By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com
to Sugar Land in
On the rise
latest column Page 2 Page 2 Page 5 Saturday, August 20, 2022 • Vol. 67 • No. 33 2020 North Loop West Suite 220 (713) Facebook/FromTheLeadernews@theleadernews.com686-8494www.theleadernews.com THE INDEX. Food/Drink 2 Church 3 Opinion 3 Public Information 4 Coupons 7 Classifieds 8 INSIDE. Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston Inside Today: HFD investigating local fires • Page 4
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Home sales have slowed across the Houston region amid higher interest rates, but that has done little locally to stem the in terest in buying in the area, according to sev eral real estate agents. Single-family home sales declined about 17 percent in July, compared to the same month in 2021, ac cording to an August report from the Hous ton Association of Real tors. That makes it the fourth-straight month of declining sales, ac cording to the report. But just because the region has seen some slow-down doesn’t mean the Leader’s cov erage area has as well, according to Michael Clark, a Houston area real estate agent. “It’s all neighborhood and market specific,” he said. “Some areas are slowing down more than others. But the hot areas are remaining prettyClarklively.”does a lot ofPhoto from HAR website Houston home sales have slowed in recent months, according to realtors.
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Same place, new face Gr8 Plate Hospitality is expanding its footprint in the area, with a new concept coming to the old Union Kitchen on Washington Avenue. times Check out reviewer Sonia Ramos’ latest report, as she ventured out to Peony and Crane in the Heights last week. Get fix Art columnist Mitch Cohen has the scoop Houston his
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After almost a year of street closure and fewer patrons, Andy Dunn can see the light at the end of the Dunntunnel.isaco-owner of Walk ing Stick Brewing, 956 Judiway St., near Wakefield Drive and is one of several business own ers counting down the days un til crews finish work along the stretch of road. “I think we’re all ready to pow er forward,” he said. For almost a year, crews have been at work on a multi-million dollar drainage project along Wakefield Drive – a project that has included frequent street clo sures since September 2021, ac cording to nearby businesses. But contractors are finally fin ishing street paving and sidewalk restoration, and should reopen the stretch of road by early Sep tember, according to Erin Jones, interim communications direc tor for Houston Public Works. “This project is bringing muchneeded flood mitigation and storm drainage improvements to the neighborhood, and I’m glad it’s making progress,” said Abbie Kamin, a Houston councilperson whose District C encompasses Wakefield Drive. The news comes as a boon for nearby businesses, such as Walking Stick Brewing and Wil liam Price Distilling, 970 Wake field Dr., who have seen business slow during construction. Dunn in a conversation with the Leader said he estimated his gross revenues during con struction were down about 20 percent from what they were the year before construction began.
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By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com attention. consistent quick we don’t just get get to know how our taking your success personally can make all the difference.
By ensuring
Home sales slow down slightly amid higher interest rates 4
Contributed photo Students walk down the hall at St. Thomas High School. St. Thomas is one local private school experiencing enroll ment increases in recent years amidst enrollment drops in Houston-area public school districts.
A surge of students across the state and na tion has left public schools in favor of private educa tion since March 2020, but both administrators at lo cal institutions and experts argue the coronavirus pan demic simply exacerbated a pre-existing trend. Smaller class sizes, conti nuity of education and the stop-and-start nature of school during the pandem ic have all combined to pull students and families away from their traditional pub lic school districts in favor of other options, including local private schools such as St. Thomas High School, St. Pius X High School, and LEAH Schools North Acade my (formerly Lutheran High North).“We’ve had parents say they felt they were not getting the education they needed,” said Mark deTran altes, director of advance ment at St. Thomas High School. “It was such a startstop situation at some of the other high schools. We had a pretty good system here, so the parents were hoping they could get a little more of a consistent educational package than they were getting at other schools.”About 194,600 students attended Houston ISD schools last year, which was down about 1 percent from 2020-2021 and 7.4 percent from the 20192020 school year, accord ing to the district. A report from the Texas Tribune said nearly 30,000 students in grades 7-12 withdrew from Texas pub lic schools to be home schooled in the 2020-2021 schoolHISDyear.has continued to see declining overall enroll ment numbers in recent years in conjunction with some of the region’s pri vate schools gaining stu dents. And the pattern of increased private school attendance amid lower public school enrollment has manifested not just in the Houston region but in states around the country, according to experts. “Parents were respon sive to the kind of (virtual or hybrid) instruction that was being offered and fled those public schools that didn’t offer that type of education,” Stanford Uni versity education professor Thomas Dee said Tuesday. At St. Thomas, a college preparatory Catholic school at 4500 Memorial Dr., de Tranaltes said the school’s enrollment numbers have risen steadily since 2018, and significantly - about 13.5 percent - from 20202021 (621 students) to 2022-2023 (705 students). St. Thomas had even previously purchased an
“It’s not debilitating to pan
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
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Houston Independent School Dis trict recently allocated more than $2.3 million for equipment it says will better arm its police officers in the event of an emergency situation, but the image of highly-armed law enforcement in schools doesn’t please some residents. “Training is important, weaponry is not,” said Jennifer Layer, a Garden Oaks resident. “The fact that the money went to armor and weaponry is coun terintuitive in my thinking.” However, proponents say it is an at tempt to better protect HISD’s nearly 195,000 students along with more than 27,000 full and part-time teach ers and staff in the event of an active shooter or other emergency situations. “Considering that HISD has (more than 280) campuses, this doesn’t feel like a huge price tag,” Laura McFarland said.HISD approved the motion 6-3 dur ing its regular board meeting on Aug. 11, in the ongoing aftermath of the school shooting in Uvalde this past May in which 19 students and two teachers were killed. Houston ISD Superinten dent Millard House II said funds will be used to equip the district’s police de partment, which consists of 140 cam pus police officers and 45 additional officers in the department’s patrol di vision.Both board members and local com munity members were split on whether dedicating more than $2 million on such resources is the best way to pri oritize the safety of students. Accord ing to a report from KHOU, HISD police chief Pedro Lopez has said the $2.3 million was previously allocated to the department as part of the district’s $2.26 billion budget for the 2022-2023 school year that was approved on June Community split on HISD equipmentpoliceapproval HISD P.10
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your
Businesses ready for reopening of Wakefield Drive
Photo by Matt deGrood Businesses are anticipating the con clusion of a construction project on Wakefield Drive.
