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Inside Today: What is Houston’s signature cocktail? • 1B

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

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Saturday, September 20, 2014 • Vol. 60 • No. 46

ABOUT US 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd Suite A (713) 686-8494

Call if you can, text if you can’t

news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

AREA SPECIALIST

������������ 832.419.9969 Heights Urban Forestry Day: The Houston Heights Association is offering residents a chance to give the gift of trees Sept. 21 as part of its Heights Urban Forestry Day. Citizens can adopt a pair of free 3 to 5 gallon native trees at the HHA Fire Station, located at 107 W. 12th Street, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to celebrate living in tandem with trees in the Heights and learn about your natural neighborhood.

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LOOK INSIDE.

West 11th Street Park to get improved trails The Friends of West 11th Street Park say they are excited to bring a number of improvements to the trails inside of the 20-acre park located in the Greater Heights area. Group President Lorraine Cherry said the group aims to complete the half-mile loop trail inside of the park, a goal that has been accomplished with the generosity of one local resident.

See P. 7A

THE INDEX. Church

Food truck robbed at gunpoint in the Heights

5A

Classifieds

5B

Coupons

5A

Food & Drink Neighbors

1B 6A

Opinion

4A

Public Information Puzzles Sports

2A 6A 7B

Photo by Christina Martinez Marla Baldwin, a chief technology officer with the Houston Emergency Center, will be one of many people working to help implement a new text-to-911 service in Harris County.

Harris County aims to deploy new text-to-911 system by end of year

By Christina Martinez christina@theleadernews.com In serious emergencies, picking up the phone to dial 9-1-1 may not be realistic. If an intruder invades a home or school, a phone call for help could give away your presence. But if you can’t call, what do you do?

By the end of the year, Harris and Fort Bend Counties will be providing a Text-to-9-1-1 alternative for emergencies. Following an agreement made on May 15, the four major cell phone carriers - AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon - agreed with the Federal Communications Commission to make texting 911 dispatchers available.

“We are anticipating that we will be providing this service in Houston by October,” Public Information Officer Sonya Clauson said. “It’s not going to be an overnight switch. This is something Harris and Fort Bend service providers have been working on and

by October, this should be required.”

According to a media statement released by Greater Harris County, recent news reports announced the text service as available in some parts of the country. The county stresses that their text 9-1-1 option, however, is not yet available.

Greater Harris County has a few suggestions and guidelines once the text service is implemented. When

text-to-911 becomes available, citizens should keep in mind that the service should only be used when one is unable to make a voice call to 9-1-1.

Voice calls will still be the fastest and best way to contact dispatchers for emergencies.

Text-to-9-1-1 is intended primarily for use in two emergency scenarios - for an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing and for a person who is unable to make a voice call or in the instance of a home invasion or abduction Cheryl A. Breed, Houston Emergency Center Division Manager says that normal challenges she faces over the phone include getting the correct address, hang up or silent phone calls and verifying addresses.

Breed also said the texting option faces a number of other potential challenges, including not being able to hear and identify noises or voices, waiting for a response from the person texting, cell towers being busy and the text being delayed and having to give complex medical instructions through text.

“I hope callers will call if they can only use texting because they are not able to verbally communicate,” Breed said.

When the text option is available, users should start by sending your exact location and stating their emergency clearly.

“It’s important for the texter to give their location,” Clauson said. “ It’s going to be very important to send a

By Christina Martinez Garden Oaks neighbor, husband, brother and friend Charlie George passed away after his battle with Leukemia this year. Neighborhood family and friends gathered at Triangle Park to dedicate a Chair for Charlie that will be a place of remembrance and give a resting place for someone who needs it.

Charlie battled Leukemia this past summer and his family and friends saw him struggle to complete daily tasks like his routine walk around the block.

Shellye Arnold, a friend and neighbor, noticed

Charlie standing in her front yard one morning.

“I looked outside and Charlie was standing in our yard with a cane and he didn’t usually have a cane,” Arnold said. “Everyday he walked his dogs around the block and the cat came, too. It was really a great scene to witness.

So that morning he was just standing there and that was very unusual. I was getting ready for work and saw him and asked if he was alright. He said he wasn’t feeling well and that he didn’t think he could do his walk. I asked him if he needed a chair, but he See Charlie, P. 5A

See Robbery, P. 2A

NSABA vies for cleaner, brighter entrance

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

brief message, however we would not recommend slang. Keep the texts short.

We want to make sure all information about your emergency is included.”

See Text, P. 4A

Garden Oaks residents remember Charlie christina@theleadernews.com

The owners of the H-Town strEATs food truck got more than they bargained for after they were confronted by two armed robbers in the Heights area Monday night.

According to social media posts by the trucks owners, the group was at Beaver’s restaurant on Decatur Street.

Director of Communications Amy Ponterella said the robbery happened some time between 9:30 and 10 p.m. and she was at their home in Oak Forest during that time. Owner Jason Hill reached out to her via text after the incident. “[Hill] sent me a text saying he had been robbed but not to call as he was speaking with policem” Ponterella said. “I ended up sending about 15 text messages in a row, and of course we have a 2-year-old at home and he’s trying to play the entire time.”

Ponterella said two men walked into the back of the food truck and pulled guns on Hill and another employee inside. Hill originally thought the incident was a joke and he attempted to push away the weapon. Shots were fired into the air and a bullet struck the refrigerator inside of the truck, according to posts on Facebook.

The other employee grabbed a handful of money and threw it at the robbers. The men fled the scene on foot and shot up the truck as they were leaving the scene, Ponterella said.

“Those turds didn’t get all our cash,” Hill stated on Facebook. “They were

Members of the the North Shepherd Area Business Association are hoping to make the entrance into their community a bit more attractive by painting and cleaning up the aging railroad bridge and underpass just north of West 34th Street.

Kathryn van der Pol is hoping to get the go-ahead from BNSF Railway, the company which helps maintain the bridge to provide some landscaping improvements and even a new coat of paint to help improve the entrance to the North Shepherd Corridor. The nearby METRO bus stop is also need of some litter control and touching up, van der Pol said.

“That whole area north of the bus stop is just one nightmare of weeds, garbage and debris from the road,” van der Pol said.

Van der Pol said she originally proposed taking care of the area as part of a Community Clean Up day, however the issue is compounded by the complex nature of roadways and local authorities. Van der Pol originally contacted Public Projects Manager Tim Huya at BNSF Railway nearly a year ago regarding the proposition.

“In order for a railroad bridge to be painted, an agreement must be entered into between the agency desiring to perform the work and BNSF,” Huya stated in an email to van der Pol. “TypSee Entrance, P. 5A

Photo by Christina Martinez Sandra George sits in her husband’s chair with one of the neighbormany neighborhood kids in attendance at Triangle Park for Charlie George’s chair remembrance ceremony.

THE PUBLIC. Saturday, September 20, 2014 • Page 2A

Heights gas station robbed An employee of a Valero station in the Heights got a scare and lost his wallet during an armed robbery that took place Monday evening.

At around 9:15 p.m., two armed robbers entered the convenience store of the Valero gas station located at 911

Studewood Drive, a Houston Police Department representative said. The two robbers, both described as black males, ran into the store and pointed a pistol at the employee.

The robbers stole cigarettes and the employee’s wallet before fleeing the scene on foot,

officials said. No injuries were reported.

The incident remains under investigation and offiicials said there is currently no known connection between the incident and the H-Town strEATs food truck robbery which occurred a short time later.

Police Reports • Sept. 6-Sept. 13 SEPT. 6

Burglary 6 AM 1100-1199 CURTIN ST

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SEPT. 8

Burglary 1:15 AM 400-499 27TH ST Theft 5:51 AM 1000-1099 MELWOOD ST Theft 2:29 AM 4400-4499 EDSEE ST Theft 7:57 AM 200-299 20TH ST Theft 5 PM 300-399 22ND ST Theft 5 AM 1600-1699 COLUMBIA ST Burglary 10:31 AM 700-799 12TH ST Burglary 2 AM 900-999 COTTAGE ST Theft 10 AM 700-799 41ST ST Theft 5:34 PM 1400-1499 20TH ST Burglary 10:50 AM 900-999 EUCLID ST Burglary 6:30 AM 400-499 ARLINGTON ST Theft 11:44 AM 5000-5099 CORNISH ST Theft 2 PM 1000-1099 USENER Robbery 6:15 PM 4700-4799 OXFORD ST Theft 5 PM 5700-5799 CORNISH ST Burglary 10:53 PM 100-199 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 4 PM 5800-5899 LARKIN Theft 10 AM 3700-3799 DACOMA ST Theft 5:15 AM 1700-1799 SEASPRAY CT

SEPT. 9

Theft 6:51 AM 100-199 20TH ST Theft 12 AM 300-399 23RD ST Theft 3 PM 500-599 19TH ST Assault 9:50 AM 2100-2199

Robbery, from P. 1A small time punks with guns who wanted a quick ‘score.’

