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Inside Today: 2nd Cup serves more than just coffee • Page 1B

April 23 – 27

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By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

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* Pest • Pest • Mosquito

Permit voided for local concrete batch plant

*• Rodent Rodent • Termite

The application for a local company to operate a concrete batch plant in the neighborhood has been struck down following public feedback and a ruling by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

Per a TCEQ spokesperson, the organization has voided the requested permitting of Soto Ready Mix, who had applied for an operating permit at a previously vacant site just off T.C.

Jester Boulevard, at 3411 Desoto St. Operations such as the one Soto Ready Mix applied for are given license by the state to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and, by the city, to locate in residential areas. The multimillion dollar industry, fueled

by Houston’s growth, is utilized for everything from homes and churches to the roads we drive – but residents were still uneasy, and made their voices heard at a public meeting March 26 at the Acres Homes Community Cen-

ter.

Previous attempts to reach Soto Ready Mix have been unsuccessful.

“In the chance that the batch plant is still granted an Air Quality Standard permit, my fight would then be to make sure that they must pass and prove that they satisfy the highest possible standards in order to have less of a negative impact on the communities that we have already established will be affected,” Dis-

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Photo by Landan Kuhlmann Soto Ready Mix (whose truck is shown here at the proposed T.C. Jester site) had its concrete batch plant permit denied by the TCEQ.

See Permit P. 2A

Celebrate Earth Day See page 7A

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Page 2B

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According to recent statistics by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the number of Green homes are growing. The USGBC says that 84 percent of all residential construction has some sustainable features. A 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study found that the residential green construction market in the US is expected to grow from $55 million in 2015 to $100.4 million in 2018.

While more than 370,105 residential units have earned LEED certification as of July 2017 around the world, it’s not every homeowner who has time to pursue the certification, even if they are striving to make their home as green as they can.

One such homeowner is interior designer Dianne Murata, who along with petroleum geologist husband Robb Bunge, built a new, environmentally friendly home in Garden Oaks three years ago.

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Photo credit: Divya Pande Shown here are eight-foot overhangs around the first floor exterior. These ensure that very limited direct sun reaches the house.

The Houston Heights Association announced earlier this week its plan to hire an executive director who, in large part, will run one of Houston’s most-prized neighborhoods.

Bill Baldwin, who has served concurrent terms as president and has been on the HHA board for 12 years, announced the decision after the job description was approved by the board Monday night.

The executive director position, new to the HHA and unique to this area of the city, will manage nearly every issue important to a neighborhood the size of the Heights.

From finances and operations, directing fundraisers and special events, to communicating with neighbors and Those interested in the serving as a liaison position can email Bill between homeown- Baldwin at president@ ers and government houstonheights.org. agencies, this job will look a lot like a city manager.

According to the job posting, the position will pay anywhere between $62,500$90,000+, and the salary will be commensurate with experience.

“What we found is that current homeowners have less time to volunteer [on their neighborhood board],” Baldwin explained.

“It’s not that they don’t still volunteer, it’s just that it’s with the Zoo, or the Rockets, or the ballet, or schools that are outside of our area.

A lot of people send their children to private schools.”

According to Baldwin, the dynamic of neighborhood association volunteerism has changed drastically over the past decade. The generation that oversaw the rebirth of the Heights is now older, but a decade ago, they didn’t have children at home and they were able to give more time to the neighborhood.

“We used to have five board positions and have 10 people running for them,” he said.

See Baldwin P. 4A

GOMO officially files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Page 4B

Heights to hire new director

From the initial lawsuit to impending bankruptcy, the saga of the Garden Oaks Management Organization has been winding; and there have been new developments in recent days.

In the March 31 edition, The Leader detailed how a lawsuit that challenged the validity of the Garden Oaks Maintenance Organization kicked off the struggle. In November 2017, the 14th District Court

of Appeals confirmed that GOMO could not enforce its deed restrictions against Peter and Katherine Chang, homeowners who challenged GOMO’s legal standing. After being denied that rehearing, GOMO hired a law firm to handle bankruptcy proceedings that would allow the homeowners’ association to effectively reorganize.

A source later told The Leader a bankruptcy filing could come as early as April 1; and according to businessbankruptcies.com, GOMO filed for bankruptcy on April 11.

“What they’d like to do is reorganize, but the question is how much of the funds in their possession they can use,” attorney W. Austin Barsalou, who represented GOMO in the original lawsuit but is not handling the bankruptcy proceedings, told The Leader last month.

GOMO still has nearly $600,000 sitting in a bank account, and questions remain about where that money goes now -- and it needs a court ruling.

See Bankruptcy P. 6A

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The Leader • Saturday, April 21, 2018 • Page 2A

Suspicious activity leads to Heights meth arrest

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

An alert deputy has taken a potential methamphetamine producer off the street in the Heights.

According to an alert from the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office earlier this week, Precinct 1 deputies arrested a man in the 1300 block of Yale Street in the Heights April 12 on a charge of gathering materials used to produce meth. Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen said a patrol officer driving down the street saw a white male loitering

on the sidewalk in front of an abandoned business strip center. When the man saw the officer, he began emptying the contents of a yellow arsenal can into a glass bottle, and hurriedly stuffing everything into a backpack. Alerted by the behavior, Rosen said the deputy pulled the man aside and, after running him through the system, found a drug-related warrant out for the man’s arrest out of New Hampshire. Further investigation by Precinct 1 deputies revealed possession of brake cleaners, coffee filters, translucent plastic tubing, and a turkey baster, along

with a plethora of prescription drugs in tow – all those things signaling the intent to cook and produce meth.

A hazmat team and the DPS – which handles meth labs and operations – were later dispatched to the area. The suspect was later taken into custody and remained there as of press time.

“This is a dangerous operation. If a citizen went by and saw this, they might think it was someone working at the building or clearing out trash, because it was just a bunch of different assorted bottles. You really wouldn’t think much of

it,” Rosen said. “It wouldn’t raise the suspicion of citizens, but it raised ours.”

Rosen said the incident (for now) appears to be a one-off situation with no ties to any larger operation – but reiterated the danger of any operation, large or small – especially in a densely-populated area such as the Heights. The abandoned strip center is near Heights High School, several churches, and the Heights Library.

“This stuff is dangerous to mess with – when you start mixing these chemical reactions that happen, and that’s

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Permit from P. 1A trict 139 Representative Jarvis Johnson said at the March 26 meeting. “It is my hope that the city will create an ordinance that will protect our neighborhoods from businesses like this, in the future.”

