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WORTHWHILE CONVERSATIONS
WHAT NOW? WEALTH PLANNING DURING COVID-19…
J. Harold Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®, and Jessica Banitt, CPA, CFP®, discuss wealth planning strategies during uncertain market conditions. DOES THE COVID-19 EXPERIENCE MEAN THAT WEALTH PLANNING IS NOW TOTALLY DIFFERENT? No, not necessarily. Market and economic conditions continue to change, but good wealth planning comes from being consistent in making sound decisions.
HOW CAN YOU MAKE SOUND DECISIONS WHEN THE FUTURE IS SO UNCERTAIN? In nearly 50 years of wealth planning, we have worked with families who can personally recall terribly uncertain conditions. In 1962, the United States and the Soviet Union were staring each other down over nuclear missiles in Cuba and plenty of people felt it could be the end of civilization. In 1974, a sitting U.S. President resigned from office in disgrace and the average citizen’s faith in our government reached an all-time low. There have been times, of course, when the future looked bright. In 2000, we ushered
in a new Millennium amidst great optimism, following a decade that saw the fall of the Iron Curtain and a peace dividend.
SO, WHAT IS YOUR POINT? Certainty or uncertainty about the future is an unreliable basis for building wealth. Ryan Patterson, CFA, CFP®, our Chief Investment Officer, puts it this way: “When everyone is feeling good about the future, the prices of financial assets are higher, reflecting that feeling. When few people feel good, prices are discounted and opportunities are greater.” If you invested in U.S. stocks during the month of the Cuban missile crisis, you were 30% richer one year later. If you put money to work in U.S. stocks during the month Richard Nixon resigned the Presidency, you were 250% richer ten years later. If you waited for the turn of the Millennium to put your money to work in U.S. stocks, you were 35% worse off two years later.
SO -- THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME? Circumstances may change but financial behavior should be disciplined, not reactive. Most families benefit from the coaching of an experienced, 100% fiduciary wealth advisor. That is the model we follow at Linscomb & Williams. We have the credentialled and experienced team ready to sit down and formulate a plan for your success right now, right here.
For more information, or a copy of our Form ADV, Part II, with all of our disclosures, call Grant Williams at 713 840 1000 or visit www.linscomb-williams.com.
Linscomb & Williams is located at 1400 Post Oak Blvd., Ste. 1000 in Houston, TX For more information call 713 840 1000 or visit www.linscomb-williams.com. Linscomb & Williams is not an accounting firm.
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5020 Kelvin Dr. | Houston, TX 77005 | www.villagesouthampton.com
The Story of S ou thampton
Luxury Living for Seniors S
ometimes blessings come in pairs. Such is the case of Bruce and Anita Gilmer, two self-described social butterflies who have been together for 61 years, and thanks to their move to The Village of Southampton in early June this year, they are starting on a new and vibrant journey. Bruce is a retired chemical engineer, and Anita a retired registered nurse. The couple, who are both in their mid-80’s, knew that it was time to downsize and to have a simpler life. However, they were very particular about the quality of their next home. In fact, it took them nearly eight years to finally settle on their top choice and they have never looked back. As Mrs. Gilmer put it, “After months of investigating senior communities, we knew instantly this was the place. It was everything we wanted.” While the array of amenities and being close to their doctors continue to be priorities, it is the warm social interactions and diverse, engaging activities that the Gilmers prize the most. “We have the best food. We have fabulous residents. We have activities that are so much fun!” The young-at-heart Mrs. Gilmer adds, “Don’t forget the snow cone party, it was a scream and there was dancing, and no one wanted the party to end.” Yet, the Gilmers are also practical about their needs. In addition to enjoying easy access to the garage, is the food. Mrs. Gilmer, who has Italian ancestry, pointed out, “They make the best lasagna, and oh, don’t forget the cookies,” adding, “Our glasses are always filled.” As always, it is the little things in life that make a difference, and this holds true for the Gilmers. In fact, they will tell you happiness comes from “not having to clean and cook or taking out the garbage.”
