WHCA Constable Patrol Activity Report - December 2024 /  by Michael Graves

By Beth Sorenson

If you are already registered as a WHCA Constable Patrol member, thank you for supporting this service. If you are not, we invite you to join by clicking the button below and help make Woodland Heights a safer community.

For December 2024, the Constable Patrol reported the following activity.

Have you had a positive experience with our Constable that made a difference in your life or the safety of our community? We want to hear about it! Whether it was help during an emergency, assistance with a concern, or simply their presence making you feel secure, your stories matter.

Please share your story with us by emailing security@woodland-heights.org. Your experiences help highlight the important role the Constable plays in keeping Woodland Heights safe and thriving.

Thank you for taking the time to share your gratitude and support!

Snow Day! Snow Day! /  by Woodland Heights Civic Association

A once-in-a-lifetime event – measurable snowfall in Houston, Texas. That is what we’ve just experienced, and hopefully, it was a good experience for everyone. Some dates to consider as you put January 21, 2025 down in your family history books for telling tales about when you experienced snow in Houston. For a really interesting article Houston’s Great Snow of 1895 visit  Space City Weather.  

Historic Houston Snow Dates (Houston Public Media)

  • Feb. 14, 1895 — 20 inches (This was before the NWS began keeping records, but multiple newspapers from the time reported 20 inches of snow in the area, according to Space City Weather.)

  • Jan. 22, 1940 — 3 inches

  • Feb. 12, 1960 — 3 inches

  • Jan. 30, 1949 — 2.6 inches

  • Dec. 23, 1929 — 2.5 inches

  • Jan. 12, 1973 — 2 inches

  • Dec. 22, 1989 — 1.7 inches

  • Feb. 2, 1980 — 1.4 inches

  • Dec. 10, 2008 — 1.4 inches

With afternoon temperatures well above freezing, and even some sun, the snow has been melting. All the resulting water will be transformed into nice, smooth ice by the hard freeze expected overnight tonight. This has the potential to make Wednesday morning very dangerous on the roads.  

Yard of the Month - 1101 Highland /  by Michael Graves

Jane Nelson and Deb Richardson have lived at 1101 Highland Street since May 1991. They enjoy sitting on their front porch when the weather is good so they can see their front porch and greet neighbors who pass by.

Their garden includes sage, Burford hollies, planted soon after they moved in in 1991, hawthorns, foxtail ferns, dwarf azalea, esperanza, an orange tree that has never given us oranges, amaryllis, liriope edges the beds, and wedelia, which keeps their front easement full of yellow flowers when it's in bloom.

The Amarillys and Oaks on their property hold a special place in Jane and Deb's hearts.

"Our amaryllis plants are from bulbs obtained from Deb's late mother's yard in the early 90s. The amaryllis bloom in the spring each year and have remained prolific in bulb production, so we have been able to pass along bulbs to friends and family."

The Oaks date back a century to the original home's owner. "One great feature of our yard is the stately oaks on the east side along Norhill. We had the good fortune to meet the granddaughter of our home's original owner, who planted the oaks back 100 years ago!"

With the help of a gardener, their yard provides continuous enjoyment for the couple.

"We see bees, butterflies, lizards and squirrels. The squirrels typically ensure that we never have red berries on our hollies. We love ixoras and have tried repeatedly to plant them. Unfortunately, they proved too tropical for our care and were repeatedly killed by freezes. Currently, we have chosen hardier plants, such as the hawthorns and wedelia, as recommended by our gardener."

Deb continued, "We're not at all proficient! Jane's late mother was a Montgomery County Master Gardener who advised us on plant selection and care. Now, however, primary credit goes to our gardener, Hector Rodriguez, who visits every other week."

Deb likes being outdoors and puttering in the yard/garden. Jane enjoys looking at the garden. Deb spends a few hours weekly keeping the yard looking neat. It is maintained primarily by Hector.

"Our current inspiration is a mix of choosing beauty and hardiness! Our favorite plants are the amaryllis because they connect to our loved late mother/ mother-in-law and our past."

Deb concludes by saying, "Being chosen as YOM is a lovely recognition! We're pleased to have been asked!"

New Year Resolutions /  by Michael Graves

As we embark upon yet another trip around old Sol, I'm casting a quick look over my shoulder at the recent past and trying to imagine goals for the Woodland Heights Civic Association's future.

With much effort by many people, we did (I think) a good job with Lights in the Heights 2024. Everyone on the committees involved worked very hard. We worked to spread the effort amongst a larger group than usual. That meant there were some new people involved. I'd like to recognize those who are new or taking on new tasks.

Relatively late in the year, Alyssa Holub took over handling LITH/WHCA merchandise. While the transition was a little uneven, we did sell out of cloisonné ornaments, and almost everything was delivered before the holidays. (True story: I can recall going to Jan Greer's house to pick up our ornament late in January one year!)

