Mosquitos
Sale
Inside Today: Liberty Kitchen opens in Garden Oaks • Page 7B
Fleas
Store Wide 30-50% off
Ticks
We make outside fun again!
Call Today For Free QuoTe
713-864-8888 www.mosquitojoe.com
Flower & Gift Shop
Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston
10570 NW Frwy • 713-680-2350
Saturday, June 18, 2016 • Vol. 62 • No. 25
About Us 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd Suite A (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.
Buying Or Selling
I would love to help!
eileen
Gamel Hartman
713.305.5036
eileenhartman@kw.com 5050 Westheimer Suite 200
Realtor® Heights Specialist & Oak Forest Resident
Texas Children’s Pediatrics relocating Heights clinic By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com Another healthcare heavy hitter will soon have a new home in the Heights. Dan Braun confirmed this week that Braun Enterprises has signed a long term lease with Texas Children’s Pediatrics who will operate an approximate 3,000-square-foot Texas Children’s Urgent Care and 10,000-square-foot Texas Children’s Pediatric clinic at 23rd and Yale Street joining the brick and mortar location of Bernie’s Burger Bus. Texas Children’s Hospital Public Relations Specialist Caroline Timm said that the new site will replace the current location at 2600 North Loop West Fwy. At the current Texas Children’s Pediatrics clinic, there are six physicians, and this number will expand when the
new location opens. The Urgent Care will have a physician and advanced practice provider available each day. “It will include a larger space that will allow Texas Children’s Pediatrics to continue providing the best care to the quickly growing pediatric population in The Heights community,” said Timm, noting that the Yale location will also maximize accessibility to Heights families. Construction is scheduled to begin in September 2016 with a projected opening in March 2017. Timm said that the Texas Children’s Urgent Care will provide pediatric care for patients. “When the Texas Children’s Pediatrics clinic closes each day, the Urgent Care clinic will be available to provide specialized after-hours care,” said Timm. Physicians at Texas Children’s Ur-
gent Care will be able to diagnose and treat a wide variety of ailments, illnesses and conditions, including: asthma, strep throat, fever, minor burns, influenza, ear infections, allergic reactions and more. Procedures provided at the clinic will include: antibiotic injections, breathing treatments, fracture care and splinting, IV (intravenous) fluids, lab services, laceration repair and Xrays onsite. It will be open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 8:30 to 11 a.m. Texas Children’s Urgent Care will be open Monday through Friday, from 4:30-11 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, from noon-8 p.m. “We are thrilled to open our new Texas Children’s Pediatric clinic and See Pediatrics P. 7A
The Next Step
Lauren Worrall
512.585.1476
worrallproperties.com
g i n g e r a n d f o r k r e s ta u r a n t. c o m
See our ad 9A 4705 Inker St. 713-861-8883
Photo by Jonathan Garris Students learn essential social skills inside new classrooms at The Down Syndrome Academy just west of Oak Forest. The organization expanded several thousand square feet into unoccupied space last month.
By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com
Barbecue Bonanza What makes great barbecue? Turn to our special Food & Drink section this month for some tasty insights with some help from local businesses and readers.
Find it on 1B
The INDEX. Church....................................................... 6A Classifieds.............................................. 4B Coupons. ................................................. 5A Food/Drink/Art................................... 1B Obituaries.............................................. 2A Opinion. ................................................... 4A Public Information......................... 2A Puzzles...................................................... 4A
Friends of Down Syndrome president Rosa Rocha is declaring “Mission Accomplished” for the first phase of the expansion of The Down Syndrome Academy. After only 18 months at its current home at 5200 Mitchelldale, Suite D4, Rocha says the group added 2,500 square feet to the facility, providing plenty of room for the expansion of programs and the number of students. The organization first started in January 2014 with 17 students and now serves over 60 across 7,500 square feet of teaching space, Rocha said. “We officially moved into this new space on June 1,” Rocha said. “The process took three months to complete what we set out to do. The space we had was an open warehouse
Find it on 1B
By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com
Down Syndrome Academy completes first phase of expansion
INSIDE.
Issue
Controversies brew over Oak Forest, Garden Oaks deed restriction issues
3414 WASHINGTON AVE FEASTURBANEATS.COM
Brunch with us!