And others can attest to the happiness of the Gilmers. They had caregivers in their previous home and still have them at The Village of Southampton. The caregivers mention, on almost a daily basis, how much happier they are now, stating, “They are always smiling.” Moreover, their children are now the biggest fans because they know their parents are in a safe environment, are being well-taken care of, and most importantly, having a great time. When asked what it means to Live Life Well®, in unison and without missing a beat, the Gilmers responded, “That is what we are doing, we are living better than we ever thought. We never found anywhere else that we wanted to be.” As Steve McAndrew, the executive director at The Village of Southampton exclaimed, “The Gilmers are our blessing, and our glasses are always full because of their presence.” The Village at Southampton offers independent living, assisted living and memory care apartments with high-end features including quartz countertops, open floor plans and individual climate control. There are beautiful community rooms, a gym, and an indoor swimming pool. Activities include yoga, tai chi, and pilates as well as walking groups, book clubs, weekly movie nights, cooking classes, and nightly card and board games. To learn more about The Village of Southampton, please visit our website at www.villagesouthampton.com or call 281886-8944 and schedule a personal tour. The Village at Southampton 5020 Kelvin Drive | Houston, Texas 77005 281.886.8891 | www.villagesouthampton.com
sept + oct 2020
/ september + october 2020
Thomas Woltz’s Designs The Last Page
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10 10
Music Will Go On A New World Order SexTraffickinginHouston COVIDFinancialTakeaways
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ON THE COVER
14
Roya Arfa and her husband Kash Arfa enjoy a morning of cycling at Hershey Park
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8 PUBLISHER’S LETTER 10-13 ARTS + EVENTS 14-16 THOMAS WOLTZ’S CEREBRAL DESIGN
17-19
THE STORY OF ANGEL
20-21
FINANCIAL FOCUS
22
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6 | Mv | September + October 2020
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Publisher’s Letter On My Mind As tears streamed down Willie Nelson’s face on the Jumbotron as he serenaded the crowd with “Always On My Mind”, I wondered why he was crying. It turned out that it most likely was over the recent death of a band member. Little did Willie or the rest of us know that the world was about to change. It was March 12, only a few days after I had attended the rodeo to see one of Texas’ greatest treasures perform. The announcement shot out over the airwaves and internet that the remainder of the rodeo had been canceled. Mayor Turner and the rodeo had agreed to forego the rest of this world-class event to protect the city from the spread of some virus called COVID-19. It reminded me of the feeling I got as a kid the day I heard President Kennedy was shot. What ensued was a city shutdown that caused many businesses to close, gatherings to cease, and lives to drastically change. Today with many lives lost and the unpredictable nature of our lives, Willie’s words from that favorite song ring clear:
“The little things I should have said and done I just never took the time”.
The pandemic still threatens our ability to assemble in large groups and do so many things we enjoy; however, we can now more effectively treat patients and prevent the spread. We also know a few simple protocols of masks and social distancing slow and even stop the spread. We know our numbers in Texas, and the US cases, have slowed and decreased as a result. Despite the suffering, hope springs eternal because that is all there is.
New World As we look ahead, we see a new world order and a reincarnation of some of the old. Drive-in movie theaters are back again due to the closure of indoor theaters. Bicycling has also become a popular choice for many families. While it is evident that much of this virtual world will continue in the future, I welcome returning to life as we knew it pre-COVID. It may be a while before we shake hands again. I will relish the opportunity when it arrives. Remember the abandoned, homeless, unemployed, underemployed, and so many suffering from homelessness due to these unforeseen and uncertain circumstances. We are indeed all in this together. Despite the suffering, hope springs eternal because that is all there is. That evening with Willie Nelson will always be on my mind.