In addition to the committees, the WHCA board was more directly involved than in recent years. I would especially like to thank Stephanie Frey for taking on the challenge of coordinating bands and porches. Stephanie truly stepped up to fill a notable hole and did an excellent job. In so doing, she documented the process so we have a good grasp of the task in the future.

Finally, a new committee was created to seek out new sponsors for the event. This resulted in sponsorship by "The White Oak Entertainment District," which is the name we gave to a collection of bars and restaurants along White Oak near Studewood. They became our partners, offering the LITH crowd somewhere to go when the event wound down at 9 p.m.

That effort came together quite late in the planning process. Next year, with this new partnership already established, we’re hopeful that it will be even more fruitful.

While the final numbers are not yet tallied, it looks like Lights in the Heights may be close to break-even this year. If so, that reverses a COVID-era trend that was simply unsustainable.

Looking ahead, we can see a busy time. There are many new issues before us, some pressing, others still off on the horizon. There are definitely changes coming to the Constable Patrol Program.

There are several improvements to infrastructure planned for the coming year. Some of these were detailed in the last printed newsletter.

It won’t be long before we need to elect a new members to the WHCA Board. By design, half of the board is elected each year. This presents an opportunity for those who have an interest in what goes on in the neighborhood to take an active role in directing those efforts.

There are also larger structural matters in play. The WHCA board is working on a revision of our bylaws to clarify and adjust some areas which may be outdated from when the bylaws were last addressed. Further, we may have an opportunity to restructure in a way that will change our tax status. That has the potential to make fund raising considerably easier.

Our neighbors to the west, the Houston Heights Association, are reportedly working on the creation of a new “Greater Heights Management District.” This has the potential to impact all the neighborhoods in Super Neighborhood 15, including Woodland Heights. We don’t know much about it as yet, but we’ll surely being tracking their progress very closely.

There’s just so much potential that remains untapped. There’s much to be done. Won’t you come join us? It’s going to be fun.

Lights in the Heights 2024 Winners /  by Michael Graves

November WHCA Newsletter: Lights in the Heights and so much more! /  by Michael Graves

The November 2024 edition of the WHCA newsletter is a printed issue. A troop of volunteers is hand delivering one to every home in the neighborhood this week. We do this to ensure that everyone knows all the details about Lights in the Heights 2024.

But that’s not all it contains! There are numerous other stories and news from the neigborhood:

  • Help Wanted: WHCA Board seeks a Vice President

  • Woodland Heights Recognizes Outstanding Volunteers

  • Constable Patrol Recovers Stolen Goods

  • Recap of November Member’s Meeting & Social at Maven Sawyer Heights

  • Safety Improvements on Houston Avenue

  • Yard-of-the-Month: 509 Woodland

  • Houston Ave Greenspace Adopted!

Yard of the Month - 1132 Highland /  by Michael Graves

Longtime residents Brook Ward and Jason Stark lived on Euclid Street before moving to Highland four years ago.

"We moved in September of 2020.  We previously lived on Euclid St.  We have two boys who are now grown.  When they went away to college, we decided to downsize," said Brook. "We are not too picky about what plants we like.  It's important to us to have something that we can easily maintain, and that looks good.  Of course, color is important and we look to add colorful seasonal plants to the base we already have."

While they appreciate the front porch and yard, most of their time is spent in the pool area, which they have landscaped with potted plants. In the front, we enjoy the porch, which includes the flower beds on either side.

"We had a huge side yard that was perfect for adding a pool. So now, we have two options when we want to be outside. We can sit on the front porch swing and enjoy our garden, or we can choose to sit out by the pool and enjoy a little more privacy."

Their garden includes some natives, but they worked to match the plants in their yard with ones that match the Houston climate. While they had a good base of plant knowledge, to begin with, they worked with a landscape artist to provide them with help on what plants were year-round and which ones were seasonal to fill out their garden.

"Salvia, Lantana, Yucca, Vinca, Cherry Laurel, Verigated Ginger, Potato Vine, Pencil Cactus, Begonias, Oleanders, Foxtail Ferns, Ligularia, Canna, boxwood bushes, and a few we can't remember the names," Brook continued.

Regarding who has a green thumb, Brook says, "I wouldn't say we are proficient. Jason tends to have a greener thumb and is also creative. He enjoys designing and piecing together several plants into one pot, like the large pot to the right of our porch and pots by the pool."

Brook and Jason's garden does not take many hours to maintain, and they pull weeds and trim back plants as needed.

"The favorite thing would be planting. It's rewarding to see the final product. My least favorite would be adding soil and mulch. It can be backbreaking and quite messy. We enjoy getting outside and working in the yard when we have nice weather. In the summer, not so much!."

