may + june 2021 july + august
Renowned Inventor Hourani Honored Cries For Help Go Unanswered: The Story of Samuel Olsen
Assessing the Pandemic Damage Chef Kaiser Masters The Whole Spices Where is Rudy T Now How Long Will a Million Last Music Update
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contents
Send comments, thoughts or ideas to intownmagazine@gmail.com
810
12
10
ON THE COVER
14
16
20
8 PUBLISHER’S LETTER 10 CLASSICAL MUSIC PREVIEWS
16-18 SAMUEL OLSON STORY 19
12-13
RENOWNED INVENTOR HOURANI HONORED
14-15
FOOD: MASTER OF WHOLE SPICES
THE BUZZ
20-21
THE GAME
22-23
FINANCIAL FOCUS
PRODUCTION
PUBLISHER
M. A. Haines EDITOR
Lisa June
memorialvillagesmagazine.com
Web Design CSS Art & Design Layout & Graphic Design CSS Art & Design Graphic Designer Cris Bell Photographer Wells Brown
CONTRIBUTORS
Lindsay Mowad William Hanover Marene Gustin Evans Attwell Philip Berquist Minnie Payne Virginia Billeaud Anderson
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Memorial Villages magazine is published bi-monthly by SNS Media. Articles are welcome and will be given careful consideration for possible publication. Memorial Villages magazine does not assume any responsibility for unsolicited materials. Materials submitted will be returned if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Box 980757 Houston, TX 77098. You can also e-mail intownmagazine@gmail.com. Copyright 2021 by Intown magazine. All rights reserved. Content may not be reprinted or reproduced without permission from Intown magazine.
6 | Mv | July + August 2021
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1207 Sterrett St/Downtown $1,055,000 MLS# 97594604
2610 Newman St/Upper Kirby $675,000 MLS# 50376796
1302 Riverine Ct/Spring Branch $667,500 MLS# 24538430
9418 Meadowcroft/Westmont-Tanglewilde $359,000 MLS# 55455257
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Publisher’s Letter
Assessing the Damage Putting the pandemic in the rearview mirror is going to take time
f you are reading this you have survived what is one of the worst catastrophes since man inhabited planet Earth. Unfortunately, for most of us, Covid has left a mark. Now that the supposed worst of the pandemic is behind us it is time to assess the real damage. I started my assessment by making the mistake of getting on a scale. Yikes, right at my all-time high! How could this happen with all the spare time to exercise during the slowdown? Oh, that’s right, the pools and gyms have been closed and running is really bad for my aging knees. A real problem was the fact I didn’t know my clothes were tight because my sweat pants and underwear always felt fine. Mostly I ate and worried. Now that pools are open it’s time to get back in the water. I am wondering what it will be like now swimming with my shirt on. Prior to March of last year, I don’t recall ever hearing about or participating in a Zoom call. Too many of us have decided staying home and not even bothering to get dressed is OK. I’m telling you it’s not. Clothing stores will go out of business. Time to do away with Zoom and even FaceTime for a while and actually go see some clients, friends and family in person. Spending your Thanksgiving and Christmas on a Zoom call was cool, says no one. Most of us can agree that the best part of going to a gym is when you are leaving but knowing the reality of doing nothing is so much worse. There are those Orange Theorists that have turned this Zoom festival on its head with their workouts. Congratulations to all the Adonises and Aphrodites out there whose labor of love has brought you happiness. But know that you are in the minority. Most of us are shaking off a fifteen-month vacation of sorts and it ain’t that easy. Maybe it’s time for my annual off-the-grid vacation - cookie free. Upon return, it’s back to the grind and seeing more people in person again!
8 | Mv | July + August 2021
Intown’s Classical Music Critic, the Hon. Philip Berquist, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Croatia for Texas
Classical Music Update Houston’s Classical Music Previews for 2021-2022
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ell, it is Summer and things at least appear to be getting back to whatever we can each recall as “normal.” This is the time of year when our arts organizations announce their schedules for the upcoming classical music season of 2021-2022. While COVID-19 restrictions are still being thought through, our major music companies have given INTOWN Magazine their performance schedules, some complete, some still waiting for C-19 guidance. In this issue, we feature the seasons of the Houston Symphony Orchestra and Houston Grand Opera. Houston Symphony Orchestra The following are my personal choices to highlight in this article. This season is the last for Andrés Orozco-Estrada as Music Director and he returns for several performances. • September 11, 2021 Orozco-Estrada Acclaimed opera superstar, Renee Fleming, appears on opening night singing famous opera arias with the orchestra. • September 17, 18, and 19, 2021 Orozco-Estrada conducts the Beethoven 5th Symphony as well as the Beethoven Triple Concerto. Featured soloists are Yooshin Song, violin, Britton Averil Smith, cello, and Yefim Bronfman, piano. • October 29, 30 and 31, 2021 Jader Bignamini conducts Berlioz’s “Symphonie fantastique.” • November 19, 20 and 21, 2021 Another superstar, pianist Hèléne Grimaud, performs the Ravel Piano Concerto in G. Houston Grand Opera My goodness, what a season! Back at the Wortham Center’s Brown Theater, HGO has scheduled a truly stunning group of operas. The Fall Repertory begins with Bizet’s Carmen. There will be eight performances of this popular classic running from October 22 through November 7. This is a revival co-production with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Sung in French with projected English text. Next is a world premiere of The Snowy Day by Joel Thompson with lyrics by Andrea Davis Pinckney. This one-hour production will be presented nine times from December 9 through December 19. Sung in English with projected English text. For updates and a full calendar go to www.houstonintown.com Let me hear from you! - write me at classicalmusicberquist@ gmail.com.
