Leader0628a by The Heights Leader, Fort Bend Star and The Greensheet

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Inside Today: A home makeover in Oak Forest • 1B

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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston

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Saturday, June 28, 2014 • Vol. 60 • No. 34

It’s time to pick the best backyard in the area, and your vote is what counts.

Find out who our readers picked as the best businesses in town.

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ABOUT US 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd Suite A (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.

By Betsy Denson

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832.419.9969

Those who have defended our freedoms July 4 is a relaxing day for most Americans, whether it’s enjoying a barbecue, watching fireworks or taking in a baseball game. But the reason we continue to live in a free country is due to the efforts and sacrifices of the brave men and women of the United States military. The Leader is honoring our active duty military personnel with photos and biographical information for the July 4 edition. We will run all of the personnel submitted, provided they have some type of connection to The Leader area. Please e-mail all of this information to michael@theleadernews.com.

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Paolo Castagnoli’s workday commute is getting ready to drastically improve. The Oak Forest resident, who for the last four years has been Dean of Students at East Early College High School in east downtown, has been named the new principal at Frank Black Middle School. Although he enjoyed his time at East Early which is a secondary charter school, Castagnoli pursued the job at FBMS after Meilin Jao’s resignation in

May. After meeting with a committee of teachers, faculty and community members at Black, Castagnoli moved on to additional interviews at HISD and was approved Castagnoli by the superintendent. It is his ﬁrst job as principal. Castagnoli is excited to help continue the momentum at FBMS which he’d been a witness to over the last few years.

“We’ve been following it, and like many parents we were excited to see growth,” he said. “For years, there was no community interest. A school is only as good as the community buyin.” Now, he thinks Black is a school “on the rise” which is positioned to became one, if not the best, middle school in the city. Castagnoli cites the wide variety of programs FBMS has instituted and says he is committed to developing them further. A “huge proponent See Principal, P. 2A

Snakes Sssaved

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FIND IT. LOCAL COURIER SERVICE needs owner operator with fullsize pickup trucks. 12 immediate openings. 281-645-2196. JACKI SORENSEN’S FITNESS CLASSES now at Advent Lutheran Church, 5820 Pinemont Dr. New sessions June 30, Monday and Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. Call Anna at 713-817-0778. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: MAC Mechanical Inc. 713-864-5034, e-mail kschneider@macmechanical. net. Responsibilities include answering the telephone professionally, accounts payable, accounts receivable, general filing, organizational skills, skills in Word and Excel, effectively multi task. Start $15/hour. Benefits include medical, dental and 401K. 2007 KIA SPECTRA: 4-door, silver, 55,000 miles, A/C, CD, one owner. $5,400. 713-3060225.

THE INDEX.

Constable rescues neglected snakes from Heights home By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com

On June 18, the Harris County Precinct One Constable’s Ofﬁce rescued 15 snakes — including one as large as 14 feet — from a Heights home where they hadn’t received food or care for an extended period of time. “The snakes were in horrible, horrible shape,” Constable Alan Rosen said. “The conditions were deplorable. The snakes hadn’t been fed or housed properly.” Among the snakes were a boa constrictor and several pythons. Three of them have broken backs.

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Brittany K. Barrineau, the homeowner at 714 W. 21st St. in the Heights had been a snake breeder for 15 years but doesn’t currently live in the 1,934 square foot home, which was built in 1930. There was also a cat living in the home. Barrineau went to civil court on Tuesday and reached an agreement to transfer permanent ownership of the animals to the SPCA. As part of that agreement, Barrineau won’t face any criminal charges. The Constable received a tip from a neighbor, began an investigation and was able to secure a court order to reSee Snakes, P. 10A

Councilmembers receive funds to beneﬁt district By Michael Sudhalter

Classiﬁeds Food/Drink/Art Obituaries

As many as 14 snakes were rescued from deplorable conditions and are now being cared for in an undisclosed location. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)

michael@theleadernews.com

Church

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Castagnoli named new principal at Black betsy@theleadernews.com

www.allenSOLDit.com

Photo Con

Ellen Cohen, Ed Gonzalez and Brenda Stardig will have $1 million to spend for their respective districts this year. The $1 million will be available to each of the city’s 11 district council member ofﬁces. At-large council members will not have any funds allocated. The three district council members in The Leader area are Cohen (District C), Gon-

zalez (District H) and Stardig (District A). Gonzalez, who represents District H, said he’s “cautiously optimistic” about the new program. “We need to make sure we work out the kinks and have the proper safeguards in place,” Gonzalez said. “Communities and needs are changing. Sometimes, (the 5-year-Capital Improvement Project) isn’t quick enough to respond to immediate needs.”

Cohen echoed those sentiments, emphasizing that it should be an asset to the district, provided that there’s “appropriate oversight” for the projects. “District Council Members become intimately familiar with the everyday problems their districts face, and each district has a unique set of concerns,” Cohen said. “The proposed discretionary fund creates an opportunity for Council Members to streamline

solutions for the neighborhoods they represent.” Said Stardig, “This additional money is going to be of great relief to our community. I plan to use this money on many smaller projects that, while are still necessary, are often overlooked by the city.” The funds will be available throughout the ﬁscal year 2015, but it’s expected that there will be strict See Funds, P. 10A

Milton Dailey

Waltrip mourns passing of Coach Dailey When it came to football, school or life, Milton Dailey was often the most optimistic person in the room. The entire Waltrip High community - and many others who knew the former Rams head football and track & ﬁeld coach ‚Äì mourned his passing on Wednesday morning. Details of funeral arrangements were not available at press time. Dailey, who retired earlier this spring, passed away in his sleep after a courageous battle with Pancreatic Cancer. “He taught me and my younger brothers the value of hard work and perseverance,” said Tristan Massey, Dailey’s grandson and a senior at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. “His job was to get the job done and do it right.” Dailey did exactly that over the past two seasons. After 10 seasons as an assistant, he was named head coach before the 2012 season. He led the Rams to the UIL Class 4A playoffs in 2012 and 2013, respectively. A Houston native, Dailey graduated from Booker T. Washington High in Independence Heights and Prairie View A&M. He played running back during his years at both schools. In addition to working with Waltrip athletes, Dailey mentored his grandson, St. Pius X senior running back Micah Massey, who has received Division I attention in recent months. “Even when he was sick, we were still talking about football and preparing Micah for the next level,” Tristan said. Last fall, The Leader wrote a story featuring the relationship between Dailey and Micah. Waltrip principal Andria Schur said the WHS community was saddened to hear about Dailey’s passing. “He was very dedicated to Waltrip,” Schur said. “We recently celebrated his dedication to our campus. He had great vision to take our team to the next level.” Longtime WHS boys basketball coach Dan Kelly enjoyed working with Dailey, who had worked as the Rams’ freshman boys basketball coach before becoming the head football coach. “He was a tremendous teacher and coach and a great role model,” Kelly said. “He was more to these kids than a teacher and a coach. He was a stepdad to many of them. He got on them when they needed discipline. When they needed encouragement, he was there to pick them up.” Waltrip head football coach Todd Wright, who was hired last month, had never met Dailey but said he’d heard great things about him. Wright said the team hopes to honor Dailey with a helmet decal and a moment of silence, but plans to honor the coach haven’t been ﬁnalized yet. Wright said his staff will be there to talk to the players, and professional therapists will be made available, upon the players’ request.

THE PUBLIC. Saturday, June 28, 2014 • Page 2A

Residents concerned about the city’s water quality By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com

said Parent Involvement Coordinator Tim Weltin. He has a track record of success as a passionate, capable and approachable administrator. I’m certain he will continue to build on the recent success at Frank Black with FBMS beneﬁting from his experience and vision as it emerges as a premier middle school.” Former FBMS Principal Meilin Jao, who helped steer the school to its current state, is the new principal at Francis C. Hammond Middle School in Alexandria, Va. The school was recently consolidated from three smaller middle schools into one large one. The Washington Post reports that the smaller schools, which were created to help them succeed, are struggling – “with four of the ﬁve falling short of full state accreditation because of low test scores.” A press statement from the Alexandria superintendent said: “As principal of Frank Black Middle School in Houston since 2007, Jao increased enrollment and managed to save the school from scheduled closure.”

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in HISD. Castagnoli was a social studies teacher for a year and then assistant principal for four years. Crystal Ardoin Richmond, current AP at FBMS, worked with him there and is ready to collaborate once again. “He is a strong, diligent and committed individual who is passionate about children receiving the best educational experience possible,” she said. “I remember his team spirit and his connection with the kids. They received him so well and he was respectful yet ﬁrm in his approach.” A 15-year resident of the area, Castagnoli says that he and his wife Teresa, a teacher at Helms Elementary, chose Oak Forest because it was family friendly. Their two children attended Oak Forest Elementary and local HISD middle schools, so Castagnoli is a big proponent of public education overall. He met many of the Frank Black parents at a community meeting this week. “Mr. Castagnoli brings an outstanding reputation to Frank Black Middle School,”

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know more. PWE is evaluating treatment options and tracking the upstream water supply. Some local residents, such as Jennifer Hayes, are taking precautions with their water. “I am boiling it before consumption as an added safety measure,” Hayes said. “I have a hard time believing it’s safe when it smells and tastes so bad. I hate to buy bottled water but may resort to that if the problem lasts.” Sarah Gonzales said ﬁltering the water usually solves the problem for her. “After I ﬁlter mine, I notice no weird taste, smell or color,” Gonzales said. “I really recommend the whole Zero Water system.”

