The 08-26-23 Edition of The Heights Leader

Teenage girl reported missing from Acres Homes

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police are asking for the public’s help in trying to locate the whereabouts of a missing girl who was last seen in the Acres Homes area last week, according to the Houston Police Department.

Jeilayh Franklin, 15, was last seen around 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17 in the 7900 block of Sealey Street in the Acres Homes area, according to the police department. Franklin stands 5-foot-4 and weighs about 100 pounds, according to the department, with brown eyes and black hair. She was last seen wearing a gray

Local animal shelter seeking support for severely emaciated dog

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

As a severely emaciated dog is fighting for his life, a local animal shelter is trying to raise awareness and fund necessary for his care after he was found on the side of the road.

Houston Pets Alive! located at 2800 Antoine Dr. Suite 2854 – just west of Highway 290 and a short drive from Delmar Stadium – recently responded to an urgent request Monday from a local intake shelter partner for a severely emaciated dog in need of emergency attention, according to a news release from the organization.

Houston Pets Alive! is a nonprofit organization with the mission to save the lives of at-risk com-

panion cats and dogs and find them loving homes serving the Houston area. The organization says it acts as a “safety net” for municipal shelters/impound facilities and serves at-risk animals by working alongside its animal welfare partners to reduce euthanasia, pet homelessness, and animal suffering in the Houston area.

The dog, a two-yearold MinPin Mix named “Dobby,” had previously been taken to the intake shelter by a citizen who had found him on the side of the road, according to the release, before Houston Pets Alive! took him in. He has been under care 24 hours a day the last two days, according to HPA!

“This is the most severe case of malnutri-

tion/starvation ever witnessed at our facility,” the shelter wrote on Facebook Tuesday. “He

hooded coat with light blue jeans, according to the police department.

Anybody that has information about Franklin and/or her potential whereabouts is asked to call the Houston Police Department’s Missing Persons unit at 832-394-1840.

Violent crime falling in Houston, data shows

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Violent crime has continued to fall in Houston to begin the 2023 calendar year through the end of July, according to a recent report released by the Houston Police Department.

In a report released last week through data gathered from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the department said that it had investigated at least 14,379 violent crimes through the end of the month –down about 8.5 percent from the 16,140 violent crimes investigated at the same point in 2022. Non-violent crime is also down 2.1 percent, according to the report, while overall crime is down 3.4 percent.

Violent crimes investigated and included in the report are murder, aggravated assault, robbery, sexual assault, human trafficking, and kidnapping. The city said initiatives such as its One Safe Houston have been crucial in helping the crime decrease, along with the work of police officers.

“(One Safe Houston) is a holistic approach to improve the quality of life in the City of Houston,” the city said. “HPD was able to increase officers on the street for increased visibility, address specific crime trends, and focus on high crime areas. HPD increased officers on the street for increased visibility, addressed specific crime trends, and focused on high-crime areas.”

The reported decrease in violent crimes is in line with what

is fighting for his life and requires 24/7 care in order to survive.”

Harris County ordered to end elections administration office

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Harris County’s elections will be turned back over to its elected county clerk and tax assessor-collector’s office following a ruling by the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the state’s highest court voted to deny Harris County’s emergency motion for temporary relief (TRO) regarding of the implementation of Senate Bill

1750, which will now go into effect next month. The bill rules that as op-

Hymns and Hers.

posed to an election administrator’s office, the county’s election opera-

tions must now be run by county clerk Teneshia Hudspeth and tax assessor-collector Ann Harris Bennett.

The ruling overturns a lower court’s ruling that temporarily granted Harris County an injunction blocking the bill, which will take effect Sept. 1 and be in place for the November elections. A Travis County District Court judge had sided with Harris County on its request to temporarily block SB 1750 and issued

a temporary injunction preventing state officials from enforcing the law. However, the office of the Attorney General of Texas appealed the District Court’s order to the Texas Supreme Court. The state supreme court will still hear a challenge to the ruling on Nov. 28. And some local officials are pushing back against the ruling, which impacts Harris County alone.

