Leader April 10

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Inside Today: Part III of a series on small business marketing • Page 4A

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Saturday, April 10, 2021 • Vol. 66 • No. 15

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Contributed photo A Zero Waste Houston employee carries a bucket of food scraps to be converted into compost. The company will help operate a weekly food waste dropoff from April 14-June 2 at the Heights Fire Station at 107 W. 12th St.

Monica Orozco conducted an audit of her family’s trash cans and researched the environmental impacts of food waste as part of a school project. When she learned that organic material in a landfill breaks down and releases methane – a greenhouse gas and significant pollutant in the Earth’s atmosphere – she talked her mom into having their food waste composted instead.

“That should be something everyone is told, because that’s really sad,” Orozco said of her discovery.

“I was like, ‘Wow, that’s a problem.

Orozco

If we can find a way to change that and send less food scraps to the landfill, that’s something I obviously want to do.’ ”

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INSIDE.

Page 4A

That’s something. Zarah Parker reviews Someburger, a no-frills burger stand on 11th Street.

Page 7A

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann A Kansas City Southern Railway freight train collided with an 18-wheeler owned by Unlimited Car Carrier, Inc., on April 1 in the 1300 block of Roy Street. The semi-truck reportedly contained exotic sports cars.

Train collides with semi carrying sports cars

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com The Houston Police Department said no one was injured when a freight train collided with a semi-truck last week near the Heights.

Some high-powered and high-priced sports cars were reportedly not so lucky.

An online report by roadandtrack.com, citing a witness, said the 18-wheeler that got stuck on the railroad tracks near the intersection of Roy and Allen streets south of Interstate 10 contained a variety of exotic cars that sustained varying degrees of damage during the April 1 collision. The website reported that among the vehicles in the trailer was a vintage Porsche 911 as well as a Ferrari SF90 Stradale, which has a retail price of more than $500,000.

HPD spokesperson Kese Smith said the semi-truck was owned by Unlimited Car Carrier, Inc., a vehicle transportation company based in Joliet, Illinois, that shows See Collision, P. 4A

Vaccination advice. Are you fully vaccinated? A local doctor has some recommendations.

Page 1B

Local principal Pollock retiring from HISD

Photo from Twitter Neighborhood residents examine a white Porsche and yellow Ferrari after they were unloaded from a semi-truck that collided with a train on April 1 near the Heights.

As Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet (GOMM) principal Lindsey Pollock noted in a recent letter to her school community announcing her retirement from Houston ISD, when she arrived at the school in the summer of 2008, it was a traditional campus with a small Montessori program. There were 405 students and Garden Oaks was on a list for possible closure.

As Pollock is leaving to work at Houston non-profit TEACH (To Educate All Children), the situation is much changed.

“Today we have 819 stuPollock dents enrolled and project that we will be fully enrolled again fall of 2021,” Pollock said.

During her 13-year tenure, GOMM added an Environmental Science emphasis, improved security at the campus and installed the fence around the school playground, which is a City of Houston Spark Park.

When HISD announced that Garden Oaks would become an all-Montessori campus, Pollock worked to secure a $3 million Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant to transform the school.

They also partnered with the National Tennis Association to install the Quick Start Tennis Court.

Pollock was at the forefront in planning before and after the school received a taxpayer-funded $30 million bond in 2012 to add 65,000 square feet and completely renovate all remaining existing spaces. The construction started in 2016 and wrapped up in 2019.

In 2013, Pollock and the school were recognized by the Human Rights Campaign with a leadership award for work implementing “Welcoming Schools” to embrace LGBTQ families and students.

See Pollock, P. 5A

Familial bond spurring Heights’ Alvarez to stardom

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 4A Classifieds.............................................. 5A Coupons. ................................................. 3B Food/Drink/Art................................... 7A Opinion. ................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 8A Puzzles...................................................... 3A Sports. ....................................................... 4B

See Compost, P. 5A

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

PHYLLIS A. OESER

New twist on old tradition.

The Heights’ Candlelight Dinner & Auction is back this year.

Orozco, a 16-year-old West University resident who attends school at St. Agnes Academy, said her six-person household has reduced its trash production by about half since enlisting Zero Waste Houston to collect food waste and other compostable materials on a weekly basis. And now she’s set to help Heights-area residents divert their food scraps so they can be recycled into nutrient-rich soil used for planting and gardening.

As part of her Gold Award project for the Girls Scouts of the USA, Orozco partnered with Zero Waste Houston and the Houston Heights

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/FromTheLeader

Contributed photo Heights High School basketball player Gracelynn Alvarez, left, considers her older sister, Gabriela, a mentor both on and off the court.

Heights High School head coach Kerrick Arrington said he hasn’t taught Gracelynn Alvarez much of what has made her one of the Houston region’s top girls basketball players over the last few seasons.

“Everything she has, she had it when she got here – the only thing I ever really had to talk to her about was defense,” he said with a laugh.

What Alvarez has is a long list

of accolades, thanks in part to a list of supporters that is even longer.

The 5-foot-7, sharpshooting point guard will play in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-Star Game on May 13 and was a first-team all-District 18-6A selection this past season after leading the Lady Bulldogs to a 24-5 record and a regional quarterfinal playoff appearance. The Heights senior also was a TABC Class 6A all-state selection.

But those heights had humble

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beginnings. Alvarez said she followed in the footsteps of older sisters Gabriela and Gabrielle, as well as her father, when she picked up a basketball almost as soon as she could walk.

And though the journey is not yet done, she said her father’s coaching and pickup basketball games with her sisters in the driveway began the process of pushing her to where she is.

“Growing up at my house, we were all competitive, so there See Alvarez, P. 5A

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Page 2A • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • The Leader

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • Page 3A

Battle brewing over proposed city charter amendment

W

hen Amy Peck ran for Houston City Council in District A, one of her campaign promises was to push for a sunset review of city government. She wanted each department and city-sponsored program to undergo a thorough audit to ensure they were making the most of their resources and operating as efficiently as possible.

But since being elected late in 2019 and sworn in early in 2020, Peck has been unable to bring the issue before her 15 fellow council members and Mayor Sylvester Turner, who sets the council agenda each week in addition to having a vote during meetings. If Turner doesn’t want the idea to be considered by the council and Houston citizens who follow the meeting, then it won’t be.

“It’s frustrating,” Peck said. “I don’t like (telling constituents) I can’t put something on the agenda. That’s not why I ran for office.”

Peck, who represents parts of the Oak Forest and Inwood Forest areas, hopes to have more agenda-setting authority by this time next year. She is one of two council members, along with at-large representative Michael Kubosh, who has joined a bipartisan coalition of Houston-area leaders and political groups who are proposing an amendment to the city charter that would allow any three council members to place an item on the weekly meeting agenda.

Charles Blain of conservative policy blog Urban Reform, one of three

Adam

Zuvanich Editor

co-organizers of the Houston Charter Amendment Coalition, said it wants to put the issue on the November ballot and let Houston voters decide whether agenda-setting authority should rest mostly with the city’s mayor or whether council members can exert more power in that regard.

He said a petition with about 37,500 resident signatures was submitted Monday to the city secretary, who has 30 days to verify the signatures as required by state law.

If at least 20,000 signatures are verified, Blain said the city council must formalize the petition by Aug. 17 and place the issue on the ballot.

“I would say we are 99.9 percent confident we have enough signatures,” Blain said. “I don’t see any reason this would not go on the ballot.”

Houston has long had a “strongmayor” system of governance and, according to a December blog post written by William Fulton of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, Bayou City may-

ors are more powerful than most in the state. Fulton wrote that Houston is the only major city in Texas that does not employ a city manager, leaving the mayor to serve as the city’s chief executive while also setting the council agenda and having a vote on the council.

Blain said the proposed city charter amendment would still leave Turner and subsequent Houston mayors with much of the same power they already possess, while simply giving more agenda-setting authority to individual council members. He said the coalition does not advocate for the creation of a city manager’s office, because that would be an appointed position that is not accountable to voters.

Still, it should not be surprising that Turner has publicly opposed the coalition’s proposal. While speaking to reporters during a community event on April 2, he said it would be “bad for the people in the City of Houston.”

“You don’t need any sort of mechanism put in place that would create chaos, confusion, tension and factionalism,” Turner said. “That’s not good governance.”

It is unclear where the area’s two other council members, Abbie Kamin of District C and Karla Cisneros of District H, stand on the issue. Kamin is on maternity leave, and neither she nor Cisneros immediately responded to a Tuesday afternoon email seeking comment.

I can see where Turner is coming from, and it should be noted that such a city charter amendment would impact future Houston mayors more than it would him. He is nearly halfway through his second and final four-year term.

Having three or more council members continually set agenda items that would not want to be considered by the rest of the council could bog down meetings and the operation of city business in general.

Anyone who has lived in Houston longer than a few days knows that City Hall already is cluttered with red tape and city government tends to move slowly as it is.

But there’s also something to be said for the idea supported by Peck, Kubosh and a range of local organizations, such as the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, the Houston chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, the Harris County Republican Party, Houston Young Republicans, Indivisible Houston and Houston Justice. Blain said 2019 mayoral candidates Bill King and Sue Lovell, who previously served as a council member, also are behind the proposed charter amendment.