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The water at many Houston residents’ homes may be safe to drink, but it’s not pleasant. Residents, including many in The Leader area, have complained about a metallic-tasting, discolored water that smells funny as well. Residents have been calling 311, the city’s phone number to report public works issues, constantly since last week. “The water is yellow and smells and tastes horrible in Candlelight Oaks Village,” Emily Nelson Theriot said. Said Donald Wasson, “It smells and tastes like lake water. If I am going to be smelling and tasting lake water, give

me a boat and sunshine.” The City of Houston’s Public Works & Engineering Department released a statement, acknowledging the issues, but assuring residents that the water exceeds safety standards: “PWE water quality professionals have concluded that the change is attributable to increased levels of a naturallyoccurring compound in our upstream surface water supplies which is known to cause earthy or musty tastes and odors. Houston’s water continues to be safe to consume and meets or exceeds all federal and state regulations.” There are a number of residents who say they’re steering clear of the tap until they

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Principal, from P. 1A of the arts” whose children both attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Castagnoli is particularly enthusiastic about Black’s band, dance, theatre and arts offerings. Originally from the San Francisco Bay area, Castagnoli came to Texas for the Jazz Studies program at North Texas State. For a time, he was even a professional musician as a drummer in a funk band called Good Foot which played all original songs. He’s also performed with Vikki Carr, a three-time Grammy Award winning singer from El Paso. Eventually, he switched gears and got a political science degree from the University of Houston. Castagnoli began his teaching career at Sanchez Charter School, one of the first charter schools in Texas, before coming to a fledgling YES Prep for six years. During his tenure there, the school experienced tremendous growth and was the top performing high school in the state. A move to Scarborough High School was his first job

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FOOD, DRINK & ART Saturday, June 28, 2014 • Page 3A

Wurstfest this weekend

Karbach’s Station 68 Nights

Saint Arnold presents check for $41,400

Karbach Brewing Co. has been holding Station 68 Nights all over our area to raise awareness and support of the Robert Garner Fireﬁghter Foundation. The next Station 68 Night will be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1 at Lillo & Ella, located at 2307 Ella Blvd. Then again at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2 at BRC, located at 519 Shepherd Dr. Station 68 is a brew speciﬁcally

Last week Saint Arnold presented Operation Homefront with a check for $41,400 from the sales of Homefront IPA. Operation Homefront is an organization that provides emergency ﬁnancial aid and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors. Including the contributions from their distributors Silver Eagle and Del Papa, they delivered over $50,000 to Operation Homefront.

Annual Beer for Backpacks at Saint Arnold

Join Saint Arnold and State Representative Jessica Farrar from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2 at the brewery to collect backpacks and other school supplies for children who otherwise would not have supplies. Admission: Bring one new or gently used children’s backpack and at least two of the following items: • 1 subject wide-ruled notebook • 4 pocket folders with brads/ assorted colors • 1 packet of loose leaf wideruled paper • 1 box of 24-ct crayons • 2 glue sticks They will pay you for your generosity in beer. Bring the materials listed and in return you will be able to enjoy all of the beers they regularly have available on their tours. They will also have limited release beers available for purchase. For more information, visit www.saintarnold.com. Follow Ivee Sauls on Twitter @ThirstyExplorer. To submit an event, email ivee@theleadernews. com.

Art a la Carte: Come see Mines’ work this Saturday By Mitch Cohen Arts Columnist

Confession time: I came to the Heights ﬁrst for the music, not the art. I think all my friends did. We had it good at the University of North Texas, renowned for its music programs. During our school breaks there were several Heights area venues where we found our home grown music. By the time I ﬁnally moved to the Heights, Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar was open and already famous for hosting a blues jam that attracted celebrities on a regular basis. With all the changes this neighborhood has seen in the past 20 plus years, it’s refreshing that a music venue like Dan Electro’s is still around and thriving. To celebrate the transition of new ownership, the owners will be celebrating the contributions made by Bob

Edwards, the second owner of Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar, this weekend at a grand reopening with three nights of music from some of the best the Heights has to offer. Pick a night — you will not be disappointed, and celebrate one of the places that helped give this neighborhood such great character. I have posted details under Friday’s events. Friday, June 27 Pythagorean Nightmares: Aldon Mines, 6:308 p.m. Heritage Plaza, 1111 Bagby St. “Aldon Mines is both a creative artist and skilled craftsman. People like him have the ability to create work that stands apart from classic art forms such as oils, acrylics, photography and pottery. Part carpenter, part abstract watercolorist, his constructs combine heavy, masculine materials, with delicate, light watercolors,” said Curator

Matt Adams. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Opening Reception: presented by DiverseWorks, Aurora Picture Show, and Project Row Houses. 7-9 p.m. DiverseWorks, 4102 Fannin, Ste. 200. Featuring The Idea Fund projects. Tribute to Bob Edwards - Grand ReOpening Of Dan Electros Guitar Bar, FridaySunday. Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar, 1031 E. 24th St. All shows are $10. Friday: Funky Mustard opening for the Blaggards. Doors open 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m. Saturday: Fondue Monks, Zentenos, Sancho & The Lovetones. Doors open 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m. Sunday: Trudy Lynn With Steve Krase, then Carolyn Wonderland. Doors open at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 28 Third Ward Community Night Market, 6-10 p.m., 2500 block of Holman St.

Monthly market at night during the months of June, July and September. At the Row Houses, enjoy unique art and crafts projects, mingle, enjoy live music with a guest DJ and community performances. The talent Showcase will give performers exposure and stage experience in front of a live audience. The 2ND Saturday Montrose Art Market hosts a Special Pride Jam Fest event. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at 2409 Montrose Blvd. Bands all day here and this is only blocks away from The Pride Festival. Studio 155 opening celebration, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Studio 155, 2503 Robinhood. Celebration of local artists and designers of various mediums and a pre Grand Opening. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Leader Nibbles betsy@theleadernews.com

Summer menu at MAX’s Wine Dive

MAX’s Wine Dive, 4720 Washington Ave., has posted Chef Pellegrino’s Summer 2014 Menu options on their Facebook page. Enjoy such options as Champagne and Hush Puppies & Pate

Get Wild at Rainbow Lodge

Rainbow Lodge, 2011 Ella Blvd., is well known for its wild game and they are showcasing their bounty during Wild Game Burger Fridays (lunch only). One recent blend was Buﬀalo, Venison, a little Elk and Pork Belly. On Comfort food Sunday, they oﬀer weekly specials like their Smothered Pork Chops. Carnivores, report for duty.

Local restaurant bargains

CultureMap recently did a rundown of 10 Houston restaurant happy hour bargains you must try. Bradley’s Fine Diner made the list with six new happy hour dishes including popcorn shrimp in chili-lime aioli ($7), and a sloppy Joe biscuit slider ($6) “that takes full advantage of the restaurant’s in-house bread baking.” Weekdays 3-6:30 p.m.

Mozelle’s Cajun Seafood Market closed?

Houston Press did the leg work on this after HtownCheapEats mentioned in last week’s openings and closings report that Mozelle’s Cajun Seafood Market, 126 Heights Blvd., had closed. A

Facebook announcement said they were closed for business. Etouﬀee and gumbo lovers don’t despair. A more recent Facebook post says, “We will be posting soon on how to purchase your Mozelle’s Crawﬁsh Pies online.”

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Need some prodding for a date night? Ruggles Green, which has four locations including one at 748 E 11th St., has been selected by Glamour Magazine for #GlamourDateNight, on Saturday, June 28. Why? Well, “in a new Glamour survey, 73 percent of single women said they often can’t even tell whether they’ve been on a date or not, and, shockingly, 19 percent said they had never been on a ‘real date’ at all. Women in relationships aren’t faring much better; just 12 percent of them have a regular date night with their signiﬁcant other.” The Ruggles Green $35 Glamour Date Night Special includes two entrees, two glasses of wine, and dessert. Book a sitter.

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Celebrate Wurstfest Sausage Festival is this Saturday and Sunday, June 28 and 29 with traditional German foods, selections of sausages, potatoes, sauerkraut, cake, coﬀee and of course, beers on tap, wine, set-ups and soft drinks. There will be live music from the 10-piece brass band Rusty Steins from Victoria from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday and from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday with Night Session band. Raﬄe tickets will be sold for some great prizes. Admission for non-members is $12 and $10 for members; Children age 6 to 18 are $5 and 6 and under are free. Wurstfest will be held at the Houston Liederkranz Hall at 5100 Ella Blvd. Reservations are appreciated at 281-890-8232. For more information, visit www. houstonliederkranz.com.