The menu will be similar to its Cypress concept, the restaurant said, with re gional Italian dishes, soups, salads, seafood, and more in addition to a selection of wine, beer, and cocktails. The restaurant will be open Monday through Thursday from 3-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 3-11 p.m.; and Sunday from 3-9Forp.m.more information, visit passerellaitaliano. com/.Rosland’s opens on Washington Avenue Another new concept re cently opened its doors on Washington Avenue. Ro sland’s Grill and Bar began serving customers for the first time at 903 Durham Dr. on Aug. According9.to the restau rant’s website, its menu consists of seafood such as oysters, salmon and sea bass, as well as steaks, hand-crafted sandwiches, salads and Rosland’smore.Grill and Bar will be open Monday through Thursday from 11-2 a.m., Friday from 11-4 a.m., Saturday from 8-4 a.m. and Sunday from 8-2 a.m.To find out more about the restaurant and what is has to offer, follow them on Facebook and Instagram @Roslands.tx or visit its website at roslands.com Near Northside brewpub hosting Silent Disco, ex tending hours A brewpub in the Near Northside neighborhood is hosting a special event next Friday, and also de buting extended hours. Local Group Brewing at 1504 Chapman St. said in a news release that the brewpub will host “Silent Disco” next Friday, Aug. 19. For $15, patrons can get a headset and their first drink. There will also be $4 pints and $5 glasses of wine from 7 p.m.-midnight. The brewpub is also ex tending its hours. Local Group Brewing will now be open 4 p.m.-midnight Monday through Thursday, and noon-midnight Friday through Saturday. For more information on Local Group, follow them @localgroupbrew on Ins tagram or visit localgroup brewing.com. By Landan Kuhlmann Plate Hospitality is planning to open Passerella’s in September at the site old Union Kitch en, 6011 Washington Ave.
A regional Italian restau rant is expanding its Hous ton-area footprint, with plans to open a restaurant in the Washington Avenue corridor next month. Passerella by Gr8 Plate Hospitality is set to open a new restaurant at the site of the old Union Kitchen, 6011 Washington Ave., in September according to a news release from Gr8 Plate. It will be Passerella’s second Houston-area res taurant, joining an existing location in Cypress. Gr8 Plate Hospitality also runs area concepts at Jax Grill (1613 Shepherd Dr.) as well as the Union Kitchen at 3452 Ella Blvd. “We saw an opportunity and we took it,” owner Paul Miller said. “After seeing such wild success at our Passerella location in Cy press, we knew that we had to bring the concept a little closer into town. We think that the change will breathe new life into the space, and will provide folks in the neighborhood with easy access to some fine Italian dining. We couldn’t be hap pier to do this in an area that we have come to know and love over the years.”
of the
Review: Peony and Crane provides a good time for all
Upon entering Peony and Crane, I knew I was in for a good time. Cyndi Lauper was belting out Girls Just Want To Have Fun on the overhead speakers, Sunday errands were done and I was ready to try a new spot for some traditional Chinese food. I had seen a few social media posts about this place and was ready to try it for myself and took my husband along for the ride. With an extensive menu, we were overwhelmed with what to order as everything sounded appetizing. Always ready to try something differ ent, I chose Pig in the Dirt as a starter. Our waitress made sure that we knew that this was a cold item and I was hesitant but decided to take a chance. What arrived on my table was probably one of the most beautiful dishes I have ever been served. Not only was it elegantly plated, it was equally delicious. With the right amount of spice that tingles the lips and im mediately wants you to take another bite. I am normally not a soup person but I do love some wonton soup, mostly just for the wonton dumplings. Not only were the wontons amazing, the broth was fla vorful and decadent. We also ordered the combina tion dumplings and comfort combo fried rice. We were hungry.Wewere also warned that if there were peppers next to the item description to order with caution as they did not “play around” when it came to spice levels. Not only were there red chili pep pers, there were also green chili peppers. If you are not familiar with Chinese green peppercorns, they are not only spicy but also a tongue numbing experience that must be tried at least once. My husband is not one to shy away from spice but had never tried this type of pepper. He ordered the DP chicken (3 red peppers and 1 green pepper) and he could not stop talking about how his mouth felt. On fire yet numb, he loved it! I took a few bites and was happy to have a Key Lime Tonic to cut a little of the heat. After the fire, the we opted for the brown sugar daddy. Please be prepared to share as this serving is quite generous. Six perfectly fried rice cakes on top of a brown sugar sauce. I may have to come back just for these tasty treats. Flowers and birds hold a certain grace in my eyes and Peony and Crane does as well. With food and cock tails as tantalizing as they are gratifying, I will definitely be back… just as soon as feeling resumes on my tongue. Peony And Crane Address: 626 W. 19th St Dining options: Dine-in, takeout Hours: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday Entrée prices: $15-$49 Kid-Friendly: Yes Senior Discount: No Alcohol: Yes Healthy Options: Yes Star of the show: Won ton soup and DP Chicken Rating: 5 out of 5 bites
Page 2 • Saturday, August 20, 2022 • The Leader
By Sonia Ramos Photo by Sonia Ramos Peony and Crane has delectable options for all to try, from wonton soup to chicken and more, making for a pleasant visit.
Nibbles & Sips: Gr8 Plate bringing new spot to Washington corridor
landan@theleadernews.com IF I COULD WALK... I WOULD RUN 713.686.8494 Get Your Business Up and Running an ad in The Leader Contributed photo Gr8
I t’s been 20 years since I lost my son, Christopher, who has been alone with God and angels. But he is no longer alone and Charlie, his Dad, is now with him and not alone anymore. Now I have lost the two men in my life whom I love dearly. I miss my son, Christopher and my husband, Charlie. All my love, Stella.
