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Timbergrove Resident Leigh Killgore

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of the

Killgore paves way for neighborhood improvements By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Band aid. Jazz-playing students from Waltrip need help to make a trip to Dallas next week.

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Blow to bullet train? It’s up in the air whether Texas Central can exercise eminent domain.

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Longtime Timbergrove resident Leigh Killgore is a wife, a pet lover, a professional in the healthcare industry, a thoughtful neighbor and a civic leader. She moonlights as a tour guide, which has made her famous among Houstonians who are well-known in their own right. Killgore has provided periodic tours of the Timbergrove area – in which she illustrates ongoing and upcoming development in the community along with the infrastructure needs created by those projects –

since 2018. And the group of people who have taken the tour is a who’s who of elected officials and local engineers, from the Houston mayor and city council members to the Harris County judge to a Houston ISD trustee to the deputy executive director of the Harris County Flood Control District. Next on the schedule, according to Killgore, is State Sen. John Whitmire in January. She’s also trying to schedule a tour with U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, who will serve the Timbergrove and Lazybrook area after the latest round of redistricting by the Texas Legislature. A representative

landan@theleadernews.com

As did much of Houston, this slice of the city saw its share of ups and downs over the course of the past year. Our area has seen a winter storm ice it over and continues to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. There also was the

Astroworld Festival tragedy that claimed the life of a local student. But there were good times and uplifting moments as well. And there is reason for optimism as the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest area continues to grow and evolve, with development steaming ahead and some major infrastructure improvements on the way.

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THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 4A Classifieds.............................................. 5A Coupons. ................................................. 3B Food/Drink............................................. 7A Obituaries.............................................. 8A Opinion. ................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 2A Puzzles...................................................... 3A Sports. ....................................................... 4B

of fellow Congress member Dan Crenshaw, who has served the neighborhood since 2019, already has taken “The Tour,” as Killgore calls it. “It’s coming. It’s happening,” she said of development, which is transforming parts of the Timbergrove area from a collection of warehouses into densely packed houses and apartments. “A lot of people need to go on the tour.” Killgore, 57, has been selected as the Leader of the Year for her continued involvement and activism in the community. The tours she leads have proven to be an effective strategy Leigh Killgore

See Leader of the Year, P. 5A

Top 10 stories: Year marked by mix of turmoil, growth, togetherness Compiled by Landan Kuhlmann

Get your kicks. Soccer season starts soon for local high school teams.

Contributed photo Timbergrove resident Leigh Killgore, background, points out a plat map to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner while giving him a tour of the area in 2019. At right is Houston Public Works director Carol Haddock.

Photo by Adam Zuvanich The popular pedestrian bridge along the MKT Trail has been closed since the summer of 2020 because of damage caused by a fire.

The top 10 stories of the year, as chosen by our staff, showed as much diversity in headlines as the area itself displays. They are placed in no particular order. Popular neighborhood stray passes away The saga of Bob the dog, the popular and at times contentious black Labrador with white chest markings and a loppedoff tail who began roaming around local neighborhoods in 2015, took two significant turns in 2021. The longtime stray was tranquilized with darts and captured in April by BARC, Houston’s animal shelter and adoption center, at the request of an area resident. Bob was subsequently released to Shepherd Park Terrace resident Paige Whitton Carter, a volunteer with Cypress Lucky Mutts Rescue, where he lived for seven months, bonded with Carter’s husband and had a

Contributed photo Community members said goodbye to Bob in 2021 as the longtime stray was removed from the streets and died seven months later.

semblance of a normal pet’s life. Bob died Nov. 24 at the estimated age of 11. According to Carter, he tried to jump through a window during a family move, started experiencing seizures and was euthanized. Although he was polarizing, Bob was loved by many in the

area, particularly Garden Oaks resident Linda Sparks, and left a lasting impression. Heights Hospital files for bankruptcy following lockout Nearly five months after its

See Top 10, P. 4A

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The Leader • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • Page 2A

HPD officer suspended with pay after fatal crash on North Shepherd Drive By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

A patrol officer with the Houston Police Department has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of an investigation into a collision that killed a resident last weekend on North Shepherd Drive, according to a spokesperson for the department. The victim, identified by HPD

as 75-year-old Charles Payne, was pronounced dead at a local hospital last Sunday afternoon, according to the department. The officer involved in the crash was transported to a hospital with minor injuries, police said. HPD spokesperson Victor Senties declined to name the officer, but referred to him as a man. Senties also declined to release any details about potential

factors that led to the crash, such as speeding. HPD said in a news release that the officer was driving the patrol vehicle northbound at 4600 N. Shepherd Dr. around noon last Sunday, Dec. 26 as Payne drove his Cadillac southbound and attempted to turn left onto Thornton Road. The HPD vehicle struck the passenger side of Payne’s car as he attempted

to cross the northbound lanes, police said. A report from Houston TV station KTRK said Payne, a father of seven and grandfather of 13, was driving home from church at the time of the crash. HPD said the incident is under investigation from its vehicular crimes unit and internal affairs division as well as the Harris County District Attorney’s office.

House fire near Memorial Park deemed accidental By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

A fire that caused hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to a Washington Avenue-area home last week has been ruled unintentional, according to the Houston Fire Department.

There were no fatalities in the incident, according to the department, but one person was taken to an area hospital. HFD said crews responded to a home in the 6300 block of Hamman Street just before 5 a.m. Dec. 21 to find heavy fire coming from a one-story house with a report of people trapped inside. One

person was found inside and taken to the hospital, the department said, while another person had made it out of the home prior to crews arriving. The fire, which investigators ruled an accident, caused an estimated $300,000 in damage to the home, according to HFD.

Police Reports • December 20 - 28 DEC. 20

Theft 10 PM 500 BLOCK W CROSSTIMBERS

DEC. 21

Theft 4 PM 1400 BLOCK W 34TH

DEC. 22

Theft 12 PM 800 BLOCK W 19TH Vandalism 7 PM 2800 BLOCK SHEPHERD Theft 3 PM 1000 BLOCK W 20TH Theft 12 AM 900 BLOCK E 38TH Theft 9 PM 800 BLOCK E 42ND Theft 1 AM 100 BLOCK W 20TH Theft 1 PM 200 BLOCK W 20TH Theft 2 PM 900 BLOCK W 19TH Theft 7 AM 1100 BLOCK STUDEWOOD Assault 9 AM 700 BLOCK LINK Theft 4 PM 700 BLOCK YALE Burglary 7 AM 1400 BLOCK N LOOP Assault 5 PM 200 BLOCK NORTHWOOD Vandalism 1 PM 00 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS

DEC. 23

Theft 11 PM 2400 BLOCK N SHEPHERD Theft 1 PM 4700 BLOCK

DICKSON Vandalism 12 PM 200 BLOCK W LOOP Theft 4 PM 1000 BLOCK YALE Burglary 12 AM 1100 BLOCK W 23RD Theft 6 PM 100 BLOCK E 7TH Theft 9 AM 1500 BLOCK N LOOP Theft 4 PM 1500 BLOCK N LOOP Assault 10 AM 600 BLOCK NORTHWOOD Arrest 1 AM 1300 BLOCK E 33RD Theft 8 AM 500 BLOCK W 24TH Assault 8 AM 500 BLOCK W 24TH Theft 2 PM 1200 BLOCK YALE Theft 9 PM 1500 BLOCK W 18TH Theft 5 PM 2100 BLOCK ELLA BLVD

DEC. 24

Burglary 8 PM 1800 BLOCK PALMETTO LANDING Assault 10 PM 800 BLOCK W 34TH Theft 10 PM 400 BLOCK W 26TH Burglary 7 AM 800 BLOCK E 37TH Theft 12 PM 3300 BLOCK KATY FWY Assault 11 AM 4500 BLOCK LELAY CIR Vandalism 11 AM 4500 BLOCK

LELAY CIR Vandalism 7 PM 700 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Assault 5 PM 600 BLOCK COLUMBIA Burglary 7 AM 3300 BLOCK LINK Other 1 PM 600 BLOCK W 34TH

DEC. 25

Arrest 5 PM 800 BLOCK WAKEFIELD Other 1 AM 800 BLOCK WAKEFIELD Other 3 PM 1300 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Theft 3 PM 1300 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Arrest 3 PM 1300 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Theft 10 PM 4300 BLOCK CENTER Assault 10 PM 700 BLOCK W CAVALCADE Assault 12 PM 700 BLOCK PINEMONT

DEC. 26

Burglary 1 AM 2700 BLOCK N SHEPHERD Assault 11 PM 600 BLOCK CORTLANDT Arrest 10 PM 3400 BLOCK KATY FWY Other 7 PM 1300 BLOCK CROSSTIMBERS Theft 11 AM 4600 BLOCK