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Fabulous Home in The Estates of Bentwater with 186 feet of water frontage & 196 feet on the signature hole of the highly acclaimed Weiskopt course No. 12.. Fantastic Lake views from every room. Remodeled in 2017. Two master bedrooms, an outside entertaining area with a large pool, new dock, lifts, and remote control boat cover. Beverly Smith | Coldwell Banker Realty | 713-569-2113
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Arts +
EVENTS
Artupdate houston published every two weeks by houstonintown. Go to website and sign up for newsletter to receive free update.
COVID19 Arts Update for Houston
2014 Suffolk | Oak Estates
List Price $1,950,000 | MLS #52003275
Sophisticated design by Winfrey Design Build.This 5,272 SF home features soaring 11' ceilings, reclaimed Arkansas barn wood, first-floor study/casita, and climatized Cava for 294+ bottles of wine. Professional lighting, gourmet kitchen,quartz countertops and 3 Car Garage. New pool with spa, outdoor kitchen, and walk to Highland Village. Mariana Saldana | Keller Williams Realty | 832-338-4040
At this time of year INTOWN Magazine normally would be presenting a detailed update on the upcoming performances schedules of Houston’s premier musical organizations. As we know all too well, however, these are certainly not normal times. There seems to be not one aspect of our collective lives that this pandemic has not impacted. How we (or do not) work, shop, worship, entertain, visit friends, travel, and interact with society in general are just some examples of how we have all been affected. For the time being going to Minute Maid Park, the Toyota Center and NRG Stadium are simply not a possibility. The same is true for our vibrant arts community. The performing venues are dark and, realistically, as with the rest of our lives, the immediate future is unknown. Here is the latest information from our musical presenters for the 20202021 season: Houston Grand Opera
13303 Kingsride | Wilchester
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I spoke recently with Perryn Leech, the Managing Director of Houston Grand Opera. He told me that essentially no live performances are planned until the summer of 2021. “It is quite simply impossible to rehearse and perform before any sized live audience without threatening the safety of all involved.” Like most similarly sized organizations, HGO has reduced its administrative budget by about one third. There will be some digital performances, however, beginning this September. The “Live from the Cullen Recital Series” has been recently announced as well as a “re-envisioned HGO Studio Showcase” televised series with its global streaming partner, HGO is pleased to announce HGO Digital, its all- new program of digital works for the 2020–21 season. Starting in September and extending through April 2021, HGO will release original video content bimonthly for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their homes, free of charge. Programming includes one threeact opera, three one-act operas, three concert events, and a special documentary project on the making of HGO’s world-premiere opera based on the children’s book The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. In addition, HGO Digital will present the Live from the Cullen Recital Series, featuring opera stars Tamara Wilson, Arturo Chacón-Cruz, Reginald Smith Jr., and select HGO Studio artists in the fall 2020 releases. To support the series, Sarah and Ernest Butler, longtime HGO supporters, have made the extraordinarily generous pledge of $1 million to help underwrite HGO Digital programming. The pledge will support both Houston Grand Opera and Austin Opera, creating a strategic partnership between the two Texas companies. For more information, please go to www.houstongrandopera. org 10 | Mv | September + October 2020
Houston Symphony Orchestra
I reached out to Vicky Dominquez, Chief Operating Officer, and Eric Skelly, Director of Communications for HSO. From a recent press release Since canceling the balance of the 20192020 Season and its usual slate of summer performances in early March, the Houston Symphony has been turning out reams of content to keep its audiences connected and entertained during quarantine (www.houstonsymphony.org/listenathome). The Symphony has been continuously performing
live concerts for its audiences via livestream. Beginning in May the Symphony began live-streaming its Living Room Series. Each Friday night, a musician from the Houston Symphony hosted a live-streamed concert from their home. This gave way to Live from Jones Hall, a new series going on now, in which Houston Symphony musicians perform live from the stage of Jones Hall each Saturday night. It’s hosted by Executive Director/CEO/holder of the Margaret Alkek Williams Chair John Mangum, and each program showcases
Houston Symphony musicians, socially distanced onstage, in programs that balance the familiar (e.g.: a Brandenburg concerto from J.S. Bach) with the less familiar (a movement from a Florence Price string quartet). An update on the 2021-2022 season was to be issued after the INTOWN publishing deadline. For updates, go to www.houstonsymphony.org
In these uncertain times, I’m here to guide you home. 1030 Ben Hur Drive Spring Valley 4 Bed | 2.5 Bath | $839,900
Alex Loyd 713.851.2521 alex.loyd@compass.com Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.
