Leader July 31

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Saturday, July 31, 2021 • Vol. 66 • No. 31

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INSIDE.

Select company. Four HISD alumni with local ties will be inducted into a hall of honor.

Page 4A

Toy story. Collecting vintage toys is becoming a trend, according to two Heights shops.

Page 5A

Back in action. The Bayou City Art Festival is back this fall after a pandemic-induced hiatus.

Page 7A

City to add pedestrian signal between schools

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Ruth Mendez knew there was a significant safety issue on West 43rd Street that needed to be addressed.

She just did not know if the fix she hoped for would come to fruition.

Mendez, a Frank Black Middle School parent and member of its parent-teacher organization, is among the school stakeholders who have advocated for increased traffic-calming measures on the north side of the Oak Forest campus, which is bordered by 43rd. She said the four-lane thorough-

fare has been a danger to students who walk or ride bicycles to and from the school, both because of the prevalence of speeding and the lack of a traffic signal, stop sign or crossing guard on that part of 43rd.

Mendez said last December that she hoped a hybrid pedestrian beacon, which is a flashing yellow light that turns red when activated by a pedestrian who wants to cross the street, could be installed. But around that same time, she said she was told there wasn’t enough traffic in the area to warrant such a measure.

Eight months later, however, Hous-

See Signal P. 6A

Good Move

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Three Frank Black Middle School students stand at the intersection of West 43rd Street and Chantilly Lane as a string of vehicles travel east on 43rd.

Yoga studio to offer annual scholarships

Hidalgo raises threat level as Delta surges

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Move Yoga wants to open opportunities for people who need yoga but can’t afford it.

Carissa Barcus, co-founder of the studio at 1355 Judiway St., said they hope to expand access to the practice by way of the studio’s new scholarship program, which will give people a year of yoga for free. Single classes at Move cost $22, and the yearly rate is $1,200 for an unlimited number of classes.

“We are always trying to give back to the community through schools and non-profits,” Barcus said. “We wanted to figure out a way to align our philanthropy and community.”

The scholarship program will give away one year of unlimited yoga to one person every month. Prospective recipients can fill out an application themselves or do one for someone they know who would benefit from having the year of yoga.

To apply for the scholarship, visit https://forms.gle/aVt1PYA6baVSXVfq6.

The first scholarship pick will be announced Aug. 31 and every month thereafter. Barcus said the plan is to pick one new person per month indefiPhoto contributed by Carissa Barcus nitely. The unchosen applicants will be Move Yoga, 1355 Judiway St., started a scholarship program that will grant a person kept and reviewed again each month. in need a year of unlimited yoga.

“Primarily we’ll look at need,” Barcus said. “Can this person afford to directly to the scholarship fund. The take yoga at a studio in Houston? Is class is not recommended for beginfinancial hardship stopping them?” ners.

Other considerations Barcus and The scholarship program isn’t Move her team will look at while reviewing Yoga’s first initiative to improve access applications includes how yoga can to yoga. When the pandemic first startbenefit someone outside of just tak- ed, Move Yoga began a no-questionsing a class. Barcus gave the example asked sliding scale pricing to make takof a single mom who is struggling to ing classes more affordable. take care of herself. They will also look “Yoga in the west is an appropriat how the applicant would be able to ated practice,” Barcus said. “One of “pay it forward.” the big things, primarily brought out On the first Friday of every month by the Black Lives Matter movement, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Barcus will be is the inequity in fitness. We want to teaching a donation-based, two-hour help people who need yoga and can’t group practice called the MOVE access it, and that’s primarily our Black Photo contributed by Carissa Barcus Scholarship Donation Practice, with and brown community.”

Move Yoga has offered initiatives to help 100 percent of the donations going make its classes more affordable.

Happy tails. This week’s B section is all about keeping your pets happy and healthy.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo raised the county’s COVID-19 threat level last week amidst a recent rise in cases and hospitalizations in the Houston region, urging residents to minimize all contacts with others unless they are fully vaccinated.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also released updated guidance Tuesday based on the proliferation of the highly contagious Delta variant.

Hidalgo The CDC recommended that even people who have been fully vaccinated should wear masks in indoor public places in locales with a “substantial or high level of transmission,” which includes the Houston area and much of Texas, according to the CDC. While data from the Houston Health Department and Harris County Public Health show a marked increase in COVID-19 cases since the beginning of July, as of Tuesday the number of active cases in the six zip codes served by The Leader was relatively low compared to some other parts of the county. There were a total of 279 active cases in the 77007, 77008, 77009, 77018, 77091 and 77092 zip codes, while there were 337 cases in the 77433 zip code, which includes the Cypress and Katy areas in the northwestern part of the county.

Dr. Peter J. Hotez, an infectious disease expert with the Baylor College of Medicine who joined Hidalgo at her July 22 news conference about raising the county’s threat level from yellow to orange, the second-highest level, said the uptick in cases has been caused by the Delta variant.

“We are dealing with this Delta variant that’s twice as contagious as the original COVID-19 virus,” Hotez said. “And that’s why we’re seeing this very aggressive spread in areas where vaccination rates are low.”

More than 54 percent of Harris County residents who are eligible to receive a See COVID P. 6A

Neighbors celebrate diversity with Olympic block party

By Landan Kuhlmann

Page 1B

landan@theleadernews.com

THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 5A Classifieds.............................................. 6A Coupons. ................................................. 8A Food/Drink............................................. 9A Opinion. ................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 4B Puzzles...................................................... 3A

ton Public Works has completed a traffic study at the request of concerned residents like Mendez and a department spokesperson said it’s been determined that a pedestrian signal will be installed at the intersection of 43rd and Curtin Street.

“I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the outcome,” Mendez said. “I just hope it comes soon.”

Houston Public Works spokesperson Erin Jones said in an email Tuesday that a construction date has not been set for the pedestrian signal,

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann The Carr family stands with their Australian flag, which they chose to represent during an Olympic block party last weekend.

Every four years, the Olympic Games infuse people with the spirit of unity as different cultures, customs and traditions are thrust to the forefront of their purview.

This year, an Oak Forest couple took it upon themselves to bring the spirit shown on television back to their home community in efforts to create a closer bond among the diverse neighborhood.

Last Saturday, Jacob Carr and his wife, Meredith, helped celebrate the

opening of the Tokyo Olympics with an Olympic-themed block party along with their neighbors in the 1500 block of Cheshire Lane.

“Everybody can come together (with an event like this) and celebrate.

Every country can be represented,” Jacob said. “We have a lot of people from all around the world just on our street.”

The idea, Jacob said, was for different neighbors to come dressed in the colors or clothing representing the country they chose along with food, a drink or game that was representative of the country as a whole. In all,

at least a dozen countries – such as a China, France, Greece, Scotland and Sweden – were represented.

Neighbor Wade Clerkin and his family chose to portray Ireland as Clerkin said his family lineage traces back to the country, complete with bottles of Irish whiskey and a mini golf game representing one of the country’s more popular sports.

“We’ve got a really close group of friends here, so it’s just a good time to let the kids play and appreciate the normalcy,” Clerkin said.

According to U.S. Census Data See Olympics P. 6A

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Page 2A • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • The Leader

THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • Page 3A

Don’t wait for tragedies to push for safety measures

I

t absolutely, positively stinks that a tragedy often has to happen before a necessary change is made. Perhaps it’s part of our reactive nature as humans that we put important things off until they become so glaringly vital that we cannot procrastinate any longer.

That is the case with West 43rd Street in Oak Forest and an upcoming traffic safety improvement by Houston Public Works, which told me this week it plans to install a hybrid pedestrian beacon at the intersection of 43rd and Curtin Street as reported on today’s front page. That intersection is situated in between adjacent Houston ISD campuses Frank Black Middle School and Oak Forest Elementary, with the idea that putting the signal there will provide the greatest benefit to both campuses and the children and families who frequent them.

A hybrid pedestrian beacon, which is a flashing yellow light that turns red when a pedestrian wants to cross the street and presses a button near the crosswalk, is the same traffic-calming measure the city installed at the intersection of West 10th Street and North Shepherd Drive in the Heights in the summer of 2019. Earlier that year, Timbergrove resident Leesha Adams and wheelchair-bound Jesse Perez were

Adam Zuvanich Editor

both killed when the former tried to help the latter cross Shepherd and they were struck by the driver of a car.

Sadly, the upcoming signal at 43rd and Curtin has a similar origin story. Three blocks to the northwest, in June of last year, Oak Forest resident Karen Yager was killed by a suspected drunk driver as she attempted to drive across 43rd from Cheshire Lane, where she lived.

The fatal accident jarred the community and prompted The Leader to investigate the dangers of that stretch of 43rd. We reported last September that driving, walking and cycling on that road had long been troublesome, with two other deadly collisions in 2005 and 2012.

Between January 2015 and July 2020, according to data we obtained from the city, there were at least 211 traffic accidents and 584 speeding tickets issued on 43rd between Ella

Boulevard to the east and Rosslyn Road to the west. The two schools are pretty much in the middle of that stretch.

Our report helped mobilize a group of Frank Black and Oak Forest parents along with other community members, who with the help of Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin’s office submitted 311 requests to the city, asking for some sort of solution to make crossing the thoroughfare safer. The city then initiated a traffic study, which recently was completed and revealed an average daily traffic count of more than 10,000 vehicles and an average speed of 41 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to Houston Public Works spokesperson Erin Jones.

That illustrates a clear need for improved safety, especially when it’s neighborhood kids we’re talking about. Jones said a construction date for the pedestrian signal has not yet been set, so we can only hope the city makes it a priority and installs the infrastructure sooner than later.

As local resident and longtime Frank Black employee Tim Weltin told me last December, when I wrote about the push for trafficcalming measures, “It’s a tragedy waiting to happen, and there’s no reason for us to wait for the tragedy

A wealth of suggestions Are you rich? Some Americans are. They are billionaires.

Oh, sure, percentagewise there aren’t that many, but they own a lot. Get this: By the start of 2021, the richest 1 percent of Americans held 32 percent of the nation’s wealth, its highest level since these records began in 1989. Meantime, the bottom 50 percent held just 2 percent of the nation’s wealth.

Here’s another lopsided stat: 54 percent of all stocks are owned by that 1 percent, and much of the rest by the next 9 percent. We receive this news from Karen Petrou, the managing partner of Federal Financial Analytics, and the author of “Engine of Inequality: The Fed and the Future of Wealth in America.” Petrou notes that, despite the blow to our economy because of Covid-19, the rich are getting even richer. Since the start of 2020, the bottom 50 percent gained $700 billion in wealth.

But this is a pittance compared with the mammoth gains for the richer: In the same period, the richest 1 percent gained $10 trillion.

