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Saturday, August 22, 2015 • Vol. 60 • No. 42

Low enrollment forces New School in the Heights to close By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

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

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In the past weeks, Dr. Diane Manning has been looking through boxes of records for The New School in the Heights, which she founded 10 years ago with Dr. Arthur J. Farley with a focus on bright children whose social or emotional delays may interfere with success in education and life. Manning had cause to be sentimental because as of July 24 the school has closed its doors. From a high of 40 students, which is the maximum the school wanted to accommodate, the enrollment was at 17 students. “You can’t run a school for 17 kids,” said Manning. “It doesn’t make sense.” As president of the board and the executive director of the school, after retiring from

a more active role two years ago, Manning presided over the school’s closing. She said that although the details are being finalized, the plan is for the school to transition into a foundation which would offer grants to help children with social and emotional needs. In June, Mitch Cohen wrote an article for The Leader about sculpture and art at the school, including two trucks built by Paul Carr, who also built Donovan Park’s train. Last week Carr came to take the trucks away. He moved the large one to Immanuel Lutheran at Cortland and 15th Street and the small truck went to Crossroads School, where Manning said some of the New School’s students enrolled. Other students went to the Monarch School or enrolled in See School, P. 8A

File Photo by Jonathan Garris The play area in front of the New School in the Heights where one of Paul Carr’s handmade trucks sat is now empty following the closure of the school.

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By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

Mayoral Candidate Forum The Garden Oaks Civic Club and Super Neighborhood 12, along with The Leader, is sponsoring a forum next month at 6:15 p.m., on Sept. 1 at the Grace Church in Garden Oaks - 3754 N. Shepherd Dr. Publisher, Jonathan McElvy, will be the moderator. RSVP online or call us at the office at 713-6868494.

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Photo by Jonathan Garris Deputy James Moulden holds a plaque commemorating his John Wayne Award, making him the first non-resident of Shepherd Park Plaza to receive the honor. While it may seem like a small gesture to some, Moulden believes the award is a testament to his work in the area and commitment to area citizens.

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Longtime deputy honored with community award By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

Fisher Homes denied variance In Fisher Homes previous plans for their property at 43rd and Rosslyn, they were going to take the exisiting structures “down to the studs” and build luxury condos. Now that they have been denied a variance, the plans are changing.

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The INDEX. Church

Shady Acres celebrates greenspace victories

5A

Classifieds

4B

Coupons

4A

Food/Drink/Art Obituaries

7A 6A

Opinion

3A

Public Information Puzzles

2A 6A

July marked a special month for both the Shepherd Park Plaza Men’s Group and a Harris County Precinct One Constable’s Office Deputy who accepted a neighborhood award normally reserved for area residents. While it might seem like a small gesture to some, the annual John Wayne Award is given to “someone in the neighborhood who has done more than the expected” to make the community better, Chuck Blesener said in a letter to the Constable’s Office. Deputy James Moulden is the first nonresident to receive the award, and Blesener said the deputy has “worked tirelessly” to protect the community, its families and its homes. Moulden is well acquainted with community patrols – he first started working with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in 1991 and transferred to the Constable’s Office in 2005, saying it was “time for a change.”

“I try to keep these folks as safe as I can,” Moulden said. “I try to keep the bad elements out and I do what I can to help solve cases. We’ve been able to file a lot of charges on burglary suspects. The crime rate is really low [in Shepherd Park Plaza] and I try to keep it that way.” In one recent case Moulden worked, a follow-up investigation led to an arrest in the theft of a generator that occurred July 27 in the 1000 block of Cheshire Lane. Authorities arrested Benjamin West, 54, after a local pawn shop employee identified him as the person who allegedly handed in a generator. The owner of the generator kept the serial number on hand as well which matched with the unit at the pawn shop. Moulden’s approach to situations like these and others is to simply get out and involved in the community he serves. “I try to meet everyone I can,” Moulden said. “I always See Deputy, P. 2A

Shady Acres Civic Club President Nancy Wilcox said she has the previous civic club leadership from ten years ago to thank in part for the nearly $740,000 Wright-Bembry Park Redevelopment Project now finally going out to bid. The park, which sits at 840 W. 23rd St., will be completely scraped “down to the dirt” and all of its amenities will be completely replaced and reworked from the ground up, Wilcox said. “We hoping to see construction begin in the fall,” Wilcox said. “WrightBembry Park is a wonderful asset to the community and hats off to people like Ashby Johnson, who was president of the civic club those 10 years ago and who also spearheaded having funds set aside for the park through a Capital Improvement Project.” According to the Texas Bid Network, prebidding for the project began April 7 with a pre-submittal meeting. The scope of the project includes a new sidewalk, playground, a half-basketball court, tennis court, new sidewalks and fencing, a new pavilion, new picnic tables and benches and new landscaping among other elements. Clark Condon & Associates is providing the landscape architectural design for the park and the company has See Parks, P. 2A

Contributed Art Wright Bembry Park will be rebuilt from the ground up as part of an exhaustive, $740,000 redevelopment project which has officially gone out to bid for contractors.

American Legion Post 560 hosts a great Family Fun Day in Garden Oaks By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader

On Saturday, Aug. 15, families from all over the community braved the 100 degree heat to enjoy Family Fun Day at American Legion Post 560 in Garden Oaks. The dunk tank was not only a big hit with the young boys, but it offered a really funny way to escape the heat. The 18-foot water slide proved popular with kids and parents alike. However, the biggest stars of the show that day were the Houston Fire Department, Houston Police Department, and the Humbled Heroes K-9 Service Dogs. Volunteers from HFD brought a magnificent firetruck to the event and children were offered tours of the vehicle. More than a few young boys (and one girl) announced their intent to join the Houston Fire Department as a result of the introduction.

Volunteers from HPD’s Equestrian Unit attended with two of their horses. The steeds are selected for service based, not only on their athleticism, but their quiet temperament. True to form, the animals seemed to enjoy grazing the post’s grassy lot, while kids petted them, played with their and tails, and squealed with delight. The Humbled Heroes service dogs are specially trained to help service men and women suffering from PTSD. Here again, the animals demonstrated intelligence beyond that of our typical family pets. They romped and played with the kids, while apparently sensitive to their size and naivete. Add to all this, hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, Kona Ice, balloon animals, facepainting and a live snake demonstration. Notably, Family Fun Day was an all-volPhoto by Kim Hogstrom Youngsters enjoyed seeing some wildlife up close at Family Fun Day.

See Legion, P. 2A

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The public. Saturday, August 22, 2015 • Page 2A

Police Reports • Aug. 8 - Aug. 16 AUG. 8

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Theft 10:32 AM 2100-2199 SABINE Theft 7:53 PM 2800-2899 WASHINGTON Theft 1 AM 6500-6599 ARNOT Burglary 8:57 PM 8800-8899 HEMPSTEAD Theft 4 AM 2200-2299 LAWRENCE Theft 8 AM 900-999 SHIRKMERE Theft 8:15 AM 400-499 S HEIGHTS BLVD

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Theft 4 PM 400-499 BARKLEY Theft 4:10 AM 1600-1699 N LOOP W Theft 7 PM 4800-4899 WASHINGTON Robbery 9:01 AM 5200-5299 N SHEPHERD Theft 8:30 AM 300-399 W 19TH Theft 7 PM 700-799 E 20TH Theft 10 AM 4300-4399 N SHEPHERD Theft 9 AM 4400-4499 N SHEPHERD Theft 11:04 AM 1500-1599 N LOOP W Theft 1:30 PM 3600-3699 N MAIN Theft 9:35 PM 4700-4799 NETT Theft 11:55 AM 2500-2599 SHEARN Theft 3:41 AM 2400-2499 TANNEHILL Burglary 4 PM 2000-2099 NINA LEE

Theft 11:35 AM 700-799 W 24TH Theft 12:33 PM 400-499 E 35TH Theft 2:20 PM 1000-1099 W 20TH Theft 4:36 PM 1100-1199 STUDEWOOD Theft 9:25 AM 1100-1199 STUDEWOOD Theft 2:15 PM 4700-4799 N MAIN Theft 12:38 PM 6400-6499 CINDY LN Theft 11:41 AM 1500-1599 N LOOP W Theft 4 PM 1400-1499 FOWLER Theft 4 PM 2500-2599 SHEARN Theft 9:05 AM 2100-2199 W T C JESTER Theft 2 PM 900-999 DETERING Theft 12:30 PM 1400-1499 CHIPPENDALE Theft 12:14 AM 400-499 W 6TH Burglary 4 AM 400-499 AURORA Theft 4 PM 4800-4899 N SHEPHERD Theft 4 PM 800-899 OAK Theft 6:44 AM 1200-1299 W 34TH Theft 1 PM 1000-1099 MARCELLA

