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Independence Heights still reeling from storm

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Mardie Paige already had spent more than three years on a waiting list to have her home evaluated and possibly repaired after it was damaged during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

Then Winter Storm Uri struck the Houston region last month, causing Paige’s water pipes to freeze and eventually burst.

She and her husband have not yet been able to get them fixed – because of the cost and also because of a shortage of plumb-

ing supplies and professionals – so their longtime Independence Heights home has been uninhabitable for nearly a month.

“I’m not the only one,” Paige said.

Paige, the Super Neighborhood Council 13 president who has been staying with her daughter in the Spring area, is among many Independence Heights residents who are still dealing with the devastation caused by a mid-February storm that led to widespread power outages, water-supply issues and damages to homes. The recovery process

has been slow in the historic, predominantly Black neighborhood, where several community members continue to lack running water, fresh food and even electricity.

Tanya Debose, executive director of the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council, estimated that about a quarter of the 5,000 homes in the neighborhood are still coping with issues caused by the storm, whereas more affluent parts of the city have been quicker to get their See Recovering P. 5A

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Photo from Twitter An Independence Heights resident, left, receives donated boxes of food during Winter Storm Uri last month. The neighborhood is still recovering.

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INSIDE. Photo by Adam Zuvanich A group of cyclists utilize a temporary bike lane painted in green while riding north on Heights Boulevard at its intersection with West 8th Street on Sunday. Some potential safety improvements were on display at the intersection.

Shooting for glory. The Lutheran High North girls are playing for a basketball state title.

Page 4A

Art icon. Mitch Cohen and his First Saturday Arts Market are celebrating 17 years.

Page 7A

Popup redesign shows potential improvements

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Taryn Roberts once was brought to tears while walking along the Heights Boulevard esplanade with her son, a newborn at the time. She said they were crossing a side street when the driver of an SUV – who had stopped in the median and was turning left onto the neighborhood thoroughfare – did not see them and nearly hit them.

So when Roberts and her family returned to the esplanade on Sunday, with 2-year-old Gio in a stroller, they were pleasantly surprised to see a series of orange cones and some freshly painted lines at the intersection of Heights Boulevard and West 8th Street. Representatives from multiple City of Houston departments and the Houston Heights Association had staged an example of a potential intersection redesign that provided wider and more clearly defined spaces for pedestrians and cyclists and, perhaps more importantly, caused passing motorists to slow down and pay closer attention to their surroundings.

See Improvements, P. 5A

Worldly mission. A Heights nonprofit provides medical training around the globe.

Houston ISD has had an interim superintendent for three years.

Now the largest school district in Texas, which a few months ago passed on the opportunity to make Grenita Lathan its permanent superintendent, must find someone else to be its top administrator.

Lathan, who has worked for HISD since 2015 and took over as interim superinSee related tendent in March column by Editor 2018, announced Adam Monday she is leavZuvanich ing at the end of Page 3A the school year to become the superintendent for Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, Missouri.

“The students, teachers, principals, staff, parents and community of HISD are close to my heart, and I leave knowing that they are resilient and stronger together,” Lathan wrote on Twitter. “Their light will keep shining through, and they will continue to be known for their innovation and success.”

In November, the HISD Board of Education voted against removing the interim tag from Lathan and to resume a national search for a permanent superintendent.

Such a search was previously halted by state-appointed conservator Doris Delaney.

See Lathan, P. 5A

Photo by Adam Zuvanich A popup intersection redesign on Sunday introduced the Heights neighborhood to a potential traffic reconfiguration while honoring the memory of David Loya, who died while riding his bike two years earlier at the intersection of Heights Boulevard and West 8th Street.

Contributed photo Houston ISD interim superintendent Grenita Lathan, standing, assists a student with online learning. Lathan announced Monday that she is leaving HISD to take a job in Springfield, Missouri.

Seniors thrive by creating art

Page 1B

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

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

Lathan leaving HISD for job in Missouri

Photo by Zarah Parker Barbara Peterson, a Forum at Memorial Woods resident and participant in its art program, showcases her reverse decoupage art.

When Jane Mulholland is creating art, she feels like she’s living in meditation.

“I found out art is the only thing that totally captivates me,” she said. “It’s like meditation. I don’t think. I just focus and the time just goes.”

Art has helped Mulholland through the last year of COVID-19 while living at the senior living facility The Forum at Memorial Woods, 777 N. Post

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Oak Rd. She even credits The Forum’s art program as being the reason she’s still a resident there.

The art program at the facility has been going on for a long time. A few years ago resident Chris Cavanaugh took over teaching and because he thought the work was worthy, set up semi-annual art shows for the participants in the program.

This year’s art show took place last week, ending on Friday.

“We had two a year, but this

one is the only one we’ve had for all of last year,” Cavanaugh said. “We had planned on having one in April last year, and of course it didn’t happen, so we saved the work.”

Cavanaugh said in-person art classes stopped last March.

By the end of the month, he knew he had to do something to keep the art program active.

The Forum utilizes Touchtown, which is a software developed for senior-living facilities that See Art P. 5A

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Page 2A • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • The Leader

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • Page 3A

Lathan’s departure another strike against HISD board

P

atricia Allen called it a blessing and a curse – a blessing for Grenita Lathan and a curse for Houston ISD. Lathan, who has served as HISD’s interim superintendent since March 2018, announced earlier this week that she is leaving at the end of the school year to become the first female superintendent for Springfield Public Schools in Missouri. So HISD and its board of trustees, for which Allen serves as president, must find someone else to oversee day-to-day operations for the largest school district in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States.

The thing is, Allen and her fellow board members brought this curse upon themselves. What else is new?

HISD’s nine-member board had a chance to secure Lathan’s services on a more permanent basis in November, when they considered whether to remove the interim tag from Lathan’s job title. But they voted 6-3 against doing so, also choosing to resume a nationwide search for a new superintendent.

Like any self-respecting professional would do, Lathan took the hint. And now she’s taking the next school bus out of Houston.

“I respect the decision that the board made to conduct a nationwide search, but I also respect who I am as a leader and who I am as a woman,” Lathan said during a Monday news conference. “I’m going to be first female superintendent (for Springfield Public Schools). I know

Adam

Zuvanich Editor

what my skills are.”

The HISD board members also should know what Lathan’s skills are, because she’s worked for the district for six years and served as its top administrator for the last three. And they should have known better than to show her the door at a time when the authority to hire a new superintendent could be stripped from them by the State of Texas.

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath notified the district in November 2019 that he planned to replace HISD’s elected trustees with a state-appointed board of managers because of what he said was the board’s “failure of governance” and the prolonged failing academic performance of Wheatley High School, which seemed to trigger a 2015 state law that would require Morath to either close the campus or replace the board that oversees it. At the time, state-appointed conservator Doris Delaney already had ordered HISD to suspend its search for a permanent superintendent.

HISD then sued the state in an attempt to prevent the board take-

over, claiming such a move would disenfranchise Houston voters. The lawsuit is ongoing, with the Texas Supreme Court expected to decide whether Morath has the legal authority to make his intended move.

The board’s handling of Lathan is another example of its incompetence. Because as State Sen. Paul Bettencourt said in 2019, when Wheatley received yet another failing grade from the state and a board takeover appeared imminent, Lathan is not the problem.

She seems to have done an admirable job for a district often mired in controversy and handcuffed by bureaucracy. Other HISD schools have climbed out of “improvementrequired status” under the watch of Lathan, who has been a gracious, steady hand as HISD has navigated Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019, an ongoing pandemic and a devastating winter storm just last month.

Now, has Lathan been a perfect leader? Of course not. The FBI raided HISD headquarters early last year while investigating an alleged kickback scheme involving thenChief Operating Officer Brian Busby, whose hiring preceded Lathan’s but was still under her purview. An HISD employee told me earlier this week that Lathan could have surrounded herself with more effective administrators and cut through some of the district’s red tape, and HISD hasn’t always been accessible and forthcoming with the public and news

The Lonely Star State THE GROCERY STORE – The last of the yogurt. No loaves of bread. Even in these Lynn weeks after the Big Freeze of Ashby 2021, bottles of water are MIA. We’ve seen TV shots of Texans Columnist lined up to shop, only to find, like Mother Hubbard, the cupboard is bare. How long will it take to get back to normal so we can wear masks and stay 6 feet away from everyone not in the radically diverse and generally same bed? If there is any bright peaceful place, and if it were a spot Texas has given America, country it would have the 10th it is industrial strength schadenlargest economy in the world. freude, pleasure derived from The simplest is Texas excepanother person’s misfortune. tionalism -- the idea that there Texas is the state the other is something about the state less fortunate countrymen (and and its people that tends toward countrywomen, these days you greatness over time. It’s more have to be PC) love to hate. So, than a sense that there is a lot when we stumble, as we often that’s unique about Texas; it’s a do, laughter goes forth from kind of tautology that explains Boston to San Diego. And it everything without saying anybrings out a chorus denouncthing. Great people who are ing Texas exceptionalism. “It’s from Texas are great because time to bury the myth of Texas they are from Texas.” exceptionalism,” trumpets a There is also American exheadline in the Washington ceptionalism, which is underPost” over a story by a Texan, going examination if not ridiKaren Attiah. “In high school cule, but within the U.S. the Big debate, the question of whether Freeze has highlighted a lot of the Lone Star State should seput-downs on the Lone Star cede from the union was a yearState. OK, this is not a time to ly issue. I argued absolutely yes. be defensive. We must admit ‘We are fine on our own! We our short comings. Almost, have our own power grid!’ Well, one in five Texans is uninsured, I was wrong.” and our public school system is I, personally, never debated often ranked as one of the 10 power grids in high school, worst in the country. We rank which shows the backwardness of Texas schools. But 37th in health care and 43rd in some folks like to call out our education. Our state governexceptionalism in the wake of ment is run by people with delusions of mediocrity. However, ERCOT’s independent grid.