Now let’s look at that 1 percent. According to Forbes magazine, which each March compiles and publishes a list of our wealthiest, the U.S. had 492 billionaires on the list, the most of any country. It also had the most newcomers with 50, and women with 54. China had the second most billionaires with 152, while Russia was third with 111. Among the states, California is first with 124 billionaires, New York with 93 and Texas with 48. All of these inequalities should not generate a call to defund the wealthy, rather we should follow the advice of Joseph P. Kennedy, father of John F. Kennedy, who said, “Don’t get mad, get even.” Change that to, “Don’t get mad, get equal.”

If you are not one of the 48 fat cats in Texas, then listen up for I shall tell you how to join the club.

First, you are probably richer than you think. What’s your total wealth? If you sold all your possessions, your house and lake house, cars and jet skis, counted up the value of your stocks, savings accounts and those gold bars you buried in the back yard because Alex Jones and Glenn Beck told you the commies are taking over, you may be surprised at your total wealth. But maybe that still doesn’t make you a billionaire, maybe almost a bil-

Lynn Ashby Columnist

lion short. What to do? Here are some sure-fire investments. With a majority of Republicans saying they won’t be vaccinated against Covid-19, scan the obituary section of your newspaper and pick up some bargains at estate sales.

Pharmaceutical companies have produced hundreds of millions, maybe billions, of pandemic vaccinations they can’t sell to hesitant Americans, and Bangladesh can’t afford to buy them. So you corner the vaccination market and scrape off the expiration dates, because Covid-20 is coming soon to an ICU near you. Name your price. Same with masks, which people are throwing away. Note your local shopping center parking lot. Oh, hordes will be groveling for masks next year. Thousands of restaurants have gone belly-up and are boarded up, with their landlords in desperation. You get my drift.

Another study, this one by Real-Time Wealth, reports the number of U.S. billionaires grew more than nine fold between 1990 and March 2020 -- leaping from 66 to 614.

(That’s more than the Forbes’ total of 492.) The combined wealth of the top three billionaires grew more than 11 times over that same period -- jumping from $23.8 billion (adjusted for inflation) in 1990 to $279 billion today. OK, what did these ultra-wealthy know that you didn’t know? Become a high school science teacher.

Mackenzie Scott, the former wife of Jeff Bezos and who is now worth $53 billion, married her kids’ science teacher, Dan Jewett. Unless they have a pre-nuptial contract, Jewett is suddenly a billionaire, at least right now. Mackenzie Scott keeps giving away money: She donated $4.2 billion to 380 charities last year. So Mrs. Jewett is taken, but did you hear that the former Mrs. Bill Gates is available?

Electric cars are all the rage, although they have one enormous drawback: they run out of juice after 10 miles. Invest in really long extension cords. Steam locomotives, which don’t burn diesel, are

coming back. They only burn coal. These are two examples of how you can profit from the global warming scare, although it may just be a “concept,” according to that renowned climatologist, Donald Trump, who has called climate change “mythical,” “nonexistent” and “an expensive hoax.” He said on Nov. 6, 2012, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing noncompetitive.” (Contrary to rumor, Trump did not attempt to delete that tweet years later.)

But let’s assume that, for once, Trump is loose with the truth.

Experts say there is such a thing as global warming, or climate change, chose your poison. So half of California is burning, caused by a record drought, while much of the east is flooding. President Joe Biden has stopped construction on the Keystone Pipeline, so there are miles of pipes and hundreds of idle pipe-layers

beacon was installed there two years ago.

“The city has a traffic safety problem that needs a tourniquet, not a finger splint and Band-Aid,” the resident said.

The city is taking steps in the right direction, though, by responding to resident concerns and taking action, even if the action doesn’t please everybody. It also has committed to the Vision Zero initiative, which aims to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

Toward that end, the city has made a noticeable push toward expanding non-vehicular modes of transportation, such as cycling, walking and public transit, by implementing more and more infrastructure that is conducive to those ways of getting around.

Ultimately, Houston might need a cultural shift among its motorists, many of whom tend to like big trucks and spacious vehicles and driving them faster than the posted speed limit.

In the meantime, let’s be glad for some gradual progress. And let’s hope that not too many more tragedies have to happen in order for more progress to be made.

to happen.”

The traffic study and subsequent commitment by the city is certainly encouraging. And no matter effective the hybrid pedestrian beacon proves to be, it figures to be an improvement over the current setup.

There is a traditional traffic signal at the intersection for 43rd and Oak Forest Drive, which is at the northeast corner of the Oak Forest Elementary campus. Heading west from there, there is not another signal or even a stop sign for 43rd Street drivers until well past Frank Black.

Weltin said earlier this week that he’s pleased a safety measure is coming but is not yet convinced the pedestrian beacon will eliminate most of the danger on that stretch of 43rd. He cited the speed of vehicles he typically sees on that street and wonders if a full-blown traffic signal would be a better solution.

An Oak Forest resident who lives near the scene of three accidents on 43rd within the last three years, including the fatal crash involving Yager, wants more from the city to make the residential area safer.

The resident, who asked to remain anonymous, claims that speeding over the bridge on Shepherd heading north toward 10th Street has not subsided since the pedestrian

hanging around. Need I say more?

Speaking of pipelines, the Colonial Pipeline is a 5,500mile pipeline that carries fuel from refineries along the Gulf Coast to New Jersey. It provides nearly half the gasoline and diesel consumed by the East Coast, making it perhaps America’s most important pipeline. It was entirely shut down until it paid $4.4 million to a ransomware gang in Russia known as “Darkside.”

There is big money to be made in cyberattacks. Hack or prevent hacks. Governments and corporations are desperate. How about a trifecta? You hack into Mackenzie Scott’s bank account and corner the coal market. A last recommendation: You can make a fortune writing a book, “How To Get Rich.” I get 10 percent.

Call it a finder’s fee.

Ashby is not rich at ashby2@comcast.net

Email azuvanich@theleadernews. com

THE READER. Neighbors at odds over street parking

Dear Editor: So, they want to make the street permit parking, but not ban parking, so the problems will still persist, but the city can charge for the permits. The city may actually enforce the permit parking, because they are responsive to the areas with White Privilege that have permit parking. I would ban all parking on the street, and I would also take away all the cars with expired registration. There are many parked on the public streets.

The city is no place for kids.

If you have kids you should be living in the country or a small town, where the kids can learn about nature and learn to work hard and walk and ride bicycles.

Jason H.

Do you have to dump your boyfriend if he’s allergic to your dog?

Dear Editor: My husband of 11 years was/is allergic to my cats when we first met. He ended up doing allergy shots and we got a roomba to vacuum daily to help make it manageable for him. Needless to say the man and cats are both still here. Hope you have the

same luck!

Kallie Benes Dear Editor: Your romantic partner will need to find a way to deal with it - if a partner told me to get rid of a dog or cat for any reason, that person would be the one saying goodbye.

David Meyer

Real Estate Roundup: Houston sink in rankings of ‘Best Place to Live’

Dear Editor: Lived here my whole life. Even the ultra violent 80s Independence Heights and Heights, 90s drug era and I gotta say this is the worst time, between the floods and crime and traffic and its not gonna end. Welcome to Houston!

Valentin Garza

Wolf Capital Partners acquires 11th Street property

Dear Editor: Hope they will do something good. It’s been a huge mess for far too long.

Pam Hasker

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss 1. Short tributary of the Seille 5. Where you sleep 8. Crinkle 12. Regions 14. United States 15. Icelandic poetry books 16. Transferred property 18. Electrocardiography 19. From here 20. Hunting or observation expedition 21. Used to make cabins 22. Containers 23. Famed patriot 26. Makes less intense 30. Forced to take refuge 31. Campaigner 32. Special security team 33. Egyptian city 34. The Muse of lyric and hymns 39. What newlyweds just said 42. Pain 44. Norwegian village 46. Produced on paper 47. Acceptance 49. Semite

50. Detective Ventura 51. Martens 56. Small mammal related to rabbits 57. Airsick 58. Itinerant 59. Has spotted 60. Garland 61. Search engine 62. Former Knick and Bull Curry 63. Student selected components 64. Norwegian island

dOwn 1. Fathers 2. Region 3. The Great Barrier ___ 4. Father 5. Civil War general Don Carlos 6. Bodyguards 7. Knives 8. Member of U.S. Navy 9. English prince 10. Expression 11. Giants great Willie 13. Curving 17. Actress Keaton 24. Deploy 25. Medicine that treats animals

26. We all have it 27. Greek goddess of the dawn 28. Kevin Smith film ‘Chasing __’ 29. City in India 35. Went jogging 36. What thespians do 37. One and only 38. Largest English dictionary (abbr.)

40. Obstructs from a course 41. Prophets 42. Prefix meaning on or above 43. Got up 44. Drenched 45. N.Y. State capital 47. Sampled 48. Tending to an end 49. Architectural recess 52. Undergarments 53. Ethnic group in China 54. Reactive structure 55. Greek portico

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • The Leader

Local HISD alumni picked for inaugural athletic hall of honor

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Four alumni from area high schools have been selected to the first class of Houston ISD’s new Athletic Hall of Honor.

Craig Reynolds and Joe Tusa from Heights High School (known as Reagan when they attended school there), along with Booker T. Washington High School graduate Eldridge Dickey and Northside High School alumnus Nancy Richey are among 16 athletes who will be inducted during a ceremony at Delmar Field House on Aug. 14.

Tickets to the event run from $5-$15 and can be purchased online at gofan.co/ app/school/TX27294.

Reynolds, who spent 11 of his 14 Major League Baseball seasons with the Houston Astros, graduated from Reagan in 1971 after a storied high school career that ended with him being named Greater Houston High School Athlete

of the Year. He was taken 22nd overall in the 1971 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Reagan and became the only shortstop in MLB history to be selected to the All-Star Game in the American League and National League squads in consecutive seasons, with the Seattle Mariners in 1978 and the Astros the following season.

Tusa was a receiver and defensive lineman for the Reagan football team in the mid-1940s and played collegiately at Rice.

He became a coach at his alma mater in 1953 before serving as HISD’s athletic director from 1965-89 – the longest tenure of any athletic director, according to the district.

Dickey, a quarterback, went on to play at Tennessee State University after graduation, throwing for more than 6,600 yards and 74 touchdowns, according to HISD. From there, HISD said Dickey ran track at Texas Southern University before becoming the first Black

quarterback to be drafted by an AFL/NFL team when the Oakland Raiders took him 25th overall.

The district said Richey, whose school was called Jefferson Davis High School when she attended, was one of the “Original 9” along with Billie Jean King to help women break into the professional tennis scene when they competed in the first Virginia Slims tournament in Houston in September 1970. Richey won 69 singles titles during her career, according to HISD, and was also part of four Grand Slam doubles titles while rising to become the second-ranked women’s player in 1969. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2003.

