Leader October 23

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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston Saturday, October 23, 2021 • Vol. 66 • No. 43

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Cisneros to protest bar’s TABC permit renewal permit renewal for Main Street Tap & Grill, 4002 N. Main St., after several gunshots were fired outside the business early Oct. 13, according to video footage a nearby homeowner shared on YouTube and with The Leader.

Montie Beach Civic Club member Tim Goings and other nearby residents have said they want the bar closed down or to make significant changes aimed at ensuring the safety and quality of life for adjacent property owners.

“Whatever the residents would like to see or want, she’s been sup-

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Tensions have escalated between Montie Beach residents and a neighborhood bar and grill where there have been nearly 200 noise complaints logged with the City of Houston and multiple acts of violence since the business opened in late 2019.

A staff member for Houston City Council member Karla Cisneros said she is on the side of her constituents and plans to protest the upcoming mixed beverage

portive of the community,” said Veronica Xiloj, Cisneros’ director of constituent services. “So she’s filing the protest to support them.”

Xiloj said Cisneros has been in contact with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), the state agency that will decide whether to renew the Main Street Tap & Grill mixed beverage permit that expires Dec. 5, and planned to file her protest this week along with supporting emails from concerned residents Photo by Adam Zuvanich as well as the aforementioned Multiple gunshots were fired outside Main Street Tap & Grill See Grill P. 4A

early Oct. 13, according to a video shared by a nearby resident.

Making ‘Lemon-Aid’

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azuvanich@theleadernews.com

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INSIDE. Contributed photo Garden Oaks resident Cameron Smith rolls out dough for sugar cookies with lemon icing, which were given out earlier this month in exchange for donations to Eye See HOU, a local support group for the visually impaired.

Local support group gains momentum

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Pizza party. Stefan Modrich explores the local pizza scene, which is deliciously diverse.

Page 9A

Keep composting. Weekly composting events in the Heights spawned a citywide program.

Page 1B

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

Search ongoing for shooter in deputy’s death

It might have been the cause, or it could have been the sugar cookies with lemon icing that were made by Angela Smith’s two sons, Cameron and Reagan.

Either way, the Garden Oaks family was happy to help a friend from the neighborhood and contribute to a cause that is gaining traction.

The Smiths partnered with fellow Garden Oaks resident Kate Mills and her children earlier this month to host a “Lemon-Aid” stand benefitting Eye See HOU, an upstart support group for the visually impaired that was created earlier this year by two other local residents. Angela Smith said they took donations in exchange for cups of lemonade and the aforementioned cookies, which were gobbled up in a span of about two hours, and raised roughly $300.

Contributed photo A group of Frank Black and Hogg Middle School students operated a “Lemon-Aid” stand benefitting Eye See HOU last month near Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet.

“It was a really good turnout. A lot of people stopped by,” Smith said.

“People were extremely generous.”

There were a total of about 15 “Lemon-Aid” stands that operated

throughout the Houston area in late September and early October, collecting donations in lieu of sales and rais-

Police are searching for a man who shot and killed a Harris County constable’s deputy while wounding two other officers last weekend outside a sports bar in the Northline area.

Kareem Atkins, a 30-year-old deputy for the Harris County Precinct 4 C o n s t a b l e ’s Office who had recently returned from paternity leave, died from his injuries in the Oct. 16 shooting, according to a Facebook post from the conAtkins stable’s office.

The post said fellow deputies Darryl Garrett and Juqaim Barthen, who along with Atkins were working an extra law enforcement job at the 45 Norte Sports Bar in the 4400 block of North Freeway, also were shot with an AR-15 assault rifle.

The Houston See more Police Department crime-related said in a news renews coverage lease that Garrett and Barthen were Page 4B transported to a hospital in stable condition. An HPD spokesperson said the suspected shooter, described only as a Hispanic male, remained at large as of Tuesday afternoon.

“Deputies Atkins, Garrett and Barthen are true law enforcement heroes that were cowardly ambushed while serving and protecting their community,” Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said in the Oct. 16 Facebook post.

According to HPD and the constable’s office, Atkins and Garrett were informed of a possible robbery in the parking lot around 2 a.m. and were in the process of making an arrest when another person, the aforementioned shooter, opened fire and struck both deputies. Barthen heard the gunshots and rushed outside, where he also was shot, according to the Facebook

See Support P. 6A

See Shooting P. 3A

YMCA renovations aim to further connect community

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

As a football coach, Northside resident Dominic Moreno appreciates the art of a good workout.

He also knows the Harriet and Joe Foster Family YMCA serves as more than a workout station or a hangout after work or school. Ultimately it’s a center for the community to connect and push for each other’s betterment.

And as chances for connection have been at a premium over the

last 18 months, the local YMCA is aiming to foster even more of it with its ongoing renovations. The facility completed the first phase of a renovation project last week at 1234 W. 34th St. and is shooting for Phase 2 completion in early January.

“There are plenty of gyms that you can choose from in this area, but I like the homeliness setting that the YMCA offers,” Moreno said. “It’s not so much people competing with other people. They

expanded it to help keep with the competition outside the YMCA, but they’re also staying true to their roots.”

Recently-completed renovations focused on the weight room and group exercise studios. The facility added more square footage as well as additional pieces of cardiovascular and strength equipment to better serve members, according to a news release from the YMCA, and renovated the group See YMCA P. 6A

Photo by Landan Kuhlmann Dominic Moreno lifts weights Tuesday inside the Harriet and Joe Foster Family YMCA.

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Page 2A • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • The Leader

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THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • Page 3A

Populations shift to wherever is most popular Want to get rich? Of course you do, and as usual, I am here to help with some new stats to compare to the old. Forget Houston and Austin. Buy land in Gonzales and Sulphur Springs. They’re coming back, and keep an eye on Little Elm. Let me explain. As we have noted ad infinitum, the 2020 Census shows that Texas is leaping past all the other states in population growth – 1,000 a day. Most newcomers are moving to our large cities and their suburbs, while rural Texas is losing people. This movement into and within Texas actually began after the Republic of Texas (no, this is not a history lesson) joined the Union in 1845. Thus the 1850 U.S. Census was the first indication of which Texans lived where.

For more information, we turn to Mike Cox, a noted Texas historian, statistician and columnist, so he must be right. He wrote in his syndicated column, “Hard to imagine today, but back in 1850 residents of New Braunfels could brag that they lived in the fourthlargest city in Texas.” He goes on to note that in that first U.S. Census of Texans, in 1850, the enumerators found 212,592 people in the state, including slaves. But this didn’t include our Indians, and no one volunteered to count them.

The census showed that only 3.6 percent of the Texas population

Lynn Ashby Columnist

lived in cities of more than 2,500 people, whereas the national level was 15 percent. Cox found that in 1850 the top 10 Texas cities looked like this: Galveston (4,177), San Antonio (3,488), Houston (2,396), New Braunfels (1,723), Marshall (1,180), Gonzales (1,072), Victoria (802), Fredericksburg (754), Austin (629), Corpus Christi (533). Only four of our cities have been Number 1: Galveston, San Antonio and Dallas once (1890). Houston took over in 1930 and has been there ever since.

Apparently working on the theory that it’s hard to hit a moving target, Texans keep changing homes.

Take Dallas. Please. It finally broke in as ninth in 1860, right behind Sulphur Springs. By 1880 Big D was still smaller than Austin, yet within 10 years, 1890, Dallas was briefly the biggest city in Texas.

We can only assume that everyone who came down from Indian

Shooting from P. 1A post from the constable’s office.

A GoFundMe account set up for Atkins’ family, which said he leaves behind a wife and two young children, had raised more than $22,700 as of Wednesday morning. Online donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/ helping-deputy-kareem-atkins-family.

GoFundMe pages also have been set up for Barthen (https://www.gofundme.com/f/harris-county-deputyj-barthen) and Garrett (https://www.gofundme.com/f/ darryl-garretts-blue-angels) to help with their medical expenses.

HPD said anyone with information about the identity or whereabouts of the suspected shooter is encouraged to call HPD’s Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-8477.

Territory for the Texas-OU game stayed. Wouldn’t you? Today our state’s biggest cities are Houston, of course, then San Antonio, Dallas, Austin and El Paso.

Our suburbs are growing mightily. Arlington has more people than Corpus Christi. Plano is larger than Laredo or Lubbock. Garland, Irving and Frisco have larger populations than Amarillo. What is the fastest growing city in Texas?

Among the 100 largest cities in Texas, the fastest growing city is Little Elm, whose population has grown 1,076.9 percent since 2000.

What is the fastest shrinking city in Texas? Among the 100 largest cities in Texas, the fastest shrinking city is Galveston, whose population has declined 12.2 percent since the year 2000. Galveston’s peak population was 59,606 in the year 1990, and its current population of 50,446 is a 15.4 percent decline from its peak. Galveston was once the 411th largest city in the U.S., but it’s now the 774th largest. On the other end of the chart, what’s the smallest town in Texas?

That depends. Guerra, about 90 miles northwest of McAllen in Jim Hogg County, had a population of 6 in the 2010 census, although there seems to be no 2020 count.

Or you can take me back to Luckenbach, Texas, with Willie, Waylon and the boys. It may have a per-

manent population of 3. No one knows for sure.