FULTON Theft 5 PM 5100 BLOCK NETT Theft 12 AM 400 BLOCK ELEANOR Theft 5 PM 4700 BLOCK AIRLINE Theft 6 AM 5000 BLOCK YALE Robbery 6 AM 5000 BLOCK YALE Theft 11 AM 600 BLOCK W CAVALCADE Assault 4 AM 00 BLOCK LYERLY

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Assault 3 PM 300 BLOCK W 20TH Assault 4 PM 400 BLOCK E 32ND Other 4 PM 200 BLOCK E 36TH Theft 3 PM 1400 BLOCK N LOOP Burglary 9 AM 6200 BLOCK LINDYANN LN Robbery 4 PM 4200 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS Burglary 4 AM 2900 BLOCK S SHEPHERD Burglary 9 PM 200 BLOCK PATTON

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Robbery 3 AM 200 BLOCK PATTON Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • Page 3A

Mears leaves lasting impression on OFHA board

artha Mears has lived in Oak Forest only since 2013, and she spent the last five years serving on the executive board for the Oak Forest Homeowners Association (OFHA). I was surprised to learn about that timeline earlier this week, because I was under the impression that Mears had been an active part of the neighborhood for decades. So was she, apparently. “When I think about it, it feels like I’ve been here for a long, long time,” Mears said. “You can ask me any street, and I can tell you what section (of the neighborhood) it’s in.” Mears has been a knowledgeable, accessible neighborhood resource for me during my threeplus years as editor of The Leader, beginning not long after I started in November 2018. She’s been similarly valuable to the thousands of residents of Oak Forest, serving on the OFHA board from 201621 while spending 2017 as board president. Mears has otherwise served as the Director of Neighborhood Patrol on the OFHA board, meaning she facilitated Oak Forest’s contract with S.E.A.L. Security Services and organized community fundraisers to help pay for the patrol service. She did not seek re-

Adam

Zuvanich Editor

election to the board for 2022, saying she wanted to step back and focus on being involved with her Grace United Methodist Church, 1245 Heights Blvd., where Mears serves on both the church finance and day school committees. She is not stepping away completely, though, with Mears saying she intends to remain as “cochair” of the neighborhood patrol program along with the newly elected Gabriel Perez to help him transition into the role. Mears will just no longer have a vote on the board. “She’s not leaving. We’re not going to let her leave – let’s put it that way,” said Lucy Fisher Cain, a longtime OFHA board member who serves as treasurer. “She’ll still be part of the OHFA and part of helping people.” In the edition in which we recognize our Leader of the Year – Timbergrove resident and Super

Neighborhood Council 14 president Leigh Killgore – I also wanted to highlight Mears for her longtime service and dedication to professionalism and the place she calls home. The 74-year-old Mears has worked a full-time job in the realestate industry for the last two years while serving on the OFHA board, which is a volunteer position. She is the general manager for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties, an Oak Forest-based brokerage owned by brothers Stacy and Tracy Mathews. “I can’t even imagine why people would retire,” said Mears, who spent a few years in semiretirement. Mears’ spirit of service predates her time in Oak Forest, where she moved with husband, Ken, in 2013. They have a daughter and two grandsons who live in the Heights. The Mears couple moved to Houston from Mandeville, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, where Martha also was involved with her homeowners association. She lived in Kingwood from 198096, when she also was part of the civic association and served as president of the local water board. Mears is a native of Lufkin, a town in East Texas.

Lynn Ashby Columnist

he resigned. The Texas General Land Office, which George P. Bush leads, allocated federal flood funds tied to Hurricane Harvey. Houston and Harris County officials applied for $1.3 billion of those funds to finance a number of projects, only to be entirely shut out. That’s right: Zero dollars will be coming our way. Lucy Rae jumped into the spider monkey enclosure at the El Paso Zoo to feed the animals Hot Cheetos. She was fired from her job in a law firm. In Austin, lobbyist Richard Dennis was accused of date rape. All hell broke loose in the Capitol with thundering charges of a continual orgy in the pink dome. It turned out the charges were false. Save Two Birds With One Dome: Put the slowly disintegrating USS Texas in the empty Astrodome. During a Zoom session of a court hearing, Presidio County attorney Rod Ponton was surprised when a cat’s face — which mirrored his own mouth and eye movements — appeared on the screen. “I’m here live. I’m not a cat.” Speaking of cats: A male tiger named India wandered through a west Houston neighborhood for several days. The tiger was not seen after Victor Hugo Cuevas drove off with the tiger in his Jeep, evading police. Cuevas bonded out of the Fort Bend County Jail and was due back in court for a hearing on a 2017 murder charge. Houston showed off in the latest Skytrax World Airport Awards with both airports topping the ranks. For the second consecutive year, Bush Intercontinental Airport was best among U.S. airports and also placed second-best airport in North America. It ranked No. 25 among the top 100 world airports. Bush was also rated the cleanest airport in the U.S and finished fourth in the rankings for best U.S. airport staff. Hobby Airport came in at the 49th best airport in the world, and was rated most improved airport in the U.S. It also ranked third in the best regional airports in North America, and was the fourth best in the U.S. Hobby ranked 10th on the list of cleanest airports in North America. Justine Verlander, who pitched three seasons for the Astros, agreed to another year in Houston via a one-year contract worth $25 million with a player option for 2023. In honor of Pride Month, a bakery in Lufkin, Confections, posted an image of cookies shaped like hearts and iced with the rain-

“I’m just one that feels like people need to be involved in your community,” she said. “If you’re going to live in an area and complain about it, you need to be involved with it.” Others around the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest areas should follow the lead and draw inspiration from community members like Mears and Killgore, who work to make their neighborhoods better places without being paid for that effort. Mears said she takes pride in what she’s done for Oak Forest

Email azuvanich@theleadernews.com

THE READER.

More of the lessers Last week we looked back at the year 2021 and shuddered, but there’s more! So stand by for second helpings. Let’s start with former Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, who was fired after only six months as head of the Miami PD. Acevedo called his firing a “pretty embarrassing episode in a 35-year career.” Among his troubles, Acevedo, the son of Cuban refugees, had called the Miami police force a “Cuban Mafia.” The Southeastern Conference fined Texas A&M 100K for an on-field celebration following a game-winning field goal as time expired to beat Alabama. It was the Aggies’ second offense as an SEC member, with the first occurring following the Aggies’ seven-overtime victory over LSU in November 2018. The first fine was $50,000, the second was $100,000, and subsequent violations are $250,000 each. You can rent a good halfback for that amount. Hooked Horns: According to ESPN radio host Paul Finebaum, UT football is still far from where it once was. “This is not a relevant program anymore,” Finebaum said in an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up. And: “Texas can’t even win its own state anymore, lost two of its best players to Alabama. It’s pathetically behind Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M and it’s way, way behind its biggest rival in Norman, Oklahoma. Texas is fighting for third at best in its own league.” New Braunfels is now the third-fastest-growing city in the United States and that has caught the eye of The New York Times. On 19 August 2021, the newspaper declared in an online headline: “How a Remote Town in Texas Became One of America’s Fastest-growing.” Remote? New Braunfels lies on I-35, one of the busiest freeways in Texas. Least likely quote to be repeated at the next convention of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas: “Bowie was a murderer, slaver and con man. Travis was a pompous racist agitator and syphilitic leach; and Crockett was a selfpromoting old fool who was a captive to his own myth. They can no longer be the holy trinity of Texas, nor can the Alamo be the Shrine of Texas Liberty.” – “Forget the Alamo.” We Hope You Are Right Dept.: “Bottom line is that everything that needed to be done was done to fix the power grid in Texas.” – Gov. Greg Abbott, after signing some weak bills dealing with Winter Storm Uri and just before ERCOT told us to conserve power because of the heat wave of June. Tim Boyd, the mayor of Colorado City, told residents they were owed “NOTHING” as many went without power or heat during Uri. “No one owes you [or] your family anything.” Boyd wrote in a thendeleted Facebook post. “I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout!” Then

Martha Mears

in her relatively short time in the community, and beyond her role in leading the neighborhood patrol program – with which she created membership identification for paying residents so their homes could be looked after while they’re out of town. During her tenure on the OFHA board, it also facilitated community events such as movie nights, Oaktoberfest and Le Tour de Oak Forest, the annual, familyfriendly neighborhood bike ride that was founded by Cain. Mears also has become sort of an unofficial neighborhood historian and spokesperson. “I don’t know if they wanted me to take on that role, but I’m not always very quiet,” she joked. “I may have stepped into some of that even without being asked.” The other OFHA board members, and the neighborhood at large, don’t seem to mind. Cain said she appreciates Mears’ service over the years and is glad she’ll continue to help. “Martha cares about (neighborhood residents), and she’s been very good at meeting their needs, if you’re a security member or not,” Cain said. “She’s been a very good person to the OHFA.”