Multiple residential dwellings sit directly across the street from the site at 3411 Desoto, mere feet away, while about 25

the danger in it – it’s a very volatile compound. He was basically using the shopping strip center as a basis for manufacturing drugs right on the sidewalk,” Rosen said. “Him manufacturing these compounds crudely could lead to overdosing or someone getting killed by it. Who knows what he’s putting in there that could really harm somebody if they came in contact with it or bought it from him. It’s important to deal with these issues that are facing people out there.”

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yards further away sits the entrance to the community center at the public Highland Park.

And it appears parts of the site’s potential proximities to such property lines may have impacted the TCEQ’s decision.

“During the application review process, it was determined that the 100-foot setback requirement from the central

baghouse stack exhaust to the nearest property line could not be met, therefore the application has been voided,” the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality wrote in a letter dated Thursday, April 12.

To reapply, the TCEQ says Soto Redi Mix must submit an entirely new application. The new application will be subject

to the state and federal rules and regulations in place at the time of submittal. Public notice may be required as directed by the standard permit.

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The Leader • Saturday, April 21, 2018 • Page 3A

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The Topics.

The Leader • Saturday, April 21, 2018 • Page 4A

HHA, Baldwin put residents first in new hire

I

don’t brag on too many people in this space (except for my children and wife on occasion), but it’s hard to contain myself today. The Houston Heights Association has made a decision that might set the standard for local governance in the years to come.

More than two years ago, I shared some interesting numbers with our readers about the sheer size of our city, and giving you an update will offer some credence to what HHA has done.

The area that The Leader calls home -- largely the Heights, Oak Forest, Garden Oaks, Timbergrove and Norhill, to name just a few -- are represented by three voices in Houston’s mayor-council form of government.

Most of our area falls within Houston City Council District C, and our representative on the council is Ellen Cohen. Brenda Stardig’s District A touches the western side of our neighborhoods, and District H, represented by Karla Cisneros, touches the eastern and southern edges of our community, including Independence Heights, Norhill and Woodland Heights.

While these numbers are easy to access, consider the massive districts that our council members represent.

Cohen’s District A had a population of 199,432 in 2015 -- the latest numbers available.

Jonathan McElvy Publisher

Stardig’s District A had a whopping 281,067 in the same year.

Cisneros’s District H had 163,897.

I don’t know what kind of Superwoman capes these wonderful ladies wear to the office each day, but how in the world is Stardig supposed to represent nearly 300,000 people?

There’s not a human being that can adequately tend to the needs of that many people.

Here’s more perspective: Stardig’s district, on its own, is the size of Newark, N.J. Cohen’s is the size of Little Rock, Ark. And Cisneros is the lucky one; she only represents a constituency the size of Eugene, Ore. More perspective, you ask? If you combine the three council districts represented by Stardig, Cohen and Cisneros, these Wonder Women serve a population with 30,000 more people than the entire city of Baltimore. Combined, they represent 644,000 people, which is just 30,000 less than the entire city (or state, whatever you call it) of Washington,

D.C. Sure, the city of Houston graciously gives us at-large council representatives, but how many of you have ever had a problem on your street and phoned up the office of Amanda Edwards?

One more: If you add up all the council members, including district and at-large, Houston has a council of 16 people. With a city population of 2.3 million, that means each council member, on average, is responsible for almost 144,000 constituents.

In other words, each council member is responsible for a population the size of Syracuse, N.Y., and that city has nine council members.

In Houston, our elected officials each do the work of nine people in Syracuse.

The entire reason for sharing that information with you is to make this point: It’s very hard for Joe Citizens like me and you to get access to the people who are supposed to represent us. That’s not the fault of Stardig or Cohen or Cisneros or Amanda Edwards, for that matter.

That’s the way our city government works, and I don’t think they have room for another 30 chairs in council chambers.

What that also means is that most of us are left to fend for ourselves, hoping that we can cause enough of a stir to get some attention at City

Lynn Ashby Columnist

smell test, and has opened an investigation into Pai and his aides. Wonder if this story will make the Sinclair news?

But it is not a TV network like CNN, Fox or NBC. Sinclair owns or operates local stations including all the major networks affiliates, plus the CW, Univision to the WeatherNation. This allows Sinclair to control what you see on those stations. For example, the Friday, April 30, 2004, edition of “Nightline” consisted entirely of Ted Koppel reading aloud the names of some 700 U.S. servicemen and women killed in action in Iraq. But Sinclair, being an ultra-conservative voice that supported President George W. Bush and his Iraqi War, refused to broadcast that show, on its -- at that time -seven ABC affiliates. So viewers in those cities never saw the show.

A week later I try to watch my Sinclair station again.

“This is Chip Chap with the latest news about gun control, that commie liberal movement to take away your God-given right to own and shoot a 105 howitzer in your backyard if you wish.” Lordy, Sinclair is out-Foxing Fox. “But the mainstream media is shoveling out fake news. You can only rely on Chanel 0 for the truth.”

The network has a Terrorism Alert Desk which daily carries items aimed at scaring the bejesus out of its viewers, and there is commentary by Boris Epshteyn, a former Trump spokesman. Here’s an actual must-run: Sinclair stations guard against the “troubling trend of irresponsible, onesided news stories plaguing our country. The sharing of biased and false news has become all too common on social media.” The anchors give no specific examples. Needless to say, Trump tweeted that it was funny to watch “Fake News Networks” criticizing Sinclair for being biased.

Deadspin Media, a sports news site, posted a video showing dozens of news anchors reading the same script about “fake stories.” It is hilarious with all the blow-dried beautiful anchors, standing in front of sets reading KAAA and WWWW reciting exactly the same words as in a chorus. The 98-second video has already been seen by millions of people. MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” did a lengthy segment on the Deadspin video, showing the words being repeated by several robot-looking anchors.

Co-host Mika Brzezinski said she was surprised some of the local anchors didn’t refuse to read it. “This looks like something we would mock the Russians for doing during the days

be what makes this new director successful.

But in a grander scheme, what HHA has done through this decision is narrow our footprint of government, and I think that’s a fantastic thing for the people who live in the Heights. If this director can build relationships with city hall, and if this director can get the ear of Cohen and Cisneros, specifically, more homeowners -- the ones busy with their children and their jobs and their churches -- will have a point person to address their needs.