Peck likened the current setup to the federal government, saying, “Would you want the president of the United States writing all the bills and having Congress saying yes or no, or would you rather have people who are with constituents every day writ-

Some thought for food THE FRONT DOOR – It’s got to be here somewhere.

By the mailbox, under the door mat with the house key that doesn’t work. Maybe on the curb. I am looking for my dinner, and so are a lot of other people. Food delivery, be it groceries or ready-to-eat dinners, have been around for years, but the Covid-19 pandemic really touched off a rush. Here are a few eyeopening stats from Comfy Living: • Consumers spent $11 billion on pizza delivery in the U.S. last year. (I question that figure.)

• Of Grubhub’s users in 2018, 59 percent were men who ordered at least once a week.

• The worldwide revenue of the online meal delivery market reached $107.4 billion in 2019, and that was before the virus hit. It’s expected to reach $182.3 billion by 2024.

• Over one in four food delivery drivers admits to eating the food they deliver.

• Cauliflower pizza rose 650 percent in popularity last year. (Both vegetarian and vegan-friendly meals have grown immensely in popularity on meal delivery. Yuk) There are several problems with using food deliveries.

First, obviously, is that there is better than a one-in-four chance that the deliverer has already eaten a chunk of your cauliflower pizza. Oftentimes, like maybe often, what you ordered is not what you get, and it’s hard to exchange a wild boar meatloaf sandwich for a ham-and-cheese once the driver has departed. One service I use never rings the doorbell to alert me that my order is on my doorstep.

An hour-old hamburger just doesn’t taste the same. Tipping is awkward. Some companies include it in the cost.

Others let you decide. How can you? The deliverer has dumped and run, while muttering what a cheapskate you are. If the bag tag reads: “Howard Hubcap” and you aren’t, do you track down Howard or just eat his mousse of foie gras with truffles?

In this economy, you find all sorts of deliverers. The district attorney for Bucks County, Pa., said Gregg Shore, a high-ranking prosecutor, had been making food deliveries for DoorDash during work hours for the county. Shore’s annual salary was $125,435, before he was demoted. Maybe the county is a lousy tipper.

Revenue in food delivery in the U.S. is expected to reach $26.527 billion this year, and should reach $32.325 billion by 2024. But we are also-rans compared to the Peoples Republic. In 2020, China generated revenue of $51.514 billion just that year. Of course, there are a lot more Chinese than Americans, but we can

Lynn Ashby Columnist

guess what they ordered. On Super Bowl Sunday, 48 million Americans order food straight to their door.

During this pandemic, many food delivery companies advertise “no contact.”

I tried Chow Now which guaranteed no contact. The driver simply slowed down and threw my lunch out the window. Air Apparent also promised virus security, but its drone was way off target and my neighbor made me go over and scrap the baccalà all’aviglianese off his driveway. A chicken delivery shop, Buffalo Wings, sounded good, but buffalos don’t have wings.

So what part of the buffalo are they selling? A pork sandwich shop turned me off just by its name, Meals That Squeal. I skipped Liver Delivery. Ditto for Leftovers R Us. DoorDash, GrubHub, Uber Eats, Postmates, and Waitr are the leading food delivery services. Waitr is the least popular competitor, sharing only 1 percent or 2 percent of the other customers.

An interesting thing about Waitr, it originated in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where it was founded with support from McNeese State University. Odd. In February 2020, 16 percent of parents used meal delivery apps. The next month the pandemic arrived and that figure climbed to 20 percent. Men order more food than women do, but they’re close. Only 36 percent of female Grubhub consumers used their service weekly, and their top food choices is Chinese. Men mostly ordered burgers. The world’s largest pizza delivery consisted of 30,000 pizzas delivered via the DHL delivery service to American military personnel deployed to Afghanistan so they could celebrate Independence Day in 2012.

All of this expanded food delivery brings up a question: What do we do with the containers -- Styrofoam, cardboard, plastic bags? Has anyone done a study on the increased amount of these containers tossed in the garbage cans and deposited in landfills, there to sleep for the next 1,000 years? When ordering meal delivery on a date, 41 percent of women prefer pizza. Cheap dates.

Only 29 percent of men felt the same. Women were also more in favor of sushi compared to men. When it comes to barbeque, 25 percent of

men preferred it, as opposed to only 11 percent of women.

In the past, the main reason people ordered fixed meals for delivery was because they didn’t feel like cooking, and during this pandemic many don’t like to go to grocery stores either, so we also have an increase in ordering groceries delivered. But again there are problems. Push the wrong button on your order and you get 13 heads of cabbage. The store may be out of an item and substitutes.

Instead of carrots you get celery, maybe no shoestring fries so you get shoestrings.

There may be a delivery fee from $5 to $10. Some delivery services also accept tips, so factor in another $5 for that.

Ultimately, your regular shopping trips would cost about

$5,200 per year, while a delivery service would add up to about $5,300 or more per year. Incidentally, some years ago there was a company in Houston called TeleFood.

You called up, this was before WiFi, tweeter and electricity, and placed a grocery order to be delivered. It didn’t last, but there still is a TeleFood grocery delivery company – in Karachi, Pakistan.

We shall see if, once the pandemic is over, we return to our normal and smaller amount of food deliveries, either ready-to-eat or groceries.

Probably not. We are spoiled.

I just hope my neighbors don’t smell the cauliflower pizza.

Ashby grubs at ashby2@comcat.net

ing the bills?”

“I have always supported spreading power around,” Peck added. “It has nothing to do with this mayor.

Just in general, I think this is better policy for the city.”

Blain said many Houston residents who signed the in-person petition expressed surprise when they were told council members did not already have the authority to set agenda items. Peck said there already is a provision in which at least three council members can call a special meeting, but there are no guarantees that enough council members will participate to constitute a quorum.

Instead of proposing that any three council members should have the authority to place an item on the agenda, perhaps the threshold should be six or eight, with the latter number equating to half of the council.

Maybe such a system would further solidify the merits of a potential agenda item and ease Turner’s concerns about factions forming on the council.

But it’s too late for compromise at this point, because the proposed charter amendment already has been written and the petition supporting it already has been submitted. It likely will go on the ballot in November, when Houston voters can change the complexion of city government or leave things the way they are.

Email azuvanich@theleadernews. com

THE READER. The artful dodger

Dear Editor: I’m not sure where the columnist (Lynn Ashby, March 27) has received these data.

California and New York lead Texas in pandemic deaths. It makes sense that the most populous states will have the most pandemic deaths, and, in fact, the most deaths overall from all causes.

We can’t blame the Governor for “flip flopping.” He’s in the thrall of such self proclaimed experts as Fauci, who has maintained a general aura of doom, but has flip flopped more than a fish out of water.

With masks for example. First he said don’t wear them. Then he said wear them. Then he said it was “common sense” that two masks are better than one. Later he said that there are no data supporting the contention that two masks are better than one. Meanwhile, he got photographed at a baseball game without his mask.

I don’t plan on voting for governor, but we should at least be honest in evaluating

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com candidates. The slanted news has led many people to make uniformed choices, based on the opinionated news reports.

Jason H.

METRO overhauling bus stops on Studewood

Dear Editor: Too bad all that dressing up of the stops and shelters doesn’t make the buses run more efficiently to where it doesn’t take you an hour to go from the Heights to downtown and people would actually use it.

Jeanne Gebo Dear Editor: Houston can’t have nice things. How long before it’s either defaced or signs are gutted or stolen? Keep it basic.

Calvin Wilson

A news crisis a day created just for you

Dear Editor: It used to be “Breaking News” but we’ve graduated from that now.

Brian Frye

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss 1. Elephant’s name 6. Support 10. Mures River city 14. Bastard wing 15. One was named Desire 17. PGA Tournament prize 19. A way to leave unchanged 20. Unchangeable computer memory 21. Harangues 22. 6th Hebrew letter 23. Well informed 24. Turfs 26. In a way, obeyed 29. Lawyers group 31. Increases motor speed 32. Political action committee 34. Light pokes 35. Struck down 37. Central Philippine Island 38. Japanese sash 39. Afresh 40. Bluish green 41. Inspire with love 43. Without (French) 45. Counterbalance container to obtain

net weight 46. Express pleasure 47. Cheap wine (Br.) 49. Signing 50. ___ compilation, compiling computer language 53. Have surgery 57. Being trompe-l-oeil 58. Extremely mad 59. Day 60. Small coin (French) 61. Snatched

dOwn 1. Cry 2. Wings 3. Baseball play 4. Flower petals 5. Drive against 6. Velikaya River city 7. A single unit in a collection 8. Stray 9. Bring back 10. Repented 11. Receipt (abbr.)

12. Expresses pleasure 13. Not wet 16. In a way, takes off 18. Macaws genus 22. ‘Fast Five’ star’s initials 23. Sharpen a knife

24. Oral polio vaccine developer 25. Former CIA 27. Fencing swords 28. Aba ____ Honeymoon 29. Bustle 30. Minor 31. Propel a boat 33. Passage with access only at one end 35. Underwater airways 36. Small, slight 37. Box (abbr.)

