Leader May 29

Inside Today: Houston snubbed from Harvey recovery funds • Page 4B

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Lawsuit alleges sexual misconduct among deputies

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com Female deputies who were part of a human trafficking sting operation claim they became victims of sexual misconduct at the hands of their male commanding officers, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court Monday against Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen, two high-ranking

members of his office and the county itself.

Cordt Akers, a Houston attorney representing the women, said during a Monday news conference that the constable’s office held “bachelor party” sting operations in which the female deputies were ordered to pose as prostitutes and the male deputies acted the part of buyers, in order to create an atmosphere in which ac-

Rosen

tual sex workers would feel comfortable and more likely to engage in illegal actively.

But according to the lawsuit, the women working for the constable’s office who were “handpicked ... under the guise of legitimate police work were molested and traumatized by their intoxicated male commanding officers for their own sexual gratification.”

The lawsuit, which names

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INSIDE.

Holiday fun. Looking for something to do this Memorial Day weekend? We’ve got ideas.

Page 4A

Page 9A

Photo by Shawn McDermott American Legion Post 560 historian Jim Acker, left, and Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride participant Todd Woodruff watch while rider Michael Daleo, right, cruises with a makeshift rainsuit to battle the wet weather last Sunday.

‘Distinguished’ bikers to cruise through area

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Time to clean house. This week’s B section is dedicated to the virtues of spring cleaning.

Page 1B

Jamie Farquhar-Rizzo would have preferred to be riding her 1959 BSA motorcycle last Sunday, which was the originally scheduled date for the Houston version of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. It’s an annual worldwide event in which men and women dress up in suits and ride vintage bikes in support of men’s health.

But the weather was rainy, so Farquhar-Rizzo decided to keep her 61-year-old motorcycle safely in the garage and instead ventured out in a 2019 Triumph Street Twin.

Many other riders made similar concessions - and some sat out the event altogether - so it was held in an informal, unofficial capacity and rescheduled for this Sunday.

Farquhar-Rizzo, a Shepherd Forest resident and the Houston ride leader, plans to cruise the area in her oldschool bike this weekend, when drier conditions are in the forecast. And she expects to be joined by about 200 See Ride, P. 6A

Kindred spirits. A Heights resident has a new bookstore that caters to readers of color.

HISD trustees name House as lone finalist for superintendent

Contributed photo Several motorcyclists gathered last Sunday at American Legion Post 560 in Garden Oaks for what was scheduled to be the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. Because of wet weather, the event was moved to this Sunday.

The Houston ISD Board of Education voted unanimously May 21 to name Millard House II as the lone finalist for the district’s superintendent job.

House, who has been working as the director of schools for ClarksvilleMontgomery County School System in Tennessee, was introduced to the Houston c o m mu n i t y during a board meeting at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center.

He is set to replace Grenita Lathan, who House is leaving for a job in Springfield, Illinois, after serving as HISD’s interim superintendent for the last three years.

“I think it was (author) John Maxwell that said people buy into leaders before they buy into visions,” House said.

“I want this community to know and understand that I’m going to do what it takes not only to have that buy-in from these ladies (trustees) behind me, but from the community abroad. Thank you for the opportunity. We look forward to making a difference.”

The impending hire comes at a tumultuous time for HISD, the largest public school district in Texas with nearly 200,000 students, and could be impacted by an ongoing lawsuit between HISD and the state. The Texas Supreme Court is considering whether Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath has the authority to replace HISD’s nine elected trustees with a state-appointed board of managers, a move Morath said he wanted to make in November 2019 because of what he called the board’s “failure of governance” and the prolonged failing academic performance of Wheatley High School.

At the time, state-appointed conserSee House, P. 6A

Heights grad headed to West Point

Page 2B

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

THE INDEX. Church....................................................... 5A Classifieds.............................................. 6A Coupons. ................................................. 3B Food/Drink/Art................................... 9A Obituaries.............................................. 2B Opinion. ................................................... 3A Public Information......................... 4B Puzzles...................................................... 3A Sports. ....................................................... 2B

See Lawsuit, P. 5A

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

PHYLLIS A. OESER

New to the game. Linda Olivarez is among the newer artists to Houston’s market scene.

the county, Rosen, Assistant Chief Chris Gore and Lt. Shane Rigdon as defendants, claims the women were ridiculed, retaliated against and assigned to lesser roles in the department upon speaking out against the alleged misconduct.

Jacquelyn Aluotto, another female plaintiff who

Contributed photo Heights High School graduate Brianna Correa holds a Class of 2025 banner in front of the Statue of Liberty after being appointed earlier this month to the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York.

Brianna Correa is a second-generation American, with her grandparents having emigrated from Mexico.

Later this summer, she will become a second-generation cadet at one of America’s most prestigious military institutions.

Correa, a 19-year-old Oak Forest resident and Heights High School graduate, said she recently received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at

West Point and plans to report to the New York campus in late June.

Her father said he graduated from there in 1991, later serving in the Army and earning the rank of captain.

“My (late) mother would be incredibly proud,” said Correa’s father, Daniel Correa, a graduate of the former Jefferson Davis High School in the Northside neighborhood. “We’re all the first generation to go to college, my wife and I, and now we’re seeing our kids continue the thing you always say is the American dream.”

West Point, which bills itself as the preeminent leader development institution in the nation, accepts only about 10 percent of applicants, according to its website.

Most prospective cadets must be nominated by a member of Congress, with Brianna Correa saying she was nominated by U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Those who are appointed to the academy attend for free, although they are required to serve in the Army upon graduating. Correa See Correa, P. 6A

Page 2A • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • The Leader

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • Page 3A

The Leader needs our readers’ support

I

’ve always been fascinated by authors who have the patience and ability to write and publish full-length books. And because I’m a self-described writer, I have an odd interest in the details of the craft.

According to one author website, thewritelife.com, the average novel today spans about 90,000 words, or 360 pages.

If you’re trying to write a biography, you’d want to shoot for 120,000 words. Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough wrote an incredible biography of John Adams by the same name. It was 260,130 words.

If you want to write War and Peace, you need to find 587,287 words to fill that monster.

Speaking of the written word, I bet you had no idea that in each edition of The Leader, there are somewhere around 10,000 words. If you start to do the math, the numbers become fascinating.

Every year, The Leader publishes the equivalent of nearly six novels about the people, businesses, schools and activities in the Heights, Oak Forest, Garden Oaks and the neighborhoods in our communities.

We write what would amount to two David McCullough biographies each year about you, and we aren’t far from publishing a book the length of War and Peace.

Maybe that’s not as mind-bog-

Jonathan McElvy Publisher

gling to you as it is me, but isn’t it captivating that our small staff is able to surpass 520,000 words each year, telling stories that make a difference in the moment?

Our articles have helped improve infrastructure in our communities, whether it’s work on Antoine, flooding on Wakefield, or lane changes in the Heights.

We’ve held government officials accountable for safety needs on Shepherd and 43rd Street after the deaths of two wonderful people.

Our stories have helped shine a light on the people of Independence Heights who suffered massively from the winter storm, and we’ve told stories of property owners impacted by over-zealous developers in the Heights.

And that’s not all. The book of current events we write each year introduces you to the new restaurants worth trying and the favorite

ones we’ve lost. We even tell you about restaurants about to close, only to find out our story reached so many people the restaurant decided to reopen.

We give space each week to the talented artists who make our area one of the most special in this enormous region, and we’re nice enough to Lynn Ashby that we allow him to joke his way through Texas politics and history – and everything else on that legend’s mind.

And then there’s you, our readers.

Whether it’s a group of local people involved in a kidney swap or a stray dog beloved by neighborhood residents, the hundreds and thousands of words we write each year, and the pictures we share, will last much longer than a social media post that comes and goes with the scroll of your finger.

The reason I’m evangelizing about The Leader and the work our humble staff does to produce a newspaper each week is because we need the help of our readers to continue writing your stories.

If you’re reading today’s newspaper, it likely means you’re a consumer of all sorts of news. It also means you know that newspapers like The Leader are quickly dying all over this country. A study out of the University of North Carolina suggests more than 1,800 newspapers

Un-armed and dangerous “41 percent say they are not willing to receive coronavirus vaccine” – The Hill “13 percent of adults say they will ‘definitely not’ get the Covid-19 vaccine.” -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “The northeast was the region most willing to reconsider an anti-vax stance, with 66 percent saying they wouldn’t reconsider, 11 percent saying they could, and the other 23 percent saying they were unsure.” – Daily Mail We are being swamped by statistics on the pandemic including percentages, pie charts and quotes from learned experts in white lab coats. But one thing is clear: a lot of Americans are refusing to get vaccinated against the pandemic. So, as your intrepid reporter, I set out to see just who are these rebels, where they live and why they are messing up our herd immunities. My first stop was with my neighbor, Caleb “Slack Jaw” Cornpone. His house was easy to spot, it had a “Trump in 2024 and Forever!” sign in his front lawn, alongside his helmet with buffalo horns left over from some trip he took to the U.S. Capitol.

I rang his doorbell. “What’s the password?” a voice asked from within. I knew the answer from earlier conversations.