is one of Europeans’ favorite American summer holiday destinations. The foreign visitors particularly like to visit Houston with its NASA Space Center and its fine arts museums, and Dallas, the “commercial and cultural center of the region.” This info comes from a company called Jetcost, a Paris-based “travel metasearch engine for finding airfares.” (It really likes the cheapest.) The com pany didn’t rely on surveys, questionnaires in airport ter minal and such, but rather how many prospective tour ists looked on Jetcost to see what cities to visit. The study found that Eu ropeans, like the rest of the world, were tired of stay ing home the last two years, hunkered down behind their masks, and were ready to travel. Searches for flights have increased by 250 per cent from 2019, the year before the pandemic, while those for hotels increased by 330 percent in the first seven months of this year. All searches for August 2022 are already 30 percent above those for the same month in A big number of Europe ans are going to the U.S. It is the first non-European coun try and the sixth in the world most searched. But where in America are they planning to visit? Jetcost checked with searches by the Germans, French, Spaniards, Italians, Dutch, Portuguese and Brit ish. Their Number 1 destina tion in America – all of them -- is New York City. (Look for a “Mugging Free Zone.”) Number 2 is Miami followed by Los Angeles and Orlando (probably Disney World). Las Vegas was listed high, to no one’s surprise. Dallas is the ninth most popular destina tion in the U.S. for British, the 11th for French, 12th for Germans and Dutch, 13th for Italians and 14th for Span iards. Houston, for Spaniards and British, ranks number 12 and for Portuguese number 14. OK, so we know where the Europeans plan to visit. What about Americans? Where in the entire world are we planning to visit this month? New York City. Dal las ranked 25th and Houston didn’t make the cut. Houston, we have a prob lem. (Don’t you get tired of hearing that, but in this case it fits.) When more Germans want to visit Portland than Houston and more Portu guese would rather vacation in Chicago (Chicago?) while the Italians don’t make plans to come here at all, we need to make some changes. First, we need a catchy slogan or nickname. We want visi tors from the City of Light, the Eternal City and Lon don (the Brits have a dry sense of humor). Here in the U.S. we have cities that call themselves the Big Apple, LaLa Land and Sin City with its naughty slogan, “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.” Other cities have more than a title but also a slogan. Gas, Kansas: “Don’t pass Gas, stop and enjoy it.” Weed, California: “Weed like to welcome you.” Hooker, Oklahoma: “It’s a location, not a vocation.” I like that town in Washington State: Walla Walla. “A place so nice they named it twice.” Texas cities have some excellent nicknames and slogans. Fort Worth calls it self “Cowtown.” San Anto nio is the “Alamo City.” We have: “Waco: The Buckle of the Bible Belt.” Dallas has long been known as “Big D.” There is the unofficial “The People’s Republic of Austin.” “Happy – The Town Without a Frown,” and: “Eagle Pass -- Where Yee-Ha Meets Ole.” This brings us to Hous ton, which has never had a catchy nickname or slogan. Beginning in 1913, we used, “Houston: Where Seventeen Railroads Meet the Sea,” which must have made for one big splash. Over the years we have tried “Hous ton’s Hot,” “Houston Proud” and “Bayou City,” which is good except at high tide. “Space City” is the current fad term and is even sported on some teams’ jerseys. How about: “Houston – Gate way to Baytown!” or maybe, “Hurricane Harvey’s Home.” In the bad old days we had: “Houston Astros – where you’re never more than half an inning away from major league baseball.” In the past few years it’s been: “We’ll steal your heart, second base and your catcher’s sig nals.” How about: “Houston Texans -- our huddled mass es.” And: “Rockets – Free Throes.”Wealso need a catchy logo. We used to use the Astro dome. We could still use that, only cover it with cobwebs. Taking a page from Sugar Land’s Space Cowboys, I suggest a picture of Beyonce on horseback. Maybe a taco filled with barbeque. As to where the Europeans want to vacation, we only ranked 12th with Germans. My first idea for a logo was a swas tika with bullet holes. No, probably not. We could put up billboards around Lon don: “Brexit didn’t work, so join Houston.” Keep brain storming. “Portugal – Port of Houston – twin cities.” All right, Portugal isn’t a city. Don’t quibble. Appeal to the Dutch: “Houston likes dikes, too.” All over Europe, a jingle: “Goin’ to Houston, Houston, Houston.” I have another plan. Hous ton has a total population of 2.3 million. The metropolitan area has just under 6.9 mil lion residents. A new report finds Houston remains the most diverse city in the na tion. The Houston area con tains an estimated 1.7 mil lion foreign-born residents, according to the U.S. Cen sus Bureau. This is almost a quarter (23.4 percent) of the entire metro population. Houstonians speak at least 145 languages at home. This includes more than 15,500 people who speak French, 8,915 speak German and 2,202 Houstonians speak Italian. (You see where I’m going with this.) We get them to write their cousins back in the old country, send them photos of the Houston sky line on a clear day (it arrives on September 4 this year), menus from their favorite ethnic restaurants (be sure to include tacos) and give their room rates. Houston, we have a problem: too many tourists.Ah,here comes someone. “Privite,” I say, just in case she’sAshbySheUkrainian.smiles.“Howdy.”welcomesat ash by2@comcast.net
THE TOPICS. The Leader • Saturday, August 20, 2022 • Page 3
There is a note in my Bible that says that David wrote this when he was dealing with the incredible struggle of having his son Absalom trying to kill him and take over this kingdom. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have one of my own children so angry with me that they were trying to take my life. This is what David was going through. How do you deal with the trials and tribulations that life brings? The natural human response to trouble is to fear. In Psalm 34:4 David admitted that he had fears. It is human to fear. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” God does not give us the spirit of fear, rather God can and will give us power, love, and a sound mind. So how can you be delivered from your fear? David’s statement in Psalm 34:4 says it so well, “I sought the Lord.” How do you seek the Lord? You can seek the Lord through prayer. Taking time to talk to God about your struggles and fears is seeking God’s help rather than trying to worry about it yourself. Spending time listening to God speak to you through His Word is seeking God’s Word on your struggle. Seek the Lord! Why? – Because He will hear you and deliver you. To fear and to struggle is a part of the human experience. You cannot control every situation you will face. If you want deliverance from fear then seek the only one who can truly give you power, love and a sound mind! Faith in God will receive the power from God that can conquer any fear.
