Leader0622a

Leader Listings: No sign of home sales slowing in this area • Page 1B

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Time running out to honor local heroes

You have until June 28 to help us celebrate the true meaning of our most patriotic holiday, the Fourth of July. The Leader is seeking to honor our true American heroes – men and women from our neighborhoods on active duty with the military for Independence Day. Please email us photos of your loved ones in uniform as jpeg attachments to news@theleadernews. com, along with their name, military branch and rank, current base and duty, name of their high school/college, parents and/or spouse and the name and contact information of the person submitting the information. Submissions may also be dropped oﬀ at The Leader, 3500-A E. T.C. Jester Blvd. between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Sure, the picnics, parades and ﬁreworks are all important. But at the same time, let’s remember those who are living their patriotism far from home by serving their country and continuing to protect our freedoms.

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by Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com An Oak Forest resident is facing civil penalties in excess of $200,000 for parking his semi-tractor truck in his driveway and not heeding legal warnings to stop. Darrel Gashette, a 35-year-old lifelong OF resident who graduated from Black Middle School and Waltrip High, is a long haul/regional truck driver who has consistently parked his rig in his driveway at 1430 Wakeﬁeld. He’s since moved his truck to a site where he pays $150 per month to park it, but said

Oak Forest resident Darrel Gashette is facing ﬁnes in excess of $200,000 for parking his semitractor truck in his driveway. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)

A messy week in the Heights Residents can’t save towering sycamore

Citizens gathered outside Sheila Jackson Lee’s oﬃce in the Heights earlier this week to protest her gun control stance. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)

by Charlotte Aguilar charlotte@theleadernews.com

Jackson Lee hears from Armed Citizen Project protesters

Heights residents failed to save a massive sycamore tree on the corner of 23rd and Oxford streets, and by the time the tree was taken down Tuesday, protesters who had led a sometimes contentious charge were nowhere in sight. After a three-day email campaign, about a dozen protesters were told by a city urban forester Monday morning that they had no legal grounds to continue their ﬁght, and the trimming of branches resumed. There is no Houston ordinance protecting the tree, and the sycamore’s listing on Trees for Houston’s Harris County tree registry is “more of a notoriety thing, an honor,” said Dale Temple, senior superintendent of urban forestry for the city. “There’s no legal force behind it.” The 2011 registry listed the sycamore as Harris County’s largest, with a 149-inch circumference, 106-foot height and a canopy spread of 80 feet. Nearby resident Jessica Wilt had launched the campaign Friday, met

by Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com The gun control debate has officially arrived in the Heights and Oak Forest. The Armed Citizen Project, a Houston-based non-profit advocating Second Amendment rights, protested outside Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s West 19th Street office on Tuesday morning. ACP has received international press for its program to give free pump action shotguns to Oak Forest residents, provided they take a one-day class and pass a background check. The protest was in response to Jackson Lee’s Monday morning press conference. The Congresswoman, along with a nonprofit called Moms Demand Action, marked the sixth anniversary of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy with a call “for gun sense in America.”

see Protest • Page 5A

see Tree • Page 5A Above, no protesters were on hand Tuesday as the sycamore was slowly brought down. On Monday, there were plenty of protesters and four law enforcement oﬃcers. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)

• Pages 6B-8B

THE INDEX.

2A 9A 4A 8A 7A 5A 9B 6B

see Fines • Page 5A

TREE COMES DOWN • PLANTLIFE ILLEGALLY RAZED • YARN BOMB BOMBED • PROTESTORS VISIT JACKSON LEE

See more in our CLASSIFIEDS

Public Safety Hipstrict Topics Obituaries Coupons Puzzles Sports Classiﬁeds

parking the truck in his driveway had never been an issue before attorney Jason Lawhorn, and his wife, Patricia, moved into the neighborhood and began ﬁling formal complaints with the city of Houston. According to court papers, the city is seeking an injunction to enforce the residential use restrictions established in the deed restrictions of Oak Forest Section 2. Gashette didn’t respond, after being served on Jan. 8, by the deadline of Feb. 4. It continued, “In a suit ﬁled to enforce deed restrictions, it is not a defense that the activity is incidental to the residential use of the property, when the suit alleges any of the following activities violates a restriction limiting property to residential use: storing a tow truck, crane, moving van or truck.... longer than 20 feet.”

Artists’ project in the Heights destroyed; reward for help catching vandals.

Story, Page 3A

At left, Oﬃcer M. Donato asks protesters to stay out of the street for their own safety on Monday, as a giant sycamore tree was being cut down. (Photo by Charlotte Aguilar)

You cut what?

The Houston Parks & Recreation Department put a halt to the clearing of trees and other plantlife in Woodland Park – the city’s second oldest park.

Story, Page 3A

Page 2A • The Leader • June 22, 2013 • @heightsleader

Time for a refresher course: First trace of West Nile found It’s that time of year again. Harris County Mosquito Control has confirmed its first finding of the West Nile virus, detected in a mosquito collected from a trap in the 77346 ZIP code in northeast Harris County and began nighttime spraying in that area. Dr. Rudy Bueno, Director of HCPHES Mosquito Control says, “Our comprehensive mosquito surveillance program is key to identifying the presence of the virus in our community and guides our control efforts to help us better protect our residents,” said Dr. Rudy Bueno, mosquito control director for the county. “West Nile Virus has been in our environment since 2002. As we head into the summer months, enjoy the outdoors but remember to protect yourself and your family from mosquito-borne disease.” Mosquito Control encourages residents to eliminate mosquito breeding habitats from their property and to take appropriate precautions to avoid being bitten by disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Nile Virus is most active. Most people who are infected with West Nile Virus show no or only mild symptoms such as: low grade fever and headache. More severe signs and symptoms can include: high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, encephalitis, and rarely, death. If you think you have been infected with West Nile Virus, contact your health care provider. For more information about West Nile Virus, visit the website at www. hcphes.org.

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Mosquito-Proof Your Property

* Don’t “feed” the storm drains. Sweep up lawn clippings, leaves and tree limbs. * Remove/empty any containers that can hold water such as tires, ﬂowerpots and toys. * Change water in birdbaths and pet water bowls every 3 to 5 days. * Keep rain gutters free of debris. * Make sure screens are in good condition. Prevent Mosquito Breeding in Boats * Cover your boat and store it in a covered place. * Drain any standing water and make sure the bilge pump is working. * Invert canoes, kayaks and small boats to store.

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The culex mosquito is the main culprit in transmitting West Nile virus. (File photo)

Personal Protection

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* When outdoors, use an insect repellent containing the active ingredient DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 and apply as directed on the label. * If possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants from dusk on because this is when the primary mosquito (Culex) that transmits West

Caught in the Act

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A Garden Oaks resident off 30th Street posted this picture on Facebook last week of a man burglarizing her vehicle overnight, along with an alert to neighbors. “...this guy broke one of my windows and smashed out the other in my suv,” the posting read. “Rummaged through my stuff but didn’t take anything. His truck is easy to spot. Older model dark colored Chevy step side with white tailgate.”

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Page 3A • The Leader • June 22, 2013 • www.theleadernews.com

Success: City, residents stop developer by Charlotte Aguilar charlotte@theleadernews.com The Houston Parks & Recreation Department announced late Wednesday that it had stopped a developer from removing trees and other plantlife illegally from threequarters of an acre city property in Woodland Park, the city’s second oldest park. It was first noticed by a bird watcher, who wondered why their was a bulldozer in the park and why so much land was cleared. The Friends of Woodland Park contacted city officials about what they termed a “massacre” that clear-cut a large wooded area that’s in the floodplain and slopes to White Oak Bayou. They indicated, in a blog and correspondence, that it appeared the developers of City Homes townhomes at 1420 Wrightwood had apparently ordered the cutting. “Enough is enough,” opponents said in a blog. “Developers aren’t all evil people, and no one believes central Houston should be torn down and abandoned so it can return to pristine swamp and bayou land, but we have to take as strong a stand as possible against the reckless destruction of public property.” The city reacted quickly. “The party responsible has agreed to stop work on the grounds of the park, and has agreed to comply with HPARD requirements,” the

Pat Rutledge, of Friends of Woodland Park, looks at the park’s damage on Monday. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter) parks department said in a written statement Wednesday. “HPARD will work with the responsible party to mitigate the damage to city property.” According to Friends of Woodland Park treasurer Pat Rutledge, the area that was destroyed had the most vegetation in the entire park. “(Developer) Bill Workman said the contractor misunderstood -- we think that’s nonsense,” Rutledge said. Efforts to reach Workman were unsuccessful. Rutledge said the Friends of Woodland Park believe that the land was intentionally cleared to give the property owners a nice view of the bayou, which would thus make the property more mar-

ketable. Preliminary ﬁndings, according to the statement, are that vegetation has been damaged or removed from about 3/4 of an acre, including some healthy trees, and replanting and reforestation will be necessary. Erosion control and possible regrading of the site may be required. “HPARD will coordinate with the Houston Public Works and Engineering Department and the Harris County Flood Control District to correct whatever problems have been caused by these actions,” the statement went on to say. “In addition, a debris pile resulting from the illegal removal of park plants and trees will require removal.” Removal of plants from city

parks is forbidden by city parks rules and regulations, as described in the City of Houston Code of Ordinances, Chapter 32. Destruction of public property is prohibited by Title 19, Chapter 191 of the Government Code of Texas. Woodland Park, located at 212 Parkview, 77009, consists of 19.67 acres near White Oak Bayou and the Woodland Heights neighborhood. It has been a city park since 1914. Rutledge said the park has recently been designated as part of a historic district known as Germantown. The group has contacted State Sen. Sylvia Garcia and State Rep. Jessica Farrar regarding their issue, and Rutledge said they’ve both been supportive. In their communication with the city, Friends of Woodland Park are seeking: 1) Reforestation with native plants and mature trees. They can’t just plant some grass and wash their hands of this. They need to pay a landscape professional to develop a plan that will then be subject to the approval of the City of Houston Parks Department to ensure we get back to nature as quickly as possible. 2) A hefty, hefty, hefty civil penalty. 3) Criminal prosecution if the destruction rises to the level of criminal destruction of public property.”