See Dobby P. 2

Jeilayh Franklin

Ann Harris Bennett Teneshia Hudspeth

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Arson investigators are saying that a large house fire that caused significant damage to a house in Acres Homes last week has been ruled accidental, according to the Houston Fire Department.

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

A woman was killed after she was hit by a car in an auto-pedestrian crash in the Heights early last week, according to the Houston Police Department.

The woman’s identity

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Fire authorities are still working to determine the cause of a three-alarm fire at a recycling building near the Kempwood area west of Highway 290 earlier this month that sent one person to the hospital, according to the Houston Fire Department.

One was person was taken to the hospital to be treated for possible smoke inhalation, according to the department.

Firefighters initially responded to a call within seven minutes at the

There were no injuries reported as a result of the fire, according to the department.

HFD said more than 30 firefighters from stations 4, 13, 15, 31, 58 and 57 responded within four minutes to a call in the 700 block of Millville Drive in Acres Homes at 7:05 p.m. on Aug. 15 to

is pending an autopsy by the Harris County medical examiner, according to the department.

HPD said the woman was in an electric wheelchair heading north on Dorothy Street near the intersection of West 10th Street in the Heights just before 7 p.m. on Tuesday,

Houston Clay Road Recycling Center on Clay Road near the Kempwood area, according to the department, to see heavy smoke and fire coming from the large recycling building. Due to conditions such as recycling materials and more, crews could not initially complete a primary search, according to the department. Due to high winds, the temperature, and the amount of recycling product present, the department said it upgraded the fire to a second alarm and called the Hazmat team in order to monitor the runoff and

HPA! Is outsourcing medical costs for Dobby, as they do for all pets that the shelter takes in that are in need of immediate medical care. On average, the release said Houston Pets Alive! spends $100,000.00 on outsourced medical care for dogs, as its onsite clinic is currently closed due to veterinarian staffing shortage.

He will require months of rehabilitation and care, the shelter said, as his current weight of 12 pounds is half of what his normal weight should be. He will require round the clock care to survive. However, the release said Dobby has shown “his sweet disposi-

see smoke coming from the attic of a one-story house. After conducting a first primary search and making an offensive attack on the fire, the department said HPD and Animal Control were called to control aggressive dogs.

The department said the home’s resident was

Aug. 15 when a gray Ford Explorer heading west at 1100 W. 10th Street allegedly hit her.

She was later pronounced dead at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, according to the department.

Police questioned the driver, a 71-year-old

air conditions. The third alarm was then called, the department said, due to the sheer amount of fire, fire load, and extreme heat.

Eventually, crews were able to control and put out the fire, according to the department, and firefighters moved the product out of the building to keep the fire in check. One person was later taken to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation, according to the department, but there were no other injuries reported. In total, the department said 137 firefighters from stations 3, 31,

tion and happy personality in spite of his circumstances.”

“Dobby’s condition is heart-wrenching. He is emaciated, weak, and struggling to stand,” the Facebook post read.

The costs for care are above what had been anticipated, according to the shelter and HPA! said the shelter is looking for community support to help fund Dobby’s treatment. As of Tuesday afternoon, there had been $325 donated.

“Dobby is such a sweet dog who loves people and has such a positive attitude - he really does deserve

burning branches in a large drum when embers made their way to the eaves of the house and caused the fire, according to HFD. It caused an estimated $180,000 in damage to the house, according to the department, with $70,000 worth of property saved.

man, and released him from the scene after he showed no signs of impairment according to the department. It has not been determined who was at fault in the crash, according to the department, though the investigation remains ongoing.

a second chance,” said Noelle Delgado, Executive Director for Houston Pets Alive! “We are grateful to work with municipal shelters in the Greater Houston and surrounding areas to be a safety net and aid in these very special cases as well as the regular intake of animals daily.”