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

DOJ:Former HISD trustee accepted bribes as part of alleged kickback scheme Dear Editor: Let him who has NO SIN cast the stones. Then let’s see how far you will throw when you need this same grace and forgiveness. Praying for my sister and standing with her during this time and beyond. Evelyn Wendy Spiller

bow colors of the pride flag on social media. “Happy Pride to all our LGBTQ friends! All lovers of cookies and happiness are welcome here,” it wrote. In response, the bakery said that it had “lost a significant amount of followers over the cookie” in addition to receiving a “very hateful message” canceling an order of five dozen cookies. The post quickly spread on social media, receiving more than 8.5 million reactions on Facebook and nearly 2,000 shares. Confection reported that a line of customers was “wrapped around the street” after it opened, and it sold out of all of the goods in its store. Finally, Donald Trump was booed by a portion of an audience in Dallas when he said he had received a Covid-19 booster shot.

Dear Editor: So incredibly shameful. Jennifer Clark Dear Editor: She lives in my neighborhood and I have witnessed some of the tricks she has played. Glad she finally got caught. Donald Wasson

Dear Editor: No surprise. Keep digging. It’s not over. Maggie Babineaux Dear Editor: Just let the state take over already! I can’t believe people are still against the idea of cleaning house! Stop thinking with your party in mind people! Valentin Garza Local soccer squads preparing for season openers Dear Editor: My son, Presley Castelan has been team captain for four years! Looking forward to this season! Amy Williams

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WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • The Leader

COVID-19 testing site opens at Delmar Stadium By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The Houston Health Department is partnering with Curative to open a free, drivethrough COVID-19 testing site on Wednesday at Delmar Stadium, the health department announced Tuesday. Testing at the Houston ISD stadium, located at 2020 Mangum Rd., will be conducted from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, with the exception of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Appointments are

required and can be made at curative.com or by calling 1-888-702-9042. The site will initially have the capacity to administer about 1,000 free COVID tests per day, according to a news release from the city, and is opening in response to a recent surge of COVID cases across the Houston region. “The increased demand for testing has led to longer than usual lines and wait times for some,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “The new site will help meet the demand and

expand capacity for testing.” Testing and vaccination schedules are updated weekly at houstonhealth.org, according to the city. Residents can also call 832-393-4220 for assistance finding the health department-affiliated sites closest to them. The city said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends testing for people who have symptoms of COVID-19, or who have had close contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19. Close con-

tact is defined as being within 6 feet of the infected person for a total of at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period, according to the city. “It’s a good idea to get tested if you recently participated in a gathering with people who do not live in your home,” said Dr. David Persse, the chief medical officer for the city. “This is especially true if it was an indoor gathering with people who were not wearing masks.”

Memorial Hermann restricts visitors admist omicron wave By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

In response to a rising number of COVID-19 cases across the Houston region that are related to the omicron variant, the Memorial Hermann Hospital System is reducing the number of visitors who are allowed to see patients. The revised visitor policy will become effective Wednesday at all Memorial Hermann facilities, including Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital at 1635 North Loop West.

Patients in all hospitals will be allowed one adult visitor (18 years or older) per day during visiting hours from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., but overnight visitors will not be permitted, according to the hospital system. Those in the TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital and Memorial Hermann Rehab Center – Katy will be allowed one adult visitor from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. who can also stay overnight. Pediatric patients at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital can have two visitors, but they must be par-

ents/guardians who are at least 12 years old. Laboring, antepartum and postpartum patients at all of Memorial Hermann’s hospitals can also have two visitors who are at least 12 years old, and one of them can stay overnight. The hospital system said no visitors are allowed for patients in droplet or airborne isolation – including those with COVID-19 – if a doctor determines it would pose a serious risk, but one adult visitor can see patients who are in contact and contact-plus isolation.

All approved visitors will still be required to pass a health screening prior to entering any Memorial Hermann facility, the hospital system said. Those wishing to visit a loved one can visit memorialhermann.org/ screening to complete online screening prior to arrival. For a complete rundown of Memorial Hermann’s updated visitor policy, community members can go to memorialhermann.org/services/conditions/coronavirus/important-announcements.

but the full Senate had yet to hold a vote on Gonzalez as of press time. According to a Houston Public Media report, if Gonzalez was not confirmed before the end of December, the nomination process would start over.

replacing drainage infrastructure beneath both roads between 610 and Interstate 10 to the south, reducing the number of vehicular lanes and adding designated turn lanes, bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks and landscape buffers with lines of trees. Construction for Phase 2 of the $23.7 million Garden Oaks/Shepherd Park Drainage Project started this fall and is expected to be complete by fall 2023 as the city improves road and sidewalk conditions in the two adjacent communities while installing new drainage infrastructure that aims to reduce structural flooding. In attempts to better serve local bus riders, METRO earlier

Top 10, from P. 1A

Photo from GoFundMe.com Heights High School student Brianna Rodriguez, at right in foreground, was among the people who died at Astroworld Festival.

doctors, nurses, support staff and even patients were locked out of the building due to more than $460,000 in alleged delinquent rent and other fees, the company that owned Heights Hospital at 1917 Ashland St. in the Heights filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 1. Court documents filed by the attorney representing the hospital on June 4 said the financial and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic was a driving factor in forcing the hospital to shut its doors. The 160,849-square foot hospital building, which was constructed in 1978 and remodeled in 2020, is valued at more than $15.9 million, according to the Harris County Appraisal District. MKT bridge still closed, connector to come The popular pedestrian bridge on the MKT Trail in the Heights was damaged by a fire in the summer of 2020, and repairs were at one time slated to be finished by this past Labor Day. But additional damage found by contractors conducting the repair work has delayed its reopening to the public indefinitely, according to the Houston Parks Board. It’s not all bad news on that stretch of trail, however. The Houston City Council voted in early September to award a construction contract for the MKT Spur Trail Connector, which will close an 850-foot gap between the MKT and White Oak Bayou Greenway trails with a 10-foot-wide reinforced concrete path. The $1.18 million trail connector will cover existing green space along the north side of White Oak Bayou, and will branch off the MKT Trail just northwest of the pedestrian bridge. Heights composting dropoff proves popular What started in April as an eight-week community composting initiative in the Heights evolved into a nearly year-long affair. The free weekly composting dropoff at the historic Heights Fire Station, 107 W. 12th St., ended up being held through Nov. 24. The events were a partnership between the HHA, Zero Waste Houston and Monica Orozco, a 16-year-old West University resident who initiated the effort as part of her Gold Award project for the Girls Scouts of the USA. The recurring Heights events became part of a citywide composting pilot program started by Houston City Council member Sallie Alcorn, who hosted two similar

events in other parts of town. Astroworld tragedy hits close to home The tragedy at the Astroworld Festival hosted by Houston rapper Travis Scott in early November was heartbreaking for all across the city and especially for those in the local community. Heights High School junior Brianna Rodriguez was one of 10 people who died when there was a chaotic surge in the crowd as Scott performed at the event. Rodriguez was a member of the Heights RedCoats, the school’s dance team, for three years, and hundreds gathered at a candlelight vigil to honor her life at the school on Nov. 10. Just days later, the school’s football team wore pink gear in her honor during its bi-district playoff game. During the candlelight vigil Nov. 10, the crowd would cry “Long live Bri!” in unison every so often – a testament to her shining star within the school. “She was a true light to our team – our team’s hype man on any occasion, she took any opportunity she could to cheer on her teammates all the time,” RedCoats director Marissa Cantu-Harkless said. “She was a beauty to watch, on and off the field.”

Ed Gonzalez

Heights resident Gonzalez nominated to lead ICE Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, a Heights native, was nominated by President Joe Biden in April to be the director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Gonzalez worked as a Houston Police Department detective before serving three terms as the Houston City Council representative for District H. The Democrat was first elected as county sheriff in 2016 and re-elected last year. The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted to approve Gonzalez’s nomination after his July 15 confirmation hearing in Washington D.C.,

Coping with COVID The COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact life across the area in 2021, but residents and businesses alike became more adept at dealing with it. In-person events resumed, with many shifting to the outdoors, and residents frequented local restaurants, watering holes, shops and entertainment venues. Area kids also returned to classrooms this fall as Houston ISD shifted its focus from virtual learning to on-campus instruction, with school sporting events back on as well. The pandemic still made waves, with the delta variant causing a surge in cases over the summer and the new omicron variant prompting a spike this winter. Early last week Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo raised the county’s COVID threat level from Level 3, or yellow, to Level 2, or orange, which is the second-highest level and represents an “ongoing, uncontrolled level” of COVID spread. As of Tuesday, were 1,588 active COVID cases in the six zip codes served by The Leader - 77007, 77008, 77009, 77018, 77091 and 77092 which was more than double the number of cases from a week earlier. The most active cases in the area were in the 77007 zip code, which includes the Washington Avenue corridor, with 437. Early in the year, employers such as Miller’s Café, 3830 N. Shepherd Dr., and Ike’s Love and Sandwiches, 1051 Heights Blvd., struggled to find employees, attributing the shortage to wariness of the pandemic as well as enhanced unemployment benefits that were available until Texas opted out of them on June 26. Restaurants and retailers also have scrambled to deal with a worldwide supply chain crunch as a result of the pandemic. What that has meant for local restaurant owners like Ashley Lai of Dumpling Haus, 2313 Edwards St. Ste. 180 in Sawyer Yards, is a dramatic increase in prices of produce and essential supplies over the last year, especially in the last few months. It’s also affected gift shops such as those on West 19th Street in the Heights along with boutiques, service companies and construction projects around the area. Infrastructure in the works Several parts of the area are under construction or will be soon as travel and traffic figure to be transformed in the nottoo-distant future. Construction is expected to start in late January on Phase 1 of the Shepherd and Durham Major Investment Project, which will span the stretches of Durham and Shepherd drives between North Loop 610 and West 15th Street to the south. As a whole, the plan calls for

Photo by Jake Dukate Delmar Stadium, 2020 Mangum Rd., opened Wednesday as a free, drive-through COVID-19 testing site.