AUG. 10

Theft 5 PM 200-299 W 17TH Theft 10:15 AM 500-599 W 19TH Burglary 7:05 AM 1200-1299 NADINE Robbery 8:53 PM 0-99 WASHINGTON Theft 9:30 AM 900-999 N LOOP W Theft 1:55 PM 800-899 OAK Theft 6:30 AM 4200-4299 W 34TH Theft 6:36 AM 3000-3099 TOPHAM CIR Theft 3:24 PM 6600-6699 ARNOT

AUG. 12

Theft 3 AM 3800-3899 DACOMA Theft 3:30 PM 1600-1699 SHEPHERD Theft 6:30 PM 4600-4699 W 34TH Burglary 7 PM 400-499 N LOOP W Assault 9:30 PM 1200-1299 E 33RD

AUG. 11

Burglary 6 AM 400-499 W 22ND

Theft 7 AM 100-199 DETERING Assault 1:27 AM 1000-1099 YALE Robbery 4:14 AM 700-799 N LOOP W Theft 12:45 PM 1100-1199 W 11TH Theft 5 AM 900-999 SHEPHERD Theft 2 AM 900-999 N LOOP W Theft 3 PM 900-999 N DURHAM Burglary 8:14 AM 600-699 LOUISE Theft 3:34 AM 2800-2899 MICHAUX Theft 8:28 AM 4400-4499 SHEPHERD Theft 2:40 AM 1500-1599 N LOOP W Theft 9:24 AM 1500-1599 N LOOP W Theft 10:07 AM 4500-4599 N SHEPHERD Theft 8 AM 1400-1499 SHEPHERD Theft 5:59 PM 6000-6099 HAMMAN Theft 12 AM 5100-5199 WASHINGTON Theft 12 PM 600-699 LEVERKUHN Theft 4 PM 2600-2699 COLUMBIA Theft 10:20 AM 800-899 NICHOLSON

AUG. 13

Burglary 5:24 AM 1000-1099 LOUISE Theft 1:49 PM 100-199 YALE Theft 6:30 AM 4400-4499 ELLA Theft 12:30 PM 9700-9799 HEMPSTEAD Theft 9:58 AM 5200-5299 W 34TH Theft 1 PM 200-299 20TH Burglary 11:44 PM 400-499 W 19TH Theft 6:15 AM 2100-2199 W 34TH Theft 3:38 AM 2200-2299 CHANTILLY Robbery 11:53 AM 200-299 TABOR Theft 7:10 AM 2200-2299 REINERMAN Theft 2:50 PM 2000-2099 SHEARN Theft 1 AM 3100-3199 MAXROY Burglary 8:17 AM 10900-10999 NORTHWEST FWY

AUG. 14

Theft 7 PM 900-999 25TH Theft 6:16 AM 900-999 LOOP W Theft 6:34 PM 2600-2699 WHITE OAK Theft 8:45 PM 2900-2999 WATSON Theft 2:39 PM 1800-1899 SHEPHERD Burglary 11:10 PM 1300-1399 ROY Theft 10:20 AM 10800-10899 NORTHWEST FWY Theft 9:32 AM 100-199 E 32ND Theft 8:04 AM 1200-1299 W 22ND Theft 7:54 AM 4000-4099 N SHEPHERD Theft 2 PM 4400-4499 N SHEPHERD Theft 2:59 PM 4100-4199 KOEHLER Theft 7:56 PM 1100-1199 ASBURY Theft 6:17 PM 6000-6099 WASHINGTON Burglary 1:10 AM 2800-2899 YALE Theft 1:30 PM 900-999 ROY

AUG. 15

Theft 6 AM 1900-1999 TAYLOR Theft 3:45 AM 2700-2799 N LOOP W Theft 1:00 PM 400-499 18TH Theft 2:45 PM 900-999 N LOOP W Theft 1:27 PM 3700-3799 JULIAN Theft 4 PM 600-699 COLUMBIA Theft 12 PM 5700-5799 N SHEPHERD Theft 4:27 PM 500-599 NORTHWEST MALL Assault 6:20 AM 100-199 YALE

community but suffer from a lack of updated amneties,” Cohen said. “Each is in need of a CIP and, while, WrightBembry Park is slated for upgrades in the near future, Little Thicket Park awaits design funding in order to be programmed into Houston’s Capital Improvement Plan.” A previous Leader article, titled Forgotten Greenspace, shed light on some of the issues surrounding the park, including the prevalence of invasive plant species, a lack of usable walking trails, littering issues and its homeless population. Wilcox and other SACC members are hoping Houston’s TIRZ 5 group can assist with improving Little Thicket Park. TIRZ representatives recently addressed the park and residents’ concerns at a neighborhood meeting and offered a proposal to potentially annex the park and work to provide $920,000 for park design, improvements and constructions to connect

On Monday August 10, 2015, at approximately 3:15 pm, the Heights Contract Deputy was patrolling the 500 block of East 28th Street when the deputy observed a black male in a silver Toyota pickup crouched down in the driver’s seat in the driveway of a residence. The Contract Deputy found his actions suspicious and ran the license plate. The vehicle came back stolen from the Houston Police Department. The subject was detained. There were stolen items from a recent theft at a nearby Home Depot and there a was a match of the description of the subject and the vehicle involved. The subject was run for prior Criminal History and was found to have a Felony Warrant out of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for Felony Theft. The subject was booked into the Harris County Jail for Unauthorized use of a Motor Vehicle, Felony Theft, and his Felony Warrant. Shepherd Park Plaza / Candlelight Plaza & Garden Oaks On Thursday August 7, 2015 at approximately 3:40 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a reported Robbery in the 3000 block of Lawrence. Upon arrival the complainant advised that two black male subjects driving a 2002-2006 Red over Silver Mazda Tribute with no plates stopped where they were working and stole lawn equipment. The Complainant advised the suspect indicated they had a weapon. Once the suspects took the equipment they fled south on Shepherd toward IH610. One suspect was wearing a black tank top and red shorts. A report was taken and will be referred to the Houston Police Department for investigation.

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Burglary 3:03 AM 400-499 E 31ST Theft 7:07 AM 1800-1899 TABOR Burglary 8:41 AM 200-299 S HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 10 AM 4600-4699 DACOMA Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

the park with the White Oak Bayou. While having both Little Thicket Park and Wright Bembry Park within the same general neighborhood is positive, Wilcox commented that, due to the growing population density, the area actually has sections that are underserved by parks. “For every piece of property that originally had one family living on it, there can now be six or even twelve families for every single lot,” Wilcox said. “Our numbers have probably increased five fold, if not ten fold. As much as it sounds like we have a lot of park space, Little Thicket Park is still in a condition that doesn’t really serve as many people as it could.”

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the award. The deputy said he was caught by surprise by the honor. “I was very pleased to get it,” Moulden said. “This was about the biggest award I have gotten so far in my career and it just reinforces how important it is for me to try to keep these folks safe in their communities.”

Legion from P. 1A unteer event. Including the city service folks, Post 560 volunteers, and the volunteers from nonprofit agencies in attendance, there were more than 70 people on the volunteer force. All the proceeds generated are going to fund American Legion Post 560’s work with veterans, and The Lotus Project, a nonprofit agency dedicated to the needs of women

vets. Every third Friday of the month, American Legion Post 560 also hosts “Steak Night.” Starting at 6 p.m., community members line up for a slab of beef cooked to order, baked potato and a salad with all the fixin’s. The cost of is $15 per person, and includes live entertainment. The next will be held Aug. 21.

