11-26-22 Edition of The Heights Leader

Waltrip robotics team headed to state competition

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

When Waltrip High School fresh man Cecilia D’Souza called robot ics teammate Dylan Powis-Case to tell him the good news, it took a moment for it to sink in.

The good news? Waltrip’s Robot ics Team #1255’s robot had taken third place in the Best of Texas Robotics’ regional competition in the head-to-head battle, advancing their robot to the BEST of Texas Robotics state competition next month.

The state battle will take place Dec. 1-3 at the Comerica Center and Frisco Convention Center in Frisco. The “Rambots,” as the team is known, will compete against more than 100 robotics teams from around the state

“It was like 8 p.m. and I just called him and started freaking out – and he hadn’t heard yet,” D’Souza remembered with a laugh. “(We all) were freaking out. It was really just a roller coaster of emotions.”

Her teammate echoed the senti ment.

“I was just about to check my email,” Powis-Case said with a grin.

The Waltrip robotics team’s feat might be all the more impressive seeing as nearly all of the team’s

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

As the Thanksgiving holidays ap proach, Jeannette Kolarik said leaders of Girl Scout Troop #122292 wanted a way to ensure families in need in their community could help celebrate the holiday along with everyone else.

Enter Grace United Methodist Church in the Heights, and now more than a dozen local families in need were able to have a full Thanksgiving meal as the community celebrated the holiday earlier this week.

“Around the holidays, it’s really im portant to let people know that they are not forgotten,” said Kolarik, a volunteer leader with Troop #122292.

Over the last several weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, Kolarik said the troop collected food donations including sides such as stuffing, cran berry sauce, and ingredients to help

make all the sides necessary along with a $10 gift card to help cover the cost of a turkey.

almost 30 members are freshmen, meaning they had little to no en gineering or robotics experience prior to building the robot which propelled them to the state com petition.

“Where I went to middle school,

we had basically no engineering studies at all,” Powis-Case said. “It was definitely a learning experi ence from the very beginning.”

So over the course of about six weeks prior to the regional com petition on Nov. 12, team mentor John Desaulos said the team spent about 30 hours conducting test after test, tweaking the robot time and time again to get it competi tion ready.

And even then, its eventual suc cess came as somewhat of a sur prise even to those involved in its creation seeing as it was from a team with little to no robotics ex perience. Teams had to finish in the top six of each “hub,” which was essentially the regional competi tion.

“There was a lot of excitement, and honestly a little bit of disbelief (when we made it to state),” Desau los said.

Powis-Case shared the thought.

“We went into this competition expecting to get last or really close

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

A local recovery and rehab program is looking for additional volunteers and donations for its recovery center locat ed in the local area this holiday season.

Since 1995, Victory Family Outreach Ministry has offered a recovery and re hab program at 222 Royder St. in the Near Northside area for those struggling with addiction, depression, and home lessness according to its mission state ment.

Those seeking help can come in from anywhere, officials with the center said, especially around the holidays. And as it can be a trying time the organization is looking for volunteers to help with the program this holiday season.

“Whether our residents walk in off the streets, are brought in by family, a friend, sometimes an employer, or even another church or pastor, we believe God is bringing them to Victory Family

to change their lives,” said Pastor Ron ald Waggener, the director of the recov ery center in Near Northside.

When they are entered into the pro gram, residents are entered in for any where from nine months to two years, according to Waggener. And residents typically stay at no charge, he said, as they are normally serving those who have lost their jobs/vocations and have “little or no family assistance” according

Photo from GoFundMe.com

A member of the Waltrip robotics team operates the team’s robot during the regional competition.

Photo from GoFundMe.com

The Waltrip High School robotics team celebrates following the Texas BEST regional competition on Nov. 12. The Rambots are headed to the state competi tion from Dec. 1-3.

St.

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

For much of the season, the St. Thomas Eagles have be come accustomed to running

by opponents. However, playoff season often brings different challenges, and the Eagles were tested right away last week to begin their playoff run before emerging victorious.

On Friday, the Eagles out lasted Addison Trinity Christian 27-21 in overtime to advance to the TAPPS Division I state semifinal. St. Thomas (10-1) is

to begin the extra period, Lewis would again find Henderson –this time from 20 yards out – to land the final blow and give the Eagles the hard fought win.