In terms of having their yard recognized as WHCA Yard of the Month, Brook remarks,

"It feels great! We pride ourselves in keeping an organized and clean house and that extends to the garden. We walk a lot in the neighborhood and have the opportunity to see other yards. We often comment on how good someone's yard looks. So it's nice to know that our yard has been noticed and adds beauty to our community."

WHCA V.P. Needed! No Experience Needed /  by Michael Graves

The WHCA board has been busy these past couple of months. There’s a lot going on—there’s just so much to do. One of the tasks in a process is a bylaw revision. Such matters are no fun, but they are important. A recent review of the bylaws highlighted a simple fact that’s gone unnoticed for some time. Also, our level of activity—the WHCA board is one body short! So, we are announcing a call for volunteers for the vice president position.

The role of the Vice President, which has been vacant for a considerable time, is a little nebulous. Along with the President, Secretary, and Treasurer, the vice president is a member of the executive committee. They could sometimes be called upon to stand in for the President, chair a meeting, or take on any of a variety of tasks.

Historically, the Vice President was tasked with organizing the annual 4th of July Kids Parade. However, since we’ve not had a VP for some time, others have most recently organized that event. A newly minted VP could engage in any way that fits their sphere of interest. Leverage their strengths.

Suppose you love our little hometown close to downtown, and have thoughts about its future. In that case, this is your chance to help steer the civic association and, by extension, the neighborhood as a whole. Interested parties who are WHCA members can contact me directly.

Michael Graves
President, Woodland Heights Civic Association

Oh My Gourd! /  by Michael Graves

Halloween and Thanksgiving, holidays that bring to mind Jack O' Lanterns , pumpkin pie, and yes pumpkin lattes (though I'm not sure how much pumpkin is actually in that latte). So how many pumpkins are grown for these holidays? According to the United States  Department of Agriculture, in 2022 the U.S. produced 1.2 Billion (that's Billion with a B) pounds of pumpkins every year!

This week you may see a number of Jack O' Lanterns sitting out on porches to welcome trick or treaters. But did you know this Halloween staple traces it's origin to an old Irish Myth and was originally carved from vegetables like turnips and beets to ward off 'Stingy Jack' and other wandering evil spirits. Check out the link to read about the myth - migh make for some spooky tails this Halloween-and who knows maybe you'll be inspired to carve up a turnip or two.

And while you may think the pumpkin is a vegetable, according to botanists. the pumpkin is actually a fruit. That's because it is a product of the seed bearing structure of flowering plants - while vegetables are the edible part of plants like leaves, stems. roots, bulbs, flowers, and tubers.

Finally, one more fun pumpkin fact - pumpkins can be called both a gourd and a squash - no matter what you call it a pumpkin is part of the Cucurbitaceae family which includes a very large family of fruit. The Cucurbitaceae family include  over 900 species of food and ornamental plants, including pumpkins to honeydews to spaghetti squash to cucumbers to watermelon to those decorative gourds.

Regardless of what you call them vegetable or fruit pumpkin or gourd - the question arises - what do you do with all the leftovers from Halloween and Thanksgiving? Here's some ideas for what you can do when the holidays are over:

4th Annual Pumpkin Compost DropOff -  the COH Solid Waste Department is holding their 4th Annual composting of retired pumpkin drop off from Nov 1 - December 6, 2024. Visit the link above for details.

Lights in the Heights 2024 - Update /  by Michael Graves

Planning for this years LITH event is well underway! Thank you to all the behind the scenes dedicated group of volunteers who are busy getting sponsors, ordering merchandise, and planning the LITH Bash to make sure the cost of security, permits, and of course the ever necessary "facilities" (port-a-potties) costs are covered.

You can help by purchasing your LITH Bash tickets today, if you haven't done so yet, aside from helping offset the cost of the event - you're bound to have a great time with your neighbors and friends!

LITH Bash
Friday, Oct . 15th 
Eureka Heights Brewing
941 W 18th St, Houston, TX 77008.

In addition, you can support the LITH Bash fundraising effort by contributing auction items to the event. So if you or your business has event tickets, signed memorabilia, gift baskets, or any other item you'd like to donate email the LITH Bash volunteers at LITH@woodland-heights.org. Remember all proceeds from the LITH Bash and auction help cover the cost of the annual LITH event in December.

One of the wonderful parts about LITH is being able to stroll down the route and see the decorated homes along the route while listening to the different bands and entertainment from your neighbors front porches. Neighbors along the 2024 route, Byrne, Euclid, and 7 1/2th Streets, have received notifications about volunteering their porches for music or entertainment venues or letting us know what music or entertainment they have already planned for their own porches so we can coordinate the types of music so all musicians can be heard.

That free music concert is provided courtesy the bands and neighbors who have volunteered their talent and porches to create an  evening of music and merriment that is typical of this neighborhood tradition.

