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HHA presents “There’s No Place Like Heights for the Holidays” 2023 Home Tour By Lisa Morales The Leader News Contributor The Houston Heights Association Holiday Home Tour is back in full swing and offers attendees the chance to immerse themselves in a heartwarming experience that combines the rich history and stunning architecture of the Heights neighborhood with the enchantment of holiday decor. The event, presented under the banner “There’s No Place Like Heights for the Holidays,” is designed to create an inspiring experience for all visitors, which in
Your neighborhood living room in The Heights
previous years have numbered in the thousands. “Beyond the beautiful homes and stunning decorations, this event is a celebration of the community’s warmth and the magic of the holiday season,” said Danielle Stewart, event chair. “It’s a chance for neighbors and visitors to come together and revel in the joy of the holidays.” Holiday Home Splendor The much-anticipated tour will feature five beautifully decorated homes, historic to new, with many proudly displaying the personal holiday collec-
tions of the owners. This impressive event is an all-volunteer run endeavor. At each home a docent will greet you on the porch and give an overview of the characteristics of the home. Docents will also be present throughout the homes pointing out features such as the ornaments that decorate the tree of Kate and Colin Langston that they have collected on their world travels. Some homes on the tour date back to 1912 and have kept their structural design. Other homes have been recently renovated by the owners themselves. See HOLIDAY P. 7
A legendary kick
Serving coffee, tea, wine, beer, savories and sweets 7 am to 9 pm daily.
1030 Heights Blvd, Houston,TX 77008
713-434-6923
By Elena Sandovici The Leader News Contributor
INSIDE.
Police seek tips in fatal shooting
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Photo by TerriG Photography St. Pius X Panthers kicker Preston Kyle scored a 55-yard field goal against Central Catholic High School Nov. 3, breaking the previous school record by a wide margin.
St. Pius X High School kicker breaks school record with 55-yard field goal Aboriginal art at the center of new exhibit
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Thrills around town await this weekend
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Help local club help local kids this holiday season!
By Stefanie Thomas editor@theleadernews.com The crowd in the stands went wild Friday night, Nov. 3, when St. Pius X High School kicker Preston Kyle scored a 55-yard field goal in the fourth quarter of the game against Central Catholic High School – a new school record for the Panthers. Although, it didn’t really come as a surprise to those who know Kyle. The high school senior had already forged a reputation for excellence since his sophomore year when he joined the football team. “In the coaching world, a lot of people get shocked by what they see on the field on game days,” said St. Pius X football head coach Greg Cranfill. “But I’ve seen Preston make 60-yard field goals in practice before and knew it was just a matter of time before it happened in a game. So it didn’t come as a shock to me or anyone else who knows Preston.” In fact, Cranfill said that just the previous play in the same game, Kyle kicked a 45-yard field goal, and that the 55-yarder that followed was in no way a “freak accident.” To the contrary, he said, everyone on the team as well as the fans in the stands have come to
Photo by student team photographer Rachel Sipes
St. Pius X Panthers player Preston Kyle prepares for an onside kick during a Nov. 3 regular season game against Central Catholic High School.
expect great things from the 3-sport letter winner. “We were up 35-7 when Preston came in and kicked the 45-yard field goal. We then stopped [the Central Catholic Buttons] on defense and stalled on offense again, so we went for the 55-yard field goal,” Cranfill said. “The game was in hand, but it would not have mattered. If it had been a tied ball game, we would have made the same decision. We had that much
confidence in Preston and his abilities.” Kyle said the team’s and coaches’ trust in him is mutual. Instead of getting nervous, he felt confident as he lined up for the legendary kick, which broke the previous 49-yard field goal record established by Anthony Fera, who graduated from St. Pius X in 2009 and went on to play at Penn State and later kicked for the Texas Longhorns. See PANTHERS P. 7
The holidays are approaching, and as many are struggling in today’s economy, considering the rising cost of living, this might be an especially meaningful time to think of the less fortunate, especially children, and find opportunities in our community to help. Would you like to make a child’s wish come true this holiday season? Here are two opportunities, locally in the Heights, to work with other community members toward this goal, either by volunteering or by giving. Each year for the past decade, The Heights Woman’s Club (HHWC) has partnered with Communities in Schools (CIS) to give holiday gifts to local children in need through the Wishlist Initiative. Community outreach lead Hemali Bhakta, said that the holiday gift drive is meant “not only to support underserved children in our community but to focus on an often forgotten population, high school-aged children. The Wishlist initiative is a small but fulfilling way to let students know that their community is rooting for them.” High school students fill out wish lists that are then distributed to the Heights Woman’s Club members. Members then buy the gifts on the lists and include personalized cards with motivating messages for the kids. But Bhakta assured that nonmembers are also welcome -- in fact, are needed -- to participate, and that the HWC will be happy to connect with community members who want to purchase gifts from the students’ lists. “Last year we served around 75 students with their own personalized gift See HHWC P. 7
Submitted photo
HHWC volunteers are setting up for the Wishlist Party 2023.
Heights octogenarian pens book, inspires seniors to keep learning Thanksgiving options for the lazy cook
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THE INDEX. People .......................................2 Topics ........................................5 Classifieds .................................6 Local Culture .............................8
By Elena Sandovici The Leader News Contributor It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. Heights resident and author Margie Seaman is a living example of this. Having just published her first novel at 85, the vibrant 87-year-old hopes to inspire other seniors to make the most out of their golden years. “It’s never too late to learn who you are,” Seaman said. “Everyone at some point in their lives had hopes and dreams. Don’t let the child inside you die.”
Submitted photo
Margie Seaman is an 85-year-old Heights resident and author who hopes to inspire other seniors to stay active while growing older.
Open a new MTFCU Checking Account before November 30th and get a $100 bonus* *To qualify for the $100 deposit, you must be a new or current member in good standing and open a new checking account with a minimum Direct Deposit of $500. A $100 incentive will be deposited into y our checking account after 3 months of the account being opened with direct deposit. Existing Checking Accounts are not eligible to receive the $100 incentive. Cash back is subject to all applicable taxes and is your responsibility. Membership is open to anyone who lives in our area. Just open a Basic Savings Account with $5 to establish your membership and access all of our products and services. Full membership eligibility available at www.MTFCU.coop. This offer can end at any time but expires on November 30, 2023.
Seaman’s novel, Someday Belongs to Us, published by Stoney Creek Publishing, is a romance novel, featuring, among its cast of characters, a handsome pirate adored by the ladies. But this description hardly does the book justice. There are many reasons to enjoy it, including its fine sense of humor, its playful embedded narrative, and not least, the beautiful locations in the Caribbean the author transports the reader to. The book’s leading lady is a writer in her seventies, which is quite refreshing. How many novels are there
that center around the literary ambitions, travels, and romantic exploits of a woman in her senior years? It all comes back to the Seaman’s firm belief that people should enjoy life at any age. In fact, there are reasons why for many, their golden years could be their best years. With wisdom, maturity, the freedom of retirement, and the years of raising families behind them, seniors could see this phase of their lives as an ideal time to explore, learn more about See SEAMAN P. 7