39. __ Blake, actress 42. Repents 43. Merchandising 44. Exclamation of surprise 46. With fireplace residue 47. A small lake 48. Bait 49. Tip of Aleutian Islands 50. K____: watercraft (alt. sp.)

51. Norse variant of ‘often’ 52. Adolescent 53. Visual metaphor (Computers) 54. River in Spanish 55. Cowboy Carson 56. Powerful gun lobby

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • The Leader

Small business marketing always starts with content

By Jonathan McElvy

marketing starts with a great story. We’ve forgotten that message matters. And the problem is that we all want to skip the most important work, throw our ragged brands and messages on social and digital platforms, spend thousands of dollars, and immediately expect returns.

Sure, you can say you’re different – and there are notable exceptions to this rule – but the reality is small businesses are going to get pushed further and further from their customers, and they’re going to spend a ton of money in the process of failing.

There are no short-cuts to great marketing, regardless of what digital agencies tell you. There is still, today, no replacement for a brand that’s refined, a value proposition that resonates, a message that matters.

jonathan@mcelvypartners.com

Editor’s note: This is Part III of a three-part series on marketing for small businesses.

Marketing a small business has never been harder than it is today. Survey after survey shows the cost and understanding of modern-day digital and social media marketing has consumed business owners unlike ever before.

Why? Digital marketing used to be so easy. You posted to social media, had a decent website, and if you invested just a little time and money, you’d get more calls than you could handle.

Here’s why: Google and Facebook are two of the richest companies in the world specifically because digital marketing used to be so easy.

When businesses started having noticeable success reaching new customers (circa 2011-2017), every single small business rushed to try the same thing.

All of a sudden, the relatively open world of digital marketing became crowded. It’s a supply-demand thing, and as the demand grew, both from businesses like yours and your potential customers, Google and Facebook changed the game.

First, they found more ways to get money from you. Second, they forced your website, your social posts, your videos, your directories to be bet-

Photo by Patric Schneider Jonathan McElvy is the CEO of McElvy Partners, which serves small businesses.

ter and better. And the more they required from you, the more money you spent. And the more money you spent, the more your competitors were forced to try even bigger things and spend bigger dollars.

It’s quite simple, if you can understand the whole supplydemand concept.

Stock photo It’s difficult for small businesses to effectively market without compelling content on their websites and social media channels.

brand themselves, they’d better learn themselves first.

- You must learn why you’re a great business; - You must learn what sets you apart from your competitors; - You must learn what value you have to a customer; - You must learn the customer you want to target; - You must learn what that targeted customers wants; - You must learn how to tell your story through words, pictures and videos.

The great mistake in marketing today is that small businesses don’t want to take the time to learn those things. Instead, they want to call a digital marketing agency, get sold a bill of bull, and then scratch their heads and blame the agency when they skipped all

Yes, content is still king If you’re a small business and you’re trying to figure out how to build a more successful digital marketing campaign, you cannot start by calling a digital agency and saying, “I’m ready to do some SEO.” You can’t wake up one morning and decide you want to appear at the top of Google. You cannot snap your fingers and hear the phone ring.

You see, the greatest issue in the world of marketing today is that most small businesses do not have a story to tell. They don’t understand that before they can begin to

The great small business marketing mistake You see, the problem with digital marketing is that we don’t understand the natural progression of how marketing works. Doesn’t matter if you’re advertising on a search engine or a bathroom stall. Most people have been conned by all these pop-up digital agencies to think today’s marketing is all about search and reach and interactions and directories.

In the process, we’ve made the biggest mistake of all: We’ve forgotten that all great

the important steps.

And the problem with most agencies is that they aren’t designed to actually help you develop and create your specific content. Instead, they ask you to tell them about your business, they ask for your pictures, they ask for your videos, and then they tell you they’ll go get you to the top of search.

Where do you start?

If you want to successfully market your small business today, it’s time to get rid of this notion that digital marketing is easy. It’s not. It may be the hardest part of your business in this new era of advertising.

The place to start building a successful marketing campaign is not with an agency that wants to sell you

a package. Instead, you need to devote time to that list of “learning” I mentioned above.

When you can write all those things, when you have them in place, and when you know exactly why you’re valuable to customers, that’s when you’re ready to begin building your marketing campaign.

And that’s the next great problem. Most small businesses are so busy running their businesses that stopping for a week to handle this massive project is unthinkable.

What we’ve learned from working with thousands of clients is that many of them struggle to make a profit, much less break even. They aren’t running their businesses efficiently; they haven’t developed that niche in their specific category. The result is that a list of questions to begin building content for your business is almost impossible to create. It’s a vicious cycle that ultimately dooms most small business owners.

It doesn’t have to be that way. There are companies like ours (and plenty of other good ones) that specialize in the whole business. Find a partner that can help you understand all aspects of your business.

Find a partner that can see your successes and can help you build a brand around that.

Find a partner that will take your brand and create a message that matters to potential customers.

Doing it any other way usually means you fail.

Heights’ candlelight dinner returns with virtual format

By Adam Zuvanich

member Carol Welter, who serves as vice president of fundraising and events. “And we’ve had a good response.”

Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased online until 5 p.m. April 23 at houstonheights.org/event/2021candlelight-dinner-auction. Each ticket includes a four-course meal with a wine pairing.

Individual ticket purchasers and tables of two must pick up their meals from the Heights Fire Station, 107 W. 12th St., between noon-6 p.m. May 1. Tables of four or more have the option to have meals delivered to their homes in zip codes 77007, 77008 and 77009, while tables of eight and 10 will receive four hours of waiter service including home delivery.

Candlelight diners can choose be-

azuvanich@theleadernews.com

A beloved Heights tradition is back on this year after taking a hiatus caused by COVID-19.

The Houston Heights Association’s 26th Annual Candlelight Dinner & Auction, which has been a popular event for residents and a key fundraiser for the neighborhood organization, is scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Saturday, May 1 and will be held in a mostly virtual format this year.

Instead of gathering in one place, participating diners will enjoy a gourmet meal and auction in groups of 10 or less at residents’ homes.

The event was scrapped last year because of the pandemic.

“We’re very excited,” said HHA board

tween three entree options - beef, chicken or fish - but those dining at the same household must select the same entree.

A silent auction will be held on a mobile platform throughout the event, which also will include a short online program as well as a live auction. A piece by local artist Chris Silkwood is among the items to be included in the live auction, while silent auction items include gift cards and gift baskets from local restaurants and businesses, artwork, jewelry and a ridealong with Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen.

For more information and menu details, visit http://houstonheights.org/ event/2021-candlelight-dinner-auction/ or email candlelightdinner@houstonheights.org.

Two area middle schools join Verizon program

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

A report from Houston Public Media last April cited data from the National Center for Education Statistics that said one out of every four households in Texas does not have access to broadband internet, and about 8 million homes don’t have a computer or smartphone.

This digital divide is something Houston ISD has been trying to bridge in the last year. And a new program from telecommunications company Verizon will help two local middle schools do just that.

Clifton Middle School at 6001 Golden Forest Dr. and Hamilton Middle School at 139 E. 20th St. are two of 12 HISD middle schools to be added to the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program, which addresses barriers to digital inclusion.

Each partner school receives an in-kind award of Chromebooks for all students, teachers and administrators.

Participating schools will be assigned a full-time coach to train teachers in effectively integrating technology into their lessons.

Verizon’s education initiative is in partnership with Digital Promise, a national nonprofit organization that seeks to spur innovation in education.

“Verizon’s program is a wonderful parallel provision to the district having supplied our students with devices and hotspots to facilitate virtual and in-person learning since the pandemic began,” HISD interim superintendent Grenita Lathan said in a news release.

“Our students must remain digitally connected long after the pandemic is over in order to maximize their 21st century learning experience.”

Six HISD middle schools previously

were accepted into the Verizon program in the spring of 2020. They were Edison, Fleming, Hartman, Henry, Holland and Tanglewood middle schools.

Each Chromebook is equipped with a data plan that provides “always-available” access outside of the classroom.

Funds are provided for a full-time campus instructional technologist dedicated to providing teachers with support to effectively leverage technology in the classroom. The program lasts two years, with the possibility of a two-year extension after the second year.

Last September, HISD received a $1 million grant from the Moody Foundation to purchase computers for HISD’s Achieve 180 students on some of the district’s underperforming campuses.

Also in September the HISD school board passed a budget amendment to spend $31 million on devices for students.

CHURCH D I R E CTO RY

I

St.each James Lutheran Church, ELCA Bible Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am In light of theSunday COVID-19 outbreak, please check with church below for updated Morning Worship ............... 10:45am • Worship (English) ..... 10:00 am - 11:00am information Wednesday about services and are temporarily restricted.

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Ministries for All Ages www.lazybrookbaptistchurch.org for the following: Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children Wed Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor In-person @ 9 AM Sunday Services: and Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365 4215

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Weekly Worship Services 9:00a.m.

