Building a Dream: Houston Unites to Support Affordable Housing and Hope for All Annual Houston Habitat for Humanity Luncheon Honors Joel Deretchin for a Lifetime of Impact

By Francis Page, Jr.

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    October 22, 2025 (Houston Style Magazine) — Saturday, October 18, 2025 (Houston, TX) — Beneath the dazzling chandeliers of The Post Oak Hotel, compassion met action at Houston Habitat for Humanity’s annual Building a Dream Luncheon, where more than 360 civic leaders, philanthropists, and changemakers gathered to advance one mission—making the dream of homeownership a reality for every Houstonian. Guests were welcomed with uplifting music, laughter, and the comforting clink of mimosa glasses as the event celebrated Houston Habitat’s decades-long commitment to building homes, strengthening neighborhoods, and fostering generational stability. Honoring a Visionary: Joel Deretchin This year’s spotlight fell on Joel Deretchin, recipient of the 2025 Carl Umland Award, honoring six decades of visionary service in affordable housing development. From shaping policy to spearheading community initiatives, Deretchin’s work has opened doors—literally and figuratively—for families across Houston and beyond. Inspiration and Innovation The keynote address, delivered by Adrienne Goolsby, Senior Vice President of the U.S. Office and Canada for Habitat for Humanity International, electrified the room. Goolsby underscored the urgency of Houston’s affordable housing challenge, emphasizing the city’s growing demand for starter homes amid a nationwide shortage. Yet her message was one of hope: “Houston Habitat embodies gumption and ambition—the spirit that builds dreams and communities that endure.” The event was emceed by KPRC-TV2’s Danielle Guzman, whose charm guided the program seamlessly. The afternoon was co-chaired by an all-star lineup of women leaders—Crystal Allen (Transwestern), Chenee Franklin (Honeywell), and Paula Musa (Transwestern)—whose passion for community and collaboration mirrored Habitat’s mission. Stories That Build Futures The most emotional moments came as Habitat homeowners and long-time volunteers took the stage, sharing personal stories of resilience and gratitude. Each testimony was a reminder that every nail hammered and wall raised is not just construction—it’s transformation. Notable guests in attendance included Angela Blanchard, Susan Boggio, Gregg Hamson, Leela Krishnamurthy, Connie Kwan-Wong, Mike Nichols, Christie Obiaya, Paul-David Van Atta, Teresa Cox Reading, Jerre Williams, and many others who continue to move Houston forward through service and philanthropy. About Houston Habitat for Humanity Since its founding, Houston Habitat for Humanity has built more than 1,400 homes across 15 neighborhoods, including the Fifth Ward, Clinton Park, Settegast, Sunnyside, and Robins Landing. The organization also leads post-disaster home repairs—having restored over 900 homes since Hurricane Harvey—ensuring that families not only have roofs over their heads but also communities they can thrive in. With every home built and repaired, Houston Habitat continues to prove that the real foundation of Houston is its people—resilient, compassionate, and united in purpose. Houston Style Magazine Salutes the Builders of Hope Houston Style Magazine proudly celebrates organizations like Houston Habitat for Humanity that strengthen the heartbeat of our city. Their work reminds us that progress begins at home—and that every dream deserves a door, a key, and a community ready to open both.

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Nicholas Payton Brings New Orleans Brilliance to Houston for One Night Only Friday, November 14, 2025 | 8:00 PM | Wortham Theater Center’s Cullen Theater

By Francis Page, Jr.

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    October 22, 2025 (Houston Style Magazine) — In a city that thrives on rhythm, soul, and creativity, DACAMERA is set to deliver an unforgettable evening as it presents Grammy Award-winning trumpet virtuoso Nicholas Payton live at the Wortham Theater Center on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 8:00 PM.