Houston Ballet
Houston Ballet’s Public Relations Manager, Jacalyn Lawton, provided INTOWN with its latest information. Due to the ongoing pandemic and recovery forecasting, the schedule for Houston Ballet’s fall in-theater performances has changed. Season package repertories, Love Letters (September 11-20, 2020) and Mayerling (September 24 – October 4, 2020) will not be held in person during their regularly scheduled times. Subscribers will receive fulfillment for this portion of their investment via to be determined digital fall programs and/or rescheduled in-person performances in 2021. The Nutcracker (November 27 – December 27, 2020), which generates $5 million in revenue, will not be performed as planned. The organization hopes to hold its first in-theater performance with the Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance on December 4, followed by a limited number of performances of a holiday special. Subscribers will receive more information about these changes via email. The nonprofit, which lost $1.3 million in revenue over three canceled ticketed produc-
12 | Mv | September + October 2020
tions alone, filled the remainder of its canceled 2019-2020 season with an abundance of digital content. It upheld its promise to season subscribers and single ticket holders through Brunch with Houston Ballet, delivering exclusive on-demand videos of 16 previously recorded ballets. HB at Home, a social media series of videos, welcomed viewers daily to new dancer generated content. The well-established Dance Talks lecture series reached new audiences through digital Zoom
conversations entitled After the Curtain Falls and The Dancer Perspective. “We are not finished creating,” says Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch. “We’ve demonstrated that time and time again. While the future is uncertain, this is not. We can and will bring high-quality art to this city through dance, whether you see it from the house of a theater or your living room couch.” Houston Ballet’s staff members are dili-
Houston Civic Symphony
President Al Thomas advises that they have suspended rehearsals and concerts through the end of the calendar year. They are hoping that their first performance will be in March, 2021, where their Young Artists winner perform. For update, please go to www.civicsymphony.org Houston Brass Band
gently preparing solutions for multiple scenarios in a reimagined 2020-2021 season. They hope to know more in the coming months about alternative programming, after further discussions with artists unions and healthcare partners. For updates, please go to www.houstonballet.org River Oaks Chamber Orchestra
I discussed ROCO with Alecia Lawyer, Founder and Artistic Director, and she said
that ROCO will move forward with the 2020-2021 season this fall and will perform only as live-streams, not to an in-person audience. ROCO has already been live-streaming for over seven years. The ROCO Gala, normally held after the first concert, will be a virtual event on September 25, 2020 with live performances streamed and meals by one of Houston’s leading chefs, Robert Del Grande, delivering gourmet meals to each home. For updates, please go to www.roco.org
.. ..
Artistic Director, Bob Walp, told me that the members are meeting via ZOOM post the INTOWN deadline to determine their collective ideas of the coming season. He also mentioned that the annual Middle School and High School young musicians competitions will be held during the year. The Middle School contestants will be judged by members of HBB, and the High School students will, as usual, be judged by the brass players of the Houston Symphony. For updates, please to to www.houstonbrassband.org
..