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Deputy from P. 1A try to learn who works in their yards or when someone is having a remodeling crew show up. It helps in the long run tremendously as if you see something out of the ordinary, you’re able to react.” Members of the Men’s Group held a lunch event at Live Oak Grill July 9 with Moulden as the guest of honor and gave him a plaque for

Houston Heights Associations

AUG. 16

Parks from P. 1A built up an extensive portfolio of projects in the area such as the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark, as well as Cypress Creek Trail and Rob Fleming Park in The Woodlands among a variety of other sites. The bidding for the redevelopment of WrightBembry Park represents a number of victories for the community and its parks, including Little Thicket Park. City councilmember Ellen Cohen allocated funding for both parks from the District Service Budget, with just over $44,000 and $45,000 in additional funding for design expenses for Wright-Bembry Park and Little Thicket Park respectively. In an Aug. 5 letter to Svatek, Cohen praised the organization of the community and the potential for both greenspaces in the neighborhood. “These two greenspaces have the potential to be great assets for the Shady Acres

Precinct One: Deputy recovers stolen vehicle, Home Depot items

The Topics. Saturday, August 22, 2015 • Page 3A

The importance of (not) participating in local elections

F

or many people, politics can be absolutely exhausting to cover. In some ways, I can’t blame them. Take this year’s race for the mayor’s office – we have seven major candidates, each with extensive backgrounds in business, public service, journalism, government and law enforcement, all with their own opinions on a wide range of issues facing our city. To be quite honest, races like these are perfect when you’re in the business of information. Most journalists I know relish the opportunity to cover races with varied, colorful candidates and this year’s race for the mayor of Houston looks to already be off to a great start. As exciting as it is to cover elections and look at important issues, I have to wonder how many residents of our city will actually be paying attention. I don’t mean that as an indictment of the intelligence of the average Houstonian, in fact I mean quite the contrary. The general feeling from what I’ve seen is that there is a disillusionment with the political process in this country, as greater and greater amounts of money exchange hands year-in and year-out. It’s understandable, but such disinterest and apathy with politics, particularly on a local scale,

Jonathan Garris Editor

does a disservice to the democracy that so many across the country are all too ready and willing to beat over the heads of others living on the other side of the world. I’m reminded of a stand-up piece by Lewis Black, who said something along the lines of how democracy was great because you don’t have to do it. Looking at voter turnout numbers on both a local and national scale reveals that many people unwittingly follow this mantra despite crowing about American freedoms. Perhaps some of the more damning local numbers can be found in the last general election for Houston mayor in 2009. About 177,000 votes were cast during that election, with most going to Annise Parker and Gene Locke. In the subsequent runoff election, over 152,000 votes were cast for Parker and Locke. According to the U.S. Census

In a perfect world, voting booths would never be empty on Election Day.

Bureau, the population of Houston in 2010 stood at 2.1 million people. Going by that number, a little over 8 percent of the city’s population participated in the general election and just over 7 percent participated in the runoff. In 2015, the Planning and Development Department estimates that the city’s population as of Jan. 1 is over 2.2 million. Clearly, not many people are coming out to vote, and having so many people turned off the political process is simply not a good thing. I have plenty of ideas on why

this is and how it can be fixed. On a national level, I still feel Election Day should be a national holiday as it will allow more people the chance to vote if they feel they can’t get away from work to do so. I can continue to sit here and use this page to share my own dissatisfaction with a political process whose outcome is primarily determined by corporate funding and television ratings rather than policy-making and credentials, but I’d like to take a different route with determining why it is that so many people in our city choose to sit out of our local elections.

Voting straight ticket can The reader. get wrong person elected AUSTIN – Remember Yogi Berra’s famous quote? “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” I suppose the opposite of that is: “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too empty.” That’s Austin in August. The Leg is gone, so are the lobbyists. UT students are elsewhere, tracking down Jefferson Davis. All the action is, as usual, in McKinney. It seems our new state attorney general, Ken Paxton, has been indicted in his hometown north of Dallas. This case will last for as long as his lawyers can drag it out, and will be decided in a few decades. Think Tom DeLay and Rick Perry. If by chance you have been in a coma or binge-watching “My Mother the Car,” briefly, Paxton is charged with three first-degree felonies by a Collin County (McKinney is the county seat) grand jury for selling hundreds of thousands of dollars of worthless stock to friends and others without telling them he was not registered to sell stocks, nor did he reveal that he didn’t own any of them but was being paid to sell them. This is apparently against the law. Paxton had already pled guilty to similar charges and paid a $1,000 fine, while the latest prosecutorial moves were pending. While Paxton was peddling his wares, he was a state representative. Then he was elected to the state senate, then he was elected as Texas attorney general, the state’s lawyer, while his legal problems were in all the papers. (Texas is a red state, but not a well-read state.) How did a candidate win his party’s primary for atty gen, then win the general election (both easily), while having pled guilty to one charge and awaiting the other shoe, or indictments, to drop? How? Because a lot of our fellow Texans – about 2.47 million -are monobrowed think-a-likes who shouldn’t be allowed near sharp instruments, small children or the voting booth. Paxton simply staked out positions in each election to the right of Santa Anna, making him – Paxton, not the Napoleon of the West – the darling of the tea party. It worked, he won. All you need in Texas today to win an election is to have an R beside your name on the ballot. Attila the Hun could beat out Sam Houston if the Hun was a Republican. Come to think of it, Paxton really did defeat a Democratic lawyer named Sam Houston. Since Paxton’s election, he has launched an investigation into a heavily edited tape of a Planned Parenthood video which is slowly falling into disrepute. At a legislative hearing on the matter, he introduced no evidence, no proof or anything else to bolster his case. Instead, Paxton began a long and vitriolic attack against abortion, which was not the matter under consideration. Earlier, the state’s top lawyer told county clerks that they didn’t have to obey the U.S. Supreme Court’s decree legalizing same-sex marriages. Now a judge has ordered Paxton and another state official to explain why they ignored the law. They face contempt of court charges. And we’re paying this guy? This brings us to money. Perry has already gone through $2 million in legal fees, mostly campaign donations. If you gave to Perry’s campaigns, any of that money probably wound up in the bank account of some high-priced Houston lawyers. We are already paying hired guns to prosecute the former governor. Now

Lynn Ashby Columnist

we have the first or second salvo of the Paxton case, and the army of state-paid lawyers trying to put him away. How much money are these two conservative Watchdogs of the Taxpayers Wallet going to cost us? The reason we bring all this expense and trouble on ourselves is simple: simple Texans who pride themselves on doing their civic duty, like avoiding jury duty and voting. But they vote the straightparty ballot because it is quick, easy and doesn’t require any education or courage, like booing a 6-foot-7, 240-pound quarterback from the safety of the club level. According to a recent study conducted by Austin Community College, 61 percent of voters in Texas’ 46 largest counties voted the straight-option in 2014, the highest percentage ever in a gubernatorial election year. We follow the herd mentality when it comes to candidates, but more complex decisions are hard on the brain, and we tend to skip them. In 2014, there was about a 15 percent drop-off in the number of votes for governor and votes for a transportation proposition, also on the ballot. Figuring out transportation policies and expenses takes thought. If only the proposition had an R or D beside it. Of the 50 states, 40 ban straight-party voting. But in Texas you’ll take my voting rights away when you pry my cold, dead fingers from the straight-party button. Now the towel story. As you may know, for the past 17 years Collin County jailers have taken alleged perpetrators’ mug shots with a towel wrapped around their necks. This is supposed to be a great equalizer, in that no shots show the suspect in a dog collar or a Brooks Bros. tux. But a judge ordered that the state attorney general could have his mug shot taken in a coat and tie. Then Paxton was allowed to leave the court house, and avoid the waiting press, thorough a little-used side door. That is called perks of the perp. We know the drill by now: Paxton, like Perry, will cry “politics,” but Collin County and the grand jury pool are among the most conservative voters in Texas. Obama, Davis (Wendy, not Jefferson) and all other Democrats got crushed by those voters in elections. Incidentally, this brings up a possibility: Could Rick Perry have given himself a gubernatorial pardon in advance? And can Paxton;s staff of lawyers defend him? Meanwhile, back here in empty Austin, I am surrounded by reminders of those soldiers, lawmakers, visionaries and other leaders who gave us Texas. What would they think of today’s crop – and those clueless voters who blindly elected them? Ashby writes-in at ashby2@comcast.net

In the coming weeks, The Leader will be collecting questions for our Mayoral Candidate Forum we’re hosting alongside the Garden Oaks Civic Club and Super Neighborhood #21 next month at Grace Church. As we continue to cover the race and its implications for the city’s future, we’d also like to hear from some of you about what keeps you at home during elections. It’s our goal to host a roundtable discussion with some of our residents here representative of all levels of political involvement – those who vote, those who choose not to and perhaps those who feel they simply can’t. As much as I know our readers are well-versed when it comes to local issues and politics, I know there are plenty of people who will be staying at home this upcoming election despite having so much on the line for the future of our city and our communities. If you’d like to share why you do or do not vote, we’d love to hear from you to help shed some light on ways to engage more people in our political process and determining the future of our communities. We’d love to hear from you – email us at news@theleadernews. com. Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

Reagan High School name change debate continues

of all brave soldiers who served their country under difficult circumstances. Is the University of Virginia going to tear down the statue at its entrance of Thomas Jefferson. Is Washington D.C. to be renamed? May God Continue to Bless John H. Reagan High School. Rad Freel Class of 1954