Friday was the seventh time this season Lewis has accounted for at least four touchdowns in a game, while Henderson had his third multi-score game and now has a team-leading nine touch down catches this season.

and all-state receiver Vincent Doucet to graduation after this season; however, they will likely retain leading rusher Joshua Mitchell, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season in the finale.

Public school

set to face the winner of Parish Episcopal and Bishop Lynch –who were scheduled to face off Saturday – in the state semifinal.

The Eagles jumped out early in the first quarter thanks to an 18-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Donte Lewis, and extended the lead out to 14-3 early in the second quarter thanks to Lewis finding lead ing receiver Shaffer Henderson from 33 yards out.

It was a struggle for much of the second half, however, as the Eagles trailed 15-14 entering the fourth quarter and late into the contest. Lewis scrambled in from four yards out with less than two minutes to go in the contest to give the Eagles a 21-18 lead before the Trojans drove down the field and kicked a field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime.

After the Eagles’ defense stuffed Trojans at the goal line

Elsewhere in local private school playoff action, the St. Pius X Panthers saw their sea son come to an end with a 48-0 loss to top-ranked Plano Pres tonwood Christian in a second Division I regional final on Fri day to finish the season with a 5-6 overall record.

The Panthers will lose start ing quarterback Bryce McKeon

In the only public school ac tion remaining, the Heights Bull dogs fell to Fort Bend Hightower 42-27 Saturday afternoon. The loss ended the Bulldogs’ season with an 8-4 overall record as they fell in the area round for a second consecutive season.

Allen Rainey capped off his senior campaign and a stellar season for the Bulldogs with three passing touchdowns and another on the ground, while Kevon Misher caught two scor ing tosses.

Personal attention. Call 713-688-8669 today!

hurricanes, and more, Farmers has been on the scene helping people start rebuilding since 1928. No one wants to think about all the things that can go wrong. But at Farmers, that’s what we’ve been doing for the last 80 years. 2022 LLewis@FarmersAgent.com

Photo from Twitter

St. Thomas Eagles celebrate after

27-21

win against Addison Trinity Christian in

Thomas

Dallas Parish Episcopal in the state semifinals next weekend.

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In all, Grace UMC Director of Family Ministries Leonor Hernandez said there were 17 boxes full of ingredients, sides, and gift cards that were set to be delivered to Love Elemen tary, Burris Elementary, and Heights High School for the schools to distribute to stu dents and families in need this holiday season.

“It’s good for (those in need) to know there are people in our community who are thinking about them and want to make sure they’re able to celebrate the holidays as well,” Kolarik said.

It’s not the first time the troop has partnered with Grace UMC, as last year the troop col lected donations for “Birthday in a Box.” And as Hernandez put it, though it becomes more prominent around the holidays, the need for assistance never takes a day off.

to Waggener.

And that includes even prominent neighborhoods like the Heights, she said.

“I see it all the time even driving through the Heights. Just a few blocks from here, I see a person sleeping (outside) when I’m coming in here at 6 a.m. every morning. It’s ev erywhere,” Hernandez said. “People need assistance every where. So when we can help our neighbors in need, we try to do that on a regular basis.”

Seeing that need firsthand in their own community, Ko larik said, was one of the rea sons the troop settled upon the Thanksgiving food drive when thinking of a service project for this holiday season.

And while the assistance aspect is always present – the troop has volunteered at the food bank – Kolarik said it is more impactful when seeing the effect in their own neigh

borhood. And what’s more, she said the community trusts where it’s coming from and where it is going.

“For a lot of people, even getting to the (Houston) Food Bank is difficult,” she said. “…

But if it’s something that’s in the community, they’re famil iar with the people and they know where they’re going, it just helps create that sense of a close-knit community. We wanted to find something closely connected to our com munity.”

It’s the kind of service, she said, that never goes out of style.

“If everyone in our commu nity could just spend a small fraction of their time giving service to their community, we’d be able to help a lot more people,” she said.

The program is an offshoot of Victory Family Church in southeast Houston and Pastors Joe and Car men Trevino, and has both a Men’s Recovery Center and Women’s Re covery Center. And as it relies on donations and volunteers, Waggener said Victory Family Outreach is in need of volunteers as well as com munity donations in order to con

tinue serving residents of Greater Houston during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and year-round.