All government, they say, is local, and while I don’t know if Baldwin and HHA did this purposefully, I do think they’re taking the first step toward giving the people of the Heights a better quality of life.

Just having someone who can better manage the day-to-day functions of the Heights is a plus. But having one person who becomes a spokesperson for the Heights might just create a seamless pipeline to the men and women in city government who make decisions that impact our daily lives.

No, I don’t think HHA will redefine government through this decision. Yes, I do think they’ve made an enormous step toward better representation for the people who fund our government.

Email jonathan@theleadernews.com

Baldwin from P. 1A

Stations of the Crosshairs THE TV --“We’ll be back with more shootings, stabbings -- lots of yellow police tape -- and apartment fires. Speaking of stabs in the back, have you noticed how much fake news there is on television, in newspapers and social media?

You can’t trust the mainstream media, but you know who you can trust? President Donald Trump.”

What? In the middle of my 10 o’clock local news I’m getting this blatant sales pitch for the President? How can this be? The next night I turn on the same station. “Tired of being stuck in traffic, getting junk mail and lied to about global warming? I’m Chip Chap. We here at Channel 0 want you to know the truth instead of the fake news being put out daily, if not hourly, by the left-wing media. We feel as honest journalists that….”

“Chip?”

“Yes, Muffy?”

“Why are you reading this alt-right propaganda right in the middle of the program, and making it sound like news?”

“You didn’t get the memo?

Our bosses at Sinclair Broadcast Group have sent out orders that we insert their scripts in every news show, up to nine times a week. These pieces are called ‘must-runs’ because they are not a suggestion. It’s mandated, otherwise, as the CIA says, we will be terminated with extreme prejudice. There has been plenty of grumbling from the station manager on down, some are threatening to quit, but thus far no one has, and you know why.”

So it has come to this. There has been unprecedented press bashing, particularly under the Trump administration, but this is a new, and dangerous, wrinkle in the news biz. And who or what is the Sinclair Broadcast Group anyway? I never heard of it, so I check their website and discover it is a publicly traded American telecommunications company controlled by the family of company founder Julian Sinclair Smith. Based in Hunt Valley, Md., the company is the largest television station operator in the United States by number of stations, and largest by total coverage; owning or operating 193 TV stations -- including nine in Texas, but none in Houston, so far -- in 89 markets.

This number may grow. Sinclair is trying to buy Tribune Media, with 41 stations, for $3.9 billion. Sinclair’s stations currently cover one-third of America and, if the Tribune deal goes through, three-quarters of the nation will have a Sinclair station. Another biased news story, but true: The F.C.C. under Trump has loosened the rules governing how many TV stations any one company can own. This allows Sinclair to buy Tribune Media. The chairman of the FCC, Ajit Pai, led the charge for changing the rules, but the top internal watchdog for the commission found the whole deal and timing didn’t pass the

Hall.

And that leads us back to the Houston Heights Association, led by all-community personality Bill Baldwin, who has invested a dozen years trying to help build the Heights into something wonderful.

Earlier this week, if you didn’t see our front page story, Baldwin and HHA announced they are going to hire an executive director. I think this is absolutely brilliant, and I wish more of our neighborhoods could afford to do the same.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, because the role of this executive director will largely be to run the business of HHA. This person will plan galas and dinners and fun runs.

The new director, whoever it is, will beg for money and organize the spreading of mulch on playgrounds, and make sure there’s no trash on the esplanade.

But what this person also will do is serve as a conduit to public officials. Part of the job description laid out is to communicate with the Constable’s office on crime issues.

Another section of the job says the director will “Represent HHA across political subdivisions (city, county, TIRZ, and superneighborhood) in matters that impact the neighborhood...”

Yes, the main function of this new director is to promote the Houston Heights from within, and that will

of Pravda,” said co-host Joe Scarborough. Dan Rather’s website said that it was “sickening” to watch.

This just in: the network’s anchors can’t afford to quit.

If they leave before their contract is up, they can’t take another job in TV for six months, face mandatory arbitration and must pay back as much as 40 percent of their annual salary. That’s practically indentured servitude. I tune in to Sinclair one more time: “You can’t believe the mainstream media, which only presents warped and biased reports.

Right. Muffy? Oh, I’m being told Muffy quit because she can’t stand these must-runs from Sinclair. That’s gonna cost her a bunch.” Like the man said, there is “troubling trend of irresponsible, onesided news stories,” and I just watched one.

Ashby watches at ashby2@comcast.net

“Now we have five positions and we’re begging people to fill the last two.”

Baldwin doesn’t blame the shift in priorities, but he and the HHA board agreed last year that better management of the neighborhood association was a must. And as Baldwin serves out his last few months as president, he said it was necessary to develop a strategy for maintaining the integrity of the neighborhood. It’s so necessary, in fact, that the HHA

has decided to invest in this position, dipping into its reserves to pay the salary.

“We believe that with the right person, we can raise the profile of the neighborhood,” Baldwin said.

According to the job posting, “The ideal candidate is motivated by neighborhood preservation and a strong spirit of community engagement. An exceptional candidate is also very familiar with Houston Heights.”

Baldwin said the job will

be posted for six weeks, until the end of May. His hope is that interviews can begin in June, and the new executive director can start in July or August. And if he gets a dozen great candidates, Baldwin said the one thing that will set apart the best candidate is his or her understanding and familiarity of the Heights.

Any person interested in the position can email Baldwin at president@houstonheights.org.

The reader.

Can we scale online shopping to local?

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

Dear Editor: I would consider looking at and shopping on a local online market place. There are a lot of reasons why people shop on Amazon – selection, price, ease of returns, delivery time, reviews, monitoring of their vendors, timely problem resolution, ease of use of the platform, etc. If there is a local online source a lot will need to be considered to be sure it has a chance at success for all involved. It will need more than just a few loyal local customers to be successful.

Jan

Dear Editor: With two small children at home, and my spouse and I having full-time jobs, online shopping is so much more manageable. I would love a place where I could shop locally online with greater ease.

Kallie Benes Dear Editor: Maybe Amazon can help with that. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Worked for Kevin Durant.