If you live on Byrne, Euclid, or 7 1/2th Streets and would like to volunteer your porch to host a musical act email entertainment@woodland-heights.org the volunteers who are coordinating the porch musicians will be happy to hear from you!

2024 LITH Event Schedule

  • Week of December 8 - 12 House Decorating Competition
    Featured streets and nominated homes are eligible to compete

  • Friday, December 13 - Friday Night Lights - Norhill Esplanade
    Neighborhood-only event

  • Saturday, December 14 - Lights in the Heights®
    Featured streets -Byrne, Euclid, and 7 1/2th Streets

And Yes Virginia, the 2024 LITH Ornaments have arrived! You can order your own ornament to complete your collection at the Woodland Heights Civic Association store today. Ornaments will also be available during Friday, Night Lights on December 13 - but why wait until then make sure you have your order in before they are all gone.

Note: All ornaments will be available for pickup during Friday Night Lights - shipping is not provided. All proceeds from ornament sales goes to cover the cost of Lights in the Heights.

This is my favorite time of year in Woodland Heights /  by Michael Graves

That headline spells it out quite plainly. After a long, hot summer, this is, to my mind, the best time of year hereabouts. For many reasons, some of which you might not expect.

Halloween is fast approaching. It’s an especially big time for our stretch of Beauchamp Street near Travis Elementary. Not long after we moved here, Stella brought home a big inflatable spider. While impressive, it was like a fish out of water. So, I decided to give it some context by building a 24-foot tall, lighted spider web between our house and the Loblolly Pine in the Southwest corner of the yard. A giant web seemed a fitting home for a giant spider.

From the beginning, we added a graveyard and some skeletons in various amusing or menacing poses. Every year, we add a bit more fog and lights for emphasis. And Candy—so much Candy you’d think we were dentists. But the real joy comes from the kids' reactions. It’s all very well received by the kids. We receive many hundreds of kids trick-or-treating each year, and their excitement is what makes it all worthwhile.

During COVID, the Halloween celebration around the neighborhood waned tremendously. But we didn't let that dampen our spirits. We adapted by delivering Candy to kiddos at a distance using an air-powered candy cannon. Last year, things went back to normal, but the number of homes decorated was still reduced. Yet, we persevered, and this year, we're seeing a definite uptick in the Halloween spirit.

I’m thrilled to see a definite uptick this year. In particular, there seem to be skeletons everywhere. This appears to be a major new trend. Also, so many skeletons in costumes, too! I am reminded of Jason and the Argonauts, the original one, but without all the clattering of bones. The increased enthusiasm for Halloween this year is truly heartwarming and I can't wait to see what other surprises the community has in store.

Beyond simply Halloween or Día de Muertos, the transition of the seasons impacts the neighborhood. I notice this while out walking our dog in the evenings. Julio, our Dogo Argentino/Irish Setter mix, is very social. He really likes to meet new people and other dogs on our evening walkabouts.

The days are getting shorter, leading people to go on walks a little earlier. These days, we see so many people out biking, walking, pushing strollers, walking dogs…just enjoying the nice weather while they can. As George R.R. Martin so ominously noted, "Winter is coming." But before that happens, we must first make it through the holiday season, with all that entails.

I would venture to say that this year, in Woodland Heights, the holiday season officially begins with the November WHCA Members meeting, followed by the LITH Bash, and culminating in December with the 2024 LITH Celebration on Saturday, December 14th.

The agenda is still evolving and doesn't include any official business requiring members to vote, making this meeting largely social. We will certainly have updates about the state of plans for the Lights in the Heights Bash (tickets are still available here) and other aspects of Lights in the Heights.

We do have a surprise in the works! It's too early to say yet, but this promises to be a good time at an interesting new venue*. I invite you all to join us.

Michael Graves
President, Woodland Heights Civic Association

*Back in 2019, when the WHCA bylaws were last revised, we specifically added a provision allowing for members meetings beyond the perimeter of the neighborhood. It was motivated by the occasional difficulty finding a suitable location. Back then, we thought it might be possible to access the Castillo Center. We first acted on this change with a meeting in the back room at A Second Cup when it was still located on the north side of 11th Street.

The Hollywood Trail Project /  by Michael Graves

What is Comey's 1913 Report To Park Commissioners
In 1910, Mayor Horace Baldwin Rice, established the city’s first park commission and appointed three men to the commission, attorney Edwin B. Park, an amateur Horticulturist; George H. Hermann, real estate investor; and William A. Wilson, the developer of Woodland Heights. In 1912, the three commissioners, at their own expense, hired landscape architect Arthur C. Comey to prepare a park report for the City. Comey’s plan released in 1913 titled, "Houston: Tentative Plans for its Development” not only provided plans for park development but included a plan for the City itself.

