Leader March 20

A TISKET, A TASKET

Inside Today: An update on detention requirements • Page 3A

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Plan to upgrade Antoine inches forward

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Eileen Egan and Wayne Norden go up and down Antoine Drive just about every weekday to get to and from their office at the White Oak Conference Center, located in the heart of Inwood Forest.

So the leaders of the Near Northwest Management District (NNMD) are plenty familiar with the oft-traveled road and its condition.

They joke about Antoine’s

“mini-Alps,” which are raised ridges in the road that cause vehicles to bounce up and down as they pass over them.

There are potholes as well.

Norden, the president of the organization that promotes residential and commercial development in the area, said he’s been told ambulances try to avoid the road because it’s so bumpy.

Long-awaited improvements are on the way, though, after a recent action by the Houston City Council. Last

week it approved an advance funding agreement between the city and Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for the reconstruction and widening of Antoine between U.S. 290 and West Mount Houston Road, pushing the project forward after it had been stagnant for a few years.

“The street is in pretty horrific condition,” said Egan, the vice president of capiSee Antoine P. 5A

File by Adam Zuvanich Raised ridges on the road are common along Antoine Drive, which is set to be reconstructed and potentially widened from U.S. 290 to the south and West Mount Houston Road to the north.

Happy Trails

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

PHYLLIS A. OESER ATTORNEY AT LAW 713-692-0300

INSIDE.

Mixed review. A local state rep took a neutral stance on the Fisher Street Apartments.

Page 4A

On the way out. The Houston Police Chief is leaving for a similar job in Miami.

Page 8A

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Two pedestrians walk along Studewood Street in the Heights on Tuesday. Underneath the bridge is the end point of the White Oak Bayou Greenway Trail. The City of Houston plans to extend the trail and connect it to the MKT Trail to the west.

City to construct trail connector in Heights

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Sizzlin’ hot. This month’s Food & Drink section is all about a Texas staple -- steak.

Page 1B

The MKT and White Oak Bayou Greenway trails are among the most popular in Houston and connect the Heights to other parts of the city.

If all goes according to the city’s plan, the trails will be connected to each other before the end of the year.

A Houston Public Works spokesperson said last week the department plans to start construction on the MKT Trail Spur Connector this summer and have it completed by the fall. The project is expected to cost $950,000, according to the spokesperson.

From downtown, the White Oak Bayou Greenway trail meanders northwest along Interstate 45 and I-10 before proceeding west through Stude Park. The trails ends at Studemont Street, but the short connector See Trail P. 5A

They are the champions. Lutheran High North won another state title in girls basketball.

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Houston Public Works plans to construct a connector between the White Oak Bayou Greenway Trail, which ends underneath Studewood Street, and the MKT Trail, which spans across the bridge in the background.

The plan to expand Interstate 45 hit a pair of roadblocks last week, when Harris County sued the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) asked the state agency to pause the project while it investigates environmental and civil rights concerns.

In a March 8 letter to TxDOT executive director James Bass, the FHWA said it was reviewing concerns raised under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and “related environmental justice concerns” regarding TxDOT’s proposed North Houston Highway Improvement Menefee Project, which is expected to cost more than $7 billion and displace more than 1,000 residents and businesses near and north of downtown.

In a lawsuit filed three days later in federal district court, Harris County asked the court to require TxDOT to give greater consideration to concerns raised by the county and City of Houston. TxDOT announced in early February that it had satisfied the requirements outlined by the National Environmental Policy Act and was moving to the detailed design phase of the project.

Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee said TxDOT “cut corners” when looking at the potential environmental impacts of the project and has disregarded recommendations made by the city, county and other community stakeholders.

“This is not to kill the I-45 expansion project but to say, ‘Residents deserve a voice in this process,’” Menefee said.

“They’re up there in Austin, but we’re here in Harris County, and we’re fighting for residents.”

In a statement released by TxDOT, Bass said, “We were looking forward to continuing our work with stakeholders on refining the plans for the project, but See I-45 P. 5A

‘Book Hogg Bike’ a hit with students, parents

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Page 4B

THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 4A Classifieds.............................................. 5A Coupons. ................................................. 3B Food/Drink............................................. 1B Opinion. ................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 8A Puzzles...................................................... 3A Sports. ....................................................... 4B

Harris County sues TxDOT over I-45 expansion

Contributed photo The Book Hogg Bike, a library on wheels for Hogg Middle School, has a regular schedule and regular customers.

Heights resident Margot Kramer is a sixth-grade student learning virtually this year at Hogg Middle School. She is also a big reader, so she really appreciates the “Book Hogg Bike,” a library on wheels funded by a PTA grant and staffed by school librarian Mary Chance.

“Ms. Chance knows what books I like,” Kramer said. “I can tell her what I want to read but I like what she picks out for me, too.”

Because of COVID-19, about 56 percent of the Hogg Middle

School population is learning virtually.

“The Book Hogg Bike provides additional access to our virtual students who can also find school library books online, in a digital format,” Chance said.

Added Jane Kramer, Margot’s mom: “It’s a Dutch delivery bike with a big cart section.

Ms. Chance always has Scout (the reading dog) in tow. If you follow protocol, you can pet him and give him a treat. There’s also always a good selection of books, too.”

After purchasing the bike, Hogg developed safety proto-

cols and a delivery schedule.

The Book Hogg Bike travels to 12 local parks. It visits four parks per week, all within 4 miles of the school.

The schedule is on the school’s website, houstonisd. org/hogg. The bike does not operate during virtual class time. Typically, there are about 150 books available for students on the book bike.

“The Book Hogg Bike has been operating for about two months, and already has regular customers,” Chance said.

“There are usually about six customers at each park. Many See Book P. 5A

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, March 20, 2021 • Page 3A

City provides get-out-of-detention card H omebuilders all across Houston – and many homeowners as well – likely have been in scramble mode.

Word has gradually gotten out this year that the City of Houston is strengthening its stormwater detention requirements, including for single-family residences, effective March 31. The idea is to reduce the risk of flooding in a region that has had an uptick of flooding incidents in recent years, but the upcoming changes also will come with an increased cost to property owners, builders and developers, who have been racing to apply for building permits before the new rules take effect.

As previously reported by The Leader – the first Houston news outlet to cover the topic – a Jan. 4 document drafted by Houston Public Works director Carol Haddock indicated that all lots of at least 7,500 square feet would be required to provide detention at a rate of .75 acre feet per acre.

The same detention rate, which is more than triple the current standard for small residential properties, also applies to smaller lots that have at least 65 percent impervious cover.

That means for every 1,000 feet of impervious area – think houses, patios and swimming pools – at least 750 cubic feet of detention

affairs chairman for the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA), said the recent change is significant.”

Adam “very “It helps a lot of people out in Zuvanich Houston,” he said. “They won’t have to worry about detention Editor now to build a house or remodel.”

It is unclear why Haddock and her department spared smallersized residential lots from the new requirements. I posed the capacity would be required. That’s question to Houston Public Works late Tuesday afternoon, and the more than 5,600 gallons of water department had not provided an to temporarily hold in ponds, culanswer by press time Wednesday. verts or the biggest rain buckets In response to a series of quesyou can find. tions previously submitted by The Such requirements would have Leader, Houston Public Works said a significant impact on homeownit had gotten a “mixed” reaction ers in Garden Oaks, Oak Forest to the initial set of new requireand the Heights, where many lots ments. Residents who had expeare at least 7,500 square feet. But rienced flooding were glad to see fortunately for several residents the increased detention requireof those neighborhoods and othments, the department said, while ers, the city recently modified its developers expressed concerns impending detention standards. about increased costs and the As of March 12, according to a possibility that some lots would be revision of the same supplement deemed “un-developable.” to the city’s Infrastructure Design Dishberger said he suspects that Manual that was signed by Hadfeedback from Houston homeowndock, residential properties that ers prompted the city to amend its are smaller than 15,000 square feet, and with less than 65 percent new requirements.

“I’m very happy with what the impervious cover, will be exempt city did,” he said. “I think it was a from the new requirements. smart move.”

Sandcastle Homes owner Mike Bolstering its detention requireDishberger, a former Garden Oaks ments was a move the city had resident and the government

to make after the Harris County Commissioners Court forced its hand in 2020. According to public works, the commissioners required “all jurisdictions within the county to revise both rainfall and detention rates to be eligible for Harris County funding for stormwater and flood mitigation projects.” The department said it worked with the county and the city’s Redevelopment Task Force to come up with the new detention requirements, which will apply to new construction as well as additions or modifications to existing structures that impact the amount of impervious cover on a lot.