10 | Mv | July + August 2021
Th e G r e at e r H o u s t o n L u x u ry H o m e C o n n e c t i o n w w w. g r e a t e r h o u s t o n l u x u r y. c o m
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Renowned Inventor Hourani Honored Memorial Resident Receives “Award of Excellence”
I
by the Honorable Philip Berquist, Honorary Consul for the Republic of Croatia
n a recent article on a trip to Washington, D.C. I attended a celebration of the life of retiring Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. The lavish affair was hosted by Houstonian Monzer Hourani, Hatch’s close friend of many years. It was a spectacle including a luncheon and dinner followed by a concert at the venerable Kennedy Center featuring the orchestra and choir of the University of Houston, conducted at times by Hourani himself! The concert was originally planned to be in the National Cathedral but the unexpected death of former President George H.W. Bush on the Friday prior caused the concert to be moved to the Kennedy Center. Hourani is a renowned inventor, engineer, scientist, entrepreneur and architect known for building state of the art medical facilities throughout the country. This article attempts to be an important update on Mr. Hourani. When we burn a piece of toast our natural reaction is to simply discard the ruined breakfast, or perhaps even try scraping off the charred residue in an attempt to salvage the poor slice. As it turns out, Monzer Hourani found his burned toast as the inspiration for perhaps the most important scientific invention of our time. In March of 2020, near the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hourani’s housekeeper had put some cheese on a slice of bread and placed it in the kitchen toaster for part of his breakfast. She went on to do some household chores, forgetting about the bread. Hourani smelled smoke and found the toaster smoking with the cheese bread on fire. Hourani did not try to salvage his breakfast. Using his natural curiosity, he considered that very high heat could indeed possibly destroy airborne diseases and pathogens, potentially including 12 | Mv | July + August 2021
Covid-19. This curiosity led him to imagine how a high-heat device (100 degrees Celsius / 212 degrees Fahrenheit) might be used to be placed in normal HVAC air conditioning units that would create extremely high temperatures to capture foreign elements in the air immediately prior to the device being cooled to allow the resulting air to be run through the air conditioning unit. This was not the first important invention by Hourani. Following the oil spill of the Exxon Valdez he invented a device to assist in cleanup of that disaster and future oil spills. He also was concerned by the seemingly inability of the reliability of windows surviving hurricane winds. This resulted in his invention to brace windows in such horrific storms that has now been widely implemented. Hourani brought his latest theory to the University of Houston, specially to Dr. Zhifeng Ren, the Director of the Su-
perconductivity Center of Texas and Dr. Paul Chu, the Founding Director and Chief Scientist at the Center and they immediately went to work with Hourani. They were joined by the UTMB Galveston National Lab and the Texas A&M Engineering and Experiment Station in College Station. The result is the “Biodefense Air Protection SystemTM” which has been proven through numerous trials to eliminate 99.9999% of SARS-CoV2, (Covid-19) and 99.98% of anthrax! A new Houston corporation, Integrated Viral Protection (IVP), was created to produce and market the invention. After the initial HVAC system was developed several mobile devices were created as well. Mind you that the toast was burned in March, 2020 and his devices were available in September 2020! Hourani was honored on Thursday, April 8, 2021, by the Engineering News Record, a publication regarding engi-
Specializing in luxury homes, country living and investment property
Hourani’s Biodefense Air Protection SystemTM
neering advances for over 140 years, as the 2020 winner of its coveted “Award of Excellence” at a special luncheon at the Intercontinental Hotel Houston-Medical Center. The Intercontinental Hotel is the first hotel in the world to use this technology. Speaking at the luncheon was the former Governor of Texas and former Secretary of Energy, Rick Perry, former Mayor of San Antonio, Henry Cisneros, Chancellor of Texas A&M, John Sharp, Dr Ren, with virtual comments by, among others, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Senators John Cronyn and Marco Rubio. Hourani’s longtime colleague, Dr. Garrett Peel, who is the Founding Director of Integrated Viral Protection has been quoted as saying, “We are elated to be recognized for our achievement in creating a medical technology to address the coronavirus pandemic. We have to use science and technology to lead us through this public health crisis. The invention by Monzer Hourani offers those working and living inside schools, office buildings, hospitals, gyms, convention centers and places of worship, the ability to breathe with confidence and help mitigate the spread of airborne Covid-19.” Later that evening a gala dinner-concert was held at the Brown Theater at the Wortham Center. A combined Moores School of Music Orchestra and the youth orchestra Virtuosi entertained with Beethoven overtures, one each conducted by Franz Anton Krager and Andrzej Grabiec with the last movement of the Beethoven 5th Symphony conducted by Hourani. The portable devices are now available in three sizes the “Venue Mobile Unit” to be used, for example, in convention centers, school gymnasiums, and concert halls; the “Room Mobile Unit” for areas up to 2,000 square feet and the “Travel Mobile Unit” for areas up to 250 square feet such as hotel rooms. There is also potential development of units that can be fitted into commercial airliners. IVP’s Biodefense Airborne Protection System could very well be one of the most important inventions of our time thanks to Hourani’s curiosity of a burned piece of toast!