Ryan Heath in Politico: “The we have the most cattle in the arguments for Texas exception- country – 13.1 million, or about alism, for tech exceptionalism one head for every two Texans. (against regulation), and Ameri- We are first in the number of can exceptionalism no longer our high school football playhold.” And Renuka Rayasam, ers suiting up in the NFL, and also in Politico: “Texans have in executions.

Being the target of our jeallong seen this independence ous neighbors means we are as a point of pride. Texas’ insingled out for fame or blame. dependent grid was created a For instance, can you imagine century ago in the image that a Broadway musical, “The Best Texans have of themselves: stand-alone, free from federal Little Whorehouse in Vermont,” oversight and largely deregu- if there is one? How about “The lated. But this week’s blackout South Dakota Chainsaw Mashas come as a rebuke to that sacre?” Does anyone yell, “Reidea -- or, at least, highlighted member the Grand Canyon?” the limits of Texas as a brash, There is also the kick-yourgo-it-alone state, big enough mother racket. If there was a not to have to rely on the rest book called “I Loved Playing for the Dallas Cowboys,” only of America.”

Carlos Kevin Blanton, head Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones of the history department at would buy it, but he’d probably Texas A&M University, ob- purchase enough to put it on serves that Texas’ history as an The New York Times Best Sellindependent country has be- er list. No, you need to write, come a part of its proud identi- “The Ugly Truth About the ty. “I think a go-it-alone attitude Dallas Cowboys,” a kiss-andwithin a republic of states is tell expose. Recently a book always a very tricky situation.” came out, “Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the The reality is that Texas was Texas Rangers,” which includes “ailing” with its finances, border episodes of the Rangers’ brusecurity and other issues before tality and racism. It must have it joined the rest of the counsold well to those who hate the try: “It was a failing state.” JuTexas Rangers. lian Lee in BloombergOpinion: Two examples of exception“Green energy isn’t to blame for alism or maybe pride: One of Texas’s power problems. It’s the my brothers was an internastate’s exceptionalism that has tional banker who spent years made the situation worse than abroad. He came to visit us it might otherwise have been.” and, after a few days, said, “Do Chris Hooks, an Austinyou know how many times in based writer, recently had a TV ads here I see either a Lone piece in the Houston ChronStar Flag or a map of Texas?” icle – before the freeze: “It’s a Actually, I didn’t. But he’s right.

And a Paris hotel manager, Phillipe, asked me, “Lean,” (he always called me that), “when I ask Americans where they are from, they always say ‘Boston’ or ‘New York.’ But you people always say, ‘Texas.’ Why is that?” We love our state flag and the state’s shape (like in the TV ads). A Houston hotel has a huge roof-top swimming pool in the shape of Texas. Do gift shops in Cheyenne sell door mats the shape of Wyoming?

They’re the same shape. This is not to denigrate Wyoming, which has just as many U.S. Senators as Texas, and I’ll bet theirs are much better than ours.

We’ll get out of this, as Travis told Crockett -- as soon as we can buy yogurt.

Ashby compares at ashby2@comcast.net

media under Lathan’s leadership.

But I haven’t heard anybody characterize Lathan as a bad superintendent. She’s done plenty of good things for a district that serves a wide range of children with all sorts of on- and off-campus needs, with some local elementary school principals voicing their support for her at the November board meeting.

Now that Lathan is on her way out, though, the question is, “Who will serve as HISD’s next superintendent?” And as the HISD employee told me, whether letting Lathan go proves to be a mistake will depend on who the district can secure as her successor.

Hiring someone better than Lathan figures to be a tall task, because how many qualified superintendents are going to want to work under a board with a track record of dysfunction and a possible state takeover looming over its collective head? HISD could hire a new administrative leader next month and then have the state replace its board – and possibly the superintendent hired by the board – a month later.

HISD may be forced to hire a relatively young and unproven superintendent, maybe from a much smaller city, who is willing to withstand those challenges and eager to make a splash. Or maybe it will need to shell out more money and provide a sweeter contract to secure a proven leader who can smooth some choppy waters.

To the board’s credit, about half

THE READER.

of it has been replaced by voters during HISD’s legal battle with the state, and the new board members cannot be blamed for the failings of previous ones. With nearly 200,000 students to serve, the board cannot be paralyzed by the potential state takeover and must continue to try to move HISD forward.

But three of the five trustees who voted to oust Lathan in October 2018 – including Elizabeth Santos, who serves area schools along with newer board member Kathy Blueford-Daniels – remain as trustees. The Texas Education Agency investigation that led to Morath’s November 2019 determination was triggered at least in part by their alleged violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act when they briefly replaced Lathan with former HISD superintendent Abe Saavedra, who withdraw from the job a few days later, leading to Lathan’s reinstatement as interim superintendent.

Now Lathan’s days at HISD are numbered, by her own choice but at least partly in response to the board’s decision not to retain her permanently. The guess here is that HISD’s board, and the district in general, will eventually regret that decision.

And if Lathan’s departure turns out to be a curse instead of a blessing, HISD’s board members will have no one to blame but themselves.

Email azuvanich@theleadernews. com

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com Dear Editor: We will continue to wear masks. It’s the right thing to do, plain and simple.

Marla Wunderlich

Abbott lifts mask mandate, opens businesses to full capacity

Dear Editor: Our Governor needs an attitude adjustment.

He continually makes the same mistakes over and over again instead of learning from them.

He will definitely not get my vote in the next election!

Jeanette Black

Dear Editor: I’ll still be wearing my mask Thankful Texas is open.

Donna Woodard Smith

Dear Editor: It would be nice to have a list of restaurants still requiring masks so we can make educated choices if we do eat out. I’ve already seen three post that they will continue the mask requirement.

Shelly McDavid Dear Editor: I am fully vaccinated but will continue to wear a mask to protect my neighbors and the workers at the businesses I choose to visit, which will only be businesses that still require masks. It’s really not hard.

Viula Tremblay Torgerson Dear Editor: Businesses are going to be in a pickle. There will be those that refuse to patronize if they don’t enforce masks ... and those that will refuse to patronize if they do enforce masks.

Christopher Marciano

TxDOT proposes changes to I-10 in Heights area

Dear Editor: Crazy! Time to rethink the city’s transportation strategy. How about a train?

Hauns Dear Editor: Another TxDOT abomination.

Terry Abel

Pinemont retail center reimagined as ‘The Common’

Dear Editor: Man, they’re really changing this area. Gonna be expensive.

Kat Lee Dear Editor: Looks like a really nice upgrade.

Suzy Mecredy

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss 1. Russian rulers (alt. sp.)

6. Swedish krona 9. Apothecaries’ unit 13. MN 55121 14. Longer forearm bone 15. Prosperous state of well-being 16. Largest Czech city (alt. sp.)

17. Moss genus larger than Bryum 18. ____ Marie Presley 19. White native of Cape Province 21. Took the same position 22. About Sun 23. Respectful (abbr.)

24. Southeast 25. Rocket launching platform 28. Stake 29. Innermost parts 31. Bowfin genus 33. Past it’s prime 36. Valleys on moon 38. Cheer 39. Abrupt response 41. Leave in disgrace 44. Israeli politician Abba 45. Of an ecological sere

46. Former Kansas Sen. Dole 48. Very fast airplane 49. Blood group 51. This moment 52. Body cavity 54. Patrician 56. Exposing to ridicule 60. Beowulf’s people 61. Gooseberry genus 62. Ali __ & the Forty Thieves 63. A French abbot 64. In a way, nailed 65. His equation predicted antimatter 66. Smaller quantity 67. Danish krone 68. Heartbeat

dOwn 1. Used for insect sterilization 2. Arabian coffee cup 3. Culture medium & a food gelling agent 4. Finger millets 5. Tin 6. More guileful 7. Tree gnarl 8. Force into place 9. Drawn 10. Sudden attack 11. Donkeys 12. George Gordon __ 14. Behaving in an

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25. Golf score 26. Friends (French) 27. Pickling herbs 29. In a way, dwelt 30. Pierces forcefully 32. Estranges 34. Shooting marble 35. Amounts of time 37. Register formally 40. Explosive 42. Kanza people, ____ Nation 43. Symbolize Shakti 47. Burdock seed vessel 49. Wild sheep of central Asia 50. Am. naturalist Charles Wm. 52. A fencing sword 53. Romanian city straddling the Cibin River 55. Small talks 56. Not well 57. Astronomer Sagan 58. Overgarments 59. Twist together 61. Radioactivity unit 65. Double play

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • The Leader

Experienced businesses approach 2021 with caution

By Robb Reeves For The Leader

There is no better teacher than experience.

One of the exciting components of this year’s McElvy Partners Small Business Sentiment Survey is that the businesses we surveyed have experience. Eighty-six percent of our respondents have been in business more than four years.

