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Inside Today: Great entrees, cocktails, recipes • 1B-4B
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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston
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10570 NW Frwy 713-680-2350
Saturday, February 15, 2014 • Vol. 60 • No. 15
ABOUT US 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd. Suite A
Residents concerned about ongoing dog attacks By Michael Sudhalter
(713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.
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Heights resident Adrian Cerdedo was walking his 11-pound Terrier/Chihuahua mix, Zeus, in the Heights when his dog was viciously attacked by two large German Shepherds on the evening of Feb. 6. “It happened so quick, it was uncanny,” Cerdedo said. Zeus was seriously injured and is
currently being treated at the veterinarian. In an effort to remove one of the German Shepherds from attacking Zeus, Cerdedo suffered minor injuries on his thumb and finger. Cerdedo, a retired U.S. Army officer who moved to Houston from Alabama last year, soon discovered that other neighbors had suffered similar experiences from a series of German Shepherds that live in the 600 block of E.
11th St. The Leader reported on injuries of two dogs owned by Anne Sutherland in October, and an anonymous Heights resident said her cat was killed by the same dogs. Heights resident Richard Morris said the same dogs have twice bit Sammy, his 30-pound mixed breed dog, but fortunately, Sammy was not injured. Morris said he reported the situation to the city’s Bureau of Animal Control
and Regulation (BARC) as well as law enforcement agencies, but the situation never changed. Cerdedo said he worries that it’ll take a tragedy before the city and law enforcement take the situation seriously. “My fear is these dogs will escalate to where they attack a small child, and then it’ll be too late,” Cerdedo said. See Dog Bite, P. 3A
Faith and friendship
THE BRIEF. Longer school year in store for Helms?
Many have taken to social media to speculate on the future of this building.
Helms Elementary School, 503 W. 21st St. in the Heights, recently received a School Improvement Grant that would fund an extended school year for all pre-K through second grade students for 40 days. Helms is still awaiting details from Houston ISD regarding the program. When they receive more details, they’ll host meetings to inform parents of the program. Students will likely receive the week after the regular school year off, as well as the week of the Fourth of July, and two weeks before the start of school. According to a newsletter from the dual language magnet school, the program will ensure students are ready for the next grade.
Speculation runs wild on 43rd eyesore By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com
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St. Thomas High senior Tim Zallar, left, and Waltrip High senior Stephen Mauzy have been friends since they were Kindergarteners at Oak Forest Elementary. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)
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Local duo hopes to attend Air Force Academy
FIND IT.
By Michael Sudhalter
OAK FOREST: 3-2-2, LR-DRBreakfast combination. Central A/H. Updated kitchen and bathrooms, granite and tile, laminated floors. Appliances furnished. $1,695 monthly. 713-503-0282. STUDIO DUPLEX: Two bedroom, 1,045 sq. ft., hardwoods, nice architectural features, laundry room, shaded yard. $800 monthly. 281-733-5913.
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The Leader sent out our high school correspondent to find some of the best and worst of Valentines • Page 3A
A dozen years ago, Tim Zallar and Stephen Mauzy first became friends over a game of Connect Four as Oak Forest Elementary school kindergarteners. Little did they know their friendship would be intact, and grow stronger, as they attended different schools. But family, faith, community service and a common goal of attending the United States Air Force Academy has ensured the friendship between Zallar, a Lazybrook resident, and Mauzy, of Oak Forest. After elementary school, Zallar attended Our Savior Lutheran and St. Thomas High. Mauzy graduated to Hamilton Middle School and Waltrip High. Both are finishing their senior year at their respective schools. Initially, they stayed in touch by playing on the same baseball and basketball teams throughout the years. Mauzy played several sports for
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Waltrip, but he had to take a step back from it in order to help his mother, Liz, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Liz Mauzy had complications with chemotherapy, which resulted in heart failure; she also had her gallbladder removed. Zallar’s mother, Ann, helped during that time, driving Mauzy to all of her treatment appointments. Mauzy, who has had six surgeries over the past 2-3 years, has seen her health improve over the past year. Zallar and Mauzy are both involved in First Baptist Church, and they’ve participated in church-sponsored mission trips to Pensacola, Fla. and Branson, Mo. Zallar credits God with saving his father’s life when he appeared to be drowning. Mauzy said faith gives him strength throughout the day. “The world’s a big place and you can feel lost sometimes,” Mauzy said. “God is there to guide you and protect you.” When it comes to community ser-
vice, Mauzy assisted with the Special Olympics and volunteered at a summer camp. Zallar started a non-profit to help youth in Colombia. When they were sophomores in high school, Zallar told Mauzy about the Air Force Academy, and they both made it their goal to attend the prestigious academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. and study to become Air Force pilots. “I felt called to serve my country,” Zallar said. “My family is up there, so they told me about it.” Mauzy said he’d consider Air Force special forces if he doesn’t become a pilot. “I’d like to parachute in and save people who are hurt,” Mauzy said. Both Zallar and Mauzy have received congressional nominations to the academy, and they expected to hear if they’re accepted next month. They’ve both been accepted into Baylor University and Texas A&M. “Going to two different schools (would) be tough,” Zallar said.
