Voice of Community-Minded People since 1976 Jan. 7, 2010 E-mail: [email protected] www.southbeltleader.com Vol. 34, No. 48 Leader says thanks The South Belt-Ellington Leader would like to thank all of the members of the com- munity who made its 27th annual Christmas Leader remembers highlights of 2009 program a huge success. Schools participating in this year’s event Another year has passed, and the Leader staff tions throughout the United States. suspected. Almost all of the team’s equipment male passenger riding with Almendarez was not include Frazier and Moore elementary schools, would like to take this opportunity to refl ect on Jan. 15 stored in the container was destroyed, including injured. Melillo Middle School, Thompson and Beverly some of the more signifi cant stories of 2009. Highland Meadow resident Homero Rosales fi eld equipment, football equipment and drill A police chase, in which a woman allegedly Hills intermediate schools and Dobie High Due to space limitations, the year in review Jr. was killed Saturday, Jan. 10, after his car was team equipment. stole a deputy constable’s squad car, began on School. Additional help came from Gordon will be continued in next week’s edition. Section struck by another vehicle fl eeing from police Jan. 22 Beltway 8 near Blackhawk and ended on I-10 and Pat Berg of Action Ministries and Rene B includes the sports year in review. in East Houston. Houston police were chasing Houston City Councilmember Mike Sullivan near Wayside Wednesday, Jan. 14, with the driv- Guererro from the Toys for Tots Foundation Jan. 8 Frank Anthony Marron, 17, who was driving hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday, Jan. er crashing into three other vehicles and criti- and numerous individual donors. Brandon Nguyen was the fi rst baby born in a stolen black Ford F-350, shortly before noon 20, to celebrate the completion of road repair cally injuring two teenagers. The incident began A special thanks goes to Sandy Robb and 2009 at Children’s Memorial Hermann South- when he sped through a yield sign at South 79th work done on Edgebrook. The 22-month City of shortly before 10 p.m. when a deputy from the daughter Stacey Waugh who selflessly donat- east, a service of Memorial Hermann South- and Elwood near Harrisburg and smashed into Houston project involved repairing all four lanes Harris County Precinct 7 Constable’s offi ce was ed hours of their time. east Hospital. Nguyen is the son of South Belt Rosales’ blue Ford Expedition, causing it to on the street, installing new drains and widening dispatched to fi nd out why the woman’s car was residents Chan Quach and Jim Nguyen. The crash into a tree. Rosales, 41, was pronounced the sidewalks from the Gulf Freeway to High- blocking an eastbound lane of the tollway. The AARP to meet Jan. 8 baby was delivered at 1:01 a.m., weighed in at dead at the scene. Rosales’ passenger, Maurillo way 3. Freeway Manor Civic Club President driver, Catrinna J. Miller, 23, reportedly refused 6 pounds and 3 ounces and was 19.5 inches in Alvarado, 53, was injured in the collision and James Muecke was instrumental in getting the to speak or even look at the deputy. The deputy, The South Belt AARP will meet Friday, length. taken to Ben Taub General Hospital. repair work done. whose name was not released, approached Mill- Jan. 8, at 10 a.m. at EL Franco Lee Community Mary A. Cross, M.D., was elected chief of Marron was charged with felony murder with Harris County Precinct 2 Constable depu- er’s car and knocked repeatedly on her window Center, 9400 Hall Road. The entertainment staff at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital bail set at $100,000. He was already on probation ties Dwayne Pacifi co and Jason Curry stopped a to gain her attention. When she did not respond, will be provided by vocalist Reggie Clemons. by her physician peers. She succeeded Dr. Mi- in the juvenile system and had been convicted of driver Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Scarsdale and Beamer he opened the car’s door and grabbed Miller’s All seniors are invited. chael Warneke, who served from Jan. 1, 2006, to several crimes, including car theft. Rosales was a who matched the description of someone who shoulder and turned her to face him. Dec. 31, 2008. In addition to her position at the 23-year employee at the Houston Chronicle. He had brandished a handgun at someone in the Miller told the deputy she was out of gas. The Library events scheduled hospital, Cross is also in private practice at Me- leaves behind his wife of 17 years, Lydia Rosa- area. Upon searching the vehicle, the