When we surveyed, we asked these businesses to tell us how long they had been at it. The choices were one to three years, 4-10 years, 11-20 years, or more than 21 years.

We managed to survey nearly 50 businesses that have been around more than 20 years. That age group was our largest response. By comparison, we surveyed 17 businesses open three years or less.

Why is this a good thing? Because we are in an uncertain time. In the last year, there have been major changes in government and a global pandemic that has rocked economies. The whole survey reflects the great uncertainty that is pervasive in our nation and that uncertainty has trickled down to small businesses.

About half of the respondents said they want to hire in 2021 but about half will not add staff. Very few surveyed plan to make a capital

Reeves

purchase in 2021. And while those are negative trends, those surveyed do expect their revenues to grow, which moves the needle from negative to uncertain.

What we like about the experience level of those surveyed is that they have seen these times before. It is likely the majority of those we surveyed have ridden out and survived the following: the Y2K scare, the dot com bubble, the September 11, 2001 attacks, and the Great Recession of 2009.

The trend in business media is to focus on new companies. People like new things and often those forming new companies are Millennials, which are a large part of America’s population. Thus stories about those

young companies and people attract the attention of young readers that are coveted by advertisers.

But these new companies weren’t around the last time things were tough. In fact, most small businesses don’t see their fifth birthday even in good times.

A plumbing company in business for 25 years and employing a dozen people is not exciting from a media perspective but what the ownership and management of that company knows is important if you want to make payroll and survive.

So what are these sage and experienced owners and managers telling us? In two words: Be careful.

They are telling us they think the wrath of COVID-19 will pass soon and that business will begin to return to normal. We know this because they expect revenue to grow in 2021. But they also tell us not to pursue that growth aggressively. The majority of those surveyed plan to spend the same on advertising and marketing as they did in 2020.

This sounds moderate but it is actually conservative because marketing budgets were not robust in 2020.

An experienced small business is often buoyed by a cadre of key employees who have been employed several years at the company. Such employees give the business effi-

ciencies through knowledge and skill that a young business can’t match.

These key employees tend not to leave their employer. They are where they want to be in their career and like their work. The owner knows if he or she can keep enough work coming in to keep these folks on board, the owner can ride out a tough stretch. That is probably a reason why 47 percent of those surveyed plan not to hire this year. The core team is in place.

If you are a young business, be building that core and try to keep them.

But 53 percent say they will hire.

We think this response is from owners looking out and seeing that business will pick up and new people will be required to handle that work beyond the core. Also, an experienced and well-run business is always weeding and seeding. This means weaker employees are being managed out and better prospects hired.

Our more experienced businesses came of age during a simpler time as it relates to advertising. They can remember placing an ad in the phone book and people came in the door with money and the phone rang. Today, that’s not the case and often a customer never touches a phone or a car key before buying. Instead, the only thing they touch is the screen

of a smartphone.

That’s confusing to older businesses and when we asked those surveyed in what area do they need the most help, they said managing their website and marketing.

This tells us more experienced businesses are at risk of losing market share if they can’t get their marketing and advertising figured out.

Likely, their clients are older and may one day not need their service.

For the business to continue, it will have to market to find new customers. That can be expensive as digital advertising no longer means low cost.

And finally, our veteran businesses are saying don’t go out and make a major purchase. By a 3-1 margin they don’t plan on making a capital purchase in 2021. Such often means borrowing and these business owners know about the strain of debt and making payments.

They don’t see enough growth in sales in 2021 to justify the cost. We also think these experienced businesses bought during the good times that began in 2016 and those times were quite favorable for small companies.

Robb Reeves is the vice president of McElvy Partners, a company that specializes in print and digital marketing solutions for small businesses.

Standout performances lead area baseball, softball squads

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Several of the area’s baseball and softball teams continued good starts to the season last week, with a multitude of standout performances leading the way.

St. Pius X highlighted the area’s private-school baseball squads, beating the John Cooper School 15-3 on March 4 and defeating Houston Christian 7-4 on March 5 before dropping a 2-1 decision to Waltrip later on March 5. The Panthers’ Tregan Hyder and Jack Johnson each had three hits on March 4, while Hyder and Miles Daughtry had three RBIs apiece and Casen Evans had four hits. Pitcher John Herzog struck out six hitters in 2 2/3 innings of relief against John

Cooper.

The Panthers (6-4) then took down Splendora 6-0 on Tuesday.

St. Thomas had strong week with a 3-2 win over Clear Brook on March 3, and then beat Clear Falls 3-1 on Tuesday. Peter Corbett hit a two-run homer for the Eagles (8-1-1) against Clear Brook, while UT-Dallas commit Max Chung had a double and a triple.

Texas A&M commit Will Rizzo took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Clear Falls.

Lutheran High North opened its season March 5 with a 9-6 win over St. Francis Episcopal and was scheduled to play Scarborough on Friday.

In public-school action, Waltrip went undefeated last week to pick up its first two wins of the season. In addition to the

on March 3, in addition to forfeit wins against Sam Houston on March 2 and Westbury on March 5. Heights also beat Lamar 16-5 on Tuesday. Letty Flores had the big highlight of the week for the Lady Bulldogs (8-2, 5-0) with a walk-off, tworun homer to beat Bellaire.

On the private-school circuit, St. Pius X split a pair of games last week, beating the John Cooper School 14-2 on March 2 before falling to Houston Kinkaid on March 4. Four players drove in at least two runs apiece for the Lady Panthers (54) against John Cooper, while Victoria Hunter homered and drove in all three runs against Kinkaid.

Lutheran High North was set to begin its season with a road game Friday against Legacy Christian.

aforementioned win over St. Pius X, the Rams (2-3, 1-0 district) beat Houston Austin 13-2 on March 3.

Scarbrough picked up three wins last week to get off the mat, beating Kashmere 21-2 on March 2. Following a loss to Klein Forest on March 4, the Spartans (3-5, 2-0) beat Katy Faith West Academy 17-8. The Spartans then downed Kashmere again Tuesday, this time by a score of 16-6.

Heights dropped its March 5 game 9-0 against Crosby and was scheduled to face Benjamin Davis on Friday.

Softball Heights started District 186A competition with a bang last week. The Lady Bulldogs beat Bellaire 8-6 on March 1 and took down Westside 11-4

Photo from St. Thomas High School Twitter St. Thomas head baseball coach Adam Massiatte, center, addresses his team after a game. The Eagles are 8-1-1 this season.

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP Heights’ Alvarez named finalist for Fields Award Lady Lions punch ticket to TAPPS title game landan@theleadernews.com

landan@theleadernews.com

It was another banner season on the basketball court for the Heights Lady Bulldogs in 2020-21, and one of their main catalysts is being recognized for her efforts.

Senior guard Gracelynn Alvarez was named as one of 10 finalists for the inaugural Anthony Fields Award on March 2. The award was established to honor the Greater Houston area’s top high school girls basketball player.

Alvarez, who is committed to UTEP, was the Lady Bulldogs’ leading scorer this season, averaging 15.8 points per game and garnering a selection to the All-Region III6A team. She also averaged 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game for a Heights team that finished 24-5, won its second straight District 18-

Private-school girls basketball fans in Texas might be tiring of seeing Lutheran High North at the state championship game – but the Lady Lions likely aren’t tiring of making the almost annual trip to Waco.

They secured their spot in the final once again Tuesday night with a resounding reminder of why they’re the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches’ top-ranked squad in TAPPS 3A. LHN ran past the Round Rock Christian Crusaders 7856, punching its ticket to a state final for the fourth time in the past seven seasons. This was on the heels of a 67-40 win in the regional round against Tomball Rosehill on March 6.

Dalanna Carter led the way with 34 points for LHN. Under head coach John

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann Gracelynn Alvarez spins away from a defender during a Feb. 20 playoff game against Fort Bend Ridge Point.

6A crown and reached its second consecutive Region III-6A semifinal.

The award winner will be announced March 30.

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Slomcheck, the Lady Lions won the TAPPS 4A state title in 2017 and also made championship game appearances in 2015 (3A) and 2019 (4A).

The Lady Lions (21-3) will face McKinney Cornerstone Christian Academy (15-1) for the TAPPS 3A title at 3:30 p.m.

Saturday.

SPX falls to Village School In other girls playoff action, St. Pius X had its season come to end March 6 at the hands of the top-ranked Village School, losing 67-34 to finish the season with a 12-9 overall record.

Zachara Perkins led SPX with 14 points and six rebounds.

SPX will graduate seniors Nikita D’souza and Alexis McGregor, but will likely return its leading scorer and rebounder next season in Perkins (19.3 points, 10.8 rebounds) along with Breelyn Sanborn (14.1 points) and Farren DonaldWright (10.9 points).

By Landan Kuhlmann

By Landan Kuhlmann

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Photo by Landan Kuhlmann Kinsie Kim throws an inbounds pass during Lutheran High North’s Jan. 9 game against The Village School. LHN defeated Round Rock Christian on Tuesday night and will play in the TAPPS 3A state final this Saturday.