“God loves Fox News.” The door opened slightly. “Nope.

That was last week’s password.

This week it’s ‘Hang Congresswoman Cheney.’ Are you here to take my census? That’s a commie plot to overturn our Constitutional right to carry a loaded bazooka, just like the NRA says.”

“No,” I replied, “I read that a new poll by The Economist asked people opposed to getting the vaccine if anything could convince them to get the jab, and 79 percent said nothing could change their mind, while 16 percent said they weren’t sure and 5 percent said their mind could be changed.

Could you change your mind?”

“You can’t trust fake news.

Nothing’s gonna change my mind and I’m a typical patriotic American. You’d probably find some traitors who would submit to having those guns pointed at their forehead. The lie is that it’s to check your temperature. But you know that gun sucks out part of your brain, don’t you?” I asked Cornpone if he trusted the outcome of the 2020 presidential elections. “Of course. Those elections were fair and square.

Trump won by a landslide.

Anyone who says differentially is probably a RINO secretary of state in charge of elections, an illegal immigrant or a federal judge.” I left.

The Economist poll also showed that 81 percent of women not getting the vaccine said nothing could change their mind against 77 percent of men. So I went to a local Women For Mob Rule rally and asked a few attendees if they could change their minds about vaccinations. Their answers varied from “Are you

Lynn Ashby Columnist

from MSNBC?” to “Are you from the Census Bureau?” to “I’m calling the cops.” The poll also found that there was a correlation between low-income people and being opposed to getting vaccinated, with just 2 percent of respondents with an income under $50K willing to reconsider getting jabbed after receiving new information. Where would I find poor people? I tried the local press club, but the members said, as journalists, they were neutral and had no opinion on anything. Then they went back to throwing darts at pictures of Greg Abbott and Mitch McConnell. My next stop was an underpass on the Interstate. Poking among the tents, I found one homeless guy who called himself “Lucky.” He looked up from his can of beans cooking over a Sterno flame. “Why should I get vaccinated? I’ve already got everything bad there is to get – ulcers, two ex-wives and season tickets to Rockets games. I still miss my executive parking space at Enron.”

Maybe some folks are getting vaccinated but don’t want anyone to know. Former President Trump and Melania Trump were vaccinated at the White House in January, but kept it a secret. Next I turned to my inside mole at the CDC: Deep Needle. “We need to meet at someplace secret, where nobody goes,” he warned, so we met at a Capitol Hill Police Department recruiting station. “Is it true that the Covid-19 shot causes infertility?” He sighed. “No, if that were the case it would be promoted by Planned Parenthood and banned by the Texas Legislature.” I asked, “There is also the rumor that the vaccine has not been thoroughly tested. A poll by the Associated Press found that about three-fourths of those who say they are unlikely to get vaccinated don’t believe the vaccines were properly tested.”

He laughed. “Those vaccines have been tested more than Lance Armstrong.”

“What about side effects?”

I asked. “Polls show 55 percent of hold-outs are very concerned about side effects.”

Deep Needle scoffed. “There is only one side effect among those who take the shot. They live.” Another poll: The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found only 11 percent of people who remain unvaccinated say eventually they will get the shot, while 34 percent say they definitely won’t. That poll also found that 26 percent of Black Americans say they won’t get vaccinated while 22 percent of Hispanic Americans and white

Americans also refuse the needle. Among Asian Americans, it was just 9 percent.

Oddly enough, there is a political breakdown of these statistics. The poll found that 32 percent of Republicans say they won’t get vaccinated. So I went to the local GOP headquarters located in a bunker, but couldn’t get in without a note from a GOP poll watcher.

Then I found a guy outside holding a sign reading “Covid-19 Ain’t No Shot – It’s a Microchip Delivery Tool.” I asked him about his stance. “That vaccine will kill you, painfully.

Dr. Fauci is a known scientist and is called an ‘expert’ only by other ‘experts.’ Like Trump said, Covid-19 is a hoax. Don’t get vaccinated.”

“Are you a Republican operative?” I asked. He laughed.

“No, I’ve been hired by the Democrats.”

Ashby got shot at ashby2@comcast.net

like ours have closed since 2004.

This is hard for me to admit, because I’ve been a champion for the purpose of community newspapers for more than two decades. I’m also a business owner who employs selfless people, and I want our business to continue for years to come.

In fact, until last year, The Leader had survived the toughest blows you could imagine, and we still found a way to remain financially viable.

For those who do not know, The Leader has been able to provide free news coverage to our neighborhoods for more than 65 years because local businesses have used our pages to advertise their products and services. But as more and more of these local businesses moved their marketing to the giants of Google and Facebook, we were forced to offer new services, create new content, and nearly beg our business partners to continue their support of our news coverage.

Then the pandemic hit, and what was left of the area marketing dollars all but disappeared. Today, The Leader remains because we’ve chosen to make an investment in news.

As owners, we believe this area of Houston deserves its own news, its own gatekeepers, and content that covers every angle of every issue. We do our best to stay out of

politics, and we give voice to people who otherwise have none.

We’ve made this investment because we believe our readers want and need to stay informed in ways social media just can’t provide. Yes, we may be an old technology, but our relevance is as important today as it has ever been.

One time a year, I ask our readers to consider supporting The Leader through a voluntary contribution, and that time is coming next week.

With every printed copy of the paper, you’ll find a letter from me, along with an addressed envelope, asking you to consider a financial contribution to The Leader.

Our ability to continue publishing news about our neighborhoods depends on our readers more now than ever, and if you have the ability to support the work we do, please consider a voluntary subscription.

If you’d rather do it online, we’ve created a website, www.luvLEADER.com, where you can safely contribute with a one-time or even recurring payment.

As a journalist, I’m so proud of the work we do each week to tell your stories. As a business owner, I ask you to please consider supporting the half a million words we write about you each year.

Email jonathan@mcelvypartners.com

THE READER. Texas to reject federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits

Dear Editor: Yeah. Why would Texans want FEDERAL money (which costs them nothing) given to Texans who then drop it directly into our state’s economy? So what if their kids still can’t go to school so they stay home? Who benefits from those federal dollars besides small businesses - auto mechanics, dentists, small retailers, local home services etc? Give that free money back! (This Leader article is slanted to the right, it should be criminal).

Kim Hogstrom Dear Editor: (Reply to Kim Hogstrom) Those small businesses will not benefit from this if they don’t have employees to work for them. Try to find one shopping center or restaurant that doesn’t have a “Now Hiring” sign out front right now in the city of Houston.

Michael Mendenhall

Abbott orders local governments to shed mask mandates

Dear Editor: Important to point out that this doesn’t even get our kids, who are too young to be vaccinated, through the school year.

My kids will not be in school that last week after the mask mandate is lifted.

Katie Zorzi Pearson Dear Editor: He better watch out for karma. We have lots of storms in Texas and lightning might just find the

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com right branch again.

Berkley Wood

Small businesses have to be better

Dear Editor: I have been burned 3 times from local businesses from the Leader advertising. Fence, deck and roof.

Never again.

Greg McGee Dear Editor: Companies are forced to bid the work cheap, due mainly to cheap homeowners and lowball illegal immigrants. The vicious cycle continues job to job just so they can themselves keep food on the table and bills barely paid.

Tim Lassiter

Heights House Hotel open after $3.5 million renovation

Dear Editor: I think this is a great Neighbor beautification and fantastic service desperately needed in the Heights.

It’s a hotel desert which makes hosting visitors a bit challenging sometimes, especially for those with small bungalows. I would have loved to have had it when I lived in my 2/2! Thanks to the hipsters who invested $3.5 M in the hood.

Brie VanKeuren Kelman Dear Editor: A great addition to the neighborhood for those of us who have family members visiting from time to time and too little room to house them! Wishing them mucho success!

Tracy Ferguson

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

aCrOss 1. Basics 4. Paper container 7. Diving ducks of N America having a bluish-gray bill 9. Spruce 11. Sacred choral composition 14. Ear lobe decoration 16. S Am. wood sorrel cultivated for its edible tubers 17. Wolf drama series 19. Straight, bowling or bobby 21. Cotton growing region in W. Central India 22. Tax saving retirement account 23. Expresses pleasure 25. Synoptical 26. Peseta 27. Oceans 29. Weekday 31. Octagonal motif in rugs 33. Beam out 34. Escargots 37. Mother of Apollo in ancient mythology

40. Fed 41. A sleeveless garment like cloak but shorter 43. Yugoslavian River 45. Patti Hearst’s captors 46. Representational likeness 48. Plundered 50. Clothier 54. ___ de Janeiro 55. Peaceful relations 56. Replaced union workers 58. African people of Senegambia 59. Every 24 hours 60. 1/100 yen 61. Summate

dOwn 1. Gum arabic 2. Crazy, loco, wacky 3. Unconnected 4. Whirring sound 5. Tartness 6. A group of individuals 7. Bard 8. Buddy 9. Not an amateur 10. North-central Indian city

12. Chit 13. Reverences 14. Inspire with love 15. Endocrine gland 18. Biblical name for Syria 20. The woman 24. Heroic tale 26. Daddy 28. Killing yourself 30. In a way, discolors 32. Artiodactyls 34. Resistant to change 35. Northeast 36. Watering places 38. A way to pave 39. Value excessively 40. Poplar trees (Spanish) 42. Elk Grove High School 44. Abroad 45. Author George Bernard 47. Old world, new 49. Tiny insectivorous W. Indian bird 51. British School 52. Moroccan coastal region 53. Radioactivity unit 57. Sheep sound

WORD SCRAMBLE

Page 4A • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • The Leader

Put these five local places on your radar this weekend

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

A lot of local spots of interest had to close their doors, temporarily, during the pandemic but are open again.