To see how they can donate, community members can go to the Houston Pets Alive! Facebook page or to https://bit.ly/helpdobbyheal. For more information about Houston Pets Alive!, visit their website at houstonpetsalive.org.

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By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

RE/MAX Signature real estate team Mike Clark and Debbie Kotzur know that their approach works, having had some of their best-selling years in recent times. As a result, they have no plans of changing their attack or doing anything else. Because it’s not worth fixing if it isn’t broken.

The journey the pair took to becoming one of the area’s trusted real estate teams was a roundabout one. Clark jumped from corporate IT work into the world of real estate back in 2007. Meanwhile, Kotzur worked for a real estate appraiser for years before diving into the agent profession more than three decades ago.

And they’re still doing everything they can to help both buyers and sellers in the area. Focusing primarily on Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, the Heights, Shepherd Park Plaza, Candlelight Plaza, Candlelight Estates and other inner loop neighborhoods of north Houston, the pair has worked together for over 12 years.

Kotzur is a native Houstonian and has lived in Garden Oaks and Oak Forest, while Clark grew up on the Southwest side of Houston in Westbury and has lived in Shepherd Park Plaza/ Timbergrove for more than 30 years. Kotzur is also a graduate of St. Pius X High School. The two now combine to form a prime real estate team with RE/MAX Signature serving buyers and sellers in northwest Houston and beyond, as they can bounce ideas off each other with regards to marketing, pricing or other aspects of a transaction to pass on to their clients.

So far this year, Clark and Kotzur said their target areas have seen rising interest rates, leading to both

buyers and sellers to be a little more forward-looking when it comes to purchasing a home or putting one on the market.

“Buyers and sellers are taking a long look at their finances and where they want to be in 5-10 years regarding their housing situation,” Kotzur said. “Some areas such as Shepherd Park Plaza, Candlelight Plaza, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest have not seen that much of a slowdown.”

And in the current climate with inventory higher in their target areas at the moment, they said that means both buyers and sellers are having to take things to the next level with

regards to making sure the home is presentable as well as being open to negotiating and patience. And the pair has adjusted their approaches to serve that need no matter what side of the transaction they are representing.

“Inventory is higher and sellers are making sure their house is in tip top condition prior to putting their house on the market. There is definitely more competition,” Clark said. “Sellers are also finding that they need to be a little more negotiable on their price and more patient because of longer days on market.”

But that period, they said, is where they are able to

step in and take the reins. Both Kotzur and Clark know that the process of buying or selling can be tedious and stressful for those unfamiliar with it, and that’s where they come in.

“No transaction is the same,” Kotzur said. “Being able to help buyers and sellers feel good about their transaction and making sure all goes well with the process is a win/win situation for everyone.”

To buy or sell a home with the Clark/Kotzur RE/ MAX team, email info@ clarkkotzurteam.com.

This story is paid content for The Leader

Mike Clark Debbie Kotzur

SPORTS.

Heights o ensive lineman named to Touchdown Club preseason team

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

As the Heights Bulldogs prepare to kick off their season this weekend along with schools around the city and state, one of their star offensive lineman is already earning accolades.

Bulldogs senior offensive lineman Frank Moss Jr. was named to the Touchdown Club of Houston’s annual Preseason All-Greater Houston UIL High School team, and represented the district along with Kashmere High School’s Tristen Brown during the annual Touchdowner of the Year gala on Aug. 17.

Moss, a senior and fouryear starter for the Bulldogs, is staying close to home collegiately, as he has committed to play at Texas Southern University beginning next season. He is one of several key piec-

es for the Bulldogs this season, and said he was honored to earn the rec-

ognition.

““It was amazing,” Moss said in news release from

HISD. “There were a lot of legends there from Houston as well who’ve gone

on to do great things for the community. Seeing

those people in that room motivates me to step up my game and get to their level.”