The members of HISD’s 16-person Athletic Hall of Honor class are: - Jackie Carr, basketball, Wheatley HS - Ralph Cooper, sports media, Worthing HS

- Eldridge Dickey, football, Booker T. Washington HS - Kat Espinosa, softball, Bellaire HS - Carlette Guidry-Falkquay, track and field, Sterling Aviation HS - Darrell Green, football and track, Jones HS - Dwight Jones, basketball, Wheatley HS - Monica Lamb, basketball, Yates HS - David Lattin, basketball, Worthing HS - Craig Reynolds, baseball, Reagan HS (now Heights) - Nancy Richey, tennis, Jeff Davis (now Northside) - Ken Spain, basketball, Austin HS - Greg Swindell, baseball, Sharpstown HS - Joe Tusa, coaching and administration, Reagan HS (now Heights) - Delvin Williams, football and track, Kashmere HS - Vince Young, football, Madison HS

Tusa

Reynolds

Dickey

Richey

HISD preparing for optional masks, in-person learning

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said masks should be required of everyone attending, visiting or working at K-12 schools regardless of vaccination status. This comes on the heels of an earlier recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommending universal masking in school for everyone over age 2.

The recommendations put Houston public schools in a bind as they are required to follow Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s May announcement that public schools can no longer require masks on their campuses. The executive order also bans government entities in Texas from mandating masks.

About masks, Houston ISD re-

leased the following statement: “Earlier this summer, Governor Abbott issued an executive order banning mask mandates on public school campuses so HISD cannot require them, but those who want to wear a mask may certainly do so.”

That is the same stance of the private schools in the area. St. Thomas High School sent out an email to its school community this week encouraging all eligible students, faculty and staff who have not already done so to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Earlier this week, new HISD superintendent Millard House II released a video statement saying the district was in close contact with state and federal officials to ensure a safe learning environment for 100 percent inperson learning.

Compounding the mask question is the fact Texas will not provide

funding for students in 100 percent virtual learning next school year after House Bill 1468 – to provide funding – died when House Democrats broke quorum to squash the elections bill during the regular legislative session.

Funding for virtual learning is not on the agenda for a special legislative session.

Some school districts, notably in Round Rock and Leander, are planning to fund a virtual learning option with their ESSER funding from the federal government, which is allowed.

Texas Connections Academy, a public online charter school in Houston has offered a virtual option for parents since 2009, and it is an option some parents say they are exploring.

A number of local parents are worried about what the new school year will bring in light of the more conta-

gious Delta variant of COVID. Irene Arango has children in both HISD middle and elementary schools. She said she wishes the district could mandate masks.

“Kids younger than 12 cannot be vaccinated,” Arango said. “Some kids older than 12 might not be vaccinated, either. Mandating masks while on school grounds would allow all kids a certain degree of protection that could significantly reduce the risk of getting ill. The pandemic is not over.

I feel we are being forced to send the kids to a potentially unsafe environment.”

Arango said if virtual learning was an option, she would consider it.

“However, if most people are sending kids back to school, there is also the emotional aspect for the kids,” she said. “My preference is sending in person. Schools should

(be able to) continue offering virtual as an option, at least when kids are sick. Otherwise, I am pretty sure that sick kids will be sent to schools.”

Oak Forest parent Suzanne Ragsdale kept her kids home all last year and said she would not be open to a virtual option this year.

“I very much wish masks were required in HISD at least for the kids if not for everyone, (but) I think my kids need to be in school with their peers,” she said. “So, I’m buying the safest masks I can and am going to pray.”

Cara Ramelow has two children attending Heights High School this fall.

She said she is thankful her kids were able to be vaccinated.

“Otherwise, sending them back to school next month would be a whole different story,” she said.

Plug pulled on Fisher Street Apartments Local resident seeks to reboot teen fitness club

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

More than 800 people signed an online petition opposing the development of an apartment complex in the Garden Oaks area that would have catered to low-income renters.

Those community members, who cited traffic and flooding concerns among the reasons for their opposition, can rest a little easier now.

New Orleans-based developer SBP, which planned to build a 60-unit complex on a 1-acre site at 909 Fisher St., did not receive the 9 percent federal housing tax credits it was seeking from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). As a result, a representative of the nonprofit developer said it will not be able to fund the project.

“We’re glad that the concerns of the community were taken into account,” said Garden Oaks resident Heather Collins, who signed the online petition along with her husband, John. “Because while we all agree affordable housing is necessary in the area, this project didn’t bring a lot of bang for your buck for affordable housing. The developer unfortunately was unable to meet our concerns.”

As part of its annual, statewide program to help finance the development or rehabilitation of residential properties that offer reduced rents, the TDHCA on July 22 awarded developers nearly $84.7 million in housing tax credits to be applied to a total of 70 properties consisting of more than 5,100 rental units. Accord-

ing to the TDHCA, developers use proceeds from the sale of the credits as financing for the properties, with investors able to apply the credits toward their federal tax liability each year for 10 years on a dollarfor-dollar basis.

Ten projects in Houston were each awarded $1.5 million annually in tax credits, including a 117-unit apartment complex for the elderly to be located in Timbergrove. The Campanile on Minimax, planned for the southeast corner of Minimax Drive and West Loop 610, will include 93 low-income units and 24 market-rate units.

Developer Les Kilday, listed as the contact for the Campanile project by the TDHCA, did not respond to an email seeking comment.

According to the latest application log on the TDHCA website, the Fisher Street Apartments finished one spot out of the running among the Houston projects that were competing for the tax credits. The Boulevard 61 project on Richmond Avenue was the 10th and final in the region to be awarded, compiling 165 points in the TDHCA’s scoring system, while the Fisher Street project tallied 162 points.

Competing projects accumulate points as part of the TDHCA’s extensive scoring process, with a range of point totals awarded for variables such as tenant incomes and rent levels, size and quality of units, proximity to jobs and other opportunities, public engagement and support from community members, local governments and state representatives.

“We were disappointed that

the Fisher Street Apartments development didn’t score highly enough to receive tax credits this round; without the tax credits, we won’t be able to fund the development,” said Lauren Avioli, the director of housing development for SBP. “However, we’re looking forward to undertaking another development somewhere in Houston next year, and we want to continue to help Houstonians of all income levels build resilience before disaster.”

Collins said she thinks a letter of neutrality submitted to the TDHCA by State Rep. Penny Morales Shaw, who represents the area as part of District 148, was a significant factor in SBP’s failure to receive the tax credits. A letter of support from Shaw would have given the developer an additional eight points, while a letter of opposition would have resulted in a deduction of eight points.

No points were associated with the letter of neutrality from Shaw, who said in March that she recognized the need for more affordable housing options in the neighborhood.

But she also said she was concerned the Fisher Street project could negatively impact traffic and structural flooding in the immediate area.

Shaw’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the TDHCA’s recent awards.

“From our understanding, Shaw’s letter was a big factor,” Heather Collins said. “She really took the time to listen to people from all sides of the issue, including the community’s concerns about this particular development.”

Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

A youth fitness program called “Teens on the Run,” started by Oak Forest resident Lucy Cain and her husband, Greg, in the summer of 2011 at T.C. Jester Park, is getting a reboot.

“Teens on the Run has been dormant since 2017 due to family health issues, but the program was still listed on the internet,” Cain said. “I still had people contacting me if the program was available.”

A neighbor who is involved with another nonprofit told Cain about an internship program at the University of Houston.

“He suggested that I apply because he thought Teens on the Run is a good afterschool program, especially for middle schools,” she said. “I completed the needed forms and was pleasantly surprised that they provided an intern, Aledrian Kemp, to help me restart the program.”

With Kemp tackling the website, administrative tasks, social media, donation platform and grant applications, Cain sees a bright future for Teens on the Run, which she modeled on HoustonFit. “With HoustonFit you met on Saturday mornings with a run and then ended with a guest speaker that pertained to running,” Cain said.

Cain, who worked for the Houston Bar Association and supervised its 8th Grade Mock Trial Program for 30 years, interacted with middlegrade students across Harris County.

“I saw the need for an afterschool program that focused on fitness and students’ future,” she said. “I felt by providing a program that gives students an idea about what they need to think about for their future and their fitness would be a great opportunity, especially for those who are not participating in any afterschool clubs or sports.”

Teens on the Run has college students as supervisors, so the goal is for middle school students to meet college students in a safe and fun environment along with teaching them the importance of fitness and making good choices.

Cain is reaching out to Houston ISD middle schools to see if they would be interested in participating and following up with ones that have already shown interest.

Frank Black Middle School is a previous participant in the program.

The programming will be the same as in previous years – just different speakers.

“We present speakers that are informative to young students along with speakers that the students want to hear

from, too,” Cain said.

Cain and Kemp are leading a donation drive that will be used to fund the program.

Funds raised go to T-shirts, yoga mats, water bottles, bottled water, sports equipment, board games, craft kits, curriculum material and supplies for kite day and ice cream day.

They hope to raise $5,000.

“Middle-grade students are on the cusp of their future and if they are given information that helps them make better decisions for their future in education, fitness and social skills, then Teens on the Run (has) met its goals,” Cain said. “With students, you really don’t know if you made an impact or not, but they will know because they will remember something they learned in school or in an afterschool program, especially with good college student mentors available. College student mentors make a great impact by just being there and listening to the students through fun interaction.”

Cain hopes the Houston community can help her make the program work this year.

“I truly believe it is important to help students,” she said. “It’s a great learning opportunity for middle-grade students.”

For more information or to donate, visit www.teensontherun.org.

SUMMER HEIGHTS SPORTS ACADEMY

Local post offices part of USPS pilot program  B A S E B A L L C A M P 

By Adam Zuvanich ki Johnson, declined to say how package information, print shipazuvanich@theleadernews.com

Two post offices in the area are offering discounted shipping services for small businesses as part of a pilot program by the United States Postal Service (USPS).

USPS Connect Local launched July 19 at four Houston locations - including the Oak Forest Post Office at 2499 Judiway St. and the North Shepherd Post Office at 7511 N. Shepherd Dr. - as well as in Dallas. A Houston-based spokesperson for the postal service said the program, which offers same-day and nextday package deliveries within designated zip codes in close proximity to each other, will expand to other Texas locations in the coming weeks and months.

The USPS spokesperson, Nik-

many businesses had enrolled in the program as of Tuesday -eight days after it launched.

“We are encouraged by the enthusiasm from our business customer community in Houston,” Johnson said.

USPS said in a news release that the pilot program facilitates “Main Street” commerce by offering small businesses delivery rates that are usually only available to large-volume customers.