Others have added new draws to their existing offerings.

Here’s a rundown of fun things to do for Memorial Day weekend and beyond.

John H. Reagan World War II Memorial Plaza The Memorial Plaza is always open, but the World War II Memorial in the Heights leads the list because of the holiday.

Located just south of the intersection of East 11th Street on Heights Boulevard, the 1989 Memorial Plaza features a semicircle wall, filled with names of Heights soldiers who served in World War II. The wall also honors the 224 young men who lost their lives in the war.

The plaza features an obelisk, too, with a globe of the world to put the international conflict into perspective. The 23 bollards that surround the memorial tell the story of World War II and protect the memorial from wayward cars.

If you have extra time, stroll the boulevard and take in the True North public art exhibit.

Live Oak Friends Meeting House and Skyspace The Quaker meeting house at 1318 W. 26th St. is open again for visitors every Friday evening and on the first Sunday evening of the month, approximately 30 minutes before sunset.

Weather permitting, the roof will

be open to allow visitors to experience the play of changing light over the simple white walls. The roof installation by renowned Quaker artist James Turrell is known as the Skyspace. The New York Times described it as an architectural “idealization of Quaker testimonies like peace and equality.”

Open since December 2000, the house was especially designed to house members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) who had previously met in temporary spaces.

Reservations are not needed for individuals, and docents are available to answer questions. A simple donation box is near the entry by the guestbook. Guests are asked to wear face coverings. Visit the website, https://www.fgcquaker.org/cloud/ live-oak-friends-meeting-houston, for sunset times.

The Beer Can House This popular and unusual attraction at 222 Malone St. is once again accessible to visitors. The creation of John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Beer Can House got its start in 1968 with the addition of marbles, rocks and metal pieces to the yard’s landscaping.

The beer cans came later when Milkovisch used aluminum beer can siding to protect and decorate his house. “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” estimates that more than 50,000 cans adorn this “monument to recycling.”

Tours are available with advanced ticketing only and each tour time is limited to eight people. Guests are required to wear masks while inside and on the grounds of the Beer Can House. Tours take place on Saturdays and Sundays every 30 minutes from

Local schools select teachers of year

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

While Houston ISD recently recognized 12 finalists as candidates to be named its 2020-21 elementary and secondary teachers of the year, local schools also named their teachers of the year this spring.

The Leader solicited responses from the top teachers at area schools and featured some of those teachers last week. Standout teachers from additional area schools are highlighted below.

Love Elementary Lynne Sustala, fifth grade Principal Eden Bass said Sustala is an exceptional teacher with versatility across all Sustala contents in kindergarten through fifth grade.

“We regularly see her class working on new hands-on learning projects like solar pizza ovens or creating custom landform models,” Bass said.

“Ms. Sustala has also played an integral role in promoting a positive team culture through this difficult year, always finding ways for staff and students to connect.”

Sustala said one thing she loves about teaching is that it is always an eventful journey she gets to go on with her students.

“We are always learning something new together and every year is a new adventure,” she said.

Memorial Elementary Michelle Pierce, autism self-contained Principal Maria Garcia said Pierce is a true advocate for students.

“She ensures her students have the best environment and support system to thrive

Contributed photo Pictured is the “Beer Can House” at 222 Malone St. Visiting it could be a fun Memorial Day weekend event.

1-5 p.m. Tickets are $5 per person and children 12 and under get in free with a parent or guardian.

The Playscape at the Houston Arboretum A $25.8 million fundraising campaign has allowed the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center at 4501 Woodway Dr. to restore a portion of its property to native prairie grasses, overhaul the nature center and renovate its walking trails.

One of the last pieces to open, the new Playscape is getting rave

reviews from children of all ages. At almost an acre, the equipment has a nature emphasis with a “spider’s web” for climbing as well as a “grass climb” and “stump scramble” among other features.

The center is open from 7 a.m. to dusk, but the Playscape is a popular birthday party rental right now, so check the website (houstonarboretum.org) for summer hours.

The Rothko Chapel Recently marking its 50th anniversary, the Rothko Chapel with its

large-scale paintings by Mark Rothko is part of The Menil Collection. After a yearlong renovation, the chapel at 3900 Yupon St. is open from 10 a.m.6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

The project, designed in collaboration with Rothko’s son, Christopher, brings the site back to its 1971 design.

The chapel now features a skylight as well as improved artificial lighting. A new welcome house serves as an orientation and education space.

Entry is free, but visitors need to acquire timed tickets.

GO DIGITAL TODAY!

academically and socially,” Garcia said.

Pierce said she is a fierce advocate for inclusion and acceptance of all neurodiversities and that she loves her work at Memorial Elementary.

Pierce “ Te a c h ing behavior and communication are the backbone of my work and watching my students grow in independence brings me the greatest joy,” Pierce said.

Waltrip High School Stephani Seewald, English Principal Michael Niggli said Seewald is a passionate educator who cares about her Seewald students and always goes the extra mile for them.

“Aside from the fact that she is very knowledgeable in her content, Ms. Seewald is always willing to spend extra time helping students whether it be with a college application or understanding class material,” he said. “She is a true educator in every sense.”

Seewald said she is passionate about reading and writing.

“Teaching two grade levels of high school English has allowed me to see my students’ progress with their journey,” she said. “I love seeing them at the beginning as underclassmen and then, I am blessed to watch them mature into graduating seniors who are ready to venture into the next phase of their lives.

Knowing they have expanded their personal experiences through visiting various literary texts makes me so proud to be a part of their lives and future.”

Fetch your Leader Copies of The Leader are no longer available at 3500 E. T.C. Jester Blvd.

Suite A. You can find them at our office:

2020 N. Loop W., Suite 220 or MytiBurger 2211 W. 43rd St. C&D Hardware 314 E. 11th St.

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The Leader • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • Page 5A

Mosley purchases 20th Street property

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Gary Mosley, who owns four restaurant-and-bar concepts in the Heights area, said he recently purchased the commercial property at 402 E. 20th St. But the Heights resident said he does not plan to transform the location into another outpost operated by the Creek Group, which includes Onion Creek in the Heights, Cedar Creek in Shady Acres, Cactus Cove

in Timbergrove and Canyon Creek in the Washington Avenue and Memorial Park area.

Mosley said he bought the 70-yearold property, which is located in a historic district designated by the City of Houston, in order to preserve it and possibly rent it out to another business.

“I’m not going to open up a Creek there,” Mosley said. “There’s just so much stuff going on, with people knocking down these historic buildings. The history that the Heights has, I’m just trying to do my part in

preserving it.”

The 11,220-square foot property at 402 E. 20th St. has been home to Heights Upholstery, an auto upholster, and is valued at $830,400 by the Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD). The one-story building measuring 2,784 square feet was constructed in 1950 as an auto service garage, according to HCAD. The property had been owned since 1988 by Carmen Martinez.

Mosley said she sold it because she wants to retire and move out of the city.

Photo from loopnet.com Heights restaurateur Gary Mosley purchased the property at 402 E. 20th St.

Memorial Hermann allowing more visitors

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The Memorial Hermann Health System is allowing more visitors at many of its facilities, including Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital at 1635 N. Loop W., according to a Monday news release.

System-wide, the hospital system said one adult visitor (at least 18 years old) will now be allowed to visit those in contact isolation. However, there will continue to be no visitors allowed for patients in droplet, airborne or a combination of isolation precautions, according to the hospital. Family

members can also visit loved ones who are in hospice or supportive medicine care, the hospital said.

Acute care facilities such as the Heights-area hospital as well as TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, Katy Rehab and PaRC will allow two adult visitors and one adult overnight visitor per patient per day, while Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital will allow two parent/guardian visitors per patient per day and two parent/guardian overnight visitors.

The hospital system said all its outpatient facilities are still not allowing visitors in most circumstances because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

All visitors to Memorial Hermann facilities must still wear a hospital-provided mask while on the premises and will undergo a health screening before entering.

“Memorial Hermann remains committed to providing a safe environment for our employees, physicians and other members of our workforce as well as patients and their loved ones,” the hospital said in a news release.

To stay up to date on the hospital system’s visitor policy, community members can go to memorialhermann.org/ services/conditions/coronavirus/important-announcements#visitorpolicy.

Local hospital earns top rating for patient safety

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital has earned an “A” safety grade from The Leapfrog Group, according to a Wednesday news release from the hospital.

The local hospital at 1635 N. Loop W. was one of six Memorial Hermann hospitals to earn the “A” rating from

the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, which scores hospitals nationwide based on its performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms among patients in their care using 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data.