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Master of Whole Spices
Chef Kaiser Lashkari at Himalaya Restaurant By Virginia Billeaud Anderson
B
utted-up against the Hindu Kush at the Afghan border in northwest Pakistan sits Peshawar, Pakistan’s oldest city, with historical records dating to 539 BC. The city served as a “frontier” gateway to the Indian sub-continent for eastern-bound travelers who didn’t die crossing the Khyber Pass. Its gold, Herodotus wrote, made Peshawar one of the ancient Persians’ favorite tribute-paying satrapies. Today Peshawar is known for culinary treasures such as Chapli Kabob, a flavorful fried meat patty with complex Persian, Turkish and Pashtun-inflected ingredients. When I taste the pomegranate seeds, crushed coriander seeds, and red chili peppers in Chef Kaiser Lashkari’s Peshawari Chapli Kabob at Himalaya Restaurant, I’m tempted to label Indo-Pakistani cuisine the most elegantly crafted on the planet. Peshawari Chapli Kabob originated in the western part of the subcontinent at the Indus River. Mighty Indus, allegorized as a deity in Sanskrit hymns, and into which Alexander the Great territorially peed, begins in the Himalayas and ends at Lashkari’s birthplace, Karachi, on the sparkly Arabian Sea. Other Himalaya Restaurant menu items originate from the eastern end of the subcontinent, the East Indian delicacy Lamb Vindaloo for instance, boneless chunks of lamb simmered in rich spicy sauce with sautéed potatoes, a classic from the Goan region. And, Bihari Steak Tikka from the Ganges region of Bihar. Here, Lashkari mixes elaborate spices to marinade steak chunks before grilling. How long does he marinade? “72 hours. And not a second less!” Whopping critical praise, the attention of celebrity foodies Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern, and a James 14 | Mv | July + August 2021
Beard nomination made Lashkari’s story fairly well known. His parents nearly croaked when he dropped out of medical school in his third year because he wanted to cook. His heart was in the kitchen, “with the frying pans, the stews and the curries.” He completed a Masters in Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston, then returned to Karachi to work under the chef at the Karachi Intercontinental Hotel where he “really learned the craft of cooking.” A desire to express himself and “be his own boss” inspired his return to Houston, where in 2004 he opened Himalaya Restaurant at 6652 Southwest Freeway. Some things about the subcontinent you just can’t change, the Mughal princes discovered when they gobbled up India, Rajasthan’s miserable heat, for one. They could, however, command palace chefs to refine the cuisine by incorporating Persian-influenced exotic spices, a practice which became canonical in Indo-Pakistani cooking. And lends exqui-
site flavors to Himalaya’s Chicken Hara from Hyderabadi, boneless chicken in a green curry sauce with yogurt, cilantro and green chilies, applauded by Bourdain. As well, to Gola Kabob with a papaya juice and spice marinade. And, to Lamb Kabob. Since spice blends (garam masala) vary across locations, I wondered if Chef ’s personal combination related to a specific region. “My personal blend is based upon my knowledge and cooking experience, not from any region, except it is very closely aligned to Pakistani cuisine.” Funneling knowledge and cooking experience into spice selection is only part of the process, the spices must be “individually roasted on a griddle top” before they are ground and blended. “The key,” he stressed, “is how long and to what degree each spice is roasted.” A meticulous process, which disallows premixed substitutes and skimping. “Women who visit from Pakistan can identify the spices.” One imagines Chef freaked when green cardamom, which is “essential for most curries and sauces because it enhances flavors and adds aroma,” hit $46/pound. Another elevating feature of Indo-Pakistani food was the use of rich sauces. Himalaya concocts some doozies. Pulverized almonds and cashews thicken the creamy sauce in the Mughlai dish Chicken Korma, a court favorite. Chicken Tikka Masala features a creamy yogurt sauce. Bombay Butter Chicken’s spicy cream sauce has a velvety quality. Culinary historians believe a royal wife introduced the Persian rice dish Biryani into the Mughal court. Lashkari considers biryani a keystone of Indo-Pakistani food, “it is the #1 item that brings people from both sides of the continent