OFHA elects new members to executive board By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Andrea Rafiei was recently elected as the new president of the executive board for the Oak Forest Homeowners Association (OFHA). Rafiei previously served as first vice president and succeeds Geoff McKeel as president of the volunteer civic organization that serves the Oak Forest neighborhood. Stacey Venamon was elected as first vice president. Rashod Austin was re-elected as second vice president, while secretary Cheyenne Trail and treasurer Lucy Fisher Cain also were re-elected. OFHA board members serve one-year terms. Gabriel Perez was tabbed as the new director of neighborhood patrol, succeeding longtime OFHA board member Martha Mears in that role. For more information about the OFHA and its monthly meetings, which are held on the second Tuesday of every month, visit ofha. org. Transportation’s estimated $7 billion plan to widen Interstate 45 near and north of downtown has largely grinded to a halt amidst environmental and civil rights concerns raised by impacted residents and local elected officials, which prompted an ongoing investigation into the project by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Harris County also filed a federal lawsuit against TxDOT. TxDOT executive director Marc Williams said during the Nov. 30 meeting of the Texas Transportation Commission that the I-45 project will be delayed by at least two years as a result of those actions. The 11th Street Bikeway project has continued to inch

Area affected by winter storm Like most of the Houston area, thousands of homes in the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest neighborhoods were hit hard with widespread and prolonged power outages as the result of Winter Storm Uri, which also caused damages to homes as well as issues with the city’s water supply. The freezing temperatures and prolonged outages also forced five local schools to stay closed longer than others for stormrelated repairs. Some neighbors made the best of it, however, offering up charging stations, generators and even their homes to help those who needed assistance. Upward expansion There is never a shortage of new buildings and businesses moving into the area, and 2021 was no exception with a number of high-rising facilities taking shape. Perhaps the most contentious was the building of a seven-story Big Tex Storage facility at the site of a former theater and church at 730 E. 11th St. in the Heights. The development is near – but just outside – one of the Heights’ historic neighborhoods, which prompted protests and an online petition signed by nearly 5,000 people, to no avail. There were also new apartment complexes and other multi-family residental developments that broke ground in the area in 2021, such as Avenue on 34th at the site of the former Doyle’s Restaurant and The Watermark at Houston Heights, a seven-story, luxury senior-living community in Shady Acres. Some other apartment buildings opened in 2021, such as Domain Heights and Durham Heights.

Photo by Adam Zuvanich METRO installed three pedestrian refuge islands and upgraded bus stops along Studewood Street in the Heights in 2021.

this year spent more than $1.18 million to improve a 1.5-mile stretch of Studewood Street between White Oak Drive to the south and Cavalcade Street to the north as part of its “BOOST” project on the 56 Airline/Montrose route. Three median refuge islands were installed near Studewood’s intersections with East 10th Street, East 13th Street and East 17th Street, and 14 stops along Studewood were improved. The Texas Department of

along. The design phase is 60 percent complete for the project, which calls for the addition of protected bike lanes on both sides of 11th between North Shepherd Drive and Michaux Street to the east, along with a reduction in vehicle lanes and the installment of at least two median refuge islands to provide protection for cyclists and pedestrians as they are crossing 11th. Work on the project could begin sometime in 2022.

CHURCH D I R E CTO RY

In light of theSunday COVID-19 outbreak, please check with church below for updated St.each James Lutheran Church, ELCA Bible Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am Morning Worship ............... 10:45am In-person services are • Worship (English) ..... 10:00 am - 11:00am information about services and events. temporarily restricted. Wednesday Bible Studies For Youth, Children and Adults............................ 6:15pm

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Say a Prayer Today!

t goes with made mist err is hum this the next must learn fr to repeat them it can be hard can sometim We sometime we’ve done, for years, or addition, som our past. And them, we mu we should for the coming d as well as our them; that is, repeatedly m the phrase “fo the only way more divine, i the offense. vindictive, sh it! Corrie ten prison camp to realize that

Judge not, not, and

The Leader • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • Page 5A

Leader of the Year, from P. 1A for shining a spotlight on the needs of her neighborhood and, according to those who are familiar with Killgore, also serve as an example of her organizational skills, networking ability and knack for convincing city and county officials to support the causes she has championed. Since becoming president of Super Neighborhood Council 14 in the spring of 2019, Killgore has helped organize a cleanup of Turkey Gulley and a desilting of part of White Oak Bayou while pushing to have a stormwater drainage box and sewer line replaced in the neighborhood. She also has negotiated with the city and real estate developers to get community benefits along with upcoming residential developments – a traffic impact study and potential traffic signal at the site of a townhome development near Sinclair Elementary, and speed bumps surrounding the Dian Street Villas apartment complex that is being built in the Shady Acres area. Killgore said she’s most proud of her work in 2020 to have the Houston City Council approve a 593-acre annexation for the City Park Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, otherwise known as TIRZ 12, which will include the Timbergrove area and create funding for longneeded stormwater drainage infrastructure in the area. Killgore made that a goal after being told by Mayor Sylvester Turner, during her tour with him in 2019, that the city didn’t have the money to do drainage work in the neighborhood. The lead-up to the annexation included Killgore’s becoming a member of the TIRZ 12 board. And when the city council approved the annexation on Dec. 9, 2020, Turner gave her a shout-out for being the driving force behind the move.

Matt Zeve, the aforementioned deputy executive director of the flood control district, who also serves on the TIRZ 12 board, said Killgore has an effective mix of patience and persistence. “In my line of work, I deal with a lot of folks that are in tune with what’s going on in their areas. Very few people have the patience and the drive to stick with it,” Zeve said. “Because there are lots of issues inside Harris County, inside the City of Houston, when it comes to drainage. The vast majority take a long time to fix. The government never moves at the speed that people want it to move. A lot of people just give up, but Leigh doesn’t give up.” Killgore described her accomplishments on behalf of the community as a “team effort,” crediting the contributions of fellow Timbergrove residents Peter Davies and John Zavala, who also are officers for Super Neighborhood Council 14. Amy Carter, Andrew Schaefer and former Timbergrove resident Ashley Stubbs also have been key advocates for the community, according to Killgore, who said the office of city council member Abbie Kamin helped facilitate each of the aforementioned initiatives. Zavala deflected credit back to Killgore, saying she is the leader of the Super Neighborhood team. He called her selfless and a visionary, among other compliments. “She’s just a tiger and a bulldog and a brainiac all mixed up into one,” Zavala said. “She has a tenacity that’s very unique in life. She knows how far she can push something, and then she’ll back off. She’s learned how to negotiate and get the best deal available.” Killgore said her passion for serving the com-

munity comes from her late father, Roger Hewitt, who worked as a genetics professor and at one time was named “Citizen of the Year” in the Central Texas town of Smithville. Killgore became involved in the Timbergrove neighborhood shortly after moving there in 1992, joining the beautification committee with the Timbergrove Manor Neighborhood Association (TMNA) and later serving as the corresponding secretary. She stopped being involved with the TMNA in 2001, because her home flooded during Tropical Storm Allison and Killgore spent 16 months living with her father in the Heights while her house was torn down and rebuilt – 4 feet off the ground with a pier-and-

beam foundation as opposed to concrete. Killgore said she became re-engaged in 2018, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and partly because she was in between jobs at the time, when she saw a social media post about flooding concerns in the area related to the Stanley Park development, which she helped fight against. “And I’ve never looked back,” Killgore said. Helping her neighborhood mitigate flooding risks is Killgore’s chief objective, she said, with Super Neighborhood 14 also focusing on traffic issues and a need for preserving and creating more green space. And Killgore said she tackles those community-related

issues much like she approaches her job with Texas Children’s Hospital. Killgore manages contracts for medical supplies, which is what she’s done throughout her career. Her job entails consulting with healthcare professionals to find out what products they want and need, procuring those products, onboaring them and then following up afterward. She said working on a neighborhood project is much the same – without the pay. “It’s work,” Killgore said of volunteering her time. “But it’s so rewarding when you achieve and actually get something done.” Carter, the treasurer of the Timbergrove Manor