Cavatore has a newly expanded patio and landscaping by AJ’s Landscaping and Design. The new patio is perfect for parties wanting seclusion in their own private oasis. Cavatore’s also added a select variety of local craft beers on tap for all of the craft beer lovers. Soon Cavatore will also be oﬀering Sunday Brunch with live music, and gourmet style pizzas made with fresh local ingredients. Cavatore Italian Restaurant is located at 2120 Ella Blvd. For more information, visit http://cavatores.com/ or call 713- 869-6622.

designed for the foundation and named for the station where Robert Garner served. It is a bold, opulent beer featuring a refined smooth roasted nuttiness complemented by vanilla and raisin sweetness. This beer has been finished on oak, creating an enduring subtle wood character. Proceeds from the beer go towards the charity’s efforts to put brave individuals through training without the financial burden. So raise a glass and keep the glass for a good cause. For more about Karbach Brewing Co., visit www.karbachbrewing.com. To learn more about RGFF and their mission, visit http://garnerfoundation.com.

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THE TOPICS. Saturday, June 28, 2014 • Page 5A

Government is broken when elected won’t talk

ix months ago, The Leader dipped its toe in a controversy that had a number of Heights homeowners piping mad. To be honest, getting your every-day citizen wrangled isn’t all too difﬁcult. Mess with a person’s property, and venom shall be spewed. It wasn’t just the homeowners who were mad, though. Based on dozens of interviews, we found out that members of the Houston City Council also were mad. They didn’t like the way a government-appointed commission was doing business. The controversy surrounded the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission, a wily group of pontiﬁcators who are charged with approving the appropriateness of renovations and demolitions in the city’s historic districts. (HAHC also has responsibility for a number of other decisions, but those don’t matter in the context of this discussion.) Much of the Heights is considered a historic district, and as more and more homeowners have sought to expand their homes to meet the needs of expanding dependents, they need the approval of HAHC. That’s where the problem gets messy. HAHC oversees historic districts all over Houston. Most of those districts have guidelines for what can and cannot be done during the renovation of a home. Germantown, for instance, has very clear guidelines. The Heights, for all intents and purposes, has none. Zero. Don’t even think about asking for them. Just ask Mayor Annise Parker. What happened – and as we reported in January – homeowners were sent on a maze of guesses to get plans approved for renovations. One home had a 28-foot eave height and all was great with the world.

JONATHAN MCELVY Publisher

Approved. Another family one block away had a home with a 26-foot eave height. No way, no how. Denied. According to the commission, the eave height on the second house was too high. It didn’t ﬁt the fabric of the street. It just didn’t look right to the three or four commissioners who actually participate in discussions during HAHC meetings. You can see where this might upset a homeowner who has a mortgage on a broken bungalow. First, they’re spending money on an architect. Then, the architect and/or builder appears before HAHC, certain these plans will pass HAHC because the EXACT plans were approved the previous month for a different applicant. But as the wind moves and the moods change, HAHC decides they don’t like the plans and they deny. Said homeowner then hires a consultant. Cha-ching. Architect goes back to the drawing board. Cha-ching. Oh, and the bank wants payment on the mortgage. Cha-ching. The insurance agent just needs you to sign this paper. Cha-ching. You appeal your renovated renovation plans and you get denied again. Consultant, architect, banker are still there and working. You get the point. Homeowners in the Heights who have faced this conundrum have spent tens of

thousands of dollars just trying to get permission to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars. It can drive a person mad. So back to the Houston City Council members – speciﬁcally Ed Gonzalez, Ellen Cohen and C.O. Bradford – who all spoke to The Leader on the record back in January. Here’s a snippet of what they said about the HAHC process and the burden it placed on homeowners: Cohen: “I really think it’s time to step back and look at [the Historic Preservation Ordinance]. What can we do to ﬁx it? We have to look at the way things are being handled right now.” Bradford: “Right now, the HAHC is interpreting what they feel, what they like. They are over-reaching, over-reaching, over-reaching.” Gonzalez: “If it’s this complicated, then something is wrong. The intent is a good one, but it’s not working.” Kind of sounds like a consensus, huh? Any guesses on what any of these three council members have done to address their concerns? Nothing. Zero. Just ask Mayor Annise Parker. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reintroduced to the HAHC problem again. Admittedly, I appear to be the only media in the city that will touch this issue with a printing press, but maybe that’s the reason I keep getting these calls. A couple of people have bought two lots in the Heights. They are represented by Jeannine Nuzzi, a builder with Gabriel Homes. Here’s what happened: Nuzzi’s client has one lot with a sad-looking bungalow on the property. Previous owners asked to demolish the bungalow. They were denied. So Nuzzi’s client asked if they could relocate

the house, instead. They found a taker, and the movers said they could transport the house without doing any signiﬁcant damage to the structure. This is where it gets interesting. The bungalow was built in 1942, which falls outside of the period when a house in the Heights is considered historic. So in reality, the house is not an original, historic structure. It shouldn’t fall under the auspices of historic preservation. But wait, there’s more. The house was moved to its current lot in the Heights in 1970. That’s way, way after this historic period. But wait, there’s more. The house has zero original historic material left. The roof, the windows, the porch, the siding. None of it is original, historic material. There may be some rotten siding underneath the “new” siding, but that’s about as valuable as a handful of dirt you can grab at the corner of 14th and Nicholson. Everything about this house says it’s not historic, it wasn’t built in the historic district, and it was never part of the Heights historic district until 1970, which means it was moved into the district 29 years after the historic period ended. I know. That’s a lot of historic. What’s also historic is that HAHC denied the owners’ request to move the house. They said it was historic. Said it had historic material. Didn’t care that it could be moved without signiﬁcant damage. (In my reporting on this, I’ve found that HAHC isn’t always consistent with these rulings. There’s a house near Mayor Parker’s home in Westmoreland that was allowed to be demolished. A member of HAHC was actually a consultant (Cha-ching)

We’ve got good neighbors THE READER. Complaining about a problem to friends, or through Facebook posts, can be a good way to release frustration – provided it’s in a constructive manner. Social media is a great engine, in which to start to ﬁx a problem. But Facebook or Twitter alone can’t make it right. In recent weeks, some Oak Forest residents have shown that action speaks louder than the number of retweets or “likes” MICHAEL SUDHALTER on your Facebook Editor post. Oak Forest resident Mark Derkowski, his wife, Julie and their son, Kaden, have regularly been cleaning up a home in need of yard care in the 1500 block of Cheshire Lane. The home belongs to a mentally challenged man whose relatives have passed away. The Derkowskis originally organized a cleanup event last October in which Boy Scout Troop 540, which is based at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, volunteered to clean up. Mark is the troop leader and 14-year-old Kaden is one of the Boy Scouts. The troop did wonders on that autumn Saturday morning and helped beautify a yard, while simultaneously keeping the city from issuing citations. But organizing large groups of people – especially children on summer vacation – is difﬁcult. They have a lot of things going on in their lives, and many of them spend part or all of the summer away at camp. Mark realized that, and made the clean

up at Cheshire a priority for the family. “It just needs to be cut,” Mark said. “If the people complaining would like to help this gentleman out, they are more than welcome to do some cleaning, instead of complaining. Nobody likes looking at the house, but no one except (my family) and I seem to care.” The Derkowskis are taking care of the property out of their own pocket, and with their own equipment, too. Last Sunday, Mark was mowing when his lawnmower broke. It’s in the shop this week, and he’ll give part of next weekend up to dedicate time on the property again. Just west of the Cheshire property, another resident, Ronnie B. (who declined to share his last name) decided to clean up some of the public and private property of 4301 Rosslyn, an area that features some active shops and some vacant ones. Some of the property is on the market, but nobody appears to have purchased it. “I got sick of looking at it and decided nobody was going to do it,” Ronnie said. “The grass was knee deep over there. Oak Forest is too nice of an area for that to happen.” Ronnie said he’s contacted local politicians to ensure the property at 4301 Rosslyn is being taken care of, but thus far, he hasn’t heard anything back. It’s never easy to give up time to take care of projects such as these – especially if they don’t directly affect us. With so much time dedicated to the work week, we want to take that trip to the beach or the Hill Country and perhaps tweet about the eyesore down the street from a relaxing lawn chair. The Derkowskis and Ronnie B show us that some effort and hard work of a few always trump the complaining of the crowd.

Do you believe Rush or NASA scientists?