Peshawari Chapli Kabob (Himalaya Restaurant Facebook)
Chicken Tikka Masala (Image by Shawn Chippendale from Himalaya Restaurant Facebook)
together.” To make his biryanis he cooks lamb, chicken, beef, or goat, with whole spices and rice. Does he use saffron? “A hint of saffron added to the rice.” His biryanis have caramelized onions, and dried plums. The menu includes vegetable and cheese biryanis. “Why aren’t you eating my bread?” Lashkari is staring at my untouched naan. After I explain that I restrict my carbohydrates, he fesses-up that his doctor wants him to do the same, but he’d “rather be dead.” Chef clearly changed his mind. He dropped weight, and added low-carb items to his menu. Although best to blow off carb counting and sop sauces with Himalaya’s Garlic Naan, or flaky Parathas.
The day Lashkari won the 2019 James Beard nomination for Best Chef Southwest was “one of the happiest days of my life. I wept myself to sleep because I didn’t have my Mom or Dad to share that with.” His lovely wife Asra compensated. “Asra is 51% and I am 49% of the success behind this restaurant.” Having an Indian father and Pakistani mother broadened his culinary range. He thanks his father, “a great soul,” for teaching him honesty, integrity and work ethic. “To make people happy with food is as sacred as my relationship with my God.” Greek mythology posits Dionysus lived on the subcontinent. And gave it grapevines and the goat-god Pan, which
BBQ Grill Platter (Image by mel_vs_food from Himalaya Restaurant Instagram)
possibly accounts for the Kalash tribe’s shambolic goat worship, and for Dal Gosht (lentils cooked with goat) and Dumpukht, goat slow-cooked in juices with dough sealing in flavors. I’m hankering to spend time in the hills of northwest Pakistan among breathtaking peaks, indescribably hospitable people and spicy garlicky goat meat pies. Zimmern swooned over Himalaya Restaurant’s goat dishes. Goat Karhai, from the “frontier” region, fashions goat, tomatoes, karhai masala spices, green chilies, ginger, and garlic, topped with chopped cilantro and ginger. Lashkari cooks it in a traditional flat bottom wok, the use of which reaches so far back into the subcontinent’s history, it’s mentioned in the Vedas.
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Cries For Help Go Unanswered Samuel Olson’s Story By Jill Pruitt Allred
O
n May 27, 2021, Samuel Olson was reported missing, but that is not really where the story begins. Samuel’s death was a perfect storm of total system failures from the family courts, the criminal courts, bail reform, and the district attorney’s office. Samuel was almost saved several times before his death. Still, every time Sarah Olson, Samuel’s mother, tried to get Samuel back from his father, Dalton Olson, she could not. Either it was Covid, or they could not get in front of the judge. This case was not on my radar when I initially saw the first post on the Texas EquuSearch Facebook page repeating the claims made to police by Dalton Olson and his fiancé, Theresa Balboa. The post stated that Sarah had arrived at the home of Theresa Balboa’s mother in the 8800 block of McAvoy Dr. with a “Fake Cop” and took Samuel at approximately 7:30 am on May 27, 2021; however, they didn’t report Samuel missing until around 6:00 pm that same day. I immediately thought it was a simple child custody matter and not a missing child, and I certainly never let myself believe this child was dead. Sarah asked me to help her find her son, and I could not say no. I currently work as an advocate, and before working on these cases, I was a legal assistant for many years and then transitioned into contract legal investigations. That experience allowed me to competently access and understand the very messy situation that Sarah and Dalton’s Divorce had become. Samuel was used as a weapon to punish Sarah. From court documents and 16 | Mv | July + August 2021
speaking with Sarah, I also knew that it was likely that the judge was going to order that Samuel be returned to Sarah very soon. On May 28, 2021, when I first spoke with Sarah, she told me that she did not have Samuel, and she did not know who did. I asked her a series of questions about the people in Samuel’s life and about the court orders currently in place. After Sarah explained her story from the beginning, I felt this would become more a fight for justice than a return of Samuel to his mother.
