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Saturday, November 5, 2022 • Vol. 67 • No. 43
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INSIDE.
New weapon detection technology includes area By Matt deGrood editor@theleadernews.com
Representatives from the Houston Police Department are hopeful that a controversial new technology might tamp down on violence in the area, but at least some residents are concerned it might cause more issues that it solves. Wyatt Martin, assistant police chief for Houston, spoke late last month at the North Shepherd Community Alliance meeting about the $3.5 million the city spent earlier this year on a five-year contract with a
company to use a new gunshot detection technology. Houston police have been using a gunfire location technology produced by California-based ShotSpotter since 2019, according to Martin. But early this year, the city council advanced the program past the pilot stage when it voted, with only one councilmember opposed, to sign a five-year, $3.5 million contract to bring the technology across Houston, Martin said. The lone opponent to the program argued data doesn’t support spending that much money.
“ShotSpotter is not a gunshot detention program,” At-Large Councilmember Letitia Plummer wrote after
On the move
the vote. “Rather, it is a loud noise detection program.” Essentially, the technology uses microphones set up across the area to listen for gunfire and, after verifying it, notifies police officers, Martin argues. Martin asserted that more than 90 percent of gunshot reports the department received through the ShotSpotter program weren’t accompanied by a resident complaint. Installing the technology is expensive, however. Martin told attendees it cost about $70,000 per square mile per year.
Early voting turnout down from 2018 in Harris County By Matt deGrood news@theleadernews.com
iCycle moving A beloved bike shop is moving from its longtime location Jan. 1
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Shepherd showdown See how the battle between St. Thomas and St. Pius X played out and more in our high school recap
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Art Valet Holiday shopping and a new artist highlight this weekend’s First Saturday Arts Market
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Photo from Facebook Quality Feed and Garden Company owner Ken Cousino holds a live duck in the store. The store is moving to a new location next month after nearly a century on Main Street in the Heights.
Heights feed store staple relocating after 94 years By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
No money needed Put a Heights area barter fair on your calendar for Nov. 25
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THE INDEX. Sports............................................................. 2 Church........................................................... 4 Coupons....................................................... 6 Classifieds.................................................. 6 Food/Drink...............................8
Quality Feed and Garden’s trademark red and white checkerboard style-painted building with blue trim has sat unchanged and unmoved off North Main Street for nearly a century, providing the Greater Heights area and Houston region with lawn and garden services. But amid the store’s landowner passing away two years ago and his assets being liquidated, the store is moving to a new permanent home. However, longtime owner Ken Cousino believes the new building will have the same staying power for even the next century to come. Next month, Quality Feed and Garden will move from its longtime home at 4428 N. Main St. on the eastern edge of the Heights to a new spot in Near Northside about four miles away. Quality Feed and Garden was founded by J.C. Millis in 1928, and has stood tall on North Main Street ever since. Cousino has owned the store since 1991 “It will have the same character
Fewer Harris County voters are turning out this year than did in both 2018 and 2022 through the same point during early voting, according to unofficial numbers. As of Tuesday, more than 500,726 Harris County residents had cast a ballot either in-person or through the mail, according to unofficial numbers through the Harris County Elections Administration Office. That’s just a bit more than 19 percent of the county’s total 2.57 million registered voters, according to the data. Registered voters have increased about 230,000 from 2018, according to Texas Tribune data. Overall, it’s not yet clear what to make of early voting totals across the state. Turnout in solid Republican counties was about 19.7 percent, compared to about 18.4 percent in solid blue counties, according to the Texas Tribune. But turnout was higher in fast-changing counties, such as Fort Bend and Tarrant, according to the website. Early voting for the midterms began Oct. 24 in Texas and will continue until Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 8. The ballot for the Nov. 8 election is jam-packed with important local and state races, such as County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s efforts to fend off Republican challenger Alexandra Mealer in search of a second term in county government. And those that spoke to The Leader last week seemed drawn for different reasons. To find more information about where to vote both and obtain a sample ballot, visit this site: https://www.harrisvotes. com.
Photo by Landan Kuhlmann In December, Quality Feed and Garden will move to Near Northside following 94 years on North Main Street.
and same charm. The ambiance will go with me, and then in 3-4 months the smell will arrive,” Cousino said with a laugh. “There’s a unique smell to a feed store. We hope to keep generating even more enthusiasm as we get closer to the move.” For nearly a century and through four different owners, Cousino said one thing that has always
been constant – and that is quality service along with providing lawn and garden products as well as live chickens and pigeons for sale. Customers can also find food and care products for their pets and livestock, and much more. Cousino knows that it’s rare for anyone to stay in business for See Quality P. 5
Photo by Landan Kuhlmann Pictured is a slew of campaign signs outside the SPJST Lodge 88 in the Heights as early voting began in Harris County Oct. 24. According to unofficial data from the Harris County Elections Administration Office, early voting turnout is down through the first week of early voting compared to the same period in 2018.
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