depended on him and loved him deeply. We will remember his genuine smile, zest for life and the joy he spread in his 65 years making this world a better place for all who knew him. We continue to have you in our hearts every single day. Thanks for the memories and for being in our lives and making such a positive impact on us all.

For over 80 years, we’ve cared enough to think about the very worst.

For over 80 years, we’ve cared enough to think about the very worst.

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Through tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and more, Farmers has been on the scene helping people start rebuilding since 1928. No one wants to think about all the things that can go wrong. But at Farmers, that’s what we’ve been doing for the last 80 years.

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Through tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and more, Farmers has been on the scene helping people start rebuilding since 1928. No one wants to think about all the things that can go wrong. But at Farmers, that’s what we’ve been doing for the last 80 years.

Personal attention. Call 713-699-8669 today!

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Your Local Agent 2200 North Loop W. Ste. 136, Houston, TX 77018 LLewis@FarmersAgent.com

Your Local Agent 2200 North Loop W. Ste. 136, Houston, TX 77018 LLewis@FarmersAgent.com

Lane Lewis

Lane Lewis

Your Local Agent 2200 North Loop W. Ste. 136, Houston, TX 77018

Your Local Agent 2200 North Loop W. Ste. 136, Houston, TX77018

Your Local Agent 2200 North Loop W. Ste. 136, Houston, TX 77018

LLewis@FarmersAgent.com

LLewis@FarmersAgent.com

LLewis@FarmersAgent.com

Contributed photo

The Harris County Department of Education officially opened their new Adult Education Center in the Northside/Northline area with a ribbon cutting Wednesday morning.

For over 80 years, to think about

Through tornadoes, more, Farmers has people start rebuilding to think about all at Farmers, that’s last 80 years.

Education from P. 1

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

For more than four decades, Janet Schmidt has made it her mission to guide buyers and sellers through both the most peaceful and most tumultuous markets. And that is not looking to change any time soon over 40 years into her real estate journey.

As a native Houstonian, Schmidt has extensive knowledge of area neighborhoods such as Oak Forest, Garden Oaks, Timbergrove/Lazybrook and Rice Military along with Shepherd Park Plaza, Candlelight Plaza, Shepherd Forest, Candlelight Estates, and the Heights. She has been a licensed real estate professional since 1977 and has been a “Top Producer” for many years. Schmidt has consistently been a top producer at Berkshire Hathaway from 20172023. That knowledge, she said, is key in connecting with the neighborhood and in turn her clients, helping guide them to the spot best suited for them on their budget whether they’re buying or selling. And as that longtime neighbor, friend, customer, and more, she believes that her experience in the neighborhood is the biggest boon to her clients, whether they be buyers or sellers.

Whether it’s finding the right school for their child’s needs, shopping centers for their grocery needs, or something else entirely, she has previously said she will go the extra mile to make sure that those in her charge are where they need to be.

“Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions in life,” she said Tuesday.

“I enjoy helping clients reach that goal.”

That has been true both in years past and in recent years as the market has gone up and down over the years.

“The market has remained at the similar price points,” she said. “Due to rising interest rates consumers cannot afford higher prices.”

But those fluctuating situations, she has previously said, is where she believes her knowledge of the neighborhood and local markets is a bonus to those she is trying to guide through the process of buying and selling. That desire, it appears, has been received by those she helps. Schmidt has a 4.98/5 rating on

HAR.com based on nearly 100 surveys over the last several years.

“Janet was a delight to work with, she always answered any questions I had in a prompt manner,” said one seller who had Schmidt help them sell a home in Timbergrove earlier this year. “If she did not know the answer to a question, she had the answer by the end of the day.”

It was a similar sentiment throughout many of the reviewers, both buyers and sellers.

“Janet treated us like family throughout the entire process and always had our best interests at heart,” said one buyer. “She went above and beyond our expectations, and we highly recommend her services.”

Ultimately, she believes

clients and customers appreciate the fact that she is not going to sugar coat things, and said the most fulfilling part of the job is seeing a buyer or seller through to the finish line.

That motto has served her well in the neighborhood for more than four decades in her real estate career, and it does not look as though it will be changing any time soon. After all, she believes there is no reason to change something that has never been broken before.

Anyone wanting to buy or list a home with Schmidt can reach out to her at 713-419-7918 or via email at janetschmidt58@ yahoo.com.

