10-01-2022 Edition of The Leader

Area gears up for Oct. 4 National Night Out

By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com

Residents across Houston will celebrate a longstanding event meant to foster connections between law enforcement and the communities it serves, and several local organizations are hosting events in the area.

The Houston Heights Odd Fellows Lodge No. 225, for instance, is hosting a National Night Out event from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the group’s lodge, 115 E. 14th Street, near Heights High

School.

“It’s a great chance for people to have one-onone conversations with

the constables, who are really important to our community,” said Ken Hoge, a member of the lodge.

The Odd Fellows Lodge had hosted a National Night Out event for four straight years before the

pandemic began in March 2020, Hoge said. This year will be the organization’s fifth time to host such an event, but its first since the pandemic, he said.

Attendees will include Harris County Precinct 1 constables, representatives from Harris County and Houston City Council District C, members of the fire department and more, according to a news release.

The event will also feature free snacks, live music and games for children and adults, according to the release.

No arrests yet made in hoax Heights High School call

By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com

More than two weeks since dozens of law enforcement officers responded to Heights High School in response to false reports of an active shooter, investigators have not yet made any arrests in connection to the hoax, according to the Houston Police Department.

A spokesperson for the department this week told the Leader the investigation remained ongoing and that officers would provide an update if they made an arrest.

But because several agencies are looking into the matter, the department wouldn’t provide updates about an ongoing investigation, according to the spokesperson.

Officers on Sept. 13 responded to Heights High School after the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office received a call about an active shooter, with the original caller reporting 10 people were shot, according to administrators.

Organizers hope Oak Forest Restaurant Week will become community success

By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com

Move over Houston Restaurant Week, the Oak Forest Restaurant Week is here.

At least, that’s how the organizers behind the inaugural event see the future – that one day this event can be a showcase for the entire area, providing funding for beautification projects in Oak Forest and helping restaurants and businesses that might have struggled during the pandemic.

“We wanted to do something that would get more of the community involved,” said Gabriel Perez, the chair of the neighborhood patrol for the Oak Forest Homeowners Association and the mind behind the inaugural restaurant week. “On a personal

By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com

New apartment complexes are rising across the Leader’s coverage area, and local residents and businesses say such projects bring a mixed bag for those who’ve lived in the neighborhoods for years.

“It’s a tough one,” said Kelly Hakes, a member of the North Shepherd Community Alliance. “You’re talking about more potential customers for small busi-

nesses. But apartments also lend to more traffic and more density.”

Debbie Cranford recently hosted a discussion on the matter of growing apartment projects across the neighborhood for the North Shepherd Community Alliance in which she echoed Hakes’ comments, saying the trend has positives and negatives.

“It is what it is and we need to make the best of it,” she said.

Essentially, more apartment complexes will mean more traffic, which is bad, she said. But it will

note, COVID really wreaked havoc on the neighborhood and businesses. And what a fun way to get people active again.”

The Oak Forest Restaurant Weeks initiative features more than 22 restaurants, such as Valencia’s TexMex, Saigon Hustle, Rainbow Lodge and more, and runs from Sept. 23 through Oct. 2, according to a news release. Like Houston Restaurant Weeks, participating restaurants offer special menus and offers during the event, as a means of increasing visitors.

Because the event follows shortly on the heels of Houston Restaurant Week, organizers gave participating

The report turned out to be untrue, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said at the time.

Responders arrived at the room where the call said the shooting happened and breached the doors of the classroom, but no one inside was hurt, Finner said.

Several schools across the Houston region have gone into lockdown over the first weeks of school after local law enforcement received similar hoax calls.

The spokesperson for the Houston Police Department this week said the overall number of false reports isn’t up, but that the public is paying more attention because of recent school shootings.

A gunman earlier this year shot and killed 19 elementary schoolchildren and two teachers and injured another 17 people in Uvalde, according to a Texas Tribune article.

also bring greater diversity and could help some people afford homes who might not otherwise, she said.

“Especially if those people get involved, it could bring new ideas,” she said.

An Austin-based multi-family developer with projects across the Houston region is the latest entrant to a growing market in the Heights with a $31 million plan to build a 359-unit complex.

Crews will begin construction on the complex, called Lenox

Heights, 333 W. 24th Street, this December, with plans to open the facility in the first quarter of 2025, said Jackson Simons, vice president of development for the Houston market with OHT Partners.