Dear Editor: As a proud graduate of Reagan High School (class of 1955), I find the news of a name change for the school rather shocking. The name is much too iconic to be changed. Most students don’t have any idea who John H. Reagan was or don’t care. The fact that he was the Postmaster General of the Confederacy shouldn’t bother anyone. He also served the state with distinction. Anyway, the name Reagan is more associated with the Heights and being Bulldogs. About three times a year, a couple dozen alumni of the 1950s gather in Austin to exchange stories about experiences at Reagan and to speak fondly of the Heights neighborhood. Don’t impose a new name upon us after all these years. If the current powers believe that a change is imperative, I suggest that it be named after Ronald Reagan. We would still be the “Reagan Bulldogs.” Fred Newton Dear Editor: I too am a Reagan High School graduate, class of 1960, and my late sister was also a graduate and a Red Coat drummer, class of 1947. For both of us, Reagan was all-white by law, and I’m not proud of that. Today, Reagan has a large black population and is a model school. I AM proud of that. Isn’t it time for a name that can be embraced by all of the school’s current students and that also honors tradition? Why not go back to the original name, Heights High School, which was what it was called before it moved from what is now Hamilton Middle School to its current site? We continued to sing, “Heights High will shine tonight,” at football games when my sister and I were students there, and I see no reason why, with the renaissance of the Houston Heights, Reagan shouldn’t become Heights High again. Damon D. Hickey Dear Editor: This is TOTALLY ridiculous. These Liberals are trying to change our History. Where will it stop? Rodney Ellis is way out of line. He needs to be voted out, along with some others. Charlie Cash Dear Editor: My Grandmother (1890-1978) informed me that John H. Reagan was a good friend of my Great-grandfather, Cyrus Hope, who served as a 15 year old drummer boy with the Texas Volunteers. Cyrus Hope’s father was the official scribe of the Austin Colony. The Hope Family considered John H. Reagan to be a man of integrity, honor and compassion. He made an effort to reunite Texas with the North in the tough Reconstruction period. John H. Reagan has produced, scholars, successful business men and women, clergy, civic leaders, and most

Dear Editor: EVERYTHING offends SOMEBODY. Why not do away with every school’s name and just call it THE SCHOOL, THAT ONE OVER THERE, or just number them like they do in NYC. But then let’s take away all street names, too, and just give them numbers till we run out of numbers. My maiden name, and hundreds of other people’s names, was Reagan. Shall I deny my maiden name was Reagan? In the Middle East, terrorists are destroying history and art. Has the USA gone nuts? Do people actually have time to spend their days thinking of new ways to be offended? Why not just get on with the business of education, finding jobs for people who have too much time on their hands, reducing the nation’s debt, helping people who need help, etc. Good grief! No wonder Donald Trump has such a following. Joyce Bell Dear Editor: You might send an e-mail to Rhonda Jones, President HISD Trustee board at RJskille2@houstonisd.org. We have many comments from Alums and the politicos have agenda to move upward. They seem not to care about children’s education nor how they spend our tax dollars. They have the money so why not spend it. Government entities have endless supply of dollars. Joe Wright

Local groups to host forum for 2015 mayoral candidates

Dear Editor: The Leader neighborhoods are in desperate need of infrastructure improvement: potholes need filling, drainage needs to improve, the developers are running wild in many of the neighborhoods, creating greater density which brings more traffic. The streets and sidewalks need to be upgraded to deal with the heavier traffic; water pressure is low and adding more water customers makes it lower. Speeding through the neighborhoods is another problem. It’s unlikely that City Hall will address these needs. For the city, we need to ask why isn’t the Rebuild Houston money being used as intended. We need to stop giving tax breaks to Wal-Mart, Kroger and other big businesses. Are any of the candidates even willing to discuss the state of Houston’s finances? Mayor Parker has put off any voting on the revenue cap in order to focus on getting voters to approve her ordinance. Will anyone ask Adrian Garcia why

he didn’t take any responsibility for the debacle at the county jail? He fired a few sergeants, but he needed to show some leadership. Sylvester Turner wants to raise the revenue cap strictly for more police. Will anyone ask him if there will be an audit of this funding to make sure that, unlike Rebuild Houston, it gets used for the purpose that was approved by the voters. Can HPD not sign interagency agreements with the constables, HISD police, sheriffs, DPS, Metro Police, River Oaks Patrol, Bellaire Police, South Side Place Police, Rice Police, UH Police, UT Police, Texas Medical Center Police or any of the other police agencies that patrol within Houston. Does HPD really need more officers or can it coordinate with these other agencies to provide service to all of Houston. Do the police really need body cameras? It seems like when the police do something questionable, their camera footage is always lost, or there is a technical glitch. Turner is rather light on the specifics of his plan, so perhaps someone can push him for details. Can anyone ask Stephen Costello about Renew Houston? Does Mark Klein want a city council member who lives in the Leader area and is familiar with the Leader area? Do we want a TIRZ to come in and widen W. 20th Street to a four lane road? Should a TIRZ with its board that is not elected be in charge of the tax revenues? There are a lot of questions to ask, so I won’t attend because I don’t want to take up too much time. Jason Hochman Dear Editor: It will not only be the responsibility of the next mayor to address the issues raised in the comments above; the next controller should be prepared to play an key role in providing the data and the transparency necessary for the public to make informed decisions on these very important. That’s why the application of my campaigns Four Core Principles: Financial Transparency, Fiscally Conservative Budgetary Oversight, Eliminating Overregulation, and Protecting Taxpayer Rights, to the work of the Controller’s Office will enable me to effectively gather the data through audits of Renew Houston, TRIZ’s, the Revenue Cap, and Public Safety so that the public will have the facts. My experience helping turn around Metro’s finances makes me well qualified to help tackle Houston’s finances. My record of success at Metro includes balanced budgets, transparency awards, upgraded bond ratings, pension reform, new revenue dedicated to improving bus service and retiring debt. I will match this record of success with the record of any of my opponents, and their promises. I look forward to meeting your community at this event. Please check out my campaign Facebook and website for more information. Thanks.

Submit your questions for our Mayoral candidates MAYORAL or RSVP online CANDIDATE www.theleadernews.com FORUM

Sept 1, 2015 at 6:15 pm

Grace Church Garden Oaks • 3754 N. Shepherd Dr.

Page 4A • Saturday, August 22, 2015

Neighbors: Spreading joy, healing with the power of music By Elizabeth Villarreal elizasgarden@outlook.com

Happy, happy birthday to Janet Gebhardt Mahon of Lazybrook! Mrs. Mason is a native Houstonian who grew up in the Heights, attended Reagan High School, and is a long time member of Heights Presbyterian Church. In celebration of her 85th birthday this year, Mason’s great-granddaughters, Smith (5 yrs) and Virginia Maxey (2 yrs) of Birmingham, AL, flew in with their grandparents who are also Mason’s daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Bruce Maxey of Ocean Springs, Ms. Mason’s family, including her husband Joe Mahon; son Seated Left to Right: Carli Mosier, Selma Smith McGowan, Ed Copeland. Standing Left to Right: Diane and daughter-in-law Mike and Brenda Mahon Mosier, Bruce Mosier, Pam Leighton, John O’Field, Audrey Mytchak, Adair McGowan, John Fowler, of Houston; grandchildren Stuart and Laney Nancy Hill, Mel Lofton. Maxey of Birmingham, Becky and Garrett Carli Mosier, Selma Smith McGowan, Ed Rose of Lima Catholic Church and Bearcreek Chumchal of Houston, and Matt Mahon of Copeland, Diane Mosier, Bruce Mosier, Pam UMC; Brookdale Willowbrook Park Independent Houston, celebrated her special day, August Leighton, John O’Field, Audrey Mytchak, Living Community; Sheltering Arms Day Center; 29th, with dinner and a surprise party out at the Adair McGowan, John Fowler, Nancy Hill Regency Village in Webster, TX; and Silverado family’s Texan pied-à -terre, Sour Grapes Ranch and Mel Lofton, and all are integral parts of this Cypresswood Assisted Living Community, just to in Montgomery, TX. The entire family sends a special band of senior citizens (well, almost all name a few! loving shout out wishing Ms. Mahon joy and sun- are seniors!). The Sunshiners fully believe in the healing shine on her special day. A few of the group are full time caregivers of qualities of music. Once an audience member spouses or family members and their participa- had been confined to a wheelchair for many Sharing harmony with their neighbors, The tion in the band is their opportunity to step out months, but after hearing several of the SunshinSunshiners are spreading smiles and renewed and spend some time in an activity they love, ers’ songs, began tapping a foot. Then he began heart to many in the Houston area with their keeping them recharged. moving his hand. And finally, he sat up straight catchy tunes and unique show. A merry band of The Sunshiners are volunteers, but they work and held out his hands to be assisted in standing, primarily senior citizens, the volunteer band per- for donations to support their equipment and and then actually began dancing to the delight forms an hour-long show full of entertainment the gasoline needed for traveling about the city. and amazement of his friends and caregivers. and nostalgia that appeals mostly to senior audi- Their calendar is constantly booked year-round Many happy tears were shed and the powerful ences. for groups and communities such as The Gath- message in that story, the ability to reach people The Sunshiners are a wonderful group includ- ering at various Houston churches including St. through music, is what keeps the Sunshiners ing many of your Leader community neighbors:

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eager to greet new audiences and motivated to share their joy with others. Several of the Sunshiners picked up their instruments after a long hiatus and a completely different career outside of music. Mel Lofton picked up his saxophone after 30 years once he heard the band and was moved to join, and Nancy Hill resumed playing her ukelele after putting it away over 40 years ago. A couple of the group are novice musicians, such as percussionist Diane Mosier who plays the washboard and a curious contraption called the Stumpf Fiddle, and John O’Field who now plays the ukelele and sings beautifully. A few of the group, John Fowler and Bruce Mosier among them, are accomplished musicians who have made music their livelihood. Mosier was one of the original band members with Kenny Rogers in the Houston group, The Scholars, and Fowler, after cutting his teeth on the saxophone and writing arrangements prior to and during seventh grade, continued to write, orchestrate, direct, and play a variety of music including stage bands, jazz, barbershop quartets, and choral music, yet spent his career as a mechanical engineer with a degree from Rice University. He and his wife Jane led the “Sounds of Celebration� choir for nearly 20 years at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Houston. Pam Leighton, the newest member of the group, plays five instruments and sings. Check out their website at www.sunshinersband.com for more information.

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Saturday, August 22, 2015 • Page 5A

The calendar. UPCOMING EVENTS The Lift Come enjoy mimosas while perusing the new line, Sticks, decorative and functional wood items, from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 21. Story Slam is from 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 24, and features an evening of five-minute stories. Karaoke night is from 5-7:30 p.m. Aug. 27. The Lift is located at 365 W. 19th St. Information: 713-868-LIFT (5438), www.thelifton19th.com.

1606 Heights Blvd., will be holding a scholarship fund-raising jambalaya dinner from noon-5 p.m. Aug. 22. Authentic Cajun Jambalaya. Plates are $10, with drinks and desserts sold separately. Cash, credit/debit cards are accepted. Dinners are to go only (no onsite dining). All proceeds go to college scholarships for Reagan High graduating seniors. Information: 713-861-1037.

MOVIE AT OAKS DAD’S CLUB Oak Forest Homeowners Association The Oak Forest Homeowners Association is holding an end of summer event Aug. 22, with a free movie at Oaks Dad’s Club, located at 3410 E. T.C. Jester Blvd. “SandLot,� a great children’s baseball movie will be featured. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., movie begins at 8 p.m. The concession stand will sell hot dogs, snow cones and popcorn. There will be fun door prizes. Bring chairs and blankets. The event is sponsored by Oak Forest Veterinary Clinic and Oaks Dads Club. Information: 281-685-9929.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE AUDITIONS Houston Family Arts Center Houston Family Arts Center announces auditions for Doug Rand’s stage adaptation of It’s A Wonderful Life. Open auditions are from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 22. Callbacks will be on Aug. 24 by invitation only. Audition appointments can be made at http://bit. ly/HFACauditions. Many actors will play multiple roles in this show. Families are encouraged to audition. The minimum age to audition is 8 years old. Houston Family Arts Center is located at 10760 Grant Road. Information: 281-587-6100, www.houstonfac. com.

JAMBALAYA DINNER FUNDRAISER Reagan Masonic Lodge The Reagan Masonic Lodge,

MONTHLY HAPPY HOUR Heights Young Professionals Join HYPO for networking, appetizers, and complimentary

From the Pews. Hope Episcopal collecting donations for Star of Hope Hope Episcopal Church, 1613 W. 43rd St., is collecting donations of school supplies and travel sized toiletries for children at the Star of Hope’s homeless shelter. Pencils, notebooks, paper, crayons and other classroom materials are needed. Also useful are backpacks, tissues, flashlights, and new packages of children’s socks and underwear. Call 713-681-6422 for information. Blessing of the backpacks at St. Stephen’s Students of all ages and educators are welcome to bring backpacks and briefcases to the 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. worship services Aug. 23, to receive a special blessing before the beginning of the new school year. This Sunday is also Promotion Sunday for the Children’s Education department. St. Stephen’s will host a Fun4Seniors luncheon, sponsored by Harris County Precinct 4, open to adults age 50+, Aug. 24, at 11:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Students from a Hawaiian Cultural School will provide the entertainment. Ben’s Chuck Wagon will cater a grilled chicken meal. RSVP to Precinct 4 at 281-893-3726.

St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church is located at 2003 W. 43rd St. For information, call 713-686-8241 or visit www.stsumc.org. Men in Mission barbecue dinner at Zion Lutheran The Men in Mission will be hosting their annual barbecue dinner from noon-2 p.m. in Zion’s Great Room, Aug. 23. All free will offerings for the meal will go toward the Men in Mission’s Seminary Student Scholarships. The community is welcome. Zion Lutheran Church is located at 3606 Beauchamp. Call 713-869-1493 for information. All Saints TALC to hold fall semester registration All Saints Catholic Community Third Age Learning Center senior program will hold its fall semester registration from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 27, in the parish hall, located at 215 E. 10th St. The Fall Semester begins Sept. 8, and will conclude Nov. 13. For program information and lunch reservations, call 713-248-1277. Fifth Sunday Singing at Oak Forest Baptist There will be a Fifth Sunday Singing at 4:15 p.m. Aug. 30. There will be a full hour of singing, with congregation

beer and cocktails. Meet, socialize and make direct connections with other professionals. This month’s meeting will be from 5-8 p.m. at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards St. The cost is free for HYPO members, $15 for non-members before Aug. 25, $20 before Aug. 27, and $30 at the door. Information: 713-8616735, info@heightschamber.com. EVENING OF STORYTELLING The Houston Storytellers Guild The Houston Storytellers Guild presents an evening of storytelling for children and adults from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 29, at Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church’s Parish Hall, 1819 Heights Blvd. Featured storytellers are Larry Thomas, Sally Bates Goodroe, and Sheila Phillips. Admission is $10 a family and $5 for individuals. Information: www.houstonstorytellers.org.

Visit the website for performance dates and to purchase tickets. Information: 832-330-5478, celebrationtheatrehouston.com. OPEN HOUSE/GRAND OPENING Hula Dance Center Hunter Dance Center, 747 N. Shepherd Dr., Ste. 100, will celebrate its grand opening with an open house from 1-5 p.m. Sept. 12. Free dance, yoga and family workshops, along with creative activities for little dancers including “Build Your Own Tutu,� face painting and jumpy castles -- as well as thrilling circus arts and aerial dance demonstrations, ensure an exciting day for all. Information: 832-930-6343, www. hunterdancecenter.com. Ad # 36774

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Oaks Presbyterian Church New Beginnings Happen Here

Sunday Worship - 10:30am Bible Study: Wednesday Noon - 1:30pm Bible Study: 2nd & 4th Tuesday 7:00 - 8:30pm

Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Worship10:45 AM

Pastor Don Joseph Member of MANNA Visit us on FaceBook www.oakscchouston.org

Reverend Noelie Day

(713) 682-2556 1576 Chantilly @ Piney Woods www.oak s p r e s b y t e r i a n . o r g

(It’s not a Mirage!)

The Will: Ours, Theirs and God’s.

A weekly biblically-based teaching for moms in all seasons of raising children. Come be nurtured and discuss issues with moms who have the same age children as you! Led by Teresa Glenn (www.celebratethefamily.com)

WEDNESDAYS

September 16-November 11 • 9:30-11:30am CHURCH OF THE APOSTLES • 111 W. 14th Street

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

1822 W. 18th

it is the norhill Church of Christ.

Hear The Gospel - Mark 16:15; Roman 10: 14-17 Believe The Gospel - John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6 Repent - Luke 17:3-5; Acts 17:30 Confess - Mathew 10:32; Romans 10:9-10 Be Baptized - Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Col 2:11-13 Live Faithfully Till Death - John 8:31; Revelation 2:10; Hebrew 10:23 The Norhill Church of Christ is a non-denominational church located in the near north side of Houston in the inner loop 77009 area. It has operated as a church of Christ since 1927, it is located at 634 West Cottage on the corner of West Cottage and Reagan streets. The Norhill Church of Christ teaches only the Bible, without reference to any man-originated creed. Bible study services for all ages are held at 9:30am Sunday mornings. Sunday morning Worship begins at 10:15am. Sunday evening worship is at 6:00pm Wednesday evening worship and Bible study is held at 7:30pm. Norhill welcomes everyone to attend worship or Bible study to learn more about the truth of the Bible.