Known for redefining the boundaries of jazz, Payton embodies the vibrant heartbeat of New Orleans while infusing his performances with modern funk, soul, and Black American Music. His artistry pays homage to the legends—Louis Armstrong, Buddy Bolden, Al Hirt, Wynton Marsalis—yet fearlessly propels the genre into the future with his innovative sound.

A Legacy Rooted in New Orleans

Born into a family of musicians—his father, Walter Payton, a bassist, and his mother, a pianist—Nicholas Payton was practically raised on stage. Picking up the trumpet at age four, he quickly became a prodigy, practicing for hours a day and performing alongside his father in the city’s famed clubs. That early exposure shaped his distinct musical language—a blend of tradition and fearless experimentation he now calls Postmodern New Orleans Music.

Grammy-Winning Greatness

Payton’s talent has earned him widespread acclaim, including a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo for his collaboration with Doc Cheatham on Stardust. His works like Dear Louis—a tribute to Armstrong—and Sonic Trance have garnered multiple nominations, while his recent features on Terri Lyne Carrington’s Grammy-winning album, “New Standards Vol. 1,” showcase his enduring versatility.

His latest album, Notes from the Zen Gangster, pushes creative boundaries further—Payton plays nearly every instrument himself, weaving layers of trumpet and keyboards into a textured, meditative soundscape.

A Night of Unfiltered Musical Alchemy

For this special Houston performance, Payton will be joined by a powerhouse ensemble: Houston native and Kinder HSPVA graduate Mike Moreno on guitar, Ben Williams on bass, and Corey Fonville on drums. Together, they promise a performance that transcends genres and expectations.

“Come with open hearts and minds ready to engage in a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will all be part of in this room, never to be repeated again,” Payton shares. “The less you come with an expectation, the more enjoyable it will be.”

Tickets & Details

Tickets for the Nicholas Payton Quartet are available at $53.50, $68.50, and $83.50.

Reserve your seat today at dacamera.com or by phone at 713-524-5050.

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Francis Page Jr
fpagejr@gmail.com
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QUESTION OF THE DAY: Will Mizzou football beat Vanderbilt this weekend?

Matthew Sanders

Mizzou football has another big test this weekend on the road.

The No. 15 Tigers will travel to Nashville to face the No. 10 Vanderbilt Commodores. Vanderbilt is usually an also-ran in SEC football, but this year the Commodores have rolled to 6-1 with an explosive offense led by quarterback Diego Pavia.

This is the second time this season that Mizzou has been part of a matchup of two top 15 teams. The first time, Alabama held the Tigers off for the win in Columbia.

Do you think Mizzou can pull off the upset? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Woman bitten by coyote in Bergen County, N.J., police say

By Andrew Ramos, Jesse Zanger

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    New York (WCBS) — A woman was bitten by coyote on Monday afternoon in Bergen County, New Jersey.

It happened at around 1:15 p.m. in the backyard of a home at Woodcrest Drive in Woodcliff Lake, according to police.

The woman, a housekeeper, was bitten on her back and leg while she was out with the family dog. Her injuries are not life-threatening, police said, though she was very shaken up. She was taken to a nearby hospital and given a number of vaccines, and has since returned home.

“This is not very common. It’s the first time in our town,” Woodcliff Lake police Capt. Chad Malloy said.

Surveillance video of the encounter shows the dog and coyote tussling. The coyote was apparently relentless, repeatedly targeting the woman and the dog, a golden retriever.

Animal control also responded to the location.

“If you live near a wooded area, that’s when you’ve got to be more aware of your surroundings, because obviously they lurk in heavily forested areas. Keep pet food inside, don’t leave it outside, your garbage cans locked. Clear any kind of heavy brush that’s in the area, because they like to hide in that. And bird feeders that knock off seeds attract small animals, which attract coyotes,” Malloy said.

Last month, two people in nearby Saddle River were attacked by coyotes. In one of those cases, the coyote tested positive for rabies.

Any residents who see a coyote are urged to call police.