Hollywood Bayou - Connecting Neighborhoods
Recently a grassroots coalition of local organizations and residents, inspired by Comey’s report and mention of Hollywood Bayou “as a key natural and community resource” within that report, launched the Hollywood Trail Project.  Its goal “to reconnect neighborhoods like Independence Heights, Woodland Heights, and Northside Village through an accessible trail that celebrates the area’s natural beauty and rich cultural history.”

According to the coalition, it is “backed by over one hundred community members and organizations” including the Friends of Woodland Park, the newly formed Friends of Moody Park, the Independence Heights Civic Association, and the White Oak Bayou Association.

Hollywood Bayou - Photo Courtesy Hollywood Trail Project Coalition

“This is a pivotal moment to come together as a community to shape the future of Little White Oak Bayou,” said Kelli Fereday, one of the project’s co-founders and FWP President. “The trail will offer much more than just a path; it will be a living history of the neighborhoods it passes through, from Independence Heights to Northside Village, Glen Park, and Woodland Heights. Interactive displays would share stories of the people, places, and events that have shaped these communities.”

The trail being proposed by the group would run along sections of the ecologically rich Little White Oak Bayou, where 180 species of birds have been documented, and intersects to a City of Houston Nature Preserve at the lower portion of the Bayou.

With the TXDoT North Highway Infrastructure Improvement Project (the I-45 North project) set to move forward, the group sees the development of the Hollywood Trail Project to be at a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure the Hollywood Trail is included in the project’s planning, providing a vital green corridor, and preventing further fragmentation of neighborhoods.

The coalition continues to engage key stakeholders, including the City of Houston HPARD and District H, TXDoT, Harris County, the Greater Northside Management District, TIRZ 5 and TIRZ 21, and local civic organizations, to bring the project to fruition. For more information or to support the Hollywood Trail Project, visit hollywoodtrail.org.

Lights in the Heights 2024: Call for Porches! /  by Michael Graves

Dear Byrne, Euclid & 7-1/2 Street Neighbors,

This December, Lights in The Heights (LITH) will be celebrating its 37th year as an annual Holiday Season tradition organized by the Woodland Heights Civic Association. Traditionally scheduled for the second Saturday in December, this year LITH will take place on the evening of December 14th. Byrne, Euclid and 7-1/2 streets are the streets which have been chosen for the official route for LITH this year.

During the celebration your streets will be closed to vehicular traffic so that neighbors, and visitors to our neighborhood, are able to walk these streets while enjoying the lights, decorations and music along the route. As per tradition, outdoor music is allowed from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. that evening and neighbors on the official route are asked if they would like to volunteer their porches to host performers.

We invite to let us know if you would like to volunteer your porch to host performers for this event. The LITH Entertainment Committee has a list of volunteer performers that we can pair up with willing hosts. These performers are volunteering their time and talent at no cost to perform for LITH.

If you prefer to arrange a performer of your own, we ask that you let the committee know as well. Knowing what homes are planning on hosting their own performers will help the committee arrange music to avoid one type of music overshadowing another so all the performers can be enjoyed by everyone walking the official route.

Thank you for supporting LITH!

The LITH Entertainment Committee
EntertainmentLITH@gmail.com

Yard of the Month - 927 Merrill Street /  by Michael Graves

Lloyd and Ann Jones have lived in their craftsman bungalow home at 927 Merrill since 1983 and around 2000, respectively. Working together, they've seamlessly combined the beauty of their garden to create a harmonious relationship between the outside world and their home.

The vibrant colors of the flowers and the soothing greenery create a picturesque setting, though it's unclear who came up with the home's paint combination. According to Lloyd,

"I would say we both did, but Ann says it was her idea, lol."

When asked what his favorite part of their yard is, Lloyd continued,

"I would say the backyard, but we do spend a lot of our time in the front yard. Ann and I each have our own beds. If you're facing our house, mine is on the right and hers on the left. Ann's bed has Echinacea, Zinnias, Hummingbird Bush, and several different varieties of Salvia - including Hot Lips Salvia, Day Lillies,  Fire Cracker Plant, some Sage, and Purple Verbena. In my bed, I have several varieties of native grass, including Muhly Grass, Zinnias, Henry Duelburg, Salvias, and some Homestead Verbena."

Their garden, filled with native plants from various Heights area nurseries and garden centers, including Joshua's Native Plants and Garden Antiques, Buchanan's Native Plants, Home Depot, Houston Garden Center, and Another Place in Time, is a haven for several flying, crawling, and buzzing beneficial insects.

"For sure, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. We also have a nest of Mockingbirds, and we've seen Blue Jays, Cardinals, and we've had some Cooper Hawks in our bird bath as well."

Lloyd has been gardening since as far back as he can recall,

"You may not be old enough to remember, but Frito Lay used to put Zinna seed packets in their products, so that was the first thing I ever grew."