Neighborhood Association, said Killgore has become a valuable resource for community members with an issue in need of resolving. If she can’t help, Carter said, Killgore likely knows someone who can. And while Killgore can be relentless when fighting for a neighborhood cause, Carter said, she also has a sense of humor and a kind heart. Carter said Killgore got Christmas presents for her children, for example, and she’s been known to dogsit for neighbors or take out their trash. “She’s just an all-around great person,” Zavala said. “She does it for the greater good of the neighborhood.” Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter @AZuvanich

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The Leader • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • Page 7A

Waltrip jazz group needs assistance to perform at conference By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Twenty-five student musicians from Waltrip High School have been invited to attend and perform at the Jazz Education Network’s annual conference, which is scheduled for Jan. 5-8 in at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas. Waltrip band director Jesse Espinosa described it as a “very high honor” for his top jazz ensemble, which performed at the Heights Theater in mid-December. The local students would be accompanied at the conference by other highly touted high school bands from across the country, along with professional jazz players who might offer tips, inspiration and maybe even networking opportunities that could pay dividends down the line. “I think we’d get a lot from the people playing there,” said Emily Diaz, a flute-playing senior who is the head drum major for the Waltrip band. “There’s going to be a lot of professional musicians. Just hearing them play, that could help us.” But first the jazz-playing Rams have to get there. Espinosa said Houston ISD is not funding the trip because such expenditures weren’t budgeted, so the ensemble group has been trying to raise the $20,000 it needs to cover travel expenses on a charter

Photo by Gwen Juarez Photography Two members of Waltrip’s Jazz Ensemble No. 1 play the trumpet during a Dec. 14 performance at the Heights Theater.

Photo by Gwen Juarez Photography Waltrip High School band director Jesse Espinosa, left, conducts a performance by the school’s jazz ensemble on Dec. 14 at the Heights Theater.

bus, meals and hotel stays. Espinosa said the group was about $8,000 short of its goal as of Tuesday. If that money cannot be raised by the time the Waltrip students plan to leave for Dallas on Jan. 4, he said the trip will be cancelled. Donations can be made online through the school band’s website, waltripramband.org, or at https:// d a s h b o a r d . d i p j a r. c o m / sparkvirtual/5de10dc1333b-11ec-974fa90411625781. They also will be accepted at a free preview concert scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3 in the Waltrip auditorium. “If we’re not able to go, it would be a bummer,” said

Theater and also during a parking lot performance outside the Shipley Do-Nuts at 3410 Ella Blvd. on Dec. 17. Espinosa also has been asking for donations on social media, with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner pledging to donate $500 to the cause. “That was awesome,” Espinosa said. Waltrip’s jazz ensemble also had arranged to play at the House of Blues in Dallas on Jan. 5 – a day before its scheduled performance at the conference – but Espinosa said that show was scrapped because the recent surge in COVID-19 cases prompted the House of Blues to temporarily close. If COVID also leads to the

tenor saxophone player Josh Diaz, a junior who is not related to Emily. “We’ve been preparing for a while.” Espinosa said he had never before applied to participate in the annual conference for the Jazz Education Network, which is “dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance and developing new audiences,” according to his website. The Waltrip band director inquired this year, he said, because the conference is in Dallas and he thought it would make for a more feasible trip. The jazz ensemble raised some money during its performance at the Heights

cancellation of the 13th annual Jazz Education Conference, or if the Waltrip group cannot raise enough money to go, Espinosa said his band program expects to keep the funds that already have been donated and use them toward equipment, future performances and trips or other needs. “We would hope the donors would be kind enough to still allow that money to be used toward the kids and the band program itself,” he said. Espinosa hopes that doesn’t become an issue, of course, because he wants his pupils to travel to Dallas and enjoy a new experience for themselves and the Waltrip

band program as a whole. He described it as the latest stepping stone for a historically successful program that previously has performed at Disney World in Florida and at the second inauguration ceremony for former President Barack Obama. Both Emily and Josh Diaz said they are “excited” for the opportunity. “The who’s who in jazz is basically there to celebrate what’s happening in jazz education,” Espinosa said. “It’s opening doors for students to meet these world-renowned artists, Grammy Award-winning musicians. It’s a great opportunity for the students to mix in with them.”

Review: Creativity at d’Alba makes for memorable dining By Stefan Modrich smodrich@mcelvypartners.com

This is my last restaurant review of 2021, and I thought it was a no-brainer to focus on one of the most popular neighborhood restaurants in Garden Oaks. The hype around d’Alba Craft Kitchen & Cocktails seems to have kept chugging along since it opened in September, and I finally had the opportunity to see why for myself. The menu is creative and thoughtful, and there are beer, wine and cocktail pairings recommended underneath almost every appetizer and entree. My server recommended the “Perfectly Thymed” ($12) from d’Alba’s list of seasonal cocktails. She did warn me that it was heavy on the xicaru mezcal, which forms the base for the drink. It is blended with a dry sherry, St. George spiced pear liqueur and bitters and garnished with sprigs of thyme. A better version of this drink might tone down the mezcal a bit (and perhaps also include a sweet simple syrup) so the oth-

er flavors are more easily recognizable and enjoyable, but if you’re a mezcal aficionado, you’ll likely appreciate this festive drink. I went with two dishes from the “shareables” portion of the menu for my lunch: the alba balloon bread ($9) with pesto, garlic and truffle honey; and a blue crab and shrimp campechana ($16) served with jalapeño and chile-lime tortilla chips. D’Alba’s take on the balloon bread, a traditional Turkish bread, is both a sweet and savory delight. The pesto and garlic are spread out as if to form an ozone layer enveloping the bread, and the honey clung to the crust like dew drops on blades of grass. The result is a subtle blend of earthy and gooey textures that make this warm puffy bread the ultimate comfort food. The campechana is served cold like gazpacho or ceviche. It is an incredibly refreshing and invigorating dish, especially if you’re dining on d’Alba’s spacious outdoor

Photo by Stefan Modrich The alba balloon bread ($9) from d’Alba Craft Kitchen & Cocktails, 3715 Alba Rd., is topped with pesto, garlic and truffle honey.

Photo by Stefan Modrich The blue crab and shrimp campechana from d’Alba is served with jalapeño and chile-lime tortilla chips.

patio and looking to beat the midday heat. While small, the shrimp were dense and juicy, and pieces of creamy avocado complemented the salty, flaky crab meat. D’Alba’s homemade pastas, charcuterie boards, wood-fired pizzas and happy hour spe-

D’Alba Address: 3715 Alba Road Dining Options: Dine-in, takeout Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-midnight Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.midnight Saturday, 10 a.m- 9 p.m. Sunday

cials like the Alba red mule, made with Deep Eddy ruby red vodka and Q Mixers hibiscus ginger beer ($6), also were quite enticing, and residents of Garden Oaks are lucky to have such a place in their neighborhood.

What are you eating for New Year’s? Stefan Modrich

My answer to the famous question posed in the 1947 Frank Loesser song popularized by Ella Fitzgerald’s 1960 cover (you know the one, “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”) has been “not much” for most years. And while I haven’t had much of a tradition in the way of New Year’s Day meals either, that didn’t stop me from inquiring about what people in the Greater Heights are planning to eat over the holiday weekend. With another year of adjusting to life amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and a new variant that is surging through Houston, that will likely be the case again. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time and make the most of your time with loved ones as we usher in 2022. “We usually eat green grapes (12 for good luck in the 12 months ahead) and black-eyed peas with cornbread,” Stephanie DubroffAcosta wrote to me on Facebook.

Photo from Facebook Black-eyed peas are a traditional favorite of Houstonians and others across the South on New Year’s Day. They are seen as a symbol of good fortune and prosperity to many.

The cornbread, DubroffAcosta told me, is meant to symbolize prosperity and gold. It’s unclear exactly who coined the symbolism behind these ingredients, but according to almanac.com, the combination of blackeyed peas, greens, cornbread and pork dates back to the 1800s and is known colloquially by some as

“Hoppin’ John.” The blackeyed peas are said to bring pennies, the greens bring dollars, and pork is seen as a sign of progress because pigs dig their trotters, or feet, forward into the dirt. My editor, Adam Zuvanich, was surprised upon learning that in my Midwestern upbringing that black-eyed peas did not hold such significance to

me. Though I’ve had and enjoyed okra, gumbo, collard greens, chicken and waffles and many other Southern classics, I haven’t yet tried black-eyed peas. But I was glad to hear that it was a common thread among every person I reached out to for this column. Reeta Achari said she will eat caviar and smoked salmon on New Year’s Eve, capped of course with a good champagne. She also prepares black-eyed peas, cabbage and cornbread for New Year’s Day brunch. Her household also enjoys Upama, a savory Indian brunch dish which contains cream of wheat. And for dessert, she makes a panettone bread pudding. David Olgetree told me cabbage and pork are served alongside blackeyed peas in his home. For John Frels, coleslaw, corned beef and cabbage and Mexican cornbread are New Year’s Day musthaves. No matter how you’re spending the last day of the outgoing year or the first day of the new year, I wish you all the best in 2022 and look forward to another great year of culinary adventures.

