10-22-22 Edition of The Leader

Houston redistricting shifts area council districts

By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com

Houston’s city council is moving forward with a plan for new council districts after several last-minute changes with a bearing on the local neighborhoods.

The city council last week approved an ordinance signing off on new council districts that included keeping Fourth Ward and Freedmen’s Town in District C, while

shifting parts of Garden Oaks west of Shepherd Drive into District H.

“The challenge with redistricting is that C is the largest district by population,” District C Councilperson Abbie Kamin said. “With the census undercount, the districts right next to us are those with the lowest population. So, District C is in a position where it had to shed some population.”

Kamin in a conversation

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

When Jeff Lawthorne picked up the sport of pickleball a little over a year ago, it was not necessarily a sport he thought he would become passionate about.

Now, he is set to take part in a tournament that could very well serve as a springboard for the sport’s growing popularity in Houston and around the world.

“It’s exciting to be a part of that wave in a new sport,” he said Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Lawthorne was set to be one of nearly 700 players competing in the APP Sunmed Houston Open pickleball tournament that runs through Sunday at Memorial Park. It is the firstever professional pickleball tournament hosted in Houston, with hundreds of players from around the

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

As the annual Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, nears, several local neighborhood groups and organizations are hosting celebrations to get into the spirit of the holiday and educate residents on the meaning and spirit of the celebration.

The annual two-day holiday, typically celebrated on Nov. 1-2, involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members

who have died.

The Montie Beach Civic Association will host its 15th annual Dia de los Muertos festival on Oct. 29 from noon- 8 p.m. at Montie Beach Park, 915 Northwood St. There will be music, dancing, and a community ofrenda. An ofrenda is an altar usually created by the family members of a person who has died and is intended to welcome the deceased to the altar setting.

“Our main goal (when we started this celebration) was to bring to focus a vibrant

Latin American tradition that had been overlooked, or misunderstood as a ‘Spanish version of Halloween’,” the organization says on its website. “The focus of this festival has been and will be to provide residents within the Greater Heights a fun and educational Dia de los Muertos experience.”

Casa Ramirez, which is credited with locally popularizing the traditional cultural celebration of departed ancestors through late

with The Leader last week said she hated the idea of giving up any neighborhood in the district, but that the council was bound to conduct redistricting based upon state and federal laws.

Houston’s city council conducts redistricting every 10 years, using data from the newest U.S. Census to apportion council districts based on the city’s

November election ballot full of intriguing races

By Matt deGrood editor@theleadernews.com

Early voting for the November election will begin on Monday, and the ballot for Leader area residents will feature a heavy dose of local and state races.

While the biggest race overshadowing all the others might be the one featuring incumbent Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo facing off against political newcomer Alex Mealer, the ballot isn’t without several more local races.

Here’s a complete look at all the races that will determine who represents the Greater Heights, Garden Oaks, and Oak Forest areas at the state, federal and county levels:

Federal

U.S. Rep. District 7 Johnny Teague, Republican Lizzie Fletcher, Democrat

U.S. Rep. District 18 Carmen Maria Montiel, Republican Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat Phil Kurtz, Libertarian Vince Duncan, Independent U.S. Rep. District 29 Robert Schafranek, Republican Sylvia Garcia, Democrat

U.S. Rep. District 38 Wesley Hunt, Republican Duncan F. Klussmann, Democrat Joel DeJean, Independent State

Governor Greg Abbott, Republican Beto O’Rourke, Democrat

Mark Tippetts, Libertarian Delilah Barrios, Green Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Republican Mike Collier, Democrat

Taking notice The Booker T. Washington boys’ basketball team will play in a national tournament next month

See Redistricting

See Election P. 7

See Pickleball P.

Photo from USA Pickleball Facebook

Players go after the ball during a pickleball tournament. Memorial Park is set to host the first-ever professional pickleball tournament in Houston beginning Wednesday.

Photo from USA Pickleball Facebook

700 players are set to compete at Memorial Park this week.

Photo by Charlotte Aguilar

Danza Aztecataxcayalotl will lead a Dia de los Muertos procession down West 19th Street on Oct. 29.

Cisneros Kamin

St. Thomas storms past Concordia Lutheran, remains undefeated

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The St. Thomas Eagles have flown high all season, and they continued to do so by keeping their unblemished season alive last week.

St. Thomas blasted Concordia Lutheran 35-7 last week, improving to 7-0 and 2-0 in TAPPS Division I District 2 competition.