‘Disgraceful’: Heights yarn bomb public art destroyed Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward to ﬁnd a suspect in the felony destruction of a public art project on Heights Boulevard. A week after two dozen creative volunteers “yarn-bombed” a metal structure between 16th and 17th streets, the structure was largely stripped of the artwork, which was later found in a nearby trash can. Inner Loop Crime Alerts on Facebook reported the crime Sunday morning, and a passersby came forward on the Heights Life Facebook page -- and reported to police -- that they had seen an agitated woman in her 40s-50s in exercise clothes tearing down the pieces.

Heights resident Mary Goldsby coordinated the installation, which stood between 16th and 17th streets, as part of International Yarn Bombing Day on June 8.. Some of the volunteers were knitters who created color-coordinated blocks of design that were laced to the structure by other volunteers. Goldsby had to get a permit from the city Parks & Recreation Department to install the art, and it was to stay up for a month. As part of the agreement, she had to monitor the project once a day. Comments on Facebook ranged from sadness to anger that something created for the public would

be torn down. One man who commented said he had observed the pieces in the trash Saturday and thought it had merely been removed and discarded.

Heights activist Mark Williamson summed up the sentiment in one word: “Disgraceful.” Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

The

Molly

Diaries

Spare your tabbies and terriers tropical troubles I’m about as excited about the beginning of hurricane season as I am having to share a litterbox with Simon, my 15 year old, toothless, persistentlyflatulent, tuna juice-addicted feline housemate. All I’m hearing these days is you humans discussing what the tropics might have in store for us this year. Even KHOU’s chief meteorologist, (and fellow cat-enthusiast) David Paul, is managing to toss the words “hurricane,”“tropics” and “preparedness” into every other sentence. What about your pets? Do you have everything in order to care for them in case of an emergency? To help us all prepare our pets for hurricane season, our friends at BARC have released a helpful pamphlet, chock-full of prudent advice on weathering any dangerous storm--or other emergency situation--with your pet. The pamphlet (in it’s entirety and ready to print) is available at: www.houstonBARC.com, but here are the main bullet points. If you have friends and neighbors with pets who could benefit from this information, would you consider printing it out and helping them to prepare as well? Building a Pet Emergency Kit: * Before a disaster occurs, build a pet emergency supply kit that includes items your pets use on a regular basis, including food, water, medications and familiar toys. Also be sure to include a photo of you and your pet. * All medical records, including a rabies certificate, pet license information and other important documents should

be in a waterproof container or bag within the kit. Please ensure your pets are up-to-date on their vaccinations. Developing a Plan for Pets: * Whether the family plans to stay at home or evacuate, pets should never be left behind during an emergency. If it is not safe for people, it is not safe for pets. * If an emergency requires evacuation, get your pet emergency supply kit and decide whether it is best for your pet to stay at a shelter. If you plan to take your pet with you, be sure the place where the family is going accepts pets. * Please ensure your pet is microchipped. This increases your chances of being reunited with your pet should he or she get lost during a disaster. Visit BARC’s website to learn more about the importance of microchipping your pet. * Set aside a speciﬁc time every year to update your pet’s city license, veterinary, and microchip information. This information is crucial to reuniting your pet with your family if he or she becomes lost. Staying Informed: * Visit HoustonOEM.net and sign up for AlertHouston, the City’s Emergency E-mail Notiﬁcation System to stay updated on the latest emergency news in Houston. * If your pet is lost during a disaster, begin the search for him or her immediately by visiting the “Lost or Found a Pet?” page on www.HoustonBARC.com. You can follow Molly on Twitter @TheMollyDiaries.

Mojdeh Zahedi, M.D. Family Medicine The Heights

Melissa Montoya Celi, M.D. Family Medicine Northwest

Volunteers knitted and crocheted coordinated pieces as part of a “yarnbomb” and installed them June 8 on Heights Boulevard. One week later, the work was torn down in what’s being considered a felony act of vandalism. (Photo by Ken Fountain)

Leader Nibbles No Berryhills conﬁrmation – yet

Yes, Park Blair – who owns the popular Berryhills Baja Grill on 11th Street in the Heights – has ﬁnally taken over as owner of the property where a gas station has sat on the southwest corner of Ella and 43rd Street. But no, he’s not ready to conﬁrm yet that he’s putting up another Berryhills there, despite the widespread anticipation and speculation. Blair told The Leader the property has closed, after prolonged negotiations, and the gas station there pumped its last tank last weekend. But Blair said he has a few details to work out before he makes an announcement about the property’s future. “That’s become a very, very valuable corner,” he said.

Wakeﬁeld Crowbar opens

The Garden Oaks-Oak Forest area (becoming known, affectionately, as GOOF on some social media) is about to get another of the neighborhood casual eateries-drinkeries that thrive, even in out-of-the-way spots. The Wakefield Crowbar, 954 Wakefield Drive, was set to begin lunch and dinner service Thursday (after our press deadline). The restaurant-patio features a menu of bar food, salads, burgers, sandwiches, baskets of chicken tenders, fish & chips and shrimp, with heartier fare such as sausage and peppers, beef stew and spaghetti with an array of toppings. Weekend breakfast will start the weekend of June 29. We’ll leave it to our Thirsty Explorer to tell you soon about its menu of specialty cocktails and craft beers. (See Thirsty Explorer on Page 9A today.) The Crowbar’s most interesting feature is its lit sand volleyball courts, which are used for league play during the week but available for open play and rentals Fridays through Sundays. The Crowbar is on Facebook and reachable at 713-686-8388.

Don Jose welcomes Elvis

Don Jose Mexican Restaurant, 5305 Antoine, will be hosting Elvis Presley – or a reasonable facsimile – in a tribute performance by Ray Covey at 7 p.m. June 25. There will be $2 margaritas to go along with the dinner and show. Reservations are encouraged at 713-682-3853.

OUR DOCTORS WILL SEE YOU NOW. Stay healthy this year. We treat a wide range of health needs, including acute and chronic illnesses, such as hypertension and diabetes. From preventive medicine to treatment of colds and ﬂu to well woman exams and physicals, you can count on us to care for your whole family. Two convenient locations in your neighborhood: Northwest Medical Plaza 3 1801 N. Loop West, Suite 30 713.802.9781

The Heights 225 West 19th Street 713.242.2980

Schedule your appointment online at mhmg.memorialhermann.org.

Page 4A • The Leader • June 22, 2013 • @heightsleader

Stop giving the real tree huggers a bad name I

need to admit something to our readers, especially in light of the agitated news we have in today’s paper. I am a tree hugger. In fact, I am one of the biggest tree huggers you’ll ever meet. We camped a lot when I was young, and one of our favorite places was called Bankhead National Forest. The trails JONATHAN through that forest, MCELVY in the spring and fall, were the highways I Publisher think God intended us to travel, and my Dad knew that. He wouldn’t allow me, or my brother, or whatever group of friends accompanied us, to look at the ground. “Keep your head up,” he’d say. “Look around.” He was right. The trees in that forest were alive – and I don’t just mean green. They hovered over us with authority, and even in a temporary breeze, their sway, their dance, was regal. In a way, I always thought the trees – not lions – were the kings of the jungle. Camping wasn’t the only place I found my love for trees. As a youngster, I had an afﬁnity for breaking my arm. Once, my older brother and his buddy dared me to jump across a creek. In a moment of big-brother-approval, I made the leap, albeit only halfway across the ditch. My arm landed on a brick, and I climbed to shore and chained myself to the massive pine in the backyard, waiting on Mom to rescue me. A couple of miles from my childhood home, my best friend, Scott, and I found another crystal clear creek one afternoon deep in the woods. We followed that creek

Trees provide one of the most regal frames we can find, whether we’re chasing birds or birdies. all the way to a barb-wired fence and a curtain of pine trees. And on the other side of those trees, we discovered the raunchiest, most beautiful pond where 3-pound catfish awaited our hot dogs and hooks. This, apparently, was a private pond – or so the fence would indicate. Didn’t matter. We’d awake in the early morning hours, or wait until dusk, and hide behind one of those pines, peering every few minutes at our disappearing bobbers. This love of trees has extended far beyond my childhood. My wife and I often groan about the lack of natural habitat in this city, and we take as many trips as possible to areas where water flows, trees

THE READER. ‘Brute force tax collectors’...

Dear Editor: What a ridiculous puff piece (“Speeders Beware: Houston traffic cop keeps area safe,” June 15). Boutte and his often-partner Ofc. Davis can be seen on rotating through every N-S street between downtown and the Heights, always posted in a speed trap, always during rush hour, writing as many tickets as fast as they can. And, unsurprisingly, always in spots where the flow of traffic is consistently and safely higher than the posted limit. Saving many joggers at 100 Waugh at the Memorial overpass, Ofc. Boutte? Or 700 S. Shepherd near the run-down apartments after the long empty straightaway? Or 700 N. Shepherd after the long downhill bayou overpass? No? Seemingly the only purpose these two serve are to act as brute-force tax collectors, sucking cash out of the productive commuters of this city. There are many HPD officers out there working thankless, brutal jobs every day that deserve a word of thanks and a note of praise, but this is not one of them. Heights commuter via www.theleadernews.com

...or heroic?