In addition to the plants purchased from nurseries, some plants handed down from family and friends are found in the beautiful landscape.

"We have some Night Blooming Cereus we got from Ann's mom, another type of Cereus I got from a swim buddy, some Begonias, and we each have our own Staghorn ferns that we combined and cultivated. It has grown into a giant; it's now about five feet across."

A gardener's work is never finished, as gardens constantly grow and change with the seasons and weather. Lloyd and Ann have different approaches to keeping their gardens beautiful. They both find joy in the process but also face challenges like keeping up with weeds and adapting to Houston's weather conditions.

Lloyd says, "The least favorite [part of gardening] would be the constant battle with the weeds. I battle the yard about once a week. I think Ann's Zen time is sweeping up the flowers and leaves from the Crepe Myrtle tree daily, lol."

While Ann's work in the garden keeps Houston's weather in mind. "With the heat, I get out there very early in the morning and stay as long as possible, then I go out around 8 in the evening and periodically throughout the day. If it wasn't for the heat, I would be out there all the time!"

In terms of their garden favorites, it depends on the season and the creatures attracted by the beautiful blooms,

Lloyd, "That's a tough one. The Muhly Grass has some bloom spikes in the fall, and that's nice. All of our hummingbird bushes are also amazing in the fall, attracting the hummingbirds."

Ann adds, "I like all types of salvias and cone flowers—all the ones that attract pollinators and do a great job of standing up to our heat as well," and leaves would-be gardeners intimidated with some advice, "If you do a little every day, a beautiful yard is very easy to maintain and grow!"

SAVE THE DATES! FWP - Annual Meeting October 10 Plus Halloween Concert October 17 /  by Michael Graves

Friends of Woodland Park - Annual Meeting
The Friends of Woodland Park will be holding their Annual Meeting, on Thursday,  October 10, inside the Woodland Park Community Center, 212 Parkview. There will be a Meet and Greet at 6 pm, followed by a members meeting with a report of accomplishments of the past year and future plans.  
The guest speaker for the evening will be Ranger Woodard with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, who will explain Urban Park Ranger responsibilities as well as what issues, wants, and needs he has for Woodland Park.

Friends of Woodland Park - Halloween Themed Concert!
You are invited to a family-friendly concert hosted by the Friends of Woodland Park on Thursday, October 17, 6-7:30 p.m., in the community center at Woodland Park. Jo Bird, the Fiddle Witch, is our guest musician and will provide the entertainment. Wear your Halloween costume – kids and adults. There will be candy, decorated cookies, and Halloween-themed coloring pages for the kids.  We will also enjoy several flavors of popcorn.
 
Jo Bird was born and raised in Pasadena, TX, where she grew up playing in the public school orchestra. She moved to Houston to perform and compose music for Two Star Symphony, Pecos Hank, I Am Mesmer and Fiddle Witch and the Demons of Doom in addition to many other musical groups and various projects. She has been residing in Galveston, TX, since 2019 performing her solo works for Art Walk, private events and many other random happenings.
 
Come join us at your park in our wonderful neighborhood!

Support LITH - Auction Items Needed! /  by Michael Graves

The Lights in the Heights Bash is not just a fun-filled evening, it's a crucial part of our fundraising efforts. The proceeds from the event help cover expenses such as city permits, street closures, police presence and security, porta-potties, and other necessary items to hold the event.

Your participation and support at the Bash are vital to the success of the event. We invite you to mark your calendars for this annual event and buy your tickets when they go on sale online. Early Bird ticket sales will begin at the WHCA Store on October 1 ($75) for one week only, and regular pricing will apply after that.

LITH is a community-driven initiative that relies on your support. The proceeds from the LITH Bash help cover essential expenses such as city permits, street closures, police presence and security, porta-potties, and other necessary items to make the event a success. Your support is vital to the continuation of this beloved community tradition.

As part of the Bash, there will be an Auction to raise additional money to cover costs associated with LITH. The LITH Committee is seeking your help securing auction items for the Bash. If you are a business or individual with connections and resources, a history of charitable giving, and a love for LITH, your help could make a significant difference and play a crucial role in the event's success!

Auction items like gift baskets, tickets to sporting or entertainment events, date night experiences, etc., are always welcome! If you love giving parties for kids or adults, you could offer to host a party as a donation. Let the LITH Committee know what you'd like to give to support LITH. Your donation and support will be recognized in multiple ways throughout the LITH season, and depending on the level of giving, your name could be featured on banners and signage for the event, the WHCA newsletter, social media posts, and more.

Ready to support LITH and donate an auction item? It's simple. Just email us at bash@woodland-heights.org. We appreciate and thank you for your support in advance for your donation, and continued support of the WHCA and Lights in the Heights!