And especially during the holiday season, Victory Family Outreach Ministries Donations and Appropria tions Manager Dawn Hedin said any struggles are magnified at this time of the year, leading to a great need for the organization’s services.

“This time of year is particularly

difficult from all sides,” she said.

They are looking for volun teers and any financial donations, Waggener said, that community members are inclined to give, though he said it is far from the only way the community can help. Waggener said the recovery center is in need of community donations of food, cloth ing, hygiene, beds and bedding for their residents, as well as vans that

will be used to take residents either to church or other appointments. The vans can be either new or used, he said.

He also said the center is willing to take on anyone who can help with the center’s physical upkeep and maintenance, such as upgrading and repairing parts of the facility and more.

“We minister and help those

whose problems may or may not be related to addictions,” he said.

To see how they can help Victory Family Outreach Ministries, commu nity members can stop by the center, call 713-699-4357, or visit their web site at victoryfamilycenter.org.

“Everyone these days seems to know someone who needs help,” Waggener said.

Contributed photo

Grace UMC Director of Family Ministries Leonor Hernandez (left) stands with members of Troop #122292.

GIRL SCOUTS from P. 1A

Greater Inwood/Acres Homes pace local October housing markets

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

For much of 2022, local neighborhoods have seen con tinuous monthly sales dips as the market overcorrects from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But at least for one month, one local market paced the rest.

According to the most re cent report from the Houston Association of Realtors, the Greater Inwood Acres Homes zip code (77091) was the only one of six Leader-area zip codes to see a year-over-year October sales increase, more than tripling its total from Oc tober 2021. It is also the only local market to be outpacing its 2021 sales through the end of the month.

The rest of the area (77018, 77092, 77008, 77007, 77009) all experienced year-over-year sales dips ranging from about 19 percent to over 50 percent, according to the data, and are also lagging behind their 2021 sales pace.

Four of six area markets saw year-over-year sales pric es stagnate or rise, while each market has seen both median and average price increase compared to the same point in 2021.

77018

In the market including Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, and much of Central Northwest, there were just 42 homes sold compared to 58 the previ ous October – a 27.6 percent downturn, according to HAR data. Year-to-date, the 647 home sales so far is 18.4 per cent less than the 793 homes sold during the same month in 2021.

Pricing-wise, the average buyer paid slightly (1.7 per cent) more for a home in this area last month ($533,404) compared to October 2022, while median price was up 7.7 percent year-over-year to

$454,945. Through the end of the month, average price has jumped 11.8 percent ($595,069) compared to 2021, while median price has spiked 12.9 percent up to $480,000.

77092

Just to the west, the zip code including part of Central Northwest as well as Lang wood and Kempwood saw among the largest percentage year-over-year October sales dips in the area. Agents closed on 10 homes in this area last month, according to HAR, down 47.4 percent from the 19 sales in October 2021. As a result, the area continues to lag 9 percent behind its 2021 pace, with 252 sales so far this year as opposed to 277 at the same point last year.

This was one of two local

zip codes to see both average and median year-over-year October sales prices dip. Av erage price dropped 12.4 per cent to $325,850, while me dian price experienced a 26.1 percent dip to $277,000 ac cording to HAR. Year-to-date, the average buyer has paid 2.5 percent more ($345,187), while median price is up slightly (1.4 percent) so far to $324,944.

77091

In the northern edge of the area, the Acres Homes/Great er Inwood area was the only market to see year-over-year October sales increase, with the 40 sales last month repre senting nearly a 208 percent increase over the 13 sold the previous October. As a result, this continues to be the only

zip code ahead of its 2021 pace, with 293 homes sold so far this year compared to 230 at the same point last year.

On a pricing front, yearover-year October average price spiked 27.2 percent to $340,132, while year-overyear median price rose 30.4 percent to $344,000. Year-todate, average price is up 16.7 percent to $322,429, and me dian price figure has spiked 15.8 percent to $330,000.

77008

Down in the Greater Heights, year-over-year Octo ber home sales dropped 26.6 percent last month, with only 58 homes sold compared to 79 that were sold in October 2021. As a whole, this zip code’s 910 home sales this year so far are 17.7 percent

last year’s pace, which had seen 1,106 sold in the same time period.