Dear Editor: Just read the article in The Leader; good for him. People NEVER go the 30 mph speed limit on Yale, and it can be somewhat irritating. Tena M. Clark via THE LEADER on Facebook

Heights art vandalism

Dear Editor: Wonder if the “suspect” thought the art itself was some sort of vandalism and weren’t aware it was a city sanctioned art display? Ansley Stewart via THE LEADER on Facebook Dear Editor: LAME. Was there any signage saying that this was a display & not just a yarn mob bomb (as if that would be something anyone would need to freak out & destroy anyhow?!). Wow. Stine Martin via THE LEADER on Facebook

grow and birds ﬂy. My wife is a birder (at least I think that’s what you call them), and while I still struggle to ﬁnd the joy in spotting grackles, I fully understand that being in a natural habitat beats the stew out of walking around a concrete track. Fact is, I’m a birder too. I chase birdies almost every weekend, hoping I make more of them than bogeys. And while trees on a golf course often incite anger, I love them all the same. So you can imagine how I felt this week when I saw the news about an historic sycamore tree coming down on a newly developed property in the Heights. Some experts speculated the tree might be close to a century old. Maybe it provided shade

to a few young boys in its day. Maybe it was home to a hundred different springtime nests of birds my wife would have spotted. Here’s how I felt about that tree. Good riddance. Take it down. Chop it into a billion pieces for all I care. Wait, what? Yes, I love trees as much as any person in this wide world. They have framed nearly every great memory I have in my life, and I expect they’ll do the same for my children and my children’s children. But I love trees because they are a frame – not the picture inside that frame. I suppose there are others who love trees more than I do. I’d suggest that Den-

Dear Editor: I see this driving to work everyday. I’m from the UK and love to see the Heights doing stuﬀ like this. In London you see art and crafts everywhere its very cool. I hope this does not deter anyone from letting others enjoy their craft. Kev Morris via THE LEADER on Facebook

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Dear Editor: Such a shame that someone would do this. I love walking down Heights and seeing the new art that has been displayed:( I do hope they ﬁnd who took them. Nancy Figueroa via THE LEADER on Facebook

Battle to save Heights tree

Dear Editor: The problem is not the large tree. The problem is that replacement trees are not allowed to grow because of our antiquated landscape practices. Do not lament the disappearance of an old tree. Fight to restore the vegetation that provided a spot for this tree to sprout. Dennis Woodward via THE LEADER on Facebook

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Attendance perfection

Dear Editor: I am shocked that these young women had perfect attendance (“Thirteen years of perfect attendance,” June 15). I liked this story because it explains their wonderful accomplishments. I liked this story because it was a positive story; some of the stories in the paper are negative. I wish everyone could have perfect attendance like these young ladies did. You know if people in today’s society went 13 years without missing school they would get a better education and with a better education the more successful a person can be. Thanks again for writing a positive article. Jack Goodman

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Crime in Oak Forest

Dear Editor: What happened to the beefed up Constable patrol? The escalation of crime in our OF neighborhood is crazy! I see cops /constables occasionally now but never really doing anything except disobeying traﬃc laws for no apparent reason. Stephanie L. Campbell via THE LEADER on Facebook

nis Clooney, whose company was hired to remove the tree on the corner of Oxford and 23rd Street, probably loves trees more than me. He knows when they’re healthy, he knows how to care for them, and he knows when they prove a risk to actual people. What really gets in my craw is that the people who screamed at workers and maniacally searched for ordinances to save that sycamore lost absolutely all perspective of the reasons for taking down the tree. I talked to a Realtor in the market who told me a story about the value trees give to property in our area. She had a home in Garden Oaks that was appraised for much less than the sale price of the home. She told the appraiser that the family making the offer wasn’t buying the house. “They were buying the trees,” she told me. “The appraiser went out, looked at the trees, and appraised the house for the buying price.” What these protesters may not realize is that the developer of this home in the Heights lost a lot of value in the home once that tree came down. The home lost natural shade, reducing the energy bill for decades to come. There was nothing about taking down that tree that made any sense for the owner of that lot. Well, except that if one good storm came through Houston, there’s a strong likelihood that sycamore would have put a gaping hole through at least two homes. I understand the love of trees, but I can’t stand it when folks who call themselves tree huggers give us real tree huggers a bad name. Email jonathan@theleadernews.com

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It’s summer; time to keep watch on the neighbor hoods BLIGHT BULLETINS -- Published by and for the residents of Running Rats Acres (RRA). Yes, this is the summer edition because we never got around to putting out the spring edition, or the winter one, for that matter. If you can do better, contact Ed DeTroit at 345 Mourning Widows Drive and tell him you’ve got so much idle time on your hands that you can put out this crummy newsletter. Our first business is old business. In our last edition (fall of 2012) we mistakenly wrote that the Fishfins were moving to Tyler to be closer to their oldest son, Mildew, who is located at the Belo Unit temporarily -- probably five to 10 years. Mildew is actually at the Walls, so the Fishfins are staying put, but intend to pay compensation for the 21 neighborhood burglaries Mildew was convicted of, of which he was convicted. Whatever. We were incorrect in reporting that Roger Rockslide is studying at Harvard. Actually, he is being studied. We were close. Finally, there has been some grumbling that the day for this year’s Fourth of July parade and frog-fry has not been listed. It will be on July 4th. Speaking of celebrations, there will not be a neighborhood Labor Day picnic and children swapping this year as our attorneys have advised us not all the food poisoning lawsuits have been settled from last year.

ASHBY AT LARGE

A fond farewell to John Smith and his family at 409 Cattle Guard Place. They are moving back in with Mary’s parents in Newark after John’s cover with the Federal Witness Protection Program was blown. These government cutbacks are affecting everyone. We must put an end to the vicious rumors that Vladimir Putin, his ex-wife, Ralph, and their children, Larry, Moe and Curly, are actually Russian spies. Lots of houses have rooftop weather vanes with a radio antenna, barbed wire fences and a getaway ‘99 Volga backed into the garage. The Putins assure us they will raise their blinds eventually “as soon as vee moof der dark room to der basement.” Oh, those funny Putins. Vladimir once asked how he could decipher the community’s building code.

A big shout-out to Cindy-Sue Wheatgerm on Pond Scum Circle. She entered her mixed pit-bull-Rottweiler, Rabid Rover, in the Ugly Dog Contest. Not only did Rabid Rover with the blue ribbon but Cindy-Sue was first runner-up. Our sympathies to J.R. and R.J. Mousely over the loss of J.R.’s job at the Boom-Boom Fire Cracker Works. I think we can all agree that “flammable” and “inflammable” mean the same thing but are easily confused. He should be up and around shortly. The board has received a check from FEMA for “the terrible destruction, seen in photographs, wrought on your community by the E-5 tornado in May.” We weren’t touched by that tornado, but we’re keeping the money. Good news for our swim team, the Racin’ Ratkins. They have finally been re-accepted in the city’s Kids Summer Swimming Conference now that most of their scabs have healed. There are still openings in the 9-12 age bracket since officials noted some of our members wore their college colors. In other news, as you may know, in this last session of the Texas Legislature a few laws were passed which will effect the Homeowners Associations (HOA) across the state. For example, any flagpole more than 100 feet tall must be topped with a flashing red light to warn

approaching Life Flights or, in our case, SWAT team helicopters. All homeowners must allow electric power line rightsof-way through their property. This is important to the RRA HOA since we are expecting electric power any month now. Due to abuse in some cities, the Legislature has followed Gov. Rick Perry’s recommendation and has banned HOAs from conﬁscating a house if the owner has a funny name, but conﬁscation is allowed if the owner puts up yard signs endorsing Democrats, the EPA or that commie front, the U.N. In addition to these new state laws, we have some new rules just for RRA. No more than three (3) cars will be allowed up on blocks in the front yard. For some members of our community who like to park their cars on the street, we want you to know about a new invention called a “garage” which can hold a car or even two. If you can’t afford a “garage,” try parking your pickup on what’s called a “driveway.” It’s that concrete slab that goes from the street to the “garage.” Another new rule: Those highly coveted Yard of the Month signs must be removed after one year. Along these same lines, all outdoor Christmas decorations must be taken down by Easter. Following a few complaints (76), the board has ruled that no one can live full-time in

an RV. An un-mowed lawn, after three months, does not qualify as “a wheat ﬁeld.” Putting a historical plaque on your garage does not exempt it from being painted. Garbage must be put in garbage cans, and “recycling” does not mean you can build a tree house in your front yard with old tires and empty Coors cans. Our neighborhood constable, Sgt. Terry “Truncheon” Naptime, reminds all sex offenders that they must be registered with him and that a new state law requires they not leave their house unless it’s burning. This especially applies to those who are also pyromaniacs. He apologizes for the 4 a.m. raid on the McSeedy Pawn Shop & Consignment Boutique, but reminds us, “Good neighbors don’t make good fences.” Sgt. Naptime wants everyone to know that the crime rate in our community “is now almost less than that of Juarez.” This year’s Alert Neighborhood Watch program does not include rear windows. He also asks that if anyone has seen his patrol car please advise. That’s all for now. Just remember our neighborhood’s motto: What happens in Running Rats Acres stays in Running Rats Acres – unless you’re not vaccinated. Ashby is neighborly at ashby2@comcast.net

Page 5A • The Leader • June 22, 2013 • @heightsleader

Summer fun – all for free – at Houston library branches

Tree • from Page 1A with the developer and the arborist he had hired, and began contacting tree preservationists and neighbors when she wasn’t satisfied with the builder’s assertion that the tree was a potential danger and needed to come down. By Monday, Wilt claimed 75 signatures on a petition and implored the developer to “be a hero and wait on this.” Ed Goerig of Period Construction told The Leader Friday he had originally designed the spec home to incorporate the tree, but that when he had it evaluated, he was told it was unstable and should be removed. “Liking it is not the issue,” he said, “especially as we head into hurricane season.” “Just because he bought this property doesn’t mean he has the right to destroy this tree,” Wilt said. In fact, said the three Houston policemen, one Harris County constable and two members of the Parks & Recreation Department staff dispatched to the scene Monday, the owner did have that right. “It’s horrible and I understand how you feel,” Officer M. Donato told Wilt, “but it’s done. You can talk and yell all you want to.” A cluster of residents assembled, and others cruised slowly by asking questions as the drama unfolded. The protesters sometimes engaged the arborist and his crew, as well as the officers who warned them to stop blocking traffic. At one point, Wilt and another neighbor exhorted a tree cutter perched high in the sycamore and the other workers on the ground, in Spanish, to walk away from the project – that the neighbors would pay them more than they were making on the job to stop. The workers’ employer, arborist Dennis Clooney, said the tree had been topped off at some point 15-25 years ago by a trim-

mer or a storm, and hadn’t been tended properly after that. The unchecked proliferation of new growth on the top had made the tree top-heavy, he said, and he had also discovered evidence of decay and cavities in branches, which could lead to further instability. “I’m a good guy caught in a bad position,” said Clooney, who patiently talked to protesters. He said he was donating the large pieces of wood from the tree to a custom furniture maker, “so it will live on.” The builder received support from at least one neighbor. Richard Jenke, who lives catty-corner from the tree, said he had thought about buying the property “and the ﬁrst thing I would have done was take down that tree. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen.” Still, a number of neighbors used words like “heartbreaking” to describe emotions at watching the tree limbs be cut off one by one. “The builder is not being respectful to our heritage,” said Preston Murski, who has lived in the tree’s shade across the street for 35 years. “Trees are the heritage of the Heights.” Susan Davis, a three-year Heights resident, said she wanted to make sure prospective buyers knew a signiﬁcant tree had been destroyed, to let builders know “they should put some thoughtfulness into these decisions. We want to let other builders know we don’t want them coming in and tearing down trees if they want to build in our neighborhoods.” Several residents told The Leader they would work to try to establish a tree protection ordinance in Houston. “The importance really strikes you when you realize we won’t live to see another sycamore this big in our lifetimes,” said organizer Wilt.