GET LiftingIT! Covid Restrictions OVER

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

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

By Pastor Will Cover

Arise Baptist Church 803 Curtin St. Houston TX 77018 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org

T

here has been and will continue to be lots of time spent discussing the mask mandates by those who are in favor and those who are opposed. As a Christian, the Bible teaches us to love one another. You may agree or disagree with the decisions Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn ofyou will our throughout not, and not beleaders condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven... this past year but one thing Luke 6:37 has R.S.V. been clear all along. I am commanded to love my neighbor. Part of loving others is choosing not to fight with them over personal issues and instead I should be pointing them to Christ with my actions and with my speech. How have you taken time to demonstrate love to your neighbor over these past months? How will you continue to show love

to those around you as the mandates are lifted? Will you be known for your stance for or against Covid restrictions, or will you be known for how you helped, encouraged, and loved others in your community through this time.

Many have tried to tie love to either keeping or disregarding the mandates.

Love is an action that demonstrates that I care for those around me more than I care for myself. Trying to force others to agree with you and then calling it love is actually the exact opposite. Jesus even loved the people that crucified him and He demonstrated this by saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Don’t let your fears or your personal freedoms get in the way of showing love to others. Be like Jesus.

Be willing to give instead of trying to get.

The Leader • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • Page 5A

Lathan from P. 1A

Recovering, from P. 1A

In 2019, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced his plan to replace HISD’s nine-member board with a state-appointed board of managers because of what he said was the board’s “failure of governance” and the prolonged failing academic performance of Wheatley High School. A lawsuit between HISD and the state, which will determine whether Morath has the legal authority to replace the HISD board, is ongoing and expected to be decided by the Texas Supreme Court.

The Texas Education Agency investigation that led to Morath’s determination was triggered at least in part by the HISD board’s alleged violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act when it briefly replaced Lathan with former HISD superintendent Abe Saavedra in October 2018. Saavedra withdrew from the job a few days later, and the HISD board then voted to reinstate Lathan as interim superintendent.

She has served in the role ever since, helping HISD navigate flooding caused by Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and last month’s winter storm.

“I would like to thank Dr. Lathan for her many years of service to the students of the Houston Independent School District – especially for her leadership as interim superintendent since March 2018,” HISD board president Patricia Allen said in a statement released by the district.

“From moving numerous HISD campuses out of improvement required status to her strong leadership during several major weather events and a global pandemic, she has truly been a beacon for our students, staff and families. We wish her well.”

Art, from P. 1A can be programmed to run movies or videos for everyone.

With the help of some of The Forum’s faculty, Cavanaugh was able to learn how to program different types of art tutorials from YouTube into Touchtown. It was like the art program had its own, in-house television station.

About 9-10 residents regularly participate in the program, doing adult coloring, journaling and water color and acrylic painting. Through the YouTube tutorials, the residents also learned reverse decoupage and jelly prints. All of the art supplies are provided by The Forum.

When an art piece is sold, the money goes entirely to the artist.

“The video tutorials for sure helped the resident participate in the program,” Cavanaugh said. “One resident broke her thigh. I brought her materials and she was able to do collages.”

William Floyd, a resident at The Forum, recently got into painting while participating in the art program. He sees art as an important window into life.

“Fellowship and insight, I think, you gain from art,” Floyd said.

Another resident, Barbara Peterson, joked that the program has taken up all her time. She went on to say that being able to continue the program through Touchtown has been beneficial to the group.

pipes fixed and water restored.

“It’s a situation where people are still in shock and the rest of the world has gone on,” Debose said.

Debose has led a coalition of neighborhood volunteers, churches and local nonprofits to help meet the needs of community members, particularly the elderly and those with young children. She keeps a list of Independence Heights residents who need help and has worked on a daily basis to provide water, hot meals and supplies.

A community-wide supply distribution and block party was held last Sunday to provide resources and lift spirits. Among those who participated, according to Debose, were Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Houston City Council member Karla Cisneros and Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis.

The neighborhood also has set up a GoFundMe page ( h t t p s : / / w w w. g o f u n d m e . com/f/independence-heightswinter-storm-relief), which as of

Wednesday morning had raised more than $5,100 with a goal of $10,000.

“It’s a great story to me about Tanya and her friends and neighbors that are coming together,” Garden Oaks resident Georgia Lister said. “It’s really a great example of community, coming together and doing what you’ve got to do.”

Debose thanked Lister and others in neighboring subdivisions such as Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and the Heights for chipping in to help. Debose said they had a big hand in convincing Ohio-based Matthews 25: Ministries to set up a free laundry service – as part of the Tide Loads of Hope program – for a few days last week at True Light Missionary Baptist Church on North Main Street.

Debose said nonprofits such as Rebuilding Together Houston and the St. Bernard Project (SBP), which plans to build an affordable housing complex in Garden Oaks, also have provided aid for Independence Heights.

“They have really given us energy to really help doing this effort,” Debose said. “They have contributed every day.”

Debose said Independence Heights still has a long road to recovery, though, and that the neighborhood needs much more than money to fix its problems.

Construction and plumbing materials, along with manpower to repair homes and distribute supplies, are just as crucial.

Every little bit helps, according to Anthony Halley, the senior pastor at True Light Missionary Baptist Church. He said something as simple as having clothes cleaned last week alleviated stress for community members who have coped with Hurricane Harvey, a pandemic, a winter storm and ongoing gentrification, which is causing property values and taxes to skyrocket and essentially pricing some longtime residents out of their homes.

“We have to remember this is a neighborhood that has been hit many different ways,” Halley said. “These are problems that

have stacked on top of other problems.”

Along with donating through the aforementioned GoFundMe page, Debose said Houstonians interested in helping Independence Heights residents can visit bouncebackih.org to connect with the neighborhood, learn about its needs and find ways to get involved.

The 65-year-old Paige, who has lived in Independence Heights her entire life, said the neighborhood and its residents have a long history of fending for themselves. But in the wake of a crippling winter storm, she said assistance is welcomed and appreciated and might at some point be reciprocated.

“If you have a way to send plumbing, have a way to send sheetrock, have a way to send anything, please send it through the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council (bouncebackih.org),” Paige said. “That way we can keep a record of it, say thanks and maybe next time, if you need something, we can help you out.”

day’s event. HHA executive director Emily Guyre said they wanted to “honor David and his family” while introducing the neighborhood and its most well-traveled thoroughfare to some potential changes.

“Heights Boulevard was one of the first streets (in Houston) to get a bike lane, and obviously it needs to be updated,” Guyre said. “Our ridership is really high.

We’ve got people of all different ages riding on the boulevard, and we want to make sure everyone stays safe.”

Guyre said the HHA’s longterm vision is to upgrade Heights Boulevard from Interstate 10 to West 20th Street with some of the same features that were on display Sunday, such as wider spaces for pedestrians and cyclists near the outside of the road along with bike lanes that were clearly marked by thick, green lines. She said Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority are on board with the idea, but it does not have a

funding source and therefore no plan is in place and no improvements are imminent.

Houston Public Works director Carol Haddock, who rode her bike to and from Sunday’s event, said the idea is in line with the city’s Vision Zero initiative that aims to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. She said one of the purposes of Sunday’s popup was to solicit community feedback and see if such a traffic reconfiguration would be supported by the neighborhood before a project is pursued.

Passing pedestrians were invited to write sticky notes on a poster board set up at the intersection, with some endorsing the changes and others suggesting more signage and traffic signals and better lighting at night.

“What we’ve noticed is people on bikes and with their strollers and out walking very much appreciate the attention that’s being paid to them and vehicles are slowing down,” Haddock said.

“We’re having really good interactions between people on bikes

and people in their cars and people on their feet.”

Ian Hlavacek, a managing engineer for the city who painted the green bike lane on the east side of the intersection, said the temporary setup represented “low-cost techniques” that would improve safety without having a significant impact on traffic flow.

Vehicles traveling both north and south on Heights Boulevard still had one lane to themselves and could still turn left or right onto cross streets.

Hlavacek said the augmented intersection “just feels safe.” Roberts and relatives of Loya had a similar impression, with Loya’s cousin, Jesse Montemayor, saying he’s glad community stakeholders are taking note of the dangerous conditions that led to his loved one’s death and are committed to improving them.

“I feel like we’ve got all the right players at the table,” Guyre said. “Everyone has a common goal to increase safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. We’d also just love to see traffic slow down.”

Improvements, from P. 1A “This is great,” Roberts said.

“So many people walk here, and (vehicles) fly through here and they don’t even see.”

The popup intersection redesign, as the three-hour event was billed, also was a welcome sight for the family of David Loya, the 23-year-old Heights resident who was killed at the intersection exactly two years earlier when he was riding his bike along Heights Boulevard and collided with a school bus that was crossing on 8th Street. Members of Loya’s family came by to see the temporary setup and visit the white ghost bike that was installed at the intersection, with some of his relatives saying the street needs to be made safer.

That’s the goal of the Houston Heights Association (HHA), which pulled together representatives from Houston Public Works, the city’s Planning & Development Department, Transportation and Drainage Operations, the office of Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin and nonprofit BikeHouston to put on Sun-

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The Leader • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • Page 7A

Heights art market celebrates 17 years For The Leader

This space in The Leader is typically reserved for Mitch Cohen’s Art Valet column, in which the longtime Heights artist writes about Houston’s art scene and the people and places who make it come to life.

This week, though, we’re saluting Cohen and his First Saturday Arts Market, which has become a beloved community staple at 530 W. 19th St. The free outdoor event celebrated its 17th anniversary last Saturday, when visitors enjoyed live music, food and beverages and, of course, fine art from local exhibitors.