Not to get sidetracked, but the nation’s population ratings have also changed – except when they haven’t. In the first U.S. Census in 1790 and each one since then, the Number 1 city in population has been New York City. Next, in that first census, came Philadelphia and Boston. No surprises there, but then came Charleston, S.C., followed by Baltimore, Northern Liberties, Salem, Newport, Providence and Marblehead. I give up. What’s a Northern Liberties? For the next 50 years Northern Liberties was among our largest populated cities.

Just to show how Americans move around, let’s take Number 4 in population. That slot has been held by the aforementioned Charleston (1790), Boston (1800-1840) and, of all places, Brooklyn (1890), which was then a separate city. Houston took over in 1990 and still holds Number 4.

Population booms mean land booms, which is traditional here.

Land was a major reason people came to Texas, and the General Land Office was the first agency created by the Congress of the Republic of Texas. Land was also the coin of our realm -- ex-soldiers from the Texas Revolution and the Civil War were paid off in stateowned acreage. Our Johnny Rebs

got 640 acres. At this point you are thinking, “Like I care about Marblehead. What’s in it for me?”

Money, that’s what. In every one of these population shifts, somebody made a fortune and somebody lost his life savings. So, obviously, our job is to figure out where everyone is going, then buy up Farmer Brown’s back 40, and don’t tell him it’s the site of the next Sprawl Mart or used hotel mattress recycling center.

Where’s the next boomtown?

There are 167 million land acres in Texas, so we have a lot of opportunities. Is Pecos the next Silicone Valley? Van Horn – Space City. Guerra welcomes Haitians.

What happens in Port Arthur stays in Port Arthur. Don’t roll your eyes.

If you’re so smart, why didn’t you buy the Permian Basin when it was dust and tumbleweeds? Wait! Elon Musk is moving Tesla’s corporate headquarters from California to Austin, where he is already building a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility. That could bring more than 10,000 new jobs to Central Texas through 2022. On second thought, buy Austin. Finally, in case you were wondering, Northern Liberties is a neighborhood in Philadelphia, and Little Elm is a suburb of Denton.

Ashby counts at ashby2@comcast.net

THE READER. City aims for increased safety by adding color to Northside intersection Dear Editor: This is Near Northside not Northside. Northside is an entirely different area. This area shares a zip code with Woodland Heights and Northside is up

by Greenspoint.

Cars have run over the plastic spikes they put there to create the one lane.

The paint is already coming off.

This does not create safety for street crossers. There is no walking time.

As such this corner now is dangerous for the students who attend one of 3 schools on this street.

Julie Oeshagwa

Dear Editor: Whoever came up with this concept needs some time off without pay. Lol. I pass this intersection everyday and it’s the weirdest concept in the entire area.

Email us your letters: news@theleadernews.com

Wasted space. Having timed street lights would prove to be much safer.

Hector Garcia Dear Editor: Yeah, this will help improve traffic flow and safety. <eyeroll> Tim Lassiter Redistricting makes no census to some Texans Dear Editor: “‘Don’t count minorities,’ they (Texas GOP legislators) said quietly.” Attribution, Lynn? Who, exactly, said that, Lynn? Please be specific -- name names, Lynn. Long, long ago at the Post you observed that a district carved out to favor a minority candidate looked like “a handful of ink flung onto the map,” but you voiced no objection because that candidate would be from your Party.

Heights Houstonian

C&D Hardware celebrating 70 years of service in Heights Dear Editor: I went to C&D one morning. Duane asked what I needed, and I said some earplugs. He said, “What’d you say?” I said, “Earplugs.” He said, “I can’t hear you, what?” I said, “Earpl....oh, okay.”

Ha! Good one there, Duane!

Heights Houstonian Flagging interest in our past Dear Editor: “The Dixie Chicks” moved to LA from Nashville not Dallas and Natalie Maines still has the best voice in Country Pop. “The Chicks” are doing better than ever, George Bush, the new darling of The Democrats and is still as despicable as he was when we invaded Iraq and Natalie made her comment.

He owes her and me and the rest of the country an apology.

Mobarr

the leader Puzzlers.

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

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Page 4A • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • The Leader

FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

St. Thomas cruises past Antonian for second straight win

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Last Week’s Scores

Not many of St. Thomas’ opponents have sufficiently slowed down the Eagles’ offensive attack this season as they have scored at least 30 points in every game.

Head coach Rich McGuire and his high school football team continued that trend last week, winning their second straight game and showing no signs of letting up. St. Thomas defeated San Antonio Antonian 35-14 last Friday, Oct. 15, improving to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in district play.

Receiver Cameron Price caught a season-high 14 passes – his third doubledigit reception performance this season – for 198 yards and a touchdown, while Joe Rick Madden made the most of his four catches in hauling in two scoring tosses from quarterback Jake Wright.

Wright threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns overall, while running back Johann Cardenas ran for 116 yards and a touchdown.

St. Thomas 35, San Antonio Antonian Prep 14 Worthing 12, Booker T. Washington 6 Westside 41, Heights 19 North Forest 45, Scarborough 6 Galena Park 28, Waltrip 0 San Antonio Central Catholic 51, St. Pius X 21 Bay Area Christian 42, Lutheran High North 14

This Week’s Schedule Thursday

Waltrip vs. Northside, 7 p.m., Delmar Stadium Scarborough vs. Wheatley, 7 p.m., Dyer Stadium Friday

Booker T. Washington vs. Yates, 7 p.m., Delmar Stadium St. Thomas at St. Pius X, 7 p.m.

Lutheran High North at Beaumont Kelly Catholic, 7 p.m.

Photo from St. Thomas High School Twitter St. Thomas running back Johann Cardenas tries to shed a tackler during last week’s game against Antonian Prep. Cardenas ran for 116 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles’ 35-14 victory.

Zach Rocha led the defensive effort with 11 tackles for St. Thomas, which had six sacks as a team to stifle the Apaches.

Among other notable performances from area private schools was Jackson Mobley, who had had 197 all-purpose yards for St. Pius X in its 51-

21 loss to San Antonio Central Catholic on Oct. 15 – including 154 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Carson Hintz led the defensive effort for the Panthers (3-4, 1-3) with 13 tackles and a sack.

Kamare Shorts threw for 131 yards and a touchdown for Lutheran High North on

Oct. 15, but it was not enough to keep the Lions from dropping a 42-14 decision to Bay Area Christian. The loss dropped LHN to 1-5 overall and 1-1 in district play.

Public schools All four of the area’s public schools were on the los-

ing end of the scoreboard, though there were still a few standout performances.

Heights quarterback Jalen Morrison threw touchdown passes to Jacoby Terry and Xavier Neal while adding a rushing touchdown for the Bulldogs (3-5, 3-1), but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 41-19 loss to Westside that snapped Heights’ three-

game winning streak to start District 18-6A. Neal hauled in nine total catcges for 117 yards.

Kahlen Sam had 61 yards rushing for the Waltrip Rams in a 28-0 loss to Galena Park, while Jordan Vidal threw a touchdown for the Booker T. Washington Golden Eagles in their 12-6 loss to Worthing last week.

City to host virtual public meeting ahead of trail connector construction

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

Houston Public Works is hosting a virtual community meeting before the upcoming start of construction for the MKT Trail Spur Connector, which will fill an 850-foot gap between two popular hikeand-bike trails in the Heights.

The public meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26 and can be accessed online at engagehouston.org/mkttrail. There will be a question-and-answer session after a presentation by the city, which will include project details, tips for preparing for construction and an introduction to the project team.

Teamwork Construction

Services has been hired by the city to complete the work, which is expected to cost $1.18 and take 157 days to complete, with a target completion date of next spring.

As first reported by The Leader in March, the trail connector will be a 10-foot wide reinforced concrete path between the MKT and White Oak Bayou Greenway trails, covering existing green space along the north side of White Oak Bayou.

From downtown, the White Oak Bayou Greenway trail meanders northwest along Interstate 45 and I-10 before proceeding west through Stude Park. The trail ends underneath the bridge on Studemont Street, but the short

connector will extend it to the west until it meets the MKT Trail, which runs northwest to southeast in that part of the Heights.

The connector will branch off the MKT Trail just northwest of the pedestrian bridge across the bayou that has been closed since August 2020 because of a fire.

“This project creates safe access and greater connectivity between two of our most popular trails in District C,” Houston City Council nember Abbie Kamin said in a September news release about the project. “This is going to be a fantastic addition to our hikeand-bike trails as we enjoy the beautiful spaces of our district and city.”

residents by hiring armed security guards, limiting the number of live concerts to a few nights per week and placing a large, metal shipping container on the northeast corner of the property in an attempt to contain the sound.

Waligorski also said last month that Main Street Tap & Grill was “within our legal right to do what we’re doing.”

A Houston Police Department calls-for-service log, obtained by The Leader through an open records request, shows there were 192 loud noise complaints against Main Street Tap & Grill from Christmas Day in 2019 through the end of this August, including more than 110 calls this year. But responding officers found evidence of illegal noise levels fewer than 45 times, with citations having been issued on at least six of those occasions.

Noise is not a valid reason for denying a mixed beverage permit, according to the TABC, and Goings said he and other nearby residents are more concerned with incidences of violence at or near the neighborhood bar.

A man operating a steak night at Main Street Tap & Grill was injured in a shooting in the early hours of Aug. 14. In Septem-

ber of last year, according to a KHOU report, two men were stabbed and another was shot during a fight that started in the bar and spilled into the parking lot.