Jeff Martin

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home 48. Egyptian god of life 50. Shaped into a sphere 52. Golfing stand 53. Red Sea straits 55. Swiss river 56. Hostelry 57. Indicates position 58. Inoculation 63. Slip by 65. Apple smartphone 66. Sheep cries 67. Affirmatives

dOwn

1. An inferior dog 2. 4th Caliph of Islam 3. Foot (Latin) 4. Relating to a people 5. Added sodium chloride 6. Perform something 7. Vientiane is the capital 8. Blemished 9. Roman 501 10. Keep up 11. Operator 13. Arbitrarily punished

15. 007’s creator 17. Gets up 18. Used to be United __ 21. Optical phenomenon of light waves 23. People supported broadcasting 24. Tap gently 27. With no brim or bill 29. Bulrushes 32. Educational test 34. Overweight 35. Musical composition 36. A religious recluse 39. Alt. of Tao 40. Heavyhearted 43. Brit. suspenders 44. Bodily structure protrusion 46. Sesame 47. 1/100 yen 49. About navy 51. Dali language 54. Celery cabbage 59. Winter time in Chicago 60. Annual percentage yield 61. Definite article 62. Operating system for 65 across 64. Pound (abbr.)

WORD SCRAMBLE

The Leader • Saturday, April 21, 2018 • Page 5A

The calendar.

GHACC FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL 411 W. 20th St. Come out to the second annual Food Truck Festival in the Heights from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. April 21.

There will be covered seating and some amazing food featuring 38 food trucks and 40 vendors.

Tickets can be purchased online for $5 through April 20, at 6 p.m. or $10 at the door. Free admission for kids 12 and under. To volunteer, contact Tiffany Salinas at info@heightschamber.org.

COMMUNITY DANCE SPJST Lodge 88 The SPJST Lodge 88, 1435 Beall St., will host the band Bayou Hot Shots, Cajun and Texas swing, from 8 p.m.-11:30 p.m. April 21.

The cost is $10 per person. Reservations are suggested, but not required. Reservations held only 30 minutes past start of dance.

Information: 713-869-5767, lodge88.org.

DAR DAY Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research Representatives from local DAR chapters will be at Clayton Library for consultation and help in preparing lineage papers for submission. No reservations required. DAR Day is from 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. April 21. Clayton Library monthly orientation is 10:15-11:30 a.m. April 21. Reservations are required. Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research is located at 5300 Caroline. Information: 832-393-2600, www.houstonlibrary.org.

drinks including beer and wine for adults. Kids get a soccer ball and goodies. Proceeds will benefit Field Elementary’s playscape initiative. The event will be from 2-5 p.m. April 22, at O Athletik, 767 N. Shepherd Dr. The cost is $40 for adults, $20 for children (ages 4+), and littles (ages 0-3) are free. Information: friendsoffield@ gmail.com, 713-816-2870.

HARVEY AFTERMATH UPDATE Norhill Neighborhood Association Join your neighbors to hear guest speaker Mark Collette, investigative reporter for the Houston Chronicle and co-writer of the seven–part series “Developing Storm”, at 6:30 p.m. April 24, at Proctor Plaza Community Center, 803 W. Temple. Collette will address the Norhill Neighborhood Association monthly general meeting and some of the big questions about Harvey. Neighboring communities of Norill are welcome. Information: facebook. com/pg/Norhill.org/posts/ KAGAN CELLARS CALIFORNIA WINE DINNER Rainbow Lodge Woodland Heights residents, Mark Ellenberg and Emily Trout have been making stellar California wine since 2008. Join us as we welcome Kagan Cellars (and our neighbors) for a very special wine dinner at 6:30 p.m. April 26, where Mark and Emily will launch the brand new 2014 vintage of their award winning Stagecoach Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The cost is $100 per person (includes dinner and wine). Reserve a spot by calling 713-861-8666 or email marc.borel@rainbow-lodge.com.

FIELD OF DREAMS O Athletik Join Friends of Field and Field PTO at O Athletik’s premier facility for Skills and Drills for kids with former Dynamo players (ages 4 and up), and family dodgeball and bubble soccer.

There will be light bites and

GARDEN TOUR Garden Conservancy and Peckerwood Garden Come experience four diverse, private Houston gardens with

the Garden Conservancy Open Day Tour that includes a garden habitat at 10037 Hazelhurst Dr. in Spring Branch; pollinators’ cafe and shade garden at 414 W. 13th St.; a sustainably green naturalized cottage garden at 2709 Albans in West University, and the Itchy Acres Artist Community, a multi-family landscape at 405 Martin. The tour is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 28. Tickets are $7 for single sight, and $24 for all four.

Information: gardenconservancy. org, peckerwoodgarden.org.

LENNAR GRAND OPENING Garden Oaks/Oak Forest Townhome community Lennar will host a grand opening of its newest in-town community, Neumann Oaks, April 28, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., when the homebuilder unveils its twostory townhomes in the gated setting at 5003 Lehman Oaks Dr. Free and open to the public, the grand opening will showcase the two new townhome models along with food trucks, live music and entertainment. Leashed dogs also are welcome to the pet-friendly event. Information: www/lennar. com/urbanlife.

EYE WITNESS TO WAR Heritage Society Museum The new exhibition in The Heritage Society Museum is A View from the Trenches: The Oberwetter World War I Collection will run through April 28. Images of war are powerful. Buildings crumbling, bridges blown to pieces, roads destroyed, and the men in uniform marching through it. These are the images photographed by a Texas man fighting in France during World War I. The museum is located at 1100 Bagby St. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

Admission to the museum gallery is free. Information: www.heritagesociety.org, 713-655-1912.

HOUSTON NEUROPATHY SUPPORT GROUP Memorial Drive United Methodist Church Colin Anderson, DO, MS will present Neuropathy 101. Anderson is a neurologist specializing in neuromuscular medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. The Neuropathy Alliance of Texas is a non-profit organization providing support and resources to anyone in Texas affected by neuropathy. Anyone affected by neuropathy - patients, caregivers, family and friends are welcome to attend. The group meets every 4th Saturday from 1-2:30 p.m. at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, 12955 Memorial Dr. The next meeting is April 28. Information: neuropathyalliancetx.org, 511-553-9130.

2018 SICKLE CELL EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE The Sickle Cell Association of Texas Connect and empower sickle cell disease patients and caregivers at the 2018 Sickle Cell Empowerment Conference, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 28, at Houston Community College, Conference Center, 2nd Floor, 3100 Main St. The cost is $25 (scholarships available). This patient education focused event will introduce disease awareness and advocacy tools to the underserved sickle cell disease community. Information: info@sicklecelltx.org, 1-844994-HOPE. HERITAGE REPUBLICAN WOMEN Candlelight Church of Christ Houston City Council Member At Large 1, Mike Knox will speak about shenanigans at City Hall.