“Patient safety is paramount at Memorial Hermann Greater Heights and being recognized for our commit-

ment to safety and quality is a great acknowledgement of the hard work demonstrated every day by our physicians, nurses and employees across our system,” Memorial Hermann Greater Heights senior vice president and CEO Paul O’Sullivan said. “It also confirms the trust families place in us to safely, and compassionately, care for their loved ones.”

ment as alleged.”

He also said his office conducted an internal investigation into the matter after a concern was raised by a third party “several months ago,” and that leadership of the human trafficking unit was transferred to another supervisor at that time. Rosen said the internal investigation “found no violations of law or policy,” and that the constable’s office has not received a formal complaint from any of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Along with Aluotto, the plaintiffs are Liz Gomez, Felecia McKinney and Marissa Sanchez.

“Each employee interviewed was given the opportunity, in a safe environment, to express any concerns,” Rosen said. “Their own interview statements contradict many of the allegations in the lawsuit.”

Aluotto said the alleged misconduct during the human trafficking stings affected the women’s ability to perform other duties related to their jobs with the constable’s office. She also said

the women have received threatening phone calls regarding the lawsuit and how it could impact their careers with Harris County and law enforcement in general.

“We want to send a message: This can never happen again. This will never happen again,” Aluotto said. “You can call and you can threaten us and retaliate against us. I’ve already been told that my career in the county has been ruined.

I’ve been blessed to work in this great county and have a career, and I hope that’s not the case.

“But if it is, I’m always going to stand up for what’s right, and I’m always going to fight for people, and I’m always going to fight for people who are exploited. In for a time as this, we need to end corruption and complicitness by people in power.

We will not be silenced. We will continue to advocate.

We will continue to fight for our rights and others.”

AMERICAN LEGION POST 560

3720 Alba Rd., Houston, Texas, 77018, is looking for an reliable individual/company to pick up on a regular basis glass containers for recycling, both beer and liquor bottles. The glass is free for the taking, with no liability expressed or assumed by the Legion. Interested parties may contact the Post Commander, Ms. Irene Infante at 4ireneinfante@gmail.com or calling the Legion

@713-682-9287

Lawsuit, from P. 1A was employed by the constable’s office as a human trafficking advocate, said her complaints about the alleged misconduct initially fell on deaf ears. The day after she provided testimony to the internal affairs division of the constable’s office, her hours were reduced to zero, according to Akers.

“These brave women were ordered – ordered by their commanding officers - that your job in my unit, in an undercover capacity, is to dress in scandalous clothes, to allow me to kiss you, to allow me to fondle you, essentially to be molested by their commanding officer,” Akers said.

“That is exactly what happened. And as these operations went on, the focus went more on that and less on the victims they were trying to save.”

Rosen, a Democrat who was initially elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2016 and 2020, said in a statement Monday that he has a “zero-tolerance stance against sexual assault and sexual harassment and would never allow a hostile work environ-

File photo Pictured is Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital at 1635 N. Loop W.

2400 Augusta Dr. Suite 212 Houston, TX 77057

Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter @AZuvanich

CHURCH D I R E CTO RY

I

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

In-person services are temporarily restricted.

Bible Studies For Youth, Children • Learning Hour........... 11:00am - 12:00pm MANNA

GET JesusIT! loves bad people 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

M

ost people tend to think of themselves First Church St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA Weekly Sunday Services as pretty good. If Gethsemane Lutheran Church t 8PSTIJQ &OHMJTI

BN BN We invite you to worship with us! someone does admit to 1700 Sunday West 43 at Rosslyn School ........9:15 am MANNA t -FBSOJOH )PVS BN QN 713-682-4942 being bad, they can usually t 8PSTIJQ 4QBOJTI QN QN Sunday Worship......10:30am 4QPOTPS Ad # 32285 give you a name of someone Wednesday Bible Study 8FTU SE 4U t )PVTUPO 5Y t who is worse than they are. & Prayer 6:00pm Candlelight Church ofService Christ Join us for Services FC Heights Family and Staff The last few weeks I have in English or Spanish Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 11:00 201 E. 9th St. • 713-861-3102 Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn Sunday Worship 10am & 5pm Sunday School for Children, Youth and Adults 9:40 begun studying through the not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, Please website at: Sund visitforour Sunday Bible Classes 9am www.fbcheights.org Ministries All Ages and you will be forgiven...

Wednesday Bible Study 7pm Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children life of the Apostle Paul with www.lazybrookbaptistchurch.org for the following: Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor 4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365 R.S.V. Luke 6:37 Sunday Services: @ 9 AM and 2003 W. 43rd St.Wed 713-686-8241 s t s u m cIn-person .org our church.

This man called Houston, TX 77092 11 AM (Live stream during 11 AM service) Say a himself the chief of sinners.

Bible Studies: From Homepage, click on In other words, he admitted Prayer 1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470 Connect/Small Groups to being the worst person Today who had ever lived. This is interesting because most Gethsemane Lutheran Church Christians would call the Pastor Jerry McNamara 4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 Apostle Paul one of the best people that ever lived.

We invite you to worship with us!

The Apostle Paul was not Weekly Worship Services 9:00a.m. always doing right. In fact, Online services can be reached through the website below at 9:00 am. he put people in prison and and Adults............................ 6:15pm

1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470

4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227

Weekly Worship Services 9:00 a.m.

Sunday School & Bible Classes 10:30 am

Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m. www.gethsemanelutheran.org

◆

Sponsor

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• Bible Study: 9:15 a.m.

• Morning:10:30 a.m.

• Evening: 4:15 p.m. rd

Pastor – Dr. Richard Walters

killed people just because they chose to follow Jesus.

Jesus loved Paul, or Saul as he was known at that time, enough to change his life.

The reality is that even though we may not have done as many bad things as Paul did, none of us is truly good. Only God is good.

Jesus loves bad people and changes them by God’s power so that they can do God’s work which is good.

Many bad people have done bad things in the name of God. Many churches have perpetrated evil in the name of God. Many religions have done evil things in the name of God. You can trust in God and follow Him. Jesus loves even the worst of sinners and wants to give them salvation and an eternal home in heaven.

Page 6A • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • The Leader

Ride, from P. 1A other riders after only about 40 showed up last Sunday.

“All of the vintage bikes will be out this weekend,” she said. “So that’ll be big.”

The 10th annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, which has been held in more than 100 countries, has raised more than $31 million for the Movember charities that support prostate cancer research and men’s mental health. This weekend’s ride is a celebration of an ongoing fundraising effort, with 171 Houston riders having raised nearly $20,000, according to gentlemansride.com.

Sunday’s event is scheduled to start at noon at American Legion Post 560, located at 3720 Alba Rd. in Garden Oaks, where participants will eat brunch, listen to speakers and have the opportunity to take photos in front of the fighter jet on the property. Riders are scheduled to depart at 2 p.m., and the 15-mile ride is scheduled to conclude around 4 p.m. at Providence Heights Bar, 1308 W. 20th St. Farquhar-Rizzo said the local American Legion post was selected as the starting point because she wanted to call attention to the or-

House, from P. 1A vator Doris Delaney had ordered HISD to suspend its search for a permanent superintendent. HISD then sued the state in an attempt to prevent the board takeover, claiming such a move would disenfranchise Houston voters, and was awarded a temporary injunction by a Travis County judge. The injunction was subsequently upheld by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, prompting Morath to file an appeal with the state’s highest court.

If the court gives Morath the authority to replace the HISD board, he also could select his own superintendent for the district.

HISD trustees voted 6-3 last November against giving Lathan the superintendent job on a permanent basis. She announced in March that she had accepted the superintendent’s role for Springfield Public Schools.

The HISD board offered unanimous support May 21 for House, a Tulsa, Oklahoma, native who worked as a school administrator there and in Charlotte, N.C., before taking the job in Tennessee. He recently was named as the Tennessee Mid-Cumberland Superintendent of the Year, according to HISD, and is a finalist for a statewide superintendent of the year award.

“He has had a profound impact on students’ academic achievement throughout his career in education,” HISD board president Patricia Allen said. “We are confident he brings the innovation and leadership we need to continue improving outcomes for students of HISD.”

ganization, which serves war veterans in the area and has been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s kind of neat to tip our hat to the veterans on Memorial Day,” Farquhar-Rizzo said.

Members of the public are welcome to witness the ride, which will feature vintage motorcycles such as the Bobber, Brat, Cafe Racer, Chopper, Scooter, Scrambler, Side Car and Tracker.

Farquhar-Rizzo said participating riders are expected to “dress to the nines” - with some sporting formal wear such as ties, suits and kilts - in an attempt to combat the negative stereotypes sometimes associated with motorcycle riders.

“A collective of gentlefolk, dressed dapper on our classic motorcycles, and raising awareness by parading through the city,” FarquharRizzo said. “What’s not to love?”

For more information, visit gentlemansride. com. Online donations to the cause can be made at gentlemansride.com/fundraiser/ Contributed photo bmoa.