Private Luxury in The Villages
Michelle Hinton REALTOR
832.795.2246 michelle@hintonhometeam.com hintonhometeam.com
1229 Ridgeley Dr. Hilshire Village | 5 Bed | 5.5 Bath | 5,283 SqFt | 16,960 Lot 1229Ridgeley.com
September + October 2020
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Reflecting Pool with Barnett Newman’s Sculpture, “Broken Obelisk”
Photo: Savannah Holly
Landscape Architect Thomas Woltz’s Cerebral Design at Rothko Chapel By Virginia Billeaud Anderson
R
othko could be high minded. He dumped his gallerist Sidney Janis because Janis represented that twerp Warhol. And he butted heads with architect Philip Johnson over the Rothko Chapel’s design. Rothko’s need to control his paintings’ presentation caused Johnson to depart the project. Why uptight? As a philosopher priest of the Abstract Expressionist movement, Rothko believed art’s dead serious purpose was to transform the viewer, and evoke transcendence and the sublime. For John and Dominique de Menil’s chapel commission, he painted encompassing abstractions with large expanses of color which direct the viewer inward. Fifty years after it opened, the Rothko Chapel is undergoing a $30 million renovation and expansion to continue its mission as a meditative space which is also a venue for cultural and philosophical exchanges on themes such as social justice, in which the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela participated. Landscape architect Thomas Woltz is fanciful shellac on the chapel’s expansion. Described as visionary, Woltz’s green spaces straddle an ambitious master plan. It prioritized repairing the building, to keep the art safe, one clue to the art’s val14 | Mv | September + October 2020
Nelson Byrd Woltz served as the lead design firm for the Master Plan and the Eastern Glades project at Memorial Park. Pictured, the Hines Lake and wetlands
ue is an insane auction sale price of $86.9 million. It rejiggered the skylight (Rothko forbade spot lights), so evenly distributed light reveals tonal variations, and enhances the sanctuary’s atmosphere. The plan also includes a visitors’ welcome center with gift shop and bookstore, an admin office, archives building, and a program and lecture center, unified by a courtyard. You can learn a lot about Woltz from his other gigs. After being assailed by Hurricane Ike and a scorching drought, Memorial Park was a mess. Woltz designed a 10-year master plan to restore and revitalize the park. His plan required meticulous research into the land’s natural ecology, he dug into hydrology, into geology, wildlife, as well as public opinion, about 3500 Houstonians “weighed-in” on subjects like bathrooms. Key is to remove non-native invasive species, reforest, and reintroduce native plants so the park’s coastal plains, Post Oak savannah and Piney Woods remain resilient for centuries. His master plan’s “inaugural” phase, Eastern Glades, opened in July. It turned 100 acres of previously inaccessible land with geologic features that naturally trapped water into a lake and wetlands with walkways. A 30-foot land bridge to take pedestrians over Memorial Drive opens in 2022. Equally important, Woltz researched the park’s history and culture to discover its “narratives,” for instance, archaeological findings revealed land use by Native American hunters, and by early settler cattlemen. The historical fact that World War I soldiers trained on the land before going to France where many perished, thus the park’s name, inspired Woltz to design a 90-acre “Memorial Groves” tribute to the dead. Scientific and cultural investigations drove his work at HudSeptember + October 2020
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Architectural Renderings: Above, Visitors Center Offices Archives Auditorium Courtyard from Rothko Chapel website. Below, Meditation Garden, for completion 2023
son Yards, the largest public space built in Manhattan in a century. Its gardens and pathways with reintroduced Hudson River native plants transform a godforsaken hole with operating trains, into human space. Woltz’s ecological restoration of the Maori’s New Zealand farmlands, devastated by deforestation, erosion and overgrazing, resulted in the return of wildlife. To rebuild the Maori’s sacred burial ground, he reflected on their belief that spirit is in the plants, water, soil, and stones, and designed a ceremonial land bridge at their cemetery. One wonders however if the sculpture garden he built for the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice entertains the narrative thread of Peggy sprawled naked on her palazzo roof. Additional facts. Woltz was born on a tobacco and cattle farm near the Blue Ridge Mountains in rural Virginia. His University of Virginia professor Warren Byrd brought him into his firm, Nelson Byrd Woltz. Today Woltz (b. 1968) owns the firm. He has offices in Charlottesville, Virginia and New York, with field offices in Houston and Melbourne. He’s quick to say he couldn’t do what he does without his staff and collaborators, “extraordinary minds,” and “the most important asset in my life,” from varied disciplines, including anthropology and philosophy. A lightbulb moment was when a teacher said his design “sucked” because he had insufficient knowledge about the people
16 | Mv |September + October 2020
Green Space with Garden Bench
who would use the space. Pivotal, he observed human use of piazzas and gardens while working for an architectural firm in Italy. This significantly expanded his definition of landscape. Not for him, the stale piety of pattern making. Authenticity, Woltz told a Harvard lecture audience, should be his profession’s highest principle. It is a landscape architect’s duty, “moral obligation,” to learn the land’s historical and cultural story. Narrative is as crucial to design as scientific and ecological investigations.