During a 13-month period ending in August, according to HPD records, police also responded to seven assaults, one suicide and two other incidents in which a gun was discharged at the business.

Video footage sent to The Leader by a nearby resident shows there were two shooting incidents outside of the bar early Oct. 13, when someone fired a single shot from the driver’s side of a parked truck around 1:30 a.m., and then several shots were fired during what appeared to be an altercation around 3 a.m.

It is unclear if anyone was struck by the Oct. 13 gunfire.

HPD spokesperson Kese Smith said the department received two calls around 3 a.m., one for a disturbance at the location and another regarding a suspicious person, with the sound of gunshots being reported, but Smith said no offense reports were generated because the responding officer or officers did not see any suspicious people or suspicious activity upon ar-

Photo by Adam Zuvanich Construction will soon start for the MKT Trail Spur Connector, which will connect the White Oak Bayou Greenway Trail, in foreground, with the MKT Trail that crosses the bridge in the background.

Grill, from P. 1A video footage. Certain government officials at the city, county or state level, along with those who live within 300 feet of a business, are eligible to protest the issuance of a license or permit to sell alcohol, according to TABC rules, with criminal activity being a valid reason for a permit denial.

Additionally, a Houston Public Works spokesperson said Main Street Tap & Grill received building code enforcement notices Sept. 27 and again Monday related to unpermitted seating and occupancy load on its back patio, which was converted from a parking lot during the summer of 2020 to make room for a stage and projection TV screen. Department spokesperson Erin Jones said the business owner is not authorized to use the unpermitted areas until approved plans and permits are obtained from the city and a new certificate of occupancy is issued, with the possibility of citations being issued if the request is not met.

Greg Waligorski, the co-owner of Main Street Tap & Grill, did not respond to a voicemail and text message seeking comment for this story. He said last month that the business had attempted to appease nearby

NOTICE OF DISPOSITION The Railroad Commission of Texas has disposed of equipment and/ or hydrocarbons pursuant to Section 89.085 of the Texas Natural Resources Code. Any person with a legal or equitable ownership or security interest in the equipment or hydrocarbons that was in existence on the date the Commission entered into a contract to plug the following well(s) or clean the following leases/facilities may file a claim with the Commission. Contact the Houston District Office at 713-869-5001 to obtain a claim form.

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Photo by Adam Zuvanich Nearby residents have complained about loud noise and incidents of violence at Main Street Tap & Grill, which opened in 2019 at 4002 N. Main St.

riving at the scene.

“It is a matter of time before somebody else gets shot,” Goings said. “Mark my word.”

Xiloj, the staffer for Cisneros, said the council member who

serves the area as part of District H is “keeping a close eye on it from all angles, whether with public works or the TABC or HPD as well,” on behalf of the concerned residents who

want to see changes to how the business operates.

“We’ll see what happens next,” Xiloj said. “We’ll be closely following this.”

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OF THE NEAR NORTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO CONSIDER THE ADVISABILITY OF AMENDING/SUPPLEMENTING THE DISTRICT’S ASSESSMENT ROLL, CHANGING THE ASSESSMENT RATE, AND LEVYING ASSESSMENTS ON PROPERTY WITHIN THE DISTRICT

TIME: November 29, 2021, 8:00 a.m.

PLACE: 7603 Antoine, Houston, Texas 77088 GENERAL NATURE OF THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS AND SERVICES: The Near Northwest Management District (the “District”) was created to provide services and improvements in the near northwest area of the City of Houston, Texas (the “City”), as authorized by Chapter 3811, Vernon’s Texas Special District Local Laws Code, and by Chapter 375, Vernon's Texas Local Government Code. The District proposes to add to its assessment roll all new development, redevelopment, or new construction or property annexed into the District since the District’s last public hearing on November 30, 2020, and any nonexempt real property in the District that was omitted from the District’s assessment roll at the last certified value set by the Harris County Appraisal District (“HCAD”).

The District, in accordance with the service, improvement and assessment plan approved by its Board of Directors in 2009 (the “Service Plan”), has provided and will to continue to provide services and improvements in the near northwest area of the City as authorized by the statutes listed above. Such services include: (a) security and public safety; (b) marketing and perception enhancement; (c) planning and urban design; and (d) administration of the District.

ESTIMATED COST OF THE PROPOSED SERVICES AND IMPROVEMENTS: The cost of the services to be provided is estimated to be $1,587,815 annually over the remaining five years of the fifteen-year life of the Service Plan.

PROPOSED METHOD OF ASSESSMENT: The District proposes to levy the assessment on properties added to the District’s assessment roll in the amount of $0.139 per $100 of assessed valuation as shown in the appraisal rolls of HCAD for the year 2021 to finance the cost of services and improvements.

All property owners within the District and all other interested persons are hereby invited to appear in person, or by their attorney, and contend for or contest the amendment/supplement and/or correction to the District’s assessment roll, each proposed assessment and the change in the assessment rate and to offer testimony pertinent to any issue presented on the amount, purpose and special benefits of the assessments and the penalties and interest on delinquent assessments. Oral or written support of or objections to the District's amendment/supplement to its assessment roll, change in the assessment rate and the levy of assessments as to any parcel in the District contained on the amended/supplemented District assessment roll will be considered at the hearing. For information, please call or write the Near Northwest Management District – Legal Counsel, HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, 600 Travis Street, Suite 2350, Houston, Texas 77002, at (713) 5256266. For information on the amount of your assessment, please call the District’s Assessment Consultant, Utility Tax Service, LLC at (713) 688-3855 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday). /s/ Wayne Norden _______________________ ___ Wayne Norden, President Near Northwest Management District

The Leader • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • Page 5A

Nibbles & Sips: Truth Barbecue ranked third on Texas Monthly list

By Stefan Modrich smodrich@mcelvypartners.com

A local barbecue joint recently earned some critical acclaim.

Truth Barbecue, 110 S. Heights Blvd., was ranked No. 3 on Texas Monthly’s latest list of “The 50 Best BBQ Joints,” which was released Monday.

The magazine describes Truth as “transcendent.”

Owner Leonard Botello received the honor of making the Texas Monthly list once before in 2017, when Truth’s original location in Brenham was ranked No. 10.

Truth’s Heights location opened in 2019.

Houston Cider Company to host ‘Pumpkins & Cider’ event A local cidery is hosting a fall-themed event this Saturday to help ring in the Halloween spirit.

Houston Cider Company, 1125 W. Cavalcade St., will have a family-friendly pumpkin carving and painting event from 1-5 p.m. as well as

600 N. Shepherd Drive Ste. 456, serves handcrafted, coldpressed smoothies, juices and acai bowls.

Tight Squeeze is open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call 713-485-5683.

a pumpkin contest.

Winners of the pumpkin contest ages 21 and up will receive a $25 bar tab.

Pumpkins are free for children and $5 for adults, who can have their pumpkin fee waived by purchasing a beer if they are 21 or older.

Kids accompanied by an adult can paint and carve pumpkins for free.

Little Dreamer Coffee lands at Stomping Grounds A kiosk serving specialty coffees opened Oct. 1 in Garden Oaks.

Little Dreamer Coffee, 1227 W. 34th St., serves caffeinated staples like espresso and matcha lattes as well as its own creations like the Moon Brew and Chocomoco.

Little Dream is open from 7 a.m.-noon daily.

Tres Amigos closes A Tex-Mex restaurant in Garden Oaks closed earlier this month.

Tres Amigos Cafe Y Cantina, 3402 N. Shepherd Drive, shuttered its doors Oct. 9.

“We would like to thank all of our supporters and staff alike (who) have made this such an incredible journey,” the restaurant owners wrote in an Oct. 3 Facebook post.

Tres Amigos opened in April and replaced Shepherd Park Draught House.

Contributed photo Big Bite, 5335 Washington Ave., serves falafel, shawarma, gyros and other popular Middle Eastern dishes.

lar Middle Eastern dishes.

Big Bite is open from 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, and 5 p.m.-4 a.m. Friday-Saturday.

For more information, call 832-755-5771.

Big Bite opens on Washington Avenue A new Mediterranean food truck opened earlier this month along the Washington Avenue corridor.

Big Bite, 5335 Washington Ave., serves falafel, shawarma, gyros and other popu-

Tight Squeeze Juice Bar debuts at M-K-T A new juice bar opened earlier this month at the M-KT development.

Tight Squeeze Juice Bar,

Sunday Press launches in Ella Oaks

A drive-through cafe serving breakfast, sandwiches and pastries opened Oct. 1 in the Garden Oaks and Oak Forest area.

Sunday Press, 3315 Ella Blvd., is located in the Ella Oaks shopping center.

The cafe offers a variety of options ranging from break-

fast tacos to hot and cold sandwiches, toast and acai bowls. It also sells desserts like macarons, croissants and cookies.

Sunday Press is open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.

For more information, call 713-532-9885.

COVID case causes Casa Ramirez to amend schedule for holiday events

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com

The Dia de los Muertos procession and open house planned for this Saturday by Casa Ramirez Folkart Gallery, 241 W. 19th St., has been postponed and tentatively rescheduled for Oct. 30, according to a spokesperson for the Heights shop.

Casa Ramirez has been closed since Oct. 7 because owner Chrissie Dickerson

Ramirez contracted COVID-19, according to shop spokesperson Christina Martinez, who said Tuesday that Ramirez “feels a lot better” and hopes to soon reopen the store.