To commemorate the occasion, 17 artists who have participated in the First Saturday Arts Market shared a few words about why they love Cohen or the market or a fond memory from over the years.

Here’s what they had to say: Lauren Luna (participating artist for nine years): “I told Mitch that when I got ready to relocate to Houston from Ohio, it was his market that would keep coming up on my search for what the art pulse was like in Houston. I contribute a very large percentage of my success in Houston because of my participation with First Saturday Arts Market and the networking through doing so.”

Dean Snider (participating artist for 15 years): “No matter what, Mitch and the market is the place I fit in. It’s like a family and I love our community. It’s tough love sometimes, but they help keep me in my groove.”

Tim Herschbach (participating artist for nine years): “I love First Saturday Arts Market because the set-up is easy, there’s a great crowd that takes art seriously, and it’s a fun atmosphere. Market mystery drinks also go down in top

memories!”

Heather Wobbe (participating artist for four years): “As an artist often trapped in my studio, the market is a wonderful way to get feedback and see what my patrons love about my work. Our community of artists have endured a lot weather-bound days together, but we celebrate what we’re passionate about.”

Johnny Van Slyke Summers (participating artist for two years): “Mitch helped me get involved in the art community when I moved here in 2018. First Saturday Arts Market was my first public showing in Houston. It has opened countless opportunities for me all over Texas and even global opportunities. I now have works in Portugal and Greece due to being discovered at the market by patrons visiting the market. I have painted for about 15 years, however, I’ve only been painting full-time for almost three years now.

Thanks, Mitch!”

Steven Sellers (participating artist for 15 years): “This market has a vibe and an energy unlike any other market I’ve ever been a part of. Always upbeat, always unique, it’s always a great place to spend a Saturday. Mitch is a tireless advocate for all who participate in his market. He doesn’t seek the spotlight — his drive and focus are solely on promoting his artists.”

Alexis Andrei (participating artist for 17 years): “The First Saturday Arts Market is an amazing way to show your work and Mitch is amazing, too. Every time I show, people come to see me. The last time I showed, four people came to my tent because they knew I was participating in the market.”

Craig Butterworth (participating artist for one year): “This is the best market and location in town, right on his-

Photo by Ana Guzman Mitch Cohen, left, and his girlfriend Lynn Marie are fixtures at the First Saturday Arts Market.

toric 19th Street. All the artists are really nice and supportive of each other. Mitch has been encouraging from the start, and patient with me, even when I knew nothing.”

Devayani Vaishnav (participating artist for 16 years): “I did my first ever art market back in 2006. The support I received from Mitch when I was starting out was amazing.

Even still, his energy for the art market is the exact same and I feel grateful to be part of the market.”

Lisa Morales (participating artist for seven years): “I love First Saturday Arts Market because it taught me step by step how to be successful on the show circuit. From booth set up, to inventory, to customer service, I learned it all by participating in FSAM. I think the reason this show has been successful for 17 years is Mitch’s dedication to consistently producing a quality event. Being an artist himself, he has a unique perspective.

He is our fearless leader, our biggest cheerleader and I couldn’t imagine the Houston art scene without him.”

Penny Rae Robinson (participating artist for four

years): “I love First Saturday Arts Market because it is a venue which is within three miles of the urban woods where most of my photos are taken. I enjoy helping people see Houston’s beautiful natural surroundings that are just around the corner. I enjoy getting to know our wonderful customers and the other artists who bring their best work every month. The market is well run and very supportive to both emerging and veteran artists. It is a lot of fun!”

Arthur Deatly (participating artist for nine years): “I love our commodore, Mitch Cohen. Mitch knows I won’t have a beer unless I’ve sold something. So instead of asking how my sales are, he asks if I’m ready for a beer.”

Jack Connelly (participating artist for 10 years): “I enjoy the wonderful artists and their variety and the upbeat feeling the market brings. The enthusiastic and loyal customers are great. The market is always colorful and lively, and I meet new interesting folks every time. My artist blood is renewed by each show with new energy to keep creating more quality artwork. Mitch does a

great job organizing the show, which is good for us artists. He is always making us laugh!”

Monique Weston (participating artist for 10 years): “One of the main attractions of any city is always a market of some kind. Locals and visitors go there to shop, and also to see daily life, hear the chatter among locals, and feel the heartbeat of the city. A market, especially outdoors, framed by the local businesses and architecture, expresses a city’s personality. First Saturday Arts Market reflects an openness that is one of the best qualities Houston has to offer. As a fairly young city, originally built along practical lines, our best experience to offer visitors is our hospitality – our food and events. FSAM reflects Houston’s laid-back, welcoming atmosphere, and some of our best food trucks.

Walking through the market, people can chat with the artists, not just representatives.

It’s an experience very different from a gallery, or even a ticketed art festival. First Saturday Arts Market gives me the invaluable experience of seeing first-hand how people, especially fellow Houstonians, react to my artwork.

Those conversations shape my work directly, in a way no other outlet can. Every big city has its own sense of style, and FSAM’s friendly, informal atmosphere sparks those conversations that shape our aesthetic sense. Seeing people of all ages walking through the market over the years, it’s nice to know that kids growing up visiting FSAM have direct access to artists who work in different media – they ask us about materials, process, our education and just what it’s like to live as an artist. And every now and then at FSAM I hear a young person say, ‘This is the first piece of art I’ve ever bought!’”

Caroline Z. Marcos (participating artist for 12 years): “Mitch was the face of the warm Houston hospitality that was my first impression of the Houston art community in 2007. He was encouraging and supportive — always generous with information and ideas for a successful art career. I took a break from the festival, started a family, and came back recently. I love the First Saturday Arts Market community. They share ideas and are generous with resources. Mitch organizes a great market.”

Angela Rose Walling (participating artist for five years): “First Saturday Arts Market is such a fun environment and experience. The people are so nice and it’s always a pleasure to see everyone’s reaction to my artwork. I always do really well on selling. I feel like I am around my peeps when at the market.”

Kerry Hastings Hogan (participating artist for two years): “At my very first show, I didn’t know who anyone was at the market. A super nice lady came into my booth and bought the first painting that I ever sold to anyone that wasn’t a friend or family member. She loved the painting and even took my picture with her holding the painting. My husband Chris found out it was Mitch’s girlfriend, Lynn, that had purchased the painting. When Mitch came around later in the evening, Chris grabbed him and said, ‘Hey, Kerry is so excited that she sold her first painting and it was your girlfriend that bought it!’ What we didn’t know, was that Lynn had bought the painting for Mitch, and we had spoiled the surprise. Sorry, Mitch. It is still one of my favorite paintings.”

For more market details, including art images and artist contact information, visit FirstSaturdayArtsMarket.com.

Review: Don’t overlook Smokey Cheeks for Tex-Mex BBQ Zarah Parker Managing Editor

There used to be a Checkers across the street form Delmar Stadium. Now, it’s Smokey Cheeks.

“It’s BBQ Butt Tex-Mex” is the slogan of the restaurant that features walk-up ordering, patio seating and a drivethrough at 1815 Mangum Rd. It’s the type of place you don’t realize is there until you pass by it one day or you stumble across it as you’re Googling for a place to eat. After my recent visit to Smokey Cheeks, I realized it’s a hidden gem more people should know about.

The menu includes a small variety of meats, tacos, Cuba-

nos and sides. I ordered The OG taco, which comes with smoked beef cheek (barbacoa), coleslaw, ghost pepper blueberry hollandaise, pickled onions and cilantro. Plus, I got the two-meat, two-side combo, choosing the pulled pork and chicken with charro beans along with French fries on the side.

And I couldn’t resist grabbing some chips and guacamole.

I hit the drive-through and ordered quickly, but it took a few minutes longer than I expected to get my food.

When I arrived home, I was happy to see it all traveled well, especially the taco, which is what I dug into first.

Under The OG description on the menu, it reads that this taco is “Reserve Champion HLSR Round Up Best Bites”

and after my first bite, I could taste why it would place at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

The beef cheek had a deep, rich beef flavor. It was incredibly tender, reminding me of a pot roast. The toppings worked great with the meat.

The coleslaw gave the taco a crispy texture in contrast to the tender meat.

The pulled pork and chicken came with a side of flour tortillas, so I could make those into tacos as well, which I did.

I was happy to find both of these meats were just as tender as the beef cheeks, but weren’t as rich in flavor. While the chicken was good, I favored the pork because it had a nice savory quality.

The chips and guacamole turned out better than what some Tex-Mex restaurants

serve. It had everything I look for in guacamole - a hint of sweetness from the tomatoes and onions, cilantro included and the serving size was plenty.

The only real downside of my meal were the charro beans. The broth smelled overwhelmingly of pork and the beans were a little too hard still. I also tried some of the baked beans that my nephew got and those didn’t impress me either. The French fries were good, but nothing to make them stand out.

My lunch partner got the spicy chicken sandwich and liked it a lot, and while my nephew ignored his grilled cheese, his mother tried it and said it was really good.

I’ll definitely be back at Smokey Cheeks for The OG taco, and probably sooner

Photo by Zarah Parker The OG Taco and two-meat, two-side combo from Smokey Cheeks.

rather than later.