Republican Senatorial District 15 Committeeman Vergel Cruz and Committeewoman Gayle Stanart will speak about the State Convention in San Antonio on

June 22. The meeting will be held at Candlelight Church of Christ, 4215 Watonga, at 7 p.m. May 3.

Light refreshments will be served.

Men are also welcome to attend.

Information: 713-688-3256, 713682-0496.

SENIOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Memorial Hermann Greater Heights, 1635 N. Loop W., offers health screenings and question and answer sessions with doctors from various specialties. Join the group for a low-impact Tai Chi demonstration. Lunch is provided

by Memorial Hermann Greater Heights. The fair is from 11 a.m.1 p.m. May 3. Transportation is provided at 10:15 a.m. at Oaks Presbyterian Church. Information: hcp4.net/community/sap/events.

2018 EDUCATION LUNCHEON Greater Heights Area Community Fund This annual event hosts the presentation of scholarships to local high school students, educator of the year and students entering military service. Emcee and special guest is Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, guest speaker is Richard Voorhies, Commander of American Legion Garden Oaks Post 560. The luncheon will be from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. May 21, at Sheraton Houston Brookhollow Hotel, 3000 N. Loop W. Information: 713-861-6735, events@ heightschamber.org.

VIRTUAL DEMENTIA TOUR Belmont Village Hunters Creek Discover what living with dementia is really like with this Virtual Dementia Tour. This life-changing experience will give the insight and empathy needed to provide better person-centered care. The 20-minute tour is from 10 a.m.-noon, May 3, at

Teacher VBS Workshop at Greater First Baptist Greater First Baptist Church, 4441 Haygood St., will hold a Teacher Vacation Bible School Workshop from 9

a.m.-noon April 21. The community is welcome to attend.

The theme is, “GodSquad Special agents in action.”

Pastor is Rev. Rory L. Thompson Sr. Call 713-695-7061 for information.

Blood Drive at Zion Lutheran Zion Lutheran Church in the Heights, 3606 Beauchamp, will hold a Blood Drive from 9:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m. April 22.

Call 713-869-1493 for information.

Senior Event at First Baptist Church Heights First Baptist Church Heights, 201 E. 9th St., will host a senior event from 10:30-11:30 a.m. April 24, in the fellowship hall. Guest speaker is Lynette Jackson of Concordia Insurance will discuss Medicare and more.

Upcoming events include: Grief Share Ministry is 7:30-9 p.m. May 4. Single’s Ministry: Sacred Sex with Pastor David is 10-11:30 a.m. May 5.

“Standing in the Gap” - Abortion Ministry is from 1-3 p.m. in the fellowship hall. “Homes4Haiti Benefit Concert” is from 5-7 p.m. May 5.

Call 713-861-3102 for information.

Night of Worship at Oak Forest Baptist Oak Forest Baptist, 1700 W. 43rd St., will host A Night of Worship presenter by The New Heights Christian Academy Honor Choir. The performance will be from 7:30-8:30 p.m. April 26, in the main sanctuary. This is a free family event.

Fifth Sunday Singing will be at 4:15 p.m. April 29, and will feature the Gospel Express Quartet. A fellowship will follow after the concert.

Call 713-682-4942 for information.

Fifth Sunday Worship at St. Matthew’s St. Matthew’s will hold 5th Sunday Worship at 10:17 a.m. April 29. The community is welcome. There will be a potluck lunch in the fellowship hall after worship. Bring a favorite dish to share (not required).

St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church is located at 4300 N. Shepherd Dr. Call 713-6970671 or visit the Facebook page or the website at www. stmatthewsmethodist.org.

Heights Interfaith Ministries Food Pantry to hold fundraiser Heights Interfaith Ministries Food Pantry will hold their fundraising Garden Patch Party, from 6-9 p.m. May 5.

Tickets are $10 each.

Zion Lutheran Church is located at 3606 Beauchamp. For information or to purchase tickets, call 713-447-7624.

Women’s Bible Study Group meets at the YMCA The Women’s Bible Study meets at 6:30 p.m. every Monday at the Harriet and Joe Foster YMCA, 1234 W. 34th St. The new Bible study begins on the Book of Daniel.

There will be Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. Guests and new members are welcome to attend this non-denominational Bible study.

Email scripturesharing@ earthlink.net for information or call 713-516-4282.

Men’s Scripture Sharing Group meets at the YMCA The Men’s Scripture Sharing Group meets at 7 a.m. every Thursday at the Harriet and Joe Foster YMCA, 1234

CHURCH Pastor C. David Harrison 201 E. 9th St. • 713-861-3102 www.fbcheights.org

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THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS Theatre Suburbia A family, a pregnancy, and a revealing pre-natal test. If your parents knew everything about you before you were born, would you be here? That is the question posed in Jonathan Tollin’s controversial dramedy, “The Twilight of the Golds.” The show runs through May 12, with Friday and Saturday performances at 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. (April 29 and May 6, only) at Theatre Suburbia, 4106 Way Out West.

Reservations are strongly encouraged. Tickets are $16 for adults, $13 for students and seniors, and $13 for Sunday Matinees. Information: www.theatresuburbia. org, 713-682-3525.

From the Pews.

Spring Artisan Market at St. Stephen’s St. Stephen’s will host the Spring Artisan Market, benefiting the Animal Justice League of Oak Forest, Saturday, April 21, from 9 a.m.4 p.m. in the west sanctuary parking lot. The event will include vendors selling a variety of mostly handmade items, food trucks, live music and fun!

The sermon series entitled, “Yeah, but What About…?”, will continue Sundays through May 6. The idea behind the series is to engage more deeply questions that connect with the doubts and fears that keep many away from faith. This Sunday, April 22, the question asked will be, “What About Everything Learned through Science?” All are welcome.

St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church is located at 2003 W. 43rd St. For information, call 713-686-8241 or visit www.stsumc.org and the church’s Facebook page.

Belmont Village Hunters Creek, 7667 Woodway Dr. Appointments recommended. Information: 713781-1505.

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his world is full of unwanted people. Living in a city we see the panhandlers asking for money on the street corner. Nursing homes are full of people that no one ever visits. A child feels unwanted when they are ignored by their parents. A spouse feels unwanted when their mate never comes home and finds their happiness and friendship with other people. I believe that everyone has a desire to be wanted, to be needed.