Some of the best children’s programs can be found at your local library. The fact that they are free and in the air conditioning is just icing on the cake. Take a look at what’s going on at Leader libraries during the summer. As the Houston Public Library says - last minute changes or cancellations are unavoidable. For the most up-to-date event information, please visit their website, www.houstonlibrary.org/ summer.

Heights Neighborhood Library

Houston Fire Department – Tuesday, June 25, 10:30 a.m. All About Turtles – Wednesday, June 26, 3 p.m.

Wiggle Tales (Mosquito information from Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services) – Wednesday, July 3, 3 p.m. Pacodu Exotics – Tuesday, July 9, 10:30 a.m. Texas Snakes and More – Wednesday, July 10, 3 p.m. Waldorf Storytime (Bayou Village School) –Thursday, July 11, 10:30 a.m. Dinosaurs Rock – Tuesday, July 16, 10:30 a.m. Jungle Jim’s Wild Encounters – Wednesday, July 17, 3 p.m. Ronald McDonald – Thursday, July 18, 10:30 a.m. Nature Discovery Center/Back to the Bone – Tuesday, July 23, 10:30 a.m. Swim Jim: Water Safety – Wednesday, July 24, 3 p.m. # 36378 Houston Audubon Society –Ad Tuesday, July 30, 10:30

Center Street Recycling Center open at least through December Area residents who recycle received some good news earlier this week. The Center Street Recycling Center, 3602 Center Street, will be open at least through December, and possibly through December 2014, according to a verbal agreement. The city is ﬁnalizing the lease agreement with Admiral Linens. According to Gary Readore, chief of staff for the city’s Solid Waste Management Department, the recycling center was sold to Admiral Linens for revenue purposes. Price was $2.01 million. “We just contacted them and saw if they had the ability to extend it through the rest of the year,” said Gary Readore of the city’s Solid Waste Division.

The recycling center was scheduled to close on June 1, but the city worked through negotations with Admiral to extend the use of the property through December, with the option of another extension through December 2014. Readore said a member of the city’s real estate division is working with Admiral on the lease extension. The location is a block east of Heights Boulevard and a block north of Washington Avenue. Last month, Readore said the city was looking for a property in the area to ultimately replace the 3602 Center St. drop-off. The drop-off site is unstaffed and includes a parking lot with roll-off containers. Residents deposit materials into it.

Heights communities make cut for recycling expansion Houston solid waste oﬃcials announced last week that they’re adding parts of the Heights, Montie Beach and Sunset Heights to the automated curbside recycling program in July. Households will receive a 96-gallon green automated cart into which they can deposit unsorted newspapers, magazines, oﬃce paper, junk mail, cardboard, paperboard, paper bags, glass bottles and jars, alumnimum, tin and steel cans and

1-5 and 7 plastics. Another 70,000 homes are scheduled to be added in the fall, bringing a total of about 55 percent of the city’s homes into the single-stream recycling program. The city also issued a request for qualiﬁcations for vendors wanting to operate a massive new single-stream recycling facility and named Don Pagel, deputy director of solid waste, to run the expanding program.

Michael Berry’s Twitter account. “I’m all for ACP,” Myers said. “We need to protect ourselves because the government can’t or won’t do it.” A man named Rodney, who said he lives near FM 1960, attended the protest as well. “ACP is giving away free shotguns to see if it cuts down on Ad # 33489 crime,” Rodney said. “Sheila Jack-

son Lee is against it for some reason. We need to defend our Second Amendment rights, protect our family, homes and property.”

Protest • from Page 1A Kyle Coplen, the 29-year-old founder of ACP, said Jackson Lee was “denouncing the Second Amendment and attacking our organization.” Coplen, who says his organization is “empowering people”, said he heard there would be a pro-gun control group to counterprotest, but they never arrived. Representatives from Jackson Lee’s office did not return calls by press time. At one point, the protesters began chanting “Sheila, Sheila” and a representative from the office informed them that the Texas 18th District’s Congresswoman returned to Washington D.C. on Tuesday. Coplen said the Congresswoman’s gun control stance goes against the Oath of Office that she took. When asked if ACP would oppose Jackson Lee’s re-election next year, he said “we’re not a political organization.” Jackson Lee has represented the 18th District since 1995, and she won re-election last fall with a 75 percent to 22.6 percent victory over Republican candidate Sean Seibert. The seat has been held by a Democrat for the past 40 years. Still, the protesters, who were

Fines • from Page 1A In a Sept. 27, 2012 letter from city attorney David Feldman to Gashette, it states “the deed restrictions prohibit, among other things, the use of property for business or commercial purposes.” The letter also informed Gashette of the “$1,000 per day” fines if the violation continues after the defendant receives notice. Gashette said he’ll be forced to file for bankruptcy, if he has to pay those fines. Gashette said many residents use their homes for businesses, and that the deed restrictions also prohibit the OF2 homes from being more than 2,200 square feet. “All of the new homes are violating the deed restrictions like crazy,” Gashette said. Gashette requested, and received, a formal hearing regarding the issue, which will be held June 24 in the 125th Judicial Court, downtown Houston. He spent $2,500 on an attorney but said that was ineffective and will represeni himself in court. Gashette said he’s done a considerable amount of legal research and can’t find where he violated the deed restriction. He’s taken his case to Facebook, where he’s received considerable support from his neighbors. Efforts to reach the Lawhorns before press time were unsuccessful.

split among residents and nonresidents of the district, were disappointed with her handling of the gun control issue. “She has no clue what the people in her district think,” Oak Forest resident Judy Myers said. “Sheila Jackson Lee doesn’t represent all of the citizens in her district.” found out about the proAdMyers # 36774 test through radio talk show host

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EJC Farms Petting Zoo – Tuesday, June 25, 11 a.m. Houston Fire Department – Tuesday, July 2, 11 a.m. Origami (for teens)-Tuesday, July 9, 11 a.m. Mike Artell, Cartoonist – Thursday, July 11, 5 p.m. Carranza Puppets: The Reading Show – Tuesday, July 16, 11 a.m. Gymboree – Tuesday, July 23, 11 a.m. Isaac Barron Hip Hop (for teens) – Thursday, July 25, 4 p.m. Happy the Clown – Tuesday, July 30, 11 a.m. – Betsy Denson

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THE FATHER OF MODERN DENTISTRY Chase Baker, D.D.S.

I

n honor of father’s day, I thought it would only be appropriate to pay tribute to who is widely considered to be the “Father of Modern Dentistry,” Dr. G.V. Black. Dr. Black is credited with a change of focus in dentistry from repairing broken down and decayed teeth, to preventing them from decaying to begin with. Born in 1836 to an Illinois farming family, Dr. Black took a great interest in the outdoors and nature. At the age of 17, with a mere 20 months of formal education, he began to study medicine as an apprentice to his brother, a physician. He was introduced to a dentist who, within a few months time, had taught Dr. Black enough for him to go into practice for himself. Dr. Black devoted himself to making dentistry a respected profession and to improving care for patients. His inventions include a foot driven drill to remove decay, over 100 cutting instruments, and an ideal dental amalgam filling material with proper chemical composition. He wrote several books on dental tooth preparations outlining the proper technique for cavity removal which are still used by practicing dentists today, and defined a classification of dental lesions that continues to be in use as well. So, as we celebrate our fathers this weekend, we have one more to celebrate for his vast improvements in making dentistry a practice of prevention rather reparative treatment...Dr. G.V. Black, The Father of Modern Dentistry. “A professional man has no right to be other than a continuous student.” — G.V. Black

Prepared as a public service to promote better dental health. From the ofﬁce of: Chase Baker, D.D.S., 3515 Ella Blvd., 713-682-4406.

The Puzzles. Solutions in this issue’s classsied section.