deputies deputy then stepped away from the vehicle to call The following events are scheduled for the morial Hermann Medical Group in Pearland, a les. The couple have two children, Omar Rosa- found $15,000 in counterfeit $50 bills and $100 a wrecker as Miller attempted to run for the of- Parker Williams Library, 10851 Scarsdale: physician-led subsidiary of Memorial Hermann les, 16, and Erica Rosales, 13. bills. The deputies also found a .38 caliber pistol fi cer’s patrol car. Authorities say the deputy then Game Day will be Thursday, Jan. 7, at 4 Healthcare System. A graduate of Northwest The Southbelt Dolphins football team’s stor- in the car. Suspects, Gerald Freeman and John tried to stop Miller, leading to a brawl between p.m. Play board games and more. Missouri State University, Cross received her age container at Blackhawk Park caught fi re Waldon, were both subsequently arrested. Free- the two. Miller, who stands 5 feet 7 inches tall Get a jump start on a New Year’s resolution medical degree from the University of Missouri- Monday, Jan. 5. The Houston Fire Department man, 34, was charged with possession of coun- and weighs 285 pounds, was able to break free by joining the Southbelt Slimdown. Learn Columbia. After completing an internship at the was dispatched to the scene, but the fi re had al- terfeit money. Waldon, 38, was charged with from the deputy and run to his vehicle, which ways to exercise properly, monitor eating pat- U.S. Public Health Service Hospital in New Or- ready been extinguished by a park employee. possession of counterfeit money and possession was already running. The deputy hit Miller over terns, and develop a meal plan in this three- leans, Cross spent the next four years with the According to fi re department offi cials, the fi re of an illegal weapon by a felon. the head with his fl ashlight and tried to pull her part series on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to federal government, assigned to various loca- had spread from a nearby dumpster. Arson is not South Belt resident Usebio Almendarez was out of his car, but she continued to struggle, try- noon, starting Jan. 9. Call the library at 281- killed in a single-vehicle accident in the 12500 ing to pull his pistol out of his holster. While the 484-2036 for more information. block of the Gulf Freeway Thursday, Jan. 15. Al- deputy was able to hold on to his gun, Miller Workforce Solutions will host six free job mendarez, 25, was southbound on the freeway managed to escape in his car. search seminars on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. in a gold Cadillac Escalade at about 11:40 p.m. A chase ensued through Pasadena and east to noon, starting Jan. 13 with a lesson on cre- 1st 2010 South when he exited at Fuqua and lost control of the Houston until Miller crashed into a Chevrolet ating resumes. Call for information. sport utility vehicle, police said. The Escalade Lumina, a Volkswagen Beetle and an 18-wheel- Movie Madness will be Thursday, Jan. 14 Belt baby also hit a curb, rolled over and partially ejected Al- er. The injured teenage boys, whose identities at 4 p.m. Call the library for feature title. mendarez. He was taken to Ben Taub General and ages were not released, were in the Lumina. Family storytime is Tuesday at 7 p.m. Pre- Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A fe- Continued on Page 2A schooler storytime is Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. 1st in city Toddler time is Thursday at 10 and 11:15 a.m. Nathaniel Allan Pipho was born at 12:12 a.m. Jan. 1 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital Gillum dies in auto accident K of C holds blood drive in the Medical Center, making him the first The first blood drive of the new year will be baby in Houston. At birth, the infant weighed Former Dobie student Macy Metcalf Gillum said. “She held by the Knights of Columbus in the social 5 pounds, 7 ounces. Pipho is the son of died Thursday, Dec. 31, from injuries she suf- was a hall at St. Luke’s Catholic Church on Sunday, South Belt residents David and Tammy fered the previous day after being involved in a leader on Jan. 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For informa- Pipho. The child’s mother attended Frazier traffi c accident in the 11300 block of Beamer. and off the tion, call John Urdiales at 713-991-1425. Elementary, Thompson Intermediate and According to Houston Police Department of- court.” Dobie High School, graduating in 1988. The fi cials, Gillum was trav- Gil- Softball registration held child’s father attended Concordia Lutheran eling north at 11 p.m.