By Pastor Will Cover Arise Baptist Church 803 Curtin St. Houston TX 77018 713-659-9697 • www.arisebaptistchurch.org
Deliverance from fear
The Leader hopes for successful school year for students LAndAn KuhLmAnn Editor Preschool Program • Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m. www.gethsemanelutheran.org 4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 Weekly Worship Services 9:00 a.m. Sunday School & Bible Classes 10:30 am Gethsemane Lutheran Church • Bible Study: 9:15 a.m. • Morning:10:30 a.m. • Evening: 4:15 p.m. 1700 West 43 rd at 713-682-4942Rosslyn Weekly Sunday Services Pastor – Dr. Richard Walters Ad # 32285 Join us for Services in English or Spanish Sunday Worship 10am & 5pm Sunday Bible Classes 9am Wednesday Bible Study 7pm 4215 Watonga Blvd. • 713-681-9365 Houston, TX 77092 Candlelight Church of Christ • Worship (English) 10:00 am - 11:00am • Learning Hour 11:00am - 12:00pm • Worship (Spanish) 12:30 pm - 1:30pm St. James Lutheran Church, ELCA 1602 West 43rd St. • Houston, Tx 77018 • 713-686-1577 MANNA Sponsor OVER It goes without made mistakes.” err is human, this the next must learn to repeat it can be hard can sometimes We toprisonit!vindictive,themorethetherepeatedlythem;asthewethem,ouraddition,forwe’vesometimesdone,years,somepast.Andweshouldcomingwellasthatphraseonlywaydivine,offense.CorriecamprealizeWe invite you to worship with us! DIRECTORY CHURCH Sunday Morning Worship 8:30 and 11:00 Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe, Pastor 2003 W. 43rd St. 713-686-8241 stsumc.org Ministries for All Ages Home of Johnson Memorial School for Little Children Sunday School for Children, Youth and Adults 9:40 Sunday Bible Studies For All Ages 9:30am Morning Worship 10:45am Wednesday Bible Studies For Youth, Children and Adults 6:15pm 1822 W. 18th • 713-864-1470 Judge not, not, and Pastor Jerry McNamara 4040 Watonga • 713-688-5227 We invite you to worship with us! Weekly Worship Services 9:00a.m Online services can be reached through the website below at 9:00 www.gethsemanelutheran.orgam. Gethsemane Lutheran Church www.fbcheights.org 201
This time of the year always brings back memo ries of the time I was a kid going back to school. Now, it would be a stretch to say I was “ex cited” for the school year to begin. But at the same time, it always brought a sense of anticipation to see those friends you hadn’t seen in months. You could show off the new shoes you bought, or regale your friends with the tales of your summer. That’s just what you did when the last two weeks of August rolled around. It’s something that stu dents in the area have not had the chance to do “normally” for the last couple of school years. And though I might not say things are completely back to normal - COVID -19 is still hanging around, along with the various obstacles and controversies that we see all the time. But if we’re being honest, things are still as close to normal as they’ve been in the last three and a half years. So with local private schools having already be gun the 2022-2023 school year and Houston ISD set to return on Aug. 22, we here at The Leader want ed to take some time to wish our area’s students a school year that is full of fun, laughter, and learning in an atmosphere that is as close to normal as we’ve been in a long time around here.We hope that you sit in the classroom, talking to your friends, telling them about your summer in great detail. We hope that you take the chance to just be kids again, like many haven’t been able to do for the last several years. As the school year goes on, there will surely be struggles that you encoun ter. But along with your parents, friends, teachers, and more, know that those of us here at The Leader are always rooting for our students. Because you, stu dents, are the future. Perhaps one day, we’ll be hearing about a new inven tion from someone who sits within the walls of Heights or Scarborough high schools. Perhaps someone currently heading to Wal trip or Booker T. Washing ton attended there them selves and is on a mission to pour back into the com munity by teaching in the halls they once walked. We could be seeing the athletic exploits of a former athlete from St. Thomas, St. Pius X, or LEAH Schools North Academy (formerly Lu theran High North).
MEMORY OF
CHRISTOPHER & CHARLIE CASTRO Turn to The Leader Classifieds. 713-686-8494 To Advertise Call Today We’veROOF?ANEEDNEWgotyouCOVERED!
Lynn Ashby Columnist The welcome mat has been laid out
St. • 713-861-3102 First Church Sunday School ........9:15 am Sunday Worship......10:30am FC Heights Family and Staff Wednesday Bible Study & Prayer Service 6:00pm IN
King David wrote in Psalm 34:4, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
Education is always a topic of conversation these days. On today’s front page, you’ll see a couple of sto ries related to school en rollment declines in HISD and some controversy over district-allocated funds. But we’re also here to highlight the shining jewel of our area, and that is the students who make up each and every one of our seven schools. So here’s to a school year full of learn ing and memories. Email ernews.comlandan@thelead E. 9th LOVING
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
Nobody was hurt in the fire, according to the depart ment.Crews from stations 4, 67, 58, 50, 31, 13, 62 and 30 at about 7 p.m. Aug. 8 arrived to find smoke coming from a one-story house in the 6300 block of Joe Louis Lane in Acres Homes, the depart mentThesaid.fire was contained within minutes, though it did cause an estimated $20,000 in damage to the home, ac cording to the thecausedtryingInvestigatorsdepartment.arestilltodeterminewhatthefire,accordingtodepartment.
The cause of a fire that damaged a Northside/ Northline business last week is still under inves tigation, according to the Houston Fire Department. Nobody was inside or hurt at the time of the fire, the department said. Firefighters from Sta tions 15, 34, 13, 30, 31 and 67 at about 3 p.m. Aug. 6 responded to find fire and smoke coming from a business near 7498 E. Northline Dr., according to the department. Crews were able to extinguish the fire before it spread to neighboring businesses, according to the depart ment.Arson investigators are still working to deter mine the origins of the fire, which caused an es timated $15,000 worth of damage to the business according to the depart ment.
Wakefield from P. 1
Houston arson investiga tors are working to deter mine the origins of a fire that damaged a house in Acres Homes last weekend, ac cording to the Houston Fire Department.
The city’s public works department in March 2021 estimated the proj ect would take about two years to complete. The plan calls for the installation of an 18inch sanitary sewer line, 8-inch drinking water lines and stormwater pipes ranging from 24 to 48Drainageinches. capacity al ready was increased to the northeast along Alba and Brinkman Street as part of Phase 1 of the project, which cost about $23 million and was com pleted late in 2018. The second and third phases aim to improve drainage to the west and east, with public works previously saying flood mitigation will be maximized once all three interconnected phases are complete. The issue with the con struction is that some pa trons get deterred from visiting nearby business es because they don’t want to cope with street closures, Dunn explained. And those patrons don’t always return after the fact, he said. “But if we promote this right, we’re in a better set up than we were before,” he said. “You’ve got craft distilleries and breweries near craft restaurants. It’s a really nice craft-centric location.”Additional parking has also been added since the street closure, which helps reduce the trouble patrons used to have vis iting businesses, he said.