33. Material 34. Article 35. Ballplayer Ruth 36. 5th largest Greek island 39. Hand drum of No. India 40. A style of preparing food 42. Former ruler of Afghanistan 43. AKA Cologne 44. Not generally occurring 46. Auto 47. Print errors 49. Interspersed among 50. Electrocardiogram 51. Churns 52. Ice hockey feint 53. Drive obliquely, as of a nail 54. Dried leaves of the hemp plant 55. Ardour

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CLUES ACROSS 1. Selects 5. A cutting remark 9. Teaspoonful (abbr.) 12. Having two units or parts 13. Quality perceptible to the sense of taste 14. Expression of surprise 15. Italian Island 16. A coarse cloth with a bright print 17. Propose a price

18. Sedimentary material 19. Tree toad genus 20. Passed time agreeably 22. Custodians 24. 3rd largest city in Zambia 25. 18th Hebrew letter (var.) 26. Coasted on ice 27. Libyan dinar 28. Displayed exaggerated emotion 31. Andalusian Gypsy dances

SUDOKU

CLUES DOWN 1. Lyric poems 2. Hungarian sheep dog (var. sp.) 3. A pad of writing paper 4. Lists of candidates 5. Base, basket and foot 6. Samoan capital 7. Mythological bird 8. Urban row houses 9. Sensationalist journalism 10. Carried on the arm to intercept blows 11. Estrildid nch genus 13. PA 18840 16. S.W. English town & cheese 21. Runs disconnected 23. Mourners 28. Old world, new 29. Atomic #25 30. Sweet potato wind instrument 31. Legend 32. 3rd tone of the scale 33. Russian jeweler Peter Carl 35. Capital of Mali 36. Extremist sects 37. Violent denunciation 38. Tooth covering 39. Music term for silence 40. Smoldering embers 41. Writer Jong 43. Actor Kristofferson 45. Adam and Eve’s 1st home 48. Fish eggs

Page 6A • The Leader • June 22, 2013 • @heightsleader

Neighbors: Shout-outs to more grads and dads by Elizabeth Villareal elizasgarden@sbglobal.netcom Joe and Vicki Guidry are excited to share with everyone that they have a new grandson, Christian Ryan Collins. Almost two years ago Andrea and Shane Collins set the wheels in motion to become foster parents. In January 2012, just one day after they were approved by CPS, they got a phone call that 3-year-old Christian needed a home. The court ﬁnally awarded full custody to Andrea and Shane on June 4. Gabe (10) and Chase (8) are happy to have a new brother, and Christian will celebrate his 5th birthday in July as the youngest Collins son. Vicki said that she and Joe “are so proud that Andrea and Shane have opened their hearts and home to a child in need.” Leah Porterﬁeld and her two best friends, Adelaide Leonard and Allison Buttram, graduated June 9 from Waltrip High School. Together since kindergarten, all three girls graduated in the top 5 percent of their class and were active in many activities during their high school years, including cheerleading, volleyball, and the Roses dance team. Leah will be attending Texas State University in the fall, majoring in business. Allison will be attending the University of Houston, and Adelaide will be attending the University of Arkansas, majoring in food science. Melanie and David Peterson would like to congratulate their son, Alex Petersen, who was graduated from Waltrip High School on June 9. “We are very proud of you, Alex.” Pam and David Ojeman, both graduates of Waltrip’s Class of 1980, are proud to announce that their daughter Allison graduated with honors from Waltrip on June 9, was in the top 10 percent of her class, and was a drum major in the Ram Band. “We are so proud to be your parents and everything you’ve accomplished during your school years! We love you!” Congratulations to Glenn Davis, Paolo Castagnoli, Rachel Kirk, and Moriah Smith, several of our neighborhood students who were graduated from HSPVA in its commencement exercises held at Jones Hall the evening of June 11. Paolo and Rachel, both instrumental musicians, performed onstage. Later, the audience enjoyed a slideshow of vivid artwork taken from the graduating visual artists’ senior shows, including those of Glenn and Moriah, while each artist described his or her vision and inspiration.

Mark your calendars for summer fun:

June 29 - Oak Forest Homeowners’ Association’s Le Tour de Oak Forest Bike Ride from 8-10:30

a.m. Open to Oak Forest residents as well as folks from surrounding neighborhoods, the tour will begin and end at The Oak Forest Chill on Oak Forest at Judiway and participants will ride through all 18 Sections of the neighborhood along a carefully planned route. Registration will take place the Tuesday through Friday preceding the bike ride at The Chill from 6:30- 7:30 p.m. There is a $10 registration fee, and bike helmets will be required for all bike riders. For non-bike riders, there are plenty of fun ways to be involved. Call Lucy Fisher Cain with any questions at 281-685-9829. July 3rd - The Posh Petal will hold its ﬁrst ever Petals & Pizza event at Doyle’s Restaurant on from 5 to 8 pm. The evening will start off with live music and transition into a full-blown karaoke contest. Entry is $5. RSVP to 713894-8513 for the chance to win a doorprize.

A few more Father’s Day wishes from our neighbors: Jacob, Olivia and Elena would like their father, Joe Araiza, to know that he is the very best and the most silly daddy in the world. Joe’s wife, Virginia, also sends her love and gratitude for Joe’s amazing sense of humor and sweet ways with his family. I’d like to say: “Where would the world be without Dads? Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there and especially to our own: Henry Dessardo! We love you and cherish each day we have together! Love, Dana, Matthew & Vince Happy Fathers Day Andrew Alonzo! You are the best dad in the world. We love you all the way to the moon an back! Happy Fathers Day to Chris Thompson from Aleida. I Love you Daddy! Andrea Warren said, “I used to get so annoyed when my husband, Ty Warren, would tell people that we were planning on having kids when fertility doctors had told us we couldn’t. Here’s wishing a very happy ﬁrst Father’s Day to my beloved husband who believed with his whole heart and never gave up that our dream could come true someday. Our surprise bundle of joy is due Sept. 12.” Happy Father’s Day to my wonderful husband Eric Sterr who is an amazing father to Vincent and Isabella. Love, Heather Happy Father’s Day to the world’s greatest swing pusher, corny joke teacher, sleep inducer, sidewalk chalk artist, train track maker, and all-around amazing daddy! We love you! Love, Wes and Charlotte Clint Anders, you are our Superman. Thank you for teaching us how to ﬂy. Happy Father’s Day Dad. Love always, Chace, Mikah, Joshua and Noah.

Crafty ways to engage youngsters this summer by Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com There’s only so much time you can spend at the pool this summer. Looking for creative ways to beat the heat? Consider some of the ideas suggested by Leader readers. Jenny Reitmeyer came up with a great way to make her son’s summer reading a more memorable experience. He’s going to write the authors of some of his favorite books in hopes of getting a response. “Children’s book author Mary Amato has some great tips on how to increase your odds of receiving a response from an author on www.readingrockets.org,” she said. “So I ordered some interesting return address labels with his name on them from Bohtieque on etsy.com, and he’s ready for his first letter to Brian Lies, author of Bats at the Beach.” Lorraine McIntosh-Cole of Candlelight Plaza also wants to keep her children reading. To that end, she is starting a summer book club for neighborhood kids. “One is going to be for fourthand fifth-graders, boys and girls,” she said. “They will meet twice a month to discuss the selected book and do an activity related to the book. They will rotate amongst each other’s houses so that each child hosts at least once. I’m thinking our first book is going to be Harriet The Spy.” Kara Hagan wanted to get the word out about a board games group at the Oak Forest Library. On Facebook as Team Tabletop, the group started meeting last year. This summer they will meet at 1 p.m. on Fridays. “We had games for older and younger kids - classic games, card games, strategy games, European-style games, cooperative games, you name it,” Hagan said. “We averaged 10 to 15 kids a week. It was especially gratifying to see the older kids teach the younger ones.”

Crafting is on the agenda for many. While Pinterest got multiple mentions, there were plenty of other resources shared by readers. Viula Torgerson of The Heights Life has given subscriptions to Kiwi Crate (www.kiwicrate.com) to family members. “It’s not cheap, but they get a box each month with a great craft project,” she said. Cindy Madi says that Klutz (www.klutz.com) has amazing craft books. “I have yet to feel I didn’t get my money’s worth. Any time your kid is entertained for a substantial amount of time it’s worth it,” Madi said. Topics include everything from juggling to tying elaborate knots, building intricate paper airplans and learning magic tricks, with starter supplies included. Karen Heys wrote in about a company that her sister-in-law started called Green Kids Crafts (www.greenkidcrafts). Based in California, it’s a subscription craft service that was recently named one of Dr. Toy’s Best Green Products for 2013. Closer to home, Marlo McClung Perez, the owner of Young and Restless Resale on Ella Boulevard, says her store carries all of the Melissa and Doug craft items, as low as $3 and up. “I am a mom of two, and helping them with hand/eye coordination as well as having fun have always been goals of mine,” she said. Kristen Cooley is getting a lot of ideas from San Francisco blog Wendolonia (http://wendolonia. com/blog/), including downloading do-it-yourself comic book templates and making and racing cork canoes. To inject a little science into summer, Elizabeth Rowlands mentioned the website Science kids (www.sciencekids.co.nz). “It has fun experiments like using Mountain Dew to make your own 2-litre glowsticks,” she said. And Anita Berry Johnson says that Our Best Bites (www.ourbestbites.com/category/crafts-

Sherwood and Bethany Gorman play a spirited game of UNO as part of Team Tabletop at the Oak Forest Library. (Photo by Betsy Denson) and-family-fun/) has some fun food-related crafts for kids. Speaking of food, Valerie Folsom suggests making homemade ice cream or popsicles. Lorraine Cherry thinks the summer is a perfect time to get kids cooking. “The project could include trips to local farmer’s markets, choosing a recipe, preparing and eating,” she said. “This is basically how my mom taught me to cook back in the day, and it developed into a lifelong passion.” Cherry says that Rachael Ray has a non-proﬁt called Yum-0 dedicated to this idea: “It’s a great site and also includes a bunch of recipes broken down by appropriate age groups at: http://www. yum-o.org/recipe_search.php.” Some readers are using a theme to rally their kids behind. Ashley Day was inspired by her daughter’s IB journey at Harvard Elementary. “We love to do the Around the World,” she said. “We pick a place, wiki it, research it, print out pictures, and make a travel book. We also create a makeshift airplane out of IKEA little chairs and take off once a week.” Laurel Zahrobsky said that last year her family did an ABC summer. “Each day we wrote words that went with the letter of the day then planned our day with all

things having to do with that letter. We didn’t have a ton of “fun” money that summer so some of the things we did were community service oriented (i.e. “d”= donating, “f ”=free food bank tour). The community service ones were the most fun I thought.” Philanthropy is also important to Monica Guy. When her oldest child was in high school, the family adopted a soldier from Anysoldier.com. Now her current high school daughter has requested they do it again. “It is a longer commitment than just summer, but now is a good time to get her to actively participate.” Guy says that on the Anysolider web site you can view the speciﬁc requests of soldiers, along with other information. “You pick one (unit) and request the address,” she said. “If you are lucky like we were, a soldier will write back. Otherwise you may just get updates through the website, and basically what you send is shared among the soldiers.” Trish Fucik believes that sometimes the simplest ideas have the most traction. As soon as school ended, her kids got started on their living room fort. “It stays up for most of the summer,” she said.