The First System Failure:
trict Attorney’s office declined, and Samuel remained with Dalton. That same day, Sarah filed a Habeas motion to have the court return Samuel to her, and that is when Dalton began moving Samuel from place to place.
The Second System Failure: Then approximately six weeks later, the entire world stopped because of the Covid-19 Global Pandemic, and no one knew how or what to do when the courts shut down. Over the next year, Sarah’s cases would see minimal movement through the respective court systems due to Covid. On May 31, 2020, Sarah was finally allowed to see Samuel again at his fifth (and sadly now final) birthday party. According to Sarah’s mother, Sarah asked the process server to be there as well to serve Dalton, but again she was told no, due to Covid concerns.
On January 18, 2020, Sarah’s mom dropped Samuel off with Dalton’s mom for a weekend visit. Dalton refused to return Samuel on January 20, 2020. On January 24, 2020, Sarah went to Dalton’s current address in Katy, escorted by a Precinct 5 Constable. While there, the deputy called the Harris The Third System Failure: County District Attorney’s office to ask if Sarah and her mother attended Samuel’s they would accept charges against Dalton birthday party. When Samuel saw Sarah after for interfering with child custody. The Disso many months of being kept apart, he said,
“I knew you would come for me,” and it was at that moment Sarah decided to try to sneak out the side door of Dalton’s mother’s home and take Samuel home where he belonged. As she was attempting to leave with Samuel, Dalton came out of his mother’s house, jumped in front of Sarah’s car near the street, and claimed Sarah “ran over him.” Sarah remained at the home until police arrived, and when she tried to explain the situation, police arrested her for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Once again, Samuel was not saved and remained with Dalton. The Galveston County DA issued a protective order and a no-contact order for Dalton against Sarah. It specifically excluded Samuel, so communicating with Dalton and his family concerning Samuel was granted. That day two other very telling things also happened. Theresa said to Sarah’s mother while cursing at her, “I wish I had my bat so I could beat Sarah with it,” and Dalton told Sarah, “You will never see or speak to Samuel ever again.” That was how Samuel’s very last birthday party unfolded. He did not get to go home with his mom and instead watched her go to jail. On June 4, 2021, after many story changes by Dalton, the admission that one of the witnesses did not see what happened, and Samuel’s murder, the Galveston County DA dismissed the case against Sarah, citing the cause as being “In the Interest of Justice.”
The Fourth System Failure: Through our conversation, I asked Sarah about Dalton and his
fiancé, and she stated that all she knew about her was that her name was Theresa Balboa. I immediately searched for criminal records and found a protective order and no-contact order for a domestic violence incident on November 29, 2020, where Balboa allegedly choked Dalton. I sent it to Sarah and asked if she was aware of the protective order extended to every Dalton family member, including Samuel. She stated it was the first time she had ever been made aware of it. It is important because Texas has a law that requires parents to notify each other and the court of protective orders that would affect the children. Through a further search on social media, I was able to find a Facebook post titled “She Said Yes,” announcing their engagement on January 2, 2021, in violation of the two court orders.
The Fifth System Failure: Dalton would drag Samuel around from place to place and from person to person for the next year, causing Samuel to change schools multiple times. The last day that Samuel attended school in person was April 30, 2021, and he did not switch to virtual school or unenroll; however, no one from the school ever reported anything to law enforcement. On May 24, 2021, Dalton and Sarah finally had a court date, but Dalton’s attorney withdrew, citing “Just Cause Exists,” causing the case to reset once again. At the time of this court date, Samuel had been dead for weeks, and his little body had been
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stuffed in a Rubbermaid plastic tote and hidden away in a storage unit in Webster.
EquuSearch and Tim Miller: On May 31, 2021, Tim Miller of Texas EquuSearch, searched the field near the apartment where Theresa Balboa stayed with Samuel Olson and her ex-boyfriend, Benjamin Rivera. That is when things started to unravel for Balboa in this case. Tim Miller told Nancy Grace that he forced Theresa Balboa to give the news interviews. Miller stated he knew she was lying and said, “This is going to end today.” He also stated to Nancy Grace he saw Theresa Balboa,
Dalton Olson, and Benjamin Rivera talking on the other side of the complex. He confronted them again and asked Dalton why he would leave his child with someone he did not even know (Rivera) and then told him Theresa was responsible. Miller stated that Dalton hit the ground crying and saying, “But you don’t understand--Sarah ALMOST ran me over,” to which Tim replied, “I don’t care what Sarah ALMOST did. Your son isn’t ALMOST missing.” Immediately following this conversation, Theresa went into the apartment to change clothes, came out, said she would pass out more flyers, and disap-
peared. According to court records, she met up with an acquaintance, Dylan Walker, in the parking lot of the Walmart in Cleveland, TX, had him bring her back to the storage unit in Webster, TX, where they loaded up the tote containing Samuel’s body. Walker rented a room at the Best Western in his name and, after a few hours, left Theresa and the tote containing Samuel’s body in Room 106. He drove back home and later called Crime Stoppers. In the early morning hours of June 1, 2021, authorities arrest Theresa Balboa in the room with Samuel’s body still in the tote. Authorities took her into custody on bonds totaling $600,000.00. Benjamin Rivera is arrested on June 23, 2021, for his part in helping conceal the body of Samuel Olson and released on a $100,000.00 bond. The district attorney’s office announced they believe they have found the murder weapon and are awaiting test results to confirm.