Participants in Houston’s version of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, which benefits men’s health charities, pose for a photo in front of the fighter jet at American Legion Post 560 in Garden Oaks.

Correa, from P. 1A said the idea of a free education was the initial draw to West Point, and she gained an appreciation for military service while spending the last year at the United States Military Academy Preparatory School.

Correa, who did not have any JROTC or ROTC experience at Heights, said she initially was denied admission to West Point when she applied during her senior year of high school. But she was given the opportunity to attend the prep school, which is located in the same place and gave her an introduction to military life as well as a chance to improve her academics and physical fitness so she could earn a place in the prestigious academy.

“I developed an appreciation for giving back to the country and just people who have served before me and how everybody has different motivations for joining the military,” she said. “But in the end, especially everyone at the academy, everybody’s trying to better themselves individually and serve the nation. That concept I really, really loved.”

Correa said she’s interested in military intelligence and the medical field and might pursue a career in one of those areas. She was an honor student at Heights and also was an active member of St. Theresa Catholic Church near Memorial Park.

Contributed photo Heights High School graduate Brianna Correa has spent the last year attending the United States Military Academy Preporatory School in New York, where she was exposed to military life and improved her academics as well as her physical fitness.

Her mother, Blanca Correa, said she and her husband were surprised when Brianna expressed an interest in applying to West Point during her junior year, because her father had not tried to nudge his daughter in that direction. She attended a summer leadership program that summer in West Point, further solidifying her goal of being appointed to the academy.

Daniel Correa said he’s tried to provide advice to his daughter about navigating West Point, although some of their experiences figure to be different. The elder Correa said there were not many female cadets when he started attending the academy in 1987, with that number having grown throughout the years while remaining relatively low.

He also said training measures, and the culture surrounding training, have evolved over the last three decades.

“The experience at West Point has changed in order to account for the most current understanding of that group dynamic,” Daniel Correa said. “It is very much the place I graduated from, and so much more.”

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Page 8A • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • The Leader SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Last State Restricted Silver Walking Liberty Bank Rolls go to TX residents

Texas residents get first dibs on last remaining Bank Rolls loaded with U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties dating back to the early 1900’s some worth up to 100 times their face value for just the $39 minimum set for state residents - non state residents must pay $118 per coin if any remain after 2-day deadline tricted Bank Rolls per TX resident has been imposed STATE DISTRIBUTION: A strict limit of 4 State Restricted “It’s a miracle these State Restricted Bank Rolls even exist. That’s why Hotline Operators are bracing for the flood of calls,” said Laura Lynne, U.S. Coin and Currency Director for the National Mint and Treasury.

For the next 2 days the last remaining State of Texas Restricted Bank Rolls loaded with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties are actually being handed over to Texas residents who call the State Toll-Free Hotlines listed in today’s newspaper publication.

And here’s the best part. If you are a resident of the state of Texas you cover only the $39 per coin state JACKPOT: minimum set by the private NationImagine finding al Mint and Treasury, that’s fifteen the 1919-D Silver Walking rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Liberty shown Walking Liberties worth up to 100 above worth times their face value for just $585 thousands of which is a real steal because non dollars in collector state residents must pay $118 per value in one of these unsearched coin which totals $1,770 if any coins Bank Rolls. There remain after the 2-day deadline. are never any VALUABLE: VALU “Recently National Mint and Treaguarantees, but It like a It’s sury spoke with a retired Treasurer o Texas residents who tr treasure get their hands on of the United States of America who the hunt there’s no ted these State Restricted said ‘In all my years as Treasurer wha you’ll telling what he Bank Rolls will be the I’ve only ever seen a handful of these find. That’s because the dates ecause really lucky ones because U.S Gov’t and mint marks of the fifteen U.S. rarely seen Silver Walking Libern coins even more common o Texas issued coins sealed away inside these State of ties issued by the U.S. Gov’t back in are still worth up to $115 been searched.

All we Restricted Bank Rolls have never know is some alue. $825 in collector value. the early 1900’s. But to actually find of the coins are worth up to 100 times their face value. them sealed away in State Restricted Bank Rolls still in pristine condi- just 2 days to answer all the calls it Mint and Treasury set up the State day’s newspaper publication need tion is like finding buried treasure. won’t be easy. So make sure to tell Toll-Free Hotlines in order to make to do is make sure they are a resiSo anyone lucky enough to get their everyone to keep calling if all opera- sure Texas residents get the State dent of the state of Texas and call hands on these Bank Rolls had bet- tors are busy. We’ll do our best to Restricted Bank Rolls before they’re the State Toll-Free Hotlines before ter hold on to them,’” Lynne said. the 2-day deadline ends midnight all gone,” she said. answer them all,” Lynne said.

“Now that the State of Texas ReThe only thing readers of to- tomorrow. Q “That’s why the private National stricted Bank Rolls are being offered up we won’t be surprised if thousands of Texas residents claim the maximum limit allowed of 4 Bank IMPORTANT: The dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties sealed Rolls per resident before they’re all away inside the State of Texas Restricted Bank Rolls have never been searched. Coin values always gone,” said Lynne. fluctuate and they are never any guarantees, but any of the scarce coins shown below, regardless of “That’s because the dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver their value that residents may find inside the sealed Bank Rolls are theirs to keep.

Walking Liberty Halff Dollars sealed away inside the State ate of Texas Restricted Bank Rolls olls have never been searched. d. But, we do know that some ome of these coins date ate clear back to the early ly 1900’s and are worth h up to 100 times theirr face value, so there iss no telling what Texas as residents will find unntil they sort through all the coins,” Lynne went on to say.

The only thing Texas xas residents need to do is call the State Toll-Free Hotlines 1919-P 1938-D 1921-S 1916-P printed in today’s newspaper Mint: Philadelphia Mint: Denver Mint: San Francisco Mint: Philadelphia publication before the 2-day Mintage: 962,000 Mintage: 491,600 Mintage: 548,000 Mintage: 608,000 order deadline ends.

Collector Value: $32 Collector Value: $60 Collector Value: $80 Collector Value: $55 “Rarely seen U.S. Gov’t is$515 $160 $800 $265 sued silver coins like these are highly sought after, but we’ve never seen anything like this before.

According to The Official Red Book, TEXAS RESIDENTS: COVER JUST $39 MINIMUM PER COIN a Guide Book of United States Coins many Silver Walking Liberty Half BEGIN CALLING AT 8:30 AM: 1-800-929-4439 EXT. RWL2027 Dollars are now worth $115 - $825 if you are a resident of the state of Texas call now to claim the state each in collector value,” Lynne said. limit of 4 state of Texas restricted bank rolls. all Texas residents “So just imagine how much these who beat the 2-day deadline are getting the only full fifteen coin last remaining, unsearched State of bank rolls loaded with rarely seen u.s. gov’t issued silver walking Texas Restricted Bank Rolls could liberty half dollars dating back to the early 1900’s some worth up be worth someday. Remember, to 100 times their face value known to exist. The only thing Texas these are not ordinary coins – these residents cover is just the $39 per coin state minimum set by the rarely seen coins date clear back to private National Mint and Treasury, that’s fifteen rarely seen u.s. gov’t issued silver walking liberty half dollars some worth up to the early 1900’s. In fact, these coins 100 times their face value for just $585 and that’s a real steal have been forever retired by the U.S. because non-Texas residents must pay $1,770 for each state of Gov’t, and you can only get them Texas restricted bank roll. just be sure to call the state toll free rolled this way directly from the Nahotlines before the deadline ends two days from today’s publication tional Mint and Treasury because date. these are the only State Restricted Bank Rolls known to exist,” said Lynne.

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The Leader • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • Page 9A

Art Valet: Upstart artists bring resolve to market scene Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

Can you believe we’re still in the month of May? In my world, fifth Saturdays are holidays! I just happened to get lucky this month.

In my last column, published in the May 15 edition, I talked to exhibitors about the influx of outdoor markets in 2020 and ’21. With shopping outdoors an increasingly popular activity, I also noticed an increase in creatives coming on the scene, too.

Allow me to introduce you to a few.

Linda Olivarez is a polymer clay jewelry artist and calls her company The Abstract Olive. She told me she’s a single parent to her 8-year-old son who is autistic. Losing her job of eight years due to the pandemic was more than devastating. It was scary and hard to imagine starting over.

Around the same time,

Olivarez said she had starting teaching herself how to make jewelry and other items out of polymer clay (a man-made clay). When she lost her job, Olivarez threw herself into learning everything she could about working with polymer and jewelry making.

“I took it as a sign to throw myself in this art 100% with no looking back,” Olivarez said.

“Being able to create something out of nothing is truly a gift that I will never take for granted. I was 33 when I found the one thing I truly loved to do and what I really wanted to do as my work, and I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.”

Find Olivarez at local markets by following her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/ theabstractolive.

Joseph Grayson also lost his job last year. He turned trips to the beach with his family into a business by turning found driftwood into candle holders and planters. He also cuts granite by hand and tumbles for smoothness to make whiskey rocks and matching coasters.