“She’s pretty much recovered,” Martinez said. “She still has cold-like symptoms. She’s been prioritizing rest.”

Casa Ramirez holds annual events to commemorate Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday in

which people honor and remember their friends, loved ones and ancestors who have died. The holiday is Nov. 1-2.

An exhibit of ofrendas, or altars, which are colorful and personalized in honor of those who have died, was scheduled to be displayed at Casa Ramirez from Oct. 21-Nov. 14.

Martinez said the altars, which will include a community altar and one in honor of Casa Ramirez founder Macario Ramirez, who died last year,

likely will not be ready for public viewing until next week.

Martinez also said the procession and open house, which originally was supposed to include a dance performance and blessing of the altars, might be streamlined to include only a small blessing along with the open house.

For more information and event updates, visit Casa Ramirez’s Facebook page, @ CasaRamirezFolkartGallery.

4th Wall premieres ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

4th Wall Theatre Company opened its 2021-22 schedule Oct. 14 with the debut of its production of “A Doll’s House, Part 2” by Lucas Hnath at its Sawyer Yards studios, 1824 Spring St. The eight-time Emmynominated play, which runs

as a sequel to the 1879 piece

by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, is touted as a “stand-alone work of modern feminist drama.” It will run at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays as well as 3 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 6, according to a news release from the company.

“A modern perspective reminds us that Nora’s arguments about freedom, love,

responsibility and gender equality are just as controversial and relevant now as ever,” 4th Wall said of the production.

Those attending are required to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test obtained within 72 hours of the event or show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination for entry into the theatre.

Masks will also be required

to attend the show.

Tickets are $32 for adults, $26 for seniors and $17 for students or those 25 and younger.

For more information on the play and to buy tickets, visit the event page on 4th Wall’s website at 4thwalltheatreco.com/shows/2021-ADolls-House-Part2.html.

Contributed photo Casa Ramirez Folkart Gallery, 241 W. 19th St., displays personalized altars to commemorate Dia de los Muertos, which is Nov. 1-2.

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In light of theSunday COVID-19 outbreak, please check with church below for updated St.each James Lutheran Church, ELCA Bible Studies For All Ages ... 9:30am Morning Worship ...............

10:45am In-person services are • Worship (English) ..... 10:00 am - 11:00am information about services and events. temporarily restricted.

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GET The Power of Transformation OVER IT! loves and cares deeply for those

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

H

ave you ever seen a butterfly emerge from its cocoon? It is incredible to see the transformation that takes place when a caterpillar changes into a butterfly.

Something that some would consider to be plain and even ugly becomes something beautiful.

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and will not be condemned; forgive, Inyou the Bible we learn that God and you will be forgiven... has R.S.V. the Luke power to transform 6:37 a person. He brings people back to life who have died. He gives sight to the blind. He can change someone’s priorities and someone’s passions and make them like Jesus Christ.

In Acts 16 we read three stories of incredible transformation.

A religious woman is transformed from just someone who follows rituals and customs, to someone who

around her. A demon possessed woman is freed from the evil presence inside of her. A Roman jailer has his sins forgiven and his entire family experiences the transforming power of God through the gospel. He feared that he would lose his life, but instead he received eternal life.

I want to encourage you today, that if you are finding life to be less than fulfilling, the answers are not found in trying harder or doing more stuff. The answer is found in being transformed through the power of the Gospel. You don’t just need to turn over a new leaf, you need a new life. A new life comes through being born again. Nicodemus, a very well educated and religious man learned that he needed to be born again. A physical birth is something everyone has. A spiritual birth is something that can only be received from God through Christ Jesus.

Page 6A • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • The Leader

Support from P. 1A ing about $2,000, according to Eye See HOU co-founder Julie Hunt Sherber of Garden Oaks. She said most of the participating families were in the Garden Oaks and Oak Forest areas.

It was the first fundraiser organized by Eye See HOU, which held its first supportgroup meeting in late April and has another scheduled for 9:30-11 a.m. Sunday at Graham Park, located on West 34th Street just east of North Shepherd Drive. Those who are blind or visually impaired, along with their family members or caretakers as well as anyone else who wants to offer support, is welcome to attend.

“We’re continuing to build our community. We just need more people to know about

it,” said Candlelight Plaza resident Mary Kathryn LeMaster, who co-founded Eye See HOU along with Sherber. “Our No. 1 mission is to provide support for people with low vision or blindness and support for their families.”

LeMaster and Sherber’s daughter have the same degenerative retinal disease, retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a rare genetic disorder that involves the breakdown of the retina and causes decreased vision at night and a loss of peripheral vision. LeMaster said in April she had lost a significant chunk of her eyesight within the previous year, causing her to stop driving and start using a walking cane in anticipation of further vision loss.

She and Sherber connected through their shared experi-

ence with RP and decided to start Eye See HOU within a few weeks afterward. LeMaster said nearly 10 families participated in the first support-group meeting in April, and they held another event in June to help the visually impaired with hurricane preparedness.

“It’s all the normal things,” LeMaster said. “The biggest difference, really, is you need a large font for (labeling) all of your bins.”

Added Sherber: “You just want to make sure everything’s in one place. When you’re visually impaired, you don’t want flashlights in one place and batteries in another place.”

The next outreach activity for Eye See HOU was the “Lemon-Aid” stands, which

Sherber organized. Among the participants was Garden Oaks resident Jennifer Perry, whose middle school-aged daughter and five of her friends operated a stand in late September at the Spark Park at Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet.

Perry said she’s proud of her friend Sherber for starting a support organization and helping it gain momentum, which is why she agreed to help with the “Lemon-Aid” initiative. It also served as a learning experience for the six girls who operated the stand, some of whom have been classmates with Sherber’s daughter.

“They all learned a lot more about vision issues and being visually impaired and the support you need from your community,” Perry said. “I don’t think they considered it until

Contributed photo Young area residents operate a “Lemon-Aid” stand.

we kind of talked about it and talked about what this group is and is trying to achieve and the challenges that (Sherber’s daughter) will have in the fu-

ture. Hopefully, if this group is successful and can raise money or awareness and resources, maybe they’ll find a cure.”

YMCA from P. 1A exercise studios while adding additional equipment to provide opportunities for a wide variety of classes designed for every fitness level.

The facility also completed its project to heat the outdoor swimming pool to help provide opportunities for aquatics programming year-round.

“The YMCA, for so many communities, is a community center – it’s serving the needs of those people living there,” YMCA District Executive Director LaKeisha Harris said.

“I think as the area is growing and developing, we have to be in tune with that.”

In particular, the weight room and wellness center was nearly doubled in size, according to Harris, by transforming what was an administrative space into additional workout space by knocking down the wall and adding more equipment.

Moreno was at the facility Tues-

years ago, Harris said, in response to a growing demand at the YMCA. She said there were anywhere from 2,500-3,000 membership units – whether an individual or family – visiting the 34th Street facility on a weekly basis before the pandemic, though current volume is about half of that total.

“The facility was already a little small – we had a lot of interest and a lot of traffic,” Harris said. “As a result, people were waiting a long period of time for pieces of equipment to work out. So the need was pretty apparent.”

Among planned Phase 2 renovations are a new outdoor pavilion that will feature a multi-purpose court for outdoor group exercise, basketball, pickleball and other sports as well as a modernized welcome center. There will also be what Harris called an “intergenerational room,” which is meant to be a pro-

day doing weight squats and lunges, and said the expanded workout area was a positive addition to the existing spot.

“I really like the openness of it all. Not that I didn’t like the previous setup, but it was a little more compact and clustered. Here, you have the opportunity to move a little more freely,” said Moreno, a football coach at nearby Lutheran High North who comes in at least twice a week. “They added more squat racks, which I really appreciate. I think it keeps things more circulated around here, and gives people a little more of their personal space.”

Room for everyone According to Harris, Phase 2 renovations are already underway on the facility as they work to accommodate the growing Garden Oaks/ Oak Forest area. The $2 million project was conceived about two

gram space that can be used to engage both the YMCA’s seniors and teenagers who take part in various activities.

Senior activities such as luncheons and bingo tournaments would still be held for seniors during the day, while the typical afterschool activities such as leadership courses, card games and more will still be available for teenagers, according to Harris. But as with everything the YMCA does, she said there is potential for more connection between generations as the community grows.

Ideas for activities, such as storytelling/writing times or card games are still in the brainstorming process, according to Harris.

“There are a lot more families who need a family YMCA,” she said.

“We’re really about meeting those needs, and we couldn’t do that in the way that we wanted to without

expanding our facility.”

As Moreno finished up his workout Tuesday afternoon, he praised the YMCA for how it has toed the line between expanding for the sake of its community and to keep up with competing gyms such as LA Fitness and others, while keeping the same family and communitycentered camaraderie which has long defined it.

Phase 1 of the renovations has not disappointed, Moreno said, and more are on the way.

“This is a community that encourages other people being fit and the wellness of other patrons,” he said.

“The expansion is good, but keeping it closer to home is also what I appreciate.”

For more information about the YMCA of Greater Houston or ways to get involved, visit ymcahouston. org.

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Page 8A • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • The Leader

De-funk your home in safe, natural ways

Dear Tabby, Our house gets stinky from our dog. I don’t like to use a bunch of chemicals in the home to clean, but I am at my wit’s end trying to keep our house from smelling like dog all of the time. Any tips of safer ways to de-funk our dog house that don’t include lots of chemicals and/or candles?