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Suspects accused of stealing more than $1K worth of products from Brookfield Ulta

By WDJT Staff

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    BROOKFIELD, Wis. (WDJT) — Brookfield police are seeking two suspects wanted for retail theft at Ulta.

Authorities say a male and female suspect, believed to be 18-25 years old, took $1,804 worth of products from the store on Bluemound Road around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11.

The female was wearing glasses, a pink headband, pink shirt, and gray sweatpants, according to police, and the male was wearing glasses, a gray hat, brown sweater, and gray pants. They were seen leaving in a green Jeep.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the City of Brookfield Police Department.

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Nicole Buist wins Channel League singles title while Selby/Jaeger take doubles crown

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT). – Down 4-1 in the first set, Santa Barbara High School senior Nicole Buist ripped off five straight games and went on to capture the Channel League Individual Singles title 6-4, 6-3 over Dos Pueblos senior Mel Mayo.

The two players have grown up together playing with and against each other in Southern California tournaments and throughout high school.

(Nicole Buist and Mel Mayo sharing a meal at the age of 6. Courtesy photo).

The San Marcos High School duo of Kate Selby and Tate Jaeger won the Channel League Doubles crown over the Santa Barbara High School team of Lucy Kronberg and Kate Hashbarger 6-1, 6-0.

Buist along with Selby/Jaeger will play next month in the CIF-SS Individual Sectionals.

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CIF-SS girls volleyball first round playoff wrap up: San Marcos and Bishop Diego advance

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -(KEYT) –

CIF-SS Girls Volleyball First Round Playoffs

D2: San Marcos 3, Murrieta Valley 0 (Royals host Rancho Christian on Thursday 6pm)

D2: Thousand Oaks 3, Sage Hill 1 (T.O. hosts JSerra on Thursday 6pm)

D4: Ventura 3, Rancho Cucamonga 0 (Ventura at Yucaipa on Thursday 6pm)

(Sophie Otte had 13 kills and 4 blocks for Bishop Diego. Entenza Design).

D6: Bishop Diego 3, Indio 0 (BD will host Wiseburn DaVinci on Thursday 6pm)

D6: Wiseburn DaVinci 3, Oxnard 0

D8: Foothill Tech 3, University 1 (FT is at Rancho Alamitos on Thursday 6pm)

D8: Wildwood 3, Valley Christian Academy 0

D10: Thacher 3, Lucerne Valley 0 (Thacher is at Edgewood on Thursday 6pm)

D10: San Luis Obispo Classical 3, Desert Chapel 0 (SLO hosts Desert Hot Springs Thursday 6pm)

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UCSB Library hosts “From the Airwaves to Archives”

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT)  The University of California, Santa Barbara is now home to KEYT archives that everyone can see for free.

UCSB hosted a panel discussion entitled, “From Airwaves to Archives: Celebrating the Legacy of Santa Barbara’s Local Television Station.”

Organizers honored longtime videographer Herb Tuyay, who was instrumental in sharing 30,000 hours of footage dating back decades.

Tuyay made a call to UCSB Professor Emeritus Dan Driskel who got the transfer underway prior to the pandemic and his retirement.

“We ended up with everything ’60s, ’70s early ’80s when it went to videotape, this was video tape I think tonight, but there is so much more that goes on in the 16 mm years and we started putting it together in 2016,” said Driskel, referring to a 3 minutes sizzle reel shown to the audience.

News Channel 3-12 General Manager Jim Lemon moderated a panel discussion with former KEYT and CNN anchor/ reporter Paul Vercammen, Senior Reporter John Palminteri and weekend anchor and nightside reporter Tracy Lehr.

Former colleagues in the audience also took part including Paula Lopez, and Michael Bolton.

Numerous local journalists including Jerry Roberts and Lisa Osborne were on hand as well.

University Librarian Todd Grappone helped welcome the guests.

Film and TV Curator Laura Treat Liebhabor talked about the painstaking task of transferring every minute of broadcasting from old tapes.