The Eagles once again leaned on junior running back Johann Cardenas, who carried the ball 16 times for 158 yards and four touchdowns to spearhead their offensive attack. Cardenas has run for at least 90 yards in every game this season, and has now eclipsed the 100yard mark in five consecutive contests. He has also scored multiple touchdowns in five straight games.

Caleb Davis had 12 tackles to lead the Eagles’ defense, while Marquis Kiatta had a 54-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The St. Pius X Panthers kept pace with their North

Shepherd rivals atop the district standings last week, defeating the Village School 58-0 to improve to 4-3 and 2-0 in district play. Ryan Falahat rushed for 176 yards and two touchdowns for SPX, while receiver Vincent Doucet had six catches for 119 yards and three touchdowns. Menton Lewis had seven tackles and a fumble recovery to pace the Panthers defensively.

Lutheran North Academy dropped to 0-7 with a 62-14 loss to Northland Christian last weekend.

Public school Booker T. Washington continued its own undefeated ways last week, taking down Furr 30-13 to improve to 7-0 and 4-0 in District 114A. Quarterback Kamryn Jackson threw two touchdowns and ran for another, while Anthony Brown ran for 89 yards and a touchdown.

Andre Walker II also caught a touchdown pass for the sixth consecutive contest.

The Heights Bulldogs

Week’s Scores

have now won back-to-back games for the second time this season after a 45-37 win over Westside last weekend. Dual-threat quarterback Allen Rainey continued his stellar season by accumulating 393 total yards (249 passing, 144 rushing) and six touchdowns for Heights (43, 2-1), while Kevon Misher (eight catches, 108 yards) and Amilcar Frazier (nine catches, 90 yards) paced the Bulldogs’ receiving corps.

The Waltrip Rams also continued their winning ways, pulling out a 22-21 win over Sterling last weekend for their fifth straight win. Shaun Crawford Jr. had five catches for 131 yards and a touchdown for Waltrip (61, 5-0), while Beto Ramirez and Jaylen Middleton had a rushing touchdown apiece.

Scarborough fell to 1-6 overall and 0-4 in district play with a 55-0 loss to Wheatley last week. Cammarion Davis had 12 carries for 67 yards for the Spartans in the loss.

St. Thomas 35, Concordia Lutheran 7 St. Pius X 58, Village

Booker T. Washington boys’ hoops chosen for elite tournament

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

One of the local area’s best boys’ basketball teams will take part in an elite tournament next month as part of their non-district slate for the upcoming season.

Earlier this month, the Booker T. Washington boys’ basketball team was selected to participate in the 17th annual Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions from Nov. 22-26 in Washington, Illinois. The tournament will have 24 total teams from Texas, California, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Arkansas and Illinois. The teams were selected by Shawn Powell, the tournament’s director of basketball operations, according to a news release.

The Tournament of Champions is composed of three individual tournaments consisting of eight teams apiece - the City of Washington Invitational, The Uftring National Classic, and The Titan Industries ToC Shootout Series. It will feature 10 of the top 100 nationallyranked recruits, according to

the release.

Booker T. Washington will compete in the Uftring National Classic. The Eagles are coming off one of the best seasons in program history last year, during which they went 29-5 and reached the Region III-5A final before losing to Silsbee. They return all five starters from last year’s team, paced by a dynamic duo of forwards in junior Chris McDermott and senior Kenneth Lewis.

The 6-foot-8 McDermott is coming off a sophomore campaign in which he averaged 21.5 points and 16.9 rebounds per game (2nd in the state according to MaxPreps) along with three blocks per game. McDermott is currently rated as a three-star recruit

and the 9th-ranked recruit in the class of 2024 according to 247 sports, with offers from Ole Miss, Georgetown, Southern, New Mexico State, Texas A&M, and UT-Rio Grande Valley.

Lewis averaged a teamleading 27.2 points per game last season, the sixth-best mark in the state regardless of classification according to MaxPreps, along with 6.4 rebounds. The 6-foot-7 forward currently holds eight Division I college offers including Georgetown, Texas A&M, Louisiana, Ole Miss, and TCU.

Photo by Matthew Blue

The Booker T. Washington boys’ basketball team, led by players such as Chris McDermott (pictured), will take part in a national basketball tournament next month.