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
Cause of Northside fire unknown
Local house fire under investigation
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Mitch
The Leader • Saturday, August 20, 2022 • Page 5
ColumnistArt Art Valet:GetyourFridayfixfromHoustontoSugarLand Contributed photo Annette Palmer’s paintings exhibition, “Time and Tide” at The Cloister gallery through September at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Houston. Roof Replacement & Repairs Shower, Siding & Additions 832-860-1054 EXPERIENCED IN TOTAL HOME REPAIRS! • Framing • Sheetrock • Painting • Fences • Concrete/Granite • Tile, Brick & Laminate • Tree Service SIGN AT URE SIGNA URE BEST AW AR D NOMINA TION SI GN A T UR E SI GN A UR E Second Blessings AUGUST 18TH - 20TH 10 AM - 2 PM 1st floor of Second Blessings: Furniture & antiques 2nd floor of Second Blessings: Household items, kitchen, glassware, stemware, vases, crystal, silver plate, ceramics, artwork, pottery, china, cameras, figurines, and miscellaneous items. Linens: vintage linens, sheets, comforters, quilts, towels; electronics, CDs and DVDs. Bering Boutique: Vintage clothing & accessories, silver, gold, and costume jewelry For more information: Call 713.526.1017, option 1 *Masks and vaccines are greatly appreciated inside of the buildings! 1427 HAWTHORNE ST., HOUSTON, TX 77006 Montrose Area • New Building (former Bering Dental Clinic) Summer Sale BERING MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST NEW LOCATION, SAME SITE, DIFFERENT BUILDING! FURNITURE & ANTIQUES - 20% OFF CDs - .50¢ • DVDs - $1.00 WE WANT FEEDBACK!YOUR Use this QR code for a chance to WIN A FREE GIFT CARD! We want your feedback and you can win a $100 Visa card by answering a few short questions. NEVER MISS A THELEADERNEWS.COMSTORY SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!
There are two events this Friday I’d like to share with you. The first is downtown Houston and the second in Sugar Land. An easy drive if you attend both! Annette Palmer, an ab stracted landscape artist, lives near The Woodlands but is making her way back into the Houston art scene. She joined my BAM mar ket as an exhibitor this past weekend and is the guest artist with a reception at one of my favorite off the wall spaces, The Cloister Gallery, Christ Church Cathedral. “Time and Tide,” by Palmer, opening reception is Friday, August 19, 5:307:30 p.m. at Cloister Gallery, Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Avenue. Houston TXSips77002.and nibbles provided, and the show runs until Sep tember 27. The gallery is open daily with Treebeards serving lunch between 11 and 2 Palmerp.m.is also a new mem ber of Archway Gallery and has work on view there now. Located at 2305 Dunlavy. Follow Palmer for Walk,TX6beSculptureThecom/annettepalmerart/https://www.instagram.details:AnopeningreceptionbyTexasSculptureGroup,TexasSLTX,willheldFriday,August19,-9p.m.atArtMuseumSugarLand,16165CityatSugarLandTown Square. This event is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on view through October 16, 2022. Valerie Gudell, an urban vinyl and mixed media artist, brought this incredible event to my attention. Gudell cre ates splendidly cute crea tures and informed me of the event as we were wrap ping up BAM! Art Market. She must have noticed how single-mindedly focused I was on BAM. It was a suc cess by the way. The Texas Sculpture Group (TSG) has partnered with Art Museum TX Sugar Land to showcase over 100 artworks from 52 TSG artist members from around the state.TSG is a 501(c)3 organi zation promoting contem porary sculpture for Texas. They are one of four official chapters of the Interna tional Sculpture Center, the publishers of SCULPTURE Magazine.Established in 2020, Art Museum TX is an energetic new museum dedicated to presenting the best in Texas local art. With locations in Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch, Art Museum TX is deeply rooted in the commu nity of Ft. Bend County and greater SW Houston, creating a community-centric art mu seum with thought-provoking art exhibitions, educational programming, and art-cen teredTheevents.Texas Sculpture Group has been promoting con temporary sculpture and sculptors since 2010 through exhibitions, publications, edu cational events and other pro grams throughout the state. We are delighted to join forc es and showcase the expres sive range of contemporary TexasGudellsculpture.joins an incredible roster of Texas sculptors that include Larry Graeber, Sarah Hirneisen, Christine Rojek, Hank Waddell, Lorena Mo rales, Steve Brudniak, Anne Baxter, Rodney Butler, Sabine Senft, Meredith Jack, Ran dall Mosman, Danville Chad bourne, Tanya Synar Dewane Hughes, Domenico Balli, Steve Murphy, Jo Zider, Deb ra Chronister, Marianne Let tieri, Laura Sturtz, Tom Mor rissey, Emily Sloan, Mckay Otto Motoko Yasue, Michelle O’michael, Erin Cunningham, Pablo De La Pena, Norman Kary, Glenn Downing, Jo hana Hartjen, Renee Lieber, Shang-Yi Hua, Peter Mangan, Gary Webernick, Tim Gon choroff, Josephine Durkin, Mark Monroe, Emily Rensink, Brian Wedgworth, Roger Co lombik, Gladys Poorte, Barry Krammes, Susan Budge, An drew Malczewski, Susan Fer rari Rowley, Lauren Selden, Caprice Pierucci, Maria Cris tina Jadick, Kelley Devine, Jack Gron and Jamie Spinello. Learn more about the Tex as Sculpture Group atArtsfounderorg.Landandwww.texassculpturegroup.orghttp://ArtMuseumTX-Sugarhttps://artmuseumtx.CohenisanartistandoftheFirstSaturdayMarketandTheMarketSawyerYards. cohen
Page 6 • Saturday, August 20, 2022 • The Leader 59 45 8 610 610 Texas Medical Center Memorial CityBellaire Leading Orthopedic Care to KEEP MOVINGYOU Our sports medicine specialists can help keep your body in motion. At Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we know every movement matters. Our board-certified sports medicine specialists offer: • The latest imaging and technology • Advanced nonsurgical treatments • Minimally invasive procedures • State-of-the-art physical and occupational therapy Whether you’re suffering from simple aches and pains or dealing with a complex injury, we can get you back on your feet — and keep you moving. Houston Methodist Orthopedic Injury Clinic Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine 20 convenient locations across Greater Houston Same-day appointments for injuries. Schedule an appointment: houstonmethodist.org/sportsmed713.441.9000 Your health and safety are our priority. We are taking every necessary precaution to keep you safe.