It’s a good idea anyway, because Houston needs more flood-mitigation strategies as it continues to grow and more and more concrete becomes part of the landscape.

That means the people doing the building will have to spend more money, of course. And they’ll have to dedicate more time and energy toward figuring out drainage solutions for their properties – for now, at least.

In a Frequently Asked Questions document that also was revised March 12, the city said it is considering coming up with a fee that single-family developers could pay in lieu of adhering to the new detention requirements.

Such a program would be in coop-

All the news that fits – in the axis The cover of the Nov. 4, 2012, New York Times Magazine sported a headline: “Off the rails -- For a true picture of the U.S. economy, ride the train from New York to Washington and take a good, hard look out the window.”

We have to ponder this. The magazine’s reporter took a train trip from New York City to Washington, some 227 miles, less than three and half hours, and then wrote “a true picture” about the decline of our national economy. That’s like eating a bad grape and writing an article on “The Decline of Wine in America.” This provincial approach in the news biz is because most of our national media are centered in the New York City-Washington, D.C. axis. This gives the rest of flyover country (that’s us) a distorted view of life. (To be fair, CNN is based in Atlanta.) Those TV panels of talking heads also live in that incestuous axis. I love it when a Georgetown cocktailcircuit pundit pontificates, “The American people today feel….” They wouldn’t know the American people if one bit them on their rump.

OK, the media has to be centered somewhere, I guess.

Steel in Pittsburg, cars in Detroit, movies in Hollywood (notice how many movies and TV shows are set in LA) and, lest we forget, energy in Houston. So who cares what comes from where? All baseballs used by Major League Baseball are produced by Rawlings -- in Costa Rica.

Not to get sidetracked, speaking of railroads, according to MLBSportscaster, today the most concentrated birthplace of American-born Major League Baseball players is -- tad-da --- Houston, Texas!

By state, 22 percent of major league American baseball players come from California, followed by Texas, with 11.5 percent, and Florida, coming in at 10.6 percent.

Getting back to the subject at hand, when a hurricane is headed to, say, Texas, we get a mention in the national TV news. But a dark cloud forms off the west coast of Africa and, “Late Breaking News! A storm is headed towards Manhattan!” A manon-the-street interview generally is not done in Denver or Dayton. To make it seem as though TV reporters have gone to the heartland, they announce that they are reporting from some town in Virginia or Maryland. They are – just across the bridge or down the freeway from their Washington D.C. office. Former Veep Spiro Agnew hated the “Eastern Establishment press.” And: “Some newspapers are fit only to line the bottom of bird cages.” Then those bird cage liners reported on his indictments and resignation.

I regularly watch Judy Woodruff and the PBS New-

Lynn Ashby Columnist

sHour. The announcer solemnly proclaims that the program is brought to us from Washington and “The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University,” and then shows a shot of the school. This pronouncement gives a pretense of covering all of America. As many years as I have watched that show, I have never, ever seen anything from Arizona State.

Incidentally, why is a journalism school outside of Phoenix named for Uncle Walter?

As best as I can determine, he never attended that school. Actually, Cronkite was from Houston (although he was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri), and attended UTAustin. He noted in his autobiography, “A Reporters Life,” that he always regretted never graduating. He got bitten by the journalism bug while covering the Texas Legislature as a college student, dropped out of UT and was never heard from again.

In some ways we are dependent on the NYC-Washington axis for what’s happening because that’s all we have left. Local newspapers are dying. The number of newspapers in the United States declined from 8,891 in 2004 to 6,736 at the beginning of last year. Most are in small communities. Total newspaper circulation sank from 122 million in 2004 to 68 million – a 44 percent drop -- at the end of last year, and that includes digital readership. Some were bought by faceless out-of-town corporations. By 2000, only 350 of the 1,500 daily newspapers left in the U.S. were independently owned. This loss of newspapers meant a lot of ink-stained wretches went jobless. The IRS counted 14,000 officially paid journalists in 2015. Ten years before, there were 75,000.

The exceptions are the national papers. USA Today and the Wall Street Journal top the circulation list. Then comes The New York Times.

Although its print ads are falling, the Times now has 7.5 million subscribers, the most ever, and is making a haul of money. More than half are reading the Times online.

It added 2.3 million digital subscriptions in 2020, a record year, and about 627,000 just in the fourth quarter of 2020. The Gray Lady (a nod towards its dull format), has readers in every country in the world including Papua New Guinea -- and Antarctica.

But this presents a prob-

lem. The paper’s name is the New York Times, emphasis on New York. It is based there, most of its staff work there, and it is the feedstock for much of the national news media. You may not read the Times, but it is read to you.

Don’t take my word for it: “It’s infuriating. If it wasn’t for The New York Times, network news would have to shut down.” -- Andy Rooney, New Yorker, March 7, 2005.

(I worked in The Times City Room for almost seven years.

Being the lowest of the low I churned out news for the paper’s radio station.) Few

among the savvy are neutral about the national media.

They either love it or hate it. A TV program on the U.S. Constitution had a skit about the First Amendment, and a lawyer cited a famous libel case, “The New York Times v. the United States.” Replied the opposing attorney, “Is that a lawsuit or a fact?” It brought down the house.

I guess we could find out more about our world if we took a train from NYC to Washington.

Ashby subscribes at ashby2@comcast.net

eration with the county, although the city said there is no timeline for potential implementation.

Dishberger said the GHBA, which represents about 600 builders, is in favor of a fee-in-lieu program. He said that could create funding for other drainage work within the same watersheds from where the fees originated.

Another good idea would be for the city to be more communicative about policies that affect a large number of its property owners (taxpayers). No public announcements have been made about the new detention requirements, which as of Wednesday morning had not been reported by any other news outlet in Houston.

Dishberger said most Houstonians who know about the fastapproaching changes likely have found out through neighborhood associations or homebuilders.

Or maybe they read about it in The Leader.

“The communication about it probably wasn’t the best,” Dishberger said. “It probably could have been handled a little bit better, getting it out to the public and developers and builder and everyone who’s going to be impacted by it.”

Email azuvanich@theleadernews. com

THE READER.

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

Lathan’s departure another strike against HISD board

Dear Editor: I hope it’s a leader that sees the good in what many of us are doing and will help to bring people together. Everything is so divided because we’ve mostly been setup to scratch and claw for essentials. The district is too top heavy and lacks transparency. I respect what Dr. Lathan did with the hand she was dealt, but this district has had these kinds of problems long before her and the current board members. We all need to be willing to meet in the middle for the sake of ALL children.

Jesse Espinoza

HISD’s interim superintendent leaving for job in Missouri

Dear Editor: Our loss....hope those who declined her have a person in mind to take over! Not a job I’d take!

Christine Rogers Loyacano Dear Editor: She is a good lady. The should have kept her.

Greg McGee

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss 1. Red wine 7. Best nurse-patient aid 10. Footwear closure 12. Chinese dynasty 1122-221 BC 13. Persuade to one’s side 14. Advocate 15. Mandela’s party 16. A woolen cap of Scottish origin 17. About aviation 18. Shallowest of the Greats 19. Sheathe 20. Frightened 23. Brews 24. Relates 27. Atomic #52 28. Up the ante 33. The “Kings’s” initials 34. Lepton 36. Cornmeal mush (British) 38. One who analyzes syntactically 39. Algonquian tribe 40. Systems, doctrines, theories

41. Herb __, San Francisco columnist 42. Informed about the latest trends 45. Seven 46. Morocco’s capital 47. What a doctor practices 49. Beaks 50. In a way, extends 51. A number or amount not specified 52. Gambling

dOwn 1. Composition for orchestra and soloists 2. Bulgarian monetary unit 3. Settled upon 4. Common frog genus 5. Electronic countercountermeasures 6. Golf ball supporter 7. Divided into 3 8. Crazy (Spanish) 9. Billiards stick 10. More deficient

11. Solomon Islands capital 12. Larval crabs 14. Malta capital 18. Clairvoyance 19. Tomato condiment 21. Alleviation 22. French seaport 25. New Testament 26. Shortened (abbr.)

29. Employee (abbr.)

30. Opposite of leaving 31. Lip locking 32. Foes 35. Many not ands 36. Covered with healing scrapes 37. Regions 41. AbelÕs brother (Bible) 42. Greek Queen of the gods 43. Esau’s descendants (Bible) 44. Canarium ovatum 46. Ribonucleic acid 47. Gas usage measurement 48. An oppositional argument

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, March 20, 2021 • The Leader

State rep takes neutral stance on housing project

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

State Rep. Penny Morales Shaw said she recognizes a need for more affordable housing options in the Garden Oaks area, such as the proposed apartment complex on Fisher Street. She said multiple residents in the community, including one who lives close to the site, told her they were being priced out of the neighborhood because of rising property values and tax bills.