De-funking Dog House in The Heights Dear De-Funking, To love a dog is to also be willing to put up with the less-than-savory odors that often come along with them.

In addition to keeping your dog clean and washing his or her bedding often, there are a few ways to keep odors at bay without introducing toxic chemicals into your home.

Many conventional cleaners and air fresheners that are on the market contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are dangerous to both humans and animals. VOCs

have been known to cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat in animals and humans as well as cause cancer.

For these reasons alone, it’s important to consider what you’re using to clean and deodorize your home for the health and safety of both you and your pets.

The good news is that there are natural, homemade solutions that are a breeze to mix up that can help to de-funk your home.

All-natural air freshener Instead of reaching for a store-bought air freshener, mix up a batch of all-natural air freshener.

Using a spray bottle combine the following: - 12 drops of essential oils (use whatever scent your prefer) - 2 cups of water - 3 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol Use this solution to spray on bedding, blankets or in the air to help freshen the air in your home.

Help for stinky carpet If you have carpets that could use a scent boost, simply mix together the following and put in an old shaker bottle

(a recycled parmesan cheese shaker is great for this!). Boom!

Instantly helps stinky carpet.

- 1 cup baking soda - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Mix the ingredients and shake onto the carpet. Let sit for an hour and then vacuum up.

Soothing, homey stovetop simmer pot As we approach the holiday season, a simple stovetop simmer pot helps to make the house smell cozy and clean.

Just make sure to only use a simmer pot on the stove when you’re at home and don’t leave it unattended.

Combine the following in a pot and simmer on low for as long as you’d like. Add water as needed: - 1 sliced orange - 1 sliced lemon - 1 bay leaf - 2 whole cinnamon sticks - 4 whole cloves After adding the above ingredients, fill the pot halfway with water and enjoy! Your home will be ready for hosting guests at the drop of a hat!

One killed, four injured in crash near Langwood

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police say they are investigating a fatal car crash near Langwood last week.

The identity of the victim, a 27-year-old woman, according to the Houston Police Department, is still pending verification by the

Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Four other victims were taken to area hospitals to be treated for their injuries.

HPD said the driver of a Honda Accord was heading south at 11800 Hempstead Rd. just after 11 p.m. Oct. 14 before turning left, crossing over the center line into oncoming traffic and colliding

Six injured in Acres Homes shooting

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police say they are looking into a shooting incident near Acres Homes last weekend that put six people in the hospital.

The Houston Police Department said six boys and men, ranging in age from 15-25, were hospitalized as a result of the shooting. One was in

critical condition, HPD said, while the other five had what were believed to be non-lifethreatening injuries.

Officers responded to a shooting call at 1900 Dolly Wright Rd. just after 7:30 p.m. last Sunday, Oct. 17 to find a crashed vehicle in a ditch with multiple bullet holes, along with four men suffering from gunshot wounds and several shell casings, according to

police. HPD said two other men connected to the incident were later located at an area hospital.

Police said there are no known suspects or motives in the case. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact HPD’s Major Assaults & Family Violence division at 713-308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-2228477.

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The Leader • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • Page 9A

Local purveyors leading pizza renaissance

By Stefan Modrich smodrich@mcelvypartners.com

Houston has received global recognition for its culinary prowess.

Its diversity seemingly knows no bounds, and restaurants across the Greater Heights have helped drive that innovation forward. The city is well-known for its Asian food and barbecue as well as Mexican and South American cuisine.

Increasingly, and perhaps quietly compared to the regional hubs of Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and New York, Houston’s pizza landscape has grown and changed dramatically over the last few decades, with a few mainstays anchoring both local traditions and nostalgic favorites.

Does Houston have a pizza identity? Does it even need one to succeed in one of the most ubiquitous food categories on the planet? We talked to several chefs and restaurant owners to get their takes on what makes a pie a Houston pie, and how they’ve carved their own niches in a competitive marketplace.

Forming the backbone Agricole Hospitality chef and coowner Ryan Pera, who oversees Coltivare, 3320 White Oak Drive, said he feels not having a regional label attached to the Houston pizza scene allows for greater creativity, and that chefs can utilize the city’s many other widely-known strengths to enhance the quality and uniqueness of their pizza.

“There is definitely not a Houston-style pizza,” Pera said. “One thing to call your own in a culinary pantheon for a city is enough, and I think barbecue has got that.”

When Pera opened Coltivare in 2014, he said he felt it would succeed because the Heights had a need for Italian food and a pizzeria.

Pera and his team knew exactly what they were after when they began scouting the competition across the country, tasting pizzas in New York City, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles and Chicago.

“We believe the crust is the backbone of Coltivare,” Pera said. “We’re looking for super crispy on the outside and super light on the inside.

We want airy and risen and then shatteringly crispy on the outside.”

Perfecting the crust took what Pera called “a little bit of baking finesse” employing an old-school,

Photo by Stefan Modrich The Purple Flour owners Brad Egan, right, and his wife, Erika Egan, serve up a pizza from their food truck on Wakefield Drive.

Texas-grown ingredient: sorghum, a sweetener used often in baking products from the Lone Star State.

“We’re using it to feed the yeast,” Pera said, “not necessarily for the sweetness itself. But that gives it a little rising power when it hits the oven and helps that fermentation process and gives it complex flavors.”

Seasonality is also an important element for Pera, rotating menus to ensure the sourcing of the best ingredients while also matching the aesthetic expectations of the customer.

Two Coltivare pies that have distinct regional ties feature Gulf shrimp and spicy Calabrian chilies on one pizza and Austin-grown mushrooms and Texas pecans on another.

When in Rome BOH Slice, 8200 Washington Ave., now serves pizza by the slice and made-to-order near the back of the Railway Heights Market. It is the latest project of chefs Ben McPherson and Chris Zettlemoyer.

Zettlemoyer said the dough at

BOH, which makes Roman-style “pizza al taglio” or “by the cut”, is cold-fermented for 72 hours. The result is a pillowy interior with a crunchy exterior.

Humidity and heat can wreak havoc on doughmaking, which is why Zettlemoyer said an ideal refrigeration temperature is between 37 and 40 degrees. The variability of the temperature in a kitchen can also play a critical role in whether or not the dough will rise properly, he said.

“Consistency is more what we strive for,” he said. “Sometimes it’s 97 in these kitchens and sometimes it’s 76.”

BOH Slice takes a more casual, build-your-own approach, as opposed to the more traditional and formal setting of BOH Pasta & Pizza downtown.

Zettlemoyer said he likes having a new concept that can play on local ingredients, like brisket and jalapenos, which have become popular choices for his Railway Heights customers.

He said the city’s pizza scene mirrors that of Houston’s global culinary palate.

“The pizza identity here is more like the whole identity of Houston,” Zettlemoyer said. “It’s so diverse and you can go to places and have pizzas with Indian toppings or Mexicanstyle toppings. We put the number of toppings that we have at (BOH Slice) into a formula in Google and there were 99 million combinations.

This is the first place I’ve lived with a growing culinary scene where the pizzas are all over the place.”

BOH’s website boasts myriad local collaborators from where the restaurant gets its olive oil, meats and cheeses, most of which are from Houston or Austin.

A hometown favorite If you grew up in Houston in the 1970s, you likely went to birthday parties or family gatherings where someone was serving Star Pizza.

Mike Pittman, Star Pizza’s operations manager, said the franchise, which now has three locations, including one at 77 Harvard St. in the Heights, was one of the first to deliver pizza in Houston, preceding the arrival of national chains.

The original Heights location

was along Heights Boulevard, and in 2003 it was moved to its current location in the Washington Avenue corridor.

Pittman said homemade sauces and cheese blends have helped Star Pizza develop the reputation it has today, and having a veteran crew ensures the quality remains across all of its locations.

Star Pizza does very little marketing, he said, and has relied mostly on word of mouth and online reviews.

“So far, knock on wood, we’re riding out the pandemic,” Pittman said.

“We’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel a little bit.”

When Hank Zwirek, a native of Poland who grew up in Chicago, came to Houston to open Star Pizza in 1976, he offered both Chicago and New York-style pizza. He quickly found out that Chicago-style pizza, which has a thick, deep-dish crust, sauce on top and cheese and toppings in between, flopped among most Houstonians.

“Traditional Chicago pizza did not go over so well in Houston,” Pittman said. “So we’ve had sort of Houstonify Chicago pizza. We do get the occasional Chicago pizza aficionado that comes in and says, ‘This is not authentic Chicago pizza.’ We would never make the claim that this is authentic Chicago pizza. We call it Chicago-style pizza because it’s pretty close.”

Pittman said people will return to Star Pizza after decades away and are eager to share with him that in their view, nothing had changed about their beloved local pizzeria.

“The thing that gets me the most is people that keep coming back and they say, ‘Gosh, it’s just like I remember when I moved away 12 years ago,’” he said. “I used to pick up pizza with my parents from the original Star pizza in the early (1980s). And I remember the smell of the pepperoni pizza when I walked in. When I get a pepperoni pizza from work, it’s the same.”

From the “Starburst” pizza with ground beef, Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions and green peppers to a Salsa Verde with tomatillo sauce, Pittman said Star Pizza has left a deep imprint on the local pizza market.