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Sales from P. 1 New Well Puppy & KittenCatCallExamAboutVaccines Routine Male Cat Neuters FREE * Hours: M-F 7am-6:00pm Sat. 8am-12 Noon 5315 Antoine@ Pinemont 713-688-9625 Dog VaccinationRabies 49 * WellnessWithExam1045 work on the northwest side of town, including Oak Forest and Garden Oaks, and told the Leader this week that that area remains strong, he said The market might have slowed slightly, but not by much, he said. “The homes that used to take a day or two to sell are on the market a little longer, but not much lon ger,” he said. “Especially in the area we’re talking about – that northwest market.”Elizabeth Villarreal, an other real estate agent, agreed with Clark that homes are still selling fairly“I’mquickly.stillbusy,” she said. “Listings are coming and people are still showing homes.”Despite the optimis tic view of local real es tate experts, July’s 8,370 home sales is the lowest one-month total since January, and the market is trailing 2021’s pace by about 1.3 percent, ac cording to the Houston Association of Realtors. “The scorching pace of Houston housing through out most of the pandemic was completely unsus tainable, so the cooling that we have experienced over the past four months was expected and is all part of a market normal ization,” said Jennifer Wauhob, chair of the as sociation.Experts have projected a real estate slowdown for several months now. The U.S. Federal Reserve this year has steadily raised interest rates up to about 2.25 to 2.5 percent in an effort to tamp down on inflation, according to a Wall Street Journal re port from July. That increase has led to higher interest rates for a host of services, includ ing home mortgages, cars and credit cards, accord ing to a Spectrum News Article.While the majority of those that spoke to the Leader were cautiously optimistic that the slowdown wouldn’t have ma jor effects on the market, Sara Black, another real estate agent living in the Heights, said she’s been telling customers to ex pect further declines. “Buyers are proceeding cautiously,” she said. “I’m seeing a lot of properties with reduced prices on a daily areCertainbasis.”neighborhoodsdoingbetterthanothersandhigherinterestratesmostlyeffectaffordability,butbuyers,especiallythoselookingforhigherdollarhomes,arebeingmorecautiousnowthantheywereearlierinthepandemic,Blacksaid.“Houstonisalwaysastrongmarket,butIhaveafeelingthingsaregoingtodeclinealittlefurther,”shesaid.“IknowI’mgoingagainstwhatalotofothersaresaying,butIthinktheydon’twantto scare the public.” While Black is expect ing some further declines, she added that she’s told customers that if they ex pect to stay in a home for five years or more, then they should be fine. “I’ve been saying that since the height, when prices were up 20 percent or more,” she said. Despite the market slowdown in Houston, the average price of a sin gle-family home still rose about 9.9 percent in July, up to $426,494, accord ing to the Houston Asso ciation of Realtors. www.LaHaciendaEscondida.com CurbsideDine-InPickup Lg. House Margaritas $6.99, fruit flavored $7.50 Sm. House Margaritas $4.99, fruit flavored $5.50 Family Owned - Authentic Mexican Food Please visit our other locations: 14759 Memorial • 12503 Telge Road Hours: Sun-Thurs ( 11am-10pm ) • Fri & Sat ( 11am-11pm) 1431 W. 26th • 713-880-0100 HAPPY HOURLUNCHDAILYSPECIALS EVERYDAY Mon-Fri • 11am-3pm SUDOKU WORD SCRAMBLE the leader Puzzlers. aCrOss 1. Nonsense (slang) 5. Military leader (abbr.) 9. Removes 11. Streamed 13. Inner ear cavity 15. Where to go after high school 16. Olympics host 17. A day to remember fallen soldiers 19. Forearm bone 21. Bypass pioneersurgeryF.Mason 22. Judo garments 23. Gentlemen 25. Large wrestler 26. Large integer 27. Makes a soft sound 29. Some claim to have six 31. Sunfish 33. Clan 34. A form of comedy 36. Defy 38. More (Spanish) 39. Sixteen ounces 41. Adventure story 43. Liquid distilled from wood or coal 44. Michigan ghost town 46. Fond of 48. Pearl Jam frontman 52. Clothes 53. Flinches 54. Giving the axe 56. Where planes are kept 57. Intervals 58. Plant’s unit reproductionof 59. Equips dOwn 1. Cooks exposureby to direct heat 2. Using few words 3. Wood 4. Steer 5. Soft drink 6. Consider 7. Clears from a river 8. Claim again 9. Beige 10. Witnesses 11. Spiked 12. Partidge actor Susan directorMarmadukeandTom 14. __ and Andy, TV show 15. Fraiche and de Menthe are two 18. Burden 20. Olfactory properties 24. Carbon particles 26. Set of four 28. A sweater pulled over the head 30. Relaxing places 32. Gets up 34. Canned fish 35. __children’sBlyton, author 37. A conceited personself-centeredand 38. Fine-texturedcottonfabric 40. Turner Kennedyand 42. Repents 43. Smartphones,tablets,etc. 45. A way to garner 47. Eat them breakfastfor 49. Former Tigers third baseman Brandon 50. Oh, God! 51. Canadian flyers 55. OnedemonmythologicalChineselegged Answers found in this week’s Classified section ANSWERS FOUND ON PAGE 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 Across 1. Carry on, as war 5. Go at _____ speed (zoom along) 9. Colorful talker 14. Made a great impression 15. Fanboy's fave, perhaps 16. Island that is part of 18-D 17. Rapper/tapper? 20. TV's Mork and ALF, for 2 21. Sounding all stuffed up 22. Impetuously utter 23. Help in the wrong way 25. Ready-fire connector 28. Siri runs on it 29. Dunderhead 31. "Muscle" 33. 