SENIOR

MEMORY

The time has come for your weakly news

THE CALENDAR – Today is Monday, or maybe Tuesday. No, it must be Monday, because I am feeling tired, hungover, grumpy. In the comic strip “Garfield,” the cat of the title and Jon, his owner, are always sitting down holding a cup of coffee and looking beat because it’s Monday. Remember that Carpenters song? “Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down.” This is because Mondays mean the weekend is over, with all its song and dance, and the workweek, or school week or whatever, and your life is back to the grind. (Some call Thursday “Friday eve.”

I like that.) This is the drill for 52 weeks of the year. Or not. And, in case you didn’t notice, Earth experienced its shortest ever-recorded days in June and July of this year. We’ve got a lot to cover, so hang on.

The true number of weeks in a year, to the exact decimal point, is 52.143. So we have those usual 52 weeks and a little more. To get back on course, the Gregorian calendar gives us the leap year when February has 29 days which occurs every four years, except for years that are divisible by 100 and not divisible by 400. Thus the year 2000 should have been a leap year but wasn’t.

Still with me? As for weeks:

“The sun makes days, seasons, and years, and the moon makes months, but people invented weeks.”

So wrote Jill Lepore in the Nov. 15, 2021, New Yorker.

But why seven days? There have been attempts at fiveday weeks and eight-day weeks and ten-day weeks. We sort of stumbled into

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

set a single election day for the entire country. (At first, it applied only to presidential elections, but it was later extended to congressional elections as well.) Back then, country was still a largely agrarian society. For farmers, who made up a majority of the labor force, much of the year was taken up by the planting, tending, and harvesting of crops. Early November was a good time to vote because the harvest was over but the weather was still relatively mild.

could stagger to that plot would not be arrested. It’s only a story, so don’t try that ploy. Incidentally, at age18, Hermann joined the 26th Texas Cavalry, Confederate Army. Should we return his gifts?

day on record, as researchers observed midnight arrived 1.59 milliseconds earlier than usual. That record came close to being broken a month later when July 26 arrived 1.5 milliseconds earlier. When the Earth spins faster, the days grow shorter.

rested on the seventh day.

The seven-day week was adopted in early Christianity from the Hebrew calendar, and gradually replaced the Roman version as Christianity spread. Roman Emperor Constantine adopted the seven-day week for official use in AD 321, making the Day of the Sun a legal holiday.

We have allocated certain days for certain pursuits called weekiness. Monday Night Football is an example, although today (this is still Monday, right?) we have football on TV almost every night. Lepore quotes historian David M. Henkin who maintains that weekliness became into play only about 200 years ago, mostly widespread in the U.S. Worship on Sundays and, in some places, market days on Saturdays when the rural folks would come to town to sell their tomatoes and buy tomato seeds. For decades, federal elections in the U.S. were held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Why this date? Blame the farmer vote.

Originally, election days varied by state, but in 1845 a federal law was passed to

charged in local hit-and-run

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

A woman has been arrested and accused of running over a police officer with her car in a hit-and-run in the Kempwood area late last month, according to the Houston Police Department.

Kennedi Symone Armstrong Williams, 25, has been charged with aggravated assault of a public servant, according to Harris County court records. She remained in jail as of Tuesday, according to court records, with her bond set at $50,000.

Williams is accused of striking a Waller County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office deputy as the woman was directing traffic, according to the department.

The deputy at 4:05 p.m. Sept. 28 was directing traffic at 8800 Tidwell Road when a white Dodge Challenger approached the nearby intersection, according to the department.

Faulty

By Landan Kuhlmann

Arson investigators say faulty wiring was the culprit that led to a house fire in the Heights area last week, according to the Houston Fire Department.

There were no reported injuries in the fire, which caused an estimated $20,000 in damage to the home, according to the department.

Crews 6, 8, 9, 11, 15, 19 and 30 just before 1 p.m. on Oct. 11 responded to a house in the

The deputy allegedly asked the vehicle to stop before Williams allegedly drove it through the intersection and struck the deputy, according to the department.

Police said the officer was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for a separated shoulder, bruises and road rash injuries.

Williams was arrested and charged on Oct. 13, according to the department.

causes

600 block of Oxford Street, the department said, to find a small fire coming from the home’s backyard. They entered the yard to find the home’s owner attempting to put out a small fire that was concentrated on the siding of the house, according to the department.

Crews finished putting out the fire, and arson investigators later determined that loose wiring underneath the house had caused the blaze, according to the department.