According to USPS, interested businesses should submit their contact information online at www.uspsconnect.com. They will then be contacted by a USPS representative and must sign an agreement, the details of which Johnson declined to divulge, to be enrolled in the program.

Once enrolled, business customers can go online to enter

ping labels, prepay for postage and receive tracking numbers.

They then can drop off their labeled packages at the back dock of the designated post office between 5-7 a.m. for same-day delivery or 30 minutes before the back dock closes for nextday delivery - and mail carriers will deliver the packages as part of their daily routes.

As part of the pilot program, the Oak Forest location is serving zip codes 77018, 77022, 77092 and 77292, while the North Shepherd Post Office is serving 77037, 77039, 77076, 77088, 77091, 77093, 77222, 77238 and 77291.

Interested small businesses can visit www.uspsconnect.com or call 1-855-698-7772 to learn more about the program.

BY: RON SMITH (Former Oaks Batter Up Cages)

• Dates: Week 1: August 2-6 Week 2: August 9-13 • Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (check in is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.)

• Location: Lutheran North Baseball Field, 1130 W. 34th St., Houston, TX 77018 • Cost: $150 per week * $6 per day for lunch * Send all payments to Ron Smith, 4904 Milwee, Houston, TX 77092, or ZELLE payment to 281-639-4475* • Ages: 5 to 14 • Contact: RON SMITH Phone: 281-639-4475 * Email: Coachron1118@gmail.com • Camp Goals: For all campers to concentrate on basic fundamentals of hitting, throwing, fielding, running, etc. through organized drilled and games.



FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED This camp will consist of instructions from high school coaches, college and high school players. Also, we will have snacks and drinks for sale daily. Water will be provided each day of the camp.

The Leader • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • Page 5A

Collecting vintage toys can be balm for nostalgia

By Zarah Parker

zarah@theleadernews.com

The word “nostalgia” is made up of two Greek words: nostos, meaning homecoming, and alga, meaning pain or ache. Nostalgia means to long for home, or a place you no longer are.

For many this is childhood.

Both Daniel Blackbird and Juan Salazar, who own toy stores in the Heights, said they believe nostalgia is one of the biggest influences for people getting interested in vintage toys and why the last few years has seen the hobby of collecting them rise in popularity.

Blackbird owns Misfit Toys, which has three locations in Houston and one in the Heights at 1801 Yale St. Salazar is co-owner of Super Happy Incredible Toys, 740 W. 20th St. “It almost feels like you’re a kid again,” Salazar said. “Holding in your hand what you held in your hand then, especially if it’s unopened and you get to reopen it.”

For Blackbird, the 1980s toys were the first real toys.

While there were G.I. Joes and Dukes of Hazzard toys, he said it wasn’t until he held his first He-Man toy that he felt a real

lecting toys it was an underground thing,” Blackbird said.

“For me, ‘Iron Man’ changed everything because it showed people the toys were relevant and it was cool to have these toys, yet they’d been making ‘Iron Man’ toys all along.”

One recent example of a reboot launching the popularity of a specific vintage toy is He-Man, which will debut on Netflix. Salazar explained that with this new series comes new toys and when those toys are bought by a parent, the parent usually begins to look for an original He-Man doll to show their child what they played with as a kid.

Since the toy line is released before shows and movies, the toys end up taking off and becoming popular before the media. With a toy like HeMan, Blackbird said last year he would see a vintage HeMan for $50. Since the announcement of the show and the growth in hype during the last year, he now would sell that same figure for $100.

Movies and television series also have been a key factor in keeping vintage toys popular, like “Transformers” and “Star Wars.”

And with the upcoming “Thundercats” movie, Black-

connection to them.

Both Blackbird and Salazar’s love for toys began in early childhood. Blackbird said at age 6 he sold the family dog for a barrel of “Star Wars” toys and he hadn’t even seen the movies yet. He later had to give the toys back for the dog.

“Whenever I hold one of those toys now I’m transported back to the aisle of K-Mart or Toys-R-Us,” Blackbird said.

Salazar’s love for toys was rooted in his relationship with his father, who bought toys for him. After Salazar’s father died seven years ago, he said it took him on a collecting journey to rebuy all the toys his dad had bought him when he was a kid.

“In a weird way I feel closer to him by getting the toys he got me,” Salazar said. “I think the toys we sell hold more of a sentimental value, which I think is more valuable than money.”

Remakes and reboots Movies and television shows that remake 1970s-90s media had boosted the vintage toy scene, and Blackbird said the snowball effect that’s happened all began with the release of the first “Iron Man” movie in 2008.

“If you were an adult col-

Contributed by Daniel Blackbird Daniel Blackbird, owner of Misfit Toys in the Heights, stands in front of the store’s collection of vintage Transformers toys.

bird said toy companies will release new toys and just like with He-Man, people will come looking for the originals.

It isn’t just people born in the 1980s and 1990s beginning to look for their childhood toys. Vintage toys are also becoming popular with the younger generation.

Blackbird said he’s had a teenager in his shop ask about Marvin the Martian toys. While at first the notion struck him as odd because he couldn’t understand how the teen even knew about the character, he later realized that with YouTube and other

streaming platforms with old cartoons, the younger generation is finding and watching them, and becoming interested in the toys.

“The future of collecting is going to be the reissued toys,” Blackbird said. “Like with the He-Man—because in 20 years you won’t be able to find the original, collectors won’t sale them. So it will be these reissued toys that will be on the market.”

Collecting The No. 1 reason people collect is the joy of hunting down a piece for their collec-

tion, according to Blackbird.

“When you find that toy you’ve been looking for, it’s like a state of euphoria,” Blackbird said.

He also mentioned that vintage toy collecting has a huge community. The more involved in collecting someone becomes, the more friends they make, which can make finding a certain toy or piece easier to find.

Blackbird also warns that it can be an expensive hobby, however. Most toys don’t depreciate in value, so chances are if time and money is invested into vintage toys, a person will get a return in investment if the toys are later sold.

Salazar said the “big four” in vintage toys are Transformers, Masters of The Universe, Star Wars and G.I. Joes. The G.I. Joe Classified line is so popular right now that Salazar said it’s unlikely anyone will find them. The retail price is about $22, and Salazar said they resale for around $100 on the secondary market, creating a real demand for the toy.

“I’m starting to see more people collecting,” Salazar said. “My kid who is 22 is already getting nostalgic and collecting toys he used to play with.”

Weekly composting events in Heights to continue

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

What started as an eight-week community composting initiative has evolved into a year-long affair.

The Houston Heights Association (HHA) announced in a July 14 Facebook post that the free weekly composting event at the historic Heights

Fire Station, 107 W. 12th St., has been extended throughout the year. Every Wednesday from 5-8 p.m., community members can drop off food waste and have it composted for free.

The ongoing events are 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. Orozco was recognized earlier this month by the Houston City Council, which proclaimed July 13 as “Monica Orozco Day.” Council member Sallie Alcorn, who teamed up with fellow council member Abbie Kamin to honor Orozco, said she is duplicating Orozco’s

initiative by starting three composting pilots in October, including one in the Heights. Alcorn said the existing drop-off event in the Heights, which began in mid-April as an eight-week program and was initially extended an additional eight weeks, had drawn nearly 400 participants and diverted more than 4,000 pounds of food waste from a landfill as of mid-July.

“We’re so proud of all you’re doing for our community and our environment,” Alcorn said to Orozco during the July 13 council meeting.

Participating community members are asked to bring unpackaged, unwrapped food waste and other compostable material in a reusable container. Zero Waste Houston will compost the material at no charge.

New tech shows impact of composting Local CBD dispensary opening next month

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Joe Villa and Chris Wood, owners of Heights-based Moonshot Compost, said they believe having access to data showing the impact of composting will inspire more people to start.

That is one of Moonshot Compost’s intentions in rolling out a new platform called Diversion Dashboard to its subscribers. This new technology will give subscribers access to their personalized composting totals and how many pounds of food waste has been diverted from the landfill.

Moonshot Compost opened a year ago to help residences, offices and restaurants compost more easily. The business provides the supplies and picks up the compost weekly.

“Houston is not leading the world in food waste diversion,” Wood said, “but we think there’s a lot of people in Houston who want to do this but don’t think it’s an option. With information on the dashboard, we think it might inspire them to start and see how easy it is.”

Woods said he thinks that inspiration will come to peo-

ple when current subscribers use the dashboard to share their data through social media channels.

“It’s cool because subscribers see how much they are diverting and how much their community is and how it compares to other communities,” Wood said. “It encourages them to not only start composting but stick with it.”

The dashboard includes total diversion amounts for each subscriber’s surrounding community. Residents can compare that total to other communities in Greater Houston.

Villa said when drivers pick up the compost, they weigh it immediately, subtracting the weight of the truck, to ensure the data is accurate.

The platform itself was developed with an outside thirdparty software company, and Moonshot brought in two more employees to manage the data the dashboard would bring in.

The Diversion Dashboard has been available for commercial businesses on a trial basis since spring, but will open its use for Montrose residents the first week of August. Local neighborhoods like the Heights and Garden Oaks will have access to the

platform in the following weeks.

The commercial dashboard provides three carbon equivalencies for the impact of the diverted food waste: comparisons to the relative impact of trees planted, miles undriven, and pounds of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere.

Residents will have access to the dashboard through a link for a desktop computer, but the company will provide subscribers QR code stickers they can put anywhere to be able to scan and see their data at any time.

“Initially, we were thinking of starting the business with this (technology),” Villa said, “to show what people are doing as far as food diversion. We wanted to make sure there were resident subscribers who cared about it and we realized people do.”

In the last year, Moonshot has helped its subscribers divert nearly 198,000 pounds of food waste, with approximately 21,500 pounds coming from residential subscribers.

“The City of Houston is running out of landfill space,” Wood said. “Composting is easy to do, and we want to help people understand how easy it is.”

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Oak Forest residents Ashley and Cory Condrey want to change the taboo perception of the cannabis industry, specifically as it pertains to CBD. “I think one of the biggest things people are confused by is that you are not going to have a psychoactive effect (with CBD),” Ashley said. “It’s something that can be taken by anyone or children without a mind-altering effect on them.”

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a chemical compound in the hemp plant that is used for a variety of reasons, such as pain relief, anxiety, stress relief, depression, sleep aid, anti-nausea, headaches, arthritis, tremors, seizures and mood stabilization. CBD does not contain THC, which is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

To create a family-friendly space where people can come in and learn more about CBD products, the Condrey couple is opening C & Co Dispensary at 3344 E. T.C. Jester Blvd. on Aug. 21.

Ashley and Cory said

Houston, TX 77092

they had been considering opening a dispensary for six months, and signed a lease in April.