But Shaw said she also is receptive to the concerns of some other nearby residents who are worried about how a 60-unit complex on a 1-acre property could impact traffic on a residential street and flooding in an area that already is susceptible. The developer of the proposed complex is planning only one vehicular access point to the property – on Fisher instead of Alba Road, which is more of a neighborhood artery – and Tropical Storm Imelda in

2019 caused structural flooding in nearby homes and businesses.

“There was lots of voicing from both sides,” Shaw said.

“In the end, I couldn’t support the project and also couldn’t oppose it.”

Shaw said she submitted a letter of neutrality to the Texas Department and Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), which is considering the Fisher Street Apartments and several other low-income housing developments for 9 percent federal housing tax credits. Developers all across the state compete for a finite number of awards in each region, which can be worth millions of dollars in funding over a 10-year period.

Proposed projects accumulate points as part of an extensive scoring process, with a range of point totals awarded for variables such as tenant incomes and rent levels, size and quality of units, proximity to jobs and other opportunities, public engagement and support from community

Shaw’s neutral stance may or may not impact the outcome.

Lauren Avioli, the real estate development manager for SBP, the New Orleans-based nonprofit behind the project, indicated in an email Tuesday that it will continue seeking an award from the TDHCA. According to the March 12 application log on the TDHCA website, the project had a selfscore of 137, which had it tied for sixth among 17 remaining projects in the Houston region and in position to receive its requested housing tax credits worth more than $1.02 million annually.

It is unclear if the self-score reflects the letter of neutrality from Shaw.

“We believe in the need for our proposed development and what it can bring to the community and look forward to hearing how we rank among the other Houston-area applications,” Avioli wrote.

The TDHCA plans to allocate the housing tax credits on July 22, and it is accepting public comments through

Morales Shaw

members, local governments and state representatives. A letter of support from Shaw would have been worth eight points, a letter of opposition would have subtracted eight points from the Fisher project’s total, and the letter of neutrality comes with no points.

Such support, or lack thereof, can be critical to a developer’s chances of receiving the tax credits. In the case of the Fisher Street Apartments, planned for 909 Fisher St.,

its website, tdhca.state.tx.us, through June 18. A virtual public hearing about the projects in the Houston area is scheduled for May 20.

Shaw said there were three other housing projects she considered in District 148, which includes the Heights, parts of Garden Oaks and Oak Forest as well as the Northside area. For varying reasons, she said she wrote letters of support for the Maury Street Lofts at 2918 Elysian St., the Harvard Street Lofts at 15 Harvard St. and the William Booth Apartments for seniors at 808 Frawley St. But the former two projects withdrew their applications despite Shaw’s support.

John and Heather Collins, who live on Fisher Street and are among the nearly 800 people who have signed an online petition opposing the apartment complex planned for Garden Oaks, said they would have liked for Shaw to write a letter of opposition but are “pleased” with her neutral stance. They said they sup-

Here’s how we help small businesses forever.

5. A payroll tax holiday for new hires. Payroll taxes are like the franchise tax. They are paid whether or not a business makes a profit.

Also, a business has to staff someone to collect these taxes and give them to the correct government bodies.

Why is this? Why should a small business devote many hours a year to collect taxes for the government for free?

I don’t want to go down a rabbit hole on this issue but we all just assume it’s OK for our bookkeepers to collect taxes and not get paid for it.

I would like to see no payroll taxes paid by an employer who makes a new hire in 2021. That would be a nice incentive to hire and it would expire at the end of the year.

You would have small businesses talking about this big time and you want them feeling confident about hiring.

6. Freeze property taxes for the next two years for commercial property. This will help businesses know their costs (which reduces uncertainty) and won’t have that much impact on local government, which has not had to close or cut costs like business has.

7. Freeze federal income taxes. Keep the current tax rates in place for the next three years. This applies to capital gains rates also.

Again, we are trying to get rid of uncertainty, which kills innovation.

There it is. Seven points to a better economy. It’s all easy to do and will work, which is also the bad news for my plan.

I believe politicians want to appropriate funds, point to those funds and say,

By Robb Reeves For The Leader

This isn’t a plea for more Payroll Protection Program money, but it is a plea on how to meaningfully help small businesses.

Best of all, it isn’t complicated or expensive, which means no one in government will get it or embrace it. But that’s OK. We have to keep showing them the way.

Here are my seven points to prosperity to help the mom and pops out there.

(Why not 10 points? Because I don’t need 10. Less is more.)

1. Reduce fuel prices. This is the top of the list. Gas prices are up 70 to 80 cents a gallon where I live since the election. People are already complaining about it.

Decisions have been made at the federal level that have led to increasing gas prices.

If we aren’t careful, this is going to be 2010 all over again where commodities are very expensive, which crushes middle- and lowerclass people as fuel prices and food prices soar. (Grain prices are up also). America is a large nation with a robust interstate system and we are designed to move goods up and down those roads cheaply. When America doesn’t have cheap energy, it struggles.

2. State and local governments need to open up, which will provide the kind of stimulus we once took for granted. As people are vaccinated against COVID-19 and the case numbers go down, states are starting to open up. That’s good because the very best stimulus program is allowing the world’s greatest economy to be open. No amount of fed-

Reeves

eral money printing can replicate an open U.S. economy.

3. The federal government should not pay extended unemployment benefits. This is a disincentive to work. If someone can collect state unemployment benefits in the $600-a-week range and then dip into federal unemployment in the range of $300 a week, that person may not aggressively seek work. As businesses fully reopen, they are going to need employees. We want people motivated to apply for those jobs. Small business owners are talking about this extended federal benefit and shaking their heads.

The old unemployment system worked just fine for decades. Why do we suddenly need more and bigger unemployment benefits?

4. In Texas, eliminate the franchise tax for businesses under 75 employees that did not make a profit in 2020. Do this retroactively for 2020 and into 2021. The franchise tax is based on a business’ gross revenue, which means the tax has to be paid whether or not a profit is earned.

It’s a terrible tax and, actually, it should be repealed

CHURCH D I R E CTO RY

“Look what I gave to small business.”

Actually, not much was given. The funds were too hard to access or simply weren’t needed. We had a photo op and a sound bite and everyone moved on.

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

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GET Who OVER IT!do you serve?

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.”

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As www.lazybrookbaptistchurch.org for the following: Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor 4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365 Luke 6:37 Sunday Services: @ 9 AM and 2003 W. 43rd St.Wed 713-686-8241 s t s u m cIn-person .org Houston, TX 77092 the R.S.V. church grew and people 11 AM (Live stream during 11 AM service) Say a committed themselves and Bible Studies: From Homepage, click on their resources to God’s work, Prayer 1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470 Connect/Small Groups Ananias and Sapphira wanted Today to get in on the blessing. They sold a piece of land and gave Gethsemane Lutheran Church some money to the Lord’s work.

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port more affordable housing options in the area but do not think their street is a suitable location for a 60-unit project.

The couple said they appreciated Shaw for soliciting input from community members and organizing a virtual information session about the Fisher Street project on March 4. The meeting was hosted by Super Neighborhood Council 12 and the Garden Oaks Civic Club and included Avioli as well as representatives from the TDHCA, Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department, the office of Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin and The Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University.

John Collins said the Zoom session did not alleviate the concerns he had about the project, and he and his wife plan to continue staying engaged with the process and provide feedback to the TDHCA. “We’re very much in a wait and see,” Heather Collins said.

they were not required to give the full amount but when they lied about the amount their gift was not really for the Lord, but rather they were trying to gain recognition and approval from others.

Ananias and Sapphira pretended to be serving God but in reality, they were working to serve themselves. God judged their hypocrisy very severely and punished them with death.

God chose to make an example of this man and this woman because this baby church needed to clearly understand that they were to be truthful and honest in their service of the Lord.

Today, many Christians and churches fail in their efforts to minister effectively because of hypocrisy in the lives of many Christians and in the way many churches are run. I would challenge you to consider your own life and ask yourself, “Who am I serving?”

The Leader • Saturday, March 20, 2021 • Page 5A

I-45, from P. 1A

Trail, from P. 1A

these plans may now be in jeopardy due to the lawsuit. We look forward to discussing our efforts to mitigate concerns about implementing the (Houston-Galveston Area Council’s) vision for I-45.”

Among other changes to the existing freeway, which was built more than 50 years ago, TxDOT’s plan calls for expanded express-lane capacity on I-45 between downtown and Beltway 8 along with re-routing the freeway near downtown, including making it parallel with I-10 on the north side.