This story is paid content for The Leader

Janet Schmidt

Area sales market continues to experience monthly downturn

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Almost all of the local zip codes continued to experience a decline in both June year-over-year and year-to-date sales numbers last month with the exception of the 77009 zip code, which continued to have a strong sales showing so far in 2023 according to the latest data from the Houston Association of Realtors.

Meanwhile, the 77018 area that includes Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Central Northwest and part of Independence Heights saw a stagnant June compared to last year. June’s average and median home prices were both up yearover-year in almost all zip codes except for the 77009 zip code, which saw its June prices drop anywhere from 22 to 31 percent compared to last June. Year-todate, however, home prices have continued to rise anywhere from 2 percent to nearly 17 percent compared to 2022 according to HAR data.

77018

In the zip code that encompasses Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Central Northwest and part of Independence Heights, there was no year-over-year change in home sales, with last month’s 65 sales exactly matching its total from June 2022. On a year-todate basis, however, the area is still lagging behind its 2022 pace. There have been 322 homes sold here so far this year according to HAR, compared to 428 sales in the same span last year.

Average buyers paid 8 percent more ($673,577) to purchase a home here compared to June 2022, while the June median home price also went up slightly (1 percent) year-over-year to $520,000. Year-to-date, the average price of a house in this zip code has gone up 12.3 percent ($670,868) while its median price has jumped 8.8 percent to $517,000 through the end of the

selected fellows.

“It sounded like an opportunity to increase my knowledge, which in turn helps me create more meaningful experiences for my students,” said Quentin, who previously learned about the fellowship while taking an online course from National Geographic.

As part of the application process, Quentin said applicants had to write multiple essays as well as submit a two-and-a-halfminute video introducing themselves and explaining how they incorporate geographic education into their teaching and curriculum. There are at least 500 applications – sometimes up to 1,000 – each year according to Quentin, who was one of just 50 educators selected for this year’s cohort from the 50 U.S. states, Canada, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Department of Defense Activity schools according to the fellowship’s website.

This year’s cohort, Quentin said, is the first to set off since the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted back in 2020, and the 15th overall. His expedition began late

month.

77092

On the western edge of the Central Northwest and Langwood/Kempwood, this zip code experienced the largest local year-over-year June sales dip.

There were 15 homes sold last month, down 51.6 percent from the 31 that were sold in June 2022. As a whole, agents have seen 92 homes come off the market here so far this year, down from 174 sales during the same span in 2022. On a pricing front, the average June cost of a house skyrocketed 26.4 percent year-overyear up to $422,953 last month.

Meanwhile, the median home price were up 26.2 percent compared to June 2022, jumping to $410,000. Both figures were the largest local year-over-year June jumps. Through the end of the month, average home cost is up 7.5 percent ($360,058) compared to the same point in 2022, while median price is up 16.4 percent ($372,500) year-to-date compared to the same time last year.

last week in Oslo, Norway before flying to the town of Longyearbyen on Spitzbergen – which he said is the largest island on the archipelago. From there, he said the cohort has explored the archipelago of Svalbard over the last week. From Svalbard, he said the cohort was set to sail toward Norway’s Bear Island on Tuesday and then to the coast of mainland Norway to explore the fjords and islands along the coast.

And from watching blue whales feed, to seeing walruses sleeping in piles on beaches and seeing countless sea birds and polar bears, he said the experience has surpassed even his wildest dreams.

“Learning about the wildlife, the geology, history, and ecology from such an extremely knowledgeable group of naturalists is an opportunity for which I am so grateful,” he said Tuesday.

Beyond the personal level, however, Quentin said he is hoping to bring his experiences back from the trip to benefit not himself, but his students at Sinclair, as well as tell the stories of his trip to inspire students

77091

Just to the north, the area including Acres Homes and Greater Inwood was again the only area to experience a year-over-year June increase. The zip code had 48 homes come off the market last month, up 9.1 percent from the 44 sales there in June 2022. It has been a strong sales year for the area so far, as its 203 homes sold year-to-date represents a 16 percent jump from the 175 sales through the end of June 2022.

Price-wise, this area saw the smallest year-over-year June average home price jump (2 percent) up to $350,759, while June’s median home price increased 5.7 percent year-over-year up to $359,450. On a year-to-date basis, the average buyer has spent $344,928 on a home – up 8.9 percent compared to the same point last year – while year-to-date median price has spiked 10.8 percent up to $354,900.