Ashley said what sets their shop apart is the in-depth knowledge they have about the plant as Cory is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in botany, and the boutique experience of the shop, where they said people can feel comfortable walking in and not like they’re walking into a smoke shop.

“At C & Co Dispensary we will be carrying an assortment of hemp products sourced from reputable and compliant growers and processors that hold the highest standard of quality,” Cory said.

The shop will also carry cured hemp flowers/buds from indoor, outdoor and greenhouse operations as well as refined and purified concentrates, such as live resin, broad and full spectrum distillates, isolated cannabinoids and a plethora of formulated concentrates.

“We also have a variety of balms and lotions, tinctures and edible products both for human consumption and pet consumption at various con-

GET Fear not OVER IT!

centration levels to fit whatever your needs might be,” Cory said.

For products applied topically, which are typically used for minor aches and pains and arthritis, Cory said relief can be felt within minutes, but would need to be reapplied more often.

“Inhalation via combustion (smoking) or vaporization is a fast method of ingestion that has longerlasting effect than topical treatments,” Cory said.

“These products can be felt typically within a few minutes and last upwards of two-plus hours.”

The shop’s edible products take longer for the effect to be felt due to the body having to metabolize the compounds and break them down in the liver before it crosses the bloodbrain barrier and can be felt, Cory said.

On Aug. 21, C & Co Dispensary will host a grand opening party beginning at 10 a.m. People are welcome to take photos with the shop’s mural in the background and enjoy a food truck and door prizes.

afraid, I will trust in thee.” These words were written by David when Arise Baptist Church he was captured by the Philistines.

803 Curtin St. Houston TX 77018 David had been in hiding for his 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org life. King Saul of the Israelites was out to kill him and so in the process hat are you afraid of? Do of David running from Saul the you have things that worry Philistines captured him. It seemed you? Changing financial, like everywhere David turned there health, and family situations, and was another reason to be afraid. The the list could go on, are all things ten words of Psalm 56:3 demonstrate that give reason for you to fear. In how David redirected his fear into fact, change in general seems to hope in God. When he was afraid, he cause fear for many. So, if you are trusted in God. afraid, what should you do? How David understood that trust in Judge not, you will not be judged; condemn doandyou just stop being afraid of God would help him overcome fear. not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven... something?

Fear requires mental Faith helps you to overcome fear.

R.S.V. energy toLuke try6:37and avoid or flee The key to experiencing this victory from a particular issue or situation. is the object of your faith. When Rather than trying to just put forth you put your faith in God, you are the energy to stop being afraid, you trusting in the One who is able to do will find more success if you redirect anything. God sees everything and that energy into something else. I He knows the past, present, and the am not talking about just ignoring future. Trust in God means that God the fear and hoping it will go away. determines the outcome and that The Bible gives us a very straight God will take care of you and your forward solution to redirect the focus loved ones even though the situation on fear to a focus on trust. In Psalm may be hard. Don’t fear. Trust in 56:3 the Bible says, “What time I am God. Choose faith over fear.

I

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

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

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.”

By Pastor Will Cover

W

Page 6A • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • The Leader

Signal from P. 1A

Olympics from P. 1A

which will aim to make crossing the street safer for students of Frank Black and Oak Forest Elementary, which is immediately to the east. Jones said engineers with the city’s Transportation & Drainage Operations department consulted the principals at each Houston ISD campus, and they agreed to focus on an intersection midway between them, which is 43rd and Curtin.

Jones said the city’s study revealed an average daily traffic count of more than 10,000 vehicles along that stretch of 43rd, with an average speed of 41 mph. The posted speed limit is 35 mph.

“The Houston Public Works traffic study in Oak Forest looked at data related to traffic volume along 43rd Street, the speed limit and actual speed of drivers, the locations of existing traffic signals, stop signs, sidewalks and marked crosswalks,” Jones said. “... The study found the need for a new midblock crosswalk with a pedestrian signal along 43rd and Curtin.”

The HISD press office denied a request to interview the Frank Black and Oak Forest principals as well as an HISD administrator.

Tim Weltin, a Candlelight Oaks resident and longtime Frank Black employee who has had children attend both Frank Black and Oak Forest, said the upcoming installation of the pedestrian beacon is a “positive movement.”

He said the future setup figures to make for a safer crossing of 43rd than it would at the intersection of 43rd and Chantilly Lane on the northwest edge of the campus, because at that crossing there are left-

turn lanes on 43rd. There is an existing median and no turn lanes at the intersection of 43rd and Curtin, which is two blocks to the east.

Still, Weltin expressed cautious optimism.

“I’d be curious to see what studies show about the effectiveness of a pedestrian signal versus a stop light,” he said. “I think people in general have gotten in such poor traffic habits with regard to speed and ignoring it on these thoroughfares. If you don’t actually stop them at red lights, I’m not sure it’ll be effective.”

There is a stop light a few blocks to the east of 43rd and Curtin, at the intersection of 43rd and Oak Forest Drive on the northeast corner of Oak Forest Elementary. Students of both Oak Forest and Frank Black utilize that crossing to access the residential streets to the north, although it is an outof-the-way route for some.

A then-eighth grader at Frank Black said in December that taking that route added about 10 minutes each way to her walk to and from campus.

But she said she did so because it was much safer than crossing 43rd at one of the intersections to the west, which do not have any traffic signals or stop signs to slow down vehicles.

“Creating a safe crossing on 43rd will make a big difference for the children and families of Frank Black Middle School and Oak Forest Elementary who walk and bike to school,” Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin said. “I’m so glad we were able to lift up the voices of concerned families and work with Public Works to keep moving this safety effort forward.”

from 2019, the Houston metropolitan area’s population is 38 percent Hispanic, 35 percent White, 16.8 percent African American and 7.8 percent Asian. About 2.3 percent is classified as “Other.”

Just along Chesire Lane, Jacob Carr said he and his wife have neighbors and friends whose family heritage traces back to Singapore, India, China and Scotland, among others, while they chose to represent Australia at last Saturday’s block party. Included in their display was an inflatable kangaroo – that national animal of Australia – and makeshift croquet setup, a game typically played on a lawn in which colored wooden balls are driven through a series of wickets using mallets.

“Our street is so diverse, just like Houston, so it’s great to come together and celebrate that diversity,” Carr said. “America is great, but

you need to see other people’s traditions.”

The couple has no personal ties to Australia, but Carr said that was not really the point.

Ultimately, the event was in the spirit of creating unity among the neighbors. They had previously helped put together a similar event while living in Shepherd Park Plaza in 2008.

“We’re friends with these neighbors now, so we decided to pick it back up this time around,” he said.

Clerkin echoed the sentiment.

“Honestly, I don’t know that this is about education so much as just hanging out and having fun. The Irish are all kind of close-knit groups who bond together and generally look after each other,” he said.

“It’s been a tough year with COVID and everything, so it’s nice to just get to spend some time with the neighbors.”

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann An Oak Forest resident on Cheshire Lane decorated with a USA theme for an Olympics block party last weekend.

As dozens of their neighbors and friends from around the community made their away around the block to check out various displays and games – such as one where young children could use foam bullets to shoot out targets and score points – Carr said events like last Saturday’s block party are important for the fabric of any area.

Ultimately, it wasn’t about

pushing facts or literature about a certain culture, Carr explained. It was about creating camaraderie in the neighborhood to help spur appreciation for the area’s diversity in the spirit of the Olympics.

“There’s lots of ethnicity here, so it’s fun to represent your country or the country you choose,” Carr said. “It’s just fun to get together and see your neighbors.”

medical and correctional facilities. The same order applies to public schools.

“I’m very concerned about school starting up (in August) without masks,” Hidalgo said.

The CDC recently released updated guidance for schools, saying it recommends “universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.”

But Abbott indicated Tuesday on Twitter that he would not reverse course on his order regarding masks.

Houston ISD, the largest school district in Texas that includes several campuses in the area, has said it will comply with state laws and plans to

hold classes entirely in-person during the 2021-22 school year.

“The time for government mask mandates is over – now is the time for personal responsibility,” Abbott tweeted Tuesday. “In May, I signed an executive order prohibiting mask mandates by (government) entities. Every Texan has the right to choose whether they will wear a mask or have their children wear masks.”

For up-to-date information about how to get vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 through the Houston Health Department, visit houstonemergency. org/covid19 or call 832-3934220.

COVID from P. 1A COVID-19 vaccine, which is those age 12 and older, have been fully vaccinated, according to county data. Hidalgo and Hotez said they encourage more Houston-area residents to receive the vaccine in an attempt to protect themselves and the community at large, with Hotez saying more than 95 percent of the COVID patients in the Texas Medical Center are unvaccinated.

According to the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council, which monitors medical trends in the Houston region, the number of COVIDrelated hospitalizations in Harris County had risen from 358 on July 1 to 907 on Tuesday.

Hidalgo, while raising the

county’s COVID-19 threat level to indicate there is significant and uncontrolled spread of the virus, said unvaccinated people should wear masks around others. She also encouraged vaccinated residents to wear masks when in public.

But Hidalgo has no authority to require citizens to wear masks, having been stripped of that power by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He lifted the statewide mask mandate in March, when the number of statewide cases and hospitalizations were in the midst of a steady decline, and in May he issued an executive order saying no government official or entity could require a person to wear a mask – except in government-run

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Page 8A • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • The Leader

Dear Tabby, We’ve noticed that both our cat and our dog often like to go outside and eat grass. Why do they do this and is it something we should be worried about?

Grazing on Grass in Garden Oaks Dear Grazing on Grass, What you’re seeing your cat and dog doing is very normal behavior. Dogs and cats eat grass for a variety of reasons and, in small amounts, it shouldn’t cause a problem, but just for fun, let’s go over the whys of grass eating in pets.

Boredom Many animals eat grass out of boredom. Perhaps it’s the fun of grazing, as their ancestors did in the wild, or maybe it satisfies an urge to chew.

Either way, it’s not uncommon for a pet to go outside and

Eating grass may not be gross to your pets

Abuela’s Ice Cream goes mobile to serve treats

graze on grass if there’s nothing else exciting going on.

There’s a new novelty ice cream van on the road and it’s manned by local resident Chris Neil and her children.

After losing her mother to cancer two years ago, Neil had been thinking of ways to pay tribute to her mother while being able to teach her children a good work ethic.

“I came up with the idea of Abuela’s Ice Cream,” Neil said.

“When my kids were born, my mom didn’t want her grandkids to call her Nana, Mimi or Grandma. She was insistent that they call her Abuela.”

Abuela is the Spanish word for grandma.

The van sells novelty ice creams like Bomb Pops and treats named after famous characters, including SpongeBob and Captain America, as well as a selection of sour flavors. In total, Neil sells about 23 different novelties.