Moss and Brown were recognized alongside athletes from neighboring school districts. Since 2009, the Touchdown Club has worked with HISD and the Houston Texans to help more than 800 high school football players receive $80 million in scholarship, according to a news release from HISD.

“They really believe in our kids and give them the opportunity to improve themselves by showcasing their talents” HISD Athletics Director Andre’ Walker said in the release. “All the different events that they host are all centered around student-athletes, so they really help HISD in a tremendous way, and we look forward to continuing to work with them.”

High school football teams kick o this week

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The high school football season is set to begin this week, and all of the area’s teams have hope springing anew as their respective seasons get underway with some key players leading the charge.

Waltrip and Scarborough will kick off the slate for local high schools on Thursday night, while Heights, St. Thomas, St. Pius X, and Lutheran North Academy are set to begin on Friday. And among the storylines in the area to watch this season come from both the public and private schools.

The Heights Bulldogs have been consistent playoff contenders, but look to have some added firepower this year from Mayde Creek transfers Zaylan Cormier and

has been reported nationally, with a July report from the Council on Criminal Justice saying that homicide/murder and most other violent crimes declined in American cities in the first half of 2023 according to its study of crime trends in 37 cities around the country.

“The decline we see across the major crime categories is encouraging, but our country should not be comfortable with rates of violence that continue to claim thousands of lives each year,” said University of Missouri – St. Louis Professor Emeritus Richard Rosenfeld, co-author of the study and chair of CCJ’s recently formed Crime Trends Working

Group. “We now have a solid array of researchbacked crime prevention tools at our disposal. Law enforcement, policymakers, and communities should redouble efforts to deploy them.”

According to the Houston data, the police department has investigated at least 210 homicides so far in 2023 – a 22.5 percent decrease compared to the first six months of 2022. Incidents of robbery, aggravated assault, and human trafficking have all declined by at least 7.1 percent according to the data. However, reports of sexual assault have gone up 5.5 percent so far in 2023 with 748 according to HPD data, while reports of kidnapping have

seen about an 8.9 percent rise with 221 reported incidents in 2023.

In order to help combat violent crime, the city said it has implemented plans such as those to reduce human trafficking and crime along an approximately one-mile segment on Bissonnet Street by decreasing foot and vehicular traffic.

Working with Houston Public Works, barricades and no U-turn signage were placed in certain areas, according to the city. The initiative significantly reduced criminal activity along Bissonnet Street, according to the city.

There have also been 165 new officers welcomed to the department this year, the city

said, with an increased police force helping reduce violent crimes. The city also said its average priority one response time – situations in which

Final Four after losing to Parish Episcopal in the state semifinals last season. With quarterback Donte Lewis and Vanderbilt commit running back Johann Cardenas leading the charge plus a strong defense, the Eagles will look to make it back to the state title game for the first time in over a decade.

Finally, the Lutheran North Academy Lions are embarking on a new journey under new head coach Edwin Preston, as they will transition

to six-man football for at least the 2023 season after struggling to find success over the last few seasons. Between those and more storylines, the 2023 high school football campaign is primed to be an interesting one. Some of the Week 1 HISD game start times have been delayed by an hour this weekend, according to a tweet from the district’s athletic department Monday. Below is this week’s updated schedule for local teams:

This week’s schedule

Thursday Waltrip vs. North Forest, 8 p.m., Delmar Stadium Scarborough vs Pro Vision Academy, 8 p.m., Barnett Stadium

Friday Booker T. Washington vs. Wharton, 8 p.m., Dyer Stadium Heights vs. Cleburne, 7 p.m., Waco Midway Stadium

St. Thomas vs. St. John’s, 7 p.m.