Freedom • Fireworks • Food Celebrating all that is American

COMING NEXT WEEK!

Pilot middle school offers choices by Charlotte Aguilar charlotte@theleadernews.com Families of sixth-graders have a new, tuition-free middle school option that offers customized learning in a Museum District setting – if they’re willing to be part of an experiment. The A+ Unlimited Potential School will launch in August, based in the Health Museum, operated by the respected Houston A-Plus Challenge organization. Deadline for application is July 1. Forty students will be selected for the ﬁrst sixth-grade. They’ll be taught by two “Learning Coaches” who will custom-create lesson plans that involve heavy use of online resources. “We’re looking for a student and a family that are comfortable with teaching and learning that are done in a different way than a traditional classroom,” said Scott Van Beck, a former principal and high-ranking administrator in the Houston ISD, who directs the APlus Challenge. In his years with HISD, Van Beck saw the district improve its performance in elementary schools, but he became a strong advocate of trying new techniques to bolster learning in secondary schools. At A-Plus, he has created programs that do just that. “This is sort of a lab school,” Van Beck told The Leader. “If this works, it can be added to the educational choice marketplace.” The school will aim for a set of

four “outcomes,” he explains: •Large gains in reading, writing and problem-solving that will see the equivalent of 4 1/2 years of growth during a three-year period, with a strong emphasis on teaching communication skills for the real world. •Personalizing learning based around the needs of a pupil instead of having one set curriculum. •Utilizing online resources to tailor learning. Van Beck cited foreign languages and history instruction as areas that could extend beyond traditional curricula. •Taking advantage of the Museum District location to set aside the traditional brick-and-mortar idea of a school for hands-on exploration. Instead of classes, the students will be divided in two 20-pupil cohorts, each led by a certiﬁed teacher/coach. “We’re looking for Houston, Texas,” said Van Beck. “We’re looking for a very diverse set of learners. Ethnic and socioeconomic diversity are what we’re after.”Applications will be simple, with no testing – just grade reports required. A phone interview will follow, along with a home visit after initial screening. Those interested can visit www. houstonaplus.org, call 713-6581881 or email Imelda Cardoza at lcardoza@houstonaplus.org. A workshop to explain the new school will be held at 9 a.m. June 22 at the J. Robinson Community Center, 2020 Hermann Drive.

Covering traditional 4th of July favorites and other culinary inﬂuences.

Publishes June 29 Contact your sales rep for details! | (713) 686-8494

THE CALENDAR.

STEAK NIGHT Sons of Legionnaires Post 560 6 p.m. June 21 3720 Alba Road

Page 7A • The Leader • June 22, 2013 • www.theleadernews.com

BILL W. AND DR. BOB The Venue on 34th Street 8 p.m. through June 22 2317 W. 34th St. www.billwplay.com

Steak dinner will be served until sold out. Entertainment will be provided.

teach how to create beautiful, long-lasting container gardens .

LITTLE NELL, THE ORPHAN GIRL Theatre Suburbia July 19-Aug. 24 4106 Way Out West Dr. 713-682-3525 www.theatresuburbia.org

A play by Stephen Bergman and Janet Surrey. A story that chronicles the journeys of the two founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. Performances are Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $10 general admission.

FOOD AND BOOK DRIVE The Giving Back Group Gabby’s BBQ 2-7 p.m. June 22 4659 Telephone Road 77087 832-270-8807 www.givingbackgroup.org

This “mellerdrammer” by Nelson Goodhue will be showing Fridays and Saturdays through Aug. 24, with 3 p.m. Sunday matinees July 28, Aug. 4, Aug. 11 and Aug. 18. Tickets are $14 adults, $13 students and seniors, and $12 Sunday matinees. Reservations are recommeded.

‘SOIL AND MULCH MORE’ GARDENING CLASS Heights Plant Farm 11 a.m. June 22 1422 Yale St. 713-868-7990 www.heightsplantfarm.com

A silent auction, barbecue and ice cream eating contest will be featured by Nourish To Flourish. Food and books will be distributed to low-income, at-risk children in the neighborhood.

MAM JOB FAIR Memorial Assistance Ministries Employment Services

Ashley Olmsted of The Ground Up, will

THE COUPONS. To place an ad on the most popular page in the Leader, give us a call at (713) 686-8494 and ask for one of our professional sales executives

10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 24 1625 Blalock Road bking@maministries.org

7603 Antoine Dr. 77088 281-414-8416

and individual seats are $50. A display booth is $125 and includes luncheon attendance for one.

The purpose for the event is to connect MAM clients and other qualiﬁed job seekers in the area with businesses that are hiring.

TED POE LUNCHEON Greater Heights Area Chamber Sheraton Brookhollow Hotel 11 a.m.-1 p.m. July 26 3000 North Loop West 713-861-6735 info@heightschamber.com

www.newbeginningsforwomen.net New Beginnings for Women of Houston, Inc., a nonproﬁt organization that serves the needs of disadvantaged women and children, will host the event to promote awareness and provide solutions for the critical issue of childhood obesity. Children can participate in Tae-Kwon-Do, kids yoga, jumprope, hula-hoop and line dancing.

THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF Express Children’s Theatre Through July 27 446 Northwest Mall 713-682-5044 www.expresstheatre.com

O. Henry’s literary classic comes to life in this musical adaptation. Visit the website or call the box oﬃce for ticket information.

This networking event with business leaders is an opportunity for their clients and vendors to attend luncheon with Ad # 37756 featured guest Ted Poe. A single table of 8 is $300, multiple tables are $250 each,

POGGIOREALE FOURTH REUNION Aug. 4 SPJST Lodge 88 1435 Beall St. 713-695-6586, 713-419-8142 rmorrison@poggioreale.net www.poggioreale.net

KIDS FITNESS AND FUN FEST New Beginnings for Women of Houston 9 a.m.-noon Aug. 3 White Oak Conference Center

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Highway 290 @ Fairbanks North Houston in Kroger Center

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Mexican Restaurant OPEN Monday - Saturday 8am - 10pm & Sunday 8 am - 4pm

Page 8A • The Leader • June 22, 2013 • @heightsleader

NEWS FROM YOUR PEWS

OBITUARIES Letha S. Ayres, born March 20, 1928, died June 11. Ayres was a member of Eastern Star and a lifelong active member of West End Baptist Church. She is survived by her husband Henry Vojtek, sons Daniel and Travis Ayres, step-daughter Hazel Reifel, step-son Cy Vojtek, three grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Callie Francis Burleson, born Aug. 13, 1924 in Houston, died June 11. Burleson was a longtime member of Woodland Presbyterian and Heights Presbyterian Church. She is survived by sons Larry and Randy Burleson, daughter Carol Epps, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Robert Louis Donald, born Nov.

7, 1930 in Corpus Christi, died June 15. Donald graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in 1955 and completed his residency in internal medicine at Hermann Hospital. He was a practicing physician in the Heights for more than 43 years, relocating to Round Rock, Texas upon retirement. He is survived by his daughter Barbara Donald, son Bob Donald, and sister Jane Lightfoot. Memorial contributions may be made to the TMA Foundation, 401 W. 15th St., Austin 78701.

Dale Edward Eckard, 58, born Sept. 15, 1954, died June 11, following a brief but valiant struggle with stomach cancer. Eckard earned a degree in business administration from Bowling Green State University and launched a successful career in human resources. He is survived by his mother Betty, and brother Paul. Memorial contributions may be made to Montrose Counseling Center or MD Anderson Cancer Center. Joe Henry Elliott Jr., 72, died June 11. Elliott was a descendant of the German immigrant Karl Kolbe, the ﬁrst settler in Spring Branch who also named it. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Eleanor, and daughter Melaina Elliott McGuire. ��

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Frank Gonzales, 38, died June 9.

He is survived by his three children Eric, Vanessa and Isaiah.

Carol Gunn, born Jan. 5, 1944 in San Antonio, died June 9. Gunn was a member of St. James Lutheran Church and a volunteer at Friends For Life Animal Shelter. She is survived by her daughter Shawna. Memorial contributions may be made to Friends For Life Animal Shelter, 107 E. 22nd St., Houston 77008. Naomi Younger Haynes, born June 10, 1931 in Houston, died June 13. Haynes was a graduate of Jeff Davis High School, who married her high school sweetheart Richard from rival Reagan High, on June 28, 1950. She worked for Texaco’s executive offices then on to be the executive assistant to her husband and office manager for his law firm. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Richard “Racehorse” Haynes, children Trayce Alexander, Ricki Cheryl Haynes, Blake Haynes and Slade Haynes, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the local SPCA or HPD Canine Unit. Arthur Conrad Kleiderer Jr.,

90, born March 10, 1923 in Louisville, Ky., died June 16. Kleiderer joined the Air Force in 1943, and served in the 8th Airforce, 44th Bomber Division stationed in England. He was pilot of a B24 bomber with 10 crewman, ﬂying multiple missions from October 1944 to May 1945. Capt. Kleiderer received the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters and Distinguished Flying Cross with First Oak Leaf Cluster. He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Mary Catherine, daughters Karen Pancheri, Vivian Davis, Connie Watson and Mary Shindler, sons Arthur Kleiderer and Robert Kleiderer, 21 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Memorial contributions may be made to Saint Luke’s Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer, Houston 77027.

Donna Ruth Lindsey, born April 26, 1928 in Dallas, died June 11 in San Antonio. She was active in several Methodist congregations in Houston, with a special place in her heart and memory for St. Stephen’s UMC in Oak Forest. Lindsey is survived by daughters Donna K. Settles, Ruth A. Bowen and Tina Lopez, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Evin H. Shelby, 92, died June 15.

He had been vice president of Shelby Biscuit Company and a deacon at Second Baptist Church. He is survived by his children Melinda Lee and Evin Marcus Shelby, and two grandchildren.