Dear Editor: Ashby’s attempt at a false choice falls flatter than a crepe suzette. The real choice is between Marxist pseudoscientific political agents salting the U.S. Civil Service (ever since Bill and Hillary Clinton started working to destroy the Hatch Act by railing against civil servants who, in Hillary’s memorable rant, were “too male, too pale, and too stale”) and people who tell it straight and know what they’re talking about. I refer your readers to measure Ashby’s cuteness and less-thanhonest advocacy against the steel rule of the Geological Society of America’s “Treatise on North American Geology”, Volume X of which was published in 1991, the year before Bill Clinton started trying to rewrite the social and scientific history of the United States to befuddle the unlettered and turn history into a tool for incitement to riot. Quoting Ashby, “[t]hat NASA report says the Texas shoreline has moved landward nearly 100 miles in the last 20,000 years, and the Antarctic ice sheet will be gone in the next two centuries.” This is a dishonest statement, crafted to deceive. The bonus is, it’s true ..... sort of. In a deceptive sort of way. It’s like saying that a pendulum has swung “too far” in one direction ... when of course, being bound, it approaches its limit of movement and begins to move back the other way. But there is no “too far” in space, no more than there is any benchmark in space for how far is “too far”. Things that oscillate, like earth’s climate, oscillate.

paid to see the demolition through, and amazingly, HAHC voted to allow the demolition of that historic house. From my sources, that’s the ﬁrst demolition allowed in Westmoreland in 30 years. And Mayor Parker wrote a personal letter okaying the demolition. Guess that’s all it takes.) Back to our Heights homeowners. They were denied by HAHC. They appealed to the Planning Commission, and lost that appeal, even though members of the commission said they probably should have voted to overturn HAHC’s decision. Now, the owners are deliberating whether to dump the property or go before the City Council to exhaust their last appeal. Before doing so, they asked if they could meet with Councilmember Ellen Cohen. The owners were told “No.” They cannot meet with their elected council member – you know, the person we elected to serve us. Cohen’s ofﬁce said Houston’s Legal Department would not allow Cohen to meet with the constituents because they “might” appeal. And because Cohen could end up serving on a “Tribunal” – their words – then it isn’t appropriate for the elected representative of her constituents to actually meet with a constituent. I called Houston’s city attorney, David Feldman, hoping to get some clarity. I didn’t get a return call before press deadlines. Maybe it’s just me, but this is a broken, disgusting form of government when people who live, work and pay taxes can’t talk to the people they’ve elected. It’s just as broken as HAHC’s processes for subjectively ruling over renovations in the Heights. Email jonathan@theleadernews.com

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com Picking an extreme ocean lowstand in the middle of the last glacial epoch and saying that the ocean has since then “ﬂooded” the land with the release of millions of cubic miles of ice back into the earth’s hydrosphere is lowlife, eyegouging polemic, not explanation, and Ashby shows his intention to gouge eyes and lie about people by making making the fallacy (sample error) stand up and do the work of a real argument. There have been four or ﬁve major glacial epochs. Every one has been attended by a low sea stand that carried the Gulf shoreline hundreds of miles out to sea, dropping sea level hundreds of feet each time as unimaginable quantities of sea water were locked up in continental ice sheets. Global warming is not the forecast. Consult the introduction to the aforementioned Volume X (Rice and UofH libraries should have copies, as do many corporation tech libraries), and see for yourself. We’re coming to the tail end of an interglacial period, and its end is about 500-2000 years away. We should pray for “global warming.” Michael Brennan

City With No Limits

Dear Editor: BRILLIANT article [by Jonathan McElvy on June 21]! I’m very happy with my job that brought me here but my wife and I agree with you on all aspects. We are from New England originally. Well said! Joe Megeed

Dear Editor: Hooray!!!!! Loved [Jonathan McElvy’s] column in this week’s Leader regarding our City With No Limits. My feelings are exactly as yours. It’s actually scary to think about the number of newcomers in our city and the possibility of that many or more moving into our area within the next year. My hometown is in Rockne, Texas, a little community about nine miles west of Bastrop, population a little less than 1,000. You think I should go back home? Thanks for the work you have done in presenting the new Leader. I never miss your paper and I go to your editorial ﬁrst thing. Elizabeth Villarreal, one of your writers, is a personal friend of mine. Annabel Harris

Hill & Cramer Johnson bid farewell to Houston

From the leadernews.com Congratulations to you both! Enjoy your new challenges. Pat & Chris Lydon

Biskit Junkie

From theleadernews.com I pass the restaurant on my way to work and let me tell you, I can’t wait until they open. I’ve been telling a lot of people. The name is very catchy, and it’s a great idea. I wish them plenty of success. Veronda Joseph

CORRECTION: The story on the Houston Heights Women’s Club Spring Tea was written by Hilary Parr Cobb, not Betsy Denson, as noted in the June 21 edition of The Leader.

When’s the last time a member of Congress knocked at your door? When was the last time you met, or even saw in person, your Congress member? (We used to say “Congressman” but that is so 1860s if not 1960s.) For me, the last time was decades ago. I don’t expect him to come knocking on my door to chat, although that’s what he did when he first ran for office. My U.S. representative, and quite probably yours, too, is MIA. His face is on the side of milk cartons. There have been sightings, but mostly of him dozing off in some House vote on herring subsidies. However, that could have been a tape – the speaker was Sam Rayburn. Wait. I do remember seeing my man in Washington. He was making a speech to a high school class and it was so bad that it was run on Comedy Central. That’s the honest truth. His official residence might be the District of Columbia, but members of Congress don’t actually live in Washington. They commute from the suburbs. The reason we are discussing this lack of contact back in their home district is Eric Cantor. To refresh your memory, Cantor was majority leader in the U.S. House of Represen-

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

tatives and was the heir apparent to the speakership. As such he got respect, fear, lots of campaign donations. He represented the Seventh District of Virginia, going from the leafy suburbs of Richmond to near Washington, a strong Republican part of the state, where Romney beat Obama in 2012 by 15 percentage points. Cantor had been elected and re-elected seven times. In the GOP primary he faced an unknown economics professor at Randolph-Macon College named David Brat. Cantor had a 26-to-1 cash advantage. Brat’s entire election budget was $200,000, which was only slightly more than what Cantor’s campaign spent on steak dinners. No kidding. He was so worried about the primary’s outcome that he spent election morning in a

D.C. Starbucks, at what The Washington Post described as a “monthly meeting with large donors and lobbyists.” And he lost. Actually, he got clobbered by 11 percentage points. (Cantor’s own polls showed him up by more than 30 points.) He was the ﬁrst House leader to be unseated in a primary. After the election, of course, pundits explained: “Obviously it was…” Or, “As I’ve said all along…” Many pundits blame his defeat on immigration. Brat somehow managed to portray Cantor as soft on immigrants, practically pushing for amnesty. Maybe so, but mid-Virginia is hardly a hotbed of illegal immigrants. The congressional district’s Latino population is only 5 percent while 77 percent are non-Hispanic whites, 14.5 percent are black and 4 percent are Asian, according to the 2010 census. I can’t buy that immigration was a top priority for the voters. There was also the matter of a nothing voter turnout. Not 14 percent of the eligible voters cast a ballot, and they were mostly Tea Party members voting for Brat who is even more right-wing than Cantor.

No, the real reason was a matter of priorities. The Congressman had a different set of priorities than his constituents. He lost touch. He succeeded in being a power in the Capitol, but forgot why he was sent there. Cantor was all over the TV screens, holding forth in the Capitol Rotunda, on Sunday morning talk shows, or raising funds in Idaho and collecting chits. His district’s farthest point was only a twohour car trip from Washington, but he was never around. After-election polls showed the voters believe they didn’t have a voice in Congress when it came to jobs, the economy, education and herring subsidies. The “representative” part of their job has been lost in Congress. Example: We are hurting in this economy, but for the ﬁrst time in history most members of Congress are millionaires, according the Center for Responsive Politics. Of 534 current members of Congress, at least 268 had an average net worth of $1 million or more in 2012. The richest of all is a Texan: Rep. Michael McCaul, Republican of Austin, worth over $294

million. He married it. Many among us are worried about jobs. Congress doesn’t have that problem. Between gerrymandering and voter apathy, 90 percent of Congress members seeking election are re-elected. Bloomberg reports that 90 percent of House members and 91 percent of senators who sought re-election in 2012 were successful. Polls show we hold Congress in lower esteem than pond scum. But we always re-elect our own member because he or she is really terriﬁc – or runs unopposed. This is particularly true in Texas, although Ralph Hall from northeast Texas was defeated in the last GOP primary, possibly because he was seeking another term at the age of 91, the oldest person to ever serve in the House, and promised to work with his political opponents from all 13 states. To remind me who he is, I get a Christmas card from my Congressman, which I pay for, and an occasional newsletter extolling his ﬁght against communism. Ditto the pay. His main priorities seem to be getting re-elected and sending out Christmas cards. My pri-

orities include the economy, global cooling and getting UT and A&M to meet in football again. It’s called Potomac Fever. Once members, appointees and most journalists get to Washington they like to stay. Many become lobbyists or just retire to Maryland’s east shore, like Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about Cantor. After his defeat, he resigned as majority leader, losing more than 25 staffers (he’ll still have 20 like every other member).This extra staff included bodyguards who drove him around Washington and to his district in an SUV. And his salary of $193,400 will be cut by $20,000 to the normal $173,000. He’ll move to K Street, become a lobbyist, triple his income and buy his former colleagues coffee at Starbucks – on his expense account. As for our Texas’ pols, when the Washington Redskins become the home team, it’s time to leave.

Ashby is unelectable at ashby2@comcast.net

Page 6A • Saturday, June 28, 2014

• 2 0 1 4 • 2nd Place – Bliss on 19th 3rd Place – AG Antiques on 19th Best Hardware Store 1st Place – C&D Hardware 2nd Place – Groggans 3rd Place – Ace Hardware

More than 1,000 readers participated in the second annual Reader’s Choice Awards and selected their favorite restaurants, businesses and services in The Leader area. They made their choices clear, and now it’s time to congratulate the winners in each category. If your favorite ﬁnished second or third, it’s time to tell your friends and neighbors to vote next season and make their voice heard.