The average buyer paid roughly the same ($636,217, up 0.3 percent) for a home here last month, while me dian October home price is up 12.4 percent year-overyear to $584,690. Through the end of the month, average price has risen 9.5 percent up to $672,148 compared to the same point in 2021, while me dian home price has gone up 8.9 percent to $566,508.

77009

On the eastern edge of the Heights and Near Northside, the 39 homes sold here were the second fewest among lo cal zip codes, and represented a 26.4 percent dip from the 53 homes sold in the area last

October. Through the end of the month, there have been 495 homes closed on in this zip code – a 13.2 percent drop from the 570 sales that were accumulated through October 2021.

Average home price here was down 1.4 percent to $532,027, while median Oc tober home price dipped 4.7 percent to $440,000 – one of just two local zip codes to ex perience year-over-year dips in home pricing. Year-to-date, the average buyer is paying 12.1 percent more ($569,472) than at the same point in 2021, while year-to-date me dian home price has spiked 6.7 percent up to $470,000. 77007

In the southernmost por tion of the Leader coverage area, the zip code encom passing Rice Military and the Washington Avenue area saw the most massive yearover-year sales dip in local markets, with just 44 homes sold – which was slightly less than half (50.4 percent fewer) the volume of the 89 sales the previous October. Year-todate, the area has seen a 17.4 percent dip compared to its 2021 pace, with agents closing on 740 homes so far this year.

When comparing home prices, year-over-year aver age home price in this zip code spiked 15.1 percent to $676,493, while median home price ended the month at $545,900 – a 9.2 percent increase from the previous October. Through the end of the month, average price for a home in this areas has gone up 11.6 percent ($658,693), while median price ($530,000) has risen an identical 11.6 per cent.

Photo from HAR website

Year-over-year October sales of homes like this one currently selling in the 77091 area code, were up in Acres Homes/Greater Inwood last month, but dipped around the rest of the area.

Art Valet: Archway Gallery featuring sculpture and painting exhibition

Coker feels that wander ing through a forest is the perfect way to “lose her mind and find her soul.”

Mitch cohen Art Columnist

Andrea Wilkinson and Christie Coker ‘s  exhi bition, “Only the Forest Knows…,” will be on view Dec. 3-Jan. 5at Arch way Gallery, 2305 Dun lavy St. The artists will be available to visit with guests during the open ing reception on Dec. 3 from 5 – 8 p.m. with an Artist Talk at 6:30 p.m.

“Keep close to nature’s heart and break clear away, once in a while, …spend a week in the woods, wash your spirit clean.” This quote by John Muir serves as inspi ration for Andrea Wilkin son and Christie Coker as they express their love of nature. “Only the For est Knows…” is a col laborative effort combin ing Wilkinson’s exquisite sculptural portraits of wild animals with Coker’s textural paintings which are evocative of the en virons in which these ani mals live. In the words of Muir, each artist believes that, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”

For this show, Andrea Wilkinson has created sculptures inspired by the wild animals that live among us, for animals are highly adaptive in sharing our forested neighbor hoods and yards. Even large animals such as deer have learned to make allowances for, and take advantage of, our proximity carrying on with their lives while our lives are enriched by their presence. Wilkin son has incorporated a variety of media and a bit of whimsy to suggest

textures of fur and feath er. As always, her goal is to find that emotional connection to each ani mal and share that con nection with the viewer.

Growing up in Oklaho ma, Andrea Wilkinson’s love of and interest in animals led her to ma jor in Zoology in college and later to volunteer as a docent at the Houston Zoo. As an artist, she is naturally drawn to ani mals as subject matter for her sculptures. Her art training comes from at tending numerous work shops in New Mexico and Arizona and classes at the Glassell School and Art League Hous ton. She works primarily in two media, clay to be cast in bronze and papier mache.’ Wilkinson is rep

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Residents of the Greater Heights area seeking out a new type of steakhouse vibe now have a new options available to them in the Heights.

Karne Korean Steakhouse, the creation of restaurateur Jason Cho and Chef Yurum “KP” Nam, officially opened its doors in the Heights on Nov. 11 at 2805 White Oak Dr. Suite 100.

The menu at Karne fea tures prime beef, American and Japanese wagyu, and meats dry-aged in-house, and cooked-to-order by tableside hosts. Private dining rooms are also available by reservation and will feature a multi-course Chef Tasting Menu, according to a news release from the res taurant. There is also a cocktail list and 173 wines available to accompany the food selection.