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THE X-RAY EXAMINATION Chase Baker, D.D.S.

D

uring a dental examination, the dentist will need to take x-rays in order to confirm the findings from the clinical examination. These x-rays should include films showing all the roots of the teeth, as well as clear views between teeth where they contact each other. A full examination, recommended at the first dental visit and then approximately every 36 months (or when a problem is suspected) might include from 16 to 22 films. The reason for this many films is that the dentist needs to see clearly the following areas: all root tips, the sinuses, the bone around the teeth and behind the last teeth and the contacts between all of the teeth. For periodic check ups, approximately every six to 18 months, four bitewing x-rays should suffice. Though these will not show the root tips or bone as well, they will show any new cavities which have formed which cannot be seen visually. Your dentist will let you know which x-rays he recommends for you to ensure that you are being cared for as well as possible. Prepared as a public service to promote better dental health. From the ofďŹ ce of: Chase Baker, D.D.S., 3515 Ella Blvd., 713-682-4406.

MESSAGE OF THE WEEK

Modesty in an iMModest World

W

e live in a world that is immodest in so many ways. Some athletes and performers boast immodestly of their skill and prowess in ways which would make the humbler athletes and performers of bygone eras blush. But, we are also immodest in a more literal and physical way, that is, by how much of our bodies we put on display. A hundred years ago, ladies and gentlemen considered it unseemly if they were not covered almost literally from the neck down. Now it seems that necklines and waistlines have plunged to the point where very little is left to the imagination. We seem to have no shame about displaying body parts that just a generation ago would have been mortifying. We should consider what it means to live and dress modestly in an immodest world. In the midst of others flaunting their bodies and screaming from the rooftops how great they are, a modest person will truly stand out as a moral exemplar. “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.�

1 Corinthians 12:22-24

Ad # 22283

TO REGISTER: www.cotahouston.org Limited childcare available with registration Questions:713-862-0200

You are cordially invited to the church that can guide you in what you must do to be saved.

Member of MANNA

FOOD PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Society of St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a local non-profit in need of volunteers to help at the food pantry, located at 2403 Holcombe Blvd. The pantry is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. TuesdaySaturday. Opportunities include greeters/receptionist, stocker, shopping assistance and data entry. Information: 832-538-0323, http://svdhouston.org.

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AARP MONTHLY MEETING AARP Chapter 1265 The monthly meeting will be held at 10 a.m., Sept. 14, in the community room at 1520 Candlelight Dr. The special guest is Jan Flewelling, Stroke Outreach Coordinator with the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute. The meeting is open to anyone 50 or older, and will be preceded by a meet-and-greet at 9:30 a.m. Information: 713-681-1133.

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

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A House of Hope and Prayer in the Heart of Houston Rev. Elizabeth Grasham

Sunday Worship 10am & 5pm Sunday Bible Classes 9am Wednesday Bible Study 7pm

4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365 Houston, TX 77092

Page 6A • Saturday, August 22, 2015

Transform and roll out

Opening of Rita’s Italian Ice in Heights delayed to later date

Motorcycle enthusiasts wallking into the Mancuso Harley-Davidson Central at 535 N. Loop Fwy. just north of the Heights might have noticed the newest employee standing guard out front. Technician Karsten Schlott and his 12-year-old son spent months using broken and old motorcycle parts to build a life-size Transformer-like robot, complete with glowing lights, sword and arm cannon. The response from the clientele has been positive all around Sclott said. Schlott admits the project took a little longer than expected and it was a challenge finding parts, but the response has been positive. “There’s been nothing but smiles,� Schlott said.

For The Leader

Photo by Jonathan Garris

Officials with Rita’s Italian Ice say the original Aug. 17 opening date of their Heights location has been been moved to an as-of-yet unconfirmed date. According to a press release, the store is the first location inside the loop for the chain and is located at 2802 White Oak Dr. This is the first store for franchisees Michael Schwartz and Daniel McCracken, who also plan to open an additional store by the end of 2016. “We always talked about opening up a Rita’s store, but it wasn’t until we moved to Texas that we started to seriously consider it,� said Schwartz in a press release. “We realized the time was right – we could final-

Craving a campout with your critters? Dear Tabby, I’m craving the crisp, fall air and my favorite cooler-weather activity: camping. We’ve recently adopted a dog and are really excited to take him camping with us. Any tips for helping our new pup enjoy the great outdoors as much as we do? Craving a campfire in Cottage Grove Dear Craving a campfire, After enduring a long, hot summer, there’s nothing more enticing than a crisp evening spent under the stars with your loyal pet by your side. While camping with your furry friends can be fun, it’s not without some risk and better enjoyed if you’ve prepared well. Our friends at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine have some advice on making the most out of camping with your canine. First of all, make sure that you choose a campground that will work for you and your dog. “Many campgrounds allow pets, with certain rules and regulations,�

said Dr. Mark Stickney, clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Often, the rules regarding pets can be seen posted on their website or answered over the phone. “Most rules will include things such as having your pet on a leash, making sure they are supervised at all times, and requiring proof of vaccinations,� Stickney said. “Even if they don’t require health records or vaccination certificates, it’s a good idea to bring them along just in case.� Just as you need to pack food and other essentials for yourself, don’t forget to pack necessities for your pets as well. Some items you’ll need to bring are plenty of food, a pet first-aid kit, a harness, and a leash. Even if the campsite has natural water resources, such as streams or lakes, you must still bring plenty of water for your pet to drink throughout your stay. “Your pets will want to drink out of any pond and lake in sight, but there are many different diseases they can catch by doing that,� Stickney said. “So you don’t want that to be their primary source of water.� Coming into contact with wild animals is a definite risk

when you are out in a national forest or grassland. Although most of the wildlife you run into wants to keep away from you as well, you should have a way of containing your pet just in case. “If your pet does get into a tussle with a wild animal, you do not want to get into the middle of it,� Stickney said. “There is a very good chance you will be bitten or harmed.� Your best method of action is calling off your pet or to try scaring away the wild animal. In order to prevent such situations in the first place, it is a good idea to keep your pets close to you throughout your

ly own a Rita’s store and also introduce the Italian Ice concept to the local community. We’re excited to start serving up ‘ice, custard and happiness’ to our friends in the area!� Business and life partners, Schwartz and McCracken, have been long-time fans of Rita’s after first trying its “cool treats� while living in New Jersey. They’re big fans of Rita’s best-selling flavor, Mango, and hope to bring their same passion and love of Rita’s to the local community.

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camping expedition and to have a leash or harness available at all times. Before setting off on your camping adventure, make sure your pets are up-to-date on all of their vaccinations, especially rabies. Depending on the campsite’s location, you may consult with your veterinarian about any other vaccinations that your pet may need, as well as discuss appropriate flea and tick control. Do you have a burning question for Tabby? If so, email her at deartabbyquestions@gmail. com

Pet of the Week Meet Juice. Juice is just as sweet as his namesake and smart as a whip. This 75lb boy gets along with cats and dogs alike (although, medium to large dogs are a better match for his size and playfulness). Juice has impeccable manners and has mastered the most important ones. Juice is full of energy, so he’d be happiest in a family who is active. To learn more, contact info@scoutshonor.org.

Make this year the most exciting, enriching year ever for you and your family. Welcome a high school student, 15-18 years old, from Italy, France, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Thailand or China as part of your family for a school year (or less) and make an overseas friend for life. For more information or to select your own exchange student please call:

Julie from Denmark, 16 yrs. Enjoys gymnastics, swimming and photography. She’s positive, fun loving and easy to get along with.

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Strategic Worm Control for Cats

A

ll Houston cats and dogs need monthly parasite prevention to protect them. their family and the community. Examination, parasite testing, and consulting are required before a veterinarian prescribes the best preventative for safety and effectiveness. Ongoing testing is also needed as a preventative does not exist that controls all parasites. Also owners are rarely 100% compliant in using monthly parasite preventatives. Some parasites are elusive from testing, especially in cats. They cause ongoing discomfort that you may not detect in your cats. Physaloptera, the stomach worm, is acquired by pets that eat cockroaches, crickets, or beetles. Small lizards, birds, and mice that also eat these bugs will transport Physaloptera to cats if they are also consumed. Tapeworms are usually acquired when pets ingest eas. Since monthly parasite prevention for cats does not control these worms, we recommend an annual strategic deworming and even more aggressive treatment if cats have suspicious symptoms. People with indoor cats have a false sense of security. These transport hosts are common inside Houston homes and it’s a cat’s nature to catch, kill, and eat these vectors. There are many other ways that indoor cats can acquire various other parasites also. Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease (HARD Breathing) is caused by mosquitoes. It likely occurs 20% or more of indoor Houston cats. A sedentary cat’s ear is an easy target for hungry mosquitoes.