But not at the chapel. Rather than narrative, Woltz told “Intown,” his design reinforces the experience Rothko tried to express. Communing with the paintings, Woltz went from being transported to “slammed with blazing sun and Houston heat.” He reminds us that Rothko never had the chance to see the finished chapel, and experience his vision. “He tried to replicate the quality of light in his New York studio, but couldn’t fully anticipate the Houston experience. To borrow a phrase from our architectural collaborators, Architecture Research Office, the work is somewhat of a ‘posthumous collaboration’ between designers and Rothko.” The new outdoor spaces, with the same meditative and reflective qualities as the chapel, serve Rothko’s vision. A plaza with garden benches connects the chapel with the reflecting pool that holds Barnett Newman’s sculpture “Broken Obelisk.” While the Holly trees that tower over it and provide shade and comfort and invite reflection appear mature, the nearby multi-stemmed River Birchs that enclose meditative spaces are in “hair transplant phase” (Woltz’s term). Might take a few years for the new plants to look as formidable as the site’s native live oaks. The meditation garden west of the chapel will open in 2023. All said, not everyone gives a damn about contemplating the Absolute. Expect some to unleash dogs to splash in the reflecting pool and cause a ruckus.
IS HOUSTON A SEX TRAFFICKING MECCA?
From High School Honor Roll to Now Trafficked on Bissonnet -The Story of Angel How Angel Entered the Underworld of Human Sex Trafficking
T
By Jamie Winston
o protect her identity and that of her family, we use the name Angel, her street name. Angel grew up in Katy, TX, where she regularly attended church, was an honor roll student and held a normal after school job. She lived in a nice middle-class neighborhood, had a good group of friends, and one day her life changed. Angel’s parents noticed she wasn’t hanging out with her regular friend group, didn’t talk to them as much, became withdrawn and moody, and didn’t seem interested in the things she used to enjoy her parents chalked up to teenage angst. What they would later find was that Angel was grooming
for sex trafficking. The new friends, the new boyfriend, her lack of interest in her “old life” were all subtle signs that their daughter was entering a very dark underworld that they never dreamed would ever reach their quiet suburban neighborhood. For Angel and many others like her, it all started with a friend from her church. This friend would introduce her to a whole new friend group and have her fall into a world that she never knew existed. Traffickers have learned that parents who take their children to church tend to be stricter when it comes to things like social media, drinking, staying out late,
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and overall setting rules and boundaries to protect their children. They have learned to use that kind of information to manipulate and prey on young, innocent girls. They know these girls are sheltered, and they use a teen girl’s natural desire to rebel to reel them in. These things alone aren’t enough, though; there is one additional element to make the girl a “good target.” She must have a vulnerability. Angel’s exposure started when her nephews left the family’s home with her sister. When Angel’s friend heard that she was sad and struggling with her nephews’ absence, she invited Angel to a party. At that party, Angel, who was already vulnerable, was introduced to even more new friends in their twenties. She is exposed to alcohol and marijuana for the first time. Her mom believes very strongly she was sexually assaulted that night. From that point forward, Angel started using drugs more frequently, and soon after, began experimenting with harder drugs like ecstasy and Meth. Once the groomers were able to get her addicted,
they had full control. The average age a teen enters the sex trade in the US is 12 to 14 years old. Many victims are runaway girls who have been sexually abused as children.[1] One early morning in October, her parents discovered Angel had not come home the previous night. They were concerned but thought she had stayed at a friend’s house and would go to school from there. They worried when Angel, who had just turned 18, hadn’t turned up at school and didn’t have her phone and found out about the drug use. Her parents turned to social media to plead for help in finding their daughter. It was through that outcry that they would learn more about what Angel’s life had become. Some of Angel’s old friends came forward and spoke up about new friends and a new boyfriend. They shared pictures from her Snapchat and showed that Angel was in a motel in Westchase, an area not far from Bissonnet, with a strip of cheap motels frequently used by traffickers. Angel was literally in the lion’s den.