Online services can be reached through the website below at 9:00 am. www.gethsemanelutheran.org

Houston, TX 77092

Photo from Houston Heights Association Website The Houston Heights Association’s annual Candlelight Dinner & Auction is returning this year with a mostly virtual format.

Collision from P. 1A several sports cars on the home page of its website. The company did not respond to a voicemail and Facebook message seeking comment.

Smith said the driver of the truck, Alejandro Perez of DeKalb, Illinois, received a citation for “operation of a vehicle with insufficient undercarriage clearance” from HPD’s commercial enforcement unit. Smith said Perez and a passenger got out of the truck when it became stuck on the elevated railway and called 911.

An HPD officer on the scene said the 18-wheeler was attempting to cross the railroad tracks when it got stuck. The officer said the train later approached at about 3:15 p.m. and was unable to stop in time, gashing the left side of the trailer portion of the semitruck.

“The engineer of the train gave a statement. He wasn’t notified

that the trailer was stuck,” Smith said. “He tried to slow the train but was unable to do so.”

Smith said the contents of the trailer were not specified in HPD’s incident report. A spokesperson for the Kansas City Southern Railway, which was operating on the Union Pacific line, did not answer emailed questions about the semitruck but said no rail cars were derailed and the incident is under investigation.

The afternoon collision led to significant traffic delays in the area, causing streets north and south of the tracks to be blocked off for several hours.

“We’re very fortunate in this case that no one was injured either in the truck or the train,” Smith said.

Staff writer Landan Kuhlmann contributed to this report.

GET Do IT! Opinions Matter?

OVER

t goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: “we have all made mistakes.” As Alexander Pope so aptly put it: “To err is human, to forgive, divine.” We should remember this the next time we make a mistake. Most certainly, we must learn from our mistakes, and hopefully not continue to repeat them, but we should also forgive ourselves. While it can be hard enough to forgive others for their mistakes, it can sometimes feel almost impossible to forgive ourselves.

We sometimes cannot bring ourselves to forgive something we’ve done, and we may punish and harangue ourselves for years, or even decades, over youthful indiscretions. In addition, some of us may not be able to forget the sins of our past. And although that may prevent us from repeating them, we must be charitable and forgive ourselves, just as we should forgive others. So, we should make a real effort in the coming days and weeks to forgive the offenses of others as well as our own. Sometimes, it helps to just forget about them; that is, to try to put them out of our mind and stop repeatedly mulling over them. One of the reasons we use the phrase “forgive and forget” is because sometimes that is the only way to forgive, i.e., by forgetting. But far better, and more divine, is to be able to forgive even while remembering the offense. So, we should let go of those unforgiving, vindictive, shameful feelings about the past, and get over it! Corrie ten Boom, who survived incarceration in a Nazi prison camp said, “Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize that the prisoner was you.”

realize that they are responsible for their thoughts and their Arise Baptist Church subsequent actions. In Philippians 803 Curtin St. Houston TX 77018 4:8 the Bible outlines how each 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org person should think. It says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever “Everyone is entitled to his or things are true, whatsoever things her opinion.”

This statement are honest, whatsoever things are is often made when two people just, whatsoever things are pure, disagree about something. People whatsoever things are lovely, have the freedom to make up whatsoever things are of good their own mind about life. While report; if there be any virtue, and this is a freedom each person if there be any praise, think on has, everyone must submit their these things.” Opinions are based opinion to an authority higher in an individual’s perspective of than themselves.

Children life. That perspective is shaped Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not bethe condemned; forgive, can have opinion that they by many different factors but and you will be forgiven... should eat candy all day and yet ultimately people are responsible Luke 6:37 their R.S.V. parents will probably not for their own thoughts. If thinking let them go through with that is going to be correct and going idea. A person in a fast car may to have good consequences, then have the opinion that driving in it must be in line with how God excess of the speed limit is a good thinks. This is not taking away idea and yet will have to face the the freedom to think, or reason, consequences if they are caught but rather it is pointing out the driving over the posted speed. fact that as a created being in Ultimately, all humans are given the image of God, each person the ability to think and to reason thinks best when he or she thinks for themselves. It is important to according to God’s instruction realize that while people are free book for life, the Bible. to think for themselves, they must

By Pastor Will Cover

The Leader • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • Page 5A

Pollock from P. 1A

Compost from P. 1A

“Our work campus-wide became a national exemplar for social justice,” Pollock said.

Of all the school’s successes, Pollock said right at the top is the fact GOMM was the first Montessori-accredited public school in Texas.

“All of these accomplishments represent the teamwork and dedication of the staff and parents at Garden Oaks and the support I have received to accomplish these milestones,” she said. “Garden Oaks is filled with supremely talented people with whom I have had the honor to work alongside. I am eternally grateful for this chapter in my life and look forward to the next adventure.”

Pollock has been an HISD employee for 20 years and spent 25 years in public education. Before coming to GOMM, she was an assistant principal at Park Place Elementary.

She also worked as a first-grade teacher in HISD. In her new role, Pollock said she would continue to support public educators in HISD. Her last day at the school will be the end of May. The end is bittersweet for the longtime educator.

“I will miss our students, families, teachers, staff and our Garden Oaks community,” she said. “I will miss our beautiful gardens and the sound of children laughing and playing and recess and visiting classrooms throughout the day. I’ll miss the chickens crowing outside my office window and working alongside our families on workdays.”

Pollock said she has made recommendations about what she thinks are important qualities in the next principal. A search is underway.

“I trust that HISD is working with our campus’ selection committee to find the next principal,” she said.

Association (HHA) to set up a weekly dropoff event in which neighborhood residents can collect their food waste and have it composted for free. The drivethrough dropoffs will be held every Wednesday from 5-8 p.m., starting April 14 until June 2, at the historic Heights Fire Station at 107 W. 12th St. “We’re excited about the program,” HHA executive director Emily Guyre said. “I think it’s something that Oak Forest and Garden Oaks and more communities can do (along with Heights residents).”

Zero Waste Houston founder Leo Brito, whose year-old company is one of a few in the Houston area that offers composting services, said those who wish to drop off food waste and other compostable materials – such as untreated wood and weeds from their gardens – should put all the materials into a reusable bucket that Zero Waste can empty and give back for future use. He also said the food scraps should not be in any sort of packaging or include the “PLU” stickers often found on produce purchased in grocery stores, because they are not compostable.

Brito said he’s providing the eight-week service for free because it’s a way to promote his company and increase awareness about diverting food waste from landfills. He said about 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. ends up being thrown out,

Alvarez, from P. 1A were a lot of arguments on the court. It was definitely really competitive, but it builds character,” she said. “It really helped me mentally, too, because nobody’s ever going to be as tough on me as my family.”

Alvarez was also a finalist for the 2021 Anthony Fields Award, given to Greater Houston’s top girls basketball player. And older sister Gabriela, who played college basketball at the University of St. Thomas, said her little sister’s exploits aren’t surprising after watching her grow up with the game.

“Just knowing that she watched me play and that she wanted to be better than me – then seeing her accomplish those things – is really great because where we’re from, not a lot of girls are athletes, not a lot of Hispanic girls make it big,” Gabriela said. “Seeing her get all these awards and going Division I is amazing. It’s really a blessing for my family that she’s able to accomplish all these things.”

COMMUNITY FOOD WASTE COLLECTION When: 5-8 p.m. every Wednesday from April 14-June 2 Where: Heights Fire Station, 107 W. 12th St. How: Community members can bring unpackaged, unwrapped food waste and other compostable material in a reusable container. Zero Waste Houston will compost the material at no charge. leading to about 63 tons of food waste on an annual basis.

“I don’t like to call it waste. I like to call it a resource,” Brito said. “I think that is a key term we all need to shift in our consciousness. Technically, this is a very valuable resource. If I have food sitting on my plate, it took a lot of energy to get to me. For me to throw it in a plastic bag, it gets buried in a landfill and not only produces methane, but it won’t break down (inside a bag).”

Along with the project for her theology class at St. Agnes earlier this school year, Orozco said she also got inspiration from her West U neighborhood. The City of West University Place conducted an eight-week pilot program from Dec. 5 through Jan. 23 in which residents made weekly food-waste dropoffs to Zero Waste Houston.

Susie Hairston, who serves on West U’s recycling board, said more than 340 people participated in the program, which yielded about 12 tons of food scraps that

But in Gracelynn Alvarez’s mind, she didn’t reach this point alone. She said her family is a major factor in what she has accomplished so far, from her dad’s coaching to her sisters’ tutelage to her mom’s support from the stands.

Her head coach echoed the sentiment – noting that Alvarez essentially has had her own personal cheering section every night over the past four years at Heights – and said that support system helped turn Alvarez into the type of player and person that has been rare since he began at Heights in 2005.

“Having a kid that’s all about basketball, is fun to be around and enjoys their teammates like this is very hard to replace. Off the court, she’s a great kid, man,” Arrington said. “The most important thing for a kid to grow is to have that strong support system.”

The feeling was mutual for Alvarez, who was the leader of a team that reached the first two regional quarterfinals in program history.

was converted into compost.