“I was inspired by travel and visuals seen here and around the country,” Cho said. “It was important to me to create a restaurant that offered escap ism and a vibe not normally seen in Korean restaurants.”

For more information on Karne, stop on by the res taurant or visit its website at karnehtx.com/.

Heights Social opening next month

A new bar is planning to open its doors in the Heights

sometime next month

Heights Social, the brain child of owner Zach Harris, will open at 1213 W. 20th St. the Heights in December, ac cording to

According to the restaurant, the menu will include thin crust pizza, waffle fries, charcuterie boards, and more along with a drink menu consisting primar ily of martinis.

The bar is currently hiring, and those interested can email

zach@driftbarhouston.com or apply in person from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Wednes day.

For more information on the bar, follow them on Instagram @heightssocialhouston.

resented by Archway Gal lery in Houston and Gal leries at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her work is included in collections both public and private.

Christie Coker’s art work in this collection is inspired by the beauty found in nature’s offer ings. Whether it’s through the inspection of a bird’s nest or gazing at the moon through tree branches, it’s the intricate detail of nature that draws her in and captivates her artistic muse. Her acrylic paint ings are on textured sur faces where the creative process includes spon taneous development allowing each painting to simply lead the way on this artistic journey. In agreement with Muir,

Christie Coker received her degree in Educa tion with a specializa tion in Art from Lamar University. In addition to post-graduate hours in art, she has also studied at the Glassell School in Houston and has par ticipated in local, as well as regional, workshops which encourage artis tic growth. Her artwork is included in private collections through out the United States, South America, and Eu rope. Coker has been represented by Arch way Gallery since 2001.

Archway Gallery, one of Houston’s and the na tion’s oldest artist-owned and operated galleries, is located at 2305 Dunlavy and is open Tuesday –Saturday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 –5 p.m. Since 1976, Arch way Gallery has been ex hibiting the work of the area’s finest artists, pro viding a great selection of affordable, high quality art including sculpture, pottery, and painting in a variety of media and styles. One of the more than 30 member artists is always on site, providing visitors a unique experi ence to meet the artists who created the work, of fering a personal insight into the process. With 30 artist-members, Archway Gallery is the destina tion in the Houston area for affordable art directly from the artist. For more information, visit Arch wayGallery.com or call 713-522-2409.

Cohen is an artist and founder of the First Satur day Arts Market and The Market at Sawyer Yards. Find him at ArtValet.com for additional highlights and artist’s stories.

the bar’s Instagram page. It will open next to Har ris’ other concept, Drift Bar.

Contributed photo

Portrait of a Tree by Christie Coker at Archway Gallery, Dec 3.

Contributed photo

The Babysitter by Andrea Wilkinson at Archway Gallery, Dec 3.

Photos by Jenn Duncan

Karne Korean Steakhouse opened in the Heights on White Oak Drive last week, looking to bring a new steakhouse vibe to the area.

What to think with trends like these?

How do you feel about

legalizing marijuana? If you are worried about the price of gas, how do you feel about traffic? You can’t have one without the other. Do our public schools have enough money and should we tell our teachers what not to teach? These and other pen etrating questions are always being discussed in radio talk shows, letters to the editor, at bars during happy hour and between acts at strip joints. But let’s get scientific, and also see how your warped opinions stack up against those of your neighbors.

We begin with a weighty question: Do you see a better future for yourself? The per centage of Houstonians who feel that way dropped to an all-time low of 50 percent this year from a peak of 65 percent in 2017. That’s pretty depress ing, knowing that half the peo ple you see around town think their future is, well, depress ing. Ah, but how do we know this? Because of work done by Prof. Stephen Klineberg, founding director of the Kind er Institute for Urban Research and Rice professor emeritus of sociology. Back in 1982 he led

Lynn ashby Columnist

picked up by virtually every writer who has written about our diverse town.

residents) how they felt about this and that. The idea caught on and Klineberg has been surveying Houstonians since, with a much larger team and more sophisticated machinery. Rice Magazine reports: “The survey set out to measure how residents felt about explosive, oil-fueled growth amid rising concerns about traffic, pol lution and crime. Since then, the now-annual survey has documented how Houston has transformed from a majority Anglo, oil-based town to one of the most diverse U.S. cities.”