“After losing employment, I delved into my crafting of re-

Contributed photo Tiffany Nesbit holds a new creation of flower pelt made with red and pink lilies and thread.

claimed materials and established JK Carvers,” Grayson said. “I was able to shift my point of view from distressed to an opportunity to grow as an artisan. I got the chance to participate in various markets and enjoy every minute of it.

I’ve been able to be with my family more and I feel rewarded with the experience caused by such a strange and unexpected situation.

“I definitely never considered myself an artist, but with the support of my wife and

that were in bloom,” Nesbit said. “That went in all sorts of directions: making paint with the juices from the flowers, and sewing together the actual petals from larger flowers.

I started making collage drawings with the juices and inks that resembled parts of the flowers and the environments where they were found.”

Nesbit began incorporating the animals that ran across the property into her drawings, too.

“You can see little moments of the critters’ personalities in the drawings,” Nesbit continued. “This time being back home gave me a chance to realize how interested I was in these materials and why they are so sentimental to my practice. They were materials that I grew up with as a kid, and magically snuck into my adulthood.”

Nesbit posts her art on Instagram at instagram.com/ tiffanyangelstudioartist.

children, I saw that my designs are in fact quite unique,” he added. “Although it’s not all positive, I have to say I’m glad I was pushed in such a way.”

Find Grayson on Instagram at instagram.com/jkcarvers.

In the May 8 edition of Art Valet, I wrote about the University of Houston School of Art graduates and current students’ exhibit “Annex Energy,” and interviewed Tiffany Nesbit, one of the student exhibitors. The exhibit is located under the Silos at Sawyer Yards in Site Gallery through Aug. 19 and is open during the Second Saturday Open Studios. I encourage you to go see this exhibit!

As I discovered when talking to Nesbit about her exhibit, she does a lot more with art than the hand-built ceramics I knew her for at the market.

While attending markets was not new to her, finding herself stuck out of state without tools of her trade was.

At her childhood home in the Louisiana countryside, Nesbit had to find new materials to create with.

“I didn’t have any of my studio materials so I started collecting all of the wildflowers

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.

M-K-T taking shape, businesses opening

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

It would have been easy to tear down the five industrial buildings at 600 N. Shepherd Dr., and plan to build an apartment complex on the lot.

Scott Arnoldy, the founder of Triten Real Estate Partners, which is the co-owner and co-developer of M-K-T along with Radom Capital, said instead of apartments he and his partners saw an opportunity to deliver a project unique to its kind.

“We thought, ‘We can make just as much money and deliver something to the community by taking what’s there and readapting it,’ ” Arnoldy said.

“It’s not just a place to eat but a place to be shown off as a unique, cool part of the city.”

When a friend or family member comes to Houston

from out of town, Arnoldy hopes the M-K-T development can be an answer to the question, “Where should I take them to show off what Houston has to offer?”

Inspired by revitalized industrial buildings in cities like Chicago, M-K-T offers interesting architecture along with a variety of tenants. The development is also neighbor to a hike and bike trail, making it even more accessible. “(M-K-T) offers an amenity to the life and community around it,” Arnoldy said. “We offer a lot of programming.

We want this to be a place the community engages on multi levels: a place you shop, eat and bring your friends.”

The mixed-use development is home to clothing boutiques, a jewelry store, fitness gyms, office spaces, an array of restaurants and more.

Shops and restaurants are be-

ginning to open and current tenants that haven’t opened yet are expected to open by late summer or early fall.

Arnoldy said the goal with the hospitality-driven concepts was to offer an experiential dining experience while also offering a diversity of cuisine or the “best in class” chefs and operators.

Restaurants like Blue Sushi Sake Grill, Mendocino Farms and Rakkan Ramen have proved themselves to be top operators through their concept in other cities, while other restaurants give to a local flare and flavor, like with Da Gama Canteen.

Susanna Wright, a Heights resident and walker on the nearby Heights Hike and Bike Trail, has been waiting patiently for the restaurants to open.

“Every time I’d walk by I’d get excited for what was to

come,” Wright said. “With some open, I’m going to ‘eat’ my way through the development.”

Wright has already stopped

by Da Gama and said she had a great experience.

Homestead Kitchen & Bar, a brunch-type spot with a southern flare, is expected to open this summer. Highline Park Ice House & Restaurant, which Arnoldy said has the same owners as Wicklow Heights, 1027 W. 19th St., is a recently signed tenant.

Other food and drink-focused tenants at M-K-T include Honest Meals, a meal prep and planning shop; Honeychild’s Sweet Creams, an ice cream shop; SweetGreen, a fast-casual spot that serves up bowls of healthy food; and Tight Squeeze Juice Bar. “We are currently 75 percent leased for both office and retail space,” said Lisa Rey-

Photo by Traci Ling Homestead Kitchen & Bar is gearing up to open at the M-K-T development in the Heights this summer.

erse, the marketing and brand director for Triten Real Estate Partners.

The development also has

“vanilla boxes,” which are spaces businesses can use for a limited time to try out their concept, kind of like pop-ups.

Review: Grindhouse a go-to stop for coffee, kolaches Zarah Parker Managing Editor

Good people, good coffee and great kolaches. That’s what Grindhouse on North Shepherd Drive, just a stone’s throw away from St. Pius X High School, has to offer.

The shop has only a few spots to sit, so when I arrived on a recent Saturday around 10 a.m., I was out of luck in finding a spot. In the few times in the past I’ve dropped by the shop, I’ve been able to sit and relax, so having to take my order to-go didn’t bother me.

Currently, the shop has a limited menu due to the pandemic, featuring hot and iced coffees, kolaches and a selection of pastries like muffins and muffin rings.

The workers behind the counter were both nice as they helped me choose my selection for the day, and then helped each other prepare the order.

The glass case beside the counter displaying the pastries also made it easy to look over and decide what I wanted.

However, I noticed that the case was already depleted, so I recommend getting to the shop early to get a wider range of options.

When I asked for something iced and creamy with a balance of coffee flavor with a little sweetness, I was told the vanilla iced latte would be the perfect choice. If I wanted something sweeter, I was to go with an iced white mocha.

I ordered the first coffee option along with a blueberry muffin ring and a kolache with egg and bacon.

When I’ve grabbed a regu-

lar latte during past visits, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with cute latte art, like a bear. The coffee is sourced from Katz Coffee, but it doesn’t diminish the Grindhouse barista’s ability to pour out a good latte that doesn’t have too much milk in it.

The egg and bacon kolache already was a favorite of mine, but I have had the sausage kolaches as well. The best thing about all the kolaches is the bread, which is a sweet dough.

The savory meats paired with the sweet bread are great together. Grindhouse also makes a vegetarian kolache with spinach, tomatoes and mozzarella.

The bacon and egg used to be scrambled egg with smaller pieces of bacon thrown in. I noticed when I ordered it this time, the egg was cooked in a kind of omelet style, where both the yellow and white of

the egg were cooked instead of whisked together. Slices of bacon were also included instead of just pieces. The changes didn’t change the quality of the kolache.

The blueberry muffin ring was like the eating the top of a muffin, and about the size of a small doughnut. I would have like more blueberries included, but I guess there’s only so much room when it’s in a ring shape. I’ll definitely grab a muffin next time I stop by.

Grindhouse Address: 5403 N. Shepherd Dr. Hours: 6-11 a.m. MondaySaturday Pricing: $1.45-$5 Kid-friendly: Yes Alcohol: No Healthy options: No Star of the show: Bacon and egg kolache

Food briefs: Soda shop with twist planned for Washington Avenue

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

A new restaurant concept is starting to take form that aims to bring a piece of the past into the present. Old Sixth, a shop that plans to sell sweets and soda via an old-school soda fountain, expects to set up at 2111 Washington Ave. Owners John and Veronica Avila, who also own Henderson & Kane general store, 715 Henderson St., are combining an ice cream shop with a cocktail and jazz lounge in Old Sixth. They are also teaming up with Jasmine Chida of SweetCup Gelato, 3444 Ella

Underbelly Hospitality’s second restaurant will be a burger joint. The permit application calls the eatery “UBH Burger Shop,” according to Eater Houston.

Blvd., for the ice cream side of the operation, with Jojo Martinez in charge of beverages.

The concept is currently seeking funds through Kickstarter at https://www. kickstarter.com/projects/ oldsixth/old-sixth-sodassweets-and-spirits/.

Potential burger concept at Houston Farmers Market Houston chef Chris Shepherd and his group Underbelly Hospitality will have two restaurants at the revamped Houston Farmers Market.

The first, Wild Oats, was announced months ago.

Photo from Instagram The building at 2111 Washington Ave. will house Old Sixth, an upcoming concept that will feature a vintage soda fountain as well as a cocktail program.

According to Eater Houston, a permit application filed with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission indicated

Hopdoddy giving back The burger hot spot Hopdoddy, 449 W. 19th St., is giving back this Memorial Day weekend.

From May 28-31, the restaurant will be donating a percentage of its proceeds from all sales to Seal Legacy Foundation, a charity that provides support to families of wounded and fallen U.S. Navy Seals.

Photo by Zarah Parker Pictured is the bacon and egg kolache, blueberry muffin ring and iced vanilla latte from Grindhouse, 5403 N. Shepherd Dr.