Unwanted people will often hide away from other people to try and lessen their pain.

In John 4 the Bible records a story of a woman who was unwanted by her society. She had to come by herself to draw water from the well because the other women in the city did not want to be around her. She was known for her bad choices and no one wanted to associate with her. When she came to get water, Jesus was waiting for her. He asked her for a drink and then offered her a drink that would make her never thirst again. She asked how she could get this living water. Jesus told her that He was the source of living water. Jesus wanted to help an unwanted person. He wants to help every person, wanted or unwanted by society. Jesus loves all and died for all. Even His disciples when they returned from getting food in the village wondered what Jesus had been doing. Most people ignore the unwanted people in our world. I am thankful that we have a Savior that wants you and He wants me.

He is not willing that any should perish that all should come to repentance.

Page 6A • Saturday, April 21, 2018 • The Leader

Making a case for pet adoption over buying from breeder choose a pet from foster care. The same can not be said of a puppy from a breeder. Additionally, it is common for pure-bred animals to show up in animal shelters too, so you can talk to the folks at the animal shelter, tell them what you’re looking for and they can alert you if that breed of dog becomes available.

Cost It is often quite costly to get a pet from a breeder. According to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the going rate for a purebred dog from a breeder can easily cost from $500 well into the thousands of dollars.

This fee often doesn’t include vaccinations or spay/neuter surgery.

When you adopt an animal from a shelter or rescue, the rate can be as low as $50 (sometimes even lower during special shelter promotions) and includes all vetting and sterilization.

“Hybrid Vigor” Best Friends also informs us of the concept of “hybrid vigor,” wherein mixed breed dogs tend to be healthier and cost you less at

Dear Tabby, We are planning to get a dog this summer and we are having a debate in our home about whether we should find our new dog through a reputable breeder or if we should look into adopting from a shelter or rescue group. Any advice?

Debating Adoption in Acres Homes Dear Debating Adoption, Your family’s debate is a fairly common one. There are certainly people who would only consider getting a pet through a breeder, then there are those who couldn’t fathom doing anything but adopting. From a personal standpoint, I always advocate for adopting, so I’ll do my best to nudge you in that direction.

Breed-Specific Rescue For starters, since you are exploring going through a breeder, I’m guessing that you have a specific breed of dog in mind. If that is the case, a good alternative for you would be to seek out breedspecific rescue groups. There are rescue groups that cater to most every breed of dog out there-most of them even with a presence in Texas. A quick internet search should put you directly in touch with a rescue group who will have the exact breed you are looking for with, oftentimes, a mix of young and older animals to choose from.

These dogs are often in foster care prior to adoption, where they’ve been assessed on personality and health, so you’ll likely know exactly what you’re getting when you

the vet than purebred dogs, due to this principle. According to Best Friends, “many purebred dogs are prone to developing health problems ranging from breathing difficulties to hip dysplasia to an enlarged heart.” A healthy dog will cost you less money over time and set your mind at ease.

The reasons that I support adopting over going through a breeder are numerous and too many to list here. Just remember that, when you adopt, you are saving a life and creating more space to help other animals in need. The United States has a huge animal overpopulation issue and any part that you can play in helping shelters and rescue groups really adds up to make a big difference in your community and the world. It just doesn’t get any better than that, does it?

Have a burning question for Tabby? Email her at deartabby questions@gmail.com.

Pet of the Week Speaking of adoption...meet George George is an all-star at Friends For Life. George has impeccable house manners and knowns lots of commands. He is crate trained and doesn’t even get into mischief when left alone. While he is a natural athlete and loves a brisk walk and playing fetch, George also knows the value of a good nap in the sun and a major snuggle sesh with his people.

To learn more about George, visit www.friends4life.org.

GOMO from P. 1A According to businessbankruptcies.com, Johnie J. Patterson of Walker and Patterson, P.C. will represent the organization in the bankruptcy proceedings. Multiple attempts to reach Patterson prior to press time were unsuccessful.

Every time a home sells in Garden Oaks, title companies add a transfer fee on top of the sales price. That fee, which is .75 percent of the purchase price or appraisal by HCAD, must be paid at closing. And for some residents,

GOMO’s intentions are exactly the issue – they believe the money should be sent back to its original source as opposed to being used for lawsuits or otherwise.

“I have owned properties in Bellaire, West University and the Heights. Not until I bought property in Garden Oaks have I ever been forced to join a homeowner’s association! Buyers were forced to pay a percentage of the property value up front, to a now illegitimate AND bankrupt organization.” one resident said

following the recent community meeting. “GOMO’s bankruptcy attorney made it clear to all homeowners his priority was to represent GOMO, NOT the homeowners. His job, he explained, is to help GOMO retain possession of as much of that $600,000 as possible,” he added. “We deserve our money back! We should take note from our neighboring communities, like the Heights and Oak Forest, in that the homeowners associations memberships are voluntary.”

Home from P. 1A work, she did not have the time to engage in the documentation required. That didn’t mean that a concern for the environment didn’t drive most of the decisions in construction.

The biggest decision was the one to add a geothermal system to their home. According to an explanation in the Geo-Heat Centre Quarterly Bulletin, this system uses the earth as a heat source in the winter and a heat sink in the summer. It takes advantage of the moderate temperatures in the ground to boost efficiency and reduce the operational costs of heating and cooling systems, and can be combined with solar power Contributed photo to form a geosolar system.

The digging of the wells for the geothermal system was an excitFor the Murata-Bunge ing time in the construction. family, this meant that they had six different wells drilled light. over materials. An ordered down 250 feet on the side “It was just being conscious door that turned out to be the of their property. The wells during the design,” said Mu- wrong size was remade as were then looped together. rata. “We didn’t have to build a workbench. Even the two The payoff of this system is an extra covered patio.” homes that were demoed to that the electricity and gas The home’s insulation is make way for the new one bills for their 4,000 square not based on 2x4 construc- were stripped by Habitat for foot house are less than their tion but 2x6 framed exterior Humanity, who offered the former 1,600 square foot resi- walls - giving an additional harvest in their home store dence. two inches of insulation. The and used it in their construcInstead of the two tankless extra insulation contributes tion. hot water heaters originally to the heating and cooling “We didn’t use a green specked for a home of this cost savings. builder,” said Murata. “We size, the family just has one When the couple was knew what we wanted.” that functions in the tradi- building the home, the cost tional manner, and a holding of LED lighting was 50 per- Building trend? tank that stores and pulls pre- cent higher than now, so Dara Child is a green home heated water from the ground they didn’t install it then, but builder who has been working in the geothermal system. as lights go out, they are re- in The Leader area for years.