Best Interior Design/Decorator 1st Place – Kristin Skarbovig 2nd Place – Four Square Design Studio 3rd Place – Pamela Hope Best Pest Control Company 1st Place – Hunter Pest Control 2nd Place – Watkins Pest Control 3rd Place – Dominguez Pest Control

BEST PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Best Custom Home Builder 1st Place – Justin Gordon Custom Homes 2nd Place – Alleanza Custom Homes 3rd Place – Schindler Custom Homes

ANIMALS & PET SERVICES Best Day Care/Boarding or Sitter Service 1st Place - Paws Pet Resort 2nd Place – Polka Dot Dogs 3rd Place – Molly’s Mutt House

Best Grooming 1st Place - Paws Pet Resort 2nd Place – Molly’s Mutt House 3rd Place – Critter Cleaners Best Veterinarian 1st Place – Dr. David Helcel 2nd Place – Oak Forest Veterinarian Clinic 3rd Place – Dr. Clint Duncan

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES/ PRODUCTS Best Auto Repair 1st Place – T&S Auto Repair 2nd Place – Adolf Hoepﬂ 3rd Place – Tommie Vaughn

Best Car Wash/Detailing 1st Place – Keep it Clean Hand Car Wash and Detail 2nd Place – Dr. Gleem Car Wash & Lube Center (Ella Location) 3rd Place – CARisma Wash (Heights location) Best Auto Dealer 1st Place – Tommie Vaughn Ford 2nd Place – Fred Haas Toyota 3rd Place – Star Motors

BEAUTY

Best Hair Salon 1st Place – Salon Studio Dean McNeely 2nd Place – Planet Curls 3rd Place – Haum Salon by Joey Cox Best Tanning Salon 1st Place – Cabana Tans 2nd Place – Glo-Girl 3rd Place – LA Tans Best Manicure/Pedicure 1st Place – Texan Nails 2nd Place – Ella Nails 3rd Place – Borgata Nail Salon Best Stylist 1st Place – Dean McNeely 2nd Place – Gerri Curtis 3rd Place – Joey Cox

DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS

Best Bar 1st Place – The Corkscrew 2nd Place – Wakeﬁeld Crowbar 3rd Place – TIE – Plonk and Petrol Station

Best Coﬀee Shop 1st Place – Boomtown Coﬀee 2nd Place – Starbuck’s on W. 43rd 3rd Place – Antidote

Above: Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital won the Reader’s Choice Award for best hospital. Pictured above: Melody Dickerson, CNO, The Leader associate publisher Frank Vasquez, center, and Jim Shallock, CFO, right. Below: Kroger on W. 43rd St. was chosen the top supermarket in the Reader’s Choice Awards. Leader associate publisher Frank Vasquez, right, presents the award to Kroger Store Director Jeﬀ Bailey. (Submitted photos)

Best Local Museum 1st Place – Houston Museum of Natural Science 2nd Place – Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 3rd Place – Children’s Museum of Houston

Best Hamburger 1st Place – MytiBurger 2nd Place – Roznovsky’s 3rd Place – Hubcap Grill Best Hot Wings 1st Place – Buﬀalo Wild Wings 2nd Place – Pluckers 3rd Place – Luke’s Ice House Best Ice Cream 1st Place – Baskin Robbins 2nd Place – Fat Cat Creamery 3rd Place – Menchie’s Best Italian 1st Place – Doyle’s 2nd Place – Cavatore 3rd Place – Nundinis

Best Mexican 1st Place – El Rey 2nd Place – Cyclone Anaya’s 3rd Place – Tony’s Mexican Restaurant

Best Private/Parochial School 1st Place – Our Savior Lutheran School 2nd Place – Lutheran High North 3rd Place – St. Rose of Lima Catholic School Best Public School 1st Place – Harvard Elementary 2nd Place – Travis Elementary 3rd Place – Oak Forest Elementary Best Community College 1st Place – Houston Community College System 2nd Place – Lone Star College

ENTERTAINMENT & FINE ART

Best Family Entertainment Center 1st Place – Edwards Houston MarqE Stadium 23 2nd Place – First Saturday Arts Market 3rd Place – Discover Gymnastics Best Community Theater/ Performing Arts Venue 1st Place – Theatre Suburbia 2nd Place – Opera in the Heights 3rd Place – HITS Best Live Music Venue 1st Place – The Corkscrew 2nd Place – First Saturday Arts Market 3rd Place – Fitzgerald’s

Best Mortgage Company 1st Place – Network Funding 2nd Place – Envoy Mortgage 3rd Place – On Q Financial

Best Caterer 1st Place – Gabby’s BBQ 2nd Place – PaPaMo’s Deli 3rd Place – Lemond Catering and Special Events

Best Wine Bar 1st Place – The Corkscrew 2nd Place – Plonk 3rd Place – Crisp

Best Learning Center 1st Place – Susan Sessions Tutoring 2nd Place – Our Savior Lutheran School 3rd Place – Immanuel Lutheran School Early Childhood

Best Cleaning Service 1st Place – J & M Housekeeping 2nd Place – Maid in the Shade 3rd Place – Clean This

Best Breakfast Spot 1st Place – El Rey 2nd Place – MytiBurger 3rd Place – Burn’s Original BBQ

Best Lunch Spot 1st Place – MytiBurger 2nd Place – PaPa Mo’s Deli 3rd Place – Roznovsky’s

Best Nursery/Day Care 1st Place – Zion Lutheran Preschool 2nd Place – Esperanza School 3rd Place – Happy Times Academy

Best Developer 1st Place – Justin Gordon Custom Homes 2nd Place – David Weekley 3rd Place – Covington Adams

Best BBQ Restaurant 1st Place – Gatlin’s BBQ 2nd Place – Gabby’s BBQ 3rd Place – Burn’s Original BBQ

Best Happy Hour 1st Place – The Corkscrew 2nd Place – Wakeﬁeld Crowbar 3rd Place – TIE – Don Jose and Crisp

EDUCATION

Best Insurance Agent 1st Place – David Lorms 2nd Place – Aitu Taube 3rd Place – Adams Insurance

FOOD & RESTAURANTS

Best Date Place 1st Place – Baskin Robbins 2nd Place – Nundinis 3rd Place – Shade

Best Pizzeria 1st Place – Brother’s Pizzeria 2nd Place – Pink’s Pizza 3rd Place – Star Pizza Best Sandwich Shop 1st Place – Doyle’s 2nd Place – Carter & Cooley 3rd Place – PaPaMo’s Deli Best Seafood 1st Place – Connie’s 2nd Place – Pappadeaux 3rd Place – Liberty Kitchen Best Specialty Food Store 1st Place – Hughie’s 2nd Place – Revival Market 3rd Place – Heights General Store Best Steak House 1st Place – Laurenzo’s 2nd Place – Rainbow Lodge 3rd Place – Pappas Steakhouse Best Sushi 1st Place – Blue Fish 2nd Place – Soma Sushi 3rd Place – Uchi Best Service 1st Place – Baskin Robbins 2nd Place – MytiBurger 3rd Place – Cavatore Best Takeout 1st Place – Eastern Chinese Restaurant 2nd Place – MytiBurger 3rd Place – PaPa Mo’s Deli Best Place to Host a Party 1st Place – Plonk 2nd Place – The Corkscrew 3rd Place – Cottonwood

Best Bank/Credit Union 1st Place – Chase Bank 2nd Place – Central Bank 3rd Place – Allegiance Bank Best Dry Cleaners 1st Place – Bells My Own Cleaners 2nd Place – Heights Discount Cleaners 3rd Place – Stan Cleaners

Best Art Gallery 1st Place – First Saturday Arts Market 2nd Place – Avenue Gallery 3rd Place – Redbud Gallery

Best Asian Restaurant 1st Place – Eastern Chinese Restaurant 2nd Place – Hughie’s Tavern and Grille 3rd Place – TIE – Vietnam Restaurant (on 19th) and Heights Asian Cafe

Best Attorney 1st Place – Phyllis Oeser 2nd Place – Jimmy Ardoin 3rd Place – Rosa Cantu

GENERAL SHOPPING

Best Bookstore 1st Place – The Lift 2nd Place – Barnes & Noble 3rd Place – Kaboom Best Bridal Store 1st Place – The Posh Petal 2nd Place – Ventura’s Best Children’s Clothing Store 1st Place – Young and Restless 2nd Place – Thread 3rd Place – MANNA

Best Antiques 1st Place – AG Antiques on 19th 2nd Place – Gen’s Antiques 3rd Place – Houston Junior Forum Resale Best Local Furniture Store 1st Place – AG Antiques on 19th 2nd Place – Gallery Furniture 3rd Place – Gen’s Antiques Best Gift Shop 1st Place – AG Antiques on 19th 2nd Place – Bliss on 19th 3rd Place – Darlene’s Flower & Gifts Best Grocery Store 1st Place – Kroger on 43rd 2nd Place – HEB 3rd Place – Heights General Store Best Health Food Store 1st Place – Whole Foods 2nd Place – Canino’s 3rd Place – Heights of Health Best Jewelry Store 1st Place – JVP Jewelry 2nd Place – Erica Del Gardo 3rd Place – Houghton’s Jewelry Best Liquor Store 1st Place – Spec’s 2nd Place – Ralston’s Liquor 3rd Place – Charles Liquors Best Mattress Store 1st Place – Gallery Furniture 2nd Place – Mattress Firm Best Men’s Clothing Store 1st Place – Replay on 19th 2nd Place – Jos A Bank 3rd Place – Academy on 290 Best Musical Instrument Store 1st Place – Fuller’s Guitar Best Resale Shop/Consignment 1st Place – Houston Junior Forum Resale 2nd Place – AG Antiques on 19th 3rd Place – The Young & The Restless Best Toy Store 1st Place – Olive Anne’s 2nd Place – The Posh Petal 3rd Place – Insomnia Video Game Culture Best Women’s Clothing Store 1st Place – Replay on 19th 2nd Place – Jubilee 3rd Place – Hello Lucky