Entree prices: $12-$26 Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No Alcohol: Yes Healthy options: Baby kale ($18) Star of the show: Blue crab and shrimp campechana Rating: 4 out of 5 bites

Art Valet will return next week. First Saturday Arts Market is taking the holiday off and will not be held on New Year’s Day.

Thank You To Our Community For Voting us

BEST MEDITERRANEAN

The Nahhas family welcomes you to both of our locations: GARDEN OAKS 1737 W. 34th St. @ ELLA 713-681-6257

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Page 8A • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • The Leader

Nibbles & Sips: Local restaurants offering specials for New Year’s By Stefan Modrich smodrich@mcelvypartners.com

If you’re looking to make plans to ring in the new year, there are several options in the area for both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. B&B Butchers & Restaurant, 1814 Washington Ave., will have live music downstairs and DJs playing music at its upstairs patio. Reservations are required. The festivities are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Friday. For more information, call 713862-1814. B.B. Lemon, 1809 Washington Ave., is hosting an all-day, laid-back New Year’s Eve celebration. Guests can opt for either lunch or dinner service, cocktails, party favors and music provided by a DJ. Reservations are recommended. B.B. Lemon’s New Year’s Eve party is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. For more information, call 713-554-1809. Enjoy an evening of jazz with the Boomtown Brass Band and help yourself to a dessert buffet and champagne toast at the Heights Theater, 339 W. 19th St. The event begins at 8 p.m., tickets are $28. For more information, call 214-272-8346. Hungry Like The Wolf, 920 Studemont St. Ste. 900, offers a chance to turn back the clock as 2022 approaches. The 1980s-themed diner will feature some of the decade’s biggest musical hits spun by DJ Michael Lombardino and a free champagne toast at midnight. The party is scheduled to commence at 8 p.m. and conclude at 1 a.m. For more information, call 346-3202622 Julep, 1919 Washington Ave., will feature an exclusive New Year’s Eve champagne cocktail menu in addition to its full bar menu. Complimentary champagne or bourbon for the midnight toast is included. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Booths and tables start at $250. Julep’s New Year’s Eve

festivities are set to begin at 4 p.m. For more information, call 832-371-7715. La Lucha, 1801 N. Shepherd Dr., will have a Gulf Coast take on New Year’s Eve. Some of its available menu options include the Texas stone crab claws, fried chicken cappelletti, and an 18-ounce ribeye steak with brown butter and five peppercorn au poivre. For more information, call 713-9554765. Local Table, 2003 W. 34th St. Ste. E, will be offering weekend brunch on New Year’s Day and Sunday. Among the highlights of Local Table’s brunch menu are the “bigmosa,” the espresso martini, southern crispy chicken and eggs, migas and a quinoa breakfast bowl. Monkey’s Tail, 5802 Fulton St., will serve New Year’s Day brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. DJ FXBOX will provide music and guests can order $15 mimosas and $11 carajillo martinis. The brunch chango burger (a smash burger with American cheese, fried ham, egg, onions, relish and valentina mayonnaise on a sesame seed bun) and other dishes will be served. For more information, call 713-8427188. Rainbow Lodge, 2011 Ella Blvd., will serve New Year’s Eve dinner from 5-9:30 p.m. Among the hits on its threecourse menu are the pickle-brined wild boar belly, smoked duck and foie gras. The dinner starts at $85 and up. For New Year’s Day, the lodge will serve an a la carte Gulf Coast brunch from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., including black-eyed peas, a Southern staple on New Year’s Day. Omicron variant causes temporary closures The increased spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19 has led some restaurant and bar owners to shut down temporarily. Johnny’s Goldbrick, 2518 Yale St., announced in a Dec. 26 Facebook post it was

Photo from Facebook The patio at B.B. Lemon, 1809 Washington Ave., is one of several venues in the Greater Heights for a New Year’s Eve meal.

Photo from Facebook R-C Ranch Texas Craft Butchers, 2520 Airline Drive Ste. B-210, opened Dec. 17 at the Houston Farmers Market.

Photo from Facebook A sign posted Tuesday outside Johnny’s Goldbrick, 2518 Yale St., informed customers that the bar remained closed due to several positive COVID-19 tests among its staff.

closing until further notice due to a COVID-19 outbreak among its staff. The bar’s management wrote that patrons who made reservations for Dec. 26 or any subsequent dates it was closed would be refunded without cancellation fees. Hughie’s, which has locations at 4721 N. Main St. and 1802 W. 18th St., wrote Monday in a Facebook post that it had reopened for patio dining and takeout only at both of its restaurants. Tea & Victory, 2030 E. T.C. Jester Blvd., said Monday via Facebook it also had several employees test positive for COVID-19. It planned to reopen Sunday. Squable, 632 W. 19th St., announced in a Facebook post it had reopened Tuesday after being closed from last Friday until Monday. Lei Low, 6412 N Main St. Ste. C, announced Dec. 23 via Facebook it was closing its barroom doors and briefly switching to to-go only sales. The tiki bar will reopen Jan. 4. Better Luck Tomorrow, 544 Yale St., had been closed since it announced COVID-19 breakthroughs had occurred among its staff on Dec. 21. The bar planned to reopen Wednesday through Sunday with adjusted hours, opening from 3:30 p.m.-midnight. R-C Ranch opens at Houston Farmers Market One of the newest tenants at the rapidly transforming Houston Farmers Market opened Dec. 17. R-C Ranch Texas Craft Butchers, 2520 Airline Drive Ste. B-210, sources its meat from its family ranch in Bailey’s Prairie, Texas, less than 50 miles away from the farmers market. R-C Ranch offers wagyu beef ribeye cuts, porterhouse pork, beef jerky and more. For more information, call 979-864-3540.

Follow Stefan Modrich on Twitter @StefanJModrich

IN MEMORIAM

Alvin Dewey Callender Jr.

lvin Dewey Callender Jr. was born on July 14, 1944, in St. Petersburg, Florida to Army Air Force Captain Alvin Dewey Callender, Sr. and Martha Elizabeth Callender. Al and his mom, Betty, moved to Iota, Louisiana to be with family when his dad was sent on a combat mission flying his plane named Little Al. After WWII, the family moved to San Antonio, Texas until Al’s dad left active duty. The family moved to Louisiana and remained there with the exception of one year spent in Winnipeg, Canada. Al graduated from Lafayette High School in his hometown. He attended school at what is now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. While there, he was the Louisiana state champion for his bodyweight category for weight lifting. Al then transferred to the University of Louisiana at Monroe where he matriculated into the School of Pharmacy. He left school to serve his country in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served two years active duty and then returned to school to finish his pharmacy degree while continuing to serve for four more years in the Marine Corps Reserves. After graduating, he practiced pharmacy in Lafayette. While there, Al’s daughter Rachel was born. Al then moved to Houston, Texas to attend South Texas College of Law. While attending law school, he worked as a pharmacist in the Houston Medical Center. Al’s son, Marshal Juddson, was born in Houston. Al graduated from law school in 1975 and practiced law until he retired. In 1984, Al married Frances Stephenson. They were married for 37 years. Al was a man of many talents. An excellent chef and accomplished oil painter, he was a true renaissance man. He enjoyed fishing and duck hunting with his golden retriever. A man of words and letters, he was

a life-long learner. Al found adventure in many ways including participating in sky diving and on occasion flying a plane. And last but not least, he had a keen sense of humor. He faced the challenges of Parkinson’s disease and other health issues for many years. During this time, he found great pleasure in providing a home for his rescued cats. Throughout his life, Al cherished his family and his many friends from all walks of life. Al is preceded in death by his parents, Alvin Dewey Callender Sr. and Martha Elizabeth Callender. He is survived by his loving wife Frances Callender, daughter Rachel Callender, son Marshal Juddson (Kristen), brother Robert Edmund Callender Sr (Ann), brother Thomas James Callender (Krista), granddaughter Jewell Porrier, grandson Calvin Walter Callender, and granddaughter Philippa Maxine Callender. He is also survived by his Aunt Irma Darphin, nieces, nephews, and cousins. He will be interned at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Houston, Texas. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you consider making a donation in his name to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (https://www.michaeljfox. org/donate/donate-parkinsons-diseaseresearch). The military cemetery only allows two flower arrangements. If you feel so inclined to send a living arrangement, please purchase a plant that is not poisonous to cats. A visitation for Alvin will be held Monday, January 3, 2022 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM at Heights Funeral Home, 1317 Heights Blvd, Houston, Texas 77008. Funeral is scheduled for Monday, 10:30 AM, at the Heights Funeral Chapel. Committal service will follow at Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr., Houston, Texas 77038.