And because it was so popular, Zero Waste Houston has continued to hold free dropoff events from 9 a.m.-noon every Saturday at Demo’s Automotive Center in the Rice Village area.

Hairston also said nearly 150 West U residents have enlisted weekly services from Zero Waste, which usually charges $20 per month for at-home, curbside pickup. If at least 50 residents in a neighborhood sign up for service, Brito said he provides a 50 percent discount to the neighborhood.

“Having a free dropoff allows people to figure out a process and strategy and think about how to make it work for them,” Hairston said. “It is a huge behavior change for people. But once they do it, they’re like, “Wow, this is amazing. I have no trash.’ ” Orozco said she sought advice from Hairston and Brito about how to execute a similar composting program for her Gold Award project. Brito said he of-

fered to provide the service, and Hairston said she encouraged Orozco to reach out to the Heights because it’s a community that figured to embrace the initiative.

So Orozco contacted the HHA, which agreed to help turn her idea into action.

“I’m very grateful for their help,” Orozco said. “I’m hoping that if I just put in the work, that good things will come and we’ll make a difference.”

Brito said he’s thankful that Orozco is environmentally conscious and driven to make an impactful change not only for herself and her family, but for an entire community such as the Heights.

Orozco said she is not yet sure what she wants to do for a living, and she has not yet settled on a college to attend after high school. But she said she’s good at math and science and has an interest in developing technology that could combat climate change.

“I feel like she is the golden ticket,” Brito said. “She’s the example of what communities should be like. She is that icon of how community should be represented. I feel like if we had more Monicas everywhere, the world would be a much better place.”

Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter @AZuvanich

Gabriela said she has been attempting to help her little sister navigate and prepare for the road ahead, but that the motivation behind her sister’s play is hers and hers alone.

In her mind, Gracelynn’s best is yet to come.

“I feel like her drive comes from the fact that she wants to make it out and make it easier for her family, because she knows our parents worked hard to give us the things they didn’t have,” Gabriela said. “Knowing that basketball can take her further than a lot of other things can is what really drives her.”

Ultimately, Gracelynn knows she’s playing for both her and her family, and that she wouldn’t be where she is without their support – or those driveway pickup games.

“Having that bond really means a lot. They’re tough on me because they want the best for me,” she said. “Everything they’ve done has been to help me get to the point I’m at.”

“I love playing with these girls,” she said.

“Just making history with the people that I love has been the best part.

Uncharted waters Following that historic run at Heights over the last two seasons, Alvarez is heading to the University of Texas at El Paso to begin her college basketball career next fall. She also hopes to eventually play professionally overseas.

And through the entire basketball journey, she said she has leaned on Gabriela, especially as she prepares to move forward into uncharted waters of juggling college life and her pro aspirations. “(Gabriela) has been the one helping me through this journey more than almost anyone.

She knows how it’s going to be and the amount of work I’m going to have to put in,” she said.

“She’s been my backbone in pushing me and keeping me going.”

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The Leader • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • Page 7A

Art Valet: Experience it all at Sawyer Yards market Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

The Market at Sawyer Yards returns from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday at 1502 Sawyer St. -- otherwise known as “Art Alley.”

The market is my creation.

It was about five years ago that I pitched my idea of bringing together creatives ranging from artisan craft, cottage and prepared foods and the everelusive “folk artists” that I was convinced were hiding among us here in Houston.

Toss in musicians, hot food and adult beverages and, bam, you’ve got a thriving marketplace!

Longtime readers of this column will recall my excited reporting from Eugene, Oregon in 2015 and my visit to the oldest Saturday market in the country, Eugene Saturday Market. I borrowed liberally from Eugene to make my pitch to Sawyer Yards. Talking about it and making it happen are very different, but I see it happening now.

At the Saturday market there is as wide of a range of art, craft and food that I have ever seen.

Rather than risk my life by dropping names here and missing someone important (they are all important!), I’ll just drop some mediums and products here instead.

Pottery and macrame, soap, candles and lotions, real cider and fine wine, too. There’s woodcraft like pens, cutting boards and jewelry as well.

Photo by Ana Guzman Trio Fórte performed at the Market at Sawyer Yards in March.

Quilts, tie-dye clothes, purses and sunglass cases, pins and buttons and discarded doll parts turned into can also be found, as can leather bags, book covers, coin rings and

cake.

That’s right, bundt cakes, cakes in a jar, brioche and baklava, chocolate like you wouldn’t believe and cookies,

too. Yes, even the elusive and hard-to-make macarons are available.

Tea but no coffee this week.

Earrings aplenty and stone ice cubes, too. Seriously. Paintings from paint, ink and glass, and a few are made with stones.

Saturday is also the final day for the Arts District Houston and Cafeza music series.

The last performance was originally scheduled for Feb. 13. Remember? That was one cold day. Not a good combo for musician instruments.

The Hot City Brass Band is scheduled to perform this Saturday from 1-4 p.m. (musician’s time here, folks) “Get into the spirit of Mardi Gras with The Hot City Brass Band! Hot City Brass serves up a hot plate of funk, a spicy potion of classic R&B and hip-hop jams, infused with New Orleans-style second

line, guaranteed to tickle your earbuds!” said Ryan Hazen, founder of Cafeza, 1720 Houston Ave. Be sure to visit Cafeza and check out its website at www. cafeza.com.

All the art mediums and food I mentioned are on the website, sawyerstreetmarket. com. For more information about the 300-plus open art studios and other events on the massive Sawyer Yards “campus,” visit sawyeryards. com.

Have fun and say hello if you can find me! I do wear that hat in my photo.

Cohen is an artist and founder of the First Saturday Arts Market and the Market at Sawyer Yards. Find him at ArtValet.com for additional highlights and artist’s stories.

Review: Someburger serves up no-frills patties

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

With new developments popping up all over the Heights, stumbling upon the Someburger Hamburger Stand on East 11th Street can feel like a blast from the past.

A neighborhood staple, Someburger seems like it’s been at that outpost forever, and it’s not worried about changing.

The little green shack sits on a property with few parking spots and some picnic benches that serve customers who don’t grab their food and go.

Ordering is done through the front window, which reminded me of hamburger stands you can still find in small towns.

The most important thing anyone who has never

stopped by Someburger needs to know is that it’s cash only. I don’t think this is a problem as long as it’s known beforehand.

Ordering was easy, but the wait for the food was a little long because it’s made to order. I got the Someburger with mustard, ketchup, lettuce, onions and pickles, a side of fries and a chocolate malt.

When I got my food, I first noticed the bun was toasted to the point of being a little crunchy. I really enjoyed this way. The meat tasted fresh, as did the vegetables on top. For example, the lettuce wasn’t soggy.

There was nothing fancy about this burger and that’s what was so good about it. It wasn’t trying to be anything other than a burger. And with its comparatively low price to

other restaurants, I can see myself stopping by Someburger more often.

The fries were your run-ofthe-mill fried potato slices, but they made for a solid side. I would have maybe liked some seasoning sprinkled over them.

I also tried some of the onion rings, which I liked a little more than the fries. The batter coating the onions was thick but the onion inside was still cooked all the way through.

A malt is similar to a milkshake, but with a malted milkshake, malted milk powder is added after the ice cream and milk are blended together.

Whether someone likes malt or not is going to be depend on preference.

Malts are supposed to have a thicker consistency than a

regular milkshake, but I didn’t find that at Someburger.

The stand also has chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken nuggets and more on its menu.

Overall, my Someburger experience was a good one that will have me back at its window for a burger whenever I’m craving a simple, no-frills patty and bun.

Someburger Hamburger Stand Address: 745 E. 11th St. Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday Pricing: $2.81-$7.85 (Cash only) Kid-friendly: Yes Alcohol: No Healthy options: No Star of the show: Someburger

Photo by Zarah Parker The no-frills Someburger from the hamburger stand at 745 E. 11th St. in the Heights was the star of the show during a recent visit.

Food Briefs: Cactus Cove’s Crawfish Throwdown this weekend Fegen’s, the revamped concept of F.E.E.D. Restaurant Group, opened Tuesday for dinner service.

The 1050 Studewood St. location, which previously housed Liberty Kitchen, features a menu of classic American fare and cocktails.

Hours of operation are 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 5-9 p.m. Sunday.

Fegen’s will add other dining services in the coming weeks.

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Cactus Cove, 3333 W. 11th St., is hosting its second annual Crawfish Throwdown from noon-6 p.m. Saturday.

The event will benefit Summerhouse Houston, a nonprofit that supports adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD).

There will be 15 different cook teams boiling up crawfish. Guests are invited to taste some from each team, along with the drink specials.

There will be Big Wheel Races for kids, live music from “This Is Our Band” and local vendors set up.

A ticket to the event is $25 and gets guests 10 pounds of crawfish samplings and a “People’s Choice” vote.

A $40 ticket includes the same with the addition of a Crawfish Throwdown Tshirt. Tickets can be bought online at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-crawfish-cook-off-tickets-147407815745.

Contributed photo A group of Cactus Cove customers enjoys crawfish and drinks on the patio during the inaugural Crawfish Throwdown last year at 3333 W. 11th St.