“This part of town attracts young professionals and families alike due to its proximity to major employment centers, charming neighborhood setting and rare walkability to some of Houston’s top retail and dining destinations,” Simons said.

But that project is hardly alone.

Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston

Contributed photo

Patrons celebrate the start of the inaugural Oak Forest Restaurant Week.

Contributed photo

Odd Fellows Lodge No. 225 is hosting a National Night Out event.

Booker T. Washington stays unbeaten

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Before the season, the players at Booker T. Washington said they wanted to bring back a winning culture.

So far this season, they’ve been able to bring it back and then some.

The Eagles blew out Kashmere 48-0 last Friday in the team’s District 11-4A opener to move to 4-0 on the season, their best start in nearly two decades.

Five different players scored a touchdown in the game for the Eagles, including two touchdowns from Andre Walker II. Freshman Nicholas Tramble also continued his strong high school start, scoring a touchdown for the fourth consecutive contest.

Elsewhere in public school action, Waltrip continued its strong play as the season nears its midway point, blowing out Northside 71-0 last week to move to 3-1 on the season and 2-0 in District 9-5A. Shaun Crawford Jr. had three total touchdowns in the game, while Tramayne Black had five rushing touchdowns for the Rams, who have now won two straight games.

The Heights Bulldogs have now lost three straight games following a 35-21 loss to Lamar last week, dropping them to 2-3 overall on the season and 0-1 in district play.

Scarborough is 1-3 on the season after dropping a 55-0 decision to Worth-

ing in their District 11-4A opener last Thursday.

Private school

St. Thomas managed to stay unbeaten last week, shutting out Plano John Paull II to move to 4-0 on the season. The Eagles scored 21 points in the first quarter and next never looked back.

Junior running back Johann Cardenas carried the load once again for the Eagles, rushing for 139 yards and a touchdown on seven carries while adding four catches for an additional 44 yards and another touchdown. Quarterback Donte Lewis also threw for three touchdowns and added an additional rushing score of his own. Jackson Ward had 10 tackles to lead the defensive effort for St. Thomas, while Marquis Kiatta, Grant Stewart, and John Williamson had an interception apiece.

The St. Pius X Panthers dropped to 2-3 on the season following a 40-6 loss to Dallas Bishop Dunne in their final non-district contest.

Scores

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Is more security always the answer?

By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com

For those that follow news across the Houston region in recent weeks, you might have noticed a depressing trend.

In this edition of the Leader, we followed up on a hoax call about an active shooter at Heights High School that panicked parents across the area earlier this month. As of Tuesday afternoon, police investigating the call had yet to make any arrests in connection to it.

But as horrifying as that incident was – with a SWAT

team photographed checking in on classrooms at Heights High School – it’s hardly unique across the region.

The Fort Bend Star, for instance, recently wrote about how a false threat call and multiple fights had led to the arrest of one student and many scared and nervous parents in Fort Bend ISD.

A USA Today report found more than 30 school districts across the country had received false alarms and threats about campuses within the last week.

Sadly, we live in a day and age where such calls can’t be

dismissed out of hand.

Just last school year, a gunman shot and killed 19 elementary schoolchildren and two teachers and injured another 17 people at an elementary school in Uvalde, according to a Texas Tribune article. And that shooting is just the tip of the iceberg in an expansive list of school shootings in recent years.

Parents are understandably upset and calling for more security to prevent future shootings and school districts and law enforcement agencies across the region have announced plans to hire more officers, patrol

First Church

schools more often and more.

Perhaps more officers, or more high-tech security features or more secure campuses will reduce the likelihood of school shootings.

One must ask whether this is the future we want for our children and our children’s children, however.

Those of us of a certain age can remember a time when schools were a mostly carefree space. You showed up to learn, you played and ate with friends and you got to go home and tell your parents about it at the end of a school day.

No doubt school district police officers are trying their best to protect students while also balancing their unique position in schools to build relationships with students.

But should every elementary school need its own police officer to make sure students are safe at all times? What effects does this gradual increase of safety measures have on students’ well-being?

District administrators and law enforcement professionals have limited oversight over a specific slice of the pie – school secu-

rity – and the work they do thinking outside the box and slowly covering more and more job duties should be commended.

If we can picture a better future, a future without quite so much stress and anxiety, it’s worth asking ourselves, who should be part of the conversation that isn’t currently?

The Old Shell Game again...