For the local grillers to do-it yourself. Make your Summer a sizzler with our
space that had to be converted into classrooms.” These rooms will help broaden programs like music and physical education and Rocha said the academy is offering a six week-long curriculum focused on teaching those with Down’s Syndrome about personal space and how each social circle they form can determine the level of physical contact most appropriate for them. “For people with disabilities, this is very important,” Rocha said. “If they don’t learn those concepts they can’t protect themselves.” Like all major upgrades, the new expansion comes at a price with an additional $2,500 a month needed for rent. Fortunately, Rocha said the organization has seen continSee Academy P. 7A
Both Garden Oaks and Oak Forest now find themselves with controversies involving deed restrictions, with a ruling finally issued in a lawsuit in the former and one potential issue brewing in the latter. The long-awaited ruling in the legal battle between a Garden Oaks family and the Garden Oaks Maintenance Organization found that, although a garage built at the family’s home violated the neighborhood’s deed restrictions, the group charged with enforcing those restrictions did not have the power to do so. According to court documents, the judge ruled in favor of Peter and Katherine Chang over GOMO. The lawsuit had initially been sparked by the size of a garage on the Chang’s property and ignited a controversy over whether or not GOMO had selectively enforced its deed restrictions and if the organization “can exercise any of the powers or authority of a property owners association, such as collecting assessments and enforcing deed restrictions in the Garden See Restrictions P. 7A
Photo by Jonathan Garris Some Oak Forest residents were worried about an empty lot along Ella being split into two separate lots with two homes.
Timbergrove resident helps shape Houston into foodie mecca By Kim Hogstrom jgarris@theleadernews.com Last week, nearly every reporter in Houston was stalking Anthony Bourdain. As the star of CNN’s popular foodie show, ”Parts Unknown,” Bourdain was in Houston, sampling its deep and diverse culinary scene. Most Houstonians know all about our many dining options, but how did Bourdain know? How did we go from a stinky cowtown to a culinary capital interesting enough to attract Bourdain? Look no further than the Houston First Corporation. “Anthony was in town for the International Dairy, Deli, Bakery Association convention, and chose to stay and shoot his show,” said Holly Clapham,
chief marketing officer for the Houston First Corporation. “It makes perfect sense. Anthony’s show is about dining adventure and Houston’s foodie scene offers plenty of adventures.” For the past 10 years Clapham, who lives in Timbergrove, has been raising the profile of Houston with her remarkably creative marketing campaigns. Metrics demonstrate that the campaigns are having a positive impact on the perception of Houston, both nationally and internationally. In fact, Houston even appeared recently on Forbes’ list of the “World’s Most Influential Cities.” But what exactly is the Houston First Corporation? In 2011, the city of Houston established Houston First as a local government corporation creat-
ed to operate the city’s convention and performing arts facilities, as well as to promote Houston as a world-class destination. Houston First’s efforts enrich the lives of Houstonians in a number of ways, beginning with bringing millions of dollars to the region through tourism and conventions. The organization also operates theaters where world-class performances take center stage, all while managing outdoor spaces where festivals and other activities, thrive. As the agency’s Chief Marketing Officer, Holly Clapham spends her workday raising awareness of the wonders of Houston, but she wears a See Timbergrove P. 2A
Contributed Photo Holly Clapham’s children have been a big motivator in her work for the city.
Your Neighborhood Bankers
Experienced community bankers providing value to Houston business owners. Please stop by – we want to YLVLW ZLWK \RX DQG ¿QG RXW KRZ ZH FDQ KHOS \RXU EXVLQHVV / 5 $P\ 5LWWHU ± %DQN 2I¿FHU /HQGHU 0DUJDUHW 9DQGHYHU ± 693 /HQGHU 6FRWW /HVWHU ± %DQN 2I¿FH 3UHVLGHQW &HFLOLD 5RGULJXH] ± $93 2I¿FH 0DQDJHU -XVWLQ 9LFNUH\ ± 93 /HQGHU
2222 North Durham Houston, TX 77008
281-517-8760
MA K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E, TO G E T H E R .
www.allegiancebanktexas.com