2024 LITH - Join The Fun /  by Michael Graves

Lights in the Heights - Brief History
It all began on December 12, 1987, when the first Lights in the Heights event was held. The streets of Woodland Heights were adorned with 'luminarias', transforming the neighborhood into a magical 'Winter Wonderland '. Residents were invited to join in by adding luminarias to their streets, driveways, and porches, creating a mesmerizing display of light. The event also featured holiday entertainment and refreshments on the Norhill Esplanade, marking the start of a cherished tradition.

According to the WHCA 1989 November December newsletter, that first event drew 20,000 people to the Woodland Heights neighborhood to see the luminarias lighting up the participating streets and homes. The name we have all come to know the event by, "Lights in the Heights," appears to have been added in 1989, a testament to our community's enduring spirit and commitment to creating memorable experiences.

2024 LITH Schedule
This year, on December 14, our neighborhood will hold its 37th Annual Lights in the Heights. This year's featured streets will be Byrne, Euclid, and 7 1/2th Streets. They will be closed to vehicular traffic and become vibrant hubs of community activity. Neighbors and visitors alike are invited to stroll through the illuminated streets and enjoy the vibrant displays and holiday cheer.

Click to see larger image

2024 LITH Event Schedule

  • Friday, November 15 - LITH® Bash
    Early Bird Ticket Sales Begin Oct 1st
    Eureka Heights Brewing - 941 W 18th St, Houston, TX 77008

  • Week of December 8 - 12 House Decorating Competition
    Featured streets and nominated homes are eligible to compete

  • Friday, December 13 - Friday Night Lights - Norhill Esplanade
    Neighborhood-only event

  • Saturday, December 14 - Lights in the Heights®
    Featured streets - Byrne, Euclid, and 7 1/2th Streets

What LITH Committee and Volunteers Do
Lights in the Heights is more than just one night of festivities. There is the annual Ornament/Logo contest, coordination with the City Special Events Office to close certain streets and redirect traffic down adjacent streets for safety, judging homes to award prizes for everything from the Most Wattage to the best holiday-themed, planning and setting up Friday night lights (this event is for residents only), and the big finale of the public Saturday event Lights in the Heights.

Volunteers and neighbors like you donate their time to do all the planning and hard work for this event. Planning for the event begins in the summer and continues up to and after the event itself. The LITH Committee is always looking for neighbors who would like to assist in making sure all the details that go into making this event a success; your involvement is crucial to the success of Lights in the Heights.

Did I mention another item the LITH Committee is responsible for? That would be fundraising to cover the cost of putting on LITH. The annual ornament contest provides the logo for the ornaments, t-shirts, and other merchandise sold through the WHCA store, but additional fundraising is where the Lights in the Heights Bash comes into play.

Hats Off to Beautification Committee! /  by Michael Graves

We Appreciate WHCA Volunteers!
A BIG THANK YOU to all the our dedicated Beautification Volunteers! Your willingness to give your time and service to do pick up trash, pull weeds, and just keep our Woodland Heights greenspaces looking beautiful is much appreciated! We'd like to recognize each and every one of you and  give you some well-deserved credit where it's due!.

Most of the WHCA Beautification Volunteers have been donating their time and hard work maintaining Woodland Heights garden spaces, esplanades, and greenspaces for a number of years. They would all love to have some extra hands to grab a shovel and pitch in to help. They've got the experience and knowledge to pass on about gardening and invite you to join them on one of the many volunteer workdays scheduled throughout the year. Here's some of the work they've been doing this past month.

WHCA Beautification Committee Volunteers at September 21st Ley Park Plaza Clean up

Ley Plaza Park Volunteer Clean Up!
This past Saturday, September 21, the new Director of Beautification, Ryan Taylor, working with veteran volunteers Pat Rutledge and Louise Moss and a new crew of volunteers tackled the Ley Plaza Park ravine and the Butterfly Garden. They cleared a mountain of trash that had been piling up on the north side of the park covering the drainage system that is part of the flood mitigation system. Just like the street storm sewers located throughout the neighborhood they work to divert water runoff away from your homes.

WHCA Volunteers clear debris from Ley Plaza Park Ravine

Parks and Greenspaces Role In a Community
Parks and greenspaces, like Ley Plaza Park, and Woodland Park are more than just greenspaces to relax and play in when the weather is fine. During storms and floods they retain water to keep it from flooding your homes. That is why volunteer work like that provided by the WHCA Beautification Committee is so important. They work to keep our neighborhood parks and greenspaces free of litter and debris so we can enjoy them - and this also helps the water flow away from homes when the weather threatens.

Beautification Ongoing Projects Report
Most of the WHCA Beautification Volunteers have been donating their time and hard work maintaining Woodland Heights garden spaces, esplanades, and greenspaces for a number of years. They would all love to have some extra hands to grab a shovel and pitch in to help. We invite you to join for one of the many volunteer workdays scheduled throughout the year. In the meantime, here's some of the work they've been doing this past month.