“The tankless heater placed with LED bulbs. In the His company, Solution 4 Livdoesn’t have to work as bathroom, they used fluoresing, specializes in providing hard,” said Murata. cent lights which were inex- green architecture and living There was also a federal pensive, but did not use much solutions. tax credit for the system energy.

He said that there are which will allow the family to Some of the environmen- about a dozen builders like pay off the investment in five tal choices were also aesthethim in Austin but not as many years with the energy cost ic, as Murata used Japanese in Houston. savings. design techniques, such as Child said clients care a There was not the same shou-sugi-ban, in which she lot about insulation and non credit incentive to do solar burned the wood used as sidVOC (volatile organic compower on the roof, something ing on the home. pound) paints. He said they that Murata said they would “We will never have to also express an interest in have loved to have done too. paint or stain it,” she said. small homes.

“The state of Texas doesn’t As the mill wanted to “People ask about solar support solar the way that charge Murata $25,000 for and then typically lose interother states do,” she said. the service, she decided to do est when they understand the The geothermal system it herself. cost,” he said. may have been the highest “When you burn the wood, Realtor Bill Baldwin shared upfront cost, but it’s not the it changes, and you get the a recent listing on Arlington end of the home’s features. deep rich color of the stain,” Street in the Heights designed The eight foot overhangs she said. “It’s also insect and

by John Rogers of Rogers & around the first floor exterior fire resistant.”

LaBarthe Architects. Marketensures that very limited diVery few materials were ing materials tout the home’s rect sun reaches the house. thrown away. Murata used green features, including a This is very important as the extra siding on the fireplace rain catchment system and home has many windows to and made a bedroom set and solar panels. take advantage of the natural additional art from other left

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The Leader • Saturday, April 21, 2018 • Page 7A

Big Fix Houston coming soon

By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader In 2017, The Leader broke the news that Houston City Councilwoman Karla Cisneros, District H, had organized a remarkable effort. The councilwoman united disparate elements and helped form “Unity for a Solution,” to offer a citywide “free spay and neuter day” to reduce the number of homeless pets roaming our city’s streets. Last year’s event, called “Big Fix Houston,” was such a success that the councilwoman and her volunteers are doing it again. On Saturday, April 28, 2018, a target of 1,000 pet-owners will sign up.

This collaboration between public agencies, civic leaders, businesses, and nonprofit animal rescue groups offers inroads in the fight against animal overpopulation. The project is focusing on nine areas of Houston with the greatest need and highest density of homeless animals.

A week in advance, residents in these areas will receive a mailer announcing a sign-up location. Volunteers will be stationed at these locations to help educate and provide the vouchers for spay or neuter surgery, vaccinations and micro-chipping, services provided through cooperating private veterinary services and the Houston’s animal shelter, or BARC. “The first year of Big Fix Houston, our objective was to serve 600 animals. We wound up serving 1,156,” stated Gloria Zenteno, Founder of Barrio Dogs rescue group and community lesion for District H. “Spending time with the owners, I learned that these folks understand the importance of spay and neuter surgery but lack resources. In some parts of the city, there aren’t even veterinarians to perform the surgeries.

“I also learned how grateful the owners are for the help. These people love their animals deeply. Most know their four-legged family mem-

In our community since 1996

Are you at one with nature?

Contributed photo Julia Long (front, center) and her volunteers are raising big dollars for Big Fix Houston to help stop the city’s pet overpopulation problem. Residents wishing to give can donate via the project’s website or dropping by The Purple Cat.

bers will live longer, healthier lives, roam less frequently, and make better pets afterward,” Zenteno concluded.

This year, there has been an additional exciting development for Big Fix Houston. It takes about $100,000 to underwrite the effort raised by citizens, businesses, rescue groups and the city. In 2018, “The Love Molly Fund,” the same nonprofit agency that operates The Purple Cat Resale and Thrift at 2128 W. 34th St., is offering to match donations to Big Fix up to $20,000.

Founder and store owner Julia Long also decided to donate 100 percent of the proceeds of the shop’s sales in April and May. This act of generosity has the possibility if raising almost half of the cost if the entire Big Fix Houston day.

“The Love Molly Board of Trustees decided that this is the way to go in the future. We all do animal rescue work, but after years of that, we have concluded that the best approach to solving Houston’s pet overpopulation is stopping it before it starts – spay and neutering. Big Fix Houston is all about that solution, so it makes perfect sense,” Long stated.

Both Councilwoman Cisneros and Councilman Robert Gallegos of District I have contributed $10,000 to 2018’s

Big Fix budget. Cisneros also donated a $10,000 animal transport truck to the city’s shelter so that pets at BARC can be taken to remote adoption events to increase the probabilities of their rehoming.

Cisneros is an animal lover, but that is not the sole motivation for her commitment.

“Yes, I do love animals, but more importantly, I love Houston. Our city is made up of neighborhoods and communities, and some of them experience serious stray dog and feral cat issues. It not something you will find in River Oaks or West University, but in District H, some of our citizens suffer the consequences, as do the homeless dogs and cats. This is a good step toward relieving that suffering,” the Councilwoman concluded.

How can you help? Go to www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/thelovemollyfund/bigfix-houston-2018 and make a donation. None are too small and every $1 you donate becomes $2. Or stop by the Purple Cat and take home an antique cookie jar, name brand jeans, or a rehomed painting.

Thanks to Councilmembers Cisneros and Gallegos, Julia Long, wonderful businesses, caring medical professionals and an army of volunteers, all your purchases are a part of the solution.

Here at New Roots Landscaping, our mission is to ensure the authenticity and beauty of your landscaping needs. Longtime owner, Jim Ruzicka, shares his professional vision by using only organic materials and environmentally friendly practices. Even our products for retail are organic. We can guarantee we have something here to help your landscape thrive Come Visit our Green House beautifully.

Our shop contains a nursery, fully equipped with herbs, citrus trees, mosquito repellent plants, butterfly/hummingbird attractive plants, succulents, and even a selection of hanging baskets. You may even request our workers to make a pot for you with the plants you’ve selected. Step inside for our unique selection of antiques and art to accompany your new and improved yard design. Your vision is our promise here at New Roots.