HEALTH

Best Chiropractor 1st Place – Dr. Greg Green 2nd Place – Batterton Chiropractic Best Cosmetic Surgeon 1st Place – Dr. Lee Steely Best Dentist 1st Place – Dr. Chase Baker 2nd Place – Dr. Naftis 3rd Place – Heights Modern Dentistry Best Dermatologist 1st Place – Dr. Tejas Desai 2nd Place – Dr. Alpesh Desai 3rd Place – Dr. John Bowden Best Eye Care Provider 1st Place – Heights Eye Care 2nd Place – Dr. Sheryl Pickering Best Hospital 1st Place – Memorial Hermann NW 2nd Place – St. Joseph 3rd Place – Houston Methodist Best Massage Therapist 1st Place – Marcy Basile 2nd Place – Massage Heights Best Women’s Health Provider 1st Place – Houston Area Community Services 2nd Place – Dr. Neelofer S. Durrani 3rd Place – Dr. Ramon Miro Best Pediatrician 1st Place – Dr. Neva Greeley 2nd Place – Dr. Diana Eisner 3rd Place – Dr. Heena Thakkar Best Urgent Care 1st Place – Doctors Express 2nd Place – Champions Urgent Care 3rd Place – St. Luke’s Best Wellness Center 1st Place – Doctors Express 2nd Place – Heights of Health 3rd Place – Houston Area Community ServicesBest Weight Loss Facility 1st Place – Champion’s Urgent Care

HOME IMPROVEMENT/ MAINTENANCE Best Appliance Store 1st Place – A1 Appliance

Best Flooring Store 1st Place – Buﬀaloe Floor Covering Best Garden/Landscaping Company 1st Place – Ravenscourt Landscaping 2nd Place – Buchanan’s 3rd Place – AJ’s Landscaping Best General Contractor 1st Place – Harry Texas Flag Curb Painter 2nd Place – Miguel Facundo 3rd Place – Cabot & Rowe Best Plumber 1st Place – David Flannery 2nd Place – Nick’s Plumbing 3rd Place – Bruce Plumbing Inc.

Best Physician 1st Place – Dr. Montoya Celi 2nd Place – Dr. Raj Shani 3rd Place – Dr. Allison Blazek

Best Heating & Air Conditioning Service 1st Place – Mission Air Conditioning 2nd Place – Bodensteiner Services 3rd Place – Jordan’s Refrigeration

Best Assisted Living Home 1st Place – Brookdale Heights 2nd Place – Windsor

Best Home Decorating Store 1st Place – Ecclectic

Best Real Estate Agent 1st Place – Creston & Holly Inderrieden 2nd Place – Justin Cabezas 3rd Place – Melody Matlock Best Real Estate Company 1st Place – IndyQuest Properties 2nd Place – Prudential Premier Properties 3rd Place – Houston City Living Best Florist 1st Place – The Posh Petal 2nd Place – Darlene’s Flower and Gifts 3rd Place – Towne Flowers Best Funeral Home 1st Place – Claire Brothers 2nd Place – Dignity-Heights Funeral Home 3rd Place – Pat H. Foley Best Photographer 1st Place – Robyn Arouty 2nd Place – Nicole Denae Photography 3rd Place – Kevin Falcon Best Financial Advisor 1st Place – John Brad Wilson 2nd Place – Steven Thorpe 3rd Place - Margaret Vandever Best Computer Service 1st Place - Clerc Computer Consulting 2nd Place – Computer Hospital 3rd Place – CPR (Cell Phone and Computer Repair) Best Travel Agent 1st Place – Culturally Creative Travel 2nd Place – Doug and Kathy Burns 3rd Place – Woodlake Travel

SPORTS & FITNESS

Best Dance Studio 1st Place – Houston Dance Works 2nd Place – SSQQ Dance Studio Best Golf Course None Best Park 1st Place – Candlelight Park 2nd Place – Oak Forest Park 3rd Place – T.C. Jester Park Best Sporting Good Store 1st Place – Academy on 290

Best Workout Facility/Gym 1st Place – Studio Fitness in the Heights 2nd Place – Harriet and Joe Foster YMCA 3rd Place – LA Fitness Best Yoga, Zumba, Aerobics 1st Place – Harriet and Joe Foster YMCA 2nd Place – Studio Fitness in the Heights 3rd Place – LA Fitness

COMMUNITY

Church/Minister 1st Place – Michael Palandro, The Vineyard Church of Houston 2nd Place – First Baptist Church Heights 3rd Place – All Saints Catholic Church Local Politician 1st Place – Jessica Farrar 2nd Place – Michael Kubosh 3rd Place – Ellen Cohen

Saturday, June 28, 2014 • Page 7A Ad # 36774

THE CALENDAR. PET ADOPTION DAY Computer Wiz parking lot Pet Adoption Day, sponsored by the SPCA and area businesses, will be from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. June 28, at 511 Garden Oaks Blvd. Information: 713-979-4500, christie@computer-wiz.net.

Information: www.emergencyradio.org, www.ofarc.org. TOWN HALL MEETING Heights Woman’s Club The Heights Area Parents Network welcomes the community to a townhall meeting with HISD Trustee Anna Eastman who will address questions about the public school enrollment process. Learn about options and what HISD schools have to oﬀer. The meeting will be at 2:30-4 p.m. June 28, at Heights Woman’s Club, 1846 Harvard St. Space is limited. Please RSVP. Information: www.houstonhapn.com.

WURSTFEST Houston Liederkranz Wurstfest will be held from 6-10 p.m. June 28, and 1-6 p.m. June 29. The event will be at Houston Liederkranz, 5100 Ella Blvd. Come and listen to live music by Rusty Steins on Saturday and Night Session on Sunday. There will be eight beers on tap and traditional German food. Admission is $10 for members and $12 for non-members. Children 6 and under are free; ages 6-18 $5. Call for tickets. Information: 281-890-8232, www.houstonliederkranz.com. FIELD DAY WEEKEND Oak Forest Amateur Radio Club Amateur radio operators from the Oak Forest Amateur Radio Club will join with thousands of Amateur Radio (“Ham”) operators across the country from 9 a.m. June 28, who will be showing oﬀ their emergency communication capabilities during the annual Field Day event. Field Day runs for two days and the Oak Forest Amateur Radio Club Station KE5TRB will set up at the Oak Forest Masonic Lodge, 4721 Watonga.

HEIGHTS GARDEN CLUB Meloncon residence The Meloncon residence will be hosting the free monthly garden club tour at 10 a.m. July 12, at 721 Algregg. The meeting is free and open to the community. Information: www.heightsgardenclub.com. TOP GUN BENEFIT U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Texas Gulf Coast Chapter The benefit is being held at 3 p.m. July 12, at Wakefield Crowbar, 954 Wakefield. All proceeds will go to Team Red White and Blue and the Houston USO. Information: https://m.facebook. com/TopGunBenefit.

‘BAD MEDICINE OR GOOD TO THE LAST DROP’ MELLER DRAMMER Theatre Suburbia The theatre presents “Bad Medicine, or Good To The Last Drop,” by Kris Thompson. The premiere will be July 18, and performances will continue through Aug. 23. The performance on Fridays and Saturdays are at 8:30 p.m. with 3 p.m. matinees on Sundays, July 27, Aug. 3, 10, and 17. Tickets are $16 for adults, $13 for seniors and students, and $12 on Sundays. Group rates available for parties of 15 or more payable 48 hours in advance. Call to make a reservation. Theatre Suburbia is located at 4106 Way Out West Dr. Information: 713-682-3525, www.theatresuburbia.org. BLOOD DRIVE Prudential Premier Properties A Blood Drive with the Gulf Coast Blood Center will be from 2-5 p.m. July 30. There will be a donor coach in the parking lot. Prudential Premier Properties is located at 1354 W. 43rd St. Every person who donates will receive a free T-shirt. Information: 713822-8072. KINDRED SPIRIT EXHIBITION Art Car Museum The exhibition, which will continue through Oct. 26, focuses on heritage and spirituality as expressed by Texas-based artists working in a folk aesthetic. The

Art Car Museum is located at 140 Heights Blvd. Information: 713861-5526, www.artcarmuseum. com. SUMMER READING AND WRITING CONTEST Heights Candy Bar A summer reading and writing contest, sponsored by Heights Candy Bar, will run through Aug. 5. Winners will be announced at noon Aug. 15. Depending on age, contestants will read 5-15 books and write a candy-related poem or short story inspired by one of the books. Grades K-2: read five books (picture books or chapter books); Grades 3-5: read 10 books (no more than five picture books and five chapter books on reading level); Grades 6-8: read 15 books (no more than seven picture books and eight chapter books on reading level). All entries must be received by 5 p.m. Aug. 5. Information: http://heightscandybar. com/summer-reading--writingcontest.html.