Incidentally, Klineberg coined the term of Houston being “one of the most diverse U.S. cities,” a term which has been

damages

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Fire investigators are still trying to find out what led to the start of a fire that caused hundreds of thousands of dol lars’ worth of damage to a gro cery store in the Northside area earlier this month, according to the Houston Fire Department.

There was nobody reported hurt as a result of the fire, ac cording to the department, which estimates it saved a little over $100,000 worth of prop erty.

Crews from stations 15, 4, 34, 9, 12, 31, 56, 58, 67, 50 and 24 responded to a one-story store in the 6400 block of Air line Drive just before 4 p.m. on Nov. 8 to find a fire coming from the side of the store.

The fire was quickly extin guished, HPD said, but not before causing an estimated $200,000 in damage to the store according the depart ment.

Arson investigators are still working to determine what caused the fire to happen, ac cording to the department.

Today his report is the go-to read for every officeseeker, business tycoon and journalist who wants to know, for example, what’s your top anxiety? (Read on.) Other wannabees have tried to copy Klineberg’s work, but they can’t because they don’t have figures to follow trends over the last 41years. If they start now, they’ll have the neces sary trendings by 2063. The full report is long and detailed but you can cherry-pick the parts that interest you. For tunately, Rice Magazine ran these salient points which I am now using. This year’s 41st Kinder Houston Area Survey is Klineberg’s last to lead. For the Full Monty, go to rice.edu/ houstonsurvey2022 kinder. By the way, did you know that the benefactor of Rice Uni versity, William Marsh Rice, was murdered? The butler did it. And the annual Heisman Trophy, awarded to that year’s best college football player, coveted because it means an other million or so in his NFL contract, was named for John Heisman who coached for four

seasons at Rice in the early 1920s as the school’s first fulltime head football coach and athletic director. He didn’t win many games but he earned more than any faculty member Where were we? Oh, yes. If you don’t think the future looks very bright, why? What about living in Houston (or this area, like Sugar Land or west Lake Charles) makes you anxious? The top reason is cost of living, especially gas and housing prices (28 per cent), soaring rates of violent crime (25 percent), COVID pandemic (15 percent), and traffic congestion (12 percent). Oddly enough, on our list of top anxieties, hurricanes and the Houston Texans didn’t make the cut. Neither did the Houston Rockets or some of our elected officials. Maybe they come under soaring rates of violent crime.

How do you feel about our public schools? In the 1990s, around 60 percent of Housto nians believed public schools had enough money. In 2022, that number fell to 34 per cent, with 67 percent calling for more investment in public schools and 63 percent are in favor of raising taxes to pro

Electrical failure causes house fire in Acres Homes

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

An electrical failure or mal function was the cause of a recent house fire in the Acres Homes area earlier this month, according to the Houston Fire Department.

There were no reported inju ries from the fire, according to the department.

Crews from station 4, 31, 13 and 67 at 3:19 p.m. on Nov. 12 responded to a home in the 2900 block of McRarey Drive

in Acres Homes, according to the department, to find smoke coming from the one-story house.

Crews later found the source of the fire in the attic, the de partment said, before quickly extinguishing it.

Arson investigators later determined the fire to be un intentional and caused by an electrical failure or malfunc tion, which caused an estimat ed $40,000 worth of damage to the house according to the department.

vide universal access to early childhood education. This brings us to our teachers. Only 25 percent of Houstonians support Texas’ ban on teach ing about inequality and race in Texas schools. I guess no body told our state legislators, our Guv or any other recently elected lawmakers. They know best.

Speaking of our esteemed lawmakers, Texas has the most stringent anti-abortion laws of any state, but 81 percent of Democrats and 33 percent of Republicans say abortion for any reason should be legal, 64 percent of those surveyed support a woman’s right to an abortion for any reason, and 92 percent support abortion if the woman’s health is seri ously endangered. As we can see, what we want and what we are getting are far apart. Who elected these people? We did, or at least some of us did: 81 percent of Houstonians are in favor of drive-thru polling locations, 83 percent support 24-hour polling places and 85 percent support opening more temporary voting locations. The last session of the Texas Legislature abolished all of them.