Smokey Cheeks Address: 1815 Mangum Rd. Hours: 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday for drive-through; 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

for dine-in Pricing: $3.25-$17.99 Kid-friendly: Yes Alcohol: No Healthy options: Yes Star of the show: The OG Taco

Local restaurants, bars still playing it safe

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the statewide mask mandate and allowed all businesses to open to full capacity, effective Wednesday.

A common sentiment among local restaurateurs and small business owners in the hospitality world is that it’s too early to ease restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. Some area restaurant and bar owners said the governor’s order brings concerns for the health of the community as well as potentially having to deal with customers who don’t agree with the businesses that decide to keep their mask and capacity policies.

“I felt Abbott lifted the restrictions too soon,” said John King, owner of Dan Electro’s Bar, 1031 E. 24th St. “For my business I am worried about non-maskers causing problems because we are still enforcing a mask mandate at this establishment for people’s safety.”

That was echoed by Alli Jarrett of Harold’s Restaurant,

Bar & Rooftop Terrace, 350 W. 19th St., and Levi Rollins, owner of Urban Eats, 3414 Washington Ave. Harold’s policy regarding masks stayed the same after Wednesday - guests are required to wear a mask upon arrival, departure and while moving around the restaurant.

Jarrett said her business also will continue to limit capacity to 50 percent in order to allow for socially distanced tables.

Urban Eats is operating the same way.

“We appreciated the mask mandate not only for safety, but also because being the mask police is not pleasant for a hospitality-driven business,” Jarrett said. “We’ve been gaining good ground so naturally there is concern that our staff and guests will be at risk since so few have been vaccinated.”

John Holler, owner of Holler Brewing Co., 2206 Edwards St., pointed out that Abbott is not enforcing anything, rather he’s removing mandates that were imposed on businesses.

“For example, Holler Brewing — since it is considered a ‘bar’ and not a ‘restaurant’ — had been forced to remain

to wear masks and socially distance.

Rollins said he agrees with the idea of it being too early to lift the mandates. He said Urban Eats will continue with its current safety protocols until

Photo by Cyriaque Milhau Urban Eats plans to continue implementing safety protocols.

closed except for to-go sales,” Holler said. “This meant that you could go into a stuffy restaurant bar and get tanked on margs, but you couldn’t enjoy a tank-fresh pint of beer on our open-air patio unless you bought it in a plastic cup and pretended to take it ‘to-go.’ “ Effective Wednesday, Holler said he was able to sell “for here” beer in proper glassware. The brewery will continue to keep most of its seating outdoors and spaced out as well as having customers wear a mask while in the tap room.

“This is for the safety and comfort of our staff and customers,” Holler said.

The lifting of the mask man-

date and openings to capacity came as a surprise to Randy Hines, owner of Kolache Shoppe at 1031 Heights Blvd.

“We had to scramble to figure out how we were going to respond,” Hines said. “We are in the business of hospitality, and so we strive to be as welcoming as possible while also ensuring safety through things like social distancing and masks.”

Hines also said it’s a tight rope for the hospitality industry. He expects there to be some initial confusion among customers due to Abbott’s announcement, since Kolache Shoppe and others plan to continue requiring customers

Houston is at least 50 percent vaccinated and its staff has the ability to get their vaccinations.

“It’s not the time yet,” Rollins said. “We’re less than 10 percent vaccinated.”

THE PUBLIC. The Leader • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • Page 8A

Municipal courts resuming operations at start of April

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The City of Houston recently announced that its Municipal Courts Department will be resuming all court hearings April 1, including all judge and jury trials, arraignments and

parking adjudication hearings.

Community members will be required to wear masks when entering the courts and will have their temperature taken. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will not be allowed to enter, according to

the city.

Residents can visit the municipal court website at www. houstontx.gov/courts for continued updates on all court locations and hours of operation, as well as all online mailin options or payments regarding their court case.

Man stabbed near Greater Inwood

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police are investigating an incident that led to a man being stabbed near Greater Inwood last last month.

The victim, 20-year-old Michael King, was taken to an area hospital, police said.

According to the Houston Police Department, King was meeting with a friend who

owed him money at 5800 Village Forest Ct. just before 2:30 p.m. Feb. 27. HPD said that when King and a witness saw the friend and pulled their car over to him, he reached into the car and stabbed King multiple times while taking his money.

After the witness knocked the knife out of the suspect’s hands, police said the man fled the scene on foot. HPD said in

a March 2 news release it does not have available descriptive information about the suspect, but the department is following up on leads pertaining to his identity.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact HPD’s Major Assaults & Family Violence Division at 713308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

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FOOD BRIEFS: Washington Avenue gaining new sushi spot

By Zarah Parker

wear their masks.”

zarah@theleadernews.com

Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee, the duo behind two popular sushi spots, including Handies Douzo at 3510 White Oak Dr., are opening a third.

The newest restaurant is Fuku and will open up at 1902 Washington Ave., according to Eater Houston. The menu will be sushi-centered with core items and rotating specials.

The space is expected to open in the next few months.

Concrete Cowboy cancels “mask off ” party Concrete Cowboy, 5317 Washington Ave., planned to have a “mask off” party Wednesday that coincided with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s lifting of the statewide mask mandate and business capacity limits.

The bar received backlash from Houston officials, including Mayor Sylvester Turner.

During a news conference on Monday, Turner read an email from Concrete Cowboy owner Dan Wierck, which stated that

Photo by Facebook Daniel Lee and Patrick Pham will be opening their third sushi restaurant, Fuku, 1902 Washington Ave.

the bar canceled the party and would not open Wednesday.

“Let me thank Dan and Concrete Cowboy for recognizing the importance of what we’re trying to do,” Turner said. “We want businesses to open and thrive in our city, and I think two months from now the landscape will be much better than what it is today. I do believe it is too early now to take off the mask. It’s one thing for the businesses to be all the way open, but I do want people to encourage people to

HPD investigating shooting near Acres Homes

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police are looking into a shooting near Acres Homes last week that left a woman hospitalized.

The victim, 43-year-old Latonya Schooler, was transported to an area hospital with gunshot wounds to her arm and chest, according to the Houston Police Department.

HPD said officers responded to a residence at 754 Homer St. at 7:40 a.m. March 4 in response to a shooting call. Investigators were told Schooler had met with the shooting suspect, a Black man in his 50s, around midnight, according

to HPD. The suspect, police said, was missing money and accused Schooler of taking it.

According to HPD, the suspect then drove to the aforementioned address and held Schooler at gunpoint while searching her belongings.

Upon not finding the money, HPD said the suspect fired shots toward Schooler three times before fleeing the scene in a black Chrysler 300 with possible 22-inch rims.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact HPD’s Major Assaults & Family Violence division at 713308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

St. Patrick’s Day Drift, 1207 W. 20th St., is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this Saturday.

The bar will feature drink specials all day and have expanded seating in the parking lot along with two food trucks, La Marco and Seoulside Wings, as well as crawfish. DJ Bizonee will be at Drift from 3-7 p.m. and DJ T-Gray will take over from 7 p.m.-1 a.m.

The Creek Group also is throwing St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Three of its area locations include Cedar Creek, 1034 W. 20th St.; Onion Creek, 3106 White Oak Dr.; and Cactus Cove, 3333 W. 11th St. The bars and grills will have $2 green Jell-O shots, $4 green beer, $6 Irish Car Bombs and plenty of Guinness, along with crawfish specials, St. Patrick’s food specials and live music, all on Saturday, March 13 and Wednesday, March 17.

Cedar Creek is hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Parking Lot Party from noon-6 p.m. Saturday.

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The Leader • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • Page 1B

Local nonprofit reaches far beyond Heights

Preferred Health

By Adam Zuvanich

azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Houston is a hub for cutting-edge healthcare.

A Heights-based nonprofit aims to help people in some of the most remote parts of the world provide basic medical services to members of their communities.

Executive director Larry Hill said Medic Outpost, which he founded in 2018 and operates out of a garage on West 4th Street, has trained nearly 400 physicians and first responders in rural Kenya and Mexico. Hill said he and his small team of volunteers also are in the process of helping to administer COVID-19 vaccines to Texas residents near the Mexico border in Brewster and Presidio counties.

“Our mission is to train and equip remote first responders,” Hill said. “We try and develop community-based healthcare.”

Hill, a licensed paramedic for more than three decades, is a former professional tennis player who said he has traveled the world and provided medical services and training in places such as Australia, Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America. He said remote, rural communities often lack basic medical equipment and well-trained professionals who can treat ailments and injuries and ultimately save lives.

Hill said Medic Outpost provides equipment and skills and connects remote healthcare workers with those in more populated areas through telemedicine. Among the organization’s focal points is childbirth and neonatal resuscitation.

Medic Outpost also has built intubation boxes that are designed to protect doctors and nurses from contracting COVID-19 when they intubate an infected patient with a ventilator. Hill said those have been distributed to hospitals in Texas cities such as Alpine, El Paso, La Grange and Livingston.

Hill relocated from the remote Texas town of Terlingua to Houston about a year ago in an attempt to grow the nonprofit and potentially work in underserved parts of the city. Medic Outpost has not gotten many bites in that regard, but Hill said he is gradually building relationships and enlisting volunteers.