Heights Funeral Home 1317 Heights Blvd • Houston, Texas 77008

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The Leader • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • Page 1B

AG’s opposition could be blow to bullet train By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

The fate of a high-speed rail project that has been in the works for years could soon be determined by the Texas Supreme Court. And if the state’s high court sides with the opinion of its highest-ranking attorney, it figures to be a fatal blow for Texas Central and all those who support the idea of a bullet train between Houston and Dallas. The Texas Attorney General’s office questioned the project’s financial viability and also argued that Texas Central does not have the legal authority to exercise eminent domain – likely a critical factor in its ability to acquire the land needed to construct a 240-mile railway between the state’s two largest cities – in an amicus brief filed Dec. 17 with the Texas Supreme Court. The state’s high court is scheduled to hear oral arguments Jan. 11 in a case that centers on the question of eminent domain, the practice by which governments and traditional railroads can force property owners to sell their land. (Texas Central and an affiliated company) may only make preliminary examinations and surveys of private landowners’ properties for the purpose of constructing and operating a bullet train if they are either railroad companies or interurban electric railway companies. In the state’s view, the respondents are neither,” the Attorney General’s office wrote in its brief. “They are not railroad companies because they do not operate a railroad. And they are not interurban electric railway companies because the high-speed train they intend to operate is not the small, localized, interurban railway expressly contemplated by statute. “The (companies) also cannot satisfy constitutional constraints upon private actors seeking to employ eminent-domain powers because they cannot show a likelihood that they will procure financing to complete the project.” Neither Texas Central nor spokespeople for the company responded to emailed questions submitted earlier this week. Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar said in June 2020 that the privately-backed company had secured about 40 percent of the land it needed for the project, the majority of which is in rural areas where property owners have expressed opposition to the railway. It is unclear how much money Texas Central has raised for the project, which it estimates on its website to cost a total of $20 billion. The company laid off 28 employees, about half its staff, in March 2020 in response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Aguilar said three months later that Texas Central may try to utilize public funding. The planned Houston station for the bullet train is the former Northwest Mall site near the intersection of U.S. 290, Interstate 10 and Loop 610. Texas Central’s vision for the project is to utilize Japanese railway technology to operate a train that can take passengers from Houston to Dallas at speeds approaching 200 mph, which would shorten a trip that typically takes 3 or 4 hours by car to a 90-minute train ride.

Contributed photo The Texas Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments Jan. 11 in a case that will decide whether Texas Central can exercise eminent domain for its highspeed rail project between Houston and Dallas. Two lower courts have issued differing opinions.

The case before the Texas Supreme Court originated in rural Leon County, where property owner James F. Miles sued Texas Central over its right to survey his land for the project. A state district court judge in Leon County ruled in favor of Miles, but an appellate court subsequently ruled in favor of Texas Central, saying it is a valid railroad company and could therefore exercise eminent domain. And while the Texas Attorney General’s office is arguing against the company’s ability to utilize eminent domain, Texas Central has plenty of notable supporters in the case who have asked the court to confirm the ruling by the 13th Court of Appeals. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia submitted amicus briefs in support of Texas Central and its project in recent months, as have Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Dallas County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins. METRO, the Texas Association of Business and the Greater Houston Partnership also have filed amicus briefs in favor of Texas Central, with the Greater Houston Partnership saying the project will create thousands of jobs, have an economic impact of about $36 billion over the next 25 years and meet the growing need for enhanced transportation infrastructure in

Contributed artist’s rendering Texas Central aims to construct a high-speed railway between Houston and Dallas.

the state. “The Houston to Dallas corridor is the ideal spot for a project of this magnitude, directly linking 14 million people – nearly half the state’s population,” Sarah Lacy wrote on be-

Business briefs: Local investment firm acquires Elan Heights complex By Landan Kuhlmann According to a Dec. 23 report from REBusinessOnline, Houston-based Barvin Investments has acquired the Elan Heights apartment complex at 825 Usener St. in the Woodland Heights neighborhood. The seller and sales price for the complex, which was developed by South Carolinabased Greystar in 2016, were not disclosed, according to the report. According to the complex’s Facebook page, Elan Heights offers guests one- and twobedroom options along with amenities such as an on-site fitness studio, yoga room, upscale game room and rooftop lounge. For more information on Elan Heights, visit the company’s Facebook page or email elanheights@greystar.com. California-based sandwich shop opens at M-K-T As previewed in our Nibbles & Sips column last month, Mendocino Farms opened its doors at the M-K-T Heights development on Dec. 14, according to post on the restaurant’s Facebook page. The restaurant, which features bowls with ingredients such as smoky chicken elote, is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, and customers have their choice of dine-in, takeout, delivery and catering. For more information on what the restaurant offers, visit its website at mendocinofarms.com/locations/

George G. Junkin, D.C. - NW Chiro “Treat the problem itself, not just the symptoms.” This is the philosophy behind the chiropractic practice of Dr. George Junkin. Chiropractic adjustments and healthy lifestyle choices produce the best results. For over 35 years, Dr. Junkin has helped patients get releif from pain due to an injury or chronic condition. The result being fast long-lasting relief.

Autry Park is an approximately 14-acre development at the edge of Allen and Shepherd near Buffalo Bayou Park, according to its website, with the shops and other attractions of the Heights just a few miles away. It is also just down the road from St. Thomas High School. For more information on the Autry Park development, community members can go online to autrypark.com.

landan@theleadernews.com

Photo from Facebook The Elan Heights apartments have been acquired by a Houston investment firm.

half of the Greater Houston Partnership. “This important, investor-led effort will spur economic development along the entire 240-mile route and create jobs in Texas for generations.”

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Page 2B • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • The Leader

Don’t plant spring seedlings just yet Amy Williams

arden uru

Dear Garden Guru, This “winter” season has been quite mild. Am I crazy for considering planting things that fair well in mild chilly temps or should I brace myself for a big freeze and wait for spring planting in early March? Help! Wondering in Winter

Dear Wondering, I agree, this mild winter has us feeling like spring has sprung! While we have seen record hot temperatures this December, make no mistake: Winter-like temperatures are on the way. In fact, we are looking at temperatures in the 30s as early as New Year’s Day. Fellow gardeners who opted to plant fall tomatoes are undoubtedly rejoicing at this weather. They’ve been graced with a bountiful fall harvest. Same goes for the pepper and eggplant lovers. All of our warm weather veggies are prolific - at the

moment. Hold off on starting any new sprouts for now. The rule of thumb is to start seedlings 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Typically, that falls on the last week of January, give or take. Warm weather crops tend to grow quickly, with the exceptions of tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. I recommend starting those sooner and direct sowing cucumbers, beans, corn and herbs. When starting seedlings, there are a few important conditions to consider: temperature, moisture and light requirements.

The ideal temperature for most seedlings to spout is 65 to 75 degrees. Greenhouses which maintain these temperatures and provide plenty of space are the best option. However, creating any small space inside the home works just as well. The key is that you keep seedlings warm and hydrated. Many growers opt for grow mats as an extra temperature control insurance policy. These mats provide heat for optimal germination results. I do not find these necessary for growing indoors and instead prefer to use lighting options which

mimic the changing colors of actual sunlight. In the past, I have used LED lights, fluorescent and grow bulbs specifically designed for germinating and growing seeds. Bulbs are available in a range of colors, and these colors have specific purposes. For example, blue regulates plant growth, while red light prompts vegetation and flowering. My most successful seedlings have been from LED lights turned on in the morning and off at night, similar to the amount of sunlight they would naturally receive. As with most

things in gardening, there is no need to over-complicate it or spend more money in order to be successful. Over the next few weeks, follow our previously printed guides for tips on how to prepare for the coming cold weather, and hold off on your seedlings until late January. See you in the garden! Do you have questions for the Garden Guru? Email Amy at underhillurbanfarmco@gmail. com.