Lutheran North Academy at New Braunfels Thunder, 7 p.m. (San Marcos, TX)

St. Pius X at Houston Second Baptist, 7 p.m.

life - within city limits is 6.04 minutes, which is second-fastest among the five largest national cities and the lowest among major cities in Texas.

understand more work must be done,” the city said. “Our main goals, to prevent crime and to continue to build strong community relationships, continue to drive us ev-

Crime, from P. 1

Reg-

gie McNeal Jr. along with a strong offensive line in Texas Southern commit

Frank Moss Jr. and junior Devinn Farris as Dixon. In the private school

ranks, St. Thomas is looking for a return trip to the TAPPS Division I

Photo from Facebook Heights o ensive lineman Frank Moss Jr., center, was recently named to the Touchdown Club of Houston’s annual Preseason All-Greater Houston UIL High School team.

Photo by Wayne Donnelly St. Thomas quarterback Donte Lewis (18) is one of the players to watch in the area this season.

It’s a tail of two cities

MY OFFICE -- Among the many family photos I have on my wall -- true, some are front and side shots with numbers across their chests -- is this one, taken on Sept. 3, 1900. It’s of locomotive number 183, with a coal car and several cars behind. Lined up in front are the train’s crew, including Walter Lynn Cox, the 19-year-old conductor, my maternal grandfather. He gradually worked his way up the corporate ladder, one stop being the conductor on the Houston-to-Dallas passenger route. That’s a novel idea, running a passenger train between these two major Texas cities. Actually, at one time there were several trains making that route each way daily.

Now, once again, there is a proposal to run a bullet train between Houston and Dallas. We’ve heard this plan trotted out more than proposals to rehabilitate the Astrodome. The route would be approximately 240 miles long with a travel time of less than 90 minutes. They would use a Japanese bullet train traveling up to 205 mph (maybe slower in Texas). There are problems – like money. The project was to be privately funded, but now Amtrak is aboard, so to speak, and that means federal funds. My fellow taxpayers be wary: The cost was originally put at $10 billion. Now it’s $30 billion. The 500-mile long bullet train between Los Angeles and San Francisco was sold to the voters in 2008 as costing $33 billion. The estimate now is $105 billion.

The railroad company, Texas Central, already owes $623,000 in delinquent property taxes from 2022 and has not secured some of the proposed sites for its stations. Construction was to begin in 2021 and end in 2026. The current timeframe is unclear, so don’t pack your bags just yet. But let’s hope this new bullet train works. It would be far better than what we have now. In 1998 I rode Amtrak from Houston to Dallas just to see what it was like. I took the Sunset Limited to San Antonio at 11:05 p.m., arrived in San Antonio at 3:40 a.m. There was a threehour-and-40-minute wait in the San Antonio depot in the middle of the night. The Amtrak Eagle got to Dallas at 3:55 p.m. So the trip from Houston to Dallas took

“This year, the state escalated its assault by passing Harris Countytargeted legislation that effectively seizes control of our elections and disregards voters and dedicated election workers as collateral damage,” said Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who serves part of the area including the Greater Heights.

“I am disappointed that the Texas Supreme Court silently allowed this injustice to go forward today. Despite this setback, Harris County voters can trust that we’re doing everything in our power to protect their right to vote in fair and free elections this November and beyond.”

The ruling comes after SB 1750 was initially drafted after “serious election irregularities” during the 2022 Harris County elections managed by the county’s previous elections administrator. Among problems encountered were several voting centers allegedly running out of paper ballots as well as several voting centers having issues with voting machines, causing the county to have to extend voting by an hour.

And the bill’s supporters say that something needed to change with elections following the issues that arose in 2022 elections.

“This bill has always been about performance not politics. I commend the Texas Supreme

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

last names are Texas. We have the same governor, U.S. senators and legislature. We both have NFL teams. The Dallas Cowboys have played in eight Super Bowls and won five of them. Houston’s teams have, uh, moving on, Big D has the State Fair of Texas. We have the rodeo. We have River Oaks and they have Highland Park, but it’s a separate town with its own outstanding school district. Both have excellent private universities: SMU and Rice. Both cities have world famous historical sites. H-Town has the San Jacinto Battlefield. Dallas has Dealey Plaza and the Texas School Book Depository. Incidentally, that city up north will forever be linked with JFK’s assassination, but nobody ever mentions the Presidential assassination in Buffalo (one) or that Washington, D.C. had two. Houston was named for the victor at San Jacinto and the first president of Texas. Dallas was named for somebody, no one is sure, but I think it took the name of a 1980s TV show.