Medic Outpost board member Andy Mouer, a longtime friend of Hill’s who has a business law firm in the Heights, described the nonprofit as “fledgling” but said it’s building momentum. He also said he would encourage community members to support the organization, which has low overhead costs and

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Dr. Jaclyn Harrison Heights Health Tower 1900 North Loop West Suite 580 713-714-5376 www.whiteoakmedicalassociates.com Obstetrics / Gynecology

Contributed photo A woman practices CPR on a training dummy as a child looks on during a Medic Outpost training event in 2019 in the Mexican village of Buena Vista.

therefore can use the bulk of its donations toward the mission.

Hill and Medic Outpost have been selected as the March recipient of the Houston Texans Star of Courage Award, which is given to first responders.

“Supporting our front-line first responders is an easy yes,” Mouer said.

“It’s such a worthy cause.”

Hill said he plans to employ a van that Medic Outpost can use at training sessions and to easily transport equipment. It also could be used to market the nonprofit.

Those interested in donating or volunteering can visit medicoutpost.org.

“We’re just looking for volunteers, people who are interested in helping us fund-raise or any healthcare people,” Hill said. “We can use anybody, not necessarily healthcare people. We’re trying to get involved with community events here in Houston.”

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Contributed photo Larry Hill, a licensed paramedic, founded the nonprofit Medic Outpost in 2018 and operates it out of a garage in the Heights.

1635 North Loop West Houston, Texas 77008 Tel: 713-867-2000 memorialhermann.org Physician Referral 713.222.CARE

Prioritize your health: How to handle your health care needs during a pandemic Houston Methodist Hospital For The Leader

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our communities and reshaped how we get health care. While social distancing remains important as we move forward, taking care of ongoing health needs should also be a top priority. When you need care, it’s important to take action right away.

Postponing health care visits or treatments may actually hurt your health in the long run. If you delay going to the doctor for small problems like a rash, a headache or urinary tract infection, these issues can become bigger problems and may require urgent attention.

Now is the time to be proactive about identifying health risks and following through on treatment plans.

“It’s essential to continue with preventive care, health screenings, vaccinations, medications and treatments as recommended by your doctor,” said Dr. Ketti Awad, a primary care doctor at Houston Methodist Hospital.

“Delaying screening tests or ignoring health issues now could lead to more significant problems later on.”

If you have a chronic con-

or in-person appointment with your primary care doctor or specialist. Simply call your doctor’s office or use the “Schedule an Appointment” button in MyChart.

If you need to find a doctor, visit houstonmethodist. org/find-a-doctor or call 713.790.3333.

Virtual Urgent Care – Nonemergency urgent care is available 24/7 via video visit. Download the MyMethodist app or visit houstonmethodist.org/virtualcare to learn more.

Same-Day Clinics – Make an appointment at one of our same-day clinics if you’re feeling sick. Schedule by phone at 713.394.6724 or visit houstonmethodist.org/ pcg/same-day-clinics to find a location.

dition, you should work with your doctor to improve your health. “Managing your existing health conditions may help you be healthier and stronger if you need to overcome illness or infection in the future,” Awad said.

Putting safety first Continuing to wear masks in public, keeping 6 feet apart from others and staying vigilant about handwashing and wiping down surfaces are still important.

Keeping these social distancing practices in place is essential to our efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

All Houston Methodist campuses are focused on making your visit as safe as possible, and we are taking extra precautions, such as: • Requiring all patients, visitors and employees to wear a mask.

• Elevating our cleaning and housekeeping practices.

• Health screenings for patients, visitors and staff.

• Isolation measures for COVID-19 patients.

• Adhering to a strict essential visitor policy.

• Implementing social distancing in our waiting rooms and elevators.

• Minimizing waiting in public spaces.

Orthopedic Injury Clinics – Schedule a same-day appointment at your nearest orthopedic injury clinic.

Visit houstonmethodist.org/ ortho-injury-clinics for clinic locations.

Emergency Care – Open 24/7 to provide a full spectrum of medical services if you need emergency care.

Visit houstonmethodist.org/ er to find your nearest Houston Methodist Emergency Care Center or ER. E-visits – Same-day visits for nonemergency urgent care through online messaging. Sign up for MyChart to get started, and then log in to complete an e-visit through MyChart. Visit mychart.houstonmethodist. org to log in or register.

Jennifer M. Solak Attorney & Counselor at Law

Contributed photo Dr. Ketti Awad, a primary care physician at Houston Methodist Hospital, advises community members to continue with preventive care, health screenings and treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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in-person appointments with your safety in mind. Connect with us in the following ways to schedule your next appointment: Doctor appointments – Schedule a virtual video visit

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We offer a full spectrum of care — tailored to your unique needs, including: • Specialty physician offices, imaging and labs • Teams of experts using the newest technologies • Six centers of excellence in cancer, cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, orthopedics and sports medicine, and transplant And, with enhanced safety measures in place, you can rest assured your safety is our priority.

To find a doctor, visit houstonmethodist.org/more or call 713.790.3333.

Page 2B • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • The Leader

Fasting done right can be beneficial

By Shana Tatum, RD, LD

tion advice, it depends on your state of health. Fasting in any form as listed above is not for you if you show signs of malnutrition, have disordered eating, are insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetic or are pregnant. Fasting is also not indicated if you have a high stress state, meaning high cortisol or a dysregulated hypothalamic pituitary axis.

www.shanatatumrd.com

Fasting is a practice that has endured centuries. It is one of the most ancient traditions in human history.

Greek physician Hippocrates recommended abstaining from food or drink for his patients as early as 400 BCE. Practiced by many cultures and religions, our modern day is beginning to see fasting appear in research more and more often. Fasting is defined as abstinence from consuming food and/ or beverages for a period of time.

Recently, fasting has been studied as a lifestyle management strategy to benefit chronic, non-infectious diseases. Currently, 66 percent of the American population is diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic and overweight or obese.

These numbers are startling. We have seen its effect on those that have contracted COVID-19 resulting in longer recovery time or even more fatalities. Because diabetes is a blood sugar dysregulation condition that results in vascular disease, other comorbidities usually follow such as kidney and cardiovascular disease.

The reduction of chronic disease is where fasting can prove beneficial. Some benefits fasting research has shown is weight loss, improved concentration, prevention of insulin resistance, better cholesterol metabolism and increased longevity, according to the USC Longevity Institute’s Valter Longo, the Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School.

Fasting can be categorized as: 1.) Intermittent Calorie Restriction (ICR) - also known as whole-day fasting, it’s the simplest form of intermittent fasting and involves fasting for more than 24 hours, two or three times a week with normal food

Tatum

consumption on the other days of the week.

2.) Alternate Day Fasting (ADF) - involves alternating non-fasting days where participants consume food with normal eating patterns followed by fasting days where only 25 percent of the usual dietary intake is consumed (about 500 kilocalories).

3.) Time Restricted Feeding (TRF) - eat or feed strictly within in a specific time period. For example, 8 hours feeding, and 16 hours fasting- which generally includes your 7-8 hours of sleep. This is a 168 fast.

Other forms may be 1212 or 1410.

4.) Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) - this is a calorie-restricted eating plan, about 50-60 percent of normal calories for 4-5 days.

This 5-day, plant-based, low amino-acid substitution diet consists of soups, broths, liquids and teas. Calorie content declines from Day 1, with about 1,200?calories, to Days 2–4 with about 600?calories. This is usually a pre-packaged and purchased food kit, sold under the name ProLon. The main differences between these protocols are the severity of caloric restriction, the abstinence from food and beverages per day and the frequency of caloric restriction per week.

As with most of my nutri-

It is also of key importance that in the “feeding” period you are getting enough nutrition to maintain good health. Oftentimes, I have patients that come to me and we see that they have micronutrient deficiencies because they are not getting enough nutrient-dense foods with their intake. I also see that some people develop gastrointestinal problems

due to low fiber in the diet.

The gut microflora can change in just a few days without the right prebiotics of which fiber serves. Others who think they are fasting and may not be technically eating but are still having their “bulletproof coffee” may unknowingly be breaking the fast and not reaping the benefits.

If you are interested in the

health benefits of fasting, in concert with your healthcare provider, perhaps start with a 12-hour fast from the last meal to the next morning meal to see how you feel.

Monitor this for a week and then try extending your time by one hour, but only if you maintain good nutrition in your feeding periods, have restful sleep and stay fully hydrated.

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

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

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

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

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

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Dr. Becky J. Fredrickson Board Certified Ophthalmologist.

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

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

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The Leader • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • Page 3B

How often should you wash your dog’s bed? problem.

Dear Tabby, Please settle an argument in my home: How often should we wash the dog’s bed? My wife says that, because we bathe the dog every other week, that her bed is fine and doesn’t need to be washed but a few times a year. I disagree and think that the dog’s bed is probably the dirtiest thing in our home. What say you?

Dog Bed Dispute in Woodland Heights Dear Dog Bed Dispute, While I never like to get in the middle of a marital dispute, I’m afraid there is a clear winner in this debate. The correct answer is that yes, your dog’s bed is likely the dirtiest thing in your house right now, but the good news is there’s a simple way to remedy that

skin cells that your dog tracks into the home. This creates a breeding ground for bacteria to grow and flourish, such as salmonella, listeria and even ringworm.

Why so germy?

Kelly Reynolds, associate professor of environmental health at the University of Arizona, found that dog beds are one of the 10 dirtiest (germiest) spots in the home, due to the bacteria, MRSA and fecal matter they harbor.

Think about it. ... Your dog goes outside and walks around, collecting bacteria on her feet. She might even roll in dead things without you knowing about it. Those germs stay on her body until she hops on her bed, roots around and deposits all of that “stuff” onto her nice, fluffy bed.