THE KITCHEN – Bang, bang, bang. Why am I standing here by the drain board slamming away with a hammer? Why, preparing supper, of course. No, I am not pounding a minute steak into submission.

I am de-shelling a member of the family Nephropidae, the genus Homarus, aka a lobster. This is a messy job, so before beginning to work I need several paper towels, the aforementioned hammer, plates, a wooden board and a plastic bag for the shell. I also need to invite the Bishop of Salisbury to dinner but not to include any Swiss.

First a bit of background. Lobsters are usually the most expensive item on a restaurant’s menu, if they are carried at all, and no wonder. They have to be boiled, cut open, peeled and hammered. Some eateries will serve just lobster tails which are a lot easier to prepare. Or Surf ‘n’ Turf – a bit of lobster with a small steak.

Occasionally the meal comes with a bib. As I said, it’s messy. One time at a very fine restaurant I saw a long table with rather interesting-looking men eating lobsters, each sporting a bib. Later I learned they were all “persons of interest.” It reminded me of a line Johnny Carson told about a local restaurant, Little Bit of Newark, “where the mobsters meet the lobsters.” There are restaurants that feature live lobsters floating around in a glass tank,

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

sters are the ugliest things

rioted over being fed too much lobster.

killed instantly before they are prepared.

If you want to cook live lobsters you can order them on-line from Maine, but be prepared to pay. One-and-a-quarter pound live lobsters go for $38 each or up to $122 for three large ones. I have never ordered a live lobster, but at those prices I assume they fly business class. Incidentally, don’t trust the “pound” figures. The first thing you do with a lobster is to throw away the shell which makes up about half the weight. Some grocery stores sell them cooked or uncooked. One charges $15 to cook a lobster but that takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Live or dead, lobsters come with little blue rubber bands around their claws. That’s because those little creatures are cannibals. They will eat their tank mates, but what brave soul gets to strap a rubber band around the claws of a snapping, angry lobster? They may taste great, but let’s face it: lob-

According to my indepth research, (Wikipedia), lobsters have been consumed since cave men. We know that because the shells have been found in caves. The Romans liked lobsters. So did the Vikings. Unlike fish, lobsters have to be cooked within two days of leaving salt water, limiting the availability of lobster to inland dwellers. Lobster is first mentioned in cookbooks during the medieval period. A French recipe collection written around 1300 suggests that lobster (also called saltwater crayfish) be “Cooked in wine and water, or in the oven; eaten in vinegar.”

Some years it was considered a delicacy for the wealthy. The Bishop of Salisbury offered at least 42 kinds of lobsters and fish at his feasts. Other times it was just food for the peasants. Early colonists in North America considered lobster a poverty food or as a food for indentured servants or lower members of society. Some servants specified in employment agreements that they would not eat lobster more than twice per week. It was also deemed worthy only of being used as fertilizer or fish bait until well into the 20th century. Lobster was also commonly served in prisons, much to the annoyance of inmates. Not long ago I read that inmates in a Massachusetts prison

Lobsters live up to 45 to 50 years or until caught. The oldest was 140 years old named George, caught off Newfoundland in 2009 and sold to a New York City seafood restaurant. How anyone determined George’s age is unknown. Unlike most other animals (or fish, fungi, etc.) the older they get, lobsters get bigger, stronger and are more fertile. The largest lobster ever officially caught, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, weighed 44.6 pounds caught in 1977 near the coast of Nova Scotia. It measured 3 feet 5 inches in length.

When did you eat your first lobster? I was about 25 and was living in New York City. All we had back in Texas were frozen South African lobster tails, but on the night of March 13, 1912, David A. Trousdale, a railroad messenger, took a sledge hammer -- used for breaking up blocks of ice -- to smash the skull of train robber Frank Hobek in the Hold Up at Baxter’s Curve near Sanderson. The ice kept a barrel of oysters cold. So we know that by 1912 West Texans were eating fresh oysters and maybe lobsters, too.

Back to my lobster (which I haven’t named). First, I cut the stomach from tail to top using scissors. I’d use a bolt cutter if I had one, then I peel out the meat and wash it thoroughly because it

must be a female since it has all those gooey green eggs. Put a paper towel over the claws, otherwise lobster juice will splatter all over the kitchen, and bang, bang, bang the claws and legs. Do not try this in a restaurant. Speaking of restaurants, some are taking lobster off the menu after a charge from a conservation group, Seafood Watch, that whales can suffer injuries and fatalities when they become entangled in the gear that connects to lobster traps on the ocean floor. So Seafood Watch has added lobster fisheries to its “red list” of species to avoid. I wonder what whale tastes like?