Always call your Vet if you have any concerns or questions

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The Obituaries.

“We are thrilled to have Michael Schwartz and Daniel McCracken continue our expansion into Texas,� said Eric Taylor, chief development officer at Rita’s Italian Ice, in the release. “Having grown up with the brand, they’re great ambassadors for Rita’s and will truly be an asset to our team as we continue to expand south.� For more information on purchasing your own Rita’s Italian Ice franchise, please visit ownaritas.com.

(713)-937-7274

the leader Puzzlers.

Paul Barnhart, 69, born April 23, 1946 in Oklahoma City, Okla.,

died Aug. 11 in a local hospital. Survivors include his wife, Liza Barnhart, son Brandon “Bear� Barnhart, sister Paulette Partin, his extended family Lynn and Allen Repp, stepsons Roy and Ken Smith, and three step-grandsons. Services were held on Friday, Aug. 14, in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel. Interment followed in the Gann Cemetery. Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com. Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

Billie J. Bilski Jr., 76, born Feb. 2, 1939 in Brenham, Texas, died Aug. 17. Visitation will be held at 6:30 p.m., with a rosary beginning at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 21, at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, 4213 Mangum Rd., 77092. Rite of Christian Burial will be held at noon Saturday, Aug. 22, also at St. Ambrose Catholic Church. Gene Colson, 82, born Dec. 7, 1932 in Dallas, died Aug. 10, after a brief illness. He worked at Cameron Iron Works for 34½ years before retiring in 1992. Survivors include his loving wife of 63 years, Carolyn Colson, daughters Linda and Lynette, son Larry, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Garden Oaks Baptist Church, 3206 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston, TX 77018. John C. Crain Sr., 81, born Oct. 18, 1933 in Sikes, La., died Aug. 10, after an ongoing battle with heart disease. Crain enlisted in the Navy in 1948. After the Navy, he moved to Houston, where he met the love of his life, Carol Rabe. The couple was married 47 years. For over 20 years, he served the Houston community as a barber, and owner of Merchant Park Barber Shop. He served as a Deacon at Baptist Temple. Crain was also a longtime member of the Rotary Club and the S.P.J.S.T Lodge, #88. He is survived by his sister Bernadine Hyde, children Johnny Crain and Tamela Crain, and two grandchildren. George N. Gillis, 83, born Aug. 28, 1931 in Houston, died Aug. 11, after a brief illness. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy serving on the USS Monrovia during the Korean War. He was a founding parishioner of St. Ambrose Catholic Church, parishioner of All Saints Catholic Church, a member of Knights of Columbus 4550, volunteer of the St. Vincent’s DePaul Society and a proud 65-year member of U.A. Plumbers Local 68. Survivors include his daughters Rose Anne Sims, LaVerne Garcia, Emily Gail Stepchinski and Mary Gillis Larson, 11 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. Elsie Kesseler, 96, born March 27, 1919 in San Jacinto County, died Aug. 7. Kesseler was church secretary for St Luke’s UMC. The Kesselers were charter members at both St Luke’s UMC and St. Stephens UMC. She worked for St. Stephen’s UMC as the executive secretary for 32 years, as well as serving on their Administrative Board and Finance Committee. She is survived by daughter Carol Stevens, son James Ooley, brother Robert Ernest Ellisor, and two grandchildren. Ethel M. Miller, 92, born Dec. 31, 1922 in Breaux Bridge, La., died Aug. 14. Miller was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. Survivors include her son Deen Miller, daughters Nora Ivey and Denise Phillips, six grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 11 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 3600 Brinkman St., Houston 77018. Interment will follow at Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr. George J. Veselka, 91, born July 25, 1924 in Fayetteville, Texas, died Aug. 9. He proudly served his country flying 35 missions as a Ball Turret Gunner in a B-24 “Liberatorâ€? Bomber during W.W.II. He later attended the University of Houston receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. He was employed as an accountant in the oil and gas industry retiring in 1986 from Ada Oil Co. He married his wife of 62 years, Catherine, Jan. 24, 1953 in All Saints Catholic Church. Survivors include his wife, Catherine, daughters Monica Rothfeld, Vicky Deem, Cecelia Holzer, sons Greg and George Jr., seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

aCrOss

1. Library furnishings 10. A major N. Am. river 12. Music for a narrative poem 13. A set of steps 15. Shooting stars 16. Keenly perceptive 18. -__, denotes past 19. “3:10 to Yuma� actress Gretchen 20. Old English 21. Sami 24. Brake horsepower 27. Interlocks 30. Twofold 31. Green, iced and Earl Grey 33. Maddie and ___, singers 34. Bridge-building degree 35. Flat-topped flower cluster 37. A waterproof raincoat 39. A way to ingest 41. Tayra genus 42. Birds 44. 3.26 light years 47. Confederate soldier 48. Body fluids

49. Atomic #35 50. Seize 52. In event that 53. Grassy plain 56. Enzyme in milk 61. Rags 62. Actress May 63. In a way, aided 65. Humilities

dOwn

1. Digestive fluid 2. Capital of Norway 3. Plural of os 4. Young goats 5. “Peanuts� creator’s initials 6. State in NE India 7. Type of TV program 8. Shoulder adornment 9. Meat-roasting rod 10. Protective floor pad 11. Anger 12. Spread over 14. Blackthorn fruit 15. Commingle 17. Affirmative 22. Horse used to set the pace 23. Appeals 24. British thermal unit

25. Complex red organic pigment containing iron 26. Bura 28. Languages of Sulu islands 29. Raise with great force 32. Dried-up 36. Scientific research workplace 38. Purplish red 40. NYSE symbol TEN 43. Secure 44. Commercial-free TV station 45. Macaws 46. Open and sincere 51. Oldest Swiss Un. (alt. sp.) 54. Very high frequency 55. Name for ancient Syria 56. NFL’s “The Big Cat� Leon 57. Jai __, sport 58. Actress Blanchett 59. Cords 60. Not or 64. Constitutes

WORD SCRAMBLE

Food, drink Art Valet

ART

Saturday, August 22, 2015 • Page 7A

By Mitch Cohen

From Hobby to Profession, meet artist Valerie Gudell and her critter collection

Arts Columnist

Though there is a manufactured component (the vinyl toy), each of these unique pieces takes several hours, many days, and sometimes weeks to complete. Some artists prefer

Did they originate in the U.S.? No, most urban vinyl toys are produced overseas in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, but there are some rare Sofubi vinyl figures that are produced in Japan. Currently in the USA, there are some creators that produce their own resin figures in extremely limited runs. How long have they been popular? They have been popular since the late 1990s, when Michael Lau first began designing his vinyl figures in Hong Kong. In my collection, I am proud to have a Bounty Hunter Skull Kun figure (from Japan) that dates back to 1997, and a Monstrooper figure designed by Pete Fowler (from UK) that dates back to 2002. What is urban vinyl toy customization? Urban vinyl toy customization is the process in which artists use a three-dimensional urban vinyl toy as their “canvas” to create something new, as opposed to using actual canvas, wood panel or paper. Typically, they tend to use either a pre-existing vinyl production toy or a “blank”, which is a plain, white vinyl figure specifically created for toy customization.

Critters Jaxx and Jasmin.

Contributed photo From featured artist Valerie Gudell’s critter collection, MadIMonster.

to paint the vinyl toy in a way that preserves the original shape, and some choose to sculpt directly onto the figure, or to add a variety of found objects, similar to assemblage art. The toy customizer community is comprised of artists who live and work all over the world. In the U.S., toy customizing is most popular in L.A. and NYC. When did you start creating your creatures? I started working in ceramic sculpture around 2004, when I studied with June Woest, at Urban Artists Studio, in Houston. June was an awesome teacher, who encouraged me in my quest to make all things creature-like, while also teaching me the basic principles of sculptural structure. In 2009, after much toy collecting, and getting some valuable advice from a few wellknown toy customizers, I took part in my first custom vinyl toy show, in California. I really enjoyed seeing the wide variety of ideas and designs presented by this group of artists. While working on the vinyl figures had presented some difficulties at first, I managed to overcome those difficulties and was somewhat satisfied with the results. After that, I was totally hooked and the customizing madness began!