Too bad they don’t realize we are struggling! And also good thing we do a lot of credit card biz.”

Ponterella said they were fortunate that the food truck is no longer cash only and people tend to carry and use their credit and debit cards.

“If we were cash only we probably would have had a whole lot more on us,” Ponterella said. The robber made off with about $300, and both Hill and Ponteralla couldn’t help but wonder if it was worth it.

“We have no problem handing a wad of money over,

Theft 10:55 PM 900-999 HEIGHTS BLVD Assault 3 PM 4700-4799 MAIN Assault 6:44 AM 3200-3299 MANGUM

SEPT. 10

Burglary 6:15 AM 1600-1699 HEIGHTS BLVD Burglary 6:20 AM 1600-1699 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 8:30 AM 2600-2699 SHEPHERD DR Burglary 8:05 AM 1000-1099 HEIGHTS BLVD Burglary 10:25 AM 1000-1099 COTTAGE ST Burglary 4:25 AM 900-999 PECORE Burglary 3:18 AM 1400-1499 BEVIS ST Burglary 4:46 AM 900-999 HIGHLAND Robbery 12:20 AM 1100-1199 GARDNER ST Burglary 8:27 AM 200-299 HEIGHTS BLVD Burglary 6:40 AM 200-299 HEIGHTS BLVD Robbery 7:50 AM 4600-4699 ARLINGTON ST Theft 6:39 AM 3000-3099 ELLA BLVD Theft 8:20 AM 3000-3099 ELLA BLVD Theft 5:30 AM 3900-3999 PINEMONT Theft 5 PM 3400-3499 SHEPHERD DR Burglary 9:03 PM 3000-3099

especially when a gun is produced,” Hill stated online. “We don’t wanna endanger our beloved employee.”

In terms of safeguarding themselves in the future, Ponteralla said they will likely keep the doors to the food truck closed and locked, as they are sometimes open when the weather is nicer. She also said it would be unlikely that Hill would necessarily arm himself.

“He’s kind of a pacifist,” Ponterella said. “He doesn’t really want to keep a gun with him. Who knows how it could have ended up if you had a duel going on in front of a restaurant like that.”

In the meantime, Ponterella

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Crosstimber

Northline Mall Airline Dr

Theft 4 PM 800-899 NASHUA Burglary 3:30 PM 900-999 MERRILL Theft 11 AM 400-499 OXFORD ST Theft 8:54 PM 2800-2899 JULIAN Theft 6 PM 3200-3299 ELLA BLVD Burglary 10:13 PM 3200-3299 MANGUM Robbery 8:51 PM 4800-4899 LAMONTE LN Theft 7:56 PM 7400-7499 SHEPHERD DR Theft 1 PM 900-999 PECORE

DURHAM DR Robbery 9:10 PM 3400-3499 SHEPHERD Theft 4 PM 1100-1199 MERRILL Theft 3:40 PM 800-899 CURTIN ST Theft 11:30 AM 2900-2999 12TH ST Theft 2:30 PM 3700-3799 WASHINGTON AVE Burglary 4 AM 5800-5899 LARKIN Theft 3:30 PM 6500-6599 WASHINGTON AVE Assault 11:32 AM 5600-5699 YALE Theft 12:03 PM 7200-7299 WYNNPARK DR Theft 1:59 PM 3200-3299 MANGUM

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SEPT. 7

LAWRENCE ST Theft 2:15 PM 700-799 11TH ST Theft 2:56 PM 900-999 RUTLAND Theft 3 PM 1000-1099 STUDEWOOD ST Theft 12:07 PM 4000-4099 SHEPHERD DR Theft 5:58 AM 900-999 OAK ST Robbery 7:13 AM 200-299 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 12:30 PM 1900-1999 34TH ST Burglary 8:14 PM 1300-1399 YALE Theft 4 PM 800-899 28TH ST Theft 1 PM 4500-4599 YALE Burglary 1 PM 2400-2499 T C JESTER BLVD Theft 8:35 AM 4200-4299 34TH ST Theft 3 PM 4600-4699 SHERWOOD LN

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99 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 3 PM 700-799 22ND ST Theft 9:30 PM 4200-4299 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 8:50 PM 4300-4399 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 10:47 PM 4100-4199 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 6 PM 3800-3899 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 9:47 PM 3800-3899 WASHINGTON AVE Assault 8:01 PM 5500-5599 ARLINGTON ST Theft 10:12 AM 1500-1599 18TH ST

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SEPT. 11

Theft 3 PM 1400-1499 BEALL ST Theft 4:15 PM 6500-6599 WASHINGTON AVE Theft 8:30 AM 1600-1699 DU BARRY LN Assault 2:33 PM 3600-3699 ASCOT LN Theft 4:30 PM 3800-3899 SHERWOOD LN Theft 10:08 AM 2300-2399 SHEPHERD DR Theft 1:45 PM 10600-10699 NORTHWEST FWY Theft 2:20 PM 2900-2999 SHEPHERD DR Theft 7 PM 1800-1899 LOCKSFORD ST Theft 6:36 AM 6500-6599 WASHINGTON AVE

SEPT. 12

Theft 4:48 AM 2700-2799 WHITE OAK DR Theft 5:41 AM 400-499 CROSSTIMBERS ST Robbery 4:52 AM 4700-4799 34TH ST Theft 11:33 AM 900-999 31ST ST Burglary 8:16 PM 300-399 40TH ST Theft 4 PM 2600-2699 WHITE OAK DR Burglary 10:56 AM 500-599 SIKES Theft 2 PM 0-99 CROSSTIMBERS ST/NORTH FW Theft 4 PM 0-99 CROSSTIMBERS ST/NORTH FW Theft 8:01 PM 0-99 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 2:30 PM 2500-2599 HOUSTON AVE Theft 2:09 PM 200-299 CROSSTIMBERS Theft 4:18 AM 1300-1399 43RD ST

w w w. t h e l e a d e r n e w s . c o m

Honor Loved Ones affected by Breast Cancer On October 11 The Leader will Honor Breast Cancer Awareness

by running tribute ads for loved ones lost to Breast Cancer as well as tributes to survivors of this curable disease.

You can participate in the effort.

To honor your loved one please email your tribute of 20 words or less to Ads@theleadernews.com There is no cost for these tributes, please be sure to include your name and phone number in the email in case we need to contact you.

Ads may also be mailed to: The Leader News, 3500 E.T.C. Jester Suite A, P.O. Box 924487 Houston, TX 77292-4487 All tributes must be received at The Leader office by 2:00pm Monday, October 6

SEPT. 13

Burglary 2:30 AM 1400-1499 BEVIS ST Burglary 4:42 AM 1400-1499 25TH ST Theft 1:35 AM 1300-1399 CROSSTIMBERS Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

said she and Hill are considering having some type of benefit for Crime Stoppers and will also look into potential repairs for the truck. The owners have thanked supporters throughout the rest of the night and into Tuesday morning.

“This went from the worst day, to the best,” The owners stated on Twitter. “H-Town you are amazing. The amount of support tonight is incredible.

Thank you so much.”

We Carry All The Popular Themes!

Backpacks • Lunchboxes • And More

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U PAY LESS ~ U GET MORE!

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2830 HICKS • 713-869-8321 • ArnesWarehouse.com

THE TOPICS. Saturday, September 20, 2014 • Page 3A

The importance of honesty, community and caffeine

I

’m sure by now, some readers might be feeling like they’re seeing double.

Jonathan McElvy first touched on the potential issues of having two Jonathan’s working at The Leader about a month ago when he first introduced Managing Editor Christina Martinez and myself to the community. While the office might sound a bit like an Abbott & Costello routine at times, the adjustment has been wonderful so far.