Pantry to set up at Stomping Grounds The Blood Bros. BBQ team and pastry chef Alyssa Dole are teaming up to open a shop in the Garden Oaks

Stomping Grounds in the fall, according to CultureMap. The space in the West 34th Street shopping center is to be called Luloo’s Pantry. And while Dole handles

the commerical baking to provide breads and pastries, the Blood Bros. BBQ team will provde meat for sandwiches.

Fegen’s opens

These food and drink trends are overrated Zarah Parker Managing Editor

When I was in middle school, it was all the rage to drink mocha frappuccinos from Starbucks.

The popularity spread even to my small private school, and I found myself with my friends at the mall ordering a grande mocha frappuccino along with everyone else.

This was before I even liked coffee, but because of the hype around this drink that came from other kids my age, I expected to fall in love with it the same way they did.

I didn’t. I thought it was drinkable and that’s it. But I was young and impressionable, so of course I pretended to like it. Now that I’m older, I get to be honest about overhyped food and drink items

that I just don’t understand why they are popular.

Similar to my experience with the mocha drink, another one that became a thing a few years ago and has continuously gained popularity is matcha, which is a finely ground powder made from green tea leaves. Lots of people make lattes with it.

While there are health benefits to matcha, I don’t get why so many people love it for the actual flavor. Here’s my take on it: It tastes like lawn clippings ground up and made into a drink.

Which brings me to another healthy food that I’ve noticed has made its way to every brunch menu, avocado toast.

My problem with this is not necessarily about the flavor, but the price. Chances are if you order avocado toast during brunch, you’re getting a slice of toast with mushed avocado spread out on top with maybe some arugula, cherry

tomatoes or even a fried egg over it. It costs around $9.

I don’t usually think “just make it at home” is a good point because depending on the restaurant, you’re paying for the expertise of the chef and the experience.

Considering I find avocado toast to be a pretty bland option, I think it’s easy enough for anyone to make at home.

Another overrated food that might just have a mob after me is bacon. I do eat bacon, and some days I find it tastier than others, but I feel like we have this weird bacon culture that puts bacon on everything and I just don’t get it.

No, I don’t want my steak wrapped in it. No, I don’t want it on my burger. Personally, I’m not into having that smoky pork flavor mixed in with the beef. If I wanted pork, I’d have ordered pork.

Though I will say, I do like when pieces of bacon are cooked with green beans. So

I can understand why people like bacon, but I can’t understand how some people obsess over it or eat it every single day.

The one popular drink that I don’t just understand, but couldn’t even fully try is coconut water. I see it in most of my friends’ fridges, yet the first time I bought some and took a sip, I gagged. I’m fine with most coconut products, like desserts with coconut, but something about this water I instantly rejected.

Of course, I don’t personally have to like something for it to be worth its popularity. But if it’s really that good, then pretty much everyone should like it.

With matcha, avocado toast, bacon and coconut water, I don’t think they should be thrown away, just taken a few steps down from the pedestal they’re put on.

Follow us on social media @ FromTheLeader

Dish Society adds key chef to team The Five 12 Restaurant Concepts, the parent company to Dish Society at 1050 Yale St., recently announced it brought chef Brandi Key

onto its team as the director of culinary operations.

“I’ve been eating at Dish Society for a while now, and have always admired what they offer,” Key said in a news release. “Their aggressive efforts to source locally was a huge draw for me. Dish Society has taken the farm-to-table model and made it incredibly approachable, with quick, all-day service, accessible online ordering and customizable menu options to accommodate everyone.”

Key is poised to develop and launch new brands with Five 12 Restaurant Concepts as well as introduce new items and more frequent seasonal changes to Dish Society’s menus.

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The Leader • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • Page 8A

Father shot to death outside local entertainment center

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com A man was shot and killed in front of his 10-year-old daughter during a robbery last weekend at the Marq-E Entertainment Center along Interstate 10, according to police.

The victim, 37-year-old Miguel Vasquez, was pronounced dead at an area hospital, according to the Houston Police Department. Police said Vasquez’s daughter was uninjured.

According to HPD, Vasquez and his daughter were walking to their car in

the Marq-E parking lot at 7620 Katy Fwy. just before 10 p.m. Sunday night when a male approached and attempted to rob Vasquez at gunpoint.

Police said the suspect then shot at Vasquez during the course of the robbery, striking him, before fleeing the scene on foot.

Suspects in the case are described only as two to three unknown males, according to HPD. Anyone with information in the case is encouraged to contact HPD’s Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

Driver killed in single-car crash on 290 access road

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Authorities say they are investigating a single-car crash near the intersection of U.S. 290 and Fairbanks North Houston Road that resulted in the death of the driver last week.

The victim, 35-year-old Marcus Sam, was pronounced dead at an area hospital, according to the Houston Police Department.

According to HPD, Sam was driv-

Teenager shot near Acres Homes fast-food restaurant

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com A teenage boy was critically injured in a shooting outside a fast-food restaurant near Acres Homes last weekend.

The victim, a 17-year-old, was taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to the Houston Police Department.

HPD said officers respond-

ed to the Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen at 505 W. Little York Rd. just before 4:30 p.m. last Sunday, April 5 to find the teenager with multiple gunshot wounds to his face and upper chest. According to police, a preliminary investigation indicated he was a passenger in a car driving near the restaurant.

Police said the witness, who

was driving, told investigators a Black male wearing all-black clothing came up to their vehicle at a nearby intersection in a charcoal gray SUV and shot toward the car.

Anyone with information in the incident is encouraged to contact HPD’s Major Assaults & Family Violence division at 713-308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

Police Reports • April 2 - 6 APRIL 2

Theft 10 PM 300 BLOCK W 13TH Theft 3 PM 300 BLOCK W 19TH Theft 10 PM 900 BLOCK W 13TH

APRIL 3

Vandalism 7 AM 600 BLOCK E 39TH Theft 12 AM 1400 BLOCK W 34TH Theft 11 AM 600 BLOCK E ROGERS Burglary 5 PM 1100 BLOCK N LOOP Theft 9 PM 2100 BLOCK COLUMBIA Arrest 12 AM 900 BLOCK W 26TH Arrest 11 PM 1100 BLOCK N LOOP Assault 5 PM 3800 BLOCK AJAX Other 4 PM 500 BLOCK E 42ND

Arrest 8 PM 800 BLOCK T C JESTER Arrest 12 AM 2100 BLOCK N DURHAM Assault 9 PM 700 BLOCK THORNTON Assault 7 AM 300 BLOCK VICTORIA

APRIL 4

Theft 6 PM 100 BLOCK W 20TH Theft 8 AM 200 BLOCK W 20TH Theft 10 PM 1100 BLOCK W 20TH Theft 1 PM 1500 BLOCK N LOOP Theft 10 AM 1500 BLOCK N LOOP Assault 10 AM 00 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS Arrest 7 AM 100 BLOCK W CAVALCADE Assault 4 PM 1800 BLOCK ELLA Theft 6 PM 100 BLOCK YALE Arrest 2 AM 3700 BLOCK

CENTER Vandalism 8 PM 7400 BLOCK N SHEPHERD Burglary 3 AM 3000 BLOCK YALE

ing his Chevy Tahoe in the far right lane – with the flow of traffic due to a previous unrelated crash – at 14100 Northwest Fwy. just before 9 p.m. April 2. Police said he then accelerated and attempted to cross from the far right lanes to the far left lanes when traffic opened up before losing control and flipping several times. Sam was ejected from the vehicle during the accident, according to police.

HPD said an investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Man hospitalized by shooting near vacant Sherwood home

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com A man is in the hospital as the result of a shooting that took place near U.S. 290 earlier this week.

The male victim was taken to a nearby hospital in an unknown condition, according to the Houston Police Department.

HPD said officers responded to 4708 Sherwood St. around 2 p.m. Monday to find the victim outside a vacant and burned house at the address with a gunshot wound to his back.

There are no known suspects or motives in the case, according to police, which said

APRIL 5

Theft 9 AM 100 BLOCK W 20TH Other 10 AM 600 BLOCK W 27TH Vandalism 3 PM 700 BLOCK N LOOP Burglary 5 AM 1100 BLOCK N LOOP Theft 7 PM 1200 BLOCK W 20TH

APRIL 6

Theft 3 AM 700 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

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The Leader • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • Page 1B

Houston doctor provides tips for fully vaccinated residents

Preferred Health DIRECTORY

By Betsy Denson Chiropractic Care

betsy@theleadernews.com

Oak Forest’s Andrea Hindi is sending her two kids back to in-person school on Monday for the first time since last March. She is also making doctor’s appointments for things she let go over the past year.

The reason? Hindi is one of the 14 percent of people in the U.S. who are fully vaccinated, according to Dr. Linda Yancey, an infectious disease specialist with Memorial Hermann Health System.

Heights resident Jenna Taylor said hugging her fully vaccinated parents is the best part about being vaccinated.

“I’m also more comfortable about meeting with friends outside and simple things, like going to the grocery store, feel way less stressful now,” Taylor said. “It’s like having a weight lifted that you didn’t even know was there.”