Joe P. Siarski, born Sept. 13, 1931 in

Plantersville, died June 15. Siarski joined the United States Army at age 21 and was a veteran of the Korean War, earning many medals, including the Bronze Star. He is survived by daughters Susan Fuller and Robin Thomas, sons Larry, Robbie, Allen, Tony and Steve, 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Salsa fundraiser at St. James Lutheran

A “Learn How to Dance Salsa” fundraiser will be held 7-10 p.m. June 22. Tickets will be available at the door. Other upcoming summer events include GED, Adult Literacy, basic computer classes and a health forum. St. James is led by the ministry team of Rev. Raymond LeBlanc and Aura Suarez, minister of outreach. For information, call the church ofﬁce at 713-686-1577 or e-mail at stjameshouston@aol.com.

lyn Road, will host a yard sale 8:30 stmatthewsmethodist.org or call a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. June 28; 713-697-0671. and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. June 29. Individuals can rent lawn space June 29, for $15. Barbecue lunches will Church of the Holy Trinity also be available. Call 713-819- holds VBS in July Vacation Bible School will be 8456 for information. Vacation Bible School will be offered at Church of the Holy 9 a.m. to noon July 15-19. The Trinity, 211 Byrne, 9 a.m.-noon theme is “Everywhere Funfare Ad # 31448 Where God’s World Comes Together.” There is no cost and chilSince 1978 dren age 3 through ﬁfth grade are welcome to attend. Alterations & Call 713-466-5500 or visit Dry Cleaning www.sttimothysumc.org for inMon-Fri 7 am - 6 pm, Sat 8 am - 3 pm formation. 1765 W. 34th • 713-682-8785

Chris’

Vacation Bible School at Hope Episcopal

Sea Scouts Ship 24 lunch at St. Stephen’s

Sea Scouts Ship 24 will host a luncheon at St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church, 2003 W. 43rd St., at noon June 23 in the fellowship hall. The menu will include pasta, salad, bread and dessert. Monetary donations will be accepted to help the Scouts with the cost of a summer trip and a sailing rig they are building for a project boat. There are still Vacation Bible School openings available for children in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Preschool classes are full. Classes will be held July 22-26. Registration is $15 for the first child, and $10 for each additional child within the same family. Forms are available on the website and through the church office. For information, call 713-6868241 or visit www.stsumc.org.

Mobile Immunization Clinic at Pathways

Texas Children’s Hospital’s Mobile Clinic will be offering free immunizations for children up to 18 years of age at Pathways Church, 5900 Pinemont. Free school supplies will also be given out to area school children. Call 832-372-9871 for information.

Yard sale at St. Timothy’s

St. Timothy’s United Methodist Church, 8787 N. Houston RossAd # 27680

Hope Episcopal Church, 1613 W. 43rd St., is offering Vacation Bible School from 6:30-8:15 p.m. July 15-19. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Ad # 30111 The theme is “Living in the Imagination of God.” All ages are welcome. NEW! View Call 713-681-6422 or visit www. hope-episcopal.org to register.

July 22-26. Children, kindergarten through the sixth grade, will learn about the Bible and missionary adventures through stories, songs and games. Classes are taught by Youth Group volunteers. Call 713-862-5657 or visit www.holytrinityrec.org for information.

Pet Cremations

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Vacation Bible School at St. Matthew’s

St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, 4300 N. Shepherd Dr., will hold Vacation Bible School from 9 a.m.-noon July 15-19. This year’s theme is “God’s Backyard Bible Camp Under the Stars.” Parents should visit www.stmatthewsmethodist.org to pre-register their children. A link for VBS registration can be found on the home page. On Tuesdays 9 a.m.-noon, the Sr. Adults meet to play games, have refreshments and enjoy fellowship along with the quilters group. The Rev. Coats continues his sermon series on the book of Galatians. Sunday morning worship and a special Children’s Church begins at 9:30 a.m., followed by 10:30 a.m. Sunday School for all ages. A Wednesday evening 6:30 p.m. prayer and praise service is available, along with Holy Communion. For information, visit www.

GREAT GRANITE COUNTERS Convenient shop at home service Serving families for 20 years

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We Can All Help Prevent Drug Resistant Germs

Emerging antibiotic resistant germs are a real concern to the human and animal healthcare communities. Yes, we will need better drugs in the future, but at the front line of this never-ending battle, we primarily need responsible people so germ mutations never start. The overuse of antibiotics is dictated by doctors but driven by everyday people. Doctors prescribe unnecessary amounts due to lifestyles that could be improved upon for the beneﬁt of all.

Preventative Medicine helps to Prevent antibiotic overuse, this Prevents drug resistant germs.

Obviously, proper shelter, water, nutrition, hygiene, cleaning, and waste management are key to germ control. Fewer antibiotics are used if good practices are in place. As for Veterinary Preventative Medicine, we can prevent antibiotic overuse by promoting: 1. Proper Vaccine programs 2. Internal Parasite Control Programs - Heartworms/worms 3. External Parasite Control Programs - Fleas/Ticks & others 4. Dental Care Programs - Both professional and HomeCare These programs would significantly reduce respiratory, intestinal, skin, periodontal, and many other preventable infections veterinarians must treat everyday with antibiotics. If we are responsibly concerned about antibiotic resistance, then we will take proactive measures to best prevent parasites and disease in the ﬁrst place.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of antibiotics overused.

Always call your Vet if you have any concerns or questions

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• Carpet • Tile • Vinyl • Wood Floors • Granite Counter Tops

Robert’s Floors

INC.

Showroom: 708

E. Tidwell (Near 1-45) 713-699-5951

www.robertsfloorsinc.com

Parsley Studio

WWW.FAIRBANKS.VETSUITE.COM 7151 Fairbanks N. Houston (1 mile North of HWY 290)

(713)-937-7274

Church Guide

Oaks Presbyterian Church

Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship - 10:30 a.m. Nursery Provided

Ministering to the Oak Forest Community since 1948 Reverend Noelie Day

Grace United Methodist Church “The Heart of the Heights”

1245 Heights Blvd.

Sunday School . . . . . . . 9:30 AM Sunday Worship . . . . . 10:45 AM Nursery Provided

(713) 682-2556 1576 Chantilly @ Piney Woods

Reverend Hill Johnson, Pastor

713 862-8883

Food Pantry, Thurs. 2-4:30 PM www.graceintheheights.org

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Gospel Truth Church Sunday 10:30 am Worship and The Word Children’s Church Wednesday 7:30 pm Life Equip classes for all ages

(Disciples of Christ)

1624 W 34th • 713-686-7689 www.gospeltruthchurch.org

1216 Bethlehem at Ella Blvd. (713) 688-7761 Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Worship10:45 AM Pastor Don Joseph Member of MANNA Visit us on FaceBook www.oakscchouston.org

GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH 4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 Reverend John Cain, Pastor Worship Services 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. (Nursery Provided) Sunday School & Bible Classes 9:15 a.m. Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m. www.gethsemanelutheran.org

Member of MANNA

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MESSAGE OF THE WEEK

LOVE ALLOF GOD’S CREATION

L

ove all of God’s creation, even that which seems unlovable. It’s easy to love kittens and bunnies and roses and rainbows. But, we have trouble when it comes to loving the cockroach or the rat, or the stench from the sewer. But, that stench is God’s creation too, microscopic life doing exactly what God created it to do. That doesn’t mean you want to bathe in it. The stench may be nature’s way of telling us to keep our distance. There may be good reasons why we are naturally repulsed by spiders, snakes and other venomous critters. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t love and admire them on some level. Most of us will never have the same warm fuzzy feeling for a rat, a bat, or a snake that we will have for a kitten, but that doesn’t keep us from admiring the amazing way in which bats navigate their environment or the amazing way in which rats have managed to survive despite our best attempts to wipe them out. All of God’s creation is lovable, every grain of sand and every creepy crawly thing and every prickly plant and every form of radiation. We should strive to love all of God’s creation without bias. “Love all God’s creation, the whole and every grain of sand of it. Love every leaf, every ray of God’s light. Love the animals, love the plants, love everything.If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.” ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky ~

Sunday SundayWorship WorshipServices Service at 8:30am & 11:00am 10:45 am

Bible Study 9:30 am 3206 N. Shepherd

713-864-4447 � Website www.gobc.org JimBob Daniel Interim Pastor Pastor Dr. Overton

A House of Hope and Prayer in the Heart of Houston Rev. Herschel Moore, Pastor

1822 W. 18th

Sunday - Bible Study For All Ages .. 9:30am Morning Worship............ 10:45am Age Graded Zones ...........6:15pm Wed. Prayer Meeting & Missions Organization .....................6:15pm Dr. John W. Neesley - Senior Pastor

713-864-1470

Page 9A • The Leader • June 22, 2013 • @heightsleader

Art a la Carte: Cruising for a calendar of local arts

U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt 209 Heights Blvd. www.u-swirl.com Frozen Yogurt: about 40 cents/ounce Kid Friendly: This place is built for youngsters LE’s Favorite: Cookies and cream frozen yogurt

Review: Take frozen yogurt advice from the Bomber didn’t dilly-dally around with all the clever flavors and was quickly pulling down the handle on one of the most timeless flavors in frozen desserts – cookies and cream. The Bomber put a slight layer of vanilla (a synonym for boring but a selection that never disappoints) before surprising her father with some serious restraint at the topping bar, only shoveling a humble bit of mashed up Oreo cookies into her bowl. Leader Eater was not so unpretentious in my yogurt choices, abandoning my modesty and intertwining a couple of frozen cables of the glamorous Cappuccino and Red Velvet Cake flavors and a heaping helping of Kit Kat chocolate bar pieces. After we dropped our bowls down on the scale (U-Swirl prices its desserts by the ounce) and sat down on elongated vertical couch, Leader Eater realized that two of my favorite after-dinner delights – a frothy cup of Cappuccino or a towering slice of Red Velvet Cake (or both together) – are not ideally enjoyed when they come oozing out of chilling machine in the form of frozen yogurt. Replicating those two tastes in ice cream form just doesn’t work with an overly synthetic flavor that is just off-putting. On the other hand, vanilla and cookies and cream are in their natural habitat as a frozen dessert. As I dipped my spoon over into The Bomber’s bowl (to her mild protest), I was reminded what real frozen yogurt tastes like and that you should always follow a kid’s lead (no matter how simple the selections) when it comes to their culinary specialty: dessert.