Anyway, public feasts and weddings were mostly held on Thursdays, and public executions on Fridays. Then came factory life and wages and paydays: Saturdays. Saturday night was a night out. Put that together with Sunday as a day of rest and you’ve got a weekend. And, since workers tended to turn up late or not at all on Mondays, bosses began insisting that they turn up, promptly, on Monday morning. Monday through Saturday morning became the workweek and the school week.

Here in Houston, the story goes, that George Hermann of Hermann Hospital, Hermann Park, etc., had forests out in Fort Bend County. His workers would come into Houston on the weekends and get glorious drunk, get arrested and jailed. Hermann would have to come to town each Monday morning with a couple of wagons and bail them out. That shot half of Monday. So he gave a spot of land, today it’s the park and pool in front of City Hall, with the stipulation that any drunk who

OK, all this time you’ve been wondering why you felt behind ever since June and July and that centrifugal force may be throwing you into space. That’s because, according to the Charlotte Observer, scientists are debating whether the planet is literally spinning faster.

Generally, Earth completes a full turn on its axis every 24 hours. But on June 29, the planet had its shortest

You no doubt have your own explanation as to this faster spinning, but other less qualified scientists can’t agree. Some say the faster spin is due to movements within Earth’s molten core which are shifting the mass of the planet. Others attribute the increased speed to the “Chandler Wobble,” a wobbly movement of the Earth’s axis because the

globe is not completely spherical. And then there are those troublesome lab rats who blame climate change, such as the melting and freezing of glaciers. I blame global warming for Hurricane Harvey, the Houston Texans’ quarterback and Covid-19, 20 and 21, but it never occurred to me to blame global warming on my being 1.5 milliseconds early, or late, not to mention feeling tired, hungover and grumpy. This is particularly true on rainy Mondays.

Ashby is spherical at ashby2@comcast.net

Williams

world slated to participate and compete for $60,000 in prize money.

“This will be the biggest tournament I’ve played in my career. I’m super excited about it,” said Lawthorne, who said he lives within walking distance of Memorial Park. “…It’s just a great way to be back with friends, play a sport I love, and hopefully take home a few wins.”

The tournament is just the latest in a string of notable events to be held at Memorial Park, which will also be the host for the 2022 PGA Houston next month from Nov. 1013. It was a collaboration between District C councilmember Abbie Kamin along with the Houston Parks and Recreation De-

partment, Greater Houston Pickleball, and the Houston Pickleball Association.

“Our district is leading the way and making the investment when it comes to Houston’s love for pickleball,” Kamin said. “… We’re the first office to partner with the incredible team in our Parks and Recreation Department to bring pickleball courts to five of our district’s parks, which should be ready for all Houstonians to enjoy very soon.”

The sport of pickleball essentially combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. So as an ex-tennis player, the 58-year-old Lawthorne said he picked the sport up a little over a year ago and thought skills would trans-

founder Macario Ramirez, is offering a sugar skull decorating class set for this Saturday. A Dia de los Muertos open house will be held that same day featuring personal ofrendas created by five families and individuals to honor departed loved ones. The shop will also host a traditional procession held on Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. and led by Danza Aztecataxcayalotl west along the 200 block of West 19th Street to the gallery, where a brief spiritual ceremony will occur at the ofrendas.

Heights nonprofit 14 Pews will also be hosting a Cine de Muertos from Oct. 29-31 at its headquarters, 800 Aurora St., where there will be free screenings of of a collection of short films from around the world featuring themes celebrated during Día de los Muertos featured in the Houston Latino Film Festival.

Finally, the MECA School, 1900 Kane St., will host a festival Oct. 29-30 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. both days. It will performances by MECA Ballet Folklorico, children’s art activities, cultural cuisine, an ofrendas/altar exhibit, art-

and artisan vendors, and more.

late.

After taking a few lessons to master the basics of the game, he said he was hooked. Lawthorne said he has entered anywhere from 6-8 tournaments prior to the APP SunMed Houston Open after picking up pickleball about 16 months ago.

“I started hearing about it and thought my skills would transfer to the sport…it’s super easy to learn,” he said. “…There’s such a camaraderie with the people. You see a lot of the same faces, and it’s a great social ground.”

There are currently about 10,000 Houstonians estimated to play pickleball, according to the Houston Pickleball Association. A report from CultureMap Houston said nearly 5 mil-

lion people play the sport worldwide.