Suggested Organic Products Beneficial Nematodes

Beneficial Nematodes seek out and kill over 200 species of pest insect in the soil and will have no affect on un-harmful species such as lady bugs and earthworms. Nematodes stay viable for weeks when refrigerated at 37º to 50ºF. They also tolerate being mixed with various other insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers. We have Beneficial Nematodes in stock for $39.99.

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The longevity of a bottle of Super Thrive is outstanding. 2 Fl.Oz. can be stretched out to have at least 30 uses before you return to purchase it again. Super Thrive contains multiple non-toxic vitamins for your plants to encourage their thriving in the best condition internally. We sell 2 Fl.Oz and 4 Fl.Oz bottles for $8 and $14 dollars.

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Page 8A • Saturday, April 21, 2018 • The Leader

Young entrepreneur’s mealworm business a hit

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

While perusing the local honey, homemade soap, and fresh eggs at the Farm Stand at Petrol Station one might walk right by a boy in a camo hat and a small table full of worms. The boy is second grader Gavin Guy and he’s the small business creator of The Worm Guy. His venture into the mealworm business all began after reading the back of a bag of dried mealworms his family had bought for their chickens at home.

“First, we got mealworms for our chickens, dried meal worms, and I looked at the back to see where they’re coming from—China. So, then we decided, nope we’re not getting [dried] mealworms [anymore],” said Guy. His dad, Doug Guy, explained, “He didn’t like the fact that it was coming from China because we don’t know what

Photo by Zarah Parker The Worm Guy, Gavin Guy, selling his live mealworms and frass at the Farm Stand at Petrol Station, 938 Wakefield Dr.

they feed their mealworms.

And then you’re feeding it to your chickens, so you have no idea what’s going in their body.”

They decided the best solution to their problem was to begin breeding mealworms at homes. Guy and his dad searched different pet stores to find live mealworms, but none of the stores carried any.

Petsmart did have a mealworm called the “super worm,” but

it’s unable to reproduce, which made it useless to them.

After a lot of research, help from his mom, and some beetles, Guy began to cultivate his mealworm farm and soon they found themselves with more than they ever needed. Guy, even at eight years old, has an entrepreneurial spirit. Just last year he had set up a lemonade stand, so with too many mealworms, he saw the chance to provide a quality product

to others in need. Now, he’s out there at the Farm Stand at Petrol Station, which is open every Saturday, selling his mealworms and Frass, which is mealworm poop. “[Mealworms] are used for any reptiles that eat worms,” said Guy, “[Frass] is for helping your garden.”

Mealworms are also great for fish and chickens. When Guy feeds his chickens at home he says they get so excited knowing he has mealworms that they chase him around the yard just like a dog.

Guy runs a tight ship, having fired his dad as the facilitator thirty-five times, and only rehired him twelve. “He’s an entrepreneur, he gets serious about his worms. He posts on Facebook, responds to his customers, and he’s got regular clients that he delivers to every Saturday,” said Doug Guy. “He makes money every weekend, he saves some and he spends some, and he has his own wallet.”

Local garage offers hybrid services

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

In an age where global environmental change and our impact on it is constantly at the forefront, more are buying electric vehicles or hybrids.

And though they differ from traditional cars, these need maintenance too -- and a local garage is the area’s go-to stop for servicing these cars.

The most pronounced negative effects of car engines on the environment is smog-producing gases. Smog is most often evident in large metropolitan areas, where thousands of cars are smashed together like sardines, and is always present in our city of millions. To that end, hybrid cars tend to give off fewer emissions than their counterparts. Adolf Hoepfl Garage owner Kathryn van der Pol and her husband drive a hybrid themselves, while the garage is one of a select few in the area with technicians cer-

tified to service these hybrid vehicles, employing three L-1 certified technicians.

“It’s neat technology, and in a lot of ways, hybrids are better than electric cars, because those must be charged on the electrical grid – if people drove purely electric vehicles, we wouldn’t be able to operate anything else. Our grid isn’t designed to support millions of cars needing to be recharged,” van der Pol said.

While one could go into numerous details on differences between standard-engine vehicles and their hybrid counterparts, the main difference boils down to its operating system. “Normal” cars tend to rely on the internal combustion engine alone; whereas new--age hybrids combine the old-school methods with modern technologies in order to reduce emissions. Hybrid batteries regenerate by taking heat of the braking system when the brake is pressed,

and shooting it into the battery. The electric battery is recharged completely by waste heat and energy from the conventional engine.

And though these vehicles differ from your normal style, they must be kept up the same as traditional vehicles. Armed with their new hybrid battery tester, Adolf Hoepfl can now test any 2009 or older hybrid for a battery health report - because a weak battery can cause lost fuel economy. The garage is offering a free inspection to the first 10 people who call for a reservation “I think hybrids are a superior system, because they use a minimum amount of fuel, and they’re great driving vehicles,” van der Pol said. “Over time, if you maintain them and keep them up to date, they’re better.

Not only would we use less fuel, there would be a lot fewer repairs than most people must get nowadays.”

With the money he uses, Guy supports other vendors at the Farm Stand by buying things like honey and soap.

With the money he saves he puts into a collection for a family trip to Disneyland. Soon The Worm Guy may be collab-

orating with Amy Williams of Underhill Urban Farms, who was profiled by The Leader in March, to expand his market reach. For now, find him at the Farm Stand at Petrol Station for fresh mealworms and allnatural frass.

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Hybrid Vehicle Repair Center Since we have begun servicing hybrid vehicles, we are very excited to announce that we have a new hybrid battery tester! Spread the word that anyone with a 2009 or older hybrid can bring in their vehicle for a hybrid battery health report. Lost fuel economy may be caused by a weak battery and those hybrids are ideal candidates for this test. Even if the vehicle is still under manufacturer’s warranty, Adolf Hoepfl Garage can help you if the hybrid is not performing to your expectations. This test is very quick and you will know in a matter of minutes the condition of the hybrid battery. Because we have this new tool, we are offering a free inspection to the first 10 people who call for a reservation.

FRee

Hybrid Car Battery Inspection

Because we have this new tool, we are offering a free inspection to the first 10 people who call for a reservation.

Limited Offer Call Today!

www.AdolfHoepfl.com 713.960.4538 • 4610 N. Shepherd HOURS: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 5:30 pm • Saturday 8:00 am - 4:00pm