“So all of the material that we digitize from KEYT archives is available for free to anyone who wants to view them on streaming media,” said Liebhabor.

Jessica Law, the Associate Director of Development at UCSB Library said they are hoping to raise money to keep going as they have a lot of years to cover.

“We’ve already sunk a lot of our own resources into making sure we get at least 20 percent of the archive digitized, so that’s where we are moving from out here and how we can continue to help all the different formats that you have available at KEYT to digitize those,” said Law.

People who have been interviewed or played sports that KEYT covered can look for themselves in many of the clips.

For a link to the video dating back decades search KEYT Television News Tape Library by visiting https://library.ucsb.edu

 

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Oregon SNAP recipients face uncertainty as government shutdown looms 

Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. {KTVZ} — More than 750,000 Oregonians who receive food assistance through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could see their benefits halted by the end of October if the federal government shutdown continues, Governor Tina Kotek warned this week. 

According to Governor Kotek, Oregon’s SNAP recipients include over 200,000 children and 130,000 residents aged 65 and older. The governor said that if the shutdown extends beyond October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be unable to fund November’s payments, leaving families without critical food assistance until the government reopens. 

In a statement shared on social media, Representative Emerson Levy highlighted the impact at the local level: “15,494 households in Deschutes County depend on SNAP benefits.” 

Governor Kotek placed responsibility for the potential funding lapse on President Trump’s administration, saying: 

“The President continues to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He’s still trying to bring the military into Oregon communities, spending millions every day on unnecessary missions. It’s clear the President’s priorities have nothing to do with the health, safety, and prosperity of American families. Every month, SNAP benefits help roughly one in six Oregonians have something to eat. Your existing EBT funds are safe, but you will not receive a new monthly deposit in November unless the government reopens and can process the benefits.” 

In a separate statement to KTVZ, Representative Jason Kropf criticized the administration’s handling of the situation: 

“The Trump administration is risking a situation that will actively harm our neighbors, especially those in rural communities, rather than pass a funding resolution that keeps Americans from going hungry.” 

Redmond City Councilors Cat Zwicker and Kathryn Osborne also weighed in with a joint statement, emphasizing that food support should not be a political issue: 

“SNAP benefits are not partisan—they serve households across every demographic and community.” 

KTVZ spoke with several homeless individuals in Central Oregon, who declined on-camera interviews but expressed fear about the future of their benefits. They said they were reassured their October funds are secure but remain anxious about what could happen if their SNAP payments stop in November. 

It is important to stay informed by checking the official state and federal resources for updates: 

Oregon Department of Human Services website: oregon.gov/odhs 

Federal SNAP Agency website: fns.usda.gov/snap 

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Community gathers to support 14-year-old hit by DUI driver in critical condition

Shay Lawson

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ)  – 14-year-old Liam Cantu remains in critical condition after police say a drunk driver struck him and another boy earlier this month.

Liam Cantu

We first reported the crash last week. Liam’s friend survived with minor injuries.

Since then, Cantu’s parents said he has been in a medically induced coma for 11 days while doctors monitor his recovery.

“His test is tomorrow,” Jesus Cantu, father said. “We’re hoping for a miracle. We’re hoping that over the last 11 days his brain healed the way it’s supposed to, so we can get a sign that he’s there waiting to wake up.”

Jesus said the past several days have been emotional, and he’s urging individuals to stop drunk driving.

“Don’t don’t do it,” Jesus said. “Get an Uber. It’s going to save you a lot of money in fines, save you the time of going through court… and having to hurt families like Jen and I.”

At La Quinta High School friends, family, coaches and teammates gathering on the baseball field to send messages of hope and support.

“It’s amazing to see everybody come here and gather for my son,” Jennifer Perez, mother, said.

If you’d like to support the Cantu’s family and Liam’s recovery, visit: https://www.givesendgo.com/LiftedInAlmightyMercy?openShareModal=true.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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