St. Stephen’s celebrates everything Americana St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church, 2003 W. 43rd St., will celebrate everything Americana with an All-American Hot Dog Lunch and Apple Pie Baking Contest June 29, following the 11 a.m. worship service. The community is welcome. Adults age 50+ are welcome to attend the monthly Senior Activities Day, at 9:30 a.m. July 2, in the fellowship hall. Games begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by a soup and sandwich lunch at 11:45 a.m. Donations are encouraged to help cover the cost of lunch. Call 713-686-8241 or visit www.stsumc.org for information. Bake sale at St. Matthew’s There will be no pancake breakfast in July due to the holiday. The next free pancake breakfast will be Aug. 2, hosted by The Lydia Circle. Rev. Coats will continue the sermon series on Genesis for the next two weeks. A bake sale will be held June 29, before and immediately after the 9:30 a.m. worship service. The Lydia Circle is hosting the sale to raise funds for upgrades in the church kitchen. Donations only will

be accepted when purchasing cookies, cakes, pies and other goodies. The community is welcome to visit the sale. Sunday morning worship and Children’s Church starts at 9:30 a.m., followed by Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. A Wednesday evening Prayer and Praise service with Holy Communion starts at 6:30 p.m. Methodist Youth meet at 6 p.m. every Sunday. St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church is located at 4300 N. Shepherd. Call 713697-0671 or visit www.stmatthewsmethodist.org for information. Freedom Fest at Advent Lutheran Advent Lutheran Church, 5820 Pinemont, will hold its “Freedom Fest” worship service at 10:30 a.m. June 29, in the Advent Life Center. The annual event honors the service of veterans. A holiday meal will follow. Call 713-686-8201 for information. Patriotic worship service at First Baptist Church Heights A big thanks to the supporters who made First Baptist Church Heights 2nd Place Reader’s Choice Favorite Church and Favorite Minister, the Rev. Larry Young for the second consecutive year. Come celebrate the award and July 4th during the 10:30 a.m. service June 29, with patriotic songs performed by The Sunshiners Band. First Baptist Church Heights is located at 201 E. 9th St. Call 713-861-3102 or visit www.fbcheights.com for information. Faith and ﬁlm at Oaks Presbyterian Oaks Presbyterian Church,

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1576 Chantilly Ln., will be showing various Disney/Pixar ﬁlms with a Christian theme for the Wednesday Bible Study. Rev. Noelie Day will give a brief introduction. A discussion will follow the presentation. The meetings for the summer schedule will be the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at noon. The schedule for the summer will be as follows: July 9, The Little Mermaid; July 23, The Lego Movie; Aug. 13, Finding Nemo; and Aug. 27, The Incredibles. Call 713-682-2556 or visit www.oakspresbyterian.org for information. Amazing Desert Journey at Our Redeemer Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 215 Rittenhouse, is welcoming children and families to participate in a free Vacation Bible School program. Themed Amazing Desert Journey, the classes will be from 9:30 a.m.-noon, July 7 through July 11. Activities include group gatherings, Bible stories, arts and crafts, mission projects, music and singing, and snacks. For information, call 713694-7433 or register online at www.ourredeemerhouston. org.

St. Ambrose Bingo meets on Tuesdays Bring friends and neighbors to St. Ambrose Catholic Church Bingo Night at 7:30 Tuesdays in the auditorium. One Bonus Ball number will be called. The church is located at 4213 Mangum Rd. Call 713686-3497 or visit www.stambrosehouston.org for information. Interface-Samaritan Counseling Centers at St. Stephen’s Interface-Samaritan Counseling Centers is pleased to announce the opening of its newest location on the campus of St. Stephens United Methodist Church, 2003 W. 43rd St. A 501(c)(3) non-proﬁt agency, Interface treats the whole person and offers faith-sensitive behavioral health services to adults, adolescents, and children, regardless of their ability to pay. Some of the issues that Interface treats include, but are not limited to: anxiety, depression, family issues, relationship conﬂict, substance abuse, and grief issues. Call 713-626-7990 or visit www.interface-samaritan.org for information or an appointment.

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s summer is finally into full swing, I have become reminded that this is the time of year for dental related accidents. Pools, skateboards, bike rides, baseballs, a bounce house at a birthday party ... all of these fun summertime activities are only a hop, skip, trip and fall away from some trauma to your child’s teeth (or yours if you’re one to join in the fun!) Here are a few tips if you are unfortunate enough to experience any trauma this summer: If a tooth has been knocked out, in some cases, the tooth can be successfully re-implanted. The tooth should be cleaned and placed in milk or saliva and not allowed to dry out. A dentist should be seen immediately to assess the trauma and re-implant the tooth if possible. Primary (baby) teeth are not usually re-implanted. If a tooth is chipped or broken, the area should be rinsed clean, and ice should be placed to address any possible swelling. A towel can be placed with pressure to help stop any bleeding. A dentist should evaluate the tooth to determine what the proper restorative treatment should be. One of the best treatments for a cut lip is a Popsicle. Once the area is cleaned and bleeding has been controlled, an ice pack (or Popsicle) will help prevent swelling. Larger lacerations may require some stitches to help them to close and heal. Be sure to always follow up with your dentist to be certain proper treatment is provided to achieve the best of outcomes.

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.

What is Feline AIDS and Leukemia?

These are two differently viruses that cause similar diseases in cats by weakening the immunity. These viruses do no affect people, but do allow cats to develop associated diseases such as cancer and recurring parasites or infections that a normal immune system would stop. Vets can often treat theses associated diseases but cannot cure the viruses. Treatment often becomes expensive and unrewarding with eventual death. Prevention is the best solution. Biting or scratching by virus carrying cats is the most common (but not only) form of transmission. These diseases are endemic in neighborhoods where unvaccinated cats roam free and ﬁght. Multi-cat households are also a problem when one spreads disease to others. A quick, accurate and inexpensive blood test should be preformed by your vet at least once and repeated depending on exposure. Excellent vaccines area available to prevent these diseases after test are conﬁ rmed negative. The Leukemia vaccine is given twice initially, then one year later and then according to your vet’s recommendation. The Feline AIDS vaccines MUST be given three times every two or three weeks and then yearly thereafter to be protective. Only your local vet can evaluate the risks and individual needs of your pets and then recommend what is best for your pet and community.

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OAK FOREST RUNNING CLUB Oak Forest Chill This free social running club, part of the Oak Forest Homeowners Association, meets at 3542 Oak Forest Drive at 6 p.m. each Tuesday. Brother’s Pizzeria provided post-run food. Information: 281-685-9929.

YOGA IN THE PARK T.C. Jester Park Yoga Athletex presents the Hot & Stretchy Summer Series Yoga in the Park from 7-8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in June, July and August. A single class is $10, three months is $125, two months is $95 and one month is $65. Information: YogaAthletex. com, info@YogaAthletex.com.

FROM THE PEWS. Tostada sale back by popular demand at All Saints All Saints Catholic Church Youth Group will have another tostada sale. The sale held June 15 was a success and will be held again June 29 after the 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Mass. The church is located at 215 E. 10th St. Call 713-864-2653 or visit www.allsaintsheights. com for information.

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he word “vulnerable” comes from the Latin word “vulner,” meaning wound. All of us are vulnerable, because we are capable of being wounded. We can obviously be wounded by accidents or illnesses, but also by words and even by the expression on someone’s face. It’s even possible to be wounded by someone not speaking to us or not looking at us, which wounds us on account of them not recognizing us. These physical and emotional vulnerabilities make us feel weak and perhaps needy, and ironically, the best way to overcome them is to admit them and to reach out to others by admitting our vulnerability. But, we are also spiritually vulnerable, a result of the fact that we have all sinned, and will continue to sin, in disobedience to God’s will. We are, in short, wretched creatures in need of God’s mercy. How uncertain you are of receiving God’s mercy is a measure of your ultimate vulnerability. We are like convicted criminals seated at a lavish banquet in the King’s presence, and we really don’t know whether we will be pardoned or executed at the end of the meal. We certainly don’t deserve to be pardoned, we are guilty after all, but by going to God with love in our heart and admitting our sins we ﬁnd that our spiritual vulnerability is diminished.

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Page 8A • Saturday, June 28, 2014

Neighbors: A whole lotta shakin’ going on By Elizabeth Villarreal

David Lorms’ 11 year old godson, Beck Brewer, is visiting from Tacoma, Wash., and enjoying local places such as Mytiburger and Sweet Frog.