What do you do?

Experts recommend that you wash your pet’s bedding at least once a week. (Yes, I know that sounds excessive.

Don’t shoot the messenger!)

The best way to do it is to throw it in the washer and wash in hot water and dry on the highest (hottest) setting that your dryer has. This will help to eliminate most of the germs from the bedding. Another good way to remember to wash your dog’s bedding is to do it the same day that you change your own sheets, that way it gets done more often (one hopes!) and you and your wife can rest easy, knowing that your home is a little less germy than it was!

Safe haven for germs Another issue is that humans are pretty good about bathing their dogs, but don’t think to regularly wash their dog’s bedding. It’s not until it gets really smelly that someone throws the bed in the wash. In addition to germs, our pet’s beds also hold all of the pollen, dust, dirt and dead

Heights High School hosting book drive for local nonprofit

By Landan Kuhlmann

helping underserved children by providing them with books for their own home libraries.

The organization seeks new or “like-new” books tailored to children, including story books, chapter books, children’s nonfiction books, learnto-read books, toddler books and Spanish or dual-language books.

Books Between Kids has donated more than 1.6 million books to kids in need since its inception in 2013, ac-

landan@theleadernews.com

Local community members can help a Houston nonprofit continue its mission during a book drive this week at Heights High School.

Through Friday, March 12, residents can drop off children’s books from 4:306:30 p.m. daily at the Heights campus at 413 E. 13th St. The drive benefits Books Between Kids, a nonprofit aimed at

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cording to its website. During that period, the nonprofit has also given more than 100,000 books to students in four local zip codes: - 77018 (15,836 books) - 77091 (14,354 books) - 77008 (7,574 books) - 77009 (88,161 books) For more information about Books Between Kids or to donate after March 12, visit booksbetweenkids.org, email info@booksbetweenkids.org or call 832-831-1402.

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Page 4B • Saturday, March 13, 2021 • The Leader

Atkinson aims to be catalyst for positive change

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Barbie Atkinson, a Mangum Manor resident, licensed professional counselor and founder of the group practice Catalyst Counseling, said her “a-ha” moment came at the same time it did for some of her adult clients.

“I started off seeing just adults,” Atkinson said. “Some of them had never realized that their anxiety was manifesting itself through issues with food, workaholism or with sex. I heard time and again, ‘I really wish I had known about this as a child,’ or, ‘I wish my parents would have had the tools to help me.’

It got me thinking how I could help the child in them before they got to adulthood.”

In 2018, Atkinson started Calm Crusaders, a six-week program for children 8-12 years old that helps them deal with their own anxiety. The program, which kicked off at

Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet (GOMM), uses cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing techniques and fun activities to give tools to identify and cope.

“When the flyer went out at GOMM, we were inundated with interest,” she said. “(The topic) had hit a pain point with parents because the anxiety was so pervasive. I did not call it a mental health group. It was a welcoming, destigmatizing and normalizing group.”

The program was in 12 schools before COVID-19 hit, and Atkinson could only spread herself so thin. So she contracted with additional therapists who could be Calm Crusader facilitators.

“Every school had its own flavor and style, but I wanted the framework of the program to be similar,” Atkinson said. “If a child from Travis (Elementary) and a child at Durham (Elementary) were to talk about the program, they’d be doing and talking about the same things.”

Barbie Atkinson

Calm Crusaders led to a program for teenagers called Teen Calm and also caught the attention of UH-Clear Lake researcher Dr. Valerie Morgan, who is doing a formal study on the effectiveness of what Atkinson says is a novel concept.

“It’s not the way things are done typically,” she said.

After the initial stages of the pandemic, Atkinson said she and her fellow therapists took some time to breathe.

But because COVID was also an anxiety producer among

kids, they began to evaluate how they might deliver the program through Zoom.

There are now three Calm Crusaders groups and two Teen Calm groups meeting over Zoom. As the two age groups have different concerns and different ways that anxiety shows itself, the approach has been different.

“In third grade (kids) are just becoming aware of the social stuff,” Atkinson said. “It’s quite different for teens.”

In smaller children, anxiety symptoms can include trouble sleeping as well as physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches or stomachaches.

“There’s a lot of negative thinking, and not being able to shake (things) off,” Atkinson said.

With teens, she said there’s “so much perfectionism” with procrastination, motivation and apathy that might look like depression, too.

“These are high-functioning, high-performing children,” Atkinson said. “I call perfec-

Colon health, screening is vital - and easy

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Oak Forest resident Joanna Brooks does not need a reminder that March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. She said a 2019 colonoscopy – which she’d delayed for two years after an infection landed her in the hospital – showed a precancerous lesion which was removed by her surgeon. A follow up colonoscopy a year later was clear.

Brooks said she feels lucky as her gastroenterologist told her the outcome could have been quite different had she waited longer.

“As if putting the colonoscopy off was going to make any problems go away,” Brooks said.

Dr. Mark Pidala, assistant professor of surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and a colon and rectal surgeon affiliated with Memorial Hermann Health System, said about one out of every 25 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer at some point in their life.

“There are approximately

150,000 new cases diagnosed each year,” Pidala said. “It is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.” While he said the rates are a bit higher for men, both men and women are affected at a high rate.

“This is not a condition that targets a particular gender, and all should be screened,” Pidala said.

That includes people who were not formerly prioritized for screening.

Pidala said that recently, the American Cancer Society and other national societies have lowered the recommended age for screening from 50 to 45 years old specifically to address the issue of the rapid rise in patients with colorectal cancer.

While the incidence of colorectal cancer is decreasing in the elderly due to the increased use of screening colonoscopies over the last several decades, Pidala said there has been a steep rise in colorectal cancer in people younger than 50.

“Both of these factors lead to a lowering of the average age of patients at

Dr. Mark Pidala

diagnosis,” he said. “According to the American Cancer Society, the median age at diagnosis decreased from 72 years old in the early 2000s to 66 years old today.”

Pidala said there are several theories why the incidence of colorectal cancer in younger adults has more than doubled over the last few decades.

One suggests that diets high in processed foods, meats and fats as well as lack of physical activity, obesity and smoking all play a role in this steep rise.

“There is also a proportion of younger people who develop colorectal cancer

due to genetic and heredity factors, although this is not the majority,” he said.

The good news is that colon cancer is curable with high success rates if found early. And there are steps you can take to prevent getting it.

Avoiding processed foods, maintaining an active lifestyle, cutting out smoking and being aware of any warning signs are all steps in the right direction.

“Anyone with symptoms including change in bowel habits, bleeding with stools, persistent anal or abdominal pain, and unexplained weight loss should be evaluated by a physician to determine if they need a colonoscopy,” Pidala said.

He cautioned people to not attribute their bleeding to hemorrhoids without being checked by specialist.

“Screening doesn’t hurt,” he said.

Brooks said one of the big reasons she put off her colonoscopy was because she didn’t want to deal with the prep involved. “(The prep) is not that big a deal,” she said.

tionism our favorite flaw. I mean, what gets put on the fridge? All the good stuff.”

Sometimes, she said six weeks is enough time for participants to get the maximum benefit and sometimes they opt in for another six weeks.

It is not unusual for the whole group to want to continue.

Calm Crusader facilitators communicate with parents by email after every weekly session.

“We have links to videos, research and other things, and talk about what we did in each session,” Atkinson said.

Sometimes, a group session gives the participant, or the parent, the degree of comfort they need to start individual counseling. The practice today sees about 40 percent children and 60 percent adults.

There are five therapists at the Heights group practice, Catalyst Counseling, including Atkinson.

“They each have their own area of expertise,” she said. “I always knew that I was going

to have a group practice.”

While Calm Crusaders is not billed through insurance, Atkinson said out-of-pocket costs are sometimes helped by the donations she often receives from the community.

“We’ve done 27 Calm Crusaders scholarships,” Atkinson said. “If someone tells me that they need it, I don’t say no.”

Atkinson is a Florida native who has lived and worked there as well as in Philadelphia and Houston.

She has been a schoolbased counselor, an outpatient clinician, and the outpatient director for a children’s mental health clinic. Before she opened Catalyst Counseling, she worked for a research project on fetal alcohol syndrome at Baylor College of Medicine and at UT Health.

“At Catalyst, we take a modern approach to mental health,” Atkinson said. “We are a curious bunch, but not judgmental. We hope to continue growing.”

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More contagious COVID-19 variant found in most of city’s wastewater plants

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The B.1.1.7 variant, a more contagious strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, has been detected at most City of Houston wastewater treatment plants, according to a Monday news release from the city.

First discovered in the United Kingdom, the variant was detected at 31 of the city’s 39 wastewater treatment plants on Feb. 22, according to the city. That’s an increase from Feb. 8, when it was detected at 21 of the treatment plants. It was also detected in 19 percent of the city’s overall

wastewater samples collected on Feb. 22.

“The prevalence of the U.K. variant in our wastewater shows it’s actively spreading in our city,” said Dr. David Persse, chief medical officer for the city. “This is another clear indication that we must continue to mask up, practice social distancing, wash our hands, get tested and get vaccinated when possible.”

The city said there have been nine cases of the U.K. variant confirmed in Houston, along with one case of the South African variant, two cases of the Brazil variant and 11 cases of the California variant.

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