TxDOT has said the purpose of the project is to improve traffic flow, hurricane evacuation routes and stormwater drainage, along with accommodating high-occupancy, electric and self-driving vehicles.

But the plan has drawn widespread criticism because it will displace homes and businesses in lowincome communities of color, such as Independence Heights and Near Northside, and because of its high cost at a time when the city is taking steps to expand alternate modes of transportation and reduce its reliance on gasoline-powered automobiles.

“Our region’s complex transportation challenges require innovation and creative thinking,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a March 11 news release from the county. “So far, TxDOT’s vision for I-45 lacks both. Instead, this proposal relies on an antiquated approach that continues the counterproductive legacy of freeway expansions that unnecessarily harm families and businesses and ultimately fail to improve our quality of life. Throwing more concrete at this problem is not going to solve it. We are calling on TxDOT to innovate and lead, rather than repeating the same flawed approach that put us in this situation.”

Menefee said city and county leaders, after months of consultation with community members, previously proposed alternative designs to TxDOT that “would minimize the expansion of the freeway in certain areas, but would still meet the goals of safety and expanding transportation in our region.”

He also said recommendations were made to TxDOT that aim to minimize the amount of resident displacement as well as impacts on air and water quality, noise and connectivity during construction.

“We provided recommendations to TxDOT, and from what we’ve seen in their documents ... it doesn’t look like they gave that full and fair consideration,” Menefee said. “That’s why we’re filing this lawsuit.”

will extend it to the west - through existing green space along the north side of White Oak Bayou - until it meets the MKT Trail, which runs northwest to southeast in that part of the Heights.

“It’s a no-brainer,” said Joe Cutrufo, the executive director of nonprofit BikeHouston. “The White Oak Bayou and MKT trails are two of the busiest paths in the whole city, and linking them up just makes a lot of sense.”

The connector will branch off the MKT Trail just northwest of the pedestrian bridge across the bayou that has been closed since August because of a fire. Instead of crossing that bridge to get south of I-10 into the Sawyer Yards area, or vice versa, cyclists and pedestrians must take detours that significantly lengthen their route or force them off the trail and onto vehicular roadways.

A timeline for completing bridge repairs has yet to be announced by the Houston Parks Board, which is undertaking that project. It’s possible the connector trail a little to the northeast could be completed first.

“This project is important to provide safe connectivity between our trail network, especially with the MKT bridge over White Oak Bayou still out of commission,” a representative of Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin, who serves that part of the Heights, wrote in an email.

Antoine, from P. 1A tal projects for the NNMD. “So to have a smooth road to drive on without busting your tires and your suspension will help a lot.”

Managing engineer Parmjit Kang of Houston Public Works said the repaving project, which first was proposed by the city in 2015, also aims to accommodate growth and increase mobility on Antoine for vehicles as well as cyclists and pedestrians. Bicycle lanes will be added to the street, which will receive new underground utilities and stormwater drainage infrastructure at a total cost Kang estimated to be at least $70 million, with funding from the Houston-Galveston Area Council, the city and Harris County.

The plan originally called for widening Antoine from four lanes to six between 290 and Tidwell Road, which drew opposition from neighborhood residents along that stretch, and the city council agenda item from March 9 said the project “includes construction of additional lanes” on that part of the road. But Kang said any potential widening of the road, which has two lanes of traffic going both north and south, would depend on a new traffic study that is being conducted.

The traffic study will be followed by a public engagement period, Kang said, and then a design phase. He said road reconstruction would not start until after the Harris County Flood Control District completes its Inwood Forest Stormwater Detention Project, in which 12 interconnected detention basins will be constructed on the former golf course just west of Antoine.

“Right now it’s very preliminary,” he said. “We have to further evaluate it.”

Mark Klein, president of Super Neighborhood Council 12, said the organization opposed the project in 2015 because

Book, from P. 1A people are curious about the bike, so it provides an opportunity to tell them about Hogg Middle School.”

Hogg plans to keep the Book Hogg Bike operating as long as it has virtual students. Once all students have returned to in-person instruction, it may still make appearances at special events.

“It’s great to get out, pat a dog and pick up some books,” Jane Kramer said.

Local business

is our business.

Send your story of interest news@theleadernews.com

MKT Updates

Graphic from City of Houston The above map illustrates the cIty’s plan to connect the MKT Trail to the west with the White Oak Bayou Greenway Trail to the east. The dotted line represents the trail connector.

Motorists travel south along Antoine Drive in Oak Forest on Tuesday.

it called for widening Antoine to six lanes – three in each direction – through residential neighborhoods such as Oak Forest, Forest West and Mangum Manor. Angel Viator Smith, who was president of the Mangum Manor Civic Club at the time and still lives in the community, said she would still be against that idea but otherwise is supportive of improving Antoine.

There is a wide median with mature trees on the stretch of Antoine just north of 290, near Scarborough High School.

“If it stays four lanes, then we’re all for it,” Smith said. “If you expand that, that will create more traffic.”

City council member Amy Peck said she and fellow council member Abbie Kamin, whose districts include stretches of An-

Photo by Adam Zuvanich

toine, both are committed to ensuring the project does not negatively impact neighborhood residents. Norden encouraged community members to stay engaged with the project as it progresses and provide feedback to the city.

Norden said he welcomes upcoming improvements to Antoine and expects the project to help revitalize the area, with new pavement likely to attract new businesses and commercial development. The NNMD, created by the state of Texas in 2001, serves roughly 1,200 businesses in an area that covers 16 square miles.

“It’s necessary for mobility and drainage,” Peck said. “This area is growing really, really fast, and we want to make sure the streets are ready to account for that.”

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The Leader • Saturday, March 20, 2021 • Page 7A

Art Valet: New welcome center a welcome addition Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

This past Saturday, March 13, Arts District Houston opened a new welcome center during the Sawyer Yards Open Studios. It is located at 2101 Winter St. in Winter Street Studios on the Sawyer Yards campus.

The new welcome center is just 230 square feet but big enough for visitors to find suggestions of places to see and things to do in the area as recommended by local artists in addition to area maps and a walking guide.

Anyone that has a space on the Sawyer Yards campus is constantly asked about what to do and where to go there.

This may sound funny to read, but the welcome center may be the most welcome addition to the Sawyer Yards campus since its beginning.

There is an astonishing amount of activities and sites to see, even daily, in this historic part of Houston, but you really need a map and direction to get started and that is exactly what the welcome center is all about.

The welcome center serves as a destination for tourists and locals to view local artwork, engage with artists and support local small businesses. During the opening last Saturday, several local art installations were displayed at the center including a new large-scale exterior mural by David Maldonado, along with a commissioned map of the district by Kimmie Gillespie, and site-specific furniture by woodworker David Mendoza.

When I stopped by, Maldonado was finishing up the building-sized mural in between posing for photographs.

Gillespie, just on the other side of the mural at the visitor center, was available to chat about her hand-painted

Photo by Gisele Parra Kimmie Gillespie showcases her Arts District map.

David Maldonado, background, paints in front of a small audience.

map of the district, with icons marking significant spaces as well.

“Since the start of the pandemic, one in five Houston artists have lost 100% of their income. The creation of this center is an important way for us to continue to support our local artists,” said Marci Dallas, director of Arts District Houston. “We’re grateful for the Cultural District Project grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the Texas Legislature for helping make it possible.”

Arts District Houston is a state-designated cultural district that encompasses the First and Sixth Wards, two of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. Additional projects happening because of the Cultural District Project grant that visitors to the welcome center will learn about include FotoFest’s self-guided public art exhibition “Public Life: Home and the people who live there” - a meditation on the concepts of home and community - and Fresh Arts’ new Space Taking Artist Residency, which also launched March 13 in Winter Street Studios.

The Space Taking Artist Residency currently features ARTcade by Koomah, in collaboration with the artist collective The Locas. ARTcade is a 1980s-style mock video game arcade and immersive interactive art experience cre-

Photo by Gisele Parra Pictured is the Arts District Houston Welcome Center.

Photo by Gisele Parra David Maldonado poses in front of his new mural.

ated to incite a youthful excitement around viewing and purchasing local art.

Having lived in front of video games in the ‘80s, I’m going to have to revisit the ARTcade.

It’s open Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. through April 24 in the second-floor gallery at Winter Street Studios. Check in at the welcome center on your way up.

The center’s business hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. WednesdaySaturday. Get more information at http://artsdistricthouston.com.