When it comes to air traffic, Big D is bigger. Dallas and its Sancho Panza, Fort Worth, share the D/FW airport. It covers 17,207 acres and is larger than Manhattan. The airport is so big it has its own ZIP code. Houston has the George H.W. Bush Intergalactic Airport & Bait Camp. It covers 11,000 acres which is the size of Wall Street. But note that Dallas has not produced anyone important enough to carry its airport’s name.

(When travelers go from Houston’s Mickey Leland Complex to Love Field, do they realize both were named for people who died in plane crashes? Gives a whole new meaning to the word “terminal.”) Here’s an interesting point: Restaurants in the Metroplex could well put

Court on their decision to restore voter trust, accountability, and transparency in Harris County elections,” said Houstonbased state senator Paul Bettencourt.

Those such as Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee has a different view on the matter, and Menefee said he is examining the next steps to take to fight the bill prior to the Nov. 28 hearing.

“By setting the law to go into effect September 1, and not passing a single law to assist in the transition or provide additional funding, Republican legislators are making the job of running this November’s election much more difficult,” Menefee said. “It was on the Texas Supreme Court to rein in these bad-faith lawmakers. The court failed Harris County residents.”

But for now, it appears to be full speed ahead for SB 1750.

“They need to follow the law and make the transfer complete as of Sept. 1 so that the election in November can be run properly, Bettencourt said. “They must transfer the duty of managing elections back to the elected County Clerk and Tax Assessor-Collector now.”

up signs in their restrooms: “Please flush -- Houston needs the water.” According to a National Academy of Sciences study, during summers almost all of the Trinity River, which is Houston’s main water supply, is wastewater discharged from Dallas and Fort Worth. A factual note: When we speak of Dallas or Houston this can mean the whole area. NASA is not preciously in Houston, neither is the San Jacinto Battlefield. SMU is in University Park. The University of Houston is in Houston. The University of Texas at Dallas is in Richardson and Dallas University is in Irving.

Houston is much older than Dallas. In 1841, John Neely Bryan planted a stake in the ground near the Trinity River and called it (his town, not the stake) Dallas. By that time, Houston was a booming metropolis OK, a few mud huts, but it was the capital of Texas. Dallas is 385.9 square miles. Houston is 665 square miles. Dallas cannot grow in area as it is surrounded by suburbs. Houston can and does grow by annexation. But it costs more to advertise on a Dallas TV station than it does one in Houston. Because of the Metroplex, Dallas is Number five in media markets, Houston is number eight. In population, there are 1.2 million Dallasites and 2.2 million Houstonians, but the City of Dallas lost 14,777 people between 2020 and 2021, according to a U.S. Census report. The City of Houston had 11,777 fewer residents as of July 1, 2021, than it did a year earlier. However, both cities’ suburbs are growing mightily. Indeed, Fort Bend County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. So there we have it, Big D versus the Bayou City. Lots of similarities. Actually, we get along like brothers: Cain and Abel, but no astronaut ever said, “Dallas, the Eagle has landed.”

Ashby is bi-city at ashby2@comcast.net

Art Valet: Save these September art dates

Labor Day Weekend is in a week, school reopens Monday and it’s time to fill up those empty spaces on your September calendar with art events. Of course, I am happy to help.