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Page 10A • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • The Leader

LHN began the year strong, in-person with COVID precautions in place.

20-21 TAPPS 3A District Champs!

Virtual learning integrated smoothly into the classroom.

Cross Country finished top 10 in State!

2nd place overall in the TAPPS Drumline competition.

13th overall in the TAPPS Division 3 State Swim Meet and three medal finishes!

Four sold out Fall Comedy performances!

20-21 TAPPS Division 3 State Champions!

Spring Cleaning The Leader • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • Page 1B

It’s time to clean house

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Your house is the most important place in your life.

And because of that you should want to keep it clean, said Moylam Wong, owner and operator of You’ve Got Maids of Central Houston, 1345 N. Shepherd Dr. Spring may be coming to a close, but it’s not too late to spring clean your home and have it ready for the next season. When starting a deep clean, it’s important not to overlook any part of the house.

“You should start looking top to bottom,” Wong said. “The ceiling, ceiling fan, the corners for spider webs, windows and window seals, blinds and baseboards.”

Commonly missed spaces that should be cleaned more regularly include the laundry room and closets. Wong also mentioned “hot spots” like door knobs and refrigerator and microwave handles as things most people forget to clean.

Wong’s top cleaning tips include saving time cleaning your oven by using the self-clean option, if it has it, the night before you begin your deep clean. When dusting, use microfiber cloths and don’t cross-contaminate by using the same one for the kitchen and the bathroom.

“When cleaning the bathroom, you should vacuum first,” Wong said. “It removes the hair from the floor. If you start getting the floor wet first the hair will make it a mess.”

Natural Care Cleaning Service, which is based in the Heights at 747 W. 18th St., also has cleaning tips for getting rid of odors naturally on its blog.

The tips include washing shoes and letting them air out in the sunlight, leaving windows open so the air movement will keep things smelling fresher and adding white vinegar to cleaning solutions to help neutralize odor-causing bacteria. Baking soda can also be used because it acts as a natural deodorizer.

Another Heights-based cleaning service is MaidLuxe, 6300 N. Main St. Ste. 101B. Its blog also contains tips for dusting and carpet cleaning.

MaidLuxe recommends using a vacuum to dust furniture, not to overlook dusting light fixtures, check the vents in the bathroom along

Thoroughly cleaning homes before the summer comes with health benefits and can help a house operate more efficiently.

with changing air filters when needed, and to pay attention to the direction you dust. Dust falls, so start from the highest point and work your way down.

Anyone who has carpet in their house is no stranger to vacuuming a carpet, but MaidLuxe points out in its blog that it’s not just vacuum-

ing up crumbs. Regularly vacuuming improves the air quality, therefore minimizing health risks such as allergy symptoms like coughing and sneezing.

Other than vacuuming often, MaidLuxe suggests addressing any spill immediately, and when you do, blotting at it with a damp towel,

Stock photo

not rubbing it. And if someone tracks mud inside, wait for it to dry before going at it.

Of course, if you want to save time with cleaning, you can always hire services like You’ve Got Maids of Central Houston, Natural Care Cleaning Service or MaidLuxe.

Local handyman: Keep up with home maintenance

By Zarah Parker zarah@theleadernews.com

Hiring a handyman is a convenient approach to being a homeowner.

John Gerlach, president and owner of Mr. Handyman of NW Houston and Jersey Village, said it’s convenient because of the decades of experience his employees have. By going through a business like Mr. Handyman, he said homeowners can rest easy knowing the handyman is licensed, insured and backgroundchecked.

“My guys are general handymen technicians that can handle all types of services,” Gerlach said.

Some of the work Gerlach mentioned includes services such as installing a new door, hanging photos or mounting a television, but the business is also handy in taking on work for upgrades and remodels.

“We also recommend any rotted wood get replaced and treated,” Gerlach said. “Don’t overlook cleaning your gutters or pressure washing.”

As the calendar flips into June, air conditioners will be set at lower temperatures.

If homeowners are worried about air conditioning units being in working order as they will be needed more in the coming months, Gerlach recommends calling a company

$50

Contributed by John Gerlach Mr. Handyman of NW Houston and Jersey Village’s technicians install drywall to a ceiling.

that specializes in them.

However, there are other ways to prepare the home for summer.

“Electric bills go up in the summer time because it gets so hot,” Gerlach said. “But there are things you can do to your house to make sure your air is circulating correctly.”

Homeowners can re-caulk their windows, install new weather stripping or seal the house by replacing the fascia, the board that spans the area where the outer walls of the home meet the roof, and the soffit, the material that covers eaves.

As a house settles, doors may need to be adjusted as well. Gerlach also recom-

mends making sure the attic ladder is sealed properly when closed. If it isn’t, it might need replacing.

“Before doing anything, make sure you fully understand your budget,” Gerlach said, “and make sure your choices won’t have an adverse effect on the home.”

Most of all, Gerlach advises not to ignore any small maintenance problem on a home because something small can become a big problem, which is always more expensive.

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Page 2B • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • The Leader

New Heights-based bookstore caters to readers of color

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

As a former teacher in New Orleans and mother to some voracious readers, Heights resident Terri Hamm understands the importance of books to young readers – and the importance of readers recognizing themselves in literature. So she has launched Kindred Stories, a bookstore for all ages committed to amplifying Black voices and bringing diverse stories to the local community.

“My daughter Elle has probably read more books in her lifetime than I have,” Hamm said. “She wanted to read books about Black girls by Black authors and has really been able to explore the diversity of Black culture.”

For a time, Hamm ordered books to keep up with Elle’s passion but said the algorithms of the online sites kept showing her the same types of books.

“I wanted a way for her, and for other people to be able to explore multiple genres in Black literature,” Hamm said. “And I realized that there was not a space for that in Houston.”

The store, which is now online, opened in February. By the end of summer, Hamm and Kindred Stories plan to move into a leased space in

the Third Ward, a community that Hamm said does not have the same access to books as the Heights.

Hamm’s journey to being a bookstore owner started with her own research more than a year ago. A marketing major at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Hamm devoured resources from the American Booksellers Association and Paz & Associates, a resource for independent booksellers.

She said she has learned the most about the industry by visiting one of her favorite independent bookstores – The Lit. Bar – in the Bronx and visiting with Afro-Latina owner Noëlle Santos.

“She and I talked for a long time,” Hamm said. “I’m still learning new things every day.”

In addition to her online presence, Hamm has taken her shop on the road, at pop-ups in local coffee shops and at the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.

“I’m all about baby steps,” she said.

Hamm is also passionate about working with underserved communities to provide books and is still brainstorming ways to get books in the hands of more readers of color.

“Books are expensive,” she said.

“I’m looking to connect schools and

nonprofits and maybe do some fundraising.”

One bright spot of the pandemic, according to Hamm, is the ability for small stores like hers to host bigname authors through virtual book tours. This week Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child is doing a weeklong virtual tour for which Kindred Stories will provide the books to local participants.

“It’s a way for us to be involved and get our feet wet,” Hamm said.

So far, Kindred Stories is attracting previous book readers who are looking for Black-authored books online.

Hamm also does special orders for other communities of color.

“I just did an order for a school with a community that is 50 percent Latinx,” Hamm said. “Although promoting Black authors is my passion, I support all authors and all authors of color.”

Hamm notes that in looking back at the books Elle has read over the years, she realized that a lot of the books with Black main characters were not written by Black authors.

“I firmly believe that Black people should be able to tell their own stories,” Hamm said.

For more information, visit https:// kindredstorieshtx.com/.

Contributed photos Above, Kindred Stories bookstore owner Terri Hamm, right, poses for a picture with Chanecka Williams at a popup book-selling event at Freedmen’s Town Farmers Market. At right is an example of books sold by Kindred Stories, which operates online and has plans for a brick-and-mortar location in the Third Ward.

BASEBALL/SOFTBALL ROUNDUP

Local private-school athletes named all-state

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Two private high schools in the area enjoyed strong baseball and softball seasons this spring, and several of their key players were recently recognized for their contributions with selections to their respective TAPPS all-state teams.

The St. Pius X softball team had three all-state selections following the program’s most prolific season in recent memory. The Lady Panthers went 20-10 overall and 10-0 in district play to win their first district championship since 2015 before falling to San Antonio Antonian Prep in the state quarterfinals.

Sophomore Victoria Hunter was one of two first-team selections for SPX after leading TAPPS Division I in batting average (.649), slugging per-

centage (1.351), on-base percentage (.750), OPS (2.101) and RBIs (51), according to MaxPreps.

Senior UTSA commit Emily Dear also garnered first-team honors after finishing third in TAPPS Division I in batting average (.634) and RBIs (42).

She also finished tied for second in homers (11) and was second in on-base percentage (.705), slugging (1.281) and OPS (1.985). In the circle, she was third in Division I with a 1.34 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 114.2 innings pitched.

Senior catcher Jennifer Schmalz was a second-team selection after hitting .370 with a 1.006 OPS and 30 RBIs. She caught all 30 games for the Lady Panthers, committing just two errors all year.