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

Virtual GOMM teacher honored

by Children’s Museum Houston

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com The Children’s Museum Houston recently honored 12 Houston ISD teachers with its annual Marian and Speros Martel Early Childhood Educator Award. Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet (GOMM) teacher Faith Davis was the sole area teacher to be recognized.

The winners of the award are pre-K through third-grade teachers who exemplify excellence in the classroom.

Nominated by either parents, principals or others aware of their classroom work, they were selected by a committee of educators.

GOMM Instructional Specialist Angela Borzon nominated Davis.

“She has just brought so much life to the virtual environment,” Borzon said. “She is a virtual teacher whose students are all virtual. Just about any day, you can find her leading her class from her butterfly garden or near some beautiful

artwork.”

Borzon said Davis has gone above and beyond in creating relationships with the students and helping them maintain a true sense of community despite the distance.

“She is really magical in engaging students and creating enthusiasm for new ideas and research,” she said. “My own child is in her class and he’s new to the school this year, and virtual, and she has really made him feel like he’s part of the family.”

Davis has been a teacher for 37 years and always in the Montessori program. Eleven of those years have been at Garden Oaks Montessori as a lower elementary teacher of first, second, and third grades combined in a classroom.

She has also served as a teacher trainer and a field consultant for the Houston Montessori Center at the early childhood and elementary Levels for the past 20 years.

“I love learning and watching others learn,” Davis said.

“I love being instrumental in

Photo by Gisele Parra

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positive forces of child development. Maria Montessori said our work is ‘to educate the human potential.’ I love that life-affirming outlook.”

Davis said the Children’s Museum acknowledgment inspires her to continue her mission.

“We are all unique and essential in the cosmic plan where love and learning win,” she said.

All winners will receive a $100 honorarium from the Children’s Museum and will be featured on their Facebook page during April and May. “Early childhood education is vitally important for laying the foundation of future success for our students, and that is why we are so proud of these outstanding teachers,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “They will have an impact on the lives of our children for decades to come, and I congratulate them on being selected for this welldeserved award.”

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THE PUBLIC. The Leader • Saturday, March 20, 2021 • Page 8A

Heights resident Acevedo leaving role as HPD chief

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Art Acevedo, who has lived in the Heights while serving as Houston Police Chief for the last four-plus years, is leaving to become the head of the police department in Miami, Florida.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner congratulated Acevedo on his work in the Bayou City and wished him well in the Sunshine State. Turner said Acevedo would continue to serve in Houston for a “few more weeks.”

“I leave with the satisfaction in my heart that I’ve given my best, and I’ve had the best team,” an emotional Acevedo said during a Tuesday news conference. “And it’s hard to say goodbye.”

Acevedo, a 56-year-old native of Cuba, started his policing career in California and served as chief of the Austin Police Department before Turner hired him to lead the Houston Police Department. Acevedo and his officers helped the city cope with flooding in 2017 and 2019, an ice storm earlier this year and

Suspect charged in fatal 2020 apartment shooting

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo speaks during a town hall meeting at the Heights Fire Station, 107 W. 12th St., in January 2020.

HPD: Teen shot by girlfriend in Acres Homes

By Landan Kuhlmann

By Landan Kuhlmann

landan@theleadernews.com

landan@theleadernews.com

Police have arrested a man suspected of being involved in the fatal shooting a teenage boy at an area apartment complex last year.

Christian Steward, 21, has been charged with aggravated robbery in the 228th District Court related to the death of 14-year-old Jayshawn Burrell, according to the Houston Police Department.

“What we got from investigators is that he is the only suspect, we believe, associated with this case,” HPD spokesperson Kese Smith said.

According to HPD, officers responded to the Aspen Apartments at 6150 W. Tidwell Rd. on Nov. 24, 2020 to find Burrell lying in the parking lot unresponsive with an apparent gunshot wound. Citing eyewitness reports, police said Burrell got into a verbal altercation with an adult male. HPD said the argument escalated and multiple shots were fired

Houston police are looking into a shooting near Acres Homes that put a teenage boy in the hospital last week.

The Houston Police Department said the victim, a 16-year-old boy, was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.

HPD said officers responded to a home at 6135 Balbo St. just after 6 p.m. March 12 to find the victim with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

According to police, the boy got into an argument with his 15-year-old girlfriend before she allegedly shot him.

Police said the girl was questioned at the scene, but that no charges have been filed pending further investigation.

Steward

at Burrell and another male, who was not struck. The suspect was then seen fleeing the scene in a silver sedan, according to HPD. Steward was initially charged on Feb. 9, 2021, police said, and arrested March 8.

Smith said the Harris County District Attorney’s Office determines whether or not the charges will be upgraded. An email to the district attorney’s communications office requesting comment on the matter was not immediately returned.

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an ongoing pandemic, during which the city has seen an uptick in violent crime.

Acevedo has been outspoken about issues such as bail reform and social justice. He criticized Harris County judges on Tuesday for making it too easy for suspected criminals to get out of jail on bond, saying the judges “continue to give away the store to violent criminals.”

Last summer, Acevedo joined roughly 60,000 Houstonians who marched in protest of the death of George Floyd, a Black man with ties to Hous-

ton who died in police custody in Minneapolis.

“When it comes to the diversity of our city, Art reflected that diversity,” Turner said. “There’s no question in my mind Art was the right person at the right time for the circumstances we had to deal with. Did he make the department better? Yes.” Turner said Monday that he planned to announce new leadership for HPD later in the week. Acevedo said he hoped he would be succeeded by one of his top two assistants, Troy Finner or Matt Slinkard.

Police Reports • March 8 - 14 MARCH 8

Burglary 1 PM 1400 BLOCK E 36TH

MARCH 9

Theft 7 PM 500 BLOCK W 17TH Burglary 8 PM 1100 BLOCK N LOOP Theft 12 PM 1200 BLOCK E 29TH Theft 7 PM 1000 BLOCK E 36TH Vandalism 3 AM 2600 BLOCK N DURHAM Theft 12 PM 1100 BLOCK NASHUA

MARCH 10

Theft 8 PM 2100 BLOCK ELLA Theft 10 PM 700 BLOCK HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 6 PM 1200 BLOCK W 20TH Other 8 AM 1800 BLOCK ANGELINE Theft 11 AM 1400 BLOCK W 26TH Assault 1 AM 100 BLOCK NORTHWOOD Assault 6 AM 4200 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS Theft 11 AM 2500 BLOCK AIRLINE Other 5 PM 4000 BLOCK OAKRIDGE Theft 7 PM 2300 BLOCK OF ELLA Theft 1 PM 4600 BLOCK OF MAXIE

MARCH 11

Assault 5 PM 2200 BLOCK DETERING Theft 8 PM 200 BLOCK W 30TH Theft 11 PM 500 BLOCK E 37TH Robbery 3 AM 2900 BLOCK

AIRLINE Theft 8 PM 1300 BLOCK W 25TH Theft 6 PM 4800 BLOCK INKER Theft 12 AM 800 BLOCK 32ND Assault 5 PM 100 BLOCK CONOLY Theft 3 AM 1500 BLOCK N LOOP Theft 1 PM 1500 BLOCK N LOOP Vandalism 9 AM 1400 BLOCK W 25TH Assault 7 PM 300 BLOCK OF CROSSTIMBERS Arrest 4 PM 4500 BLOCK OF YALE

MARCH 12

Burglary 9 AM 1300 BLOCK E 35TH Theft 9 PM 700 BLOCK W MELWOOD Arrest 12 PM 1200 BLOCK YALE Theft 2 PM 2500 BLOCK AIRLINE Assault 3 PM 200 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS Theft 10 AM 00 BLOCK STOKES Theft 4 PM 200 BLOCK CAVALCADE Assault 12 PM 1800 BLOCK DURHAM

MARCH 13

Assault 3 AM 6500 BLOCK N SHEPHERD Theft 4 AM 100 BLOCK W 20TH Robbery 6 PM 2400 BLOCK YALE Theft 2 AM 200 BLOCK E 33RD Other 7 AM 800 BLOCK E 35TH Assault 7 PM 1200 BLOCK W 20TH Assault 10 PM 1200 BLOCK W

20TH Other 8 PM 1200 BLOCK W 22ND Theft 10 AM 400 BLOCK S HEIGHTS Arrest 2 AM 4400 BLOCK HARVARD Arrest 11 AM 200 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS Vandalism 11 AM 2700 BLOCK E CROSSTIMBERS

MARCH 14

Theft 12 PM 100 BLOCK W 20TH Theft 4 AM 500 BLOCK W 25TH Assault 8 PM 2900 BLOCK WHITE OAK Theft 5 PM 1700 BLOCK W 34TH Theft 5 PM 2500 BLOCK SHEARN Theft 7 AM 2700 BLOCK SHERWIN Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

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The Leader • Saturday, March 20, 2021 • Page 1B

Picking the perfect steak

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Walking into the meat section or up to the glass case at a local butcher shop can be like entering a confusing world of steaks. Each cut can bring something different to the plate.