“If the question is, ‘Do I think that Star Pizza is Houston-style pizza?’”

Pittman said, “I think ‘yes’ would be a fair answer.”

Review: The Purple Flour an odyssey of flavor

By Stefan Modrich smodrich@mcelvypartners.com

If you don’t live along or near the stretch of Wakefield Drive that has become a popular destination in the “GOOF” -- which locals call Garden Oaks and Oak Forest -- you may be discouraged by the ongoing construction in the area and tempted to turn around.

I parked nearly half a mile away just so I didn’t have to deal with the hassle of the construction in the area. But if you go to visit Purple Flour Pizza, a food truck in the parking lot between Decant Urban Winery and Great Heights Brewing Company, in the early afternoon to avoid the dinner rush, you’ll likely find it was well worth the trip, as I did.

Owners Brad and Erika Egan, a husbandand-wife team of entrepreneurs who also live in the neighborhood, opened Purple Flour in 2017, and they’ve since settled into their current home next to Great Heights.

Brad’s recommendation turned out to be what I had been wanting ever since I saw the menu, which was his “pizza of the moment,” called The Odyssey ($25). He also suggested I try another pizza on the other half of my 16-

Photo by Stefan Modrich Shown is The Vesuvius (top half ) and The Odyssey (bottom half ) from The Purple Flour.

inch pie, though you can get individual cheese and pepperoni slices for $5 or $6, respectively.

The difference in quality when someone

makes small-batch pizzas is evident in just about every detail, from the crust to the inner dough to the sauce and the toppings.

I thought Brad’s explanation for the recipe behind The Odyssey was illuminating. It features a homemade pesto (made with walnuts instead of pine nuts) and five cheeses: brie, burrata, goat cheese, smoked gouda and mozzarella.

“All of the cheeses that I have on there are pretty bold on their own,” he said. “So the idea is for the pesto to be a nice base, and for the cheeses to be a sea of cheese. Each cheese is fighting each other for the flavor to come alive.

Every bite, you should be able to (identify), ‘Oh, there’s the goat cheese. Oh, there’s that smoked gouda.’ ” True to form, the goat cheese and the gouda were among the most easily identifiable, but I also appreciated the creamy texture of the fresh burrata and mozzarella as well.

The Vesuvius, which I got on the other half, offers a savory contrast, with a red sauce base that is heavy on the garlic, which I am a fan of, but consider this a warning if you are not. It is finished off with parmesan, fresh mozzarella,

tomatoes and basil.

I happened to be on hand to watch the Egans prepare my pizza from scratch, and can confirm that all the ingredients used to make it were fresh. The texture of the crust was soft and spongy on the outside and still consistently thick and sturdy enough to handle everything that was laid atop it.

Overall, The Vesuvius is a very good example of Purple Flour’s overall ethos as a “Neapolitan and New York-style” pizzeria, and The Odyssey is evidence that adventurous Greater Heights foodies have another place they need to go to continue to hone their pizza bona fides.

Purple Flour Pizza Address: 938 Wakefield Drive Dining Options: Dine-in, takeout Hours: 4-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday Entree prices: $14-$25 Kid-friendly: Yes Senior discount: No Alcohol: No Healthy options: None Star of the show: The Odyssey Rating: 4.5 out of 5 bites

Lessons from an amateur pizza kitchen Stefan Modrich

Something that crosses my mind consistently is a thought with a related offshoot: Can you imagine someone writing about food for a living who doesn’t love food? Followed by, “Can you imagine someone living in Houston who doesn’t love food?”

I think about this because it helps me to remember not to take for granted what a wealth of culinary knowledge we have in our city and especially within the Greater Heights, and how exciting it is for me to learn as much as I can to try to take my own cooking to the next level.

So after speaking with local experts across the wide spectrum of pizza-making, I wanted to do my very

best to apply what I learned into making my own pie.

Spoiler alert: I won’t be winning any James Beard awards for my pizza, but I enjoyed every step of putting it together and, of course, eating the finished product.

Completely unintentionally, I ended up with a rectangular, focaccialike crust similar to the Roman style made at BOH Slice, as I learned from chef Chris Zettlemoyer. My baking and kneading skills have much room for improvement as I was unable to stretch and shape my dough into a perfect circle, despite letting it rest for 24 hours in the fridge.

But the dough had a crisp crust, and a soft, cushiony inside. I had already seasoned my dough with rosemary, thyme and sage, flavors that seeped through a fire-roasted tomato sauce blended in a food processor with cilantro, a dash of Himalayan salt and a splash of olive oil.

Every chef I talked to emphasized the importance of not overloading

Photo by Stefan Modrich Stefan Modrich baked a homemade pizza with bison meat, Spanish chorizo, fireroasted tomato sauce, fresh herbs and gouda, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

the pizza, which was advice I readily heeded. Inspired by the cheese blend Brad Egan used with one of his Purple Flour pizzas, I used one small cube of gouda, one ciliegine mozzarella ball and shredded parmesan reggiano, taking care to break the gouda and the mozzarella into small pieces and spread it evenly atop a

modest ladleful of pizza sauce.

I used three pieces of thin Spanish chorizo instead of salami, and dotted my dough with pieces of ground-up bison meat that were cooked on a stovetop and balled up to look like the traditional small sausage pieces you’d see at Star Pizza, for example.

After nearly an hour of getting my

extremely unprofessional home oven to reach 500 degrees, my pizza was ready for baking, which took between 5-7 minutes for what was essentially one New York-style slice.

Once I took the pizza out to cool, I topped it again with fresh rosemary and tarragon, and as a nod to Coltivare’s use of Texas pecans on one of its pizzas, I drizzled Texas pecan-infused balsamic vinegar on top as a finishing flourish.

When my siblings and I were young, we always looked forward to my mom’s homemade pizzas and watching her knead and roll out the dough. My siblings and I all had a small role to play in helping apply the sauce and toppings.

No matter how you enjoy pizza — delivered to your door, on a rooftop patio with a glass of wine, or from your home oven, I hope you’ll try something new, and if you like it, feel free to share your recommendations with your friends and neighbors and us here at The Leader.

Page 10A • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • The Leader

EARLY VOTING

OCTOBER 18 – 29 Dear Neighbor, Thank you for giving me the honor of serving as your HISD Trustee. Because of your support, we have had many successes on the policies you elected me to advance four years ago. We have pushed millions of dollars to the classrooms that need them the most, raised teacher pay, and ensured our support staff earns a living wage.

Join us as we vote to ensure that your representative has the experience—ten years teaching and four years governing—to keep our district moving forward. Together we will continue building up our schools so that all children in our city have access to an education that will empower them and enrich their lives.

Elizabeth S antos

WE SUPPORT ELIZABETH SANTOS FOR HISD DISTRICT 1 Houston Federation of Teachers Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Houston GLBT Political Caucus Community Voices for Public Education Oak Forest Area Democrats Harris County Tejano Democrats Our Revolution Harris County & Texas Houston DSA

DEDICATED TEACHER LIFE-LONG COMMUNITY ADVOCATE

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Senator John Whitmire State Rep. Penny Morales Shaw Commissioner Adrian Garcia HCC Trustee Monica Flores-Richart HISD Board Trustee Anne Sung Hon. Juliet Stipeche Former HISD Board President

Born and raised in District 1 Graduate of all District 1 schools 10-year veteran of teaching in District 1 schools Supported district-wide mask mandate Fierce advocate for democracy Has never accepted HISD vendor contributions — and never will

ELECTION DAY IS

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

GO TO WWW.HARRISVOTES.COM TO FIND YOUR POLLING LOCATION. @santos4hisd Facebook: Elizabeth Santos, HISD Trustee D1

POLITICAL AD PAID BY ELIZABETH SANTOS CAMPAIGN. GABRIELLA MINDIOLA, TREASURER. | EBS2101

LEADER LISTING The Leader • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • Page 1B

Heights compost drop-offs spawn city pilot program

By Adam Zuvanich azuvanich@theleadernews.com It started as a Gold Award project for teenager Monica Orozco, a St. Agnes Academy student and member of the Girls Scouts of the USA. Now the Heights community effort to turn waste into a renewable resource is spreading across Houston.

The free, weekly compost dropoff events that have been held every Wednesday since mid-April at the Heights Fire Station – a collaboration between Orozco, Zero Waste Houston and the Houston Heights Association – will continue through Nov. 24 as part of a City of Houston pilot program that starts this week. Food waste and other compostable materials will be collected from 5-7 p.m. every Wednesday at the fire station, 107 W. 12th St. As part of the program, spearheaded by Houston City Council member Sallie Alcorn, compostable materials also will be collected from 9-11 a.m. every Saturday through Nov. 27 at the Kashmere Gardens MultiService Center, 4802 Lockwood Dr., and at the Houston Botanic Garden, 1 Botanic Ln. Zero Waste Houston will continue handling the collection in the Heights and also in Kashmere Gardens, while Heights-based Moonshot Compost will collect materials at the botanic garden.

“It’s really a continuation of what (Orozco) started there in the Heights,” Alcorn said. “The Heights has led the way.”

Alcorn said the city does not have the resources to pursue a permanent, publicly funded composting program, so the idea behind the pilot is to educate city residents about the benefits of composting and encourage them to take on the practice at their homes or enlist private companies such as Moonshot and Zero Waste, which offer residential pickup services for a fee. After a few months of composting her food waste at home, Alcorn said she has significantly reduced the overall amount of trash she has.