Much of this has to do with how well I feel I’ve been embraced by the community.

It speaks volumes of a newspaper and its place in the commmuntiy when readers feel comfortable enough to speak with its publisher on a first-name basis about issues affecting their everyday lives. It may seem like a small gesture to be able to call in and simply ask for “Jonathan,” but this is quite a reversal from what I have experienced in the past

JONATHAN GARRIS Editor

and it’s exciting in more ways than one.

I had perhaps my first taste of what The Leader meant to the people here when I had a meeting Jonathan, Christina and former Editor Michael Sudhalter, who is now with the Fort Bend Star. While speaking at a local restaurant, a group of people greeted us after they had finished eating, just to tell us how much they loved the paper and how they read it every day.

When Jonathan indicated that the two younger people seated at the table were going to be heading up The Leader, their eyes lit up and they told us how great we were going to do.

The appreciation I received that evening hasn’t stopped and I feel it’s due to a number of things I’ve seen during my short time here.

It’s certainly an indication of the tremendous job Jonathan, Michael Sudhalter and everyone else here has done in building The Leader as the voice of the community.

It’s also a testament to the pride residents have in their neighborhoods and the desire to see this area succeed and grow.

One of the things I find interesting is how the principles behind certain challenges facing this area echo that of the previous community I served in The Woodlands.

Mobility is always a hot topic in that area, and while it’s not quite as pronounced here

it’s certainly on the tip of every motorists tongue that ever dealt with the US-290 construction.

Attracting businesses that appeal to a rapidly changing demographic was also a major point of The Woodlands, and that same principle is something I’m seeing here.

Both regions also have plenty of people who aren’t particularly happy about seeing such drastic changes to the community, but, being a young person myself, perhaps I’m a little biased in favor of seeing some of the changes.

I don’t mean to sound like I’m trivializing the challenges that face places like Oak Forest, the Heights or any other community we serve.

The communites I served in the past and the one here in Houston have far different solutions for their complex problems, but nonetheless share the same foundation - people who are fiercely loyal to their communities who want only the best for their

neighbors, their children and themselves.

The key to all of this, I feel, is trust. Without trust, communities like those here in Northwest Houston don’t exist. I see that trust every day here to an unusual degree, whether it’s the refreshingly and often brutally honest letters to the editor or back-andforth discussions on social media networks between neighbors, there is an openness here that I feel reflects positively on the trust people have for their fellow citizens.

Trust is also what I believe makes The Leader special.

Right from the beginning, I could tell Jonathan McElvy had been forming a very special bond with the people living in this part of Houston, and our readers put enormous trust in us to provide quality reporting that speaks to them. It isn’t simply brand recognition – something coveted by most media companies – but rather people recognize The Leader as an

integral part of the community.

For someone like myself, who is in an editing position for the first time, it can be intimidating at times but it also drives me to be a better journalist and to continue building that trust and giving back to the community through responsible and trustworthy journalism.

I hear people say this paper is in good hands, but it can only be that way because its readers are deeply invested in the community and show a desire to truly reach out to support one another. I’m looking forward to becoming a part of that more and more and I look forward to strengthening that trust as The Leader has done for so many years.

I’ll just make sure to keep my Shipley’s coffee close at hand while doing so.

don’t feel connected to Houston’s women’s suffrage movement, ongoing when Heights was founded. I wonder who lived here, whom they hired to build this place, whether the inhabitants rode the trolley into downtown to work and the train down to Galveston to play. As I walk its solid, slightly creaky but beautiful wood floors, I am grateful that I get to live in a home established by early Houstonians, and I feel a responsibility to take care of it well into its second century.

I hope that Houston Heights Association will one day host a splendid birthday party for these old bungalows (I’m told many of them are considerably older than the 1920 date in county records.)

I wake to the sound of doves cooing in the morning. At noon, the Catholic church bell tower plays a hymn, not one but several verses. The sound of children playing at Harvard Elementary, and their occasional Friday night family movies on the playground

are happy groundings. We have old trees, parents pushing baby buggies and others on bikes and in wheelchairs; we have people walking their dogs down our sidewalks while exchanging pleasantries with strangers, urban art on the Boulevard, a view of the moon at night, and—yes—we have short commutes to work from this peaceful place. We have Constable protection. It’s pretty wonderful! We should take care of it, improve it in small ways – yes. But why would we want to change the character which drew us here?

If my Historic District property doesn’t accelerate in value as fast as that of a house 10 blocks away, it’s OK with me – my property tax hikes might slow down, too. I say this because I’m not here to quickly flip this house for a profit, I’m here to stay. It is my home now. It was no accident that I purchased a house in a historic district—I sought to be in this district, in this city whose

leaders can’t agree on a zoning code. It is protection for those of us who like things mostly the way they are and who can live with 80% of perfection.

Thanks to The Leader for giving forum to many views around this topic. And thanks to HAHC for continuing to protect our historic neighborhood.

Cathy E. Davis

to complain and to tried to get them to ask the congregants to be considerate. I had to have cars towed away, I even had one of their attendees try to park in my driveway so that she could run down to the church for a wedding! I had to run outside and tell her not to park on my property.

In short, I think the pastor is being disingenous when he says they are trying to be good neighbors and that he didn’t expect any parking problems.

We had so many problems with that church and its followers on my block that I knew and felt sympathy long ago for the people who live in the vicinity of their new building. My advice to the people who now have to live with that church nearby is to keep the HPD non-emergency number and the number of a tow truck service close to your phone. You’re going to need it.

Mary Trujillo

Email J.Garris at jgarris@theleadernews.com

THE READER. Dear Editor: I have enjoyed the Leader from its’ beginning and especially the past few years. I read it from cover to cover. My comment is on the historical effects in Houston.

I am a Houston resident for the past 70 years, and have seen many changes in our City. In my opinion the Astrodome is one that should remain or obtain Historical status for Houston.

Had you been in Houston in the early 1960s’, you would realize the great importance this has played for our City. Many other buildings have been torn down that should have been preserved.

I greatly commend Anne Sloan for her article, ‘History a hard sell in Houston’, in this weeks’ paper. I greatly agree with her comments, and hope there are many other Houstonians who feel the same.

Thank you for continuing to have articles that are of varied interest for our neighborhood JMH

Dear Editor: Thanks to Anne Sloan for telling the story of Houston’s tardy and threadbare support of its historic structures. HAHC may be an imperfect body in some people’s experience, but when I renovated my 1920-built home in 2012, two of their staff shepherded me through the process and rejoiced with me as each Certificate of Appropriateness was granted.

It was a marvel, when my contractor one day revealed the beautiful shiplap wood beneath bits of plaster, and explained the chimney-effect of interior wall construction for carrying heat up and out of this old house.

Interesting to learn that perhaps one-fourth of the homes here have been moved yet have held together better than new construction is likely to do. It would be great to learn more about how Heights was built and settled – perhaps in a future Leader story?

A week never goes by that I

Cable companies one of the most hated sectors of the U.S. economy THE LINE — You don’t often see a store with a large sign by the front door warning not to bring firearms inside, complete with the big silhouette of a revolver. And inside is a very big guard (true to the sign, no gun) but with badge and uniform and the look of a rabid Tasmanian devil. Why all of this self-protection? Is this a bank, a gold exchange, a Starbucks? No, this is the local office of my cable company, Disable Cable, and it’s clear I am not alone in my feelings toward this establishment. Everyone in this long, slow-moving line has a surly expression, deep and malevolent thoughts, and we exchange war stories.

But let me begin a few months ago. We visited our lakeside hovel in Varicose Valley, home of retired generals, drug lords in the Witness Protection Program and Nazi war criminals having undergone plastic surgery. As usual, the cable was out meaning no phone, no computer, no TV. We have had to call Disable Cable (“We put the vice in service”) every time we arrive and then every other day while we’re there, so I have its number of my cell phone speed dial. Long story short, a cable guy would come out in three days sometime between dawn and midnight. He fixed the problem and as he drove off the whole system went out again. After about two weeks, another guy came out and said the problem was with the cable from the house to a big box, so he strung a bright orange cable across my back yard down the hill and into the trees. He said a crew would come out and bury the cable on Monday (this was a Friday).

No one came, but we had to leave for home. Came back two weeks later, the cable was still across the yard and — surprise! — nothing worked.

