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Inside Today: Delicious dishes, recipes and more • 1B
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s ’ e n e l r a D
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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston
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Saturday, March 15, 2014 • Vol. 60 • No. 19
ABOUT US 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd. Suite A (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.
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Waltrip High announces future plans By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
Although there is no ignoring what came before — including a contractor switch as a result of sub-par work on the 2007 bond projects for Waltrip High School — the mood was positive at Tuesday’s community meeting, held in the Waltrip cafeteria. When Principal Andria Schur jokingly asked who was ready to see the ubiquitous orange panels removed, she got a full show of hands. The architecture firm on the Waltrip project is Gensler and Design Direc-
The
Kimberly Hickson was one of the Gensler employees on hand to talk to attendees. (Photo by Betsy Denson)
tor Nina Murrell showed the audience Waltrip reimagined as a 21st century school with an overall design in which form matched function. Part of the inspiration for the new schematics came from a trip that Schur, Band Director Jesse Espinosa, CTE and Engineering teacher Stephanie Witherspoon, and Special Education teacher Mike Evans, took to Seattle to look a number of schools with a forward thinking design. “It was very eye opening,” said Witherspoon. “We got to see the things that
Residents get some water pressure answers
See WALTRIP, P. 3A
Wobble Solved
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Inconsistent Water pressure has been an ongoing issue in Timbergrove/Lazybrook
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832.419.9969
By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com
Tailgate Safety
Pickup truck owners are encouraged to lock their tailgate, if possible. The Harris County Precinct One Constable’s office was patrolling the 3800 block of Suffolk in the Woodland Heights on Monday when a resident reported that the rear tailgate of his 2008 Ford pickup truck was missing. The victim said an unknown person entered his property without permission and committed the theft overnight. There’s no suspect information or description at this time. J.C. Mosier of the Constable’s Office said tailgate thefts aren’t as common as they were a few years ago.
����������������� ������ Christian’s Tailgate owner Steve Christian took his invention, the “Table Jack” to an audition for the popular television show, “Shark Tank.” (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)
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Restaurant owner invents a solution for the Table Wobble By Michael Sudhalter
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North Houston native Steve Christian, owner of Christian’s Tailgate at 7340 Washington Ave., has seen and experienced a lot during 18 years in the restaurant business. “The #1 complaint in restaurants is wobbling tables,” Christian said. “It’s an experience to eat dinner. And (a wobbly table) ruins your experience.” To rectify that problem, Christian invented the “Table Jack” which he says is the most advanced way to stabilize restaurant tables. It uses a single table jack unit to stop the wobble with a simple press of the foot. Christian, 55, has had the Table Jack implemented in several restaurants throughout Houston, most notably the Landry’s chain. After eight years of waiting, he finally received a patent for it three months ago.
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Shady Acres concerned about expansion of W. 20th By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com
THE INDEX.
Christian has focused so much time and resources on the Table Jack that he sold the White Oak and Midtown locations of his restaurants. Now, he hopes to get the Table Jack out to a national, or perhaps, international market. That’s why he traveled to Austin last week to audition for “The Shark Tank,” a reality show on ABC where inventors and entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of wealthy investors such as Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. If the panel likes the pitch, they choose to invest in the company. Christian said producers at the audition said he’d receive a phone call in a week or so, if he’s selected in the process. One of Christian’s other inventions is an ice bucket that is environmentally conscious and cost effective. Currently, the ice in beer buckets must be disposed, causing bar owners to spend a lot more money on ice. The patent on that invention is pending. Christian, a third generation restaurant owner, has several other restaurant-related inventions, but he’s still working on getting patents for those. He plans on traveling to a restaurant convention next month in Las Vegas to pitch some of his inventions to restaurant owners.
The water pressure and odor control issues in Timbergrove and Lazybrook aren’t solved, but residents who attended a Timbergrove Manor Civic Club (TMCC) general meeting found out that the situation is improving. TMCC welcomed Michael Neese, the City of Houston’s Assistant Director of Water Operations, and Jason Iken, the city’s Senior Assistant Director for Wastewater Operations to its meeting on Tuesday night at Sinclair Elementary School. Neese addressed recent water pressure problems, while Iken spoke about the plans to address odor control from the city’s Chemical Feed Station at 11th St. and Bryce. Neese explained the complicated process of drinking water distribution throughout the city, and how water flow from one area affects another. He said a city valve that was opened in the Katy-Addicks area on Feb. 27 improved average water pressure in Timbergrove/Lazybrook from 40 psi to 50 psi. The state minimum is 35 psi. But water pressure has fluctuated, depending on how much water residents not limited to the Timbergrove/Lazybrook area are using at a given time. “I can’t turn something on and fix it,” Neese said. “I have to look at patterns and things we find. It’s not easy. There’s not going to be a quick fix.” Still, Neese addressed some solutions that would further improve water pressure. He said a $78,000 emergency purchase has been made for the Northeast Water Plant, which will improve psi by 2-to-3 points in a few months. The long term solution is a $26 million expansion of the Northeast Plant, which is projected by 2020. “That will free up East Plant water that goes north, keep it closer to areas (like Timbergrove/Lazybrook),”
The City of Houston is considering expanding W. 20th St. as part of its Rebuild Houston effort, but residents of Shady Acres are concerned about the potential project. Shady Acres Civic Club president Nancy Wilcox raised the issue during the city’s District C Capital Improvement Project on March 5. “When the weather is nice, you’ll see people walking and riding their bikes,” Wilcox said. “Folks are not going to feel safe doing that, and that would be a shame.” Amar Mohite, administration
manager for the City’s Transportation Planning department, said the neighborhood’s needs were taken into consideration in a recent mobility. study. “Based on this study, we will make a draft recommendation that 20th Street be designated as a four lane Urban Avenue with Bike Facility, High Frequency Transit, and Pedestrian consideration” Mohite said. W. 20th St. has been classified as a major thoroughfare since 1942, but its classification was changed to a 4-lane major thoroughfare, from N. See Projects, P. 3A 20th Street is considered for lane expansion. (Photo by Jake Dukate)
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