23-D, e.g. 34. Veteran sailor 35. Filler of many positions 38. Don't bring them to gunfights 39. Severely injures 40. Innovative thoughts 41. Jeans and khakis 42. Miracle-_____ 45. One of many to be connected 46. Slight car mishap 47. Ready for bed 49. Fall flower 52. House where 100 deliberate 53. Handy person to have on call 57. Actor Alan or Adam 58. Go fast 59. Capone's pursuer 60. Sprtizes lightly 61. Trade show 62. "Como ______ usted?" Down 1. Condiment at the sushi bar 2. Classic Harlem theater 3. High IQ type 4. Landscaping tool 5. They're worth 2 points in the NHL 6. Do sums 7. Fishing pole 8. Mercury or Saturn 9. They're big at the Golden Arches 10. It's measured in square units 11. "With honor," on a diploma 12. Attorneys' org. 13. Pallid 18. Netherlands _________ (island group) 19. ____ King Cole 23. Isn't wrong? 24. Terrifying person 26. Marty's role in "Young Frankenstein" 27. Where Rangers play in NYC 30. Speaker's place 31. Truck driver 32. Makes bales of grass 33. Hindu god of destruction 34. Use a letter opener 35. Edit menu option 36. Men's neckwear pins 37. Hungry feeling 38. Pull one's leg 41. Skull-and-crossbones sort 42. A or B, but not AB 43. Do-over requested by a failing student 44. "The _____ File" 46. With 53-D, major hip-hop recording label 48. Ludicrous 50. SNL staple 51. Shipping units 52. Houston baseballer, familiarly 53. See 46-D 54. Flesicher, Gold or Shapiro "Multitalented" by Steve Zisser 55. _____ Luthor 56. Once around the block
Page 8 • Saturday, August 20, 2022 • The Leader Most of us that bring you The Leader live right here in your community and we appreciate you reading it every week! Flat roofs also. FENCING installation and repairs Call Sam 713-582-5500 ROOFING REPAIRS AND INSTALLATION GENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTS GENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTS GENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTSGENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTSGENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTSGENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTSGENERAL ELECTRICALSERVICES ELECTRICALSERVICES Arctic Auto Air AirAutomotiveConditioning Auto Electric and Leak DetectionCall Casper 713.205.6922 Manny Junk Remover 281.414.8698 • Home • Yard • Garage • Storage • Shed Removal HAULINGJUNK PEST PLUMBINGCONTROLAUTO AIR CONDITIONING 35Yrs.Exp.&LeaderAdvertiserCallSam713-582-5500713-686-2285 • Termite/Water Repair • Sheetrock Painting • Texturing • Roofing Repair/Replace • Shower/Bath Redo • Tile • Flooring/Carpet • Ceramic Tile Fence Repair ALL HOME REPAIR Serving NW Houston Since 1973 FREE estimates 713-688-3277 ROOFINGbySERNABROS. 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Wanting to run a classified ad? CALL 713-686-8494 Monday - Friday. We accept credit cards. See your business in this section today! 713-686-8494 NEED A NEW COAT? From a new coat of paint to a total remodel. Check out our Home Improvement section and get connected with local businesses! When you want results, advertise in The Leader. CONDITIONINGHEAT/AIRGENERALEMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENTCHILDCARE HAR BINGER electric CoverLights-Plugs-Breakersallelectricneeds Licensed-Insured 713-721-5490 17823TEL. Cooling & Heating Res. - Com. 713-460-COLD(2653)www.acmanhouston.comTACLB27781EAmericanStandardAuthorizedDealer with this ad $20 OFF Houston Heights 281-728-7552RoofeRs www.houstonheightsroofers.com Roofing, Siding, Painting, etc. Keep it local and call the pros. EDUCATION BUILD A BETTER LIFEHoustonEnrollin our FREE skilled trades training program to start your career in construction Hbi.org/buildstrong-houston TONYFENCEMUNOZCO. 45 yrs. 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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 713-686-8494 CLOSEOUT PRICING The Leader • Saturday, August 20, 2022 • Page 9
HISD from P. 1 9. The district has allocated more than $30.2 million in total for “Security and moni toring” according to HISD budget documents. Accord ing to HISD spokesperson Dennis Spellman, roughly 57 percent ($1.3 million) of al located funds will be used for upgrading two-way radios. The remaining $1 million will be used for breaching tools, rifles, ballistic plates, medical kits, shields and gun safes ac cording to Spellman, though he declined to provide the ex act number of each item that will be Campuspurchased.andpatrol offi cers will not carry the equip ment around on a daily ba sis, according to House, who also said district police will undergo training with the new equipment when it is received. The gear will then only be brought out in the event of emergency situa tions, according to House. “We’ve looked at (doing something like this) for quite some time. We’re not in creasing the number of guns we have for a particular rea son,” he said during the Aug. 11 meeting. “…It’s not about militarizing our campuses; it’s about being prepared for the most difficult situations.” Trustees Kendall Baker, Sue Deigaard, Kathy BluefordDaniels, Myrna Guidry, Bridg et Wade, and Patricia Allen voted in favor of the motion, while local trustee Elizabeth Santos along with Dani Her nandez and Judith Cruz op posedFollowingit. a closed ses sion to discuss the measure, a roughly 30-minute debate took place among trustees with those on both sides of the measure putting forth their“Topleas.saythat these are try ing times is an understate ment,” said Santos, whose District 1 includes many local schools in Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, the Heights and Near Northside. “But my belief is still that more weaponry is not the answer. More guns have never made students safe. My colleagues - I value you, I honor your decision, but this is not the direction of the world that I want to see my son However,in.”