77008

Down in the Greater Heights, there was a slight year-over-year downturn in homes sold, though

and possibly other educa tors to take advantage of what he called an incred ible learning opportunity that can benefit entire communities.

He said he has been hon ing his storytelling skills with everyone on board the cohort – from natural ists and photographers to scientists – in order to bet ter teach his students. He feels that one of the most powerful and memorable ways to share informa tion and memories is with stories – and though his subject matter at Sinclair is STEM education, he said he wants his students to learn and tap into the power they have of sharing their life story no matter what it may be.

That, he said, is what he most hopes to bring back to Houston and beyond.

“I want to share what I learn here through the power of storytelling, and teach my kids at Sinclair to use that power to tell sto ries that share their learn ing, their ideas, and the connections they discov er,” he said Tuesday.

not one as great as others in the local area. There were 80 sales in this zip code last month, down slightly (3.6 percent) from the 83 homes to come off the market in June 2022. Year-to-date, there have been 435 homes sold so far in 2023 – a 27.1 percent yearover-year downturn compared to 597 home sales during the same month last year.

June home prices jumped 4.4 percent year-over-year here last month up to $761,560, while June’s median price ($650,250) was up 4.9 percent compared to the same month in 2022. The zip code has seen its year-to-date average home price go up 3.3 percent to $699,141 by month’s end, while year-to-date median home price is has jumped 8.6 percent ($630,000) compared to the same point last year.

77009

The zip code including Woodland Heights, Sunset Heights, Norhill Heights and Northside/ Northline had one of the smallest percentage year-over-year June sales drops, though a drop none-

theless. There were 56 homes sold in this zip code last month, dipping 5.1 percent from the 59 sales in June 2023. So far in 2023, there have been 217 homes to come off the market here to date – down 34.2 percent from the 330 sales during the same period in 2022.

Pricing-wise, this area was the only local zip code to see yearover-year June prices dip last month. Average June home price in this area last month dropped 21.8 percent down to $527,509, while the median June price dropped by 31 percent year-overyear to $427,500. Through the end of June 2023, though, the average home has cost 3.5 percent more ($602,880) while median home price is up 2.1 percent ($495,000) year-to-date.

77007

In the southernmost portion of The Leader’s coverage area, the zip code encompassing Washington Avenue and Rice Military experienced one of the largest local drops last month. Agents saw 49 homes come off the market here last month, a 29.6 percent yearover-year June drop compared to the 69 sales in June 2023. On a year-to-date basis, the 295 homes sold so far this year represents a 41.6 percent decrease from the 505 sales during the same period last year.

On a pricing front, the average June home price in this area was up 5.1 percent year-over-year to $731,732 last month according to HAR, while June’s median home price rose 4.5 percent to $575,000. Year-to-date, average buyers have spent 14.9 percent more ($730,545) on a house here, while median price has jumped 10.5 percent to $579,900 through the end of June.

Quentin, from P. 1

Robbery, from P. 1

Photo from HAR website

Sales of homes like this one currently listed in the 77092 zip code continued to fall across most of the local area last month.

THE RESTAURANT –

“Here’s your check, Sir,” the waiter says, handing me a little box with a small lighted screen at the top – a touch screen. The bill is for $44.34 which is not bad these days for a cucumber salad – the dressing was $2 more. (Have you noticed how expensive meals at restaurants are these days? I blame the me dia, Joe Biden and global cooling.) Below the bill is a choice for a tip. Which but ton do I want to push? The 20 percent, the 30 percent or an amount equal to the bill? All the time the waiter is looking over my shoulder whispering, “Fifty percent. Fifty percent.”

The reason I mention this tipping situation is because lately a lot of other people have been mentioning this situation – the little box presented by the waiter with the tipping choices and the atmosphere of intimidation. How much do you tip at a restaurant? If the food was lousy and cold, the service was lousy and the restaurant was cold, what button do you push? If the music was too loud and you don’t want to listen to Kenny G all evening, do you tip anyway?

(There is a “No Tip” button on this little box, but I think it sets off an alarm). Besides restaurants, do you tip your barber? Food taster? The valet parker who brings your car from 10 feet away? How much do you add to the ransom payment?

Good questions all, because the matter is confusing, can ruin a bad meal and even embarrassing if the water looks at the tip and asks, “That’s it?” So once again you’ve come to the right place. (Clip out this column and put it in your wallet or purse next to your credit card.) In restaurants

15 to 20 percent is normal.