You probably have cable and thus can sympathize with me. Between my home and the lake house I have spent hours on the phone (my cell phone because the land line is dead) or waiting for the cable guy. Over the years they have fixed it, not fixed it, said I needed a new modem (three

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

in two months). Getting help over the phone is interesting because there are two of us in the conversation and one can’t speak English. Akmed has had me get on my knees to plug and unplug various wires and black boxes, etc. etc. That is, if you can get a real human being. Mostly I get recordings: “If the problem is your phone, touch 1, touch 2 for your TV, 3 for your computer, 4 for a technician. The waiting period is (pause) let’s see, this is Thursday, isn’t it?”

We also have bundling. If you want NBC, it is bundled with the Danish Pottery Channel, the Waltz Channel, the Hong Kong Traffic Guide and 23 other similarly needed spots on the remote. You like sports and want to take the NFL Channel? Lucky you, because you also must take ESPN 76 (kayaking in Pampa), Curling Classics and 41 other sports channels including the Best of the St. Louis Browns -- 1941.

Like you, I use maybe a dozen different channels, some hardly ever -- how long can you watch a Dane making teapots?

It is not surprising that a survey of 70,000 U.S. consumers found that Internet service providers and cable companies are the two most hated sectors of the entire U.S. economy.

Market Watch reports that the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which is put out quarterly by the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and is considered the most comprehensive customer satisfaction survey in the nation, found that once again Comcast and the Time Warner Co. have the lowest customer satisfaction ratings of any company. Market Watch: “Not only do Internet service and cable providers sit at the bottom of the survey

— below airlines, health insurers and the U.S. Postal Service — but somehow, satisfaction has dipped with those two industries since the previous year’s survey.” Meantime, the cost of subscription TV has been rising 6 percent per year on average — four times the rate of inflation. This explains why Comcast is trying to buy Time Warner Cable for $45 billion, and AT&T is trying to purchase Direct TV for $48.5 billion. For us, fewer companies means less competition, higher prices. In fact, a Comcast executive basically admitted as much by saying, “we’re certainly not promising that customer bills will go down or increase less rapidly” after the deal is finalized.

We now return to our story of the lines here at Disable Cable. I am standing in a large room filled with people holding boxes, wires, bulging bags of equipment, as am I because I’m changing channels — or cable companies. I’ve had it with their inefficiency, lack of fixing my many and constant problems and rising fees, although I must say all their employees both the cable guys who come to get ’er done and Akmed on the phone, are always patient and polite. But I’m switching to Tired Wired Cable.

There are so many people here that we each take a number when we enter and, if possible, sit on a long bench, and wait as they call out the numbers while being watched over by the guard. I am number 16.

That didn’t seem so bad until I heard them calling out 74.

My time finally comes and I dump my cable paraphernalia on the clerk’s desk. “Is it like this all the time?” She shakes her head. “Sometimes it gets really busy.” I inquire if any of these people are signing up and getting new equipment.

She shakes her head again.

“They’re cancelling their service.” The next day I call to change systems. “Thank you for calling Tired Wired. The waiting period is (pause) let’s see, this is Thursday, isn’t it?”

Ashby is remote at ashby2@comcast.net

Dear Editor: I had a groan when I read the article about Grace Bible Church.

I live on Alexander Street in the Heights; Grace Bible Church was formerly located at the end of my street on Alexander and 14th street. My neighbors and I had numerous run-ins with the people who attend Grace Bible Church.

They routinely parked in any and every spot they could find, including blocking driveways. I called the police so many times and I’m sure there is a file with my name on it at HPD. And that was only after I had called the church

Page 4A • Saturday, September 20, 2014

THE CALENDAR.

LEGIONNAIRES STEAK NIGHT American Legion Post 560 Come out for a good meal and support the Legionnaires. Steak dinners will be served from 6 p.m. until sold out Sept. 19. The Post is located at 3720 Alba Rd. Information: 713-682-9287, www. americanlegionpost560.org.

SENIOR LIVING OPEN HOUSE Belmont Village Hunters Creek Take a personal tour of the new senior living community, located at 7667 Woodway Dr., and learn about Belmont Village’s premier programs, services and amenities.

The open house is from noon-4 p.m. Sept. 20-21. The ribbon cutting is at 1:30 Sept. 20. Information: hunterscreek.belmontvillage.com, 713-781-1505.

STRUT YOUR MUTT Best Friends Animal Society Strut your Mutt in the Best Friends Animal Society’s second annual fund-raising event is from 7 a.m.-noon, Sept. 20. A leisurely dog walk and fun run will be followed by a doggie-themed festival. The event will be at T.C. Jester Park, 4201 West T.C. Jester Blvd. Choose from a 2.2 mile fun run or a 1.5 mile walk. Information: 435-644-2001, ext. 4617 or events@bestfriends.org.

and live auctions. Call or visit the website to purchase tickets. Information: 713-861-6735, www. heightschamber.com.

DIABETES FUNDRAISER Signature Smiles Meet Frozen Princesses Anna Elsa and Olaf from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sept. 27. Buy a pre-sale ticket for $5. Proceeds benefit childhood diabetes. Signature Smiles is located at 3800 N. Shepherd Dr. Visit the facebook page for information or to donate.

Information: www.facebook.com/ events/373705629446243.

AUTHENTIC MANHOOD SERIES YMCA Men’s Scripture Sharing Group This six-week series lead by YMCA Chaplain Jamie Clark, is from 7-8 a.m. through Oct. 2, in the multipurpose room at the Foster YMCA, 1234 W. 34th St. Information: alex. valdez@ymcahouston.org, www. authenticmanhood.com.

BIRTH FAIR United Way Center Come to the 13th annual Birth Fair and celebrate natural parenting and pregnancy. Get the latest information about vaccines, birthing options, breastfeeding, babywearing, VBACs, and more.

There will be goody bags for guests, and activities for children.

The Birth Fair will be held from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 4, at the United Way Center, 50 Waugh Dr. The event is free and open to all ages.

Information: www.houbirth.org, 832-499-6029.

BLACK TIE AND BOOTS CHAIRMAN’S GALA Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce The gala will be from 7:30-10 p.m. Sept. 26, at the Sheraton Brookhollow Hotel, 3000 North Loop West. There will be fine dining, card games and silent

BICYCLE RALLY AND SCAVENGER HUNT Houston Heights Association The rally is open to riders of all ages and designed as a casual, self-paced ride. The rally begins at 8 a.m. Oct. 5. Entrants can choose between a 20-mile course or a shorter 5-mile ride designed for kids and their adult companions - or do both. Visit the website for cost. Information: www.houstonheights.org, 713861-4002, opt. 6.

HEIGHTS GARDEN CLUB Eskelson Residence The Heights Garden Club will have their monthly meeting at 10 a.m. Oct. 11, at 636 E. 12th St. Find plants which will bloom in the many different types of shade created by a two-century old live oak which is on the Harris County tree registry of exceptional trees.

Information: www.heightsgardenclub.com.

CZECH SOUP TASTING Czech Heritage Society of Texas The Czech Heritage Society of Texas, Harris County Chapter, will host its annual soup tasting from 2-6 p.m. Oct. 12, at the SPJST Lodge #88, 1435 Beall St. The event will include five varieties of soups to taste, all you can eat, for $7 for adults and $3.50 for children under 10 years of age. There will be kolaches, cookies and cakes for sale. Information: 713-349-0500.

MANNA INAUGURAL FUNDRAISER Ministry Assistance of the Near Northwest Alliance MANNA is celebrating 25 years in the community. A fund-raising

FROM THE PEWS. Friends and Family Day at Hope Episcopal Hope Episcopal Church, 1613 W. 43rd St., is celebrating Friends and Family Day at the 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services, Sept. 21.

For information visit www. hopeepiscopal.org or call 713681-6422.

Defensive driving at St. Stephen’s St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church will host a Defensive Driving Class from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sept. 25, in the fellowship hall. The cost is $12 for AARP members and $15 for non-members. The class qualifies for insurance discounts, but not traffic ticket dismissal.

St. Stephen’s UMC is located at 2003 W. 43rd St. For information, call 713-686-8241 or visit www.stsumc.org.

Heights Community Children’s Choir rehearsals at Zion Lutheran HCCC is an afterschool choir program for children in second through sixth grades.