“I think we only have like one ice cream van in the area,” Neil said. “And I thought we just needed some more dessert-type ice cream things.”

Neil said they’re in the process of experimenting with driving around local neighborhoods at different times to see when is the best time for the van to be out. But Neil said that people can reach out to her on Facebook @AbuelasIceCreamHouston or through email at abuelasicecream@ gmail.com with their street and block number, and she’ll swing by with the van.

The van can also be booked for special occasions, like birthdays or other celebrations. Just last week, Neil said they took the van to a local “cul-de-sac party” because a new resident wanted to greet their neighbors with ice cream.

On the van, three of Neil’s five kids are learning the value of a strong work ethic, building their confidence with people and even growing their math skills by helping take payments, she said.

“If they have a shift on the van, I teach them to show up, that when they’re on the schedule they can’t miss,” Neil said.

They enjoy the taste Some animals truly seem to enjoy the flavor of grass and will choose some varieties over others. Make sure that your pets aren’t ingesting too much though, because this could cause some digestive issues.

An upset tummy Many animals have the urge to eat grass when their stomachs are upset. Either the grass helps to soothe their stomach or the grass stimulates vomiting, but eating grass is often the way that many dogs and cats attempt to fix their own tummy problems.

When to be concerned Mention the grass eating to your vet if it’s happening all of the time and seemining causing your pets to have stomach problems. It might not hurt to inquire about a dietary deficiency in your pet’s diet that also might be contributing to this behavior. Additionally, please be mindful of chemicals that might be sprayed on

your grass--either pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers--that might be very harmful for your pets. Keep them out of that grass when it has been treated with chemicals.

Stopping the behavior If you’re finding the grass eating has become problematic, work on some behavior modifications to get your dog to stop. For instance, if you find that his grass eating is the result of boredom, look for ways to enrich his life with chew toys, puzzles toys or by simply playing with him more.

You can also redirect his attention away from the grass by offering treats instead. Cats, on the other hand, are usually a bit better about self-regulating their grass consumption. However, if you worry that your cat is eating grass or plants that might be harmful, consider picking your kitty up a little potted plot of grass from the pet store, made specifically for pets to enjoy in moderation.

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

Pet of the Week Meet Larry Larry is a two year old tabby boy who loves all of the typical kitten activities: wrestling with his sibling, enjoying pets and purring like nobody’s business!

Larry would make an easy, fun addition to most any home and has been fully vetted as well as neutered--the best kind of pet!

To learn more about Larry, or to meet other special cats looking for wonderful homes, visit www. saveacatrescue.org.

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Photo contributed by Chris Neil Chris Neil and her five children pose next to their novelty ice cream van, Abuela’s.

Neil said that when she asked one of her sons, who is 10, what he had learned so far by being on the van, he said, “I’m building my confidence in crowds of people.” Neil said for her son to say that, since he’s on the shy side, showed her that her intentions with the van were working.

While Neil is unsure of her

long-term goals with the van, she said maybe after she retires from her full-time job in education she’ll do more with it.

“But the van is something I want for the kids,” Neil said.

“The older they get, the more responsibility they can have with the ice cream van.”

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The Leader • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • Page 9A

Art Valet: Bayou City Art Festival set to return this fall Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

Bayou City Art Festival is back, baby!

Mark your calendar for the in-person festival, Bayou City Art Festival Downtown, which will be held along Allen Parkway and Sam Houston Park from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 9-10.

You might recall the many efforts by the Art Colony Association, Inc. (ACA), the producer of Bayou City Art Festival (BCAF), to support the artists and to stay afloat itself over the past year-and-a-half, which I’ve mentioned here.

There was a massive anonymous donation to artists, virtual happy hours, auctions

and hot merchandise offered on the website.

The good news is Houston’s signature art event survived an unprecedented three festival cancellations. Sadly, I’ve read about long-running festivals around the country that didn’t make it. The artists who attend these nationwide festivals literally had their livelihoods pulled out from under them. The false starts and then repeated cancellations must have been just as disheartening.

I’ve been a longtime fan of BCAF and get lost wandering the festival, visiting the artists and hearing their stories.

I’m not certain, but I believe this is the first time BCAF has been set up at Sam Houston Park and Allen Parkway.

Fans like me are ready to get back to a full-fledged art festival. BCAF will not disappoint. The festival will feature live music, food trucks and

Photo by Katya Horner Houston artist Jennifer Lang works the Active Imagination Zone.

beverage stations along with two entertainment stages and art installations.

The advantage of being just outside of downtown on Allen Parkway is the skyline

view - all while enjoying a wine garden, craft beer garden and Art Bar. For the kids there is the Active Imagination Zone. The festival’s nonprofit partners will host

hands-on art activities for all ages. This is always a big hit.

For the ultimate art lover, BCAF and Frost Bank will offer a limited-availability VIP ticket experience, which will include a tented oasis with light bites, and complimentary beer, wine and other beverages. The relaxing setting under a canopy of trees will feature roaming musicians, artistic décor, a phone-charging station and more. VIPs will receive all-day access to the VIP area, along with VIP parking.

As one of the top art festivals in the country, the weekend event will provide patrons with the opportunity to personally meet artists, view original works and purchase artwork from 19 art disciplines including paintings, prints, jewelry, sculptures and more.

The festival’s nonprofit partners include Artists For

Artists, Fresh Arts, Houston SPCA, Warriors In Art, Orange Show For Visionary Art and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. As part of its mission the ACA has raised more than $3.6 million for local nonprofit programs from the proceeds of its festivals.

Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park in the spring and Bayou City Art Festival Downtown in the fall has provided a venue for more than 20,000 artists to showcase their work to thousands of art lovers from all over the world.

Tickets will be available soon, including early bird and VIP tickets. Get those and much more on the website, http://bayoucityartfestival. com.

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: Rakkan Ramen delivers West Coast takes on Japanese staples

By Stefan Modrich smodrich@mcelvypartners.com

Billed as “authentic Japanese food for the world” on its website, Rakkan Ramen is one of the newest tenants at the M-K-T development at 600 N. Shepherd Dr. in the Heights.

It is the first location in Texas for the California-based chain.

One thing that sets Rakkan Ramen apart right off the bat is the broth it uses: Instead of traditional pork broth, Rakkan Ramen is known for its vegetable broth made with kombu (edible kelp), Donko mushrooms, carrots, onion, ginger and garlic.

According to Rakkan Ramen’s menu, the essence of its ramen is derived from the concept of umami, which is the Japanese word for savoriness — a priority in the flavor profile that includes the four

other basic elements of sweet, sour, salty and bitter.

Because the restaurant had a limited special on its menu that was set to expire this Saturday, I decided to give that a shot. The Spicy Creamy Ramen ($13.50) is exactly what it sounds like: a rich and creamy bowl of noodles with grilled pork, a seasoned boiled egg, spicy miso, green onions, bamboo shoots, chili pepper strings and sesame seeds.

For the uninitiated (which included me before visiting Rakkan Ramen), miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning that is produced from fermented soybeans and often includes a variety of different grains, from barley and brown rice to hemp seed and buckwheat. In its final form, it is mashed into a thick paste that is used in sauces and alongside meat and fish.

I liked everything in the

Spicy Creamy Ramen bowl on its own, but whenever possible, I try to up the ante when it comes to heat. I added a heaping spoonful of sesame chili oil, which is served on the side, and a little goes a long way. Make sure you mix it thoroughly in the bowl. I didn’t exactly have to sweat my way through the rest of the meal, but I found myself taking a few extra sips of water and one of my new favorite treats — Calpico ($3).

This refreshing beverage is like a thinner, sweeter version of keifer, the yogurt-based drink. The subtle sweetness of the vanilla yogurt was an excellent palate cleanser at the end of my meal.

From my seat right next to the kitchen, I could see cooks preparing dishes over the counter and heard them calling out in Japanese to let servers know when orders were

ready, and there was something both reassuring and exciting about the hustle and bustle of a place that was still quite busy even in the off-peak midafternoon hours between lunch and dinner.

Rakkan Ramen Address: 600 N. Shepherd Dr. Ste. #515 Dining Options: Dine-in, takeout, delivery via DoorDash Grubhub, Postmates, Seamless, Uber Eats Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Friday-Saturday Entrée prices: $12.50-$18 Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No Alcohol: Yes Healthy options: Hot Brussels Sprouts Salad ($8.50) Star of the show: Spicy Creamy Ramen

Photo by Stefan Modrich Rakkan Ramen’s Spicy Creamy Ramen ($13.50), a rich bowl of noodles with grilled pork and a seasoned boiled egg is a limited menu item that runs through July 31.

DENTISTRY Feeling peachy: Think outside box with this summer fruit COSMETIC State-of-the art procedures, Photo by Stefan Modrich Grilled peaches can be amplified with a glaze of honey, maple syrup or bourbon and are delicious when eaten in tandem with burrata mozzarella.

Stefan Modrich

Whether the peaches you buy are grown in the Houston area, the Texas Hill Country or Georgia, now is the perfect time to stock up on the most delicious of all stone fruits.

The months of July and August are peak peach season, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Not only is it the best time to try peaches, but you can find plenty of other ways to implement them into your diet outside of the delicious tradition of peach cobbler or pie, or enjoying slices of red and orange bliss with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

No matter if you’re picking them up from your local grocery store or farmer’s market, peaches can keep for about five days, stored in your refrigerator or a plastic bag.

Inspired by The New York Times Cooking app and others, I’ve tried to think outside the box to put my own twist

on a few recipes I’ve read recently that make peaches the focus of an entree instead of a mere accoutrement.

The first time I experimented with cooking with peaches, I used yellow peaches and smaller donut peaches, which have a flatter, round shape and white flesh.

Slicing them in half along the seams allows for an easy, satisfying twist to separate the two halves. You can brush them with vegetable oil or butter, or even maple syrup, molasses or bourbon if you want to add some additional sweetness and smokiness to sink in under the skin.

I grilled the peaches alongside thoroughly-seasoned chicken breasts with ginger, cumin and paprika. I have also

done this before on the stove top at medium heat, and it only takes about five minutes to sear the peaches on each side. The grill marks left on the golden yellow flesh of the peach are immensely gratifying.

The key to grilling with fruit is to ensure it is not yet ripe, as it will soften naturally after exposure to high heat. I highly recommend pairing it with bananas, as I tried on one occasion, and pears on another.

For a meatless alternative, try centering your grilled peaches around a beautiful sphere of fresh burrata mozzarella, which I garnished with honey, basil and hot paprika.

If you prefer the fresh taste of the peaches, you can just slice them to your desired size,

and scatter them atop a salad with kale, arugula, chicken (or tofu or your protein of choice) and burrata or your cheese of choice. I drizzled a balsamic glaze atop my peach chicken salad, but you can of course use your own preferred dressing to give your salad the kick you’re looking for.