Instead of sending food waste to a landfill, where it breaks down and releases methane – a greenhouse gas and significant pollutant in the Earth’s atmosphere – composting it recycles the scraps into nutrient-rich soil that can be used for planting and gardening.

Zero Waste Houston founder Leo Brito said he’s continuing to offer the drop-off service for free, because it’s a way to promote his business and also because he believes in the cause.

“It is promising. I feel excited,” he said. “It is a very happy day, because this is only the beginning, and it’s only going to grow from here on

Contributed photo A Zero Waste Houston worker hauls a container full of pumpkins to be composted. Local residents can drop off this year’s Halloween pumpkins in the Heights.

out.”

Brito said the weekly events in the Heights have helped him grow his customer base in the neighborhood from about 25 to 50. He also said the drop-off events have diverted more than 12,000 pounds of food waste from a landfill, with more than 1,000 people participating during the last six months.

Emily Guyre, the executive director of the Houston Heights Association, said it was a “no-brainer” to include the Heights as part of the city’s composting pilot program. She also said she’s glad community members will be able to continue dropping off their food waste at the same time at the same place on the same day of the week.

“I think we’ll just keep doing it so long as Zero Waste Houston wants to,” Guyre said. “If they want to maintain it, we’re happy to let them utilize the fire station. I know the community really appreciates having something that’s free.”

Alcorn said Trees for Houston, a nonprofit that is constructing its new headquarters in Oak Forest at 2001 W. 34th St., is donating 40 trees to each collection site that can be taken home by participants in the composting program.

Alcorn said dropping off com-

Orozco

Alcorn

postable waste – which includes food and also non-edibles such as newspaper, flowers, vegetarian pet bedding and wood ash – also comes with an inherent benefit to the environment. She said the three landfills used by the city are projected to fill up in 37 years, and that’s if their current capacity is expanded.

She called that a “scary” thought and said the “clock is ticking.”

“The launch of the city’s first-ever composting pilot program is an exciting step forward for conservation and cost savings for residents – mitigating future costs and reducing waste sent to landfills that are nearing end of life,” said Houston City

Council member Abbie Kamin, who serves the Heights and collaborated with Alcorn on the pilot program.

“Huge kudos to council member Sallie Alcorn for spearheading this.”

Alcorn said she first got the idea from friend Brian Platt, the city manager in Kansas City, Missouri, who implemented a composting program during his previous stint as the city manager in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Then, when she heard about the initiative in the Heights that was started

by Orozco, Alcorn said she became more inspired and started putting the program in place with the blessing of Mayor Sylvester Turner and the cooperation of the city’s Solid Waste

Management Department as well as Administration and Regulatory Affairs.

Orozco previously said she got the composting idea from the City of West University Place, which conducted an eight-week pilot program from Dec. 5 through Jan. 23 in collaboration with Zero Waste Houston.

That effort continued with subsequent weekly drop-offs at Demo’s Automotive Center in Rice Village.

Orozco’s effort in the Heights had legs as well. The program was initially set to end in early June, but it was extended indefinitely because of its success.

“She gets tons of credit for this,” Alcorn said of Orozco. “Every time that people at the city tried to make this too complicated, I would say, ‘Hey look, we’ve got a girl scout out there who’s been highly successful.

She didn’t have to jump through any hoops. She just went out there and did it.’ I loved using her as a way to simplify a bureaucratic process.

“Government sometimes overthinks things,” Alcorn added. “I think this is just a simple, easy way to introduce this to Houston. Hopefully it takes off, and I hope people keep doing it.”

Market Update

Acres Homes, Inwood area sees September sales boom

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Local home sales trends were a mixed bag last month, according to the most recent data from the Houston Association of Realtors, though there was one particular zip code which was the area’s shining star.

Some areas saw continued sales growth, with Acres Homes/Greater Inwood (77091) experiencing a 50 percent year-over-year sales volume increase to lead the way for area zip codes, according to HAR’s data. Also among the biggest risers was the Washington Heights/Rice Military area (77007), which saw sales rise nearly 24 percent, while others such as the Greater Heights and Lazybrook/Timbergrove (77008), Langood/Central Northwest (77092), and Garden Oaks/ Oak Forest (77018) saw some fairly dramatic drop-offs.

Many local zip codes saw both average and median home prices rise across the board last month, with 77091 being the lone ranger with its 6.5 percent year-over-year dip in median price.

77018 In the zip code encompassing much of Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Shepherd Park Plaza and more, home sales were down 12 percent yearover-year, with agents closing on 73 homes last month compared to 83 in September 2020. In spite of that, the area’s 732 sales through the end of the month is 30 percent ahead of its 2020 pace.

On the pricing front, average price was up 3.2 percent

There were 88 homes sold in the area last month, a 23.9 percent increase compared to the 71 sales in September 2020. Year-to-date, there have been 806 home sales in this zip code through the end of the month, 31.9 percent of last year’s pace through the

to $508,730, while median home price rose 8.1 percent year-over-year up to $427,000.

77091 On the northern edge of the area, the zip code encompassing much of Greater Inwood and Acres Homes was the biggest year-over-year riser among local neighborhoods. Agents closed on 24 homes last month, a 50 percent increase compared to the 16 sold last September.

Year-to-date, its 215 home sales are 37.8 percent better than last year’s pace.

Pricing in this area varied last month. Average price rose slightly (1.3 percent) to $259,915, while median home price ending the month was down 6.5 percent year-overyear to $252,500.

77092 The zip code including part of Central Northwest as well as Langwood and a portion of Spring Branch saw the most dramatic downturn in sales volume last month, seeing its sales dip 27.3 percent year-over-year. There were 24 homes sold last month compared to 33 in September 2020. Despite that, the area is 41 percent ahead of its 2020 sales pace, having seen 258 sales this year compared to 183 in the same time last year.

Average home price in these neighborhoods saw a 6.5 percent year-over-year jump to $323,273, while median home price jumped 17.5 percent – the largest of any local zip code – up to $311,250.

Photo from HAR website The home shown is on the market at 3531 De Soto St. in the 77091 zip code, which saw a year-over-year sales boom in September.

77008 In the Greater Heights, it was the second consecutive month where there was a year-over-year dip in sales volume. There were 89 sales in the zip code last month, a figure which was down 19.1 percent from last September’s mark of 110. Despite the dip in September, there have still been 1,024 sales here since the start of the year – 30.1 percent ahead of its 2020 pace.

Average home price in the Heights rose 10.9 percent year-over-year up to $644,680, while the median home price was 9.5 percent higher at $525,000.

77009 Just to the east of the Heights, the zip code that includes Northside and Northside Village was another riser, with home sales increasing by 16.7 percent year-over-year.

Agents sold 56 homes here in September, compared to 48 sales the previous September. Through the end of the month, the 517 home sales represent a 31.2 percent increase from the same selling period in 2020.

Pricing-wise, this zip code

saw the largest year-overyear spike in average home prices, with the average buyer paying 13.6 percent more ($580,709) compared to last year. The median home price here saw an 8.4 percent yearover-year increase, rising to $479,500.

77007 On the southernmost edge of the area, the Rice Military/Washington Heights zip code saw the second-largest year-over-year sales spike.

same period.

Both average and median home price in this area showed 2.6 percent increases, with average price going up to $591,400 at month’s end and median price rising to $492,600.

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Page 2B • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • The Leader

Art Valet: Promoting events was simpler before social media Mitch Cohen Art Columnist

First of all, I’m not boasting when I say I’ve always had a love and possibly a knack for marketing.

On the other hand, I’m bemoaning it a little, too.

Seriously, though, this will be short and funny, so read on.

My first foray (age 7) into the world of advertising landed me in hot water with my friends’ mothers for taking their not-so-hard-earned allowance in exchange for plagiarized renderings of a guy named Schultz’s cartoon characters.

Emboldened, the following year my depiction of a certain natural bodily function with one descrip-

tive word did not amuse anyone over the age of 8. I was swiftly reprimanded and sent home to ponder my grievance. I had found a captive audience with my peers, though, and I was hooked!

Marketing in one form or another seems to have touched my life continuously since my first excursion as a little “Mad Men” guy.

Today, I was cleaning out an old box of things and ran across a band poster from the ‘90s. Musicians were the best at marketing their bands. They would scrap together all the details with a photo, run off a gazillion copies, and post those fliers wherever they could. Telephone poles, fences, phone booths (look that up, young people), bulletin boards and, of course, restrooms in every club in town were all fair game. You could get a brief band history of recent performances by just lifting a corner here or there to see who played last.

I followed suit when I started my first market. I painted a big pur-

Photo by Carolyn Coates Pictured is a 1996 band poster for Lips & The Trips and the late Sean Walters at Dan Electros, 1031 E. 24th St.

ple flower, used a new-to-me font called papyrus (the most used font in the history of the human race)

and proceeded to hang my posters everywhere.

I also learned how to write press releases and they quickly became my new poster. Imagine, though, having to come up with a new angle for an event every month. That was hard! So the posters morphed into postcards. That way the artists attending the market could hand them out, too. My one-piece band expanded many times over with all that help.

What is the big deal now, you may be asking? If you’re reading this on a phone or tablet, you may have guessed already. The internet, and social media. It’s insane trying to get people’s attention! Don’t even get me started on the holidays … oh dang, that is now.