Children are taught to sing and to read music. Rehearsals are at Zion Lutheran Church, 3606 Beauchamp St., every Thursday afternoon from 45:30 p.m. beginning Oct. 2. A Parent Information Meeting is scheduled from 5:30-6:30 p.m. the same evening.

The choir is open to any interested singer who has a desire to sing and learn to read music. No audition or prior experience is required. The monthly tuition is $60/month from October through May.

For information email megan weinel@heightscommunityc hildrenschoir.org or visit the website at www.heightscommunitychildrenschoir.org.

TALC to host special events in October All Saints Third Age Learning Center, 215 E. 10th St., has begun its Fall semester of activities and announces two events to be held in October. The senior program will hold a Fiesta Fundraising luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 3, in the parish hall. There will be entertainment, a Mexican themed lunch and door prizes provided by Fiesta. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at the TALC lunch desk or by calling 713-248-1277.

A Senior Living Options Exhibit/seminar will be held at 9 a.m. Oct. 24, in the parish hall.

Several senior living facilities and Medicare providers will be on hand to give information and to answer questions.

A fashion show by Drapers & Damons will begin at 11 a.m.

No tickets are required for the event and all attendees are eligible for door prizes. Boxed lunches will be available at noon for $3.

Third Age Learning Center is a senior program sponsored

by All Saints Catholic Church and is open to all seniors in the community. Call 713-248-1277 for information.

‘Treasures of the Sea’ Catholic School Gala at St. Ambrose St. Ambrose Catholic School, 4213 Mangum Rd., is gearing up for this year’s gala,

event will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 1, in the parking lot of the MANNA Resale Store, 1806 W. 43rd St. This event will be a BBQ dinner and silent auction. Tickets are $15 pre-sale or $20 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at the store or online. Information: 713-504-5486, pdornak@gmail. com, www.manna-houston.org.

Reunions ST. PIUS X 50TH REUNION The St. Pius X Class of 1964 50th Reunion is Sept. 19 and Sept. 20. Please contact Lauren Power if the invitation/information has not been received. Information: powerl@stpiusx.org.

REAGAN HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1964 The John H. Reagan Class of 1964 Reunion is scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 17. Registration for the reunion is due by Sept. 25. Events include a mixer at Pappasito’s Cantina Memorial City on Friday night, tour of Reagan High School on Saturday morning, and a dinner celebration at Red Oak Ballroom/CityCentre on Saturday night. Information: www.classreport.org/usa/tx/houston/rhs/1964/ WALTRIP HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1969 The reunion will be at 7 p.m.

Oct. 25, at Whitney Oaks, 816 E. Whitney St. 77022. Dinner will be served, and a cash bar is available for beer and wine. Liquor BYOB. The cost is $40 per person. Visit the website to register. Information: www.waltrip1969.com.

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The Gala will be held Oct. 4, at the J.W. Marriott, Liberty Ballroom at 5150 Westheimer.

Cocktails and Silent Auction begin at 6 p.m. with dinner at 8:30 p.m., live auction at 9 p.m. and then concluding the evening with live music and dancing provided by Horizon. Tickets are $125 each or a table of 10 for $1,500.

The 2014 Te Deum Laudamus Award Honoree is Dr. Robert Ivany, president of the University of St. Thomas.

Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Don Nelson from KTRK-TV. Contact Danna Jankowski at 713-686-6990 or djankowski@sashornets.org for tickets or information. Information on the gala is available at www.sashornets.org/ news/gala.

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PROTECTING A CHILD’S PERMANENT MOLARS Chase Baker, D.D.S.

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f you have a child whose first permanent molars are now in place, it is important to keep these teeth free from decay. Permanent molars help determine the position of the child’s other permanent teeth as they replace their primary teeth. One method your dentist may recommend to protect the first permanent molars from decay is the use of a bonded sealant.

This is a painless procedure that requires no drilling.

After the molars have been cleaned, they are etched with a mild acid to remove bacterial plaque and other surface material. This treatment also makes the tooth enamel more porous so the adhesive bond or sealant will be as strong as possible. The sealant acts as a barrier against the accumulation of bacteria that causes decay on the chewing surfaces of the teeth.

Bonded sealants provide a long-lasting protective film.

When the sealant becomes worn, further applications can be made as needed to protect the tooth from decay. Be sure to check with your dentist to see if a bonded sealant may be recommended for your child.

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.

Local business is our business.

Send your story of interest news@theleadernews.com

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f there is any sin which religious people are particularly prone to, it is perhaps the sin of religious pride, and especially the sin of thinking that we are somehow holier than the mass of humanity. Religious people who teach, preach or write about these subjects are probably more at risk for this than the average person, since they are in some ways called upon to exhort others to act and believe piously. There are lots of dangers of being on this moral and religious high horse, not the least of which is that we have farther to fall the higher the horse. Indeed, Jesus reserved his most scathing criticisms for those highminded teachers and Pharisees who seemed to relish the prospect of casting stones at sinners. The woes enumerated in the 23rd chapter of Matthew’s gospel and the 11th chapter of Luke’s are directed at various forms of religious sins, and we would do well to study these chapters and honestly ask ourselves which of these high horses we might be riding on, perhaps without realizing it.

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The Garden Oaks Christian Academy admits students of any race, color, or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to the students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other school-administered programs.

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Saturday, September 20, 2014 • Page 5A

Charlie, from P. 1A

Photo by Jonathan Garris Kathryn van der Pol, president of the North Shepherd Are Business Association, said the unsightly railroad bridge north of W. 34th Street is in dire need of painting and landscaping. She is hoping local, state and railroad representatives will band together to allow her organization and volunteers to spruce up the entrance to the North Shepherd corridor.

Entrance, from P. 1A ically, the roadway authority or its contractor performs the work, and reimburses BNSF for any required railroad flagging protection services.”

Huya explained that the agency, or its contractor, would need to obtain the required insurances for working on the property. According to records, the Shepherd Drive underpass structure is on the State Highway system and TXDoT would have jurisdiction over the roadway.

“It was going to take a lot of coordination because of all

of the fine print involved with how each entity controls each element of the roadway,” Van der Pol said.

However, van der Pol said she had spoken with Laura Thorp, the director of constituent services with the City of Houston, who later told van der Pol that TxDOT would be willing to provide traffic control for the endeavor. With both sides talking, van der Pol said she is now in a holding pattern waiting for the final word from BNSF. “This sort of thing is definitely needed for our area,” Van der Pol said. “Even just some simple landscaping

along the walls and getting rid of the trash would make this area look a hundred times better, particularly for the many drivers that enter our community from that area.”

Van der Pol said she will likely approach nearby businesses like the Cottonwood restaurant and the Shepherd Park Draught House to help drum up support in the hopes the organizations can all come together.

“Painting this overpass and improving its sidewalks is going to be a great improvement to our community and will reflect nicely on our surrounding businesses,” Van der Pol said.

said no, he would just stand there.”

Arnold took it upon herself to set out a chair for Charlie and asked her neighborhood family to do the same – and they did. By word of mouth, neighbors on Sue Barnett heard about setting out a chair for Charlie – and so they did. Neighbors all across Garden Oaks heard about the story, and so, they too set out a chair for Charlie.

The story was eventually picked up by national media and TV stations came to talk to Charlie George to tell his story. Arnold said she was initially concerned when the stations came.

“The great part was, the day the big TV stations came, Charlie loved it,” Arnold said.

“I was very concerned it would drain him and it might not be positive. But he just loved it and the media was respectful.”

Text, from P. 1A

do not have one of the major providers, a standard phone call is stressed as the best option. All of the remaining providers have until the end of the year to implement the text 9-1-1 option.

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Photo by Christina Martinez Charlie George’s chair, that sits in Triangle Park, will serve as a place of remembrance and a place for anyone who needs a place to rest. Art on the chair is

by Kristin A. Flanagan.

call centers with non-emergencies.”

The Greater Harris Country area will see this service implemented in less than a month. For those that do not have one of the four major carriers, a bounce back text should be received. If you

Clauson goes on to say that the text service is only recommended for true emergencies.