BikeHouston Third Thursday Hullabaloo On Thursday, socialize with fellow Houstonian bicycle owners and meet some of the volunteers, staff, and board of BikeHouston - a nonprofit organization devoted to help change the way Houston bikes, walks, drives and lives. Along with happy hour, the group will give an update on the Houston Bike Plan, feature a cool speaker, trivia, and more. Karbach is also a sponsor to BikeHouston.

8 p.m., on Saturday, Aug. 22 at the House of Blues - 1204 Caroline St. 77002. The show sold out on the first sale of tickets, but you can still grab standing only room tickets online at Ticket Network or Ticket Monster. Be sure to where your dancing shoes! This is going to be a good one.

Untapped Houston Preview Party The Dallas/Forworth based festival is bringing beer to Houston Sept. 12 and this weekend is the pre-party. The event is free (with regular tasting prices) from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22 at the Brewery. There will also be live music from Young Mammals and Catch Fever - two local indierock bands. You can win two Beer Packages to the festival in September by RSVPing to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ events/461267874047850/

Meet Valerie and her Cultured Creature Collective at her studio in Hardy & Nance Street Studios, no. 15, Insomnia, 724 W. 19th St. and at First Saturday Arts Market this November. Visit her online at CulturedCritterCollective.com

The Suffers at HOB If you’ve kept up with my column this year, you can probably guess my favorite act out of Houston. I’ll give you a minute to guess. Okay, time is up and you were right - The Suffers! The Houston act has been on the festival circuit all summer and are home for the weekend. Catch The Suffers at

Benefit show at Fitz Pegstar, Fitz, & Stubwire will be putting on a special show to raise 10k for Gender Infinity starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22. There will be a number of local acts covering other artists for this unique show. Tickets are $10.

The final show at Fitz We new it was coming, but the final show at Fitzgerald’s really snuck up on us, didn’t it? Save the date for next weekend at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29. Read Pegstar’s final farewell letter on the new plans for White Oak Music Hall http://fitzlivemusic.com/final_show.php Cheers! Email christina@theleadernews.com or on Twitter @ ThirstyExplorer

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By Christina Martinez christina@theleadernews.com

Movie In The Park If you’re looking for something more low key and in the neighborhood, the neighborhood youth sports program,

Oaks Dads Club, will be showing The Sandlot on Saturday. Gates open at 6:30 and movie at 8 p.m. at the main fields at 3410 E. T.C. Jester.

Sunday

What inspires you to make some of your creatures? My inspiration comes mainly from pop culture, graffiti, Asian art, and most recently, the Steampunk genre. Sometimes when a new vinyl toy is released, I must get my hands on it immediately, because I have already fallen in love with the design and have started making plans for it in my mind.

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

Contributed photo On the right, The Suffers trumpet player Jon Durbin and trombone player Michael Razo.

Friday

Yoga and Hops Class The girls who started their yoga class at 8th Wonder Brewery are now a traveling act. For an hour of yoga, you get an hour of beer. Class price is $20 and this includes three nine ounce pours or add $5 for a takeaway 16 ounce pint glass! Class starts at 10:30 a.m. and beer starts at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23 at the brewery - 2032 Karbach St. See you there.

The El Cantina closes, opening back as Brewpub

Gatlin’s announces grand opening They say patience is a virtue, but does that apply when talking about Gatilin’s barbecue? After the barbecue eatery’s lease was up, Gatlin’s closed doors on their Shady Acres venue in February, but not long after hung their giant sign at their new location off of Ella Boulevard in January. Now hanging off their giant sign is a “Now Hiring” banner and Gatlin’s has an-

By Christina Martinez Managing Editor

Thursday

Leader Nibbles Late on Monday afternoon, Delicious Concept’s Ken Bridge announced that his White Oak Drive concept, The El Superior Cantina, has closed doors to make room for a brewpub and American style kitchen. Erik Ogershok with Real Ale brewing has announced that he will be taking the brewmaster position for the concept. “I’m extremely excited about the new direction and I’m looking forward to working with longtime friend Ogershok,” Bridge said. The new space on White Oak will have a complete overhaul and will feature an in-house butcher shop and pizzeria with a brand new menu. The brewpub will host a selection of guest beer taps, but focus will be on Ogershok and his team’s brews. Brewmaster Ogershok has his name on top beers from Victory Brewing and Live Oak Brewing Company. Sneak peek events and the official namesake are promised to be announced by the end of the month. Stay tuned.

Spend the weekend at Karbach Brewery This weekend there’s an event at Karbach almost every day of the weekend. You could order a Staycation and have a mini vacation at the brewery, but I have a feeling chances are slim.

Last week I introduced you to Insomnia Video Game Culture & Vinyl Toys and owner Chris Unclebach. It was Valerie Gudell that introduced me to not only the store, but the entire medium of gaming and toy culture. Valerie owns Cultured Critter Collective and has been a regular art vendor at my show for several years now. Valerie Gudell is an urban vinyl and mixed media artist, born in New York City and her work has been featured online and coast to coast many times over. Valerie was kind enough to educate me on her chosen medium. To the uninitiated, what exactly ARE urban vinyl toys? Urban vinyl toys are a type of designer toy, usually made of vinyl. The figures typically feature original designs created by illustrators, graffiti artists and even some fine artists, with limited production runs. They are marketed predominantly to adult collectors, as the prices for rare pieces can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Thirsty Explorer

Join us for Music, Great Food and Drink

Thursday 6pm-Midnight August 27th Photo by Christina Martinez The El Cantina Superior has closed doors to complete an overhaul for a new brewpub.

nounced that they are shooting for a Labor Day opening. And in case you were wondering, Gatlin’s has a beer and wine application taped to the window. Labor Day is looking good in the ‘hood. Mellow Mushroom confirmed There’s a new restaurant coming to N. Shepherd – Dan Braun with Braun Enterprises confirms that Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers has signed a contract to open shop at Braun’s forthcoming development at 1919 North Shepherd. Mellow Mushroom is a pizzeria that originated in Atlanta, Georgia and has 150 locations throughout the United States. In addition to pizzas, they serve calzones, hoagies, salads, and appetizers. They often feature a large selection of beer. See Nibbles, P. 8A

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Page 8A • Saturday, August 22, 2015

Nibbles from P. 7A Southern Goods is now open The same guys that brought you Cottonwood, Ladybird’s and Liberty Station have done it again. Charles Bishop and Lyle Bento opened their newest concept, Southern Goods, this month and this week have now started serving dinner. Southern Goods is located at 632 W. 19th St. Check out their dinner menu to the right.

Low Prices every Day!

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Biskit Junkie opens new location Earlier this month, the Oak Forest breakfast eatery, Biskit Junkie, took to Facebook to announce their newest location. “In other news we are excited to announce our second location,” the Facebook post starts. “It will be opened at the former “Mangos” in lower Westheimer. We are super stoked about the opportunity to bring more comfort food to the neighborhood.” For those not familiar with the location, the former Mangos is at 403 Westheimer Rd., right by their sister location Jus’ Mac, across from the new El Tiempo.

Licensed, caring vets 10:00 to 7:00 M-F 9:00 to 400 sat No appointments needed

Southern Goods offers generous dinner options, including pork chops, braised beef shanks and lamb T-bones among other items.

School from P. 1A public school according to Manning. As Cohen also noted in his piece, the house at 403 Heights Boulevard is fairly new construction, while the historic home next door purchased by Dr. Farley in 2005 and named for him, “Farley Hall,” was built in 1902 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Samuel H. Webber House. HCAD records do not list a recent appraisal for the property. Manning said the buildings are for sale and that after expenses the money will go to the foundation to help the same kind of special students as the school served. Both the school and the foundation are 501c3 charities. The school was a labor of love for both Farley, who worked at the school four days a week for no salary before he passed away in June of this year, and Manning, who retired from her previous position as chair of the Department of

Contributed Photo Carr’s most recent contribution, a large truck, was also removed.

Education at Tulane, to found the school with him. “It’s a sad story in a way but we know we did a great job for 10 years, and served a lot of families,” said Manning, noting that they are continuing to offer families free counseling during the transition to new schools. Education director Jeanette Salinas, who has been at the school from nearly the beginning when she was hired as a teacher and helped develop the school’s curriculum, said the school’s closing was a surprise to the school community. They had recently put a sign up at the school for the first time.

The Neighborhood You Love

Salinas said she is still working with those Junior high students, as well as a few younger ones, who have not yet been placed at a school. “We’re working diligently to continue to serve those families,” Salinas said. While Salinas said many teachers made the “tough choice” to accept positions elsewhere, a group of some staff and community partners are moving forward to create a structure in which kids can continue to learn and get the services that they need. “The mission is still there,” said Salinas.

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