The Organization:
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In February of last year, after about a year of working cases involving missing and exploited children, I started my organization called Runaway 2 Victim. The primary focus is working with other non-profits and law enforcement to locate and recover missing runaways and trafficking victims. Once recovered safely, I advocate for the children by getting resources such as free counseling and rehab services, triad meetings, mental health meetings, access to amicus attorneys, and help to navigate the juvenile justice programs. I primarily work with missing teens and trafficking victims.
The Mission: We, as a society, need to work together to change laws that are putting children at risk. Samuel Olson was one of the many murdered in Harris County by a person arrested for a violent felony and let out on a Personal Bond (meaning they did not have to pay to be released). As if that is not alarming enough, approximately 46 children have lost their lives in Harris County in the last 24 months. My mission is to seek Justice in Samuel’s case and help other families affected by child murders connect with lawmakers about passing new legislation to protect children. No child should ever be injured or murdered by someone where there was a protective order. For more continued coverage, go to www.houstonintown.com.
18 | Mv | July + August 2021
Emcee Dana Tyson
Mayor Sylvester Turner, Crime Stoppers CEO Rania Mankarious and HPD Police Chief Troy Finner
Tracy Faulkner, Tama Lundquist, Brigitte Kalai, Tena Faust and Alicia Maguire Smith
Houstonians Rally Behind Crime Stoppers of Houston to ‘Keep our City Safe’ Over $183,000 raised to fund initiatives combating the increase of crime in Houston and offering support to victim’s families
Jordan Seff, Bryan Beene and Milessa Lowrie
Rania Mankarious, H-E-B Honoree represented by Lisa Helfman, and Eric Mayo
After more than a year of cancelled in-person events in Houston, 220 guests, were happy to be out lending their support to Crime Stoppers of Houston at its annual Houston’s Heroes Awards Luncheon, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. The uplifting celebration served as a vital fundraiser for Crime Stoppers and raised over $183,000 to directly fund the critical public safety and crime prevention initiatives delivered by the non-profit in local and statewide communities and schools. The following 2021 Heroes were presented with distinguished awards for being positive contributors to the community through their long-standing support of crime prevention and public safety: • The Johnny Klevenhagen Award – Houston Police Department Commander James Dale • The Fenner Weller Award – State Representative Jim Murphy • The Leiv Platou Award – Hazem Ahmed • The Corporate Citizen Award to H-E-B • The Safe School Award – Jerri Duddlesten Moore • The Women Who Shape Houston Award – Brigitte Kalai • Partner of the Year Award – Lawrence and Linda Levy For those unable to attend the event this year, donations are still being accepted here: http://bit.ly/2020CSLuncheonIf you would like to learn about Crime Stoppers of Houston and how to get involved, visit www.crime-stoppers.org. For full story go to www.houstonintown.com
Honoree Jerri Duddlesten Moore, Rania Mankarious, and Jim Moore Laura Ward, Rania Mankarious, Dave Ward and Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg
Betty Tudor and Alicia Maguire Smith
Deanna Harrington and Michelle Heinz
Natalie Egan, Rania Mankarious and Jerry Martin
July + August 2021
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Alex Kalai, Bashar Kalai, Brigitte Kalai and Remy Kalai
Lindsay Aronstein, Michelle Heinz, Deanna Harrington, Vicki Rizzo, Mauri Oliver and Roz Pactor
The
GAME
Rudy Tomjanovich played collegiately at the University of Michigan where he holds a rebounding record and averaged over 30 points a game in his last year. The 6’ 7’ forward was drafted with the second overall pick in the NBA draft. He played eleven seasons and was a five-time All-Star, but is probably best known as a coach of the Houston Rockets winning back-to-back titles in 1994 and 95. Joel Blank: The man, the myth, the legend, the man that is long overdue going to the Hall of Fame very soon has decided to block out some time for us. He is sitting in boxer shorts and a tank top, no doubt somewhere in Florida. Coach, always great to catch up with you. No better time than coming up on the heels of this massive moment with you finally getting into the NBA Basketball Hall of Fame. Congratulations and your thoughts as we get closer to that day. Rudy Tomjanovich: Joel, it’s always a pleasure for me to be with you and on your show, but if it’s OK, I don’t have the boxers on. Joel Blank: Hey, coach, whatever makes you comfortable, it’s retirement years. Rudy Tomjanovich: That’s right. That’s right. Well, I didn’t know I’m back working again, so. Joel Blank: That’s right. The Timberwolves. Rudy Tomjanovich: That’s right. Joel Blank: Everyone in Houston from the organization itself and all the players, Bull and Mario and so many of the guys lobbying for you. When you finally got that call and knew that that day was coming. Rudy Tomjanovich: Yeah, you know, waiting for this to happen was very interesting because I didn’t really think about it until, you know, that time of the year when I would start getting calls about how I felt and things like that. But all the people who spoke up for me. I cannot thank them enough for making me feel so good. And, you know, my players. But then the brotherhood of coaches, Coach Mike D’Antoni, Scot20 | Mv | July + August 2021