Filet mignon, ribeye, New York strip, porterhouse (or T-bone) and flank are a few of the more popular cuts. When looking for the perfect piece of meat, there’s a few things to look for.

“The filet is the most tender,” said Mark Schmidt, the chef at Rainbow L o d g e , Photo by Rainbow Lodge 2011 Ella Mark Schmidt Blvd. “If you like medium, medium well, I would get a ribeye because it has more fat to it. The filet would be dry. There’s also grass-fed, dyeaged (options).”

Schmidt said he prefers a grassfed ribeye because it’s a meatier steak and he enjoys how on the chuck end, where three different muscles come together, it makes it more flavorful.

“The more you pay for a steak, the better it’s going to be,” said Willis Ash, who’s been the general manager at B & W Meat Company, 4801 N. Shepherd Dr., for 30 years.

“I like ribeye myself because I like the fat and the ribeye has more

Pictured is a bone-in ribeye with asparagus on the side from Rainbow Lodge, 2011 Ella Blvd.

compared to a top sirloin.”

The ribeye is also known as the “cowboy” steak when the bone is

left in. While not as soft and buttery as a filet, the ribeye makes up for it with an intense beefy flavor.

Photo by Rainbow Lodge

The not-as-tender, not-as-fatty steak cut, the New York Strip, is still a popular cut but with a slight-

er lower price point.

The porterhouse is more of a 2-for-1 cut. On one side of the bone is the filet mignon and on the other is the New York strip.

When looking for fajita meat, it’s the flank cut you want. It’s a thinner cut with lots of muscle fibers.

Once the type of cut is chosen, the most important thing to look for is marbling. Ash described a good marbling as white lines shooting through a piece of meat like roots.

“Marbling, the inner muscular fat gives (steak) moisture as it cooks,” Schmidt said. “I look for a nice bit of marbling but not too fatty.”

It also makes the meat more tender and juicier once it’s done cooking and ready to eat.

Another thing to consider when picking out a steak is thickness.

An inch thick, or a litter thicker, is a good, basic slab of meat. The thickness lets the cooker play around with how long to cook it if it’s an unfamiliar cut, while thinner steaks can be easily overcooked.

Once the meat is bought, everything that comes after, both Schmidt and Ash say, is up to preference. Whether it’s cooked on a grill or cast iron, or how long it’s cooked. Although Schmidt said the more you cook it, the more you’re forcing moisture out of the meat.

Before cooking the meat, one tip Schmidt gave was to let it come to room temperature.

“Room temperature cooks more evenly,” Schmidt said. “If it’s straight form the fridge it doesn’t cook as evenly. It’s all about heat transfer.”

Don’t cook a steak past medium Zarah Parker Managing Editor

Anything past medium rare is an insult to steak.

That’s what Oak Forest resident Anna Bonnette said about cooking a cut of steak, and she’s not alone. Other residents described cooking a steak past medium rare as a slight to the animal and that to keep it cooking it is more like making dog food or beef jerky.

This made me laugh. Mostly because I imagined what their faces might look like if they heard how my mom orders her steak. I’m not joking in the slightest when I say she often tells the server, to demonstrate how done she wants it, to burn it or butterfly it if

they have to.

I can’t let myself off the hook either. I once only ordered my steak well done. But I was younger then and only knew how my mom ate her steak. Nowadays, any amount of pink is fine with me, but I can’t get behind a puddle of blood on my plate.

After asking residents in a local Facebook group what measure of “doneness” was the best for a steak, I saw that I wasn’t alone on the blood issue. It’s a split opinion. One resident said, “If it’s still bleeding it ain’t dead,” while another said if the steak wasn’t twitching when it hits the plate it’s been cooked too long.

But the general consensus on the most a steak should be cooked is to medium, with medium rare being the most regular answer.

“Definitely much more flavorful with medium rare.

The natural juices make it to where you don’t need any steak sauce at all,” Deena Alcorta said.

Anything medium rare was a favorite because it was said to retain a richer flavor and be a juicier and more tender meat.

Rare wasn’t to be left out.

Rare was the first choice for a few who said that rare meat is more tender, easier to digest and has a velvety texture that melts in your mouth.

What restaurant they were at also was a big factor on how residents ordered their steaks.

I can relate in that what restaurant I’m at determines if I order steak at all, even if it is considered a “steakhouse.”

(I’m looking at you, Outback.)

It really comes down to what restaurants people trust.

“(I order) rare if I’m going to a place who actually knows what they’re doing. Medium rare elsewhere,” Andy Tomczeszyn said.

Jonah Margulis said something similar, saying he’ll order medium rare most places, even high-end ones, but if he’s at a place he really trusts, he’ll order steak rare.

Then there’s the issue of ordering a steak one way, but it getting to the table cooked a different way. For example, a few people mentioned that they found most restaurants overcooked medium rare.

I personally think this boils down to individual ideas of what each level of “doneness” means compared to the chefs.

Because while people mentioned that restaurants seem to cook a little over what’s asked for, I’ve always felt the opposite, that however I or-

Review: Eating at Ritual a tasty habit

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

If I had to describe Ritual in one word, I would choose cozy.

Its dim lighting sets the atmosphere for relaxing, but the open windows allow the sun to light up the space before it sets. Neutral colors mute the space, while the chairs, a leafy green, give it a pop of color.

Ritual, like all of Delicious Concepts Restaurant Group’s businesses, utilizes the app Roovy, which was developed by owner Ken Bridge.

Patrons order and pay through the app, though there is a server who checks in and makes sure everything is going smoothly. This is my second experience at a restaurant using Roovy, and much like the first time, I had no problems using it.

However, I will say that because Ritual is a nicer restaurant, with higher prices on its menu, using an app to order felt odd, like something was missing.

To start off my meal I ordered the wedge salad and fried pickles. The latter was off the happy hour menu, and while they didn’t really go with the rest of my meal, I craved them the moment I saw them on the menu. They didn’t dis-

Photo by Zarah Parker The filet mignon from Ritual, 602 Studewood St., was a standout.

appoint.

The wedge salad was more like four mini-wedge salads with cherry tomatoes, bacon and hard-boiled eggs with a side of avocado ranch dressing. My favorite thing about wedge salads is the crunch that comes from biting into a stack of lettuce. The toppings were good, but what made it better was the avocado ranch, which was smooth and creamy.

The fried pickles were

wedges and the breading was thick. The pickles themselves were sweeter than expected, which in combination with the fried outer layer, made for a great appetizer.

From the “Butcher Room” section of the menu I picked out my dinner, the 8-ounce filet mignon. I ordered it to be prepared medium. I also added a side of asparagus.

The steak was red in the middle, and got pinker towards the edges. The top and bottom

of the meat had a nice crust that tasted strongly of butter, garlic and salt. The meat was tender and almost like butter in my mouth. The natural beef taste with the coating on the crust tasted delicious.

The asparagus came with a light garlicy sauce melted on the bottom of the plate. The stalks weren’t too soft, leaving just enough crunch. I still don’t know how I feel about paying $9 for five pieces of asparagus, though.

I was also able to try my dinner companion’s green beans, and I really loved those.

On the menu they are called Southern Stewed Green Beans and they tasted like they were saturated in rich flavors, like a smoked meat.

Ritual made for a great dinner and would be perfect for a date night or special occasion.

Ritual Address: 602 Studewood St. Hours: 4-9 p.m. TuesdayThursday, 4-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.9 p.m. Sunday Pricing: $12-$49 Kid-friendly: Yes Alcohol: Yes Healthy options: Yes Star of the show: Filet Mignon

dered my steak, it comes out a level below. So, I think it’s important to ask the server what each level is going to look like from that particular restaurant.

“Restaurants don’t seem to trust that diners understand what a rare steak is,” Mike Vance said. “We do. Believe us, and don’t ruin my cut of meat.”

Vance also said he’s firmly in favor of anyone who orders a steak well done being deported to West Virginia, so I guess I’ll have to send my mom there pronto.

“It seems like a lot of the time if I order medium rare I get medium (or medium well) and then it’s too done for me,” Penny Lane said. “I prefer the texture and flavor when it’s truly medium rare, I don’t enjoy the texture if it’s really rare/raw, but it’s starting to

dry out if it’s medium or beyond.”