The Houston Parks and Recreation Department currently has 11 outdoor and 17 indoor dual courts available for Pickleball play, according to the city. A dedicated pickleball spot, PKL Social, is even slated to open in the Washington Avenue area this fall at 1102 N. Shepherd Dr.

“Pickleball is booming in popularity nationwide, including here in Houston,” Parks and Recreation director Kenneth Allen said.

With tens of thousands of Houstonians now playing the sport and millions worldwide, Lawthorne likened the sport’s future growth projections – which has seen a 40 percent increase in participation

since 2020 according to CultureMap – to that of soccer in the United States.

And he is proud to be part of a tournament he said could serve as a springboard for the sport’s popularity in Houston and

around the country.

“It’s really become a sport for all ages,” he said.

“…You’re going to see kids start playing pickleball, and it’s going to be really successful.”

Massive sales dip continues to hit local markets

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The rough sales trends for local markets continued last month, according to the most recent report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

All six local zip codes (77018, 77091, 77092, 77008, 77009, and 77007) experienced yearover-year September sales declines last month ranging from a little over 8 percent to nearly 40 percent according to HAR.

As a result, only one area market (77091) is still ahead of its sales pace from 2021 according to the data.

However, home prices have also continued to rise across the region, and in local neighborhoods amidst the sales decline. Five of six local markets experienced at least a 6.5 percent year-over-year spike in September, and each one has risen at least 3.5 percent yearto-date compared to the same time in 2021.

77018

In the portion of the area that includes Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, and Central Northwest, there was a 16.4 percent yearover-year drop in September sales, with 61 homes being sold compared to 73 in the same month last year. The continued dip puts the area 17.3 percent behind last year’s year-to-date sales pace, with 605 sales so far this year as opposed to 732 during the same span in 2021.

Pricing-wise, the average September home price spiked 14.9 percent up to $584,435. Year-to-date, that figure is up 12.5 percent to $599,350. Median price, meanwhile, was up 22.9 percent year-over-year ($524,900) last month, while it has spiked 13.5 percent ($482,500) year-to-date compared to the same period in 2021. 77091

Just to the north, the zip code encompassing much of Greater Inwood, Acres Homes, and part of Northside/Northline experienced an 8.3 percent September sales dip year-overyear. There were 22 homes to come off the market here last month, slightly down from the 24 sold in September 2021. Year-to-date, however, this is the only market to remain ahead of its 2021 pace – there have been 252 home sales through the end of September compared to 215 during the same period last year.

The average September home price in this area jumped 18.5 percent year-over-year to $308,026, and year-to-date the average buyer has paid 15.4

percent more ($319,530) compared to the same point last year. Median September prices had the largest local year-overyear spike (38.6 percent) up to $349,990. On a year-to-date basis, it has jumped 14 percent up to $324,990 through the end of September. 77092

On the western edge of Central Northwest, an area that also includes Langwood and Kempwood saw the secondlargest local dip in year-overyear September sales, with 15 homes sold last month representing a 37.5 percent dip from 24 sold last September. It is also lagging slightly behind its 2021 pace, with 242 sales so far this year compared to 258 through

the same point last year.

With regards to home prices, the average buyer spent 38 percent more ($446,233) when purchasing a home here last month, and year-to-date is paying 3.5 percent more ($345,986) compared to the same point in 2021. September median home prices were up 20.5 percent year-over-year to $375,000, while year-to-date figures through the end of the month have increased slightly (1.8 percent) up to $325,000. 77008

Moving on down to the Greater Heights, this zip code experienced a 19.1 percent year-over-year September sales drop last month. Despite the 72 homes sold being the

biggest raw total among local zip codes, it was down from the 89 sales in the same month last year. There have been 851 homes off the market so far this year through the end of September, down 16.9 percent compared to 1,024 sales at the same time in 2021.

There was a 6.5 percent year-over-year rise in September average home price here, with the average buyer paying $686,765 last month compared to $644,680 in September 2021. September’s median price was also up 6.5 percent, to $559,316. Year-to-date, buyers are paying 10.2 percent more on average ($674,854) while the median price is up 8.8 percent ($566,000) compared

to the same point last year.

77009

On the eastern edge of the Heights and Northside/Northline, there were 39 home sales last month – a dip of 30.4 percent compared to the same month in 2021 and the third fewest total sales among local zip codes. Through the end of September, the 455 total sales are also third most in the area, and is 12 percent behind the 517 homes sold through the end of September 2021.