While much is going right with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is still a need for caution, according to Yancey.

She said that is due to three factors that account for a recent uptick in cases across the country. The first is Spring Break, “which didn’t do us any favors,” Yancey said. The second is a premature relaxation of COVID safeguards by states and individuals.

The third is a spread of more highly infectious COVID variants.

Yancey said all of these things have some healthcare professionals concerned about a spring surge of the coronavirus.

Still, for those who are two weeks past their second dose, or single dose in the case of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, there have been a lot of sweet reunions taking place, especially with elderly family members who were among the first vaccinated.

For those who are fully vaccinated – and past that two-week window – the restrictions are more relaxed.

Yancey said her vaccinated parents are coming to visit for the first time in a year. Yancey and her husband are vaccinated, but their kids are not. Because it is just one household gathering, of all vaccinated adults, they will visit unmasked.

Yancey made the point that if she was including her brother’s household in the visit, or if one of the children visiting was in a high-risk category, the masks would stay on.

“There’s quite of bit of nuance,” said Yancey, who referred to the CDC guidelines as somewhat of a moving

NORTHWEST CHIROPRACTIC George G. Junkin, D.C. D.A.C.B.N. Nutritionist 11500 NW Frwy - Suite 201 Houston, Texas 77092 Tel: 713-686-0828 www.drjunkin.com Internal Medicine

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Stock photo A local doctor says people who are vaccinated may still need to take COVID-19 precautions when around those who are not.

target. “We are going to need masks until we don’t need them anymore.

(The guidelines) will be different each month.”

Outdoor dining, right now, is pretty safe, Yancey said. Indoor dining is not.

Also, she said gyms are to be avoided.

“The one thing we’ve learned is that ventilation matters,” she said. “I use the example of someone lighting up a cigarette on a patio. The breeze will likely blow it away. But if the person lighting up was inside, the smoke would start to affect people. (COVID) works the same way.”

Yancey said other relaxations of rules involve travel. Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to self-quarantine after U.S. travel, she said, while international travelers who are fully vaccinated should get tested three to five days after travel but don’t need to self-quarantine.

Vaccinated may not be spreaders Yancey said most of the studies that have come out in recent weeks show that fully vaccinated people are not spreading the virus. While the scientific community doesn’t yet fully know if it is possible for a vaccinated person to transmit COVID, Yancey said more certainty on the matter will be forthcoming in the next month.

Yancey said there are also some people – most with compromised immune systems – who are contracting the virus after their vaccine. She said

Yancey

that is not unusual.

“No vaccine is 100 percent effective,” she said. “The measles vaccine is one of our most effective at 96 percent. But that still means four out of 100 people get it.”

Yancey also made the point that vaccines also protect others as much as they protect the individual, with the idea of protecting the most vulnerable.

It will take around 70-80 percent of the country getting vaccinated to get close to herd immunity, according to Yancey. And although there are an unknown number of people who have had COVID, only a certain percentage of them will have natural immunity, she said. Yancey notes that 100 percent of the population will at some point be exposed to COVID, either through getting the potentially deadly virus or the safe vaccine.

Pain treatment company setting up shop in Oak Forest center

Pfizer finished a successful trial of its vaccine on teens and is going to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to have it approved, while Moderna is in trials for a vaccine for those age 12 and under, according to Yancey. Making it challenging from a trial perspective is the fact kids are less likely to show symptomatic disease, she said, and the frequent nose swabs are not enjoyable.

Yancey said it is still unknown whether COVID will go away like SARS 1 or be a yearly virus like the flu, but she councils those who remain unvaccinated to hang on a little longer until they can get their vaccine.

“We’ve done it for the last year,” she said. “We’ve gotten good at pandemic precautions.”

Oak Forest’s Beth Williams has one more week to get to the two-week, post-shot mark.

“I made a hair appointment for the first time since January 2020,” she said. “I did not feel comfortable to go before.”

Garden Oaks resident Carrie Hardaker said, for now, she and her family only gather with friends who are also vaccinated.

“We still won’t do large indoor gatherings with unvaccinated friends, concerts, sporting events or airplane travel,” she said. “I suspect that will change by summer, though. I won’t stop wearing a mask until it’s deemed safe to do so by the CDC.”

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By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

San Antonio-based health provider Airrosti is opening an Oak Forest location this spring, according to a news release from Weingarten Realty.

Airrosti, which treats injuries and accompanying muscle and joint pain through physical therapy, has leased a 1,322 square foot space in the Oak Forest Shopping Center at the northwest corner of West 43rd Street and Ella Boulevard. Kroger is the anchor tenant in the development, which is owned and operated by Weingarten and also includes businesses such as Dollar Tree, Mattress Firm, PetSmart

and Ross Dress for Less.

According to its website, Airrosti was founded in Austin in 2004 and has locations all over Texas as well as in Ohio, Virginia and Washington.

There are more than 130 locations in Texas, including an existing area location at 3939 Washington Ave. Ste. 200.

Airrosti offers in-person treatment along with remote virtual care, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment

of soft-tissue injuries and pain through targeted manual therapy and myofascial release, a technique in which gentle sustained pressure is applied to connective tissue in order to eliminate pain and restore motion. The company said on its website that its patients typically have their injury or pain resolved in an average of three visits.

For more information, visit airrosti.com.

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Page 2B • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • The Leader

Nutrients can help ease effects of menopause

By Shana Tatum, RD LD www.shanatatumrd.com

Hot flashes, difficulty concentrating, changes in libido or unexpected weight gain?

Do these symptoms sound like something you are experiencing? Menopause is often feared for these and other symptoms. Most women hope to avoid them when they cross that threshold of life change.

It can be brought on early due to surgical procedures or predisposition from genetics.

The Mayo Clinic reports average age of menopause is 51.

However you arrive there, nutrition and lifestyle factors can play a role in minimizing the negative side effects.

Estrogen is the primary female hormone that promotes the growth of the female reproductive organs. It begins to decline in irregular patterns as women move into perimenopause. Along with testosterone and progesterone, these falling hormone levels can bring about many uncomfortable symptoms for women.

Hot flashes This is what we call a vasomotor reaction. It comes seemingly from nowhere and can cause great discomfort.

- A diet high in fiber can be helpful here. A large observational study published in the journal Menopause found that consuming more soluble and insoluble fiber as part of a dietary intervention to achieve weight loss reduced hot flashes by nearly 20 percent in women in menopause. One medium apple with skin has 4 grams of fiber, ¼ cup serving of oats has 5 grams and ½ cup pinto beans or 1 tablespoon chia seeds also has 5 grams.

- Botanicals such as black cohosh have also been shown to reduce hot flashes. Medicinal uses date back to the 1800s and perhaps even before. Native American tribes were reported to use black cohosh in an alcohol extract to support the female reproductive system during menopause and reduce inflammation.

- Studies are mixed for reduction in hot flashes with the consumption of phytoes-

Tatum

trogens like soy. Consuming foods high in phytoestrogens as part of a varied, colorful, plant-based diet most likely will not pose a risk and may have benefits for those experiencing menopause symptoms.

Sleep disturbances Waking during the night is common, especially with hot flashes.

- Creating the right environment for good sleep with cool temperatures, dark environment (no blue screens from electronics) and a quiet room can make a big difference.

- Avoiding caffeine and alcohol late in the day (refraining from drinking caffeinated beverages four to six hours before bedtime and alcohol within three hours of bedtime) can also help to reduce sleep interruptions.

- Botanicals like Vitex, also known as Chaste Tree Berry, were shown in a 2017 Nutrients journal to improve sleep quality in menopause.

Bone health Risk for osteoporosis increase as women age.

- A systemic review in Nutrients showed isoflavone supplements in menopausal women, tempered bone mineral density (BMD) loss in the lumbar spine and demonstrated potential benefits for blood pressure and blood sugar control.

- Certain medications like proton pump inhibitors taken for acid reflux, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression, and some diabetes and breast cancer medications can deplete bone density. Be sure to speak to your healthcare provider if

you take these medications and are in menopause.

- Optimize Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2. Consider a formulation that includes these together. Eggs and fatty fish for Vitamin D and dairy, fermented foods and animal products for Vitamin K2.

- Increase good fats in the diet with a focus on Omega 3 fatty acids such as those found in SMASH fish - salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and

herring. They’re also found in walnuts and flax seed.

Nutrient needs change across the life cycle and attention given to those that can help reduce symptoms during menopause can be especially useful. Staying active, ensuring good sleep and eating a whole foods diet rich in protein, phytonutrients and vitamins and minerals can help women live a happy and healthy life at every stage.

Stock photo Botanicals such as black cohosh can help relieve hot flashes.

Women’s Health Directory Directory of Local Female Health Service Professionals Dr. Stephanie Fulton Dr. Fulton is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her practice consists of obstetrics, gynecology, and cosmetic procedures such as laser hair removal.

She is a graduate of the University of Texas and completed residency at St. Vincent’s Medical Center where she was a Chief Resident.

Dr. Fulton volunteers as part of the health team ministry of her church.