The simplistic palates of young eaters can be frustrating for a parent trying to get a son or daughter to squeeze down a couple pieces of broccoli or having to deal with that scrunched up facial response when you slide a dish of something other than melted cheese in front of them. But occasionally, a kid’s lack of gastronomic sophistication can be just the clear-eyed perspective you need to cut through today’s culinary clutter. Take the frozen yogurt phenomenon, for instance. Leader Eater took The Bomber (my ﬁve-yearold going on 15) to check out the newest serve-yourself ice cream, err, frozen yogurt franchise in the neighborhood, U-Swirl. In the same vein as its ice creamy cousins, Menchie’s and BerriPop, U-Swirl has more than a dozen handles that will squeeze out frozen ﬂavors such as Dulce-De-Leche, Mango Sorbet, Cake Batter and N.Y. Cheesecake. A sprawling buffet of yogurt toppings offers a mind-numbing number of choices. There’s a vast array of nuts – plain and candycoated; exotic fruit that typically hang off the lip of a oceanside vacation cocktail; a bunch of those sugary cereals my mom never let me eat as a kid; and every chocolate bar you can imagine crushed up and sitting in trays ready to be scooped out on to your yogurt. The place is a dessert fanatic’s dream and a parent’s nightmare (if you are in there consuming that much sugar anywhere even close to bedtime). The pastelplastered interior leads you to the back where you peel off your own empty cup and, as The Bomber did, make a mad dash for your yogurt of choice. In her haste, she

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Of equal or lesser value. One coupon per table.

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Ella Blvd

610 E

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W. 22nd W. 20 St.

W. 18 St.

Easy access from E. T.C. Jester & 18th St

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As you read this I’m ending a ﬁve day cruise on the now infamous Carnival Triumph, for which I was preparing to leave when I wrote this. (No, I did not pack a suitcase full of toilet paper.) I hope to be back in time for the Saturday night shows in the Heights. As vast and sprawling as Mitch Cohen Houston is, the most Arts Columnist daunting task for me has been to ﬁnd a calendar or list of art events that covers the entire city. Creating one is truly a chore. Stephanie Toppin has created just such a list, and it is available online. Houston Craft Calendar is a comprehensive website that lists shows by day, week and month and also is in the beginning stages of listing crafters. She bills it on her Facebook page as “A simple listing of craft workshops, classes, camps, markets, and crafters in the Houston area.” Have a look, and plan your weekends accordingly. www.

While the passing trains are part of an important ritual at Cottonwood, the tracks provided some scary moments last Saturday. When attempting to leave the parking lot, a customer mistook the railroad tracks as an exit. The driver did not get far once the edge of the railroad tracks were crossed. Emergency personnel were called to the scene, and a tow truck pulled the car to safety, out of the way of any oncoming trains. When trains pass, there are $4 “Train Shots,” chosen by the bartender. There are also weekly shenanigans, which include: Mexican Mondays, which feature awesome Mexican-inspired plates; Whiskey Wednesday, which oﬀers whiskey specials that change every week; Steak Night Thursday featuring a 12-ounce ribeye with scalloped potatoes and grilled asparagus. Sunday Funday oﬀers live music by Rozzano Zamarano on the patio with mimosas and bloody marys. My advice: Be aware of the train tracks -- and the featured cocktail, Periwinkle. The Periwinkle is very tasty, with Dripping Springs Vodka, Creme de Violette, lemon, soda and lavender syrup.

Craft beer legislation is now law

Gov. Rick Perry has signed into law what industry sources are calling the most impactful beer legislation of the last 20 years. According to www.texascraftbrewersguild.org, the changes will improve the overall competitiveness of the Texas craft beer market by assisting brewers in the following areas: - Gain the ability for packaging breweries to sell their products to consumers on the premise of their breweries; - Gain the ability for brewpubs to sell their products into the wholesale tier while also increasing the annual product limit of brewpubs; - Protect small brewer’s existing rights to self-distribute and build brand value; - Achieve these goals while protecting the integrity and viability of the three-tier system; Prior to the enactment of these new laws, the Texas craft beer industry has regularly demonstrated its economic potential with production reaching $737 million in 2012, compared to $608 million in 2011.

�� Vagabond Farm Stand on the move again of ground (preferably paved) in the Garden Oaks-Oak Forest area that’s not used on Saturday mornings, let us know. This Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Farmer Cathy will be bringing baby chicks to the market and the good folks of Hens for Houston are coming to be our wranglers and talk about their efforts to change the city ordinance to allow residents to have small backyard ﬂocks for eggs.

HoustonCraftCalendar.com.

Friday, June 21

Mini Pops at Avant Garden, 411 Westheimer Road 77006, 6 p.m. The ﬁrst evening program for Pop Shop Houston, indie craft under the stars with bands, cocktails, activities and more. h t t p s : / / w w w. f a ce b o o k . co m / events/313833708750537

Saturday, June 22

Houston Re-Market 4302 Harrisburg, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The market features about 10 very afford-

able vendors who use recycled and reused materials and other sustainable practices in their craft. Visitors are encouraged to bring their items to recycle or swap, too. You’ll ﬁnd a food truck or two and live music for entertainment. www.houstonremarket.com Artist Collective On Fannin Part Deux at Art Square Studios, 4118 Fannin (Entrance at 1009 Eagle St.) 3 p.m. - Midnight. Collective show, multiple media, even a couple experimental music acts. Food and drinks will be available, compliments of the artists. Great

There are train pros and cons at Cottonwood

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The Farm Stand is on the move again this weekend – but not far. The owner of the new Wakefield Crow Bar had been allowing our neighborhood farmer’s market to use a parking lot for several weeks after its first location across from Petrol Station was taken over to Mickey Morales build a swim school. Now that the Crow Bar is opening for breakfast on Saturdays, the market is moving to a new location, in the parking lot of the Texas Auto Group, nearby at 948 Wakefield Drive near Golf (with a big thank-you to Justin Taghi). Ultimately we are looking for a more permanent home for our traveling show, so if you know of anyone who owns a little patch

Late Train - 1970s Paris, a photo by Gordon Greenleaf, will be part of the Midsummer Night’s Dream Art & Social at The Gallery at 3202 White Oak Saturday. (Submitted photo)

space out in midtown on the light rail line. Midsummer Night’s Dream Art & Social, The Gallery at 3202 White Oak, 77007, 6-9 p.m. Art show and summer solstice fun. Costumes optional. Featuring works by Denise St Clair, Gordon and Tara Jordan-Greenleaf. “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” Montrose Skate Shop, Karbach Brewing Co, Bay Clean Power Wash, Go-Green Houston Products, Beyond Visuals, The Original Henna Company 3606469 https://www.facebook.com/ events/455150517910107 Why would I end a cruise? For this show. Check out this gallery space, it is what makes the Heights so much fun to visit and/or live here. Colombia in Color: The Art of Alvaro Zorrilla, Heights Art Studios 7:30-10:30 p.m. 214 E. 27th St. Houston 77008. “Colombia in Color is a collection of work by the artist known as “Zorro,” described as having a “naive and whimsical approach to painting… an interesting and at times comical display of how he sees his own homeland memories,” according to Hans Payan Geler, http://hasg. blog.com

Also, former Garden Oaks resident Allison Bell is returning to promote her compilation of her Tuscan mother-in-law’s family recipes in her new cookbook, and our new friend Chuck is coming to sell cookies and other confections from new vendor Pam’s Sweets. As always, “Come soon, come often” – and cuddle a baby chick. Morales is founder and manager of the Farm Stand, where he prepares breakfast each week.

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Houston Pride Week

According to www.pridehouston.com, the Houston Pride Week celebration is typically held the last Saturday in June to commemorate Stonewall Riots in New York. The parade is held in the evening after sunset, a tradition began in 1997, to become the nation’s only nighttime Pride Parade. There will be numerous events throughout the week for the Houston LGBT Pride Celebration. The Festival and Pride Parade are at the center of the celebration and are attended by more than 325,000 people every year from all over the world. Festivities begin at 1 p.m., June 29, in Montrose. For more information, visit www.pridehouston.org.

Grand Opening of D&T Drive Inn

D&T Drive Inn will be holding its grand opening from 3-7 p.m. June 29. There will be food samples from the new menu and drink specials from Real Ale and other local brewers. D&T Drive Inn is located at 1307 Enid St. For more information, visit www.dandtdriveinn.com or ﬁnd D & T Drive Inn on Facebook.

10/10 Wine Deal at Max’s Wine Dive

MAX’s knows a thing or two about good wine deals and 10/10 is and example. When you buy a bottle of wine to enjoy

Thirsty Explorer during your meal and another bottle togo, you will receive 10 percent oﬀ both. On www.maxswinedive.com, there is also an opportunity to take advantage of MAX’s Buy More, Save More promotion, which allows you to stock up on wine for friends, family or even yourself. MAX’s Wine Dive is located at 4720 Washington Ave.

Thirsty Explorer

NICK GREER ��

Tour De Lone Pint

Lone Pint Brewery presents Tour De Lone Pint on June 25. The bike crawl will begin at Hay Merchant, 1100 Westheimer Road, at 6 p.m., with departure at 7 p.m. for D&T Drive-Inn, 1307 Enid St., with the end destination at Petrol Station, 985 Wakeﬁeld Drive. Riders will receive a free glass. For more information, visit www. lonepint.com or the Facebook page for Lone Pint Brewery, which a family brewery located in nearby Magnolia.

J. BLACK’S ﬁrst anniversary

J. BLACK’S Feel Good Kitchen & Lounge will be holding a celebration for its ﬁrst anniversary June 27. There will be complimentary sips and bites while they last and live music all night long. There will also be complimentary VIP gift bags for the ﬁrst 100 guests and a photo booth with props for fun. J. BLACK’S is located at 110 S. Heights Blvd. For more information, visit www.jblacks.com/houston.

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– Ivee Sauls

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