On a price front, this zip code was the only one to also see dips across the board. Average September home price was down 3.7 percent yearover-year ($559,460) compared to last year. Year-to-date, however, the average buyer is still paying 13.6 percent more ($572,229) than at the same point in 2021.

77007

In the southernmost part of the Leader’s coverage area, the Washington Avenue/Rice Military neighborhoods saw the largest percentage yearover-year September decrease in home sales. There were 53 homes that came off the market last month, a 39.8 percent decline from the 88 sold last September. Year-to-date, the 696 homes sold in this zip code represents a 13.6 percent decline from the same period in 2021.

Pricing-wise, the average buyer paid 27.2 percent more ($751,969) for a home in this zip code compared to September 2021, and has paid 11.3 percent more ($657,568) compared to the same year-todate figure last year. September median price rose 1.5 percent to $499,900, while the year-todate median price is up 11.5 percent to $529,700.

Photo from HAR website

Sales of homes like this currently-listed house at 1020 Martin St. in the 77018 zip code have continued to fall.

Art Valet: Events far and near for the weekend

MITCH COHEN Art Columnist

Two events this weekend are on my radar to share with you, one might be considered out of town while the other is near downtown.

To readers in far west Houston, artists from all over Houston and even Austin, will converge in Fulshear, for the Cross Creek Art Market & Home Tour, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Cross Creek Welcome Center, 6450 Cross Creek Bend Lane.

The artists and artisans from the First Saturday Arts Market and Market at Sawyer Yards will bring paintings, ceramics, woodwork, jewelry, fiber arts, some cottage foods such as cookies, jams, jellies and packaged Indian food to go.

The day also includes music with one of our favorites, Charlie Perez, a percussionist. We’re never certain who Perez will bring with him to lead on vocals, at least before press time, but he’s never disappointed. At the April 2022 event for example, David De La Garza, keyboardist and backup singer in La Mafia, a Houston based five-time Grammy Awardwinning musical group performed, unbeknownst to patrons and artists.

“The art market is more than a fun day out,” said Rob Bamford, Senior Vice

President, General Manager of Cross Creek Ranch. “It’s a great opportunity to be inspired by the local artists and the unique décor of our builder’s gorgeous model homes. We look forward to seeing everyone who comes out.”

Food trucks, and an onsite cafe will take care of the hungries and children’s art activities, giant art photo opportunities, face painters, balloon artists, caricature artists and more make the event family friendly. https://www.crosscreektexas.com/artmarket.

On to Sunday when Art Square Studios will host open studios October 23, 12 to 4 p.m. The Museum-area studios

are located at 5301 Almeda Rd.,  77004 with parking behind the building off Oakdale.

In June this past summer I introduced you to this amazing studio space that also features living quarters in some of the spaces and the cherry on top, the building is also home to Art Supply on Almeda, an independently owned store offering a full line of art materials.

I visited the open studios at Art Square after writing about it and got the “grand tour” plus introductions to all the artists by my guide and studio artist Sunny McKinnon. The building and studios are really nice, I loved the living quarter combos especially. Artists always have

a way of living just a little bit more on the creative side. A bonus for some is an elevator available for second floor access.

The participating artists include Ann Bell, Tay Butler, Heather den Uijl, Stephanie Fox, Gma Jackson Howze/ GLH Galleries, Justin Earl Grant, Alan Hurwitz, Riaz Kahn, Ruhee Maknojia, Sunny McKinnon, Silvio Ortega, Donna E. Perkins, Lucy Wells Riggs, Helene Robinson, Earl Staley and Bob Warren.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ArtSquareStudiosonAlmeda/ or

ART Studio SALE

Review: Neighbors flock to Gatlin’s Fins and Feathers

By Dan Greer

I’ve been a fan of Gatlin’s BBQ since they began in their tiny place on 19th Street. They’ve been a barbeque staple in our area for over a decade and have been honored far and wide for the mouthwatering meat and sides they serve up.

Happily, the success of that little BBQ joint has allowed them to move on to new and exciting things, including the much-anticipated Gatlin’s Fins and Feathers. It was a big move to an area in Independence Heights that is occupied by some of the city’s most hallowed eating establishments… places I’ve been loving since childhood. In fact, the building that Gatlin’s Fins and Feathers chose, was once the home of the revered Mexicatessen (join me in a moment of silence please).