“Calls are increasing significantly,” she said. “We don’t want to overload the

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After Charlie’s passing, neighbors were reluctant to put their chairs away. Arnold’s wife, Tina Sabuco, had the idea to have a chair made for Charlie. With the help of other neighbors and friends, the Garden Oaks community came together to honor their friend Charlie September 10, with a chair dedication and a celebration of life. Over 50 of Charlie’s closest family, friends and neighbors came to celebrate in Triangle Park with him.

Charlie’s neighbor and dear friend Shellye Arnold said the positive part of this story is that this was never intended to be an example - what she did was just for Charlie.

“It’s something that seems to have inspired a few people, and that’s great,” Arnold said.

“Charlie and his wife always do nice, behind the scene things for people. This is sort of a legacy to him. He would have done the same thing.”

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Page 6A • Saturday, September 20, 2014

Art a la Carte: Modern retro to DIY wedding bells

Confession time: I love vin- Airport. Friday evening’s hightage clothing, art, autos, archi- light will of course be the 5th tecture and design. Not exactly annual fashion show featuring the kind of confession one vintage pieces from participatcan hold over my head if I get ing vendors and curated by out of line. However, if you’re Bell.

Organizers like me at all, you don’t Diana Candida, want to miss the anand Maria Marnual Houston Vintage tinez along with Market and Festival, it Bell are pleased revels in the modern to announce two retro movement with new additions two days of shopping, this year that inbeauty demonstrations, clude a vintage dance performances car parade and and giveaways Friday contest Saturday, evening and Saturday at vintage planes, The 1940 Air Terminal Mitch Cohen courtesy of Museum, 8325 Travelair Arts Columnist Wings & Wheels, St Houston,TX 77061. will also be on Now in it’s 5th year, the Houston Vintage Market display. The Ms. Houston and Festival was founded by Vintage contest with celebrity Heights resident and stylist judges is a do not miss event Dawn O. Bell with organiz- Saturday. Gentlemen, there’s ing. I had the honor of visiting plenty there for us too. For a Dawn at her warehouse where complete list of the vendors, she stores her vast collection activities and food trucks, visit of vintage clothing and acces- the website HoustonVintage. sories and also hosts a summer com To recap it - Houston Vinfashion camp.

Shoppers will be almost lit- tage 2014 Preview Party, Marerally immersed in retro start- ket & Festival. Preview Party ing with the location, The 1940 Friday 7 − 11 p.m. with vintage Air Terminal Museum that is fashion show, performances housed in the original art-deco and cocktails. Saturday at the Houston Municipal Airport market, shop a plethora of vinbuilding at present-day Hobby tage treasures, unique goods,

and things you may not be able to find for another lifetime. Enjoy performances, food, drinks and some funky tunes. Friday’s party is $20 Prepurchase or $25 at the door and includes market entry, which is $5, children under 11 are free. Details and tickets available online HoustonVintage.com.

Friday Two openings at Art League Houston Friday evening from 6 − 9 p.m. Art League Houston is located at 1953 Montrose Blvd, Houston, Texas 77006. Look for the block long wooden “snake,” on the esplanade.

‘Three Houses’ by Havel Ruck Projects The exhibition features a large-scale sculpture in the center of the gallery, made from over sixty large architectural fragments, collected from three condemned houses in the Third Ward and Midtown area. Patrons are invited to walk inside the sculpture to experience it in full.

One of a Kind: Artwork from the Collection of Stephanie Smither - with remarks at 6:30 p.m. The exhibition features a diverse selection of paintings, drawing, ceramic works, sculpture, and mixed media on wood, paper, and other material’s from over forty local, national and

is $20 with small bites, beverages and 6 free workshops in which all the participants will get to keep their projects. *Forget about those big monster wedding expos that take up miles and miles of floor space.

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Mitch Cohen and Kristy Casey as Marilyn Monroe

international, emerging and established, folk, self-taught, and visionary artists.

Saturday “Songs of the Mexican Revolution” With Liliana Rodriguez Cracraft, DrPH. 2 − 4 p.m. Casa Ramirez FOLKART Gallery 241 W 19th St in honor of the Mexican celebration of Fiestas Patrias, the independence of Mexico from Spain in 1821. Guitarists Mario Ulloa and Carlos Ulloa also perform.

The program has 3 audience sing-alongs. An accompanying exhibit features copies and illustrations of traditional images from the Mexican Revolution of 1910, which has given Mexico and much of the US the popular folk heroes of Pan-

cho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.

The exhibit continues through October 14.

Iterations by Vincent Fink Opening Reception 6 − 9 p.m.

Galeria Regina, 1716 Richmond Ave, Houston, Texas 77098 Vincent’s Iterations series consist of exploring his fascination with shapes and dreamlike imagery via acrylic paintings on canvas and panel.

Saturday - Sunday Handmade Weddings 10am - 6 p.m. Spring Street Studios 1824 Spring St, Houston, Texas 77007. Shop handmade and uniquely styled wedding items like menswear, decorations, jewelry, and more. DIY workshops to learn to make your own wedding items. Entrance

Encountering cats on the counter

Dear Tabby, We recently adopted a cat and we’re having a terrible time keeping her from jumping up on our kitchen counter. Help!

At wit’s end in Woodland Heights Dear Wit’s End, You’re experiencing one of my species worst habits, and on behalf of all of the world’s curious felines, (with germy, litter-encrusted feet) I humbly apologize. So, what can you do to discourage your kitty’s bad habit?

My celebrity crush, Jackson Galaxy, (star of Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell”) offers up an explanation for why we cats

jump on the counters and gives some good advice on nipping this problem in the bud. Jackson explains that cats see our countertops as socially significant places. You’re there, you’re doing interesting things, and cats want to know what’s going on. Plus, of course, that’s where their food comes from, so good things come from the kitchen countertops!

Jackson recommends using double-sided sticky tape on the counters to discourage jumping. Most cats hate the feel of tape touching their paws, so when they jump up and encounter the sticky tape, they get annoyed and jump down.

Can you effectively train your cat not to jump on the counters? Jackson believes so.

His biggest philosophy when training cats is this: “For every ‘no,’ you also need a ‘yes.’” If you say “no” to your cat for being on the counter while you’re making dinner, you need to make sure to also give them a

safe “yes” place. Jackson says to designate a specific spot in your kitchen, like a nearby chair or a cat tree, where it’s ok for your cat to be. Give them treats when they are there so there’s positive reinforcement for the new behavior.

Jackson also cautions that “you have to make sure that everyone in the family is on board with this. Consistency across the family is crucial.”

Make sure your whole family knows the rules and is on the same page with reinforcing them, and then make sure both the training tools and the rules are in place 24/7.

Do you have a question for Tabby? If so, email her at deartabbyquestions@gmail. com Eye of the Beholder Gala Time to break out your fancy pants and open your wallet wide, friends. Friends For Life is having its annual Eye of the Beholder gala at the River Oaks Country Club on Thursday,

elizasgarden@outlook.com

He’s here! Cynthia Lyttle and Johnny Rojas proudly announce: “On Saturday, Sept.

13th at 9:52 am, our grandbaby arrived in Plano, Texas, with no complications. Maddox Krede McGregor was a healthy 6 lbs., 3ozs., 19 3⁄4” long, and perfect, thanks to our daughter and son-in-law, Tanya and KC McGregor. This is their first as well as grandbaby # 1 for us. We are very excited that our little family has grown. Happy birthday to our little Cheese Head (Packer) and GREAT job guys! We love you!”

Richard and Delinda Holland of Shepherd Forest are proud to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their son, Clint Holland, to Renata King. Clint, a fourth generation Houstonian, is a graduate of Waltrip High School and Texas A&M University. He is the grandson of Kenneth Thompson of Shady Acres. Renata is the daughter of Jack and Barbara King of Plano, Texas, and is a graduate of Sam Houston State University. Both are employed in Houston and will make their home in Shepherd Park Plaza.

Congratulations to the new officers of the Shepherd Forest Civic Club: President Jennifer Woodruff; Vice President– Kristi Grizzle; SecretaryAmy Christoff Derr; Treasurer– Melody Johnson; and new members of the Board of Directors Martha Stoerner and Glenn Cessna. Shepherd Forest sends out a big thanks to these neighbors for making a difference in our community.

Sept. 4th was the Annual 6th Grade Bible Presentation Mass at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School. All 6th graders and other new incoming middle school students were presented with a Bible blessed by Fr. Clint Ressler at

the school Mass that morning.