For Betty Richardson and Christine Mill, what the steak is served on matters. If she knows the steak will be served on a sizzling hot platter, Richardson will order her steak rare because it will continue to cook on the plate. Mill, however, asks the server to do away with the sizzling platter completely because she said it can ruin a perfectly cooked rare or medium rare steak.

While well done is a rarity, my mom wouldn’t be alone in her deportation to West Virginia. Kasey Smith also likes a well-done steak when cooking at home, though at most restaurants, she’ll order medium well.

“I’m just one of those weirdos that finds a good sear and some burny bits very satisfying,” Smith said.

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Page 2B • Saturday, March 20, 2021 • The Leader

La Calle Tacos coming to Ella Boulevard this fall

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

Ramon Soriano, the owner of La Calle Tacos, said the restaurant business is in his blood. He will open the third Houston location of La Calle on Ella Boulevard at the end of September.

“My dad and my grandfather both had restaurants,” Soriano said. “I’ve been in (the industry) my whole life.”

After culinary school in Mexico City, Soriano worked on the corporate side of the business at TGI Fridays and Joe’s Crab Shack. He then

worked in various restaurants in Los Angeles, New Jersey and Dallas before moving to Houston 10 years ago.

“I love Houston – the diversity, the food,” he said. “It was the right place for us to open a restaurant.”

His partner in La Calle, Fernando Villegas, was his first boss at a Burger King in Mexico City. Villegas later went on as a CEO to oversee 400 restaurants in that chain.

“Now we are together again with La Calle,” Soriano said.

They opened the first location of La Calle at 909 Franklin St. in downtown Houston in

Ramon Soriano

2016 and doubled their space, adding a cantina, in 2017. The second location in Bagby Park at the former Rico’s will open this May. “There were 300 other applications for the space, and (the Midtown Redevelopment Authority) chose us,” Soriano said.

Soriano said the pandemic caused them to rethink their plans for the Midtown spot as well as to delay the opening.

The decision has them very busy this spring and summer.

“We didn’t expect to open two restaurants in a year,” he said.

FOOD BRIEFS:

Annual caffeine crawl this weekend

by Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Caffeine Crawl is making its way back to Houston for its eighth year. This Friday and Saturday, the crawl will route participants to get a taste of Houston’s coffee, tea and chocolate scene, including shops in the area.

The Caffeine Crawl has tickets available for seven different route options. Find the full schedule at https://www. caf feinecrawl.com/houston-2021.html#/.

Every route except 1 and 7 includes at least one local spot. The local shops participating include Amsterdam Co., Tea Sip, Tenfold Coffee, Red Dessert Dive, Uncle Bean’s Coffee, Katz Coffee, Forth & Nomad, Luce Coffee Roasters and Throughgood Coffee.

Participants must wear a mask and respect other safety protocols.

Revival Market’s 10-year celebration Revival Market was Morgan Weber and Ryan Pera’s first venture after starting Agricole Hospitality. This Sunday, they are celebrating its 10-year anniversary with an outdoor party.

The celebration will be at Revival Market, 550 Heights Blvd., and will include a reunion of sorts, with returning chefs that have worked at the market over the years.

Each chef will have their own booth serving a Revival-inspired dish.

A ticket to the party is $65 and includes food from all participating chefs, two drink tickets, a sotol tasting with Weber from noon-1 p.m. and a bourbon tasting with Weber from 3-4 p.m. There will also be live music and a raffle.

To keep the event as safe as possible, it is split into two time slots, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 2-5 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.agricolehospitality.com/shop/revivalmarket-10-year-anniversarycelebration.

Don Fuegos Chicken opens Heights location At the beginning of March, Don Fuegos Chicken debuted its Heights location at 1221 W. 20th St. Don Fuegos features four different spice levels on its chicken, including dash, mild, hot and fuego, which has ghost pepper in it.

Fegen’s replacing Liberty Kitchen in Heights After F.E.E.D. TX Restaurant Group sold the Liberty Kitchen brand last summer, the company kept ownership of the Heights location at 1050 Studewood St. with plans to reimagine the space.

The new restaurant will be called Fegen’s and is helmed

by Lance Fegen, who is chef, owner and managing partner.

“This is a very special place for us,” Will Davis, another managing partner, said in a news release. “When we sold the Liberty Kitchen brand last year, we knew we had to keep this particular locale; it’s where Liberty Kitchen started; it’s been Lance’s home base for almost a decade, it’s situated in our neighborhood - where we live, and it’s where we’ve always gone with our own friends and family.”

The menu at Fegen’s will feature American fare of seafood salads, cooked meat and “comfort” sides, pastas and pizzas. Specific items include steaks with au jus, Chicken Schnitzel, Surrago’s Sunday Meatball, Veal and Pork To-

Contributed photo Tenfold Coffee is taking part in the annual Caffeine Crawl.

mato Gravy and Macaroni, Linguine and Clam Sauce, Neapolitan-style pizza and Blue Mussels in a tomatogarlic butter.

The bar will focus on elevating classic cocktails through modern recipes and quality liquors.

Gone are the coastal vibes of Liberty Kitchen. Fegen’s was remodeled for sophisti-

cation with deep reds, greens and dark paneling.

Once Fegen’s opens this spring, the restaurant will operate for dinnertime only, with to-go and online ordering available. Lunch and brunch services will be added in the following weeks.

Crawfish & Noodles joins Houston Farmers Market

The remodeled Houston Farmers Market will have Crawfish & Noodles open in the space this coming fall.

The family-owned VietCajun restaurant joins two Underbelly Hospitality concepts, including Wild Oats, and R-C Ranch Texas Craft Meats as new additions to the market located at 2520 Airline Dr. “Our goal has always been to create a tenant mix that is a reflection of Houston’s diverse community,” Todd Mason of MLB Capital Partners, which is upgrading the market, said in a news release. “Crawfish & Noodles could not be a better representative of what makes our city unique. We are thrilled to have them at the Houston Farmers Market.”

Crawfish & Noodles will operate a 3,298 square-foot, full-service restaurant overlooking the market’s green space. The menu will feature Viet-Cajun crawfish, salt and pepper Dungeness crab, fish sauce wings and basil fried rice as well as other authentic Vietnamese dishes.

Still, the opportunity on Ella was too good to pass up.

“The location is extraordinary,” Soriano said. “It’s always busy. The relationship with (Revive), the landlord, is phenomenal. There are already a lot of heavy hitters in the development. We are excited to be a part of it.”

The space, in the former RJ’s Boot Shop at 3321 Ella Blvd., is about 1,600 square feet and will have a 300 square foot patio.

Soriano said the restaurant will offer sit-down dining and will have a full bar.

“We foresee a strong break-

fast and a strong to-go business,” he said. “We will have curbside service, both for picking up and for ordering. We’ve secured parking for that.”

About 70 percent of the business at the downtown location comes from their street tacos, for which they are wellknown.

“There are five different small corn tortillas that you can fill up with nine different kinds of meats,” he said.

“They are the kind of tacos you’d find in Mexico City.”

For more information, visit www.lacalletacos.com.

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The Leader • Saturday, March 20, 2021 • Page 3B

Can Fido help you save money on your taxes? the most reasonable:

Dear Tabby, We got a dog this year and were wondering if there are any tax deductions that we can claim as new pet owners?

Tax Savvy in Shepherd Park Plaza Dear Tax Savvy, Tax season is upon us and this proves to be the time of the year that people get creative trying to find ways to reduce their tax bill. Your question was one that I’ve never been asked, so I did a little digging to see what I could find out.

While our pets really do feel like our children, unfortunately, according to the IRS, they’re not considered dependents. But there actually are a few ways that pets can give you a “leg up” on your taxes. Here are some of

Donations to animal shelters While the actual adoption fee for adopting a pet isn’t deductible, donations made on top of the regular adoption fees are deductible. According to the IRS, only donations made where no goods or services are received are considered deductible, so make sure that you ask for a receipt stating that no goods or services were exchanged from your favorite nonprofit pet charity.

Fostering pets If you are fostering pets from an approved pet charity organization, you can deduct pet expenses incurred from fostering on your taxes.

Items that would be considered eligible are vet bills, food, medicine and even some cleaning supplies.

Moving with pets According to the financial publisher, Kiplinger, if you moved during the tax year and incurred expenses related to the transport of

your pet, it is possible that you can deduct those moving expenses--hopefully you saved your receipts!

Service and therapy dogs IRS Publication 502 states that you may include in your medical expenses the cost of purchasing, training and maintaining a service animal for people with physical impairments (such as visually impaired, hearing impaired or other physical limitations).