Ashby is cooking at ashby2@comcast.net

businesses much leeway in deciding what specials to offer and how to participate, Perez said.

While it’s clear the event has led to some uptick at local restaurants, organizers hope to use restaurant feedback and data after the inaugural event to improve in the future, Perez said.

“This is our first time going through the process, so we are going to sit and discuss with restaurant owners how they felt it was,” he said. “How it was marketed and how we can make it better in the future.”

Oak Forest and nearby Garden Oaks neighborhoods have seen an uptick in restaurant openings in recent years, and this restaurant week is a perfect opportunity to showcase what’s available, Perez said.

Restaurants will donate some of their sales during the 10-day event to the homeowners association’s beautification fund, Perez said.

Funding for beautification projects is critical for the organization, Perez said.

Fall Into Comfort!Into Comfort!

Hampton

Houston Heights

where

beds are waiting for

by SERNA BROS.

feels on

COHEN

Fall in Houston officially arrived with the first cool front of the season earlier this week and I can think of no better way to celebrate than hitting multiple art shows all weekend.

Start with Little Shop of Horrors, a Halloween themed market over the next two weekends starting with a frightful opening party Friday, September 30, 7 - 9 p.m., at 1125 East 11th Street. Houston TX 77009.

In an Instagram post by artist/owner Bill Davenport (www.instagram.com/ billsjunk/) he called the space The Gallery Formerly Known As Bill’s Junk.

Little Shop of Horrors organizers Elaine Bradford and Emily Link will show their work along with featured creatives Jessica Kreutter, Cinthia Gomez, James Hays, Anastasia Kirages, Melinda Laszczynski, Dennis Nance, and Eric Pearce/UneasyHouston.

The opening party will feature costume elements and wearables, prints, crochet cacti and wreaths, collages, cards, ceramic sculptures, cookies and home decor.

Do not make assumptions about this event, if it’s done by Bradford and Link, hosted at The Gallery Formerly Known As Bill’s Junk, there will be some seriously cool finds here, get there.

Little Shop of Horrors continues over two weekends, October 1-2 and October 8 - 9, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Follow Bradford on for more

details: https://www.instagram.com/cactuscatcrochet/

An opening reception for artist Tori Christensen is next on the fall tour, Saturday, October 1, noon - 3 p.m. Christensen will present new works in her first solo exhibit titled “New Sight Through Touch” in The Techne Gallery at the East End Makers Space (TXRX Labs). The gallery is inside East End Makers Space at 6501 Navigation BLVD Houston, TX. 77011 and Christensen’s work will remain on display and open to the public through December 1.

Christensen’s husband, Blake Christensen, summed up his wife’s show in a pub-

lic invitation quite nicely.

“The exhibit is interactive and meant to be touched, making it accessible to individuals who are blind and

visually impaired,” Christensen said. “She was inspired by her brother who lost his sight at 7 years old. He loves art and this has

been an amazing way for them to connect!”

Tori Christensen told me in her interview that she combines multiple textures to create her tactile fiber art. Her mediums of choice include combing wool, yarn and fabric by needle felting, punch needling, latch hooking, crocheting, weaving, and whatever else works to create her Urban Gardens art. She calls her art business Urban Gardens.

Following Christensen’s blog and social media accounts, I noticed something she does I had not thought about very often; the use of short detailed descriptions for photographs published on the internet. Those with impaired vision using reading devices, hear what we see. You may see that “alt text” in place of a photograph that fails to load on the internet.

Follow Christensen on her website https://torichristensen.com/ and the amazing creative space, East End Makers Space, https://eastendmakerhub. org/

First Saturday Arts Market returns to its normal day and times Saturday October 1, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. No one is more excited than I am to start Fall off with temps in

the 50s, except maybe the dozens of artists attending.

Crystal Wreden will join the market for the first time, Saturday. Wreden paints with oils and acrylics and her subjects are influenced by memories and places she’s traveled to. Wreden’s expressive use of color is impressive with her broad brushstrokes in her abstracts and florals. Even her most recent subject, golf courses, though more realistic, have that touch of extra brightness seen in her other works.