Teens on the Run, a 12 week running program which began on Sept. 16th, is now an after school program at Frank Black Middle School.

Principal Paolo Castagnoli and Tim Weltin, Parent Coordinator, accepted the program to their After School Programming recently. Students run for 30 minutes at their own pace and then attend a lecture by a guest speaker each Tuesday.

All speakers will provide life skills information that is no longer available in classes due to testing time and class time.

There will be incentives for the students during the 12 week program including t-shirts, water bottles, headbands and earbuds. All students who earn 25 runs will have their names placed in a drawing for a pair of very cool running shoes.

Our neighbors Lucy Fisher Cain and her husband, Greg Cain, who are both runners, said, “We enjoy how running helps one gain self-confidence, achieve physical fitness and emotional strength, so we decided to create Teens on the Run. We thought it would be a fun neighborhood program for teens and their families. We are true believers in ‘It Takes a Village.’”

The program is free to students and GoFundMe.com account has been created to cover the cost of hiring two college students, insurance, giveaways and incidentals, in case anyone wants to help fund the program go to www. gofundme.com/duklok FBMS students can sign up at school with the School Nurse, Halcie Wethington, who is also the faculty sponsor of the program. If you have any questions, please email Lucy at fisherlf1@comcast.net. Teens on the Run is a 501(c)(3) charitable tax-exempt organization so contributions are tax deductible! See the students in action on their Facebook page: Teens on the Run.

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Neighbors: Memories between books, wine

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September 25. This art-themed evening will raise funds for the shelter as well as raise aware-

Cohen is the founder and manager of First Saturday Arts Market. Contact him at ArtValet@gmail.com or visit him on the web at ArtValet.com.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

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1. Derived from senses 10. Extemporaneous 12. Japanese religion 13. Body louse (slang) 15. Most adroit 16. Formatted electronic data 18. An alternative 19. 3rd largest whale 20. 6th tone 21. Gentlemen 24. Car mechanics group 27. Breakfast pastry 30. Where one sits 31. Oh, God! 33. Scientific work place 34. No seats available 35. MN 55120 37. Assistance 39. Environmental Protection Agency 41. Reconstruct 42. Russian ruler 44. Female Muslim quarters 47. Radioactivity unit 48. Window glass 49. Atomic #18 50. Consume

52. The golden state 53. Mosquito disease 56. Authoritatively ordered 61. Yielding 62. On all sides 63. Br. romantic poet 65. Cruel vocal quality

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1. Irritated state 2. Sea eagle 3. Fish capturing devices 4. An informal photograph 5. Old English 6. Competes 7. Pressed a shirt 8. Averse to others 9. Mother of Apollo 10. Radio frequency 11. Have already done 12. Baseball championship playoffs World __ 14. Snakelike fishes 15. Br. slang for sleep 17. Telegraphic signal 22. More scarce

23. Step excavation of ore 24. Envision 25. A gelling agent in foods 26. Impatient expectancy 28. Civil Rights group 29. 3rd largest Balearic island 32. Mama’s partner 36. Head gesture 38. Moved to music 40. N. & S. of the new world 43. Discern the written word 44. Thigh of a hog 45. Mures river city 46. Crew member 51. Liang weight units 54. __ Angeles 55. Adrenocortictropin 56. Mend a sock 57. Shallowest Great lake 58. Gadidae fish 59. Area floor coverings 60. Point midway between NE and E 64. “You know” in Canada

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Saturday, September 20, 2014 • Page 7A

West 11th Street Park inches closer to completing trail rebuilding project

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com Greater Heights-area residents may be well on their way to having a complete, yearround walking trail through West 11th Street Park thanks in part to a generous donation by a local resident.

While it has been several months since Sharon Ettinger of Keller Williams Metropolitan Realty approached the Friends of West 11th Street Park regarding her desire to help with the trail rebuilding project inside the 20-acre park, the group is excited to continue its work in touching up the parks pathways. Group President Lorraine Cherry said the trails have experienced ups and downs, particularly following the droughts that swept over the region in 2011.

“We lost a huge number of pine trees during that time,” Cherry said. “It didn’t matter so much to the park itself as all as the forest had begun transforming from a pine forest into a deciduous tree forest. The forest itself was OK but the big pine trees soaked up thousands of gallons of water.”

When those trees disappeared, Cherry said many of the trails began to flood. The Friends of West 11th Street Park started fundraising efforts but still ended up $1,000 short.

“When you’re a tiny little non-profit like us, that $1,000 represents a lot of fundraising,” Cherry said.

Cherry said Ettinger approached her around the

Photo by Jonathan Garris Among some of the goals the Friends of West 11th Street Park are looking to accomplish is the extension of this part of the forest’s trail out to the Shelterwood area.

Fourth of July, and her donation helped put the organization up and over the hump to complete a half-mile loop trail inside of the forest.

Currently, the group is waiting for the Houston Parks & Recreation Department to take down some more trees and the Houston Parks Board will also be acquiring some bids for the trail project as well, which involves paving the trails that go around the perimeter of the park.

“We’ll have a few of the trails go all the way out to the street,” Cherry said. “When we have older people with walkers or residents with strollers or other times where there might be mobility issues, we want them to be able to get into the park easily.”

Helping Hands

Cherry said the group initially experimented with mulching the dirt trails, however this was unsuccessful. The group decided to recruit the help of landscaping engineers, and will use multiple layers of crushed granite which is used in trails in parks across Houston.

“About every 20 to 30 feet, there are also six inch culverts that allow water to flow through easily and help avoid flooding issues,” Cherry said.

The group also has its eyes on extending the trail out to the main street on the Shelterwood area of the park, however that goal might take some time to get to, as the Friends are hoping to raise an additional $3,200.

For people like Cherry, raising that kind of money is well

worth the time and energy. She pointed out that the park itself is a microcosm of the type of forests native to this part of Texas, and seeks to work with local schools to emphasize the educational benefit the park provides its residents.

“We’re working with Sinclair Elementary School towards getting their kids to have their nature experience here rather than bussing them across town,” Cherry said. “We also have our Wild Wilderness Tour, which is an 18 site self-guided nature tour that you access using your cell phone as you walk around the trails.”

The group is also working to help establish a new, 5k fun run to benefit the park next April.

Volunteers are also mulching and planting trees at the nearby baseball field, which might be a relief for parents hoping for some extra shade while they watch their youngsters play.

For now, Cherry said every bit helps when it comes to volunteers and donations to help keep the park’s ecosystem thriving.

“Money is always nice,” Cherry said with a laugh. “But we have plenty of people that want to help with the park in big and small ways, like weeding the butterfly gardens or other activities. This park is a great value to us and the community.”

For volunteer opportunities, donation info and more visit www.west11thstreetpark.org.

Volunteers say helping hands is what produces a successful crop. This year several vegtables will be planted, including lettuce, mustard and collard greens, kale, broccoli, and cabbagte.

“It’s an exciting time because ther’s nothing like seeing something grow from seedlings,” volunteer Beth Galiano said.

For more than 20 years the garden has donated their crop to families through local food pantries at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church and Manna.

The volunteers expect to have a blooming garden by late Oct. and early Nov.

The volunteers of the Garden Oaks Shepherd Park Plaza Community Garden are turning over new soil in preperation for the fall season and crop.

The garden off of Alba and in between Sue Barnet and Chamboard is a joint project of Garden Oaks and Shepherd Park Plaza. Several years back, the garden was owned by the City of Houston and part of a water district. The property was eventually turned over to the Garden Oaks Civic Club.

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Page 8A • Saturday, September 20, 2014

Heights resident to lead emergency nurse practitioner

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com A Heights resident and professor of clinical nursing at UTHealth is looking to unite fellow emergency nurses as president of the newly founded American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practioners.

Dr. Elda Ramirez said the new organization looks to fill a distinct niche for the estimated 9,000 nurse practitioners currently practicing in emergency care settings. The AAENP aims to “establish guidelines for quality emergency health care, encourage continuing education for emergency nurse practitioners as well as all nursing students, promote research in emergency care, and facilitate representation of the emergency care clinician within professional health organizations and academic institutions,” according to a press release.

As a member of other organizations like the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Ramirez said

practitioners in general were well supported, but felt those concentrating on emergency health were underrepresented.