When it comes to marijua na, Houstonians are all lit up: 65 percent of Houstonians are in favor of legalizing marijua na for recreational purposes and 90 percent are in favor of legalizing marijuana for medi cal reasons. Finally we come to equity and opportunity, and we all feel to a certain extent that Houston is no longer as open to all as it was. Fewer Houstonians believe minori ties have the same opportuni ties as whites: Anglos fell from 64 percent in 2020 to 49 per cent in 2022; Hispanics from 66 percent to 43 percent and Blacks from 29 percent to 17 percent. This pessimism may be linked our first survey ques tion about do we see a better future for ourselves.

As Rice Magazine notes: “Findings highlight an increas ing political divide, a desire for more public school funding and a call for the government to do a better job of address ing society’s rising inequali ties.” We really do need an election.

Ashby is 100 percent at ashby2@comcast.net

Public Notice of Change of Name

Texas Property Code § 13.002 (1)(2) and § 12.001

Public notice is given that by order of the Harris County District Court entered on the 7th day of November 2022, in Civil Action 2022 73303, the name of LIVINA JAZELLE LUXTON was changed from LIVINA JAZELLE LUXTON to Livina Jazelle Luxton. As of the date of this public notice all disabilities of minority have been removed and no longer attach upon the person or property of Livina Jazelle Luxton. Those that have a claim against the estate of Livina Jazelle Luxton step forward and make your claim known in the Harris County District Court within 30 days of this publication or the 7th day of December 2022, whichever comes first. Dated this 7th day of November 2022

Affirmed by: /s/ Livina Jazelle Luxton, affiant Affirmed to and subscribed before this 7th day of November 2022

Notarized by: /s/ Carlos Lafee, notary public

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Houston police are investi gating a crash which resulted in the death of a woman follow ing a possible medical episode last week, according to the Houston Police Department.

The woman’s identity is pending an autopsy from the Harris County medical exam iner, according to the depart ment.

A white Dodge van was headed north at 1500 Yale St. at 1:05 p.m. on Nov. 14, police said, when it approached the intersection of Yale and 15th Street, while the woman was

to last,” he said. “But we got third in robot design and went to state – with a group of people who have pretty much never done this before. It was a really fun experience.”

Much of that success, the students said, was thanks to the efforts of Desaulos as well as Waltrip engi neering teacher Stephanie Witherspoon, affectionate ly known as “Spoony. The pair, students said, were no nonsense when it came to the design and execution of the robot.

“(John) walked us through everything, yet at the same time he didn’t spoon feed us – he told us what to do, then sat and watched us do it,” D’Souza said.

However, they were also the first to keep an even keel if something did not go as planned, which students said gave them a confidence to move for ward without breaking down despite having little experience to draw on.

“They’re both level-

headed east on 15th Street in a Honda CRV and allegedly ran the stop sign at the intersec tion.

The van then collided with the rear end of the CRV, ac cording to police, which even tually hit a pole. It then spun and hit the Honda a second time, according to the depart ment. The woman was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, police said, while the driver of the van was treated for minor injuries.

Police said the woman may have suffered a medical epi sode prior to the crash, accord ing to the department.

headed and calm people all the time. When something went wrong, we’d freak out,” Powis-Case said. “But they would just tell us to move on to the next idea. It’s really helpful to have someone like that walking us through it.”

Desaulos, however, said it was the eagerness and quick cohesiveness of the group which allowed them to reach a level the school’s robotics team has not reached in quite some time. In the end, he said, they just needed a little confidence.

And with each passing hour creating the robot and seeing the end result, he said it continues to grow.

“Being able to see (that robot) come from your own hands is a source of enablement and power for them, and that made them even more eager,” he said. “They saw something move on their robot and doing what they wanted it to do – it gave them a real sense of confidence.”

laser therapy. They also perform dermatologic procedures like mole removal, cyst removal, and Mohs surgery for skin cancer.

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Heights Dermatology designs personalized plans that put patients’ needs and wishes first. Focused on providing the most current treatments and therapies, the Heights Dermatology team attends weekly and monthly training and development classes.

Healthy skin is always in style. Call Heights Dermatology, or schedule a dermatology appointment online today.