I always tip 20 percent unless there is a fly in my soup or soup on my fly. Remember not to tip on the total because that includes the tax. In most of Texas that’s 8.5 percent. As a rule of thumb, to figure out the tip, I take the tax and double it, which is almost 20 percent, so I had a few bucks. Tip more than 20 percent if the waiter has a particularly difficult job cracking your lobster, mopping up the bowl of chili you spilled all over the table or recharging your iPhone.

If you do most of your eating at a restaurant by

Lynn Ashby Columnist

good, tip 20 percent. Outside the restaurant I often frequent (they accept Food Stamps but not Bitcoins), they had a free valet service.

I tipped $5, but they hired a valet service company that now charges $12. No tip. What about picking up a to-go meal? The guy shoves a brown paper bag at you across the counter. Do you tip him? I usually add a dollar.

If you are getting a bit tired of what’s called “tipping fatigue,” don’t feel alone. Two in three Americans (66 percent) surveyed in a Bankrate report admit that they’re feeling less gracious about gratuities these days. And almost one-third (30 percent) of those surveyed say that tipping has “gotten out of control” -particularly with the rise of those aforementioned touchscreen gizmos suggesting you pay 30 percent or more. Such unsought recommendations actually may be counterproductive: when they’re presented with the screen-in-a-box, 18 percent tend to tip less, or not at all.

Only 9 percent tend to tip more. Another one in three survey respondents say they get “annoyed” when encountering these tip screens at coffee shops, retailers and self-checkout kiosks. Only around two-thirds (65 percent) of U.S. adults who dine at sit-down restaurants always tip their waiter anything. (Those remaining 35 percent must not like Kenny G.) A 2018 survey by CreditCards.com found that diners in the South and West tend to tip less, while married people tip more than singles and more than half of Americans aged 65 and over tip 20 percent or more, the highest of any age group. So if you are a waiter, look out for old married folks from Boston or Buffalo.

We must remember that, as the minimum wage has

rently out of jail on a $40,000 bond according to court documents.

Officers initially responded to a home in the 1700 block of West T.C. Jester Boulevard around 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 27 to do a welfare check after detectives said a neighbor noticed a car running with nobody inside, according to HPD. A man, later identified as Ryssdal, was later found dead with multiple gunshot wounds inside the home – which Martin owned – according to the department. Martin and Ryssdal’s white Dodge truck were missing from the home, police said, and the truck was later found in the 6900 block of Cullen Boulevard in Southeast Houston. Martin was found dead inside another car that had been on the property on Feb. 1, having been shot multiple times according to the department.

plateaued, (the federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009), workers have come to depend on tips. What’s more, only seven states require tipped workers to be paid minimum wage before tips; in other states, their wages start at $2.13 an hour. Now that we’ve solved the restaurant tipping ordeal, what about others who serve you? My barbershop, Clipping & Tipping, used to charge me $16 for my haircut. Then it went to $20. I tipped $2. Last time I was there the price was $30. I tipped $2. Ladies, I am told a 15 percent tip is the going rate at most salons. How much to tip for a taxi?

The general rule for tipping in cabs is 15-20 percent per ride, which is usually a dollar or two. Uber and Lyft have their own way of asking how much you want to tip.

I was making several trips to a hospital in the Texas Medical Center and each time the valet brought my car around I tipped. Then one time, as I was groping for my wallet, a lady standing next to me said, “You don’t have to tip” and pointed to a sign on a wall that read something like, “It’s our pleasure to serve you. No need to tip.” Odd, none of the valets had refused the money. Staying at a hotel? Leave at least $2 in your room each day for the maid, and don’t leave a total tip when you leave after staying several days because a maid will often work different rooms each day.

Those are my tipping tips. My gratuity is usually 50 percent.

Ashby is tip fatigued at ashby2@comcast.net

Art Valet: Explore “Diary of anAbductee” by Ray Dunlap in new gallery

Mitch cohen Art Columnist

This Saturday, Ray Dunlap’s solo exhibit titled “Diary of an Abductee” opens to the public. The exhibition will be on view July 22, 2023 - September 9, 2023, open to the public Monday - Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at East Corridor Gallery (ECG) inside Sabine Street Studios at Sawyer Yards, 1907 Sabine St.