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Congratulations to Gene and Dell Hightower who celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on June 22. This amazing couple, both of whom are pilots, met in high school. Shepherd Forest neighbors shared that these longtime Shepherd Forest residents have consistently given their time and talents through the years. They have served in various capacities in the Shepherd Forest Civic Club, are active in the Shriners and have served that organization for many years, are active members of Garden Oaks Baptist Church, and are known throughout the community as a couple that is always “willing to help.” Mazel tov! Happy birthday to Nancy Boone of Oak Forest who blew out her candles on June 25. Wishing you many more happy birthdays! Daughters Kelly and Shannon send their love. Garden Oaks neighbors send a birthday shout out to Pat Walker. Pat will celebrate her special day on June 29. You are loved! A whole lotta shakin was going on at the American Legion Post 560 on Golf Drive last Friday night on Steak Night. The hall was packed with steak lovers and neighbors who thoroughly enjoyed the live band. The lead singer does a masterful Elvis! I enjoyed seeing Chris and Mary Sharon Komarek, Shawn Salyers, Stacy Matthews, and Harry Millirons a/k/a Harry The

Joellen Snow, our neighbor in the Heights, reports that she and her granddaughter, Caitlyn Flaniken, just returned from Caitlyn’s 10-yearold trip, which is a tradition in their family. They spent six days in the Denver area where they visited the Denver Zoo, Botanic Gardens (where they saw an amazing Dale Chihuly glass installation), and the Museum of Nature and Science. They toured the Mint as well as the State Capitol. The ladies spent two days in Rocky Mountain National Park where they did, in fact, sleep on the ground one night. A wonderful adventure!

Heights resident Stan Snow recently took a group of M.D. Anderson patients to Camp for All (Submitted photo)

Joellen’s husband, Stan O’Neal, recently went to Camp for All on the bus with children from the M.D. Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital. This is Stan Snow’s 13th year to be a counselor for 5-6 year old boys at the weeklong camp. The camp is free to patients and their siblings, ages 5-12, and is fully funded by the Children’s Art Project. Thank you, Stan, for making a difference.

Texas Flag Curb Painter, but missed seeing Billy Hartman and Justin Gordon. Sources tell us that Agnes Haney of Lazybrook is already busily harvesting tomatoes, bell peppers, and okra from her scaled back garden with help from her assistant gardener, Leo Landry. This year’s smaller garden is more manageable; it got to be too much work giving way all those veggies.

Waltrip’s PTSA held a contest for students to design a mural for the cafeteria and Sydney Novak of Garden Oaks was the contest winner; her design was painted in grand scale on a wall recently. Art teacher Lauren Power shared that Orlando Vargas helped ﬁnish the design and paint, and Jasmin

Mrs. Riley, Magnet Coordinator at Black Middle School, and her husband just moved into their ﬁrst house in Forest West. She’s a positive force at Black and is now invested in the neighborhood!

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Olivera and Karla Mellado also helped paint. Orlando and Karla are graduates of the Class of 2014 and Jasmin will be a senior this August. Thank you, PTSA President Kevin Dunn of Shepherd Park Terrace for submitting this information. Super news for Oak Forest: a brand new 501(c)-pending local animal rescue group, Oak Forest Animal Advocates, has been created. In response to the large number of cats and dogs found who need food, medical care and forever homes, neighbor Kay Adams decided something had to be done. Several other neighbors wanted to become part of the solution, so Oak Forest Animal Advocates was born. Lisa Junco is President, Nora Loera is Vice President, Adams is Founder/Treasurer, and Meredith Hays is Secretary. OFAA has become bigger than anyone imagined. There is now a rotating list of foster homes who commit to four weeks of fostering (but more foster homes are needed!), as well as committees for PR, Fundraising and Special Events. Currently, there is a Facebook page and the group is ﬁnishing up its new website. Please keep this group in mind when you have extra blankets, animal food, or if you would consider being a temporary foster home. OFAA may be contacted through email: oakforestanimals@gmail.com or their website: www.oakforestanimals.com (Website expected to be live by July 1, 2014). Thank you, Nora Loera, for this news.

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Companions for the elderly By Molly Sue McGillicutty

It can be said that companionship is therapeutic. In many cases, animal companions oﬀer a level of therapy that human interaction simply can’t. For nursing home and rehabilitation residents in the greater Houston area, therapy in the form of dog, cat, bunny (and other furry and feathered friends) comes, thanks to the “Faithful Paws” program at Bellaire United Methodist Church. Lilly, a 4-year-old Maltipoo makes the rounds at local nursing homes about three times a month, accompanied by her owner, 11-year-old Keleigh Cummings and Keleigh’s grandmother, Lynn Cummings. Lilly went through the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen program, as well as extensive temperament testing to ensure that she was cut out to be a therapy dog. According to Ms. Cummings, a good therapy

dog must be tolerant of being touched, calm, non-aggressive and better than average at following commands. The ideal candidate mustn’t be spooked by loud noises, such as the clang of a cafeteria tray hitting the ﬂoor and must be social and eager to spend time with people. On a typical nursing home or rehabilitation facility visit for Lilly and her caretakers, the visit begins with Lilly walking the halls, poking her head into patients’ rooms and checking to see if anyone is in the mood for some canine company. If the patient is interested in visiting with Lilly, often times Lilly will sit calmly on the bed with the patient. Many people enjoy brushing her; some enjoy taking her photo. Lilly is famous about town for her tricks, so many residents enjoy cheering Lilly on as she shows oﬀ her repertoire of impressive tricks. If you’re interested in getting involved in this special program, visit the “Faithful Paws” website at: www.faithfulpawshouston. com for more information.

If you were to have Orion in your life, you’d be thanking your lucky stars. This 4-year-old American Staﬀordshire Terrier boy has had a rough and violent past. Orion loves any attention and just wants to be with his people (but other pets, not so much). Could Orion be the brightest star in your universe? Go to www.forgottendogs.org for more info. (Submitted photo)

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Page 10A • Saturday, June 28, 2014

Snakes, from P. 1A

Animal cruelty in the Heights/Timbergrove area Timbergrove resident Lisa Chumley has lived in the same house since 1960, but she’ll no longer let her cats go outside. “Somebody cut him right above the tail, and it wasn’t a bite,” Chumley said. “It wasn’t done by another animal. It cut him right to the bone. Animal cruelty is how serial killers start.” Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering an increased reward

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Supporters have said the funds allow district council members a chance to directly address concerns from their constituents on certain issues, while critics have worried about the unintended consequence of any discretionary spending. Within the 2015 city budget is $10.7 million to ﬁx potholes throughout the city. The budget for the Bureau of Animal Control (BARC) has been increased by $2.6 million to address animal control concerns and to hire more employees for the understaffed bureau.

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Funds, from P. 1A guidelines set forth regarding how the money can be spent. Any money used out of the $1 million must be approved by Mayor Annise Parker, and any single project over $50,000 must be approved by the city council. The concept was introduced by at-large council member C.O. Bradford on June 18 as part of the city’s $5.2 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2015. Since the concept was recently announced, council members haven’t had time to decide on what projects will be addressed with the funds.

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move the snakes and the cat. Rosen collaborated with the SPCA and snake experts from the Houston Zoo to transport the snakes to an undisclosed SPCA location. “We’ll ensure the animals are taken care of,” Rosen said.

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Saturday, June 28, 2014 • Page 13A

THE OBITUARIES.

Marie T. Daniel, 77, born April 28, 1937, died June 16. Cynthia Ruhmann Kaminski, 58, born Nov. 2,

1955 in Houston, died June 21. She was born to Owen and Lillie Ruhmann and was an only child. Kaminski worked for an insur-

Darla Yvonne Martinez,

49, born Nov. 12, 1965, died June 13. She had beaten the odds all her life due to a rare congenital heart disease. She was an employee of Rockwater Energy

Solutions Inc., as a Senior Buyer. Martinez is survived by her father Danny Joe Deleon, stepmom Susan Herdler, mother Sandra Elaine Darley, children Amanda Yvonne Galaviz and Michael Damien Martinez, sisters Denise Elaine Deleon Kleiber, Deana Lee Gibson, and the special person in her life, Richard Perez.

Barbra Leigh Monroe, 52, born Dec. 19, 1961, died June 22. Catherine Taake, 92, born

April 8, 1922 in Memphis, died June 20. She is survived by her children, Linda Dunlap, Leon Taake Jr. and Phyllis Collins; sister, Naomi Harm and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Albanís Episcopal Church.

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Community Grocery Store

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Charles Gayron Windham, 81, born June 16, 1933 in

Shelbyville, Texas, died June 19. He is survived by his wife Lorene Koudelka Windham, daughter Gayrene Barclay, sister Cleo Eisenman, two grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

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Donnie Bell West, 88, born May 20, 1926, died June 13. West is survived by Arthur and Sherri West, Brenda West, Warren and Elena West, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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ance company, an oil and gas company, and ended her career of over 13 years of service with AAA. She retired from AAA in January 2013. Her interest in nutrition led to her going back to school and obtaining a degree. She enrolled at University of Phoenix and received her Associates of Arts in Health Care Administration on Sept. 17, 2010. Kaminski is survived by mother, Lillie Ruhmann; daughters, Stephanie Loredo, Pamela McKean, Valerie Maher; and four grandchildren. Veronica, Aidan, and Gabriella Loredo and Jaxen Maher.

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James Ray Brown, 66, born July 28, 1947, died June 4. He was a Houston resident and lived on 1248 and 1302 Chamboard. He was buried at Forest Park Westheimer. Brown was interested in many things such as beekeeping, ﬂying, sailing, wine making, gardening and duck hunting. He also owned his own business. Survivors include his two sisters, Theola Young and Florece Brown. Visit his memory book at Forest Park Westheimer.

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Krogers @ 43rd and Ella A special thanks to the community for considering us your favorite

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Available at Pinemont Center:

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