1740 W. 27 St. Suite 301 • Houston, TX 77008 713-880-2727 www.fultonobgyn.com

Dr. Attiya S. Khan Dr. Khan focuses on the prevention of heart disease through early diagnosis and provides the latest interventional techniques to treat coronary and peripheral vascular diseases.

She is one of the few female interventional cardiologists in Houston available to perform emergency angioplasties and stents for patients who are experiencing a heart attack.

1631 North Loop West, Ste. 220 • Houston TX 77008 713-365-0786 www.nwcardiology.net

Dr. Becky J. Fredrickson Board Certified Ophthalmologist.

Dr. Fredrickson has been practicing ophthalmology for over 12 years. She routinely sees patients for diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and ocular infections. She specializes in surgical procedures including cataract, eyelid lifts, eyelid cysts, Botox and Juvederm, and pterygia.

1415 N. Loop, Ste 400 • 427 W. 20th St. Ste 100 Houston, TX 77008 713-668-6828 • www.houstoneye.com

Dr. Jaclyn Harrison, M.D. Board Certified Internal Medicine Dr. Jaclyn Harrison, a board certified internal medicine physician, has opened a new primary care/internal medicine practice, White Oak Medical Associates in the Heights.

She believes patients deserve their doctor’s focused attention, personalized care, and is devoted to compassionate, effective treatment for her patients.

1900 North Loop W, Suite 580 • Houston, TX 77018 713-714-5376 Whiteoakmedicalassociates.com

The Leader • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • Page 3B

Food distribution scheduled for Saturday Why does kitten poop smell so bad?

From Staff Reports

Dear Tabby, We adopted a kitten recently and his poop stinks so bad! Why does kitten poop smell so bad and is there anything we can do to help?

Stinky Kitten in Garden Oaks Dear Stinky Kitten, Congratulations on your new addition! Maybe I’m biased, but there is nothing cuter than a kitten! In fact, kittens are so “stinkin’ cute” that sometimes it’s easy to overlook how (literally) stinky they can be--especially their poops.

Let’s discuss why your kitten’s poop might be so stinky and then we’ll tackle the cures for your stinkin’ cute pet.

Parasites The first place to look when addressing stinky poops in kittens is to make sure he doesn’t have worms or parasites. If your kitten hasn’t been to the

vet yet, take him in and have a fecal test done (which should be a standard test that a vet will do on a kitten). Many kittens end up with a parasite -often passed along from mom or littermates. Worms and other parasites are usually easy to get rid of and might help your kitten’s poop to become more normal over the course of the next couple of weeks. It’s important to make sure your kitten doesn’t have a parasite early because, if left untreated, intestinal parasites can make a kitten very sick very quickly.

Food Cats are carnivores and in the wild, they seldom eat grains. Commercial, highly processed cat food sometimes contains grains and other fillers that can upset feline tummies. The first thing to do if your kitten is eating food that contains grains is to try an elimination diet. Buy grainfree food and see if that helps the situation. With a little creative elimination, you might be able to pinpoint exactly what is causing the stinky poops and eliminate the culprit from your kitten’s diet.

Tummy troubles Once you’ve ruled out a parasite, and while investigating food as the culprit, also look for foods that contain fewer fillers. Cat foods that contain lots of fillers will cause your cat’s poop to be smellier and sometimes runny. Seek your vet’s help in getting your kitten on a high-quality, speciesappropriate diet. Cats who are on good diets tend to have less smelly poop and are generally healthier. The less processed the food, the better.

If your kitten’s poop situation doesn’t seem to resolve itself with a change in food and a trip to the vet, keep a watchful eye on his litter box activities. If you see a change in the consistency of his stool, discolored poop or other changes, head back to the vet. But take heart: kittens tend to have stinky poop -- especially as their tummies are adjusting to a new diet (and a new home).

Have patience with your “little stinker” and learn to love him, gross poop and all!

Do you have a question for Tabby? Email her at deartabby questions@gmail.com.

Pet of the Week Meet Nelson Nelson is a 4-month-old cutie who is ready for a home with other pets to romp with, and humans with warm laps for napping. Poor Nelson’s elderly owner never came home from the hospital, leaving him all alone. Thankfully, he landed in a foster home where he is learning to live the good life. Nelson is ready for his new life to begin and he’d really like it to begin with you!

To learn more, go to www.saveacatrescue.org.

Free food and water will be distributed to community members in need from 10 a.m.noon Saturday in the White Oak Bayou Village Shopping Center at 6696 Antoine Dr., near the

Inwood Forest neighborhood.

The event is being co-sponsored by Houston City Council member Amy Peck, who serves the area as part of District A, and St. John Northwest Church, which is located in the shopping center.

Family-friendly ‘backyard’ bar coming to Shady Acres

By Zarah Parker

rors the first location, including its whiskey and frozen drinks programs. Also like the Nett Street location, Caravello said all syrups included in the drinks will be made, not pre-bought.

Food at NettBar will be provided by food trucks, Caravello said.

“NettBar has been going strong,” he said. “We have a little bit of a different environment than other places.”

Caravello described NettBar as family- and pet-

zarah@theleadernews.com

A space so inviting that it’s like walking into your own backyard.

That’s the atmosphere John Caravello said he intends to provide at the second location of NettBar at 1717 W. 22nd St. in Shady Acres. He said he hopes to open in the last quarter of this year.

Caravello, along with partner Oswaldo Gutierrez, said they already provide that vibe at the original NettBar at 4504 Nett St. in the Washington Avenue area.

“We purchased the (West 22nd Street) property in 2019,” Caravello said. “This location was supposed to happen in 2020, but we recently started it back up again.”

There are two buildings on the property that will both be part of the concept, Caravello said. One is a brick house and another is a metal building. Much like the first NettBar location, which is a renovated space built in the early 1900s, Caravello and Gutierrez wanted to keep that same historical integrity with the new location.

“Even though it’s not as old, we wanted to have the same intention,” Caravello said.

The brick house will have gaming area space, along with other interactive areas, and will be used as office and storage.

The metal building will have a modern farmhouse vibe and be the main bar area with a menu that mir-

friendly, saying it is not that “bar-ish.” He said it aims to create a relaxed patio atmosphere as opposed to attracting a party crowd.

This was one of the reasons they chose the Shady Acres neighborhood for the second location, the owner said. Caravello, who lives just a few blocks away, knows the area has lots of families, along with people who like to walk or ride their bike.

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Page 4B • Saturday, April 10, 2021 • The Leader

BASEBALL/SOFTBALL ROUNDUP

Balanced offensive attack leads Lady Bulldogs

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

One of the keys to the Heights Lady Bulldogs’ hot start on the softball diamond this season has been their offensive firepower, with their lineup averaging eight runs per game through the season’s first six weeks.

It was on display again last week as the Lady Bulldogs got back on track, going 2-0 to rebound from a loss to Bellaire on March 26. Six different players had RBIs for Heights in a 10-2 victory over Westside on March 30, with Kennedy Hill, Alexandra Hill, Sarah Peyrani and Leticia Flores driving in two runs apiece.

The Lady Bulldogs also got a win against Sam Houston via forfeit on April 1 to improve to 11-4 overall and 8-1 in District 18-6A entering Tuesday’s scheduled matchup against El Campo.

Waltrip’s Lady Rams defeated Sterling 16-1 on March 30 in their only game

last week, moving to 7-1 on the season and extending their winning streak to seven games.

In private-school action, Lutheran High North improved to 2-1 on the season with a 15-6 victory over Baytown Christian on April 1.

The two teams were scheduled to play again Thursday afternoon.

St. Pius X bounced back from a 9-3 loss to Bellaire Episcopal on March 30 to run past Concordia Lutheran 15-0 on Tuesday night. The Lady Panthers improved to 12-9 overall and 4-0 in district competition.

Baseball Scarborough beat North Forest 16-1 on March 31 for its second consecutive win. The Spartans (7-7, 6-1 district) were slated to face Northside on Tuesday afternoon.

Waltrip, meanwhile, bounced back from a March 26 loss to Manvel with an 11-3 victory over Milby to

improve to 7-6-2 overall and 3-0 in District 23-5A. The Heights Bulldogs had two wins against Sam Houston last week, before dropping a 10-3 decision to Humble on Monday.

On the private-school circuit,the St. Pius X Panthers took down Kelly Catholic by a score of 7-5 on Tuesday night. The Panthers were 12-9 overall and 2-4 in district play entering Thursday’s scheduled game against Katy St. John XXIII. Lutheran High North saw its losing streak reach five games. After dropping two matchups against Brazos Christian by scores of 23-1 on March 30 and 10-0 on April 1, the Lions lost 18-3 against Cristo Rey Jesuit Tuesday afternoon. Jonah Erazo had two hits including a double for the Lions (25) on Tuesday, while Aden Beaty had a double and two RBIs. St. Thomas (12-6-1) was idle last week.

Photo from Heights Softball Twitter Heights infielder Sarah Peyrani holds her home run ball after a 10-2 win against Westside on March 30.

Peyrani was one of four different Lady Bulldogs who had multiple RBIs in the game.

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