INTERVIEW WITH HOUSTON ROCKETS COACH
Rudy Tomjanovich
ty Brooks, and Jeff Van Gundy, as you know, spoke up for years. And I have a lot of gratitude for those guys. Joel Blank: Now, Rudy, back in the day we were a family. You let Worrell and myself and guys sit in with the team on the meetings. And I remember you grilling me about Clyde because I had worked with him before you made that trade and said to me I’m thinking about making a move that’s going to affect my team. Rudy Tomjanovich: Well, absolutely. Chemistry is so important, and if you wind up bringing in somebody that you’d never know if guys have a past with somebody that usually you do, but, you know, anything can happen with a big trade like that. You got to talk to your main guy. And of course, Clyde was just a perfect fit. Joel Blank: Because you now have time to reflect and we did it back when we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the titles are there certain things that happened that stick into your mind and say, if that doesn’t happen, maybe we don’t
win that one or we have as much success? Rudy Tomjanovich: Yeah, there were things like that, you know. You know, I thought a very pivotal situation was the first game in Orlando. During the regular season, they had owned us. They pretty well took care of us easily. And then they were doing it again. And we hung in there. We hung in there. And if Kenny doesn’t make that shot, put us in overtime, you know, we might not be talking about, you know, back to back. And we love the kiss of death shot from the corner with Mario. But that shot that Kenny made was just as big. And a lot of people don’t talk about it now. Nick Sharara: I don’t know if you’ve heard the news, but long-time broadcaster of the Houston Rockets Bill Worrell will call his final game this season. Your thoughts on Bill Worrell and B, should Vernon Maxwell take his spot? Rudy Tomjanovich: Could what could what Nick Sharara: Could Vernon Maxwell take his spot as the broadcaster?
Rudy Tomjanovich: Could take his spot? Yeah. Oh, cool. I thought you said kick his butt. Joel Blank: We already know the answer to that coach. Rudy Tomjanovich: Yes. Bill’s a tough hombre. I’m telling you, I love Bill. He’s had a great career. I’m looking forward to seeing you and I’ve seen him a couple of times when he comes to Joel Blank: That’s what you call him. You had nicknames for all of us. Nick Sharara: Coach, do you have an angry moment from the Dream that you’re willing to share with us that perhaps nobody else knows about? Rudy Tomjanovich: Yeah, not that I can think of, I mean, he was very competitive. He did not like to be out of the game in the fourth quarter. And, you know, I had to rest some because we are going to him so much. So he was always anxious to get back in there, you know, and I hear him and he’d be talking to the assistant coaches, you know, “come on. Come on.” Joel Blank: Now, with Rama-
dan wrapping up, the other thing that I always say that’s ironic that people don’t realize is the fact that Hakeem he wouldn’t take water, he wouldn’t take quench gum, he wouldn’t do anything to help him through. And he’s putting 40 minutes in and he’s putting 30 and 15 on good teams. And we were just in complete awe of what he was able to do. Rudy Tomjanovich: Yeah, you’re absolutely right. I have to admit, I took him for granted in that kind of situation. What he did was truly amazing. And, you know, I’m feeling even luckier when I think about all the obstacles he had to go through to get this stuff done. Joel Blank: So, Coach you grew up in the University of Michigan and all of that, but now you are going to be a legendary son of the city of Houston, Describe the love affair between you and the city of Houston which is pretty amazing. Rudy Tomjanovich: Yeah, it truly is, and I didn’t know what the state of Texas was about before I got here because I was one of those Yankees, you
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know, saying y’all and how’s your mom and them down here? And it was different. But it took a week for me to find out how warm the people in Texas and Houston are. It’s my home. I’ll always be connected there. But I really want to thank the fans for being there for us. You know, we went through Choke City and we still had fans pulling for us. And when we pulled to the airport and there were thousands which surprised the hell out of everybody, it was a feeling I cannot, I don’t have the words and we just couldn’t let those fans down. And when I’m up there, you know, receiving this honor, they are with me, it was a complete community and, you know, just a fantastic experience for me to go through the whole Houston experience. Joel Blank: Well, thank you, buddy. And we’ll have to do this more often. Hit ‘em straight. Take care of the dogs and the family. And again, you’ve done us all proud. Rudy Tomjanovich: Always my pleasure.