Starting Saturday, Sept. 2, First Saturday Arts Market returns to 540 W. 19th St., starting at 11 a.m. and hopefully no one melts away before closing at 6. The Market at Sawyer Yards starts back the following Saturday, Sept 9, at 1502 Sawyer St., in Arts District Houston. Details on both can be found at https:// firstsaturdayartsmarket. com/

Archway Gallery presents Look Closer, opening reception on Saturday, September 9, 5-8 p.m. featuring new works by Denise Giordano and guest artist Fatima Donaldson. The artists will be available to visit with guests during the opening reception with an Artist Talk at 6:30 p.m. On view Sept. 2 through Oct. 5. Archway Gallery, 2305 Dunlavy ArchwayGallery. com.

ARTcetera Houston returns Saturday, Sept. 16, from 6-9:30 p.m. at Norris Conference Center, Houston, 816 Town & Country Blvd, Suite 210, Houston, TX 77024. ARTcetera, according to their website, is an interactive, live art event giving you a behind the

scenes look into the creative process in action. A selection of Houston’s most talented artists create original artworks for charity during the event. There is live entertainment, cocktails, culinary bites and more. Attendees can bid on live art, a large-scale silent auction (also available online) and framed photographs taken by kids with cancer from a recent Shutterbugs class.

The invitation only Showcase Artists will paint throughout the evening. Each will be featured in the Grand Finale Live Art Auction. The Showcase Artists are Taft McWhorter, Edgar Medina, Lauren Luna and Amy Malkan. The Premier artists are Chu Okoli, Tra` Slaughter, Rebekah Molander, Jaymes Earl, Faye Barber, Johnny Van Slyke Summers, Jordan Marble, Sheng Kuan Chung, Monica Melgar, Katharine Ligon, and Crystal Wreden. The Pablove Foundation produces this popular interactive fundraiser. Their mission is to give hope and healing to kids with cancer, improve the lives of children living with cancer through the arts and invest in underfunded, cuttingedge pediatric cancer research. Learn more at www. pablove.org Purchase tickets in advance on the website https://www.artceterahouston.com.

Sawyer Yards announced big news this month, Winter Street Studio artists are moving back into their studios. Damage caused by an arsonist in December 2022 was so extensive that the entire building had to be closed and revamped. The portion of the building that

took the most damage, C wing, is still undergoing construction.

It may be too soon to expect to find a full house at Winter Street on Second Saturday Open Studios in September, but a planned Sawyer Yards event at the end of the month will be a buzz with the reopened studios.

Sawyer Yards presents Art Ramble, you are invited to explore five art studio buildings Saturday, Sept. 30, from 2-7 p.m. The walkable art event is designed to showcase the amazing and diverse group of local artists. Local drink vendors will be pouring their finest, while talented musicians fill the corridors with their sounds for an all-encompassing celebration of art and community. Details, a growing list of participants and a map still in the works can be found online, https://www.sawyeryards. com/events/art-ramble.

Are you familiar with Urban Eats, 3414 Washington

Ave.? Their byline is bistro, bar and market and it is amazing. Suitable for any occasion from coffee to dinner. In addition to being an absolute wonderful restaurant, owners Levi Rollins and Eric Munoz have supported and showcased local artists from day one. All walls in this 2 story restaurant are always adorned with art rotating out every three months. The wait list to display art is long I hear!

Save this date - Saturday, Sept. 23, for an afternoon reception for current artist, Carolyn Bertrand Hodges. That’s right, the nonagenarian Houston artist that I have often written about in this column is the current artist on display through the end of October. Visit https://feasturbaneats. com/urban-arts for details or better, drop in for any meal to see the art and experience Urban Eats if you haven’t yet. “Miss Carolyn” will be at the reception to greet you. I’ll bring you more details here in September.

I’d like to remind you that I add additional information, events and photos to many of the Art Valet columns on my website, ArtValet.com.

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

Nibbles & Sips: Houston Food Bank planning month-long special events

From Sta Reports

The Houston Food Bank has designated September as “Hunger Action Month,” according to a news release from the nonprofit organization.

