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Saturday, June 13, 2015 • Vol. 60 • No. 32 Leader Small Display_Silva NEW PHOTO.indd 4/17/15 2:04 1 PM
Woodland Heights residents propose new route for METRO bus By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com
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Residents of the Woodland Heights community and surrounding neighborhoods are hoping Metro board members might consider revising a proposed change to a bus route through the neighborhood as part of the organization’s larger reimagining of its bus services. The inside of Metro’s board room was once again packed with concerned and sometimes fuming residents from across the Houston area, however the June 6 public meeting played host to many from Woodland Heights and 2100 Memorial, a mixedincome senior community with a large number of residents who rely on Metro transportation. While there is some praise for Metro’s willingness to adjust its bus services, others like Phil Teague, who penned a petition along with other Woodland Heights
residents feel more work needs to be done. “So many people are affected by the rerouting of the buses and there have been so many stating that their livelihood depends on their bus route,” Teague said. For others, like the members of the Woodland Heights Civic Association, revised bus routes mean a host of other issues. Teague saus Metro’s current proposal of continuing the #30 bus along West 11th, Pecore, Watson, Bayland and Houston Avenue would result in numerous traffic issues. Teague and other residents argue that those living along Studewood, White Oak, Taylor, Sawyer and the high-rises along Memorial Drive would be cut off from a direct route into downtown and also from a route which services the Target shopping complex at Sawyer Heights Village. The proposal would also hinder the See Buses, P. 3A
Contributed Photo According to resident Phil Teague, the limited turning circle of buses means that the turn from Pecore onto Watson (pictured) must also run over the northbound lane at the intersection. Cars waiting to turn are often forced to reverse to allow enough room for the bus to complete its turn.
Sun shines on ‘Fun Run’
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Saluting Dad As Father’s Day approaches, The Leader reached out to area youngsters to hear in their own words what they love most about their dad.
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Shady Acres residents vie for four-way stop at West 26th, Bevis
Bikes For Excellence
By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com
Now in its ninth year, organizers with the Bikes For Excellence Foundation are celebrating yet another year of giving hundreds of HISD students entering middle school brand new bikes. The initiative had humble beginnings, but Maria Patricia Jaimes, founder and teacher specialist at Stevens Elementary, is already looking forward to its tenth year.
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Runners of all ages lace up for 30th annual Heights Fun Run By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com
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Our Health In this month’s edition of Our Health, read all about Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital’s stroke treatment, how to recognize West Nile Virus and Heat Exhaustion and the alwayspopular food inspections reports.
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The sounds of cheering and running shoes hitting the pavement filled the air along Heights Boulevard June 6 as the Houston Heights Association held its 30th Annual Heights Fun Run and Kids 1k. While the recent threat of rain had some fearful for race day, over a thousand runners of all ages enjoyed the event, taking home door prizes, medals and letting loose a whole lot of energy – not to mention sweat, as temperatures rose to a high of 92 degrees during the day.
Race Director Damian Ogier said the turnout ran comparable to previous years, with a lot of late sign ups likely due to concerns about the weather and recent flooding. “We’re probably looking at over 1,200 runners for this year’s event,” Ogier said. “About 150 to 175 of those are kids and we’re trying harder every year to bring the kids out running and they can bring their parents for a family event.” Ogier said part of the appeal to some of the more competitive runners is that it is a fast course. HHA is also marketing the event more online to appeal to
Photos by Jonathan Garris (Top) Youngsters received plenty of high fives on their way to the finish line at the end of the Kids 1k run at the 30th annual Heights Fun Run. (Bottom) The Harris County Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen also handed out police badge stickers to youngsters througout the morning. The Constable’s Office also provided security for the event.
participants across the region. “We didn’t do a whole lot differently this year, but the challenge is how we want to
grow our base,” Ogier said. “We also really want people to come out and see the See Run, P. 8A
A group of Shady Acres residents say they are fed up with the accidents and speeding at the corner of West 26th Street and Bevis Street and are hoping the city will add new stop signs to create a four-way stop. While stop signs currently control traffic traveling north and south, residents say drivers continuously run these signs, leading to accidents. A stop sign going east and west would likely help alleviate this issue, residents say. Officials with the Houston Police Department had five reported minor accidents from mid-April until early June. A posting on See Click Fix drew the attention of those neighboring the intersection, including Curt Blanton. “I live right at this intersection and I hear people slamming their brakes on almost a daily basis,” Blanton said in the comment section. “A stop sign would prevent many accidents and close calls.” Shady Acres Civic Club President Nancy Wilcox said the intersection has been a troubling spot for neighbors and local drivers. “With the amount of construction going on and the amount of people who fly down West 26th Street, it has become a pretty nasty intersection,” Wilcox said. Sandy Wing and her husband Mike Wing have both been pushing hard for the city to consider establishing fourway stops at a number of intersections throughout the area. Sandy Wing said she has worked on submitting requests to the city’s 3-1-1 service for potential See Stop, P. 8A
Allen Statues a labor of love over 75 years in the making By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com If statues of Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen are erected at the City Hall entrance come this August, just in time for the 179th anniversary of Houston’s founding, Lynna Kay Shuffield and her supporters will consider their mission accomplished. That’s because the statues of Houston’s founders have been a privately funded en-
deavor, and a passion project for genealogist and city senior paralegal Shuffield ever since she stumbled on a 1939 issue of the Houston Press regarding proposed statues of the brothers. “I was doing research about my great grandfather, and I came across this,” said Shuffield, who is also the president of the local chapter 440 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The article was about how the city had run out of
money to erect two bronze statues on the terrace of City Hall, as architect Joseph Finger had intended. “There is no money left in the city hall bond fund,” Mayor Oscar Holcombe told the Press. “It has all been spent or otherwise allocated.” In 2014 the tale wasn’t much different. Although the City of Houston passed See Statues, P. 6A
Contributed Photo Artist Lori Betz, with J.K. Allen, said that she used historical information about the brothers’ personalities to determine how they should be attired.
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