MHNW taps Jadlowski to replace Kerr By Jonathan McElvy
THE INDEX. Church
michael@theleadernews.com
There’s been a great deal of speculation regarding the 18,992 square feet of property at the corner of W. 43rd St. and Rosslyn. It’s generated dozens of comments on the Oak Forest Homeowners Association Facebook page, but the truth is that nobody knows until a buyer comes forward to purchase the property at 4301 Rosslyn, including the 7,963 square feet of building area. Jim Hendrix of United Commercial Realty (UCR) said the property’s been on the market with him since last fall. He noted that a lot of buyers have expressed interest but none have moved forward in purchasing the property. Hendrix said “it certainly won’t be used for residential,” which dispels the rumor that Section 8 housing will be built on the property. There’s also the property at 1850 W. 43rd St., which is currently A-1 Thrifty Storage. It has a land area of 79,656 square feet and a building area of 38,250 square feet. The owner of that “mini-warehouse” property is listed as JM Rutherford Properties, 2602 Washington Ave. The property isn’t currently for sale, but the owner, in his 80s, is currently ill in a New Zealand hospital. Depending on his will, the property could be up for sale. The benefits of the 4301 Rosslyn property, as listed on the UCR website, are the following: located at a lighted intersection, a high population density and outstanding visibility. Potential drawbacks may be the robberies and burglaries that have plagued many of the businesses on W. 43rd St. The owner of the property, according to the Harris County Appraisal District, is Susana Zarazua, who has an address listed in Acres Homes. Attempts to reach Ms. Zarazua were unsuccessful.
Memorial Hermann Northwest CEO Gary Kerr has led the Greater Heights area hospital since 2009. He was COO for six years prior to that, and has helped oversee numerous awards and renovation projects. Now, Kerr will look to find the same success in another Houston-area hospital. Memorial Hermann announced earlier this week that Kerr has accepted the position of CEO at the Southwest campus of the hospital, and Susan Jadlowski, the current COO/CNO at Northwest, has been named the new CEO here.
“Gary has worked for Memorial Hermann since July 1, 2002, and throughout his tenure has provided outstanding leadership,” said a release Jadlowski from the hospital system. Jadlowski will transition into the top office at the Northwest hospital, and she said her chief goal is to continue improving on the strides made in recent years at the hospital. “I am looking forward to continu-
ing the good work and advancements we have made at Northwest Hospital,” Jadlowski said. “Our staff exemplifies the Memorial Hermann brand promise to Advance Health and high quality safety practices.” During Kerr’s tenure as CEO at MHNW, the hospital was one of four Memorial Hermann facilities recognized as a 2014 Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence, as measured by Healthgrades. That mark placed MHNW in the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide. Kerr is also credited with helping MHNW improve Medicare profitability, an issue for many hospitals around the nation.
“I am proud of the growth in services that have been added during my tenure, including the development of a cadiovascular program, expanded wound care service, and the expansion of outpatient rehabilitation services, including the addition of TIRR outpatient rehab to our services,” Kerr said. Before moving to MHNW, Kerr worked for Christus Health as the CEO of Schumpert Bossier Hospital, as well as CEO and COO at St. John Hospital. His resumé also includes work with Sisters of Charity Health systems for more than 12 years in a variety of hospital and system assignments. Kerr will begin his new job at MHSW on March 1.
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