In Houston there must be thousands of events every week. We’re bombarded from every direction and trying to figure out where people are turning and getting my information on the various platforms, websites, social media services and

email lists is more time-consuming than putting posters up all over town!

Paper flyers were easy. Hand them out and you’re done. I still use them, but now I’m trying to get the artists to help with social media.

I can only imagine the glazedover eyes of the artists when I tried to explain to them how to tag, to “check-in” and the proper use of hashtags. Just getting through to them was a hurdle - email, text message and, of course, social media.

I am old enough to remember finding my way around, friends, bands and parties before mobile phones. I have no idea how we did it but it seems to have worked out OK. Let’s try it. I’ll draw you a picture, pass it on, and I’ll meet you there!

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.

REALTOR SHOWCASE

Kyanka provides premier service no matter the circumstance For The Leader

Marcia Kyanka successfully navigated 2020 for her buyers and sellers while never changing her dedication to their needs in the ever-changing world we know as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kyanka approached 2021 with the same determination and dedication, seeing continued growth in her real estate career as her company, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties, grew its Texas footprint to include Dumas in the Panhandle.

Real estate continues to be Kyanka’s focus, and that’s never been more apparent than this year as she adjusted to the seller’s need to understand the market as well as the buyer’s concerns about overpaying in the market while still wanting that dream home. The buyer remains focused on schools or space for homeschooling, private office space, back yards preferably with a pool and, of course, surrounded by restaurants and entertainment areas. Kyanka’s intimate knowledge of the Heights, Oak Forest, Garden Oaks, Shepherd Park and inside the 610 Loop is keenly focused on any change in school zones, new commercial areas and price-persquare foot adjustments.

Kyanka is delighted that sellers’ traditional showing patterns have returned once again and she can schedule in-person appointments and host open houses.

Buyers have also returned to the open-house circuit and really enjoy seeing the home in person as opposed to on video.

Marcia Kyanka The very personal approach is what Kyanka enjoys most -- the reaction of the buyer when he or she sees their dream home and the seller when realizing that Kyanka is doing the most to market the home.

“Precautions and safety remain paramount in all I have done in 2021, but I so love being with my clients and seeing their reaction when they see the house and even better when I open the door and they can really experience all it offers,” Kyanka said.

Kyanka uses all the tools offered by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties to market her sellers’ homes not just to the Houston offices but to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices agents across the U.S. Buyers still have the benefit of low interest rates, and added to that is her company’s recent affiliation with Prosperity Home Mortgage, a Berkshire Hathaway lender. The buyers now experience the lowest rates, selecting from no-money-down FHA and VA loans with no origination fee and lender-paid appraisals for all buyers.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties prides itself on being the forever company, and Marcia Kyanka is the forever agent. Kyanka is keenly aware of the need to help sellers understand the difference in maintenance items versus improvements when pricing their home for the market. Her expertise with buyers includes finding the right home, the right lifestyle, the right mortgage and a seamless transaction for all parties.

Real estate once again has proven to always survive, despite even a pandemic, and Marcia Kyanka has done the same and excelled in her business while providing her buyers and sellers PREMIER service.

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The Leader • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • Page 3B

Tenfold Coffee Company hosts ‘Hallowgreen’ market

By Stefan Modrich smodrich@mcelvypartners.com

Last Sunday, the parking lot of Tenfold Coffee Company, 101 Aurora St., was transformed into an outdoor greenhouse.

The local coffee shop was the host for an eclectic market of indoor and outdoor plants and flowers as well as vendors selling skincare, fashion and other homemade products.

The theme of last weekend’s event was “Hallowgreen,” and some vendors had spooky pots and planters and other assorted decorations in vibrant fall colors at their booths.

From 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month, Kenny Talloen runs these “HOU Grew It” markets at Tenfold.

I knew from the moment I arrived that it was a busy afternoon at the market. There were dozens of tents full of merchants and cars lined both sides of Aurora Street, stretching for several blocks.

As I made my way through the market, I browsed through the 40 different vendors and just about all of them accepted Venmo or card payments, something I have seen increasingly at markets these days. It’s a convenience I’ve grown to appreciate, especially during the ongoing CO-

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It was a typically beautiful fall afternoon, and so I was fortunate to find Rhubarb & Ice Ltd. Co., which is run by the mother-daughter duo of Nathalie Monet and Jaide Monet, respectively.

The Monets sell a bevy of interesting things, from juices and lemonades to cakes and charcuterie boards and taco dips as well as jewelry, art, plants and clothing. Like many of the other vendors in attendance, they frequent markets across the Houston area.

I bought a bottle of rhubarb basil lemonade, a refreshing and punchy treat.

A few booths over, I had the chance to visit with the folks at Uncommon Bees, a local apiary which produces honey on several Houston rooftops as well as in the East Texas town of Jasper. They have 70 different varieties of infused honey,

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including one that is aged for a year in a bourbon barrel, which I sampled and brought a jar home.

Uncommon Bees recommended using the bourbon honey as a glaze for pork chops or chicken, which I’m looking forward to trying.

And finally, I knew I couldn’t leave without taking home a plant, even though my struggles of growing potted plants on a patio with only partial sun have discouraged me at times.

Luckily, I gave Christie Nguyen of CC.TwistedVines my very specific criteria — something that can thrive with partial sun and little water — and she sold me a cactus succulent, which has long limbs with spikes that aren’t dangerously prickly and will eventually grow outward and hang down like vines.

It is always a gratifying feeling to support local businesses, especially those that are using their talents to beautify our neighborhoods and make them more green and sustainable, little by little.

CLOSEOUT PRICING

We have a limited supply of the popular “Our Veterans” book first published in the fall of 2019.

Copies now available for $19.

at The Leader office: 2020 North Loop West, Suite 220 or order online at theleadernews.com

Photo by Stefan Modrich Customers check out booths last Sunday at the Hallowgreen market hosted by Tenfold Coffee Company.

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THE PUBLIC. The Leader • Saturday, October 23, 2021 • Page 4B

Man accused of stabbing parents in Independence Heights

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police say they arrested a man accused of fatally stabbing his parents in Independence Heights last week.

Nickie Costello, 35, has been charged with capital murder in the stabbing deaths of 50-year-old Da-

vid Morgan and 56-year-old Juanita Costello, according to the Houston Police Department. Nickie Costello has been denied bond, according to Harris County court records, and remained in jail as of Tuesday morning.

Officers responded to a stabbing call at an Independence Heights home at 308

E. Tidwell Rd. around 9:20 p.m. Oct. 12 to find Morgan and Juanita Costello unresponsive with multiple stab wounds, according to HPD. Nickie Costello allegedly tried to flee the scene in a car but crashed, police said, before being taken to a hospital and subsequently charged in the incident.

Costello

Woman injured in Acres Man dies in aftermath Homes drive-by shooting of Heights-area crash

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police say they are looking into a drive-by shooting in Acres Homes last week that put a woman in the hospital.

The victim, 27-year-old Nomeshia Addison, was taken to a hospital in stable condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to her lower back, according to the Houston Police Department. Another woman, who was with Addison at the time of the shooting, was uninjured, according to police.

Addison and her friend were walking at 847 Dolly Wright St. in Acres Homes around 8:40 p.m. last Sunday, Oct. 19 when multiple people drove past them in a black sedan and fired multiple gunshots before driving away, according to HPD. There is no known motive or suspects in the incident, HPD said.

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

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police say a man who was critically injured in an auto-pedestrian crash earlier this month has died.

The identity of the victim, a 60-year-old man, according to the Houston Police Department, is pending confirmation by the county’s medical examiner. He died last Sunday, according to police.

HPD said the man was struck by a vehicle around

7:15 p.m. Oct. 6 while walking on the feeder road at 2900 North Fwy. The driver of the vehicle, a 45-year-old man, told police the victim was walking in the middle of the street, according to HPD. Police said the driver told investigators he changed lanes and tried to hit the brakes, but still hit the victim and knocked him down.

The driver was questioned at the scene and released, police said, and no criminal charges have been filed in the incident.

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Man killed in auto-pedestrian Young girl killed in Acres Homes auto-pedestrian crash incident near Inwood area

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston Police say they are investigating a fatal autopedestrian accident that killed a young girl in Acres Homes last week.

The identity of the victim, a 6-year-old girl, according to the Houston Police Department, is pending verification by the county’s medical examiner.

The victim was crossing the street near the Garden City Apartments at 9601 W. Montgomery Rd. just before 5 p.m.

Oct. 14 when, according to police, she was hit by a black Chevy Silverado heading east toward the entrance to the complex. The girl later died at Texas Children’s Hospital, according to HPD. HPD said no criminal charges have been filed, but an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

By Landan Kuhlmann

landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police say they are looking into a fatal auto-pedestrian accident near Greater Inwood last week that killed one person.

The identity of the victim, a 42-year-old man, according to the Houston Police Department, is pending verification by the county’s medical examiner.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

HPD said the victim’s car was disabled and blocking two

eastbound lanes at 7900 W. Little York Rd. around 4 a.m.

Oct. 15 when the driver of a maroon Nissan Rogue swerved to avoid it.

HPD said the driver of the Nissan then hit the victim, who was standing on the edge of the roadway, during the attempt to avoid the stalled car. The driver, a 24-year-old man, according to police, was questioned at the scene and released.

No charges have been filed in the ongoing investigation, according to HPD.

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