Michael Silva
brought to our readers by neighborhood attorney Phyllis Oeser Call Phyllis at 713-692-0300
This week’s
713.725.8748
STOP
by Darlene’s
Houston Business Journal Top 25 Residential Real Estate Professional
New Merchandise Arriving Daily!
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, February 21, 2015 • Vol. 60 • No. 16
About Us 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd Suite A (713) 686-8494 news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.
AREA SPECIALIST
Ê , < 832.419.9969
Teens on the Run
No highspeed rail in Oak Forest By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com Community leaders and elected officials breathed a sigh of relief this week as Texas Central Railways announced they will not be exploring utilizing a proposed rail line which would have run directly through Oak Forest. On Tuesday, Texas Central Railways announced that it will make a recommendation to the Federal Railroad Administration that it will use a route that travels down Washington Avenue and out Hempstead Highway. The route will follow the Union Pacific rails, rather than the BNSF route that travels through Oak Forest. According to TCR, this does not mean that they won’t consider other routes. Their release said they will also consider a route along Interstate 10. The initial proposed routes drew intense scrutiny from the general public and elected officials alike. In January, Houston City Council Member Ellen Cohen and numerous other elected
INSIDE.
See Train, P. 4A
What’s in a name? Some local consumers aren’t exactly happy with a bit of controversy surrounding the use of the ‘Myti’ name by the former owner of MytiBurger. Find out what the current and former owners have to say about the use of the name.
Find it on 1B
Photos by Jonathan Garris Thomas Carrizal (standing), Senior Regional Adviser for Texas A&M University, explains some of the career opportunities that might be available for Frank Black Middle School students one day and which ones have the most potential for growth. Carrizal is one of many guest speakers who has spoken at Teens on the Run, an after-school program which educates students and encourages healthy lifestyles through running.
How one after-school program is empowering students with life lessons through running By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com
“We Make Real Estate Simple.” Give Us A Call Today! Janet & Cecil Schmidt
713. 419.7918
janetschmidt58@yahoo.com Home ServiceS Premier ProPertieS 713-686-5454
INSIDE.
The Brash Tap Takeover In this month’s Food & Drink, The Leader catches up with Brash Brewing, set to open on W. Crosstimbers Road. Owner Ben Fullelove says the area may becoming a destination for craft beer in the Houston area.
Find it on 1B
The INDEX. Church
6A
Classifieds
5B
Coupons
5A
Food/Drink/Art Obituaries
1B 2A
Opinion
3A
Public Information Puzzles
2A 4A
On an average Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at Frank Black Middle School, a small group of students can be found assembled inside of the school’s library. Here, they’re gaining valuable information on college and career choices, health and physical fitness and other life skills, though not in the way one might think. “I think we have about 15 to 16 kids show up consistently,” Lucy Fisher said. “A lot of kids and parents still don’t know about it but I’m really pleased with how it’s been coming along.” Fisher is the founder of Teens on the Run, a non-profit after-school program for students at Frank Black Middle School. After first starting off with a neighborhood running program in 2010, Fisher and a few of her friends decided to begin a running program aimed at students beginning at the start of the 2014-15 school year. Fisher set her sights in particular on students who weren’t in sports or other clubs and didn’t have any other activity to keep them busy and focused and
enriched – not to mention out of trouble, in some cases. She emphasized that the program invites guest speakers on a weekly basis, like Becca Williams, a Memorial Hermann Hospital Northwest Nutritionist Intern, Rick Ponce of CrossFit BIG & Tiny and, most recently, a representative with Texas A&M to speak about post-secondary education and plotting a career beyond high school. Beyond the guest speakers, students are also encouraged to run, jog or walk a mile and set goals for themselves. After running, they can play organized sports with See Run, P. 4A
Sitting down with Helms Elementary’s Principal By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com John Baker has quickly adjusted to his relatively new position after becoming principal of Helms Elementary School in 2014. He graduated from Klein Forest High School, went to the University of Texas to major in History, and got his master’s degree in instr uctional technology at the University of Houston. John Baker He has been an educator for 21 years, and worked in HISD for 13 years. In Houston ISD, he was a computer lab teacher at Harvard Elementary, later served as an assistant principal at Oak Forest Elementary, and then as Principal at Browning, Mark Twain, and Davila elementary schools. Working with the teachers and communities, he led Browning and Mark Twain to Exemplary status and as part of the Apollo program, led Davila Elementary See Helms P. 7A
Friends for Life shelter living up to name By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader Three years ago, a group of animal activists and volunteers embarked on a major undertaking for hundreds of Leader area animals with the opening of the Friends For Life (FFL) animal shelter. “I was pleased to speak (at the ceremony) for the Friends For Life animal shelter,” Mayor Annise Parker told The Leader. “The innovative programs offered by this organization moves Houston closer to a city where all pets are cherished, and all pets have homes.” “We didn’t look any further than the Heights for our permanent location,” said Salise Shuttlesworth, Founder and Executive Director of Friends for Life. “The Heights is such a diverse and progressive place. We’ve been warmly embraced.” The 8,500-square-foot FFL shelter is a sun-lit, cage-less space. The dogs reside primarily in foster homes and attend adoption events there. The cat rooms are spacious, offering the opportunity to get to know each pet and the air in this shelter is exchanged 15 times an hour resulting in a healthy
population and no odor. According to the American Society for the Protection of Animals (ASPCA), 2.7 million animals are put to death in American shelters each year. Friends For Life is shifting the sheltering dynamic away from this statistic with its “Thinking Outside the Shelter” program. “We would like to see a shelter become the ‘first choice’ as a resource for assistance with animals, instead of a last stop. We think bigger,” Shuttlesworth said. “Much bigger.” Shuttlesworth explained that economic constraints are one of the primary reasons pets are surrendered. “We can help if a pet-owner finds him or herself having to make the choice to give up an animal based on economic difficulty. We have an ‘animal food bank,’ free supplies and even some micro-grants for medical care,” Shuttlesworth said.. Another example of FFL’s unique approach is through its partnership with the city of Houston’s “Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care.” It’s the only one of its kind in Houston’s history.
In your neighborhood and online at yourblvd.com
1545 HEIGHTS BLVD.
See Shelter P. 2A
Photo by Kim Hogstrom Finding homes for healthy animals is just one of the many services Friends for Life offers the community.
410 WEST 18TH List Price:
$939,000