Watson Esplanade - Thank you to Pat Schaper and Louise Moss pulled weeds and pruned the rose and blue mist bushes for spending 7 hours! Additional work accomplished included:

  • Checking the sprinkler system for correct operation and checking the lighting on esplanade signage 

  • Volunteers are also on a weekly schedule to keep the Gulf Muhly grass watered and healthy   

Norhill Esplanade - The dead pine tree in the middle of the esplanade has been marked for removal by Houston Parks & Recreation Department's (HPARD) Urban Forestry section. Thank you to Parks!

Ley Plaza Park - Thank you to Pat Rutledge! for working with CenterPoint who has agreed to clear the power lines that run inside the park.

  • HPARD's Urban Forestry will be removing 3 – dead/diseased trees in the next coming weeks and will be scheduliing the removal of underbrush around the perimeter of the park in the Fall

Next Volunteer Opportunity!
Your next opportunity to volunteer to clean up greenspaces is on Saturday, September 28, 2024. The Houston Parks and Recreation Department will be holding a Park Recovery and Restoration Event at Woodland Park. Volunteers are encouraged to participate! See flyer below for more information!

National Night Out - October 1st /  by Michael Graves

"Won't you be my neighbor?"  Neighborhoods mean many different things to a lot of different people…ranging from a place denoted by boundary lines to a group of homes that are close to each other with people who may or may not know each other. The Woodland Heights, a neighborhood with a rich history dating back to 1907, like Houston has evolved over the years. With many neighbors working from home or choosing to live in the Woodland Heights for the schools and amenities offered by living inside the loop there are neighbors who may not have a moment to take advantage of their front porches or chat across their fences to meet their neighbors.

Today, we're inviting you to come out and meet some of your neighbors, friends, and future friends on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, for the WHCA National Night Out from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on the Norhill Esplanade.

Joann Lammons with Sotheby's Realty

Thanks to Joann Lammons with Sotheby's Realty, a fellow Woodland Heights resident and realtor, for generously sponsoring Dippin' Dots as a sweet treat for the kids! When asked why she contributes to the WHCA National Night Out event, Joann responded,

"I am proud to be a member of the Woodland Heights Community. It brings me back to my roots of uptown New Orleans with like architectural styles, legendary live oaks, walk-ability and wonderful neighbors. I love to support NNO as it honors our brave law enforcers and offers joint community programs for safety awareness. Not to mention a fun excuse for gathering our community!"

Parents be sure to come early to National Night Out as Dippin' Dots are available while supplies last.

It's a wrap food truck

In addition, the It's a Wrap food truck will be on site with its popular wraps ready for purchase. Guli Essa. The owner of It's a Wrap began her food truck career in 2011 when the retail store she was managing decided to close and gave her two days' notice. Instead of wondering what her next step would be, Guli followed her dream of owning her own business. Since then, she's been rolling out healthy food varieties that reflect what she likes to eat. The name of the truck is a nod to her LA roots and the movie business where "when you finish a movie, you say, 'it's a wrap." She's also carried the theme a little further by naming all her wraps after movies or something related to movies.

So, bring your lawn chairs, get your kids a Dippin' Dot, buy a wrap from It's a Wrap food truck, and enjoy a fun-filled night out with your neighbors while celebrating National Night Out.

What is National Night Out?
National Night Out was the brainchild of Matt A. Peskin from Philadelphia, but its success is a testament to the power of community. In 1970, Mr. Peskin was a volunteer working with the Lower Merion Community Watch program in cooperation with the Lower Merion Police Department. He patrolled his neighborhood, assisted in patrol dispatch, and ran the program's newsletter. In search of new content for the newsletter, he went to surrounding neighborhoods for assistance and noticed the need for a shared platform to connect citizens interested in safer neighborhoods. This was the seed for the next step in the development of the program that would become National Night Out.

In 1970, he established the National Association of Town Watch to provide community watch groups with information, resources, and assets to stay informed, interested, involved, and motivated within the community. Then, three years later, in 1984, the NATW organization held the first National Night Out with the simple goal of increasing participation in local crime prevention efforts by uniting entire communities for a single night. That first night, 2.5 million neighbors across 400 communities in 23 states participated. Today, communities celebrate National Night Out events on either the first Tuesday in August or the first Tuesday in October to take into account the difference in weather temperatures across the entire country. We opt for the first Tuesday in October here in Houston due to our weather temps!

What is the goal?
At the National Night Out program's core is the goal of connecting neighbors, promoting community, and raising awareness about police-community partnerships. For us, it's a chance to strengthen the bonds within our Woodland Heights neighborhood and show our support for local law enforcement by uniting our community on this one night in the hopes of uniting it for the future.