All throughout September, the food bank will be hosting special events meant to bring awareness to the important issue of hunger and those in need.

“We can all play a role in helping reduce food insecurity – advocate, educate, volunteer or donate – all year round and especially during Hunger Action Month,” Houston Food Bank president/CEO Brian Greene said. “When we band together as a community, each doing our part to put in a piece of the puzzle, big changes can happen as we work towards a world that no longer needs food banks.”

Among the special activities and events the Houston Food Bank has planned for Hunger Action Month are:

• Hunger Action Month Kick-Off Press Conference – Sept. 1, 10 a.m. at Houston Food Bank, 535 Portwall St.

Government officials, farmers, partners and neighbors with lived experience will participate in a press conference highlighting realities of food insecurity and the advocacy opportunity presented by the Farm Bill. The conference will involve a call to action to the broader community to use their voice for change for better lives.

• Activities in the Welcome Lobby at Portwall facility

Throughout September, volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in two challenges available in

HFB’s lobby: The first is the SNAP Challenge which gives participants a glimpse into some of the struggles faced by millions of lowincome Americans who are trying to put food onto their tables. The second paints the reality Making Tough Choices of paying for a family’s basic needs when your income doesn’t meet your expenses.

• Harris County Voter Registration Opportunities – Sept. 9 and Sept. 19, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

Houston Food Bank is invested in elevating voices and spreading the importance of voting. We understand that the policies set forth by elected officials affect everyone, especially the communities we serve. Engaging in your right to vote is critical to seeing any kind of positive changes to your community. Visitors to the building can register to vote on these days.

• Houston Food Bank’s

Hunger Game – Sept. 1230

The Houston Food Bank’s Hunger Game is a competition in which groups of all sizes (community members and corporate groups) compete against one another to provide food for better lives within our community. Groups compete to raise the most meals by donating time, food and funds.

• SNAP Challenge –throughout September Houston Food Bank will engage members of their local, state and federal delegations to participate in a one-day SNAP challenge. SNAP currently provides a family of three with approximately $24 a day to eat. They will be asked to try to put together a nutritious basket with $24 at their local grocery and post their discovery and thoughts to their social media.

• Virtual SNAP Challenges Houston Food Bank’s Stu -

dent Heroes, will engage in the SNAP Challenge in their local grocery stores, filming their experience and then sharing it by tagging HFB on Instagram

• Hunger Action Day –Sept. 15 Houston Food Bank’s Government Relations De partment will be hosting a special advocacy-themed volunteer shift. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in fun civic en gagement activities to learn more about using their voice and working towards our vision of a “World That Doesn’t Need Food Banks.”

• All in Together (AIT) Community Leadership Program – Sept. 23, at Houston Food Bank Con ference Center, 535 Port wall St.

AIT’s Community Lead ership Program is a halfday, free, nonpartisan, fun and interactive event where local community organiza tions and women engage

in civic education trainings and develop leadership skills. Recognized speakers from local organizations will be part of a panel and local civic engagement organizations will be present

to connect participants to ongoing work. For more information on Houston Food Bank and Hunger Action Month, visit houstonfoodbank.org or call 713-223-3700.

Dr. Becky J. Fredrickson

Board Certfed Ophthalmologist.

Dr. Fredrickson has been practcing ophthalmology for over 12 years. She routnely sees patents for diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneraton, and ocular infectons. She specializes in surgical procedures including cataract, eyelid lifs, eyelid cysts, Botox and Juvederm, and pterygia.

1415 N. Loop, Ste 400 • 427 W. 20th St. Ste 100 Houston, TX 77008 713-668-6828 • www.houstoneye.com

Contributed photo Stairway to Creativity by Archway Gallery guest artist Fatima Donaldson.

Contributed photo

“Thru Georgia’s eyes and mine” by Archway Gallery guest artist Fatima Donaldson.

Photo from Facebook

The Houston Food Bank is hosting special events all through August as part of Hunger Action Month.