If you’ve come back with bushels full of Fredericksburggrown peaches after a weekend retreat, don’t fret. You can blend them to make smoothies, a syrup for sodas or cocktails, or homemade peach ice cream. You could also turn them into butter or jam or add them to salsa.

Canning them is a laborintensive process, but you can also freeze them by adding the juice of one lemon per every eight to 10 peaches to prevent browning, and ½ teaspoon of sugar per peach. The lemonsugar mixture, when tossed in a gallon-sized freezer bag, will help prevent air pockets.

Got some ideas for peach recipes of your own? Do you recommend any farmer’s markets with great local produce? Send your tips to smodrich@mcelvypartners.com.

Food briefs: Space Cowboy owners to open new bar in Northside

By Stefan Modrich smodrich@mcelvypartners.com

The ownership group behind Space Cowboy, 100 W. Cavalcade St., is opening another bar on the other side of Interstate 45.

Night Moves Hospitality, led by bar owner Greg Perez and chef Lyle Bento, announced in a July 22 news release from Scurfield Group’s Carlos Brandon that it would open the doors Friday to Trash Panda Drinking Club, 4203 Edison St. “Edison (& Patton) was my first bar managing job and it’s in the neighborhood I grew up in, so it feels like coming home,” Perez said. “The staff and I built something special at the last bar we opened in the neighborhood a couple years ago, and we hope to bring that same feeling to Trash.”

The new bar concept will pair eclectic craft cocktails and Southern comfort food with a Mexican twist.

The drink menu at Trash Panda will include the Bubblegum Martini, made with Brooklyn gin, bubblegum broth, hibiscus, lime

and Green Chartreuse, and the carbonated Purple Kush, with Santa Teresa 1796, Plantation O.F.T.D., ginger wort and lime.

In the kitchen, Trash Panda will serve up dishes like Milanese, which is battered and fried like a chicken fried steak and topped with mole, crema and queso fresco.

Another staple of the Trash Panda menu will be Fried Chicken Butts — half a Cornish hen served Southern-fried with mini buttermilk biscuits and a house-made spicy butter du jour.

Trash Panda will be open Wednesday-Monday from 4 p.m.-2 a.m., and its kitchen closes at midnight.

is bringing its fusion of Creole and Italian flavors to 1017 Houston Ave. The permit for the location, which was last home to Avenue Grill, is set to begin Oct. 21, according to a sales taxpayer search of Texas Comptroller records.

The restaurant did not return phone calls before press time.

Phyllis Mandola, co-owner of the restaurant, announced the closing of its River Oaks restaurant at 1212 Waugh Dr. in a July 1 Instagram post. Tony Mandola’s served its last meal Monday at the space it had occupied since 2011.

Phyllis Mandola is the daughter of Ninfa Laurenzo, a pioneer in the local restaurant scene who founded a Tex-Mex empire.

Tony Mandola’s relocating to First Ward

Former Subway location listed for lease

A popular restaurant whose owners are considered to be culinary royalty by some in the Houston dining scene is coming to the First Ward.

According to a sales tax permit filed by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Tony Mandola’s

Brixmor Property Group, which owns several Houston-area commercial properties, has listed a 1,600-square foot retail space that formerly housed a national sandwich chain.

The former Subway location at 945 N. Shepherd Dr. Unit #144902

closed in September, according to a spokesperson for VKC Group, a restaurant management firm that operated the location. It resided in the Merchants Park Shopping Center at the intersection of Shepherd and West 11th Street.

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Happy Pets The Leader • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • Page 1B

Molly’s Mutt House still barking after 17 years

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

When Molly Taylor moved back to Houston almost two decades ago, she noticed the relative lack of pet care options for those in the area.

So after leaving behind her pet sitting business in Massachusetts, she took it upon herself to dive into the daycare business and created Molly’s Mutt House, which is celebrating 17 years in business in 2021.

“In Massachusetts they had a doggie daycare on every corner, but when I got into Houston there were only three or four of them,” she said. “I wanted people to be able to drop their dogs off to play instead of pet sitting house to house, so I just went for it. I’ve had a love for dogs my entire life, it only made sense to do another dog business.”

Located at 3410 N. Shepherd Dr., Molly’s Mutt House offers an array of services to the community’s dogs and their owners to help create a connection between owner, dog and community. Taylor said the facility offers services such as private boarding, doggie daycare, and grooming. They also have a retail store where dog owners can scope

Contributed photo The area’s pooches have plenty of space to play at Molly’s Mutt House, which is celebrating its 17th year in business at 3410 N. Shepherd Dr.

out the right food, toy, or nutrient for their beloved four-legged friend.

“Our customers feel like family when they come in. Even though we’re a larger facility, we ensure that they feel like they are our fami-

ly as soon as they walk in the door,” Taylor said. “That’s what keeps them coming back.”

Molly’s Mutt House offers wide open spaces and plenty of room to play during their stay at the facility

which includes a large outside area with turf and shade and play equipment. The center’s website said it is a fun, clean environment for your pooch to stay, play and exercise.

“Depending on what services

people need, we’ve got a little bit of everything,” Taylor said.

And though it was her creation, Taylor knows Molly’s Mutt House would not have been serving the community for nearly 20 years without the help of her Team.

“We’ve created an amazing team of leaders and people who love dogs and understand the importance of working together to make each other and the customer’s day better,” she said. “That’s been our new motto for the last few years.”

A big part of her team’s efforts, she said, is the close-knit environment the care facility tries to create as soon as customers walk through the door. From start to finish, no matter what breed or age, Molly’s Mutt House pledges to be there for every step of the journey.

“We’re so happy to be in the area and still be running strong,” Taylor said. “We’re happy to see everybody traveling again and are glad we can be here to still serve the community and provide what people need.”

To find out more about what Molly’s Mutt House can offer for you and your pooch, you can give them a call at 713-426-6888 or email info@mutthouse.com. You can also visit the website at mutthouse.com.

Shelters, rescue groups provide safe havens

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Not every pet is dealt the best hand in life, so it is important for them to have the necessary care and shelter opportunities so they can have the best shot at finding a forever home.

It’s lucky for the community’s furry friends, then, that are an abundance of organizations in their local neighborhoods who are fighting that good fight.

The Friends 4 Life Shelter in the Heights is one of the more prominent shelters in the area at 107 E. 22nd St., which gives the community plenty of

chances to adopt both cats and dogs. It is currently closed to walk-ins, but adoptions are still a go.

So, too, does K-9 Angels Rescue at 1215 W. 19th St., which is committed to rescuing and re-homing shelter dogs in and around the city regardless of their breed or circumstance.

The Animal Justice League is a nonprofit primarily devoted to serving the Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and Greater Houston areas in fostering pets and placing them in homes. Rescued Pets Movement at 2317 W. 34th St. has helped place nearly 60,000 homeless ani-

mals in permanent homes since opening in late 2013. A little way down the road at 5380 W. 34th St., Doggedly Dog Rescue Society offers similar services, while its website (doggedlydog. org) also has educational materials on how the community can assist their adopted animal in reintegrating.

Another rescue organization that locals might be familiar with, despite it not being based in the neighborhood, is Cypress Lucky Mutts Rescue. Bob, the popular stray dog who roamed the streets of Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and other nearby neighborhoods from 2015 until

earlier this year, is in foster care with a Cypress Lucky Mutts volunteer who lives in Candlelight Plaza.

Lola’s Lucky Day Rescue (lolasluckyday.com) was founded in 2015 by Larissa Gavin, who wanted to help homeless animals in Houston, and named after Gavin’s first rescue, according to its website. The organization helps find homes for those furry friends in need.

Also, Project Rescue Ready is an organization devoted to preparing dogs and cats to be rescued by fosters, adopters, rescues or sanctuaries.

Photo from Facebook An abundance of rescue groups and shelters in the area are available to provide much-needed refuge for pets in search of forever homes.

Local pet owners have abundance of boarding options

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

We all love our pets. Of course we do, because we would not have gotten them otherwise. And because we love them, we usually want to spoil them with as much care and attention as we can.

But at some point, we need to take care of ourselves as well and take some time away from our furry friends. And in order to do that, many would like to know their pet is safe and well taken care of in their absence.

And in the event that a friend or family member is unavailable to watch over an animal, the pet should be in good hands. From grooming such as

a bath and haircuts to boarding services, there are plenty of pet-oriented businesses around the area that residents can trust.

The Shady Acres neighborhood is home to Polka Dot Dogs at 2505 Ella Blvd., which offers daycare, boarding and grooming for all dogs at least 3 months old and are considered non-aggressive and socialized.

Northside is also the location of a grooming and boarding facility, Puddy Cuts Dog Grooming & Boarding at 5229 Brinkman St. This full-service facility includes services such as a soaking bath, hand brushing, nail clipping and more.

In the Heights, there are almost more options than resi-

Photo from Facebook Plenty of dog grooming and boarding spots have popped up in the neighborhood to help take care of the residents’ furry friends.

dents will likely know what to do with. Bone on the Bayou is a small, family-owned busi-

By Betsy Denson While your four-legged friend would probably just be happy spending time with you on a walk around your neighborhood, sometimes you need a change of pace. Here are some suggestions for some dog-friendly spots in the area Take your dog to the ballgame Did you know that every year the Astros have a dog day?

Now you do! The annual Dog Day, sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, will be Sunday, Aug. 22.

You and your dog can watch the Astros play the Seattle Mariners at 1:10 p.m. and participate in Dog Day activities.

Unlike previous years, there will be no pregame parade.

Humans must purchase a ticket for each dog and each human through the Dog Day link on the Astros’ website.

One dog per one human will be permitted.

Play ball! Just tell your dog not to fetch it.

Go Green at the Arboretum

If you have a dog, you’ve probably been to the Houston Arboretum, but summer is a great time to beat the heat under the shady trees – and there are a lot of new improvements to enjoy.

The 155-acre green space has more than 5 miles of walking paths, and it is all free. Dogs need to be on a leash, and of course, you need to pick up after your pooch. Be careful about where they nose around, too — the snakes would not appreciate it.

Get wet and wild Of course, there are lakes and creeks for this but for an actual swim with your dog you can try Joasis, 916 Wakefield Dr. The owner’s dogs are dock diving champions, but all dogs are welcome.

As owner Jo Dunham says: “Once I put in the pool and diving dock, it occurred to me how much fun it would be to combine three of my favorite things together and start a business. It just so happens I have plenty of parking, covered patio space, security fencing and a private bathroom/dressing

room that I could easily open a dog swimming/dog diving.”

For more information and rates visit, https://www.joasishouston.com.

