Leader1220a

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Michael Silva 713.725.8748

Inside Today: Waltrip boys basketball hosts Australian team • 8B

Houston Business Journal Top 25 Residential Real Estate Professional

Established 1967

michaels@johndaugherty.com johndaugherty.com

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

Flower & Gift Shop 10570 NW Frwy 713-680-2350

Saturday, December 20, 2014 • Vol. 60 • No. 7

InsIde Today’s Leader Ella seeing its biggest boom yet About Us 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd Suite A (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.

AREA SPECIALIST

ĂŠ , < 832.419.9969

Youngsters have wish lists ready

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Christmas Stays Green

“We Make Real Estate Simple.� Give Us A Call Today! Janet & Cecil Schmidt

713. 419.7918

Advertising guru’s legacy a staple across Texas roads

janetschmidt58@yahoo.com

By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader

Home ServiceS Premier ProPertieS 713-686-5454

INSIDE.

Leader residents give back Leader-area residents Jila Bakker and Bill Mallin are making the most of their holidays by giving back to the community. In this week’s edition, we highlight how their contributions have helped children in need and how even just a small token of charity can change their lives.

Find it on 5A

FIND IT. AUTOMOTIVE WAREHOUSE HIRING parts stockers/order pullers. Heavy lifting, background checks. Apply in person. 3810 Dacoma. 8-5, M-F. FAIRBANKS N. HOUSTON: Brick 2-1-1. New paint, new carpet, walk-in closet. New range and dishwasher. Other appliances available. Central air. Very nice. Credit check. $875/month. 713862-6802.

The INDEX. Church

7A

Classifieds

6B

Coupons

5A

Food/Drink/Art Obituaries

1B 7A

Opinion

4A

Public Information Puzzles Sports

2A 8A 9B

Photo by Kim Hogstrom Shoppers wait in line to purchase items for the holiday inside of Ross on W. 43rd Street. The store is seeing an increase in sales of five percent from last year, and similar businesses throughout The Leader area are seeing strong sales for this year’s holiday season.

Area businesses meeting strong demand as holiday shopping season marches on By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader Local businesses are feeling a bit of Christmas cheer of their own this year as many Leader-area establishments report enthusiastic shopping and spending across the board. The National Retail Federation is the country’s leading authority on retail, (excluding autos, gasoline, and restaurants) and predicts that sales in November and December, 2014, will increase 4.1 percent over 2013, placing about $617 billion into circulation. Certainly, with Houston’s current healthy economy, we should be seeing a good year, correct? We took an informal poll of area businesses including retail, food, beverage, and services, to see how the

numbers are holding up in our community through the holidays. Read on. Rhea Robinson, owner of The Yoga Collective at N. Shepherd Drive and Garden Oaks Boulvard is pleased with the flow this season. “Business has been very steady,� Robinson said. “At this time of year, we focus on classes that help people relax. The holiday season can really take a toll on people in terms of stress. Our biggest time of year is January. After the New Year people are concerned about holiday weight gain, so they want to sweat.� Carter & Cooley Company Delicatessen located on 19th St. in the Heights has been a favorite casual dinning stop for 26 years. Renowned for its sandwiches, owner Neil Sackheim is happy with his business this holiday.

“We are mostly a lunch spot, and there are a lot of holiday parties that have an impact on us,� Sackheim said. “But overall, we are doing great.� Sackheim said he felt “blessed� to have had his business in the community for so long and felt confident in remaining here for many years. “As long as I can afford to keep paying the taxes,� Sackheim said with a laugh. Located next door to Carter & Cooley’s is a retail operation like no other: it’s Replay on 19th Street, and a mustsee for anyone who loves all things vintage, one-of-a-kind, retro or kitschy. When The Leader stopped by, the store was packed with shoppers.

If you are traveling any distance by car this holiday season, chances are there’s a Buc-ee’s in your future. The monotony of miles of Texas highway is often relieved at this, the Disneyland of rest stops. At Buc-ee’s, food, flavors and Texas kitsch abound. If you’re lucky, you’ll visit the 68,000-square-foot unit on I-35 in New Braunfels. Here travelers will find 60 gas pumps and 83 of “the cleanest restrooms in America,� Bucee’s proudly claims. Notably, a brilliant billboard campaign along the highway helps to build travelers’ anticipation. “Buc-ee’s: Your throne awaits. 13 miles,� one states. Who in the world is the author of this advertising? The answer is long-time Heights resident and highly regarded ad man, Lou Congelio. Congelio has been operating an ad agency, now called ACME Fish, in the Heights for 28 years. The name ACME Fish is a little, well, different from the more common “Blah & Blah Ad Agency,� that might represent Congelio’s competitors. See Ad Man P. 8A

Contributed Photo Ad man Lou Congelio’s work is instantly recognizable throughout Texas highways, and it turns out he has been calling the Heights his home for almost thirty years. He also runs his own ad agency.

See Shopping P. 8A

Officials urging caution as criminals look for opportunities By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com Law enforcement officials are warning residents that a string of recent burglaries and other crimes – including an attempted robbery in the Heights area – means that criminals are out in full force this holiday season. Among some of the alerts distributed by the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office includes an incident on Dec. 12 in which deputies responded to two burglary of motor vehicle calls in the 800 block of W. 42nd Street. One complainant told deputies that between the hours of 6:30 p.m. Thursday and 7 a.m. Friday, thieves

had ransacked their vehicle and took miscellaneous loose change. The vehicle was unlocked at the time of the theft, according to the report. The second complainant said she saw no signs of forced entry and reported three large boxes and an assortment of clothing missing from the vehicle. During that same night, deputies also responded to a burglary of a motor vehicle call in the 4400 block of Apollo. The complainant in this incident told investigators that between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., a person ransacked the trunk of their vehicle and inside passenger areas. Nothing of value appeared to have been taken, according to the report,

In your neighborhood and online at yourblvd.com

1545 HEIGHTS BLVD.

and the trunk and doors were left open. The report again states that the vehicle had been left unlocked. In a separate incident, deputies also arrested several people who had broken into a home in the 700 block of Heights Boulevard Dec. 13. A person called police after seeing people inside of her neighbor’s home, who had knowledge that the homeowner was away in Galveston. Upon arrival, the deputy found five people inside of the home – two of whom attempted to escape and hide, according to the report. All five were taken into custody and further investigation revealed that two of the suspects were friends of the homeowner

and knew the man was in Galveston. Two of the suspects were charged with burglary of a habitation, a third with possession of a controlled substance and a fourth suspect had two open felony warrants, according to the report. The fifth suspect was found to be clear and was released at the scene. The situation did not end so easily for one woman who was the victim of an attempted robbery while walking in the 700 block of Heights Boulevard Dec. 13. The woman told deputies she was walking northbound on Heights Boulevard at 8th Street when she saw See Thefts P. 8A

214 W. 6TH ST. List Price: $484,000

New Construction 3 bedrooms 3.5 bathrooms MLS# 25274563 Zoned to Harvard Elem.

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