While you might not fall into any of the above categories this year to claim any deductions, it’s a good idea to keep these in mind for the future. It would also be great to think about fostering or identifying a pet charity to donate to next year to make sure that you take advantage of those deductions. Pet charities need all of the help that they can get and your help would be so appreciated.

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

Pet of the Week Meet Duke Duke is a 6-year-old, 110-pound hunk of chocolate lab love! Unfortunately, Duke’s former owner didn’t have the time to spend with him, so Duke ended up in rescue. Duke hasn’t had much in the way of training, so he has a little work to do in that department, but he is smart and eager to please. Duke needs a home with kind and patient humans who are home most of the time.

He is a sweet soul who only needs a little direction to become a real jewel---could you help? Go to www.scoutshonor.org for more info.

Liberty Hoepfl Ladies Car Clinic set for Saturday

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

This Saturday from 10 a.m.noon, Liberty Hoepfl Garage at 4610 N. Shepherd Dr. will be hosting its annual Ladies Car Clinic.

As of Tuesday, there were two in-person slots left for reservation. However, any community member can attend the event virtually as it will also be streamed via Facebook Live on Saturday.

During the event, attendees will learn about fluids associated with their cars as well as

vehicle maintenance and potential safety issues.

“It helps people, especially women, have more confidence in their vehicles,” Liberty Hoepfl Garage owner Kathryn van der Pol said.

To get one of the remaining

in-person slots, find information on attending virtually or get more information on the event, community members can email elizabeth@thelibertygarage.com or call the shop at 713-695-5071 and ask for Ellie.

Memorial Hermann Greater Heights garners honor for maternity care

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, located at 1635 N. Loop W., was among eight hospitals in the Memorial Hermann Health System recently named as “Best Maternity Care Hospitals” by Newsweek.

This designation relies on data from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization that reports the quality and safety of healthcare facilities in the U.S., and was bestowed upon 217 hospitals across the country.

“This recognition is a testament to the great teamwork, high-quality care and commitment to patient safety that makes Memorial Hermann a great place for pregnant women,” said Victoria Reagan, vice president of Memorial Hermann’s women’s and children’s service line.

Among the criteria hospitals were judged for were maternity care efforts that included “strong quality

File photo Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, 1635 N. Loop W., was recently recognized by Newsweek for its maternity care.

improvement efforts to decrease early elective deliveries, episiotomy, cesarean delivery in low risk women, and newborn bilirubin screening prior to discharge,” according to a news release from

the hospital system.

For more information on maternity services at Memorial Hermann, visit memorialhermann.org/services/ specialties/womens.

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Page 4B • Saturday, March 20, 2021 • The Leader

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Tight-knit Lady Lions relish title triumph

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

As the game clock counted down last Saturday afternoon, Lutheran High North senior guard Kinsie Kim couldn’t celebrate with her teammates fast enough as a roller coaster basketball season ended in triumph.

“Once the clock hit zero and we saw the scoreboard, we all just looked at each other and knew that was our moment,” she said.

Kim and the Lady Lions captured the TAPPS 3A state championship with a 62-34 victory over McKinney Cornerstone Christian. It was the Lady Lions’ second state championship in the last five seasons after winning the TAPPS 4A crown in 2017.

“It probably hit me when we were on the bus on the way home (that we won),” sophomore guard Dalanna Carter said.

And while it may have been the first taste of a title game for Carter and Kim, the ending was even sweeter for senior Victoria Noack.

Noack was a four-year player for head coach John Slomcheck, and was on the other end of the scoreboard

when LHN lost the title game in 2019.

“It was difficult in 2019 when we didn’t win – because you never know what’s going to happen. Then especially this senior year with everything that was happening (with COVID), we didn’t even know if we were going to have a season,” Noack said.

“Just getting the opportunity to have a season made us want to work harder, because just around the world some people didn’t even get that opportunity.”

The Lady Lions cashed in, finishing the season on a 12-game winning streak and ending up with a 22-3 overall record. Noack and Kim both said such a run was enabled by the tight-knit team bond that was further strengthened when the Lady Lions missed about two weeks in late December and early January due to COVID-related postponements.

“In our head, we didn’t know if we were even going to come back from it. It opened our eyes. Especially with this team, I enjoy every single person on this team,” Noack said. “We mesh very well, and it was always a fun time.”

Photo courtesy of TAPPS The Lutheran High North Lady Lions celebrate winning the TAPPS 3A state championship in girls basketball last Saturday, March 13. It was LHN’s second TAPPS state title in the last five seasons.

Kim echoed the sentiment, referencing the Lady Lions’ final practice of the season prior to the title game as the epitome of their camaraderie.

She said Slomcheck brought a challenge to the team – make a half-court shot within a minute, and the entire team’s lunch was on him.

“On the first shot (Victoria) made it,” Kim recalled with a laugh. “Then after the first one he doubled up, saying we’d get lunch on Tuesday, too, if we made another one.

Within 10 seconds we made it again.”

With such a close bond, it didn’t come as much of a

surprise that the Lady Lions’ season featured very little in the way of drama. The Lady Lions began the season as TAPPS 3A’s top-ranked team and never relinquished their hold on that spot all season, leaving no doubt who the champion was on their way to the top.

LHN outscored opponents by an average of more than 30 points per game, and won all four playoff games by at least 22 points on their way to a title.

And when the clock hit zero, Noack said the emotion was intense for her and her fellow seniors, and that this championship had just a little extra meaning. The same was true for Kim. “Yeah we won the championship, but we also had fun doing it and all just enjoyed it,” said Noack, who is undecided on playing in college.

“It was a nice way to round out our senior year. Before the game, we knew it was quite possibly the last basketball game in life that we will ever play. “Not everybody gets the chance to do this – it’s a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Both Noack and Kim said this year’s team will be forever linked due to its abnormal nature. And through it all, Kim said one mantra will live on in basketball and in life – for her, anyway.

“Keep your head down and work, but also have fun while doing it,” she said. “Make those half-court shots count.”

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BASEBALL/SOFTBALL ROUNDUP

Panthers, Lady Bulldogs lead local squads on diamond

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

While it was a bit of a rough week on the diamond for some of the area’s high school baseball and softball teams, a couple of teams have emerged as leaders of the pack.

The St. Pius X baseball team continued its hot streak to begin the season, as did the Heights Lady Bulldogs softball team, by holding serve with perfect weeks.

St. Pius had won six of its last seven contests after going 2-0 last week. Jack Johnson and Kyle Winkler had two hits apiece in a 3-1 win over St. John’s on March 11, while Winkler also gave up just one unearned run in six innings of work on the mound. Jackson Mobley had two hits including a double while driving in three

runs for the Panthers (8-3) in an 11-0 win over Eisenhower on March 12.

Meanwhile, the Lutheran High North Lions improved to 2-0 with a 9-5 victory over Scarborough on March 12.

They will next face Tomball Rosehill Christian on March 23.

The St. Thomas Eagles had a rough week, dropping all three games last week. On March 12, they dropped both ends of a doubleheader by scores of 5-3 against Lamar and 10-6 against College Park.

St. Thomas (8-4-1) then lost 7-0 to Cy Fair Learning Center on March 13.

On the public-school circuit, Scarborough bounced back from the aforementioned loss to LHN with two victories over Wheatley. The Spartans (5-6, 4-0 district) defeated the

Wildcats by a score of 11-6 on Monday, then won by a 14-8 tally on Tuesday night.

Waltrip split a pair of games last week, defeating Houston Austin 16-0 on March 10 before dropping an 11-0 decision to Second Baptist on Monday.

The Rams (3-4, 2-0) were set for a rematch with Second Baptist on Wednesday afternoon.

Booker T. Washington is 0-2 on the season after losing 16-9 against North Forest on March 9 and dropping Monday’s game against Furr by a score of 18-1.

Photo from Twitter The Heights High School softball team won twice last week to remain unbeaten in district play.

Softball The aforementioned Heights Lady Bulldogs continued their early rampage through District 18-6A with two more wins last week. Sarah Peyrani and Marissa Gonzales each had

two hits for Heights (9-2, 6-0) in a 13-5 win over Chavez on March 12. The Lady Bulldogs also took down Lamar by a score of 16-5 on March 9.

St. Pius X, meanwhile, had a rocky week. The Lady Pan-

thers split doubleheaders on both March 11 and March 12 in tournament play before dropping both ends of a doubleheader on March 13, when they lost 7-6 to San Marcos and 10-3 against Akins.

Olivia McGee drove in two runs for SPX (7-8) in a 5-4 win over Cornerstone Christian on March 11, while Lora Tresco had three hits and four RBIs in a 9-2 win over Southwest on May 12.

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