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Saturday, April 23, 2022 • Vol. 67 • No. 17
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Local resident remembered as loving man of faith By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Their Christian faith was at the heart of the marriage between Ryan and Izaura Lutz, who kept one of their favorite Bible verses at the forefront of their relationship. “A cord of three strands is not easily broken,” is a phrase that comes from Ecclesiastes 4:12 and represents the bond between a man, a woman and God. And it became especially meaningful to the Shady Acres couple earlier this month. Ryan Lutz, 35, was critically injured April 5 during an early morn-
ing jog around the neighborhood, when he and his dog, Orbit, were struck by the driver of a pickup truck in the 900 block of West 25th Street, according to the Houston Police Department. Izaura said her husband’s beloved “running buddy” died at the scene, and Ryan succumbed to his injuries 10 days later – on Good Friday. Izaura, 33, said she took that as a comforting sign. “My favorite thing about Ryan was he loved Jesus so much more than he did me, which in turn made him to be this incredible man and husband,” she said. “I really feel like
I got to experience this holy, true, rich, like, rare love that not very many people get to experience in their lifetime.” Izaura said Tuesday she continues to feel the presence of her husband of seven years, who worked as a technical writer for an oil-andgas company, was involved at West End Church and had a passion for adventure and physical activity. A former defensive back and special teams standout for the football Contributed photo team at the University of Northern Shady Acres resident Ryan Lutz, 35, died April 15 afColorado – the couple’s home state ter being struck by a truck while jogging on West 25th
Street on the morning of April 5. He is survived by his wife of seven years, Izaura Lutz.
See Lutz P. 4A
By Adam Zuvanich
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Bikes on parade. The inaugural Houston Art Bike Parade is scheduled for May 21.
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Photo by Adam Zuvanich There is a portion of sidewalk in front of one home and one home only on West 42nd Street in Garden Oaks, where Matt and Abby Martone walked in the street with their two young sons on a recent afternoon.
Garden Oaks faces sidewalk conundrum By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com
Hare-raising experience. Moon Rabbit is the subject of our latest restaurant review.
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Bess, Jones set for first of two election battles
When they pushed their two young sons in a stroller during a recent afternoon walk along West 42nd Street, Matt and Abby Martone were walking in the road and sharing it with the motorists who occasionally drove by. There was not a sidewalk they could use, at least not much of one. There was a paved concrete path in front of one home and one home only, with a dropoff of a few inches from the ends of the sidewalk piece and the grass on either side of it. “We’re not going to use a sidewalk that you have to jump up on and then get back in the road,” Abby Martone said. “It kind of makes it exactly pointless,” her husband said of the short stretch of sidewalk. Sidewalks to nowhere, as they are becoming known in the Garden Oaks neighborhood, have started to crop up and figure to become more prevalent in the coming years. There are the result of a legal framework created by the City of Houston, which is pushing for increased walkability and pedestrian safety as part of the overarching Vision Zero initiative that aims to eliminate traffic-related fatalities by the year 2030.
Photo by Adam Zuvanich Sidewalk requirements by the City of Houston have resulted in some short stretches of sidewalk being constructed in the Garden Oaks neighborhood.
An ordinance passed by the Houston City Council in 2020 requires property owners and homebuilders to install sidewalks along the public streets in front of their properSee Sidewalks P. 5A
Danielle Keys Bess and Jolanda Jones will soon compete for the right to represent District 147 in the Texas House of Representatives – through the end of the year. About two weeks later, the Houston Democrats will be in another head-to-head election that will determine who has a chance to represent the district for the following two years. Bess and Jones are competing in a May 7 special election to complete the term of former State Rep. Garnet Coleman, who reJones tired after serving in the Texas House since 1991. Regardless of who earns that distinction, Bess and Jones will square off again May 24 in a runoff for the Democratic primary, with the winner advancing to face Republican Bess Rashard Baylor in the November general election. Early voting for the special election between Bess and Jones starts Monday, April 25. “The special election is the undercard,” Jones said. “May 24 is the title bout.” Those eligible to vote in the special election are people who live within the District 147 boundaries as they were before statewide redistricting last year. Most of that district, the boundaries for which can be viewed at https://dvr.capitol.texas.gov/ House/58/PLANH2100, is in the south and southeast parts of Houston, although it goes as far north as Washington Avenue. A larger number of voters in the Greater Heights will have the Democratic primary runoff for District 147 on their May 24 ballots. That race is being held with the new district boundaries, which can be found at https://dvr.capitol.texas.gov/House/57/ PLANH2316. The new District 147 boundaries go further north to include the part of the Heights just north of Interstate 10 See Election P. 5A
Local track athletes sprint into area meets By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
The push toward the state meet has started for Houston-area track and field athletes, and each of the four public high schools covered by The Leader will be represented at area-round meets this weekend. Heights, Scarborough, Waltrip and Booker T. Washington each had at least one individual athlete and one
relay team advance from their recent district competitions by placing among the top four in their events. Waltrip’s girls relay teams were the stars of the District 23-5A meet. The Lady Rams’ 400-meter relay team of Leah Gaytan, Aydis Avilez, Priya Owens and Kaitlin Moreno won the district title with a time of 53.52 seconds. Also winning the district championship was the Lady Rams’ 800 relay
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team of Owens, Charisma Carter, Gaytan and Avilez in a time of 1:54.10. Rahim Hutchens paced the Rams on the boys side, winning the 23-5A title in the long jump with a mark of 20 feet, 9.5 inches and placing third in the 200 meters. He also anchored the Rams’ 800 and 1.600 relay teams, which also qualified for the area meet. See Track P. 5A
Photo from Twitter Athletes and coaches with Booker T. Washington’s boys track and field team celebrate at the District 23-4A meet on April 9. The Eagles qualified multiple athletes for the area meet this weekend.
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