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It would be 21 days before Angel is located for the first time. She had been dumped out of a car, beaten, bruised, twenty pounds lighter, and incoherent. The police called her parents, who rushed to see her. Angel went to the Emergency Room for a Sexual Assault Nurse Exam (SANE). She was able to tell her parents that the boyfriend she thought she could trust had forced her out on the streets and into a life of prostitution. On Bissonnet, Angel was picked up by a man who had spent the last few months raping prostitutes. He held Angel in his apartment for two days, repeatedly sedating her with drugs, and brutally raped and beat her. Angel’s parents could get her into rehab at a local facility with excellent credentials from the hospital. They thought this was the end, and that their daughter was finally free of this life, but they had no way of knowing what would happen next. Ten days into treatment, Angel’s realized her friend from rehab was the girl from church who had made the original introduction to the man who would later
become Angel’s pimp. She was getting out that day and was able to convince Angel to go back to her traffickers. As an 18-year old, Angel could not be held against her will, and the facility let her leave, and so the search for Angel continued. Angel was spotted on Bissonnet, near the Sam Houston Tollway and Highway 59, in an area known as the “Track” or the “Strip,” a well-known hotspot for prostitution in Houston for decades. Angel’s Dad was called with the information and immediately found Angel in a gas station, and when she approached him, she wasn’t shocked at seeing who it was because he was always tracking her down. He was able to keep her there until the police could arrive; they put Angel in the back of the car, but because she wasn’t breaking any laws, they too had to let her go. Unfortunately, this is the story of so many young girls being lured from their homes and introduced to the dark web and human sex trafficking underworld. Human trafficking earns global prof-
its of roughly $150 billion a year for traffickers, $99 billion from commercial sexual exploitation.[2] In 2018, The National Human Trafficking Hotline received more calls from California than any other state in the US, followed by Texas and Florida. (To contact the Human Trafficking Hotline: call 1-888-373-7888, text 233733, or chat online.)[3] 1. “Human Trafficking Within and into the United States: A Review of the Literature.” Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Accessed July 31, 2019, https://aspe.hhs.gov/report/human-trafficking-and-within-united-states-review-literature#Trafficking. 2. “Human Trafficking by the Numbers.” Human Rights First. Accessed July 31, 2019. https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/ resource/human-trafficking-numbers. 3. “Hotline Statistics.” The National Human Trafficking Hotline. Accessed July 31, 2019. https://humantraffickinghotline.org/states.
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10497 Town and Country Way | Suite 120 | Houston, TX 77024 281.747.7850 | www.allegiancetitle.com September + October 2020
| Mv |19
FINANCIAL FOCUS
e m i T e h t n i Fraud 9 1 D I V of CO
A
s if navigating the difficulties that COVID-19 has thrown in our way isn’t enough, now law enforcement is reporting that identity and financial fraud is again on the rise with scams that specifically exploit fears and uncertainties about the pandemic.