“The larger organizations have never been obtuse in how they can support us, but they can’t meet the extent of the needs emergency nurse practitioners have,” Ramirez said. “You can’t just be a jack of all trades. You need to know what your specialty is, and know it well.”

Ramirez seeks to help lead the charge in establishing a stronger research base and competencies which will aid in credentialing for emergency nurse practitioners while promoting a sense of camaradarie.

“It’s exciting,” Ramirez said.

“We’ve had people coming out of the woodwork and telling us that they’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

Ramirez said the AAENP will help guide the education guidelines for emergency nurse practitioners by directing what educational pro-

grams best support such practitioners. This will not only be a boost to nurses who may be unsure of what direction to take in regards to schooling, Ramirez says, but it will also aid hospitals.

“Many of these practitioners come from so many different backgrounds at this point,” Ramirez said. “We’re going to be partnering with a lot of physician groups to work together to find standards for credentialing purposes so everyone is on the same page during the hiring process.”

With the backing of professionals from across the country, Ramirez is hoping the group will attract sponsors not only to bolster research initiatives but also provide grants and scholarships to emergency nurse practitioners who wish to perform ENP outcomes research. Beyond their mission goals, Ramirez said the biggest challenge will be reaching out to thousands of professionals to determine what ENP’s in training want most and how they can best

the first time many of its directors will meet face to face, the group is already looking to start up committees to address its goals.

“Right now we only have a finance committee and we’re looking to have an education or standards committee as well,” Ramirez said.

For the time being, Ramirez is hoping she and the other directors she banded together with to start the organization can begin drumming up support from ENP’s and potential

Dr. Elda Ramirez

meet their needs.

The group’s website has been live since Aug. 29 and the group already has 30 members, Ramirez said.

“Part of what we’ll be doing with website is not only providing information and tools for ENP’s but also providing information on each state’s individual requirements and even provide open job listings.”

The AAENP is aiming to have its first board meeting in October. While it may be

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American Legion Post fosters bonds with Garden Oaks veterans, residents

service; it was created in 1919 in response to World War I. At that time, there were no benefits for the wounded soldiers or their orphans and widows, so the American Legion stepped up. Today, it has more than 3 million veteran members nationally.

If you’re one who thinks this is where Sansabelt Slacks go to die, think again. At Post 560, there are young men and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, mingling with World War II, Korean

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War, and Viet Nam veterans.

One of the most popular features at post is the F-4C Phantom Jet that resides at the back of the property. The genuine fighter jet arrived in 1991, and remains a big hit with the local children.

“We’re active with local girl and boy scout troops,” stated Colemen, “and they love the jet. It’s a good thing too because they’re the ones who come over and clean it. That really helps,” he concluded with a laugh.

Want to support veterans?

Attend an event, donate, or join Post 560. There’s room for everyone; anyone who has a family member who served.

You’ll be helping a vet, and much more.

For more information go to: americanlegionpost560.org/ American_Legion_Post_560.

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Sometimes, our greatest treasures are in plain sight, but few see them. Such is the case with American Legion Post 560 located at 3720 Alba St. in Garden Oaks.

“I don’t know how many times I drove right by, and never noticed it,” stated Post Commander Tony Moreno.

However, that changed for the Commander 17 years ago, when he joined. Today, Moreno and 400 other legion members from the local community do an endless amount of good for American servicemen, servicewomen, and their families.

“We hold many fundraisers,” stated Gertie Atchinson, former President of the post’s Women’s Auxiliary. “We raise a lot of money to help many causes. We hold fish fries, steak nights, bar-b-ques; all sorts of benefits,” she stated smiling.

On nearly every weekend, there’s an event of some type at Post 560. Notably, these festivities are executed almost entirely by legion volunteers: cooking, serving, promoting, “and they are public functions.

Non-members are always welcome to attend,” added Atchinson.

“Next week, we’re holding a benefit to help a local Marine who has cancer,” explained Moreno. “He’s an ex-rodeo clown, a police officer, and a minister. We are hoping to help with his bills.”

“We also do a lot of work with Houston’s veterans’ hos-

pital, the DeBakey Center,” explained Legionnaire Bryan Coleman. “We bring vets clothing, reading material; we bring them everything because so many are indigent and need help,” he concluded.

“Yes, and sometimes we stay with them,” added Legionnaire Jose Limas. “On steak nights, we bring some of the VA patients here, to the post. They really enjoy a good meal and the companionship,” he said.

The work of Post 560 started in 1949, and has never stopped. Today, members not only work with veterans, but local children and teens, helping to foster future leaders.

This agency does so much good in the community, there isn’t room to list it all here.

Then again, the American Legion has a history of good

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“We’re in this for the longhaul,” Ramirez said about her fellow directors at the AAENP. “We’re not talking about gaining memberships for the sake of numbers. We want people to join who have a passion for emergency care and we have a need for people who can help propel the organization up to the standard we believe we can achieve.”

More information about the AAENP can be found at www. aaenp-natl.org.

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• Auditorium & Commons

Jubilee Mass to honor the Class of 1964 in the auditorium. Head of School Reception immediately following, 6-8 p.m. All reunion classes are invited to attend.

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janetschmidt58@yahoo.com

MLS# 54047229

Large master on first floor w/large walk-in closet and jacuzzi tub. Large living area w/crown molding and plantation shutters.

Covered patio off living area with hot tub, pool, waterfall and palm trees. Upstairs has 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, media room and covered balcony.

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MLS# 56511184

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• Herzstein Gym

Alumni Networking JV Football Game vs. Monsignor Kelly Happy Hour Oct. 9 • 6 p.m.

Oct. 2 • 6-8 p.m.

Admissions Seminar Sept. 23 • 6:30 p.m.

Join us for a networking happy hour, where you can mingle with your fellow alumni. Please RSVP to powerl@stpiusx.org.

• The Commons

Football Games vs. El Campo Sept. 25 5 p.m. - Freshman 7 p.m. - JV

• Corkscrew (1308 W 20th St, Houston, TX 77008)

Dig Pink Varsity Football Game vs. ������� Oct. 3 • 7 p.m.

• Parsley Field

Tickets: $6 Adults, $3 Students K-12, with Student ID

• Parsley Field

Varsity Football Game vs. Concordia Lutheran Oct. 10 • 7 p.m.

• Parsley Field

Tickets: $6 Adults, $3 Students K-12, with Student ID

ZAPS PSAT Prep Oct. 11 • 8 a.m.

• Auditorium

Attend to achieve your best possible score on the PSAT!

Learning for Success Open House Volleyball Games • Parsley Field Oct. 4 • 10 a.m. vs. AWTY Theatre SPX Presents: • Paul A. Gilliam ‘98 Oct. 14 Learning Center The Importance of 4:30 p.m. - JV Visit us to find out more Being Earnest 5:30 p.m. - Varsity info about how the Learn• Auditorium

BAMWOOD

• Herzstein Gym

An opportunity for prospective parents to tour the School and see our teachers and students in action.

Get more information or register online at stpiusx. org/takealooktuesday.

Middle school parents and guardians are invited to learn everything you need to know about applying to a Catholic High School.

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Volleyball Games Liturgy: Feast of the vs. Monsignor Kelly Holy Rosary Sept. 30 Oct. 7 • 10 a.m.

4:30 p.m. - Freshman • Auditorium Join us as we celebrate 5:30 p.m. - JV Mass for the Feast of the 6:30 p.m. - Varsity Holy Rosary.

Volleyball Games vs.

Dig Pink Volleyball Concordia Lutheran Games vs. Duchesne Oct. 9 4:30 p.m. - Freshman Oct. 2 5:30 p.m. - JV 4:30 p.m. - JV Take a Look Tuesday 5:30 p.m. - Varsity 6:30 p.m. - Varsity Sept. 23 • 9-10:30 a.m.

• Herzstein Gym • St. Pius X High School

������������ PREMIER PROPERTIES

Reunion Weekend Sept. 20 • 4:30 p.m.

Jubilee Mass 6 p.m. - Head of School Reception

Sept. 26 • 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 • 7 p.m.

Sept. 28 • 2:30 p.m.

General admission. Tickets are available at the door for $5.

ing for Success Program can benefit your student. Please RSVP by October 1 by visiting spxlearningcenter.org.

• Herzstein Gym

*All events subject to change. Visit stpiusx.org/ calendar for the most up-to-date information.