I purposely chose to give Fins and Feathers a few months before dining here.

We made reservations for an early dinner and were seated promptly by the hostess. The place is small and bustling, but having a conversation was not a problem. 70’s music was playing, but not at an obnoxiously

loud level. The Astros marathon playoff game was on, and was still going hours after we left.

Our server was not only pleasant and attentive but also knowledgeable of everything we asked about.

We were disappointed to hear they were out of several items we wanted. But this was quickly forgotten when we tasted the biscuits. Thick and slightly dense, yet fluffy and absolutely delicious. They didn’t

need anything on them, but the bacon jam didn’t hurt. If sausage gravy were to be poured over these babies…oh my.

I had the Everything Gumbo which was excellent. I got the “cup” which turned out to be a normal bowl, not the childrensmenu-sized portion you see so often nowadays. Dark roux done just right and loaded with shrimp, crab, sausage, chicken, okra. You name it, it’s probably in there. Just like the stuff my Cajun ancestors would catch

and throw in the pot.

I had a hankering for fried catfish and theirs did not disappoint. The cornmeal breading was great and the portion was ample. The white meat was thick and piping hot. The slow-cooked red beans and rice were super-tasty, not just an afterthought side item.

I thought the grilled jerk chicken had more of a smoky, salty barbeque taste than traditional jerk seasoning, but was nonetheless very good and

complemented by cilantro and lime white rice.

Southern cooking is a broad term. Every “southern food” establishment I’ve visited is unique. The spices, batter, cooking styles and methods are what makes each place special. You and I have a standard by which all of them are evaluated. My benchmark for southern comfort food belongs to my beloved, late grandmother from deep east Texas. Her recipes were rarely writ-

ten down and were prepared so often they became second nature. My Mamaw, mom and aunts were often up before the sun, making food for dozens of hungry people. What amazing cooks these women were!

The lovingly prepared biscuits, catfish, gumbo and most of the dishes here at Gatlin’s Fins and Feathers can probably be traced back in this family for generations. I don’t know where the Gatlin family hails from, but I could just imagine our grandmothers being cut from the same cloth. Thank you, Gatlin family, for having the neighborhood over for supper.

Gatlin’s Fins and Feathers Address: 302 W. Crosstimbers St.

Dining options: Dine-in, takeout Hours: Tuesday – Saturday – 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sunday10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Entrée prices: $17 - $26 (also several MKT priced items)

Kid-Friendly: Yes Alcohol: Yes Healthy Options: Yes Star of the show: Not My Momma’s Biscuits Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Nibbles and Sips: Daddy’s Chicken Shack opens in Heights

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Residents of the Heights and surrounding areas have a new option to satisfy their fried chicken cravings.

Last Thursday, Oct. 13, Daddy’s Chicken Shack opened its second restaurant, and first Houston-area location, in the Height at 1223 W. 11th St. The restaurant will also host a grand opening open house on Oct. 26 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., according to a news release from the restaurant.

The California-based restaurant was founded by Pace Webb, a native Houstonian who grew up not far from the Heights location, and her hus-

band Chris Georgalas in 2018 in Pasadena, California. Its 2,400-square-foot space will seat up to 50 diners inside, according to the release.

Daddy’s Chicken Shack brines its chicken overnight in buttermilk and aromatics and then double batters before frying. Its menu will feature sandwiches such as the AllAmerican – Napa coleslaw and bacon, pickles and remoulade sauce; and the Nashville Daddy - seasoned with Nashville spices and topped with a creamy coleslaw, house-made pickles and remoulade sauce.

“We look forward to serving Heights residents and beyond by delivering accessible, chef-driven fried chicken sand-

wiches, while honoring our commitment to sustainability and creating a warm, welcoming environment for all,” Webb said.

Garden Oaks brewery hosting Canine Candyland event

A Garden Oaks brewery is gearing up to host a holidaythemed event for pooches. On Nov. 6, Walking Stick Brewery (956 Judiway St.) will host a Canine Candyland event by The Pup Stop from noon-4 p.m.

There will be a doggie arts and crafts area where pets can make a paw-print image or a peanut-butter lick painting, food trucks, beer specials,

raffles, vendors, and silent auctions, among other festivities.

All proceeds from the event will benefit This is Houston animal rescue.