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Financial
FOCUS
I
by Nick Ibanez, CFP®
Wealth Advisor, Linscomb & Williams
22 | Mv | July + August 2021
HOW LONG
s $1 million enough to live on? For that matter, how can one know that any amount is “enough?” The answer may surprise you. There are several factors that can determine how long – or how short – $1 million (or any amount for that matter) will actually last. Some studies conclude it’s around 20 years, on average. The real answer? It depends. If not managed properly, a golden nest egg can become a short-lived payday. Despite how long it took you to amass this much, $1 million can disappear very quickly. When determining how much a client needs to retire, our team at Linscomb & Williams looks at several factors. Your Spending Habits As you probably guessed, your spending habits are one of the most important inputs to estimating your probability of financial success. If you can keep your spending under control, your nest egg will last longer. Obviously, the more you spend, the more you’ll need. Further, when you take this money from your retirement plan, the more it costs.. When you withdraw from your retirement accounts, not only are you depleting your reserves from the direct withdrawals themselves, but you are also diminishing the ability to accumulate more investment earnings by selling off some of your capital. Certain spending is necessary. The biggest expenses for retirees are hous-
ing, transportation, and healthcare. For most families, it is not the necessities of spending that create a problem; more often, it is the discretionary decisions about spending. Your city Location, location, location. Like real estate, the value of your $1 million can be greatly affected by where you live. The cost of living you experience in the area where you live and ultimately retire influences your spending, tax picture and your overall savings. A high-cost address can take a serious bite out of your financial longevity. For example, a budget of $50,000 in Atlanta, Georgia, could decrease to $45,407 in Houston, Texas. Cost of living in Houston is lower, allowing your available dollars to go further. These considerations are more important now that employers are increasingly more open to remote work arrangements. Locations such as California or New York can make an even bigger difference, with higher costs for housing alone. Think wisely about the long-term financial ramifications of where you choose to live, especially during retirement. THE LENGTH OF RETIREMENT The general consensus is that the sooner you can retire, the better. That may be true, but this is not necessarily the case for your finances. A longer retirement requires careful financial manage-
WILL $1 MILLION LAST?
ment, and potentially, a larger nest egg. So, while your spending in retirement is very important, the actual length of your retirement is the other side of your spending coin. There are financial planning strategies that can help stretch your money, such as waiting to receive Social Security benefits until later, if you can, or even working a part-time job you enjoy during retirement to give yourself an additional financial cushion. YOUR PLANS FOR YOUR GOLDEN \ YEARS Likely, the most enjoyable part of planning your retirement is deciding how you will spend it. Will you spend quality time with family and friends, simply enjoying the opportunity to live life without work? Or will you
travel the world, checking off destinations as you circle the globe? Although your Golden Years are meant to be enjoyed, this time period can burn through your savings if you’re not careful. Discuss your plans with a financial advisor so your savings adequately reflects the spending associated with your lifestyle goals. YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS No matter what financial trends are occurring or what demographic statistics say, remember that your personal financial situation is unique and specific. A million dollars can seem like a lot or a little, depending on your financial goals. One thing we’ve learned in working with hundreds of families over 50 years is that this planning is not a “one size fits all!”
Are you looking to donate more to charity? Pay for your grandchildren’s higher education? Is your goal to leave a sizable legacy to your family? Each of your goals has important implications for how your funds should be saved and invested, as well as their tax consequences. YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR As you can see, there are a number of considerations to keep in mind when considering your financial longevity. The more money you have, the more you can lose. This can make working with a financial advisor even more important for your financial goals. A financial advisor can take an in-depth look at your goals, needs, financial habits and more to create a plan that maximizes your financial health and ultimately prolongs your asset base. Your spending, investment choices, and retirement and tax planning can have major effects on your nest egg. Having the right relationship with your financial advisor can make that $1 million of yours, or whatever your individual number happens to be, last a very, very long time. Linscomb & Williams is a Houstonbased wealth management firm established in 1971.
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| Mv |23
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