W 1 A 2 G 3 E 4 W 5 A 6 R 7 P 8 M 9 A 10 C 11 A 12 W 13 A 14 P E D I 15 D O L A 16 R U B A S 17 O N G A 18 N D D A N 19 C E M A N A 20 L I E N S N 21 A S A L B 22 L U R T A 23 B 24 E T A 25 I 26 M 27 I 28 O S I 29 D 30 I O T T 31 H 32 U G S S 33 L A N G S 34 E A D O G U 35 T 36 I L I T Y P 37 L A Y E R K 38 N I V E S M 39 A I M S I 40 D E A S P 41 A N T S G 42 R 43 O 44 D 45 O T D 46 I N G T 47 I 48 R E D A 49 S 50 T 51 E R S 52 E N A T E J 53 A 54 C K O F A L 55 L 56 T R A D E S A 57 R K I N T 58 E A R N 59 E S S M 60 I S T S E 61 X P O E 62 S T A Mark Luna Firearms Dealer • LTC. Instructor H H H H H H H H H H H H H H luna-manuel@hotmail.com • goldeneaglegunsllc.com fb.me goldeneagleguns 117 Estelle St. Houston, TX 832-898-1465 • 281-673-1614 Don’t Be A Victim! Licensed FFL/Class III Dealer Black Gold Guns & ammo ConcealedNewClassesHandgunLoCatioN Buy SeLL tradewe Buy aLL GuNS 2001 Karbach Suite F 713-694-4867 Houston, TX 77092 Gift Certificates ourrealtordebbie@aol.com EllDEBBIEIott 713-906-5481 Realty ExperienceAssociatesandKnowledge...APowerfulCombination “Lose up to one pound a day safely, without feeling hungry.”-Dr.Oz HCGe Gives you control of your diet again! Live your best life 281-886-7888GalleriaBookAConsultToday 281-886-7888 50 Briar Hollow Ln SUITE W410 Houston, Texas 77027 www.anewyou.co ✓ B12 BoosterMaQx ✓ ControlAppetite ✓ MetabolismBoost ✓ One on One This is only the beginning-Coach 2909 Hillcroft St. Suite 695 Houston, TX 77057 Page 10 • Saturday, August 20, 2022 • The Leader
those such as District 2 Trustee Kathy Blu eford-Daniels and District 6 Trustee Kendall Baker said time was of the essence. “We have to be able to take emotions out of this decision. We don’t have time to waste on this,” Baker said. “…I think any step towards fully secur ing our children is good. Any inch towards that is a good place to Hernandezstart.” said she doesn’t believe the district has explored all options, and believes other measures would be preferable to addi tional police equipment. And some local residents such as Michelle Gonzalez agree. “I think those funds should have been used to hire secu rity to stand at every single HISD school,’’ Gonzalez said. “I also believe all schools should have metal thatorofsaidFleming,thistionssomerightbelievesBlueford-Daniels,detectors.”however,itisastepinthedirection.“Weknowweneedtohaveextendedconversaaboutsafetyissues,butisafirststep,”shesaid.GardenOaksresidentElisewhoteachesinHISD,sheisnotgenerallyafanpurchasingmoreweaponsgear.However,shesaidsincethedistricthas also put more emphasis on mental health with its new Social Emotional Liaison de partment and additional training, she believes the pur chase was the right idea. “Because this new weap ons/gear purchase is in ad dition to an investment in training and mental health, I think it is a good thing,” Flem ingDespitesaid. its passing, the is sue looks to be one that will likely remain a hot topic. But House said the ultimate goal is the same as it’s always been – to ensure each stu dent on HISD’s campuses can get their education and feel safe while doing so. “The bigger issue here is ensuring (our police officers) have all of the tools possible so that they can be as safe as possible and provide the kind of safety that we want them to provide on our campuses,” he said. “We feel good about where we are, but we feel even better about the prepa ration that these things can provide as well.”
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11-acre adjacent tract of land for $60 million next to the current school in 2013 in anticipation of increased enrollment for the coming years, deTranaltes said. He said they bought it from HISD, who leased it for the next five years for its High School for Law Enforcement and Crimi nal Justice. St. Thomas took full control of the land in late 2018, according to deTran altes.LEAH Schools North Acade my (1130 W. 34th St.) Market ing and Admissions Director Courtney Adkinson said the school’s enrollment is also up by about 8 percent this year compared to last school year. She also declined to provide the exact enrollment, though a profile on Private School Re view said the school had 145 students enrolled last school year.St. Pius X Associate Director of Enrollment Management Cassie Rodriguez said over all enrollment is up about 8 percent year-over-year at SPX (811 W. Donovan St.) follow ing two years of decreased enrollment amidst COVID-19. She declined to provide spe cific enrollment numbers, though Private School Review said SPX had 636 enrolled students last school year, and Rodriguez said there have been plenty of transfers from public schools around the re gion.“They were drawn to our four pillars; they were drawn to our values of the school,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve seen quite a bit of that. These are students who are high-achiev ing academic students who we’re very excited to have here. We’ve definitely seen an increase of that just between last spring and this fall.” However, local private school administrators do not believe their increased enroll ment is directly linked to HISD public school enrollment de cline or the pandemic. “We have not seen an on slaught of COVID-related ad missions,” deTranaltes said. “We have seen an increase, but not directly related to the pandemic.”Thatsaid, deTranaltes said he believes St. Thomas’ dedi cation to providing holistic learning and more resources for mental health as well as hybrid and virtual learning in comparison to public schools both during and following the pandemic has played a role. Administrators said an ecdotal conversations with students and their families showed that families coming from public schools around the region were seeking more classroom consistency with regards to pandemic learning compared to what they were getting at previous public schools.St.Thomas has retained some pandemic-instituted learning tools and kept them as students returned in per son, deTranaltes said. One example, he said, is the con tinued deployment of online learning in specific circum stances. If a student is out for an extended time with a po tential COVID-related or what he called the “right circum stances,” he said St. Thomas allows students to take part in the class online from home - something they didn’t have before.“(Parents) just felt that there was a lot of start and stop to the process (in public schools), and they were look ing for more of that consis tency in their programming,” deTranaltes said. “We are able to adapt and pivot a lot faster than these big school districts.”According to data from the Texas Education Agency, over all public school enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year was a little over 5.4 mil lion in the state – up 1 percent from the previous year, but still down from almost 5.5 million in 2019-2020. And though they declined to go so far as saying it was because of the pandemic, both Ro driguez and deTranaltes said they have had students trans fer in from local public high schools such as Heights, Wal trip, Scarborough, and Booker T. Washington as well as from districts around the Houston region.One parent whose child has made the transition from public school to private school was Pamela Longoria, who said her son attended Spring Branch ISD schools or other Houston private schools through 8th grade before coming to St. Pius X for his freshman year this school year.She said the school’s base ball program along with its sense of community and fel lowship were the primary reasons in sending her son to SPX.“We feel like the oppor tunities St Pius X offers and the tight-knit family feeling that radiates from the Pan ther community is exactly what our family needed and where my son would thrive the most,” she said. Others have elected to keep their students in public schools post-pandemic, and say they are happy with the choice. Heights High School parent Amy Maddux said all of her kids currently or have previously attended Heights, and that it has been just as beneficial as any private school education could be. “I feel like they got a qual ity education, learned from people who are like them and people who are not like them, and are well-prepared for col lege,” she said. “Kids are kids, and the only real difference I see is that some of the kids in public school don’t have as many advantages as those in private school. But given the opportunity, they often shine regardless.” Likely to continue Whatever the reason for the increase, administrators and experts say they expect the trend to continue at least for the near future. “It started before the pan demic (for us), and it’s been a little bit of a surge since the pandemic,” deTranaltes said. Dee said the continued trend could be because of sev eral factors, such as parents not wanting to move their child between grades or how private schools have adapted their learning models as a re sult of the pandemic. “My best guess is that the sharply-changed pattern we’re seeing is going to sus tain itself,” he said. Rodriguez echoed his senti ment.“As we get more families that are starting here, word of mouth spreads,” she said. “…. Just having those organic connections is what is caus ing that gradual increase in al lowing us to grow in a healthy way.”
Enrollment from P. 1