Baseball Leading the area’s baseball

teams was St. Thomas, which had three selections to the TAPPS all-state team. Senior Will Rizzo, who is committed to Texas A&M, was a firstteam selection after a senior campaign that saw him pitch three complete games and lead the Eagles to their 10th state tournament in the last 11 seasons.

The Eagles also had two second-team selections in infielders Grant Stringer and Heriberto Villegas.

St. Pius X had one all-state baseball selection, Kyle Winkler, who starred both on the mound and at the plate for the Panthers during a 15-13 season that ended in the area round of the playoffs. Winkler led the Panthers with a 1.86 ERA as a pitcher and four home runs as a hitter, and finished second on the team with a 1.012 OPS.

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713-492-9497 IN MEMORIAM

J. E. ”Skip” Ward DECEMBER 31, 1947 - MAY 7, 2021 J. E. “Skip” Ward passed away on Friday, May 7, 2021 in Houston, TX. Skip was born December 31, 1947 in Houston, TX to parents Merle Frederick “Buck” Ward and Mai Evelyn Dobbins. He was the eldest of three boys: Skip, Larry and Bill Ward. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Lisa Gail Ward and his three daughters: Wendy Ward Hazel, Waverly Donoho Bailey, and Naressa Nicole MacKinnon, all of Houston, TX. He was blessed with 10 grandchildren who will carry on his legacy.

After having spent most of his high school years in Cairo, Egypt, Skip returned to Houston, TX and graduated from Waltrip High School. He then graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1970. He was a proud Texas Longhorn and a lifetime TexasEx. He had a highly successful career in the oil industry owning and running multiple companies, with his first personal endeavor being The Texas Oil

Company. Not only was he one of the most highly respected men in the industry known for his honesty, integrity and ability to complete even the most difficult of projects, this oilfield legend had a heart of gold. He served on numerous Boards in support of people with mental & physical disabilities and was instrumental in the fundraising that has changed lives for so many.

Skip lived a life full of success and adventure, and created success for those around him. Until the very end at 73 years of age, he enjoyed skiing, scuba diving, boating, hunting, clay shooting, reading, cigars and scotch, but his absolute passion was flying. He began flying in 1974 at the age of 27 and to date has logged almost 10,000 hours of flight time. Skip was a proud member of Our Savior Lutheran Church where he grew his faith on his journey to heaven’s gates. This husband, father, Poppa, friend, and mentor will forever be in our hearts.

The family has asked in lieu of flowers, please donate in memory of J.E. Skip Ward to Our Savior Lutheran Church & School located at 5000 West Tidwell Rd, Houston, TX 77091, (713) 290-8277. For Memorial specifics, please contact: nmackinnon@ncla. healthcare

Photos by Wayne Donnelly St. Pius X’s Emily Dear, left, and St. Thomas’ Grant Stringer were among the area’s private -school athletes to earn TAPPS all-state honors in baseball and softball.

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The Leader • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • Page 3B

Considering traveling this summer with your pets?

Dear Tabby, We are so excited to travel this summer and have a couple of pet friendly AirBnbs booked. We are thinking about taking our dog and cat along with us. What do we need to consider before making the decision to bring them along?

Tempted to Travel in Timbergrove Dear Tempted to Travel, Never has summer travel felt so exciting as it does this year! Humans have been stuck at home for so long and many are itching to get out at the first possible opportunity.

With all of this time spent with pets, it’s tempting to take them along on summer travels -- but is this a good idea?

There is no blanket advice I can give you to help you decide if you should take your

pets along with you or not -- it is truly dependent on the personalities of your dog and cat (but do consider the fact that most cats do not enjoy new environments, so if your travels would stress Fluffy out, please consider leaving her at home with a caring pet sitter.). In the event you do have pets who would relish the opportunity to explore a new environment, here are some tips for making it as easy and enjoyable as possible for all involved.

Pack it all Take every single thing your pets could possibly need while away from home. This includes medications, extra food, treats, bowls, litter boxes, etc. The idea is to make the new environment as comforting and easy as possible for you and your pets.

Scout out emergency vets Make sure you have a plan in place for a medical emergency in the city you’ll be visiting. Chances are good you won’t need it, but having a plan before the unthinkable happens and knowing where

to go will ease your mind while traveling. Also take a copy of your pets’ vet records with you to help a new vet understand your pets’ health.

Plan to clean up If you’re staying at an AirBnb, consider taking along your own lint rollers, hand-vac ... anything that will help keep fur at bay while you’re staying in someone else’s home. Sure, you pay a fee for cleaning, but staying on top of the pet hair during your stay will ingratiate you to your host. Baking soda is also handy to have on hand to quickly absorb any pet odors that might occur during travel.

Once you consider all that must be planned and prepared for taking your pets with you on a trip, you might find it’s not worth the trouble. Sometimes a break from our pets and their routines is a welcome relief from everyday life and there’s no guilt in taking some time for yourself -- especially after the year that we’ve had.

FBI’s Houston office accepting applications for teen academy

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston-area youngsters wanting to get a taste of how the FBI operates will have the chance to do so this summer.

The FBI’s Houston office announced May 20 that online applications are open for its 2021 Teen Academy, which will be held July 22.

Applications can be found online at fbi.gov/ file-repository/houston-2021-teen-academyapplication-051721.pdf/view, and must be submitted by June 4.

Applications are open to high school juniors and seniors as well as recent high school graduates who have yet to start college. According to a news release from the FBI, the program allows students an opportunity to get a comprehensive look into the FBI’s operations with an eight-hour block of instruction and demonstrations at its Houston Field Office.

There will presentations on topics like terrorism, cybercrimes, public corruption, evidence collection and SWAT, the news release said, as well as the day-to-day operations of a typical FBI office.

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The Leader • Saturday, May 29, 2021 • Page 4B

Local leaders cry foul after city snubbed from recovery funds

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Several local elected officials at the city and state levels have criticized the Texas General Land Office for leaving Houston out of its initial allocation of federal Hurricane Harvey relief funds, with some calling for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to intervene.

Neither Houston, Harris County nor the Harris County Flood Control District was awarded any of the $1 billion allocated last week by the Texas General Land Office (GLO), even though the region was the most heavily impacted by the August 2017 storm. Houston and Harris County had requested $1.3 billion for its flood mitigation and recovery projects.

The GLO, which has another $1.1 billion in federal Harvey relief funds to distribute, instead gave a total of $90.4 mil-

lion to Harris County municipalities Baytown, Galena Park, Jacinto City and Pasadena. “(The GLO’s) decision to deny Harris County its fair share of flood aid is implausible,” Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis wrote May 21 on Twitter. “It is a slap in the face to our entire community to tell our residents who lived through the devastation of Hurricane Harvey that they will not get the funds they deserve.”

In a joint letter to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Ellis and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner asked the department to “halt all GLO actions” related to the fund distribution while reviewing the GLO’s procedures and metrics for allocating the funds. Ellis and Turner said smaller municipalities were prioritized over larger ones such as Houston.

Twenty-two state representatives from Harris County

Turner

Ellis

-- including Jarvis Johnson of District 139 and Penny Morales Shaw of District 148 -- expressed a similar sentiment in a Monday letter sent to Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, who oversees the GLO. The state lawmakers asked Bush and the GLO to reconsider their decision and reevaluate their fund-allocation process.

Turner, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, all 17 Houston City Council members and all four Harris County commis-

sioners signed a similar letter to Bush on Wednesday morning.

Last October, the GLO received approval from HUD to proceed with a plan to take control of $1.2 billion in funding that was given to the city to help residents impacted by Harvey, amidst claims that Houston had not utilized the recovery funds in a timely and efficient manner.

“It is clear from the outcry on both sides of the aisle that

Two men charged with murder in 2020 shooting

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Murder charges have been filed against two men who were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a man outside a local fastfood restaurant last year, according to the Houston Police Department.

HPD said Andre Matthews and Christopher Vargas, both 24, have been charged with murder in the shooting death of 21-year-old Isaac Mendoza. Vargas has also been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, according to HPD.

HPD said officers responded to a Taco Cabana at 700 N. Loop W. around 10:20 p.m. Nov. 29, 2020, where Mendoza was shot while sitting in the driver’s seat of his car.

Citing a witness who was in the passenger seat, police said then-unknown suspects fired multiple shots in their direction that hit Mendoza.

Mendoza was later pronounced dead at an area hospital, according to police. Subsequent investigation led to identifying Matthews and Vargas as the alleged shooters, according to HPD.

landan@theleadernews.com

Police say they are looking into the death a woman who was found inside an area apartment complex last weekend.

The identity of the woman, who was 28 years old, is pending verification by

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The medical examiner is also working to determine the cause of death, HPD said.

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Woman found dead inside 43rd Street apartment complex

By Landan Kuhlmann

the state’s disregard for the lives and livelihoods of everyday Texans for the sake of politics has simply gone too far,” city council member Abbie Kamin, who represents the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest areas, said in a statement. “I remain hopeful that if the GLO continues to neglect over 2 million Houstonians in our state, that (HUD) will step in to ensure taxpayer dollars are distributed fairly.”

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