Blind Uncle Charlie will perform at 11:30 p.m. Cool Arrows Tacos food truck will serve lunch from 111:30 p.m. Crust Pizza Co., new to the Heights at 1919 North Shepherd Dr., will be on site offering samples, coupons. The Heights’ very own cidery, Houston Cider Co., will be on site too. Visit 1stSatArtMarket.com to preview Wreden and the other artist’s art.

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.

Contributed photo

Tori Christensen’s signature piece for “New Sight Through Touch.” fiber art - A hand reaches out and

art that

textured and primarily shades of white.

Contributed photo

Crystal Wreden’s painting of the Kingwood Marsh Course Hole 5.

Contributed photo Elaine Bradford’s “Cauldron” is available at Little Shop of Horrors! A Halloween-themed market.

Review: Piper’s Burgers a perfect destination for day off

By Sonia Ramos

If you are on a diet and looking for the perfect meal for a cheat day, then Piper’s Burger is the place to go. Located on N. Shepherd, just inside the loop, this place is easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention. The parking lot can be a bit tricky and I was lucky to score a spot on 24th in front of the bank.

It was pretty busy for a Sunday evening and the lone cashier and food runner was hustling from table to table then back to the order station.

Though swamped, he greeted us with a smile attentively took our order then zoomed off to deliver food to an outdoor table. The patio outside is nice and as the weather gets cooler, this will be a great place to have a beer and a burger.

Speaking of burgers, I ordered the Poblano burger, loaded with roasted poblano peppers, sauteed onions, jack cheese and Piper’s sauce. Wow… this exceeded all my expectations. The poblano had a nice heat to it and paired perfectly with the melty jack cheese and onions, I was in burger heaven. The only caveat is that this is a messy burger and I believe I went through at least 8 napkins but it was worth it. As for a side, I chose the onion rings and was rewarded with the best ones I can ever recall having. They were crispy and much to my delight the breading stayed intact after the first bite. They are served with a ranch dressing but the star is the onion ring itself.

My husband chose the namesake Piper burger, topped with crispy onions, bacon jam, house

made pickles, sharp American cheese, Piper’s sauce and arugula. He was kind enough to allow me a bite and this was also a tasty burger that required the appropriate amount of napkins.

Bacon jam is one of my favorite condiments and combined with the arugula was a great combination. He chose the fries as a side. They were thinly cut and good as far a fries go, but nowhere near the perfection that were the onion rings.

Dessert is difficult for me to pass up, but I was so full that I opted to get the banana pudding to go. After my dinner settled a bit, I was able to try the pudding and all I can say is yum. So happy that I was chose to take some home.

This is a great option for a delicious burger and I will definitely be back. As for starting a diet, is it

wrong to start one with a cheat day?

Piper’s Burger Address: 2323 N. Shepherd Dr. Dining options: Dine

In, Take Out Hours: Tuesday thru Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Monday Burgers: $6.45 to $12.45 Kid-friendly : Yes

Alcohol: Bottled beers and canned wines

Stars of the show: The Poblano Burger and the onion rings

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 bites

Nibbles and Sips: Spicy ramen shop coming to Heights Oct. 1

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston’s food scene is gaining a new spicy ramen concept in the middle of next month.

According to the restaurant, Killer Noodle is opening Oct. 15 at 1835 N. Shepherd Dr. It will be the first Houston-area restaurant for the concept, which originated in Tokyo in 2017 and also has a location in California, according to its website.

The website says Killer Noodle will offer appetizers such as chicken karaage and pork Gyoza, as well as fried chicken and Charsiu bowls and chicken, vegetable, and gokakyu ramen, among other options.

Visit killernoodle.com for more information.

Mala Sichuan open at M-K-T Heights There is a new Chinese restaurant option in one of the Heights’ bustling developments.

Mala Sichuan Bistro

is now open at M-K-T Heights, according to a Sept. 22 post on the development’s Facebook page.

According to the restaurant’s website, the name is twofold. It said Sichuan Province of China is par-

ticularly known to merge two types of spicy, “Ma” and “La”, in many of its dishes. The “La” flavor is the heat of capsaicin

in chili peppers, while “Ma” is numbing sensation caused by the Sichuan peppercorn.

The restaurant offers

dishes such as Red Oil Cucumber sticks, pot stickers and more.

For more information, visit malasichuan.com.

Contributed photo

Pictured is a burger from Piper’s Burgers, located at 2323 N. Shepherd Dr.

Photo by KillerNoodle.com