By Robert May Assistant Vice President Frost Commercial Banking
20 | Mv | September + October 2020
Fraud, of course, is not new, but opportunistic criminals are constantly reinventing old schemes to fit new and changing circumstances, and the COVID-19 pandemic has spawned dozens. Although most of us are aware that identity and financial fraud exists and likely make an effort to stay vigilant, it seems that no one is immune, regardless of age, education, income or geography. Scams inspired by COVID-19 run the gamut, from phishing and spoofing that help criminals illegally obtain personal and financial information from you by masking their own identity, to charity scams, medical and health-related scams, and even fraudulent schemes connected to government stimulus payments. During a time when it is particularly important to be good caretakers of personal and financial information and resources, the U.S. Justice Department has issued some guidance on protecting yourself, including these important reminders. • Be aware of bogus websites. Crimi-
nals often use a web address which looks almost identical to the legitimate one (for example, “xyz.org” instead of “xyz. com”) to request information or solicit money. • Do not click on email links or open email attachments which you were not expecting to receive or which come from an unknown sender. • Be wary of unsolicited emails offering medical equipment or COVID-19-related tests, or requesting your personal information for medical purposes. Legitimate health authorities do not normally contact the general public in this manner. • Independently verify any company or individual offering products or services before doing business with them. Likewise, research any charitable organization claiming it helps pandemic victims before you donate money • Be wary if asked to make a payment to a bank account located in country that is different than a company’s stated location.
• Be wary of unsolicited telephone calls and e-mails from individuals claiming to be IRS and Treasury employees. Remember that the IRS’s first form of communication is by mail, not by phone. • If you think you are a victim of fraud, contact local law enforcement immediately. Depending on the type of fraud, you may also need to quickly alert your bank, credit card company or other appropriate organizations.
Would you like to talk to a financial professional? Contact Robert May at 713.388.7821 or Robert.May@frostbank.com. Investment and insurance products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed, and may lose value. Brokerage services offered through Frost Brokerage Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, and investment advisory services offered through Frost Investment Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Both companies are subsidiaries of Frost Bank. Investment management services, financial planning and trust services are offered through Frost Wealth Advisors of Frost Bank. Additionally, insurance products are offered through Frost Insurance. Deposit and loan products are offered through Frost Bank, Member FDIC. Frost does not provide legal or tax advice. Please seek legal or tax advice from legal and/or tax professionals.
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The Last
PAGE
Gerald D. Hines 1925 - 2020
H
ines is a legendary figure whose story and the multitude of buildings he created, remain synonymous with Houston. He arrived in Houston in 1948, a time when the city was bursting at the seams with a bustling port and big oil. The privately owned Hines real-estate company operates in 100 cities worldwide with offices in 17 countries and has built, acquired or managed more than 1,000 properties from Houston to Hong Kong. While Hines is synonymous with the shopping mecca The Galleria, he opened in 1970, he and his company are also responsible for the downtown Shell Oil Company headquarters, 22 | Mv | September + October 2020
Pennzoil Place and the Williams Tower (the former Transco Tower), just to name a few. In 2004 Hines became the first real estate firm to ever be recognized with the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award. The Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park, an iconic 2.77-acre greenspace at the foot of the Williams Tower, has long been a well-loved spot of tranquility. Hines sold the property to the city below market value, ensuring that the space will be preserved as a public park for generations. While he spent a lot of his later years in London Hines exclaimed, “Houston will always be home.”
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Sheri Menegaz sheri_m_77459@yahoo.com 832-444-8669
Claudia Buckalew claudia@kw.com 713-805-1465
Genevieve Rowland genevieve@ rowland-properties.com 281-904-7014
Tara Kordula Anderson tarakordula@gmail.com 713-202-4101
Kathlyn Curtis kat@whyilovehouston.com 713-376-3011
Julia & Travis Nichols travis@nicholsregroup.com 713-899-7993
Ellen Harrington EHarrington@kw.com 713-302-5776
James Selig james@theseliggroup.com 409-256-1274
Konrad Molski KonradAdam@KW.com 832-770-7000
Lisa Ritchie lisa@theritchiegroup.net 713-203-0192
Jennifer Larsen jlarsen@swbell.net 713-724-2844
Jen Tran jentran@kw.com 832-646-2674
Cheryl & Kevin Bell teambellsells@kw.com 214-763-2762
Keller Williams Memorial 950 Corbindale Rd #100, Houston, TX 77024 Phone: (833) 533-6400 Fax: (713) 467-6226