Local restaurants o ering playo specials

A couple of local restaurants are offering special menus and prices during the Astros’ playoff run.

Kin Dee (1533 N. Shepherd Suite 160) will offer half-off Thai beers Singha and Chang when seated at the bar during Astros games. Meanwhile

Underbelly Hospitality’s Wild Oats (2520 Airline Dr. Suite C-315) is offering $3 Lonestar beers during every Astros playoff game.

https://instagram.com/ artsquarestudiosonalmeda. 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.

Photo by Stephanie Cheney

Shopping The Hanging Pendant jewelers at Cross Creek Art Market & Home Tour.

Photos by Dan Greer

The Everything Gumbo (left) and Not My Momma’s biscuits were the highlights of a visit to Gatlin’s Fins and Feathers last week.

Photo by Stephanie Cheney

Ti any “Angel” Nesbit, a ceramic artist, returns to Cross Creek Art Market & Home Tour this Saturday.

Photo by Shannon O’Hara

Daddy’s Chicken Shack opened at 1223 W. 11th St. in the Heights on Oct. 13.

Gethsemane Lutheran Church

Pastor

Watonga

Worship

9:00a.m

at 9:00

Candlelight Church of Christ

GET OVER IT!

Running with purpose

By Pastor Will Cover

Arise Baptist Church

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

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.”

Redistricting from P. 1

population, according to Jerry Wood, demographer for Houston. The latest census data shows Houston’s population increased by about 10 percent from the 2010 census, up to about 2.3 million, according to the city.

District H saw the biggest population decline as a result of the latest census data, according to Karl Cisneros, who holds the district’s seat on council.

Cisneros argues the decline is because of a significant undercount of Hispanic residents. Her District is 67.9 percent Hispanic – the second highest percentage of

Election from P. 1

Shanna Steele, Libertarian

Attorney General Ken Paxton, Republican Rochelle Mercedes Garza, Democrat Mark Ash, Libertarian

State Sen. District 15 George Brian Vachris, Republican John Whitmire, Democrat

State Rep. District 134 Ryan McConnico, Republican Ann Johnson, Democrat Carol Unsicker, Libertarian

State Rep. District 145 Michael Mabry, Repub-

lican

Hispanic residents in the 11 council districts – according to Cisneros.

Some members of the North Shepherd Community Alliance expressed concern about breaking up the neighborhood into multiple council districts, rather than grouping them into one.

Now, the council will consider ratifying the ordinance at a January meeting, according to city documents.

But the new council districts won’t take effect until 2024, though the new map will influence who people can vote for in 2023, according to the city.

Christina Morales, Democrat

State Rep. District 148 Kay Smith, Republican Penny Morales Shaw, Democrat Grizzle Trojacek, Libertarian

State Board of Education, District 6 Will Hickman, Republican Michelle Palmer, Democrat

Harris County Judge Alexandra Mealer, Republican Lina Hidalgo, Democrat County Commissioner

Precinct 2

Jack Morman, Republican Adrian Garcia, Democrat

County Commissioner Precinct 4 Jack Cagle, Republican Lesley Briones, Democrat

District Clerk Chris Daniel, Republican Marilyn Burgess, Democrat

County Clerk Stan Stanart, Republican Teneshia Hudspeth, Democrat

County Treasurer Kyle Scott, Republican Carla Wyatt, Democrat

With the slightly cooler temperatures currently and hopefully much cooler temperatures on the way, I have seen an increase of people walking and jogging outside. Getting outside and staying active are important elements that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. God’s Word compares our spiritual life to running a race. In Hebrews 12:1 and 2 we are instructed to set aside the weights that slow us down. That weight could be any sin or distraction that slows us down from running our best. These verses also teach us that the race must be run with patience or endurance. The Christian life is not run in a day and it requires great endurance to

overcome the challenges along the way. Strength is found by looking to Jesus. If you know where you are going and you have someone in front of you to set the pace, you can run a much better race.

Jesus is the one who put you in this race and it is Jesus who is the finisher of the race. He knows the way and He is able to help you over each mountain and through each valley. He knows every twist and turn that the road takes. My challenge to you is to take some time to consider your spiritual life. Are you running your race well? Do you find yourself discouraged and distracted? Look to Jesus! Run with purpose!

If you would like to discuss this further or have questions, Pastor Will Cover can be reached at Arise Baptist Church at 803 Curtin St., or www. arisebaptistchurch.org, or 713659-9697.

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