Kick it with Houston Town Futsal club By Stefan Modrich

GOOFy GETTING

smodrich@mcelvypartners.com

If you’re a soccer player looking for community and consistency, David Redd of Houston Town Futsal has an opportunity for you. Leave your cleats at home and take your sneakers instead with you to the Lutheran High North (LHN) main gymnasium, 1130 W. 34th St., on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Redd, an East End resident, said his club grew out of an initiative to clean up a dilapidated concrete space near the EaDog Park at 2300 Polk St around the time the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. He still holds pickup games there on Saturdays. “The dimensions are perfect for a soccer court,” Redd said. “But at the time, it was just nothing but trash and debris. So we kind of made it our COVID project.” In case you haven’t heard of futsal, it is the global standard for indoor soccer and there are a few key differences that separate it from conventional American indoor soccer or its outdoor counterpart. In futsal, walls are not in play, and a weighted size 3 or 4 ball is used because it bounces less. Futsal has five players per side, unlike traditional outdoor soccer’s 11. Redd’s efforts to grow what is known by its supporters as “the beautiful game” in Houston have taken him all over the city, previously near the University of Houston in Third Ward. He said a member of his soccer club helped connect him with someone from the LHN staff and allowed them

Stefan Modrich

in the

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theleadernews.com to use their facility. The games are open to men and women ages 18 and up, but Redd said he is happy to help parents looking to place their children in a quality soccer program. Redd and several other players in his club also play competitively in soccer leagues at Toros HTX, located in Sawyer Yards, and in Katy. Arun Ramesh, who lives near Memorial Park, said he discovered the meetup.com group which Redd uses to post updates when he was looking for a place to play last year. He said he appreciates the collegial atmosphere around the pickup games. “(Redd) makes it a super friendly environment,” Ramesh said. “lt’s social. I meet people, we go for a beer after the game and things like that. So it’s super friendly.” Redd said the meetup.com group has more than 2,000 members, and that between 12-20 people typically show up for the Lutheran High North games. I managed to get in on the action myself and worked up a pretty good sweat in my No. 10 Real Madrid jersey. My unofficial plus-minus totals from the game were probably somewhere around

minus-20, but I did manage to score a handful of times and dish out a few nice assists — having a bunch of skilled teammates definitely helped. Some of my athletic skills from my background playing primarily baseball and basketball do translate relatively well to futsal. But I was certainly humbled by the skill levels of the players around me. As a true novice to the sport, I appreciated the challenge of the new sport that I have only recently come to take an interest in due to my love of watching international soccer over the last few years. Redd, a Houston Dynamo season-ticket holder, hopes interest in futsal and soccer continues to grow in the Greater Heights and all across the city. And his ability to organize at the sport’s grassroots level bodes well for those who share his desire to see it thrive in Houston. “I definitely want to find my own space eventually,” Redd said. “But I love kind of like planting seeds in different neighborhoods, because that’s really what it’s all about is kind of giving back to the community through soccer.” Each two-hour pickup session costs $10. Payments can be made with cash, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle or CashApp. For more information, visit houstontownfutsal.com.

Photo by Stefan Modrich The Lutheran High North main gymnasium, 1130 W. 34th St., is the home of Houston Town Futsal’s pickup games on Tuesday and Friday evenings.

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The Leader • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • Page 3B

Having trouble finding your pets’ favorite food? Dear Tabby, We’re finding it difficult to find our pets’ favorite foods lately. I’ve read that the pet food shortage is related to the pandemic, but don’t understand how? Can you explain? And is there any end in sight? We have hungry (and picky) pets to feed! Searching for Pet Food in Shepherd Park Plaza Dear Searching for Pet Food, Unfortunately, you’re not alone. Due to several factors related to the COVID pandemic, pet food (specifically canned food) has been difficult to find lately. There are shortages of workers, materials and transportation that are impacting both the human and the pet food supply chains. Adding to the pet food supply woes is the fact that so many people brought pets into their homes during the height of the pandemic that supply has risen. In fact, pet-food sales at supermarkets grew 6.9 percent over the past year,

compared with 2.3 percent for (human) food overall, according to research firm NielsenIQ. Picky eaters, special diets Some pets require special prescription pet foods and those have been hard to find for many. Then, there are those of us who just have picky pets. If your pet is obsessed with certain flavors of food or certain textures of food, you might have been out of luck over the past year or two. If you’re lucky enough to be able to find the flavor of food that your pets like best, you might find that you’re paying more for it than normal. Shortage of lysine Another factor contributing to our pet food woes is a shortage of lysine. Lysine is an amino acid needed to manufacture most pet foods. Lysine has been unavailable for many months and, unless a pet food manufacturer already has a supply (which is only good for 12 months), it’s impossible to source this amino acid right now. This is causing real headaches among pet food manufacturers. The

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Page 4B • Saturday, January 01, 2022 • The Leader

Local soccer squads preparing for season openers By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The area’s public high school soccer squads are gearing up for the regular season, which begins in January, looking to build off of momentous campaigns last year. With everything from consistent contenders to surprise playoff qualifiers on both the girls and boys sides, there are plenty of reasons for intrigue surrounding local teams ahead of the upcoming season. One of the prominent teams in the area is the Scarborough Spartans, whose boys team is riding high from last year’s season that saw them finish 13-1-1 and win the District 234A title for the first time since 2015 before losing in the bidistrict round of the playoffs. It was also the third straight playoff appearance for the Spartans. Players such as Presley Castelan and Roger Oyuela return for the Spartans, who kick their season off Jan. 14 against Sealy. Also among the boys teams to watch are the Heights Bull-

dogs, who are coming off their first playoff appearance in three years, having finished 9-7 last season. Among those returning from that team, which graduated just four seniors, are Nikolaus Woodfin, Eduardo Saravia and Bruno Carrillo. The young Bulldogs, with only five seniors, begin their season with a Jan. 4 match against Waller. The Waltrip Rams (7-8-3 last season) will be looking to build off last season’s fruitful campaign, which saw the program reach its first postseason since 2018. Senior Xavier Cegueda returns as does defender Pedro Campos along with Alejandro Leon and Roberto Clemente. Waltrip kicks off its 2022 season with a local battle against Heights on Jan. 11. The Booker T. Washington Golden Eagles also are looking to continue the program’s recent run of success that has seen four consecutive playoff appearances. The Eagles finished third in District 234A last season behind Scarborough and Furr, and their season begins Jan. 25 against Mickey Leland College Prep.

Girls Scarborough’s Lady Spartans have set the bar high in recent seasons, and it is likely no different this year as they await the start of their next hopeful run to a district title. The Lady Spartans enter this season having made the playoffs six years running, with five of those seasons ending with district championships. Scarborough, which finished 8-3-3 last season with a bidistrict playoff loss, will face Anahuac on Jan. 10 to begin its 2022 campaign. The Waltrip Lady Rams have made the playoffs every season since 2014, but have failed to win a playoff game in that span. The Lady Rams face Waller on Jan. 7 to kick off their season. Heights’ Lady Bulldogs will begin their season with tournament play against Salado on Jan. 6 as they seek their fourth straight playoff appearance. The Booker T. Washington Lady Eagles are also looking for a fourth straight postseason when their campaign kicks off Jan. 28 with a match against Yates.

Contributed photo Roger Oyuela and the Scarborough Spartans’ boys soccer team, which is coming off a district championship last season, kicks off their 2022 campaign on Jan. 14 against Waller.

Pike powers St. Thomas hoops in strong week By Landan Kuhlmann

tered play this week as the fourthranked team in Class 4A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, was the only local public school boys team to play last week. The Golden Eagles lost 91-54 against Fort Bend Elkins – No. 6 in Class 6A – on Dec. 21 and dropped an 86-63 decision to Dallas Lake Highlands – No. 16 in 6A – on Tuesday. Kenneth Lewis and Chris McDermott powered the Golden Eagles (11-4) once again against Elkins, but it wasn’t enough to keep them from dropping a second game to the Knights this season. Lewis had 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots, while McDermott had 16 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks.

landan@theleadernews.com

St. Thomas High School’s Jake Pike was one of the biggest reasons for optimism for the Eagles this basketball season after earning TAPPS all-district and second-team all-state honors last year, and he continued his strong early season play with several standout performances last week. The Eagles’ junior forward scored 17 points in a 66-55 loss to Bellaire Episcopal on Dec. 22. Pike also secured a double-double with 23 points and 14 rebounds to go along with seven blocked shots in a 77-70 win over St. Thomas Episcopal on Dec. 20, while Ty Beston had 12 points and eight assists. The Eagles also beat Frassati Catholic 70-29 on Tuesday morning and defeated McKinney Christian Academy 76-65 Tuesday night in the Houston Private School Classic at Second Baptist School to improve to 6-5 on the season. Booker T. Washington, which en-

Girls The Booker T. Washington Lady Eagles went 1-2 at the Aggieland Invitational in College Station on Monday and Tuesday. They dropped a 48-27 decision to Alvarado on Monday, then split two Tuesday games, defeating Houston Lutheran South

61-40 before losing 64-27 to Plano John Paul II. Dakiyah Yates had eight points and five rebounds against Alvarado, while Kourtni Collier grabbed seven rebounds and had five blocked shots. Scarborough’s Lady Spartans will be back in action Jan. 4 against Wheatley, while the Waltrip Lady Rams return to the court Jan. 5 against Sharpstown. Heights plays Houston Math, Science, and Tech on Jan. 5 to start the 2022 portion of its schedule. On the private school side, St. Pius X’s Lady Panthers opened the Lake Travis Holiday Tournament on Monday with a 54-47 loss to Burleson Centennial, then beat Baytown Sterling 51-40 on Tuesday to move to 12-6 on the season. Zachara Perkins had 24 points and 12 rebounds against Sterling, while Mila Rossini added 12 points. Lutheran High North (10-5) was idle last week and returns to action Jan. 4 against Tomball Rosehill Christian.

Photo from Facebook St. Thomas’ Jake Pike prepares to pass the ball during a game this season. The junior forward was key in helping the Eagles to a 3-1 week on the court.

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