Tanning Salon Glo Girl Spray Tanning * Tanoholicsanonymous

Manicure/Pedicure

The Elysian Boutique * LV Nails Spa

Esthetician Abbie Starr Skin Bar* Purr Beauty

COMMUNITY

Church Garden Oaks Baptist Church * St Rose Lima Catholic Community

Minister

Pastor Will Cover * Pastor Jon Purvis

Non-Profit

Animal Justice League * Ministry Assistance of the Near Northwest Al liance (MANNA)

Local Politician

is derived from combining Boxing with a Bootcamp Style Training environment. Our classes mimic a 10 round boxing match: 3 minutes per round with a 1 minute rest period in between rounds.

WHAT DOES HTX FIGHTCAMP OFFER?

HTX FightCamp o ers boxing fitness classes along with 1 on 1 Personal Training. Our classes can accommodate up to 30 people at one time and our workout area has all the equipment needed for any type of workout. From strength training to HIIT Training to Bootcamps to Boxing Fitness Classes, we have it all. Our 9500 sq

Owners Jim and Kathy Stratton and Duane Myers purchased C&D Hardware in 1999 from Mrs. Alice Dailey. The store, located at 314 East 11th in the Heights, was once the site of record shop & jukebox business owned by Pappy Daily and his sons. With its small-town appeal, C&D Hardware still prides itself on being a family-owned and operated business serving the Heights since 1951. The store has grown through

the years and is constantly adding products to keep up with customers’ needs and expectations. C & D Hardware carved out a niche for itself long ago and continues to strive to maintain outstanding customer service.

Although C & D Hardware prides itself on being a full-line hardware store, the store also carries a large selection of home and garden decor. Looking for a gift? Browse through the unique selection of gifts for wine enthusiasts, Jim Shore collectibles, candles and scented oils, seasonal decorations, crosses

and more. Recently-added products include Traeger & Green Mountain Wood Pellet Grills, Yeti Coolers, Tumblers and accessories, a Huge selection of light bulbs, Bona Wood and Hard Surface Cleaners, Science Diet Pet Foods. The store also provides services that include: metal screens made and repaired, key cutting, glass cutting, lock re-keying, sharpening service, carpet cleaner rental, pipe cutting and treading, and computer paint color matching. Call 713-861-3551 for helpful advice, to place an order, or check for a needed item in stock.

* Art Car Museum

Art Gallery The Whimsy Artisan Boutique *

The Silos at Sawyer Yards

Local Artist Oralia * Arlene Delagarza

Food & Restaurants

Ella Blvd * Pappas Son Donuts

Asian Sichuan Pepper * Saigon Hustle

BBQ Gatlin’s BBQ * Pinkerton’s Barbecue

Hamburger MytiBurger * Miller’s Cafe

Hot Wings Dream Wings * T-Bones Sports Pub

Hot Dogs Good Dog *

Dawg Haus

Ice Cream Fat Cat Creamery* Sweet Frog

Italian Cavatore * Collina’s

Mediterranean Aladdin * Niko Nikos

Mexican Valencia’s Tex Mex Garage * Nanas Tacos

Tacos 1st - Valencia’s Tex Mex Garage 2nd - Nanas Tacos

Pizzeria Star Pizza * Daddyo’s

Sandwich Shop Ploughman’s Deli &

Café * Ike’s Love & Sand wiches

Seafood Millie’s Kitchen and Cocktails * Valencia’s Tex-Mex Garage

Specialty Food Store

Asch Building * 99 Ranch Market

Steak House Pappas Brothers Steak house * Brenner’s on the Bayou Sushi Jellyfish * The Blue Fish

Breakfast Jackie’s Kitchen * Valencia’s Tex-Mex Garage

Brunch

Valencia’s Tex-Mex Garage * Wakefield Crowbar

Thankfulness is rooted in a heart of gratitude. God’s Word says, in James 1:17, “ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Even the “self-made” person must recognize that

their very existence, the air that that they breathe, and the water they drink is a gift. Gratitude is a recognition of a person’s dependence upon someone else for their position. It is important to take time to consider the blessings you have received. One may look at the advantage that someone else has received and feel left out. Taking time to recognize the good gifts that you have received and thanking God for those gifts will give honor to the source of your gifts and it will encourage you to return to that

source for the supply of your needs. God is faithful and He gives good gifts to His children. He made you. He has a plan for your life. Take some time to count your blessings and thank God for His goodness to you.

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 713-659-9697.