An opening reception will be held Thursday, Aug. 10 from 6 - 8 p.m., at the ECG and of course you are invited.

I spoke with Ray Dunlap by phone and he said he plans to be the ECG this Saturday later in the afternoon. Perhaps 3-5 p.m. if you’d like to meet him before the opening or follow up workshop. More on that below.

The ECG is a new gallery space at Sabine Street Studios partially funded by the Houston Arts Alliance and the City of Houston. ECG was founded by Justin Earl Grant and Alexander Squier (Squier is also Sawyer Yards Exhibition Manager) with the main purpose of celebrating the “line” as an essential element in the visual arts.

Dunlap is one of 11 artists that will be featured in six exhibits in the space in 2023. Each are challenged to think of the many shapes a line can take, as well as its emotions and meanings.

Lines, emotions and mean -

ings practically define the exuberant Dunlap’s style, but as I learned in our conversation, he was trying to capture dreams he had every night, upon waking with this body of work.

“Diary of an Abductee” explores the line between dreams and imagination vs. reality. Through Dunlap’s dreams, he lives a vivid experience of being abducted by the Seventh Hall of Heaven.

Dunlap told me that he worked at a nightclub called Seventh Hall of Heaven when he first moved to Japan. He said his dreams at the time were so all encom -

passing he thought if he didn’t try to put them to paper, he’d lose his mind. Later when he felt he was over it, he tossed all the work! The paintings on exhibit at “Diary of an Abductee” are new and from memory. He said recreating them was not an issue at all as the memories never faded.

As part of the ECG solo show exhibition, Dunlap will also be instructing a live art modeling class on Thursday, Aug. 17 from 6-8 p.m. at Sabine Street Studios. It is free to the public, people of different art backgrounds, including those who do not have drawing

experiences. Follow Dunlap’s artwork journey on Instagram (@dunlapian). For more information on the ECG contact Justin Grant, Gallery Exhibitions Direc -

tor https://justinearlgrant. com/ecg/.

Follow Dunlap’s artwork journey on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/dunlapian/.

Cohen is an artist and

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

Nibbles & Sips: Local bars taking part in competition, fundraiser

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

In support of The Periwinkle Foundation’s upcoming “Iron Bartender” competition and fundraiser on Sept. 14 at Lyric Market downtown, 15 Houstonarea bars and restaurants will offer a signature “Periwinkle cocktail” to patrons during the month of August – including a host of local spots.

Among the 15 bars and restaurants set to offer special cocktails next month will be local spots such as the Heights Bier Garten (1433 N. Shepherd Dr.) as well as Johnny’s Gold Brick (2518 Yale St.) and Monkey’s Tail (5802 Fulton St.), among others according to the release.

During the month of August, $1 for every cocktail sold at these bars and restaurants will go to the Periwinkle Foundation, according to a news release. Periwinkle is a nonprofit that develops and provides programs that “positively change the lives of children, young adults and families” who are challenged by cancer and other life-threatening illnesses and treated at Texas Children’s Hospital according to its website.

The release said a panel of judges will score the

specialty cocktails and award the title of Iron Bartender on Sept. 14, while guests at the event will cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award.

“The bars and restaurants participating in Iron Bartender are generously donating a portion of the sale of each signature Periwinkle cocktail to our organization, which provides a community of healing for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses through camps and other programs,” said Doug Suggitt, Periwinkle’s Executive Director. “We encourage the public to come out and sample a Periwinkle signature cocktail at one

of these establishments through the month of August to support a worthy cause.”

Coltivare partnering with H-E-B

A Heights restaurant hot spot is partnering with a grocery giant where customers can buy prepackaged meals from the restaurant and pick up additional sides free at H-E-B.

According to a Facebook post from the restaurant, customers who buy a prepackaged Coltivare meal from a Houston-area H-E-B through July 25 will get a fresh Meal Simple singleserving salad for free with each meal purchased.

Contributed photo

Paintings by Ray Dunlap The King of Piece (top) and Liberty and the Last Americano on wood.

Contributed photo

Diary of an Abductee by Ray Dunlap, now on view at East Corridor Gallery.

Photo from Facebook

Customers who buy a pre-packaged Coltivare meal from a Houston-area H-E-B through July 25 will get a free single-serving salad.

Photo from Facebook Heights Bier Garten will be offering a special cocktail during the month of August as part of a fundraiser for the Periwinkle Foundation.