Beer for my horses, and my dog?

Well, no, but according to Circa Real Estate’s Heights Blog, Bungalow Heights at 1919 Beall St. is so dog-friendly, they also sell special dog beer so you can enjoy a brew together. Good Boy Dog Beer does not have alcohol so don’t worry; your dog can still drive home.

Other dog-friendly bars/ restaurants include Eight Row Flint (1039 Yale St.), which has a great patio and a Dog Halloween Costume Contest every year, and The Burger Joint (2002 N. Shepherd Dr.), which has a 3,300-square foot patio.

They also offer puppy shakes.

Did someone say staycation?

Le Méridien downtown (1121 Walker St.) is a Starwood Hotels and Resort luxury hotel brand in a building that was Houston’s first modern-style skyscraper and is listed on the

Less than 2 miles apart as well are Hoity Toity Dog Care at 701 W. 11th St. and Heights Pet Grooming at 711 Studewood St. Heights Pet Grooming has been in the Heights for more than 20 years. Hoity Toity offers grooming for both dogs and cats including baths, nails, highlights, de-shedding and more.

So whether it’s one of these options or another, the pets in the neighborhood appear to be in good hands even if they’re not at home.

ness at 638 W. 20th St., which is a bungalow-style facility that its website says helps dogs

It’s a date ... with your pooch betsy@theleadernews.com

feel as if they are in their own home. The facility offers dogs grooming and bath times, as well as playtime and boarding.

A couple of these facilities are not far apart on Durham Drive. Yuppie Dog at 2203 Durham Dr. was founded in 2009 and offers doggie daycare, boarding and grooming as well as pet training. Barely a mile down the road, Fur Paws at 1211 N. Durham Dr. is touted as featuring some upscale grooming such as a salon and spa along with standard daycare and boarding services.

National Register of Historic Places. They also accept dogs under 50 pounds.

You can also treat your pooch to a spa day. The Dog House Pet Salon, 6434 Washington Ave., offers baths, brushouts and nail painting among other services. The canine is now ready for your close-up, so Insta away.

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Page 2B • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • The Leader

The Pet Barber shaves away grooming

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@thleadernews.com

For more than 20 years, Paul Willis has been dedicated to his craft in making sure dogs leave his care more pampered and beautiful than when they entered.

It’s in his veins, and he would not have things any other way as he strives to bring the ultimate comfort and trust to the Houston community and their dogs.

“Ever since I was a little kid I just had this passion for animals. I never knew what it was going to grow up to be, but here I am,” he said. “And it’s what I have focused on pretty much my whole life. I’m really proud of where I am right now.”

Willis is the owner and operator of The Pet Barber grooming shop, which has two Houston area locations for community members to take their dogs for what he describes as top-notch care. The shop operates one store in Memorial at 1022 Wirt Rd., and another in Montrose at 1417

Richmond Ave. He opened the grooming shop in 2014 after spending about 15 years working in various grooming shops as well as in the dog show grooming business in New York. Willis attended the New York School of Dog Grooming, and said it eventually became his dream to open up a place of his own.

“I wanted something better for myself – I was going to take this talent, embrace it and then run with it. So that’s what I did.

I saw some things in the industry from people that I wanted to change because I knew it could be better,” he said. “I knew there needed to be some kind of personal relationship with the client themselves when they bring the dog. I’ve always had this intuition inside of me about how to be with dogs.”

Willis runs the day-to-day operations, while his wife Kristen helps with the business side of the operation. The Pet Barber focuses primarily on specialized grooming such as hand stripping and scissor work

Contributed photo Paul Willis, foreground, finishes grooming a dog at The Pet Barber.

Willis opened the speciality grooming business in 2014.

Above all, however, Willis believes the biggest factor in the business has as much to do with the actual grooming process as it does with a personal relationship between himself and those who entrust their pets to his care.

“We want you to come in, and then we don’t want you to ever go anywhere else – because we know you want a place where you can drop your baby off and that you trust.

You’ve given us your dog to take care of and to make beautiful. You’ve selected us,” he said. “What we need to do on the other end is make sure that we live up to all of those expectations so your dog is happy in our store, and not scared.”

In an effort to cultivate that relationship and help put owner and dog’s mind at ease, The Pet Barber has a 1,600 squarefoot grooming room that includes 500 square feet of playing room with a rubber floor, where your dog can run around and play with other dogs while waiting to be groomed.

“I’d say 95 percent of the

dogs that walk through the building can’t wait to get in – they’re wagging their tails, they’re happy about it, and their owners are happy about it,” Willis said. “That’s what you want to hear as a business owner, and that’s what you aim for. I figure you just want to stay with one place and you want to get to know your groomer.”

Willis said that in many cases, groomers in Texas are not required to complete certain qualifications and become certified to be able to work as a groomer. At The Pet Barber, however, Willis said their standards are set to what he learned from show grooming.

“With us it’s a lot different – we do a lot of specialty work,” he said. “That’s a big thing that separates us from the rest of the crowd.”

To find out more about what The Pet Barber can do for you and your dog, visit thepetbarberhouston.com/. You can call the Montrose location at 281974-1313, and you can reach the Memorial location at 713393-7181.

The Dog Gym a perfect place for pooches

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@thleadernews.com

Most people need a place to exercise, work their brain, and all-around just have a place to go in order to blow off steam.

Molly Taylor knows that dogs need the same thing. So this past April, she opened The Dog Gym utilizing 3,000 square feet next to Molly’s Mutt House at 3410 N. Shepherd Dr. “It’s easy to drop a dog off at daycare and pay someone to do something with your dog, but what we’re trying to do is encourage people to participate with their dog so they can bond with them,” she said.

“Our motto is ‘Bond, Play, Repeat.’ It’s getting people who wouldn’t do anything with their dogs because they don’t have the opportunity, time for a 6 week class, equipment, or air conditioner to do it in.”

Community members can bring their pooches into The Dog Gym for anything from agility courses to basic obedi-

ence and canine good citizen certifications, as well as trick classes and more. Taylor said they also offer facility rentals for dog meet ups and parties, and are working on offering private training sessions with some of their coaches in the near future.

“We’re slowly introducing more things for people to do,” she said. “We’re bringing everything ‘dog’ into the Dog Gym so people have more activities to try out with their dogs.”

The well-rounded exercise experience for the dogs, Taylor said, is more than just a physical release. She said the ability for owners or guardians to bond with their dog can benefit both pet and owner.

It can either deepen a connection, according to Taylor, or forge a new one altogether.

“A lot of people sometimes don’t realize the dog’s not bonded with them. To see that click when it happens, I don’t

even know how to describe it. It’s an amazing thing. Dogs need to be dogs – sometimes we humanize them so much that they don’t get to be a dog, and that’s really sad,” she said.

“When we get them in these environments where they can work on all these things, you see them become what they were born to be.”

That moment of seeing their smile and the dog’s excitement when they accomplish something new, she said, is one of the most fulfilling aspects of the new facility, and there are more exciting avenues on the horizon. She believes that bringing an option like The Dog Gym to Houston – where there is not an abundance of options for indoor pet recreation – can only benefit the community’s four-legged friends.

The Dog Gym offers a complimentary trial for those who want to try out a class. Pricing starts at $35 pay-as-you-go and greater savings on credit packs

and memberships. Community members can register for classes online or through the mobile app to get started on deepening the bond between them and their pup. You pick and choose one time sessions to attend when you want, as many times as you want.

“It creates a different relationship with their owner, and it makes life more enjoyable between the dog and human.

Dogs need to exercise, work their minds and do things that are innate in them and a part of their breed,” she said. “The way they light up when they see their dogs can do these things is an amazing connection to witness. A lot of people who live in the city don’t get to experience that.”

For more information on what The Dog Gym can offer or to register for classes, visit their website at houstondoggym.com/ or email info@ houstondoggym.com.

Contributed photo A community member goes through exercises with their dog at The Dog Gym, which provides a space to help pet owners get their pooches some exercise while deepening the bond between pet and owner.

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The Leader • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • Page 3B

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The Leader • Saturday, July 31, 2021 • Page 4B

Rosen provides vehicle safety tips From Staff Reports Driving a vehicle is the primary mode of transportation for many Houstonians and can provide a sense of freedom along with an efficient and reliable means of getting from one place to another.

But cars and trucks also can be targets for criminals as much for the valuables inside them as for the vehicles themselves.

Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen, whose office serves the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest areas, offers summertime vehicle safety tips for residents.

His overarching guidance is to take your keys, remove your valuables and lock your vehicle.

Watch Where You Park - Avoid parking next to

pickup trucks or cargo vans.

The truck bed and back of the van provide hiding spots for criminals as they wait.

- Avoid parking in dark or dimly lit parking lots or spots. The darkness allows criminals to conceal their location and avoid detection.

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Watch Your Surroundings - Stay off your phone while walking to your car. Talking or texting on your phone can cause you to be distracted and unaware of your surroundings.

Watch Your Stuff - Keep all valuables out of sight while not at your vehicle. Visible items such as GPS devices, purses and wallets, phones, etc., can intrigue criminals to break into the vehicle to steal them.

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Contributed photo Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen speaks to a community member during an eviction assistance event.

Jennifer M. Solak Attorney & Counselor at Law

ESTATE PLANNING PROBATE BUSINESS LAW

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1415 North Loop W, Suite105 Houston, Texas 77008 713-863-7063

Summer Savings and Staycations

Book your free seven day staycation and experience Ø ã«Ø  Ãã ¼«ó«Ã¢ ăØÜ㨠à ¡ÊØ Ü ó à úÜ ¡Ø Ê¡ ¨ Ø¢ ʈ Warm weather calls for warm welcomes—and hot summer savings.

Spend the week* in one of our fully furnished apartments with access to the amenities and adventures our residents love—free.

See if The Forum is your perfect fit, plus enjoy move-in savings.

You’ll love The Forum: • All-inclusive rates starting at $2,475, plus Veterans Savings available • Exceptional service by our caring professionals • Five Star Dining Experience with three meals daily • Free town car service, garage parking, and valet • Lifestyle360 activities for a balanced life • Includes utilities and cable television Happiness is right around the corner. Call our Marketing Office today at 713-956-0870 for more details or to book your staycation.

Summer Special: Your $ɗʃɔɔɔ Community Fee will be waived if úÊè ÂÊó «Ã ã¨«Ü Zè Øʈ**

*Staycations available by reservation only; limited availability. **See Management for complete promotion details.

THE FORUM AT MEMORIAL WOODS 777 North Post Oak Road • Houston, TX 77024 713-956-0870 • www.TheForumAtMemorialWoods.com INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE • RESPITE CARE License Number: AL #000757 ©2021 Five Star Senior Living